Phantom: Chainfire Trilogy, Part 2 (Sword of Truth, Book 10)

Amazon.com

Exclusive Video
Watch author Terry Goodkind discuss how his own morality and sense of good and evil shape the chararacters and action in his epic ten volume Sword of Truth series.

'Phantom' video Clip featuring Terry Goodkind

Watch a video clip featuring author Terry Goodkind

Book Description

On the day she awoke remembering nothing but her name, Kahlan Amnell became the most dangerous woman alive. For everyone else, that was the day that the world began to end. As her husband, Richard, desperately searches for his beloved, whom only he remembers, he knows that if she doesnt soon discover who she really is, she will unwittingly become the instrument that will unleash annihilation. But Kahlan learns that if she ever were to unlock the truth of her lost identity, then evil itself would finally possess her, body, and soul. If she is to survive in a murky world of deception and betrayal, where life is not only cheap but fleeting, Kahlan must find out why she is such a central figure in the war-torn world swirling around her. What she uncovers are secrets darker than she could ever have imagined.

Customer Reviews:

Only Terry.......2007-09-26

Terry seems to have Richard loose that woman more then anything in the world but over all he makes him losign her interesting each time....if you're looking at this you read all the others most likely so you know the deal

Disappointing ovreall with sparks of quality here and there.......2007-09-20

I am about ready to give up on this series, but I think I can make it one more book. This one was again disappointing. It rambled on and on over the exact same tired ground covered in other books. Then there would be a bit of action that was interesting and might have a good twist. Then it would ramble some more. I skipped whole paragraphs and pages and missed none of the plot. If you have stuck it out this long with the series, sure, so ahead. Otherwise don't bother.

Merely average.......2007-09-15

Phantom by Terry Godkind is the second book in the Chainfire trilogy, but also the tenth book in the Sword of Truth saga. For people not familiar with Mr. Goodkind, it may sound odd that a book is part of a trilogy and a saga at the same time, but that is the case with this book. The Chainfire trilogy is merely the final three books in the saga. By all accounts, the final book in the Chainfire trilogy, will in fact be the last book in the Sword of Truth saga. The saga that was started back in 1994 with Wizard's First Rule (Sword of Truth, Book 1) is due to close with the next book. There have been a mix of gems and duds among the books, but over all it's proven to be a solid series.

The overall plot of this book is almost identical to the plot of the previous book, Chainfire: Chainfire Trilogy, Part 1 (Sword of Truth, Book 9). In that Richard is still searching for Kahlan. The only difference is that in Chainfire, Richard had convinced those closest to him (Zed, Cara, Nicci etc) that Kahlan does exists. Sadly, nothing much changes in terms of that plot line. It almost seems as though Mr. Goodkind wants to milk that piece of plot for all it's worth. There are a few other subplots sprinkled in for good measure as well. Such as the Boxes of Orden and just what they can do. I particularly like this subplot because it ties up events from book one and is obviously bringing things together. There is also, as with previous books, a great deal of discussion of prophecy. This subplot seems to make the book become sluggish and redundant due to the fact the characters seem as though they are constantly repeating themselves. There is also the additional subplot of the First Grand Wizard, Baraccus, and the events he started way back when. Certainly, an interesting addition to the story.

The characters are largely the same characters that were present in the previous book, and the entire saga. There is not much character development at all for the main heroes. In fact, the character that seems to develop the most is Emperor Jagang. Jagang's development mostly centers on readers just leaning more about him. There is no real growth for the characters. At times, this novel felt as though the characters were secondary and they were being dragged along by the story. This is the second book in a row where Mr. Goodkind has offered very little in the way of character development. I was disappointed, especially being that this is the second to last book in the entire series to have flat characters, after readers have invested so much time following the story. I sincerely hope, with the last book, Mr. Goodkind adds a great deal of character development.

I have a few criticisms about this novel.

One being that at times the dialog drags on, and on... and on. The characters say the same thing over and over again. It is almost as though Mr. Goodkind is saying to the reader "I want you to get this point." And then proceeds to beat the reader over the head with the point.

Secondly, there are several times in this novel where the characters are struggling when suddenly one of the characters has an `ah ha!' moment and suddenly figures out a very vexing problem and has all the answers. This is very frustrating as a reader to see things `given' to the characters so easily. This happens no less than three times in this story.

Also, as I talked about above, the simple lack of character development. Sure, the story as a whole is advanced, but in terms of character development there is very little to be found.

Overall this is a slightly disappointing book. As a reader, I don't feel like a whole lot was accomplished in the broad scope of things. Fans of the series will certainly need to read this book, after all there is only one more left to complete the tale. People considering reading this novel, without prior knowledge of the series, need to really go back and start from the beginning. There are events and characters in this book that are discussed, or mentioned that would make no sense without reading the previous books. I would most likely recommend this series as a whole to more adult fantasy readers, yet in the same breath I think there are better fantasy series out there right now with less philosophical discussion based on the author's views and beliefs. This is simply an average fantasy book at best.

Phantom.......2007-09-08

As always Terry Goodkind keeps writing the books that you can not put down. The Phantom is deep into the series of Wizards first rule books (book 10) and it seems sometimes the "catching up" is a little tiresome but I just skip over these parts and truley love all the books that I have read by Terry Goodkind.

The continuation.......2007-09-01

TG in his SFT series has always felt the need to repeat himself hundreds of times so that a full third of the book rehashes the series up to the current point. However up till now the story had continued to advance enough that by the end of whatever book I had read it seemed worth reading. Phantom was a complete disappointment in that it did not. As slow paced as his books are I somehow doubt he'll be able to masterfully end what still stands in my mind as a good series in one final novel. Those who have the time I still would recommend the series, this book one just has to suffer through and in all honesty may not even be that bad if the reader can quickly move to the next one due in Nov 07'.

Summer of the Sea Serpent (Magic Tree House #31)

Average customer rating:

Summer of the Sea Serpent (Magic Tree House #31)
Action-packed but creepy
Summer of the Sea Serpent
Summer of the Sea Serpent
At it again

Summer of the Sea Serpent (Magic Tree House #31)
Mary Pope Osborne
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Winter of the Ice Wizard (Magic Tree House 32)
Haunted Castle on Hallow's Eve (Magic Tree House, 30)
Christmas in Camelot (Magic Tree House #29)
Season of the Sandstorms (A Stepping Stone Book(TM))
Carnival at Candlelight (Magic Tree House #33)

ASIN: 0375827358
Release Date: 2004-03-09

Book Description

Jack and Annie are off on another mythical mission at the request of Merlin the magician. Luckily, they have a young sorcerer, Teddy, to help them. From underwater caves to a Spider Queen, from mystical selkies to a magical sword, this is a Magic Tree House adventure kids won’t want to miss!

Customer Reviews:

Summer of the Sea Serpent (Magic Tree House #31).......2007-08-29

I am trying to get my son to want to read and this book was very successful at getting him to want to continue reading to see what's going to happen next.

Action-packed but creepy.......2007-06-13

I love the Magic Tree House books, and Summer of the Sea Serpent is a very cool Merlin Mission, but it is very mysterious and creepy. In one part, they went into a cave where the Spider Queen who lives inside it, the drawing looks creepy because the spider has about 13 eyes! And some other parts are mysterious, too. I really appreciate Mary Pope Osborne's great fantasy books, but this not exactly the best nor the worst. If you are a fan of the Magic Tree House series, check it out in the library, but don't buy it. Still, I love Magic Tree House.

Summer of the Sea Serpent.......2007-01-06

You just got to keep up with the kids . If you have the collection the book is great as always. My kids really enjoy them.

Summer of the Sea Serpent.......2006-11-03

Summer of the Sea Serpent
By Mary Pope Osborne

The book I'm reading is called Summer of the Sea Serpent. In the book, Jack and Annie go to Camelot. They meet an old friend, Teddy. He is a boy sorcerer who turned himself into a dog by accident, and Jack and Annie free him. He enjoys going on adventures with Jack and Annie. Teddy respects his magic, but needs some work on his rhyming. He turned Jack and Annie into ravens during last mission by accident, and had the idea to turn them into seals this mission. Do you think Teddy is a good sorcerer?

Brian, 9
Cunniff School
Watertown, MA

At it again.......2006-08-30

Jack and Annie continue in this wonderful series. We read these books, and listen to them on audio tape and cd - acceptable for the whole family without being boring for the grownups

Sword of Truth, Boxed Set III, Books 7-9: The Pillars of Creation, Naked Empire, Chainfire (Sword Of Truth)

Average customer rating:

Sword of Truth, Boxed Set III
sword of truth set 3
The Sword of truth Series by Terry Goodkind
Great reading
Great Job

Sword of Truth, Boxed Set III, Books 7-9: The Pillars of Creation, Naked Empire, Chainfire (Sword Of Truth)
Terry Goodkind
Manufacturer: Tor Fantasy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Literature & Fiction | Boxed Sets | Formats | Books

Science Fiction & Fantasy | Boxed Sets | Formats | Books
Similar Items:

The Sword of Truth, Boxed Set I, Books 1-3: Wizard's First Rule, Blood of the Fold ,Stone of Tears
Debt of Bones (Sword of Truth Prequel Novel)
Phantom: Chainfire Trilogy, Part 2 (Sword of Truth, Book 10)
Faith of the Fallen (Sword of Truth, Book 6)
Blood of the Fold (Sword of Truth, Book 3)

ASIN: 0765356856

Book Description

This Mass Market Boxed Set, is the Third Boxed Set of The Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind:

The Box Set includes:
Pillars of Creation, 0-765-34074-7
Naked Empire, 0-765-34430-7
Chainfire, 0-765-34431-9

Book 7: Pillars of Creation

Sequel to the New York Times bestselling Faith of the Fallen

New York Times bestselling author Terry Goodkind has created his most lavish adventure yet. Tormented her entire life by inhuman voices, a young woman named Lauren seeks to end her intolerable agony. She at last discovers a way to silence the voices. For everyone else, the torment is about to begin.

With winter descending and the paralyzing dread of an army of annihilation occupying their homeland, Richard Rahl and his wife Kahlan must venture deep into a strange and desolate land. Their quest turns to terror when they find themselves the helpless prey of a tireless hunter.

Meanwhile, Lauren finds herself drawn into the center of a struggle for conquest and revenge. Worse yet, she finds her will seized by forces more abhorrent than anything she ever envisioned. Only then does she come to realize that the voices were real.

Staggered by loss and increasingly isolated, Richard and Kahlan must stop the relentless, unearthly threat which has come out of the darkest night of the human soul. To do so, Richard will be called upon to face the demons stalking among the Pillars of Creation.

Discover breathtaking adventure and true nobility of spirit. Find out why millions of readers the world over have elevated Terry Goodkind to the ranks of legend.

Book 8: Naked Empire
Beginning with Wizard's First Rule and continuing with six subsequent fantasy masterpieces, Terry Goodkind has thrilled and awed millions of readers worldwide. Now Goodkind returns with a broad-canvas adventure of epic intrigue, violent conflict, and terrifying peril for the beautiful Kahlan Amnell and her husband, the heroic Richard Rahl, the Sword of Truth.

Richard Rahl has been poisoned. Saving an empire from annihilation is the price of the antidote. With the shadow of death looming near, the empire crumbling before the invading hordes, and time running out, Richard is offered not only his own life but the salvation of a people, in exchange for delivering his wife, Kahlan, into bondage to the enemy.

Book 9: Chainfire
With Wizard's First Rule and seven subsequent masterpieces, Terry Goodkind has thrilled readers worldwide with the unique sweep of his storytelling. Now Goodkind returns with a new novel of Richard and Kahlan, the beginning of a sequence of three novels that will bring their epic story to its culmination.

After being gravely injured in battle, Richard awakes to discover Kahlan missing. To his disbelief, no one remembers the woman he is frantically trying to find. Worse, no one believes that she really exists, or that he was ever married. Alone as never before, he must find the woman he loves more than life itself....if she is even still alive. If she was ever even real.

Customer Reviews:

Sword of Truth, Boxed Set III.......2007-08-06

Terry Goodkind is one of the Kings of Fantasy and has the amazing ability to bring the reader right into the story with very few if any boring "set-ups." The adventure always rolls right along and gives the reader the never-ending desire to turn the page, read another chapter, oh heck, finish the book, it's not that late. Goodkind is an author those of you who love fantasy will read over and over and over again.

sword of truth set 3.......2007-05-07

Goodman has developed a complex vile group of villians in the Order and Jaagang. Reminds a reader of the current world events.

The Sword of truth Series by Terry Goodkind.......2007-04-12

Sorry, but I'm nowhere near reading ( Books 7-9)yet; I'm on book number 2( just started it) and with that said I am extremely happy I started reading this series of 12 books and I got the book before the series started. Terry Goodkind books just the kind books there should be more of, I'm looking forward to finding more of his work in the future. P.S. I bought 1 -9 and have put in an order for # 10 and the book that lead to the series to be deliver first of June. Thank you help me re-start my love for reading once more, by keep the cost down.

Great reading.......2007-03-21

I have read all but one of Terry Goodkinds sequels. I have found his books to be entertaining and they grip you with their tales. I hope these books get turned into movie sequels or tv sequels.

Great Job.......2007-01-10

I am very happy with the product and the person(s) I bought this from. It came very quickly as promised and I had no problems with it and I would do business with them again.

The Sword of Truth, Boxed Set I, Books 1-3: Wizard's First Rule, Blood of the Fold ,Stone of Tears

Average customer rating:

wizard set
Great style, substance and themes.
Sword of Truth
Fantasy at its best!
Don't Buy This Set

The Sword of Truth, Boxed Set I, Books 1-3: Wizard's First Rule, Blood of the Fold ,Stone of Tears
Terry Goodkind
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Magic & Wizards | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Science Fiction & Fantasy | Boxed Sets | Formats | Books
Similar Items:

Sword of Truth, Boxed Set III, Books 7-9: The Pillars of Creation, Naked Empire, Chainfire (Sword Of Truth)
Debt of Bones (Sword of Truth Prequel Novel)
Phantom: Chainfire Trilogy, Part 2 (Sword of Truth, Book 10)
Naked Empire (Sword of Truth, Book 8)
The Wheel of Time (Boxed Set #1)

ASIN: 0812575601

Book Description

The Sword of Truth, Boxed Set I, Books 1-3 Wizard's First Rule, Stone of Tears, and Blood of the FoldThe Sword of Truth, Boxed Set I, Books 1-3 Wizard's First Rule, Stone of Tears, and Blood of the FoldBook 1: Wizards First Rule The masterpiece that started The New York Times bestselling epic Sword of TruthIn the aftermath of the brutal murder of his father, a mysterious woman, Kahlan Amnell, appears in Richard Cypher's forest sanctuary seeking help . . . and more. His world, his very beliefs, are shattered when ancient debts come due with thundering violence.In a dark age it takes courage to live, and more than mere courage to challenge those who hold dominion, Richard and Kahlan must take up that challenge or become the next victims. Beyond awaits a bewitching land where even the best of their hearts could betray them. Yet, Richard fears nothing so much as what secrets his sword might reveal about his own soul. Falling in love would destroy them--for reasons Richard can't imagine and Kahlan dare not say. In their darkest hour, hunted relentlessly, tormented by treachery and loss, Kahlan calls upon Richard to reach beyond his sword--to invoke within himself something more noble. Neither knows that the rules of battle have just changed . . . or that their time has run out. This is the beginning. One book. One Rule. Witness the birth of a legend.Book 2: Stone of Tears An Epic of Awesome PowerKahlan has at last gained the one goal she had always thought was beyond her grasp .... love. Against all odds, the ancient bonds of secret oaths, and the dark talents of men long dead, Richard has won her heart.Amid sudden and disastrous events, Richard's life is called due to satisfy those treacherous oaths. To save his life, Kahlan must forsake Richard's love and cast him into the chains of slavery, knowing there could be no sin worse than such a betrayal.Richard is determined to unlock the secrets bound in the magic of ancient oaths and to again be free. Kahlan, alone with the terrible truth of what she has done, must set about altering the course of a world thrown into war. But even that may be easier than ever winning back the heart of the only man she will ever love.Book 3: Blood of the Fold An Epic of Two WorldsIn a world as rich and real as our own, Richard Rahl and Kahlan Amnell stand against the ancient forces which besiege the New World-- forces so terrible that when last they threatened, they could only be withstood by sealing off the Old World from whence they came. Now the barrier has been breached, and the New World is again beset by their evil power.War and treachery plague the world, and only Richard and Kahlan can save it from an armageddon of unimaginable savagery and destruction.Terry Goodkind, author of the brilliant bestsellers Wizard's First Rule and Stone of Tears, has created his most masterful epic yet, a sumptuous feast of magic and excitement replete with the wonders of his unique fantasy vision.

Customer Reviews:

wizard set.......2007-09-12

great to get a set like this. When you finish the 1st book 2nd one is right there.

Great style, substance and themes........2007-09-11

Goodkind's writing seems to mature with each book, adding nuance and layer to his seemingly simple themes and characters, leaving the reader to wonder to themselves about what "good and evil" really are.

The stories come alive with great characters, plenty of action, and the wonderment that magical concepts add to the stories. All the fun of being a kid again, but with the adult themes that will keep you reading far into the night.

Have fun!

Sword of Truth.......2007-09-01

Very fast transaction and accurate description of the item, so I would recommend this Seller.

Fantasy at its best!.......2007-08-16

I recommend the first 3-4 volumes of this serie to every fan of good fantasy-literature.
Very creative story, fascinating characters, a lot of suspense, a lot original ideas!
It`s too bad that after "Temple of winds" the whole story started to lose its grip, logic and tended to repeat itself.
Nevertheless, as said before, the first 3-4 volumes are excellent!

Don't Buy This Set.......2007-08-05

Unless you've already read the series and just want to replace your copies, don't buy this set. I made the enormous error of purchasing this set without reading any of Goodkind's novels first. I forced my way through Wizard's First Rule and realized that I wasted my money. I have no intention of ever reading Blood of the Fold or Stone of Tears.

I have very, very few positive things to say about the Wizard's First Rule. So I'll just get the positives out of the way now. Zedd is a very likable character. Not very original, certainly, but he's kooky and funny and hard not to like. The character Giller, too, is likable after a fashion.

Well, that's about all I can say thats positive about the novel. So lets get to the negatives.

1. It's poorly written. The narrative is clumsy, the dialog is repetitive and unrealistic. Not only is the language poor, but Goodkind is unable to logically construct even a simple paragraph, let alone an entire chapter. He has a habit of meandering in his paragraphs so that the first sentence of the paragraph has absolutely nothing to do with the last sentence. This would be understandable were he writing in stream of consciousness, but, alas, he is not. He also has the annoying habit of changing the perspective of the narrator from paragraph to paragraph without informing the reader, making it difficult to sort out who thinks what.

2. The characters are detestable. As I already said, Zedd and Giller are good characters. But they are minor characters. The hero, Richard, is one of the most immediately dislikable protagonists I've ever seen. He's arrogant, whiny, awkward, stupid and completely intolerant of other people and their cultures. Which leads me to my third major criticism.

3. Inconsistent character development. Goodkind frequently changes the personality of his characters to suit the chapter. In one chapter, Richard throws a tantrum because he cannot use his right hand to do something because it is against the culture of a tribe he is visiting. A chapter or two later, he willingly eats the flesh of another person because the culture dictates he must. In addition, Richard (and the other characters) range from mind-bogglingly stupid to brilliant and back something within a couple paragraphs. Goodkind makes his characters smart when he needs to in order to advance the plot, then makes them stupid when he needs to. Richard, Kahlan, Zedd, etc., all do enormously stupid things, and then are brilliant the next chapter. And its not just one character, every character is in turns brilliant and stupid. And it seems that there is always one brilliant character and several stupid characters at any given time so there is always enough intelligence to advance the plot. What's the point of having 800 pages of character development if you just throw it away to advance the plot?

4. And speaking of the plot, the story of the Wizard's First Rule is pretty poorly devised and highly predictable. There are two major secrets in the novel, the first being the identity of the Wizard (which is readily apparent within the first 15 pages of the text) and the identity of the Traitor (which is apparent as soon as it is learned that Richard was betrayed). And despite how painfully obvious who these characters are, Goodkind painstakingly devotes hundreds of pages to discovering their identities. It's terribly painful clawing your way through this book when you already know how all the big secrets and how the book is going to end within the first few chapters.

5. Plot-lifting. In a lot of ways, Wizard's First Rule is a dumbed down version of Robert Jordan's the Wheel of Time. Richard is essentially Rand Al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn, though he is purely a good character and destined only to help the world. Kahlan Amnell and the Confessors are utterly identical in every way to Jordan's Aes Sedai. The torture and training Richard endures is identical (and often down to the very wording) to the training Egwene Al'Vere endures. Darken Rahl is a very poor rip off of Shai'Tan, the Dark One (and, for that matter Darth Vader of Star Wars fame). There is very, very little of Goodkind's original thought in the Wizard's First Rule, and what original thought there is is very poor.

6. Convenient Writing. Goodkind is the King of making crap up as he goes. Due to his inability to write his way out of a wet paper bag, Goodkind is constantly having to make up new powers or abilities to get his characters out of a seemingly impossible situation. The best example for this is one scene in which Kahlan, Zedd and Chase are ambushed by Darken Rahl's minions. For whatever reason, Zedd and Chase are incapacitated and Kahlan, for some other stupid reason, can't use her powers and is being raped. Suddenly, Kahlan develops a new ability that 1. has never been mentioned before, 2. she admits that she had never been able to do before, 3. must be taught by an expert, as stipulation Kahlan never met. Yet somehow, Kahlan is able to use this power and miraculously defeats the enemy. Goodkind's writing in these situations is so bad that he flat out admits what the character just did is impossible, but goes with it anyway.

In truth, I could list another dozen or so criticisms of this book. But I doubt anyone is going to read that much. My advice: If you've never read Terry Goodkind before, read him before you blow the extra money on this set. If you're an intelligent, well-read reader, you will likely hate the series and regret spending the money, as I did. You are more likely to enjoy this book if you are a child, say 10-12 years old, or you have never read a fantasy book before. If you fit into either of these categories, the cliches will not seem so bad, and the new world of fantasy will blind you to the very poor writing and storytelling. But in either of those circumstances, I would still advise against buying the set. Make sure you like Goodkind before you drop the money for three of his books. Go to the library and read a chapter or two first. There's a very good chance that you will despise this novel like most other experienced readers.

I gave this set two stars, by the way, for the reasons listed in the previous paragraph. If you're an inexperienced reader or are new to the fantasy world, this series will work well for you. In addition, Mr. Goodkind CAN write, and can write well. The Wizard's First Rule features one or two chapters that are marvelously written. But this is an extreme exception to the rule. Perhaps the later books are better, but after Book I, I will work very hard to ensure that I never read another word of Goodkind's writing.

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Average customer rating:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Chinese | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Irish | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Japanese | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Women | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Doctors & Medicine | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Lawyers & Criminals | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Love, Sex & Marriage | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Assyria, Babylonia & Sumer | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

Early Civilization | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

General | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

Historiography | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

French | Erotica | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Victorian | Erotica | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Epic | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

German | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Russian | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Chinese | Classics | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Conspiracy Theories | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

War on Drugs | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

English (All) | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

Science | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

Online Research | Genealogy | Reference | Subjects | Books

Native American | Earth-Based Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books

History of Science | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books

Magic & Wizards | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Sailor Moon | Popular Characters | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Pilates | Exercise & Fitness | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

History | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
History: Fiction or Science? Astronomical methods as applied to chronology. Ptolemy's Almagest. Chronology III
Discovering the Mysteries of Ancient America: Lost History And Legends, Unearthed And Explored
Before the Pharaohs: Egypt's Mysterious Prehistory
They Cast No Shadows: A Collection of Essays on the Illuminati, Revisionist History, and Suppressed Technologies

ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Confessor: Chainfire Trilogy, Part 3 (Sword Of Truth, Book 11)

Average customer rating:

Confessor: Chainfire Trilogy, Part 3 (Sword Of Truth, Book 11)
Terry Goodkind
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Magic & Wizards | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Phantom: Chainfire Trilogy, Part 2 (Sword of Truth, Book 10)
The Elves of Cintra (The Genesis of Shannara, Book 2)
Armageddon's Children (The Genesis of Shannara, Book 1)
Sandworms of Dune
Fatal Revenant (The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant)

ASIN: 0765315238
Release Date: 2007-11-13

Book Description

Descending into darkness, about to be overwhelmed by evil, those people still free are powerless to stop the coming dawn of a savage new world, while Richard faces the guilt of knowing that he must let it happen. Alone, he must bear the weight of a sin he dare not confess to the one person he loves…and has lost.

Join Richard and Kahlan in the concluding novel of one of the most remarkable and memorable journeys ever written. It started with one rule, and will end with the rule of all rules, the rule unwritten, the rule unspoken since the dawn of history.
When next the sun rises, the world will be forever changed.

A Crown of Swords (The Wheel of Time, Book 7)

Average customer rating:

Better then reading the book
Not Free SF Reader
The best WoT book since the first one
Great Series
Will this ever end....?

A Crown of Swords (The Wheel of Time, Book 7)
Robert Jordan
Manufacturer: Tor Fantasy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Lord of Chaos (The Wheel of Time, Book 6)
The Path of Daggers: Book 8 of the Wheel of Time
The Fires of Heaven (The Wheel of Time, Book 5)
Winter's Heart (The Wheel of Time, Book 9)
The Shadow Rising (The Wheel of Time, Book 4)

ASIN: 0812550285

Amazon.com

Robert Jordan has created a rich and intricate tapestry of characters in his Wheel of Time series. In this seventh volume, Rand al'Thor--the Dragon Reborn--draws ever closer to the Last Battle as a stifling heat grips the world.

Book Description

The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow. Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time.

Customer Reviews:

Better then reading the book.......2007-09-10

I really enjoy RJ's work, but I, like many others wonder why he needs to repeat himself over and over. Or give us every single detail about even things that are not all that important. Myself, I really hope that there is only one book left and that RJ finishes it soon. And I pray that Kate Reading and Michael Kramer are still doing the unabridged audio CDs then too.

Both Kate Reading and Michael Ramer, the narrators in this book on CD do a wonderful job. Both do a brilliant job of instilling life into the words written by Jordan that you don't actually mind too much when things repeated needlessly by the author. Each narrator's voice add rich dimension to each character so that you can keep track with ease who is saying what while retaining the intended point of view in the written text.

The plot, as many other's have already reviewed doesn't move very fast in some sections and in the head, you are left wondering, why wasn't book 6 and 7 just made into one book and some of the needless stuff left out. We have enough character and plots/sub plots to last for the rest of the books. RJ doesn't need to add in more, but he does (Not only in this book but in the coming books).

Some things I liked:
Matt being chased by a queen of things as a play-toy
Nynaeve getting over her block
Lan's return to Nynaeve
Nynaeve and Lan's marriage - through really I would have liked to have more details about what happened during the actual `wedding' aboard the seafolk ship and what vows made/etc.

Some things I didn't like:
Faile's temper and how Perrin reacts with this slow wittedness that borders on stupid at times. Yes, yes, big strong guy, doesn't like to hurt people, likes to think things out. Joy to you, but when is he going to learn that his wife wants him to have a bit of a temper around her. Show her, who's boss, etc. Get a little rough with her, she won't break.

Elayne and Nynaeve's childish behaviors. Infact all the women seem to have this, almost foolish notation that they are always right even when it's proven they are not. Nynaeve was head of the women's circle back home. Elayne is supposed to be the daughter hair. These women are not children. Both should have learned, if not before the books started, then by now that everyone makes mistakes and that when you do the best thing to do is make amends and get on with life.

Anything with Shaido(spelling) these people are annoying and really don't seem to be doing anything with the over all plot. If RJ plans to make these the group that survice the last battle, I'm going to be really annoyed. Many of the Aes Sedai are the same way, why the heck are we bothering with all these subplots that don't seem to do anything at all.

And I'm starting to get annoyed without knowing certain things that would be good to know while being subjected to meaningless details about what people are wearing when we won't be seeing them again or if we do they are wearing something else that we get to hear about again.

With the books on CD, all those little details that can be really annoying while reading are far more tolerable. Names and places are easier to keep track of, at least for me. Pop in the CD, listen while you drive, workout, or doing yard work without all that worry about.. "is this the same person from earlier, darn I can't remember how her/his name was spelled"

I have all but book 8 and 9 on CD and prefer this media for enjoying RJ's work above any other. When I can find 8 and 9 I'll buy those as well. I strongly recommend listening to all the UNABRIDGED books on CD vs reading them

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

Rand has to fight a Forsaken he has fought before, who, in good supervillain fashion, just won't stay down.

A quest is also required to do something about the nasty weather that the evil Dark Lord has chosen to inflict upon them.

Aes Sedai politics continues to be a pain in the arse for a lot of people.

The best WoT book since the first one.......2007-03-13

The Wheel of Time series is doubtless epic in its proportions. In this volume (Book 7), our main characters are split into three basic storylines: 1. Mat, Nynaeve, and Elayne search for the magical artifact that can control the weather; 2. Rand, with the help of Perrin, reasserts himself as leader in Caemlyn and Carhein while plotting the death of the Forsaken Sammael; 3. Egwene, newly raised as leader of the rebel Aes Sedai, navigates the politics of her position. A dedicated reader of the series would cynically point out that this plot summary is, in fact, identical to that of Book 6. Fortunately for readers of Book 7, the problem lies with Book 6 - the slowest moving book of the series and one of the most painful to read. By comparison, Book 7 is a svelte 850 pages, and has more action and resolutions than Books 5 and 6 combined.

To be blunt, Book 7 is the story that Book 6 should have been. In fact, it starts with a retelling of the climactic battle of Book 6, told from the point of view of one group of Baddies, the Shaido. Rand then has to repair the damage done by this battle and by his kidnapping - damage to his reputation and to his authority (a new queen has herself crowned in his absence). Jordan then deftly interweaves multiple storylines, and we finally get some resolutions that we've been waiting for since the beginning of Book 6. Naturally, new complications are added, and some new characters, including a wise old Aes Sedai long thought to be dead (who tries to take Rand under her wing). The Seanchan make an apocalyptic return, and the strange behaviour of the Sea Folk is dealt with. We get to see into the minds of some of the Bad Guys as well, including chapters dedicated to Galina (the Aes Sedai leading the kidnapping of Rand), Moghedien (after her escape), and Alviarin and Elaida in Tar Valon.

Naturally there are some complaints, as there would have to be with a book this long and a plot this complex. Even I, who have read all the previous books recently (in the past year), find that I'm losing track of people and events. The standard complaint of pacing comes up in several Amazon reviews, but I find this book moves along at a good clip with lots of action. There is still the problem of some characters acting in ways that are obviously against their self-interest (Elayne and Nynaeve are particularly annoying). But all-in-all, this is the best book since the very first one. Sure, these plotlines should all have been ersolved in Book 6 instead, but that's a criticism for the previous book.

Great Series.......2007-02-07

I can't wait for the next book to come out. I wish this series would move faster though.

Will this ever end....?.......2006-12-22

I admit that I'm addicted - despite the s.l.o.w. progress, constant female bickering, and frequent fashion details. I want to see how this dang series ends...will it?

This particular installment of the Dragon et. al. left me feeling underwhelmed. The ending was a disappointment, but I'll press on and order book 8.

Tome of Battle: The Book of Nine Swords (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)

Average customer rating:

Our new favorite PC book
Excellent
broken but fun (review is for ppl who know the game)
Cool new classes and system
Excellent resource for high power campaigns

Tome of Battle: The Book of Nine Swords (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)
Richard Baker , Frank Brunner , and Joseph Carriker Jr.
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Complete Mage: A Player's Guide to All Things Arcane (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)
Dragon Magic (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)
Complete Scoundrel: A Player's Guide to Trickery and Ingenuity (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)
Player's Handbook II (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)
Magic Item Compendium (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)

ASIN: 0786939222
Release Date: 2006-08-08

Book Description

Tome of Battle introduces a new combat subsystem for the D&D game. Tome of Battle introduces new rules for players who want new and interesting combat options for their characters. The nine martial disciplines presented within allow a character with the proper knowledge and focus to perform special combat maneuvers and nearly magical effects. Three new martial adept base classes are presented that allow a character to develop their discipline even further. Also included are new feats and prestige classes that build on the disciplines, new magic items and spells, and new monster and organizations.

Customer Reviews:

Our new favorite PC book.......2007-10-06

My entire gaming group reached a consensus: this book is our new favorite book for core classes in DnD 3.5.

First off, a cautionary note: DM's WILL want to read this before letting their player with all the disposable income roll up a character from this book, as its systems are complicated and the character abilities have been created almost whole-cloth. In general, we've found the classes to be powerful for a long time over a long series of encounters, but not QUITE overly so. When compared to the amount of damage a like-level sorcerer can throw around or a twinked-out feat-er, they're about right.

The core mechanics added are the nine martial Styles, which provide a choice of Maneuvers and Stances.

Styles: various fun, flavor-filled fighting styles, each with their own distinct forms, themes, signature weapons, etc. Example: Desert Wind focuses on slashing weapons and often allows a fighter to move quickly around the battlefield and deal elemental fire damage.

Maneuvers: Specific martial attacks with often near-spell-like effects that add a distinct descriptive element to the game. Maneuvers are used once, then lost, but can be regained during combat in a number of different ways, depending on your core class. Many attack-based maneuvers focus on making one standard action to achieve a very nice, powerful effect, so if your player knows his rules, this can actually speed UP combat if he usually plays a dual-wielding cheese monster (no, that's NEVER happened in any of my games...)

Stances: A martial stance that provides a continuous, ongoing benefit. Players can switch between them as a swift action.

The core classes are all very cool, and determine which Styles you have access to. As they start, they have access to a choice of lower-level maneuvers and stances, but these can be readily switched out later for more powerful ones, so their early choices don't become useless later on. In fact, the core classes are so cool, you often will stop looking for a prestige class, unless it is one of the few included in the book that also make use of the martial stance/maneuver system.

In addition to having access to specific style choices, each class also gets interesting class abilities as well. One cool example: the Warblade, a medium-armor figher type, can buy fighter-specific feats as an equivalent figher a few levels lower (read: weapon specialization, greater weapon specialization, etc.). In addition, they can CHANGE any weapon-specific feats to focus on a different weapon, such as weapon focus, weapon spec., with only a short amount of exercise at the beginning of the day. Did your character focus on swords but find a sweet magical greataxe? No problem.

Fans of White Wolf's Exalted game with notice some similarity in the stances and maneuvers to Exalted's Charm structure, the big plus being that lower-powered maneuvers learned early in a characters career can be switched out for higher ones, rather than lingering around at higher levels not doing anything like a bag of caltrops.

All in all, the Book of Nine Swords is not a must-have to play the game, and is certainly not appropriate to every single type of campaign, but most long-time DnD players will find the book adds new spice to their game, with new and interesting options that remain effective no matter what level your character is at the moment.

JT

Excellent.......2007-08-09

Great new classes in the book. It opens up wonderful new possibilities for melee characters.

broken but fun (review is for ppl who know the game).......2007-08-02

I haven't totally devoured the entire book. However, i am currently playing a third level Warblade (class level of four) in a very active campaign. I made sure to OK the class with the DM before using it. I made sure he was aware of how some people declare the class is broken, but he said it would be fine.

I have to admit, i didn't think it was broken until i had taken a few levels in the class. In short, my character just seems over powered, in combat. At the cost of next to nothing, he can add an extra d6 of damage to every other attack...and that is only one of the five "maneuvers" he has in his repertoire. As he continues to level, the amount of extra damage dice continues to climb. Along with these dice come other perks, such as disallowing your enemy to move for a round, or to bypass damage reduction. It just seems too easy to accomplish spell-like abilities for no real cost to the character.

It feels as though these maneuvers not only take the place of figher feats, they are far superior to them. Also, the Warblade gets some pretty decent class features, that make it almost swashbuckelerish, without any real penalties. My character is a Dwarven tank.

I should note that we are playing a rather high powered campaign. Strength and Constitution are both 18 and he has points in Intelligence to aid with the class abilities of the Warblade. He also has no negative modifiers on any of his abilities (all are 10 or above). However, all other characters were made using the same sytem.

I certainly wouldn't say the book is bad. The system they lay out for maneuvers and stances works and is consistent. I certainly have fun playing the axe-wielding cuisinart who mops up the bad guys. Our campaign has a deep enough storyline that just excelling in combat doesn't make for an over-powered character compared to the other characters.

But just be warned, that if you have a large party, with more than one front-line fighter, there may be some jealous glances thrown the way of your Warblade. And if your players aren't mature enough, you may find some arguments breaking out.

Cool new classes and system.......2007-07-19

The classes in this book are awesome and the weapon techniques are cool. The desert wind school has some of the coolest abilities as the shadow hand style. It makes for interesting strategic combat.

Excellent resource for high power campaigns.......2007-07-16

Gamers who play low-power, goblin-bashing campaigns will find little use with this resource. Using any of the classes or even some of the feats will greatly disrupt the balance of power in any low-magic, low-power gaming style. However, for those whose prefer supplemental books such as Epic or Unearthed Arcana , this is a fun and much needed resource.

This book brings relevancy to the fighter-based classes. In any high-power campaign, wizards, clerics, pscions and even druids wipe the floor with fighters and barbarians. Tome of Battle provides three alternative fighter classes that have spell-like abilities they may execute several times per day. Using martial-art style maneuvers, stances and counters, these ultra-fighters do extra damage, strike multiple targets, unleash a whip of fire or pounce like a wild cat.

I am a DM who eagerly purchased this book when it was first published. Now, I cannot run a campaign without at least one player choosing a Warblade or Swordsage. Even at low levels, I can really open up the Monster Manual and provide new, challenging and diverse encounters without having to worry about killing the PCs too quickly.

But more than bringing balance to my high-powered campaign, it makes fighter fun for all of my players, most of whom have been playing D&D for two decades. Versatility, adaptability and creativity have never been the hallmarks of the fighter classes, and for that reason, experienced players tend to choose classes with more depth. Tome of Battle brings that much needed depth to the fighter. This book makes fighters fun again. That's worth all of five stars.

A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 3)

Average customer rating:

A Storm of Swords
I love the books so far! I would give it 5 stars but I havnt finished reading it
Unbelievable
A great read, despite sluggish pacing
perfect as always

A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 3)
George R.R. Martin
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 2)
A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire)
A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1)
Knife of Dreams (The Wheel of Time, Book 11)
Assassin's Apprentice (The Farseer Trilogy, Book 1)

ASIN: 055357342X
Release Date: 2003-03-04

Amazon.com

Is George R.R. Martin for real? Can a fantasy epic actually get better with each new installment? Fans of the genre have glumly come to expect go-nowhere sequels from other authors, so we're entitled to pinch ourselves over Martin's tightly crafted Song of Ice and Fire series. The reports are all true: this series is the real deal, and Martin deserves his crown as the rightful king of the epic. A Game of Thrones got things off to a rock-solid start, A Clash of Kings only exceeded expectations, but it's the Storm of Swords hat trick that cements Martin's rep as the most praiseworthy fantasy author to come along since that other R.R.

Like the first two books, A Storm of Swords could coast on the fundamentals: deftly detailed characters, convincing voices and dialogue, a robust back-story, and a satisfyingly unpredictable plot. But it's Martin's consistently bold choices that set the series apart. Every character is fair game for the headman's axe (sometimes literally), and not only do the good guys regularly lose out to the bad guys, you're never exactly sure who you should be cheering for in the first place.

Storm is full of admirable intricacies. Events that you thought Martin was setting up solidly for the first two books are exposed as complex feints; the field quickly narrows after the Battle of the Blackwater and once again, anything goes. Robb tries desperately to hold the North together, Jon returns from the wildling lands with a torn heart, Bran continues his quest for the three-eyed crow beyond the Wall, Catelyn struggles to save her fragile family, Arya becomes ever more wolflike in her wanderings, Daenerys comes into her own, and Joffrey's cruel rule from King's Landing continues, making even his fellow Lannisters uneasy. Martin tests all the major characters in A Storm of Swords: some fail the trial, while others--like Martin himself--seem to only get stronger. --Paul Hughes

Book Description

Here is the third volume in George R. R. Martin’s magnificent cycle of novels that includes A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings. As a whole, this series comprises a genuine masterpiece of modern fantasy, bringing together the best the genre has to offer. Magic, mystery, intrigue, romance, and adventure fill these pages and transport us to a world unlike any we have ever experienced. Already hailed as a classic, George R. R. Martin’s stunning series is destined to stand as one of the great achievements of imaginative fiction.

A Storm of Swords

Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as violently as ever, as alliances are made and broken. Joffrey, of House Lannister, sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of the land of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, the victim of the jealous sorceress who holds him in her evil thrall. But young Robb, of House Stark, still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Robb plots against his despised Lannister enemies, even as they hold his sister hostage at King’s Landing, the seat of the Iron Throne. Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons still left in the world....

But as opposing forces maneuver for the final titanic showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the outermost line of civilization. In their vanguard is a horde of mythical Others--a supernatural army of the living dead whose animated corpses are unstoppable. As the future of the land hangs in the balance, no one will rest until the Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable storm of swords. . .

Download Description

Of the five contenders for power, one is dead, another in disfavor, and still the wars rage as violently as ever, as alliances are made and broken.

Joffrey, of House Lannister, sits on the Iron Throne, the uneasy ruler of the land of the Seven Kingdoms. His most bitter rival, Lord Stannis, stands defeated and disgraced, the victim of the jealous sorceress who holds him in her evil thrall. But young Robb, of House Stark, still rules the North from the fortress of Riverrun. Robb plots against his despised Lannister enemies, even as they hold his sister hostage at King's Landing, the seat of the Iron Throne.

Meanwhile, making her way across a blood-drenched continent is the exiled queen, Daenerys, mistress of the only three dragons still left in the world....

But as opposing forces maneuver for the final titanic showdown, an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the outermost line of civilization. In their vanguard is a horde of mythical Others -- a supernatural army of the living dead whose animated corpses are unstoppable.

As the future of the land hangs in the balance, no one will rest until the Seven Kingdoms have exploded in a veritable storm of swords...

"A riveting continuation of a series whose brilliance continues to dazzle."
   THE PATRIOT NEWS

"I always expect the best from George R. R. Martin, and he always delivers."
    ROBERT JORDAN

Customer Reviews:

A Storm of Swords.......2007-09-24

This is the third book in the Song of Fire and Ice series. Many main characters are killed and new points of view are introduced.

What was best: The plot had interesting twists and there was interesting character developments. Jaime Lannister seemed to be a generic cad in the first book, somewhat more interesting in the 2nd book and full fledged in the 3rd. Melisandre, the Red Sorceress, you wonder if she might be a flawed ally against the Undead of the beyond the Wall. Jon Snow may have joined the Wildlings at the end of the second book and could be facing consequences from the likes of Alisdair Thorn and Janos Slint(sorry for the spelling I listened to the Audio book). It is realistic in that the good and well intentioned make huge life costing blunders and the conniving coast by on looks and presentation. There is no escapism in this. The new King's Hand, Tywin Lannister, always does what is easy instead of right, and is none the worse. Danyreus is gaining more followers and makes her initial conquests but is unable to consolidate her holdings. Again this is a twist from fantasies.

What wasn't good: Tyrion Lannister is one of my favorite characters. He shines when he is using his considerable intelligence and rolling the dice, in a figurative sense. However, in this book and in the others, he is given abilities with the crossbow, battle axe, and sword. Despite, having his aching legs and recent battle injuries, he wields these weapons with proficiency.

New points of view I'd like to see in future books: Sandor Clegain, Ser Jorra Mormont, Mira or Jojen Reed.

The book is a good long read and leaves enough unanswered questions to intrigue but not frustrate the reader.

I love the books so far! I would give it 5 stars but I havnt finished reading it.......2007-09-20

This series is AWESOME! I love the first two books. I havnt finished this book; however, I have already ordered the fourth book. This book and the others is not for the weak of heart! Lets just say- George R. R. Martin is not afraid to kill of characters. I start to fall in love with a character and before I know it, he or she is dead. It has many plot twists and paraphrasing an underlying theme , "Life is not a song." I'm hoping the series has a happy ending where the main characters are avenged. Anyone who read this book will agree with me- I hope the Freys burn in hell.

Unbelievable.......2007-09-03

It is incredibly difficult to put into words how you feel after reading George RR Martin's work. There are many before me who have written extensive reviews of the books in A Song of Ice and Fire and I feel there is little I could really add or detract from any of them. To put it simply, if you are a fan of fantasy, and I mean from a casual reader who picks up a novel every couple of years or a die-hard fanatic, Martin's books are worth their weight in gold. The story is incredibly rich with detail, history, action and most importantly, intrigue. It is not written in the epic nature of the Lord of the Rings but challenges Tolkien's great work by instead offering a reader a world of fantasy that is startling similar to our own. Martin's realism, proven by his extensive historical research and adept knowledge of human nature, is what raises these books toward becoming classics. Like any other fan of the books, I can't say enough how much you should read them. Do not feel intimidated by their size as you will quickly move through the books once you are entrapped in the stirring stories. Go buy this and the other books.

Hopefully Martin will finish the series within the next ten years...

A great read, despite sluggish pacing.......2007-08-19

All of the comments I made about book 2 apply here as well ... although in this case, even though the book seems more complex and fragmentary than ever, the pacing seems slightly faster, and the amount of gratuitous sex and gory violence is a bit less. Unlike book 2, books 1 & 3 doesn't go quite so far enough overboard on those elements to merit a "Mature Reader" warning.

I think the pacing seems faster because GRRM got busy resolving a lot of dangling plot lines in rather ... ahem ... forceful fashion. Yes, that's a backhanded reference to my comments in book 2 regarding his tendency towards excessively high mortality among his main characters. This book reads like a Greek Tragedy at times.

Anyway, despite the incredibly fragmented storytelling, I still found it to be a gripping and highly entertaining read ... due in large part to the growing sense of depth in some of the main villains**. It's not often I finish 3,000+ pages of books in such a short period of time.

[SPOILER ALERT]
---------------
I like how the author gave added depth to the characters of Jaime & Tyrion Lannister, by introducing nostalgia, regret, remorse, and a latent need for redemption and having a legacy. Tyrion got repeatedly screwed by his own family, no matter how hard he tried, and would up exacting some long overdue revenge. Ditto to a lesser degree for Jaime, who took a refreshingly introspective turn after his maiming.
---------------
[/SPOILER END]

Highly recommended ... albeit for patient readers with a longer than average attention span.

[EDIT] Ok, here's something else that bother's me about GRRM's writing style that I forgot to mention in my review of Book 2 - he seems to take undue pleasure in describing people going to the bathroom. Yes, it's a perfectly normal reality of daily life, and we all go to the bathroom .. but he describes it with such regularity that it's almost like he's doing it to make a statement - like he's flaunting his commitment to hyper realism.

I actually remember the very first time that the sound of a toilet flushing was allowed on American TV ... it was the infamous flush by Archie Bunker on "All In The Family". People at the time yelled and screamed and talked like the world was ending. Well, it didn't ... but it definitely paved the way for an ever deepening spiral into unnecessarily graphic (and base) entertainment - which brings us back to GRRM, who, in one scene, has someone get shot in the groin with a crossbow, while they're on the privy ... and he goes out of his way to describe how the person's bowels loosen and empty down the chute into the moat below.

I realize we'll never go back to 1950'ish sensibilities of Tolkien (in which the author created a vast body of perfect 10 fantasy work that didn't incluide even a single needlessly graphic reference to voiding one's bowels or raping corpses), nor should we ... but there comes a point when enough is enough. I think GRRM repeatedly crosses that line at times. Eddie Murphy demonstrated some time ago that although the word "f*@k" is funny, there comes a point when it's possible to overdo it, and it's just not funny anymore. GRRM does the same thing at times in his writing, with excessive references to bodily functions.

I'm still forced to give the book 5 stars however, despite my plethora of pet peeves.

perfect as always.......2007-07-03

perfect but all of his books are perfect. Translation of this books must be really difficult because when I read it in turkish, I hated him and when I read the same book -It was my only english choice in Sarajevo airport- in english I adored.

Average customer rating:

Great Read
hmmmmm most interesting
Great vampire and witch tale
I hesitate to review this book.
Loved it!

Master of Swords (Mageverse, Book 7)
Angela Knight
Manufacturer: Berkley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Fantasy, Futuristic & Ghost | Romance | Subjects | Books

General | Romance | Subjects | Books

Gothic | Romance | Subjects | Books

Fantasy, Futuristic & Ghost | Romance | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

General | Romance | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Master of Wolves (Mageverse, Book 5)
Master of Dragons (Mageverse, Book 8)
Master of the Moon (Mageverse, Book 3)
Master of the Night (Mageverse sereies , Book 2)
No Rest for the Wicked (The Immortals After Dark, Book 2)

ASIN: 0425209210

Book Description

Witch Lark McClure has survived a vicious vampire attack that shook her confidence and left her struggling with feelings of helplessness and fear. The last thing she needs is a partnership with Gawain, a handsome vampire knight who means to seduce her every chance he gets.

Customer Reviews:

Great Read.......2007-09-28

this book was very good, kept my interest through out and was hard to put down. would reccomend to anyone who likes the paranormal

hmmmmm most interesting.......2007-09-06

This book reminded me a lot of Sherilynn Kenyon's books in which the Arthurian legends are modernized. I think Kenyon's books are a lot better though. This story was pretty good. Lark and Gawain make an interesting couple and I liked the story of Kel being inside Gawain's sword...his little sidekick. It makes me look forward to reading Master of Dragons which is Kel's story. Oh boy does this author write some hot hot hot love scenes.

Great vampire and witch tale.......2007-06-27

Definitely worth your time if you like vampires and witches together. May have a little too much of the "romance" flavor for those of us hard-core science fiction fans, but it's still a good read.

I hesitate to review this book........2007-06-04

For many reasons I hesitate to review this book. The thought which turned the tide for me was knowing that there are other people out there in the same situation I found myself in and my review may help someone make a decision.

First off, I did like this book. My preference would probably be a 3.75* rating but it was better than just a 3*. My problem is that there were so many things which I found in this book which I am not accustomed to reading about. This was my first book written by Angela Knight. She has an amazing imagination and is wonderful in her descriptive abilities. I had no problem accepting her science fiction/fantasy universe. I am also still in the "infant" stage for reading science fiction/fantasy/romance. My previous sole ventures into that mix of catagories are the Jayne Castle books. MASTER OF SWORDS was (for me) extremely bloody and gory. I find that I don't like too much of that and this book definitely contained too much for me. To think about it in the abstract is one thing, to have it described over and over and over got to me after a while. Luckily the author had invented a method by which all her heroic characters could be "restored" because they sure did get bloodied a lot. (I was amazed to see that the author "threw away" two well established characters by letting them die. That was a surprise. I kept waiting for some way to be found to bring them back to life.) Also, the sexual encounters seemed excessive to me. Judging by reading other reviews posted here, that will not be a universally appreciated comment. My feeling was that this author knew her established fans expected a prodigious number of sexual encounters and she wanted to fulfill their expectations. If this is the norm in this series of books, it will have to be a factor for consideration in my future purchases. I must admit, I just loved Kel and may have to get MASTER OF DRAGONS just to find out about him. Why do we all like the character Kel so much? Will he be just as likeable after the spell is broken?

I also found it rather jarring to be reading about characters whom I associate with history from long, long ago but to have them speaking in modern terms. That took some getting used to and I never did get completely comfortable with it. And please don't tell me that the action took place in the present, I know that. I'm just saying that I don't usually associate Knights of the Round Table with modern speech patterns. Again, that is my problem and I will use it to weigh the pros and cons of my future purchases.

Overall, a good read. For me, it was too long. Lots of the action was repetitive and redundant and seemed to be there to give Gawain and Lark an excuse to have their energy depleted so that they needed to have sex in order to recharge their powers. But, maybe I missed the point. Perhaps that is, after all, the whole point in the novel being written.

Loved it!.......2007-05-12

This is one of my favorite books!
I got this off a whim I never read Angela Knight's books nor any other from this series, I didn't know there was a series!
But I read this book and it was quite easy follow if you havent read any of the other books, and if you have it doesnt go into long details.

This book was wonderful, I loved Gawain and his swords interaction together and Lark was a wonderful person to compliment them both.

Just a great book full of passion and action and I cant wait to read the book about Kel :)

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books