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 Customer Reviews
Eat your heart out Tolkein, 25 Apr 2008
This book forms part of a terrific series beginning with `Belgareth the Sorcerer'. I don't read much of this genre (fantasy) but like The Hobbit/ Lord of the Rings this will appeal to a large audience.
Following Belgareth the Sorcerer there are two series of 5 books, `The Belgariad' and `The Mallorean' and it is advisable to read them in order, and if you can read `Belgareth' first (although you could save it and read it afterwards like a prequel).
I raced through the series. The Eddings' (the books were written by a couple) create a Tolkein-esque world with our hero Belgareth learning powers known as `the will and the word' through centuries of study under a benevolent God (the gods that created this world still live on it in physical form). This study elevates him to the status of a sorcerer and elongates his life span - he becomes a legend and a force for good in the world. However, another disciple of his benevolent master rebels and steals the holy `Orb' stone, following a more sinister God. In the later series the Gods have left the planet in fear that their battle will destroy the world but their peoples continue to war - following the Prophecies left to them by the Gods. The two series follow the course of events as Belgareth leads the hunt for the traitor and the stone. It's very cleverly written and characters and events reappear as we become familiar with the history of this fictional world through the course of the books.
Really good fun and a definite recommendation if you want a light hearted escape that will keep you reading late into the night.
This is the order of the books:
The Belgariad
1. Pawn of Prophecy
2. Queen of Sorcery
3. Magician's Gambit
4. Castle of Wizardry
5. Enchanters' End Game
The Malloreon
1. Guardians of the West
2. King of the Murgos
3. Demon Lord of Karanda
4. Sorceress of Darshiva
5. The Seeress of Kell amazing...don't know what's got into other eddings' fans, 03 Jul 2006
I have been a huge fan of eddings since i was 12. I got into his books when I accidently picked up Belgarath the Sorcerer at my library. All his works are very well written. The plot is at just the write pace. I think his writing is brilliant and it is what inspired me to write in the first place. What I don't understand is why loyal eddings' fans are saying that this wasn't the best ending they had hoped for. This was one of my favorites in the Mallorean. I cried it was so good. They have the best character development I have discovered in an author yet. Amazing ending to a brilliant and enchanting series Eddings still on form!, 10 Mar 2004
Fabulous. Any fan of Eddings, get this. My first Eddings was The Belgariad, that was superb. This book, part of the Mallorean follows on, is fabulous. Who cannot fail to fall in love with the characters, especially Belgarath and Polgara, they're so compelling to read. Once you start reading the Mallorean, you won't be able to finish. Well worth it! A fitting end to an eduring epic, 19 Feb 2002
I found this book a fitting end to both the series which chart the progress of Garion from boyhood to his destiny. In response to the adverse comments I have heard / read, I would like to point out that by the time you reached the start of this book, you have already read 9 books, so something genuine must have kept you reading till the end. If you read the first book of the Belgariad, you have a pretty good idea of the style and content of the other 9 books. This isn't a negative comment, just a reassurance that the same attention to detail remains throughout both series.
As a "final" book, the Seeress of Kell draws together all the loose ends in a way which makes you marvel that someone could keep a plot going (with all the new developments) over the years which it took David (and Leigh Eddings) to write the series.
For people who have only just come to this series and loved it, spare a thought for those of us who had to wait for several years between the publishing of the Seeress of Kell and the Prequels "Belgarath, the sorcerer" and ultimately "Polgara"! The only negative criticism I would raise (and it applies more to the prequel novels than this)is that for a fantasy series set in an imaged world the speech is far too American! If being a well-paced, descriptive, and full (but uncluttered) novel makes it childish, then I will happily turn my attention to the children's corner in future!
Awful, 19 Dec 2001
I once had the misfortune to read this wretched series because I had nothing else to read. In fact the only thing that kept me going was the question as to whether I could predict what would happen to each of the major characters. I was spot on.
Cliched, stereotyped and unoriginal. Not for grown ups.
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A Crowning Mercy
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Bernard CornwellSusannah Kells;
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Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
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*Amazon: £0.54
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Customer Reviews
Eat your heart out Tolkein, 25 Apr 2008
This book forms part of a terrific series beginning with `Belgareth the Sorcerer'. I don't read much of this genre (fantasy) but like The Hobbit/ Lord of the Rings this will appeal to a large audience.
Following Belgareth the Sorcerer there are two series of 5 books, `The Belgariad' and `The Mallorean' and it is advisable to read them in order, and if you can read `Belgareth' first (although you could save it and read it afterwards like a prequel).
I raced through the series. The Eddings' (the books were written by a couple) create a Tolkein-esque world with our hero Belgareth learning powers known as `the will and the word' through centuries of study under a benevolent God (the gods that created this world still live on it in physical form). This study elevates him to the status of a sorcerer and elongates his life span - he becomes a legend and a force for good in the world. However, another disciple of his benevolent master rebels and steals the holy `Orb' stone, following a more sinister God. In the later series the Gods have left the planet in fear that their battle will destroy the world but their peoples continue to war - following the Prophecies left to them by the Gods. The two series follow the course of events as Belgareth leads the hunt for the traitor and the stone. It's very cleverly written and characters and events reappear as we become familiar with the history of this fictional world through the course of the books.
Really good fun and a definite recommendation if you want a light hearted escape that will keep you reading late into the night.
This is the order of the books:
The Belgariad
1. Pawn of Prophecy
2. Queen of Sorcery
3. Magician's Gambit
4. Castle of Wizardry
5. Enchanters' End Game
The Malloreon
1. Guardians of the West
2. King of the Murgos
3. Demon Lord of Karanda
4. Sorceress of Darshiva
5. The Seeress of Kell amazing...don't know what's got into other eddings' fans, 03 Jul 2006
I have been a huge fan of eddings since i was 12. I got into his books when I accidently picked up Belgarath the Sorcerer at my library. All his works are very well written. The plot is at just the write pace. I think his writing is brilliant and it is what inspired me to write in the first place. What I don't understand is why loyal eddings' fans are saying that this wasn't the best ending they had hoped for. This was one of my favorites in the Mallorean. I cried it was so good. They have the best character development I have discovered in an author yet. Amazing ending to a brilliant and enchanting series Eddings still on form!, 10 Mar 2004
Fabulous. Any fan of Eddings, get this. My first Eddings was The Belgariad, that was superb. This book, part of the Mallorean follows on, is fabulous. Who cannot fail to fall in love with the characters, especially Belgarath and Polgara, they're so compelling to read. Once you start reading the Mallorean, you won't be able to finish. Well worth it! A fitting end to an eduring epic, 19 Feb 2002
I found this book a fitting end to both the series which chart the progress of Garion from boyhood to his destiny. In response to the adverse comments I have heard / read, I would like to point out that by the time you reached the start of this book, you have already read 9 books, so something genuine must have kept you reading till the end. If you read the first book of the Belgariad, you have a pretty good idea of the style and content of the other 9 books. This isn't a negative comment, just a reassurance that the same attention to detail remains throughout both series.
As a "final" book, the Seeress of Kell draws together all the loose ends in a way which makes you marvel that someone could keep a plot going (with all the new developments) over the years which it took David (and Leigh Eddings) to write the series.
For people who have only just come to this series and loved it, spare a thought for those of us who had to wait for several years between the publishing of the Seeress of Kell and the Prequels "Belgarath, the sorcerer" and ultimately "Polgara"! The only negative criticism I would raise (and it applies more to the prequel novels than this)is that for a fantasy series set in an imaged world the speech is far too American! If being a well-paced, descriptive, and full (but uncluttered) novel makes it childish, then I will happily turn my attention to the children's corner in future!
Awful, 19 Dec 2001
I once had the misfortune to read this wretched series because I had nothing else to read. In fact the only thing that kept me going was the question as to whether I could predict what would happen to each of the major characters. I was spot on.
Cliched, stereotyped and unoriginal. Not for grown ups.
Thrilling , 06 May 2008
I found this book by accident. I was looking fro books for my hubby as he likes the books he writes. What a find for me ! It was an excellent read. Highly recommended
Well Worth The Read, 24 Mar 2008
I really enjoyed this book, I thought the story was exciting and it kept me up during the night to see what else might happen. Thoroughly nasty pieces of work with a real women of character. Couldn't wait to follow the story onto the next generation.
I recommend this book to anyone with a stressful life who wants to escape for a bit !!
Cornwell takes a different tack!, 15 Dec 2007
This book is unusual for Bernard Cornwell novel, as the central character is not a soldier or a warrior and is in fact female. This however does not prevent A Crowing Mercy from being a thoroughly exciting and enthralling tale (and this is typical of Cornwell). Initially I picked up this book with a great deal of apprehension, as I felt it might disappoint when compared to later novels by the author. My concrens were dismissed from the start and I was hooked from beggining to end.
The novel follows Dorcas, known as Campion through life growing up in a strict puritan family, to running away from home during the English Civil War. The tale is filled with passion, intrigue and action as campion attempts to track down her unknown father and unravel the mysterious legacy he left her.
On the whole this is a fascinating book and well worth picking up if you like historical novels and even if your not normally a fan of Cornwell.
Amazing, 18 Sep 2007
I read this after the first two Starbuck novels and was thoroughly impressed.
Love, secrets and betrayal all play a part in this wonderful story that kept me gripped from start to finish.
Not as good as his later works, 19 Dec 2006
You can tell this is by a younger Cornwell - the characters are less rounded and interesting than in his later novels and are rather simplistic stereotypes - the innocent young girl, dashing Cavalier hero, strict Puritan father, strict and sadistic Puritan brother.
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Customer Reviews
Eat your heart out Tolkein, 25 Apr 2008
This book forms part of a terrific series beginning with `Belgareth the Sorcerer'. I don't read much of this genre (fantasy) but like The Hobbit/ Lord of the Rings this will appeal to a large audience.
Following Belgareth the Sorcerer there are two series of 5 books, `The Belgariad' and `The Mallorean' and it is advisable to read them in order, and if you can read `Belgareth' first (although you could save it and read it afterwards like a prequel).
I raced through the series. The Eddings' (the books were written by a couple) create a Tolkein-esque world with our hero Belgareth learning powers known as `the will and the word' through centuries of study under a benevolent God (the gods that created this world still live on it in physical form). This study elevates him to the status of a sorcerer and elongates his life span - he becomes a legend and a force for good in the world. However, another disciple of his benevolent master rebels and steals the holy `Orb' stone, following a more sinister God. In the later series the Gods have left the planet in fear that their battle will destroy the world but their peoples continue to war - following the Prophecies left to them by the Gods. The two series follow the course of events as Belgareth leads the hunt for the traitor and the stone. It's very cleverly written and characters and events reappear as we become familiar with the history of this fictional world through the course of the books.
Really good fun and a definite recommendation if you want a light hearted escape that will keep you reading late into the night.
This is the order of the books:
The Belgariad
1. Pawn of Prophecy
2. Queen of Sorcery
3. Magician's Gambit
4. Castle of Wizardry
5. Enchanters' End Game
The Malloreon
1. Guardians of the West
2. King of the Murgos
3. Demon Lord of Karanda
4. Sorceress of Darshiva
5. The Seeress of Kell amazing...don't know what's got into other eddings' fans, 03 Jul 2006
I have been a huge fan of eddings since i was 12. I got into his books when I accidently picked up Belgarath the Sorcerer at my library. All his works are very well written. The plot is at just the write pace. I think his writing is brilliant and it is what inspired me to write in the first place. What I don't understand is why loyal eddings' fans are saying that this wasn't the best ending they had hoped for. This was one of my favorites in the Mallorean. I cried it was so good. They have the best character development I have discovered in an author yet. Amazing ending to a brilliant and enchanting series Eddings still on form!, 10 Mar 2004
Fabulous. Any fan of Eddings, get this. My first Eddings was The Belgariad, that was superb. This book, part of the Mallorean follows on, is fabulous. Who cannot fail to fall in love with the characters, especially Belgarath and Polgara, they're so compelling to read. Once you start reading the Mallorean, you won't be able to finish. Well worth it! A fitting end to an eduring epic, 19 Feb 2002
I found this book a fitting end to both the series which chart the progress of Garion from boyhood to his destiny. In response to the adverse comments I have heard / read, I would like to point out that by the time you reached the start of this book, you have already read 9 books, so something genuine must have kept you reading till the end. If you read the first book of the Belgariad, you have a pretty good idea of the style and content of the other 9 books. This isn't a negative comment, just a reassurance that the same attention to detail remains throughout both series.
As a "final" book, the Seeress of Kell draws together all the loose ends in a way which makes you marvel that someone could keep a plot going (with all the new developments) over the years which it took David (and Leigh Eddings) to write the series.
For people who have only just come to this series and loved it, spare a thought for those of us who had to wait for several years between the publishing of the Seeress of Kell and the Prequels "Belgarath, the sorcerer" and ultimately "Polgara"! The only negative criticism I would raise (and it applies more to the prequel novels than this)is that for a fantasy series set in an imaged world the speech is far too American! If being a well-paced, descriptive, and full (but uncluttered) novel makes it childish, then I will happily turn my attention to the children's corner in future!
Awful, 19 Dec 2001
I once had the misfortune to read this wretched series because I had nothing else to read. In fact the only thing that kept me going was the question as to whether I could predict what would happen to each of the major characters. I was spot on.
Cliched, stereotyped and unoriginal. Not for grown ups.
Thrilling , 06 May 2008
I found this book by accident. I was looking fro books for my hubby as he likes the books he writes. What a find for me ! It was an excellent read. Highly recommended
Well Worth The Read, 24 Mar 2008
I really enjoyed this book, I thought the story was exciting and it kept me up during the night to see what else might happen. Thoroughly nasty pieces of work with a real women of character. Couldn't wait to follow the story onto the next generation.
I recommend this book to anyone with a stressful life who wants to escape for a bit !!
Cornwell takes a different tack!, 15 Dec 2007
This book is unusual for Bernard Cornwell novel, as the central character is not a soldier or a warrior and is in fact female. This however does not prevent A Crowing Mercy from being a thoroughly exciting and enthralling tale (and this is typical of Cornwell). Initially I picked up this book with a great deal of apprehension, as I felt it might disappoint when compared to later novels by the author. My concrens were dismissed from the start and I was hooked from beggining to end.
The novel follows Dorcas, known as Campion through life growing up in a strict puritan family, to running away from home during the English Civil War. The tale is filled with passion, intrigue and action as campion attempts to track down her unknown father and unravel the mysterious legacy he left her.
On the whole this is a fascinating book and well worth picking up if you like historical novels and even if your not normally a fan of Cornwell.
Amazing, 18 Sep 2007
I read this after the first two Starbuck novels and was thoroughly impressed.
Love, secrets and betrayal all play a part in this wonderful story that kept me gripped from start to finish.
Not as good as his later works, 19 Dec 2006
You can tell this is by a younger Cornwell - the characters are less rounded and interesting than in his later novels and are rather simplistic stereotypes - the innocent young girl, dashing Cavalier hero, strict Puritan father, strict and sadistic Puritan brother.
beautiful, beautiful book, 03 Jul 2001
Many pictures of the absolute classic of Celtic illumination. Beautiful, colorful, wonderful. Nice comments about it as well. great book.
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The Book of Kells
Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
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*Amazon: £1.79
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Customer Reviews
Eat your heart out Tolkein, 25 Apr 2008
This book forms part of a terrific series beginning with `Belgareth the Sorcerer'. I don't read much of this genre (fantasy) but like The Hobbit/ Lord of the Rings this will appeal to a large audience.
Following Belgareth the Sorcerer there are two series of 5 books, `The Belgariad' and `The Mallorean' and it is advisable to read them in order, and if you can read `Belgareth' first (although you could save it and read it afterwards like a prequel).
I raced through the series. The Eddings' (the books were written by a couple) create a Tolkein-esque world with our hero Belgareth learning powers known as `the will and the word' through centuries of study under a benevolent God (the gods that created this world still live on it in physical form). This study elevates him to the status of a sorcerer and elongates his life span - he becomes a legend and a force for good in the world. However, another disciple of his benevolent master rebels and steals the holy `Orb' stone, following a more sinister God. In the later series the Gods have left the planet in fear that their battle will destroy the world but their peoples continue to war - following the Prophecies left to them by the Gods. The two series follow the course of events as Belgareth leads the hunt for the traitor and the stone. It's very cleverly written and characters and events reappear as we become familiar with the history of this fictional world through the course of the books.
Really good fun and a definite recommendation if you want a light hearted escape that will keep you reading late into the night.
This is the order of the books:
The Belgariad
1. Pawn of Prophecy
2. Queen of Sorcery
3. Magician's Gambit
4. Castle of Wizardry
5. Enchanters' End Game
The Malloreon
1. Guardians of the West
2. King of the Murgos
3. Demon Lord of Karanda
4. Sorceress of Darshiva
5. The Seeress of Kell amazing...don't know what's got into other eddings' fans, 03 Jul 2006
I have been a huge fan of eddings since i was 12. I got into his books when I accidently picked up Belgarath the Sorcerer at my library. All his works are very well written. The plot is at just the write pace. I think his writing is brilliant and it is what inspired me to write in the first place. What I don't understand is why loyal eddings' fans are saying that this wasn't the best ending they had hoped for. This was one of my favorites in the Mallorean. I cried it was so good. They have the best character development I have discovered in an author yet. Amazing ending to a brilliant and enchanting series Eddings still on form!, 10 Mar 2004
Fabulous. Any fan of Eddings, get this. My first Eddings was The Belgariad, that was superb. This book, part of the Mallorean follows on, is fabulous. Who cannot fail to fall in love with the characters, especially Belgarath and Polgara, they're so compelling to read. Once you start reading the Mallorean, you won't be able to finish. Well worth it! A fitting end to an eduring epic, 19 Feb 2002
I found this book a fitting end to both the series which chart the progress of Garion from boyhood to his destiny. In response to the adverse comments I have heard / read, I would like to point out that by the time you reached the start of this book, you have already read 9 books, so something genuine must have kept you reading till the end. If you read the first book of the Belgariad, you have a pretty good idea of the style and content of the other 9 books. This isn't a negative comment, just a reassurance that the same attention to detail remains throughout both series.
As a "final" book, the Seeress of Kell draws together all the loose ends in a way which makes you marvel that someone could keep a plot going (with all the new developments) over the years which it took David (and Leigh Eddings) to write the series.
For people who have only just come to this series and loved it, spare a thought for those of us who had to wait for several years between the publishing of the Seeress of Kell and the Prequels "Belgarath, the sorcerer" and ultimately "Polgara"! The only negative criticism I would raise (and it applies more to the prequel novels than this)is that for a fantasy series set in an imaged world the speech is far too American! If being a well-paced, descriptive, and full (but uncluttered) novel makes it childish, then I will happily turn my attention to the children's corner in future!
Awful, 19 Dec 2001
I once had the misfortune to read this wretched series because I had nothing else to read. In fact the only thing that kept me going was the question as to whether I could predict what would happen to each of the major characters. I was spot on.
Cliched, stereotyped and unoriginal. Not for grown ups.
Thrilling , 06 May 2008
I found this book by accident. I was looking fro books for my hubby as he likes the books he writes. What a find for me ! It was an excellent read. Highly recommended
Well Worth The Read, 24 Mar 2008
I really enjoyed this book, I thought the story was exciting and it kept me up during the night to see what else might happen. Thoroughly nasty pieces of work with a real women of character. Couldn't wait to follow the story onto the next generation.
I recommend this book to anyone with a stressful life who wants to escape for a bit !!
Cornwell takes a different tack!, 15 Dec 2007
This book is unusual for Bernard Cornwell novel, as the central character is not a soldier or a warrior and is in fact female. This however does not prevent A Crowing Mercy from being a thoroughly exciting and enthralling tale (and this is typical of Cornwell). Initially I picked up this book with a great deal of apprehension, as I felt it might disappoint when compared to later novels by the author. My concrens were dismissed from the start and I was hooked from beggining to end.
The novel follows Dorcas, known as Campion through life growing up in a strict puritan family, to running away from home during the English Civil War. The tale is filled with passion, intrigue and action as campion attempts to track down her unknown father and unravel the mysterious legacy he left her.
On the whole this is a fascinating book and well worth picking up if you like historical novels and even if your not normally a fan of Cornwell.
Amazing, 18 Sep 2007
I read this after the first two Starbuck novels and was thoroughly impressed.
Love, secrets and betrayal all play a part in this wonderful story that kept me gripped from start to finish.
Not as good as his later works, 19 Dec 2006
You can tell this is by a younger Cornwell - the characters are less rounded and interesting than in his later novels and are rather simplistic stereotypes - the innocent young girl, dashing Cavalier hero, strict Puritan father, strict and sadistic Puritan brother.
beautiful, beautiful book, 03 Jul 2001
Many pictures of the absolute classic of Celtic illumination. Beautiful, colorful, wonderful. Nice comments about it as well. great book.
Sophocles introduces the concept of the Electra complex, 09 Jul 2004
The murder of Clytemnestra by her son Orestes is unique in Greek mythology in that it is the one story for which we have extant versions by all three of the great tragic poets. Consequently, it is insightful to notice how each tragedy privileges different parts of the story. In "Choephoroe" ("The Libation Bearers") by Aeschylus, the middle part of his "Orestia" trilogy, Orestes is obedient to the gods in avenging the death of his father and the pivotal scene is the confrontation between mother and son when Clytemnestra begs for her life. In "Electra" by Euripides the title character has to persuade Orestes to go through with the deed and the dramatic confrontation is now between mother and daughter. In the Sophocles version of "Electra" the emphasis is on the psychological dimensions of the situation; after all, it is from this play that Freud developed his concept of the Electra complex. Towards that end Sophocles creates a character, Chrysothemis, another sister to both Orestes and Electra. The situation is that Orestes is assumed to be dead and the issues is whether the obligation to avenge the death of Agamemnon now falls to his daughters. There is an attendant irony here in that Clytemnestra justified the murder of her husband in part because of his sacrifice of their oldest daughter Iphigenia before sailing off to the Trojan War (the curse on the House of Atreus, which involves Aegisthus on his own accord and not simply as Clytemnestra's lover, is important but clearly secondary). The creation of Chrysothemis allows for Sophocles to write a dialogue that covers both sides of the dispute. Electra argues that the daughters must assume the burden and avenge their father while Chrysothemis takes the counter position. Sophocles does come up with several significant twists on the Aeschylus version. For one thing, Sophocles reverses the order of the two murders and has Clytemnestra slain first, which sets up an interesting scene when Aegisthus gets to revel over what he believes to be the corpse of Orestes and makes the death of the usurper the final scene of the play. This becomes part of the most significant difference between the Sophocles version and the others. Whereas Orestes emerges from the skene distraught after the murder of his mother in "Cheophoroe" and is repentant in the Euripides version of "Electra," Sophocles has Orestes calmly declaring that all in the house is well. Electra is not as central a character to the drama as she is in the Euripides version, mainly because she does not have a functional purpose in this tragedy. Her main purpose is to lament over the death of the father and the supposed death of her brother. She does not provide Orestes with a sense of resolve because in this version he does not consult the oracles to learn whether or not he should kill his mother but rather how he can do the deed. Still, the part of Electra has enormous potential for performance. Ironically, this "Electra" is the least interesting of the three, despite the fact Freud made it infamous: by his standards the Euripides play speaks more to the desire of a daughter to see her mother dead, but since Sophocles wrote "Oedipus the King" it probably seemed fair to point to his version of this tale as well.
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Customer Reviews
Eat your heart out Tolkein, 25 Apr 2008
This book forms part of a terrific series beginning with `Belgareth the Sorcerer'. I don't read much of this genre (fantasy) but like The Hobbit/ Lord of the Rings this will appeal to a large audience.
Following Belgareth the Sorcerer there are two series of 5 books, `The Belgariad' and `The Mallorean' and it is advisable to read them in order, and if you can read `Belgareth' first (although you could save it and read it afterwards like a prequel).
I raced through the series. The Eddings' (the books were written by a couple) create a Tolkein-esque world with our hero Belgareth learning powers known as `the will and the word' through centuries of study under a benevolent God (the gods that created this world still live on it in physical form). This study elevates him to the status of a sorcerer and elongates his life span - he becomes a legend and a force for good in the world. However, another disciple of his benevolent master rebels and steals the holy `Orb' stone, following a more sinister God. In the later series the Gods have left the planet in fear that their battle will destroy the world but their peoples continue to war - following the Prophecies left to them by the Gods. The two series follow the course of events as Belgareth leads the hunt for the traitor and the stone. It's very cleverly written and characters and events reappear as we become familiar with the history of this fictional world through the course of the books.
Really good fun and a definite recommendation if you want a light hearted escape that will keep you reading late into the night.
This is the order of the books:
The Belgariad
1. Pawn of Prophecy
2. Queen of Sorcery
3. Magician's Gambit
4. Castle of Wizardry
5. Enchanters' End Game
The Malloreon
1. Guardians of the West
2. King of the Murgos
3. Demon Lord of Karanda
4. Sorceress of Darshiva
5. The Seeress of Kell amazing...don't know what's got into other eddings' fans, 03 Jul 2006
I have been a huge fan of eddings since i was 12. I got into his books when I accidently picked up Belgarath the Sorcerer at my library. All his works are very well written. The plot is at just the write pace. I think his writing is brilliant and it is what inspired me to write in the first place. What I don't understand is why loyal eddings' fans are saying that this wasn't the best ending they had hoped for. This was one of my favorites in the Mallorean. I cried it was so good. They have the best character development I have discovered in an author yet. Amazing ending to a brilliant and enchanting series Eddings still on form!, 10 Mar 2004
Fabulous. Any fan of Eddings, get this. My first Eddings was The Belgariad, that was superb. This book, part of the Mallorean follows on, is fabulous. Who cannot fail to fall in love with the characters, especially Belgarath and Polgara, they're so compelling to read. Once you start reading the Mallorean, you won't be able to finish. Well worth it! A fitting end to an eduring epic, 19 Feb 2002
I found this book a fitting end to both the series which chart the progress of Garion from boyhood to his destiny. In response to the adverse comments I have heard / read, I would like to point out that by the time you reached the start of this book, you have already read 9 books, so something genuine must have kept you reading till the end. If you read the first book of the Belgariad, you have a pretty good idea of the style and content of the other 9 books. This isn't a negative comment, just a reassurance that the same attention to detail remains throughout both series.
As a "final" book, the Seeress of Kell draws together all the loose ends in a way which makes you marvel that someone could keep a plot going (with all the new developments) over the years which it took David (and Leigh Eddings) to write the series.
For people who have only just come to this series and loved it, spare a thought for those of us who had to wait for several years between the publishing of the Seeress of Kell and the Prequels "Belgarath, the sorcerer" and ultimately "Polgara"! The only negative criticism I would raise (and it applies more to the prequel novels than this)is that for a fantasy series set in an imaged world the speech is far too American! If being a well-paced, descriptive, and full (but uncluttered) novel makes it childish, then I will happily turn my attention to the children's corner in future!
Awful, 19 Dec 2001
I once had the misfortune to read this wretched series because I had nothing else to read. In fact the only thing that kept me going was the question as to whether I could predict what would happen to each of the major characters. I was spot on.
Cliched, stereotyped and unoriginal. Not for grown ups.
Thrilling , 06 May 2008
I found this book by accident. I was looking fro books for my hubby as he likes the books he writes. What a find for me ! It was an excellent read. Highly recommended
Well Worth The Read, 24 Mar 2008
I really enjoyed this book, I thought the story was exciting and it kept me up during the night to see what else might happen. Thoroughly nasty pieces of work with a real women of character. Couldn't wait to follow the story onto the next generation.
I recommend this book to anyone with a stressful life who wants to escape for a bit !!
Cornwell takes a different tack!, 15 Dec 2007
This book is unusual for Bernard Cornwell novel, as the central character is not a soldier or a warrior and is in fact female. This however does not prevent A Crowing Mercy from being a thoroughly exciting and enthralling tale (and this is typical of Cornwell). Initially I picked up this book with a great deal of apprehension, as I felt it might disappoint when compared to later novels by the author. My concrens were dismissed from the start and I was hooked from beggining to end.
The novel follows Dorcas, known as Campion through life growing up in a strict puritan family, to running away from home during the English Civil War. The tale is filled with passion, intrigue and action as campion attempts to track down her unknown father and unravel the mysterious legacy he left her.
On the whole this is a fascinating book and well worth picking up if you like historical novels and even if your not normally a fan of Cornwell.
Amazing, 18 Sep 2007
I read this after the first two Starbuck novels and was thoroughly impressed.
Love, secrets and betrayal all play a part in this wonderful story that kept me gripped from start to finish.
Not as good as his later works, 19 Dec 2006
You can tell this is by a younger Cornwell - the characters are less rounded and interesting than in his later novels and are rather simplistic stereotypes - the innocent young girl, dashing Cavalier hero, strict Puritan father, strict and sadistic Puritan brother.
beautiful, beautiful book, 03 Jul 2001
Many pictures of the absolute classic of Celtic illumination. Beautiful, colorful, wonderful. Nice comments about it as well. great book.
Sophocles introduces the concept of the Electra complex, 09 Jul 2004
The murder of Clytemnestra by her son Orestes is unique in Greek mythology in that it is the one story for which we have extant versions by all three of the great tragic poets. Consequently, it is insightful to notice how each tragedy privileges different parts of the story. In "Choephoroe" ("The Libation Bearers") by Aeschylus, the middle part of his "Orestia" trilogy, Orestes is obedient to the gods in avenging the death of his father and the pivotal scene is the confrontation between mother and son when Clytemnestra begs for her life. In "Electra" by Euripides the title character has to persuade Orestes to go through with the deed and the dramatic confrontation is now between mother and daughter. In the Sophocles version of "Electra" the emphasis is on the psychological dimensions of the situation; after all, it is from this play that Freud developed his concept of the Electra complex. Towards that end Sophocles creates a character, Chrysothemis, another sister to both Orestes and Electra. The situation is that Orestes is assumed to be dead and the issues is whether the obligation to avenge the death of Agamemnon now falls to his daughters. There is an attendant irony here in that Clytemnestra justified the murder of her husband in part because of his sacrifice of their oldest daughter Iphigenia before sailing off to the Trojan War (the curse on the House of Atreus, which involves Aegisthus on his own accord and not simply as Clytemnestra's lover, is important but clearly secondary). The creation of Chrysothemis allows for Sophocles to write a dialogue that covers both sides of the dispute. Electra argues that the daughters must assume the burden and avenge their father while Chrysothemis takes the counter position. Sophocles does come up with several significant twists on the Aeschylus version. For one thing, Sophocles reverses the order of the two murders and has Clytemnestra slain first, which sets up an interesting scene when Aegisthus gets to revel over what he believes to be the corpse of Orestes and makes the death of the usurper the final scene of the play. This becomes part of the most significant difference between the Sophocles version and the others. Whereas Orestes emerges from the skene distraught after the murder of his mother in "Cheophoroe" and is repentant in the Euripides version of "Electra," Sophocles has Orestes calmly declaring that all in the house is well. Electra is not as central a character to the drama as she is in the Euripides version, mainly because she does not have a functional purpose in this tragedy. Her main purpose is to lament over the death of the father and the supposed death of her brother. She does not provide Orestes with a sense of resolve because in this version he does not consult the oracles to learn whether or not he should kill his mother but rather how he can do the deed. Still, the part of Electra has enormous potential for performance. Ironically, this "Electra" is the least interesting of the three, despite the fact Freud made it infamous: by his standards the Euripides play speaks more to the desire of a daughter to see her mother dead, but since Sophocles wrote "Oedipus the King" it probably seemed fair to point to his version of this tale as well.
If you're interested in Celtic art, this is THE book..., 21 Nov 2001
The Megaws have become unpopular among academic circles recently for their views on Celtic ethnicity (it's a heated topic - see Simon James' 2000 book on the Atlantic Celts for the other side of the story). For that matter, the study of Celtic art is know seen as rather unfashionable. However, this is one of very few recent books that actually deals with Celtic art in a serious way. First published (I think!) in 1979, it was a huge sucess. The new edition is pretty similar to the old, but there are a few important updates and changes. Basically, you couldn't find a better general text on Celtic art. They are simply experts in the field. The only problem I have with the book is that the illustrations are not as amazing as I had hoped they would be. They're good, but not fabulous. Still, it is an ureservedly good read.
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Customer Reviews
Eat your heart out Tolkein, 25 Apr 2008
This book forms part of a terrific series beginning with `Belgareth the Sorcerer'. I don't read much of this genre (fantasy) but like The Hobbit/ Lord of the Rings this will appeal to a large audience.
Following Belgareth the Sorcerer there are two series of 5 books, `The Belgariad' and `The Mallorean' and it is advisable to read them in order, and if you can read `Belgareth' first (although you could save it and read it afterwards like a prequel).
I raced through the series. The Eddings' (the books were written by a couple) create a Tolkein-esque world with our hero Belgareth learning powers known as `the will and the word' through centuries of study under a benevolent God (the gods that created this world still live on it in physical form). This study elevates him to the status of a sorcerer and elongates his life span - he becomes a legend and a force for good in the world. However, another disciple of his benevolent master rebels and steals the holy `Orb' stone, following a more sinister God. In the later series the Gods have left the planet in fear that their battle will destroy the world but their peoples continue to war - following the Prophecies left to them by the Gods. The two series follow the course of events as Belgareth leads the hunt for the traitor and the stone. It's very cleverly written and characters and events reappear as we become familiar with the history of this fictional world through the course of the books.
Really good fun and a definite recommendation if you want a light hearted escape that will keep you reading late into the night.
This is the order of the books:
The Belgariad
1. Pawn of Prophecy
2. Queen of Sorcery
3. Magician's Gambit
4. Castle of Wizardry
5. Enchanters' End Game
The Malloreon
1. Guardians of the West
2. King of the Murgos
3. Demon Lord of Karanda
4. Sorceress of Darshiva
5. The Seeress of Kell amazing...don't know what's got into other eddings' fans, 03 Jul 2006
I have been a huge fan of eddings since i was 12. I got into his books when I accidently picked up Belgarath the Sorcerer at my library. All his works are very well written. The plot is at just the write pace. I think his writing is brilliant and it is what inspired me to write in the first place. What I don't understand is why loyal eddings' fans are saying that this wasn't the best ending they had hoped for. This was one of my favorites in the Mallorean. I cried it was so good. They have the best character development I have discovered in an author yet. Amazing ending to a brilliant and enchanting series Eddings still on form!, 10 Mar 2004
Fabulous. Any fan of Eddings, get this. My first Eddings was The Belgariad, that was superb. This book, part of the Mallorean follows on, is fabulous. Who cannot fail to fall in love with the characters, especially Belgarath and Polgara, they're so compelling to read. Once you start reading the Mallorean, you won't be able to finish. Well worth it! A fitting end to an eduring epic, 19 Feb 2002
I found this book a fitting end to both the series which chart the progress of Garion from boyhood to his destiny. In response to the adverse comments I have heard / read, I would like to point out that by the time you reached the start of this book, you have already read 9 books, so something genuine must have kept you reading till the end. If you read the first book of the Belgariad, you have a pretty good idea of the style and content of the other 9 books. This isn't a negative comment, just a reassurance that the same attention to detail remains throughout both series.
As a "final" book, the Seeress of Kell draws together all the loose ends in a way which makes you marvel that someone could keep a plot going (with all the new developments) over the years which it took David (and Leigh Eddings) to write the series.
For people who have only just come to this series and loved it, spare a thought for those of us who had to wait for several years between the publishing of the Seeress of Kell and the Prequels "Belgarath, the sorcerer" and ultimately "Polgara"! The only negative criticism I would raise (and it applies more to the prequel novels than this)is that for a fantasy series set in an imaged world the speech is far too American! If being a well-paced, descriptive, and full (but uncluttered) novel makes it childish, then I will happily turn my attention to the children's corner in future!
Awful, 19 Dec 2001
I once had the misfortune to read this wretched series because I had nothing else to read. In fact the only thing that kept me going was the question as to whether I could predict what would happen to each of the major characters. I was spot on.
Cliched, stereotyped and unoriginal. Not for grown ups.
Thrilling , 06 May 2008
I found this book by accident. I was looking fro books for my hubby as he likes the books he writes. What a find for me ! It was an excellent read. Highly recommended
Well Worth The Read, 24 Mar 2008
I really enjoyed this book, I thought the story was exciting and it kept me up during the night to see what else might happen. Thoroughly nasty pieces of work with a real women of character. Couldn't wait to follow the story onto the next generation.
I recommend this book to anyone with a stressful life who wants to escape for a bit !!
Cornwell takes a different tack!, 15 Dec 2007
This book is unusual for Bernard Cornwell novel, as the central character is not a soldier or a warrior and is in fact female. This however does not prevent A Crowing Mercy from being a thoroughly exciting and enthralling tale (and this is typical of Cornwell). Initially I picked up this book with a great deal of apprehension, as I felt it might disappoint when compared to later novels by the author. My concrens were dismissed from the start and I was hooked from beggining to end.
The novel follows Dorcas, known as Campion through life growing up in a strict puritan family, to running away from home during the English Civil War. The tale is filled with passion, intrigue and action as campion attempts to track down her unknown father and unravel the mysterious legacy he left her.
On the whole this is a fascinating book and well worth picking up if you like historical novels and even if your not normally a fan of Cornwell.
Amazing, 18 Sep 2007
I read this after the first two Starbuck novels and was thoroughly impressed.
Love, secrets and betrayal all play a part in this wonderful story that kept me gripped from start to finish.
Not as good as his later works, 19 Dec 2006
You can tell this is by a younger Cornwell - the characters are less rounded and interesting than in his later novels and are rather simplistic stereotypes - the innocent young girl, dashing Cavalier hero, strict Puritan father, strict and sadistic Puritan brother.
beautiful, beautiful book, 03 Jul 2001
Many pictures of the absolute classic of Celtic illumination. Beautiful, colorful, wonderful. Nice comments about it as well. great book.
Sophocles introduces the concept of the Electra complex, 09 Jul 2004
The murder of Clytemnestra by her son Orestes is unique in Greek mythology in that it is the one story for which we have extant versions by all three of the great tragic poets. Consequently, it is insightful to notice how each tragedy privileges different parts of the story. In "Choephoroe" ("The Libation Bearers") by Aeschylus, the middle part of his "Orestia" trilogy, Orestes is obedient to the gods in avenging the death of his father and the pivotal scene is the confrontation between mother and son when Clytemnestra begs for her life. In "Electra" by Euripides the title character has to persuade Orestes to go through with the deed and the dramatic confrontation is now between mother and daughter. In the Sophocles version of "Electra" the emphasis is on the psychological dimensions of the situation; after all, it is from this play that Freud developed his concept of the Electra complex. Towards that end Sophocles creates a character, Chrysothemis, another sister to both Orestes and Electra. The situation is that Orestes is assumed to be dead and the issues is whether the obligation to avenge the death of Agamemnon now falls to his daughters. There is an attendant irony here in that Clytemnestra justified the murder of her husband in part because of his sacrifice of their oldest daughter Iphigenia before sailing off to the Trojan War (the curse on the House of Atreus, which involves Aegisthus on his own accord and not simply as Clytemnestra's lover, is important but clearly secondary). The creation of Chrysothemis allows for Sophocles to write a dialogue that covers both sides of the dispute. Electra argues that the daughters must assume the burden and avenge their father while Chrysothemis takes the counter position. Sophocles does come up with several significant twists on the Aeschylus version. For one thing, Sophocles reverses the order of the two murders and has Clytemnestra slain first, which sets up an interesting scene when Aegisthus gets to revel over what he believes to be the corpse of Orestes and makes the death of the usurper the final scene of the play. This becomes part of the most significant difference between the Sophocles version and the others. Whereas Orestes emerges from the skene distraught after the murder of his mother in "Cheophoroe" and is repentant in the Euripides version of "Electra," Sophocles has Orestes calmly declaring that all in the house is well. Electra is not as central a character to the drama as she is in the Euripides version, mainly because she does not have a functional purpose in this tragedy. Her main purpose is to lament over the death of the father and the supposed death of her brother. She does not provide Orestes with a sense of resolve because in this version he does not consult the oracles to learn whether or not he should kill his mother but rather how he can do the deed. Still, the part of Electra has enormous potential for performance. Ironically, this "Electra" is the least interesting of the three, despite the fact Freud made it infamous: by his standards the Euripides play speaks more to the desire of a daughter to see her mother dead, but since Sophocles wrote "Oedipus the King" it probably seemed fair to point to his version of this tale as well.
If you're interested in Celtic art, this is THE book..., 21 Nov 2001
The Megaws have become unpopular among academic circles recently for their views on Celtic ethnicity (it's a heated topic - see Simon James' 2000 book on the Atlantic Celts for the other side of the story). For that matter, the study of Celtic art is know seen as rather unfashionable. However, this is one of very few recent books that actually deals with Celtic art in a serious way. First published (I think!) in 1979, it was a huge sucess. The new edition is pretty similar to the old, but there are a few important updates and changes. Basically, you couldn't find a better general text on Celtic art. They are simply experts in the field. The only problem I have with the book is that the illustrations are not as amazing as I had hoped they would be. They're good, but not fabulous. Still, it is an ureservedly good read.
Pretty, 07 Apr 2001
Lovely pictures, line versions of some of the best art ever. Very nice.
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Customer Reviews
Eat your heart out Tolkein, 25 Apr 2008
This book forms part of a terrific series beginning with `Belgareth the Sorcerer'. I don't read much of this genre (fantasy) but like The Hobbit/ Lord of the Rings this will appeal to a large audience.
Following Belgareth the Sorcerer there are two series of 5 books, `The Belgariad' and `The Mallorean' and it is advisable to read them in order, and if you can read `Belgareth' first (although you could save it and read it afterwards like a prequel).
I raced through the series. The Eddings' (the books were written by a couple) create a Tolkein-esque world with our hero Belgareth learning powers known as `the will and the word' through centuries of study under a benevolent God (the gods that created this world still live on it in physical form). This study elevates him to the status of a sorcerer and elongates his life span - he becomes a legend and a force for good in the world. However, another disciple of his benevolent master rebels and steals the holy `Orb' stone, following a more sinister God. In the later series the Gods have left the planet in fear that their battle will destroy the world but their peoples continue to war - following the Prophecies left to them by the Gods. The two series follow the course of events as Belgareth leads the hunt for the traitor and the stone. It's very cleverly written and characters and events reappear as we become familiar with the history of this fictional world through the course of the books.
Really good fun and a definite recommendation if you want a light hearted escape that will keep you reading late into the night.
This is the order of the books:
The Belgariad
1. Pawn of Prophecy
2. Queen of Sorcery
3. Magician's Gambit
4. Castle of Wizardry
5. Enchanters' End Game
The Malloreon
1. Guardians of the West
2. King of the Murgos
3. Demon Lord of Karanda
4. Sorceress of Darshiva
5. The Seeress of Kell amazing...don't know what's got into other eddings' fans, 03 Jul 2006
I have been a huge fan of eddings since i was 12. I got into his books when I accidently picked up Belgarath the Sorcerer at my library. All his works are very well written. The plot is at just the write pace. I think his writing is brilliant and it is what inspired me to write in the first place. What I don't understand is why loyal eddings' fans are saying that this wasn't the best ending they had hoped for. This was one of my favorites in the Mallorean. I cried it was so good. They have the best character development I have discovered in an author yet. Amazing ending to a brilliant and enchanting series Eddings still on form!, 10 Mar 2004
Fabulous. Any fan of Eddings, get this. My first Eddings was The Belgariad, that was superb. This book, part of the Mallorean follows on, is fabulous. Who cannot fail to fall in love with the characters, especially Belgarath and Polgara, they're so compelling to read. Once you start reading the Mallorean, you won't be able to finish. Well worth it! A fitting end to an eduring epic, 19 Feb 2002
I found this book a fitting end to both the series which chart the progress of Garion from boyhood to his destiny. In response to the adverse comments I have heard / read, I would like to point out that by the time you reached the start of this book, you have already read 9 books, so something genuine must have kept you reading till the end. If you read the first book of the Belgariad, you have a pretty good idea of the style and content of the other 9 books. This isn't a negative comment, just a reassurance that the same attention to detail remains throughout both series.
As a "final" book, the Seeress of Kell draws together all the loose ends in a way which makes you marvel that someone could keep a plot going (with all the new developments) over the years which it took David (and Leigh Eddings) to write the series.
For people who have only just come to this series and loved it, spare a thought for those of us who had to wait for several years between the publishing of the Seeress of Kell and the Prequels "Belgarath, the sorcerer" and ultimately "Polgara"! The only negative criticism I would raise (and it applies more to the prequel novels than this)is that for a fantasy series set in an imaged world the speech is far too American! If being a well-paced, descriptive, and full (but uncluttered) novel makes it childish, then I will happily turn my attention to the children's corner in future!
Awful, 19 Dec 2001
I once had the misfortune to read this wretched series because I had nothing else to read. In fact the only thing that kept me going was the question as to whether I could predict what would happen to each of the major characters. I was spot on.
Cliched, stereotyped and unoriginal. Not for grown ups.
Thrilling , 06 May 2008
I found this book by accident. I was looking fro books for my hubby as he likes the books he writes. What a find for me ! It was an excellent read. Highly recommended
Well Worth The Read, 24 Mar 2008
I really enjoyed this book, I thought the story was exciting and it kept me up during the night to see what else might happen. Thoroughly nasty pieces of work with a real women of character. Couldn't wait to follow the story onto the next generation.
I recommend this book to anyone with a stressful life who wants to escape for a bit !!
Cornwell takes a different tack!, 15 Dec 2007
This book is unusual for Bernard Cornwell novel, as the central character is not a soldier or a warrior and is in fact female. This however does not prevent A Crowing Mercy from being a thoroughly exciting and enthralling tale (and this is typical of Cornwell). Initially I picked up this book with a great deal of apprehension, as I felt it might disappoint when compared to later novels by the author. My concrens were dismissed from the start and I was hooked from beggining to end.
The novel follows Dorcas, known as Campion through life growing up in a strict puritan family, to running away from home during the English Civil War. The tale is filled with passion, intrigue and action as campion attempts to track down her unknown father and unravel the mysterious legacy he left her.
On the whole this is a fascinating book and well worth picking up if you like historical novels and even if your not normally a fan of Cornwell.
Amazing, 18 Sep 2007
I read this after the first two Starbuck novels and was thoroughly impressed.
Love, secrets and betrayal all play a part in this wonderful story that kept me gripped from start to finish.
Not as good as his later works, 19 Dec 2006
You can tell this is by a younger Cornwell - the characters are less rounded and interesting than in his later novels and are rather simplistic stereotypes - the innocent young girl, dashing Cavalier hero, strict Puritan father, strict and sadistic Puritan brother.
beautiful, beautiful book, 03 Jul 2001
Many pictures of the absolute classic of Celtic illumination. Beautiful, colorful, wonderful. Nice comments about it as well. great book.
Sophocles introduces the concept of the Electra complex, 09 Jul 2004
The murder of Clytemnestra by her son Orestes is unique in Greek mythology in that it is the one story for which we have extant versions by all three of the great tragic poets. Consequently, it is insightful to notice how each tragedy privileges different parts of the story. In "Choephoroe" ("The Libation Bearers") by Aeschylus, the middle part of his "Orestia" trilogy, Orestes is obedient to the gods in avenging the death of his father and the pivotal scene is the confrontation between mother and son when Clytemnestra begs for her life. In "Electra" by Euripides the title character has to persuade Orestes to go through with the deed and the dramatic confrontation is now between mother and daughter. In the Sophocles version of "Electra" the emphasis is on the psychological dimensions of the situation; after all, it is from this play that Freud developed his concept of the Electra complex. Towards that end Sophocles creates a character, Chrysothemis, another sister to both Orestes and Electra. The situation is that Orestes is assumed to be dead and the issues is whether the obligation to avenge the death of Agamemnon now falls to his daughters. There is an attendant irony here in that Clytemnestra justified the murder of her husband in part because of his sacrifice of their oldest daughter Iphigenia before sailing off to the Trojan War (the curse on the House of Atreus, which involves Aegisthus on his own accord and not simply as Clytemnestra's lover, is important but clearly secondary). The creation of Chrysothemis allows for Sophocles to write a dialogue that covers both sides of the dispute. Electra argues that the daughters must assume the burden and avenge their father while Chrysothemis takes the counter position. Sophocles does come up with several significant twists on the Aeschylus version. For one thing, Sophocles reverses the order of the two murders and has Clytemnestra slain first, which sets up an interesting scene when Aegisthus gets to revel over what he believes to be the corpse of Orestes and makes the death of the usurper the final scene of the play. This becomes part of the most significant difference between the Sophocles version and the others. Whereas Orestes emerges from the skene distraught after the murder of his mother in "Cheophoroe" and is repentant in the Euripides version of "Electra," Sophocles has Orestes calmly declaring that all in the house is well. Electra is not as central a character to the drama as she is in the Euripides version, mainly because she does not have a functional purpose in this tragedy. Her main purpose is to lament over the death of the father and the supposed death of her brother. She does not provide Orestes with a sense of resolve because in this version he does not consult the oracles to learn whether or not he should kill his mother but rather how he can do the deed. Still, the part of Electra has enormous potential for performance. Ironically, this "Electra" is the least interesting of the three, despite the fact Freud made it infamous: by his standards the Euripides play speaks more to the desire of a daughter to see her mother dead, but since Sophocles wrote "Oedipus the King" it probably seemed fair to point to his version of this tale as well.
If you're interested in Celtic art, this is THE book..., 21 Nov 2001
The Megaws have become unpopular among academic circles recently for their views on Celtic ethnicity (it's a heated topic - see Simon James' 2000 book on the Atlantic Celts for the other side of the story). For that matter, the study of Celtic art is know seen as rather unfashionable. However, this is one of very few recent books that actually deals with Celtic art in a serious way. First published (I think!) in 1979, it was a huge sucess. The new edition is pretty similar to the old, but there are a few important updates and changes. Basically, you couldn't find a better general text on Celtic art. They are simply experts in the field. The only problem I have with the book is that the illustrations are not as amazing as I had hoped they would be. They're good, but not fabulous. Still, it is an ureservedly good read.
Pretty, 07 Apr 2001
Lovely pictures, line versions of some of the best art ever. Very nice.
Good kid and Well-behaved, 01 May 1999
You'll feel interesting the first capter and want to read the next chapters. Introduction the book, it attractives read over and over until you can memory the book feeling boring and can think about yourself and ask yourself. Good kid, well-behaved and many people love her Helen Keller,"From Tragedy to Triumph" by Katharine E. Wilkie.Helen Keller was good kid and tried to speak and spelling when she was child. She also good student in high school and college. Her parents love her. When she met any one they love her. Growing uo, she was good lady, she visited and encouraged people who blind, deaf, handicapper.... She was great person and famous. From the book, I remind myself when I was child and the book also helping children try to become good kid and well-behaved . I think the audience who from 10-14 age, can read this book. The book purpose helps children in America to become good kid and learn many things form people who is great person.If you want to know more information or more knowledge Helen Keller what did she do?, you should read this book;aspecilly children.
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Customer Reviews
Eat your heart out Tolkein, 25 Apr 2008
This book forms part of a terrific series beginning with `Belgareth the Sorcerer'. I don't read much of this genre (fantasy) but like The Hobbit/ Lord of the Rings this will appeal to a large audience.
Following Belgareth the Sorcerer there are two series of 5 books, `The Belgariad' and `The Mallorean' and it is advisable to read them in order, and if you can read `Belgareth' first (although you could save it and read it afterwards like a prequel).
I raced through the series. The Eddings' (the books were written by a couple) create a Tolkein-esque world with our hero Belgareth learning powers known as `the will and the word' through centuries of study under a benevolent God (the gods that created this world still live on it in physical form). This study elevates him to the status of a sorcerer and elongates his life span - he becomes a legend and a force for good in the world. However, another disciple of his benevolent master rebels and steals the holy `Orb' stone, following a more sinister God. In the later series the Gods have left the planet in fear that their battle will destroy the world but their peoples continue to war - following the Prophecies left to them by the Gods. The two series follow the course of events as Belgareth leads the hunt for the traitor and the stone. It's very cleverly written and characters and events reappear as we become familiar with the history of this fictional world through the course of the books.
Really good fun and a definite recommendation if you want a light hearted escape that will keep you reading late into the night.
This is the order of the books:
The Belgariad
1. Pawn of Prophecy
2. Queen of Sorcery
3. Magician's Gambit
4. Castle of Wizardry
5. Enchanters' End Game
The Malloreon
1. Guardians of the West
2. King of the Murgos
3. Demon Lord of Karanda
4. Sorceress of Darshiva
5. The Seeress of Kell amazing...don't know what's got into other eddings' fans, 03 Jul 2006
I have been a huge fan of eddings since i was 12. I got into his books when I accidently picked up Belgarath the Sorcerer at my library. All his works are very well written. The plot is at just the write pace. I think his writing is brilliant and it is what inspired me to write in the first place. What I don't understand is why loyal eddings' fans are saying that this wasn't the best ending they had hoped for. This was one of my favorites in the Mallorean. I cried it was so good. They have the best character development I have discovered in an author yet. Amazing ending to a brilliant and enchanting series Eddings still on form!, 10 Mar 2004
Fabulous. Any fan of Eddings, get this. My first Eddings was The Belgariad, that was superb. This book, part of the Mallorean follows on, is fabulous. Who cannot fail to fall in love with the characters, especially Belgarath and Polgara, they're so compelling to read. Once you start reading the Mallorean, you won't be able to finish. Well worth it! A fitting end to an eduring epic, 19 Feb 2002
I found this book a fitting end to both the series which chart the progress of Garion from boyhood to his destiny. In response to the adverse comments I have heard / read, I would like to point out that by the time you reached the start of this book, you have already read 9 books, so something genuine must have kept you reading till the end. If you read the first book of the Belgariad, you have a pretty good idea of the style and content of the other 9 books. This isn't a negative comment, just a reassurance that the same attention to detail remains throughout both series.
As a "final" book, the Seeress of Kell draws together all the loose ends in a way which makes you marvel that someone could keep a plot going (with all the new developments) over the years which it took David (and Leigh Eddings) to write the series.
For people who have only just come to this series and loved it, spare a thought for those of us who had to wait for several years between the publishing of the Seeress of Kell and the Prequels "Belgarath, the sorcerer" and ultimately "Polgara"! The only negative criticism I would raise (and it applies more to the prequel novels than this)is that for a fantasy series set in an imaged world the speech is far too American! If being a well-paced, descriptive, and full (but uncluttered) novel makes it childish, then I will happily turn my attention to the children's corner in future!
Awful, 19 Dec 2001
I once had the misfortune to read this wretched series because I had nothing else to read. In fact the only thing that kept me going was the question as to whether I could predict what would happen to each of the major characters. I was spot on.
Cliched, stereotyped and unoriginal. Not for grown ups.
Thrilling , 06 May 2008
I found this book by accident. I was looking fro books for my hubby as he likes the books he writes. What a find for me ! It was an excellent read. Highly recommended
Well Worth The Read, 24 Mar 2008
I really enjoyed this book, I thought the story was exciting and it kept me up during the night to see what else might happen. Thoroughly nasty pieces of work with a real women of character. Couldn't wait to follow the story onto the next generation.
I recommend this book to anyone with a stressful life who wants to escape for a bit !!
Cornwell takes a different tack!, 15 Dec 2007
This book is unusual for Bernard Cornwell novel, as the central character is not a soldier or a warrior and is in fact female. This however does not prevent A Crowing Mercy from being a thoroughly exciting and enthralling tale (and this is typical of Cornwell). Initially I picked up this book with a great deal of apprehension, as I felt it might disappoint when compared to later novels by the author. My concrens were dismissed from the start and I was hooked from beggining to end.
The novel follows Dorcas, known as Campion through life growing up in a strict puritan family, to running away from home during the English Civil War. The tale is filled with passion, intrigue and action as campion attempts to track down her unknown father and unravel the mysterious legacy he left her.
On the whole this is a fascinating book and well worth picking up if you like historical novels and even if your not normally a fan of Cornwell.
Amazing, 18 Sep 2007
I read this after the first two Starbuck novels and was thoroughly impressed.
Love, secrets and betrayal all play a part in this wonderful story that kept me gripped from start to finish.
Not as good as his later works, 19 Dec 2006
You can tell this is by a younger Cornwell - the characters are less rounded and interesting than in his later novels and are rather simplistic stereotypes - the innocent young girl, dashing Cavalier hero, strict Puritan father, strict and sadistic Puritan brother.
beautiful, beautiful book, 03 Jul 2001
Many pictures of the absolute classic of Celtic illumination. Beautiful, colorful, wonderful. Nice comments about it as well. great book.
Sophocles introduces the concept of the Electra complex, 09 Jul 2004
The murder of Clytemnestra by her son Orestes is unique in Greek mythology in that it is the one story for which we have extant versions by all three of the great tragic poets. Consequently, it is insightful to notice how each tragedy privileges different parts of the story. In "Choephoroe" ("The Libation Bearers") by Aeschylus, the middle part of his "Orestia" trilogy, Orestes is obedient to the gods in avenging the death of his father and the pivotal scene is the confrontation between mother and son when Clytemnestra begs for her life. In "Electra" by Euripides the title character has to persuade Orestes to go through with the deed and the dramatic confrontation is now between mother and daughter. In the Sophocles version of "Electra" the emphasis is on the psychological dimensions of the situation; after all, it is from this play that Freud developed his concept of the Electra complex. Towards that end Sophocles creates a character, Chrysothemis, another sister to both Orestes and Electra. The situation is that Orestes is assumed to be dead and the issues is whether the obligation to avenge the death of Agamemnon now falls to his daughters. There is an attendant irony here in that Clytemnestra justified the murder of her husband in part because of his sacrifice of their oldest daughter Iphigenia before sailing off to the Trojan War (the curse on the House of Atreus, which involves Aegisthus on his own accord and not simply as Clytemnestra's lover, is important but clearly secondary). The creation of Chrysothemis allows for Sophocles to write a dialogue that covers both sides of the dispute. Electra argues that the daughters must assume the burden and avenge their father while Chrysothemis takes the counter position. Sophocles does come up with several significant twists on the Aeschylus version. For one thing, Sophocles reverses the order of the two murders and has Clytemnestra slain first, which sets up an interesting scene when Aegisthus gets to revel over what he believes to be the corpse of Orestes and makes the death of the usurper the final scene of the play. This becomes part of the most significant difference between the Sophocles version and the others. Whereas Orestes emerges from the skene distraught after the murder of his mother in "Cheophoroe" and is repentant in the Euripides version of "Electra," Sophocles has Orestes calmly declaring that all in the house is well. Electra is not as central a character to the drama as she is in the Euripides version, mainly | | |