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Browse categories
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- Waid, Mark
- Waldrop, Howard
- Wangerin, Walter
- Watt, Evans Lawrence
- Waugh, Charles J.
- Weber, David
- Weinberg, Robert
- Weis, Margaret
- Wells, Angus
- Wells, H.G.
- Wells, Martha
- Wentworth, K.D.
- Wenzel, David
- West, Michelle
- White, T.H.
- Whyte, Jack
- Wieck, Stewart
- Wilhelm, Kate
- Willey, Elizabeth
- Williams, Michael
- Williams, Tad
- Williams, Walter Jon
- Williamson, Chet
- Williamson, Jack
- Willis, Connie
- Wilson, F. Paul
- Wilson, Robert Anton
- Windling, Terri
- Wolfe, Gary K.
- Wolfe, Gene
- Wolverton, Dave
- Wood, Bridget
- Wood, N. Lee
- Wrede, Patricia
- Wurts, Janny
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 Customer Reviews
So Disappointing, 16 Jul 2008
Have I been reading the same book as the other reviewers? I've followed this series from book one and up until Traitors Knot thought it was by far the best fantasy series I had ever read.Then the rot set in with TN, the characters became more improbable and stopped behaving as they had in the past for no apparent reason, and I began not to enjoy. I had hoped for an improvement in what was supposed to be the "final" book but I have been sadly disappointed. The bizzare behaviour of some of the characters was tiresome and did not fit with their past personalities. The whole book seemed mainly descriptive padding and there was no real conclusion to anything. Somehow I have stopped caring about the people any more, they have become unpleasant and the way every scene or action is always filled with "extreme" emotions means everything loses impact.I had hoped eventually to read the real "final" book to find out what happens to the main characters but clearly this series is going to be spun out as long as possible. As the main protagonists have at least a 500 year life expectancy and the books only cover the first 30 - 40 years it looks as though there are several dozen more to come. Sorry, I have lost my patience with the series and I won't be bothering with any more.
Overwrought and overlong, 22 Jun 2008
This series started so well, but somewhere along the way it turned into a soap-opera. I kept up with each installment, but my enthusiasm began to wane as the longwinded flowery prose dragged on and on and on....
It got to the point that I felt that I had to keep reading, as I have already invested so much time into the books. Was Stormed Fortress really going to be the end of the marathon? I thought so, but as I read though the final pages I realised that no - the show must still go on.
Unfortunately, as each book comes out and time goes on, the writing becomes even more self indulgent and it gets harder to stomach - much like the previous fawning 'reviews' for this book.
This book ended up getting thrown across the room in disgust. My journey with Janny ends here.
A plea to Amazon.co.uk, 04 Mar 2008
This was a fantastic ending to Arc III, and was well worth the long wait! I can't wait for the next Arc to be published.
To the un-initiated, you don't know what you are missing! Janny Wurts is a brilliant author.
To finish, this is a plea to Amazon to keep publishing her books. You will break our hearts if you stop, and leave us in agonising suspense as to the fate of Arithon et al. So, please, please keep up the good work!
WELL WORTH THE WAIT!!!, 07 Feb 2008
Wow -- This book has it all: intrigue, suspense, epic battles, romance, tragedy, bravery, evil, and incredible strength. The trouble is that I can hardly talk about the contents without creating spoilers.
This is the last book in The Alliance of Light, which is the third story arc in The Wars of Light and Shadow, and as a result a lot of sub-plots are wound up, and in a way that makes the faithful reader of this series almost explode with each turn of the page. This is easily the strongest book of The Alliance of Light arc. So many loose threads are wrapped up and woven into the tapestry of this series that the reader feels somewhat sated at the end, yet enough is left undone that leaves the reader eagerly awaiting the beginning of Arc IV (as yet untitled). The Wars of Light and Shadow is an epic series with five story arcs. Arc IV and V remain, and will likely total three books (by the author's estimation), to add to the eight already released in this series.
What I find most thrilling about Stormed Fortress, and the series as a whole, is that it is in no way predictable. The villains in this series are multi-dimensional, believe themselves to be on the side of right, and at times are sympathetic. Also, the so-called good guys are not necessarily good all the time. The conflict is a very human one, and is therefore very honest. There is no Dark Lord here, but rather the much more ordinary and everyday human evil, which is perhaps much harder to face. As a result, this read is not escapism, but it is a book (and a series) that makes you better for having read it.
Wurts uses the siege of the s'Brydion fortress of Alestron to focus the conflict between the half-brothers Arithon and Lysaer in such a manner that the conflict really becomes a battle inside all of the individual characters, not just the brothers. This is Wurts' main strength. Her characters are all distinct, and do not remain static from book to book in this long a series, which is a complaint that I have about much epic fantasy. Also, her writing is a rich weaving of words that create a tapestry that is evocative of a time when the reading world was not dumbed-down by text-messaging, e-language and reality television. Her prose is beautiful and multi-layered, her command of the written word is inspiring, and her world-building is unparalleled.
Do not read this book as a stand alone. If you have not read any in the series yet, start with The Curse of the Mistwraith, as The Wars of Light and Shadow is now at eight novels, and it is complex and full of sub-plots and developments that require the series to be read as a whole. It is truly epic fantasy that tackles issues of personal and societal morality, and it is not light sword-and-sorcery fluff. There is even an obvious and yet unintentional parallel with current events in our world, which shows how history so easily repeats itself. To the reader who has not started this series, I am envious of the great first-time reading that you will enjoy. A fabulous book, well worth the overseas shipping .
Exponentially better, 06 Feb 2008
Each volume in the Wars of Light and Shadow gets exponentially better than the one before because the layers upon layers of carefully laid and woven storyline, back history, and 'science' of this world become more and more clear. This volume, the culmination of Arc 3 of the entire series and the last book in the Alliance of Light, leaps forward and proves that this series is not like any other currently being written. Many of the carefully presented and crafted details laid out in the previous volumes come together in a crescendo that will not disappoint. Yet, I'm sure there are still details waiting to be uncovered in the future two arcs.
In this book, the characters undergo changes and events that will leave no doubt that the author knows where the story has gone before and where it is heading next. If you got waylaid somewhere along the line with this series I recommend you pick it up again, it is well worth both the read and the ride.
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The Hobbit: Graphic Novel
Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
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*Amazon: £6.14
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Customer Reviews
So Disappointing, 16 Jul 2008
Have I been reading the same book as the other reviewers? I've followed this series from book one and up until Traitors Knot thought it was by far the best fantasy series I had ever read.Then the rot set in with TN, the characters became more improbable and stopped behaving as they had in the past for no apparent reason, and I began not to enjoy. I had hoped for an improvement in what was supposed to be the "final" book but I have been sadly disappointed. The bizzare behaviour of some of the characters was tiresome and did not fit with their past personalities. The whole book seemed mainly descriptive padding and there was no real conclusion to anything. Somehow I have stopped caring about the people any more, they have become unpleasant and the way every scene or action is always filled with "extreme" emotions means everything loses impact.I had hoped eventually to read the real "final" book to find out what happens to the main characters but clearly this series is going to be spun out as long as possible. As the main protagonists have at least a 500 year life expectancy and the books only cover the first 30 - 40 years it looks as though there are several dozen more to come. Sorry, I have lost my patience with the series and I won't be bothering with any more.
Overwrought and overlong, 22 Jun 2008
This series started so well, but somewhere along the way it turned into a soap-opera. I kept up with each installment, but my enthusiasm began to wane as the longwinded flowery prose dragged on and on and on....
It got to the point that I felt that I had to keep reading, as I have already invested so much time into the books. Was Stormed Fortress really going to be the end of the marathon? I thought so, but as I read though the final pages I realised that no - the show must still go on.
Unfortunately, as each book comes out and time goes on, the writing becomes even more self indulgent and it gets harder to stomach - much like the previous fawning 'reviews' for this book.
This book ended up getting thrown across the room in disgust. My journey with Janny ends here.
A plea to Amazon.co.uk, 04 Mar 2008
This was a fantastic ending to Arc III, and was well worth the long wait! I can't wait for the next Arc to be published.
To the un-initiated, you don't know what you are missing! Janny Wurts is a brilliant author.
To finish, this is a plea to Amazon to keep publishing her books. You will break our hearts if you stop, and leave us in agonising suspense as to the fate of Arithon et al. So, please, please keep up the good work!
WELL WORTH THE WAIT!!!, 07 Feb 2008
Wow -- This book has it all: intrigue, suspense, epic battles, romance, tragedy, bravery, evil, and incredible strength. The trouble is that I can hardly talk about the contents without creating spoilers.
This is the last book in The Alliance of Light, which is the third story arc in The Wars of Light and Shadow, and as a result a lot of sub-plots are wound up, and in a way that makes the faithful reader of this series almost explode with each turn of the page. This is easily the strongest book of The Alliance of Light arc. So many loose threads are wrapped up and woven into the tapestry of this series that the reader feels somewhat sated at the end, yet enough is left undone that leaves the reader eagerly awaiting the beginning of Arc IV (as yet untitled). The Wars of Light and Shadow is an epic series with five story arcs. Arc IV and V remain, and will likely total three books (by the author's estimation), to add to the eight already released in this series.
What I find most thrilling about Stormed Fortress, and the series as a whole, is that it is in no way predictable. The villains in this series are multi-dimensional, believe themselves to be on the side of right, and at times are sympathetic. Also, the so-called good guys are not necessarily good all the time. The conflict is a very human one, and is therefore very honest. There is no Dark Lord here, but rather the much more ordinary and everyday human evil, which is perhaps much harder to face. As a result, this read is not escapism, but it is a book (and a series) that makes you better for having read it.
Wurts uses the siege of the s'Brydion fortress of Alestron to focus the conflict between the half-brothers Arithon and Lysaer in such a manner that the conflict really becomes a battle inside all of the individual characters, not just the brothers. This is Wurts' main strength. Her characters are all distinct, and do not remain static from book to book in this long a series, which is a complaint that I have about much epic fantasy. Also, her writing is a rich weaving of words that create a tapestry that is evocative of a time when the reading world was not dumbed-down by text-messaging, e-language and reality television. Her prose is beautiful and multi-layered, her command of the written word is inspiring, and her world-building is unparalleled.
Do not read this book as a stand alone. If you have not read any in the series yet, start with The Curse of the Mistwraith, as The Wars of Light and Shadow is now at eight novels, and it is complex and full of sub-plots and developments that require the series to be read as a whole. It is truly epic fantasy that tackles issues of personal and societal morality, and it is not light sword-and-sorcery fluff. There is even an obvious and yet unintentional parallel with current events in our world, which shows how history so easily repeats itself. To the reader who has not started this series, I am envious of the great first-time reading that you will enjoy. A fabulous book, well worth the overseas shipping .
Exponentially better, 06 Feb 2008
Each volume in the Wars of Light and Shadow gets exponentially better than the one before because the layers upon layers of carefully laid and woven storyline, back history, and 'science' of this world become more and more clear. This volume, the culmination of Arc 3 of the entire series and the last book in the Alliance of Light, leaps forward and proves that this series is not like any other currently being written. Many of the carefully presented and crafted details laid out in the previous volumes come together in a crescendo that will not disappoint. Yet, I'm sure there are still details waiting to be uncovered in the future two arcs.
In this book, the characters undergo changes and events that will leave no doubt that the author knows where the story has gone before and where it is heading next. If you got waylaid somewhere along the line with this series I recommend you pick it up again, it is well worth both the read and the ride.
A Great Introduction to The Hobbit for more reluctant readers!, 30 Apr 2007
`First published over 50 years ago, J R R Tolkein's, 'The Hobbit' has become one of the best-loved books of all time. Now the fantasy classic has been adapted into a fully painted graphic novel.
`The Hobbit' is the story of Bilbo Baggins....a quiet and contented hobbit whose life is turned upside down when he joins the wizard, `Gandalf' and thirteen dwarves on their quest to reclaim the dwarves' stolen treasure.
It is a journey fraught with danger - and in the end it is Bilbo alone who must face the guardian of the treasure, the most-dreaded dragon, `Smaug'.
Illustrated in full colour throughout and accompanied by the carefully abridges text of the original novel, this handsome authorised edition will introduce new generations to a magical masterpiece - and be treasured by Hobbit fans of al ages, everywhere.'
138 high quality, busy pages finishing with notes about the 5 people involved, including Bill Pearson who did the hand lettering for this particular edition.
`What is a hobbit?
I suppose hobbits need some description nowadays, since they have become rare and shy of the Big People, as they call us.
They are a little people, smaller than dwarves.
They are inclined to be fat in the stomach; they dress in bright colors and wear no shoes, because their feet grow natural leathery soles and thick warm brown hair...........'
Fabulous Graphic Novel, 11 Jun 2004
This book is one of the best illustrated and best written graphic novels I have read. It is a fabulous read, hard to put down once you start reading.
It is a great re-write of the original Hobbit book. Brilliant!
A great way of making someone a Tolkien fan, 29 Feb 2004
I bought this book for my younger brother, aged 11, to introduce him to the earlier work of Tolkien. On first impressions he thought the book was oversized but was won over by the excellent artistic imagination of the illustrator. It brought the whole novel to life. He managed to pick it up and read through it at such pace, which proved his enjoyment in reading it all. The book is an abridged version but from what I know, it seems to have stayed true to the original novel. Now he's finished, I think it's my turn to enjoy The Hobbit all over again......
Graphic Hobbit, 05 Jun 2003
Excellent reworking of the original book. Fantastic illustration and panelling. The accompanying speech panels throughout remain true to the original text and nice to see a new take on Tolkien's existing work.
Don't read it before the book!, 15 Oct 2000
A beautiful piece with beatiful illustrations and the texts are taken exactly from the book, as long as I can remember, no rewriting! Most things and places fit exactly as I imagined when reading the book, except by the fact that Bilbo has no curly hair as it's told in the book. Good choice!
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The Illuminatus!: Trilogy
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Robert SheaRobert Anton Wilson;
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Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
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*Amazon: £5.49
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Customer Reviews
So Disappointing, 16 Jul 2008
Have I been reading the same book as the other reviewers? I've followed this series from book one and up until Traitors Knot thought it was by far the best fantasy series I had ever read.Then the rot set in with TN, the characters became more improbable and stopped behaving as they had in the past for no apparent reason, and I began not to enjoy. I had hoped for an improvement in what was supposed to be the "final" book but I have been sadly disappointed. The bizzare behaviour of some of the characters was tiresome and did not fit with their past personalities. The whole book seemed mainly descriptive padding and there was no real conclusion to anything. Somehow I have stopped caring about the people any more, they have become unpleasant and the way every scene or action is always filled with "extreme" emotions means everything loses impact.I had hoped eventually to read the real "final" book to find out what happens to the main characters but clearly this series is going to be spun out as long as possible. As the main protagonists have at least a 500 year life expectancy and the books only cover the first 30 - 40 years it looks as though there are several dozen more to come. Sorry, I have lost my patience with the series and I won't be bothering with any more.
Overwrought and overlong, 22 Jun 2008
This series started so well, but somewhere along the way it turned into a soap-opera. I kept up with each installment, but my enthusiasm began to wane as the longwinded flowery prose dragged on and on and on....
It got to the point that I felt that I had to keep reading, as I have already invested so much time into the books. Was Stormed Fortress really going to be the end of the marathon? I thought so, but as I read though the final pages I realised that no - the show must still go on.
Unfortunately, as each book comes out and time goes on, the writing becomes even more self indulgent and it gets harder to stomach - much like the previous fawning 'reviews' for this book.
This book ended up getting thrown across the room in disgust. My journey with Janny ends here.
A plea to Amazon.co.uk, 04 Mar 2008
This was a fantastic ending to Arc III, and was well worth the long wait! I can't wait for the next Arc to be published.
To the un-initiated, you don't know what you are missing! Janny Wurts is a brilliant author.
To finish, this is a plea to Amazon to keep publishing her books. You will break our hearts if you stop, and leave us in agonising suspense as to the fate of Arithon et al. So, please, please keep up the good work!
WELL WORTH THE WAIT!!!, 07 Feb 2008
Wow -- This book has it all: intrigue, suspense, epic battles, romance, tragedy, bravery, evil, and incredible strength. The trouble is that I can hardly talk about the contents without creating spoilers.
This is the last book in The Alliance of Light, which is the third story arc in The Wars of Light and Shadow, and as a result a lot of sub-plots are wound up, and in a way that makes the faithful reader of this series almost explode with each turn of the page. This is easily the strongest book of The Alliance of Light arc. So many loose threads are wrapped up and woven into the tapestry of this series that the reader feels somewhat sated at the end, yet enough is left undone that leaves the reader eagerly awaiting the beginning of Arc IV (as yet untitled). The Wars of Light and Shadow is an epic series with five story arcs. Arc IV and V remain, and will likely total three books (by the author's estimation), to add to the eight already released in this series.
What I find most thrilling about Stormed Fortress, and the series as a whole, is that it is in no way predictable. The villains in this series are multi-dimensional, believe themselves to be on the side of right, and at times are sympathetic. Also, the so-called good guys are not necessarily good all the time. The conflict is a very human one, and is therefore very honest. There is no Dark Lord here, but rather the much more ordinary and everyday human evil, which is perhaps much harder to face. As a result, this read is not escapism, but it is a book (and a series) that makes you better for having read it.
Wurts uses the siege of the s'Brydion fortress of Alestron to focus the conflict between the half-brothers Arithon and Lysaer in such a manner that the conflict really becomes a battle inside all of the individual characters, not just the brothers. This is Wurts' main strength. Her characters are all distinct, and do not remain static from book to book in this long a series, which is a complaint that I have about much epic fantasy. Also, her writing is a rich weaving of words that create a tapestry that is evocative of a time when the reading world was not dumbed-down by text-messaging, e-language and reality television. Her prose is beautiful and multi-layered, her command of the written word is inspiring, and her world-building is unparalleled.
Do not read this book as a stand alone. If you have not read any in the series yet, start with The Curse of the Mistwraith, as The Wars of Light and Shadow is now at eight novels, and it is complex and full of sub-plots and developments that require the series to be read as a whole. It is truly epic fantasy that tackles issues of personal and societal morality, and it is not light sword-and-sorcery fluff. There is even an obvious and yet unintentional parallel with current events in our world, which shows how history so easily repeats itself. To the reader who has not started this series, I am envious of the great first-time reading that you will enjoy. A fabulous book, well worth the overseas shipping .
Exponentially better, 06 Feb 2008
Each volume in the Wars of Light and Shadow gets exponentially better than the one before because the layers upon layers of carefully laid and woven storyline, back history, and 'science' of this world become more and more clear. This volume, the culmination of Arc 3 of the entire series and the last book in the Alliance of Light, leaps forward and proves that this series is not like any other currently being written. Many of the carefully presented and crafted details laid out in the previous volumes come together in a crescendo that will not disappoint. Yet, I'm sure there are still details waiting to be uncovered in the future two arcs.
In this book, the characters undergo changes and events that will leave no doubt that the author knows where the story has gone before and where it is heading next. If you got waylaid somewhere along the line with this series I recommend you pick it up again, it is well worth both the read and the ride.
A Great Introduction to The Hobbit for more reluctant readers!, 30 Apr 2007
`First published over 50 years ago, J R R Tolkein's, 'The Hobbit' has become one of the best-loved books of all time. Now the fantasy classic has been adapted into a fully painted graphic novel.
`The Hobbit' is the story of Bilbo Baggins....a quiet and contented hobbit whose life is turned upside down when he joins the wizard, `Gandalf' and thirteen dwarves on their quest to reclaim the dwarves' stolen treasure.
It is a journey fraught with danger - and in the end it is Bilbo alone who must face the guardian of the treasure, the most-dreaded dragon, `Smaug'.
Illustrated in full colour throughout and accompanied by the carefully abridges text of the original novel, this handsome authorised edition will introduce new generations to a magical masterpiece - and be treasured by Hobbit fans of al ages, everywhere.'
138 high quality, busy pages finishing with notes about the 5 people involved, including Bill Pearson who did the hand lettering for this particular edition.
`What is a hobbit?
I suppose hobbits need some description nowadays, since they have become rare and shy of the Big People, as they call us.
They are a little people, smaller than dwarves.
They are inclined to be fat in the stomach; they dress in bright colors and wear no shoes, because their feet grow natural leathery soles and thick warm brown hair...........'
Fabulous Graphic Novel, 11 Jun 2004
This book is one of the best illustrated and best written graphic novels I have read. It is a fabulous read, hard to put down once you start reading.
It is a great re-write of the original Hobbit book. Brilliant!
A great way of making someone a Tolkien fan, 29 Feb 2004
I bought this book for my younger brother, aged 11, to introduce him to the earlier work of Tolkien. On first impressions he thought the book was oversized but was won over by the excellent artistic imagination of the illustrator. It brought the whole novel to life. He managed to pick it up and read through it at such pace, which proved his enjoyment in reading it all. The book is an abridged version but from what I know, it seems to have stayed true to the original novel. Now he's finished, I think it's my turn to enjoy The Hobbit all over again......
Graphic Hobbit, 05 Jun 2003
Excellent reworking of the original book. Fantastic illustration and panelling. The accompanying speech panels throughout remain true to the original text and nice to see a new take on Tolkien's existing work.
Don't read it before the book!, 15 Oct 2000
A beautiful piece with beatiful illustrations and the texts are taken exactly from the book, as long as I can remember, no rewriting! Most things and places fit exactly as I imagined when reading the book, except by the fact that Bilbo has no curly hair as it's told in the book. Good choice!
Utter Rubbish, 20 Nov 2008
I wasted 3 days of my well erned holiday on this book before throwing it across the room and declaring it a waste of my life.
If anyone finds it on Ko-Tao in Thailand they're welcome to it.
No ordinary book, 15 Jul 2008
It's interesting to note that there are a large number of reviews Amazon reviews for Illuminatus, (over 80 at the present count), and that that not one of these gives a score of 3 stars. (I expect someone will confound me shortly be adding one, but hey-ho.) There's just no middle ground here. Most reviewers love it, but a significant minority loath it and really can't see what all the fuss is about. What's my point? I suppose it's to say that this is something of an extra ordinary book.
Much has been said, here and elsewhere, about Illuminatus, much of it contradictory and all of it true (and false and meaningless). It seems a little futile to try to add to that, other than to say that for all that is a product of it's time, and thus nearly forty years old, and for all that it is flawed in many ways, it will afford the willing reader a remarkable journey that will challenge, disorient, inspire, and stay with them long after they've put it down for the last time. (At which, for maximum effect they should pick up Robert Anton Wilson's Cosmic Trigger: Final Secret of the Illuminati.) True it's era and pedigree, this is the fictional equivalent of a righteous acid trip - 1968 orange sunshine acid obviously.
Finally, a word of advice to those willing to brave this tome: give it at least 100 pages, possibly a little more. The first 100 pages are hard going, and it's likely you'll wonder why you're bothering and what the hell is going on with the style of writing / editing. Seriously, stick with it - it will reward you. Well about 90% of you anyway...
Conspiracy 101, 30 Apr 2008
In the first 100 pages you ll wonder why o' why are you reading this rubbish..
After 300 pages you ll will be amazed in an "No way!" fashion...
By the end, you will wish for more....
A supreme mixture of Lovecraft's mythology, elephant & non-sequitur jokes, kinky sex and mind blowing secrets. Amazing.
What is this about?!!, 26 Mar 2008
I tried and I tried, but I tired and I tired. 100 page or so into it, and it was no good. Complete gibberish. The author tries far too hard to be zany and different. Monty Python meets surrealism on acid. It is one of the very few books I have not finished, nor ever intend to.
Complicated, challenging, but not actually very good, 14 Feb 2008
I first read Illuminatus back in the early 90s after it was constantly referenced by the band The KLF (also known as the Justified Ancients Of Mu Mu... etc.). Like the reviewer DayTripper, at the time it went totally over my head and I got to the end of it without being really able to say what the book was about.
Now in 2008 I've gone back to give it another crack, to see if nearly two decades later it makes more sense. Now, I understand what it is about, I understand the conspiracy theory context that it sits within and in some ways creates, the interesting way that it tries to wind its narrative around real-life events like Kennedy's assassination, and I understand what the jumpy and quite 'post-modern' narrative approach is. Somehow I didn't spot first time round that this book is, first and foremost, a comedy.
However (and this is a big HOWEVER), despite 'getting it' this time, I'm afraid to say that it now reads as... rubbish. It is simply way too long, it loses its way at several points, its deliberate attempts to confuse the reader are sometimes childish rather than challenging, and the 'special twist' about 50 pages from the end is now very dated and obvious. I wouldn't recommend it.
The 'eye in the pyramid' Illuminati theory is popular in Hollywood at the minute, thanks to films like National Treasure and The Number 23, but if I were as much of a genuine conspiracy theorist as some of the other reviewers seem to be, then I would see this book not as 'the truth' but as a bizarre smokescreen to give conspiracy nuts something to bite their own tails with while the real conspiracy goes unnoticed. If there is a global conspiracy, the numbers 23 and a talking dolphin called Howard do not feature prominently...
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Customer Reviews
So Disappointing, 16 Jul 2008
Have I been reading the same book as the other reviewers? I've followed this series from book one and up until Traitors Knot thought it was by far the best fantasy series I had ever read.Then the rot set in with TN, the characters became more improbable and stopped behaving as they had in the past for no apparent reason, and I began not to enjoy. I had hoped for an improvement in what was supposed to be the "final" book but I have been sadly disappointed. The bizzare behaviour of some of the characters was tiresome and did not fit with their past personalities. The whole book seemed mainly descriptive padding and there was no real conclusion to anything. Somehow I have stopped caring about the people any more, they have become unpleasant and the way every scene or action is always filled with "extreme" emotions means everything loses impact.I had hoped eventually to read the real "final" book to find out what happens to the main characters but clearly this series is going to be spun out as long as possible. As the main protagonists have at least a 500 year life expectancy and the books only cover the first 30 - 40 years it looks as though there are several dozen more to come. Sorry, I have lost my patience with the series and I won't be bothering with any more.
Overwrought and overlong, 22 Jun 2008
This series started so well, but somewhere along the way it turned into a soap-opera. I kept up with each installment, but my enthusiasm began to wane as the longwinded flowery prose dragged on and on and on....
It got to the point that I felt that I had to keep reading, as I have already invested so much time into the books. Was Stormed Fortress really going to be the end of the marathon? I thought so, but as I read though the final pages I realised that no - the show must still go on.
Unfortunately, as each book comes out and time goes on, the writing becomes even more self indulgent and it gets harder to stomach - much like the previous fawning 'reviews' for this book.
This book ended up getting thrown across the room in disgust. My journey with Janny ends here.
A plea to Amazon.co.uk, 04 Mar 2008
This was a fantastic ending to Arc III, and was well worth the long wait! I can't wait for the next Arc to be published.
To the un-initiated, you don't know what you are missing! Janny Wurts is a brilliant author.
To finish, this is a plea to Amazon to keep publishing her books. You will break our hearts if you stop, and leave us in agonising suspense as to the fate of Arithon et al. So, please, please keep up the good work!
WELL WORTH THE WAIT!!!, 07 Feb 2008
Wow -- This book has it all: intrigue, suspense, epic battles, romance, tragedy, bravery, evil, and incredible strength. The trouble is that I can hardly talk about the contents without creating spoilers.
This is the last book in The Alliance of Light, which is the third story arc in The Wars of Light and Shadow, and as a result a lot of sub-plots are wound up, and in a way that makes the faithful reader of this series almost explode with each turn of the page. This is easily the strongest book of The Alliance of Light arc. So many loose threads are wrapped up and woven into the tapestry of this series that the reader feels somewhat sated at the end, yet enough is left undone that leaves the reader eagerly awaiting the beginning of Arc IV (as yet untitled). The Wars of Light and Shadow is an epic series with five story arcs. Arc IV and V remain, and will likely total three books (by the author's estimation), to add to the eight already released in this series.
What I find most thrilling about Stormed Fortress, and the series as a whole, is that it is in no way predictable. The villains in this series are multi-dimensional, believe themselves to be on the side of right, and at times are sympathetic. Also, the so-called good guys are not necessarily good all the time. The conflict is a very human one, and is therefore very honest. There is no Dark Lord here, but rather the much more ordinary and everyday human evil, which is perhaps much harder to face. As a result, this read is not escapism, but it is a book (and a series) that makes you better for having read it.
Wurts uses the siege of the s'Brydion fortress of Alestron to focus the conflict between the half-brothers Arithon and Lysaer in such a manner that the conflict really becomes a battle inside all of the individual characters, not just the brothers. This is Wurts' main strength. Her characters are all distinct, and do not remain static from book to book in this long a series, which is a complaint that I have about much epic fantasy. Also, her writing is a rich weaving of words that create a tapestry that is evocative of a time when the reading world was not dumbed-down by text-messaging, e-language and reality television. Her prose is beautiful and multi-layered, her command of the written word is inspiring, and her world-building is unparalleled.
Do not read this book as a stand alone. If you have not read any in the series yet, start with The Curse of the Mistwraith, as The Wars of Light and Shadow is now at eight novels, and it is complex and full of sub-plots and developments that require the series to be read as a whole. It is truly epic fantasy that tackles issues of personal and societal morality, and it is not light sword-and-sorcery fluff. There is even an obvious and yet unintentional parallel with current events in our world, which shows how history so easily repeats itself. To the reader who has not started this series, I am envious of the great first-time reading that you will enjoy. A fabulous book, well worth the overseas shipping .
Exponentially better, 06 Feb 2008
Each volume in the Wars of Light and Shadow gets exponentially better than the one before because the layers upon layers of carefully laid and woven storyline, back history, and 'science' of this world become more and more clear. This volume, the culmination of Arc 3 of the entire series and the last book in the Alliance of Light, leaps forward and proves that this series is not like any other currently being written. Many of the carefully presented and crafted details laid out in the previous volumes come together in a crescendo that will not disappoint. Yet, I'm sure there are still details waiting to be uncovered in the future two arcs.
In this book, the characters undergo changes and events that will leave no doubt that the author knows where the story has gone before and where it is heading next. If you got waylaid somewhere along the line with this series I recommend you pick it up again, it is well worth both the read and the ride.
A Great Introduction to The Hobbit for more reluctant readers!, 30 Apr 2007
`First published over 50 years ago, J R R Tolkein's, 'The Hobbit' has become one of the best-loved books of all time. Now the fantasy classic has been adapted into a fully painted graphic novel.
`The Hobbit' is the story of Bilbo Baggins....a quiet and contented hobbit whose life is turned upside down when he joins the wizard, `Gandalf' and thirteen dwarves on their quest to reclaim the dwarves' stolen treasure.
It is a journey fraught with danger - and in the end it is Bilbo alone who must face the guardian of the treasure, the most-dreaded dragon, `Smaug'.
Illustrated in full colour throughout and accompanied by the carefully abridges text of the original novel, this handsome authorised edition will introduce new generations to a magical masterpiece - and be treasured by Hobbit fans of al ages, everywhere.'
138 high quality, busy pages finishing with notes about the 5 people involved, including Bill Pearson who did the hand lettering for this particular edition.
`What is a hobbit?
I suppose hobbits need some description nowadays, since they have become rare and shy of the Big People, as they call us.
They are a little people, smaller than dwarves.
They are inclined to be fat in the stomach; they dress in bright colors and wear no shoes, because their feet grow natural leathery soles and thick warm brown hair...........'
Fabulous Graphic Novel, 11 Jun 2004
This book is one of the best illustrated and best written graphic novels I have read. It is a fabulous read, hard to put down once you start reading.
It is a great re-write of the original Hobbit book. Brilliant!
A great way of making someone a Tolkien fan, 29 Feb 2004
I bought this book for my younger brother, aged 11, to introduce him to the earlier work of Tolkien. On first impressions he thought the book was oversized but was won over by the excellent artistic imagination of the illustrator. It brought the whole novel to life. He managed to pick it up and read through it at such pace, which proved his enjoyment in reading it all. The book is an abridged version but from what I know, it seems to have stayed true to the original novel. Now he's finished, I think it's my turn to enjoy The Hobbit all over again......
Graphic Hobbit, 05 Jun 2003
Excellent reworking of the original book. Fantastic illustration and panelling. The accompanying speech panels throughout remain true to the original text and nice to see a new take on Tolkien's existing work.
Don't read it before the book!, 15 Oct 2000
A beautiful piece with beatiful illustrations and the texts are taken exactly from the book, as long as I can remember, no rewriting! Most things and places fit exactly as I imagined when reading the book, except by the fact that Bilbo has no curly hair as it's told in the book. Good choice!
Utter Rubbish, 20 Nov 2008
I wasted 3 days of my well erned holiday on this book before throwing it across the room and declaring it a waste of my life.
If anyone finds it on Ko-Tao in Thailand they're welcome to it.
No ordinary book, 15 Jul 2008
It's interesting to note that there are a large number of reviews Amazon reviews for Illuminatus, (over 80 at the present count), and that that not one of these gives a score of 3 stars. (I expect someone will confound me shortly be adding one, but hey-ho.) There's just no middle ground here. Most reviewers love it, but a significant minority loath it and really can't see what all the fuss is about. What's my point? I suppose it's to say that this is something of an extra ordinary book.
Much has been said, here and elsewhere, about Illuminatus, much of it contradictory and all of it true (and false and meaningless). It seems a little futile to try to add to that, other than to say that for all that is a product of it's time, and thus nearly forty years old, and for all that it is flawed in many ways, it will afford the willing reader a remarkable journey that will challenge, disorient, inspire, and stay with them long after they've put it down for the last time. (At which, for maximum effect they should pick up Robert Anton Wilson's Cosmic Trigger: Final Secret of the Illuminati.) True it's era and pedigree, this is the fictional equivalent of a righteous acid trip - 1968 orange sunshine acid obviously.
Finally, a word of advice to those willing to brave this tome: give it at least 100 pages, possibly a little more. The first 100 pages are hard going, and it's likely you'll wonder why you're bothering and what the hell is going on with the style of writing / editing. Seriously, stick with it - it will reward you. Well about 90% of you anyway...
Conspiracy 101, 30 Apr 2008
In the first 100 pages you ll wonder why o' why are you reading this rubbish..
After 300 pages you ll will be amazed in an "No way!" fashion...
By the end, you will wish for more....
A supreme mixture of Lovecraft's mythology, elephant & non-sequitur jokes, kinky sex and mind blowing secrets. Amazing.
What is this about?!!, 26 Mar 2008
I tried and I tried, but I tired and I tired. 100 page or so into it, and it was no good. Complete gibberish. The author tries far too hard to be zany and different. Monty Python meets surrealism on acid. It is one of the very few books I have not finished, nor ever intend to.
Complicated, challenging, but not actually very good, 14 Feb 2008
I first read Illuminatus back in the early 90s after it was constantly referenced by the band The KLF (also known as the Justified Ancients Of Mu Mu... etc.). Like the reviewer DayTripper, at the time it went totally over my head and I got to the end of it without being really able to say what the book was about.
Now in 2008 I've gone back to give it another crack, to see if nearly two decades later it makes more sense. Now, I understand what it is about, I understand the conspiracy theory context that it sits within and in some ways creates, the interesting way that it tries to wind its narrative around real-life events like Kennedy's assassination, and I understand what the jumpy and quite 'post-modern' narrative approach is. Somehow I didn't spot first time round that this book is, first and foremost, a comedy.
However (and this is a big HOWEVER), despite 'getting it' this time, I'm afraid to say that it now reads as... rubbish. It is simply way too long, it loses its way at several points, its deliberate attempts to confuse the reader are sometimes childish rather than challenging, and the 'special twist' about 50 pages from the end is now very dated and obvious. I wouldn't recommend it.
The 'eye in the pyramid' Illuminati theory is popular in Hollywood at the minute, thanks to films like National Treasure and The Number 23, but if I were as much of a genuine conspiracy theorist as some of the other reviewers seem to be, then I would see this book not as 'the truth' but as a bizarre smokescreen to give conspiracy nuts something to bite their own tails with while the real conspiracy goes unnoticed. If there is a global conspiracy, the numbers 23 and a talking dolphin called Howard do not feature prominently...
Amber and Blood - The final installment, 26 Dec 2008
I can't say I have been really taken with this series but having read the first two books I decided to see how the series concluded. I found it a real disappointment. The last book ended just when Mina found out she was a God, so I expected it to be explosive as she had been such a very strong character. Not to give too much away she spends most of this book as a little girl! The other characters were more intriguing, Rhys the Monk of Majere and the kender Nightshade kept me interested. It sort of limped through to the end. Worth reading for the conclusion but only just.
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Standard of Honour
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Customer Reviews
So Disappointing, 16 Jul 2008
Have I been reading the same book as the other reviewers? I've followed this series from book one and up until Traitors Knot thought it was by far the best fantasy series I had ever read.Then the rot set in with TN, the characters became more improbable and stopped behaving as they had in the past for no apparent reason, and I began not to enjoy. I had hoped for an improvement in what was supposed to be the "final" book but I have been sadly disappointed. The bizzare behaviour of some of the characters was tiresome and did not fit with their past personalities. The whole book seemed mainly descriptive padding and there was no real conclusion to anything. Somehow I have stopped caring about the people any more, they have become unpleasant and the way every scene or action is always filled with "extreme" emotions means everything loses impact.I had hoped eventually to read the real "final" book to find out what happens to the main characters but clearly this series is going to be spun out as long as possible. As the main protagonists have at least a 500 year life expectancy and the books only cover the first 30 - 40 years it looks as though there are several dozen more to come. Sorry, I have lost my patience with the series and I won't be bothering with any more.
Overwrought and overlong, 22 Jun 2008
This series started so well, but somewhere along the way it turned into a soap-opera. I kept up with each installment, but my enthusiasm began to wane as the longwinded flowery prose dragged on and on and on....
It got to the point that I felt that I had to keep reading, as I have already invested so much time into the books. Was Stormed Fortress really going to be the end of the marathon? I thought so, but as I read though the final pages I realised that no - the show must still go on.
Unfortunately, as each book comes out and time goes on, the writing becomes even more self indulgent and it gets harder to stomach - much like the previous fawning 'reviews' for this book.
This book ended up getting thrown across the room in disgust. My journey with Janny ends here.
A plea to Amazon.co.uk, 04 Mar 2008
This was a fantastic ending to Arc III, and was well worth the long wait! I can't wait for the next Arc to be published.
To the un-initiated, you don't know what you are missing! Janny Wurts is a brilliant author.
To finish, this is a plea to Amazon to keep publishing her books. You will break our hearts if you stop, and leave us in agonising suspense as to the fate of Arithon et al. So, please, please keep up the good work!
WELL WORTH THE WAIT!!!, 07 Feb 2008
Wow -- This book has it all: intrigue, suspense, epic battles, romance, tragedy, bravery, evil, and incredible strength. The trouble is that I can hardly talk about the contents without creating spoilers.
This is the last book in The Alliance of Light, which is the third story arc in The Wars of Light and Shadow, and as a result a lot of sub-plots are wound up, and in a way that makes the faithful reader of this series almost explode with each turn of the page. This is easily the strongest book of The Alliance of Light arc. So many loose threads are wrapped up and woven into the tapestry of this series that the reader feels somewhat sated at the end, yet enough is left undone that leaves the reader eagerly awaiting the beginning of Arc IV (as yet untitled). The Wars of Light and Shadow is an epic series with five story arcs. Arc IV and V remain, and will likely total three books (by the author's estimation), to add to the eight already released in this series.
What I find most thrilling about Stormed Fortress, and the series as a whole, is that it is in no way predictable. The villains in this series are multi-dimensional, believe themselves to be on the side of right, and at times are sympathetic. Also, the so-called good guys are not necessarily good all the time. The conflict is a very human one, and is therefore very honest. There is no Dark Lord here, but rather the much more ordinary and everyday human evil, which is perhaps much harder to face. As a result, this read is not escapism, but it is a book (and a series) that makes you better for having read it.
Wurts uses the siege of the s'Brydion fortress of Alestron to focus the conflict between the half-brothers Arithon and Lysaer in such a manner that the conflict really becomes a battle inside all of the individual characters, not just the brothers. This is Wurts' main strength. Her characters are all distinct, and do not remain static from book to book in this long a series, which is a complaint that I have about much epic fantasy. Also, her writing is a rich weaving of words that create a tapestry that is evocative of a time when the reading world was not dumbed-down by text-messaging, e-language and reality television. Her prose is beautiful and multi-layered, her command of the written word is inspiring, and her world-building is unparalleled.
Do not read this book as a stand alone. If you have not read any in the series yet, start with The Curse of the Mistwraith, as The Wars of Light and Shadow is now at eight novels, and it is complex and full of sub-plots and developments that require the series to be read as a whole. It is truly epic fantasy that tackles issues of personal and societal morality, and it is not light sword-and-sorcery fluff. There is even an obvious and yet unintentional parallel with current events in our world, which shows how history so easily repeats itself. To the reader who has not started this series, I am envious of the great first-time reading that you will enjoy. A fabulous book, well worth the overseas shipping .
Exponentially better, 06 Feb 2008
Each volume in the Wars of Light and Shadow gets exponentially better than the one before because the layers upon layers of carefully laid and woven storyline, back history, and 'science' of this world become more and more clear. This volume, the culmination of Arc 3 of the entire series and the last book in the Alliance of Light, leaps forward and proves that this series is not like any other currently being written. Many of the carefully presented and crafted details laid out in the previous volumes come together in a crescendo that will not disappoint. Yet, I'm sure there are still details waiting to be uncovered in the future two arcs.
In this book, the characters undergo changes and events that will leave no doubt that the author knows where the story has gone before and where it is heading next. If you got waylaid somewhere along the line with this series I recommend you pick it up again, it is well worth both the read and the ride.
A Great Introduction to The Hobbit for more reluctant readers!, 30 Apr 2007
`First published over 50 years ago, J R R Tolkein's, 'The Hobbit' has become one of the best-loved books of all time. Now the fantasy classic has been adapted into a fully painted graphic novel.
`The Hobbit' is the story of Bilbo Baggins....a quiet and contented hobbit whose life is turned upside down when he joins the wizard, `Gandalf' and thirteen dwarves on their quest to reclaim the dwarves' stolen treasure.
It is a journey fraught with danger - and in the end it is Bilbo alone who must face the guardian of the treasure, the most-dreaded dragon, `Smaug'.
Illustrated in full colour throughout and accompanied by the carefully abridges text of the original novel, this handsome authorised edition will introduce new generations to a magical masterpiece - and be treasured by Hobbit fans of al ages, everywhere.'
138 high quality, busy pages finishing with notes about the 5 people involved, including Bill Pearson who did the hand lettering for this particular edition.
`What is a hobbit?
I suppose hobbits need some description nowadays, since they have become rare and shy of the Big People, as they call us.
They are a little people, smaller than dwarves.
They are inclined to be fat in the stomach; they dress in bright colors and wear no shoes, because their feet grow natural leathery soles and thick warm brown hair...........'
Fabulous Graphic Novel, 11 Jun 2004
This book is one of the best illustrated and best written graphic novels I have read. It is a fabulous read, hard to put down once you start reading.
It is a great re-write of the original Hobbit book. Brilliant!
A great way of making someone a Tolkien fan, 29 Feb 2004
I bought this book for my younger brother, aged 11, to introduce him to the earlier work of Tolkien. On first impressions he thought the book was oversized but was won over by the excellent artistic imagination of the illustrator. It brought the whole novel to life. He managed to pick it up and read through it at such pace, which proved his enjoyment in reading it all. The book is an abridged version but from what I know, it seems to have stayed true to the original novel. Now he's finished, I think it's my turn to enjoy The Hobbit all over again......
Graphic Hobbit, 05 Jun 2003
Excellent reworking of the original book. Fantastic illustration and panelling. The accompanying speech panels throughout remain true to the original text and nice to see a new take on Tolkien's existing work.
Don't read it before the book!, 15 Oct 2000
A beautiful piece with beatiful illustrations and the texts are taken exactly from the book, as long as I can remember, no rewriting! Most things and places fit exactly as I imagined when reading the book, except by the fact that Bilbo has no curly hair as it's told in the book. Good choice!
Utter Rubbish, 20 Nov 2008
I wasted 3 days of my well erned holiday on this book before throwing it across the room and declaring it a waste of my life.
If anyone finds it on Ko-Tao in Thailand they're welcome to it.
No ordinary book, 15 Jul 2008
It's interesting to note that there are a large number of reviews Amazon reviews for Illuminatus, (over 80 at the present count), and that that not one of these gives a score of 3 stars. (I expect someone will confound me shortly be adding one, but hey-ho.) There's just no middle ground here. Most reviewers love it, but a significant minority loath it and really can't see what all the fuss is about. What's my point? I suppose it's to say that this is something of an extra ordinary book.
Much has been said, here and elsewhere, about Illuminatus, much of it contradictory and all of it true (and false and meaningless). It seems a little futile to try to add to that, other than to say that for all that is a product of it's time, and thus nearly forty years old, and for all that it is flawed in many ways, it will afford the willing reader a remarkable journey that will challenge, disorient, inspire, and stay with them long after they've put it down for the last time. (At which, for maximum effect they should pick up Robert Anton Wilson's Cosmic Trigger: Final Secret of the Illuminati.) True it's era and pedigree, this is the fictional equivalent of a righteous acid trip - 1968 orange sunshine acid obviously.
Finally, a word of advice to those willing to brave this tome: give it at least 100 pages, possibly a little more. The first 100 pages are hard going, and it's likely you'll wonder why you're bothering and what the hell is going on with the style of writing / editing. Seriously, stick with it - it will reward you. Well about 90% of you anyway...
Conspiracy 101, 30 Apr 2008
In the first 100 pages you ll wonder why o' why are you reading this rubbish..
After 300 pages you ll will be amazed in an "No way!" fashion...
By the end, you will wish for more....
A supreme mixture of Lovecraft's mythology, elephant & non-sequitur jokes, kinky sex and mind blowing secrets. Amazing.
What is this about?!!, 26 Mar 2008
I tried and I tried, but I tired and I tired. 100 page or so into it, and it was no good. Complete gibberish. The author tries far too hard to be zany and different. Monty Python meets surrealism on acid. It is one of the very few books I have not finished, nor ever intend to.
Complicated, challenging, but not actually very good, 14 Feb 2008
I first read Illuminatus back in the early 90s after it was constantly referenced by the band The KLF (also known as the Justified Ancients Of Mu Mu... etc.). Like the reviewer DayTripper, at the time it went totally over my head and I got to the end of it without being really able to say what the book was about.
Now in 2008 I've gone back to give it another crack, to see if nearly two decades later it makes more sense. Now, I understand what it is about, I understand the conspiracy theory context that it sits within and in some ways creates, the interesting way that it tries to wind its narrative around real-life events like Kennedy's assassination, and I understand what the jumpy and quite 'post-modern' narrative approach is. Somehow I didn't spot first time round that this book is, first and foremost, a comedy.
However (and this is a big HOWEVER), despite 'getting it' this time, I'm afraid to say that it now reads as... rubbish. It is simply way too long, it loses its way at several points, its deliberate attempts to confuse the reader are sometimes childish rather than challenging, and the 'special twist' about 50 pages from the end is now very dated and obvious. I wouldn't recommend it.
The 'eye in the pyramid' Illuminati theory is popular in Hollywood at the minute, thanks to films like National Treasure and The Number 23, but if I were as much of a genuine conspiracy theorist as some of the other reviewers seem to be, then I would see this book not as 'the truth' but as a bizarre smokescreen to give conspiracy nuts something to bite their own tails with while the real conspiracy goes unnoticed. If there is a global conspiracy, the numbers 23 and a talking dolphin called Howard do not feature prominently...
Amber and Blood - The final installment, 26 Dec 2008
I can't say I have been really taken with this series but having read the first two books I decided to see how the series concluded. I found it a real disappointment. The last book ended just when Mina found out she was a God, so I expected it to be explosive as she had been such a very strong character. Not to give too much away she spends most of this book as a little girl! The other characters were more intriguing, Rhys the Monk of Majere and the kender Nightshade kept me interested. It sort of limped through to the end. Worth reading for the conclusion but only just.
Absorbing, 03 Dec 2008
I enjoyed this second book more than the first as I found the plot and the characters more engaging. You can read the second book without reading the first as it is set over 90 years later and there is a new set of characters. However, it probably is advisable to read the first book so that you get a bit of background on how the Order of Sion fits into the Templars structure and can relate better with the plot in `Standard of Honour'.
Overall an enjoyable and absorbing read however I feel the ending may have been slightly rushed. A good book for fans of Historical Military Fiction who fancy a plot set in the time of Richard Plantagenet and the Crusades.
Slightly patchy, 01 Aug 2008
This book succeeded, in places, in getting me interested in the characters and the development of the plot. Alec Sinclair's fate in the desert, Andre St. Clair's transformation and troubled conscience, and the stand-off in Cyprus and Sicily whet the reader's appetite for more; the protagonists' relationships and alliances with family, king, country, order and brotherhood also offer plenty of material for interesting writing.
The curious thing about this book is that it engages so little with these topics. Only Andre St. Clair's attitude towards King Richard is explored in detail; in too many other situations, the author drops the subject when it is just beginning to intrigue. Very little is discovered about the Brotherhood of Sion except that the protagonists consider it very important and that they have a secret handshake. Alec Sinclair's views on the Arabs are repeatedly mentioned, but boil down to the point that, untypically for a Frankish knight, he quite likes them. The Assassins appear at one point in the book but then disappear again, and nothing much happens as a result of the main characters' contact with them. And there are more examples where the book left me frustrated - not because I need every detail of events in the background spelt out to me, but because Alec and Andre's experiences are often too idiosyncratic to be relevant to the progress of the back plot but described too briefly to clarify their relevance for themselves.
To me, pacing appears to be the biggest issue afflicting this book. The lack of elaboration mentioned above coexists with lengthy and detailed descriptions of landscapes, battles and the logistics of warfare. All of these have a place in historical novels of this kind, but seemed to me to become an end in themselves in places. The rather abrupt ending has been mentioned by other reviewers; I found the sudden break in the plot a while before the end much more irritating.
This is an OK holiday read, but I wouldn't recommend it.
not so good, 17 Jul 2008
The knights of the Black and white I gave 5 stars, but regretfully find my self unable to do the same with this one. There was not the gripping scenario of the first book.
It does stand alone, and if other reviewers research the books they read, they will find it is intended to be part of a trilogy, and I personally am looking forward to the next installment.
It is condemned as merely using themes that have been used by other authors and inserting storylines that have been proved to be nonsense. If we wanted the "truth" we would not read fiction. Fiction is to entertain and for that is what this book did. Ok it had ideas that have been proved not to be trus, but so what.. none of us really know the truth of this period. It did however bring across very well the ideal that the Knights were selfserving not church serving. That Richard Lionheart was merely human.
Read it as a novel, if you want fact - look elsewhere. Entertainment is there in the pages.
A little dissapointed...., 09 Jul 2008
Like a previous reviewer, I too hope this is part of a trilogy, however, given the lack of teaser first chapter at the end of the book I doubt it. There's no getting past that this is a very, very well written book, however, it in no way shape or form, other than the Templar theme and character names, continues on from the first book. You could easilty read this as a stand alone book and ctach up on the plot as the book progresses.
The plot is thick, it moves along quickly, sometimes a bit obvious as to what's going to happen next, sometimes not, but I was left feeling the the writer was somtimes a bit lost as to where to go next with it, so stuck in some details about the logistics of the third crusade to pad the book out, which although showing great research, doesn't help at the plot at all. He also kind of emplhasises King Richard's sexual preferences alot Which left me wondering why has he seemed to make such a big deal out of it? I agree with the previous reviewer who said it ends abrubtly, the only ending I have comes across like this so far is The Hstorian, which like ths book, just ends, and really that's it.
Give this book a read if you read the first one, but don't expect a follow on, it's anything but.
Freemasonic nonsense, 28 May 2008
I radically disagree. Jack Whyte does us a great service: by preaching the Freemasonic claims to roots in the Templar Order, he amply demonstrates the nonsense both of their claims, which are clearly self-serving, and of the premise on which his books are written.
The consequence is that although he does bring some interesting detailed insight into certain motivations of historical personalities, any possibility of treating this seriously goes overboard by his unnecessary adoption of this conspiracy theory - he would have been as well served by simply claiming family interests as a motivation for his characters. Moreover, he totally fails to justify his choice of main characters, other than to hijack some of Dan Brown and Michael Baigent's claims, long since proven to be nonsense.
Technically, this is a poorly-written hack novel, the kind of thing to be bought in desperation in the backstreets of La Palma - and then left there.
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Customer Reviews
So Disappointing, 16 Jul 2008
Have I been reading the same book as the other reviewers? I've followed this series from book one and up until Traitors Knot thought it was by far the best fantasy series I had ever read.Then the rot set in with TN, the characters became more improbable and stopped behaving as they had in the past for no apparent reason, and I began not to enjoy. I had hoped for an improvement in what was supposed to be the "final" book but I have been sadly disappointed. The bizzare behaviour of some of the characters was tiresome and did not fit with their past personalities. The whole book seemed mainly descriptive padding and there was no real conclusion to anything. Somehow I have stopped caring about the people any more, they have become unpleasant and the way every scene or action is always filled with "extreme" emotions means everything loses impact.I had hoped eventually to read the real "final" book to find out what happens to the main characters but clearly this series is going to be spun out as long as possible. As the main protagonists have at least a 500 year life expectancy and the books only cover the first 30 - 40 years it looks as though there are several dozen more to come. Sorry, I have lost my patience with the series and I won't be bothering with any more.
Overwrought and overlong, 22 Jun 2008
This series started so well, but somewhere along the way it turned into a soap-opera. I kept up with each installment, but my enthusiasm began to wane as the longwinded flowery prose dragged on and on and on....
It got to the point that I felt that I had to keep reading, as I have already invested so much time into the books. Was Stormed Fortress really going to be the end of the marathon? I thought so, but as I read though the final pages I realised that no - the show must still go on.
Unfortunately, as each book comes out and time goes on, the writing becomes even more self indulgent and it gets harder to stomach - much like the previous fawning 'reviews' for this book.
This book ended up getting thrown across the room in disgust. My journey with Janny ends here.
A plea to Amazon.co.uk, 04 Mar 2008
This was a fantastic ending to Arc III, and was well worth the long wait! I can't wait for the next Arc to be published.
To the un-initiated, you don't know what you are missing! Janny Wurts is a brilliant author.
To finish, this is a plea to Amazon to keep publishing her books. You will break our hearts if you stop, and leave us in agonising suspense as to the fate of Arithon et al. So, please, please keep up the good work!
WELL WORTH THE WAIT!!!, 07 Feb 2008
Wow -- This book has it all: intrigue, suspense, epic battles, romance, tragedy, bravery, evil, and incredible strength. The trouble is that I can hardly talk about the contents without creating spoilers.
This is the last book in The Alliance of Light, which is the third story arc in The Wars of Light and Shadow, and as a result a lot of sub-plots are wound up, and in a way that makes the faithful reader of this series almost explode with each turn of the page. This is easily the strongest book of The Alliance of Light arc. So many loose threads are wrapped up and woven into the tapestry of this series that the reader feels somewhat sated at the end, yet enough is left undone that leaves the reader eagerly awaiting the beginning of Arc IV (as yet untitled). The Wars of Light and Shadow is an epic series with five story arcs. Arc IV and V remain, and will likely total three books (by the author's estimation), to add to the eight already released in this series.
What I find most thrilling about Stormed Fortress, and the series as a whole, is that it is in no way predictable. The villains in this series are multi-dimensional, believe themselves to be on the side of right, and at times are sympathetic. Also, the so-called good guys are not necessarily good all the time. The conflict is a very human one, and is therefore very honest. There is no Dark Lord here, but rather the much more ordinary and everyday human evil, which is perhaps much harder to face. As a result, this read is not escapism, but it is a book (and a series) that makes you better for having read it.
Wurts uses the siege of the s'Brydion fortress of Alestron to focus the conflict between the half-brothers Arithon and Lysaer in such a manner that the conflict really becomes a battle inside all of the individual characters, not just the brothers. This is Wurts' main strength. Her characters are all distinct, and do not remain static from book to book in this long a series, which is a complaint that I have about much epic fantasy. Also, her writing is a rich weaving of words that create a tapestry that is evocative of a time when the reading world was not dumbed-down by text-messaging, e-language and reality television. Her prose is beautiful and multi-layered, her command of the written word is inspiring, and her world-building is unparalleled.
Do not read this book as a stand alone. If you have not read any in the series yet, start with The Curse of the Mistwraith, as The Wars of Light and Shadow is now at eight novels, and it is complex and full of sub-plots and developments that require the series to be read as a whole. It is truly epic fantasy that tackles issues of personal and societal morality, and it is not light sword-and-sorcery fluff. There is even an obvious and yet unintentional parallel with current events in our world, which shows how history so easily repeats itself. To the reader who has not started this series, I am envious of the great first-time reading that you will enjoy. A fabulous book, well worth the overseas shipping .
Exponentially better, 06 Feb 2008
Each volume in the Wars of Light and Shadow gets exponentially better than the one before because the layers upon layers of carefully laid and woven storyline, back history, and 'science' of this world become more and more clear. This volume, the culmination of Arc 3 of the entire series and the last book in the Alliance of Light, leaps forward and proves that this series is not like any other currently being written. Many of the carefully presented and crafted details laid out in the previous volumes come together in a crescendo that will not disappoint. Yet, I'm sure there are still details waiting to be uncovered in the future two arcs.
In this book, the characters undergo changes and events that will leave no doubt that the author knows where the story has gone before and where it is heading next. If you got waylaid somewhere along the line with this series I recommend you pick it up again, it is well worth both the read and the ride.
A Great Introduction to The Hobbit for more reluctant readers!, 30 Apr 2007
`First published over 50 years ago, J R R Tolkein's, 'The Hobbit' has become one of the best-loved books of all time. Now the fantasy classic has been adapted into a fully painted graphic novel.
`The Hobbit' is the story of Bilbo Baggins....a quiet and contented hobbit whose life is turned upside down when he joins the wizard, `Gandalf' and thirteen dwarves on their quest to reclaim the dwarves' stolen treasure.
It is a journey fraught with danger - and in the end it is Bilbo alone who must face the guardian of the treasure, the most-dreaded dragon, `Smaug'.
Illustrated in full colour throughout and accompanied by the carefully abridges text of the original novel, this handsome authorised edition will introduce new generations to a magical masterpiece - and be treasured by Hobbit fans of al ages, everywhere.'
138 high quality, busy pages finishing with notes about the 5 people involved, including Bill Pearson who did the hand lettering for this particular edition.
`What is a hobbit?
I suppose hobbits need some description nowadays, since they have become rare and shy of the Big People, as they call us.
They are a little people, smaller than dwarves.
They are inclined to be fat in the stomach; they dress in bright colors and wear no shoes, because their feet grow natural leathery soles and thick warm brown hair...........'
Fabulous Graphic Novel, 11 Jun 2004
This book is one of the best illustrated and best written graphic novels I have read. It is a fabulous read, hard to put down once you start reading.
It is a great re-write of the original Hobbit book. Brilliant!
A great way of making someone a Tolkien fan, 29 Feb 2004
I bought this book for my younger brother, aged 11, to introduce him to the earlier work of Tolkien. On first impressions he thought the book was oversized but was won over by the excellent artistic imagination of the illustrator. It brought the whole novel to life. He managed to pick it up and read through it at such pace, which proved his enjoyment in reading it all. The book is an abridged version but from what I know, it seems to have stayed true to the original novel. Now he's finished, I think it's my turn to enjoy The Hobbit all over again......
Graphic Hobbit, 05 Jun 2003
Excellent reworking of the original book. Fantastic illustration and panelling. The accompanying speech panels throughout remain true to the original text and nice to see a new take on Tolkien's existing work.
Don't read it before the book!, 15 Oct 2000
A beautiful piece with beatiful illustrations and the texts are taken exactly from the book, as long as I can remember, no rewriting! Most things and places fit exactly as I imagined when reading the book, except by the fact that Bilbo has no curly hair as it's told in the book. Good choice!
Utter Rubbish, 20 Nov 2008
I wasted 3 days of my well erned holiday on this book before throwing it across the room and declaring it a waste of my life.
If anyone finds it on Ko-Tao in Thailand they're welcome to it.
No ordinary book, 15 Jul 2008
It's interesting to note that there are a large number of reviews Amazon reviews for Illuminatus, (over 80 at the present count), and that that not one of these gives a score of 3 stars. (I expect someone will confound me shortly be adding one, but hey-ho.) There's just no middle ground here. Most reviewers love it, but a significant minority loath it and really can't see what all the fuss is about. What's my point? I suppose it's to say that this is something of an extra ordinary book.
Much has been said, here and elsewhere, about Illuminatus, much of it contradictory and all of it true (and false and meaningless). It seems a little futile to try to add to that, other than to say that for all that is a product of it's time, and thus nearly forty years old, and for all that it is flawed in many ways, it will afford the willing reader a remarkable journey that will challenge, disorient, inspire, and stay with them long after they've put it down for the last time. (At which, for maximum effect they should pick up Robert Anton Wilson's Cosmic Trigger: Final Secret of the Illuminati.) True it's era and pedigree, this is the fictional equivalent of a righteous acid trip - 1968 orange sunshine acid obviously.
Finally, a word of advice to those willing to brave this tome: give it at least 100 pages, possibly a little more. The first 100 pages are hard going, and it's likely you'll wonder why you're bothering and what the hell is going on with the style of writing / editing. Seriously, stick with it - it will reward you. Well about 90% of you anyway...
Conspiracy 101, 30 Apr 2008
In the first 100 pages you ll wonder why o' why are you reading this rubbish..
After 300 pages you ll will be amazed in an "No way!" fashion...
By the end, you will wish for more....
A supreme mixture of Lovecraft's mythology, elephant & non-sequitur jokes, kinky sex and mind blowing secrets. Amazing.
What is this about?!!, 26 Mar 2008
I tried and I tried, but I tired and I tired. 100 page or so into it, and it was no good. Complete gibberish. The author tries far too hard to be zany and different. Monty Python meets surrealism on acid. It is one of the very few books I have not finished, nor ever intend to.
Complicated, challenging, but not actually very good, 14 Feb 2008
I first read Illuminatus back in the early 90s after it was constantly referenced by the band The KLF (also known as the Justified Ancients Of Mu Mu... etc.). Like the reviewer DayTripper, at the time it went totally over my head and I got to the end of it without being really able to say what the book was about.
Now in 2008 I've gone back to give it another crack, to see if nearly two decades later it makes more sense. Now, I understand what it is about, I understand the conspiracy theory context that it sits within and in some ways creates, the interesting way that it tries to wind its narrative around real-life events like Kennedy's assassination, and I understand what the jumpy and quite 'post-modern' narrative approach is. Somehow I didn't spot first time round that this book is, first and foremost, a comedy.
However (and this is a big HOWEVER), despite 'getting it' this time, I'm afraid to say that it now reads as... rubbish. It is simply way too long, it loses its way at several points, its deliberate attempts to confuse the reader are sometimes childish rather than challenging, and the 'special twist' about 50 pages from the end is now very dated and obvious. I wouldn't recommend it.
The 'eye in the pyramid' Illuminati theory is popular in Hollywood at the minute, thanks to films like National Treasure and The Number 23, but if I were as much of a genuine conspiracy theorist as some of the other reviewers seem to be, then I would see this book not as 'the truth' but as a bizarre smokescreen to give conspiracy nuts something to bite their own tails with while the real conspiracy goes unnoticed. If there is a global conspiracy, the numbers 23 and a talking dolphin called Howard do not feature prominently...
Amber and Blood - The final installment, 26 Dec 2008
I can't say I have been really taken with this series but having read the first two books I decided to see how the series concluded. I found it a real disappointment. The last book ended just when Mina found out she was a God, so I expected it to be explosive as she had been such a very strong character. Not to give too much away she spends most of this book as a little girl! The other characters were more intriguing, Rhys the Monk of Majere and the kender Nightshade kept me interested. It sort of limped through to the end. Worth reading for the conclusion but only just.
Absorbing, 03 Dec 2008
I enjoyed this second book more than the first as I found the plot and the characters more engaging. You can read the second book without reading the first as it is set over 90 years later and there is a new set of characters. However, it probably is advisable to read the first book so that you get a bit of background on how the Order of Sion fits into the Templars structure and can relate better with the plot in `Standard of Honour'.
Overall an enjoyable and absorbing read however I feel the ending may have been slightly rushed. A good book for fans of Historical Military Fiction who fancy a plot set in the time of Richard Plantagenet and the Crusades.
Slightly patchy, 01 Aug 2008
This book succeeded, in places, in getting me interested in the characters and the development of the plot. Alec Sinclair's fate in the desert, Andre St. Clair's transformation and troubled conscience, and the stand-off in Cyprus and Sicily whet the reader's appetite for more; the protagonists' relationships and alliances with family, king, country, order and brotherhood also offer plenty of material for interesting writing.
The curious thing about this book is that it engages so little with these topics. Only Andre St. Clair's attitude towards King Richard is explored in detail; in too many other situations, the author drops the subject when it is just beginning to intrigue. Very little is discovered about the Brotherhood of Sion except that the protagonists consider it very important and that they have a secret handshake. Alec Sinclair's views on the Arabs are repeatedly mentioned, but boil down to the point that, untypically for a Frankish knight, he quite likes them. The Assassins appear at one point in the book but then disappear again, and nothing much happens as a result of the main characters' contact with them. And there are more examples where the book left me frustrated - not because I need every detail of events in the background spelt out to me, but because Alec and Andre's experiences are often too idiosyncratic to be relevant to the progress of the back plot but described too briefly to clarify their relevance for themselves.
To me, pacing appears to be the biggest issue afflicting this book. The lack of elaboration mentioned above coexists with lengthy and detailed descriptions of landscapes, battles and the logistics of warfare. All of these have a place in historical novels of this kind, but seemed to me to become an end in themselves in places. The rather abrupt ending has been mentioned by other reviewers; I found the sudden break in the plot a while before the end much more irritating.
This is an OK holiday read, but I wouldn't recommend it.
not so good, 17 Jul 2008
The knights of the Black and white I gave 5 stars, but regretfully find my self unable to do the same with this one. There was not the gripping scenario of the first book.
It does stand alone, and if other reviewers research the books they read, they will find it is intended to be part of a trilogy, and I personally am looking forward to the next installment.
It is condemned as merely using themes that have been used by other authors and inserting storylines that have been proved to be nonsense. If we wanted the "truth" we would not read fiction. Fiction is to entertain and for that is what this book did. Ok it had ideas that have been proved not to be trus, but so what.. none of us really know the truth of this period. It did however bring across very well the ideal that the Knights were selfserving not church serving. That Richard Lionheart was merely human.
Read it as a novel, if you want fact - look elsewhere. Entertainment is there in the pages.
A little dissapointed...., 09 Jul 2008
Like a previous reviewer, I too hope this is part of a trilogy, however, given the lack of teaser first chapter at the end of the book I doubt it. There's no getting past that this is a very, very well written book, however, it in no way shape or form, other than the Templar theme and character names, continues on from the first book. You could easilty read this as a stand alone book and ctach up on the plot as the book progresses.
The plot is thick, it moves along quickly, sometimes a bit obvious as to what's going to happen next, sometimes not, but I was left feeling the the writer was somtimes a bit lost as to where to go next with it, so stuck in some details about the logistics of the third crusade to pad the book out, which although showing great research, doesn't help at the plot at all. He also kind of emplhasises King Richard's sexual preferences alot Which left me wondering why has he seemed to make such a big deal out of it? I agree with the previous reviewer who said it ends abrubtly, the only ending I have comes across like this so far is The Hstorian, which like ths book, just ends, and really that's it.
Give this book a read if you read the first one, but don't expect a follow on, it's anything but.
Freemasonic nonsense, 28 May 2008
I radically disagree. Jack Whyte does us a great service: by preaching the Freemasonic claims to roots in the Templar Order, he amply demonstrates the nonsense both of their claims, which are clearly self-serving, and of the premise on which his books are written.
The consequence is that although he does bring some interesting detailed insight into certain motivations of historical personalities, any possibility of treating this seriously goes overboard by his unnecessary adoption of this conspiracy theory - he would have been as well served by simply claiming family interests as a motivation for his characters. Moreover, he totally fails to justify his choice of main characters, other than to hijack some of Dan Brown and Michael Baigent's claims, long since proven to be nonsense.
Technically, this is a poorly-written hack novel, the kind of thing to be bought in desperation in the backstreets of La Palma - and then left there.
An idiots guide to discworld, 04 Nov 2008
This book is quite entertaining, it tries to give a synopsis of the Discworld and the books of Terry Pratchett, and it does it well.
The author has taken the books and looked at the mythology and lore relating to the certain aspects of each book. I have a problem with a couple of the "Americanised" versions of why certain things have been included, and especially the inaccruate ones, but I may be being pedantic.
The errors and omissions from his book are not substantial, just sometimes a little irritating, and the book has obviously been written from an American perspective for the growing American readership of Discworld books. This does not detract from the from what is one of the best discworld guides I've ever read.
Overall, it's an outstanding guide to the discworld.
Caution! Contains addictive substance!, 04 Aug 2008
The substance is called "narrativium" and Mr Watt-Evans is a Heavy Dealer of the material. And why not, since his book is concerned with the inventor of narrativium, Terry Pratchett? "Narrativium" has to do with telling stories and Pratchett is peerless in that regard. Watt-Evans has undertaken a momentous task in relating and assessing the many volumes comprising the [sort-of] series of Pratchett's Discworld. The collection is an outstanding synthesis, each piece addressing both the established fan and the newcomer to this magical world. Watt-Evans own prose skills are amply displayed here in a highly personalised account.
It's telling that Watt-Evans must begin with THREE Introductions. That's a sign that Discworld books are anything but simple "fantasy" and that their readership is wide and varied. He follows this with some "Commentary" [of which there are two more sets in the book], then descriptions of the books in chronological order. That order causes some continuity problems as he notes things like "six[!] novels later" for readers to revisit certain characters. Each of the essays on the individual books necessarily imparts enough of the story to establish its place and value in the set, while struggling to avoid spoilers. He does this well, although there are a few giveaways that might have been avoided. The point of this string of chapters is to both entice the new reader to the Discworld books while offering insights regular fans may have missed. He offers "starting points" to the new reader, each explained with solid reasons for the selection. "Background" characters and villains are given a hearing, with The Luggage granted its own chapter.
If it's necessary to select an outstanding essay in this collection, that will unquestionably be Chapter 56 on Sam Vimes and the City Watch. While many characters in the Discworld series grow and develop over several volumes, Sam Vimes does so in a very special way. Although he rises in the hierarchy of the Watch, while at the same time marrying into the richest family of the City of Ankh-Morpork, he resolutely remains his own man. Vimes is beset by a need for justice as well as keeping his City intact and running smoothly. His anger often rises in response to events, and he has an internal Beast to maintain control over. The conditions for Ankh-Morpork's running smoothly are set by Vimes' chief foil [he has no trouble with criminals], the City Patrician, Havelock Vetinari. Watt-Evans offers fine portraits of both and why their interactions are so important.
There are a couple of small clangers in this book - omissions, mainly. He lets most of Pratchett's titles stand without comment, but "The Last Continent" is so named not just because it seems to have been the final effort by a Discworld creator, but because it was the last one visually encountered by European seamen. "Monstrous Regiment", an otherwise totally enigmatic title, derives from a 16th Century religious tract. Either because Watt-Evans is US-born or is pandering to that audience, he fails to inform readers of something every child in the UK would instantly recognise. These are minor things which detract nothing from an excellent summation of Terry Pratchett's work and his genius. Watt-Evans has no problem with Terry's international renown, but deftly avoids declaring that Discworld stories are more than entertaining, they are addictive. He's candidly envious of Pratchett's genius, which is only right and proper. Pratchett is without equal. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
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Servant of the Empire
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Customer Reviews
So Disappointing, 16 Jul 2008
Have I been reading the same book as the other reviewers? I've followed this series from book one and up until Traitors Knot thought it was by far the best fantasy series I had ever read.Then the rot set in with TN, the characters became more improbable and stopped behaving as they had in the past for no apparent reason, and I began not to enjoy. I had hoped for an improvement in what was supposed to be the "final" book but I have been sadly disappointed. The bizzare behaviour of some of the characters was tiresome and did not fit with their past personalities. The whole book seemed mainly descriptive padding and there was no real conclusion to anything. Somehow I have stopped caring about the people any more, they have become unpleasant and the way every scene or action is always filled with "extreme" emotions means everything loses impact.I had hoped eventually to read the real "final" book to find out what happens to the main characters but clearly this series is going to be spun out as long as possible. As the main protagonists have at least a 500 year life expectancy and the books only cover the first 30 - 40 years it looks as though there are several dozen more to come. Sorry, I have lost my patience with the series and I won't be bothering with any more.
Overwrought and overlong, 22 Jun 2008
This series started so well, but somewhere along the way it turned into a soap-opera. I kept up with each installment, but my enthusiasm began to wane as the longwinded flowery prose dragged on and on and on....
It got to the point that I felt that I had to keep reading, as I have already invested so much time into the books. Was Stormed Fortress really going to be the end of the marathon? I thought so, but as I read though the final pages I realised that no - the show must still go on.
Unfortunately, as each book comes out and time goes on, the writing bec | | |