Science Fiction Fantasy Books

Over all I'd give the material a 3, but if you like this guy's stuff then this is the purchase for you.

Beautiful Book! The binding and high quality of the paper and printing would have made Douglas proud... this is the way you should remember this extraordinary and hillarious set of books. I bought two copies for my daughter and myself. I'll be ordering more for Christmas presents - what a great gift for all of my slightly crazy friends.

Buy this and you will not be sorry.

Excellent printing and binding quality for the price. Looks like a treasured heirloom of classic literature. Most people who saw me reading this thought I was reading Shakespeare or a Bible until I told them what it was and gave them a closer look.

This is really a Deluxe Edition, love the perfect size of the font! Elegant cover and a touch of distinction on the golden edge of the pages. The only inconvenience is that's just too heavy to carrying it on your handbag all day long, but a book like this, you should keep it at home!

Excellent book, looks amazing and a great read. Only problem was the packaging scratched some of the leather.

All in all it made this hoopy frood happy.

Another good book in the series. My son and I are looking forward to the next book!

In the third book of the hilarious and reflective series updating (yet staying delightfully true to) Greek mythology and hero tales, our hero, Percy Jackson, must deal with his greatest challenge to date: women. After Percy's friend (who is becoming more than that to him) Annabeth falls in battle with a manticore/vice principal, he must team up with heart-broken and recently brought-to-life Thalia and a gaggle of Artemis' Hunters. Added into the mix is a mysterious brother and sister Half-Blood that need to be brought to the camp. In standard hero fashion, Percy soon finds himself on a quest to save both Annabeth and the goddess Artemis from the Titan's Curse. As is standard in the series, the heroes must deal with various beasties from mythology, but also more significantly, they must deal with their ever-growing divine family, particularly their distant and mighty godly parents. Most of all, Percy discovers the dark side of being a hero, particularly a male hero, and his relationship with women: from his friend Thalia who is heart broken over Luke's betrayal, to Annabeth who seems more interested in redeeming Luke than hooking up with Percy, to his mother who has a new guy, to the goddess Aphrodite that finds him and his quest adorable, to Zoë who was once betrayed and used by a famous male hero. It's a very refreshing message for a series about Greek mythology: a commentary on the sexism of that mythology. Percy is growing up and coming to terms with his destiny. The book wonderfully captures to voice of a teenage boy while creating a great tale of mystery and monsters (though it was too action-heavy for my tastes). Full of delicious Greek mythology jokes for us Greek Geeks, and also true to the spirit, philosophy, magic, and metaphor of the original stories. One complaint: the paperback printings of this series are pretty terrible. The pages barely turn, the book barely opens, and after one reading (by an adult taking care of it), the binding it broken. But the book's contents are fantastic! Grade: A

I bought the first 3 books of the series for my 10-year old son because it was recommended by friends. My son is not an avid reader and this was the first time he was absorbed by a book.

Of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, this is my favorite book. I couldn't put it down. And I'm 40! I have talked about this book with kids from 10 to 18 and adults of all ages - everyone I've talked to has loved it. The series is interesting and funny, every chapter has excitement, and you really feel connected to the characters. I highly recommend this series and especially this book.

I started reading this series to my son (going into 4th grade). He would not start reading the series himself because "the type was too small". By the time I got to this book (book 3 in the series), he was so interested in the characters and plot that he finished the book and read the entire 4th book by himself. The greek names are a challenge - I wish there was a pronounciation key at the back.

I love this series, and I love this addition to it.

But somehow, for me, this book felt quite disjointed in comparison to the last ones - I won't go into details about the plot (which itself was everything I could have hoped), and regardless, it was the execution that bothered me.

From odd changes in perspective to the myriad of spelling, grammatical and punctuation errors (I have never seen so many in a published work previously), I have to wonder whether Ms Novik or the publisher fired their copyeditor. The errors just served to jar me out of an otherwise gripping story.

I hope this is corrected in the paperback version, but as it stands, the print quality of the UK hardback is appalling.

This fifth adventure of Temeraire and Laurence continues very well, and indeed there's a sort-of resolution at the end, though not a very satisfactory one nor one that promises an early end to the series. As it begins, Laurence has been condemned to death, and Temeraire to the breeding pens, although in order to keep Temeraire under control Laurence's sentence has been postponed indefinitely and he's been confined to a warship participating in the blockade of the Continent. Then the ship Laurence was on is sunk; he's one of the survivors, but Temeraire is informed that there were none, so he feels released from any obligation to follow orders. And so he organizes the dragons in the breeding pens into a force of riderless dragons to fight the French, who have broken the blockade and landed an army of 50,000 or so in Britain. Laurence, meanwhile, is reprieved if he'll go get Temeraire and return him to active fighting under the Admiralty (they don't know of his breakout with the other breeding dragons). After some jumping around missing connections they manage to join up, and do some useful stuff for the Brits, although some of what they do is contrary to what Laurence (and most British officers) consider to be the laws of war. Eventually Napoleon is defeated, although he escapes back to France, and Laurence and Temeraire are condemned to transportation to Australia and its penal colony. Laurence is too noble to be really believable, but that's the way the series has been set up and I guess I have to accept it. Temeraire is a lot more practical. There's another new dragon character I quite like--a mid-sized dragon who's also something of a mathematical genius (she's worked out things like the Pythagorean Theorem and the nature of e without ever having heard of them) named Perscitia. And Arthur Wellesley plays a prominent role, though the copyreaders did miss one place where he's referred to as "Wellington" before he got his Dukedom. Also, Novik (and her copyreaders) don't seem to realize that the English Channel starts at the Straits of Dover on its eastern end; she several times refers to "the Channel" when speaking of the waters off the ports of Shoeburyness and Sheerness, which are quite a ways north and east of Dover. The boundaries between parts of the ocean are somewhat arbitrary, so I don't know if both ports are on the Thames Estuary, both on the North Sea, or one on one and one the other (they're more or less opposite each other more or less where the estuary opens out into the wider sea). But, I suppose, let it pass. It's still an excellent story.

The latest in Naomi Novik's series starting with His Majesty's Dragon continues the troubles of Captain Laurence and his Celestial dragon, Temeraire. I won't give away the plot, but the fifth book in the series picks up almost immediately from the end of the preceding novel, as our two heroes fight Napoleon in the second French invasion of England.

What's interesting is how certain points made in book 1 must be taken up, and Ms. Novik has the courage of her convictions to have her characters have the courage of their convictions. The issue of how British high society, the Admiralty and the Parliament should treat dragons is, in a fair way, a substitute for the abolition argument that raged in that time, and Novik uses that as a starting point for presenting whether dragons should have rights as sentient creatures -- and if not, whyever they should feel 'patriotic' for a society that mistreats them. Clever, clever, and filtered (mostly but not completely successfully) through 19th century minds. This adds to previous novels that looked at the treatment of women (e.g., Jane Rowland) who fight for the country but are denied recognition.

One other reviewer questions why we shouldn't root for Napoleon. That's precisely the point: Napoleon, brutish as he might be in conquering other countries, displays an enlightened attitude (or a ruthlessly mercenary one, take your pick, and Novik lets you) in the relationship of man to dragon. Struggle with that one as you read Temeraire's exploits, and you begin the see the cleverness in this series -- it's not about dragons, it's about how we humans see the world.

One star off: the middle-third of the books sags some. Novik could do with some time off before her next book, as much as I'd like to read it.

Overall, a very solid continuation of the series. Novik is an excellent writer, and she's created a world that is at once familiar and alien. That's a neat trick for a sci-fi/alternative history/fantasy writer.

Even though the preceding volume in this ongoing series ended on a cliffhanger, with Napoleon about to invade Britain, the real story here has to do with the developing relationship between Laurence and Temeraire. That's what's holding me to the story, and will keep me anticipating each new volume. The Temeraire series is light reading, but is more than merely a guilty pleasure.

Novik does a marvelous job describing the ongoing battles and intrigues -- and obviously has done a great deal of research. Little details stand out in the midst of elaborate descriptions -- I was struck by her description of a cannon ball that had been fired on the ship where Laurence was imprisoned. It was moving at a pace where the guard thought he might stop it with his foot -- but it had built up enough momentum that it ripped cleanly through his foot and a wall before ceasing to roll.

Where the book really shines, though, is in its attention to the evolution in Laurence's attitudes and response to situations -- his commitment to a sense of honor and dignity in the face of the indignities he suffers -- and in its tracing of an evolution in Temeraire's understanding of himself and of the world. Temeraire was born intelligent and able to speak -- a situation quite different from that of human beings who have to grow into reason, and for whom habituation and norms come prior to elaborate self reflection. He can't understand Laurence's peculiar sense of pride and dignity in the service of duty -- and why he would be willing to be executed for treason when he did what was obviously the just thing. What I found most intriguing in this book were the ways he tried to make sense of Laurence's values -- even as his experiences began to call for some of the same skills as Laurence.

Apart from its alternative history, the series is clearly moving in a direction where Temeraire will begin to develop an independence and autonomy from Laurence -- that is essential to his development. One of the primary reasons offered in the series why the dragons -- while sentient and intelligent -- are not free is the fact that humans have exploited the fact that they imprint so strongly to a master. If Temeraire is to live up to his promise to be a leader among dragons, he will have to find a degree of autonomy and independence in spite of this.

The series looks as though it could go on for a while -- and that's not a bad thing. I look forward to the future exploits and adventures and growth of both Laurence and Temeraire.

First, and out of kindness to Ms. Novik, I am a great fan of this series, in particular books one and two. She has successfully married "Master and Commander" to "Dragonriders of Pern", an act that must have taken considerable courage. And in the main has produced an enjoyable read.

Unfortunately, that read is not to be found in this fifth installment in the series. After settling in comfortably with Captain Laurence and his dear Temeraire, it dawned on me that nothing, nothing at all, was really happening in this book. Laurence broods throughout the novel, embracing his identity as a convicted traitor doomed to hang. Temeraire begins sowing socialist, or are those capitalist?, notions amongst his fellow exiles on the dragon breeding grounds. And then Napoleon invades England, requiring the nation to reunite our two heroes and unleash their considerable military prowess.

Novik is kind enough to reintroduce many of our favourite characters, but with the exception of Laurence's mother, Lady Allendale, they fail to rise above cookie-cutterdom. I became downright annoyed at her portrait of the testy and impatient Duke of Wellington, whose constant sneering made me wonder....how could this man ever have inspired a nation?

With the thinnest of plots, a minimum of character development, and a large quotient of deus ex machina thundering in the background, it strikes me that Ms. Novik is rushing her deadlines and coasting on her laurels, perhaps indulged by her publishers and the moonstruck fan quotient as well. The book chugs along comfortably enjoying its own formula. Not good enough, Naomi, not good enough by half.

As we move to Book 6, and its very interesting locale, I hope the author slows down and makes a sincere attempt to give her characters and plotlines some well deserved depth and richness. There is so much to work with here, and such wonderful personalities to explore and explicate, things most writers would sell their souls for. I wonder if Ms. Novik's history in, and enthusiasm for, fan-fic is blinding her to the possibilities, and responsibilities, that present themselves in an original work.

As Temeraire would say, "Don't drop the egg."

Jack really does a great job grabbing your attention. He makes you want to know what's going to happen next. Part of his success is character development. You believe in these characters.

His understanding of the battles is inspired and he gets the points across to the readers extremely well. The characters jump off the page and you can really lose yourself in the book. Sure, we 'know' there is going to be some sort of success in the end, but you really want to experience the ride. Jack really pulls you along.

The story isn't new, the 'reality' of the physics of the battles is interesting, the desperation of Black Jack Geary is palpable. Well done!

Very fun. This is my first space opera series. The premise is good. I can see where the author is starting to repeat sections. Almost as though its from a military mind that must repeat it for the rest of us dunces who can't retain it unless its repeated endlessly... Now that is getting tiresome.


On a scale 1 to 5, Five is Best:

Villian: 4
Plot: 4
Creativity: 4
Uniqueness: 4
Humor: 2
Bringing the sexy: 0
Passion: 5 stars (for duty & honor ) 4
Laughs & Amusement factor: 1
Silly Whiners who get on your nerves: 2.7 (and growing)
Lazy Author repeating too much from prior chapters: 2.5

I had a love/hate relationship with this book. On the one hand, the overall plot was intriguing and kept my interest. On the other, some of the things his characters say ring so false that it became hard to continue somewhere around the middle. While Geary's relationship with Rione develops, the way it unfolds leads one of the worst-told romances I've ever read. These two characters spend most of their time very wary of each other, with Rione acting as a combination of Geary's conscience and his suspicious monitor. Lots of back and forth trying to probe each others' motivations and hammering out an awkward working relationship. Then things get romantic, but nothing changes. They have basically the same conversation over and over, which grew tedious, and I found myself wincing at the dialog. Rione has this weird quality of being both professionally detached and shrewish. It's not very convincing.

I really wanted to like this book as much as the first, but it just felt like there was a lot of repetition and one-dimensional characters. Perhaps military sci-fi isn't my genre. I'm not sure I want to invest more time in reading the next books in the series.

Good storyline continues to be well developed and written. Characters first introduced in Dauntless are becoming fleshed out and believable. The true enemy is slowly being introduced... I expect the series to continue becoming better and better.

This is the second book in the Lost Fleet series and it does not disappoint. The space battles are presented in crisp clean prose, with believable attention to physics. The hero, John "Black Jack" Geary evolves and changes under pressure and even, with due discretion, acquires a girlfriend. There's stronger speculation about the existence of aliens as a driving force for the 100 year old war.

My biggest complaint is structural. Book One: Dauntless and Book Two: Fearless could have been combined in a single volume. The story arc would have been a lot stronger that way and a certain amount of repetition designed to bring the out-of-sequence reader up to speed could have been eliminated. As it is, I feel that the overall arc of the series has just barely crept forward. And the author is not really exploring the psychological complexity of his characters. Some of the dialog is just daft (Scottish dialect for whacko) instead of striving for depth.

But I love the way Jack Campbell writes his action sequences. He manages to capture some of the agonizingly slow motion imposed by the vast distance of space and combine it with an ability to keep the reader on the edge of the chair. I'll keep reading and hoping for more. In some ways, Jack Campbell is the science fiction equivalent of Dick Francis in the mystery genre: he's a slick stylist with a knack for action.

This volume pretty much blew my mind away. Flycatcher had usually been such a insignificant character, and now... wow. The whole story was incredible, and I am eager to see what Volume 11 will bring.

In this TPB, the story is centered on Fly, the friendly but simple janitor of Fabletown who was once the Frog Prince. His memories of his slaughtered wife and children have returned to him, and he sets off on a quest down the Witching Well, assisted by the Forsworn Knight. The story relies heavily upon classic themes from the Bible and Arthurian legend, but these are deftly interwoven into the extant Fables mythos.

Overall, a good addition to the Fables series. Old characters are fleshed out, and new ones are well presented.

I have to agree with the previous 3-star review by Ethan Jennings: this latest addition to the--up to now--consistently excellent Fables series is indeed a disappointment. After Santa's ominous warning in Volume 9 I expected a heart-wrenching story of Flycatcher coming to terms with his long suppressed grief over his family's murder, after which he'd move on to great and valiant deeds... Instead I find a story plotted with a very heavy hand, with most if not all of the seams showing. I'm sorry to say that the really wooden characters in this story arch aren't Pinocchio's siblings but all the others, starting with our ex janitor. He--and the Forsworn Knight, and Frau Totenkinder, and even Bufkin--is not allowed to develop but instead seems a plot puppet that advances a flat and predictable story with leaden steps, from plot point A to B to C all the way to Z.

Sorry for the--kind of--spoiler, but the fact that Willingham has resurrected a number of characters long dispensed with makes me wonder if one of the reasons for the below standard delivery is that he didn't want to mess with the real story and the characters driving it. The appearance of a certain grove of trees, however, makes me wonder if he hasn't taken the edge off the upcoming war (I read the damn things in TPBs, since I gave up on individual comics a long time ago, so even though the story is out by now I'll have to wait until November for the next volume). I wonder if another clue can't be found in Willingham's dedication to Buckingham: he confesses that the artist has championed Flycatcher as more than a background character from the start and that "this story is all his fault". Perhaps the writer wasn't altogether behind this one? And yes, on top of all this the dialogue is explicative and repetitive.

One of my continued responses to the previous Fables stories has been, simply put, delight: in the inventiveness, the humor, the roundness of the characters, the pacing of the story. I was really looking forward to this one, but sadly these qualities are lacking in The Good Prince.

Wonderful story starring our humble janitor as a different kind of hero, finding his own way to persevere and win. I hope the peace can last in Haven.

The Good Prince is an interesting story arc, sort of a side trip (though with much damage done to the Adversary) made by a background character. I found it difficult to care as much about Flycatcher as I did Snow, Bigby and the rest. It was a touching trip for us to make, but I hope we are now back to the real tale.

I love all of Buthcher's books. I can hardly wait for the next ones to come out. Very exciting and keeps you up at night until you're finished. Keep up the good writing! I am anxiously awaiting the next one.

Looking for something I knew I would enjoy, I went for White Knight, the -- ninth? tenth? I've lost count -- book in the Harry Dresden series. I liked seeing the different strains of White Court vamps, especially when we got to see all of their powers in full bloom, so to speak, when Harry and Ramirez had to confront them all at the gathering. I liked how capable Lara Raith is at manipulation, though of course I appreciate that Harry is always able to find a way through her tangled web. I thought their final escape from the cave was great -- though I didn't think a whole lot of the super-ghouls that were the ultimate bad guy; smacked of Buffy and the Neander-Vamps. Especially the whole big-showdown-in-a-cave, with a gate to the underworld that they all come through -- you get the picture. And this book didn't have nearly enough Bob in it.

I did, however, love the resolution of the Lasciel/Denarian subplot that's been running through the last five books. I liked the way it worked, and I loved the message it gave: that everyone has a choice, and the simple fact of that choice makes us better people -- when we recognize and acknowledge the choice, that is. I feel like it makes me a better person when I realize that I'm living my life, I'm not trapped in it.

Anyway, I liked Thomas's part in this, and I loved Mouse, of course -- I dig his super-bark -- and Elaine was fine, though not a terribly interesting character. I liked her resolution, too, how she's going to become a champion of all the lesser magic-users who aren't good enough for the White Council; you just know that's going to come back and slap them right in their elitist faces. Workers unite! Viva la Revolucion! I also liked the insight into Gentleman Johnny Marcone and his relationship with Dresden -- though I'm not really sure I buy the gangster-with-a-heart; can you really be ruthless and run all of Chicago's rackets without hurting innocents? Then again, we are talking about a book about wizards here, so maybe I shouldn't complain about suspending my disbelief.

White Night is the ninth book in the Dresden Files. In the last novel, Proven Guilty, Harry takes Molly Carpenter as an apprentice to prevent the White Council from executing her for practicing black magic. Proven Guilty begins with fairies being sent to centers of fear. Molly had used fear to cause her friends to quit using drugs, and in doing so practiced black magic and became a beacon for the "fear" fairies. Once she was captured, with Michael gone, Charity and Harry led an expedition to the capital of Winter to get her back.

White Night continues the theme lines from previous novels (the war with the Red Court, peace with the White Court, Elaine, Lasciel), but centers around a power play within the White Court. The three powerful families within the White Court are making a play for power by culling the human race of wizards. Jim Butcher also makes strides in the development of Lasciel, Cowl and the White Court.

This is the best book in the series so far; I could hardly put it down. The developments with Lasciel are very fascinating and the climax of this novel was very exciting. If I didn't know that Harry was going to live, it would have even been more exciting. I just thought of interesting plot line for future novels, Butcher could have Harry die, and then continue the series with Molly and/or Elaine to avenge him. Heck, he could even start a side series with what Elaine is encountering in LA with her as the main character. I highly recommend White Night to anyone who has read the first eight novels.

In book nine of his fabulous Harry Dresden series, Jim Butcher offers an intriguing mix of interwoven plots. One thread concerns a noir murder mystery with Harry's half brother Thomas as the suspect. Another traces the development of Molly, Harry's new apprentice. The third is a gripping psychological thriller: is Harry losing ground in his struggle with the supernatural temptress Lasciel?

Like previous books in this series, opening the cover is like stepping on a rocket sled. Harry wisecracks and fights his way in and out of tight corners. Some of the most richly comic scenes in fantasy are here. But there is an element of self-consciousness, especially in some of the scenes with Warden Rodriguez. What works best is the murder mystery plot line--in investigating a series of apparent suicides among low-level magic practitioners, Harry is the quintessential wizardly gumshoe we know and love. The other two plots are necessary holdovers from previous books that need resolution. I would have been disappointed not to have them here, but the plot with Molly is a bit predictable. Also Harry's confrontation with Lasciel, while necessary, rang a bit flat. That's the only reason I knock off a star--in comparison to the other books in this series it's not quite a five. In all other respects, it's like a White Court vampire's kiss: seductive, addictive...and leaves you dying for more.

An action packed, Harry Dresden adventure.

This is another in the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher. Butcher's hero, Harry Dresden, is a wizard/private investigator who has his own battery of unusual resources and methods of getting things done. Because Harry's 'involvement' usually leads to confrontations, there is always something happening to keep your interest; it makes it easy to read on and on, often well into the night.

In this episode, some of Harry's lesser magical female brethren have being committing suicide, or have they; enter Harry and Murph to get to the bottom of this enigma.

Butcher's tales are fast paced and fun to read. The main plot, not unexpectedly, deals with fighting the evil hordes, but there were other things about this book that I really liked. There are, for instance, sprinklings of humor (often sarcastic or cynical), some eroticism and even some profound musings regarding love (and love lost), loneliness, pain and death. I found it hard not to like and feel some empathy towards Harry; he's probably one of my favorite fantasy figures.

In addition, there are also a number of 'side' characters in this book that I really enjoyed. Especially the lecherous Bob the Skull (my type of nonentity), Elaine, Lash and Lara, each with their own unique personalities and agendas.

Conclusion:
A typical Harry Dresden fantasy adventure; action packed, fast and fun, and with the occasional, ever so subtle, deeper philosophical moments.
If you like Jim Butcher's writing style, you'll love this addition to the Dresden files.

R.Nicholson

Spring arrives at the cabin high in the Skandian mountains where Evanlyn and Will have wintered. Will has shaken his addiction to the insidious warmweed, and Evanlyn has become comfortable with her new survival skills. One day she goes out to check their traps and does not return. Will, still weakened from the brutal life of a Skandian yard slave, goes looking for her, and their adventures begin --- again.

John Flanagan's Ranger's Apprentice series began four books ago with THE RUINS OF GORLAN, about a young boy who is chosen to train to become a Ranger. Rangers function as their kingdom's intelligence-gathering agency, border patrol and guerrilla fighters. They are skilled in stealth, woodcraft and marksmanship. Their acutely trained reflexes, along with their tracking skills and the ability to go unnoticed in almost any environment, give them a reputation that borders on the uncanny.

Initially, Will is disappointed not to be chosen for his kingdom's Battle School, where the knights of the realm are trained. But his respect and affection for Halt, the ranger to whom he is apprenticed, in addition to the role he plays in fighting the evil warlord Morgorath, soon have him committed to his role as apprentice ranger.

The first book in the series has all the hallmarks of typical sword and sorcery fantasy, with a classic good vs. evil conflict. But after Morgorath is defeated at the end of the second installment, THE BURNING BRIDGE, the adventure becomes more complex. Will and his companion Evanlyn are captured by Skandian raiders and become slaves in Skandia. It is only with the help of their captor Erak, who comes to admire the spirit of his young captives, that they are able to escape.

The changing loyalties that were a central piece of book three, THE ICEBOUND LAND, continue in THE BATTLE FOR SKANDIA. Will is reunited with his friends Halt and Horace, who left Araluen against their king's wishes to search for him and Evanlyn. They also discover the large army of Temujai --- fierce riders from the Asian steppes who seem to be based on the Mongols --- and must convince the Skandians to work with them to prevent the Temujai from overrunning Skandia and mounting an attack on Araluen.

Flanagan's strengths as an author are his action sequences and battle strategies. His battle plans and descriptions of fights are so detailed they could easily be reenacted or plotted on a map. He also writes marvelous relationships between the characters. Horace and Will began as enemies, but their rivalry has evolved into a powerful friendship. Halt's gruff affection for Will is clear, and his clever manipulations of the other characters provide much of the book's plot. Erak, a Skandian raider, has emerged as one of the series' most entertaining characters --- alternately fierce and comedic. Evanlyn, who occupies the unenviable role of princess in disguise, holds her own with the other characters, who have often depended upon her for their survival.

A common theme throughout the book is the primacy of personal relationships over loyalties to one's country or duty. This bears fruit when Erak's friendship with Will and his companions enables them to unite the Skandians and the Araluen slaves to fight against their common enemy --- the Temujai (portrayed as people who put their lives and loyalty to the common cause as secondary behind any personal relationships). With Erak's help and Halt's strategy, along with the skills of each of the companions, they mount a stirring defense against the mounted warriors.

THE BATTLE FOR SKANDIA will be enjoyed most by readers already familiar with the first three books in the series. But catching up should not constitute serious hardship for fans of fast-paced action/adventure.

--- Reviewed by Sarah A. Wood

John Flanagan has written a captivating book. It does have some swearing so if this bothers you, now you know. My 11 year old daugter picked up on the language quickly. Other than that, it is a book with new adventure ideas. The fantasy is not too unbelievable and the historical relevance is a plus.

Ranger's Apprentice-The Battle for Skandia, is a great book for readers who want a suspensful, exciting book. This book is about how Will and Evanlyn were captured by Skandians and escaped the imprisonment with the help of a friendly Skandian. Skandia is then invaded by the murderous Temujai, a very powerful army. With the help of Will and his friends the Skandians rid the land of the Temujai. (Note: Please read the first three books for the complete trilogy.)

This was a superbly written story that had many heartfelt moments. The end battle scene was amazingly detailed, well thought out and thrilled to the end.

Ranger's Apprentice-The Battle for Skandia, is a great book for readers who want a suspensful, exciting book. This book is about how Will and Evanlyn were captured by Skandians and escaped the imprisonment with the help of a friendly Skandian. Skandia is then invaded by the murderous Temujai, a very powerful army. With the help of Will and his friends the Skandians rid the land of the Temujai. (Note: Please read the first three books for the complete trilogy.)

Great read for an adult or child. Excellent way to escape reality with a little fantasy. I would recommend to anyone who loves to read.

Each book in the Fablehaven series gets better and better. Quite exciting and enjoyable. I couldn't put it down. These are books that you want to read in one setting if you have the time. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy.

My daughter is absolutely crazy about this series. I picked up the first book by chance and she's read it three times already. She wouldn't leave me alone about it till we got her the second book. And now the third. Before this one arrived, she was reading two other books. The day it arrived, she put the other books she was reading back on the shelf and has yet to put this one down. Any book that can have that kind of effect on a 12 year old is just amazing in my opinion.

The latest installment of the Fablehaven series is my favorite. Mull is a very good author and gets you so involved in the book that you want to keep reading to find out what happens to the characters. You almost feel like you're there and that all of these magical creatures really do exist. Yes, it requires make-believe, but I think it brings out the kid in all of us. A+

A terrible plague has begun to sweep the land. "Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague" is a fantasy novel about the infestation of a plague that warps the creatures of light into servants of darkness. Who is responsible for this development of the plague? The only ones who can help are of questionable virtue at best, and danger is at every corner. "Fablehaven" is an excellent fantasy, sure to please fans of the genre, with twists and turns when the reader least expects them.

The 3rd and final book (although I hope there are more to come) was perfect. All of my burning questions were answered and a few new ones replaced them but yet closure was still given. The book presented a Happy Ever After ending which I love! There was wonderful character developement in the book and the book was fast paced yet steady. There was so much happening in the book I could hardly put it down. Right from the start action takes off. I hope that more books will come there are alot of burning questions and storylines that could follow the old races. If you are a fan of the sci fi, urban fantasy, or paranormal romance genre this series is a must have!

I admit, I read the first book yesterday and I posted a review saying I was a little bummed with the ending, then downloaded the second one.

I was VERY happy with the second book overall. Still very funny, more steamy, lots of action and a good ending! I look forward to the next book and the chat that will happen with her mother...

I liked this book more than the first book "Halfway to the Grave" but in this series it makes sense to read the books in order. I don't think the chemestry between Cat and Bones would come across if you skip the first book.

It's four years later and Cat still works for this government agency traking down vampires with her team. Than someone tries to kill her and she accidently runs into Bones at a wedding. She is still not over him and he is also pretty much the only one that can keep her safe from the person who tries to kill her.

I thought this books was a lot darker and even more violent than the first one. Halfway to the Grave had some pretty bloody scenes in it as well but some of the scenes in One Foot in the Grave are straight horror movie material. I also thought that Cat was a lot more aggressive. She got so easily pissed off no matter what anyone said and in some situations I just didn't understand what her deal was

However, I loved how Bones and Cat got on with their relationship I loved that they didn't let anyone get in between them. I also liked that there is a lot more about that whole vampire world and there is also a side plot with a Ghoul involved that I liked. I definitely will read the third book in this series as well but I hope that Jeaniene Frost will involve the side characters a little more (maybe a love story with one of Cat's team members since Bones and Cat are rock solid now).

A realistic setting, fast action, believable romance, cool vampires, fascinating characters, a grand plot and lots of gore. A thriller, mixed with a vampire novel mixed with an adult love story. The background information on the characters is so perfectly slipped into the flow of the story that there was no slow down of the action. It was never bland, boring and there was never a cliché. That I noticed. A book so great that I would compare it to the works of Anne Rice and Kim Harrison. Even a sexy cover.
It was so good it took me a few days after finishing it to realize that it was Book 2 in the series. It was THAT good. I've already grabbed the first book and can't wait to read it.
If you plan to buy one vampire novel anytime in the next year, this should be it. Get it. Used, new, from the library, whatever. Just GET it.

I didnt read the first book in this series. I probably should have, though, but I didnt. The back cover doesnt do it justice. It gives you a vague sense of whats supposed to happen, but there is alot more to the story than what it actually says. This girl is the Red Reaper...the one and only bogeyman of the undead. Its a great story and I recommend it to anyone interested in this type of genre.

This was a great read. Cat has grown as a person and has come to accept herself and Bones. I love the direction the book is taking. I liked this ending better than the ending in book one. I'm so glad the truth is revealed in regards to Cat's conception. Can't wait to see what the future holds for Bones and Cat.