Fantasy Books > E Fantasy Books

Nostalgic story by Anthony Horowitz

Advantages: Inculcates imaginative and creativity in children.
Disadvantages: An imitation of Dan Brown's style of turning allies to enemies

...The Power of Five - Evil Star is the second book in this series by Horowitz, who has set the book in our world in this time, unlike a lot of other books of this type that rely on you believing in other planets or time dimensions.There are traitors and thieves at every turn and Matt ends up alone in Peru with no passport and no one he can trust I recommend this book to people over the age of ten because I feel it is too advanced for young readers ...

lixonic 08.12.2008 · Read full review
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Review of Evil Star (Power of Five) - Anthony Horowitz

Echoes of a great book

Advantages: Stand alone book
Disadvantages: none

I love Gemmell's books. It's as simple as that. This one is one of my all time fav's, it is a stand alone story of a race of technologically advanced people who manage to survive the cataclysmic "fall of the world" by that David means change in orbital rotation leading to the seas rising up and swamping the land. So the Avatars (a few hundred?) manage to make a new home in the north of the planet, they manage to subjugate the locals (Vagars) with ...
...from the race they subdue) they are facing an uprising and are in a tough spot. In an attempt to recharge the weapons they have one of their top scientist goes to the ice caps above their old capital. They manage to get some power from the source below, but a volcanic eruption puts an end to possible future trips. A great character in this book is Viruk a crazed killer who hears voices telling him to kill and know joy. I think he is great, totally ...

bensed 11.07.2006 · Read full review
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Review of Echoes of the Great Song - David Gemmell

Office comedy with lashings of custard!

Advantages: Well-written, action-packed, parodic comedy.
Disadvantages: Borrows heavily from other authors. Simplistic style lacks imagery.

Paul Carpenter heads into work for just another day at the office. However, "just another day" working at the office of J.W Wells is one populated by the sexually rampant goblin known as "Mrs Tanner's mum". Furthermore, his internship is with the annoyingly omniscient Professor Van Spee. Add to this his unrequited love for the junior clerk and it is obvious that this is a man having a bad day. Unfortunately, his day is about go from bad to worse ...
...bosses and ends up in a world of custard talking to his fridge. As you can see "Earth, Air, Fire and Custard" by Tom Holt is not your average novel. It is not even your average fantasy novel. This is the third book involving the feckless anti-hero Paul Carpenter and is by far the most bizarre. Previous novels have been office-based situation comedies with a pinch of the fantastical thrown in. "Earth, Air, Fire and Custard" is a fantastical tale ...

Shortsharpshock 18.09.2006 · Read full review
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Review of Earth, Air, Fire and Custard - Tom Holt

I Wasn't Empressed

Advantages: Distinctive characters
Disadvantages: Over long and got a little repetitive

Karen Miller took the fantasy world by storm with her debut "Kingmaker, Kingbreaker" duology, with both "The Innocent Mage" and "The Awakened Mage" selling well and getting good reviews in many places, including The Bookbag. Whilst I missed those, I'd heard enough good things about her work to be excited about "Empress", the first in a planned trilogy of "Godspeaker" novels. In a part of Mijak known only as "The Savage North", a young girl is resigned ...
...unwanted, largely for having been born female. She is saved from this life by the arrival of two traders, Abajai and Yagji who take her back to their home city of Et-Raklion. Hekat, as she has named herself, thinks she is there as their favourite, but is upset to discover they have bought her as a slave. Not seeing this as an improvement on her old life, she runs away, determined to become something more. We follow Hekat as she seeks to improve ...

Soho_Black 27.09.2008 · Read full review
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Review of Empress - Karen Miller

You're a wizard Harry

Advantages: Adventure, well written, great story
Disadvantages: some may find this book a bit childish but it was written for children originally

...with the magical world of Harry Potter. I started the first book that night. Even though I had seen the film, i didnt want to go straight to the second book as i wanted to find out everything in the book. I loved it instantly, I liked the things and characters that the book had missed out. The book is very descriptive, and I can almost imagine that I am stood in Little Whinging or Hogworts, watching the story unfold. The characters are easy to empathise ...
...as if they had wronged me, and then characters that I feel sorrow or happiness or amusement for. The book has a wonderful sense of adventure and at night I stayed on reading when I should long ago have been asleep. Even though the story is written for children and the first book reflects this more than the others it is still a great read. Highly recommended. ...

princesswinwin 19.12.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - J.K. Rowling