Note: These are listed in chronological order, with the most recently read listed first. So, if you just read straight down, you may come to a review of the second in a series before the first of that series. I will mention if it is a sequel.
The High Lord by Trudi Canavan. EOS, 2003. The third of The Black Magician Trilogy. This was a great book. I couldn't put it down -until the last 5 pages ...when I threw it across the room. I hate how this book ends. Really, seriously can't stand it. It seems like its being set up for another book, but this is the third book in a trilogy. You can't have four in a trilogy unless it's the Hitchhikers Guide. Aaaarrrgggghhhhh!!! 1/2005
The Novice by Trudi Canavan. EOS, 2002. The second of The Black Magician Trilogy. This is the continuation of Sonea's story. She is treated like an outcast among the other novices. We follow Lord Dannyl and what he does in another country as an ambassador, and Sonea and what she does about her harassment. Excellent book. I liked it better than the first. 12/2004
The Magicians' Guild by Trudi Canavan. EOS, 2001. The first of The Black Magician Trilogy. A young girl from the slums shows the promise of great magic. The magicians are trying to find her. I loved this book. Some parts move a little too slowly, but it was still well written. 12/2004
Path of Honor by Diana Pharaoh Francis. ROC Fantasy, 2004. A sequel to Path of Fate. Reisil is having trouble fitting in. She must find a way to stop the plague. She must also find a way to restore her powers. This was a good book, but nothing got resolved. I was left wondering what the point of having a whole book of something that could have been in a couple of chapters of a whole other book. It was left very open ended. 12/2004
Path of Fate by Diana Pharaoh Francis. ROC Fantasy, 2003. Reisil is an orphan who became a healer who became an Ahalad-Kaaslane. They are the The Lady's chosen ones, who bond with an animal, and do The Lady's bidding. She must save her people from a war. Pretty good book. 12/2004
The Fairy Godmother by Mercedes Lackey. Luna, 2004. This was a pretty original tale. Fate pushes some people into traditional fairy tale roles, and godmothers are there to make sure it goes smoothly. This story follows a young woman who was supposed to be a Cinderella. I really enjoyed this story until close to the end when things got a little too sexual. It didn't fit the feel of the overall story and it would have been a lot better without. 12/2004
First Rider's Call by Kristen Britain. DAW Fantasy, 2003. The sequel to Green Rider. This is the continuation of Karigan's new life as a king's messenger. Something is wrong with their magic, and she must save her country. Just as good as the first one. 2004
The Runelords by David Farland. TOR Fantasy, 1998. This book got a lot of great reviews on Amazon.com. I wanted to really like it and I did kinda in the beginning, but I didn't end up sticking with it. I had about 2 more chapters to go and just didn't care anymore. I have the sequel, but will probably not touch it in the near future. I will give me time to forget it and try again. 2004
Green Rider by Kristen Britain. DAW Fantasy, 1998. Karigan is on her way home after she has been expelled from school, when she gets waylaid by adventure. She becomes a part of a group of misunderstood messengers and has a big battle. Pretty good book. 2004
The Witches of Eileanan by Kate Forsyth A ROC Book, 1997. First in a series. This is an interesting little book about a land where magic has been outlawed. The people have a scottish-ish accent. The story follows the path of a couple of people as they work toward their goal. I found some of the main characters extremely aggravating and found myself rooting for their timely demises, but alas, it was not to be. One of them was tortured though, which almost made up for it. It was, however, engaging enough for me to want to finish the rest of it. 5/2004
Club Dead by Charlaine Harris. Ace Fantasy, 2003. Another in a series. This was also pretty good, though her boyfriend seems to act a little out of character throughout. There were a few details I didn't like, such as her reaction to a certain event. (Sorry about the vagueness, I don't want to give it away.) I wanted to cheer at the ending. 5/2004
Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris. Ace Fantasy, 2002. Second in a series about the telepathic waitress. This was pretty good, though I've noticed that this author has a habit of killing off fun characters too early in most of the series I have seen of hers, including this one. 5/2004
Thief of Lives by Barb and J.C. Hendee. A ROC Book, 2004. The continuing story of Magiere and Leesil. I much preferred the first book. Magiere seemed really bitchy in this one and Leesil loses a little of his edge. 5/2004
Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris. Ace Fantasy, 2001. A telepathic waitress named Sookie Stackhouse, whom all the townfolk thinks is loopy falls for a new vampire in town. Murders start occurring and she tries to find out whodunit. Written in first person, which I rarely like, but this one was worth it. 3/2004
Dhampir by Barb and J.C.Hendee. A ROC Book, 2003. Magiere is half-vampire. Her sidekick, Leesil, is half-elf. They have a dog named Chap. They all slay vampires together. A thoroughly enjoyable book. 3/2004
re-readThe Annotated Alice -Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll, annotations by Martin Gardner. Forum Books, 1960. This is just the Alice books with some interesting footnotes. Mostly about Lewis Carroll, and the era the book is written for. 7/2003
Blood Trail by Tanya Huff, Daw Books. This is about a family of werewolves living in Canada. The heroine is a private detective, who sometimes works with a vampire. Someone is out to kill the werewolves, who are actually more dog-like, than wolf-like. The heroine must stop them. The killers, not the wolves. I thought this was a pretty good book. It was a little better than the last one in this series. 6/2003
Wizard of the Grove by Tanya Huff, Daw Books. This is actually two volumes in one. Child of the Grove and The Last Wizard. The first one is about how the wizards were bad, and destroyed themselves. All but one, who was slowly regaining his power, and spreading his evil influence. The supernatural forces created one last wizard. She was still really young when forced to face the bad guy. The next volume was about her life after the big fight, and the new trials she had to face. I particularly liked Lord Death. Good books. 6/2003
Blood Price by Tanya Huff, Daw Books. This is the first of a series about a female private detective and the vampire she sometimes works with. This story is based in Canada. The vampire is the illegitimate son of Henry VIII, and he writes romance novels. There are a series of murders that seem to be ritualistic, and she's got to find and stop the perpetrator. The heroine used to be a detective with the police until she developed an eye condition, so a lot of this book has to do with her new relationship with the police. 5/2003
re-read The Fire Rose by Mercedes Lackey, Baen Books. This is one of my old favorites. It's kind of a retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It's set in the early 1900's in the San Francisco area. The magic used is of the elements. Very enjoyable and well written overall. 5/2003
Not all the books I read will be recorded. Just the ones I really like, or feel I need to make a comment about.
