Book Description
This new volume includes new stories by Raymond E. Feist, Dennis L. McKiernan, Mickey Zucker Reichert, Diana Paxson, Lynn Abbey and others.Sanctuary: a lawless city governed by evil forces, powerful magic, and political intrigue, where survival is an unexpected bonus. The Age of the Rankan reign of Kadakithis, the occupation of the Beysib, and even the erstwhile Renaissance are all in the past. It is years later and the heroes of the past-Jubal, Tempus, Shadowspawn, and the Stormchildren-are memories, myth, and rumor.Now outsiders rule with an iron hand and a bloody dagger. Molin Torchholder, the secret guardian of the city, is dead, his mantle and staff secretly passed to another.But Sanctuary and its inhabitants carry on. The city has reached a turning point . . . and only the fates know where it will lead. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

First Story Collection for the New Thieves' World
This is the first Thieves' World volume to follow Lynn Abbey's "Sanctuary", the novel that, if it didn't wipe the slate clean for this shared-universe setting, at least erased a whole lot of what had come before. "Sanctuary" was a "and now, many years later" type of reboot to clear the decks of a lot of old characters and punt a whole mess of overly byzantine plotlines to the curb. This collection of short stories therefore deals mostly with brand new characters with a different set of concerns and goals than the "old school" heroes and villains from the original run back in the Eighties. It's a good point to jump aboard because things haven't become too terribly convoluted yet.

I just had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Abbey this past weekend at a convention. In addition to the second new short story collection, "Enemies of Fortune", that has already been released, there is a third volume that is being planned. We are very unlikely to see the return of the big names from the past (such as the loathsome Tempus). In some cases (in particular Marion Zimmer Bradley's Lythande the Blue Adept) this is because the authors in question spun their characters off into stand-alone novels and went beyond the scope of the shared universe and were told that there was no bringing them back into Sanctuary. At any rate, Ms. Abbey will be trying to keep each collection more self-contained, so that plots don't span multiple volumes and the characters won't be pursuing 18 different agendas simultaneously.

In addition to sharing tidbits of how things were done back in the day (the writers from the first run seemed to spend plenty of time plotting against their own editors, when they weren't taking out their frustrations on the characters of fellow authors they were quarreling with), Ms. Abbey and some folks from Green Ronin fielded questions about the new Thieves' World role-playing game. Chaosium had their own version of this 20 years ago, but now the game rights have been transferred and Green Ronin is rolling out four d20-compatible volumes, two of which have already been released. The upcoming guide to the world of Sanctuary (including city maps and details on all of the realms we've heard of, such as the Rankan Empire, Ilsig, and so on) sounds really great. And everything in the RPG material will be considered canonical. Worth a look when it comes out!

sword-sorcery-skullduggery at its best
If you are looking for an excellent sword/scorcery/adventure read then Sanctuary is the place. Old fans of the original 12 books and new ones will be greatly pleased with this effort. Anyone that says there is nothing exciting in the heroic fantasy genre needs to look no further.

Remember the good old days...
When the Hell-Hounds patrolled the Maze, when Unicorns were Vulgar and when Sanctuary was just a play-thing for the Gods?
Well, the Gods have left and the city has new rulers, but most of the rules are the same - there are none.Keep a sharp eye on your friends, a closer one on your enemies and grow a third eye to watch your back.
Welcome to Thieves' World!Enter one of the darkest cities EVER to be created by ANYBODY.Ten stories by such authors as Raymons E. Feist, Lynn Abbey (of course) and Diana L. Paxson.
Old fans will wish to get this book and new fans will wish to collect the old series (if they can).Meet the most dangerous, most tight-fisted, most foul-mouthed, Heros you may EVER come to love.
Just keep a fourth eye on your purse.

A return to the past and a new begining
Many moons ago there was an anthology called Thieves World.It was about a small city called Sanctuary and the goings on within this city.A caste of characters was developed by different authors and as the books progressed, so did the characters.The difference was the authors could use characters from each other.This gave a very rich narrarative to the various tales.Instead of getting one version of events, the reader recieved many versions of the same accounts.This gave the world of Thieves World a depth not very often seen.

Lynn Abbey has returned to the city again and worked his magic.Once again the city of Sanctuary is in full bloom.This is the first of the new set and it is a great beggining.The setting is many years after the end of the last book from the last collection. This gives the city a new feel, but does leave an old reader wondering what happened to the various characters from the last anthology.Some old characters do make appearences as olderor dead versions of themselves, but most of them are gone without mention.A new reader can figure out what had happened with the history from the new stories, but there is nothing like living the old books.This is my only complaint about first book.The writing is superb and Abbey gets my compliments with his editing and choice of writers.My personal favorite story is "Doing the Gods' Work" by Jody Van Nye.Even in a city of cutthroats, somebody is trying to build something for the good.

This book is great start to something new and does harken back to the old for those of us who enjoyed the first Anthology.Highly reccommended.

Good stuff but McKiernan?????
Overall the book was a fairly strong return to Thieves' World.With, for the most part, a good stable of returning authors as well as what look to be some very promising new (to Thieves' World) authors.

By and large, the new characters offer a great deal of potential for diverse and interesting stories.In the entire volume, I personally only found the Andrew Offut and Dennis McKiernan stories to not be to my liking.Offut's story simply failed to insire me while McKiernan's was, by and large, little more than an exercise in literary powergaming.At least at this point in the renewed series nothing is lost but wasted time if a reader were to wisely choose to skip that particular story. ... Read more

Book Description
In a desert world ruled by men, Rifkind has always been one apart. A chieftain's daughter, she learned to wield a sword while all other women were bound by tribal custom to children and the cooking fire. But when her clan was massacred, she set forth on a quest for her destiny in savage lands ruled by magic and the sword.For a while she had thought that she had found a home. She practiced the healing arts and raised her son.But now she has once again heard a personal call to arms, a call to leave behind the safety of her home. She will once again take up the way of the sword, the way of sorcery. And this time she is not alone. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Try the Rifkind's Challenge Taste Test!
We've known and heard of fantasy author Lynn Abbey for quite some time, but had never read any of her books for some reason.

And even though Rifkind's Challenge seems like a continuation, it is still a stand alone novel unto itself. Not only did the beautiful cover design and cover art by one of the best fantasy artists working today, Julie Bell, captured our eye, but the back cover story sounded intriguing, too.

And what we found was a worthy, well-rounded, strong character driven fantasy novel full of magic, adventure, action, and interesting and believable characters that had us turning pages until the wee hours of the morning. Rifkind is a challenging figure of a woman, a healer with magical powers, but also a deadly swordswoman when needs arise.

And they arise aplenty!

The huge rift between Rifkind and her estranged son, Cho, is written beautifully, creating a dynamic in which the reader is driven to turn the next page, wondering if and when or how these two will ever see eye-to-eye on anything, and if they will ever become mother and son again.

And mixed in with the drama is world-building writing at it's finest, chock full of nomads and and raiders, dangerous magical creatures and beings that will surely keep fantasy enthusiasts at the edge of their seat. Lynn Abbey proves here that she is comfortable in her fantasy realm, creating memorable characters and not one-dimensional hero's that are easily forgotten.

There is no challenge in reading this one. Just a challenge to see whether you can put it down or not. ... Read more

Book Description
Emma Merrigan and her mother take a Caribbean cruise to reconcile their differences. But to help a cursed passenger, Emma must travel into the "wasteland." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Cruise blues....
Emma Merrigan woke up in the night terrified the night before her library director, Gene Shonneker, gave his resignation.Now she knows why.The new director appears to be planning to do some major shakeups.She's putting in more hours than she cares to think.

"You look horrible," her mother, Eleanor, who's used the magic of her _wyrd_ to remove her own aging and looks more like a college co-ed than the mother of a 50-year-old daughter states. "You need a vacation.I'll pay for a Carribean cruise."

Things only get worse from there.I imagine the Beach Boys' "Sloop John B" playing....

First verse,I'm sharing a cabin with my mother--who looks and dresses like my daughter--and I'm responsible for her, too!

Second verse, there's food everywhere and I'm getting fatter and fatter!

Third verse, my waitress is cursed and I can't get to _audela_ to help her because of some stupid rule about going to the Netherlands to moot curses when you're moving.

Fourth verse, migraines--bad meds, too much food, sun, and Calypso music.

Fifth verse, can't sleep and manage to be just at the spot to see a crew member effected by the curse take a dive.

And on and on....

There is some hope for Emma and the storyline.Once she finally gets off the ship, her mother Eleanor takes her to the Atlantis curia to get help for her eye. (I think that was Verse 7) I'm really hoping the future storylines will include more about this group.

THIS is a VACATION?
I have to agree that I too love these books.I can only conclude that Lynn Abbey wanted to write a cruise off on her income tax as research for a book but didn't have a very good time.

Emma, whose life is not going well mainly because her job as a librarian is under seige with shakeups in management, agrees togo on a cruise with her mother.Then she is talked into driving all the way to Florida.After they are on the ship she drinks both red wine and champagne-- bad idea for a migraineur!At their first port of call, she and her mother get lost.Emma's headache gets worse-- Arrgh, a migraine in the tropics!And I recognized those red pills that the author gave her.They are incredibly ineffective.No wonder it was taking her days to shake it. Come into the 21st Century Em!

Things continue to go downhill.Souvenirs are tacky, there's an employee with a curse on board, Emma witnesses a suicide, there's food 24 hours a day every day.And that headache keeps coming back.Then just when it seems they are going to get to spend a few fun days at the world of the mouse, fate strikes again.Oh yes, fate also has them driving through Atlanta on the interstate.

Abbey seems to be losing her focus on the story arc but for Emma's fans (would can sympathize with the fact that given tremendous power she removes the gray from her hair) this is an interesting few days in her life.

I love these books and I love Lynn Abbey
I just can't get over how realistic Emma is.Her mother is an idiot, her lover is a ghost.She gets talked into doing all kinds of things she knows she shouldn't and really doesn't want to do.But she brings us along.

I'm always waiting for the next one.While you're waiting try some of Abbey's other books.You'll love them.

spectacular urban fantasy
Fifty years ago, Emma Merrigan's mother Eleanor abandoned her newborn baby and her husband and it is only recently that they reconciled.Both Emma and Eleanor are hunters, going into the wasteland to destroy curses and rogues (giant curses).Eleanor was imprisoned by powerful curses and upon returning to the mundane world, she could pass as Emma's daughter.The immortal hunters never age as they possess the power to appear younger even though Emma chooses to look her real age of fifty.

The two women take a Caribbean cruise hoping to bridge the breach that exists between them but Emma has a headache most of the time.She sees a cursed woman on the wait staff, a person who has seen the atrocities committed in Serbia.Emma has the ability to plunge through time and stop a curse before it begins.When she gets off the boat she does exactly that and finds a young boy without an adult to take care of him since Emma took away his primary caretakers in order to end the curse.He is either a hunter or a rouge but either way he sets up a loop that prevents Emma from returning to her own time and she must hope that someone from the mundane world come into the wasteland looking for her to guide her home.

DOWN TIME is an interesting urban fantasy featuring a heroine who is smart enough to know she doesn't have all the answers and is savvy enough to listen to people who have more of them.The wastelands are an interesting place, a barren dimension with a magnetic sky where curses and rogues abound.Emma is obsessed with destroying as many as she can to make the world a better place. Lynn Abbey is a spectacular urban fantasist.

Harriet Klausner
... Read more

Book Description
Lynn Abbey's novels "make fantasy worth reading" (Booklist). Now, in Behind Time, Emma Merrigan-who has only recently discovered her time travel powers-must venture into the wasteland to rescue her imperiled mother. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Librarian goes to Hell.....
What would you do if your 70-something mother showed up and looked as young as the college co-eds you're used to helping in the university library where you work?There are already too many secrets in this relationship.Emma's mother had disappeared 40-some years before when Emma was only 1 and left Emma's father to raise her.Oh, and let's not forget that Mom's legacy to Emma was magic that Emma's only now learning to use.Then, her Mom goes unconscious and the only way Emma can recover her is to go to this world's equivalent of Hell to get her back.

This book is a lot slower moving than the first, but is interesting.I love the quandary that Lynn Abbey's placed our heroine in, plus I am intrigued by the atypical heroine as well.

Kudos to Abbey for making this book stand on its own.That's hard to do in a serial.Her third book "Taking Time" is not as good.

great book, stands alone
I didn't realize that this was a continuation of another of abbey's novels until I was half way through, and I wasn't about to quit reading in order to get the first part. Turned out not to matter. The book does a good job of giving enough of an overview of the previous book that you understand completely what's happening, though I imagine reading them in the proper order would give you even more empathy for the characters. Of course, reading this book first spoils the ending of the other, but go figure. All in all, it's a good book and if you can't get your hands on Out Of Time, you'll still enjoy this one.

A haunting, multi-faceted story
Emma is struggling to save her mother, who has fallen into a coma, though the use of her psychic powers as she accesses a world which Eleanor introduced her to, which has consumed her mother. As she travels between worlds she becomes increasingly involved in a handsome man's life and in a world frequented by supernatural forces. A haunting, multi-faceted story powered by strong characterization.

A little thin
Some of the plot was a little thin and cliche.The original book was much better but it is still a fairly good read.

Not Bad
Having really liked the previous book, "Out of Time", I was very eager to start reading "Behind Time". The book continues where the previous book left: Emma Merrigan's mother, Eleanor, is trapped in the wasteland and as a result, her real body is in a coma. Emma, along with the mysterious rogue - Blaise Raponde, tries to further explore the wasteland and rescue her mother from the curses. What complicates matters, is that one of the rogues she encounters takes on a body in her close vicinity - a girlfriend of her good friend Matt.

Sounds kind of messy? It definitely is.
I think the author really wanted to get this book done with. The first two thirds of the book should've been compacted to 50 pages; almost nothing happens, and it just feels like an attempt in filling pages. The rest of the book is not bad, but way too rushed, and more than that - a few things in the book don't really feel complete, which makes me feel cheated because most of the book was so slow - other parts just don't make sense. I guess it will be continued in another sequel..
If you liked the previous book, you can read this one - but don't expect too much: despite it being an okay book, I can't say I wasn't disappointed - I really expected more! ... Read more

Book Description
Since 1979, Sanctuary has been the nastiest, ugliest and grittiest city in fantasy fiction. It is a place appropriately nicknamed "Thieves' World." The 14 anthologies of the Thieves' World series and the Sanctuary novel by Lynn Abbey have detailed this dark and dangerous city and the world in which it exists, through the literary voices of some of the most influential authors in modern fantasy fiction. Now, Sanctuary is yours to explore with the Thieves' World RPG Gift Set. With the Thieves' World Player's Manual, Shadowspawn's Guide to Sanctuary, Murder at the Vulgar Unicorn and the Thieves' World Gazetteer, you have everything you need to run roleplaying games in Thieves' World using the world's most popular RPG. These books also provide never-before-seen info and an original short story direct from Lynn Abbey, making them a must for any Thieves' World fan. ... Read more

Book Description
To end a generational curse, Emma Merrigan travels back through time to a horrific act of violence--and faces the possibility that saving those in the future may mean sacrificing others in the past. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Excellent novel--only complaint is it's getting too serial
Emma Merrigan is a 40-something in not the most glamourous of occupations.By day, she's a librarian.As she sleeps, she goes into the Never-never and moots curses.In this book, she's trying to sort out a curse that's followed a family for several generations.Sadly, she doesn't really answer how this is going to happen and leaves us hanging.I very much enjoyed the book, but I would have preferred some resolution for this one rather than having to wait til the next episode.

Take Time to Read Taking Time
This is a great series. I enjoyed the first two immensely, and had a hard time putting this one down. Emma is not the run-of-the-mill heroine. She's middle-aged, twice-married, holds down a real job, and has a complex relationship with the mother who abandoned her as a child (and looks like her daughter). Plus a hot romance with a long-dead French swashbuckler with whom she hunts and moots curses.

The only thing I didn't like about this one is the abrupt ending. Even though a sequel is obviously forthcoming, a few pages of wrap-up would have made it more satisfying.

I highly recommend this book to fans of contemporary fantasy.

Time Passages
From the day I picked up the first book in this series I knew that Lynn Abbey had written something special.At last, someone was writting urban fantasy for the woman I had become. The main character in this story, Emma, is a woman of a certain age ahead of two bad marriages, some good step children, her father's death and her mother's disappearance when she was an infant.In the first book in the series her mother reappears and Emma's life has not been the same since.

Emma is a curse hunter, one of a group of people with special powers and the ability to travel to another dimension.Their goal is to destoy the curses that are nurtured by human misfortune.But Emma came to her talent late and did not have the indoctrination of most curse hunters so she is a wild card, or a black sheep as her stepfather says.

In this section of the story while trying to moot a particularly odd curse she runs into the Curia, the official curse hunter society and must deal with not just the curse but the other hunters as well.

Blaise, her ghostly SO, makes an appearance along with other characters from the earlier books.

While I probably should knock a star off because this book is obviously a wind up for the next book, I'm not going to do it.These books are too scarce to damn with faint praise.So at the top of lungs:THANK YOU MS ABBEY, THIS BOOK REALLY HIT THE SPOT. ... Read more

Book Description
From fantasy fan favorite Lynn Abbey, co-creator of Thieves' World(tm), comes a novel of modern witchcraft and one woman's newfound powers.

The novels of Lynn Abbey are..."Brilliantly conceived."-C. J. Cherryh

"All the things that make fantasy worth reading."-Booklist ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

A glum, middle aged divorcee seeks adventure
"Out of Time" follows the story of E--, a 51 year old librarian, who discovers that her sleep is filled with more than just dreams.E-- uses her newly discovered powers to rescue a young college couple from a mysterious malevolence.

The setting is modern day, with dream-magic and curses.the plot is interesting, the characters well developped, and all quite well described.The cats & computers & setting are well portrayed, and the conversations skillfully written.The point-of-view sticks with E-- like glue.

E--'s life is filled with morose happenings, which she feels obliged to dwell upon constantly.Two messy divorces, no dates or love life, a distant relationship with her dad (now deceased), abandoned by her mother when one year old, said mother when she finally shows up quite callous, two grown stepchildren who never call or write, no siblings, no close friends, a borring career that is going nowhere, and no hobbies.Whew.Emotionally, the mood of "Out of Time" is so very depressing.

Overall, "Out of Time" is suitable for a rainy afternoon read.

Coming of 'middle age' novel
Emma Merrigan is a 40-something librarian raised by her professor father.She lives in academia:a community that doesn't take a lot of risks and generally doesn't have a lot of adventures.

Emma offers help to Jennifer a young student who's clearly been battered.The girl's presence in her life, in her home, brings back nightmares from a past Emma didn't have.When Jennifer's boyfriend shows up, Emma believes the young man suffers an ancient curse, which she sets out to moot.In doing so, she discovers powers and history she never expected.

Excellent Paranormal Story
Emma, a 50 year-old university librarian, has led a fairly normal existence until the day she stumbles upon a strange box in her basement. Her real name, Merle Acalia, is written across the yellowed cardboard. Inside she finds a book of charms and spells and old letters, all left to her by Eleanor, the mother who abandoned her when she was very young. To her distress Emma becomes involved in a world of dimensions she had never imagined, a frightening world where curses take onform and must be hunted through time and destroyed lest they cause terrible suffering for those who live in the here-and-now. With reluctance Emma takes up the mantel of hunter-witch.Out of Time has a brilliant plot and intricate, believable characters. There is a proper ending, but with one part of the plot left unresolved, leaving it obvious that there is a sequel. I searched Amazon.com to discover the title - Behind Time. I can't wait to read it!

The Second Face of the Goddess
Lynn Abbey has always had the happy knack of writing what I wanted to read at the time I needed it.(I'm excluding her franchise work here.)This book is no exception.

The main characters in fantasy works are often very young.The theme is often coming of age.This is a fantasy for the sandwich generation, the one caught between the demands of children and aging parents.The story opens with the heroine essentially an orphan.Her father, who raised her after her mother's death, has died.Romantic relationships have failed her and all she retains of her last marriage is an attachment to her step children.However, she finds herself reluctantly playing maternal figure to some troubled college kids while her mother reappears.

It turns out her life is a great deal more complicated than she expected.There are going to be great demands placed on her but she is going to have great personal resources to meet these demands.

Watching the heroine discovering who she is and essentially coming into her power is a positive experience.I found myself cheering her on as she copes with the unexpected burdens she finds laid on her, both magical and mundane.Of the three faces of the goddess-- virgin, matron, hag, this is the one that is shown the least and I'm very happy to have Ms. Abbey fill this lack.

Unusual Time travel concept
Kept me interested throughout.Unusual concept of time travel which seems to work well with the story.I also liked having a 50 something heroine for a change instead of a sweet young thing! ... Read more

Amazon.com
The past and future of Sanctuary hang in the balance in this tale of intrigue, politics, magic, and sacrifice from veteran writer Lynn Abbey.

Life in the city of Sanctuary has moved on from the days of Jubal and Tempus, and the epic adventures of gods and men are already degrading into myth and superstition. Molin Torchholder, who carries the only living memories of these times, knows that the future of Sanctuary depends on preserving them. With assassins on his trail, Molin must prepare a successor to hold and protect the secret truths of Sanctuary. And Cauvin, a survivor of the cruel pits of the Bloody Hand, will have a series of difficult choices to make as he is drawn deeper into Molin's desperate struggle.

Readers new to Sanctuary (the core setting of numerous Thieves' World stories) will find enough backstory to make this novel accessible. Fans should be delighted with the wealth of historical references, new and familiar characters, and high adventure that Abbey weaves together. --Roz Genessee Book Description
Thieves World, the bestselling (and first!) shared-world phenomenon, returns with an epic novel of the fate and history of the infamous city of SanctuaryEmpires rise and fall but the city of Sanctuary trudges on.he Age of the Rankan reign of Kadakithis, the occupation of the Beysib, and indeed the erstwhile Renaissance are all in the past. But the memories of the glory, savagery, and intrigue still live on. It is years later and the heroes of the past, Jubal, Tempus, Shadowspawn, and the Storm children are consigned to the ranks of fallible memory, myth, and rumor.A lone survivor of the past, Molin Torchholder, is preparing to die in hiding, the victim of an assassination attempt by enemies long thought to be dead. But before he dies, he must arrange for a successor to guard the citys secrets. Cauvin, a refugee from one of the citys bloodiest eras, and a boy named Bec are enlisted to do Molins bidding and thus uncover the secrets of the past, present, and even the future of the legendary Thieves World.Part tale of magical/political intrigue, part sword and sorcery, part Micheneresque fantasy epic of a citys history, Sanctuary is the book that Thieves World fans have been anticipating for more than a decade, part Coda to the past, part launching port for the future. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

A Good Crossover
Lynn Abbey has resurrected Sanctuary from Thieves World again.She has started a new series based on the old and needed a crossover book to bring the old readers up to date and try and fill in the back ground for the new readers.The only character from the "old" series is Molin Torchholder and he is in trouble.He has enlisted a new character named Cauvin and his younger brother Bec to help him.

The book revolves around a cult of murderers that has returned to Sanctuary from the past and they are out to kill Molin.At this point in the book, Molin is very old and the past is in the distant past with all of the old characters gones with the exception of one that makes a brief period at the end of the book.

"Sanctuary" is a very good crossover from the original series to the new.While the book nevers goes into great detail about the past, the reader is getting a nice thumbnail that covers the general storyline.As all brief descriptions, much is left out for brevity, but the very base is there.Abbey has done a good job of making the new book read like the old series and that could not have been easy.

The old characters are mentioned, but much like all history they are not really remebered right except by those of us that read the original series.I suggest that you read or reread the original series because you will be surprised how much you forget, but if you do not want to return to the past you do not need to either.Highly Recommended.

Thieves' World is back...
and here is not just the first novel but the first book of the new generation of books about the old city.Molin Torchholder, survivor of wars, magic battles and all the dangers of the city itself, has killers on his tail.Good ones.With the help of the cursing Cauvin, the son of a stoneyard owner, and Cauvin's younger bother, Bec, Molin MIGHT be able to protect Sanctuary before he dies.But it'll be a close one.
I took away a few stars for many reasons.Cauvin cusses too frogging much, seems a tad too slow and, in a character driven plot line, it just seemed the author used his slowness to add a few hundred extra pages.The book is 533 pages long and much of it is Cauvin trying to think of what to do when not cussing his bad luck.
Also, there was a lot of information about the past - we learn about the Hand, but also about events that happened in the first books.A lot of names are dropped - Tempus, Jubal, Kadakithis and even Hakiem - which fans, old or new, may enjoy.But all these scenes seemed more like a data dump to me and slowed the action, what little there was, down.The story didn't even really start to move till the last few chapters.
It can't be helped - a story needs a starting point, a foundation.You have to cook the meal before you eat it.After all, this is the first book of the return to the world of 'Thieves' World' and I would suggest reading this one first.But it is still long, slightly boring in some parts and throws a lot of both old history and not-so-old history at you.
For fans it is a must, but once done I doubt you'll wish to re-read.

A return to Thieve's World
Time has passed.Molin Torchholder is dying.He picks an heir, or to be precise the Gods seem to pick his heir, a boy named Cauvin who is just growing into a man.It is an interesting tale of the passing of a torch and, as in all the tales of thieves world,there is the usual array of villains.The Vulgar Unicorn has survived, of course, and is still a meeting ground.The Red Light District has fallen on hard times.Trade has declined, but occasional ships still show up in the harbor.Sanctuary is somewhat down at the heels, and the coinage is debased.

This is an interesting tale about the battle against an evil cult, but it has flashbacks to earlier times.For someone who has not read the other novels, the information is fragmentary.For someone who has read the novels, and is fully familiar with the setting, the digressions into the past seem to be overdone and distracting.

The story does not quite reach a full conclusion as one of the evil people escapes.One can guess that the author is planning a sequel.In Thieves World, there are always stories to be told.

Welcome to the Relaunch!
This volume is the relaunch to the Thieves World shared universe created by Abbey and Robert Asprin, which, as I recall, fired up around 1979 or so and ran through the '80s before sputtering to a halt. Thieves World was the precursor to such later series as George R.R. Martin's Wild Cards, C.J. Cherryh's Merovingen Nights, and Will Shetterly and Emma Bull's Liavek. The present volume picks up some years after the events of the twelfth installment of the original series. (In addition to the anthologies and mosaic novels, there seem to have been five stand-alone novels by the dreaded Janet and Chris Morris, against whom I continually rail, inasmuch as I hold their vile contributions to be directly responsible for killing both Thieves World and Merovingen Nights. Be that as it may, their five books evidently dealt with the despicable Tempus and his cronies and I believe they largely took place outside of the city of Sanctuary itself.)

Most everyone the longtime fan knew from back in the day is dead, fled, or vanished. Pretty much the only major figure left is an eighty-year-old Molin Torchholder, and due to circumstances he has to more or less dictate his memoirs in a nifty little ploy that allows the old school readers to dredge up memories of the first series while giving new readers a bit of background on the setting. This device makes it pretty apparent how wildly out of control the series had become and how critical it is to have a strong editorial hand (such as Martin) at the helm to reject the stupider ideas. My opinion is that very few of the authors could content themselves with "writing small" and with telling quiet little tales of interesting but limited and flawed characters. Very rapidly, after the first couple of books, every contributer wanted to turn their amps up to 11, and so each new character became deadlier, angrier, and more brutal than the last, and each of them seemed designed specifically as grudge monsters who were meant only to humiliate or eliminate the pre-existing characters. Not to mention that the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, as it were, rode through the city so often that it became ludicrous. Authors began to show off and have gods duking it out in the street, or had the city invaded again and again by awesome new and never-before-suspected threats from all quarters of the globe, or tossed in legions of the undead or bands of invincible and sneering warriors. In hearing Molin relate the whole sorry mess, it just really seems ludicrous in retrospect.

This particular addition to the milieu is a necessary but somewhat awkward bridge between the decades-old material accumulated over the first run of the series and the new tales that follow in the newest collection of short stories (entitled Turning Points) that has just become available. (Another volume, First Blood, will be rolling out soon.) Quite likely, it can be skipped, and it may only really be compelling reading for continuity devotees who need to acquire each Thieves World volume for their collections.

Now that Abbey has cleaned the slate by jumping the series into the future so that everyone has keeled over or wandered off, Thieves World can enjoy a fresh start and avoid the mistakes of the past. In Cauvin and Bec, the Thieves World setting has a couple of interesting characters to serve as a starting point, with the help of some of the supporting cast, such as Soldt. Here's hoping that Abbey can prevent future contributors under control so that Sanctuary will not again implode under the weight of overly ambitious and byzantine plots and the hordes of grandiose heroes and villains.

A fond return...
Shared worlds often suffer from the problem of a major theme emerging and all the stories turning to that theme, even if that means sacrificing something along the way.Somewhere around the sixth book or so of the Thieve's World series, I felt that some of what I enjoied most about the stories had been lost as an overall story arc developed.
When I bought Sanctuary, I was not optimistic, but I remembered the early stories fondly enough to take the risk.Boy, am I glad I did!Not only did I enjoy the book once I got into it, but the flashbacks to Sanctuary's past make me think that I should go back a read all the stuff I mssed in the original series. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (2)

A Classic Returns
I read all the Thieves' World Series as a teenager.The series was amazing then and its GREAT to see it back in print. For those of you who do not read much fantasy - Thieves' World is a shared world anthology - that means that various authors come together to write stories under a shared theme...in this case, the city of Sanctuary.The characters are solid and the different perspectives of the stories create a rich tapestry.

Last, the nice thing about having the first two in a single book - which should be obvious - only one book in the backpack on the way to the beach.

Expertly weaves fantasy and sci-fi together!
I found my copies at a used book store 12 years ago--back when the two books were separate. The narrative was so good, I read both in the same night.

Thieves World is an usual type of anthology in that, while different writers are contributing, the individual stories are more like chapters. This is because they all share the same characters and what happens in one story, carries on as character background in the next story by the next author. If a character or event is introduced in one story, it is fodder for future stories.

The effect is that you get many different viewpoints for the same story--some light, some dark--and it makes the overall story seem more well-rounded, yet cohesive at the same time. This is a tribute to the talents of the many writers involved with the project, and to the editors, Abbey and Asprin [fine writers in their own right].

As for the overall story, Thieves World is set on a terrestrial planet, with most of the action taking place in and arround the city of Sanctuary. Initially, the tone is fantasy--swordsmen, magic, gods/goddesses. As the series progresses, subtle elements of sci-fi are woven in--non-human species from the sea, advanced technology, etc. By the end, Thieves World had transformed into an anthology series unlike any I've read.

I regularly read the entire series [all 12 books] at least once a year, and I'm happy they're being reissued since my copies are getting very worn out.

I absolutely recommend this anthology for any fan of the fantasy genre. ... Read more

Book Description

A Fantasy Masterpiece by LYNN ABBEY, the co-creator of Thieves' World!

Wolves are loose in the English countryside. A dying monarch cannot enforce the laws, and his heirs are circling like vultures. The small castle that is Hafwynder Manor is thrown into chaos by the arrival of a mysterious young stranger, too badly wounded to explain his plans. The forces of 11th century history invade Hafwynder Manor. Its safety -- and perhaps the fate of all England -- may depend on the deeds of the blonde, impulsive Alison and her sister, the dark-haired and cunning Wildecent. With the forces of the outside world raging at the castle walls, the two young women must learn to shape their own destiny! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Quite possibly the worst book ever written...
This book was absolutley dead.The writing could have been a lot better.It seemed to me that the author figured out the plot as she wrote--never really getting to the intended point.Mindless ramblings highlight numerous chapters and confusing descriptions abound.Characters never seem quite as real as they should be and it all develops into a lousy book.Don't read it.... trust me.You're wasting your time.

Don't even be tempted by this one
It's rare that I get upset enough to actually write a review for a book, but I figured I'd better pass a warning along before other well-meaning readers get sucked into this.

The full story can be found on Lynn Abbey's site...if you are interested. But the highlight is that this series was originally supposed to be at least a trilogy (although Lynn says she had it outlined through at least book 5). This book contains the first 2 books of a trilogy THAT WAS NEVER FINISHED, AND PROBABLY WON'T EVER BE! So if you like to be left hanging in the middle of a story with loose ends flying all over the place, then this is definately the book for you. But for the rest of us, this is one book that you should probably steer clear of.

If the 3rd book is ever published, I'll eagerly buy it because I want to know how the story ends!

don't bother with this one
I purchased this book with anticipation as it is of a genre that I thoroughly enjoy but was very disappointed in this book - the book was 'slow' and disjointed and the ending - well, there's no other words for it - it sucked!I couldn't believe that it ended without any real resolution to any of the main character's issues.I would have expected better from Lynn Abbey.

Winter Solstice Before the Norman Conquest
The year is 1065.The winter is cold and wolves lurk in the forest, some on four legs, some on two.Edward, King of England is dyingand the vultures gather around his bed waiting to see who will claim the crown.Will it be William, Duke of Normandy, or Harold Godwineson-- in defiance of his oath to help William to the crown?What about the claim of Norway?Meanwhile in Wessex, Godfrey Hafwynder, shire reeve, strives to preserve his household against an uncertain future.

Stephen, a young Norman, on an errand to deliver a message from his uncle to Duke William's man at Pevensey is harried by outlaws and wolves.Wounded, he seeks shelter at Godfrey's hall and is cared for by Godfrey's daughter, Alison, her foster sister Wildecent and their aunt, Ygurna.Ygurna is one of the last of the priestesses of the ancient Celtic religion, Alison has been trained to be her sucessor.Alison has the wild magic, Wildecent does not.

However, Stephen was accompanied into England by his former tutor, Ambrose, an unordained deacon of the Roman Church and an adept of sorcery, trained in its mysterious arts by the Magi of the east.Ambrose using his talents to locate Stephen incidentally finds Ygurna and her apprentice.However, it is Wildecent, the headblind, that he tempts with his offer of a power that does not require the wild magic she cannot control.

This story of the Christmas before the Conquest is a fine blending of fantasy and history.Abbey does an excellent job of portraying the basic conflict faced by men like Godfrey, whose King abandoned his earthly responsibilities to seek religious solace.This is also echoed in the conflict between the wild magic of the old gods and the disciplined sorcerous power of Ambrose.Abbey skillfully weaves a tale of beginnings and endings, of the death of the old and the birth of the new.

Magic and history merge
I stumbled across this novel recently and found an interesting historical fantasy.The setting is England in 1065 as the Saxon and Norman tensions are escalating.The focus is on a Saxon family stronghold and the events that occur as war inches closer to their home and old way of life.

While the book has all of the raw details of such a rough age such as bloody fighting and the rowdy drinking of warroirs, the story is tamed and made interesting in that the women of the house are the main characters.The two daughters, Alison and Wildecent, and their aunt, Lady Ygurna, are the ones who truly run the place and keep the men in order.One reads of their story as their lives are changed by the shifting politics of the country.This occurs quite suddenly when a young Norman, Stephen, is brought wounded into their home.Both girls discover what intrigue and love mean as the result of his presense.

While the characters try to occupy the modern world of politics and Christianity, one soon realizes that an ancient Celtic magic is practiced secretly by the women.This magic is hinted at throughout the book, but is shown fully as everything climaxes at the end.

Lynn Abbey has created a very realistic world in this novel.One gets a good picture of Saxon life during this period.The characters are personal and believable.I think that this is a good read for anyone interested in this period where England hovered on the brink of a new era. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

All in all, fairly blah
This is one of those odd books that is remarkably hard to categorize, even though it does fit quite neatly into the fantasy section of any bookstore. You see here we have a book about Elves, who live in faire, and the women can all "shape" things (such as fabric flowers out a piece of a thread, or pain into flesh, or healing) while the men forage for any supplies needed-in the mortal world.

These elves don't really do anything but farm (or their servants, the gnomes, dwarfs, and so on) farm, so they need almost everything from the mortal side of the "veil." Meanwhile the elves have tons of children, since they're immortal, and most of these kids turn into gnomes or dwarfs or some other kind of fairy creature, occasionally even a dragon. There are also ogres about, and to be protected from these beasts, goblins make bargains to protect the homesteads of each elf couple (yup, just like in the Wild West) in exchange for iron chains which the women shape as their induction into adulthood.

But this land is full of secrets, upon secrets, upon secrets. Mostly about why all of the children that our heroine has keeps turning into something else when she so desperately wants them to be elves.And there's some kind of goblin conspiracy, a whole lot of weird religion stuff (and I do mean weird) and some fairly odd interactions with the mortal world.

All in all this isn't a bad book, it's just strange. There's a constant shifting of perspective which makes things a little hard to track, and I will never understand why the elf husband married the elf wife in this first place-I mean he seemed so disinterested and then all of a sudden he's head over heals in love. In general, the book was kind of blah. I can't even remember the names of the main characters, which shows you how much I cared about them.

In all, could have been worse, could have been better, so three stars.

A Fantasy Novel You'll Never Stop Wanting to Read
Jerlayne was a fantastic novel. It took me almost 2 weeks, maybe less. this book had millions of twists & turns. Once you thought you knew something for sure, it'd change like that. There's so many lies in this book, also. It's very imagative how elves are born. Cuz is very funny in this book. Time goes fast in this book & the mortal realm changes fast. I can't believe Jerlayne [interacts with] a goblin, who's blue! It's a krazy story. Plus Aulaudin never gets angry at Jerlayne for cheating on him. If you love fantasies with romance & comedy then you should read Jerlayne. I couldn't stop turning the pages. It was so interesting & thrilling. It kept me at the edge of my seat. It's 1 book i'll read again in the future. There better be a second or something like it soon!

Boring, Plodding, and Tiresome
I usually can read a 500 page novel in about 4 days.Jerlayne took me over 2 weeks - and I really pushed myself to finish!

This book had very little explaination about how/why certain things were happening.I felt like I was reading the second book in a series the entire time.The characters were totally uninteresting - even the title character Jerlayne was a bore.I had no sympathy to anyone in this book because they were 2-dimentional sadsacks.I would have liked to read more about the relationships between the characters instead of being told "they loved each other." I wish we would have been shown more than told.

If you like books that are about having children and housework, by all means, read Jerlayne.

If you like books that have a smooth plot, interesting/believable relationships, and intelligence please, read something else.

An excellent crossover book for non-Fantasy enthusiasts
While I wouldn't call it literature, this book is a spellbinding, if deeply flawed, depiction of a well conceived and well fleshed-out world that even those not fond of the elf/fairy/gnome genre will enjoy. I found it extremely enjoyable and resonant in the way that good mythology is, but you have to stick it out through the first hundred pages or so to get to the good stuff.What sets this book apart is its refreshing injection of an unflinching and boldly drawn modern-day mortal realm into the otherwise mostly bland and sweet Faerie. It's like adding rocket boosters to the story. Look to meet a character you won't soon forget. My biggest problem with the book was the unevenness of the writing and the lack of emotional payoff (at least for me) at the end. Sometimes the dialogue is so good it crackles; other times it is confusing or ingenuine. Some of the plot elements seem forced as well. Author Lynn Abbey does such a skillful job in the book's thick middle section of building a strong plot and character conflict that I expected the resolution of those elements to be of comparable high quality. But Abbey seems unsure how to resolve them, especially the lopsided sexual/romantic competition for Jerlayne's love between heroic Goro and tender but weak Aulaudin. Abbey goes to great lengths at the end to counter Goro's strong presence and appeal (ladies, prepare to fall for him) by bolstering Aulaudin's manliness, but it is not convincing, and ultimately Jerlayne's character becomes lackluster as Abbey fits her to remain happily with Aulaudin. Throughout most of the book, Jerlayne's character is quite likeable, even if her "cluelessness," as another character puts it, sometimes makes her seem less than heroic, and she seems to stumble across the truth more than she seeks it out. Her claim of being the one who "changes the world and saves Faerie" is also dubious considering that it is another character's willingness to pay the ultimate price that seems to save it; look for some sometimes disturbing Christ imagery. It is also dissatisfying that this character's sacrifice seems to go unappreciated by the other characters. However, there is a fairly satisfying redemption of another character, and a grisly death for another. The supporting characters are often richer and more interesting than Jerlayne, and you will find that you care about some of them most, including the fierce and mournful Evoni; tormented Cuz; loyal Joff; mischievous Maun; other characters that it would blow the plot to disclose; and Goro, who is the most vividly and sympathetically drawn.If the plot falters sometimes, nevertheless the story is always interesting and complex. Abbey also includes some "cool" concepts such as riding shadows and skirting two realms to shorten traveling distance. With all its faults, this book is a page-turner and I have found myself rereading my favorite parts over and over again. And writing long reviews. Enjoy!

Full-bodied story
This was a wonderful read.The portrayal of elves as immortals who filch whatever they can't produce in Fairie (iron, non-stick frying pans, synthetics, etc.) was new and intriguing.From the first few pagesJerlayne is established as an exasperating, intelligent and clueless woman. Witness, for example, her brilliant mastery of the twenty link chain andthen her subsequent overdose of bryony to cure the iron-poisoning.

Ilook forward to reading more about this new version of Faerie, andsincerely hope that they are in the works. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (9)

Definitely to be forgotten!
I wanted to like this book! It started out with the promise of really bad villains and dramatic discoveries that may answer some questions of how the Nethiril Empire developed. With the introduction of some lackluster characters, and the same sort of villainous dudes seen before, I seen some potential for a really good adventure. What a let down!

I would give spoilers but there is very little left to spoil. The plot spirals unoriginally out of control, using elements from Tolkein galore. The little goblin uses dialog identical to Gollum. The whole purpose of the Nether scroll goal is very disappointing. By the time these cardboard character find them, I didnt care. Maybe, Netherise Arcanist showed up and zapped this author for nearly sinking the my enthusiasm for this series.

There have been some good, mediocre and bad Forgotten Realms books. This gets my vote as the worst of all. Fortunately, Wizards of the Coast regrouped its talent search and found some writers who actually may like contributing to the vast epic of the Forgotten Realms. The direction Lynn Abbey was taking it was down, indeed things looked a little dark at that time. Wizards inherited some talented writers; Greenwood, Salvatore, and Cunningham. In fact, I am going to explore some of thier new writers. Things could not get any worse than the Nether Scroll!

Not the best of the Realms, but not bad either
The Lost Empires series is a series of stand alone novels featuring empires of old that have been lost only to searched out and found again for various reasons.

While this book is certainly not the best that the Forgotten Realms has to offer, it's certainly not the worst either. For thos familiar witht he Realms this is a nice book to pick up as it gives some history and lore about the Nethril empire. For those not familiar witht he Realms this book will seem like a waste of time.

I would recommend this book only if you enjoy Forgotten Realms books and have a decent understanding of what goes on there.

Enjoyable
The Nether Scroll is disapointing to most of Lynn Abbey's fans as it is certainly not her best work. But it is still an enjoyable read. I finished it rather quickly and it kept my attention.

What a stinker
Reading this book was like being force fed a food that makes you want to vomit.You don't want to continue, but you really have no choice unless you want to waste 6 bucks.There are some nice points to the book, the female warrior was nice, and the things the mage learned from the scroll should have been expounded upon sooner as it was the only real item of interest in the whole dang book.As it is the writing was slow and the majority of characters were uninteresting.I can say I will never reread this book.

Lore? No.
The "Lost Empires" category lured me to this book. I hoped to find more information about the past, something to compliment the Netherese set (which I do have). Instead, it's a story of very modern peoples, and only passing references to the artifact of the title. There is one section, late in the novel, giving a better idea of the nature of these scrolls, but just as a tiny glimmer was shown, it is ripped away revealing nothing of interest.
This novel has a decent story on its own, and if you want political intregue with the Zhents, this has some value. But it's not where my interests lie. (...) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A star-studded Thieves' World volume.
In the entertaining afterword to Blood Ties, C.J. Cherryh writes about the experience of writing for the Thieves' World series:

"The honest truth is that we have very little idea what will happen. Unplanned war breaks out in the streets. It lurches and falters in settlements, just the way it does in real life, my friends, because certain people in it have to get certain things or believe there is a way out, or they go on fighting. Feuds break out between characters and resolve themselves they way they do in live-- with some change in both characters. Characters mutate and grow and turn out to have aspects that surprise even their creator."

As a reader, it is that very quality of evolving chaos and unpredictability that makes the series so much fun to read. At its best, there is a measure of barely controlled chaos that keeps the twists and turns interesting. At its worst, the different voices can mix badly and turn characters into a kind of confused mush.

This edition contains both the best and the worst of what the volumes can be. Blood Ties has a number of really impressive writers associated with the stories: Cherryh, Diana L. Paxson, Janet & Chris Morris, the two editors, Diane Duane, Robert Wayne Bailey, and Andrew & Jodie Offutt. The combined talents are less effective when they deal with the complicated alliances and tensions in Sanctuary ("Sanctuary is for Lovers", "Lovers who Slay Together") but there are also some truly inspired and even very moving sections-- the fate of Siveni Grey-Eyes in "The Tie that Binds" and the brilliant introduction of Strick in "Spellmaster."

As always, you cannot pick up volume 9 of Thieves' World without having read 1-8. Begin at the beginning, if you have not had any introduction to the characters before. If you are a veteran of Sanctuary and were wondering whether this is worth the effort (Volume 8 was a little bit disappointing, IMO) then you should rest assured that it is moving in the right direction. Blood Ties is worth the time to read, and reopens a number of interesting new directions for the poor beleaguered city. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Delightfully addicting read.....
A wonderful involving book, well-realized characters, and quite the plot twist at the end...but oh, Lynn, where is the rest of the story?!Iunderstand the philosophy of leaving your readers wanting more, but c'mon -that was an honest-to-God cliffhanger!You've had four years - Spielburgmakes sequels faster than you!!Please, please finish the story.

Leaves you wanting more.
I found siege of shadows to be entertaining, cant put it down reading. Itleft you at the end eagerly awaiting the sequel, which never showed up.Well developed charactors with an interesting storyline.....but whathappens next ?

Excellent fantasy novel
Lynn Abbey is one of my favorite writers, and she's done a beautiful job with this one. You will take Kyle and Kiera into your heart the moment you begin and I guarentee that you won't be able to put this one down until you are finished! I would definitly class this as a must read for fantasy nuts like me! :) (oh, and if you want to read the BEST thing by Lynn Abbey, check out "Jerlayne", a tale in the anthology Elf Fantastic) ... Read more