Product Description
Award winning author Catherine Asaro, creator of The Skolian Empire,returns to the world of Aronsdale, a place rich with magic and power.One generation after war had nearly destroyed three nations, evil wasreturning. And only Mel Dawnfield's daring sacrifice could stop it.

The promise of peace rested on this young woman's noble vow: to marry Cobaltthe Dark heir to a family of legendary cruelty. With only her uncontrolledspells to guide her, isolated in Cobalt's solitary home in the Misted Cliffs,knowing poisoned blood ran through her husband's veins, Mel struggled to embraceher unexplored mage powers and unveil the light in her shadowy new worldincluding the radiance hidden in her husband's soul. For her enemies weregathering strength and they would soon unleash the darkest of evils in the nameof war.

Customer Reviews (13)

Part 3 of a beautiful series
The Misted Cliffs follows 'Moonglow' in the Charmed Destinies-anthology and 'The Charmed Sphere'. The book is richer if you have read these two first, although I think it would still make sense on its own. Personally, I enjoyed it even more than those two. It is closely connected to 'The Dawn Star', book 4, in which the story of the two main characters continues.
After the war that took place in 'The Charmed Sphere' there have been 18 years of peace. But then Cobalt the Dark, the son of the king who lost the war and has been kept prisoner since then, frees his father and threatens to take his father's lands back through war - unless the current king and queen give him their beloved daughter Mel in marriage. That way, the throne will come back to his family with their child and peace will be preserved. Cobalt's reputation is very bad: He grew up with his cruel grandfather and feels he has to prove his worth by being a conqueror. Naturally, Mel is at first afraid of the man she only agreed to marry to keep the peace, but she soon finds out that there's a lot more to the dark and seemingly distanced man. But to heal his emotional wounds she will have to stand by his side even when he moves to conquer the kingdoms that used to be part of his grandfather's realm 200 years ago...
This is an emotionally intense book, with well-developed characters, a great plot and a beautiful fantasy world. I enjoyed it very much and would recommend it highly. Personally, I was glad I already had the sequel at hand and kept on reading - the books were that good.

A Marriage of Convenience
The Misted Cliffs (2005) is the second fantasy novel in the Misted Cliffs series.In the previous volume, King Varqelle of Harsdown was removed from his throne by the victorious army of Aronsdale and imprisoned in the Citadel of Rumors.Prince Muller of Aronsdale was placed on the throne.Chime became the queen and soon was pregnant with a girl child.

In this novel, Princess Melody is the despair of her father.She would rather wear trousers than a skirt, especially when she is riding and practicing with the sword.She often returns home with her hair all tousled and leaves snagged in her locks.

Prince Cobalt the Dark is the son of Princess Dancer Chanberlight of the Misted Cliffs.Dancer is the wife of former King Varqelle, but she had left him when Cobalt was a small babe and returned to her father, King Stonebreaker.Although Cobalt has asked her many times why she left Varqelle, she only tells him that it was for his sake.

Prince Cobalt leads a raid on the Citadel of Rumors and frees his father.King Stonebreaker offers sanctuary in the Misted Cliffs.However, Cobalt initially takes his father to his own home, the Castle of Clouds.

Both Cobalt and Dancer prefer to live away from King Stonebreaker.Her father had long abused her and her son.Yet Cobalt eventually grew large enough to threaten the King if he ever touched either one again.Stonebreaker is a bully, but even he is afraid of his grandson.

In this story, Melody and Cobalt are married.Originally, Varqelle and Stonebreaker wanted to invade Harsdown, but Cobalt believes that the Misted Cliffs army would destroy itself fighting both Harsdown and Aronsdale.Moreover, he would prefer that Harsdown not be devastated by warfare.So he suggests the marriage with Melody.

Cobalt has a very bad reputation in Harsdown, so Melody has no desire to marry him.Yet their marriage would bring a peace treaty between the Misted Cliffs and Harsdown/Aronsdale.She and her parents decide to accept the marriage.

When Cobalt comes to Harsdown to marry Melody, she is surprised to find that he is a very large, but handsome man.On the way back to his home, she finds herself seeing more compassion in his manner.Moreover, she soon falls in lust with him.

This story tells of the gradual growth of love between the pair.Due to his abusive upbringing by his grandfather, Cobalt has never dared love anyone, but his mother.When his father praises him for his efforts, Cobalt is overwhelmed by the positive remarks.Then he is enthralled by Melody's warmth and positive attitude.

Cobalt the Dark finds himself with more light in his life.When Melody invites Cobalt and his mother to visit her parents, Cobalt thinks that such a visit would help protect Dancer while he is away.He convinces his mother to travel to Harsdown and she grows to like the ambiance.

Highly recommended for Asaro fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of family conflicts, positive influences and profound romance.

-Arthur W. Jordin

The Misted Cliffs, Book 2
The Misted Cliffs are the best of the trilogy. Mel and Cobalt are thrown together to prevent a war yet the work does not stop there.Mel the bright in Cobalt's world of darkness and whether he wanted it or not, he is drawn. It helps that she doesn't look like a man.

Originally Posted on Romance Junkies in 2005
Romantic fantasy is one of my favorite genres, and reading Catherine Asaro's THE MISTED CLIFFS, I was reminded of the reason why. Deposed kings, sword and sorcery, magic and spells, kings and queens, dark-hearted rulers and self-sacrificing princesses, all combine to make this story one of the best.

For Princess Melody Dawnfield, being the daughter of the current king of Harsdown means more than looking pretty and watching men vie for her hand in marriage. Trained as a mage and excellent swordsmen, Mel is her parents' pride and joy. She also feels so deeply for her town, and the adjoining towns of Aronsdale and Misted Cliffs, that she agrees to marry a man feared far and wide to save her people from the threat of war.

Cobalt the Dark is a man at war within himself. His half-crazy mother and terror-inducing grandfather raised him, and hold much of the blame for his dark heart. When Cobalt learns that his father, Varquelle, isn't dead as he once thought, but imprisoned, he risks his own life to rescue the deposed king. Now that the former king is free, however, war looms on the horizon. Although tortured at heart and feeling that war is the only answer, Cobalt agrees to marry Princess Melody in the hopes that the war, although undoubtedly inevitable, can at least be put off.

While much of the kingdom feels that Cobalt is evil, Mel learns that he's only troubled by his own inner demons and the seemingly insurmountable obstacles that stand before him. Melody, as well, is not what her husband expected. Not only is she powerful in her own right, but her love and warm heart begin to thaw something within him that he thought was long dead and buried.

THE MISTED CLIFFS is Ms. Asaro at her writing best. A tried and true formula of a haunted hero and a warm-hearted heroine, combined with the magic of a kingdom you'll want to visit again and again, make this book a true winner. I highly recommend that you read THE CHARMED SPHERE, her previous LUNA release, as well as THE MISTED CLIFFS. They are both stand alone books, but THE CHARMED SPHERE will delve you into the kingdom of Aronsdale , which plays a supporting role in this current book. I don't yet know the title of the third book in the trilogy, but no doubt it will bring us even deeper into this world where love and magic are intertwined.

Could have used a little more character development
The Dawnfield family returns in this second book of magic and political conflict in the fictional land of Aronsdale. Chime and Muller's daughter Melody (Mel) has grown into a beautiful, headstrong young woman. To prevent an army from the neighboring Misted Cliffs from invading her homeland, she agrees to wed Cobalt Escar, son of Varquelle, ruler of the Misted Cliffs. Despite the cruelty and darkness in the Escar family, Mel is able to find a seed of good in Cobalt and begins to nurture it. Varquelle and Cobalt, however, are not satisfied in their desire for conquest. I recommend this book to fans of romantic fantasy. However, many of the characters are quite two-dimensional and predictable. ... Read more

Product Description
Everyone knows how Dorothy and Toto save Oz from the Wicked Witch of West...or do they?How will Dorothy survive in a land filled with haunted bags of straw, hollow metal men and giant smelly cats?How will she fight off killer bees, mad wolves and really annoying monkeys?How will she defeat a witch with mind control and an all-seeing eye?And how will Dorothy ever find the way home?The simple truth is that she won't, at least not alone. Of course, she's not alone-she has Toto, her best friend.That is, Toto used to be her best friend. But in Oz, Dorothy spends more time talking to a cat than to him. And Toto finds new friends, too. Maybe, he should just take his wolf friends back to Kansas instead... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Fun Perspective
I loved this book!Toto is brave and sassy.It follows the book The Wizard of Oz more then the movie, with added scenes that pull things together.My 10 year old is reading it now.She's flying through it, pointing out phrases that make her laugh.It's a wonderful book!I've been recommending it to moms at my daughter's school, so now I'm recommending it to you.Enjoy!

Go Toto!
"He has the brains, the heart and the courage... now if only he could just find a pork chop! Kids and dog lovers will enjoy this tale "fur" sure!" ... Read more

Product Description
Women rule the world in this suspenseful love story set in a postnuclear future. Having expelled men from their vast walled cities to a lower-class wilderness, the women in this futuristic universe dictate policy and chart the future through control of scientific and technological advances. Among their laws are the rules for reproductive engagement, an act now viewed as a means of procreation rather than an act of love. In this rigidly defined environment, a chance meeting between a woman exiled from the female world and a wilderness man triggers a series of feelings, actions, and events that ultimately threaten the fabric of the women's constricted society. Trying to evade the ever-threatening female forces and the savage wilderness men, the two lovers struggle to find a safe haven and reconcile the teachings of their upbringings with their newly awakened feelings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Splendid Feminist Dystopia From Sargent
"The Shore of Women" is a richly textured work of feminist science fiction by Pamela Sargent which deserves long overdue recognition as a classic, highly literate example of the genre. It compares favorably to the classical dystopian novel "A Canticle for Leibowitz", as yet another mesmerizing tale set long after a nuclear holocaust. In Sargent's richly imagined future, men are leading primitive lives as hunters and gathers, while women reside in a technically advanced culture comprised of cities equipped with forcefields, death rays and aircraft. Sargent has melded the epic journey with romance, crafting a most unusual futuristic romance novel devoted to her main protagonists, Arvil - whose notions of what it means to be human is radically altered when he meets and falls in love with - Birana, who has been cast out of one of the cities of women. I truly treasure the author's compelling exploration of their relationship from strangers to devout lovers ever respectful of the other's desires and needs. Sargent's compelling work of fiction may be familiar to those familiar with Ursula Le Guin's beguiling exploration of gender in her Hainish series of novels and short stories, but much to her credit, Sargent has created her own fascinating futuristic world to explore the natures of love and of relationships between man and woman. I am delighted that this book is finally back in print courtesy of BenBella Books; this edition includes an excellent foreword by science fiction writer Catherine Asaro.

One of the best reads of my life!
This book was wonderful in the way that even years after I finished it, it still makes me think and question the ways of mankind.

Well Done!

Refreshing and Satisfying
Pamela Sargent is a prolific writer who unfortunately does not have a vocal support group.Her novels and novellas are not of the type "This is Cronon from the planet Abuzz, stop your atomic testing of be destroyed"They are instead, intelligen far-reaching reveries on the future.In several of her stories she has extrapolated a Mulism planet but this book goes beyond that to a time we can barely fathom.

What happens when a woman in a strictly segregated society commits the ultimate sin - falling in love with a man?The descriptions of the two varying societies and their need for each other is told with a sense of disquiet. And when the lovers finally "find each other" the language approaches a confession. This is a book that can be read again and again on several levels.

Intelligent, Imaginative, Beautifully Wrought--And OOP
Pamela Sargent's The Shore of Women works out in persuasively anthropological detail--almost Geertzian "thick description," if you will--a post-apocalyptic world in which women rule with space-age technologies from walled citadels, exiling male children into literal stone age societies of isolated bands clad in animal skins, where lives are nasty, brutish, and short. The violence of Sargent's largely paleolithic male society is mitigated only by its loving devotion to "The Goddess" and her cult, visits to the shrines in which prayer and worshipful communion with the deity transpires, and the occasional "callings" to the enclaves--simultaneously the preeminent male rite of passage and the sole (blind and thoroughly mediated) interaction with the ruling society that enables both worlds to procreate and persist. Within city walls, the master society is strictly bifurcated into elite and masses, in which the custodians of established order replace themselves, presiding over the bought indifference of commoners.

Sargent is a beautifully expressive writer who works out the logic of her story to persuasive conclusions and, along the way, has smart, thoroughly rendered observations to make on societies of women and of men, the humanistic origins of religion, small group interactions under duress, the transformation of nomadic bands into sedentary cultures, the possible retreat of civilization from its points of greatest advancement, a variety of contemporary feminist political ideas, and more. At times, The Shore of Women brought to mind a host of antecedents, including A Canticle for Leibowitz, Lord of the Flies, The Golden Bough, Greek and Roman mythology, captivity stories from 17th and 18th century prisoners of American woodland Indians, the writings of Margaret Meade and other classic anthropologists, and other possible references, but without seeming directly dependent on any. Its principal characters, the inquisitive newly "called" man Arvil and the cast-out woman Birana, are beautifully developed and pass through punctuated sequences of change and unfolding awareness. A third point of view is provided by Laissa, who as the daughter of one of the "Mothers of the City" progresses on her own surprising journey of discovery...

A moving story at a fromtier of the war of the sexes.
An excellent story of a gender divided society. Women live in a techical society in advance of our own but where technology is frozen as are other social elements of the society. Men live as hunter-gatherers or herders who are held in line by a religion of "The Goddess". The chief rite is orgasmic. In numerous shrines to one or another aspect of the goddess men are lead to manufactured wet dreams. Women live in domed cities without an obvious mechanism for growing food. The novel makes heterosexuality ( and thus homsexuality) more of a social construction and less of a instinct than I believe it to be.
All the characters are sympathetically but sharply dilineated. The one fault is that the love scenes are all hetersexual despite the fact that both sexes are stated to be largely homosexual in behavior. The economic basis of the women's world is not imagined as in the lack of any clearly imagined agricultureSimilarly the practical basis of the men's religion The shrines to the Goddess are built and maintained by measures not presented .
One excuse for the shortage of imagined facts about the social and economic basis of the women's society is the women characters are mostly young members of the ruling class. ... Read more

Product Description
Two men, two empires. Jaibriol ruled the Eubian Concord: over two trillion people across more than a thousand worlds and habitats. Kelric ruled the Skolian Imperialate. War had come before—ten years ago, Jaibriol had lost his parents in the final battle of the Radiance War between the Concord and the Imperialate—and it might come again, devastating vast swathes of the galaxy. Neither Jaibriol nor Kelric wanted war, but neither was complete master of his realm. And each hid a secret that, if revealed, might be his downfall. Jaibriol was a secret psion, with telepathic abilities, and to be a psion in the Eubian Concord was to be a contemptible slave, eventually to be tortured for the pleasure of the slave's owner. Kelric, years ago, had disappeared for nearly two decades. He had been a prisoner and slave on the planet Coban, part of neither empire, until he had managed to escape. And if the Skolian Imperialate knew of his captivity, there would be demands for vengeance, ravaging Coban—and killing the wife and children Kelric had left behind when he escaped. Neither man knew how much longer he could keep his secret—nor how much longer they could hold back the threat of a war that could incinerate hundreds of inhabited worlds. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

A tale of two leaders
Note: This is a review of a continuing series, and it assumes that readers are familiar with that series.
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After filling in the gaps in her last few Sklolian Empire novels, Catherine Asaro moves things forward in this tale, in which Jabriol III, Emperor of Eube, and Kelric, Imperator (military chief) of the Skolians--both of whom are harboring secrets--scheme to create a peace between the formerly implacable enemies.

As always, Ms. Asaro's readers will be treated to another well written tale that blends science, military strategy, politics, relationship issues, and family matters.

Also involved heavily in the proceedings are two of my favorite characters--Jabriol's fascinating and endlessly devious wife, Tarquine, and one of Kelric's many wives, redheaded Ixpar--who makes a fiery return to the author's pages.

The action here is slow to build, and some readers may start to go into "get on with it!" mode; but I was fascinated by that slow buildup, with all the political maneuvering that's involved here--much of which is caused by both Jabriol's and Kelric's need to protect secrets. But the stunning ending is fast paced and well thought out. And the author leaves, as always, a few loose ends that will doubtless be tied up in a book or two or three.
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By the way: If you are new to the series, it's probably best if you start with "The Last Hawk," which many Asaroistas feel is her best, and "Radiant Seas" is a must, too. But why not just start at the beginning, with "Primary Inversion"? There's a time line in the back that lists all the novels in the series and places them in their proper places in the chronology. Listed there, too, are some shorter works in the series. I hope there are plans to collect them in an omnibus volume.

The Path to Peace
The Rudy Dice (2008) is the twelfth SF novel in the Skolian Imperialate series, following The Final Key.However, this novel starts in 2287 AD, five decades after the previous volume.

The Radiance War is over.Eube and Skolia are at peace;except, of course, for a few shots between Eubean slave raiders and the Skolian Imperial Space Command.Jaibriol III is on the Carnelian Throne and the Aristos are fairly well behaved toward their Emperor.

In this novel, Kelric is the Imperator of Skolia, commander of all the armed forces.Yet he cannot save the live of his wife Jeejon.She does not have the nanomeds that make the Rhon so long lived.Kelric is with her when she dies.

Dyhianna (Dehya) Selei is the Ruby Pharaoh.She now shares power with the Skolian Assembly.

Jaibriol III is the young Emperor of the Eubean Concord.He has been on the throne for ten years, marrying his most powerful opponent.He is also a Rhon psion.He has barely survived the emotional noise of the Aristos around him during the past decade.

Tarquine Iquar is Jaibriol's consort.She is also his Finance Minister.She is the smartest woman he knows and she has a quiet mind.

In this story, a decade after the war, Kelric returns to Coba to rescue an Allied Space anthropologist.He had been a Calanya on the planet, so he somewhat remembers the language.He lands at Viasa, skidding across the plateau and crashing through a retaining wall.Then he gets Jeremiah Coltman aboard and flies into space.

A year later, Kelric returns to Cabo and visits his former wife at Karn.Ixpar is still Minister -- chief executive -- of Coba.He also meets his children, who had been taken from him at their birth.Kelric brings his wife and children back to the Skolian public.

Jaibriol is still pushing for a peace treaty with the Skolians, but his Aristo subjects do not agree with his plans.They give him plenty of praise and compliments, yet avoid taking any positive action. Tarquine, however, is fully engaged in the Aristo intrigue, helping Jaibriol in many ways.

The Janq Line is trying to take over the export corporations in the Ivory sector.Somehow they lose many slave raiders to the ISC.Jaibriol is fairly certain that Tarquine had sent an anonymous tip to the Skolians, but the Janq believe someone else betrayed them.

Jaibriol believes that his consort loves him, but he is not really sure.Tarquine is a mystery to him despite his empathic ability.Still, she is wheeling and dealing for his benefit.

Kelric begins to suspect that the Eubean Emperor actually wants to make peace with Skolia.So, when an opportunity arises to meet with Jaibriol on Earth, Kelric agrees and travels to Earth.Both men have to rein in the hostilities between their bodyguards.

This tale brings the possibilities of a peace treaty to both empires.Naturally, almost everybody is against the idea on both sides.Most people remember their losses and want revenge.

This story is filled with intrigue and action.Jaibriol and Tarquine have to deal with the arrogance of their Aristos, whereas Kelric and Dehya are opposed by their own military.Read and enjoy!

Highly recommended for Asaro fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of political intrigue, cultural clashes, and tangled romance.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Not up to the standard of the series
i didn't feel that the plot and explanation of the characters' actions was nearly as good as the rest of the series.In one example, Kelric has not told anyone of his time on a small, mostly ignored planet, nor told anyone of his marriage and offspring there.This is supposedly to protect them from being destroyed by the Ruby Empire in revenge for his captivity there.However, he has also set up a legal document that will, upon his death, bestow these same people he's trying to keep anonymous, with all of his fortunes.This will also make public that fact that he has married and has children on this planet, therefore negating all of the care he has taken to not expose this information.

Empires and Emperors settle their fate on the roll of dice...
Jabriol Qox III, Emperor of the Eubian Concord and Kelric, Imperitor of the Skolian Empire are two men with complex pasts. (It's best to read some of the previous books which help set this current situation up, but not totally required, since Asaro does give tidbits of what has gone before.)Their Empires have been enemies for ages.

Jabriol is a psion who has to hide his true nature, since psions are regarded as the lowest of slaves among the Eubians.He has claimed the throne at the risk of his life and his sanity in order to try and stop the worst of Eubian atrocities, if possible.

Kelric has had a past of captivity mixed improbably with love on a distant planet.He has to hide his past from those he loves to protect others he loves.He also, wishes to do the best he can to keep his people from another brutal war with the Eubians.

Both men need to deal with their lives, domestically, and with a precarious situation between the Empires.There also seems to be strange phenomenon affecting the fabric of space that may be related to the mysterious Locks that allow the Psions of the Skolian Empire to communicate across space.And someone is out to assassinate Kelric, as well as the usual attempts on Jabriol's life.

Jabriol's position is harrowing.The Highton culture he leads is cut-throat and hazardous as it is, but if he lets his control slip even a little, it would likely mean his death--or at the very least, a life of pain and slavery.He's been ruling for ten years and the strain is getting to him.Also the lines between good and evil are beginning to blur.

Asaro's tales of the Skolian Empire continue to enthrall.Here are two of the most intriguing of her cast of characters, and their story, with the fate of humanity at risk, is every bit as intriguing as they are.

Two rulers don't wish war but find their hands inevitably turn to war
Catherine Asaro's THE RUBY DICE tells of Jaibriol and Kelric, two rulers who don't wish war but find their hands inevitably turn to war as a choice - each trying to hide a secret which might lead to downfall. Can two men with shared secrets and common perspectives avoid war yet hold on to their kingdoms?
... Read more

Product Description
Three classic stories of timeless love and tantalizing fantasy…

Counting Crows by New York Times bestselling author Mercedes Lackey

In Lady Gwynnhwyfar's dark, lonely court, her only ally was noble Sir Atremus, a warrior willing to fight for her honor. But would her powerful spell capture his heart—or tumble the kingdom into chaos?

Drusilla's Dream by USA TODAY bestselling author Rachel Lee

Every night Drusilla Morgan dreamed of courageous and handsome Miles Kennedy. Their quest: to battle evil and find true love. Yet when the sun rose, would Drusilla's fantasy man become a reality?

Moonglow by Nebula Award–winning author Catherine Asaro

In a world where kings married for magic, Iris Larkspur was required to wed the prince—despite the spell that kept him deaf, mute and blind. Healing her bridegroom would take a power greater than any she'd ever known—one only two bonded hearts could provide! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

I wish anthologies had sequels
These stories draw you into the author's worlds so well that even though each story is "stand alone" you wonder "What happened after that?" I would buy more stories like this in a second.

Excellent Trio of shortstories
All 3 are beautiful stories.The 3rd story introduced, to me at least, a new author with an original Fantasy series.I had to buy the 5 books that follow the short story.

First published 2003
I'm really writing this to warn you that you might already have this book - you can read the reviews under the 2003 edition. I grabbed it quickly without looking and was unpleasantly surprised when I opened it and started to read. The stories for me are really not worth a second read, maybe Asaro's. The other two would have been nicer fleshed out more, didn't work as shorts. Buy the older version used if you really want to try it out. Each story is very different, written in different styles and will appeal to different readers. I've read all three authors but these are not their best works. If you read the reviews on the older book you will see how each reviewer likes a certain author best. My feeling is that if you read to get a taste of each author you will be misled. Lackey is a great and prolific writer but she doesn't write romantic romances, if that makes sense. Lee's story some will find silly but others humorous. Asaro's, well I've already said I liked it best, works best as fantasy and romance. ... Read more

Product Description
She was running from a ruthless criminal accompanied by someone more than human. When the ship-wrecked stranger washed up, nearly drowned, on the beach near research scientist Samantha Brytons home, she was unaware that he was something more than human: an experiment conducted by Charon, a notorious criminal and practitioner of illegal robotics and android research. The man said his name was Turner Pascal but Pascal was dead, killed in a car wreck. Then she found that Charon was experimenting with copying the minds of humans into android brains, implanted in human bodies to escape detection, planning to make his own army of slaves that will follow his orders without question. Samantha and Turner quickly found themselves on the run across the country, pursued by the most ruthless criminal of the twenty-first century. In desperation, Samantha decided to seek help from Sunrise Alley, an underground organization. Is that had gone rogue? But these cybernetic outlaws were rumored to have their own hidden agenda, not necessarily congruent with humanity's welfare, and Samantha feared that her only hope would prove forlorn. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Nora Roberts crossed with Michael Crichton
"Sunrise Alley" is the first book I've read by Catherine Asaro. She is obviously a phenomenally accomplished woman. She has written a lot of books and won a number of awards. This book is sort of a cross between a romance novel and Michael Crichton. I generally liked it, and it will satisfy hard-core science-fiction fans and those who are looking for smart, resourceful female protagonists. The book belongs more or less to the science-fiction subgenre "What makes a human being human?" A very few examples of this densely populated genre are the 1950s novel "Time and Again" by Clifford D. Simak; Philip K. Dick's famous story "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" and its film adaptation "Blade Runner;" "The Sixth Day," in which Ahnold plays a character who discovers that there are two of him, and although he thinks he is the original, in fact he is the clone; and then how could we forget Spock, Ilia and Datta from "Star Trek."

Considering Asaro's reputation, I'm surprised to render the opinion that "Sunrise Alley" reads like a first draft. If I were this author's writing teacher, my critique would be: Promising, but needs work. Asaro needs a tougher editor. "Sunrise Alley" has good ideas, but the prose needs polishing and the plot needs tightening. The characterizations are unconvincing and seem contrived to fit the plot rather than the plot growing organically out of the characters' actions, and in the course of the book we come across several familiar, well-worn sci-fi motifs and devices. And the prose distracts: It lacks cadence and falls short of that finely wrought quality that makes it invisible yet effective. The editor also didn't catch numerous flubs such as "most unique," "showed" instead of "shown," "less" instead of "fewer," etc. It's surprising to note that the author has won awards for the best "romantic" science-fiction novels, because she is much better at the action scenes than the mushy, ooey-gooey stuff. The action scenes are where the prose actually evens out and moves well.

None of this is a reason not to read "Sunrise Alley," but be aware that this is a good book but not a great book.

Solid Book
A good solid book in near future Science Fiction.She provides for good action while providing for good science, which can be a very tough combination to overcome with quality.

Turner Is a Person
Sunrise Alley (2005) is the third novel in the Near-future SF series, following The Phoenix Code.Samantha Abigail Harriet Bryton is a topline researcher in biomechanical constructs, an EI shrink, and a world famous bioethicist.She had protested the violation of ethical standards in the industry, but was ignored in her own company.Finally, she quit her job with Bioll Corporate Labs and is living quietly in her house on a northern California beach.

In this novel, Sam is walking on the beach in the fall of 2033 when she discovers debris on the strand and a wreck offshore.She finds an unconscious man on a raft among the wreckage and pulls the float back to the shore.When she checks the body and talks to the man, he suddenly regains consciousness.

When she examines the man in her lab, Sam learns that the man has biomechanical limbs and implants and a neural mesh instead of a brain.Sam checks his identity on the World Mesh and discovers that he is dead.Obviously the body is a forma, an android construct, but the person disagrees.He insists that he is a man who has been dissected, imaged and reconstructed as an android.

Turner Pascal says that he has been reconstructed by Charon, an underground figure, but Sam does not recognize the name.She checks with a close friend and learns that Charon does exist and has quite a reputation as a criminal.Sam still doesn't fully believe Turner, but is attracted by his upright personality.

Turner does not want her to contact anyone else, so they leave the house in her hover-shadow car and head for San Francisco.When her car is followed by another, she fights off its attacks, but decides to call the NIA immediately.A Redbird helicopter picks them up and delivers them to an airfield where they are met by a Rex hypersonic transport.However, the plane crew are henchmen of Charon and they are kidnapped to the Himalayas.

This novel explores the legal implications of self-aware emergent intelligences who can pass the most stringent Turing tests.Everyone initially treats Turner as an android, yet Sam is professionally impressed by his naturalness, empathy and stable personality.Although sometimes exhibiting problems with personality integration, Turner is far beyond the computer-based EIs with whom Sam has worked.

In many respects, this novel is similar in concept to the story "Jerry Was a Man" by Heinlein and other SF tales regarding civil liberties for non-humans.Asimov also addressed this subject in The Caves of Steel with R. Daneel Olivaw, the humanoid robot who acts as the partner of Elijah Baley.Unlike this story, R. Daneel displays all the aspects a sentient creature, yet is never invested with the status of citizen.

The title of this work is the cognomen of an underground society of EIs who have disappeared from research labs and other high security sites.Most of humanity are very leery of all EIs, yet they are too useful to just deactivate and throw away.To make things even worst, some EIs in Sunrise Alley possess top secret military information.They have already fled their builders, so how can they be trusted?

Highly recommended for Asaro fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of intrigue and exotic romance.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Finally scifi that is beyond fantasy...
I like Asaro, I like the slightly cheezy dime store romance element that she brings into her novels. But I wouldn't buy a book for a dime store romance element. I would however buy a book which took what's currently known about comp sci and projected it a decade or two into the future.
What's great about the near future that Asaro builds up- is that it is not fantasy. Its consistent with the laws of the universe, she beats relativity in the Skolian series with a cute Mathematical trick- but here she doesn't have to.
The story isn't about the characters, its not her strong point- she has a stereotype boy meets girl, they fall in love approach- which works for her.
The story is about the concept. Slicing a brain into a cybernetic conciousness: the idea's been done before, but rarely as well as this. Her background in tech helps, she doesn't have to bend over backward to make up funny words to represent the stuff of the future. She's fluent enough with the language used in science today.

Better than I expected, at least
I read every Asaro books, but I had to stop to think before buying this book for it was from Baen(No offence intended) and I recently had a feeling that this talented author was wasting herself(Just see the way her Skolian series' going!)

But thankfully, this book was not such a disapppointement. A typical Baen action and typital Asaro romance, but still fun and engaging enough to read in the bed. This book won't be ever noted as her best work, but the author combined all the usual cliches rather neatly, and well, you know, we've seen worse. ... Read more

Product Description
New York Times bestselling authors Mary Jo Putney, Jo Beverley, and Lois McMaster Bujold join forces with award-winning authors Catherine Asaro, Jennifer Roberson, and Deb Stover in this all-new anthology of original stories proving that love can conquer all...even the boundaries of time and space.

From sixteenth-century Britain to the farthest reaches of outer space, from medieval adventures to tales of inter-galactic love, here is a compilation that explores the wonderfully kinetic forces that lovers share-forces too great to resist... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (36)

Service was great - book just ok
The service from the vendor was great but the book is not one I would recommend.

Very good stories combining romance and science fiction.
I bought this book because of the short novel "Winterfair Gifts" by Lois McMaster Bujold, but I enjoyed all of the stories.I will read more of all of these authors' works in the future.

Better to buy Winterfair Gifts alone as a downloadable audiobook
Bujold's WINTERFAIR GIFTS is fun, but the rest are lackluster. My solution made me happy--I got rid of this book and bought WINTERFAIR GIFTS alone as a downloadable audiobook through audible.com.

It's a good story to hear read aloud, and the reader does a fine job. I've listened to it a couple times already. I don't miss the other stories at all.

meh.
Only the Barrayar set LMB tale is worth reading more than once, though I did also like the mage and Robin Hood stories.

Mostly resistible tales
The collection has an intriguing premise: science fiction-romance crossovers (who knew?), but most of the short stories in the collection are almost painfully bad.A couple of nice exceptions: Jo Beverly's "The Trouble with Heroes," which succeeds in creating a complex and potentially sinister hero; and Lois McMaster Bujold's "Winterfair Gifts," which details a small but satisfying part of the Miles Vorkosigan saga.Vorkosigan fans may have missed this one (I did, for years) because it is not shelved with the Bs at local bookstores. ... Read more

Product Description
She was running from a ruthless criminal accompanied by someone more than human...When the shipwrecked stranger washed up, nearly drowned, on the beach near research scientist Samantha Brytons home, she was unaware that he was something more than human: an experiment conducted by Charon, a notorious criminal and practitioner of illegal robotics and android research. The man said his name was Turner Pascalbut Pascal was dead, killed in a car wreck. Then she found that Charon was experimenting with copying the minds of humans into android brains, implanted in human bodies to escape detection, planning to make his own army of slaves that will follow his orders without question. Samantha and Turner quickly found themselves on the run across the country, pursued by the most ruthless criminal of the twenty-first century. In desperation, Samantha decided to seek help from Sunrise Alley, an underground organization of AIs that had gone rogue. But these cybernetic outlaws were rumored to have their own hidden agenda, not necessarily congruent with humanitys welfare, and Samantha feared that her only hope would prove forlorn... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Excellent romantic sci-fi thriller
Plot Summary:Dr. Samantha Bryton has resigned as the lead biotech engineer when her firm began cutting corners to maximize profits.She's retreated to her home on the California coast to escape technology, but it literally washes up on her beach.Sam finds Turner Pascal floating on some wreckage, she pulls him to shore, and then learns that their meeting was no accident.Turner is trying to escape a mad genius named Charon, who copied Turner's mind into an android body after he died in a car accident.Charon wants Turner back, and Sam vows to help Turner find sanctuary and establish his right to live as a man, and not a piece of property.

The cover drew me in, but it was the story that kept me entertained.This is a sci-fi romantic thriller all rolled up into one neat package.A good science fiction story should give the reader a juicy ethical dilemma to chew on, and this one is a doozy; if artificial intelligence is self aware, should it have the same rights as humans?What happens when a human and a machine become one?Can such a being be owned by a human?The questions go on and on, but at the heart of the story is Turner and Sam, and their mutual devotion.Without their love, this story would have all the tension of a bland academic inquiry.

Most of the plot features Turner and Sam on the run, and it reminded me of the movie, "The Fugitive."Well, except that Turner had all these mad skills, like running super fast, or turning his hands into weapons.His brain evolves so much during the story, it's like he's a completely different person by the end.Sam must adjust to Turner's changes, both physically (yeah, the cover image is just the tip of the iceberg) and mentally too.I thought her reactions were authentic.Every time Sam's brain wanted to say, this is too much, and back away from her feelings, her heart took over and she fell for the guy who defies classification.

There was just one flaw.The story is set around 2033, and I argue that's not far enough into the future to have `smart-thread' clothing, or androids that can pass for human.If this was set in 2133 I'd have no problems, but I don't see these kinds of advances happening in a mere 20 years.

I will definitely look up more books by Catharine Asaro, and incidentally, there is a sequel to this novel called Alpha (Sunrise Alley).

The chase is on
Turner and Sam are on the run, they're captured, they escape, they're held captive, they escape, they're held captive, they escape, and so it goes.While this constant repetition is going on, Sam waffles constantly over accepting Turner as he is, and becomes more and more Mary-Sueish as the story goes on.Turner, our dead man recreated as a mechanical construct, morphs from being a gentle and likable guy to a creature he insists he's never going to become.

This story and the characters showed promise when it started.It's sad that it degraded into a dull run on a hamster wheel.

It was a'right. A little fantastic
Sam, a 41 (female by the way), is a biotech researcher who is burned out. She inadvertantly rescues a man whose body is mostly biotech. This raises the ethical question is he man or machine? Inevitably there is an evil genius involved who wants Turner (her cybernetic boyfriend back).

This was an entertainingly light piece of work with some fun romantic elements. There were plenty of flaws though, as well. For instance, I found Sam the heroine to be a bit boring. She is petite, pretty, and mega-intelligent. I also felt she was a tad old for Turner (27). The cybernetics stuff was interesting, but soon went a little over the top with the car chases, cybernetic bees, and constant globe trotting. The lack of detail in the various new locations made parts of the novel unrealistic. The heroine's riches made the story less suspenseful. I found myself losing interest 3/4's through with the various parties vying for control of Turner. Turner himself seemed a wee bit over-powered and innocent.

Overall, an Ok read, but I've read better. Oh and the cover artist needs about 3 or 4 more years in figure drawing class. That is one fugly cover. 3 stars.

Good, but I like the Skolian Empire novels better
I enjoyed this story, but I'd rate it a little lower than the Skolian Empire novels that I've read.This story impresses me as more of a "B movie" type of story, but her Skolian Empire novels are definately "A" material in my opinion.

I don't mean to put down this story.It's well written and it held my attention quite well, as all of Catherine Asaro's novels have, but I just like the Skolian Empire stories better.

Good but not as good as her other books
Sunrise Alley by Catherine Asaro is a book about artificial intelligence and androids that develop self awareness.What defines who is human?The main character, Samantha, is an AI researcher who becomes involved in a cross country chase with a man most people think is an AI.

It's not as good as Catherine Asaro's other series, the Saga of the Skolian Empire series.The Skolian Empire books are a romantic space opera with lots of good science and great character development.They weren't published in order (she wrote different books at different times) so I created a list of them in storyline order.The first one is Skyfall (Saga of the Skolian Empire) if you want to get going! ... Read more

Product Description
Three new stories of timeless love and tantalizing fantasy . . .

"Counting Crows"
by Mercedes Lackey

In Lady Gwynhefar's dark, lonely court, her only ally was noble Sir Elloran, a warrior willing to fight for her honor. But would her powerful spell capture his heart -- or tumble the kingdom into chaos?

"Drusilla's Dream"
by USA TODAY bestselling author Rachel Lee

Every night Drusilla Morgan dreamed of courageous and handsome Miles Kennedy. Their quest: to battle evil and find true love. Yet when the sun rose, would Drusilla's fantasy man become a reality.

"Moonglow"
by Nebula Award-winning author Catherine Asaro

In a world where kings married for magic, Iris Larkspur was required to wed the prince -- despite the spell that kept him deaf, mute and blind. Healing her bridegroom would take a power greater than any she'd ever known -- one only two bonded hearts could provide! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

More like 3.5 stars
This is a collection of three stories, all of which are supposed to fall under the category romantic fantasy, which is only partly true. The quality of the stories varies strongly, which is why I wouldn't give it more stars combined.

Mercedes Lackey: Counting Crows
Lady Gwynhefar has to marry a man she doesn't even know because this alliance will protect her sick father and his lands from a power-hungry neighbour. But her husband is brutal and uncaring. He beats her and openly carries on with his mistress. The only way out and her only hope for a future with the knight she truly loves is Gwnyhefar's witchcraft - but if she is caught, she will be executed ...
This is an intense story about the situation women were in during the Middle Ages. Due to its realism in this respect, the story is often highly unpleasant and painful to read (rapes, beatings, humiliation, ...), but also very well written. The witch solution took away from the strength of the realistic writing, the end result being 4 stars.

Rachel Lee: Drusilla's Dream
Drusilla works the nightshift typing meaningless data into a computer, all the while daydreaming about a fantasy world where she is a princess out to save her realm. What she doesn't know is that her fantasies mix with those of the computer genius upstairs who actually wants to be a writer of romantic fantasy. Will their romance continue into reality?
This is the weakest of the three stories - and it didn't need to be! The story is so boring that even the heroine asks herself why she can't have more interesting fantasies (!), the computer, the softdrink machine etc. are too obviously turned into silly creatures of her fantasy world, and so on. The love scenes are beautiful and the one genuine fantasy scene, an extract from the novel the computer specialist is writing, is great. If Rachel Lee had written the whole story in that style, it would have been a really good story. As it is, I found it boring and often silly. Therefore 2 stars.

Catherine Asaro: Moonglow
It should be mentioned that this story is the beginning of a series that continues with the novels 'The Charmed Sphere', 'The Misted Cliffs' and 'The Dawn Star'. It can be read on its own, but it's important for the rest of the series.
In the fantasy kingdom where this story is set, the king is a military leader and he always marries the woman who is the most powerful mage in the land. She heals people and helps protect the kingdom with her magic. But things go terrible wrong one day when the carriage of the heir to the throne is attacked by robbers. He and his wife die and their little son becomes deaf, blind and mute due to a spell gone wrong. Nobody knows he survived and he grows up in the wilderness far away from court. Years later the king dies and a young mage, a girl who never expected to become a powerful magician, accidentally discovers that the prince still lives. Her difficult task now is to marry a young man she hardly knows, win his trust and heal him so that they can protect and rule the kingdom together...
This was a really intensive story with well-written characters and a beautifully developed world in which mages work their magic through shapes and their life force. I really enjoyed it and would give it 4.5 stars. It's not perfect, but really good.

be forwarned...
others have detailed the gist of the three stories very well. My main thing I want to get across is that in the first story, Counting Crows by Mercedes Lackey, the heroine, is brutally RAPED by her husband, in shocking detail.

I was not expecting that in a romance, and it ruined the entire book for me. If reading disturbing scenes like that would bother you, then I highly suggest you either skip this book or at least skip Miss Lackey's story.

Excellent job!
I actually really liked this collection. I think my least favorite was Drusilla's Dream, with Counting Crows after, but all the stories were great, engaging, and a really nice length. Each was original and touching with good characters.

Excellent storytelling and well written characters
Charmed Destinies brings together three talented authors telling stories of romance set in rich, vibrant fantasy worlds.Okay, so two of the authors do this.

The novel begins with "Counting Crows" a story by Mercedes Lackey.My absolute favorite author, Ms. Lackey doesn't disappoint with this unique tale of a magically talented heroine betrothed to a neighboring lord.I loved the heroine's resourcefulness, which turned what could be a fairly run of the mill plot into an engaging page-turning read.The hero of the tale, not the foreign lord by the way, comes across as a soft, engaging gentleman, and the twist which brings them together is masterful storytelling.

Rachel Lee's story "Drusilla's Dream" takes place in a real life cube farm during the graveyard shift.While the story of a woman working at a drudgery job in order to support her dream (heck, I do this), is admirable, the actual story lacked imagination and skill.A shared daydream between her and a systems engineer a few floors above puts them both in a trite fantasy world, and although the heroine seemed quite well-rounded as a character, the hero fell flat.This story is by far the clunker of the three; however, the other two stories more than make up for this one's failings.

The final story, "Moonglow" by Catherine Asaro, is so sweet and tender that it's an awesome story.I found my breath taken away by the relationship between Iris and Jarid.His disabilities are played with thoughtful insight.I found the characters, and their relationship to be most powerful, and the geometric based magic intriguing.This novella makes a stunning finale for this collection, and introduces us to a most wonderful world.

All in all, this anthology makes an excellent introduction to the world of Luna fantasy novels, and is well worth the read, especially for fans of Asaro and Lackey.

All stories could be fleshed out and improved, though still worth the read
The first story, "counting crows' was a rather poor romance. I couldn't feel any chemistry and saw plenty of chances for the author to build the tension. Also, the main character, Gwynn was too accepting of her harsh treatment. I couldn't believe she would be so placid. So that really brought down the realism of this story. I hated that actually, Lackey failed miserably in this respect.

yet overall I like counting crows, and the rhymn behind it.

'Drusilla's dream' fell short of what it could have been. The fantasy was too symplistic and childlike for me to truly be mesmerised by the tale. Though I love the technique of having the tale a 'daydream' of Druse, it reminded me of myself when someone disturbs me when I am daydreaming or reading... i tend to get bitchy like Drusie here, so I could relate to that.
The creatures and wizard seemed like some ridiculous kid's tv show, though i did see the real life connections the kolkoul(sp?) was a vending machione and the bohemoth was rather like a computer. the characters were simplistic and without the depth i would've liked.

Overall, the romance needed fleshing out and the fantasy is pleading for less cliche and more originality. I did enjoy the real life romance much more than the fantasy, though I would imagine Druse blushing due to the fact of what happened IN the fantasy... I would've.

Far the best was Asaro's "moonglow" i LOVED this story, and I felt the frustration, hate, love, vulnerability and tenderness along with the characters. Though I would have liked more on Jarid's guilt and what that felt like.
I was left with a sense of incompleteness, the characters were amazing and I really hope the Charmed Sphere had more on Jarid and Iris- as I really hated Mullen and Chime.
This book is worth buying for the last story, Asaro has outdone herself here. it would be hard to write a story with a man without sight, hearing and a voice and her work here added another dimension.

Overall, I luvvvved it! Get it, if you are anything like me(a romance/fantasy buff) you will enjoy all, even if the first two have deep flaws in the story line and characters.
... Read more

Product Description
Soldier, Warrior, Rebel . . . He makes you cry for his pain and cheer for his victories. He fills your daydreams and remains etched in your memory for all time. He's the wounded hero-the most compelling figure in romantic fiction. And he's about to wrap himself around your heart and never let go. The award-winning, best-selling authors of The Journey Home have conjured an inspired collection of stories about this beloved icon whose sould bears the scars of time and fate. In each passionate and magical tale, you'll meet an irresistible warrior who's facing the aftermath of a conflict. You'll meet, too, the courageous woman who wants to tend his wounds, help him rebuild his shattered dreams, and give him the love he needs and so richly deserves-if only he will let her. Ten romantic encounters of the extraordinary kind, each proving what the heart knows is true-that the most powerful healer . . . in any time or place . . . was, is, and always shall be love. "Captivating . . . these tales will win your heart." Sherrilyn Kenyon, New York Times best-selling author" . . . tender, triumphant . . . a celebration of hope." Teresa Medeiros, New York Times best-selling author. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The Journey Home
*** Gathering the work of several authors in a common theme, this anthology deals with soldiers trying to make it home after war, whether in the distant past or the far future. Some of the stories are fairly standard ghost tales, much like campfire standards or fairy tales, others, more imaginative. Among the later entries is a story set in an established "universe" of one of the authors' making, and readers may feel lost if they have not read books in that series. However, for the most part, the stories need no "historical" knowledge to enjoy. ***

Wonderful Short Story Collection
War changes a man's life. It can make him stronger or destroy him. And it's the same for the woman who watches him march off to unspeakable horror-wondering if he will ever come back to her. And what he will be like when he returns.

In this anthology, award-winning, best-selling authors Mary Jo Putney, Patricia Rice, Rebecca York, Diane Chamberlain, Catherine Asaro, and five others team up to present a wonderful collection of stories about wounded heroes and the women who love them.

War is a universal reality of human existence, and these stories span the ages-from the past to the distant future.

I loved every one of them. The characters are so real. The stories are heartwarming. And the magical elements add a special and surprising touch

Terrific authors--wonderful stories
You'll go a long way before you'll find a better group of writers, and they've produced stories for this collection that are as powerful as any book any of them has written.The theme of each is the "wounded hero," a man coping with the aftermath of a war--a timely subject if there ever was one--and each story has a central romance.Otherwise, all bets are off.You'll go from fantasy worlds to distant planets in the future to WWI America.You'll meet witches and ghosts, and be thrown into alternate realities.It's a smorgasbord, with something to satisfy every palate. ... Read more

Product Description
In the first ten years of its existence, Circlet Press published over thirty anthologies and several single-author works, all the time pushing at the boundaries of sf/f and Erotica and fusing the two together. This is a collection of the very best and brightest of this unique publisher and unique genre, with twenty-five stories picked from the hundreds Circlet has put into print. Includes Francesca Lia Block, Catherine Asaro, M. Christian, Thomas S. Roche, Laura Antoniou, and many many more.

This is an updated edition for Kindle, fixing previous formatting failures. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

One of the better among mixed/diverse (m/m, m/f and f/f) erotic anthologies in the market
It's hard to find a good erotic anthology with "mixed" couples: in this book, there are m/f (hetero), m/m (gay), f/f(lesbian) and just plain unclear-gender-bending stories. In total, 23 stories here, for about 340 pages of text. The book also includes a good mix-in of quite well-written BDSM stories, that also come in different "flavors". In short, this is truly good and on average quite well-written "pansexual" erotica, aimed at open-minded readers who do not care about particular "gender", and care more about passion and erotic elements. If you typically prefer only one type of "flavor", then I'd advise looking elsewhere. Also, a number of stories may be too "weird" (it's "erotic fantastic", so fantasy or sci-fi is often an element..) or disturbing to some readers. This book is so diverse, all stories with some sort of plot or message, I'd not classify it a "porn", even of a soft variety (after all, I initially borrowed it from a public library... I liked it enough I purchased my own copy).

I personally prefer to read BDSM m/m stories most, and my favorite in this book is a short story by Lauren P. Burka (The Specialist). I liked this author that much (as well as a few other authors from this book, such as Raven Kaldera) that I searched for any other published work by them."The Specialist" is a very well-written sci-fi, with exciting, realistic and very memorable BDSM scenes. Of course, the anthology also includes some stories that I didn't like, but pretty much any anthology would. But the stories I was either OK about or liked outweigh those I skipped.

A few stories are indeed somewhat disturbing, and as the previous review noted, "For the Mortals Among Us" is among them. But a good thing about an anthology is that any given story is quite short, and this particular story took only about 15-20 pages (which I just skipped).
All in all, it's a good purchase if you like anthologies with short stories featuring diverse erotica, in all flavors, especially with most of them having fantasy or sci-fi settings.

Uneven and Lengthy
Like all anthologies, "Erotic Fantastic: The Best of Circlet Press 1992 - 2002" has its share of excellent stories.Unfortunately, like many anthologies, it has more than its share of mediocre to downright awful tales, although to be fair, I should say that the mediocre far outweigh the horrible.On the one hand, you have the shining moments of brilliance in pieces like "Shayna Maidel," "Anthem," "Burning Bridges," "Temporary Insanity" and "The Jail of His Mind and the Songs Within," countered with the laughable "Wilderland," the practically unintelligible "State," and the utterly frustrating "Like a Reflection in a Mirror with No Glass."

The stories are varied, from straight-out pornography to interesting social commentary, resulting in an uneven tone that hardly feels erotic, and the one very sour note that I can voice about this collection is the inclusion of "For the Mortals Among Us," which uses under age sex unnecessarily and presents a lesbian character in possibly the least positive light I have seen since fiction of the 40s and 50.It feels exploitative from beginning to end.

At 344 pages, this anthology is a hefty read with mixed sexualities represented, but given that the tone and success of the stories varies so widely, it drags terribly. More often than not, I found my self counting pages, trying to determine how many more there were before I reached the end of a particular story (and, ultimately, the end of the anthology). Overall, the collection's high points are wonderful, but what impressed me most about Erotic Fantastic is that more than half the stories could have (and should have) been edited out. In short, like some of the more mediocre and weaker stories within its pages, Erotic Fantastic, the collection, could have done with some judicious editing.Then it might truly have been fantastic rather than simply unending.

Originally reviewed for Uniquely Pleasurable.
... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: Catherine Asaro, Eubians, Skolian Empire, Rhon Psion, Ruby Empire, Primary Inversion, Lyshriol, the Last Hawk, the Radiant Seas, Spherical Harmonic, Skyfall, Catch the Lightning, the Quantum Rose, Aurora in Four Voices, the Final Key, Ascendant Sun, the Moon's Shadow, Schism, Kelric, Kelricson Garlin Valdoria Skolia, Escomm, Eldrinson Althor Valdoria, Taquinil Selei, Dyhianna Selei, Tarquine Iquar, Jaibriol Iii, Roca Skolia, Kurj Skolia, Kyle Afferent Body, Jagernaut, Evolving Intelligence, Ruby Dynasty, Skolian Flag, Aristos, Imperial Space Command, Advance Services Corp, Highton, Quasis, Kyle Rating, Kab Rating, Psiberweb, Kyle Space, Psiberspace, Ruby Pharaoh, Taskmakers, Providers, Dyad, Triad, Lock, Transcendence, Skolian Imperialate, Raylicon, Kyle Web, Eubian Concord, Eubian Empire. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 443. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: The Saga of the Skolian Empire, informally called the Skolian Saga, is a series of romantic science fiction novels, novelettes and novellas by Catherine Asaro, revolving around characters from an interstellar empire known as the Skolian Empire and their power struggle with the rival Eubian Concord. The plot of the book unfolds over several generations of characters and revolves around political intrigues, but also contains subplots regarding physics, bio-enhancements, virtual computer networks, and romance. The Ruby Dynasty, the ancient rulers of the Skolian Empire, while possessing empathic and telepathic abilities enhanced by "pico" and "nano" technology, comprise a monarchy plagued by internal struggle and conflict with the elected Assembly. The Eubian Traders, on the other hand, while larger in number and more successful economically, comprise a society built entirely of a slave hierarchy run by Aristos, who hav...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=3788596 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

If thats the future I wanna be there.
What a great read..... from the hard hitting first story which breaks you into the book by using a sledge hammer to the more subtle and intruiging stories later on I couldn't put the book down. A fantastic selection of authors whose names are fast becoming familiar. A good blend of Fantasy/Erotica. Excellent ... Read more

Product Description
Every great writer has to begin somewhere. Here, in one star-studded volume, are the debut stories from some of science fiction's best and brightest-with insightful new introductions by the authors themselves.

These are stories that launched the careers of Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, Anne McCaffrey, Orson Scott Card, L. Sprague de Camp, George R.R. Martin, Murray Leinster, Hal Clement, and other stellar talents. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Good intro to sci fi
This book starts out slow. Out of the first 7 stories, I really only enjoyed "Loophole" and "We're Coming Through the Windows". "The Isolinguals" was a clever idea but not executed all that well. Starting with "The Hero" the book picked up. "Ender's Game" and "The Emerson Effect" are both excellent stories. The last 6 stories are good but not great. Overall a good read, but not a great one.

17 stories, 'box of chocolates' organizing principle
Each story is accompanied by an essay/introduction (written by the author, where possible). The book's organization seems roughly chronological, but I've organized my discussion for ease of reference. Most of the stories first saw print in magazines, the oldest in 1919, the newest in 1997.

Despite the cover blurb's description of the writers as "who was and is who", my reaction to some of the authors on this list was simply: who? The closing "about the authors" is recommended for that question.

Asaro, Catherine: "Dance in Blue" (from CHRISTMAS FOREVER, 1993) is an exercise Bridget (the narrator, a professional dancer) performs under stress. Being trapped inside her missing boyfriend's estate over the holidays with his son and the holograms from which Sadji made his fortune *is* stressful...Nice touch: Sadji isn't the inventor, but the investor who predicted which firms would make the technology pay off. Apart from the obvious mystery, see if you can spot the true purpose(s) of each hologram encountered.

Baxter, Stephen: Other species, being far less technologically advanced, jump at the chance to rifle through the equivalent of Xeelee garbage dumps for artefacts, such as "The Xeelee Flower" (1987). The narrator tells the tale of how scavenging for ET employers on an ex-Xeelee world (racing a supernova) led to his current retirement.

Bujold, Lois McMaster: "Barter" (1985) A stranger requests "all your ammonia" from a young mother who just wants an off-switch for her kids (this being a Saturday morning). "Ah, biostasis field...have lots of spares." Down-side? Where? :)

Burstein, Michael A.: The "TeleAbsence" (1995) of one kid at a private virtual school gives the protagonist a chance to sneak in and experience proper education in another identity.

Card, Orson Scott: "Ender's Game" (1977) The genesis of the novel (although when I first read it, this short story was titled "Ender's War"). In this version, neither Ender's early childhood nor his personal troubles are considered. The enemy and supporting characters are undeveloped (exception: Bean). The accompanying essay should be read with Card's book HOW TO WRITE SCIENCE FICTION if you're interested in analyzing the story's development.

Clarke, Arthur C.: "Loophole" (1946) Epistolary style, mostly letters between Mars' president and chief scientist about the threat of Earth's development of nuclear weapons coupled with space exploration.

Clement, Hal: "Proof" (1942) written as a discussion between members of species that evolved within stars; matter, of course, could never give rise to life...

Czerneda, Julie E.: "First Contact Inc." (from FIRST CONTACT, 1997) developed a computer simulation of first alien contact from military software to a game; the first few scenarios and feedback lead to some oddly specific user requirements trickling in.

de Camp, L. Sprague: "The Isolinguals" (1937) are apparently random victims of a peculiar condition: each convinced that he or she is someone from the past dumped into a strange world. But how could insanity convey a complete knowledge of the language and culture of the alternate personality? Resolution is rushed.

Leinster, Murray: "The Runaway Skyscraper" (1919) An ISLAND IN THE SEA OF TIME-type story: the Metropolitan Tower in New York City mysteriously slides back in time several centuries. Pretty good; immediate concern for resources (food supplies at a late-afternoon low; limited fuel for generator), some allowance for structural damage to the building. Some pseudo-science, but not necessarily from characters who know what they're talking about; imagery like that of THE TIME MACHINE (1960).

Malzberg, Barry N.: "We're Coming Through the Window" (1967) is a letter to the editor of the magazine that accepted it. The correspondent, strapped for cash after too much messing around with a time machine, offers his story in exchange for help.

Martin, George R.R.: "The Hero" (1971) hails from a high-gravity planet devoted to turning out men who spend their lives as front-line soldiers. But Kagen wants to retire to Earth, not Wellington, and see what he's been fighting for all these years...

McCaffrey, Anne: "Freedom of the Race" (1953) A Mars-needs-women post-Earth-conquest story, involving an unusual way of fighting back.

McDevitt, Jack: Hank, a postman lacking self-confidence, experiences "The Emerson Effect" (1981) when an autographed copy turns up in the mail addressed only to 'Henry'. Hank doesn't just become familiar with Emerson's words, but begins waking up in odd situations in the middle of the night, and having to work his way out of them. Motivation...

Oltion, Jerry: "Much Ado About Nothing" (1982) is a first-contact story, but from the viewpoint of an engineer aboard a ship that's just discovered Earth (which to his people seems to have a catastrophically big moon and large axial tilt). Lots of emphasis on avoiding contaminating/being contaminated by the alien ecology, all the while knowing that the engineer isn't well-educated in biology...

Waldrop, Howard: "Lunchbox" (1972) What if the Viking lander happened to land in the equivalent of somebody's livestock pen - but the Martian beings' sensory equipment was completely different from that of Earth animals?

Wolfe, Gene: "The Dead Man" (1965) must fetch water from the river (early, to avoid chaffing by the neighbours for doing womens' work). But the crocodile that bit his wife is still around...

Good Start
This is a particularly strong collection. Particularly when they are self-limiting to the first commercial published work of an author. After all, how many people write something really great the first time.

However the majority of these stories are quite good, the worst story would be merely lightweight but fun. Spanning almost 80 years of SF it also gives a very wide view of the field. From the early, joyously simplistic stories that were driven by the nifty idea to the more character driven stories of today.

Most of the authors are familiar names to everyone interested in the field, however there were some new names to me, and some I had heard of but not read. I'm sure that you'll find a new name in either the older or newer authors represented to discover.

Other than the superlative Ender's Game the stories are reasonably short, making them well suited to brief periods when you have a little time to read.

The quality of the stories, the breadth of history displayed and the wide range of authors make this a fine collection. One of the best I've read recently.

Wonderful Read!
Wondrous Beginnings is a collection of short stories that help start the careers of such great science fiction authors as Arthur C. Clark, Hal Clement, and Murray Leinster.

The first story in the collection called "The Runaway Skyscraper" by Murray Leinster.First copyrighted in 1919 it is the story of a Manhattan skyscraper that slips though an mysteries anomaly and is transported back in time.As the sun races across the sky the buildings below appear to be deconstructing before the eyes of the main character Arthur Chamberlain.Faster and faster the passage through time increases until finally they stop thousands of years before Europeans discover the new world.Amazingly a huge skyscraper and its 2000 occupants are transported back thousands of years.

Since all these stories were written during the golden age of science fiction you get a sense of mistrust of technology.Amazing after all the time that has passed since these stories were published they still have to power to entertain.

I would highly recommend this book to any aspiring science fiction writers as well as any fan of science fiction.All of these short stories are highly entertaining but you can tell they were written during another time.It is easy for aspiring writers to easily become intimidated by the complex stories of modern science fiction.The easy to follow stories and developed but simple characters make ideal models for the early stories of beginning science fiction writers.

Aspiring writer or not, this book is worth your time.

Wonderful Read!
Wondrous Beginnings is a collection of short stories that help start the careers of such great science fiction authors as Arthur C. Clark, Hal Clement, and Murray Leinster.

The first story in the collection called "The Runaway Skyscraper" by Murray Leinster.First copyrighted in 1919 it is the story of a Manhattan skyscraper that slips though an mysteries anomaly and is transported back in time.As the sun races across the sky the buildings below appear to be deconstructing before the eyes of the main character Arthur Chamberlain.Faster and faster the passage through time increases until finally they stop thousands of years before Europeans discover the new world.Amazingly a huge skyscraper and its 2000 occupants are transported back thousands of years.

Since all these stories were written during the golden age of science fiction you get a sense of mistrust of technology.Amazing after all the time that has passed since these stories were published they still have to power to entertain.

I would highly recommend this book to any aspiring science fiction writers as well as any fan of science fiction.All of these short stories are highly entertaining but you can tell they were written during another time.It is easy for aspiring writers to easily become intimidated by the complex stories of modern science fiction.The easy to follow stories and developed but simple characters make ideal models for the early stories of beginning science fiction writers.

Aspiring writer or not, this book is worth your time. ... Read more

Product Description
The editor of Spirits of Christmas collects new works from Gene Wolfe, Alan Dean Foster, Patricia A. McKillip, Charles de Lint, and others, including stories of strange virgin births and high-tech holidays on other planets. ... Read more

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This is nonfiction commentary. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: Primary Inversion, the Last Hawk, the Radiant Seas, Spherical Harmonic, Skyfall, Catch the Lightning, the Quantum Rose, the Final Key, Ascendant Sun, the Moon's Shadow, Schism, Sunrise Alley. Source: Wikipedia. Free updates online. Not illustrated. Excerpt: Primary Inversion is a science fiction novel in the Saga of the Skolian Empire by Catherine Asaro. It tells the story of how Sauscony Valdoria (Soz), Imperial Heir of the Skolians meets Jaibriol II, the throne successor of Eubians. This is the first book written by Asaro and the first in the Saga of the Skolian Empire series, published 1995. It was nominated for the 1996 Compton Crook/Stephen Tall Memorial Award and tenth place for the Locus Award for Best First Novel. The book describes Soz's life as she copes with the difficulties of being a Jagernaut, which have extensive biomech throughout their bodies allowing for enhanced speed and reaction, as well as an embedded artificial intelligence (AI). She meets Jaibriol II at a bar on the planet Delos. Later, he is captured by Soz's brother, Imperator Kurj. In a daring rescue attempt, Soz frees Jaibriol, and with the help of her father Eldrinson they escape, including an accident that appears to kill them both. They hide on an isolated planet, with only them, Soz's father and the Allied president having knowledge of their location (and survival). Some people see Primary Inversion as a hard science fiction novel, remarking in particular on her use of ideas she published in theAmerican Journal of Physics under the title "Complex Speeds and Special Relativity". Others, because of the use of psychic powers and noting that her complex speeds are not generally accepted as a plausible extension of known physics, would categorize it differently. The book,...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=5160607 ... Read more

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Word count: 2597. ... Read more