Product Description
For paramedic Dia Courvant, each day brings the possibility of facing blood and death. But nothing matched the horror of the day she was dispatched to the scene of a terrible car accident and rescued the sole survivor-only to find her own husband dead in the wreckage. Now, four years later, a series of deadly car crashes has brought handsome detective Brig Hafferty into Dia's life. She's drawn to Brig, but can she trust him enough to tell him of the terror that stalks her? For Dia has received a message warning her of danger and death-a message that seems to have been sent to her from beyond the grave. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Great buy, great service.
I was surprise to receive my book in 3 working days.Great seller, I will buy from them again.

Great plot, good romance, so-so ending
"I See You" was a pretty good romantic suspense. After reading and liking her last book ("Last Girl Dancing") I wanted to read more of her stuff.

Lisle has a definite knack for creating nice, twisty plots - that though based on a typical concept - are anything but typical. She adds her own twists to things to keep the book interesting. The book had a nicely thought out plot that kept you into the story, and she keeps you guessing on who the bad guy is, though I had a pretty good idea. Plot-wise, I think my one complaint would be that I thought Dia and Brig should have been a bit more suspicious and wary of the people closest to Dia. They looked that way, but a little too casually, in my opinion.

Romance-wise, the book was pretty good. I liked both Dia and Brig and they had a fairly nice romance. I won't say it was anything absolutely wonderful, but I liked them together and I think Lisle did a good job with them. I thought the ending of the book short-changed them, though. It was just way too abrupt. It was like...rescue the girl, kill the bad guy, I love you, the end. I wanted a little space between the conclusion of the plot and the end of the book.

Overall, good book. I enjoyed reading it.

Personal dislikes
There was nothing wrong with the story in general, and the author did a good job of making this a 'who done it' with so many characters involved.My own personal dislikes about this book are:
1.The first love scene was not romantic, but coarse, if you will.With the exception of a few words spoken between them prior to this, Brig and Dia were strangers.
2.I don't like it when the hero lives on a budget like most of us in the real world do.Fiction books aren't real life, they are escapism, so make the guy rich, okay?I wanted Brig to at least be able to pay for some of the things Dia needed, especially since she was in worse shape financially than Brig.
3.I was totally turned off by the scene where Brig and Dia were eating the take-out food while sitting on the bed- "She dug in as he settled beside her and opened his own identical tray.Neither of them talked; they sat shoulder to shoulder, silent except for the squeak of the plastic forks on Styrofoam..."I could have done without that image.
3.Although the author did a good job creating the 'evil character' I was a little sad over who it turned out to be, I guess because I didn't want to believe it could be he/she.

Go Holly!
As in all of Lisle's books her characters are superbly developed and real. As a former RN, she gives amazing depth of the world and life of EMTs and Paramedics (a love of mine because my hubby is an EMT). As a woman she crafts a hunk of burning manhood for a hero. Thanks Holly, for yet another wonderful leading man! And she spins a wonderful, edge of your seat thriller with a touch of the paranormal.

Now, I was shocked when the bad guy was unmasked so quickly. Not by the characters but by the writer herself. What's up with that?!?!?! I was thinking. But then, as the story progressed, the fact that you knew who it was made everything more interesting. I was trying to figure out the how and why right along with Dia and Brig.

Through the fear and terror of what was happening to Dia and Brig's urgency in finding who was causing the horrible car accidents a romance brewed. Not just a romance but a HOT romance. Holy cow! Talk about sizzle! I wanna be a Holly Lisle heroine when I grow up. *fans self* It was intense for the characters as well. And there is nothing more exciting than a romance that the characters fight against.

So once again I was up all night reading a Holly Lisle book. Thankfully her thrillers are paperback and average around 350 pages. I can do that in a night without too much trouble. It's the fantasy that stretches into two nights. *grin* Either way when my husband sees me with one her Lisle's books he knows not to expect me to bed anytime soon.

Though the first sex scene I read made me want to toss the book down and go jump my husband. *fans self*

Hurry - go buy I See You right now. Right now! I'm serious! It's a hot summer read for hot summer nights. Then buy all her other books and keep yourself enthralled all summer long! And then go check out Holly's blog - get yourself all wound up waiting for her next stellar book. Man, it's soooooooo worth it!

An OK story but lacking depth
"I See You" is the third modern-day chiller/romance that I've read by Holly Lisle. I have read all three books within a two week period and this serves to show some of the similarities in her writing - and plotting - style, and perhaps isn't the best way to read her work. I certainly recommend reading her fantasy book, Talyn, in preference to these - I consider it a much better work.

"I See You" follows the pattern of her previous two books "Last Girl Dancing" and "Midnight Rain" by mixing real life with a certain amount of psychic phenomena. This book has the least amount of this - in fact, the psychic side isn't a skill that one of the protagonists has very strongly, as in the other two books, but is something quite minor.

Dia Courvant was widowed four years ago when her husband, an EMT technician, was killed in a road accident. Since that time she has qualified as an EMT paramedic and her life revolves around her ambulance crew and her work. When attending a huge road pile-up she comes into contact with Brig Hafferty, a police detective who is a side character in Midnight Rain. He thinks that the spate of road accidents recently are suspicious and is afraid there is someone out there plotting these accidents.

As in Holly Lisle's other books, hero and heroine instantly fancy each other - there's none of the initial dislike, confusion or other difficulties usual in romance-type books and in some ways I think that's a disappointment. Hero and heroine get together pretty quickly in Holly Lisle's books and are instant soulmates. Not sure how realistic that is, although of course books are meant to be escapism and not exactly realism.

Fairly soon it becomes apparent that Dia is being stalked and that the stalker in some way ties in with Brig Hafferty's case - requiring them to work together and him to be her personal bodyguard. Very personal.

The book started off really well - I loved the detail of her job as an EMT and the way that she interacted with her fellow paramedics. I found the second half of the book tailed off in terms of interest and excitement though, and the fun paramedic detail pretty much went too. There were no real surprises in the winding up of the book and although satisfactory I felt it was overall rather a let-down. I recommend you read Talyn instead! ... Read more

Product Description
Embittered with her life and missing her late husband, nurse Dayne Kuttner appeals to God to give the Devil and his residents of Hell a second chance, and when her prayer is answered, all hell breaks loose. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Good idea, somewhat trite
My title about sums it up. Although you always have a few of an author's rabid fans show up with 5's, to maintain that this book is a work of great literature that deserves the highest rating is just ... wrong.

Holly Lisle has an interesting concept, and she pulls it off in solid, but not brilliant fashion. Once the main event comes off that sets up the story for the rest of the book, the events are pretty predictable. A LOT more could have been done with this plot idea.

It has amusing moments, but its not the laugh riot some of these other reviews claim. I'm under the impression that this book was a relatively early effort for the author. She definitely improves in this series as it moves along.

In fact, if I had the read to do over again, I would skip the first and second books of the series and go straight to book three, "Hell on High". It had a couple of problems, but is definitely the most engaging of the three books. Since the stories are only connected by the basic premise (minions of hell turned loose in NC by God), you don't really miss any important prerequisite information by doing so.

In "Sympathy for the Devil", I kept feeling like she was pulling scene ideas from some of her favorite soap operas and filling in her story. To flesh out her primary plot device, I felt that deeper and more powerful plot elements were called for to truly bring this story to life. For a story about minions of hell living legitimately on Earth, I felt there should be some surprises in store, and I found none here.

This effort wasn't bad enough to make me put the book down mid-read, but neither did it really draw me along with any fascination. I like a book to make me sad that I've hit the last page, in this case I was a bit relieved to get there.

Serious subject, but one of the funniest and best Holly!
Just pick up the book and read the first page.If you're not laughing out loud enough to embarrass yourself, then this is not the book for you.

Doubting and disgusted, heroine Dayne challenges God to let the demons in Hell have a chance.Just like physics, for every action Hell's got an equal and opposite reaction.In this case, Satan sets demons loose in North Carolina to claim as many souls as they can including Dayne's.

The story examines good and evil, heaven and hell, but with a light brush."Sympathy" is both amusing and thought-provoking.IMHO, the best of Holly Lisle's work so far.

Give hell a chance
Convinced her ex-husband is burning in hell, Dane asks God why he could allow such a thing and begs him to give the souls of the damned a second chance.God answers, and frees a number of souls into the world.They may do as they will, provided they do not harm anyone or coerce them into harming anyone.That, and they have to stay in North Carolina.

If you go to Holly's website, you'll find that she was under a lot of duress while writing this.The anger and angst she went through shows here and makes for a wonderful examination of religion in general.It starts off very bitter, but becomes something greater.In the end, she does not hate God, but it seems she comes to terms with him.

Sympathy for the Devil is funny, introspective, and even romantic.This is a hard book to find, but if you can get it I strongly recommend it.

The Start of a Hellishly Funny Series
I recently read the Hell books by Holly Lisle (or at least the first three).The books are concerned with the presence of the hellraised on Earth and the interplay between Heaven and Hell.

In SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL a young woman who is convinced that her ex is in hell offers up a prayer to give everyone in Hell a second chance.The request is so pure that it must be answered.Since everyone in Hell already has a chance for redemption, Heaven sends residents from hell to North Carolina.These hellraised equal one percent of the population of the state.The woman is made a target for temptation while the rest of the state has to get used to its new residents.

Overall a pretty good story and an interesting handling of Heven and Hell and they way they interact with the mortal world.

Raising Hell in North Carolina
Dayne Kuttner has made a challenge to God that the deity cannot refuse.To give the damned souls of Hell another chance to repent.The ineffable deity has responded to Dayne's challenge in an unexpected way releasing several thousand Hellspawn into the State of North Carolina.And while heaven may be offering them a chance to repent, Hell has other plans.They are to tempt more souls into hell, starting with the soul of Dayne.Holly Lisle delivers a book that is full of fun and hilarity, and some food for thought as well as she takes a look at the institutions of heaven and hell and the world of humanity in between.

As with most of Holly Lisle's writing, there's a good dollop of humor in this story, keeping it from becoming darkly serious and overdramatic.This allows the story to be thoughtful without becoming overly preachy.Our heroine Dayne is delightfully tough and intelligent, a strong adversary for the fallen angel Agonostis.And while most of the devils and demons remain more comical than outright darkly evil, and some even downright likable, the characterization feels appropriate to the tone of the story.

Despite the humor, there are moments of true poignancy and epiphany that keep this story from being merely fluff.It's the reason I keep re-reading this book even though it's beginning to fall apart on me and I'll need a new copy soon.While the look at religion is not necessarily the traditional one (Holly Lisle plays fast and loose with some of the conventions) there are still profound messages that Ms. Lisle conveys about the essence of faith, the nature of good and evil, how Heaven can exist if there is a hell, and what does it truly mean to be a human being.

One of my few complaints with this book is that while it offers a satisfying conclusion to the protagonist's story, it leaves an open ended teaser ending for the next story in this trilogy-and these books are a bit difficult to get a hold of.Readers who enjoy humor, fantasy and romance and don't mind a rather tongue in cheek look at the denizens of Heaven and Hell are encouraged to give this book a try.If you enjoy this one, the second book in the trilogy is THE DEVIL AND DAN COOLEY, and the third is HELL ON HIGH.And you may also want to check out GOOD OMENS by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.

Happy Reading!Shanshad ^_^ ... Read more

Product Description
When their children are kidnapped, Minerva and Darryl Kiakra, two ordinary people, have no choice but to pursue their captors into an alternative universe. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Pleasant fantasy
When Minerva and Darryl Kiakra start experiencing unconventional visions, such as a dragon stealing cereal form Minerva's grocery cart, the two apparently ordinary mortals are on a roller coaster of self-discovery.When their three children are kidnapped by the personification of chaos and destruction, it's time to shake off the blinders and realize that they have a higher destiny than writing ad copy and grocery shopping.A cheerful effort that doesn't strain the reader.Waht serious or thought-provoking content there is deals with the loss of youthful ambition and the truly dismaying process of being a responsible adult.Fun; light reading that won't change your life but will cheer up a long evening.

Never Mess With a Mommy!
Minerva and Darryl Kiakra seem like typical hardworking parents.They've had to cut corners on their dreams to afford a house and three kids.They've out grown their youthful daydreams and become cynical in their day-to-day lives.They certainly don't believe in other worlds, legendary creatures or magic rings.But whether they believe in them or not, these things are about to slam into their lives-big time.Suddenly, their kids are stolen away to another world, Minerva is stuck in an alternate dimension, Darryl is stuck with a beer drinking dragon and both the bad guys and the good guys are out to get them.Trouble? You bet!

This whimsical, engaging romp is one of my favorite tales by Holly Lisle.Both Minerva and Darryl are appealing characters that readers can identify with and root for.There is enough humor woven in to keep this story from taking itself too seriously, and to allow the characters to remain human and endearing. Ms. Lisle's strength is really in her characters.In all her stories she manages to create people to care about and want to know more about. Without that characterization and sense of humor, this tale would be fairly pedestrian and forgettable. The basic plot elements are familiar-mystical rings, dragons, worlds in jeopardy, a reluctant hero and heroine-but Ms. Lisle manages to keep her tone fresh and compelling despite the clichéd fantasy themes.The secondary characters of the three Kiakra children and Birkwelch, the off-color ditty-singing dragon, help to round out the cast and keep the adults from taking themselves too seriously.Birkwelch is perhaps my favorite creation in this story.He's lewd and sings off-key, but he's also the best ally that the Kiakras have in their fight to save their children and themselves.

For those readers who prefer darker fantasy, this might not be your cup of tea.It's a great book for a reader to cuddle up with for a light, entertaining fantasy read.This isn't epic drama, and isn't intended to be.My main complaint with the story, and the reason I can't give it five stars, is the ending.The conclusion wraps up a little too neatly and easily, with a little too much wish fulfillment going on for me to be comfortable.I'm as in favor of a happy ending as the next reader, but I would have preferred something slightly more serious.Still, for light reading its something I certainly recommend.If you enjoy this, you might want to try SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL by Holly Lisle.

Happy Reading! Shanshad ^_^

Woo-hoo
I absolutly love this book.I don't actually own it but I've borrowed it from the library 5 times and I really want to own it.I love the adventure, the style, the whole atmosphere of it.It's one of my favorite books.So, this isn't really a review but I just wanted to say how much I love this book.

Minerva is Wonderful
Minerva Wakes is one of Holly Lisle's best.Again the characters are memorable and well developed.Birkwlech the Dragon steals the show.I loved this book, and found myself rapidly cycling between the adventure andthe humor of Minerva's quest to rescue her children and the Universe in theprocess.Original fantasy at its best.

I enjoyed it.It's a create new concept to dimension travel
I enjoyed the book.I found the story interesting and fun to read. It's a story about an average couple who got stuck in a runt in life doing what was expected and never reached out for more for fear of failing.theynever lived up to protentials until their children were kidnap by monstersand they had to learn about the power they process through the magicwedding rings in order to save their children.I'm sure i don't explainvery adequately.but i think it's a good story =) ... Read more

Product Description
In Devil's Point Amusement Park, customers flock to the site of such unusual attractions as the Extinct Species Petting Zoo, the waterpark and its real mermaids, and Desire Point, which requires a special fee for admittance. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Best of the series
First, its a little disingenuous to subtitle this book "A Devil's Point Novel". Only one relatively brief sequence takes place at Devil's Point, and the fact that it happens there is barely important to the overall story. It could just as easily happened anywhere else.

In fact its kind of a shame that this Hell's Themepark is talked about extensively in the first two books of the series, and could well be far more interesting, if ever actually written into the stories, than anything else in the first two books.

This book, however, does engage you in the story much more solidly than the first two of the series ("Sympathy for the Devil" and "The Devil and Dan Cooley"). You can start straight away with this book and not bother with the first two. I never actually cared about ANY of the characters in the first two books, they were all flat and stereo-typed. The characters in this book had more meat to them. I think there was a different co-author for this book, and possibly he was head and shoulders better than the other co-authors.

The main story was intriguing and the main bad guy was dispicable. There were no real surprises in the entire book, but the story otherwise covered up for that. The one chance the authors had for a real surprise was, I thought, needlessly wasted.

Just one note of warning: As a grown up guy who likes grown up gals, there was a dipiction of a homo-sexual relationship in the book that was slightly off-putting. As Jerry Seinfeld would say, "Not that there's anything wrong with that", but its just not the direction I pursue for my own entertainment. I was a little disappointed that the authors didn't really have the courage to stake out their ground about that relationship ... it ended in the most ambivalent possible way. LOL

That aside, the main story about a renegade fallen angel and her goals was interesting enough for you to give this a try.

Let's Have More in This Series
I recently read the Hell books by Holly Lisle (or at least the first three).The books are concerned with the presence of the hellraised on Earth and the interplay between Heaven and Hell.

In the third book, HELL ON HIGH, the devil discovers that one of the Fallen has completely disappeared.A hellraised private eye is enlisted to track down the missing Fallen and discover how it was accomplished.Meanwhile the mere existence of the hellraised has bolstered physicists into new areas of research.Established Laws of Physics are regularly broken by the hellraised so humans should be able to do it as well.The main project is a stardrive that will enable man to reach the stars.

These books were very enjoyable.I particularly enjoyed the scenes in Heaven.This is the Christian Heaven, but all the other afterlife's exist as well and God spends time in all of them.But while this made for very enjoyable reading the author(s) seemed to have no concept of omnipresence.I do recommend these books to anyone who likes a bit of light fantasy that is tied together with well-thought out premises and ideas.

Hell on High - very entertaining!
I found this book to be very imaginative and entertaining. The book was extremely funny to read. After reading the book I had my husband read it. He enjoyed it as much as I did. I wish this author duo would come out with another book.The concept of Hell being released in Raleigh, North Carolina makes me thankful I live in Virginia. A must read!!!!

Goes beyond fantasy to touch on the realities of life
Being personally acquainted with Ted Nolan, the co-author of "Hell On High" prompted me to purchase this book.Expecting to read a rather bizarre fantasy purely for entertainment, I found a book intertwined with fantasy and irony.Taken as purely entertaining, the story stands alone as an interesting tale.However, one should look beyond pure entertainment.The religious and morale issues and lessons learned are passed to the reader in a sometimes humorous, occasionally serious and yet subtle manner.Upon completion of this book, the reader will undoubtedly have a greater sense of the strength of forces beyond our comprehension as mortal human beings.At the same time, a feeling of the ultimate goodness of the human spirit is both encouraging and enlightening.Holly and Ted have managed to create a blend of pure entertainment with a powerful message for those readers fortunate enough to find this book on their bookshelves. ... Read more

Product Description
Equipped with more inherent psi power than any mortal or elf, an abused little girl threatens to destroy Earth and the Faerie world, unless the elves can stop her. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A Serious Subject
It's embarrassing when a book has been sitting on a 'to be read' pile for so long the pages are yellowing.And I like Mercedes Lackey.Perhaps it was the idea of Elf racecar drivers that put me off.It seemed like stretching the elf prototype a bit.And maybe it's just a little too cutesy.

Yet 'When the Bough Breaks' is anything but a cute story.Racing is a backdrop for the story of an Elf (Mac Lynn) who is uncomfortable with his heritage and falling in love with a human (Lianne McCormick) for the second time.He should know better one would think, but there is something in the Elven mind that is drawn to drama.But even that isn't the real center of the story.

Amanda is a pre-adolescent girl who comes from an abusive family.Not a little abusive, but a lot abusive.So abusive that her personality has divided in order that some parts of her mind can never have to know the horrible truth.So abusive that her massive psychic talent has awakened and, if she cannot learn to master her anger, it may very well bring the Elven world down.The only think holding together is that one of her personalities isn't hers, but that of an ancient druid witch.

Mac and Lianne struggle to extract Amanda from her wealthy but hopeless environment, but are hampered on all sides.Not only is Amanda herself a threat, but several psychic hunters are determined to kidnap Mac or Amanda and enslave them for their powers.It will take a miracle for this to work out well, and, frankly, well just may not be an option.

As much as I applaud Lackey and Lisle for making a real statement about the horrors of child abuse, the plot is heavy handed in other places with less effect.There's are too many things going on and this weakens the plot line around Amanda.And Mac Lynn's antics provide a distracting and almost innapropriate contrast to the core issues.I would have liked to see this be a simpler, darker story with a less predictable conclusion.

GREAT
This is an extraordinary book all of those who have read Lackey's Valdemar series would love this book(I know I did).It's got everything!!!! Magic, Elves(and wow on those Elves)(tray cool!!) And enough excitement and dangerto keep you reading!!!!

A realistic depiction of MPD w/in a gripping urban fantasy.
I read all and own most of Lackey's novels, including collaborations.I particulary like her urban fantasies because they grapple fearlessly--and realistically--with real-life issues.In When the Bough Breaks, the authors portray multiple personality disorder very truly, yet merge it seamlessly with the other aspects of the story.Don't get me wrong!This is not some psychological narrative, but another excellent combination of fantasy and modern life from master storytellers.I highly recommend it!

Thought-provoking and informative
This is a brilliant book.It manages to deal with a very topical issue, without being too preachy.I particularly liked the ending where the villian gets his just desserts ~ if only such options were possible in real life!!

Horses turning into cool cars and magic in the air;must read
When the Bough Breaks has everything: elves, magically talented psi positive humans, fast cars, elvensteeds, and bad guys. It's my nominee for awards. ... Read more

Product Description
When a peace treaty leads to shipwreck and disaster, the survivors, including the leaders of two mighty nations, advisors, ambassadors, sailors, and scribes, are forced to overcome the limits of state in order to survive. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

excellent!A start of a very good series
Although not as good as the Mind of Magic or Secret texts series, this work is quite good, and makes a great read!As always, Ms. Lisle deliverscompelling characters that seem to just jump off the page at you and agreat action-packed storry line.If you ever read Tania Huff's bardicseries, I can tell you this book is much better.I am ordering the sequelto this one and can't wait till it gets here! ... Read more

Product Description
Faia Rissedotte, the most powerful mage on the world of Arhel, finds her undisciplined ways offsetting a system of magic that is hundreds of years old and is called upon by the gods to end all known Arhel life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Wonderful!
As the third book in the Arhel trilogy, I was left still wanting more--more adventures, more Faia!I had read the previous books, and this was on par with them:interesting plot-twists and magic system and engaging characters.

If you haven't yet, I suggest finding all books in the trilogy and sitting back to enjoy a wonderful read!

A very fast, exciting read.
"Mind of the Magic" starts out quickly with a small conflict, then another, and again another, leading us toward the central story. Then things slow, or seem to, but one of those early bits of conflict quietlyholds in place. It keeps reminding us that there's more happening under thesurface, that something bigger is lurking, waiting for Faia to becomecomplacent.

As in the previous "Arhel" books, Holly'sstyle is very clean. She never allows the story to lose focus. We learnwhat we need to about the characters and the world, but never to the pointwhere gaining this knowledge pulls us from the meat of the story.

Ibecame a zombie reading "Mind of the Magic." In fact, in 4 days Iread this and "Fire in the Mist," finishing them in two sittingseach.

For me, the real gem of this story is the conflict betweenthe Servants and Faia's party. Such horrid, repulsive men, hiding theirthieving and murdering behind a mask of Holy self-righteousness. This isfollowed closely byFaia's visions from within the emeshest, seeing thefutility of what she'd done.

Faia returns.Great!
Faia Rissedotte returns in this third in the series by Holly Lisle.Again disdaining all the established rules, fate delivers her into great trouble.Intelligence and ability help her out.Another winner and a great read. I didn't want to put it down.Only exhaustion and the need to support myfamily (work) made me.If you like fantasy with twists this ones for you.

An outstanding and wonderful book
This book is really great. I didn't want to put itdown once I picked it up! The contents are full of adventure and excitement. It even has some romance but it's not to sappy. That's something that you have to work tofind in the romance of books. Faia and the other outstanding cast ofcharacters will never let you forget about them once you have read thisbook! ... Read more

Product Description
Finally returning home after a series of misadventures, Kin Underbridge and Halleyne dar Dero discover that the forces that shipwrecked them have taken over, and the pair must rescue those they left behind. ... Read more

Product Description
Izzy has happy memories from when she was very young, and her father had been one of the greatest Bards in the land. But that had been before she had been given over to a foster mother to live a life of poverty, hard work and misery. As Izzy looks forward 19 days to her freedom, a new ruler seizes the throne of her country. Now Izzy and her friend Giraud, the only surviving heir of an out-of-favor lord, are running for their lives. . ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Pretty good
This was the first Holly Lisle book I ever read - I liked it a lot better than Fire in the Mist.

Readable, but not Holly's best
This book felt rushed to me.Things fell into place too quickly, and not enough time was spent on character development. Holly's style shines through in places, though, so it's not a total waste.

Not up to Bard's tale or Holly Lisle's normal standards
Isbetta is a misunderstood wench who, in classic fantasy mode, has to use her untrained bardic magic to fight evil and restore good. So far okay. Catch is that her character, not to mention the evil bad guys, are paper-thin and the plot is both silly and so convoluted as to be a pain. Worst of all, even the author gets seems to get bored, doing one of those "kill 'em all off/got married and lived happily ever after" endings. After sub-plot after sub-plot, some quite fun, we suddenly reach the climax. But instead of something worth of that word, we get a rather hurried thrown off three pages in which the author sings the bad guys to sleep and then burns the magic lute that helped win the day. I can only assume that Lisle, who has written some really good stuff, had an off few months. ... Read more

Product Description
Meeting an ambitious and upwardly mobile devil named Puck, radio disk jockey Dan agrees to help the devil become a gentleman if Puck will help boost his ratings, but Dan's subsequent promotion involves an unsuspected catch. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Decent, but missing something
Although this book had somewhat more in the nature of surprises in store for the reader than the first book of the series, it still seemed to be missing something to close the deal.

I'll have to say that at least I did feel somewhat more intrigued to get to the end of the story than I did in "Sympathy for the Devil".

I think what left me flat in this book is that the main 'active bad guy', who had been built up in conversations including Lucifer himself as being REALLY REALLY evil, just wasn't all that bad. The 'active bad guy' in the third book, with no build up at all, was actually much more evil.

Another complaint I had is that the characters in this book were very stereo-typical characers for almost the entire book. Just when they got some real meat to make them interesting, the book was over. Hint to authors: endeavor to make the characters interesting throughout the book, that's just being kind to the readers.

If you wind up reading this book, you won't curse the time you spent, but there are so many better books around that if you tried to read them all, this one wouldn't actually ever get to the top of your stack.

Beware the Devil in Sheep's Clothing
I recently read the Hell books by Holly Lisle (or at least the first three).The books are concerned with the presence of the hellraised on Earth and the interplay between Heaven and Hell.

In THE DEVIL AND DAN COOLEY, North Carolina is still home to the hellraised.Radio DJ Dan Cooley begins a program to help the hellraised redeem themselves.Meanwhile the Devil has assigned a new head to the Earthside operations.As the hellraised get closer to arranging to run a theme park Hell's hidden agenda works its way into the North Carolina residents.

Another fine entry in the series with some very unforseen plot-twists at the end where we find out what has really been going on.

I thought it was wonderful :)
A must read!!!!

Fun, clever, and entertaining
Although not as good as "Sympathy for the Devil,"Lisle's first book in this series, this second rendering of the presence of thousands of Hell's Damned Souls in North Carolina is still great fun (lover's of small dogs beware, though).The authors have already found a lot to poke fun at in these books, and, with the number of possibilities for other targets for their sharp wits, this promises to be a long and enjoyable series.

Great fantay book like the Myth (Robert Aspin) series
The Devil books are very entertaining.They are light, east to read and very humorus.Prudish people may be slightly offended, but it is really all in good fun.If you like the Myth series by Robert Aspin then you will like these and vice versa ... Read more

Product Description
Struggling for freedom, New Empire officer Bren Morkaarin and rancher's daughter Kara Grenlaarin find their destinies intertwined as they battle side by side through the Imperial Sea toward the capital of the wizard kings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Fluff, but *good* fluff.4.5 stars.
____________________________________________
It's a pretty standard setup - the Tykissian Empire (a Romanalog) is
invadingTarin Tseld (Aegypt). The XIXth Imperial Foot is
understrength, so a press gang rounds up some recruits in a tavern -- a
young horse-trader, a cat-woman, a lawyer. The Tykissian Grand
Admiral is scheming with Darkist(!), Yentror of Tarin Tseld & a Mighty
sorcerer -- well, you get the picture.

Holly & Steve don't let us down. The women are strong, the men are
good-looking, the dialog is snappy...

We're in the Hall of Forgotten Gods:

Amourgin stared at the god the spirit had found... The idol was formed
of some dull grey metal; the subject was a priapic, round-cheeked statue
with a leering grin and vacant eyes ...

"He's Heinous."

"Yes, he is - but what does that have to do with me?"

"He's the *god* Heinous, you idiot..."

"Right, I'll wake him." He sighed. "*How do I wake him?"

"You worship him..."

"Just what sort of worship does old Heinous prefer?"

"Candles, hymns, dancing girl, sacrifices... the usual sort of thing."

"No doubt. And here I am, not a candle or a dancing girl to my name --"

"SING...TO...HIM"

"O Heinous, O Heinous," sang Amourgin, improvising fast,
"How heinous is your name... "

The battle-gore gets pretty graphic, but the heros are smart & sassy, the
villains are, well, villainous, and the action is non-stop. If you've read
solo books by Stirling & Lisle, you'll be able to pick up pretty well (I
think) on who wrote what - which I thought was fun.Recommended
for a few hours of light entertainment. Don't be put off by the generic
Baen cover & jacket copy (as I was - this one sat on my to-read shelf for a
*long* time).

review copyright 1998 by Peter D. Tillman

[note: this is a repost of an old review, which I posted under
a long-defunct account. Ignore the older one...]

Well-done sword-and-sorcery. Fluff, but *good* fluff.
It's a pretty standard setup - the Tykissian Empire (a Romanalog) is invadingTarin Tseld (Aegypt). The XIXth Imperial Foot is understrength, so a press gang rounds up some recruits in a tavern --The battle-gore getspretty graphic, but the heros are smart & sassy, the villains are,well, villainous, and the action is non-stop. Full review at

An engaging read with action, originality, and humor.
This book is a good, engaging read, without the sometimes- overwhelming depth of Stirling's "5th Millenium" books. In a well-fleshed out, approximately Renaissance-level setting, a well-to-do rancher's daughter, adisgruntled army officer, a lawyer who's more than he seems, and an exoticcatwoman are thrown together on a quest for a power object which can defeatan evil tyrant.They're helped along the way by a hilarious near-forgottenfertility god, and hindered by a villainous comrade who has dire plans ofhis own for the rancher girl and her family. This book has a plausible,imaginative setting and strong, believable female characters on both sidesof the struggle. This isn't a wildly original, groundbreaking work, butit's a well-constructed, satisfying read.

Not to compare with Stirling's best, but fun!
This was a very amusing little novel.It certainly doesn't compare withS.M. Stirling's best work (I haven't read enough Holly Lisle to say how itmeasures up to hers) but it makes for pleasant light reading.The culturesare reasonably well worked out, the magic is believeable (in context), theprimary characters are likeable (the villains come off just slightly flat,but this novel doesn't pretend to such weightiness that all sides must beequally fleshed out), and the writing is excellent.The most refreshingaspect is the fact that this fantasy world is not the usual quasi-Medievalsetting.Instead, the protagonists are representatives of a culture whichseems to be, roughly, Renaissance-equivalent, in both social structure(seems to be some antipathy between traditional landed elites and risingurban ones) and technology (mid-to-late sixteenth century firearms, with afew changes).As an added plus, the authors have even included some ratherpleasant humour (the bit about the ensorcelled flask "ever-full offresh spring water, with little bubbles and a hint of lemon in it" isa near-classic.)

great book
I think this book is very good.It is probably one of the best books I've ever read(and I've read lots of books). ... Read more

Product Description
"In the Rift Glenraven II". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

A Book that gets you hooked
I recently have discovered the world of Holly Lisle. I have never read any of her books before, but within the first couple of pages, I was hooked.

There was so much detail that was sensory so that it appealed to all of the readers senses.

The characterization was so well planned and thought through I felt that I could picture any of the given characters at any moment during the book.

Glenraven II
This book was fairly good.The action was appealing and the characters were pretty well-developed.But I have to say that if you hadn't read "Glenraven" first you would have been lost.This book deals with two seperate worlds: the one we're used to, and Glenraven.Glenraven is a little province in Italy that hasn't advanced along with the rest of the world- in fact, Glenraven appears to have hidden in a fold of time.Somehow creatures from Glenraven escape into the real world.They wreak havoc upon the already upside down world of Kate Beacham, an alleged witch.And everything turns into a whirlwind from there.The plot is pretty well-laid, and there are some intriguing tensions between characters that enhance the quality of the book.You want to keep reading to find out what happens next.

The only majorly disappointing thing I found in this book was the fact that MZB didn't really bring in characters from "Glenraven."She had developed some really strong personalities in JayJay and Matthiall.MZB only mentioned those two about two times, maybe three, in "In the Rift."

If you read "In the Rift" before "Glenraven" you should take the time to read "Glenraven."It'll clear up a lot of misconceptions you might have.

Sorry if I was confusing to you."In the Rift" is a very good book.I just think maybe MZB should have tied in the characters more.

A Fun, Quick Read
I enjoyed this book and breezed through it rather quickly.If you are looking for something in depth, try somewhere else.But if you're looking for something fun and light-hearted pick up this book.The main character, Kate Beacham, is a Wiccan who is being harassed and threatened by close-minded people in her small town.She was assaulted in the alley behind her work by three masked men, and when she came home she found her horse dead in the drive with a note through his head saying that she would be next.When she loaded her shotgun and went to bed, she found a Fodor's guide book to a place called Glenraven on her nightstand that she was positive she had not seen before. When she opened the book to take a look at it, words magically appeared in it telling her to get out of the house fast.Being a practitioner of magick, she obeyed the book and went outside just in time to see a large hole open in the air and group of people on horseback gallop out being pursued by a monster.After killing the thing with her shotgun, Kate finds these strangers in her yard and in her house without a way home. The book tells her that she has to help them, otherwise both their worlds are in jeopardy.She has to learn to trust and be trusted by these strangers from another world in order to save them all.

decent but not spectacular
This isn't up to MZB's usual level of writing, but it's decent for a quick read (it was an airplane flight read for me).It suffers from being a bit preachy at times, from the 'good guys' being overly trusting and unable tolook about critically, and from being somewhat unoriginal (too many'alternate earth' books out there these days).On the positive side, thestory moves along smoothly and the imagery and types of magicused/described are fairly original.-omar

Interesting and unusual
This book is one of the best I have read. The plot is gripping. It keeps one at suspense till the end where one finds out who's the traitor. The story characters are unusual and the first I have come across. Read thebook, you probably won't regret it. ... Read more

Product Description
After investigating more than 100 cases of alien abduction and conducting thousands of hours of interviews and treatment, Dr Mack is convinced that these men and women are not making up their stories. This book presents the author's accounts of alien encounters revealed by his patients, as well as illuminating the vast implications of their experiences on the understanding of human psychology and on our identity as a species on Earth. ... Read more

Product Description
Learning of an imminent collision between the human and mythical worlds, bookseller Jim Franklin seeks assistance from a book of genuine spells, a group of larcenous elves, and a two-centuries-old virgin. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

amusing tale of fantasy
this is a good book to read if you are in the mood for a lighter tounge in cheek fantasy.it keeps moving, and i didn't guess the ending, has plot to keep you going.worth a volume two! ... Read more

Product Description
When a down-and-out tramp witnesses the disinternment of the body of a young boy who died of brain damage, no-one takes much notice - who would believe the rantings of a homeless drunk? But when he too dies in suspicious circumstances, the local priest begins to make enquiries. ... Read more

Product Description
Seeking haven in the reputedly peaceful Glenraven, Sophie, who has lost a child, and JayJay, who has struck out three times in marriage, learn of the town's magical qualities and become its citizen's long-sought and unlikely heroes. Original." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

The Magical Guide
Glenraven (1996) is the first Fantasy novel in the Glenraven series.Jayjay is having trouble with her third marriage and Sophie is still grieving for her lost child.When Jayjay finds a Fodor guide to Glenraven, she decides to run away from her troubles and easily convinces Sophie to accompany her.

In this novel, Jay and Sophie ride their tour bikes up to a dilapidated building that looks abandoned.They are supposed to meet their tour guide here and they gingerly walk in to find him.Although not immediately apparent, the guide soon appears, changes their money, and stores their bikes in his car.They drive off through the Italian Peimonte.

Transferring to the bikes when they reach the intersection of the main highway and an ancient Roman road, Jayjay, Sophie and their guide ride through delightful mountain country.Their guide, however, does not provide a running description of the points of interest or the native plants and animals on the way.Jayjay and Sophie begin to suspect him of nefarious intentions.

After climbing an endless series of switchbacks, they reach the mouth of a tunnel through the mountain.The tunnel seems to go on forever, but they eventually reach a set of intersections and turn back and forth until reaching daylight.The guide convinces them to change into less conspicuous clothes and goes ahead to make further arrangements.Jayjay and Sophie never see him again.

This novel involves Jayjay and Sophie in a number of strange incidents.Gradually they come to realize that Glenraven has absolutely no modern conveniences.The life of the peasants is nasty, brutal and short.The nobles have indoor plumbing and central heating, but nothing more than the Romans had.

Although initially dealing with the Machnan -- ordinary looking people -- they quickly encounter the Alfkindir and the Aregen, who obviously differ from humankind.The Alfkindir also have made servants -- the kin-hera -- of various kinds.Ruling over all these peoples is Aidris Akadan, the Watchmistress;she is Kin, but preys on her own people to stay alive.

They also soon realize that magic is not a myth in Glenraven.All three of the peoples have magic of some kind, but the Machnan have been losing their magic for years.Only Yemus, First Wizard of Zearn, has any magic left.All else has been instilled into the magical guide to Glenraven.

This novel is about magic, love and fear.Too much magic is controlled by Aidris, but Glenraven has a bit more to fight the Watchmistress.Jayjay has a need to love, but is afraid to try once more.Aidris fears death, but Sophie is beginning to crave death and deny her loves.Jayjay and Sophie are the chosen heroes of Glenraven, but can only defeat Aidris by losing their fears and accepting their loves.

These authors are past mistresses of adventure and romance writing and this work is a splendid example of their skills.It might not be their best work, but it certainly maintains the reader's interest and suspense.It is well worth the time and expense.

Highly recommended for Bradley and Lisle fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of adventure, love and magic.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Extremely disappointing.
Goes into detail on the torture death of children while their mother watches, when no detail was needed. Gruesome, disgusting, not at all like other books by Bradley. Get this only if you enjoy creep-out violence for its own sake.

The People of Glenraven Desperately Needed Some Heroes...
...What they got were Sophie, a woman who stopped living when her daughter died, and Jayjay, a woman who just left her third husband.The Machnan had poured all of their magic into creating an artifact that would call to someone who would be able to free them from Aidris Akalan, the evil Watchmistress who ate the magic of other people to stay eternally youthful and immortal.The artifact took the unlikely guise of a guidebook in a bookstore.When Jayjay picked it up, she thought it would be the perfect place to get away/hide until she could face the fact that she would be getting divorced for the third time by the time she was thirty-five years old.Sophie unexpectedly found herself wanting to go along too.But when they arrive at Glenraven, nothing is at it seems.Can they trust their tour guide or is he setting a trap so he can rob them?In trying to evade their "pursuers" they walk right into their enemies and stumble across a hidden revolution among the Alfkindir, the long-lived race that Aidris Akalan comes from.Matthiall is the leader of the revolution, but he is betrayed by one of the warrags, a wolf/dog hybrid that is unlike anything Jayjay and Sophie have seen before.As they flee Aidris' palace with Matthiall, they run into the other monsters, including the Watchers, the demons that Aidris Akalan has called forth out of the Rift to keep her immortal.When the ancient race of the Aregen get involved, things become even more complicated...

This is not really deep fantasy, but it is a very good light fantasy.The characters are well-drawn and the reader can empathize with them as they struggle to accomplish something that they didn't even know that they were supposed to accomplish.None of the creatures/people in the book are what they seem and this makes for some interesting plot twists as unexpected events are always happening.The idea of a Glenraven was quite fun as it is portrayed as another small European country that has gone overlooked for hundreds of years.Everything is still in a medieval setting and they are very insulated.This is just a fun, quick read that has a nice, happy ending.A great break from some of the heavier fantasy that is out there right now.

pretty (...)good
i love marion zimmer bradly and really enjoy her writing style and glenraven was no exception. while this book may not be for hard core fantasy fanatics this is really a very entertainable book with witty, charming characters that often had me laughing and thinking "that's just what i'd say."

jayjay is a woman watching her third marriage fall apart when she finds a fodor's guide to glenraven, supposedly a small country in europe, and decides that's just the place for her much needed get away. her friend sophie who is still reeling from her daughter's death asks to come along. but glenraven is no small, obscure country in europe, it's another world that's dying because its thousand year old watchmistress is sucking the land dry. these unlikely heroes are like your best friend from high school and you find yourself smiling often throughout this work.

it's not a fantasy epic but instead a light hearted read that's just pretty damn good and begs to be read. there is a sequel which i am currently on which follows the same pattern of witty characters. i would definetly advise anyone to give this book a try for something alittle light and fun.

I Don't Think We're in Italy Anymore...
When JayJay Benning picked up a book in a bookstore, she thought the book was a travel guide to a small principality in Italy called Glenraven.Glenraven had supposedly been sealed off from the world and was for the first time opening it's borders to a few select individuals. Since she needed some time away from her husband, JayJay thought that Glenraven sounded perfect. After getting her friend Sophie to agree to come with her, they started on their trip. When the book starts rewriting itself before their eyes, seemingly talking to them, they realize that they're not where they thought they were. The people of Glenraven needed was a couple of heros to save them from a thousand year old ruler that feeds on the souls of Glenraveners to keep herself alive. JayJay and Sophie are not quiet what they had in mind. The pain of the Glenraveners can clearly be felt, and Sophie and JayJay's misery with their husbands is palpable. This book was touching, interesting, and well written. ... Read more