Customer Reviews (5)

A Clever and Humorous Light Fantasy
Tobas of Telven is the inept wizard with an unsual family who was first introduced in WITH A SINGLE SPELL. Here the Wizard's Guild has become concerned with his latest faux pas which was the miscasting of Lugwiler's Haunting Phantasm onto a hand mirror which is now producing the troublesome little pests called Spriggans. The mirror had since fallen into the possession of the Spriggans who have absconded with it to parts unknown.

Spriggans are tiny creatures under a foot tall who emerge periodically from the mirror itself and who in search of fun cause a great deal of mischief for the humans of the three Ethshars. The Wizard's Guild has charged Tobas with the task of recovering the mirror promising him a magical tapestry that will hopefully alleviate the tension caused by having two wives. Having tried all manner of sorcery to no avail he has decided to recruit the merchant Gresh, a man well known for his ability to successfully procure the most unusual supplies required by various practitioners of magic.

After much consideration Gresh agrees to take on the task on the condition that his reward be fitting of the task required - a spell of eternal youth. One the fee is agreed upon Gresh uses his common sense to get a general direction before embarking on their quest. With all their knowledge of spells and potions no one had ever considered actually questioning a Spriggan before! And it is thus that Gresh embarks on a his journey aboard a magic carpet, with Tobas, his wives Karanissa and Alorria and their child to solve the mystery of the Spriggans. And a mystery it is, for the solution is not something so simple as finding and destroying the mirror as the Guild had requested.

THE SPRIGGAN MIRROR is a light, humorous fantasy with a touch of romance which keeps the reader engrossed as the plot unwinds in unexpected ways. Gresh is faced with numerous challenges from the allure of his first taste of magical power to that of a woman who belongs to another man. In the end Gresh proves himself to be logical, ethical and humane. The ending which suggests that his success may have earned him an additional benefit is both satisfying and leaves the door open for additional tales. An enjoyable read.

Reviewed for PNR Reviews

Somthing Lacking -- not bad just . . . not good either
This novel tells of a storekeeper who sells magical reagents -- mundane items used by wizards -- who is hired to find a magical mirror that is causing immense problems by spitting out indistructable creatures.The characters are cute, and the plot straight forward.Altogether, though, I was simply borred.Watt-Evans is an experienced author, but his latest few novels seem to lack passion.

Ethshar
Lawrence Watt-Evans's latest offering in his popular Ethshar series does not disappoint.Like the Spell of the Black Dagger, this one features the return of the wizard Tobas of Telven and his unusual family in a strong supporting role.At last we learn just what went wrong with Lugwiler's Haunting Phantasm and what Spriggans are.

Fans of the series will love it.Those who aren't yet fans of the series should start out with The Misenchanted Sword and With A Single Spell and work their way through this thoroughly enjoyable and unique fantasy series.

Fun with Spriggans
This book was a delightful continuation of life in the Hegemony of the Three Ethshars.It was a good read and very fun and enjoyable.

Another great entry in the Ethshar series
As an unabashed Lawrence Watt-Evans fan, I'd been looking forward to the release of The Spriggan Mirror for quite some time. I'm happy to report that it definitely lived up to my high expectations. Like many of the author's main characters, Gresh has no intrinsic magic or other supernatural powers. He depends on intelligence, humanity, and a willingness to think problems through for any successes he achieves - a remarkable novelty in a genre where far too many protagonists rely on epic magic, ridiculous swordplay and apparent invincibility to win the day.

It may not be the best place to start for newcomers to the series, however, as characters and events from "With A Single Spell" and "The Spell of the Black Dagger" are central to the plot. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Another great Lawrence Watt-Evans book
Slant is a cyborg, a weapon created by Old Earth to find Old Earth's enemies and kill them. However, Old Earth lost the war, and there is no one left alive to release Slant from his computer enforced mission. And when he arrives at an enemy world that has been bombed back into the Dark Ages during the war, his computer is surprised to find out that on this world magic actually works. But, Slant is tired of fighting an already lost war, and wants to quit - but if he does, his computer controller will terminate him but good. What can Slant to do win his freedom on this crazy world? It's magic versus high-tech, and may the best man...or machine, win!

For many years now, I have been a great fan of Lawrence Watt-Evans' wonderful series - Ethshar, Lords of Dus and Worlds of Shadow. Having finished all of those books currently available, I have moved on to his War Surplus series. This book is another great read; one that shows off the author's writing ability. I loved the way that the author combined magic and high-tech to make an exciting and thoroughly believable story.

This is another great Lawrence Watt-Evans book, and I look forward to reading the other book in the series (OK, it's a series of two). Lawrence Watt-Evans is a great author, and this book is another shining example of his abilities. I highly recommend this book!

Hardcover please!
All of Lawrence Watt-Evans books are wonderful.Please print these in hardcover though!!! I hope somebody is listening out there.

...that old thermite bomb in the head ploy...
Lawrence Watt-Evans tells the kind of stories I love to read. On the surface, he seems to indulge in crafting passages wherein nothing much of consequence is happening, but don't be deceived. These quiet moments have a way of adding heft to the book and ultimately enriching the reading experience. This author writes well-rounded tales that end up being hugely satisfying, mostly because of his predilection for grounding his fantasies in some semblance of reality and common sense. He sets up firm rules with regards to his brand of sorcery and super science, by which he then rigorously stands. The result is airtight world-building which lends more credibility to his stories. THE CYBORG AND THE SORCERERS, althoughone of Watt-Evans's earlier efforts, is yet another solid novel crafted in that mold.

For Slant, an IRU (Independent Reconnaisance Unit) cyborg, the all-out war between his Old Earth and the outpost planets ended fourteen subjective years ago (which translates to 300 years of actual time). His side having lost, Slant had been aimlessly navigating the spaceways in his computer-helmed spaceship. The computer, which has the capability to take Slant over and control his actions, now finds itself without a purpose and seems to be looking for an excuse to end itself. Suddenly, the computer senses a "concentration of anomalies representing enemy weapons research" emanating from an unremarkable-appearing planet Slant would later discover is called Dast, and Slant is sent to investigate post-haste. With the ever-present threat of the thermite bomb imbedded in his skull, Slant has no choice but to comply. But what he unearths on Dast is something he and the computer have never before encountered...

What's so refreshing about Lawrence Watt-Evans is that he eschews patterning his protagonist after the classical, high fantasy hero caught up in some earth-shattering quest. His protagonists aren't glory hounds or knights in shining armor. They're regular Joes, like you and me, inhabiting a world of sci-fi and/or fantasy. Yes, every now and then, Watt-Evans's "heroes" will accomplish some amazing feat, but that feat is always rooted in well-established reasoning and down-to-earth common sense. Watt-Evans has hardly ever written a fantasy epic (although with his recent Obsidian Chronicles and the current Annals of the Chosen trilogy, he might be branching out). Rather, he seems to delight in narrating the day to day existence of his main characters, touching on both the mundane moments and the meaningful events. Often, pages go by without a dragon slayed or a distressed damsel rescued.

Watt-Evans excels in imbuing his hero with a certain unflinching honesty of self, of which the same can't be said of other fantasy authors' heroes. To segue a bit, Valder of THE MISENCHANTED SWORD is a perfect example. That book could've easily evolved into an epic quest-type story if Watt-Evans had been so inclined; instead, in that book, the all-important battle - which ended the multi-year war Valder had been engaged in - was fought "off-screen," without the involvement of the book's hero. Valder, instead, goes about his merry way, employing his foundation of practicality and logic to sensibly live out his life. Watt-Evans has no compunction toning down the importance of events as relates personally to his character. This results, usually, in a more substantial, more personal, and a more "real" story, as opposed to the pretentious, diarrhetic wordplay commonly put out by the more touted fantasists (Terry Goodkind, Robert Jordan, George R. R. Martin...).

But back to Slant, who Watt-Evans portrays more as an anti-hero. I wasn't too thrilled at this dude's less than chivalrous nature, especially towards the girl Ahnao, who he repeatedly calls "stupid." But, in actuality, Slant's behavior and actions make total sense in light of the fact that he's a cyborg whose emotions have been forcefully suppressed and who is being controlled by a computer. And, when he's not being controlled, the cyborg's motivations are firmly directed toward his own needs, although he does try to not hurt anyone. However, whenever the computer does take over and compels him to kill, even murder, people, Slant only suffers a slight pang of regret. The robotic coldness and emotionless calculation with which Watt-Evans suffuses Slant is a bit disquieting to read. Not exactly hero fare, right? But, again, Watt-Evans sticks to his guns and his own set rules. He doesn't shy away from portraying Slant with an eye towards a truthfulness that other authors would've been uncomfortable in maintaining.

Sorry, guys, for having my very own wordy diarrhea. To sum up, THE CYBORG AND THE SORCERERS isn't for everyone. This book will be a good read to some, and not to others. It all depends on if the reader can curb his/her taste for vapid valor, unending sword fights, and epic questings. I think - I think - that the discerning fan who takes the time to breathe in this novel's low-key, slice-of-life stuff will be rewarded, in the end. But, to be honest, I've had friends who've read this book and found it...not to their liking. But, for those who do end up enjoying THE CYBORG AND THE SORCERERS, Slant's further adventures can be read in THE WIZARD AND THE WAR MACHINE. Also highly enjoyable are Watt-Evans's Obsidian series and his leisurely paced stories of Ethshar, of which his best book is THE MISENCHANTED SWORD.

The Quandary of the IRU Cyborg named Slant
What a great story this is! I have read and re-read this book many times and each time I come back to it...it's still enjoyable how Watt-Evans has fashioned the world of Dest that was subjected to the nuclear fire of Old Earth in the war where her colonies tried to break away and did. Now, Earth is nothing but a cinder after the D-Series destroyed her...but her vengeance is still wreaking havoc on her descendants in the form of the Independent Reconaissance Unit cyborg spaceships that are still traveling the galaxy in search of inhabited worlds to determine if they're still loyal to a burnt-out cinder. In this macrocosm, Slant is at war with his computer-controlled spaceship, who will kill him at the slightest sign of disloyalty. Check it out. A very well done book, oh, and they come across magic, which the computer controlling the IRU spaceship thinks is enemy weapons activity and wants to investigate. It can take over Slant through the connection in the back of his head, and does.

An early book, not quite up to his usual level.
An interesting premise, but the writing is a little too overstyled. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Gathering of the Chosen
The Wizard Lord (2006) is the first fantasy novel in the Annals of the Chosen series.The Wizard Lord rules all of Barokan, although he has limitations on his authority.He can kill rogue wizards and any criminal who flees into the wilderness, but not innocent people.If he exceeds his limits and becomes a Dark Lord, the Chosen will gather to kill him.

In this novel, Breaker is a young man in the village of Mad Oak.As the villagers are celebrating the completion of the barley harvest, two wizards and the Swordsman -- one of the Chosen -- come into town looking for a new Swordsman.Breaker is the only one to volunteer for the position.

Breaker gets a good scolding from his mother.She sees the affair as him agreeing to become a killer.Breaker can't convince her that the position is purely ceremonial.After all, there hasn't been a Dark Lord for over one hundred years.

Breaker won't become the Swordsman unless he has learned how to use a sword and then defeats the Old Swordsman in a duel to first blood.For the next few months, he practices with the Old Swordsman and is unable to even touch him while practicing.

The Old Swordsman, however, is able to touch him almost anywhere on his body, but Breaker is beginning to hold him at bay for longer intervals.His friends see what the Old Swordsman can do to him and think that he is an easy mark.After several efforts to fence with him and receiving sound defeats, they start calling him the New Swordsman.

In this story, the day finally comes for the ritual duel.Naturally, the Old Swordsman is not allowed to use his magic in this duel, but decades of practice still give him a substantial edge.Although the Old Swordsman agrees to leave an opening for Breaker, the opening moves by the Old Swordsman are powerful and quick.

The Wizard Lord can see and talk through the lower animals.He uses a rabbit to watch the duel.Breaker has never heard a talking rabbit before, but is told that this is one of the many powers bestowed on the Wizard Lord.

Breaker begins to wonder if the Old Swordsman has changed his mind.Then the rabbit makes a comment and the Old Swordsman is momentarily distracted.Breaker lunges and gets a hit on his opponent's shoulder.He has won and undergoes the rituals that make him the greatest swordsman of the land.

Before the Old Swordsman leaves Mad Oak, he confides to Breaker that he is worried about the Wizard Lord.Unlike prior Wizard Lords, the current Lord has constructed his home away from any village.He has more temper than the previous two Lords and seems less predictable and less rational.But the Old Swordsman only has suspicions without any proof.

Breaker decides that he will visit the Wizard Lord after the spring planting.Besides, he needs -- and wants -- to go out into the wider world and learn more about the land.After all, he has never before been away from Mad Oak.

The story tells of the trek of Breaker out into the greater world of Barokan.He learns much about the strange customs and unusual ways of other villages.He also learns that the Seer -- another Chosen -- has passed through villages ahead of him and he decides to visit her prior to traveling to the Wizard Lord.

Months later, he is thinking about returning home when a guide arrives to lead him to the Seer.He also will meet the Scholar -- another Chosen -- in the town of Tumbled Sheep.There he receives news that seem to confirm the Old Swordsman's suspicions.

Breaker is new to the Chosen and he questions almost everything.He wonders if the Seer and Scholar are impostors or have lied to him.As he eventually meets the other Chosen, he questions their identities and actions.He must have been noted for his incessant questioning even as a child.

This tale is very different from other novels by the author, but the characters have similar aspects.Overall, this novel is very readable.Still, it is difficult to foresee how the sequels will continue this tale.Enjoy!

Highly recommended for Watt-Evans fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of magical powers, daring quests and tangled relationships.

-Arthur W. Jordin

A disappointment
I'm a big fan of LWE's other works - most notably the Etheshar and Dragon Weather series - so I was sadly disappointed by this book.I won't get into too many specifics, as other reviewers cover them pretty well.I simply found the story very boring and slow-paced.The entire story seems to be an agonizing buildup to the highly anticipated clash with the wizard lord - a true anti-climax covered very quickly.Very unsatisfying!I also couldn't appreciate any of the characters.This is so uncharacteristic of LWE's other work whose characters normally create a great deal of empathy within the reader.I can't recommend this book and have no plans to read the rest of this series unless reviewers convince me otherwise.

3 1/2 Stars
I have read quite a bit of Lawrence Watt-Evan's stories over the years.One of my favorite tales is The Misenchanted Sword.While I liked the idea of a fantasy realm with a check and balance system and several other ideas.The story itself seemed a bit flat.The writing is descriptive, but there is a lot more talking than action in the book.Also a few of the more standard fantasy plots make an appearance in the book.So overall it was a rather straight forward fantasy romp with no real surprises or tremendous action.I liked his Dragon series a lot, this one left me wanting more.

Decent plot, GREAT characters!
This book is about the characters, and especially about the main character "Breaker" who starts out as a farmer lout. You may not understand this character if you prefer books where the hero is always fast, smart, and good-looking -- Breaker is not. In fact, you probably will see where the plot is going well before Breaker does, but that's not the point. The point is to follow this character.

I picked this up because it's been a while since I read any Sword-and-Sorcery, and I was in for a long flight. It certainly fit that bill, in an interesting and, to me, very pleasant way. I have the next in the series on hold at the library.

Poor
I agree with all the other negative comments.The story and writing struck me as juvenile and boring. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description
When Magic Goes Awry . . . What is an aspiring apprentice wizard to do when she finds her mentor and master frozen in his tracks by mysterious magics?Kilisha of Eastgate, a promising young student of wizardry in the city of Ethshar of the Rocks, still has much to learn before she can assume the robes of a journeyman enchanter. But when her teacher, the venerable Ithanalin the Wise, is overcome by a peculiar spell that scatters his soul amongst a collection of runaway household furnishings, it is up to Kilisha to find the cause and restore him to his former self. Adventure and mayhem abound. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Very Enjoyable
When I first started reading this book, I was like 'why did I but this?' That only lasted for about three pages. Really, when I found out that this book was about animated furniture that had escaped, each part with a different peice of a wizards self of soul of some such thing, i thought it would get boring eventually. I was wrong, it only got better. Wheather because it was kind of short or because it was such a good read, i read this book in about four hours.

a perfect diversion
I hadn't read an entire novel in one sitting for a long, long time.Yesterday afternoon I picked up Ithanalin's Restoration, intending to read just a chapter or two until a headache cleared, but I didn't put it back down until I had finished it.Watt-Evans spins an utterly delightful tale about Kilisha, a young wizard's apprentice who must reverse a spell gone awry, which scattered her master's soul into his runaway parlor furniture.To recapture the missing pieces from throughout the city and to restore Ithanalin, she must manage her own impetuous nature and apply all the spellcraft she has learned.Along the way she must also placate Ithanalin's distraught wife and children, enlist the aid of the young soldier who unwittingly sparked the accident, and cope with the unhelpful customers and colleagues.If you need a break from interminable epic fantasy doorstops, this simple story of a young woman out to prove herself is a perfect diversion.

Amusing, though it lacks a resolution....
This book is very well written and amusing, but there are parts of the story that are not resolved. The "murdering wizard" is still romping free, and Kilisha doesn't get anywhere with her "boyfriend." I mean, they should have kissed or declared each other's love, but there was almost nothing. IN the end of the book she just instantaniously thinks that she is "more than friends" with this guy. SO if there is a sequel, I would have given another star.

Amusing magical romp
The eighth of Watt-Evans' Ethshar novels, Ithanalin's Restoration takes place concurrently with _The Spell of the Black Dagger_.No knowledge of any of the other books is needed to enjoy this tale, as the Ethshar novels take place at different times and most of them stand alone nicely.The events in Black Dagger occur in a different city and while they upset most of the peripheral characters in this book, not knowing all the details won't impact your enjoyment of this lighthearted fantasy.

Kilisha is a seventeen-year-old apprentice wizard to Ithanalin the Wise, an expert in animation spells.With just one more year to go in her apprenticeship, she is frustrated at how little wizardry she's been taught, and frets that she's in no condition to begin the next stage of her career, as a journeyman wizard.Her master is kind but distracted, often forgetting to teach her all the common knowledge behind each spell, and he's often busy producing spells for his paying customers.That often leaves Kilisha as little more than an in-home baby-sitter and servant for Ithanalin's wife Yara.

With her frustration and fear growing, Kilisha demands that her master start teaching her the spells his customers pay for, and this time he agrees.On an errand to collect the blood of a grey cat (wizardry often requires odd materials), she returns hours later to find Ithanalin frozen in place, and all the parlor furniture missing.She soon discovers that his animating spell went very wrong when he tripped, spilled the magical goo, and animated several pieces of furniture with his own essence.And the furniture ran out the door when it was opened by a persistant tax-collector.

Kilisha, armed with few practical spells and missing big chunks of background knowledge, finds herself the only one who can set things right.The senior wizards are preoccupied with mass murder of wizards in Ethshar of the Sands (these events covered in Black Dagger) and have no time for an apprentice with spells gone awry.She must find, collect, and bring back the escaping furniture and learn enough magic to prevent their wandering again.On top of that, some of Ithanalin's essence transferred to a spriggen, a magical pest attracted to wizardry; spriggens cannot be held by any locks or bonds.Then she must master a new spell to bring Ithanalin back to his normal self.And to do so, she must learn a new tack toward problem solving, as Kilisha is a feet-first woman in a look-before-you-leap profession.

This is a fun read with a satisfying ending, perfect for vacation and holiday amusement.

Pleasant light fantasy
_Ithanalin's Restoration_ is Lawrence Watt-Evans's latest Ethshar novel. (Of late he has been alternating his more serious, and longer, Dragon novels with his generally light-hearted Ethshar fantasies.) The main character is Kilisha, the 17 year old apprentice to Master Wizard Ithanalin. One of Ithanalin's spells gets disrupted by a mischievous spriggan, with the unwitting help of a tax-collector, and Ithanalin's "essence" ends up distributed among various objects, including several pieces of furniture. The spooked tax-collector leaves the door open, and the furniture, having legs, escapes. It falls to Kilisha to track down the escaped furniture and to learn the spell that can restore the pieces of Ithanalin from the pieces of furniture to his inanimate body. Her job is made more complicated because the more senior wizards in the town are unable to help her, as they are concerned with a political crisis: a revolt in another town that may spread.

The story is quite fun, a fast and always enjoyable read, with plenty of clever sequences arising from the central situation and the use of limited wizardly magic (such as Kilisha's way of using a love spell to lure back an escaped rug). Also noteworthy is the basic decency and commonsense of the various characters in the book. This is, I think,a particular characteristic of most of Watt-Evans's work -- his characters are pretty normal people, for the most part, and basically act like decent ordinary people we know, with to be sure the occasional foible. To take just one example from this book, we are introduced to the city's overlord, after a scene setting him up to be a lazy fop (semi-evil overlord model 3B, or something). It turns out, though, that he's basically a nice guy, who maybe gets a bit tired of long meetings. I do like this aspect of LWE's stories -- which is present in most of them, though you do get some slightly more extreme characters in for example the Dragon books. ... Read more

Book Description
Warlockry has been rare in Ethshar . . . until The Night of Madness, when a mysterious object falls from the heavens, sending out a wave of magic in the form of a dream. All who have the dream awaken in panic. But some of them also awaken to the power or Warlockry.Throughout the land these newly made warlocks wreak havoc; looting and rioting, petty personal revenge, and uncontrollable madness run rampant. Worse, people are hearing a mysterious, irresistible call from which they never return.Into this chaos steps the power-hungry Lord Faran, who seeks to use his new warlock powers to overthrow the government and take possession of the throne.Who will dare to oppose him? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

A bit frustrating
This was a great story and well written. Watt-Evans is a favorite of mine. I've enjoyed everything I've read of his so far. This story is about a man named Hanner who, one fateful night along with hundreds of others, were mysteryously given strange and special powers. He gradually finds out about the limitations and consequences of using these powers. The plot is mainly how these "warlocks" (as the select are called) come into realizing what they are, and how they are treated by everyone else.. with fear and hostility until they prove themselves. All-in-all, a good story. But I have a huge problem with this book... and this is spoiler, I'm sorry.. The author never gives a reason as to how this Night of Madness happened, or who was responsible, or what actually happens to the "warlocks" when they are "called" to the north. I generally don't like stories to end without tying up at least MOST of the loose ends. I'm sure he's just leaving room for a second book, but he needs to give you some idea that this is going to happen. I was pretty frustrated, to say the least.

a pleasant story without much excitement
Not bad. Well written, and the author doesn't insult your intelligence with unbelievable characters and cliches. But I have to add that the story isn't very gripping, either. I was able to spend a week reading it, about an hour every night -- which indicates that a little more suspense and excitement would have been welcome, and kept me turning the pages.

The night of madness, a tale finally told!
Ok, this isn't the best novel in the series, but it also isn't the worst by far....

NoM is a tale that anyone who has read any of the other Ethshar novels has been waiting to get their hands on.It is the tale of what happens on the night Warlockery is iontorduced into the world.As such, it is kind of rigid in what it can and cannot do.It COULD show how people reacted when they first became warlocks, how rulers and wizards worried over the new magic, and show how the Council of Warlocks came into being complete with how all their laws and rules came about.It simply could NOT tell us what caused warlockery to occur, since earlier novels (which take place much later after the night of madness)left the whole event shrouded in mystery.LWE couldn't reveal what caused the event or why it happened, but he did reveal some tantalizing clues, which if you gather tidbits from other novels in the series gives you a better (if somewhat lacking) idea of what is going on.

In usual LWE fasion the protagonist makes out by not being greedy or power hungry, so there is no surprises there.Read it, it is still a high quality book.

Magic without the fizz
This is one of those play-by-the-rules fantasies, except for a single unexplained night of madness when ordinary citizens of Ethshar woke up from a nightmare and discovered that they could fly, or perform other assorted magicks.

The characters are pretty pedestrian, even granting that some of them can fly.A few gained the ability to lift heavy objects (except for the plot) by thinking about them.The hero, Hanner becomes one of the `lifters.'He is also a self-described palace parasite, a humorless young man, but nevertheless willing to take charge and do something productive during the night of madness.Hanner tries to figure out why some people were turned into warlocks on that night, and why others simply disappeared, but he approaches the mystery with the well-meaning plod of a Watson whose Holmes went over the falls at Reichenbach.

The mystery never is solved, so I'm assuming there is going to be a sequel to this fantasy.

The magic in "Night of Madness" is interesting, but it lacks the inspired fizz produced by, say a Neil Gaiman, a John Bellairs, or a Patricia McKillip.In one of wittiest scenes, a flying telephone lands in the sorceress Ithinia's backyard, and her gargoyles try to frighten it away:

"Old Rocky and Glitter were the two creatures still guarding it [the phone].Ithinia glanced at Old Rocky's niche, on the south-west corner of the house.

"'Did you see where it came from?'

"'No, mistress.It came down out of the sun while we were meditating.'

"'You were sleeping, not meditating,' Ithinia said.`I've told you not to try to fool me. Stone should sleep---it's nothing to hide."

"'Yes, Mistress," the gargoyle said, abashed.'

"'It called my name?Did it say anything else?'

"'It said it needed to speak with you.'"

Ha ha ha.Clunk.

Most of the dialogue comes in the form of big, chunky explanatory text, in order to elucidate the rules of Ethsharian magic, what a sorcerer may or may not do, what a witch may or may not do, etc. etc.By their very nature, sequels suffer from a degree of explanatory text, but this rules-bound fantasy takes it to an extreme.If you've already read one of the prequels to "Night of Madness" you'll be able to skip through whole pages of this book.

In fact, you might want to give the entire book a pass.

Well written, fun, with charming characters
Lord Hanner is a minor functionary until the night of madness. Suddenly, a new branch of magic attaches itself to thousands of citizens--including Hanner and his powerful uncle. Caught up in the joy and power of their new magic, many warlocks loot stores, create havoc, or use their power to exact revenge for past wrongs. The ordinary people, lords, and existing orders of magic are all threatened--and in turn threaten the warlocks.

Hanner gathers a small group of warlocks and tries to find a way out of the mess. He certainly doesn't want to accept exile or execution, but neither does he believe that the warlocks can or should use their power to control the government. The old rules of separation are still valid, but will the older magicians accept the new warlocks or will magic battle magic.

Watt-Evans has written a fascinating novel. Hanner, in particular, is an intriguing and likable character. His tendency toward pudgyness and his problems with the opposite sex make him more sympathetic and Watt-Evans builds on this nicely.

About the only flaw I could find in this book was in its characters' strange reluctance to pursue the question of what caused the outbreak of the warlock magic visitation and what caused so many warlocks to fly away from everything they knew into the mysterious north. I can't imagine characters such as Watt-Evans described not wanting to find the answers to these questions, yet they didn't--or at least they didn't try very hard.

With this one quibble aside, NIGHT OF MADNESS was an enjoyable romp of a novel--funny, but with enough social heft to give the reader something to think about. ... Read more

Book Description
Arlian had never left his home village in the Obsidian Mountains. The green hills, white peaks, and black glass were all he had ever known of life, and though he dreamed of travel and adventure, he knew deep in his heart that he would probably never leave.Until the dragon weather came. Incredible heat, oppressive humidity, dark and angry clouds . . . and dragons. Dragons with no feelings, no empathy, no use for humans; dragons who destroyed his entire village and everyone in it. Everyone, that is, except Arlian.Orphaned and alone, Arlian the child is captured by looters and sold as a mining slave. Seven years later Arlian the man escapes, fueled by years of hatred for the dragons, bandits, and slavers that took his youth away--and a personal vow to exact retribution from those who have wronged him.As Arlian makes his way through life, he is obsessed with the concept of justice, and that obsession informs every task, every decision. Even Black, the man he befriends and grows to love as a brother, has little influence against Arlian's obsession. His entire life has one purpose, and one purpose only: to mete out justice. But can one righteous man change the entire world for the better? Or is he doomed by his own actions to become as unjust as those he seeks to destroy? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (34)

Compent fantasy
I read this novel sitting in a bookstore for a couple of hours waiting for my wife to get off work.As a book to read lightly for a few hours it works quite well.A great or notable contribution to fatasy it is not.The story is plot heavy, and while nothing in it is new or groundbreaking, it is engaging enough to keep your intrest.The main character is a man who sees all aspects of the world through his view of justice, and most of the novel is based on hime tring to extract revenge for crimes done to him and the moral dilemias he faces in tring to do this.
The novel is very plot driven, this is not really a character study, and there is a certian sense of detactment between the reader and the protagonist.Some people seem to love this giving this book great praise, so if you are a fan of plot driven novels this would be a good canidate for you.If not, it can take up a boring afternoon.

DecentRead
This is one of Lawrence Watt-Evans better efforts in recent years.I really loved his early work.The Lord of Dus series and The Misenchanted Sword.Somewhere in the middle, he lost me.Nothing in his books was really grabbing me.An interesting back cover blurb and a nice cover made me pick this one up.While it is a good read, it certainly has some faults in storytelling.I think that the good outweighs the bad however, and the story contains a few unique ideas.So if you are a dragon fan, this will probably be a good read for you.

Read The Count of Monte Cristo
For the first half of _Dragon Weather_, Watt-Evans basically rehashes one of my favorite books, _Count of Monte Cristo_. However, he doesn't do it quite so well as Dumas did. Of course, that's a high standard, and any book, in my mind, would suffer from a comparasion with Dumas.

There were several problems with this book. First of all, there was the writing. It was not very well paced. Several important plot points were virtually glossed over in sentances, where as a few were mentioned ad nauseum.

Secondly, Arlian has very, very hypocritical ethical standards. He bases his wealth on a series of burglaries, but he justifies it because the nobleman he robs holds slaves and hurt some of Arlian's friends. While slavery is wrong, it is not right to steal from someone. He is shown as being persistant in taking his revenge, but he takes it to such extremes. He does feel some remorse for some of the actions, but it's almost an afterthought. Compared to Edmond Dantes, Arlian leaves a sour taste in the mouth.

Thirdly, I did not feel that the world of Dragon Weather was very well developed. It didn't really seem to have very good underpinnings. All of the characters use nicknames, sometimes several. The reason is mentioned offhandedly, but is not really delved into. Aside from the nicknames, not much information is given about the culture.

Finally, an inordinate amount of the story relies on heavy, heavy coincidence. For example, several of the looters who find Arlian and sell him into slavery can recognize him. Arlien also convinces one man to leave his job to teach him to swordfight, in just a matter of minutes of meeting the man. Arlien and the leader of the looters belong to the same secret society. This type of thing goes on throughout the book, and it's really hard to ignore.

I would only recomend Dragon Weather if you are interested in some light bedtime reading. It is ultimately a forgettable novel. Science Fiction Chronicle decribed it as the best fantasy novel of the year. If that's the case, 1999 was a "ho hum" year for fantasy all around.

Revenge!
I really enjoyed reading DRAGON WEATHER. The author uses great descriptive words to make you feel as if you're right there in the story. It all starts with a young boy named Arlain. One hot summer day, dragons come and kill his family and destroy his village. After the attack, a group of men come and pillage the remains of the village of Obsidian. They find Arlain and decide to sell him into slavery. From these humble beginnings he rises in his campaign to kill the dragons and get revenge on those who wronged him. I personally like fantasy books and as a lover of this particular genre, I tip my hat to DRAGON WEATHER. It host an excellent cast of mythical creatures and gives a new spin on old ones, such as the dragons not actually breathing fire, but spitting a highly combustible venom. The environments are vast and well described. The characters develop their own personalities and make you hate or love them. All in all, it was a great read and I suggest it to any one who is a fan of fantasy and adventure.

Wow
What a great fantasy book. It is a great revenge/Hero/coming of age story in where the action doesn't let up and the story just keeps getting better with every page. I have never read anything by this author before and in fact, before last week, I had never heard of him. I am extremely glad I picked this book up and it is always great to find an author who writes good fantasy as this genre has many more sub-par writers than good ones.

It is also refreshing to read a book that has a different take on the fantasy genre. There are no elves, dwarves, or gnomes in this book and while I love reading books that involve those races and other typical fantasy fare (ie. Tolkien, Weis & Hickman, McKiernan, Stasheff, Gemmell, J.V. Jones, etc.), I also love books that are new aren't typical fantasy (ie. G. R. R. Martin, Duncan, Mitchell Graham, Simon Green, etc.)

This book, while not the "best" ever, had no faults that I could detect offhand. The writing was great and again, the plot and story were amazing. I can't wait until this weekend when the second and third book arrive and I can't find out what happens next.

I recommend this book highly. ... Read more

Book Description
After many years of peace in the Lands of Men, there came Dragon Weather: a wave of incredible heat, oppressive humidity, dark angry clouds . . . and dragons. Dragons with no remorse, no sympathy, no use for humans; dragons who destroyed an entire village and everyone in it. Everyone, that is, except the young boy Arlian. Orphaned and alone, Arlian was captured by looters and sold as a mining slave. He finally escaped, fueled by years of hatred and a personal vow to bring justice to all who had wronged him. After killing those who enslaved him, Arlian sought out The Dragon Society, whose sworn purpose was to stand against the dragon menace. It was there, among his peers, that Arlian discovered he is humanity's best hope for defeating the dragons . . . permanently.Now, Arlian seeks his final vengeance: death to all of dragonkind. But as he begins to destroy the evil beasts, wild magic seeps into the Lands of Men, sowing chaos and destruction in its wake. Will Arlian's all-consuming quest for justice consume humanity as well? The answer may lie within his ancient foe's most lethal weapon: Dragon Venom ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

A good, obsessive character
I really liked the fact that LWE gave us a main character who was well and truly obsessed and determined.Things came out well for him in the end, but he truly was willing to do dark things in order to accomplish his ends.I like it a lot because too often authors will let the characters get away with only being obsessed when it lets them be nice guys.It was great to read about a character whowas truly willing to go to great lengths to finish his vengeance.

The story dragged at points, but he got it done in three books and it was interesting.Well worth having read!

Surprising developments await you within these pages.
I picked up Dragon Weather on a whim at a used book store.I've been hooked on LWE ever since.

LWE isn't just a writer.He's an amazing writer, and Arlian is a wonderfully complex character in a deeply interesting world.

Before I begin my review, I must tell you that there is much more to this book (and the others in this series) than meets the eye, and although the book is well written and easy to read, the issues contained within the book are not exactly a light read.This series is really a series of questions of ethics.

These books aren't just a fiction story about Arlian getting his revenge on the looters that killed his family and friends and sold him into slavery.

They're about whether the ends justify the means.In the first book, you are told to hate the "evil" man who sold Arlian into slavery, and you are shown all the ripple of horrible circumstances that were all directly or indirectly caused by him.Sweet and Hasty and Kitten and all the other prostitutes--all women sold into slavery by their family and then disfigured.Some of them are eventually killed.All because of this "evil" man.

You are told about the horrible experiments he performs on people, the pack he made with the dragons, and given just a hint of all the people he's slaughtered throughout his lifetime.

But, the real dilema posed in the book isn't "Will Arlian get his revenge?"Nothing nearly so cut and dry.

The real dilema in the book is all in the ACTIONS.

Enziets' destruction of the little sleepy mountain town of Obsidian eventually ended up giving Arlian the tools he needed to defeat his first (and second, and third....and fourth) dragon.Enziets disgusting experiments provided the begining and basis for Arlians own (ahh...but ifyou haven't read the third book yet, so you don't know about that).

The third book both anwsers all your questions as well as provoking a million more.It anwsers whether Arlian gets his revenge or not, what happens to him and Lady Rhime, and all his girls from the brothel.What happens to the duke, and tells you more about wild magic and this history of the Lands of Man and beyond.But it makes you question so much more.Do these anwsers come at to great of a price?Does Arlian realize how similar to Enziet he has become?

The first two books set up Arlian as a character with a "chaotic Good" Alignment--someone who will do whatever they think is just and noble, whether anyone else agrees with it or not.But in this third book, That opinion is dashed to smithereens, and you seem Arlian behaving exactly--infact even more so-as diabolical as Enziet.

As much as you loved him in the first two, You'll begin to hate him in this book.

So, As you read this series, ask yourself more than just the surface questions--IS it ok for Arlian to build a fortune at the expense of other people--even if they aren't Pure as the Drive Snow?Toribor--Belly--Wasn't neccesarily bad.And you come to learn, neither was Enziet, only single minded.IS it ok for Arlian to Kill Dragon after Dragon, even when he finds out there are more ill side effects than he ever imagined?

Think about it.

Great finish to the series
Watt-Evans could have gone the route of Robert Jordan and dragged this story out over several books, dropping small plot advancements every so often.Instead, he runs with it.The world as you've known it in the first two books becomes much more complex, and many things that previously had to be taken on word are explained.Plot progresses at a rapid pace through most of the book, with surprises coming often, keeping it a page-turner.

This has been one of my favorite fantasy series, alongside Robin Hobb's Farseer trilogy and Melanie Rawn's Dragon Star/Prince trilogies.

Excellent.
The final installment of the Obsidian chronicles does a great job of tying up the storylines from the previous two books.The character development of the main protaginist comes full circle, and the reader is left feeling satisfied with the end result.

One of personal favourite points about this book is the simmering resentment between Arlian and his best friend and steward, Black.Instead of just glossing over the Black character, Watt-Evans gives him real motivations and desires, ofentimes which don't co-incide with those of Arlian.It is a real treat to read the interactions between these two men.

Master piece
Lawrence Watt-Evants Dragon series has proved to me that he is truely a master writer. I have enjoyed his books books for years and I beleive this is the best I have ever read. All three books grab your attention and hold onto it, but it is a rare author who's final book in a series is better than all the rest. I've waited years for this story to come to a conclusion and I am no sorry for the wait.

This is truely a master piece! ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (4)

Lots of Filler
Let me begin by saying that I am a fan of Watt-Evans. I really liked the Obsidian Chronicles, I enjoyed the Esthar books and I liked the first volume in this series. The Ninth Talisman, however, was quite a dissapointment. My major complaint was the relatively slim story, and the inordinate amount of padding. The book itself is a slim 312 pages, shorter than most children's books in this post-Harry Potter publishing world. In and of itself, this wouldn't be a problem. One of the things I enjoy most about Watt-Evans, particulalry his Esthar books, is his economy of style. Generally Watt-Evans can deliver a good story with exciting charcters that doesn't require one to commit to thousands of pages of reading. Unfortunately, in the Ninth Talisman Watt-Evans does not deliver a particulalry exciting story. In addition, much of this slim volume really appears padded, particulalry when the main character thinks to himself, "The Wizard Lord may be acting strangely, but he did build the roads and everyone seems to like him." Words to this effect recur over and over throughout the text, essentially everytime the Wizard Lord gets mentioned. I wouldn't be surprised if about 100 pages of this book could be eliminated by not repeating the same formulation and rehearsing the same arguments over and over again. This really feels like half a book that has been stretched out to one book. I do not recommend you purchase this book, but rather check it out at the library. Also, to avoid too much dissapointment for the overly rushed cliff-hanger ending, you might want to wait until the next volume in this series comes out before you bother reading this one.

Solid continuation of the story
Volume 2 of the Annals of the Chosen (The Ninth Talisman) takes up just a few years after the end of volume 1. We still follow Sword, as he gathers with the new Chosen to consider a moral dilemma not faced the Chosen before.

While the first book could stand alone as a novel, the second assumes most of the world knowledge imparted in the first. Further, (small spoiler) the second book does not have a conclusive ending; it's like a TV series with a "to be continued..." at the end.

The prose is still contemplative, following a guy who is not necessarily as nimble and sharp-witted as your typical fantasy hero, but who is also no dullard. In fact, the character seems to have grown through the previous adventures -- as they say, travel is fatal to bigotry!

However, the book dangles a number of carrots in front of the reader all along, while not really delivering towards the end. It's as if a house of cards is carefully built, and then haphazardly whacked when it gets in the way of delivering a tense suspense ending. That's too bad -- with a different take on a few other characters, and a less heavy-handed treatment the crucial moment, the book might have gotten five stars.

Well, four and a half -- I don't like a book that leaves the reader with that "to be continued" feeling as much as this book does, and that dings it half a star just in itself.

Better this time around.
I was much more pleased this time around.The first book was good but left me a little unsatisfied when I was finished.This book kept me going all the way trough and got better as I read.Lawrence Watt-Evans is one of the most under-rated, under-appreciated, and unsung authors out there.I recommend his work to anyone out there who enjoys good fantasy or science fiction.

fine sword and sorcery fantasy
After the Swordsman killed the Dark Lord of the Galbook Hlls, a Wizard Lord gone rogue, he returned to his small community of Mad Oak and became part of the farming community.He is one of eight Chosen, men and women who are granted special magical powers so that a Wizard Lord can be taken down if he doesn't rule benevolently over all the people of Barokan.The new Wizard Lord is having roads built throughout the country connecting towns and cities and thus making it easier for trade goods to be transported all over the empire.

Swordsman travels to Winterhome to see the new Lord Wizard and is shocked to find a former Chosen, a traitor, is one of the chief advisors is the new Wizard Lord Artil.Artil tells him that the time for magic has passed and that people usingnon-magical skills will bring peace and prosperity to the land.While Swordsman thinks about this restructuring, Arti's soldiers find wizards and interrogate them about THE NINTH TALISMAN before killing them when he doesn't get the answers he wants.The eight champions meet to decide what to do about Artil and his plans and wonder if he may have gone to the dark side.

This is second book in the Annals of the Chosen and one doesn't have to read the prequel THE WIZARD LORD to understand THE NINTH TALISMAN.The Swordsman is patient and willing to observe what the Wizard Lord is all about and that makes this book more of a character study than an action packed fantasy.The ending is very ambiguous so there is at least another book to the series.Readers will enjoy this novel so much they will recommend it to their friends who like sword and sorcery fantasy.

Harriet Klausner
... Read more

Product Description
Garth of Ordunin had been set a new task by the Forgotten King: Bring back to Skelleth whatever he found upon the altars of the seven temples of Dusarra. As he went about his blasphemous errand he learned more about the Dark Gods -- and more about his own destiny! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

On the Road Again
Garth the Overman and Korg the trusty warbeast are back in Skelleth, this time to try to establish a trade mission that could be of great importance to the inhabitants of the Northern Waste.Initially Korg and some of his relatives have great success, but Korg once again has a run in with the Baron of Skelleth.After their last conflict the Baron would like nothing better than Garth's head, but seeing some opportunity, he instead insists that Garth swear fealty in return for trading rights.Anyone who knpws overmen will tell you that isn't going to work.Garth, furious at the Baron's impertinence, sits down with the King in Yellow again and hammers out a deal.

The King wants whatever Garth finds on the seven altars of Dussara and promises that carrying out that task will give Garth what he wants in Skelleth in the process.Even Garth has figured out that deals with the King in Yellow always have a hitch to them - and proceeds cautiously.This time the trip is less harrowing with only one village on that way, one with an annoying prophecy.Soon Garth is in the night city of Dusarra, planning his thefts.

Seven alters with gems, potential victims and, yes, even dust, are all that lie between Garth and victory over the Baron of Skelleth.For Garth, who has teetered on the edge of crisis since leaving the northern wastes, they are seven opportunities for disaster and there is more than a little question about whether either Garth of Dusarra will survive.

This is the second volume is a series that will eventually be referred to as 'The Lords of Dus.'Watt-Evans shows a surer footing in this telling about the Prince of a magically created people who have been exiled for 350 years to the northern wastes.Garth wants to make a difference in his world, but it not entirely clear on how to go about it.His adventures in the first volume lead him to return to the world below and Watt-Evans has created a second, light-hearted, story that under line the problems that can occur when cultures clash in unexpected places.

Watt-Evan's writes well, although he tends to over engineer his action, and relies too much on descriptive passages to fill out his book.Since The Seven Altars of Dusarra is short, it never really bogs down.But every once in a while there is a hitch, as when the author spends too much time describing which hand he moves what object too while trying to do two things at once.Don't let that put you off though, this is a classic series, which is mostly for fun and the intriguing device of having an 'alien' creature as a main character.This is classic fantasy, with a twist.

Intriguing and masterfully done
Returning to the crumbling city of Skelleth, Garth the overman finds himself returning to the service of the Forgotten King. He is sent off to Dusarra, the city of the Dark Gods, to steal whatever lies on the altars of the seven gods of the city. But before long, Garth realizes that there is more to human religion than he thought. The age of the god of decay is coming to a close, and the time of the god of destruction awaits the coming of a mortal who will seize the god's sword and begin the Age of Destruction. Is Garth this new servant of destruction, and does he have a choice in the matter?

For many years now, I have been a great fan of Lawrence Watt-Evans' wonderful Ethshar series. Having finished all of the Ethshar books currently available, I moved on to his Lords of Dus series, and must say that I am quite happy! This book makes an excellent sequel to The Lure of the Basilisk, and is every bit as good as that one. This is a great fantasy story, complete with magic, strange creatures, and lots of swordplay. In particular, I found the author's use of a non-human as the protagonist to be quite intriguing and masterfully done.

So, if you are a fan of fantasy literature, then you must get this book. You will not be disappointed.

The best book in an underrated series
This is the second of four books in the "Lords of Dus" series.A very under-appreciated fantasy series, in my opinion.While these books are neither as intricate nor as well written as many of the big names infantasy, ("Lord of the Rings" for example) they are well thoughtout and very original stories with very memorable characters.Entertainingenough to be read several times, but straight-forward enough to be areasonably quick read.

In this book, the main character, Garth theoverman, is sent by the Forgotten King to steal whatever he finds on eachof the Seven Altars of the Dark Gods in the city of Dusarra.

If you'venever read the other books in this series, I recommend that you pick up"Lure of the Basilisk" first.But if you've read that onealready, then I definitely recommend that you pick up this one as well.Iconsider this to be the best book in the series because it has a verystraight forward story, but it is handled extremely well and moves at justthe right pace.This book is never boring for a second. ... Read more

Product Description
The Misenchanted Sword /A Legend of Ethshar/ A LAND AT WAR / Ethshar and the Northern Empire have been at war for hundreds of years. Hardly anyone alive remembers why, or over what. The tempest, turmoil, and war are endless, and the killing more endless still. The war has become not just a way of life, but an institution; no one dares to dream that it could end.Not even Valder of Kardoret, Ethsharitic Scout, trapped behind enemy lines./ A MISENCHANTED SWORD / But now everything has changed: at a moment of great need, a hermit wizard crafted Valder a magic sword called Wirikidor -- a blade at once cursed and enchanted, a misenchanted blade that makes him unbeatable. /A LEGEND OF ETHSHAR / Soon the tides of battle will turn, and once they've turned they'll turn forever.Download Description
Ethshar and the Northern Empire have been at war for hundreds of years. Hardly anyone alive remembers why, or over what. The tempest, turmoil, and war are endless, and the killing more endless still. The war has become not just a way of life, but an institution; no one dares to dream that it could end. Not even Valder of Kardoret, Ethsharitic Scout, trapped behind enemy lines.But now everything has changed: at a moment of great need, a hermit wizard crafted Valder a magic sword called Wirikidor--a blade at once cursed and enchanted, a misenchanted blade that makes him unbeatable. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (37)

A Pleasant Surprise
I received an advertisement for this novel through an Ebay purchase and was a little hesitant about purchasing it but I am glad I did.The book is well written and the characters are really intriguing.I enjoyed following them through the story and watching as they got into various adventures.I don't want to comment too much because I hate spoilers for people who haven't read it yet.However, I will say that I recommend this book and I look forward to reading more from this author.

Read It!
Read it, and then read every other book in the series. This book not only allows you to escape reality, it presents you with a conundrum that makes you think about what you would do in that situation. I am very particular about what I consider as worth reading and this is one very close to the top.

Hardcover please!
All of Lawrence Watt-Evans books are wonderful.Please print these in hardcover though!!! I hope somebody is listening out there.

Pleasant story of magic and fantasy
Recently on rec.arts.sf.written I noticed a discussion about Lawrence Watt-Evans efforts to publish online "The Spriggan Mirror."This was to be the ninth book in his Legends of Ethshar series.I read a couple chapters and found them well written and fun.

Amazon's guidelines ask that URLs not be included in a review, but if you'd like to read about Lawrence's efforts to publish online, go into goggle, search for "The Spriggan Mirror" and you find the web page.

I decided to start at the beginning of the series with "The Misenchanted Sword."The main character is Valder, a scout for the Esthshar army.They have been fighting the Northern Empire for decades.Valder ends up behind enemy lines and runs for his life.He accidentally stumbles into a hermit wizard who has been hiding out from civilization for years and doesn't take kindly to Valder who, even accidentally, brings the war to where the wizard has been living.The wizard decides to turn Valder's sword into a magic sword which will protect Valder and help him to return to the Esthshar army.With all the spells the wizard puts on the sword, it does help Valder to get back to the Esthshar army.

The Esthshar wizards study the sword and find there is a slight problem with the sword, that after Valder kills 100 warriors with it, the sword will kill Valder, the sword was misenchanted.Valder and his sword are used to fight the Northern Empire.Then later in the book Valder tries to figure out what to do with this misenchanted sword.

This is a pleasant story.It read well and it is hard to point down.While writing this review I've picked up the book a couple times to reread some favorite passages.If you like fantasy, this is a fun book to read.

One of the best fantasy books nobody's read.
This little gem is the sort of book that you pick up at the used bookstore with twenty other paperbacks, not expecting much, and then end up treasuring for years.

Much modern fantasy relies on rather generic plot arcs and characterization that substitutes brutality for realism. Lawrence Watt-Evans falls into neither of those traps. The book starts with an apparently rather generic plot -- Joe Average soldier gets trapped behind enemy lines, meets friendly wizard, wizard makes him a magic sword then disappears, turns out sword isn't as beneficial as it first appears, etc.

But the interesting thing about this book is that the decency and common sense of the lead character manage to take the story in a very different direction from where such stories typically go. Rather than a generic plot-driven hero-quest fantasy, this book turns, in a very pleasant surprise, into a very enjoyable character-driven tale, and what's even better, one where all the main characters are likeable and act sensibly.

Far too much modern fantasy seems to be written by authors who think that "realism" means nothing more than an extra helping of cynicism, and 'characterization" means making sure all your characters are either brutal, stupid, or naieve. It's wonderfully refreshing to read fantasy where the lead character is just a sensible, reasonably intelligent man trying to lead his own life as pleasantly as possible with a minimum of fuss -- an ambition I'm sure we can all share. ... Read more

Product Description
Ed Smith thought he was having a waking nightmare when he saw a monstrous face at his window, but in the morning his neighbors were missing. The people who later turned up were not quite right, and gradually Smith realized they not only weren't his neighbors, but weren't even human. They were the creatures he had seen . . . In THE NIGHTMARE PEOPLE, Lawrence Watt-Evans has created a terrifying new monster in the classic tradition of Frankenstein and Dracula.Download Description
"One night Ed Smith thought he was having a waking nightmare when he saw a monstrous face at his window, but in the morning his neighbors were missing. The people who later turned up were not quite right, and gradually Smith realized they not only weren't his neighbors, but weren't even human—they were the creatures he had seen . . .Watt-Evans has created a terrifying new monster in the classic tradition of Frankenstein and Dracula!" ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Entertaining but dumb
The Nightmare People opens with a bang, quite possibly the 2nd best opening chapter I've ever read (Blood Music by Connelly being the first).

Ed Smith spies a particularly hideous monster peering in his window one hot August evening. He halks it up to a waking dream or hallucination, only to find out the next morning that all 200 occupants of his apartment complex have gone missing. Those neighbors are eventually found, but have apparently been replaced by...otherworldly creatures wearing their skins.

The plot is downright implausible and silly. The author throws in some rather idiotic complications to delay Smith and his band of "nightmare people killers" from going to the police. It seems fairly obvious that Watt-Evans wrote himself into a corner here.

There are some very audacious set-pieces in this book, some that make you shiver to your very bones. The creatures in this novel aren't circumspect about their purpose - call one of the telephone (yes, they'll answer) and it'll be more than happy to tell you about its (evil) purpose in this world.

Characterization, beyond the main character, is lacking but to be expected of a 200 page book. The action is fast, lose, and while nonsensical, ends up being satisfying. I found the final resolution to be a tad pat, almost "deus ex machina"-like, but I'm still glad I read it.

Given a few changes, such as the creatures' main weakness, this would make a very scary horror movie.

The best surprise ending EVER!!
This book starts off a little slow.You learns the main characters name about 3 chapters in, and the story only begins to hint at what is to come.PURE EVIL.That is what the Nightmare People are, and they will admit it right before they eat you.I will reveal no more, as to give away anything else will spoil all the surprises.All I can say is that this book gets better as it goes, and ther ending is the BEST!I read that LWE once got a phone call late one night from a young man that had just read his novel.Once you read this you will see why.Get it and read it.

Hurry, what are you waiting for?This book might just save your life!;)

A Truly Frightning Story
I first read this book years ago when my friend(who,like myself, has read many horror novels) told me that this book actually scared him. I, of course, had to read for myself. Never before in all my reading has a bookgiven me the willies like this one. I had a hard time going to sleep forweeks afterward. This book was passed on to every skeptic (macho guys aswell) and every one,to the last, was physically scared by it. Great readif you can find one. The original copy I had was lent out and neverreturned. Whenever I see a used bookstore,espcially when travelling, Ialways stop in to see if I can find a copy. No luck yet. I guess anyone whoever owned it knew not to let such a gem out of their hands. If you can,READ THIS BOOK! I guarantee you'll be scared(but loving every minute ofit!).

CHILLING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
this book will make you look at people differently

A true terror!!!
If you want a fright I recommend this book. The nightmare People is one the scaries story I have ever read in my life and I've read Lovecraft,Poe,King,Barker and many other of the great horror and supensenovalist and this was like nothing I had ever expirence in reading a horrornovel. I couldn't sleep for week after reading and for two days whilereading it and since I have never read anything better or that can compare.

Thanks Larry ... Read more

Book Description
THE POWER OVER LIFE AND DEATH
They called him Pelbrun the Brown Magician. He'd been plain old marketing consultant Pel Brown until the day a mystic doorway had appeared in his basement. That improbable portal had led him and his family to the magic land of Faerie; another had opened the way to the super-science universe of the Galactic Empire.
But this was no fairy tale . . .
At first Pel had sought the key that would take them safely home. But before he could wrest the matrix of magic away from the despot Shadow, Pel's wife and daughter were brutally murdered. Neither absolute control over the matrix nor rulership of Faerie could ease the pain in Pels heart--until he realized that the matrix held power over life and death!
So this once-ordinary man set out to overturn the irrefutable laws of mortality. But even his newfound omnipotence couldn't protect him from the pitfalls that lay ahead, as both the Empire and Earth's military sought to exploit his incredible power. Then the Empire invaded Faerie--forcing Pel to fight in order to keep his dreams alive . . . ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A kind of disappointing end
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the first two books in this series, but the final one was a bit of a let-down for me.A lot of it near the end is rather tedious.Still, worth reading.

Hardcover please!
All of Lawrence Watt-Evans books are wonderful.Please print these in hardcover though!!! I hope somebody is listening out there.

I loved this book!
This book is the third and final book of the Three Worlds trilogy. In this book, Pellinore Brown, now known as Pelburn the Brown Magician, is determined to use the matrix magic of Shadow to resurrect his wife and daughter. This is a terribly complex undertaking, and he requires a good deal of time to master the matrix magic. But, time is something that he may not have, and before he knows it, Pel finds himself at war with the Galactic Empire. It's blasters versus sorcery, and Pel has the magic of an entire universe at his command. Pel seems to hold all the cards, but what will this war cost him?

I must start out by saying that I am a big fan of Lawrence Watt-Evans, and was enthralled by his Three Worlds trilogy. I enjoyed the way that the author constructed his three universes, and then wove them together. This book is something of a departure from the other two. Shadow is dead at the beginning of this book, and you might be lulled into thinking that not much is left to happen. But, in fact the author does do a great job of maintaining the drama and suspense right up to the end.

As for me, I absolutely loved this book! I loved the setting, I found the story to be engaging, and the characters enjoyable. This is another great Lawrence Watt-Evans series, and I highly recommend it to you!
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Book Description
Casper Beech is a corporate drone. One day his boss sends him in for neural imprinting but a computer glitch loads the wrong file, and Casper is programmed with something that has nothing to do with his job. Instead of learning a new software package, he learns a new way of thinking - a mindset designed by a secret government agency for use in enemy nations, and never meant to be unleashed in the United States. Lethal government agents seek to correct the error in a steadily-escalating conflict, while Casper struggles to survive and to find out just what was in the Spartacus File. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Young Adult Fiction
I guess this was OK for what it was.I just didn't know it was written for young teenagers, so I was disappointed.If you want to teach your children about the evils of big government, then this may be the book for you.If you are a fan of Lawrence Watt-Evans' other books, then you are probably too old for this one.

Surprising DystopianRead
I never expected to see a serious dystopian novel from Lawrence Watt-Evans. I knew he had a dark streak, as demonstrated in his extremely troubling Brown Magician series, but he's best known for intelligent, light fantasy not for works of political vision - at least not until he teamed up with Carl Parlagreco to write The Spartacus File.

The Spartacus File is more than just a dystopian novel, it's a polemic very specifically aimed at negative trends in current American society. There's no question that the storytelling and characterization suffer because of this, but the result is a novel which has the minimalist feel of classic dystopian works like Slan, The Day After Tomorrow and The Brave Free Men, where the story to a large extent takes a second seat to the message.

The novel is sent in a near future where the United States has evolved into a single-party corporate dominated state with a strong police aparatus where people are at the mercy of the