Product Description
The sword that Garth had stolen from Dusarra marked him as the chosen of Bheleu, god of destruction, and gave him immense power. This power could only be used to destroy, and Garth wanted to build. He chose to refuse the god's gift. Bheleu did not intend to allow that. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

More than just a great read
This book is the key piece in the outstanding "Lords of Dus" series. In this book, Garth the overman comes to understand just what he has in the sword he plundered from the temple of the god of destruction, Bheleu. The sword is a link to the god of destruction himself, plugging Garth directly into the destructive will of Bheleu, who wishes to use him as a tool of destruction. But Garth is an essentially good person (though not a man, but, interestingly, an "overman" -a nicely executed twist in the series).

While Garth has become involved through the wish to achieve fame, he does not want fame through destruction. This pits Garth as an individual against the will of a god, and the twists of fate. Plucky to the end, Garth wrestles through this series with destiny, struggling to bring good out of evil, life out of destruction.

Garth makes a completely atypical hero. He is hideously ugly, not an idealist, and far from being above the temptation of evil power. But he is game! He is determined to maintain his individuality and will in the face of one trial after the next.

These books are filled with imaginative scenarios, wryly humorous developments, and lots of action, details, and surprises. But, beyond being engrossing and enjoyable, they will make you think. This isn't just good fantasy; this is good writing!

Never Look A Gift Sword In The Blade
In the world of good intentions run afoul of fate, Garth the overman occupies a special place.What started out as a lone overman determined to have some impact on the world has turned into a trail of disasters.It's not that Garth particularly relishes wanton slaughter and destruction, but they seem to follow him around.But his last episode - stealing whatever was on the altars of the seven dark gods in Dusaarra - has left him with an unpleasant legacy.Garth is now the wielder of the sword of Bheleu, and it has no intention of letting go of him.

The sword has a nasty habit of taking over Garth's mind and inciting him to violence.Having barely managed to keep his temper during the long trip back from Dusarra to Skelleth he finds that his wife has laid siege to Skelleth (suspecting that Garth was being held captive.Far from straightening thing out, his arrival inflames a conflict that results in Skelleth becoming the spoils of a war that no sane overman would want to start.Gerth is now faced with trying to find a way to undo the disaster at Skelleth and rid himself of the sword - without asking the King in Yellow for help.

Others have noticed that Bheleu now has a avatar.The priesthood of Aghad would like nothing better than to torture Garth to death for desecrating their temple.And the council of wizard has reconvened to stop Garth before the world has to deal with 30 years of increasing destruction.Needless to say, our overman is in hot water, and wherever he turns, someone is turning up the heat.If he doesn't find a solution he is slated to live a short life for an on of his kind.

At this point it is unclear whether Garth is hero or anti-hero.Occasionally he does a good deed or two, and he never really intends to wipe out whole priesthoods or the guards ofan entire city.But the peculiarities of overman logic make him a crisis magnet.And nothing he tries works out.Lawrence Watt-Evans has created a truly hapless hero and made him surprisingly sympathetic and believable.As the tale has moved along, it has developed a complex story with serious overtones, but it has never lost its sense of the irreverent, and this is what makes this much more than a fantasy adventure story.Recommended.

Intriguing and masterfully done
Having finished with his quest to steal whatever he finds on the altars of the seven dark gods in Dusarra, Garth the overman returns to Skelleth, only to find it besieged by overmen looking for him. Garth would like to find a peaceful solution to this situation, but one of the items he got in Dusarra won't let him - the dreaded Sword of Bheleu, the god of chaos and destruction. Garth is the chosen one of Bheleu; chosen to bear the sword and usher in a new age of destruction. Can Garth restrain the magic sword that is taking control of him, or will he bring upon the world a catastrophe beyond his worst nightmares?

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 Seven Altars of Dusarra, and is every bit as good as that one. This is a great fantasy story, complete with wizards, gods, 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.
... Read more

Product Description
The author returns to the setting of The Misenchanted Sword for the tale of a young wizard with one spell but scores of dreams. Original. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Early Esthshar
Very enjoyable. The typical Watt-Evans hero, a bit bumbling, but smarter than he seems. The author has a wry view of heroes and fairy tales, and our hero goes through some Candide-like experiences while triumphing over both a dead wizard and a rather sad, and hungry, dragon.

Could Barely Stay Awake
While the book was written well grammatically, the overall presentation of the story was very dull. There was a great deal of detail but it was all presented in a manner that left me with a "Yeah, so what?" feeling. The main character starts out as a lazy, self-centered teenager and perhaps he improved a little by the end of the book but really, who cares? This is the only book by this author that I have read and it does not encourage me to read any others.

Light Fantasy
Tired of epic stories that go on and on and on?Sick of novels in which the Hero saves the world five times and that's just in chapter one?Hate it when you read a book and find out it is number six in a series of twenty and if you read them out of order they will never make sense?Ever have a fantasy novel in which the time line and appendixs take up more space than the story?
Than the works of Lawrence Watt-Evans is for you.Light fantasy, great taste, not boring.Each novel in the Ethshar series uses the same setting, history and magical rules but are not linked in any way.They are a series of stand alone novels!You can pick up any of them and enjoy them in any order you want!
With a Single Spell is where I started and, boy, am I happy I finally opened the pages.I'm not normally into fantasy for many of the reasons above but this book, while not trying to be a comedy, does give us the lighter side of a magical land.We follow Tobas, a young wizard or an old apprentice, who knows only one spell on his way to finding a life.But what can he do with one spell?One SPELL!Yet he has to go make a living in a world where magic is repected but also not that uncommon.Pirates, big cities and dragons, oh my!
I will not give away the ending but I have to say the book did seem to go a tad slow at first.I am going to collect the other books and maybe search out some of his other series as well.Anybody who loves fantasy should get 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.

Can he slay the dragon, wins the princess and the gold?
This is the second book in the Ethshar series.We are introduced to Tobas, the main character of this book, who starts off in the book as a basically a lazy bum.Early in the book he is constantly looking for a scheme so he can enjoy the good life without working for it.Tobas talks a wizard into taking him in as an apprentice; unfortunately the wizard dies after teaching Tobas only a single spell.Tobas ends up having several adventures.

Lawrence Watt-Evans is publishing online "The Spriggan Mirror." This is 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'll find the web page.

"With a Single Spell" sets much of the background for "The Spriggan Mirror."It is in "With a Single Spell" that Tobas creates the mirror that causes so much havoc.

"With a Single Spell" is a fun story.It is well written and moves along quickly.Lawrence Watt-Evans writes a well fleshed out world of magic.Tobas travels through various parts of this world so we get a good feeling for this detail rich environment.

Tobas joins a group of men who are going to try to slay a dragon which has been terrorizing a small kingdom.He ends up traveling to another world, rescues a woman there, and then comes back to Ethshar to finally face the dragon.By now he has learned enough to more effectively fight with the dragon.

If you like fantasy, or have enjoyed any of the other Ethshar stories, this a good book to buy.

... Read more

Product Description
A STAR RISES IN THE SOUTH

When the foreigners confronted Sterren in Ethshar of the Spices he was uneasy; when they all but abducted him, taking him to an obscure kingdom in the south, he knew he was in a terrible predicament.

A predicament some might actually find appealing — he was by heredity the Ninth Warlord of Semma, least of the small kingdoms; he was a noble, and his rank afforded him material privileges, even in a place as insignificant and obscure as Semma.

But the office also carried certain terrible responsibilities: he was to win the war the stupid King had stirred up by his arrogance.Two larger and stronger Kingdoms were preparing to invade Semma.

And if the country lost, the first thing likely to be forfeit was the life of the Warlord.

And if it won . . . if it won, the fate and shape of Ethshar would change forever.

For deep in the south there are secrets of magic not even Sterren can imagine.

A LEGEND OF ETHSHAR ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

One of the Authors Best!
This is one of my favorite of the Esthar books by Lawrence Watt-Evans.This is a well written story that exhibits much of the same humor and insight that make most of LWE's books a delight.

In an Unwilling Warlord we get (as usual) a very unlikely hero.Before Sterren is an impossible task.He must win a war against multiple enemies, all of which larger then his kingdom.He must accomplish victory with incompetent generals and no magic.Poor Sterren then has to compensate for an incompetent King.

Don't feel too bad for Sterren though.The adventure he has in this book is a rollicking good time and one you will enjoy sharing with him!

Read It!
Let's see: This is an Ethshar series book and is therefore an excellent read. That may sound like a bold statement, but it is a fact. Before you run out and buy it I recommend that you start at the beginning with the first book "The miss enchanted sword", that way you will understand what is going on. Get the whole series and enjoy many hours wasting time reading about a world of total fantasy.

Note: This applies to every book in the series, I have read them all.

Another wonderfully exciting Ethshar book!
Sterren had always been lucky at dice, and was content with the life of a gambler in busy Ethshar of the Spices. However, when he is practically kidnapped to one of the Small Kingdoms, and proclaimed their hereditary warlord, he finds that his luck has run out. Facing a war against two larger kingdoms, Sterren has incompetent generals, a small and poorly trained and equipped army, and the knowledge that defeat in battle means the execution of the losing warlord. Unwilling to abandon his new country to destruction, Sterren takes the course of action preferred by any Ethsharite, and hires some magicians to solve his problems. However, magic rarely takes care of all problems, and in this case the cure seems to be worse than the disease!

Once again, this is another wonderfully exciting Ethshar book! Lawrence Watt-Evans loves writing stories that throw a young person in at the deep end, leaving the reader to watch as he or she struggles and overcomes, often with courage, luck, ability and a good dollop of humor! This is a great Fantasy book of wizards and spells and high adventure. I highly recommend it to you.

Right up there
I have probably read this book more than any other in the series, and I enjoy it more each time. While the Misenchanted Sword is the primer, and Single Spell sets the tone for the rest of the novels, this book gives the best examples of all the varieties of magic in this world.It also has a likable character forced into extreme circumstances who uses brains he never knew he had.A real treasure.

Standard Formula
Predictable plot, sketchy locale, good dialogue, sterotypical characters individuated by anachronistic twentieth century quips in an otherwise medieval mileau. The author has written this book several times under different titles with re-named characters in various locales. Reminiscent ofHeinlein's "Glory Road" without fully realized characters. If you haven't already read one of Lawrence Watt-Evan's books it's definitely worth the price, worth reading for enjoyment, not worth re-reading. If you have read one of his books you know what your getting. Buy it, if you want more of the same. I borrowed my copy. ... Read more

Product Description
The dark force known as Shadow had been defeated, but its world-spanning web of power had survived. This incredible magical weapon was now held not by a prince or wizard, but by Pellinore Brown, a marketing consultant from Germantown, Maryland. Pel Brown wished no one ill; he merely wanted his family back. But the Galactic Empire that had seen Shadow as a threat saw him as Shadow's heir, a menace to be destroyed as Shadow had been. And when the awesome magical might of Shadow's legacy was turned against the rayguns and spaceships of the Empire, entire planets were caught in the middle. Pel Brown wished no one ill -- but hundreds would die to put an end to . . . THE REIGN OF THE BROWN MAGICIAN -- "Few authors could collapse the walls between genres with the skill and inventiveness that Lawrence Watt-Evans does here. _Worlds of Shadow_ is an ambitious work that succeeds on all levels -- and not least as pure masterly storytelling. Light a candle and buckle your seat belt. This is like no other ride you've ever been on." -- Erin Patrick, author of MOONTIDE ... 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!
... 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
Every wizard in Ethshar knew that if you needed something special, something difficult to find, that Gresh the Supplier was the man to see. He was expensive, but always delivered. So when the Wizards' Guild finally got fed up with the little green nuisances that called themselves "spriggans," the Guild hired Gresh to fetch them the magic mirror that created the troublesome imps. The wizards thought finding it looked impossible. Gresh thought his methods would do the job. But no one had asked the spriggans what they thought! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great, like all the other Ethshar novels
All of the Ethshar novels are innovative and fun fantasy reading. The characters are fun, rich and interesting and the story frisks around in an entertaining non-formulaic fashion. While this book could be enjoyed, as all of the Ethshar novels can, as a stand-alone, I would definitely recommend starting the series at the beginning and reading up through this one, the background information, while not necessary, will definitely enhance the enjoyment of this novel.

A fun puzzle fantasy
This is a fun story set in an interesting invented world; I'd recommend it pretty strongly, as I would all of the Ethshar novels.It stands alone less well than most of the others, however; to get the most enjoyment out of this one you should read _With a Single Spell_ and probably _The Spell of the Black Dagger_ first.Either _With a Single Spell_ or _The Misenchanted Sword_ is probably the best place to start reading the Ethshar series, though all but a few of the books stand alone pretty well. ... Read more

Product Description
Garth had given the mighty Sword of Bheleu into the Forgotten King's keeping. Now he needed it back, and the King demanded that Garth bring him the Book of Silence in exchange -- but Garth feared that the King would use the Book to bring about an Age of Death. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Revenge is a Dish Best Fed to Someone Else
Garth the Overman has a knock for finding trouble.First an angry basilisk, then a plague on the city of dark Gods, the a sword with an extremely bad temper.Finally, with the damage to Skelleth repaired and trading reestablished, things have returned to a low rumble.Having cause all these crises in the first place, Garth's welcome in the barren northern city was worn thin at best.Andthe City Council of Ordunin, his original home, felt the same way.Separated from family, with few friends, Garth was reduced to drinking in the same tavern where the King in Yellow lived.The only good thing about being stuck in a room with the high priest of Death was that he rarely said anything.

Garth escapes the tedium by going on a dragon hunt only to discover that the dragon wasn't what he thought it would be and that some things had best be left alone.And on his return to Skelleth he found that the cult of Aghad, the god of hatred and violence, had initiated a program of revenge against Garth.Starting out by torturing and killing his wife.Suddenly what had been a lighthearted story develops fangs as Garth launches his own revenge campaign - one that will totally change the world.

To get what he wants, the return sword of Bheleu, Garth must agree to fetch The Book of Silence from its hiding place in the crypts of Ur-Dormulk.The results of this quest are as expected - Ur-Dormulk is left facing total destruction, Garth gets the sword, the old king gets the book, and the cult of Aghad starts losing large numbers of worshippers.But the story doesn't stop there.Crisis after crisis must be faced right up to the end of time.

As this series has progressed, Watt-Evans has taken what was at first a somewhat humorous adventure story and fleshed it out into a serious piece of fantasy in an era when all to much fantasy was either about magical princesses or sword waving barbarians.In the process he deals with a few interesting theological questions about divine planning and the interruption thereof.The books went on to be great successes in their time, Watt-Evans establish himself as a solid writer, and even today The Lord of Dus is a cult classic.I find that they have lost none of their edge over the years since I first read them.Consider this a strong recommendation.

A fitting end to a fantastic series
Having turned the Sword of Bheleu over to the Forgotten King, Garth the overman waits impatiently for the high-priest of death to give him his next assignment. The Age of Destruction is now in high gear, and the world around him is tearing itself to shreds. And, to make matters worse, the cult of Aghad, god of hate, now has Garth in their sights. Can Garth stop the Forgotten King, and avoid bringing on the last age of the world, the age of death? Does he have a choice at all?

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 was very pleased! This book makes an excellent sequel to The Sword of Bheleu, and a fitting end to a fantastic series. This is a great fantasy story, complete with wizards, gods, magic 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.

Like the rest of the entries in this series...
it's strangely, but compulsively, readable. Evans displays his usual talent for strong, realisic characters set in a world that's interesting and makes sense.

An under appreciated series
This is the fourth and final book 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, unwillingly assists the immortal Forgotten King (the high priestof the god of Death) to work his final magic.Magic that will finallybring an end to his immortality, but may kill many others in theprocess.

If you've never read the other books in this series, I recommendthat you pick up "Lure of the Basilisk", "Seven Altars ofDusarra", and "Sword of Bheleu" first.But if you've readthose three already, then I definitely recommend that you pick up this oneas well. ... Read more

Product Description
To Gudge's bride, Queen Artmeisia of Hydrangea, are born a set of royal triplets. But traditional Gorgorian belief holds that triplets are a sure sign of the mother's adultery--for which the tradition Gorgorian punishment is death. And Gudge is nothing is not a traditionalist.

So in secret the Queen sends her faithful servant Ludmilla on a desperate mission, to bear the girl and the younger boy to the secret forest redoubt of the last Hydrangean resistance. The oldest boy will remain, to be raised as the heir.

Unfortunately, Ludmilla takes both boys instead...
... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Conquest the Farcical Way
Split Heirs (1993) is a standalone humor fantasy novel.It is set in Hydrangea, a country conquered by Gorgorian barbarians.The conquerors were flea-bitten nomads and the conquered were decadent and refined citizens.Hydrangeans were so highly-refined that the wizards were useless for anything quick and nasty.

In this novel, King Gudge is now ruler of Hydrangea by right of conquest.He has beheaded the former Hydrangean ruler -- King Fumitory the Twenty-Second -- and married the daughter of the former king.Gudge then got his new queen pregnant by the usual Gorgorian practice of raping her.He hasn't stopped beheading Hydrangeans, finding it a quick way to cut off unwanted conversations.

Queenhas retired to the north tower of the palace in the ancient ritual of isolation of the pregnant queen.Strangely, none other remembers this ancient custom, but who knows all the ancient rites?Currently, the queen is in the process of parturition, having just delivered the second child with one more to go.

Old Ludmilla is the queen's handmaiden.Ludmilla is older than anyone else known to the queen.She is also the midwife for these births.

Prince Helenium, Prince Helianthus, and Princess Avena are the names bestowed on the newborn children of King Gudge and Queen Artemisia.They are each tagged with miniature portraits of their royal namesakes.

Odo is a shepherd living near Stinkberry village.He keeps his sheep on the mountain over the village.Odo is almost as old as Ludmilla and has had intimate relations with the crone many decades ago.

Clootie is the pseudonym of the only surviving Hydrangean wizard.The others were beheaded.He now lives in a thoroughly dry cave near Stinkberry village.Clootie is busily developing quick and dirty methods of creating havoc among the barbarians.He will be prepared to unleash his magic against the invaders any decade now.

In this story, the Gorgorians believe that multiple births mean multiple fathers.Since the penalty for adultery is death by wolverines, Queen Artemisia is determined to send the younger children to her brother Prince Mimulus, now known as the Black Weasel, brave and dashing heroic leader of the Bold Bush-dwellers.Unfortunately, Old Ludmilla gets agitated and carries off the two boys.

On the way to the Black Weasel, Old Ludmilla becomes lost and is found by Odo.He takes her back to his hut and they renew their close relations.Unluckily, Old Ludmilla dies with a smile on her face and Odo is left with two very young children on his hands.

Odo fetches his favorite ewe to nurse the boys and then ponders the lack of names.Old Ludmilla hadn't properly introduced him to the newborns, so he comes up with two names from his past.He names the boys Dunwin and Wulfrith for his errant uncles, who were hanged in Lichenberry.

Later, Odo decides that the boys are too much for his lifestyle and sells Wulfrith to Clootie as an apprentice or maybe lunch.Clootie takes the boy back to his cave.After watching Clootie execute his magic, Wulfrith learns a little magic himself, although he tends to be a tad erratic in his results.

Meanwhile, back at the palace, Queen Artemisia sends a message off to her brother to discover what happened to the two boys.The response is less than satisfactory, since Old Ludmilla had never arrived in the forest realm of the Black Weasel.So Artemisia keeps telling everybody that the remaining child is a boy named Arbol.

Prince Arbol grows up to be an almost typical Gorgorian youngster.He can outfight -- with fists or swords -- and outspit anyone else his age.Arbol is the terror of the palace guards, having a tendency to toss them down the stairs if they get in his way.

Then Clootie misplaces Wulfrith and follows Dunwin home under the understandable belief that he is really Wulfrith.In the ensuing conversation, Clootie proves that he is a wizard by changing Bernice -- a relatively calm and peaceful ewe -- into a dragon.Dunwin leaves home pursuing his beloved Bernice as she flies away.

This tale misrepresents every imaginable aspect of heroic fantasy.The girl thinks she is a boy and outdoes all her male friends.The boys are greatly impressed by their guardians and become a wizard and a shepherd.The Bush-dwellers finally learn to fight properly, but make the mistake of fighting Dunwin.

Then Artemisia lures Wulfrith back to the palace with a mask over his head and convinces him to become Arbol's food taster.After seeing the library, Wulfrith is easily persuaded to stay.Since they look so much alike, Arbol and Wulfrith trade places occasionally without anyone else noticing the difference.

The story is so farcical that it belongs in a class of its own.It is somewhat more logical than a Monte Python skit, but not by much.Enjoy!

Recommended for Watt-Evans & Friesner fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of cultural satire, social farce, and rampant confusion.

-Arthur W. Jordin

The freshest book I have read in awhile
Fun, Fun book about a simple case of mistaken identity between three royal children it is an excellent book to read if you into Terry P.Between boys being mistaken for girls and dragons being turned into sheep I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard while reading a book.

Hysterically Funny.
Don't take this any more seriously than you would a Terry Pratchett novel or a Zena episode.If you like campy, punny, word-based humor, it will push the limits of what you think is too much camp, puns, and downright silliness.

Very Monty-Python, very very silly.The plot romps along, happy, saucy, and raunchy to a pleasant and yet realistic enough conclusion for a book that includes tales of crying cheeses and lots of engaging descriptions of bad smells.Not to be missed.

Not worth the money
I had high hope for this book. I've heard good things about lawrence Watt-Evans and I'm a fan of Friesner. Unfortunately, this book does nether of them justice. The story idea is interesting enough (enough for me to shell out the money for it). A conquered queen gives birth to triplets and has to send two away or be killed, but the old retainer takes the two boys, and leaves the girl. But the actual writing makes me think its aimed for 10 year old maturity level, with a genius vocabulary level. The writing style is not captivating, and I pushed through several chapters after losing interest on the hope that it would get better... It didnt. This is the first time I've not been able to FINISH reading a book I started.

A funny, light read
This book is a hoot!It sends up most of the major conventions of the fantasy genre and has a great time doing it (what else would you expect from these authors?)Read this book a little at a time so you can savor all the zingers.But DON'T read it before bedtime--laughter is not conducive to sleep! ... Read more

Product Description
Kelder had always dreamed of a life more exciting than what waited for him on the family farm. So when a fortune-teller predicted a glorious future, that he'd roam free and unfettered and be a champion of the lost and forlorn, he immediately set out on the fabled Great Highway to Shan in search of adventure.
But once he was on the road, life was hardly as exciting as he'd hoped -- until he met Irith. She was the most beautiful girl, and the only girl with wings, Kelder had ever seen. They teamed up to see the world, and then Kelder found adventures aplenty: there were bandits and demons, and there were curses to lift, wizards to seek spells from, orphans to champion, and legendary cities to visit. For the young and carefree, life on the Great Highway was filled with fun, action, and magic.
But Kelder began to wonder about his beautiful companion. Irith certainly had seen a lot of the world for one so young -- and everyone along the highway seemed to know her . . . Soon, discovering Irith's secrets became Kelder's greatest adventure of all . . .
... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Read It!
Let's see: This is an Ethshar series book and is therefore an excellent read. That may sound like a bold statement, but it is a fact. Before you run out and buy it I recommend that you start at the beginning with the first book "The miss enchanted sword", that way you will understand what is going on. Get the whole series and enjoy many hours wasting time reading about a world of total fantasy.

Note: This applies to every book in the series, I have read them all.

Back in action
I'm so glad that he is writing again.It is nice to be back in Ethshar.Visiting old friends and meeting new ones makes this a wonderful novel.

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

Not the best, but a good solid Ethshar book
Kelder of Shulara (Kelder is a very common name in Ethshar) has spent his young life dreaming of leaving his small provincial town with its boring way of life. Now, armed with a fortuneteller's predictions, he sets off to find fame, magic and love. When he meets Irith, a magical young woman who can change her form, he finds that his future is coming together. But, there is something disturbing about Irith, and Kelder finds that he has a few questions that must be answered.

I must say, right off, that I am a huge fan of Lawrence Watt-Evans. Admittedly, this is not his best book, but it is a good solid Ethshar book, one that I enjoyed reading. I'm not sure about any hidden meanings, but I did find Kelder's interaction with this female Peter Pan to be absolutely fascinating.

If you are looking for a book of High Fantasy - of swords and magic, and kingdoms overthrown - then you will be disappointed in this book. However, if you interested in a fascinating book set in a magical milieu, then I highly recommend this book to you.

Sorry LWE, but . . . .
I'd like to apologize to LWE for writing this, since he is by far my favorite author.I realize that this is his most beloved Ethshar novel, but I could barely get through this book both times I read it.I read it twice just to make sure I didn't gloss over some deeper hidden meaning.I didn't.This bookis about a journey.A rather loooooong one.I felt like I was there, too, eating all the dust and sweating in the sun with them.I just missed all the fun that I really think LWE wanted in the tale.Try any of the other Ethshar stories, you won't be disappointed. ... Read more

Product Description
Travelers from Earth's alternate realities take breaks for dinner at Harry's hamburger joint and relate their experiences to Mitsopoulas, a police officer accustomed to hearing about flying whales and feline vacuum cleaners. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Very good short story collection
Lawrence Watt-Evans is an excellent author, writing in a number of genres, but most known for his science-fiction and fantasy stories. This book is a collection of some nineteen of his short stories. Some of the stories are indeed crosstime - dealing with the movement between parallel universes. The rest are either fantasy or science-fiction or a bit unclassifiable.

Some of the stories are quite short, coming in at under two pages(!), but the rest are of a more descent length. In general I really like the stories, especially the crosstime ones - I wish that he had written more of them. The story Storm Trooper is probably the best of the lot, but The Drifter was very interesting, and The Final Folly of Captain Dancy was quite entertaining.

So, if you are a fan of good science-fiction and fantasy, then you will like this book. And, if you are a fan of Lawrence Watt-Evans, as I am, then I can guarantee that you will love it!

Multiverse x Multiverse
Imagine an infinite number of universes, an infinite number of parallel Earths.Time isn't always constant, some have space-travel, other realities are blending and invading others.These represent my favorite (and little explored) possibilities inside science fiction.

In this collection of twenty stories, fifteen have a unique riff on inter-reality travel, communication, or merging.A couple won major awards like the Hugo.Even if you don't normally go for short stories, if you like cross-reality traffic, you'll enjoy this collection.

Stories Included:Paranoid Fantasy #1, Why I Left Harry's All-Night Hamburgers, A Flying Saucer with Minnesota Plates, An Infinity of Karen, The Drifter, Storm Trooper, One-Shot, "Truth, Justice, and the American Way," Real Time, New Works, One Night at a Local Bar, Science Fiction, Watching New York Melt (with Julie Evans), Monster Kidnaps Girl at Mad Scientist's Command!, Windwagon Smith and the Martians, The Rune and the Dragon, The Palace of the al-Tir al-Abtan, The Final Folly of Captain Dancy, After the Dragon is Dead.

A book I'm glad to own.

Great stuff!
I'm not a big sci-fi buff. I mean I LOVE sci-fi, but not the HEAVY stuff. I may get there one day, but for now, the "Ender series" is more or less the most "hardcore" science-fiction books I've read.
Now, this said, it maybe explains why my most favorite theme is time-travel/parallel universes.
Too bad it's one of those less written-about sub-genres in science-fiction.

Anyhow, I think it was almost 10 years ago (I think I was about 16) when I picked an issue of "Amazing Stories", and fell in love with a certain short story there. It was called "The Drifter", written by Lawrence Watt-Evans; A beautiful, parallel-universe short story. It was the best short sci-fi story I ever read. (Again, I never read those "heavy" Asimov stories and the likes..). I liked it a lot, put the magazine away someplace, and didn't give it much thought for a few years.

A few months ago, I found the magazine and read the story. And it rekindled my love for it. But now - I've got Amazon.I logged in and searched for Lawrence Watt-Evans items.

And among various novels he's written, I've found this book - a collection of short stories. One of which is the Drifter!!!Wow... Moreover, there are a couple of stories here that actually won the Hugo award!
I had to have this book!

I got it, I read it, and I enjoyed. All the stories were just right for my love of "soft core" science-fiction and fantasy. Twenty of them.

I enjoyed most of the stories very much. There were a couple of very bad stories as well (Luckily they were very short), that the author himself describe as his early, premature, work.

In short, I can recommend this book. If you want to remember the stories that got you hooked on it as a kid. If you love short, science fiction and fantasy stories, dealing with different aspects not always touched by other writers, time-travel, parallel-worlds, and other cool stuff - buy this book!

Excellent time-travel/alternate-universe short stories.
This is perhaps the best collection I've ever read of short stories on time travel and alternate universes -- all by the same author.In my opinion, some of the tales are as good as anything written by Ray Bradbury. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Very interesting
Sam Turner, decommissioned reconnaissance cyborg for Old Earth has gone native, even down to studying to be a wizard on his new home world of Dest. However, when another cyborg shows up, his equanimity is shattered. The other cyborg, aptly named Flame, has gone insane during her years-long interstellar flight and wants nothing so much as to kill every inhabitant of Dest. Now, it is up to Sam to stop Flame, and save the inhabitants of Dest...including himself!

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 moved on to his War Surplus series, of which The Cyborg and the Sorcerers was book one, and The Wizard and the War Machine was the second.

Overall, I found this book to be a very interesting read, but not quite as good as the first book. The magic versus high-tech angle is nearly gone here, with magic revealed as psionics, and even then the magic is used very sparingly. As such, the book is much more of a science fiction story - a mano-a-mono competition between the cyborgs.

But, that said, this is another very good Lawrence Watt-Evans book, one that I do not hesitate to recommend.

SF Detective Story
This was an SF detective story about an insurance "adjuster" (this adjuster uses weapons more than adding machines) trying to solve a locked-room theft - actually, multiple thefts from the locked room. The detective story was routine, and being it was SF, it was flavored with the a futuristic landscape. Not bad, a bit of a neat idea included, but overall not spectacular by any means. Do note that if you enjoy Foster's off-beat Spellsinger books, you should know that Greenthieves is a straight SF detective story.

Loved this book!Fantastically creative!
I really loved this novel, From cyborg to wizard!What a concept!I loved it!Look out Terminator. :)Wish there was a series.. ... 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

Product 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 (14)

Amazing Conclusion
To the first book series I have ever been able to get through. It's a little slow through the first half of the book, compared to the other two, but once it starts getting exciting, it doesn't stop until the last page, literally. GREAT book!

book review of Dragon Venom
This is a great conclusion to the Obsidian Chronicles!Loved the first book, second book was great, but the third one is adventurous like the first book and wonderful if you like daring superheros, dangerous situations and magical creatures.It is like a vacation from reality.

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. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Light, well-done, entertaining short novel
This is a light, well-done, entertaining short novel that reads like a
cross between a good Andre Norton and the Lord of Light Zelazny. The
setup is familiar: hi-tech immortal humans (the Powers) are lording it
over lo-tech tribesmen. Here, the immortal Powers are, well, really,
*really* powerful (see Zelazny), but bored, so a few of them went
looking for a lost colony as a lark. They found the colonists, liked
their world, and some of them found out they liked being Gods. But

mostly they relaxed into a nice, slow, 400-year vacation. Until one of
the oldest, meanest, weirdest immortals decides he'd really like to rule
a galactic empire...

Fortunately the old weirdo is pretty dumb, and is brought to heel by a
plucky tribesman and a sneaky immortal. One could quibble with some of
the story logic, but that seems pointless in a book that so nicely
accomplishes its goal of entertaining the reader for a few hours.
Anyway, if you like Norton & Zelazny, you should look for DW.
Recommended.

Happy reading!

Cheers --Pete Tillman

Light-hearted, with a serious message
Arthur C. Clarke said "and sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishible from magic."Denner's Wreck takes that concept to the logical extreme.

Imagine, if you will, that a group of bored vacationers, made nearly immortal and omnipotent through technology, come upon a planet populated by the decendants of colonists who crashed there centuries earlier.This "native" population, which has reverted to hunter/gatherer and subsistance farmer society, views the newcomers as gods, and swiftly include these "Powers" in their mythology.If you can imagine that, you've got the premise for Denner's Wreck.

Several different stories some together to form a seamless tapestry which is a joy to read.One one level, Bredon the Hunter must come to terms with the idea that the gods he has grown up beliving in are merely people not unlike himself who posess sophisticated technology beyond anything he could have imagined.Intertwined with that are several moral issues: Are the "natives" of Denner's Wreck less human because they lack the technology? ... ...

The author laces all these ideas (and more) with a good dose of humor that makes the book a fun a surprisingly quick read.I'd highly recommend it to anyone who comes across a copy.

quick delightful read
I thought this book was pretty cool.A bunch of vacationing misfits from an ultra advanced civilization take up residence for a couple of hundred years on an out of the way planet.They are interpreted by the locals,ancestors of a colony ship that wrecked on the planet about 600 years agoas gods similar to those in greek and roman mythology.The locals areprimitive, technologically speaking, and with their superior technologythis group of vacationers basically lead experience self indulgence to thefullest.the plot is quite simple, one of these vacationers, who was adeposed galactic emperor thousands of years ago wants to rebuild hisempire, using the planet of "short-lifers" (technologicallydeprived) as a starting point.Most of the immortals (who really just relyon all kinds of neat gadgets) are mostly all too complacent and wrapped upin their own twisted worlds as demi-gods to care much about it.Ashort-lifer and one of the demi-gods know has "Gest" (for hispenchant for playing pranks, the equivalent of Pan I would say) stumbleonto this empire building scheme and attempt to foil it.In the course oftrying to recruit help and stop the would be conqueror, the short-lifer,Aredon, learns the secrets of the immortals and simultaneously changes thesnobbish viewpoint the vacationers have held of the locals.

Anyway,there are some cool ideas like bent space storage, skull liner computers,and AI's and other techniques the vacationers use to live in a world oftotal indulgence. At the beginning of each chapter, a story told in theform of a myth, or encounter with a god, is told from the perspective ofthe local storyteller describing an encounter with one of the"gods"

I found it randomly at a used bookstore and am glad tohave read it.If you see it, pick it up! ... Read more

Product Description
It began with fragmentary, incoherent psychic messages -- Earth had been found by the inhabitants of not one, but two alternate realities. Before long representatives from both of them had arrived in the suburbs of Washington DC, hoping to recruit aid in their own battles.One world was a world of magic; the other reality was a universe of spaceships and rayguns. A handful of ordinary Americans -- housewives, lawyers, interior decorators, and the like -- found themselves caught up in the transdimensional conflict. But these are not the harmless, happy-ending lands of film and fable. The sweat and blood was real, and the horrors they faced genuinely dangerous. They had little hope of triumph, or even survival, in . . . WORLDS OF SHADOWThe complete unabridged text of the acclaimed Three Worlds trilogy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Totally enthralling
What does an Evil Overlord/Necromancer/Dark Lord do when he has conquered his world? He begins searching for new worlds to conquer. Shadow has swallowed his entire world, and found an alternate reality, where a space-going Galactic Empire holds sway. The Galactic Empire is looking for allies and finds another reality, our Earth. And so, Pellinore Brown and some others from Earth, Captain Joshua Cahn and the crew of the ISS Ruthless of the Galactic Empire, and Raven of Stormcrack Keep and some other resisters of Shadow begin their trek across three realities. But, their journey will take them where they never expected to go.

This great book contains all three of Lawrence Watt-Evans' Three Worlds book in one neat package. I am a big fan of Mr. Watt-Evans, and I must say that I deeply enjoyed this series. Now, I must admit that parts of these stories are rather dark, containing images of rape and brutality that will shock younger and more sensitive readers.

But, if you can get past that, you will be rewarded with a fascinating story, one that presents life and conflict with all of the darkness and loss that it really does hold. That is to say, it's not a cute adventure story for young readers; it is a wonderfully deep and complex story that will leave you feeling wrung out, but glad you read it.

I loved the author's three, mutually exclusive worlds, finding each one fascinating, and I enjoyed the way that he wove them together. I really liked the characters and their interactions. Yes, I found this series totally enthralling, and I highly recommend it to everyone!

Most disappointing
I've read (and enjoyed) almost everything that Watt-Evans has written, but this just didn't work for me.It may have been the abrupt shift in tone - the story starts with the other-worlders enjoying pizza with the Earthlings, but becomes brutal by the end of the first volume.

Try "The Misenchanted Sword" or "The Cyborg and The Sorcerors" instead. ... Read more

Product Description
Dumery of Shiphaven was a lad with a love of wizardry — and no magic at all. He dreamed of apprenticing himself to a great wizard, but because he had not even a touch of the talent, it was a dream he could never fulfill. He would never apprentice himself to a great wizard, nor even a meager one; no matter how he loved magic and the magical arts, he would never work with wizards or wizardry.

That’s what Dumery was beginning to think, anyway — until he spied a great wizard humbling himself before a man selling dragon’s blood, the precious stuff that made difficult spells work. If Dumery couldn’t be a wizard, he could still become a dragon-hunter — and have all those condescending wizards crawling to him.

And so Dumery set off on a quest — a quest in search of dragons and dragon-hunters, and ultimately the secret that lay beneath all the wizardry in Ethshar. Before he reached its end, he would uncover the terrible mystery of the dragon-hunters — and scheme a scheme that would change the face of Ethsharitic magic forever. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Read It!
Let's see: This is an Ethshar series book and is therefore an excellent read. That may sound like a bold statement, but it is a fact. Before you run out and buy it I recommend that you start at the beginning with the first book "The miss enchanted sword", that way you will understand what is going on. Get the whole series and enjoy many hours wasting time reading about a world of total fantasy.

Note: This applies to every book in the series, I have read them all.

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

Interesting and enjoyable low key fantasy
Eventually I will get around to all of Lawrence Watt-Evans's Ethshar novels -- these are uniformly enjoyable commonsensical light fantasy, somewhat in the mode of L. Sprague De Camp, set in a fantasy world distinguished by having multiple, mostly quite different, magical systems.

Dumery of Shiphaven is a 12 year old boy, the son of a wealthy shipowner. It is time for him to choose a trade. He has no interest in the shipping business, and anyway his oldest brother will get the business. Dumery, at any rate, is interested in something else -- he wants to be a wizard. His father agrees to let him try -- but every wizard Dumery meets agrees that he has not a shred of magical talent. Dumery is frustrated and offended -- but then he happens to see a wizard negotiating with a seller of dragon's blood, which is an important ingredient is many spells. He realizes that if he can't be a wizard, he might get a measure of revenge by becoming a dragon's blood seller.

So Dumery tracks down the dragon hunter. Who, it turns out, has no interest in hiring an apprentice. Dumery decides not to give up. He decides to follow the dragon hunter to his home, and to insist on an apprenticeship. Thus, he ends up paying his way on a boat up the river, shoveling cow dung. His parents miss him, of course, and they hire a witch's apprentice to track him.

Both Dumery and the young witch end up following the dragon hunter to his home. The witch learns some secrets about witches and warlocks which (no pun intended!) seem a setup for a further book. Dumery, meanwhile, learns that the dragon hunter isn't quite what he seems. Also, that he still hasn't any wish for an apprentice. Dumery remains stubborn, and almost despite himself -- certainly not through any particular virtue of his own -- stumbles on a secret involving dragons, one in particular, that might just make his fortune.

It's an odd, interesting, book. There aren't exactly any heroes, nor really any villains. Dumery is certainly the central character, and he is in many ways quite an unpleasant young man. He is a thief, he's irresponsible, he's spoiled -- he's not by any means evil, but he's not good. The witch's apprentice is fairly appealing, but in the end a pretty minor character. The other characters are ordinary people, some of whom do pretty bad things -- but mostly through ignorance. The book is enjoyable reading throughout -- Watt-Evans is a very engaging writer. And the eventual solution is both logical (indeed, I thought of it much earlier ...) and in a way heroic.

Highly recommended!
Now that Dumery has reached his 12th birthday, it is time for him to be apprenticed. He's the third son of a wealthy merchant, which means that he inherits...nothing. He has only really been interested in one thing, wizardry, so he offers himself as an apprentice to every magic-user in Ethshar. When they all tell him that he is completely dead to magic, and as such untrainable, he feels crushed. But when he sees the most powerful wizard in Ethshar humbling himself before a man who sells dragon's blood (necessary for so many spells), he decides that he can apprentice himself to the dragon hunter, and force the wizards to humble themselves before him. Oh, but Dumery finds that even this is much harder than he imagined.

I must admit that I consider myself a devoted Watt-Evans fan! I have enjoyed all of his books that I have been able to lay my hands on, this one included. Indeed, Mr. Watt-Evans' world is fantastic and yet realistic, with normal seeming people, going about their business in a manner totally consistent with their world. At least with the stories I have read, his heroes are relatively normal young men, looking for their future in a world of high magic. I highly recommend this book for any fan of fantasy literature!

High fantasy, low Wattage
I read this book, along with all the other Ethshar fantasies, when they first appeared back in the eighties. I must say I always enjoyed the way Watt-Evans approached magic; he could make it at once fantastic and logical.His scenes of magic at work are indisputably fun. Watt-Evans is kind of old school, he has devised a magical world, rules for that world, puts his plots into that context, and relentlessly follows things to their logical conclusion. The thing is, nothing much happens in Watt-Evans' stories. There are no larger-than-life heroes, no derring-do, nohair-breadth escapes, no great truths revealed, and no surprises. As one reviewer of his work pointed out, his characters are pedestrian, which I think is exactly Wat-Evans' point. Just because there is magic in Ethshar doesn't mean people or their institutions will be any different. Folks are still interested in profit and comfort, governments and religions just want to perpetuate themselves, parents still want to control their kids'lives, etc.This adds an element of realism to his work that is lacking in Tolkien-wannabe fantasies.Watt-Evans has managed to create a very magical world, and then his plots render it mundane. As strange as this sounds, I would always scoop up an Ethshar novel as soon as it hit the shelves, devour it in a day or two, and look forward to the next. Yet, I never felt really satisfied after finishing. Kind of like eating Chinese food. ... Read more

Product Description
When the baby Malledd is born to an ordinary family in a small country town, the oracles name him the true chosen Champion of the Domdur Empire. Should the Empire find itself at war, Malledd will be the one to lead them to victory, by the gods' decree.

But all has been at peace for generations, and Malledd disbelieves the prophecy. He is, he says, just an ordinary smith, and goes about his life being just that.

Now, in the dark hills of the Eastern lands, a centuries-old promise has come to its end, and an army of undead soldiers led by a dark magician threatens to topple the Empire. An Imperial Army is quickly gathered, and the Champion sought for. Will he answer his call? Or will the Empire fall because of one man's refusal to be anything other than normal?
Amazon.com Review
Malledd was "touched by the gods" when he was born; that is,he emerged from his mother's womb bearing a birthmark indicating he was thechosen champion of the gods, destined to one day defend the Domdur Empire. But the empire has long been at peace, and the gods have ceaseddispensing their wisdom to humanity, so Malledd apprentices with his fatherto learn the trade of smithery. When the evil wizard Rebiri raises an armyof the dead while simultaneously undermining Domdur's government from within, Malledd reluctantly comes to realize that he is the one who must rise to the challenge and save Domdur. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Fascinating
I read this book many years ago and I still remember it as one of the best I've ever read. It's a big book, but the story is so stunning and fascinating that I recommend it to anyone. I read many books from Lawrence Watt-Evans, and this one is the best from the ones I read. I keep it and I intend to read it again.

A pleasant read, mostly
The plot is a fairly standard variation of the reluctant hero thrust into great events.Unlike most, Watt-Evans articulates a clear and very human motivation for the hero's reluctance.And unlike almost all others, he is allowed to return to obscurity in the end.The main character's motivations and personality are very believable (though many of the secondary characters remain rather cardboard).His backstory for the history leading to the current conflict is well-developed and internally consistent.Best of all, he reveals the backstory artfully - you always feel that you're reading a story, never an alternative history lesson.

The big draw-back to this book was the ending.The climactic battle scene was short but you expected it to be given the foreshadowing.The happily-ever-after part that came next, though, was far too abrupt.Prior decisions which were the result of long-running intrigue and had mere pages earlier been impossible to set aside are suddenly reversed with no more explanation than "we won".Worse (for me at least), the main character's closing thought is a fixation on his reward of 'a long, long life', a concept that had no connection with his prior motivations or desires.If felt so out of place that it jolted me out of my abiliity to suspend disbelief.

I usually appreciate when an author keeps a work to a single volume and resists the urge for another interminable sequel.In this case, I think the author should have taken the last chapter (or three) and developed it into a subsequent book.Perhaps the ending wouldn't have jarred so badly.

A Good Story
I enjoy almost any story written by Mr Wyatt-Evans and this book was no exception. I thought the story came from a different perspective and I enjoyed the way the story moved along. From my view, this is a different kind of "hero saves the world" story.

Good but nothing special
This isn't the best Watt-Evans book I've ever read.The main heroe just doesn't quite manage to get me interested and I find that the characters are pretty much your standard cast. There's your reluctant heroe, a good noble man doing his best for his country, a wife that wants her husband to stay home, a corrupt noble who doese stupid deals and an evil man fo wants to kill the good guys.To Evans credit he does manage to make an intersting storie out of these characters andit keeps you reading til you've finished the book.I thought the end was just a bit to hollywood for my taste and it sort of brings the book down, but hey some people love these kind of endings.I'd recommand people who haven't read any of his work to read first books like Unwilling Warlord, Cyborg and the Sorcerer, and The misenchanted sword.How ever, if you are a fan already then you should read this book it's worth the time.

Unremarkable, and not very imaginative
The main feature to this book is it's mediocrity. It wasn't bad, but it also wasn't very good. The characters seemed likeable enough, but there were too many of them for any of them to be developed at any depth. The plot was fairly standard high fantasy, complacent, peaceful empire vs evil, dark horde, without any surprises or suspenseful moments. The setting was also pretty average, consisting of small agrarian villages and the big walled city (sort of magical/mythical medieval). Those who really love classic high fantasy, such as David Eddings, might enjoy this. Anyone who is looking for something new and different should try something else. ... Read more

Product Description
Tabaea was an ordinary thief, sneaking and prowling and stealing for a living.Then one night while burgling a house, she witnessed a wizard teaching his apprentice a spell -- the creation of a magic dagger.

Tabaea decided to try the magic for herself.But even though she could feel the power rising around her as she went through the steps of the ritual, something had clearly gone wrong.The apprentice's dagger had glowed; it had resisted attempts to pick it up; and there had been a blinding flash at the end of the ceremony.

But Tabaea's dagger didn't do any of those things.And it wouldn't free her from bonds, or heal her wounds -- it didn't seem to be magical at all.It just turned black.

Then, by chance, Tabaea discovered that her dagger indeed had its own kind of unusal magic -- a dark, powerful magic that promised invincibility to its bearer.

But magic can be dangerous even in the hands of an expert -- and for Tabaea, magic and power could spell disaster . . . ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Read It!
Let's see: This is an Ethshar series book and is therefore an excellent read. That may sound like a bold statement, but it is a fact. Before you run out and buy it I recommend that you start at the beginning with the first book "The miss enchanted sword", that way you will understand what is going on. Get the whole series and enjoy many hours wasting time reading about a world of total fantasy.

Note: This applies to every book in the series, I have read them all.

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

Well thought-out fantasy tale
Young Tabaea the Thief becomes Tabaea the Empress in this installment of Lawrence Watt-Evans' Ethshar series.The point of view begins with Tabaea overhearing the secret of wizardry and how to create an athame, the magical dagger that all wizards use to channel their power.But with no training and no patience, her spell goes awry and her dagger appears worthless.

But when she uses it as a weapon, she finds that if it kills someone, she inherits all their power and ability.So Tabaea goes on a wizard-killing spree to become the strongest of them all, and then installs herself of Empress of Ethshar of the Sands.

What LWE does well is show how fantastical elements impact real people, in terms of politics, relationships, and day to day living.Many of us might have had daydreams where we take over a castle, but which of us thought it through enough to realize that you need the support of all those retainers and servants to keep the place running?LWE did, and shows the results of an impetuous teenaged monarch with no one to receive her orders.

Several reviewers mentioned the switching point of view between Tabaea and Lady Sarai, who investigates the serial murders.I agree the book would have been more effective if LWE stuck with one or the other, or at least not told us so much of Tabaea's doings in advance of Sarai's discovering them.

Note: this book is contemperaneous with Watt-Evans new Ethshar novel, _Ithanalin's Restoration_.However, as with most of the Ethshar series, they stand alone well and can be read in any order.

Another great Ethshar book!
Tabaea of Ethshar of the Sands has led a rather unfortunate life, and becoming a thief hasn't particularly helped. However, when she spies on a wizard teaching his apprentice how to make a magical dagger, she decides that magic is the life for her. When she makes her dagger, though, everything seems to go wrong, and the result is a seemingly ineffective black dagger. But, botched magic can have strange results, and this one results in the creation of one of the most powerful magical devices that the world has ever seen!

Lady Sarai's ability to solve mysteries has landed her the jobs of Minister of Investigation and acting Minister of Justice. When a series of magicians start turning up murdered, all in the same, seemingly ritualistic, way, Lady Sarai investigates. The magical traces found by magicians point to a coven of magicians of various schools...or do they? The Guild of Wizards is worried...Lady Sarai is worried...and they have good reason to be worried!

This is another great Ethshar book! In certain ways, it is different than the other Ethshar books that I have read, focusing in on two major characters (Tabaea and Sarai). But, as with the others, it is an exciting story, with lots of intrigue, magic, and nail-biting adventure. If you like stories of wizards, powerful magic and high adventure, then I highly recommend this great book to you!

The best of the bunch!
I love the Ethshar series, with the exception of Taking Flight, and this book is the best that LWE has produced.Some people don't like the way that the book is written or the way that the heroine in the tale turns out to be the villain, but to me this book was fast paced, had great fighting, and a tangible sense of impending doom if she isn't stopped.Don't listen to the other reviewers, as they aren't happy that this book kind of breaks from the mold of the other Ethshar novels.Give it a chance. ... Read more