Elves Books

I liked the book a lot. It was captivating and interisting.The illustrations were originall, and Brian Froud did a good job doing them. It was all around awesome!!! :)

Let's face it, the majority of stories we tell each other these days is nothing but gossip. Gone are the days of fables and poems and limericks. Stories like this are considered bedtime rituals for kids rather than something important that we can learn from.

Brian Froud and Ari Berk team up in this book to deliver 24 stories (some short, some long) based on ancient culture, each one with a twist in the tale and the meaning of of it laid out afterwards. A runic code is also featured for every one, that takes a few minutes to unravel. But once you get familiar with the Key, it'll be easier for you.

Some of these stories are easy to identify with, but some are really out there. Since Berk has a degree in Modern, Classic and Medieval English Literature you can expect him to have pretty diverse writing skills. All of the stories may be set in the same world but you'll never know where he'll go in the next one.

Froud's paintings are definitely interesting and vivid, but I'd be hard-pushed to call them beautiful. Some are so abstract and weird that I could look at it for ages and still not fully understand it's point.

It took quite a while to get through this book. A lot of patience is needed to decipher the codes and I'm not the kind of guy who can read several different fables in one night. It does make for a good bedtime read for kids and adults though. But I wouldn't expect many children to appreciate the book at all.

This book is a series of fantastic retellings of old stories of myth that are associated with the runic alphabet of Northern European prehistory. The Rune of Protection, for instance, is a retelling of "The Waking of Angantyr" from the Elder Edda. All these associative stories are incorporated into a mystical world known as "Elf-Land", both illuminated by Dr. Berk and envisioned by the reknowned fantasy artist, Brian Froud (most known for his book "Faeries" and having done conceptual art for the Jim Henson movies "Labyrinth" and "Dark Crystal")

I've had the pleasure of being a student in several of Dr. Berk's classes at Central Michigan University, and I can say that his way of looking at the world through the folklore of generations has profoundly changed my own view. It is great seeing his vision of the world on the printed page, and complimented so beautifully by the illustrations of Mr. Froud, who is a good friend of his and a current collaborator.

This book is a must-have for both lovers of fantasy and of folklore. It has many profound teachings by ways of courtesy in the realm of nature and the invisible world of Faerie, brought forth excellently by Dr. Berk's unique language.

For a closer look at Berk and Froud's somewhat eccentric "academic" relationship, check out "Goblins!" which was released in Nov. 2004. It is a new volume in the Lady Cottington series, under a sort of Faerie ethnological study of those pesky creatures that cause us so much woe.

In the Age of Technology, it is a testament to myth's eternal power to inspire that a book like "The Runes of Elfland" by Brian Froud and Dr. Ari Berk has come into being. At once whimsical, passionate, solemn, and joyful, each page is a gift, a fresh breeze that blows across the mind and takes the reader to a special place uncorrupted by that which is easily acquired and jealously owned.

Myth and runes are owned by no one; they are tools by which we can escape into the unexplored corners of our minds, and one could want for no better guides than Froud and Berk. The point and counterpoint of the work is exquisitely displayed as you turn each page and presents something certain to affect everyone who looks at the book, if even for a moment.

As always, there is darkness and sensuality in even the most innocent picture, as Froud's faeries peer out from the corners of the pages, yet even the most sinister picture has some measure of beauty. Berk's words are soaring poetry, written with a deft touch that presents a deep scholarship in mythic conventions without being pretentious or pontifical.

While the book claims to be nothing more than, as Berk says, "a process of seeing, listening, and remembering," this is expert and elegant storytelling that respects the reader and the material. In fact, it is even more because through these words and images, we gain (or re-gain) the power to appreciate not only the "landscapes in [our] memory," but the land itself. No matter your spiritual orientation, there is something to be gained and cherished from the journey you take each time you open this wonderful book.

it has less correlation to traditional runes that i would have liked. For instance, the traditional futhark order isn't observed, nor are the traditional names of the runes given. However, the pictures and stories are wonderful, and the book lends a new and creative perspective to runework which is at once easy to understand and very cryptic.

True to their relationship in Fire and Flight, Cutter and Skywise prove to readers that they are indeed "brothers in all but blood", as they travel the world of two moons in search of other elves, so that all the children of the High Ones may be reunited. They meet some of the most Enchanting dangers along the way, that perhaps any work of fantasy may boast, and the artwork By Wendy remains SUPERB as ever. You cannot help but be touched by the relationships in this and the other seven original full color elfquest graphic novels by Wendy and Richard Pini.

I have read all the original eight graphic novels and I must say this one is my favorite! Cutter and Skywise are really funny, and what can I say, who DOESN'T love petalwing? Plus this novel is the perfect transition between Sorrow's End and Blue Mountain. The artwork is superb and the storyline is great too.

Beautifully crafted! The greatest story ever told comes to paperback! Wendy and Richard Pini bring the legend of Elfquest to paperback along with all the details they had to leave out of the illustrated series. Discover the adventure for the first time, or embark on it all over again through written word.

The second book in the elfquest saga following Fire and Flight. This is simply the best in fantasy writing!

If you like magic, battles, and mysteries you will love this book. The characters are cool, and the locations are neat. For example, the character's names (such as Treestump, Skywise, Cutter, Rayek, and Winowill) are interesting. The artwork is great because of the shading and the dimensional work. When warriers are fighting and strange things are happening the characters say things like "I'LL CUT OUT YOUR GUTS AND ROAST 'EM IN THE FIRE PIT!" and the trolls say "BY GRAYMUG'S BLACKENED BONES!" and the humans say "YOU'RE BOUND FOR NOWHERE BUT THE DOOM PIT!". So as you can see ELFQUEST "The Forbidden Grove" is a super cool book!

Great book for reference, the activities to connect with the faeries are extremely effective. Faery lore and legend are accurate. The book is filled with beautiful pictures of individual types of faeries, each page with full colour. A good introduction for beginners to the world of fae. It is interesting, and offers a gentle approach.

This small book has colorful and inventive illustrations, drawing mostly on fairy folklore from around the world. Following a brief introduction about origins of faery and entering the faery realm, there are chapters on Elementals & Nature Spirits, Faery Helpers, Tricksters & Seducers, Angelic Faeries and Rituals and Recipes.

Each section is accompanied by a simple exercise that the author suggests can connect you to these beings of nature and energy. In addition to the traditional nature spirits, the author describes a number of others, including Jack Frost, Jack in the Green, the Blue Fairy, and Wee Willie Winkie. The book is well researched and written. The last section, covering Rituals and Recipes, has simple techniques and suggestions for contact and introductory work.

The Book of Faeries is a pleasant place to begin a journey into faery. While there is much more to say about the subject, I'd highly recommend this book as a good place to start.

I love this book, it is easy to read and has quick information with lovely illustrations. It is a fun and informative read. I recommend this book for anyone who is interested in faeries,pixies,gnomes, or one of my favorites, The Green Man !
Enjoy!

Melville did a wonderful job in puting this book together and the information in it, is absoutly stunning. Although at times I wish he had given more information on some of the faeries (Such as the Undines). The illustrations are pretty good, but I rather have a book with no illlustrations in it at all.

This book has 5 chapters:
Elementals & Nature Spirits (Sylphs, Devas, Elves, ect.)
Faery Helpers (Brownies, Dwarfs, Domovoi, ect.)
Tricksters & Seducers (Leprechauns, Pixies, Morgan le Fay, ect.)
Angelic Faeries (Peris, Erotes, Lauma, ect.)
Rituals & Recipes

I give this book a 4.5 stars overall.

This was the first Fey book that I had bought. It really introduced you to the different types of basic Fey.

My children loved the book...don't say the their names in the house....call them the little folk.

When I grew up, imagination was put away in a box. I don't want that for my children. I believe there is another diminison where these beings live.....Keep the Magick alive! Believe...

Glancing through the reviews of this book I am surprised to see how many people are so glowing in their assessments, and basically have to conclude that they are either 1) family and friends of the author 2) children/young teen agers. It's not that this book is bad, it's just astoundingly mediocre on all fronts that quantify a "good book", particularly a good "fantasy novel". Is it entertaining? Sure. And if you're 12 and haven't read better, I can see you really enjoying this. It's for people who loved THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES more than LORD OF THE RINGS, or the Harry Potter Books over JOHNATHAN STRANGE AND MR. NORREL. Only Harry Potter and SPIDERWICK are both at least consistent in narrative style and characterization, where as this book is wildly all over the place- something almost excusable since the narrator is an astoundingly immature fifteen year old girl. Except, of course, when the author needs her to be otherwise (which to me, is a sign of a fledgling author who has no grasp of character yet). At times the prose is grating, almost unreadable and the plot is so convoluted it would almost be Byzantine except that you feel no real drive to move through the story, which is Schram's biggest problem: there is no sense of necessity in the novel or consequence; characters never seem like they are really in danger (in part because they're given to making adolescent jokes at all times) and the stakes have no ramifications in anything a normal person can relate to (I assume we're supposed to care about the world of Aneador, but I'm not sure why, since it's filled with obnoxious or just bland unlikeable creatures, many with stupidly silly names like Eenie-Meanies or Amorals). Beyond these flaws there is just a great deal of bad writing/editing: redundancies abound, inane dialogue is par for the course and numerous unnecessary details (like listing item by item everything the characters eat) substitute for actual descriptions or mood. All in all, kind of a waste of time, unless you really are a fantasy nut or someone who doesn't ask for much from their literary experience.

I found the Chronicles of Anaedor a well writen book for young adults. The main character, Lavida Mors, is delightful if a bit of a handful. I liked her determination to find answers to her questions and curiousity delightful. And her adventures in the "undeworld" exciting. I highly recommend this book as a gift, after you have read it yourself! ** I RATED THE BOOK WITH "FIVE" STARS, BUT FOR SOME REASON IT SHOWED "THREE!" SINCE I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO CHANGE THE RATING, I AM STATING IT HERE.

The Chronicles of Anaedor - The Prophecies. Is an enlightening novel that has the creative mind of the author that surpasses other Sci-Fi novels. I was delighted to read this novel as I am trying first hand to be a writer myself. I have found that this Kristina has a delightful imagination and the creativity is outstanding. I applaud this author's gift. May there be many more novels to come.

The story is about a teenage girl who is sent away to a private school by her father and has to live in an unusual house. This book is geared more towards young adults and reads like a quirky Chronicles of Narnia or Harry Potter given that the main character discovers a hidden world filled with creatures and magic.

I bought The Chronicles of Anaedor: The Prophecies knowing very little about the book. As a middle school teacher I read quite a bit of young adult fiction and fantasy. The Chronicles of Anaedor: The Prophecies is a great addition to my personal and classroom libraries.
Lavida Mors is sent to her father's childhood home, a mansion that he refuses to return to, in order to attend a private school. Not long after her arrival, Lavida discovers the quirky and sometimes scary world behind the walls of the mansion.
I enjoyed reading about Lavida's adventures and discovering along with her what her role in Anaedor is to be. Kristina Schram has crafted a great story full of humor, fantasy, and perhaps a budding romance or two.
I look forward to the next books in this series and recommend this book.

I really found this book useful. It explained the elf/fairy realm in a realistic, down to earth manner. It brought to light the many ways, even if well intentioned, we manipulate the environment. It also brought to light how naive we are when it comes to our role in the food chain.

THIS BOOK SHOWS HOW TO WORK WITH NATURE. NOT FIGHT IT. TAKE THE TIME TO BE ONE WITH LIFE

This is another book about communicating with nature spirits. It's less insightful than Summer with the Leprechauns, and focused more on agriculture than general working. Many things about it remind me of the Perelandra books, which I review elsewhere.

These elves speak in vernacular, which is somewhat disconcerting, and they lead the author on an agricultural journey, teaching her how to work with nature spirits to increase plant health and productivity. In many ways this book is much like the Findhorn work as well, but less spontaneous and fresh. The focus is more on ecology and biodiversity, and in reading it I had the sense the elves were just tossed in to make the book more readable. While I didn't object to anything they "said," they sounded very human to me.

If you're really into gardening and sustainable agriculture and want to hear what "elves" say about it, get this book. Otherwise, there are others that are more highly recommended.

What if we humans are not the only sentient beings in the universe, and some of those intelligent life forms are right here on Earth at this very moment? Penny Kelly addresses this question and others in her absorbing book, THE ELVES OF LILY HILL FARM. This is the story of how she met and learned to work with and trust the elves and nature spirits on her organic farm in order to succeed in her goal of harvesting 100 tons of grapes in a season -- a truly spectacular yield.

From Penny's first encounters with elves and devas (whom she sketches at the back of her book) to her discussions with vines, weeds, and various marauding animal nuisances -- the reader gains a sense of what it feels like to be in communication with the vast variety of intelligent life around us every day. Is it possible to communicate with the plants and animals around us? Absolutely. Is this communication a one-way street? Hopefully not! Kelly's tale inspired me to pay more attention to the way I interact with the intelligent life all around me -- being a bit more conscious to listen instead of just commanding orders of what I expect to occur.

I especially loved reading the comments and questions the elves posed for Penny -- including such deceptively simple queries such as, "How is it ye choose among the activities that come before ye?" The insights Penny gained as she found a way towards achieving balance in her life are valuable to us all, whether or not we are raising organic produce.

This book is wonderful because of the interaction Mrs. Kelly has with the resident Elves she encounters on her farmland. It is very inreresting to learn how these beings along with a several others she encounters while trying to grow her crop think, feel and see as opposed to the average American. There is a lot to be learned from these creatures residing on the Etheric plane as the live with out greed and only have complete love for the Earth. The reason I gave it 4 stars is because it is a little too wordy in areas that don't even relate to the Elves. Some chapters might have been done without along with there being total emphasis on the Elemental creatures instead of
Mrs. Kelly's day to day struggles. If you are interested in this please read "A Summer with the Leprechauns" by Tanis Helliwell which is my favorite elemental book so far; this book is so good I wanted to savor each page - it is very to the point and explains elementals in honest and most interesting detail. You'll especially adore it if you are Irish.

Wow...that's all I can say! I loved the first two books, and Children of Wrath offers a great conclusion, while still leaving the reader to wonder what happens next. The characters really start to grow on ya, and why shouldn't they? Not only is this book written in great detail, but you really feel as though you were there, with them (at least I did, but I can't vouch for the rest of you).

I enjoyed the book, "The Children of Wrath", I only hope the author will write futher books about the Renshai. The plot and characters developed well throughout the last three books. All the problems and concerns, such as will Kevral get to keep her baby were dealt with. An exciting and unputdownable read!

I love the story. I was sooo happy when I finally got my hands on this book. It's mainly more about family than the beginning of the trilogy which has more action, I think. But it's still good and I enjoyed it very much. I love Ra-khir and Kevral and Tae too, and I think Saviar and Subikahn are very cute. I hope there'll be continuation of the story. I would LOVE to read more of Ra-khir, Kevral, Tae, Matrinka, Darris, and all their children. All of them! ^o^

It was a long wait for the conclusion to the unfinished problems posed in Prince of Demons, but it was well worth it. The details were superb, and the characters were as wonderful as ever. You get a glimpse of what they will become, and I think that was the nicest part. This book and all the other Renshai books are very much worth reading.

I loved this book. It's the first Mickey Zucker Reichert book that I've read, and it's fantastic. I only wish that I could bear the children of this book. I haven't done any work whatsoever since starting this book, and I really feel the need to read all of Reichert's books, only to fill the empty gap I now have. The details of everyting, from the Pica stone to the features of the creatures, all make me marvel at the imagination of the author. If tihs is the worst of her trilogy, then I'm going to be bowled over by the others. Buy this book now. It's amazing.

Book 3:Salvation
Irin is truly unique among the elves. She was raised among the raedjour as a human child. The sorcerers decided to place a spell on her that would quell the sexual urges of the males and herself, because humans are sexually drawn to these mystical creatures. When the time comes to release Irin's spell Savous and Radin, frequent lovers, are determined to compete in her virgin contest so one of them can be her first for they both are very fond of her. But when Savous is sent on a mission by his father, the raedja, Radin wins the contest and claims his prize. When Savous returns Radin realizes there is more to Irin than anyone could have imagined, she is a mage and a part of a prophecy that means she must be turned over to the raedja. Neither Savous nor Radin want to see that happen, any woman who goes to the raedja ends up dead. Can Savous and Radin defy 4000 years worth of tradition and keep Irin safe?

Book 4: Dissent
When Marisol's brother, Geriman, kills her husband for beating on her they go on the run to avoid Geriman being hanged for murder. They were warned to stay away from the dark forest but feel they have no choice. Deep into the woods they are captured by a rogue group of raedjour who are determined to use Marisol and her brother for their sexual pleasure, but human bodies do not have the stamina of the dark elves and soon their bodies begin to deteriorate under the constant strain.
Jarak, and some of his warriors, realize what has happened to the two humans and he is determined to rescue them. When he defeats the rogues he knows that both Marisol and Geriman are going to need time to heal before they can accustom themselves to life among the elves. When Marisol heals she soon realizes that not all of the dark elves are bad and she finds herself falling for Jarak, who has been nothing but kind and generous to her. Can Marisol overcome what has happened to her and accept what Jarak offers?


***This was a great addition to the first two dark elves tales. These two stories do not focus as much on the dom/sub as the first two, but there is more m/m and m/m/f interaction. I do not find these stories deeply romantic but I do recommend for erotica fans. Jet Mykles has a great imagination and I am looking for more of these erotic tales.

These are the first books I"ve read by this author and I can't wait to read the next one. It was refreshing to read a new genre that was not a disappointment.

HOT! This series is smokin! It's very rare to read a sexually explicite book that actually has a story line. If you are looking at this book, just note that it has VERY sexually dominate men. Jet Mykles creates a believable world with ALOT of steamy scenes. Just a hint though, read "Taken" Dark Elves 1 and 2 before you read "Salvation".

normally don't even want to go near a follow up on these type of books as they are usually the same ole same ole ..OH NOT THIS ONE.. I REALLY TRULY DID NOT THINK THAT IT COULD BE ANY GOOD gosh i am glad i was wrong once again this author whipped me into the story and regardless of the many other things that i should have been doing ( like sleeping etc) I was hooked and away i went so so enjoying myself and wishing the story would go on and on ..... naturally it finished tooo tooo quickly however i am anxiously awaiting book 5 and even a book 6 i am confident now that this author will not let me down with 5 and 6 so bring them on. once again i shall add if you like sex between the pages of a book and you are open minded and like otherworld books BUY THIS BOOK PULL UP A COMFY CHAIR AND BE PREPARED TO IGNORE THIS WORLD AS YOU ENTER THE WORLD OF ELVES.

I loved the earlier books about the Dark Elves but this one just wasn't that good. Book 3 was ok but I found Book 4 to be a jumbled mess. So many things going on at once & I just couldn't get into the characters or the storyline. Maybe Jet Mykles is spending more time on her other books & she just slapped this one together. I enjoyed the series but if the next one is like is this I won't read it.

This was the first book by KvedulfR Gundarsson that I read and now I can't wait to read his other works. I have studied Northern magic and divination for many years and practised it (albeit in a small way), so have learned to distinguish, by and large, between genuine contributors to the tradition, bandwagon-jumpers and fantasists. I would class KveldulfR as a genuine contributor: while acknowledging inspirational predecessors such as Edred Thorsson and Frey Aswynn, he truly forges his own path and expounds the mysteries in a new, readable and entertaining fashion. This book contains a wealth of lore on the 'lesser' (but perhaps more significant in daily life) wights of the Northern belief-system and, what is more, it is all well researched and backed up by sound references to original sources. Following a thorough acquaintance with the alfs, wights and trolls, he suggests a number of rites - with appropriate cautions - for getting to know them, along with practical tips such as avoiding all use of iron when approaching alfs. For myself, I am eager to try these out but I would not recommend them to 'dabblers' or indeed to anyone who has not made a thorough and practice of the Northern tradition.

This is a comprehensive study of a subject not easily explained or traditionally documented. Easy to read, well researched, I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in other types of beings, whether you're a believer or not.

The author suffers, ironically, from knowing too much about the subject. The job of any writer isn't to put every single piece of information they could possibly conceive onto paper but to inform the listener in a way that assures the ideas will be absorbed, remembered and useful. Failing that, the author's job is to be entertaining. This book fails on all counts since it is tiresome to read and easy to lose track of what you're even reading about.

Common problems include:

1. The author partially translates words (maretorn means mara-thorn. Ah, of course! so what's a mara?)
2. He tries too hard to find cohesiveness about myths that aren't even consistent with themselves. He said towards the beginning that concepts about wights, alfs, trolls, et al greatly overlap and he should've left it at that.
3. Worst of all: each section will have countless information about the subject at hand, aspects of the subject often being separated into paragraphs! It makes the text hard to follow.
4. Use of parenthesis breaks up what are already long sentences. I personally would've preferred if those parenthetical statements, along with bottom-of-the-page captions, were all just numbered notes at the end of each chapter. But any system is better than the one that was used.
5. Since the author condenses so many stories into so little space, we are given only a taste of what are each, individually, very fascinating stories! The more I read the book, the more I feel all the author has to do is clean excesses out and expand on a smaller number of stories to illustrate his points.

Weak readability aside, this books is packed with information that any scholar of the history of religion or of Germanic peoples would find interesting. This book represents, in my opinion, the most prevalent and important aspect of ancient Germanic spirituality that is, at the same time, the most neglected. With countless books about the Gods and Goddesses, it's good that there's a book out about what people truly spent most of their time honoring.

The author shows a very complete knowledge of his field through a wide variety of sources (though I must complain that some of the more miraculous recent stories are hard to find in his sources.. I really want to know more about the story of the building of the Keflavik Air Base). Overall, this belongs in any heathen's bookshelf or that of anyone interested in the history of religion, particularly earth-based and animistic religions.

I dearly hope that the author of the book reads this review and makes a more readable next edition (pictures would be nice, too.. seriously!)

I have been a fan of Kveldulf (HOW do you pronounce that name?) since his first book, "Teuttonic Magic" came out back in the late 1980's. Later I bought his companion book, "Teutonic Religion" and enjoyed the chapter on the Wights as it had quite a bit of lore offered but I knew it was merely a scratch on the surface of what lay below. I had hoped Kvedulf would continue that aspect and lo and behold, he did!

This is one of the best printed books on the subject of Ghosts from an old Germanic perspective that I have yet to read. This is lore that's been difficult to locate (and I have looked!) Okay so what makes this book different? Information on HOW to deal with these sorts of Spirits.

Most of the material out there on the subject is academic and very little of it gives any sort of explanation as to WHAT something is let alone HOW to deal with it. The author though offers his advice that he's dug up on the subject - not that any of us are likely to run afoul of any 'trollkin' but with the weird way this world works, you NEVER know!

Further, you are given advice on how to conduct yourself should you ever happen to meet light alfs or dark alfs and what is acceptable behavior towards them and what is not. Consider this a Miss Manners training for the Metaphysical inducement of these sorts of Spirits.

He also does a fine job of giving you the old Scandinavian names of the creatures and where they're found in the sagas for you to go and investigate yourself. Like most Scandinavian authors, Kvedulf Gundarsson shows his research skills and sophistication in a subject that many New Agers are wholly ignorant of.

for instance, section 4.7 on page 52, "Friendship and Offerings to Water-Wights" is a terrific thing to put into a book! Think about it for a moment. We're not talking about made-up New Age nonsense but actual researched material that - who knows? - may one day save your life. How? Imagine that you've already given an offering of friendship to the Water-Wights and you just happen to be on a sinking water vessel. It's likely that you just may survive. Think I'm crazy? Ok I may be BUT I would rather at least TRY and be hopeful that I'll survive with their help than without it and beocme oNE of them.

There is a LOT of information packed into this little book and if y ou're a practitioner of ANY path of Occultism or Magical-Religion, then you should have this book in your library and reference it often.

I give this book five out of five possible stars for completeness and the fact the author includes a full Bibliography and well done index for specific research.

This book on the lore, folklore, and most importantly practical interaction with the spirits of Germanic religion is long needed. The author combines both ancient and modern lore about elves, land-spirits, and jotuns, and includes a few anecdotes of his own personal experiences to round the whole out. I would have liked to see a little more information about regional differences in the folklore between England, Scotland, Sweden, Iceland, Norway, etc. and the author glosses over the problem of connecting the wight-lore of pre-Christian times with that of recent times, sometimes juxtaposing 19th and 10th century sources without consideration of the time differential (a problem for which there is an elegant solution, to be named later).

But the problems with this book are minor. It is most certainly required reading for any Asatruar or Theodsman wishing to expand their religion beyond the honoring of the Aesir. The plethora of practical examples and advice, culled from a variety of sources not ordinarily available to English-speaking audiences, is well worth the price alone.

I hope that the next volume in this series will deal as thoroughly with the house-spirits as this deals with the spirits of stone, spring, and tree. It is well worth the money; buy this book.

This second novel in the Lost Mark trilogy is excellent, much better than the first. This book is much less repetitive and less predictable than the previous one, with the plot taking some rather surprising turns. As in the first book, Forbeck's great writing style helps bring this one to life. Exciting fight scenes and interesting looks into the psyches of the characters make for a great book. Additionally, we continue to explore this relatively new world through this book. This is my favorite book so far in the Eberron campaign setting.

The new characters introduced in this book are less than thrilling, but each of the characters from the previous book are greatly improved on. Kandler, Sallah, Xalt, and Espre are made to be very much more lifelike, with often conflicting emotional battles going on within the heroes. A timid love begins to blossom between Kandler and Sallah, making their relationship a lot more interesting and meaningful. Espre is forced to come to grips with her birthright, finally using the power granted by the Mark of Death.

The final sequence of events is incredibly well-done, with a horrid black dragon of incredible power done in amazing detail. You won't be able to put the book down for the forty or so final pages of this book, as the heroes are tried to their limits. Really one of the most exciting final scenes of any book I've read in quite a while. Leaves the story in an excellent place that makes me want to pick up the final book of the trilogy as soon as possible.

Recommended.

I really enjoyed the first book of the trilogy, and this one didn't let me down. Building on the "chase" from the first book, Road to Death returns all the favorite characters and adds several more. It also continues to introduce readers to the peoples and places of Eberron and drops little tidbits of history that make me hope other countries and cultures are explored in future books.
Forbeck's style of ending most chapters with a cliff-hanger situation keeps me from putting the book down.
I recommend this very highly for anyone who enjoyed the first book in the trilogy and also for those who like Forgotten Realms or DragonLance novels.

The book is a bit predictable. As the plot unfolded I could usually tell what was going to happen next. I find it more interesting as it unveils the world of Eberron and adds color to my D&D campaign. The Character Development for the core members is good. I find it a stretch for a few of the characters to be motivated to help the primary character.

This brief reveiw was initially posted at Essential-Ebberon.com ...

I truly enjoyed the novel and believe that it demonstrates the evolution of Matt Forbeck's style and depth since the first in the series. Matt examines the internal conflicts that plague characters and this is particularly effective in his exploration of theology and the Machivellian issue that questions whether ends justifies the mean. There is a distinctly more sombre tone to The Road To Death, reflecting a shift in the writer's approach to the characters and to the pervasive, and often existential, themes in the campaign world.

Matt Forbeck and Don Bassingthwaite are the forerunners in this campaign novel series!

The Road to Death is the second in the Lost Mark Trilogy written by Matt Forbeck, the first book is Marked for Death. It needs to be said that the reader needs to read Marked for Death before they attempt this book, or else several things will not mesh. People who regularly read my reviews (not sure how many there are) will remember that I gave the first book a less than stellar review. I still feel the review I gave the first book was well earned, however, this book I absolutely loved! I must say this is the first Eberron book that I have loved. I am eagerly looking forward to December of 2006 when The Queen of Death, the third book in this trilogy, will be released.

This book is both character driven and plot driven. The mix is almost perfect between the two. There is a strong plot element to this novel and one that seems to carry the characters along for the ride. This book fixes the plot problems that I saw with the first book. Mainly the repetitive nature of the plot in Espre getting kidnapped and lost over and over again. This book reveals a much broader brush in which the story is taking place. The motivations of some of the characters are beginning to come through. There is also a twist or two to make sure the reader is paying attention.. As with most books, there is an `end battle' in this one. However, it's not the typical hack `n slash battle which is over and done with. It's a `real' battle that takes time and cunning to survive. Well written.

The character development in this book explodes from the first one. In the first book the characters seemed one dimensional to me. In this book there was so much more about each of the main characters. In fact one of the main `bad guys' from the first book, Te'oma, Forbeck made me care about her, where as the firs book I could have cared less. My only thing about the characters is I would have liked to read a little more about Burch, but hopefully that comes to in the final book. The rest of the character development was stellar.

As I said before, I feel this is the best Eberron book I have red to date. Thus far I have had mixed reviews about the Eberron world, but this book makes me want to keep reading to find the gems that will surface.

I am not a role player in any sense of the imagination, and I think that may be one of the down sides to the Eberron novels. I don't care about gaming rules, stats, and all that. I care about being entertained when I read, that's exactly what this novel did. I would recommend this to people who are curious about the Eberron world and what the novels can bring to the table. Role players will certainly like this book. A definite must read for fantasy fans. Well done Mr. Forbeck!

Along with the previous books in the series, this
is a quick and easy read that will keep you engaged
from beginning to end. And again, you get exactly
what you expect - tightly written, but somewhat
formulaic descriptions of mayhem on all scales.
This time there are some army battles for a change.
However, Malus is still the same.

Reaper of Souls is the third book in the series and as most long series, the authors spend a great deal of time at the beginning of the novel dealing with ponderous threads of plot following behind the action. This is inevitable in long series with overarching arcs and multitudes of characters.

Once Malus, however, is off the Harrier, the ship he commandeered from his dead brother in the last book, the plot picks up steam and leads us to new areas on the map and introduces some truly interesting characters and places.

This time Malus must find the dagger of Torxus, called the Reaper of Souls, a relict hidden in the necropolis of the the Highborn and guarded by the aurarii, intriguing dark "wood elves".

Malus, more than ever, is the pawn of several powerful witches and daemons. Only through his wits and the supernatural powers of the daemon that possesses him is he able to survive some rip roaring battle scenes between the Naggorites and the armies of his home city of Hag Graef.

As the story progresses, we discover new information about the founders of Hag Graef and the history of the black towers. Characters that we like are slaughtered and new ones appear.

All in all Reaper of Souls is a satisfying addition to the Warhammer Fantasy series. The only criticism I have is that I would have liked more character development and dark elf fluff. I read Warhammer for the world created and its Gothic darkness. Sometimes, I would like to look around and absorb the created world with its politics and religion rather than rushing to another battle.

As a final note, bravo to Mike Lee and Dan Abnett on the creation of Spite.

Dan Abnett and Mike Lee's 3rd book in the Darkblade series once again takes readers down a dark and gothic fantasy adventure that spills gallons of blood and gore.

The cover art in these books are utterly cool and fantastic, giving the reader a clear picture of the look and feel to this dark, medieval world full of daemons and dark elves that ride neat prehistoric beasts into battle.

Although I give this series overall a 3.5 star rating, it is still a fun read full of intrigue and action. I always feel the first half of the books are always better than the overall latter half of the novels. I don't know if that is a penchant for a specific author, or just that I feel the steam kinda runs out halfway through.

I still look forward to the next installment: WARPSWORD, coming out in February or March 2007. The cover art on that book is amazing as well.

Once again Dan Abnett kept me hooked. I love the dark writing style and the sick sense of humor of the dark elves in general..... Great Book

As you may have already read from previous reviews of this book, yes there are more twists and surprises, that is a given if you are familiar with the series. But it's the kind of surprises towards the end that were shocking and in the case of Hacluir and the retainers, were sad.

The first book, Daemon's Curse, felt like a new adventure to the unknown with Malus' devious character at its worst. Paranoid and not a care in the world, driven purely by greed and ambition. Great insite into his mind and how little worth other people's lives are to him. They encounter wood elves, barbarians and beastmen. The end of the book is just the beginning of his quest. Great adventure book, shocking ending.

The second book, Blood Storm so far is considered the most superior. It starts with pure torture and carnage at the hands of his own father, followed by an extravagant party full of sex, drugs and people dying from overindulgence, only to realise that the expensive party thrown for him did not come without a steep price and expectations. Shortly it is followed by a fast chase from another brother only to be tortured again. All this and more in just the first few chapters before the real adventure and betrayals begin aboard a warship in the high seas in a campaign against the diseased Skinriders.

This third book, Reaper of Souls starts off excellent. Malus barely makes it too land in a battered ship where dead bodies are found every morning, and the gloom morale of the salors along with boat load of gold taken from the Skinriders defeat keeps Malus from torturing people for clues and answers. The docking in Clar Karond is where the fast fun chasing and begins. Unfortunatly it is in Clar Karondalso where the fun ends and fast.
While this book indeed has more twists than the previous two, I felt that it failed to maintain the energy and anticipation unlike the previous two books. The hunt for him never stops and I doubt it will ever for Malus (that's good). One of the last twists has him commanding a vast army against Hag Graef his home and one of the most feared cities. The shock value comes from the characters who die, those involved in his curse, and those along with himself that are left in the end with nothing.

Fun note: In this book Malus is the pawn and only Nagaira and Malus' mother really know how evil yet great a warrior Malus truly is, with Nagaira finding out the hard way. The dagger thrown perfectly at the chest of an important character was a pleasant read and remeniscent of Indiana Jones shooting a blade wielding show-off, even Nagaira was impressed with his throw.