Lee, Tanith

The Book of the Damned (Secret Books of Paradys)

Average customer rating:

I liked this book, but...
"Malice in Saffron" excellent
Too much of a good(?) thing
It's original
Bizarre, compelling, and original!

The Book of the Damned (Secret Books of Paradys)
Tanith Lee
Manufacturer: Overlook Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0879514086

Customer Reviews:

I liked this book, but..........2003-03-16

I agree with everyone that says Malice in Saffron is what makes this book worth reading. The third story, the empires of Azure, is also interesting and well written. It takes you back to roaring twenties Paris, and although the time frame is more modern, it is just as well written. The first story was what tried my patience, it was a vampire story featuring Andre Saint Jean, meant to be the vampire Lestat, I think of this series, but who was also a whiny, self absorbed fool. This story drones on through page after page of prose, until it finally comes to it's meandering, sniveling end.
I understand, it wasn't Tanith Lee's fault though, it was Andre St. Jean's. He just had to have his say.
I still didn't like this series as much as I liked some of her other books, such as The Silver Metal Lover, and my favorite of all time (so far) Biting the Sun. I highly recommend them, not only as some of her best work, but as some of the best fantasy that I have ever read.

"Malice in Saffron" excellent.......2002-04-07

The Book of the Damned is perhaps the best of Tanith Lee's Books of Paradyse series, if only for the presence of the second novella, "Malice in Saffron". The first novella, "Stained with Crimson" begins with an interesting encounter, but becomes so mired in atmosphere and more atmosphere that the plot becomes indecipherable. Still, it evokes such a sense of hopelessness (in me at least!) that it's worth a read just to feel one's emotions tugged so. The third novella, "Empires of Azure", is less compelling. The characters feel caricatured despite Lee's typically stylish prose. It should be for "Malice in Saffron" that you buy this book. Jehanine, a peasant girl who's raped by her (step?)father, undergoes a personality split when she flees to Paradyse. Her nighttime persona of a carousing, murderous young man is a gripping portrayal of repressed rage finally unleashed. Late in the story, Lee introduces a plague to the city, and her subsequent descriptions rank with Camus, in my opinion, for depicting mass reaction to that particular fear of death (obviously, I like Lee very much). Finally, the twist of the "miracle" meal caps the story in a very satisfying manner. I think readers of various genres, fantasy, horror, even history, will get a kick out of this story.

Too much of a good(?) thing.......2001-06-01

The first novella ("Stained with Crimson") rambled along deliriously until it had long overstayed its welcome. The second ("Malice in Saffron") was relentlessly, unapologetically violent. After slogging through those two, I dragged my feet at reading the third ("Empires of Azure"), but it was best, evoking the spine-tingling suspense of a Gothic horror tale.

Throughout, there was too much emphasis on gender-bending in all its permutations. It would have been a nice touch, if it hadn't been so liberally applied. You had your men with women, men with men, women with women, men with women dressed as men, men with men dressed as women, men turning into women, women turning into men, people of the either/or variety turning into... well I guess they were pretty contented as-is. As for myself, I was more than ready to simply call everyone "a person" and never mind who they slept with, but that would have eliminated two thirds of the book.

There you have it. It was fantasy, it was horror, and it was a blatant call for publicly-funded sex change surgery.

It's original.......2000-06-04

I like a lot of the ideas Tanith Lee shows here, her stories are very original, with gender changing and cross dressing, but I can't really relate to her characters. She brings you almost to the brink of seeing what they are like, then seems to remove you from them before you feel like you really know them. Her writing style is like that, it seems very impersonal, and sometimes I get lost in her descriptions and I can't figure out exactly what she means by this or that. What I like about these stories though, is that they are exotic, original and not afraid to be dark. Not a bad read. I thought they would be better though, when I first heard about them.

Bizarre, compelling, and original!.......1999-08-02

First in the Paradys Tetralogy, "The Book of the Damned" is a three-part exploration into the dark, decadent, and thoroughly bizarre (but completely enjoyable) world of Paradys, something of an alternate-world Paris steeped in sorcery and darkness since its earliest days.

The first story, "Stained With Crimson," is a less-than-conventional vampire tale. Andre St. Jean, a poet living in Paradys shortly after the Revolution, becomes the owner of a ruby ring in the shape of a scarab and is shortly thereafter introduced to the owner of the ring, the beautiful Antonina Scarabin. His obsession with Antonina leads to her death and his...and their dual gender-bending resurrection as Anthony and Anna. Pursued becomes pursuer, predator becomes prey, and it all grows surreal and cyclical. While not my personal favorite of the three, the story is excellent. The language, rich with color, is descriptive and disturbing; the reader views Andre/Anna's story through the poet's dream-darkened eyes. "Stained With Crimson" is expertly told, dark and ironic, and maintains its dreamlike quality up to and past the last line of the story.

The second novella, "Malice in Saffron" is my personal favorite of the three and, to tell the truth, one of my all-time favorite short stories. Taking place in medieval times, it follows a young woman named Jehanine from her country farm, where she is raped by her brutal step-father, to the City Paradys, where her disbelieving brother Pierre--gifted with a topaz cross by the same doting father that so abused Pierre's sister--rejects her violently. She is then led by a mysterious dwarf into a bizarre double life: by day she lives as Jhane in the Nunnery of the Angel, a quiet female penitent; by night she is Jehan, a beautiful and cruel young man who leads a gang of thieves and cutthroats to greater and greater atrocities. When the Black Death comes to Paradys, Jehanine is forced to confront the conjunction of her two lives...add a holy vision, an enigmatic, and a bizarre redemption, and you have some idea of the complexity of Jehanine's story. Stark, painful, and ultimately beautiful, "Malice in Saffron" is a fascinating tale that deserves at least two re-readings: once for the story and once to understand it, or at try and unravel the stunning weave Tanith Lee has set before you.

The last story, "Empires of Azure," is a ghost story set in 1930's Paradis, but hearkening back to a time when the city was known as Par Dis, a community of silver mines at the fringe of the Roman Empire. Told through the eyes of a journalist, a young woman who uses the male pseudonym St. Jean--a tribute to Andre St. Jean of the first story--"Empires of Azure" follows Louis de Jenier, a cross-dresser who moves into a house said to be haunted by the girl who was murdered there years ago. In time, the house with its blue-stained windows yields up two things to Louis: a spider-shaped earring made of sapphires, and visions of Timonie, the murdered young woman. Timonie herself possessed the earring, believing it to be a link to Tiy-Amonet, an Alexandrian sorceress and the mistress to the Roman commander of Par Dis...but neither Tiy-Amonet nor Louis de Jenier are what they appear, as Mademoiselle St. Jean soon discovers. Most of the story seems distanced from the reader, as all but the very beginning and ending are Louis' actions as told by the journalist St. Jean, but the language is no less flawless and the story, despite its odd structure, holds together masterfully.

Book Description

Charles de Lint. Alan Dean Foster. Diana Wynne Jones. Kelly Link. Patricia A. McKillip. Tamora Pierce. These are just a few of the acclaimed and bestselling authors who have contributed original stories to Firebirds Rising, the eagerly anticipated follow-up to the award-winning anthology Firebirds.

This collection takes readers from deep space to Faerie to just around the corner. It is full of magic, humor, adventure, and—best of all—the unexpected. The one thing readers can count on is marvelous writing. Firebirds Rising proves once again that Firebird is more than an imprint—it is a gathering place for writers and readers of speculative fiction from teenage to adult, from the United States to Europe, Asia, and beyond.

Customer Reviews:

A Few Gems That Sparkle Among the Coal.......2007-06-23

This anthology follows in the footsteps of the original 'Firebirds' collection: A few brilliant stories among the padding of watered down sub-fare from famous names. In all honesty many of these stories would never have seen print without the famous name of the author being used on the cover to promote the book. A shame, since the premise of the anthology delights me.

I *am* very glad I read this book, though, especially for the sake of two stories I very much enjoyed:

'In the House of the Seven Librarians' by Ellen Klages is my favorite story, and worth the price of the book alone! This story is about a young girl named Dinsy who is raised by seven 'feral librarians' in an old library building. This book is a paean to old libraries and classics of literature. Any lover of books and reading will thrill to this book. For those of us who remember the old-style libraries with card catalogs, it is a veritable love song. For all book lovers, it's a treasure to love and cherish.

'Hives' by Kara Dalkey is a science fiction story about a future where technology can telepathically link minds, and teen girls use this to keep themselves in constant contact with their groups of friends, or 'hives'. But what happens when the girls get 'cut' from the network of their hive? Why does the sudden silence in their minds cause them to kill themselves? This story takes a science fiction approach to the importance of female friendships, and how necessary and addictive they can become. As Peter S. Beagle said in his novel 'Tamsin', "When you're 14 years old you're not yourself, you are your friends. You forget that when you grow up."

There were two other stories that I did enjoy reading. 'The Real Thing' by Alison Goodman was another sci-fi story exploring a future where genetic enhancement is prevalent, and the prejudice between those who are 'comp' made and those whose parents let nature take its course. The story is taken from a novel by the author, so it does feel a bit like a chapter out of a larger novel. That said, I really enjoyed this story and plan to track down the source novel it came from. An interesting story that made me think, as all good sci-fi does (I loathe the modern sci-fi movie cliche that sci-fi is only good for loud explosions).

'The House on the Planet' by Tanith Lee explores three young women living in the same house over 100 years' time on a colonized alien planet in the future. The subtle beauty of this story, of the alien landscape and how its birds and creatures speak to and inspire these women over many generations was inspiring. The end is a surprise, but indeed says a lot about the nature of 'humanity'. A beautiful story I'm glad I read.

Of the other stories, many were sub-par efforts on behalf of famous writers. Many were out-takes from other books or story universes, which really didn't work for anyone unfamiliar with the source material. Regardless, many of the stories felt like watered-down pap, very 'expurgated for children.' I always hated reading this kind of stuff as a teen.

On the other side, there were several stories that had a chilling amount of violence that I wouldn't feel comfortable with in an adult novel not sold in a horror section. I suppose it is a sad indictment of our culture, that violence is seen as perfectly natural for children and teens to view. There's a vengeful goddess hunting down and killing a pack of teens for trying to kill one of her followers ('Huntress' by Tamora Pierce). For the life of me I'm not sure what the point of that one was other than to be shocked by the violence. In 'I'll Give You My Word' by Diana Wynne Jones a group of female domestics turn out to be witches out to kill the mother of a family and take it over. There's so many misogynistic stereotypes here I don't know where to start. I'm sick of all this 'Hand That Rocks The Cradle' excrement that female domestics are all psychopaths. And all witches are evil murderers - how very Brothers Grimm. Can we get away from these stereotypes in the 21st century, please? Is that too much to ask? But the worst by far was 'Quill' by Carol Emshwiller. I don't know about you, but stories where teen girls are abducted by their fathers so they can rape and impregnate them just sicken me. This is a young adult story? It's like Stephen King at his goriest. *shudder*

Under the 'violence' heading are 'Perception' by Alan Dean Foster and 'What Used To Be Good Still Is' by Emma Bull, both stories where saintly females sacrifice their lives for the sakes of the unknowing and unappreciative. The 'virgin saint' stereotype of Victorian times. Can girls have heroines in their books who are not victims or self-sacrificing martyrs? Is that too much to ask?

That said, I am glad I read this book for the four stories I enjoyed. They made the book worth it. I just wish the collection was a little more even in quality. Alas, that's usually the case with multi-author story collections.

oh, the angst!.......2007-06-06

The jacket blurbs and the reviews fail to indicate an important fact: every story in this book is about a disaffected teenager. Every single one of them. Disaffected six-inch-tall teenagers. Disaffected genetically modified teenagers. Disaffected Victorian teenagers. Disaffected teenagers raised by feral librarians. Magical or mundane, ten or eighteen, they're all disaffected, and they all learn pithy lessons about finding acceptance while staying true to themselves.

The individual stories aren't bad at all; Kelly Link and Ellen Klages make particularly solid contributions. If I were still a disaffected teenager, however, I'd throw this heavy-handed, preachy anthology right out the window.

That didn't taste like I thought it would..........2007-03-14

I wanted to read some fantasy, some high IQ stuff, some thought-provoking short stories I could read on the DART getting to work. Well, after reading all of these stories, I'm convinced that writers do not submit their prize stories for anthologies. They submit their scraps. That's craps with an extra S. I'm dissapointed. Maybe my expectations were too high. Perhaps if I lower my expectations to what one might expect if judging a suburban high school writing contest...hmmm...no, I'm still dissappointed. The people who put this together owe me $10 just for reading through it. If you read this then you should demand compensation. I am not better off after reading this book. Maybe I didn't do enough shrooms before reading it. :-(

Appealing collection of YA SF and Fantasy.......2007-02-12

Firebirds Rising is an engaging mix of SF and Fantasy stories aimed at a young adult audience, though quite enjoyable for adults as well.

Two of my favorites are Science Fiction: Carol Emshwiller's "Quill", an oddly old-fashioned, charming yet sad, story of an isolated family and their curious secret; and Kara Dalkey's "Hives", an uncompromising story of teen-aged girls and cliques, exacerbated by near-telepathic phone connections.

Naturally one of the stories I most looked forward to was Kelly Link's "The Wizards of Perfil", and this is indeed a very enjoyable piece, though not as good as her best work. A boy named Onion and his disagreeable cousin Halsa, as well as Halsa's mother and brothers, are fleeing a war that has already their other parents' lives. Money is short, so when a reprensative of the reclusive Wizards of Perfil offers to buy a child, one of them must go. Onion, who may be telepathic, seems a natural candidate to sell to the representative of the reclusive wizards, but somehow Halsa is sold instead. As we expect with Link, the story goes in unexpected directions, telling of both Onion and Halsa and the very reclusive wizards - though I must say the resolution was exactly what I expected. (Which is not necessarily a bad thing.)

I was also delighted to see a story by Emma Bull, with the intriguing title "What Used to Be Good Still Is" (a title actually credited to Elise Matthesen). This is a moving story of a young man in a mining town in Arizona in the 1930s, and his love for a Mexican-American girl, who loves him but loves something else even more.

Patricia A. McKillip contributes another of her stories about a group of painters resembling the Pre-Raphaelites. "Jack O'Lantern" is about a girl struggling with her parents' conventional views of the role of women, particularly upper class women, as her older sister prepares to be married. During the painting of a wedding party portrait she meets a curious local lad, and hears a story about the Jack O'Lantern. Diana Wynne Jones's "I'll Give You My Word" is as clever as we expect from her, about a boy whose younger brother speaks in phrases like "sententious purple coriander". The story concerns the younger boy's trouble at school, and the problems the whole family encounters when the mother takes a book promotion trip. Ellen Klages's "In the House of the Seven Librarians" is purely charming, about a child growing up in a shuttered old-fashioned library.

And there are plenty further fine stories here, from names I expected to see like Charles de Lint and Tamora Pierce, and from perhaps surprising names like Alan Dean Foster. I enjoyed the anthology throughout. If I had a complaint, it would be that perhaps a few too many stories seem to play things just a bit safe. (With exceptions, such as Dalkey's "Hives" and Francesca Lia Block's "Blood Roses".) I would attribute that to the YA nature of the book - I suspect I should, indeed - but we certainly have plenty of examples of YA fiction that doesn't play safe. That said, this is a fine book, and it does a fine job of presenting interesting new stories, both SF and Fantasy, that will appeal to all readers.

Enjoyable read.......2007-01-08

I enjoyed this book as an entertaining read. Some of the stories were better than others, I thought.

"Huntress" was OK -- I do love Greek mythology, so the references there were quite good, but I really didn't understand the characters' motivations.

"I'll Give You My Word" -- I love word play, so this was one of my favorites in the anthology.

"The Wizards of Perfill" -- didn't like this one much at all, mostly because I found Onion very bland and, and didn't really understand the premise of magic in the setting until close to the end.

"In the House of the Seven Librarians" -- my absolute favorite in this book!

"Hives" -- very much enjoyed this one. I found it somewhat scary, actually, how likely and believable I found the techy part of the plot!

I hadn't seen these anthologies before, and now I'd like to read the original one as well. All in all, I'm glad I read this book, but I am equally glad that I checked it out from the library and didn't purchase it.

Average customer rating:

Two great reads and one okay one
Winter Moon/ The Heart of the Moon/ Banshee Cries
A widely varied trio
Two excellent stories, one very confusing story
3 Stars.

Winter Moon
Mercedes Lackey , Tanith Lee , and C.E. Murphy
Manufacturer: Luna
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

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ASIN: 0373802390

Book Description

Mercedes Lackey "She'll keep you up long past your bedtime." --New York Times bestselling author Stephen King

In an isolated land where the lure of the "Moontide" leads to shipwrecks, a woman is torn between obeying her father or her king. When she chooses to follow a Fool, she discovers magic she'd never expected . . . at a price that might be too high . . .

Tanith Lee "Few writers today can match the sheer beauty and inventiveness of Tanith Lee's writing." --Millennium Science Fiction and Fantasy

Struggling under the curse of a dead comrade, Clirando, a warrior priestess unready to face the powers trapped within her, must face "The Heart of the Moon" to reveal what has been hidden . . .

C.E. Murphy "A swift pace, a good mystery, a likeable protagonist, magic, danger -- Urban Shaman has them in spades." --Jim Butcher, author of the bestselling series The Dresden Files

In "Banshee Cries," ritual murders under a full moon lead Jo Walker to confront a Harbinger of Death. Maybe this "gift" she has is one she shouldn't ignore -- because the next life she has to save might be her own!

Download Description

"Three enchanting stories set during the magical winter solstice." "Moontide" by Mercedes Lackey: In an isolated land where the lure of the "Moontide" leads to shipwrecks, a woman is torn between obeying her father or her king. When she chooses to follow a Fool, she discovers magic she'd never expected...at a price that might be too high. "The Heart of the Moon" by Tanith Lee: Clirando, a warrior priestess unready to face the powers trapped within her, struggles under the curse of a dead comrade until "The Heart of the Moon" reveals what has been hidden. "Banshee Cries" by C.E. Murphy: Ritual murders under a full moon lead Jo Walker to confront a Harbinger of Death. Maybe this "gift" she has is one she can't ignore--the next life she has to save might be her own...

Customer Reviews:

Two great reads and one okay one.......2006-08-22

I'd been trying to get a hold of this anthology for a while, so I was pleasantly surprised when Luna included it as the "free" book I received for trying their services. The three novellas in this volume, I believe, epitomize the blend of rich fantasy, strong female characters, and romantic elements offered by the books in the Luna line. Being a bit of a romantic myself, I prefer a solid "happily ever after" type ending, or at least a strong "happy for now" one. So, the first two novellas in this collection did deliver more solidly on that promise than did the last, but that in no way diminished my enjoyment of this collection, and each story within it.

Moontide by Mercedes Lackey starts off this anthology. In this story, the author takes us back to her Five Hundred kingdoms, only this time, it tells the tale of the daughter of the lord of a Sea-Keep sent off to fosterling. Her father wants her back, and she's certain it's for a marriage proposal. However, the proposal doesn't exactly materialize, and what she discovers means treason against the crown. She has only the skills she learned as one of the Countessess' "Grey Ladies" and a Fool, on which she can rely. Will it be enough to stop a threat to not only the King's person, but his very kingdom?

Having been disappointed with the author's work of late, I'm very pleased to have found a story which drew me in and kept me turning pages. Our heroine is a strongly drawn character, with a strength of will and a keen mind, which makes her the perfect foil for her father's plans. With the Fool, a man who is never quite completely drawn, we're shown that in him, she has a partner to help save the king. While the romance is understated, it is there, and is satisfactorily wrapped up in the story. I certainly hope we see more of the Grey Ladies in future stories.

The Heart of the Moon by Tanith Lee is the middle story. A warrior, wounded by the betrayal of a man she called lover and a woman she called friend, finds herself cursed. When she's sent to the Isle of the Moon she finds herself on a spiritual journey and meets a man similarly betrayed. As they work through their issues, they discover a love for each other. Except once their time of the isle is over, they're torn apart, and have to find their way to each other.

I'll be honest, I hadn't been impressed with Tanith Lee's contributions to romance anthologies in the past, and I didn't expect much this time around. However, this story with is poignant characterization and the emotional trails of the characters, created a compelling read, and once that impressed this reader. The Heart of the Moon is a journey of the heart.

Banshee Cries by C.E. Murphy, ended the anthology. An author whose work I wanted to read, I found myself eagerly looking forward to this story. A reluctant beat cop has to come to grips with her shamanic power, her dead mother, and her position within the police department.

I found the characterization and sense of place in this story; however, I kept looking for romantic content and found it lacking. This was mentioned as being book 1.5 of the series, so perhaps reading the first book would help ground the reader in the world and the sense of place. However, as an urban fantasy story, this tale does its job in creating an otherworldly sense to our day-to-day lives, and the narrator's unique and strong voice makes it a page-turning read.

Winter Moon/ The Heart of the Moon/ Banshee Cries.......2006-06-28

In this book,the authers took old ideas and made them fresh and new again. It was a fast, fun to read. Just right for a cup of tea and a warm spot on a cold rainy day. I will keep this one and read it again.

A widely varied trio.......2006-01-07

It's hard to really 'rate' a grouping like this, where I had divergent reactions to the three works.

The Lackey novella I found to be boring and obvious. Yet another plucky young girl who, through the power of feminism, can walk circles around the rest of her society, solving a barely transparent plot against the kingdom. I suppose fans of hers will like it well enough, as it's fairly typical of her work.

I'd been meaning to read some Tannith Lee for some time, and I can see the appeal. I liked her writing style, and the character-centric story. It was okay, even enjoyable, but fairly forgettable.

But I loved the C.E. Murphy story. She's got such a strong and clear voice. This ties directly into last year's "Urban Shaman" novel, and is a nice continuation of the story. I'd recommend reading that instead, but if you do and you want more, this is a large enough chunk to make it worth the trouble. Ultimately, I hope that this causes fans of the more popular Lee and Lackey to discover this exciting new author.

Two excellent stories, one very confusing story.......2005-12-26

I picked this anthology up due to the inclusion of C.E. Murphy- and I was not disappointed! Murphy's tale, "Banshee Cries", continues the saga of Joanne Walker, the central figure in "Urban Shaman". In "Urban Shaman", Joanne was a police mechanic for the Seattle Police Department until the department replaced her while she was in Ireland with her dying mother. Consequently, she became an unwilling police officer who also has a spirit guide, Coyote. In this story, Joanne communicates with her dead mother, Sheila MacNamarra, to thwart a serial killer who had also tried to kill her mother. "Moontide" by Mercedes Lackey was an unexpected surprise for me. Moira na Ferson has been trained to be one of the Grey ladies- able to appropriately interact at court and yet have the skills of an assassin. Her father sent her away many years ago and has shown no interest in her until he mysteriously demands she return home. Once home at the Highclere Sea-Keep, she discovers her father, Lord Ferson, has befriended the pirate, Massid, Prince of Jendara. I won't spoil this intriguing story by revealing the nefarious plot Moira and Kedric the Fool uncover and ultimately thwart. "The Heart of the Moon" by Tanith Lee was the weakest of the three stories and a disappointment to me as I had previously read and enjoyed some of Lee's work. Clirando, a warrior for the goddess Parna, discovers her lover, Thestus, and her sister-friend, Araitha, have betrayed her by having sex. She challenges and beats both in duels and both are banished. Before Araitha leaves for her banishment, she curses Clirando. Clirando then receives word that Araitha died in a shipwreck, thus cementing the power of the curse. Clirando and a band of her warriors are then sent to the Moon Isle, a mysterious Isle where selected individuals were sent for the Seven Nights. From there, the story is a series of hallucinations/dreams where Clirando meets her true love, Zemetrios, and both earn their redemption. Perhaps others will enjoy the underlying meaning behind the story (such as the pigs representing Clirando's evil faces) but I felt it was too confusing. Overall, I recommend this anthology based on the strength of the stories by Murphy and Lackey.

3 Stars........2005-11-07

Torn between duty to her father or to her king, a woman choses a third option in Mercedes Lackey's Moontide, and learns to listen to the wisdom of a fool. Heart of the Moon, by Tanith Lee finds two souls on a quest for love and truth that challenges all they believe and dares them to change their lives. C E Murphy returns to her shaman's world in Banshee's Cry, where Joanne Walker is forced to again take up the mantle of destiny to solve a case, calling upon powers she hates using to do the good she needs to do.

*** Though all of the stories are really to brief to truly develop, fans of these writers will enjoy them. The three stories are nothing alike, so could well appeal to three very different types of readers. ***

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore, Freelance Reviewer.

Average customer rating:

Well Written Adolescent Drama
A touching and brilliant story
A Big 10 On My List!
Insightful and moving
Transcendent

The Silver Metal Lover
Tanith Lee
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Release Date: 1999-05-04

Amazon.com

The Silver Metal Lover is a classic tale of transforming love. It's a keeper, a book that gets reread 'til it falls apart. Fans petitioned to get it reprinted, and after 10 years of waiting, here it is. Oddly, the book is seldom mentioned when Tanith Lee's work is discussed, perhaps because Lee's usual milieu is horror, and The Silver Metal Lover is a poignant romance requiring at least two hankies before the end.

Robots have replaced human labor on earth, causing massive unemployment in a world devastated by pollution and natural disasters. Then Electronic Metals releases a new line: performing artists and sexual companions designed to entertain human partners. Jane, a rich, lonely, and insecure 16-year-old, meets one, the minstrel Silver, and falls passionately in love, despite revulsion at the idea of preferring a mechanical man to a human. She gives up everything she has known for him, and discovers herself. Silver becomes more and more "human" in loving her--a clever illusion created by his programming. Or is it? This unstable society can't afford any evidence that some robots might be indistinguishable from humans. Tragedy is inevitable. Read it and weep--and don't forget to put it on the keeper shelf. --Nona Vero

Book Description

Love is made of more than mere flesh and blood....

Tanith Lee is one of the most thought-provoking and imaginative authors of our time. In this unforgettably poignant novel, Lee has created a classic tale--a beautiful, tragic, erotic, and ultimately triumphant love story of the future.

For sixteen-year-old Jane, life is a mystery she despairs of ever mastering. She and her friends are the idle, pampered children of the privileged class, living in luxury on an Earth remade by natural disaster. Until Jane's life is changed forever by a chance encounter with a robot minstrel with auburn hair and silver skin, whose songs ignite in her a desperate and inexplicable passion.

Jane is certain that Silver is more than just a machine built to please. And she will give up everything to prove it. So she escapes into the city's violent, decaying slums to embrace a love bordering on madness. Or is it something more? Has Jane glimpsed in Silver something no one else has dared to see--not even the robot or his creators? A love so perfect it must be destroyed, for no human could ever compete?

Customer Reviews:

Well Written Adolescent Drama.......2007-03-30

Nothing intellectual here. Just a good heartbreaking story that takes you back to your youth.

The characters are well developed and storyline is engaging.

A touching and brilliant story.......2007-03-24

You can't get much better than this, you'll read a lot of great reviews pumping this up but in my opinion it's definitely worth it. The story is very sweet without being saccharine, and it is one of those rare books that have really touched me deep in my heart. Tanith Lee is a wonderful author but her writing seems to have more of a cult fan base, this book is probably one of the most popular she has put out. If you're curious about her than it would be a great first book to begin with, and a lighter read than some of her others. You don't have to be a sci-fi or romance fan to like it either, it's set in a futuristic setting but it's not far out of reach of our own world and the romantic aspect of it is very real and not lewd in anyway. Not much else I can write except at least go down to your library and look for it, most likely you will find a very enjoyable read.

A Big 10 On My List!.......2007-02-24

This atypical love story will touch your heart and the story will stay with you forever. You will want to read this over and over again. Occurring in the future, EC has created a set of better than human robots and one is created with a little something extra. Jane, a sixteen year old rich girl, meets and falls in love with him. Jane mortgages all she owns, or rather all her mother has given her to buy her lover, Silver. They exist outside of the law by singing for coins. Silver creates a haven for Jane, a rainbow striped rug, whale in the tub and other fantastic murals. After all he can do anything, he is a robot. Silver gradually becomes more and more human as the story goes along. Silver and Jane's love story is a real tear jerker and the ending is very sad, or is it? Depends on if you believe in reincarnation or not.

Insightful and moving.......2006-09-24

I don't know how I managed to miss this book for all these years. Maybe I ignored it because it is advertised as a SF romance, but in truth that is such a small part of a book that carries such a strong and meaningful message. Every review I've read seems to say "for some unknown reason" Jane falls in love with a robot. Perhaps they were so focused on the love story they missed the main point of the book. People, or at least the people in Jane's life, are unworthy of love. They are manipulative, cruel, selfish, jealous and deceiving. Even her truest friend, Clovis, was motivated to do good things only if the act would give him some pleasure as well.

In a world filled with that kind of narsacism what choice did a kind person like Jane have. There was no human deserving of her love or capable of returning it. So when she met a robot, programmed for truth and kindness, he was like a dream to her. He would never lie, cheat, or trick her. His sole purpose in life was to make her happy. And when he failed he did not leave her, he tried again. It is a relationship most people dream of having but never will. At least not with a person. (My dog's a lot like that.)

Transcendent.......2006-07-22

What you look for in a book: complex characters, fascinating locale, the struggles of real love. Completely transports the reader to another world. She's no futurist - it's not Philip K. Dick territory, but rather a fabulous tragic love story. Not for younger readers, due to the tragic sadness of it.

Average customer rating:

EXCELLENT LIGHT DRAMA
Not a Love Story as Expected
Don't buy it
Pretty good
Wii

Metallic Love
Tanith Lee
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0553584715
Release Date: 2005-03-01

Book Description

In her now-classic tale The Silver Metal Lover, award-winning author Tanith Lee told the spellbinding story of Jane and her forbidden love for a robot named Silver. In this stunning follow-up, the legend of their tragic romance lives on. But nothing is as it was–or as it seems.…

As an orphan growing up in the slums, Loren read her clandestine copy of Jane’s Story over and over, relishing every word. But Loren is no Jane. Savvy and street-smart, Loren could never be stirred by a man of metal, her passion never ignited by an almost-human–even one designed for pleasure.

Still, when the META corporation does the unthinkable and brings back updated versions of robots past–Loren knows she must see Silver. And just like Jane, it is love at first sight. But Silver is now Verlis. If he was perfection before, he is now like a god. Yet he is more human than his creators think–or fear. While Loren doesn’t quite trust him, she will follow her twice-born lover into a battle to control his own destiny–one that
will reveal to her the most astonishing illusion of all.

Download Description

Tanith Lee was born in 1947 in London, England. She received her secondary education at Prendergast Grammar School, Catford. She began to write at the age of 9. After school she worked variously as a library assistant, a shop assistant, a filing clerk, and a watiress. At age 25 she spent 1 year at art college. From 1970 to 1971 three of Lee's children's books were published. In 1975 DAW Books USA published Lee's The Birthgrave, and thereafter 26 of her books, enabling her to become a full-time writer.

To date she has written 58 novels and 9 collections of novellas and short stories. Four of her radio plays have been broadcast by the BBC and she has written 2 episodes of the BBC cult series Blake's Seven. Her work has been translated into over 15 languages. Lee has twice won the World Fantasy Award for short fiction, and was awarded the August Derleth Award in 1980 for her novel Death's Master. In 1992 Lee married the writer John Kahne, her partner since 1987. They live in southeast England with one black-and-white cat.

From the Paperback edition.

Customer Reviews:

EXCELLENT LIGHT DRAMA.......2007-05-16

Contrary to the bad reviews for this sequel, I found it to be a great story which was not too heavy or too trivial. The references to the previous book "silver metal lover" added to it and did not make it a carbon copy.

If you are after action/politics in science fiction, this book or its predecessor is not for you.

Great human drama in science fiction.

Not a Love Story as Expected.......2007-02-24

It's been 12 years since Silver was dismantled - or killed - and the other robots destroyed. Jane's book, published by catchusifyoucan, has clandestinely passed from hand to hand. EC now META has brought the robots back and better than ever. A poor young girl has been chosen to see if she can re-waken Silver, now Verlis' soul. Will Silver Verlis love Loren or will he love Jane who enters his life a second time, this time older and more mature. What happens when Loren and Jane meet? The robots created to amuse and entertain the populace now have another mission. One that involves death. Will love blossom the second time or will there be a disaster? And get out your dictionary, that is unless you know what solipsistic is!

Don't buy it.......2006-11-15

As you can see from all the other reviews, this book was no comparison for The Silver Metal Lover. The first book wasn't written spectacularly well, but it did make you believe such a world existed. It would be great for a lazy weekend and overall I rate that book 4/5 stars. It was an easy, lovely read. However, half of this book made constant references to the first book; it was in no way it's own book. Just a ghost riding on coat tails of the first books' fame.
This is a bit crass, but I bought this book at a used bookstore and it wasn't even worth the $3.00 I spent on it. Now, when I look at Metallic Love, all I see is a waste of space on my bookshelf. Sorry, but true.

Pretty good.......2006-04-25

This is the story of Verlis and Loren. Verlis is the reborn body of Silver, a robot made for pleasure and then destroyed due to his creator's fear. While this book is not near as good as The Silver Metal Lover, it is nice to have a follow-up. Its reread value isn't great, and Verlis doesn't seem sympathetic and human, like Silver did. Reading Metallic Love doesn't add much to the series, but I always like to know what happens next, after a book ends. So while it might only get 3 stars based on this book alone, it gets 4 overall for continuing a story I love.

Wii.......2006-03-02

I read The Silver Metal Lover this autumn. I immediatly cried for more, and the day after te next, I bought Metallic Love.
At first, I was disappointed. What kind of girl was Loren? And had she got no heart at all?
Then, I was horrofied. What was this? Had Silver never loved Jane? (A question which you never got entirely answered in the previous book)
later on, I could just read. And in the end, it was all amazingly different from The Silver Metal Lover, happy, and yet not, leaving questions, and answers.
In this book, the characters who in the previous book were good, bad, perfect or something between, and yet human and wonderful, turn out to be a great deal different. And yet not. Becuase nothing is really as it seems. And before reading the laast pages, not even then, you can be entirely sure who is like what, and yet all the time it strikes you how human and un-human the characters are. I cannot agree this is a disappointment. When you have read the previous book, and began reading this, you must go on, Else you will go thinking of whether the characters really are likte that.
I wouldn't say it all solves in the end. It is somehow realistic, and that's what I love with Tanith Le,, she has made a totally believable sci-fi world.
I recommend this truly, BUt Not Before Reading The Silver Metal Lover!

Wolf Star: The Claidi Journals II (Lee, Tanith. Claidi Journals, Bk. 2.)

Average customer rating:

The on going story of Claidi
Not as good
coming from an author...
Not the best of Claidi...but good!
"We've Never Met. Probably Never Will..."

Wolf Star: The Claidi Journals II (Lee, Tanith. Claidi Journals, Bk. 2.)
Tanith Lee
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0142301523

Book Description

The day before Claidi's wedding, she is kidnapped and taken to a mountaintop palace in the shadow of an unearthly star. Wolf Star Rise is the stuff of nightmares, with rooms that change and move for no apparent reason. The only human there is Prince Venn. Neither Claidi nor Venn knows why they are at the Rise. Can the two escape from the maze of taboo, repression, and mystery surrounding both of their long-lost families?

The Claidi Journals are "a diverting escapade for fans of Karen Cushman's Catherine, Called Birdy and Gail Carson Levine's Ella Enchanted." (Kirkus Reviews)

Customer Reviews:

The on going story of Claidi.......2006-05-30

The unbelievable story of a young girl named Claidi who tries to find out who she is and the people that she meets. As the story goes on Claidi is enjoining her wedding day until she was kidnapped and lead to believe that she was being taken back to the Wolf Tower. Until the people that had taken her were instead taking her to a mountaintop palace. There she finds that the host had been lied to and that she had been spied on. The host of the palace named Venn had never been around people much and didn't know how to feel around them. Even with all this she would find that Venn and Argul her fiancé were closer then she thought and that all this had to do with the Wolf Tower. Also at the palace you learn that most of the people and animals are mechanical and that even that Wolf Star that comes up every night is too. Not to mention that the palace it self moves all over the place with in the cliff and that you have to be careful where you go in it. With all this you get everything from the point of view of Claidi who knowledge of everything is small but with what see knows is what helps her the most. Even with a host that goes from disliking her in a way falling in love with her the story goes on. She gives as much details as she cans and continues it through all of the books. In my mind this isn't the best of the series but it is a great one to read. So find out if she leaves the palace and finds Argul her love or if everything has changed forever. Read on and find out.

Not as good.......2006-03-12

Wolf Star was definitely a disappointment. After reading the first book, Wolf Tower, I couldn't wait to get my hands on the sequel however i was sadly mistaken. Wolf star was confusing and didn't seem to be going anywhere. And the truth is it didn't! After this abrupt ending I was not intrigued but bored and not eager at all to read the Last of the series, Queen Wolf .

coming from an author..........2005-03-25

this book is inspirational. Tanith Lee's style of writing will really captivate your imagination, i think. I am very picky about writing styles, being a author myself, and i will only enjoy the style that is written easiest for the mind to imagine. Every good fantasy book needs basically five things: an intriging writing style, and unruly or loveable character, a romance, and indeniable action. Any book that lacks those five key elements isnt favorable, and almost all of Lee's books are some that i would HIGHLY recommend. And, if you like her style of writing, look up the name Lacie Perry on the little search bar at the top of your screen. Go ahead, do it; You'll be glad you did ;)

Not the best of Claidi...but good! .......2005-03-17

I enjoyed this book very much. Although it is not, in my opinion, the best of the Claidi Journals, it is a good read and I definitely recommend it for fantasy lovers! An exciting, intruiging beginning, tho it slows down towards the middle when she gets to the tower. However, things speed up a bit when Claidi finds herself trying to find out Venn's past and, at the same time, wondering if she's falling in love with him. Altogether, its an exclellent book with an interesting plot and, of course, a great heroine!

"We've Never Met. Probably Never Will...".......2004-11-29

"The Wolf Star" (also published as "Wolf Star Rising") is the second of four books known as the Claidi journals, stories told in the format of a diary by the young escaped-slave Claidi and her travels throughout a fantasy world in search of her origins and a home of her own. In the first installment "The Wolf Tower", which you really must read if you want to understand what's going on in this story, Claidi escaped the confines of the House with the handsome Nemian, only to find that his intentions for her were less than honourable. Taking her to his dismal city and the matriarch Ironel, Claidi found that the inexorable Law of the Wolf Tower made her the new distributor of the cruel and unnecessary rules that governed the land.

Destroying the mechanisms that put the Law in place, Claidi made her escape with the handsome bandit-leader Argul - her betrothed. At the beginning of this new part of her diary, Claidi is immensely excited about her approaching wedding to the man she loves, and her acceptance into the extended family of the Hulta. But as she prepares on the wedding day, a catastrophe occurs - she is kidnapped by men of the Wolf Tower in a great balloon, and taken across the sea to a strange place known as the Rise. With only clockwork figurines for company, Claidi desperately searches for a way to escape the confusing and dangerous moving rooms of the Rise, a huge palace and garden carved into the side of a great cliff.

Soon she discovers that she's not alone - the Rise is the home of the elusive and confusing Prince Venarion (or Venn for short), who is just as bewildered at Claidi's presence in his home as she is. Abandoned by his mother Ustareth at a young age, Claidi suspects that somehow she is connected to the events that are now unfolding: the hidden designs of the House and the someone who has plans for them both without either of them knowing, someone who mysteriously signs their letters as "we", and who has a secret agenda going on. Wanting only to uncover the mystery of the higher interest in her, and to return to her beloved Argul, Claidi talks Venn into undertaking a trek deep into the Rise to find the library - the one place where they might both find the answers they're looking for.

Unfortunately in continuing the story, Tanith Lee raises more questions than answers, and many of her ideas come across as confused and contradicting. She possibly has a master-plan in mind for the completion of the story and the unfolding of the mystery, but she is unravelling it in a very muddled way - it's almost as if she's making it up as she goes along and later figuring out how all the clues fit together, rather than the other way around. Despite this however, the characters, the story and the mystery of Claidi's role in the world is interesting enough to keep one reading.

There are also complaints concerning the setting of the book - "The Wolf Tower" was a journey that took place over a large area, whilst here Claidi is stuck almost entirely within a single house. Granted, it is an exceptionally fascinating house, with moving rooms and clockwork servants, but much of the appeal of the first book was the scale and freedom of Claidi's travels. Here, that is gone.

But "The Wolf Star" is a good follow-up to the previous book, and most will be interested enough in picking up the next one "Wolf Queen," even though I am always frustrated at writers/publishers that split books into more than one volume needlessly. Claidi's journal is one big story - it should be presented as one large volume, not lots of little ones. There are overviews of the previous book at the start of each new installment, but I'd recommend reading them in order.

Average customer rating:

better than i thought
Wait for the paperback

Piratica II: Return to Parrot Island
Tanith Lee
Manufacturer: Dutton Juvenile
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0525477691
Release Date: 2006-10-19

Book Description

Art Blastside has dodged the gallows and married her true love. But life ashore is too tame for a pirate queen, so she jumps at the chance to go to sea again. England is at war, and the government wants Art to use her talents against the French. Naval war is horrific, and her arch-nemesis is bent on revenge. What price is Art willing to pay for her life of freedom?

As gripping as the first Piratica, which Kirkus Reviews praised in a starred review as "a glorious roustabout of a tale," this book proves again why Tanith Lee is one of the world's most popular fantasy writers.

Customer Reviews:

better than i thought.......2007-05-07

when i first read a review on Piratica 2, i was sure she had blown it, but when i saw it in the library i had to get it. almost immediately i was engrossed in its pages being swept along as Art skips back to sea. all in all this book is a growing up story. take a young woman who has never had to care for anyone before, marry her off, and keep her stuck on land for a long period of time and you get a spoiled little girl. but as she leaves her husband (not perminately mind) she begans to realize what a blessing she held in her arms. it isnt until she realizes there may be more on the way that she begins to realize that she needs to take more care for herself, if not for herself, then for her family. she goes from spoiled to considerate, from unapreciative to apreciative, and unfeeling to loving. all in all i thought this book was 10 times better than the reveiw made it out to be and i encourage you to read it for yourself. never put your whole oppinion on what others think.

Wait for the paperback.......2007-04-09

The first volume in this series is one of my all-time favorite books. So I splurged and bought the second in hardback. I should have waited for paper.

In the inaccurately named Return to Parrot Island, Art gets tired of being on land. Free England offers her the chance to go back to sea as a privateer (legal pirate). Her arch enemy, Goldie (boo hiss), is also itching to leave Judge Knowles and go back to sea to find the Parrot Island treasure.

Art's husband, Felix, is opposed to the idea of Art going back to piracy, but she blows him off and goes. My biggest problem with this book is that I felt no sympathy, empathy or anything toward Art. By the end of the book, I had lots more sympathy for the evil Little Goldie Girl than for Art.

Too many characters in this book. Too many things happening - most of which didn't interest me. There was a whole dumb section about Eban being made a Pharaoh. The whole book felt disjointed, strained and far fetched.

Some of the things I found charming in the first book started to grate, e.g. cutesy language, pirates talking like teenage girls, etc. It started to sound forced and mechanical.

On the positive side, I enjoyed the description of how everyone in Free England was going nuts about pirates. And I enjoyed reading the adventures of Muck, the cleanest dog in England.

I also enjoyed reading about Goldie, especially her revenge on puritanical Judge Knowles.

The names of the ships were funny at first but got slightly old. (Many of the ships have accidental names like "Ow Blast" because of something that happened just as they were being named.)

Usually, the second book in series is the weakest. Hopefully, Lee will write a third Piratica that is better. If so, I will buy it, but not until it is in paper.

Best New Horror (Mammoth Book of Best New Horror)

Average customer rating:

A waste of time
Our Temporary Supervisor
Fine selections
Another excellent addition to this fine series.

Best New Horror (Mammoth Book of Best New Horror)
Poppy Z. Brite , Christopher Fowler , Glen Hirshberg , Graham Joyce , Tanith Lee , Thomas Ligotti , and Many Others
Manufacturer: Carroll & Graf Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Mammoth Book of Terror (Mammoth Books)

ASIN: 0786710632

Book Description

The award-winning Best New Horror anthology series—winner of the World Fantasy Award and the International Horror Critics Guild Award—has now reached its thirteenth spectacular volume and to mark the event, Stephen Jones has chosen only the very best short stories and novellas by the horror genre's finest exponents and by new discoveries in the field. Contributors to this volume include Gala Blau, Ramsey Campbell, Dennis Etchison, Charles Grant, Glen Hirshberg, Chico Kidd, Nancy Kilpatrick, Paul J. McAuley, and Conrad Williams. Also, Stephen Jones once again provides the most comprehensive overview of the field for the year and a full necrology, plus a list of useful contacts among organizations, magazines, booksellers, and more. Whether a reader is a fan of supernatural chillers, macabre fantasy, or psychological terror, the thirteenth Mammoth Book of Best New Horror will appeal to their dark side. "The definitive series of Horror `Bests' ... you'll get quantity as well as quality."—Science Fiction Chronicle "A formidable line-up of must-read creepers whose merits are indisputable even to entrenched enthusiasts of the genre."—Publishers Weekly "Essential reading every year."—Hellnotes "The finest horror collection going."—Kirkus Reviews

Customer Reviews:

A waste of time.......2005-06-08

The collection of stories in this anthology are pitiful not horrific. This book opens with 90 pages of an intro that provides a chronology of "events" for the genre for the year. An absolute waste of paper and ink. Neither interesting nor relevant to a good horror story. Finally the book opens with the first of "The Best New Horror", a triffling werewolf story that left me wanting. Better stories are told by 6-year olds. But I had faith and kept reading and was further disappointed by the quality of the stories that followed. Don't waste your time, your money or your shelf space. This book is not worth any of them.

Our Temporary Supervisor.......2003-02-08

Ligotti's "Our Temporary Supervisor" is undoubtedly, along with "First, Catch Your Demon" story in this anthology. It has perhaps the most pessimistic backdrop of any story that I've ever read. It is Kafkaesque, surreal and exceedingly creepy. "First, Catch Your Demon" is about a half woman/half scorpion who seduces a man in a drugged out/mystical fashion? The story is written in a style that I've never seen the like of, perhaps only Nabokov or Bernhard.

Fine selections.......2002-09-07

Here is my personal favourites, notes and brief comentaries about them :

Harvest - Norman Partridge - 8,5 - A little gem

Sometimes in the Rain - Charles Grant - 10,0 - A moving and wonderful ghost story !!

Dead Orchards - Ian R. Macleod - 10,00 - Beautiful piece of decadent writing, one of the best.

The Temptation of Dr Stein - Paul J. Mackauley - 9,00 - Excellent historical mystery

Waywang Kulit - Gary Killworth - 10,0 - By far the most original tale in this collection

The Scent of Vinegar - Robert Bloch - 9,5 - Black humour in Bloch's manner, very funny.

The Homecoming - Nicholas Royle - 9,5 - Mixes social realism with Cthulu Mythos

The Singular Habits of Wasps - Geoffrey Landis - 9,0 - Excellent steampunk adventure featuring Sherlock Holmes and Watson.

To Receive is Better - Michael Marshall Smith - 9,0 - Intense and depressing story about a mutiltaed boy.

The Alchemy of Throat - Brian Hodge - 10,0 - Another wonderful piece of decadent writing

Another excellent addition to this fine series........1997-07-29

The name Stephen Jones is enough to make me pick up any anthology, and this is is another excellent addition to the best New Horror series. Every story in this collection reveals a different aspect of the continually growing "horror genre," yet none of them leave behind the essential elements of horror; in all cases, the writing is what most stands out. Jones has the admirable quality of discerning talent in a wide variety of practitioners; frankly I was getting bored with the proliferation of really bad erotic-horror and splatterpunk anthologies.Jones knows that writing matters, and every story in this book affirms horror writing as ranking with the finest writing anywhere

Emerald Magic: Great Tales of Irish Fantasy

Average customer rating:

Very Irish & Very Fanciful
A great group of stories
Ah, Irish Magic!

Emerald Magic: Great Tales of Irish Fantasy

Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0765305046

Book Description

From New York Times bestselling author Andrew M. Greeley, a collection of all new Irish tales to treasure and enjoy hough the Emerald Isle is no stranger to tales of the fantastic (everything from the Hound Cuchlain to Darby O'Gill and his leprechaun friends), most of the fantasy works dealing with Ireland have limited themselves to either ancient history/Celtic legends and lore, sentimental tales of wee folk, or ghostly tales of hauntings in old desterted castles. Needless to say, there is more to the history and culture of Ireland than the sort of entertainment fare popularized each year around March 17th. Emerald Magic presents the entire cavalcade of Eire from its earliest beginnings right up to the current climate that has begotten such popular phenomenons as the rock band U2 and the novels of Roddy Doyle as the backdrop for a collection of all new stories of the fantastic. Ideal for any fan of Irish books and perfectly timed for the Saint Patrick's Day season, Emerald Magic will be a collection to be treasured and enjoyed. Featuring works by such bestselling authors as: Ray BradburyJacqueline Carey Tanith LeeCecilia Dart-Thorton Peter TremayneMorgan Llywelyn Fred SaberhagenL.E. Modesitt Charles de LintJudith Tarr Jane LindskoldElizabeth Haydon Andrew M. GreeleyJane Yolen Adam StempleDiane Duane

Customer Reviews:

Very Irish & Very Fanciful.......2004-07-16

I suggest pausing between stories to clear the mind. All the writers bring their own style, but also that Irish lyrical writing. To really savor each one, you need to avoid rushing straight through.
Not being well-grounded in all the creatures of Irish folklore, some of the scarier stories surprised me. These are not your Lucky Charm leprechauns.
I'd also recommend Norah Roberts'A Little Magic which embraces Irish fantasies with a romantic flair.

A great group of stories.......2004-02-19

This wonderful book is a collection of some fifteen stories of Irish magic. The authors of the stories are all masters of the writing profession - Tanith Lee, Ray Bradbury, Fred Saberhagen, Morgan Llywelyn, and others. The book is arranged into two groups: The Little People, and Literary Fantastics, but don't imagine that it is quite that clear. The stories all range in setting from the ancient past to the very modern, and each is a masterpiece, ranging from the sad to the heartwarming to the hilarious.

As you might expect with an anthology, I found some of the stories to be better than others. I loved Cecilia Dart-Thornton and Jacqueline Carey's stories of ancient times (I always loved the old Irish heroic stories), and also Fred Saberhagen horror story. Those are my three favorites, but my hat is off to Peter Tremayne's story, which juxtaposes the horrors of yesterday with those of today. (I wish I could tell you about it, but that would be spoiling things!)

Yep, this is a great group of stories. If you like Irish stories, then you absolutely most get this book. And even if it's just that you like good modern stories of the fantastic, you will love this book. I highly recommend it!

Ah, Irish Magic!.......2004-02-05

What a lovely book! I gave it as a gift to myself, because Father Greeley is one of my guilty pleasures. I have always been a huge fan of the work of Charles De Lint, and the Butter Spirit's tithe was a great read, very fun. Likewise Elizabeth Haydon, whose prose has always reminded me a little bit of William Butler Yeats, infuses her charming take with the poetry only found in Irish blood. Judith Tarr, an author I had not read before, also impressed me favorably.

Customer Reviews:

Enjoyed this book.......2006-02-07

I felt this book was much better than the first one. It kept me reading because I just had to know how it turned out. This book finds Tanaquil still journeying. She ends up meeting with her half sister and finds she is not the same girl that she knew. From there she sees battles, a new world and a love she cannot claim.

War, Plagues, Star Crossed Lovers...to Begin With.......2003-08-31

Tanaquil has had the time of her life traveling and seeing all the wonders of the world for herself. But, as she begins to near her homeland, she hears rumors of horrible wars and a mad empress bent on conquering the world. Tanaquil fears for her mother and her half sister and heads straight for enemy territory in order to reach them...only to be captured by the empress' forces.

But that is not the worst, not by far, for, when Tanaquil is brought before the empress, who should it be but her own sister, Lizra! And Lizra has no intention of letting Tanaquil go. Lizra has had built a giant golden unicorn that will bring fear to the hearts of her enemies, but it will not work. She knows that Tanquil has an uncanny talent for mending things, so she commands Tanaquil to fix her unicorn. And Tanaquil does...against her better judgment.

Now the unicorn is destroying cities and slaughtering many. Tanaquil is sick over her part in Lizra's war, but she cannot leave...for she has fallen in love with Honj...who just happens to be the future husband of Lizra. How can they ever be together when a madwoman controls them...a madwomen they both care for...

This book is the sequel to Black Unicorn and equally as good as the first.

Love this trilogy!.......2002-12-27

Great light read! Though not as good as the black unicorn, the gold unicorn is still a enchanting read.

Quite enjoyable.......1999-11-05

Tanith Lee displays her usual inventiveness in Gold Unicorn; the result is a very satisfactory sequel to Black Unicorn.

While not, in my mind, quite as enjoyable as the first one, Gold Unicorn nonetheless remains a well-crafted fantasy in a creative and unusual world. Darker than its predecessor, Gold Unicorn explores Tanaquil's struggles between loyalty to her half-sister Lizra, now the dreaded conquerer, and her own belief that the ideal world her sister strives for cannot be achieved by war. Added are several complications-- a massive mechanical gold unicorn Lizra has ordered Tanaquil to fix for her war campaign, the mischievous peeve, stinging mousps (a magician's creation formed of mice and wasps), Honj, the enigmatic consort of Lizra...and a hell world to parallel the perfect world Tanaquil saw in the last book.

Obviously some people won't appreciate this book, but to those who enjoy Tanith Lee's particular style, Gold Unicorn is the perfect way to spend an afternoon.

Good Sequel, Well Worth Reading.......1999-10-27

Really, the sequel is very, very good. There are still more interesting, complex characters, a strong plotline, and all kinds of surprises, twists, and magic, magic, magic. Tanaquil is her old complex self, as wonderful and strong and clever and dry as she was in the first book, Black Unicorn. Her familiar, the peeve, is also going strong, and I particularly liked it in the sequel.

At first, it may look to some readers like the book is just another formulatic epic-battle-type fantasy, but Tanith Lee takes all the old, used-up cliches of this sort of fantasy and reweaves them, turns them upside-down, completley rejeuvenates them.

This is a wonderful book, and a worthy sequel. I would have liked it perhaps if Tanaquil had just gone on adventures by herself (and the peeve) and there had been no war element, but this sequel is still good the way it is.

Altogether, I wasn't disappointed. Fun book! Well worth reading!

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