MixedBookreporter... fails to provide that resounding and uplifting conclusion to the overall epic that is Shannara. Ultimately, this is not a great disservice because it does work so perfectly as the ending of the Fall of Shannara. It takes the four novels of that series and ties them together beautifully while reaching back a ways to complete Grianne\'s tale. What it doesn\'t do is delve into the early novels and weave threads that pull the entire history into a cohesive whole. There are so many touchpoints, ideas and characters that could have been revisited over 40 years. Yes, it does do some, but for an ending of all things, you hope for more after taking such a long journey.
Jasper Fforde
RaveBookreporter... Fforde most definitely has endeared himself to a wide readership. Now, as ever, he lays out an equally absurd but poignant Britain that explores themes of fear and prejudice in The Constant Rabbit ... With The Constant Rabbit. Fforde is quite unabashedly playing out the fears of the UK as they pertain to the non-British resident and immigrants, but he also toys with the same arguments the world over, including our own troubles here in the US. It is a book about human-sized rabbits, sure. But it is also about the examination of the other and how the other is treated ... There is often a deeper story under the absurdly entertaining tale, and that is exactly true for The Constant Rabbit. In the end, one can enjoy it merely as entertainment. He creates a spectacular culture for the rabbits, and the rabbit references alone are worth the effort to get into this work. At the very least, Fforde continues to make the case that he is among the best satirists of our time.
Cixin Liu
RaveBookreporterLiu’s stories are generally part allegory, part hard science. Think Aesop collaborating with Robert A. Heinlein. A common theme running through his work is that science can both solve and cause problems; art is occasionally given a status equal to science. Liu is also not above giving a story an unexpected twist or turn ... To Hold Up the Sky does what a collection such as this is supposed to do, which is to give readers already familiar with the author\'s work something else to read while providing newcomers with a necessary introduction. I was in the latter camp and am now reading Supernova Era, which was published in China in 2003 but made its first appearance in the U.S. last year.
Jeff Shaara
RaveBookreporterShaara deftly weaves a growing intensity that explodes on the pages as the plan Yamamoto drew up is finally put into place and the assault on Pearl Harbor begins. His descriptions and explanations of the events as they unfold eerily bring to mind the old newsreel footage. His dramatic recreation of the devastation and carnage of the attack is among some of his best work. Not just for his usually studious approach to researching his subjects, but as a storyteller he provides a very easy style that engages readers and compels them forward. And, as is often the case with a Shaara novel, you also end up understanding both sides of a conflict more than you did when you were introduced to it. Taking the time to delve into To Wake the Giant is sure to be a rewarding experience for any who choose to take it up. It is an exceptional work of historical fiction, one that sets you within the frame of all that is to come and leaves you marveling at the end result as the pages fly by. Jeff Shaara continues to perfect his craft and once again delivers a book worthy of attention.
Kyle Newman, Jon Peterson, Michael Witwer, and Sam Witwer
RaveBookreporterEvery page of this incredible book is bursting with the visual materials that set it apart from other games and helped propel it into a multi-million-dollar franchise ... Art & Arcana is a visual feast for the eyes ... hands down, an absolute gem of a book. From the cover...to the beautifully illustrated interior, each page is worthy of time, attention and inspection. The story of the game...is engaging and quite interesting, and is made all the more intriguing as the artistic design flows through the telling. This is not just a book for Dungeons & Dragons gamers, though they are more likely to be the interested parties. It is, in truth, for anyone who loves a good biography, and especially for those who love fantasy art. It is a treasure chest of wonder.