Book Description
Drawing on their expertise on personal growth in the workplace and from their experience with couples in their popular workshops, Morrie and Arleah Shechtman present a new approach that challenges common notions about what makes a good marriage work. They recognize that myths about marriage often lead people to aim for unrealistic ideals. Examining eight myths about relationships—including “Love will carry you through the hard times,” “You need to work on your relationship if you want it to be good,” and “Spending lots of time together is very important”—the book also presents contrasting realities to help strengthen the bond. For those working to build a relationship or struggling to hold one together, this book provides powerful new ways to overcome old behaviors and create a new connection that springs from a shared understanding of one another's needs.
Customer Reviews:
A welcomed perspective.......2007-10-09
The book arrived without a hitch...all the way to Australia. The information, although not all new to me, was exactly what I needed right now. It's easy to read, not so easy to implement...but hey, who said life is an easy ride all the time.
Great read, makes you think about your relationship!.......2007-05-11
I ended up giving the first book to my best friend while I was back home for a weekend. I really connected with the way the authors linked the childhood and the present. It was an all around good read and good advice.
The Best Relationship Book Ever.......2006-12-24
I was drawn to this book after reading about it in Scott Martineau's book, "The Power Of You". He spoke so highly of the authors, I wanted to read what they said. I was not disappointed.
First, they cut through the myths we have all been taught that sound good but simply don't work. Their reality alternatives are perceptive and doable. Their perspective is optimistic. Their suggestions are totally workable.
Second, they point out that you probably got married for two distinct reasons that you may not be aware of. One is the opportunity for growth and the other is the opportunity to resolve issues from your past.
I have given copies to people who I care about and who are struggling with their partners. I believe this book offers the greatest hope for them to find real answers.
Learning to Understand Ourselves.......2006-11-10
The writers are good communicators. They teach us that we all have underlining reasons that we haven't identified for ourselves which we must learn to do so that we can communicate that it is that we really want from our mate. Once we resolve and identify what we really want then it is easy to share with our mate.
Helped turn our marriage around.......2005-12-08
My husband and I were on the brink. We didn't really have strong role models in terms of marriage, and after the honeymoon period, we struggled. Nagging, criticism, communication shut downs and feelings of rejection began creeping into the marriage. This book took an interesting approach: It helped us figure out our own personal issues, and then helped us work on the relationship. It took a lot of time and effort, but we put some of their ideas into practice, and now our relationship has never been better. I recommend this book with all my heart. I also wish you luck for whatever reason it is that brings you to search for this book.
Book Description
"Past: Perfect! Present: Tense! Insights From One Woman's Journey As The Wife Of A Widower", an exciting new book and the first of its genre, offers readers a personal glimpse into the life of a "WOW" (Wife Of a Widower).
Sensitively written by Julie Donner Andersen, a WOW herself, the book is a clear and honest portrayal of the roller coaster ride of emotional ups and downs that most new WOW’s endure, and includes reassuring quotes from fellow WOW’s who validate Mrs. Andersen's research. The author also empathetically describes the heart of a widower and how the WOW can relate compassionately to his grief issues while at the same time, protecting her own sense of security, self worth, and dignity. Best of all, this book offers valuable and sensible advice from someone "in the know" regarding how to deal with WOW-related issues in marriage.There, you can find a WOW (Wives Of Widowers) message board and you can also sign up for my monthly WOW newsletter.
Customer Reviews:
One Woman's Journey As the Wife of a Widower.......2007-01-03
This book was well written and very insightful. I would reccomend it to anyone who is about to embark on such a journey as this one.
outdated theories and notions.......2006-06-20
As a health care provider I am constantly searching for information to share with my patients. I often suggest specific books they might read, in order to enlighten them on subjects they are currently dealing with in thier lifes. This particular subject is near and dear to my heart as I am also the WOW (we are nearing our 6th anniversary). It is my opinion that we need more written on this subject....there are way to many women searching for answers and not finding them. Unfortunetly, they will not find them in this book. I believe this book to be outdated in many of it's notions and "solutions" ( if not in all of them!). This particular subject I believe, is currently moving in a new direction...the opposite direction in fact, that Julie Donner Andersen is traveling. For way to many years WOW's and GOW's were told that they had a certain "place" and a certain" attitude" they had to uphold. Todays woman does not take lightly, to being told how to think and feel.
This book in many ways pushes the new woman in a widowers life back in time. To a time where she was "second". To a time when a woman was silent. This book would have a new WOW or GOW doing "grave visits" with the new man in her life. By the time you are done reading, you find yourself asking....who is more in love with the LW...the widower or the new wife??
The book has a sweet, yet antique notion of three hearts involved in the relationship when indeed that is not possible. It is two hearts and one past relationship, with lingering bittersweet memories for only ONE of the other two hearts.
The whole idea behind being involved with a widower is to love him...move forward into the future, and hope that one day soon the LW is a non-issue in the relationship. By the end of this book you realize if you follow the suggestions....the LW will exist forever. I believe Juilie Donner Andersen had good intentions, but then again, I also love the scenes in a Norman Rockwell painting, and the scenes depicted are alas also scenes from the past. It is a new world, new times and women are changing.
Unfortunately, This is all that's out there........2006-05-12
While I do appreciate this book being available I really wish there was something else more realistically written. I found the book in the midst of a second wife emergency. I read it half way through and was totally depressed and felt like I would always be the sad replacement, not the one he wanted and that I would just have to accept that. A week later when I could finish the book I found the tiny ray of sunshine in the final chapters. So, if you get this book be sure to read the whole thing before you get too bummed out. The book did validate some of my fears but also perpetuates the Hollywood, romantic movie myth that your former widower will always be looking back to someone else and will never be able to love you completely or be completely happy in the future. The myth that your entire role is to "stand by your man" while he unknowingly hurts you with his words and actions and you should for the most part take it.
It's my personal opinion that you need to take the crumbs of truth for your situation from this book and ignore the rest.
If I was not already married when I read it I may have given up on a wonderful man due to the extra fears this book created that I had not considered and the depressing way the first few chapters were written.
Thanks for validating my feelings.......2006-03-03
Loved the book. It was great to just have all the things I have been feeling by being with a widower to be validated. Had no idea the emotional rollercoaster that exists with being with a widower and its great to see that everyone experiences a lot of the same feelings. Thank you so much.
Must read for GOW's and WOW's.......2006-03-02
This is an excellent book to assist anyone dealing with widower issues. I found it very helpful and encouraging.
Book Description
For five years Pearl has managed to keep the past from catching up to her and her bright, frail five-year-old son. Life has given her every reason to mistrust people, but circumstances force her to trust her neighbor Mitch with watching Leonard while she goes off to work. Then one day Pearl drops her son off…and never returns.
They are an unlikely pair: Mitch is a young, unattached business owner, and Leonard is a precocious, five-year-old boy. But together they must find a way to move forward in the wake of Pearl’s unexplained disappearance. Their bond as parent and child shifts and endures, even as Mitch must eventually surrender Leonard to a two-parent home.
Is it possible to love the people who can’t always be there for us? The answers will surprise and move you. As their lives unfold, profound questions emerge about the nature of love and family. Ultimately, this novel’s richest reward is watching Mitch and Leonard grow up together, through the power and the magic of the human heart.
Customer Reviews:
Ms. Hyde truly has a gift from God !.......2007-10-01
Wow, I just finished reading this book after picking up a copy at a book fair in the mall on yesterday. Coincidentally it was also my birthday, and the book starts off on Pearl's 13th birthday and her speaking on how birthday's are suppossed to be important.
This book has truly taken me on a emotional journey and spoke directly to my heart and spirit. One of the beliefs that I hold dearest to my heart and spirit is that we live in a love deprived society. Ms. Hyde tells the story of what true Agape love looks like in the present tense and for this I am grateful. I was familiar with Pay it Forward, now I will read any thing she puts a pen to paper to write.
Happy Reading !
A forceful tale with a powerful message.......2007-09-22
"Love in the Present Tense" is a novel about unconditional love--that special, all-embracing, all-forgiving love that goes on forever. Unconditional love is ceaseless, never possessing a past tense. If there were a world of unconditional love, you would never hear the words: "I loved you."
Pearl, a street-wise 13-year-old girl with a drug addict for a mother, has never known unconditional love. She is wise beyond her years. She knows, above all else, that forever love is what she needs. She thinks she finds it in a policeman with kind eyes. She lets him drive her home late one night, allows him to have sex with her, and then she accidentally kills him with his own gun. She is immediately on the run, but at the same time she intuitively knows that she has succeeded in her life's goal. She is sure she's conceived a child that same night. She yearns to envelop that new life in a forever-safety-net of unconditional love. If she does this, she is certain the child will love her back in the same way.
Pearl was right. Nine months later, she gives birth to Leonard. She moves to a small city where she hopes no one will find her. Across the street lives Mitch, a 25-year-old entrepreneur running a successful Website development firm out of his home.
Mitch has never given the concept of unconditional love a second thought. He's too busy running his business and having a dangerous long-term affair with Barb, the wife of his major client. This gorgeous woman is old enough to be his mother, but he can't help but fall under her spell. Mitch is not the type of man to analyze life. He just goes with it. He's knows he's fallen in lust with Barb, and imagines that he probably loves her, too. That's enough for him. It doesn't worry him that Barb's husband loves him like a son. He's blind to his own wrongdoings.
When Leonard is five and being taken care of by Mitch, Pearl disappears. Leonard's forever love is gone, but he never wavers in his absolute faith and love for his lost mother. Without his mother around, the small child turns the searing spotlight of his forever love full-bore on Mitch. The man barely understands what's hit him...that his whole world is about to change forever.
Thus the stage is set for the rest of the novel to unfold. What happens to Pearl? Will Pearl ever return? Will Leonard be able to hold on to his unconditional love for his missing mother? Will Mitch be allowed to continue caring for Leonard? Will Mitch realize the errors of his ways? Will Mitch turn his life toward a more meaningful existence?
Catherine Ryan Hyde is a strong writer. She knows the art of storytelling and is completely at home dealing with the nuances of the human connections. She is deft at charting a fast-paced course through the misadventures and tragedies of everyday existence.
Hyde create believable characters. They are flawed, as we all are. In this book, she shows us that even deeply flawed human beings can be redeemed through understanding, forgiveness, and unconditional love. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. But I am a sucker for a book with an important message, especially one like this one, with a message dear to my heart.
Love in the Present Tense.......2007-09-17
Great story, quick read. I especially enjoyed changing narrators. It kept me in line with the story and the feeling that each individual character had at the time.
Side note - love the way cover feels - it has this nice silky feel...I loved holding the book in my hand..maybe that's why I only needed 5 hours to read the thing.
A wonderful read about unconditional love.......2007-08-01
At thirteen years old, Pearl gets pregnant. On the same day she accidentally kills the baby's father, a policeman. Fearing no one will ever believe her, she runs, far, and often. Someday she will have to pay for the death, but until then she has much she wants to teach her son, Leonard.
In his first five years she teaches him about love and how hers for him will never end. When Leonard first meets Mitch, a neighbor, while Pearl is at work, she is suspicious and protective. Over time she lowers her defenses about Mitch and asks him to watch Leonard while she works. On one of these occasions she doesn't return.
Mitch believes Pearl has run off to live her life while he contends with her son. Leonard knows better. His mother hasn't returned because she can't. He senses her presence in different ways and knows it is the `forever love' she taught him. Mitch and Leonard bond while waiting for Pearl's return. Running his own business from home, Mitch is available to Leonard. He takes him to the doctor to have his asthma treated and learns his eye condition could one day lead to blindness and must be closely monitored.
Mitch's biggest shortcoming is his affair with the wife of a client. Leonard may not see well physically, but he can see this relationship isn't good for Mitch. He wants a love for his friend like his mother taught him about and tries to teach Mitch about forever love. As the little boy grows up and Mitch matures, their bonds keep them together as tightly as any family. The man wants to buffer the boy from the pains of the world, and the child wants the same for his grown friend. They grow and mature together, and even though space may separate them as the child becomes an adult, their love for each other remains constant.
Told in alternating points of view, this is a story of love and faith--and how sometimes you have to work at believing in love. A novel by the author of Pay It Forward about how love is payment in itself. Well worth the sweet predictability to get to the heart.
Armchair Interviews says: Lovely story about love--and not familial love.
BEAUTIFUL STORY, WONDERFULLY TOLD.......2007-05-22
This is the story of three intersecting lives - Pearl, Leonard, and Mitch. Pearl's an adolescent girl who, though struggling to raise her young son alone, has the strength and maturity to teach her child the true meaning of love. When she mysteriously disappears, her young son Leonard is left in the care of their neighbor Mitch - and the two forge a bond as strong as any.
Alternating between the first person of Pearl, Leonard, and Mitch, the author weaves together past and present, unraveling her characters' lives in rich emotional detail.
LOVE IN THE PRESENT TENSE is about real love - between parents and children, between friends, between romantic partners. It's about the ease or difficulty people have experiencing and expressing love.
Catherine Ryan Hyde's writing is a pleasure to read, and her story's a gem. What more can a reader ask for?
Average customer rating:
- Awww,beautiful
- I laughed, I cried.....
- rosey
- I cried from the start!
- Excellent story about grieving for a lost love
|
Rosey in the Present Tense
Louise Hawes
Manufacturer: Walker Books for Young Readers
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ASIN: 0802776035 |
Book Description
Six months have passed since Rosey Mishimi's fatal accident. But Franklin still can't adjust to being without her. Every day he feels as though he's moving underwater, just going through the motions. Remembering Rosey is the only thing that brings him any relief.
He is used to having conversations with her in his head, but when Rosey starts to talk back to him one night, Franklin can't believe his ears. Is she really there with him, or just a figment of his imagination? At first Franklin doesn't care as long as it means having his Rosey back. But as the days pass it becomes clear that Franklin's sorrow is bidding Rosey to a life she can no longer have. He knows he must find it in his heart to free the girl he loves so she can find her own destiny. But it is so hard to let go of someone he needs so desperately.
For anyone who has ever been in love or experienced loss, Louise Hawes has crafted a haunting tale of devotion and sacrifice that readers will take to their hearts.
Customer Reviews:
Awww,beautiful.......2002-08-06
I so loved this book. I'm a big fan of what I guess you could term supernatural romances and this is one of the best I have ever read.This book shows that true love never dies, not even after death.It lives on. The book is fiction, but I was still so deeply touched by it.It could have been real. Pick this book up. You will love it.
I laughed, I cried............2000-05-09
Rosey In The Present Tense was an awesome book! This bookteaches you about how to cope with death, but not only that, but abouta a boy that won't let go of his girlfriend's death. Franklin just can't imagine life without Rosey in it, and he thinks he sees her...but is this a dream, or is it reality? Read the book to find out what happens next! This was an awesome book, and I encourage you all to read it! It makes you laugh, it makes you cry....all around, its a GREAT BOOK for young adults!
rosey.......2000-05-04
This book is a very great book. It was rosey who is this beautiful girl who has long black hair and she is very nice. There's this guy who had fell in love with her. He sleeps thinking of her, when he is a wake he just yhinks of her evry day and night.oh, and how great it felt to be with her, how deliget to hold her. It was like a dream had come true. He found rosey and automatical just fall in love. Rosey had felt the exact same way as her boyfriend. The sad thing is that they didn't really spend their life together for a long time. Rosey went and left him behind. She went up to heaven, but david always think that she is there still with him. David new that she was gone, but he just doesn't want to think that she had left him about two years ago. Rosey and david is very much in love, but their love is not close as it use to be. Yet still they still got each others in the heart.
I cried from the start!.......2000-02-18
Not because the book was unrealistic or overly romantic, but because it centered on such a genuine relationship. This short book was funny, touching, rich. One more example of what fine writing is being done for young adults in this country! I'd recommend it to anyone of any age.
Excellent story about grieving for a lost love.......1999-04-17
Hawes does an excellent job of writing about how hard it is to let go when a loved one dies. She manages to write with both compassion and humor about a most delicate subject.
Product Description
Unabridged library editon on 7 unabridged CDs. A novel about a woman who drops off her son with a neighbor and never returns.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from The Bookwatch, published by Thomson Gale on August 1, 2006. The length of the article is 417 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Random House Audio.(Love in the Present Tense)(Blow the House Down)(Challenger Park)(The Husband)(A Scanner Darkly)(10 Lessons to Transform Your Marriage)(Audiobook review)
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication:
The Bookwatch (Magazine/Journal)
Date: August 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Page: NA
Article Type: Audiobook review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
High in the Misted Cliffs lives a magic unlike any other.
With no teacher to guide her, no mentor to discourage her from the impossible, Mel Dawnfield pushed her magic to its limits -- and surpassed them. Only to find that her powers aren't enough to halt burgeoning rebellion within her husband's fledgling realm -- or a plot devised to strike at the very heart of Mel's family.
Mel's mage strength has become greater than any power ever known, but dare she forge her spells into weapons to protect her people, her husband? For her magic might transform the brutality of war into the birth pangs of a peaceful empire . . . unless it proves the death blow to her world.
Customer Reviews:
The Saga Continues..........2006-09-02
Asaro delved a little deeper into Mel and Cobalt's story in the 2nd addition and a better sense of story-telling comes out -- but I like the first one better.
I stated in a previous review on The Misted Cliffs that Asaro hadn't found her voice - and she still hasn't. She's simply continuing the tale of the fantastical settled lands as she had before. The writing lacks luster that I've seen more of in teen novels than here. And the stories of the Dark King and his oh-so-benevolent and perfect wife could have been told better if more thought had gone into the actual *writing* and character development. Mel takes a back seat and has suddenly doesn't add up to who she was in the first novel.
Ultimately, the final conclusion drawn up for Cobalt and Mel were satisfying in an elementary way. I liked the story and Cobalt's character admittedly appealed to me because he seemed the most realistic of them all. But the secondary characters and the romantic inclinations of the Taka Mal queen were obvious plot devices to make the book seem like a deeper read. But the covers of these novels speak for themselves: they're simply light reads that don't take much effort to breeze through on a boring week night.
But on a lighter and kinder note, I would recommend it to everyone who read The Misted Cliffs because you find out what ultimately becomes of Cobalt's desires to be emperor and Mel's modest desires for home and hearth. The books are light and appropriate for teen readers 14 and up. A 3.5 stars for a moderately satisfying read.
Not quite there...........2006-08-06
After the lead up from the previous novel, I was looking for a culmination of the previous stories in this one. Although she did a great job in exposing the emotions felt by Cobalt and Mel, I feel like she fell short in completing these events - unless she has another novel planned. We never really hear about Mel's parents again and the other members of her family, except for a new look at Drummer, who hadn't been mentioned since the first novel. I can understand that this novel is mainly centered around the journey that Mel has to undergo, but it would have been interesting if the other mages that we had come to love through these stories made a final appearance in this novel. I enjoyed this story, but it just seemed anti-climatic in its ending.
Good, but missing something..........2006-07-14
Mel and Cobalt are back at their finest. Cobalt still has problems containing his anger and yearns to get along with his grandfather and his growth in this novel is pretty amazing. Two more characters, Drummer and Jade enter the picture and their story is relatively interesting.
Asaro never seems to write a bad book, but in this book I was looking for something more. I started the series with Charmed Destinies and I was just waiting for Jarid to make an appearance. However he has no significant role in this book. Drummer was probably the biggest disappointment, however. His character seemed really shallow to me.
But Asaro pulls out with four stars due to Cobalt's role in the novel, the amazingly amusing war conference, and the believeability of the majority of the characters (well, as believeable as a fantasy story can be, anyway).
spellbinding romantic fantasy .......2006-07-05
Cobalt the Dark married Mel Dawnfield so that Harsdown would eventually return to Cobalt's heirs because it is part of his wife's dowry. What began as a marriage of state quickly became a love match. He conquered Sharize and Blue Shire and is heir to the Misted Cliffs, ruled by his abusive grandfather Stonebreaker who made his and his mother's life miserable as a child.
Cobalt would love to add the countries of Jazid and Taka Mal to his empire but Mel doesn't want her husband to become the dictator of the world. The country of Taka Mal, fearing Cobalt's expansionist ideas, kidnap the queen of Aronsdale's brother Drummer, Mel's uncle and a minstrel with a voice that could make grown men weep for joy. The ruling queen Jade quickly falls under Drummer's spell and wants to marry him because Cobalt would never invade a country that is tied to his wife's family. Before that plan could be put into motion, Mel is kidnapped and it is made to look like Taka Mal performed the deed. Cobalt marches towards Taka Mal intending to level it unless Mel can escape her prison and explain the truth to her beloved.
Nebula award winner Catherine Asaro writes a spellbinding romantic fantasy as well as she does hard science fiction. Fans of her Skollan empire series will find THE DAWN STAR a softer, more people driven tale with characters well suited for this sword and sorcery tale. Although there are plenty of action scenes, the plot is more about political chicanery and the political intrigue scenes are fascinating.
Customer Reviews:
Originally Posted on Romance Junkies in 2005.......2007-05-14
Romantic fantasy is one of my favorite genres, and reading Catherine Asaro's THE MISTED CLIFFS, I was reminded of the reason why. Deposed kings, sword and sorcery, magic and spells, kings and queens, dark-hearted rulers and self-sacrificing princesses, all combine to make this story one of the best.
For Princess Melody Dawnfield, being the daughter of the current king of Harsdown means more than looking pretty and watching men vie for her hand in marriage. Trained as a mage and excellent swordsmen, Mel is her parents' pride and joy. She also feels so deeply for her town, and the adjoining towns of Aronsdale and Misted Cliffs, that she agrees to marry a man feared far and wide to save her people from the threat of war.
Cobalt the Dark is a man at war within himself. His half-crazy mother and terror-inducing grandfather raised him, and hold much of the blame for his dark heart. When Cobalt learns that his father, Varquelle, isn't dead as he once thought, but imprisoned, he risks his own life to rescue the deposed king. Now that the former king is free, however, war looms on the horizon. Although tortured at heart and feeling that war is the only answer, Cobalt agrees to marry Princess Melody in the hopes that the war, although undoubtedly inevitable, can at least be put off.
While much of the kingdom feels that Cobalt is evil, Mel learns that he's only troubled by his own inner demons and the seemingly insurmountable obstacles that stand before him. Melody, as well, is not what her husband expected. Not only is she powerful in her own right, but her love and warm heart begin to thaw something within him that he thought was long dead and buried.
THE MISTED CLIFFS is Ms. Asaro at her writing best. A tried and true formula of a haunted hero and a warm-hearted heroine, combined with the magic of a kingdom you'll want to visit again and again, make this book a true winner. I highly recommend that you read THE CHARMED SPHERE, her previous LUNA release, as well as THE MISTED CLIFFS. They are both stand alone books, but THE CHARMED SPHERE will delve you into the kingdom of Aronsdale , which plays a supporting role in this current book. I don't yet know the title of the third book in the trilogy, but no doubt it will bring us even deeper into this world where love and magic are intertwined.
Could have used a little more character development.......2006-09-07
The Dawnfield family returns in this second book of magic and political conflict in the fictional land of Aronsdale. Chime and Muller's daughter Melody (Mel) has grown into a beautiful, headstrong young woman. To prevent an army from the neighboring Misted Cliffs from invading her homeland, she agrees to wed Cobalt Escar, son of Varquelle, ruler of the Misted Cliffs. Despite the cruelty and darkness in the Escar family, Mel is able to find a seed of good in Cobalt and begins to nurture it. Varquelle and Cobalt, however, are not satisfied in their desire for conquest. I recommend this book to fans of romantic fantasy. However, many of the characters are quite two-dimensional and predictable.
Solid but not Stellar.......2006-08-30
The Misted Cliffs is a Luna publication (owned by Harlequin) who has developed romantic fantasy/sci-fi books for other audiences. I have to admit I've seen these books and think that many of them seem corny and even cover art is a bit too much. I have read fantasy before and I read a rainbow of different genres, but fantasy is one I'm skepitcal about because sometimes the plots seem cheesy.
This book of Catherine Asaro's is not entirely so. The idea of magic being conducted with geometry at its focus is an original and extraordianry way to bring in an audience. But in certain scenes where mainly the heroine acted out on her magic, the scenes seemed like parlor tricks and sometimes, laughable in the idea that if it were a movie, it'd be one of the cheesy kind, with bad special effects.
But, I still read the book and I still enjoyed it. The writing is strong if a little unoutstanding and un-unique (for lack of a better word). Asaro hasn't quite found a distinctive voice, but the writing is still good and the plot was admittedly likeable.
Characters - especially Mel and her Cobalt - were good characters and had good chemistry that will have readers cheering for them to get the happy ending they deserve. Family ties and prejudices are portrayed from the contrasting Aronsdale people and Misted Cliff people and secondary characters (even the sheer amount of them) stand out well and are as memorable as the main protagonists.
Overall, I liked this book of Catherine Asaro's and I do recommend it to all readers over the age of fourteen due to some sexual content. I think lovers of the Luna publications will especially want to read this and should have it on the top of their reading lists. I'm in the process (and nearly finished) with the second book in the series, The Dawn Star, and eagerly await to put in my review of it soon.
As good as ever!.......2006-06-03
Every time a start anew a book by Catherine Asaro, I'm always startled by the dryness of her prose (... too much of a scientific formation...?), but it's never long before the rhythm catch up with me; also, for those who do not like long technical explanation - her Skolian books are full of them - cheer up: this is fantasy, not sci-fi... no Riemann sheets or rotation through complex space here!
The Misted Cliffs is the third installment in Asaro's mage universe (after the novella 'Moonglow' in "Charmed Destinies" and "The Charmed Sphere").
I liked this book better than "The Charmed Sphere". I won't try to resume the story here - its strands are too fine and intricate to give a satisfying synopsis, and anyway, the publisher's note gives the important starting point.
As usual in Asaro's worlds, everything is well-thought, everything fits together and the characters are more than interesting: Cobalt, for example, is not an unlikely hero or a reluctant leader coming into his own, as is often seen. From the first, his greatness is plain; he hungers for conquest and for once, this scope of ambition it is not shown as an automatic bad trait. As for Mel, she's the one reaching maturity in the course of the book, developing her abilities from the bedrock of her personality, as well as very interestingly coming to occupy her important place in Cobalt's life. Together, they make choices that are not usually seen in this kind of book, and I find it refreshing... I'm definitely counting the days until The Dawn Star is out!
The Misted Cliffs.......2006-05-03
This book was awesome!! Just the right amount of fantasy, magic and romance. I read it in 10 hours.I could not put this book down. I can't wait for the next one!
Book Description
Award-winning author Catherine Asaro, creator of The Skolian Empire, creates her first full-length fantasy novel in a world rich with magic and power. Fans who caught a glimpse of the kingdom of Aronsdale in "Moonglow" from the Charmed Destinies collection are delighted with the result!
What was the use of being a powerful mage if you couldn't learn the spells?
Once Chime had been the most promising mage in the land, feted and celebrated for her potential and future role in the kingdom. The Iris, he young competitor, made a stunning leap in skill and turned Chime's world upside down.
Now no longer the most powerful, no longer promised to a prince -- and still unable to harness her magic properly -- Chime was set adrift. As was the new king's cousin -- and former heir -- Lord Muller. Yet when the neighboring kingdom threatened war, Muller and Chime were tasked with uncovering the plot. Both were flawed, yet unwilling to accept a lesser destiny than they had once known. Could this quest be the opportunity for redemption -- or would it lead them to their deaths?
Customer Reviews:
My first book by Asaro and Not my Last.......2007-09-26
Every once in awhile I get an urge to read a fantasy story, so on a whim I picked this book up while I was waiting on a flight out of Pittsburg. The Charmed Sphere was my first book by Chatherine Asaro so I really didn't know what to expect when I started reading the book. Well, I wasn't disappointed and I thought it was one of the best fantasy books I have read. The location of the story is old medieval Europe and the author's writing style on magic was a surprise and different from other authors. Her descriptions were excellent and the story moved along at an even, smooth pace. Not only was there magic, but a bit of romance that made the story realistic and warm at the same time. If you enjoy a story of magic, romance and some dark suspense, then this is the book for you.
Chanted.......2007-09-16
This was the first book of Ms. Asaro's that I'd read or had ever even seen. And chances are if I had found it on the shelf at the bookstore I probably wouldn't have picked it up. But it was the "Book of the Month" for the bookclub that I was once part of (Luna) and it only seemed right to read it after paying $[...] for it. I was pleasantly surprised after finishing it and have enjoyed several of her books since (all sent to me through the same book club). But this one to date has been my favorite.
I once had the opportunity to chat with Ms. Asaro at [...] and was pleased to find out that she is a very pleasant person (at least her online personna). I think that you should know that this has also laid sway on my review.
Absolutely great book! I read it over and over again........2007-06-09
Great book from start to finish. I was first introduced to Catherine Asaro when I read "Moonglow" and I have not been disappointed. I love the geometry-based magic and the colours it incorporates. I was looking forward to seeing Jarid and Iris in more detail in this book but I was well satisfied with the development of Chime and Muller. I highly recommend this book. I don't know what others are talking about when they give less 4 stars reviews but if you want a great read that keeps you coming back, this is the book for you!
Interesting Premise.......2007-03-02
This book caught my eye because of the usual premise behind it - that the main characters *aren't* the most talented, long-awaited, best mages/swordsmen/heros ever - instead they find they are easily replaced by others who are greater than they are. Intrigued, I wondered, "so, what happens when your protagonists are second best?"
In attempting to step away from the standard fantasy convention, Asaro's story does stand out as different, but I also found myself slightly confused at times, waiting for the twist, waiting for their more powerful "secret" abilities to be revealed, or wondering if the "real" protagonists weren't who I thought they were at all. At first I expected the characters whose glory replaced Chime's and Muller's to be evil, or at least dastardly in some way, and so I was surprised when they turned out so sympathetic and likable. In many ways Jared and Iris are more interesting characters, and Jared especially steals the show when he is in a scene. Chime I actually found to be mildly annoying at times, her social awkwardness becoming irritating rather than endearing. Muller is a well-fleshed out character though, with a unique personality and an interesting dilemma. His eventual fate often drew me in more than Chime's.
Asaro writes well and has a funny way of making things interesting, even when there isn't a whole lot of action actually going on. I kept waiting for the "big quest," that most protagonists eventually embark on, or for Chime or Muller's mage abilities to finally take off, and so I was surprised when hundreds of pages went by and neither of them seemed to be making any progress, physical or magical. However, I still felt "hooked" and continued turning pages with anticipation, wondering what would happen to our four main characters. Asaro's writing is just that good.
Does Asaro stay true to her premise? I can give her credit for that by saying "yes." There is no twist where suddenly our two protagonists burst forth with miraculous power, surpassing everyone around them. They really *aren't* the most gifted mages in this land. However, Asaro does manage to give them each something unique to offer so that their roles have meaning.
One thing that was never explained and which I found kind of odd was the author's choice of character names. Most everyone is Chime's family has a name associated with music (chime, bell, drummer), yet this doesn't seem to factor into the story in any way.
Overall, I'd say this is an enjoyable book, and unusual enough that it's worth checking out. In many ways, readers should be able to relate to the main protagonists' feelings of what it's like to be overshadowed by another with greater talent or ability than you. And if that's not enough, read it for the character of Jared, whose story and transformation makes for some suspenseful, emotional, and fascinating reading.
Absolutely beautiful.......2006-05-23
I have never read Asaro's work before but after reading this delightful book, she is quickly becoming one of my favorites. The true attraction about this book was the interplay of language between Iris and her lover, the lost Prince. It isn't the deep cold realities of George R. R. Matin's Clash of Kings, but still an immensely enjoyable book for a frivolous past time. I highly recommend it to readers who are looking for a warm hearted romantic story set in a magical world where good and evil are too well defined so your loyalties will not lie elsewhere. Misted Cliff's is the sequel following the second generation and also highly recommended.
Books:
- Love, Lust and Pixie Dust
- Mandala: A Novel of India (Buck, Pearl S. Oriental Novels of Pearl S. Buck, 10th,)
- Morvern Callar
- Murder on Gramercy Park (Gaslight Mysteries)
- My Home Is Far Away: An Autobiographical Novel
- Nicholas Nickleby (Penguin Classics)
- Orientalism in Art
- Paco's Story: A Novel
- Photos of the Gods: The Printed Image and Political Struggle in India
- Pioneer Sisters (Little House Chapter Book)
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