Diplomatic Immunity

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Fans won't find this surprising in the least, but Miles Vorkosigan--the plucky, short-statured hero of Lois McMaster Bujold's beloved series--is uniquely incapable of having an uneventful honeymoon. Between a racially fueled diplomatic dispute, the appearance of a hermaphroditic old flame, and a bizarre Cetagandan genetic conspiracy, Miles just can't seem to get a minute of peace with his new wife, the lovely and resourceful Ekaterin (whom Miles courted in A Civil Campaign).

Miles had hoped to give "hands-on op games" a rest once and for all, but when the Emperor urgently calls on him to resolve a "legal entanglement" in Quaddiespace, diplomacy alone might prove inadequate. (Quaddies, you'll remember, are the no-legged, four-armed free-fallers introduced in Falling Free.) Our newly minted Imperial Auditor almost immediately forgets all about "Baby's First Cell Division" (after the assignment comes in, Ekaterin quickly observes "You know, you keep claiming your job is boring, Miles, but your eyes have gone all bright"), but even Miles feels the heat after his diplomatic attempts devolve into a series of flattering assassination attempts.

Vorkosigan (and family now!) is as winning as ever, with Bujold offering up her usual fun mix of space-opera action and droll social commentary in a character-centered plot. And here's a bonus for Milesophiles and Vorkosiga novices alike: a book-by-book timeline detailing what trouble Miles got into and when. --Paul Hughes

Customer Reviews:

Miles has problems on his honeymoon ... with Quaddies.......2007-03-07

The Miles Vorkosigan series of action adventures is far and away the most amusing comedy science fiction series ever written. This is the tenth Miles Vorkosigan adventure, and if it isn't quite the funniest book in the series - in my opinion that place is claimed by the previous volume, "A civil campaign" - it is nevertheless both exciting and very entertaining.

The Miles Vorkosigan stories, and four other books set in the the same future universe, can stand on their own. However, a number of them, of which this is one, will give you something extra if you have previously read some of Bujold's books set earlier on the same timeline.

If you have not previously met Lord Miles Vorkosigan, he is 1) a brilliant intriguer who at one stage was juggling at least three identities; 2) physically very small, having been injured in his mother's womb by poison gas; 3) a former spy for Imperial Barrayan security, former mercenary admiral and present "Imperial Auditor"; 4) finally married after spending much of the previous nine books looking for a wife; and 5) hysterically funny to read about.

Most of the action of this book is set on a space station (Graf Station) in Quaddy space. The previous history of the bioengineered quaddies and how Leo Graf helped them free themselves from slavery, which happened about 232 years before this book, is given in the book "Falling Free."

At the start of "Diplomatic Immunity", Miles and his new bride Ekaterin, who he met in "Komarr" and courted in "A Civil Campaign" are on the way home to Barrayar from their honeymoon. Then they get diverted to Graf Station where the Quaddies have seized a Komarran trade fleet which is under Barayaran protection.

Miles is asked by the Emperor to sort out a mess which turns out to include Komarrans, Quaddies, Imperial Security, Cetagandans, and Miles' hermaphrodite former subordinate Bel Thorne who has settled on Graf station with his Quaddie partner Nicol.

Sound complicated? It is. That's why there is something to be said for reading these stories in sequence. Having said that, you can read this on it's own and it is still funny.

The full sequence of books in this Universe is

"Falling Free"

The story of the romance between Miles' parents:
"Shards of Honour"
"Barrayar"

(These two books also published together as "Cordelia's Honour."

The Miles Vorkosigan adventures:

"The Warrior's Apprentice"
"The Vor game"
"Borders of Infinity"
"Cetaganda"
"Brothers in Arms"
"Mirror Dance"
"Memory"
"Komarr"
"A Civil Campaign"
"Diplomatic Immunity"

And a separate adventure for Miles' friend Elli Quinn:
"Ethan of Athos"

All these books are excellent and strongly recommended.

I want to be Cordelia Vorkosigan when I grow up..........2007-02-20

I'm probably an aberration among Vorkosigan fans, but I very much prefer the books that focus on the characters as adults, rather than the hyperactive young Miles. Shards of Honor, Barrayar, Memory, Komarr, A Civil Campaign and now Diplomatic Immunity have characters that solve their problems with grace and intelligence, rather than relying on the sheer adrenaline of Miles on the road with the Dendarii mercenaries.

Diplomatic Immunity has the feel of an ending of sorts for the series. We see the Quaddies as a mature and developed culture, rich with the arts and sciences, Bel as settled and happy, rather than the hopeless crush it held for Miles for so long, and Miles himself as focused on solving the problem, without the desire to escape from himself. Even the Cetagandan Haut are more approachable and human.

I would dearly enjoy more Vorkosigan series, but this book leaves me satisfied to know that the characters I've followed for so long are in a good place for the moment.

And if another book is in the works, I'd like more Cordelia stories, please! There have been hints of the family's adventures during the Regency, and she was clearly instrumental in the transformation of Barrayan culture, so that I'd love to know what happened in the missing years.

An adventure in ... adventure!.......2006-09-23

I know this series has been out for a while but, I just had to do this one-size-fits-all review of Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan saga. First of all, if you haven't read this series, clear your calendar and just do it. Don't worry about reading it in any particular order either (by chronology or publication date). The first one of these books to find its way into your hands is the first one you should read. The only exception to this rule would be "A Civil Campaign," because of the gathering of all the old characters and extensive references to past events, you should save this one for the last. (How does she keep track of all this stuff?)

Miles Vorkosigan is the most unlikely hero you will ever meet. The deck was stacked against him before he was born. He's not big, or fast, or strong. His body is bent and his bones are weak thanks to a poison gas attack on his mother while she carried him. All he has is his brain. But what a brain! His brain is a hyperactive trouble magnet with an uncanny ability to land him directly in the center of every whirlwind of danger he comes across. Fortunately this remarkable brain is smart enough to get him out of trouble time and again as well.

Set in mankind's distant future where space fairing is routine and bio-technology has produced many wonders, Miles Vorkosigan engages valiantly in the struggle to protect his home world of Barrayar and its imperium from the plots of its neighboring planetary systems. Born into the Vor aristocracy of Barrayar, Mile is an outcast on his home world due to his deformities. Nonetheless, he manages to rise to the occasion and find a place for himself and his talents in the highest levels of the empire.

The combination of high tech space adventure and old world political intrigue makes this series stand out. The characters are at once deeply human and vividly rendered in a writing style that envelopes the reader. As I have said before, you don't read one of Lois McMaster Bujold's books; you enter her world (worlds in this case). Each and every one of the books in this series is witty, emotionally deep, sexy, and mildly disturbing. In other words, perfect. If you haven't read this series yet you are in for a big treat. It gets my highest recommendation. Go ahead ... spoil yourself.

Reviewed by Hugh Mannfield at stormbold.com

A Wonderfully Written Mystery.......2006-04-10

Miles has to solve a mystery at Graf Station in Quaddie space.

This is a great novel that gets back into what Miles does best, unravel and solve problems. He's got a big one here, mostly because he's on the side that committed the offence. Barrayarians are known for their bias against things that look mutant, as Miles well knows. So now there has been an altercation between a Barrayarian escort of a Kommarran cargo convoy and the Quaddies who run Graf Station.

It gets more complicated when one of the Barrayarian crew appears to have been murdered. Unfortunately all they have is the blood. Then someone starts shooting a rivet gun at Miles in a public place.

It's a wonderful mystery that comes to a very satisfying conclusion.

[Note: If you haven't read any Miles Vorkorsigan books then there may be a few characters in this book that you wont understand. This book would be enjoyable if you haven't read the rest of the series, but you would be better off starting from the beginning. Here's the list.]

Shards of Honor
Barrayar {Hugo Winner}
The Warriors Apprentice
The Vor Game {Hugo Winner}
Cetaganda
Brothers in Arms
Borders of Infinity
Mirror Dance {Hugo Winner}
Memory
Komarr
A Civil Campaign
-Diplomatic Immunity- {This Review}

Miles in danger again .......2005-11-16

It helps when reading this book if you've read all the previous Miles Vorkosigan series. Many of the characters are from earlier works and there's not a lot of explanation on how they got there or where they met before.

Miles and Ekaterin are on their delayed honeymoon while their twins are in uterine replicators back home to be 'born' when they return. Gregor asks Miles to take care of a little problem in Quaddie space -- it seems that the fleet might have over reacted to a small problem because of the quaddies four arms (and the Barrayaran horror of mutants).

The problem is knotty but not too bad when suddenly is morphs into Cetagandan intrigue, plague viruses, the haut yearly child ship, and Miles on the edge of death.

Again, it's a fun read and the usual Miles Vorkosigan fare. There's a chance to visit with old friends we haven't seen in books lately and to catch up.

State Immunity: Selected Materials and Commentary

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State Immunity: Selected Materials and Commentary
Andrew Dickinson , Rae Lindsay , and James P. Loonam
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
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ASIN: 0199243263

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The past 30 years have seen important legal developments in relation to the immunities and privileges enjoyed by the subjects of international law, not least the enactment in several jurisdictions of detailed legislation on these issues and important decisions of international and domestic courts. At the heart of these developments, claims by States and other persons acting under their authority to immunities and privileges before courts and tribunals are a continuing source of controversy (as evidenced, for example, by the decisions in Pinochet and Al-Adsani). The editors have collected key materials, including international agreements and domestic legislation, concerning the immunities of states, governmental bodies, state owned entities and agents. Focusing on the pioneering legislation in the United Kingdom and the United States of America, this volume will provide detailed commentary on the application of immunities and privileges as well their practical significance for practitioners in both jurisdictions.

The State Immunity Controversy in International Law: Private Suits Against Sovereign States in Domestic Courts

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The State Immunity Controversy in International Law: Private Suits Against Sovereign States in Domestic Courts
Ernest K. Bankas
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 3540256954

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The author shows through a careful analysis of the law that restrictive immunity does not have vox populi in developing countries, and that it lacks usus. He also argues that forum law, i.e. the lex fori is a creature of sovereignty and between equals before the law, only what is understood and acknowledged as law among states must be applied in as much as the international legal system is horizontal.

Furthermore, the state never acts as a juridical or natural person and, therefore, in logical terms, its functions cannot be divided into potere politico and persona civile, as a prelude to determine jurisdiction. The said Italian doctrine therefore is ex facie erroneous, and that a simple dichotomy between absolute immunity and restrictive immunity wholly predicated on the nature test alone would not be helpful in promoting justice. Hence, arbitration and comparative dominant theory are suggested instead in the resolution of this elusive problem.

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An Exciting Thriller From A New Author Worth Reading!
Rates Minus Stars
A FULL-THROTTLE THRILLER
Exciting legal and police procedural

Diplomatic Immunity
Grant Sutherland
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0553583301
Release Date: 2002-10-01

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When Special Envoy Toshio Hatanaka's body is found in a basement room of the United Nations headquarters a few days before a crucial General Assembly vote on admitting Japan to the Security Council, Sam Windrush, first deputy for UN Legal Affairs, is assigned to investigate what looks suspiciously like a homicide. Sam and Toshio have a special bond, forged when the envoy attempted to rescue Sam's late wife from the hands of Afghan tribesmen who attacked a refugee camp on the Pakistan border where she was part of a medical relief team. Toshio's death was particularly convenient for the pro-Japan forces at the UN, since he was about to unmask a money-laundering scheme in which the Japanese ambassador may have been implicated. And Sam's boss, whose future depends on getting Japan on the council, is stonewalling the investigation, as is Sam's lover, a key member of the legal team at the United States mission. And there are others at the UN who will stop at nothing to keep Sam from uncovering the truth about Toshio's death--even framing Rachel, Sam's vulnerable 18-year-old daughter, for murder.

Grant Sutherland's knowledge of the operational aspects of the United Nations bureaucracy as well as the intricacies of global diplomacy stand him in good stead here. Sam's inner conflict between loyalty to his deeply held values and to the mission he serves is clearly illuminated. Although the dramatic pacing leaves something to be desired, this somewhat dense but ultimately engrossing international thriller offers a perceptive take on a subject and organization that's usually ignored in the mystery genre. --Jane Adams

Book Description

Diplomatic immunity, n: freedom from arrest...and submission to police regulations usually accorded by international law to diplomatic agents.* From the most exciting writer of international thrillers since Robert Ludlum comes a riveting tale of intrigue that propels us into the heart of the United Nations. Here conscience and loyalty will collide in one man’s desperate race against time.

Diplomatic Immunity

Shock waves ripple through the UN at the stunning news: a special envoy has been murdered in the basement. In the midst of a high-stakes General Assembly vote, the last thing officials want is more controversy. But Sam Windrush, a deputy in Legal Affairs, is determined to pursue his friend’s killer--despite roadblocks created by everyone from his supervisor and foreign ambassadors to his lover. Even worse, each of his suspects is protected by diplomatic immunity. Each can escape justice.

In less than a week UN officials will wrest the investigation away from am. In less than a week his fourteen-year career will be on the line. And as time runs out, Sam will face an even greater threat. A new suspect not protected by diplomatic immunity has come to light. The only suspect Sam wants to eliminate...the only one he cannot.

* Webster’s Third New International Dictionary of the English Language

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From the most exciting writer of international thrillers since Robert Ludlum comes a riveting tale of intrigue that takes us right into the heart of the United Nations. Here conscience and loyalty will collide in one man's desperate race against time, when the clock starts ticking on page one and never lets up.

Diplomatic immunity, n: freedom from arrest... and submission to police regulations usually accorded by international law to diplomatic agents.

-- Merriam-Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language

Shock ripples through the UN at the stunning news: a special envoy has been found murdered in the basement. For Sam Windrush, a deputy in Legal Affairs, the death of his friend couldn't be more devastating. Years ago a personal tragedy bound the two men together, and now Sam is determined to find the killer -- despite intense pressure to abandon the investigation.

The murder has cast uncertainty on the outcome of a high-stakes General Assembly vote, and the last thing UN officials want is more controversy. Suddenly Sam is up against roadblocks -- created by everyone from his supervisor and foreign ambassadors to his lover -- and everyone has an agenda to protect.

The worst is yet to come. Sam uncovers too many disturbing coincidences: security cameras turned off for maintenance, a press corps member who knows too much, the suspicious activities of the victim himself, and a hushed-up review of a special committee. Sam has a score of suspects, but each one is protected by diplomatic immunity. Each one can escape justice.

In less than a week UN officials will wrest the investigation away from Sam and hand it to the NYPD. In less than a week his fourteen-year career will be on the line. And as time runs out he will face an even greater threat. Someone has found a new suspect. A suspect not protected by diplomatic immunity. The only suspect Sam wants to eliminate but cannot.

Taking readers behind the scenes of privilege and power to a place where the smallest actions affect the entire world, Diplomatic Immunity is a mesmerizing new thriller from an author whose name every suspense fan will need to know.

Customer Reviews:

An Exciting Thriller From A New Author Worth Reading!.......2002-10-30

In his first novel, Grant Sutherland has produced a well-written, highly suspenseful (albeit slow-building) thriller about a murder that takes place at the United Nations. In addition to its well-developed plot,which is packed with twists and surprises, Sutherland's characters are believable and multi-dimensional. In many ways, Diplomatic Immunity reminds me of the early works by Robert Ludlum, which, to me, is a high compliment. If you're a thriller lover, or any reader who is seeking a very good book, Diplomatic Immunity is definitely worthy of your consideration. I'm very much looking forward to Sutherland's next book.

Rates Minus Stars.......2002-10-26

This is a supposed "thriller" that is actually a dull, dialogue ridden yawner with little action and uninteresting characters. The "mystery" involved is psuedo-solved in a very unsatisfiying way and the reason behind the murder involved is (to say the least) contrived. I read the descriptions on every box and bag in my cupboard before I resorted to complete the reading of this book. I held out a very small hope that its "resolution" might be in some way satisfying. My hopes were crushed. I will avoid this author at all cost in the future.

A FULL-THROTTLE THRILLER.......2001-05-03

The UN is shocked by the news: a diplomatic minister is found murdered in the basement of the UN building.

No one is more devistated by the news than Sam Windrush, a deputy in Legal Affairs, for him the victim was his friend, someone who through personal tragedy has been linked to him for years. Intent on catching the killer, Sam moves into action, even though his superiors want him to abandon the investigation.

Since the murder has cast an uncertainty on the outcome of a high stakes assembly vote, the UN does not want anymore controversy, thus making Sam's investigation impossible. Battling various roadblocks set by everyone from his supervisor, and foreign ambassadors, to his lover, Sam realizes he is in way over his head, racing a clock that one wrong move could cost him his life.

Not willing to give up, Sam continues on a maze of deception - where everyone is a suspect, every suspect has a hidden agenda, and all are protected by diplomatic immunity. With his job, and life on the line, Sam must find his killer before it's too late.

'Diplomatic Immunity' is a full-throttle thriller, that entertains while offering an exciting look into the heart of the United Nations.

Twisting plot thrills, page-turning action, and top notch writing make for a great thriller...and 'Diplomatic Immunity' has all of it.

Grant Sutherland has written a novel that ranks with the best of Ludlum, and deserves it's spot on the bestseller lists.

Nick Gonnella

Exciting legal and police procedural.......2001-05-01

The General Assembly of the United Nations has a historic vote coming up filled with controversy. The member nations must decide whether Japan deserves a seat on the Security Council. Though most countries including the United States leans towards yes, strong opposition led by long time employer Toshio Hatanaka oppose Japan obtaining a seat.

First Deputy in the Secretariat's Legal Affairs Sam Windrush feels pressure from his boss Patrick O'Connor and his girlfriend Jennifer Dale, aid to the American Ambassador to the United Nations. Both ask Sam to persuade the influential Toshio to drop his opposition. Not long afterwards, former NYPD official, now deputy of United Nations security Mike Jardine, informs Sam that Toshio lies dead in the basement of the United Nations' "Turtle Bay" building. NYPD cannot enter the facility to investigate the crime so Sam and Mike are assigned to do so. However, Sam's boss and other VIPs want Toshio's death declared a suicide, but the two intrepid sleuths think otherwise and continue to investigate with no support.

DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY is an exciting look at the United Nations from a legal and police procedural story line. The tale is exciting and insightful as readers obtain a glimpse inside those "eighteen acres" of Manhattan that is not United States jurisdiction. Sam is a brave individual fighting to do the right thing against overwhelming odds that threaten him with his job, his life, and even through his daughter, a United nations guide. Grant Sutherland provides an intriguing plot that hopefully is the start of a new series with more insider perusals of the United Nations.

Harriet Klausner

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3 PBs by Lois McMaster Bujold: Diplomatic Immunity, Memory, The Spirit Ring
Lois McMaster Bujold
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000TDEE8M

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The Abuse of Diplomatic Privileges and Immunities: A Necessary Evil?

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The Abuse of Diplomatic Privileges and Immunities: A Necessary Evil?
J. Craig Barker
Manufacturer: Dartmouth Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1855217236

Cold war diplomacy (University of Arizona. Institute of Government Research. International studies)

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Cold war diplomacy (University of Arizona. Institute of Government Research. International studies)
Clifton E Wilson
Manufacturer: University of Arizona Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007DNU9I

Consular privileges and immunities, (Studies in history, economics and public law)

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Consular privileges and immunities, (Studies in history, economics and public law)
Irvin Stewart
Manufacturer: Columbia University Press
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Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: B00086CG2G

Die diplomatischen und konsularischen Immunitaten und Privilegien: Ein Beitrag zur Diskussion uber die Reformbedurftigkeit des Diplomaten- und Konsularrechts ... (Schriften zum Staats- und Volkerrecht)

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Die diplomatischen und konsularischen Immunitaten und Privilegien: Ein Beitrag zur Diskussion uber die Reformbedurftigkeit des Diplomaten- und Konsularrechts ... (Schriften zum Staats- und Volkerrecht)
Ulrich Seidenberger
Manufacturer: P. Lang
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Binding: Perfect Paperback

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ASIN: 3631456514

Diplomatic Crime: Drugs, Killings, Thefts, Rapes, Slavery & Other Outrageous Crimes

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Diplomatic Crime: Drugs, Killings, Thefts, Rapes, Slavery & Other Outrageous Crimes
Chuck Ahsman , and Pamela Trescott
Manufacturer: Acropolis Books (NY)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0874918707

Book Description

The Forelands are at war. The magic-wielding Qirsi and their Eandi masters have mobilized their forces. The Eandi have had to look beyond past differences to make alliances for the sake of the future, praying it isn’t too late for them to change the outcome of the war. Tavis, an Eandi prince who was framed for murdering the princess to whom he was pledged, and endured torture before winning his freedom, has at last avenged her death. Still, the murder and its aftermath have brought war to the Forelands just as the Qirsi conspirators who bought his love's blood had intended. Now Tavis and Grinsa, a Qirsi shaper with more powers than he reveals, who saved Tavis when nobody else would believe his innocence, venture across the Forelands, risking death to help save the land they love . . .

A powerful Qirsi weaver has brought this terrible war to the land, bending the minds of those he controls and of his enemies in an effort to forge alliances and mobilize forces to destroy the Eandi. His powerful magical ability estranges lovers, betrays leaders, and wreaks murder and death throughout the land. But even with his powerfully malign intelligence, he underestimates the mettle of his opponents. In a psychological duel with Grinsa, the Weaver’s formidable powers are sorely tested. Grinsa withstands the Weaver’s most powerful attacks at nearly the expense of his own life, and in the process discovers the Weaver’s identity.
Will Grinsa’s challenge to the Weaver spell the end of the Weaver’s reign of doom? Or has Grinsa’s discovery come too late to help the Eandi cause? The answers lie in the growing war that may sunder the Forelands forever.

Customer Reviews:

This means WAR!.......2007-05-10

Shapers of Darkness is the fourth volume in David Coe's engaging Winds of the Forelands series.

Where the previous installment (Bonds of Vengeance: Book 3 of The Winds of the Forelands) focused almost entirely on the political intrigue, Shapers of Darkness is non-stop action from cover to cover. At this point, the Qirsi Weaver's behind-the-scenes machinations have all come to fruition and the entire realm is at war, and there are as many internal threats as there are external. As the penultimate volume in the series, Shapers of Darkness does a great job of pulling plotlines together and building anticipation for the series conclusion Weavers of War.

The series suffers a bit from the sheer volume of characters, nations, plots, and subplots, and to his credit the author seems to realize this. Coe provides a helpful "who's who" list of characters at the beginning of the book, which is a nice way to get reacquainted with the cast before jumping into chapter 1. There's still a sense of repetition or perhaps homogenization, in that the various nations seem interchangeable. This is especially noticeable in comparison to George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series. Martin gives each people their own culture, mannerisms, customs, and speech patterns. Coe does this to a far lesser extent, almost as if it were an afterthought. Still, this is a relatively minor complaint against an otherwise very enjoyable series.

Shapers of Darkness is so action packed it's almost exhausting, and it will definitely leave you panting for more. Fortunately the end is near. Weavers of War will be the series' final volume.

Great addition to the series!.......2007-03-16

I loved this book as I did all the others in the series. I can't wait to read Weavers of War.

Best of the series so far.......2006-12-26

If you are already to this book, you know this is a great series. I have read everything that David Coe has written and I'm not disappointed with this volume. I can't wait for the conclusion to find out which weaver wins!

Brilliant!.......2006-08-01

David B. Coe is just such an amazing writer, and all of his books are just so enjoyable to read, that I couldn't put it down. Not only are his characters well developed, but his book has a great plot, which further adds to the suspense of this novel. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good fantasy novel, and if you haven't read any of his other books in this series, I would recommend that you start with the first, Rules of Ascension. This series is amazing, and I cannot wait for the 5th book to come out!

They just get better and better!.......2006-03-11

More good stuff from Coe. With the close of each book in this series I anxiously await the arrival of the next. This time fortunately I didn't have to wait too long---2 books in 1 year, simply awesome. I can hardly wait for the conclusion of this awesome series!

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