Customer Reviews:
Even Steven and Odd Todd.......2007-07-19
This book is great for kids who love math but may not find standard children's fiction interesting. My kindergarten has a fascination with numbers so she really liked the way the story wove in the math concepts. It's an enjoyable read.
Wonderful Read.......2001-12-30
My 8 year old had this book on her school reading list. She loved it and has read it many times. She thought it was really funny and loved the part about the gummy worms on the pizza. Any book that gets a child to read is all right with me.
Its Funny.......2000-03-29
I read this book in my second grade class. This is a funny book. Even Steven likes everything even. Odd Todd likes everything odd. For example, Even Steven would like 8 pancakes and Odd Todd would like 7 pancakes. Even Steven goes through hard work with Odd Todd. Then, Even Steven notices that odd and even are both good. My favorite part was when Odd Todd and Even Steven win their $50 prize.
Average customer rating:
- Fast paced
- Great book
- Some Problems... All in All a Good Read
- Enjoyable read but not his best
- Hope Gilstrap regains form on next one
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Even Steven
John Gilstrap
Manufacturer: Atria
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Binding: Hardcover
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Similar Items:
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Scott Free: A Thriller by the Author of EVEN STEVEN and NATHAN'S RUN
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Nathan's Run: A Novel
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At All Costs
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Six Minutes to Freedom
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The Woods
ASIN: 0671786660
Release Date: 2000-08-29 |
Amazon.com
Author John Gilstrap's last thriller, Nathan's Run, was a fast-paced, deftly plotted tour de force about a kid in trouble. In his newest, the author serves up another child-in-danger plot, not quite as scary but touching a more sentimental nerve. Bobby and Susan Martin are still grieving the stillborn son who represented their five-year dream of a family of their own. When a frightened toddler escapes from his kidnappers and plunges into the clearing in the West Virginia mountains where the Martins have pitched their camp, he seems to Susan like the answer to her prayers. And when Bobby shoots the man pursuing the little boy, what seemed at first like a justifiable homicide turns into a nightmare; the pursuer is a cop. Bobby wants to surrender himself and the silent child to the authorities, but after several failed pregnancies, Susan is less willing to give up the boy she almost immediately names Steven, after her dead son. Meanwhile, April, the boy's mother, learns he was taken to satisfy a gambling debt incurred by her ne'er-do-well husband. Gilstrap deftly sets April's search in motion, taking her into a criminal underworld of drugs, extortion, and murder and setting up a heart-tugging situation in which the reader isn't sure whom to root for--the child's real mother, trapped by circumstances, or Susan Martin, who'll do anything to keep him. This explosive thriller ends in a hail of bullets, a climax well worth waiting for after a page-turning read that should earn its author a following of new fans. --Jane Adams
Book Description
In this new page-turner from acclaimed suspense novelist John Gilstrap, a childless couple crosses paths with a lost boy -- and find themselves on the run from his deadly kidnappers.
Bobby and Susan Martin want nothing more than to have a child of their own, the blessing that would make their marriage whole. Never did they dream that a restorative camping trip would change their lives forever -- when a tiny, filthy, freezing young boy dashes out of the woods near their campsite. The boy's violent kidnappers quickly come for him -- and in a chaotic, explosive moment, the Martins appear to be drawn into an unthinkable crime: the brutal murder of a police officer.
Now Bobby, Susan, and the eerily quiet young boy must stay one step ahead of a vicious crime ring, and are unsure whether they can trust the police -- or if they were responsible for the death of one of their brethren. As the couple desperately plunges into the heart of danger to save themselves and the boy, deep emotions about their failed pregnancies come to the surface. Even if Bobby and Susan figure a way out of their spiraling circumstances, will they be able to surrender this child who has come into their lives and, in his own way, filled a painful chasm in their marriage?
A galvanizing story of kinapping, murder, mystery and love, a page-turner that builds to a heart-stopping climax, John Gilstrap's gripping new novel enhances his reputation as one of the most ingenious and innovatiove of contemporary thriller writers. His works explore original territory, with characters that are refreshingly complex and aren't soon forgotten. Even Steven is a top-notch work of suspense fiction.
Download Description
"In this new page-turner from acclaimed suspense novelist John Gilstrap, a childless couple crosses paths with a lost boy -- and find themselves on the run from his deadly kidnappers. Bobby and Susan Martin want nothing more than to have a child of their own, the blessing that would make their marriage whole. Never did they dream that a restorative camping trip would change their lives forever -- when a tiny, filthy, freezing young boy dashes out of the woods near their campsite. The boy's violent kidnappers quickly come for him -- and in a chaotic, explosive moment, the Martins appear to be drawn into an unthinkable crime: the brutal murder of a police officer. Now Bobby, Susan, and the eerily quiet young boy must stay one step ahead of a vicious crime ring, and are unsure whether they can trust the police -- or if they were responsible for the death of one of their brethren. As the couple desperately plunges into the heart of danger to save themselves and the boy, deep emotions about their failed pregnancies come to the surface. Even if Bobby and Susan figure a way out of their spiraling circumstances, will they be able to surrender this child who has come into their lives and, in his own way, filled a painful chasm in their marriage? A galvanizing story of kinapping, murder, mystery and love, a page-turner that builds to a heart-stopping climax, John Gilstrap's gripping new novel enhances his reputation as one of the most ingenious and innovatiove of contemporary thriller writers. His works explore original territory, with characters that are refreshingly complex and aren't soon forgotten. Even Steven is a top-notch work of suspense fiction. "
Customer Reviews:
Fast paced .......2007-09-03
This was a new author for me and I have to say that I was impressed with his writing style. I didn't know what to expect. I thought his writing to be equal to many of the popular suspense/thriller authors whose work is made into high budget movies. This should give an indication of how fast the action is and how visual. If you want to read an author whose work you can read as a "visual" experience, I would also give Ken Follett a try.
Great book.......2003-04-02
I really like Nathan's Run, but couldn't get into At All Costs. I'm glad Even Steven came along. Very fast paced and a convoluted, but very followable , plot. Enjoy it.
Some Problems... All in All a Good Read.......2002-12-14
Gilstrap has once again amazed me with his powerful "family on the run"-type writing style. "Even Steven" is, overall, a good book. It doesn't quite live up to "At All Costs," and is no where near as compelling as "Nathan's Run," but not all books can be classics. Gilstraps offers situations that everyone can relate to. A mother in fear of losing a child, a father trying to keep control over his family, an older brother stuck caring for his younger sibling, and a younger brother unable to shed the annoyance of having his older brother watching his every move. Gilstrap's main lacking point is the way he caries out his plot. Sometimes it seems as though he were looking for the easy way out, and didn't take the time to make the stroy beleivable. I would consider this a bedside book. Don't be surprised if it doesn't turn out to be an instant classic!
Enjoyable read but not his best.......2002-05-28
This does not approach the excitement level of his debut "Nathan's Run",but then very few novels do,and it is still a competent and enjoyable thriler
Bobby and Susan Martin are a prosperous couple whose life lacks only one thing-a child,previous pregnancies having gone awry through either stillbirth or miscarriage.While on a camping trip in the Catoclin National Forest they encounter a runaway boy,dishevelled and exceptionally dirty.In close pursuit is a hulking brute of a man who clearly terrifies the child.An altercation breaks out and Bobby accidently kills the man who is carrying a police officer's badge.Susan blithely disregards the circumstances and insists on viewing the child as a gift from God-a replacement for their stillborn child Steven after whom she names the newcomer.
The child has in fact been kidnapped by a local gangster as collateral for a debt and stirred into the mix we have the child's real mother ,and the FBI who are in pursuit of the Martin's
The handling of several disparte plot strands is not always as deft as could be but the characterization is good and the ghradual unravelling os Susan and her refusal to accept the truth,with its concomittant strain on the marital relationship is convincing not something I can say for the burgeoning relationship betwen the mother and an FBI agent which fails to persuade
Perhaps the next novel will get away from the chase motif which is starting to wear a tad thin
Hope Gilstrap regains form on next one.......2001-07-17
I enjoyed Gilstrap's Nathan's Run and At All Costs, but Even Steven was a grind. The eternal internal monologues were drudgery. A lot of it was down right corny. It was hard for me to believe that an upper-middle-class, educated, married couple would act the way the protagonists did. Didn't seem real to me. April Simpson maybe, Bobby and his wife, no. Some reviewers said this book was gripping, and moved fast. The only place it moved fast was at the end. I hope Gilstrap rediscovers his storytelling ability in time for his next one.
Amazon.com
When a plane carrying Scott O'Toole to a rock concert in Salt Lake City crashes in the Utah mountains, the resourceful teenager manages to make it to what looks like safety--a cabin owned by a mysterious, heavily armed man who may be the protected government witness he says he is--or a killer whose presence in the area has more to do with a planned political assassination. Meanwhile, Scott's divorced parents are dealing with his predicament very differently. Sherry O'Toole, a bestselling self-help author, seems more concerned about her public image and refighting her acrimonious divorce than using her celebrity to focus attention on her missing son, while Brandon O'Toole, who won custody of the boy, is desperately trying to convince the authorities that Scott, who is trained in survival, should not be given up for dead. This is a thrilling, chilling mystery from a writer whose abilities to create believable, authentic teenage characters have marked his other novels, notably Nathan's Run. But Sherry is little more than a cartoon figure, whose ambivalence in the face of her son's catastrophe is unbelievable, and Brandon, while a much more sympathetic figure, is hardly more real. Despite these flaws, Scott Free is a compelling read, with excellent pacing and a narrative that drives to a thunderous conclusion. --Jane Adams
Book Description
One of America's most acclaimed suspense writers now serves up a bracingly original nail-biter that takes us deep into the rugged terrain of the Utah mountains.
Sherry Carrigan O'Toole can't seem to apply the prescriptions she offers in her bestselling self-help books to her own life. Six years after her marriage to Brandon disintegrated and he won custody of their son, Scott, there's no room in their lives for her. Hoping to win back the teenager's heart, Sherry arranges a week's skiing at the plush SkyTop Village resort.
But Scott has other plans. Determined to evade his mother's clutches, he jumps at the chance to join a foolhardy adventure: flying a Cessna through a nighttime storm to Salt Lake City for a Metallica concert. After the plane crashes, Scott is lost and alone in the frozen wilderness, miles from anywhere anyone would search for him.
As Brandon and Sherry revisit the old battles that tore them apart, they have to fight a bureaucracy that wants to abandon the search even as their son struggles to survive impossible odds.
Barely alive, Scott finally finds a cabin for shelter. He thinks his troubles are over. When he discovers the truth about the man who lives there, however, it's clear that his terror has hardly begun.
With his latest page-turner, John Gilstrap cements his position among today's most ingenious thriller writers.
Download Description
"One of America's most acclaimed suspense writers now serves up a bracingly original nail-biter that takes us deep into the rugged terrain of the Utah mountains. Sherry Carrigan O'Toole can't seem to apply the prescriptions she offers in her bestselling self-help books to her own life. Six years after her marriage to Brandon disintegrated and he won custody of their son, Scott, there's no room in their lives for her. Hoping to win back the teenager's heart, Sherry arranges a week's skiing at the plush SkyTop Village resort. But Scott has other plans. Determined to evade his mother's clutches, he jumps at the chance to join a foolhardy adventure: flying a Cessna through a nighttime storm to Salt Lake City for a Metallica concert. After the plane crashes, Scott is lost and alone in the frozen wilderness, miles from anywhere anyone would search for him. As Brandon and Sherry revisit the old battles that tore them apart, they have to fight a bureaucracy that wants to abandon the search even as their son struggles to survive impossible odds. Barely alive, Scott finally finds a cabin for shelter. He thinks his troubles are over. When he discovers the truth about the man who lives there, however, it's clear that his terror has hardly begun. With his latest page-turner, John Gilstrap cements his position among today's most ingenious thriller writers. "
Customer Reviews:
Mostly Excellent, ARE CELL PHONES ON SMALL PLANES... .......2005-11-12
..in case of an emergency crash!? Cell phones are used throughout this contemporary book, but if one was on the plane, a lot of problems might have never started! Outside of this situation, and the obligatory arguments between our 16 year old hero's divorced parents, this is a really fine thriller, especially once you've gotten to about page 40, when the other characters, especially the the hidden away hit man show up. In fact, as a snowy survival tale it is top notch, and the psychology between the 16 year old Scott and his new found acquaintance is really well done. Would a 16 year old (or really anyone for that matter, except a hardened ex-SEAL or criminal) be so cool, calm, and collected towards the end of the book? Maybe not, but still done extremely well. And would there really be such emnity between a Secret Service man and the local police? Who knows, but this book is close to 5-stars, but just shy for the few semi-cartoon situations and people noted here!
Intense.......2005-08-16
This is the first book that I read by John Gilstrap and I found it enjoyable. The first half of the book started to drag a little because the book jacket had already told you that Scott survived the crash. Once Scott found the bootlegger cabin the book became intense. The story had no dull moments from that point on.
Keeps you waiting till the end.......2004-11-09
Overall, Scott Free was had a good plot line. Gilstrap has created a character tons of teenagers could relate to, in a situation very few could relate to. Scott is faced with a problem not many others would be able to overcome. It was a little slow moving, but still managed to keep me interested throughout.He knows how to get to the readers heart. However, the writing was very predictable and un-original. The writing is not worth reading, unless you are desperate for an overlly long, dragging, predictable, wanna-be thriller.
Number 1 Thriller/Survivor Epic.......2004-09-07
I loved this book! It kept me reading and on the edge of my seat from beginning to end and I read it in one and a half days because I couldn't put it down. The suspense is exactly what the reader of Thriller/Mystery novels expects and wants. Scott is the kind of kid that parents hope their child will be/is, brave, resourceful and true to the upright standards that have been instilled in him by his father, but a little foolhardy and doesn't always make wise choices (typical teen) but does his best when his choices catapults him into disastrous situations, as happens here. He faces danger from several sides, because of one unwise choice that only a teenager
would make, to fly to a rock concert with a new found friend/pilot in a raging snow storm/blizzard in Utah. This is what starts the chain of events that may cost him his life, as well as the life of loved ones. Complicating the situation for his rescue is the fact that the President of the USA is on an official visit to the small tourist town that Scott is visiting with his estranged Mother, for a skiing trip. When Scott and his parents need the help of the small police department in the town, it is a trifle hard to get because of the president's visit and Secret Service Agents demanding that the president be the first priority of the police, so Scott and his family slips to a back burner, sort of, though the police chief wants to help, and does try, the Secret Service gets in the way. Even when you think everything is o.k., that Scott is home free, this turns out not to be the case, more suspenseful moments are on the horizon in the form of a deadly showdown for Scott and his nemesis. This book is really a wonderful story and I would love to see it made into a movie. Scott's adventures in the wilderness alone would make a good movie, but add a local hit-man
and the danger and suspense is off the scale! Now I have to order the other books that John Gilstrap has written, as this is my first book to read from this author, but it only took this one to hook me! I just wish they all came in Hardback, as "Scott Free" is.
Best I've read in a long time.......2003-06-07
I'll be honest with you. I first saw this book listed in the Book of the Month Club brochure and thought it sounded great. After reading some of the reviews here, though, I almost gave this terrific book a pass. Boy am I glad I changed my mind! Scott Free is fast-paced and scary as hell. Kept me up all night. I've always loved Gilstrap's characters. He's never let me down in the past, and he didn't let me down this time either. I loved Scott! I loved his spirit and his willingness to keep going even when he thought he didn't have the strength anymore, and I loved how he grew from the beginning of the book to the end. I guess when all is said and done it's just a matter of taste, but the people who didn't like this book just don't know good fiction when they see it.
Book Description
Steven Wakefield has had it up to here with his twin sisters, Jessica and Elizabeth. Ever since the boys in their class at Sweet Valley Middle School challenged the girls to a Scare War, the twins have been driving him crazy: they're busy coming up with schemes to scare the boys -- and they're testing them all on Steven!
So when the twins and their friends have a slumber party, Steven figures he's really in for it -- who knows what kind of stunts the girls will pull? But Steven's got some spooky plans of his own. One way or another, he's going to outscare them all!
Customer Reviews:
love it a lot!!!!!.......2003-07-06
i have read this book a lot!!!! why? because it's one of the best in the series. i really liked how steven got the twins back.it's one of the most hilarious books i've ever read. i recommend this to intense sweet valley fans. peace out!!!
all heaps of fun.......2001-08-03
Jessica and Elizabeth have played one too many tricks on their brother Steven..(hey its all kharma!!!lol)and now he plots his revenge!!...as do the boys at school who are locked in a ScareWar with the girls.
Steven Gets Even.......2000-04-02
This is a good book. The kids in 6th grade are involved in a "Scare war" the girls against the boys. The girls decide to use one of their older brothers are a ginnie pig. Steven(the brother) is not happy about this and he's determined to get revenge on his sisters. This book is funny and it shows a good relationship between two sisters and their brother.
Average customer rating:
- Even Among These Rocks by Steven Purcell
- A Word of Art
- Focusing on Who's important
- A Visual Faith Journey
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Even Among These Rocks
Steven Purcell
Manufacturer: Paraclete Press (MA)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Lent
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| Christianity
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General
| Religion & Spirituality
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Inspirational
| Spirituality
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ASIN: 1557252734 |
Book Description
In this rich melange of art, literature, music, and personal reflection, Steven Purcell reveals his own intimate journey through Lent--a path that travels deep within the soul and illuminates the staggering depths of God's love. Weaving spiritual insights with artistic expression--the paintings of Rembrandt and Caravaggio . . . the writings of St. Francis and George MacDonald . . . the music of Vaughan Williams . . . the poetry of T.S. Eliot, Denise Levertov, and John Donne--Even Among These Rocks is a stirring celebration of creativity infused by the Holy Spirit throughout the ages.
In lucid prose and with bold sincerity, Purcell charts the geography of the human spirit and invites us to journey with him in the footsteps of Christ--the journey of poverty and redemption that ultimately leads us home.
Featuring full-color illustrations on every page and rendered in hand-written calligraphy by the author, Even Among These Rocks is a stunning gift book for anyone traveling the path of Christian spirituality.
Customer Reviews:
Even Among These Rocks by Steven Purcell.......2006-02-25
I was looking for books to enhance my Lenten journey this year and I was blessed beyond belief to have "stumbled" across this most beautiful book. It drew me into deep worship with the Lord and such a greater appreciation for the importance of this time of year when we remember Christ's journey to the Cross to pay the debt for the sins of the world. I am very grateful to have discovered this masterpiece and will share it with many.
A Word of Art.......2003-06-25
Even Among These Rocks is a work of art. It is gorgeous and profound. It's not a book that I wanted to quickly read. I've enjoyed it thoroughly, savoring a few small bites at a time.
Focusing on Who's important.......2002-02-05
I have enjoyed the depth with which Steven has written about his Lenten journey. I appreciate all the people of faith that he has drawn from. He is well read, and the book shows that he not only is, but has done his own searching and finding in his relationship with Christ. I am looking forward to following the book through Lent and expect it to draw me to Who is important, Jesus Christ.
A Visual Faith Journey.......2001-03-26
This beautifully crafted book, which deserves to be savored reverently, is much more than a perceptive Lenten journal. Purcell's hand lettered text and exquisite watercolors are complemented by sensitive selections from spiritual, literary, and artistic masters, all handsomely presented in full color and spacious layout. In the author's words, this is about "following Christ and--in that journey of faith--discovering the truth about ourselves and the largeness of God's love." It is a book to which the reader will want to return again and again in order to more deeply appreciate its treasures. Lenora Black, OSB
Product Description
4 books in one
Product Description
Adapted from "Superfoods Rx" by the same authors. Contains Superfoods Rx: the Basics,
The Terrific 23: The Superfoods, recipes, nutritional info and lots more
Average customer rating:
- UN LIBRO PARA COMER SANO
- Este recetario es FABULOSO,
- My husband is a youndg man ( 35) with a HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
- MI SUEGRO ES UN TRAGONCILLO, Y CUANDO
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Coma Sano y Delicioso (Eat Healthy and Deliciously..even if you´re sick)
Steven Wilder
Manufacturer: Libra Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
General
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Accessories:
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Sonicare Elite 7500 Power Toothbrush
ASIN: 9706061738 |
Book Description
En la portada, se mencionan las enfermedades a las que se refiere este Recetario de Cocina: Diabetes, colesterol elevado, Presión arterial alta,Artritis,Asma, Problemas cardiacos,Bronquitis, Colitis, Osteoporosis..
En el lado izquiero de la portada, la fotografía de una doctora joven y sonriente
Customer Reviews:
UN LIBRO PARA COMER SANO.......2005-10-06
Este libro esta diseñado para el enfermo crónico y para toda la familia, ya que incluye la Table of Contents, la cual te indicará un régimen alimenticio de acuerdo a cada persona. TE SERÁ DE UTILIDAD!
Este recetario es FABULOSO,.......2003-05-18
sobre todo si tienes en casaa un enfermo crónico, ya sea de presión alta, diabetes, etc...
ES DARLE A TU FAMILIAR UNA ENORME ALEGRIA!
My husband is a youndg man ( 35) with a HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE.......2002-10-01
that went higher with his abhorrence towards the doctor's diet!
Until this fabulous recipe book for chronic illness came out!
I ran to Tommy's doctor and showed him the book... AND HE SAID: "GREAT . GO AHEAD !"
If you have someone with a crhonic illness,you must first see the doctor and if he aproves this recipes...YOU CAN THROW A PARTY !
MI SUEGRO ES UN TRAGONCILLO, Y CUANDO.......2002-05-11
LE DESCUBRIERON QUE ES HIPERTENSO Y LE IMPUSIERON UNA DIETA MUY SEVERA...¡SE ECHÓ A LLORAR ...pero no por la hipertensión, sino por la dieta!
Este libro acababa de salir¨:Primero se lo consulté al cardiólogo de Don Luis, que se sonrió y me dio luz verde:
Desde ese día, mi suegra toma de ahi las recetas y Don Luis volvio a ser el mismo viejo guapo, alegre y dicharachero
Si tienes enfermo crónico en la familia y te lo pusieron a dieta, checa el Table of Contents para que veas si hay un régimen alimenticio para tu familiar o persona querida
Average customer rating:
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Even Steven
Will
Manufacturer: E.M. Hale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
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ASIN: B0007H54BQ |
Book Description
"Michael A. Stackpole is incapable of writing a book that isn't imaginative and intelligent."–Stephen R. Donaldson, author of The Chronicle of Thomas Covenant
New York Times bestselling author Michael A. Stackpole returns with the second book of a groundbreaking trilogy charting exciting new territory in fantasy fiction.
Cartomancy follows a group of trailblazing mapmakers with the power to discover new worlds–and shape reality itself….
Under the shadow of invasion by a nameless enemy, there seems only one way to save Nalenyr from oblivion. The old heroes who once defended the land must be awakened. And accomplishing that requires a journey across the magical wasteland where they're rumored to be trapped–a wasteland rife with magic and danger.
Grandson of the Royal Cartographer, Keles Anturasi finds himself trapped in an enemy nation where his skill may well be his death sentence. His brother Jorim is an ocean away, captive in an altered realm in which he's regarded as a god. And their sister Nirati resides in a paradise that exists between life and death with her insane grandfather and an ancient sorcerer bent on the world's destruction.
Now they and their companions must struggle to survive in a world where war on earth mirrors war in heaven. What the gods themselves fear, men must brave. Heroes and mystics they may be, but can any of them survive in a world where things are seldom what they seem: a place where dreams can become reality–and reality can turn into a nightmare....
From the Trade Paperback edition.
Book Description
"Michael A. Stackpole is incapable of writing a book that isn't imaginative and intelligent."–Stephen R. Donaldson, author of The Chronicle of Thomas Covenant
New York Times bestselling author Michael A. Stackpole returns with the second book of a groundbreaking trilogy charting exciting new territory in fantasy fiction.
Cartomancy follows a group of trailblazing mapmakers with the power to discover new worlds–and shape reality itself….
Under the shadow of invasion by a nameless enemy, there seems only one way to save Nalenyr from oblivion. The old heroes who once defended the land must be awakened. And accomplishing that requires a journey across the magical wasteland where they're rumored to be trapped–a wasteland rife with magic and danger.
Grandson of the Royal Cartographer, Keles Anturasi finds himself trapped in an enemy nation where his skill may well be his death sentence. His brother Jorim is an ocean away, captive in an altered realm in which he's regarded as a god. And their sister Nirati resides in a paradise that exists between life and death with her insane grandfather and an ancient sorcerer bent on the world's destruction.
Now they and their companions must struggle to survive in a world where war on earth mirrors war in heaven. What the gods themselves fear, men must brave. Heroes and mystics they may be, but can any of them survive in a world where things are seldom what they seem: a place where dreams can become reality–and reality can turn into a nightmare....
Customer Reviews:
Entertaining read, interesting world!.......2007-07-25
This continues the three book series, and what would traditionally be the 'soft' part of a trilogy really amps up the action, plot and interesting character development from the first book. Sometimes it feels like a lot is glossed over, with interesting ideas not fully realised or detail. However it is an entertaining book and one of Stackpole's best. The world is fascinating and quite different from your standard 'fantasy'. The use and concept of magic is also interesting.
Recommended!
broad and ambitious fantasy.......2006-09-02
This is a broad and ambitious fantasy, dealing with the fates of continents and gods, but the fact that it is so broad keeps it from being a real page-turner for me. In the previous book, A Secret Atlas, the characters traveled to widely scattered places, so by necessity this book switches back and forth between the threads of the plot, spending a bit of time on each. For this reason, the author's writing has a tendency to summarize a character's situation and their feelings about it, rather than showing us. While the characters have the potential to be interesting, I haven't become very attached to any of them.
The author has perhaps been inspired by Chinese epics such as Three Kingdoms, with Prince Pyrust as a clever yet unscrupulous character like Cao Cao, while Prince Cyron is the truly talented indivicual fated to fail, like Liu Bei. There are a few unforseen plot twists near the end, but it seems to take a while to get there. Lots of swordfights, so if that's your thing, add a star.
Excellence, without a doubt.......2006-03-05
Cartomancy, the sequel to A Secret Atlas, does everything ASA did right-- and very little of what it did wrong. This time, readers don't have to wait half the book to get to the important parts. While actual action sequences aren't truly common, the promise of them looms over the entire book, making even political issues exciting to read-- and when action does come along, it comes in style.
The books follows a number of different threads, meaning that readers with one specific favorite character may be dissapointed when their story comes along only between peeking at what everybody else was doing. It doesn't make the story slow, however-- there is a very definite sense that things are getting done while characters are "off screen."
And things definitely get done. If readers of ASA thought that the world was in danger before, they'll be very, very worried by the end of Cartomancy. Still, there is some hope-- some people are not who they seemed (or thought themselves) to be.
With such a large-scale clash of ideas and ideals in the works, the third book in the trilogy would have to have a momentous climax to the overall story, and certainly a satisfying resolution; judging by the writing of Cartomancy, Stackpole should be able to pull it off.
excellent fantasy .......2006-03-01
The Anturasi family of Nalenyr, ruled by the patriarch Qiro, has made the realm wealthy through trade thanks to the accuracy of their maps they create and the willingness of the younger member of the family to find and explore unknown lands. When Qiro's granddaughter Nirati is murdered, he escapes from his tower guarded by the troops of Prince Cyron of Nalenyr. He creates a new continent populated by monsters that he intends to use to bring Prince Cyron down. In a special place on this new continent, Qiro has created a beautiful, fantasy realm for Nirati to live cheating the gods of her death.
Other people are envious of Prince Cyron's rule and would love to kill him and become the new ruler including the despotic Prince Pyrust of Deseirion. He foments rebellion in Cyron's realm and has plans to kill him personally. Cyron has alienated the bureaucracy who want to see someone else on the Dragon Throne. Niratri's lover Nelesquin is gathering forces to fight the Empress Cyrsa when she awakens from her eight centuries of sleep for both he and the empress want to consolidate the Nine Principalities into the Empire it once was with one of them the ruler, leaving the princess with nothing to rule.
There is much political intrigue and maneuvering in this excellent work of fantasy where a family of mapmakers and explorers are a power to be reckoned with. Two of Qiro's grandsons were sent on quests with one kidnapped by Prince Pyrust and the other finding a new continent where the natives believe he is a reincarnated god. Their adventures are exciting adding more sub-plots to an already rich and deep storyline. Michael A. Stackpole is one of the Grandmasters of fine fantasy in the new millennium.
Harriet Klausner
Books:
- F. Scott Fitzgerald: Novels and Stories 1920-1922: This Side of Paradise / Flappers and Philosophers / The Beautiful and the Damned / Tales of the Jazz Age (Library of America)
- Fons & Porter Presents Quilts from the Henry Ford: 24 Vintage Quilts Celebrating American Quiltmaking
- Fundraising through Silent Auctions: A Complete Guide
- GIRL FROM THE COAST, THE
- Goodbye Without Leaving
- Greenlanders, The
- Imagining Los Angeles: A City in Fiction (Western Literature Series)
- In the Walled Gardens: A Novel
- La piramide de Kukulcan: Su simbolismo solar
- La Tia Julia Y El Escribidor/ Aunt Julia And the Scriptwritter
Books Index
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