Doctored Evidence

Book Description

As Donna Leon's many fans have come to expect, beloved Commissario Guido Brunetti once again finds himself pursuing a puzzling case his fellow policemen would rather leave closed. After a wealthy elderly woman is found brutally murdered in her apartment, the authorities suspect her maid. But when the maid meets an untimely end trying to escape from border police, and it appears that the money she carried may not have been stolen, Commissario Guido Brunetti decides—unofficially—to take the case on himself. Filled with Leon's signature plot twists, Doctored Evidence is a terrific novel of suspense that is sure to delight loyal fans as well as attract new ones.

Customer Reviews:

Great Start, But Then what.....?.......2007-06-27

Few people in Venice trust the cops who tend to be dense, crooked, and conniving. One exception is the compassionate, clever, and honest Commissario Guido Brunetti, Donna Leon's series detective. Venice is a city that thrives on gossip, corruption and petty politics. Brunetti calls Italy a loony bin.
A cranky, nasty old lady is found murdered in her apartment. Her maid is suspected because she takes flight and later while running from the police is killed under a rushing train. Case closed by his colleagues--but not by Brunetti who finds a witness to disprove the maid's guilt. The detective not only has to solve the case but fight off a superior and underlings looking for a quick solution.
This is not Donna Leon writing at the top of her form. It's a listless story that is a fairly long slog plodding to an ending that's a let-down. The story's pace is one that only a turtle would love. But I still like the series and especially Guido .
Nine Lives Too Many
The Daemon in Our Dreams
The Rice Queen Spy

Farewell Signora Battestini.......2005-10-17

Commissario Brunetti, truly one of only a handful of Venice's finest, solves the murder of an elderly, hateful harridan using his intelligence, humor, skill, and humanity. Follow him through the monumental buildings, calle, and offices of this most intriguing of cities, without once motoring down the Grand Canal. And learn something about the Venetian psyche in the bargain. Nearly as good as being there, but be forewarned, do not read Donna Leon while hungry. Luigi Brunetti eats very well.

COMMISSARIO BRUNETTI INVESTIGATES A MOTIVE OF DEADLY SIN FOR MURDER........2005-08-31

Maria Grazia Battestini was an old women about whom nothing good could be said, not even by the most generous of souls. Whoever had killed her must have taken her completely by surprise.

Battestini maid an illegal Romanian woman was missing and currently the prime suspect, the police were hot in pursuit. Located at the central station trying to leave the country the maid is killed in a fatal train accident. only suspect dead, case closed.

Commissario Brunetti has just return from his vacation. His first day back on the job he encounters Signora Gismondi who also had just returned from a vacation in London. Signora Gismondi was Maria Battestini neighbour and had learned of her death on her return. Signora Gismondi also knew the Romanian maid, and is rather forthcoming with some relevant information. Brunetti intrigued - unofficially - investigates. The motive looks like greed or was he looking at the wrong deadly sin.

Doctored Evidence is the thirteenth novel in the Brunetti series and for me my first. This book does not disappoint as murder has been set off against the backdrop of Venice. Donna Leon the author lives in Venice you can clearly see from the writing that she enjoys living there, the story flows really well and beautifully pieced together. Commissario Brunetti is a character you warm to straight away but also for me in this book, Brunetti's source of information Signorina Elettra is a great character, a women who uses her contacts and connections, which seem just as corrupt, Elettra mind is as sharp as a razor. When reading murder mysteries I always try to put a face to the characters in Signoriana Elettra case an Italian actress by the name of Claudia Gerini came to mind. A face for Commissario Brunetti I will have to investigate more, that's going to be a tough one. Donna Leon has written a whole Brunetti series of whodunit, so I will be backtracking to the beginning and with thirteen left to read through, my mind will be occupied for quite a while.

A fun read - cheaper than a ticket to Italy.......2005-07-23

I love mysteries and Italy so Donna Leon's work is definitely on my radar. I bought this edition to read on the plane to Europe a few weeks back. It was a smart choice because it led me to drive from Monaco to San Romolo for a perfectly delicious 6 course lunch. Leon uses the City's heat and the ever-present Italian politics to create a tense and thick atmosphere. The plot - the murder of a decidely unpleasant old women - seems simple enough. But she is hated by literally everyone so the list of suspects is long. Leon hints at the motive through conversations between the great detective and his wife. But they are subtle and when you "get it" you realize the depth of Donna Leon's skill. The sub plots always involve Venetian politics, the stupidity of governments and the need to find sanity in small things like a good meal and a decent bottle of wine. This is a perfect fix for those out there addicted to arm-chair travel and murder mysteries.

There are better Donna Leon books.......2005-07-19

Just finished reading this book on a trip to Venice. While the context of her stories is always interesting, the plot line in this book was weak. Several theories behind the crime were explored and abandoned with little connection between them and virtually no connection to the final outcome. Her other books (e.g. A Noble Radiance) are much better.

Doctored Evidence: A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery

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Doctored Evidence: The Doctor is in
Leon's Venice Is Magical
a collection of misunderstundings
'Death in Venice' becomes a Donna Leon cliche
A murder mixed with fine dining

Doctored Evidence: A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery
Donna Leon
Manufacturer: Atlantic Monthly Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0871139189

Book Description

Donna Leon's riveting new novel, Doctored Evidence, follows Commissario Guido Brunetti down the winding streets of contemporary Venice as he throws open the doors of a case his superiors would rather leave closed. When a miserly spinster is found brutally murdered in her Venice apartment, police immediately suspect her Romanian housekeeper. They are certain their job is done after the immigrant dies while fleeing arrest, but weeks later; a neighbor comes forward to defend the innocence of the accused. The only investigator who believes the alibi is Brunetti, who will have to go behind the backs of his superiors to vindicate the Romanian and find her employer's actual killer. As always, the indispensable hacking skills of the ever-loyal Signorina Elettra are the perfect complement to Brunetti's meticulous detective work. She discovers mysterious deposits in the old woman's bank account, but who made them? As Brunetti investigates, his wife, at home, reads him teachings on the Seven Deadly Sins. In a modern world of intrigue and nebulous morality, how do they relate to the murder at hand? Doctored Evidence is charged with suspense and evokes a contemporary Venice with Donna Leon's masterful flair.

Customer Reviews:

Doctored Evidence: The Doctor is in.......2006-10-05

Donna Leon, who was born in New Jersey, has lived in Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Iran and China, where she worked as a teacher, before moving to Venice many years ago to teach and now to write. "Doctored Evidence" is another Commissario Guido Brunetti mystery set in, and around her adopted city in which; I think, by now, she knows the best place to go for pizza, the worst road to avoid for construction, and the most impossibly noisy, motorcycle clogged, neighborhood. Her recent Commissario Brunetti mystery "Friends in High Places," won the CWA Macallan Silver Dagger for fiction. She has also been awarded the German Corinne prize for her novels.

In "Doctored Evidence," a wealthy old woman, widely known as the nastiest in her neighborhood, is found brutally murdered in her apartment. Police suspect the latest immigrant maid (they don't generally last but a month or two), who has disappeared and is thought to be heading for her native Romania. The immigrant, when approached by the border police at the train station, runs for it and is killed as she crosses the tracks. She's carrying a lot of money, and forged papers. So she's evidently guilty, police thinking goes.

But a clearly competent neighbor of the old woman's returns from a business trip to London, and throws some light on the day of the woman's death. The neighbor met with the immigrant maid that day: she gave her the going-home money, and she knows the immigrant would not have had enough time to kill the old woman before she had to leave to catch her intended train. So Brunetti decides to quietly investigate the case himself.

Italy, by the way, is quite a wealthy country these days, with a high standard of living,and, for a Catholic country, a remarkably low birth rate. If it were not for a constant stream of immigrants, legal and otherwise, to take the jobs Italians won't, there'd be nobody to look after the children and the elderly, to enable the extremely high percentage of Italian women who leave the home to work to continue in their careers. In this regard Italy resembles all the traditional western hemisphere.

Be that as it may, Brunetti finds a lot of people who hated Maria Grazi Battestini, including her heirs, and even her doctor. The doctor thinks, " She was an old cow and he hated her. Because he was a doctor and she his patient, he felt guilty about hating her, but not so guilty as to make him hate her any the less. Nasty, greedy, ill-tempered, forever complaining about her health and the few people who still had the stomach for her company, Maria Grazia Battestini was a woman about whom nothing good could be said, not even by the most generous of souls. The priest had given up on her long ago, and her neighbours spoke of her with distaste, sometimes with open animosity. Her family remained connected to her only by means of the laws governing inheritance. But he was her doctor, so he had no choice but to make his weekly visit...."

Eventually Brunetti will solve the mystery of the old woman's death, perhaps not entirely credibly, and it's not at all clear that his discoveries will actually result in a guilty verdict, or even a trial. As is not at all uncommon in Leon's books, in fact, it's likely that nothing will change. Certainly not the death of the Romanian maid, Florinda Ghiorghiu, whom we come to realize, too late, was merely fleeing the police as a matter of sensible policy learned in her homeland, and reinforced as an illegal immigrant in Italy. As ever, Leon continues to remind us that murder, violent death, is not actually a dinner party game, but a sad business. Her political views inform her opinion, of course, but many of us, even those of us who love mysteries, prefer to remember what murder actually is. If you do too, if you can stomach a bit of grit with your foreign glamor, this book, and this series, may be for you.

Leon's Venice Is Magical.......2005-02-06

Donna Leon's thirteenth Commissario Guido Brunetti mystery novel begins with the discovery of the very brutal murder of a hateful and despised old lady. The victim had harassed her neighbors for the past five years with her blaringly loud television. The immediate suspect is the woman's Romanian housekeeper, who was accosted crossing the Italian border on a return train trip to her native country. The suspect panicked, fled the train and was accidentally run over by another oncoming train. Brunetti was on vacation in Ireland at the time and Lieutenant Scarpa, a vindictive colleague, quickly declared the murder solved and essentially closed the case. Upon his return, Brunetti reopens the case when a conscientious women contacts the police declaring the housekeeper's innocence and providing a plausible alibi. This sets stage for a battle of wills between Brunetti and his hated arch-rival Lieutenant Scarpa. As always, the good guys are the triumvirate of Brunetti, loyal Inspector Vianello, and the wonderfully clever Signorina Elettra, the Vice-Questore's secretary. Signorina Elettra, using her computer hacking skills, digs up relevant information such as secret bank accounts, money transfers, and telephone records on a wide range of suspects. After Brunetti has a discussion with his wife Paola about the Seven Deadly Sins (pride, envy, gluttony, lust, anger, greed, and sloth), he tries to reason out which of these sins was the motive for the murder of the old lady.

Leon does a marvelous job of introducing her varied cast of interesting characters and some of the current attitudes of Venetians. These include prejudice towards Eastern European immigrants and gays; the dread of AIDS; tax evasion and suspected construction fraud. As usual, we are treated to Leon's entertaining descriptions of Signorina Elettra's wardrobe, Paola's gourmet meals and the current activities of the Brunetti kids, Chiara and Raffi. In addition, we get some behind the scenes insights into the postal service, the legal profession, the schools administration and a bakery.

In DOCTORED EVIDENCE, Commissario Brunetti has become more impatient and seems to excessively browbeat witnesses and potential suspects -- no more Mr. Nice Guy. There are some memorable scenes where he locks horns with the easy-to-hate Lieutenant Scarpa.

a collection of misunderstundings.......2005-02-02

This lady lives in Italy. She does set the action in Venice.
But she does not want her books translated in italian.... Why ?
Because they provide only a caricatural view of italy and italians,
which an italian reader would recognize and laugh at....
Please, enjoy her, but do not think that all we italians are
like she depicted us...

'Death in Venice' becomes a Donna Leon cliche.......2004-04-22

For all her "baker's dozen" Guido Brunetti books, Donna Leon continues to amaze this reader with her ability to sustain a police procedural so competently, so willingly, and so fantastically.

It's Venice once again and the good Commissario finds himself lured into what appears to be a routine case: a "foreigner" has been apprehended for murder and theft and before the police can secure her, she bolts and is run over by an oncoming train. A simple case. Case closed.

Ah, but here is where Brunetti comes in. Certain suspicious elements emerge and within a few minutes, he's completely immersed into the whole scene.

Along the way, Donna Leon incorporates several socially significant issues (as she always does) that serve only to enhance the plot outline. Her critique on Venezian politics and life in general in that Pearl of the Adriatic stand on their own merit.

Once again, Leon's brilliance at creating memorable characters make this just routine for her: but for her readers, each volume is a true adventure in itself.

A murder mixed with fine dining.......2004-04-20

This Commissario Brunetti mystery is written in a similar style to Roderic Jeffries novels about Inspector Alvarez set in Majorca (see "An Intriguing Murder," etc.). The present novel is set in Venice. The investigation of the murder of an elderly woman is mixed in with Brunetti's interaction and conflicts with other police, Brunetti's home life, and comments on fine dining, wine, etc. There is considerable local color on Venice and the hot summer climate, comments on local and Italian politics and bureaucracy, discussions of tax evasion, and problems with prosecuting people guilty of crimes. Overall, an interesting novel if you are not familiar with Venice and want a picture of the city.

The story revolves around the murder of a stingy old woman who is described as a shrew hated by almost everyone. Many people would have motives for her murder, so who did the deed? The investigation reveals some surprising information. Brunetti is willing to overlook theft, tax evasion, poisoning animals, people with false documentation, etc. if he can solve the murder. He is not beyond breaking a few laws himself.

The case is solved with a surprising ending, and a question as to how much actual "punishment" the killer will receive.

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Not bad, want to see more

Not Sure I read the Same Book...

Great Story, Slow Read

Quick Read, Satisfying Story

absorbing medical-legal plot

Doctored Evidence
Michael Biehl
Manufacturer: Berkley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Medical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
Medical | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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Lawyered to Death: A Karen Hayes Mystery

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ASIN: 042519311X
Release Date: 2003-10-07

Book Description

Customer Reviews:

Not bad, want to see more.......2005-01-11

This novel is somewhat 'made for TV' which I guess means that it has the formulaic suspense of the typical mystery. The heroine is a great character who is a lawyer for a Midwest hospital who encounters foul play on a large scale there. This hospital,I am sure, is heir to all the distorted motivations regarding billing and insurance handling that can motivate villianous health providers and borderline types alike. There are some vile people in this mystery and the author reveals how the system encourages immoral abuse of it, often even more sleasy than outright abuse because often there is the further guise of 'putting the patient first' (and who can argue with that?)

I found that the big strength of the book was to reveal the medical system. The author is a partner in a medical law firm, which explains the insight into the System.
It is really warped (the system). The book was cute. The heroine was admirable. Her husband is a musician, abhorred by his in-laws because he is not in a stable profession. The heroine must adapt to her parent's annoying comments about his suitability as a husband. She must deal with their infertility, and she must deal with the struggles of her professional future vs. all the corruption and wrongness she is seeing. She is also 'unsophisticated' in the sense that she can't keep her mouth shut about what she sees.

Unlike other commenters, the repetition didn't really bother me. ie, when the author reintroduced a character's name and said 'the oncologist' after his name I was thankful to see the confirmation that the name was who I thought he was. When I found it was repetitious, I just skimmed the qualifiers.

To be honest, I figured out the 'punch line' of the novel about 1/3 of the way through. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the read and would like to see more from the author, perhaps something more non-fictionlike with even more of the in-depth medical stuff.

Not Sure I read the Same Book..........2004-04-02

I'm lost by the STRONG reviews going on here. While the book had an interesting plot where the heck was the editor? At some point chapters would almost repeat verbatin paragraphs from other chapters. I could also do without the instructions on how to work her voicemail... "press 1 to listen to messages", so I pressed 1, "press 2 to repeat" so I pressed 2. The leaps in logic were off on how she figured out the mystery. At times the story switched between 1st and 3rd person but during the same paragraph which is very odd to read.

Lots of potential but didn't hold up. Fire your editor and let's try again.

Great Story, Slow Read.......2004-03-30

Investigating the alleged wrongful death of the hospital's own CFO, attorney Karen Hayes uncovers a betrayal of trust, both professional and personal, evidence of criminal fraud, and hints of corruption. Now her job-and her life-are on the line. A line that a murderer is all too willing to cross. The storyline was interesting but the book was a slow read. There was too much useless information that was used to pad the book. I think the relationship between Karen and her husband could have been left out or atleast shortened. I like medical thrillers but this one just doesn't make the cut.

Quick Read, Satisfying Story.......2004-02-29

While this is a good, quick read, sometimes I feel like the author thinks we're stupid. He'll sometimes repeat basic information about each character...like "Dr. Caswell, the oncologist who" did this or that. What was annoying about it was that he told us that information already, and not all that long ago either.

However, the story itself is a good legal/mystery plot, with enough twists and surprises to make you keep reading. In a small Illinois city, a hospital CFO dies during surgery because of a defective piece of equipment. However, was this an accident or murder? The hospital's in-house attorney, Karen Hayes, must find out, and potentially risk her own life tracking down the evidence. She uncovers a secret file in the dead man's office, but what does it all mean? Who does it implicate?

The story is satisfying to the very end, and I'm thankful that the author finished everything so cleanly; I dislike endings that leave me wanting more. It's an enjoyable read, and I recommend it for fans of Grisham. I don't recommend it to a younger audience, however, as there is some sexual content and mild violence. The average adult though shouldn't find it too offensive.

absorbing medical-legal plot.......2002-07-22

A perky, orderly and determined hospital attorney, happily married to a laid-back jazz musician, makes for a likeable protagonist. But the real draw in this first novel by a health-care attorney is the inside view of fraud, greed, lousy doctors and covered-up mistakes in our healthcare industry.

When Shoreview Hospital's CFO dies on the operating table due to a series of equipment failures and medical judgment errors, Karen Hayes is hard pressed to keep the hospital out of the lawsuit. Especially when she uncovers evidence that the victim was on the verge of exposing a huge fraud involving a clinic affiliated with the hospital.

A variety of subplots involving surgeon arrogance, drug-addicted doctors, sexual assault of patients and greedy administrators serve to show the strange and narrow view of hospital liability as well as complicating the murder plot. There are some flaws in the resolution, but likable Karen and her professional conscientiousness bode well for future books.

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Doctored Evidence
Donna Leon
Manufacturer: Atlantic Monthly Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000PCAA8U

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Doctored Evidence
Donna Leon
Manufacturer: Arrow Books Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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Doctored Evidence (A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery)
Donna Leon
Manufacturer: RB Large Print
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 141930352X

Product Description

From AudioFile Commissario Guido Brunetti faces a moral dilemma. Ambitious, arrogant Lieutenant Scarpa has closed a vicious murder case. However, Brunetti discovers that the chain of evidence is missing several important links. Scarpa's sloppy police work draws the masterful Brunetti into conflict with higher-ups, forcing him to employ some not-quite-legal methods to solve the case. David Colacci's performance adds color to Leon's intricate plot and fascinating characters. He is careful that Brunetti; his brilliant wife, Paola; the beautiful computer hacker, Signorina Elettra; and faithful Inspector Vianello speak with only the slightest hint of Italian accents, enough to locate the story but not enough to turn characters into caricature. Colacci's voice turns Leon's Venice alternately damp and nasty or suffuses it with a warmth and humanity that mirrors the story's swiftly shifting currents. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

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Doctored Evidence : A Suspense Novel
Michael Biehl
Manufacturer: Berkley Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NY3YNI

Doctored Evidence: A Commissario Brunetti Novel

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Doctored Evidence: A Commissario Brunetti Novel
Donna Leon
Manufacturer: Penguin USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000K6KJXC

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Doctored Evidence
Donna Leon
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
ASIN: B000C1X8OW

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Doctored Evidence (Unabridged)
Donna Leon
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
ASIN: B000VOQV0S

Book Description

When Gar Pike-the Rogue Wizard-and his traveling companion Alea land their ship on a planet harboring a lost colony to do some minor repairs to the ship's computer, they decided to take some time for shore leave, and explore. It's not long before they meet one of the indigenous life forms of the planet: Fairies.As Gar and Alea explore more of the world and meet more of the inhabitants, they quickly come to realize that every clan is feuding with their neighboring clans. Though everyone secretly wants peace, nobody will listen to those with the courage to preach it, those who have been sent into exile for wanting everyone to get along.Posing as traders and healers, Gar and Alea team up with the Fairies, the Wee Folk, the Druid priests, and two particularly courageous exiles to reintroduce the abandoned Druidic religious tradition to the people and, hopefully, reintroduce peace to all the clans.Under the nom de guerre of Gar Pike, renegade psychic wizard Magnus D'Armand travels the stars fighting injustice and oppression, like his father, Rod Gallowglass, the Warlock in Spite of Himself. But unlike his famous father, Magnus refuses to play by the rules, sowing the seeds of freedom and revolution throughout the galaxy.When Gar and Alea land their ship on a planet for computer system maintenance, they aren't expecting to run into Fairies, Wee Folk, Druid priests, and feuding clans transplanted from Scotland and then forgotten. Can they, along with two courageous exiles and the psychic powers of the Fairies, and Wee Folk, bring peace and order to this world?

Customer Reviews:

Fun and well written. .......2006-05-16

Excellent plot, characters, and some things to think about here and there. Worth reading at least once and likely will make you want to read the whole series.

Not the Feud of the Gods.......2002-12-06

Wizard in a Feud (2001) is the ninth SF novel in the Rogue Wizard series. While these stories don't have the glamour of A Wizard in Spite of Himself, the author has kept up the interest fairly well for such a long series.

Another world, another problem. When Herkimer, the robot, has a memory fault, Magnus and Alea land on the first livable planet. The planet seems to have been settled by Scots and to have achieved an early 19th century level of technology. Rather than stay on board, Gar -- AKA Magnus -- and Alea are quite happy to have shore leave after 4 months in space.

As they hike through the woods, they encounter foot high winged humanoids, the fairies, who question them and let them go. Later, Gar meets the elves, a related species without the wings.

Gar and Alea meet many of the clan folk, and some outlaws, and begin to understand the situation. Of course, the problem is feuding, with each clan afraid to stop unilaterally. Moreover, the clans outlaw any of their folk who are too different or make too much trouble, and they consider talk of peace as troublemaking. Naturally, Gar, Alea, the wee folk, and Evanescent, the stowaway guardian, combine to bring peace to the planet.

The story is interesting even if improbable and totally illogical. It is nice to see that Alea is beginning to trust her own abilities and to see Magnus in a romantic light. Recommended to all Stasheff fans and anyone who likes light fantasy with a touch of humor.

-Arthur W. Jordin

A Wizard in a Rut - aimed more at those following the series.......2001-09-13

Please do not take my header the wrong way... I love Stasheff's many series, and will continue to buy hardbound copies as they are released, sight unseen. I would never turn aside a new reader, but I would never recommend this particular title as a jumping on point either.

Magnus and Alea are continuing on their now joint quest to alleviate suffering throughout the lost colonies... that is, they are looking for worlds that have degenerated into an oppressive socio-economic society that has no chance of bettering it's people. Magnus and Alea attempt to move the society in whatever direction would most benefit that particular planet. The series started out by making the point that Democracy was Good. It then proceded to show that other forms of government are just as valid provided there are controls in place for each type... socialism, conservative theocracy, matriarchal oligarchy, etc... what works best for THOSE PEOPLE, regardless of what form it may take.

This time around, Magnus and Alea find a society broken into clans much like the Scottish Highlanders, but with a more Hatfield & McCoy feel. The clans are in constant conflict with one another, while fearing the native "elves" and "fairies", and the remaining Druids try to spread a message of peace that no one can believe anymore.
As in the last book, Evanescent (the great big cat-like Esper from 'A Wizard and a Warlord')seems to be more in charge than just tagging along for the ride, Magnus seems to become ever less powerful, and Alea grows stronger. On the up side, we are given another glimpse into the growing relationship between Alea and Magnus, and the very real psychological hurdles that Magnus has built. Alea is more likely to understand where they are in their relationship before Magnus ever gets through his own barriers. And there are ever more hints of Magnus' desire to go home, if only to visit and rest up.

To sum up... love the series... plot dwells less on protagonists abilities than on their function as tools for their silent partner. I DO appreciate the pacing of the growing relationship between the two leads, the woman will usually figure out the obvious before the guy EVER gets a clue. By the same token, the previous two books have hinted at Magnus' return to Gramarye... will the next deliver? I hope Stasheff has not exhausted all the avenues he wished to explore with Magnus, but I would enjoy a less stagnant Magnus who once again solves problems on his own, with support and ideas from Alea, and let Evanescent just WATCH this time. The cat is nice, but it is too much a ghost in the machine. Get Magnus home for the wedding.

Again, do not start the series here... go back a couple of books. Thank you for your attention, you may resume browsing...

A fun read in this excellent fantasy series.......2001-06-27

Herkimer, the computer system that controls his space ship, informs Magnus D'Armand and his traveling companion Alea that a malfunction is occurring within the CPU. Memory is failing so rather than risk the problem spreading into the life support systems, Magnus heads to the nearest planet that can support Terran life, an apparent lost colony that Herkimer cannot recall from the database.

Because of the price on his head, Magnus becomes Gar Pike in case the isolated inhabitants of Oldeira has a SCENT or two on this planet, remote as that possibility seems. Upon landing, Herkimer's the problem rectifies itself sending a chill up Magnus' spine due to the speed and timing of the correction. On the planet, Gar and Alea begin to meet the local population starting with fairies. Soon the duo realizes that the planet abounds with feuds between clans reminiscent of Old Earth's Scottish squabbles. As Gar and Alea try to spread peace and democracy among the people, someone else seems to be evanescently manipulating the scenario from the shadows.

The head wizard of the galaxy Christopher Stasheff provides his myriad of fans with the latest Rogue Wizard novel. A WIZARD IN A FEUD is a delightful story that takes outer space travelers Magnus and Alea into a seventeenth century Scottish environment with otherworldly creatures to spice up the environs (and plot). Though fans will want the personal relationship between Magnus and Alea to pick up steam, The Wizard In Spite of Himself crowd will enjoy Mr. Stasheff's latest fantasy.

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A Wizard in a Feud
Christopher Stasheff
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTKG0G

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