Susan L. Rock

I believe it was Lois McMaster Bujold that pointed out that Science Fiction should make you think - this title not only accomplishes that but gives you a full set of questions to think ABOUT.

The basic premise? In the future (350 years +) every human born is his own corporation - from birth. Into this cultural matrix comes a man from the present day - complete with all our culture's hangups and virtues - including a horror of having someone owning a part of them. While the book DOES give a logical reason for the custom to have arisen, this means that without ever attempting to be an irritant - he becomes a rallying point for the discontented. Since he's foresighted enough to have brought along items to give him a financial base - the corporations running things have a real problem. Especially since some highly placed anonymous person seems to be supporting his bid for independence . . .
No. I won't tell you what happens next - that's the narrator's job - but this book really is worth your time.

I must admit - I probably have worn out 2 or three paperback versions of this series, as well as the Arrows of the Queen series (of which only book one is currently available for audio.) I remember my introduction to Misty Lackey, at the last convention she attended (Dragoncon 2000 - and therein hangs SEVERAL tales, but) - this is the first series I read where there was a protagonist who makes you cry and makes you laugh, and makes you feel the plight of the outcast so comprehensively that you CAN"T read only the one book - start one and before the week is out - you will be hunting down book 2 and 3 to finish the story off.

Fair warning - Vanyel is gay. Now, having MET Misty and Mark Shepherd (who sometimes co-writes with her) - I've sometimes wondered just how much of Mark is IN Vanyel - but she doesn't make it into a big deal. (She never really does much in the way of romance in her early works, and while the series DOES skew PG - I don't think Misty's ever written an "R" rated sex scene - and if you want X - look elsewhere.)

No - but one thing I like about print versions is the occasional preview of coming attractions, inclusion of authors notes, etc. - once audio catches onto that trend . . .

Teddy Brunswick - from The Gift. He's a good man trying to do the right thing - it's about time he got a cosmic reward for all that. in Home For the Holidays (a series I han't read antything about before) - It was Crispin/Bones - I was intrugued enough by this that I am going after the rest of the Night-Huntress series - as time and circum$tance$ permit (sigh)

See above.

Not out loud - buy Ms. Sands books USUALLY make me laugh, it's one of the reasons I have the print versions of every novel she's written so far.

I'll let you know more about Ms. Frost's work once I get a bit more into it . . .

Yes, this is one of my go-to books when I don't feel up to a new book - although I do admit to skipping two internal chunks most of the time. I am a person who has a deep fascination with not just when, but also how and why - a person will change behavioral traits - and this book shows a very clear progression as to what makes a person act the way they do . . . with (in this case) a little prompting from the supernatural realm.

Well, two of the other Series that come to mind as my Always Synced List are Nora Roberts Key Series (Key Of Light/Key Of Knowledge/Key Of Valor) and Lois McMaster Bujold's Sharing Knife Series. Both are as much taking place inside the protagonists' head as out of it - (Note to the people who love a constant action story - this one is not going to be your thing - BECAUSE much of the book IS internal - If that's your bag, try LMB's Vorkosigan Series instead.)

I would have to say two scenes stand out equally in my mind 1-The court scene in Brajar - where Cazaril - the hero - finds out just WHO he saved a year ago on a slave ship - and the Fight Scene with Martou De Jironal - where Cazaril finally lifts the curse that the land has been under for 50-odd years.

I both cried AND laughed - in different spots. And I cheered out loud at others.

This is a Title that I literally loved so much that I WORE OUT the CD version before I picked it up through Ausible - I also have Paladin of Souls - Which Is Book 2 - Ista's Story - As well as the Hollow Hills - Which I am not sure if that one is a prequel or a sequel - but which definately belongs in the same world. I would recommend all three - if you are the type who likes to think!

If you have been following Ms. Feehan's series to this point - you already know some of the data here - however - there are two points in this story that are found no-where else.

Point one - in a place where Carpathians live a very long time - WHERE were all the older Carpathians? The oldest we saw before this is Michail & Gregori, And they HAD to originally have had a fuller culture - which had not been shown to date.

Point two - Carpathians love children. ALL children. How many men that most of US know would be so careful NOT to hurt even the worst little punk trying to mug them?

Also - I feel for Vlad. He's saving as many as he can - but - it's costing him dearly in pain.

I can't wait for Dark Hunter (Next book in this series - Due out September 2009.) It sounds like a real wild ride!

I am a longtime fan of Ms. Feehan's works - and a much longer-time fan of audiobooks. One thing which tends to be an irritant is that if an author is known for his/her full length works it's usually like pulling teeth to get an audio version of the short stories, even when they impact the larger body of work. The only three ausio publishers who seem to take the time to do it right are Brilliance Audio (With the JD Robb Books - The ENTIRE Series to Date!), Blackstone Audio (With the Lois McMaster Bujold Vorkosigan Series), and Books In Motion - who is just starting to get the idea. And now, Audible . . . (Now if someone could do "In the Dreaming" so I'd have all the Karen Marie Moning (Before the Next Fever book comes out . . . Sigh)

Anyway - this is a very nice little interlude - and if you've been following the series - you should definately hear this one - if not before Dark Secret - Then DEFINATELY before you listen to Dark Curse!

I have been a fan of Heinlein's work for MANY years - with a few exceptions, I like his whole output (OK so there are 3 titles I'm not fond of for personal reasons), This - for all it's improbabilty - is one of my favorites. And the script and acting were both superb!