Product Description
For those who thrill to the adventure and wonder of The Anteros, here is the book where all the secrets from KINGDOMS OF THE NIGHT are finally, dazzlingly, revealed.For new initiates, this tale stands alone, entry to a world of intrigue, high drama, derring-do . . . and, most of all, magic!

All of Orissa believed that Rali Emilie Antero, legendary warrior and sorceress extraordinaire, was dead, lost at sea during some grand adventure gone wrong. In fact, Rali was not dead, but left entombed in ice to dream for eternity--until a goddess needed her for one last quest . . .

Novari, a beautiful succubus intent on achieving ultimate power, had swept the world by storm.All the Anteros had been assassinated--save one : a golden, magical child named Emilie.Novari had succeeded in taking Orissa.Now she had only to sieze little Emilie, as well.

She never counted on the return of Rali Antero . . . ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

sweet book
this book rocked. it had sweet action, it was very realistic, and thecharacters all had such depth.one of the best books ive ever read. ubetter read it. also read the timura series. they rock too. peace outya'all. ... Read more

Product Description
Captain Rali Emilie Antero and her elite corps of amazons, the Maranon Guard, must embark on a suicide mission with the wizard Gamelon on a hunt for an evil wizard who possesses a doomsday spell capable of destroying all civilization. Rali's search takes her to the end of the world and beyond -- but only in the uncharted waters of her own soul would she find the power to defeat the wizard and return home in triumph.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

A book ruined by silly names: General Jinnah, Orissa, Gamelan the Wizard
This book has a "general Jinnah" and a wizard called "Gamelan" in a town called "Orissa", so if you know anything at all about the world, you will probably not be able to appreaciate it or even get through it.

It's like reading about "President George Bush" and the wizard "Trumpet" battling it out in the town of "Scotland". It reads like a bad joke. Regardless of what happens on the page, it's impossible to take it seriously with all these silly names drawn from real life. I suspect the book is better than these three names - in fact it pretty much has to be - so it's too bad that no editor stepped in to fix this MAJOR FLAW; sadly, I couldn't keep reading it.

Imaginative, Yet Unforgivably Self-Indulgent
The Good: The story is full of imagination and zest; something that seems to be worked out of most authors as they're driven to write faster than they can actually *create* and dream. Even as a hard-core, well-traveled Fantasy fan, I was pleasantly surprised with the locations, twists and turns, and the story in general; the author walked a path less traveled, so to speak, and it shows.

The Bad: This novel reeks of a self-indulgent fantasy put to paper. I can tolerate a rabid feminist/lesbian point of view, but only if she is professional enough to write a story for the readers, and not for herself. Without spoiling the story, there are several points where the cool-under-fire, seasoned veteran protagonist acts in the most brain-dead, illogical manner, simply to further the self-indulgent plot, which ultimately consists of meeting and then killing males of any species, because all males are evil, and greedy, and lustful, and foolish, and prideful, and inept. And if they're not, they're harmless old men, who may escape with mere disfigurement if they're lucky. There's a story here, and it tries to shine through the writer's soap-boxing and daydreams, but it fails.

So, if you're a lesbian and/or a man hater, you should give this a look. If you're a lesbian man hater that loves Fantasy, then you NEED this book. If, however, you're one of the many people who simply loves Fantasy, I can't suggest it, simply because author intervention is so frequent that it destroys any spell the imaginative story tries to create.

Current Reprint of a Good Fantasy Series
Originally published in 1994, The Far Kingdoms was Cole and Bunch's fantasy project after their sprawling (over one million words) Sten series. While it never really gained the profile that Sten did, The Far Kingdoms was a highly unique fantasy series. Magic, sword fighting, far off kingdoms. And not an elf, dwarf or orc in sight.

The sequel to The Far Kingdoms, The Warrior's Tale is the story of Captain Rali Emilie Antero and her merry band of women warriors, chasing the Archon, a sorcerer bent on destroying their city and ruling the world (aren't they always trying to do that? Must be something in the water at sorcerer school.) The story sometimes feels like a take on the Odyssey, albeit with a lesbian crew to the Argo.

Being that its been more than 10 years since this series was in print, this new release makes it easier to pick up.

The Warrior's Tale
"The Warrior's Tale" is one of those extremely rare sequels that outdoes the original.For longtime fantasy fans, it's a real breath of fresh air.The narrator and main character, Rali Anterro of the Maranon Guard, is a lot more likeable than Amalric from "The Far Kingdoms", since she has a real personality and some actually feelings, as well as more interesting relationships with other people.Perhaps more importantly, the plot has some real unpredictability to it, with the heroes facing a number of different villains and dangerous situations, and sometimes having to use more than just random luck to survive.Also, the authors include at least a little bit of humor, something that was sorely absent in "The Far Kingdoms", and in general they simply manage to give the story more life this time around.

Good solid entertaining fantasy
This book tells the tale of Rali, captain of the Maranonon (or something like that) guards, who is sent on a mission to wipe out an evil wizard. On the way, she and her soldiers (all female) have a series of pretty entertaining adventures. Rali is a pretty solid character, and the action is pretty much nonstop. Nothing brilliant about this book, but I would say it's probably above average fantasy stuff, which kept me reading till the end. It starts off with a war and keeps going. Lots of demons, gore soaked swords, nubile maidens, and pyrotechnic wizardry. As a warning I might point out, it has a good deal of same-sex relationships going on, which some readers might find distracting (and some might find titillating). All in all, it ain't highbrow lit-ra-ture, but it's fun to read. ... Read more

Product Description
In the depths of the Sixties and The Days Of Rage, a young newsman, accompanied by his pregnant wife and orphaned teenage brother, creates a Paradise of sorts in a sprawling Venice Beach community of apartments, populated by students, artists, budding scientists and engineers lifeguards, poets, bikers witha few junkies thrown in for good measure. The inhabitants come to call the place "Pepperland," after the Beatles movie, "Yellow Submarine." Threatening this paradise is'The Blue Meanie, a crazy giant of a man so frightening that he eventually even scares himself. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Ready for some wild nostalgia?
You can always count on a good read from Allan Cole, one of my favorite writers. This one is more fun than I've had in a long while. It covers Allan's years living in Venice Beach, CA, in the sixties, and to quote Allan himself, it truly is damned funny. It will make you nostalgic for all the best parts of those times, and make you cringe at some of the worst. It's the sixties experience everyone should have had. It's worth reading just to get to know the Blue Meanie himself. Full of good characters and their great stories, it'll have you humming "Yellow Submarine" to yourself. A good fun read.

Venice Forever
Once I picked up the book I was hooked. I just couldn't put it down. It's full of great stories, characters and memories of that amazing period of time in an equally amazing place (Venice Forever).

You can not read this book without saying to yourself, is this stuff true. Well there is little if any exaggerationgoing on here. I know this to be true, I am one of the characters. I'm Jay. I bet Alan could write volumes on these few short years that we where all together on Washington St in Venice, California.

Thanks, Allan. It's a great read.


Jay Tompkins

More than just a bit of nostalgia
Man, this really DOES take me back.Imagine Steinbeck and his cast of characters, moved to the California Venice Canals in the late 60s; add in a touch of Kerouac and maybe just a bit of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and you have a taste of "Tales of the Blue Meanie."This is a great read and a lot of fun, and encapsulates a slice of life and a slice of time in the late 60s and early 70s that I mostly have cut off and left behind.Now, I may be just a bit biased because I am one of the cast of colorful characters depicted in the story, but I think it's very well written and a page turner none-the-less.Kudos to Allan for capturing the tastes, smells, and rollicking insanities and inanities of the period.And, what's amazing to me, that after all of the good and bad dope and the gallons of red mountain that was consumed, that, to the best of my recollection, most if not all of this is as I remember it happening (not to mention that we all survived relatively intact).

An appeal from the author - Allan Cole
Hi, Allan Cole, here. The author of this book. I've been a professional book writer since 1981. And I have over a hundred hours of television and movie sales to my name. I think I know by now what is a good story and what isn't. But, Iplayed hell getting any of my publishers to take a look at Tales Of The Blue Meanie. It's a true story. Damned funny, even if I say so myself. And is packed with interesting characters and interesting history. They all agreed to the above. Their excuse for passing: nobody cares about the Sixties. So, I took advantage of Amazon.com's excellent new publishing program and put out the book myself. The cover, when you see it in full, will blow you away.It's from a painting by Pat Hartman, one of the primo artists of Venice Beach, California. (http://www.virtualvenice.info/) Anyway, I think you'll like the book. If you hate it, drop me a line at sten3001@aol.com and tell me why. If you love it, say so here. And then write to my personally. For a limited period of time I'll give anyone who buys and loves the book a free book from my library.

Meanwhile, here's what some critics have said about some of my other books, all of which you can find here on Amazon.com.

Here's what critics have said about Cole's other works:

Lucky InCyprus: A haunting, humbling, and sobering experience- J. A. Kaszuba Locke, Bookloons.com

A Reckoning For Kings: Classic war novel - SF Chronicle

The Timura Trilogy: Page turner of the year - Locus Magazine

The Sten Adventures: Landmark science fiction series - Publishers Weekly

A Cop's Life: Must-read for anyone with a badge - Philadelphia Fraternal Order Of Police

The Far Kingdoms Adventures - Finalist in the World Fantasy awards. And declared one of the best fantasy novels of the year by Locus Magazine.

MacGregor - Fascinating... A modern day knight errant - Boca Raton Daily News

Thanks to all...

Allan Cole
www.acole.com ... Read more

Product Description
KINGDOMS OF THE NIGHT
Ever since Amalric Antero returned from the legendary Far Kingdoms, bringing with him magic and riches, the people of Orissa believed they lived in a golden age. Even Amalric did not suspect the truth: that dark forces from another world threatened his beloved city.
Then a beautiful stranger arrived claiming to be the great-granddaughter of Janos Greycloak, master-wizard and betrayer of Amalric's youth. And Amalric learned that the idyllic lands he had thought were the Far Kingdoms were not--and that the real Far Kingdoms, the Kingdoms of the Night, were all that stood between civilization and unimaginably evil powers from another world.
But now the strength of the Kingdoms was flagging. Only someone with a stout heart and a legacy of magic flowing through his veins--someone like Amalric Antero--could hope to unravel the secrets of the Old Ones and lock the door between realities once and for all. And so Amalric set out, with little more than his wits and the magic of another Greycloak, to find the Kingdoms of the Night...
... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Kingdoms of the Night
I am a bit surprised at the negative ratings this book has recieved. Yes, it has less "t and a" than the first, but it explores some interesting new planes. The descriptions some of the magical goings-on where transcendant, facinating. There was a greater sense of history here, both with the charecters and the destination itself. They change a bit of their already popular style to incorperate playing with the rules of space and time, and its finale was amazing. No, not quite as good overall as The Far Kingdoms, but i would say at least equal to the excellent Rali books.

Kingdoms of the Night
What can we really say about "Kingdoms of the Night?"It is what it is, and readers of the first two books in the Antero saga will know by now whether they like this stuff or not.Anyway, here we find Amalric old, crusty, and grey-haired, waiting for death while the world goes on without him.His servant and bodyguard Quatervals convinces him to come to a ship naming ceremony in Orissa, where he finds hints of trouble brewing among his family and elsewhere.Soon Janos Greycloak's great-granddaughter Janela shows up, and before you can say argosy they're off on a world-spanning adventure to the far kingdoms, which turn out to be even farther than previously thought.

In any case, most fans, I presume, read this series for three things: huge actions sequences, whopping magic, and hot sex.In a survey of these three departments, I see plenty of opportunity for disappointment.The first two-hundred pages or so are a drag, too much talk and too little fighting.After that things do pick up somewhat, but still I found most of the battles scenes lacked intensity.Cole and Bunch do find some redemption in the grand finale, however.The magic, well, it's there, if you like that sort of thing.And the sex?Mostly off screen this time, though perhaps that's for the best, given how old our friend Amalric is by now.

If you like lots of demons ...
I did like the Far Kingdoms. It was written very well, and whereas in other books the heroes go of to get some gold from some dragon, these ones just got off to discover new countries. The second part was still readable, but this part is one of the books I didn't finish. I got up to about the half, but the whole plot was demons popping up on every corner, and the protagonists exorcising them. Perhaps this plot changed, but I simply was to bored to read on ... Read more

Product Description
Determined to seek out new territory for trade with his great city, Orissa, Amalric Antero--along with his new friend, Janos Greycloak--sets out to find the legendary Far Kingdoms. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Great read for fantasy lovers
I really enjoyed this book - when I got to the middle I started taking more breaks so that it wouldn't be over so quickly.I am an avid reader of fantasy and this was well-written and insightful.

An incredibly great adventure...
My mother offered to me this book and my first impression when I read the back cover was not so good. Then I started reading it and it just grabbed me. It is a really interesting story. People who like fictional tales would enjoy this one. I practically fell in love with some of the characters especially Amalric. If you start reading it you cant stop till you reach the very end. Then you hate the writer for not making it a little bit longer. Well there is a siquel the story of Amalric`s sister but I havent read that one because when I finished the book I could not look at another one.. I couldn`t start a different story it felt as if I would be starting a new relationship all over again.
In my opinion you should defently read this one..it will take you far far away..

Great Book
I was an avid fantasy reader, focusing mostly on Dragonlance, when I recieved this book as a gift.

I put off reading it for a long time, and that was a mistake. This is one of the better Fantasy books I've ever read, and in fact I've read it 3 times.

I really can't explain the negative comments read here. This book was great. The culture, the characters, the world had enough depth to launch dozens of books. The characters are really the best part, they're very realistic and they're very multi-dimensional. Not a soul remains unchanged throughout the book.

On my list of Fantasy books I rank this up at the top along with Tolkein, Dave Duncan's Seventh Sword Trilogy, and Weis & Hickman's Dragonlance books.

Mostly just nonsense
"The Far Kingdoms" is one of the most pretentious fantasy novels that I've ever read, by which I mean that the authors apparently think that they've written something that's deep and meaningful and will have a big effect on the lives of their readers.In reality, this novel is completely forgettable.The plot deals with Amalric Antero, a spoiled rich kid who becomes a spoiled rich adult and joins with a soldier, Janos Greycloak, in several voyages.They hope to find the legendary Far Kingdoms, a land of wealth and happiness that supposedly lies a long distance to the East.Antero is one of the least likeable characters that I've ever seen in a fantasy novel.His men die, and he has no emotional reaction at all.His wife and child die, and he only mourns for a couple hours before taking off on another trip.He seems to drift through the book without caring about what he's doing or what happens to other people.In the end, I found that I didn't care whether or not Antero and Janos ever reached The Far Kingdoms.

In addition, it seems that not much thought was put into the plotting and writing of this novel.The pace is very uneven.Sometimes the authors dwell for pages on minute details, while other times they skip over months of action in just a few sentences.The first fifty pages are totally irrelevant to the rest of the book; I think that they were written just to include some rather insipid sexual content.After that, the plot falls into and endlessly repeating pattern.The main characters travel somewhere, get into a desperate situation, get rescued miraculously, travel somewhere else, get into another desperate situation, get rescued again, etc...Many of the scenes border on the absurd, such as an encounter with apparently intelligent tigers and monkeys in the middle of the desert, and by the time that a thirty-foot-long ghost ferret showed up to eat the bad guys, I was ready to throw this book into the garbage can.In short, don't waste your time with this pile of nonsense.If you want a short fantasy novel that's both creative and well-written, try "The High House", by James Stoddard.

Kept me coming back for more.
Great book. I picked it up for 50 cents at a used book sale, and while I did put it down from time to time (school and all) overall it was excellent. Creative, well-written, and it has a good blend of humor thatmany fantasy novels seem to lack. It's a good book to just sit down andread, rather than ponder. My kudos to the authors. ... Read more

Product Description
The triumphant epic fantasy inspired by Omar Khayyam's The Rubaiyat, The Wolves of the Gods is a world of breathtaking beauty and savagery, of noble sacrifice and base betrayal, a world where the most powerful magic of all, for good and evil, lies in the divided hearts of humans and demons . . .

A nameless evil stalks the land, preying on all that lives, human and demon alike. Only one man has the power to stem the ravening tide: Safar Timura, greatest wizard of the age, whose matchless magic once raised Iraj Protarus to the throne of all Esmir . . . and then, when king turned tyrant, destroyed him.

Now Safar is done with the deadly intrigues of courts and kings. Back in his mountain home of Kyrania, he wants only to be left alone. But when a brutal murder smashes his solitude, Safar must lead his people on a desperate trek to safety--a perilous journey to fabled, far-off Syrapis guided only by a magical vision and the words of a sorcerer long dead.

The road leads straight through dark Caluz, a once-proud land now fallen beneath the sorcerous yoke of an unspeakable darkness. But there is no going back. Close at Safar's heels another evil follows like a rapacious wolf: Iraj Protarus. For the King of Kings has returned from the dead, hideously transformed--and thirsting for Safar's blood. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

An engrossing continuation of the Timura trilogy.
An engrossing continuation of the Timura trilogy, WOLVES OF THE GODS delves even deeper into the connected fates of its main characters and expands the landscape and cultural scope of the epic.Again, I can't waitfor the next book in the series.

Entertaining book with memorable characters!
The second book of the Timura Tales is a wonderfull and entertaining read. There are a few twists that are surprising given one has read the first book, and assuming that you don't read the back cover which may reveal one crucial twist. I can't wait for the next installment of this series. Mr. Cole has weaved a memorable book which leaves you waiting anxiously for the conclusion, although you may find yourself asking for more!

A fast-paced, powerful punch of a sequel
This is a series to be enjoyed by sf-readers as well asfantasy fans, as the magical elements are subordinateto an involving and suspenseful plot. This second volume brings to a pitch the increasingly intense and violent struggle between Timura and Protarus, while it continuesto hint at their common destiny. Wolves is no simple storyof clear moral good; we see both characters struggle withthe compromise of their ideals and the acceptance of wrongaction to achieve necessary ends. High level of suspense andengaging episodes of adventure. While the story is dark intone, it's well balanced with moments of humor and sentiment. Terrifically paced, hard to put down. An exciting read. ... Read more

Product Description
A heroic fantasy relating the tale of a potter's son who rises to become a king's Grand Wizard. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Skip it
I found this book to be filled with promise that fizzles out at the end.My first quibble with the book is the editing.I know the other reviews have mentioned this issue but it really is distracting.When you get at least, and I may be consevative on this estimate, 50+ typos in a book it's a real problem.It nudges the reader out of the story and ruins the flow.The characters were too formulaic for my tastes.There were no surprises.Each character seemed to act according to script, a very predictable script.This led to very few surprises at the end of the book.

Wish I could give half stars really
Wow really nice, I was totally entranced by the story. And unlike the more cheesy entries in Fantasy in which the endings are all peachy and everyone is happy, this story actually contains moral dilemma! Anyways, not the best review, I know, but I just really enjoyed the story. The author does a great job of painting a believable world, and humorous characters I can care about. The only issue I have is with the atrocious editing. The book is sprinkled with sentences which make no sense whatsoever, and you have to stop and try and puzzle out what Allan Cole is really trying to say.... Still it was a great read and I'm looking forward to diving into book 2!

Good story, terrible editing!
An interesting tale of a set of unlikely friends. The plot is captivating and the characters have enough depth for you to understand them and have a sense of how they think and act. A little more depth in describing theworld itself would have been appreciated as I still don't feel as if I know it.

While the story was entertaining, the lack of any editing was very distracting. While there are many examples, I will share only one from page 352 (chapter 22):

"Your new title comes flows smoothly to my lips, sir. And I must say it fits very you very well."

I am half way through the second book in the series, and it seems to have been edited, so it is much easier on my pedantic eyes.

All said, a good story that I am looking forward to finishing. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

One of the greatest hero epics in sci-fi.
For those of you who enjoy brilliant character development, intense action sequences and adventurous story telling, look no further than the Sten series.Authors Allan Cole and Chris Bunch transport you to a future whereman travels the depths of space with ease, the human Empire spans thousandsof light years, and mankind has mastered the ultimate power source: AM2. The Eternal Emperor finds his realm beset by adversaries who seek to gaincontrol of the Imperial AM2 supply.With enemy plots threatening todestroy his empire, the Eternal Emperor turns to Sten and Alex Kilgour tohelp in the Empire's struggle against the powerful and ruthless Tahninvasion fleet. This novel renders amazing space battle scenes, definescourage and valor in the face of overwhelming odds, and is an excellentchapter in the Sten series.Having read hundreds of titles in my life, theSten series ranks as one of my favorites of all time and I highly recommendit. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Revenged of the Damned
As with all the Sten Novels written by Alan Cole and Chris Bunch - simply excellent. ... Read more

Product Description

THE WARS OF THE SHANNONS: Young Patrick Shannon is the heir-apparent to the Shannon fortune, but murder and betrayal at a family gathering send him fleeing into the American frontier, with only the last words of a wise old woman to arm him against what would come.  And when the outbreak of the Civil War comes he finds himself fighting on the opposite side of those he loves the most. In The Wars Of The Shannons we see the conflict, both on the battlefield and the homefront, through the eyes of Patrick and the members of his extended Irish-American family as they struggle to survive the conflict that ripped the new nation apart, and yet, offered a dim beacon of hope.

Product Description

FOR THE FIRST AND ONLY TIME IN American literature, the story of the Tet uprising is told from both sides of the Vietnam conflict. When America won the battle but lost the war. The Americans:  Dennis Shannon, who warns  that the  enemy is on the march. And Mosby, the grunt with the ultimate will to survive. Then there’s Vo Le Duan,  the embittered NV general who knows he can never achieve the glory he desires; and Miss Tram, a spy more deadly than any soldier. Within four months the lives of these people and countless others will discover that their world has been changed forever.

Customer Reviews (2)

Buy This Book! But not for your Kindle
I have two copies of this book, just in case one is lost or damaged, that's how much I love it.I purchased the Kindle edition so I could re-read favorite sections anytime and anywhere; that was a mistake.

This is a book that honors the Vietnam combat soldier, the draftee field grunt, who does his best in an unpopular war. No philosophical officers agonizing over the war; just teenagers handed an M-16 and trying to stay alive. They don't kill babies or rape or pillage. The authors use the word "Kings" in the title and they mean it.

But what sets this book apart is that it alternates between the American side and the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong. It's not a comic book drawn in blacks and white.And unlike some other popular "war" book series, none of our heroes is a multi-millionaire or if they were born poor, they didn't marry a young woman with a millionaire father. The combat scenes are detailed and aren't glossed over.

It's so sad that the Kindle version of this marvelous book is marred by so many typos that a first time reader might delete it in irritation.There's usually at least one typo on each page, often two and sometimes THREE in a single sentence:

"Mosby watching the muzzle come back toward him, his own rifle coming up far too slowly, and mem (sic) Pritche (sic), bellowing like a bull in heat, buried the Made (sic) of his entrenching tool in the back of the man's neck....."

I'd recommend new readers buy the paper edition of "A Reckoning for Kings".The Kindle version will eventually wear you down with the innumerable typos.

Great Vietnam war novel.
I read this book years ago and loved it. Lost my paperback copy a long time back. Can't wait to re-read it on my Kindle. Please, Amazon, more books by Cole & Bunch (especially the STEN series)!

If you enjoy war novels, this one is great. Memorable characters and a great story.

(addendum) Who was in charge of this crappy "scan to file" version of the book? It has so many typos that, had I not read it before, I would have been totally lost. A shame, because this book is truly a gem. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (12)

It's Sten!What else is there to say?
Another excellent volume in the Sten saga.Full of battles, clandestine activities, bad Scottish jokes, and of course, he gets the girl.

Last book in series
Yet another head scratching marketing move. This is the last book in the Sten series. This series is vastly entertaining space opera. I just wonder why they don't make the other seven books available on Kindle?

High Space Adventure in Classic SI-FI Style!!
I read this book not knowing at the time that it was just one in a series.I Found THAT out pretty quick!!Regardless, it kept me entralled till the end, and I went hunting for the others!!Great High Space Adventure in the truest of the Classic SI-FI form!!Loads of action without bogging down in technical explainations.I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes action oriented SI-FI.

Too bad it had to end ...
Very like the ongoing saga of HH ( Honor Harrington ) by David Weber, this was a great series all the way along.It must be difficult coming up with bigger and better things for a character that feels fully developed, but I do wish they had found something!

Unlike the other reviewer, I found the accent of one of the main characters a *fantastic* touch.Yes, it takes a while to get used to it, but this characters seems more alive / real to me because of it.It was easy to "see" this character in my mind.So I appreciated the extra work that must have gone into creating the accent.

Overall the entire series is a wonderful, fun read.Not to say it's lighthearted, but it is a breath of fresh air.Much like the David Gemmel books.The characters are easy to get attached to, and the story has a depth that can be expanded upon at a later date, if the author / publisher / fans feel like keeping this universe going.

A fitting ending to an entertaining series
In the final book in this series we have our hero Sten up against the Emperor himself.The Emperor has gone all nasty and it is up to Sten to use all his skills and allies to pick away at the Emperor and his forces.
As part of the closure of this series we are given the background to the Emperor and the fuel source he controls which was interesting and put many things into context.
Fast moving and entertaining and a good conclusion to the series, my only ongoing irritation with the Sten books is the way the author 'writes' the Scottish accent of one of the lead characters.It's difficult to read and detracts from the pace of the story. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Very clear review and guidance
This is a wonderful review of theological perspectives on anxiety, as well as some prominent perspectives from psychological theory. The books offers clearly written views on how pastors, and by extension "laity" can be helpfully involved in helping "disquieted souls" find comfort and strength in all the God offers and promises to us as Father, Son, and Spirit and in the church.As a "layperson," I am finding it to be excellent medicine for my own soul, and I am absolutely certain that it is giving me excellent helpful points of view that will make me of more help to others. Cole believes that pastors, and by implication other Christian helpers, can be of greatest help when we help others find their lives renewed by God's word and promises and the practices of the church, and makes clear that we should use our first language of the Christian story, of the Christian message, of God's ministry to us as Father, Son and Spirit, rather than trying to become psychologists and offering secular helping strategies. (Though he certainly allows that many forms of help can be of assistance depending on the circumstances, inasmuch as we are whole beings with many dimensions.)

Very sound scholarship yet practical, well reasoned, excellent guidance. Very strongly recommended.

... Read more

Product Description
"Cole and Bunch finish one of the most satisfactory recent fantasy trilogies, the saga of Amalric Antero and his kin. Amalric, now an aging widower whose sister Rali (of The Warrior's Tale) has vanished and who thinks all is well, is visited by the great-granddaughter of his old, sorcerous mentor, Janos Greycloak. It turns out that the Far Kingdoms (the Kingdoms of the Night) have not, as was thought, been found after all. Those kingdoms remain key to the survival of Amalric's city, Orissa, in the face of growing dangers, so Amalric must go questing once more in a dark-toned, even grim, tale that sees him succeed only at a high price. Cole and Bunch bring readers all the virtues they have previously displayed as they deftly balance world building, characterization, action, believable magic, and simple, sound use of the English language to produce a conclusion that, like its predecessors, is highly recommended." -- Booklist ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

Classic Space Opera!
I had all 8 books at one time and lost them all as I lent them out to friends.I've got them all back now and went through them all in 8 days flat.Page turners every one!

Military Sci-fi at its best
A fun book about blowing stuff up and doing crazy and inventive things to get past the enemy.Sten squeaks out a victory every time. Sten is a great series for lovers of military science fiction and adventure.It has the bonus of having interesting characters as well as action.

Sci-fi skullduggery
After the first two books of the series set the tone for Cole & Bunch's military/spy space opera, this novel sets the broader themes rolling.Sten, now head of the Eternal Emperor's bodyguard, must deal with traitors within the palace and without, trying to find out who's trying to kill the emperor -- and how to avert interstellar war.Cole & Bunch are endlessly entertaining, mixing blood, puns, action, politics and philosophy into a fast-paced mix.The whole series is great fun and entertainment.

This book has become a rarity
I have to say that I have been looking for this book for more than 1 year and I haven't seen it anywhere.This leads to the fact that I cannot review it.If the publisher is reading this, I would advise him to start reprinting it because it makes no sense for me buy the other books in the series if I cannot read in a chronological manner.After reading the first 2 books of the series, I must say that the Sten series is among the best.Unfortunately I don't know where the business sense of the publisher has gone.

Sten is back again, and better than ever!
He's come from a hellish man-made planet/factory to become one of the Eternal Emperor's most trusted men. He's crushed rebellions, and is now part of the Emperor's personal bodyguards. This book is a turning point inthe Sten saga, eclipsed only by his actions in Empires End, book 8 in theseries. A MUST READ OR DIE! to any Sten fan. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Awesome Book!
This is a great read for any fantasy lover, it includes all three books from the Timura trilogy, although it seems like they just copied and pasted them all into this new edition (as you can see by the vast amount of typo's left there from the originals). Even with those slight problems though I would definitely recommend this book for anyone in need of a good read.

Safar is back!
I am delighted to see this entire trilogy back in print and in a single edition from Wildside Press. If you have not had the pleasure of reading it yet you are in for a treat. Exotic sorcerous adventure inspired by the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam pits two bloodsworn friends against each other. This epic conflict between the visionary with wizardly powers and the power-hungry warrior spans kingdoms of men and demons, mortal and underworld. A saga of kings, caravans, the rise and fall of empires, sea voyages, a huge mythic turtle, prophecies and shapechangers, and a skyship-borne circus. Imaginative and engrossing, a truly entertaining tale.

Good Things Come in Threes
Their back!Some of my all-time favorite fantasy characters.If you are already an Allan Cole fan, this book is a must for your collection.If you're not yet a Cole fan, this series is the perfect place to be introduced to one of the genre's masters.I suggest cozying up near a warm fire, turning down the lights and allowing yourself be transported on a truly magical adventure.

Just Brilliant
What a book, all three Timuras in one edition, a must for every discerning fantasy reader. Allan Cole weaves such a magickal web of tales it will have you gripped from page one, i know i was and still am every time i read them. What a stunning book, i can't wait to get a copy of it to stand proudly in my special book cupboard. WELL DONE ALLAN another classic.

FANTASTIC !
Well at last all three books in one, something to add to the collection i feel. This trillogy are the best fantasy books i have ever read and can't recommend them highly enough. If you like good old fantasy, with a twist of love, war, nasty beasties, sadness, happiness etc. get this book, go on i dare you you will be hooked from beginning to end. I had to wait between books, this time you can get it all in one go. Well worth every penny in my opinion. ... Read more

Product Description

Enter lands of mystery, magic, and danger in the triumphant epic fantasy inspired by The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám!

The realm is tormented by catastrophe. Lord Safar Timura, the great wizard, is trapped in the doomed world of Hadin, condemned to suffer and die, over and over again. It is up to his wizard son, Prince Palimak, to stop the disaster slowly poisoning land and sea.

Though he is half human and half demon, even Palimak may not possess the awesome powers needed to free Safar and discover the great lost tomb, guarded by a fierce she-beast who holds secrets to halt the terror.

There are many enemies, barbarian kings, monsters of the underworld--and, lording over all, the Demon Moon, looming in silent, bloody challenge. With the help of Leiria, warrior goddess, Palimak must destroy the doomspell and confront the sinister Demon Moon. Only then will the gods be awakened and the world be saved . . . ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Forget it .
If you look for a 5 star piece of fantasy , look for G.R.R.Martin ,S.Donaldson , T.Williams , D.Eddings , J,Wurts or R.Jordan .

If you wantto read a 100th variation of Connan the Barbarian (or Forgotten Realms forthat matter) with VERY bad witches and a VERY nice hero , you can try thisbook .

Well I grabbed it in a hurry on an airport , wanted to throw itaway after 2 chapters but had still a long flight ...

So it is my duty towarn every fantasy amateur who'd happen to come here : forget Cole .

I hope it is not the last one!
The 3 tome of the Tales of the Timuras are very good. And each of them show an other aspect of all the actors in this adventure, making this saga attractive enough to make me wait for a 4th book!

Only bad point would bethe difference of book cover between the book 1-2 and the book 3 (Did thewriter change his editing company! ) Same format I do agree but I like someorder in my bookshell.

Buy them!

Engaging adventure from a grand storyteller
Safar Timura, a character modeled on Omar Khayyam, continues his desperate journey in this next volume of the Tales of the Timuras. In attempting to lead his uprooted people to a haven safe from the vengeance-mad Protarus,Safar finds himself rushing towards the volcanic destruction and personaldoom he has anticipated in vision. Several excellent new characters areintroduced in this volume, including a wonderfully conniving evil queen andher brutal ruler son, who provide even more complications as the hero triesto save not only his people, but ultimately the world. An unexpected allyalso joins the group in the quest to stop the rapidly spirallingdestruction and bring to consciousness the gods that have abandoned theworld. A rousing tale of courage against odds, of desire versus duty, ofambition and corruption - adventure on a grand scale, along with thewonderful characters and interactions we have come to expect from Cole.Adrenalin-rousing episodes lead towards the awe-ful finale at Hadinland,where Safar plays out the final confrontation with fiery forces of evil anda resolution with Protarus. As an aside, I would recommend the Britishversion of this book, which has additional scenes that do not appear in theslightly shorter American edition. An exciting, recommended series.

The action starts fast and does not let up.
As I neared the end of The God's Awaken and was mentally drafting this review, I had planned on describing Book 3 as the "thrilling conclusion" to the series.Having finished the novel, however, I'mnot so sure we've seen the last of Safar Timura.Call it a hunch.Thenovel's action starts fast and does not slow down, culminating in a verypowerful ending that is, in my opinion, truly riveting -- Allan Colewriting at his best. The thing I like best about the Timura Trilogyis its flawed characters and the troubled relationships between them.InBook 1, we cannot help but feel that there is something not quite rightwith Iraj Protarus, but we¹re willing to overlook such misgivings for thesake of his and Safar's friendship.It all makes for powerfulstorytelling. Speaking of flawed characters, both real and imagined,you can imagine my delight when I learned that I was going to be a part ofthis wonderful series -- as a character in Book 3.Allan, my thanks toyou for the many hours of reading pleasure and for the incredible honor ofan alternate life as a demon most awful.Bob Rhodes, Southern California,aka King Rhodes, Syrapis ... Read more

Product Description
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