Product Description
To avoid being married to a cruel king, and to save her father's kingdom from ruin, a resourceful young princess goes in search of the magic box that was stolen from her grandfather by an evil wizard. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

a good story but not great
this is the story of a princess when being forced to marry a not nice prince. She runs away to find a magically item given to her grandfather by a nice wizard and stolen from him by an evil wizard! The other reviwer is right it would not have been bad for more character building and a little more adventure,but I also think this was a good book! Now don't get me wrong this is not the best book I have ever read but I found it enjoyable! I did not think it a waste of time ! So pick it up at a library or anywhere you can find it you might like it you might not but you will never know until you check it out!

ok....
i'll get the good stuff out of the way first. The book never got bogged down with descriptions, and the description of the evil wizards fortress was cool. I also liked the very start.

I also have some problems with this book. First of all, it was too short for the story it told. Fifty more pages would have been a better length.

Secondly, I thought the whole thing about the robber was stupid. He was a creep, and her whole attraction to him seemed fake.

Thirdly, the whole plot wasn't especially original. There are plenty of better written fantasy books with similar plots and more original characters than this one. Read one of them. ... Read more

Product Description
As curator of the Mesopotamian Art at the American Museum of Art In New York City, Denise Sheridan has seen many unusual things. Ilaron Highborn, art gallery owner and Dark Elf is unusual. Now, together they will have to stop a Sumerian demon from destroying the city of Manhattan!
Josepha Sherman is a 3-time ALA winner, a NY Public Library Books for the Teen Age award-winner, and a Compton Crook award-winner! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Great Beginning, Now Let's Have A Sequel
Although all of the favorable reviewers seem to agree that this book begs a sequel, it isn't dependent upon one because the conflict is resolved by the end of the story.It's just that the two main characters, Denise Sheridan and Ilaron Highborn, have finally become a team by the end of the book, and the reader just wants to see more of them.

This book provided an interesting view of the Unseelie court of Faerie, somewhat different than that of Laurell K. Hamilton or Emma Bull.This is a place of no sun, no joy, no love.Pain and torture are everyday occurances and advancement within the society is through assasination.There is no such thing as family loyalty.It is a much darker and bleaker place than other depictions.

Ilaron Highborn is considered to be a heretic within that culture because he has decided to turn away from the Darkness.Even though he renounced his claims to the Unseelie throne, no one believes him because no one tells the truth there.He escapes to the human realm and sets himself up as an art dealer.Ms. Sherman has created an interesting character in Ilaron, and fleshes him out by explaining the adaptations he's had to make to deal with exposure to the sun and the ever-present iron, which is deadly to the Faerie.Denise Sheridan is a curator of Mesopotamian art at a NYC museum, which is a thinly disguised copy of the Metropolitan.She is an annoyance to the museum director who considers her department not flashy enough to bring in the crowds and the money.Her work brings her into contact with Ilaron, and her historical expertise ultimately puts her in jeopardy.

While this isn't a romance, per se, there is a growing relationship between Ilaron and Denise based upon two rather lonely people from totally different cultures coming to understand and appreciate the other.Of course, this being an urban fantasy, there other beings involved - the ruler of the Unseelie who is trying to destroy Ilaron, a group of cultists who want to kill Denise, and a released Assyrian/Babylonian Demon of Disease who is set loose in NYC and wants to destroy Denise because she has the knowledge to banish it.Innocents and not-so-innocents are harmed, battles occur, and ultimately one side triumphs.I really enjoyed this book and hope that someday there'll be a sequel.

Duelling Mythologies never held my attention
This fantasty about a curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art --oops, excuse me--the American Museum of Art, and her artsy friend who happened to be a dark elf left me feeling kind of blah. Lamashtu, the ancient Mesopotamian lion-headed goddess is conjured from hell to spread plague on the subways of New York.Denise, the curator and Ilaron Highborn, the dark elf must band together stop her.So far, so good.But another evil dark elf is mixed into the plot, and he and Ilaron duel to the death one dark and stormy night in the Museum.I was disappointed when the author didn't make more use of the Mesopotamian wing of the Museum, with its gigantic winged bulls.For some reason, the duel is fought in the American wing, and then Ilaron and Denise confront Lamashtu on the Museum roof.Yet another demon-god is conjured up to do battle with Lamashtu (talk about 'deus ex machina').I just felt the author could have stuck with the Sumerian-Akkadian-Babylonian mythology cycle and written a much better, more consistent novel.

Light read
Dark, mysterious Ilaron teams up with plucky Denise Sheridan, a museumcurator. Through Ilaron, Denise discovers that the worlds she reads aboutin her beloved fantasy novels may not be completely fictional after all.Ilaron is handsome, strong, wealthy, and he harbors a secret past that noone on this earth could imagine. Once a cult leader fixates on Denise andattempts to offer her as a sacrifice to call an ancient goddess, Ilaron andDenise are thrown into a chaotic, dangerous quest to stop the destructionof this realm. Together they must fight Lamashtu, an arrogant, bored andpowerful goddess, as well as Kerezar, a dangerous nemesis from Ilaron'spast.
This was a relatively enjoyable read. There is a great deal ofhumor as both Ilaron and Kerezar struggle in a world full of technology andbizarre pop culture. Denise is interesting enough as the heroine of thestory, but she buys into Ilaron's story of his secret identity a bit tooquickly to be believable. What you won't find in this book is strongwriting or a complex plot. Everything is pretty straight forward and movesquickly toward the predictable climax. SON is probably best suited as ayoung adult novel; the reader does not really have to guess at anythingthroughout the story. It's amusing, it's a quick read, and there aremoments in the book that are quite enjoyable. Overall, I found it lackingchallenge and depth, but if you are looking for something that is quick andlight, this might be just the thing.

Son of Darkness -- Priceless
I just can't say how much I love this book. Alot. Extremely much. Deniseand Ilaron are characters you won't forget, and after reading this book,you'll be dying for a sequel.

Ilaron is a "Dark Elf" escapedfrom Sidhe-Land to lead a normal life as an art collecter and dealer. He'sdelicious. He's got long black hair and wicked cool shades. Yum yum yum.Denise is an museum curator, helping Ilaron fight bad Sumerian demons. No,no, really, there's more to it than that, but I shan't be giving it away.

Elves. Swords. Subway Trains. The perfect modern elf fantasy... I'drecommend this book to all Fantasy and Sci-Fi readers. Josepha Shermannever disapoints.

I'll Read A Sequel
There are a lot of positive reviews here, and they're right on. I thoroughly enjoyed this, and I was impressed when Sherman actually had Denise reciting a real Mesopotamian prayer.

The initialdemon-worshipping villains made perfect sense to me - there are lots andlots of inadequate people out there dreaming of power from nowhere. Thereis a problem, at least to me, with the notion of "dark elves,"but that's because I've decided that elves, dark, light, hangin' out in LA,NYC, or fairyland, are getting old.

Why the 3 star review? Because Iliked it, and I will buy a sequel without hesitation, but I only liked it.We are guilty, here, of review inflation. Was this Lord of the Rings? No?Then don't give it a five. This was fun, it was adequate, and I don'tregret buying it, or reading it, or recommending it. What I want to makeclear is that it isn't profound, or life changing.

Another thing - partof me wants a sequel. But if Josepha Sherman decides to leave Ilaron andDenise right where they are, that's fine, too. Especially if it means she'sgoing on to a new project, as entertaining as this one.

Good book, readit, and pass it on. ... Read more

Product Description
Johnny Gruelle was a talented cartoonist, who was born in Arcola, Illinois, in 1880. Even as a small boy, Johnny loved to draw and carried his paper and pencils with him wherever he went. But, unlike his father who loved to paint, Johnny loved to draw cartoons. He set out to make a living by doing what he loved best. In 1901, he married Myrtle Swann, and in 1902, they became parents of a little girl named Marcella. Around 1910, Johnny took his family to visit his parents. In the attic he found an old rag doll. He painted a face on it and gave it to Marcella to play with. In some of his cartoons, Johnny would draw the doll, often being dragged behind a little girl. But tragedy soon followed. Marcella was born with a heart problem and was often a sick child. When she was barely 13 years old, she fell ill from an unsterile vaccination for which she never recovered, and she died in 1915. Johnny kept Marcella's spirit alive by naming one of his storybook characters after her. For decades, millions of children have delighted in the tales of Raggedy Ann and Andy and have played with the floppy rag dolls, and they still do. ... Read more

Product Description
In 1815, there weren’t any computers. Electricity hadn’t yet been discovered as a way to make things run. Calculating sums of numbers had to be done by hand. One mistake would mean adding everything up all over again. But English scientist Charles Babbage was planning to change all that. He planned to use his knowledge of mathematics and engineering to build a machine that would be able to work out the most complicated sums instantly. But someone would have to give it the right program to follow. Women weren’t supposed to know mathematics in his day. But Ada, Countess of Lovelace, was one of the best mathematicians. She became the first computer programmer. And Charles Babbage could become the father of computing—if only he could overcome the biggest problem of all. It wasn’t the lack of electric power. It wasn’t the lack of modern equipment. Before he could succeed, Charles Babbage had to conquer the greatest problem of all—himself. ... Read more

Product Description
Discusses the inventors and scientists that contributed to the development of computers and more recently, personal computers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Blatant Error
On page two the author states that the abacus was invented in China up to 5,000 years ago.That shows that the author is no authority in this area.The abacus originated in ancient Babylon about 5,000 years ago.The abacus did not get to China until about 800 years ago.In fact, it was the Europeans that taught the Chinese how to use an abacus.I stoped reading at page two.

text is too short?
Aimed at a primary school reader, Sherman offers a quick history of computing, with emphasis on the personal computer. Since the latter is likely what the reader is best acquainted with. For the reader, Sherman tries to convey how vastly and rapidly computers have improved. Something that the reader is probably too young to appreciate. After all, it's not clear that some readers know or fully appreciate that a current personal computer is equivalent to an entire large room of hardware from the 50s or 60s.

The text is rather short. Perhaps because of the intended age range of the reader? But maybe the text could have been lengthened. If only to talk more about recent popular usages on the PC. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Russian-based fantasy
A lovely fast read based on Russian fairy tales-- I wish there were more of them! I found the characters engaging, especially Maria, although I wish there'd been a bit more on her sister's fate. All in all, definitely worth reading.

Amazing
This book is like a fairy-tale. When I first got it, I wasn't in the least bit interested in it. But, being bored, I opened it and read the first page. Four and half hours later, I closed the book, finished. I could not put it down for one second.

The Best Book On Earth
I absolutely love this book. It has come to be my favorite book, even though it was published a month before I was born. I picked it up in a thrift store for [price] I put it on the shelf in my room, and forgot about it. A year later I looked through my bookshelf, needing another book to read. I picked it out, and sat down to read it. I couldn't put it down! I read it before school, in school, and after I finished my schoolwork until two in the morning. After I finished it, I put it down, and told myself that if I ever found another book in the world that was better then that, I would scream at the top of my lungs until my death, and I'm not screaming now.

This book is an award winner.
It should be noted that this book won the Compton Crook award for being judged the best first novel in the genera by the Baltimore Science Fiction Society. That is a fine recomendation right there.

An enchanting fairy tale...
In a magical Russian world full of rusalka, leshyi, boyars and magic, Finist, the magician-prince of Kirtesk has a few problems on his hands--or often, talons.Oh, just the usual:a sorcerous, seductive cousin who'sout for his throne, politics, magic and, of course, True Love.

Iloved the Russian setting and the use of Russian folk-tales to augment theexcellent plot.Both characters and plot are developed thoroughly.IfRussian folk-lore appeals to you, also try Mercedes Lackey's Firebird. ... Read more

Product Description
From vast armies to single champions, from legions of wizards to sorcerous duels, the original tales included in this volume are the very heart of fantasy. From kingdoms saved by the power of a spell, to magicked weapons that can steal the souls of countless enemies, to lands and peoples destroyed by dark enchantment, here are the adventures to capture the imagination and hold one spellbound till the last blow has been struck, the final victory has been gained. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Don't judge a book by it's cover?
Well in this case I can clearly say that the cover has absolutely nothing to do with the book.I constantly struggled just to finish this compilation.Nearly all of the stories were bland and uninspired.I found two interesting enough where I might have continued reading a further story if available.One of them being the "Girlslayer" story.I found the premise rather original.The other was "The Jewel and the Demon."I very rarely toss books out of my collection but this one went straight to donation.

Battle Fatigue
This collection is firmly average. A couple pretty good stories but none really compelling. I think the problem, at least one of the problems, was that in order to broaden the offerings many stories were tangential to what one would think of as battle magic at best and seemed to not involve battle magic at worst. Now I understand that the editors, and authors, wouldn't want to present an entire anthology of wizards leading troops in battle but the stories should at least be reflective of what the anthology promises.

That aside, and the above would be forgiveable if the stories were compelling, the stories just aren't terribly inspired. Bland characters that the reader can't particularly warm up to and less than exciting plots.

The handful of fairly good stories elevate this to 3 stars and average, at times however it was a battle to wade through the book.

Not as good as other anthologies I've read
I really love the anthologies edited by Martin H. Greenberg.Generally, while one or two of the stories might not be my cup of tea, I find the rest of them enjoyable reading.Sadly, for this volume, none of the stories really caught my attention.Perahps it was the narrow focus - Magic on the battle field.But I sensed the breadth and depth of the stories.Ladykiller by Rosemary Edgehill was a pleasant read, though quite obvious from the start.Alarc's Gift by Mickey Z. Reichert seemed well-developed enough but ended on a rather bland note.Perhaps it was that all the stories individually had their merits, but in the form in which they were put together it highlighted their flaws?

Or maybe, it's like the old line that ends a relationship - "It's not you.It's me."

Either way, while I love the authors included in the anthology, such as the above mentioned Mickey Z. Reichert and Rosemary Edgehill, I'm afraid this collection doesn't do them justice.

An anthology of outstanding fantasy
Battle Magic is a superbly produced audiobook anthology of outstanding fantasy with each short story taking up the concept of magic as a weapon of combat between individuals, between armies, and between kingdoms. Each story, drawn from some of the best and most innovative writers in fantasy today, are aptly read by their individual narrators and conjure up worlds of dark enchantments, single champions against overwhelming odds, and powerful wizards locked in deadly conflict. The stories in this superbly produced, highly recommended, nine hour, unabridged, six cassette collection include Warlord; Hell's Bane; The Miracle of Salamis; The Jewel and the Demon; Alaric's Gift; The Fatal Wager; Ten for the Devil; Battle Magic For Morons; A Matter of Honor; Principles of Warfare; and The Strangeness of the Day.

Quiet bad...
Very disapointing..... all except "girl slayer" was terrible, and even girl slayer was weak compared to other books of this genre i have read. But i suppose it is pretty hard to develop a strong fantasy storywith only 20 pages to work with... ... Read more