Product Description
Harold Kline is an albino—an outcast. Folks stare and taunt, calling him Ghost Boy. It’s been that way for all of his 14 years. So when the circus comes to town, Harold runs off to join it.

Full of colorful performers, the circus seems like the answer to Harold’s loneliness. He’s eager to meet the Cannibal King, a sideshow attraction who’s an albino, too. He’s touched that Princess Minikin and the Fossil Man, two other sideshow curiosities, embrace him like a son. He’s in love with Flip, the pretty and beguiling horse trainer, and awed by the all-knowing Gypsy Magda. Most of all, Harold is proud of training the elephants, and of earning respect and a sense of normalcy. Even at the circus, though, two groups exist—the freaks, and everyone else. Harold straddles both groups. But fitting in comes at a price, and Harold must recognize the truth beneath what seems apparent before he can find a place to call home.Amazon.com Review
Fourteen-year-old Harold Kline is an albino--white from head to toe, even his hair and his eyes that are like drops of water. His life is made unbearable by the other kids, who call him "snow" or "maggot," and ever since his father died and his brother was reported missing in Vietnam, his mother has become angry and withdrawn. And so Harold runs away, although it is a wrench to leave Honey, the elderly dog who has been his only comfort. And where would an albino kid on the run end up? In the circus, of course--in this case a down-at-the-heels road show where he is sheltered by a kindly lady midget and her huge man-beast companion and given hugs and unquestioning acceptance by the other "freaks." There he falls in love with the beautiful but duplicitous trick horseback rider and gains self-respect and the admiration of the other circus folks when he accomplishes the seemingly impossible feat of teaching the elephants to play baseball. But Gypsy Magda forecasts a "great harm" lurking in the future, and it has something to do with Harold's rejection of the "freaks" who have sheltered him as one of their own.

In this strange, moving novel, the author of sea adventures The Wreckers and The Smugglers has built a compelling metaphor for the universal teenage fear of being declared an outsider. With great emotional veracity, Iain Lawrence plays many intriguing variations on the theme of alienation in a work full of fascinating characters, marvelous scenes, and tragic surprises. (Ages 12 and older) --Patty Campbell ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

Need to read this book!
I will not go into a description so many others have, but I want to say I highly recommend this book, it is entertaining for adults and middle school aged alike.It's one of those books that you can't put down and can't wait to get back to when you do.It's good from beginning to end. I highly recommend this book.

Run Away with the Circus
Our Book Club read this book and most of our members loved it.We each had our opinions about the main character, a boy who was an albino who could only fit in as an oddball with the circus.The entire story gave much insight into the personalities of people who have different physical appearances than "average" people.It may be considered a children's book or perhaps a youth book, but certainly something even an adult could gain from.

unforgettable story about the circus
Set a few years after the end of WWII, this novel tells the story of Harold Kline, a boy who is an outcast.An albino, he has no friends and people in his small town tease him and call him Ghost Boy.When the circus comes to town and he meets some of the "freaks", he feels a kinship with them and runs away to join the circus.At the circus he falls in love with Flip, the beautiful horse trainer, who allows Harold to train the elephants.When Harold succeeds in training the three elephants to play baseball, it seems like the struggling circus might be saved and Harold will be a hero.But the Gypsy fortune-teller, Magda, who travels with the circus, has warned Harold to beware, and the reader is waiting in suspense for what we are sure will be a tragic event.Just what it will be, the gypsy (and the reader) cannot tell.Even at the circus, Harold doesn't know where he fits in--is he one of the "freaks" or does he belong with everyone else?This was an incredibly moving and unforgettable story about a boy finding his place in the world.The depiction of circus life and Harold's desire to be accepted merge together in a seamless way, and the ominous predictions of the gypsy keep the reader clued in to the disastrous denouement to come, which ends Harold's circus career.Despite the tragic turn of events, the story has a hopeful ending, as Harold returns home with new confidence to face his former tormentors and a new understanding of his mother's suffering (a war widow, she also lost her older son in the war).

an amazing book for everyone
This book was so interesting and a great story line. Once you got an idea of how the book was going to end it changed to a whole other side.

i would recomend this book
The book I chose to read was ghost boy. It is about a 14 year old albino boy named Harold. In liberty, the city where he lives, kids tease him all the time about having white skin. One day, the circus comes to town and Harold decides to run away with it. He meets a very large man and a very small woman. They all became close friends. While in the circus he teaches elephants to play baseball. I liked this book because the boy doesn't have any friends and finds friends that everyone considers freaks.
I would recommend this book to any one who enjoys an adventurous story because the boy travels all across the country with the circus to see the mountains that his brother says he would see when he got back from serving in the army but, he never came back.
... Read more

Product Description
- Aspect published the previous novel in the series, The Skrayling Tree, in hardcover (0-446-53104-9) in 2003 and in mass market (0-446-61340-1) in 7/04. The prior novel. The Dreamthief's Daughter (Aspect hardcover, 2001, 0-446-52618-5; mass market, 2002, 0-446-61120-4) received praise from the Washington Post, Denver Post, and Locus, where it was featured on the 2001 Recommended Reading list. - Aspect reissued Moorcock's classic Gloriana, or the Unfulfill'd Queen in trade paperback in 8/04. Gloriana won Moorcock the World Fantasy Award, the John W. Campbell Award, and the British Fantasy Award. - Moorcock's Elric the Eternal Champion saga has been optioned by Universal Pictures, with Chris and Paul Weitz (American Pie) producing. - Michael Moorcock is a vanguard author, editor, journalist, critic, and rock musician, who is editor of the controversial magazine New Worlds. A member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame, Moorcock has won the Guardian Fiction Prize, the Nebula Award, the World Fantasy Award, and the British Fantasy Award, among others. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

More Elric!!
Michael Moorecock continues the saga of the Albino Prince and the multiverse. An excellent read!!

Moorcock in fine fiddle
For readers familiar author Moorecock's writings this novel will be greatly appreciated as a continuation of a story cycle that has been expanding for almost half a century. For readers new to Moorcock it could be a very confusing book since the author introduces characters and themes from many of his other "Eternal Champion" story cycles.

I have 26 titles by this author on my shelves but it has been many years since I have read one of his books. The White Wolf's Son clearly assured this reader that Mr. Moorcock is still in top form and a pleasure to read.

This story concerns a precocious young lady, Oonagh von Bek, who unwillingly finds herself to be the focus of a nefarious plot to upset the Cosmic Balance. It seems she is related to the Dreamthieft and villains von Minct and his evil sidekick Kolsterheim believe that her virgin blood in conjunction with other mystical icons are the key to achieving their goal.

As Onnagh is perused across the "Multiverse" on the moonbeam roads she is befriended by an extraordinary Moorcock character, Lord Renyard, a dandified wolf wearing a monocle, caring a cane with a fondness for books.

Aside from the attention grabbing plot the author's unique ability to describe "other worldliness", innocent female charm, and vile scoundrels made this book a page-turner for this reader. I also relished the "steam-punk" technology descriptions - what a hoot!

Naturally we have references and guest appearances from many characters from previous books in the Moorcock "Eternal Champion" cycle. After many years it was a pleasure to be reacquainted.

ok, but not as good as his other works
I liken this much more to the "chronicles of narnia" style and not at all what I expected of mm.I really enjoy most of his eternal hero books and in particular his Elric ones that have a dark, almost anti-hero aspect to them.This is not that, it has things like talking houses and talking foxes in it.This does not make it bad, just not what you would expect from Moorcock

The grand (or not-so-grand) conclusion?
Maturity is often a good thing.Certainly, Michael Moorcock's The White Wolf's Son is a more mature form of writing than his early Elric books, but I am not positive that this makes it a better book.In fact, the generally more sophisticated writing may actually hurt The White Wolf's Son as much as it helps it.

The novel is actually the concluding book in a trilogy of books about Ulric von Bek and his family.More than that, however it is a culmination of Moorcock's many Eternal Champion books, and plenty of other Champion incarnations either appear (including Hawkmoon, Erekose and Oswald Bastable) or are at least mentioned (Corum).Much of this book is narrated by von Bek's twelve year old granddaughter Oonagh who is the apparent target of some truly nasty forces led by Gaynor the Damned and Klosterheim.Why they want her is initially unclear, but they mean her no good.

An earthquake sends Oonagh into another world, with both allies and enemies pursuing her.Of her allies, the most notable are the thief-fox Renyard and Oonagh's grandmother, Oona.There is also Oona's father, Monsieur Zodiac, also known as Elric.

As Moorcock fans are aware, the story of Elric came to an absolute end in the novel Stormbringer, yet Moorcock is able to keep bringing his most famous hero back by adjusting the continuity of earlier books.Elric either goes on little side trips, or, as in this case, he is off on a dream quest, able to live a physical life outside of his real body.

The plot of The White Wolf's Son is complicated and a bit muddled.Moorcock's Eternal Champion saga is very complex (and not always entirely consistent), which makes it very difficult to truly be contained in a single novel.Furthermore, there is not a lot of action, especially compared to Moorcock's earlier work.The result is a book that is interesting but sometimes a bit of a chore (it lacks the fast-paced fun of the early works).Also, as with many writers, Moorcock has trouble writing child characters realistically; they come off as just little adults.

While I have read most of Moorcock's books (especially his Eternal Champion books), there have been many I haven't read for a couple decades.Perhaps a reader who has the other stories fresher in his or her mind may appreciate this novel more.As it is, I can only mildly recommend this book, and even then, only for Moorcock fans; if you have not read Moorcock, this is not the one to start with.

A new ending
This book is a kind of a third ending of the Champion saga (the first two ones were The Quest for Tanelorn and Dragon in the Sword), with Erekose appearing again (although playing a very smallpart in the story, but without it, the novel wouldn't correspond to the whole Saga). Also this book lets us know something about the pre-history of John Daker, and the pre-history of his wife. I think it may be recommended to the readers who don't like the 3rd John Daker novel (i.e., Dragon in the Sword), because it differs from that one very much, portraying quite another Mr. Daker to us.
The book is written not in the usual Moorcock manner, it has a much simpler language, so if you have been sometimes embarrassed by Moorcock's style (those long words of Latin origin which are not easy to understand), this book may seem easier to read for you. As for me, I'm longing for the good old manner in which theclassical Elric stories have been written. ... Read more

Product Description
The second book in "A Tale of the Albino." When his beloved wife Oona is abducted by a band of albino Native Americans, Ulrik von Bek trails the group by using the Skrayling Oak. Soon he finds himself in the multiverse, where he is reconnected with his alternate self, Elric of Melnibone. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Super Reader
A novel in three parts, after Ulric Von Bek is taken from his wife Oona in the night. The first part follows Oona in her trek to find him, as she encounters Hiawatha, and the White Crow, a man very similar to herself and her father Elric. She thinks to herself "I was a player in the Eternal Struggle fought between Law and Chaos and, as a "Knight of the Balance," was dedicated to maintaining the two forces in harmony.

This is what this novel is about, defending the balance of the multiverse from those inclined to destroy it. Elric has the second part, as he comes across Gunnar the Damned, or Gaynor, just as Oona encounters Klosterheim in the first part.

The third is Von Bek's story, as he regains a black blade, and meets Lord Sepiriz, one of the creators of the blades of power.

The three unite and rally against Gaynor, Klosterheim, and Lord Shoashooan the Wind Demon, to defend the Phroon and the Skrayling Tree at the heart of the Multiverse. Black blades sing in desperate confrontation as the White Crow, Von Bek and Elric, having fooled Gunnar, all combining to prevent disaster.

As a side note, here's a fun bit Moorcock through in: "Fear the Crisis Maker..." "In some eras,..the sword and the intellect must be as one. Those are our Silver Ages. That is how we create those periods we call Golden Ages, when the sword can be forgotten,..."

Real fantasyI love it......
It was my first book from M.Moorcock. Now I allready ordered few more books from M.Moorcock.
I am fantasies reader so that is my now favour autor.
My partner is not in fantasy but he is now reading this book also..few times he put away book with comment:this in not my type of book.
He is back to reading .....Why? Mast be some magic in it.....

Moorcock Does It Again
I enjoyed this in many ways more than most of Moorcock's fantasy novels of the eighties and nineties and it's a fine sequel to The Dreamthief's Daughter.My only thought is that maybe Moorcock is leaving the majority of his potential audience behind.With his sixties fantasy novels from the early Elric novels, through to Hawkmoon, he was blazing a trail which would be followed by almost as many writers as followed Tolkien's.Hawkmoon remains one of the fastest, most original science fantasy series ever, but everything was stripped down for narrative.These latest Elrics are more contemplative, with a higher ambition in the prose, setting goals aimed at beating his personal best.But if you want that fast and furious plot-driven work of his early days, which so many still imitate, you won't get it.Probably nothing beats Stormbringer for intensity but The Dreamthief's Daughter, The Skrayling Tree and The White Wolf's Son come closest to recreating the atmosphere of that outstanding classic.The trouble as I see it is that the whole supernatural fantasy form has been seriously dumbed down since the days of Clark Ashton Smith, Lord Dunsany, Jack Vance,Fritz Leiber and only writers like M.John Harrison, Steve Erikson and China Mieville have kept the ambitions, complexity and subtlety Moorcock brought to the field.None of these writers have the sales of the likes of Robert Jordan or the Tolkien imitators and this is a great shame, indicating a general dumbing down and probably lower age group of readers. There was a time when Moorcock set the standard and inspired the best writers in the business.He still inspires the best, but sadly, as you can tell from some of these reviews, he has to share shelf-space with a form which for the most part has become corrupted and predictable.This book is worth reading just for the description of Hiawatha's meeting with Longfellow!He's still one of the few fantasy adventure writers I still look forward to reading. It's a shame he's announced he's retiring from writing adventure fantasy fiction.Nobody is capable of developing a story on this sort of scale.

Splendid Fantasy from Michael Moorcock
I must admit that I haven't read nearly as much of Michael Moorcock's fiction as I probably should, since he's been among the foremost practitioners of science fiction, and especially, fanatasy, in the Anglo-American realm of science fiction and fantasy for decades. Each time I have read one of his works, I have been quite impressed with his beautifully wrought lyrical prose and the compelling ideas introduced in each tale. The same holds true in his current "Multiverse" novel, "The Skrayling Tree", which chronicles the adventures of Oona van Bek, her husband Ulric, and her father Elric of Melnibone, in a fantastical America of nearly 1,000 years in the past. There they will meet up with the legendary Hiawatha, whose role in the tale is as pivotal as that of Gandalf's in Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" saga. There is a splendid fusion of Norse, Western European and American Indian mythology and history present throughout this novel. My only minor complaint is that Moorcock occasionally stumbles by writing stilted prose in some of his descriptions of the "Multiverse" and its relevance to the main characters. But this is only a minor complaint of yet another fine novel by an unquestioned master of his craft. I found it so engrossing that it was impossible to put down.

Mature Moorcock
Mike just gets better and better.The themes of the mulitverse, law and chaos and the philosophies there in are wonderfully laid inside the dialog of this fast paced adventure.Set in three voices, Elric's Daughter, Elric and Von Bek, the novel crosses times and space in America to its breathless end.

Hear Hear for Michael Moorcock and his evolution from the pulp comic type writing of the first Elric Books to what he is publishing today. ... Read more

Product Description
Against all odds, one brave girl dons a warriors mantle to defend her homeland. In a medieval German town called Naudars, albino children hold a revered and protected status. But when Naudars is attacked by its enemies, all able-bodied men rise to defend their home. Dorothea is one of the albino children, and she has always wanted to see the world beyond her cloistered existence. Now shes prepared to defy the odds and tradition and enlist in the military. Like Joan of Arc, Dorothea must deal with the prejudices of those who are scandalized by the very existence of a young woman warrior. This spirited, sword-wielding girl is going to have to defend herself from charges of witchcraft at the same time shes defending the land she loves. This volume also features a special color section! ... Read more

Product Description
Against all odds, one brave girl dons a warriors mantle to defend her homeland. In a medieval German town called Naudars, albino children hold a revered and protected status. But when Naudars is attacked by its enemies, all able-bodied men rise to defend their home. Dorothea is one of the albino children, and she has always wanted to see the world beyond her cloistered existence. Now shes prepared to defy the odds and tradition and enlist in the military. Like Joan of Arc, Dorothea must deal with the prejudices of those who are scandalized by the very existence of a young woman warrior. This spirited, sword-wielding
girl is going to have to defend herself from charges of witchcraft at the same time shes defending the land she loves. This volume also features a special color section! ... Read more

Product Description
Romona Drottoveo is an Italian chambermaid, whose skin exudes an intoxicating scent. This unusual asset makes her irresistible to men and despised by women but her infidelity on her wedding night brings bad luck to the village and she is exiled - until her scent unexpectedly vanishes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

waste of time
This is a boring, stupid novel based on a promising premise. Should've been much better - don't waste your time!

Where is the love?
The only upside to this book is that it is a very unusual story.
Other than that it is a story of utterly dislikeable characters discarding and being discarded by one another, with none of the sensuality and warmth (for people or food) of `La Cucina'.

Not impressed
I have read two Lily Prior novels recently (it is my policy to read at least two novels by an author to judge whether or not I like them) and am frankly unimpressed.The story is ridiculous and the writing not much better.

Don't bother.
Well, I have to say I did read this book even after i realised it isn't a particularily good one, but it was more of a habit than of interest. There's only one thing to say: in this book's storyline there are events happening after one another, but there's no actual STORY. Honestly. It takes more than coming up with "funny" things your main character could do to make a good, or even a descent novel.

Pardon my english, bit rusty at the moment.

Enjoyable
I don't know how she does it, but I can't seem to put Lily Prior books down. She has filled a book with totally unlikable characters and she has made it thoroughly enjoyable. I don't love this book as much as I truly loved La Cucina - the language didn't seem quick as poetic, but as long as you can handle the light and airy way of dealing with sexuality (I won't be giving this to my Mom!) I think you'll enjoy the book. And, while the premise is obviously fantasy/mythical, I believe Lily Prior truly has insight into what really controls the world... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

The Fortress of the Pearl
Reading The Fortress of the Pearl after Elric of Melnibone is a bit of a downer. The Fortress of the Pearl had no character development, and no events that pertain to the grand scheme of things. It's a mediocre adventure and is not redeemed by the characters. Elric is brooding and sycophantic, prim and proper. One second he is sucking up to someone, the next minute he is threatening to kill everyone. The main part of the novel is made up of the dream world where the pearl is located which is mostly metaphysical, and not very exciting. The only good thing about the novel is that it is short and simple, otherwise I would have never finished it. I hope the rest of the series is as good as the first novel was, and not like The Fortress of the Pearl. Big disappointment.

Average at best
I admire Elric, what can be seen in my review of the first book of this series, but reading "Fortress of Pearl" fails to show what is it exactly that I admire. Now, this may sound egocentric too much, but I'm writing this as my personal experience of this book, not as an objective account into the ways of the text or its narrative. It is perfectly plausible, and in a way expected, that someone else will find here what I did not, but that's the beauty of reading, and once again it shows how text can lead independent life, away from its author and away from its reader.

"Fortress of Pearl" is second book in the series, that is if we follow inside chronology of story itself. From perspective of publishers, it came out during the eighties, over a decade since first book, and after some other Elric stories has been written. Elric is still trying to find a way back to his homeland, trying to free his damsel in distress, and trying to learn as much as possible about the world out there, showing his famous sacriligious trait (at least in the eyes of his fellow countrymen). This search will lead him to yet another adventure, to place that is deeply similar to Melniboné, place which has been building it's own illusions of grandeur over spans of the centuries, place without any significant power but yet occupied with power struggle and plot-weaving to comical extent. All of this is Elric as it has been, it is both critique of sword and sorcery genre, and critique of similar practices of outside world. But Elric will not delve in this place for too long, his destiny of a hero calls him and bides him to a quest, to dream travel in search of a mysterious pearl which becomes symbol of power to warring parties of the new land. And this is where genre kicks in. From this point onward we could raplace Elric with Conan without loosin anything. There are battles, there is magic, there are mysterious and powerfull charactersand there are enemies who must be overcomed. And in that jumble, it seems that Moorcock forgot what was the Elric all about. There is no more subversion, there are no tongue-in-cheek comments on genre paradigms, all that is left is mere adventure, going from place A to place B, and doing stuff in between.

Problem is that in that aspect Elric doesn't shine, it's average at best. Comapred to other genre novels it's almost predictable and unimaginative. It still has that uniqe feeling of things that aren't as they're supposed to be, but that that hardly be excuse for anything now. One could think that in years of writing Elric adventures Moorcock would evolve into better author, if not storyteller, but it seems to me that he did exactly opposite of that. "Fortress of Pearl" resembles things that Elric was running from, and in a way it can be looked upon as going back to mother womb. Is this retreat something from which Moorcock and Elric will emerge reborn it remains to be seen (people who read ahead should already know an answer). I can only recommend this Elric-adventure to those people who learned to like Elric and it's peculiar ways. To any other, this may seem pointless at best.

One of Moorcock's Finest
While Michael Moorcock has written scores of novels over the years, only in the past decade has his work met with approval outside of fantasy and sci-fi circles. While this recognition is belated to say the least, it has to be admitted that Moorcock's talents have continued to blossom as time has gone by. While "The Fortress of the Pearl" is in the heroic fantasy genre, it seems, much like the Von Bek series, to be a transitional work as Moorcock drifted from fantasy and sci-fi to his current literary works. As such, the book contains an excellent plot revealed by some of Moorcock's best writing.

Unlike some of the other books in the Elric series, "The Fortress of the Pearl" is a full novel, not a collection of short stories thrown together as a book. This does not pose a problem for Moorcock who is able to balance the story while offering great depth to some of his usual archtypes (the Eternal Champion, the Companion, etc). The story takes place between the first and second books of the Elric saga and Moorcock still seems to find new facets of his flagship character to explore and reveal. It's also one of the funnier and more through provoking books in the Elric series and, unlike some of his earlier works, Moorcock provides an excellent supporting cast to his main character. Any Moorcock fan and most lovers of heroic fantasy will enjoy "The Fortress of the Pearl" though those readers who are familiar with the other Elric books may take more out of it than others.

Super Reader
This novel was published in the late eighties, but comes in around second, chronologically.

Elric is in trouble, and when he arrives at the mysterious city of Quarzhasaat he is easily convinced to undergo a quest in return for aid.

He must find the Pearl at the Heart of the World. It ain't that easy though, as it is in a fortress. But Elric is still Elric, and having recovered his strength, he still has Stormbringer along with his other talents.

One of my favorite Elric Books
Takes place back in time before Stormbringer killed a loved one.I would read it after the first or second Elric book personally.Elric's father's shade is introduced, and it also should be read before The Dreamthief's Daughter.I really need to reread the other books before making a judgement, but would probably rate this as my 3rd favorite Elric book.I like Moorcock's books because I can get thru them quickly, yet they are still magnificent works that are different than 90% of the fantasy out there.I like his writing style better than about every other fantasy/science fiction author except maybe George R.R. Martin.But I don't get that soap opera pull from Moorcock; I can leave his books for a while and know they will always be there when I need a new adventure to escape into. While Tolkien appeals to a wide range of readers, most Moorcock works wouldn't appeal to religious folk, or anyone who doesn't like reading about death.While Elric constantly tries to save humanity in his own way, his sustenance comes to him by sacrificing souls to his patron Duke of Hell - Arioch. ... Read more

Product Description
Returning to the Dreaming City, the mad albino warrior Elric hears the tortured voice of his dead father amid the catacombs of his ancestors, and must battle the forces of hell with the help of a special woman. Reprint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Super Reader
This is another Elric book that was published around 1990, quite a time after the the others, and after The Fortress of the Pearl.

Elri must locate the soul of his father, to enable him to stop his doomed wandering. At least, according to a dragon, anyway. With him will be the female warrior Rose. As is often the case, agents of Chaos, and the Duke Arioch will stand in their way.

The true motivations of the Rose will decide Elric's actions.

It just didn't seem the same
Elric has always been my favorite of the Champions.This book just didn't seem the same as the earlier ones, though.Of course, I've changed a lot since then, too.This one seemed overly contemplative, and Elric was too conveniently whisked through the multiverse to keep the plot together.Also lacking in action, and the final battle seemed a formality.

My favorite Elric so far
I'm currently reading _Stormbringer_ so I can't say anything about that book but this is my favorite Elric book out of the other 7.It's not as pulpy because it was written as a novel, not as short episodes for a magazine and the gypsy caravan was absolutely ingenious.Rose was cool too.

Questions answered and new questions posed
I really didn't have as much of a problem with the "talky" format of this book. After all, Elric tends to be a pretty contemplative guy. It filled in some background for me on Elric and his father,Sadric,which was welcome. Although we hear about Sadric in other books this is, asfar as I know having read everything, but the Fortress of Pearl, the onlytime we see him in action. This book also provided some background on howMelnibone came to be what it was, as well as clarifying where its citizensmay have come from. I liked seeing a female character, the Rose, who isquite capable of taking care of herself, who aside from Myshella Emporessof the Dawn and maybe Queen Yishana, tend to be absent from the otherbooks. I'd like to see more stories in the future covering her otheradventures.I love Wheldrake,as well, perhaps because I am a writer myself,albeit a definite amateur. He asked some of the questions I would ask andmade some of the comments I would make, if I were able to talk to Elric. Ialso related to his poetic ramblings, being prone to them myself, and otheraspects of his personality.I actually like the narrative style of thisbook better than the style of the earlier books, it seemed richer somehow.I would recommend reading it, but only if you've read at least the firstfew books, just to get an idea of the nature of Stormbringer, which isElric's sword, the concept of the multiverse, and who, or what Elric'spatron is and the relationship of the rulers of Melnibone to chaos. Chronologically, although not in order of publication, Revenge of the Rosefollows book 4: Bane of the Black Sword.

As a further note, there is amistake in the Kirkus review. The agent of chaos is named Gaynor theDamned, not Charion. Charion is a clairvoyant whom Elric and his companionsmeet in the Gypsy Nation.

Okay, but better be a hardcore Elric fan.
This book--being a Moorcock work--I felt would surely be well-written but, alas, it largely was not the case.A lot of the action is glossed over, much like the "Yada, yada, yada" episode of "Seinfeld"so that left me wanting at several potentially interesting and excitingpoints.The tense shifts that irked Kirkus didn't bother me so much as theclear lacking of the book's drive.A lot of poetry was espoused but not tomuch effect.There was a lot of insinuations as to Sotrmbringer's powerand purpose and that helped, I guess, to shed some light on the sword'strue motives, etc.But, in all, this book lacked the clear energy of theearlier books--and I can't help but wonder why that is so?Is Moorcockgetting old and can't fight the urge to ramble on like a senileseptuagenarian?I hope not.

Buy this book if you are a true Elric fan,otherwise content yourself with the first six books. (I haven't read"The Fortress of the Pearl" so I can't comment on that one.) ... Read more

Product Description
Julian Papp found redemption in the game of chess, a kind of intellectual redemption that helped offset the shame and ridicule he often faced as an albino. With his unique ability to achieve a state of perfect concentration, Julian was an awesome prodigy--until, that is, he suffered his first epileptic seizure. Suddenly stripped of his chess-playing prowess, Julian attempts suicide, and finds himself at St. Francis Sanitarium, an institution run by an order of nuns. It is here that he meets Marcy--an enigma to those trying to help her, an adolescent who has blotted all memory of an undisclosed past. When put under hypnosis, in an effort to reclaim her lost identity, the young girl seeks the protection of an aged wood-carver, The Miniature Man, who offers her hints about events she has repressed. He also suggests that Julian may hold a key. Julian thus begins his most significant game, one in which both he and Marcy will learn much about themselves--and about the unavoidable pain of being human.
A brilliant early work, The Miniature Man not only brings to life two unforgettable characters, it also establishes r. muir as a unique literary voice. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Cool Book With Motley Cast Of Characters Set In Asylum
This book is mad & deep & beautiful. If you can find a copy, give it a go.

Demand that this book be reprinted soon!
This is an amazingly visual book. The author's powers of description are by far among the best I have ever read. I cared deeply for the characters and their varied troubles and couldn't wait to find out what happened to them.Fascinating reading ... Read more

Product Description
Against all odds, one brave girl dons a warriors mantle to defend her homeland. In a medieval German town called Naudars, albino children hold a revered and protected status. But when Naudars is attacked by its enemies, all able-bodied men rise to defend their home. Dorothea is one of the albino children, and she has always wanted to see the world beyond her cloistered existence. Now shes prepared to defy the odds and tradition and enlist in the military. Like Joan of Arc, Dorothea must deal with the prejudices of those who are scandalized by the very existence of a young woman warrior. This spirited, sword-wielding
girl is going to have to defend herself from charges of witchcraft at the same time shes defending the land she loves. This volume also features a special color section! ... Read more

Product Description
Mr. Roscoe rang the bell, and, in answer, a servant entered the library, where he sat before a large and commodious desk.

"Has the mail yet arrived?" he asked.

"Yes, sir; John has just come back from the village."

"Go at once and bring me the letters and papers, if there are any."

John bowed and withdrew.

Mr. Roscoe walked to the window, and looked thoughtfully out upon a smooth, luxuriant lawn and an avenue of magnificent trees, through which carriages were driven to what was popularly known as Castle Roscoe. Everything, even to the luxuriously appointed room in which he sat, indicated wealth and the ease which comes from affluence.

Download Hector's Inheritance Now! ... Read more

Product Description
MR. ROSCOE RECEIVES TWO LETTERS.



Mr. Roscoe rang the bell, and, in answer, a servant entered the library, where he sat before a large and commodious desk.

"Has the mail yet arrived?" he asked.

"Yes, sir; John has just come back from the village."

"Go at once and bring me the letters and papers, if there are any."

John bowed and withdrew.

Mr. Roscoe walked to the window, and looked thoughtfully out upon a smooth, luxuriant lawn and an avenue of magnificent trees, through which carriages were driven to what was popularly known as Castle Roscoe. Everything, even to the luxuriously appointed room in which he sat, indicated wealth and the ease which comes from affluence.

Mr. Roscoe looked around him with exultation.

"And all this may be mine," he said to himself, "if I am only bold. What is it old Pindar says? 'Boldness is the beginning of victory.' I have forgotten nearly all I learned in school, but I remember that. There is some risk, perhaps, but not much, and I owe something to my son---"

He was interrupted by the entrance of the servant with a small leather bag, which was used to hold mail matter, going from or coming to the house.

The servant unlocked the bag, and emptied the contents on the desk. There were three or four papers and two letters. It was the last which attracted Mr. Roscoe's attention.

Download Hector's InheritanceNow! ... Read more

Product Description
Mr. Roscoe walked to the window, and looked thoughtfully out upon a smooth, luxuriant lawn and an avenue of magnificent trees, through which carriages were driven to what was popularly known as Castle Roscoe. Everything, even to the luxuriously appointed room in which he sat, indicated wealth and the ease which comes from affluence. ... Read more

Product Description

The daughter of a papermaker in a small French village in the year 1320—mute from birth and forced to shun normal society—young Auda finds solace and escape in the wonder of the written word. Believed to be cursed by those who embrace ignorance and superstition, Auda's very survival is a testament to the strength of her spirit. But this is an age of Inquisition and intolerance, when difference and defiance are punishable "sins" and new ideas are considered damnable heresy. When darkness descends upon her world, Auda—newly grown to womanhood—is forced to flee, setting off on a remarkable quest to discover love and a new sense of self . . . and to reclaim her heritage and the small glory of her father's art.

Customer Reviews (20)

"A kernel of beauty captured forever"
What a great year 2010 has been for historical fiction writer debuts!I have been really blown away by the shear awesomeness of these first timers and know that I will be reading them for years to come!And author Vanitha Sankaran is no exception.

Sankaran has painted an exquisite and beautiful tale about a mute Albino girl named Auda, who is the daughter of a papermaker in Narbonne, France in the 14th century.Born during a time of religious persecution and intense superstition, Auda's affliction causes her to be a target and she has to be extremely cautious when leaving her house or risk being called a witch and handed over to the Inquisition.

My knowledge of watermarks and the paper making process itself were very limited prior to reading Watermark and it was fascinating to me to read about the history and the way it was made back then.One thing that I thought was very interesting was that watermarks were sometimes used by heretics as a means of conveying secret messages.I felt like I really learned a lot from reading this book and for me that is always a plus and one of the main reasons why I read historical fiction.

Auda is an extremely likeable character, with her passion for the written word that any reader can relate to.She has spirit, bravery and fortitude and is inspiring to read about - all good qualities for an awesome heroine in my book!

Watermark is a strong, solid debut from an emerging new talent and I HIGHLY recommend it!

FTC:Many thanks to the author for sending me a copy to review.

Wonderful, intriguing story
I love the way this story begins, I was immediately drawn into the story.The historical aspects were really interesting and I loved the story line and the characters. Looking forward to the next book by this author.

Watermark makes the Middle Ages come alive.
Watermark is an easy read that goes down smoothly.I actually felt refreshed reading it.The characters are well drawn, and I found it easy to identify with Aude, the protagonist.

Narbonne comes alive, so we can see people and how they conduct their daily lives, the weather, the foods they eat, and their fears of the Inquisition.We understand what drives Aude--her handicaps, her loves.And we come to love her.

Born an albino with her tongue cut out by a superstitious midwife's assistant, she finds her calling in papermaking and verse-writing.She must protect herself from the burning sun, from prying eyes, and from the dangers of being condemned as a white witch by the Inquisitors.

I was also pleased with the extras provided by the author.

Worth a Read!
I can't vouch for the historical accuracy of this story, but the writing itself is quite beautiful at times. I tend to skim in a lot of books, because I get bored when it seems the writer is taking too long to get somewhere, but I read every word of this one--Sankaran did a fantastic job with the pacing and the atmosphere and the descriptions of Narbonne and of paper making. All of that seemed just right. I really cared about Auda and about what happened to her, although I felt like some of the peripheral characters (most notably Jaime) could have been better developed. Sometimes the decisions Auda made didn't quite seem in character, but for the most part I really liked this. I'll definitely read Sankaran's next book.

What Happened?
This novel has a lot going for it conceptually, and as a writer and paper & pen lover myself, I couldn't wait to read it.As Ms. Sankaran says herself in her notes about the story behind the book at the end, "The latter part of the medieval era was ripe with change; it was teeming with growing tensions between the burgeoning middle class, the corrupt Church, and a nobility worried about its own power, which makes the perfect backdrop for a compelling story."It does indeed, the pity is, it just doesn't happen with this one. I really did try to like this novel, but the characters were never really brought to life. Their motivations at times left my head whirling, and while I could certainly sense the momentous tension of those times, it felt as though it was at some remove, rather than the immediacy of a vivid story well told. It is interesting to watch Auda's growth and individuation as she emerges from her sheltered life. Whether coming from that background, even with the ability to read and write, she would've developed her rather (for the time) radical ideas about gender equality and the nature of love is a bit of a stretch for me, but I do like boundary breaking heroines, so I'll suspend disbelief on that count.

The ending read like a fantasy, though not a bad one, it just didn't fit in with the tone of the rest of the book.
So I'm not sure what happened to what was obviously a subject of meaning and passion for the author, but between the story she had living in her head and the written book itself, something got lost. ... Read more