Battle Magic [Paperback]

Martin Harry Greenberg (Author), Larry Segriff (Author), Rosemary Edghill (Author), Josepha Sherman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1998

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.

Editorial Reviews

From AudioFile

Sorcerers and wizards duke it out in this anthology of fantasy stories narrated by a fair share of talented readers. In "Ten For The Devil" a young girl finds that playing her violin can sometimes open "doors" between worlds. Christopher Graybill gives a superb narration with character differentiation that is both colorful and alive. "Principles of Warfare" pits sorcerers against samurais in this tale of medieval Japan as a young apprentice learns to be a sorcerer, the hard way. David Elias delivers a dynamic reading with impeccable timing and a mesmerizing voice. Both Graybill and Elias are remarkable readers. S.B.P. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: DAW (October 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0886778204
• ISBN-13: 978-0886778200
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,123,281 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An anthology of outstanding fantasy, March 18, 2001

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Battle Magic (Audio Cassette)

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.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Battle Fatigue, January 4, 2007

By 

David Hood (Wesley Chapel, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Battle Magic (Paperback)

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.

1.0 out of 5 stars Don't judge a book by it's cover?, July 6, 2009

By 

Media Man (Minneapolis, MN USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Battle Magic (Paperback)

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.