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6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
More people should be reading Candace Sams!!, March 12, 2006
This review is from: The Craftsman (Paperback)
I have waited a long time to see the next Tales of the Order book in print and it was definitely worth the wait! THE CRAFTSMAN picks up right where GOBLIN'S MOON left off but can be read as a stand alone novel. The Order is a group of mystical beings, including brownies, druids, satyrs, and the fae. Gawain O'Malley is the Craftsman for the Order and therefore oversees all the artwork that is produced by the Order for sale to humans. These sales finance the Order and Gawain is the face presented to the human world as the artist, DeForest. Unfortunately, an explosion one night killed 9 members of the Order, destroyed all of the artwork, and cost Gawain his right hand. Gawain blames himself for the explosion and leaves the Order to wander in a drug-induced haze. Shayla, Sorceress of the Ancients and leader of the Order, locates him and returns him to the Order but he has no sense of peace until he meets Wren, a brownie. Together, they envision a piece of artwork that will restore the finances of the Order. However, Shayla has discovered that the fire destroying the artwork was not an accident and shares this with Gawain but swears him to secrecy. After Gawain is shot, he begins pushing family and friends away in an attempt to protect them and draw out the traitors. Suffice to say, his plan succeeds but Gawain is forced to learn a great deal about the power of hatred and forgiveness in the process. Candace Sams has scored yet again with this book and I now anxiously await the next book in the Tales of the Order. Highly recommended!
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7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantasy Romance, March 13, 2006
This review is from: The Craftsman (Paperback)
Wren is a brownie, she comes to the Shire with her grandfather who is the leader of the brownies. When she sees Gwain, the Craftsman, she experiences love at first sight, brownie style. As a brownie, Wren brings peace and solitude wherever she goes. But Gwain is a very large, virile male and unless he displays some of the signs of attraction, she may not be brave enough to tell him of her feelings.
Gwain is damaged, he has not recovered fully from the fire that destroyed the crafts hut in GOBLIN MOON, he hears his friends calling out to him for justice. His lost hand brings phantom pain. Being a Druid Warrior, Gwain feels responsible for the tragedy. The endurance and forgiveness so intrinzic to his people, seems to be eroded by his need for vengence. When he finds out it was not an accident but a deliberate fire he becomes someone no one can recognize, even Wren. Justice turns to hatred and rage and only when he has lost his self totally does he know he has lost everything.
Driven by his inter rage, Gwain pushes family and friends away, He is determined to find and punish those who are guilty. He forgets that Vengence and Punishment belong to the Sorceress and through her to the Goddess. Reclaiming his soul, may be harder than anyone could imagine.
The wonderful "Tales of the Order" by Candace Sams has another great addition. I have loved every one of these books and look forward to many more.
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1 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another Phenomenal book in the Tales of the Order series!!, August 12, 2007
This review is from: The Craftsman (Paperback)
Candace Sams has produced another outstanding book in the `Tales of the Order' series. The Craftsman continues where Goblin Moon left off as Gawain O'Malley is trying to put his life back together after the loss of his friends and right hand in a tragic kiln fire. A fire he believes he is responsible for.
As the Craftsman for the Order that live in a secret shire in the English country, he is responsible for the majority of the income brought in from his creations that are sold to the present day/outside world under the name of Deforest. However the great loss he feels since the fire has left him a shell of man. So he retreats into himself and drugs to help suppress the pain and runs away.
It is Shayla, the leader and sorceress for the Order, which finds him up in Scotland and returns him to the Shire. She decides it is time to bring in some outside help and enlists the Brownies. Their leader Troda, once a mentor/master to Gawain, brings his granddaughter Wren and her possible betrothed Wyckam.
Upon introduction to the craftsman, Wren experiences a `quickening' or love at first site. And Gawain for the first time feels a measure of peace/serenity the moment he looks at her. It is from this meeting he learns the Brownies will be helping him to focus and return to his craft to produce more art and save the shire from financial ruin.
That night under the full moon, Wren goes to the worksite to ask the Goddess for her blessing for their work and to meditate. Gawain comes upon her and is drawn into the meditation which connects them with a shared vision and entwines their hearts even more.
However just as life and love return to Gawain he finds out the fire was not his fault but rather intentionally set by a traitor amongst the Order. Will the fragile beginnings of their new love be enough to dampen the burning need to avenge his friends? Or will Gawain seek redemption by taking matters into his own hands and defy the Order?
Ms. Sams has a solid hit with this series. Her creativity, compassion, and endless magical wisdom help to make The Craftsman and all prior books in this series a phenomenal read. Simply outstanding, I truly hope this series doesn't end.
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