Gordath Wood (Ace Fantasy Book) (Paperback)

by Patrice Sarath (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Worlds collide in Gordath Wood.

Something strange is happening in Gordath Wood, the old woods surrounding a training stable called Hunter’s Chase. The police think Lynn Romano and Kate Mossland have been murdered, but what actually occurred is much stranger. They’ve gone through a hole between worlds, into a medieval society at war. In a world that doesn’t ordinarily have use for women, the danger is great—good thing Lynn and Kate aren’t your ordinary women.

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Ace (June 24, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0441016413
• ISBN-13: 978-0441016419
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #522,741 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars solid first novel, February 17, 2009

By	Sara A. Laipis Eno "slaipis" (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Vivid detail, solid plotting, and a realistic view of the collision of medieval and modern warfare. The author handles the multiple points of view with relative ease, although from a structural perspective I wish the most well-developed character, Kate, had been introduced first. The novel is fast-paced and enjoyable, and I appreciated the author's subtle subversion of common romantic tropes. I would definitely read more, both in this series and by this author.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars I'm just not pulled in ..., August 29, 2008

By	A. Callis "anthropologist and geek girl" (Raleigh, NC United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Yes, I am also guilty of buying this book based on the cover (which is lovely) and the description on the back (which makes it seem like a horse based fantasy novel). So I was also disappointed when I started reading a totally different novel from the one the blurb describes. However, that's not my main problem with the book.

I found the characters to be very unrealistic in their reactions to the various situations they find themselves in. Both main characters fall into a different world, and their reactions are non-existent - as though this happens to them every day. One person gets dragged to jail, and seems very nonchalant about it. Another young character has a favorite animal die, and is hardly moved by it. I found it very jarring to be having more of a reaction than the characters at most every turn.

Finally, though the plot is intricate, this is more of a war story than anything else. Though I'm an avid fantasy reader, this one seemed to dwell on the moment to moment aspects of war, rather than on the plot or character development. While the descriptions were great, and seemed realistic, I don't have the patience to read hundreds of pages of strategy.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lots of intrigue and good detail, August 4, 2008

By	Five Elements (Out of this world) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The portrayal of the world that Kate and Lynn, the two main female characters, enter unexpectedly, was realistic and well-done. Rather than overwhelming and immersing us all at once with multiple characters, histories, and background, Sarath lets the alliances and motivations of the new culture that the women encounter emerge gradually. She deftly uses multiple points of view to flesh out the experiences and expectations of this other culture, while creating sympathetic characters. Rather than portraying outright villains and heroes, Sarath creates a more balanced, realistic picture of people struggling to adapt to new circumstances, or fighting for power in a feudal world.
I would have rated it five stars, but I reserve that for only a few books I've read over the years. It's definitely an interesting read, with lots of good details.