Customer Reviews

Highlander(TM): The Captive Soul (Highlander (Warner))

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I wasn't expecting much from "The Captive Soul", after having read some bad reviews on it, but what a good surprise I had when I managed to read the book; although part of it is a little disappointing, indeed, I very much liked it. The action in the past is an interesting and thrilling trip into Methos' past -- any fan of the ROG can have a lot of fun reading how Methos helped the Egyptians to get rid of their evil overlords, the Hyksos, and, in the meantime, fell in love with a slave who he refused to name "like a pet". Both stories get along well and have a very unexpected ending. Besides, in ancient Egypt, we can enjoy (and imagine) several scenarios and situations Methos is in. His thoughts as well as his actions are believable, sometimes reminding you the "good Dr. Adams". However, the action in the present leaves a lot to be desired. Methos and MacLeod don't have much interaction -- they just keep walking from a place to another, chit-chatting, and suddenly the story is over. The final sword fight is not that good and Josepha Sherman even forgets to tell us what happened with a character (Professor Maxwell), who was around at the beginning of the last "scene" and then, disappears without any further explanation. There also is the issue concerning the time (1573-1570 B.C.) Sherman placed her story: one can remember that Methos was a very bad guy in the "Bronze Age" and it would be very unlikely that, at this time, he would be willing to help anyone but himself, or be kind and lovely towards his women. Well, one can either take in consideration that the Bronze Age occurred in different times in different regions of the world (and the Methos of the book is a post-blue-faced Methos)... or forget it and enjoy the story. And yet, the book hasn't been ruined (in my opinion, at least) -- as a Methos' fan, I really loved to "see" him in this adventure in ancient Egypt, being the old good Methos we all love.

In an an original story based on Highlander, the series, Josepha Sherman gives readers a story that begins in bronze-age Egypt, under the Hyksos overlords and spans thirty centuries of obsession and madness. For three thousand years Prince Khyan has sought one very special sword, a sword which, he believes, holds the soul of his dead brother who was once a king in Egypt. His search brings him to present-day Manhattan, and back into conflict with Methos, the man he holds responsible for the death of his brother, and the loss of the throne.

For any writer tackling a novel based on a series like Highlander, one inescapable problem exists: How do you make your work interesting to fans of the show while making it accessible to readers who may have no prior knowledge of the universe in which your characters exist? Josepha Sherman balances these concerns nicely, integrating series back story in a fairly seamless manner. The plot itself is fairly straightforward though never simple-minded: Methos, drawn against his will into a struggle between two ways of life, comes to view that struggle as his own thanks, in great part, to the love he comes to feel for a much-abused young slave he meets at the Hyksos court. Because of her he makes some hard decisions, takes action and must face the consequences. It's a feature of this particular universe that the consequences can wait three millennia before coming home to roost, and that very personal sense of history is perhaps one of the most alluring things about Highlander. Sherman's historical detail is excellent, throwing some light on a previously rather shadowy episode in Egyptian history. Admittedly, she does some fudging of dates and events, but that's not really an issue when you're reading a story in which the plot advances so smoothly.

A caveat: This is a Methos story, and despite back and inside front cover blurbs which raise some expectation that MacLeod will be a central figure in the story, he remains very thinly drawn in the few present-day episodes that set up the final conflict between Methos and Khyan. As such, he rarely comes across as much more than a not-particularly-interesting secondary character. Nor does his relationship with Methos register as much more than, as Duncan himself says, "acquaintances." This may prove to be a little disappointing to those readers who enjoy the friendship between the characters as we see them in the series. Fortunately Duncan is the only character to suffer such a fate. Sherman captures much of the essence of Methos' charm in her narrative, from his instinct for survival, to his wry sense of humor. She never falters even as she takes him from his habitual position of enlightened self-interest to a passionate desire for justice and revenge. Her way with secondary characters is equally skilled, particularly with the women; Nebet, Tiaa and the Dowager Queen of Egypt are all well-drawn, interesting characters in their own right. Indeed, Sherman has a way of painting both the external and internal landscapes of a character with a few deft strokes - Tiaa's seductive walk, Nebet's unbound hair as a symbol of her growing trust in and love for Methos - which I find irresistible. The relationships between Methos and Nebet, and Methos and Tiaa serve as nice counterpoints of love and lust respectively, and the restrained love scenes, far from being intrusive, really do serve to advance the plot. Sherman also is deft at capturing the bittersweet quality of any love between Mortal and Immortal. Though his time with her was short even by Mortal standards, Methos' memory of Nebet is private, indelible and colored by regret.

Slightly less deft is Sherman's handling of the physical world. As a reader, I prefer more sensory input: What does this world smell like? Sound like? What are the textures one encounters? Sherman's descriptions rarely go beyond the purely visual, though she does an excellent job of conveying a world once bright, that has gone gray with subjugation and paranoia. Her action scenes, though, are excellent; she can render a battle or a one-on-one encounter so that it makes sense to her readers, and this is no mean feat. A good sense of action can enliven a book, and in the case of The Captive Soul, it becomes central to the narrative by allowing us to participate in a world far removed from our own. Sherman is, in fact, so good with such scenes that a few may be disturbing for sensitive readers; this is, after all, a world removed from our own by more than thirty centuries. While there is very little in the way of loving description of atrocities, much is implied. Sherman also does a nice job of moving back and forth between Egypt and contemporary Manhattan, with a balanced, flowing style, crisp dialogue and an equally crisp sense of humor. The narrative is well paced in the Egyptian sequences, though slightly less so in the contemporary chapters, and the ending is a bit abrupt though not ultimately unsatisfying.

A random trip to a museum leads Methos down memory lane to a time in ancient Egypt. In 1500's B.C. Methos travels to Egypt only to discover it is being occupied by a brutal race known as the Hyksos. Methos decides to get the hell out of dodge but he's unwittingly drawn into the fight to rid Egypt of Hyksos rule. His task becomes even more perilous because a Hyksos prince turns out to be an immortal, and a completely insane one at that. Meanwhile, back in present day New York, Methos and Duncan suspect that a killing spree is tied to Methos' past.

This really is a three star book but since I lust after Methos it gets four. The plot isn't really anything special but is interesting enough to keep you reading, even though it's pretty predictable. Methos and Duncan were well written and in character but many of the secondary characters were one dimensional. The writing overall is adequate but the author's tendency to repeat herself and state the obvious got on my nerves after a while. Methos fans will enjoy this book but if you aren't that interested in him, skip it.

This type of writing is usually reserved for romance novels. Cheaply written with a minimum of thought (both in style and plot), simply churned for easy sales - cashing in on the popularity of the television show without adding anything truly fresh or unique. A pathetic attempt not worthy of anyone's attention.

ok. This book is about how, while Duncan and Methos are in New York, they come across a truly ancient and hopelessly insane immortal whose sole purpose is to free his Hyksos "brother" from an ancient sword that the Egyptians trapped him in when they liberated their land. You find out much about Methos' past wanderings in that land when it was under Hyksos rule and what he had to do in order to survive. It's a GOOD book and Methos (my love) is PROMINENTLY displayed. It's worth the money and has a wonderful plot as well as intense action.

I bought the book in the hopes of getting a good story about Methos in Ancient Egypt, but instead all I found was a typical story suited to a romance novel and not to an adventure in the Highlander universe. The ending and the discovery of Methos' immortality and the reaction of the Egyptian was trite, simplistic and shows a horrible lack of orginality. The book also managed to work in the typical 'kill the woman he loves so there'll be no hindrance and he can have more adventures' (This was used in countless James Bond movies). The Macleod/Methos relationship was also one dimensional. Macleod does the boyscout routine and Methos does his 'Do nothing and leave' routine. There is no true interaction between the two and they are left as cardboard cutouts. Ms Sherman could have done so much more.

This is a tie-in novel to the HIGHLANDER TV series and focuses on Methos the oldest Immortal. If you are not a fan of, or at least familiar with this series you will probably not enjoy this book.

As the story opens Methos and MacLeod are in present day New York City. There has been a series of killings around the riverfront. An exhibit from an ancient civilization, the Hyksos, who had briefly conquered Egypt has opened. Since this is a Highlander story these two seemingly random facts are related and of course, one of the characters has some past link that now surfaces.

This time it is Methos who has a past history intruding on his present life. Most of the novel is a flashback to his previous life in Egypt under the Hyksos rule, including a lost love, a bit of intrigue, a few battles and an insane immortal. For Highlander fans the pattern is familiar but well loved. This is a very enjoyable tale for Highlander fans and an absolute delight for anyone particularly into the Methos character. It is a bit unusual in that the flashback aspect dominates rather than the present day, and that there is very little MacLeod, Methos is most definitely the main character.

The ancient Egyptian storyline gets a bit tedious at times but overall this is a fun read and a great addition to the Highlander universe.

I vastly preferred the Methos/MacLeod sections (a regrettably small portion of the novel), despite the lack of rapport between the characters and the strange stiltedness of MacLeod, because at least it had a plot with good pacing and intrigue. Unfortunately, the bulk of the novel centers on Methos in ancient Egypt, where the plot drags, the secondary characters are made of cardboard, and Methos himself is much too noble to be true. Best read in 20-minute increments.

The character, "Methos", of the "Highlander" TV series is incredibly rich, vibrant, colorful, and indescribably exciting. Ms. Sherman has managed to make him a cardboard figure buried in Egypt thru the majority of this wearying hack piece and even managed to make the MacLeod-Methos relationship gray and lifeless. Worst of all, the author makes a novice's basic error in having "ancient Methos" speaking and thinking in late 20th Century idiom. I devour good books in hours. It took me 4 nights to valiantly persevere through this one.

I found I enjoyed the book very much. I enjoyed reading about Methos' past life and past loves. It was very easy reading with a lot action.