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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
An enjoyable and quick read, October 8, 2003
This review is from: Memory of Fire (The World Gates, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)
This book is obviously the first in a series with some faults that most such books suffer from. They did not, however, spoil my enjoyment of this story. I wish Molly Mcoll had been used more, she was in the story quite a bit, but seemed to lack something. The author seems to have preferred her sister, Lauren, over her. We see much deeper into Lauren's life than we ever do Molly's. I found myself disliking the sentinels--too sanctimonious for my liking. Also, the bad guys were glossed over severely. The three rogue sentinels seem to have zero character and zero motivations (except maybe simple greed) for their actions. I just didn't believe in them. Ah... but the world of the Vodi and Veyar. That worked brilliantly for me. I loved the setting and is one of the big reasons I give this book four stars and not three. The veyar as a people were interesting, the idea of a Copper House to shield the occupants from magic was good. The Vodi's necklace... excellent again. The only thing really wrong with this book was the weak bad guys. They seemed like generic opportunists and were only in the book to give the good guys something to do. Overall, this was an enjoyable and quick read but it came across as a simple introduction to book two. I am writing this review after finishing The Wreck of Heaven (book2) by the way, so I have the benefit of hindsight, which is 20/20 :¬) Mark E. Cooper
Warrior Within (ISBN: 0-9545122-0-0)
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Magic isn't as easy as the fairy tales, June 12, 2002
This review is from: Memory of Fire (The World Gates, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)
Molly McColl is kidnapped by strange creatures and dragged off to the world of Oria to save them. She doesn't just meekly go along - but soon discovers that in this new world her healing talent, that has always caused her great pain on Earth, is now effortless. Isn't helping people who greatly need her help, with a talent that is working better than it ever has, the right thing to do? Lauren Dane discovers that a large mirror in the family house she's just reclaimed is a gateway to another world, and she's haunted by the voice of her deceased husband. Suddenly she has recovered bits of memories from her childhood, that had been hidden with her own permission. She realizes that the home town she's returned to is a stranger place than anyone would guess, and soon learns that her parents had been murdered years ago. Surely she should figure out what her parents had been planning and be prepared to deal with whoever murdered them. Sheriff Eric MacAvory is wondering whether Molly's disappearance is part of his mundane job or has anything to do with the terrible calamity that the Sentinels see coming up for the Earth. If they can't fix the magical backlash, the level 5 rebound breakthrough is predicted to kill three billion people worldwide; the news already shows people dying of a mysterious `flu'. But soon treachery is going to force the Sheriff/Sentinel to think about doing things outside the rules of either of his jobs. What are the ties between Molly and Lauren? Can the sheriff and Molly work together, with each suspicious of the other? Who is the traitor among the magical guardians of Earth, and what is the actual cause of the magical feedback that is killing thousands? With such a mix of conflicting `right things', not to mention the creatures just out for what they can get, will there ever be a long-term balance, or will the Earth end up as lifeless as the next world? This last question will have to be answered in a future book in this series. I look forward to it!
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Strange Magic, June 9, 2002
This review is from: Memory of Fire (The World Gates, Book 1) (Mass Market Paperback)
Memory of Fire is nothing short of a masterful saga. For those who love cross-dimensional fantasy, Lisle's work can be wonderfully satisfying and does successfully allow one to experience a thorough suspension of disbelief. Since I do live in the heart of one of the story's settings, I read with interest the many references to the Laurinburg, Gibson, and Rockingham areas of south central North Carolina. Having met the author's parents while they resided in Laurinburg, I began reading Holly Lisle as a way to scratch a curiosity itch. I found a tremendous treasure within the works of Holly Lisle. And, like fine wine, this particular author seems to greatly improve with age. Memory of Fire is the story of two women: Lauren Dane and Molly McColl. Both become enmeshed within the tangled web first spun by parents that neither woman really knew. Part of that webbing includes another world; one on which humans can create and produce magic. Unfortunately, each spell carries a sinister equation: for every spell cast there is an equal and opposing effect on Earth. Each woman learns that old Spiderman axiom-with great power comes great responsibility. Quite frankly, to reveal more would be criminal, for the book's charm lies within its plot's twists and turns. As Lisle breathes life into wonderful characters and plot, Memory of Fire becomes a procrastinator's worst nightmare-it simply is NOT a book to be put down until every page is turned. Fortunately, Memory of Fire is the first installment of a larger work called The World Gates; there will be more to come. Books that I plan to read repeatedly are usually bought in the hardback format; however, Memory of Fire is available only in paperback. I find that to be the book's only major flaw.
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