Customer Reviews

With Nine You Get Vanyr

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This book is a real treat for longtime fans of the scifi/fantasy genre. With its sharp wit, carefully crafted plot and a hearty dash of pop culture, W9YGV never lets readers down. There are quite a few characters to keep tabs of in the story, including the nine spunky heroines who are transported to the fantasy world known as Domain. But that doesn't detract from the fun, and there are some 'fish out of water' situations as the gals adjust to their new home that had me laughing out loud.

It's been a really long time since I've enjoyed a fantasy story as much as I have WITH NINE YOU GET VANYR. Jean Marie Ward, together with the late, talented and sorely missed Teri Smith, have created a wonderful world for fangirls and fanboys to lose themselves in. Thank you, ladies!

[Note: This review is of the ebook edition of this title. -- JLC]

The newest hit SF tv show is Domain, a sword-and-sorcery romp on a planet named, appropriately, Domain. Little do the fans of the show know that Domain is real, and that what happens on the tv screen is a reflection of what happens on the real planet.

Reyah, the goddess of Domain, has nine Vanyr and Chosen, immortal fighters who defend the planet and keep the balance between good and evil. Unfortunately, Reyah's favorite son, Deryk, is a constant troublemaker, and this time, he's making a LOT of trouble. Reyah decides to give the Vanyr and Chosen an incentive to keep the peace, and she handpicks nine maidens from the Atlanta Con to be transported to Domain as the legendary "nine to mend" the planet. When the women arrive in Domain, well, that is when the trouble starts!

The authors are very brave to take on a story like this that has nine heroes and nine heroines, plus a secondary cast of thousands. It's a long and complicated story that takes the reader's full attention to follow. I should note that though there is some sexy talk in the story, this is not really a romance, but fantasy with romantic elements. There are no major love scenes. I enjoyed Liz and Thea, the main female characters, and Roarke and Jagger, the main male characters -- the reader learned more about them than the others. The rest of the players seemed to get less time "on stage," and tended to get confused in my mind. However, I found the story interesting and an amazingly quick read. In spite of its issues, I enjoyed the book, and hope that the authors will give us the next installment of the story soon! -- Jean, Fallen Angel Reviews (courtesy of Fallen Angel Reviews)

This is a fun read. Somewhat different in premise from what I normally go for this book involves a group of 9 women at a fantasy convention (reminiscent of DragonCon held each year in Atlanta) who find themselves transported to the world of their favorite fantasy TV show courtesy of the very real Mother Goddess of the series. Man, if only. This has something for nearly everybody - humor (and lots of it), a bit of romance (for those who are into that sort of thing), adventure, heroic action, evil doings and HEROES - hunky, hunky heroes. Plus some pretty good villians, too.

The characters are lively, the situation pretty believable and I'm hoping there are sequels coming because I really want to see what happens to our heroines.

With Nine You Get Vanyr
Jean Marie Ward & Teri Smith
Samheim Publishing, Feb 2007, $17.00
ISBN: 1599983605

At the science fiction and fantasy convention, DragonCon, the internet fan group the Daughters of Reyah loves the show Domain. Also at the event is Reyah, who separately, along with her group followers, makes a wish on the Wishstone. Nine girls are transported to Domain while also transformed into their avatar persona. Also sent is Lydia, the actress who plays the villainess the Demon Queen on the TV show.

The internet group is transformed into Vanyr (demi-gods) just like Reyah's sons. Lydia is taken to the evil son's Keep where he mistakes her for Megeara, the villainess who can conjure up an unbound demon. He plans to take over the world and oust his mother from power. He demands Lydia call up a demon. Each of Reyah's daughters is sent on a quest to prepare for the upcoming battle between her evil son and his minions vs. her new "offspring".

Jean Marie Ward & Teri Smith make Domain seem like a real realm due to the reactions of the transported conventioneers. The characters are very believable as they adapt to having real powers that they must learn to use properly as opposed to role-playing. Fans will never look at Atlanta's DragonCon the same way again after this fun filled fantasy. This reviewer's only wish when she attends the 07 Con on the Labor Day weekend is more tales in the realm of Domain. WITH NINE YOU GET VANYR is a great fantasy.

Harriet Klausner