Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A unique and engaging story, February 17, 2000
This book is one of the best books I've read in a long time. In fact, it may be among the best in my collection. From the moment the characters revealed their unique personalities, I fell in love with them, and I was driven to find out how the story of their lives would unfold; I wound up reading the entire book in two sittings.On the surface, the story seems rather simple, like your classic fairy-tale. But that face eventually vanishes; no fewer than five times during this book, I found myself thinking, "I knew EXACTLY how the story was going to end...until I read this last page..." And with every shift in the plot, the story becomes more engaging, more real than it was before. Spread through the book are illustrations by artist Terrie Smith. They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, and in this case it could be true. Though they aren't numerous, the simple yet beautifully composed drawings add marvelously to the story, fixing in the reader's mind images of the people, and the landscape of this world. The cover illustration, pictured above, is one of my favorites, and I've always been impressed by how alive Terrie can make her drawings seem, simply by the expressiveness in the characters' eyes; no mean feat in flat black and white. For any fan of fantasy, this book is as close to a "must-read" as I could ever claim. The proud but declining society of the Kashran, quiet yet expressive Shadarii and her ambitious sister Zhukora, and all of the lives they touch, weave together into a story of love and war, of hope for a brighter future, and fear of the damage the transition could bring. I can't praise this book enough, nor explain how highly I recommend it without revealing too much of the story.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
"Whisper" is an _astoundingly_ good book!, January 29, 2000
Thinking back, I realize I wasn't quite sure what this book was about at the beginning. And that made it all the better as I read it. The short, enigmatic descriptions promised love, war, terror, tragedy, triumph and power. "Based on a non-human race?" I read, thinking that was most unusual for a modern fantasy novel. The illustrations were intriguing, and the excerpt simply thrilling. Everyone else who had read this book had loved it... and given rave reviews. So I ordered it.I was pleased when it came very quickly in the mail, that same week. The book itself is a thick, heavy, well-made trade paperback, and soon I was engrossed in the engaging, thrilling story. I have to admit, I resented _anything_ that made me get my head out of that book, whether it was work or having to sleep! I haven't gotten that engaged in a story in a long, long time. The story itself is unlike any other kind of fantasy I've read before. And in my over 30 years of reading, I've read a _lot_ of Fantasy. "Whisper" is thrilling, compelling, and written in so brilliant and penetrating a fashion it leaves your heart-pounding at times. The artwork is a perfect compliment. I've never seen a novel in recent times that had so may beautiful illustrations to match the text. I can't say too much, obviously, about the content. The characters, though, have real feelings, motivations and lives. They have a depth you very rarely find in modern science fiction or fantasy. The story picks you up and never lets you go, not until the last page. When you finish this book, you find yourself wishing that there were more in this series. And since it's "Book One of the Kashran Cycle", I guess that there will be! I _eagerly_ await them! This book rates a _full_ five stars, far more than many others on Amazon I've read that held that rating. If Amazon had _six_ stars, it would rate _every_ one of them. Frankly, I'm _astonished_ that Amazon hasn't reviewed this book and put it up on their front page. It is so well-written, so epic of scope and immensely engaging, it could well spark a whole new genre of fantasy, one which I will wholeheartedly subscribe to. This book is not feminist fantasy - fantasy that appeals mainly to female readers, and at times turns male readers away. Yet neither is it the other way. Female as well as male readers will cherish this book. You cannot put a "label" like "Feminist" on it. It is too honest and pure an offering to try and slot it in some mental category or pigeonhole like that, grouping it in any way with other books other than it's category: Fantasy. It really _is_ completely unique, and that's something I haven't run across in a book in nearly twenty years. I recommend this book without hesitation.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Whisper of Wings, December 8, 1999
By A Customer
I was impressed! A book starring butterfly-winged foxes sounds like it would be too, too cute, but the Kashra are very dramatic characters. Kidd has created a detailed and wholly original culture for them, partly based on Aboriginal tribalism but also imaginatively using fantasy such as the strength of the characters' "ka" (psychic force) affecting their flying ability more than the muscles of their wings. When a famine strikes an ancient and culturally stagnant society, changes must be made to avoid starvation. Two sisters follow two roads to change; Shadarii preaches love, while Zhukora champions violent revolution. It is easy to side with Shadarii, but Kidd keeps the reader guessing whether her way is effective enough to save the Kashra before starvation overwhelms everyone. A gripping page-turner!
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