Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Good idea, poor execution, February 21, 2000
By A Customer
The heroine of this novel is intended to be atypical in fantasy novels: a strong, heroic woman, who nonetheless is very feminine. Unfortunately, she's just too shallow and full of too many contradictions to be believable. She's a determined woman who learns to wield a sword -- but she cries herself to sleep at night, for a different reason every night. She was in love with her dead husband -- but she's lusting after his best friend about a month after he's dead. She's full of all these good ideas -- but she never thinks them up, they just come to her. The characterization in this novel was so poor that I did not care about any of the characters, even by the end.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Somewhat mediocre on the whole., February 19, 2000
The book seemed to have a lot of potential at first, but it ended up being sort of a let-down. The plot had several holes in it, and the book ended somewhat weakly. I hope that the author has planned a sequal, because if written a little better, it might redeem the story somewhat. The characters, again, have some potential, but are not developed to their full possibility, and leave you feeling unconnected to them. If you're looking for this type of Fantasy, but more interesting and enjoyable, try Mercedes Lackey's HERALDS OF VALDEMAR series.
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12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Winter Queen - Beautiful but only part of the story, December 27, 1999
The Winter Queen Queen Elissa is named regent by her dying husband. She is not personally ambitious, but filled with the need to protect her young children's legacy, she becomes embroiled in a struggle for power in a court that does not believe in the capacity of a woman to rule. They are also deeply suspicious of "magic" and "witchery". Elissa comes from a more tolerant country - where such abilities are treasured and cultivated. The characters are extremely well-drawn. The elements of a great story are present - strong romantic interest and tension, political intrigue, etc. The central conflict "man vs. Society" or rather strong, gifted Queen vs. prejudices of the misogynistic court is well plotted. Then, instead of progressing to a more epic conclusion - concludes after a thinly plotted predictable failed coup d'etat from a very two dimensional enemy. I think that this is one more example where the sci-f- fantasy's publishers desire for PROFIT (trilogies, serials, etc. - why actually publish a complete book when you can get just as much for 1/3 of a book) cheats the reader of a fulfilling experience. The true great serialists (Tolkien, Frank Herbert) made each book a rich experience that could stand alone. I do look forward to the next installment in this series. Devin Cary has written PART of what appears to be a brave and lovely fantasy.
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