Product Description
Promised financial security, Jerry Flint hires on with the mysterious Pilgrim Foundation. Next morning Jerry awakes in 19th century Illinois. His irrevocable assignment: Save President Lincoln from assassination. With only his wits, an unusual natural gift, and Pilgrim's mysterious pocket watch, Jerry must succeed or remain trapped in a time loop.
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Customer Reviews (1)

WoundHealer best of the sword boods
I remember reading WoundHealer years ago - it was a terrific read, I thought it was the best of the Sword books.It could easily stand on its own as a movie (not kidding - and I would definitely pay to see it).

I was a fan of the entire series but WoundHealer was the one that really had a magical feeling to it - in fact, I think I'll read it again after I finish Ardneh's Sword - which I just started :)!! ... Read more

Product Description
Long ago, the gods forged Twelve Swords of Power and threw them on the gameboard of life for greedy mortals to scramble over. Too late, the gods learned that they had forged too well; the Swords could kill the gods themselves.

Now, ages later, the Swords are back in human hands, as powerful as ever. Vilkata the Dark King returns from exile seeking revenge on those who defeated him. His first goal is the vault in which is enemy Prince Mark has placed the remaining Swords; with these in hand, none can oppose his rule. Only one untested warrior stands in his way: fourteen-year-old Prince Stephen, with Shieldbreaker in hand.
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Customer Reviews (14)

Holes Aplenty
I just finished a rereading of the entire Swords series, from The First Book of Swords, straight through to Shieldbreaker's Story.I first read these books in high school, and was interested to see how everything would hold up.

The answer: not well.While I absolutely LOVE the idea behind these books-- Twelve nigh-invincible, God-forged swords that give their owners specific powers that also come with amazing drawbacks-- the writing throughout the series just doesn't hold up.Often times it feels like one is reading the minutes of some board meeting, rather than an epic fantasy tale set in the far-flung future.

But let's get to this particular book, Shieldbreaker's Story.I actually like the ending of this book, I like where it goes, even if it is poorly written and clunky.My main issue with this book is the MASSIVE character and plot mistakes that make me feel as if the author had completely forgotten the previous books.

***SPOILERS BELOW***
At the end of the third book (the last in the Complete Book of Swords compilation), The Dark King Vilkata is thrust down an anonymous mountainside by the dying god Vulcan, where he ostensibly remains until The Mindsword's Story, when he returns to the Great Game.Meanwhile Baron Amintor, a general of the Dark King's enemy Queen Yambu, has his own series of failed adventures in other books.

Then, for some reason, in Shieldbreaker's Story, Fred Saberhagen writes that Amintor and Vilkata had been associates in the past, and that they had worked together previously.As far as I can tell, that is exactly opposite of what has been told in previous books.

Secondly, many characters refer to The Emperor as Queen Yambu's husband (even she does this) while in previous books it had been stated that Yambu had turned down the Emperor's proposal of marriage more than once.All of the sudden in the last book this changes.

***END SPOILERS***

These are just a few of some fairly egregious mistakes and plot holes in the book, which cast a shadow on the series as a whole.For me, they do a lot to ruin the experience of reading the book.

While some people suggest skipping this book, I can't advise that... I always like to see things through to the end.Just know that it will not be a completely satisfying end, due chiefly to the author's laziness or confusion regarding his own tales.

Hugely disappointing finale
I followed the Swords series when I was a kid in Jr High and later High School.The concept really is fantastic, one of the best premises I've seen in a genre that generally recycles the same tired old Tolkeinesque tropes over & over.The execution is a bit uneven from book to book, but it almost always stays engaging and entertaining.

This final offering, though, is a total disaster.With the exception of the first couple of chapters, the entire tale is a hastily delivered headlong rush to nowhere.Characters that have been mainstays of the previous ten books are dragged onto the stage for a couple of paragraphs for reaction quotes, engage in brief, pointless skirmishes, and then disappear again for several dozen pages.

There really is no coherent plot thread to bind all this frantic action together. The entire story is a transparent exercise to both destroy all of the iconic, titular Swords and grope for a plausible connection to Saberhagen's previous "Empire of the East" books.

Fans of previous Swords books will find this a dull & prolonged anticlimax to an previously imaginative and often entertaining series.

Surprised, not disappointed.
If I hadn't already read this book, I probobly wouldn't after reading all but one of these reviews...then again, that hasn't been all that unusual with the reviews I've seen on Amazon.Almost every review that I've bothered to write has been because I felt the need to counterbalance some very over-the-top reviews; this is definitely a case in point...

Some of the reviewers here claim to have enjoyed the rest of the series which almost made me stop myself from making this statement, but I'll take a chance and make it anyway: If you enjoyed the rest of the series, chances are good that you'll enjoy this book as much or more.The ending was not what I expected but in most of the books that I have enjoyed, the ending was somewhat of a surprise; frankly, I would have been disappointed if Fred HAD done the most obvious thing (whatever that is!).

Is it possible that he wanted to be done with the Swords?Certainly.If that was the reason, I really don't care.It is said that Tchaikovsky's 6th symphony was his way of dealing with his homosexual feelings; when I heard that I gave a little shudder and continued enjoying the music as much as I ever did.Whatever Fred's reason for ending the series the way he did doesn't change the fact that this is a fantastic book by any standard.

As a postscript I should point out that if Fred truly was sick of the world of the swords, explain the recent release of "Ardneh's Sword".This book was truly unnecessary to the series and the questions it answers could have been answered without going to the trouble of adding another 348 pages to the series.

Heavens to Betsy!
Don't read the other reviews of this book and walk away thinking that this series is not worth checking out.I wept when this book ended, but mainly because it ended and I read it long after it was published and thus knew that no other books in the series would be forthcoming.

I was a bit disappointed that Saberhagen felt the need to destroy all the swords at the end of the book.I guess he was getting tired of the setting and wanted to slam, not shut the door.I wish that he had left Coinspinner around at the least..... Ah, but life is filled with tragedy.....

If you enjoy fantasy, you simply MUST read this book.The world is incredibly detailed and it really is a crime that there never was a role playing game developed based on the novels.

I won't go as far as to say that these books are better than the LOTR, but they are comparable.That statement, in it self speaks volumes.

Egads!
I was all set to write a stinging review of the terrible book that killed this great series- but it would just echo what has already been written.And that ending- good grief Fred, what were you smoking???So, I am here just to slam this piece of garbage with 1 star. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Such confusion!
Why are these people reviewing Berserker when the book at the top of the page is Berserker Blue Death, a wholly different Berserker title, a 1985 novel (and without a colon)? I have just heard the audio book of Berserker Blue Death. A fine story, among Saberhagen's best. Meanwhile, shape up, people. Look at Saberhagen's bibliography. And someone get that confusing colon removed. ... Read more

Product Description
Volume III Book of the Gods

A Splendid New Fantasy by the Author of Ariadne’s Web

Fred Saberhagen, New York Times bestselling author of the Berzerker Series, continues to puts his own twist on Greek mythology, continuing the series that kicked off with The Face of Apollo and Ariadne’s Web with Book III, The Arms of Hercules.

Hercules is the son of the nearly omnipotent Zeus, King of the Gods, and of a human mother whose beauty sparked lust in the great god. The arms of Hercules look no more muscular than those of many other men—but his father was the greatest god in the entire world. Hercules, the son of Zeus, has crushed monsters, giants and legendary warriors in combat.

Until one challenge remains: The harrowing underworld, the one place where strength does not matter. Pitted against the greatest monsters that classical literature and Saberhagen’s vivid imagination could create, Hercules’s struggle comes to life in his fight to the death, against Death itself.
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Customer Reviews (7)

A pleasant if not captivating addition to the series
Saberhagen continues his saga of gods from Greek/Roman mythology with this volume written from the first-person perspective of Hercules.

Saberhagen does a nice job of tying together the legend of Hercules with his own story line, although this volume is a little bland compared to the last two, with things going a little too easily, too simply.Hercules character development is a little stilted, and somebody missing from the first two volumes makes an appearance.But Saberhagen's narrative style is quite enjoyable, and I sped through this volume.Recommended if you enjoyed the earlier books, but not a good place to start the series.

a delightful journey
I've enjoyed reading Fred Saberhagen's novels for almost twenty years now. He is very talented, having the ability to breathe life into the worlds which he creates, worlds which become, for all intents and purposes, real, and which many of us would love to live in, no matter the dangers to be found there. Fred's stories always have so much depth to them that they are a delight to read - they are so vivid that they allow you to feel as if you are right there watching the events unfold before your eyes. His new series, Book of the Gods, is highly imaginative and thought-provoking.

The Arms of Hercules is the third novel in this Book of the Gods series, and it differs slightly from the previous two, in that it is more of a first person narrative. Much to the amusement of my editor and friends, I have had a little difficulty with this review. As I read the book, it seemed that the voice which was relating the tales of this incredibly strong son of Zeus was actually that of Kevin Sorbo. Okay, maybe I do watch too much television, or perhaps it is just that there was so much hype surrounding Hercules and Xena. Either way, this is the voice which told the tale.

Fred's Hercules is very different from the character Kevin Sorbo portrayed. This Hercules is younger, and of a much more average build. He is nothing more than a teen when he is sent with his cousin to herd sheep, and his adventures begin. Being the son of an almost completely omnipotent father and a human mother has got to play havoc with one's body and mind, but Hercules seems to deal with it better than most human boys would. He is logical and tries to reason out his emotions where his lineage is concerned, and does quite well.

As is to be expected when there is any tale concerning the legendary Hercules, there are a number of monsters and giants, and other sundry opponents which he must face. Killing is not something which Hercules really enjoys, though, and he would also prefer to remain cloaked in anonymity while his cousin basks in the glory.

This is a subject which has, in my mind, been done to death. However, Fred manages to breathe just enough new life into it that I wasn't bored. I knew what was to come to a certain extent, but there were a few changes of drastic import which added to the adventure. And of course the "god faces," translucent half-masks which imbue the human avatar with that particular god's attributes, are very prominent.

Hercules is mortal, and has no need of one of the "god faces;" however, there is now talk between Daedalus and Haphaestus of attempting to make one. During the course of this story Hercules is brought together with his father, Zeus, and the rest of the immortals as they battle for their very existence against an ancient foe. Not exactly the reason for father-son time that Hercules had desired, but he will still take what time he can get.

I recommend reading this novel, as well as the previous two, The Face of Apollo and Ariadne's Web. It is a delightful journey through classic literature made even more interesting by Fred's prodigious imagination and writing skills.

Review Originally Posted at LinearReflections.com

Not bad
This was actually alot better than the previous one. I read it clear through. Its a good read. And educational too..

Another Solid effort by Mr. Fred Saberhagen
As an avid reader of the genre fantasy, i have come upon the books of Fred Saberhagen. I have read some other books by him like the "Lost Swords" books and "Merlin's Bones".Having read books 1 and 2 of "The book of the Goods" Book three is another interesting and exciting episode in this solid series by Saberhagen.

I love it
This bookwas mazing not only did it show great signs of adventures, love, and imagination.it explained the courage of hercules and reading this bok has given me a great new respectfor the hero in fact!!!!! ... Read more

Product Description
For centuries two meg-powers from the future have been waging war for control of timelines of history. Alan Norlund, a WWII airman vet, is promised a life saving cure for his granddaughter, if he will undertake a mission fifty years back in time to the 1933 Chicago World's Fair. Hitler with his 'angels' from the opposing power would like to take over our timeline and 1933 Chicago may be just the place to start.
Continuing the time-line wars of Fred Saberhagen's MASK OF THE SUN.
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Customer Reviews (2)

Entertaining Time Travel
Enjoyable time travel novel with interesting insights into the reaction of the characters to 1930's and 1980's America.A lot of fun to read, well written, with a pretty good plot.It easy to see other authors have been influenced by Saberhagen's work here and none have duplicated his style, wit, and characterizations.

Interesting... 'Vee haff vays of making you read...'
'A Century of Progress' snared me with its cover.How often do you see Adolf Hitler and a dinosaur sharing picture space?(Well, if you're a SciFi/AltHist fan, maybe more than most people, but still...)

The premise is simple:In 1984, an aging man, his granddaughter dying of cancer, is approached by a mysterious woman who offers to cure the girl if he will do a bit of work for her and her organization... no more than a day or two, really...

The catch is that the job is in 1933, and that the job entails planting 'listening' devices in and around the Chicago World's Fair to pre-empt a Nazi-descended timeline from taking over this Earth as well.

Sub-par for Saberhagen, but still a decent read. ... Read more

Product Description
A splendid new fantasy by the author of The Face of Apollo ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Good, but not as solid as The Face of Apollo
The second book in this series set in the world of Greek Mythology is a quick, entertaining read, but not as gripping as the first volume in the series, the Face of Apollo.

Character development is weaker than in the first volume, and the main character doesn't seem to have to struggle nearly as hard as the character who becomes Apollo did in the previous volume.Apollo makes an appearance in this volume, but his compatriots from the previous volume do not.

Concept good, but disappointing
I'm a Saberhagen fan from way back, but I had to force myself to finish this second part of the Gods series.It's a great concept, the use of 'faces of the gods' but I had higher hopes in it's execution.The story development is too broken up, goes out of it's way to be roundabout, and the characters I wished more of didn't pan out.Frankly, this is a good short story stretched way too long.No book three for me.

Book two of a good series
Adrian's web, Now this wasn't the best Saberhagen book, the I have ever read, but don't get me wrong, it was still very good. Compared to the first book, Adrians web is less wonderous, but it is still just as strong in the writing and the flow of words. The imaginative aspect of fantasy books is there and while these is no "Lord of The Rings" it is still a very well crafted and interesting tale, that all should read

An acceptable sequal
The beginning is a little slow and at times it seems it takes many pages for anything exciting to happen, but its still a good book overall. I can honestly say i wasnt hooked on this one like i was the face of apollo, but i HAD to read what happens to Jeremy Redthorn aka apollo.After i finished the book, I went right to amazon.com and bought the next one. Arms of Hurcules. I am currently half way through Arms of Hurcules and its worth reading adraines web just to understand more of Hurcules.

an acceptable sequel
i'll admit the book was a bit slow at first but as i progressed on the evolution of the chracters and their changing interactions gave me a sense of flow. i'm willing to forgive the fact that the ending was a bit weak,i'll admit even the most creative writers have trouble blending wildlyopposite elements into a single continous thread but the fact that the bookjumped around and hardly gave room for any of the lead characters to movepast their pasts and accept the future disappointed me just a bit. giventhat nearing the end it seems that ariadne and dionysus/alex seem to accepttheir situations it all seemed lumped together. not the best sequel to aseries but an acceptable book nontheless ... Read more

Product Description
A renegade Berserker destroyer steals an entire orbiting biological laboratory filled with human zygotes, while a computer falls in love with a woman and must figure out how to acquire a physical body. Reprint. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Fair Far-Future SciFi
I've been meaning to start reading a Berserker Series story for some time, and was trying to determine the best place to start, and I ended up choosing BERSERKER KILL (1993).

The book has a number of good space combat sequences, but bogs down at times with monotonous contemplations about the moral and ethical implications of raising human zygotes into adult humans for the sole purpose of implanting the memories of exiting adult humans... indeed the author must have grown tired of these contemplations, as the book suddenly changes tack halfway thru, and in Part 2 we find ourselves suddenly 300 years further into the future - and at least we get back into a more action-oriented mode.

This story is now available as the third part of the omnibus BERSERKER DEATH, which is probably a better way to choose to start reading the Berserker Series.

Uninteresting with too many loose ends
I haven't read a lot of Saberhagen, a few Berserker short stories (that I enjoyed)and probably a few novels that escape my memory over the years. This book is really weak. It is long and uninteresting until the final 25%. The book repeats points over & over. Worst, there are more loose ends than a bowl of spagetti. The big event that most of the first third of the book builds up to is skipped over, later referred to in past tense with incomplete descriptions. The last words of a character are significant and referred to many times, but never fully explained. When the big climax comes, it is ***an explanation***, and a predictable one at that!!! Battles just end as if someone turned off a switch. At the end of the book, the fates of two major characters are left hanging.

Finally, boarding and hand-to-hand fighting in space battles? Come on! I thought Niven buried that idea long ago. If I can get a small craft grappled to an enemy's hull, I'd be inclined to fill it with explosizes than little-itty-bitty-fighter machines.

Worth the investment
A captivating read for Berserker fans, with plenty of cool stuff revealed, especially at the end.[NO SPOILERS INCLUDED HERE!] However, I noticed redundancies cropping up occasionally in the narrative, which irritated me slightly.Additionally, the pace of the narrative wasn't up to Saberhagen's usually "cracking good" standards.Are Fred's writing abilities slipping only slightly with age?

This story would make an excellent adaption to TV or film, but would probably work best as a story arc in part of an ongoing series, since the tale is best appreciated in the overall context of the Berserker saga (as is Saberhagen's short story "The Sign of the Wolf").

The novel is a little draggy, and I was disappointed that Saberhagen killed off one of the supporting characters before he had a chance to really develop, but certainly not as hard to wade through as its immediate sequel, "Berserker Fury" (1997).Definitely worth the effort.

Rather lacking ...
I must disagree with the other reviewers - While I DO like the berserker saga, simple fandom-appeal is no excuse for shoddy quality. The book IS too long, in many parts repeats itself ( you often get the same train ofthought in three or four slightly different variations ), the plotconfusing ( not complex, confusing ) and the characters come across asstilted. Still, it had enough nice ideas for me to finish it.

A Berserker Mystery!
Why are the Berserkers suddenly NOT killing people?What are they up to?Sure, the book is a tad long, but when you realize Berserkers are fighting each other, you want to know WHY! The answer is worth the wait. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

The First Book of Swords
The First Book of Swords is simple, but I loved it! Swords with special powers and kingdoms at war are not the most unique things in the world, but interesting characters, gods, and a fast paced plot push this book into greatness. I admit, the story was slow to start for me. The prologue was boring, and the main character walking around made me skip sections, but that was only a small part of the book, and I'm glad I stuck through it. I couldn't wait to find out what happens to the swords and the characters, and since it's only the first part of a trilogy I was even more happy. But, I have to say, I really expected more. If there were only a few more things this book would have been five stars. I would have liked to have seen more of the 12 magical swords, instead of just four. I thought there would be a big event with all of the swords coming together. I thought different people from around the world would come together in a big way, but that didn't happen. This novel also has a definite conclusion, and the second book does not pick up the plot at all. I really want to read about the people who own these swords and what they can do, instead I have to settle for a 200 page book revolving around a few characters making a trip. A few hundred more pages added to the end would have been nice instead of an unrelated second book. Oh well, this book by itself is fun, exciting, and entertaining, and I enjoyed it.

Deceptively simple
On the surface, this appears to be just another fantasy novel - young boy given a magical sword, sets out to seek his fate, blah blah bibbity blah.However, we see depths here, hints of a mysterious past in the world (technology was banished 2000 years ago for a length of time of 49,949 years - what a strange number - does it mean something), tales of other magical swords - which are apparently true, as evil-doers start coming out of the woodwork left and right seeking the boy to steal his magical sword in order to gain its power for their own.

While I would like to see deeper character development, or more details on the mysterious past (although, now I see while browsing through other available texts that the past is described in other books - what a pity, I'll have to buy more books, oh, woe is me ... *grins*), at the same time it would likely ruin Saberhagen's forward momentum to slow it down and do so.

I think I've discovered a new author to add to my list of "favorites" and a new list of books (what a HUGE list it is, too!) to add to my "want to get these" list.I would recommend to those who haven't yet discovered this classic gem of a book to run out and see if you can find a copy.I purchased mine in the omnibus The Complete Book of Swords, which might be easier to find nowadays.

First of a trilogy, but the middle of a much longer series
I may have made a tactical error, beginning this first volume of a trilogy before I had the second and third volumes in hand and standing by. Saberhagen is an old-school writer, best known for his "Berserker" series (which was also the model for Star Trek's Borg). This is straight sword-and-sorcery, but not really in the classic, Tolkien-esque mold. Saberhagen has the knack of combining fancy and fact in a way that's foreign to "high fantasy." It's 50,000 years in the future, after the end of our present technological age -- 2,000 years in the future even of Saberhagen's "Empire" series, upon which this present trilogy builds. And society is more or less medieval again. Barons and knights and dukes run things, with millers and blacksmiths and yeoman farmers occupying the lower rungs of society. But there's also sorcery and mythological beasts, the most powerful of which are dragons of many and diverse species. Most important, though, is the return of the gods -- or that's how they represent themselves, anyway. And the gods are engaged in playing a game (a motif Saberhagen often invokes). Young Mark is the focus of the narrative, the second son of a blacksmith who lost an arm to Vulcan while helping in the manufacture of twelve swords of power, each of them with a different profile or personality. The sword Mark's father was given in payment for his arm has come down to Mark, who now finds himself on the run from the forces of Duke Fraktin, who wants to obtain as many of the swords for himself as possible. He becomes involved with Nestor, an ex-knight turned dragon-hunter, who possesses another of the swords and is also of interest to the duke. Balancing the Bad Guys in this power struggle is Good Sir Andrew, a do-gooderish sort who also provides a bit of comic relief. Saberhagen's narrative style is straightforward and unadorned, letting the story tell itself, and it works. If you've read a lot of fantasy and semi-fantasy in its various forms, you'll be interested in seeing how he sets up the story within the real-world constraints he has set himself. I would have made some different choices, though. Vulcan, for instance, belongs to the Roman pantheon, but most of the society in this future world seems to be northern European in origin; I would have depicted the smith god as Wayland, for consistency. (But perhaps there are unmentioned reasons for all that, since parts of this novel are derived from earlier books and series I haven't read.) It's also strange to hear distances by wagon and the length of a sword blade described in metric measurements. But that's carping, and the story, which ends here with Mark in possession of two of the swords and escaping the destruction of Sir Andrew's castle, is well worth reading as he and his companions move off into the next stage of their adventure. Now if I can only find those other two volumes.

best fantasy series i have ever read
AS BEST DAMN SERIES I HAVE EVER READ BUT DONT BUY THE INDIVIDUAL BOOKS OF THE FIRST SET BUY THE COMPLETE BOOK OF SWORDS. I BELIEVE IF YOU BUY THE 1ST 2ND AND 3 RD YOU WILL FEEL SHORTCHANGED. IT SHOULD BE READ AS ONE BOOK AND SHOULD BE SOLD THAT WAY TOO. YOU WILL WANT TO GET THE WHOLE SERIES ALSO IM SURE. THE FIRST THREE BOOKS CALLED THE BOOKS OF SWORDS AND THEN THE FOLLOW UPS THE BOOKS OF LOST SWORDS 1 THRU 8 .

a mixture of magic and mythology [no spoilers]
"The First Book of Swords" is the opening novel in "The Book of Swords" trilogy.It has an interesting storyline involving an assortment of deities supplemented with a variety of creative magical weaponry.

The book mostly follows Mark, a likeable young man whose father was one of the assistants in forging twelve supernatural swords.He meets up and adventures with a couple other individuals, Barbara, Ben, and Nestor.The solid background in the developing story establishes a thorough world for future fantasy adventures.

I do not care for the mixture of Greek and Roman names for the gods and goddesses, I would prefer to stick with one mythological theme.However introducing other godlike beings such as Ardneh, Orcus, and Draffut within the same world bears credit by showing a world in transition.The creation of weapons by a god that can supposedly destroy a god makes the story fascinating.A detailed map of the significant terrains would have been useful.

I would recommend this series to any fan of the fantasy genre.

Thank you. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Shameful!

The novel Dracula does not need to be re-adapted based on other interpretations. It's my personal view that the classic novel is a work of literary genius and can stand up perfectly well on it's own.Buy the regular Bram Stoker's Dracula novel, the real one originally published in 1897. You will be a lot happier for it.

This should not exist.This is a redundancy.The film Bram Stoker's Dracula was very faithful to the novel by Bram Stoker.That is why it is called Bram Stoker's Dracula.This is a shameless exploitation for money and an insult to classic literature.Read the real novel.If you truly appreciate the film than you would not want to diminish the value of the work of literature it was based on. Don't buy this just for the pretty 'romantic' implications.The film was meant to be an adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel.Don't insult his memory with this dribble.



... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

makes me want to read more by Fred Saberhagen
I picked up a copy of The Golden People at a thrift store and am glad that I did.I found that Saberhagen skilfully introduced a number of story elements early in the book and kept me wondering when they would come back into the story later.All of the elements *did* come back and turned out to be important.This book also had a few dramatic scenes that were emotionally powerful.The rescue attempt of the native child had a particularly strong impact on me. ... Read more

Product Description
This map is part of the Landranger (Pink) series and is designed for people who really want to get to know an area. It includes the following information: tourist information, camping and caravan sites, picnic areas and viewpoints, selected places of interest and rights of way information for England and Wales. Each map in the series covers an area of 40 km by 40 km (25 miles by 25 miles) and like other Ordnance Survey maps, National Grid squares are provided so that any feature can be given a unique reference number. Perfect for planning ahead and local excursions, these maps are full of useful information that will help you really get to know an area. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

One of Saberhagen's Best
A magnificent blend of fantasy, medieval, hints of technology, and magic, this is Saberhagen at his best.The Black Mountains is the second section in Empire of the East, (related to the Swords novels).
The plot details an assault by freedom fighters on a mountain citadel, held by a dark lord who has become something less than human, and a great demon, whose mere passing weighs heavy on human minds and makes bones feel like jelly.Another great being of unknown allegiance uses his power to heal whatever men come to him.The plot is gripping and detailed, yet simple, and the stories of the characters are well-told, inspiring, and necessary to the whole.It features characters from The Broken Lands: Rolf, and Chup.
I've read many fantasy and Sci-fi works, this, along with its sequel Changling Earth, just might be the best. ... Read more

Product Description
A man has come out of the seabrain damaged in a fight with a terrible giantremembering very little about himself. He knows his name is Proteus, and that he was sent to join Jason and the Argonauts as they embarked on the greatest journey the world has ever known. When Princess Medea is struck by Cupids arrow, she falls so desperately in love with Jason, that she is ready to betray her father, and to lure her own brother to his death, so that Jason may win the Golden Fleece. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Good Ending
This is a good book with a non-typical ending.A good Saberhagen book

Excellent retelling of classical mythological story.
One of 5 books which have taken the classical Greek myths and updated them with a sci-fi hook.When are the stories in the books taking place?Before the classical Earth-centric Greek period?Or,sometime way, way, way after our civilization has passed?Saberhagen drops a hint or two (use of word "bio-computer) which may or may not lead one astray.But the good storytelling and stories stand by themselves.If anyone has a copy of Robert Graves 1955 (or later re-issue) The Greek Myths, it's a wonderful co-read.Unfortunately, word from the Saberhagen web-site indicates the publisher, Tor Books, is not interested in continuing the series.Maybe we, the readers, should let Tor know that WE ARE interested in the series being continued.I, for one, want to know more about the background and future of this new mythological world.

Great fantasy
Following a deadly battle between the Gods and the Giants, a shipwrecked Proteus barely manages to reach a nearby beach but has lost his memory.Already on the shore are Jason and the Argonauts preparing to continue sailing in order to take the Golden Fleece from King Aeetes.Proteus decides to join the quest and performs feats beyond that of the heroes of the Argo.

As Proteus begins to regains pieces of his memory, he concludes that King Pelias hired him to kill Jason.However, his time amidst the Argonauts, especially the brave leader makes him realize he cannot do this task and instead becomes an intrepid and loyal member of the crew. After fleecing Aeetes and other adventures, the Argonauts land on the enchantress Circe's island where Proteus not only learns more about himself and the truth, but plans to do something about it, that is if he lives long enough to do so.

This retelling of the Greek epic Jason and the Argonauts is a well-written fantasy tale that keeps reader attention throughout the book.The story line is fast-paced and filled with action though much is seen through the eyes of the mysterious and bewildered Proteus as opposed to Jason, Hercules, and some of the other mythical heroes.Highly regarded Fred Saberhagen, in his fourth �BOOK OF THE GODS� novel, is not quite on the level of the mythological classic or the Ray Harryhausen animated enhanced movie, but will provide the author�s myriad of fans with an entertaining story.

Harriet Klausner ... Read more

Product Description
In the first four volumes of the Book of the Gods, Fred Saberhagen brought a new perspective to the classic gods of Greek mythology. Now the legendary creator of the Berzerker and Lost Swords sagas turns his gaze northward toward an entirely different pantheon of immortal deities . . . the fearsome and ferocious gods of Valhalla.

Haraldur the Northman once joined Jason on his fabled quest for the Golden Fleece, but now he wants nothing more to do with gods and adventure. Returning to his homeland for the first time in many years, he hopes only to settle down on a farm of his own-until he comes across an impenetrable wall of eldritch fire and a lovesick youth determined to breach the wall at any cost.

Behind the towering flames, he is told, lies a beautiful Valkyrie trapped in an enchanted sleep, as well as, perhaps, a golden treasure beyond mortal reckoning. It is the gold that tempts Hal to agree, against his better judgment, to assist the youth in his quest.

But to find away past the fiery wall, they must first brave gnomes, ghosts, and the wrath of the gods themselves. For a mighty battle is brewing, and Hal soon finds himself caught up in a celestial conflict between Thor the Thunderer, Loki the Trickster, and, most powerful of all, Wodan, the merciless Lord of Battles!
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Customer Reviews (4)

Enjoyable
The book was enjoyable and I look forward to another level of this series if one is every written.

Fred Saberhagen at his best
The story is placed in the (future/past?)in a rather backward society.Various super high tech masks were created in the deep past that give the wearer superpowers modeled after various "gods" of earth's past.

"Valhalla" (Nordic heaven) is not all it seems to be up close. Is something amiss? Norse myth is the backdrop of of a story of adventure and danger. Saberhagen's book has just the right amount of humor, the characters are likable, and the story moves along at a good pace.

It is a very good read.

GREAT BOOK
My friend gave me this book for Christmas. At first, the book didn't look appealing but after reading the first page, I was hooked! If you like lord of the rings, you'll for sure love this book. If not, you'll enjoy the actions, the suspense, the stories, plots.The stories unfolds in such an exciting way.Every page will make you wanna read more. 320 pages....yeah right...it seemed to me like I read only like 100....i want more! This book is great! I loved it a lot. You shoudl read it too, I'll bet you enjoy it too! Email me back on what you think! lilaznboy4ever@yahoo.com

action packed fantasy thriller
Following his journey as an Argonaut, Hal comes home to settle down in a mundane environment though he still wants wealth.His hope of boredom ends before he reaches his destination as he finds his path blocked by a strange looking fire.He plans to go around the magical induced flames, but first talks with a melancholy man called Baldur.The stranger tells Hal that he expected to attain Valhalla by dying in combat, but instead sits on the wrong side of the flame that contains his beloved Valkyrie Brunhild and a treasure.Unable to ignore the possibility of wealth, Hal joins Baldur on his quest to get to the other side.

When the gnomes begin their annual trek to Valhalla, Hal and Baldur follow.However when they reach the fabled city, the partners are shocked to find Valhalla in ruins.Woden seems mentally incompetent, and Thor and Loki are missing.Someone has to lead the Valhalla warriors in combat against the invading giants.Alas Hal and Baldur become embroiled though the former wants gold while the latter desires his Valkyrie.

The Fifth Book of the Gods, GODS OF FIRE AND THUNDER, is an action packed fantasy thriller.The story line follows the exploits of the key two characters driven in different ways.Though overall quite an exciting extension to mythology, the plot at times feels disjointed yet this engaging tale will please fans of the author and Norse mythology lovers with its creative force.

Harriet Klausner ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Innocuous fluff
I read the Complete Book of Swords just to introduce myself to an older fantasy writer whom I hadn't read before, and I read this one just as a follow-up, perhaps hoping the tale would get better.It didn't.The story is simplistic, with an absolute minimum of characterization.There are a couple of clever moments (e.g. Amintor's desperate gamble while holding Woundhealer), but overall, there's just not much good fantasy "meat" here.I might recommend this at a 8th-9th grade reading level, i.e. if someone that age really needed to read a fantasy book.But even then, Alexander's Prydain Chronicles are far superior.

Ugh
This is the sort of review that I hate to write.I'm not a great writer so I hesitate to criticize anyone's work...but it must be done.

This book is simplistic.The reader can easily see that it was written in themid-80s, before content and quality became necessary in top-notch fantasy. Saberhagen takes different fantasy concepts, throws them into a blender andout comes the story.

The biggest mistake is using a straight-forwardnarrative style.Saberhagen uses no more than 2 to 3 lines of dialogue perpage.He covers immense amounts of action with only a fewlines..completely removing any drama that could have been there.

Additionally, the first 20 pages had some of the most atrocious grammerI've ever seen.Saberhagen liberally used the passive tense and sprinkledthe pages with fragments and run-on sentences (I hate to point out the lasttwo because I believe an author has the right to put them into his ownwork)To his credit, the book gets better.But it's still an inferiorwork.

Fascinating Adventure Fantasy
Woundhealers Story continues the story of the 12 God-Forged magical swords begun in the First Book of Swords.The first three swords books, in turn, have some significant connections to the Empire of the East trilogy.The Lost Swords books series continues on for eight highly engaging volumes.There is also a collection of novelettes, an Armoury of Swords, wherein Saberhagen invited other authors to play in the Swords universe. All of the Swords volumes contain Saberhagen's fast paced, but careful plotting, many memorable characters and scenes, clever situations and dilemmas based on the varied powers and limitations of the swords, moments of sheer dread and terror built on malevolence of the demons, romance, wit, subtle satire during the occasional encounters with the Blue Temple (worshipers of wealth) and the rival Red Temple (purveyers of gambling, drugs, and prostitution), fascinating villains, ranging from dread wizards and the admirably resourceful Baron Amnitor, to the semi-tragic Prince Muran of the Mindsword's story, and engaging protagonists, ranging from children caught up in intrigues of their elders, an array of male and female heros, and on to the mysterious Emperor.I'd read these volumes originally when they first appeared, and recently, spurred on by _An Armory of Swords_ went back and re-read them in a blitz.Marvelous, engaging work.Worth both reading, and, as I found, worth re-reading.For example, I found a fascinating resonance between the unanswered questions at the end of the Third Book of Swords, and the final revelations about the Emperor.But Saberhagen is best experienced with the surprises intact.He makes the journey as rewarding as the end.Woundhealer's tale begin's with Prince Mark's attempt to acquire the healing sword in order to heal his blind son Adrian.All of the Lost Swords books involve Prince Mark and/or his relations in power struggles related to the swords, and various parties who seek to control them, with one exception, that being Stonecutter's story, which stands apart as a Holmes-like fantasy mystery.Recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
Long, long ago, the Gods forged Twelve Swords of Power, each with a unique and deadly quality. They forged too well, for the swords could kill the Gods themselves. Then the swords were lost, scattered across the land; and many are they, both good and evil, who are desperate to find them again.

This story is of Farslayer, the sword that can kill from across and entire world. The game is fierce; the prize is the sword. The players are Black Pearl, and enscorcelled mermaid, and Cosmos her treacherous lover; Prince Zoltan and Prince Mark; the evil macrowizard Wood; and an enigmatic woman who arrives astride a griffin...
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Customer Reviews (2)

Fourth Book of Swords
This book does not deserve to be in print.It wanders too far from where the story needs to be,I wish I could get a refund for it.

Great Book, Slow Start
I think I've read this whole series, or at least the books I can get my hands on that is.The books are excellent, with well-developed characters and interesting story line.The author uses a system of magic I haven'tseen anywhere else, the universe is based on group belief, if enough peoplebelieve something it's real... as people lose belief it dies... Well Farslayer's story is about 2 feuding families who hate each other so much;they forget what they hate each other for.Far Slayer enters their worldand the two families start killing each other off... There is a Romeo AndJuliet thing going here too... it starts slow, but ends well... I enjoyedit very much... just hang in through the beginning and you'll be glad youdid. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

An incredible ending to a great series
Saberhagen creates a subtle and cleaver combination of technology and magic.Best of all, he creates unforgetable characters acting in a world of stark contrasts between good and evil, naivety and worldliness, and greed and compassion.I couldn't put it down - even after reading it three times.

It's powerful magic...Sword & Sorcery Greatest !
I'm at lost for word's to describe this book and the other two earlier books of the Empire of The East trilogy.....it's the best trilogy i've ever read and has found a match with Stephen Donaldson Unbeliever Chronicles. I've smiled , laughed and cried because of this book...it's magic.

A thrilling, seamless blend of fantasy and sf.
The third volume of Empire of the East, originally published by DAW as Changling Earth. This was the first Saberhagen I read, and it hooked me for life.He weaves a fast paced plot, alternating points of view, composing cleverly-imagined action scenes, creating intriguing heroes like Chup and Mewick, villians named Abner and Ominor, a formidable wizard called Gray, a frightening Demon named Orcus, the ever-intriguing femme fatale, Charmaine, and the mysterious Ardneh.Armies collide, secret missions are launched, intruiges and schemes unleashed, chases, escapes, and a marvelous, mind-bending denoument.These ingredients may seem common place, but it's the handling that makes these books special; vivid images that stick in the mind, writing that seems simple enough on the surface, but through which I constantly fall, experiencing not sentences, but action, image, and emotion.Years later, I still remember the images, replaying it in my mind as vividly as any special effects extravaganza.Highly recommended.Although complete in itself, you should read the preceding books for the full effect.Also, Saberhagen's popular, and eqally excellent Swords books take place in the same world, at a much later, much changed time. ... Read more