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Average customer rating:

Another good installment
Duality, dweomer, detail...
Raven Review
could be better
Beautifully written....

The Black Raven (Dragon Mage, Book 2)
Katharine Kerr
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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The Fire Dragon (Dragon Mage, Book 3)
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ASIN: 0553579193
Release Date: 2000-10-31

Amazon.com

The Black Raven is Book Two of The Dragon Mage and the 10th volume of the Deverry series, a fantasy epic consisting of three interrelated quartets. As Katherine Kerr says, the past and the present are woven together in these novels, and the final volume will link with the first to reveal an overall design akin to a Celtic knot threading back and forth upon itself. This is a strange, pseudo-Celtic world in which reincarnation is a reality and past lives forever affect the present in surprising and unexpected ways. So, while The Black Raven can stand alone, it is advisable that readers begin with the first book, Daggerspell.

In this complex novel of civil war, sacrifice, and power, what impresses most is that Kerr uses an epic canvas to tell a strongly characterized and very human tale of hatred and destructive evil, and of the consequences of past malevolence on both the heroine Lilli and the Prince Maryn. By keeping the narrative tightly focused around a small number of characters, and by maintaining strict limits on the rather elaborately conceived elements of magic and the supernatural, Katherine Kerr ensures that her fantastical history does not overwhelm the more personal and affecting dimensions of the tale. The result is a polished, emotionally involving, and powerful novel in which even the dreams of a dragon may come evocatively to life. --Gary S. Dalkin, Amazon.co.uk

Book Description

For the devoted followers of the dazzling Deverry and Westlands cycle, Katharine Kerr continues the magical epic saga she began in The Red Wyvern.

The Black Raven

Her latest tale shifts effortlessly between the shattered lands of the Rhiddaer and Dun Deverry itself. At the historic end of the Civil Wars, Lilli, newly apprenticed to the dweomer, fights with her untried powers to save her beloved Prince Maryn from evil. Centuries later, in the city of Cerr Cawnen, the old evil awakens yet again when the sorceress Raena schemes to destroy Rhodry Maelwaedd, her bitter enemy during life after life. But her malice will draw the intervention of astral powers--and unleash the ravaging rage of Rhodry's guardian dragon. Only another untried dweomer can buy safety for the city and the berserker himself--and only at a most fearsome price....

Customer Reviews:

Another good installment.......2005-09-14

If you liked all the others, you'll like this one too. The story is finally moving a little again and it's a nice change.

Duality, dweomer, detail..........2001-09-11

This is the second book in the Dragon Mage series, which chronicles the fortunes of the inhabitants of Deverry and those of the Northlands and Westlands in various centuries.
I found this sequel to The Red Wyvern slightly unsatisfying, but still an absolute charm of a novel, with the kind of detail a fantasy trainspotter like me thrives upon. Kerr does feudal villages and castles and fantasy/history exceedingly well; her characters are multidimensional and challenging - particularly the women, which I believe is deliberate: the men tend to be more distant - romantic figures or even caricatures - which I suppose might annoy you if you are a man. But this is quite unashamedly a book from a woman's point of view: for instance, when the men go to war the action of the novel tends to stay with the women left behind. This works very well indeed: it's not a feminist treatise, just an honest authorial perspective.
In The Black Raven, we meet my favourite Lillorigga again, this time on the horns of a different dreadful dilemma, torn between her good, honest, loving, considerate, brave, strong, boring husband-to-be and the not altogether natural charisma and charms of the importunate Prince Maryn; working with dangerous magic to unravel a deadly curse on the Prince at the expense of her health and not entirely free of the spectre of her evil dead mother.
But it's Niffa who takes my fancy in this one. Just coming into the awareness of her psychic abilities and hounded by Raena, the misguided sorceress with little conscience and too much power for her own - or anybody else's - good, Niffa mourns her murdered husband and is comforted by the family ferrets, unaware that her pain and persecution is a repetition of that of Lillorigga and her mother, doomed to continue, cycle upon cycle, in different incarnations, until, presumably, the battle between the supernatural forces which blights the lives of the inhabitants of Deverry and, centuries later, Cerr Cawnen, is resolved.

Raven Review.......2001-03-04

As a fan of this Katharine Kerr series in its entirety I found this book to be a must read, and one that I could not put down. Her style of writing has remained as easy to read and all engrossing as when she first began the series. This last series though has tended to focus on fewer time-line scenarios than her previous books. While in after-thought I find this a little tedious (the book mainly revolving around the Llilorigga-Maryn, and Rhodry-Raena story-lines) you can tell that the story is coming to some grand conclusion which makes it worth the read!If you have read the series from the beginning it is a little disappointing compared to the excitement of the initial Daggerspell series, but we are still comparing greatness to not-so-exciting greatness! Its not a book to be read out of sequence, start with Daggerspell and from there you can't go wrong!

could be better.......2000-07-08

This book was ok...but definitely not what she could really do. Compared ot Daggerspell, this one didn't really outshine the rest. As I read each one, it got better and better, therefore I expected this one to be the best so far. But the Red Wyvern was like the climax...I hope the rest of the books don't turn out to be like this one.

Beautifully written...........2000-04-16

As a reader of fantasy novels for many years I rate Ketherine Kerr's series very highly. The Dragon mage series is her best yet. As many of series decline with quality (most notably Jordan - sorry if this offends anybody!) Kerr's books just get better. I was totally captivated by the book and am looking forward to the remaing couple of books in the series. Katherine if your reading this can you speed them up? :-)

Average customer rating:

strong Scottish police procedural
A cold, fascinating read

Raven Black
Ann Cleeves
Manufacturer: MacMillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1405054727

Book Description

It is a cold January morning and Shetland lies buried beneath a deep layer of snow. Trudging home, Fran Hunters eye is drawn to a vivid splash of colour on the white ground, ravens circling above. It is the strangled body of her teenage neighbour Catherine Ross. As Fran opens her mouth to scream, the ravens continue their deadly dance. The locals on the quiet island stubbornly focus their gaze on one manloner and simpleton Magnus Tait. But when police insist on opening the investigation a veil of suspicion and fear is thrown over the entire community. For the first time in years, Catherines neighbours nervously lock their doors, whilst a killer lives on in their midst. Raven Black is a haunting, beautifully crafted crime story, and establishes Ann Cleeves as a rising talent in psychological crime writing.

Customer Reviews:

strong Scottish police procedural .......2007-06-23

In Scotland's Shetland Islands, an unknown perp strangled teenage Catherine Ross; her corpse was found half buried by the snow. The locals including the police believe Magnus Tait killed her as circumstantial evidence is very convincing. He is a strange individual who was the last person known to have seen Catherine alive; besides which Magnus has a history when eight years ago he was the prime suspect in a girl's disappearance, but most locals feel he got away with murder.

The only person seemingly to have major doubts that the eccentric Magnus is the killer is Police Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez, who leads the investigation into the homicide. Not willing to rule out anyone as the culprit including Magnus, Jimmy begins to look closely at those who knew the victim as a family member, a friend, or intimately. The DI begins to uncover dark secrets that make the Shetlands seem even colder, but one of them has the darkest secret of all: being a killer hidden by a facade of lies., Perez (and readers) wonders which one?

Readers will quickly understand why Ann Cleeves won the Duncan Lawrie Dagger Award as she provides a strong Scottish police procedural that keeps the audience guessing until the climax of this enthralling whodunit. The entertaining story line provides a strong sense of place and season especially through the secondary cast. However, the novel is owned by the likable dedicated DI, who methodically battles the cold wintry weather and the increasingly colder suspects seeking to solve the murder mystery to the delight of the fans.

Harriet Klausner

A cold, fascinating read.......2007-06-16

When I find a book like this, I want to share my enjoyment with the world of readers. It was truly one of the best I've read in a long time. From the first sentence to the last, it held my interest. I've never been to the Shetland Islands but I feel as though I have now. And, the psychological element of the characters is intriguing. Motives for the murders abound, and just when you think you know who the killer is, you're surprised at the ending. Ms. Cleeves has a wonderful writing style. She gives us a cold, but beautiful island populated by people who bring their inner demons to this isolated spot of the world. I'm eager to read more of this author's work.

The Mystery of the Black Raven (Boxcar Children Special)

Average customer rating:

interesting,exciting and fun - enjoy!

The Mystery of the Black Raven (Boxcar Children Special)
Gertrude Chandler Warner
Manufacturer: Albert Whitman & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0807529893

Customer Reviews:

interesting,exciting and fun - enjoy!.......2000-07-03

The story is exciting,the suspects are hard to decide on,and the end result is great.It's an interesting,funny,suspenseful mystery - enjoy!

Black Tortoise, Red Raven: The Sequel to White Tiger, Green Dragon

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Black Tortoise, Red Raven: The Sequel to White Tiger, Green Dragon
Simone Marnier
Manufacturer: iUniverse, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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White Tiger, Green Dragon: A Tale of the Taoist Inner Alchemy
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ASIN: 0595390595

Book Description

Black Tortoise, Red Raven, the compelling sequel to the novel White Tiger, Green Dragon, continues to weave a captivating tale as it follows the courageous pilgrimage of a young woman scholar as she travels the length of the Yangtze River.

Scholar Li, the daughter of Tu Ming and Shen Tao, flees a revolution in eastern China and travels west with a caravan of rug merchants. A Taoist intellectual and master of the tantric arts, the teenager encounters spiritual masters from unfamiliar traditions during her 1,500-mile expedition toward the foothills of the Himalayas. As she journeys to the Red Raven Temple, her spiritual understanding grows and she learns important life lessons from yogis, “crazy Zen” practitioners, Muslims, Buddhists, and Jews. Just as she is about to reach her final destination, Li's life is forever changed when she encounters an extraordinary stranger who bears an uncanny resemblance to a historical figure.

Black Tortoise, Red Raven not only opens the doors to personal growth and spiritual understanding for Li; it will also lead anyone who has a receptive spirit, open mind, and loving heart on the same journey to finding their true purpose in life.

Average customer rating:

Better Than SNOW WHITE, BLOOD RED
Good stuff
Outstanding!
a brilliant series keeps getting better

Black Swan, White Raven

Manufacturer: Avon Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0380786214

Amazon.com

This is the fourth volume in Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling's ongoing anthology series that invites modern authors to rewrite classic fairy tales. Like many of the original stories themselves, these retellings are often dark, and many contain erotic subtexts. While some of the authors choose to stick to the more traditional aspects of folklore, others reinvent their tales entirely, such as the seven dwarfs who turn into "Three Dwarfs and 2000 Maniacs" at the hands of author Don Webb. As usual, Datlow and Windling have managed to enlist an impressive roster of professional writers for their project, with headliners such as Joyce Carol Oates, John Crowley, and Jane Yolen. These seasoned veterans are mixed in with some relative newcomers to create a collection that is as diverse as it is unique. --Craig E. Engler

Book Description

A stellar assymbly of many of today's most creative and accomplished storytellers has gathered around the tribal fire to embroider well-worn yearns with new golden thread. BLACK SWAN, WHITE RAVEN revisits the tales that charmed, enthralled and terrified us in our early youth--carrying us aloft into the healthy, beating heart of cherished myth to tell once again the stories of Rumpelstiltskins and sleeping beauties, only this time from an edgy, provocative and distinctly adult perspective. The themes and archetypes of our beloved childhood fiction are reexamined in a darker light by tweny-one superb teller of tales who deftly uncover the ironic, the outrageous, the enigmatic and the erotic at the core of the world's best-known fables, while revealing the sobering truths and lies behind "happily ever after."

Customer Reviews:

Better Than SNOW WHITE, BLOOD RED.......2003-02-20

Why is this fairy tale anthology out of print? It's got a great collection of stories! I liked practically everything that was in here. SNOW WHITE, BLOOD RED may have been the first volume in editors Datlow and Windling's series of such books, but this fourth one is hands-down more gripping... the stories are better written, in my opinion.

Among my favorite selections from this volume are:
SNOW IN DIRT by Michael Blumlein
SPARKS by Gregory Frost
THE REVEREND's WIFE by Midori Snyder
THE TRUE STORY by Pat Murphy, and
GODMOTHER DEATH by Jane Yolen

I hope BLACK SWAN, WHITE RAVEN is published once more so I can grab my own copy. I have the first three anthologies and haven't read number 2 and number 3 yet, but that was only because I had to finish this one in time to return it to the library. Thank goodness they have it!

If you like this series, then I definitely recommend getting your hands on this one.

Good stuff.......2001-05-26

Black Swan, White Raven is an excellent anthology of new fairy tales based on the traditional stories. In this series, all the stories are dark, based on the fact that fairy tales were originally written/told for adults, and their relegation to the the nursery occurred with the Victorian era. Particularly strong and memorable stories are the Rapunzel one by Anne Bishop, the Snow White one by Pat Murphy, and the Tin Soldier one by Nancy Kress.

Outstanding!.......2000-05-13

This is the first book that I have read in the series. Outstanding collection of short stories! These stories bring to light different aspects of the fairy tales we all grew up with. I highly recommend it.

a brilliant series keeps getting better.......1999-04-01

The team of Datlow & Windling have put in their 4th collection of adult retellings of classic fairy tales, and this is the best yet. Strong, haunting tales that are truly not the Disney fluff we grew up on are what this collection is made of. Stories are drawn from many different cultures, not just the familiar Brothers' Grimm type; they also end up in many times/places, not just the dragons and castles type. The entire series is well worth your time.

Average customer rating:

Cute!
Leave the series as it is!

A Horse Called Raven (Black Stallion)
Steven Farley
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0679891420
Release Date: 1998-09-22

Book Description

Danielle is working at Alec Ramsay's stable, but she still has a long way to go before she can buy back Redman. When a dangerous flu virus strikes a neighboring farm and most of the horses are moved, Danielle is crushed to learn she's temporarily out of a job. Then the little black colt to whom she's beginning to grow attached falls ill, and Danielle's priorities begin to change...

Customer Reviews:

Cute!.......2002-04-28

Steven farley's books aren't quite as good as his father's, but I really like them. I think they should be longer though. It's just not enough reading! I love that he made Alec cute. I always knew he was! Hehehe. Anyway, i highly reccomend this book to anyone who's already read all the Black Stallion books and still hasn't had anough!

Leave the series as it is!.......2001-01-17

I don't know if he's just trying to make money off his father's famous series, but I think he should've come up with his own idea for a children's series. The Black Stallion books that Steven Farley is writing stick out like a sore thumb.

The Mystery of the Black Raven (The Boxcar Children, #12)

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The Mystery of the Black Raven (The Boxcar Children, #12)

Manufacturer: Scholastic Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0590687204

Average customer rating:

Ravens and Black Rain
Elizabeth Sutherland
Manufacturer: Corgi
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0552131814

Spell of the Black Raven (Which Way Books)

Average customer rating:

thriller
With it's multiply endings,it's a new adventure every time!

Spell of the Black Raven (Which Way Books)
R. G. Austin
Manufacturer: Pocket Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0671457578

Customer Reviews:

thriller.......2001-04-11

this book and the other 15 stories are scary, exiting and they dont drag. It's fun to read because it's not only a book but a game too!!

With it's multiply endings,it's a new adventure every time!.......1999-11-18

This book is explained as a "which way book", which means the story starts the same, but at the end of the page you get to pick one of two options which allows you to bring the story where you want. So every time you read it, it's like reading a different book. It's well written and each story is interesting. My kids can't stop reading it!

Average customer rating:

White Raven and the Black Sheep, Th
North-South Staff
Manufacturer: North-South
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1558581189

Books:

Books