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by Stephen Kenson
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Roc (2006-01-03)
ISBN: 0451460634
EAN: 9780451460639
Dewy Decimal #: 813
Paperback: 288 pages
SKU: 071608076
Condition: Used: Good
Comments: ...No noticeable Underlining or Highlighting...
More Product Infomation
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Editorial Reviews
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Product Description
Shadowrunner Kellan Colt thinks she's ready to strike out on her own when she discovers the location of a secret cache of military weaponry-right in the heart of the supernatural creature-infested Awakened wilderness.
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Customer Reviews
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Not Bad For...
Rating  (3)
Date: 2008-08-30
A second book in a three part series. This book picks off from the first book in the 2006 Shadowrun novel re-launch "Born to Run." Once again the readers follows the adventures of inexperienced yet talented Kellan Colt as she attempts to make a name for herself in the sprawls of the Seattle underworld. Coming back in this novel are some of the old cast members from the first book such as Orion the elf adapt, Jackie Ozone, Simon Brickman, and the troll mage Lothan. We are also introduced to Midnight, a Shadowrunner from Kellan's past whom takes the young mage as her protégé, and Draven the shaman.
There are a few main themes about this book touches upon which are a common theme throughout the Shadowrun universe. The 6th world is a setting full of corporate intrigue, backstabbing, betrayal, where it is better to be feared then loved, but despite these things rarely do you ever see a Shadowrunner be able to survive on their own without friends and this is a re-occurring theme in Poison Agendas. In the novel, Kellan Colt discovers secret information from a local decker/fixer by the name of Squeak. This data contains secrets about an Ares Technology weapon cache that was stored long ago in the Salish Shidhe Council, but never recovered. After analyzing the situation in her mind, Kellan decides to play the role of Mrs. Johnson and sets up this run with the backing from Simon Brickman, a corporate Johnson from the first novel. From there the run turns into something which Kellan did not expect, and ends up getting way in over her head as a result.
Another theme that happens in "Poison Agendas" is the semi-redemption of the Lothan character. The best character development scenes in this novel center on his conversations with Kellan, Midnight, and the other Shadow runners in the sprawl who know him by reputation. It shows that even with his status, knowledge, power, and position can be prone to being rattled and all of those skeletons that people leave in the closet and are not honest about with everyone can eventually come back to haunt us. At the beginning of the series I did not like the Lothan character, but as the story unfolded I found myself rooting for him to make the right decisions and to use his power in a self-less manner.
As many people have said in their reviews and what I will be saying in my reviews of this trilogy, the Kellan Colt series has not been the best set of novels the Shadowrun franchise has put on the market. It does appear to be a re vamping of the entire Shadowrun line and is written to garner new fans into the 6th world. The action in the book is decent, the story is not bad; there are some characters who are boring, and some who catch the reader's attention. When push came to shove, I did enjoy reading the book and that is what really counts in the end. The villain in Poison Agendas is probably the best villain of this trilogy, and I'm speaking about Zhade, the insane toxic shaman. I'll give the book three stars, because it was ma-ma day or comme ci comme ca. Not bad, not great, or the proverbial so-so.
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More sci-fi pulp
Rating (3)
Date: 2007-07-15
After enjoying the first in this new Shadowrun series, Poison Agenda was just as fun and makes for a good read. There's no fat here, so it's pretty fast moving. Something all low-class pulp books really should be.
Kellan Colt, now a slightly more experienced Shadowrunner, comes across some priceless information about ancient weapons buried deep in the wilderness. None of her pals really want to touch it, believing it tainted or false. But she still assembles her own team and decides to go for it, no matter how much trouble it might end up.
Undemanding, unpretentious fun for sci-fi and Shadowrun fans. This new series doesn't seem like it will run out of steam any time soon.
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Excellent continuation!
Rating  (5)
Date: 2006-01-13
"Poison Agendas" was a surprisingly fun book! Being a staunch fan of classic Shadowrun, and having a deep interest in RPG genre books, I have to admit I was a bit leery about the return of Shadowrun, and various alterations it might have.
Stephen Kenson's new series, of which "Poison Agendas" is the second, gave me not only the reassurance I needed, but also hope that my favorite game from high school wouldn't be turned into something awful in future generations.
The characters are well developed, and the plots are the delightfully twisty and fast-paced ones that Shadowrun is famous for. The magic and science are once again well thought out and in harmony with the game, while not being oppressively rulebound or annoying. All in all, it's great fiction, and was a blast to read!
I recommend this book, and it's predecessor, "Born to Run," to any who have an interest in science fiction, fantasy, or adventure. Enjoy!
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Revenge of the mediocre
Rating (3)
Date: 2006-01-08
1 out of 7 customers found this reveiw helpful
I must first say that I am a fan of Mr. Kenson earlier Shadowrun novels, but I must say that these new ones leave something to be desired. Both this novel and the first, Born to Run, seem rather thrown together. Like other reviewers, I felt somewhat betrayed by the blatant attempt to remarket Wizkids failed Shadowrun miniatures line, by reusing their names in these novels, it just seems rather forced. Also, I don't know if I am seeing things or not, but the font in the new novels seems bigger. I would be curious as to the word count of these novels compared to the older novels. In all fairness to Wizkids, I am assuming that they are trying to restart the novel line and need to provide basic information to new readers, but with the advent of Shadowrun 4th edition and the 2070 timeline, I was hoping for a jump in the story line and some backfill of info. Lastly, I am more of a fan of more experienced characters and another "starting in the trade" series of books doesn't appeal to me as much.
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by Stephen Kenson
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Roc (2006-01-03)
ISBN: 0451460634
EAN: 9780451460639
Dewy Decimal #: 813
Paperback: 288 pages
SKU: 071608076
Condition: Used: Good
Comments: ...No noticeable Underlining or Highlighting...
More Product Infomation
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Editorial Reviews
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Product Description
Shadowrunner Kellan Colt thinks she's ready to strike out on her own when she discovers the location of a secret cache of military weaponry-right in the heart of the supernatural creature-infested Awakened wilderness.
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Customer Reviews
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Not Bad For...
Rating (3)
Date: 2008-08-30
A second book in a three part series. This book picks off from the first book in the 2006 Shadowrun novel re-launch "Born to Run." Once again the readers follows the adventures of inexperienced yet talented Kellan Colt as she attempts to make a name for herself in the sprawls of the Seattle underworld. Coming back in this novel are some of the old cast members from the first book such as Orion the elf adapt, Jackie Ozone, Simon Brickman, and the troll mage Lothan. We are also introduced to Midnight, a Shadowrunner from Kellan's past whom takes the young mage as her protégé, and Draven the shaman.
There are a few main themes about this book touches upon which are a common theme throughout the Shadowrun universe. The 6th world is a setting full of corporate intrigue, backstabbing, betrayal, where it is better to be feared then loved, but despite these things rarely do you ever see a Shadowrunner be able to survive on their own without friends and this is a re-occurring theme in Poison Agendas. In the novel, Kellan Colt discovers secret information from a local decker/fixer by the name of Squeak. This data contains secrets about an Ares Technology weapon cache that was stored long ago in the Salish Shidhe Council, but never recovered. After analyzing the situation in her mind, Kellan decides to play the role of Mrs. Johnson and sets up this run with the backing from Simon Brickman, a corporate Johnson from the first novel. From there the run turns into something which Kellan did not expect, and ends up getting way in over her head as a result.
Another theme that happens in "Poison Agendas" is the semi-redemption of the Lothan character. The best character development scenes in this novel center on his conversations with Kellan, Midnight, and the other Shadow runners in the sprawl who know him by reputation. It shows that even with his status, knowledge, power, and position can be prone to being rattled and all of those skeletons that people leave in the closet and are not honest about with everyone can eventually come back to haunt us. At the beginning of the series I did not like the Lothan character, but as the story unfolded I found myself rooting for him to make the right decisions and to use his power in a self-less manner.
As many people have said in their reviews and what I will be saying in my reviews of this trilogy, the Kellan Colt series has not been the best set of novels the Shadowrun franchise has put on the market. It does appear to be a re vamping of the entire Shadowrun line and is written to garner new fans into the 6th world. The action in the book is decent, the story is not bad; there are some characters who are boring, and some who catch the reader's attention. When push came to shove, I did enjoy reading the book and that is what really counts in the end. The villain in Poison Agendas is probably the best villain of this trilogy, and I'm speaking about Zhade, the insane toxic shaman. I'll give the book three stars, because it was ma-ma day or comme ci comme ca. Not bad, not great, or the proverbial so-so.
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More sci-fi pulp
Rating (3)
Date: 2007-07-15
After enjoying the first in this new Shadowrun series, Poison Agenda was just as fun and makes for a good read. There's no fat here, so it's pretty fast moving. Something all low-class pulp books really should be.
Kellan Colt, now a slightly more experienced Shadowrunner, comes across some priceless information about ancient weapons buried deep in the wilderness. None of her pals really want to touch it, believing it tainted or false. But she still assembles her own team and decides to go for it, no matter how much trouble it might end up.
Undemanding, unpretentious fun for sci-fi and Shadowrun fans. This new series doesn't seem like it will run out of steam any time soon.
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Excellent continuation!
Rating (5)
Date: 2006-01-13
"Poison Agendas" was a surprisingly fun book! Being a staunch fan of classic Shadowrun, and having a deep interest in RPG genre books, I have to admit I was a bit leery about the return of Shadowrun, and various alterations it might have.
Stephen Kenson's new series, of which "Poison Agendas" is the second, gave me not only the reassurance I needed, but also hope that my favorite game from high school wouldn't be turned into something awful in future generations.
The characters are well developed, and the plots are the delightfully twisty and fast-paced ones that Shadowrun is famous for. The magic and science are once again well thought out and in harmony with the game, while not being oppressively rulebound or annoying. All in all, it's great fiction, and was a blast to read!
I recommend this book, and it's predecessor, "Born to Run," to any who have an interest in science fiction, fantasy, or adventure. Enjoy!
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Revenge of the mediocre
Rating (3)
Date: 2006-01-08
1 out of 7 customers found this reveiw helpful
I must first say that I am a fan of Mr. Kenson earlier Shadowrun novels, but I must say that these new ones leave something to be desired. Both this novel and the first, Born to Run, seem rather thrown together. Like other reviewers, I felt somewhat betrayed by the blatant attempt to remarket Wizkids failed Shadowrun miniatures line, by reusing their names in these novels, it just seems rather forced. Also, I don't know if I am seeing things or not, but the font in the new novels seems bigger. I would be curious as to the word count of these novels compared to the older novels. In all fairness to Wizkids, I am assuming that they are trying to restart the novel line and need to provide basic information to new readers, but with the advent of Shadowrun 4th edition and the 2070 timeline, I was hoping for a jump in the story line and some backfill of info. Lastly, I am more of a fan of more experienced characters and another "starting in the trade" series of books doesn't appeal to me as much.
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by Juliet Marillier
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Tor Books (2002-03-06)
ISBN: 0312875290
EAN: 9780312875299
Dewy Decimal #: 823.92
Paperback: 464 pages
Edition: 1
SKU: 102908033
Condition: Used: Very Good
Comments: ...no markings or highlighting...minor edge wear on cover
More Product Infomation
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Editorial Reviews
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Product Description
Beautiful Sorcha is the courageous young woman who risked all to save her family from a wicked curse and whose love shattered generations of hate and bridged two cultures. It was by her sacrifice that the spell was broken and her brothers were finally brought home to Sevenwaters. But not all her brothers were able to escape the spell that transformed them into swans, and even those who did were more-and less-than they were before the change.It is left to Sorcha's daughter, Liadan, to fulfill the destiny of the Sevenwaters clan. Beloved child and dutiful daughter, she embarks on a journey that opens her eyes to the wonders of the world around her . . . and shows her just how hard-won was the peace that there are forces far darker than anyone could have guessed and ancient powers conspiring to destroy this family's peace-and their world.She will need all of her strength to stand up to those she loves best, for in the finding of her own true love, Liadan's course may doom them all . . . or may be their salvation.
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Amazon.com Review
Second of the Sevenwaters trilogy of novels about the last days of heroic Ireland, Son of the Shadows takes up the story of the children of Sorcha, who saved her enchanted brothers, and Hugh, the Briton she married. Sorcha's daughter Liadan is a gifted seer and healer who thinks, in spite of her visions, that she knows what the future has in store for her--caring for her dying mother and then an alliance marriage to Eamonn. A chance meeting on the road carries her off to care for a dying man--one of the mercenaries of the sinister Painted Man, Eamonn's archenemy and a killer for hire. Liadan discovers that she cannot choose whom she loves and that she and the Painted Man are as bound up in destiny as her mother and father were before her. This is an intelligent historical romance in which the supernatural is a part of the character's everyday lives to an extent that makes it hard to think of the book as specifically a fantasy--these are people to whom the beings of forest speak on a regular basis and to whom sorcery is real. --Roz Kaveney, Amazon.co.uk
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Customer Reviews
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Mesmerizing, Hard to Forget!
Rating (5)
Date: 2008-09-13
I began this book a few days before leaving for a beach vacation. I read it throughout a tropical storm. I read it at the beach and near the pool. I could NOT put it down. Like DAUGHTER OF THE FOREST, this novel captured me, heart & soul. (And I'm not ordinarily a fan of fantasy fiction.) I didn't want to do anything at the beach except read this book. And when I finished it--four days before vacation was over--I couldn't stop thinking about it. If I'd had the third book of the trilogy, I would've started it immediately. Juliet Marillier is an exceptional talent, and will be an automatic buy for me from now on.
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Not what I expected after Daughter of the Forest
Rating (3)
Date: 2008-08-24
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
I admit that I am quite new to this genre, so it may not be all too fair to let my disappointment in this sequel cloud my judgment over the genre altogether. I actually consider myself very indulgent when it comes to eccentricity in any form, therefore I might have made nothing out of this were it not for the story itself that failed to sustain my respect for the author of Daughter of the Forest.
Whereas Daughter of the Forest was an intrigue from start to finish--though this might be due to my "new"ness in encountering such blatantly hardcore fantasy--Son of the Shadows did not deliver a fraction of that charm; instead it felt as if the author was stretching the story deliberately, webbing the story out of sheer(and rather sad) effort, not her heart, and this continued to disappoint me as I actually felt her trying to sustain the brilliant thread of the first book in a death grip. This thread should have been firmly knotted at the end of Daughter of the Forest if the sequel were to turn out like this...If I hadn't known, these two books could have been written by two different authors and I'm very apprehensive at the moment of the third book in the series.
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Another Strong Heroine, Another Enthralling Tale
Rating  (4)
Date: 2008-07-30
The Son of The Shadows takes us to the future and is the story of Sorcha's and Red's children - Niamh, Sean and Liaden. The Daughter of the Forest ended with a rather sinister prophesy of an unseen figure lurking in the shadows of Sorcha's vision. In the sequel we are told that this figure is Liaden.
The novel is thus the tale of Liaden - twin sister of Sean, a healer with the gift of the sight and a threat to the designs of the Fair Folk. In the first novel Sorcha is presented as a brave woman who submits to the will of the Fair Folk and the destiny designed for her. Liaden, her daughter, though very much like her mother in appearance and talent, is quite the opposite. Determined to make her own choices in life, she defies the warnings and pleas of the Fair Folk and heeds the voices of a much older force that echoes the longings of her heart. She is thus a strong heroine in her own right.
What I like about the novel is that Marillier shows great depth and versitalitiy in characterization in her portrayal of a new generation of characters and her interweaving of lives. It was indeed heartwarming to find out Bran's true identity. Furthermore the mystery behind Finbar's disappearance is also unraveled. Her infusion of magic and reality also creates a perfect balance that has resonances in our spiritual lives as well.
One disappointing factor was that I kept comparing this story to the first and it did not stir in me the sympathy and attachment I felt for Sorcha, her brothers and Red. This could be due to the fact that Liaden makes few sacrifices. But then again that is the strength of her character.
Like the first, this novel ends with many tales unfinished and I'm looking forward to read the third and final:( novel.
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Gorgeous!
Rating (5)
Date: 2008-07-02
Second book in the Sevenwaters trilogy.
Sorcha and Hugh now have grown children of their own. Liadan is much like her mother, a healer who sees visions of the future. She looks forward to a peaceful, orderly life at Sevenwaters, but circumstances put her on a different and much more dangerous path. While on her way home from a neighboring village, Liadan is captured by a vicious band of mercenaries led by the Painted Man and taken to their camp to care for a fatally wounded man. An ancient prophecy, as well as her own feelings, ties Liadan to the Painted man and leads her discover a new path. Laiden must make many difficult choices and is forced to make a choice that may save Sevenwaters or destroy it forever.
Beautifully written mix of fantasy, historical fiction, and romance.
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Mehhhh....
Rating (3)
Date: 2008-03-31
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
If you're looking to read a book as good as the first in this series, (Daughter of the Forest) then forget it, Son of the Shadows simply does not live up to the its excellent predecessor. Liadan, the heroine of this novel, is characterized in a way as to make her too perfect and very hard to sympathize with. She endures none of the hardship which her mother went through and this makes it difficult to bond with her strife. Her tale is essentially a love story with some action and magic in the mix. This book was a disappointment to me. The authors writing remains as strong as before but I felt that she was simply weaving out a plot instead of creating the believable world I found reading the first novel.
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by Guy Gavriel Kay
Product Group: Book
Publisher: Roc Trade (2008-02-05)
ISBN: 0451461908
EAN: 9780451461902
Dewy Decimal #: 813.54
Paperback: 432 pages
SKU: 110608055
Condition: Used: Good
Comments: ...no markings or highlighting...edge wear on cover
More Product Infomation
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Editorial Reviews
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Product Description
Saint-Sauveur Cathedral of Aix-en-Provence is an ancient structure of many secrets-a perfect monument to fill the lens of a celebrated photographer, and a perfect place for the photographer's son, Ned Marriner, to lose himself while his father works.
But the cathedral isn't the empty edifice it appears to be. Its history is very much alive in the present day-and it's calling out to Ned...
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Customer Reviews
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My least favorite GKK novel
Rating  (2)
Date: 2008-10-06
Ysabel is about Ned, a teenager who becomes entangled in an age-old love triangle while vacationing in France. Kay does a good job of balancing the primary plot with the subplot of Ned's adolescence, feelings toward girls, and issues with parents. He sprinkles in song references (akin to the poetry in his fantasies?) and modern technology (Google, iPods) to good effect. As usual, Kay describes the setting beautifully and poetically. You can tell that he has visited the places in the book. It is also neat to see characters from Kay's other works reappear here.
The novel reminds me of the books of Sean Stewart and Charles de Lint, who also write about normal people encountering the paranormal in contemporary settings. The main difference, however, is that Ysabel is story-driven, whereas Stewart's and de Lint's books are primarily character-driven. In my opinion, the characters in Ysabel are peripheral to the plot. They do not propel the storyline--it propels them. I think it is a mistake. While the characters are likable and sympathetic enough, they are neither complex nor flawed. Frankly, they are uninteresting.
I have a few other criticisms. First, I think that the novel is uneventful. There is a lot of talking and not enough doing. The dialogue is circular: A lot of the same things are covered in multiple conversations, and it is all too explanatory. Instead of having Ned repeat events every time a new character showed up, I would have preferred to read about a new event. Different character must ask Ned, "Who are you?" three or four times. That's redundant. Second, I think that the characters sound too alike, especially when they try to be funny. Everyone has the same puckish humor.
I was disappointed with Ysabel, which bothers me because I am a devotee of Guy Kavriel Kay. On one hand, I might be biased: I am so fond of his historical fantasies that maybe I did not know how to absorb a novel outside of his established genre. On the other hand, I have specific issues with the novel, which lead me to believe that it is not as skillfully written as his other works.
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Disappointing to say the least
Rating  (1)
Date: 2008-09-24
I've read all of GGK's novels. I own most of them and will happily admit that I re-read them at least once a year. Certain passages in the Sarantium Mosiac are etched in my mind - pieces of prose that truly transport me to another time and place, to another reality that I know and love.
I scarcely know where to begin my critique of Ysabel. So little of it made sense. The dialogues perhaps were what irked me most. I wondered, about a chapter in, if GGK had switched genres and had written this for teenagers. Where was the delicacy, subtlety and wit that he had perfected in the dialogues in the Sarantium Mosaic? That we saw the sweet beginnings of, in Lions?
About a third of the way into the book, what began to annoy me were the coy 'who-are-you', 'stay-out-of-this', 'best-if you-don't-know' conversations that Ned had, over and over. It did nothing to build suspense, added nothing to the plot and was quite frankly, clumsy all around.
I was also frustrated by the repeated history lectures that Kate constantly had to give. Now, I am a reader who is greedy for historical novels, which is why I revel in GGK's other novels. He has a gift of re-creating worlds within context of the rich historical past in Spain, Byzantium and France. Somehow this was sadly missing in Ysabel. Instead of recreating Provence's volatile past in a more evocative manner (flashbacks, perhaps? To allow us to get to know both the history and Ysabel herself?), all he's done is create know-it-all Kate, and rendering his hero to a nothing more than a stereotypical, ignorant North American teenage tourist. All in order to bring us, his readers, up to speed with Provencal history. Clumsy, clumsy narrative. In the end, the book simply smacked of being a dumbed down version of the Da Vinci Code, ie a North American guy flying by the seat of his pants, complete with a 'local' French sidekick, dealing with dark secrets from the past.
Finally, what saddened me was that none of the characters truly drew me in. It's unbelievable that the book is named after a character that we never truly spend anytime with and scarcely know. All the characters are one-dimensional, and none of them really do anything particularly noble, or even notable.
GGK is one of my all-time favourite authors and I'm very much in despair that he's come to this. All I can think of and certainly hope for, is that he had a fantastic family vacation with his wife and sons in Provence and whipped up this little homage to his family on his way home. And that given time and space, he will return to give us novels redolent with history; coloured with rich, complex characters, dialogues with danger and wit; and the achingly bittersweet twists in the plot that he creates with deft and finesse.
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Does not even begin to live up to his past standards
Rating (1)
Date: 2008-09-19
1 out of 1 customers found this reveiw helpful
Taken in a vacuum, if asked the question "is this a good book", the answer is - it's ok. However, given the author, my expectations were very high for this book. If you liked the amazing character development, epic plot development and caring attention to detail that were present in his other books such as The Lions of Al Rassan or the Sarantine Mosaic, prepare for disappointment. Only buy this book if the plot summary seriously interests you, to the point that you are willing to put up with (what is for GGK) seriously sub-par writing.
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Another stellar Kay fantasy
Rating (5)
Date: 2008-07-08
I stand in awe of all of Kay's fantasies, and this one will take its place beside the rest in my bookcase of special treasures. It differs from his usual work by being based in the "real" world, which actually makes it easier for the reader to enter into the story. My only tiny complaint is that there were fascinating hints of a backstory that were never fully explained.
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Heart stoppingly brilliant
Rating (5)
Date: 2008-06-25
Kay has been one of my favorite writers since I found the Finnovar Tapestry Series over twenty years ago.
The way he writes, the way his chracters live and breath in way most writers can only hope to create is why I keep reading his books.
In a way without revealing anything to important this book comes full circle back to the first set of books. It kept me completely engrossed all the way through to the end. I think I shall have to go back to the Finnovar books again after reading this book. It has been a long time and I shall enjoy the trip, perhaps even revisiting all of Mr. Kay's books again, just to keep the contentment of reading such a brilliant writer going for awhile longer.
Read this book it will be worth it. Don't let other reviewers prevent you from deciding for yourself if this wasn't another beautifully woven tale by true storyteller.
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