Rating: 
Summary: Very Good Book!
Review: Shamera was once the daughter of nobles. When the castle fell, she became known as the boy named Sham. Sham was best known as a thief, but was well versed in magic. One of the best, in fact. When her Master is killed by a demon, she sets out to hunt it down. Lord Kerin, Reeve of Southwood, turns to Sham for help when the number of murders become too many. At first, Kerin does not believe in magic or demons. However, his aide convinces him to get the help of a mage. When Sham turns out to be a female, they decide her cover would be as his mistress. Sham is convinced the killer in the royal court is the demon who killed her Master. As a Sorceress, Lady, Thief, and playing the part of Mistress, Shamera begins her quest for vengence. ***Full of mystery and magic. Shamera is full of surprises. But so is the demon. Very enjoyable!***
Rating:
Summary: terrific medieval fantasy
Review: Southwood is a land that has been conquered by the Cybellians. Unlike the natives, the conquerors do not believe in magic and fear it when it seems to happen. During the initial invasion, the king's wizard Maur used magic, resulting in him being blinded and his hands severed. Shamera has spent the last twelve years caring for her master, but now he has been murdered by the same person who has slainseveral Cybellian lords. The most powerful Cybellian warrior is now the ruler. He wants the murders stopped and the killer brought o justice. The Reeve, Lord Kerim, brings Shamera to the castle to see if the pair working as a team can root out the murderer. She agrees and is installed in the castle as his mistress. Shanara discovers what the perpetrator is even though she does not know who he is. She knows that she must convince a skeptical lord that magic is real if they are to stop a growing evil that thrives on death. Patricia Briggs is a natural born storyteller, whose imaginary world seems to be based in part on the Saxon people a decade after William's victory though Kerim seems less ruthless than the Conqueror. The use of magic parallels that of pagan magic and comes across as quite believable. Hopefully, WHEN DEMONS WALK is the debut book of whatcould be a great series. Ms. Briggs is an enchanter who casts a magical tale. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: As good as her Steal the Dragon book
Review: This book, in my opinion, had two good points. 1-The dialouge/humor. 2-The heroine. That was about it. The plotline was moderately interesting, but not really enough to spark my caring. I didn't then much care about what happened to the characters, though I did enjoy the mildly funny conversations scenes between Sham and the king. Sham was a good heroine, maybe a somewhat stereotypical fantasy woman, but I still liked her nonetheless. I doubt I'll be looking into any more of Briggs books, or reading any more in this series if there ever is any continuation. It's a nice read for a night, but not really something that stays with you afterwards. There's potential, but not much more. I gave it three stars because of the two points aforementioned, and my appreciation for Briggs writing style. I would recommend it, but not too high on the list.
Rating: 
Summary: Eh...
Review: This book, in my opinion, had two good points. 1-The dialouge/humor. 2-The heroine. That was about it. The plotline was moderately interesting, but not really enough to spark my caring. I didn't then much care about what happened to the characters, though I did enjoy the mildly funny conversations scenes between Sham and the king. Sham was a good heroine, maybe a somewhat stereotypical fantasy woman, but I still liked her nonetheless. I doubt I'll be looking into any more of Briggs books, or reading any more in this series if there ever is any continuation. It's a nice read for a night, but not really something that stays with you afterwards. There's potential, but not much more. I gave it three stars because of the two points aforementioned, and my appreciation for Briggs writing style. I would recommend it, but not too high on the list.
Rating:
Summary: An entertaining and exciting mystery!
Review: This is a fantastic book! I read it in less than twelve hours, and that's with working and eating in the middle of that! Where to begin? The characters are wonderful. Sham is a complex character, with a painful past but the strong will to survive it and move on. She is wily enough to survive life in Purgatory, the Southwoods slum, yet tender-hearted enough to learn to care for people she was used to hating. Kerim is humorous, regal, dangerous, and intelligent--all the things we want from a hero! The supporting characters are wonderful; Dickon, Elris, Talbot, Lady Sky all make the story better with their special personalities. The writing is great. The dialogue is excellent, with witty repartee between the characters that is absolutely believable and absolutely hysterical. The description of surroundings and clothes are wonderfully detailed. I could see the action in my mind as I read. My one complaint about the writing would be the infrequent shifts in the third-person point-of-view; usually the POV character was Sham, but very occasionally is changed to Kerim, the demon, and a couple others. The plot is intriguing...a demon stalking the halls of the Castle, with a thief/magician hired to pose as the Reeve's Mistress in order to solve the mystery. And though you may have suspicions about the demon's identity, your first two guesses will be wrong! I highly recommend this book, and I am actively seeking out others by this author!
Rating:
Summary: An entertaining and exciting mystery!
Review: This is a fantastic book! I read it in less than twelve hours, and that's with working and eating in the middle of that! Where to begin? The characters are wonderful. Sham is a complex character, with a painful past but the strong will to survive it and move on. She is wily enough to survive life in Purgatory, the Southwoods slum, yet tender-hearted enough to learn to care for people she was used to hating. Kerim is humorous, regal, dangerous, and intelligent--all the things we want from a hero! The supporting characters are wonderful; Dickon, Elris, Talbot, Lady Sky all make the story better with their special personalities. The writing is great. The dialogue is excellent, with witty repartee between the characters that is absolutely believable and absolutely hysterical. The description of surroundings and clothes are wonderfully detailed. I could see the action in my mind as I read. My one complaint about the writing would be the infrequent shifts in the third-person point-of-view; usually the POV character was Sham, but very occasionally is changed to Kerim, the demon, and a couple others. The plot is intriguing...a demon stalking the halls of the Castle, with a thief/magician hired to pose as the Reeve's Mistress in order to solve the mystery. And though you may have suspicions about the demon's identity, your first two guesses will be wrong! I highly recommend this book, and I am actively seeking out others by this author!
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Read!
Review: When Demons Walk is one of the most creatively narrated and written fantasy book I've ever read. The characters were well rounded and sounded realistic, plus the combination of magic and mundane were cleverly balanced (do I sound like a review?? well, it is!). Mystery and romance heightened the climax of the book, which unlike others, does not give away the identity of the demon summoner (or whatever) until the last minute. Also, the heroine and hero, though typical, were captivating in the least. If you have never read fantasy, try this book AT ONCE!
Rating: 
Summary: Sham has to decide which is worse an Easterner or a demon.
Review: WHEN DEMONS WALK is sword and sorcery tied into a mystery. Set in the same world as my previous books, it is a stand alone novel. Sham is a sorcerer turned thief in a world that no longer believes in magic -- which is why the hated conquerors of her homeland have no where else to turn for help when a demon starts to hunt among them. United with her enemies against a greater threat, she can't help wonder -- what do you do with a demon when you find it?
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