Rating: 
Summary: Not as great, but
Review: ....I still loved it. This one didn't engross me as totally as the first three or the next two, but it still adds a valuable piece to the Incarnations tapestry
Rating: 
Summary: Like "Hourglass", a weaker effort in this series. . .
Review: I don't know what it is, but in this series, it seems that a weak title follows a strong one. Just like "Bearing an Hourglass" didn't come up to the level of "On a Pale Horse", so "Wielding a Red Sword" does not come up to the level of "With a Tangled Skein".The basic premise of this novel seems more concerned with finding a permenant love interest for the main character than it does with exploring the role/nature of the Incarnation of War. Also expanded upon are the concepts of the "lesser incarnations"; a plot device which is (probably) necessary to explain the "Four Horsemen" which traditionally accompany War, but introduces a weakness in the integrity of the series as a whole. Two interesting conventions are either exapanded upon or introduced. The first is the "tying together" of the various characters, hinted at in the first couple of books, but emphasized strongly in this volume. Now we know some of what happened to Orb, introduced in the previous volume as the daughter of Niobe. It certainly appears that Anthony intends to unite all the Incarnations in one family (or love) realationship. The other is the idea of an Incarnation defeating Satan by threatening to bring down the entire world. In the previous three novels, the title character's showdown with Satan never approached this level. I enjoyed this book -- and enjoy this series -- but this is one of the weaker titles.
Rating:
Summary: Like "Hourglass", a weaker effort in this series. . .
Review: I don't know what it is, but in this series, it seems that a weak title follows a strong one. Just like "Bearing an Hourglass" didn't come up to the level of "On a Pale Horse", so "Wielding a Red Sword" does not come up to the level of "With a Tangled Skein". The basic premise of this novel seems more concerned with finding a permenant love interest for the main character than it does with exploring the role/nature of the Incarnation of War. Also expanded upon are the concepts of the "lesser incarnations"; a plot device which is (probably) necessary to explain the "Four Horsemen" which traditionally accompany War, but introduces a weakness in the integrity of the series as a whole. Two interesting conventions are either exapanded upon or introduced. The first is the "tying together" of the various characters, hinted at in the first couple of books, but emphasized strongly in this volume. Now we know some of what happened to Orb, introduced in the previous volume as the daughter of Niobe. It certainly appears that Anthony intends to unite all the Incarnations in one family (or love) realationship. The other is the idea of an Incarnation defeating Satan by threatening to bring down the entire world. In the previous three novels, the title character's showdown with Satan never approached this level. I enjoyed this book -- and enjoy this series -- but this is one of the weaker titles.
Rating:
Summary: Like "Hourglass", a weaker effort in this series. . .
Review: I don't know what it is, but in this series, it seems that a weak title follows a strong one. Just like "Bearing an Hourglass" didn't come up to the level of "On a Pale Horse", so "Wielding a Red Sword" does not come up to the level of "With a Tangled Skein". The basic premise of this novel seems more concerned with finding a permenant love interest for the main character than it does with exploring the role/nature of the Incarnation of War. Also expanded upon are the concepts of the "lesser incarnations"; a plot device which is (probably) necessary to explain the "Four Horsemen" which traditionally accompany War, but introduces a weakness in the integrity of the series as a whole. Two interesting conventions are either exapanded upon or introduced. The first is the "tying together" of the various characters, hinted at in the first couple of books, but emphasized strongly in this volume. Now we know some of what happened to Orb, introduced in the previous volume as the daughter of Niobe. It certainly appears that Anthony intends to unite all the Incarnations in one family (or love) realationship. The other is the idea of an Incarnation defeating Satan by threatening to bring down the entire world. In the previous three novels, the title character's showdown with Satan never approached this level. I enjoyed this book -- and enjoy this series -- but this is one of the weaker titles.
Rating: 
Summary: Wielding a Red Sword is pure genius & madness combined
Review: I have found the Incarnations of Immortality series fascinating. I have read all of them again and again. I find that Wielding a Red Sword is among the better written books. Mym finds himself in a unique situation. He is a disgrace to his family due to his affliction and therefore leaves that life behind. When he falls in love with a love with a beautiful woman, his life is torn apart by his father due to the death of his brother. His father wants him to marry a princess who he does not love. Instead of this, he takes up the Red Sword of Mars, even though the idea of a god of War is beyond his beliefs. Mym makes a unique Mars because is so opposed to War, but when Satan brings it down to a final showdown, Mym shows he has the stuff to cut it as the god of War.
Rating:
Summary: A very young Chronos who grabbed an hourglass on accident.
Review: I loved this book best of 'em all. I'm absolutly crazy about weapons, especially swords, so even the name was exiting. I'm eleven and flying through this series a book a week. If you like this series, read Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelazny. If I were Mars, I would slay all who oppose this book. And to let you know, Mym's former snake-ring now belong to Norton/Chronos and goes by Sning. It was awsome and very detailed. Who would have ever thought a Prince for Mars, I mean a PRINCE to be the incarnation of WAR. Anthony is a genius for writing the series. Even Xanth doesn't compare. I advise this for anyone who CAN identify GOOD si-fies.
Rating: 
Summary: i think the first book was the best
Review: i must say that i read this book out of desire to complete the series. mars is an interesting character. but it is rather disappointing story actually. it begins with mar's life as an escaped prince then drifting to the women he becomes involved with. the style of writing was rather dull and plodding to me. *sigh* the plot picks up in the second half of the book when satan enters the scene again. i found little of the ironical homour i enjoyed in his other books but overall the book was neither here nor there, neither good nor bad.
if you plan to read this series, begin with thanatos' story in the book 'on a pale horse'. now that was a excellent book...
Rating:
Summary: i think the first book was the best
Review: i must say that i read this book out of desire to complete the series. mars is an interesting character. but it is rather disappointing story actually. it begins with mar's life as an escaped prince then drifting to the women he becomes involved with. the style of writing was rather dull and plodding to me. *sigh* the plot picks up in the second half of the book when satan enters the scene again. i found little of the ironical homour i enjoyed in his other books but overall the book was neither here nor there, neither good nor bad.
if you plan to read this series, begin with thanatos' story in the book 'on a pale horse'. now that was a excellent book...
Rating:
Summary: War is Hell...Especially in the IOI series...
Review: I really liked this book. After reading the previous book, With A Tangled Skein, I needed a guy book. At this one has it all. You war, political incorrectness, and sexy women using thier guises to overwhelm men. This book focuses on the Incarnation of War, Mars as he is referred to. The character that assumes this "office" is Mym..an outcast Prince in India. Considered "unacceptable" to rule because he has a stuttering problem, Mym stay behind the scenes and was trained in the ways of royalty. Especially in the art of war. Mym is a "Berserker". A special kind of warrior the when is bites on his lips and taste blood, anything living near him will be destroyed in the most horrific manner. Although a berserker, Mym is a noble and honorable man that dislikes violence and is seeking a women he that can love him for what he is. He sneaks away from he Palace to lead a "normal" life. He joins a traveling road show and meets a beautiful singer named "orb", who is the daugter of Niobe, the incarnation of Fate from book 3. Orb will later become the Incarnation of Nature and play a key role in the war against Satan. Mym falls in love with Orb but is forced to go back to his Prince duties when his brother, the heir apparent suddenly dies. Mym loses orb, falls for another girl...can't have her either and in a moment of rage is offered the Red Sword of of the Incarnation of War. He accepts it and Satan and Him meet and later are at odds. Satan temps him with a delicious demoness name Lilah that ever man deep down would probably want..a sex-craved woman that can become any women he desires and do anything he craves. Lilah plays a major role in this book and you do not know who side she is on until the end. This is the shortest of the IOI books and I enjoyed it. It ties in the events of the previous IOI books and really sets up the last 3 books.
Rating:
Summary: War is Hell...Especially in the IOI series...
Review: I really liked this book. After reading the previous book, With A Tangled Skein, I needed a guy book. This one has it all. You have war, political incorrectness, and sexy women using thier guises to overwhelm men. This book focuses on the Incarnation of War, Mars as he is referred to. The character that assumes this "office" is Mym..an outcast Prince in India. Considered "unacceptable" to rule because he has a stuttering problem, Mym stay behind the scenes and was trained in the ways of royalty. Especially in the art of war. Mym is a "Berserker". A special kind of warrior the when is bites on his lips and taste blood, anything living near him will be destroyed in the most horrific manner. Although a berserker, Mym is a noble and honorable man that dislikes violence and is seeking a women he that can love him for what he is. He sneaks away from he Palace to lead a "normal" life. He joins a traveling road show and meets a beautiful singer named "orb", who is the daugter of Niobe, the incarnation of Fate from book 3. Orb will later become the Incarnation of Nature and play a key role in the war against Satan. Mym falls in love with Orb but is forced to go back to his Prince duties when his brother, the heir apparent suddenly dies. Mym loses orb, falls for another girl...can't have her either and in a moment of rage is offered the Red Sword of of the Incarnation of War. He accepts it and Satan and Him meet and later are at odds. Satan temps him with a delicious demoness name Lilah that ever man deep down would probably want..a sex-craved woman that can become any women he desires and do anything he craves. Lilah plays a major role in this book and you do not know who side she is on until the end. This is the shortest of the IOI books and I enjoyed it. It ties in the events of the previous IOI books and really sets up the last 3 books.
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