Rating: 
Summary: There have been better reads...
Review: ...than this book. A friend recommended it to me and I thought I was in for a good read. Not the case. The characters were just so-so, the plot was pretty transparent, and the ending left me neither anxious to read another book by the author nor dreading it. Like I said, there are better books.
Rating: 
Summary: A little hard to get into...but it gets there.
Review: A strong warning to would-be readers: begin with the first book
of the sequence: Sleight of Hand.This wonderful book continues the story of a dozen women,
who are introduced as we go along, and prove to be pivotal
along the way. Two of the most identifiable characters are
the richly portrayed Ursula, and the mischievous and lusty
Hilea, who are respectively reincarnations of St Ursula, and
Abbess Hildegard of Bingen. [If you like Hildegard, this is
probably a trilogy you shouldn't miss.] The idea of a set of present-day individuals re-treading paths
they have tread in the past is not new. However, Karin
Kallmaker raises the device to attain new heights of poetic
power. The constant theme of the story is the tension between
the conflicting desires of the women, and their transforming
love for each other, and the focus of their existence, Ursula,
which is sometimes a battle, but at othertimes in blissful alignment. The mythic tone of the narrative comes from the fact that the
women remember their numerous previous encounters only
imperfectly. They sometimes seek someone or something they
only know vaguely, from dreams. So their discovery of each
other is alway new, and ever more poignant. And sometimes they
proceed on a path despite painful intuitions about its futility. In places, though, the author is juggling up to three
time layers at once, with the action in each affecting the
outcomes in the others, and we lose sight of the cause-and-
effect factor, the motivation, the triggers. Should Kelly
pull, or push? Why? Why should A shoot at B? (Was I too
sleepy when I read that page? ;) In once sense, their
motivations leak between the layers. On the other hand, some
of them are more aware of the other layers than others, making
it nearly impossible for the reader to make sense of the action
except that it was horribly and tragically necessary. In spite of its minor weaknesses, I can honestly say I enjoyed
the two books very much, and I pulled out my Canticles of
Ecstasy (since I do not have 11,000 virgins) and wallowed in the
wonderful feeling of exaltation both the book and the music
Of Hildegard Von Bingen evoke. There is a scene in book one, when the women are together, that
sets a mood of great innocent delight. It is like the kiss of
an angel, and I keep reading in the hope that such bliss will
be found again, perhaps in the final book of the trilogy! Arch
Rating: 
Summary: Heartwrenching & Rewarding
Review: A strong warning to would-be readers: begin with the first book
of the sequence: Sleight of Hand. This wonderful book continues the story of a dozen women,
who are introduced as we go along, and prove to be pivotal
along the way. Two of the most identifiable characters are
the richly portrayed Ursula, and the mischievous and lusty
Hilea, who are respectively reincarnations of St Ursula, and
Abbess Hildegard of Bingen. [If you like Hildegard, this is
probably a trilogy you shouldn't miss.] The idea of a set of present-day individuals re-treading paths
they have tread in the past is not new. However, Karin
Kallmaker raises the device to attain new heights of poetic
power. The constant theme of the story is the tension between
the conflicting desires of the women, and their transforming
love for each other, and the focus of their existence, Ursula,
which is sometimes a battle, but at othertimes in blissful alignment. The mythic tone of the narrative comes from the fact that the
women remember their numerous previous encounters only
imperfectly. They sometimes seek someone or something they
only know vaguely, from dreams. So their discovery of each
other is alway new, and ever more poignant. And sometimes they
proceed on a path despite painful intuitions about its futility. In places, though, the author is juggling up to three
time layers at once, with the action in each affecting the
outcomes in the others, and we lose sight of the cause-and-
effect factor, the motivation, the triggers. Should Kelly
pull, or push? Why? Why should A shoot at B? (Was I too
sleepy when I read that page? ;) In once sense, their
motivations leak between the layers. On the other hand, some
of them are more aware of the other layers than others, making
it nearly impossible for the reader to make sense of the action
except that it was horribly and tragically necessary. In spite of its minor weaknesses, I can honestly say I enjoyed
the two books very much, and I pulled out my Canticles of
Ecstasy (since I do not have 11,000 virgins) and wallowed in the
wonderful feeling of exaltation both the book and the music
Of Hildegard Von Bingen evoke. There is a scene in book one, when the women are together, that
sets a mood of great innocent delight. It is like the kiss of
an angel, and I keep reading in the hope that such bliss will
be found again, perhaps in the final book of the trilogy! Arch
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining and thoughtful! A Great Read!
Review: I don't know what book the reader from Wilmington, De., was reading, but it doesn't sound like the same book that I read! Seeds of Fire is a fast moving, engrossing story that goes places I would never have expected to be taken. It's peopled with three dimensional characters -- intelligent women with wit and heart -- who must deal with their own weaknesses as well as injustices fate and villains have dealt them. Like her other stories, Seeds of Fire plays with magical elements in thoughtful, interesting, and often touching ways. I've read all the books that Karin Kallmaker has written under the Adams pen name and think they are some of the best lesbian fantasy stories around! Adams creates worlds just slightly different from our "ordinary every day" and in addition to entertaining, she often prompts me to think about things like the nature of time, the soul, good and evil, reincarnation and the power of the love. I can't wait for the third book in the Tunnel of Light trilogy!
Rating:
Summary: Breathtaking! The saga continues....
Review: I just happened to be there when the bookstore was unpacking the box with this book. I'd been waiting for it for a really long time! So of course I was up all night. It was just wonderful, at times it took my breath away. All the threads from Sleight of Hand are picked up, a few more are added and now I can't wait until book 3! This weekend I'm going to reread Sleight of Hand, and then read this again to savor. And start guessing -- how does she get Liz out of the circle, and how can they find Hilea...so many questions! As good as book 1, and I can't wait for book 3!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Read -- When do I get the next one?
Review: I thought this was a wonderful book -- this is a truly magnificent trilogy! But, I'm mostly writing my remarks because I noted another person posted a "review" before the book was actually out. Since the person claims it was recommended, that means a lot of folks are apparently reading books before they are actually published -- something I don't believe is possible to such an extent. If you're even reading this note, get the book! It's great -- you'll love it! After all, there's a reason Karin Kallmaker is known as "The Undisputed Mistress of Lesbian Romance!"
Rating:
Summary: A little hard to get into...but it gets there.
Review: I was interested in more of the magical aspects depicted
in the blurb. The story starts out quite well and finishes
satisfying. But in the middle there is this torpor situation
that lost me..
Rating:
Summary: What a fantastic story!
Review: It has become apparent to me that Karin Kallmaker is possibly the greatest American writer alive today. Put aside the ever-present need to slap a sexual orientation qualifier in there -- it is unnecessary and limiting. Kallmaker has moved into a starfield inhabited by the great tale tellers. For example, throughout this story Kallmaker is using phrasing structures reminiscent of Gertrude Stein. A descriptive phrase is repeated several times in a paragraph to emphasize a message, while at the same time Kallmaker twists the phrase to a new meaning with each placement. Kallmaker is not stealing Stein's technique, for it is definitely altered, morphed into Kallmaker's own skillful means of bringing revelation to the reader. In another example of great craft, Kallamker constructs a flow of unusual adjectives and rich but economical description. She uses sentences like brushstrokes in a Japanese waterpainting, rendering suggestion steadily until she leaves in one's brain snapshot-like scenes dripping with medieval history and emotional nuance. This is brilliant use of language to tell a tale. The woman is creating stuff that is stunningly above what anyone else is producing right now. Anyone on the Lambda Literay Award Panel paying attention?...P>In this book, a middle story, Kallmaker has extended her scope and her technique to a new level. A skilled craftswoman and bard has evolved into an artist. She is doing more in this book than telling a story about friends, power and magic; she is holding up a mirror and reflecting back to us ourselves. She is playing a harp so sweetly and compellingly, that we are charmed into listening as she tells us how ugly we can be. This complex, multi-leveled plot deftly succeeds in raising the curtain on the unappealing human acts we all engage in and hide: the non-stop jockeying for advantage, the subtle pressing of our own self-serving agendas on others, the wronging of friends while we lie to ourselves and anyone who will listen that we are only serving the common good. This is a relentless and graceful study of the casual worst of the human soul. For me, there were parts of this story that were hard to face, for interlaced in the storyline, I recognized glimpses of my own darkness, my own treachery and glib shabbiness, my own fear of what may come. And yet I was fascinated. During the course of the past few days, everywhere I went, I had the book tucked in a coat pocket or under my arm. I was slipping it out and reading whenever I had to stop and wait for anything for more than a minute during the course of my day. This is a gem of a read, a gift to all voracious readers from a splendidly gifted imagination. Perhaps this book is also the dark before the glorious light -- created for contrast against the bright promise of what book three, The Forge of Virgins, might be in this intriguing trilogy. Treat yourself to an encounter with masterful writing: read this series.
Rating:
Summary: SEVEN STARS, or OFF THE FRIGGIN' CHART
Review: It has become apparent to me that Karin Kallmaker is possibly the greatest American writer alive today. Put aside the ever-present need to slap a sexual orientation qualifier in there -- it is unnecessary and limiting. Kallmaker has moved into a starfield inhabited by the great tale tellers. For example, throughout this story Kallmaker is using phrasing structures reminiscent of Gertrude Stein. A descriptive phrase is repeated several times in a paragraph to emphasize a message, while at the same time Kallmaker twists the phrase to a new meaning with each placement. Kallmaker is not stealing Stein's technique, for it is definitely altered, morphed into Kallmaker's own skillful means of bringing revelation to the reader. In another example of great craft, Kallamker constructs a flow of unusual adjectives and rich but economical description. She uses sentences like brushstrokes in a Japanese waterpainting, rendering suggestion steadily until she leaves in one's brain snapshot-like scenes dripping with medieval history and emotional nuance. This is brilliant use of language to tell a tale. The woman is creating stuff that is stunningly above what anyone else is producing right now. Anyone on the Lambda Literay Award Panel paying attention?...P>In this book, a middle story, Kallmaker has extended her scope and her technique to a new level. A skilled craftswoman and bard has evolved into an artist. She is doing more in this book than telling a story about friends, power and magic; she is holding up a mirror and reflecting back to us ourselves. She is playing a harp so sweetly and compellingly, that we are charmed into listening as she tells us how ugly we can be. This complex, multi-leveled plot deftly succeeds in raising the curtain on the unappealing human acts we all engage in and hide: the non-stop jockeying for advantage, the subtle pressing of our own self-serving agendas on others, the wronging of friends while we lie to ourselves and anyone who will listen that we are only serving the common good. This is a relentless and graceful study of the casual worst of the human soul. For me, there were parts of this story that were hard to face, for interlaced in the storyline, I recognized glimpses of my own darkness, my own treachery and glib shabbiness, my own fear of what may come. And yet I was fascinated. During the course of the past few days, everywhere I went, I had the book tucked in a coat pocket or under my arm. I was slipping it out and reading whenever I had to stop and wait for anything for more than a minute during the course of my day. This is a gem of a read, a gift to all voracious readers from a splendidly gifted imagination. Perhaps this book is also the dark before the glorious light -- created for contrast against the bright promise of what book three, The Forge of Virgins, might be in this intriguing trilogy. Treat yourself to an encounter with masterful writing: read this series.
Rating:
Summary: What a fantastic story!
Review: It's almost always true that second books or trilogies are never as good as the first or third, but Laura Adams has broken that rule -- along with a bunch of others in writing this "lesbian" fantasy story. Where are the weakly-developed characters, the vanilla plots, the good and true goddess loving women who overcome everything by the power of love? Or who solve all their problems by being wizards of technology and science? Not in this book! The Tunnel of Light Triology features women who are strongly developed, deeply flawed, plagued by their darker impulses and not at all sure that love will help them overcome an evil that has hunted them for 1500 years. As they live out the patterns of pursuers and pursued, of lovers and enemies and seekers and finders, they lose memories of their past knowledge and awareness of where their moral lines must be drawn to survive. This is a great series with a full range of human emotion -- not just what lesbians are "supposed" to feel. These women can hate each other, and hurt each other, and love each other -- sometimes in ways so erotic that this easily qualifies as romance. If you like fantasy, lesbian, gay, straight or otherwise, you will like this triology and this middle book. Laura Adams (an alter ego of Karin Kallmaker) must be doing something right -- unlike book 1, this middle book has been nominated for a Lammy Award. Like the rest of her readers, I am on the edge of my seat for book 3.
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