Rating: 
Summary: A Great Read
Review: Jennifer Fallon is an excellent writer, who mixes fantasy and sci-fi beautifully. She gives us a wonderful cast of characters and a great setting. I couldn't put down this tale of a lord's second son as he gets caught up in a web of political and religious weaving. A fast page turner I reccommend this book to anyone who's looking for a fantasy setting with a sci-fi twist.
Rating:
Summary: Can there be any more power-hungry characters here?
Review: Jennifer Fallon's Lion of Senet, the first book in her Second Sons trilogy, is simply a fun read. Fallon is not a new writer, but she is new to North American audiences, with this book just coming out this year. Thankfully, Bantam is publishing all three books within months of each other, so the third book is actually out. Having read the first two from the library, I am chomping at the bit to read the third.The title of the series has a double meaning (the two suns that Ranadon orbits around, as well as the obvious meaning). I like that touch. First, not only is Dirk a second son, but his friend Kirsch is the Lion's second son. Both will become heavily involved in all of the schemes flying around the area. Secondly, the second sun disappearing for a time plays a large part in the series. The last time that happened, anarchy reigned and Belagren and the Lion were able to take power because Belagren was able to say when the sun would reappear (because the Goddess told her, she said). She told the Lion that he would have to sacrifice one of his children to bring it out, knowing full well that it would come naturally even without this. Now, the secret of when the next "Age of Shadows" will come is hidden from her, and she's desperate to find out. There is an underlying tension between science and religion in the book, with Fallon coming down on the side of science (at least within the series itself). The "true" Goddess religion is rarely, if ever mentioned, and only Belagren's perverted form is present. Her opponents are firm believers that the Age of Shadows is a scientific thing and not a religious one. And, of course, we are shown that they are right. Lip service is given to how Belagren has moved away from the real Goddess, but we aren't given much information so it appears that there is no "real" religion on Ranadon. I found that disappointing. That is the only disappointment for me, however. Fallon does a wonderful job of both plotting and characterization. The plot is very centralized (the Lion has control of Dhevyn and wants to solidify that control, and Belagren wants to keep her own hold on power) but yet it is vast. It covers at least three years in this book alone, and ranges all over the islands and into Senet itself. While there are a few too many predictable "one day I'll have power, and then you'd better watch out" proclamations, the story itself actually has a fair number of surprises. King Johan's fate truly surprised me, as the expected rescues didn't happen, and what ultimately does happen to him knocked me for a loop. In fact, that entire scene, the confrontation between the Lion, Johan, Dirk, and a few others (I won't reveal more) is riveting. And that's not even the ending of the book! This leads into Fallon's prose. The text grabbed me and wouldn't let me go until I finished the book. I had a lot of trouble putting the book down, as the Fallon's descriptions amazed me and her dialogue was almost flawless. The characterization was wonderful as well, with only Marqel feeling a bit too forced. I did find that both Kirsch and her being instantly obsessed with each other was a bit unbelievable, but I was able to get past it very quickly because I was so entranced with everybody else. There are too many characters to name (as they're all good), but Dirk is the main one, and he is almost perfect. He's very intelligent and he just wants to become a physician. He finds himself trapped in all of the political games (especially once his secret is revealed to him) and just wants to be left alone. Since that's not going to happen, though, he has to use his wits and discovers that he's capable of playing the political game as well. When he has to commit a final horrible but compassionate action, he's devastated but able to think on his feet. The plot is so intricate that if the characterization failed, the book would fall apart. It's the characters who build the foundation and make the reader interested in the complicated story. And it is complicated, with scheming going on all over the place. But it's well worth the time and effort to keep things straight, and it's not really that complicated if you pay attention. There is almost no combat in the novel, but there is a torture scene that made me a bit squeamish. Unfortunately for those weak-of-heart, it's in the middle of the riveting scene mentioned above, so you may just have to put up with it. It's not that bad, though. Just grin and bear it. Believe me, it's well worth it. David Roy
Rating:
Summary: Can there be any more power-hungry characters here?
Review: Jennifer Fallon's Lion of Senet, the first book in her Second Sons trilogy, is simply a fun read. Fallon is not a new writer, but she is new to North American audiences, with this book just coming out this year. Thankfully, Bantam is publishing all three books within months of each other, so the third book is actually out. Having read the first two from the library, I am chomping at the bit to read the third. The title of the series has a double meaning (the two suns that Ranadon orbits around, as well as the obvious meaning). I like that touch. First, not only is Dirk a second son, but his friend Kirsch is the Lion's second son. Both will become heavily involved in all of the schemes flying around the area. Secondly, the second sun disappearing for a time plays a large part in the series. The last time that happened, anarchy reigned and Belagren and the Lion were able to take power because Belagren was able to say when the sun would reappear (because the Goddess told her, she said). She told the Lion that he would have to sacrifice one of his children to bring it out, knowing full well that it would come naturally even without this. Now, the secret of when the next "Age of Shadows" will come is hidden from her, and she's desperate to find out. There is an underlying tension between science and religion in the book, with Fallon coming down on the side of science (at least within the series itself). The "true" Goddess religion is rarely, if ever mentioned, and only Belagren's perverted form is present. Her opponents are firm believers that the Age of Shadows is a scientific thing and not a religious one. And, of course, we are shown that they are right. Lip service is given to how Belagren has moved away from the real Goddess, but we aren't given much information so it appears that there is no "real" religion on Ranadon. I found that disappointing. That is the only disappointment for me, however. Fallon does a wonderful job of both plotting and characterization. The plot is very centralized (the Lion has control of Dhevyn and wants to solidify that control, and Belagren wants to keep her own hold on power) but yet it is vast. It covers at least three years in this book alone, and ranges all over the islands and into Senet itself. While there are a few too many predictable "one day I'll have power, and then you'd better watch out" proclamations, the story itself actually has a fair number of surprises. King Johan's fate truly surprised me, as the expected rescues didn't happen, and what ultimately does happen to him knocked me for a loop. In fact, that entire scene, the confrontation between the Lion, Johan, Dirk, and a few others (I won't reveal more) is riveting. And that's not even the ending of the book! This leads into Fallon's prose. The text grabbed me and wouldn't let me go until I finished the book. I had a lot of trouble putting the book down, as the Fallon's descriptions amazed me and her dialogue was almost flawless. The characterization was wonderful as well, with only Marqel feeling a bit too forced. I did find that both Kirsch and her being instantly obsessed with each other was a bit unbelievable, but I was able to get past it very quickly because I was so entranced with everybody else. There are too many characters to name (as they're all good), but Dirk is the main one, and he is almost perfect. He's very intelligent and he just wants to become a physician. He finds himself trapped in all of the political games (especially once his secret is revealed to him) and just wants to be left alone. Since that's not going to happen, though, he has to use his wits and discovers that he's capable of playing the political game as well. When he has to commit a final horrible but compassionate action, he's devastated but able to think on his feet. The plot is so intricate that if the characterization failed, the book would fall apart. It's the characters who build the foundation and make the reader interested in the complicated story. And it is complicated, with scheming going on all over the place. But it's well worth the time and effort to keep things straight, and it's not really that complicated if you pay attention. There is almost no combat in the novel, but there is a torture scene that made me a bit squeamish. Unfortunately for those weak-of-heart, it's in the middle of the riveting scene mentioned above, so you may just have to put up with it. It's not that bad, though. Just grin and bear it. Believe me, it's well worth it. David Roy
Rating:
Summary: A brilliant new fantasy trilogy
Review: Many consider Tolkien's masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings, the benchmark to which every other epic fantasy work is compared. The first book in The Second Sons Trilogy leaves the reader with the impression that this series will receive top marks in that scale. Jennifer Fallon creates a craftily depicted world with characters the reader will love or hate with passion. I became so engrossed in the story that I could not put this book down until I finished it. Ranadon once again has two suns surging through its sky, but its inhabitants have suffered greatly in the past when one of the suns disappeared and the Age of Shadows began. The High Priestess, Belagren, with the help of a great mathematician, Neris, discovered the secrets about the Age of Shadows, which is a natural phenomenon that depends on the orbits of the suns. In her eagerness for power, Belagren used this information to her advantage and claimed that the Goddess spoke to her and told her exactly were the sun would return, granted that certain sacrifices were made. It all worked out, and Belagren gained considerable power through this stratagem. However, Neris sealed the secrets inside a deadly Labyrinth, and threw himself off a cliff, presumably dying. In her need to know when the next Age of Shadows will return, so as to prove her communication with the Goddess, Belagren convinced the Lion of Senet, ruthless ruler of the strongest kingdom in Ranadon, to search for Neris because she suspects the genius is still alive. Meanwhile, in the kingdom of Dhevyn, which is "controlled" by Senet, the second son of Duchess Mirna of Elcast is being trained to be a physician. He is a bright boy and is thrown in the middle of the action when the Lion of Senet and Belagren arrive to Elcast looking for a very special prisoner, who was left unconscious in the coast after a tidal wave made his vessel the victim of a shipwreck. The plot is complex but easy to understand, with religion and politics cleverly intertwined in a mix that achieves a similar effect on the reader to the one "Dune" accomplishes. There are many characters, but with the help of the character list and the masterful descriptions the author elaborates, it is reasonably easy to keep track of them. I would recommend following the story closely with the map provided, at least until the reader gets a clear idea of the geographical location of the different places mentioned. This will make the book a lot more enjoyable and easy to follow. Finally, an extra benefit in this trilogy is that it is already written in its entirety, thus, there is no need to wait a long time for the next two installments, which have already been published in Australia and New Zealand. If you like epic fantasy I highly recommend you read this book and discover what Fallon has to offer.
Rating: 
Summary: OK
Review: Overall the book wasn't that great. I never felt truly close to any of the main characters. I didn't feel like they were as believable and developed as they could have been. Over and over you were told how smart Dirk was, but other than a couple of parlor tricks he was never shown to be a genius. The main bad guys were also very shallow. I had a hard time believing the Lion of Senet or the High Priestess were capable of running the world based on the people Fallon showed us.
Also, I was very disappointed with the slow start this novel had. I don't have to be drawn in on the first page, but I was halfway through the book before I got the least bit interested. The writing style is OK but nothing exceptional.
The reason I am giving it three stars, instead of one or two, is that the book did finally pick up and begin to interest me slightly, but it still was nothing exceptional. It's an OK book, and I will probably read the entire series because I've started it, but if you're looking for a great read there are countless more worthy novels.
Rating: 
Summary: Dogmatic Atheism
Review: Summary of Chapter One: "See the good guys. Notice that, like all smart, ethical people, they dismiss religion out of hand." Summary of Chapter Two: "Meet the religious leader. She is calculating and evil. In case you didn't notice that she doesn't care when her followers get killed, the author will point it out specially for you." Summary of Chapter Three: "Here are the people who believe in religion. Notice how stupid they are. Anyone who uses their brain even a tiny bit will inevitably come to exactly the same atheistic conclusions as the author." That's where I stopped reading. Even if you're an atheist or agnostic, this novel's simplistic portrayal of religious people as either morons or frauds (like Isaac Newton?) and of atheists as enlightened and ethical (like Stalin?) will be irritating.
Rating:
Summary: Best Book I've Read for Ages
Review: This book is simply the most intelligent fantasy I've read for ages. It took a couple of chapters to sort everyone out, but you really can't confuse the characters. It is filled with ambigious moral issues and the constant temptation to fall into the trap of allowing the end to justify the means. The good guys are drug runners and the bad guys are the ones occupying the high moral ground. They could use this book in college to teach ethics classes. Can't wait for the rest of the series.
Rating:
Summary: Second Sons, get it.
Review: This book is the start of a great trilogy that blends politics, religion, science, and superb writing.
This series is much like George R.R. Martin's Song of Fire and Ice, because of the excellence of the political intrigue that is crafted into the story. While it may be listed as a fantasy there is no mention of magic at all. This improves the story immensely because I don't think there would be any place for it.
When I studied ancient civilizations (Assyria, Babylon) it reminded me much of the of the religion in this book. It provided the insight for an A paper I'm glad to say.
This is the kind of book that you find yourself thinking about long after your done with it. Mrs. Fallon has a new series out as well I have bought the first book but have yet to read it. I hope that it is as thought provoking as I found this series to be. I would also like to mention the very end of the last book is one of the best closing details that I've ever read.
Rating:
Summary: A Second Sons Trilogy review
Review: Wow! I have just finished the Second Sons Trilogy and I am thoroughly impressed. This first book is very well written and becomes quite complex as the characters develop more and more. Whats even better is that the second book is better than the first and the third book is better than the second. These three books are the best that I have read since George R.R. Martins "A Game of Thrones" series. This book starts out relatively slowly with a simple ship wreck and a lone survivor that eventually sets a complex story in motion. I found it refreshing in the fact that there is no sorcery to speak of, which is typical of a fantasy book. There are no easy magical solutions to any of the problems that come up. Everything is accomplished way of Dirk Provin's intelligence and ruthless manipulations. This series is a great case study of Machiavellian tactics. I personally think that Bantam Books really dropped the ball by not issuing these books in hardback. I would truly love to have this series in a hardbound, signed, first edition form. One last note, I would not recomend reading these books out of order. The second and third books pick up right where the previous book ends and there is little background given. Read and enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: A Second Sons Trilogy review
Review: Wow! I have just finished the Second Sons Trilogy and I am thoroughly impressed. This first book is very well written and becomes quite complex as the characters develop more and more. Whats even better is that the second book is better than the first and the third book is better than the second. These three books are the best that I have read since George R.R. Martins "A Game of Thrones" series. This book starts out relatively slowly with a simple ship wreck and a lone survivor that eventually sets a complex story in motion. I found it refreshing in the fact that there is no sorcery to speak of, which is typical of a fantasy book. There are no easy magical solutions to any of the problems that come up. Everything is accomplished way of Dirk Provin's intelligence and ruthless manipulations. This series is a great case study of Machiavellian tactics. I personally think that Bantam Books really dropped the ball by not issuing these books in hardback. I would truly love to have this series in a hardbound, signed, first edition form. One last note, I would not recomend reading these books out of order. The second and third books pick up right where the previous book ends and there is little background given. Read and enjoy.
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