Rating: 
Summary: Great book!
Review: "Child of Flame" is Kate Elliott's latest book in her series, Crown of Stars. It is mostly constrated on Alain and Liath who complete their mystical journeys of self-discovery. Also, this book sheds a little light on whereabouts of the rest of the cast. While Kate Elliott concentrates on developing main characters, the puzzling questions that linger after the last 3 books remain. This book is true to Kate's style; unexpected twists and turns will make you hate characters you liked just a moment ago and vice versa. However, Hugh and Anne remain the true villains of the story. Hopefully, the finale will soon follow.
Rating: 
Summary: The most exciting book in the series, so far.
Review: "Child of Flame" is an excellent novel. We're taken in directions and into situations that are nothing like anything that's come before, yet fit their places and fulfill their roles with classic Elliott perfection. This alone adds a measure of excitement to the story. Add to that that "Child of Flame" is also the fastest paced and none of the others can touch it as far as being a pure gripping read. As for quality, I still pick "King's Dragon" as number one in the series, but it's also one of my all-time favorite books, so I have some bias, there. Here are my gripes. Kate too often falls back on cliches; such as, she uses "fast and furious" repeatedly. Other phrases are repeated in reference to the same object over a very short span. There's also a problem with some run on exposition, but not to the degree that "Burning Stone" suffers. Narrative voice is inconsistent, but this isn't completely bad, since I thought the stand in narrator was awesome. A larger problem is the sub-plot involving Hugh. It's well written, no doubt about that, but it's also become an item void of suspense; monotonous. We know from the outset that no matter what Hugh does, he will come out of it smelling, not like a rose, but like an entire field full of them. Are the problems I mentioned above nothing but my own green-eyed monster's triumphal cheering over Kate's showing her mortality. I sit here indignantly shouting, "No!", and how very untrusting of you to doubt my motives. The goddess has a human side. Even she is subject to the occasional flub. The rest of us should be so imperfect.
Rating:
Summary: Great book!
Review: "Child of Flame" is Kate Elliott's latest book in her series, Crown of Stars. It is mostly constrated on Alain and Liath who complete their mystical journeys of self-discovery. Also, this book sheds a little light on whereabouts of the rest of the cast. While Kate Elliott concentrates on developing main characters, the puzzling questions that linger after the last 3 books remain. This book is true to Kate's style; unexpected twists and turns will make you hate characters you liked just a moment ago and vice versa. However, Hugh and Anne remain the true villains of the story. Hopefully, the finale will soon follow.
Rating:
Summary: Can a woman be a powerful warrior?
Review: Although it's true that Liath--one of the main characters in Kate Elliott's Crown of Stars epic--cried and whined through the first 3 books--that, as they say, is life. Whether you are male or female you tend to cry throughout your first decade--regardless of gender! This is Ms. Elliott's first decade (in writing, I assume!) and quite frankly she (and the characters she has created) can cry all she wants! I'm absolutely intrigued with all the characters! These characters all have powerful impact--male and female--and it doesn't take skill with swords (as the genre requires) to make a powerful warrier. Hopefully, volume 6 of the Crown of Stars epic will come soon--so I can read more and review less!
Rating:
Summary: kudos to a fabulous novel
Review: Artfully planned, every element of the story contributes seamlessly to the essence of medieval fantasy. The delicate detail Ms Elliot pays to the ingredients of that imaginary world complements her evidently thorough knowledge of this particular genre. Amidst the fresh, original plot, it is her characters that stand out the most; it is ultimately they who bind the reader to their world of Wendar, Varre and now, the great beyond. Characters so different give varied narratives of the intricacies they experience, making each character, even the evil faction, an endearment to the reader's heart. From gentle Alain to brilliant Liath, readers must be prepared to become even more tightly bound to thier every desire and every pain. What I personally feel is another noteworthy feature in the novel is the manner in which Wendar's society is stuctured. The church as a major institution is an interesting perspective, especially since this is somewhat rare in most other fantasy novels. Furthermore, it is pleasingly refreshing to read of a nation that certainly does not incorporate the male domination in many other fantasy books. The latest addition to the Crown of Stars series would certainly keep readers up long after their bed time. Be assured that the many twists in the plot would not allow impressions and expectations to stagnate. An enthralling read.
Rating:
Summary: Not boring!
Review: Boring it isn't! While I'm anxious to reach the conclusion of the series, I can't deny the pull of the new characters. Liath is far from what she appears to be and so is Alain. There are so many players in a story that is greater than the destiny of Liath and Sanglant! Crown of Stars is an incredible series!
Rating:
Summary: Great book!
Review: Child of Flame is the Kate Elliott's latest book in her series Crown of Stars. It is mostly constrated on Alain and Liath who complete their mystical journeys of self-discovery. Also, this book sheds a little light on whereabouts of the rest of the cast. While Kate Elliott is concentrates of developing characters , the puzzling questions that linger after the last 3 books remain. This book is true to Kate's style, unexpected twist and turns will make you hate characters you liked just a moment ago and vise versa. However, Hugh and Anne remain the true villains of the story.
Rating: 
Summary: Can we get to the end of the story already?
Review: Four books, over 600 pages and we still aren't at the end of the story! Still, I love the characters (particularly Sanglant) so I will persevere. You cannot read this book without having read at least the book before it (The Burning Stone), preferably all of the books in the series. Even after reading all of those, you can be initially confused by this book as it begins with characters and a setting you have never experienced before. It would have been better to begin with an established storyline/setting, or give us a clue as to how these new characters and setting fitted into the story sooner than we were. In fact, the whole books is becoming confusing, for I'm now really not sure who are the goodies and who are the baddies and who do I want to win. There is a great deal of symbolism being used, and it's hard to keep track of. I think the best bet will be to wait until all the books in the series are published and then sit down and read the whole lot from beginning to end. We can only hope that Book Five is it, because I don't think I can wait another two years to find out how it all ends!
Rating:
Summary: To BRYAN WALKER, below.
Review: Hey Brian, since I can't respond through email, this is the only forum available. 1)Your planet of the apes question.. Planet of the Apes makes a great deal more sense than Kate Elliot's matriarchal society. In a primitive, ravaged world the physical strength of ape's would be a tremendous advantage if it was met with a corresponding increase in intelligence. There is no reason to believe that in a barbaric, medieval society women would be able to dominate the landscape because they lack the physical power to do so. If you don't believe this to be the truth, LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF OUR PLANET. I'm not saying its right, I'm just saying that for Elliott to create a world that turns this on its head she has to justify it. She doesn't. 2)Joan of Arc: Despite any non-sensical legends that have come down to us, I guarantee you that Joan of Arc was slower and weaker than the average male warrior of her day. It was the fact that she was considered a borderline prophet and a genuine French patriot that she rose to prominence. Using her as an exception is a clever tactic...but try to come up with more than two or three famous military figures who were female. It's kind of difficult.
Rating:
Summary: Get to the point!
Review: I am one of those who really enjoy the Crown of Stars series and I think Child of Flame (although not my favorite) was really good.
I have read some complaints of how the story separates into about 6 stories instead of one, but personally I think it adds to the story. It adds because it lets each character go their separate ways. Some events of the book you actually read twice, but it's a good thing because you see things through another characters eyes.
In this book almost all the main characters go through a "Hero's Journey" and change or discover new things about themselves or other people.
Although all of the characters are very interesting and well developed, one of the most interesting of them are Rosvita and Liath. Rosvita is a top cleric and personal advisor of King Henry. Trying to unravel the mystery of the past of the new skopos, Anne, who claims to be the decedant of the famous Emperor Taillefer. Liath,a young woman who also has a very mysterious past (being the daughter of the skopos) comes to the strange land of the Aoi, whom Anne works against, there she is taught to wield her power by Eldest Uncle. Then she goes on a journey to discover her true self, her past, and get back to her husband and daughter.
I think this is a great book, but if you are going to read it you need to read the three other preceding books King's Dragon, Prince of Dogs, and The Burning Stone, otherwise you would be extremely confused and wouldn't understand the extensiveness of the characters or the complexity of the story line.
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