Rating: Summary: One of the best! Review: This is an outstanding series, and this novel caught my attention from the first page. I ordered the rest of the series before I was done reading the first book. It's a wonderful blend of sci-fi, swashbuckling adventure, and romance. It was as much fun to read as Star Wars is to watch.
Rating: Summary: Sci-Fi for the Fantasy Fans? Review: There's no question this novel's a science fiction work, yet it appealed to me, a fantasy fan, for it's fantasy elements. For one, I have to love the emphasis on swordfighting, instead of either blowing each other to bits with laser cannons, or with enormous spaceships. Another reason is the assortment of creatures present in the series. No self respecting fantasy fan can say they don't like a lot of monsters in their novels. And finally, this was just a fun filled, action packed romp. Picture Star Wars, only filled with gore, bloodshed, and losing a bit of the mysticism, and you have the experience of the Deathstalker series, including this first novel, in a nutshell. So, in other words, try this series out if you're a sci-fi fan, or otherwise a fantasy fan.
Rating: Summary: Exploding heads! Review: Well, this book is either for 14 year-olds who are are entertained by spurting blood, chopped off arms and legs and exploding heads getting gore on their spacesuit, or it is for the thoughtful philosopher who can hold three or more plots in his mind and still remember he is reading only one book. The author presents some brilliant concepts to share and I finally resolved the dis-jointed plot-thread jumps by thumbing ahead 50-60 pages at a time to the next fade-in to maintain the truly interesting story, (stories)... just too many plots and trivial sub-plots to share one book. Also, the author must believe in dull repetition to get the point across, or possibly the publisher asked for the manuscript to be puffed up a bit. However, I give this book 4 stars for the enchanting ethical and spiritual concepts; some of which could be classed as refreshing. It's maddening, but I'll definitely buy the second book now that I know how to clean the gore off of my space-suit.
Rating: Summary: Deathstalker Rocks!! Review: In Deathstalker, Simon Green writes a dazzling array of characters, all of them likable. From Valentine, the dark, ambitious, drug-consuming Lord, to the Stevie Blues, clones and non-people by the decree of the Empress, Green shows us all the corruption of the Empire. We meet the Masked Gladiator, hiding behind a mask while sating his blood-lust in the arena, basically a good guy in the long run. There's Jack Random, an ex-hero, beaten down by his fight against the Empire, and Ruby Journey, an unpredictable psychopath bounty hunter who joins the rebellion out of sheer boredom and a hunger for violence. We also see Captain Silence and Investigator Frost, determined to protect the Empire and save mankind. And lastly, Owen himself. He was a Lord until the Empress outlawed him, now he's on the run with few friends and many enemies, and maybe a traitor in the midst of his group as he fights a desperate battle for all of humanity...The characters alone would have been enough to make this an great book, but the quality of action and suspense raises the series to a level of excellence. Deathstalker is one of the best books I've ever read, and I highly recommend reading it.
Rating: Summary: Smack into another interesting world! Review: I have to admit that there are many interesting elements in this book, presented by Green. however, this content has many rough edges that could have done better with some editing. well some might have compared it to a saga like starwars, please don't be delusioned nor expect a tale of such high calibre from deathstalker. Green weaves a rather loose plot in this first book and also introduces a rather confusing array of "undefeatable warriors" that will become clearer as you read the other books in the series. if you are looking for another epic to keep you up late reading and daydreaming...please don't expect too much from owen deathstalker.
Rating: Summary: Incredible Review: More addicitive than Wampyr blood is the best way to describe this series! From the first page of the first book, I was completely and totally hooked. The characters and their interactions are so clear to me, it's almost as if I am watching the whole story unfold on a screen in front of me. I have yet to figure out how Simon Green does it, but trust me, this book is enjoyable for anyone that likes good fiction whether they are sci-fi fans or not.
Rating: Summary: Part of The Mystery! Review: It's a true pity that only one thousand words are available for me to describe how passionate I am about this book and about the Deathstalker books in general. Lucky for me, I can summarize my feelings in just one simple sentence: DEATHSTALKER RULES. (My temptation is to add a "supreme" at the end of that, but such a majestic addition is reserved in my heart for the Mack Bolan books by Don Pendleton, et. al). I originally discovered Green's Deathstalker while travelling abroad in Europe, and I still consider Deathstalker the ultimate European travel book. The super-cool and super-intense sci-fi space opera drama is a great complement to the dusty museums and memorials of Berlin, the mouth-watering restaurants of Warsaw, or even the charming bridges of Sweden. Simon R. Green has done a down-right astonishing job capturing, with great accuracy and consistency, the technology and lifestyles humankind may face in the distant future. Faster that the eye can see, you will be caught up in his world, a world Tolkien-like in scope but a lot less boring and stupid. One last thing- The super-gorgeous hottie evil witch queen of the universe-- she who sends the very deathsquads against the mighty battle-hardened yet sensitive Owen D.S.-- is the best arch-villian since Moriarty's goons stalked Victorian London in search of the great Sherlock Holmes. Anything more would be a terrible spoiler...
Rating: Summary: A good book in the grand tradition of Space Operas Review: Green does a very good job of painting a picture of a society that needs overthrowing - badly! Owen Deathstalker is not the most endearing character, nor particularly interesting frankly, initially. However, over the course of the several novels he comes to be a very interesting character, and better yet his companions are, generally, also very interesting. A good escape into heros, simple solutions, and possibilities.
Rating: Summary: The rebellion begins Review: This book had me entranced for two evenings. I don't normally enjoy futuristic novels that much, but Simon R. Green has a great talent for describing characters and situations.
Rating: Summary: DEATHSTALKER: The worst book that there is. Review: I cannot express in mere words the incredible super-badness of this horrible, horrible book. Don't buy it. Don't read it. Just back away from your computer slowly, turn away, and never think of the Deathstalker Series again. Now. You want details? Sure, I can provide them. I was forced to read all of Deathstalker when I lost a bet. But all the examples of terrible everything in this book are so obvious that if you don't catch them yourself you deserve to enjoy Deathstalker just as much as you deserve serious gastro-intestinal illness. For God's sake, look at the name! What kind of serious author would title his book and main character 'Deathstalker' unless he was being incredibly ironic? But this I promise you: irony, or indeed any literary device, is as far beyond the means of Mr. Simon R. Green as is plot, characterization, and not stealing all his ideas from other better science fiction. By far the most depressing aspect of Deathstalker is it's popularity. At this point, four other Deathstalker books have been published, each one, I am sure, plotted out by Green as he idly masturbated into a copy of Isaac Asimov's foundation. What does it say about humanity that he is successful with books like this? I, for one, am unwilling to speculate. I welcome your comments.
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