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Summary: A book to spend the night on
Review: From the moment that I opened the cover to the hour where I finished the last page, I was mesmerized. An original plot, enchanting characters, and an attention to detail make this book a necessity for your bookshelf. Humor, drama, and tragedy are found throughout the book, and her ability to weave them together so well prove that Elizabeth Haydon is a name to watch in the future.
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Summary: Rhapsody : Child of Blood
Review: I was completely blown away by this novel on so many levels! The characters are so well written to the point that I can hear Grunthor's deep, gravelly voice as he yells his disgusting marching riddles and see the gleam in Ahmed's eye. I've been dying ever since reading this book to get to the next in the series and it's TAKEN TOO LONG as I have missed my new friends in Rhapsody, Grunthor and Achmed very, very much!
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Summary: A Strong Start with Great Characters
Review: The key to any fantasy story are strong characters and Rhapsody features three terrific lead characters. I have read this first book and have already purchased the second. The three main characters each have their own distinct personalities and act extremely consistent within those constructs.The author does a great job of constructing this world with wonderful images and scenes. She uses vibrant language to depict this world. Other than the three main characters, the other characters in the books can oftentimes be shallow and a bit too similar to each other. Perhaps it is simply that they pale next to the other characters in the book. Please do not read this book expecting a hack and slash. Although there are scenes depicting violence, the author correctly describes many of these scenes quickly and oftentimes covers large battles either "off camera" or within a few paragraphs. This may put off the more action oriented fan, but it makes quite a lot of sense to approach the storytelling in this fashion for purposes of this book. I eagerly look forward to the development of these characters.
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Summary: Great Book--ignore the naysayers
Review: I loved this book, and its sequel... The characterdevelopment in this book is outstanding. In particular Grunthor, thegiant sergeant major who sings gross marching songs, and Achmed the obnoxious assassin-king are two of the best the genre has ever seen. Their interactions with each other, and with Rhapsody and Jo, are not the standard fantasy..., noble hero and his plucky female sidekick, or the Jordan model where all the women are powerful but personalityless. Haydon takes risks no other fantasy author would take, and the results are brilliant. Don't miss out on this book.
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Summary: If this is what "hype" is, then I sure want more of it!
Review: This book was is the best fantasy I've read in a long time. I'd recommend it to any fantasy lover, and anyone not, for it's sure to pull you into the genre. You might be dissapointed by the lack of other authors that compare to Elizabeth Haydon, but I can't wait to read the other two. It's certainly different, and that's why I like it even more. Chanting and singing the names of things to revert them to their original states or use them to your advantage? That's certainly original. The implementation of music is wonderful too, and it has a somewhat magic-like quality in the book. The beginning might get a little to sappy for many readers but read on anyway, it's sure to encapture you into it's world. The root tree tunnel part was a bit tedious though (I was sympathizing with Rhapsody, wondering if it would ever end). Why is it, though, that whenever an amazing book comes out, no matter how good it is, someone's going to ignore anything they might possibly enjoy in it and try to deprecate the fact that so many people loved and enjoyed it. They claim it was "hyped" and no one will actually open their eyes to see what's really on the page. They state that the language is "90ish" and compare it to Tolkien. I hate to break it to you pal, but we LIVE in the 90s. Grunthor's Australian-like accent (at least it was to me) was a bit much, but funny. Tolkien published his classic The Lord of the Rings way back in the 50s. If you start reading a book with a strong bias that it's all "hype" you're probably not going to enjoy it. Even if you don't like the genre, you have to admit it's extremely well written. I'm not sure what "hype" these people are talking about. The cover of Prophecy was so amazing, I went out and bought the first novel after browsing in a bookstore. The bottom line is that if you're so impatient that you demand a fight scene every other minute, can't use a bit of imagination to deviate somewhat from the monotonous banal road that fantasy authors continue to meander down, and complain because the descriptions are too in depth and the plot so complicated that it makes you *gasp* THINK, then go watch an action flick or read Salvatore's pitiful excuse for fantasy the "DemonWars" series. (No offense Salvatore, I've loved everyone one of your Drizzt books but PLEASE dump the DemonWars series. A 4th book? Move on already! Drizzt worked, Elbryan didn't.) Otherwise, read it at all costs (buy the hardcover too, it's worth it).
Rating: 
Summary: Yawn
Review: You could close your eyes and pull any old fantasy novel off the shelf and it would resemble and be just as good as this one. So if you like just about anything on those shelves, this should do it for you. But with regard to this book, the glowing reviews are over-dramatized, author must have friends and relatives or publishers here because any objective reader would acknowledge that while there are some nice things about the book (she writes fairly well) the bad things really set it back such that it is juct as good as the next fantasy novel which I think means it is mediocre and maybe good for light reading if you'r easy to please. Book seems to have been haphazardly written, or is clutsy for other unknown reasons. Some think it's humorous. Here's an example of the humor: Heroine falls into her partner's arms and he says "Hello my dear, nice of you to drop in, care for some tea". So if you think that's funny, well this is the book for you. Other character interactions are similarly un-inspired and overblown, they are always grinning or weeping or laughing loudly at the right moments, there is no complexity in how they experience each other or the world. Just as with humor and dialogue, combat is overblown, too. Characters destroy everyone easily and fight "like a dance", same old stuff from other fantasy novels. This sort of stuff was a great when I was in 6th grade. No more.
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Summary: Wow! Stinks Bad!
Review: After reading the reviews here, I thought it would be the greatest fantasy novel ever, and that I wouldn't put it down. Boy was I wrong! it was quit easy to put it down...in fact I nodded off and it fell down. Astonishingly poor character and story development. Previous critical reviewers covered the flaws well, read them I won't repeat them here.
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Summary: There are worse books...
Review: But this one is not worth reading, in my opinion. I'm with the other reviewers who found this book aimless and dull. Characters litter the scenes and you're left wondering "why?", "who?", "what are they doing?". Dialogue and inter-character interactions are hopelessly contrived and stilted. Characters' emotions are handled clumsily and baldly, tears rolling down cheeks, winking, grins, lots of shuddering, etc. Since it's apparently OK to comment on other reviewers on this forum, I'm no fool with "reading comprehension" problems, this book is just old-fashioned junk reading. Regarding the flood of 5-star reviews, it's not hard to get 4-5 star ratings in the fantasy area, shoot, apparently every fantasy novel was the greatest book ever according to numerous reviewers. I'm warning you to avoid this one.
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Summary: Wow!
Review: When I finally got around to picking this book up, I was blown away. What an incredible story teller. I was so entranced I couldn't put it down. It only took me a day to devour. And then I had to rush out and get the sequel the next day.
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Summary: Way to go, Elizabeth!
Review: I am a voracious reader, like all kinds of genre, from mystery to fantasy to historical romance to James Michner. I like this one. The "editor" at the beginning lets you know something is "up" and from the there the roller coaster begins. There are enough side plots and asides to keep anyone going and the biting humor between Achmed and Rhaspsody is hilarious. And I love Gunthor. It's been a long time since I've read a book I just couldn't put down to the exclusion of all else but this one wouldn't let me go. Thanks Elizabeth Haydon for a new "trilogy"; I went to Amazon.com almost as soon as I finished to see if the second book was out and wondering how close the third is because I don't think I will be very patient in waiting for it(I know I have to, but it doesn't mean I LIKE it!) I could get all technical but I won't. I really enjoyed this book, was really entertained, was transported for a while to a place I had never been before, and THAT'S what a good book is supposed to do. Looking forward to the next one.
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