Rating: 
Summary: Wow!
Review: This book is amazing. I began reading it at about ten pm, after it had sat in my room for nearly a month, and discovered I could not put it down! I read until 1am and then finally decided that if I didn't go to bed I would pass out. As soon as I woke up the nedxt morning I resumed reading. I was enchanted by the amazingly realistic characters and was drawn into the senery. I feel that any fantasy lover would enjoy this book.
Rating:
Summary: Great beginning to a great series...
Review: Let me start off by saying that I have put off writing this review until I was able to read all six books. This is because I would not want to be in any way responsible for drawing you into a series, only to find that it lagged horribly in the middle, went on endlessly, or had some sort of unsatisfying ending. I would want to be able to warn you off the first book before you became invested in the story. That said, and having read all six, I can now wholeheartedly recommend that you read all six books:
The Witches of Eileanan
The Pool of Two Moons
The Cursed Towers
The Forbidden Land
The Skull of the World
The Fathomless Caves.
Having completed this explaination of my moral obligation, let me tell you about the first book... I haven't read extensively in the fantasy genre. I have struggled with some of Tolkien and Brooks. I have not read Jordan or Eddings yet. I love Elizabeth Haydon. I freely admit to being the type of reader who needs female characters to identify with. Although these books do have strong male characters who figure importantly in the story, they are really about the girl power. And so, I you're starved for strong female characters, you'll want to try this. I found the world of Eileanan very refreshing. I enjoy Celtic-based fantasy, and found the heavy dose of Wiccan very interesting. Character development is excellent, throughout the series. Not only are new characters introduced, but old ones really grow and change as a direct result of the experiences you share with them as you read. And Forsyth is not afraid to let bad things happen to good people, which keeps her work from being predictable and keeps the reader turning the pages. The first main character, and ultimate favorite heroine of the series is Isabeau the Foundling. Isabeau is an orphan who has been taken in by an old witch. They live in a secret valley because witchcraft has been outlawed, and anyone, a member of the Coven or any person suspected of practicing witchraft, is in danger of being captured by the Awl, the militant arm of the Anti-Witchcraft League, under the ultimate authority of the Banrigh, Maya the Blessed. Isabeau is a restless sixteen-year-old who is anxious for knowledge of the One Power and for adventure. She chafes at the restrictive caution of her guardian, Meghan of the Beasts. Isabeau's life changes forever when Maya's Red Guard and the Seekers of the Awl find the secret valley and she must part company with Meghan to deliver a talisman to a witch hiding in the Righ's own palace. Isabeau's journey is fraught with dangers and horrors she could never have imagined while growing up, talking to the animals and foraging for herbs in the secret valley. Isabeau's guardian has another task. She must go and ask the fierce Dragons for their Wisdom to defeat Maya and restore the Coven. She must find a lost prince and plot to place him on his brother's throne. Meghan will discover the true identity of her foundling child, as Isabeau begins to discover herself. I hope and believe that you will find yourself invested enough Isabeau's plight and the goals of the rebellion to continue on to The Pool of Two Moons. p.s. To the reader who was upset about the prophecy of Isabeau never having a beau: I get that. I'm a big romance reader. But prophecies aren't always what they seem.
And the brogue is not bad, it's very light. And it's necessary to get a feel for the characters in their world. After a few chapters, you'll hardly notice, and after a few books, you might find yourself slipping and saying "dinna". Ugh. (If you have read Diana Gabaldon's Outlander, or Patricia Kennealy-Morrison's Keltia books, you'll probably say: You call this brogue?)
Rating: 
Summary: Witches of Eileanan
Review: This is the story of Isabeau and Iseult, the red-haired twin sisters. They are the warrior and the witch who are set out to free the land of Eileanan from the evil banrigh, Maya. The book starts when the twins are sixteen years old, when the great comet shows up. Isabeau has grown up quite protected in her valley, as the apprentice of Meghan of the Beast. She has learned about witchcraft, herbs, animals and the elements. Iseult on the other hand, has been raised as a scarred warrior, and doesn't get this witchcraft thing. She kills to survive, and know no other way of life, before she meets Meghan. Maya, the queen took over as the ruler of the land of Eileanan, sixteen years ago, and all witchcraft was forbidden. So the witches now live in deepest secrecy, and get killed if they ever are discovered. And now the witches will fight the queen. What I enjoyed the most in this book was the dept of the characters. The tree main characters are very different, and play well against each other. ( I'm just wondering how Isabeau and Iseult will get along when they finally meet...) Also he "evil" characters have more depth than they usually do; it's even some moments where you feel sympathy for the evil queen Maya. The side characters are also as interesting as the main ones, and the plot is good, but with some weaker parts. The change of who's the main character from chapter to chapter is ok, but sometimes annoying, like when it gets to long time until you learn what happened with Isabeau. This is also the first book in a series, and it's easy to tell. There are a lot of loose ends, and lesser action, but I guess that will be better in the next books.
Rating:
Summary: Strong Women Make the Difference
Review: I have truly enjoied reading this novel and the rest of the series. Kate Forsyth is to be congratulated for her character development, and all of her female charaters are fantastic. Whether or not they are good or bad, or a main character or a side character, these women are strong and powerful all in their own right. I would recomend the Eileanan series to any woman, all can relate to at least one of the females in the novel. Three cheers for Forsyth and her pagan research of the five elements and how important they really are. Fabulous portrayal of pagan beliefs of how sacred all life (herb or creature) actually is, and that many pagans are vegetarians. :) The character of Isabeau is well planned and thought out. She is entrusted with a portion of the key that will bring a lifesaving force back to the land. She finds out quickly just how dangerous the road of Adventure actually is. Isabeau grows from child to powerful woman quickly under the hands of the AWL (Anti-Witchcraft League). One question from this novel... What is going on in Aran, with Margit o' the Thistle? I highly recomend this series, but read it in order if you don't want to be lost. This first of the series is fantastic.
Rating:
Summary: Powerful Story - Fantastic
Review: I came across Kate Forsyth's Eileanan series by accident. I was so impressed by this novel that I imediately went out and purchased the other four novels of the series. The characters are constantly developing and are powerful. The women of the novel are strong women, and Isabeau's character is one that throughout the novel is growing from child to strong woman that many can relate with. I was greatly impressed by Forsyth's research of the old european earth-based pagan religion. For those of the pagan beliefs this is a truly inspiring story. I highly recomend this novel.
Rating:
Summary: A truly amazing fantasy!
Review: This is one of the best fantasy books you could ever read - the whole series is absoutely one of the best around. The characters are so vivid and alive, the plot just keeps making you gasp with surprise, it twists and turns so unexpectedly, and it has so much that is fresh and original - sometimes it makes you laugh, sometimes it makes you cry, and the writing is just so beautiful. I've read it now about four times, and the rest of the books in the series, and each time I read it I understand more and am just amazed at how many different layers there are in the book. If you like books that are full of magic and adventure and romance, you've got to read this series!
Rating:
Summary: Finders Of Fantasy Will Fully Frolic For This Foray
Review: I have never written a review. Of course I have never read a book that I feel in love with so much that I wanted to write a review. (Actually I have but that's not the point) A Lot of people have bad mouthed this series, especially since the re-release of Lord of the Rings, (Not that I have anything against Tolkien, I am a big fan), that's fine, every man to his own. But this series holds many suprising and wonderful things, that I can't help but defend. The difference between the books is, Tolkien is hard-core fantasy, the kind that you find straight out of D&D or Dune, this series is a little more light. It keep you guessing to the end of the series (I'm still shocked about some of them)and let's you fall for some of the almost real characters, (even if you want to kill some of them once in a while) I suggest these books to anyone who is just discovering the love of the fantastical.
Rating:
Summary: Good reading
Review: Enjoyable story line and terrific characters. You'll want to get the other books in the series to have on hand as you'll want to start the next one as soon as you've finished one.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Kate Forsyth has managed to create a world full of realism. Her charcters are real people, and their isn't truly one main character. Rather, all of the people that play important roles in the history of Eileanan are. There is Isabaeu, a young, innocent, and reckless girl that dreams of great adventure. Meghan, her gardian, is wise and full of secrets, and also very powerful. Iseult is at first cold and stern, her ways of life harsh. Bacaiche is a grumpy hunchback that has been hurt deeply, and Dide, a rebel jongleur that has a role to play yet (I hope). This story tells the tale of the two twins, Isabeau and Iseult, and their roles in the fate of the Witches of Eileanan. In a world where Witchcraft has been outlawed and the price is death, the two, although they have never met, each have a very important role to play in the return of it.
Rating:
Summary: Very Good book, And Series
Review: I found this book while searching my lil public library for some good fantasy, read it, and found it very satisfying.
I read some of the other reviews that said the book imitated Robert Jordan's Wheel of time, which happens to be my favorite series, but I couldnt see what they meant about it. then I realized I read this before I read WoT, which is why I love them both. Definitely a great book to read if you're interested in witches.
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