Rating: 
Summary: Wow! One of the best books I have ever read!
Review: When my grandmother gave "The Rowan" to me (I love books), I turned it over and read the back. I was skeptical and not sure about it. I am not in to sci-fi but more into fantasy. I took it with me to my highschool testing and when I was done with it I took it out and started reading. When it was time to go on testing I couldn't put it down. I found the inter-space world Anne McCaffrey created had intwined me and caught me in its wondrous atmosphere. The story of a young powerful teleknetic orphan held me on the edge of my seat. The emotions and experiences of the young girl soon known as the Rowan wow'd me and made me see sci-fi in a new light. I keep it among my other favorites such as: Dragonlance series, the Chronicles of Narnia, and the Myst series. Amazing like no other book I couldn't believe how it still held my attention months later as I wondered about some of the events. The advanced world of earth and outer colonies was the future and AM had brought it to life with the powerful teleknetic minds of the FT&T it made me wish for more. The colorful worlds and wonders of the Rowan and her story is a true work of art. If you want to start a great series start reading the "Rowan" series. Truly excellents books probably Anne's best works ever.
Rating:
Summary: I LOVE this book!!!
Review: The Rowan is my favorite science fiction book of all time. I can't tell you how many times I've read it. I own three copies, a new paperback, a paperback that's falling apart and a hardcover that took me forever to find. There is something about this book(indeed, about all Anne McCaffrey books)that reaches out and grabs you and makes you think, Oh, why can't I just leap into this book and meet those people!The book is set sometime in the future and humankind has spread out into space with the aid of the Talented, people with incredible mental abilities, like telepathy, telekinesis, and clairvoyance. The Rowan was the victim of a terrible accident as a child and a whole planet heard her telepathic cries for help. She has the potential to be the most powerful Prime Talent ever. As she grows into her amazing abilities, she grows away from others. She discovers that her powers isolate her from everyone around her. One evening, a telepathic distress call from an unknown Talent of Prime ability shakes her whole universe. And that's how she meets Jeff Raven, a charismatic young man from distant Deneb. The Rowan stands beside him against a mysterious alien threat to his planet and realizes she never wants to leave him, that she loves him, and he will move solar systems to have her in his arms. These characters are wonderful! The romance between the Rowan and Jeff Raven is so touching, yet it is written in such a way that it's not too sweet. It's practical and forthright, a wonderful narrative. And let's not forget gruff Reidinger and gentle Afra and Rascal, supporting characters that make the book what it is. I've read the entire series and not one measures up to this one. If I could, I would beg Anne McCaffrey not to end it with The Tower and the Hive, which I think is the last. The Rowan is the book that convinced me I wanted to be a writer. Read it. Read it many times and find in it what I've found. It's a wonderful story.
Rating:
Summary: i loved this book!!!!!!!
Review: when i was 11yrs my older sister went to the library and brought this back. I sneaked and read it before she could just so i could tell her the story and ruin it for her(it was kind of a game we played) I loved it so much that and when she got to read it so did she, that I got it for myself numerous times.then the sequels started to come out and that was wonderful!12 yrs and two children later I had forgotten about this book due to life...until i saw it at a resale shop for a dime.this is the first sci-fi book i have and it turned me onto sci-fi. it has romance and adventure and it gets better the more times i read it. it is a definate read and keeper so find the rest of the series and enjoy losing youself for awhile.
Rating:
Summary: THE ROWAN - A LOOK AT A FACINATING POSSIBLE FUTURE
Review: I like to read fantasy fiction but had never thought of sci-fi fantasy until the day I went wandering through the public library looking for something different instead of the usual romantic mystery novel I usually read. The first thing that caught my eye was the cover of the book which showed a remarkable looking women and after reading the synopsis I thought it sounded different. When I got home I decided to take a quick glance before cooking dinner. Once into the book I couldn't put it down and I was hooked. The Rowan is a facinating girl and later woman with amazing powers and a strong will of her own which she exibit as a baby when she lets the whole universe know she is alive, trapped and hungry. From this point on the universe is not the same. It tells of her growing up and her loneliness. I especially loved the way Anne McCaffrey introduced the love of her life and our first encounter with the unusual deadly enemy the universe encounters. The Rowan has everything we love; a great heroine and her love, suspence and the feeling that this type of future could be waiting for us. This was the first Anne McCaffrey book I had ever read. I couldn't wait to read the sequals and because this book had been out for a while I was able to go right into the future books of the series. When I caught up to the latest it just drove me nuts waiting to see what was going to happen. I WAS HOOKED AND YOU WILL BE TOO. The ROWAN is an amazing woman and she is there through the whole series with her amazing future. If you have never been interested in science fiction or fantasy I guarantee you will be hooked by this book and of course, just like me hooked into all Anne McCaffrey's books and I was amazed to discover how real these books seem. I have read the Rowan 3 times and am now ordering it and all the series in hardcover so my daughter can enjoy them the way I have and will continue to in the future. I only buy hardcover books when it's a series I feel strongly about and The Rowan is one of these books!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Wow! One of the best books I have ever read!
Review: When my grandmother gave "The Rowan" to me (I love books), I turned it over and read the back. I was skeptical and not sure about it. I am not in to sci-fi but more into fantasy. I took it with me to my highschool testing and when I was done with it I took it out and started reading. When it was time to go on testing I couldn't put it down. I found the inter-space world Anne McCaffrey created had intwined me and caught me in its wondrous atmosphere. The story of a young powerful teleknetic orphan held me on the edge of my seat. The emotions and experiences of the young girl soon known as the Rowan wow'd me and made me see sci-fi in a new light. I keep it among my other favorites such as: Dragonlance series, the Chronicles of Narnia, and the Myst series. Amazing like no other book I couldn't believe how it still held my attention months later as I wondered about some of the events. The advanced world of earth and outer colonies was the future and AM had brought it to life with the powerful teleknetic minds of the FT&T it made me wish for more. The colorful worlds and wonders of the Rowan and her story is a true work of art. If you want to start a great series start reading the "Rowan" series. Truly excellents books probably Anne's best works ever.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining Read. Romance Difficult to believe
Review: The Rowan is the tale of an orphan girl, who has grown up on an Alien world in the care of her mentor, a cantankerous older woman named Seglenn. (I have listened to the audio version of this book, so please forgive me if the character names are not spelled exactly right). Both Seglenn and the Rowan are high-capacity telikinetics, capable of moving freight from one sector of the galaxy to another. The Rowan is a difficult child, incredibly independent, self-centered, and opinionated. She is constantly at loggerheads with her mentor Seglenn, over procedure and protocol. Nevertheless, she is an altruistic child, who shoulders the burden of her responsibilities quite well, (even though in my opinion she never really treats Seglenn very well). While I enjoyed "The Rowan," I found several things to be quite unrealistic. First, Rowan's romantic involvements, (Tourian), and second with Jeff Raven. Both romances were 'love at first sight' type situations which seems to work out exactly as SHE intended. I mean Hello? Girl, tell me your secret, because in real life, things never seem to work out EXACTLY the way you want! I found it difficult to believe someone as intelligent and as self-centered as The Rowan would fall so IMMEADIATLY and totally in love in a matter of hours. The Rowan went from Fiercely independent to Fiercely co-dependant in a matter of weeks. Hard to believe. Second, I was disappointed that the Rowan, was almost super-human. I found it hard to believe that a girl who was sheltered, sedentary, would be so much better at everything than the other characters. (Prettier, Smarter, Etc.). And why couldn't these people with such obvious telikinetic abilities use these abilities to make childbirth a heck of a lot easier by just zapping the child out of the womb? I just couldn't figure this one out. Also, while I am not really opposed to romance in my sci-fi, I could've done without the excessive rhapsodizing about the 'joys of motherhood' towards the end. Overall, a light, entertaining read with a lot of 'fairy-tale' qualities and happily-ever after elements, that will appeal to most readers, even though some more Jaded readers might be rolling their eyes.
Rating: 
Summary: Not so great :(
Review: Things were really looking good until I reached the moment when The Rowan meets Jeff Raven. Everything seemed well put together and left me amazed at the psychic powers of such as T1s. From then on, it became a 2 dimensional, simplistic love story I expect to see in books I don't usually go out to buy. Read for the first part, then skip, as I did, the overbearing love statements and the continual bitching, and find out how easily and uninterestingly the heroes tackle a bug invasion. 4 stars for the first part, 2 for the last. But I haven't read the next in the series. I wonder if I should ?
Rating: 
Summary: for the most part, very good
Review: For the most part, I liked this book. This book first follows the life of the child known only as the Rowan as she grows into adulthood. The Rowan is a powerful telepath and telekinetic and she is trained accordingly. Unfortunately, her abilities tend to set her apart from others, and she's often lonely. I enjoyed the book, at least until the point where the Rowan is telepathically contacted by Jeff. It's a love at first sight situation, only the Rowan doesn't even have to see Jeff before she falls in love with him. The suddeness of her attatchment to him bothered me, especially since I didn't always like Jeff. Also, Anne McCaffrey dealt with the threat of alien invasion almost too quickly and neatly. For those reasons, I'm giving this book a four instead of a five. However, in spite of the fact that I didn't always like the second half of the book, I thought the first half was wonderful. Anne McCaffrey handles mental abilites and the impact they would have on society very well, and I enjoy reading about her telepaths more than I do anyone else's. This is definitely a worthwhile read and reread.
Rating:
Summary: loved it the first time i read it!
Review: Anne McCaffrey is by far a very talented writer. And the Rowan is one of her best. It explores a lonely childhood with heart. It makes you cry in spots and makes you cheer in others. I have read and reread this book . I can find someting I missed in reading it the time before every time i've read it.I also have Damia, Damia's Children and Lyon's Pride and have enjoyed them all. It ranks up there with Roddenberry in exploring space and our REACTION to it and the beings in it.
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Summary: Response to feminist complaints
Review: I just wanted to respond to all of those outraged women who say that the Rowan is a "woman hater" (to quote one reviewer). They complain because the Rowan decides to marry and have children thereby "losing all her power". The Rowan does not lose any power, she does not quit her job, and when you read later books you see that she remains one of the most powerful people (male or female) around. Every one still respects her and her husband does not control her. She merely gets the added joy that children can bring. Don't worry that this is a story about a woman who has power and career and then gives it up for a domestic life because this is not that kind of story. She has power, freedom, a career, a loving supportive husband and wonderful children. I believe the Rowan is a wonderful example of a woman who has a demanding job but still is able to experience the joys that being a mother can bring.
This is a wonderful story with engaging well devoloped characters. I reccomend it whole heartedly
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