Rating: 
Summary: Gates of Dawn
Review:
Without hesitation, Robert Newcomb has stepped seamlessly into the stunning sequel to The Fifth Sorceress. Having defeated the wicked sorceresses Prince Tristan of Eutracia returns home to rebuild his devastated kingdom, only to find he and his allies are beset by an even greater foe; A powerful being shrouded in mystery that seeks to build the Gates of Dawn in order to return to the world an evil long since forgotten.
Prince Tristan must return to Parthalon to enlist the aid of the Minions, the destructors of his home, in order to save what little remains. Even with the aid of these fearsome wingéd warriors, the forces of light are outnumbered and perilously weakened by the unexpected loss of magic within the Paragon, source of their powers.
The Gates of Dawn leads you down the path and unceremoniously drops you right off the cliff. How can the Chosen one prevail despite the secrets being kept from him and the assassin's poison running rampant through his blood? What lies must his twin sister Shailiha weave in order to protect him from himself?
While being an decent second novel, The Gates of Dawn is a bit shakier than the first.
Rating: 
Summary: GREAT READING!!!!!
Review: 'The Gates of Dawn' is a terrific sequel to "The Fifth Sorceress" and I must say that Robert Newcomb is a much needed refreshingly unique addition to this genre. I have anxiously awaited the arrival of this book since I read the final word of 'The Fifth Sorceress' when it was first released last year and my wait now begins for the third volume. As was true with the first volume I wish I could give this review more than 5 stars!There are so many aspects of the story and its characters that I tremendously enjoy that I wish I had the next volume in my hands so I could begin reading it immediately. I have been a voracious reader for many years and I can honestly say that the vivid, original, and unique imagination of this author and the amazing world he has created have tremendously stimulated my reading habits. There are many extremely fascinating and unique attributes of the amazing world created by Newcomb. The inhabitants of this world bring on a gamut of reader reactions and the uses of the magical "Craft" is done in an original and unique way . This is very original and captivating fantasy at its best. I urge you to purchase this book and ready yourself for a great ride. Maybe Wigg and Faegan (with Tristan's insistence?) can accelerate the release of Volume III for us to enjoy!!!!!!
Rating: 
Summary: This is the first Newcomb book I have read...
Review: ...and it's also the last. Was Newcomb paid by the word on this novel? The rhetoric of his main wizard characters is distracting and downright annoying. Newcomb insults his readers by having his characters explain in great detail obvious plot points. The characters are stereotypical and flat. The story is predictable and slow. This book was a huge disappointment.
Rating: 
Summary: Fair
Review: A putrescent pool of ignomonious... Perhaps you should read A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin instead! Good Idea!! These books blow all other fantasy into fire and brimstone.
1. A Game of Thrones(1996)
2. A Clash of Kings(1998)
3. A Storm of Swords(2000)
4. A Feast for Crows(TBA)
5. TBA
6. TBA
7. TBA
Rating: 
Summary: You Either Love His Stuff Or You Don't...
Review: and I happen to love it. Yes this novel, like the first, is graphically bloody, contains sexually explicit scenes, a lack of prominent female characters, but it is original, fun to read and I can't wait for the next book. Newcomb and Del Rey don't pay any attention to the crappy reviews posted all around this review. This is good fun stuff. If you like swords, magic, and action this is the series for you. Reminds me a lot of the Salvatore and Forgotten Realm books.
Rating:
Summary: Not Worth it
Review: First I want to note that most of the reviews are either glowing, five star reviews, or they are very negative. It seems like Newcomb and his friends are at it again, writing false reviews. I mean give me a break! One so-called reviewer says, Goodkind's books don't hold a torch to these." And another is counting the days until the next book! The worst thing is that I can even spot the repetitive grammar and poor English in these reviews that is a hallmark of Newcomb's writing! I read this book just to see if he'd improve. I was especially interested because I was personally acquainted with his bragging. I'd feel sorry for him if it weren't for this. Back to the book, the characters were flat and the story boring. The female characters are ridiculous.
Rating:
Summary: clunky and frustrating
Review: His nation virtually destroyed, Prince Tristan wishes only to rebuild. But his own son has gained impossible power and now drains the very magic that supports the world's sorceries. Aided only by two wizzards and his sister, Tristran is virtually helpless against the powerful magic that the once-dead and now alive Nicholas can bring to bear. Nicholas has subverted the league of wizards that are supposed to help the people and Tristran, posted a huge reward for Tristan's capture, and is ahead of Tristran and his wizards at every step. It doesn't help that Tristran can't trust even the two wizards who support him. They think nothing of keeping secrets from him--mostly for no apparent reason. Author Robert Newcomb delivers an intriguing magic system based on the mystically imbued blood that certain people have. The concept of blood magic is well developed and interesting. Nicholas and his assistants, poisoned Ragnar and assassin Scrounge are strong and sympathetic. Each has suffered at the hands of Tristran and the system that has brought him to power. THE GATES OF DAWN suffers from three problems: First, Newcomb's writing is ponderous. Characters spend too much time thinking, remembering, discussing ad nauseum, and not enough time actually doing things. This is expecially true in the first half the book but continues to the end. Second, Tristran's wizards keep too much secret from Tristran. This feels like an artifice--constructed to keep the reader in doubt rather than something that flows naturally from the story. As a result, Tristran seems like a manipulated child rather than a heroic character. Third, the resolution is terrible. Essentially, if Tristran and friends had headed to Las Vegas and gambled, the end wouldn't have been changed. All of the plotting, near-death experiences, and acts of bravery are so much wasted time. Reading nearly five hundred pages only to find out that it didn't matter is a frustrating experience.
Rating:
Summary: Better Than The First
Review: I am going to say it again never listen to what these so called 'experts' say about a book ever. First off the book had me gripped pretty quickly and was far from 'dull.' It seems that these very people love to give raving reviews about just aweful novels such as "Across Nightingale Floor" and other baseless drivel like, "Seduced By Moonlight" yet another really stupid book. It's interesting to note that most people that don't like these books because the author expearences a lot of hard times with writing characters of the oppisite sex.
1. Every author has this problem, Robin Hobb's Fitz seems more female than male to me and actually does alot of things a guy would never do. I still like her books however.
2. Various female authors love to paint men as chauvinist or overly paint them as being that 'perfect' man like Starhawk. May I add they don't know the first thing about how a guy would actually act or behave under the circumstances.
3. George R.R. Martin has had problems writing female characters, he even admits it.
Robert Newcomb is a new author and is bound to make mistakes, all authors do and I dare anyone to find that so called perfect 'author' that never makes a mistake.
I happened to like the second book far more than most of the fantasy drivel like Goodkind or Jordan. He does need to work a little on the female characters but that isn't something that is unusual.
May I add that Tolkien's female characters actually had very little parts and were extremely under-developed but EVERYONE loves Tolkien! Get real folks.
Rating:
Summary: PAINFULLY dull
Review: I am very hesitant to ever call a book entirely awful, but Newcomb's writing is so terrible that I can't mince words. Since his first novel was not well edited and was his after all, his first effort, it was almost understandable that it was poor reading. I had hoped that the author would get over his ponderous style with practice but I could see no improvement in this second book. I found this novel painfully boring and poorly constructed. This leaves me to conclude that Newcom simply lacks the talent it takes to write a decent book. Perhaps he should go back to selling cars.
In my opinion, two elements make an excellent novel and these are characterization and plot. These elements were lacking in Newcomb's sophomore effort. I found the continued weak roles of the female characters particularly exasperating. It is a pity the first book was launched with such fanfare. And by the way, the suspiciously effusive reviewers that compared this book to Tolkein and Goodkind were way off the mark.
Rating:
Summary: biggest load of trash
Review: I pushed through the TFS but halfway through this one I absolutely forfeit. This book is not worth the time put into it. These books are a bunch of fancy covers with garbage inside. I am not going into details but to say anyone who did not heed prior warnings stay away. really.
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