Rating: 
Summary: Clever, and witty
Review: This book is a kind of tounge in cheek action story with the kind of humourous action and gratuitous sex that reminds me of James Bond in parts and the Pink Panther in others. Everything that happens is ridiculous, and the characters respond with enough humor to show that they know whats going on too.
The book is a set of three chorologicly sequenced storys with a buch of characters named Smith. Travel in a caravan and they start a hotel, with some interesting results.
The problem with this book is the fact that Baker adds in a environmental theme to the book that just doesn't work. Some parts of the anology are played obvouisly and way to often. But my bigger problem is that I just don't think that it was well made. For a satirical book to have impact on a seroius issue, it has to be aimed very accurately. Who are the greenie's in real life, and who are the children of the sun? Do techicialy minded people really breed like rabbits and are sexuly premucious? The anology looks okay from a distance but the details and sterotypes in the book simply don't hit home. If poeple want to see a good evormental analogy they should read Peter F. Hamilton, or L.E. Mossidett's science fiction.
What makes this more tragic is the fact that this anology drags down the last third of an otherwise very good book. I still recomend this book as a good read for a road trip, but its not must read fantasy.
Rating: 
Summary: The trials of having a demon as a friend
Review: "We were just like any other family, except for a few things like Daddy's collection of heads and the fact that half the world wants us all dead." Lord ErmenwyrKage Baker is one of my favourite authors. Her books about the Company are not to be missed. How successful would she be at fantasy? If The Anvil of the World is anything to go by, she has nothing to worry about. With her trademark wit and punchy style fully in evidence, The Anvil of the World contains enough juicy goodness for even the most cynical palate. The book is actually a collection of three linked novellas starring Smith (an alias), a man of many mysteries and an unknown past. A blood feud (the Children of the Sun are notorious for them) has forced him to become the caravan master in his cousin's business, and he's selected to lead one to the pleasure city of Salesh with some valuable cargo. Things don't quite go as planned. In the second story, Smith has started a hotel in Salesh with the staff from his caravan, and business is booming, especially during festival time when freedom is loose and the participants are looser. Unfortunately, a death in the hotel could cost him everything as the constable gives him just four days to present a murderer or the constable will shut down the hotel. The third story involves an expedition to rescue Lord Ermenwyr's sister. This becomes a mission of destiny for Smith, as it turns out he holds the fate of the entire world in his hands. One wrong decision will result in the death of everything. Baker has a wonderful way with words, and The Anvil of the World is a breezy read. She is a master character-builder, knowing just how much detail to add to make you care about (or at least be entertained by) each person in the story. The two biggest characters are Smith and Lord Ermenwyr. Smith is a former assassin who's given it up because he was getting tired of killing. Now he just wants to be left alone to run his business. Ermenwyr is a decadent demonic half-breed who whines a lot and thinks he's going to die all the time. He's also immature and stubborn, causing Smith no end of grief. It's even worse when his family gets involved. The world Baker has created is alive. While there are many races around, there are mainly two: The Children of the Sun (humans, basically) and the Yendri, a deeply spiritual people who abhor violence (though they're not above having others do it for them). The Children of the Sun have all the foibles that our own human race has, especially where ecology is concerned. In fact, that's one of the minor problems I have with the book, that the ecological message is heavy-handed at times, especially in the last story. One pitfall she avoids, however, is making the Yendri pure of heart. Many of them think they are, but Baker does a good job showing both the good and the bad side of them. The best thing I can say about this book is that it's fun. While Ermenwyr is the source for most of the humour, everybody gets involved. Smith is the straight man for the most part, trying to deal with people trying to kill him or his companions. When he realizes that he is the key to whether or not the world is destroyed, he is suitable (and humorously) overwhelmed. Some of the events are absurd enough that they make the reader laugh even without character involvement. However absurd the events are, though, they are realistic in the world that Baker presents. I had no trouble suspending my disbelief for any of it. One word of warning for those who wish to browse just one of the stories in the bookstore: The stories are not individually titled and there's no way to distinguish where one ends and another begins other than reading. Read the whole book, as it's well worth it. While each story stands on its own, they do read better as a whole, with events in one story influencing the next. Other than the occasional blunt message as noted above, there really isn't anything noticeably wrong with The Anvil of the World. Baker has further cemented her place as one of the best authors of the genre, showing that she can handle fantasy just as well as science fiction. David Roy
Rating:
Summary: Not Since Basil Fawlty ...
Review: ... has there been such an enjoyable inkeeper (I don't think it gives away too much to reveal our protagonist's ultimate career choice, given all the other surprises to be had in this charming book.) Written with a deft, lighter hand than used in the Company series, Anvil is three linked novellas (or if you'd rather, three quite large chapters) about the same characters (thank goodness, because you grow quite attached to them during the first instance, and would hate to lose them in the second section.) Baker's style of secondary-world is more Dunsany than Tolkien; if you've read Rebecca Bradley's Gil series, or the Thraxas novels, you'll see a slight similarity in tone, but no more than that--this world is clearly its own. A particularly enjoyable conceit is that the Demons have better scientific, medical, environmental knowledge than the humans, and shudder often at how backward the people are. It's one of those rare works that exceed expectations--Baker had better produce a sequel, as I can't wait to return to this delightful place.
Rating: 
Summary: An amusing diversion.
Review: Anvil of the World is a very pleasant, lightweight fantasy. Fans of Baker's Company series will enjoy her continued homages to cinema and her knack for humorous twists, although they may miss the bittersweet edge of the previous series. Her new protagonist, the aptly-named Smith, is hiding from a past he would prefer to forget when he is volunteered by his cousin to lead a caravan from Troon to Salesh. Adventures ensue, of course. Most of the world and fantasy elements (demons, planes, gods, green humans that strongly resemble grouchy elves) appear to have been expropriated from a tipsy late-night session of Dungeons and Dragons. The book's weakest section is the end, where Baker introduces a serious spin, and possibly an excuse for a sequel. Those who enjoy humorous fantasy will not be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Anvil of the World
Review: I enjoyed it immensely. I found the writing to flow and the descriptions detailed without being wordy. Some scenes I wanted MORE detail, but then that is the hook drawing me ever onward. I laughed and chuckled so often my wife threatened to make me read in another room as I was distracting her and she had to wait till I was done to read our copy. It is an alien world with it's own mythology, technology and magic. It all 'works', by this I mean like any good fantasy or science fiction story, the details have been thought of by the author and the world and the people/things within it make sense, even while they are surprising and amusing you. The fight scenes are descriptive while being brief (a godsend compared to some books I've read)as are the love scenes (which could've lasted a bit longer and been more descriptive, but then you lose your PG-13 audience) No, this is not a bodice ripper, but a genuine adventure story. The characters are very alive. Really it's three stories that all follow each other to a thrilling conclusion. This may be Ms. Baker's first foray into fantasy, I dearly hope it's not the last.
Rating:
Summary: High hopes ends in confusion.
Review: I guess I should have known better, right on the back of the book, a review by the Romantic Times which gave this book 4 and 1/2 stars. But surely there would be lots of action, after all, a reformed assasin, should have lots of people out to get him. And indeed, there is a good sprinkling of action throughout the book, but.......but, what about the plot? Reformed demons out to the save the world from enviromental disaster caused by estate development, and near the end there is something about the,"Key of Unmaking" and something that turns the protangonists arm blue with power. I've read this a few times, but I still don't know whats going on. Good Luck to you if you buy this book.
Rating:
Summary: FABULOUS READ & SUBTLE UNDERNEATH
Review: I just love Kage Baker's writing & it leaves me hungry for more. As I am not a big fantasy fan, I approached this book with some (wildly misplaced) trepidation. Baker does not copy one of the standard fantasy paradigms, and, instead, creates fully realized and truly unique world. However, what most impresses me is that, while feeling broadly humerous, almost slapstick on the surface, this book makes profound & subtle commentary about a variety of issues and does so without being preachy, judgment or even obvious. The only negative thing about is that the book seems like three (very long) short stories cobbled together, resulting in some jaggedness. Still it all melds together & Kage Baker at her ordinary (which this is definitely not) is better than many authors at their most polished.
Rating:
Summary: New Subject, Still Great !!
Review: I loved this book, have read it twice already, and recommend it to anyone and everyone. Read it! Kage Baker is well-known for her science fiction "Company" series, about the immortal, time-striding cyborg agents of Dr. Zeus, Inc. Now she has tried her hand at fantasy, and the results are every bit as good as the SF. Anvil chronicles the adventures of an Average Joe, down on his luck, unhappy in his career and looking for a patron to make a new start. Of course, his career was as a very successful assassin, his new start involves murder, revenge, and a racial vendetta against both a Saint and her Lord of Evil husband, and the patron is a spoiled, adolescent, half-demon mage of very questionable morals and appetites - but still, Smith is just a good man in a hard world. That's one of the many, many things that makes this fantasy so unusual and enjoyable. Other delectable details include a rich and fully realized world that owes absolutely nothing to any previous fantasy conventions; swift action, haunting prose, and her trademark wry humor; and the ability to gently puncture all manner of sword and sorcery pretensions and tropes. Baker's world evokes Zelazny for his power and lyricism, and Lieber for his humor and cinema noir naturalism, but is refreshingly unique.
What can I say? This book gave me goosebumps for its beauty, tears for its heroism, and made me laugh out loud: often within paragraphs of one another. It's good fun, and a lot more - the very real moral creeps up on you gradually throughout the story; until, at the end, you are left amazed, gratified and completely satisfied. A grand read.
Rating:
Summary: New Subject, Still Great !!
Review: I loved this book, have read it twice already, and recommend it to anyone and everyone. Read it! Kage Baker is well-known for her science fiction "Company" series, about the immortal, time-striding cyborg agents of Dr. Zeus, Inc. Now she has tried her hand at fantasy, and the results are every bit as good as the SF. Anvil chronicles the adventures of an Average Joe, down on his luck, unhappy in his career and looking for a patron to make a new start. Of course, his career was as a very successful assassin, his new start involves murder, revenge, and a racial vendetta against both a Saint and her Lord of Evil husband, and the patron is a spoiled, adolescent, half-demon mage of very questionable morals and appetites - but still, Smith is just a good man in a hard world. That's one of the many, many things that makes this fantasy so unusual and enjoyable. Other delectable details include a rich and fully realized world that owes absolutely nothing to any previous fantasy conventions; swift action, haunting prose, and her trademark wry humor; and the ability to gently puncture all manner of sword and sorcery pretensions and tropes. Baker's world evokes Zelazny for his power and lyricism, and Lieber for his humor and cinema noir naturalism, but is refreshingly unique.
What can I say? This book gave me goosebumps for its beauty, tears for its heroism, and made me laugh out loud: often within paragraphs of one another. It's good fun, and a lot more - the very real moral creeps up on you gradually throughout the story; until, at the end, you are left amazed, gratified and completely satisfied. A grand read.
Rating:
Summary: Kage Does Fantasy!
Review: I was a bit disappointed when I realized this book was not about The Company, especially since I am not a big fantasy fan, but I had nothing to fear. This was a fantasy I could get into. Ms. Baker pulls off a cross-genre feat that is not to be missed. "The Anvil Of the World" is witty, interesting, and not at all formula. All I can say is, think Robert Silverburg's "Majipoor Chronicles" meets Roger Zelazny's "A Month in the Lonesome October", and you'll have an idea what to look forward to.
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