Rating: 
Summary: Lots of Tiger & Del
Review: A good book, not great, just good. Roberson really shows her writing talents in descriptive passages of characters' experiences and action-oriented scenes. She knows how to spin a great story, too. A decent book in spite of what may be the most unfortunate cover art currently on the shelves. I was drawn to this series for the action and brisk storytelling, but I've been disappointed as the series has progressed because over time more pages have been devoted to numbing he-said-she-said dialogue and the goofy eyebrow-wiggling flirtations of Tiger. The entire middle third of this final volume is especially chatty or when not it is the all-too familiar silent but enthusiastic musings of Tiger: "Ah, bascha! What a woman!" So, if you've enjoyed reading about the Del-worship of prior books you'll get more of that with this one. What is frustrating about the
lengthy dialogues in the book and detailed descriptions of what Tiger's eyebrows are doing is the contrast with the tidy summaries of climactic encounters between lifelong adversaries or other tremendous events. A lot happens in this book, a LOT of very interesting stuff. But you read more about the gorgeousness and youthfulness of Del, and back and forth quibbling between the two along the lines of "Tiger, you're jealous!" "No, I'm not! Oh hoolies!...yes I am...so what!". I don't think Roberson is especially good at writing scintillating dialogue so I was wishing she would stick to what was happening and not what Tiger was thinking or saying. There were pages so void of movement I felt I might as well have been staring at that awful cover for minutes. So, if you enjoy these characters and their relationship, you'll read about it here. I'd like to recommend two more interesting and realistic books containing characters that would wipe the floor with Tiger and Del: Snowfall by Mitchell Smith and Mother of Kings by Poul Anderson. Aside from being well-written books and great stories, these books contain interesting female characters whose looks are irrelevant, and who are not measured by whether they can beat up men with a sword.
Rating: 
Summary: She wrapped it up!
Review: And boy what a good job, this is the first ending that I've found satisfactory I hated what Jennifer did with the Cheysuli ending but... maybe I just wanted a different one :-) Any way good job I think.
Rating:
Summary: She wrapped it up!
Review: And boy what a good job, this is the first ending that I've found satisfactory I hated what Jennifer did with the Cheysuli ending but... maybe I just wanted a different one :-) Any way good job I think.
Rating:
Summary: A fond farewell...
Review: As a long time fan who has read all of the books of the series, I must say I could not be more pleased with the way Jennifer Roberson has chosen to end the series. Full of all the action, suspense, humor and inter-action, of the previous Sword Dancer novels, Sword Sworn keeps the reader guessing right up until the very satisfying conclusion. A fine work and a must-read for fantasy lovers.
Rating: 
Summary: Let Tiger and Del take you home.
Review: As the cover says, this is "the final novel of Tiger and Del." And as such, I found it a wonderful--if placid--read. The author portrays Tiger and Del in the same deft manner as always, illustrating how the two have changed--and how then haven't--from the series' inception. Present in this last volume are the strong emotional underpinnings of the main characters' personalities, the tangible bond between them (both emotional and sexual), and the clear, well-defined flavor of their narratives. Tiger is still Tiger, and Del is still Del, and their actions, if predicable, are only so because of how well we readers have come to know them over the course of five books. Absent in this novel is any sense of urgency. Previous volumes often had pressing business to attend to. Whether it be Del rushing to fulfill her blood oath, or Tiger struggling to find Shaka-Obre before Chosa-Dei consumed him, there was always a sense of urgency in previous volumes, which is lacking in this final tale. Also missing is the sexual tension which permeated the earlier part of the series. This is both boon and bane, for while its absence shows us how much the two characters have changed (and moves the story forward) it also robs the narrative of its most powerful emotional stimulus. Overall, my final impression of "Sword-Sworn" was that the entire novel read like one long Epilogue. There was no real conflict in the book (though there are fights and a rescue) nor was I ever really surprised by the unfolding plot. However, that is not to say the novel failed to please. Quite the contrary, in fact. For while I felt I was reading a "where are they now?" sort of story, it is a fun, well-written volume filled with the personalities I've come to love over the previous five. This book isn't about a grand struggle over the fate of the world (or even the South)--but merely one last chance to share the lives of two beloved characters. As such, it made me laugh and smile so often I cannot consider it anything other than an absolute success.
Rating:
Summary: Let Tiger and Del take you home.
Review: As the cover says, this is "the final novel of Tiger and Del." And as such, I found it a wonderful--if placid--read. The author portrays Tiger and Del in the same deft manner as always, illustrating how the two have changed--and how then haven't--from the series' inception. Present in this last volume are the strong emotional underpinnings of the main characters' personalities, the tangible bond between them (both emotional and sexual), and the clear, well-defined flavor of their narratives. Tiger is still Tiger, and Del is still Del, and their actions, if predicable, are only so because of how well we readers have come to know them over the course of five books. Absent in this novel is any sense of urgency. Previous volumes often had pressing business to attend to. Whether it be Del rushing to fulfill her blood oath, or Tiger struggling to find Shaka-Obre before Chosa-Dei consumed him, there was always a sense of urgency in previous volumes, which is lacking in this final tale. Also missing is the sexual tension which permeated the earlier part of the series. This is both boon and bane, for while its absence shows us how much the two characters have changed (and moves the story forward) it also robs the narrative of its most powerful emotional stimulus. Overall, my final impression of "Sword-Sworn" was that the entire novel read like one long Epilogue. There was no real conflict in the book (though there are fights and a rescue) nor was I ever really surprised by the unfolding plot. However, that is not to say the novel failed to please. Quite the contrary, in fact. For while I felt I was reading a "where are they now?" sort of story, it is a fun, well-written volume filled with the personalities I've come to love over the previous five. This book isn't about a grand struggle over the fate of the world (or even the South)--but merely one last chance to share the lives of two beloved characters. As such, it made me laugh and smile so often I cannot consider it anything other than an absolute success.
Rating:
Summary: A great ending for a wonderful series
Review: I recently finished reading Sword Sworn and enjoyed every minute of it. I'm sad to say goodbye to this wonderful series, but Jennifer choose a wonderful way to end it! If you haven't read this series I highly recommend them all. If you've read these then I recommend getting Jennifer's other books for some more great reading!
Rating:
Summary: A very good end to a very good series
Review: I've always strongly enjoyed the Tiger and Del series. They certainly aren't great literature, but they offer a satisfying mix of action-packed fantasy adventure, witty banter between two intelligent protaganists, and a growing and touching romance between the Southern Tiger and his Northern bascha, Del. Perhaps the biggest accomplishment is that a series written by a woman, who obviously has strong feminist convictions, is told from a male point of view, and convicingly at that. Ms. Roberson is also a good world-builder; the North, the South, and also Skandi sometimes seem so real you feel like you are there. This book brings the series to a satifying conclusion. Tiger and Del have returned to the South, after Tiger's harrowing experience of becoming a mage in Skandi. Tiger has vague dreams of establishing a school to teach his sword-dancing skills, but first he must deal with the horde of other sword-dancers who want to kill him because he broke his own sword-dancer oaths. He also meets up with a young, handsome man who claims he wants to learn from Tiger, but may be interested in Del as well. The series does a good job of tying up all of the loose ends, and includes a number of surprises (including one I had hoped would happen). There isn't quite as much action in this one as in some previous books (especially Sword Dancer, which is still probably the best book in the series) and the banter between Del and Tiger may have finally worn out its welcome, but the last fifty pages will bring one revelation after another. If you've enjoyed Tiger and Del's stories before, you will like this book. If not, read Sword-Dancer to get a feel for the series.
Rating:
Summary: Nice to visit with Del & Tiger again but slow & predictable
Review: If you've been following Del & Tiger's story all of this years, then of course you're going to read this one too, but if are new to this series, go start at the beginning, because this one will be meaningless to you. The story itself moves in fits and starts, with a few really amazing sequences strung out between plodding expostition on the details of Del and Tigers day to day life. Pages were actually spent detailing how Tiger cared for his horse. This series sure has come a long way from its roots of fastpaced action packed every chapter ending on a cliffhanger roots. These book was nearly double in size of the early ones and it was clear that Roberson was struggling to fill it. This story concerns Tiger making peace, strongling with his feeling of rejection from the mother he never knew who he was told had abandoned him to a life of slavery and with accepting the magical powers he discovered in the last book. Along the way he has a few dramatic swordfights, visits some old friends, and exchanges banter with Del. A young man half his age who wants to be taught to be a swordfighter by him, follows him and he is convinced that this young man and Del are falling in love for much of the book. Due to numeroue hints, and the cover helpfulling telling you that that there are "warm, personal revelations" it is immidiately obvious to the reader who the young man is. Likewise, Tiger is plagued by dreams from the first chapter of the book regarding a dead women who tells him to find her bones, and the big mystery of the book is who this women is - like we didn't see that one coming either. The ending expects us to be surprised by these revelations, ends on a sickingly sweet, all too convient set of events, which is out of character for this series and feels all wrong and ultimately doesn't satisfy. A really sad ending to a great series, especially considering how amazing and bold the last book was.
Rating:
Summary: Nice to visit with Del & Tiger again but slow & predictable
Review: If you've been following Del & Tiger's story all of this years, then of course you're going to read this one too, but if are new to this series, go start at the beginning, because this one will be meaningless to you. The story itself moves in fits and starts, with a few really amazing sequences strung out between plodding expostition on the details of Del and Tigers day to day life. Pages were actually spent detailing how Tiger cared for his horse. This series sure has come a long way from its roots of fastpaced action packed every chapter ending on a cliffhanger roots. These book was nearly double in size of the early ones and it was clear that Roberson was struggling to fill it. This story concerns Tiger making peace, strongling with his feeling of rejection from the mother he never knew who he was told had abandoned him to a life of slavery and with accepting the magical powers he discovered in the last book. Along the way he has a few dramatic swordfights, visits some old friends, and exchanges banter with Del. A young man half his age who wants to be taught to be a swordfighter by him, follows him and he is convinced that this young man and Del are falling in love for much of the book. Due to numeroue hints, and the cover helpfulling telling you that that there are "warm, personal revelations" it is immidiately obvious to the reader who the young man is. Likewise, Tiger is plagued by dreams from the first chapter of the book regarding a dead women who tells him to find her bones, and the big mystery of the book is who this women is - like we didn't see that one coming either. The ending expects us to be surprised by these revelations, ends on a sickingly sweet, all too convient set of events, which is out of character for this series and feels all wrong and ultimately doesn't satisfy. A really sad ending to a great series, especially considering how amazing and bold the last book was.
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