The One-Armed Queen

Rating:
Summary: War and retribution
Review: The One-Armed Queen was better than White Jenna yet nowhere near as good as Sister Light, Sister Dark. Like WJ, it lacked the mystical quality and bardic flavour of SL, SD but it was made up by the characterization of the two brother princes and the excellent plotting when Jemson was sent overseas. Jemson and Corrine are both amazing characters, surprising in their depth.

Rating:
Summary: Unrealized potential
Review: This book is derived from a short story, with the same title, in "Women at War". There is plenty of material, but the novel is a major disappointment. Perhaps the assorted myths, legends, and songs sprinkled in with the story inspire false hopes. Children seem to regress as they grow up, travel times are out of alignment with distances, the war sequence is as precise as a fumbled handoff, and the finish goes splat like a bowl of macaroni salad dropped from the top of the Sears tower.

Rating:
Summary: Superb In Every Aspect- 5 Stars Does Not Do Justice
Review: This is the best book I have read this year. Keep in mind, I have not read the first two to this sequal, but I was so thrilled with it, I am ordering the others right away.

I feel the book gives many great points of view on various topics that should be introduced to younger children and teens, as well as adults who are philisophical. It not only has great values, but grabs your attention and rips at your every emotion. I cried for an hour after I was done- not knowing to keep crying or smile because it had a sorrowful ending, but was a superb story with an 'almost-happy' ending when given deeper thought. The plot is great, the characters are so vividly described and morals are popping out every other page! I seriously recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction and great all-around books with great values.

Rating:
Summary: Superb In Every Aspect- 5 Stars Does Not Do Justice
Review: This is the best book I have read this year. Keep in mind, I have not read the first two to this sequal, but I was so thrilled with it, I am ordering the others right away.

I feel the book gives many great points of view on various topics that should be introduced to younger children and teens, as well as adults who are philisophical. It not only has great values, but grabs your attention and rips at your every emotion. I cried for an hour after I was done- not knowing to keep crying or smile because it had a sorrowful ending, but was a superb story with an 'almost-happy' ending when given deeper thought. The plot is great, the characters are so vividly described and morals are popping out every other page! I seriously recommend this book to anyone who likes historical fiction and great all-around books with great values.

Rating:
Summary: One Armed Queen
Review: This was a disapointment after the first 2 books, not that it wasn't a good book though. It was about Queen Jenna's adopted daughter, Scilia, and her struggle to gain back the Kingdom from her brother Jem, who was send to the Garuns, and game back a brutal man who over threw the castle, if you liked the first 2, you may want to read it, but as I said, it was a bit of a disapointment after the first 2 in the series.

Rating:
Summary: A good read but....2 was enough.
Review: Those who are hoping for another chapter to Sister Light, Sister Dark and White Jenna will be disapointed. This is not the third book in a trilogy, it is an entirely seperate story, even if the previous book's main characters are in it.

I think that purhaps this book is better than the originals, were it not for the fact that I felt so attatched to the original characters. This story really does not have an equivilent to Carum or Jenna. And that's the point. What happens when a country's great heros are gone?

When I first finished White Jenna so many years ago I KNEW it was not the end. While the ending was pretty thorough, and no real suggestions of another book, I still felt that there was more to come. And after reading The One Armed Queen I feel like the story is at an end--for this turning.

Rating:
Summary: A bittersweet return to the Dales.
Review: Those who are hoping for another chapter to Sister Light, Sister Dark and White Jenna will be disapointed. This is not the third book in a trilogy, it is an entirely seperate story, even if the previous book's main characters are in it.

I think that purhaps this book is better than the originals, were it not for the fact that I felt so attatched to the original characters. This story really does not have an equivilent to Carum or Jenna. And that's the point. What happens when a country's great heros are gone?

When I first finished White Jenna so many years ago I KNEW it was not the end. While the ending was pretty thorough, and no real suggestions of another book, I still felt that there was more to come. And after reading The One Armed Queen I feel like the story is at an end--for this turning.

Rating:
Summary: You come to like this book
Review: When I first read this book, I wasn't getting into it. It was a while since I read the other two books, but as I read on I was hooked. The charactization was believable and likable. I loved how Scilla matured and enjoyed reading the scenes with her brother. It keeps in the same style as the other books (which I now own). A good book overall.