Rating: 
Summary: Seductive
Review: I just couldn't put this book down at all. I even tried a few times! It pulls you in and won't let you go till the very end. My favorite character is Gerald Tarrant, he is the evil/goodguy/hero in this book. I highly recomend it to everyone. The only bad thing is that this book is this best one of Trilogy. I was somewhat disapointed when I read the second book.
Rating: 
Summary: A Hackneyed and Unoriginal Bore
Review: It's a wonder how much authors get away with these days. I have to admit that the entire science-fiction genre, along with fantasy, is inherently not too original, but there are some books that come along once in a while that make me continue reading these books.But this book was one of the worst examples of hackneyed fantasies. The plot was completely unoriginal, a daring quest that a small, secret group of people have to perform in order to save nothing short of the entire universe. I mean, of course, nothing else to save, right? The characters were, in typical fashion, cartoonish. None of them had any truly complicated human mixture of different personalities and traits, and just acted as if they were, well, cartoon characters. And it's not as if the prose saved it from utter failure either; it was difficult, drawn-out, unexciting, and basically hard to follow. I threw the book against the wall three-quarters of the way through it and entirely regret having spent the money on it. Definitely not recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Couldn't put it down!
Review: I'll admit I was reluctant to read it at first, and without a little pushing from my sister,I probably wouldn't have. But then having started it, I couldn't put it down. It completely pulled me into a nonexistant world that suddenly wove itself around me.Imagine a world that can feed off of your fears, and animate them so that they feed off of you.The basic outline of the story is a group of humans-immortal and mortal alike- journey into the unknown lands to retrieve the memory of one of the humans. The ultimate heroes of the book are Damien and Gerald Tarrant. I found myself rooting for the evil Tarrant more than Damien, the priest because Damien is so caught up in his thick headed church beliefs that he can't see beyond them. That fact really was annoying. And what a scare it is to realize that the Hunter is not the most powerful and evil being in existence on Erna! I can't wait to get my hands on the next two books.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely the BEST!
Review: In my opinion C. S. Friedman's Coldfire Trilogy is tied with Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series as the best fantasy ever written! Tarrant is without question the most interesting character in any fantasy novel I have read. He isn't the flat "Big Bad Evil Guy Who's Going to Destroy the World" found in so many fantasy books, yet neither is he the "Poor Misguided Soul Who Just Has to Be Shown the Right Path." He's not some looming shadow who can be dismissed as the bad guy, labeled as evil and given no further consideration. He's a real, fully developed, character, one who is inclined toward cruelty. He sees "The Right Path" and is by no means sure he wants to take it. Likewise his companion, Damien, though he is a priest, hardly fits the traditional mold of that vocation. Damien begins the tale as a devout warrior priest to whom Tarrant and all he stands for are anathema. However, Damien's naive idealism and faith soon come under assault, and ever so slowly Damien comes to doubt himself and his beliefs. More and more he comes to find himself agreeing with Tarrant, and more and more the reader who identifies with Damien finds himself agreeing with Tarrant. It is much more chilling to be in the vampire's head, to understand him and maybe even agree with him, than it can ever be to be stalked by him. For anyone growing at all tired of trite conventional fantasy (unicorns, fairies, and little pet dragons) this series will be a thoroughly refreshing read. The magic system devised by Friedman is deliciously original. The cover art is outstanding. This is one case where you CAN judge a book by its cover; if you like the cover you'll love the book. I have to see if I can get a poster sized copy and possibly frame it. :-) When you finish Crown of Shadows you will be stunned. The ending is like being hit by a train...4 or 5 times in rapid succession. While the body of the series has enough plot twists to utterly enthrall even the most inert reader, the ending puts it to shame as a candle before the rising sun. Without the slightest bit of hyperbole I can state that I had no idea how it would end until the last word of the last page was read. In sum the Coldfire Trilogy is a masterwork, the sort of gem that fantasy aficionados search for but only too rarely are privileged to find.
Rating:
Summary: Would you sleep with Satan to save the world?
Review: Fast plot, yes. Interesting characters, yes. Cool setting, yes. But then, thousands of novels achieve these goals. Where "Black Sun Rising" is particularly remarkable is in its examination of moral and psychological dilemmas. What is evil? Is it dogmatic or concrete? Is it a good or evil act to use Evil as a weapon against a greater Evil? Does dogma usurp personal loyalty? And how do these questions affect the individual? Yes, Ms. Friedman has written a cool sci-fi story, with an original premise and explanation of magic. But, more importantly, she has created a first-rate moral drama, filled with psychological tension. Her characters' greatest antagonists are often themselves. They are forced to struggle against Nature and Learning in order to save their world--and risk losing themselves. By far the best volume in the Coldfire Trilogy; my only complaint is that the following volumes did not do it justice
Rating:
Summary: dull dark fantasy
Review: Having read "In Conquest Born" and "Madness Season" I had great expectations. This book started gory and ended dull. The characters were shallow cardboard cutouts who never showed much initiative and spent their time either moaning over past sorrows or wishing things were different. They don't develop from begining of the book to the end. (I slogged through it to the bitter end in the hope that it would improve.) The way the characters interact seemed forced. Although the basic premise of the world/reality where thoughts influence the fabric of the world is interesting, the whole plot line is so bare as to be non-existent. At the end of the book I couldn't care less about any of the characters, their goals (to save their world or not? Phoo!) or if I ever read about them again. I ended up wishing the fae would take over the universe and end their misery. Too bad it has dragged out to 3 books. Please get back to a strong plot with interesting protaganists! We know you can world-build but here it cost you the story!
Rating:
Summary: Hey! It's different!!
Review: For once when you go to the bookstore and you find a book that looks promsing, and for once isn't a copy of a copy of a copy ... and so on untill you finaly see Tolkiens' great work behind it all. You want to flip out and buy before some evil person steps in front and carries your prescious book away to attain mounds of dust in a rickety bookcase miles away from you. When I read the back of thebook my eyes were seeing a real word opening up even before I got to the first page. This in my opinion is one of the best, and most original works on the market. Reverend Damien Vryce your hero throughout is a character that brings you back to Middle-Earth seeing what appears to be another Aragorn, I nearly put down the book and wondered what was going through my mind when I bought it. For the sake of not wastiing my money I tried to finish the book. As I went along new chaecters and changes in Damien made the book a lot better and smoother. One of the coolest characters in the book was Gerald Tarrant, an undead adept(Friedmans' version of an archmage, really tough) who turns out to be a founding father of Damien's religion. The world was stunning if left alone magic was completly devoid from the planet instead a natural force of nature called the fae took its place. Adepts had the inborn abillity to work it. The storyline was smooth throughout and couldn't have done a better job of setting the stage for the second novel. All in all the book was great and in the end Damiens character turned out to be better and darker that expected. In my opinion its a great book. Read it!
Rating: 
Summary: If you're Tolkiened-out
Review: Friedman is no Tolkien, and her trilogy is not in its league. Still, you can only read Tolkien so many times before you want something new, and this does suggest itself as a candidate. The writing style is clear and fast-flowing, even if the great mythic depths are either missing or thin and shallow. The vampire angle interests some. It is a read mainly for women, creating a world where they are equal to men, but that doesn't make them lesbians to get it. It is escapist fiction, and after reading 500 pages you won't know anything new, but you will have escaped for awhile from whatever it is that ails you.
Rating:
Summary: One of a Kind!!
Review: This series is quite possibly one of the best ever written. For the intelligent reader who appreciates a dramatic plot without all the impossibilities of foolish magic and characters who joke aroung in the midst of seriousness, this book and this series is for you. The world it is set in is fully realizable and the people in it act as though we would if our roles were reversed. Thankfully they are not though as Friedman's dark fantasy gothicism explodes onto the paper and into the imagination of the reader, making certain areas actually feel dangerous. Friedman also makes a good rendition of actual characters in that they are not cut in the mold of good or evil, but rather feel conflicting emotions that tend to draw the reader in, not knowing what to expect. Definitely a book to read on a dark and stormy night. Foolish readers who get off on impossible magic and thin plot lines need not apply, this series is for veterans.
Rating: 
Summary: Merely good...
Review: Well, I'l go aginst the trend of excellent revews and try and focus on the shortcomings of this book. I thought the Friedman's opinion's of the characters and the way she presents them differ. The "bad guy" is portrayed as uttely mad, but merely comes off as ambitious. Tarrant never feels like some souless vessel and Damien's great faith never really shows itself. There's an animosity in his head and thoughts towards Tarrant that is never realized in his actions. He growth away from this hate feels forced and far from natural. The world of Erna is similar, quite ingenious, but never truly realized and slightly inconsistent. It's a book that has some genuinely original ideas, but is unable to reach beyond poor dialogue, cliched character development and unsurprising "plot twists". It's scope is epic, but, having read only the first book, it's execution is less than fulfilling. It's still worth dedicating a few hours of your life towards enjoying the story that everyone else seems to find tantalizing.
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