Rating: 
Summary: Definitely a book to read and enjoy!
Review: Stanek's Ruin Mist is a wonderful, wonderful place, populated with its own creatures, history, and breathtaking landscapes. The book is a tale of Robert's creation in which we meet heroes Seth, Xith and Keeper Martin. We learn about elves, gnomes, shape-changing beasts, watchers, and wizards. The characters don't gravitate to extremes that can be seen as "good" or "evil" yet there is a struggle going on between the forces of light and darkness. We see shades of darkness, get insight into character's intentions and thoughts but like life there doesn't appear to be true "good" or true "evil". Robert very subtly points to the reality that dark forces at work. We read of Sathar who has survived the dark journey and war banners being raised in the elven Kingdoms yet we don't see this firsthand. This is something on the horizon, like the dark "change" that is coming to the human Kingdoms. I loved this book! I think you will too. The best writers know how to make their work seem effortless and Stanek is definiltey in this category. The clear voice makes the story all the better.
Rating: 
Summary: Too much repetition from Keeper Martin's Tale
Review: I loved Keeper Martin's Tale so was excited to receive what I thought was the sequel. Not so - the first 300 pages of this book are drawn nearly word for word from Keeper Martin's Tale. Quite frankly, Keeper Martin's Tale is the more clearly written of the two books and includes more detail about events than Elf Queen's Quest. I did enjoy the last 100 pages of Elf Queen's Quest which is all new material. Mr. Stanek does a marvelous job creating a world one can picture in their mind and characters with depth, but be warned that this book is primarily repeated material. I was quite disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: What more could you ask for?
Review: I've been reading Mr. Stanek for some time now and he has quickly became a favorite. I have to admit, though, that the second book is better than the first in this series. It answered so many questions and that made me quite happy. The continued fleshing out of the world of Ruin Mist is tops. Ruin Mist is fascinating. This book is a winner. If you like fantasy -- read this book. If you love fantasy and don't have it, shame on you! Run out this weekend and get it if you can.The book has three main threads. The first thread is about a princess in a dying kingdom. She has a gift in that she is able to see things and she has a part in the great change that is coming. She comes off as a strong, smart character with real flaws and feelings. Although she sometimes comes off a little naive, this is good since it balances out her other qualities. The match of her and Emel, a young guardsman realy makes this work well. In the second thread is a boy named Vilmos. He's destined to be the first human magus in hundreds/thousands of years. There's a darkness to human magic in this story--the last human mage caused something (unsaid) but terrible, leading to a cleansing of all that is magical from the lands of men. Vilmos is delivered from a terrible death as a result of his magic use by a mysterious character named Xith. Xith is some type of gnome or drawf but we're never told directly, only that king gnome disappeared from the land with his people and Xith may be this. In the third thread are elves named Galan and Seth. There story is one of utmost tragedy as they undertake a desperate journey to save their lands from a coming darkness. Seth and Galan are members of the Elven Brotherhood. They have the mental powers and the combat skills of ninjas. The first part of the book introduces these stories and the world. Everything leads up nicely to the second part of the book where there's battles, betrayals, kidnappings and more battles. The introduction of Keepers who have the power to send dream messages, priests who commune with the dead, priestesss who commune with Mother Earth, the under world, dark creatures, and shapeshifting beasts really set this book apart. What more could you ask for in a book?
Rating:
Summary: One of Stanek's best
Review: Robert Stanek's "Ruin Mist" series are wonderful fun! You get to see the views of key characters and each has different backgrounds, which makes the story great. The book begins with Adrina who is a princess. We also get to see Vilmos, Xith and others. The story has a lot of intrigue and a lot of action. Great reading!
Rating:
Summary: Well-deserved 5 stars for an original and hugely FUN story
Review: "Elf Queen's Quest" by Robert Stanek is pretty darn good. Here we get another view into Robert's world. Robert has a very original approach in that the story overlaps and runs parallel with "Keeper Martin's Tale". As th stories have different tellers, they are very different and offer starkly differing views of the world of Ruin Mist. When I finished the last page of Elf Queen's Quest, I knew immediately that Robert had tapped into something wonderful and magical. He's someone who truly understands how people read: we read and reread our favorites, especially epic fantasies. Now wouldn't you love to be able to rediscover your favorite world??? WOW! Robert definitely has a unique understanding of how readers read (*and what readers like*). I had so much fun reading this! Robert's style is clean and the words flow so well it is easy to forget you're reading and not seeing this in your mind's eye. The style is solid. There's no pretensious clutter! To say that Robert taps into something as wonderful as "Harry Potter" and "Middle Earth" is an understatement. This is an introduction as good as any other I've ever. There's wonder, joy, sorrow, mystery and action. The descriptions are a delight! Those who don't understand the story may never like it but those who do understand and love it! A well-deserved 5 stars!
Rating:
Summary: Better than most, definitely a page turner
Review: Like "Keeper Martin's Tale", "Elf Queen" is a terrific tale that is rich in detail, history and legends. Again it's not just the plot but also the characters that grab you. I love the way the story is laid out! This is SO cool... The darkness seeps into this story like nothing else I've read. It's a stark contrast to Keeper Marti's Tale. There's a lot more going on, a lot more subtext and a whole lot more to sink your teeth into. My favorite character is still Xith. We learn more about him in this as well as the priestess midori.
Rating: 
Summary: Undiscovered gem? Not!
Review: I really expected to like this book. By page 200 I was forcing myself to finish only so I could write an informed review. Amateurish writing and even more amateurish editing ruin what might have been a few original ideas. I would give it two stars for the original ideas, rare enough in a fantasy potboiler, but the writing style is impenetrable and the narrative is disjointed. Reads like my wife's high school junior Englash class's poorer efforts in places. The blurbs on the back cover could find nothing to cite but Amazon reader reviews (who ARE these guys??) Too bad. Enough work with a competent editor might have produced something really good. As it is, do yourself a favor and give it a pass. Check back with Mr Stanek in a few years, though.
Rating: 
Summary: Long time favorite
Review: Was it worth it? Definitely. The story has a lot of going for it and Robert Stanek has created characters that are simply marvelous to read about. One of the wonderful things about this is that, Elf Queen's Quest delivers. The world as created by Robert is well-crafted and full of magic. The book has a wonderful quality. Magic is not all powerful, and its use has consequences as Vilmos knows all to well. Vilmos is my favorite of all the wonderful characters Robert introduces us to. Vilmos is a boy who is plagued by dark dreams and a dark power: human magic. Use of magic is punishable by death and Vilmos is on the verge of being discovered as a would-be mage. The dark dreams become all too real and it seems the fabric of reality between the dream world and the real world is non-existent. That's when Xith comes into the picture. Xith is one of the great watchers and he's there for Vilmos in his darkest moment. The other characters in this book are outstanding as well. All of the main characters are three dimensional, they all have faults and there are no perfect heroes. Adrina is mix up and confused. She lost her mother to a great tragedy and it haunts her. Yet she has chosen to fight despair and go out into the world as the agent of change. Emel has a checkered past, often getting into trouble because of his friendship with Adrina. Seth is very unworldly, although his skills and prowess as a warrior-elf are phenominal. Galan is one of the few who can see true. One of the best characters in this book, and this is my biggest bone of contention, is Midori. She's a priestess of the Mother and her introduction is one of the best scenes in the whole book. I really wish there had been more of her story. Somehow she is linked to everything that is happening. We see part of this, but not all. Another wrong with this book is that we don't get all the pieces we need to understand the changes taking place. I know this is just the beginning of a larger series but I was hoping to know a lot more. The world Robert creates is vast and we see only a small fraction of it. We visit the Kingdoms, some of the minor kingdoms, briefly the East Reaches of the elves, and some exploration of Under Earth. But the maps show so much more of the realms that aren't discussed or explored. At least Tolkien, let us see more of Middle Earth in the Lord of the Rings. This is definitely a keeper but it's not perfect.
Rating:
Summary: Magical...
Review: I've said it before. Stanek's Ruin Mist is immense, complete with its own creatures, history, and breathtaking landscapes... I believe few books (save Tolkien's masterpiece and perhaps Jordan's Wheel of time) have delved so deeply. This book is myth (a tale of Robert's creation). It is not an allegory where there is direct theological, political, or psychological correspondence to aspects of the real world. Here we meet people and things like Emel Brodstson, Seth, Xith and Keeper Martin... elves, gnomes, shape-changing wolmerrelle, watchers, wizards and of course, Men. And unlike most stories of fantasy, the characters don't gravitate to one of two poles or extremes that can be seen as "good" or "evil". Oh, there is a struggle going on between the forces of light and darkness but to say who is truly "good" and who is truly "evil" at this point would be premature. We don't know and Elf Queen's Quest makes us rethink any assumptions we've made so far. Instead of being at the extremes of "good" and "evil" Robert's characters are more real. You see shades of darkness, get insight into character's intentions/thoughts but as in the real world there doesn't appear to be true "good" or true "evil". An interesting thing about the first set of books is how Robert very subtly points to the reality that there are dark forces at work. We learn of Sathar who has survived the dark journey and war banners being raised in the Kingdoms of the Elves. But we don't see this firsthand; it is something looming on the horizon. We learn of the dark "change" that is coming to the Kingdoms of Men. First from the old lady in the tower and then from the lady of the forest. Both are mysterious benefactors of Adrina. We know of a dark cleansing of magic in the lands of man as Vilmos is nearly of victim of this but don't know if the Priests of the Dark Flame are truly "evil" or merely carrying out orders from someone else. And the shapechanging beasts, the wolmerrelle, are but shadows of the possible darkness that lies in Under Earth. Elf Queen's Quest has several interesting romps in Under Earth. I enjoyed the new insights and the fuller view of what's happening in the world of Ruin Mist at large. Of Robert's writing style, I would say what others have said before the writing can seem uncomplicated at times, but the best writers know how to make their work seem effortless (and I believe Robert is in this category). I would also say the clear voice of the story makes the story all the better. I think if you read this to have a bit of fun, you'll have it. As far as how the rest of the books shape up, we'll have to wait and see.
Rating:
Summary: Great follow up, not what you may be expecting, maybe better
Review: Contratry to what you might expect Elf Queen's Quest doesn't take up where Keeper Martin's Tale left off. Instead Robert treats us to an alternate view that provides incredible insight into everything that's happened and a much deeper, darker story. Elf Queen's Quest begins to show us a little more of Stanek's complex world. Stanek is wonderul at weaving numerous story threads together, carrying them all throughout the book with a moving flourish. I was more taken than I expected to be with the magical systems of Ruin Mist. Many fantasy realms have wizards and various classes of wizards, but Stanek's is one of the few that is has many magic systems and we are just now gaining insight into these. So far it seems clearly defined. Stanek's world is one of the most complex and unpredictable I have come across. I have little patience with classic Good vs. Evil and was pleased that Robert doesn't fall into the standard traps. We see a world that is being transformed. We aren't sure who is good, who is bad. There's a sense of evil in the world, but as Elf Queen shows us, our sense of what's evil may be way off from what we thought in Keeper Martin. This makes is so you are never quite sure who to trust or why. I also really like the concept, which becomes more prevalent here than in Keeper Martin. Stanek is adept at managing many different levels of reality. Nearly as much of the action takes place in places we are not quite sure are real (especially the visits to the under world). There's a lot of action in dreams and Stanek writes some of the best dream sequences I have ever read. Unlike other authors he doesn't minimize the dream action. From the start it is clear that what happens in dreams is just as real as what happens when the characters are awake (and often the dream world is more disturbing). The story is fast-paced and there's a lot of action. Robert's style keeps you turning pages as you hurry to find out what happened next to your favorite characters. The one difficulty I have with this book is that we're really only seeing a part of this world Robert calls Ruin Mist and so there's a lot we don't know yet. I know, I know. I shouldn't expect to know an entire world as complex as Robert's already but I can't wait to learn the underlying details of the world. All in all, though, it is a good follow up and a remarkably good series (so far). To be sure this isn't your standard fantasy and this isn't your standard follow up. Be prepared to revisit, see things from different views, gain new insights and meet new characters.
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