Rating: 
Summary: Enjoyable and captivating
Review: This is the first Jones book that I have read. It had a very Barbara Hamblyesque plot, I enjoyed it. I warn you that I tried to read three of her other books, but found them too cruel. This one, however, is different, and was very pleasant reading. I recommmend it.
Rating: 
Summary: Simple and pure Magic!
Review: One of the best books by Jones yet! I can't wait for more by her
Rating:
Summary: Thanks for the illumination.
Review: Whether or not you fully support the overall storyline in her books, JV Jones has a rare ability. I have read thousands of books and am an avid reader of "good" fantasy.JV Jones impresses me most with her ability to really make a scene come alive. Whether it is Mother Emith sitting in her kitchen,an interlude between Ederius and Izgard or amongst the cheese in the cave on the Anointed Isle, the story telling brings it all alive. The detail combined with a lack of (sleep bringing) waffle results in a story as vivid as the illuminations in JV's novel.
Rating:
Summary: I loved this book!
Review: I disagree with the other reviews. I normally never read a fantasy novel in which someone is transported from this world to another. However, this novel captured my imagination. What is wrong with good, old-fashioned sorcery? Is it that dull to everyone else? This book has magic, battles, and romance. It is a good book. What else can you expect from J. V. Jones? She's one of the best!
Rating: 
Summary: Couldn't Finish It
Review: I loved The Baker's Boy series. I bought this one, hoping that it would be the same. Instead, I found myself giving up half-way through. I might pick this up again and finish it, but I stopped caring about the characters. And the previous lip-chewing comment was right. It became a real distraction to me. Too bad, I really wanted to like this.
Rating:
Summary: A bit disapointing
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed her earlier books (The Book Of Words series) but was very disapointed with this book. To be honest I found 'The Barbed Coil' quite boring. It didn't grab me like some of J.V Jones earlier work. The whole Idea of going to a parallel place from the present just didn't interest me. I still think J.V. Jones is a great writer but I would prefer it if she stuck to more realistic fantasy if there is such a thing. I look forward to her next book though.
Rating: 
Summary: This Work Never Rises Above The Ordinary.
Review: Despite the author's obvious serious intent here, I found myself struggling to finish this work. It never caught my imagination, let alone my full attention, and I found myself rather wearied by a storyline that never really stood out, characters that to a large degree seemed typecast and standard, and an ending where everyone pairs up and lives happily ever after. Despite moments of originality in the use of magic and illumination, as well as successful characterizations, such as the Emiths, overall the story becomes quickly stale, and the characters rather shallow. The relationship between Angeline - supposedly a queen - and her "no-good" dog Snowy is just too precious, the reunion of Ravis and Malray unconvincing and contrived, the tormented figure of King Izgard familiar and rote, and the relationship of Ravis and Tessa lacking all passion. Further, the author's reliance on the outworn device of shifting her main character between parallel worlds was off-putting right from the start. Despite Jones' dedicated effort at writing, this work lacks any real life. I am baffled by those who are laudatory: This work never rises above the ordinary.
Rating:
Summary: The book is great. The audio is awful.
Review: I really enjoy all of J.V. Jones novels, including this one. Her imagination truely is outstanding. However, I am writing this solely as a warning to those who are considering the purchase of the audio in the hope of hearing the story as it should be told. As I have a long commute, I also listen to audios. The audio of this book is abridged and thoroughly destroys the magic of the story, especially the relationship between Tessa and Ravis. Huge portions of the story are completely deleted, leaving one to wonder what is going on. (and thus having to read the book to find out) I would recommend an unabridged version if one exists. In this case, less is NOT more.
Rating:
Summary: Ho Hum - J.V. you can do better
Review: Amazingly little plot spread out over nearly 700 pages. Unlike the Baker Boy triology there is nobody to feel strongly about. The heros are bland and the changes they go though are not believable and the ending is just plain silly. At times her writting really shines like when she describes her unique system of magic or shows the connection the two male heros feel for each other. But most of the book is dull, dull, dull. Counting the number of times THE SCAR was mentioned was one of my few sources of amusement. Jones also writes vivid accounts of people being mutilated, murdered or otherwise abused. Like Baker's Boy she loves to torture her female characters, especially if they are old. She is very subtle about sexual relations between her characters unless of course the male is doing something depraved in which case she describes it in great detail I am always bewildered by the number of books that get 5 star ratings. Surely not every book is the best. For a new author I might have giving this 3 stars, my normally rating, but for an author like Jones who showed so much potential in her first works, this book is a poor follow-up.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful fantasy romp
Review: The Book of Words trilogy was wonderful, and Jones has certainly established herself as a master in the genre with 'The Barbed Coil'. Mercenaries and hard-done-by Heirs and a woman out of her depth, and her world, make unputdownable reading. The interaction between the characters enlivens the story from Tessa's first scream down that alleyway. The only thing that I didn't like was that she killed off Snowy.....
|
