Rating: 
Summary: A fascinating SF series
Review: ...For myself, I love stories about magic and super alternative universes. In this book a tough subject of how much mages must devote of themselves in order to effect the desired magical result is addressed. This includes sacrifice of one's life due to their belief that blood is a powerful enhancer of magic rituals.(a notion founded in pagan lore). Apparently the act of physically striking at/upon one another with magically enhanced wooden staves enables them to create the kinetic energy that will knit the "eiran" and create a weave that aids their people in achieving a form of harmonic balance in their universe, even with the bad guys stirring up mischief. The authors' use of the term "Eiran" suggests "aura" or "ley lines", used in metaphysical literature.The story shows a certain politeness in piracy and interstellar business dealings, rather like a good ole boy's club that offers a wink and a nod to ripping each other off. It appears to be a rite of passage or gamemanship mutually agreed upon to enhance the wealth and power of the reining star lords. The pirates take turns boarding one another's vessel to steal their cargo which is all executed with good humor and jovial camraderie. (after all the insurance carrier will have to pony up for the losses). These acts of piracy are then followed by a blow out party onboard the ship undergoing piracy. For this reader, the analogies to current day politics is quite inescapably clear. This is the first book that I have read in this space opera series and I am looking forward to the follow up book "A Working of Stars" which promises more of the magic and machinations of this fascinating Mageworld.
Rating: 
Summary: Les Mediocres...Like A Treadmill -- Ending Up Nowhere
Review: Again, very choppy overall. My hope of discovering something was disappointed by the average to poor writing and disjointed reading experience. One would think two people could keep each other interesting but maybe the converse holds true. This genre seems to suffer from inbreeding. It's chock full of aspiring writers who consider themselves expert because they've read luminaries. They then strive to be writers, the drive is out of ambition, and they end up criticizing each other into monotony. Les Mediocres remain peripheral to talent as long as they spend too much time picking apart each other and the craft. The question that addresses the problem may be, where are the editors who keep this level of blah from congesting the shelves. I suppose it's all right that the sentences and puctuation are correct if you just want to engage your mind like being on a treadmill, ending up nowhere.
Rating:
Summary: Glad I didn't start with this book
Review: Glad I didn't start the MageWorlds with this book; it seems disjointed and vague, like the authors knew they wanted to write a book but didn't know where it should go. Especially sad was the authors' need to explain stuff beforehand in a preface. This book is OK for MageWorld fans but it sure doesn't have the same character magic the original books have.
Rating: 
Summary: A Travel Back to the Beginning
Review: I really enjoyed this book. I had already read the trilogy and prequel of the mageworlds books and i found it really interesting to learn more about the mages themselves. If you've read the trilogy or even just the prequel and liked it you definately want to read this book, especially if you liked the Professor. There are a few things left unexplained at the end, but i guess that just means i'll have to read the sequel!
Rating:
Summary: A Travel Back to the Beginning
Review: I really enjoyed this book. I had already read the trilogy and prequel of the mageworlds books and i found it really interesting to learn more about the mages themselves. If you've read the trilogy or even just the prequel and liked it you definately want to read this book, especially if you liked the Professor. There are a few things left unexplained at the end, but i guess that just means i'll have to read the sequel!
Rating:
Summary: First-Rate SF
Review: It's kind of odd that the first five books were called "Mageworlds" when actually the Mages were more or less the enemy, and the stories took place on the other side of the galaxy. But this time, we really see this universe from the point of view of the "bad guys"--who aren't necessarily bad. Doyle and Macdonald are never predictable, or easy; if you like tricky plotting and subtle characterizations and zippy pacing, this is the book for you. Add in the realistic detail on how military people think and work, and you've got great action as well. But that's not to say the story is one-dimensional shoot'em'up; there are insightful glimpses into human interaction, and traces of mysticism. Well worth the hardback price, because this is a keeper for years of rereading. I hope there's going to be more about the real Mageworlds!
Rating:
Summary: First-Rate SF
Review: It's kind of odd that the first five books were called "Mageworlds" when actually the Mages were more or less the enemy, and the stories took place on the other side of the galaxy. But this time, we really see this universe from the point of view of the "bad guys"--who aren't necessarily bad. Doyle and Macdonald are never predictable, or easy; if you like tricky plotting and subtle characterizations and zippy pacing, this is the book for you. Add in the realistic detail on how military people think and work, and you've got great action as well. But that's not to say the story is one-dimensional shoot'em'up; there are insightful glimpses into human interaction, and traces of mysticism. Well worth the hardback price, because this is a keeper for years of rereading. I hope there's going to be more about the real Mageworlds!
Rating: 
Summary: Poor choice
Review: Okay, so I was bored and this book was one of the few new paperbacks that I hadn't read. I haven't tried any of the other Mageworld novels and I guess I really shouldn't have started with this one. It was boring and disjointed. The book rambled on for a while and just ended (much like this review :).
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Worldbuilding
Review: Readers who like thoughtful, complex, exciting, unpredictable space opera ought to be reaching for the Mageworlds books. THE STARS ASUNDER is different from the other Mageworlds books, as indeed it ought to be: now, for the first time, we see this universe from the point of view of the "villains". The Republic is the Other in this story, and the Mages' way of seeing life and the universe is the main focus. We come to understand them in this book, which in turn makes rereading the previous Mageworlds books take on new meaning. The pacing and language is different, which I think is a plus. Convoluted, yes. Complex, yes. Unexpected, yes. And wouldn't you like, for once, not to know exactly where a story is going? If you like Lois McMaster Bujold, and Jack Vance's better work, and Vernor Vinge, then you really ought to give this book a try. It's a keeper.
Rating:
Summary: The Best of the Best of the Best
Review: The absolute best thing about this new book that's chock-full of bests is that we finally get to see so much more of the Adepts (though still not enough of the whole Mageworlds culture: more books please!), who have a delightfully magickal worldview. This is a great adventure full of battle murder and sudden death: a most excellent place to start the series (it's a prequel) and a welcome return for those who are already fans.
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