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The Last of the Renshai

The Last of the Renshai

List Price: $7.99
Your Price: $7.19
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: An interesting story
Review: A good story, created with all kinds of interesting characters. From wizards, to warriors, to gladiators, and kings, it has them all. It starts with a runaway child who escape slavery, becomes the best warrior and is the supposed golden prince of demons. The one who will help the west in an incoming great war. Meanwhile, the wizards minipulate mankind and each other to get what they want. Will the west win the war? Is Rache the Renshai that prophecy speaks of? Read this book and find out.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: An amazing book, to be compared to high ranking authors!
Review: A truly exellent book! I think the character's flaws make them all the more real. The one problem of this book is that it's a book of extreams. You either love it or hate it. I love it! Colbey's got style and class, and at the same time a barbarianism that classes him as his nick name all to well. Demon. Mickey is a master of ironic humor. As she has shown in many of her previos books, and continues to do now!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Memorable Series
Review: For those of you already convinced that you want to read these books, but are scrambling through reviews looking for which book comes first--I've been there, this is the first book of the series.

Public service announcement out of the way, on to the review:

Like many others, I have "read a lot of fantasy", but I will not appeal to my background to either praise or pan these books; that is hardly necessary. This isn't Tolkien, Eddings, Jordan, Brooks, Goodkind, Tarr...or any of the others. This work stands on its own merits.

Reichert builds an interesting world full of intriguing characters. While I will agree with one of the reviewers who said that there was no clear protagonist or antagonist in this story, I do not see that as a flaw. It is not always clear in life who is the "good guy" or the "bad guy". In exceptional stories, the good aren't all good, and the bad aren't all bad. Is there violence in this story...yes. Again no apology needs to be made, like it or not, violence is a part of the genre. If you have a low tolerence for violence, may I suggest the Myth books or Pratchet's Discworld novels.

My only complaint with this series--and it's minor and doesn't hinder me from given this book and trilogy 5 stars--is Reichert's take on swordplay. Armor and sheilds hinder combat rather than help it? Tell that to the templars! It's an interesting combat philosophy, but if it were really used the Renshai would have been slaughtered centuries before.

That said, Reichert is a good author, with a strong grasp on character development and interesting plot twists. I fully enjoyed all three books and was pleasently surprised many times with the direction the story took.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Aren't I bright!
Review: How remarkably intelligent and typical of me--I'm afraid I posted my review for the wrong book. I was _intending_ to write the below review for "Beyond Ragnarok" (thus the references to non-existant characters). I shall re-post my review for the right book. But Last of the Renshai is an equally wonderful book, so if everyone will just humor me and omit the words "Matrinka" "lone critic" and "third book", the praise for the novel remains the same.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: THIS IS A GREAT BOOK AND SERIS
Review: I HAVE READ EVERY BOOK I KNOW OF THAT MICKY ZUCKER REICHERT HAS WRITTIN, THEY ARE ALL OUTSTANDING BOOKS. ANYONE WHO DISAGREES IS NOT A TRUE FAN OF FANTASY. THE PLOT, THE DEVOLOPMENT, THE WORLDS, EVERYTHING IS GREAT. I LOVED THIS BOOK. I WILL SAY THIS, THE ONLY DRAW BACK IS THERE WAS AN END TO THE RENSHAI SERIS, I TRULY HOPE TO READ MORE ABOUT THEM IN THE FUTURE. AS FOR MICKY ZUCKER REICHERT, THANK YOU FOR WRITING ALL OF YOUR BOOKS THEY HAVE BROUGHT ME COUNTLESS HOURS OF ENJOYMENT, THANKS.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: IT IS THE BEST SERIES I HAVE EVER READ
Review: I HAVE READ THE REVIEWS HERE, THE ONES BEFORE MINE, AND I HAVE TO SAY I TOTALLY DISAGREE WITH ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT SAY THE SERIES IS NOT WORTHY OF BEING READ. BE A LEADER AND READ THE BOOKS, ESPACIALLY IF YOU LIKE FANTASY AND A GOOD BOOK. THEN YOU CAN MAKE THE DECISION FOR YOURSELF IF IT IS ONE OF THE GREATEST BOOKS YOU HAVE EVER READ OR NOT. ME I THINK THE BOOKS ARE A 20 ON A 1-10 SCALE, WONDERFUL PLOT, CHARACTER DEVOLPMENT, AND ACTION. AS FOR THE AUTHOR, IF YOU EVER READ THIS, THANK YOU FOR A VERY ENJOYABLE TRIP TO A WONDERFUL PLACE. GREAT BOOKS!!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A true epic.
Review: I hope my review of 5 stars knocks that prude's one star right out of contention, making the average review for The Last of the Renshai 5 stars, as it should be. Reichert writes with a style all her own, and should be commended for it. Her heroes are not pompous do-gooders out to save the maiden, but the realistic and inevitable creations of a warrior's upbringing. I respect Reichert for that. I also like the fact that this is a female writer, whose epic tales easily match those of male writers like Tolkien, Jordan, and Moorcock. I am male, but I liked reading a fantasy epic written by a woman for a change. Especially one without the fluff found in many novels by women. I strongly recommend The Last of the Renshai, Reichert's finest novel. As for old "one star" down there, well, who are we to argue with someone who writes a calm review despising the fact that Reichert's heroes aren't Messiahs, and then launches into a frenzied and foamy-mouthed tirade against both Reichert's integrity and her writing ability? Who knows, maybe Reichert did "kiss bottom". I for one, am very glad she did. I'm glad this novel was published, and I'm glad I got the chance to read it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Love the whole series
Review: I love this book; I've read and re-read it a couple of times. I don't understand why some have said they dislike it. The characters grow on you. The only complaint I may have is that perspectives jump, and you find yourself reading impatiently, wanting to get back to your favorite point-of-view.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I am speechless.
Review: I only wish I could give this novel six stars

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: A horrendous tale. It's an aquired taste I guess.
Review: I personally thought this was a poor quality novel. Quite an extrodinary tale in some ways. While sickening in others.

This is defintely not for your children. This an adult fantasy-adventure novel.

Now, as for a review.

The simplicity of the characters in the story are almost quaint, but the way in which they are portrayed is quite evil. If the author intended to write about characters who have flaws, and sins on their souls, then this author has achieved that end. Although, if the author meant for the reader to love all the heroes in this novel, then Reichert has utterly failed.

This novel was not written in a classic style that many other writers will appreciate. There was no clear protagonist in the story. There was no clear antagonist either. Reichert leaves you guessing just who is in the right. The reason you will be guessing is because each of the main characters seem to have a moral confusion about how to react to their situation in life. This leaves them making serious errors in judgement that gets them in trouble. It almost seems the author picked these heroes to be the greatest warriors, but they don't know how to use their power for a rightous cause, only their own selfish purposes. My question to Reichert is.... Isn't the defintion of evil: When someone uses their gifts in life only to further their own selfish ends? This is what every character does over and over again! They almost seem not to care (and to forget quite quickly) what they do to hurt others without justification. Also, there is a tendency in the characters to avoid being punished for their crimes! In escence none but the wizards have any responsibility for their actions, and the author seems to deem it fit that Garn, Colbey, and Mitrian will not ever be brought to justice or be punished for their crimes or wrong doings! There were times I thought that justice was at hand, but Reichert seems to be like a slippery lawyer, and gets them out of being responsible. These are not heroes to be revered or respected, but to be condemned for their self centeredness, and lack of conscience.

In short, I don't believe any advanced reader will enjoy this novel. This book was poorly edited. One example: If I remember junior high school english classes correctly, 'AND' cannot begin a sentence, but time 'AND' time again, Reichert show us the lack of education in the book! 'AND' this shows that any author who has no classic literature skills should not be published. Who's bottom did Reichert kiss to get published! Any of my friends who play role playing games can write Reichert under the table! This novel lacks any moral ground from which to stand on. The characters come across as cruel, selfish, and hateful. Surely not a novel I'm interested in reading. I do not plan to read any of the sequels to this ill-concieved peice of trash!


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