Rating: 
Summary: Good book, but the plot is wearing thin.....
Review: The book was very good, and I am a huge fan of Chris Stasheff, but the plot is wearing a bit thin. Satan has gotten his followers together, they march on Merovence, Alisande must get her army together and go out to fight them; only to discover that Matt has already done most of the work. He explains to the evil ones why they should go home and they fully understand and agree with him. *sigh*
Rating: 
Summary: a disapointment
Review: The first book in this series, "Her Majesty's Wizard", is excellent. This book is not. Contrary to the cover and the opening chapter, Matt plays a supporting actor, not the title role. Matt's interesting personality, actions, and introspection do not appear in this book.
"The Crusading Wizard" focuses on a girl wizard who can change into a cat. Her personality is flat and uninspired, both as girl and cat. Much of the charm of the first book in this series was the portrayal of a midieval society through another mind set: angles & devils are living creatures, "good" and "evil" are absolutes, and kings rule by divine right. Discarding that whole notion, "Crusading Wizard" is simply another midieval fantasy world with magic, nicely executed but bland.
Rating:
Summary: A Course in Comparative Religion
Review: The first three of these Wizard in Rhyme books were great fun. This book does the job of wandering around the landscape, and getting our hero and heroine into trouble. There are also "Meanwhile, back at the ranch" passages that are ok, though I have some objections to Matt's parents. The writing, as always with Stasheff, is neat and clean. This book didn't happen to have the one great laugh line he usually manages to pack into his books, just a couple snickers. Overall, not great, but readable. It's not the book to give a new Stasheff reader. If you are a regular reader... Stick a fork in it, it's done already. Stasheff rides a concept until long after it has gone to its eternal reward. He did it with the Warlock in Spite of Himself books, and he's doing it here. The plot line is identical to the last three or so, with an identical didactic purpose. By now it is established that being faithful to one's marriage is a good thing, and casual sex is bad. Fine. What I know about Zoroastrian belief and worship is reasonably extensive, and he doesn't do violence to it. Fine. But, god save us, get us a new plot, and take another tack. Also, this universe has become a course (lightly done) on comparative religion. It will work well enough for a teenager, since Stasheff can never be accused of bad writing. However, when I want a course on religion, I will go take one.
Rating: 
Summary: The Cat Who Conquered a Demon
Review: This isn't Matt's book, although he's in it. The book is really about Balkis, the infant set adrift in a river by her mother, hoping to save the babe from the barbarian horde. Saved by water sprites and dryads, who turn her into a cat and teach her how to survive, Balkis spends her formative years knowing nothing of her past. Finally, after learning all she can about magic from a kindly witch, she goes to Matt to try to learn more. She ends up rescuing him multiple times, and helps him to retrieve his kidnapped children. She is a fascinating character, and I hope she returns in future books, after she's had a chance to mature a little and grow into her powers fully.
Rating:
Summary: The Crusading Wizard
Review: This was a very good book of mister Stasheff's, but as all books in series become, it gets a bit formulaic. (I know I cant spell that word) And there were some characters that I just didn't really get (like fortune, what's with the spinnig plates and darts?) Anyway this was a very good book and probably my second (my first is Her Majesty's Wizard) favorite book in the series.
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