Rating: 
Summary: BORING !
Review: After having read many fantasy books by many different authors I must say that this book was the worst of all !Even though the style is ok, the plot is as interesting as watching a stone fall to dust... At first I thought it might improve and kept on reading up to page 184 (of 236) but then just couldn't stand it anymore and stoped. The story is very constructed, the surrounding world doesn't feel real, everything appears very static and the characters are lifeless puppets. Not even once did I have the feeling of being part of the story, instead I always forced to myself to keep on reading in hope for an improvement ...which never came, up to that point where I simply gave up, and I'm not the kinda guy who gives up easily on a book. I can't recommend this book at all.
Rating: 
Summary: Not a bad book
Review: but not a great one either. Set in a mythical renaissance kingdom in Central Europe, WHEN THE KING COMES home tells the story of Hail Rosmer, art student with a fascination for a long-dead artist/alchemist. When the alchemist's seal is used to return long-vanished King Julian, Hail is drafted to protect the kingdom from the necromancer. It's an interesting premise and Stevermer's world is interesting enough as well. I found it hard to get into the characters, however. Hail's fascination for Maspero drives the novel, but isn't really explained. Partly because the story is told from Hail's first person point of view, the other characters blend in together without strong differentiation. WHEN THE KING COMES HOME is a pleasant read--but it has hints that it could be so much more.
Rating: 
Summary: Enjoyable, but not really memorable
Review: Caroline Stevermer has a new book out, _When the King Comes Home_. It's apparently set in the same world as her fine earlier book _A College of Magics_. It's been a while since I read the earlier book, and I confess I didn't notice any close links: I'm pretty sure both books can be read independently. This new one is a decent book, though not terribly memorable. The world it's set in is very much like roughly 16th Century Europe. It's set in an imaginary country in Europe, and the other fantasy element is that magic works, though magic isn't wildly prevalent. Mostly, the feel of the setting is like our world. The narrator, Hail Rosamer, is a young apprentice to a successful artist. She lives in the capital city of their "country", which is ruled by an old, dying, King, and a capable "Prince-Bishop". But people remember the days of Good King Julian, 2 centuries before, with great affection. It is said "When the King Comes Home", any number of miracles might happen. Wilful Hail becomes obsessed with an artist of King Julian's time, Gil Maspero, who among other things made a special medal for the King. Against her mistress' wishes, Hail makes a copy of this medal, and by happenstance ends up one day encountering a man who looks just like the old King. Soon it is clear that sorcery is afoot: an evil witch in league with the rebellious lord of one of the provinces is trying to recall King Julian's soul to a new body and bind the King to her will. Hail ends up imprisoned for a time, then trying to help track down the witch, then trying to help free the King from her spell. I liked it, it was fun to read, but in a way I felt that not quite enough happened. It's quiet, and it ends in an honest but rather muffled fashion: Stevermer worked hard to avoid an ending with any sort of heroic cliche. That's a good thing, on the one hand, but perhaps it detracts from the book, too. Or perhaps while avoiding cliche (good) the book also avoids replacing the standard cliches with something really special. Lest I seem too negative, though, I repeat that it's a fun, engaging, read. Hail is a neat character, wholly an artist, headstrong, interesting, unobservant of anything she doesn't care about, like the obviously besotted soldier who keeps encountering her. The other characters are well drawn, too, and largely good people too.
Rating: 
Summary: If only the King came Home more often!
Review: Caroline Stevermer is one of those authors who writes (it seems) a book a decade, but oh what a book, when it finally appears! _When the King Comes Home_ is a true treasure -- realistic fantasy that doesn't shy away from showing all of the trials and tribulations that we often forget when indulging in a fantasy. The narrator is a young girl, apprenticed to an artist in the capital city of her (imaginary) country, who ends up being witness and participant in the changes that come when the Good King Julian of legend (he lived several hundred years ago, and died while at war, in Europe) reappears. There is a subtle Arthurian twist to the tale, which makes the characterization of the King's Seraph and his Queen, who also are brought back by necromantic means, richer and deeper. This is a book which rewards reading and re-reading. Another classic by Stevermer.
Rating:
Summary: well-written, wry fantasy about the powers of legend and art
Review: Caroline Stevermer's latest fantasy is an elegantly written and wryly witty story about a young artist's apprentice and her encounter with a living legend -- Good King Julian, raised from the dead by a necromancer with political ambitions. Its appealing characters held my attention from the first page to the last, but like another reviewer, I found the ending somewhat disappointing. Still, I will keep an eye out for any other stories by this very original author.
Rating:
Summary: HMMM, WATCH THE GRASS GROW OR READ THIS BOOK
Review: I made it to about page 100 before I surrendered - something I rarely do. This book, while well written, does not move at all. Page after page of nothing. I'm giving two stars because I think that Stevermer is probably a good writer and is capable of actually creating some fantasy worth reading - this book isn't it.
Rating:
Summary: HMMM, WATCH THE GRASS GROW OR READ THIS BOOK
Review: I made it to about page 100 before I surrendered - something I rarely do. This book, while well written, does not move at all. Page after page of nothing. I'm giving two stars because I think that Stevermer is probably a good writer and is capable of actually creating some fantasy worth reading - this book isn't it.
Rating:
Summary: Stopped reading 58/236 pages through
Review: I started reading this book expecting an adventure but getting to about page 60 and having to put a 236-page book down is pretty sad. The plot just doesn't move. If this was a biography it would actually be quite interesting, but taken as a fantasy novel? At first I thought maybe she was just trying to get more into Hail's character, but I found that I really did not know that much about Hail. I knew her fellow apprentices better. I put this book down on page 58. I have only ever not finished two books in my entire life; they were Homecoming by Cynthia Voit (sp?), and The One Armed Queen by Jane Yolen. I don't recommend either. It pains me greatly to not finish a book. The whole idea of the book would have been wonderful were the plot interesting in the first 20 pages, and it was in a way, but maybe only because I like to draw and she was becoming and apprentice to an artist. If you prefer biographies and are looking into going into fantasy books I could recommend this book, but that is considering that I really don't like biographies. Sorry for rambling.
Rating:
Summary: Stopped reading 58/236 pages through
Review: I started reading this book expecting an adventure but getting to about page 60 and having to put a 236-page book down is pretty sad. The plot just doesn't move. If this was a biography it would actually be quite interesting, but taken as a fantasy novel? At first I thought maybe she was just trying to get more into Hail's character, but I found that I really did not know that much about Hail. I knew her fellow apprentices better. I put this book down on page 58. I have only ever not finished two books in my entire life; they were Homecoming by Cynthia Voit (sp?), and The One Armed Queen by Jane Yolen. I don't recommend either. It pains me greatly to not finish a book. The whole idea of the book would have been wonderful were the plot interesting in the first 20 pages, and it was in a way, but maybe only because I like to draw and she was becoming and apprentice to an artist. If you prefer biographies and are looking into going into fantasy books I could recommend this book, but that is considering that I really don't like biographies. Sorry for rambling.
Rating:
Summary: Lovely writing style but not enough to please me
Review: I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a very good critic. I enjoy plays and books that people will think are horrible. It's not very often that I give something 2 stars but I am willing to with this book.
Her writing style is gorgeous but not very fast paced. I expected a different sort of storyline because I misunderstood the dust cover. I didn't feel a strong connection with any of the characters and couldn't relate with any of them very well. Few of the characters seemed to care greatly for Hail. She often seemed foisted off onto people who tolerated her. Throughout the book people complained of her being too chatty but I did not find her so until I neared the end. Some readers complain that the book has a slow start and that's true. However it does get more exciting as it goes on. Despite this improvement the characters seemed too bland to me.
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