Rating: 
Summary: A fun read
Review: Katla Aransen is a young woman on her way to her first Allfair--a gathering of peoples from lands all over Elde. There her father plans to sell his cargo and with the profits, make a good marriage for his sons and daughters.Katla has no wish to marry anyone. She wants to remain free to climb the cliffs and rocks that she loves and create beautiful knives and swords with her talent as a smith, but when she arrives at the Allfair and climbs the rock her people call Sur's Castle, she unwittingly sets unforeseen events into motion that might see her burned at the stake and war between bitter rivals. This story was huge in its vision. Katla is a wonderfully captivating character, as are her brothers and father. Saro Vingo is another character that we feel drawn to. This book deserves its four stars, but the fifth I withheld because there was simply too many good characters. I know that sounds weird, but there were so many different points of view in this book and so many character switches, that I was in danger of getting lost. Jude Fisher is one talented lady. She would have had all five stars if she had limited the point of view to a handful of characters instead of two handfuls and more. Buy this one now, and then hurry on to the second book called Wild Magic... I'm starting it tonight. Reviewed by Mark E. Cooper
The Warrior Within
Rating: 
Summary: Obviously book 1
Review: Katla is an interesting character, but she is one of the few that didn't plod along. The book is slow then picks up speed until several cliff hangers that won't be resolved until you plunk down another [price]. The situations the characters are left in seems more like the season ender on TV than in a well written book.
Save your money, wait for the paperback or check it out of the library then buy someone that writes really good books.
Rating: 
Summary: Intriguing but frustrating
Review: Sorcery Rising has an interesting concept with well fleshed-out cultures, but it reads like an extended prologue, slow moving and spread thin. I kept waiting for the "real" action and revelations to begin, but instead the story got bugged down in frustrating misunderstandings and mistaken intentions, fiery speeches, and actions scenes that sometimes seemed like just "filler." The story takes place over a span of only a few days, so all the exciting plot lines that are implied never even get to see the light of day. Obviously this is a book that will be part of a series, but so many threads are started here and left barely woven, that I had a hard time feeling like I ever entered the "meat" of the story. It's implied that certain characters are going to meet and get to know each other, but they never get beyond fleeting glimpses. Most of the main characters are quiet likeable - Saro, Katla, Selen, and Erno - but almost all the others, especially the men, are painted as vile, lecherous, and despicable, and after a while they all blended together and I had trouble keeping them apart. Characters often refuse to believe blatant things that should be obvious, or misconstrue each other's intentions in completely opposite, or even twisted ways. Sometimes this is done to show the black-heartedness of certain characters, but other times I failed to see any reason other than to add another wrinkle to the plot. I enjoyed the contrast between the two cultures and the words themselves are well written and engaging. However, I found many other aspects to be frustrating and distracting, and there were times when I was tempted to put the book down altogether. Read this book as what it is - an introduction to a much greater and longer to story to come.
Rating:
Summary: Intriguing but frustrating
Review: Sorcery Rising has an interesting concept with well fleshed-out cultures, but it reads like an extended prologue, slow moving and spread thin. I kept waiting for the "real" action and revelations to begin, but instead the story got bugged down in frustrating misunderstandings and mistaken intentions, fiery speeches, and actions scenes that sometimes seemed like just "filler." The story takes place over a span of only a few days, so all the exciting plot lines that are implied never even get to see the light of day. Obviously this is a book that will be part of a series, but so many threads are started here and left barely woven, that I had a hard time feeling like I ever entered the "meat" of the story. It's implied that certain characters are going to meet and get to know each other, but they never get beyond fleeting glimpses. Most of the main characters are quiet likeable - Saro, Katla, Selen, and Erno - but almost all the others, especially the men, are painted as vile, lecherous, and despicable, and after a while they all blended together and I had trouble keeping them apart. Characters often refuse to believe blatant things that should be obvious, or misconstrue each other's intentions in completely opposite, or even twisted ways. Sometimes this is done to show the black-heartedness of certain characters, but other times I failed to see any reason other than to add another wrinkle to the plot. I enjoyed the contrast between the two cultures and the words themselves are well written and engaging. However, I found many other aspects to be frustrating and distracting, and there were times when I was tempted to put the book down altogether. Read this book as what it is - an introduction to a much greater and longer to story to come.
Rating:
Summary: Intriguing but frustrating
Review: Sorcery Rising has an interesting concept with well fleshed-out cultures, but it reads like an extended prologue, slow moving and spread thin. I kept waiting for the "real" action and revelations to begin, but instead the story got bugged down in frustrating misunderstandings and mistaken intentions, fiery speeches, and actions scenes that sometimes seemed like just "filler." The story takes place over a span of only a few days, so all the exciting plot lines that are implied never even get to see the light of day. Obviously this is a book that will be part of a series, but so many threads are started here and left barely woven, that I had a hard time feeling like I ever entered the "meat" of the story. It's implied that certain characters are going to meet and get to know each other, but they never get beyond fleeting glimpses. Most of the main characters are quiet likeable - Saro, Katla, Selen, and Erno - but almost all the others, especially the men, are painted as vile, lecherous, and despicable, and after a while they all blended together and I had trouble keeping them apart. Characters often refuse to believe blatant things that should be obvious, or misconstrue each other's intentions in completely opposite, or even twisted ways. Sometimes this is done to show the black-heartedness of certain characters, but other times I failed to see any reason other than to add another wrinkle to the plot. I enjoyed the contrast between the two cultures and the words themselves are well written and engaging. However, I found many other aspects to be frustrating and distracting, and there were times when I was tempted to put the book down altogether. Read this book as what it is - an introduction to a much greater and longer to story to come.
Rating:
Summary: Gold For the Taking
Review: Sorcery Rising is the first novel in the Fool's Gold series. None upon Elda is as powerful in magic as Rahe. However, recently Rahe has been doing strange, and destructive, acts. Virelai has noticed his master setting small fires and someone -- probably Rahe -- has destroyed many rare and puzzling objects in the curiositar. When his master takes him up to the chamber at the top of the ice tower, Virelai is fearful and confused, but then he begins to understand that the contraption therein reflects a whole wide world that he had never known existed. Among the many sights brought to his eyes by the contraption was the image of a naked women facedown on his master's bed. This arouses more that his curiosity and he soon returns to the chamber to view other sights and to spy on his master. He discovers that Rahe is busily destroying all his magic, even his book of Making and Unmaking. Angrily, he charges down to the workroom, but the master is gone. He finds a few scraps of the book, but nothing immediately useful until he notices a scrap with a fiendish recipe for death-that-is-not-death. Although he has been given a geas against killing his master, the recipe appears not to kill, but to cause a coma-like state, which does not trigger the geas. Shortly thereafter, Virelai brings his master a tray of foodstuff for dinner. The next morning, Virelai leaves Sanctuary in a small sloop with a large chest and Bete the cat wrapped and tied in leather. On the Moonfell Plains, the great Allfair attracts both Eyrans and Istrians. Katla Aransen, smith and daughter of Aren Aranson, arrives with her father, brothers, and friends. Saro Vingo comes with his father, uncle, older brother, and servants. Virelai, with Bete and the woman known as Rosa Eldi, accompany the Footloose nomads to the Allfair. When Katla climbs Sur's Castle, called Falla's Rock by the Istrians, she is met by a pair of irate Istrians. This confrontation is seen by Saro and the sight of Katla makes his knees weak enough to drop him to the ground. Unfortunately, this confrontation also leads to a charge of heresy against Katla, which is punished by burning at the stake. Virelai makes money by selling treasure maps leading to Sanctuary as well as selling Rose's favors. Among the treasure hunters is Katla's father and among Rose's customers is the Eyran King. Other little irritations, such as the attempted kidnapping of the Eyran king, sour the mood of the Allfair. When Saro's vile brother, Tanto, is stabbed in the groin, it effectively ends the fair. This series is about the return of powerful magic to Elda, beginning with Virelai's flight from sanctuary. Katla learns that she can sense and use Earth magic. Other magic users find that their strength is increased. Strange beings are appearing on land and in the sea. While this series appears to be influenced by Norse and Persian cultures, there are many differences, including an entirely different pantheon of gods and goddesses. The author obviously set up the cultural patterns to provide a conflict over the role of women, both within each culture and between the two. Katla, for example, is an anomaly in her culture, since she is a skilled smith and warrior, but the culture used to have warrior women and still has female magic users who live aside from the normal female roles. Even so, she has been more tolerated than encouraged. This volume shows mostly the traditional patterns, with the exception of Katla, and only hints at possible changes. Recommended for anyone who enjoys sword and sorceries tales with strong heroines.
Rating:
Summary: Well written but edged me into a yawn.
Review: The characters were well written and from the way everything else was described, I could just *feel* being in the Allfair; smelling the scents, watching the Footloose in awe as they paraded through the grounds; I love the characters or I hate them, which is a good thing, mind you. I especially like Saro Vingo (and I loathe Tanto to death), but halfway through the whole circus I just--got bored. And then I just knew what would happen to them towards the end of the book. Katla was alright; feisty, strong, sharp-tongued, yadda, yadda. I've seen too many of such women in fantasy. I like my women strong, but I'm tired of the mountain climbers and sword-weilders. Something new, please. ::scratches tummy:: It's possible that I'll still get the second book; it has good reviews, and it's not like I hated this one. I just thought it was too darn predictable, that's all.
Rating:
Summary: Good worldbuilding but entire book is setup
Review: The magic has been gone, captured and withheld in the ice fortress that is sanctuary, but now it beings to stir again. With all the world at the 'gather,' a huge trading fair and festival, the magic begins to exert itself--a love charm works, a spell to increase a girl's bust size overcompensates, and an angry cat gradually spits out the great spells of power. At the festival, Katla Aransen accidentally violates a sacred mountain and must hide from the brutal and anti-woman Istrians. Although her own people are ancient enemies of the Istrian Empire, the Empire is too powerful to challenge, even for a young woman's life. Around Katla, her family swirls. Her father becomes caught up in a compulsion to explore the frozen north--looking for magical gold and for the place called sanctuary. Virelai had been a captive and apprentice to the great master for decades--now, thanks to a sleeping potion, he is free. But he knows that his freedom will be fleeting, unless the master is killed in his long sleep. And with the magic stirring, the need to do something becomes increasingly urgent. When he hooks up with an Istrian nobleman, Virelai thinks that his situation will improve--but he finds that he is once again a tool in the hands of others--and that his new master is every bit as cruel and far more violent than his own. With magic running wild, and with the ancient emnity between the Istrian (think Ottoman) and Eyra (think Viking) violence is barely contained at the best of times. When the Eyra King Ravn is entranced by the beautiful Rosa Eldi, his command over his own forces wanes. Open warfare breaks out and the great fair is disrupted. All forces retreat to their strongholds, lick their wounds, and plot the next steps in the battle between kingdoms--little reckoning on the true war--that of magic--that lies beneath the surface. In SORCERY RISING, author Jude Fisher delivers some powerful worldbuilding. The return of magic theme, the various peoples who populate this fantasy world, and the mythologies that sustain and drive them are all powerful and intriguing. Too much of this novel, however, is just that--world building and stage setting. With no really admirable characters (Katla comes closest, but she is too careless of others' safety to be really sympathetic), SORCERY RISING feels like stage-setting for the series. Fisher's writing and world-building is almost strong enough to disguise the fact that nothing really happens in this novel. I'm looking forward to the next in the series, but with the smallest bit of a feeling that I ate a meal only to discover that it disappeared before it really sunk in.
Rating: 
Summary: Judging a book by its cover.
Review: The magnificent cover art by Michael Whelan captured my attention for this book, the debut novel of Jude Fisher and the first volume of a projected trilogy.
Unfortunately I found SORCERY RISING difficult to sink my teeth into. There seemed to be too many characters and too little driving action for me to latch onto. The central characters seemed dreadfully stereotyped, particularly the baddies.
However, I have read the blurb for Volume Two, FOOL'S GOLD, which seems to pick up the pace a little, particularly by concentrating on the enigmatic Rosa Eldi, the seductive amnesiac femme fatale featured in Whelan's painting. I have also been reading encouraging reviews from other readers here which suggest that the series is worth hanging in there for. Maybe other discouraged readers of this promising novel will do what I am doing - reserving final judgement until all three volumes are out and reading them together. At the least I will enjoy poring over the new Whelan covers.
Rating:
Summary: Stereotypes Rising
Review: This book annoyed me enough to pull me out of the story from time-to-time. As other reviewers have said, this book is definately a set-up for the series. For watchers of anime series: this is the Carnival episode! (The episode where, in a long storyline, everyone goes to a carnival and mayhem ensues, but very little happens in the way of plot advancement.) In other words, I found it hilarious that this story took place over four days of the "Allfair."
This book also has the stumbling block that the three main cultures were derived from earth: Gypsies (Footloose, which meant I had the popular 80s anthem running in my head non-stop - ugh), Norse (Eryans, complete with battle axes and sword-weilding women), and the Arabs (Istrians, with veiled women and laughable misogyny in which they claim that it's a women's privledge to be veiled.) The males thought about sex non-stop. Saro, one of the Istrians, seemed disillusioned with his culture, which naturally made him one of the good guys. So, as a good guy, he had to fall in love with Katla (our heroine) practically at first sight.
Katla, as the main character, is a little bit of a drag. She's bossy, imperious, pig-headed (as the author informs us more than once), and is written as a Mary Sue, despite all these shortcomings. She's a fast runner, the greatest swordmaker at the Fair, an amazing rockclimber, and it looks like she's getting some strong magical powers thrown into the mix. Ugh. When ill befell her, I found that I didn't care too much. Let's add to this that a enormous number of male characters are in love with her. Blargh.
Then there's the Rosa Eldi, the Rose of Elda, a nameless amnesiac who fills men with overwhelming (plot-driving?) lust.
Personally, I preferred Selen, the Istrian daughter of a nobleman. Her struggles and emotions seemed realistic. Eron too seemed like a decent character - not too overdrawn, with a personality that seemed feasible. In fact, the minor characters of this book may have been the strongest points - Katla's father with his wandering soul, brave Tor, sensitive Saro, narrow-minded and fanatical Fent.
The endless references to sex, as mentioned by another writer, were awfully funny. I realize that these are 'barbaric' cultures, but they might think of something else once in a while. There was also an enormous amount of unrequited love, which was annoying.
Despite all this, I really loved some of the lesser characters enough to get book 2 and find out what happens to them. The climax of the book is interesting and exciting, even though it takes ages to get there. Some of the subplots held a lot of promise. It'll be interesting to see how this author handles the threat of war and the return of magic to the world. I'd recommed this author before Anne Bishop but left in the dust by Carol Berg. Give it a try and make up your own mind.
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