Rating: 
Summary: Fantasy writing at its best
Review: Eric Flint and Richard Roach's Forward The Mage is fantasy writing at its best: an artist-swordsman faces an evil sorcerer, arrest, and politics when his artistic ambitions are rerouted in a struggle for survival. Both feature fast-paced action and complex, believable settings.
Rating: 
Summary: Forward the Mage an Alternate Style
Review: Eric Flint has become an established SF Author. However he has more than one style of writing. This book is in an experimental style more related to Rabelais, Cervantes, Voltaire, Swift and Sterne. This book set in "Joe's World" is the second book in this series. Although not main stream in any way it is an enjoyable book and well worth reading. Once read I was hooked into asking "where is the rest of this story", this is quite normal for this style of writing and I await eagerly the next volume.
Rating: 
Summary: Pass On This One
Review: For those of you who enjoyed THE PHILISOPHICAL STRANGLER stand by for some severe disappointment. This sequel/prequel to TPS just doesn't measure up. FORWARD THE MAGE is for the most part dreadfully boring. While some of the story line sparks a little interest, primarily the relationship between Benvenuti and Gwendolyn, the rest is pretty dull stuff. The extremely long ramblings of the wizard Zulkeh are especially trying. The frequent attempts at humor are forced and not particularly funny, kind of like a drunk at a party who thinks he's hilarious but isn't. It makes you almost embarrassed to read it.Well no need to spend a lot of time on this dog. Read THE PHILISOPHICAL STRANGLER, it is funny and worth the effort. You won't miss much except a little of the background which really isn't needed to begin with. If you REALLY feel you must read MAGE then check it out of your local library, but don't turn it in late, it's not worth the fine! This book is NOT RECOMMENDED!
Rating:
Summary: Pass On This One
Review: For those of you who enjoyed THE PHILISOPHICAL STRANGLER stand by for some severe disappointment. This sequel/prequel to TPS just doesn't measure up. FORWARD THE MAGE is for the most part dreadfully boring. While some of the story line sparks a little interest, primarily the relationship between Benvenuti and Gwendolyn, the rest is pretty dull stuff. The extremely long ramblings of the wizard Zulkeh are especially trying. The frequent attempts at humor are forced and not particularly funny, kind of like a drunk at a party who thinks he's hilarious but isn't. It makes you almost embarrassed to read it. Well no need to spend a lot of time on this dog. Read THE PHILISOPHICAL STRANGLER, it is funny and worth the effort. You won't miss much except a little of the background which really isn't needed to begin with. If you REALLY feel you must read MAGE then check it out of your local library, but don't turn it in late, it's not worth the fine! This book is NOT RECOMMENDED!
Rating: 
Summary: All foam - no beer
Review: I usually like Flint and have read everything he published. This is the biggest single book and by far the worst. The book is supposed to be a comedic fantasy. Maybe it is. If you are looking for a book where everything is supposed to be funny and nothing is to be taken seriously, maybe this is your book, but I pitched it after 66 pages.
Rating:
Summary: All foam - no beer
Review: I usually like Flint and have read everything he published. This is the biggest single book and by far the worst. The book is supposed to be a comedic fantasy. Maybe it is. If you are looking for a book where everything is supposed to be funny and nothing is to be taken seriously, maybe this is your book, but I pitched it after 66 pages.
Rating:
Summary: A device grows old
Review: Related to the Philosophical Strangler. Stories overlap, but this book focuses on Gwendolyn, Benvenutti & the Sorcerer. Story of events in these characters' lives before, during, and after, Phil Strangler. Found the language a bit much to wade through a second time, and not as funny. If you loved Philosophical Strangler, you'll probably love this one, but if you were growing weary by the end of the Strangler, you should probably pass this one up.
Rating:
Summary: A device grows old
Review: Related to the Philosophical Strangler. Stories overlap, but this book focuses on Gwendolyn, Benvenutti & the Sorcerer. Story of events in these characters' lives before, during, and after, Phil Strangler. Found the language a bit much to wade through a second time, and not as funny. If you loved Philosophical Strangler, you'll probably love this one, but if you were growing weary by the end of the Strangler, you should probably pass this one up.
Rating:
Summary: The Vernors' of fantasy books
Review: The authors (Eric Flint and Richard Roach) definitely had fun chronicling this book. The frequent changes of viewpoint are confusing at first, due to the very different biases each 'narrator' has, but once I figured that out, it became even more amusing. There is a lot of satire directed towards the modern-day American way of life - licensing agreements and privacy rights just being a couple of the gorings dealt out. A uniquely flavored novel and definitely not for everyone, but I found it well worth the hardback price.
Rating:
Summary: put it down after a few chapters
Review: Well I'm not sure if Eric Flint has had a siezure of some sort or whether the execrable dialogue belongs to Richard Roach. It _might_ be an attempt at humour however it merely succeeds in being tiresome. The book also assaults you with trite banalities such as having gravity discovered by someone called 'oldgram' (new-ton .. get it). As a general rule anyone who resorts to witless-isms like this can't have much to say. Had to put it down. Maybe I'll finish it when I'm desperate for reading material and I've finished all the adds in the paper. Pity really, I _like_ Eric Flint's other work.
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