Rating: 
Summary: The Farseekers is the best book I've ever read!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: If you havent read this book then you must. My brother got me into the series and once I started reading it I couldn't stop. I have now read all four books in the series (The Keeping Place was brilliant) and I am eagerly waiting for the next book. If only she could write as fast as I can read.
Rating:
Summary: Better than the last
Review: It has been a couple years since Elspeth first came to Obernewtyn and much has changed. The school is now run by the misfits who used to consider the castle to be a prison. They are members of guilds, which guild depends on their strongest gift, and decide how things are going in the castle. Elspeth is a guildmistress and has a lot of say with the guilds. Outside of Obernewtyn little has changed. The land is controlled by the herder religion and the harsh government that wants to rid the world of Misfits. So that's why it's a terrible thing when the misfits learn that people from the government are becoming suspicious of Obernewtyn, their only safe haven.When Elspeth has a premonition that she needs to find a powerful misfit far to the South she knows she needs to convince, Rushton, the master of Obernewtyn to let her go. She sets off with a team of misfits of every guild including plucky newcomer, Jif, and a horse that hates people. Unfortunately their journey proves to be more perilous than the small teams of misfits could ever imagine. Amazing and terrible things happen including being captured more than once, facing death, meeting a couple new friends, and seeing a couple old ones. Elspeth has a big challenge in front of her. The Farseekers, the second book in the Obernewtyn chronicles, proves to be an even better book than the first one, Obernewtyn, the first book in the series. The book suspenseful with a new surprise around every twist and bend. It has more magic than the last book and different kinds of magic. It's fun to see how each character has grown from the last book. Everyone seems to get smarter as they get older. And it's fun to watch some romance blossom between unlikely characters. I highly recommend this book to fans of fantasy authors such as Mindy L. Klasky, Mercedes Lackey, and Tamora Pierce. I can't wait to read the third book in the series Ashling, which is currently sitting on my bookshelf and waiting to be read.
Rating:
Summary: If you haven't read Ashling yet, get to it!
Review: Obernewtyn was pretty good, The Farseekers was better and Ashling is now my most favourite book of all time. It was sort of obvious what was going to happen between Rushton and Elspeth, but I still love the book. Please tell me that the fourth book is coming out soon. Someone? Please!!
Rating:
Summary: Farseeker!
Review: Ok, I have to say that Isobelle Carmody is one of the most talented writes out there. The character Elspeth Gordie, is described well, and I feel I can relate to her. I recommend you read this book (not before Obernewtyn of course) and travel through a world of the future with Elspeth as she discovers the hardships of being a `misfit' and uncovers new talents. Its weird to think, that you never know, some thing like this could be our future Earth. This book, most definitely deserves 5 stars(or more!)
Rating:
Summary: Farseeker!
Review: Ok, I have to say that Isobelle Carmody is one of the most talented writes out there. The character Elspeth Gordie, is described well, and I feel I can relate to her. I recommend you read this book (not before Obernewtyn of course) and travel through a world of the future with Elspeth as she discovers the hardships of being a 'misfit' and uncovers new talents. Its weird to think, that you never know, some thing like this could be our future Earth. This book, most definitely deserves 5 stars(or more!)
Rating: 
Summary: An improvement on OBERNEWTYN, but still not great
Review: One of the best things I can say about THE FARSEEKERS is that it is a better book than OBERNEWTYN. But there are still problems plaguing Carmody, and one can only hope that future books will clear these up. First of all, the narrator, Elspeth Gordie, is as unsympathetic as she was in the first book. At no point does the reader understand her or what makes her tick. We know what she does -- rescue people, mostly -- but we are almost never privy to her innermost thoughts. In fact, Elspeth is the least sympathetic "good" character in the entire novel (and there are quite a few -- read "too many" -- to keep track of). Another irritating point is that Elspeth seems to manufacture mental talents whenever the plot calls for it. Does she need to pick a lock? Suppress pain? Farseek? Beastspeak? Coerce? Stun? Kill? No problem! Because she's the heroine. Don't ask questions. In a similar vein, it seems like everyone and his/her mom are Misfits -- but not only Misfits, Misfits with mental powers! (Carmody manages to conveniently forget that, in OBERNEWTYN, *most* Misfits are physically mutated, not mentally mutated. Not only that, but also that Misfits are supposed to be few and far between.) The most annoying part of the book? One word: Lidgebaby. (For those who have read the book, you know what I'm talking about. What a cop-out. For those who haven't, brace yourselves.) Finally, the rising action is far, far too drawn out. By the end, any rational person will be screaming internally for the damn thing to just cut to the chase, already! How much more could the author have possibly put the narrator through? All that having been said, however, I will credit Carmody for the creation of a likeable cast of supporting characters (for perhaps the first time in this series). Elspeth's companions on the journey, the people she meets, the non-humans she meets -- all are wonderfully imagined. (The only problem is, of course, that their characters overshadow the heroine's! But I won't harp on that point again.) Towards the end of the book, when Elspeth is taken in by a certain group of creatures (I won't reveal what), it is a fascinating experience for the reader. The spiritual journey of one of the creatures in the travel group is also deeply moving. The world of THE FARSEEKERS is also much more captivating than that of OBERNEWTYN. The "guildmerge" is an interesting concept, and kudos for the groundwork for future alliances and interesting geographical/topographical information. If Carmody continues to improve, then perhaps ASHLING (the third book) will be a very good read. For now, though, the OBERNEWTYN CHRONICLES remain at merely satisfactory.
Rating:
Summary: An improvement on OBERNEWTYN, but still not great
Review: One of the best things I can say about THE FARSEEKERS is that it is a better book than OBERNEWTYN. But there are still problems plaguing Carmody, and one can only hope that future books will clear these up. First of all, the narrator, Elspeth Gordie, is as unsympathetic as she was in the first book. At no point does the reader understand her or what makes her tick. We know what she does -- rescue people, mostly -- but we are almost never privy to her innermost thoughts. In fact, Elspeth is the least sympathetic "good" character in the entire novel (and there are quite a few -- read "too many" -- to keep track of). Another irritating point is that Elspeth seems to manufacture mental talents whenever the plot calls for it. Does she need to pick a lock? Suppress pain? Farseek? Beastspeak? Coerce? Stun? Kill? No problem! Because she's the heroine. Don't ask questions. In a similar vein, it seems like everyone and his/her mom are Misfits -- but not only Misfits, Misfits with mental powers! (Carmody manages to conveniently forget that, in OBERNEWTYN, *most* Misfits are physically mutated, not mentally mutated. Not only that, but also that Misfits are supposed to be few and far between.) The most annoying part of the book? One word: Lidgebaby. (For those who have read the book, you know what I'm talking about. What a cop-out. For those who haven't, brace yourselves.) Finally, the rising action is far, far too drawn out. By the end, any rational person will be screaming internally for the damn thing to just cut to the chase, already! How much more could the author have possibly put the narrator through? All that having been said, however, I will credit Carmody for the creation of a likeable cast of supporting characters (for perhaps the first time in this series). Elspeth's companions on the journey, the people she meets, the non-humans she meets -- all are wonderfully imagined. (The only problem is, of course, that their characters overshadow the heroine's! But I won't harp on that point again.) Towards the end of the book, when Elspeth is taken in by a certain group of creatures (I won't reveal what), it is a fascinating experience for the reader. The spiritual journey of one of the creatures in the travel group is also deeply moving. The world of THE FARSEEKERS is also much more captivating than that of OBERNEWTYN. The "guildmerge" is an interesting concept, and kudos for the groundwork for future alliances and interesting geographical/topographical information. If Carmody continues to improve, then perhaps ASHLING (the third book) will be a very good read. For now, though, the OBERNEWTYN CHRONICLES remain at merely satisfactory.
Rating:
Summary: GGGGGGGRRRRRRREEEEEEEAAAAAATTTTTTT!!!!!!!
Review: Read it, It's GGRRREEEEEAAAAAAATTTTT! A wonderfully written book. Does anyone know if the "Keeping Place" is out?
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant!
Review: Seriously, one of the best fantasy novels I've ever read. It was nominated for Book Of The Year (the major children's fiction award in Australia) when it came out, and every time I read it I'm struck by its immersive quality. Read it! I'm getting the jitters waiting for "The Sending"...
Rating:
Summary: Solid second installment - a real page-turner!
Review: The characters, plots and intrigues introduced in Obernewtyn not only continue in Farseekers, they escalate! A rescue mission forces Elspeth to lead a group of Misfits on a journey into deserted ruins, enemy camps and hidden cities. The intrepid Elspeth, now a little older, wiser and dedicated to the Misfit cause, is faced with well thought-out and plotted perils including ambushes, kidnappings, daring rescues and incredible shocks and surprises. Given the recent dearth of GOOD Sci/Fi and Fantasy recently, Obernewtyn and The Farseekers are the find of the year! You'd never believe these books were written for a young adult audience in Australia nearly ten years ago! Obernewtyn and The Farseekers have just been published here in the US, and I for one can't wait for the remaining two novels in this series. A must for Fantasy lovers of all ages!
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