Rating: 
Summary: A Solid Start to a New series
Review: A First novel in a intended long running series of books has to be good enough to capture the readers mind and heart. It has to be interesting, mystical, wonderous, and magical, and still have enough realism to keep the reader believing and interested. "The Face of Apollo" does this quiet well and it was a joy to read.
Rating: 
Summary: Saberhagen manages to stay fresh using old themes...
Review: Authors who write very long and successful series, like the Swords series (all really good, btw!), often start a new series that's only a slight rework of their original (Eddings, Feist, etc). It's understandable - they're under a lot of pressure from publishers to get something out fast, and hey, why ruin a winning formula? At the same time, I prefer to shell out my hard earned bucks for something that I *haven't* read before, and Fred Saberhangen delivers just that!Saberhagen keeps some of the themes from the Swords, namely that Gods who walk the earth are not actually "gods" but somehow enhanced humans. In addition, there are "items of power" which are often sought out by individuals, but sometimes acquired just by luck. In the other series it was Swords, here it's Masks. Other than sharing that same starting point...NOTHING is the same, which I love! Kudos, Fred! The topography of the land is totally different, as are the personalities of all the major characters. This storyline is quite unpredictable and engaging too! This looks to be a great new series, and I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Saberhagen manages to stay fresh using old themes...
Review: Authors who write very long and successful series, like the Swords series (all really good, btw!), often start a new series that's only a slight rework of their original (Eddings, Feist, etc). It's understandable - they're under a lot of pressure from publishers to get something out fast, and hey, why ruin a winning formula? At the same time, I prefer to shell out my hard earned bucks for something that I *haven't* read before, and Fred Saberhangen delivers just that! Saberhagen keeps some of the themes from the Swords, namely that Gods who walk the earth are not actually "gods" but somehow enhanced humans. In addition, there are "items of power" which are often sought out by individuals, but sometimes acquired just by luck. In the other series it was Swords, here it's Masks. Other than sharing that same starting point...NOTHING is the same, which I love! Kudos, Fred! The topography of the land is totally different, as are the personalities of all the major characters. This storyline is quite unpredictable and engaging too! This looks to be a great new series, and I highly recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: Physical existence of gods and godesses
Review: Do (or did) gods such as Apollo and Hades actually exist? The Face of Apollo proposes that each god possesses a human being, and uses him or her in the performance of god-like duties. The story follows the adventures of a teenage boy, Jeremy Redthorn, who is possessed by Apollo. This was my first Saberhagen novel, so I was unprepared for a world that at first appeared to be ancient Greece, but isn't. Names like Jeremy, Kathryn, Carlotta and Arnobius appear. The gods represented include not only Greek gods, but also Roman, Norse and Native American. The characters eat both New World and Old World foods (though eating isn't mentioned often), and there are mutant animals called "cameloids". There are no "modern" weapons; characters fight with spears or bows and arrows. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out where this story is set; this and many other inconsistencies (some obviously intentional, others perhaps not) detracted from the story. However, the story was intriguing enough to hold my attention. The ending is disappointing, but Saberhagen has left things open for the sequel or sequels which are coming.
Rating:
Summary: Typical Saberhagen
Review: Fine by me as a matter of fact, I love this guys good. Good basic story the classic everyman or boy in this case finds a mask that endows him with the powers of the God Apollo. He doesn't know what to do so he decides after much soul searching and warring with the new presence in his head to take it to Mount Olympus.
Overall-What you have here is basically a solid adventure story but I do have one problem the ending like most Saberhagen endings is just a little too metaphysical for me. I hate books that leave it up to the reader to decide what is meant by them. A little resolution is all I ask for.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting concepts, very similar to 'swords' in flavor
Review: Fun reading. Has much the same style and flow as the early 'SWORDS' books. Saberhagen explores the relationships between the gods and man once again in the framework of the gods as examples of the needs of man. Doesn't seem to have the depth of thought in his other works but all in all a good read, good dialog and quick pace.
Rating: 
Summary: I have doubts about Saberhagen writing this himself...
Review: I don't know how someone else could have gotten the rights to his name, but this book is almost like he wrote the outline and some passages and then gave it to a tenth grade high school student to fill out the prose.
(...) the passages are so repetitive that the same book could have been written in 2/3 the number of words. At one point (page 171 to be exact) it is mentioned that Jeremy is lucky not to have been injured in a fall. Then it is mentioned twice more in the next few paragraphs.
There also seems to be some confusion in the flow of time. Days will appear to have gone by and then it turns out to be the same afternoon. I hate to say it, but it is almost like Mr. Saberhagen would write a few lines, have a couple of cocktails and then write a few more. Doesn't TOR have editors that read these books before they are printed?
I have read almost all of Fred Saberhagen's books and am terribly disappointed by this one. I will read the next in the series, but if it isn't any better, then it is time move on.
Rating:
Summary: Another swords and scorcery epic plus more!
Review: I have been a long time reader of Fred Saberhagen and my all-time favorites from him are the Book of Swords series. Most people will agree with me on this matter because his old series is one of the all time greats in fantasy. This 1st book gives you the feel of those past books with the gods treading the earth, messing with the mere mortal humans and fighting among themselves. The beginning is great with the warring two gods and it just goes towards a climbing climax that is going towards the sci-fi area. That part to me was totally engrossing and will pique your brainstem for more. It gets you thinking - are the gods made from us in some kind of superhuman form? The next book in this series will be eagerly awaited. Lots of movement and action in this with strong characters of all varieties. This is a must read folks!
Rating:
Summary: Fred Saberhagen takes gods and myths to new places.
Review: I loved it. I drove my parents absolutly nuts talking about it. Fred Saberhagen has done it again. From the author of Merlin's Bones comes a new novel about the Greek gods and the struggles between them. The main character, Jeremy, inadvertantly enters the world of the gods when he puts on the face of Apollo. Driven by the god who he now shares his body with, Jeremy learns to harness his magic so he may ultimitly confront the Lord Hades. The best thing about this book is that you don't actually need to know anything about the Greek gods to understand what is going on in the story.
Rating:
Summary: The Face of Apollo
Review: I recently read The Face of Apollo by Fred Saberhagen, this book deals with mythology and gods. The main character in this book is Jeremy Redthorn a farmboy who lives with his uncle and aunt. Jeremy hates farmlife so when he meets a beautiful wounded woman who he falls in love with he is willing to give up his farmlife and go on a great journey. The wounded woman gives Jeremy a mask which he is supposed to take to a place called the Academy. Little did he know that the mask he was carrying wasn't a mask it was a face fragment that had magical powers. Jeremy heads out on this dangerous mission downstream, he must go through a series of traps and challenges to get to the Academy, but he is determined. This book has all of the most famous gods, The Sun God Apollo, Dark Hades Lord of the Underworld, Thanatos, the Personification of Death; the enigmatic Trickster; and Hephaestus the Smith, the wonderworker of magical technology. I really don't like to read because it is hard for me to find a book that intersts me, but this one did. This is the first Fred Saberhagen book that I have read but it won't be the last.
|
