Rating: 
Summary: A VERY GOOD STORY FROM METHOS' PAST
Review: I wasn't expecting much from "The Captive Soul", after having read some bad reviews on it, but what a good surprise I had when I managed to read the book; although part of it is a little disappointing, indeed, I very much liked it. The action in the past is an interesting and thrilling trip into Methos' past -- any fan of the ROG can have a lot of fun reading how Methos helped the Egyptians to get rid of their evil overlords, the Hyksos, and, in the meantime, fell in love with a slave who he refused to name "like a pet". Both stories get along well and have a very unexpected ending. Besides, in ancient Egypt, we can enjoy (and imagine) several scenarios and situations Methos is in. His thoughts as well as his actions are believable, sometimes reminding you the "good Dr. Adams". However, the action in the present leaves a lot to be desired. Methos and MacLeod don't have much interaction -- they just keep walking from a place to another, chit-chatting, and suddenly the story is over. The final sword fight is not that good and Josepha Sherman even forgets to tell us what happened with a character (Professor Maxwell), who was around at the beginning of the last "scene" and then, disappears without any further explanation. There also is the issue concerning the time (1573-1570 B.C.) Sherman placed her story: one can remember that Methos was a very bad guy in the "Bronze Age" and it would be very unlikely that, at this time, he would be willing to help anyone but himself, or be kind and lovely towards his women. Well, one can either take in consideration that the Bronze Age occurred in different times in different regions of the world (and the Methos of the book is a post-blue-faced Methos)... or forget it and enjoy the story. And yet, the book hasn't been ruined (in my opinion, at least) -- as a Methos' fan, I really loved to "see" him in this adventure in ancient Egypt, being the old good Methos we all love.
Rating:
Summary: A VERY GOOD STORY FROM METHOS' PAST
Review: I wasn't expecting much from "The Captive Soul", after having read some bad reviews on it, but what a good surprise I had when I managed to read the book; although part of it is a little disappointing, indeed, I very much liked it. The action in the past is an interesting and thrilling trip into Methos' past -- any fan of the ROG can have a lot of fun reading how Methos helped the Egyptians to get rid of their evil overlords, the Hyksos, and, in the meantime, fell in love with a slave who he refused to name "like a pet". Both stories get along well and have a very unexpected ending. Besides, in ancient Egypt, we can enjoy (and imagine) several scenarios and situations Methos is in. His thoughts as well as his actions are believable, sometimes reminding you the "good Dr. Adams". However, the action in the present leaves a lot to be desired. Methos and MacLeod don't have much interaction -- they just keep walking from a place to another, chit-chatting, and suddenly the story is over. The final sword fight is not that good and Josepha Sherman even forgets to tell us what happened with a character (Professor Maxwell), who was around at the beginning of the last "scene" and then, disappears without any further explanation. There also is the issue concerning the time (1573-1570 B.C.) Sherman placed her story: one can remember that Methos was a very bad guy in the "Bronze Age" and it would be very unlikely that, at this time, he would be willing to help anyone but himself, or be kind and lovely towards his women. Well, one can either take in consideration that the Bronze Age occurred in different times in different regions of the world (and the Methos of the book is a post-blue-faced Methos)... or forget it and enjoy the story. And yet, the book hasn't been ruined (in my opinion, at least) -- as a Methos' fan, I really loved to "see" him in this adventure in ancient Egypt, being the old good Methos we all love.
Rating: 
Summary: Not a bad addition to the Highlander chronicles
Review: In an an original story based on Highlander, the series, Josepha Sherman gives readers a story that begins in bronze-age Egypt, under the Hyksos overlords and spans thirty centuries of obsession and madness. For three thousand years Prince Khyan has sought one very special sword, a sword which, he believes, holds the soul of his dead brother who was once a king in Egypt. His search brings him to present-day Manhattan, and back into conflict with Methos, the man he holds responsible for the death of his brother, and the loss of the throne. For any writer tackling a novel based on a series like Highlander, one inescapable problem exists: How do you make your work interesting to fans of the show while making it accessible to readers who may have no prior knowledge of the universe in which your characters exist? Josepha Sherman balances these concerns nicely, integrating series back story in a fairly seamless manner. The plot itself is fairly straightforward though never simple-minded: Methos, drawn against his will into a struggle between two ways of life, comes to view that struggle as his own thanks, in great part, to the love he comes to feel for a much-abused young slave he meets at the Hyksos court. Because of her he makes some hard decisions, takes action and must face the consequences. It's a feature of this particular universe that the consequences can wait three millennia before coming home to roost, and that very personal sense of history is perhaps one of the most alluring things about Highlander. Sherman's historical detail is excellent, throwing some light on a previously rather shadowy episode in Egyptian history. Admittedly, she does some fudging of dates and events, but that's not really an issue when you're reading a story in which the plot advances so smoothly. A caveat: This is a Methos story, and despite back and inside front cover blurbs which raise some expectation that MacLeod will be a central figure in the story, he remains very thinly drawn in the few present-day episodes that set up the final conflict between Methos and Khyan. As such, he rarely comes across as much more than a not-particularly-interesting secondary character. Nor does his relationship with Methos register as much more than, as Duncan himself says, "acquaintances." This may prove to be a little disappointing to those readers who enjoy the friendship between the characters as we see them in the series. Fortunately Duncan is the only character to suffer such a fate. Sherman captures much of the essence of Methos' charm in her narrative, from his instinct for survival, to his wry sense of humor. She never falters even as she takes him from his habitual position of enlightened self-interest to a passionate desire for justice and revenge. Her way with secondary characters is equally skilled, particularly with the women; Nebet, Tiaa and the Dowager Queen of Egypt are all well-drawn, interesting characters in their own right. Indeed, Sherman has a way of painting both the external and internal landscapes of a character with a few deft strokes - Tiaa's seductive walk, Nebet's unbound hair as a symbol of her growing trust in and love for Methos - which I find irresistible. The relationships between Methos and Nebet, and Methos and Tiaa serve as nice counterpoints of love and lust respectively, and the restrained love scenes, far from being intrusive, really do serve to advance the plot. Sherman also is deft at capturing the bittersweet quality of any love between Mortal and Immortal. Though his time with her was short even by Mortal standards, Methos' memory of Nebet is private, indelible and colored by regret. Slightly less deft is Sherman's handling of the physical world. As a reader, I prefer more sensory input: What does this world smell like? Sound like? What are the textures one encounters? Sherman's descriptions rarely go beyond the purely visual, though she does an excellent job of conveying a world once bright, that has gone gray with subjugation and paranoia. Her action scenes, though, are excellent; she can render a battle or a one-on-one encounter so that it makes sense to her readers, and this is no mean feat. A good sense of action can enliven a book, and in the case of The Captive Soul, it becomes central to the narrative by allowing us to participate in a world far removed from our own. Sherman is, in fact, so good with such scenes that a few may be disturbing for sensitive readers; this is, after all, a world removed from our own by more than thirty centuries. While there is very little in the way of loving description of atrocities, much is implied. Sherman also does a nice job of moving back and forth between Egypt and contemporary Manhattan, with a balanced, flowing style, crisp dialogue and an equally crisp sense of humor. The narrative is well paced in the Egyptian sequences, though slightly less so in the contemporary chapters, and the ending is a bit abrupt though not ultimately unsatisfying.
Rating:
Summary: Brain Candy
Review: It is what it is: a novel based on a tv series. Don't expect Shakespeare and you'll probably enjoy it. Sherman tends to like to use the same phrases over and over again, which can be a bit annoying, and there are some problems with the way she presents the characters. But for Methos fans desperate for any new stories abut him, it may just tide you over for a while. Definitely brain candy.
Rating: 
Summary: In this book, you find out a whole LOT about Methos's past.
Review: ok. This book is about how, while Duncan and Methos are in New York, they come across a truly ancient and hopelessly insane immortal whose sole purpose is to free his Hyksos "brother" from an ancient sword that the Egyptians trapped him in when they liberated their land. You find out much about Methos' past wanderings in that land when it was under Hyksos rule and what he had to do in order to survive. It's a GOOD book and Methos (my love) is PROMINENTLY displayed. It's worth the money and has a wonderful plot as well as intense action.
Rating:
Summary: Not bad, but not great either
Review: Overall, this is a fairly well written book. The plot is very interesting and the descriptions of the past make it a good read. The main problem with the book, however, is the characterization of Methos. In the past, he acts like the same person that he was in the present. Given what we know about him from the Four Horsemen episodes, I found the characterization of Methos in the past to be all wrong. I also felt that too much time was spent in the past. But, as I said, the book isn't horrible and the plot is very good so if you're a big Methos or Highlander fan, it is worth reading.
Rating: 
Summary: Plodding, dull, flat, and anachronistic
Review: The character, "Methos", of the "Highlander" TV series is incredibly rich, vibrant, colorful, and indescribably exciting. Ms. Sherman has managed to make him a cardboard figure buried in Egypt thru the majority of this wearying hack piece and even managed to make the MacLeod-Methos relationship gray and lifeless. Worst of all, the author makes a novice's basic error in having "ancient Methos" speaking and thinking in late 20th Century idiom. I devour good books in hours. It took me 4 nights to valiantly persevere through this one.
Rating:
Summary: It was one of the best Highlander books so far!
Review: This Highlander book was one of the best. Well maybe it just being about Methos(it seemed) helped ALOT! The ending was the only thing I did not like. Maybe they will continue the story at a later date. The ending was too quick!
Rating:
Summary: Terrible, hack writing - a book best left unread.
Review: This type of writing is usually reserved for romance novels. Cheaply written with a minimum of thought (both in style and plot), simply churned for easy sales - cashing in on the popularity of the television show without adding anything truly fresh or unique. A pathetic attempt not worthy of anyone's attention.
Rating: 
Summary: HOLY MOSES, DUNCAN!
Review: Well, I think I've figured out why these HIGHLANDER novels don't work for me: I keep expecting adventures that reflect the spirit and tone of the series, and the characters as played by Adrian Paul and Peter Wingfield. The mistake Sherman and all these other writers make is thinking anybody is reading this stuff for THEIR writing. We are reading because of the series, because this is all we can get of our beloved characters/friends. So when the characters don't ring true (example: Methos. Who is this guy? He's sure not the canny, arrogant, former Four Horseman we've come to know and love) we (ok,me) are disappointed. The interaction (not nearly enough) between Mac and Methos was flat. No spark, no chemistry. Who ARE these guys? Oh, and picture a Highlander episode that is 90% flashback (MINUS Duncan). Painful. I was waiting and waiting for a "Methos" novel to come out, but frankly I've read better plots (and even characterization) in fan fic on the net. I think I'll just wait for the movie.
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