Rating: 
Summary: An exquisite tale to cherish forever
Review: I will have to say that A Whisper of Wings is one of THE best novels I have read in years. I would say Paul Kidd comes close to writing as good a story as the late, great Tolkien (and that's a great compliment!). Along with beautiful illustration by Terrie Smith, and the constantly evolving plotline...you will feel much a part of the story. As Vision promises, they definately pulled all the stops on this one. It is a story about two sisters, related by birth and not much else. They both have a vision, and the pursuits of these visions leads to an epic, dynamic quest for justice, fairness, and peace. This does not meant that there are no tradgedies in this book...by all means no! There were many parts I was brought to tears by the moving events, many will leave you wondering if the characters ambitions were worth pursuing. I did enjoy how the author did not embellish in the bloodshed that occurred during the course of the tale...keeping it tasteful for younger readers (though I do not reccommend it for pre-teens). I fell in love with the book from the moment I started reading as a whole world not much differant from my own was woven before me. Aside from the fact the Kashra were a canine-like race with butterfly wings and antennae which could sense Isha (i.e. auras)...they were not much differant from most normal people. I found Whisper to be a book I could identify with and I plan to make it a gift to everyone I know. This is definately a book that will stay with you forever. Trust me.
Rating:
Summary: The most beautiful thing I have ever read.
Review: Imagine a place inhabited by a race that is not human, but not alien. A place where spirits and their energies are as commonplace as electricity. Welcome to the world of the Kashra.The Kashra are a race of humanoid and up-right walking foxes with large butterfly wings. Their culture is a stagnant mess, ready to collapse. Food sources are drying up. The tribe leaders are too stuck to old ways to realize. An epic battle is to be fought. "Two messiahs are born, both tragically opposed." Ka (spirits)are in everything. They give off Isha, an energy that is in all Ka and living things. Magical fields of Isha are everywhere there is life. Paul Kidd has created a novel that can only be described as beautiful. The characters are vivid. Reading this novel is an experience. It is like reading pure emotion. Paul Kidd's writing is so rich with descrpition and beauty, it can border on poetry. Being an anthropormorphics (furry) enthusiast, I was looking for a good book to start me on my way into anthro literature. I had purchased Vision Book's "The American Journal of Anthropormorphics" and glanced at their book selection. I read the reviews and figured "why not?" The book had me in a trance. I read it in every spare minute I had. In school, at home. I wept at the end. Me, a 16 year old High School Guy. And like another gentleman said, I didn't know why either. I wanted the story to end differently also, but in what way I did not know. I loved the way it was crafted. I loved the ending, but you long for the story to go on. Maybe we are just too used to the typical fantasy story. Perhaps it was just the sheer beauty. Paul Kidd has created a novel unlike any other. I think Vision ... put it best when hey said "We cannot recommend it highly enough." Neither can I. This story truly will stay with me forever.
Rating: 
Summary: Read. Don't look.
Review: In a fit of curiosity, I found out that author Paul Kidd wrote for television shows. That figures. While not being the most profound novel in the world, his "Whisper of Wings" is indeed sweeping, emotional, clever, and addictive on the level of the best television miniseries or cinema, rendering itself semi-profound. The characters take their place in Kashran society just about believably; though, I doubted Shadarii's muteness would be a negative asset to her - seeing how she's the equal of her fellow Kashran every other way, it could make her endearing. I couldn't help but be reminded of 1990's-era Munchkin syndrome; society led by drop-dead gorgeous girl persecutes cute girl who for a few blemishes just doesn't fit in. Zhukora's chew-up-spit-out attitude was sufficient enough reason. As a military buff, Kidd spins tales of power plays and battles to make Brian Jacques envious; the well-meaning, yet Hitlerian machinations, rise and rule of Zhukora, the protectivist manipulations of Traveesha and the court of Prakucha (In fact, all leading organizations portrayed, even Shadarii's Positive Deity-aided flower-power extension, are at least a tad slimy, whether well-intentioned or not.) too And, Kidd predicts the moral of California and Minnesota's gubernatorial situation - celebrity for achievement in amusement does equal power, here.
The flow of action in the story is wonderful, full of plot twists, including two I never expected. Still, every character's actions are perfectly believable in the muddle they're in. However, I had a problem with an extravisual aspect of "WoW", as much as others here liked it. Terrie Smith's art, while good, is a notch to four cuter than the tone of the story. Totally stark drek ain't necessary, either, but its jarring, seeing generically adorable, appealing creatures in the heat of reading a smoldering battle. I never realized the awkwardness, until seeing it here. Smith's pinup history reares its head, too; some of the characters seem to breathe, open-mouthed, in deep ecstasy. Otherwise, this thing's got the tricks and skills to pay the bills and more. I never regretted paying full price. While reading it, I kept seeing... A Whisper Of Wings! Thirteen-part miniseries, on Cartoon Network!
Rating:
Summary: Read. Don't look.
Review: In a fit of curiosity, I found out that author Paul Kidd wrote for television shows. That figures. While not being the most profound novel in the world, his "Whisper of Wings" is indeed sweeping, emotional, clever, and addictive on the level of the best television miniseries or cinema, rendering itself semi-profound. The characters take their place in Kashran society just about believably; though, I doubted Shadarii's muteness would be a negative asset to her - seeing how she's the equal of her fellow Kashran every other way, it could make her endearing. I couldn't help but be reminded of 1990's-era Munchkin syndrome; society led by drop-dead gorgeous girl persecutes cute girl who for a few blemishes just doesn't fit in. Zhukora's chew-up-spit-out attitude was sufficient enough reason. As a military buff, Kidd spins tales of power plays and battles to make Brian Jacques envious; the well-meaning, yet Hitlerian machinations, rise and rule of Zhukora, the protectivist manipulations of Traveesha and the court of Prakucha (In fact, all leading organizations portrayed, even Shadarii's Positive Deity-aided flower-power extension, are at least a tad slimy, whether well-intentioned or not.) too And, Kidd predicts the moral of California and Minnesota's gubernatorial situation - celebrity for achievement in amusement does equal power, here.
The flow of action in the story is wonderful, full of plot twists, including two I never expected. Still, every character's actions are perfectly believable in the muddle they're in. However, I had a problem with an extravisual aspect of "WoW", as much as others here liked it. Terrie Smith's art, while good, is a notch to four cuter than the tone of the story. Totally stark drek ain't necessary, either, but its jarring, seeing generically adorable, appealing creatures in the heat of reading a smoldering battle. I never realized the awkwardness, until seeing it here. Smith's pinup history reares its head, too; some of the characters seem to breathe, open-mouthed, in deep ecstasy. Otherwise, this thing's got the tricks and skills to pay the bills and more. I never regretted paying full price. While reading it, I kept seeing... A Whisper Of Wings! Thirteen-part miniseries, on Cartoon Network!
Rating:
Summary: A Whisper of Wings tops the list
Review: It took a couple of chapters for me to really get into this one, but after that I couldn't put it down. No questions the best book of 1999; and it joins a very short list of stories that will stay with me forever.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful!
Review: The Kasra, a race of winged foxmorphs, have lived in peace for a thousand years, creating an emptiness that only war and anger can fill. Two saviors emerge - fierce, power-hungry Zhukora, driven by a Dream, and the peaceful, loving Shadrii - outcast because she is mute. As Zhukora's followers gather, and her pure Dream vision grows stronger, so does her need for bloodshed and killing to bring in the new. Shadrii follows a similar Dream, but through peace, love, joy and healing. And when the armies meet...One of my very favorite novels, beautiful, moving, well written, exciting, funny, with lovely illustrations by Terrie Smith. A must own for furry fans!
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful!
Review: The Kasra, a race of winged foxmorphs, have lived in peace for a thousand years, creating an emptiness that only war and anger can fill. Two saviors emerge - fierce, power-hungry Zhukora, driven by a Dream, and the peaceful, loving Shadrii - outcast because she is mute. As Zhukora's followers gather, and her pure Dream vision grows stronger, so does her need for bloodshed and killing to bring in the new. Shadrii follows a similar Dream, but through peace, love, joy and healing. And when the armies meet...One of my very favorite novels, beautiful, moving, well written, exciting, funny, with lovely illustrations by Terrie Smith. A must own for furry fans!
Rating:
Summary: "Whisper" is an _astoundingly_ good book!
Review: Thinking back, I realize I wasn't quite sure what this book was about at the beginning. And that made it all the better as I read it. The short, enigmatic descriptions promised love, war, terror, tragedy, triumph and power. "Based on a non-human race?" I read, thinking that was most unusual for a modern fantasy novel. The illustrations were intriguing, and the excerpt simply thrilling. Everyone else who had read this book had loved it... and given rave reviews. So I ordered it. I was pleased when it came very quickly in the mail, that same week. The book itself is a thick, heavy, well-made trade paperback, and soon I was engrossed in the engaging, thrilling story. I have to admit, I resented _anything_ that made me get my head out of that book, whether it was work or having to sleep! I haven't gotten that engaged in a story in a long, long time. The story itself is unlike any other kind of fantasy I've read before. And in my over 30 years of reading, I've read a _lot_ of Fantasy. "Whisper" is thrilling, compelling, and written in so brilliant and penetrating a fashion it leaves your heart-pounding at times. The artwork is a perfect compliment. I've never seen a novel in recent times that had so may beautiful illustrations to match the text. I can't say too much, obviously, about the content. The characters, though, have real feelings, motivations and lives. They have a depth you very rarely find in modern science fiction or fantasy. The story picks you up and never lets you go, not until the last page. When you finish this book, you find yourself wishing that there were more in this series. And since it's "Book One of the Kashran Cycle", I guess that there will be! I _eagerly_ await them! This book rates a _full_ five stars, far more than many others on Amazon I've read that held that rating. If Amazon had _six_ stars, it would rate _every_ one of them. Frankly, I'm _astonished_ that Amazon hasn't reviewed this book and put it up on their front page. It is so well-written, so epic of scope and immensely engaging, it could well spark a whole new genre of fantasy, one which I will wholeheartedly subscribe to. This book is not feminist fantasy - fantasy that appeals mainly to female readers, and at times turns male readers away. Yet neither is it the other way. Female as well as male readers will cherish this book. You cannot put a "label" like "Feminist" on it. It is too honest and pure an offering to try and slot it in some mental category or pigeonhole like that, grouping it in any way with other books other than it's category: Fantasy. It really _is_ completely unique, and that's something I haven't run across in a book in nearly twenty years. I recommend this book without hesitation.
Rating:
Summary: Dynamic Good versus Evil
Review: This book has true depth. You really feel the characters are alive. The world breathes, and springs out at you. The book takes you into its universe so deeply that when it is over, you really wish you could somehow stay there. The book's conflicts are initially good versus evil, but then things move about in unexpected, exciting ways and you wind up pondering what the nature of "good" and "evil" really is. But that doesn't really describe the book. It's a philisophic book. An adventure book. A book for everyone who has lived and loved and dreamed. Five Stars. Earned every one.
Rating:
Summary: A unique and engaging story
Review: This book is one of the best books I've read in a long time. In fact, it may be among the best in my collection. From the moment the characters revealed their unique personalities, I fell in love with them, and I was driven to find out how the story of their lives would unfold; I wound up reading the entire book in two sittings. On the surface, the story seems rather simple, like your classic fairy-tale. But that face eventually vanishes; no fewer than five times during this book, I found myself thinking, "I knew EXACTLY how the story was going to end...until I read this last page..." And with every shift in the plot, the story becomes more engaging, more real than it was before. Spread through the book are illustrations by artist Terrie Smith. They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, and in this case it could be true. Though they aren't numerous, the simple yet beautifully composed drawings add marvelously to the story, fixing in the reader's mind images of the people, and the landscape of this world. The cover illustration, pictured above, is one of my favorites, and I've always been impressed by how alive Terrie can make her drawings seem, simply by the expressiveness in the characters' eyes; no mean feat in flat black and white. For any fan of fantasy, this book is as close to a "must-read" as I could ever claim. The proud but declining society of the Kashran, quiet yet expressive Shadarii and her ambitious sister Zhukora, and all of the lives they touch, weave together into a story of love and war, of hope for a brighter future, and fear of the damage the transition could bring. I can't praise this book enough, nor explain how highly I recommend it without revealing too much of the story.
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