Rating: 
Summary: Not her best
Review: "Stronghold Rising" is the next segment in theadventures of Carrie, Kusac, Tallinu, and co. To be frank, the"and co." is beginning to detract from the story. The writting now springs at a highly accelerated pace from what happens with one person's life, to what is going on in another's. When we last saw Kusac, Carrie, and Kaid, they had just defeated an attempted assasination that would have framed the Sholans. During the torture previous, Kusac had been cut off from Carrie, so the Leska link between her and Kaid grew ever stronger. Now Kusac is mind-blind... The start of the book is almost as confusing as the beginning of "Turning Point (Sholan Alliance 1)". Kusac seems to be dreaming a lot, and the reader gets lost as to what's real and what's a memory. This is later straightened out, but the story continuity becomes choppy. Unless the reader has been following Ms. Norman's books all along, the references to past characters, and the addition of new names and relationships becomes confusing. If you had trouble with "Razor's Edge", don't read this one unless you really, REALLY enjoy working on reading a pleasure book. If you are such a person, the "Chanur Saga" ("The Pride of Chanur", "Chanur's Venture", "The Kif Strike Back") might be a good replacement for the "Sholan Alliance" if you haven't already read them.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Read, but not the best
Review: As always it was a great read, but the sequence of events was a-bit confusing. If this is your first time reading Ms. Norman, start with another book, because this one assumes you know what is going on in the series. P.S. The next book, "Between Darkness and Light", is due out sometime toward the end of this year(01), November or so.
Rating:
Summary: Too Many Stories
Review: Each chapter shifts to another of the 7 stories. About 30 pecent of the book is spent on the Leska bonding and having babies. Another 30 percent on Kusac slowly regaining his powers and the nasty personality he develops when in withdrawl. Leaves the Kusac story unfinished at the end so you have to buy the next book to find out what happens. The character development of General Kezule was great. By the end of the story, I liked him better than Kusac.
Rating: 
Summary: Jump Rope
Review: I enjoyed all of the other Sholan Alliance books, at least somewhat, but I found it difficult to get past the first quarter of this book, and ended up stopping reading long before the end. I disliked jumping from character to character, there were too many segments that seemed unnecessary and boring. At these points I would just skip ahead until I thought something interesting was happening. I usually go back and re-read books I liked, but because of the layout of most of this series, I only read a couple af chapters worth of story. I don't plan on reading this book again, but if I do I might try to struggle through the entire book, just to find out what happens. I hear the next book is much better than this one, but that Stronghold Rising is critical to further plot development.
Rating:
Summary: Strange compulsion to keep reading at all hours of the night
Review: I enjoyed this book like I have all of Ms. Norman's works, but I found it somewhat confusing since she doesn't re-introduce the characters. There are also so many of them! I do love the way that she shows the cat-like behaviors of the Sholans in this latest installment to the Sholan Alliance. This book, like the others, leaves you hanging at the end. I'd like to have the endings tidied up a little more, even if they lead directly into the next book. I think that before I read the next book in the series (please tell me there will be one next year) I will probably read all of the prior books so that I can refresh my memory of the story line and characters and avoid the confusion that I had with this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Resisting the compulsion to read these books is futile
Review: I have read the entire series from start to end of STRONGHOLD RISING. I am hooked by the characters and events. Such depth of detail and culture of the aliens involved is my cup of tea. Such complexity and sweeping panorama of settings and characters sucks the reader into that world in which one is reluctant to immerge! Unlike many readers who find this confusing, the cast of many characters and pov changes does not bother me. I find it involving. As a writer I appreciate the difficulty in keeping all this real, and consistant, and aaplaud this author for a job well done. One note to author. . if Kaid, Kusac and Carrie don't form a three way Leska link upon Kusac's return (if he returns), I will be severly disapponted!!!!! I eagerly await the next installment in this series. . . Ria
Rating:
Summary: If You Haven't read the previous books...
Review: I have read the entire series, and was looking forward to the new book...And what a mess. I really feel sorry for anyone who hasn't read the series, because with all the jumping back and forth from the past to the present lost me, and I have some familiarity with the series concept! It took approx halfway through the book to become engaged and really interested.
Rating:
Summary: Cannot Believe I Am Still So Involved
Review: I just discovered this series a few months ago, and so had the good fortune of reading all six of the books one right after the other. I rarely am interested in a series beyond the third book. Yet, this series has me completely hooked - I cannot wait for the next book. The characters have depth, their worlds are complex, the story lines are carried through and make sense. There are so many characters with so much happening that it does take some effort to follow everyone and everything - but the effort is more than rewarded.
Rating:
Summary: This was too short!
Review: I know this book is in all actuallity rather long, but...It felt to short. I am rereading it after reading the previous books in the series and find myself wanting more! This is a good series and the characters are enjoyable. I just want to find out what happens next. Looks like I will have to wait along with everyone else!
Rating:
Summary: Next Book!!
Review: I loved this book!! After reading this installment, I often wondered when the next book was coming out. It has taken forever, but I have GOOD NEWS. I finally found the answer: "Between the Darkness and the Light" will come out in January 2003. This info came directly from the publisher's website.
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