Rating: 
Summary: The Awesome Start
Review: DIPLOMACY OF WOLVES starts one of the best written and most enjoyable fantasy trilogies I've run across in years. It manages to realize many of the strengths of epic fantasy while succumbing to only one of its shortcomings.The single shortcoming: because it's the opener of a series, the first book doesn't offer the closure I tend to like and the ending is a cliffhanger (but a subtle one--not the irritating protagonist-hangs-by-her-fingernails-from-a-cliff ). The characters are incredibly well-drawn, especially the female protagonist. Kait Galweigh is a likable young member of a noble family who burns to escape becoming a decoration, which is the doom of her fellow Galweigh women; she gets the chance via a small-time diplomatic assignment that quickly escalates into a run for her life and a quest to save her family from their old enemies, the Sabirs. Crispin Sabir, the chief villain, is a despicable and frightening ego-maniac who will stop at nothing to destroy the Galweighs; but he's no Snidely Whiplash--he's terrible but textured, and brought to my mind nothing so much as the Borgias. The world of the story, Matrin, is shadowy place with an apocalyptic past and dark magic; its slowly-revealed history is broad and complex, and not one event feels contrived--except insofar as people within that history have contrived it. You can feel the weight of the past through the characters, which is an effect that not many fantasies manage to convey. We only get glimpses of the most interesting parts here--the dissident philosopher Vincalis the Agitator, the Wizards' War that wrecked the planet and left lingering dangers for the present, and the awe-inspiring civilization of the Ancients before the war. The best thing about the book, however, is the language. It's _alive_ in a way that very little fantasy is, and it puts a lot of fantasy writers to shame. The best way to end the review is with a particularly good quote, from a dream sequence on pages 72-73: "Then the dream metamorphosed, and she ran, wild and reckless, smelling the rich earth and the vibrant growth of jungle and forest and field, floating at incredible speeds with her feet never quite touching the ground. All the while, something terrible pursued her. The scent of her pursuer rose out of the ground and poisoned the air she breathed. Honeysuckle. Sweet Honeysuckle. It terrified her, though she did not know why. She careened along the edge of a cliff that appeared out of nowhere, and discovered in the same instant that she was running beside her cousin Danya. The two of them were girls again, exploring the grounds outside the House, and she knew without knowing how that the two of them had wakened something old and evil . . . and that the monster they had awakened wanted to destroy them. Then the cliff fell away beneath them, and she and Danya fell silently . . ."
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent start to a series
Review: First books of a trilogy can be a problem, because they are not always self-contained stories. Diplomacy of Wolves is definitely just the first installment of a story spread over three books. But did it inspire me to want to continue reading the series? Yes, it did. The premise of the fanstasy world is very different to other books I've read - a planet polluted by magical fallout, with a severe divide between the mutated and non-mutated, on the verge of an era on re-exploration and re-discovery. Mysterious artefacts and long-lost cities always drag me in, though the map was definitely sub-standard in its reproduction. I enjoyed the novelty of the setting, which was tropical for once, and the technological level, which made this book stand out from the usual medieval-Europe-inspired fanstasy novel. The magic system was unusual and satisfying - too often, magic comes without responsibility or cost in fiction. The story was a good one, with a nice combination of action, intrigue, and the characters' thoughts and feelings. There were even some mysterious villains. When it ended, Diplomacy of Wolves was definitely heading in an interesting direction.
However, I did have some problems with this book. I just did not find Kait an engaging or appealing character. She seemed incredibly naive in many ways, and not a nice person otherwise. Determined, yes; nice, no. And the fact that she is both beautiful AND sexually irresistable because of her Karnee nature was over the top. In fact, none of the characters, with the exception of Ian Draclas and Kait's uncle, were nice people or characters worth caring about. I would also have liked to have it brought home more strongly, particularly to Kait herself, that Kait's family, at all branches and all levels, are probably just as bad as the Sabirs - and stupid to boot. That ambush, for example . . . very, very dumb of them. There was too much grossness and brutality in the story for my liking - yes, I'm squeamish, but too much nastiness finds its way into fiction these days under the guise of "realism".
But these are points on which other readers may very well disagree. For me, they did detract from this book - but I still looked forward eagerly to the sequel.
Rating: 
Summary: Leaves readers hanging. No closure.
Review: For four centuries, the great Houses of Sabir and Galweigh have battled for control of Calimekka. Each clan's wizards plot in shadows to revive the awful necromancies that once destroyed the world. A son from the House of Sabir and a daughter from the House of Galweigh were to wed and end conflict. A young diplomat named Kait Galweigh uncovered a Sabir plot to ambush the entire House Galweigh during the wedding ceremony. She dared not tell how she discovered the plot though. She lived under "a curse" that made her Shift. The Shift changed her into a horrible monster wolf. Those of her kind were called Karnee. If her secret became known, even her own House would kill her. Worse, the House would kill her entire family as well! A Sabir Karnee, Ry, had found Kait at the wedding and declared her for his own. Kait must flee Ry, all five of the Houses, wizards, the Scarred, and even ghosts of the long dead as she strived to complete a quest for the Mirror of Souls! **** This book would be a five star book if the ending had been different. However, be forewarned, if you do not like a huge cliff hanger you can only do one of two things. Either avoid this trilogy or make sure you have all three books before you even begin reading! The story is amazing and you will read non-stop. But to end without book two on hand leaves the reader in a horrible lurch. No closure at all. ****
Rating:
Summary: A well written book that promises a good trilogy
Review: Having never read any of Holly Lisle's work, I came into this book unsure of what to expect. The premise sounded interesting, but I've been disappointed before. I'm happy to say that this is not the case here. The world and its history are well thought out, the magic systems are interesting, and the characters are intriguing and well developed. The plot is definitely engaging and the book flows well overall. I think the thing that grabbed my attention the most was Lisle's worldbuilding. I'm a sucker for history in a fantasy book that has been forgotten by most of the characters. I enjoy learning about that history along with them. Lisle comes through in spades here. A Wizard War a thousand years ago that killed of most of humanity and mutated a large number to boot? And the current population has no memory of this, except for a select few? Very nice. Not only that, but Ms. Lisle has also apparently done quite a bit of work in developing the every day things for this world: a daily clock with names for each hour; the naming conventions for days of the week, months, and years; as well as religious and governmental institutions. All make for a very convincing world in which to explore the story being told. A lot of times, after spending so much time developing the world, authors tend to come up with one dimensional characters to populate it. That is definitely not the case here. Each main character, and there are at least four, has their own personality quirks, their own fears, their own weaknesses, and, most importantly, their own personality. What's interesting is how Ms. Lisle uses each to affect the other. Her dialogue flows well and the characters interactions are, for the most part, believable. Lisle also has a very good grasp of pacing. Enough action to keep the reader on the edge of their seat, but not so much that there is no character development. She intersperses her action scenes with down time that is used study her characters or to uncover a bit more of the world's past or to explain the magic systems or any of a number of other things that make the book enjoyable and well rounded, rather than one big action scene. Overall, I have to say I am very impressed with this author. Not enough for a five star review, but enough that I will eventually track down some of her other books and definitely finish this trilogy. Well written and with interesting characters, it's definitely something that I'm sure I will continue to enjoy beyond the first book.
Rating:
Summary: A well written book that promises a good trilogy
Review: Having never read any of Holly Lisle's work, I came into this book unsure of what to expect. The premise sounded interesting, but I've been disappointed before. I'm happy to say that this is not the case here. The world and its history are well thought out, the magic systems are interesting, and the characters are intriguing and well developed. The plot is definitely engaging and the book flows well overall. I think the thing that grabbed my attention the most was Lisle's worldbuilding. I'm a sucker for history in a fantasy book that has been forgotten by most of the characters. I enjoy learning about that history along with them. Lisle comes through in spades here. A Wizard War a thousand years ago that killed of most of humanity and mutated a large number to boot? And the current population has no memory of this, except for a select few? Very nice. Not only that, but Ms. Lisle has also apparently done quite a bit of work in developing the every day things for this world: a daily clock with names for each hour; the naming conventions for days of the week, months, and years; as well as religious and governmental institutions. All make for a very convincing world in which to explore the story being told. A lot of times, after spending so much time developing the world, authors tend to come up with one dimensional characters to populate it. That is definitely not the case here. Each main character, and there are at least four, has their own personality quirks, their own fears, their own weaknesses, and, most importantly, their own personality. What's interesting is how Ms. Lisle uses each to affect the other. Her dialogue flows well and the characters interactions are, for the most part, believable. Lisle also has a very good grasp of pacing. Enough action to keep the reader on the edge of their seat, but not so much that there is no character development. She intersperses her action scenes with down time that is used study her characters or to uncover a bit more of the world's past or to explain the magic systems or any of a number of other things that make the book enjoyable and well rounded, rather than one big action scene. Overall, I have to say I am very impressed with this author. Not enough for a five star review, but enough that I will eventually track down some of her other books and definitely finish this trilogy. Well written and with interesting characters, it's definitely something that I'm sure I will continue to enjoy beyond the first book.
Rating:
Summary: Could not put the book down
Review: Holly Lisle has come into her own this the first in the series. The characters are absorbing, the descriptions vivid and the plot purely Machivellian in theme. The ending left me anticipating the next.
Rating:
Summary: Excellant characters and complex plot invite you to explore.
Review: Holly Lisle has come into her own with this book. You will not want to put it down, and will ask when is the next book in the series due out. She has created marvelous characters involved in a complex plot that leaves you hanging and wanting to know what has happened. I can't wait for the next one.
Rating:
Summary: More please
Review: Holly Lisle has done it again. Good characters, intricate plot, fast reading - I'm ready for more. Of course, I read this as soon as I bought it and now I have to wait what will seem forever for the next in the series. I recommend this to all who enjoy a good fantasy.
Rating:
Summary: Holly strikes gold again!
Review: I actively search out books written by Holly Lisle, and this series does not lack for excitement or story line. From the first page to the last, she keeps you rivited to the story, waiting to find out what happens. I have read a number of her books now, and the only thing negative I can say, is that she doesn't write enough :). Check out anything she's written. It's well worth the read.
Rating:
Summary: Good book, for a fantasy book
Review: I bought this book, by accident actually, but I didn't regret. I did enjoy reading it and was impressed by the not-too-obvious characters. Still, Diplomacy of Wolves, did not stand out from the other fantasy books. It's impossible to find a fantacy book, which would really differ from all these "save the world"-stories. But if you want to have a good sleep-time book and are fond of fantasy books, I would recommend Diplomacy of Wolves.
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