Rating: 
Summary: Is this really John Marco?
Review: I want to know what happened to John Marco, the real John Marco. Please tell me that someone kidnapped him and is falsely using his name. There is no way the REAL John Marco could have written this horrible, horrible book.
I read Marco's first three books, about the Empire of Nar, and they were great: great characters, great plots, great action, just great books. The Eyes of God is horrible (notice I say is; I still haven't finished, as trying to do so is about as easy as wading through neck-deep mud). The characters are in no way sympathetic and the jumps of emotion, plot, and logic defy...well, logic. To cap it all off, the book flows horribly with very awkward sentences, paragraphs, and transitions. No offense to the people who gave this five stars, but you really need to read some other books, namely Marco's other books, to truly appreciate how bad this is. I think the real reason this book is under a different publisher from the last three is that Bantam/Spectrum would not publish this piece of literary junk. I personally would have no problem if the crazy prince, his unfaithful wife, and the pretty-boy knight were all killed off at the end, or, even better, well before the end.
Rating: 
Summary: A 5-star thrill to read, in a cluttered industry
Review: I'm frankly tired of reading the epics about farm boys turned kings, where a train of ragtag characters follow them all over the place. "The Eyes of God" is a beautiful departure from this mold, and while its plot will undoubtedly remind you of King Arthur and his relationship problems, the book is such a fun read that you won't care.The character development in particular is stunning--Akeela transforms gradually, so that you don't even realize what is happening to him until it shocks you full in the face. Only at that point will you see with a sudden realization that the author has brilliantly set up his character change perfectly and subtly from the start. If for nothing else, take a look at this book for its complex characters. Definitely a worthwhile read.
Rating:
Summary: The First Great Fantasy novel of 2002!
Review: I've been a Marco fan ever since I read his classic Tyrants
and Kings series now he creates all-new epic saga that has all of the ingredients that made his previous one so memorable:
flawed heroes like Lukien, the bronze knight who is tore between the loyality and friendship he has toward his King Akeela who treats him like a brother and his love for Akeela's wife Cassandra. King Akeela-a once good ruler who's betrayal by his best friend and wife turns him into a mad despot who seeks only power and revenge! Cassandra-the queen who will turn two men into enemies and who's dying with cancer and can only be saved by a magical amulet called the eyes of God.Marco's gifts of world-building hasn't been lost as he creates a city of so-called freaks who are protected by powerful ancient spirits and
a mysterious woman called Minikin.Marco's villians are also classic like the poor Akeela who's tranformation from a kind man to a cruel king is quite chilling and the evil Will Trager, Lukien's hated rival.What makes the book so powerful is the theme
of choices that people make that can save or destroy them and sometimes even heroes can feet of clay and can do deeds that will haunt them for lifetime.Marco can describe a battle scene in
a cinematic quality and the brief and tragic love affair between Lukien and Casandra will break your heart.I've had read a few reviews stating that Marco is rewriting the Arthurian legend with Lukien as Lancelot, Akeela as Arthur and Casandra as Guinevere but the similarities are few and far between. Other characters I found memorable is crippled boy Gilwyn who helps save the city of Grimhold, the place of "monsters" and the gruff
but brave Baron Thorn.Consider this epic novel another feather in Marco's cap and if he reads the review I have only one thing to say: WRITE FASTER!
Rating:
Summary: New Ideas Please
Review: If you are a big fan of books that make you feal bad this is for you. The main plotline of the book follows the classic pattern of worst case scenerios in every way. The tragedy wouldnt be complete if anyone involved continued to portray the motivations and personalities they started the book with. The kindly king goes insane because his bride leaves him and brother betrays him. The loyal brother betrays the king and steals his bride. The faithfull bride is unfaithfull with her grooms best friend. None of the three main people turn out to be anything like someone you would ever want to know.
Rating:
Summary: powerful retelling of the Arthurian legend
Review: In Liira, King Akeela the Good trusts his best friend, Lukien The Bronze Knight, with his life ever since the warrior saved the then teenage prince from alley punks. Lukien is also fiercely loyal to his liege willing to die to keep his scholarly monarch safe.
Lukien's current charge is to protect His Highness on Akeela's quest to bring peace with their neighbor King Karis of Reec. As a sign of their accord, King Karis gives his daughter Cassandra in marriage to Akeela. However, on the journey home Lukien falls in love with Cassandra and she reciprocates though neither one want to harm the kind Akeela. Cassandra is dying from a disease that she hid even from her father. The only cure is located in the mythical kingdom of Jador where the EYES OF GOD, artifacts that allegedly bestow immortality on its wearer, are rumored to be. Akeela sends Lukien on a quest to save the woman they both love.
THE EYES OF GOD is a powerful retelling of the Arthurian legend, but totally refreshed by the ability of author John Marco to paint a different landscape. The story line is loaded with action so that other fantasy fans besides the Camelot crowd will enjoy the tale. The lead triangle are all warm caring individuals with personal demons that make each one seem genuine and in turn readers will believe in their interrelationships. Award winning Mr. Marco's new series will bring joy to readers and accolades to him from the wide genre audience. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: John Marco Does It Again
Review: In the land of Liiria, the new king is known as Akeela the Good. After just a few months of ruling, he sets plans in motion to end a long-standing war with the neighboring kingdom or Reec and also to make education available to all of his people by building a great library. Akeela travels to Hes, the capital of Reec, with Lukien, the Bronze Knight, and the Royal Chargers. There, King Karis of Reec offers Akeela his youngest daughter, Cassandra, to be his wife, and, therefore, star a lasting relationship between to two warring kingdoms that cannot be broken. After Akeela accepts Cassandra, and instantly falls in love, he heads back to Liiria to make plans for his wedding while leaving Lukien behind to watch over Cassandra. Both the Bronze Knight and the future Queen of Liiria soon realize that fate has dealt them an ugly hand when they realize that they have fallen madly in love. After arriving in Liiria, and she becomes queen, but while Akeela is away trying to make peace with more kingdoms, Lukien and Cassandra consummate their affair, but are discovered by a Royal Charger that has always been jealous of the Bronze Knight, Will Trager. Upon Akeela's return, Trager informs the king of his wife's and best friend's betrayal, but Akeela doesn't believe him. Soon after, Cassandra becomes very sick and is diagnosed with stomach cancer. The new librarian, Figgis, who is in charge of getting the great library built, inform Akeela of two amulets that he has read about that have magical healing powers. Figgis believes them to be in the kingdom of Jador, on the other side of the Desert of Tears. Akeela sends Lukien, Trager and Faggis to Jador to steal the amulets from the king and queen. The King of Jador welcomes them with open arms, but is betrayed when Akeela and Trager steal his amulet (the Eye of God) and accidentally kill his pregnant wife. When the Eye of God is finally put around Cassandra's neck, she begins to heal. But the amulet bears a certain curse that says that the wearer of the amulet will die is they are looked upon by human eyes. Meanwhile, Akeela banishes the Bronze Knight from Liiria and vows to kill him if he ever returns. The story continues sixteen years later as Cassandra is healthy and young, but very unhappy trapped in her rooms with her blind servants, Akeela the Ghost never leaves his castle, and Trager is General of the Royal Charges and has great influence over Akeela. Figgis reports that he has figured out where the other Eye of God is and Akeela is determined to kill all of the people of Jador to get it so he can be with his wife, finally. Cassandra knows that she must somehow contact the Bronze Knight to stop her demented husband from spilling any more innocent blood. "The Eyes of God" is a fantasy tale of Lust, Love and Loss. It is a story about the Lust between two people who know that they can never truly be together. It is a story about the Love a man has for his wife, the wife has for her knight, and the knight returns for his queen. It is a story about the Loss of of innocence and friendship. This tale takes place in two different time period sixteen years apart. In the first, King Akeela is a good man, a great ruler, and loved by all of his subjects. In the second, his life has fallen apart and he no longer cares about anything but his infatuation with Cassandra, who will never return his love. John Marco weaves and intriguing fantasy tale that instantly pulls the reader into the story. I wasn't too sure about the book as the first couple of hundred pages focuses solely on the lust and love of Akeela, Cassandra and Lukien. But I was intruded by the characters and looked forward to see what was going to happen and what the Eyes of God were. Marco's writing gets better with every story he pens and his character development is second to none. The reader falls in love with the Akeela and Lukien right away, and instantly knows that Trager will be force to be reckoned with. I found myself thinking about the book a lot during the day when I couldn't be reading and looked forward to sitting down at night consuming the pages. "The Eyes of God" is a magnificent story that should not be missed by any fantasy lover. I look forward to reading the next book, "The Devil's Armor", which is tantalizingly introduced in "The Eyes of God", but never really used. I can't wait!
Rating: 
Summary: An Interesting Plot, but....
Review: It is long, but dull. Those are the main points. Add a character that is nasty to everyone but has many loyal followers, a king that can't get a date, and assorted unlikable characters. If I had written this and then discovered George R R Martin's Game of Thrones, or Glen Cook's Black Company or October's Baby, I would go and kill myself.
Rating:
Summary: Give your eyes a break and skip this one
Review: It is long, but dull. Those are the main points. Add a character that is nasty to everyone but has many loyal followers, a king that can't get a date, and assorted unlikable characters. If I had written this and then discovered George R R Martin's Game of Thrones, or Glen Cook's Black Company or October's Baby, I would go and kill myself.
Rating:
Summary: A Powerhouse Novel
Review: John Marco has steadily risen to become one of my favorite authors, and this book further proves his skill and prowess in fantasy. It's an exceptional novel, with amazing character development and a plot that moves along and a perfect pace. This is a big book, but it never feels padded or forced. Marco is a deft writer who knows when to use description and when to hold back. There simply aren't that many other authors writing this kind of book. Forget what you know about fantasy archetypes, quests, etc. In this book, Marco turns all that stuff on its head. This is an original, refreshing read from one of the genre's best and brightest newcomers.
Rating:
Summary: Loyalties, strong friendships, and romance
Review: John Marco's Eyes Of God tells of a new young king determined to bring peace to his war-torn kingdom. Loyalties, strong friendships, and romance entwine in this well-done story of a fantasy kingdom undergoing change.
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