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Summary: Praise for ICEFALCON'S QUEST
Review: "Hambly's latest is, as expected from this talented author, another fast-pased adventure with a finely textured setting, lively characters, and some genuinely dark magic." --PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY
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Summary: Praise for Icefalcon's Quest
Review: "The name Barbara Hambly guarantees great characterization and a superlative reading experience." -Romantic Times Magazine
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Summary: Even an average Hambly is a good read - but this is average.
Review: Barbara Hambly is one of my favorite authors, and I jumped at the chance to visit Renweth again! But I was a little disappointed; on the whole "Icefalcon's Quest" doesn't have the edge some of Hambly's earlier work does, it has less subtlety. It's a good read - as ever, her imagery is compelling. But it is not up to the high standard of the original series, and lacks characterization and taut, elegant plotting that makes me loan "Dragonsbane" to everyone who holds still long enough.
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Summary: Must have addition to the original trilogy
Review: Even though this story focuses on characters that were more of a supporting role in the previous three books, Hambly still writes a superb story in a world that I've grown to love and enjoy. If you enjoyed the first three books then there is no doubt you should enjoy this one too.
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Summary: Edge-of-your-seat book. Suspensful, not predictable.
Review: Excellent. Must read! Best to read the Darwath trilogy first. One area the horror is a little too graphic (for me!).
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Summary: Immensely readable!
Review: I bought this book because I liked the blurb on the back, and thought that it would make for interesting reading...needless to say, it's a move I absolutely do not regret. I haven't read any other book in the Darwath series, so perhaps that's the reason for my enthusiasm and fascination, but I've read Icefalcon's quest many times, and it's been enjoyable with every read.The description of Icefalcon's emotions and understanding appear at first glance to be quite droll, but in understanding the tribal feuds and lifestyle, the reader starts to understand that the portrayal of Icefalcon is true to nature. It's not to say that he doesn't experience emotion or pain or fear, but rather that within his tribal upbringing, it is death to lay claim to such feelings. Only the strongest survive, and fear and cowardice have no place in the tribal structure. The tribulations that Tir had to undergo, and his character's development as a result were very real and moving for me....The dark magic and evil was a potent stimulus in the book - and I was unwittingly caught up in the brutal descriptions of war and evil. On the whole, I would definitely recommend Icefalcon's Quest... whether you buy it or borrow it, read this book and decide for yourself!
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Summary: Icefalcon - Here is his story
Review: Icefalcon is the enigmatic guard of guards from Darwath. Teasing hints of his history were sprinkled in the excellent beginning novels but here is the long awaited opportunity to know more. While less straightforward than previous novels, this is still an enjoyable read and gives balance to the landscape of Darwath. It fulfills the promise of the first trilogy and brings Icefalcon into the foreground where the Ice raiders become more visible.
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Summary: This is an excellent book that needs a sequel.
Review: If you liked any of Barbra Hambly's darwath series you'll love this one. All of her books have been good 'but this one was the best yet. A sequel please! In this book you are ofered the chance to better know the Icefalcon, an exiled White Raider who is one of the Guard. In previous books he has been one of the main characters, but you never seemed to know about his past. Prince Tir has been kiddnaped by Vair N'Chandros and the Ice falcon is the only one available to rescue him. Well worth the time to read.
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Summary: Old characters, old enemies, none of the old magic
Review: In Barbara Hambly newest Darwath novel, old heroes return to fight old enemies as Prince Altir is kidnapped, the Keep of Dare is threatened, and the Icefalcon embarks on a mission of rescue. It is seven years since the end of the Time of the Dark and the routed Alketch general Vair na-Chandros is trying to gain power. He thinks that Prince Altir's racial memories about the time around the Dark's first rising will provide the key to gaining this.
Unfortunately, none of the old excitement of Hambly's previous novels set in the Kingdom of Dar returns in this book. Icefalcon, an intriguing and enigmatic character in the Time of the Dark series, is presented so blandly that the reader does not share any sense of danger as he travels across the homelands from which he has been exiled, following the southern commander who has kidnapped Tir. The northern tribes, which seemed so frighteningly dangerous before, are reduced to a garbled mix of unrelated names that blithely talk about the wind and the weather.
All the characters seemed emotionally uninvolved in the conflict, except for Tir, who is swept along by events. The great secrets that he possesses both help and hinder the party, but never embroil the characters in any kind of internal struggle. There is great potential in the ideas presented in this novel but they are never fully exploited to bring us closer to the characters. In the end, I was extremely disappointed when Hambly resorted to a deux ex machina to bring help to the Icefalcon and his companions.
My advice is to read the Time of the Dark trilogy and then let the characters all live happily ever after (or not) in your own imagination.
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Summary: Well done as per usual for Ms. Hambly
Review: Tense story, insurmountable obstacles and sticky situations that need to be handled delicately. The norm for Ms. Hambly, quite an enjoyable read. I have always had a particular affection for the Icefalcon in her preceding books and was extremely gratified to read an entire book that featured him as a main character. Nice to get to peek into what makes him tick AND best of all you get to find out the answers to many questions you might have had about him. You finish her book and are sated by the story, then you regret that it's over and crave more stories so you can join everyone again.
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