Rating: 
Summary: Unoriginal
Review: Standard formula for Paula Volsky books: 1) Choose a major historical event, 2) Change the name of the country that event occurred in to something vaguely fantasy-sounding, 3) insert one each of two dimensional major female and male characters, 4) add some sort of "deity" or quasi-mystical sorcery of some sort so she can say she's written something original.
That was the way the first few books went and while they were readable, they weren't anything worth looking at twice. This book is different. Not because it's better, but because it adds a twist to the "formula." Instead of just ripping off a historical event, this one hacks the plots of two popular works. Basically, mix the Spanish Inquisition with "Faust" and "The Count of Monte Cristo" and you have the major body of this book. No effort required on the author's part. All she added were poorly developed major characters and another one of her "Awareness," deity-like beings that have never fit in well with the worlds she "creates" in any of the books.
This book is still readable and if you're still in high school, then I suppose this will seem novel and original to you. If, however, you know your history and did a bit of reading in the classics, then there's nothing here you haven't seen before.
Rating: 
Summary: Caveats all over the place, but I like it anyway
Review: The strange thing is, reading the editorial review I couldn't disagree - the thing about "characters by the numbers" is close to being right. Except for one thing: Paula Volsky wrote a good book here, and a rational one. What's good? The plot - not especially original, perhaps - is that of the innocent wronged. The difference is, unlike the Count of Monte Cristo, the innocent, when he comes to take his revenge, doesn't enjoy it. The first object of his vengeance (incidentally, I wouldn't have bothered with this one) never understands what she did, or why vengeance should be called for. In the second case, though the person involved originally behaved badly, Tradain misses the point of the man's personal redemption, but still feels guilty. As he should. One comment here - I felt that Volsky could have done a great deal more with the redemption of a human soul here than she did. And Tradain missing the point, or ignoring it, weakened the denoument. It could have been done better, yes, but I was glad to see it done at all. Another of those quibbles - our heroine, Glennian, somehow doesn't figure out that her guardian is the one who betrayed her family? Huh? This girl's supposed to be a genius, or close to it. Nope, sorry, Paula, you blew that one. The ironic tone is nice. When your main subject matter is the destruction of the innocent under horrific circumstances, a little distance is necessary. The demonstration, through Aestine and Drempi, of how people end up coerced into supporting the witch-hunt is neatly done. Neither of these two characters is especially strong, and perhaps Volsky slights the process of deliniating character. I would complain that even our main character lacks complexity, except that Volsky deliberately demonstrates how stunted he becomes in solitary confinement. I'm not thrilled, but I enjoyed it so much that I decided that I'd just let it slide while reading it. Let's not pretend that I didn't like it most because I detest mass hysteria, and the witch-craze makes me more than a little ill. The Tribunal is ugly and deserves its end. The premier jurist, a self-righteous monster, actually was fairly convincing. The best moments are little sketches: in the years Tradain has been imprisoned, the number of sorcery-repelling charms on the gates of the city have increased from one to six. The fear doesn't diminish, but grows. The White Tribunal takes more and more, and is never satisfied. Over all, recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Caveats all over the place, but I like it anyway
Review: The strange thing is, reading the editorial review I couldn't disagree - the thing about "characters by the numbers" is close to being right. Except for one thing: Paula Volsky wrote a good book here, and a rational one. What's good? The plot - not especially original, perhaps - is that of the innocent wronged. The difference is, unlike the Count of Monte Cristo, the innocent, when he comes to take his revenge, doesn't enjoy it. The first object of his vengeance (incidentally, I wouldn't have bothered with this one) never understands what she did, or why vengeance should be called for. In the second case, though the person involved originally behaved badly, Tradain misses the point of the man's personal redemption, but still feels guilty. As he should. One comment here - I felt that Volsky could have done a great deal more with the redemption of a human soul here than she did. And Tradain missing the point, or ignoring it, weakened the denoument. It could have been done better, yes, but I was glad to see it done at all. Another of those quibbles - our heroine, Glennian, somehow doesn't figure out that her guardian is the one who betrayed her family? Huh? This girl's supposed to be a genius, or close to it. Nope, sorry, Paula, you blew that one. The ironic tone is nice. When your main subject matter is the destruction of the innocent under horrific circumstances, a little distance is necessary. The demonstration, through Aestine and Drempi, of how people end up coerced into supporting the witch-hunt is neatly done. Neither of these two characters is especially strong, and perhaps Volsky slights the process of deliniating character. I would complain that even our main character lacks complexity, except that Volsky deliberately demonstrates how stunted he becomes in solitary confinement. I'm not thrilled, but I enjoyed it so much that I decided that I'd just let it slide while reading it. Let's not pretend that I didn't like it most because I detest mass hysteria, and the witch-craze makes me more than a little ill. The Tribunal is ugly and deserves its end. The premier jurist, a self-righteous monster, actually was fairly convincing. The best moments are little sketches: in the years Tradain has been imprisoned, the number of sorcery-repelling charms on the gates of the city have increased from one to six. The fear doesn't diminish, but grows. The White Tribunal takes more and more, and is never satisfied. Over all, recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: A book that doesn't fulfill its own potential...
Review: This book is an entertaining read, overall. Ms. Volsky has written a well-paced, readable story, if a story lacking some crucial background, plot, and character development. The book is basically a fantasy-retelling of "The Count of Monte Cristo", with minor plot changes. "Count" is very much a plot-driven book, and the same can be said for "White Tribunal." The story moves along briskly, and includes some vivid narration (the torture scenes are particularly brutal). Unfortunately, the characters are mostly one-dimensional, resulting in a lack of depth of feeling in the novel. Also, the plot resolution is too brief, too sudden, poorly realized, and a bit silly. Ms. Volsky's world contains some tantalizing elements that, sadly, are not developed in the novel. The city scarred by the Sortilegious Wars is a promising setting for a story--and since "White Tribunal" did not fully take advantage of this promise, I can only hope a novel covering the earlier history of this city will be forthcoming. The all-too-brief references to the city's background are far more interesting than the story Ms. Volsky tells in this novel. All in all, not a bad book, but one that promises more than it delivers.
Rating:
Summary: The Count of Monte Cristo--revisited
Review: To all who devoured the "Count of Monte Cristo", this ought to be fun. It's all here: betrayal, incarnation, an old man who supplies all needed information, and at last: the discovery that revenge is not worth it. It's here, but now the magic supplies the revenge instead of an endless sourse of money. It doesn't really matter: the count of Monte Cristo was always a fantasy anyway. Is it a great book? No. But it does keep you hooked, and some scenes have real power (such as the steward's--I cannot pronounce his name--death scene, and Astines nightmares). The characters are reasonably good, though the relationship between Glannian and Tradain was too sketchy and stereotyped. Also, the moral was apllied a little too heavely. Let us enjoy the book, and figure out the moral for ourselves. Still, despite it's flaws, it was a very enjoyable book.
Rating:
Summary: The Count of Monte Cristo--revisited
Review: To all who devoured the "Count of Monte Cristo", this ought to be fun. It's all here: betrayal, incarnation, an old man who supplies all needed information, and at last: the discovery that revenge is not worth it. It's here, but now the magic supplies the revenge instead of an endless sourse of money. It doesn't really matter: the count of Monte Cristo was always a fantasy anyway. Is it a great book? No. But it does keep you hooked, and some scenes have real power (such as the steward's--I cannot pronounce his name--death scene, and Astines nightmares). The characters are reasonably good, though the relationship between Glannian and Tradain was too sketchy and stereotyped. Also, the moral was apllied a little too heavely. Let us enjoy the book, and figure out the moral for ourselves. Still, despite it's flaws, it was a very enjoyable book.
Rating:
Summary: A Page-turner until...
Review: Unlike many other people who've reviewed "The White Tribunal", I haven't read "The Count of Monte Cristo", so I had no preconceived notions to compare. I found the book quite a page-turner. I suppose that "Tradian" could have been more defined, but this story is really about "Gnaus" and his efforts to control society in the name of his idea of "religion". It was hard to put the book aside through his final defeat. Then we have the end story which I found to be a bit "deus ex machina". I had an idea that we wouldn't lose Tradian, but I didn't think it would be as easy as "Glennian" giving "The Presence" the gift of music. A book as readable as this should have a "sense of relief" ending, not a "What? You gotta be kidding me" one. That alone takes away one star.
Rating:
Summary: A Page-turner until...
Review: Unlike many other people who've reviewed "The White Tribunal", I haven't read "The Count of Monte Cristo", so I had no preconceived notions to compare. I found the book quite a page-turner. I suppose that "Tradian" could have been more defined, but this story is really about "Gnaus" and his efforts to control society in the name of his idea of "religion". It was hard to put the book aside through his final defeat. Then we have the end story which I found to be a bit "deus ex machina". I had an idea that we wouldn't lose Tradian, but I didn't think it would be as easy as "Glennian" giving "The Presence" the gift of music. A book as readable as this should have a "sense of relief" ending, not a "What? You gotta be kidding me" one. That alone takes away one star.
Rating: 
Summary: Graphic torture and disgusting prose
Review: Volsky has done it again! She tells a story of land where magic is feared and a reign of terror is installed by a fanatical group called the white tribunal.When a boy is falsely imprisoned and his father and brothers are executed by the white tribunal.After spending thirteen years in hellhole type prison he escapes. The young man sells his soul to dark powers so he can exact a terrible revenge against his accusers.In shades of Dumas's Count of Monte Cristo, Volsky has written a haunting saga of hate, revenge and magic that can only be conquered by love.
Rating:
Summary: chilling saga of sorcery, revenge and romance
Review: Volsky has done it again! She tells a story of land where magic is feared and a reign of terror is installed by a fanatical group called the white tribunal.When a boy is falsely imprisoned and his father and brothers are executed by the white tribunal.After spending thirteen years in hellhole type prison he escapes. The young man sells his soul to dark powers so he can exact a terrible revenge against his accusers.In shades of Dumas's Count of Monte Cristo, Volsky has written a haunting saga of hate, revenge and magic that can only be conquered by love.
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