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Summary: one of my favorite series' yet!
Review: After having read a number of the classic fantasy series', I am still amazed at the way authors like David Duncan can create unique and original books like this set. I found the characters engaging, the plot compelling, and the novels fun and surprising. There were a few times I had to put one of the books down and step back for a few minutes, the scenes were so intense. Thanks for a great read!!
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Summary: By any other name
Review: Dave Duncan does it again. A simple fairy tale becomes an epic story in his compelling style. It is more like hearing the story told, rather than reading it. The lilt just rolls off the pages. Literally consumed by passion, his characters take you on a wild journey and remind always, be careful what you wish for. Folk lore lovers and mythology fans alike will find this tale impossible to put down. So glad Duncan gave up his "day job" to bring these stories to life.
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Summary: The 3 man to create World in seven days.
Review: Dave Duncan is on of those men who has created his own World, that can be called THE World. Its hard to create worlds and characters so complex and detailed that you often think of them as if they really existed. Well, Dave has done it. When you read description of Rap or Inos you see them in your mind. When you read about their didings you imagine them happening in the other corner (the one with forests, seas and deserts) of your room. And if you happen to have all his books of this sage at once then you lock yourself up in your room and read them all through in one row forgeting to eat, to work, to go to very important appointments etc. So it fusses your life complitely up (in my case for 7 days). So don't try it at home.
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Summary: Dave Duncan - now my favorite authour
Review: Fantasy often seems to have cliche after cliche...evil wizard, group of good guys which include a half-elf, a surly dwarf, and a warrior, who defeat wizard, etc etc. Duncan has created a truly unique group of characters, and a moving and wonderful adventure. The world and the complex magic system he creates is wonderful and imaginative. This is the best series I have ever read, and I have read a lot of fantasy. I have over 100 fantasy novels in my collection alone! Thanks to Mr. Duncan for giving us all these fabulous books!
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Summary: My Introduction to Fantasy Reading
Review: goes a long way in the case of "Magic Casement". Those that are tired of books with a horde of 'main' characters that seem to get nowhere even through a handful of 1,000 page tomes, will be most pleased with the start of this four book series. Two main characters: the shy but faithful stableboy Rap with a curious knack for horses and the quite unladylike princess Inos, grow from their juvenile beginnings into adults as the story unfolds even just in volume one. For Inos, life holds far more than the world of the pampered royalty in embroidery and casual tea party chat that her father whisks her into after it becomes a necessity for her to wed so she can ascend the throne after her father's death. And for Rap, a denial of the acceptance of power could very well prove fatal for him as he finds that life gets much harder than being a mere stableboy. Duncan's pace is impeccable. Like "The Gilded Chain" and the books following in their wake (which came many years after this series was written), he sets the story in brisk motion and keeps us trekking across the continents along with the two centers of the novels, entwining many more characters into their lives to complicate things even more, yet he never strays too far from the gels that hold the story together. Tightly well written, introducing a very unique magic system which becomes very important as things come to a head, and an assortment of savagely likeable characters who are far beyond the cliched bunch found in other novels, "Magic Casement" is the start of a very good thing, and a must read for anyone who loves fantasy with a bit of an original edge.
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Summary: A little bit of magic...
Review: goes a long way in the case of "Magic Casement". Those that are tired of books with a horde of 'main' characters that seem to get nowhere even through a handful of 1,000 page tomes, will be most pleased with the start of this four book series. Two main characters: the shy but faithful stableboy Rap with a curious knack for horses and the quite unladylike princess Inos, grow from their juvenile beginnings into adults as the story unfolds even just in volume one. For Inos, life holds far more than the world of the pampered royalty in embroidery and casual tea party chat that her father whisks her into after it becomes a necessity for her to wed so she can ascend the throne after her father's death. And for Rap, a denial of the acceptance of power could very well prove fatal for him as he finds that life gets much harder than being a mere stableboy. Duncan's pace is impeccable. Like "The Gilded Chain" and the books following in their wake (which came many years after this series was written), he sets the story in brisk motion and keeps us trekking across the continents along with the two centers of the novels, entwining many more characters into their lives to complicate things even more, yet he never strays too far from the gels that hold the story together. Tightly well written, introducing a very unique magic system which becomes very important as things come to a head, and an assortment of savagely likeable characters who are far beyond the cliched bunch found in other novels, "Magic Casement" is the start of a very good thing, and a must read for anyone who loves fantasy with a bit of an original edge.
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Summary: The Begining to the BEST FANASY series EVER
Review: I have read hundreds of fantasy books and this remains my my uncontested favorite series ever. Reading this book is somewhat like watching the felowship of the ring with out knowing that it is going to end in the middle. Your flying through the pages to see what will happen to Rap and Inos when all of a sudden it's over without realizing it you have finished the book. Now you must hunt through the used book stores to find the next one (before amazon[.com]) stopping at nothing to find what will happen to our stable boy and his queen, will Raps magic progress further or get him killed buy someone trying to torture his secret out of him.........
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Summary: Original, Inventive, Clever, Engaging
Review: I have read over a thousand fantasy novels, and this book starts my favorite series. I waited anxiously for each book to come out - haunting my local bookstore for weeks at a time! The book is beautiful. The main characters are lovingly developed through a plot that's surprising but consistant. The broad fantasy world is rich with history and very much alive. Duncan's absolutely unique system of magic is thoroughly enjoyable and clever. Duncan switches viewpoints in exactly the right way; you're always anxious to find out what's happening in several places at once, and he keeps you hanging.. just long enough. It took me three books to catch onto this marvelous technique. You'll love it too. My suggestion is, buy one right now. Buy one for your kids!
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Summary: One of the REALLY great!
Review: I read Duncan's series a while ago and when I started to re-read them about a week ago I was amazed again by his work. The quality and thrill of reading it hasn't changed a bit over the years. His fantasy world of Pandemia is one of those that stuck in your mind forever. And as a role-play-gamer I find the magic style of Words of Power the best I've ever heard about. So, there's nothing better than sittinig cozily curled up in your armchair near the crackling chimney and reading the books of one of the greatest authors ever.
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Summary: Thoroughly Enjoyable to the Man and His Word Series
Review: Princess Inosolan is bored. Bored with the tiny kingdom of Krasnegar, bored with her Aunt Kade's attempts to give her some polish and just bored of being somewhere where nothing ever happens! However, she is simply stunned to discover that her father, King Holindarn, is sending her to Kinvale with her Aunt Kade to find a husband. Inos doesn't feel ready to marry and has never even been interested in boys that way. Well, there was Rap, the stableboy, whom she rode horses and played on the beach with, but he surely didn't count. After all, Rap wasn't a boy he was just Rap. Inos hated Kinvale when she first arrived. She wasn't good at any of the maidenly pursuits that were focused on there and she really didn't care about embroidery or anything of that nature anyway - until Sir Andor arrived...Sir Andor was everything a maiden dreams of marrying - strong, handsome, charming, witty, attentive to a woman's every wish and desire. If Inos got to select her husband, and her father said that she may, she would surely pick Sir Andor. However, before they could reach a firmer understanding on the matter, Sir Andor up and left for the winter and Inos began to despair of ever seeing him again... Meanwhile, back in Krasnegar, Rap was working hard with the horses and trying to improve his station in life from stableboy or goat herder to wagon driver, but he couldn't stop thinking about Inos. Oh, Rap well knew that their stations in life were so different that there could never be anything between them, but that didn't stop him from loving her. He just hoped that he would still recognize her when she returned from Kinvale and that they would still be friends. So Rap was thrilled to befriend Sir Andor, a visitor to the small kingdom of Krasnegar who seemed to have selected him specially to be a friend who helped to get his mind off of Inos. Rap would do anything for Sir Andor and, when he discovered that Inos was in danger, he left everything he knew behind to travel overland with Sir Andor to rescue his princess. But Rap quickly discovered that Sir Andor was not what he seemed and that he was far from being an ordinary stableboy... Magic Casement is the first book in the Man of His Word quartet and it is a wonderful kick off to a thoroughly enjoyable series. My favorite character was Rap. It is true that he was not necessary a quick thinker and that he didn't react to things in the way I visualized a hero would, be he was dogged, determined and dependable and he fought through everything to give Inos the chance to take over her kingdom and rule. Inos was also a good character, but I didn't find her quite as interesting. I found myself rushing through the parts of her story to get back to see what was happening to Rap, but I liked the way Duncan dealt with both main characters at the same time by changing perspective so that you knew what was going on wherever they were. In addition to Rap and Inos, there is a host of engaging and intriguing secondary characters that readers will delight in getting to know including the witches/warlocks who guard the segments of the kingdom, the different races who populate the land, Sir Andor, the minstrel Jalon, the scholarly Dr. Sagorn, the monster Darad and the unexpected Little Chicken. Though this series is out of print, the books are readily available and they are also found in ebook format. Another great series by David Duncan - highly recommended for fantasy fans looking for a new twist on an old theme.
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