Rating: 
Summary: Great blending of fantasy, intrigue, and romance
Review: On an alternate earth where much remains similar, plenty of different individual events have occurred. For instance, on his deathbed, Charles II admits that he married his mistress. This makes the Duke of Monmout the king as opposed to Charles' brother James. Other examples include the Stuart line continues to rule, magic exists, and the American colonies remain part of the British Empire. One major similarity between the two Earths is on both orbs Napoleon plans to rule Europe. The Marchioness of Roxbury is near death, but still has a crucial role in the future of England. Practitioners of the magic arts manage to switch Roxbury's body with that of Sarah Cunningham, a colonial residing on our Earth. Sarah forgets her past life, believing she is Roxbury. England's spymaster, the Duke of Essex, reluctantly plans to marry her because he needs a Duchess to help him with the bride to be of the Prince Regent. The duo goes from complete indifference to strong passion, but their future is in jeopardy, as they must travel through the heart of the lands controlled by their hated enemy. THE SHADOWS OF ALBION melds the incredible talents of tow great authors to produce a novel deemed to be a classic. Fantasy, intrigue, and romance merge in a spectacular way that will elate fans of all three genres and fiction lovers in general. Readers will want more novels starring the delightful couple in future adventures. There is a new talent abroard and Rosemary Edgehill is her name. She is a worthy successor to Andre Norton as well as a brilliant storyteller in her own right. Harriet Klausner
Rating: 
Summary: Ambiguous
Review: A bunch of aristocrats with long and silly names run around playing at James Bond in cravats. If Regency Romances, excruciatingly detailed accounts of attire, and sentences like: "The tall man with the dangerous eyes knew that someone was going to die tonight" flip your skirt; with a little bit of that ol' pagan magick, faeries, gypsies, tramps and thieves thrown in for good measure, this book is for you. The only vaguely interesting character I encountered before I gave up on the book altogether was one Rupert St. Ives Dyer, Captain His Grace the Duke of Wessex [ouch, huh? you think that's bad.. everyone else has at least five more names.], a sort of Jim West/Lestat in tasseled riding boots. Maybe someday I'll go back to the book and see what kind of wacky and off-the-cuff espionage that dashing Duke is up to for the rest of the story, but I doubt it.. maybe if I'm in the mood for a little Duke from UNCLE, or a good chuckle..
Rating: 
Summary: too silly..
Review: A bunch of aristocrats with long and silly names run around playing at James Bond in cravats. If Regency Romances, excruciatingly detailed accounts of attire, and sentences like: "The tall man with the dangerous eyes knew that someone was going to die tonight" flip your skirt; with a little bit of that ol' pagan magick, faeries, gypsies, tramps and thieves thrown in for good measure, this book is for you. The only vaguely interesting character I encountered before I gave up on the book altogether was one Rupert St. Ives Dyer, Captain His Grace the Duke of Wessex [ouch, huh? you think that's bad.. everyone else has at least five more names.], a sort of Jim West/Lestat in tasseled riding boots. Maybe someday I'll go back to the book and see what kind of wacky and off-the-cuff espionage that dashing Duke is up to for the rest of the story, but I doubt it.. maybe if I'm in the mood for a little Duke from UNCLE, or a good chuckle..
Rating: 
Summary: Delightful! Cries out for a series of sequils.
Review: All the other glowing reviews are true. As much fun as Suzanne Frank's "Reflections in the Nile." I have read and liked Andre Norton all my life. One of the greats keeps getting better.
Rating:
Summary: Very fun
Review: And not all that light. The book caught my attention because I had recently learned quite a bit about Stuart and Georgian England. The alternate scenario is inventive and the world created is plausible and tangible. Some of the descriptions tended to be too detailed, but I think that's a strong point of the book as well. I see the settings and rooms and costumes very vividly. I didn't quite like the several pages narrated from Meriel's p.o.v. I found myself wanting to get back to either Sarah or Wessex. Wessex, with his 'sword-blade' looks and 'cat-footed' walk is charming and reflective, sometimes annoying. He's a rather fun character. I've never read a real Regency, so I guess I can't tell how much he may resemble those characters, but I really liked the notion of a 19th century spy. As to the interactions between him and Sarah, I wish there were more, because I loved seeing them clash. Despite their initial reactions toward each other, they really are quite compatible. I also liked the subtle use of magic...a world in which magic doesn't dominate the lives of people, but plays a stronger and tangible role than in our universe.
Rating:
Summary: Very fun
Review: And not all that light. The book caught my attention because I had recently learned quite a bit about Stuart and Georgian England. The alternate scenario is inventive and the world created is plausible and tangible. Some of the descriptions tended to be too detailed, but I think that's a strong point of the book as well. I see the settings and rooms and costumes very vividly. I didn't quite like the several pages narrated from Meriel's p.o.v. I found myself wanting to get back to either Sarah or Wessex. Wessex, with his 'sword-blade' looks and 'cat-footed' walk is charming and reflective, sometimes annoying. He's a rather fun character. I've never read a real Regency, so I guess I can't tell how much he may resemble those characters, but I really liked the notion of a 19th century spy. As to the interactions between him and Sarah, I wish there were more, because I loved seeing them clash. Despite their initial reactions toward each other, they really are quite compatible. I also liked the subtle use of magic...a world in which magic doesn't dominate the lives of people, but plays a stronger and tangible role than in our universe.
Rating:
Summary: An immensely Fun Alternative World Fantasy
Review: And now, as the Monty Python intro says, for something completely different. I have just finished 'The Shadow of Albion' by Andre Norton and Rosemary Edghill (TOR) and I am absolutely enchanted. I hope there is going to be a sequel. It's an alternative world fantasy set in a world where the Stuarts retained the throne of England, there was no American Revolt and where there are still vestiges of the Arts Magickal. The year is 1805 and Bonaparte threatens to engulf the world. England stands against him. The young Lady Sarah Roxbury is dying due to her own folly and with a important task unfinished. She summons from our mundane world her double, Sarah Cunningham, to take her place and finish what needs to be done, including marriage to the Duke of Wessex, a secret agent in the service of the Stuart throne. The authors obviously had a lovely time with this book. Beau Brummell in this world is a valet to the young, impetuous Prince James Stuart, heir to the throne of England. There's a nod to "The Scarlet Pimpernel" in the pseudonym of Citizen Orczy used by the Duke in one of his trips across France-- "The Scarlet Pimpernel" was written by Baroness Orczy, and one of the members of a dinner party given by Madame de Stael in the prison town of Verdun is 'a Belgian Devine named Poirot'. Let us know forget another dinner guest, Sir John Adams from the northern colonies of America who misses his wife Abby very much! Add the missing Dauphin, the wonderfully villainous Marquis de Sade, a missing Danish Princess, a dungeon and loads of hair raising escapes. No sex, but some strong emotion. Unfortunately it's not in paperback yet but if you like alternative world fantasy with a nice ironic touch I cannot recommend this book too highly
Rating:
Summary: Dangerous Liaisons meets James Bond/Batman.
Review: Excellent book. It takes a bit to get into the highly stylized world within the Alternate History, but if you like Dangerous Liaisons/ comedy of manners/ Georgette Heyer's "These Old Shades" then this is a book you should NOT miss. Although it's ostensibly about Sara, Marchioness of Coyningham, The Duke of Wessex is the real winner here. He's part James Bond with high-tech gadgetry, part MacGuyver, part Remington Steele, and in truth, slightly Maxwell Smart. (Only slightly). What a winning character! I'd love to read more. The period style is elegant, and Norton/Edghill do a fantastic job of bringing the era of the obscenely wealthy and obscenely polite to life for us. The ending ties up a little too neatly, but it is a minor point... I want to read more and more about Wessex's misadventures. Any chance of this spawning a se-/ pre-quel or series? Well worth the price.
Rating:
Summary: A Regency-less Regency Romance
Review: Good. I could not put it down when I was reading it. Nice alternate history. A bit of the "Regency romance" feel to it, except in the alternate world there was no Regency England. Instead, the Stuart kings still rule England in 1805. They still get into a war with Napoleon, though. Once again, I see from the listing on Amazon.com that this may be book one of a series. Ha. Well, I'd probably read the others, if my library buys them. While the world and the characters are well-realized, and the story is compelling, I think it lacks the wild energy of their non-collaborations. I had more fun reading Edgehill (eluki bes shahar)'s Hellflower trilogy. And I have fond memories of Andre Norton's earlier work, which I gobbled up when I was a teenager. I still like them. _The Shadow of Albion_ reminded me a bit of _Sorcery and Cecilia_ by Patricia Wrede and Caroline Stevemer or Wrede's Mairelon the Magician books. The background seems to be more developed in this book, but like the other ones, the whole thing comes off as ``light'' and not terribly memorable. I didn't immediately want to re-read the book, which is what I do when I find a book I REALLY like.
Rating:
Summary: Can't wait for the sequal
Review: I have read books by both author's previously and enjoyed them so but find this novel even more satisfying than either on their own. I just finished my copy today and immediately came here to see if the sequel was out yet, which I regret to find it's not yet :-( The descriptions of the surroundings in the book are excellent, allowing me to vividly picture them in my minds eye without dragging on and on. The characters are interesting and I look forward to their further development. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and now have a bad case of What-Comes-Next-itis! Dear Ms Norton & Ms Edghill please write the sequel(s) faster!
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