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Summary: The Seer and The Sword A Review
Review: I loved this book!!! It was one of those few books that could hold my attention for more than 50-100 pages. As I read this book I felt like I was part of it. I admired the characters as if they were real people [for example I admired Princess Torina for her quick logic, strength, kindness, and the she didn't get a bloated head from being a princess] and felt for them in there time of need, for the villains I shared the characters loathing for them, for the hero and heroine thought out this book we became friends. I read and read and read barley aware that I was turning pages until I got to the end it was if this story was coming from my soul and not from typed pages. I recommend this book to anyone that will listen and guarantee that if you are like me searching for a good book that your search is over. The time flew by as I was engrossed in this wonderful book. When I was done I checked the clock and it was nearly 2:00 and the whole time I read I hardly felt any kind of sleepiness. The plot was exciting just when you thought you knew what was going to know what would happen next Victoria Hanley would surprise you with a new twist. Belladrana the quiet artistic kingdom is being invaded by Princess Torina's country, Landen the prince of Belladrana has no idea what will happen if his country is defeated.
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Summary: this book rocks
Review: Okay this is one of the best books I've ever read and I've read a lot of books.
First of all don't pay any attention to the editorial review it's wrong.
It all starts when Torina is eight. her father, King Kareed, goes to the peaceful country Bellandra and kills the king, takes the legendary Sword of Bellandra, and enslaves the king's only son, Landen.
Hwen he gets back, Kareed gives Torina Landen, but Torina lets him go so he goes to the barraks to learn to be a soldier. Kareed also gives Torina a magic crystal with which she can see the past, present, and future. She uses it to save Landen's life, and in return Landen teaches ehr archery.
When Torina is fifteen she gets engaged to Vesputo, the king's right-hand man. But what Torina doesm't relize is that Vesputo is only marrying her so he can be king. When Landen sheds light on the matter she doesn't believe him until she sees Vesputo kill her father in her crystal.She tries to intervene but Vesputo kills him anyway, and tries to blame Landen. Vesputo takes Torina prisoner, Landen flees for his life, and what follows is an amazing stroy by an exceptionally good author. Will Landen and Torins live? Will Vesputo stay king? If you want to find out, i urge you to read this book.
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Summary: Wow!
Review: this book is great! i love it. it has just the right mix of romance and adventure. with some parts that bring tears to your eyes and others to make you shout for joy. deffinitly a great read, worth buying. i deffinitly recomend it.
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Summary: awesome!
Review: Usually I don't really like fantasy(I prefer historical fiction), but my friends gave me this book, and it was higly recommended by them, so I read it. It was way cool!!! So, high and mighty King Kareed has just taken over the land of Bellandra, for his kingdom, Archeld. Besides killing Bellandra's king, he captured the prince, Landen, to keep as a slave for his daughter, Torina. Besides that gift for Torina, he was given a "fortune telling" crystal by a seer for her. Time goes on, and the freed Landen and Torina become friends. When they grow older, Torina's fiance turns out to be an evil tyrrant who assasinates Kareed, blames Landen(who escapes), pretends to marry Torina(who had also escaped, forcing him to use someone else to play the part) and then stages her death. The story rambles on. It tells of how Landen and Torina fare with their new lives, and in the end, how they get them back. Also, along the journey, they fall in love. READ
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Summary: Wonderful Book
Review: This is the kind of book that you read over and over, no matter your age. I read it first from the library, and the next time I went to the bookstore I bought it. (Well . . . I ordered it and picked it up when it came in, but same diff.) It starts when the young Princess Torina is given a stone and a slave when her father comes back from a triumphant war. The slave is the only son of the former king of the conquered country, and a few years older then Torina. Landen, the boy is called, is set free by the impulsive princess, and sent to live in the barracks. And when Torina looks into the crystal, she sees the baby her mother is carring being born a boy, and stillborn. That is what happens. Torina is a seer, a great one, who are very rare. She uses her crystal to see the future - though she can not see her own. As you can guess, she and Landen fall in love - but not before an evil falls upon the kingdom. Thhis is a book of love, betrayal, war, and despair - and hope. Read it. You'll love it.
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Summary: Excellent book
Review: this boook is the best, landen is the coolest character and hes really strong in the sense in what he does and what he believes in. torina is really good in what she does and the fight for freedom and the rightful person on the throne, to fight for good and evil.
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Summary: Too Many Kings, Too Many Kingdoms
Review: This is basically a good book,and I would definitely look for more by this author. But the story wanders around way too much. First it's about two children at the palace. Okay. A boy and girl who love each other, only she's a princess and he's a slave. Okay. There are some great chapters about the boy being picked on at school. Then suddenly that's over and the girl is a sexy teenager and in love with the villain Vesputo. Then it's all about her mother the queen getting hooked on drugs. Then it's all about the girl, only she's a farmer living in another kingdom? Then there's this good high king who wants to save the world, only now the slave boy is a secret spy leading a jolly band of Ali Baba type thieves? Too many kings, too many kingdoms, too little romance, and the story just wanders off. They should have stayed in the first kingdom, fighting the evil King Vesputo. But Vesputo was also a very lame character. He was supposed to be evil but I kept cracking up at how he acted. Always frowning and shoving people around. He reminded me of "Bluto" in the old POPEYE cartoons, so bad you just laugh at him. He also reminded of "Bluto" Blutarsky in the movie ANIMAL HOUSE -- the guy John Belushi played. I kept seeing evil King Vesputo as Belushi, wearing a black sweatshirt with the word "VILLAIN" written on it in big white medieval letters. And I kept seeing him talking to the slave boy like Belushi, saying, "your father is dead and your magic sword has been stolen. I suggest you begin drinking heavily!"
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Summary: Wonderfully Crafted, Absolutely Tantilizing!
Review: Although this may be Hanley's first novel, this book is still magical.
The Seer and the Sword starts off like your classic fantasy, a princess, and a prince, but with much twists and turns in the plot. It is easy to connect with the character, and Hanley's voice draws you in to the book.
The story starts off about a young princess, spoiled, headstrong, but kind, named Torina - who later discovers that she is a seer - one who has the rare and powerful (not to mention quite useful) power to see the future and past in the crystal given by her father.
She is given a gift, a young captive prince, ...>Unfortunately for the kingdom, the ambitious Vesputo is determined to get the crown, and will use Torina as his main weapon.
Because of him, her entire world collapses. This book contains adventure, romance, and fantasy in perfect proportions to cook up a delicious story. Hanley truly has a gift, and I'm eager to see more books by her.
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Summary: Enjoyable enough...
Review: This book is a quick, enjoyable read, but I honestly don't see what everyone else sees in it. First of all, the characters aren't real - the bad guy is evil, the end. It's very predictable, and the writing isn't that great. Also, the political "intrigue" in it is just fake. The kings are all pretty much idiots; they do things that would simply not be done. Obvious bits of the story are spelled out to us for some reason or another. The only good thing I can see is that the _idea_ for the story was nice. The author, however, couldn't carry it through well enough. If you can get past the unreality of it, sure, read this. But I don't recommend it; it's not something that will stick in your mind after you set the book down, and it's not something that will leave you wanting more.
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Summary: One of my favorites
Review: This book was so awesome. I loved it. I wish this author would write a sequel. It is about a princess named Torina, who can see both the past and the present in her magic crystal ball, and the former prince of Bellandra, Landen, and their two stories intertwine and eventually come together at the end as they fall in love. So if you're a Fantasy fan, this is a must read. Actually, it's a must read for everyone.
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