Book Description

Why have The Lord of The Rings, Star Wars, the Harry Potter stories, and other tales of heroic fantasy, been so phenomenally successful in the present apparently cynical and disillusioned age? Colebatch argues that the popularity of these works shows the real health of our culture to be more robust than we sometimes believe, and confirms the centrality of "traditional" values which "progressive" thinkers have often disparaged or overlooked.

In advancing this argument, the author also seeks to entertain the many readers who love these works, and to open to them some new vistas of understanding. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Stimulating and delightful
This is a splendidly stimulating, thought-provoking, slyly humorous and delightful book. The author analyses these great tales from a number of original perspectives and what he concludes is optimistic about the state of our culture and society. His language is easy to read and his great learning, while obvious, is never obtrusive or heavy. To aborb this book is to absorb a political, social and literary education in a fascinating way. All who love The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars and Harry Potter should buy this book for its insights. It will deepn your appreciation of these great tales and of others in the same tradtion.

The triumphant return....
When I first read Hal Colebatch's original discussion paper on this topic (from the early 1990's), I knew I had found a kindred spirit. I found it by putting "Star Wars" and "LOTR" into a library catalogue. I was amazed to find that someone had put the two together in a scholarly work, and I was pleased to discover that it was an intelligent, erudite and remarkably coherent piece of writing that crystallised many of my own feelings that had never had an outlet before. Colebatch has completely revised and updated his original paper so that it stands alone as an excellent academic book on western culture, focussed through the prism of heroic literature and film. This new edition includes material on Harry Potter, as well as a more thorough analysis of the works of Tolkien and Lucas. I thoroughly recommend it to any lovers of heroic fiction, english students and Tolkien/Lucas enthusiasts. Colebatch is a very well-read author with his own output of poetry and sci-fi, and his vast knowledge has been brought to bear on important topics, ensuring that this book is a milestone in literary criticism. You do not have to be a dry academic to enjoy this one; you just have to have a love of reading. ... Read more

Book Description

This is part of a new series of guides to contemporary novels. The aim of the series is to give readers accessible and informative introductions to some of the most popular, most acclaimed and most influential novels of recent years – from ‘The Remains of the Day’ to ‘White Teeth’. A team of contemporary fiction scholars from both sides of the Atlantic has been assembled to provide a thorough and readable analysis of each of the novels in question. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Interesting
This was a great little overview, covering the first four books. It was short and I read it quickly in one sitting. It does demonstrate that the author uses people and events from her own past. She weaves ideas for character and plot into something realistic seeming and not purely fantasy. There is no doubt that she likes to find and think up funny sounding names, as is mentioned too often in the book. Also, I do not believe that this book added a lot to my understanding of Harry Potter's story. (Why exactly did Voldemort want him dead in the first place? No suggestions were made.) There was a good section on her biography. By far my favorite part is toward the end where other books with similar themes are listed. (His Dark Materials, for example.) It's a good little book, but not much longer than a magazine in length. I enjoyed it. I may give it to a much younger pre-teen kid I know; he would like it too.

A Primer on studying Harry Potter
The is a well written and thought out book. I learned a lot about Ms. Rowling and the Harry Potter books. It was interesting learning what influnced J.K. Rowling and help her create the characters and of course the car from her second book. The book is small and would be a good addition to your Harry Potter library. Buy it and see inside Harry Potter.....

Intelligent and thoughtful
A thoughtful and intelligent companion to the Rowling novels that helps to identify themes and place the stories in their literary context. A worthwhile purchase for teachers and interested teens and adults; children will likely not be overly interested in such analysis.

Small book packed with interesting information
Although I've read many articles about the Harry Potter books and J.K.Rowling I found new and interesting information in this slim volume. For example, I didn't know what influenced J.K. Rowling's description of Professor Remus Lupin and his condition. Read the book and find out!

Four and a half out of five!
I've read a lot of books about Harry Potter, and a lot of them are not very good. But my only complaint with this one is that it's not long enough! Mr Nel the author knows a lot about Harry Potter, but he doesn't show off or get too clever about it. All of his ideas are interesting, like the prime numbers, and even though I knew some of what he says about JK Rowling already, I found out a few things too. Plus, the book is small and cute!

I think this would be a good introduction if you want to know more about Harry Potter. I hope the author writes more when there are more Harry Potter books to write about! ... Read more

Book Description

J. K. Rowling achieved astounding commercial success with her series of novels about Harry Potter, the boy-wizard who finds out about his magical powers on the morning of his eleventh birthday. The books' incredible popularity, and the subsequent likelihood that they are among this generation's most formative narratives, call for critical exploration and study to interpret the works' inherent tropes and themes. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An impressive anthology of literary criticism
Expertly compiled and deftly edited by Giselle Liza Anatol (Assistant Professor of English, University of Kanas - Lawrence), Reading Harry Potter: Critical Essays is an impressive anthology of literary criticism draw from a variety of learned authors who all of whom regard J. K. Rowling's popular Harry Potter fantasy series as far more than mere popular culture pablum. Examining the Harry Potter works with regard to theories of child development, literary influences and historical contexts, and morality and social values, Reading Harry Potter is a multifaceted exploration of the Potter books as literature with lasting potential influence on both developing and mature minds today.

Simply Excellent.
Quite simply, this is the book I will use as my primary resource to teach Harry Potter from now on. I teach both undergraduate and graduate English Education majors and plan to order this book for all of my Adolescent Literature sections this coming year. Not only are the essays interesting and diverse, they really show how many different ways a reader can think about a text. Most interesting, however, is how these very different essays (and authors) speak to one another. Overall, a really fine group of essays about some very important works. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (8)

Super Christians Beware of Harry Potter
I can not believe that this debate is going on. These zealots need to climb out from under their rock and step into the real world. Hello, FICTION. You, people, do remember the word, I hope. The Harry Potter series is wonderfully written and opens up the imagination and gets the kids out from the television and video games. Come on people, kids are only kids once. God isn't going to strike you dead for reading them and the devil isn't going to invade your children for reading them either. Get over this stupid idotic idea that this is unholy.

Not worth the money!
As a fellow pastor AND fan of the Harry Potter novels, I picked up this book with much interest. The introduction was intriguing enough, so I proceeded with the book. There is no doubt in my mind that evangelicals will dismiss this book as blasphemous. Harry Potter as Jesus? Dumbledore as God the Father? Fawkes as the Holy Spirit?? While I recognize the merit of Killinger's basic argument--that many of the themes in the Potter books are themes that have a Christian basis (if not an outright Christian character--I felt that his comparisons are exaggerated or altogether too weak to stand.
Of course, like others, I am totally embarrassed by the Christians who have dismissed the Potter books as "evil." I was hoping this book might be a reasonable, substantive argument against those accusations. Alas, it is not. In fact, it reads more like a synopsis of each of the Potter books in print with some theology thrown in to boot. Killinger's admiration for the Potter books stands out more strongly than any argument he makes for the books not being anti-Christian.

overview
I'm sorry for those of you who hate Harry Potter because most of the people I know that hate Harry Potter haven't even read the books. They just read some bad reviews. I'm a christian too and I totally get that people could imitate this so-called witchcraft (The spells aren't even real in the book) but most just read the books because they're VERY good and easy to read. But this book here is more just an overview of what happens in the books. If you wanted that then just read the books! But no, some certain people just think the reviews and comments about the book are true and don't even give the books a chance. In one of these "anti-Harry Potter" books I even read that someone got one of the books as a gift or something and just because of these bad review things she threw it right away, not even wanting to read it. Like I said though, this book is basically just telling you what happens in the books with little relations to why we should or shouldn't read these best-selling books I guess. In my opinion 'don't judge a book by it's cover' or how bad the reviews are until you've read because you know what? Those are other people's opinions, not your own. Do you have an opinion? I believe you can only have an opinion if you've read the books yourself, then you tell me if you THINK it's bad or not, that would be your opinion. I like the books, that is my opinion.

Good input into the debate
I had some trouble rating this book, three or four stars. I think that in defending Harry Potter some of the premises go too far but it is still interesting and an informative contribution. If it drives the reader to a dictionary to theological terms I see no harm in that, though personally as a very amateur theologian I had no trouble understanding it. I think it's a mistake to impute an esoteric theological message to the author. As supplementary reading I highly recommend Hal GP Colebatch's "Return of the Heroes: Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and Social Conflict" which I have reviewed on its own page.

Ties with "Irresistible"
I had the hardest time getting in line for this book at the library. It was almost always checked out. It ties as most interesting with "Irresistible" but the focus is on the Christian nature of the stories. Harry turns out to be Jesus made flesh and all the symbolism turns out to be as Christian as C. S. Lewis could wish. As long as you are not an extreme fundamentalist reading these stories turn out to be great Christian literature. In fact, it turns out that all moral narratives are Christian. Dr. Killinger explains why. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

Magnificent, Extraordinary, and Astounding!
This is one amazing product to buy! Every Harry Potter fan should have it! ... Read more

Book Description

Featuring stunning full-color photos from the hit movie throughout, this deluxe songbook contains 11 John Williams compositions arranged for piano solo: The Chamber of Secrets * Dobby the House Elf * Family Portrait * Fawkes the Phoenix * Flying Car * Gilderoy Lockhart * Harry's Wonderous World * Hedwig's Theme * Moaning Myrtle * Nimbus 2000 * The Spiders. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

harry potter is kool
Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets is the coolest book ever!

Truly amazing!!!! ^_^
I love this music!! Just like harry potter and the sorcerer's stone, this piano music is written exactly like the soundtrack. You can even play along with it. lol. The song "The Chamber of Secrets" is my favorite one to play, it really gets you into the dark feeling. "Fawkes the Phoenix" is very beautiful and my second favorite one. "Dobby the House elf" is my third favorite and well, they're all very good and you should buy it! ... Read more

Book Description

This is one of a collection six coloring books that will take fans into the world of the first live action Harry Potter movie. Each coloring book from this series comes with a special "extra" item and includes a cut-out character on the back. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Harry Potter Sorting Hat Ceremony coloring book w/ stickers
It gives kids something constructive to do in their spare time, instead of playing video games all day long. It also helps kids to develope better creativity skills by having them pick how the finished product will look. ... Read more

Book Description

With the phenomenally successful film Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, the bespectacled boy wizard’s popularity shows no signs of slowing. Here is a charmer of a book for everyone who has ever read and loved a Harry Potter book. Now available in paperback, this is a collection of warm and amusing letters in which kids from all over the world express their admiration and affection for the imaginative, resourceful Harry. In addition to a generous sampling of children’s enthusiastic, candid, and often humorous messages that illuminate reader’s love affair with Harry Potter, this book also includes interviews with a number of the letter-writers. In the interviews, Harry’s fans and newfound companions explore their personal enchantment with the young wizard as they consider the effect of the magical Harry on their lives. "The authors ... excitement for and love of the novels are apparent." — School Library Journal ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Harry at his best
The stories of enjoyment and excitment people have written about really struck my fancy. When the Harry Potter series first came out i thought 'Its just another kids book' but when my class was forced to read the first book Harry Potter and the philosephers stone i just had to get the rest of the series. I rate this book 100 out of 100.

a whole differnet world
harry potter has enchanted millions of readers from around the world and pulled the the children away from their television and showed them that reading is fun. read this if you want to see how far a child's imagination can carry him.

It's Great
It's great that people are finally listening to the kids point of views. Its the kids who made this series popular in the first place and then it spread to the parents and to other adults. Without these loyal fans, this series would not have been so popular and its about time that they get some credit for it. ... Read more

Book Description

This is the first Urdu translation of J. K. Rowling's immensely successful Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. An Urdu translation of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets will publish next year. ... Read more

Book Description

Don't miss this great overview of the Harry Potter phenomenon including a fascinating first look at the collectibles and upcoming merchandise, a spotlight on the feature film, a spellbinding journey into the mythology of wizards and magic and much more!Check out our other exciting titles including Ty Beanie Babies, Boyds Bears and Pokemon! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

A Great Little Book, If You Want An HP Collectibles Summary
The amount and variety of Harry Potter merchandise never ceases to amaze me. Rather than collect much of it, just buy this book. The pictures are detailed and printed on high-quality paper. Want to see what some foreign editions look like? It's in here. Want to find out some basic info about J.K. Rowling? It's in here, too.

Sure it resembles a catalog, but what book of collectibles doesn't? Its biggest flaw is being out of date, thereby leaving out quite of bit of recent merchandise, but it's a good start. The focus is on items based on the books, not the movies, which is okay by me. I'm late to HP fandom, so I get to see what I missed out on.

I also had the advantage of seeing this book in a store, so I knew what I was getting. It would be nice if there were an updated second edition, as this one only scratches the surface of HP collecting.

This book will please fans, and irk collectors
The book definitely has an entertaining value, but as far as a book for collectors, it isn't up to par. Most of the sections on Harry Potter collectables are not up to date, and they feature very vague values or prices. I think the reason is that Harry Potter merchandise is fairly new, and so it is hard to calculate an item's worth when it just came on to the market.

The book also includes several interesting sections on the upcoming movie, JK Rowling, and England, which are mildly entertaining. The thing that I thought was the most appealing in the book, however, was a section on Harry Potter around the world. I found it very interesting to see the covers of the Harry Potter books in Germany, France, Japan, and many other countries. Out of everything, I would say that that section helps redeem this book, which is otherwise a failure.

do not read this "book"
this "book" is the worst book i have ever read. the reason is because the "author" is putting 101 advertizements for harry potter mechandise. i reapeat myself, DO NOT READ THIS BOOK!

Merchadising Madness, Editorial Crisis
My previous review of this product was removed by Amazon after receiving 54 of 58 "helpful" votes, with the remark by the editor to me that "It is not clear from reading the review that you have read the book you commented on." I don't see how so many of Amazon's potential customers could disagree, and I assure you all that I have indeed read this "book" and that my comments below are thus informed.

To even consider that this is a "book" is misleading. It is much more of a magazine format, and although it does contain some articles, they are obviously filler for what is otherwise an advertisement for Harry Potter merchandise, of which this book is one. The articles contain nothing that is not readily available elsewhere--much of it available on the net for free. This book seeks not to inform or entertain, but to part you from your hard-earned dollars with the least amount of effort on the publishers. If the "book" were half the price or less it might be a reasonable value. But since the Collector's Value Guide is as expensive as it is, beware of the information included--obviously the "authors" have no true sense of worth.

Were this truly a Collector's Value Guide, there would be some discussion of value, and what value might actually mean when the market is flooded with cheap garbage like pieces of colored plastic that are supposed to be "magical stones" whose real purpose is to enrich their makers, not entertain children. But of course, no such discussion exists. Granted, not every Potter "collectable" is a monstrosity, but how terribly unfortunate that the real value of Harry Potter, the delight of a child, has been eclipsed by the soulless and almightly dollar. The Harry Potter phenomenon is amazing, and I'm delighted to see so many kids interested in reading, and engaged in the worlds of fantasy and imagination, but this "book" is not about that at all. Instead, the "writers" of this "book" have managed to make a "collectable" from a "book" about "collectables." Clearly the world is not the way I'd have it...

Not very good....
I liked the books that CheckerBee Publishing have done in the past like beanie babies, but this book did not have the information I expected. I would not waste my money on this, unless you want to keep track of everything you have bought, but it is not even current.... ... Read more

Book Description

This is one of a collection six coloring books that will take fans into the world of the first live action Harry Potter movie. Each coloring book from this series comes with a special "extra" item and includes a cut-out character on the back. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

lousy pictures
The art in this coloring book is boring. What makes coloring fun is the detail--even for the youngest "artists", simple lines in complete pictures make for better coloring. These pages are not filled--usually there is a central image of Harry, Ron or Hermione or two or three of them--no details of place or action and lots of empty white space around them. Even the glitter glue doesn't make up for this boring collection of coloring pages. Still it is Harry Potter and a true fan will still find some pleasure in it. Also Neville makes a rare appearance. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Harry Potter craze that has swept the world is all the moreremarkable because Harry Potter is a profoundly complex yet terrificallyrealistic character whose experiences at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft andWizardry span the spectrum of childhood trials and tribulations--with a magicaltwist. Teachers who don't take advantage of the wild popularity of J.K.Rowling's Harry Potter series may be missing an educational opportunity of alifetime. With the Harry Potter Literature Guides, educators can directstudents to glean even more gems of brilliance from the series. In theSorcerer's Stone guide, for example, children are encouraged to exploreliterary genre, themes, vocabulary, literary connections, character development,and personal responses to the first book in the series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer'sStone. The lightweight 18-page booklet divides the study of the bookinto chapter groupings (Chapters 1-6, 7-12, and 13-17), features sections on"before reading the book" and summarizing, and includes reproducible handouts.Each chapter exploration includes summary and discussion questions andcross-curricular activities (art, music, writing, drama, literature, logic,etc.). A colorful teaching poster shows a Harry Potter timeline; teachers canuse the poster for still more educational challenges. Take the Harry Potterpassion one step further! (Ages 8 to 11) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Functions differently for children and adults.
I'm a 20 year old college student in the United States and I read HP on a long car ride over Thankgiving. Here's my observations, for what they're worth:

Harry Potter is not popular solely because of the hype machine associated with it. Contrary to what certain elitists will tell you, the average person is not some mindless puppet to be jerked around by big corporations and advertisers. If Harry Potter was a bad book with a good publicity campaign, it would do what bad movies with good publicity campaigns do: make a ton of money initially until bad word of mouth killed it. Harry Potter is a good book--not a great book--but better than some of the "serious" literature currently popular in academic circles, destined to gether dust in the Ivory Tower's attic in ten years.

HP worked for me not so much as an adventure story but as a coming-of-age tale in what is to me (a decidedly non-American educated in public [state run] schools) a strange environment. I thought the book was at its best when it described the everyday experiences of Harry & Co., and bogged down a bit when it came time for the "adventure". I recognize that this is a children's novel, and so the adventure part of the plot must necessarily be kept simple, but an adult who reads regularly will probably find themselves wishing Rowling would have spent a little more time developing the world she's constructed before sending our hero do battle with Voldemort.

Harry Potter is not Hamlet, it's not A Tale of Two Cities, and it's not Ulysses (thank God!). It's not even Alice in Wonderland. That's fine. It's not trying to be, and nobody ever claimed it is. What it is is a neat little coming-of-age tale with a heaping dose of adventure, that just happens to be prying kids away from the TV, the Playstation, and the Internet long enough to read a book, a task our teachers, parents, librarians, academics, and most especially our politicians have thus far failed at miserably.

I am rating the Teaching Guide, not the book!
This teaching guide is very poor. It has very little reproducible material, is not suitable for higher middle level (grades 7 and 8) and gives a cursory sweep through the story adding little that I hadn't thought of myself. I hope others come out with better guides, since this one is doing me absolutely no good. Even the project ideas were dull and unimaginative. Librarians and teachers: Don't waste your money on this one!

There's more to the book, than just fun.
This book, though many people think so, was not written for children only. I was actually written for everybody, because there are something to find in yourself, even if you are an adult. You may have read the book and think that it is just a book for children. But you are wrong. The book is loaded with interesting views on real life. For example, in the best school for normal people, to prepare the kids for future life, kids are required to carry a stick to hit each other when the teachers are not looking. So when you read it again, considering this approach, I believe you will like it more.

This Book Rules
This book rules. It's a cool fantasy adventure. Harry flys a broom. He uses magic. The is really cool. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Even adults can enjoy this ... well almost
Much has been made of the Harry Potter series. Here in the UK the hype has been almost at fever-pitch with the publication of the latest in the series. With all the fuss, and my nephew an enthusiastic reader of these books I thought I'd find out for myself whether the accolade was appropriate.

Adults, friends of mine amongst them, have read the book for themsleves (as opposed to reading it aloud to their offspring) and while I decided I wouldn't be seen reading it on a train, I would do so in the evenings.

It's very readable. Rowling manages the difficult balance between readability pitched at a young age and a fairly complex plot. My own love of literature was nurtured on Enid Blyton's Famous Five books, the style and grammatical content of which are execrable. I found this to my cost when trying to read them aloud to my children many years ago and began to realize why many libraries in the UK had banned her from their lists. Rowling's construction, on the other hand, is excellent and reads well aloud. I understand that her later novels in the series are even better, interweaving more complexity for 'older' appeal into the work. This may well encourage me to borrow the next novel from my long-suffering nephew.

Rowling also doesn't fall into the trap of dishing up cheesy humour for the youngsters but opts rather more for a nascent dry humour which is more stylish and may well prepare youngsters for a more advanced appreciation of humorous literature.

The characters are reasonably three-dimensional for a children's novel, and the story-line holds up well for the most part. Her inventiveness in the paraphernalia of the magic world, and in particular the game of Quidditch is particularly to be commended. There is even a moral message in this novel, one of not judging too hastily who is one's friend and who is one's enemy, an excellent topic for human cubs developing interpersonal skills without guidance.

The content is, however, very British (I almost said English but she's Welsh) and I can see where some references might need explanation to American readers, but this will not detract from the novel's enjoyability.

In summary, then, an excellent read for 9 to 13 year-olds, an amusing read for adults and pleasantly engaging to read aloud to young family members.

A hit.

wizarding about
This is the best book of the Harry Potter series so far! When Hagrid tells Harry that he is a wizard it's just so exiting for him and you don't know what is going to happen. I think it would be so good to be told you're a wizard (or a witch) and be famous too. J.K. Rowling is a really fantastic author! She makes up the most interesting names for the people and places, like platform nine and three quarters. My favourite character is Ron Weasley. Also I like his pet rat Scabbers! I'd like to taste the lollies and food in the wizard and witch world and especially butterbeer. I think it was interesting how you didn't know what was going to happen next. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone is truly the best book in the series so far, in my opinion! I would recommend it to anyone from the age of six to sixty and over! J.K. Rowling is the best author to come up with a book that would be loved so much all around the world. Keep up the good work and keep writing those Harry Potter books, J.K. Rowling! ... Read more

Book Description

They're fascinating and they're fatal.

They're trained assassins-the targeted subjects of this killer collection of brand-new tales featuring the hottest hit men-and women-in fantasy today.

With a new Nightfall story by best-selling author Mickey Zucker Reichert, a dangerous turn with Tanya Huff's duo, Vree and Bannon, and a killer surprise from Michelle West's Kallandras-this is, truly, an anthology to die for. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Slight Overkill
I love assassins. Using their wits, stealth, skill and the judicious use of force to complete their mission they appeal to someone who wants more than a mighty thewed warrior hewing his way to success.

That being said, there's one thing assassins do. They kill, or at least try to. A book full of assassin stories, no matter how varied the collection tries to make the stories, does get a bit tiresome if they are are not all superlative.

In this case, the middle stories are particularly weak. Halfway through the book I was composing a three star review. However, the beginning and end containg strong stories.

Particulary strong are the Tanya Huff story, the Edgehill, Lindskold and West. One of the joys of short story collections is the introduction to new authors. In this case I will definitely be picking up the Huff, Lindskold and West novels featuring these characters and/or locales.

15 tales of professional killers
My favorite stories are those that remind me of Looking Glass Studios' _Thief_ games; a *real* sneaker leaves no traces, other than the job having been done.

Arntzen, Bernie: "On My Honor" Nicholas, the narrator, is and isn't the Oranian Royal Assassin; he's also Roarke's most secret agent in the Oranian court. Now he's been ordered to bite off the hand that feeds him: the queen has ordered him to kill her despicable brother-in-law, the King of Roarke. (Nicholas' humor isn't quenched by his dilemma. "Assassin sarcasm. Another occupational hazard.")

Edgerton, Teresa: "Dying By Inches" Set in the same world as _The Queen's Necklace_. Few of the Rowans survived the two years of imprisonment in barbarous conditions before their names were cleared. When Odilia hears a rumour that the Marquis committed the crime that sent her family into limbo, she plans to exact revenge, with or without proof.

Edghill, Rosemary: "War of the Roses" In the Argestian States, assassins have replaced war as the last resort of diplomacy. But checks and balances are necessary: the Flower Guild exists to hunt down assassins who have become too dangerous. Redlorn, who styles himself the Red Rose, is their next target; the Guild's agent is the legendary White Rose. The feel is _Thief_-like, as Redlorn makes a point of getting into and out of his target's home without touching the guards, and *his* pursuer likewise toys with *him*.

Elrod, P.N. "Myhr's Adventure in Hell" Terrin and Myhr *really* want to earn enough gemstones to let them escape to a more civilized world, broadly defining 'civilized' in terms of plumbing. Their client's husband - this world's Hitler-equivalent - is already dead; she wants to make sure his soul can never reincarnate. Myhr, the narrator, is nominated by his wizard-partner to make the hit. (Myhr trusts him on magic, if not on splitting red velvet cake equally.)

Flewelling, Lynn: "Raven's Cut" The young foreign assassin, when it's his turn to tell the evening's tale, remembers the best assassin he ever knew.

Huff, Tanya: "Death Rites" Very Thiefy feel: the two young assassins attached to 7th Army are the best hope of prying the rebel commander out of her captured stronghold - the secret entrance can't be blocked without cutting off her water supply.

Jefferson, Leyte: "He" Moonback is an assassin whose master remade him into a werewolf. His canine instincts predominate as the moon waxes; at that point, even in human form he reacts like a dog, approaching his master on his belly, licking his hands - losing some of his vocabulary, but remembering some of his professional skills even when he can't remember the word 'army'. Disturbing.

Leigh, Stephen: "Green Stones" The scarred man is only the latest in a long series of fools seeking to learn at the feet of the Green Stone. The trademark green stones left on the victims were always from the flanks of Goat Fell, so the would-be assassin's apprentice has come to Maire's lonely tavern. (Scar doesn't have the sense he was born with, but the reader shouldn't be *too* smug.)

Lindskold, Jane: "A Touch of Poison" Set in the same world as _Through Wolf's Eyes_. The assassins' tool of choice to reach the Supreme Affluent is Adalia, his chief baker; they've taken her infant son as surety. But Adalia knows she has no guarantee they'll return the baby, or that they won't reveal whose hand poisoned her master's pastry. (The culture of Waterland, where administration - there is no 'government' as such - and status are tied directly to money, is interesting in itself.)

Oster, Anna: Mallon is being stalked by a young fool who believes she killed his sister; Mallon, in exasperation, tells him he should have studied "History and Economics" instead of (obviously) poetry at university. (The Silent Guild is quite legal - and it's the client, not the assassin, the boy should be concerned with.)

Patton, Fiona: "The Svedali Foundlings" 'In Cercicava, the dead were revered far more than the living.' Coll can testify to this on several counts; he survived the burning of the Svedali Innocenti Foundling Home fourteen years ago during the duc's little expansion project for the necropolis, only to be picked up as an organ collector by the death mages. But someone else survived the burning: Drey, an assassin now stalking the corridors of power.

Reichert, Mickey Zucker: "Darkness Comes Together" Josafah envies the fame of the assassin known as Nightfall; no hire would dare waste Nightfall's time, as he'd just as soon destroy an unworthy hire as destroy his target. When Josafah encounters Nightfall outside his target's home, he suggests that they cooperate - who's to know? (Josafah's gratuitous violence contrasts with Nightfall's minimalist approach.)

Rusch, Kristine Kathryn: "Coin of the Realm" Orsem's assassins are competing for the public executioner's job - most of whose work is outside the kingdom - and the winner will be he who kills the most important victim, increasing the king's holdings in the process. *Not* the safest time to bring foreign dignitaries to court, as the king's daughter Rosalind is being sold into marriage to a neighbouring kingdom's heir.

Sherman, Josepha: "Never Say...Uh...Die?" Rather than ordinary humans, the narrator assassinates rampaging ogres, sorcerers plotting to usurp kingdoms - like that. His current target, a Koshchei, has learned subtlety in the art of hiding his heart outside his body. (*Not* a retelling of the Firebird legend.)

West, Michelle: "Echoes" Kallandras' family was murdered because someone learned they had a child with demonic powers - command-voice, among other things - and sought to take him. Kallandras survived as a beggar until the day the Kovaschii, the brotherhood serving the Lady's darkest face, took him for testing. The story is told in flashback, as the adult Kallandras remembers the tests of his training in a land far away.

A varied look at the assassin
Assassin's are extremely difficult characters to write. If you do it wrong, the assassin becomes a monster that no one can relate to. Or becomes self-rightous and hypocritical.
In this book there are 15 stories of assassins who are unique characters unto themselves, and no where near typical.
My favorites were Death Rites, about the brother sister team of Vree and Bannon, assassins for the empire. Also Coin of the Realm, which gave a very interesting twist, and Darkness Comes Together, about an assassin who is nearly as dangerous to his employer as his mark.
Echos was a good story to me, but then I have read the other books featuring Kallandras. For thoses who haven't, it may just be a little confusing.
I didn't care much for He, or for History and Economics or Dying By Inches. They seemed a little stilted, and not quite as smoothly flowing as some of the others.
But all in all, this was a good book, especially if you enjoy tales of darkness and deception, and of the ever mysterous assassin.
All assassin lovers should give this book a try.

Anthology about assassins and their work
As with all anthologies, the stories here vary in quality. I particularly liked Tanya Huff's story of the brother and sister assassin team that she later featured in her novel _Fifth Quarter,_ and Fiona Patton's tale of a slightly-alternate magical Italy where "death mages" and the Church wage an underground war. The nice thing about anthologies in general is that they can make one aware of writers, and works, that one might miss otherwise. The bad thing is that the quality of stories can be very uneven, but that's not much in evidence here---Greenberg's an experienced editor working with pros.

A fascinating anthology
The word assassins conjure up nasty professional hit men killing for money or a cause. However, this wonderful fifteen story collection paints a wider range of motives for why assassins, veterans and rookies, do what they do. Each story is cleverly designed and entertaining and includes a few old pros from other tales. The authors are highly regarded by fans and critics with each showing why. This reviewer reading one short story a night over two weeks and a day found ASSASSINS FANTASTIC.

Harriet Klausner ... Read more