Five stars from this well satisfied reader. Hammer of Thor is so much more ...
595128
Five stars from this well satisfied reader.
Hammer of Thor is so much more than just a fantasy book. It is a novel that touches on war, history, culture, and even language. It has great twists you don't see coming. It is obvious that a great deal of research went into the novel. Townsend takes history and manipulates it for his own ends, and the end results are amazing. The writing style is immediate yet visual. I highly recommend this novel and cant wait to read more of Townsends work.
3690237
As I am more into fantasy than sci-fi, this is my first Bujold's book. I am pleasantly surprised and found myself unable to put the book down, savoring every page. Bujold has created a colourful world filled with intrigues and embellished with vividly alive characters. Cazaril is a wonderfully appealing hero. A man nearly destroyed by betrayal and sufferings, Cazaril still manages to live and fight for another day. His will to overcome every obstacle thrown in his path and rising to the occassion to achieve the impossible is the strength of the story. His devotion to his ladies is beautifully written and especially touching. This is one fantasy in which I find the ending most satisfying. Still I am wishful for more from Cazaril and his ladies. Bujold is famous for her Miles series but that is sci-fi. Bujold, how about extending "The Curse of Chalion" into "Cazaril and his ladies" fantasy series. This book is a must read.
1750613
Plain and simple, The Rift Riders is a great read. I love the infusion of mythology, the growth of his very real characters, the action pace, and the fantastic story that seams it all together. Mr. Leonard is as skillfully adept with a writer's pen as he is with an artist's brush. While not normally a teen fiction reader, I look forward to the release of Dawn of the Reaper (book 2). Keep updated and follow two other releases on the author's personal website. Be sure to use his middle initial when you do your search.
4070465
I chuckled, I gasped, I'll never look at Silly Putty the same way again.

This riveting quest, with its instantly likable hero, chilling adversaries, fantastical creatures, and search for a tantalizing treasure grabs you and never lets go. If you want to see a fight between headless tribesman and fiery skeleton warriors, this book delivers. I'd love to see a Ray Harryhausen (of stop-motion special effects fame) treatment of the many jaw-dropping scenes.

The author utilizes his well-honed knowledge of Arabian culture, lore, myths and banter to sculpt a rich and exciting story as any experienced by a certain other Arabian sailor. Witty dialogue and narration gives the characters and action a satisfying depth. Other treats are the clever nods, cameos, really, to famous figures from well known mythological literature.  Azzam is reminiscent of an Islamic-esque Indiana Jones adventure, making it all-around awesome.

 I could easily savor adventure after adventure penned by this author. I can't wait for his next book(s)!

I think this book is now available for the Kindle.
1282723
I have delayed reading this because I need to find the time for this 10 books epic, with little breaks in-between. I finally did get to read it. It is such a wonderful, riveting and amazing experience. The best fantasy i have read in a long long time. Such vivid and brilliant descriptions that it is like watching live action right before my eyes. I treasure every minute of my reading journey with John and Kyle. Just when I thought this is where the plot is taking me and then I get a great surprise, even stunned, and  isn't that what a great story should be able to do. I will not even try to go into the plot because it will not do this amazing series any justice and will only spoil it for any potential reader. My take is that if you love fantasies just plunge into it heads-on without reading any blurb. You will enjoy it even more for it. The ending came too quickly, even if most fitting. I want much much more  but this is what happen with any great stories. Brilliant writing. Magnificent plot with time travelling, alternate world and the concept of the all powerful and almighty taken to a whole new meaning. Complex, excellent and remarkable world building. On the personal front, I love John and Kyle and their all consuming and convincing love story. My only problem is that I now will likely find my next book short. Bravo and thank you Ginn Hale for such a wonderful few days.
762903
If I could review this book in only one word: FANTASTIC. This book was truly a pleasure to read. The story is easy to understand at the beginning, but it is obvious that the author has many plans for his characters in the future. The characters are also well thought out, and definitely likeable. It seems as if the main characters are different aspects of the author's personality, and it shows. I also thoroughly enjoyed the book's numerous references to pop culture, as well as other things that have clearly influenced the author. The main weapon in this book, called a "sworb", is a unique weapon that I personally think has a lot of potential. But really, what is a novel worth without a good story? I was pleasantly surprised by how natural the story expanded throughout the adventure. I sincerely hope that this book has many sequels, as I am compelled to buy each and every book this author churns out. Don't miss this book!
1866001
If you're looking for a fantasy novel that steps away from tired, Tolkien-esque tropes, look no further than Linda Nagata's The Dread Hammer.

Nagata's skill in world building ranks among the best I've seen in Fantasy literature.  Details about the geography and cultures of the Puzzle Lands are interwoven throughout the novel with an easy grace that avoids bogging the reader down in ponderous details and complements the forward motion of the story.  The world Nagata crafts in this book eschews the over played imagery of Western European-inspired fantasy and has a spirit and character all its own.

Richly developed characters drive the action of the novel and lend it the feel of an epic fantasy without the page count.  The book's hero, Smoke, is an almost mythic figure: complex, powerful, and conflicted.  Smoke's relationships are filled with turmoil, passion, and deeply human moments.  Smoke's vulnerability serves as an excellent contrast to his power.

After finishing the book, I could hardly believe The Dread Hammer was Nagata's first fantasy novel.  Her love of the genre and respect for its hallmarks is evident throughout the book, as is her skill at pushing the boundaries of the genre into refreshing territory.  I look forward to the next book and her future works.
2317015
I am really surprised to see there are no reviews for this magnificent tale, so I decided to correct this wrong. I have always thought that heroes are defined by who they fight, but this is not always so cut and dry in comic books, often I have found that the stories that stick out in my mind are where the villain takes the stage.
This story begins with Loki finally in place as Lord of Asgard, his enemies defeated and Thor powerless to stop him. Rather than dealing with the how we got here, the story concentrates on now that Loki has achieved his fondest desire, and what he will chose to do once Hela (the goddess of death in this mythology) comes to claim Thor for her own, and whether Loki will give him up...
I don't want to give much away, but this extra sized (don't know why Marvel didn't stick with this format on more recent offerings) hardcover is beautifully illustrated by Esad Ribic, who's moody work and pacing really give this story the dignity and atmosphere of a Wagner opera play.

This the ultimate Loki story, where the origins of who he is and the things he does are made clear, and rather than trying to revamp the character it magnificently gives him a backstory that makes his relationship with his step brother Thor, Odin and the rest of the Asgardean pantheon to be viewed under a completely new light.
If you are the slightest bit interested in Thor, or Marvel mythos (or if you think Doctor Doom is the be all end all for bad guys) you owe it to yourself to get this magnificent hardcover, you won't regret it.

EDIT
Some people have commented on the animation of the motion comic, but I found it to perfectly serviceable and it reminded me strongly of the animation used in the Marvel Super Heroes cartoon from the 60s, to me it looks good and makes a nice introduction to people who might not care to sit down and read the story, plus the voice acting is excelent
3285994
This volume of "The Mighty Thor" by Walter Simonson continues the epic story from the last and concludes the Surtur Saga in a spectacular fashion.  The action is thick and fast and epic (with language to match - some don't like it but I find the embellished prose and dialogue to be appropriate and delightful), and you will thrill to the giant battles between the forces of Asgard (which include familiar allies such as The Avengers and The Fantastic Four) and the fire demons - as well as wonder why *this* hasn't been adapted as a Thor movie yet.  There are great small moments too, though, not to be overshadowed by the grandiose.  You will laugh and cry and *feel* along with the characters - Balder in particular, who undergoes a journey of self-discovery to become The Brave once again.  This volume wraps things up pretty nicely (although there are some unresolved items) so you won't be left hanging *too* much in anticipation of the next book.

The only thing I don't like is about this book is that - as a compilation of issue comics - earlier events are constantly referenced by referring to previous issues, to benefit those who did not buy the previous issue or forgot about it.  It would have been nice to edit these out for this book seeing as how the reader can now read the whole story like a novel - we can do without the constant references to what has come before.  Oh well.  A minor quibble.

This new printing is basically for those who could not buy the now out of print Simonson&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Thor-Omnibus/dp/0785146334/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Thor Omnibus</a>&nbsp;back in 2011 or who want to get the story in smaller chunks (that omnibus was a monster!).  It uses the same new re-coloring as the omnibus, which is alright (I prefer the original coloring although in the end it's really apples and oranges... the original is more bold and expressionistic while the redo is more realistic and chromatic).  Print quality is good, although some of the pages take the artwork too close to the spine and make the text difficult to read.  The paper isn't glossy but it is good quality.  There is a brief art section and cover gallery included at the end of the book.  Overall this is a nicely done paperback.  And it's even printed in the USA!

So verily, support thy American jobs and purchaseth this epic tome of "The Mighty Thor"!  Thou shalt not regret it.
879828
All too often, a sequel is a let-down, but not with Raven's Feast. It's better than the first book in the series, God's Hammer - which was pretty fantastic in its own right. This book builds on a very strong central character in Hakon, who journeys through a lot of ups and downs as he takes his place as king. The plot is tightly written; I never felt bored (despite not typically liking "battle books"). And the character development is excellent. I was sad when this book was over and can't wait to see what happens next...
631374
I was never much of a fan for "sword and sandal" tales; the few I'd read prior to Hero for Hire were... to be blunt, abysmal.  I'm also not a fan of stories written in the first person narrative.  So why did I read it, much less write a four-star review?  I read on because the writing was so much better than my previous reads in this genre and the story itself was better, too.  And, thanks to C.B. Pratt's ability to establish a lead character (and narrator) that was not only funny, Eno the Thracian was also believable, and a worthy protagonist that quickly overruled my dislike for first person narrators.  A Hero for Hire, Eno accepts a job that evolves into a wholly different situation that not only creates a more dangerous environment for him and his newly acquired side-kick, Phandros; he also has to confront some of Greek mythology's most evil gods and goddesses.  Obviously, Eno succeeds and survives (Hero for Hire is clearly labeled the first of a series), but how he does so provides the entertaining and educating(regards Greek mythology)ride to an obvious ending.  I definitely recommend Hero for Hire to fans of this genre, and I will probably read the next book in the series.
1769611
This series really blew me away. As an adult reader who doesn't care much for superhero comics, this volume grabbed me and drew me in. The art is great, in my opinion, and the story is very well-told and the narrative is nuanced. Satisfying, rewarding read.
2740135
I found this book to be a truly refreshing read. It breaks free from so many of the bindings that modern fantasy suffers from and takes the reader back to what first drew them to reading good fantasy in the first place. This is a journey to another time and place and Kvothe is a fascinating hero. The style and tale continually hint at a much larger and more detailed world and story than that which can be contained in this book. I for one hope that when the trilogy is complete, there are still stories left untold and mysteries in the world that Kvothe and the other characters inhabit. "The Name of the Wind" was everything I was looking for and more. I read a number of reviews and had my hopes high and it was so nice to have my expectations exceeded by a book for the first time in a long time.

To compare this to any other story or Rothfuss to any other author I've read would be cliche, at best.  Like the best stories, it combines a number of elements that are familiar and that's okay as long as, the story you are reading reminds you of these others but, doesn't suffer through the comparison. "The Name of the Wind" doesn't suffer from comparing it to some of the greats in fantasy.

I found the dialogue incredibly clever and at times genuinely hilarious. The character development was tremendous and the story was told in the finest fashion. It leaves the reader wanting more as it goes along and savoring every page as it nears its conclusion. Really, good story telling at its finest and one of the very best that I've read in a long, long time. I can't wait for "Wise Man's Fear" because Day One will be a tough one to follow!
4340477
This is one of the best pirate series out there - and Thor finally has his own novel - yay!!!  Our hero suffered a devastating loss in his childhood, and revenge became his constant companion. Alesia, a poor wharf rat, had a hard life and awful circumstances. She tries to better her future when she meets up with Thor.  She's the most feisty and fearless heroine I have ever read about.  Thor met his match when they crossed paths, as they were just meant to be with each other; this is a hero and heroine you cannot forget. The writing was flawless, the plot superb, and the ending was just beautiful.  I have very few re-read novels, and this story is included in my top 5; it is that good!  If Ms. Knight wrote more adventures about this couple, I would definitely purchase them.
4896225
What an amazing book! I don't normally read YA but a combination of the author, cover art and Norse mythology drew me in.

Obviously, Harris wouldn't let me down - so here's a tough as nails female protagonist with NO ROMANTIC INTERESTS! Nope, Maddy's too busy saving the worlds from being destroyed for any of that nonsense.

There's nothing condescending about this book, it complements Norse mythology perfectly and encourages you to go pick up a copy of the Poetic Edda to fill in the gaps. True to the original Norse myths, this isn't just a story of valour and other typical Gryffindorian traits but also plenty of trickery (well it does have Loki in it!), doublecrossing and manipulation - Maddy is only 14 and new to these kinds of games so she's on a steep learning curve once she throws her lot in with the gods.

My favourite character in this book, unsurprisingly, was Loki. He really does get the short end of the stick in all things. Harris doesn't cast any judgements on her characters and label the gods as good or evil.

Mythology fans of all ages will love this exceptionally well written book, I can imagine it making a wonderful book to read together as a family if you have teens (or are a teen with parents who should read better books).
2255328
I've enjoyed Brad Thor for a few years now, and when I had the opportunity to get his repertoire for Kindle, I didn't hesitate.  None of his works, thusfar, are "high literature," but that's OK.  What I have found is that his books ARE very engaging and fun to read.  The protagonist is, in my view, a sort of ultrapatriotic action hero, without superpowers but with a LOT of connections.  Thor manages to make his villains believable and evil, but doesn't just paint them as two-dimensional.  I've also been impressed with the character relationships that have permeated his novels and, like life, continue to grow, change, ebb, and flow.
I'd recommend these to anyone looking for a rollicking good time (a la Dirk Pitt) but with a more political, serious bent.
2586247
Thor has never really struck a chord with me. I always found his appearances to be somewhat stale because I always had trouble with an accented Norse God fitting into the "real" feel of the Marvel Universe, but his awesome power and adventures always intrigued me. It was always aspects of Thor that I found so cool - the fact that only worthy people can lift Mjolnir, and he had some pretty neat villains. I've always found his supporting cast stale as well. Basically, I need some characterization on my Thor. JMS starts us down that path in this volume. He comes up with a phenomenal way to bridge the gap between Civil War's events and a great inspiring way to bring Thor back from his absence since Ragnarok. Because of the way JMS brings Thor back to life, it's a great jumping on point for new readers, like myself. I haven't read anything Thor since the 90s. But anyway, along with a fresh start, we get a mission for Thor, which I think is so essential. I always felt he floundered just being a god on Earth, but here we have a reason for him being here - finding his fellow Asgardians, locked within human beings scattered across the globe. It's really a story about finding your family, which is awesome. I believe that given time JMS will flesh Thor out more and have time for characterization, but the brooding lonely man we find in Volume 1 adds a depth to Thor. You can see amazingly well how much he misses 1) old times with the Avengers and 2) his family. Plus we get to see him face Iron Man for the first time since Civil War! (Will we ever get to see him face Reed Richards? I hope so!) The direction, fresh take, and especially the art of Olivier Coipel, which is absolutely gorgeous, have me clamoring for Volume 2. Coipel can weave the fantastic with the mundane, humor with action, it's great storytelling art. The changes to the costume?! Such a non-issue to me, it's not even worth mentioning. Thor looks great, updated for a post-Civil War Marvel U.