Book Description
Verily, the heroes of Penny Arcade return in the second volume of valiant chivalric deeds of brave heroism, heroic gallantry and gallant bravery! Forsooth! Sir Gabe and Sir Tycho return in Epic Legends of the Magic Sword Kings! Collecting all the Penny Arcade strips posted online from 2001 and 2002, Volume 2 includes creator commentary, a sketchbook section and an introduction from somebody sort of famous! If you haven't heard of Penny Arcade, the most poplular online comic ever, it might not be too late to salvage whatever reputation you have and get in on the fun all the cool people have been having. We won't tell anyone.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent.......2007-07-16
I love Penny Arcade. The thing I enjoyed most about their books is the commentary that goes along with each comic. This is a must for Penny Arcade fans.
The hilarity continues.......2007-05-21
Though the entire Penny Arcade archive is available on their website, the extras contained in the print versions make them well worth the purchase. In this second collection, witty commentary accompanies each comic, as well as artwork from the Penny Arcade card game and a "boneyard" of aborted or half finished ideas. Surely the humor contained therein is not to everyones taste, but to those who love it, Epic Legends of the Sword Kings will make a fine addition to your library.
Wonderful!.......2007-01-19
The book was a Christmas present and it came in beautiful condition. Thanks!
Penny Arcade = Great Web-Comic.......2006-08-27
Penny Arcade is a comic that has been around for almost a full decade now, so it is nice that this year they are finally releasing a series of books that bring the comics into our homes without the need for a computer and internet, excluding how you buy the book itself.
This contains the second volume of the series, or all the comics done in 2001 + bonus art and attempts for other webcomics, and it nicely fills out the 150 page book. All the comics are funny start to finish, with plenty of classics filling the book.
I highly recommend the book for readers of any form of comics, and I also recommend it for people who love video games, though my bet is that they cant read this due to playing something like WOW right now.
Good collection of a great Webcomic.......2006-08-20
Penny Arcade isn't my favorite webcomic (that honor goes to PVP), but it's up there, and I'm very happy that Dark Horse comics has begun reprinting the entire run of the series. This second volume collects all of the strips from 2001. Holkins and Krahulik don't use many long-running storylines or, for that matter, any continuity at all, so you can't really expound upon the stories here. Holkins also includes some of his vintage blog posts, detailing stories such as how a rat infestation led to his eviction and tne now-classic "Walnut Saga," which are amusing stories as their own right. The strips are as sharp and clever as ever, without any of the early strips where they were still trying to find their groove, such as those we found in volume one. The book is backed by images from the Penny Arcade card game and some unpublished concepts from Holkins and Krahulik to fill out the book. Some of the stuff at the end feels kind of like padding, but it's still a fun read.
Book Description
In Wizard's First Rule, Richard Cypher's world was turned upside down. Once a simple woods guide, Richard was forced to become the Seeker of Truth, to save the world from the vile dominance of Darken Rahl, the most viciously savage and powerful wizard the world had ever seen. He was joined on this epic quest by his beloved Kahlan, the only survivor among the Confessors, who brought a powerful but benevolent justice to the land before Rahl's evil scourge. Aided by Zedd, the last of the wizards who opposed Rahl, they were able to cast him into the underworld, saving the world from the living hell of life under Rahl.
But the veil to the underworld has been torn, and Rahl, from beyond the veil, begins to summon a sinister power more dreadful than any he has wielded before. Horrifying creatures escape through the torn veil, wreaking havoc on the unsuspecting world above.
If Rahl isn't stopped, he will free the Keeper itself, an evil entity whose power is so vast and foul that once freed, it can never again be contained.
Customer Reviews:
Bang for the Buck.......2007-09-18
I've given this book 4 stars not because it's great literature (it isn't), or because it's a spectacular fantasy (it isn't), but because it's a good long story for seven or eight bucks. A self-contained story, by the way--I don't have to read forty more books to find out what happens.
There are some irritating things; it seems like Richard and Kahlan do a ton of crying and combing their hair with their fingers. But there's action, plot twists, likeable characters, and even a hint of sex. I put Goodkind below George R.R. Martin (who may never finish his series) and Robert Jordan (whose series drags along and seems like it will never end).
All in all, it's an interesting read.
Keep them coming!.......2007-09-17
For Terry Goodkind and Sword of the Truth fans, you just have to read book 2!
A level-headed review.......2007-08-15
By now you've seen reviews of this book that hype it as the best thing ever, and those that slam it for the violence and rape images. I will do neither. I give it 5 stars based on one thing: its ability to keep me turning page after page, not wanting to put the book down. The only other book in this series that accomplishes that feat for me is Faith of the Fallen. Some reviewers claim they know Fantasy. I know Fantasy Fiction myself...my library contains over 500 books in the genre, and I am a writer myself, though I have not yet sought to publish my work.
Yes, there are acts of violence and rape described in this book. It's probably overdone to drive home just how evil the enemy is, so that Richard's actions are all the more justified. Unnecessary, yes. But ultimately it has a place in my library. You see, if every book on my shelf were The Sword of Shannara, that would be incredibly boring. No knock aginst Terry Brooks, I enjoy his books and am just using this as an example. It is the diversity of the material that makes the reading worthwhile. There is nothing out there like The Sword of Truth series. Though people will claim the Sword of Truth is similar to the Wheel of Time series, the latter has child-like characters, way too many side stories and characters, does not possess the violence and graphic descriptions, and the villians are forgettable. So Goodkind sits on my shelf next to Zelazny's Amber, Moorcock's Elric, Brooks's Shannara, Hobb's Assassin, and many others...and holds its own place for what it brings to the table.
For those who choose to explore it, this book holds some fascinating elements such as the Sliph, the Mriswrath Cape, the Black and White Towers, how prophecy works and much more. No other book in the series brings out such a variety of fantastic elements.
My final thought on the entire series is that it was intended as two trilogies, with Wizard's First Rule through Blood of the Fold as the first, and the Chainfire trilogy as the second. But perhaps after the success of the first two books, someone in Goodkind's camp looked over at the bloated garbage Jordan was writing (and the money he was making) and said, "hey, we can do that too!" Every book in between the "two trilogies" I have described above does little to advance the overall plot, which explains why they are the least popular. Although, without the bloating, we would never have been gifted with the excellent Faith of the Fallen. But that is a story (or should I say review) for another day...
Hit or Miss: Mostly a Whiff.......2007-08-11
Pros:
--Richard
--Seamless fantasy world building
--Individual scenes of excellent prose
As a lover of fantasy, I appreciate Terry Goodkind's world building skills. He does a phenomenal job creating a world where magic is part of Nature's balance both in the world of the living (The Creator) and the dead (The Keeper). His prose, in varying stretches of the novel, leads me to forgetting that I'm reading as I become immersed in individual scenes.
So why 2 stars?
Con:
--Overwritten scenes that become tired melodrama
--Characters with conflicting behaviors and actions
--Overkill of author's drama for anti-woman sentiment
--Simplistic and overdose of rape (This book is NC17)
The characters are far too inconsistent in their behaviors and actions, and storytelling is overdone. Let me say first that Richard is consistent in his personality and actions. He's the only one. The rest of the main characters, especially Kahlan succumb to the Wizard's First Rule, that people will believe in something out of fear or ignorance. One might argue that even the wise fall prey. That's potential good drama. Bad drama is when the characters you've been led to believe are wise, assertive, and make good decisions under great stress, "repeatedly" act like they have no sense in the world. Because I respect Kahlan's character and the others like Zed, I found the unusual behaviors contrived by the author just to magnify some "dramatic" moment. The result consistently fell flat and largely unimaginative.
It's Goodkind's prerogative to create a world where misogyny breeds under the surface ready to explode. In Stone of Tears, readers are beaten over the head with it. Several rape scenes (implied to uncomfortably graphic) are used at pivotal moments in the story where a modestly skillful writer could have created horror and sympathy in less "in your face" detail. From villains spouting their views to getting into a woman's head while she is being raped did not help those story moments move forward, NOR did they serve any moral point of reflection that might have remotely support the content.
When the story focused on Richard and his struggles, there was drama, character complexity, and, yes, moments of "ahas" for the reader as Richard grows into accepting himself (minus the melodramatic hint of a Romeo and Juliet suicide). The rest can be skipped over unless one has a voyeur desire for bad soap opera. If you read only Richard's story, you will have a great journey. Terry Goodkind understands his main character and Richard's story.
Or perhaps, check out a book by David Gemmell, David Duncan, or Jennifer Roberson.
A great read.......2007-07-22
Since I bought the MP3/CD edition, I have two things to comment on, the book itself and the cd production and format.
Goodkind reminds me of Herman Wouk, in both the good and not so good ways. Reading Winds of War, by Wouk, I thought "I wish a better writer could have written this story," as I read on avidly, page after page. He had a way of telling you the same thing three times, or using clunky language. But, then I realized: No other writer thought of this story, it didn't exist before Wouk created it. And I couldn't stop reading the book. Sometimes, a great storyteller is a great stylist, but the most important thing is that he or she tells a great, compelling story. And Terry Goodkind does that. Sometimes, he spends way too many pages telling us something he could have told us in one, but, ultimately, it is well worth the read. It's a powerfully imagined world.
The MP3/CD format worked fine in Media Player and iTunes, once it was imported, but wouldn't play on the car CD player, nor directly off the CD on any other CD Player I tried.
Jim Bond, the narrator, does a consistently good job, giving distinctly different voices for each of the characters. The sound quality is excellent.
Amazon.com
The First Swords were forged by the gods as pieces in a great game, to be scattered across the world for mortals to fight over. Each of the 12 Swords was infused with a unique, powerful ability: the Sword of Siege could reduce a castle to rubble; Coinspinner would bring its wielder phenomenal luck; Shieldbreaker could best any weapon, even another Sword; Sightblinder would make its wielder appear to others as someone either greatly loved or greatly feared. These three books--the First, Second, and Third Book of Swords, first published in 1983 and 1984 and combined here in one volume--follow the slippery Swords as they pass from hand to hand, from queen to commoner and back again.
This trilogy probably qualifies as a fantasy classic just because it's such a great story. And it's probably so well loved because Saberhagen is such a genius. But what really cements the Swords books in the fantasy canon is simply that they tell a smart, involving story without ever getting bogged down in details. Many current authors, with their endless sequels and flabby plot lines, could learn from Saberhagen's tight pacing. Just as his equally engaging Berserker stories are a must for SF fans, no fantasy reader should miss out on these well-executed (and addictive!) books. --Paul Hughes
Book Description
Fred Saberhagen's Book of Swords novels have captivated fantasy readers for more than a decade. Here, now available in one volume, are the three books that started it all.For a game the gods have given the world twelve Swords of Power so that they might be amused as the nations battle for their possession. But Vulcan the Smith has had his own little joke: the Swords can kill the gods themselves. What started out as Divine Jest has become all too serious as the gods fight to recover the Swords, and mortals discover that the mantle of power is more delicious and more terrible than anything they could have imagined.
Customer Reviews:
A good fantasy read.......2007-09-08
The setting takes place on earth and the Greek gods on high. They decide to play a game with vulcan making twelve swords, each with a special power. The swords are given to humans who are spun in a fantastic plot of world domination and even god killing. At times a bit of megalomania comes in but it is such great read, you won't be disapointed.
A decent read mostly.......2007-01-11
The first book of swords is the best.It was good and didn't wander too much,Saberhagen just tries to fit too much in and eventually runs the story to the ground.But I repeat Read the first three anyways,they do make for a good read.
great fun!.......2005-11-21
This book will never be mistaken as great literature, but it sure was a fun read. Lots of nice plot devices, and a unique story idea!
Great Collection.......2005-09-02
Fred Saberhagen is a master at writing a fast paced, tight story. This trilogy is a fantasy classic and I would recommend it along with the Empire of the East trilogy to anyone. With Gods, magic, and twelve mythical swords, adventure abounds in this story. I would recommend his Lost Swords series as well, which can be picked up in collected editions much like this original tale.
A fantastic series of Sci-Fi Fantasy.......2005-08-26
I remember picking up these books as a kid, reading the first 30 pages and then let it sit on my shelf for 2-3 years. When I finally got around to reading them, however, I found myself itching for the next book and quickly caught up to the publishing schedule. After that it was like withdrawls - waiting and waiting for the next Sword book was torturous and then i would gobble it down in a weekend when it finally arrived.
My only negative critiques are these:
1. The first book of the series is very slow (and by book I mean the introduction of the story and the storyline of the first sword). It will take some constitution to get through it. After that it is gets better and better.
2. There are a lot of books. Be prepared to enjoy yourself so much that you end up buying them all.
3. Dispite how good these books were, they never matched the quality of Empire of the East (a five star if I ever read one). My recommendation would be to read the first three books, then go back and read Empire of the East. That's the order I read them in and I am glad I did.
Book Description
The Demon Hunter Asagi finally has the magical sword Moegi, but a promise made to its handler remains unfulfilled. Asagi and Kaede search for a way to free Kurenai from the ancient sword, but their path is filled with many strange encounters - including the daughter of a werewolf clan and a slew of strange creatures! The famed Moegi, the magical blade forged with a hundred and one Demon Orbs, is within the grasp of the Demon Hunter Asagi, but a promise made to its handler remains unfulfilled. As their journey continues, Asagi and Kaede search for the way to free Kurenai from the ancient sword, but various encounters will thicken their path. Befriending the daughter of a werewolf clan and encountering a slew of strange creatures, these adventurers move further from the answer to their dilemma and closer to unforeseen troubles in Yo-u: The Moegi Volume 2.
Book Description
The timeless action classic continues! It's been years since Hero lost his son and servant - Sheng Nu to the abyss near the No Shadow School. But unbeknownst to Hero, they have survived, but not without much trepidation and repeated peril. The seemingly villainous Hell's Gate will stop at nothing to grant the dying wish of their deceased leader... to make Hero's young son the new clan leader of the infamous Hell's Gate!
Average customer rating:
- Great but short
- Sword of the Dark Ones
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Sword of the Dark Ones - Volume 2 (Sword of the Dark Ones)
Yasui Kentaro
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Sword of the Dark Ones: Volume 1 (Sword of the Dark Ones)
ASIN: 1401206484 |
Book Description
Harman Cartel, leader of Assassins Guild Crimson Despair, faces off against mysterious former mercenary Leroy Schwartz in a battle for the ages! Leroy, deprived of his sentient long-sword Ragnarok, must defend himself against the monstrous Cartel in hand-to-hand combat. What secrets does Cartel hold about Leroys past? Could Leroy have Dark Ones blood flowing in his veins? Or could it be something even more sinister than that? If Leroy can survive long enough, he might just find out!
Customer Reviews:
Great but short.......2007-01-09
I absolutely loved the style of the manga. The story -until the end and I'll explain why- pulled me in and always kept me reading on. The ending was a let down though. I bought this at first not knowing that it was a mini series; no one I knew had known anything about this series. It started out as a normal manga, with a good long story going (with a great backstory in hiding), but this was short lived. The story ends at the third book. At first I thought it was just the end of a shorter story in a great epic, but I was wrong. It ends very quickly, without wrapping up loose ends. It's a let down given how great a style and story this manga actually is.
Sword of the Dark Ones.......2007-01-09
This manga miniseries is pack with amazing artistry and the overall story pulled me further into the story of Leroy Schwartz. The only disappointing things is, as mentioned before it is a miniseries. However, it is definitely worth reading. CMX definitely invests in good manga. To those that read this review, I say I hope you enjoy this manga as much as I.
Book Description
Raise an Army. Rule the World. Only one can be Archlord! Horrified that the descendant of Nathan Manas is still alive, Ernan sends out two of his best men to find and kill him. Meanwhile, Arin decides to journey with Zian and Ugdrasil to Elka to meet the great prophet Berouze. But when they meet two more travelers along the way in the Taas Forest, suspicions begin to mount on both sides... Based on the Hit Video Game!
Product Description
127 page paperback book, containing detailed illustrations and information on Japanese swords, sword making and sword makers.
Scholary
Books:
- Physik (Septimus Heap, Book 3)
- Plato Republic
- Problem Solving for Oil Painters: Recognizing What's Gone Wrong and How to Make It Right
- Ranma 1/2, Vol. 3
- Restaurant Basics: Why Guests Don't Come Back...and What You Can Do About It
- Rex Mundi Volume 2: The River Underground (Rex Mundi)
- Rich Dad's Advisors®: The ABC's of Building a Business Team That Wins: The Invisible Code of Honor That Takes Ordinary People and Turns Them Into a Championship Team (Rich Dad's Advisors)
- Root of All Evil, The
- Rumpelstiltskin
- Secrets of the Tomb: Skull and Bones, the Ivy League, and the Hidden Paths of Power
Books Index
Books Home
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Penny Arcade Volume 4: Birds Are Weird (Penny Arcade)
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