Review: "The Thief Lord" by Cornelia Funke

Over the past couple of years, I think I've seen the words "the next `Harry Potter'" hundreds of times. The phrase is used so often that it's become a cliché.

Still, I've read most of the books that make that claim, and while some were very good reads, none really came close to living up to the billing. I expected a similar reaction to Cornelia Funke's "The Thief Lord" ($16.95, The Chicken House/Scholastic Inc.).

I was surprised to find that, while reading this book, I did think of the boy wizard. "The Thief Lord" captures that same spirit of adventure and sense of wonder that I found in the first "Potter" novel.

After their mother's death, Prosper, 12, and Bo, 5, flee their native Hamburg, Germany, for Venice - a city their mother has often described to them as a magical place. The orphans are running from their aunt and uncle, the totally unlikeable Hartliebs, who only want to adopt Bo and want to send Prosper away to boarding school. ("We'll get Bo a dog and see just how quickly he forgets his brother," snips Esther Hartlieb, when asked about separating the siblings.)

Once in Venice, though, the young brothers have to find a way to support themselves. They're taken in by a group of orphans that live in an abandoned movie theater and are led by Scipio, who calls himself "The Thief Lord." While Prosper has some concerns about Scipio's nefarious activities, their friend has taken care of them well. He breaks into some of the richest houses in town, and they fence the goods to a less-than-reputable merchant.

But that's about to change. The Thief Lord has just been offered a job that will allow all of them to give up thievery.

When the Hartliebs track the brothers to Venice, they hire a detective to find the children. In the course of his investigation, he uncovers a secret that suggests Scipio's exploits are not quite as daring and his life is not quite as adventurous as he claims. This drives a wedge between the other orphans and their one-time leader, but when they attempt the heist without Scipio, they get more than they bargained for - and all the adventure they'd ever want.

While "The Thief Lord" is - at its heart - a fantasy, it's not the kind of witches and wizards fantasy of the "Potter" series. In truth, aside from the unpleasant aunt and uncle, it bears little resemblance to J.K. Rowling's books. It's actually more akin to Dickens.

In spirit, it's a blend of "Oliver Twist" and "Harry Potter," with a dash of "Something Wicked This Way Comes" thrown in for good measure.

For parents who are worried that the book may glorify theft, it's no worse than Dickens' classic. As we read of Scipio's supposed exploits in the beginning, perhaps it does a bit. But as the story unfolds, the children in the tale begin to understand that dishonesty doesn't pay. But Funke isn't heavy-handed with the moral of the story, either.

"The Thief Lord" is one of those rare books that can take a child on a rollicking good adventure or take an adult back to the days when he longed for that same adventure. Just this once, perhaps, dubbing it "the next Harry Potter" isn't overkill.

Review: "Golden Fool" by Robin Hobb

Often the second book in a trilogy is the hardest to slog through. In most cases, trilogies start with a bang and end with a bang, and the middle book is just a bridge between the two. But that's not the case with Robin Hobb's "Golden Fool" ($24.95, Bantam Spectra). If anything, "Golden Fool" is more dynamic and engaging than its predecessor, last year's "Fools Errand."

FitzChivalry Farseer, the illegitimate heir to the throne of the Six Duchies, is believed by most - even his own daughter and her mother - to be dead. But now, Fitz has been thrown back into a world he thought he'd left behind, the courtly intrigue of Buckkeep.

Fitz - masquerading as Tom Badgerlock, servant of Lord Golden - finds himself walking the same secret paths he walked as an apprentice assassin so many years ago and again reporting his findings to his former master Chade Fallstar. He has been asked to teach Prince Dutiful the Skill magic of the Farseer line - an art Fitz knows precious little about himself - and also to teach the prince to control the feared and reviled Wit magic. On top of all of this, he still grieves for the death of Nighteyes, the wolf he was bonded to for so many years, and his adopted son Hap has been caught up in city life and is straying down the wrong path.

Dutiful has been betrothed to an Outislander princess in an effort to make peace with the longtime enemies of the Six Duchies, but the princess' party holds some interesting secrets. At the same time, a strange delegation from Bingtown makes things even more interesting.

Then there's always the issue of the Wit magic. While Kettricken has declared the execution of the Witted illegal, it still continues in some areas. A militant faction of the Witted that call themselves the Piebalds continues to threaten the queen. What's worse, the Piebalds may know two dangerous secrets: that FitzChivalry Farseer still lives and that Dutiful possesses the Wit.

If that sounds like there's a lot going on, well, there is. But Hobb handles it masterfully, just as she always has.

Hobb's "Farseer" trilogy of a few years ago easily ranks among the best fantasy works of the past decade, and "The Tawny Man" is shaping up to be every bit as good.

Hobb is a master of manipulating human emotion. Her characters, particularly Fitz, work so well because it's easy to relate to them. Many of his problems arise from situations the average person has been through (always saying the wrong thing, misjudging others, having everything you do go awry), and you can easily put yourself in his shoes. At times, you want to jump into his head at critical moments so you can help him make the right decision for once.

Just for the record, I do miss Nighteyes. Despite the focus on Fitz in the "Farseer" trilogy, Nighteyes was always the real star in my view. But the loss of the wolf plays into the storyline well, allowing the reader to feel the void left by Nighteyes almost as keenly as Fitz himself does.

It's rare these days that a book keeps me turning pages well past the time I know I should put it down and turn in for the night, but this one did. "Golden Fool" proves again that Hobb is one of the best in the business.

Review: "The Briar King" by Greg Keyes

Greg Keyes' latest book "The Briar King" ($24.95, Del Rey) is just the kind I love - and the kind I've come to dread.

It's a complex story with a number of different threads and some nice twists and turns - epic fantasy at its best. Keyes has promised a four-book cycle, and that's what worries me. These days, the number of promised books tends to grow with the success of the series - witness Robert Jordan's unending mess of a story. And judging by the first installment, this should be a very popular tale. If Keyes can deliver in four books, though, this series, called "Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone," could be one of the best I've come across in several years.

"The Briar King" takes on one of the great mysteries of American history - the lost colony of Roanoke Island. In 1587, more than 100 English colonists settled on the island, the first English settlement in America. Within three years, the colony had vanished without a trace, leaving only the word "Croatoan" carved in a tree.

In this book, Keyes speculates that the colonists were transported to a new world - in the most real sense of the word. There they were enslaved by creatures known as the Skasloi until Virginia Dare (if you've studied the Roanoke Colony, you'll know she was the first English child born in America) led the people in an uprising against their oppressors. But in order to free her people, Dare invoked a power more ancient and dangerous than the Skasloi. Now, generations later, her descendants may have to pay the ultimate price for their freedom. The legendary Briar King, a creature of myth and fable, has awakened to the world.

While "The Briar King" starts a little slow, laying the foundation of the story, about halfway through the action picks up. From there it's a thrill ride to the end with plenty of treachery, revelation and even a few bombshell surprises.

In truth, most of Keyes' characters are fantasy standards - the low-born warrior who gains knighthood through an act of valor, the headstrong (and a bit spoiled) princess who vows to marry for love and not duty, the grizzled woodsman, the foppish swordsman who is about to meet his match, the young monk who is learning that the church isn't as holy as he thought. Fantasy fans have read about these characters a dozen times in a dozen different books, but Keyes manages to take the basic archetypes and breathe new life into them.

He also has a deft hand at weaving together seemingly unconnected threads to form a bigger story, and his cliffhanger style of ending chapters keeps the reader hanging on and wanting to know what happens next. In those ways, "The Briar King" reminds me a great deal of George R.R. Martin's "Song of Ice and Fire" series. That's not to say it's a knock-off, but rather a story as well-crafted and intriguing as Martin's. "The Briar King" offers one of the most promising starts I've seen since Martin's "A Game of Thrones." I hope the follow-up is as good.

Review: "Crossroads of Twilight" by Robert Jordan

Poor gullible me.

Upon finishing Robert Jordan's last book, I threw it across the room and swore I'd never read another volume of "The Wheel of Time." But when "Crossroads of Twilight" ($29.95, Tor) hit shelves last month, I felt like there was some unfinished business between myself and Mr. Jordan. After all, I've spent more than a decade with this series and invested my time into reading the nearly 10,000 pages so far. I really wanted to see how everything turns out. Against my better judgment, I borrowed a copy.

I'd love to offer a plot summary here, but I can't. There isn't one. In fact, the main story of "The Wheel of Time" hasn't moved forward a single inch in four books and nearly 4,000 pages. "Crossroads of Twilight" again gets bogged down in Jordan's out-of-control subplots. The series has turned into a gigantic soap opera, but instead of getting snippets of the myriad subplots daily, Jordan's fans have to wait 1-2 years between installments.

I like complex stories as much as the next reader, but there's a point where complex crosses the line into confounding. Jordan has created so many forks in the road that he can spend precious little time with any of them in nearly 700 pages. I had hoped he'd begin to tie up some of those loose ends in the tenth volume, but no such luck. I believe the truth is that Jordan doesn't have any idea how the story is going to end. I get the feeling he's just buying time until he figures it out.

This is all the more frustrating because the series had such promise. Back when I first picked up "Eye of the World" in the early 1990s, I thought it was the best thing since Tolkien. It was a well-written, intriguing opening to what was supposed to be a five or seven book series. Now, the estimate is 13, but based on the pace of the last four, I'd say that's a generous estimate. At this rate, it may never end.

Once again, Jordan has topped the best seller list, so apparently someone is still interested, but "Crossroads" was one of the most disappointing reads I've ever forced myself through - even worse than I expected. If you haven't picked it up yet, you won't miss much by skipping it and waiting for the next one.

I can only hope that one day someone releases an abridged version that boils the good parts of the story down to that five or seven book series. I'd really like to find out how things turn out, but I don't think I can make it through another volume like "Crossroads."

The only good thing I can say about this book is at least I didn't spend any money on it this time.

Review: "Dragons of Autumn Twilight" by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman

When I saw the new hardcover version of "Dragons of Autumn Twilight" by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman ($24.95, Wizards of the Coast), my first reaction was excitement. I didn't have a hardcover version, and this one, designed to match their most recent "War of Souls" trilogy, was gorgeous.

I cut my fantasy teeth on Weis and Hickman's first two Dragonlance trilogies. They were my first foray into the genre after Tolkien, and they hold a special place in my heart.

My next reaction, though, was a little uncertainty. While I read the "Chronicles" trilogy several times and loved them way back when, it's been at least 10 or 12 years since I last picked them up. In that time, I've read a lot of books and discovered some of the best writers the genre has to offer. My perspective is different now, and I was concerned that these books wouldn't live up to the memory I had of them.

But when I opened up "Dragons of Autumn Twilight" and started reading, it was like slipping into an old, worn, comfortable pair of jeans. It was an opportunity to take a stroll with a few old friends that I haven't visited with in quite a while.

Before going their separate ways, a group of companions agrees to meet five years later at the Inn of the Last Home in Solace. When the time comes, they find their way home, but one of their number is missing and all of them are changed.

The world is changing as well. Wild rumors of the old gods, who long ago abandoned the world of Krynn, are flying. Now, the companions are faced with proof that the old gods are returning, in the form of a blue crystal staff carried by a plainswoman whose fate has become intertwined with theirs. But they're not the only ones that know about the staff. They soon find themselves on the run from strange lizard-like creatures called draconians whose mission is to retrieve the staff. But for who?

The most ominous change, though, is the return of a creature of legend - a creature believed by most to be a child's tale. For the first time in ages, dragons again roam the skies of Krynn.

I can still remember how enthralled I was with this book the first time I read it. It grabbed me and sucked me in. I came to love the characters - the irrepressible Tasslehoff, the dour Tanis, the strict Sturm, the gruff Flint, the loyal Caramon, and of course, the frail, acid-tongued wizard Raistlin Majere, who would become one of my favorite characters. They were all like good friends to me.

Reading "Dragons of Autumn Twilight" this time, I recalled that sense of wonder that I first approached the book with in those days when I was taking my first tentative steps into the fantasy genre. I was able to put aside the jaded spotter of clichés that I've somehow become over the years and simply enjoy the tale.

To me, that's a gift, and I look forward to reliving the second leg of the journey with those companions in the near future.

While the Dragonlance Chronicles may not have the depth and scope of some of the other classics of fantasy that I've discovered in the intervening years, when it comes to a pure fantasy adventure tale, it's still hard to beat.

Review: "Insurrection" by Thomas Reid

A few months ago Wizards of the Coast launched an ambitious six-book project called "R.A. Salvatore's War of the Spider Queen" to shake up one of the Forgotten Realms world's most feared races. Now, the story continues with Thomas Reid's "Insurrection" ($24.95, Wizards of the Coast.)

A party from the drow city of Menzoberranzan, which includes high priestess Quenthel Baenre and master wizard Pharaun Mizzrym, has arrived in the neighboring dark elven city of Ched Nasad. The group is looking for answers as to why their goddess, the Spider Queen Lolth, has forsaken them.

They discover that Lolth's absence is universal. Not only has she abandoned the drow of Menzoberranzan and Ched Nasad, but she's also abandoned other races that worship her.

Unfortunately for the drow, the other races that live among them - those they consider the "lesser races" - have also discovered their weakness. But even facing the possibility of rebellion in their cities, the Matron Mothers of Ched Nasad continue their scheming and machinations against each other, further weakening the dark elves' position.

One of the concerns I had going into this series was how it would flow from one book to the next. The advantage to having a different author write each book is that readers can get the series in their hands much more quickly. The disadvantage is that there could be continuity problems.

The first transition, at least, has gone smoothly. While Reid's style differs from that of Richard Lee Byars, who wrote the first novel "Dissolution," the flow of the story is much the same. The two writers seem to have a singular vision of the characters and events, and most readers will hardly notice the difference.

"Insurrection" does its job well as a building block. The story is entertaining on its own, but its real purpose is to add layers to the larger story which takes place over a six-book span. It's a book that adds new questions and answers very few, but that's as it should be.

My only complaint with the book is a relatively small issue. To me, "Insurrection" sometimes doesn't divorce itself enough from the game - especially in regards to magic. Often when Pharaun discusses his magical limitations, the passages read like they came straight from the Dungeons and Dragons manual. The hardcore gamers who want the novels to strictly adhere to the rules will like it. But it may be jarring to those like me, who are looking for a good story that complements a world they've played in, rather than something that sounds like a translation of a gaming session.

For readers unfamiliar with the Forgotten Realms world and drow society, this book isn't the best place to start. It plops the reader down right in the middle of the action and some understanding of how things operate and what has happened before is needed. But for those following the story, it builds nicely toward what could be a very interesting larger story.

Review: "Guitar: A Complete Guide for the Player" by Dave Hunter

Why couldn't I have found a book like this 12 or 14 years ago?

"Guitar: A Complete Guide for the Player" by Dave Hunter ($29.95, Thunder Bay Press) is a must-have book for any beginning guitarist. The publisher bills it as the most comprehensive manual for the guitar player ever produced. That may be a bit of a stretch, but the book comes pretty close.

Aside from the information, it's a gorgeous, oversized book with plenty of color illustrations. But the true strength of the book is its content.

"Guitar: A Complete Guide for the Player" opens with a brief history of acoustic and electric guitars, featuring photos of some of the most popular guitars like the Gibson Les Paul and the Fender Stratocaster, as well as a few oddballs, like the Martin Backpacker, the Burns Bison and the Parker Fly.

From there, it goes through some subjects that a lot of other guitar manuals ignore. One chapter in the book covers basic maintenance of guitars and amplifiers. With detailed illustrations, this chapter describes how to set the bridge of a guitar, change pickups, even fix that annoying short in the pickup selector switch. If you're a guitar player, you know the one I'm talking about.

Another chapter takes a look at effects pedals. It explains the majority of effects available and offers schemes to help you get the best out of your stomp boxes and rack systems.

Only after it has offered a wealth of practical information on choosing and caring for your guitar, does it get to playing. As you'd expect, more than three quarters of the book is devoted to playing. It features lessons and background on a wide variety of guitar styles from classical to country to heavy metal.

The lessons are fairly comprehensive, covering ideas about the styles from theory to rhythm to lead. These are accompanied by chord illustrations and examples in tablature. Most of the examples are based on the works of specific players and are fairly basic so even beginners can pick them up.

About the only thing that could have made this book better would have been an accompanying tape or CD to let readers hear what the lessons should sound like when played properly.

If you're a beginning guitar player, this book will provide you with a solid foundation to build on. If you've been playing for 20 years, it might not be as helpful - but you never know where you can pick up a new trick.

Review: "Snoopy's Guide to the Writing Life," by Barnaby Conrad and Monty Schulz

I have to admit that I'm not the biggest fan of "Peanuts." I liked it when I was a kid, but as I grew older, Charlie Brown and his pals lost their luster for me. Most of the time when I turn to the comics page now, my eye skims right over it - with one exception. I love the strips that feature Snoopy's thoughts on writing.

For a while now, I've had a couple of Snoopy comics hanging over my computer at home that sum up the writing experience for me. One features Snoopy writing a letter that I've often wanted to write back to publishers. It reads, "Gentlemen, Regarding the recent rejection slip you sent me. I think there might have been a misunderstanding. What I really wanted was for you to publish my story and send me fifty thousand dollars. Didn't you realize that?" I'm afraid my luck probably wouldn't be any better than Snoopy's, though.

But those thoughts on writing are why I got really excited about "Snoopy's Guide to the Writing Life" by Barnaby Conrad and Monte Schulz ($19.99, Writer's Digest Books).

For this book, the authors asked some of the most well-known writers in the world about their favorite "Peanuts" cartoon on writing. Among the contributors are Ray Bradbury, Danielle Steel, Clive Cussler, Sidney Sheldon, Fannie Flagg, Dominick Dunne, William F. Buckley Jr., Sue Grafton, Ed McBain, Julia Child, Elmore Leonard and more.

The bits from the writers are often interesting, sometimes infuriating. Some, like best seller Steel, made me groan. She goes on and on about how tough the writing life is. I wanted to say, "If it's so bad, surely you've made enough money to quit."

But most are a bit more light-hearted. They're funny, humble, even inspiring. Take for instance Flagg's tale of how she became a writer. Her joy in the act of writing shines through the essay. Others, like Bradbury, recount tales of the bumps and potholes on their road to success, and express their gratitude that they're able to make a living at something they love.

But the real star of the book, as we all know, is Snoopy. My favorites are his takes on rejection slips. Anyone who has started a collection of those little multi-colored slips of paper can understand Snoopy's frustration. Those insidious little phrases like "not right for us at this time" or "doesn't meet our present needs," translate to something more like "you stink" in the mind of the aspiring writer.

One particular cartoon - one of the ones that hang on my desk - cuts to the heart of it. It shows Snoopy retrieving a rejection from the mailbox. It reads, "Dear Contributor, Thank you for considering us with your manuscript. Has it ever occurred to you that you may be the worst writer in the history of the world?" I've certainly gotten a couple of letters that made me feel that way.

It works the other way too, though. There's one strip where Snoopy gets an acceptance, of a sort. It says, "Dear Contributor, Thank you for not sending us anything lately. It suits our present needs." I know there are a few editors out there who have wanted to send me that one.

I was disappointed that I didn't see one of my favorites in this book. It's the final one of the three next to my computer. Snoopy receives a letter that reads, "Dear Son, Thank you for considering us with your letter. We regret, however, that it does not suit our present needs. Sincerely, Mother." The final frame shows Snoopy sitting dejectedly on a rock, thinking, "Even my letters home get rejected."

"Snoopy's Guide to the Writing Life" provides a fun break for any writer or "Peanuts" fan. But now, it's time to get the nose back to the grindstone and start writing again. Let's see ... how should I start? Oh, I know.

It was a dark and stormy night...

Review: "Night Watch," by Terry Pratchett

In "Night Watch," Terry Pratchett treats fans to a fun trip into the history of the city of Ankh-Morpork through the eyes of everyone's favorite City Watch captain Samuel Vimes.

When Vimes pursues a criminal named Carcer, accused of killing two coppers, they find themselves locked in a fight atop Unseen University, the school for wizards. As a storm rages around the two combatants, a freak accident sends Vimes through the roof of the school and into darkness.

When he wakes, things are a little strange. He soon finds that he's been transported back in time to his very first days as a copper. He takes on the identity of John Keel, a watchman who took Vimes under his wing in those days. And indeed, Vimes meets the younger version of himself in Lance Constable Samuel Vimes.

The times are turbulent ones for the city of Ankh-Morpork. The current patrician is completely insane, and the man plotting a revolution to take his place isn't much better. The streets are about to erupt in violence, and the results are one of the last things Vimes wants to relive. Unfortunately, it appears he's going to have to, despite his best efforts to change history.

What's worse is that Vimes discovers Carcer has come through with him, and he has a plan to change history himself - by killing one of Vimes' selves.

If my count is correct, "Night Watch" is Pratchett's 28th novel set on his whimsical Discworld, and in all those books, neither the place nor the characters have lost their charm.

The story itself is perhaps not as funny as some of the previous tales of the City Watch, but there are still plenty of laugh-out-loud funny moments.

The real fun of this installment is getting a chance to see how things were before Vetinari took over as patrician and before Vimes overhauled the City Watch. Readers caught glimpses of it in Pratchett's first novels about Vimes, but never knew the whole story.

In "Night Watch," readers get to see younger versions of watchmen Fred Colon and Nobby Nobbs, a Vimes who isn't nearly as savvy and cunning as the current version, watchman Reginald Shoe - before the unfortunate accident that made him a zombie - and a young, but skilled assassin named Havelock Vetinari. Oh, and there's also the birth of a legend, Ankh-Morpork's greatest salesman, "Cut Me Own Throat" Dibbler, who we find out actually got his catch line from Vimes - at least in this timeline.

Time travel stories can be tricky when writers let themselves get bogged down in the "rules." Fortunately, Pratchett throws all that nonsense out the window and just has fun with it. Of course, that's been Pratchett's trademark all along. He approaches everything about the Discworld with an anything goes attitude, and perhaps that's why the series has lasted so long without becoming stale.

Movie review: "The Two Towers"

Being a huge fan of J.R.R. Tolkien's books, it was with more than a little apprehension that I entered the theater this time last year to see the first installment of Peter Jackson's silver screen version of "The Lord of the Rings." But "The Fellowship of the Ring" was so impressive that when I lined up for the opening of "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" on Wednesday, I had nothing but excitement and anticipation.


Apparently I wasn't the only one. After what seemed an interminable wait for the lights to go down, the packed house broke into applause as the trailers began to play. After that, it was off to Tolkien's magical land of Middle-Earth.

For those worried that this one can't live up to the hype, forget about it. If anything, "The Two Towers" outshines its predecessor. It has all of the amazing effects and gorgeous settings, but it injects a healthy dose of action into the mix. The most hardcore Tolkien purists may be disappointed a bit by the trumped-up battle scenes, but no one else will. They're fantastic eye candy and make for some compelling dramatic moments.

Jackson does take a few liberties with the story, but the changes are primarily cosmetic - a slight tweaking of the timing, a few minor scenes removed, a brief continuation of the Arwen/Aragorn thread and the delay of a couple of scenes for the third film due next Christmas. All in all, there was nothing that I really missed, and I'm pretty picky about that sort of thing.

If you haven't read the books or seen the first movie, you might want to check it out before going. Like the books, the film version of "The Two Towers" dives right into the action without any backstory, and there's a good chance you could be lost if you're not familiar with the tale.

The movie opens by telling the story of Gandalf's fall from the bridge over Khazad-dum and his ensuing battle with the Balrog. The effects are stunning as the wizard and the computer-generated demon battle while plummeting through the center of the mountain. It also prepares viewers for one of the key twists in the movie, (the wizard's transformation into Gandalf the White.)

From there, the story continues its march to the final showdown with Mordor. With Gollum as guide, Frodo and Sam move along on their journey to Mount Doom with the one ring becoming a greater burden, while battle is joined in the rest of the world. Saruman's forces move against the kingdom of Rohan, while Sauron's armies converge on Gondor in an attempt to crush the human lands between them. The elves are boarding the ships that will take them to the Grey Havens and the dwarves are locked in their mountain halls. It's a bleak picture for the world of Middle-Earth, but despite that there are strong threads of hope and determination running through the movie.

Overall, "The Two Towers" is a very intense film, but Jackson also knows where to provide viewers with a laugh from the dwarf Gimli or one of the hobbits to break the tension.

Jackson's casting continues to be picture perfect, with the choice of Bernard Hill as Theoden, Miranda Otto as Eowyn and Brad Dourif as Grima Wormtongue. Despite the excellent casting, it's a computer-generated character that really steals the show.

Viewers became acquainted with Gollum briefly in "The Fellowship of the Ring," but he takes a larger role in "The Two Towers." We learn that he was once named Smeagol, and there's a particularly impressive sequence as the two distinct personalities emerge and battle for control over the creature. Gollum/Smeagol is the most fully-realized and believable computer-generated character that I've seen, and he was able to draw a wide range of emotions from the packed house in the theater - laughter, pity, disgust and even perhaps a bit of fear.

Of course, there's always a character or creature to look forward to. In "The Fellowship of the Ring," it was the Balrog. In "The Two Towers," it's Treebeard and the Ents. I had nightmares of the great tree-herders looking like the talking trees from "The Wizard of Oz," but Jackson has done a magnificent job of bringing them to life. They're not exactly what I imagined while reading the books, but they're still very impressive.

In truth, there are times in the movie when the viewer knows everything on the screen is computer generated, but it hardly seems to matter. You get caught up in the swirl of the story, and everything is completely believable.

With his version of the second installment of Tolkien's trilogy, Jackson ratchets up the drama and excitement for the conclusion, "Return of the King," which promises to be the best of the three films. The only downside I can see in "The Two Towers" is that we have to wait another year to see the conclusion.

Review: "The Thousand Orcs," by R.A. Salvatore

After nearly a decade and a half of tales about the dark elf Drizzt Do'Urden, the story has come full circle in R.A. Salvatore's latest, "The Thousand Orcs" ($25.95, Wizards of the Coast).


The book marks a new beginning for Drizzt and his companions, opening a chapter that promises to bring the series back to its adventurous roots, while still retaining some of the introspective aspects of more recent volumes.

As the book opens, Drizzt and his companions are once again on the road to Mithral Hall, only this time to stay. The old dwarven king Gandalug has died, and Drizzt's friend Bruenor Battlehammer, the dwarf responsible for the retaking of the ancient dwarven home, has been named the new king.

But Bruenor is reluctant to chain himself to the throne of the dwarven kingdom. He still longs for the freedom and adventure of the road. A chance meeting with a pair of dwarves from a neighboring stronghold who had been attacked by orcs on the road, provides the perfect opportunity for him to duck his duties for a little while longer. In the process of tracking the band of orcs, the companions uncover a more sinister plot. Someone has united the orcs with the frost giants of the north and given them direction and a mission - to capture Mithral Hall and kill Bruenor and his companions.

There are also problems on the political front for Bruenor. Since the reopening of Mithral Hall, Bruenor's kin have been taking business from the metalsmiths of Mirabar, a mixed community of dwarves and humans. A visit by Bruenor breeds discontent between the two races, ultimately leading to a confrontation that threatens to rip the community apart and shift the balance of power in the region to Mithral Hall.

In an interview earlier this year with The News-Star, Salvatore said he was more excited about the new tales of Drizzt Do'Urden than he's ever been. This volume should have the same effect on Salvatore's fans.

For them, reading "The Thousand Orcs" may be a little like jumping on a time travel machine and dialing up the late 1980s. The book captures the spirit of Salvatore's "Icewind Dale" trilogy, the tales that began the story of the dark elven ranger.

Like "Icewind Dale," it's a tale of the companions, free and for the most part happy, on the road to adventure. But at the same time, there's a bit more depth than the original trilogy. The political maneuverings between Mirabar and Mithral Hall are a nice touch and promise to make things interesting over the course of the next two stories.

There's also a much darker feel to this story than the first books. Salvatore promised to shake up the lives of his characters in this latest chapter, and he certainly has. Without giving away any of the twists and turns, I'll just say the ending should leave long time fans more excited about this series than they've been in a long time.

"The Thousand Orcs" shows Salvatore fully recovered from the lull his "Forgotten Realms" books went through in the mid- to late 1990s. The book kicks off the "Hunter's Blades" trilogy which promises to revitalize characters that are in need of some change. I can't wait to see what happens next.

Review: "Bradbury, An Illustrated Life," by Jerry Weist

Like his famous Illustrated Man, the images in "Bradbury, an Illustrated Life: A Journey to Far Metaphor" (William Morrow, $34.95) tell a lot of stories.

The coffee-table biography written by Jerry Weist does tell the tale of Ray Bradbury's life, but it could just as well have been billed as an overview of science fiction and fantasy in the 20th century. Few writers, if any, have had the kind of impact on the genres as Bradbury has. From his earliest publications in the 1930s to his current works, Bradbury has consistently set a high standard for other writers to follow.

Following the introduction by Bradbury himself, the book opens on photos from the 1934 World's Fair's 1,000,000 B.C. exhibit, which was perhaps the inspiration for one of Bradbury's most famous stories "A Sound of Thunder." At any rate, the exhibit certainly left an impression on him and helped set him on his path.

The first chapter of "Bradbury, An Illustrated Life" is a treasure trove for lovers of classic fantasy and science fiction. As we read about the things that shaped Bradbury's life and his love of all things weird, we can enjoy classic covers and illustrations from H.G. Wells, Jules Verne and Amazing Stories magazine, as well as early comic strips and stills from classic horror films.

Over the next 100 pages or so, the book takes us on a trip through Bradbury's most prolific years. From covers of Weird Tales where his stories ran alongside luminaries like H.P. Lovecraft and Clark Ashton Smith, to his numerous novels, they're all represented. There is an extensive collection of illustrations that have accompanied Bradbury's stories in magazines, as well as the various incarnations of the covers of some of his most famous books.

On the pages dedicated to books like "Fahrenheit 451" and "The October Country," you can follow the trends in the publishing industry from the stark covers of the 1950s to the funky '60s and '70s versions and the slick covers of the '80s and '90s.

Later, we're introduced to images from the silver screen, small screen and even stage adaptations of Bradbury's work.

But it's not all about the writer's considerable legacy. We also get to steal a few glimpses of the real man behind the typewriter. Images of Bradbury enjoying himself on classic movie sets at the Los Angeles Film Society or at his cluttered desk or surrounded by friends are scattered throughout the book. Particularly interesting are the drawings and correspondences by Bradbury that are sprinkled throughout. More than anything else, these offer insight into the real man.

"Bradbury, an Illustrated Life" is a gorgeous and informative tribute to the true master of the speculative genres. If you've got a Bradbury fan on your Christmas list, this volume would be the perfect gift.

Review: "Summer Knight" by Jim Butcher

With Halloween approaching, it's a perfect time to check back in with my favorite wizard-for-hire Harry Dresden. Jim Butcher's sleuth always seems to find himself surrounded by the creatures of the season - ghouls, vampires, werewolves and assorted other nasties. His latest adventure, "Summer Knight" (Roc, $6.99) is no exception.

First, Harry gets a visit from Mab, queen of the Winter Court of the sidhe. She's got a case for him, and it's one he can't refuse. Mab has purchased Harry's obligation from his faerie godmother Lea, and now he owes her. She asks him to investigate a death that's been ruled accidental by the police. She thinks otherwise. It just so happens that the deceased is a knight of the Summer Court of the sidhe.

Complicating matters, the White Council of wizards find themselves on the edge of a war with the Red Court of vampires, largely due to a confrontation between Harry and a group of vampires in Chicago. The Red Court has already struck against the wizards and are demanding that Harry be turned over to them. Half of the White Council wants to turn him over, and the other half isn't exactly in his corner. Harry's only way out is to solve the case and in the process prevent a war between the Summer and Winter Courts.

This is the fourth volume of the Dresden Files, and Butcher has not disappointed yet. "Summer Knight" starts with a bang and doesn't let up.

Butcher's tales meld the wonder and fun of the "Harry Potter" series, but with an adult tone and attitude. Mystery fans who approach the series with an open mind about stories that include vampires, faeries and the like, will find a very good detective series. Fantasy fans might just find that the mystery side appeals to them as well. But fans of any kind of fiction can enjoy Butcher's fun and fast-paced style.

"Summer Knight" also shows great development in both the character of Harry Dresden and Butcher's writing style. It's probably the most developed and satisfying story line of the series so far.

Thanks to the success of series by Laurell K. Hamilton and a handful of others, there's no shortage of writers churning out supernatural detective stories these days, but Butcher is most definitely among the best. I can't wait until Harry Dresden is on the case again.

Review: "Dreamland Chronicles" by William Mark Simmons

Who would have thought that one of the funniest fantasy novels I've read in a while, would come from an author in our own back yard. It turns out that William Mark Simmons, better known to people in these parts as the station manager at KEDM, can also spin a pretty good fantasy tale or three.

"Dreamland Chronicles" ($20, Meisha Merlin Publishing) pulls together two of Simmons' previous novels that were out of print - "In the Net of Dreams" and "When Dreams Collide" - along with a newly-penned third volume, "The Woman of His Dreams."

The story revolves around Robert Remington Ripley III, also known as Riplakish of Dyrinwall inside the Fantasyworld milieu of Dreamland. Ripley is one of the original programmers of the computer-generated, virtual reality game worlds that have become a playground for the rich and famous.

But now there's a problem with his creation. An anomaly has entered the program, and the game has become real. If an avatar dies in Dreamland, the Dreamwalker's body dies back in the real world. The problem is complicated by the fact that some Dreamwalkers are still trapped inside the program, and there are forces at work to keep them there.

We've all read or seen plenty of "ghost in the machine" stories, but none quite like this one. While it does ask some serious questions about the nature of artificial intelligence, those issues don't get in the way of the fun.

Fantasy fans will have a blast picking out the references to J.R.R. Tolkien, Terry Brooks, Robert E. Howard and a host of other favorite authors. But you don't have to be a fantasy fan to enjoy "Dreamland Chronicles." Simmons also liberally sprinkles references from popular music, movies and television throughout the story.

Among my favorites:

· The two Russian agents are named Borys and Natasha - and yes, Simmons does work in a "moose and squirrel" line.

· The acronyms for a couple of weapons from the Spaceworld milieu are F.R.O.D.O.S. and S.A.M.S.

·The demoness Lilith's horse is named "Beuntoyou." I won't give away the joke on this one, but it was one of my favorites.

As Simmons jokingly points out in the introduction, "Dreamland Chronicles" not exactly a light read, though. Combining three novels, it weighs in at close to 1,000 pages - enough to keep most readers occupied for a little while.

With "Dreamland Chronicles," Simmons delivers a story that mixes the humor of Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams with the bad puns of Piers Anthony. Despite what he says in the self-deprecating introduction, Simmons' work is actually great fun. There's a joke for everyone.

Review: "Dissolution" by Richard Lee Byers

Though he didn't do any of the actual writing, R.A. Salvatore's stamp is all over the latest Forgotten Realms series, "The War of the Spider Queen."

The first volume, "Dissolution" by Richard Lee Byers ($24.95, Wizards of the Coast), casts the shadowy world of the drow into chaos.

Lolth, the goddess of the dark elves, has seemingly abandoned the underground city of Menzoberranzan. Large numbers of the normally subservient male drow have gone missing, and power struggles between the key figures of the city threaten to tear it apart.

While some seek to bring the Spider Queen's power back to Menzoberranzan, others look to use her absence to their advantage.

It's appropriate that Salvatore is involved in this project, since he's the one that introduced readers to the treacherous world of the drow through books about his popular hero Drizzt Do'Urden. But Salvatore himself was reluctant to take a role in the series.

"I was surprised when they called me, and I resisted to my last breath," Salvatore said in a recent interview with The News-Star.

The project is driven more by the dark elves' deities than the characters that Salvatore prefers to focus on. But he said the project has been much more fun than he expected, and with other authors taking on the main writing duties, his role is a relatively easy one.

"My job is real simple," Salvatore said. "To make sure the authors writing it understand the drow the way I understand the drow."

If the first volume is any indication, he's done a fantastic job.

Byars' handling of the dark elves echoes Salvatore's own in many ways. That's not to say that Byars doesn't put his own stamp on the project.

While Salvatore prefers to focus on character interactions, Byers' style is driven by plot. Readers won't find many introspective moments in "Dissolution." But what his characters may lack in depth, Byers more than makes up for in sheer action. The book's pace is fast and furious, with the characters being thrown from one dangerous situation to another.

The styles of Byers and Salvatore do intersect in one area, though. Byers' combat scenes are vivid and highly stylized. They're an added bonus for fans of past tales of the drow.

Writing about the drow - an essentially evil society - is a difficult task in itself. It's hard to create sympathy or understanding for a character that's just as likely to use a friend's misfortune to his own advantage as to help out. Byars handles the quandary well, though. While the reader can't really get fully behind the characters, each one has moments that earn at least a bit of sympathy.

All in all, "Dissolution" serves its purpose well. It's a fast and fun read that sets up an intriguing larger story. It will be interesting to see how the other authors build on it.

Review: "The Scar," by China Mieville

China Mieville's last book "Perdido Street Station" drew praise from fantasy fans and literary types alike. The book, which racked up awards and nominations, took the conventions of the fantasy genre and turned them inside out.

Now, Mieville unleashes the follow-up, "The Scar" ($18.95, Del Rey). While the two novels are connected by a shared world, "The Scar" is no sequel. The connection between the two is tenuous and no prior knowledge of the world is necessary.

Bellis Coldwine is fleeing her home in New Crobuzon. She has bluffed her way aboard a ship bound for the city's colonies by claiming proficiency in Salkrikaltor, the language of a crustacean-like people the ship will be meeting with. She's looking to get away from New Crobuzon for a few years in hopes that people there will forget about her current predicament. Bellis gets her wish, but her stay away from the city may be much longer than she anticipated.

The ship is hijacked by pirates and taken to the strange floating city of Armada, where she meets an even stranger cast of characters. The Lovers, the couple who rule the pirate city, are hoarding scientists and books for a secret quest. They intend to raise a creature of legend from the depths of the sea and harness it to move the city to The Scar, a point in the ocean that holds great power for someone who can control it.

While the book is ostensibly about Bellis Coldwine and her struggles, the real main character is the city of Armada. The floating fortress cobbled out of stolen boats is truly one of the more inventive fantasy settings I've ever encountered. The features and creatures of this isolated city continue to surprise and impress the reader throughout the story.

The world as a whole holds the same kind of fascination. It's peopled with races that stretch the reader's imagination to the breaking point - blood-sucking mosquito people, prickly cactus men and of course, the crustacean clan. Most interesting perhaps are the Remade, people who have been surgically altered, usually as punishment. Some have mechanical parts, others tentacles and deformities, but all find a home and a use in Armada.

The downside is that Mieville's literary tone and style can get a bit stuffy from time to time. That occasionally detracts from the sense of wonder provided by the amazing setting.

Overall, though, Mieville is one of the most interesting writers to hit the fantasy genre in a long time. This mixture of literary fiction, steampunk, urban fantasy and dark fantasy is sure to be a favorite of people who are looking for something different, both in and out of the fantasy genre.

Review: "Dragons of a Vanished Moon" by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman

With "Dragons of a Vanished Moon" ($27.95, Wizards of the Coast), Dragonlance creators Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman bring their "War of Souls" trilogy to a close. They also effectively bring to an end the world's Fifth Age story arc, one that was unpopular with some fans.

As the book opens, Takhisis has revealed herself as the One God who has guided Mina's hand. Her Knights of Neraka continue their relentless march across Ansalon, conquering their enemies and leaving destruction in their wake.

The elven nation of Qualinesti has been destroyed and the Silvanesti are under siege.

The kender Tasslehoff Burrfoot, who may be responsible for the current situation because he used a time-travel device to escape his fate at the end of the Chaos War, is still bouncing through time. If he dies anywhere other than where he was meant to, the course of Krynn's history may be altered forever.

But behind it all is an even more sinister plot. Takhisis has planned her return for a long time, and it's no accident that the other gods are nowhere to be found.

Many fans feel that the Dragonlance series has floundered in recent years, and I have to admit that I was one of them. I had high hopes when Weis and Hickman returned to their realm. They didn't disappoint me.

With the "War of Souls" trilogy, Weis and Hickman have put the Dragonlance world back on an even keel. "Dragons of a Vanished Moon" closes at yet another critical juncture for the world of Krynn with great potential for new storylines. It leaves dozens of questions in readers' minds, each with the possibility of an intriguing tale yet to come.

Weis and Hickman have also given the Dragonlance world something it's needed for a while, an infusion of new blood. While some fans may be reluctant to let go of the original companions, characters like Mina, Galdar, Gerard and Gilthas (the authors seem to have an affection for the letter G), are worthy successors to the original heroes and villains of Krynn.

Readers also get a fresh look at old favorites Palin and Dalamar. Each has his own challenges to overcome in this new world.

"War of Souls" manages to blend some of the best aspects of the original "Chronicles" and "Legends" trilogies. It begins with the same sense of adventure as "Chronicles" and ends in the dark and somber tones of "Legends." While it doesn't quite live up to those two stories - when it comes to RPG-based tales, those are tough to top - it is easily the best Dragonlance set since.

After several disappointing years, the creators of the Dragonlance world have returned to set things right. In the process, they've breathed new life into the series and left Krynn a much more interesting place.

Review: "The Star Wars Trilogy: The 25th Anniversary Collector's Edition"

Being the "Star Wars" fanatic that I am, most people will probably find it surprising that I've never read the novelizations of the first three films. But a couple of weeks ago, a package that I couldn't resist hit the shelves.

"The Star Wars Trilogy: The 25th Anniversary Collector's Edition" ($25.95, Del Rey) pulls together the first three novels of the saga in one hardcover volume.

From the arrival of R2D2 at the moisture farm on Tattooine with his message from Princess Leia, to the final reconcilation between Luke and Anakin, it's all in this one volume - Yoda, Jabba, Ewoks and all.

If you're one of the few people in the world who is not familiar with "Star Wars," I'd probably recommend seeing the movies first. This is one of those rare instances where the movie is better than the book.

These books seem to be written directly from the original scripts, and therefore aren't quite as interesting as the big-name author novelizations of "The Phantom Menace" and "Attack of the Clones." You won't find many extra details or deeper story development in these volumes. It's pretty much a straight, blow-by-blow report of the movies.

That being said, it's still something that I'd recommend to any "Star Wars" fan. It's a nice package and certainly a big piece of "Star Wars" history.

The novelizations of the three films, written by George Lucas, Donald Glut and James Kahn, respectively, improve as the story moves along.

Lucas' "A New Hope" and Glut's "Empire Strikes Back" read much like the movie script. There is some nice background information that the films didn't have, but beyond that, they're a solid retelling of the story and not much more.

While many people consider "Return of the Jedi" the weakest installment of the first three films, it's the strongest in this case. Kahn spins a bit more of a tale than Lucas or Glut. It still sticks with the script, of course, but it moves a little more smoothly and is more entertaining.

How much you'll like this volume depends largely on what you expect out of it. If you want something that sheds new light on the first three "Star Wars" films, you'll probably be disappointed. If you want to experience the movies in a slightly different way, then you'll likely enjoy it.

Review: "Sorcery Rising" by Jude Fisher

All great stories have to start somewhere, and Jude Fisher's "Sorcery Rising" (DAW) lays a solid foundation for a good story to come. Fisher, who has also written the visual companions to the first two installments of "The Lord of the Rings," makes a promising fiction debut with the beginning of a series called "Fool's Gold."

"Sorcery Rising" opens on a world that's currently at peace, but is always teetering on the edge of conflict. The Istrians from the south have conquered most of the world, driving the Eyrans into a small area in the far north. Though the two nations have declared peace, there is still a great deal of animosity between them, from cultural differences to old grudges. But for the week of the Allfair, they have to get along.

Katla Aransen is a free-spirited Eyran, excited about her first Allfair. On arriving, she immediately makes waves by climbing a rock that is sacred to the Istrian's god - an offense punishable by burning. But that's far from the last strange happening of the celebration.

For some reason the magic of the Footloose - a nomadic gypsy-like people - is working far better than it should. A strange albino named Virelai - traveling with a young woman who casts a spell on every man she meets and a cat with a wealth of magical knowledge - has joined the wandering people. At the fair, he offers gold nuggets, along with a map to the place they were found, to several adventurous people. All they have to do to claim the treasure, he says, is find the island and deal with the old man that lives there.

The fair ends in chaos with a murder and Katla's capture and condemnation, threatening to send the two nations to war again.

With "Sorcery Rising," Fisher has laid the groundwork for what could be an explosive story. She's created a world balanced precariously on the edge of chaos. The Istrians bear a great resemblance to the Islamic radicals we've become so familiar with recently, while the Eyrans are free-wheeling. There's a natural tension between them that borders on open hostility.

Fisher has also created an intriguing cast of characters, each with his or her own story to tell.

Despite all its promise, though, "Sorcery Rising" is a bit unsatisfying. Fisher covers a lot of ground, but tells very little of the story. Almost all of the book's storylines are left dangling, and the lack of any kind of resolution is a little annoying. It's a common practice in fantasy, but having been burned in recent years by seemingly endless series like Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time," I find it disappointing.

Still, I have to give Fisher the benefit of the doubt. The story begun in "Sorcery Rising" is compelling, the characters are charismatic and the world is an interesting one. It leads me to believe that there are good things to come from this series.

Review: "The Pictorial History of Baseball," by John S. Bowman and Joel Zoss

For many baseball fans, this week is one of the best of the season. In Tuesday's All-Star game, arguably the best players the sport has to offer will be on display in one place. So what better time to take a look at a book that illustrates some of the highest (and lowest) moments in the sport's history?

John S. Bowman and Joel Zoss' "The Pictorial History of Baseball" ($24.98, Thunder Bay Press) is a great read for the casual baseball watcher or the hardcore fanatic.

The first thing that strikes you about this volume of baseball lore is the fact that it's a gorgeous book. The hefty tome measures 14 1/2-by-10 1/2 inches and weighs a solid five pounds. Its 256 glossy pages, feature about 320 photographs from all eras of the sport. That's enough to make any bibliophile flip.

Open the book up and you'll find a complete history, from the ancient Egyptian games that were the earliest ancestors of baseball to the sport's role in the wake of Sept. 11. The account is perhaps not as in-depth as some others, which focus on smaller segments of the game's past, but it covers a lot of ground.

As the title suggests, though, the real star of the book is not the written portion, but the photos. They present a visual account of how the game has changed since the first professional teams took the field in the 1800s. A quick glance at two contrasting photos - a very serious-looking Boston team in 1874 (page 19) and a light-hearted moment for the 1984 world champion Detroit Tigers (page 217) - speaks volumes about the differences time has made in the game. But baseball fans will find similarities in the two pictures as well.

The photos from the first half of the book are mostly posed shots, which also hint at the photographic technology of the time. But those shots do have something valuable to offer the baseball fan - faces to put with some legendary names.

That's not to say there aren't a few gems among the photos. One that stands out is a shot of Hall-of-Famer Mickey Cochrane stretched out, lunging with the ball to make a play at the plate. This shot is given a two-page spread, and certainly deserves it.

There are also some interesting stories and characters that some fans might not be familiar with, like Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown, whose missing finger certainly wasn't a handicap. Instead, it helped him to six consecutive 20-win seasons, in which he led the Cubs to four pennants.

The book covers all of baseball's most glorious moments - the best sluggers, the most revered pitchers, the greatest dynasties. But it doesn't ignore the dark side of the sport - the Black Sox scandal, the initial treatment of Jackie Robinson, labor disputes and drug issues all get their mention, too.

Due to the ambitious nature of the project, neither the good nor the bad really get the space and depth they deserve, but Bowman and Zoss do manage to pack them all in.

One of the most interesting chapters of "The Pictorial History of Baseball" has nothing to do with the professional game, though. With the rich history of the pro game on their palette, the authors could have easily ignored youth baseball. Instead, they devote six pages to Little League and American Legion baseball. Again, the book offers only sketchy details on the history of these organizations, but it's a testament to the true spirit of baseball - not today's game of millionaires.

"The Pictorial History of Baseball" probably won't satisfy the rabid fan that wants an in-depth study of the details of the game. It does, however, provide a glimpse of the rich history of the sport and what it's meant to American culture - and in a beautiful package that no baseball fan should be able to resist.