- Paperback: 512 pages
- Publisher: Spectra (Feb 27 2001)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0553381016
- ISBN-13: 978-0553381016
- Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 15.5 x 3 cm
- Shipping Weight: 567 g
- Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,409,775 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||
Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Overwritten and overwrought, Anthony's third installment of a projected six-book fantasy series overwhelms readers with a clich‚d magical universe and a crowded cast of characters. Beyond the Pale (1998), the deservedly popular first book, introduced Travis Wilder, a likable Colorado bartender, and the equally personable doctor, Grace Beckett, with otherworldly ties to Eldh, an alternate universe full of kingdoms that are highly derivative versions of Egyptian, Norse, Celtic, Roman and Greek mythology. Somehow Beckett and Wilder became saviors on planet Eldh, escaping in the, alas, more tedious sequel, The Keep of Fire (1999), with grievously injured knight Beltan to Earth in order for Beltan to receive advanced medical treatment. In this third book the evil Duratek company, twin of countless other subversive corporations found in various entertainment media, captures Beltan for purposes of genetic experimentation and exploitation. While Grace and Travis try to save Beltan on Earth, on Eldh the "Weirding" that witches use to communicate is unraveling and gods and goddesses are dropping like flies. By overdoing trite magical devices and using too many characters to move the plot forward, this hodgepodge comes off as an overblown homage to other writers whose fantasy worlds are far more original than Anthony's and who know the power of simplicity despite complex plots. Hopefully book four, Blood of Mystery, will find Anthony back on track.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
As their friend Beltan, a native of the world known as Eldh, languishes in a coma in a Denver hospital, cross-world travelers Grace Beckett and Travis Wilder sense an urgency that demands their return to the mystical world that shares a destiny and a danger with Earth. The latest installment of Anthony's multivolume fantasy epic (Beyond the Pale; The Keep of Fire) brings together characters from both Earth and Eldh to the ruins of a dying city where an ancient enemy waits to destroy the twin fabrics of time and space. A good choice for libraries where epic fantasy is popular.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse and search another edition of this book.
First Sentence
It was in the final, burnished days of summer-when cool mornings gave way to languid afternoons under hazy skies, when the wheat bowed in the fields, shafts heavy with fruit, and all the land was still as if drinking in one last, long draught of gold-that the Mournish came to Artolor. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt
It was in the final, burnished days of summer-when cool mornings gave way to languid afternoons under hazy skies, when the wheat bowed in the fields, shafts heavy with fruit, and all the land was still as if drinking in one last, long draught of gold-that the Mournish came to Artolor. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most helpful customer reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Confusing magic, overpopulated fun,
By Brenopa "bsmith376" (Southern California) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Dark Remains (Mass Market Paperback)
I cannot understand the magic in The Last Rune series, with the blood, and runes and gates and Weirding. I was completely confused by the gate magic in this book. But you get the feeling that it's all going to come together in the end. It is quite depressing to have a likable character imprisoned in a lab, and being experimented on, but you have to admit, this makes a fairly routine fantasy a little different. There are far too many subplots, and the core group of characters--Travis, Grace, Beltan, Durge and Arya--needs to come together soon. The book uses too much of one my least favorite fantasy-epic devices: Having different characters doing things in different locations. How are these events related? It's all going to come together, in the end, but Mr. Anthony best not drag this series out, the way Bob Jordan did with the monstrous Wheel of Time. He needs to refocus, in the next book.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great action, ok believable magic system. Special read.,
By "daemondamianb" (Australia) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Dark Remains (Mass Market Paperback)
It has been a while since I read this book.I've read the whole Rune series except for the last one. I quite enjoyed the plot and the sense of action in DRs. Maybe I haven't read enough fantasy books but I didn't find the magic trite. As for the reviewer complaining about the boy gets So considering that there are zounds of other fantasy books with boy gets *girl* scenarios- that
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Dissenting Voice...,
By mayfayre "mayfayre" (New Jersey USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Dark Remains (Mass Market Paperback)
I guess I'm one of the few people who is enjoying this series more with each book. I liked this book just as much as the first two. I like the fact that the author is able to juggle a number of subplots and keep them all interesting, whether they're occurring on Earth involving the Seekers and Duratek, or on the alternate world named Eldh involving gods, myths and magic. I have no problem with the increasing number of characters in the book, in fact I think it adds to the story since each character brings something unique into the mix. Mr. Anthony has managed to give us some essential scenes with each of the characters, revealing some of their motivations and secrets, making them that much more real. All are essential to the plot. It's interesting to see how the friendships are growing and the romantic interests are weaving together. In each book, the characters have been evolving and deepening. Some reviewers seem to have a problem with the way some of the relationships appear to be developing, but to me, the characters have become so familiar and so real that their yearnings and growing awareness are all the more poignant. How can you not wish them well? In this third book of the series, Travis and Grace return to Earth to seek medical care for the gravely wounded knight, Beltan. However, while there, the evil Duratek Corporation (who are planning to rape the ecological resources of the world Eldh) have managed to locate them due to the betrayal of a friend, have captured Beltan, and plan to conduct medical experiments on him. Travis and Grace are forced to turn to the Seekers for assistance. Meanwhile, back on Eldh, Melia, Falken and the others travel to the fabled city of Tarras to find out who is killing the New Gods. Grace and Travis are finally forced to come to terms with the shadows of their pasts that have haunted them all of their lives. This, of course, is a great simplification of the plot, which has many more twists and turns, trials and tribulations. It is a fast-moving, interesting, and enjoyable story, and I for one am looking forward to Book Four.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Want to see more reviews on this item?
|
Most recent customer reviews |
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
