History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

Truth told through the personal first-hand experience of a young victim
A novel of the Armenian Genocide.
Pass this book on to others-share it with the world.
Forgotten Fire
Historical, well written, and powerful

Forgotten Fire (Readers Circle)
Adam Bagdasarian
Manufacturer: Laurel Leaf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0440229170
Release Date: 2002-04-09

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Forced to watch his father escorted out of their lives by Turkish police, his brothers shot to death in their backyard, his grandmother murdered by a rock-wielding guard, and his sister take poison rather than be raped by soldiers, 12-year-old Vahan Kendarian abruptly begins to learn what his father meant when he used to say, "This is how steel is made. Steel is made strong by fire." Up until 1915, Vahan has lived a cosseted life as the son of a wealthy and respected Armenian man. But overnight his world is destroyed when the triumvirate of Turkish leaders, Enver Pasha, Talaat Bey, and Djemal Pasha, begins the systematic massacre of nearly three-quarters of the Armenian population of Turkey, 1.5 million men, women, and children. Soon Vahan is an orphan on the run, surviving by begging, pretending to be deaf and mute, dressing as a girl, hiding out in basements and outhouses, and even living for a time with the Horseshoer of Baskale, a Turkish governor known for nailing horseshoes to the feet of his Armenian victims. Time and again, the terrified and desperate boy grows close to someone--and loses him or her to an appalling, violent death. Through three years of unspeakable horror, Vahan is made stronger by this fire, and by perseverance, fate, or sheer luck, he survives long enough to escape to the safe haven of Constantinople.

Brutally vivid, Adam Bagdasarian's Forgotten Fire is based on the experiences of his great-uncle during the Armenian Holocaust. The absolutely relentless series of vile events is almost unbearable, but the quiet elegance of Bagdasarian's writing makes this a novel of truth and beauty. Parental guidance is strongly suggested for younger readers of this extraordinary, heartbreaking account. (Ages 14 and older) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

In 1915 Vahan Kenderian is living a life of privilege as the youngest son of a wealthy Armenian family in Turkey. This secure world is shattered when some family members are whisked away while others are murdered before his eyes.

Vahan loses his home and family, and is forced to live a life he would never have dreamed of in order to survive. Somehow Vahan’s incredible strength and spirit help him endure, even knowing that each day could be his last.

Customer Reviews:

Truth told through the personal first-hand experience of a young victim .......2007-09-18

As a third generation Armenian-American with a family history which includes a similar set of horrific first-hand accounts of Turkish Muslim atrocities against my own kin, this historical recounting was hard to put down. For those in our 'modern' culture too arrogant to believe that history is relevant, this historical vignette relating to the well-documented massacre and abuse of 1-2 million Armenian Christians by Turkish Muslims rings absolutely true and hauntingly familiar to the scores of comparable historical atrocities inflicted by evil Islamic terrorists across Asia, Africa and the Middle East over the past 1300 years (in the past decade consider similar incursions in Sudan, Philippines, East Timor, Armenia, Lebanon, Israel, etc.). The linkage of Post-Christian 'pre-Nazi' German culture with Turkish Muslim allies in suppressing this truth back in WWI was recently brought shockingly to mind in September 2007 by the discovery of Al Queda-trained German Muslims preparing large scale bombing materials in Germany. Read this book and be informed as to the real, continuing, stakes on today's world stage where darkness and light continue to battle. The good news is that the Bible tells us that Jesus wins and reigns for eternity. Praise be to the true God of the Bible!!

A novel of the Armenian Genocide........2007-07-14

This book tells the story of the author's uncle who survived the Armenian genocide and lived to tell his relatives. It is a heart moving story of how a rich Armenian family died. The two survivors are a sister and a brother. This is the story of the brother. Few people remember the Armenian genocides since they took place either before World War I or during the war itself. One and a half million Armenians died in these events (there were several prior to WWI and the big one took place during the war). Although the story is set in eastern Turkey, one does not get a view of why the government ministers/soldiers perpetrated these massacres. The book shows how people were killed by evil men, a very simplistic explanation.

This is an interesting read. Although a novel, it is based on a true event and life. I am not sure it is really for grade school students, but could be taught to high school students.

Pass this book on to others-share it with the world........2007-05-31

I was speaking with a friend of mine when I mentioned a faux pas that I had made several years ago in an Armenian grocery, knowing that my friend is Armenian and knowing a little about the genocide of the Armenian people. He surprised me by telling me about this book and recommended it to me highly. I was further surprised when he told me his cousin wrote the book about his own father. Not wishing to go further into a private conversation (although I'm sure he'll consider me dopey for worrying about it), I bought the book and was amazed by the humanity of the writing, especially about such a heartbreaking chapter of the history of the human race. The most surprising aspect of this book is that there is no hate in it other than on the part of the Turks for the Armenians. I found it to be a wrenching and uplifting depiction of a heroic boy (a true hero, not the watered-down version adopted today). Anyone who is not changed by it should read it again and try harder.

Take this book down off the shelf, give it to someone to read, have them pass it on to others. No dust should touch its pages. I have no idea where my copy is but I'm sure it's being read with passion.

Forgotten Fire.......2007-05-28

This book of tradgety was very well written. It is a story of a young Armenian boy who servived the Armenian Genocide of 1915. I think that as an Armnian American it is important that we fully understand what our parents and grandparents went through and The Turkish government still will not admitt to any wrong doing.Shame on them.

Historical, well written, and powerful.......2007-04-11

The Armenian genocide is, as has been pointed out here, something that's not rarely spoken of. Turkey is in complete denial, and the world hasn't quite caught up yet. Strange, as it has been almost 100 years.

I'll admit that I knew very little about this historic event. I knew a bit, from hearing stories here and there, but I didn't really understand what it meant. "Forgotten Fire" showed it to me clearly and vividly, in a way that I don't think I'll ever forget. I don't think I CAN forget it - even three years after reading it, I could remember the clear details. I could remember moments that touched me deeply. This book isn't the sort of book you read and then toss in the "done and read" pile. It's kept.

Historically, this book does a wonderful job at showing one point of view. I hadn't ever read anything about this, so it was fascinating to read this and travel along. I loved reading it because it was powerful. I loved reading it because it was different.

What I especially liked about this book was that it all stuck with me. Maybe I was ignorant before, but after reading this well-written, vivid book, I won't forget about Armenia. The story, besides being both sad, painful, and interesting, was presented clearly and never stopped moving. It all felt real and honest. It was powerful, intense, and incredible.

I recommend this book to any young adult as a wonderful piece of literature and a vividly told piece of a little-known history. It's not for younger kids (death being a major issue), but anyone else can and should read it, if only to learn about the past.

Highly recommended.

City on Fire: The Forgotten Disaster That Devastated a Town and Ignited a Landmark Legal Battle

Average customer rating:

Fact as (poorly written) Fiction
Harrowing story of the this nations worst industrail accident.
Texas City Remembers
No, it's not non-fiction...
Could have been much better

City on Fire: The Forgotten Disaster That Devastated a Town and Ignited a Landmark Legal Battle
Bill Minutaglio
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0060185414
Release Date: 2003-01-07

Book Description

On a day that dawned with brisk breezes, a clear sky, and perfect temperatures, the small town of Texas City suddenly found itself facing the greatest industrial disaster in the most industrialized nation on the planet. And, in time, the survivors of that all-American city found themselves wondering if their own government had delivered them into this hell on earth.

In 1947, Texas City was experiencing boom times, bristling with chemical and oil plants, built to fuel Europe's seemingly endless appetite for the raw materials needed to rebuild its ruined cities. When an explosion ripped through its docks, the effect was cataclysmic. Thousands of people were wounded or killed, the fire department was decimated, planes were shot out of the sky, and massive ocean-bound freighters disintegrated. The blast knocked people to their knees in Galveston, ten miles away; broke windows in Houston, forty miles away; and rattled a seismograph in Denver, Colorado. Chaos reigned, the military was scrambled, the FBI launched investigations -- and ordinary citizens turned into heroes.

For months on end, the brave residents of what had once been an average American town struggled to restore their families, their homes, their lives. And they also struggled to confront another welling nightmare-the possibility that the tragedy that almost erased their city from existence might have been caused by the very government they thought would protect them.

City on Fire is a painstakingly researched saga of one of the most profound but forgotten disasters in American history. The Texas City Disaster was a searing, apocalyptic event that had an enormous ripple effect for millions of people around the world.

It changed the way Americans respond to disasters and the way people viewed the American government -- the Texas City Disaster opened the door for average Americans to confront their government and its leaders in the nation's courts of law. It was the first time that the United States of America was named as a defendant in a case that, after a series of dizzying twists and turns, would end up in the nation's highest court.

Ultimately, the story of Texas City is a story of courage, humanity, bravery, and a painful quest for justice. It is the story of ordinary Americans behaving in extraordinary ways -- and serving as role models for dignity and grace.

Customer Reviews:

Fact as (poorly written) Fiction.......2007-04-14

Needs an index, chapter listings, footnotes, and a bibliography. Author claims to have interviewed two hundred people, but does not list their names. If this is non-fiction, he needs to remember Joe Friday's (Jack Webb's) famous quote "Just the facts ma'am."
If a reader is serious about history or the events of the explosion at Texas City, and chooses this volume, I would hope he is good at speed reading, otherwise it may be a long haul.

Harrowing story of the this nations worst industrail accident........2006-06-01

Although not strictly an historical work, Bill Minutaglio nonetheless uses in depth research to reconstruct the Texas City Explosion of the late 1940's.

I do consulting work in the hydrocarbon processing industry and do a lot of work in Texas City, so I was naturally interested in this event. As Minutaglio reconstructs the event one sees that it bears the hallmarks of a major disaster--ignorance, arrogance and extraordinary bad luck all mixed together to create the conditions for horror on a grand scale.

Minutaglio uses the stories of several involved survivors and relatives of some of the prominent deceased to weave this tale. This lends a high level of credence to the reconstruction. There is, however, a fair degree of inference in what is presented.

Beyond the pure human tragedy that Minutaglio chronicles it is the social aspect of the story that really riles. Having in large part created the circumstances that led to this disaster the federal government spends great time and energy in denying the people of Texas City any real comfort, compensation or even recognition of its culpability. When one looks at how the government reacted to 9/11 and compare that to the reaction to the Texas City disaster you can't help but feel anew for the victims.

I found this to be a well written, well researched, lovingly tendered story. It's not a book that one can enjoy, but is a book that should be read. As has often been noted, we do not truly appreciate the power of our modern tools till something goes wrong. This book reveals just how truly awful "when things go wrong" can be.

Highly recommended.

Texas City Remembers .......2006-03-19

This book appealed to me because I was born there 7 years after the Disaster and grew up there where it was part of local lore that I learned from my parents who lived through it. I enjoyed the book for its human interest aspects derived from the author's interviews with survivors. The way he describes life in Texas City coincides with my memories of it from my childhood. I attended the church where Fr. Roach served and the author seemed to use his artistic license from interviewing those who knew him to portray Roach's thoughts and words.

My previous reading on this topic was of dry historical narratives of events of those days in 1947. The inside look at the role of the federal government and the ensuing litigation and resolution of survivors' claims was new to me and fascinating to read. As one who grew up in the shadows of the port and local corporations involved, I heartily recommend this book to interested readers!

No, it's not non-fiction..........2005-09-04

Don't lose sight of the fact that this book is NOT an absolute documentary piece of work -- the writer says as much in his introduction.

It is instead an extremely well-told, compelling story pieced together from documentary evidence, witness accounts and interviews that well chronicles this tragedy and puts the reader right in the middle of the event.

I couldn't put it down.

Could have been much better.......2004-02-14

"City on Fire" is a book that had to be written, for it's the shocking true story about the industrial port city of Texas City, Texas, that was devastated by a pair of ammonium nitrate explosions in April 1947. It's an event that was largely forgotten about until Bill Minutaglio's book came along.

That said, "City on Fire" was a disappointment for me. The first third of it dwells on Father Bill Roach, the Catholic priest who crusades for the city's underclass. This is the worst part of the book, for much of it seems utterly made-up. As another reviewer pointed out, there's no way all of this could be factual; how could Minutaglio possibly know what Roach is seeing, thinking and saying? Other characters are treated in similar fashion.

While the book is full of florid characterizations, it has precious little about ammonium nitrate, such as how it is handled, why it is explosive, how it is manufactured and so forth. A map of the city prior to the event would have been helpful, too, as would a diagram of the Grandcamp, the ship that was the first to explode.

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Amazon.com's Significant Seven
Ed Greenwood kindly agreed to take the life quiz we like to give to all our authors: the Amazon.com Significant Seven.

Q: What book has had the most significant impact on your life?
A: I can't possibly pick just one. The Lord of the Rings is one of them, but there have been so many. I have 80,000 of them at home right now.

Q: You are stranded on a desert island with only one book, one CD, and one DVD--what are they?
A: The book: any Discworld omnibus (Terry Pratchett), because I'm greedy. I think I'll ask him if I can pick my own selection, the next time his publishers are slapping several titles together. If it really must be just a single book: A Song for Arbonne by Guy Gavriel Kay.

The CD: Cheating time again. Your Hundred Best Tunes (London label, two four-CD sets, but a dearly loved and now-vanished store, the Madrigal, once sold them taped together, in a brick of glorious music). Force me to pick just one? I can't. Tubular Bells? Selling England by the Pound? Eldorado? No, I just can't.

The DVD: Jackson's complete Lord of the Rings set. If I really can only pick a single disc: The Man Who Would Be King (Connery, Caine, and Plummer). Beats The Princess Bride by a nose, some days but not others.

Q: What is the worst lie you've ever told?
A: Not telling a friend that the love of her life had just been killed, because I didn't think she should learn that from me, in that place, at that time. It hurt to do it, and I still think it was the right thing to do, but it still hurts.

Q: Describe the perfect writing environment.
A: A Secret Place: a quiet spot where I can go off by myself to think. For me, a forest glade. That just happens to have electricity running up a handy stump, right beside a smooth stump angled to sit upon. Not just for my computer, but for kettles so I can brew endless mugs of green tea and hot chocolate.

Q: If you could write your own epitaph, what would it say?
A: Here lies Ed, who tried to make people happy. Please sit down and have an easy moment. I now have plenty to share.

Q: Who is the one person living or dead that you would like to have dinner with?
A: Any of my grandfathers ("Any?" long story), because I was too young to be able to pick their brains in a candid, man-to-man fashion ere they died. Not just because I'd love to know the truth, or at least their side, of various family tales, events, and disputes. Not just because I desperately want to know more of their characters, and spend more time with them. It's also because they were gushing, articulate fonts of knowledge about times now gone, the daily customs and attitudes and aspirations of "then." The saying: "There were MEN in those days" comes to mind. And no, I'm not belittling the women of the family. They did talk to me, at eloquent length, before passing away. They knew the importance of sharing and passing lore on.

Q: If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
A: The power to read people's minds, at very close range and only when I tried to. Not to read bank account numbers or anything of the sort, but to know their true feelings, so as not to offend and so I can best make them happy. Spreading happiness has to be the most heroic thing ordinary folk can daily do.

Book Description

The third book in Ed Greenwood's first Forgotten Realms trilogy.

Author Ed Greenwood concludes the story of Shandril of Highmoon in this second volume of the Shandril's Saga trilogy. This mass market edition of the trade paperback features new cover art by John Sullivan.

Customer Reviews:

The best book of the Shandril's Saga trilogy........2007-07-03

This book wraps up the trilogy and almost ends on a high note, then doesn't. I was kind of surprised Greenwood decided to end the trilogy this way, but Oh, well, it's his book! I just wished things had turned out better.

I don't want to spoil anything about the book, but it's my favorite of the trilogy. And I'm sad to say, it's because of all the secondary characters that I really liked this book. Especially Storm Silverhand, the ranger/harper. I like female heroines, and Storm is by far the most interesting character in this book. I wish it had been more about her instead, but she was in it enough to make it worthwhile. And Mirt the moneylender is another good character. He and Storm made this book so much better.

By the time the end of this book rolled around, Storm was my favorite character though, far overshadowing Shandril. Storm just kicks butt, takes names, and does it all while still maintaining her feminine sexuality; as perfect a balance in a character as I've seen, and now I'm on the lookout for any books featuring her in any major capacity. I just hope they're as good as the part she played in this book. It seems rare to see such a powerful character that is also an object of desire. Most authors don't get it right for some reason, but Ed Greenwood did.

Plenty of spell battles, fighting, and some of the funniest dialogue between fantasy characters I've come across - and very entertaining and magical as well.

Overall this series is great. I can't say I like the ending to the 3rd book, but it's definitely worth rereading the entire series - especially book 3, Hand of Fire.

The low point of Shandril's Saga if not the FR- Setting.......2006-02-28

When I started reading fantasy novels many years ago, "Spellfire" was one of the first books that fell into my hands. I really liked it though whether that was due to not having read much else to reference it to, I can't say...
I really liked the Shandril character, too and most (female)chars I play in RPGs are named after her.
Since then I read almost every Forgotten Realms novel there is and I eagerly awaited "Crown of Fire" and though it was a major letdown I also decided to give Hand of Fire a chance.
Now I wish I didn't do that.
First off some might consider Greenwoods writing style a bit difficult to read. Some sentences go on and on for four to five lines or more and when you get to the end you have to start over to remember how it started. Having read Tolkiens Silmarillion I don't particularly mind this, but I think it should be mentioned...
What really sucks about Hand of Fire ist the story - or lack thereof. First the premise of the story is Shandril trying to get to Silverymoon - on a trade caravan! Having wizards like Elminster and Vangerdahast on her side, nobody can tell me it wouldn't have been easier to simply whisk her there with a spell, but then this book wouldn't have been possible... Pity...
OK, most of the rest of the book is evil wizards and priest making plans to attack the caravan for many chapters only to get fried by spellfire or run through by a blade as soon as they make their move (In one case even twice because of some contingency magic!)
There is one assassin who is shadowing Shandril all through the novel and who seems extremely competent, but as soon as he makes his move he is fried in an instant.
Many will see the end coming, will even know it before starting to read this book, but the last chapter was one of the worst things I ever read. The worst being the Epilogue.
All this said, I think this will be the last book by Greenwood that I have read. I really like his characters, like Elminster and the knights, but his books are nothing but spellbattles from beginning to end, people dieing in many imaginative ways and little to none character interaction or development.
Like M. McBride I will look forward to the next books of Mr. Salvatore or Mrs. Cunningham...

Throw this story into the fire.......2005-12-21

I like forgotten realms books in general so its funny that the one author I typically don't like is Ed Greenwood. The dialogue of the characters is generally silly. The fight scenes are so obscure they are barely understandble.

I read the first two books and generally didn't like them. For some reason, I decided to finish out the trilogy. Needless to say I couldn't finish the book. I was too bored, so I went to the next RA Salvatore book.

Crown of Fire: Shandril's Saga, Book II (Forgotten Realms: Shandril's Saga)

Average customer rating:

A good 2nd book in a great trilogy.

Crown of Fire: Shandril's Saga, Book II (Forgotten Realms: Shandril's Saga)
Ed Greenwood
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0786936193
Release Date: 2005-03-01

Book Description

The second book in Ed Greenwood's first Forgotten Realms trilogy.

Author Ed Greenwood continued the story of Shandril of Highmoon in this second volume of the Shandril's Saga trilogy. This mass market edition of the trade paperback features new cover art by John Sullivan.

Customer Reviews:

A good 2nd book in a great trilogy........2007-07-03

Ed Greenwood has a style of writing that I just like to read; and he created the Forgotten Realms! The man needs to be inducted into the Fantasy Authors Hall of Fame just for that one act alone.

This book picks up where the first book left off and continues the story of Shandril. It's pretty good writing, and Ed Greenwood writes about the swords and sorcery things I like to read about. I don't know how many other books, and movies for that matter, that over the years have fallen short just because they don't have enough magic in them. While the whole Shandril Saga has way more "spellfire" than magic, it's still interesting and fun to read. The characters are funny and interesting and I really wanted to find out what happened to them next.

I felt like this book (#2 of 3) wasn't as good as the other two, but I can't really put my finger on it. I don't remember enough really to make any kind of detailed dissertation on it, but I remember it being a little slower-paced, and not quite as interesting as the other two were. All in all it was a definite must-read of course to get to the 3rd book (the best in the trilogy!).

The Shandril's Saga trilogy is one of my favorite series, and I look forward to rereading them one day.

Forgotten Fires: Native Americans and the Transient Wilderness

Average customer rating:

Straightforward facts instead of romanticized legend

Forgotten Fires: Native Americans and the Transient Wilderness
Omer C. Stewart , and Kat Anderson
Manufacturer: University of Oklahoma Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0806134232

Customer Reviews:

Straightforward facts instead of romanticized legend.......2003-03-06

First presented in the 1950s, yet just as relevant today, Forgotten Fires: Native Americans And The Transient Wilderness by Omer C. Stewart dispels the longstanding cultural myth that Native American communities had no impact on the natural environment surrounding them. Taking a close look at the effects Native American civilization had upon nature's ability to incorporate them into the ecosystem, with an especial eye toward how some regularly used fires to manage plant and animal communities through localized habitat burning, Forgotten Fires is a thoughtful study about mankind's true interaction with the environment, presenting straightforward facts instead of romanticized legend. This highly recommended edition for Native American Studies and Environmental History reference shelves and reading lists has been collaboratively edited by Henry T. Lewis and M. Kat Anderson for the contemporary reader.

Hand of Fire (Forgotten Realms: Shandril's Saga, Book 3)

Average customer rating:

Poorly Written, No flow, Bad Ending
Dont know what to say...
Awful! Don't waste your time or your money.
Oh nevermind, I didn't like her anyway
What was the author thinking?

Hand of Fire (Forgotten Realms: Shandril's Saga, Book 3)
Ed Greenwood
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0786927607
Release Date: 2002-08-01

Book Description

The long-awaited conclusion to the Shandril's Saga trilogy.

The latest novel from Forgotten Realms creator and bestselling author Ed Greenwood is the third title in this newly created trilogy. This all-new novel concludes the storyline from two long-standing titles that were recently rereleased.

Be careful what you wish for.

Spellfire is the most powerful magic in the land.

It’s a dangerous weapon in anyone’s hands.

In the wrong hands, it can destroy the world.

Shandril Shessair wanted a taste of adventure. She got spellfire, and now she's fleeing for her life across Faerûn, searching for somewhere to hide. More evil wizards, warriors, and priests than she can count are trying to get it from her, and they'll kill or enslave her without hesitation. Her last, desperate hope is to take refuge in the sheltered city of Silverymoon.

If she makes it that far.

Customer Reviews:

Poorly Written, No flow, Bad Ending.......2006-09-30

I have to say, I loved this series of books, until the last book. I loved the first novel especially, and I would read it over and over. The same things applies to the second. I hated the third. The entire novel felt rough. There was no flow to it, and in fact there was the pointless death of Shandril. There is the whole message of no one will leave her alone, but there are places that Greenwood himself created that she could live out her life. It was a senseless killing and one that ruined the entire series for me. I read these books in high school (8ish years ago) and once I read this final novel, I never touched them again.

Dont know what to say..........2006-03-21

Without reading the other reviews, I can say that this book is rambling and pointless. Characters are introduced mindlessly without any thought to advance the plot (if you could even say there is a plot!), and the author doesnt seem able to continue with a single line of thought for more than about two pages.

While the other two books in the series are at least readable, reading this one was agony, even for a hard core Forgotten Realms fan like myself. Do yourself a favor and get a different FR book.

Awful! Don't waste your time or your money........2003-08-22

This book doesn't even deserve one star. It is the worst Forgotten Realms book I have ever read. Some of their recent offerings have been weak, but this one was pathetic. I looked forward to this book for months. I should have saved my money. The book is the same scene over and over and over thirty seven times. The Knights of Myth Drannor are nowhere to be found. Every bad guy who said "Hey, pursuing spellfire is lousy idea" changed his mind. Some new ones showed up as well. Shan's kid disappears without explanation. There's no plot. There's no point. The ending is over the top and the montage is enough to make you gag. If you want good FR fantasy, pick up anything in the Sembia series, City of the Ravens, anything by R.A. Salvatore, or most stuff in the Harpers' series, if you can find it.

Oh nevermind, I didn't like her anyway.......2003-08-05

This book is a prime example of an author that has suddenly gotten bored of a character and world he has spent the two previous books building up. Rather than move along the plot line we're forced to endure chapters of random destruction. People, landscape and inconvenient things like a plot are eradicated en masse by spellfire, as is your intelligence and patience as you keep plodding through the book.

The villains are plotting of course, against each other, against Shandriel, against you the reader. Of course none of them have read their Evil Overlord instruction manual [REMOVED WEB ADDRESS] and repeatedly violate Rule #12.

Shandriel's ignominious end is the final insult that Greenwood delivers to the reader. In short it's akin to taking one's ball and leaving the playground because one was picked last for the game. Senseless death in the setting of the book trying to impart greater meaning is allowable. Getting bored with a character that was built up over two prior books is not.

Rather than having this book exist fan-fiction would be much preferred.

What was the author thinking?.......2003-02-18

I loved the first two books in this series. Spellfire and Crown of Fire managed to capture a sense of both humor and desperation.
Not only does Hand of Fire lack the humor of the first two books, it's the single most depressing novel I have ever read. Now, I don't mind a tragic ending, I'm very fond of dark stories, but this ending was far too dark even for me. Narm and Shandril don't managed to accomplish anything, and then Shandril dies uselessly at the end.
Do not waste money buying this book. You will only end up angry about buying it.

Crown of Fire (Forgotten Realms: Shandril's Saga, Book 2)

Average customer rating:

Spellfire and it's sequels
Not bad, Just really evil bad guys!
WHO said Greenwood is a good writer?
Hardly worth the paper it's printed on...
one of the worst novels ever written

Crown of Fire (Forgotten Realms: Shandril's Saga, Book 2)

Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 1560768398
Release Date: 1994-04-19

Book Description

Adventurer on the Run!

Once Shandril was a humble kitchen maid.

Now she's one of the most powerful magic-users in the land.

And a lot of people want her dead.

The evil Zhentarim, the powerful Cult of the Dragon—all of them want her spellfire, and they'll kill whoever they must to get it. There's only one thing for Shandril to do: run. With the aid of Elminster of Shadowdale, the Knights of Myth Drannor, her lover, and a determined dwarf, she'll wield her magic for the cause of good. But if her magic becomes too powerful, her friends won’t have a choice.

They’ll kill her themselves.

Customer Reviews:

Spellfire and it's sequels.......2006-12-05

I am rather glad to see the sequel(s) to SpellFire coming out. I basically grew up playing AD&D in the Realms. These books allow me to read about some of the imaginary places and people I, or my character to be precise, met in those early days. They fill a void left behind when I grew up and have been unable to fit gaming into my schedule. To me, Greenwood's books read like an AD&D campaign with Greenwood serving as Dungeon Master. Who better to tell the stories of Toril than it's creator?

Not bad, Just really evil bad guys!.......2006-08-02

This series generally gets a bad rap from most reviewers. Mr Greenwood is not supposed to be a literary genius. This story fits well into the grand picture of the Realms. It works just as well as "Spellfire", it predecessor. The heros are believable, Shandril is rather irritating.

I really like the villains. Manshoon is really evil, and his nefarious band of cohorts held my interest! The "Zhentish" organization created here is truely nasty. The bad guys and gals are more believable than the pompous, lusty(dirty minded) heros presented. Seriously, if these fools would clean up their act, maybe the evil could be overturned.

I do not discredit Ed Greenwood in any way with how he handles the storyline. He did, after all create this fabulous world that so many people have loved or hated for nearly 20 years, beyond that for some. If it was so bad, why do so many novels and gaming supplement keep getting published annually? Why do so many people keep reading the books, whether they like them or not?

This fantasy world is credible. Beautiful and horrible at the same time. I personally have spent days among this mysterious, and magical world that is absolutely thrilling. The architypes are there: dwarves, elves, wizards, dragons and mystical kingdoms that one can almost touch. Beholders! What a concept! Hilarious and monstrous at the same time. How can one resist?

The Forgotten Realms are always going to be remembered because of Ed Greenwood's determinations. He can bring real magic alive. I have literally come of age with his world behind me. Wizards of the Coast suceed in keeping this show alive. There is obviously some sort of attraction here, as so many other worlds are but a distant memory. Crown of Fire is not great liturature, just a great story with lots of action and magic!

WHO said Greenwood is a good writer?.......2006-03-25

Here we have another suckage by Ed Greenwood, the only writer who sucks more than Zahn (and who is equally praised by paranoid monkeys err american readers) the heroes are totally cardboard, the storyline is wicked and nonsensical, the dialogs are idiotic. I don't know why Greenowood has such esteme and fame, yeah I know he started the entire Forgotten stuff, but he is grease under feet of Salvatore or Cunnigham. After reading any of his novels you are close hating entire FR setting. I've read several of his novels and shortstories, they all sucked but this one is WORST of the worst, and that really means something. Ed please we beg of you, STOP WRITING.

Hardly worth the paper it's printed on..........2002-11-12

I don't know why I bothered after I read Spellfire and hated it. I guess I was just deperately hopeing that Greenwood manage to redeem himself...after all he is responsible for the Forgotten Realms you think he would have a lick of talent. It seems being a good game designer and a good author are two totally different subjects! This book is like any bad hollywood sequel in movies, it is basically the same as the first story with a slight change of scenery and a little time has passed. Points I would like to make are...Shandril (the heroine) is far too powerful and far too weapy! She spends about as much time crying as she does in combat, and combat never lasts that long when Shandril is present. She just wipes everything and everyone out (as if her existing powers werent enough she grows in power throughout the book). I ended up rooting for the bad guys in the end because I wanted her and her husband Narm dead. Narm is the next character I would like to chew on. I have never read of a more weakling mage character. Greenwood would have been well advised to see to it that Narm developed some magical abilities throughout the book so that he didn't always hide behind his woman. He ends up causing more trouble in battle then solving anything! The Knights of Myth Drannor are pointless characters that only appear in the book inorder to save Shandril and Narm from their own stupidity! I asked this question after reading Spellfire and I ask it now. Why was this book ever reprinted? Next time I spill something in my house, I won't run for the paper towels, I'll start tearing pages out of Spellfire and Crown of Fire to clean up the mess. At least then I would feel like I got my money's worth.

one of the worst novels ever written.......2001-10-29

Dungeons and dragons novels are usually bad, but this one is exceptionally bad. This novel features bad prose, irritating characters, and unbelievably stupid villains. Take for an example the beholders. These monsters are supposed to be inhumanly smart, yet they keep shooting magic at Shandril, who absorbs it and shoots it back them. They keep doing it until they entire pack is destroyed. The novel is mainly fighting, interspersed with poor dialogue. How does one feel when reading it? '"Tired. When I said I was sick of endless battle," Shandril told him grimly, "I meant it."'

Average customer rating:

The Fire of Forgotten Gods
Frantisek Emmert
Manufacturer: SynergEbooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0744311365
Release Date: 2006-11-06

Product Description

At the end of World War II, the Nazis, desperate to ward off near defeat, create a secret weapon from the Ancient World. On the shore of North Italy, a British parachutist lands by accident on an inaccessible island and finds what the Nazis are hiding....

Average customer rating:

Forgotten Fire
Joanna Mansell
Manufacturer: Harlequin Mills & Boon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0263775151

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