I first became aware of Jo Clayton in the Diadiem series, enjoying those, and the spin-offs, but in this book and the two sequels, Ms Clayton was a writer at the peak of her powers. Skeen is a person you'd like to meet, (keeping a hand on your wallet of course), human, humane in the best sense of the word, willing to deal with anyone as a person, regardless of the shape they were. An outer worlds Lara Croft, emeshed in multiple quests as consequence of trying to get home, Skeen uses her intelligence and skills, maintaining her integrity, safe-guarding her followers, coming through, a lttle bloody but unbowed.
Ms Clayton also had a fine talent in deliniating interesting aliens, with their own outlook and standards in just a few words.
Great chapter heading too, e.g. 'A day, a night, another day of dull travelling, lets just skip all that and get onto the next exciting bit'
A fine author, greatly missed. Not lost before she came into her powers, but what might she have done with a few more years?

This book is set in the same base universe as Clayton's epic "Diadem" series, but features a new and fascinating character. Skeen, a tough, quirky woman with a dark past, makes her living as a "rooner", plundering the treasures of the past on worlds across the galaxy. With the authorities hot on her trail, she stumbles through a "gate" into an alternate universe, where several different races from her own universe have found their way and share a world in relative peace. Skeen teams up with one of the shapeshifter indigenes of this world, and sets out on a quest for the near-extinct race who created the Gate, the only ones who can operate it and send Skeen back home. This book features Clayton's usual wildly imaginative array of beings and cultures. Skeen's outlaw background tends to bring her into contact with the underworlds of these cultures, unlike Aleytys whose conflicts seemed to be mainly with corporate and ruling-class types. But Clayton's trademark sharp social commentary is still very much present, as the uneasy interactions between the different races form a backdrop for Skeen's adventures. Skeen is a much more complex, hard-edged character than Aleytys, with some definite kinks as a result of her troubled past. But she's an engaging character, and has enough good qualities that you won't mind following her through this book and the two sequels. "Skeen's Leap" has all the Clayton hallmarks that "Diadem" fans have come to appreciate: imaginative,detailed settings and cultures; intelligent social commentary and realistically complex moral dilemmas; engaging, well-fleshed out supporting characters; thoughtul passages alternating with suspenseful, fast-paced action sequences. I'm not sure how much I like the short you-are-the-author passages that precede each chapter, but I give Clayton credit for trying something different. A "rogues's quest" story that manages to transcend the usual formula.

This was the first book I read by Clayton and I have been addicted ever since. An in depth look at addiction with lots of twists and turns. It really keeps your interest and is an excellent read if you can find this work. One of my favorites.

In some of Jo Clayton's books, the biggest shortcoming has been her tendency to design on a grand scale -- races, worlds, cultures and dialects in which you could literally get lost. The focus of the book was diminished as you were continually distracted by wondering what a particular word meant or what a particular religion was all about. In CRYSTAL HEAT, Clayton strikes a precise and enchanting balance as she presents, again, races and worlds on a grand scale, but simply presented and not at all a deterrent to an intricate plot with more twists than a roomful of Chubby Checkers.

Once agin we enter the tangled saga of two worlds threatned by magic. A complicated and complex tale, sadly this is the last complete work of writer Jo Clayton- she wil be greatly missed.

Drum Into Silence is the third novel in the Drums of Chaos series, following Drum Calls. In the previous novel, the three Mages attack Ellar in the Vale of Caeffordian and Cymel yields wholly to the Flow, blowing away the Mages and becoming the White bird. She takes Lyanz, Amhar, Talgryf, and the bodies of her father and Elizeth to her home. At Ellar's Tower, she finds Breith and tries to return to her own self, but can't. Terrified, she flies away.

In this novel, Breith calls to Cymel, but she starts to fly away. He grabs at her, but only clutches some long black hairs and a leather clasp, a tie that Cymel used to hold back her hair. Breith hauls the bodies, both dead and alive, into the entryway of the Tower. He wraps the dead in sheets and carries them into the cellar. Then he carries the sleepers upstairs to the dusty, cobwebby beds and quickly falls asleep in his own bed.

The next morning, Breith finally gets to wash off the ash, sweat, blood, and stench and drink a cup of tea. He decides to leave Talgryf with the responsibility for Lyanz and Amhar so he can pursue Cymel to turn her back into a human. Breith slips away under a flimsy shield of no-see and, days later, Talgryf manages to get the Hero and his lover off the mattress and onto the road. In the shrine of Marath Alaesh, Brother Kyo drops an icon of the god and chases it around the altar, only to realize that it has become an incarnation of the god Himself; he is signaled to seek out and help his brother. In Valla Murdoch, Faobran sends Yasayl, Malart and a group of scribes out to sea. Rinchay Matan watches her god, Kamkajar, shrivel and fade away and she dedicates her life to finding and punishing the liar who has destroyed her tribe.

Deep beneath the temple of Dyf Tanew in Tyst, Oerfel, the hidden Mage of Neddys, makes it back to his hexagram and resolves to destroy Cyfareth University. Mahara lays siege to Kar Markaz. Hudoleth renews her youth and returns to the palace to manipulate the Emperor.

This novel is the conclusion to the series, which was interrupted by the author's demise. The posthumous collaboration with Kevin Andrew Murphy has been very true to the previous volumes.

Highly recommended to Clayton fans and anyone else who enjoys complex tales of wizardry and war.

Aleytys has finally found her mother, but her quest is far from over. Now she must stake her claim as a member of the powerful Vryhh race, face her greatest enemy one-on-one, and free herself from the soul-stealing diadem.

This book also marks the beginning of Shadith's adventures as a heroine in her own right. A "must" for all Clayton fans.

Skeen, space pilot, trader, collector, and theif had come to the world of Mistommerk through a bizarre Gateway in time and space. A gateway which only one of its creators, the mysterious Ykx, could reopen from the Mistommerk side. So Skeen began her search for Ykx, a search that would take her into 8 different domains with 8 different races which dwelt together in an uneasy peace.
Soon Skeen's quest upset the delicate balance of power on Mistommerk, and she and her new found friends, found themselves pursued by bloodthirsty assassins, determined to end their lives before they could unlock the Gate between worlds and escape with Mistommerk's most precious treasure.

Well written and quite enjoyable.

This story starts with an impenetrable morass of alien words and phrases, without any exposition, that makes you want to send the book back in disgust. If you can plow through it though, the tale blossoms into a rousing adventure of danger, fast action, sacrifice, and heroism. The continuing alienness makes it a difficult read throughout, but it is worth the effort.

After her last exciting adventure, Shadith has settled down on University to finally study music as she had planned. She has found this to be enjoyable, but the absence of any danger in her life has left her bored and looking for a way out. Aslan offers an irrisistable chance to be a part of an academic envoy to Beluchad, where she is to foster trust and communication between the interdependant native species and the offworlder trade companies with her harping and singing. She quickly gets sucked into taking sides in the trade war that errupts between the Yakara an the Chave that has jepordized the existence of the native culture.

Jo Clayton has always amazed me with the characters and worlds she creates. This book is no exception. I felt the same wonder as Shadow when she heard the Eolt sing. The references to past events and characters ties this story into the overarching context of Shadow's adventures. Shadow's ability to laugh at herself, and Jo Clayton's ability to spin that tale without getting preachy is what brings me back again and again to this particular character. I find it easy to relate to Shadow and frequently live through her eyes. I can't wait to read the next one.

This is book is a wonderful book. I greatly enjow Jo Clayton's fantasy worlds and her great heroines. A yound girl with a mysterious past finds herself with a man who has had a bad past. Together they try to find out who she really is and soon she discovers many magical powers including the power to burn anything and everything around her. Set on a fantasy world with characters that will make you laugh and cry I strongly recomend it. Too bad its out of print but find it and read it, then read the other ones in the series (Wildfire...) I read it when I was in middle school, which didn't bither me but it might bother other parents because there is some graphic content, (like the man is a prostitute who dresses like a woman) but that doesn't make him bad, he's really nice. This is a whole other world and time so..ok, it might make you cry, it is kinda sad, but good.

The heroine of this book is Faan who was stolen from her family when she was three by a goddess. The goddess leaves her to be found by a hermaphodite prostitute. Basically the story follows Faan as she grows up in a outcast family made up of unwanted people. She eventually grows into her destiny as a pawn in the war of the gods. I really enjoyed how the author brought to life all the major characters and the dillemas that they face. It is a fast paced story with enough mystery left that I'm looking forward to the next book in this trilogy.

If you liked Drinker of Souls, you will probably like this book. This book stands alone though and you don't have to read Drinker of Souls to enjoy this one. It has been several generations since Bran's last adventure when she is called to "remember the promise" she made to the heirs of Harra Hazzani (a character from Drinker of Souls). From there coincidence abounds as Bran runs into the current generation of offspring, from her previous companions of adventure. It does seem a bit far fetched and tired (an easy way out of creating completely new companions for Bran) but after a few pages that feeling fades. Kori (the heir of Herra) is trying to save her brother Tre, who the Chained God has selected as his new priest. The threat comes not from the Chianed God, but from a powerful sorceror Settismaksim, who has forced the villagers to accept the Goddess Amortis and her servant/enforcers into the villages, where they burn the priests of the Chained God. Bran is called by Kori, from her sedintary life as a potter, to stop Settismaksim. The plot gets complicated as the reader (and Bran) realize that Settismaksim is not a completely vile and evil sorceror, rather a flawed man who is trying to give his people freedom. The Chained God, in his greed, really doesn't care much one way or the other and forces Bran, the changers, and Danny Blue into a battle with Settismaksim. Other Gods of Brans world manifest (the Godalau, and Tunjii) and there are parallel universes and all sorts of other plot twists to hold your interest. There isn't much high-tech sci-fi in this book, but if you like fantasy, and magic, and improbable things this will be right up your alley