They came, they read a lot, they rehashed.

Starpilot's Grave is the second novel written in the original Mageworlds trilogy. At this time, however, it is the fifth of the series in internal chronological sequence, following The Price of the Stars. In the previous book, Beka Rosselin-Metada has joined with the Professor, her brother Ari, Nyls Jessan, and Llannat Hyfid to capture Nivome the Rolny, the man who masterminded the assassination of her mother. Realizing that there are others involved in the assassination plot, Jos Metada asks Beka to take the Warhammer into Mageworlds space to continue the investigation. Moreover, Jos gives Jessan permission to accompany her and he promotes and reassigns his aide, Jervas Gil, as Commodore of the Mageworld fleet.

Owen Rosselin-Metada manages to elude the Magelords on Pleyver and returns to Galcen with important information; Errec Ransome then assigns him to watch the Mages on Nammerin. There he meets Klea Santreny and trains her as an Adept. When Ari and Llannat returns to Nammerin, Owen warns them that he is undercover and not to be noticed if seen. Ari is soon promoted and reassigned to the Fezrisond in the Infabe sector, but Llannat remains behind. Beka and Nyls travel through the Net to Mage space looking for Ebenra D'Caer. On Raamet, they take on a passenger who tries to kill them, but they extract enough information from his brain to divert to Ninglin to meet the assassin's contact. Jos and his new aide, Commander Quetaya, travel incognito to Infabe for an unannounced inspection; after they depart, security guards discovered a body stuffed in a trash container within RSF headquarters.

While this is the second volume in a trilogy, the plot does not let up on the suspense and action. Recommended for Mageworlds fans and anyone who enjoys tales of covert action and special operations on an interstellar scale.

I really love this series. Characterization remains strong, and the action really moves along. Throw in a few surprise twists here and there, and you have a really great story. Get to know some secondary characters a little better here.

These writers must write by committee. They're imitators, not innovators. This is a poor substitute for a BOOK. This isn't crab meat, it's imitation Krab flavored.

The Gathering Flame is the fourth novel written in the Mageworlds series. At this time, however, it is the third in internal chronological sequence, following A Working of Stars and preceding The Price of the Stars. Five hundred years before, a Great Working was performed to bridge the eiran across The Gap Between. The only surviving Mage from that Circle, Arekhon Khreseio sus-Khalgath sus-Peledaen, had returned to his lover Elaeli Inadi syn-Peledaen, known as the Maestra Elela Rosselin, on Entibor and now serves her descendants as Ser Hafrey, the Armsmaster.

The Mages have begun raiding across the Gap Between and threaten Entibor. Perada Rosselin has just inherited the title of Domina of Entibor and, in the company of Ser Hafrey and Nivome do'Evaan of Rolny, is traveling from Galcen to Entibor to receive her crown. On the way, she takes a side-journey to Waycross on Innish-Kyl in order to converse with Jos Metadi, the leader of a fleet of privateers attacking Mage conveys. Perada wants Jos to command her fleet against the Mages and is offering to take him as her consort if he will become her General of Armies. Metada turns her down and tries to leave, but finds the door locked from the outside. Escaping the building by the back way, Jos and Perada are fired upon by unknown assailants and flee to Metada's ship, the Warhammer. Errec Ransome, an Adept who survived the Mage attack on Ilarna, is the navigator on the Warhammer, Nannla and Tillijen are the gunners, and Ferrdacor the Selvaur is the engineer.

This novel tells the backstory of the First Mage War and the formation of the Republic. It shows why Errec Ransome is called the Breaker of Circles, how Entibor was Lost, and what caused the Rolny enmity toward the Rosselin-Metadi clan. It also gives some background on the other planets involved in the original trilogy.

This novel may be a prequel, but it throughly enjoyable in itself. Recommended for all Mageworlds fans and anyone who enjoys interstellar politics and intrigue.

The story of Mom and Dad; both the Domina and Jos are every bit as fascinating as their three children. Only one snag bothered me, when the Domina tells Jos that Ari isn't his biological son, they obviously ignored the previously written Price of The Stars, in which they credited Ari's physical build to one of Jos Metadi's unknown parents. Otherwise, still a delightful action-adventure-scifi-fantasy-mystery;)

This is an excellent book of the Cyprus economy. The author gives the reader a general understanding of the background of Cyprus; history, culture, demographics. Following this, the book introduces the reader to the economy of the island. A very useful book for someone interested in the prosperity of the island, as a business man or investor.

Before flying and working in the Marshall islands, the only information that I had about them was that it was a cluster of islands far from any remote western civilization. The only geographic information that I knew was that the highest point was the bridge in the middle of the island. Country Review dramatically helped me in preparation for my wonderful encounter with such an interesting and mysterious culture. Since my position entailed a great deal of work on the environmental factors of the islands, Country Review greatly prepared me by explaining the marine and ecological problems that the islands are facing. In addition, this book explained the background of the government system (i.e. levels of power and political views within the country and its ties to neighboring countries including the US). I think that this book did an exquisite job of preparing me for my work and I have recommended it to several colleagues that are preparing to work in the islands this year. It is an excellent tool to have when traveling there.

When I first began to look for information on Uruguay, I had a tough time. When I found this book, it was like a gift from God (to learn about a country from Hell). I found out interesting stuff like Uruguay is a great place for livestock farms and most people are so poor that they use horse and buggy or Ford model T's rejected from the U.S. I hate this country but this is a very informative book.

A potentially imaginative project has been cranked out with no fire, no magic. Very dry and uninspired writing ruins an otherwise fascinating Roddenberry treasure. Really disappointing. Critics or English teachers might have done a better job of breathing life into this one.

The writing doesn't have a pulse. The series seems to have fallen victim to drone writing assignments.

Augur, a sexy character already, has a very sexy conflict with Kate, Boone's wife, while Boone is chasing down bad guys. Tight action, great humor, and some nifty computer wizardry make this a must read for all science fiction fans.

What could have been an exciting sequel just sinks into a real mediocre blah. It's so formula it could be pablum. OK as sophomoric english exercise but not as art.

Not nearly as good as their previous works. Two kids to save the galaxy; sure, except they weren't nearly as interesting as their parents. The characters in all of the other books to date have been much more complex and fascinating. Reads like a kids' book.

The Long Hunt is the fifth book written in the Mageworlds series, but is the seventh, and last to date, in internal chronological sequence. It takes place a couple of decades after By Honor Betray'd.

Faral Hyfid-Metada has completed his Long Hunt and must leave Maraghai soon to gain honor, but the elders don't seem to be in any hurry to kick him off-planet. Then his cousin Jens Metada-Jessan decides to go off-world, so Faral and their Selvaur friend, Chaka, go with him. They first head toward the Mageworlds, but are diverted to Khesat, Jens native planet, after an kidnapping attempt on Ophel. Jens and Faral are pursued on Ophel and off-world by members of the Green Sun gang and following behind them are Klea Santreny, an Adept, and Mael Taleion, a Mage, tracking down a disturbance in the eiran. Meanwhile, the Highest of Khesat has been poisoned and the political maneuvering is complex and fierce.

This novel is a coming of age story, in which Jens has his own Long Hunt to pursue on Khesat. It differs greatly from the other Mageworlds novels, with more resemblance to The Three Musketeers in tone and scope, but with enjoyments and charms of its own. Recommended for Mageworlds fans and anyone who enjoys tales of youthful adventure and political intrigue.

We've all been here before, only with writers who are capable of creating life with story and characters. The problem with many aspiring genre writers (such as SF) is they are avid readers and ambitious writers so their efforts inevitably contain rehash and imitation of the greats. I sampled this duo. They consistently lack voice.

A Working of Stars is the seventh novel written in the Mageworlds series. At this time, however, it is the second in internal chronological sequence, following The Stars Asunder. In the previous book, the Damaizen Circle has begun the Great Working to bridge the eiran across The Gap Between. The Circle has sent Garrod through the Void to Entibor and other places Beyond the Edge, but he returns both old and mad. The Circle has guided a ship to the far side, left Elaeli Inadi at Entibor in a position prepared for her by Garrod, captured a foreign pilot, Karil, and brought back a foreign ship, the Diamond. They find that Demaizen Hall has been attacked while they were away and only Kiefen Diasul survived. Returning to Demaizen Hall, they are betrayed by Kiefen, but rescued by Iulan Vai, who provides a ship in which Arekhon, Narin, Ty and Karil flee Beyond the Edge.

Ten years later, the Great Working is still evolving and effecting all the Demaizen Circle survivors. Arekhon is having dreams of the Great Working and of Vai and another woman, Maraganha, who later Void walks to Entibor. She helps Arekhon to find Narin, Ty, and Karil and to continue the working.

Kiefen is partially mad from his inability to separate himself from the working. He starts his own circle at the Hanilat Institute to render the connection, but realizes that he can only be free if all the other mages from the Demaizen Circle are dead. Vai has remained on Eraasi and is still working in the shadows. Arekhon's older brother, Natelth, is building ships with technology taken from the Diamond and planning the absorption of the other fleet-families. Arekhon's sister, Isayana, is developing new types of aiketen. A crisis is building in the Mageworlds.

With authors named Doyle and MacDonald, I wonder how much the concept of eiran comes from the celtic magic weavers of Eiru. The philosophical conflict between Adepts and Mages seems to reflect the differences between Norn worship and Brigit worship; the Adepts seem to accept the Norse approach of following their wyrd whereas the Mages weave their own life and luck.

I have to agree with another reviewer that the Mageworlds series needs a Dramatis Personae. Recommended for all Mageworlds fans and anyone who enjoys interstellar adventures of great scope and complexity with an admixture of magic.

Mageworlds fans ought to rejoice when they see this on the shelves. Once again, Doyle and Macdonald have proven that you cannot predict what is going to happen--even if you think you know one of the events at the end of the timeline of this particular story.

General observations: space adventure that is exciting and well written is rare, but these authors manage. The reader viscerally experiences the mysteries of the eiran and its manipulation, and for a time can perceive how the boundaries of time and space can distort, or even blend. The prose is stylish, vivid, the action sequences tight, as readers have come to expect from Mageworlds stories.

Specific observations: this story brings 'Rekhe back up to the point at which we meet him, or very close. (More than that one must not say, for a reader could begin with this book, and read them in a different order, looping back to THE PRICE OF THE STARS; the way time flows, it works. One might get a different perspective on all matters, but isn't that what Jos Metadi tells us in the middle book?) His motivations become clearer, his choices tougher. Woven in are the stories of other characters who become equally vivid: there are funny scenes, tense scenes, scary scenes (Kief is seriously scary), scenes of joy, and of pathos.

Highly recommended.

This is an exciting and colourful adventure story, set in a universe where high technologies such as spaceships and robots interact seamlessly with what appear to be magical powers. As such it could be regarded as a book on the diffuse borderline between SF and Fantasy, though the rigorous approach to the use of the magical system, as well as, to be sure, the space-going setting, gives the book a feel that is distinctly SF.

Debra Doyle and James D. Macdonald have been publishing their Mageworlds series of unabashed Space Opera since 1992. The books feature a conflict between the Republic and the Mageworlds, both loose associations of solar systems, separated by a large starless gap. The first five books have all been from the point of view of the Republic. This book is set some 500 years prior to the preceding books, and it is set mostly in the Mageworlds, prior to their contact with the worlds of the Republic. While the Mageworlds appear to be the "bad guys" in the other books, in this book we see the action through their eyes, and their motivations are a usual human mixture of noble and venal.

The story follows several threads: one involving 'Rekhe, a young man of the eus-Peledaen family, who becomes a mage; another involving his mentor, Garrod, who plans to cross the ancient gap caused by the "Sundering of the Galaxy"; another involving 'Rekhe's lover's fleet career; and a complicated thread involving political machinations concerning the domination of the star fleet families over Mageworlds trade.

The story takes a while to get going, because there are many threads to initiate. But eventually Garrod makes his exhausting quasi-magical trip across the gap, and 'Rekhe persuades his family to sponsor a trip to the world Garrod finds. But the technological situation across the "sundering" is rather different from what the Mageworlds are used to, and it isn't at all clear if this contact will be a good thing. At the same time, the various plots coming to a head back home threaten to disturb the settled, somewhat peaceful, order of the Mageworlds. The conclusion is exciting and satisfying. The plots turn out to be more convoluted than expected, and in a sensible way. The authors manage to make the people of the Mageworlds believable and basically good, while at the same time setting them up to be the villains they become in future books. The various characters are also believable, and mostly likeable, even when they act in questionable ways.

Readers who like thoughtful, complex, exciting, unpredictable space opera ought to be reaching for the Mageworlds books.

THE STARS ASUNDER is different from the other Mageworlds books, as indeed it ought to be: now, for the first time, we see this universe from the point of view of the "villains". The Republic is the Other in this story, and the Mages' way of seeing life and the universe is the main focus. We come to understand them in this book, which in turn makes rereading the previous Mageworlds books take on new meaning.

The pacing and language is different, which I think is a plus. Convoluted, yes. Complex, yes. Unexpected, yes. And wouldn't you like, for once, not to know exactly where a story is going? If you like Lois McMaster Bujold, and Jack Vance's better work, and Vernor Vinge, then you really ought to give this book a try. It's a keeper.

It's kind of odd that the first five books were called "Mageworlds" when actually the Mages were more or less the enemy, and the stories took place on the other side of the galaxy. But this time, we really see this universe from the point of view of the "bad guys"--who aren't necessarily bad.

Doyle and Macdonald are never predictable, or easy; if you like tricky plotting and subtle characterizations and zippy pacing, this is the book for you. Add in the realistic detail on how military people think and work, and you've got great action as well. But that's not to say the story is one-dimensional shoot'em'up; there are insightful glimpses into human interaction, and traces of mysticism.

Well worth the hardback price, because this is a keeper for years of rereading. I hope there's going to be more about the real Mageworlds!

Like most of his books, this book is sick and shouldn't be read by children.

While I was growing up the monsters were always evil, the POV (point of view) was usually male, and the monsters always got it in the end. I like this book cause it shows "monsters" in this case a werewolf (teenage girl) is just like anyone else. They have feelings and fears, dreams and goals. The only difference is they have a slight "fur" problem now and then. The writing is smooth and has a humorous twist to it which is very refreshing. Now if we could just get the adult books to be this much fun to read.

The first book the triolgy was not this, but Bad Blood. I read that and fell in love with this series instently.

When I actually got around to reading Hunter's Moon I was excited If it was anything like "Bad Blood" then I was in for a treat. I was right. I read it within 3 days I was so excited.

I have read it a total of 4 times. It is a good book. Must read if you are a fan of werewolves such as myself. :)