Stranded on a "backwards" planet, the heroine ends up in a no-exit job with a magician. Our no-nonsense heroine of course doesn't believe in magic but is soon "illusioned". Adaptation is the theme of this story, as the heroine learns the perils and the pearls of Ivory. I love it I love it I love it. In this utterly unAusten world, the heroine reminds me of Emma.

I agree that Doris Egan is a wonderful writer. I loved her IVORY series.

I learned from her website that she is now writing under the name 'Jane Emerson'. Under that name she has written CITY OF DIAMONDS. She also has a story in the book SIRENS AND OTHER DEMON LOVERS.

Under any name, long may she write!

I love this trilogy! I've never seen these books anywhere but the most out of the way bookstores, and I just have to wonder - what's wrong with people that they don't love this author? A wonderful first book in a group of stand-alone books with wonderful characters, an original detailed world and just great stories.

This book has endless facts about Apollo and stories of him and his adventures. This book is extremley good for mythology research. People may think this book would be boring because it would just tell about Apollo, but it adressest numerous other things too.

The book "Little Vic" was my lifetime favorite book, which is why I am trying to locate a copy of it. I was sorry to see it was out of print. I was a horse crazy girl in fourth grade (reading anything and everything horse related I could get my hands on) when I checked "Little Vic" out from my school library. This was the one book I fell in love with, and I guess I've never forgotten it. It has been many, many years since I read this book, so I don't remember alot of the details, but here's the general idea: The main character was a young jockey named Pony Rivers (who happened to be black and was not always welcome at the racetrack). The story follows an underdog horse named Little Vic and Pony Rivers - they meet and form a special bond. Just as things seem to be looking up for both Little Vic and Pony, they are separated and encounter some unpleasant experiences. Eventually they find each other again and......you'll have to find a copy and read it for yourself!

I can not explain the feeling of this book. Four words A SCOOL BOYS MEMORY. Being 33 years old now, this book brings back all memories of a young boys school days. I remember this book perfectly, and remember doing all the lessons that it contained. Call me sentimental, but i enjoy books that had a meaning to my life, and "May I Come In" is it. If a guy can remember such a long ago part of his childhood school memories, this book must be telling all something. My dream is to get this book in my hands once again-and remember what it was like to be a boy starting out in his road of life. MAY I COME IN? Please once again let me.

This book talks in great detail about the stories in Greek mythology. It expands upon points in ancient myths. I enjoyed the exciting things the gods could do. When Athena used her magic it was very interesting, like when she turned Arachne into a spider or when she helped Perseus get the head of Medusa.

If people don't like Myths they should read this book and it will change their minds. This book led me to a new reading genre making me very interested in Mytholagy.

I found The Complete Ivory on a shelf in the bookshop, thought it looked good and bought it. I'm glad I did. The three novels in this book are all well-written, enjoyable stories with interesting characters.
In the first, The Gate of Ivory, we meet Theodora. She is a scholar from the planet of Athena, stranded on Ivory after being robbed one night. Ivory is a barbaric place compared to sedate and intellectual Athena, and is the only planet to have sorcerers - magic truly does exist there, despite the scepticism of offworlders. Desperate to make enough money to buy her passage home, the story opens with Theodora telling fortunes in the marketplace. She finds herself hired to "read the cards" of Ran Cormallen, a wealthy and powerful sorcerer . . . and becomes drawn into the internal struggles of the Cormallen family. Please don't think, from that description, that this is some sort of family saga in the slushy romance vein, because it's not. The focus is very squarely upon Theodora, and her reactions and adjustments to the strange new environment her association with Ran has brought her. When a shocking crisis strikes Ran, she finds a strength she did not know she had, and is instrumental in bringing an end to the difficulties plaguing her employer and his family.
Two-Bit Heroes and Guilt-Edged Ivory see Theodora on Ivory once again, getting caught up in more adventures with Ran - I don't want to give away any more of their storylines than that.
I did have a few quibbles with these books. Magic is never explained to my satisfaction, though Egan may have kept it so low-key deliberately - it is a feature of the plots, but far from being the be-all and end-all of her stories. I would have preferred some more depth to the stories too, both in terms of the setting (a map would have helped), and in the emotional power of some of her scenes. But these are just quibbles. Egan writes imaginative, lively stories populated by quirky and engaging characters who truly are affected by what goes on around them - and Theodora, who narrates the books, is refreshingly individual.
Well worth reading.

this is one of the typical exclamations of the heroine, Theodora, when she finds herself in deep trouble in the alien, exotic and baroque world of Ivory, where, by the way, she is living by no design of her own --she was deserted there by her travelling companions, after having been abduced and robed. Theodora, alone and helpless in the Ivoran mercyless society, tries to save money to pay her journey back to her original planet (the orderly, rational, scholarly Athena) while, and this is really tough,keeping the Athenan moral standards. The story that ensues is a delightfully funny tale of discovery and misunderstandings, the clash of two very different ethical systems which we witness while Theodora gets deeper and deeper in trouble. BUT this is only the first of the novels in the trilogy, because the author does what I had never thought could be done: while never losing the witty sense of humour -you'll keep chuckling like crazy- that characterizes the narrator/protagonist and makes her so endearing, the second novel is a high adventure story, complete with outlaws; and the third novel is a murder mystery with our dear Theodora (now definitely living in Ivory) as a reluctant sleuth. In this trilogy there is humour, adventure, ethics, love, scholarly pursuits, magic, interplanetary trips... Kanz! Why hadn't I heard of it before? A page-turner, definitely worth reading.

I just spent my entire weekend reading and chuckling over this series. I, too, would like to read more about Theodora and Ran. I hated to have it end the way it did. Don't be afraid to tackle this book, even if it's as big as WAR AND PEACE. You'll like it.

This is a nice story about a young girl who yearns for a home that she can call her own. Janey travels with her father and stepmother to wherever her father can find seasonal work.Her most valued possession is a Blue Willow plate that belonged to her mother, who died when she was young. Finally the family settles in a place where Janey makes friends, but it is inevitable that they will have to leave when there is no more work. When her mom falls ill, Janey departs with her precious plate. This story has a happy ending where good triumphs over bad, and there is a great focus on the love between family members. It's a little sappy, but we can all use that kind of ending now and then

Janey Larkin has grown up the daughter of migrant workers, with no roots and skimpy education. Her family occupies an empty shack while Dad works in the cotton fields, but she yearns to attend a real school (as opposed to a "camp" school) and live in a permanent home, so she can make friends.

Janey's prized possession (from her great grandmother) is a lovely plate with the blue and white Chinese pagoda willow pattern. Her unrealistic dream is to live in such a house by a lovely willow. Then her mother becomes ill and they can not pay the rent (extorted by the vicious, dishonest foreman who pockets the money). Janey contemplates making the biggest sacrifice of her life, to help her parents.

This stark tale blends agrarian poverty with a young girl's dreams of self- improvement, happiness and family unity. Despite the despair of the plot--stacked against the squatters--there is hope, as human kindness and rural justice struggle to take root and bloom, like the willow by the creek. Yet how can Janey bear to part with her beloved plate? A thoughtful book that will touch the reader's heart.

Blue Willow is a story of family and compassion that is well understood by all ages. It tells of what extremities you go through to take care of your family. I read this book when I was younger, and just recently I read it again. It still has a great effect on me.

This book is a great choice for young students and other people of all ages. There are many strange and interesting characters and they act much like humans this is a great art of writing skills.

This tells a brief but important chapter in the life a very sensible girl named Kate. She is trying to settle for herself what qualities are important in grown ups and in herself. It always makes me remember those conundrums my friends used play " Would you be abountantly rich, astounishingly beautiful or, amazingly brilliant, having only to choose of course. Kate learns about other people and in doing so learns about herself and a very important choice she has to make. A sweet poignant story that leaves me more thoughtful every time I read it.

It was a pretty good book. I wasn't so sure about reading this,beause I never read storys about Gods and Goddess but I'm glade I did. It about the life of two Goddess and stoies of the people that surrounds them. This book deserve 4 stars:)