OK, I'm biased. One of the four stories that make up this book was previously published independently as "Resurrection" -- and I already owned that title when I bought "Freeze Frames".

I really feel this book would work better if it were openly billed as a group of short stories, rather than trying (ineffectively) to integrate them into a whole. I think part of the reason I disliked it so much is because it tried -- and failed -- to connect stories that should have been allowed to stand independently.

I owned "Resurection", which makes up one of the four stories here, when this book came out. The back page synposis was really misleading. I would have enjoyed it more had I never read it.

This works best simply as four independend short stories. Any "connection" implied in the synopsis is truly misleading, and you'll be disappointed if yo look for it.

I don't believe this- I picked up this book from my local library, tucked away at the back of the fantasy/sci fi section... it's one of the best books I've ever read. It doesn't even exist on the English Amazon, and it's out of print on here- please, people, recognise a good book when you see it. It holds your attention to the last page... the only criticism I have is the ending- it somehow isn't quite finished off. However, the originality of the rest of the book makes up for this by far. I'd reccomend this especially to any fantasy lover who wants a break from dragons and the Middle Ages.

I had not read any of Ms Kerr's works before I read this one and I'm glad. Polar City Blues is not Celtic mystical warriors and elves--it is a good solid science fiction\fantasy\murder mystery with a plot that doesn't stop, interesting people and locations, and a subtlety of humour that slips by almost without being noticed. The planet of Hagar has a capital city of Sara. There is an over-controlling computer, a wimpy baseball player, a mysterious alien with the highly politically incorrect name of Mrs. Bug. Gender and colour roles are reversed without hindering the plot in anyway. The only flaw is that so much is going on that we get a touch confused. The action is non-stop, the writing is lucid and I'd like to hear more of these people.

For those who are wondering, this is the same book that was published as 'Sorceries' by Voyager in Australia and England.

A wonderful mix of authors, and a wide variety of stories and setting. It was a great introduction to me to authors who are not available in Australia, and a welcome homecoming to some of my favourite fantasy authors. I was only sorry that there was nothing by Kerr herself in the collection, although her co-author of the Pinch novels, Mark Kreighbaum is represented, along with another of my favourites, Charles de Lint.

My most favourite story in the whole collection was Connie Hirsch's 'Wicked Cool'. A fun story in an absolutely luscious setting. I hope she writes some novels or perhaps a collection of short stories in that world, as I would love to visit there again. The setting is a university in Boston where the students study magic as part of the curriculum, encounter ghosts on the stairwell and fly around on broomsticks. More please!

Despite an intriguing premise, Snare was ultimately a disappointment. Katherine Kerr is an accomplished writer and I've enjoyed both her Deverry fantasy series and her occasional forays in science fiction such as Polar City Blues. What's even more frustrating about Snare is that it's hard to identify just what didn't work. The plot about various factions of humans who end up stranded on an alien world is an intriguing one. How those various cultures have survived, i.e. Islamic, scientist, and "comnee" or specially designed humans, and interacted with each other and the alien ChaMeech seems like it would make for compelling reading. There are a number of interesting and sympathetic characters such as Zayn, Ammi, Loy, Jerzo, the Sibyl, etc. Yet as much as I cared about them, the story just dragged along.

One of the reasons things dragged was the split story. The reader follows two main groups of people as they both race to locate Jerzo Khan, a potential ruler in exile. Along the way the two groups occasionally interact but they are kept so conveniently seperated that it's hard to generate much conflict to drive the story. The one group is hoping to stop (they think) a deadly assassin and yet as we follow the assassin's tale, you realize that he isn't this bad person after all. You know he'll never kill the Khan, so the worries of the other group seem trival.

The plot is further stewed by the arrival of the alien ChaMeech who add more complications to the plot but never any real danger. They supposedly slaughtered a whole community of humans ages ago hich everyone knows about and resents, yet the characters are so noble they never have any doubts about hooking up with the aliens to hammer out their difference. Admirable? Certainly. Interesting? Not so much.

Ultimately the lack of real danger for most of the characters makes for boring reading. And the fact that they were almost all too good and noble for them to be interesting either. The crazy sorcerer doesn't seem to serve any purpose. He's sort of 'bad' without any motivations. I was also troubled by the haphazard feminist message that was once in a while tacked onto the plot. The culture Zayn was raised in is a patriarchal one, the woman kept secluded for the most part or relagated to minor roles, yet he doesn't have any problem with being the Spirit Rider's servant - I find that hard to believe. I find it also hard to believe that the Khanate would be so tolerant of the Tribes and their ways, yet they are. The reason the crazy sorcerer is 'bad' is because he not only does he attract followers and lead them on with false hopes for the future, he also rapes little girls too. At the beginning of the book there is a flashback to a woman saying the horses are freedom, a point that is dropped for the next 500 + pages, only to reappear at the very end as a point that the horses had made the women of the Comnee free. What!? I'd buy it if that had played a significant role in the story, but it doesn't really, so why was it included in the first place? As with the plot, potential cultutal conflicts ripe for drama end up coming to nothing.

So why, you're probably asking yourself, did I finish it? Mostly because I was intrigued by Zayn. He had actually done some bad things and in a way was trying to find himself, or maybe reinvent himself is a better desscription. The other stories felt incidental to his journey of self-discovery. He was the character with the most hang-ups, the most past, the most problems, therefore his story was worth readng about. An extremely flawed novel that could have been much, much more.

Entertaining book, good and original story line. After finishing the book I got the feeling that something was missing, though I still reckon its worth 2.5-3 stars. I think there probably wasn't enough focus on the strengths and weaknesses of the main characters and when the last "lock fire" command was sent I didn't feel that the suspense was built up enough. Also as another reviewer has mentioned, the inter-racial conflict seemed to dissipate too easily. Overall though I enjoyed it and would recommend it as a good winter (or summer if you're in the North) read.

Former Kazrak cavalry Captain Idres Warkannan and "high tech sorcerer" Yarl Soutan seek Jezro Khan, the exiled brother of the corrupt ruler of Kazrajistan, to lead a revolt to overthrow the worthless dangerous regime of his sibling. At about the same time, the fanatical Muslim sect The Chosen sends assassin Zayn Hassan to stop Jezro's rumored return.

To reach the isolated region where Jezro resides, the two enemy groups cross a grassy wilderness inhabited by the alien Cha'Meech and by human nomads. On his trek Zayn meets Ammadin, the Spirit Rider healer of a nomadic tribe. Not long afterward, he begins to wonder if his chosen profession and his current assignment are justified. Meanwhile the "magician" Soutan learns of the Hassan mission and his allies send out their assassins to kill their competitor. Soon the Cha'Meech encounter Ammadin, the first step towards the quartet of rivals confronting one another, but where this global conflict will lead to when the events unfold is anyone guess.

The key to this science fiction novel is that the four major societies are complex, feel genuine, and their rivalry definitely feels real. To achieve such a deep objective, segments of the plot slow down in order to introduce and develop the cast. Still the contrast between the groups and the varying ethic stands of the key players on each side of the square make for a meandering yet delightful world building tale that SNAREs the reader and never lets go until the final page.

Harriet Klausner

Fans of Katharine Kerr will not likely be disappointed by "Time of Justice". Those who have come to appreciate her gritty and visceral interpretation of an alternate medieval world will not be left lacking. Rhodry's noble yet flawed heroism, the frequent flashbacks, and sorcery of a very ancient kind are all present throughout the novel. As an installment in the ongoing, complex series, it is indispensable. However, this book lacks the strength to stand on its own as so many of Kerr's previous (and later) works have been able to. One feels that Kerr was writing for the deadlines rather than for herself, and this give the narrative a hurried, superficial feel. While a fan should in no way be discouraged from reading this book, new readers are apt to be confused and put off by a style which depends greatly upon its intricate twists and meanderings. Therefore, this should be looked upon as a step towards a conclusion rather than a representative of the whole.