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Review Date: 3/13/2021
In my opinion this was not one of Zimler's best books. I generally enjoy his books and am interested from the beginning but this one was a real sleeper for the first chapter or so. In fact, had I not long ago decided to never give up on a book until I finished the second chapter, I would have never finished this one. All in all, I would not waste a credit on it again and that is a real shame since Zimler has never let me down before. When it finally gets to the point, the entire book is one man's journey into discovering he is androgynous after droning on and on about his destroyed marriage due to his constant womanizing...evidently searching for what is missing from his life which was discovering androgyny. It gets one star just because Zimler CAN TELL a story. The problem is this one had no real premise on which to build.
Review Date: 5/3/2013
The book started a bit slowly but once it picked up, I really enjoyed it. While India Edghill doesn't write as well as Sara Poole (Poison), she is still a very good writer of historical fiction and I do enjoy her novels. Delilah fleshed out a basic story from the Bible and provided a novel and unique background for the story of Samson and Delilah while keeping to the Biblical theme. She turned Delilah into a real person, one who loved Samson and one for whom Samson's death was a tragedy and not a betrayal. I also enjoyed the way she explained the origins of the betrayal ballad.
Review Date: 1/12/2015
My husband who is the SciFi reader HATED this book so badly he didn't even finish it. That is very rare for him. He can normally finish even the worst books but this one didn't make four chapters before he tossed it. He's a great lover of SciFi and has read more than 1000 books in this genre...loves the classics and Pratchett both so he has an appreciation for many types of SciFi so this one must be a real stinker for him to toss it without finishing it and then tell me not to get any more books from this author.
Review Date: 10/10/2011
This is one of the best written and most interesting books I have ever read. I highly recommend it to lovers of historical fiction.
Review Date: 12/7/2020
I enjoyed the book a great deal. While it was not one that kept me up all night to finish, it was certainly a book I would recommend. The premise was interesting but be aware, it is sexually graphic in places. Not Shades of Gray graphic but explicit enough that is surpassed the average, boy meets girl, boy kisses girl type of book. All in all, worth the read but not a re-read.
Review Date: 1/13/2021
While the story is interesting and well written be very aware there is GRAPHIC, GRAPHIC male/male sex depicted throughout. If this makes you uncomfortable I do not recommend the book despite the well written story it contains. Evidently this is the author's predilection when writing and his stories are good but he really likes to pour in the graphic sex making the two of his books I have read (including this one) akin to medium to hard core porn in several places. In my opinion the graphic depictions are unneeded and really don't add anything to the story but the story is good enough to skim the prurience and finish the book. Unless you enjoy the graphic sexual descriptions or can ignore it and skim past them, better to read something else.
Review Date: 5/24/2016
Helpful Score: 1
No one can bring you to a place and time as well as Kate Furnivall. She has the remarkable ability to transport you into the character's world and thoughts and is one of the best authors I have ever read. This is one book out of a triad, each of which reads equally well as a stand alone book, but having read one of the books you will want to dive into the others as well. Get a cup of tea and a comfy pillow and plenty of time before you start, because once you start the book, it is tough to put down. I hope you enjoy my favorite historical fiction author as much as I have.
Review Date: 4/19/2008
This book provides a very interesting look into the African culture against the backdrop of a politically motivated murder. There are a couple of times that it moves a bit slowly, particularly if you aren't terribly interested in sports metaphors, but all-in-all it proved to be a very enjoyable book and one that I would recommend.
Review Date: 10/8/2021
This is a very interesting book about the South and slavery and indentured servitude. The author is very good at creating an environment and the story moves along at a fairly good clip. While the details are not too pronounced it does deal with incest and rape, but not in a graphic manner that is difficult to read. Grissom moves from perspective to perspective of each individual but the story is cohesive and engaging. It also appears to be well researched and is a good read. I recommend it.
Review Date: 10/19/2022
Hubby said it is 3.5 to 4.
Review Date: 12/7/2011
Helpful Score: 1
My husband and I really enjoyed the entire series even though we both read totally different types of books. He is into hardcore SciFi and I read historical fiction; however we both really liked the books. You really need to get all three books though because they are necessary to understanding the whole story. The books would have made a good single novel. One thing we particularly like is the fact that the books do not spend an inordinate amount of time reiterating the previous books to help a person understand what is going on. Often when you read a second or third novel the author wastes a great deal of time going over the facts from earlier books in the series so they will 'stand alone'. These books touch on the previous ones but don't restate the entire story. The books are written on two levels and the humor is subtle and intriguing. In summary, the books are well worth reading and easy to read. The first and third books are the best of the three, the second not so much, but it is necessary to understanding the entire story. The last book ties the story up well and in my husband's opinion is the best. Since he is the expert on SciFi, I will defer to him. We both recommend the books.
Review Date: 8/8/2010
A fine SciFi story of the old school. Similar to early Heinlien.
Review Date: 8/29/2020
Ok...not great but not bad either...middling.
Review Date: 8/20/2010
This is a wonderful book if you love India and Indian Historical fiction. I liked it more than The Far Pavilions simply because there was never a part of it that dragged. TFP had a couple of places that tended to run on a bit but there was no point in Shadow of the Moon where I 'just wanted her to get on with it:)". Anyway, it is a really good book...one that kept me in the bathroom for a couple of hours at a time...the perfect book for a warm bubble bath and a cup of tea!!
Review Date: 3/22/2012
This was a very interesting book written in an unusual manner. I really enjoyed it. While it wasn't a page turner, it was well written but again, the style is a bit unusual. If you are looking for something different and thought provoking, you should definitely give this one a try. It may not be for everyone but I really enjoyed it...particularly the prose and the unexpected ending.
Review Date: 6/18/2010
Helpful Score: 1
I made the mistake of reading this book before I ordered The Temple Dancer which introduces all the characters and the history of the story which is told in Tiger Claws. I ended up letting someone else have Tiger Claws and then got my copy of the Temple Dancer in the mail. When I was about halfway finished with that book, I realized that Tiger Claws was a much better book looking back on it when I knew the history of the characters so I reordered Tiger Claws, finished the Temple Dancer and then immediately read Tiger Claws again. NOW the story made perfect sense:-). When I read Tiger Claws the first time, I had a lot of unanswered questions which were answered in the first book. The book relates Indian history in a very enjoyable manner but without reading the first book in the series, it can be very difficult to understand the characters' interactions and motivations. I really enjoyed this follow-up book to The Temple Dancer when I read it the SECOND time....AFTER finishing The Temple Dancer. It is a very good book and while it is possible to enjoy it without having read The Temple Dancer, it is incredibly more interesting and enjoyable if you have just completed The Temple Dancer and then go on to read Tiger Claws. If I had one major criticism it would be that the character's names are similar but since the book is using actual historical figures as it's characters in most places, it is a criticism that cannot be visited on the author. The part of Tiger Claws that I found most intriguing was at the very end of the book, when a tie-in from the first book appears most unexpectedly. It made a wonderful closing to the set of books and the story as a whole.
Review Date: 7/23/2009
This book provides a very interesting and unique view of slavery from the aspect of the spirit world. I liked the book so much and found it has such a unique voice that I have held on to my copy in order to share it with friends and family.
Review Date: 3/13/2021
I did not get very far into this one because of the deplorable language. After the tenth f*ck in the first few pages, I had had enough. Now I am not a prude by any stretch of the imagination and have been known to say that word on occasion but my goodness...it was in almost every sentence and added nothing to the story. Profanity can help in setting a scene or tone in the right place but when used indiscriminately like it was in this book (and the others in the series) for me it indicates a lack of imagination and a limited vocabulary on the part of the author. Neither of these are attributes that enhance a book. So in summary, it might be a grand book, funny and interesting but I will never know because I am not willing to plod through the muck to find the gold.
Review Date: 3/13/2021
I did not get very far into this one because of the deplorable language. After the tenth f*ck in the first few pages, I had had enough. Now I am not a prude by any stretch of the imagination and have been known to say that word on occasion but my goodness...it was in almost every sentence and added nothing to the story. Profanity can help in setting a scene or tone in the right place but when used indiscriminately like it was in this book (and the others in the series) for me it indicates a lack of imagination and a limited vocabulary on the part of the author. Neither of these are attributes that enhance a book. So in summary, it might be a grand book, funny and interesting but I will never know because I am not willing to plod through the muck to find the gold.
Review Date: 3/22/2012
Helpful Score: 1
This lady can write!!! I have intermittent vision problems so I frequently have to put books down for a few days until my eyes clear up. Usually that doesn't bother me too much anymore, but it drove me crazy while I was reading this book. It was so well-written and engaging, I absolutely loved it. Can't wait to read the rest of her books!!!
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