[ema]

hey!!!!! stop making me jealous!!!! i get impatient easily :mad: lol:D ive still got about 1 and most of a month till it comes out!

[Gemini]

So I’ve just finished, brilliant, just brilliant Alison :D

The only reason I would stop reading was to get something to eat.

I loved the siege of Turbansk, IMO you captured the desperation of those left to defend the city so well, I found that whole section kind of chilling. Probably my favourite part would have been Zelika's description of what battle is like. It summed up the wanton destruction brilliantly to have a child, using such simple terms, give her experience of the war.

And, like Seira, Boran's death had me absolutely sobbing :rolleyes:

AND isn't Cadvan rather lax not sending a note to Saliman explaining that he is not in fact dead :rolleyes: :D

I also loved how you have Maerad and Hem sharing dreams, that was kind of cute, if that's the right word.

By the end of the book i actually had to keep reminding myself that Hem was only 12, he's grown up so much.

I'd read the review on Amazon that pretty much told you who died, so I saw Zelika's demise coming, so when Hem stated that he wanted to one day marry her, I was bawling again.

Was anyone else reminded of the Nazi labour camps and Gulag's by Sjug'hakat Im? (wow, can't believe I remembered how to spell that :D)

I got so excited when I realised that the tuning fork had the rest of the Treesong Runes on it, I guess that Hem and Maerad have to "heal" the Treesong, I have no idea how though. I suppose that "Dark and light are both reflections of the human heart" will be important somehow.

And I can't wait for Hem and Maerad to meet again. Though I guess it's going to take awhile, seeing as Maerad and Cadvan and Saliman and Hem have to make it through two war fronts to get to each other.

I can see where the Singing will go, it won't be as simple as repairing the Treesong, there's still Enkir, and both his and Sharma's forces to be taken care of. And I also have a niggling suspicion that Imank is still lurking somewhere. I can't wait for Enkir to be brought down now, I can see his storyline following Alimbar's, brought low by a doom of his own making. *maniacal laughter*... *cough*

It was kind of funny, I had to go to work on Saturday after I got the book (doom) and when I got home, Mum was really excited, she'd read the foreword to it (And being a History teacher) though it was based on a real ancient civilisation and was desperate to read it after me. I had to explain to her that it was all fake, but I think she's still going to read them anyway.

Well, that's enough of my fractured gushing :D, hmm, my fingers are unpleasantly dry...

[Gemini]

Dani has submitted a plea to me to ask all you to be VERY careful with spoilers for The Crow. So, all spoilers belong on the Spoiler Thread.... 'kay?

It's probably better if those who have The Crow refrain completely from posting plot details on this thread, or any other, at all actually, it reduces to risk of succumbing to temptation :D

[peter_gia]

Arghh this is torment!!! Went down to the bookshop and they don't have it yet.. they said sometime this week... haven't read any posts which gives out the story line except for Gemini saying its brilliant... And since she is a great analyser of characters and books :D im probably going to love it and miss meals just reading it :P

[Liana]

AND isn't Cadvan rather lax not sending a note to Saliman explaining that he is not in fact dead :rolleyes: :D

Yeah, i thought about what would happen about that letter even before i read the Crow. Poor Saliman, i wonder if he'll be upset with Maerad when he finds out Cadvan isn't really dead.

[alison]

Hi guys - so rapt to see the positive responses to The Crow, thanks very much. Relieved, even! Taking the story away from Cadvan and Maerad was always going to be a bit of a risk, but I'm glad to see that even hardcore M&C fans enjoyed the book.

PS Peter, it WILL happen.

PPS - Gemini, I'm really pleased you picked up on the Nazi connection - the description of S'jughakar Im at the end of the book is in fact inspired by descriptions I've read of Auschwitz...

PPS - Kalinda, tell your friends to buy their own copies! :D

[emerald_dragyn]

I bought my copy yesterday- oh it was exquisite!

I cried at least three times- when Hem and Saliman got Maerad's letter, it was like losing Cadvan all over again and I knew here was no way Saliman could know he was alive, and they were such good friends. I almost cried in SCHOOL today at that point, though luckily I had a free lesson, and I also cried (thankfully in the privacy of my own bedroom ;) ) at the end of the second- and third-last chapters (I think...) both when Hem said 'Saliman, I'm here' and when he dreamt of Maerad. Oh, and when Hem stood at Zelika's grave and told her that they would have been married some day... that was shattering!

You know that a book is good when the time you aren't reading seems like just a waste, anything you have to do in between reading is just a useless obstacle, and I got that with the Crow today. It was most definitely at least equal to The Gift/Riddle, especially since you started from almost scratch, all new settings and characters. It was amazing- and I thought I must have been imagining the vague resemblance to Auschwitz, because I read the Crow within a day of reading Elie Weisel's 'night'- what are the odds :) ?

The Crow didn't need even Cadvan or Maerad to keep readers entralled! Hem has become such a hero as Maerad is, and of course Saliman is as charming and loveable as Cadvan, and has a sweetness like him, whilst still being so different! Plus all the other wonderful people of the south! (Including poor Zelika) I loved the time Hem spent as a healer too! And the deathcrows! They were such a wonderful creation! (In a sort of dark and twtisted way..) And Cur Camp One sounded so hideous, I'm glad Zelika never had to be a part of it at least. The Spike? Oh- it made me shudder worse than Auschwitz! And litte Irc was so sweet too, he rocked my socks :)

well, this post has gone on way too long, but suffice to say that I loved it! I am just so sad that now I have finished it, and only a quarter of the books are left for me to read for the first time :( now I get to read it again though :)

Goodnight all- may all those without copies be able to buy them without delay, and good reading!
Emerald :D :D :D

Oh, and good luck with the book launch Alison, and other such things that come with releasing a new book- you deserve all the royalties in the world :D

[Gemini]

One thing I forgot to mention yesterday, Saliman is now on par with Cadvan in my favourite character stakes, he's just so endearing :D

Also, I found I really liked Soron, he reminds me of Belial... not biblical Belial (deff NOT biblical Belial :D), but Sara Douglass' Belial... though I don't expect any of you to have any idea what I’m going on about there :D

On reflection, this is probably the most well written of the Pellinor books IMO. I don't think you need to worry about readers being upset about no Maerad and Cadvan (no matter how rabid they are :D)

[alison]

:D I got very fond of Saliman, myself... I do think myself The Crow is the best written so far. Certainly the hardest one to write. Which is partly why I am so interested in what people think of it! Thanks Gemini. And thank you too Emerald_Dragyn. It's probably something perverse, but I do like hearing that people cry when they read the books - not that I want to make people unhappy, you understand. But I did cry writing them, and it's nice to know it wasn't mere self indulgence.

[MutilatedBliss]

I officially hate England :mad: . When does The Crow come out over here :confused: :confused: :confused: ? Pleeease say soon because I keep seeing all the spoilers and having to physically force myself not to read them! I read the first four chapters on the website though :D ... CAN'T WAIT TO READ IT!
M&C 4EVER! (lol)
-R'Sheil

:) :p ;) :cool: :eek: