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"Leaving his boots in the outer room, he strolled barefoot to his inner chamber. Valek's feet fell silently on the stone floor due to the floor's covering of human hair." Are you wondering where Valek got so much human hair? Oh, that's easy. When you take the soul from a body, it leaves behind a pile of lifeless skin, hair and body. Most of the skin is thrown into a garbage pit, except for what's used for making drums. Most of the body is thrown in the pit as well, except for what henchman MaxMion eats. The hair, meanwhile, is a very good floor covering. This is not the first book I've reviewed by Nicole Givens Kurtz, and it's always a pleasure to see her imagination at work. Valek isn't some cardboard cutout of a villain. He's an intelligent and worthy adversary for the Minister Knights of Souls. This story revolves around Sarah, whom the Ministers rescued from the soul cages. Her sister Amana was left behind. Sarah escapes to another world, one filled with many fascinating characters who have very high expectations of her. To write in an established genre is a balancing act. One must follow the formula while being original at the same time. Fail on either of these two counts, and the reader is disappointed. Nicole Givens Kurtz does not disappoint. She builds people and she builds worlds, and she brings them both to life with sparkling description that makes you feel you are in that place...

Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!]

The Soul Cages [book] by Ebony Butterfly

Date Added: Wednesday 09 April, 2008

The Soul Cages by Nicole Givens Kurtz is slightly different than her other work, Browne Candidate. This story is set on the ice planet of Veloris, where Sarah and her sister Amana have just been turned back into flesh where once they were souls. On Solis, Valek, a business man of wealth, compresses souls into Solance, a mind reading serum that is currently being sold to both Earth 3012 and Saturn Four. These two planets are at war with one another, but Valek has found it profitable to sell Solance to both sides. As Sarah escapes Valek's soul cages with the help of Marion, a Minister Knight of Souls, her sister is recaptured and taken back to the cages. Sarah's grief and gulit plague her throughout her stay on Marion's home planet of Veloris. But Marion's group of knights wants more from Sarah than a thank you. Their Antiqk Oracle has predicted a savior, and Marion believes it's Sarah. All hell breaks loose when Amana mysteriously appears on Veloris. Her presence brings both joy and outright betrayl to Sarah and the Minister Knight of Souls. There's a lot going on in this story in addition to a love triangle and magic. Will the two warring planets discover Valek's double crossing plan? Will Sarah rise to the Oracle's prophescy? Will Amana be saved from the Soul Cages? This is a wonderful tale, full of adventure, swords, spheres and souls...

Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!]

The Soul Cages [book] by The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (Brenda M. Lisbon)

Date Added: Wednesday 09 April, 2008

In a distant galaxy where travel is accomplished by moving through openings in the atmosphere, the world is in chaos. Planets are at war with each other and sorcery is used to keep the balance of power out of kilter. Glowing spheres prophesize the coming of a savior that will restore the balance of power and release the human souls that have been held prisioners in crystal orbs. Sounds unrealistic? Well, in THE SOUL CAGES, readers will find all these things and much more. The planets, Earth 3012 and Saturn Four, are at war. In the middle of these two warring factions is Valek, a denizen with a large holding on the Planet Solis. He has found a way to produce a substance called Solance, which can help one read minds and he is selling it to the highest bidder. It is a hot commodity for both, Earth 3012 and Saturn Four. They each believe that possession of this potion gives them the upper hand in war, but little do they know Valek is playing them both for big profits. Valek uses slaves to produce the potion. Those that give him trouble have their souls drained from their bodies and placed in the soul cages. All the captured souls talk about a savior and the Minister Knights of Souls that will rescue them and give Valek his comeuppance for all his evil deeds. But sisters, Sara and Amana decide to escape rather than wait. Their plans are foiled with Amana being recaptured and Sarah whisked away to the planet Veloris by a mysterious knight. While on Veloris, she learns of her destiny in the order of the world. Will she accept the call? Nicole Givens Kurtz has written an awesome tale of valor, love, greed and sibling rivalry around a brilliant story about good versus evil. She does a good job with a host of characters and lots of suspense and drama. She made each character in this saga seem very human although you are aware that they have some superhuman tendencies. Each page seems to be the start of a new adventure that surprisingly doesn't get lost in all the subplots as they come to a very exciting climax that left me flipping the pages looking for more. I can't help but feel that there is a sequel to this one. This is definitely one author I'm adding to my TBR list. (4.5 Rating) Reviewed by Brenda M. Lisbon of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers..

Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!]

The Soul Cages [book] by RaeLynn Blue

Date Added: Wednesday 09 April, 2008

The Soul Cages by Nicole Givens Kurtz is an experiment in fantasy that nixes the usual cast of characters so common in today's fantasy. So be warned. If you're seeking some Tolkien like fantasy, this isn't it. Instead Givens Kurtz creates a world, Veloris that is ruled by ice and snowfall. There hidden amongst the weathered homes are a set of knights, Minister Knights of Souls, that are prophesied to be the protectors of all human souls. Yet, there are only three of them, and their reputation as well as their numbers have fallen into ruin. On Solis, the evil and extremely profitable businessman, Valek, captures souls using an ancient and old magic, to which souls are extracted from bodies. He needs the souls to make into Solance, a mind-reading drug to which Valek is selling to both sides in the war of Earth 3012 and Saturn Four. Neither side knows that Valek is taking them to the bank and they're paying in him in not only silver, bloodshed. Enter one brave woman, Sarah, and her sister Amana. Together, they escape Valek's soul cages--only to be ambushed just as they are about to leave the planet. Suddenly Sarah is saved by one of the Minister Knights, Marion, leader and prince of Veloris. Her siser, Amana is recaptured, to which Marion and Sarah will pay for later. What unravels is a quest met with death, betrayal and destruction. A prophesy, a love for family, and jealousy all come out to play in this wonderful fantasy by Givens Kurtz. With this novel, Givens Kurtz continues to explore human nature and once again, the characters are well rounded. I knew immediately who the bad guys were, however they had motivations, dramas, and of course, I disliked them. Still, nothing is clearcut with Givens Kurtz. And this novel proves no exception. I kept turning pages long into the night and finished it within a day's time. Spellbound, I too felt as if I had been trapped in the Soul Cages...

Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!]

The Soul Cages [book] by Constant Read

Date Added: Wednesday 09 April, 2008

This book was a fascinating read. Souls separated from bodies and both kept in thrall. In a future that has little to commend it, Kurtz has created a woman who rises from what should be mind-numbing and in this case soul-destructive odds to become a hero. Sarah is tough, determined and stubborn. She has no way to learn to use the powers she is given except to use them so she uses them even though it is sometimes painful. What a gutsy woman! I wanted to understand more of how the soul cages worked, until I realized that one doesn't explain magic. In the beginning, I expected the process to be more scientific, as I also expected the circles to be demonstrated to be the vestiges of transporter science. (They could be, but in this story, they need only stand as mysterious magic.) As the climax unfolded. I had to keep turning the pages and read on into the early morning...

Rating: [4 of 5 Stars!]

Dance of a Thousand Muses [book] by G. C. Recipient

Date Added: Wednesday 09 April, 2008

This book is an amazing collection of poetry. Devyn's poems are crystal-clear images that sweep the reader along a current of emotion for a wonderful reading experience...

Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!]

Dance of a Thousand Muses [book] by Margaret-Rose O'Keefe

Date Added: Wednesday 09 April, 2008

This is a wonderful collection of very moving, thought provoking poetry; very deep and very poignant. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and look forward to more from this particular poet!..

Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!]

Dance of a Thousand Muses [book] by Kalvin

Date Added: Wednesday 09 April, 2008

This is a great book, written by an excellent poet and writer, to be honest the only thing that I don't like from it is that I would like it to be more extended. I can't wait for the another a thousand muses so, it'll be 2000 muses in my collection!..

Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!]

Dance of a Thousand Muses [book] by M. Kiewiet

Date Added: Wednesday 09 April, 2008

What can I say about the ways in which this collection of poems touches the reader? The author's entwining and thought-provoking foray into a realm not visited often enough by people of our time transcends generation, culture, and every other boundary that separates us in today's fast-paced world. It delivers us into a common and comfortable spring where the waters of the human race join together, and the mists rise to coalesce into an undeniable unity. I have simply never enjoyed a collection of poetry as I enjoy this one. It is my sincere hope that this is merely the first collection of many to come to us by this author's quill...

Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!]

Dance of a Thousand Muses [book] by Judy Nerbetski

Date Added: Wednesday 09 April, 2008

Devyn's work is touching, inspirational, poignant and passionate. It is not often that I enjoy poetry, but I found myself hungrily devouring each moving and emotional entry, and heading back for more again and again! I highly recommend this beautiful and meaningful piece of art. This is poetry at its best... Osunfemi..

Rating: [5 of 5 Stars!]