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  <id>1179188</id>
  <title><![CDATA[The Anvil of the World]]></title>
  <isbn><![CDATA[0765308185]]></isbn>
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  <description><![CDATA[Kage Baker's stories and novels of the mysterious organization that controls time travel, The Company, have made her famous in SF. So has her talent for clever dialogue and pointed social commentary with a light touch. &quot;Ms. Baker is the best thing to happen to modern science fiction since Connie Willis or Dan Simmons. She mixes adventure, history and societal concerns in just the right amount, creating an action-packed but thoughtful read,&quot; says The Dallas Morning News. The Anvil of the World is her first fantasy novel, a journey across a landscape filled with bizarre creatures, human and otherwise. It is the tale of Smith, of the large extended family of Smiths, of the Children of the Sun. They are a race given to blood feuds, and Smith was formerly an extremely successful assassin. Now he has wearied of his work and is trying to retire in another country, to live an honest life in obscurity in spite of all those who have sworn to kill him.His problems begin when he agrees to be the master of a caravan from the inland city of Troon to the seaside city of Salesh. The caravan is dogged by murder, magic, and the brooding image of the Master of the Mountain, a powerful demon, looking down from his mountain kingdom upon the greenlands and the travelers passing below. In Salesh, Smith becomes an innkeeper, but on the journey he befriended the young Lord Ermenwyr, a decadent demonic half-breed. Each time Ermenwyr turns up, he brings new trouble with him. The outgrowth of stories Baker has been writing since childhood, as engaging as Tolkien and yet nothing like him, Smith's adventure is certainly the only fantasy on record with a white-uniformed nurse, gourmet cuisine, one hundred and forty-four glass butterflies, and a steamboat. This is a book filled with intrigue, romance, sudden violence, and moments of emotional impact, a cast of charming characters, and echoes of the fantasy tradition that runs from Lord Dunsany and Fritz Leiber to Jack Vance and Roger Zelazny.]]></description>
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        <name><![CDATA[Kage Baker]]></name>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Anvil of the World]]>
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    <![CDATA[Kage Baker's stories and novels of the mysterious organization that controls time travel, The Company, have made her famous in SF. So has her talent for clever dialogue, and pointed social commentary with a light touch.The Anvil of the World is her first fantasy novel, a journey across a fantastic landscape filled with bizarre creatures, human and otherwise. It is the tale of Smith, of the large extended family of Smiths, of the Children of the Sun. They are a race given to blood feuds, and Smith was formerly an extremely successful assassin. Now he has wearied of his work and is trying to retire in another country, to live an honest life in obscurity in spite of all those who have sworn to kill him.His problems begin when he agrees to be the master of a caravan from the inland city of Troon to the seaside city of Salesh. The caravan is dogged with murder, magic, and the brooding image of the Master of the Mountain, a powerful demon, looking down from his mountain kingdom upon the greenlands and the travelers passing below. In Salesh, Smith becomes an innkeeper, but on the journey he befriended the young Lord Ermenwyr, a decadent demonic half-breed. Each time Ermenwyr turns up, he brings new trouble with him.The outgrowth of stories Baker has been writing since childhood, as engaging as Tolkien and yet nothing like him, Smith's adventure is certainly the only fantasy on record with a white-uniformed nurse, gourmet cuisine, one hundred and forty-four glass butterflies, and a steamboat. This is a book filled with intrigue, romance, sudden violence, and moments of emotional impact, a cast of charming characters, and echoes of the fantasy tradition from Lord Dunsany and Fritz Leiber to Jack Vance and Roger Zelazny.]]>
  </description>
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  <read_at>Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Jul 30 10:16:46 -0700 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Dec 17 02:51:29 -0800 2009</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[I’ve been disappointed with Baker’s work of late (will her Company series never get to the climax? Argh!), and the first two-thirds of this book did little to help. She created a rich, detailed, and varied world to play in, peopled with the highly-capitalist, pagan Children of the Sun (complete ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3794715">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Anvil of the World]]>
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  <description>
    <![CDATA[Kage Baker's stories and novels of the mysterious organization that controls time travel, The Company, have made her famous in SF. So has her talent for clever dialogue, and pointed social commentary with a light touch.The Anvil of the World is her first fantasy novel, a journey across a fantastic landscape filled with bizarre creatures, human and otherwise. It is the tale of Smith, of the large extended family of Smiths, of the Children of the Sun. They are a race given to blood feuds, and Smith was formerly an extremely successful assassin. Now he has wearied of his work and is trying to retire in another country, to live an honest life in obscurity in spite of all those who have sworn to kill him.His problems begin when he agrees to be the master of a caravan from the inland city of Troon to the seaside city of Salesh. The caravan is dogged with murder, magic, and the brooding image of the Master of the Mountain, a powerful demon, looking down from his mountain kingdom upon the greenlands and the travelers passing below. In Salesh, Smith becomes an innkeeper, but on the journey he befriended the young Lord Ermenwyr, a decadent demonic half-breed. Each time Ermenwyr turns up, he brings new trouble with him.The outgrowth of stories Baker has been writing since childhood, as engaging as Tolkien and yet nothing like him, Smith's adventure is certainly the only fantasy on record with a white-uniformed nurse, gourmet cuisine, one hundred and forty-four glass butterflies, and a steamboat. This is a book filled with intrigue, romance, sudden violence, and moments of emotional impact, a cast of charming characters, and echoes of the fantasy tradition from Lord Dunsany and Fritz Leiber to Jack Vance and Roger Zelazny.]]>
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    <rating>5</rating>
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  <date_added>Mon Mar 09 20:41:15 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Mar 09 20:47:30 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I've hit the &quot;Kage Baker&quot; section of my book shelf tonight, so I'm just going to sing her praises as I add her books to this catalog.<br/><br/>Basically Anvil of the World is great because it contains everything that's wonderful about Baker:  she's funny, highly imaginative, a clear writ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/48764382">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
  <id>14804439</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Genevra]]></name>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Anvil of the World]]>
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  <description>
    <![CDATA[Kage Baker's stories and novels of the mysterious organization that controls time travel, The Company, have made her famous in SF. So has her talent for clever dialogue, and pointed social commentary with a light touch.The Anvil of the World is her first fantasy novel, a journey across a fantastic landscape filled with bizarre creatures, human and otherwise. It is the tale of Smith, of the large extended family of Smiths, of the Children of the Sun. They are a race given to blood feuds, and Smith was formerly an extremely successful assassin. Now he has wearied of his work and is trying to retire in another country, to live an honest life in obscurity in spite of all those who have sworn to kill him.His problems begin when he agrees to be the master of a caravan from the inland city of Troon to the seaside city of Salesh. The caravan is dogged with murder, magic, and the brooding image of the Master of the Mountain, a powerful demon, looking down from his mountain kingdom upon the greenlands and the travelers passing below. In Salesh, Smith becomes an innkeeper, but on the journey he befriended the young Lord Ermenwyr, a decadent demonic half-breed. Each time Ermenwyr turns up, he brings new trouble with him.The outgrowth of stories Baker has been writing since childhood, as engaging as Tolkien and yet nothing like him, Smith's adventure is certainly the only fantasy on record with a white-uniformed nurse, gourmet cuisine, one hundred and forty-four glass butterflies, and a steamboat. This is a book filled with intrigue, romance, sudden violence, and moments of emotional impact, a cast of charming characters, and echoes of the fantasy tradition from Lord Dunsany and Fritz Leiber to Jack Vance and Roger Zelazny.]]>
  </description>
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    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
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  <date_added>Thu Feb 07 06:07:17 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Feb 29 19:49:04 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[The funniest, most intelligent fantasy I've read in ages!  I'd love to meet Lord Ermenwyr sometime.  <br/>(This is also an absolutely excellent book to read aloud with a lover before bed.  Not because it's necessarily erotic--it's not, though there are some deliciously sexy characters--but because ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/14804439">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/14804439]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>54994903</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Colin]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[San Francisco, CA]]></location>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Anvil of the World]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>3.77</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>196</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Kage Baker's stories and novels of the mysterious organization that controls time travel, The Company, have made her famous in SF. So has her talent for clever dialogue, and pointed social commentary with a light touch.The Anvil of the World is her first fantasy novel, a journey across a fantastic landscape filled with bizarre creatures, human and otherwise. It is the tale of Smith, of the large extended family of Smiths, of the Children of the Sun. They are a race given to blood feuds, and Smith was formerly an extremely successful assassin. Now he has wearied of his work and is trying to retire in another country, to live an honest life in obscurity in spite of all those who have sworn to kill him.His problems begin when he agrees to be the master of a caravan from the inland city of Troon to the seaside city of Salesh. The caravan is dogged with murder, magic, and the brooding image of the Master of the Mountain, a powerful demon, looking down from his mountain kingdom upon the greenlands and the travelers passing below. In Salesh, Smith becomes an innkeeper, but on the journey he befriended the young Lord Ermenwyr, a decadent demonic half-breed. Each time Ermenwyr turns up, he brings new trouble with him.The outgrowth of stories Baker has been writing since childhood, as engaging as Tolkien and yet nothing like him, Smith's adventure is certainly the only fantasy on record with a white-uniformed nurse, gourmet cuisine, one hundred and forty-four glass butterflies, and a steamboat. This is a book filled with intrigue, romance, sudden violence, and moments of emotional impact, a cast of charming characters, and echoes of the fantasy tradition from Lord Dunsany and Fritz Leiber to Jack Vance and Roger Zelazny.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2003</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Fri May 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue May 05 03:42:52 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed May 13 21:55:18 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I think I'd give this a 3.5--not as good as <em>House of the Stag</em>--the characters didn't seem as well developed and the fact that it was 3 novella-type stories strung together made it a bit choppy. However, it was really funny, and I sort of loved the bratty drama-queen Lord Ermenwyr. Along with the wha...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/54994903">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/54994903]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/54994903]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>56466043</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Cai]]></name>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Anvil of the World]]>
  </title>
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  <description>
    <![CDATA[Kage Baker's stories and novels of the mysterious organization that controls time travel, The Company, have made her famous in SF. So has her talent for clever dialogue, and pointed social commentary with a light touch.The Anvil of the World is her first fantasy novel, a journey across a fantastic landscape filled with bizarre creatures, human and otherwise. It is the tale of Smith, of the large extended family of Smiths, of the Children of the Sun. They are a race given to blood feuds, and Smith was formerly an extremely successful assassin. Now he has wearied of his work and is trying to retire in another country, to live an honest life in obscurity in spite of all those who have sworn to kill him.His problems begin when he agrees to be the master of a caravan from the inland city of Troon to the seaside city of Salesh. The caravan is dogged with murder, magic, and the brooding image of the Master of the Mountain, a powerful demon, looking down from his mountain kingdom upon the greenlands and the travelers passing below. In Salesh, Smith becomes an innkeeper, but on the journey he befriended the young Lord Ermenwyr, a decadent demonic half-breed. Each time Ermenwyr turns up, he brings new trouble with him.The outgrowth of stories Baker has been writing since childhood, as engaging as Tolkien and yet nothing like him, Smith's adventure is certainly the only fantasy on record with a white-uniformed nurse, gourmet cuisine, one hundred and forty-four glass butterflies, and a steamboat. This is a book filled with intrigue, romance, sudden violence, and moments of emotional impact, a cast of charming characters, and echoes of the fantasy tradition from Lord Dunsany and Fritz Leiber to Jack Vance and Roger Zelazny.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2003</published>
</book>

    <rating>3</rating>
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  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Fri May 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon May 18 06:36:29 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon May 18 06:39:49 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I liked this one, quite a bit. I wasn't sure that I would, after disliking the other book of hers that I had read. But Smith is a lovely character, and the relentless pace and humor of this book made it an entertaining read. It <em>does</em> hammer in the irony a bit much at times -- you definitely can't esc...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/56466043">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/56466043]]></url>
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      <review>
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    <name><![CDATA[Margaret]]></name>
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    <![CDATA[The Anvil of the World]]>
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    <![CDATA[Kage Baker's stories and novels of the mysterious organization that controls time travel, The Company, have made her famous in SF. So has her talent for clever dialogue, and pointed social commentary with a light touch.The Anvil of the World is her first fantasy novel, a journey across a fantastic landscape filled with bizarre creatures, human and otherwise. It is the tale of Smith, of the large extended family of Smiths, of the Children of the Sun. They are a race given to blood feuds, and Smith was formerly an extremely successful assassin. Now he has wearied of his work and is trying to retire in another country, to live an honest life in obscurity in spite of all those who have sworn to kill him.His problems begin when he agrees to be the master of a caravan from the inland city of Troon to the seaside city of Salesh. The caravan is dogged with murder, magic, and the brooding image of the Master of the Mountain, a powerful demon, looking down from his mountain kingdom upon the greenlands and the travelers passing below. In Salesh, Smith becomes an innkeeper, but on the journey he befriended the young Lord Ermenwyr, a decadent demonic half-breed. Each time Ermenwyr turns up, he brings new trouble with him.The outgrowth of stories Baker has been writing since childhood, as engaging as Tolkien and yet nothing like him, Smith's adventure is certainly the only fantasy on record with a white-uniformed nurse, gourmet cuisine, one hundred and forty-four glass butterflies, and a steamboat. This is a book filled with intrigue, romance, sudden violence, and moments of emotional impact, a cast of charming characters, and echoes of the fantasy tradition from Lord Dunsany and Fritz Leiber to Jack Vance and Roger Zelazny.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2003</published>
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    <rating>4</rating>
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  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Fri Nov 07 18:54:08 -0800 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Jul 01 09:50:35 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Nov 07 18:54:08 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[<em>The Anvil of the World</em> narrates the adventures of a man named simply Smith, who takes on a job as caravan master after giving up his old job of assassin. On the way from the inland city of Troon to the coastal city of Salesh, he meets a number of bizarre people, from the caravan's cook, Mrs. Smith (...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/26017701">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/26017701]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/26017701]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Anvil of the World]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>3.77</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[Kage Baker's stories and novels of the mysterious organization that controls time travel, The Company, have made her famous in SF. So has her talent for clever dialogue, and pointed social commentary with a light touch.The Anvil of the World is her first fantasy novel, a journey across a fantastic landscape filled with bizarre creatures, human and otherwise. It is the tale of Smith, of the large extended family of Smiths, of the Children of the Sun. They are a race given to blood feuds, and Smith was formerly an extremely successful assassin. Now he has wearied of his work and is trying to retire in another country, to live an honest life in obscurity in spite of all those who have sworn to kill him.His problems begin when he agrees to be the master of a caravan from the inland city of Troon to the seaside city of Salesh. The caravan is dogged with murder, magic, and the brooding image of the Master of the Mountain, a powerful demon, looking down from his mountain kingdom upon the greenlands and the travelers passing below. In Salesh, Smith becomes an innkeeper, but on the journey he befriended the young Lord Ermenwyr, a decadent demonic half-breed. Each time Ermenwyr turns up, he brings new trouble with him.The outgrowth of stories Baker has been writing since childhood, as engaging as Tolkien and yet nothing like him, Smith's adventure is certainly the only fantasy on record with a white-uniformed nurse, gourmet cuisine, one hundred and forty-four glass butterflies, and a steamboat. This is a book filled with intrigue, romance, sudden violence, and moments of emotional impact, a cast of charming characters, and echoes of the fantasy tradition from Lord Dunsany and Fritz Leiber to Jack Vance and Roger Zelazny.]]>
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  <read_at>Thu Aug 20 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
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    <body><![CDATA[I first read this a year or two ago, then a few days ago suddenly decided I needed to reread it.  It is very funny, touching in places, quick-moving and quite entertaining.  I wish she'd write another full-length book set in the same world!]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/68725394]]></url>
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      <review>
  <id>45378922</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Emily]]></name>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Anvil of the World]]>
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  <description>
    <![CDATA[Kage Baker's stories and novels of the mysterious organization that controls time travel, The Company, have made her famous in SF. So has her talent for clever dialogue, and pointed social commentary with a light touch.The Anvil of the World is her first fantasy novel, a journey across a fantastic landscape filled with bizarre creatures, human and otherwise. It is the tale of Smith, of the large extended family of Smiths, of the Children of the Sun. They are a race given to blood feuds, and Smith was formerly an extremely successful assassin. Now he has wearied of his work and is trying to retire in another country, to live an honest life in obscurity in spite of all those who have sworn to kill him.His problems begin when he agrees to be the master of a caravan from the inland city of Troon to the seaside city of Salesh. The caravan is dogged with murder, magic, and the brooding image of the Master of the Mountain, a powerful demon, looking down from his mountain kingdom upon the greenlands and the travelers passing below. In Salesh, Smith becomes an innkeeper, but on the journey he befriended the young Lord Ermenwyr, a decadent demonic half-breed. Each time Ermenwyr turns up, he brings new trouble with him.The outgrowth of stories Baker has been writing since childhood, as engaging as Tolkien and yet nothing like him, Smith's adventure is certainly the only fantasy on record with a white-uniformed nurse, gourmet cuisine, one hundred and forty-four glass butterflies, and a steamboat. This is a book filled with intrigue, romance, sudden violence, and moments of emotional impact, a cast of charming characters, and echoes of the fantasy tradition from Lord Dunsany and Fritz Leiber to Jack Vance and Roger Zelazny.]]>
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  <read_at>Thu Feb 26 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Feb 04 13:00:38 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Feb 26 10:32:33 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I'm not sure how someone would be able to make much sense of this book without having read The House of the Stag first, as I did.  It was helpful to understand the background of how the Yendri came to be and what the relationships between the races and characters were.  It was fairly entertaining,an...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/45378922">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/45378922]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/45378922]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
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    <name><![CDATA[Dee]]></name>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Anvil of the World]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>3.77</average_rating>
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  <description>
    <![CDATA[Kage Baker's stories and novels of the mysterious organization that controls time travel, The Company, have made her famous in SF. So has her talent for clever dialogue, and pointed social commentary with a light touch.The Anvil of the World is her first fantasy novel, a journey across a fantastic landscape filled with bizarre creatures, human and otherwise. It is the tale of Smith, of the large extended family of Smiths, of the Children of the Sun. They are a race given to blood feuds, and Smith was formerly an extremely successful assassin. Now he has wearied of his work and is trying to retire in another country, to live an honest life in obscurity in spite of all those who have sworn to kill him.His problems begin when he agrees to be the master of a caravan from the inland city of Troon to the seaside city of Salesh. The caravan is dogged with murder, magic, and the brooding image of the Master of the Mountain, a powerful demon, looking down from his mountain kingdom upon the greenlands and the travelers passing below. In Salesh, Smith becomes an innkeeper, but on the journey he befriended the young Lord Ermenwyr, a decadent demonic half-breed. Each time Ermenwyr turns up, he brings new trouble with him.The outgrowth of stories Baker has been writing since childhood, as engaging as Tolkien and yet nothing like him, Smith's adventure is certainly the only fantasy on record with a white-uniformed nurse, gourmet cuisine, one hundred and forty-four glass butterflies, and a steamboat. This is a book filled with intrigue, romance, sudden violence, and moments of emotional impact, a cast of charming characters, and echoes of the fantasy tradition from Lord Dunsany and Fritz Leiber to Jack Vance and Roger Zelazny.]]>
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  <published>2003</published>
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    <rating>5</rating>
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  <read_at>Tue Aug 25 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Aug 31 12:27:19 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Aug 31 12:28:04 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[A wonderful book!  A fully realized - and different! - fantasy world with terrific characters and plenty of humor.]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/69583041]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/69583041]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>34405550</id>
    <user>
    <id>1586349</id>
    <name><![CDATA[MB]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Riverbank, CA]]></location>
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  <isbn>0765349078</isbn>
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  <text_reviews_count type="integer">23</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Anvil of the World]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173495909m/297815.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173495909s/297815.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/297815.The_Anvil_of_the_World</link>
  <average_rating>3.77</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>196</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Kage Baker's stories and novels of the mysterious organization that controls time travel, The Company, have made her famous in SF. So has her talent for clever dialogue, and pointed social commentary with a light touch.The Anvil of the World is her first fantasy novel, a journey across a fantastic landscape filled with bizarre creatures, human and otherwise. It is the tale of Smith, of the large extended family of Smiths, of the Children of the Sun. They are a race given to blood feuds, and Smith was formerly an extremely successful assassin. Now he has wearied of his work and is trying to retire in another country, to live an honest life in obscurity in spite of all those who have sworn to kill him.His problems begin when he agrees to be the master of a caravan from the inland city of Troon to the seaside city of Salesh. The caravan is dogged with murder, magic, and the brooding image of the Master of the Mountain, a powerful demon, looking down from his mountain kingdom upon the greenlands and the travelers passing below. In Salesh, Smith becomes an innkeeper, but on the journey he befriended the young Lord Ermenwyr, a decadent demonic half-breed. Each time Ermenwyr turns up, he brings new trouble with him.The outgrowth of stories Baker has been writing since childhood, as engaging as Tolkien and yet nothing like him, Smith's adventure is certainly the only fantasy on record with a white-uniformed nurse, gourmet cuisine, one hundred and forty-four glass butterflies, and a steamboat. This is a book filled with intrigue, romance, sudden violence, and moments of emotional impact, a cast of charming characters, and echoes of the fantasy tradition from Lord Dunsany and Fritz Leiber to Jack Vance and Roger Zelazny.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2003</published>
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    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Fri Nov 14 00:00:00 -0800 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Oct 02 18:37:11 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Nov 17 10:04:01 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count>2</read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Very fun book to read.   The subversive humorous touches and surprises are very enjoyable.<br/><br/>I highly recommend that you read this book's prequel &quot;The House of the Stag&quot; first.  If you do, this book will make a lot more sense and the humor and allusions will be richer (more obviou...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/34405550">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/34405550]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/34405550]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
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    <name><![CDATA[Ken]]></name>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Anvil of the World]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>3.77</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>196</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Kage Baker's stories and novels of the mysterious organization that controls time travel, The Company, have made her famous in SF. So has her talent for clever dialogue, and pointed social commentary with a light touch.The Anvil of the World is her first fantasy novel, a journey across a fantastic landscape filled with bizarre creatures, human and otherwise. It is the tale of Smith, of the large extended family of Smiths, of the Children of the Sun. They are a race given to blood feuds, and Smith was formerly an extremely successful assassin. Now he has wearied of his work and is trying to retire in another country, to live an honest life in obscurity in spite of all those who have sworn to kill him.His problems begin when he agrees to be the master of a caravan from the inland city of Troon to the seaside city of Salesh. The caravan is dogged with murder, magic, and the brooding image of the Master of the Mountain, a powerful demon, looking down from his mountain kingdom upon the greenlands and the travelers passing below. In Salesh, Smith becomes an innkeeper, but on the journey he befriended the young Lord Ermenwyr, a decadent demonic half-breed. Each time Ermenwyr turns up, he brings new trouble with him.The outgrowth of stories Baker has been writing since childhood, as engaging as Tolkien and yet nothing like him, Smith's adventure is certainly the only fantasy on record with a white-uniformed nurse, gourmet cuisine, one hundred and forty-four glass butterflies, and a steamboat. This is a book filled with intrigue, romance, sudden violence, and moments of emotional impact, a cast of charming characters, and echoes of the fantasy tradition from Lord Dunsany and Fritz Leiber to Jack Vance and Roger Zelazny.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2003</published>
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  <date_added>Wed Feb 18 08:42:52 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Feb 18 08:42:52 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[<a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="http://nethspace.blogspot.com/2006/02/anvil-of-world-by-kage-baker-anvil-of.html" title="http://nethspace.blogspot.com/2006/02/anvil-of-world-by-kage-baker-anvil-of.html">http://nethspace.blogspot.com/2006/02/an...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/46746464]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/46746464]]></link>
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      <review>
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    <user>
    <id>1636613</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Alexandra]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Chicago, IL]]></location>
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  <isbn>0765349078</isbn>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Anvil of the World]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173495909m/297815.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173495909s/297815.jpg</small_image_url>
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  <average_rating>3.77</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>196</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Kage Baker's stories and novels of the mysterious organization that controls time travel, The Company, have made her famous in SF. So has her talent for clever dialogue, and pointed social commentary with a light touch.The Anvil of the World is her first fantasy novel, a journey across a fantastic landscape filled with bizarre creatures, human and otherwise. It is the tale of Smith, of the large extended family of Smiths, of the Children of the Sun. They are a race given to blood feuds, and Smith was formerly an extremely successful assassin. Now he has wearied of his work and is trying to retire in another country, to live an honest life in obscurity in spite of all those who have sworn to kill him.His problems begin when he agrees to be the master of a caravan from the inland city of Troon to the seaside city of Salesh. The caravan is dogged with murder, magic, and the brooding image of the Master of the Mountain, a powerful demon, looking down from his mountain kingdom upon the greenlands and the travelers passing below. In Salesh, Smith becomes an innkeeper, but on the journey he befriended the young Lord Ermenwyr, a decadent demonic half-breed. Each time Ermenwyr turns up, he brings new trouble with him.The outgrowth of stories Baker has been writing since childhood, as engaging as Tolkien and yet nothing like him, Smith's adventure is certainly the only fantasy on record with a white-uniformed nurse, gourmet cuisine, one hundred and forty-four glass butterflies, and a steamboat. This is a book filled with intrigue, romance, sudden violence, and moments of emotional impact, a cast of charming characters, and echoes of the fantasy tradition from Lord Dunsany and Fritz Leiber to Jack Vance and Roger Zelazny.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2003</published>
</book>

    <rating>0</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Feb 24 21:05:53 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Feb 24 21:06:25 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[A great first fantasy novel by this author, I wish there were more. ]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/47451063]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/47451063]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>66393675</id>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Anvil of the World]]>
  </title>
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    <![CDATA[Kage Baker's stories and novels of the mysterious organization that controls time travel, The Company, have made her famous in SF. So has her talent for clever dialogue, and pointed social commentary with a light touch.The Anvil of the World is her first fantasy novel, a journey across a fantastic landscape filled with bizarre creatures, human and otherwise. It is the tale of Smith, of the large extended family of Smiths, of the Children of the Sun. They are a race given to blood feuds, and Smith was formerly an extremely successful assassin. Now he has wearied of his work and is trying to retire in another country, to live an honest life in obscurity in spite of all those who have sworn to kill him.His problems begin when he agrees to be the master of a caravan from the inland city of Troon to the seaside city of Salesh. The caravan is dogged with murder, magic, and the brooding image of the Master of the Mountain, a powerful demon, looking down from his mountain kingdom upon the greenlands and the travelers passing below. In Salesh, Smith becomes an innkeeper, but on the journey he befriended the young Lord Ermenwyr, a decadent demonic half-breed. Each time Ermenwyr turns up, he brings new trouble with him.The outgrowth of stories Baker has been writing since childhood, as engaging as Tolkien and yet nothing like him, Smith's adventure is certainly the only fantasy on record with a white-uniformed nurse, gourmet cuisine, one hundred and forty-four glass butterflies, and a steamboat. This is a book filled with intrigue, romance, sudden violence, and moments of emotional impact, a cast of charming characters, and echoes of the fantasy tradition from Lord Dunsany and Fritz Leiber to Jack Vance and Roger Zelazny.]]>
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  <published>2003</published>
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  <read_at>Fri Jul 31 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
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    <body><![CDATA[Wow! Very enjoyable. Funny as well as serious tones. ]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/66393675]]></url>
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      <review>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Anvil of the World]]>
  </title>
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    <![CDATA[Kage Baker's stories and novels of the mysterious organization that controls time travel, The Company, have made her famous in SF. So has her talent for clever dialogue, and pointed social commentary with a light touch.The Anvil of the World is her first fantasy novel, a journey across a fantastic landscape filled with bizarre creatures, human and otherwise. It is the tale of Smith, of the large extended family of Smiths, of the Children of the Sun. They are a race given to blood feuds, and Smith was formerly an extremely successful assassin. Now he has wearied of his work and is trying to retire in another country, to live an honest life in obscurity in spite of all those who have sworn to kill him.His problems begin when he agrees to be the master of a caravan from the inland city of Troon to the seaside city of Salesh. The caravan is dogged with murder, magic, and the brooding image of the Master of the Mountain, a powerful demon, looking down from his mountain kingdom upon the greenlands and the travelers passing below. In Salesh, Smith becomes an innkeeper, but on the journey he befriended the young Lord Ermenwyr, a decadent demonic half-breed. Each time Ermenwyr turns up, he brings new trouble with him.The outgrowth of stories Baker has been writing since childhood, as engaging as Tolkien and yet nothing like him, Smith's adventure is certainly the only fantasy on record with a white-uniformed nurse, gourmet cuisine, one hundred and forty-four glass butterflies, and a steamboat. This is a book filled with intrigue, romance, sudden violence, and moments of emotional impact, a cast of charming characters, and echoes of the fantasy tradition from Lord Dunsany and Fritz Leiber to Jack Vance and Roger Zelazny.]]>
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  <read_at>Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
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    <body><![CDATA[Lovely, as ever. I was reading this at one point while reading a more traditional and fairly humourless fantasy novel and the writing stood out in sharp, funny, worldly-wise relief. I do like Kage Baker. It meanders a bit, as a set of novellas linked by character rather than a novel, but the charact...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/47667892">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[The Anvil of the World]]>
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    <![CDATA[Kage Baker's stories and novels of the mysterious organization that controls time travel, The Company, have made her famous in SF. So has her talent for clever dialogue, and pointed social commentary with a light touch.The Anvil of the World is her first fantasy novel, a journey across a fantastic landscape filled with bizarre creatures, human and otherwise. It is the tale of Smith, of the large extended family of Smiths, of the Children of the Sun. They are a race given to blood feuds, and Smith was formerly an extremely successful assassin. Now he has wearied of his work and is trying to retire in another country, to live an honest life in obscurity in spite of all those who have sworn to kill him.His problems begin when he agrees to be the master of a caravan from the inland city of Troon to the seaside city of Salesh. The caravan is dogged with murder, magic, and the brooding image of the Master of the Mountain, a powerful demon, looking down from his mountain kingdom upon the greenlands and the travelers passing below. In Salesh, Smith becomes an innkeeper, but on the journey he befriended the young Lord Ermenwyr, a decadent demonic half-breed. Each time Ermenwyr turns up, he brings new trouble with him.The outgrowth of stories Baker has been writing since childhood, as engaging as Tolkien and yet nothing like him, Smith's adventure is certainly the only fantasy on record with a white-uniformed nurse, gourmet cuisine, one hundred and forty-four glass butterflies, and a steamboat. This is a book filled with intrigue, romance, sudden violence, and moments of emotional impact, a cast of charming characters, and echoes of the fantasy tradition from Lord Dunsany and Fritz Leiber to Jack Vance and Roger Zelazny.]]>
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    <body><![CDATA[The first section of this book can be a bit of slog, and you begin to wonder what exactly is Kage's point? And then you realize, Kage's point is to have a rollicking good time and take you along with her. I finally set aside my stodgy expecations, and realized the characters, and the book--quite exc...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/18938962">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[The Anvil of the World]]>
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  <description>
    <![CDATA[Kage Baker's stories and novels of the mysterious organization that controls time travel, The Company, have made her famous in SF. So has her talent for clever dialogue, and pointed social commentary with a light touch.The Anvil of the World is her first fantasy novel, a journey across a fantastic landscape filled with bizarre creatures, human and otherwise. It is the tale of Smith, of the large extended family of Smiths, of the Children of the Sun. They are a race given to blood feuds, and Smith was formerly an extremely successful assassin. Now he has wearied of his work and is trying to retire in another country, to live an honest life in obscurity in spite of all those who have sworn to kill him.His problems begin when he agrees to be the master of a caravan from the inland city of Troon to the seaside city of Salesh. The caravan is dogged with murder, magic, and the brooding image of the Master of the Mountain, a powerful demon, looking down from his mountain kingdom upon the greenlands and the travelers passing below. In Salesh, Smith becomes an innkeeper, but on the journey he befriended the young Lord Ermenwyr, a decadent demonic half-breed. Each time Ermenwyr turns up, he brings new trouble with him.The outgrowth of stories Baker has been writing since childhood, as engaging as Tolkien and yet nothing like him, Smith's adventure is certainly the only fantasy on record with a white-uniformed nurse, gourmet cuisine, one hundred and forty-four glass butterflies, and a steamboat. This is a book filled with intrigue, romance, sudden violence, and moments of emotional impact, a cast of charming characters, and echoes of the fantasy tradition from Lord Dunsany and Fritz Leiber to Jack Vance and Roger Zelazny.]]>
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  <read_at>Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2005</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Dec 27 16:26:35 -0800 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Dec 27 16:29:04 -0800 2007</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This is a departure from the Company series, a fantasy told in three novellas.  I quite loved it.  Baker's humorous-poignant voice works just as well in fantasy.  Her deft characterization and piercing perception of human nature also work well here, and the ending avoided cliche—always a big plus....<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/11111292">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
  <id>4850043</id>
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    <![CDATA[The Anvil of the World]]>
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  <average_rating>3.77</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[Kage Baker's stories and novels of the mysterious organization that controls time travel, The Company, have made her famous in SF. So has her talent for clever dialogue, and pointed social commentary with a light touch.The Anvil of the World is her first fantasy novel, a journey across a fantastic landscape filled with bizarre creatures, human and otherwise. It is the tale of Smith, of the large extended family of Smiths, of the Children of the Sun. They are a race given to blood feuds, and Smith was formerly an extremely successful assassin. Now he has wearied of his work and is trying to retire in another country, to live an honest life in obscurity in spite of all those who have sworn to kill him.His problems begin when he agrees to be the master of a caravan from the inland city of Troon to the seaside city of Salesh. The caravan is dogged with murder, magic, and the brooding image of the Master of the Mountain, a powerful demon, looking down from his mountain kingdom upon the greenlands and the travelers passing below. In Salesh, Smith becomes an innkeeper, but on the journey he befriended the young Lord Ermenwyr, a decadent demonic half-breed. Each time Ermenwyr turns up, he brings new trouble with him.The outgrowth of stories Baker has been writing since childhood, as engaging as Tolkien and yet nothing like him, Smith's adventure is certainly the only fantasy on record with a white-uniformed nurse, gourmet cuisine, one hundred and forty-four glass butterflies, and a steamboat. This is a book filled with intrigue, romance, sudden violence, and moments of emotional impact, a cast of charming characters, and echoes of the fantasy tradition from Lord Dunsany and Fritz Leiber to Jack Vance and Roger Zelazny.]]>
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  <read_at>Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2005</read_at>
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  <date_updated>Mon Aug 20 22:13:45 -0700 2007</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I picked up this book at the library, not having heard a word about it.  Since then I will rea anything she writes.<br/>It's a very interesting fantasy novel containing contemporary and unique characteristics. She went on to write a series about cyborgs and time travel which is also fantastic.]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[The Anvil of the World]]>
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  <average_rating>3.77</average_rating>
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    <![CDATA[Kage Baker's stories and novels of the mysterious organization that controls time travel, The Company, have made her famous in SF. So has her talent for clever dialogue, and pointed social commentary with a light touch.The Anvil of the World is her first fantasy novel, a journey across a fantastic landscape filled with bizarre creatures, human and otherwise. It is the tale of Smith, of the large extended family of Smiths, of the Children of the Sun. They are a race given to blood feuds, and Smith was formerly an extremely successful assassin. Now he has wearied of his work and is trying to retire in another country, to live an honest life in obscurity in spite of all those who have sworn to kill him.His problems begin when he agrees to be the master of a caravan from the inland city of Troon to the seaside city of Salesh. The caravan is dogged with murder, magic, and the brooding image of the Master of the Mountain, a powerful demon, looking down from his mountain kingdom upon the greenlands and the travelers passing below. In Salesh, Smith becomes an innkeeper, but on the journey he befriended the young Lord Ermenwyr, a decadent demonic half-breed. Each time Ermenwyr turns up, he brings new trouble with him.The outgrowth of stories Baker has been writing since childhood, as engaging as Tolkien and yet nothing like him, Smith's adventure is certainly the only fantasy on record with a white-uniformed nurse, gourmet cuisine, one hundred and forty-four glass butterflies, and a steamboat. This is a book filled with intrigue, romance, sudden violence, and moments of emotional impact, a cast of charming characters, and echoes of the fantasy tradition from Lord Dunsany and Fritz Leiber to Jack Vance and Roger Zelazny.]]>
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  <read_at>Fri Oct 01 00:00:00 -0700 2004</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Sep 03 11:21:32 -0700 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Dec 17 08:35:09 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Two of the stories from Mother Aegypt were connected to this story. It's actually a set of three stories centered on a retired assassin and his misadventures in a gently satirical fantasy setting. I smirked a few times, but no big laugh moments. Clever and enjoyable. (October 01, 2004)]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[The Anvil of the World]]>
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  <description>
    <![CDATA[Kage Baker's stories and novels of the mysterious organization that controls time travel, The Company, have made her famous in SF. So has her talent for clever dialogue, and pointed social commentary with a light touch.The Anvil of the World is her first fantasy novel, a journey across a fantastic landscape filled with bizarre creatures, human and otherwise. It is the tale of Smith, of the large extended family of Smiths, of the Children of the Sun. They are a race given to blood feuds, and Smith was formerly an extremely successful assassin. Now he has wearied of his work and is trying to retire in another country, to live an honest life in obscurity in spite of all those who have sworn to kill him.His problems begin when he agrees to be the master of a caravan from the inland city of Troon to the seaside city of Salesh. The caravan is dogged with murder, magic, and the brooding image of the Master of the Mountain, a powerful demon, looking down from his mountain kingdom upon the greenlands and the travelers passing below. In Salesh, Smith becomes an innkeeper, but on the journey he befriended the young Lord Ermenwyr, a decadent demonic half-breed. Each time Ermenwyr turns up, he brings new trouble with him.The outgrowth of stories Baker has been writing since childhood, as engaging as Tolkien and yet nothing like him, Smith's adventure is certainly the only fantasy on record with a white-uniformed nurse, gourmet cuisine, one hundred and forty-four glass butterflies, and a steamboat. This is a book filled with intrigue, romance, sudden violence, and moments of emotional impact, a cast of charming characters, and echoes of the fantasy tradition from Lord Dunsany and Fritz Leiber to Jack Vance and Roger Zelazny.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2003</published>
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  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Thu May 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Fri May 09 13:28:57 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon May 12 15:01:16 -0700 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Perfect hilarious steampunk-esque fantasy by none other than my current favorite author.  Picks up many fantasy tropes and drops them elegantly on their heads.  And there's a sequel in the works!  Yay! ]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/21943076]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/21943076]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>66504534</id>
    <user>
    <id>264832</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Julie]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Somerset, OH]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/264832-julie]]></link>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">297815</id>
  <isbn>0765349078</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780765349071</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">23</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Anvil of the World]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173495909m/297815.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173495909s/297815.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/297815.The_Anvil_of_the_World</link>
  <average_rating>3.77</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>196</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Kage Baker's stories and novels of the mysterious organization that controls time travel, The Company, have made her famous in SF. So has her talent for clever dialogue, and pointed social commentary with a light touch.The Anvil of the World is her first fantasy novel, a journey across a fantastic landscape filled with bizarre creatures, human and otherwise. It is the tale of Smith, of the large extended family of Smiths, of the Children of the Sun. They are a race given to blood feuds, and Smith was formerly an extremely successful assassin. Now he has wearied of his work and is trying to retire in another country, to live an honest life in obscurity in spite of all those who have sworn to kill him.His problems begin when he agrees to be the master of a caravan from the inland city of Troon to the seaside city of Salesh. The caravan is dogged with murder, magic, and the brooding image of the Master of the Mountain, a powerful demon, looking down from his mountain kingdom upon the greenlands and the travelers passing below. In Salesh, Smith becomes an innkeeper, but on the journey he befriended the young Lord Ermenwyr, a decadent demonic half-breed. Each time Ermenwyr turns up, he brings new trouble with him.The outgrowth of stories Baker has been writing since childhood, as engaging as Tolkien and yet nothing like him, Smith's adventure is certainly the only fantasy on record with a white-uniformed nurse, gourmet cuisine, one hundred and forty-four glass butterflies, and a steamboat. This is a book filled with intrigue, romance, sudden violence, and moments of emotional impact, a cast of charming characters, and echoes of the fantasy tradition from Lord Dunsany and Fritz Leiber to Jack Vance and Roger Zelazny.]]>
  </description>
  <published>2003</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Sun Oct 11 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Aug 06 21:32:22 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Oct 11 18:10:01 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[It starts slowly and rather too light, but eventually morphs into something entertaining and a little weightier than I had feared.  There's a sequel, but I'm not sure if I'm interested.]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/66504534]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/66504534]]></link>
</review>
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