Eden Burning LP

Rating:
Summary: Sweet but Silly
Review: I purchased the audio version of this book knowing it was one of the author's earlier books. I've always been a fan of Elizabeth Lowell's and when you compare her early works to her current books I can see the difference in character and plot development. Eden Burning lacks depth, though I do give the author points for trying to incorporate some of the technical aspects during a volcanic eruption. I thought the addition of drums as a sound effect on the cassette was a little silly and distracting as it made me think of cannibals rather than Hawaiian dancing. I felt the book ended too abruptly (at least it did on the audio version, I don't know how it is on the text version) and there was a brief message from the author noting she had revisited the characters and had beefed up the storyline. Some things are best left unvisited, and Eden Burning is one of them. Only the most die hard of Lowell's fans may want to read this and appreciate the literary growth of Lowell's skill in her more recent work.

Rating:
Summary: Sweet but Silly
Review: I purchased the audio version of this book knowing it was one of the author's earlier books. I've always been a fan of Elizabeth Lowell's and when you compare her early works to her current books I can see the difference in character and plot development. Eden Burning lacks depth, though I do give the author points for trying to incorporate some of the technical aspects during a volcanic eruption. I thought the addition of drums as a sound effect on the cassette was a little silly and distracting as it made me think of cannibals rather than Hawaiian dancing. I felt the book ended too abruptly (at least it did on the audio version, I don't know how it is on the text version) and there was a brief message from the author noting she had revisited the characters and had beefed up the storyline. Some things are best left unvisited, and Eden Burning is one of them. Only the most die hard of Lowell's fans may want to read this and appreciate the literary growth of Lowell's skill in her more recent work.

Rating:
Summary: Skip This One!
Review: I suffered through this in audiocassette form and my head is still throbbing from the incessant drum references throughout the story. I am a true fan of the author but this is certainly a book to forget.

Rating:
Summary: disappointing
Review: I wish I had waited for the paperback. Really a poor example of Mrs. Maxwell's work. She is one of my favorite authors but this book is obviously one of her first efforts and not worth "reworking". Not much plot and a lot of sex.

Rating:
Summary: Not worth re-publishing
Review: I've enjoyed other books by Elizabeth Lowell but this one was decidedly below her usual quality. The characters were a little flat and she was not up to her usual research standards. While most of her information on volcanos rang true she made a lot of errors involving local Hawaiian culture and fact that I could recognize after living in Honolulu for only three years. Clearly she never had anyone from Hawaii read and critique the book. Skip this book and wait for a NEW book unless you are a die-hard Lowell fan.

Rating:
Summary: Good Read for Zoning Out
Review: If you just want to zone out, go somewhere else, live in someone else's skin for awhile, this might be the book for you if you're into romance. I found myself wishing the female lead character wasn't so wimpy and was a stronger person, but all in all, a good read.

Rating:
Summary: Skip this one!
Review: Not one of Ms. Lowell's better efforts. I generously gave it 2 stars because it was slightly better than DESERT RAIN, which I generously gave 1 star). If you're like me, you'll find yourself scanning through the pages just to get to the end. Neither of the main characters are memorable or even believable. Some readers may like the descriptions of Hawaii's flora and volcanic history--but not me. It could not make up for the poor story line and weak characters. BEAUTIFUL DREAMER is a much, much better book. Try that one and give this one a bye.

Rating:
Summary: Drop "Eden Burning" Into the Nearest Volcano
Review: That's where this book belongs. As a long-time fan of Elizabeth Lowell, I eagerly await her new releases. I wish I had skipped this one; "Eden Burning" was a big disappointment. Chase Wilcox, professional vulcanologist, and Nicole Ballard, artist and dancer, meet on the island of Hawaii. Each has a tragic "secret" from the past that must be overcome before they can acknowledge their love. There is a great deal of drumming (Chase) and dancing to Tahitian music (Nicole aka Pele, goddess of fire) that is just too silly for words. The best parts are the descriptions of the island, the little bit that you get about its native population, and the fascinating material included on volcanoes. Ms. Lowell does her research. Save your money for the next book about the Donovan clan, or go back and buy one of Ms. Lowell's older works written as Ann Maxwell, such as "Tell Me No Lies."

Rating:
Summary: Not Her Best Work
Review: The beginning of this book is rather engaging, but about a quarter of the way through, it completely falls apart. There simply isn't enough believable tension between the characters and the plot, such as it is, becomes non-existent. If you are expecting the quality of Lowell's precious gems series, you will be severely disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: Great romance in a great setting
Review: The previous reviewer says that this is just a reprint. That isn't quite true. The last couple of years, Elizabeth Lowell has been rewriting some of her older romances. They tend to be about 50 percent longer than the originals, and IMHO she is doing a good job of improving them. Yes, it is the same story as her old Fires of Eden, but it is considerably longer, with added scenes, more explanation, characters fleshed out better, and a few things deleted. I read and reread Fires of Eden until my copy vanished during a move. I was more than happy to find this story in hardback. I'll be rereading it again.