Rating: 
Summary: Totemo Sugoi!
Review: Lady in Gil is a maginificent book that has captured me like books used to when I was little. Growing up my mind became more critical of fantasy worlds, and I began to enjoy the genre much less. However, this has caught my attention like Lord of the Rings once did. The attention to detail is phenomenal, without being boring. I would strongly reccomend anyone pick up this book without hesitation, as its uncommon hero and the world he lives in will not fail to please any fan of fantasy novels.
Rating: 
Summary: Great book: but you must read the sequel too
Review: Lady in Gil is a wonderful story. It has the usual unlikely hero plot but isn't that what makes books fun? The main character Tigrallef is fun and easy to relate to. Another main character Calla is a great mysterious character who keeps you guessing at what she is really thinking right up to the end. The setting is great. Who can resist an underground movement with secret hand signals and undercover agents? The book is fun as I have said but what I like is a little bit of realism that makes it feel as if what you just read was real and Rebecca Bradley did this. Unfortunately most readers will be very angry at her when you finish this book (don't worry I wont give away the ending) but if you do read it (and please do)just read the sequel "Scions Lady" and the urge to strangle the author will pass. So after all that : this is great book and definetly worth your time
Rating:
Summary: Funny and entertaining!
Review: Lady in Gil is one of my favorite books. I read it on the plane from Nashville to Hartford, and enjoyed every minute of it. At the beginning it was predictable, the usual reluctant hero shtick, but very amusing. The characters were great, all well developed and most of them original. What is unnaparent until the last few chapters however, is the complexity of the plot that Bradley has been hinting at. The ending is SO surprising. There is NO WAY any one could have predicted it. NO WAY. If anyone tells you this book is predictable, they're crazy. And listen to Tig's mother. She's always right.
Rating:
Summary: You'll finish the series
Review: Lady in Gil is the first novel in the Gil series. About a thousand years before, Oballef the first came to Gil in a rowboat, climbed to the top of the Gilgard, a great flat-topped plug of volcanic rock, held over his head a glowing object about the size and shape of his forearm, and a golden cloud emitted from the object rolled across the entire surface of the island. Where the cloud passed, the yellow clay turned to black soil, new plants sprung from the ground, and clear springs arose. The natives unanimously installed Obaleff as King and High Priest and worshipped the glowing object as the Lady in Gil. Nine hundred and twenty-seven years later, the barbarous Sherank invaded the Kingdom of Gil by stealth, caught the current Priest-King, Oballef the Eleventh, and most of his court, away from Gilgard Castle, butchered them, and then occupied the island. Despite their successful invasion, the Sherank failed in their efforts to find the Lady in Gil. In this novel, seventy-two years have passed and the Gil Exiles have created a tradition of sending the Scions, descendants of Obaleff, one by one back to Gil to find the Lady. Tigrallef is a Memorian who is happy recording facts and filing scrolls, but his brother has a training accident and Tig suddenly finds himself selected as the twentieth Scion to venture forth to Gil. He doesn't impress anyone as a likely candidate, but the Primate insists on his selection. He is been put through a vigorous course of physical, mental and moral instruction. Six months later, finally able to swing a sword without endangering himself or his allies, he is taken to Gil by fishermen and put ashore. Hiding behind a stack of barrels by the sea-wall, Tig observes the current residents of Gil and notices his clothes are in too good a condition. Moving cautiously through back alleys, he finds another hiding place in a semi-demolished shed near the main street and then occupies himself converting his clothes to filthy rags. In the evening, Tig ventures out for a bite of noisome stew and is accosted by an old man with only one eye, one hand, and one leg. The old man says that he knows Tig, knows what he is, calls him "Scion", and then tells him to follow. Thinking murderous thoughts, Tig does follow and finds himself among the Web, an underground movement started by the old man, Bekri, the only surviving priest on Gil. Tig agrees to accept their help, which none of his predecessors had done, and, with the help of Calla, the old man's great-granddaughter, is taught disguise, current maps and many other things pertinent to his survival. They make plans to insert him within Gil Castle, but then he catches the Gil-gut, a disease that, combined with the necessary medicine, lays him out for three days. When he recovers from his sickness, Bekri sends him to witness an execution by the Sherkin. Within the market square, the Sherkin construct an elaborate device which allows a clutch of pointed rods to slowly descend upon the victim and pierce most of the way through his body. However, a faction within the Web kills the intended victim with a poison dart shortly after he is placed within the device, expecting the Sherkin to react with anger and start slaughtering the crowd of Gilmen; this faction is ready to kill as many Sherkin as possible with their poison darts, hopefully triggering an uprising. However, Lord Shree, an anomalous Sherkin noble, covertly disposes of the dart, dismisses the Gilman crowd, and orders the Sherkin to let them leave. Bekri is old and tired and has finally found a Scion who is willing to listen. While Tig has yet to enter Gil Castle, Bekri has already begun to abdicate his Web leadership to the Scion. All the hopes of Gil are focused on his efforts. Tig is beginning to feel the pressure. This novel begins as a simple heroic quest for a magic object, but the hero is less than heroic and the enemy are worse than villainous. The story becomes a tale of cunning and stealth, more like a thief's story. The author throws in a few genuine heroes for contrast; Hewelli, for example, is willing for the entire population to die so that the Gilmen can recover their dignity in a great uprising. Since this story is much more realistic than most quest tales, the hero and heroine are far more believable and therefore the vicarious impact is more immediate. Tig's attitude reminds one of the worldview of General William T. Sherman. He will never be a classical hero, but may become a wise leader. His character has great potential for development in the sequels. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys fantasy stories wherein the characters grow and mature within a intricate plot.
Rating:
Summary: Quests Are Hell, So Lets Get This Job Done
Review: Lady in Gil is the first novel in the Gil series. About a thousand years before, Oballef the first came to Gil in a rowboat, climbed to the top of the Gilgard, a great flat-topped plug of volcanic rock, held over his head a glowing object about the size and shape of his forearm, and a golden cloud emitted from the object rolled across the entire surface of the island. Where the cloud passed, the yellow clay turned to black soil, new plants sprung from the ground, and clear springs arose. The natives unanimously installed Obaleff as King and High Priest and worshipped the glowing object as the Lady in Gil. Nine hundred and twenty-seven years later, the barbarous Sherank invaded the Kingdom of Gil by stealth, caught the current Priest-King, Oballef the Eleventh, and most of his court, away from Gilgard Castle, butchered them, and then occupied the island. Despite their successful invasion, the Sherank failed in their efforts to find the Lady in Gil. In this novel, seventy-two years have passed and the Gil Exiles have created a tradition of sending the Scions, descendants of Obaleff, one by one back to Gil to find the Lady. Tigrallef is a Memorian who is happy recording facts and filing scrolls, but his brother has a training accident and Tig suddenly finds himself selected as the twentieth Scion to venture forth to Gil. He doesn't impress anyone as a likely candidate, but the Primate insists on his selection. He is been put through a vigorous course of physical, mental and moral instruction. Six months later, finally able to swing a sword without endangering himself or his allies, he is taken to Gil by fishermen and put ashore. Hiding behind a stack of barrels by the sea-wall, Tig observes the current residents of Gil and notices his clothes are in too good a condition. Moving cautiously through back alleys, he finds another hiding place in a semi-demolished shed near the main street and then occupies himself converting his clothes to filthy rags. In the evening, Tig ventures out for a bite of noisome stew and is accosted by an old man with only one eye, one hand, and one leg. The old man says that he knows Tig, knows what he is, calls him "Scion", and then tells him to follow. Thinking murderous thoughts, Tig does follow and finds himself among the Web, an underground movement started by the old man, Bekri, the only surviving priest on Gil. Tig agrees to accept their help, which none of his predecessors had done, and, with the help of Calla, the old man's great-granddaughter, is taught disguise, current maps and many other things pertinent to his survival. They make plans to insert him within Gil Castle, but then he catches the Gil-gut, a disease that, combined with the necessary medicine, lays him out for three days. When he recovers from his sickness, Bekri sends him to witness an execution by the Sherkin. Within the market square, the Sherkin construct an elaborate device which allows a clutch of pointed rods to slowly descend upon the victim and pierce most of the way through his body. However, a faction within the Web kills the intended victim with a poison dart shortly after he is placed within the device, expecting the Sherkin to react with anger and start slaughtering the crowd of Gilmen; this faction is ready to kill as many Sherkin as possible with their poison darts, hopefully triggering an uprising. However, Lord Shree, an anomalous Sherkin noble, covertly disposes of the dart, dismisses the Gilman crowd, and orders the Sherkin to let them leave. Bekri is old and tired and has finally found a Scion who is willing to listen. While Tig has yet to enter Gil Castle, Bekri has already begun to abdicate his Web leadership to the Scion. All the hopes of Gil are focused on his efforts. Tig is beginning to feel the pressure. This novel begins as a simple heroic quest for a magic object, but the hero is less than heroic and the enemy are worse than villainous. The story becomes a tale of cunning and stealth, more like a thief's story. The author throws in a few genuine heroes for contrast; Hewelli, for example, is willing for the entire population to die so that the Gilmen can recover their dignity in a great uprising. Since this story is much more realistic than most quest tales, the hero and heroine are far more believable and therefore the vicarious impact is more immediate. Tig's attitude reminds one of the worldview of General William T. Sherman. He will never be a classical hero, but may become a wise leader. His character has great potential for development in the sequels. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys fantasy stories wherein the characters grow and mature within a intricate plot.
Rating:
Summary: The Last Resort
Review: Lady in Gil is the first of a trilogy that follows the adventures of Tigrallef. Told in first person narrative, the novel has a punch lacking in quite a few fantasy novels with a quest storyline. Put simply, a nasty group of conquerors, the Sherank, have brutally acquired Tig's homeland. The conquered native people are treated viciously, but a group of exiles keeps trying to retake what was once theirs. Within the boundaries of the conquered kingdom lies a statue said to have powers that would defeat the Sherank if only one of the exiled Scions could but get his hands on it. Unfortunately, the first string Scion has a mishap that sidelines him. His brother Tig, a glorified librarian/historian, is selected to replace him as a last resort. Lady in Gil is a stand alone book. One does not need to read the other two books that follow, but most will feel compelled to continue reading about Tig and his misadventures. Rebecca Bradley does a masterful job of characterization, but her strongest point is plot development and pace. She is a savvy writer that delivers a completely satisfying story full of love interest, betrayal, humor, despair, and perhaps one of the most intriguing harems ever detailed within any fantasy work.
Rating:
Summary: This book was clearly anti-WMD! Go R. Bradley!
Review: Lady in Gil started out as a typical reluctant hero novel, with a rather typical main character. However, it was humorous and the setting was interesting so I kept reading. It remained predictable right up to the last few chapters, and then...some VERY surprising things happened. The end is not what I would call happy, in fact it made me cry, but it was a lot more satisfying than if it had followed it's foundation cliche to the logical finish.
I feel that Lady in Gil has strong messages against Weapons of Mass Destruction, as well as war and violence in general. If you read this book and don't know what the *beep* I'm talking about, just think about it for a second. You'll realize what I mean.
Rating:
Summary: Start to Finish in two days
Review: My hands wouldn't let me close this book once I had it open. Rebecca Bradley has an excellent voice in her characters when she writes, and I strongly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good story, interesting characters, and good laughs (the time our hero spends hiding away in the concubines' sleeping chambers gave me a great number of laughs). The subtleties that Bradley puts into her characters to make them so unique and distinct paints such a realistic portrait of the world you dive into that it puts you directly in it.
Go pick up this book. I highly doubt you'll regret it.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful find!
Review: One of the best sensations in the world is picking a book up not knowing what to expect, and finding that you have a gem! This is a laugh-out-loud, touching, exciting, can't-put-it-down story. Definitely worth the price - you'll read it more than once!
Rating:
Summary: You must read this book!
Review: This book was excellent. It had great character development, and an easy-to-follow(but still very interesting)plot. When I bought this book, I had no idea what a great find it was. This book is about a bookworm named Tigrallef who is descendant of the line of the Scions. The Scions were the rulers of the kingdom of Gil, but were exiled from their land. Now it is up to Tigrallef to seek the legendary Lady of Gil, a statue with power enough to overthrow the evil Sheranks. The only thing about this book that I wasn't completely satisfied with was the ending. I couldn't believe what happened to Calla(even the names in this book are interesting). I encourage everyone to read this book, and I bet that if you have any doubts about reading this book, you'll forget about them once you start reading. Rebecca Bradley has surely created a masterpiece.
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