My Charmed Book Reviews

[Tim]

BOOK: Trickery Treat

AUTHOR: Diana G. Gallagher

YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2008

NOTE: This review may contain plot spoilers.

Well, everyone, this will be my final Charmed Book Review. The reason being is that the series of Charmed books has been discontinued and this is the last one to be published. It is fitting that this series should end on a high note. Like the previous Charmed book, Leo Rising, this book is a real winner.

As the story opens, five months have passed since the events of the final televised episode. The Charmed Ones are enjoying a Demon free life, they know that it will be years, perhaps decades, before the Underworld reorganizes. They are determined to live those years in peace. With the approach of Halloween, the Halliwells decide to throw a party and invite all their neighbours. It's been years since they have thrown such a party, and now that they don't have to worry about Demons coming through the door, they feel they can resume normal neighborhood events such as this.

However, Paige is still feeling guilty about letting down the magical community during the Ultimate Battle. Although she had been under a spell at the time, she still blames herself. When she wishes she could patch things up with the leprechauns, they promptly show up. It turns out they will forgive Paige if she grants them a small favour. Could she summon the spirits of those leprechauns who had died in the battle against evil (include Seamus who died back in Season Five, and Liam, who was killed in the Ultimate Battle while Paige had been under that spell). They want to spend Halloween, or Samhain, with their old friends. Paige agrees, and Seamus and Liam cross over. All the leprechauns, both living and spirits, attend the Halliwell's Halloween party (the sisters convince everyone that they are a troupe of midget actors). However, Paige's opening the portal between the two worlds may have let some other spirits in as well. Most of them seem harmless enough. However, soon the Manor is invaded by a powerful ghost. This ghost is clearly evil, and he will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Can the sisters get rid of this evil ghost, before Innocents get hurt?

Well, folks, once again we get a great Charmed book. Not only are the characters spot on, but continuity is greatly paid attention too (something the show had been greatly lacking in its final years). We get to see that even though the Halliwells won't be hearing about Demons for a while, they are still other evil beings out there, and they will always be innocents to protect.

I found the subplot about the leprechauns very well done. One of my pet peeves about the show was what became of the spirits of magical beings when said magical being died. This book answers that question, at least in regards to leprechauns such as Seamus and Liam (another nice nod to continuity in bringing them back). Also, it was good to see Paige patch things up with the leprechauns. No doubt it happened, but it was nice to see it happening.

This book is the first to feature Henry and Coop, the men Paige and Phoebe married in the last season of Charmed. I more or less found them to be well written. No doubt had the book series continued, they would have been in more of the books.

I must comment that I think it's a shame that the Charmed books are ending now. Judging from this book, they no doubt were moving into the post-series time frame. This might have given the authors more creative freedom, like the Star Trek book authors have, now that those shows are no longer in production. Without the show to tie them down creatively, the authors might have been able to take chances like they couldn't before, such as bringing back characters like Prue and Cole. Alas, it wasn't meant to be.

Some other points:

- this book has two interesting guest characters. One is a woman named Fiona Dunne, a ghost hunter who helps the Halliwells in this story. The other is a man named Ken Carson, an associate professor who's hobby is to go around and try to debunk ghostly activity. No matter what happens in this story, the man will not accept it. When he finally sees more than he bargained for, he faints!

- as I mentioned above, this book is full of continuity. While dealing with the situation, the Halliwells refer to all their previous encounters with ghosts, both good and bad, on the show.

- Daryl does not appear in this story, unfortunately. Sorry Daryl fans.

- since this book takes place after the series, I was first worried that Billie would be in it. As most of you know, I never liked this character. Thankfully, she is only mentioned in passing and does not appear in this story.

- on page 122, there is a blooper. At the top of the page, the name Cole appears twice, instead of Coop! Oops!

To sum up, I highly recommend this book. I give it a 10/10!

[Tim]

BOOK: Leo Rising

AUTHOR: Paul Ruditis

YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2007

NOTE: This review may contain plot spoilers.

For some time now, there has been an online campaign to get a Charmed Sons spin-off going. This spin-off would feature the adventures of Wyatt and Chris Halliwell (played by Wes Ramsey and Drew Fuller), the sons of Piper and Leo. While it remains a question as to whether that spin-off will ever materialize, fans can get a glimpse of what it might be like, thanks to this excellent book.

As the story opens, we find that Leo Wyatt is having a hard time adjusting to being an ordinary human (this story is set after his fall from grace in Season Seven). He feels useless and in the way. When Demons attack, Piper is forever sending him on errands, or banishing him to Magic School. Leo loves his family, and wants to help out. The trouble is that now he really doesn't know how to.

When the Charmed Ones vanish, kidnapped by Demons, Leo at first doesn't know what to do. He tries to call for the Elders, but they ignore him (my opinion of the Elders, already very low, went even further down after this). Since it is a magical matter, Daryl really can't do anything. Finally, Leo does come up with an idea, he summons his grown sons, Wyatt and Chris, back from the future, hoping they can help him track down the missing Piper, Phoebe, and Paige.

As for the three girls, they have been kidnapped by a Demon scientist named Dr. Gnivik (and no, the G is not silent). Gnivik plans to experiment on the Charmed Ones, and hopes to create a vaccine that would permanently strip the Charmed Ones of their powers. This, of course, would leave them defenseless and wide open to Demon attacks.

With time running out, Leo, Wyatt, and Chris begin their plans to rescue their family. Can the guys succeed, before Gnivik completes his sinister plan?

In my honest opinion, this is one of the best books to come along in the Charmed series. The Charmed sons are very well written, and I could hear Wes Ramsey (Wyatt) and Drew Fuller (Chris) saying the lines. Also, Leo himself is more or less the star of this book. He has been somewhat overlooked in the most recent books, but this one makes up for it. It clearly shows that Leo is more than capable of carrying a story.

If you like continuity in Charmed, and I do, then this book is a must have. It actually mentions when it is set by referring to the last time grown up Wyatt visited. This places this story between that episode (Imaginary Friends) and the start of the final battle with the Demon, Zankou (Death Becomes Them and Something Wicca This Way Goes).

Speaking of Zankou, he himself appears in this story. He doesn't have a big part, but I did enjoy seeing him. He really was a great Demon, one of the best villains on Charmed in ages, and I was glad to see this story utilizing him.

There is another character in this story, a young witch from Magic School named Nisha Maksoud. She helps Leo out before he calls his sons back from the future, and she has some good scenes throughout the book. I really enjoyed this character, and wouldn't mind seeing her again. The name the author gave her made me smile, because I knew a girl named Nisha in high school (if you're reading this review, then hello Nisha).

Some other points:

- this books is peppered with references to events that have not yet occurred to the Halliwell sisters. Of course, Wyatt and Chris can't say too much, but they do sneak them in every now and again. For example, when the guys first appear in the present, Wyatt states: "We can't leave Mel..." Chris cuts him off at that point. Who this "Mel" may be is left up to the reader to decide.

- Daryl Morris has some good scenes in this book. Like Leo, he has been greatly neglected as of late, and it was nice to see him get some good parts again.

- this book also addresses something that bothered me late in Season Seven. How did the human Leo (as well as Piper and Phoebe) get to and from Magic School when Paige wasn't there to orb them. This book explains that the Charmed Ones installed a magic portal somewhere on the second floor of the Manor, that let Leo get to Magic School (which would be very handy, considering he was running it at that point).

- Gnivik is a strange Demon. In many ways, he seems more like one of the villains from the old Batman show of the 1960's, rather than a Charmed villain. His lair is full of security cameras and laboratories, rather unusual for a Demon.

- there is a blooper, no doubt made when the book was published. Pages 130, 131, and 132 are out of sequence! To make sense of them, read 131 after 129, then read 130, and finally, read 132. Hopefully, this will be corrected in future printings of the book. However, it shouldn't take much away from enjoying the story. It didn't for me.

Summing up, this book was a wonderful read. I think Charmed fans will greatly enjoy it. I give it a 10/10.

[Tim]

BOOK: House Of Shards

AUTHOR: Micol Ostow

YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2006

NOTE: This review may contain plot spoilers.

There is an old saying, home is where the heart is. For generations, the Halliwell family has come to treasure their Manor in San Francisco. So, what happens when that Manor seemingly turns against them for no apparent reason?

As this story begins, strange events are occurring in Halliwell Manor. The plumbing has gone wonky (leading the washing machine to do an impression of Old Faithful), the upstairs bathroom has turned into a black hole, and Phoebe can hear the food in the fridge talking to her. However, the strangest events are taking place in Paige's room. In this room, visions of the past are being presented, visions of the Halliwell girls as children. Grams is seen playing with little Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and...Paige! How can this be, since Paige would not encounter her birth family until she was an adult? How can she be seeing visions of a life she never lived?

This is an interesting book as most of the story takes place within the walls of Halliwell Manor. The sisters have come to see the Manor as their home, their safe place. Therefore, they are quite upset when all this weird stuff starts happening. Also, unlike the events of the episodes Is There A Woogy In The House and The Importance Of Being Phoebe, there is no clear explanation for these occurrences. The Halliwells are fighting in the dark here, and we, along with them, are wondering just what the heck is going on.

Once again we get some wonderful "Halliwell moments" that the series had been lacking in its last few years of life. We get Piper learning to live with her new role as mother to Wyatt, we get a Phoebe who truly cares about helping her readers, and we get Paige coming to realize that she truly belongs in the Manor. I love these moments, they made the early years of Charmed so enjoyable. I'm glad that the books have retained these moments.

Leo gets a lot to do in this book, and that is a nice thing for his fans. He does quite a bit of the leg work in this story, helping the sisters get to the bottom of the mystery. As most of you know, Leo was all but dropped from the show in its final season, so the books really make up for that. Leo is a vital part of the family, and has been for years. Although he does have other charges around the world that he looks after, his family will always come first, and rightfully so.

Once again the No Personal Gain rule in this books is mentioned and the penalties for breaking it are implied. They really should have made the shows writers read the books, as they seemed to have forgotten that as the series progressed.

Some other points:

- once again, Cole is mentioned several times in a book.

- there are some nice references to several past adventures the Halliwells had. I nice nod to continuity (another thing the series sadly lacked in its last years).

- there is an amusing subplot of Wyatt conjuring up magical being based on his toys. This actually becomes a major part of the story towards the end of the book.

- once again, no Daryl. Come on, writers, let's have him back in the books. The series made the mistake of dropping him, but you don't have to.

- once again, Chris is AWOL. This is curious, since the books mentions Phoebe's empathic powers and her dating Jason. This would place this story sometime in early Season Six, so where is (Adult) Chris?

- the author made a small blooper. She mentioned that the sisters moved back into the Manor when their mother died. Of course, it should say when their grandmother died.

All in all, I found this book a delightful romp. I give it a 9/10.

[Tim]

BOOK: Light Of The World

AUTHOR: Scott Ciencin

YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2006

NOTE: This review may contain plot spoilers.

There is nothing like being included in a wedding party as the Maid Of Honour and Bridesmaids. For most people in those positions, the most they have to worry about is whether everyone will arrive at the wedding on time. For the Halliwell sisters, however, things get a little more complicated.

The Halliwells are invited to attend the wedding of Phoebe and Piper's childhood friend, Lyssa (I wonder why the author chose this name, short for Alyssa, perhaps, but I digress). Paige has never met Lyssa, and she is curious about this old friend her sisters have told her about. The wedding is scheduled to take place in the small village of Serenity Cove, located upstate from San Francisco (Phoebe is the Maid Of Honour, while Piper and Paige are Bridesmaids). It seems, at first, that the Halliwells can have a weekend off from being the Charmed Ones and enjoy the wedding. However, magic always has a way of finding them.

Upon arrival in Serenity Cove, the Halliwells notice odd things. Strange coloured birds, the villagers acting oddly. Phoebe even comments that they have stepped into the Twilight Zone. However, the most disturbing event is what has happened to Lyssa's fiancé, James. It seems he became interested in a legend surrounding the old lighthouse where the wedding will take place. According to that legend, a century earlier, the keeper of said lighthouse lost his own beloved in a storm. He swore vengeance on the world that denied him his true love, and it is said his spirit still haunts the lighthouse. Soon, the Charmed Ones discover that legend has become truth, James has become possessed by the angry spirit of the keeper. This spirit is planning to unleash a legion of dark gods upon the Earth. Can the Halliwells manage to stop the keeper and save James at the same time?

Once again we fans get a real treat. This is a wonderful book in that it has an exciting adventure and once again characterizes the Halliwell sisters just right. Also, the Halliwells once again manage to get away from San Francisco, proving that evil is not just confined to that one city (a few of the books have done this, taking the Charmed Ones on the road, once again the books succeed where the show failed).

This books has quite a few funny moments, in which the Halliwell sisters are forced to use magic in Serenity Cove, and then have to try to explain it away to the locals. Believe it or not, they manage to pull it off, without resorting to have Leo use memory dust. Once again the sisters use their brains to help them out of sticky situations and it works quite well.

Clearly, part of the story in the book was inspired by the writings of H. P. Lovecraft. One can see the influence of his Cthulhu stories in this book. The beings that the keeper deals with are huge creatures from the dark places beneath the seas, much like the beings in Mr. Lovecraft's stories. I think this was a great tribute to one of the most famous science fiction/horror writers of the early 20th Century.

Some other points:

- there is a somewhat amusing subplot of Leo discovering the Internet for the first time. Although the Net is old hat to most of us, to Leo, who grew up long before such technology existed, it would seem like magic (no pun intended).

- Cole is referred to several times in the book, as Phoebe compares Lyssa's upcoming wedding to her own. It's nice to see that the books haven't totally forgotten he ever existed.

- there are some nice character moments for Paige, when she meets Lyssa for the first time. She contemplates the family and friends she missed out on getting to know, before she met her sisters in Charmed Again.

- still no sign of Chris.

- Daryl is not in this book, but, once again, the majority of the action takes place away from San Francisco, so that would explain it for this book.

All in all, I found this book an enjoyable read. I give it a 10/10.

[Tim]

BOOK: As Puck Would Have It

AUTHOR: Paul Ruditis

YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2006

NOTE: This review may contain plot spoilers.

This book has a rather interesting premise. The story involves the Charmed Ones meeting Puck, the mythological hobgoblin who is probably best known from the Shakespeare play, A Midsummer Night's Dream. As the book begins, Puck appears to each of the Halliwell sisters in the form of three different guys, each guy for each sister. He does things that generally annoy them.

Later, when Piper, Phoebe, and Paige get together to discuss what had happened, they realize that they've all met the same guy. It is at this point that Puck appears and challenges the Charmed Ones to a test. A circus has just come to town, and Puck tells the sisters that there is an Innocent at said circus that needs protecting. However, when pressed for more details, Puck says silent, he will not say anything more. Deciding to find out just what Puck wants, the Halliwells go to the circus and soon find their Innocent. The funny thing is that said Innocent is not human, but is a circus elephant named Tasha. It seems that Tasha has become ill and is dying. As the Charmed Ones investigate further, they find that two other circus animals got sick and died from the same mysterious illness that is now killing poor Tasha. Just who or what is killing these animals? Why is this happening? Finally, just how does Puck fit into all of this?

Now, most of you may know that I have been pretty hard on the show when they borrowed plot lines from myths and fairy tales. I felt they went WAY over the top with that concept. So when I began this book, I admit I did have some reservations about the whole Puck thing. However, as I continued to read the book, I found myself enjoying it a great deal. Puck came across as an entity who is both likable and annoying at the same time (he reminded me of the Q entity from Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager). Although obnoxious and a general pain in the butt, Puck does give subtle clues throughout the story to point the Halliwells in the right direction. It seems that his heart is in the right place after all, he just likes to have fun along the way.

Once again the Halliwell sisters are well written in this book. They come across as the characters I knew and loved years ago. In one scene, the No Magic For Personal Gain rule is discussed and the sisters reaffirm that said rule cannot be broken, not without consequences (unlike on the show these days, where they do it anytime they jolly well please and get away with it). At least the authors of the books seem to care about what the show was originally all about.

Also, the girls care about the Innocent that has been placed under their protection. Tasha may be an elephant, but the girls know she has as much right to live as anyone. Once again I found myself enjoying this aspect that the girls, at least in the books, care about the Innocents they are sworn to protect. As I have said before, this is one aspect in which the show has been sadly lacking these past few seasons.

Some other points:

- once again we have Wyatt, but still no sign of Chris.

- neither Leo nor Daryl appear in this story. Hopefully this is just a one time thing. The show made the moronic decision to drop their characters, but the books don't have to (of course, I keep wondering why Prue has not shown up in the books, they don't need to worry about actor availability, after all).

- it seems the author of this book is a bit shaky on his Shakespeare facts. At one point, one of the Halliwells refers to Hamlet's ghost. Anyone who has read or seen Hamlet (the play or any of the movie versions), knows that the ghost is that of Hamlet's father, not Hamlet himself.

- there are hidden references to both the Harry Potter book series and Charlie's Angels in this book. They brought a smile to my face.

- for those of you who hate clowns, and I'm one of those people, let's just say that events in this book helps justify that hatred.

So in closing I will say that this is another great Charmed books. I give it a 9/10.

[Tim]

BOOK: Hurricane Hex

AUTHOR: Diana G. Gallagher

YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2006

NOTE: This review may contain plot spoilers.

You know, I can't help but wonder about the timing of this book. With the double whammy of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita still fresh in many minds, was this latest Charmed book sort of a tip of the hat to those events? Hmmmmm...

Anyway, in this book, the Halliwells are in Florida to attend a seminar for Phoebe's advice column. After said seminar is over, the sisters take a trip to visit Paige's friend from college, Sharon Grant, and her husband, Ben. The Halliwells relish the chance to take a vacation from being the Charmed Ones, and this trip seems to be it. However, as always, things do not turn out that way. It seems that Sharon has taken to dabbling with folk magic, along with an older woman named Margaret Olsen. Both women believe it is harmless, but the Charmed Ones know better. They try to warn Sharon about fooling around with things she does not understand, but Sharon won't listen. Soon, the spells Sharon and Margaret cast begin to run awry. To make matters worse, a hurricane is rapidly bearing down on their location, and Sharon and Margaret decide to use magic to stop it. Can the Charmed Ones make Sharon and Margaret realize the danger they are unknowingly putting them all in, before it's too late?

Well, this was an enjoyable book. The Charmed Ones are once again very well written as the characters that I knew and loved from the earlier seasons. I liked how they tried to talk Sharon out of using magic, without revealing themselves as witches. This is a fine line they probably have to walk far too many times.

This book was also another story in which the Charmed Ones actually managed to get out of San Francisco for a change. The show very rarely does this, I guess the budget is the reason. However, the books are under no such restrictions, and the author puts this to good use. The depiction of Florida is very well presented. The weather, the environs, and even the animals, such as alligators, are believable. Also, Ms Gallagher managed to depict the destruction a hurricane would cause without going over the top. After all, I think a lot of people in the U.S. have had quite enough of hurricanes for a while and don't need to be reminded of them. This book manages to balance that out, telling a good story involving a hurricane, but not so much as to upset some people still recovering from Katrina and Rita.

Although he has a very small part in this book, Leo is well written, he is the one that helps save the day at the end. Once again this shows what a big mistake the show made in writing him off.

Some other points:

- Cole is actually mentioned for the first time in ages. At one point, one of the characters, an elderly woman named Agnes Finney, talks about her deceased husband. Hearing this, Phoebe actually feels a bit sad about losing Cole. I must say that this is a marked improvement over the show, in which Phoebe seems to have forgotten that Cole ever existed.

- Margaret is very interested in Florida folklore. I found the stories she told to be very entertaining and somewhat chilling.

- once again we have Wyatt, but still no Chris.

- Daryl is not in this book, but since there are no scenes in San Francisco in this story, I wouldn't expect him to be.

- there was a funny subplot about Piper worrying about Wyatt becoming too "Mommy dependent". It seems she was right, poor Leo is having a heck of a time getting the kid to go to sleep!

To sum up, this was a very enjoyable book. I give it an 8/10.

[Tim]

BOOK: Mystic Knoll

AUTHOR: Diana G. Gallagher

YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2005

NOTE: This review may contain plot spoilers.

Getting away from it all, we all like to do that sometimes. However, when you're a Charmed One, taking a vacation from work is not always as easy as it seems.

When Paige suggests a family vacation, the Halliwells grudgingly accept the idea. Paige wants to go to Salem, Massachusetts, to explore her heritage, but Piper and Phoebe would rather go to the beach. Leo comes to the rescue when he suggests they can do both. So the family sets off for the East Coast. However, things do not go as smoothly as they had hoped. Due to seemingly random mistakes, the Charmed Ones end up in the small town of Cairn, New Hampshire. Once there, they find more than they bargained for.

In Cairn, the Halliwells stay at a Bed And Breakfast, run by a woman named Ida Thornwood. Ida lives there with her granddaughter, Harriet. Both lead a reclusive and solitary life, shunned by the rest of the town for reasons that become apparent later in the story. Although Ida is not too thrilled about having guests, she soon allows the Halliwells to stay.

As the story progresses, the Halliwells find out about the Mystic Knoll, a local ancient site, where it is said that magic was once performed. It is said that the Knoll still has powers which affects the local animal life. That is when the questions start. Why does this happen? How are Ida and Harriet connected with it? Why does Ida close her B&B for three days every month? Finally, what does an upcoming solar eclipse have to do with what is going on?

I enjoyed this book, it was funny to see that even when the Halliwells want to take a vacation from magic, it seems that magic always finds them. This story is no exception as the Charmed Ones are drawn into a mystery of this small town and forced to deal with events that began twenty years earlier. Although a little reluctant at first, the Charmed Ones soon throw themselves into the task, determined to save the day and protect the Innocents.

Another thing about this book is that it's the first one to include baby Wyatt. In the last Charmed Book (Pied Piper), Wyatt had still not been born. Now that has been rectified as Piper and Leo bring their newborn son along. There are plenty of cute scenes with Piper and Leo playing with Wyatt. Also, we see that Piper is worried about Wyatt and the powers he has. So she wants to protect him. Considering what we saw on the show, I can't blame her.

Paige also gets to shine as she finds herself attracted to a local handyman named Nathaniel. However, things rapidly go south when Paige finds that Nathaniel has a stubborn "There is no such thing as magic and anyone who believes in it are idiots!" opinion. One can almost hear Paige thinking: Boy, I could show HIM a thing or two!

Phoebe is also likable in this book. I'm glad the writers of the books have not made her into the shallow and selfish character that the show has.

Some other points:

- once again Cole is not mentioned at all. I guess he's been dropped from the books now. Which is ironic, considering his upcoming appearance on the 150th episode of the show.

- as I said above, this story has baby Wyatt, but Chris has not appeared yet. I wonder if the later books will have Chris in them at all.

- although Ida, Harriet, and Nathaniel are okay, the other local townspeople that appear in this book could have been a little more fleshed out, character wise. They just seemed to fade into the background to me.

- the ruins of Mystic Knoll may have been inspired by the ruins of Mystery Hill, a real life site in New Hampshire. This site baffled archaeologists for years, until one noticed how similar it was to Phoenician ruins (the Phoenician civilization thrived in the Mediterranean region about 3000 years ago, they were based in what is now Lebanon). Interesting that the Phoenicians may have reached our shores about 2000 years before Columbus. However, I digress!

All in all this was an enjoyable book. I give it a 9/10 rating.

[Tim]

BOOK: The Warren Witches

YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2005

AUTHOR: Various

NOTE: This review may contain plot spoilers.

Throughout the run of the series, Charmed, we have been given many references to some of the ancestors of the Charmed Ones. Now this new book gives us some short stories on some of those ancestors and they are very good stories. Most of the stories are written by authors who have penned Charmed books before, so they know what they're writing about. Through the plot devices of time travel and spirit visitations, we get to meet those ancestors and get a fascinating look at the Warren-Halliwell family line.

Here are brief plot summaries of all the stories:

1. Old Friend, written by Laura J. Burns. In this first story of the book, the Charmed Ones travel back in time to 1924, to solve the riddle of a mysterious young woman. The young woman in question being a family friend who seemingly hasn't aged in eighty years. This story features the three past lives of the Charmed Ones that we saw in the Season Two episode, Pardon My Past.

2. The Crucible, written by Micol Ostow. This story involves a young teenage girl, Marissa, who is befriended by Phoebe. However, Marissa is having problems at school, and it is more than just peer pressure. Penny Halliwell, AKA Grams, appears in this story.

3. Patty's Awakening, written by Greg Elliot. In this outing, a teenage Patty Halliwell (the mother of the Charmed Ones) meets a new boy and his kindly mother. However, both may not be what they seem. This is the only story of the book in which the Charmed Ones do not appear, as these events take place entirely in 1966. Thankfully, unlike the train wreck called Witchstock, both Patty and Penny are depicted as the correct ages they would be in the 1960's.

4. Something Old, Something New, written by Paul Ruditis. This story has the Charmed Ones travelling back in time to Boston of the early 1700's. Here they meet Prudence Warren, daughter of the first witch of their line, Melinda Warren. Prudence, now a young woman, is about to get married, and is having second thoughts about remaining a witch. The Halliwells must make sure that Prudence keeps her powers, and thus their legacy, intact.

5. Preconceived, written by Erica Pass. The Halliwells once again travel back in time, this time to the 1960's. In seems that a Warlock they had just vanquished had the power to resurrect an ancestor. This ancestor is now after the teenage Patty Halliwell. The Charmed Ones must save their future mother, and themselves, from being erased from time.

6. Witch Trap, written by Cameron Dokey. This outing finds the Halliwells accidentally transported back to the California Gold Rush days of the 1800's. Here they are forced to summon the spirit of Melinda Warren to help save an innocent young woman from being put to death.

7. Old Family Recipe, written by Diana G. Gallagher. In this story, Piper, using an old family recipe that she found hidden in the Book Of Shadows, bakes some apple pies for the family and a police bake sale. The pies are a success. However, what Piper doesn't realize is that the old recipe in question was written by P. Russell, Phoebe's evil past self (Pardon My Past). Piper soon discovers that the pies she baked have an unexpected side effect.

8. Family History, written by Laura J. Burns. In this final outing, the Charmed Ones are forced to team up with relatives from the past and future. It seems they are facing a Demon that can exist in many time periods at once. The family must use all their powers to try and vanquish this Demon before the time line is damaged beyond all hope of repair. This story features various relatives that have appeared , or have been mentioned of, on the show.

All in all, I found these stories to be very well written. It seems the authors really did their homework in researching the ancestors in question (I wish the same could be said for the writers on the show). This book is a must have for any true Charmed Fan.

However, there is one negative aspect I must point out. As I said, we get to see many ancestors and more recently deceased relatives of the Charmed Ones in this book, with one notable exception. WHERE THE HECK IS PRUE!? Although she is mentioned a lot, Prue does not appear in any of the stories, either as a spirit or through time travel. I find this totally illogical, as Prue was a vital part of the show for three seasons. It just doesn't make sense not to include Prue in this book, because of the nature of the book, being about important members of the Warren-Halliwell family line of witches. While the show cannot feature Prue, because Shannen Doherty doesn't want to guest star, the books are under no such restriction. I have been kind of easy on the books in the past for excluding Prue, but this time it is unacceptable. This is the only black mark in this otherwise excellent book.

To sum up, I give this book a 9/10 rating. Only the exclusion of Prue keeps the book from getting a perfect 10.

[Tim]

BOOK: Shadow Of The Sphinx

AUTHOR: Carla Jablonski

YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2003

NOTE: This review may contain plot spoilers.

As some of you may know, I am a history buff. I enjoy stories that are set in historical times (provided they are done right). Well, this novel has the Charmed Ones taking a romp in Ancient Egypt. Also, as a cat owner all my life, I have another reason to love this books, as cats play a big part in it.

As the story opens, Paige is still trying to find her new path as a witch (this novel is clearly set early in Season Four). When Phoebe and Piper, with their guys, Cole and Leo, head out to brunch, Paige, not wanting to be a fifth wheel, decides to stay home. To pass the time, Paige looks through the Book Of Shadows and finds a shape changing spell. Without really thinking it through, she decides to try it on herself and winds up transforming herself into a cat (because Paige thinks cats are cool)! Unfortunately, being a cat means that Paige can only meow and thus is unable to say the rest of the spell to change herself back.

Seeing no other alternative, Paige waits for the others to get home. However, when they find her, they think she’s a stray cat that somehow got into Halliwell Manor. Not knowing it’s their sister, they box Paige up and take her to a local animal shelter.

Later, Piper and Phoebe discover the spell in the BOS and realize what Paige has done. Horrified that it was really their sister they have given away, the group heads back to the animal shelter. However, when they get there, they find that Paige has already been adopted by someone.

Paige has been adopted by a young man named Tyler Carlson. Tyler and his friends belong to a group called the Disciples Of Thoth, who worship the Ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses. The reason Tyler adopted Paige was because she was to represent Bastet, the Egyptian Goddess of Cats. Normally, during their ceremonies, nothing happens. However, what Tyler and the group don’t realize is that their cat is a magical witch. When Tyler wishes he could be closer to Ancient Egypt, his wish is channeled through Paige and the two of them are transported back in time to Ancient Egypt. While Tyler is happy, Paige just wants to go home.

Thousands of miles away, and thousands of years in the past, can Paige find a way to regain her human form and make it back to the 21st Century.

All in all, this is a fun book. The Ancient Egypt parts are well done, and you can see the author did her homework. Paige and Tyler find themselves in a strange land, where they know very little of the customs, but they do, thanks to some magic cast by Paige, manage to communicate with the natives.

The 21st Century scenes are well done too. As I said, this is fairly early on in Paige’s tenure as a Charmed One and it’s interesting to see her make a boo-boo like the one she does here. No one is hurt, of course, but Paige finds herself in an interesting situation. Initially, she enjoys being a cat, chasing dust mites, stretching, purring, etc. It’s only when she realizes she can’t change herself back that Paige starts to panic.

Some other points:

-Piper acts like the Halliwell sisters have never owned a cat before. Did she forget about poor old Kit?

-the author doesn’t seem to be aware of Leo’s powers. She has him orbing through time, something he never did on the show (I can think of a couple of episodes where that ability could have come in handy).

-the book has a rather interesting villain. Let’s just say that said villain makes things a little more troublesome for the sisters.

-Cole is well done here. This is when he was still considered part of the family, after all.

-historical tidbit. In Ancient Egypt, harming a cat was a capital offense. Cats were seen as the Children of the Goddess Bastet, after all.

This is a very enjoyable book. I give it an 8/10.

[Tim]

BOOK: Luck Be A Lady

AUTHOR: Scott Ciencin

YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2004

NOTE: This review may contain plot spoilers.

We have another time travel romp.  This time, due to a magical mishap, the Charmed Ones, and Cole, end up trapped in Los Angeles of 1942.  Of course, you can imagine the hilarity that ensues as the sisters have to cope with living in the past.

Of course, whenever they go to the past, their powers disappear, so they can't use magical means to help themselves.  In the end, the three of them have to get jobs in order to make money.  Of course, this being World War II, there are plenty of jobs available for women willing to work, so the sister manage to find jobs that allow them to get by.

As for Cole, he's along too.  This story clearly takes place early in Season Five, as Cole has the powers he had then.  This is when his relationship with the sisters is now not too cozy.  While Phoebe clearly mistrusts him, she does not show the bile hostility towards him that she did on the show at this point.  I found that a welcome relief. 

As for Cole, he's back in the body he had at the time.  And wouldn't you know it, 1942 was the one year he was stripped of his powers (how convenient).  So he too is just another human here.

There is a blooper in this story.  At one point, Paige takes over on a movie, for an actress named Penny Day Matthews, whom Paige thinks is an ancestor of hers, because Penny Day resembles her.  Did the author forget that the Matthews family was Paige's adopted family, not her birth one here?  There is no way that Paige and Penny Day are related by blood.  Oops! 

Of course, in the end, everyone makes it back to 2003. 

I give this one a 7/10.

[Tim]

BOOK: Spirit Of The Wolf

AUTHOR: Diana G. Gallagher

YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2002

NOTE: This review may contain plot spoilers.

I have to admit, when I first heard that this book would deal with Native American legends, I had some trepidations.  Charmed has never dealt with ethnic legends well, usually going right for the stereotypes.  Their one attempt to do an episode about a Native America legend, the Wendigo, was nothing more than a cheap werewolf knock off.

However, this book thankfully avoids all that rubbish.  Of course, the author is Diana Gallagher, and once a realized that, I knew I was going to get a good book. 

This books feels just right for the era it's set in, early Season Four.  You have Paige still adjusting to the new life she was suddenly thrust into.  Paige is still somewhat overwhelmed at being a Charmed One.  Thankfully, her two sisters are there to help her along. 

The Native American characters are treated with respect.  No silly stereotypes here, thank the dead gods of Krypton (Diana Gallagher and Paul Ruditis should have written for the show, IMO).  And the Native American spirit, that is driving the plot, is no silly creature.  There is more to this spirit than meets the eyes and the Charmed Ones have to unravel just what this big mystery is.

An excellent 10/10 for me.  Diana Gallagher knocks another one out of the ball park.

[Tim]

BOOK: The Power Of Three

AUTHOR: Eliza Willard

YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 1999

NOTE: This review may contain plot spoilers.

This novel is an adaption of the pilot episode, Something Wicca This Way Comes and thus stay pretty faithful to the aired episode.  Of course, some scenes are expanded on, since the novel has more time to flesh things out.

We're introduced to the sisters we know and love, and see the start of their journey towards being the Charmed Ones.  Of course, like what we saw on TV, the sisters are first amazed at what has happened to them, but, by the, end, they realize that being Charmed is in fact their destiny.

The novel includes an event that didn't happen on the episode.  When Phoebe discovers the Book Of Shadows and says that words that first activates their powers, the ghost of Melinda Warren then shows up.  For some reason, Melinda chooses to appear to Phoebe as a charred, burnt body (since she was burned at the stake, of course accused witches in Salem were hanged, not burnt, but I digress).  Why Melinda chose this form to appear to Phoebe as really makes no sense. 

Anyway, Melinda then gives Phoebe the same rundown that Phoebe herself later gives Prue, basically what the powers are, how they work, and the fact that Warlocks would now be after the sister.  Before she leaves, Melinda then warns Phoebe that a Warlock is already after them, however, she cannot identify who said Warlock is (it's Piper's then boyfriend, Jeremy, of course).

I don't know if the above scene was original to the novel, or if it was meant to be in the aired episode, but got cut from the script.  Perhaps they felt that seeing Melinda looking like that might be disturbing for audiences.

Still, this is a good adaptation of the episode that started it all.  9/10.

[Tim]

BOOK: The Legacy of Merlin

AUTHOR: Eloise Flood

YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2001

NOTE: This review may contain plot spoilers.

More than two years before Sword And The City, Charmed had already dipped into Arthurian legend, with this novel. 

In this novel, Prue, still working for Buckland Auction House at this point, goes on a buying trip to Britain, and Piper and Phoebe tag along.  While there, they find themselves involved in an adventure involving Druids, and an ancient ritual. 

During this story, Phoebe meets a new guy, named Niall, who may be mixed up in all of this.   Is Phoebe unknowing dating a Warlock (Piper could relate)?  Or is Niall an Innocent, mixed up with something he just doesn't understand?  And how does all this connect to Merlin?

This novel did something that the show rarely did, it got the sisters out of San Francisco. I mean, evil can't just be active in just one city, right?   It was nice to see the sisters travelling abroad, but still managing to find adventure and mystery.  Several of the novels did this, having the sisters travelling to other parts of the U.S., and the world.  It made much more sense, IMO. 

And this novel has some of the great sister moments the early seasons are known for.

A 9/10 for this one.

[Tim]

BOOK: Beware What You Wish

AUTHOR: Diana G. Gallagher

YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2001

NOTE: This review may contain plot spoilers.

Be careful what you wish for, because you might just get it.  This happens to Phoebe in this novel.  She wishes that she could better predict disasters, and soon, she's getting more premonitions than she bargained for.  The sisters are then run ragged, trying to keep up with all of them.

While all this is happening, Prue is photographing a businessman named Stephen Tremaine, who is running for public office.  Tremaine is in possession of a statue from South America, a statue that may have a curse on it.

Could this curse be responsible for all the disasters that the sisters are now coping with?  Can the sisters unravel the mystery before it's too late?

Once again Diana Gallagher gives up an excellent book with lots of good sister moments.  Diana seems to have the sisters down pat, and she never fails to give us good characterization of the Charmed Ones.

9/10.

[Tim]

BOOK: Charmed Again

AUTHOR: Elizabeth Lenhard

YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2001

NOTE: This review may contain plot spoilers.

This is the novelization of Charmed's "second pilot" episode, Charmed Again.  As most of you know, this episode introduced us to Paige Matthews, the half-sister of Piper and Phoebe, who had to be brought in to recreated the Power Of Three after Prue's death.  This is the only other episode of Charmed, aside from the original pilot, Something Wicca This Way Comes, to get a novel adaptation.

The novel pretty much follows the actual episode.  Yes, some scenes are expanded upon, but going in, I pretty much knew what to expect.

There is really only one thing that bugged me about this novel, they didn't take the opportunity to fill us in on exactly what took place between the end of All Hell Breaks Loose and Charmed Again.  As most of you know, All Hell Breaks Loose was the Season Three cliff hanger finale, that left Prue and Piper lying near death, and Phoebe, Leo, and Cole in the Underworld.  However, when Charmed Again opened Season Four, everyone was safely back at the Manor, mourning Prue, who had died of her injuries.  Of course, this happened because Shannen Doherty was fired between seasons, and the hastily had to rewrite the opening of Season Four to accommodate this.   The events that happened after the end of AHBL were more or less hand waved away and that was that.

I had hoped that this novel would fill in that gap, but nope.  It just says that Cole had "a last minute change of heart" and saved Phoebe.  No further details are given.  So, the novel, like the episode, just hand waved the whole thing.  Epic fail, novel, epic fail.

For that, this only gets a 6/10.