Titania Hardie Reviews

Titania Hardie

PRAISE FOR
The Rose Labyrinth

Publishers Weekly
When Lucy King receives a heart transplant, she gets more than a new ticker -- she gets the memories, friends and quest of donor Will Stafford, descendant of Queen Elizabeth's spiritual adviser, John Dee. Soon, Lucy's on the trail of a secret protected by generations of Dee's heirs. Unfortunately, ruthless fundamentalists pursue, convinced that Dee's secret holds the key to the Rapture. A softer, semifeminist riff on The Da Vinci Code, Hardie's debut is richly woven, drawing on sources ranging from Elizabethan mysticism to computer games; the intricacy of the quest will pull readers in, but the story loses steam before coasting to a disappointing end. Hardie falls victim to some of the same pitfalls as Brown, letting interesting background material devolve into dry recitation and fact-combing. Further, her characters are almost all kindly, whip-smart do-gooders or swaggering bad guys, and Hardie is reticent to put her heroes in real danger (lest it interfere with their research). She blurs the lines between faith and reason cleverly, but her labyrinth of exposition will probably wear out readers before they find the exit.
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Hardie's debut is richly woven, drawing on sources ranging from Elizabethan mysticism to computer games; the intricacy of the quest will pull readers in....
-- Publishers Weekly

Hardie's details are well researched and encyclopedic and her puzzles, number gimmicks, and conjectures about Europe's cathedrals and labyrinths entrancing....Recommended for most popular fiction collections.
-- Library Journal

[A] gripping and adventurous tale....an interactive and bewitching read!
-- Woman magazine (UK)

PRAISE FOR
Good Fortune
And How to Attract It

The basic concept of THIS book is simple - update the 3,000 year old classic, the I Ching ("Book of Changes"). After all, that is the foundation of the original work -- change. Ms. Hardie has eliminated many of the assumptions inherent in ancient Chinese life. The author has included three uniquely designed coins to be used with the book. She has taken a classic method of providing insight into one's life and made it more appealing to the modern reader. This book is filled with color. Each page is vibrant and eye-catching. Overall, I was impressed by the quality of this book on multiple levels. In terms of the format, it is easy to use and understand the layout. In terms of its appearance, it is a convenient size, nicely bound and (with its distinctive plum-colored cover, easy to spot. In terms of its content, it captures the wisdom of its ancient predecessor while taking into account the necessary evolution caused by changing cultures (ancient Chinese thought is very different from modern Western thinking), our understanding of familial relationships, and other varying factors. If you have never used the "I Ching" system before this is an excellent introduction to it. If you have used the original system, this may help you expand your understanding. In either case, I strongly recommend this book. It offers new insights coupled with advice which has stood the tests of time."
-- Mike Gleason