Customer Reviews
Great Book 
2008-02-08
This was great! It was a good follow up to The Looking Glass Wars. I can't wait for the 3rd one!
Seeing Red?--No kidding! 
2008-01-26
This second volume in Beddor's "The Looking Glass Wars" series decides to pick up the story where the earlier volume left off. With a war-weary Alyss trying to consolidate and rebuild her kingdom and become accustomed to the responsibilities of rule while dealing with all the loss and pain of the past. Trouble is looming, all too clearly in the future and Alyss has many enemies and plotters to face that seek to dethrone her and claim Wonderland for their own. For those who haven't read The Looking Glass Wars, this book won't be easy to read without having the back story from the original.
Of course, there's no doubt with the title that the main villain of the first book will be back. Redd is now loose on Earth, gathering together a dark force of exiled Wonderlanders and villains who flock to her side. Like the first volume in the series, this one relies on some references to the classic work of Alice in Wonderland as well as other literature and mythology--but from there it departs into its own territory. Redd is out to retake her place as reining sovereign of Wonderland and to crush all resistance and goodness that might oppose her. King Arch of Boarderland is a scheming, chauvinistic tyrant who wants to undermine Alyss and Wonderland for his own ends--and has a weapon that threatens the destruction of both countries if used. Against them is Alyss, and her band of faithful Wonderlanders who seek to restore peace and white imagination to the land. In its way it is an interesting plot and characters, but it just doesn't completely work.
To be honest, this series has an identity crisis. The idea of basing a story on the original writings of Lewis Carroll but changing the original perception is intriguing and not without some merit. But Beddor takes only the surface images and suggestions--ignoring Carroll's deeper satire and symbolism and suggesting that, in fact, Carroll is a foolish man who keeps getting the story wrong. Granted, this is the author's prerogative to do--but it may put off admirers of Lewis Carroll who find the depiction unpalatable. Likewise, the original Alice stories tend to work without a sense of good vs. evil--everything is kept much more ambiguous. Beddor's work follows a much more strict aligning of good and evil and places the players in their assigned roles without much wiggle room. A bigger problem is the tone and setting: the prospect of Alyss being a princess, then Queen of Wonderland and the champion of White Imagination in a place where talking caterpillars live and tarty tarts are served sounds like something out of a kiddie story. There's a strange sense of naiveté about the fantasy background that is a bit like someone setting up a Disney animated movie--and then throwing live action battle scenes into it. The violence is overkill--quite literally. Beddor's story keeps trying to play two contrary tunes that don't mesh well and made reading it an uneasy experience.
There are deadly characters who sound more at home in an X-men movie. There are weapons of massive violence and death, pain, betrayal. There are dark plots that would be more at home in an epic fantasy for adults. Redd kills her own parents when they deny her the throne. Dodge Anders is trying to deal with his desire for revenge and love for Alyss. Hatter grieves for his lost love. Some of the depictions of these characters are quite good: the Jack of Diamonds being one of the more surprising, and Hatter coming into his own. But these are overshadowed by the two-dimensional depictions of the main villains and Alyss herself. Alyss is all good, white imagination. Redd is all bad, black imagination. The extremes of Redd and her band are caricatures--when so many of the other characters are trying to achieve a more rounded appearance. And then from the dark and violent--there are scenes like the one where Redd treats the caterpillars to Tarty Tarts for information and the whole tribe of them act like a group of lost boys from Peter Pan. It's too silly and trivial in a story that has become so dark. Likewise the constant presence of "cute" Wonderland references--dormouse snouts, chessmen, card soldiers, etc. -keep pulling the reader out of the story and disrupting the tension. Beddor's writing feels like it wants to leap out of the strict black/white, good/bad mentality, but doesn't quite know how to break down the child-like pardigm and put something more complex in its place.
The first book in this series was a bit on the questionable side for younger readers because of the violence inherent--this book really doesn't merit being termed a children's book at all. It is an adult fantasy novel that has some interesting ideas and plotting, but ultimately fails to be written to an identifiable audience or have a consistent tone. Unlike the previous story, that has a positive and defined conclusion, Seeing Redd doesn't wrap up all the outstanding storylines and readers will have to wait for the third book at least to see what happens between Redd and Alyss. Older readers of fantasy who have some knowledge of Lewis Carroll's work may find some enjoyment in these books, but they are not for readers who are uncomfortable with excessive violence. Those who like these books may want to look into Garth Nix's Keys to the Kingdom series and Shannon Hale's Goose Girl and Enna Burning.
Happy Reading! Shanshad ^_^
Good read for grown-ups too. 
2007-12-31
Part two of the reimagining of the Alice in Wonderland tale. My 12 year old daughter turned me on to the first book, The Looking Glass Wars, which was great. Book 2 did not disappoint. I can't wait until book 3. On a side note we got a chance to meet Frank Beddor at the '06 San Francisco Wonder-con. He was such a friendly and genuine person. I'm now a fan for life.
Dark, Delicious Second Installment in Promising Series 2007-11-27
Frank Beddor returns to the world of Wonderland he so brilliantly created in his first novel, THE LOOKING GLASS WARS, picking up the story where he left off: the rebuilding of Wonderland following the deliciously evil Redd's fall from power, and Alyss Heart's return to her kingdom.
In exile, Redd plots with neighboring King Arch (a terrifically hateful character who inscribes misogynistic slogans in huge letters on every mountainside so that his subjects can fully appreciate just where Arch thinks women belong in his society) to regain power, and recover the heart crystal - the source of all imagination.
Meanwhile, Alyss and her beloved palace guard, Dodge Anders, are busy rebuilding Wonderland to its former glory, and trying to come to grips with their deepening romantic feelings for each other. Dodge is convinced that Redd and her nefarious assassin, The Cat, are still out there, and he's determined to avenge his father's death once and for all.
Alyss' new bodyguard (the illustrious Hatter Madigan, a blade wielding Ninja-like warrior, member of the elite Millinery corps disappeared at the end of book one)is Homburg Molly, a Millinery trained warrior with formidable skills, and some serious insecurities. When the suit families (Diamonds, Spades, and Clubs) are enlisted by King Arch to undermine Alyss, and help bring Redd back to power, Homburg Molly falls prey to a clever ruse, and is captured. Things are looking black, indeed, for Alyss and the forces of White Imagination...until Hatter Madigan makes a startling and welcome return, and goes on a quest to rescue Molly.
With the formidable forces of evil marshalling against her, Alyss must decipher the prophecy of the Blue Caterpillar to save her kingdom before Redd finds her own heart maze, and seizes power once more.
The stakes in Frank Beddor's Looking Glass War novels couldn't be higher -the very existence of a world that is the source of all imagination - and he pulls no punches in this harrowing sequel, SEEING REDD. Redd is one of the most vicious villains in literature (she is respectfully referred to as "Her Imperial Viciousness"), and her ruthless cruelty and disdain for all things even remotely good makes for some heart-stopping encounters - particularly for the denizens of our world when she falls through the Pool of Tears and takes over London's Crystal Palace wearing a dress twined with live, carnivorous roses.
Don't let the references to "Alice in Wonderland" fool you - Beddor's Wonderland is more the world of Gregory Maguire's "Wicked", than Lewis Carroll's Victorian dreamscape. Dark, delicious, harrowing, and deeply felt, SEEING REDD is a stellar second installment in what promises to be a masterful series. Bravo, Frank Beddor, and keep 'em coming!
Good Follow-Up 2007-10-22
As a second novel, Seeing Redd does fairly well. This installment of the Looking Glass Wars trilogy find Alyss dealing with her new life as queen. The peace doesn't last for long. It appears that Redd has returned, but has she? We also learn many secrets about certain characters. Although, I guessed what they were myself. On the whole, I found it to be fairly decent. There were a few flashbacks, but nothing that was hitting you over the head. Actually, I was glad to have them as I had forgotten some of the details from the first novel. Characters are developed further and I am anticipating the third novel of the series.
Fantastic! 2008-07-16
Not as good as the first book but still a great read. If you liked book #1 then you have to continue reading the story.
Seeing Redd 2008-07-07
Great book. Excellent sequel to the Looking Glass Wars. Want to read it again. Great character development that makes you want to root for the other side. Couldn't put the book down once it was picked up. Not going to give too much away, but if you loved Looking Glass Wars, you must get Seeing Redd.
A wonderful book! 2008-04-22
This is an awesome book for anyone who loves Alice in Wonderland. It is an interesting twist on the old story and I cannot wait till the 3rd book is out.
Seeing Redd 2008-04-20
Fantastic book! Loved every page! Received the book very fast and had no issues with it! Everything was great!! Thanks!
Great Book 2008-03-02
The first book is a good twist on Alice in Wonderland. This follow up book continues the story just as good. There are just enough twists to keep you wanting more and the end leaves you hanging. Can't wait for the 3rd book!
