What do you think?
Rate this book
The Blending #2
Competitions
In order to prove themselves to the ancient Prophecies, Lorand, Rion, Tamrissa, Jovvi, and Vallant compete in a series of deadly contests designed to reveal the full scope of their magical powers. Original.
432 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 1997
16 people are currently reading
217 people want to read
About the author
Sharon Green
148 books109 followersBorn and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Attended New York University and graduated with a B.A. in 1963. Married in 1963, had three sons, divorced in 1976. Raised the sons, Andy, Brian and Curtis, alone in New Jersey. Worked for AT&T as a shareowner correspondent, then as an all-around assistant in a construction company, then sold bar steel for an import firm. Left that job as assistant sales manager. I've been writing full time since 1984.
Hobbies: knitting, crocheting, Tae Kwon Do, fencing, archery, shooting, jigsaw puzzles, logic problems, math problems, not cooking.
Don't do my own research, since if I did I'd stay with that and never get any writing done. I usually can finish a novel of about 120,000 words in about three months.
Hobbies: knitting, crocheting, Tae Kwon Do, fencing, archery, shooting, jigsaw puzzles, logic problems, math problems, not cooking.
Don't do my own research, since if I did I'd stay with that and never get any writing done. I usually can finish a novel of about 120,000 words in about three months.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
February 8, 2017
I give up. I'm done with this series.
The potential was vast...but the execution was shit. The five -- yes, FIVE -- repeating POVs was an excruciating linguistic device that nearly sapped my will to continue. But I thought (hoped...prayed...) that such sluggishness was only to get the ball rolling in the first installment. Surely, I thought, the author will actually move things along in the next book.
Nope.
The pace. It is fucking GLACIAL. And I can't take it anymore, because not only is the unending repetition annoying as hell, but FIVE MORE CHARACTERS, aka the Evul Blending o' DOOM, are introduced to slow the progression even more.
Even worse -- there's absolutely no personality in the writing itself, nothing that says "Hey, I wrote this schlock & lol'd about it, so you should too!" Just recently I read Bertie Small's Lara & was highly entertained despite the mediocre prose, redonk plot, & purple sex, but the Blending books have none of that charm. The text flops across the page with an inept pseudo-historical tone -- an UTTER FAIL, because it's no better than run-of-the-mill fanfic. Repeated words. Generic descriptions. Self-absorbed internal monologues. Verbally ironing the smallest concepts. Unexplained, vague, nebulous powers. Sue/Stu characters beyond compare. Hot 20-somethings having boring sex. Contrived family/friend traumas that intrude on the (already) bullshit personal issues. Glacial -- I repeat yet again, GLACIAL -- pace that stretches days into entire novels. NO, goddammit. If I wanted that shit I'd read FF.net.
Fuck it. This series is not worth the time.
Two stars, but only because I still like Rion. Everyone else -- all nine of the leftover Blending fatheads -- can pound sand & GTFO.
The potential was vast...but the execution was shit. The five -- yes, FIVE -- repeating POVs was an excruciating linguistic device that nearly sapped my will to continue. But I thought (hoped...prayed...) that such sluggishness was only to get the ball rolling in the first installment. Surely, I thought, the author will actually move things along in the next book.
Nope.
The pace. It is fucking GLACIAL. And I can't take it anymore, because not only is the unending repetition annoying as hell, but FIVE MORE CHARACTERS, aka the Evul Blending o' DOOM, are introduced to slow the progression even more.
Even worse -- there's absolutely no personality in the writing itself, nothing that says "Hey, I wrote this schlock & lol'd about it, so you should too!" Just recently I read Bertie Small's Lara & was highly entertained despite the mediocre prose, redonk plot, & purple sex, but the Blending books have none of that charm. The text flops across the page with an inept pseudo-historical tone -- an UTTER FAIL, because it's no better than run-of-the-mill fanfic. Repeated words. Generic descriptions. Self-absorbed internal monologues. Verbally ironing the smallest concepts. Unexplained, vague, nebulous powers. Sue/Stu characters beyond compare. Hot 20-somethings having boring sex. Contrived family/friend traumas that intrude on the (already) bullshit personal issues. Glacial -- I repeat yet again, GLACIAL -- pace that stretches days into entire novels. NO, goddammit. If I wanted that shit I'd read FF.net.
Fuck it. This series is not worth the time.
Two stars, but only because I still like Rion. Everyone else -- all nine of the leftover Blending fatheads -- can pound sand & GTFO.
January 9, 2013
In Convergence, the first book of The Blending series, protagonists representing the elements of Air, Water, Fire, Earth, and Spirit narrated every tiny plot event from each of their own perspectives. Between the natural sluggishness of this artificial device, and the oceans of tea the protagonists insist upon sipping as they discuss and rediscuss every turn of event, the advance and retreat of glaciers looks positively zippy in comparison. In this second volume, Competitions, Green rotates in another five character perspectives—the Evil Blending whom our protagonists must overcome.
So readers can tell these ten narrators apart, here's a scorecard. The five members of the Evil Blending are sexually promiscuous, mocking of their superiors and outright rude and condescending to their inferiors, murderous, paranoid, eager to cheat their way to the top, are quick to anger, and slow to forgive. They experience great delight in the misfortunes of others, spend great amounts of time bemoaning how the world is against them, and plot endlessly to overthrow those in power.
On the other hand, our five flawless heroes and heroines are sexually promiscuous, mocking of their superiors and outright rude and condescending to their inferiors, murderous, paranoid, eager to cheat their way to the top, are quick to anger, and slow to forgive. They experience great delight in the misfortunes of others, spend great amounts of time bemoaning how the world is against them, and plot endlessly to . . . hey, wait a minute. . . !
Whatever. Bad genre fiction doesn't get any more compulsively readable than The Blending. Like a name-brand potato chip, you can't have just one.
So readers can tell these ten narrators apart, here's a scorecard. The five members of the Evil Blending are sexually promiscuous, mocking of their superiors and outright rude and condescending to their inferiors, murderous, paranoid, eager to cheat their way to the top, are quick to anger, and slow to forgive. They experience great delight in the misfortunes of others, spend great amounts of time bemoaning how the world is against them, and plot endlessly to overthrow those in power.
On the other hand, our five flawless heroes and heroines are sexually promiscuous, mocking of their superiors and outright rude and condescending to their inferiors, murderous, paranoid, eager to cheat their way to the top, are quick to anger, and slow to forgive. They experience great delight in the misfortunes of others, spend great amounts of time bemoaning how the world is against them, and plot endlessly to . . . hey, wait a minute. . . !
Whatever. Bad genre fiction doesn't get any more compulsively readable than The Blending. Like a name-brand potato chip, you can't have just one.
January 11, 2019
Book 2 of the Blending series does not have enough luxurious, refreshing visits to (private) bath houses. There is plenty of tea-drinking, but Sharon Green is pretty withholding of information about the tea. We know that people are offering people tea, people are drinking it, or refusing it. The tea is drugged...But what KIND of tea?!?
Sort of frustrating. And yet, we did find out that some people put sugar in their tea. Some people (tamrissa) will, on occasion, inadvertently put TOO MUCH sugar in their tea. But of cream, or lemon wedges...we still know nothing.
The suspense is killing me, and I will definitely continue reading the series.
Sort of frustrating. And yet, we did find out that some people put sugar in their tea. Some people (tamrissa) will, on occasion, inadvertently put TOO MUCH sugar in their tea. But of cream, or lemon wedges...we still know nothing.
The suspense is killing me, and I will definitely continue reading the series.
June 12, 2009
Still really bad but crack-ish. Certain editing choices bug the hell out of me and certain characters/created conflict are really friggin' annoying but I'm still finding it enjoyable in its ridiculous way.
October 25, 2014
As with book one of the Blending series, once I started reading this I simply couldn't put it down. It was fun and entertaining, a great read!
Read
October 23, 2025The perfect Blending of the primary basics of the known universe-Earth, Air, Fire, Spirit and Water-will create unimaginable power. Power enough to hold off the dread Evil Ones for yet another quarter-century... Power enough to rule the world...COMPETITIONSThey are the five greatest talents on a beleaguered world of magical adepts-and its only hope for salvation. But first Lorand, Rion, Tamrissa, Jowi and Vallant must prove themselves to be the Chosen Five of the ancient Prophecies. Which means they must first compete in a series of deadly contests designed to reveal the full scope of their powers . . . and place them at the center of a corrupt nobility's lethal schemes.And there are those who wish them to fail. But defeat is unthinkable . . . because failure is doom.The perfect Blending of the primary basics of the known universe-Earth, Air, Fire, Spirit and Water-will create unimaginable power. Power enough to hold off the dread Evil Ones for yet another quarter-century... Power enough to rule the world...COMPETITIONSThey are the five greatest talents on a beleaguered world of magical adepts-and its only hope for salvation. But first Lorand, Rion, Tamrissa, Jowi and Vallant must prove themselves to be the Chosen Five of the ancient Prophecies. Which means they must first compete in a series of deadly contests designed to reveal the full scope of their powers . . . and place them at the center of a corrupt nobility's lethal schemes.And there are those who wish them to fail. But defeat is unthinkable . . . because failure is doom.
November 26, 2025
I liked this series when I read it as a teenager, but it wasn't awe-inspiring even then. That probably tells you something. At that point in my life, the sex (omg it makes ther magik stronger lololol!) held my interest enough to read the whole series. These days, I probably wouldn't waste my time and would look for something else with more substance.
July 15, 2018
The constant retelling to from all five plus POVs is getting a bit wearing. I am liking the characters more than I did initially, although I still think the romance is heavy handed.
October 27, 2024
Well, the thought plickens! Dastardly machinations afoot! Loving this series! On to Challenges!
November 21, 2013
In Sharon Green's Competitions, Lorand, Rion, Tamrissa, Jowi, and Vallant are striving to prove themselves to be the Chosen Five of the Prophecies, but it's not easy when their testers are doing everything possible, with no trick being too low or potentially lethal, to prevent them from it. The nobility have their own plans for who will be the Chosen Five, and that group will be made up of a manageable nobles, not powerful and independent-minded mostly commoners. The five have to survive and conquer the challenges while trying to figure out how good they can dare show themselves to be to continue to live. All the while, people from their pasts are messing with them as well.
As with the first book, the writing and dialogue can occasionally come off as somewhat immature, and almost all the nobles have a very adolescent mindset. It can still get a bit annoying having to follow the somewhat similar tests the five talents separately go through. Naran continues to be a cardboard cut-out that behaves in ways I can't imagine a woman of her career behaving. Vallant Ro is still a jackass with a massive yet easily wounded sense of entitlement and pride that I want to protect Tamrissa from because if anyone should be spared from that kind of crap from a man who's supposedly in love with her, it's her.
But I was still interested in the characters and how'd they get out of their problems. Another group of five are introduced, and for the most part I was interested in what they were up to as well, though one of them turns out to be far more evil than his whole previous close third person narration previously suggested. Whatever, I whipped through Competitions and went straight on to the next book.
As with the first book, the writing and dialogue can occasionally come off as somewhat immature, and almost all the nobles have a very adolescent mindset. It can still get a bit annoying having to follow the somewhat similar tests the five talents separately go through. Naran continues to be a cardboard cut-out that behaves in ways I can't imagine a woman of her career behaving. Vallant Ro is still a jackass with a massive yet easily wounded sense of entitlement and pride that I want to protect Tamrissa from because if anyone should be spared from that kind of crap from a man who's supposedly in love with her, it's her.
But I was still interested in the characters and how'd they get out of their problems. Another group of five are introduced, and for the most part I was interested in what they were up to as well, though one of them turns out to be far more evil than his whole previous close third person narration previously suggested. Whatever, I whipped through Competitions and went straight on to the next book.
April 19, 2023
19/4/23: Things are ramping up as Lorand, Rion, Tamrissa, Jovvi & Vallant reach the competitions despite the organisational skulduggery, & the relationships between them are becoming more complicated. We also get to meet their noble counterparts, a more pathetic, unlikable bunch you're never likely to meet - no prizes for guessing who the antagonists are. Our heroes still have all the emotional depth of asparagus but they have finally realised that it might be a good idea to talk to people outside their immediate group - yay! Despite the obvious problems with the writing that I find surprising in such a well-established author, the story remains intriguing. I've not sampled any of Green's other titles but I must try one some day to compare.
I couldn't possibly say it any better than this review already has.
cover blurb:
The perfect Blending of the primary basics of the known universe-Earth, Air, Fire, Spirit and Water-will create unimaginable power. Power enough to hold off the dread Evil Ones for yet another quarter-century... Power enough to rule the world...
They are the five greatest talents on a beleaguered world of magical adepts-and its only hope for salvation. But first Lorand, Rion, Tamrissa, Jovvi and Vallant must prove themselves to be the Chosen Five of the ancient Prophecies. Which means they must first compete in a series of deadly contests designed to reveal the full scope of their powers . . . and place them at the center of a corrupt nobility's lethal schemes.
And there are those who wish them to fail. But defeat is unthinkable . . . because failure is doom.
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/7....
I couldn't possibly say it any better than this review already has.
cover blurb:
The perfect Blending of the primary basics of the known universe-Earth, Air, Fire, Spirit and Water-will create unimaginable power. Power enough to hold off the dread Evil Ones for yet another quarter-century... Power enough to rule the world...
They are the five greatest talents on a beleaguered world of magical adepts-and its only hope for salvation. But first Lorand, Rion, Tamrissa, Jovvi and Vallant must prove themselves to be the Chosen Five of the ancient Prophecies. Which means they must first compete in a series of deadly contests designed to reveal the full scope of their powers . . . and place them at the center of a corrupt nobility's lethal schemes.
And there are those who wish them to fail. But defeat is unthinkable . . . because failure is doom.
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/7....
August 3, 2019
Thank you, Amazon for the three month free trial of Kindle Unlimited. Apparently I am going to use to re-read a ton of not-great fantasy I loved 20 years ago. So after I got over being really annoyed Book 1 of this series isn’t available as an e-book, I dove in and quickly remembered what I loved and hated about this series. I say this with affection – this series is sort of awful and I love it. V. Briceland nailed almost all my complaints in his review of “Convergence”, book 1 of this series. The writing structure – wherein every single event has to be told, sequentially, from each of the five characters POVs – gets really old, really fast. Except…it doesn’t. There is just enough different about each character’s experience that I find myself still reading through each nearly identical scene. Green reminds me very strongly of Mercedes Lackey in that the writing style or plots may not be the most unique or well-written things ever, but the characters are compelling and watching their journey is fun. Lackey is stronger in writing really great conversations and dialogue, but I raise a cup of tea in respect to Green for just how much good there really is in these books. Book 2 ends almost in mid-sentence and it was all could do not to immediately download book 3.
Original Rating: 2 Stars
Original Rating: 2 Stars
March 30, 2025
Outstanding Series Book 2
The premise is there's a ruling group of five people who wield elemental energies which are Water, Fire, Air, Earth and Spirit. They are joined into a Blending and rule 25 years, after which there's a Competition of High Level people to replace the retiring Five. The New Groups are placed together in fives but segregated into Nobles and Commoners. Strangely the Noble Groups seem to win.
The book not only has a excellent plot but goes into each characters background, motivation, fears and interactions as this specific Group of mostly Commoners starts to pull together. It's rather psychological and keeps you going as there's a lot of plotting going on which they are slowly finding out about.
The premise is there's a ruling group of five people who wield elemental energies which are Water, Fire, Air, Earth and Spirit. They are joined into a Blending and rule 25 years, after which there's a Competition of High Level people to replace the retiring Five. The New Groups are placed together in fives but segregated into Nobles and Commoners. Strangely the Noble Groups seem to win.
The book not only has a excellent plot but goes into each characters background, motivation, fears and interactions as this specific Group of mostly Commoners starts to pull together. It's rather psychological and keeps you going as there's a lot of plotting going on which they are slowly finding out about.
December 31, 2009
Is definitely a bridging novel and somewhat lacklustre. The five main characters have to work on survival both magically and physically, the dice are loaded against them with the society they live in and things keep getting harder. Somewhat repetitive and you can see where the characters could have learned something by talking to each other but the biggest problem they all have is who to trust when they're all pitted against each other. If this was a standalone I probably wouldn't keep it but I'll wait until after reading the sequence before deciding about whether or not to keep them.
May 22, 2017
when i was fifteen, i thought this series was the shit. the writing wasn't great, but hey, the sexy parts were good, so it didn't matter that the plot was like swiss cheese sliced superthin, right? looking back, the fact that the sexy parts *are* the best parts of these books is pretty telling. the premises of the plot and characters aren't bad, and there are some parts that are actually interesting, but overall the series is repetitive and predictable, and probably not worth the time it'd take to get through all five.
December 11, 2007
This was book two and it dealt more with how these 5 people has to work with each other now and learn to trust each other to have each others back while trying to stay one step ahead of the game. Although they know that they're suppose to fight with all they have, they chose to fool everyone by using just enough to get by. So you learn not to underestimate the peasants just because you're nobility. This just shows that you can't judge a person until you know them and how they are.
February 16, 2013
This is book 2 in the series, and as they say, "the plot thickens". Much more intrigue is developing, which makes me want to read the rest of the series. The 5 main characters are becoming much closer, and working together. Now there is another 5, which will be a major form of conflict. The author leaves a lot of unknowns, that you hope will become clearer as the story progresses. Less repetition of events, than there was in the first book. Looking forward to the third one.
November 12, 2014
The second in Sharon Green's "Blending" series, this returns us to the world where everyone has a spark of magic in them, to various degrees. Here, Tamrissa (a fire wizardess) tells the story of her four companions (earth, water, air, and spirit), and she, as they fight through the first of the competitions to potentially become rulers of the kingdom...
Done well, and with interesting characters, this is an interesting world and a fun read.
Done well, and with interesting characters, this is an interesting world and a fun read.
October 2, 2010
Second in The Blending series continues the slow build up from the first. The first time I read these I flew through and couldn't read fast enough. My enthusiasm has dimmed a little on the re-read, but I still give this series high scores. I remember the action picking up in book three, which I am looking forward to.
July 22, 2024
Full review here:
http://jamesgenrebooks.blogspot.com/2...
Honestly, most of the big payouts are a book or two away, so most of this is setting the stage and filling in the background on what our as of yet Unnamed Empire has been doing for the past 300 years. Still fun. Looking forward to finishing this journey soon.
http://jamesgenrebooks.blogspot.com/2...
Honestly, most of the big payouts are a book or two away, so most of this is setting the stage and filling in the background on what our as of yet Unnamed Empire has been doing for the past 300 years. Still fun. Looking forward to finishing this journey soon.
January 8, 2011
Book 2 is just as fun to read. The Evil ones is a common term for "bad guys". Similar to my nightmares so it's a book I could really understand and get into. Not too complex, pretty straight forward good versus evil. Oddly, my nightmares have people I trusted turning evil. O_o
July 9, 2016
Nice book, not too complicated, sympathetic characters. Again a bit repetitive at times, and it would be nice if some of the characters would just talk to each other and work out their problems, but enjoyable despite of that.
July 7, 2021
Satisfyingly intricate plot
Well rounded characters and various story lines makes this series enjoyable. Worth reading all the books and the following series.
Well rounded characters and various story lines makes this series enjoyable. Worth reading all the books and the following series.
Read
May 7, 2009I had to purchase this one at the used book store.
August 17, 2009
See comment on Book 1
January 31, 2011
I enjoyed the book. Meeting the "other" characters was interesting. I have an extreme dislike for a couple of them, and one I don't mind so much.
December 21, 2015
The repetition can get a little old, but that's just a style thing with me. Still want to read the next one because I must know what happens.
August 24, 2021
Again, the repetition annoyed me. identical things happened to all characters, and we had to read whole chapters about it from each perspective. AAARGH!!!
December 23, 2021
Reread continues. This rough romp pushes all my popcorn entertainment buttons. Also really like the magic system!
April 2, 2015
Rec by Andy.
Started 3/8/2015
Finished 3/31/2015
Started 3/8/2015
Finished 3/31/2015
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews