Book Description
There's a girl in the hotel lobby. Long legs in a red dress. Scar at the edge of her mouth, body like a knife. I buy her a drink and wake up with staples in my side. "Don't worry," she says. "You only need one."
Disgraced junkie cop turned apocalyptic antihero Phineas Poe emerges from a psych ward on Christmas Eve and tumbles for beautiful predatory Jude, streetwise assassin turned organ thief. After one night together, she cuts him open, leaves him to fate. Reborn in a bath of ice, Phineas tracks Jude from the back alleys of Denver across the Texas desert for a violent showdown that leaves them on the run to Mexico and the debauched playgrounds of California's elite. Descend into a nightmare realm where every act of perversion finds willing disciples. Enter a world of brutal blood sport, murderous role play, existential snuff films. Lines between victim and accomplice blur past recognition only to be redrawn according to violent whim. The myth of Orpheus is deconstructed on a razorblade as Phineas and Jude chase each other through a hell of their own making.
PHINEAS POE is equal parts noir romance, revenge fantasy, suicide pact, urban myth exploded, and nihilistic tragedy.
Customer Reviews:
Decent, entertaining, but .......2007-08-16
As the back cover of the book states, these three novels read like a feverish dream. The writing doesn't include typical grammar structure like quotation marks but instead flows very smoothly as if from another world. There is rampant drug/alcohol usage which sometimes makes things seem a little depressing, but otherwise the stories are entertaining.
Overall, the book is an easy read. It's entertaining but not altogether fulfilling. Hell's Half Acre was probably the best, mainly because it made some sort of sense. The characters from the first two novels didn't really seem to be based in any kind of coherent reality.
Just my .02. I walked away after finishing the book saying "What was the point?"
Devastating Beauty.......2007-07-15
There are some authors who, when you read them, can crush your confidence in your own writing. They are so perfectly in control of their craft, their prose so utterly devastating in its perfect beauty, that you put down the book and say, "Well, crap. I'll never be THAT good." Will Christopher Baer is one such author.
That his prose is not only beautiful, but can also be dark, witty, and down right violent, only heightens the pleasure for me.
There are sentences in this collection that will make a fellow writer stop to catch their breath. It's the equivalent of going to MoMA and standing in front of a masterpiece.
I await Godspeed with the utmost of anticipation.
The Phineas Poe collection is a winner.......2007-05-10
I found all three books fun to read, intellectually fascinating, and a bit addictive. A must read for any noir fan, and an intrigue for any reader. Unusual storyline, characters, and plot twists. Will Baer has a unique writing style that adds to the flavor of the novels. Excellent service on the part of Amazon, aswell.
Strange happenings..........2007-02-20
So Phineas is an ex-cop turned junkie because someone took his liver. Weird plot, weird stories. The collection is of all 3 Phineas Poe novels by Will Christopher Baer. While I personally am not into the somewhat graphic sex scenes, they make things a little more interesting at times. If you're into crime, sex, drugs, and having your kidney cut out, along with going into a strange world of sex and overall oddities, check this out. It's a good read through and through.
Not Bad, Not Brilliant.......2007-02-06
I thought this book was going to be phenominal. And, to be fair, it started out with just the right amount of dark atmosphere and stylistic flair that I thought this book would surely be a must read. Unfortunately, after the excitement of Baer's words wear off, there isn't much actual plot to come by in this novel. Furthermore, whatever plot can be found is sometimes unexciting and hard to follow, allbeit interesting. I can say I'd recommend the first of this trilogy, Kiss Me Judas, to almost anybody, what with it's pinache and storyline. Both of these elements remain new and fresh throughout the whole book, and are the strongest they feel throughout all three of Baer's novels. However, once you get two books deep, his style and often insane plots feel more worn out than new and exciting.
Amazon.com
In his extremely dark but very effective first thriller, former cabdriver and homeless counselor Will Christopher Baer takes that old urban legend of the man who wakes up in a hotel bathtub full of ice to discover that somebody has removed one of his kidneys and whips it up into a modernized Edgar Allan Poe nightmare. Baer's hero is in fact called Phineas Poe--an ex-cop who spent six years digging up dirt in and on the Denver P.D.'s Internal Affairs Division. On his first night out after a nervous breakdown and a six-month stay in a psychiatric hospital, Poe is picked up by a prostitute named Jude who drugs his drink and deftly removes his kidney.
Poe heads for the Witch's Teat, a sex shop where his friend Crumb works. "Crumb isn't really a doctor. He does cheap abortions and gunshot wounds and even dental work for the mad and desperate," Baer writes in deceptively plain present-tense prose, which quickly mesmerizes like electronic music. "Crumb reads a lot. He has a closet full of old surgical textbooks and a lot of stolen equipment. And he doesn't try to fake you. If you come to him with a ruptured bowel or a crushed spine, he gives you a cup of tea and sends you to the hospital." Poe learns that his kidney has been replaced by a bag of heroin--which could kill him if it dissolves. Intent on retrieving his stolen organ, he traces Jude to a bowling alley called the Inferno. Strangely enough, with Jude he reluctantly discovers the chance of love and family that he thought was gone forever when his wife died. In lesser hands, this flash of light in a roomful of noir could easily have spoiled everything. But Baer makes it all seem as natural as whistling in the dark. --Dick Adler
Book Description
The judgement of Phineas Poe, ex-cop, is not at its best. Just released from a psychiatric hospital, he is lured into bed by a beautiful and menacing woman who calls herself Jude. He wakes up in a hotel-room bathtub packed with ice, holding a damp note that reads, "If you want to live, call 911." Jude has stolen one of his kidneys. "Don't worry," she whispers in his dreams, "you really only need one." This brilliantly minimalist novel follows Poe--a grungy, seductive, and deeply vulnerable antihero--as he pursues the mysterious Jude and is plunged into an edgy, drug-blurred underworld where he almost feels like he's come home. Falling helplessly in love with a cruel but tender killer, he fights to avoid becoming her accomplice as well as her victim. As Kiss Me, Judas propels its cast of comic and sinister characters toward a shocking climax. This rare new voice glitters with corrosive wit and razor-sharp images that invade the mind with the arrogance and sexual intimacy of film. Will Christopher Baer doesn't describe arousal and vertigo--he evokes them. He is Jim Thompson and Mary Gaitskill read through the back-lit smoke of noir.
Customer Reviews:
An urban legend brought into novel form.......2007-05-07
Remember the urban legend about waking up in a bathtub filled with ice and the note that tells you to call 911 right away? Well, Will Christopher Baer has written a novel length story about such an urban legend.
Phineas Poe, an ex-cop teetering on the edge of sanity, meets a prostitute in a bar. The next thing he knows, he's shy $200.00 and one kidney. The girl said her name was Jude, and Poe can't get Jude out of his mind. He wants to kill her, he wants to be with her, he wants to find her. And he wants to find his kidney.
When Phineas meets up with Jude, following a note she left for him, he finds her in possession of a green cooler with a lock on it. He boards a train with Jude, takes off in a plane with Jude, checks into a hotel with Jude, all while fending off strangers such as Blister, a man who presented himself as a cop but is relentlessly following Poe. A woman names Isabel who reminds Poe of his deceased wife Lucy. And a chameleon named Henry who keeps popping up in his life. Who is Blister and what's really in that cooler? Why has Henry and Isabel taken such an interest in him? And why is Jude so dedicated to keeping him alive with his deadly wound from the kidney surgery?
You'll have to read this story to believe it. It's written in a surrealistic style, using no punctuation for dialogue. It's written like a rambling fugue from Poe's point of view. What worked for Selby doesn't always work here. At times the prose became so vague that even I couldn't follow it. Poe's thoughts travel from past to present to dreamworld in random segments, and you're often left wondering where the story is going. Still, in spite of the surrealistic, dreamlike style, the book still flows in a nice smooth line. My other major complaint would be an unfulfilling ending, but I hear that Poe continues in another book. There were a lot of questions left unanswered at the end of the book.
Overall, I give this book a solid 4 stars, especially if you're into the strange and bizarre styles - and a viable tale spun from an urban legend. Enjoy!
re: typos.......2007-03-30
For everyone wondering about the typos. This is a reprint from the original Viking release and as a consequence MacAdam/Cage had to retype the books in full. After that, someone was paid to read the book and thoroughly check/fix typos.
This man didn't do his job and the book suffered. Don't blame the Author or dock the book because of this mistake. That's all about that.
It is a very good trilogy!
Keep an eye out for GODSPEED, and the Phineas Poe comic - out soon!
Worth reading; dark, broody ,,,poignant.......2007-03-26
I think anyone else's review will be fine here. I just wanted to point out that I own the set of three matching covers (black, green, white) and enjoyed the book just fine, but was appalled to see "Kiss me, Judas" had in the upwards of 45 typos. The most shocking part was that this is republished and not even the original edition, which would've been acceptable. But you'd thnk they'd have worked out 45 typos (I quit counting) by the time a trilogy is reprinted as a set. Either way give it a read; it doesn't hinder the story.
Ponderous, pedantic, and pretentious.......2006-07-29
It's not so much that this novel is both immoral and grotesque (which it is), but that the love that is supposed to bind it together is so preposterous as to make the novel unreadable. I found myself giving up around page 100, frustrated by the all-too-precious prose and the absurd idea of a man who's had his kidney removed by a woman only to fall in love with her. I don't know about you, but there's only so far I can stretch a metaphor. Take away my kidney, and that's where I draw the line.
Very good..........2006-02-15
Aside from the lest than climactic ending, I found this to be an enjoyable read.
Average customer rating:
|
KISS ME, JUDAS
Manufacturer: Viking Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GQVOD0 |
Book Description
Cindy Harper has an ice-cream flavor for every emotion. Vanilla caramel fudge eases the stress of dealing with her weird and wacky guests at the Woo Woo Inn. But no sweet treat from her freezer is smooth, creamy, or tempting enough to cool down her dark fantasies about Thrain Davis.
Thrain is a man to be enjoyed on a strictly primitive level. Every woman who's ever seen him smile wonders about the pleasure his mouth could give her and recognizes the secrets in his hard blue gaze. Too late Cindy realizes the danger of inviting an ancient vampire into her inn. The concept of fanged creatures of the night scares her witless. Besides, he forces her to examine her past when she's just fine with her present. He does have an upside, though. Who needs ice cream when you have a hot and yummy immortal in your bed?
Customer Reviews:
Nina Bangs Fan!!!.......2007-09-01
I loved this book!!! If you love paranormal romance stories, anything by Nina Bangs, you can't go wrong.
Night Bites.......2007-05-10
I love everything Nina Bangs has done. When I read this one I did it in one day. Most of her books I can't put down. Romance, vampires, sex, danger, they were all there. Great story line.
Thrain Must Convince His Lover that It's OK to Be Part Vampire.......2005-11-21
NIGHT BITES by Nina Bangs was a fun, quirky paranormal romance. The sequel to MASTER OF ECSTASY, NIGHT BITES is about a vampire named Thrain who has tracked down the missing daughter of his best friend and now faces the daunting task of convincing her to go home. This is daunting because 1) Thrain wants Cindy more than anything and 2) Cindy will freak out when she finds out her father's a vampire.
I enjoyed this book immensely. For one, Cindy owns an inn that caters to people who want to believe in the supernatural - without ever realizing that real werewolves, vampires, wizards, and witches stay at her inn as guests. The chaos that these guests cause is pretty cute. For another, two of the guests are cosmic troublemakers. One's a fat kitty with super powers; another is a sexy lady on a mission to cause sexual mayhem. Of course, she fully intends to make sure Cindy and Thrain hook up.
With its nutty characters and "spirited" setting, NIGHT BITES makes for an entertaining read. I think Thrain and Cindy are a hot couple with good chemistry and repartee. I also like Thrain's ability to implant memories in people - his space alien cow memory was hysterical.
If you like whimsical supernatural romances, NIGHT BITES is the book for you! Make sure you read it's prequel, MASTER OF ECSTASY, first so that you know who Cindy's father is and why Thrain is so devoted to him. Both are cute books. Highly recommended.
***Also look for WICKED NIGHTS, NIGHT GAMES, and THE PLEASURE MASTER by Nina Bangs.***
Not as good as others out there.......2005-07-19
I have read a couple of Bangs' other works but they did not disappoint me as much as this one. I will admit that I like fluffy romance and I love paranormal romance especially. I am usually able to suspend my disbelief enough for those that don't reach the level of Laurell Hamilton, Anne Rice, and Donna Boyd. Unfortunately, this book doesn't even come close. It is too whimsical, too unbelievable, and I agree with many other reviewers that there is no depth to the characters. I didn't even find Sparkle and Ganymede entertaining in this one. They were just annoying. Perhaps it is solely this work because I read another one of hers and wasn't compelled to write a bad review. So if you are going to try Bangs for the first time, then pick up something else of hers.
A little light, but not too bad........2005-05-04
I've been very eager to read Nina Bangs after reading some reviews of her books. Though I really didn't find this book as hot and steamy as it's made out to be (After reading all of Robin Schone's books, it's hard to call much else hot and steamy :D) That being said, this really was a pretty good read. I thought things would drag a bit here and there when the characters would hint about their painful pasts/scarring events. I grew to like Cindy after the first chapter, and how could you not smile about Thrain the whole time? This would be a good book for a nice soak in the tub or an afternoon at the beach.
Book Description
Whether he’s setting the scene at his acclaimed restaurant Table 8 in Los Angeles, entertaining the audience on Food Network’s Iron Chef America, or designing the menus for Hollywood hot-spots RokBar and L’Scorpion, chef Govind Armstrong knows how to create spectacular menus for occasions of all sizes. As Govind says, small plates encourage people to be more adventurous, to share food, and to enjoy the mélange of flavors and textures. In his first cookbook, Small Bites, Big Nights, he shows you how to put together a menu of small, sophisticated, sexy dishes and pair them with the perfect cocktail. The result? Guests get to enjoy a feast of flavors, and as the host, you’ll be able to relax and have fun, instead of spending the whole night in the kitchen.
Wow a crowd with hors d’oeuvres like Arugula, Dates, and Parmesan (a salad that’s finger food; Rare Tuna Crostini with White Bean Puree and Tapenade; or Seared Kobe Beef on Mini Yorkshire Pudding. To drink: Black Martinis. Barbecue sizzling treats like Grilled Endive with Serrano Ham; New Zealand Scampi with Heirloom Tomatoes and Summer Truffle Vinaigrette; or Grilled Chicken Thighs with Wood-Roasted Gazpacho and Avocado Salsa.
Make dinner for 8 unforgettable with Tender Bean Salad and Prosciutto; a deceptively simple Foie Gras–Stuffed Quail; and luscious Panna Cotta with Raspberry Coulis.
Warm up a cool night with bite-size comfort foods: Mini Onion Soup; Braised Chicken Oysters Piccata; and Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Mousse.
Customer Reviews:
Mostly for the semi pro.......2007-05-14
Govind's approach to couisine is remarkable and (unconsciously) deceptive. The book's layout is completed with great quality and brilliant colors. However, not enough effort was spent for the neo-beginner, like me, to understand more about individual plates with directions including pictures of stages and completed servings. I'm not an accomplished cook by any stretch of the mind, but I do know my way around my kitchen. It's easier for me to paint by the numbers and see a finished product, then to imagine how completion may appear.
Delicious and Different.......2007-05-14
Our gourmet group used this cookbook for last nights feast (and it was a feast!) We were four couples, each making two recipes. The flavors were outstanding. There was not a bad recipe in the bunch. However, for one person to make the meal that we did, would take a week of preparation. Though not dificult individually, the recipes were very time consuming. Non of us attempted the challanging recipes. The medium ones were quite difficult enough. You will not be disappointed in the results of these delicous recipes. But I highly recommend this book with the reservation that you share the responsibilities with a group of people who enjoy cooking and are adventurous.
Finally a cookbook with something different.......2007-04-24
I think this cookbook warrants 5 stars. I think Govind Armstrong has a new take on cooking. He is a real chef as opposed to Martha Stewart (whose recipes are often terrible) and Rachel Ray - (everything tastes the same). The recipes are so flavorful--some of them take many steps, but they're not difficult. Any dish that tastes this good is worth doing. I highly recommend this cookbook to anyone who likes to cook.
Mixed Emotions About This One.......2007-04-19
I have large cookbook collection and have reviewed many of them here on amazon. On most of the reviews, the number of stars comes pretty quickly to me, but this one came with some deliberation. I was in between whether three to five stars.
Five stars on the drinks especially! They are just outstanding and fun! Table 8 Creamsickle is so smooth with its tangerine or clementine vodka based delight! Five stars also on the exceptionally fine photos and paper stock and layout. Typical fine offering of Clarkson Potter.
Three stars however is my conclusion on food offerings, as they mostly don't inspire me to cook them. Lots of challenging ones involving many steps and ingredients, neither of which I'm not into, but need lots of inspiration to attempt. Most of these don't meet that level, e.g. Grilled Cheese with Short Ribs.
Some might be into this food more than me, so let each have his cookbook and eat it too. This is nice, but doubt if it will get much usage at my table.
Book Description
In light of constantly changing attitudes and expectations, relationships are more complicated than ever. The simple days of "Should I or shouldn't I?" or "When should I?" have come and gone. Now it is "What things should I do?" "What will he think if I ask for this?" and "Do I even like him outside the bedroom?" With so many women feeling confused and uncertain in matters of sex, dating, and maintaining relationships, this book's no-nonsense approach and timely advice will prove invaluable.
In bite-sized sections, the author explains how to develop sexual techniques, practice safer sex, and be a more creative lover. She then ventures beyond the bedroom and offers practical suggestions on meeting men, enjoying dates, and strengthening a committed relationship. The author shows how to alleviate the fear of maintaining independence while building a healthy relationship and how to feel fulfilled whether single or partnered.
Customer Reviews:
A Fantastic Book!.......2004-10-23
I absolutely love this book by Pam Spurr. It's the first relationship and sex advise book I've come across with such clear and easy to use advice. The tips for improving your lovemaking and sex techniques are actually do-able unlike some sex advise books. When it comes to helping you understand your man, Pam gives great insights into the way men think about relationships. You can get into his secret world. Definitely get this book for a quick reference to a new way of improving your relationship and sex life.
Average customer rating:
- brilliant romance writer on the rise
|
OUT OF THE NIGHT
ROBIN T. POPP
Manufacturer: Warner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0739458361 |
Product Description
first came the hunger,then the desire...a truly unique,fast-paced,thrilling&erotic adventure.a mild mannered librarian goes to the amazon in search of her scientist father.when her guide is attacked&bitten,lainie fights to keep him alive,which becomes strangely easy.....
Customer Reviews:
brilliant romance writer on the rise.......2006-05-11
About time!!! Robin T. Popp caught my attention with her first book, TOO CLOSE TO THE SUN (Lovespell 2003). Then nothing! ARGH! The book was highly imaginative, original, with strong characters. Popp had all the ingredients for a super book and she delivered. I kept waiting for more tales from this talented lass. Surely, a writer of this caliber would soon have more. It's been a dry two years, but finally Popp has a new book out from Warner Forever line. OUT OF THE NIGHT once again proves Popp is a writer to watch.
Lanie Webes is a fireman?(firefighter person??? lol) and EMT. This was no delicate miss, but a woman who faced life and death situation as part of her daily routine. When her father, a scientist, dies at his research center deep in the Amazon jungle, she has to travel there to really settle in her mind that he is truly dead. The trek there is not a simple choice. She must hire a private charter plane. And while she dashes into burning building to save people, getting into that dilapidated plane summoned all her fortitude.
Her Uncle Charles arranges for Mac Knight, the pilot of that thing he called a plane, to fly her deep into the Amazon jungle, then drive her to the top secret research centre where her father died under mysterious circumstances. The pilot is a former Navy Seal, and has worked for `Uncle' on missions before. Lanie is floored when she meets the pilot - the man is drop dead gorgeous. By the same token, Mac is little prepared for the quick action lady. When he is attacked and bitten - by a `creature' (won't say more than that to keep from spoiling the fast ride), Lanie's actions are automatic, drawing on her EMT skills to keep him alive. As Lanie fights for his life, her attraction grows for Mac.
The story is mesmerizing, rapid action that keeps you turning page after page. As with her first book, the characters are vivid, the action strong. Just one great vamp read. Highly recommended.
Welcome back, Popp! Don't take so long for your next book, lass!
Book Description
Gilbert's day camp is going on an overnight trip, and Gilbert expects nothing but fun. But when loudmouthed Lewis tells him about the Camp Hi-Dee-Ho ghost, he can't help but feel a little nervous. And when he has to go outside in the middle of the night, it looks like he may have to confront his fears face-to-face!
Perfect for anyone who has every been afraid of the dark or who has dreaded that first night away from home, Diane deGroat's sixth book about Gilbert proves that we can be brave, even in the most unexpected places!
Customer Reviews:
Cute camp book.......2004-03-03
Gilbert is a fuzzy critter- -perhaps a possum. One summer, his parents send him off to an overnight at camp. Gilbert is very excited about playing with the big kids at camp, but the big kids tell a ghost story around the campfire, which makes Gilbert very scared. Younger kids may find the book a little scary, but 4 to 6 year olds may find it quite engaging. The book has about 850 words.
It's okay to be afraid of the dark.......2002-04-13
Written and illustrated by Diane deGroat, Good Night, Sleep Tight, Don't Let The Bedbugs Bite! is a lovely story about young raccoon, skunk, and porcupine children going to sleep-away camp for the first time. With the important moral message that it's okay to be afraid of the dark, yet the power to be brave lies within us all, Good Night, Sleep Tight, Don't Let The Bedbugs Bite! is an excellent and recommended picturebook to prepare young children for the rigors of spending days and nights away from home.
Average customer rating:
|
Bazaar Nights and Camel Bites (Life & Loves of Lily)
Sophie Parkin
Manufacturer: Piccadilly Press Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books | Action & Adventure | Children's Literature Guides | Classics by Age | Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths | General | Humorous | Literary Criticism & Collections | Poetry | Popular Culture | Read-Aloud | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Short Story Collections
ASIN: 1853409391 |
Average customer rating:
|
The Bite of the Night: An Education (Playscript, 115)
Howard Barker
Manufacturer: Calder Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
British | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | 18th Century | 19th Century | 20th Century | Classics | Contemporary | General | Historical | Humor | Letters & Correspondence | Middle | Old | Poetry | Renaissance | Shakespeare | Short Stories
General | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | British & Irish | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Modern | British & Irish | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0714541249 |
Books:
- PopCo
- Quitters, Inc.
- Rendezvous in Black (20th Century Rediscoveries)
- Repeat After Me
- Riddley Walker
- River, Cross My Heart (Oprah's Book Club)
- Robert Ludlum's The Altman Code: A Covert-One Novel
- Sherbrooke Twins, The (Bride)
- Slow Kill (Kevin Kerney Novels)
- Snow in August
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- In the Devil's Snare: The Salem Witchcraft Crisis of 1692
- Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery
- Temples, churches and mosques: A guide to the appreciation of religious architecture
- Tracking Environmental Change Using Lake Sediments - Volume 1: Basin Analysis, Coring, and Chronolog
- Where Is Baby's Belly Button
- Anatomy and Physiology Study Guide: Key Review Questions and Answers with Explanations
- Albert Einstein: Young Thinker
- Collecting Authentic Indian Arts and Crafts: Traditional Work of the Southwest
- Unica Mama - Todos Los Nombres Para Tu Bebe
- Vascular flora of the Little Thicket Nature Sanctuary, San Jacinto County, Texas: A sanctuary of the
