Customer Reviews:
A STUNNING ENDING TO A SPECTACULAR SERIES.......2007-09-07
Bryan Davis starts with a great series and does the almost impossible. Each book and episode just keeps getting better. The thrills and tensions just keep being ratcheted up. Every book does the near impossibility of always raising the bar. There is no weak moment or book in the entire series. This finale is a classic example of plotting, pacing, atmosphere, characterization and expanding our knowledge of dragons and myth. A genius is a work here. Don't miss a book, sequel or prequel. AND THERE IS MORE TO COME!!!
Too many cliches.......2007-08-09
I've enjoyed this series as a whole, but there were many elements of the final story that bothered me. Mostly, the overuse of the death/resurrection plot point. The savior-like death and resurrection of a character is a common point of fantasy books, and a Christian fantasy book has a little more reason to use that plot device, but this series has used it time and time again. And I felt like when a character actually died at the end, it was a token death. And also, though Bonnie is supposed to be an inspirational character, and in previous books, she's had her own struggles and trials, I felt like in this concluding book and in the third one, she was a Mary Sue, or a character who is too perfect.
The way that the author incorporates the mythical and the inspirational is, as in the other books, very satisfying. There was a lot I liked about the book. But I found myself reading faster and faster in order to just be done, not because I was so enthralled. Also, I got really really tired of all of the prophecies written in fairly mediocre verse.
Would I still recommend the book? Yes, but not to everyone. This book and series is mostly good for a lighter read, even with its weightier themes.
Excellent Series.......2007-07-08
Dragon's in our Midst and Bryan Davis' new series, Oracles of Fire, is simply amazing. All the books in both series have kept my attention both by their invigorating plots and characters. I would highly recommend this to anyone that is looking for a good read.
Christian values in a dragon story.......2007-03-19
My daughter reads this series, and she is 13/14. She enjoys it and has told me of the Christian elements present, and I approve of them. For children who enjoy sci-fi/dragon fantasy stories, this one has no message that 'magic is good', but rather subservience to a supreme God. I recommend this author and this series.
Tears of a Dragon(Dragons in Our Midst, Volume 4).......2007-01-12
Well written Christian fantasy that takes away the idea that dragons are evil. After having read the last 3 volumes by Bryan Davis I needed to find a source to order the last book in this series and decided to order through Amazon which friends have raved about. So my review is about them as well. I received the book fast and in excellent condition. With that out of the way, the book has many twists and turns that make it different from other fantasy novels on dragons not which is least that dragons become human to dragons to people again. Dragons in Our Midst tantalizes the reader in it's way of making you guess what will happen next to our heros as well as our minior heros, but stays on the level of the teen/young adult's level. I am not a young adult but enjoy a good fantasy and this was on the scale of Lord of the Rings and Narnia a fairly suspenseful but easy story that young folks would enjoy but adults can get a few days of enjoyment from reality as well. It was more toward the Narnia level of read. It is safe for the parents who don't want their children to read wordly fantasy with all it contains and I would recommend it for those who are homeschooling and want to keep their children's minds from experimenting too far from morality and purity.
Average customer rating:
- Worms in a Wineglass
- Living Death
- Dragon Tears
- Great Book
- My first Koontz Novel.
|
Dragon Tears
Dean Koontz
Manufacturer: Putnam Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 United States
| Horror
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Horror
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Koontz, Dean
| ( K )
| Authors, A-Z
| Horror
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Hideaway
-
The Bad Place
-
Cold Fire
-
Mr. Murder
-
Icebound
ASIN: 0399137734 |
Book Description
Harry Lyon was a rational man, a cop who refused to let his job harden his soul. Then one fateful day, he was forced to shoot a man--and a homeless stranger with bloodshot eyes uttered the haunting words that challenged Harry Lyon's sanity:
"Ticktock, ticktock. You'll be dead in sixteen hours...Dead by dawn...Dead by dawn...Dead by dawn..."
Customer Reviews:
Worms in a Wineglass.......2007-09-07
Picked up at a yard sale from neighbors who moved several years ago, I finally pulled this off the nightstand. I'm not completely sure why, but at times I didn't want to read any further because the murders seemed too brutal. The chapter with Ricky Estefan's murder was the best in the book for me. Worms in a wineglass, spiders and snakes and eyeballs that pop out of the head had to make that one of the scariest chapters. Like many, I enjoyed the happy dog thoughts from Woofer. I enjoyed his role in the unfolding of the ending and his joy at a delicious piece of ham at the final meal. Connie was an interesting character with much of her personal history appearing to be a dead end as far as the plot was concerned; however, maybe it's there to help us imagine her life after Dragon Tears. Jennifer Drackman was a sad figure with eyes sewn shut and not being able to get anyone to listen to her. Koontz may have been a bit obvious with the mother knowing the baby would be a bad guy before he'd even been born, but her tale was a good soap box against illegal drugs. The steady revelation to the reader of who and what Ticktock was set up the target and was probably necessary so that Harry Lyon knew what to do at the final confrontation. All in all, this was a suspenseful read. My question had to do with where's the real God if this false one is Becoming. Perhaps we could have had some battling angels on Lyons & Gulliver's side. For the price of a used book, this is a good way to stay awake! Enjoy!
Living Death.......2007-04-13
How do you kill what can not be killed? That is the question with which Harry and Connie must wrestle throughout the story that is Dragon Tears.
Yes there is a bit of the Koontz "formula" to this story, which is why I graded it 4 stars instead of 5...but this book is arguably one of my favorites. Unlike some of his other "formula" books (like the much-celebrated WATCHERS) I truly enjoyed the frights in this book. It was engaging and engrossing. If a reader doesn't get absolutely caught up in this chase.... well, I just don't know what to say.
Highly recommended!!!
Dragon Tears.......2007-03-10
TWO WORDS: "DEAN KOONTZ"
Need I say more..... He is an awesome writer, and this book is super!!!
Great Book.......2007-02-24
Always good, as usual. Very well written - look forward to the next one I get.
My first Koontz Novel........2007-02-09
I first read this book way back when I was thirteen. A little young for that sort of thing, one might say, but my mom borrowed it from a friend and thought it might be good for me to read. She turned out to be quite right, as I haven't yet encountered a Koontz novel that I actually disliked. Some were better than others, of course, but I haven't read a novel of his yet that I wouldn't reread. In fact I read Dragon Tears at least once a year.
The story begins on a Tuesday morning like any other. Police Detective Harry Lyon starts his day by having breakfast at his kitchen table, then cleaning up the kitchen. He then heads to work just in time to hit the streets with his partner, Connie Gulliver. While stopping for lunch at a burger joint before resuming the search for their current suspect, they are thrust into a life or death situationwhen a man enters the restaurant and peppers the place with bullets. after an intense chase that leads them into the building's attic and a few close shaves involving a dialogue composed entirely of Elvis Presley song titles, some manicans and a pair of hand grenades, the two cops manage to bring down the killer.
Things only take a more disturbing turn when Harry, standing outside the restaurant for a breath of fresh air, forces a young man back behind the crime scene tape and is subsequently visited by a derilect in a black raincoat who warns him that he'll be dead by dawn before dissolving into a cloud of refuse.
Harry's day only gets worse as he becomes the target of a series of bizarre, supernatural events in which he suddenly finds himself holding objects he can't remember picking up.
Things only get worse when, returning home from the office he is surprised by the vagrant who appeared to him on the street. Upon discovering that bullets are ineffective against this particular foe, Harry is forced to flee for his life as his condominium is set ablaze by his adversary, who seems to possess other powers besides the ability to form out of and dissolve into a cloud of litter. Later, with Connie at his side, Harry goes to see his friend Ricky Estephan, whom he visited after leaving the restaurant, only to find him brutally murdered, his eyes torn from their sockets and his house infested with an army of snakes and spiders.
Elsewhere in the day, others find themselves living under the same bizarre threat, from a former advertising executive fallen from grace thanks to a drug addiction, to a beaten down mother and son and their dog Woofer. As the night progresses, Harry and Connie find themselves fleeing for their lives from a seemingly invulnerable foe. Their search for the identity of their attacker ultimately leads them to an expensive private nursing home and a burned-out, forty-something-ish blind woman with a dark past and a connection to their persecutor that they never expected.
In his usual fashion, Dean Koontz delivers a tale of action and adventure and excitement, mixed in with just the right amount of humor. I've been hooked on his work ever since.
Book Description
Trapped in a world where females come `in season' and male dragons battle to claim their mates, Khalia Peterson realizes very quickly that this can be a very dangerous world for a human, or at least half-human, female who knows no season. General Damien Bloodragon, sent to protect the hereditary queen of Atar, discovers it can be a very dangerous situation for him, as well, particularly since he's no more immune to Khalia's charms than the bulls he's trying to fight off of her.
Download Description
Trapped in a world where females come 'in season' and male dragons battle to claim their mates, Khalia Peterson realizes very quickly that this can be a very dangerous world for a human, or at least half-human, female who knows no season. General Damien Bloodragon, sent to protect the hereditary queen of Atar, discovers it can be a very dangerous situation for him, as well, particularly since he's no more immune to Khalia's charms than the bulls he's trying to fight off of her. Rating: Contains violence and graphic sexual content.
Customer Reviews:
Tears of the Dragon is a real winner.......2007-07-27
I very much enjoyed this book, great sci-fi/shapeshifter romance plot. I had read Dragons of the Dawn first and this one was much better, with a great surprise ending.
tears of the dragon review.......2007-02-08
i enjoyed this book - i liked the characters and the story line, although i would have enjoyed a bit more info re: customs of world, history of war between rivals, why desert dragons not part of this world etc.
Fast paced and fun story for those that like Sci-Fi Shapeshifter stories.......2007-01-28
I read book two first and I liked this first book in the series slightly better. It had more relationship development outside of just physical attraction, but the characters still didn't have a lot of deep conversation between each other that really builds the character development and would potentially make it a 5.
However, if you like shapeshifter stories and like dragons, this is the best dragon story I have read so far. Not perfect, but an entertaining read with the hero cast as the strong, trustworthy protector to a spunky heroine that finds herself out of her element.
Retro dragons.......2006-01-03
While making her getaway from criminals who are trying to steal her necklace, Khalia Peterson makes a dive into the bay, but lands in a desert. Oh, yes--the other thing she notices besides the sand is that General Damien Bloodragon, who says he is her bodyguard, changes into a dragon before her eyes in order to protect her from attacks by other hostile beings. Then, she discovers that she has gone through a door between Earth and the world of her dead mother. Bloodragon tells her that she is the Queen-to-be of their country, Atar, but that she is the target for attacks from opposing political groups so they must be careful if they are to get safely to the capital for her coronation.
Khalia and Bloodragon traverse the breadth of the country, and valiantly attempt to fight the increasing attraction they have for each other. Once they get to the capital, they are even more immersed in the intrigues of the court. Will Khalia live to become Queen? Will she find her own true love? Read this novel and find out!
This is a full-length novel with a distinctly Retro feel--that is, it has the flavor of the John Carter of Mars and Carson of Venus series by Edgar Rice Burroughs of the 1920s. In fact, early in the story, we are told that the time on Earth from which Khalia escapes IS the 1920s! The story is told in a movie serial style, with frequent cliffhangers. This novel is quite sensual, although unlike 1920s potboilers, it has graphic love scenes, instead of a lot of innuendo. I found it to be a light and pleasant literary escape from real life. The story flows well, and the characters are fun, even though they are not deeply drawn. I found it a nice read and enjoyed it. -- Jean, Fallen Angel Reviews (courtesy of Fallen Angel Reviews)
Synopsis.......2005-12-15
Trapped in a world where females come `in season' and male dragons battle to claim their mates, Khalia Peterson realizes very quickly that this can be a very dangerous world for a human, or at least half-human, female who knows no season. General Damien Bloodragon, sent to protect the hereditary queen of Atar, discovers it can be a very dangerous situation for him, as well, particularly since he's no more immune to Khalia's charms than the bulls he's trying to fight off of her.
Rating: Contains violence and graphic sexual content.
Average customer rating:
- cozy doesn't have to mean superficial
- Little Women - Chicago Style
- fabulous Depression Era Chicago cozy
|
Tears of the Dragon
Holly Baxter
Manufacturer: Poisoned Pen Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Mystery
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Women Sleuths
| Mystery
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1590581466
Release Date: 2007-03-15 |
Book Description
Tears of the Dragon launches a new cozy series set in Chicago where the Browne family, mother and four daughters, hold things together in the face of the Depression. Their essential niceness makes a nice contrast to the gangsters and grit so often associated with this time and place.
Elodie Browne, the family bread-winner, thinks herself lucky to have a job, so she ignores sinister noises down the hall as her elevator opens on the wrong floor of her office building one night.
Then for a lark--and extra cash--she takes a job serving at a party given by Lee Chang, an importer of antiques and jade. The evening is disturbed by a dying man who stumbles in raving about "Ming Dao." What's that? Elodie's curiosity is up...a mistake.
Customer Reviews:
cozy doesn't have to mean superficial.......2005-08-22
After reading excellent reviews on this book, I was prepared to really enjoy it. Some details of l930s life in Chicago were great - the popular radio shows of the era, coffee brands, types of clothing, even recipes in vogue. The author had clearly done a lot of research. But I thought each character had only a glimmer of humanity; I found them superficial; some were no more than caricatures. The plot was less than believable. I was disappointed in this book and would not read another by this author.
Little Women - Chicago Style.......2005-06-17
What do you get when you set the cast of Little Women in Chicago during Prohibition in the 1930s? You get Tears of the Dragon by Holly Baxter (actually Paula Gosling).
Elodie Browne (think Jo March) is an advertising copywriter who helps to bring in money for the family consisting of her widowed mother and three sisters. Mumma (Marmee), Marie (Meg), Maybelle and Alice are the rest of the family.
Elodie's proposal for a radio show leads her to disaster. She stops at the office late one night to drop off the plot, and accidentally gets off on the wrong floor. When she hears that a man disappeared from that floor, the sounds she heard become suspicious. When she sees the same man shot at the home of a wealthy Chinese import dealer, she is intrigued enough to investigate, despite the warnings of a policeman. Can she trust the police in 1930s Chicago? Who can she trust?
Baxter has plopped the cast of Little Women into Depression-era Chicago with success. The family life is reminiscent of the classic, which causes the contrast with the rampant crime and scandal in the city to be all the greater. Elodie is an innocent character, whose curiousity and determination that crime shouldn't pay leads her into the unlikely world of mob rule and Chinese Tongs. Baxter pulls it off successfully.
fabulous Depression Era Chicago cozy .......2005-05-25
Their father died in 1927, but the four Browne sisters and their mom did not know how financially scrapped they would become until after the 1929 great crash. Now the three oldest siblings and their mother work to bring in income (the youngest is still in high school), but never know if they will get paid as even schoolteachers like mom sometimes forfeit their pay.
The prime money maker is Elodie who works as a script writer for radio. One night she stops off at the office to drop off an idea for her boss, but the elevator stops at the tenth floor instead of the fifteenth. Elodie hears noises that frighten her. She tells her friend Bernice Barker, who tells her she is being silly and gets her a gig as a waitress at a party hosted by Chinaman Lee Change, an antiques importer. When a dying man arrives at the gala, Elodie sees a link to what she heard at the office and the homicide, but also wonders if the killer thinks she saw something that would identify the culprit.
TEARS OF THE DRAGON is a fabulous Depression Era Chicago cozy that readers of historical fiction will fully gain pleasure from. The story line provides an interesting glimpse at the 1930s in the Windy City through a heroine and to a lesser degree her sisters and best friend struggling to make a living in a male dominated world in which men cannot find legal work. The mystery slowly comes into focus which enhances the strength of understanding the period and the female protagonist struggling with what to do if anything.
Harriet Klausner
Average customer rating:
|
Tears of the Dragon
H. Hamada
Manufacturer: Macmillan Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0819301876 |
Average customer rating:
|
15 Books: By the Light of the Moon, Dragon Tears, Dark Rivers of the Heart, Eyes of Darkness, Frankenstein Prodigal Son, Hideaway, From the Corner of His Eye, Funhouse, House of Thunder, Life Expectancy, Shadow Fires, Sole Survivor, Velocity (Unboxed Set of Dean Koontz Books)
Dean Koontz
Manufacturer: various
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000W8UT6U |
Product Description
15 Books: By the Light of the Moon, Dragon Tears, Dark Rivers of the Heart, Eyes of Darkness, Frankenstein Prodigal Son, Hideaway, From the Corner of His Eye, Funhouse, House of Thunder, Life Expectancy, Shadow Fires, Sole Survivor, Velocity (Unboxed Set of Dean Koontz Books), in either Hard or Softcover, (See Seller Condition Comments), Shipped in one
package to save on shipping costs.
Product Description
3 First Edition, First Print Dean Koontz Hardcover, with dust jackets. All 3 are like new. Save money on shipping costs!
1) Dragon Tears - 1993
2) Hideaway - 1992
3) Fear Nothing - 1998
Product Description
Hardbacks
Product Description
5 book set by dean koontz; cold fire; midnight; Mr. murder; dragon tears; hideaway.
Book Description
Carly Andrews's predictable life as the manager of a real estate agency was turned upside down the day AdamNoble commissioned her to find his dream house. In Bar Harbor, Maine, the Noble family was the next thing to royalty, and Adam's obvious desire to make their relationship more than business had Carly feelking like she was acting out a Cinderella story. But what could a man who had everything want with a women like her . . . ordinary, average, unremarkable? Carly's questions were as puzzling as her own deep emotions -- ones that would find her placing both her career and her heart on the line.
Customer Reviews:
Short but Sweet.......2003-10-09
This was a short quick read, and I felt that I didn't have a whole lot of time to get to know the characters. However, I enjoyed this book tremendously.
The characters were real, and true to life. This book painted a picture of a very fast moving romance between two people. It showed how many things can go wrong, how hard communcation could be, but how important it has to be.
For a short novel it was wonderful. Maybe I would have liked a little more character developement, but it really didn't detract too much from the story or the out come.
Immature.......2001-05-26
This was not my first book by Fern Michaels but it may well be my last. I realize that romances are meant to take the reader into a dream world where everything works out in the end and where plot and language are easy to digest. However, the silly characters, the thin story and the bland prose of 'Beyond Tomorrow' will probably annoy you rather than help you relax.
Why doesn't drive Carly out to Adam's house to tell him about the availability of the Sinclair property, why doesn't she realize that her messages to Adam are detoured by Simone, why does a high-powered personality like Adam have no mobile phone, why doesn't he check up on her progress for more than a week? What advantage would Carly have from double-crossing Adam? But there are many more questions any reader, who pays just the slightest attention to the credibility of a story and their characters, will ask herself.
Then of course it takes the protagonists through all the remaining pages to finally discuss their misunderstanding without shouting, crying or running away. True, considering that there are only Carly's mother, Simone and Kyle that get their (rather sorry) parts beyond the leading roles, it is amazing how little interaction and real dialogue the two get. Whenever there is a chance for an interesting or funny conversation between Carly and Adam, the author narrates much of the content. (Of course it is much easier for a writer to say that "it was easy to talk to Adam" than to show that with the an actual dialogue.)
The story was never told from Adam's point of view, so the reader never gets to share his thoughts or emotions. This and the fact that his actions and reactions are unworthy of the education, worldliness and social position he is supposed to have, hardly allows a reader to relate to Adam either.
On top of that is the prose unremarkable, certainly not witty, funny or intelligent enough to make up for the flaws in plot or character development. So to summarize - skip this one, even if it meant to add yet another Nora Robert's book to your romance collection instead.
Average customer rating:
|
The Nursing Profession: Tomorrow and Beyond
Manufacturer: Sage Publications, Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Basic Science | Medicine | Subjects | Books | Anatomy | Biochemistry | Embryology | General | Genetics | Histology | Immunology | Microbiology | Nosology | Pathophysiology | Physiology
General | Medicine | Subjects | Books
General | Nursing | Medicine | Subjects | Books
Issues, Trends & Roles | Nursing | Medicine | Subjects | Books
Management, Leadership & Administration | Nursing | Medicine | Subjects | Books
General | Nursing | Medical | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
Issues, Trends & Roles | Nursing | Medical | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
Administration & Management | Nursing | Medical | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
General | Medicine | New & Used Textbooks | Stores | Books
Nursing | Medicine | New & Used Textbooks | Stores | Books
All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Medicine | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Professional | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0761919430 |
Book Description
Dr. Norma L. Chaska, Ph.D., RN, FAAN is a leader in nursing education and nursing administration. She is widely sought as a consultant for academic administration in universities and for nursing education programs. Prior to her graduate education, Dr. Chaska held numerous clinical and administrative positions in every specialized area of nursing for a total of 15 years of experience in nursing practice. She has had 22 years of experience in nursing education and academic administration.
Throughout her academic career, Dr. Chaska has drawn extensively from her clinical background and experience in services and research settings. A major concern in all of her work is the evolution of nursing as a profession.
The purpose of this new volume is to provide an in-depth global scope and study of nursing as a profession. Specifically, its aim is to project patterns of thought and considerations about the current state of nursing into the future of the 21st Century. The content should cause the reader to reflect, consider, and dialogue regarding the various paths presented to articulate his or her goals for the profession to go forward.
Customer Reviews:
It certainly influenced me!.......2006-04-19
This was among the first art collection books I ever laid eyes upon, and to this day it remains one of my all-time favourites. It's a massive collection of what is perhaps the most disturbing and memorable art you are ever likely to come across, bar none. Despite the title, there are a good number of abstract and symbolic works in here too with haunting, dream-like qualities. Definitely worth consideration and a fine addition to any modern art library.
Amazing collection of sci-fi art.......2002-02-14
This book has been with me a better part of my life. This 1978 book from Ian Summers is a collection of various sci-fi artwork by many different artists. Many of the pictures are bizarre, surrealistic, often disturbing, and of course otherworldly. You'll often notice a lot of influence from Salvador Dali, Hieronymous Bosch, fantasy, swords and sorcery, Tolkien, and whatever was on the various artists imagination. The book is divided in sections like "Aliens", "Fantasy", "Barbarians", "Spacecraft", "Other Worlds", etc. With each illustration is the name of the artist responsible. There is also an appendix in the back of the book which tells you the name of the artist, as well as the name of the artwork and year (if known), not to mention the page number you'll find the illustation in question. The back is the index of all the artists names (in alphabetical order), and what pages you'll find their artwork to the artist you're interested in or curious of. Some of the artists featured are the Hildebrandt Brothers (Greg and Tim), Nick Aristovulous, Richard Powers, Edward Soyka, John Berkey, Paul Alexander, Boris Vallejo, and so many more. Of the artists, I found Richard Powers to be the most disturbing. A lot of the artwork you see presented here had been featured as covers of books, magazines, albums, movie posters, and much more. Much of what you'll see here is from the 1970s, with only a handful from the 1960s and nothing before 1961 (as far as I know, as some of the arwork has not been dated). So if you're looking to see how sci-fi artwork has evolved in the 1980s and 1990s, you won't find it here, as Tomorrow and Beyond was published in 1978 so you're mostly getting a '70s perspective. If some of the artwork you see presented in Tomorrow and Beyond seems a bit familiar, well, some of it was used as various issues of OMNI Magazine well in to the 1980s. The illustrations you see here in Tomorrow and Beyond will fascinate you, disturbe you, or both. The book is out of print, but if you can track a copy, do so. If you like sci-fi art, then you simply need this book.
Customer Reviews:
ANOTHER HIT.......2007-03-09
Bertrice Small is by far the BEST historical romance author EVER!! It all started for me with Skye O'Mally and she has never dissapointed me. Her discriptions of the gowns and homes paint a picture in your mind and when she describes the food you can almost taste it. Another book I couldn't put down.
A by a person who loves to read historical novels.......2006-08-23
I have not completed the book, because I am reading another one for a book club. But, what I have read, I am enjoying. I really like all Beatrice Small's book. I love the historical part of her writing. She does bring her charactors into some pretty interesting places. Ms. Small seems to know about the history of all her interesting places. I don't know if she knows about as much as she writes about, but she has me convinced that she does some homework on the sites. I am 65 and feel very comfortable reading her books. She brings a lot of life to a book. And, I love history.
Only if I were in solitary confinement in prison and this was the book.......2006-01-26
the only book available to read....I guess I would slog through this romantic sludge of idiocy. People who like this kind of garbarge aren't worth comment. Park this book in the outhouse for emergency use of toilet paper. Obviously, women who read this are trying to live through these female characters---and reveal themselves to be the schizoid nutcases that they really are. Get real, get a life, get a job!
Just beyond the bedroom (yawn!).......2005-09-18
This is not the worst Small novel (no...that would be The Innocent) nor is it the most boring (That would be The Duchess, another largely forgettable read) but it is bad and and it is boring...End it already. Flanna is an uninteresting heroine. Usually Small's charcters are larger than life, the most intelligent, most beautiful, most adventurous, they can ride, hunt, read and speak 7 languages, they are fabulously wealthy and independent, wilful, seductive...etc. Flanna is a flop. And Patrick Leslie is a fop. Nothing heroic about this mama's boy. There's no romantic plot--just tons of history. Its not even woven into the story but instead reads like a text book. I love historicals and this period of history, but after reading the prologue even I was rolling my eyes. Drier than toast. Small thinks pepperingt her story (every 30 pages or so) with sex between Flanna and Patrick makes up for the lack of plot or raomance...it does not. Worse yet, it is not even sexy or erotic. The scenes are mechanical and dull. It seemed for a while like she was going to copy a subplot form Love Wild and Fair but changed her mind. In fact the whole book reads likes a panopoly of vignettes from prior books whitout ever following through. Get some new material already! Moreover the book is contemporaneously tied to another novel, Intrigued (which is not intriguing at all). And the end of JBT leaves the reader hanging. Why? You guessed it, The story continues in Vixens (another lackluster attempt from Small). If you want to read some of Small's best, read The kadin and its sequel Love Wild and fair (which also tie into JBT); Betrayed is anoter great Scottish romance; Skye O'malley and All the Sweet Tomorrows are the best of the Skye series; Adora and beloved are two of her best early novels; and last but by no means least, if you crave something erotic, Helion is the hottest novel by Small so far. (And best of all, no harems!)
This was just bad.......2004-05-06
I have only read this book once, because i just can not bring myself to pick it up again and suffer. i got so tired of the female lead going on about how she didn't want to be known as the " do naught duchess". It got really irritating. And Patrick was nothing like any of Ms. Small's former male leads. i kept hoping for a brick to hit him and knock him silly. This will be the only book of Ms. Small's i'll never purchase new. there was no adventure, no spark, nothing but my own determination to finish this book.
Book Description
Library 2.0: does everyone seem to know what this means except you? Or are you reasonably well informed but wondering what challenge to take on next? In this new work, Nancy Courtney has assembled some of the most forward looking thinkers in the library world to describe the next generation of online tools. Beginning with Steven J. Bell, each contributor introduces his or her favorite technology, outlines its use, and discusses its potential in today's library environment. Topical coverage includes blogs and wikis, social networking and tagging technologies, folksonomies, podcasting, gaming, digital storytelling, the "new" catalog, and virtual reality libraries.
Product Description
Single-volume edition of the trilogy consisting of This Star Shall Abide, Beyond the Tomorrow Mountains, and The Doors of the Universe. Noren knew that his world was not as it should be--it was wrong that only the Scholars, and their representatives the Technicians, could use metal tools and Machines. It was wrong that only they had access to the mysterious City, which he had always longed to enter. Above all, it was wrong for the Scholars to have sole power over the distribution of knowledge. The High Law imposed these restrictions and many others, though the Prophecy promised that someday knowledge and Machines would be available to everyone. Noren was a heretic. He defied the High Law and had no faith in the Prophecy's fulfillment. But the more he learned of the grim truth about his people's deprivations, the less possible it seemed that their world could ever be changed. It would take more drastic steps than anyone imagined to restore their rightful heritage.
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful Book! .......2006-04-28
Overall, I was really impressed with this book. At times it goes a little slow, but Engdahl made up for it in the wonderful plot of the book. The surprising things, is that Noran, the main character, would actually be considered a static character, which is not typical of an engaging main character. His views do not change, nor does his personality or goals throughout the entire book. What keeps the reading turning the pages is the strangeness, and the fact that this sci-fi book could in fact be based on events that could happen one day. Another aspect of the book that was really engaging was the originality of the ideas used. It was not the typical sci-fi book that included space-crafts, aliens and the like. The ideas were extremely original, and fact-based. The other reason I enjoyed the book so much was that throughout the entire thing there was a mixture of sci-fi writing, and science. Sections of the book were devoted to explaining the concept of genetic engineering, which if you are interested in, is used very well in this book. The fact that a good book can incorporate aspects of reality, in the form of genetic engineering, is amazing, and makes the novel that much more notable.
I would recommend this book for people who won't get frustrated with the sections that are very slow-paced, but who are dedicated to reading each and every page, because they all add to the entire meaning of the book as a whole. It is not a typical sci-fi book, so don't expect lots of space-ships and people from different planets, but instead look forward to a well written novel about a culture struggling to re-build its self. You will follow Noran as he struggles to find his place in a world that he feels is wrong, and corrupt. Be open to twists in plot, and strange themes brought up again and again throughout the book, and you may enjoy it as much as I did.
This Star Shall Abide -- Welcome back to a long out of print book!.......2005-09-02
Noren is a young man who is frustrated about the class stratified society that he lives in. When he decides to challenge the system, he finds himself on a perilous journey . . . facing truth as he has never imagined. When I read this story many years ago in junior high, I realized for the first time that it was possible to have a perspective on life that did not encompass a large enough view of the truth. This story challenged my views on the limitations of my own perspectives. It is science fiction at its best. This book is a compilation of the trilogy that begins with "This Star Shall Abide".
leaves an impression - a simple review.......2005-01-05
I first read these books (now book) over 10 years ago. They have remained among my favorite books. The book is appealing to people young and old. Ms Engdahl's writings have a way of staying with one always.
This trilogy serves as a thought provoking journey through the relationship between society, religion, and science. It starts out with one man challenging the foundation of his society, to him embracing it, and back to him challenging it yet again, but for a completely different and selfless reason. Ms. Engdahl paints a wonderful picture of a futuristic and simultaneously primitive world whose advances and way pique the imagination.
Ms. Engdahl throws a taste of her intergalactic society into the final installment, but no one recognizable from Enchantress from the Stars or The Far Side of Evil.
Children of the Star.......2003-08-21
Everything Ms. Engdahl writes is gold. Not only does this book have a great storyline and characters, it also is thought provoking. She centers around themes about the importance of spacetravel and innovations in science. Even if you aren't usually a fan of science fiction, you will love this book!
Unique, compelling, satisfying!!.......2003-01-24
Sylvia Engdahl's intelligence, thoughfulness and care in weaving this story have brought about a book unlike anything else I've read. The hero is never allowed the easy way out, the reader is never treated with condescension. If you enjoy grappling with big chunky issues of politics, philosophy and theology all rolled together, rites of passage, technological challenges, and a delicious flavour of ultimate conspiracy... do yourself a favour and read it!!
Book Description
Jim Endicott is not Jim Endicott anymore.
In Step into Chaos, he became one with the Omega Point, and used its awesome intelligence to alter his own past. In that alternate Universe, he didn't kill the man he had always thought of as his father. He saved him.
But does the alternate Jim remember the old Jim? Only dimly aware of his vast Omega powers, Jim "Evanston" must deal with a heartbreaking new revelation: Carl and Tabitha, the "parents" he saved, are not really his parents at all! Who are they? And why are they sending him away--as far away as it is possible to send anyone?
Jim finds himself aboard the Out Beyond, a world-sized intergalactic starship, crammed with tens of millions of misfits, outlaws, and eccentrics. No longer the golden boy on the fast track to the Space Academy, Jim is friendless and alone--until he meets up with the Stone Cowboys, a deep space street gang that teaches him hard-earned lessons about courage, loyalty--and love, in the fetching form of a "cowgirl" with a faint raspberry smell and the biggest eyes in the known universe.
Jim's new life with the Cowboys and his former Omega destiny seem to have little to do with each other, until a strange new mental illness appears, spreading like wildfire through the Out Beyond. It's called the Rage and it doesn't exactly kill people. It makes them kill others, beginning with the ones they love the most. . . .
In this fourth Quest for Tomorrow novel, famed Star Trek veteran William Shatner continues a bestselling series that is filled with memorable characters, crackles with high-tech action, and is crammed with thought-provoking science fiction ideas and settings. Each carefully researched Quest for Tomorrow adventure is complete with a scientific bibliography designed to assure accuracy, provide technical guidance, and suggest fascinating new directions for young readers to explore.
Customer Reviews:
Starting Anew.......2003-01-15
Beyond the Stars (2000) is the fourth SF novel in the Quest for Tomorrow series. In the previous volume, Jim Endicott has used the power of the Omega Point to change the past. In this branch of the multiverse, his mother does not alter his DNA and, while still pursued by Delta and attacked by Commander Steele, his misaimed shot does not kill Carl as in the other timeline.
Jim, Carl and Tabitha all survive the attack, but Carl is badly wounded and Tabitha is in shock. They flee from the cabin to Hannaport on the other side of the mountain. There Jim is put aboard a freighter headed for the Outward Bound, a colony ship. Carl and Tabitha go elsewhere to lure away Delta's forces. On the Outward Bound, Jim becomes friends with the leader of the Stone Cowboys gang and more than friends with Samantha, a Stone Cowgirl.
Jim is alone, in a strange place and surrounded by strangers, with different ways and customs. For the first time, he must fend for himself, make his own path in the world. He has help from the Stone Cowboys, yet he must learn to meet their expectations or they will turn on him. At the same time, he wants to be true to the behavior and beliefs instilled by Carl and Tabitha.
This novel presents a new story of another Jim Endicott. It explores other facets of the ConFed society and other avenues for a young adult. Recommended for Shatner fans and anyone who enjoys young adult SF stories.
-Arthur W. Jordin
A surprisingly good book for its length!.......2002-01-12
I just finished Beyond The Stars I was pleasantly surprised by the story. I have always like William Shatner books and this was an excellent addition to his collection. The ending did leave something to be desired but I can't wait for the next so I can see what happens to Jim Endicott.
Looking for excitement? Snap into a book about slim Jim.......2000-09-14
Though there may be a few moans and groans about yet another Shatner novel I must say this one was somewhat riveting though his last book made my head hurt. Perhaps someday Shatner will seal Endicott's fate and give him a good end (within the next two, hopefully.)
Product Description
Skye's legacy continues
Product Description
A volume of human stories, personal experiences, and anecdotes that display the multicultural diversity of the United States and the global community.
Customer Reviews:
A wonderful contribution to understanding diversity........1997-07-12
This collage of personal stories and issues analysis is a warm-hearted plea for celebrating the diversity among us all. The stories put an often missing human face to the multicultural issues, and the readable analysis is enlightening for any audience. Interesting and inspiring reading. - Barbara, multiculturalism, http://multicultural.miningco.com
Books:
- The 7 Hidden Reasons Employees Leave: How to Recognize the Subtle Signs and Act Before It's Too Late
- The Anubis Gates
- The Big Nap (Mommy-Track Mysteries)
- The Birdcage: A Novel
- The Buddha of Suburbia
- The Cat Who Played Post Office (Cat Who...)
- The Coast of Chicago: Stories
- The Dark Side of Game Texturing
- The Day My Mother Left
- The Day of the Locust (Signet Classic)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Nineteen Minutes: A Novel
- Gilgamesh: A Verse Narrative
- 40 Houses
- And No Birds Sing: A True Ecological Thriller Set in a Tropical Paradise
- Colors and Blood: Flag Passions of the Confederate South
- Essential Cell Biology, Second Edition
- Doc Holliday: The Life and Legend
- Inside the Visible: An Elliptical Traverse of 20th Century Art in, of, and From the Feminine
- ABC's of the Birds and Bees: A Guide for Parents and Teens
- Alaska Wild Berry Guide and Cookbook
Circles of Seven: Volume 3 of Dragons in our Midst (Dragons in Our Midst)
The Candlestone (Dragons in Our Midst, Vol. 2) (Dragons in Our Midst)
Raising Dragons (Dragons in Our Midst, Vol. 1) (Dragons in Our Midst)
Eye of the Oracle (Oracles of Fire)
Enoch's Ghost (Oracles of Fire)
