History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Elephants and Quaker guns;: A history of Civil War and circus days

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Elephants and Quaker guns;: A history of Civil War and circus days
Jane Chapman Whitt
Manufacturer: Vantage Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Elephants and Quaker Guns: Northern Virginia : Crossroads of History

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Elephants and Quaker Guns: Northern Virginia : Crossroads of History
Jane Chapman Whitt
Manufacturer: Vandamere Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0918339030

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Elephant Gun
one of the best
Elephant Fun
Well-crafted fun entertainment
Appeals to action-oriented men and women romantics alike.

Elephant Gun
Phillip E. Carpenter
Manufacturer: Writer's Showcase Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Action & Adventure | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0595009867

Book Description

You've never read a novel exactly like this; part truth, part fiction, adult, gritty, yet thought provoking and intelligent, trampling merrily over many sacred cows. Real events in today's headlines are ingeniously interwoven throughout the fabric of this exciting action saga.

Will the nefarious doctor in Tijuana actually find a genuine cure for AIDS using his bizarre procedures to experiment on wealthy Americans while running an illegal dope ring out the back door of his clinic?

Will his sociopathic partner, a foul-mouthed, bigoted mercenary gleefully murder just one innocent victim too many?

And will a former SAS commando turned African big game hunter manage to survive falling in lust with a beautiful lady animal rights activist who stumbles across a major criminal enterprise? Can he save her from the mercenary's deadly henchmen..and himself from two gay Iraqui assassins hired by an ex-IRA terrorist to blow up a major public facility in Nairobi?

How does the hunter become involved with a tough lady cop, the DEA, FBI, and a sexy Beverly Hills widow in Los Angeles after her HIV-positive son is kidnapped? Will the hunter's ancient Masai tracking skills, a .44 Magnum pistol and a double-barrel .600 Nitro Express be enough to defeat modern, high-tech weaponry during a pitched night battle in the most unlikely environment imaginable?

It all reaches an astonishing climax involving stealth helicopters, snipers, police, news media, wild animals and wild women. Don't miss out on one of the most interesting and unusual adventure novels of our time.

Customer Reviews:

Elephant Gun.......2005-11-30

I started reading Elephant Gun one night and had decided I would read for couple of hours;however this book is so great I was not able to put it down until I finished it.I kept saying just one more chapter,just one more.I have not read a book this great for many years.If you like action,adventure and sex you will love this book.The author takes you on this ride and you can't get enough of it.This book lets you think along the way so you can follow all the characters but is not so oblivious you get bored.The way the author is able to bring all the different characters in and keep their roles so active and fresh is amazing.This book will leave you wanting more;lucky for us there is Arabian Assignment!

one of the best.......2003-03-15

I read this book a while back and after all the books I've read since, it still stands out head and shoulders above most action and adventure novels. Even though it has romance angles, the plot was so unique I'm going to keep re-reading it every so often just because it made me laugh with it's humor and get angry as it shined a spotlight on how endangered much of our world's wildlife is. This book is a lot of fun and very educational too.

Elephant Fun.......2002-12-07

I agree with Wasser Reviews who ask, do you like bronzed bwanas, brazen, buxom (but brainy) beauties and big-bore blasters? Well, Philip Carpenter has something for you. It's two parts high-tech, instruction manual, three parts social-political-ecological observation, mixed with an ascerbic, ego-centric stream of opinion, facts and opinion as fact. Throw in some current and past world news, anecdotal experiences, personal vignettes from Mr. Carpenter's life and one part Harlequin romance novel and you still don't quite have the scope of the book. Every continent and most cultures get a visit (how's your kiswahili?) Nothing goes unnoticed by our hero, Mr. Eric Rutherford. I suspect his observations on animal psychology, poaching, endangered species, hip hop, skinheads, modern music, gangs, cars, AIDS, drugs, weapons, women, Beverly Hills and Bakersfield, to name a few, are remarkably close to Mr. Carpenters. Fortunately, they are interesting, even thought-provoking at times, and frequently informative. I sense some serious research here. The pithy homilies which precede each chapter are well-chosen and relevant. 'Man must sit in chair with mouth open very long time before roast duck fly in' (Chinese proverb). Hmmmmm. So true. A fun read for arm chair action heroes. Is there a movie in this somewhere?

Well-crafted fun entertainment.......2002-07-15

I had my curiosity piqued when hearing on televison that Dick Clark was reading this book back stage at a major awards show. I found it on Amazon.com and discovered it is like one of those packages you get from a distant relative at Christmas, something you expect will be an ordinary present exhibiting little thought or originality from one who doesn't really know your tastes. But then you open it and find, unexpectedly, it is a real treat. The big surprise is inside, the depth and direction of the book somewhat camouflaged by the cover and title. You find the plot is not really about that, but a series of ever more exciting situations and interesting characters who interact throughout the thread of this highly unique story. Without going into descriptive detail, it brings together a myriad of peoples lifestyles, cultures and attitudes with a complete spectrum of emotional experience: danger, fear, greed, power trips, corruption, egomania, romance, lust, filial devotion, nostalgia, the list goes on. You may, if you're a normal person, find your throat constricting or be shocked at one moment, then the next, be laughing at the unexpected humor in the dialogue and quotes that run throughout. I also felt a certain empathy for the characters as they faced difficult challenges in their lives brought about by their own well-meaning but ultimately bad decisions. How many of us have not been there? The protagonist, Eric, seemed so human with his faults and insecurities, an unlikely hero compared to a Schwartsnegger or Stallone, but conversely, I could see him as a genuine person rather than just another macho character. His inability to cope well with the complexities of todays modern technological world and the burden of old failures and mistakes that haunted him rang an uncomfortably personal note, perhaps too close to home, at least for me. The mercenary villain and Eric's nemesis, Jack, evoked a certain twisted charm as well with his off-center attitudes and occasional funny gallows humor and sarcasm. Also, for the social study crowd, there is a wealth of real information woven into the story line, revealing much about the lives of African citizens, ecology, the drug trade, AIDS research, street gangs, law enforcement and mercenaries, and it all has the ring of authenticity from one who has first-hand knowledge or at least knows enough to research and check facts. My criticisms are few, mainly that the cover and title may have been a poor choice and does a disservice to the quality of the authors high level of imagination and creative plot development, as the elephant gun mentioned is more a family heirloom with its own history, a connection of generations past when life was so much different, the gun was much more than merely a tool that was a symbol of mans imperialistic aggression and ignorance of the balance of nature many decades ago. There were some rather gory battle scenes that might turn a few readers off with too much realism, but it is done in a natural, uncontrived context, unlike the shocker/horror genre so prevalent today. This story's continuity and plot development comes together a bit slowly at first due to its complexity, setting the stage for later events, and could perhaps have been streamlined a bit, but it soon develops at a rapid pace that drew me in as it escalated into a suspenseful and very imaginative climax. All in all, the pluses far overshadowed the minuses. I liked this authors daring effort and different approach and would highly recommend it to fans of this genre. I have read many so-called best sellers that were not nearly as much fun and satisfying.
-Barker Reviews

Appeals to action-oriented men and women romantics alike........2001-09-21

I was immensely impressed with this well-crafted and termendously exciting book. The story line was most unique and the characters seemed to jump right off the page into real life. It was easy to follow the complicated plot and the imaginative use of many actual events and facts in a fiction novel made it seem even more real. I felt sympathy with the emotions of not only the women, but the men as well. A great book to escape the everyday world with and find vicarious thrills and adventure.

Average customer rating:

Elephant Gun Malone (Linford Western)
Ed Hunter
Manufacturer: Ulverscroft Large Print
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Shooting gnats with an elephant gun? (using the marketing central information file software for a micro view of customers): An article from: Bank Marketing

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Shooting gnats with an elephant gun? (using the marketing central information file software for a micro view of customers): An article from: Bank Marketing
Howard Cohen
Manufacturer: Bank Marketing Assn.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Bank Marketing, published by Bank Marketing Assn. on February 1, 1992. The length of the article is 3161 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the supplier: Marketing central information file (MCIF) software packages offer bankers a way of gaining in-depth knowledge of their customers, their needs and how they can be reached. These systems can examine a bank's customer base and identify its best customers, thus enabling the bank to make sure that the people generating the most business are serviced well and are satisfied. The MCIF can also monitor customer relationships and balances, as well as examine the profitability and the services that can be provided to households. There has been increased emphasis on service and the quality of service as banks try to achieve competitive advantage in the 1990s, a period coming to be known as the 'decade of service.'

Citation Details
Title: Shooting gnats with an elephant gun? (using the marketing central information file software for a micro view of customers)
Author: Howard Cohen
Publication: Bank Marketing (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 1, 1992
Publisher: Bank Marketing Assn.
Volume: v24 Issue: n2 Page: p20(4)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

If all that is good thinks you evil.... are you?Once upon a time, the Seven Shapers dwelled in accord and Shaped the world to their will. But Satoris, the youngest among them, was deemed too generous in his gifts to the race of Men, and so began the Shapers' War, which Sundered the world. Now six of the Shapers lay to one end of a vast ocean, and Satoris to the other, reviled by even the race of Men.Satoris sits in his Darkhaven, surrounded by his allies. Chief among them is Tanaros Blacksword, immortal Commander General of his army. Once a mortal man who was betrayed by King and Wife, Tanaros fled to Darkhaven a thousand years ago, and in Satoris's service has redeemed his honor-but left his humanity behind.Now there is a new prophecy that tells of Satoris's destruction and the redemption of the world. To thwart it, Satoris sends Tanaros to capture the Lady of the Ellylon, the beautiful Cerelinde, to prevent her alliance with the last High King of Men. But Tanaros discovers that not all of his heart has been lost--his feelings for Cerelinde could doom Satoris, but save the race of Men....

Customer Reviews:

This isn't good.......2007-09-30

I was implored by a friend of mine to read this novel due to the idea that it is solely based on the phrase, "If All That is Good Thinks You are Evil... Are You?" My friend stated that it was basically a Tolkienesque story applying that question.

I bought this novel based solely on that recommendation, and I wished that I hadn't. Books like this are directly linked to the reason why I hardly ever read fantasy. I was even expecting a Tolkien clone, but maybe some interesting anti-heroes, clever dialog or better yet, a very concise analysis on what people perceive as evil to make it a little more palatable. Not only did I not receive any of these, I received a book containing nothing even remotely resembling a good story.

I've heard nothing but good things about Carey's "Kushiel" series, which is why I plan on reading it, but there was nothing good about "Banewreaker." Wait, I'll take that back. If I were a thirteen year old who'd never been exposed to Tolkien, I probably would have liked this book. This novel was essentially a bad plagiarizing of The Silmarillion; it's actually nauseating as to how cloned it is.

Though it was obviously spawned from Tolkien's world-building classic, the prose and character development were easily the worst parts of the novel. From the second page of "Banewreaker," I couldn't help but think that it was written by a junior high student. I wouldn't make the summation that Carey is a horrible writer, but any command of prose or dialog is nonexistent here.

It was almost as if Carey said to herself, "How about a story involving evil guys, who are not really evil as much as they are misunderstood." Then is seemed as if she were trying to break a record for how quickly she could produce a full-length novel. The characters, every Old-English speaking one of them, are utterly one-dimensional. Regarding the Old English diction: It would be hard for me to describe how irritating the use of it is in this novel. "Banewreaker" is actually supposed to be a tragic piece about how all of these "evil" guys were painfully wronged and how they now see the world differently than all others. And speaking of all others, Carey, like Goodkind with his dreadful "Wizard's First Rule," managed to create an entire planet with a whopping population of about 54. Not only does this world seem devoid of cities or varying borders, but it has no populace to speak of.

I certainly hope that Carey was not attempting to make a statement about moral relativism or subjective perceptions of good and evil, because she would have failed miserably. "Banewreaker" could have been a much better book had Carey studied up on her Kant and Glaucon. It would have also helped unequivocally had she really spent the time to build her characters and their histories, not to mention making the prose and dialog a little more intelligent.

No, Banewreaker is not derivative.......2007-09-20

Do not be put off by any review that derides this work as derivative. It is true that Jacqueline Carey's world as described in Banewreaker and its sequel Godslayer has many similarities on the surface with Tolkein's Middle Earth. Moreover, the parallels among the characters are numerous: Aracus Altorus, the dispossessed heir to the Kingdom of the West, vs. Aragorn, the dispossessed heir to the throne of Gondor; Dani the Water-bearer vs. Frodo the Ring-bearer; Malthus, the grizzled old wizard (who vanishes for a time underground only to return as a white rider) vs. Gandalf, the grizzled old wizard (who does exactly the same thing). But the parallels are deliberate. In fact, they are the whole point.

What Carey has done in Banewreaker and Godslayer is to take the premise of the epic struggle between good and evil and turn it on its head. In the Lord of the Rings, Sauron the Dark Lord is purely and irredeemably evil and is viewed only rarely and at a distance. In contrast, we meet Satoris the Sunderer and those around him on an intimate level. We learn what motivates them and how they struggle with their doubts and with their moral and ethical dilemmas. And it turns out that they're not so evil after all. They value love and trust and honor and they grieve over the suffering of others, even of their enemies. What they are fighting for is not, from their point of view, evil. They are fighting for freedom.

On the other side of the conflict is Haomane and his allies, who have taken upon themselves the mantle of the Good. Interestingly, it is Haomane who is viewed only rarely and at a distance. Moreover, the claim of Haomane's allies that they are the forces for Good is borne out of the certainty of their faith. And it is the tyranny of that certainty that makes them more truly evil. The core of the dispute between Haomane and Satoris centers on sexuality. It was Satoris' gift to humanity at the beginning of the world and Haomane asked--no decreed--that it should be withdrawn. When Satoris refused, the conflict that we witness began.

There are fascinating similarities between the war in Banewreaker and Godslayer and the cultural war that is playing out in early twenty-first century America. When the forces of freedom and open sexuality are arrayed against the forces of certainty and unquestioning faith, it's clear where Carey's sympathies lie. Given that, plus the fact that she managed to work in the phrase "a thousand points of light" when describing the home of the "good guys" (who are actually the bad guys), I'm pretty sure I know how Jacqueline Carey will vote in the next election.

just read the silmarillion.......2007-09-06

ok i NEVER write reviews, but how can someone who was so goooooood in the kushiel series write such derivitive crap like this? 2 chapters in and even the names (never mind the plot) arecompletely hijacked from tolkein's the silmarillion! go read that instead, it's much more fleshed-out. I know the silmarillion isnt as widely-read as the lord of the rings series, but come on! even the gods names are so alike! stick to kushiel......they are wonderful, inventive, gorgeous imagery.......get back to work on that series instead. there are enough bad ripoffs of tolkein out there already. (sword of shannara anyone?)

A Great Book.......2007-09-03

I think this novel is an excellent one. Those who criticize it as merely a Tolkien rip-off are, in my opinion, beyond help. Those readers are skeptics of the worst kind. They are pessimists.

I think Carey knows exactly what she's doing here. If you want to read a Tolkien rip-off, read Eddings or the scores of others that have come and gone over the decades. Carey is a far better writer than any of the so-called "me too" novelists who have tried (and failed) to do a good Tolkien clone. Indeed, it is true that the vast majority of characters in Banewreaker have Tolkien equivalents, but they have so much more substance than ANY characters in LOTRs. I don't see how anyone with two eyes and a working knowledge of the English language could think otherwise.

So I'm giving this one a strong thumbs up. Give it a shot. You may like it.

Very Interesting, though not Perfect.......2007-08-30

I adore the Kushiel's Legacy Trilogy, and the new Imriel books, but luckily I wasn't expecting these books to be as good as them--I had heard some complaints about them, so I didn't have that high of expectations. It took me until this summer to pick this one up in fact.

But as it turned out, the book exceeded my expectations--it wasn't long until I had gotten into the book and was picking it up to read at every opportunity I got. True, the prose is a bit clunky and slow, to the extent that I largely skimmed through the last half of the book, getting the gist of each scene, trying to find scenes with interaction between Tanaros and Cerelinde (which admittedly was the thing in this book I was most interested in and loved most--I'm a big C/T shipper, and loved the subtle and gradual development of their relationship so far--Carey is so good at writing romance!). There were boring parts, and I wished we could have stayed more in Darkhaven or with Tanaros and Cerelinde. However overall the story was great and a very interesting concept--and as in Kushiel's Legacy, there are characters I genuinely adore, foremost among them Tanaros, who I find to be a very compelling, tragic, and complex character. The fact that I find his murder of his wife and King to be understandable and forgiveable, and love him in spite of such crimes tells a LOT about Carey's masterful writing and character development! Carey is the best author when it comes to character development, IMO, and this book is no exception, though there aren't as many great characters as in Kushiel.

It's also great to see all the different perspectives--especially as a history buff and major, I can understand how Haomane's Allies would have been so blinded by what they'd been told abotu Satoris--if it can happen in the real World, why can't it happen there? Look at the way Germany was blamed for starting WWI in the Versailles treaty at the end of WWI when they were far from having begun it (Russia, Austria-Hungary, and Serbia were higher on the list of countries to blame--Germany actually tried to avoid war for a while, begging their ally Austria not to do it, and asking Russia to remove their troops from their border with Germany--not to mention all the other, many complex factors that caused the war), and the idea that they began it still exists--I thought that was the case myself when I was younger. Just as Tanaros and others had learned as children that Satoris was evil and to blame for the Sundering of the world, before they learned the other side to the story. So I don't think it's a stretch at all to believe that all Men would hate Satoris after being taught to do so, and learning to do so, all their lives--it's just another example of history being written by the winners. So as a history buff I can also especially appreciate the complex interplay of views and histories as presented in the book.

Anyway, in short this book is well worth reading, and even if it's different from the Kushiel's Trilogy and perhaps not as good, it's still a great work of fantasy with a compelling story and characters, as well as a more complex and philisophical work. (Though Melisande is more complex than your average villain because of her capacity for love, she is still rather black-and-white evil--when she says there are two sides to everything, it's not very believable. In this book, however, there are two sides, which makes things very interesting and thought-provoking.

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