Book Description
From the acclaimed author of Woman in the Dunes comes
Secret Rendezvous, the bizarrely erotic and comic adventures of a man searching for his missing wife in a mysteriously vast underground hospital.
From the moment that an ambulance appears in the middle of the night to take his wife, who protests that she is perfectly healthy, her bewildered husband realizes that things are not as they should be. His covert explorations reveal that the enormous hospital she was taken to is home to a network of constant surveillance, outlandish sex experiments, and an array of very odd and even violent characters. Within a few days, though no closer to finding his wife, the unnamed narrator finds himself appointed the hospital’s chief of security, reporting to a man who thinks he’s a horse. With its nightmarish vision of modern medicine and modern life,
Secret Rendezvous is another masterpiece from Japan’s most gifted and original writer of serious fiction.
Customer Reviews:
A sort of pseudo-Freudian sex nightmare..........2007-06-01
From the very start of this short, but densely labyrinthine and surreally intense novel, you know that you're in strange territory. An ambulance comes unbidden in the middle of the night, spirits away a man's perfectly healthy wife, and he's left to begin a Kafkaesque search to find out what's become of her in a hospital whose nightmarish bureaucracy is concealing a bizarre and ominous program of sex research.
Abe has the rare talent of making even the most outlandish situations seem perfectly plausible and that's what lends *Secret Rendezvous* its riveting sense of psychological truth and subjective terror. Like a powerful myth, there's something more *real* than real about the protagonist's endlessly frustrating search, his alternating states of inexplicable omnipotence and paralyzing impotence, his longing to find his missing wife and his fear of doing so.
Like Robbe-Grillet, Abe is a master of moody erotic dread and the hint of horrors forever just out of view. Unlike Robbe-Grillet, Abe's storyline, though fractured, is not obsessively repetitive; though detailed, it's not frozen in time--events move forward towards a conclusion that, although ambiguous, nevertheless seems eerily inevitable.
Explicit, often shocking, never purely prurient, and, at times, even surprisingly funny, *Secret Rendezvous* is a disturbing and thought-provoking novel by a writer who strikes me as one of the most under-appreciated of the 20th century. His sexually-charged themes and dark insights into psychological dilemmas flatly without resolution make a point about the problematic nature of the human condition that is not easily assimilated to a culture that still believes in solutions...in fact, that still believes in the concept of `humanity' at all.
Perhaps, that makes Abe more relevant now than ever.
the mind's capacity for self-deception.......2006-12-18
Through the meticulous detail and persistent narrative rhythm of "Woman in the Dunes," Kobo Abe masterfully creates an emotional experience of visceral intensity, inculcated word by word like so many grains of sand, ever encroaching. "Secret Rendezvous" is marked by the same ability to convey vivid viscerality thru the use of detail, narrative rhythm, and the careful cultivation of image, but in some important ways this book fails to bring its sense of confusion beyond much more than muddled mystery.
This book invokes a claustrophobic sense of bureaucratic ambivalence, existential bewilderment and ethical ambiguity, all complicated by veiled and bizarre sexual depravity. This is a dark and increasingly surreal book. If it fails to be deeply disturbing, it seems only because certain elements and characters are not presented with enough clarity to give their confusions full resonance. Despite this, the novel is effective in exploring the mind's capacity for self-deception, and finds a certain manic comedy in our capacity to shape reality according to our delusions.
I find this to be a psychological novel of warped vision, insightful but difficult to read. Once in the concrete corridor of my apartment building, I found a praying mantis, apparently lost. I tried to escort him out a window, but he retreated and I was forced to leave him be. Weeks later, amongst a tangle of dust and hair, I saw the mantis' stiffened carcass, and when I tried to imagine the last weeks of his life, wandering in that empty concrete hollow, I was vividly reminded of this book...
The labyrinth of a Hospital.......2000-11-29
The hospital is a labyrinth of human depravity. A man wanders through it searching for his wife, constantly assaulted by odd and insane sights, sounds, and people. Written with mind piercing clarity and description.
Not one of Abe's best, but worth a read.......1999-04-08
Having read Abe's "Woman in the Dunes" (a masterpiece) already, I was expecting a strange story filled with odd characters and challenging situations. However, I felt that the book wasn't as tightly written as I expected. He changes perspective and has some characters that meld together which are confusing. There didn't seem to be a satisfactory explanation of the character's motivation or actions. There is also a bizarre sexual element that doesn't seem to pay-off. The book is an interesting read, but I would recommend that you read "Women in the Dunes" as it is a far better novel.
Average customer rating:
- Can't wait till it's a movie
- Couldn't put it down!
- A Wild Ride on Haley's Comet!
- Old indians never die.
- Good Lord, they're at it again!
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Rendezvous at No Man's Mesa
Dr. Wayne E, Haley
Manufacturer: Trafford
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1412040337
Release Date: 2006-07-06 |
Book Description
Rendezvous at No Man\'s Mesa takes Doc Mallory and his little band of adventurers into this new quest in the deep deserts of the Southwest. A mix of science fiction, Hopi and Navajo legends and stir in some good old fashion intrigue.
Customer Reviews:
Can't wait till it's a movie.......2005-08-09
I was absolutely taken back by the characters. After reading the first book and now this one, they are like people I know. I am charmed and impressed at the lengths these folks would go through to save the world !! As I read, it feels like I am an un-named character in the book. I am experiencing all that they do in my head, my heart pounds and I find I even stop breathing at each of the antics. Good job Dr. Wayne. I look forward to more of the same.
Couldn't put it down!.......2005-06-16
I read Dr. Hayley's first book - Last Ferry to Clover Bay - and found it a great fun read. I became personally involved with the characters. Dr. Hayley's second book - "Rendezvous at No Man's Mesa" continues with these same characters. I love these guys. I want to play with them. I want to go climbing, exploring, and generally head bang with them. Ace continues to be a heartthrob and cowboy catch. Good job Dr. Haley. Hurry up with your next one. I miss my friends! Alice
A Wild Ride on Haley's Comet!.......2005-05-30
An E Ticket Ride on Haley's Comet:
If you want to know how to save the world, maintain the delicate political balance of the Universe and enlist the help of a misguided, government agent obsessed with killing you -- this madcap adventure is for you. A Hopi shaman's vision of an errant asteroid heading for Earth drags rogue genius Doc Mallory out of hiding. He and his zany nihilist pals - Ace, who can fly anything from a mule to a spaceship, Clyde Lindsey, a foot dragging, lilly-livered lawyer, the alluring extra terrestrial Royal Lady Lydia, with her shape-shifting bodyguard Haddoxes must rendezvous at No Man's Mesa where they enter a gateway to another world. It's truly a well crafted e- ticket ride chock full of personal danger, government conspiracy, unimaginable obstacles, insane surprises and a galaxy of giggles with these wacky characters. I loved it.
Old indians never die........2005-04-08
I truly enjoyed reading this novel. There were some of the same members that were in Dr Haley's first book but they took on more personality in this episode. They lovely Lady Lydia showed her soft side and leadership when coaxing people to do her will. Ace puffed hard on cigarettes and showed his macho style while Clyde always had to be pushed into everything. It was colorfuf reading and I enjoyed the old indian star gazer. Try it you'll like it.
Good Lord, they're at it again!.......2005-03-23
Good ol' Doc Mallory and his band of renegades did it to me again! From sitting on the edge of my chair to rolling on the floor laughing out loud, I read this one (again!) from cover to cover virtually at one sitting! If anything, Dr. Haley has outdone his first effort with this group ("The Last Ferry to Clover Bay"), and even added a few more misfits and miscreants to the pot. It's a great read and lots of fun. Just make sure your schedule is clear before you delve into it!
Average customer rating:
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Secret Rendezvous
Manufacturer: Alfred A. Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000FI1E9I |
Product Description
His sixth book.
Average customer rating:
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Secret Rendezvous.
Kobo Abe
Manufacturer: Publisher Unknown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UY2V1C |
Customer Reviews:
Top Secret Secret.......2005-10-10
Platinum Reviewers Rating 4.5
Zurich Kingdom never thought he would find love nor did he think that love would find him after seeing his father go through life he feared becoming his father so he always swore off anything long lasting relationship wise so when he meets Hailey Hamilton he doesn't know what to expect nor does he know what to do she presents to him something he never realized before and that's the true person she is. When Zurich and Hailey first meet they sit down some rules that are good for the both of them until they spend time together when its time to depart they find it hard but Hailey finds out one thing about Zurich Kingdom that makes her realize any type of future with him can't not be possible.
Hailey Hamilton was always the type of person who took her job serious but when she goes on vacation to a resort in southern Texas she almost wants to forget about her job to simply be able to live a life that allows her a little more freedom especially after she meets Zurich Kingdom but will not allow her feelings to get in the way of what she does for a living but when love finds its way into her heart she doesn't know what to do until the shocking reality of who Zurich really is.
Hailey & Zurich will have to go trails and tribulations to keep their love alive even with the differences between them.
Where's the Secret?.......2005-01-14
Zurich Kingdom is on a two-week vacation at his favorite resort in South Padre Island. He has it all planned: rest, relaxation and sexing a few lovely ladies. That is, until he lays eyes on Hailey Hamilton, a dream come true, a total package. She is intelligent, drop dead gorgeous and she isn't interested in a committed relationship. The chemistry between the two heats up immediately as they experience paradise together. Zurich and Hailey have several things in common: they love adventure, have top-secret jobs, love their family, and plan to enjoy their two-week escape away from work. Even though they have sworn off committed relationships their feelings blossom into love and they regret having to leave each other at the airport. Then Hailey realizes that Zurich is an officer in the Air Force and their love is forbidden, according to military policy.
Heartbroken Hailey prepares a "Dear John" letter to send to Zurich but decides to delay mailing it when she is deployed to Germany. Hailey is pleasantly surprised when her best friend, Alicia, greets her at the airport. Hailey confides in her friend that she loves Zurich.
As Hailey is processing in at the base, she is noticed by Zurich. They cannot believe that God has shone mercy and brought them together again. They agree to carry on life as usual until they can determine a way to be together without being court marshaled. The hours turn into days, then weeks as their love burns uncontrollably while being unable to physically connect with each other. The stakes are high. Will they be together as man and wife? Only time will tell.
Top Secret Rendezvous is one title in a four-book series that is supposed to honor our US military. The story has a military setting and defines concepts related to Air Force policy. However, that is where honor to the military stops. This is your usual romance novel and nothing special. This is a quick read without a secret. If you are in the mood for romance, this would fit the bill.
Reviewed by Monique for Loose Leaves Book Review
Marksmanship.......2003-11-26
When i read this book I could relate to the authors mention of the relationship between the enlisted and the officer member in the USAF. I think she did a nice job b/c she did her research on the topic. I think some readers couldn't grasp that aspect of the book b/c their not in the military. I thinks some of readers felt that the author made up the end to the book. However, In the AF this type of relationship happens ALL of THE times. I like the fact that the relationship did blossom. NOT to mention the Story Hour was a nice touch.
For love of country or just for love........2003-09-27
BET is releasing a special Summer 2003 series dedicated to military
officers titled, 'At Your Service.' TOP SECRET RENDEZVOUS by Linda
Hudson-Smith is about Major Zurich Kingdom and Staff Sergeant Hailey
Hamilton, both members of the United States Air Force.
What started out as rest and relaxation on a remote island in Texas
snowballed into a liaison that would prove to be more secretive than
their top secret jobs. When Zurich and Hailey met, they were unaware
that either was enlisted in the armed forces they only knew that they
had found their soul mate. Ironically it was not until they were
stationed at the same base in Germany, that they became fully aware
that the other was in the Air Force and in the same career field.
Because of Air Force directives prohibiting fraternization between
Officers and Enlisted personnel, Zurich and Hailey know that their
rank will not allow the pleasures they shared to go beyond their
Texas hideaway. They try valiantly to honor their commitment to the
USAF regulations, because to disregard them could jeopardize their
careers; but how do you regulate your heart?
Ms. Hudson-Smith has crafted an amorous story of what happens when a
pledge of allegiance faces the ultimate test. But more than the test
of their reputation, she allows the characters to grow in a way that
inspires readers to view life in a less temporal and more ethereal way.
This is also wonderful exposure of the Air Force.
Reviewed by aNN
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers
Waste of time, waste of money.......2003-08-03
Can you give no stars for a book? This book was awful... unless you're an amateur author looking for evidence that anyone (and I mean anyone!) can get published. The dialogue, the names, the plot were totally unbelievable. I never write in books, but by the time I was done, I was going through marking it up like I was in a creative workshop to make me feel as if I had accomplished at least something by reading it. Nothing about this book flowed. The only thing I liked about this book was one vague reference to JAG, my favorite TV show. Other than that, this book was a complete waste of time and money. It was full of cliches, plotholes, and bad, bad dialogue. I've read better written fanfiction.
Average customer rating:
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Secret Rendezvous
Kobo Abe
Manufacturer: ALFRED A. KNOPF
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OKVH3U |
Product Description
Set of 12 titles by Alistair MacLean H.M.S. Ulysses South By Java Head Night Without End Ice Station Zebra Fear is the Key The Golden Rendezvous The Satan Bug When Eight Bells Toll Puppet on a Chain Caravan to Vaccares The Secret Ways Bear Island
Book Description
Jeff Smax, a major character in Alan Moores enthralling TOP 10 series, must return to his homeworld after many years on Earth. Accompanied by his fellow Neopolis Precinct Ten police officer Robin Toybox Slinger, he must face a myriad of challenges ranging from cutting through mountainous red tape to go on a quest, doing battle with the most monstrous of all dragons and adapting to a world where the laws of physics are not only unheard of, they just plain dont work. And then theres Jeffs sister
Customer Reviews:
Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03
A knight off to kill the Dragon, and sleep with his sister, or a knight off to sleep with his sister and kill the Dragon. The knight, however, is Officer Jeff Smax of the Neopolis police force. There are some secrets about his family and his past he does not want his co-workers to know about, and of course, his partner is pissed.
it's not Top Ten.......2007-01-28
i picked up Smax as a continuation of Top Ten. it does pick up from the end of volume two.
one of the great pleasures of Top Ten was all the visual humor in the backgrounds. perhaps it's that the fantasy setting of Smax's home is less rich, but the sight gags are flat and repetitive. i miss Gene Ha's touch here, and i don't feel the same desire to reread and take in all of the details.
the book pokes fun at high fantasy and is much more of a comedy than an adventure story. because it was a short run, the pace feels rushed. i was glad to know what happened next to Smax and Toybox, but i was disappointed in the development of the characters and failed to get emotionally involved.
recommended if you are a completist.
great moore work..........2006-12-30
jeff (jaafs) smax was first introduced in top 10, which this is an offshoot of. i didn't really care too much for top 10, maybe i just don't like the setting. but smax is great. it's funny and the story is very good. i'd recommend this to all comics and alan moore fans.
Marginal Moore, But You're Gonna Buy It..........2006-10-30
I'd say that this was only mildly amusing. It's definitely not Moore at his best. Something in the art and tone of the story, particularly it being set in a whimsical, alternate fantasy world, reminded me of the second series of Comico's The Elementals. It was generally light reading, despite themes of incest and a bit on rape. Speaking of which, I don't know what's up with Alan Moore's notions on sexuality these days.... I mean, Lost Girls... (read my review on that one for further expansion) Smax is skewed as well with its misguided dealings on incest, as we Smax having to return to his fantasy homeworld, where he eventually rekindles an incestuous relationship with his sister, only to bring her back to Neopolis with him, at the end of book, making her his "wife". What!? OK, despite the lukewarm review, you know you've got to buy it now to see what I'm talking about. I'm giving my copy to a friend and fellow Alan Moore fan, just so I can see the look on his face when he's like WTF!? as well.
Pretty good, not great.......2006-10-11
I have to say I liked Smax, but it wasn't great. I mean it was funny, had nice atmosphere and setting and overall everything was decent, but... Well, the plot seemed a little thin for all the build up. There's this whole big secret problem Smax has and then, well they walk around for a couple pages find the dragon, Robin thinks up a gimmick, and there you go. And the fact that the whole Smax and sister thing is solved so quickly, well. I guess I expected more from the fact that this was a mini-series and all. I'd say it's about as good as one of the side-stories in Top Ten, but not as good as the main plot arc in those books.
Average customer rating:
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SMAX Guide
Christopher D. Hartpence
Manufacturer: BookSurge Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1588984907
Release Date: 2001-09-26 |
Book Description
Vel's SMAX Guide takes you through Alpha Centauri from start to finish, highlighting key points along the way that will almost certainly enhance your game. Filled with step-by-step "how-to" instructions covering a wide range of topics, tables and charts to help with decision making, and some of the toughest single player challenge games ever devised, The Guide is sure to offer something to everyone.
Customer Reviews:
Kids love trucks? Try Benny the Breakdown Truck.......1999-12-07
This small collection of stories about a yellow wrecker truck and his pals is a HUGE hit with little boys who enjoy all things automotive. The illustrations are fun and colorful, the stories show some imagination and the names and locals are unforgettable (especially after you have been asked to read them hundreds of times). The stories in this collection are perhaps a wee bit more energetic than in the companion volume "Jack Tractor," but both are quite enjoyable.
Book Description
Alfie the sports car can't resist speeding, until he falls into the canal and has to be pulled out by Benny the Breakdown Truck. This is another book in the series about Benny the Breakdown Truck and his friends at Smallbills Garage.
Average customer rating:
- Storytime favorite
- teaches a lesson about bullies
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Big Pig's Hat
Smax
Manufacturer: Dial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Picture Books | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Large Print | Formats | Books | Biographies & Memoirs | Children's Books | Health, Mind & Body | History | Literature & Fiction | Mystery & Thrillers | Nonfiction | Philosophy | Poetry & Short Stories | Reference | Religion & Spirituality | Romance | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Alternative Reading Formats
ASIN: 0803714769 |
Customer Reviews:
Storytime favorite.......2003-11-15
This is the best book for preschool Storytime. Think cult westerns while reading out loud and even the grownups stop to listen. I have used this book in pig-themed, wild west-themed, hat-themed, and bully-themed storytime programs. It is one of my all time favorite books. A great read aloud.
teaches a lesson about bullies.......2000-04-06
In BIG PIG'S HAT, a gust of wind blows Big Pigs hat away. When he discovers that his hat is missing he assumes that someone has stolen it. All the citizens of Beansville USA are scared of Big Pig. When he comes into town everyone hides, except for Dirty Donkey. Big Pig accuses him of stealing his hat and tries to push Dirty Donkey around. Dirty Donkey takes a stand! He won't let Big Pig push him around! This book showed a positive example of someone standing up to a bully. My children also noticed that Big Pig shouldn't have jumped to conclusions when his hat was missing. I think this book teaches some valuable lessons. My children turn each page with excitement every time I read it.
Average customer rating:
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En avant la fanfare !
Willy Smax , and
Keren Ludlow
Manufacturer: Albin Michel Jeunesse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book
All French Books | French | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 2226119957 |
Average customer rating:
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Jack Tractor Gets Stuck (Benny the Breakdown Truck)
Willy Smax , and
Keren Ludlow
Manufacturer: Orion Publishing Co
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: 1858812860 |
Average customer rating:
- Fun Family Reading
- A great favorite
- teriffic book for kids who love vehicles
- 3 year old son loves this book
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Jack Tractor: Five Stories from Smallbills Garage
Willy Smax
Manufacturer: Knopf Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0517709112
Release Date: 1996-02-06 |
Customer Reviews:
Fun Family Reading.......2001-12-21
My family checks this book out from the library regularly. My children are 5 and 3 and they can't get enough of Jack Tractor, Benny the Breakdown truck and all the other wonderful characters. My husband and I enjoy the book as much as the children do. We all have our favorite story but we read them all several times a day. I would recommend this book to any parent with children who love cars and trucks or who just love a great story.
A great favorite.......2000-02-18
We have taken this book out from the library 17 times for our 4 year old he loves it. I am sadly disapointed to see it is no longer in print. A great book that can be read and reread by children and adults alike.
teriffic book for kids who love vehicles.......1998-06-15
Both my kids love this book--a 7-year-old girl and a 5-year-old boy. The personalities of the vehicles are nicely done, and the tone isn't typical American pap. The only drawback is that all the main characters are male...The illustrations are modern and really well done without being too abstract.
3 year old son loves this book.......1998-03-31
This book contains 5 stories about cars and trucks that pass through Small Bill's garage. The pictures are big and fun for children to look at, the stories contain puns and witty names that make it fun for adults to read, and reinforce the importance of friendship and good behaiour for children listening. The stories are short, simple and pure fun.
Average customer rating:
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Smax #4 (4 of 5)
Alan Moore
Manufacturer: America's Best Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic
ASIN: B000J015T6 |
Product Description
Direct sales edition comic book published by America's Best Comics. Featuring Smax & Slinger, the cops from Alan Moore's Top 10 in a limited series set in Smax's home dimension. Book 4 of 5.
Books:
- Sophie and the Rising Sun
- Spiderweb for Two: A Melendy Maze (Melendys Family)
- Style-Architecture and Building-Art: Transformations of Architecture in the Nineteenth Century and Its Present Condition (Texts & Documents)
- Summer of Betrayal: A Novel
- Teaching Children to Read: Putting the Pieces Together (4th Edition)
- The Best Short Stories of Theodore Dreiser
- The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde
- The Dead Hour: A Novel
- The Ex Factor: A Novel
- The Flamboya Tree: Memories of a Mother's Wartime Courage
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
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- God of War II Limited Edition Strategy Guide
- Arrow's Flight
- Bridges to Infinity: The Human side of Mathematics
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- Electronic Structure: Basic Theory and Practical Methods
- Gettysburg: A Battlefield Guide
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- An Environmental History of Northeast Florida
- A Private Eyesview of World War II
The Ruined Map: A Novel
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The Box Man: A Novel
The Face of Another
The Woman in the Dunes
