Book Description
An extraordinary collection which reminds us how great a talent Dreiser was.He has no peer in the American short story....Among the moderns, there is almost no one capable of writing tales like these. --Howard Fast
Book Description
The Assassin King opens with the arrival of a mysterious hunter, a man of ancient race and purpose, who endlessly chants the names of the pantheon of demons that are his intended victims, as well as one other: Ysk, the original name of Achmed, the Assassin King of Ylorc. At the same moment, two gatherings of great import are taking place. The first is a convocation of dragons, who gather in a primeval forest gladethe site of the horrific ending of Llauron, one of the last of their kind. They mourn not only his irrevocable death, but also the loss of the lore and control over the Earth itself that it represents. The second gathering is a council of war: Ashe and Rhapsody, rulers of the alliance that protects the Middle Continent; Gwydion, the new Duke of Navarne; Anborn, the Lord Marshall; Achmed, the King of Ylorc, and Grunthor, his Sergeant-Major. Each brings news that form the pieces of a great puzzle. And as each piece is added it becomes quite clear: War is coming, the likes of which the world has never known.
Customer Reviews:
Wait for the paperback.......2007-08-21
Unless your collecting the series in hardback just wait for the paperback with this one. It is written as well as the others and introduces one interesting character but at less than 400 pages there just isn't much to it. As it is a cliff hanger it is a must read but don't blow hardback money on it.
3 years wait for under 400 pages? Ridiculous!.......2007-05-30
The Bad: This book was obviously put out prematurely due to a deadline being long overdue. After a 3 year wait we get an unfinished book that's way to small. I can understand breaking the story off without finishing if your into 1000 plus pages, but to not finish a book that's only 400 pages is a disgrace. I am very upset that I paid over 20 dollars for this book.
The Good: I like the story and I am only so upset because I feel this book didn't do the overall story justice since it was cut short.
A frustrating read (but in a GOOD way!).......2007-05-03
I fell in love with Rhapsody, Achmed, and Grunthor in the first trilogy. I didn't enjoy the next books as much. But, I found my self really enjoying THIS book.
YES, it clearly is setting up the next book. But, I feel it did it in a reasonable way, and it really contributed to the overall story and character building.
I say it was frustrating to read because of how many bad things happen to the good people and how many good things happen to the bad ones. I REALLY got into it. And, so it was frustrating to see how close the good guys would come to success but not quite be able to reach it. [sigh].
But, that's why I say it was frustrating in a GOOD way. I'm totally involved -- invested -- in the outcome.
I'm very much looking forward to the next book and hope it comes sooner rather than later.
Great new installment.......2007-03-30
This book is definitely worth the read for those following The Symphony of Ages series. Some of the new authors who have attempted to write a series that equals the greatness of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time or Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth, tend to loose their audience after two or three books because they can't hold a strong storyline. Haydon continues to write captivating plotlines complete with interesting characters. I was kind of glad that Ashe and Rhapsody are more separate in this book, though, because their love life can sometimes draw away from the power of the story. All in all, this is a great new installment to Haydon series and definitely worth the read even though it is too short! I felt like it was over too quickly. I can't wait until the next one!
Dissapointed Yet Still Intrigued?.......2007-03-25
After anticipating this book for 2 years, I will say I am dissapointed. While Haydon's characterization and fluid writting remain enchanting as ever I could not help but feel I was being grounded with facts rather than reading an enjoyable story.
The overall feeling of this book is that its only purpose was to prepare you for the sequel and, while there is a need to develop the plot and input the information you will need for the next book, I felt there could have been more meat to this book than there was, instead of just a casual glaze over the information. Many key points were left without much depth and only a few pages of writing, although this isn't to say that many important and emotional peaks won't be met, especially were Achmed is concerned. Important wheels begin to turn here, yet, as already noted near the end the book it begins to feel that those wheels are the only thing that's in it.
As discouraging as it is, the general page volume of the books has declined since Requiem of the Sun and I can only hope that with the next book of the series (of which there are 9 in total) will come a revitilization of the overall symphony.
Don't give up just yet! The way the characters are protrayed and the feeling of the world still remain consistent and rich, if rushed, and I am still optomistic that this is only the lull in the storm. As with many great series, it is hardest to pull of the middle/transition book and I still believe Haydon did a fair job at it.
Just remember, a writer doesn't write for her fans. She writes for the beauty of writing and the integrity of the story. As long as these things remain true, I believe this story will finish as a masterpiece.
Lupus
Customer Reviews:
good jobq.......2006-02-17
makes u think about the whole thing. i haven't finished it yet but it has gotten my attention. i am drawn in. very well written informative and shows a different side to the story.
Average customer rating:
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Tennessee Waltz: The Making of a Political Prisoner
James Earl Ray
Manufacturer: Spencer Judd Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Criminology | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books | AIDS | Abuse | Adults | Aging | Children | Class | Communities | Culture | Death | General | History | Leisure | Marriage & Family | Medicine | Men | Occupational | Race Relations | Religion | Research & Measurement | Rural | Social Groups | Social Situations | Social Theory | Suburban | Urban | Women
King, Martin Luther | ( K ) | People, A-Z | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Luther, Martin | ( L ) | People, A-Z | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0911805079 |
Book Description
F. Tupper Saussy's edition of the astonishing autobiography of James Earl Ray. This important historical document laid the foundation for an authentic but unofficial jury's verdict of Ray's innocence of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King. Contains the shocking and highly acclaimed Afterword by editor Saussy, "The Politics of Witchcraft." First edition. A treasure for serious collectors.
Average customer rating:
- There's been a MURDER! (Assassin)
- Lady Grace Assasin
- Fantastic... Best Book Ever
- Lady Grace by Phebers
- A Chilling Mystery!
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Assassin (Lady Grace Mysteries)
Grace Lady Cavendish
Manufacturer: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Europe | Fiction | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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Renaissance | Fiction | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
General | Literature | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Mysteries, Espionage, & Detectives | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Literature | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0385731515
Release Date: 2004-09-28 |
Book Description
WHEN MARGARET CAVENDISH, one of Elizabeth I’s Gentlewomen of the Bedchamber, lost her life in a bungled attempt to kill the Queen, her daughter, Lady Grace, became a protégée to the monarch, who takes Grace under her wing. Now Grace, a spunky girl who romps through the gardens with the laundry maids and court tumblers and rolls her eyes at her fellow
ladies, chronicles the court intrigues that swirl around her. . . .
It’s the spring of 1569 and 13-year-old Lady Grace, the youngest lady-in-waiting to the Queen, finds herself at a glittering ball choosing amongst three suitors. But the Queen’s generosity turns deadly as threats, dark secrets, and even murder descend on the Tudor court. And it is up to Grace to use her intelligence, stealth, and curious nature to solve the mystery that threatens the very lifeblood of England.
Customer Reviews:
There's been a MURDER! (Assassin).......2007-03-23
Do you like murder mysteries? If the answer is yes than this is the book for you. This book starts slow in 1533 with13 year old Grace in her bedroom writing in her journal. On the night of her Valentines Day ball she sees a sight no child should ever see. The next day she is forced to figure out who murdered one of her suitors. I give this book 4 stars because it is exciting and unpredictable.
-Acacia
Lady Grace Assasin.......2007-01-26
Lady Grace is a brilliant mystery book and it keeps you on the edge of your chair right the way through. It is a diary and its about a maid of onner and she works for the queen but that is not it.There is a mystery in evry book and lady Grace goes under cover to try and find out who did it. It is set a long time a go and she goes to the extrem. Her friends masu and ellie try and come with her but sometimes they are in trouble.
this is a brilliant book and I advise reading it. i cant wait till the next one comes out as i am a big fan and have read all the books so far.
Fantastic... Best Book Ever.......2006-11-30
this book is a fantastic novel that is not to short but not to long if you like mystries and blood shed this is the book for you.
Also the other books in the series are also fantastic and i would reccomend the books to 10 and above as it does have words that are hard to understand as i started to read them when i was 9.
Basicly to cut it all short ABSOLUTLY FANTASTICLY GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lady Grace by Phebers .......2006-11-26
This book was captavating! I absolutely could not put it down! The very first sentance swept me away to a place far back in time, where mystery and drama in the World's finest court, the court of Enhgland, unfold. Lady Grace's brave heart must choose between being the ideal "little lady" (that Lady Sarah!) or being herself, helping her friends, and being loyal to the queen. When malicious mischief strikes, disguises unfold, death enters the court. When her engaged fiance is convicted for a murder he did not do, Lady Grace must uncover the truth. Could it all be a scheme to steal the lavish estates of the Cavendish's? This book is one of the best!
A Chilling Mystery!.......2006-09-21
I loved this book! It's very exciting and it has a lot of history from that time.
Lady Grace Cavendish is a Maid of Honor for Queen Elizabeth. The Queen offers her three suitors to pick from to marry later. Then, one suitor is murdered and another is under suspicion.
It's very exciting and easy to get through!
Product Description
Multiple books shipped as one item for your convenience. Save on Shipping/Handling charges.
Average customer rating:
- Four Connected and Simultaneous Narratives
- An excellent story but unnecessarily complicated
- amazing how Atwood manages to tie together every last strang
- my favorite love story
- The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
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The Blind Assassin
Margaret Atwood
Manufacturer: HarperCollins Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0007154747 |
Amazon.com
The Blind Assassin is a tale of two sisters, one of whom dies under ambiguous circumstances in the opening pages. The survivor, Iris Chase Griffen, initially seems a little cold-blooded about this death in the family. But as Margaret Atwood's most ambitious work unfolds--a tricky process, in fact, with several nested narratives and even an entire novel-within-a-novel--we're reminded of just how complicated the familial game of hide-and-seek can be:
What had she been thinking of as the car sailed off the bridge, then hung suspended in the afternoon sunlight, glinting like a dragonfly, for that one instant of held breath before the plummet? Of Alex, of Richard, of bad faith, of our father and his wreckage; of God, perhaps, and her fatal, triangular bargain.
Meanwhile, Atwood immediately launches into an excerpt from Laura Chase's novel, The Blind Assassin, posthumously published in 1947. In this double-decker concoction, a wealthy woman dabbles in blue-collar passion, even as her lover regales her with a series of science-fictional parables. Complicated? You bet. But the author puts all this variegation to good use, taking expert measure of our capacity for self-delusion and complicity, not to mention desolation. Almost everybody in her sprawling narrative manages to--or prefers to--overlook what's in plain sight. And memory isn't much of a salve either, as Iris points out: "Nothing is more difficult than to understand the dead, I've found; but nothing is more dangerous than to ignore them." Yet Atwood never succumbs to postmodern cynicism, or modish contempt for her characters. On the contrary, she's capable of great tenderness, and as we immerse ourselves in Iris's spliced-in memoir, it's clear that this buttoned-up socialite has been anything but blind to the chaos surrounding her. --Darya Silver
Book Description
Winner of the Booker Prize 2000, The Blind Assassin is a spellbinding novel that spans the decades between the First World War and the present, offering the sweep of an epic and the intimate focus of a family drama.
For the past twenty-five years, Margaret Atwood has written works of striking originality and imagination. In The Blind Assassin, she stretches the limits of her accomplishments as never before, creating a novel that is entertaining and profoundly serious.
The novel opens with these simple, resonant words: "Ten days after the war ended, my sister drove a car off the bridge." They are spoken by Iris, whose terse account of her sister Laura's death in 1945 is followed by an inquest report proclaiming the death accidental. But just as the reader expects to settle into Laura's story, Atwood introduces a novel-within-a- novel. Entitled The Blind Assassin, it is a science fiction story told by two unnamed lovers who meet in dingy backstreet rooms. When we return to Iris, it is through a 1947 newspaper article announcing the discovery of a sailboat carrying the dead body of her husband, a distinguished industrialist.
Told in a style that magnificently captures the colloquialisms and clichés of the 1930s and 1940s, The Blind Assassin is a richly layered and uniquely rewarding experience. The novel has many threads and a series of events that follow one another at a breathtaking pace. As everything comes together, readers will discover that the story Atwood is telling is not only what it seems to be—but, in fact, much more.
Download Description
"Told in a style that magnificently captures the colloquialisms and cliches of the 1930s and 1940s, The Blind Assassin is a richly layered and uniquely rewarding experience Opening with a terse account of her sister Laura's death in 1945, it is followed by an inquest report proclaiming the death accidental. But just as the reader expects to settle into Laura's story, Atwood introduces a novel-within-a- novel, a science fiction story told by two unnamed lovers who meet in dingy backstreet rooms. With many threads and a series of events that follow one another at a breathtaking pace, everything comes together and readers discover that the story Atwood is telling is not only what it seems to be--but, in fact, much more."
Customer Reviews:
Four Connected and Simultaneous Narratives.......2007-09-13
The main story is about two sisters living in rural Ontario, and the marriage of one sister to an older and wealthy business man in Toronto.
Anyone who has read Dickens will have a certain déjà vu feeling here as we see strong traces of Dickens's famous characters Edward Murdstone and Jane Murdstone among Atwood's four protagonists. The characters in that novel, "David Copperfield," were an older brother and sister duo (the Murdstones) who dominated two younger people. They were bound together by a marriage, i.e.: the two younger and poorer people were David Copperfield and his mother, and she married Edward. That is the essence of Atwood's story here. It is about two sisters, Iris and Laura, and Iris marries an older man, and the story revolves about the two young sisters and the older "Murdstone like" duo. The older brother and sister team try to impose their will on the sisters.
Margaret Atwood, born in 1939, is a modern novelist, a poet, and a literary critic. She is best known in her native Canada as an award winning writer and as a socialist feminist activist, but she has recently blossomed late in her career and gained wider fame solely for her writing skills which include interesting short stories and novels. Atwood made the leap from a regional Canadian feminist writer to international fame and acceptance with the winning of the Booker prize in 2000 for The Blind Assassin after four previous short list trips. So, the present work is a key work for Atwood.
This is a key novel for Atwood. Interestingly, both her fans and her critics are right. The novel is interesting and it is entertaining but it is far too complicated and it has a total of four plots or narratives. The first 50 pages are a bit of a literary swamp as Atwood tries only partially successfully to launch the four stories simultaneously using bits of story plus formal announcements. After 75 pages or so, she settles down and it is primarily one story about two sisters and their growing up between the wars, and the marriage of Iris. The novel becomes a lot easier to understand and enjoy as that story takes over the novel. The plots become transparent about page 300 and by page 500 Atwood is doing a summary clean up.
I enjoyed the book, and thought it would have been a lot better without the frequent jumping between stories. It gets to the point where it is sometimes a distraction, and one tends to skip over plots that are less interesting. I thought the whole "Blind Assassin" subplot was not that interesting.
Overall, this is an interesting 525 page novel that takes two evenings to read. I rececommend the novel, but Atwood could do better. Simpler would be better. The book as a whole is a bit of a mess, but the heart of the book, which is the story of the Chase sisters is excellent and worth 5 stars.
An excellent story but unnecessarily complicated.......2007-09-10
The story of the Chase/Griffin families was riveting. The author's descriptions and characterizations were first class. I particularly liked how the characters of Winifred and Richard were depicted. I also enjoyed her subtle humour throughout.
However the crafting of the story was far too complicated for my taste, moving back and forth in time at random. Neither did I care for those fictional stories that the couple indulged in.
But this book is tremendously rich and I would recommend it.
amazing how Atwood manages to tie together every last strang.......2007-09-03
I love Atwood's books, but this one in particular is pure genius. A book so intricate, so tightly woven! I admit that the beginning was quite slow going, but around page 182 the book took off and the payoff was so worth it. Everything around me disappeared while I was reading this book.
I feel like I might want to read it again to capture everything that I missed.
I highly recommend!
my favorite love story.......2007-08-28
This could be my favorite book, perhaps ever. It's a love story. It's an amazingly clever concoction of words. It's science fiction, and it's a feminist novel. I don't know of any other book that is all these things wrapped up in one. Most of all, though, it is a love story, and an incredibly touching one.
I think to truly enjoy this book, it must be read twice - once to figure out what's going on, what happened, and then at least once more to enjoy the words and the story without the suspense, and to wish it had ended differently.
The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood.......2007-07-21
The Blind Assassin is the type of novel that my English professors would have assigned to me if I was a college student right now. This book encompasses everything my forward-minded professors adored in modern literature: complicated plots, creative storytelling, literary allusions, feminist implications, symbolism and foreshadowing - all wrapped up into a neat yet complex package.
For the non-collegiate reader, The Blind Assassin has a lot to offer too. It's got a little romance, a bit of a Gothic tendency and a sci-fi tale all woven into one. It's not surprising that The Blind Assassin is so widely read and the recipient of prestigious awards.
For this reader, I enjoyed the book's story-within-the story style. The majority of the story is written from Iris's perspective - a woman born of privilege whose loveless marriage and complicated relationship with her father and sister lead her into the arms of a lover. The second story is a fictional book "written" by Iris's sister, Laura. It features a nameless man and woman as they sneak around to hide their affair. Their time together was spent making love and creating a story about a far-away race of aliens. To be honest, I could have done without the sci-fi element. I wonder why it was even included except to show some symbolism. Writers of less ability than Atwood would not have been able to pull it off, but to her credit, she did.
Overall, I enjoyed The Blind Assassin. It definitely piqued my interest in Margaret Atwood's other works. Based on this book, I can see why she has earned such literary praise and is the favorite writer of many avid readers. I just wonder if Atwood, at the top of her game, produced The Blind Assassin robotically - its literary conventions are almost too perfect; the story, predictable; and the ending, done before. Perhaps that's the magic of the whole thing - and a grand show of force from a writer who can do it all.
Average customer rating:
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The deadly dove (Armed Services edition)
Rufus King
Manufacturer: Editions for the Armed Services
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | Classics | Comic | Contemporary | Literary
ASIN: B0007HDYVS |
Average customer rating:
- Looking for adventure?
- synopsis
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King's Assassin
Juli Enn
Manufacturer: PublishAmerica
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1424119677
Release Date: 2006-05-30 |
Book Description
The King's assassin and daughter, Alendrea, is sent on a covert mission to obtain a charismatic painter's secrets. She learns not only Callin's secrets, but also some fundamental truths about life in the process. She begins to question all that she has been trained to believe and steadily grows to accept the painter's truths as her own. Alendrea finds herself and the love of friends she never had within her father's fortress walls. After reluctantly delivering the last of the young painter's secrets to her father and king, she finds herself caught between her father's ideals and her own ideals and newfound loyalties. In the end she must choose between the easy path of doing King Avelec's bidding or to hold to the ideals she has accepted for herself despite the seemingly impossible obstacles she would have to face in order to save those and the country she loves, the cost of her own life at stake.
Customer Reviews:
Looking for adventure?.......2006-09-07
The king's assassin is an enjoyable flight to fantasy sweeping you into a world of intrigue with spirited adventure, creative plot, and clever insight. An imaginative tale with resourceful thought. It is a captivating experience that will propel the reader through the pages and leave you delightfully satisfied at the end. I look forward to seeing where this writer's imagination will take me next.
synopsis.......2006-06-29
As I would hold bias of the product, this is not a review but rather a synopsis so one will have a bit more information beyond the title of the book:
The king's assassin and daughter, Alendrea, is sent on a covert mission to obtain a charismatic painter's secrets. She learns not only Callin's secrets but also some fundamental truths about life in the process. She begins to question all that she has been trained to believe and steadily grows to accept the painter's truths as her own. Alendrea finds herself and the love of friends she never had within her father's fortress walls. After reluctantly delivering the last of the young painter's secrets to her father and king, she finds herself caught between her father's ideals and her own ideals and newfound loyalties. In the end she must choose between the easy path of doing King Avelec's bidding or to hold to the ideals she has accepted for herself, despite the seemingly impossible obstacles she would have to face in order to save those and the country she loves, the cost of her own life at stake.
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