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.

Average customer rating:

A wonderful dance
shadows and light
The Sphinx of Delft
The Sphinx of Delft
Observation explored, dissected, and glorified

The Dance of Geometry
Brian Howell
Manufacturer: Toby Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1902881478

Book Description

Brian Howell has masterfully interwoven three imagined episodes from the life of Johannes Vermeer. We observe the painter's own childhood and apprenticeship. We read a crime story involving an episode from the life of a modern-day `copyist', who is blackmailed into forging this masterpiece to save the woman he loves. We follow a French connoisseur who travels to Delft to visit Vermeer, only to find himself embroiled in a clandestine and deadly debate of the Painter's Guild about a new invention.

Customer Reviews:

A wonderful dance.......2006-03-26

The Dance of Geometry is a beautifully woven piece of historical fiction that examines the life and work of the Dutch artist, Johannes Vermeer, and the speculation among some experts that he used a device called a camera obscura to create the images in some of his paintings. This book is well researched and written in sharp and intelligent prose. Howell grabbed my attention at the beginning and held it until the last page. The voices of the various narrators seem amazingly accurate and capture their respective periods perfectly. There is a hint of mystery in how the story is told that gives the novel a nice narrative drive and lifts it above a mere recounting of the events in the painter's life. If you have any interest in Vermeer, this is required reading. If you don't know Vermeer's work, this novel is a great jumping off point to learn more about this fascinating Dutch Master.

shadows and light.......2004-08-23

Brian Howell's successful first book, The Dance of Geometry, is an indulgence for all of us art aficionados - those of us who have found ourselves irrevocably lost in a "story" captured on canvas, and the clandestine lives and experiences of the artists themselves.

Howell artfully interweaves three unique perspectives, offering the reader a rare glimpse into the mind and life of 17th century artistic mastermind, Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer - the artist as a child, pliable and vulnerable to influence; Vermeer as an artist in his prime; and a modern-day art copyist in quest of more than a mere replica of the Dutch artist's work. Excerpts of Vermeer's childhood and experiences which would influence his work later on in his life are melded together, further on in the plane of time, with an abstract narrative of his journey to becoming an ingenious and respected artist in later years.

The story casts shadows and light on the beautiful harmony, colour, and depth found in Vermeer's art, possibly enhanced by incorporating the use of a camera obscura, and utilization of de Vries' perspective and visual field.

The final chronicle by the modern day art copyist delving into Vermeer's work and milieu as an artist, is the final `signature' to Howell's literary work of art.

By and large, The Dance of Geometry is an engrossing piece of abstract work that is worth exploring in detail...not unlike Vermeer's own.

The Sphinx of Delft.......2004-06-15

Brian Howell's ambitious novel on the seventeenth-century Dutch genre painter Johannes Vermeer is a complex and thought provoking read. Although the author often struggles between the blending of more complex ideas, historical fact and fictional construction, the overall experience is a satisfying one. Howell takes us into the life and under the skin of the enigmatic painter. The limited biographical information on the artist presents the perfect space for conjecture which Howell readily fills. Few gaps remain in the life and after-life of Vermeer at the conclusion to the novel, as the chapters take the reader from the artist's childhood, to a period in the middle of his career as Headman of the Painter's Guild of Delft (his home town) and finally to the modern reception of his painting 'The Music Lesson' as it is copied by a contemporary artist. The multifarious questions that Howell addresses include issues of perception and reality, childhood influence, painting technique, the effect of the invention of photography and the value, both psychological and material, of a work of art. However, the danger that Howell faces in the exploration of these ideas is that his characters may remain under-developed. I would agree that this is perhaps the case on first glance; but Howell's is a novel that invites a second reading and once one has become familiar with his agenda, the characterisation shines through. Despite the reader's intimacy with Vermeer, he remains the delicate balance between familiarity and strangeness that his paintings are so often seen to possess.

The Sphinx of Delft.......2004-06-15

Observation explored, dissected, and glorified.......2003-07-13

Brian Howell has written a 'novel' that is unique on many levels and on most of those levels he is eminently successful. The concept of revealing how an artist of the stature of Vermeer developed his unique method of painting by first (Part 1), letting us hear his child's mind absorb all of the vagaries of light, visual planes, textures, and psychological feeding as young Johannes Vermeer follows his Delft family through the life of the 17th century Dutch atmosphere and training; second,(Part 2) placing us beside an outside observor recording all the intricacies of the adult and successful painter Vermeer became; and third (Part 3), bringing it all round through the tale of a 1980's painter who 'copies' paintings for a living, with all the 20th century information about art history, psychology, and the wacky weird world of business that surrounds art today. If there are stodgy sentence structures and a penchant for the academe in the first part, these are more than compensated as Howell grows into the more readable dialogue of parts two and three.

In the end, we are left with a fundamental explanation of how we, as viewers of art from any era, pass by a great painting, stop a few steps later, then return to truly enter the world the artist has left in front of our eyes and minds. Reading THE DANCE OF GEOMETRY offers insights into the techniques behind fine painting and in doing so Howell has written a 'novel' that is equally valid as a textbook on art appreciation. Well worth your time for either reason, or hopefully for both.

Book Description

The Secrets of the Shadow-Men

Magic? It's for the rich, the powerful...the Archmage and his elite wizards and cloud-masters.

Livak is not among them. She haunts the back taverns of the realm, careful to appear neither rich nor poor, neither tall nor short . . . neither man nor woman. Obscurity is her protection, thievery her livelihood, and gambling her weakness.

Alas, some bets are hard to resist. Particularly when they offer a chance to board a ship for Hadrumal, the fabled city of the Archmage. So Livak follows a minor wizard, Shiv, in an attempt to turn a rune or two, never dreaming that the stolen tankard she wants to sell contains the secrets of an ancient magic far more powerful, and infinitely darker, than any mortal mage's spells.

Customer Reviews:

Just okay (and that from a HUGE fan of fantasy).......2006-10-02

Fantasy is basically about all I read, as far as fiction is concerned. I'm entertained by almost every fantasy book I've ever read--with the exception of Thief's Gamble, and a book by Simon Brown (his Keys of Power series was excellent, but the other series he wrote STUNK).

Thief's Gamble has it's moments, but by-and-large, it doesn't flow very well. I think it would've benefited from some very aggressive editing (especially as far as structure, pacing, and how the story is told). Maybe some of her techniques worked for some people, but, at least in the way she used them, they really DIDN'T work for me: I'm referring to how she includes pages from almanacs (of the world), histories (ditto), scholarly reports, etc. The thing is, she does such a great job of making the reports as dry and boring as such a thing would be in real life, that it bores the reader to tears. You're galavanting along through the story, having a ball, and then you run into a spiked brick wall--a block of dry, irrelevant text. I started skipping over them as I found they provided no essential information and just interrupted the pacing of the story.

Even those ineffective story devices aside, I felt like the author was very adept in writing gripping scenarios (action scenes, conflict, etc.), but very poor at connecting the dots in-between--maintaining tension, those sorts of things.

When it comes right down to it, I'm the kind of fantasy fan that has a very difficult time putting down a book I'm enjoying until I'm down with it. I'll routinely read entire books in a sitting (10-12 hours), stay up all night, and so on. But, with Thief's Gamble, I found myself easily putting it down whenever anything else needed to be done: food, bathroom, sleep...even for a couple days at a time. I wouldn't even be excited about going back to it. I finally finished it, but it took me about a week, and numerous sit-downs to get through. I think that's a good indication of how entertaining it was--or wasn't.

But, as another reviewer said, I did like the cast of characters, many of the concepts and conflicts were interesting, but the story just had a tendency to meander between plot points too much. That said, I'll probably pick up the sequel just to see what the characters do...and to see if the authors writing style tightens up and improves.

It was, after all, her first book.

Excellent Read.......2006-05-19

This book was fun to read. The author tells a great story and really pulls you into the world.

Entertaining and Comfortable Fantasy.......2006-04-23

There are certain archtypes, certain characters that are among the first imagined people and/or beings that inhabit the fantasy genre's landscape. Among them is 'The Thief' most often a cocksure, smarmy and snarky Autolycus (From Xena: Warrior Princess) like characters that inspires either intense annoyance or winds up worming its way into the favorites list of a person. Juliet E. McKenna's _The Thief's Gamble_ certainly doesn't break any new grounds on the character of the thief in fantasy or the alloted list of cliche's that every fantasy writer has stapled to their moniter when writing them, but what she does do she does RIGHT.

The tale is the first in a series of five or six novels in the "Tales of Einarinn" series, while the each novel could be stand alone in itself, it can also be viewed as a self-contained easy footstep into the next novel in the series. The tale follows three different narratives, the first from the novels protagonist;Livak, the second from the P.O.V of the Wizards of Hadrumal, specifically the Archmage and the three wizards closest to him, the third being from a rather self important and amusing wizard Casuel. What McKenna does with the novel is tricksey but she manages to pull it off easily and handles the complex plot threads expertly. This novel however, is not one to be lightly read as differentiating viewpoints, names and places can easily become confused in the readers mind. Especially the introduction scene of the wizards of Hadrumal as McKenna tries to introduce what the Wizard is a Wizard of as well as associating their name and a bit of description for each character. This is the most awkward scene of an otherwise entertaining and fun novel. McKenna's language is mature without being overly purpled and pretentious and easy to follow without being childish. Each character has their own distinctive voice and takes the reader headlong into the ornate and interesting world she has created.

The tale all revolves around the Wizards of Hadrumal (specifically the Archmage and his three companions) trying in vain to discover the lost and powerful magics that wizards once had during the reign of a mighty (and Roman like) Empire that once ruled the continent, now a self contained and important nation in the south. The lost magics might be discovered by memories and imprints left over in the everyday and important items left over by citizens of said long departed Empire (Wizards and Mages included). Willing to pay good coin for these objects of the Lost Empire, the Wizards of Hadrumal traverse around the landscape by collecting donations and buying up items formerly belonging to the Empire. However not all owners are willing to give up their items and this is where Livak comes in, an expert thief and intriguing herione. Livak's view point is the only one in the novel that is written in first person while the other two narratives are written in third person. First person is usually a deterrent to some readers but McKenna handles this brilliantly as Livak is an observant and amusing herione who manages to to be likeable and easy to follow. Indeed she was this readers favorite view point to follow along with. When Livak tries to sell off a stolen item of the empire to the wizard collectors and an agent of the Archmage, she's easily caught in is insnared in the movements of the Archmage and also the secretive movements of some mysterious people who seem to not want the Archmage to discover these hidden magics. From there the plot grows more complex and intricate turning back on itself resolving in an interesting and non the less satisfying conclusion that was, as said: self contained and could easily be the last book a reader reads in this series or merely the first in a longer series. While Livak was this readers favorite view point, the Archmage's and his companions as well as Casuel are all interesting in their own right. Casuel's amusing arrogance and natch for slight bad luck may seem like deterrents to readers but Casuel himself and his young charge are amusing characters and enduring in their own way.

McKenna's first novel while may suffer in some slight rough spots as almost any first novel does, she does however continue on an interesting and likeable path as fun and comfortable fantasy for fantasy fans. One can casually read the novel (aside from the introduction scene with the Archmage, less they be lost) as a fun in between whilst waiting for a new novel in their favorite series. A definite reccomendation for fantasy fans.

Entertaining Casual Read.......2005-09-25

As other reviewers have said, the plot of this book is nothing like the description on the book itself. In my opinion, that's a good thing. The book described on the back is seriously in danger of falling into a "too cute by half" trap. The actual novel is a bit more serious. Main characters die. The heroes aren't invincible. But in the end everything is still wrapped up in a neat little package, while leaving room for the inevitable sequel.

Some reviewers found the change in perspective from one chapter to another jarring, and a more experienced writer could have found a way to move the plot along without the "back and forth" to other characters. A tighter focus on the main character Livak would probably have improved the book. I could certainly have done without the comic sub-plot entirely. But i found the characters of Planir and Otrick entertaining and think the book would have lost some charm without them. More of them would probably have made the book better, although it would require more shift from first person to third person narrative which others found so disturbing.

It's nice that the author includes relationships among the characters that move beyond the "brothers in arms" comraderie or "me good, you evil" approach typical of most fantasy novels. These characters fall in love, form relationships, and don't always get along with each other. Just like real people.

It's not a great novel, but it is a fun read and an engaging bit of fantasy fluff. A good choice for anyone looking for a beach or commute novel. Nothing terribly demanding, just good fantasy fun.

A summer read.......2005-08-17

This is a typical fantasy tale based in its own world with wizards and warriors and of course thieves. It's a pretty decent read telling the story of a female thief who gets involved in a wizard's business and ends up in an adventure that's not exactly like the stories tell them.

It's a nice summer read and it was good enough to make me consider buying the next part. There's not too much deep involvement with the characters but the story itself it quite capturing. It's her first book so I guess it will get better from here on.

If you just want an in-between read while waiting for your favourite author(s) to publish something new and (of course) like fantasy/adventure novels then this is a good pick.

Average customer rating:

The Thief's Gamble
Juliet E. McKenna
Manufacturer: Harper Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0739407341

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The Thief's Gamble
McKenna Juliet
Manufacturer: Time Warner Books UK
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Thief's Gamble
Juliet E. McKenna
Manufacturer: EOS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OEZH14

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THIEF'S GAMBLE (EINARINN, NO 1)
JULIET E. MCKENNA
Manufacturer: Avon Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000RI7M38

The Thief's Gamble : The First Tale of Einarinn

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The Thief's Gamble : The First Tale of Einarinn
Juliet E. McKenna
Manufacturer: Orbit
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000NUEGHA

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