The Strength of the Sun: A Novel

Average customer rating:

What happened?

Well Done

who was the "man"

Excellent writing but lacks clear conclusion

The Strength of the Sun: A Novel
Catherine Chidgey
Manufacturer: Picador
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0312421168
Release Date: 2005-04-14

Book Description

"[Chidgey] has written an elegant, connect-the-dots novel, in which each step the characters make toward one another proves emotionally treacherous."--The New Yorker

When Colette receives a letter from The Friends of Patrick Mercer about a man lying unconscious in a hospital on the other side of the world, she has no idea who the man might be. Why is she being written to? Patrick Mercer lies hospitalized in England, attempting to reconstruct his life through memory, dreams, and the inspiration of his treasured illuminated manuscripts. And half a world away, Colette is adjusting to new classes, a new apartment, a new job, all while the mysterious "Patrick" letters that keep arriving.

Customer Reviews:

What happened?.......2006-07-23

I enjoyed this book. The writing is captivating. Chidgey wrote a very intriguing novel, so intriguing that I read to the end to find out if Patrick Mercer was a murderer, but to no avail. I felt like there were clues that this was the case, but never any clear connection between Patrick and the missing girl. Do any other readers agree with my theory?

Well Done.......2003-03-22

The Strength of the Sun is a well-told tale with interconnecting stories filled with characters whose lives unwittingly overlap. Everyone's life essentially changes to take a different path, the day of a solar eclipse and Chidgey uses the imagery of the sun very well throughout the novel. There are two sort of nagging questions in the novel. The first concerns Colette, a young woman who keeps receiving mysterious letters about the recuperation the friends of a man in England. Colette is intrigued, as the reader will be. The second concerns the mysterious disappearance, years earlier, of Laura, the teenage daughter of Malcolm and Ruth-who have hired Colette to watch their young son. This novel is a quick read-but it's not light by any stretch of the imagination. Just a pleasant, thoughtful novel. Enjoy.

who was the "man".......2003-03-12

This book keeps you guessing from the start to the end we don't know if the characters live happily everafter. Good developement and an easy read. Now for my question! Who was the "man" and what was his brilliant plan? I just didn't get it, even after re-reading his part 10 times. can anyone help!!

Excellent writing but lacks clear conclusion.......2003-01-12

The Strength of the Sun is a beautifully written book with a message about the desire people have to "connect" with each other. The story lines are nicely interwoven, and the two mysteries (how Colette knows the injured Patrick, and what happened to Ruth and Malcolm's missing daughter) are compelling. I enjoyed trying to figure out how these separate stories were going to come together. Chidgey's repeated uses of the metaphors of the sun, fire, and mirrors are well crafted. Furthermore, the book is short enough that it can be read in a single day, which is gratifying because the main characters are so likeable and I wanted to know what happened to them.

This desire to know what happened to the characters leads to my only real issue with this book: it does not seem to come to any conclusion. I was left feeling that the characters were stranded in a place much like that in which they started. While they are wiser in some ways, and one of the mysteries is solved, the other is left open for the reader to guess what will happen. Also - and I realize this is probably a silly concern - one character constantly refers to "Meccano." Not knowing what this is (other than possibly some form of Legos), I wish Chidgey had described its physical characteristics a little better, but I suppose that knowing that it is a form of interconnected blocks is enough to get her point.

Ultimately, the book is a good read.

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Spirit-breaking history; Novel captures intense suffering, strength of pair of Afghani women.(Books): An article from: Winnipeg Free Press
Gale Reference Team
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000TJ082W
Release Date: 2007-07-11

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Winnipeg Free Press, published by Thomson Gale on July 8, 2007. The length of the article is 868 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.

Citation Details
Title: Spirit-breaking history; Novel captures intense suffering, strength of pair of Afghani women.(Books)
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication: Winnipeg Free Press (Magazine/Journal)
Date: July 8, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Page: F4

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

The streets of New York have erupted in celebration of Wild Card Day -- the annual event held every September 15th to remember the dead and cherish the living. It is a day for fireworks and street fairs and parades, for political rallies and memorial banquets, for drinking and fighting in the alleys. With each passing year, the festivities become larger and more fevered. And this year -- 1986, the fortieth anniversary -- promises to be the biggest and best Wild Card Day ever. The media and tourists have discovered the celebration, and taverns and restaurants expect record-setting business.

But lurking in the background is a twisted genius who cares nothing for fun and festivity. The Astronomer has only one concern: destruction...

Customer Reviews:

Super Reader.......2007-08-04

The repercussions of the battle with The Astronomer continue in Jokers Wild. It is the fortieth anniversary of the release of the Wild Card Virus (scientically known as Xenovirus Takis-A), and The Astronomer is out for blood.

Fortunato is his main target, being his most powerful opponent and directly responsible for his previous defeat. He recruits killers, including Demise, and a woman that kills men with poontang, to start taking out his enemies.

A different approach.......2005-11-14

Last night I finished reading Joker's Wild, the third installment in the Wildcards series.

Joker's Wild reads a bit differently than the first two books of the series, in that instead of a collection of related short stories, this book reads like a regular novel. At the end of the book they have credits stating who wrote and invented what character, and each chapter is divided up into sections, so I'm guessing that each author wrote a "section" pertaining to one of their characters. It may be my untrained eye, or the fact that I was so into the subject matter, but I had a hard time telling the authors apart in this book. As I said, it read like a novel, but it was also quite a page turner, so I was swept up in the story most of the time, and perhaps not paying enough attention to the techniques of each particular section.

The plot centers around the Wild Card Day celebrations in New York City in 1986. I can't really get much deeper into it than that, because I don't want to add spoilers, but I really enjoyed the story. It spans a little more than 24 hours, but there is a ton of action and intrugue in that twenty-four hour span. As I said, I found myself swept up in the story many times, and can't really think of a part that I didn't enjoy.

All of the best known aces appear in this book, but we learn more about some of the jokers as well. I found myself watching the line between joker and ace blur in this book; for example, the character of Spector (aka Demise) is a big part of this book, but at times I could see how his power would be considered an ace power, but to others it would definately be seen as a joker. A deadly one, but still unwanted. Incedentally, I really like the character of Spector. He's very interesting and well written.

At times I found the focus on sex a bit much. Yes, I understand that Fortunato's tantric power relies on sexual energy, but we also have sexual murderers, sexual ice sculptures, old aces wanting to have sex with young aces, etc. I'm not a prude, but it was a bit much at times.

Other than that, this was a very satisfying addition to the Wildcards series. Now if I can just get my hands on the next book....

Solid stuff from Martin et al..........2004-04-20

The third book in the "Wild Cards" series by George R.R. Martin (editor), this is a "shared world" series, where various authors get together and write in the same world. The world is one where an alien virus was dumped into the air shortly after WWII, and still randomly infects people nearly forty years later.

The virus - called the Wild Card for its very random results - proliferated in earth's atmosphere. First, nine in ten people who contract the Wild Card virus "draw the Queen of Spades," and die. Of the survivors, nine in ten people "draw a Joker," and end up hideously disfigured. Of the non-Joker survivors, some draw a "deuce," and get a power or ability that's pretty much useless ("I can change my hair colour at will!"), but many who survive as non-jokers "draw an Ace," and gain super-powers. The massively telekinetic Turtle, the projective teleporter Popinjay (who I really liked in this book), the any-lizard shapeshifter Kid Dinosaur - these are some of the Aces. They're solid, fun to read, and quite well drafted.

This story all takes place in one day, and the novel is very well sewn together (especially given the different tones and styles of the various authors) and has a very complicated and complex interwoven plot. Kudos to Martin for wrapping it up so well.

This forty years later is the anniversary and what is likely to be the largest "Wild Card Day" celebration ever - except one recurring villain is using this day to kill off all the Aces who bested him in the previous books... Who will survive?

As Martin is well known for in his "A Song of Fire and Ice" series - there are no holds barred in these books - heroes die. And horribly. Very solid stuff.

'Nathan

A pleasant surprise.......2003-02-02

As a huge fan of Martin's SONG OF ICE AND FIRE series, I too picked up some of his older work. The WILD CARDS series was a pleasant surprise. The series has an interesting concept, and good writers participating (esp Roger Zelazny, who's Sleeper-character stole my heart).

The WILD CARDS stories are all different, dealing with different times and storylines, but they are without failing interesting and original. Some of the stories had me secretly wiping away some tears (the Turtle, Golden Boy), others had me chuckling (the Sleeper)or reading with my heart in my throat (Fortunato).

In retrospect, the first two books were a setup for the grand happenings of Book 3, when all hell bursts loose on Wild Card Day. I loved the way the stories were weaved together in JOKERS WILD, where everything seemed to come together. It had a superb story/tension arc, and the characterization was without failing very well done.

I have only read the first three books so far, but I'm definitely keeping an eye out for other installments of this series.

I give the authors involved a big thumbs up for an original project like this!

Fans of GRRM need not apply.......2002-03-01

My reason for writing this review is the others have missed the mark by a mile. They are all fans of George R.R. Martain's other more fantasy oriented work. This series is wildly removed from them. Of the entire line the 1st three are the absolute best. Only the 3rd book is realy one compleat story. The 1st 2 books are a collection of short stories. This simple fact seems to have escaped all the other reviewers. After words the series slowly degrades, as they all do, but there are still gems. It never gets bad just average at worst. If you are a fan of comic book heros and want to see a very well executed, realistic look at them this is the place to be. Now if they would just relase some new ones and get Allen Moore to write a story.

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A Twisted Fantasy Story Well Worth The Read
Great little book!
Heed the call of the wild!
Dark Joker: The Wild never ceases to entertain.

Batman: Dark Joker the Wild
Doug Moench , and Kelly Jones
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1563891409

Customer Reviews:

A Twisted Fantasy Story Well Worth The Read.......2005-12-26

Simply put, Elseworlds graphic novels take familiar comic book characters and place them in altered realities. Here, we have Batman and his diabolical enemy, The Joker, in "The Wild". The Wild is a place of sorcery and mystical legends. The "Dark Joker" is a maniacal wizard set out to obtain an ancient power and reign in all of his madness over the people. The "Bat-man" is a winged creature-like humanoid that, through his bloodline, is destined to protect The Wild from the Joker and his evil army of barbaric followers. And though the line between good and evil can at times be blurred, these foes are determined to do what they've come to accomplish.

Elseworlds comics are obviously a lot of fun, as pretty much every rule is thrown out the window and the only limit is the writer's and artist's imagination. While I don't believe Batman: Dark Joker - The Wild is even as good as most normal Batman vs Joker stories set in the classic Gotham City, I do believe that it stands well on its own as quite an interesting piece of work. It takes everything we love about the two characters and warps it into a gruesome yet often times poetic story. Through both the writing and the artwork, there seems to be an underlying beauty beneath the brutality. It's not extremely hard to follow, but the graphic violence and dark themes are certainly unsuitable for children. And that's one thing that really drives it home. No mercy. This is a pure, to-the-core battle between two iconic characters in a world full of a strange yet engaging atmosphere. All in all, it's definitely worth a purchase for any true fan of Batman and/or the Joker.

Great little book!.......2005-03-02

Da Boyz first outting, as Mr. Jones was doing covers for Knightfall, etc., and in between Red Rain and its sequel. Beatty adds dimension to Jones' pencils, much like Bob Layton did with MD Bright, Bob Wiacek did with Kev Hopgood and Terry Austin with John Byrne.

It was a little tough to believe the Dark Joker didn't try opening the cask with the methods he uses AFTER the 20 years past when he first got it, but it's a minor beef.

And the writing...Doug Moench was and is one of the greatest writers out there, very imaginative and just...great. I can't think of any other adjectives!

Pick it up!

Heed the call of the wild!.......2000-05-11

Batman: Dark Joker, is one of the greatest Batman/Esleworld titles ever published, it is basically Batman set in a dark fantasy world, the art by Jim Kelly is without paralell. Buy this book now! Peace.

Dark Joker: The Wild never ceases to entertain........1999-06-06

Dark Joker: The Wild features the unstoppable team of Doug Moench, Kelley Jones, and John Beatty. Da Boyz weave a tale of an Elseworlds reality in which the Joker is a powerful sorcerer,the Bat-Man is a demonic brute, and the two are on an inevitable collision course with each other. We also get to see a midieval Jim Gordon as the mayor of a small village terrorized by the Dark Joker. I recommend this graphic novel; it entertains you all the way. To my knowledge, this is also the first project on which Moench, Jones, and Beatty worked together on. That's another reason to pick it up.

Jim Carrey: The Joker is Wild: The Trials and Triumphs of Jim Carrey

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A joy
Surviving Through Poverty
The Review
If you like good writing . . .
The REAL Jim Carrey

Jim Carrey: The Joker is Wild: The Trials and Triumphs of Jim Carrey
Martin Knelman
Manufacturer: Firefly Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1552095355

Book Description

This is the absorbing, touching story of a lonely boy from a troubled family who found the secret of making people laugh - and dreamed of becoming a comedy star.

When Jim Carrey's father (himself a frustrated performer) lost his job, the whole homeless family was enlisted to work as night cleaners at a factory in exchange for lodging in a strange suburb. Scrubbing washrooms by night turned Jim Carrey into a desperate and angry school dropout, and made Jim determined to succeed in a new life.

Jim developed a series of celebrity impressions that led to his comedy club breakthrough when he was 19. But his drive for the big time took him to Los Angeles, where he scuffled in comedy clubs and then landed a role in the hip TV series "In Living Color." That paved the way for a phenomenal movie breakthrough with the surprise hit "Ace Ventura", "Pet Detective." More hits followed: "Mask," "Dumb and Dumber" and "Liar, Liar."

Now, after his dramatic performance in "The Truman Show," Jim Carrey's career is taking an intriguing new direction. His role as the late comedian Andy Kaufman in the forthcoming "Man In The Moon" is already being described as Oscar material this March. Hilarious and poignant, Jim Carrey: The Joker Is Wild tells for the first time the full, astounding inside story of Jim Carrey's bumpy rise to stardom.

Customer Reviews:

A joy.......2006-07-27

A JC fan, I enjoyed this well-written book very much. It's amazing what people can do with their lives with encouragement and humor. I recommend people read this book.

Surviving Through Poverty.......2004-06-01

Growing up in poverty is not an easy thing to do. You wouldn't think that very many, if any, "famous people" would grow up being poor. Well, Jim Carrey is one of many who did. Growing up for him wasn't easy at all. It was always in his genes to become a comedian. But his first gig didn't go as planned, it was very disappointing. He dropped out of school at the age of sixteen, trying to pursue his career in comedy. He continued to go to the club where he was made a fool of. His comedy breakthrough came at the age of 19. His big jump off was when he got a role in a TV series, "In Living Color." This got him started for other movies such, as "Mask," and "Liar, Liar." As they all say, the rest is history.
The thing that I liked most about Jim Carrey, was that he never gave up on his dream of being a comedian. At home, everybody thought that he was the funniest person ever. But when he went to his first gig at Yuk-Yuk's, it wasn't what he thought. It was a humiliating time for him. But he didn't let that stop him. When he was a little older, he went back to that club and performed again. He then became a regular there. This proves to show you that you should never give up on your dreams. Just because you have one bad night or act, it doesn't mean you have to give up on your dream.
Something that disturbed me about Jim Carrey was that he dropped out of school. I mean, it was his own choice but then again it sends the wrong message to children. By him doing this, and kids reading it he is saying that you can still make even if you drop out of school. The thing is that we want kids to stay in school and get an education for themselves. But people make their own decisions in life. It is up to them and what they want to do in the future.

The Review.......2003-04-30

I am a big Jim Carrey Fan and reading this book I realized I didn't know as much about him as I thought i did. This biography was well written and very detailed, you get to know Jim as you go through the book, from his succeses, his failures, his life as a celebrity. you also get to know how much he struggled over the years and how hard it was for him and just how hard it is to become a comedian. I definitley reccomend redaing htis book, it is good from the minute you open and close it from cover to cover.

If you like good writing . . ........2002-07-14

Then find another book. Mr. Knelman seems incapable of painting his prose anything but purple. I couldn't get past the first chapter. There's a good book about Mr. Carrey waiting to be written; but this isn't it.

The REAL Jim Carrey.......2002-04-02

For anyone who thinks Jim Carrey led a charmed life before getting where he is today, this book is a definite read. It opens a lot of doors into understanding his acting style, why he does comedy and why he is an actor.....he lives for attention and approval, and all his fans are happy to give that to him. He came from the school of REAL hard knocks. This makes me admire him all the more for perserving in the face of multiple adversities and giving us the performances we love to watch over and over. My personal favorite of all is The Truman Show, and the Majestic is right up there too. Catching up on his old films after reading this book, and I can see where he was coming from in his life at the time. The author did a tremendous job of writing this bio and I truly thank him for shedding light on someone I thought was "just another pretty face"....a wonderful bio on Mr. Carrey. I hope he gives some thought to bringing it up to date at some point. Jim Carrey I salute you for your wonderful acting. Great book; simply great.

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The Joker Is Wild

Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000CZ3GTA

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Joker's Wild (The Batman)
Brian Hunt
Manufacturer: Scholastic Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0439789508

Book Description

That Joker doesn't know when to quit! The evil clown escaped the asylum again to wreak havoc in Gotham City. Batman will stop him, of course, but Batman himself may be the reason Joker goes on these rampages!

Jokers Wild: Legalized Gambling in the Twenty-first Century

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Jokers Wild: Legalized Gambling in the Twenty-first Century
Thomas Barker , and Marjie Britz
Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0275965872

Book Description

A history and analysis of gambling in the United States from bingo to state lotteries to Indian gaming and the rise of Las Vegas, this book reveals how we have become a nation of gamblers and what the future holds for the gambling industry. From the colonial era to the present, Americans have enjoyed a love-hate relationship with gambling. It is a pastime that has gone from sin to recreational activity, and an industry that has moved from control by organized crime to management by executives with MBAs. While gaming is one of the nation's fastest-growing industries, Barker and Britz predict that this process will slow or stop in the next century as the result of market saturation and unknown social and economic effects which loom over the glitz, glamour, and action. Providing the latest information on the nature and extent of legalized gambling in the United States, this study examines why we gamble and how the relative impact of the activity differs in certain segments of the population. Legalized gambling is, at best, problematic behavior with both good and bad consequences. State-sponsored gambling, both in the form of monopolistic lotteries and in tribal casinos, does to some extent call into question the proper role of the state or tribal nation in promoting a potentially harmful activity among its citizens. States that have looked to legalized gambling as a source of economic salvation may soon experience difficulties as gambling venues multiply and unregulated Internet gambling becomes more widespread.

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Jokers Extra Wild (Leisure Western)
Max Brand
Manufacturer: Leisure Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0843954426

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Wild Cards 3: Jokers Wild (Wild Cards)
Various
Manufacturer: I Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0743493362

Book Description

The streets of New York have erupted in celebration of Wild Card Day-the annual event held every September 15th to remember the dead and cherish the lving. It is a day for fireworks and street fairs and parades, for political rallies and memorial banquets, for drinking and fighting in the alleys. With each passing year, the festivities become larger and more fevered. And this year-1986, the fortieth anniversary-promises to be the biggest and best Wild Card Day ever. The media and tourists have discovered the celebration, and taverns and restaurants expect record-setting business.

But lurking in the background is a twisted genius who cares nothing for fun and festivity. The Astronomer has only one concern: destruction.

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3 Sandra Chastain Loveswept book set: TOO HOT TO HANDLE / SHOWDOWN AT LIZARD ROCK / JOKER'S WILD
Sandra Chastain
Manufacturer: Loveswept
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000QJ1WIY

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All the Way (The Joker Is Wild) (Cover Photo: Frank Sinatra, Mitzi Gaynor, Jeanne Crain)
Sammy Cahn , and James Van Heusen
Manufacturer: Barton Music Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Sheet music

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ASIN: B000RTZR6Q

Product Description

From the Paramount Picture The Joker Is Wild which also starred Eddie Albert.

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