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.

Full Dark House (Bryant & May Mysteries)

Average customer rating:

Clever on the surface, yes, but deep as a well....
Slow, pedantic and pseudo-everything
Good characters
3 and 1/2 stars for the engaging (sort of) time shifting
Full Dark House

Full Dark House (Bryant & May Mysteries)
Christopher Fowler
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0553587145
Release Date: 2005-05-31

Book Description

Edgy, suspenseful, and darkly comic, here is the first novel in a riveting new mystery series starring two cranky but brilliant old detectives whose lifelong friendship was forged solving crimes for the London Police Department's Peculiar Crimes Unit. In Full Dark House, Christopher Fowler tells the story of both their first and last case—and how along the way the unlikely pair of crime fighters changed the face of detection.

A present-day bombing rips through London and claims the life of eighty-year-old detective Arthur Bryant. For his partner John May, it means the end of a partnership that lasted over half-a-century and an eerie echo back to the Blitz of World War II when they first met. Desperately searching for clues to the killer's identity, May finds his old friend's notes of their very first case and becomes convinced that the past has returned...with a killing vengeance.

It begins when a dancer in a risque new production of Orpheus in Hell is found without her feet. Suddenly, the young detectives are plunged in a bizarre gothic mystery that will push them to their limits—and beyond. For in a city shaken by war, a faceless killer is stalking London's theaters, creating his own kind of sinister drama. And it will take Arthur Bryant's unorthodox techniques and John May's dogged police work to catch a criminal whose ability to escape detection seems almost supernatural--a murderer who even decades later seems to have claimed the life of one of them...and is ready to claim the other.

Filled with startling twists, unforgettable characters, and a mystery that will keep you guessing, Full Dark House is a witty, heartbreaking, and all-too-human thriller about the hunt for an inhuman killer.

From the Hardcover edition.

Download Description

A present-day bombing rips through London and claims the life of eighty-year-old detective Arthur Bryant. For his partner John May, it means the end of a partnership that lasted over half-a-century and an eerie echo back to the Blitz of World War II when they first met. Desperately searching for clues to the killer's identity, May finds his old friend's notes of their very first case and becomes convinced that the past has returned...with a killing vengeance.

It begins when a dancer in a risque new production of Orpheus in Hell is found without her feet. Suddenly, the young detectives are plunged in a bizarre gothic mystery that will push them to their limits—and beyond. For in a city shaken by war, a faceless killer is stalking London's theaters, creating his own kind of sinister drama. And it will take Arthur Bryant's unorthodox techniques and John May's dogged police work to catch a criminal whose ability to escape detection seems almost supernatural—a murderer who even decades later seems to have claimed the life of one of them...and is ready to claim the other.

Filled with startling twists, unforgettable characters, and a mystery that will keep you guessing, Full Dark House is a witty, heartbreaking, and all-too-human thriller about the hunt for an inhuman killer.

"Atmospheric, hugely beguiling and as filled with tricks and sleights of hand as a magician's sleeve...it is English gothic at its eccentric best; a combination of Ealing comedy and grand opera: witty, charismatic, occasionally touching and with a genuine power to thrill."
    JOANNE HARRIS, AUTHOR OF CHOCOLAT

"A first class thriller, but don't expect any sleep."
   SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

"The writing is as ever fluid and pacey, the characterization deft and the plot fresh and ingenious."
   INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY

Customer Reviews:

Clever on the surface, yes, but deep as a well...........2007-02-17

This is a detective story of sorts, but don't read this book expecting the usual type of mystery story. Of course there are crimes to be solved, and an investigation to be carried out, with lots of plot twists and all the usual trappings of detective fiction. There is an ensemble of odd characters, eccentric heroes and twisted villains. There is also a very atmospheric evocation of life during the air raids on London during World War II. I thought that all of this was very well-done and interesting. But what really hooked me into this book was the obvious love the author (and his characters) have for the deep history and diverse people of London. Every bit of the book is alive with strange and fascinating London lore, and fortunately for the readers of this series, that is an inexaustable well of material that even the finest fiction can't match.

This book is not for everyone, but if you like quirky fiction that operates according to its own laws, and takes you to places you might never find on your own,you may enjoy this book (and series) as much as I did.

Slow, pedantic and pseudo-everything.......2007-02-13

If you don't mind "new age" pseudo-religious, pseudo-scientific and pseudo-historical fad "intellectualism" and you don't mind skipping pages and pages of slow moving empty dialogue, knock yourself out. If you prefer fast-paced "London" based mysteries try Will Thomas' new books instead.

Good characters.......2006-10-11

The plot is a trifle filled with chapters that end in 'come on there isn't a moment to lose' sort of artificial suspense, but the enjoyable partnership of the somewhat otherworldly Bryant and the down to Earth May, a much more plausible Holmes and Watson, with more wit as well more than makes up for it.

3 and 1/2 stars for the engaging (sort of) time shifting.......2006-09-19

Setting his mystery in blitz-ravaged London and evoking its atmosphere of night bombing raids and their aftermath in the city streets, along with a risque operatic production trying to make its opening night, Fowler concocted a tanatlizing background for a mystery. He stirs into this already promising mix a stretch of 60 years, a span that presents a boyish pair of detectives during wartime London, and later at the end of their careers (octogenarian detectives?!?! there's a novel twist) in the multicultural London of the 21st century. Back and forth we go between then and now, and not always with the greatest clarity.

The plot involves a "peculiar crimes unit" headed up by the disheveled and eccentric Bryant. He's a well-drawn character and the dialogue between him and May, as well as the out-of-sorts authoritarian Biddle, is enjoyable. But in the end, the various plot elements that are meant to sustain the "peculiar crimes unit" don't really add up. Fowler didn't seem to have the nerve to have the seances and clairvoyants (beloved of Bryant) actually lead us into the realm of the uncanny - throwing the reader (not to mention May and Biddle) into uneasy terrain. He pulls back. May's encounter with a clairvoyant's summoning up of a "deceased personage" could've been a presence or a poltergeist, but - naw - it's just a kitchen accident caused by a nearby train. Even the accident's meaning lacks motivation from the summoned spirit.

A lot of late 20th century British humor, especially in film, seems to hope that if your mise-en-scene accumulates enough eccentric caricatures in the narrative, and go through a routine in a ripe, slightly surreal atmosphere (Fowler's decaying London theatre), you've done your job. Well not quite, old chap.

The Bryant & May series has continued, I see, and I hope that Fowler will take a clue from a British detective fiction writer like P.D. James. She is the same age as the characters Bryant and May, and is a master at convincingly weaving (not just stirring in along the way) character, dialogue, motivation, locale on the way to a compelling denouement/conclusion. Blend that approach with the spot on humor found in the American Anglophile mysteries of Martha Grimes and Fowler's promising ideas and authorial voice will find its mark.

Full Dark House.......2006-08-26

Wow! This was fun! The combination of the theater, Greek myth and the Blitz all at once makes for a cracking, good read. The several main characters are appealing - you root for their success against the forces of darkness...

American Cinematographer Magazine October 1988 (John Lennon, Sherlock Holmes, Dodger Basball, The Old Dark House, Magnum PI, Full Moon in Blue Water) (Vol. 69, No. 10)

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American Cinematographer Magazine October 1988 (John Lennon, Sherlock Holmes, Dodger Basball, The Old Dark House, Magnum PI, Full Moon in Blue Water) (Vol. 69, No. 10)

Manufacturer: American Cinematographer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GH00IY

Average customer rating:

Great fun, loved it

Great detective/fantasy work, enjoyable set of books

Consolidation of the First Three Garrett Books
Garrett Files(Sweet Silver Blues/ Bitter Gold Hearts/ Cold Copper Tears)

Manufacturer: Book Club Edition
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Garrett, P.I. (Old Tin Sorrows/ Dread Brass Shadows/ Red Iron Nights)

Garrett Investigates (Deadly Quicksilver Lies, Petty Pewter Gods, Faded Steel Heat)

Garrett on the Case (Angry Lead Skies/whispering Nickel Idols)

Garrett, P.I. : Three Books in One : Old Tin Sorrows; Dread Brass Shadows; Red Iron Nights

Faded Steel Heat (Garrett Files)

ASIN: 0739436090

Product Description

Sweet Silver Blues: A war buddys death sends Garrett on a wild hunt for his mysterious heir, last seen in a vampire Nest which no mortal leaves alive. Bitter Gold Hearts: The Stormwardens son has been kidnapped, and Garrett must brave a host of ogres and assassins to rescue him. Cold Copper Tears: Theres a new cult in town: worshippers of a godlike Destroyer who think Garrett would make an ideal sacrifice!

Customer Reviews:

Great fun, loved it.......2006-08-18

Garrett Files combines the murder mystery and science fiction/fantasy genres. Add to the fact the writer includes a LOT of humour and you have three delightfully enjoyable books in one. The plots are easy to follow; the characters are fully developed, and very likeable. I liked these stories so much I immediately bought all the Garrett series:
Garrett, P.I. (3 book compilation)
Garrett Investigates (3 book compilation)
Garrett on the Case (2 book compilation)
Highly recommended.

Great detective/fantasy work, enjoyable set of books.......2006-06-23

This set of 3 books by Glen Cook does a lot to show the flexibility of this author, when contrasted with his Black Company series (I have yet to read the other series he has written). The three novels showcase the protagonist and his household in a number of lights, against enemies that are generally competent in their own right. Without spoilers, I felt that the detached resolution of book 3 was somewhat detached/anticlimatic, but overall this is a very enjoyable read.

Consolidation of the First Three Garrett Books.......2005-11-01

Since most of Cook's Garrett books are long out of print and very difficult to come by, you might end up having to buy this consolidation to find the individual stories. This book, "The Garrett Files," is the first of 3 consolidations (so far). The others are "Garrett, P.I." and "Garrett Investigates." This book contains the first three stories in the Garrett series: "Sweet Silver Blues," "Bitter Gold Hearts," and "Cold Copper Tears." "Garrett, P.I." contains the next three: "Old Tin Sorrows," "Dread Brass Shadows," and "Red Iron Nights." "Garrett Investigates" has the next three: "Deadly Quicksilver Lies," "Petty Pewter Gods," "Faded Steel Heat." The remaining two books ("Angry Lead Skies," and "Whispering Nickel Idols") still appear to be in print on their own. Regarding the physical book itself, I was very surprised by how good the quality was. When I was a youth I used to get books from the SFBC and the quality was less than stellar. This book appears well bound, has good quality paper, and is well cut. Unfortunately, I'm not sure what printing my book is. The date on this Amazon page is 2003. But, I can't find a date on mine anywhere (it's brand new). My cover is also different from the other one uploaded here (I've put a copy of mine here, too). Regardless, this is a very good book to have. As a pure average of my ratings for the three contained stories, I rate this book at a Very Good 4 stars out of 5. My individual reviews follow:

"Sweet Silver Blues:" Excellent Start of the Garrett Series. This is the first of Cook's Garrett series. It's an excellent, humorous combination of Fantasy and early Detective novels (Raymond Chandler is the usual comparison). What always strikes me about this series, and especially this book (since it's the first), is how Cook's writing makes it feel like the world he's describing actually exists (and has existed for some time). It's like the history, geography, and people are THERE and he's merely opening a window to their world. This is an excellent book which I highly recommend to anyone who likes either Fantasy or Mystery. I rate it at 5 stars out of 5.

"Bitter Gold Hearts:" Very Good 2nd in the Garrett Series. This is the 2nd in Cook's Garrett series. It's a very good book, but isn't quite as good as the first in the series. The deficiency isn't anything major: it's just that I noticed a couple of the secondary characters whose personalities drastically changed from scene to scene (more so than the variability of human nature would allow). The additional role Cook gives to the Dead Man makes up for it, though. I rate it at a very good 4 stars out of 5.

"Cold Copper Tears:" An OK 3rd in Cook's Garrett Series. This is the 3rd in Cook's Garrett series. It's an excellent book for the first 99%, but, unfortunately, the ending fizzles. Oh, Garrett and the Dead Man figure things out nicely. All the 'i's are dotted and all the 't's crossed. But, instead of involving us in the denouement, Cook relegates the final cleanup to a background role. It just lacks that visceral feeling of closure. Solely because of the ending, I can rate this book at only an OK 3 stars out of 5.

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Gods, Priests and Women
Beautiful Womin and Dirty Old Gods
An OK 3rd in Cook's Garrett Series
EXCELLANT

Cold Copper Tears (Garrett Files)
Glen Cook
Manufacturer: Roc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451157737

Book Description

She was tall, blonde, and offering P.I. Garrett an irresistible fee to take a case that seemed open and shut. But in a town of elves and humans, thugs and swindlers, Garrett had learned to take a long, hard look before saying yes...

Customer Reviews:

Gods, Priests and Women.......2007-09-10

Cold Copper Tears (1988) is the third fantasy novel in the Garrett Files series, following Bitter Gold Hearts. In the previous volume, Chodo Contague took Donni Pell as an ornament. Lord Gameleon, Baronet daPena and the Stormwarden Raver Styx were all found guilty of murder. The Stormwarden was stripped of her property and powers and ejected from the Hill.

Domina Willa Dount disappeared with the bulk of the ransom money. Garret did recover some of the ransom, but gave up on finding Dount. Besides, the Stormwarden was hunting her much more relentlessly than he could have.

In this novel, Garrett is taking a vacation from the clients, but Jill Craight gets past Dean and hires him to protect her from break-ins by persons unknown. She refuses to accept his excuses and pays him an exorbitant retainer. Garrett takes the money and sub-contracts the job to Pokey Pigotta.

Later, Magister Peridont -- a big-wig of the Church -- tries to hire him to discover who is behind the mud-slinging among the Orthodox clergy. The scandal has been spreading and may carry over to the Church itself. Garrett listens to the man and begins to like his approach, but turns down the job.

Later, a darkelf half-breed youth gang tries to kill Garrett as he walks toward Morley's place. One of the gang is an albino. He fights them off and takes three knives, then continues on to Morley's.

Garrett gets more than his usual stares when he arrives. Morley takes him upstairs to the office and plants him in front of a mirror. He has blood all over the left side of his face; a breed had gotten in one good cut that he hadn't even noticed.

Morley calls in Puddle and Slade and also invites Saucerhead Tharpe to the office. Garrett explains his ruffled condition, passes around the confiscated knives, and describes the gang. Puddle identifies them as the Vampires led by the albino Snowball. He also mentions that they had been far from their own turf when they attacked Garrett.

Pokey shows up at Morley's place while they are talking. He has come to give back the money that Garrett had paid him. Somebody has given him a better offer. Still, he has already checked out the building and seen the watchers outside. They left when it got dark and went to the Blue Bottle, where they shared a room on the third floor.

In this story, Garrett gives the job of protecting Jill to Saucerhead. The next morning, Jill shows up and demands to know why he has not been personally protecting her. Saucerhead had visited her and explained the transfer of duties. She is very upset, but changed her mind when Garrett offered back the retainer.

After Garrett and Saucerhead walked Jill back to her apartment, Garrett paid a visit to the Sisters of Doom. Garrett lived in the territory of the Travellers, but no longer had any personal contacts with that gang. He explains the situation to Maya, the boss of the Doom -- sounds better than boss of the Sisters -- and then invites her over for supper. Maya has been a special project of Dean and himself for some time now.

When he gets home, Crask has already dropped off a package for Garrett. Crask works for Chado and does minor chores for him when he isn't busy offing people. Chado has heard about the Vampire's hit on Garrett and is not pleased. He had put out the word to lay off Garrett and the Vampires did not listen.

In the package is a note, a snip of colorless hair and four temple coins. Garrett visits the address given in the note and finds three dead members of the Vampire gang and one thoroughly frightened survivor. The living gang member tells everything that he knows.

This story soon becomes even more confusing. Garrett starts to find bodies of men who have been totally castrated. The temple coins point to an outlawed and extinct sect. Sorcerous attacks are made on Chodo Contague's mansion and Garrett's house.

Maya is abducted by a group calling themselves the Sons of Hammond. The Doom track down one of the kidnappers and take Garrett along to their temple. Garrett charges in, is promptly ambushed, and breaks a vial of magical potion among the kidnappers. Things get really confusing about then.

Highly recommended for Cook fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of destructive gods, various magics, and stubborn detectives.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Beautiful Womin and Dirty Old Gods.......2006-09-16

As often happens in this series it is a beautiful woman who drags Garrett into trouble. Jill Craight has something that needs guarding and Garrett farms out the job to Pokey Pigotta, who takes the job and then quits. Only to turn up dead when it turns out he had switched sides. In the mean time Garrett gets a visit from the Grand Inquisitor who wants Garrett to unmask a group that is spreading unpleasant truths about the Orthodox Church. Garrett declines, but may as well have accepted. Pretty soon strange homicidal eunichs are trying to terminate the detective, and the only clue is some brand new old coins that belong to a religion that shouldn't exist.

Garrett isn't just in trouble, he's dooms if he can't extricate himself from a plot which includes priests, gods, and religious politics. There is a series of climactic struggles as Garrett hunts for whatever is driving the killer priests in their quest for relics and power in TunFaire.

Along with the regular cast, Glen Cook introduces Maya, the head of an all girl street gang who, on a good day, see the worst side of life. Maya will reappear at regular intervals and in many ways is the best possible mate for the rough and tumble Garrett, if he were ever to go looking seriously for a mate, But, to date, he hasn't. Maya is a spark of life and commands on of the larger roles that Cook gives to any woman in this series.

Cold Copper Tears isn't the best of the Garrett tales, but it still meets the high standard Cook works at. New characters and character traits abound and the complicated life in TunFaire unfolds a bit more with each episode. If you like what you've read so far, track down a copy.

An OK 3rd in Cook's Garrett Series.......2005-10-31

This is the 3rd in Cook's Garrett series ("Sweet Silver Blues," "Bitter Gold Hearts," "Cold Copper Tears," "Old Tin Sorrows," "Dread Brass Shadows," "Red Iron Nights," "Deadly Quicksilver Lies," "Petty Pewter Gods," "Faded Steel Heat," "Angry Lead Skies," and "Whispering Nickel Idols"). It's an excellent book for the first 99%, but, unfortunately, the ending fizzles. Oh, Garrett and the Dead Man figure things out nicely. All the 'i's are dotted and all the 't's crossed. But, instead of involving us in the denouement, Cook relegates the final cleanup to a background role. It just lacks that visceral feeling of closure. Solely because of the ending, I can rate this book at only an OK 3 stars out of 5.

BTW: At the time of this review, this book is long out of print. It's tough to find anywhere. As an alternative, look around for the SFBC's "The Garrett Files." This book is part of that collection.

EXCELLANT.......1999-10-28

why dont more readers catch on to Glen Cooks books.He writes with humor and does not show the pompous p.c attitude of so many other s.f writers today.

The Garrett Files (omnibus of Sweet Silver Blues, Bitter Gold Hearts and Cold Copper Tears)

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Garrett and Associates
Consolidation of the First Three Garrett Books
Start laughing

The Garrett Files (omnibus of Sweet Silver Blues, Bitter Gold Hearts and Cold Copper Tears)
Glen Cook
Manufacturer: Nelson Doubleday, Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: B00071IUG8

Customer Reviews:

Garrett and Associates.......2007-09-13

The Garrett Files (1988) is an omnibus edition of the first three novels in the Garrett Files series, including Sweet Silver Blues, Bitter Gold Hearts and Cold Copper Tears. TunFaire is an old city, with the royalty and wizards uphill and the criminals downhill in the slums. Outside the city are the estates of the rich.

Garrett is an ex-Marine who has spent five hard years fighting the Venageti within the Cantard. After completing his enlistment, he hung out his shingle as a private detective. Now he has his home and office inside the city gates in the commoner section.

Garrett has a partner in the detective business. The Dead Man had been killed four hundred years previously, but is neither dead nor a man; he is a four hundred fifty pound Loghyr whose body might be dead, but whose mind is definitely still alive. He can read the mind of anyone within a score yards or so of his body and can project thoughts into the minds of anyone within the same radius. He is also capable of other psychic tricks within that restricted range.

The Dead Man is very smart and extremely well informed on historical details, but he is also incapable of moving on his own. Garrett is the active partner, gathering facts and reporting back to the Dead Man. The Dead Man compiles these facts and then deduces certain conclusions, often sending Garrett out to collect additional specific information.

In Sweet Silver Blues (1987), a friend of Garrett has died and the registered will appoints Garrett as one of the executors. Denny Tate had been a cavalryman in the Cantard and had been in the lucky regiment that overran a Venageti treasure caravan. Denny mustered out with a goodly amount of metal.

When Willard Tate takes him into the basement to see his son's silver, Garrett finds much more than he expected. The basement contains one hundred thousand Karentine marks in silver and other metals. No way that could be Denny's share of the plunder. Willard explains that Denny had been trading in metals, buying gold when the price of silver is high and buying silver when the price of gold is high.

Denny's will left most of the fortune to Kayean Kronk. Supposedly she is an old flame from his army days, who had kept writing letters to Denny after he was returned from the Cantard. After Garrett finished reading a few of the letters, he knew that he would take the job. Of course, he would have to return to the Cantard to find the heiress.

In Bitter Gold Hearts (1988), the Dead Man is working on the tactics of Glory Mooncalled in the Cantard. He has bugs moving around on the wall map in the pattern of past campaigns. The grumblings and mutterings are trying Garrett's patience.

Garrett had been drinking heavily the night before, so the pounding on the door aggravates his hangover. Some lackeys in the colors of Stormwarden Raver Styx are hanging around outside guarding a half-fairy named Amirantha Crest. She has come down from the Hill to offer him one hundred gold marks to accompany her to the Stormwarden's residence.

After some typical verbiage to establish his importance, Garrett collects the money and then goes back with her to the household. The Stormwarden's secretary -- Domina Willa Dount -- wants Garrett's advice on the kidnapping of the Stormwarden's son. The Stormwarden is in the Cantard and her secretary would prefer that her son is released before she returns. Willa Dount describes the circumstances and shows him the ransom note. He provides her some useful tips and concurs in her thinking on the matter.

The Stormwarden's consort interrupts their discussion and Willa Dount handily brings him to heel. Then she dismisses Garrett, explaining that his very presence would be enough to warn the kidnappers to stick to the rules. As he leaves, Amirantha intercepts him in the hallway and asks about the interview, then she makes a date to meet him at the Iron Liar. Garrett notices a black-haired looker in the hallway -- she also notices him -- and learns that she is the Stormwarden's daughter Amber.

In Cold Copper Tears (1988), Garrett is taking a vacation from the clients, but Jill Craight gets past Dean and hires him to protect her from break-ins by persons unknown. She refuses to accept his excuses and pays him an exorbitant retainer. Garrett takes the money and sub-contracts the job to Pokey Pigotta.

Later, Magister Peridont -- a big-wig of the Church -- tries to hire him to discover who is behind the mud-slinging among the Orthodox clergy. The scandal has been spreading and may carry over to the Church itself. Garrett listens to the man and begins to like his approach, but turns down the job.

Later, a darkelf half-breed youth gang tries to kill Garrett as he walks toward Morley's place. One of the gang is an albino. He fights them off and takes three knives, then continues on to Morley's.

Garrett gets more than his usual stares when he arrives. Morley takes him upstairs to the office and plants him in front of a mirror. He has blood all over the left side of his face; a breed had gotten in one good cut that he hadn't even noticed.

These story have elements of noir detective stories. They also have some obvious similarities to the Nero Wolfe novels, although Garrett shows more intuition and independence than Archie Goodwin. Unlike most private detectives, however, Garrett is not a loner; he has friends and calls upon them as needed.

Highly recommended for Cook fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of a tough detective, casual magic, and a psychic genius in the parlor.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Consolidation of the First Three Garrett Books.......2005-11-03

Since most of Cook's Garrett books are long out of print and very difficult to come by, you might end up having to buy this consolidation to find the individual stories. This book, "The Garrett Files," is the first of 3 consolidations (so far). The others are "Garrett, P.I." and "Garrett Investigates." This book contains the first three stories in the Garrett series: "Sweet Silver Blues," "Bitter Gold Hearts," and "Cold Copper Tears." "Garrett, P.I." contains the next three: "Old Tin Sorrows," "Dread Brass Shadows," and "Red Iron Nights." "Garrett Investigates" has the next three: "Deadly Quicksilver Lies," "Petty Pewter Gods," "Faded Steel Heat." The remaining two books ("Angry Lead Skies," and "Whispering Nickel Idols") still appear to be in print on their own. Regarding the physical book itself, I was very surprised by how good the quality was. When I was a youth I used to get books from the SFBC and the quality was less than stellar. This book appears well bound, has good quality paper, and is well cut. Unfortunately, I'm not sure what printing my book is. The date on this Amazon page is 1988. But, I can't find a date on mine anywhere (it's brand new). My cover is also different from the one I've seen associated with this ASIN/BSIN (I've put a copy of mine here since there's no publisher provided one). Regardless, this is a very good book to have. As a pure average of my ratings for the three contained stories, I rate this book at a Very Good 4 stars out of 5. My individual reviews follow:

"Sweet Silver Blues:" Excellent Start of the Garrett Series. This is the first of Cook's Garrett series. It's an excellent, humorous combination of Fantasy and early Detective novels (Raymond Chandler is the usual comparison). What always strikes me about this series, and especially this book (since it's the first), is how Cook's writing makes it feel like the world he's describing actually exists (and has existed for some time). It's like the history, geography, and people are THERE and he's merely opening a window to their world. This is an excellent book which I highly recommend to anyone who likes either Fantasy or Mystery. I rate it at 5 stars out of 5.

"Bitter Gold Hearts:" Very Good 2nd in the Garrett Series. This is the 2nd in Cook's Garrett series. It's a very good book, but isn't quite as good as the first in the series. The deficiency isn't anything major: it's just that I noticed a couple of the secondary characters whose personalities drastically changed from scene to scene (more so than the variability of human nature would allow). The additional role Cook gives to the Dead Man makes up for it, though. I rate it at a very good 4 stars out of 5.

"Cold Copper Tears:" An OK 3rd in Cook's Garrett Series. This is the 3rd in Cook's Garrett series. It's an excellent book for the first 99%, but, unfortunately, the ending fizzles. Oh, Garrett and the Dead Man figure things out nicely. All the 'i's are dotted and all the 't's crossed. But, instead of involving us in the denouement, Cook relegates the final cleanup to a background role. It just lacks that visceral feeling of closure. Solely because of the ending, I can rate this book at only an OK 3 stars out of 5.

Start laughing.......2005-09-29

Imagine a Mickey Spillane novel set in a fantasy world. There you go. I'm laughing harder with every chapter.

Average customer rating:

Cold Copper Tears 1ST Edition
Glen Cook
Manufacturer: NEW AMERICAN LIBRARY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000Q16WEQ

The Garrett Files comprising Sweet Silver Blues, Bitter Gold Hearts, and Cold Copper Tears

Average customer rating:

The Garrett Files comprising Sweet Silver Blues, Bitter Gold Hearts, and Cold Copper Tears
Glen Cook
Manufacturer: Nelson Doubleday Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000QU3VO6

The Garrett Files: Sweet Silver Blues, Bitter Gold Hearts, Cold Copper Tears

Average customer rating:

The Garrett Files: Sweet Silver Blues, Bitter Gold Hearts, Cold Copper Tears
Glen Cook
Manufacturer: Nelson Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000T0B654

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