Book Description
Although she was orphaned at birth, Eden Moore is never alone. Three dead women watch from the shadows, bound to protect her from harm. But in the woods a gunman waits, convinced that Eden is destined to follow her wicked great-grandfatheran African magician with the power to curse the living and raise the dead. Now Eden must decipher the secret of the ghostly trio before a new enemy more dangerous than the fanatical assassin destroys what is left of her family. She will sift through lies in a Georgian antebellum mansion and climb through the haunted ruins of a nineteenth century hospital, desperately seeking the truth that will save her beloved aunt from the curse that threatens her life.
Customer Reviews:
Strong atmosphere and well paced, but nothing exists outside the plot and the narrator is irritating. Moderately recommended.......2007-09-12
Eden sees ghosts--specifically the three female spectres that have haunted her and protected her throughout her life. She is also haunted by her fanatical, unbalanced cousin who has tried twice to kill her. After the second failed attempt, Eden begins to unearth her own family history in order to determine why her cousin wants her dead: he fears that she will revive the spirit of her long dead great-grandfather, an heartless African magician who desires immortality. A richly Southern gothic book, replete with dark mansions, hauntings, and a gnarled and twisted family tree, this is an atmospheric and engrossing read. However, simply unraveling the plot takes up the entire book, leaving no room for character growth or side stories, and the protagonist borders on annoying throughout the text. This is a promising first novel, but faulted. Moderately recommended.
The highlight of this book is its pacing and its atmosphere, both of which make it a swift and engrossing read. From the abandoned, haunted locations to the immediate and physical threats, as well as the twisted and convoluted plot that Priest unravels without massive exposition, the book moves at a skillful pace: just fast enough to keep the reader consistently interested without being brief or full of annoying cliffhangers, just slow enough to really get into and enjoy the supernatural aspects. This book reads well and is hard to put down. The plot is detailed and well-crafted, especially for a debut novel.
In many ways, however, the plot is too detailed and too well crafted: it is the sole and driving force in the book. At less than 300 pages, with such a meticulous plot, there is barely room in the book for anything else. Beyond the first few chapters, character development is limited or lacking and there are no side plots or side stories to add realistic depth to the text. The only other time that Priest inserts non plot related detail is to describe what Eden eats or how she drives, details which are so pointless they are almost confusing. The attempts that are made, primarily through the narrative voice, to define Eden's character make her seem cocky, brash, and irritating. It feels as if the book and even the characters do not exist fully in their own right, but rather as a vehicle to serve the plot. As a result, the book ends abruptly. There is no lasting connection to the characters and no greater meaning to the story, so when the plot ends, the book is finished and done.
Four and Twenty Blackbirds is a promising debut novel, and I will probably go on to read more of Priest's work. She has a very strong grasp on the Southern gothic genre, and conceives a plot twisted enough to fit this gnarled setting. However, both in style and execution, there are a number of issues with the book, and it is not particularly memorable after the fact. As such, I only moderately recommend it: this is a swift, engrossing read and has a lot of offer, but it is not an outstanding or a must-read book.
Not That Scary..........2007-09-04
No one in Eden Moore's known family will discuss the families past, let alone explain to her who the three woman ghosts are that have haunted her from childhood. It takes a crazy young man trying to kill her more than once to push Eden back into the past and investigate on her own what everyone else wants kept secret. Eden finds herself searching an abandoned mental hospital, hiding in an old family graveyard and ransacking a Southern plantation house in search of answers, while at the same time trying to elude her persistant stalker and wanna-be murderer.
I had hoped for something much more frightening that what this novel turned out to be. It had it's moments; like when Eden was in summer camp, but the rest of it left me feeling anything but frightened and the genealogy was quite confusing. The title comes from a nonsensical poem recited by one of Eden's summer camp friends and really as far as I can tell, doesn't mean much to the book overall. Then again, I'm not much interested in symbolism. Give me a good plot and interesting characters and you shouldn't need symbolism. Keep It Simple. I really didn't see where the "family secret" was all that horrible, either. My own family has more strange twists in it than Eden's.
Still, not a HORRIBLE book and I did enjoy it. Just not as scary as I'd hoped. Others who haven't read as much horror as I have might find it more frightening, but for a seasoned veteran of the genre it just didn't work.
Starts off well, but lags in the middle..........2007-06-20
Eden Moore has seen ghosts all her life. Ever since she was small, three waif-like spirits Eden calls the Sisters have lurked at the edges of her consciousness, warning her of impending trouble, trying to protect her from harm. They've had a lot to protect her from, too: By the time she's out of college, someone has already tried to kill Eden twice. Her would-be murderer is Malachi, a distant cousin who is determined to cleanse his bloodline by removing Eden from it. These events spur Eden to delve into her geneaology -- a family tree where black and white are mingled, where incest, voodoo, and insanity are rife. As she digs deeper into her family's past, a threat looms from out of the grave -- and it's up to Eden to bury the age-old curse that has haunted her family for generations...before she succumbs to it.
FOUR AND TWENTY BLACKBIRDS is a pretty good debut novel, with compelling characters and an intriguing plot. In the Southern gothic tradition, the novel's setting is rife with spookiness, which is only enhanced by better-than-average prose and lush description. BLACKBIRDS begins very well, introducing Eden as a spunky child and setting an atmosphere that's dark and creepy and utterly riveting. The scariest scene in the novel also comes in its first few chapters, taking place in the restroom of a summer camp and leaving me, literally, with chills.
But while the novel starts off well, it tends to lag towards the middle as Eden begins to uncover her family's history. And unfortunately, as Eden grows up, she becomes a less sympathetic character; she's unemotional and detached, despite the horrors happening to and around her, which is off-putting. This detracted from my interest in the novel somewhat. I found some of the supernatural elements in the novel confusing; they're especially muddled towards the end. Instead of being scared, as I'd hope to be, I was distracted as I wondered what, exactly, was going on.
FOUR AND TWENTY BLACKBIRDS is a fine first offering with lots of good elements. I'll be interested to see how Cherie Priest's career progresses as she begins to iron out the kinks in her writing. She's certainly a welcome new voice in the Southern gothic writing tradition, and I'll definitely be picking up her other novels.
Interesting-With Flaws.......2007-06-07
The writing was decent and definitely held my interest. The storyline moved along nicely. Most of the characters well developed, though not always likeable. The only thing I didn't like was the main character, Eden's, attitude. She's kind of a snotty brat and during the action sequences I could almost picture her in a "Buffy, The Vampire Slayer" episode. I don't think she should have been this scared little ingenue but a little sympathy and compassion would have been enhanced her personality.
secrets and insanity all wrapped into a spooky ghost story.......2007-03-09
I read the first 1/2 of "Four and Twenty Blackbirds" in one sitting. The writing is beautiful and the characters are compelling. It is southern gothic done right; secrets and insanity all wrapped into a spooky ghost story. The kind of ghost story that packs a punch but no punchline (makes more sense if you read the book and pay attention to Eden's camp friend). It is a fantastic book, I highly recommend
Customer Reviews:
Still the best .......2007-08-05
As Easy As Pie: From Basic Apple to Four and Twenty Blackbirds It's
"As Easy as Pie" deserves everyone of its 5 stars, if only for its fabulous Blueberry-Peach Pie (which I am eating as I write this review). Purdy's can't fail recipes are straightforward, absolutely dependable and delicious. I especially recommend her food processor pie dough, cream cheese pastry, strawberry-rhubarb pie, key lime pie and the aforementioned blueberry-peach pie.
After 20 years, I still love this book!.......2005-11-23
I was looking for a nice Susan Purdy book to give as a holiday present and decided I had to write a review for this one. I was a pie-making novice when I was given "As Easy As Pie." Not only did Purdy's detailed instructions and careful descriptions help me overcome my crust-angst, between experience and her many alternative filling suggestions, I eventually grew confident enough to invent my own pies. From simple to elaborate, sweet to savory, she covers just about all there is, plus a few things you might not think of. Even after all these years, I still haven't tried and learned everything this book has to offer.
While I'm sure her more recent books are just as full of detail, helpful hints and delicious recipes, I really have to say, if you're looking for a pie book you'll use the rest of your life, go find yourself a copy of this "As Easy As Pie." Sure, it might be easier to buy a new book, but this one's worth the effort.
Excellent Book on Pastry and Classic Pies and Technique.......2005-09-06
`As Easy As Pie' by old school pastry expert Susan G. Purdy is my `go to' book for pie recipes, even after reviewing at least a half dozen very good pastry and dessert books by the likes of Wayne Harley Brachman, Nick Malgieri, Rose Levy Beranbaum, Judith Fertig, Flo Braker, Gayle Ortiz, and the very French Christine Ferber. In fact, I recently went to Wayne Harley Brachman's `American Desserts' for a peach pie recipe and felt just a bit disappointed with the prospects of his recipe. While I think his book is an excellent tutorial on American recipes, I was just a bit apprehensive about his very simple pastry recipe, after having made Ms. Purdy's basic crust for everything from apple pies to tomato tarts to corn pies. I was even a bit apprehensive of Brachman's technique for blanching peaches for peeling, as it called for cutting the fruit in half before blanching. I was really afraid that this would either rob the fruit of some of its juices or make them damper than they naturally were, especially as I was dealing with very ripe fruit, just on that fine edge between ripe and rotten.
So, I rush back to my aging copy of this book and use my old favorite for both the crust and the filling. I have tended to discount Ms. Purdy, as she did not seem to have the cachet of writers such as Nick Malgieri or Rose Levy Beranbaum or Flo Braker, who are routinely cited by other authors as their favorite authority on pastry making. It is true that Ms. Purdy may not spend 10 pages discoursing on the nature of flours or another 10 pages on all the different influences on making pastry dough. But in looking back at the front of her book, I see that this material has not been overlooked. I see that since I started using her book years ago, before I started picking through cookbook texts with a finely toothed comb to review the material, I had gone straight to her superb `Basic All Purpose Flaky Pastry Recipe' and have been using it successfully ever since. I have even used this as the benchmark against which I judged all other `pate brisee' recipes.
Unfortunately, I never sat down to read this volume as carefully as I would later pastry texts, so I never came to appreciate how good a pie reference this is. And yet, I keep coming back to it for my seasonal apple, pumpkin, mincemeat, and corn pie recipes. Upon doing that, I discover really great discussions of all sorts of pie and pastry crusts, including the ephemeral strudel and puff pastries. And, not only are the diagrams on the techniques better than average, the `facts and figures' on making variations in the recipes are up to a professional level, without the professional patois of proportions found in books for bakers.
The very best things about this book is that it is an excellent source of recipes for all the standard crusts and fillings, with methods for hand, food processor, and stand mixer approaches. The primary warning about this book is that good pie crust making is not that easy. I make pies only once in a while, and often forget the practical lessons from the last time I make a standard butter pie crust, which depends a lot on ambient temperature, humidity, and flour properties. Thus, in spite of reading all the experts, my Susan Purdy crust for my most recent pie, made on the very latest Silpat silicone pastry mat, was less than ideal, as I probably added too much water or started working it when the dough got too warm out of the fridge. I also suspect Ms. Purdy's basic pie crust recipe may have too many options and that one should really work on making a successful crust with nothing more than flour, water, and fats. Adding the egg and the vinegar or lemon gives one the sense that you have insurance against the failings of poor technique. They are added to cut down on gluten formation and do nothing for the perils of too much moisture or too much heat when manipulating the dough.
All in all, as I have been using this book successfully for years, I highly recommend it for anyone who wishes to occasionally bake an apple pie or other holiday favorite.
Only Pie Book You Need.......2005-05-25
I love this book so much! It has all of the core recipes and all sorts of unusual items. It is great for browsing to brainstorm or just for making the recipe as directed. It's a perfect "manual" for beginning bakers or for more experienced bakers like me. She also has a cake book that I like a lot.
As Yummy As It Gets.......2000-11-06
I am a chef specializing in low-fat, gourmet cuisine, and I love this book! The recipes are so yummy and so low fat. My clients can't get enough of these recipes and fortunately, I don't have to give away my secret source--so my phone keeps ringing.
Customer Reviews:
Pretty terrible........2007-06-04
Who know the feeling when sometimes you read a character that is so bland and boring that you don't really care if they live or die? Ok - imagine that feeling of complete indifference, then multiply it by every single character in an entire book, and you have `Four and Twenty Blackbirds' in a nutshell. Sheesh!
This book takes the absolute cake for boring!
Normally I enjoy Lackey - she's one of those writers from whom you can take a book and blob out (with minimal input from your brain) for about two hours. But this was a terrible book, unworthy of the paper it was printed on, and awful even without my brain involved.
The plot was hackneyed (strange killer on loose with disappearing knife linking every crime) and the killer really, REALLY obvious (you can pretty much read the first five pages and know exactly whom), and yet the characters never get it - even when helpful passers-by give them exactly the right bits of obscure information they need. Before you sink into complete apathy you'll want to bash the main guy's head against a rock, because he's so thick. The woman priest is almost interesting, but not really.
And lets not even go into the fortuitous arrival of a flying bird-man with a great memory and a habit for being exactly overtop of every murder, so he can scream down in avenging wroth.
Yep, save your money people. I suspect the die-hard fans will scream at me for heresy, but this is truly some of the worst prose I have ever read. I just did't care what happened to those people! Ignore me at your own peril.
I found this very intriguing.......2004-02-17
I read this book AGES ago, and I still remember the plot and the story, I think it was very well written and plotted out.
As I search through the mass of Misty books I have come across some rather entertaining reviews, I think that most if not all her books are excellent reads. I don't know why I liked this one in particular, but I think it's because ML took a chance on writing in a different aspect than we are used to, and I love to see writers and songsters go out of the "norm" and explore themselves.
The only thing I had wished with this particular novel is that ML had actually created a secondary story to go with it, I could almost feel the storylines pouring forth just waiting to be told...
Good Standalone Book in the Series.......2003-04-16
****
I've read *exactly* one other of Mercedes Lackey's books - The Firebird, which bored me to tears.
Undaunted, I read the first 2 chapters of this book on-line several years ago, managed to get into the story, and after requesting this book as a Christmas present for several years, finally decided to get it on my own.
I have not read any of the other Bardic Voices books, so I can't comment on there not being any Free Bards within the story (they are occasionally referred to). What I liked about this story is that it's a combination mystery and fantasy, as another poster has said. Yes, you do find out who the murderer is about halfway through, but I was intrigued enough by that point to keep going, to see what made this mage tick, why he/she wanted to go after Ardis. It was also interesting when the mage decides to change tactics near the end of the book. The way it was written, it made complete sense to me.
On another note, I found Ardis's grappling with staying in the Church to be realistically written, and it actually moved me at certain points.
With the current situation in the world, plus my own personal strife, this book saw me through a depressing period in my life. So, to sum it up, this book is a fine way to lose yourself in an interesting world.
For fans of more than Fantasy.......2001-12-30
This was actually the first of the Bardic Voices books that I read. I enjoyed it enough that I immediately bought the other books. Book 4 is able to stand on its own as a fantasy/mystery novel. I am a fan of mysteries as well as fantasies and this book was a nice combination of the two. I really liked the investigator and hope for more to come from Lackey about these new characters.
A departure from the usual free bard stories.......2000-06-24
Readers expecting the usual cast of characters from the free bard tales will be disappointed. While a few characters are carried forward from the previous books, including Ardis, Duke Arden, the Haspur Visyr, etc., this story has a new set of players. The chief protagonist is Tal Rufen, a police constable from Haldine investigation a string of mysterious and brutal murders of poor female street musicians/singers (or would be musicians) - murders committed by strangers that commit suicide, and murder weapons that vanish. As he follows the string of murders, Tal's investigation takes him to Kingsford and the High Bishop Justiciar Ardis. This is the Kingsford following the fire (see "A Cast of Corbies"). Tal finds himself in a new position, carrying out investigations for the church. Tal and Ardis must appraise their feelings for each other. Events lead to a final confrontation between Tal and an evil mage, living under a curse, who has a grudge against free bards and Ardis. The plot and characters are well developed to provide an interesting tale, but somewhat on the dark side (tracking a serial killer).
Book Description
All of us can recollect times when we have thought that something we had done was so out of character that some other person must have temporarily invaded our body and been the protagonist of such an event. Surely we know that the same phenomenon is true for others around us especially when they surprise us through their unexpected behavior. But perhaps we should not be alarmed at such irregularities or discrepancies. they may be signs that we are allowing different parts of our personalities to find creative and integrated expression. Peter Baldwin provides us with a way to understand our miultiple selves as well as those of others. Dr. Baldwin also provides us with a vast array of therapeutic techniques that can be used to facilitate the discovery of ourselves and aid in their integration.
Customer Reviews:
Amazon.com take note: Bramble Books no longer Distributor.......2003-11-08
Amazon.com: Please be advised that copies of FOUR AND TWENTY BLACKBIRDS are now distributed by the author. Address: 113 Pancake Hill Road, Gilmanton, NH 03237. Email: pabldwn@aol.com
Thank you, Peter A. Baldwin, Ph.D.
Bringing It All Back Home.......1999-12-12
Reading this book consolidated a natural knowledge I'd always had -- it made perfect sense without stretching or pushing or being difficult to understand, and without having a strong background in psychology, psychiatry or personality theory. Dr. Baldwin's book is impressive both in its treatment of the concept of "self" and its readability.
it was plagerized.......1999-02-17
I regestered Four an twenty Black Birds in 1982 with the writers guild. I wrote it My name Is Billy Milligan and was diagnosed with 24 personalities. Hence 4&20 black birds Forgive my spelling but i am livid. Dr. Danial Keyes took 4&20 black birds to write the minds of Billy Milligan
A revoluationary approach to psychotherapy........1999-02-05
In "Blackbirds" Dr. Baldwin describes a psychoanalytic process of discovering our "selves." (That's right, plural.) His approach encourages us to look at the cast of characters which make up the self, how these characters interact in the "community of the self" and the various roles each character plays in the script we all write for our lives. Dr. Baldwin's personae theory explores the psychological power of literature and theater and how these can move us and enrich us, whether staged in a theater, or in our heads. A facinating look at the psyche that turns inward and outward until there doesn't seem to be a difference between the two; which is, of course, the whole point.
Average customer rating:
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Four and Twenty Blackbirds
Agatha Christie
Manufacturer: DH Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
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Christie, Agatha
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ASIN: 0886462479 |
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- Calculations are only as good as your numbers
- Pants on fire?
- Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
- Very Interesting
- History as Science Fiction
|
History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
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They Cast No Shadows: A Collection of Essays on the Illuminati, Revisionist History, and Suppressed Technologies
ASIN: 2913621058 |
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.
Amazon.com
If you crossed the writings of Ken Wilber and the prophecies of Nostradamus, you would probably end up with something close to The Ultimate Time Machine, a unique philosophical perspective on the nature of the past, present, and future. As a remote viewer with a respected record of accuracy and over 30 years of work with the United States government and in the private sector, McMoneagle is one of the most qualified people in the 20th century for predicting what the future may hold. While many readers will initially be attracted to the prophetic aspects of The Ultimate Time Machine, the most rewarding aspect of this book is McMoneagle's perception of time. For most of us, time is a tool for marking the events in our lives--what time is that business meeting? how old is he? when was the first wheel made?--but McMoneagle suggests that the future, and even the past, are not necessarily on the fixed, linear path that we think they are, but actually are connected in a flexible web that we continually influence with the ultimate time machines, ourselves. --Brian Patterson
Customer Reviews:
10 years after the predictions their merrits are questionable.......2007-06-07
A book full of predictions is best judged after the "facts". In this respect its a 90% flop. Any future vision from 1998 that does not remotely perceive of 9/11 and the ensuing new american war in iraq is not worth the name. although mcmoneyagle predicts another war in iraq within a 5 year timespan from 1998 he describes it as local conflict between iran turkey and iraq fighting over the kurdish parts - and those parts where least affected by he "real" events. He is also frighteningly nationalistic. His coutry above all - in the light of the new american empire, internal reduction of democracy to an empty shell and Bush's stand against the Kyoto protocol a dangerously childish notion. I shows me that even insight from higher realms does not mean one learns from them. He writes in an entertaining way and the book is an easy read. the visions about mankinds beginings and the year 3000 are amusing, however in the light of the reliability of closer-to-home predicitons that are mostly all wrong their value is reduced to entertainment.
The Ultimate Time Machine.......2007-01-10
The book is a bit dated, but may provide some insight into the practice of remote viewing for purposes of military intelligence, if such a practice actually still exists. No revelations.
Lost me halfway through the book.......2005-12-18
After reading David Morehouse's Psychic Warrior and a couple of Russel Targ books and having an interest in remote viewing particularly in going ahead in years, I decided to try this book. I couldn't relate to how by remote viewing he could come up with such very extensive predictions. Even the very near future, seven years since he wrote the book, the predictions for this period were either far off or something that was already in the works in 1998 on the hits. The book was a great disappointment. I still believe in remote viewing but I think his imagination took over in his attempt at predicting the future in this book.
More entertaining than watching television.......2005-11-01
I can attest to the author's views, because I too have precognition, telepathy, and remote viewing ability. For example, right now I see the author counting his income from the book and laughing at the gullibility of new age readers.
Better Luck Next Time, RV Wiz-Boy.......2005-08-16
Hmm, he remotely viewed some very interesting things, none of them accurate except in the most broad and figurative sense, but somehow he missed 9/11, the most terrible attack ever by a foreign power on American soil. And how about last year's tsunami, the greatest natural disaster, in terms of loss of life, in modern history? Yeah, he must have just overlooked those little things because of pressing concerns like badly misguessing when the Pope might die.
If Remote Viewing is so effective, why do I see the U.S. Government still using expensive satellite technology, when paying Joe to sit in a darkened room with a pencil and paper would be so much cheaper? I'm sure not going into combat using Wiz-Boy Joe's Remote Viewing as reconnaissance.
Average customer rating:
- Antiutopianism at its best!
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Shadows of the Future: H.G. Wells, Science Fiction, and Prophecy (Utopianism and Communitarianism)
Patrick Parrinder
Manufacturer: Syracuse University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
20th Century | British | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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Criticism & Theory | History & Criticism | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | Deconstructionism | Feminist | General | Hermeneutics | Marxist | Semiotics | Sexuality in Literature | Structuralism
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ASIN: 0815603320 |
Customer Reviews:
Antiutopianism at its best!.......2000-03-25
This book suceeds in it's purpose of conveying the blatant themes that run through all of H.G. Wells writing. The idea of a deteriorating society rather than a society that approaches an utopia is common throughout. People's apathy destructs society and crumbles the human existance, to such an extent that all forms of organized life wil eventually disappear.
Average customer rating:
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The Prophecy Machine
Manufacturer: Bantam Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HKFHSI |
Average customer rating:
- Outstanding
- A very odd story...
- How very very strange and wonderful....
- One of the Best Lately
- Custard and Clamsause!
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The Prophecy Machine
Neal Barrett Jr.
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Barrett, Neal | ( B ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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( B ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books | Brooks, Terry
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ASIN: 0553581953
Release Date: 2000-11-28 |
Book Description
Hooters, Hatters, and menacing evil
Even in a mystical world where centuries ago animals were magically changed into humans, the land of Makasar us considered strange. Its two major religions are Hatters and Hooters. During the day, Hatters, wearing hats of course, wander about jabbing pointy sticks into bystanders. The night is ruled by the Hooters, who hoot and set fire to people and things. Hospitality is considered a capital crime. And Newlies, the humanize animals, are treated lower than scum. So when Finn, the Master Lizard Maker, finds himself stranded in Makasar-along with his lover, an attractive Newlies named Letitia, and the grandest, most magical creation of his illustrious career, a talking, thinking, rather cantankerous mechanical lizard named Julia Jessica Slagg-his first thought is a quick exit.
But the Nuccis-strongman son, mad father, and ever madder grandfather-have other plans for Finn and his loyal companions. There's an odd machine in their basement that needs fixing, and who better to do it than a Master Lizard Maker? There's more here than meets the eye, however, and Finn soon realizes that the future he faces could be very dark indeed.
Customer Reviews:
Outstanding.......2004-02-05
"There's no use blaming yourself for this grievous turn of events. It is your fault, of course, but there's little you can do about that. Wisdom comes easily to the man who's waiting for the axeman's blade to fall. For the first time in his life, he knows exactly where he's going next."
This quote, uttered by an argumentative mechanical lizard named Julia Jessica Slagg, exemplifies "The Prophecy Machine". Neil Barrett Jr. wrote two of these delightful comic fantasy novels. I read the sequel, "The Treachery of Kings", last year, and found it to be one of the most brilliant and eccentric novels I'd ever read. I'm actually a little bit less enchanted with "The Prophecy Machine", but it's still a quite impressive achievement.
Master lizard-maker Finn and his lovely wife Letitia Louise are trying to take a vacation, but an unfortunate set of circumstances strands them in the land of Makasar. Along with them is the aforementioned mechanical lizard, a creature named Julia Jessica Slagg, with a sharp tongue. This odd trio makes for one of the most entertaining sets of relationships in imaginative fiction. The dialogue they trade, and the subtle interplay of their personalities, is delightful. Barrett's intuition for comic timing is amazing, and his dark, cynical sense of humor cuts through all pretense.
Now I could go into a further plot summary, but I think I'll let you discover all the clever parts of this book for yourself. Barrett's name is not widely recognized, even among fantasy geeks, but the same could be said of many today's most talented writers. After "The Prophecy Machine" and "The Treachery of Kings", he certainly deserves to enjoy the same fame as Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett.
A very odd story..........2002-02-09
An odd couple (inter-species?) with an odd vocation (lizard-maker) and an unusual companion (a mechanical lizard) get waylayed in a strange land with weird customs and nonsensical religions and are forced to take refuge in a bizarre house with a strange family and fight through a ton of weird situations to extricate themselves.
A variety of plotlines are left hanging and the "prophecy machine" itself is not explored very much and even in the end there are a lot of unanswered questions. Furthermore the action itself is somewhat unsettling, kind of like watching a sci-fi fantasy train-wreck spoil the heroes' vacation. Although it's a page-turner that keeps you reading I couldn't really call it enjoyable - the house, offkilter and dizzying, could in fact be a metaphor for the effect this book has on the reader.
I give it three stars for general quality and a fourth star just for the weird originality that is it's defining characteristic.
How very very strange and wonderful...........2001-09-10
...this is a thrill ride into the strange and bizarre world of Mr. Neal Barrett Jr. and what a wonderful world this is...
It has a lot of ideas that I haven't seen anywhere, and even though it seems a bit weird and at times childish, it is... but it is also its strength.
I would like to say something about what the book is about, but it would take some of the fun out of reading it... so I won't.
Enjoy it!
One of the Best Lately.......2001-01-09
Sci-fi or fantasy fans are always looking for something new -- a new twist, a new concept, or a new world-view -- to challenge their voracious appetite for the new and unread. Neil's newest foray into space-time has a new flavor -- perhaps flawed by an unformed or undefined raison d'etre that leaves the reader longing for a more definate explanation of the forces behind the action or forces -- but then, mystery leads one onward. My review is, of course, colored by a sci-fi background which seeks answers rather than mysteries, but mysteries are tolerable in that they provoke thought rather than rendering palatable answers. Anyone that enjoys "Time Bandits" or "Brazil" (over and over again) will enjoy this book.
Custard and Clamsause!.......2000-12-09
I read books extensively. Occasionally I'm fortunate enough to come across a excellent piece of prose such as this book. Esoteric but enormously entertaining. The way it is structured constantly keeps you turning pages. Neal builds a "Alice in Wonderlandish" world where what you can expect is the unexpected. You get a chance (that you don't get in other novels) to visit a place you've never been before. In the case of this book...a very strange place indeed. The inside of Mr. Barrett's head must contain contain a amusement park for the eccentric.
Books:
- From Here to Paternity (Jane Jeffry Mystery Series #6)
- Germanicus Mosaic (Libertus Mystery Series)
- Grayson
- Hell Hath No Fury: A True Story of Wealth and Passion, Love and Envy, and a Woman Driven to the Ultimate Revenge (St. Martin's True Crime Library)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- Hornblower and the "Hotspur" (Hornblower Series)
- Hornet's Nest
- If You're Afraid of the Dark, Remember the Night Rainbow
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