But enough. The new book is here, and the question devotees of A Simple Plan will want answered is whether or not this book generates anything like Plan's harrowing suspense. The answer is yes. The Ruins is going to be America's literary shock-show this summer, doing for vacations in Mexico what Jaws did for beach weekends on Long Island. Is it as successful and fulfilling as a novel? The answer is not quite, but I can live with that, because it's riskier. There will be reviews of this book by critics who have little liking or understanding for popular fiction who'll dismiss it as nothing but a short story that has been bloated to novel length (I'm thinking of Michiko Kakutani, for instance, who microwaved Smith's first book). These critics, who steadfastly grant pop fiction no virtue but raw plot, will miss the dazzle of Smith's technique; The Ruins is the equivalent of a triple axel that just misses perfection because something's wrong with the final spin.
It's hard to say much about the book without giving away everything, because the thing is as simple and deadly as a leg-hold trap concealed in a drift of leaves…or, in this case, a mass of vines. You've got four young American tourists--Eric, Jeff, Amy, and Stacy--in Cancun. They make friends with a German named Mathias whose brother has gone off into the jungle with some archeologists. These five, plus a cheerful Greek with no English (but a plentiful supply of tequila), head up a jungle trail to find Mathias's brother…the archaeologists…and the ruins.
Well, two out of three ain't bad, according to the old saying, and in this case; what's waiting in the jungle isn't just bad, it's horrible. Most of The Ruins's 300-plus pages is one long, screaming close-up of that horror. There's no let-up, not so much as a chapter-break where you can catch your breath. I felt that The Ruins did draw on a trifle, but I found Scott Smith's refusal to look away heroic, just as I did in A Simple Plan. It's the trappings of horror and suspense that will make the book a best seller, but its claim to literature lies in its unflinching naturalism. It's no Heart of Darkness, but at its suffocating, terrifying, claustrophobic best, it made me think of Frank Norris. Not a bad comparison, at that.
One only hopes Mr. Smith won't stay away so long next time.--Stephen King
Book Description
Eerie, terrifying, unputdownable—Scott Smith’s first novel since his best-selling A Simple Plan (“Simply the best suspense novel of this year—hell, of the 1990s”—Stephen King). The Ruins follows two American couples, just out of college, enjoying a pleasant, lazy beach holiday together in Mexico as, on an impulse, they go off with newfound friends in search of one of their group—the young German, who, in pursuit of a girl, has headed for the remote Mayan ruins, site of a fabled archeological dig.
This is what happens from the moment the searchers—moving into the wild interior—begin to suspect that there is an insidious, horrific “other” among them . . .
Customer Reviews:
The War Between the North and the South.......2007-10-14
Toward the end of THE RUINS when it's become clear that there can be no good ending, a knife needs sterilization for a certain operation. A small fire is built with old notebooks, a dash of tequila and a copy of THE SUN ALSO RISES, Hemingway's masterpiece. It's the only book mentioned in THE RUINS, and as every careful readers knows, when novels are cited in novels it's never accidental.
It seems to me THE RUINS can be seen as a retelling of THE SUN ALSO RISES as a horror story. In both novels we have Americans/Northern Europeans drinking and carousing in relatively safe cities (tourist Cancun and metropolitan Paris), then setting out into places where more ancient cultural traditions persist (Coba and the jungle, Spain and the bullfights in Pamplona). In both, the Northerners confront Southern civilizations which are fatalistic, and hence opaque to the striving Northern European and Yannkee mentalities. Both cultures have histories of bloody ritual (Mayan ritual sacrifice, the running of the bulls and bullfighting).
In THE SUN we have literary ex-pats seeking to escape the confines of Parisian/New York literary society and its dictates of "irony and pity" and so find a more authentic way of life. In THE RUINS, we have some grad students on holiday in Mexico who are escaping into revelry, into the possiblity of sexual play, into a border area where illicit and outrageous adventures with strangers and others can (and do) happen. While their goals may be different, both sets of characters seek escape from everyday existence.
What Jake, the narrator in SUN knows is what most of the characters in both books don't: that without a code of honor there is no dignity in life or death. Jake, unlike his friends, is more attuned to the inner meaning of the rituals of Pamplona because of his own code of honor, a code which requires stoicism and a measure of fatalism. To die well is as important if not more important than living well. A WWI veteran, he's faced death. Though "unmanned" in the war (having suffering the loss of his testicles in battle) his masculine code is untouched, even strengthed by his experience. His counterpart in RUIINS, Jeff, the nominal leader of the adventurers, on the other hand is a Boy Scout, an Eagle Scout to be exact. His reliance on survival techniques does not answer the challenge posed by implacable, ancient evil: the Boy Scout Handbook does not have a chapter on Dying Well.
Another interesting comparison to THE RUINS is COLD SKIN, which posits a nearly forgotten Antarctic island inhabited by a strange race of reptile people. In both novels we have an "island," and a foe whose motives are illegible to the "explorers" until it is too late. In both, books are burned in attempts to survive, their value reduced to material for fire making. Both pose the same question about how far we have come from our ancient survival instincts, and both uncover and examine the problems that arise from the Enlightenment's program of scientific and ideological conquest.
I'm not a big horror novel fan, having read this for my book club. But nevertheless, this is a very well-written novel with real psychological acuity. I think it works mostly as a horror novel, but it is not merely that. Author Smith has more on his mind; it's up to the reader to see past the machinations of the plot and into the larger issues he's bringing to light.
If you don't want to be scared, don't read it.......2007-10-12
There are some books that offer insight into history. Some try to explain why people are motivated to act as they do. Some are great if you care about, well, stuff that the author cares about. That is not what this book is for. Nope, this book is for canceling all of your plans for the next 48 hours while you run through its pages.
I could not put it down.
In part, that is because the plot is born out of a situation that is very believable. I've been a part of loose groups of friends hiking through jungle paths in Central America. I've not taken great caution during those times, and I guess I'm luckly to have "escaped" from it.
This is an environmental horror story -- a place with special conditions that suspend your normal expectations for landscape. "The Vines" become the central villain.
Eric, Stacy, Jeff, Amy, Matthias, and "the Greek" are one of those hastily assembled groups of adventure travelers. Things go about as bad as you can imagine.
I suppose if I was going to critique this book, I would say that there is room for Smith to develop the characters in more depth. There is hardly much to go on beyond some typologies of young people. But that is picking nits. This is just a lot of fun. I had trouble sleeping, two nights in a row!
First book I've ever thrown away.......2007-10-12
Poorly written, the story seems to have been created by a monkey with short term memory loss. The plot progresses slowly with insignificant points drilled into the reader's head over and over again.
I picked it up in the airport and was looking forward to diving into it, mostly because of the hype on the cover. Later that day I actually threw it away in disgust.
A slice of tension.......2007-10-12
This book is not meant to follow a traditional story arc; it is not about explaining everything - its primary purpose is to amp up the tension and the impending sense of doom. I could sense how the story would end after the first hundred pages. I didn't care - the sense of immersion was terrific and terrifying. This was the intent of the author and he succeeded. Excellent book, but not recommended for those who have been raised by a "Hollywoodized" culture where stories follow a typical rhythm and everything is neatly explained and tidied up at the end.
Can't Put Down.......2007-10-10
A book like this comes along only too rarely. Once I picked it up, it went everywhere with me until I finished it, although I hated to have it end. After it ended, I continued to think about it. I am pushing this book on everyone so they can have it in their head like it is in mine. Scott Smith took a long time after writing his first book to write this one (first one,A Simple Plan).I hope he doesn't make us wait this long again.
Book Description
Adam, Ethan and Ryan arent looking for women. Theyre looking for a woman. One woman to share their lives and their beds. They dont want a casual romp in the hay, they want the woman who will complete themand theyre losing hope of finding her. That is until Adam finds Holly lying in the snow just yards from their cabin. He knows shes different the minute he holds her in his arms. But before Adam gets his hopes up, he knows he has to gauge his brothers reactions. Soon its evident that shes the one. There are a few problems, howeverconvincing her she belongs with them and keeping her safe from the man who wants her dead. Warning, this title contains the following: explicit sex, graphic language, mnage a quatre, violence.
Customer Reviews:
Never again.......2007-10-17
I read several of Lisa Marie Rice's books recently and enjoyed them - it was my first dabble into "erotica". I was led to this one, as you are, by links on amazon. If this erotica, then it's a genre not for me. I am not a prude but without going into detail, this is pretty indigestible stuff (read it and you will see what I mean) and I left the main course and dessert as I could not finish the book; I've already sold it on. Maybe some like this sort of thing. I am not criticising those who do but it's definitly not for me. It made Lisa Marie Rice's books, which although they were all pretty much the same story with pretty unrealistic sex scenes, nevertheless seem by comparison like tasteful romantic fiction compared to this and I would not classify them, now, as erotica. Not recommended unless you really need this sort of badly written, puerile, childish and tasteless rubbish in your life.
Yummeh!.......2007-10-15
I wouldn't mind being a pampered princess for three virile men! *Shivers*
I think Adam, Ethan, and Ryan are wonderfully sweet and protective of Holly, but the one thing that bothers me is there are more sex scenes with Ryan, than the other two.
Yes, they have a ménage a quatre, but, it's like Holly is hesitant with Adam. If she's gonna get jealous of Lacey, at least act like you really care for Adam.
In Colters' Wife, the epilogue short story, the sex scene is once again with, yep, you got it, RYAN. Ethan gets some, and Adam doesn't get any.
Overall, I love the concept, and that's why I gave it 5 stars.
Huh? People who rated this high should check out Ellora's Cave titles.......2007-10-09
From the first chapter, all I could think throughout the book is someone under age must have written this ;) It was really, really immature. The dialog was - well, I can't think of a better word than immature. And talk about an undeveloped plot?? This book couldn't even be edited down to a semi-decent short story. If you like this story line - check out "Sarah's Seduction" from Ellora's Cave. It's not your New York Times best seller material, but it is MUCH better written than this waste of paper. Sarah's Seduction is part of a trilogy (Marley's Choice and Heather's Gift are the other two) but the other two aren't as developed as the middle book in my opinion. I've read a few books from this publisher and I must say after reading Ellora's Cave titles for some time, this publisher (Samhain Publishing) really, REALLY falls short by comparison.
unrealistic but a nice read.......2007-10-06
its believable that a woman would fantasize about 3 guys but what i found really unrealistic was how quickly she got over her traumatic situation and fell so quickly for the three brothers and vice versa.
you found a unconscious woman on the groung and you are immediately attracted even though she was injured? i think the person should be worried about the injuries rather than keep on thinking about his one-sided attraction with an injured woman.
but besides those factors, it was a nice read.
Wonderful Book.......2007-09-29
This is my first experience with this genre, unless you count amature stories I've read online and stories I've written for my own entertainment. In short, I really loved this book. It isn't high literature, but it isn't meant to be. It's great escapist fantasy. It has likeable characters, steamy love scenes, and a good plot. I admire that the relationship between the heroine and the three heroes manages to be romantic and not sleazy, but still oozes with spice. I would definately recommend this book.
Average customer rating:
- 2 for 1
- Life Doesn't Frighten Me
- Undecided
- Art Appreciation For All Ages---
- Pure Bosh
|
Life Doesn't Frighten Me
Maya Angelou , and
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Manufacturer: Stewart, Tabori and Chang
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Binding: Hardcover
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Angelou, Maya
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Angelou, Maya
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Similar Items:
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My Painted House, My Friendly Chicken, and Me
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I Live In Music
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May I Feel Said He (Art & Poetry)
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The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou
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Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now
ASIN: 1556702884 |
Customer Reviews:
2 for 1.......2007-08-12
You have two great contemporary artists combined in this book.....I plan to buy it again as I gave it to a friend who is a new grandmother.
Life Doesn't Frighten Me .......2007-05-21
This is a great book! This book is a good starting point for conversation with children in helping them talk about what might frighten them. The artists (both Maya Angelou and Jean-Michel Basquiat) both have created a unique book for all ages.
Undecided.......2007-04-22
The pictures are abstract looking and dark in tone. The book makes reference to; ghosts, bad men fighting in the dark, and cougars in the park. I'm not sure my 3 or 5 year old children had thought up these bad things on their own yet. While reading them the book I felt uneasy about the dark pictures and scary references to things they may not have even thought of before. I'm still undecided if it will be helpful in convincing them that they don't need to be afraid of life or if it will convince them that life is pretty scary and they ought to be afraid! There is one reference to 'having a lucky charm up her sleeve' that protects her from the bad stuff and also allows her to walk on the ocean floor without having to come up to breathe. Those are both useless defenses in the real world so the book doesn't offer any real reasons to not be scared of life.
Art Appreciation For All Ages---.......2006-11-19
This book is truly for both parents and children. The cadence of Angelou's poem is one that appeals to kids of all ages, even if they don't initially understand it's meaning. The artwork in it's 'stick figure form' can be appreciated by all who enjoy the complexity of Basquiat's work as well as children relating to it's color and elementary presentation. It's one of my favorite gifts, from baby showers to adult parents. If you appreciate art and culture this book is one to have in the home as well as gift to a friend.
Pure Bosh.......2006-07-13
What a deep, deep woman this Maya Angelou is. At least this book ADMITS it's for little kids, unlike a lot of her other work.
Book Description
Create positively dazzling effects with the unique insights and practical advice in this innovative guide from a working professional Maya artist. Need to create plasmatic energy by lunch? Animate a field of sprouting daisies before tomorrow’s meeting? Fashion a force field by Friday? With Maya’s flexible toolset and the unique tutorials in this book, you’ll learn how to solve real-world problems, improvise, and finish your professional assignments on time and with flair.
Customer Reviews:
Great idea for effects artist that want to go beyond the basics.......2007-07-23
This is one of the best effects books I've purchased. It's not intended for people that just start out with effects, it's meant for people that want to learn to do actually work. I like the realworld format of the book, with projects that are similar to what you would get in actual production. Great Book!
A must have for Maya users........2007-06-10
This book is a must have for Maya users who are interest in becoming VFX artists or Generalists.
I've bought many Maya books and I must say that I feel I've gotten the biggest bang for my buck with one.
Looking forward to Eric Keller's next book.
Rudy Sarzo
Interesting read.......2007-05-30
Its not as boring as other manuals, and it explains how to accomplish things, while bringing the ideas of how to use them in better situations. I really enjoy the reality of client speak that is presented in it.
Go beyond Maya.......2007-05-13
This is an excellent book for advanced maya users, teaches some great tricks with latices and light effects.
Has some nice little Gems!.......2007-04-06
If you are interested in taking your existing knowledge of Maya to the next level then Eric's book is a great place to start. The book is laid out logically and easy to follow. The step-by-step examples have plenty of color images makeing it easy to understand. Eric has touched on very broad areas from texturing to rigging some complex setups. There are plenty of Mel and expression examples that add some more complexity with nice results. Many of examples Eric shows can be used for an array of other projects that you may encounter later on.
Amazon.com
To truly know Maya is to know MEL, and to know MEL, you should read Learning Maya 5: MEL Fundamentals. MEL (Maya Embedded Language) is the underlying engine on which Maya is built. MEL makes everything possible, and with MEL you can do almost anything, from creating your own interface for Maya to creating self-animating objects to making blanket changes to a single attribute for every object in a project.
But while explaining what MEL is takes only a sentence or two, learning how it works and making it do what you want can easily take many volumes, or one good one. MEL Fundamentals is perhaps the best introduction to MEL to come along in years. Twelve chapters, 250 pages, and a CD full of files takes the beginning MEL user/Maya artist on a trip into the inner workings of Maya and shows how to use MEL for everything from adding items to shelves to altering the workspace to controlling animated objects.
There are numerous outstanding examples throughout the book such as how to rig a light to flicker on each time it turns on instead of just switching on, or how to add countless railroad ties to a set of train tracks, or how to control the animation of the flowing wings of a Manta Ray by controlling one object. The section on creating custom UIs can turn into a very valuable chapter for those looking to save time by customizing the interface. Here, you'll learn how to create your own windows with your own buttons for the most frequently used commands, or create sets of windows that feature different toolsets for various modes of working. MEL is a powerful and complex tool, and one that shouldn't be overlooked or thought of as a geek's tool.
Learning Maya 5: MEL Fundamentals, part of the "Learning Maya" series from Sybex, includes a CD containing all files referred to throughout the book, and a DVD that introduces some of the features new to Maya 5, making this book and the whole series a valuable asset for any Maya artist. --Mike Caputo
Book Description
"This book...is long overdue, and something that Maya users will undoubtedly welcome with open text editors"
--Joaquin Kino Gil, CreativeCOW.net
Learning Maya 5: MEL Fundamentals is you key to harnessing the full power of Maya, and you don't have to be a programmer to learn.
MEL (Maya Embedded Language) is the scripting language used by Maya and is the foundation of the Maya User Interface and of many of its tools. Knowing MEL will permit you to customize the Maya UI, automate repetitive tasks, modify existing tools, and even create your own tools. Learning Maya 5 | MEL Fundatmentals is your key to solving production challenges creatively and efficiently. This book is written for the artist, so don't be intimidated if you have no prior programming experience.
Features:
Starting from an introductory level, this book will allow you to explore advanced concepts in a comfortable format. Each topic is explored in both theory and practice so that you'll not only understand the concepts presented, you'll be able to complete easy-to-follow, step-by-step tutorials to ensure that you master them. You'll benefit from sample scripts and examples that will prove invaluable to you as your Maya skills increase. In addition, you'll take advantage of valuable chapter-by-chapter overviews provided in QuickTime(r) format on CD-ROM. Offered by Glen Chang, and Alias|Wavefront(TM) Certified Instructor, these helpful movies will allow you to gain additional insight as you work through the book.
With this book you will:
* Explore MEL's role in Maya
* Customize the Maya User Interface with MEL.
* Understand Maya's architecture, Nodes, and Attributes
* Learn MEL commands and syntax.
* Explore variables and expressions.
* Write conditional and looking statements.
* Learn scripting and procedures.
* Get advanced scripting examples.
* Create UI windows, layouts and tools.
And much more...
Customer Reviews:
A good introduction..........2007-06-10
Finding a MEL scripting book with useful, simple examples has been quite challenging for me. MEL Fundamentals does provide a good basic foundation for
understanding what MEL script can be used for, but it could show more...
The book is broken down into several chapters, which cover the basics of the following:
-Understanding what MEL Script is used for
-Using MEL Script to customize the Maya interface
-Using MEL Script to create custom GUIs to control nodes in your scene (Graphical User Interfaces)
-Variables and Expressions
-Conditional Statements (If Else, If Else If, If Else If Else)
-Loops (FOR and FOR IN loops)
-Procedures
The book was written for Maya 5.0 - and I have yet to see an updated text that reflects the most current version of Maya to date (v 8.5 as of this review).
There are several 'real world' examples that will further help students understand how powerful MEL Script really is. One thing I wish the book covered is how to deal with negative numbers in expressions. MEL Fundamentals is sparse in several areas, but this book's intended focus is to provide a quick introduction and nothing more.
The book includes a DVD with all examples already typed in. In addition, the supplied code works in all versions of Maya I have used it with (v5.0, v6.0, v7.0, v8.0 and v8.5).
If you're curious about MEL script and want to learn more, this book provides a decent introduction. Intermediate MEL developers should look elsewhere for in-depth coverage.
Very good book.......2003-11-19
I have not bought this book till now but my friend has and he liked it very much. He should have given a review but he is lazy. So, I am doing his part. A very good book to learn MEL expressions and make use of them in animation. The DVD has some cool stuff focusing on Maya 5 Features and MEL Fundamentals!
Book Description
Bestselling author Barbara Hand Clow shows how the Mayan Calendar is a bridge to galactic wisdom that fosters personal growth and human evolution
• Unearths the meaning behind the calendar, its message for modern civilization, and what will happen when the calendar ends
• Reveals how time acceleration is a manifestation of the acceleration of consciousness
• By the author of
The Pleiadian Agenda
Many researchers have investigated the science of time cycles by using the Mayan Calendar, which tracks the 5,125-year Long Count ending in the year 2012. History shows that civilizations suddenly appeared around 3115 B.C. in Egypt, India, and Sumer that used calendars based on systems similar to the Mayan Calendar, reflecting what was once a universal and sacred understanding of time. In
The Mayan Code, Barbara Hand Clow draws on the work of biologist Carl Johan Calleman and many other New Paradigm researchers to unearth the deeper meaning behind the calendar and its message for modern civilization, especially during its final five years.
As we approach the end of the Mayan Calendar, time and consciousness are accelerating. Working with Calleman’s time-acceleration theory, Barbara Hand Clow shows how the cycles of time marked by the calendar match important periods in the evolutionary data banks of Earth and the Milky Way Galaxy and that the calendar describes the evolutionary stage to come. She explores how our own personal healing is the most important factor as we prepare to make this critical leap in human evolution--now referred to as the awakening of the World Mind.
Customer Reviews:
A shaman's interpretation of the Mayan Calendar.......2007-09-02
We have all been experiencing the effects of what Barbara Clow calls the time acceleration timetable encoded in the Mayan Calendar. This translates into the speed at which thoughts become reality, or as we've been saying in the New Age: instant karma. Well, it's here and we don't have a choice, our negativity or creativity will manifest in our lives with increasing frequency as we approach the 2011/2012 end of the calendar. (This allows us to clear up our emotional patterns and become enlightened beings.) But, what I found most fascinating about Calleman's theories and Clow's interpretation were the nine cycles of history or underworlds, going back to the Big Bang, each twenty-times faster (more condensed) than the preceding cycle, each broken down into further divisions of time--days and nights--so that we can compare themes. That is Day Four of the Galactic Underworld (1/5/99-10/28/11) December 4, 2004 to November 28, 2005--the Southeast Asian Tsunami, Ahmadinejad elected president of Iran, Hurricane Katrina, the great controversy over The Da Vinci Code leading to its own "enlightenment," compares to Day Four (749-355 BC) of National Underworld (3115 BC to 2011)--Isaiah warning the Israelites to change their errant ways, the days of the spiritual leaders: Lao-tse, Buddha, Confucius, Plato; to Day Four (AD 1873-1893) of the Planetary Underworld (AD 1755 to 2011)--Blavatsky founding of the Theosophical Society, Mary Baker Eddy's Christian Science, or the height of the spiritualist movement in America. Understanding how the Mayan shamans were able to see these patterns and encode them into their calendar takes the genius of a modern-day shaman, Barbara Hand Clow, to take new research and insights and show us the broader picture. It's heady and intuitive in equal measure. I can't recommend this enough for those struggling to understand and adapt to acceleration we're all experiencing.
Finally! A 2012 book that makes sense to me!.......2007-08-09
This book, by Barbara Hand Clow, is well written and appears to be based on facts involving the ancient Mayan calendar. She speaks to the acceleration of time and the process of human evolution from ancient times through the end of the calendar 2011/2012 (guesstimates vary through 12/21/2012). I know that some of you believe that we are currently in transformative times and are seeking to make sense of it all. Right now, according to the Mayans, we are walking the path "Xi Balba bih" (The Road of Awe) and for those seeking a better understanding of what lies ahead, this book could be useful. This book is NOT a doom and gloom portrayal of the future, but is, as I believe, the hope of a better future, a future of peace and love for many as we move forward into an anticipated leap of human consciousness. Barbara talks about the meaning of the calendar and the message it holds for modern civilization. Barbara gives in-depth explanations of how the Mayan calendar works, the details of which are a little too technical for me, but that's OK. I don't really need to understand the details of the calendar itself, just her rationale for her analysis. Much of this book resonates very well with me. She talks about the acceleration of time and consciousness. She references the time-acceleration theory work of Carl Johan Calleman and other researchers for a better understanding of the calendar, particularly during its last 5 years (2006/7 through 2011/12--like now Dude/Dudette!) She indicates how the calendar's cycles of time match up with important past and current time periods of the Earth and the Milky Way Galaxy.
I've been reading some 2012 stuff, I guess trying to find something that resonates with my own feelings and guidance in this area. I had studied the Spanish/Mexican language and culture for 5 years in school. In 2004, I visited the Mayan ruins in Chitzenitza, in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. I was fascinated by what I saw and have great respect for this very ancient culture (in its early days, before it was altered by a European gentleman). Our guide was also a Mayan descendent and who spoke about the Mayan calendar in some detail. As you may already know, Mayans were obsessed with time and were extremely accurate in their projections of it. So, maybe they have something to tell us about the future. Granted, no one knows what is going to happen, but, assuming the authors currently "out there" are being honest, and they are getting guidance from somewhere--well, let's just say that there's lots of different guidance going around right now, that's for sure, and lots of confusion. Like I said, this book makes sense to me. If 2012 and projections of a "new world" interest you, consider this book. I don't think you will be disappointed.
Just a side note, though, there are a lot of detailed explanations about the calendar so it gets a little hard to read because of the wealth of details. With that said, though, there's still a lot of info. So, it's like saying, "I'll tell you how to make a watch. If all you need is the time, then take the time and run with it. Disregard what you don't need in extra info."
Excellent with a caveat . . ........2007-07-23
Barbara Hand Clow makes an excellent and convincing summary of the Mayan Clendar and it's meaning for humankind in the very near future up through 2012. Very interesting reading, HOWEVER . . . she used it to put forth her vitreolic political opinons in chapter 6 (and throughout) that could have been better spent using different examples. She compared President Bush (and his "Bushites") to other fascist regimes, including Hitler's. including, "Will the American people under Bush act as the German people did under Hitler?" On page 144 she even stated that 9/11 couldn't have happened "Without the green light from military and secret agencies leading all the way to the White House . . ." Also, her larger message is significantly dimished by her constant rantings about the American "global empire." Other quotes: "As if the gods were throwing spears at Bush's brother Jeb, ferocious hurricanes such as Ivan pummeled Florida." and, "As if nature had decided to deal with the Bushites, Katrina, a massive category 5 hurricane, barreled into New Orleans . . ." Unfortunately, her frequent anti-American sentiments show her as an embittered author better suited for the "political diatribe" section of the bookstore.
A New Visionary Tool.......2007-07-17
Barbara Hand Clow has once again provided us with a timely message for all humanity. Continuing with themes she has explored with her previous books, especially The Pleiadian Agenda, Catastrophobia and Alchemy of Nine Dimensions, Clow presents an interpretation and exploration of the Mayan Calendar that helps to crystallize the events of the last five thousand years.
Clow postulates, with strong adherence on the work of Carl Johan Calleman, that Mayan visionaries constructed the calendar in recently modern times as a tool to see into, not only the very distant past, but into the future as well. Utilizing hard science as well as profound metaphysical understanding, Clow once again demonstrates a unique ability to teach from both sides of the brain, providing the reader with empirical scientific evidence and her own experiential knowingness achieved from many different teachers and traditions.
Barbara Hand Clow is a visionary thinker and teacher, oftentimes many years ahead of the rest of us, and gifts us with another tool to prepare for the coming awakening of consciousness that is humanity's destiny--I highly recommend this book!
An Ascendant Journey Through Time.......2007-07-14
The MAYAN CODE, Time Acceleration and Awakening the World Mind.
Drawing extensively on Carl Calleman's interpretations of the Mayan Calendar and synthesizing that work with those of other Mayan scholars, Hand Clow takes us on a break-taking journey through time and the evolution of consciousness as she streams the information through her own extraordinary scope of bicameral knowledge and wisdom. Based on Callemans' work the Calendar provides a 20/20 lens from which to view history. Hand Clow uses the accuracy of that view to turn the lens around and peer forward to 2012 and what a sight! On a journey that is often one foot in front of the other and frought with uncertainty, Hand Clow clears the way for a light and full hearted sprint to the end of time. A challenging read but a truly revelatory and uplifting book.
Book Description
Designed for busy Maya users like you, this guide offers dozens of how-tos, workarounds, and shortcuts culled from years of experience in a fast-paced, deadline-driven production pipeline. You’ll discover tricks and timesavers on texturing particles, customizing Paint Effects brushes, modeling polygon faces, creating facial rigs with wire deformers, and much more—and helpful full-color illustrations reinforce the concepts. From modeling, animating, and rigging to texturing and lighting, this book will help you streamline workflow and improve your skills.
Customer Reviews:
Amazing........2007-03-19
This book is full of useful tips and tricks which are presented in a clear and concise manner. The Photo-reference for every item is unequalled by any other Maya book I own. It's a new standard showing how important it is that full color graphics accompany the text for a subject based on graphics production.
I think that Kirk guy is way more handsome than Chandler... But they both add some very useful knowledge to an already knowledgably written subject.
Another "Must Have" Reference for Maya users........2007-03-14
Lee does it again with this reference for all us Maya users of various skill levels. He gives practical tips based on experience in everyday film production! It covers an entire production pipeline using Maya. He even covers Mel scripting in an elementary way, but with advanced functionality! If you are getting into Maya, and want to learn some professional short cuts, or if you've been using Maya every day and want to pick up some new tricks.. This is a resource I can't recommend enough as a Maya user myself.
A unique Maya book.......2007-03-09
A great book to have around for all skill levels. Autodesk Maya is such a deep program, that you find yourself stumbling upon new approaches and techniques each time you use it. This book is a great source to give you a deeper sense of it's functionality. It's packed with years of experience and innovative ideas that can come to life in Maya.
James Chandler.......2007-03-05
Lee really has this book thing down. I love his second book. And wow is that James Chandler handsom.
truly the master.......2007-03-02
Lee Lanier is definitely a Maya wizard. His tips and techniques go across so many components of this powerful software that it's easy to see why they wanted him to write this, his second book. This book is perfect for those who have some Maya background, and I'm sure you will find it to be exactly what your library needs.
Book Description
Hyper-Realistic Creature Creation
Step-by-step instructions combined with in-depth discussions of topics ranging from the importance of good topology to the subtlety of facial expressions, make Hyper-Realistic Creature Creation an excellent all-around resource for the modeling, texturing and rigging of characters.
—William Dwelly, Senior Software TD
Maya Techniques / Hyper-Realistic Creature Creation is you solution for creating convincing characters in Maya. Get hands-on experience with innovative tools and powerful industry-recognized techniques as you learn to model like a pro, set-up your skeleton in a fast and easy way and create realistic facial controls. This book will help you achieve hyper-real characters quickly and effectively.
Get the inside scoop on high-end production techniques from industry pros Erick Miller, Paul Thuriot, and Jeff Unay! Through Project-based lessons, follow Jeff Unay's process for modeling the beast, Paul Thuriot's workflow for rigging the beast's body and Erick Miller's tips and techniques on complex facial rigging for maximum flexibility. The book car5efully delineates the entire production process for the beast's creation, so that you can both understand the individual techniques and how they relate to each other in a pipeline. You'll also take advantage of helpful video demonstrations so you can watch the experts at work.
By examining the entire process, you will learn strategies for creating characters with an emphasis on anatomy and realism. Lessons are designed to cover effective workflows for devising models that can be easily manipulated and animated. The methods discussed in this book can be applied to any setup needs that you may have because you'll learn the rigging process from the concept stage through to pipeline integration.
With this book you will:
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Be introduced to modeling theories
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Learn how to use powerful tools like the Soft Modification Tool and the Split Edge Ring Tool.
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Learn how to create custom hotkeys and marking menus
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Import image planes and block out a character
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Create an Adobe Photoshop network
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Use automation scripts
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Understand how to use a multiple rig workflow
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Lock, paint, mirror skin weights, and connect a bound rig to a control rig
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Create corrective blend shapes, and set-up cluster controls
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Learn how to create jaw, eye, and lip setups
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Discover concepts of a realistic skin shader
What you need to use this book
Bonus Features
Customer Reviews:
Good Book.......2007-03-08
I found this book a good overviewer for people who want to practically work in the area of hyper real characters. Its truely is a good reference and practical guide. Although it isnt for beginners, it gives overview of hyper-real character workflow in maya.
great guide for the competent user.......2006-11-19
This is among my favorites of Maya reference books. Admittedly, I was not at an appropriate level of knowledge when I first bought it; however, once my understanding was sufficient, I was incredibly pleased with it. I this book is NOT for absolute beginners. It does not hold your hand and tell you how to do every little thing; if this is what your looking for, I would recommend a more basic intro level book. In terms of techniques, it fills in many of the gaps left by other Alias publications, and is certainly a far cry above Autodesk's lackluster publications.
This book is written presupposing some knowledge of the program and surrounding concepts. When I first began teaching myself Maya, a friend had shown me this book-at the time, I was utterly lost trying to follow it. However, within a month or two my knowledge was sufficient for this book to begin making sense to me.
If you have never used maya and are trying to learn, hold off for a while before buying this. If you are an intermediate level user (confident + comfortable with basic concepts, and a general understanding of most major areas) interested in learning more about professional modeling and rigging techniques, this is for you. A great aspect of this book is the fact that the DVD provides scene files in different stages of tutorial completion, which allows the user to check their work against a "solution," or examine concepts and workflow in greater detail.
This book is extremely helpful for anyone seeking insight into the professional CG world and the workflows and processes thereof.
Awesome book for ADVANCED users!.......2006-11-13
This an amazing reference for advanced digital sculptors, but it just covers far too much inside information and techniques from the edge to really go into step by step detail. The sticky lips techniques are priceless and came at the right time for me. Again, if you don't have atleast 2 years experience using Maya hold on to this book until you do OR get one of the fundamentals books or delve into the numerous instructional DVDs that are available. Once you are very familiar with the Maya interface conventions and have atleast intermediate knowledge Poly modeling characters and character rigging this book will pay major dividends.
Pretty good!.......2006-08-05
I'm not new to maya, but I had some questions about easier UV mapping tool, and this book tells me the hint, contains other useful information that I need to know as a good modeler and animator!
Why I did not learn anything from this book........2006-07-06
Some Maya books are unclear about the real "need to know" steps on creating a model and this is one of those books. It is well known that most really good books about Maya topics come with a DVD with video tutorials that help reinforce the book and further your knowledge. I am sorry to say that this book did not have much to offer in that area.
Unfortunately, I need to give this book a negative rating. The companion DVD was full of interviews that were pointless and about non related topics. Creativity and imagination was definitely not important, as the book did not pay attention to important details.
Directions at some points were to just copy and paste a part of the model and skipping steps. It's like the people who made this book did not want you to learn anything from it and just rushed though making it to get some quick cash.
Books:
- Ledyard: In Search of the First American Explorer
- Les Sauvages Am?ricains: Representations of Native Americans in French and English Colonial Literature
- Lords of the North (The Saxon Chronicles Series #3)
- Love in a Torn Land: Joanna of Kurdistan: The True Story of a Freedom Fighter's Escape from Iraqi Vengeance
- Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Meetings with Remarkable Men (All and Everything)
- Mutant Message Down Under
- Mysteries of the Middle Ages: The Rise of Feminism, Science, and Art from the Cults of Catholic Europe
- National Security and The Nuclear Dilemma, 1945-1991
- None of the Above: Puerto Ricans in the Global Era (New Directions in Latino American Culture)
Books Index
Books Home
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![Digital Lighting and Rendering (2nd Edition) ([digital])](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/0321316312.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
