Series Books

This is the final volume in the second trilogy of what is becoming Cherryh's magnum opus -- and this is only the halfway point. Having been told by the late Senior Captain Ramirez just before his death that Reunion Station wasn't destroyed after all, only damaged, and that the autocratic, xenophobic Pilot's Guild is probably still in charge there, the starship Phoenix knows it must return, not only to rescue those left behind, but also to destroy anything that might lead "the other aliens" to the atevi world. Not only that, the aiji is sending his grandmother, the formidable Ilisidi, to represent him, as well as his six-year-old heir, and Bren Cameron, the human paidi, will accompany the atevi party on its two-year mission. And there will be a contingent of Mospheiran humans, as well. Lots of ways things could go wrong with that many disparate elements, and many of them do, but they also learn to cooperate. And Bren gets to practice his original trade as translator in dealing with the ship they find parked near the damaged station, and he does a very creditable and ingenious job, making full use of his atevi resources -- including a highly cinematic grenade-delivery via the heir's toy cars. I particularly like the way the Good Guys get around the station's control of communications by printing up full-color illustrated brochures! Line up the next few volumes and just keep going!

Bren and his Atevi bodyguards, (Atevi are a race of super tall dark-skinned aliens) travel to a distant space station to rescue some stranded humans. When they arrive they discover things at the space station aren't what they seem. Can Bren get to the bottom of the strange alien presence or will the delegation be caught inside a battle zone?

As usual, Cherryh writes an excellent sci-fi novel. Her world-building is extremely well done and each character is well articulated. I did get a bit tired of the `humans are to blame for everything' attitude that is an underlying theme in these novels. Only humans seem to make mistakes, and if there is a war or a problem it is doubtless the result of ignorant humans. Sometimes I'd like to see one catastrophe that humans WEREN'T responsible for. Also, at times the dowager is a bit of a mary-sue. I like the character, but not every book. Overall, this was a great book which had me on the edge of my seat. 5 stars.

I consider Cherryh to be the premier science fiction writer I have read and enjoyed, since starting as a sub-teenager, back in the 1950s. The entire Foreigner series, to date, as there appear to be some more on the way, is absolutely outstanding. When I read the last book in the sequence, I went an ordered the entier set to date. And have enjoyed each and every one as well as the first and latest! If you have not read them, start at the beginning and be prepared to buy, read and retain each and every one. I am posting this verbatum on the other two requested Foreigner series books I have been given the opportunity for which to review!

First of all, I started reading the Foreigner series in the library, then when I had finished the first trilogy, I went to the main branch of the library and lo and behold, were two books from a second Foreigner series. Having thoroughly enjoyed the first trilogy, I read them and learned that there was a final book in the trilogy, which I immediately ordered off of Ebay(no offense Amazon.com). It was everything the other books were, and more. An extremely well drawn alien society. With just the right mix of drama, suspense and then action.

The story is that the paidhi-aiji has finally arrived at Reunion station. However, as they thought, rescuing the stationers would not be easy...

umm, C.J. Cherryh is a WOMAN. http://www.cherryh.com/www/menu.htm

as to the book itself, i thought it was better than average but not as good as the Chanur novels or 'Downbelow Station'. an improvement on the previous foreigner books but she still mistakes dithering for decision making, a common failing in many of her novels.

I really enjoyed reading this screenplay. It's the kind of screenplay you can read and I know this might sound silly, but I actually felt I was inside the book with them all. P.T Anderson , has created intense, interesting characters that engulf your curiousity. You'll read this in one sitting. It's the kind of screenplay you don't want to put down. Definately worth owning. I wish I wrote it.

Anderson is brilliant and this is a great screenplay to buy for anyone interested in screenwriting and/or directing. The story, or stories, are so compelling that the suspense is there even when you read this book. Good stuff, good times.

Paul Thomas Anderson is a very vulnerable & giving author!He really nurtures the reader with secrets that aren't even revealed in the wonderful "making of" additional feature on the DVD. Get both & you will be powerfully inspired by a true artist, who went against the rules & won brilliantly. Thank God award season appreciated the wonderful work of art Magnolia was, and still is in my collection.

I have to say when I first read the script I was kinda of disappointed because there are changed lines in it like the scene where Frank meets his father for the first time its almost completely changed but I'm not mad its cool reading stuff from what Anderson wrote first But disappointing there are so many great stuff that are in the film but not in the script thats why I'm disappointed. Its a very well done script but changed.

See Magnolia first and then read the screenplay.

Matt

Magnolia is the only film that made me cry last year. The way the characters fall apart bit by bit makes this an amazing look into the lifes of people who appear to be strong. Every character in the script is amazingly ordinary and fasinating , and the actors who played them did a PERFECT job. Also how the film builds in tenison of saddness makes you wonder what will happen next. And then something you forget and unexpected happens. It is brillant, moving film.

I first picked up this book a few years ago because of the cover (I am something of book cover whore. I am easily pleased.) and I've never regretted it. I've never come across another book that was able to mix comedy and horror so well. As hilarious as this book was there were also numerous scary moments that didn't lose any of their power when it was preceded by a light humorous moment.

Anybody who reads it will fall in love with Fenberg and his multi-named brother who have to fend off curses, werewolves and vengeful rednecks to save the people they love. The story is off and running from the first page and you won't want to put it down, so don't!

My only complaint is why hasn't John Boston written another book?!

it was exhausting to read. Ingenious, witty, amusing, well-written, yes. But it's like being in the company of someone who is always "on," and quick with a witticism or comeback. Sometimes just a normal paragraph or two would have been nice, especially at 320 pages. There was a dip about 5/6ths of the way through that made me not want to pick it up again, but it does race towards the conclusion at least. Worth reading, but too clever for its own good.

It's great, great fun. Read it. Enjoy it. Lend it out and share the experience with others. "Naked Came the Sasquatch" has quickly become one of my favorite books and I recommend it to all. If you loan it to someone and they don't like it I believe you have justification for ending any relationship you have with that person. I knew I was hooked when I started to end my conversations with my brother with "ps - bed wetter".

The suspense in this book is great, but it isn't just the tense moments that make it so good. Normally when a book gives you a rundown of the character's life it's kind of dull. Boston takes these character development areas and makes them wet your pants funny. It's the first book I've ever read that didn't have a single dull moment.
Keep in mind that I have a warped sense of humor.

I was lucky enough to have been working in a bookstore when this book first came out. I walked past it everyday and it always caught my eye so I finally bought it. This may be the best book I have ever read. It has great characters, fantastic imaging from the descriptions, suspense, murder, humor, and monsters. It has gotten to the point that when I read this book, I actually visualize it as a movie with Bruce Campbell playing the main character Michael Fenberg and Janine Turner as Elaine Mitikitski(oh if it would only happen). It's a truly visualizing book from the reflections of Tuberski's See-Em-Dead Zoo Bar and Grill Massacre to Fenberg's giant truck to the Mogonogonovich Brothers brutish antics; it's a riot and so enjoyable. You'll read this book until it falls apart (then you'll tape it together over and over again).

I have recommend this book to numerous people and all of them are grateful for having got it. I got my wife to read it and well to make a long story short, we read it so often that I've had to buy three replacements because they get worn out (my prize one is I managed to snag a John Boston autographed copy). By all means, have no doubts, GET THIS BOOK! You will not be displeased.

I can't recommend this book highly enough. There is a wealth of advice on best practice for both Excel and VBA, which has not only prompted me to change the way I design new projects, but to revise old projects also. There are also a huge number of examples, including an application developed throughout the course of the book, which demonstrate applications for all the techniques discussed. Definitely not for the beginner, but there's loads of stuff here for intermediate to advanced developers. I think I'll be using this as a desktop reference for a long time to come...

This book of advanced Excel development was recommended to me by a co-worker whose project I inherited that used the concepts in the book based on the "Petras Template" example. It's classy and polished VBA programming and sure, you can brag about the concepts to the techies interviewing you during your next job hunt.

But, be careful.

The book introduces us to the concept of add-ins and templates. So, there you are showing off your project to your manager or users. But, what do they click on? The add-in or the template? What are all those true/false cells over there? How can the user save the workbook? What heppens if you forget to hide the columns that use cell logic. Hmmm. These questions and others will be asked of your typically non-technical users who have NO idea what goes on behind the scenes. If they open up the template and screw around with the code or re-name the add-in, you'll have chaos.

To be fair, there's tons of advanced concepts to learn here and no doubt you'll benefit from them. But, remember, as a developer, your first goal is to produce a robust application. However, you may have click a couple of functions to get all tabs in your template to show. If you don't do that, you can't see them! Oh, and don't forget to save your add-in.xla or all your changes won't take effect.

Not for beginners or dummies, but for VERY careful developers!

This is a great book for power programmers. But be aware, this book is not for those who want to learn Excel. It's just for those who know Excel and want to imrove their programming capabilities.

When picking up this book, I was an advanced Excel user. Having discovered most of its features by trial-and-error, and coming from a fairly solid programming background, I understood well the interaction between the underlying object model and the sheets appearing on the screen to end users. I have also crafted many sophisticated worksheet formulas, and explored just about every suggestion of literature such as "Excel Hacks" and "Advanced Excel Report Development".

Professional Excel Development offers ideas and tools necessary for designing full-fledged, robust Excel-based applications. It does not spend time explaining how various features work, but rather goes into detail on how to put these features to best use.

Here is what I picked up from this book, together with the authors' Excel 2003 VBA reference:
* ways to leverage Excel's built-in features to avoid excessive coding
* advanced design techniques for using Excel as a WYSIWYG interface designer
* techniques for creating custom menu bars and programming their behavior
* various means of interacting with the user and simplifying their sessions by providing guidance as to which steps need to be taken
* restricting the Excel environment to take on the appearance of a product condusive of the goal stated in previous bullet
* using VBA in conjunction with the Excel object model to create powerful object-oriented structures for spreadsheet-based applications
* programming Excel-based solutions in an executable to provide a more standalone application
* using Windows API calls to increase robustness of the application

One key feature of this book is its consistent approach. The authors maintain a consistent structure, using the same application throughout the book for their "practical example" to demonstrate new features made available through the material in each chapter. Also, the "best practices" approach provides a level of consistency that is generally desired of anywhat sophisticated applications. Useable modules are provided on the accompanying CD, ready to be used in readers' own applications.

In the beginning, the authors explain the audiences for which this book may or may not be intended. They separate these into users, power users, VBA developers, Excel developers, and professional developers. The latter three categories of users will benefit the most from this book, each in his/her own way. VBA developers will learn how to use built-in features (I think this is where I started); Excel developers will learn how to incorporate Excel-based solutions into larger applications; Professional developers will be exposed to a great variety of "best practices", optimization techniques, and various other means for developing consistency in Excel applications.

If you do not fall into the latter three categories, you might not pick up much from this book. It is not useless to you, however; you can still find many worksheet/userform design techniques, and get an introduction to the kind of power VBA-based programming can offer. Nonetheless, you may be well-advised to start off with something simpler, such as John Walkenbach's Excel Power Programming (as alluded to by the authors of this book), simply because the present book assumes a good degree of knowledge and leaves much for the reader to figure out from the fully-functional examples provided - thereby covering the ground that it does.

Overall, this book makes for a wonderful reference to the various under-the-hood features of Excel. Even if you've already encountered many of the techniques described, and could technically discover them further on your own, it is useful to have them readily available in a single collection. Very few items are left out; application design, object-oriented programming techniques, database applications, debugging techniques, Office automation, and external interop are all covered here. Professional Excel Development is a solid reference to be consulted for years to come.

When you search the web and most of the books around, you can find solution to your problems most of the time, but you are rarely sure it was the best way to do it and how it would fit to the rest of your code. The authors of this book are not afraid to tell what they suppose to be the best for you, along with full featured versions of code illustrating each chapter.

I found it easy to take the code from a sufficiently leveled chapter and adapt it to get just the application that I needed, knowing it would be fast, clean and complete at the same time, although I didn't understand all the details at first. Now, the book serves as a widely findable documentation for the packages that I make. Highly recommendable.

Wishing on Dandelions is a great follow up to Watching the Tree Limbs in the Maranatha Series. I'm glad DeMuth let readers see what happens to Maranatha. While this novel contains a love story, it's so natural and sweet that the book doesn't come across like a romance, but more of a journey where readers get to see Maranatha learn to let herself be loved.

Can you trust God once more after your life has been broken? It doesn't happen overnight, as 17-year-old Maranatha Winningham learns in this well-crafted story. WISHING ON DANDELIONS is a follow-up to WATCHING THE TREE LIMBS, in which Maranatha is abused by a young neighbor. In the opening pages of Mary DeMuth's latest novel, the reader learns that Natha's best friend Camille has left the small town of Burl, Texas, for college. Natha, meanwhile, plunges into her senior year of high school.

Because both her parents are dead, Natha lives with her father's brother. Since his stroke, Uncle Zane moves much slower and, while never much of a conversationalist, talks even less. Natha's home life is in turmoil when Uncle Zane marries Georgeanne, who has her own ideas about how the household should be run and in what part of town to live. Throughout the story, Georgeanne tries to build some sort of a relationship with Natha but often ends up crossing some imaginary barrier and offending the teen.

Then Violin Charlie, the son of a judge who lives in a better area in Burl, invites Natha to the Homecoming Dance. Georgeanne pitches in and takes Natha to purchase a new pink dress, building a bit of good will. Ultimately, Georgeanne has plans to move the entire family to this better part of town, which throws Natha into a panic as she wonders if she will be able to leave the protection of the house she has always known.

The abuse from the past comes roaring back into Natha's life. One day she rides her bicycle to a property where she likes to think. A man named Jake Gully confronts her about trespassing and then offers her a ride into town. When she gets into his truck, he takes off away from town and acts suggestively toward her. Natha manages to escape and reports the incident to the police. Miss Nichols, the assistant district attorney, pressures Natha to testify against Gully. After being convinced that he will be freed without her testimony, a reluctant Natha finally agrees to take that big step, as friends and family gather to support her throughout the trial.

WISHING ON DANDELIONS will keep the reader turning pages to see how Natha deals with the various obstacles that life throws in her direction. DeMuth has written an emotionally-charged novel that will help others grow in their own faith relationship.

--- Reviewed by W. Terry Whalin

If you are looking for a book that stirs your emotions and keeps you up until the wee hours of the morning, then I highly recommend Wishing on Dandelions by Mary DeMuth. WOD is the sequel to DeMuth's debut novel, Watching the Tree Limbs. Although it took me a little longer to be drawn into this second book, it surpasses the first. WTTL focuses on redemption, and as a natural progression, WOD focuses on learning how to accept God's love and growing deeper in understanding our redemption.

I found this story heavier that the first book, despite the fact that the main traumatic events occur to Maranatha in WTTL. For me, I identified on a deeper level with the struggle to fully grasp and accept that God loves me despite all my faults. While I enjoyed the first book, I connected more with the second. I appreciated the new characters Mary introduced as well. Some of them I liked immediately, and only wished to know them more. Some of them had to grow on me, but the more glimpses I got into their hearts, the more I wanted to know about their back stories. Still others I appreciated for the reality of their humanity. One character in particular I really thought was going to have a change of heart after he heard Maranatha's story, but he didn't. In fact, the depth of the judgment in his soul only became more evident. At first I was appalled, but then quickly realized that people like that do exist and therefore have an appropriate - even necessary - place in a novel like this.

One of the many things I enjoy about Mary's writing is that while she is a Christian author who discusses Christian values and issues, her books do not feel "Christian." Do you follow me here? Writing a great story is what comes first for Mary, not writing a Christian story that she hopes is great. Of course, Jesus pours out onto her page, but that's because He's so pervasive in her life, not because she has an agenda to write about Him. I applaud her for writing reality, writing authentically and writing with excellence. It's no wonder she's nominated for a Christy Award.

In a style and setting similar to Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird", "Wishing on Dandelions" is the story of a girl sprouting into womanhood in a lazy town where everyone knows everyone else's business.
Maranatha Winningham, a seventeen-year-old orphan, is one of the most charming and endearing characters you'll come across. Well-mannered and respectful, she's everything you'd hope for in a teenager, but frequent glimpses into her thought life reveal a load of secrets and fears that she shares with no one--not even Charlie.
Charlie is everything a boyfriend should be--loyal, protective, forgiving. There's only one problem. He's black, and in Burl, it's simply not done. A mere blip on the sun-scored Texas map, 1980's Burl applauds young love, unless it comes in package of a different color.
His complete opposite, Georgeanne is loud, obnoxious, bossy, and irreversibly engaged to Maranatha's Uncle Zane. Maranatha pleads with God for her uncle to wake up and realize what he's about to get himself into, but God doesn't seem to be listening. Maybe the saying is right. Maybe hurt people hurt people. Maybe Maranatha needs to love Georgeanne anyway... Nah. It's easier to hate her.
A delightful encore to the celebrated "Watching the Tree Limbs," DeMuth's story tackles some serious issues while downplaying them with wit, humor, and a passel of quirky characters.
DeMuth has done a superb job of reviving 1980's Texas, complete with big hair, big trucks, and big attitudes. Who would have thought a Texas drawl could be written with such grace?
"Wishing on Dandelions" is worth sticking it out through the slow start. The heart of the book is worth waiting for. It's fun yet impacting, nostalgic and delightfully familiar.

Wishing On Dandelions by Mary E. DeMuth couldn't come soon enough for me. I had devoured the first in the Maranatha series (Watching Tree Limbs) and was left wanting more. Part of the appeal for me was the raw Texas setting, since I lived several years in East Texas.
In Wishing On Dandelions, the main character, Maranatha Winningham is now a teenager trying to find her place in the world. Her history of sexual abuse taints the many events teenagers usually enjoy. She has more than teenage angst to blame for her struggles.
Maranatha also has to learn to deal with a new woman in her life. Uncle Zane married shallow Georganne Peach and brought her home amid many changes. While wedding drama is going on, Maranatha grapples with her feelings for Charlie. Was it wrong for her to love him as more than a friend? Nothing was black and white.
Reading this book will possibly be like rubbing salt in a wound. The same salt that stings, heals. As Wishing On Dandelions comes to a close, you will find issues resolved in your own life-issues you didn't even realize you were still struggling with. Go ahead, blow away the dandelion seeds and make a wish. It just might come true!

I am actually amazed that I never read Agatha Christie's autobiography before now, since I have loved her books and re-read them many times over the years.

She was born in 1890 in Devon, England and died in 1976 in Oxfordshire, England. She started this autobiography when she was 60 and finished it when she was 75. And, just to make sure people don't get disappointed right away, her publishers state flatly in the preface (of the edition that I own) that she does not, EVER, mention the infamous disappearance the year her mother died and Archie Christie asked her for a divorce. That will be a mystery never solved. You get the sense that she left quite a bit of her emotions and feelings out of the book. She mentioned frequently in the book that bad times were to be got through so that one could enjoy the good times.

The book does ramble on delightfully, as she herself would probably put it. "What I want is to plunge my hand into a lucky dip and come up with a handful of assorted memories." (from the Foreward). Here's a critical paragraph about how one should view her autobiography:

"We never know the whole man, though sometimes, in quick flashes, we know the true mam. I think, myself, that one's memories represent those moments which, insignificant as they may seem, nevertheless represent the inner self and oneself as most really oneself." (also from the Forward).

There is an amazing amount of detail regarding Victorian and Edwardian England. Her ability to describe things minutely and interestingly was one of the things I always loved about her books.

The main outlines of her life are there, as are quite a few details about her family. She loved her family immensely and it shows. She discusses her father's lack of business skills that wasted away the fortune he inherited and her brother Monty's wholly unsatisfactory life in the straightforward way that she wrote her books. She was an extremely practical person, I think.

Her interest in archaeology because of her (2nd) husband Max Mallowan manifested itself in quite a few of her books, and I think that perhaps some of my interest in archaeology was because of her interest. She had one daughter, Rosalind, who died in 2004, and a grandson, Mathew Prichard, who runs "the family business" as it were.

There are a few preachy parts and I would like to have had more dates, but she warns you in the Foreward, and you must simply sit back and let her tell her story and understand her the way she wanted to be understood.

The book ends before her husband, Max Mallowan was knighted for his distinguished archaeological career in 1968 and before she herself was appointed a dame of the British Empire in 1971. Truly an interesting woman, truly an interesting autobiography.

Agatha Christie recalls a happy childhood in Victorian England. Unfortunately, it's a way of life now gone. Hers was a fairy tale upbringing when customs, manners and the family group were all important in upper-class society. Her portraits of the family, her governesses, the servants, her pets are descriptive and funny. Now I know why she became such a great writer. Wonderful!

Often times autobiographies are dull things of interest only to the author or those who may be mentioned in the book, others are glowing brag fests relating how marvelous the subject is, or are filled with juicy gossip about other celebrities. This one is completely different in that Christie did not attempt to write a complete chronicle of her life, or to focus on what the public might want to hear (in fact she deliberately left out the very episode - her disappearance - that most would want to know more about) but instead told about those parts of her life that she was interested in remembering. For example most autobiographies rush through the subject's childhood and focus on the parts of their adult life that made them famous, not so here. Instead Christie takes the first third of her tale to describe her life before she ever thought of Hercule Poirot.

What the reader gets instead of stories about the great and famous is a charming glimpse into the life of a middle-class child born at the end of the Victorian era, her perceptions of a society that was rapidly changing as she grew to young adulthood. She tells about her life as a child in a comfortable household filled with servants, her teenage years with her widowed mother, as a young woman caring for wounded soldiers, as a bride then a single mother through her later years as a successful author and her second, happier marriage to an archaeologist and their travels to the Middle East. She glosses over meeting the Queen but tells at length about various nannies and secretaries that were part of her everyday life.

For fans of Christie it is particularly interesting to learn what inspired certain of her characters or plots, what was occuring in her life while writing some of the novels, to see people or situations that one can recognize in a favorite novel. For anyone interested in life in the early twentieth century this book also gives an insight into that time that is rarely seen.

I want to say, up front, that I'm a HUGE Christie fan -- I've read everything that she wrote, over 80 mysteries, plays and her Mary Westmacott pseudonym stuff. However, I was very disappointed in this, her autobiography for multiple reasons which I will elaborate upon here in detail.

First, she utterly fails to discuss her famous 11-day "disappearance" in 1926 (to the Harrogate Spa), which is probably the most intriguing thing that ever happened in her lifetime! Here, I'll cite a website (http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1922888,00.html):

"But Norman, a former doctor, believes the novelist was in a fugue state, or, more technically, a psychogenic trance, a rare, deluded condition brought on by trauma or depression, which may also have led the writer and actor Stephen Fry to travel to Bruges in 1995 without leaving word with his friends or family."

Okay, I'm Hoyle with that (there was a Hollywood movie that implied that she was having an affair, which I did not necessarily accept as truth) -- but why leave such an important event out of an autobiography that is certain to be of huge interest to fans?

My second criticism is more pointed. Over the years, Christie issued MANY racist comments in her various works. I won't repeat them here as all fans will know what I'm talking about. Now, this was COMMON for writers to do throughout the 20th Century so, on it's face, taking into account that this was "an acceptable practice" for the era, I don't condemn Christie for this initial act of making such comments, even though many did not benefit or lend real support to the dialogue.

However, Christie died in 1976 and this autobiography was published in '77. By this time, racist commentary was being very much looked down upon (as it should have been), and Christie could have made some sort of positive overture, however minor, to say that she wished that she had not used certain words that were hurtful to people. No such apology, however minor, is found in this autobiography, that I could find, and I feel certain that by 1976, Christie had received many letters which pointed out these anachronistic racial comments, probably seeking some sort of reaction. Based upon the absence of such thoughts in her autobiography, I seriously doubt that any response was issued. I find that a sad omission.

Finally, as I read this book, I got the distinct impression that her heart was not at all in writing it, that it was a drudgery of sorts. I don't blame her for not wanting to write it but, if she didn't want to do it, she should have simply not done it, rather than issue something that reflects a sort of sideways contempt for her millions of fans.

Here's what I DID like about the work: I learned a great deal about little things that ended up in her mysteries (such as "Truelove"). I learned something of her family (not enough about her trials and tribulations in marriage, though), and I went away sort of feeling sorry for Christie's father. Beyond these things, she came off as pretty drab to me -- my expectations were so much higher as she had been a world-traveler and COULD have said so much more. I found that the whole thing lacked a sense of history.

So, I'll no doubt take some hits for my review and, if I'm in error about my facts, I'll come back and make corrections -- but I just think it could have been a super work and, compared to other autobiographies that I've read, I found this one dull and lacking in honesty.

I have a tendency to over-rate the media which I review but I can't go along with the crowd on this one. Perhaps I'm wrong in that they say you should review what's IN a book and not what is absent. I'm not certain about that but I welcome your sincere feedback and comments.

Agatha Christie, perhaps the best known mystery writer of all time, did not ever plan on becoming a writer. And when she did become one, it took her years to accept this as her profession and to believe that there was something other than money to be gained by writing books. Her autobiography is a pleasant ramble through the fascinating live lived by the creator of those master sleuths, Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. Her life was no mystery but most definitely an adventure.

Agatha Christie began writing her life story from her second husband's archaelogical dig in Iraq. It is set up in a rather rambling manner, starting from a brief family history to her earliest childhood memories and on through her life. Throughout these memories are punctuated by various tangents, often involving her writings, other times not. It is not a straightforward chrononlogical telling of her life, but rather like having a pleasant conversation or reading a leader that she has written to her readers. It allows fans of her writing to get to know the woman behind those characters.

While not as detalied as some fans might wish for - as author and editor, Christie has left out some events - and rather long, it is a pleasing read for any fan of Christie's stories. I learned much about her life that I did not know, including novels she wrote using pseudonyms, and took joy in reading her views on social concerns. While the time period she lived in and wrote about may seem long gone, Christie's words prove again and again to be timeless.

This is the final volume in the "Ages of Middle-Earth" series and it was actually the first written. Although published in two volumes The Book Of Lost Tales was originally written as one. Tolkien expands in this second volume the stories of Middle-Earth as they unfold during the first four ages. For years Tolkien had been a scholar of mythology and he used his studies to transform ancient Earth mythology into the fantasy we know today. So if you love fantasy, whether you are a Tolkien reader or not, you will love this remarkable first attempt at reshaping modern fantasy.

The Book of Lost Tales 2 is a fantastic continuation to the first, taking place right where it left off this book goes in deeper than the first. The Book of Lost Tales includes 6 tales that where apart of the first but explains it with greater detail. This book was edited by Christopher Tolkien, the author's(J.R.R. Tolkien) son. All of the six stories include many notes that help you with the story, and 4 of them include a commentary that Christopher Tolkien wrote. I found the commentary and notes to be very helpful and enjoyable although he refers a lot to The Simarillion so one who has not read that might not understand some of it, and infact the stories that are in The Book of Lost Tales 2 are briefly in The Simarillion, which is also a very wonderful book. These books can be at sometimes a little difficult to read given the ammount of detail and information that they give you, sometimes it is hard to organize all of it but as you read on more things fall into place.

I highly recommend this book, although suggest reading The Simarllion before hand, J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy world is quite enjoyable and his writings are full of detail. I also found the appendix and index of words quite useful and very nice to have, it tells you where all the names come from and have referances to where you can find them in this book and others. If you have read Lord of The Rings then you will find referances that are from this book and also The Simarillion that you did not get before.

Overall I thought this book was very enjoyable, although some what tedious at some points, and I recommend it to all fantasy and Lord of The Ring fans.

If you like the silmarillion and book of lost tales one, than you cannot wait another day to get this. If you are like me and REALLY LIKE this whole middle earth thing with the trees, music of the ainur. etc, then you absolutely have to read this.

The first lost tales was the first half of the silmarillion, and of course part 2 of lost tales is the rest of the silm. Though a lot of these works are unfinished(certainly the whole tale telling itself with eriol and gilfanon?, yet some seem very finished like the fall of gondolin.

Some people don't think peter jackson did not do a good job with the lord, yet they do admit it was still a pretty good movie. I did not find return of the king NEAR as good as the other 2 movies, but I think that Pete was the best choice as director.

Now the point that I wanna make is that with all of the material from the book of lost tales part 1 AND 2, the silmarillion, unfinished tales, and all the annals I think Peter Jackson could make another epic movie doing 1 of 3 things, or something that I'm not thinking of. It doesn't matter how these are made, I just wanna see them on screen.

1. Make a two-part movie 6-7 hours in total.
2. Make a 3 1/2 hour or 4 hour movie
3. Pick a certain tale like turin or luthien

Any of these things that I have suggested are acceptable to me, but I would be open to any way possiblre to put this on screen.

I honestly feel that with the very strong emotions in these books it could be better than the lord of the rings movies.

`if he could indeed destroy with his cunning the happiness and glory of the Gods and Elves...'

When the hateful god Melko marred the world, the Valar hid within the blessed land of Valinor, abandoning the Elves and Men of Middle Earth to slavery under his terrible rule. This was the time of great heroes who challenged Melko's impossible might. Beren and Lúthien entered Melko's hall to pluck his most prized possession from his crown. Cursed Túrin became a feared enemy of all evil creatures. Tuor fought to save a beleaguered realm. The mighty kingdoms of Gondolin - ruled by King Turgon - and Menegroth - ruled by King Thingol - long provided refuge for the few free people. Finally Eärendel risked all to beseech the Valar for aid. These heroes made terrible sacrifices to rid the world of the greatest evil it has ever known. Ashamedly, as magic faded and the Elves fled from the world, Men forgot these great deeds.

Ages later, the English mariner Eriol sailed to Tol Eressëa, the Lonely Isle, where Elves welcomed him as guest. In grand oral tradition, they recounted to Eriol the tales that should never have been lost.

Anybody who enjoyed The Book of Lost Tales Part 1, which should be read first, will love Part 2. It is also helps to first read The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, Unfinished Tales, and, most importantly, The Silmarillion.

Christopher Tolkien continues to expertly assemble and present his father's works. His precise commentaries are essential to understanding J.R.R. Tolkien's mythos.

Some of the stories in Lost Tales are much more detailed than their final versions in the Silmarillion. Lost Tales is a treasure trove of rejected content that really fleshes out the myths.

The Book of Lost Tales Part 2 has six sections.

`The Tale of Tinúviel', one of Tolkien's most popular stories, tells of the triumphant love between Beren and Lúthien. This version is shockingly different than that found in The Silmarillion, and it contains much more dialogue and plot.

`Turambar and the Foalókë' is the stirring tragedy of Túrin son of Úrin (or Húrin). Cursed as a child, Túrin rages against fate with heroic intensity. This account is wonderfully detailed.

`The Fall of Gondolin' recounts the final days of King Turgon's fair city. Ulmo (the only Valar to intervene in Middle Earth during this period) sends brave Tuor upon a divine quest to bring counsel to the doomed realm. This Lost Tales version is staggeringly well detailed. The final battle for the city (summarized in a few sentences in The Silmarilllion) here receives tremendous attention. This action-heavy scene is definitely a highlight of the book.

In `The Nauglafring', Elves and Dwarves battle over cursed gold. This early-abandoned tale flatly contradicts much of Tolkien's other work.

`The Tale of Eärendel' tells of the legendary mariner who now sails the firmament above Earth as a radiant star, bringing hope to men. J.R.R. Tolkien never wrote this story, so this section consists of outlines, poems, and heavy commentary.

`The History of Eriol or Ælfwine' delves into Eriol's life. It clearly identifies Middle Earth as our Earth; for instance, the origins of England and Ireland are spelled out and Rome is presented as an Elvish enemy. Although enlightening, this thoroughly explained setting lacks the mysterious grandeur of LoTR's Middle Earth. This tale was never finished, and Christopher Tolkien shows superhuman diligence in piecing together jumbled outlines and narrative fragments. It is densely commented and makes a slow, though worthy, read.

The Book of Lost Tales shows the devotion J.R.R. Tolkien had for his craft. It is a perfect choice for any Silmarillion fan.

-Zach Zelmar

`The Book of Lost Tales, Part One and Part Two' by J. R. R. Tolkien, edited by son, Christopher Tolkien, is, according to the editor's Foreword, some of the very earliest works written by Tolkien on the mythology of Middle Earth. Many, it is stated, were drafted in the 1920s, nearly ten years before the start of `The Hobbit'.

This is an important fact, as it means that they were not written to `fill in' details of references made in either `The Hobbit' or `The Lord of the Rings' (LOTR). It means that both of these published novels were narratives of a preexisting world of Middle Earth with a history stretching back thousands of years, to the very creation of the world. This supports the sense of historical depth one has when you read both novels. Early in the Foreword, editor Tolkien addresses this very aspect and the danger that the great depth of history felt in the novels may not transfer to documents that lay out that history. I personally do not sense that danger when I read these works. The intellectual effort required to understand the text and tie it together with all the Tolkienania that has gone before is more than enough to keep me busy. This is the basis of my title for this review, `Fantasy for Grown-ups'.

My experience is that neither `The Hobbit' nor `LOTR' books or movies had a strong appeal to the same audience as the literal and virtual comic book works such as Spiderman, Superman, Batman, Star Wars, Lara Croft (Tomb Raider), or even Indiana Jones. The world in which Middle Earth is set is much more subtly different from our world or the world of `Long ago, and far, far, away...' Even in `The Hobbit' one gets hints that the world of Middle Earth is not our comfortable sphereical planet with a different geography but the same physics, chemistry, and biology. One gets the sense that while the great `Gandalf the Gray' may be called a `wizard', he is not a wizard in the same sense as Merlin or a wizard of `Dungeons and Dragons'.

The most important difference between Middle Earth and our world is that this continent is in the center of a great disk surrounded by seas across which are the undying lands including the Elven island of Eressea and Valinor. The next major difference is that there are beings, primarily elves, which walk the earth and which are literally immortal. That is, they cannot die by natural causes. They can, however, be killed in battle, as seen in `The Two Towers' movie with the death of the elven archer allies helping to defend the Hornburg with Aragorn, Theoden, and the Rohrrim. It is also interesting to see that Gandalf possesses an immortality of an entirely different order, as he survives the great battle with the Balrog in the mines of Moria, a battle that would have killed any ordinary immortal elf.

It would have been interesting to see Tolkien deal with immortality in the same way that John Boorman did in his script for the movie `Zardoz', an easily underestimated movie. (Oddly enough, Gandalf is most like the characterization of Merlin in Boorman's movie, `Excalibur').

Another big difference is that the physics of this world is different from our world. Light, for example, simply does not behave like our notions of light. It is much more like a liquid that can be captured in the Silmarils or in the vial give by Galadrial to Frodo in Lorien. This is part of the reason neither Gandalf nor any other character, even Sauron, seems to use much `magic'. What may appear to us as magic is simply bending the different laws of physics to the will of the magician, as Sauron does in creating the One Ring.

These two books are yet another step removed from the `popular fiction' of `LOTR'. `The Silmarillion' was one step removed in being much more like Hesiod's mythology than Homer's epics. The `Unfinished Tales' were another step removed in that they were close to being stories with extensive editorial annotations. These two volumes, which are really one work in two books are reconstructions of even cruder material. Reading them may be about as much fun as reading Frazier's `The Golden Bough'.

Now, reading `The Golden Bough' can be fun for a particularly intellectual interest, but it takes just a bit extra to gain the same pleasure from these works, as they are not stories from a historical mythology which may explain genuine primitive thought and beliefs. They are make believe! They just happen to be of a type of make believe which is more different than just about any other fiction you can imagine.

The greatest insight I get from these myths on the early history of Middle Earth is on the origins of Tom Bombadil and the Ents. While neither is mentioned, there are ample hints that both are beings who sprung up from the bones of Middle Earth itself, independent of any efforts by the Valar. This explains the total difference between Bombadil and every other character in `LOTR' aside from Treebeard and the Ents. The Elves, the Wizards, Sauron, dragons, and probably dwarves, hobbits, and men all arose out of immigrants from `The Undying Lands' or were created by the Valar.

I find the single most interesting character in these pre `LOTR' stories to be the Noldor (elven) leader Feanor. He seems to have the air of Prometheus about him in that he defies the gods (the Valar) without being an evil force like Melkor / Morgoth or Sauron. When Feanor is not on the stage, my interest drops several notches.

These are the first two volumes of the twelve volume `The History of Middle Earth'. While several of the volumes seem independent, I would not venture to read any of them without having read `The Silmarillion'. They will make very little sense without this background in hand.

One reviewer wrote that Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series was better than Amy Lane's. I couldn't disagree more.

I'll be honest, the grammatical errors were difficult to get past and Cory's attitude and cliche remarks had me constantly rolling my eyes. But there was something about this story that had me coming back and reading the series again and again. I cannot say the same about Hamilton's books, which I couldn't even get through.

Lane's writing is not poor. An editor would definitely help, but I got into the story and enjoyed it.

How does an English Teacher (Lane) not know when to use "me" instead of "I"?

This three book (so far) series has been excellent. I understand it is self published which implies that no publisher would take it. If true, that makes no sense. Amy Lane is one of the best urban fantasy story tellers I've ever read. She's great writing about love,redemption, sacrifice-all kinds of emotion. Each book has more sex than the previous one but that's one place she falls down. The sex is graphic but you don't get as caught up in it as you do with so much of the rest of Lane's exciting writing. Somehow you feel more like an observer, a third party, than you do with the rest of her story. Other drawbacks: Many of the principal characters, including some of the protagonists, are amazingly immature. Okay some of them are only in their twenties but others range from seventy five to eighteen hundred years old yet act and react sometimes like teenagers. Another major problem is the sometimes difficult grammer, bad spelling, typos etc. Even if she had to self publish, surely Lane could have not only edited her own work but also have found someone(s) , who could have edited the books with a fresh eye even if only as a favor. Lane tells a great story but sometimes it's almost as if she didn't do too well in her high school English classes or never learned the rudiments. Each book has been an improvement on the previous one in many ways but even Bound looks like the author wrote a first draft and never reread it. If you like your urban fantasy filled with love, and not just the romantic variety, then the Little Goddess series is for you. I can't recommend it highly enough. It looks as if there will be a fourth book in 2009 or 2010. Read the original three first though. I'd like to give the series 5 stars but there are so many small problems that add up that I can only give it a strong 4 stars.

I can't wait for the 4th installment to this series. I love all these characters so much and Amy just pulls you into this world and you never want to leave. Keep up the great work, get all 3 of these books in the series and enjoy..you won't be sorry.

I have just discovered Amy Lane and have read all four books. Her characters are so refreshing! While she brings forth the history of the species we love so much, the way they have evolved in her world gives them a new twist. She manages to make the supernatural beings existing today, and as our neighbors etc., believable. Her alternate universe in Bitter Moon is well thought out and original. She also drags you in emotionally, connecting you to these wonderful personalities so that you can't wait to see what happens next. I can't wait for the next one. I'm hooked!

I just wanted to let everyone know that Amy's books are ALL great. I'm going to buy Bitter Moon at the end of the month to take on a 15 hour plane ride with me. The only reason I'm holding out on it because if i buy it now I'll read it. I have to have something to read in that tin can or I'll pull my hair out! I know its going to be great just like the Little Goddess Series!

This book is a very interesting account from the Sub commander. The first hand accounts described by the writer are what makes the book a cut above most.

The man has done it all, i.e., fantastic submarine skipper, Medal of Honor Recipient, and writing skills to match. This book is a classic, and anyone interested in WWII submarine warfare absolutely must have this book in his shelf!

Outstanding read---puts you on the submarine, with all the tension and excitement---and yes, the inherent boredom. I'm a former submariner and my old CO (Dennis Oltraver, CAPT, USN---who went from E-1 to O-6---so quite a man in himself) knew O'Kane and copied much of his leadership style. In turn, I copied my CO---when I read Clear the Bridge, I was amazed at how I knew what O'Kane would do (particularly on personnel issues) before I read the next paragraph---I learned from someone who learned from him. Sadly, CAPT Oltraver died of cancer, or I would thank him for his legacy of leadership, some of which was learned from a master leader and legend, RADM Dick O'Kane. This book is as good as Ed Beach's Run Silent, Run Deep---and in some respects better---for his is a first person account. Highly recommended.

This is a great book. The fact that is was written by the Captain of the Submarine makes it that much more meaningful. I couldn't stop reading it, but my one complaint is that it is very technical and lacks some emotion. The author, being a "career navy man" uses abbreviations and phrases that don't mean much to the layperson (and the glossary doesn't help much in this regard) and there is an overall lack of "passion". There is very little discussion of his personal feelings or the mood on the ship. For example, he describes a depth charge attack (a crack and a boom and pressure through the hull) as something that made the men realize the training exercise did not approximate reality (or that the real thing was nothing like the Hollywood version). I thought a depth charge attack was one of the most terrifying ordeals in a submarine and as a result was very interested in reading what it was like by someone who was there first-hand, but it gets very little coverage.

However, knowing that the events were real and the people were real makes this book an excellent read. I recommend it.

O'Kane's the real deal, sailor, warrior, leader, survivor and writer.

This is his story and that of the USS Tang, one of the most successful submarines operating in the Pacific. O'Kane was one of a new breed of submarine skippers who traded caution for results with great success but at huge risks. One of the most effective tactics was to take the surfaced submarine into the middle of Japanese convoys at night, attacking multiple ships and then escaping to the depths.

The action is heartstopping and explains why the Navy pulled some of the more conservative older skippers out of their boats and replaced them with men like this. But the story is much more than simply tactics and bravery above all expectations, it is a story about true leadership. Young MBA's would do better asking themselves what characteristics of leadership did O'Kane and his officers utilize to achieve so much with so very little in tangible rewards to offer their crews. There were few rewards for the truly outstanding sub crews, congratuations, a sense of team and the dubious honor of being sent back out on patrol as soon as possible.

The description of various engagements may seem a little dry and technical to someone who has not been out on the sea on a dark night trying to make sense of faint shadows and movement. For fans of surface warfare who think subs are like hunting with poison gas the descriptions of night surface attacks in the middle of escorted convoys will fully dispell that image.

The book is a great reminder of the incredible courage of those who have gone to sea to defend our country for more than 220 and those who continue to do so today.

Violet Dawn was pretty predictable, Coral Moon was not. The murderer is well concealed until the last minute and that makes this book, very, very good.

The town of Kanner Lake has begun to settle down and return to its old routine. They're out of the headlines and back to be the sleepy little small town its residents love. But are things really as they appear, or is there an evil lurking in town?

A well loved citizen brutally murdered and left in Leslie's car. A second woman strangled and left on the street outside Leslie's home. A dead man's spirit seen and his hair found on both bodies. What is going on? Are Leslie's articles covering a proposal to build a controversial hotel to blame or has someone's past come back from the dead to haunt them?

Wonderfully suspenseful comes easily to mind. Collins has written quite a gripping mystery with Coral Moon. Mixing supernatural elements with reality, she's created a story that's both believable and mind bending. She's done a great job of not revealing who's really to blame while at the same time keeping everyone as a suspect. Additionally, Collins has written characters that are interesting and keep you wanting to find out more of their lives.

While the story is a murder mystery and most of what happens can be explained through what we know and see, I very much like that Collins has left some things beyond our understanding. She gives great insight into the spiritual realm and its reaches, but also is clear in letting the reader know, we don't have all the answers.

Collin strongly emphasizes Jesus' presence and power in defeating evil. Spiritual warfare books are extremely popular right now and while Coral Moon takes some of the ideas presented in many books, it goes a bit further and portrays a more concrete form for demons. Combining it with senesces, she has created a book both gripping and deeply spiritual .

This book is the second of great new series (Kanner lake) I really love this book also. This suspense was intense but took a little longer getting there, than the first book, but once it got there...there was no PULLING YOU BACK!!!

In Coral Moon Collins brings us a fascinating tale laced with supernatural chills and gut wrenching suspense. Leslies Brymes, reporter for The Kanner Lake Times, has her world turned upside down when she discovers a dead body in her car. Suddenly, a typical workday turns into a nightmare for Leslie and the other citizens of Kanner Lake. Police Chief Vince Edwards searches diligently for the culprit, only to be floored when his best suspect turns out to be the dead husband of the victim. As the truth is slowly uncovered, the citizens of Kanner Lake are faced with a dark truth and their faith will be challenged at every revealing turn.

Brandilyn Collin's Kanner Lake Series is hands down her best work. The fictional town of Kanner Lake is a delightful creation, full of cleverly crafted characters that are quirky, loveable, and memorable. From the twisting and turning plots to the shocking revelations, Collins proves she is a master of the suspense genre. Each story in the series is vastly different and yet all are equally entertaining and riveting. Embedded in the suspenseful storylines we find nuggets of hope and faith that are both insightful and encouraging. This series is highly recommended for fans of suspense thrillers and mystery. (Originally reviewed as a series for Christian Library Journal)

Clear your calendar before you even open this book. Brandilyn Collins has woven another spellbinding tapestry of story, suspense and characterization. Book two in the Kanner Lake Series does not disappoint.

Leslie Williams strives to be a great journalist. Her role in solving the Edna Sans murder six months ago catapulted her career into new directions. The quiet little mountain vacation spot of Kanner Lake was also catapulted into a grander focus of tourism. Battle lines against change are drawn. Leslie determines to investigate both sides.

Her plans alter the morning she walks out to her car and discovers a dead body with a note and a number attached. Her life spirals into a whirlwind of murder and séances as both human and spiritual forces that threaten to destroy her peaceful community and her self-confidence.

Brandilyn Collins has created a town in Idaho where you may wish you lived, but not until it's solace returns. From the first sentence you will be hooked. Be sure to leave a light on, because things happen in the night. And, if by chance, you look into the sky and see a crescent moon the color of coral, think of the folks in Kanner Lake and remember to breathe.

Leslie Brymes, reporter for the Kanner Lake Times has dreams of going national. Hoping her coverage of actress Edna San's murder last year would raise her to the stardom she dreams of. But when she awakens one morning to find seventy something year old Vesta Johnson, a woman loved by all murdered and put in her car she has second thoughts about being a reporter.

Police Chief Vince Edwards is at a lost as to who would murder Vesta. But all clues point to one person and that is impossible, that person being Henry Johnson, Vesta's late husband who passed away fourteen months ago! But what of the eerie feelings he has experienced? And even Leslie feels an evil presence is trying to kill her.

With a police department of only five men and with the Idaho State Police looking for clues at the crime scene Vince must figure this out, does he have a serial killer on his hands, a ghost or a one time murder? But what of the note found pinned on Vesta's chest? Vince is racing against time will the murderer strike again and what does Leslie have to do with all of this?

Leslie feels that she can't trust anyone but has to find out if in someway Vesta's murder is her fault. The second body appears and the notes begin to appear what does all this have to do with the new proposed hotel? And what about the teenager that calls Leslie with information that Leslie has to pursue? What of the evil that seems to have fallen on Kenner Lake? After all the twists and turns the climax will have you seating on the edge of your seat.

If you love mystery, intrigue and suspense than hold onto your seat as author Brandilyn Collins gives you a glimpse of the unseen realm of demonic forces and how God places prayer on the hearts of His people even those who question who He is and has everyone looking to the pastor for guidance.

Coral Moon is the second book of the author's new series, the first being Violet Dawn all revolve around the sleepy little Town of Kenner Lake. Brandilyn Collins has a way with words so much so that you find yourself not being able to put down this awesome page turner. The characters jump right off the page at you, characters or people you feel you know and become entangled in their lives.

If you're new to Brandilyn Collins as this reviewer is you'll find yourself wanting to read all ten of her other 3 series of books, while waiting in anticipation as to what is in store next for the people of Kenner Lake in the third book Crimson Eve. Word of advice don't read Coral Moon alone on a dark and stormy night!