Series Books

The Children of the Lens are the culmination of the Arisian breeding program, and are to be their weapons in the final assault on Eddore.

Kimball Kinnison and Clarissa MacDougall have had four children. Born with the abilities Kim possesses, these kids will become the 'third stage' with an ability to join their minds in an all-powerful gestalt.

They are talented enough that they can shadow the Second Stage Lensmen without them knowing, and help them out. Each of the four has a favorite among the Second Stage Lensmen, even if they won't admit it.

This book has a different feel, in that it is a tiny bit focused on family, and the mental war part of it means the insane space battles are a much smaller part of the whole thing.

The end is the final battle between the Arisians and the Eddorians, with the third-stage Kinnison gestalt as an important part of the assault.

Afterwards, what the Arisians tells the Children comes as a bit of a surprise.

All six books went fast and furious...but what reading!!! Terrific stuff! Smith definitely had the jets to tell one of the best yarns in all of science fiction. All the other reviewers citing how later movies, series, and stories were influenced by these books...WERE RIGHT!!! One of the best science fiction series you will ever read. Period.

Galaxies wide adventure. This is the last book of the Lensman series. While the book can stand alone, the earlier Lensman books lead up to this conclusion where the combined mind powers of the Lensman children, together with super science manage to defeat the super villains for the victory of good over evil.
E.E. Smith wrote these books around the middle of the century, and some of the writing style appears less sophisticated than current authors. However, I enjoyed the extremely positive depiction of the human nature and future - similarly to what the author did this in the Skylark series. Highly recommended..

Having started the six book series with Triplanetary and ending here, I thought the series started to trail off after Galactic Patrol. Triplanetary has been heavily criticized as giving away too much of the series and of the pro- and antagonists too soon. However when the Eddorians are finally confronted here I didn't feel as much as a build up to their powers as Triplanetary instilled. In Triplanetary you really felt that the Eddorians were almost omnipotent beings and the task before the Arisians in seeding planets, including Earth, preparing for the eventual confrontation to save Civilization. Galactic Patrol really carried on the beginning of the series with Kimball Kinnison, but I thought the quality dwindled starting with Gray Lensman and the dated 50's slang really picked up then. It's not just because it's written in the 50's, I've recently read several works by Alfred Bester, Arthur C. Clarke, and others written in the 50's and they have no where near this level of 50's slang.

Another thing I started to find unappealing is Smith's heavy regard for the `wide girth' of Kinnison and of his space-ax swinging cohorts. In reality, strong ambition comes often from those that have not been so physically gifted in life and so have to fight their entire lives against people's initial reactions to their appearance. Lois McMaster Bujold's Mountains of Mourning of a diminutive protagonist's personal battle against his grandfather's attitude, and possible disgust, of his physical stature comes to mind. So it is with irony that I can picture some skinny kid sitting outside in the 50's reading this book and `barrel-shaped chests" as the big neighbor kids come up to him and say `hey poindexter, whatcha reading...' or something.

However, the originality, and impact this series had upon science fiction cannot be understated and is why I am giving it a respectable four stars. Several reviewers have mentioned that they can see scenes from Star Wars lifted from this series. What I see even more so is what Star Trek lifted from this series. Even down to small details such as a ship having to lower shields in order to fire a weapon against an enemy. And many other movies, tv shows, and books influenced comes to mind including Alien, The 5th Element, Heinlein, certainly the original Star Trek as well as the Next Generation and Deep
Space 9, Wing Commander and others.

255 Pages, Publ 1954.

I have read this series at least 4 times. If you like SCIFI, you will cherish these books and buy the whole collection (as I did).

wow, the set of fabled lands books are brilliant, they transport you into a whole new enchanted world where anything is possible. I would well recomend these books to everyone. I just want to know what happend to the last six in the series?, i,ve been looking for them everywhere!

The best solo RPG game ever!
These books create the most amazing fantasy world.
They allow you to roam about how you want to.
It was planned that enough of these books would be released to cover the map that is contained in each of this series.
However, I heard, that they charged too little for each book (in England I think they were just £5 or £6!!) so they couldn't finish the series for financial reasons!
An absolute shame - I do anything for the last few books!!

I strongly reccomend this wonderful roleplaying game. Absolutely non-lynear storyline, many different characters to start your game with and many mini-quests in the global quest.

I have been playing the Quest for more than 3 years, and it was a pity that only 6 books have been published. This is the most astounding Role Playing Games I have ever played. Specially for people who do not of RPG games on computers. I wish that Jamie Thomson and Dave Morris become aware of this and please publish the remaining 6 books.The descriptions in the book for places, characters and actions are so good that I have abandoned to play Fighting Fantasy Series. Best of all, for all readers, is that the adventure is unlimited and you can go back and forth.

wow, the set of fabled land books are brilliant, they transport you into a whole new world where anything is possible. I would well recomend this book to those of you who like to escape for a few hours into a land of fiction. I would just like to know what happend to the last 6 books in the series?, i,ve been looking for them everywhere!

I was looking for ideas on simple structures for the homestead. The book is a bit dated, but you have to go back to find simple, uncomplicated ideas. We have grown so accustomed to specialized fasteners, tools and other hardware. Building a simple shed can be expensive when you have to buy materials. We have an abundance of raw materials and this book provided some ideas towards cost effective structures.

This book is great! I would recommend this to anyone 12+, because the shelters are quite hard to build. It is excellent for boy scouts. I got this for Christmas and in my troop were starting on plans already! Great for any wilderness lover and I recommend all the related books!
1/16/08

I know that most people will find this book to be anything but "green" however, I found this concept to be perfect in a world that sometimes forgets what it is like to be young at heart. Some of the shelters are not safe and one should always supervise young children who if left alone will build forts and such, yet there is a certain allure about thinking you are back in time and surviving on your own wits. Great ideas for survival campouts or if you like getting out "there" and just might once or twice get too far out "there" and find yourself in the need of an overnight shelter. Loved the book and will use or adapt many of the detailed plans.

This book is great! I would recommend this to anyone 12+, because the shelters are quite hard to build. It is excellent for boy scouts. I got this for Christmas and in my troop were starting on plans already! Great for any wilderness lover and I recommend all the related books!
1/16/08

This book is geared towards building structures that were used by outdoorsmen from years past. It covers how to make a bed from natural materials, a log cabin, Native American log house, and how to work an axe just to name a few topics covered in this book. The drawings of the dwellings in the book are simple (but not in depth plans or charts). The author does a great job of explaining how to construct these devices, but as I said a drawn picture is all your going to get if your a visual learner. Over all the book does what it says it will do, gives the reader good information, and I personally wouldn't be caught dead without it if I was trapped in the middle of nowhere by myself.

As a medical student, I found this book to be extremely useful. It is well referenced and offers some simple, but powerful techniques about how to best interact with patients.

What I liked best about Communicating with Today's Patient: The practical suggestions that can be used often and right away. For example, when broaching a difficult subject, ask "What has been your experience with (topic)?" This gives you a reading on the patient's perspective and prevents incorrect assumptions. Dozens of techniques like this make the reader a better communicator right away. Two thumbs up!

Many doctors take their communication skills for granted, but the sad fact remains that most of us do not do a good job talking to our patients. Learning how to improve your bedside manner is extremely difficult to do, but this book shows you how you can do so. Reading this book is likely to be one of the best investments of your time you can make - and it's full of practically useful stuff you can implement immediately !

I'm not a doctor, but I'm often a patient. This book has shown me how to communicate better with my doctor. In fact, I think it has excellent and helpful information for everyone, as we all try to make others understand our desires and comply with them.

This book is terrific. It zeros in on so many of the problems caused by a lack of understanding the needs for proper communication when dealing with people involved in a usually stressful situation. It presents these problems in a simple and direct manner and then shows in common sense language how to solve them. I majored in communication in college and was involved in the health care industry for over 30 years. I would strongly recommend this book for anyone involved in that industry or in a position where dealing with people is a priority.

I will be using Sandra's title as a recommended resource in my upcoming High Profile Hiatus: Career Comeback Series starting June 2, 2008.
The 8-week tele-course will show ambitious career women, entrepreneurs and other professionals seeking to re-enter the workforce how to stay visible, credible, confident and connected "during a hiatus" or lay-off to help them avoid career suicide, re-launch their careers with confidence and ease the re-entry process when they're ready to return to work.

Barbara Bamba is a career hiatus expert who specializes in "career hiatus marketing and management." She is the founder and former owner of the Philadelphia Speakers Bureau, a sought after speaker and creator of the High Profile Hiatus: Career Comeback Series for ambitious women, entrepreneurs and other professionals who step-out, opt-out or get pushed-out of the workforce. Contact Barbara for more info at: barbarabamba@aol.com [...]

Complete Publicity Plans: How to Create Publicity That Will Spark Media Exposure and Excitement (Adams Streetwise Series)

As PR has become more of a necessity for more companies, the world of public relations has become just as cluttered as the world of advertising, yet it remains a completely distinct animal. Gone are the days when writing a decent press release was enough to get you exposure. Today you need to take a strategic approach and have a complete plan. This book helps you develop that plan (and also helps you with how to write a good press release if you've not done that before).

As the host of a radio show called The Publicity Show, I have spoken with a lot of publicists and PR professionals. This book gives an insiders view on what it takes to break through the clutter that reporters are bombarded with and create real momentum that will snowball. If you are looking for how to get consistent exposure instead of just a quick hit, this is the book.

This is an excellent book to create publicity for your business. It tells you step by step how to write and implement a publicity plan to promote your products or services. I cannot recommend it more highly.

as a public relations director, i was really missing this book. It refreshed my knowlege and added new inputs to me. this book is good for beginners as well as PR professionals. I highly recommend it for those who want to grasp pulbic relations and corportat communications subjects.

I classify business books as follows: read and forget, take notes and dump, keep for reference. This book is definitely in the latter category. For small businesses, typically characterized by a tight budget, PR is often a mystery. How do so many businesses get into the media - sometimes repeatedly? This book demystifies PR in plain language. It also has formats, elements and numerous examples of the varius types of press releases. The book also makes the valid point that money is better spent on PR than advertising. Buy this book, save thousands of dollars for a consultant, and increase the probability to make thousands for your business.

I have to say that this is a true classic. It gives a very nice treatment of what is NP-completeness in a fashion that really defends the topic well. It gives nice illustrations to show different situations and how to deal with it. But after the first couple of chapters it does get a little out there with the proofs it does. It is still approachable, but it assumes that the reader is already familiar with the basics of combinatorial complexity, especially in reductions. I would only recommend this book to readers who has gone through such books as Introduction to Algorithms by Cormen et al. or Combinatorial Complexity by Papadimitriou and Steiglitz. Those two books are more for beginners and this book should be one to help anyone interested in NP-complete problems to get more practice and depth understanding. Overall a great book for anyone interested in the topic. The grand challenge is to reduce everything to at least something within the 150 problems listed on your own.

The book is excellent in explaining NP-completeness problem. Take it as a reference if you would like to do research in this field.

This is a rare example of a textbook where the authors actually go to the trouble of considering the fact that the intended reader is a non-expert. Published in 1979 and still the best.

The book arrived in time, in good condition, and adequate packing.

This is among the most eloquently written books that I have ever read in my life. Highly recommended.

Sophie Addison is suffering amnesia after an incident at a gas station. She thinks she is a Vegas Showgirl! She storms into Tranquility, Texas and turns the town upside-down! Including Gray McBride's life, goals and libido. Gray is a sexy, hunky cowboy that wants to become mayor to help his family. But he did not factor in the impact that "Sunny" haves on the town folks and him. Dianne Castell weaves a sexy, funny & heartwarming story that will have you saying" yeehaa". Great storyline and characters makes this one more of her share of great books.! Pick it up and have a happy reading!

Sophie is an attorney coming to town to sell an old saloon for her friend Sunny, who is a Vegas showgirl and is in trouble with a loan shark.
When Sophie arrives she is instantly attracted to the cowboy, Gray McBride, she meets while filling up her car at the gas pump. There is an explosion and now Sophie has amnesia, and believes she is Sunny, her showgirl friend LOL

This book is just so funny. Watching Sophie, an attorney, think she is a showgirl and go head to head with Gray.
Gray is running for Mayor of the town and wants to close down the saloon to expand the local firestation.

Dianne had me laughing out loud. It was just so funny reading about Sophie and Gray and the way they interact. This book is sexy, romantic, funny, everything you could want :)

...Sophie Addison blew into town. It seems Sophie has a small case of amnesia and thinks she's Sunny, the showgirl new owner of the local bar. Gray McBride is running for mayor, and trying to close the bar. Sparks are flying...but are they sparks of annoyance, or sparks of some other kind of tension??!!

Dianne Castell's A Cowboy and a Kiss is a story of love and laughter!

Dianne has another winner here on this her latest release. This is a must read for those wanting a neat storyline and a fun read. Sophie Addison gets a bump on the head and ends up thinking she is Sunny the showgirl , who instead of trying to sell the old saloon as a favor to a friend instead endeavors to keep the saloon going. Now bring Gary McBride, who is running for mayor and making his priority to shut the saloon down into the equation. Sparks and chemistry runs high between the two. Making this a sexy, fun read. I look forward to more books from this author as I have enjoyed all her books to date and feel she only gets better with each release

I admit to not being much of a fan of the cowboy stories, but Dianne Castell's talent for writing them is quickly changing my mind. If you have not read a Castell book, this is a perfect place to start.

Sophie Addison is a reserved financial attorney from Reno who makes her way to Tranquility, Texas to do a favor for her best friend, Sunny Kelly, a Reno showgirl: sell her recently deceased aunt's old saloon, the Smokehouse, so Sunny can settle some debts.

However when Sophie gets to Texas, she has an accident that leaves her without any memory of her previous life and is soon convinced that she is Sunny Kelly. Only instead of wanting to sell the saloon, she sees it as a great opportunity to help out a lot of people in town, especially the women of Tranquility.

The only thing standing in her way is the hottie cowboy Gray McBride who wants the Smokehouse saloon sold so he can build a bigger firehouse in its place and make good on a promise he made to the town if he was elected mayor, as well as a personal one he made to himself for his family. There's no way he was going to let this blonde, sassy showgirl get in his way.

Only sparks have a way of flying whenever those two are around each other, and as determined as they both are to succeed in their own mission, it becomes obvious that falling in love changes everything. Especially when the real Sunny shows up and Sophie's memory returns.

This book was sweet, funny, and sexy - a wonderful heartwarming story with enough heat to warm up those cold winter nights. Dianne Castell writes so wonderfully about small towns and cowboys that it sure does sound tempting to find one - the town AND the cowboyd. Each of Dianne's books gets better and better. I can't wait for the next one!

This series is a real favorite of mine. Great story line, great characters, and unique ideas. Now (as of Summer 2005) the latest Conrad book, "Conrad's Crusade" is now available from [...], on line! It is solid action on par with the best in the series. [...] and I recommend it highly.

This is a great book and a great series - taking an excellent idea and executing it perfectly. It almost certainly is aimed at a male audience, but women should enjoy it too if they aren't too offended 0:)

Similar storyline to Twain's 'Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court' - only this time, it's a Polish engineer in 13th century Poland.
It's a fun read, although I found it a bit convenient that the hero was an engineer - it would have been much more fun & challenging if the hero only had a rudimentary knowledge of how things worked.
A similar book to these that I'd also reccommend is 'Enchantment' by Orson Scott Card. That book and the Stargard series are the only time-travelling in Poland fantasy books I'm aware of.

The Cross-Time Engineer is among the best time travel books I have ever read. It leaves nothing to chance even displaying that properly placed geneticly enhanced War Horses can be found in 13th century Krakow. Conrad Stargard is plagued with moden emotions and ethics in a medieval world that holds life as worth little. It is a great set of books so be sure not to stop at number one.

Very decent sci-fi / time-travel / alternate timeline treatment. If you're at all technically minded, and if you can look past the author's rather abysmal treatment of anyone of the female persuasion, you'll probably enjoy this as a nice break from something deeper and harder hitting. It's fun and diverting to imagine what one expert engineer who (unlike most of us technical rabble) actually knows how things work could do with 13th century technology, culture, and a great deal of luck.
The first 2-3 books of this series are by far the best, as near the end the author seems to loose a bit of interest - or at least creativity - and begins to engage some serious Deus Ex Machina plot elements with Conrad's friends in the distant future. Still, worth a read to those not offended by the "women are property - and they *love* it" garbage scattered throughout.

"Dawn of a Thousand Nights" intrigued me about the WWII time period of our American history. This is a story about two pilots in Hawaii. Libby and Dan met in Hawaii before America was attacked. They fell in love and then Dan was sent out to the Philippines. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Libby joined the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron, a civil service unit. The WAFS were used to ferry planes inside of the country. The Philippines was also attacked with thousands of troops being captured. Libby didn't hear from Dan but she never gave up hope on being with her beloved. Will their love survive Dan's captivity and their separation? Read "Dawn of a Thousand Nights" and you won't be disappointed. ~Shelly of Chadron MOPS

"Dawn of a Thousand Nights" is a touching story of new love and the war that threatens to tear that love appart. The main characters, both pilots, are separated by the war just as they decide to give their hearts to each other. The book follows the trials and truimphs of each person as they struggle to find their way back to each other and end up finding a part of themselves in the process. I found "Dawn..." a fantastic story of love, heartache, dedication and finding the way back to God.

This is a wonderful book. I couldn't put it down. The story woven in with the history was perfect. It couldn't have been better. I loved it so much I ordered a copy for my husband's grandfather who was in the pacific during WWII.

Tricia Goyer touches the heart of every reader who was in WWII or had a family member involved. I read this with my heart remembering my uncle who was a POW, and what he gave for each one of us to have the freedoms we enjoy today. This is a precious book that is exciting and breathtaking at the same time.

I've always been fascinated by stories about World War II, and this one is great. Libby Conners, pilot trainer and Don Luken, hotshot pursuit pilot, meet on a beach outside of Honolulu. Although it's June, 1941, and the U.S. is sending scores of pilots to Hawaii and the Phillippines, they are young and unafraid. They're in love and for them nothing can change. Then Don is transferred to the Phillipines, leaving Libby behind. On December 7, the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, and launched a similar attack on the Phillipines, and now nothing will ever be the same. This book is an honest, gripping portrayal of one of our country's darkest times. The research is accurate and incredible. The reader has a strong sense of place, whether in a plane, on a beach, or in a prison camp. You'll come away with a greater appreciation of the men and women in the military who risk their lives daily in the service of their country. I had never read anything by Tricia Goyer before, but I'm looking forward to the next one. She's an excellent writer.

What kid hasn't listened in on the telephone? Bill Davidson's children did just that, but didn't realize they hold the key to their father's killer.
Alan York loves racing and left home in South Africa to follow his dream. When he emerged from the fog of a steeple chase race he didn't find his friend a winner, but dead in a manner that was no accident.
Greed and fixed races were behind Bill's death and leave Allan the owner of Admiral and fighting for his own life.
Dead Cert is one of the riveting reads of a long career. Enjoy!
Nash Black, author of SINS OF THE FATHERS and QUALIFYING LAPS.

I never know what to expect when I begin a new Dick Francis novel - but I always enjoy the ride. This one is no exception.

This is the first Dick Francis mystery and I like it the second best. I like "Nerve" slightly better, but only slightly. This "Dead Cert" contains several impressive scenes. The most impressive is the climax in which the star horse "Admiral" plays an unexpectedly spectacular role. It is definitely THE MOST SPECTACULAR scene in ALL Francis mysteries. Highly Recommended.

I was amazed to learn after reading this one that it was Dick Francis' first novel. Francis was a very successful jockey--racing for the Queen Mother in the 1950's--and after a career-ending injury, he penned his memoirs. Following that success, he developed and incredibly successful second act as a novelist.

I discovered Francis' work last summer--and I have plans to read everything he's done. In the 3 books I've read, his heroes are all gentleman sleuths--full of character, empathy, and wits. In Dead Cert, the trend continues with Alan York, a young amateur jockey trying to uncover the mystery of why a copper wire was intentionally hung to trip his fellow jockey. York is on his own resolving this caper, having failed to fully convince the police that this was anything more than an accidental death.

The writing is of a high caliber, the characters are wonderfully drawn, and I always learn a thing or two about horses--and England--when I read Dick Francis. There's also something quaint about reading a book set in an age before computers, cell phones, and DNA evidence. Grade: A-

In yet another gripping story of mystery, murder and British steeplechasing, Dick Francis continues his amazing streak of hit novels.

His real appeal is not racing or mystery however, it is his ability to create characters who are admirable, honorable and self-reliant. If you're looking for troubled, self-loathers who "somehow" overcome their weakness and become unwilling and unwitting heroes, don't look here. Francis' heroes revel in their abilities to withstand evil, overcome it, and end up smiling in spite of it all.

Kudos once again for Dick Francis and Dead Cert!