J Books

Harlan is a technician and works for a political sort of organisation called The Eternals. They minister to time over tens of thousands of centuries, and try and keep it running with a minimum of adjustments.

People being what they are, Harlan decides to make a minor fiddle because of his feelings for a woman.

I probably first read this classic sometime in the late 1950s; certainly, it's the earliest time travel novel I can remember reading. Andrew Harlan, a native of the 95th century, is a Technician in Eternity, a member of a corps of self-appointed guardians of reality that exists outside of ordinary time. It's a highly stratified society and Harlan is a member of the caste that actually effects changes by making the "Minimum Necessary Change" at the selected point in time and space. Then he meets a woman outside of Eternity with whom he falls in love -- sort of -- and takes it upon himself to protect her from a Change planned for her continuity. Of course, it's a far more complicated matter than that, as Harlan finds out the hard way. In fact, the very existence and survival of Eternity is at stake. But maybe it ought not to survive. The writing seems a bit sappy now, a bit turgid, but styles and tastes change. The basic "time patrol" theme, however, has been riffed on by scores of subsequent novels and short stories. Some points seem rather naive to us now: The enormous size of the "computaplexes," even thousands of years in the future, a voice recording device that's still large enough to require a storage case and a separate microphone, and so on. (It's always surprised me how many Golden Age authors failed to anticipate the minute size of electronic devices so short a distance in their future.) But ignore all that and just enjoy the story for what it is.

Isaac Asimov has written a brilliant glimpse into the fragile psyche of man. In our neverending quest for knowledge and to seek the unknown, we take chances. In Asimov's future we have The Eternals to keep us safe from ourselves. The Eternals manipulate the timeline by altering any dangerous situations that may harm mankind in the long run. This creates a dichotomy as mans adventurous and sometimes self-destructive basic need to break free clashes with our conservative desires to play it safe. Asimov explores the end results of this clash with the central character Andrew Harlen. Harlen is the catylist as he unwittingly is played by both sides in a fascinating chess match of truly epic proportions. Some of the aspects of this story were later explored in Spielberg's "Minority Report", as in preventing future events from happening before they can do harm. The best Science Fiction is the kind that really makes you think and this book most assuredly does that.

Time travel is a great, speculative sub-genre of scifi. Although mildly dated this is book highly worthwhile. Asimov's storytelling and imagination are legendary due to works like this.

The End of Eternity is a brisk and totally satisfying thought experiment that poses the question most other time travel books don't even ask: why would you even want to alter events in time? Asimov concludes, correctly, that the life of a species should unfold the same way an individual life unfolds; without the beneft of hindsight. A decision made in hindsight, it turns out, is not superior to the original - it's just wrong for different reasons.

The Foundation series was just OK, Pebble in the Sky and The Currents of Space were downright boring, but this is the type of story that earned Asimov the title of master. Read this book.

Great experience. Received the book very quickly and it was in great condition. This is one of my favorite children's books. I buy it for all my friends when they are expecing their first child.

So beautiful! I bought it for my three year old son. He's a bit too young for it but, still asks me to read it for him almost every night. I love both the story and the illustrations. We have other books from Jon J. Muth and they're all excellent.

This is an excellent book. I loved reading it to my children. It reminds me of Aesop's Fables from when I was a child. There is a lesson to be learned, but the learning is very gently presented. I will be purchasing more books by Jon Muth.

This book is gorgeous and accessible. In our family it has helped us talk about appropriate behavior and generosity, about valuing differences in our friends, and developing a moral code. Like Muth's other books, some of the phrases have entered into our daily lives: "What is the most important time?" "Who is the most important person?" "What is the right thing to do?" I'm convinced that the answers in this gentle and beautiful book help my pre-k only child navigate her complex social world with assurance. Sure, life gets complex and so do situations, but to make sense of ourselves and our function in the world, the three questions can be very helpful.

Nikolai wants to be a good person, but he tells his friends, "I do not always know the best way to do that." Nikolai believes that if he has the answer to just three questions, he would always know what to do.

Nikolai poses his questions to his three friends, a heron whose name is Sonya, a monkey, Gogol, and a dog, Pushkin. First he asks, "What is the best time to do things?" Then, "Who is the most important one?" Finally, "What is the right thing to do?" The responses he receives from his friends, each of whom is absorbed in his or her own reality, leave something to be desired. So, Nikolai decides to ask the wise turtle, Leo, who lives high in the mountains.

When Nikolai finds old and judicious Leo, the turtle is struggling to dig a garden. Nikolai, who is more fit, decides to help. Not long after Nikolai finishes digging Leo's garden, it begins to rain and the two hear a cry for help from an injured panda. Nikolai helps the panda to safety and treats her injury. When the panda awakes, she asks Nikolai about her baby, so Nikolai immediately goes to find her, too.

The next day, all is well again. However, Nikolai laments being unable to learn the answers to his question. Leo then explains that Nikolai has found his answers through his actions: There "is one important time, and that is now...(the) most important one is always the on is always the one you are with... (and the) most important thing is to do good for the one who is standing at your side."

`The Three Questions' is a very lovely parable written and illustrated by Jon J. Muth. According to Muth in his author's note, the story is based on a Leo Tolstoy's short story. Muth obviously adapts the story for a younger audience, and models and renames the characters after Russian writers, Tolstoy's wife, and Muth's own son and daughter. Tolstoy himself, "Leo," is the turtle.

Muth is quite talented as this book indicates; he not only gently and skillfully adapts the story, but he also created the illustrations that bring the story to life. The illustrations are done in watercolor, a medium with which Muth clearly has had a great deal of experience. The paintings are wistful and tender and convey to the reader a certain warmth. In the depictions of Nikolai's three friends, the reader can clearly sense Sonya's pride, Gogol's playfulness, and Pushkin's sense of responsibility. Nikolai himself represents the sort of boy, playful, honest, and intelligent, with whom anyone would want to be a friend and who anyone would also want to be.

In short, good things, including questions and friends, come in three's, and `The Three Questions' is just about as perfect a book as one will find.

This book, read first when I was 14 years old, and since added to my adult library, read and re-read again, has stayed with me like so very few other books in my life.

I wont over-egg the review - Corbett wouldn't have liked that kind of lionising (good pun!) and he doesn't need it. Suffice to say I respect Corbett deeply, and often think of him. Unabashed admiration for this man is easy. All his books are worth your money, but start with this one.

Jim Corbett put together his experiences in the forests of the Himalayan foothills. The details are truly amazing. It does also provide a great ammount of details about wildlife. In a nutshell an epic collection. Does not get any better than this.

Probably the best big game hunting book ever written. Will keep you on the edge of your seat and I do not recommend reading it while camping in the woods (especially if the woods happen to be in India). Corbett describes stalking man-eating tigers and often they stalk him. These are not made-up stories nor are they self justifying. Corbett ONLY hunted tigers that the local population asked him to, after dozens or sometimes hundreds of people had been killed. His descriptions are beautiful and picture an era (India in 1900-1930) that has long since gone. I have read it many times, the first when I was about 11 years old.

This book was written by not only a very brave man but a man that possessed great character and class. His only reason for hunting these Man-Eaters was to rescue the villagers from this ever present terror. He took no money for his efforts. Very exciting reading without ever a hint of bragging about his extraordinary gift of successfully hunting the most dangerous animals on earth.

I can't speak highly enough about the book. His discription of his journeys made you feel as if you with right there with he and his men. If you like the outdoors and adventure, you simply must read this classic.

Although a bit confusing in his presentation of dozens of key characters unfamiliar to the reader, Lawrence paints an extraordinary sketch of a time and people otherwise just a footnote to World history. The richness of the text and word pictures were worth the time spent laboring through massive amounts of detailed narrative.

This is one of the great books of the 20th century. That it could be written at all is almost a miracle in itself. Take a brilliant Oxford student trained in the old classical tradition, place him in the Arabian desert as advisor to the wild Bedouin tribesmen during their revolt against the Turks and have him write with an acute sensitivity and unparalleld insight into what was transpiring before him and you may have some notion of what the book is like.
It's a long book. You will learn a great deal about blowing up a railroad bridge in the desert, about camel rides, thirst, and hunger and the heroism and brutality of war. The portraits of Sheik Auda, Sherrif Ali and Prince Faisal of the two Arab boys who Lawrence takes under his wing are masterpieces in and of themselves. The nobility and savagery of the desert tribesmen contrasted with the cold stoicism of the British and the inculcated cruelty of the Turks are just some of themes addressed during the course of the work. There are brilliant passing insights as to the Semitic inspiration for all the revealed religions and their relation to the desert beautiful descripitions of the terrain the weather and the obstacles encountered. When Lawrence says that from the beginning he believed the Arab revolt would succeed because it grew out of a sympathetic population was opposed by a modern army that could not garrison the territory occupied one wishes that President Bush had read it instead of just seeing the movie. Read it yourself.

TE Lawrence (1888-1935) the British soldier, poet and scholar wrote this insightful personal account of the Arab Revolt based on his war journals which is as confronting as it is poetic and beautiful. How could one not be enthralled by the writings and perspectives of a fine intellectual mind tormented by the reality of war and hypocrisy? What makes this book unique and powerful is Lawrence's sensibility as a poet and a soldier. Even if you are not into war history, this is a riveting book you can't afford to miss.

Mr. TE Lawrence was not only a gifted tactician/strategist but also a scholar of the highest order. His writing style is rich and descriptive avoiding the dry pitfalls sometimes associated with autobiographies. The story of the Arab revolt from the man who helped shape and guide it is an invaluable resource to have. TE Lawrence's thoughts on irregular/unconventional warfare are insightful and still lessons to be rememembered today. An enjoyable and insightful read- perfect for any military history collection.

The Hejaz War of 1917 was written by Colonel T.E. Lawrence at the Paris peace talks in 1920 -21. Lawrence understood the Arabs thay did not conquer territory but they brought the Arab tribes together to conquer the Ottoman Turkish Army whom they considered poor soldiers. The Hejaz is the Red Sea coast parallel to the extinct lava fields of the 3,000m high Hejaz mountains. The Hejaz railway, linking Damascus with Medina, was attacked by Lawrence's Hejaz army until the Turks could no longer repair it. The Seven Pillars of Wisdom is the bible of Guerilla Warfare and should be read by General Petraeus US Armed Forces Commander, Iraq.
The taking of Damascus intact in 1918 by the arab army before General Allenby's allied army at least ensured Sheikh Feisal became King of Iraq. The Sykes -Picot treaty of 1916 ensured the Middle East was divided up by Britain and France directly leading to the present Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Warriors is a great addition to the fantasy roleplaying game genre and a boon to anyone seeking resources that can be used to realistically and compellingly expand the capabilities of combatant classes. I ahve used this one in my own game and been very pleased with it.

As a DM, I am always looking for new material to make my games more 'realistic' and different. This book is an excellent resource to spice up the warrior class. I am looking forward to purchasing more material from this company.

This book is full of intriguing ways to flesh out warriors, fighters, and even paladins, rangers, and barbarians. Suddenly, you have a huge number of options to help breathe life into your medieval or fantasy army, or even the local thugs in the streets. The book has a definite historical flavor, which I like quite a bit. I enjoy the references to ancient times, as well as African and Asian history. The prestige classes and the concept of subtypes gives the normally rigid warrior sudden flexibility. Skirmisher has done a great job of turning out a book that I will actually use, instead of something that will collect dust on my bookcase.

This book is great for any DM. Both amateurs and veterans will find this book able to help them create quests and their DMing ability.

This is a great book to add that 'extra' realism to D & D. Varhola's history and writing background, added to the obvious expertise of the other authors, lets the players add a level of realism and history that makes a good game far better //

SPOILER ALERT:
Astrid Lindgren lost her marbles when she wrote the last chapter. The story is beautiful and as a christian I have no problems reading it to my children as a fantasy rendition. The illustration of evil regimes and quest for freedom is very moving and uncanny in many ways. Worth reading for this alone, but the ending speaks a message that should never have been spoken. The older boy, the hero, would rather kill himself and his younger brother in a suicide attempt, rather than living a life as a cripple. SICK!

Way before Harry Potter and JK Rowling came along, European children book writers were taking children more seriously than most English and American writers. At the helm of this beautiful movement of children-centric literary world was Astrid Lindgren of Sweden and the wonderful Erich Kaestner of Germany, both well-known and widely read in non-English speaking Europe and most other places, but conviniently limited to a few of their works in UK and the USA (Pippi Longstocking for Lindgren and The Parent Trap for Kaestner).

Brothers Lionheart is Lindgren manifesting Kaestner's frustration at those childrens books authors who think that "children are made out of sweet pastries and cotton candy" (expressed at the beginning of the Flying Classroom, another master piece not known in the English speaking world). I read this book when I was 7 and have continued reading it, mainly in other languages, and had never seen it in English. The translation is good, although I do not like "Scotty" as a translation of Carl's nickname. The real one "Skorpan" (a sort of doughnut) is much nicer and homier.

Brothers Lionheart was very influential in my life. I learnt many lessons from it and enjoyed it very much, and I never felt that I was being preached to or was put down by the author. It is a novel that will appeal to children and even many adults (those who have not forgotten their childhood and thus their reason). I profoundly disagree with the person who is worried about the "negative" effects of the books darker issues (the after-life). It might surprise you that children are a lot more open-minded than their parents: they have not been spoiled by the prejudices we call "our heritage".

This book, I will claim, is one of the best books ever written, anywhere, in any language, and if it was me, I would have given it to all the 6 billion people in the world to read...

I read this book when I was a child and it was one of my favorite. Now I finished reading it to my sons and they love it too. It took me a while to read the first two chapters though, I just couldn't stop sobbing...although I knew the story. It didn't take us long to finish the book, we needed to find out what was happening next...Such a great book, we will buy some copies and give them to friends!!!

The Brother's Lionheart by Astrid Lindgren is a wonderful book that I would recommend to anyone. Although the end of the book may be a little sad, the rest of it is fantastic. First of all, the Lionheart brothers, Jonathan and Rusky, live with their single mother in an apartment. Rusky is very ill and is to die soon. Out of nowhere, a fire strikes their house. Jonathan, being the brave boy that he is, sacrifices his own life by carrying Rusky and jumps out of the window. While in the air, Jonathan turns his body so that his body will be a cushion for Rusky. Sadly, Jonathan's plan had worked. Rusky was unharmed, but Jonathan died. A couple nights later, Jonathan returned to Earth as a dove. He told Rusky not to worry, because Jonathan was waiting for him in Nangiyala. Rusky's illness caught up to him, and he died. When he arrived in Nangiyala, he met up with Jonathan down by a creek fishing. Everything was perfect, but as they soon find out,there is a traitor in Nangiyala!
Nangiyala is a place like Heaven. In my book, after Jonathan and Rusky die, they go to Nangiyala. It is pretty much like the Middle Ages. There are lots of trees, mountains and people. There three regions: Cherry Valley( where Jonathan and Rusky live), Wild Rose Valley, and Karmanyaka. Wild Rose Valley is the kind of place that has no hope. There are unpassable walls that surround the Valley. It is reigned by an evil tyrant named Tengil. Karmanyaka is a dark, evil place that is the home land of Tengil. Any ways, it is very beautiful. After you die in Nangiyala, Your next stop is in Nangilima.
I would definitely recommend The Brother's Lionheart to anyone who can read. It is by far one of the greatest books I've ever read!

A number of stories end with the death of their heroes; this the first one I can recall that BEGINS with the death of its heroes. In addition the sometimes charming, sometimes terrifying illustrations by Ilon Wikland nicely complement the story.

Everyone knew that 10-year-old Karl (Scotty) Lion was dying, what with his crooked legs, his constant coughing, and now being too sick to go to school anymore; everyone except Scotty that is. But now he knows, and he's terrified. His brave, handsome, and loving brother, 13-year-old Jonathan Lion, tries to comfort him by telling him that when he dies he will go to Nangiyala, where all sagas come from, where he will be strong and no longer sick and where Jonathan will eventually join him, and because time passes differently in Nangiyala, it will only seem like a couple of days to Scotty even if Jonathan lives to be 90. But poor Jonathan must live on Earth without his Scotty, maybe for 90 years.

Well, it doesn't quite work out like they thought, but a couple of deeply moving, heartrending chapters later, the boys are together again in Nangiyala, and the REAL story begins. Jonathan told Scotty that in Nangiyala you have adventures from morning to evening and at night, too, but he failed to mention (or more likely failed to grasp himself) that there are adventures that should not happen... but do. There's a cruel tyrant in Nangiyala who has imprisoned the people of Wild Rose Valley and intends to do the same to Cherry Valley where the Brothers Lionheart now live,...

and it is going to be up to them, especially little Scotty who still doesn't believe he is brave at all, to stop him.

Astrid Lindgren, of Pippi Longstalking and Mio, My Son fame, has written a powerful and deeply moving story here that I'll not soon forget if ever. So why only three stars? Because I've got a serious problem with her shocker of an ending.

With far too many sincere but ill informed parents panicking over the Harry Potter books (while Philip Pullman's openly, even proudly Satanic "His Dark Materials" trilogy oozes by under the RADAR), I don't want to hit this too hard, but parents need to be aware of what is IMHO a serious flaw in this book. It is NOT as you might expect with the neo-pagan afterworld her story takes place in; IMHO there is nothing here that anyone whose religious beliefs postulate a different sort of afterlife need fear to expose his children to. It is FICTION after all. The problem is the ending.

SPOILER ALERT

The Brothers Lionheart triumph in the end but at a heavy cost; many friends are dead, including their beloved and faithful horses. Worst of all Jonathan has been poisoned and will soon be paralyzed, but he has a solution. It seems that when you die in Nangiyala you go on to Nangilima, where it is still the time of the sagas but only happy ones and no more adventures that should not happen. So if Scotty will take Jonathan upon his back and jump off a high cliff, just like Jonathan took Scotty upon his back and jumped out of an upper floor window to save Scotty's life from the fire at the cost of his own back at the beginning of the book, they can go to Nangilima now, together.

So that is exactly what they do,...

and I'm sorry, but this is SICK!

Jonathan earns the name of Lionheart when he risks his life, loses it in fact, in order to save his soon-to-die little brother, but when HE faces some amount of life (but probably not all that much) as a paralytic, he talks that very same brother into killing him along with himself, in order to get into a BETTER afterlife a little bit sooner. What in God's name was Lindgren thinking? Oh, I'm not especially worried about children reading this and killing themselves in order to go to Nangiyala, but our children could do without Yet Another message that if you are crippled, you are better off dead. They get quite enough of that from too many so-called "Pro-Choicers" who apparently fear that if people get the idea that life is still worth living even for the severely handicapped, they might begin to wonder about the ethics of killing the healthy but merely too small to scream.

END OF SPOILER

If you disagree with my opinion and own an older edition, The Purple House reprint of The Brothers Lionheart is worth picking up because of the smooth new English translation by Jill Morgan (the publisher herself?).

How valuable is Bill White's famous "From Day One" book? And does it really help Top performing students?

I am finishing my master's degree at Stanford University in Management Science & Engineering. Having many doors open can sometimes turn into a nightmare: "Which opportunity to pick?", "Based on what criteria?", and all the "What if?" scenarios one can imagine, pile up one after the other.

If you are looking for a book that will give you accurate and precious advice on how to make the best start with your career, I think "From Day One" is definitely a must read. Here is why:

*It will help you avoid the "if I only knew" situations
*It will give you a good understanding on where you stand with your career
*It will teach you tips that will make you stand out

Not often does one feel more mature after reading a book.
Given that your coworkers are as smart as you; these are the 3 points on which you can count on that will make a genuine difference in your professional career!

Jack Ojalvo

As a former student of Bill White, one of the most respected professors at Northwestern University, I have experienced firsthand how his wisdom and insight can benefit others. As a result, I am happy to see that now even those outside his classroom can also gain from his experiences. From Day One gives practical advice, complete with real life examples from both himself and numerous other business leaders, which is bound to resonate with you for the rest of your career.

I highly recommend this book for everyone from a recent college graduate to a rising manager. Once you read it, From Day One will be one of your books with a coveted spot on your office bookshelf.

As a 30+ year-old career switcher and MBA graduate, From Day One resonated profoundly with me. While reading this book, I found myself nodding in agreement with much of his advice. I can only imagine how much better off I would be today if I had read this when I was 20.

Mr. White successfully articulates the key steps for building and maintaining a business career. Whether you are just starting a new career or are in the midst of improving your current one, this book provides invaluable advice on understanding where you should channel your efforts as well as the pitfalls to avoid. Using examples from his own personal experiences and those of others, Mr. White offers a sincere approach for the new general manager who aspires to know what skills are necessary to be both successful and happy.

From Day One is a great read for those who are looking to learn the ropes of corporate life from a seasoned professional. I was a student of Prof. White at Northwestern. The tone of the book reads very much as he teaches his class: instructive, personable and populated with fascinating antidotes from his experiences.

The most important thing I learned from the book is to do as much for others as you can and build out your personal network. In the beginning stages of your career you will have much to learn and not much to offer. However, by spending the extra time to make the lives of those around you easier, you will be noticed and appreciated. The hard work that you do up front will pay dividends down the road.

Highly recommended!

Outstanding advice for anyone building a career! Forget abstract leadership philosophy - Mr. White provides concrete, tangible means to assert yourself as a leader from day one. I recommend this book to people at any stage in their careers as its concepts are universal. Buy the book - your career will thank you!

I love this book for multiple reasons.
The first, I think, is because of one of the side characters, Spader. He's so dreamy!!! I love him soooo much!
The second is because the plot is just so fascinating. The idea that a world could exist that is completely on water is just so cool.
The third is because of Saint Dane, the evil dude trying to take over Halla(all existence, all times, all places, and all creatures, great or small). He's such an evil person I just could hit him. ARRGGG!
The fourth reason is because of Bobby. I think he's one of the funniest characters I've ever read about(yes, I'm saying he even tops Ron Weasley in Harry Potter!).
I love this second installment so much!
You should definitely surrender to your craving!! Way to go DJ!

I loved this book, it is fun and creative. I didn't want to put it down. This series is fun for all ages.

Before I begin, let me say that I'm an adult (to give this review some context).

I read "The Merchant of Death" (Pendragon #1) a couple of weeks before ordering this book. I enjoyed "Merchant". I thought it was inventive and unusual, and it certainly addresses issues that young adults face. I'm sure kids enjoy reading books where their peers are heroes.

This book is even better. I say that for two reasons. The setting of the first book is quite grim. That was appropriate for the story it told, but it was kind of a downer, reading about those people being exploited. This book's setting is incredible - a world covered entirely by water where humans live on floating, barge-like habitats. I love water, and if I could somehow visit that world, I would do so in a heartbeat.

The other reason I like this book better is that the new Traveler we meet is incredibly endearing. I like Loor. She's a great person to have at your side. However, the Traveler we meet in this story is very funny, and that makes this book a lighter read (in tone) than the first one. He's also flawed, though, which makes things interesting. I relate to him better than I relate to Loor. (Does she have a flaw? I don't think I've spotted it yet.)

Overall, I recommend this book with a big smile on my face. It's a good ride, the characters are endearing, the setting incredible, the themes well developed, and it leaves you wanting more.

See you at Grolo's! Last one there buys the Sniggers!

Pendragon by D.J mathhale is a great book that I would recommend to kids of all ages. It starts with a 10 year old kid playing with his mom in their back yard and the kid misses the ball and he runs after it and he comes back and his mom is GONE. Then he finds out that his mom is the world`s best DRAGON RIDER!! He hears a very loud roar and it was his mom's old pet dragon and it was his now and he takes a better look at it and it was the biggest red dragon the world has ever seen. So the very tall lizard tells him that his mom has been kidnapped by a very powerful human bean and they set of to TRY and save his mom. How I can describe Jack he is a very smart tech genius he just finds out he is the ONE. Well what he thinks the one means that he can Dodge bullets like a movie he saw. He finds that the dragons name is Alroce and the dragon is the last well only one of the red dragons left. And so Jack can fight this very powerful wizard so he starts training with his pet dragon.I would this book to anyone that likes dragons action and very intence sword fighting Pendragon is a great book that I would recamend to kids of all ages.

Bobby Pendragon is a 14-year-old boy, and he is like no other boy his age. After being swept away from his last mission on a territory named Denduron, Bobby finds himself on a floating city named Grallion in the territory of Cloral. This city is about the size of New York State! And it is a floating island in an ocean the size of this planet! So far Bobby has had a pretty goodtime, meting new friends and just hanging out on Grallion, until the evil Saint Dane shows up under the alias Zy Roder his mission is to take over halla, and rule it evilly. Halla is everything that ever happened, will happen, and time, which is everything. Bobby's mission is nothing less than to save the universe from ultimate evil. But Saint Dane is much more powerful and can con people into helping him. This team of 4(Bobby's Uncle Press who got Bobby into all of this, Spader his brand new friend he met on Grallion, and Loor the best warrior and a friend to Bobby, and of course Bobby) must beat Saint Dane and time is running out he it creating chaos on the habitats(the floating islands)so he can rule halla and the universe will be evil and Saint Dane's wish will be true. But Bobby is going to try to stop that. Bobby's 2 best friends (Courtney and Mark) can't talk to Bobby because he is in a different world so instead Bobby has giving Mark a magic ring that transports letters. So, to talk to his 2 best friends he writes letters of what's happening, and Mark and Courtney read them, and are with Bobby all the way. Bobby and the team are about to make their first move against this evil mastermind.

Great book...good quality...arrived in record time. I will highly recommend ordering this book for a Christmas present for any age.

This story will rank among my all time favorite Christmas stories! It is heartwarming and humorous, and conveys the true spirit of Christmas!

This book is a GREAT human interest story that uses a man's skill-carving, with a family need for a nativity. In the process of carving the characters and the friendliness of a woman and her son, Jonathan changes from a bitter, lonely man to a believer.

Each year I buy myself a new Christmas book, looking for something unique..Just ran up on this book at a company book sale and stood in awe as I read the story. I knew this was "the one" for this year. Not only is the story heartwarming but the illustrations are perfect. My children are grown as well as my granddaughters and I plan to buy copies for all of them.

A friend and I are often comparing notes on wonderful new and old books and stories for children (and adults), especially at Christmastime. When I saw this book, I knew it would fill the bill as a perfect gift to her to add to her wonderful collection of children's books. I was right--she loved it. I'd never heard of this story before, but, in my opinion, it should be much better known and read. It's so sweet. I'm certainly sharing it. It's perfect for reading aloud. Again, a real good experience with you folks.

The princess needs a bit of deportment apparently.


When you decide you need to work on the aristocratic side of a girl, of course you would send her off with a pig keeper and a beast man, wouldn't you?

Because of this, and a bit of a princess triangle, they all end up in a Land of the Giants type scenario, or at least in part.

Here, along with a bit of magic, is a fantasy book where a crow actually comes in useful as a good thing.

This is a great series. One of my favorites and my husband's favorites.

All of Alexander's main characters are back in this book (besides Doli I think), and once again Alexander does a wonderful job of portraying the battle of good vs. evil in the fun garb of a fictional adventure. This book highlights self-sacrafice, as Taran has to choose whether or not to help the man competing for the same things that he wants. It also highlights the immorality of selfishness, as Glew is pretty much selfishness incarnate and ends up stuck in a cave with no way to get out, until Taran and co. decide to be merciful to him even though he tried to kill them.

This books is lots of fun, definitely a recommended read, along with the rest of the series.

Overall grade: A-

As a kid I read the Prydain books again and again. I can't resist some Harry Potter comparisons, and since they make a good common point of reference, I'll use the device here. The Prydain books aren't quite as exciting and magical as HP, but they have many of the same coming of age problems expressed through allegory, and frankly I find the characters better developed, more humorous, and more likeable. This is the third in the five book series, and to my mind the weakest but still very, very enjoyable. The protagonist of this book, as of the others is Taran of Caer Dallben, an orphan of unknown parentage and now an Assistant Pig-Keeper. He is being raised by a monastic collection of former war heroes and semi-wizards, and is always insecure about his lineage. In this book he also struggles with the crisis of his best friend, the princess Eilonwy, being forced to leave to learn to be a lady. Other main and recurring characters, save perhaps for the princess, are more or less also neurotic in delightful ways. Alexander avoids formula, even though the plot when described could sound like a million sword and sorcerer books. The depth and likeability of the characters lifts it above most fantasy books,though, especially fantasy books for kids. We grow up with Taran, and the character he develops is character that would almost universally be recognized as admirable. I highly, highly recommend all of them- at least as much as the HP books. Again, I think this may be the weakest one, but it's still terrific.

Dont mind if I rated this 4 stars. THis is a great book, I couldnt stop reading it, but its just that THe book of Three was more interesting. I read this book since 5th grade(now im in 6th grade)its a lot interesting.
I hope this review will be useful to you !!!
thanks!!!