L Books

I agree about the Boo-hoo and other things. I was torn between giving this book a 5 for the writing and a 3 for the fact that it was so short and so dense, like the other reviewer said. The thing about it is that if you read books by Zane and EJD you get used to character development and exciting subplot after subplot. I kept thinking about how Zane would have written this book. I kept thinking about how there were other scenarios where people could have been having sex like, the Exhusband Tyrone, and we could have gotten some more exposure of the scenes with Red and his boss. I wanted to read a book that I could get lost in. I could not get lost in this book, but I'm still going to give it a 5. Let me tell you why.

I read every word of this book. Every word. It was like a poem to me. I was awake all the way through it, not skipping through chapters because I didn't want to miss anything. Then when I finished it, I lent it to my sister cause I wanted somebody to talk about it with. She was cracking up reading it. When she finished, we started to talk about it. She liked it more than I did because she's kinda like Cindique, except she doesn't take abuse from men (she just let's them steal all her money!) But anyway, we agreed that we both read every word, no skipping through. I gave it a 4 because the ending could have been happier. She gave it a 5, because she said that's the only real way it could have ended. Not every book has to be written like EJD. It's a tight book in its own way. We loved it. Boo-hoo, boo-hoo. 4.5

This book had me hooked in the first two pages. Clindique is a very interesting character, and so are all of the other characters in this book. I finished reading this book in a little over an hour. It was so good that I was reading it on the bus, in the car, and even at work! This book is a must read and once you've read it will be on your list of all time favorite's. What I liked the most about this book was its realism. Unlike other novels that this book was compared to (Skyscraper) it didn't end like a fairytale. Clindique was not carried away by her prince charming on a white horse. Instead the story ended and made me think, this has to be a real story. This has to be based on someone's life. Sure most people want to see a fairytale ending, but I am not one of those people. That's the beauty of this story. The ending in unpredictable, and leaves the reader saying I never would have guessed that would have ever happened.If you don't own this book I suggest you run out and get a copy, maybe even two, one for you and a friend.

Every line of this book is great. Preston L. Allen is a very versatile writer, who is extending his range into romance, crime fiction, and serious literature. I think I have read everything that he has written, including his erotica, so I can make a statement that reflects his body of work. This writer pens masterpieces of the heart. You always care about his protagonists, male or female, old or young, gay or straight, and you cheer for them hoping that they will win. I had my suspicions about Red from the beginning, so I wasn't totally surprised by his choice at the end. I know many men like him; maybe I am one of them. We are not bad guys, just overextended in our romantic obligations. I hope you will go out and buy this book right now to see just how good a writer Mr. Allen is. In terms of sheer raw talent, he is among today's best writers.

You will love this book. This book will have you hooked in just a few short pages. Cindique is the main focus but after you put the book down Red and Joan's relationship will stay on your mind for a long time. Cindique is beautiful and tragic, but when you get right down to it she is the "other" woman, even though we may not like to face the facts. What she is offering Red is a chance to save himself and her. What Red wants is kind of confusing. He seems to love Cindique, but he is torn between her and the love he already has. What goes on between these few pages is very engaging. This is a great book. I highly recommend it. I am now in the process of ordering Hoochie Mama? Anyone out there read that one?

They gave me this book to read and analyze, knowing that I truly do not like to read much. I didn't know what to expect. I figured I wasn't going to like it at all. The title BOUNCE was neither impressive nor entertaining. I thought maybe it was a slang term I wasn't familiar with. And then I started reading. I found myself getting into the characters' lives. Cindique, a strong black woman of mized parentage, was tough on the outside, but sweet and loving on the inside. I couldn't help but feel that she was putting on a strong veneer when all she wanted or needed was to be loved. As in a lot of these youngsters' lives, they learn often too soon about life via sexual relations which escalates to something too adult for them to handle. Cindique grew up fearful and bitter. She got married for the wrong reasons. Her husband Tyrone himself had no role model and positive direction to follow. I couldn't help but feel empathy for this fesity young woman who wanted to take the world by storm and conquer it with her gifts of writing--but really 15 and 17 is too young to get married--children! She could have been a star, given a chance. They both could have been.

As we get further into the novel, we learn about another character, Tawana, a lost soul, a sweet girl, as her husband Redd reminds us throughout the story, despite what she did to him. Tawana, unfortunately, is tarnished by her stepfather's wicked intrusion into a young, tender life. You cannot help but feel anger toward this white man who has destroyed her innocence, leaving her nothing but sex as a way to cope with life's ordeals. Tawana is not the bad guy. Please do not read her like that. She is not the wicked ex. She is a victim, too. I am touched by her story.

Redd, for his part, was such a gentle man who just wanted to take care of everyone. I found him to be such a protector whose only fault is that he wanted to take care of all of the women in his life. He had compassion for all of them. he was a Christian. He confused Christian love with carnal love and ended up sleeping with too many women and complicated his life. Now what is he supposed to do? He loves them all. He doesn't want to hurt anybody. His love is his biggest weakness.

In BOUNCE, there is a sadness to all of the characters underneath all of the humor, drama, and plot twists. Everyone is longing for the one thing that we all crave--love and happiness. They go through the motions. The learn to
overcome the heartaches. They try not to repeat the same mistake over and over again. It seems they never learn. Sometimes it seems we all never learn. We want so much to have love and approval from the ones we love that we forget to love ourselves first. I couldn't help but see that in these characters. I couldn't help but empathize with the struggles they face in order to be in each other's lives. Love hurts, even if you are made of rubber and you can bounce. Love hurts. Jasmine C. Miami, Florida

Others have covered the ground of the story itself pretty well so I'll try to add something new.
I liked "The Unpleasantness at the Belonna Club" and "Whose Body?" somewhat better than this title.... BUT this one is really still just a SUPER classic English murder mystery. The inclusion of Harriet Vane (mystery-writing wife of Lord Peter Wimsey), into the Wimsey series was, in my opinion, a big plus. She really gives Wimsey someone to play off of, in addition to the ever-present and loyal Bunter, Wimsey's astute right-hand man.
This work precedes "Thrones, Dominations," which was an incomplete manuscript by Sayers at the time of her death and was finished by Jill Paton Walsh, who did a superb job of tying up this worthwhile project. (I recommend that you read the two works sequentially!)
So, I highly recommend this fine mystery to all fans of the genre -- it's at least equivalent in pleasure value to Christie's "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd."

This entry in the Lord Peter Whimsey/Harriet Vane series is a little unusual because it has more humor than usual. You get to see a more light hearted Lord Peter, at least until the murder. Agatha Christi concentrates a little more on the relations between Lord Peter and Harriet, starting just after thier engagement and continuing through the honeymoon. You will have to sit through a lot of letter and journal reading in the beginning, but it is worth wading through for the background. A delightful story.

Busman's Honeymoon is a classic which deserves to be read and reread for a long time to come. It's beautifully written--funny, sad and suspenseful. Peter Wimsey is an extremely sympathetic character.

Lord Peter and Harriet Vane are married. In a series of letters we learn the details of the wedding and honeymoon. Due to the malicious meddling of Lord Peter's sister-in-law and the hounding of the press, the bride and groom decide at the last minute to be married in a small chapel in Oxford. Harriet has asked Lord Peter to buy her a beautiful and ancient farmhouse in the country where they decide to go for their honeymoon.

The adjustment to marring someone with money is a hurdle for Harriet. She buys him an expensive wedding gift that is just right, and with the last of her money she buys a gold designer wedding dress from Worth which suits her dark beauty perfectly. Lord Peter has made her independently wealthy but she has difficulty understanding the details. All that matters is that she has completely given her heart to Peter.

However, the honeymoon is not the quiet country idyll the Wimseys were longing for. The discovery of a body in the basement of their new home causes Lord Peter and Harriet to be swept up in a murder investigation and the press are once again at their door. While distracting, the investigation does not keep them from sharing many deep passionate moments. It does, however, cause them to confront difficulties in their personalities and temperaments.

Sayers writes with her usual wonderful characterizations and evocative style. The reader is transported to 1930's England, a simpler more elegant time. The intricacies of a grisly murder investigation throw into relief the charm of the simple life. Yet somehow this story has a more somber tone than the other Lord Peter mysteries, perhaps because it is the last book of the series. At any rate, once again Sayers delivers prime entertainment and an enchanting detective mystery, only this time Lord Peter is finally in a settled relationship with his beloved.

Summer 2004 Reading List - Mini Review

I was intrigued by the premise of this book: An accomplished detective and a famous mystery writer marry, only to discover a corpse in the cellar of their recently purchased home the day after their wedding.

This book is subtitled "A Love Story With Detective Interruptions" and lives up to that billing. I had not read any of the previous books in the Lord Peter Wimsey series but I did not find this an impediment. Sayers did a good job of making Busman's Honeymoon accesible as either a stand alone novel or part of her Wimsey/Vane story line. I so liked the characters that I am going to try to read previous installments in the series.

I bought this author's latest book and this one was listed in the front so I picked this one up, too. Let me tell you, the entire reason I purchased her first book was because our last names are the same. Kind of a stupid reason, I know, but it turned out okay. I really enjoyed the first one I read and then I read this one and it just blew me away. It's the story of two young women born a century apart and I got so caught up in the story I can't tell you. If you like to read a good book that doesn't bore you and keeps you turning the pages, then get this one. Bridget Miles

I enjoyed this book very much. It held my interest until the end, which was somewhat predictable, but very much worth reading. Good book!

Roseflower Creek was one of the most moving novels I have ever read--my heart broke for that poor child--she was so ever-optimistic--wish I could have put my arms around her and told her everything would be all right--even knowing it never would be in that situation--would have carried her away! Cold Rock River was also moving, but not as much. I love this author.

Just when you are immersed in the character in the present, you are then in the past reading from the diary of the second character and which you then become equally immersed. They grab you heart and soul. You root for each one and your heart breaks with their heartaches. It is also amazing to me when you laugh out loud at some of the funny parts. These are the best characters, ones that you never forget. It is one of those great books, we all love, where the characters stay with you even after you've closed the book and moved reluctantly on.

excellent book HOME TO HOLLY SPRINGS ! interesting-
heartwarming- so true to life--we are all so closely "related" inspite of our lack of awareness and prejudices

I bought this book several months before our trip to Amsterdam, and it got me so excited about our trip. The photos are beautiful, and the design is engaging. Although we did use several other guides (as well as internet research), this was a very useful tool that made our visit a great one.

This DK book has an incredible foldout architectural walk of Amsterdam. Only DK could have conceived of such an innovative way of presenting this walk.

I found this to be one of the best books on the market. If you are looking for a comprehensive guide to get around the city this book is a must. I do quite a lot of traveling in Europe and always pick up a "Eyewitness Travel Guide" since they have more in depth history, plenty of pictures, and take you on guided walks throughout the city. You are provided with lists to the museums, restaurants to suit all tastes, and hotels ranging for tight budgets to high class. I would recommend this book to everyone. Have a great trip!

.
Summary:
Every Dorling Kindersley Guide has been a great and interesting book... and delightful to have and use, even if you are not traveling to that location, but are only interested in learning more!

The Guides are well organized in a logical and easy to follow manner. They are beautifully illustrated, well developed with accurate information (it is unusual for hotel and restaurant information to be that accurate), have enough history to help the reader understand the people and cultural background, and have a lot of useful travel information and useable maps in the appendixes.

The really great attraction to this book is several fold; it is:
............Very complete
............Easy to read
............Beautifully and artistically completed
............Good shopping, safety and other tips
............Gorgeous photographs too numerous to list.

Specifics:

The guides are organized as follows:

How to use this guide
Introduction to Historical and Geographical information
............Introducing Amsterdam
........................Amsterdam on the Map
........................History of Amsterdam
........................Amsterdam at a Glance
........................Through the Year (events, holidays)
............Amsterdam Area by Area, each section includes:
........................Introduction to street by street area
........................Detailed pictorials of area buildings
........................Architectural drawings, pictures, cut-aways of buildings
........................Specific stops, historical monuments, churches, buildings, etc.

Travelers Needs - includes full list with rankings and notes
............Hotels
............Restaurants, bars, cafes
............Shops / Markets
............Entertainment

Survival Information
............Practical
........................Tourist info., Etiquete, Personal Security and Health
........................Currencies, Telephones, misc info.

............Travel Information
........................Planes, trains and automobiles, signs
............Street Maps
............General Index
............Phrase Book

Discussion:
The book begins with "Introducing Amsterdam", including a complete map, a review, the city's history, and Amsterdam through the Year - including events, etc.

For the specific areas it provides an "At a glance" overview, then has subsections of specific blocks, or sections, then specific locations, churches, historical monuments, bridges, galleries, etc.

Architectural reviews include various views, and cutaways; given greater understanding and better perspective. They are all attractive, if not works of art - honestly.

The travelers' Info. offers good and valid info. on prices, currencies, customs, important words, etc. I used the reviews on hotel's restaurants and nightclubs, etc. and found they were useful and accurate, and helpful with my touring and site decisions

The books are so well thought-out that it has multiple maps, with various lookup tables, and the book's flaps are designed to be used as bookmarks for map pages.

Conclusion:
Each book in this series is a great help, and beautiful collectible resource. As the President, CEO of an International Meeting Planning Corporation we have many resources and techniques to learn about places we have meetings / groups at as well as the cities and sights. But, as a traveler, this book really is top notch and I would recommend it to anyone going on a personal trip, or wanting to learn about a city, or location. We have used some of these books to augment our research to investigate cities for our groups.

After reading some reviews, I bought two guides (just in case), since DK Eyewitness Guide was labled as "expensive". But I wound up using only DK Guide. It has everything you need. The information is easily accessible. The maps are great. Just perfect for a quick reference. You'll find yourself refering to it again and again while walking the streets of Amsterdam (I just couldn't deal with reading long pages of information (probably very useful) in Frommer's Guide).

The selection of restaurans was great. Every restaurant rated in this book that we went to was a hit.

After a bad experience for my wife, I bought this book for her and I. I feel that husband's should read it as much as their wives, since what happens in this office effects both. It should be a State requirement to be in every OB/GYN, office, or required reading at least in regard to Fibroids and Endometriosis,is concerned. If every doctor believed in handling patients like he does, there would have been no need for the Patients Bil of Rights.
This book is written in very simple terms and very good explanation's to every aspect of diagnosis, treatment, and anesthesia. A very honest author, with a great group of people offering advice from their areas of practice.

I've read a LOT of books on women's health - seems they are often written too casually by laypeople (with lots of anecdotes that may or may not be true). The ones written by doctors are often too long and too technical. This book bridged the gap perfectly! The Dr answered not only many questions I had, but many questions I didn't know I needed to ask. I was at first disappointed that my library system didn't carry this book -- but after I bought it from amazon.com, I was glad I had. I was surprised to find it an interesting read: definitely a keeper!

I bought this book several years ago, and it remains a favorite recommendation for others. Information is presented clearly and is easily understandable. Furthermore, Dr. Parker has a website that you can visit to reinforce the information in the book and contact information if anything needs clarification.
A must have for women and ob/gyns alike!

A very useful book. It discusses various gynecological problems and bladder problems, diagnosis, and treatment options. Unlike many books on the subject, this book includes newer treatment options, for example, totally laproscopic hysterectomy techniques that can preserve the cervix, and allow faster recovery. Discusses the risks of various options; even includes a few statistics.

I love this book. Its like having an owners manual for your female parts. It was easy to read and covered all the problems a woman faces with their reproductive system. I bought lots of books when facing a hysterectomy, and this book was clear and to the point without scaring me to death. It will stay on my shelf because it covers common problems like fibroids, embolization, ovarian cysts, abnormal bleeding, common bladder problems, hysterectomy options. Its written clearly and helped me talk to my Dr.

If you like to visit the National Parks or just want to know more about them, this is a great source of information. All National Parks, Monuments, Wildlife Refuges and some National Forests are covered. It is full of pictures and maps that look great. Nice all in one book.

We originally owned an older edition of this book and just purchased this to replace it. We have been to many National Parks over the years and have found this guide to be the best one out there. The drives as listed are fantastic... you won't miss anything if you have this book along with you!

This is an excellent book to use as a planning guide for trips to any of the National Parks in the US. I have been to many of the parks, and without exception the book's advice about how to get there, when to go, what to look for, etc., is excellent in every way. The book is filled with excellent color photography, and accompanying explanatory text with detailed entrance information that is particularly useful in some of the busier parks. There is also some good introductory safety information presented, but as always, it is a good idea to talk to local authorities when arriving (this is especially a good idea in the Alaska parks, many of which are veritably full of bears.)

All the parks are worth seeing, and this book gives a good introduction to them. Among the favorites that I have been to and particularly recommend are Denali National Park, an easy drive from Anchorage, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, on the island of Hawaii (the "Big Island"), Zion National park in Utah, home of some of the most spectacular desert landscape in the world, and Badlands National Park in South Dakota, featuring not only spectacular landscapes, but amazing animals in abundance.

This book is a great place to start; now get going and enjoy the beautiful National Parks!

I obtained the first edition of this book over ten years ago, and have kept that along with the latest edition in my book collection ever since. At that time I had never been to a national park, but this little book insipired me to visit 35 of them, volunteer in two, and work seasonally as a ranger at one.

This book is packed with useful and interesting information about each of the parks, and it is a pleasure to read even when not planning a trip. I highly recommend it.

We recently purchased this book just before our four-national-parks tour. The book not only gives you an overview of the parks, practical information such as how to get there, and nearby lodging etc., it has very good recommendation of must-see stops, and different levels of hikes you can take and what to expect. We used the book at every park and it helped us effectively use our time and it is a joy to read even without going to the parks.

If you are familiar with feynman this is just what you would expect from this great man. This is him uncut and uncensord. When ever i feel like smiling and gain some inspiration i pick this book up and flip to a random page, it works everytime.

If there was one intellect that dominated the latter half of the 20th century, it would be Dr. Richard Feynman. Yet, despite winning a Nobel prize and his early work on the Manhattan project and his years of original yet simple and creative approaches to complex problems, his humility and true affection for other people never waivered. He was one of those rare people who could touch our hearts as effectively, possibly even more, than he could touch our minds. He was one who gave new meaning to the idea of thinking outside the box and who never passed up a chance to remind us all of what is really important in life.

Some of his letters will make you cry with the emotion he could express to those he loved. Others will strike you for their humility displayed in teaching without condescending or apologies to those he feared he had offended. A truly great man with a great intellect and great ability to communicate his thoughts. This is the human side of one who had been named "the world's smartest man" by Omni magazine. And we are all fortunate to know him through this collection.

Having read "Surely you're joking, Mr Feynmann", I had wondered about his relationship with his first wife, because she was hardly mentioned.

This book sets that right, with some fascinating and personal letters. In particular, the letter he wrote a year after her death hit me very hard, and I don't consider myself sentimental.

And that's just the first part of the book...if you like Feynmann, this is a must have.

Feynman inspires the pursuit of truth in this spin-driven world.

My main motivation for reading "Perfectly Reasonable Deviations" was to gain further insight into Feynman's personality and value system by the direct and reliable method of studying verbatim his interactions with other people. He has been so thoroughly enshrined (perhaps not unwillingly) as a brilliant, difficult, puckish character that I couldn't help being a bit puzzled about what he was "really" like.

In assembling this volume, Feynman's daughter Michelle has selected a variety of correspondence ranging from professional relations with colleagues to private exchanges with friends and, occasionally, complete strangers. I think it is in the latter case that we learn the most about Feynman. He was willing to pay close attention not only to people who admired him, but also to those who offered crazy ideas, or unfair criticism, or even ad-hominem invective. Well after becoming a Nobel prize winner, he continued to compose detailed explanations for, and invite replies from, people who could try anyone's patience. As an experienced debater-by-correspondence, he had a talent for cutting to the quick of a dispute and, while remaining perfectly courteous, nudging the contender into a corner from which escape was impossible short of offering something new or conceding the point. Whether arguing scientifically, graciously acknowledging praise, or simply trying to shake off a persistent bore, Feynman never failed to be insightful and thought-provoking.

The early part of the book covers Feynman's relationship with his first wife Arline, who died of tuberculosis in an Albuquerque sanatorium while he worked on the atomic bomb project at Los Alamos. His decision to marry Arline, regardless of her uncertain health and against the advice of friends and relatives, speaks to the strength and depth of his commitment. Many extremely personal letters are included which illuminate the couple's mutual devotion as well as his loving acceptance of the frustration and uncertainty forced on both of them by the relentlessly worsening disease.

Feynman's attitude toward religion is revealed in several places, particularly during a 1959 television interview. In addition to critiquing the widespread notion that morality is tied to piety, he says quite succinctly that "The religious theory of the world ...doesn't fit with what you see."

In a number of letters Feynman explains the prickly positions on academic conventions and courtesies that helped to make him a legendary outsider. A representative example was his refusal to provide evaluations of former students and colleagues when they were already at the requesting institution. He essentially said: Look here, this person is working right under your nose and you know more about him or her than I do, so decide for yourself!

There are a few instances where an alert editor could have caught misreadings, for example "Serbeis" for the [Robert] Serbers on page 76, and "1023" for ten to the 23rd power on page 174. All in all, this collection constitutes a fascinating and skillfully-produced window into one of the world's most intriguing minds.

I am a polio survivor, having had both bulbar and spinal polio at age 10. I am one of the fortunate who learned to walk again and seemed to overcome many residuals. Like many polio survivors, I am someone who has refused to acknowledge that something is impossible - I rarely give up, and this quality enabled me to endure all the physical therapy that resulted in what passed for recovery. I have a trach scar, weakness in my right leg, left arm and a gradual onset of back pain and fatigue. I have had a post-polio assessment, but wasn't certain until reading this book that I should be resting more than overdoing exercise. I feel so incredibly lucky when I see the many who are back in wheelchairs - brings the whole nightmare of the iron lung, the rocking bed, the tube from my nose to my stomach for sustenance, the suctioning of the trach tube, etc., etc. I hope that everyone who has suffered will read this book and gain a better quality of life.

This book answered many questions we have had. It is very clear and informative. I plan on giving a copy to my family doctor so we can improve my health care. The author truly understands what former polio suffers experience years later.

This book is very enlightening for anyone who has had polio and their extended family and friends. People who have had polio (and other diseases that affect muscles) need to understand that the traditional approach of "use it or lose it" is detrimental....they need to take a "conserve to preserve" approach to life activities. This requires a change in mind set....which, of course, is the hardest thing for these Type A personalities to accomplsh.

This book was very informative. There was so much I didn't know about post polio. With some systoms I have, now I know it's the post polio.

This is a very helpful and informative work for Polio survivors AND their families. Believe it or not, there are some informed professionals "out there."

Read this many years ago -- when it first came out in hardcover. Loved the writing which was so very real to me. The mother/daughter relationship was described flawlessly, and I have read so many mother/daughter books!! Their conflicts, as well as their motivation[s] captured and held my attention to the point where the laundry almost reached my ceiling!! I'm waiting for more [reasonably priced] novels from this author!! Brava!!

Tackling one of the most difficult relationships, that of mother-daughter, as well as the relationships each forges in her life, this book will have you laughing and crying and caring.

in this book, as well as Glickfeld's first book, Useful Gifts, I am pulled deeply into the lives of the characters. By the end of the book I know them well because I have lived them, not just read about them. This is the author's story telling gift.

Carole Glickfeld begins her novel, Swimming Toward the Ocean, with a minor miracle: Devorah, the first-person narrator, narrates the opening scenes from within her mother's womb. The story builds compellingly as the characters develop, but it sags a bit after the midpoint, and the plot is weakened by its reliance on devices, such as a financial windfall that takes us out of realism and into fantasy. Swimming Toward the Ocean is not a long novel, but this reader believes it could have been edited down a bit, as the main characters eventually become predictable and tiresome. But Glickfeld is a gifted and disciplined writer, on the whole, and her debut novel is much better than most that are being published today.

What a wonderful, all-consuming novel! I could barely put it down. I cried when I finished it! The characters, the setting the time, the Yiddish-isms, all resonated deeply within me. I highly recommend this moving and tremendously enjoyable book!!

i found this to be a very good book. the story kept moving and everytime it began to wind down it lifted back up with another twist. never a dull moment. The character Vash the Stampede is more noble then one would think. it's an intense ride through the story as one reads as Vash risks himself time and time agian.Vash proves heroic when traveling on teh steamship and he sets standards for selflessness. not only does he risk himslef but he also takes on a child not so much as his own but to take care of in a sense. the storyline is excellent and it's improved by the cartoon format that it's written in. the pictures bring the book alive in you mind. it's incredible how this story can suck a reader in. what can be said about a book that both sucks the reader in and captures their emagination?...excellent.

Before i began i must tell you that i believe that Trigun is one of the best series ever vreated. I really enjoyed this book, it is the first in the series and is definetley one of the bests. This book introduces all of the characters and it has awesome action! If you like lots of action and guns then you should buy this book!!

This manga is great! It is the first manga I have ever read so it took me a couple pages to get used to it and sometimes I would still end up looking over a frame many times before I understood what was happening. This has a lot to do with how much action there is and what I am assuming are the sound effects (still in japenese because they are part of the actual artwork and would be difficult to switch to english). There are some things that I don't like but overall its great and well worth the money.

I am a high school senior who enjoys manga, anime, and the like. The topic of this review is Trigun. This is the super thick volume 1 of Yasuhiro Nightow's masterpiece, Trigun. So you'll know a little more about Trigun's manga, it goes; Trigun volume 1, Trigun volume 2, and then it goes to Trigun maximum.
In this volume we learn of Vash the Stampede. A man with a 60 billion double dollar bounty on his head. The pacifist Vash runs into many adventures along his quest for a man. It all takes place on a sandy desert planet. .I won't tell you any more because it might ruin it, and this is such a great series full of surprises and I wouldn't want to mess any of it up for you.
With equal amounts of humor, adventure, action, and intrigue, this title shouldn't be missed. This is definitely one of my all time favorite titles, and I've read a lot of manga in my day. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys manga and has good taste.

There are tons of manga on that I regularly collect. Dragonball/Z, Yu Yu Hakusho, Rurouni Kenshin, Ranma 1/2, Case Closed(Detective Conan), Yu-Gi-Oh/Duelist/Millenium World, and others.... but there are a rare few that grab me, that are are real gems that contend for the greatest manga in existence, such as Akira, Nausicaa... and Trigun(and Trigun Maximum).

Most people are probably familiar with Yasuhiro Nightow's series through the 26 episode anime series that was released in the US by Pioneer(now Geneon) and has aired on the Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block, and let me tell you, as good as it can be, does not do this manga total justice. Covering only about 1/3 of both Trigun and Trigun Maximumn, the anime was forced to not only cut the overall plot short, but also cut out the development of many characters. Vash, the tortured wanderer throughout the planet Gunsmoke, who endlessly searches for his sinister brother, Knives, has a slightly deeper history, as does his eventual traveling companion, the priest/gunman Nicholas D. Wolfwood. Millions Knives, Vash's bro, is far more vicious and cruel, as is his subordinate, Legato Bluesummers. Bernadeli insurance girls Meryl Strife and Milly Thompson are pretty much the same, although personally I found Meryl far more likeable in the manga. Most of the Gung-Ho Guns are also far more sadistic, screwed up, and crazy than the manga(particularly Zazie, although I won't spoil anything), shocking anyone who's used to their anime personas. Nightow's artwork is a true sight to behold, something people will just have to see to fully understand its beauty. The grimy, dusty, and decayed design of Gunsmoke truly is a marvel to look at, and I often spend minutes just staring at the art before proceeding on with the story. The fast-paced action sequences have a fantastic rush, although often they also cause things to become intensely confusing, wondering who's shooting at who and what's getting blown apart, and it does take some time getting used to Nightow's style during these action-packed parts, but once it does, you are in for one crazy yet entertaining ride.

The first volume is episodic for the most part, other than introducing Vash, Meryl, and Milly, the real plot doesn't really begin until volume 2(and continues on into Trigun Maximum), but the stories are a nice read and help us get to know our three main characters, thus setting up the main Knives/Gung-Ho Guns storyline. Overall, this makes one heck of a great read. Welcome to Gunsmoke, and enjoy your trip.