Tony Robinson Books

Barnes is, hands down, my favorite writer. Erudite, whip-crackingly funny, and deeply moving, A History of the World in 10-1/2 Chapters is an unconventional guide through the ages and a required read. And the most important chapter of all is the one in which Barnes reveals just a bit of himself; (parentheses).

The stories are well told on this audiobook; we are a homeschooling family. Imagine my shock when I was in the next room as my son was listening to this in his room, and I hear the "f" word, not once, but used repeatedly in one of the stories on disc 6! I could not believe it. I do not need audiobooks suggesting this type of language to my son! I was shocked and replayed it, and there it was, repeatedly. Be warned.

Julian Barnes has crafted a fascinating book out by intertwining stories that times seem to have little to do with each other but actually make a fascinating whole as well as a statement about the world we live in.

When I read the first two chapters of this book I was blown away. The first is absolutely hysterical, and the second begins that way, but leaves you staring at the book in disbelief, unsure what to make of what just happened. I couldn't wait to read the rest, but I have to say that I was a little disappointed.
While each story is very clever, and the connections that run through the book are fun to find, I found myself getting a little bored. The chapter titled "The Mountain" seemed to go on for much too long, and wasn't as witty as the others.
Nonetheless, I think this one is definitely worth reading. Even if it does become a bit slow in places, I can't argue with the mastery of Barnes in connecting all of these seemingly unconnected chapters, and in his ability to really make you think about the world around you.

Not as good as I expected it to be. I don't judge books by name or cover (like many do) but a title like this screamed to explored for fully. The first chapter about a woodworm and Noah's Ark was simply classic, however. I wish it would have been part of a book with similar short stories. I enjoyed the read, but the author could have done a lot more with his material. Lastly, the half chapter on love is beautiful - it's deep, soppy and infinitly heart-felt.

All in all not the best book from Terry. I bought it just because it was a Pratchett and I'm happy about miss weatherwax stuff, always a must. In the other hand the plot is a litle too much for the result, I should counsel some other pratchett if you are buying your first pratchett, like "GUARDS GUARDS". But if you are a Pratchett fan this is good fun.

Terry Pratchett is gifted. His humorous turn of phrase and outrageous characters are always a treat, but I love the witches most of all. When Granny and Nanny get together its always an adventure. In Witches Abroad they leave their own little part of the world to look for a fairy godmother gone wrong. I laughed out loud in public places when reading this book, and I've read it more than a few times.

Terry Pratchett is gifted. Give yourself a gift and read his books.

Very, very funny and entertaining! I love Granny Weatherwax! Terry, you are a master storyteller!

The discworld stories dealing with witches are not among my favorites but I still liked this one. It is an average Prachett story, which is high praise. The youngest witch Magrat Garlick becomes a fairy godmother and along with two other witches goes to help her new ward. It drags toward the end, the trip to discworld's New Orlean is the best part. But you can't go wrong with the series and you'll like this one although there are many better examples of Prachett's work.

Interesting idea about the evil queen running stories. Of course the good witch wins in the end. Not Pratchett's very best but certainly worth reading if you like Disc World!

OK, so Pterry Pratchett can even make Egyptology and the mystery of the pyramids hilarious. Loved the bit where Teppic and Ptracy and the algebraic camel get caught in the crack between dimensions. Who knew camels could be so deep?

- C.A. Wulff, author of Born Without a Tail

Pratchett has a marvelous sense of humor. He is so quick that you might note that you missed things and then have to review what you recently read to put it all together in your mind.
His made up history of places and the reasons that his characters behave as they do are absolutely priceless. He comments on our present day world in an indirect manner using his make believe world. His comments are pointed and hysterically funny at the same time. The man is an accomplished writer. Would that I had more of his stuff to read - so, write on Pratchett and do it quickly!

Pyramids is almost a complete standalone discworld book, with just small references here and there to the occasional other person.

This is his take on the whole Egypt and pyramid worship and the whole thing about the shape and construction of pyramids doing weird things with preservation and time.

So my friend tells me about this author, Terry Pratchett, who in my fifth decade I have never heard of. And my friend is pushing the likes of Going Postal, Thief of Time, Guards Guards, and others of Prachett's books. One wonders if my friend knew that there was a "proper" starting place into Pratchett's Discworld. :P

I also decided to go against the, er, grain and enter Discworld not from "the beginning" (The Colour of Magic) but with Pyramids. So that my kids - avid fans of ancient egpyt (pharaohs and priests, tyrants and the titular ptopic: pyramids) - might take an interest in a writing style they've not encountered before: satire. Throw in an Assassins' Guild (NINJAS!) and I think I've, or Pratchett, has clinched the deal.

(Yes, I realize that Prachett has written two or more trilogies for "younger readers," including The Bromeliad Trilogy and The Tiffany Aching trilogy -- both of which I also bought for the kids and look forward to reading myself.)

And although several reviewers have stated that Pyramids is not the best place to start the Discworld series, I say Phtooey. The book has a cast of memorable characters, both major and minor: Teppic, Dios (the high priest), Pteppicymon XXVII, Ptraci, Chidder, even Cheeseworth, Hoot Koomi (the double faced priest) Pthagarom, Mericet (the master assassin), Endos (the attentive listener), the tyrants of Ephebe and Tsort (read: ancient Greece and Troy), DEATH HIMSELF. And, of course, the greatest mathematician in the world.

I find the book a page turner of the first Tsort. From the characterizations of Dios and Pteppicymion, the early exploits of Teppic at Assassins' School to his summons to his father's kingdom and his innocent consorting with Ptraci...

...I was surprised most of the fantasy elements of the story could better be classified as science fiction (i.e., Pyramid Power run amuck), but I also realize I wasn't reading The Colour of Magic, The Light Fantastic or other of the Rinceworld novels.

The satire of Pyramids is brilliant. The writing style begs to be read aloud, and I found myself doing so at great lengths even though no one was around (probably a good thing) until my throat got sore (probably a bad thing). Read aloud it becomes sort of a Monty Python in print, except you're no longer dealing with print. Additionally, the book has great "re-play value," in that it can be read more than once for amusement. I am going to have to read it a second time to pick up some of the subtleties I missed.

The plot is light but fantastic. (The underlying satire probably more enjoyable). Nevertheless the story races to the climax, where all the major players: the gods, the priests, the undead ancestors of -what - Djelibeybi ("Jelly Baby," a popular British confectionary), the King's Embalmers (one whose name is Dil, who pickles the dead kings), the Pyramids' architects (Ptaclusp and his twin sons Ptaclusp IIa and IIb), and Teppic himself collide in a rousing attempt to rouse the Kingdom of Djelibeybi from the slumber of its having fallen through a fractal in the space-time warp. Ah: pyramid power: don't ever underestimate it!

And don't underestimate Pyramids. In fact, I am loath to leave the world of Pteppicymion and Djelibeybi for the wider world of Ankh-Morpork and "Discworld proper." (I kind of rince to think about it.) Where Ive heard there are such things as dragons and wizards. I guess it's great my kids are as entranced by those topics as well, having read Tolkien. Now let's see if they can understand and enjoy Pratchett as much.

Terry Pratchett's first novel, "The Carpet People", appeared in 1971. "Pyramids" is the seventh novel in his hugely popular Discworld series and was first published in 1989. It's the first - and, to date, only - book to feature Teppic, and is largely set in his home country of Djelibeybi.

As the book opens, Teppic (or Pteppic) is approaching the end of his education at Ankh-Morpork's Guild of Assassins. (The final exam, if failed, tends to be very......final). However, there is more to Teppic than dressing very stylishly and inhuming only for vast amounts of money. With the very recent death of his father, he has also become King Pteppicymon XXVIII of Djelibeybi. Teppic's home country is very obviously based on Egypt : it's two miles wide, one hundred and fifty miles long and runs along the river Djel. It has driven itself bankrupt, having spent seven thousand years building pyramids for its monarchs - invariably on the country's most fertile soil. Having become the first Pharoh to be educated outside Djelibeybi, Teppic finds it difficult to re-adapt to the traditions of his home country. He is technically a God and although he is officially Head of State, it's Dios - the very aged High Priest - who actually runs the country. Teppic isn't entirely impressed about this - he wants to introduce proper plumbing and pillows, for example. However, in spite of the country's debt, he does agree to building a massive pyramid for his late father. (This isn't something his late father - still pottering around as a ghost - isn't too impressed with). The final straw comes when Dios decides to feed Ptraci - the late King's favourite handmaiden - to the crocodiles. Teppic decides to become a little more politically active - and, luckily, he has a helpful education to fall back on.

Like everything else I've read by Pratchett, this is an excellent book. It's easily read, features plenty of likeable characters and there are plenty of laughs. As it's one of Pratchett's stand-alone books, it's a good starting point if you've never read any of the Discworld books before. (In a way, I find that a pity : I'd love to have known what became of Teppic and Ptraci). Definitely recommended !

They don't seem to require reading classic literature in the schools any more, so I decided to build a library for my 12-year old granddaughter. She has read them all, including this one, so it wasn't a bad idea. Now, if I could just get her to call her old grandfather more often....

I wasn't really sure what to expect when I purchased The Jungle Books. I am familiar with Disney's story of Mowgli, but was very unfamiliar to all the volumes and the other stories. These stories were very interesting and moving -- the stories of Mowgli were exciting, and I loved The White Seal, Rikki-Tikki, and all of the others as well. What a great collection.

Since it appears that Amazon is combining the reviews for several versions of this book under one, I want to stipulate that I've read the Barnes & Nobel Classic version.

Actually comprised of 2 books, The Jungle Book and The Second Jungle Book, this is a collection of stories surrounding the jungles of India. A central character is Mowgli - a boy left in the jungle when his parents are frightened away and who is raised by wolves. His adventures as he grows up in the jungle are intriguing, frightening, enchanting, and certainly adventurous! This is NOT Disney! The way Kipling presents this material, it is easy to suspend belief and one could believe a boy was raised amongst the animals.

There are a host of other stories in each books that have nothing whatsoever to do with Mowgli, and that is fine. A couple even take the reader out of the jungle and into the frozen north - talk about a change of scenery! Still, Kipling keeps the reader fully engaged with the lives of animals and the effects of their environment.

A book of true escapism, but certainly not "just" for adults or children. Though the language might be a little more difficult to follow for younger children, older children should be able to stretch their imagination. And adults can fully appreciate the language of Kipling, which is rich and descriptive.

A thoroughly enjoyable read!

The Jungle Book (1894) and The Second Jungle Book (1895) are collections of children's stories and related poems by Rudyard Kipling, the Briton who was born in and loved India, and who wrote these stories while living in Vermont. The stories are written as fables, and teach some moral lessons. They are probably Kipling's best-known works.

Many of the stories in both volumes feature Mowgli, the child raised by wolves who becomes master of the jungle (the first three stories in The Jungle Book are very obviously the inspiration for the 1967 animated Disney film). Most of the other stories are also set in India, although "The White Seal" in The Jungle Book and "Quiquern" (which is about Inuits) in The Second Jungle Book are exceptions. In nearly all instances, Kipling anthropomorphizes the animals; they speak, and are always prominent characters.

Kipling does a good job of writing in the fable style, although he doesn't always keep things moving at a good pace, and so some stories are more engaging than others.

There is a subtle racism throughout both volumes. Kipling was a staunch imperialist (he wrote the poem "The White Man's Burden" - this phrase has been used by imperialists since to justify imperialism as noble), and when humans feature in these stories, English whites are often presented as culturally and intellectually superior to the native Indians. This racism is still relevant, as it indicates a popular attitude of the day.

Ultimately, the Jungle Books are well worth reading. They have, perhaps deservedly so, achieved a prominent place in the pantheon of children's literature.

Rather than being raised by apes, it is wolves that fulfill for the family role for the young boy Mowgli after he escapes being tiger snacks.

Shere Khan will continue to be his antagonist, and he will gain advice and assistance from other jungle denizens as he grows to manhood.

This also has the pretty cool heroic mongoose tale Rikki-Tikki-Tavi.

Maurice is a very clever talking cat. He travels from town to town in Discworld with a band of taking rats and a boy (who probably talks the least). Together, they run a "Pied Piper" scam. Now they've just arrived in Bad Blinitz, but what they don't now is this town is different from the others they've swindled. They join up with the Mayor's daughter (probably the best character) to try and solve the strange going ons the town is experiencing. Got quite confusing in a couple of bits, which is one of the reasons I gave it a lower rating. Also, I felt like Pratchett's usual originality was sort of stifled in it.

I bought this book a couple of years ago to read to my little brother and we both thoroughly enjoyed it. There were places i literally had to stop because i couldn't catch my breath for the laughter.
I've been a fan of the discworld idea for a while now, having played games and watched an animated production of Soul Music. But this was the first book i'd fully read. And i have to say that it lives up to the hype.
Following the exploits of a boy, a cat, and a group of rodents who go town to town acting like pied pipers. I couldn't get over how they worked the scam. At this next town they're heading to though they get caught up in a little bit of a muddle and it really doesn't dissapoint.
With insane antics the whole way through. Even at one point having the Cat, Maurice, standing face to face with Death and them both going: "Not You Again!"
Its a sweet piece of insanity that i looked forward to coming back to every time we read a new chapter.
I would definately recommend it.

Ok, I have not read any of the Discworld series at this point in time, but the title struck me as a bit of an allusion or, oppositely, an originator for Mr. Bobo's Mouse Circus in Neil Gaimans "Coraline" (great book, for a kids book)...does it interest anyone to know that Gaiman and Pratchett intersected about 1990 or so to write a novel together, "Good Omens" (another kick-nuts book)?

The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents is a satirical readaptation of The Pied Piper of Hamlin.

Maurice and his educated rats lived near a wizard university where Maurice would beg kitchen scraps and the rats lived in their garbage pile. Somehow one of the failed spells made them self aware and able to speak and reason. After Maurice meets Keith or the stupid looking kid as he called by the animals, he comes up with a plan for the three parties to go into business with one another. Essentially the rats invade a town and Maurice and the boy playing his pennywhistle show up to save the day.

In Bad Blintz, they discover a conspiracy amongst the rat catchers that threatens to destroy them all and must find a way to get the mayor and the constabulary to listen to them.

This book is very funny especially Maurice. Pratchett really got into a cat's head and brought him to life. It is a well-written fairy tale deserving of a place of honor! Highly recommended!

I'm a diehard Pratchett fan, and so when I bought this book after reading all the novels (up to The Last Hero), I felt distinctly let down. This wasn't a bad book in any way except comparing it to Terry's earlier works of two decades of witty retorts and spliced fables. This book has the same sort of premise, but has a distinct 'lite' feel about it, presumably for the younger audience he seems to be aiming for. The sad truth is this is not a kid's story, and the stripped-down vocabulary does not do justice to Terry's writing skills. All in all, this is, I say again, not a children's book and will not pass muster for the teenagers and the adults: It winds up in a no-man's land in the middle.

The moral didacticism was tedious; the predictable PC plot twists made me wince. What is it about English wits that makes them think they can get away moralizing without a license? If you want an older and wiser Pratchett, read the Tiffany Aching books.

I read Only You Can Save Mankind with my 9 year-old daughter. We both loved it. Being a huge Diskworld fan, I was thrilled to find another line of books by Pratchett that were geared towards younger readers. This book is the first of a trilogy. The first thing my daughter did after reading it was check out the other 2 books from her school library!

This book was a great introduction to science fiction for my daughter. The story is about the boy more than it is about the fantasy environment he is in. She was able to relate to him and be amused by the classic Pratchett descriptions of the video game alien world.

Those who are already very familiar with historical sci-fi and video game culture will find the constant references entertaining.

Only You Can Save Mankind is a solid Pratchett book, aimed at the young adult set. While a tiny bit dated (it's set during the First Gulf War, as noted in the preface), it ages pretty well. There were several laugh out loud moments - which is a rarity for any book, particularly one that's not explicitly set out to be comedy. Even for those young-at-heart, it's a great way to spend a lazy morning (or evening) instead of, well, playing video games.

Terry Pratchett has created several fascinating worlds, most famously in his Discworld series, but also in his works for children and young adults. In "Only You Can Save Mankind", the first of the Johnny Maxwell trilogy, Pratchett takes real world and virtual reality to an all new level. On par with Douglas Adams and Daniel Pinkwater, Pratchett is at the top of his game in the first novel of this series.

Johnny Maxwell is a twelve-year-old boy experiencing some Trying Times; his parents are divorcing and he's a dweeb/nerd who plays computer games for fun. To make matters worse, there's a real war going on in the world that almost seems too game-like. It all starts out as fun and games when Johnny is playing the title game; but then the aliens he's been shooting at start communicating with him and tell him that they wish to surrender. Pretty soon Johnny finds out that what may be a game to him is real life to these alien ScreeWee and he must take their side to ensure their safety. Or is all of this just some strange dream?

"Only You Can Save Mankind" was first published in 1992, during the first Gulf War, which may have made it dated if there weren't a second war going on right now. Pratchett brings his unique sense of humor and outlook on the world to write a fast-paced story that makes readers question good and evil, reality and illusion. That may sound like a tall order for a young adult novel, but Pratchett delivers a totally believable universe with this fictional creation. Really vode.

Johnny Maxwell, an ordinary boy who has to deal with a possible divorce of his parents, is thrust into an adventure where he has to save an alien race. Not only does he have to deal with the divorce, but he also has to save the aliens while he is sick. Johnny's friend Wobbler, a computer hacker, gives Johnny a copy of the game, "Only you can Save Mankind," a game where you are the last person left to kill of the alien Scree Wee fleets. After nearly beating one of the hardest levels, a message appears on the screen, apparently sent by the attacking aliens. They surrender and ask for safe conduct. Johnny agrees having no idea what he is getting into.

This book is a very interesting with apt humor and it nicely explains Johnny's school life and his likes and dislikes. I also think that Wobbler is represented well. Another thing this book does is show what kids really do instead of what their parents think they do. Terry Pratchett does a good job with this aspect and handles how Johnny matures in the end of the book and does what he has to, not what is easy.

Johnny and the Bomb (The Johnny Maxwell Trilogy) is a great book for kids as well as adult fans of Terry Pratchett.

Johnny and the Bomb (Johnny Maxwell Trilogy, 3.) While I am a devoted fan of Terry Prachett's Discworld, I also enjoy his young teen fiction. (Why is that the kids get all of the great, fun and funny adventures?) I bought this book to complete my collection of his fiction.

Johnny Maxwell is an interesting 12 year-old boy around whom events swirl. In this, the third of the Johnny Maxwell books, he and his friends are transported back to 1941's version of their home town. Can he prevent or change the effects of a bombing he knows occurred? And what is happening with his friend, Wobbler? The book explores the ideas of time travel, personal responsibility,and experiencing the consequences of your actions.

10 year-olds and above will enjoy the Johnny Maxwell series. This entertaining, humorous adventure story emphasizes all of the varieties of people there are in the world and is affectionately amused by their antics. The children are realistically drawn and the story engaging.

Johnny Maxwell worries about many things, such as money, AIDS and his father (who has left the family), but that doesn't explain the dreams he has --- day and night --- of war planes and bombs. Fortunately, he can vent all he wants to his four buddies: Yo-less, Bigmac, Wobbler and Kirsty.

If only he had a time machine like the one they just saw at the movie theater, then all of his problems would be solved. He could set his life up to be perfect. On the way home from the time-travel film, they find a shopping cart belonging to homeless, crazy Mrs. Tachyon, who is passed out beside it. After the ambulance hauls the woman off, he puts her cart in his grandfather's garage for safekeeping.

Johnny doesn't look through the cart, though he can't help but notice some weird things in it, like fish and chips wrapped in newspaper, which no one does anymore. Even stranger, the paper looks new but is dated from World War II. Kirsty believes that the cart is a time machine. Johnny disagrees --- until he is hurtled back in time for a few moments.

Back in the present, an ominous black car chases Johnny and his friends. They time-travel, landing in their very own British hometown, on May 21, 1941. Johnny knows that the town was bombed on that day, killing many innocent people. Can Johnny and the gang do anything to change that fact without destroying the future? In the meantime, his pals are accused of being war spies --- and one is in danger of actually being erased by their trip into the past.

JOHNNY AND THE BOMB touches on heavy topics, including war, the nature of time, history (Can it be changed? And can change be a good thing?), gender and racial prejudice, and more --- in a frequently side-splitting and thrilling yet deeply thought-provoking manner. It also continues the Johnny Maxwell tradition of portraying distant "others" (such as people from the depths of history books) as alive and real.

In short, this book is amazing. And highly recommended. (By the way, if you haven't read the first two books in this trilogy, ONLY YOU CAN SAVE MANKIND and JOHNNY AND THE DEAD, you're missing out on some fantastic reading.)

--- Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon

In Blackbury, England twelve-year-old Johnny Maxwell and his pal Bigmac find local bag lady Mrs. Tachyon badly hurt in an alley off High Street. He quickly dials 911 to get her help, and stores her shopping cart loaded with black garbage bags in his family garage until he can return them and her cat to her.

However, Johnny and his buddies (Yo-less, Bigmac, Wobbler, and Kirsty) make a startling discovery about Mrs. Tachyon's bags. If they touch a bag they go back in time to whatever era that particular bag takes them to. Johnny sees a chance to change history; over four decades ago on May 21, 1941, a German air raid killed several people on High Street. He and his pals decide to go back in time to save the lives of those who died on that fatal day. However they will soon learn the paradox of altering the past when Wobbler fails to return with them so the remaining time travelers try again and again as they have all the time in the world or at least until Mrs. Tachyon claims her bags.

The third Johnny and the gang science fiction thriller (see ONLY YOU CAN SAVE MANKIND and JOHNNY AND THE DEAD) is the best of an excellent trilogy as the hero's cohorts seem so much more developed. The story line uses humor and not so subtle puns to provide the risks of fooling with tachyon particles to change history as the consequence can alter the present one pants leg at a time. Although Terry Pratchett targets young adult fans with this series, fans of all ages will enjoy JOHNNY AND THE BOMB as he and his teammates learn complex lessons about getting "lost in the trousers of time".

Harriet Klausner

For the Terry Pratchett fans out there, nothing more need be said. It's Pratchett, you want to read it, the only reason you've been hesitating is because it's marked as a kids book (juvenile, young adult...) But this one isn't just for kids. As with any Pratchett book, there are layers and layers, and some of them wouldn't be obvious to kids at all.

For example, kids who have only seen the Batman movies, and not the original TV show, will miss it entirely when Mrs. Tachyon is saying "dinner, dinner, dinner, dinner..." and continues a few more times between interruptions, finally ending with "dinner, dinner, Batman!" which is where adults (at least my generation) will realize she's not saying dinner, she's humming the theme song. Also, kids the age of our protagonists, 13 or so, may not recognize the "red shift" when they get to it; that's usually covered a bit later in the science curriculum, such as college physics.

The protagonists are Johnny, and his friends Wobbler (who wobbles), Bigmac (who is large), and Yo-less, who is apparently the only black in Blackbury who doesn't say yo. They are joined in this book by Kirsty/Kasandra (she changes her name each week), who is hyper-intelligent and socially even more inept than the others. Each of this team has his own strange store of skills or knowledge. These talents turn out to have entirely different implications when travelling in time than they do in their own time. Bigmac's car-stealing abilities (which some parents may object to in a kids' book) turn out to be impaired when trying to steal a car that doesn't have power steering and power brakes. On the other hand, Yo-less's lack of cool is suddenly changed when he puts on period clothing and suddenly looks, as Johnny says, as though he plays the saxophone in a band. Yo-less does, though get exposed to the more primitive social prejudices of 1941, as does Kasandra. And Bigmac finds out that the skinhead symbols and attitudes that he wears only as a social item suddenly have real meaning, and it's not pleasant. OK, there's a bit of a moral or two snuck in here, about thinking about what things mean. There is also at least one moral that readers one and all will ignore, just as the characters do, about following advice (and about giving it).

Johnny has been working on his World War II project for school since the previous book, "Johnny and the Dead." One of the funny bits in the book is how, whenever a kid claims he's doing "a project," he winds up with all sorts of information that is unsuitable for kids, and/or hitherto classified or secret; the remembered horror of school projects makes all the adults give in so that they don't have to think about it any more!

Other reviewers have described much of the plot, so I won't repeat it here. One thing that some readers may wish to note about this plot is that it isn't just time travel, it's alternate history as well, and for kids this may serve as an introduction to the whole sub-genre of alternate history. Meanwhile, some of the high points:
* Mrs. Tachyon's cat, Guilty - and his tastes in food.
* The ice that forms on the characters during their last-minute rush for the air-raid siren.
* The importance of pickles.

The series has no noticeable sexual content, and no real bad language; the most dangerous things in it for young readers are the ideas, which may make them *gasp* think! It may also make them lifelong Pratchett addicts. In the opinion of an existing Pratchett addict, there's nothing at all wrong with that!

A well written series about what it would be like for a regular guy to take up the family buisness of being a superhero. Like any one else forced into a family buisness, there is resentment until Jack Knight becomes addicted to helping people.

The Starman Omnibus, Vol. 1

The first of six collected volumes of the critically acclaimed comic book series of the late 90's and early 00's. It's a pleasure to revisit this masterfully crafted comic book series again, which mixes modern storytelling sensibilities with a sincere love for nostalgia. Fans of both Golden Age and Modern Age comic books will love it!

I'd heard so much about this series and I'm glad I waited and didn't pick up the trades because sitting down and reading all 16 issues was a great experience. It's such a great series written by James Robinson. It's an incredibly modern super hero series but also includes the DC tradition of legacy and passing on a super hero name. I adore Tony Harris' art on Ex Machina and it's so great to see his earlier work. If you love comics and are looking for something unique and fantastic than pick this up.

STARMAN, the incredible comic book series by writer James Robinson (who also penned the equally incredible "JSA: The Golden Age") and artist Tony Harris ("Ex Machina", "Spider-Man: With Great Power") ran for 81 issues starting with issue #0 (although the character's 1st appearance is in ZERO HOUR #1 in 1994)and was continuously acclaimed both critically and by fans. It was as much a super-hero book as it was an exercise in family dynamics and the concepts of legacies, history, and courage.

It's a comic that this reviewer completely ignored when it was being released as a monthly.

Don't know why, exactly. Maybe it was because my wallet was already being emptied by a dozen or so (in retrospect, far inferior) titles at the time. Who knows. Either way, by the time I had gotten a hold of a few issues and discovered what a great series it was, it had already come and gone and were being released in trade paperback form (there are ten of them and a few of them are, to my knowledge, out of print).

I was just about to start purchasing the trades when I got wind of this omnibus (which collects issues 0-16). It is the first of six hardcover books collecting every issue, special, and annual of the series (and, yes, even the Batman,/Starman,/Hellboy miniseries). It is a BIT pricey, but the paper and printing quality is excellent and the story itsself is well worth it.

STARMAN is the story of Jack Knight, youngest son of Ted Knight, the original Starman. On the night of his brother's murder, Jack reluctantly takes up the mantle of Opal City's protector. During the course of the issues contained within the Omnibus, Jack meets up with the mysterious villain known as The Shade (who may not be as villainous as he seems) and does battle with his father's arch nemesis The Mist. He finds himself held captive by a bizarre circus sideshow and begins to learn more about the various men who have operated under the name of Starman.

It's a fantastic series and I, for one, am glad it is available in this manner. I'm forced, however, to take one star away simply because I think the book is a bit overpriced at $49.99 (but well worth the lower price Amazon is offering).

This is essentially the first two Starman tpb's in hardcover format. While it does include a couple of stand alone issues that the softcover tpb's left out, there's nothing really special about this collection and at $50 retail it should at least be oversized. The James Robinson essay and sketches are nice, but the original softcovers had nice essays too. (The paper quality is the same) That said, Starman is an absolutely fantastic series and a must-read for any comics fan. One of the best on par with Sandman, Swampthing, Preacher, etc. Would love to have seen this as an Absolute!

Johnny Maxwell is an ordinary boy, living in the all-too ordinary town of Blackbury. However, when Johnny takes a short-cut through the local cemetery, he finds out he can see the dead. Their not ghosts...at least they don't think that they are ghost, they are just...post-living citizens. However, there's trouble afoot - the council has sold the cemetery to a developer, and the dead are determined to do something about it. Just what has Johnny started?

This is the second book in Terry Pratchett's charming Johnny Maxwell trilogy. The story is fantastic, and yet, at the same time it is quite ordinary. There are no monsters (though an old Pratchett favorite, Death (capital "D", he's the man, or rather the anthropomorphic personification) puts in an appearance), no body snatching, no horror, just life...well, sort of.

If you like good fiction, then I can't recommend this book enough. And even though it is part of a trilogy, you can read it by itself and feel like you missed nothing. This is a charming book, with interesting characters, and a highly entertaining storyline. I highly recommend this book!

I always find it immensely pleasurable to come across writers who can effortlessly write for audiences which cut across age groups. Rushdie's "Haroun and the Sea of Stories" epitomizes that ability, and while this book is not really in the same league, it nonetheless serves up some fairly pleasant fare.

The book revolves around Johnny Maxwell's valiant attempts to save a cemetery in his hometown when he establishes "contact" with the dead and gets an appreciation of their viewpoint. His realization that the dead are not really over and done with, and deserving of respect from the living, prompts him into action along with his suspecting, but very supportive group of friends. (This, on a side note, is one of the funnily nice "morals" of the story. Johnny's friends Yo-less says to Johnny, "Now, personally, I think you're very nearly totally disturbed and suffering from psycho-somatica and hearing voices and seeing delusions, and probably ought to be locked up in one of those white jackets with the stylish long sleeves. But that doesn't matter, 'cos we're friends.")

The book is written in a very simple and accessible fashion, ensuring that young audiences can very easily grasp and enjoy it. What's truly wonderful, however, is the ease with which Pratchett manages to bring home profound thoughts, making it a worthwhile read for people of all ages. I also found myself charmed by some of the nicest lines I have read in a while, a couple of which I quote below:
"Mad is a word used about people who've either got no senses or several more than other people."
"It occurred to Johnny...that the human mind...was like a compass. No matter how much you shook it up, no matter what happened to it, sooner or later it'd carry on pointing the same way."

Summarily, this is a book which can easily be shared and enjoyed by generations of a family. This was the first Pratchett book I read, and I definitely plan to pick up some more.

As Halloween approaches, Johnny Maxwell and his friends prepare by planning a party, fussing about costumes--and by visiting a graveyard. The graveyard is old and largely abandoned--except by the dead. And the city has sold the property to a corporation in hopes of creating jobs. But when Johnny, jokingly, knocks on one of the grave monuments, he's greeted by one of the dead. They don't like the idea of their graveyard being turned into an office building and instruct Johnny to do something about it.

Even Johnny's friends refuse to believe that he actually saw the dead (they aren't ghosts or zombies, just even-more-senior citizens). But their urging persuades Johnny to speak up at a hearing about the planned construction--as well as learn more about the most recent man to die, a former World War I soldier who was the only survivor of his regiment.

Author Terry Pratchett continues his Johnny Maxwell series with a cute and funny story about history, urban development, early-teen friendships, and war. JOHNNY AND THE DEAD is intended for young readers, but should appeal to adults as well. It's themes are even more current for it's re-release in 2006 than they were in 1993 when this book was first issued. In particular, adults are likely to find the antics of the dead--and their growth as they, inspired by Johnny, begin to step beyond the boundaries of their graveyard, to hold some important lessons for those of us who let day-to-day life get in the way of actually living.

JOHNNY AND THE DEAD is a short book, and it certainly lacks the magnitude of Pratchett's Discworld universe, but it is an enjoyable work in its own right.

Johnny Maxwell, of ONLY YOU CAN SAVE MANKIND fame, is the only one who can see and chat with dead people. He and his buddy, Wobbler, are strolling through the cemetery talking about how it's just been sold to developers who will build offices on the land.

On a whim, Johnny knocks on the mausoleum door of Alderman Thomas Bowler --- who opens it! As the Alderman says "Yes?" Johnny skedaddles with Wobbler sprinting behind. That's strange enough, but Wobbler didn't see or hear a thing and insists the padlocked door couldn't open. After Wobbler heads off, Johnny returns to chat with the dead Alderman and to teach him to dance like Michael Jackson. (The Alderman manages a moonwalk but says "Ouch!" instead of Jackson's "Oooowwwwwweeeeeah!")

Because of his parents' marital problems, Johnny is now living with his grandfather. When Granddad and Johnny go to the cemetery, Johnny meets another dead man, communist William Stickers, "hero of the working class." Stickers adamantly doesn't believe in the stupid notion of life after death, even in the face of his own evidence to the contrary. Johnny soon discovers that all dead people despise being called "ghosts."

When Johnny persuades his (alive) buddies to visit the cemetery, they gaze upon a particularly ornate mausoleum and decide the dead person is showing off: "There's probably a sticker on the back saying 'My Other Grave Is a Porch.'"

The dead folks persuade Johnny to defend their resting place. But can he do it, realistically? Who will listen to a twelve-year-old? In the meantime, Johnny's dead friends rediscover the joys of living. They find unique ways to communicate with the living and indulge in activities including swimming, TV watching, pub hopping, horror movie watching, and journeying to the moon.

Terry Pratchett has done it again, causing the reader to howl with laughter and yet contemplate serious issues. At one point Johnny looks at the dismal crowded projects his buddy Bigmac lives in and muses on how weird it is that so many people are crammed into such a small area while the "post-senior citizens" have a spacious cemetery. Pratchett also humanizes the dead, giving them unique personalities; he does the same for soldiers in long-ago wars. There's also a mystery running through the story: Who is the aptly-named "Mr. Grimm"?

JOHNNY AND THE DEAD can be read (and thoroughly enjoyed) as a stand-alone book, but if you haven't read Johnny's previous story, the amazing ONLY YOU CAN SAVE MANKIND, you are totally missing out! Highest recommendation.

--- Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon

For the Terry Pratchett fans out there, nothing more need be said. It's Pratchett, you want to read it, the only reason you've been hesitating is because it's marked as a kids book (juvenile, young adult...) But this one isn't just for kids. As with any Pratchett book, there are layers and layers, and some of them wouldn't be obvious to kids at all.

In fact, some of them wouldn't be obvious to adults who haven't taken a college physics course or two, and/or kept up by reading all the science magazines. I'll bet I missed a couple of jokes or two, maybe a pun here and there, because my college physics courses were too long ago.

But that's OK, the book's enjoyable even without those - there are enough layers that there is something for everyone. The humor flows from the characters, the story, and the writing style. As with any Pratchett book, the humor also contains some serious ideas, hidden until you suddenly realize you need to pay attention to them.

The protagonists are Johnny, and his friends Wobbler (who wobbles), Bigmac (who is large), and Yo-less, who is apparently the only black in Blackbury who doesn't say yo. Each of this team has his own strange store of skills or knowledge, and Johnny's erratic talents turn out to include being able to talk to the dead, who definitely don't like being referred to as ghosts. The dead are characters too, especially Mr. Einstein - not the famous one, but his distant cousin, who should have been famous too, but was too busy being a butcher.

As you're reading, take note of the project on World War II that Johnny is doing for school; it also features in the next book in the series, "Johnny and the Bomb." (One of the funny bits in the book is how, whenever a kid claims he's doing "a project," he winds up with all sorts of information that is unsuitable for kids, and/or hitherto classified or secret; the remembered horror of school projects makes all the adults give in so that they don't have to think about it any more!

The series has no noticeable sexual content, and no real bad language; the most dangerous things in it for young readers are the ideas, which may make them *gasp* think! It may also make them lifelong Pratchett addicts. Some parents may object to the casual car thievery that is one of Bigmac's habits, and perhaps might find that the ability of kids to evade adult supervision is disconcerting, but it's no less true for all that. And some American younger readers may find the Englishness of it a bit hard to follow in some spots - housing projects referred to as blocks, french fries as chips, and so on. Well, a little bit of education in the ways of the world outside the USA won't hurt them any!

As with the first trade, this book is packed with story. Starman Vol. 2 is where many characters and long running plot themes are introduced. I've read this all before so it's really a treat to see how many of the later stories are seeded by this one volume. Very recommended.

This book took me by surprise. The real believeable aspect of the character was entertaining. The way that James Robinson depicted his character was different in a good way. I can't forget to applaud the new mist, Nash one messed up individual who has a weird love/hate relationship with Jack Knight. I highly recommend it for not only the writing but also the Tony Harris artwork as well. I also suggest you read book 1 for better insight of the character unlike i did.

Starman is what I beleive a real hero would be like. This vol. has one of the most wicked villian's in memeory Harris's artwork is amazing Robinson's writing is top notch this is the reason I got back into comic's in the first place. Be sure to read all the 8 volumes in the collection, the ninth is on it's way!

In this collection Jack Knight starts to assume the role of hero. Whether fighting to free enslaved carnival performers (and in the process meeting another of DC's various Starmen), or meeting the new Mist and running her gauntlet; Jack Knight starts his transformation into a true hero. Not fighting for revenge or glory, he is a hero because it's the right thing to do. That may sound trite to some, but the truly wonderful thing about this character is Robinson's ability to create a superhero that has no agenda other than protecting his city and the people in it. Comic readers often ask themselves," What if a real person became a superhero?" This might be as close as we'll get to the answer.

Robinson grabbed the comics world's attention with his ground breaking mini-series The Golden Age, which present highly belived and whell charecterized versions of the charecters of 40s and 50s, be brought them up to date by giving them realistic foibles (The Tarantual becomes an alcholic because he developes writers block, Starman becomes a manic-depressive because of his role building the A-bomb). Shortly there after Starman exploded onto the scene, the story of the latest Starman (the younger son of the one mentioned above) Jack Knight. Whats kept me dumping my cash into this book (aside from the amazing Tony Harris Art) is the fantastic charecterizations, Jack as a person is proably more intresting then most people you know. So go buy Night and Day because I'm pretty sure what happens here has some pretty important ramfications in the up-coming storylines. Then go buy the other two trade-paper backs and then go a comic book store and not only demand back issues but that they hold Starman for you every month, 'casue if you don't they'll be an ass 'kicking!