T Books

great product, great price and i really like. a great way to get the book on a student stipend.

As both doctor and founder of a EchoScribe Inc, a leading internet based medical transcription company, (www.echoscribe.com) I must recomend Stedmans as the dictionary that all physicians must own. There is also the PDA version that is also a good carry. It not only provides a quick reference, but in writing medical letters, and transcribing documents, this book is a "medical must have."

I am a transcriber and Stedman's Medical Dictionary is necessary for my work. It is invaluable. I also love the illustrations for clarification.

This medical dictionary provides simple definitions on key
terminology in the field of medicine. Some simple definitions
include the following:
- antigen involves the immune response
- a virus is incapable of growth beyond living cells
- bacterium multiply by cellular division

The volume contains the human anatomy in full color pictures.
For instance, the following parts are depicted:
- skull
- head and neck
- musculature
- cerebral hemispheres
- disc anatomy
- heart anatomy
- classic fractures and radiography depicting the events
- foot joints i.e. interphalangeal joint, tarsometa tarsal
joint, ankle joint

This medical dictionary is perfect for the science student
in your house. In addition, the book will complement the
existing personal library of medicinal acquisitions.

A great resource, I recommend the CD version for saving a lot of time and effort ... only if you can have a computer on while you're studying.

I have read most of the variations and book series on the King Arthur legend (Jack Whyte, Bernard Cornwell, Mary Stewart, Stephen Lawhead, etc) as well as a good deal of background information and theories. This edition intrigued me because Jack Whyte has written the forward and he has been my favorite writer on the subject ... to a point (up to the end of "Uther"). But Rosemary Sutcliff, by far, has set the standard for the conclusion of this legend. It is realistic, and most importantly, believable. You want to know the people in this book. You can see, feel and hear what they are experiencing. Her style is intelligent, interesting and true to history. And curiously, she wrote this before any one else did. THIS is how this story should end.

This is quite simply the best dark ages historical fiction novel ever written. "Sword At Sunset" tells the story of Artos the Bear, the war leader who will one day be known in legends as King Arthur, and his valiant struggle to fend off the invading Saxons, Angles and Jutes who are descending on Britain in the wake of the Roman evacuation in ever-increasing numbers. Sutcliff avoids the swords-and-sorcery of the Arthur legends and focuses on relating an amazingly accurate and realistic-seeming tale of what the TRUE Arthur must have been like. This book is in some ways a sequel to "The Lantern Bearers", which tells the story of a Roman soldier who chooses to stay behind after the legions depart Britain in the early 5th century. Here Sutcliff's magnificent prose reaches its zenith as she describes the struggles of Artos and his "Companions" to rally the populace and raise, train, and feed their army. The language crackles with authenticity, the battles are gripping, the historical detail is uncanny, the characters are all complex and multi-dimensional. Arthur in particular is portrayed as a admirable but flawed man whose failings as a husband and father are as much a driving force of his persona as his ability to attract and lead men into war. The book also touches on Arthur's negative light in many of the saint's lives, by describing his conflicts with the church over provisioning his war band. You will not find a more believable or poetically written tale of the dark ages, though Wallace Breem's "Eagle in the Snow" comes somewhat close. This one has it all and will not disappoint true fans of historical fiction looking for a realistic, well-written novel of this fascinating time.

As close as possible to depicting the real King Arthur. Beautiful, gritty, based on history and archeology. No silly fantasy here -- no Merlin, no magic, no Camelot, no Round Tables, and no damn Wiccans dancing in the moonlight.

I read "Sword at Sunset" after reading several favorable reviews from Amazon and other sources. Now that I have finished the book, I must say that I am not disappointed. To date, this is the single best Arthurian novel that I have read.

Rosemary Sutcliff does an excellent job of portraying what the real, historical Arthur might have been like. Most of the novel is based on Nennius' battle-list, although there are clear references to other early sources, such as the Lives of the Saints. She clearly has done her research, and she even manages to incorporate some of the more legendary material from later traditions in a believable way. However, in this story, there is no magic, and no Merlin. Readers who are looking for a fantasy novel might want to look at other works, such as Mary Stewart's Arthurian Saga.

The edition I read was from the 70's, and had a couple of editing errors in it, but no major problems. I assume these have probably been corrected by now. This is an excellent novel, and I can't recommend it enough!

I read this way back in the early 70's. It was one of the first historical novels which impressed me, and to this day I can still see the images Sutcliff put into my mind. No other "Arthur" has come even close to being as real as her Artos the Bear, and his post-Roman Britain. Her writing style should appeal to young readers particularly, because it is sophisticated yet accessible. I don't know how a woman author can get inside a man's head so well. That effort usually comes off feeling artificial. But not with Sutcliff's writing.

This book is an excellent resource for teachers in all grade levels. The strategies can be used for elementary students and the book has helpful charts that direct you to the information you need if a student has difficulty with comprehension, vocabulary, word recognition and fluency, or spelling. One of the best resources I have ever used in 27 years of teaching.

I love this book, I attended a workshop with Kylene and her ideas were wonderful, my original burnt in a fire so i had to replace it! I think it would be a great addition to any classroom.

Beers book is very practical. She provides great information and strategies for both comprehension and fluency. Each strategy is explained fully followed by an example of how it has worked in a real classroom. Common questions about the strategies are then spoken about. Beers obviously has done great research because her suggestions target where I see many of our students struggling. I have shared her strategies with many thankful teachers.

DON'T KNOW HOW TO TEACH READING? BUY THIS BOOK! DON'T JUST TELL KIDS TO READ. GIVE THEM THE TOOLS TO BECOME BETTER READERS! THIS BOOK HAS ALL THAT! SO MANY S.D.A.I./ S.I.O.P. IDEAS! DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON ANYTHING ELSE. THIS BOOK SHOWS YOU HOW TO USE HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES TO TEACH PREDICTING, SUMMARIZING, INFERENCE, USING CONTEXT CLUES, ETC. THIS BOOK IS A GODSEND! THANK YOU KYLENE BEERS!

We secondary (Grades 7-12) English teachers have a weakness and it's called reading. Oh, we're GREAT readers and love literature and know how to teach it (to avid and average readers). But throw a kid at us who struggles with reading (and we get them every year) and they're likely to fall through the cracks, because our solutions are rather simplistic. We say things like, "Read it again," or "Sound the word out," or "Look the word up." When they hesitate before a strange word while reading aloud, we give them the word. When they don't do the reading assignment, we watch them flunk our quizzes and wonder why they are so lazy.

Enter Kylene Beers, with easily the best book I've read on the subject of struggling readers who are NOT of elementary age, but of middle and high school age. Yes, elementary teachers have reading specialists to fall back on, but in secondary schools, it is often either the English teacher who must intervene or no one. For Beers, the inspiration for writing this book was the number of former students she had who were condemned to "or no one" because she simply did not know what to do. For me (and probably legions of other teachers) her story will sound chillingly familiar. Fortunately, WHEN KIDS CAN'T READ: WHAT TEACHERS CAN DO is the antidote to our problems.

In this book, Beers identifies the myriad of types of students who struggle with reading, and why. She provides practical strategies on how to intervene if your students struggle with comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, and word recognition/fluency/automaticity. There's also advice on how to help kids in responding to literature, as well as how to help them find a book that will tap into their interests.

Each chapter includes an introduction and thorough definition of the problem, a section called "Step Inside a Classroom" which details real-life transcripts of kids having this exact reading difficulty, and a list of various strategies you can try -- even if it means having different groups with scaffolding activities within your language arts classroom. At the end of the book are appendices that include such helpful reproducibles as bookmark templates, common roots/prefixes/and suffixes, Fry and Dolch word lists, common phonics generalizations, 175 most common syllables in the 5,000 most frequent English words, word sorts, easily confused words, common spelling rules, and booklists for every type of reader. Can you say goldmine? This is the end of the rainbow, folks.

I can't recommend this book enough to my fellow 7-12 English teachers. Reach out to your weak readers. Don't condemn them to a life of mediocrity (or worse) in literacy by assuming either it's their problem or they are beyond help. It's not and they aren't. Buy this book and put it to good use. This is where theory meets the road (called "practicality"). Be not only an English teacher, but a READING teacher (in every sense of the word).

This is a heart warming story about a small Christmas tree that is not perfect, because it shares from the heart.
This story was read to my child at school, and it was liked so much that she wanted one for Christmas.

The little book impresses children (and adults) with the true spirit of Christmas, giving of one's self. The illustrations are beautiful and the text well written. It has become one of my favorite Christmas stories.

This book has a great message for young and old alike! This is a book for anyone who has performed acts of service and wondered, "Does it count for anything?" And the answer is yes. Every act of kindness has a lasting impact on the giver as well as the receiver.

This story is beautifully told and illustrated. This book is a great addition to any home library--it is the kind of book you want to own not just borrow from the public library.

Also recomended:Christmas Gifts, Christmas Voices--another poignant story about the rewards of giving...

I wanted a Christmas tree book to read to my kids when we went to cut down our tree. I had never heard of this book, but I chose it from the library because it was about a Christmas tree. It is a wonderful heartwarming story. It has everything my fou-year-old (and me) loves. It has animals, a queen and castle, and a touching ending. I am going to purchase one for our family to make it a tradition on the day we go get our tree and I will likely purchase a few more as gifts as well.

A simple answer to the question in the book title -- because in imperfection you find beauty and grace and wonder. The this story is full of such things.

This book is one of our family favorites -- a classic we return to and will carry with us in memories. Reading this book together gives us the chance to stop in a very busy season and wonder about things bigger and more important than wrapping and running. The message that defines perfection is a life lesson we all need.

I will be purchasing this book to give to my children's families as they marry and begin their own Christmas traditions.

Ianthe is the daughter of Richard Brautigan, although this book is more her personal story of overcoming her father's suicide than a biography of him. I would have preferred the latter. Still, you get a good, if incomplete portrait of Richard Brautigan through the eyes of the person closest to him. You get to know his multi-faceted personality, including his tragic drinking habit, but never understand his life or what drove him to suicide (nobody, including his daughter, knows). Some great stories about the last of the beats. I think my favorite was when he sat with a friend in his Montana cabin and shot out the hours on the clock, each hour on the hour, with his handgun.

Your favorite artistic hero from college days no longer rings a bell for many if not most. Richard Brautigan was one of the most innovative, creative, and "counter-culture" (as we used to say) poets of his day. His poetry was utterly refreshing and blew (literally) all the stuffy poetry elevated to a plane beyond God out of the room. As to this truly grand memoir by his daughter, Ianthe Brautigan, as much as a fan as I was - I did not know that her father's poetry revolutionized the genre and sold millions world-wide. Most profound of all, is Ms. Brautigan's literary gifts so evident in this book. For the price of a cup of good coffee, it is surely worth your time.

This memoir was written with sensitivity and emotion but never seemed maudlin. I was sorry when the book ended. I wanted more.

A lot of this memoir, written by Richard Brautigan's daughter, though charming in tone, is pretty much skimmable. What's interesting, however, are the descriptions of her father's writing room, particularly in San Francisco in the 1960s-70s on Geary Street and the surrounding vicinity. There are wonderful descriptions of the writing room with its typewriter and art hanging on the walls, such as the pencil drawing of a bus with real Lincoln penny heads as passengers and a picture of an ancient Colt pistol. And who can forget the small Buddhist shrine, the oak table with the stained rings of coffee cups, and the the back porch with those stacked piles of the San Francisco Chronicle. Like any good writer, Brautigan couldn't throw away a day's newspaper without going through it completely. This memoir also has some nice depictions of cabin life in Montana, and there as some interesting old black-white photos of Brautigan. Check out page 71 with it's picture of the ranch house kitchen and the bullet holes on the wall in the shape of a clock.--Alex Sydorenko, Chicago, 2001.

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Ianthe Brautigan stays on target throughout her memoir -- as the daughter of Richard Brautigan, and the daughter of a father who killed himself. Brautigan turns out to be an articulate author, and she expresses her feelings very openly. I feel callous saying that this is an enlightening read for R. Brautigan fans, because much of I. Brautigan's drive derives from her troubled feelings about him. But the book is also a biography of her father, the ways he lived (as well as the way he died, which is vividly described). While reading, I felt it was a reliable biography, from the POV of someone very close to him, who understood him, and had her own experiences with respect to growing up his daughter; it was a reliable/subjective biography, which turned out to have merits of its own that an outsider can't match -- for better or worse. What it loses in objectivity, it more than overcomes.

No doubt I. Brautigan has had many other life experiences too, but very impressively she keeps to her misssion to tell the story of her father, his life, his death, her relationship to and evolving feelings about it. I did not expect it to be as well-done as it is. Kudos, as well as my sympathy to the author who indeed had an unfortunate and difficult time due to his suicide. Regarding R. Brautigan, fans will appreciate her anectodes and stories, despite their coming from the place they do -- of having to learn that she can not "catch death."

All I can say is "Wow!" I had no idea actors had this much stuff to think about in addition to acting! An awful lot of what Ms. Gray and Ms. Purl had to say never would have occurred to me. Of course, I am not an actor and am not aspiring to be an actor, but I do find that I am fascinated by all that actors have to do and put up with. The call sheet alone... holy cow! I can see a good 16 hour course on that piece of paper alone! Like I said, I'm no actor, but I can see "Act Right" should be mandatory reading for anyone who wants to act. Anyone who does will only save themselves a lot of embarrassment and keep from looking too much like a newbie on the set. I guess what I'm taking too long to try to say is: "GREAT BOOK!"

Whether you are just starting in the business or have been around, this book is a must read! It contains everything you would ever want to know about acting but were afraid to ask. Mara and Erin have captured a way of sharing their knowledge and experience in this book that will become every actor's must-have manual! A must read!!!

"Act Right" is a wonderful guide for anyone wanting to break into the industry and I applaud you for giving today's generation and those to come a source of aid and inspiration while following their dreams. Bravo!

"What I like the most about this book is the anecdotal and real-life knowledge it provides. In acting school I was taught how to hit a mark but not how to relate to a crew."

As a professional Director of Photography for "Friends," "Mad About You," and at least thirty other Sit-Coms (but whose counting?), I've seen it ALL from behind the camera. I can tell immediately who knows their way around a set - and who doesn't. There's nothing more frustrating than trying to work with an actor who may know his or her lines - but doesn't know how to hit their mark! You don't want to make your mistakes here - on a professional set. If I can tell you don't know what you're doing, so can the producers - the ones who hire you. Do your homework! The only way a new actor starting out can get an advantage, is to read "Act Right" by Erin Gray and Mara Purl. If you're serious about working in this business - as a beginner, or as a returning pro - this book is a MUST READ. Got it? Get it!!

Always and forever is an amazing story and I reccommened anyone to read it. THis story is about Melissa Austin, a beautiful girl with a great family and a great life. Her best friend Jory and her brother Micheal were her two most favorite people she knew although Micheal disliked Jory. All Melissa wanted was for Jory and Micheal to get along. Then Melissa received the most shocking news of her life, she was diagnosed with leukemia. This news was very devastating to her family and friends. Her family and friends watched as Melissa went through this ongoing battle with leukemia and all the could do was support her. After Melissa had a relapse at the age of seventeen she died of LEukemia. After Melissa's death Micheal decided to fufill her dream of Jory and Micheal getting along. So Micheal took Jory up with him into his hot air balloon.
This book has taught me that life is short and you should make the best of it because you never know what is going to happen next. It has taught me that even if a persons life seems great things can still go horribly wrong. This book has influenced me to live my life differently and to stop complaining about things because there are people out there who have it worse than I do. Before I read this book I did not think it was going to teach as much as it did, but now that I have read it I am glad I did.

Always and Forever by Lurlene McDaniel is an very inspiring story and I reccommened anyone to read it. This book is about melissa Austin, a beautiful girl who has everything she could want in life. Jory, her best friend, and Micheal, her brother, are her two most favorite people but Micheal, Jory's crush, shows a dislike towards her. All Melissa wants is for them to get along. When everything seems to be going well Melissa is faced the most shocking news of her life. She waqs diagnosed with leukemia. The news was devastating to her family and friends. Her family and friends had to watch Melissa battle leukemia and all they could do was support her. After a long time of struggling, and a relapse, Melissa Austin died of leukemia at age seventeen. After her death micheal decided to fufill Melissa's wish of him and Jory getting along. So Micheal takes Jory up with him in his hot air balloon.
This book has taught me that life is short and that you should live it to the fullest because you never know what is going to happen next. It has taught me that even if a person seems to have the perfect life something can still go horribly wrong. This book has influenced me to not complain as much because there are people out there who have it worse than I do. Before I read this book I didn't think it was going to teach me as much as it did. This book as influenced me in so many ways and I am glad I read it.

Always and Forever by Lurlene McDaniel is such a great book and I reccommened anyone to read it. This book is about Melissa Austin, a beautiful girl who has everything. Her best freind Jory and her brother Micheal are her two most favorite people but Micheal has a dislike towards Jory. The only thing Melissa ever wanted was for them to get along. She was having a great life until the most shocking thing of her life happened. She was diagonosed with leukemia at sixteen years old. Her family and friends had to watch Melissa go through this ongoing battle with cancer. After battling cancer for a while, having a relapse, and being diagnosed again, Melissa Austin died of leukemia at sixteen years old. After she died Micheal decided to fufill Melissa's wish that Jory and Micheal would get along. So Micheal took Jory up with him in his hot air baloon.
This book has taught me that life is short and it has inspired me to live life to the fullest because you never know whats going to happen next. This book has taught me that even if a person has a great life somrthing can still go horribly wrong. When I started reading this book I didn't think it was going to teach me as much as it did. This book has influenced me in so many ways and I am very glad I read it.

this book is one of my absolute favorites books written by lurlene mcdaniel. If you by this book you wont be sorry!

this book was amazing. I picked it up off the school library shelf because all of my friends had said it was an awesome book. they weren't exagerating.

This book tells about a young girl, in her junior year of high school, who is dignosed with lymphocytic leukemia. Melissa is very smart, she is working hard to get the merit scholorship for college. Her best friend Jory, it always there for her, and always working by her side. Jory isn't as "smart" as Melissa, and keeps telling her friend she should get a better social life. Melissa doesn't care about boys, or partying, she just wants to study.

About four months into her junior year Melissa is feeling sick, and gets these bruises on her legs. So the gym teacher reports them to the guidence cousular. She thinks Melissa is getting abused at home. Melissa freaks out, her mother and older brother Micheal have always been supportive...and loving to her. So her mother takes her to the doctor to get checked out. they take a few tests, draw a little blood...and boom. Melissa has lymphocytic leukimia.

This book really shows the hardships of cancer. The chemotherapy Melissa has to go through, makes her get sick almost every five minutes. She is always drowsy, and feels like crap. The way Lurlene McDaniel captures Jory's, and Micheal's and Melissa's feelings is amazing. I cried through half of the book. Its amazing...I recomend this book to anyone. Its more of a girly book, but hey...guys if you like this type of stuff...its an awesome book!

In Change Don't Always Come Jaylin Rodgers is still has His Way or No Way attitude. He has driven the two women he loves away from him and decides how to get them back even though he's still sexing other women. Scorpio does the unforgivable to Jaylin and he casts her out. Nokea has found someone she wants to marry but she still holds Jaylin in her heart. Which one does to chooses to get back? Will he change his ways?
You must read this book. There are some twists and turns that will make you go HMMMMMMM!!

Ms Hampton is an author you don't hear much about and I think she does an AWESOME job on her books. I love reading them...I read them in one day because they are so hard to put down. I actually rated this book a 4.5!!

I read this book in one day! Jay Baby is off "da chain" with his "plethora" of women! I just wanted to know how they all kept from killing each other because they all knew Jay was doing them all! I had a feeling Nokea was going to win out over them all but Scorpio was a bad "Sista" and had the "Whammy"...Brenda Hampton did her thing with this Book! Definitely for the mature audience. HOT! HOT! HOT

"Change Don't Always Come" when you want it to... the saga continues and Jaylin is still playin' games with the women in is life. Will he keep stringin' Scropio along like a puppet or will she wake up and get her self together... Nokea has flipped the game and now she is playin the game that got played on her. Will she be as good at it as Jaylin or will she get played again. The third time is a charm and Brenda M. Hampton has did this series of books well. Avid reader will love all three of this trilogy. [...]

Well, Well, Well the last book in this series was off the hook!!! I must say that after i read book two (My way or no way) the ending was so good that I couldn't wait to read part three just to see what happen, and then i sat back and thought about it and was hella mad at jaylin and decided to put the series to rest for a while and picked up something else, and it bothered me that i didn't finsih it so i started reading it last night and couldn't put it down. I stayed up all night long and had to put it to rest, and when i got to the end i was like "AT LAST"!!! I Loved way she brought the two people threw different changes in there lives and it almost made you think that this is it for them and they would never make it happen. And in the end I even cried for them!!....Great book Mrs. Hampton, and i do have the fouth book so i can't wait to start on it today.....THANKS!!!

I just like to say this was an excellent book. I loved all the drama and could not put this book down. I've read all three of the books and now waiting on Naughty by Nature. Brenda is an excellent writer. I read most of her books and she has not disappointed me. Jaylin was something else and Scorpio all I can say is wow. I did love the ending and like one of the reviewers said, I would also like to know what happened to Stephon. I was reading the introduction of Naughty by Nature and it does not mention Stephon at all and just wondering if he will be in the conclusion also. Oh well, you must read these books of her.

The Concordia book of Concord provides great resource material for working out your faith. It is however, a book for those looking for greater insight into doctrines and passages of scripture, but not a book initially for those unfamiliar with what the Bible says.

Sometimes it is difficult to use this version in a Bible study where other's have previous versions because page numbers do not match up.

Absolutely amazing, wonderful book. Concordia is an absolute must read, whether Catholic, Lutheran, or other protestant Christians. Please read and enjoy.

It's been said that when the philosophers and scientists climb their mountains of knowledge, they find the theologians at the top waiting for them. If this is true then the reformation period represents the pinnacle of human intellectual endeavor, and this book stands at the top of any collection of reformation writings.

I'm not a theologian, I consider myself more of a historian. I don't read that many books on theology, but this is clearly one of the best. Some of it is over my (and I suspect most laymen's) heads. Yes, it can bog down in theological tedium for the average reader, but purely from an historical perspective, the book is invaluable in putting the events and characters of the 16th Century German Reformation in place.

The book is organized chronologically, starting with the Augsburg Confession. This simple statement of belief is a must read for any Christian, layman or clergy alike and frames the questions raised by the Reformation in easy to understand terms. It then goes into Melanchthon's Apology (defense) of the Augsburg Confession. Here it starts to bog down and is meant more for serious students of Theology.

Fortunately, it moves quickly back into laymen's territory with the Luther's Small and Large Catechisms. With no offense to my beloved Presbyterian brethren, the organization of the Small and Large Catechisms is superior to the Westminster Catechism, if not as broad in scope.

At this point I should mention one of this book's real hidden gems. Being simple minded, I like a book with lots of pictures. Most theology books are lacking in the graphics department. This one, however, is loaded with color plates of important people of the reformation, although it lacks color portraits of the opponents of the reformation. The black and white wood cuts and color allegorical paintings are fantastic, full of hidden symbols and nuances of 16th century life (remember - historian at heart). I spent hours just looking at the pictures, never mind the text.

Finally the book concludes with the Smalcald Articles and the post Martin Luther Formula of Concord written to delineate Lutheran as opposed to the "Phillipists" Lutheran/Calvinistic hybrid.

A big book - not easy reading. I bought it intending to keep it as a reference, not thinking to read it cover to cover as I did. But having done so, I recommend it to any Christian wanting to really think about their faith on a deeper, more intellectual level than is common in the 21st Century.

If you are a Christian and you want to read a book that explains the Holy Scriptures in great detail look no further than Concordia Reader's Edition. In this reader friendly book you have laid out before you a concise understanding of God's Holy Word - The Bible. In Concordia you will read about the Law and Gospel language that God uses in His Word to convey both the sinfulness of man and his salvation through the Messiah - Jesus Christ. But unlike many theological books, this one brings our heavenly Father's message of sin and salvation to light in layman's terms. In other words, you don't have to be a pastor to understand it. In fact, I have been giving this book to my God-children at their confirmation.

So if you are looking for a good book that explains the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, truly the Christian faith, in terms that are easily understood, look no further than Concordia Reader's Edition.

Rev. Raymond A. Smith
"Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."
John 1:29

From the Overview on page xxx, you know this book is going to be helpful. There you'll find an easy to read chart showing the various sections of the Lutheran Confessions, the dates they were written, the authors, and a brief summary of their content.

Then there's a Reader's Guide with suggested readings for each weekday over 52 weeks that takes you through the entire book.

That's followed by a Reformation Timeline that covers 200 years of key events in a few, short pages.

Other useful information is packed into the first pages as well. Thirty-eight pages of very easy to access and useful information before you even get to the beginning of the text! I think that the first section is worth at least half the price.

Then you'll find the section introductions, timelines, and outlines throughout the book. I particularly appreciate the introduction to The Formula of Concord, Epitome.

All of that is followed by appendixes and indexes.

So, while the translation is very helpful and readable, the ancillary material alone is well worth getting the book.

This is a book that deserves space on the shelf of every Bible student. Anyone in the Reformation tradition will most especially appreciate having it for regular reading and study.

J. D. Lowitzer
Collierville, TN

I found this book very intreguing. I have read The Chronicles of Narnia completely several times as an adult and this book is right up there with it. The story was spell binding allegory. The princess, a prophecy, a secret, everything about it kept me reading. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of his sequel, The Devil's Mouth, so that I can continue my journey into the seven kingdoms.

Thomas Williams is truly talented! This book got me from the first page till the last and I neglected much work while reading it as I couldn't put it down.Set in medievil times around two kingdoms and an awsome forrest it's fast paced , exiting and full of adventure.It has strong characters and a fantastic story line that I wished would never end. It will make you believe in love and honour and think about your own morals and strive to be better.I loved every word!

This book has wonderful allegory that compels one to be noble and pure. It is a page turner (especially the last half)that is in ways comparable to Tolkien's works. It has extensive characters which come to life and plot that is quite enjoyable.

I am excited about Tom Williams' new book, "The Crown of Eden," for several reasons. First, for those who enjoy medieval tales of brave knights and fair ladies and enchanted forests, Tom's story will thoroughly delight. The adventures of Princess Volanna and the gallant knight Aradon are woven together in twisting episodes of romance, terror, tragedy and triumph. The story begins by bringing the reader up to date concerning the great empire of Perivale whose victorious battle with the evil Morgultha united seven kingdoms. But Perivale disappears mysteriously and an ancient sage appears out of the enchanged Braegan's Wood to foretells the breakup of Perivale's empire. He delivers also a hopeful yet cryptic prophecy concerning the eventual restoration of Perivale's glory through an heir who will one day take the throne, reunite the kingdoms and reign over days even more glorious than those of his father. "The Crown of Eden" is the exciting story of the fulfillment of that prophecy.

The best thing one can say about "The Crown of Eden" is that it is a wonderfully told story. The chapters are short, revealing just enough surprises in the unfolding story that it is difficult to stop. More than once, as the reader is gaining speed toward some seemingly inevitable conclusion, Tom inserts an unexpected turn in the plot which leaves the reader delightfully off balance. And though one senses near the end of the story how it might end, the twists and turns keep coming even to the last few pages.

Tom has created dozens of wonderful characters in the story including the noble King Tallis, the loyal servants Kalley and Olstan, and the pathetically evil prince Lomar.but the story centers around two main characters, Princess Volanna and the commoner Aradon. Through these two characters Tom is able to not only tell a great story, but teach profound lessons in an effective and unintrusive way. Which is the next best thing about "The Crown of Eden." It does more than just tell a good story.

Interwoven amidst jousting festivals, harrowing escapes through murky swamps, rescues from dark and foreboding castles, there are scenes and conversations which allow Tom's characters to give articulate expression to various truths. King Tallis expounds on the puzzle of balancing God's sovereignty and man's freedom. Father Lucidis eloquently expounds on the virtues of pleasure, delight and ecstasy. Lord Aldemar wrestles with the tension of obedience to law and loving his country. Bogard gives some of the best advice to be found on choosing one's life mate.

Best of all, we find in Volanna and Aradon the embodiment of what it means to be a womand and a man. Tom is at his best when he describes the beauty of Volanna, a beauty that does not inflame illicit passion, but awakens the legitimate passions which lie all too dormant within us. If there is a weakness in "The Crown of Eden," it is that these "philosophical moments" in the story may linger a bit too long and distract at times from the story.

One last observation which made the book enjoyable was the way Tom has blended his own fantasy with the history of scripture. These characters and their kingdoms exist only in our minds, yet they are christians and as such often look to biblical stories to make meaning our of their own experience. The most intriguing example of this is the use of the strange biblical story of King Jephthah and his daughter which finds in "The Crown of Eden" a narrative commentary.

This tale, which hopefully will be the first of many in the The Seven Kingdom Chronicles, is a wonderful addition to the rapidly growing genre of Christian fantasy and as enjoyable as such established authors as Terry Brooks (of recent Star Wars fame.) Though Tom's single story does not merit comparisons with his literary mentors, Lewis and Tolkein, clearly his writing exhibits the best of their influence and the tales of the Seven Kingdoms certainly deserve to be on the same shelves alongside the tales of Narnia and
Middle-earth.

Tom Williams has a marvelous way of telling a story. You will actually fall in love with the main characters--and right along with them--feel their hurts, fears, disappointments, as well as their ultimate joy and exhilaration. There are profound lessons woven into the story, but they emerge from the characters' wrestling with decisions and their actions rather than tedious, preachy dialogs and monologs. Williams addresses some knotty theological questions, such as how the free will of men and women fits into an unfailing providence revealed in prophecy. But not to the detriment of a beautiful love story.

This book is masterpiece. It comes in second to none, including the works of George MacDonald, J. R. R. Tolkein, and C. S. Lewis.