Science Fiction and Fantasy Books

I love the books in the Wicca series (or Sweep in the US). I've read them all, and I'm trying to read them all again. I remember that Awakening was always one of my favourites, and it was one that really got me in to the series. I love the eventual happy ending in this book and in the entire series.
I liked Hunter and Morgan coming to terms with having feelings for each other. I love the touch with the Morganite at the end- if only people would actually do that!
The series is wonderful, as soon as I read the first, I bought some and got some from my local Library- I got 4 out at a time, and was up until three in the morning attempting to finish them.
I strongly reccomend anyone who liked the other 4 to read this one, and people just generally interested in Witches and Vampires etcetera.

I've only recently begun reading these books, now when I think about it, I should have read them earlier!
I can relate to Morgan. She has a best friend who gets alll the attention, has low self esteem, and isnt considered a 'popular' girl. Neither am I. This book is so cool because she is trying to accept her new identity and learn to live without Cal. When she fell in love with him, she was happy. Then he betryed her. Used dark magick against her. Tried to kill her! I mean, you have to agree with me, he was a really nice guy. And in some way, he does love her. And I know she loves him. Anyway, this was a great book and would make an excellant movie.
Thanks for your time,
Elizabeth M. Short

Awakening starts off quickly.
Morgan is seeing more of Hunter and it annoys her a little. Morgan and Hunter are still gun powder touching a flame. But every thing starts to simmer down when weird things are happening to the both of them.
Morgan sees more of friends and learns dark secrets that she does not want to be part of.
I especially love this book more than some becuase soemthing happens that makes you either smile from ear to ear or make your jaw drop. Read it!

This was probably one of my favourite books in the whole series. Now Cal is temporarily out of the picture, you start to love Hunter as you see what he's really like. I was very impressed with the clever way in which Cate completely swaps four of the main characters around, turning Cal and Selene from good characters to evil ones and Hunter and Sky from seemingly evil to good. I just wish Sky would trust Morgan more. My only complaint is that David resorts to dark magick quite unnecesarily, I felt. Why didn't he just do a gain money spell instead of calling a Taibhs? That way he wouldn't need to have had his powers stripped. I liked the ending with the Morganite though. I thought that was really sweet.

I purchased the Sweep series for my 13 year old daughter in the hopes that maybe she would read. "She hated to read." Well I was amazed, and could not get her to go to sleep, as she would spend the whole night, with a night-light on reading these books. She enjoyed them so much, and could not stop talking first about Cal and then Hunter, that I had to see what all the fuss was about.
Well after two weeks, a book a day, for a girl who hated to read, it sparked my curiosity, so I started reading, and was surprised to find out how enjoyable a Teen book about Teen Witches could be. I am not really into Wicca, but these books are really enjoyable. I am on my fifth book, and my daughter read each twice, and is know on the Circle of Three Series. I have to highly recommend these books to those parents who can not get their daughters to read. These are excellent stories, full of fantasy, horror, and fun.

This book was one of my all-time favorites when I was a kid! It was so exciting... very mysterious and magical. And full of goo! What kid doesn't love goo? Every kid needs a book like this.

An excellent item and although the cost to get it here quickly was expensive, it was worth it. Thank you

I had loved the book as a child myself. So I bought it for my neice. We read it together and she loves it as well. I haven't met a child (or adult) that doesn't like Dr. Seuss!

This was a gift for my niece. The adults in the room enjoyed it as much as she did.

I bought this book because it brought back such good memories of my child's childhood and my own as well. I look forward to sharing it with my grandchildren someday. This is a great book to read!

the broken sky series is the best series of books i have ever read. i mean ever! there are scenes that almost make me cry and then ones that make me smile and laugh to myself. if you want to try out a one of a kind fantasy action sci-fiction novel this one will beat all the others hands down. if you like this book you most likely will like the pendragon series

This is the best book in the world.It is so action packed and has alot of adventure.It is great. I have never read a book that I wanted to read 2 3 four tiomes over. Its the greatest.

If ever I thought this series was childish, those doubts are gone. Broken Sky deals with issues like racism, rebellion, and the redemptive power of love in a way that blows other supposedly child-oriented books out of the water. As a high schooler, I can sincerely say that age has nothing to do with the enjoyment of these books. Although Book 1 gets off to a slow start, by half way through I had been drawn deep into Kia and Ryushi's remarkable world. This series serves up humor and death in equal portions, making you smile and sob in the same chapter. The mind-blowing conclusion to Book 6 had me nearly in tears...and I can't wait to read the next installment. I highly recommend this series to anyone who likes a good, exciting, thoughtful read.

This is an amazing book with questions and actions surrounding each and every character. This book kicks off with Ryushi and Whist continuing their adventure toward Ryushi's double-crossing, tratior brother, Takami's, keep. However, Since Takami is the Thane of the province of Maar, he is well protected. The path is even more treacherous when Whist, who is extremely untrustworthy himself, betrays Ryushi and Ryushi ends up in a one-on-one duel with his brother. However, it seems as if Aurin, the Princess of Kirin Taq, does not paticularly like Takami, and Ryushi ends up in Aurin's clutches when he becomes prisoner in Fane Araq, the princesses fortress. Meanwhile, Kia, Hochi, Gerdi, Jaan, and Peliqua are waiting for a decison from the Koth Taraan. In the end, Kia is faced with a trial of will which if she wins, can begin to shift the balance of the battle. Hochi, however, is busy trying to discover the meaning of Tachaa's present, which mean Broken Sky, or "divison with the eventual hope of unity." Things become very hectic and bizarre as in this book you discover more of the strange land of Kirin Taq, Princess Aurin, the Koth Taraan and the Keriags. This book is the best and will make you get up and get the 6th as fast as you can.

This is one great book, but don't read it unless you've read 1-4, because you need the info from those books so your not too confused. Ryushi, along with Whist, continues his quest for revenge on his brother, Takami, for betraying Parakka and killing his father. Ryushi wants revenge, but he is not blinded by it, and he is being very careful, espesially since the untrustworthy and dangerous Whist is leading the way. But it turns out that Ryushi isn't careful enough, and he soon finds himself a prisoner of Takami. But, strangely enough, Ryushi gets what he wants: a one-on-one battle with Takami without either of them using spirit stones. But will Takami play fair? Meanwhile, in the unclaimed lands, Kia and the others await an answer from the Koth Taraan on if they will help, Hochi tries do discover the true meaning of broken sky. All the Koth Macquai told them was that it meant "divion with the eventual hope of unity." The Parakkans discover that one of them will have to take a test to find if the Koth Taraan will help or not. Kia rises to the challange immediatly. She is told soon after that it will be a challange of charactor, and that she will discover new information. But what does this mean...

Everything Ms. Engdahl writes is gold. Not only does this book have a great storyline and characters, it also is thought provoking. She centers around themes about the importance of spacetravel and innovations in science. Even if you aren't usually a fan of science fiction, you will love this book!

This was one of the most capitvating books I've ever read. Though Noren's world initially seems far removed from our own, his struggle is profoundly relevant. What is faith, is it positive or negative, and why? If these questions interest you, I strongly urge you to read this book. It helped me find a resolution to such questions after struggling with them most of my life.

When I originally read the first book (on its own; this volume is a collection of all three books in the trilogy), the revelation at the end had me opening the book again the moment I finished it to read it over again. Another point left me feeling so betrayed and angry that it was like it had actually happened to me in the real world. The stakes were set so high that I wondered how it could all possibly come together, but then it comes to a masterful conclusion.

It's a shame that this book did not get more attention. I certainly will tell everyone I can about it. It's true that it's not an action-packed book, but if you enjoy thought-provoking stories of great moral and emotional complexity, definitely give this one a try.

I first read these books (now book) over 10 years ago. They have remained among my favorite books. The book is appealing to people young and old. Ms Engdahl's writings have a way of staying with one always.

This trilogy serves as a thought provoking journey through the relationship between society, religion, and science. It starts out with one man challenging the foundation of his society, to him embracing it, and back to him challenging it yet again, but for a completely different and selfless reason. Ms. Engdahl paints a wonderful picture of a futuristic and simultaneously primitive world whose advances and way pique the imagination.

Ms. Engdahl throws a taste of her intergalactic society into the final installment, but no one recognizable from Enchantress from the Stars or The Far Side of Evil.

Overall, I was really impressed with this book. At times it goes a little slow, but Engdahl made up for it in the wonderful plot of the book. The surprising things, is that Noran, the main character, would actually be considered a static character, which is not typical of an engaging main character. His views do not change, nor does his personality or goals throughout the entire book. What keeps the reading turning the pages is the strangeness, and the fact that this sci-fi book could in fact be based on events that could happen one day. Another aspect of the book that was really engaging was the originality of the ideas used. It was not the typical sci-fi book that included space-crafts, aliens and the like. The ideas were extremely original, and fact-based. The other reason I enjoyed the book so much was that throughout the entire thing there was a mixture of sci-fi writing, and science. Sections of the book were devoted to explaining the concept of genetic engineering, which if you are interested in, is used very well in this book. The fact that a good book can incorporate aspects of reality, in the form of genetic engineering, is amazing, and makes the novel that much more notable.

I would recommend this book for people who won't get frustrated with the sections that are very slow-paced, but who are dedicated to reading each and every page, because they all add to the entire meaning of the book as a whole. It is not a typical sci-fi book, so don't expect lots of space-ships and people from different planets, but instead look forward to a well written novel about a culture struggling to re-build its self. You will follow Noran as he struggles to find his place in a world that he feels is wrong, and corrupt. Be open to twists in plot, and strange themes brought up again and again throughout the book, and you may enjoy it as much as I did.

Noren is a young man who is frustrated about the class stratified society that he lives in. When he decides to challenge the system, he finds himself on a perilous journey . . . facing truth as he has never imagined. When I read this story many years ago in junior high, I realized for the first time that it was possible to have a perspective on life that did not encompass a large enough view of the truth. This story challenged my views on the limitations of my own perspectives. It is science fiction at its best. This book is a compilation of the trilogy that begins with "This Star Shall Abide".

The novel length Conan work. An aging Conan is now in a position of responsibility, being King of Aquilonia.

His reign is threatened by a very powerful sorcerer, whom Conan is unable to stop by mundane means, and must take himself off hunting for a mystic artifact.

Having done this, there is some wizard smiting to be done.

Top notch work.

Howard's only full-length Conan novel features the real deal. If you read this book before you read any of the more recent attempts to rewrite Conan, you will be hard-pressed to find its equivalent. While the role of king doesn't quite seem to suit Conan, most of this book portrays him in his role as the savage, independent wanderer, in search of a jewel with sorcerous powers. This book waxes more powerful as it progresses, with Conan finding himself among black pirates, searching through gloomy subterranean lairs, and confronting horrifying creatures. Conan meets a number of intriguing friends and foes along the way. Unlike many Conan novels, the feminine characters in this book have somewhat minor roles. So if you read Conan books for the "babe factor", look elsewhere. If you like the raw, full-orbed Conan as he was intended to be, you'll be very satisfied with this novel.

A note on the Berkeley Medallion paperback edition - the cover proclaims this to be an "illustrated" edition. This is a slight exaggeration as only two rather mediocre pen-and-ink illustrations are found within! These have been taken from the original Weird Tales publication. The "full color fold-out poster" is all of 12 1/2 x 7 inches, and features a larger version of the cover, a rather fanciful Conan.

Having read a few dark fantasy novels in my day, I would definately classify this work as belonging in that sub-genre.

If you are into good hard-hitting violence and are up for a rip-roaring ride through Robert E. Howard's Hyborian world, then this book is for you. Having been the only full length novel written featuring the legendary barbarian, Conan, Howard delivers a very solid piece of work with Hour of the Dragon.

Powerful mages resurrect a being of astonishing power and set out to conquer the world. Of course, one of their first acts is to dispose King Conan who is a direct threat to this conquest. With some supernatural help, they succeed in this venture. The rest of this novel features a mad Conan that hacks his way back to the throne of Aquilonia. Recommended.

This book actually began life as a serial in "Weird Tales" in the 1930s. Robert E. Howard (REH) never actually wrote any Conan novels, all of Conan's tales were written for the magazine marketplace. But this is his only novel length Conan tale so it is considered by many to be the only REH Conan novel.

That being said, it is easily one of the best Conan stories written. In the tale, Conan is the king of Aquilonia, but he has plenty of people conspiring to dethrone him. These conspirators raise the wizard, Xaltotun, from the dead to use his magic against Conan.

They succeed in dethroning Conan when he is paralyzed by the wizard and unable to ride out into battle. After the battle they believe Conan is dead (big mistake) for a time, only he is actually in hot pursuit of the Heart of Ahriman, the only thing capable of defeating Xaltotun.

Naturally, the Heart is not easily obtained and Conan journeys far and wide in his pursuit of it. The story is incredibly fast paced and for a relatively short novel, its packed with action and story. Of course, Conan succeeds at the end and regains his kingdom (as well as gaining a wife).

Even though the story is at a mid-point in Conan's career, its an excellent starting point for those who are new to REH's work. As other reviewer's have noted, this story also exists in paperback as "Conan the Conqueror," although it has been edited to correct grammer and some of REH's politcally incorrect references. Heck, it was the first Conan story I ever read and it got me hooked.

REH is a moody, atmospheric writer and much of his work, including this one, carries a sense of darkness to it. Even this book, where Conan ultimately is victorious carries that feeling to it. It tends to almost carry an air of that darkness, a feeling that no matter what Conan does, his victories will be short-lived and even he will not be able to defeat death when his time comes.

For sword and sorcery fans, this is as good as it gets. Ignore the hoard of imitators who followed and stick to the master-- Robert E. Howard.

"The Conan Chronicles, Volume 2: The Hour of the Dragon" is the second volume in a series collecting all of Robert E. Howard's Conan stories, exactly as he wrote them. Most readers (myself included) are only familiar with the edited versions of these stories made available in the Conan pocketbooks of the seventies and eighties. The writing is lusty, bloody and vibrant. Conan is not for the easily offended.

The Conan Chronicles presents the stories chronologically as seen by Conan, not as written. Howard's first Conan story, "The Phoenix on the Sword" (included in the middle of this volume) already has Conan as King of Aquilonia. In the opening story, "Red Nails," he is still a pirate on the run, adventuring with Valeria of the Red Brotherhood. The only Conan novel, "The Hour of the Dragon" is also included.

The stories are intense and captivating. It has been a true pleasure to rediscover Conan as a different, better character than I remember.

For some years I was familiar with the name Philip Wylie as one of the authors of the disaster story "When Worlds Collide". I was also surprised to find that one of his books ("The Gladiator") influenced the creation of the hero Superman. "The Disappearance" (1951) is the first book I've read by Wylie.

In the introduction to this edition of "The Disappearance" Robert Silverberg thought it more appropriate to regard this book as fantasy rather than science fiction. Bizarre happenings in science fiction stories are usually "explained" and rationalised in an effort to achieve plausibility. The mysterious phenomenon that occurs here - the world suddenly splitting into two realities where men and women exist separately - is never actually explained, although characters in the story try to attribute it to things like mass hallucination or divine intervention.

From two perspectives, male and female, we see how events unfold following the disappearance of the opposite sex, and the way it has affected society in either world. The basic message is that one can't live without the other. The all-male society slides into violence and aggression, atomic weapons devastate certain cities, and martial law is declared. The all-female society is little better off, because most of the women lack such practical skills for things that were once (in the 1950s at least) considered "mens work". Anything technical or scientific was outside the women's experience, considered too rough or complicated for their abilities. Gradually though, the women adapt and attempt to live off the land despite such crises as lawlessness, disease and starvation.

"The Disappearance" is an entertaining story, and quite philosophical (which is appropriate since one of the main characters is a philosopher). For anyone who enjoyed this book I also recommend John Wyndham's novella "Consider Her Ways" (1956). In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Wyndham had read "The Disappearance" because the premise is quite similar: a regimented all-female society in the future where men have been rendered extinct by a virus. In Wyndham's scenario women are coping quite well on their own and believe they're far better off without men. They also found a way to reproduce without needing a man. One character argues that in a two-sexed society women were conditioned to be unthinking consumers and parasites, that it suited commerce to trick women into embracing a life of slavery and serving the household. The bait used to entice women into this trap was called "Romance". Philip Wylie discusses these issues and others in more detail in his own work.

Although society has changed a lot since "The Disappearance" was first published in the 1950s it is still very readable. I've heard some feminists say that even now, in the early twenty-first century, women still lack equality in a world that is still considered male-dominated. Whatever the case may be, "The Disappearance" is a book that deserves to be read.

I read Philip Wylie's The Disappearance about 40 years ago. I am currently rereading it from my original paperback copy which has been held together with rubber bands. As I read each page I put the page aside. I am surprised and pleased to find in the reviews I just read that I am not alone in searching, for the most part unsuccessfully, for a reasonably priced copy. I would urge the powers to be to give us a reprint....soon!

There's good reason this book is out of print. Wylie's story, THE DISAPPEARANCE, doesn't stand the test of time. Back in the '50's this startling plot certainly impressed the reader-no more. Now we expect some plausible, physical or psychic explanation for this split world phenomena. In fact, Wylie's principle character, Bill Gaunt, spent four year searching for an answer but could only come up with psychological mumbo jumbo.

In fact, contrary to the premise of this story-that the two sexes lack appreciation for each other-the battle of the sexes, for many, could be the only factor that keeps life interesting enough to live. Wylie's disdain for homosexuality is now as antiquated as slave ownership.

Whatever putty holds the material world together came unglued for four years while the males and females found themselves on two ships at sea, never passing. The happy ending, the reuniting of the sexes, was a pure and simple cop out. The reader expects some plausible explanation but never gets it. Perhaps Wylie brewed up a fine stew here but provides nothing to sharpen your intellectual teeth on.

Having just finished the book, I can heartily recommend it for its prescience and message. The ending is especially fitting and uplifting. Despite its somewhat anachronistic style and vocabulary, "The Disappearance" is a must-read for feminists and misogynists everywhere.

One of the most remarkable novels ever written, The Disappearance must have caused a sensation in 1951 when it first appeared. I won't belabor the plot, because others have already recounted it. But its frank analysis of the way in which our society separates men and women, teaches children to be ashamed of their bodies, teaches men and women NOT to fulfill their potentials and destinies but to fill the paths set down by our narrowminded forebears, is every bit as poignant today as it was then.

Wylie's two protagonists -- Bill Gaunt the philosopher and is wife Paula -- a PhD in languages -- are three-dimensional and fascinating. His assessment of the world of men without women disintegrating into lawlessness is frighteningly real. His world of women discovering that very few of their number have been trained in the rudiments of running the society is sobering. And although women have come a long way in that respect since 1951, the glass ceiling still exists. The perception of the "role" of women or men in a particular situation hasn't gone away.

The whole story is told with insight and a wicked sense of humor. Just look at his picture of the wives of the government officials trying to run the government of women. Unfortunately, politicians do not always choose wives for their intelligence but for a host of other attributes and skills that do not help them to cope with the catastrophe. And the showdown between the American and Soviet women will leave you breathless and laughing.

To me, the best example of the way Wylie chose to tell this story is Chapter 13, which does not further the plot at all. Bill Gaunt is asked by the President and a committee of scientists and other thinkers to prepare an essay assessing what it all means. Chapter 13 is that essay. Even the title of the chapter lets impatient readers know that if they skip it, they will lose none of the sense of the story. DON"T SKIP IT!!

Not for the faint of heart, but DEFINITELY for the inquiring mind. Those of us who have already read this one (several times) are pleased it is back in print so we can replace the lop-eared copies we have been reading for years.

Note to Hollywood: Wouldn't this make a fascinating subject for a movie? Probably not. Its subtleties and interweaving of plots and events would go beyond Hollywood's ability to translate it without succumbing to the temptation to mess with it. So I guess we'll just have to read it again.

One cautionary note: Be aware that the novel does have one bit of baggage that is left over from the time it was written. Its Cold War politics may seem out of place today, but it carries the story forward. Aside from that small anachronism (from our point of view), the novel could have been written yesterday.

If you've never heard of this one, give it a chance. You'll be as amazed as I was.

This book is one of my favourites out the whole series. Unlike alot of readers, I really like Alisa - I think she adds a strange kind of innocence to the books that instead of being annoying is quite good - it adds some light for a change. Even though the way in which she finds out about being a half witch is very repeative and simliar (and a bit cheesy) to how Morgan found out she was an adopted blood witch, i still liked it because like I said, I like Alisa and the innocence and light she adds to the story. I think it was a very good idea to have Alisa save the day rather than Morgan for a change. I think that it was a good idea of Cate Tiernan's to have the spotlight shared by two characters because she has avoided the irritating predictable problem some books suffer from where there is always one heroic character who saves the day every time. This time, it is alot more varied.

So this book, eclipse, is really good! It shares the point of view with Morgan who is ususally the narrator, and Alisa, who you haven't heard from. Alisa's relationship with Morgan is that she is Morgan's little sister Mary K.'s best friend (getting a little Jerry Springer...) anyhow, Alisa is a blood witch. Mordan's killer father, Ciaran McEwan is trying to destroy Widows Vale with the *ominous music* DARK WAVE! Morgan finds Ciaran and her boyfriend, Hunter, stripps his magick. But the dark Wave is still coming! Will they be able to stop it in time? *FORESHADOWING*

I purchased the Sweep series for my 13 year old daughter in the hopes that maybe she would read. "She hated to read." Well I was amazed, and could not get her to go to sleep, as she would spend the whole night, with a night-light on reading these books. She enjoyed them so much, and could not stop talking first about Cal and then Hunter, that I had to see what all the fuss was about.
Well after two weeks, a book a day, for a girl who hated to read, it sparked my curiosity, so I started reading, and was surprised to find out how enjoyable a Teen book about Teen Witches could be. I am not really into Wicca, but these books are really enjoyable. I am on my fifth book, and my daughter read each twice, and is know on the Circle of Three Series. I have to highly recommend these books to those parents who can not get their daughters to read. These are excellent stories, full of fantasy, horror, and fun.

over here in the uk sweep is called WICCA. i am a wiican and 14 and im a beginner and i do like these books. it is fantasy wicca but it is buult over fact.
if u want real wicca after u have read these books check out silver ravenwolf, starhawk, dorothy morisson etc.
These books are great 2 read even if ure not wiccan they are action packed.
this book in particular is probably one of the best and at the time of writing this is the latest one published in the UK but i know the other 2 plus super edition will be even better.

Morgan is back and so is Alisa. For those who don't remember, Alisa is the girl who is scared by Morgan because strange telekinetic things happen when they are together and she feels Morgan is unable to control her power.

One day, at practical magic, Morgan picks up a Book Of Shadows from the seventies. This is actually on we have seen excerpts from in a previous book. But when Alisa is visiting Mary K. (Morgans younger sister), she steals the book.

The book winds up revealing things about Alisa's family and just who Alisa is. As Alisa begins to deal with her situation, she gets caught up with Morgan, Hunter and Hunter's father as a new and serious danger threatens them and much of Widow's Vale.

The story switches back and forth from Morgan's point of view to Alisa's. There are no excerpts starting each chapter, but there are some interesting quotes. A good book that seems to really move the series towards a conclusion.

On a side note, does anyone else thing the town should change its name to Widowers Vale? Morgan, Alisa and Hunter are all missing mothers. Plenty of widowers and no widows.

Wow! This book has everything! A colorful new world explodes off of the pages. Enter Jay: a runaway from an orphanage looking to find a place where he could fit in. Brought to this magical place by Patty; the Sugarplum fairy, he takes on a quest to save King Otto, the Gingerbread King from the clutches of Queen Beatrice and her army of Stingers. The bumbling henchmen and Lord Vermin are classic villains while Stretch (Man of Taffy), Arach-Ned (Spider) and Prince Hans (Gingerbread Prince)fill out the courageous cast of characters. I don't want to ruin the ending, but it is quite amazing. Cliffhanger chapters and an easy read suitable for both kids and adults. Page turning adventure from start to finish. Judging from the artwork, this would make an excellent movie.

I think it should have five star's because it's a great book. It is one of the best book's I had read. I think you should read this book.

I think this book would be available from ages 4-86.The book was
interesting you always wonderd what was going to happen next.
Above all I think 3rd graders would like it best.

Hello, I'm 9 years old and I chose 5 stars because I think this book is a fun and exploring book. I think it is the best book my teacher read to us this year. I say if you read this book you probably can not stop reading it. We had a blast reading it in my class.

THE GINGERBREAD KINGDOM is an interesting and intriguing fantasy novel that combines elements of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: 100th Anniversary Edition (Books of Wonder) with those from the child's board game Candyland. Filled with realistic characters, fantastical creatures, and a fun storyline, this is a book that's perfect for younger readers. It's also filled with enough action and adventure to keep older readers, especially those who are reluctant to pick up a huge novel, completely captivated.

Holman Orphanage, or "Hopeless Orphanage," as the children who live there have named it, is a sad place filled with little joy. The children who call it home know that every rule must be followed to the letter. No one knows that better than Jay, a boy who has born the brunt of Headmaster Holman's anger on more than one occasion. When he gets in trouble, yet again, for leaving the bathroom faucet dripping, he knows that he won't be able to survive another day spent in the cellar.

So he decides to get away from "Hopeless Orphanage" once and for all. Amid the cries of his roommates--Ben, Sam, and Timmy--Jay runs away from the Orphanage with nothing but the clothes he is wearing. He promises that once he finds a place to stay, he'll come back for the other boys. And then he's gone.

Except Jay finds more than he'd bargained for outside the walls of Holman Orphanage. The world outside is a strange, fascinating place, filled with magic. There are men made of gingerbread, Sugarplum Fairies, and even giant bees. Soon Jay finds himself caught up in a plan to save the Gingerbread King, King Otto, from the evil Queen Beatrice and her army of
Stingers. How is it that Jay ran away from one horrible situation only to find himself caught up in a battle of good versus evil?

Readers will find themselves rooting for Jay and his magical friends as he attempts to thwart Queen Beatrice from taking over the Gingerbread Kingdom. They'll also find that this small boy, once under the hard ruling thumb of a bitter Headmaster, just might have a few tricks up his sleeve to save King Otto from harm. An interesting book for all lovers of fantasy!

Reviewed by: Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius"

Dick Marcinko is a rare individual, who is not only strong in his combat delivery, but smart and has quite the work ethic. are and thank God he is a standup warrior.

This particular book is a little too close to similar to reality today (to what he has known for a very long time) for comfort. I pray that God continues to use him and others like him in the protection of our Armed Forces and Americans in general. If I had a son, I would want him to serve and learn from the best, Dick Marcinko. (Although, I believe that the only way a person of Mr. Marcinko's magnitude, must have a strange personal life.)

This is great fun, and I find the story quite interesting. Not just in battle, but the complex background and history is interesting as well. Proving things are not always what they seem.

This was the third...and last Rogue Warrior book for me. After being blown away by the first one, I eagerly awaited Red Cell. After being somewhat disappointed by Red Cell, I still awaited the third book, "Green Team." I did find Green Team readable and Im a big fan of the SEALs. But it was nothing that great either. It certainly did not pack the drama of the first book. Its basically more of the original book...more bashing the regular Navy, more bashing non JSOC SEALs who couldnt make the cut of SEAL Team Six or Red Cell back in the eighties, more bashing of civilian politicians who Marcinko perceives as "weenies" or even as traitors. I dont disagree with Marcinko's assessments of these individuals, but after a while his moaning and complaining gets old. Thats why I decided to call it quits after Green Team.

If I want to listen to some bitter old man complain about the sorry state of the world, I will go listen to my dad or my grandpa complain. Marcinko comes across like a whiner in Green Team. I havent read a Marcinko book since.

Marcinko's original book is a mini-education and a great book. The rest of his books are redundant, moaning and groaning.

I'll admit to this guilty pleasure: I love the Rogue Warrior books. Not because they're great literature, but because they're just plain fun. I'm a Marine combat vet, so I can usually detect the (very) fuzzy line between military fact and fiction, but with Marcinko's books I throw up my hands in the amphibious salute and just go with it. Demo Dick's literary swagger is intoxicating, and his larger than life character is THE male archetype. All of us guys want to pump iron at Rogue Manor, throw down the double Bombays, and go shooting and looting with the SEALs' best.

It's not "the best book I've ever read," nor is it the SPECWAR primer that Rogue Warrior is. But for some unadulterated macho fun, Green Team (like the others in the series) can't be beat.

One thing that you can say about one of Marcinko's books is that they are not at all boring. He is able to call upon his SEAL training and experience to put together an interesting story.Some of his dealings in this book are close to what you read in the newspapers today. His knowledge of weapons and their use also add to his ability to spin an action packed story. His action team is also made up of some interesting characters. You would also have to commend his portrayal of villains. As can be said many times over the action in this book is nonstop. Buy this book and read it. It certainly is not boring.

This is easily the best Demo Dick has written. Right from page 1, it grabs you and never lets go. You're there for every shot, you're there when the idiots who think they know how to run a military op try their best(and sometimes succeed)to screw things up, and you'll get the urge yourself to beat the living shinola out of said idiots. You'll be dodging bullets as well as shrapnel alongside Demo Dick and his merry band of marauders, and returning fire along with them. Just read the book! It's well worth the money, and you'll want to reread it over and over.

hitty....oh what fun we had reading this together as a family. i certainly did not know what i was geting in to when i started reading it aloud. very well written book; descriptive; memorable. after reading each chapter we wanted to rush to the library to find out about the place she had been. we also cooked a few things from different countries. we did not have a plan; it was so spontaneous; i think that is what i loved about it so much....learning at its best. my older children, after five years still remember vividly certain paragraphs. and we all smile thinking about how much fun we had reading this book together. i can hardly wait to read it to the younger ones. recently i purchased it for my shelf. it is certainly a keeper. copywork, narration, cooking, art, geography/history, a little science, etc... a years worth of curriculum in one book. all you need is a math book and your set. honestly, each chapter is like a springboard and it should not be hard to find a topic to learn more about. make some happy memories, read hitty aloud to your children. they will love it! (and you will, too...)

Many may remember Hitty from decades ago; I was introduced to her just a few years ago. Hitty: Her First Hundred Years is a wonderfully written, beautifully illustrated "children's" book that should be on everyone's reading list, regardless of age.

Hitty: Her First Hundred Years, as originally written by Rachel Field in 1929, is delightful. The story follows the adventures of a doll, carved by a peddler from a piece of mountain ash, as told in her own words. From being proclaimed a "heathen" goddess on a South Seas Island, traveling with a snake charmer in India, being alternately a fashion plate and a demure Quakeress in the midst of the Civil War, Hitty and her story are truly captivating. Rachel Field has given the world a wonderfully exciting and deeply touching glimpse at history through the eyes of this remarkable doll. The charm of this old fashioned story is enduring, powerful enough to endear itself to each new generation of readers that discovers it.

After reading some of the other reviews, I feel myself fortunate to have read Hitty in the original. I was unaware it had been edited. I can't think of anything offensive, other than one passage of dialogue spoken by a black family, which might sound sterotypical to modern ears. But, similar dialogue occurs in Huckleberry Finn. Has that been "scrubbed"? I don't think so.

Anyhow, what a beautiful story. It's really interesting to see the world from her point of view. She spent years hidden away in a couch, among other places, which was like a time machine for her. I had fun answering this question: Did Hitty know that by the time she was sold at auction in the Preble house, that she had outlived Phoebe? That Phoebe had grown up, married, had children and died? She never says so, but I think she does know. She has the strength and maturity not to have to be explict. I really hope Hitty had warm, fond memories of her first owner, Phoebe.

This book was interesting and fun to read. Ride along with, the doll, as she tells her life story. Watch as she goes from one owner to the next. This book is an adventure to read. Hitty has seen so much you forget she is a doll. This book pulles you in like a vacuum cleaner. You'll love it when she travles to New York. You'll jump out of your seat when she goes whale hunting or when she gets stuck in a tree. There is a couple of settings but it doesn't jump around. The message that i got out of the story is live life to it's fullest I would recomend this book to preteen girls that like history and fiction. This book was fantabouls!!!!!!!!!!