Science Fiction and Fantasy Books

Funny text and fantastic illustrations. This is a great book for any boys or girls who love superheroes. Great for pre-readers and early readers.

Excellent alphabet book for young boys ages 4 up. They love all of the super heros.

I love the superheroes throughout. It is so clever and a great way to get my 3yr old more comfortable with the alphabet. This is a favorite book. This has become the book I give as gifts.

My son loves this book. We rented it from the library a while ago and now everytime we go there he wants to get the same book. I got it for his birthday and he loves it. If you have a little boy, you should get this book.

McLeod has entranced my 3 year old boy and my 6 year old girl. He wears capes, she draws more heroes. I read this book to students in K-3rd grade with great response from students. "I'm him!" "Ooh, gross!" We learned new vocabulary too. The teachers all asked to order copies for their classrooms.

It's one thing to have a great idea, but it's something else to take that idea and truly bring it to life - but that's just what Jennifer Bouani has done in this first book of the Future Business Leaders' Series. Tyler and His Solve-a-matic Machine wildly succeeds on two levels: entertaining its target audience of ages 9 to 12 with an excellent, fun fantasy adventure and offering its young readers a number of very sound lessons in the principles of entrepreneurship. If you're a parent, your child might not remember how to spell entrepreneur after reading this book, but he will be familiar with most of the basic concepts behind the term - and could very well be excited about the prospect of becoming an entrepreneur himself.

Tyler is an orphan who dreams of sailing around the world like his late father did. One night, while slogging his way through a homework assignment, he dreams up the idea of a machine to help him do all of his homework quickly. Then a strange voice leads him downtown to a magical high-rise building, where it reveals itself to be Sote, the Great Spirit of the Entrepreneurs. After hearing about entrepreneurship and its potential rewards, Tyler accepts Sote's challenge: get to the top of the hundred-floor building before sunrise if he really wants to realize his dream of having his very own boat.

Obviously, it's not as simple as just taking the elevator or stairs up to the top floor. The stairways are locked, different elevators in the building take you to different levels, and Tyler must find the keys to several special elevators. Along the way, he will also meet up with certain individuals and groups determined to stop him from succeeding.

Tyler's entrepreneurial quest basically takes him through the process of taking his idea of a Solve-a-matic Machine and turning it into an actual manufacturing business. Bouani came up with some really brilliant ways to illustrate the kinds of obstacles entrepreneurs must deal with in the real world- and that's really the key to the book's success and eminent readability. Even as your child is reading this entertaining fantasy adventure featuring all kinds of exotic locations and animals, he/she is actually learning how to take an idea and turn it into a marketable product by coming up with a design, assembling the necessary tools and resources for production, hiring and managing workers (including dealing with unions), setting prices and production levels, etc.

I have a degree in economics, so I know how boring this subject matter can be. Bouani deserves major kudos for taking such a potentially dry subject as entrepreneurship and communicating its basic principles in such a fun and entertaining way to younger readers. She actually gets kids excited about the prospects of becoming entrepreneurs themselves, and that's an amazing accomplishment. Similar books involving Tyler and his friends are forthcoming in the Future Business Leaders' Series, and I am sure they will build upon the strong foundation this first book has already established.

This is a fantasy adventure story for children between, say, 9 & 12. However, it isn't just a fantasy adventure story. It has the purpose of entertaining while it introduces children to the basic topics of becoming an entrepreurial businessperson. To an adult inured to the typical squishy values of much children's writing, the frankness of the pro-business ideas might seem jarring. However, it is unlikely the kids will have such feelings of strangeness.

Tyler is an lives in an orphanage and all he has of his father is a picture of him. I may have missed it, but I couldn't find any explanation of what happened to his mother. He ends up going through the floors of a very magic tall building and has to solve projects on each floor in order to get to the penthouse by the next morning to win his dream.

The projects do discuss topics that every entrepreneur will have to face, but not in a realistic way. That isn't the purpose of the book. It is a fantasy adventure and wants to start children thinking along certain lines. No one faults the squishy literature for presenting human relations in unrealistic ways. It is just that there is so much of it we have come to accept it.

However, this book seems to cover even union busting. Is that really a topic a nine year old will understand in any way? It might be that in some states the kind of behavior the adventurers engage is illegal in some states! I don't know.

Anyway, it is a fresh kind of story. I am not a person who reads a lot of children's literature so I don't know how the writing fits for its target audience. Even when I was a child, I didn't read children's literature. The language isn't beautiful or particularly enchanting. However, it does get its point across and that is probably more important to its goals.

This is a very inventive and brilliantly written book about a young orphaned boy who invents a machine to do his homework and embarks on an adventure in a fantasy sky-scraper where he meets all the people who he needs to start his own business. It is not only informative but encouraging for youth to know they can suceed in the world of business.

A great introduction for kids.

Seth J. Frantzman

Jennifer Bouani, Tyler and His Solve-a-Matic Machine (Bouje, 2006)

The idea of kids' books teaching libertarian values is one near and dear to my heart. Unfortunately, I've never actually found one that gets it entirely right; the author either softpedals the values and mixes in some of the usual left-leaning kids'-book malarkey or overstates the case and ends up writing something more polemic than kids' book. Tyler and His Solve-a-Matic Machine, however, is as close as I've found to a book that manages to keep its balance.

More than anything, it put me in mind of Norton Juster's The Phantom Tollbooth in its writing style. Bouani, like Juster before her, creates an entirely believable character and then thrusts him into an entirely unbelievable situation (and for much the same reason). Tyler, our hero, is ten years old. Like most kids, he's not fond of homework, but unlike most kids, he's actually got some ideas in his head about a machine that will help. There are forces who are willing to help him build his machine, but first they must teach him the basics of being an entrepreneur.

First things first: let's get the bad stuff out of the way, and when I say "bad stuff," I mean two minor niggles. First, the font in which the book is typeset is non-standard, and can take a while to get used to, so be prepared. Second, if you're a unionist, prepare to be absolutely outraged. Tyler and his friends' solution to the problem of the striking union members is the kind of thing that got people killed in the seventies. (Needless to say, it's also the correct answer.) Some of the characters are less well-developed than I'd like, but the afterword states that this is the first book in a series; I'm certainly willing to give Bouani the benefit of the doubt that the characters will become more developed as time goes on. Why? Because, despite the fact that this book could have easily gone the way of the lecturing instruction manual (viz. The Girl Who Owned a City), Bouani realizes that, yes, there is a story to be told here, and that the lessons the book wants to impart are better related through the construct of the story. That puts her ahead of 95% (if not more) of those who write books like this already.

My biggest problem with the book was that I wanted more. Yeah, I know, it's the first in a series. This is why I don't normally read series until they're all out, because now I have to hunker down and start the interminable wait for the second book. However, while I'm waiting, I will recommend Tyler and His Solve-a-Matic Machine without hesitation; I've already given my copy to my daughter. ***

Young Tyler Sogno has big dreams - he would like to buy a big boat, and sail all around the world. But, being an orphan, and a bit of a slacker, he knows that his dreams will never come true. However, when a disembodied voice tells him that there is a path to that brighter future, Tyler sits up and take notice. The voice tells him that to make his dreams come true, he must become an entrepreneur! What does Tyler have to do to become an entrepreneur? He (and we) are about to find out!

This book is a wonderful lesson in capitalism, presented in the form of a story. I am tempted to say an allegorical story, but in fact few things are veiled here. This book teaches the young reader all about what it takes to become an entrepreneur, everything from coming up with a product, getting the patents, developing the plant, and hiring employees.

I must admit, I wish I had had this book a couple of years ago. For a high school class, my nephew and some other students were supposed to develop the idea for a business to place on an island. They came up with exporting coconut bikinis and monkey butlers. They understood so little about what running a business meant, and this book would have told them.

Overall, I think that this is a great book, one that should be required reading in all American schools! I give this book my highest recommendation.

Oops, I almost forgot to mention...I love the characters in this book, especially the monkey J.J. Junglehammock, Attorney at Law. He cracked me up!

I really enjoyed Vintage. Many of the other reviews talk about the paranormal aspects of the novel, but it was the mundane that really made an impression on me. Berman manages to capture how vital friendship is when you're a teenager, how important it is to have someone on your side, especially when you find yourself embroiled in an unhealthy relationship.

Trace reminds me of the friends I had when I was a teenager. They weren't in the cool clique, but they were cool just the same. It made it easy to slip into the main character's shoes. Even though the main character is a young gay man, his problems and strengths were universal. I recommend it.

Vintage by Steve Berman is perhaps the most unusual gay teen coming out story I have ever read. A sometimes frightening, atmospheric ghost story that captivates the reader from page one, it is also very well-written with interesting and likable main characters. One of my 10 favourite reads of 2007.

Vintage is more than simply a ghost story, but I'll start my review there anyway, because I appreciate books that can truly take me away from my everyday world. The story follows a young man who has been estranged from his family who finds himself face-to-face with an ability he had only jokingly considered in the past. These newfound abilities lead him to progressively darker corners, and it is at these moments that I am completely sucked into the story and thrust into the chillingly real world of the main character. I found myself pulling the covers around myself tighter as I read, and several times fearful to read on.

But beyond the ghost story lies so much more. This is a tale about trying to find one's place in a world that is not always understanding of you; a tale about trying to find your match, not just in love, but in friendship; a tale about understanding and acceptance: of yourself and those around you.

Vintage is not just a ghost story. It's not just a love story. It's not just a coming of age story. It's all three, and Steve Berman does an excellent job of towing the line between all three.

What would be more difficult to tell your friends and family: that you are gay or that you can see ghosts?

Late one night, a teenage boy encounters a ghost while walking along a dark stretch of road. The ghost is that of a handsome high school athlete who was killed on that same road in 1957. Now the main character finds himself drawn into an obsessive relationship with the ghost. One that seems to get more dangerous with every encounter.

In addition to his troubled love life, the narrator is in the midst of a family and emotional crisis. While learning to accept his sexual orientation, without exactly "coming out," he has found himself rejected by his own parents. He now lives with his Aunt Jan, who is loving and generous, but will she accept him if she knows he is gay?

With the help of his best friend, Trace, he sets out to help the spirits find peace while trying to find a bit of peace for himself.

Steve Berman has created a clever mix of urban myth, Goth, and ghost story while also tackling the confusing issues as a teen deals with his sexual orientation. VINTAGE is a clever and haunting story with some delightfully creepy scenes.

Reviewed by: JodiG.

On the front of my copy of "Vintage" is a quote from a review, "More than a ghost story." Those few words perfectly describe what this book is about. It's a ghost story, a mystery, a coming-of-age story, a love story; but for me as a parent, it's a powerful story about being different. I was raised by a grandmother who taught me it was perfectly *normal* to "march to the beat of a different drummer," because that was what made us unique. I raised my son according and watched him struggle through school, alienated and harassed; because he didn't fit someone's definition of "normal."

"Vintage" is the story of a young man shunned and feared by his family because of his unique individuality and sexual orientation. He has found acceptance and a home with his aunt, but still feels the need to hide who he is, fearing the same rejection from his aunt that he received from his parents. His best friend Trace, is your normal (there's that word again!) type of best friend; sharing his secrets, his dreams and his fears. Trace is a person more comfortable with herself, happy and open; but her family is overshadowed by the disappearance of her older brother. My favorite character is Trace's younger brother, Second Mike (named after his missing, assumed dead, older brother). Second Mike is a sweet and gentle young man; different in his own way. Josh, the ghost who is possessively attracted to the narrator, is an interesting character whose story twists and turns throughout the book.

Berman has written a story that will appeal to all ages, a story with a message for all ages and a story that will send chills down your spine. If you don't want to read a story with a "message" (just give me the ghosts), that's cool; because as a ghost story the book delivers! The story kept me up late, anxiously turning the pages, looking over my shoulder at my bedroom shadows until the very last page.

He is large, ugly and not leaving their kitchen. He is a Wizard's Enforcer. He is Archer's Goon. But what is he doing in the Sykes' kitchen, claiming to be sent by Archer and demanding the "two thousand" promised by Howard's dad, Quentin, who had better come up with the payment--and quickly?

At first Howard is relieved to find the two thousand is only words, and that his writer father has already sent them. But he sent them to Mountjoy, the man with whom he usually deals. What does a man Quentin has never heard of want with them?

Howard is determined to find out, and before he knows it he is drawn into a bizarre plot that threatens not only his own family but the whole world.

Wickedly witty and full of Diana Wynne Jones's usual non-stop action and amazing plot twists (though the plot is not as convoluted as in many of her later books) Archer's Goon is a great read for both young and not-so-young.

(BTW, I find it extremely irritating that the BBC turned Archer's Goon into a TV serial but Television New Zealand never bothered to buy it. While it's probably available on DVD, DVDs from the BBC are horrendously and inexcusably expensive.)

This is my favorite of all her books that I've read (that being most of them). It's absolutely excellent, and the best example of her juxtapositions of mundane and esoteric reality there is. This trick of hers is something other authors try in vain to do - a very difficult trick indeed!

"A Goon is a being who melts into the foreground and sticks there."
"All power corrupts, but we need electricity."
"It pays to increase your word power."
- from the author's note

Although Jones seems to be classified as a "children's" author, I've found her a very fine fantasy writer with a sly sense of humor ever since I took amazon.com's advice and first read HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE. While ARCHER'S GOON (a stand-alone work rather than a volume in any of Jones' series) has a young protagonist, but like Jones' other work can be enjoyed by any fantasy reader, since she doesn't talk down to her audience.

On the morning the story opens, Howard Sykes faces a typical day of school, avoiding violin practice, and the usual clashes with his little sister (nicknamed 'Awful', with a voice like an ambulance siren). Just an ordinary day in an ordinary little town, right?

Then the title character, a huge thug promptly nicknamed 'the Goon', shows up.

"What's Dad done?"
"Told her. Sykes got behind with his payment. Archer wants his two thousand. Here to collect it."
"Who *is* Archer?"
"Archer farms this part of town. Your dad pays, Archer doesn't make trouble."

In exchange for being let off his taxes - and maybe other things - Howard's father has been sending 2000 words in an envelope to City Hall every month for years. Sykes tries to laugh this off, saying it's a private joke he used to break his writer's block years ago - but now one sibling after another of the seven siblings running the town wants to get hold of the last batch of words and figure out what Archer's been up to all this time. Despite being adults, the siblings don't get on any better than Howard and Awful do; they've just got a truce by which they've divvied up the city. (One sister runs law enforcement while her twin handles crime, for example; Archer runs city power, Hathaway transportation. The brother who got last choice got waste management.) We eventually meet each sibling in turn; in some cases, the main characters must work out where that particular sibling's HQ must be, given their discipline.

The siblings settled into town about a decade before the story opens, planning to use it as a base for taking over the world - but they can't even get along with each other except for staying out of each other's way, and some seem to have changed their minds about running the world. But at least one appears to be interfering with all the others - all of them seem magically constrained to stay within the city limits, although they all deny knowing who did it, how, or why. The siblings have different personalities, and one or two really *are* efficient enough at organization to run the world if they can get free of the town.

Sitting down and asking myself why I like this book so much, I think it's basically the same reason I like some of GK Chesterton's grand conspiracy stories: on the surface we have an ordinary, apparently completely mundane and boring setting - but underneath that surface, even the most mundane activity may cover the activities of some agent of a colorful conspiracy. For instance, Hathaway doesn't get out much, which explains the town's disorganized road construction programs and why potholes don't get fixed properly. Archer has his secret lair in a bank vault and likes gadgets. The brother who runs entertainment travels with an entourage of disco dancers and the local cathedral choir when he wants to foil eavesdroppers.

The Goon himself *looks* very threatening, and refuses to leave without Archer's overdue batch of words, but he's easily bullied about little things like where he puts his feet, and can almost be overlooked like a large pet or easygoing protector - a dangerous assumption to make, perhaps.

This book was way fun to read, full of humor, magic and character. Amazing to think that when Diana Wynne Jones wrote this even SHE didn't know what was going to happen.

Howard Sykes comes home one day to find a goon- a huge dirty guy, anyway- sitting in his kitchen, saying that he comes from Archer, and refusing to move until he gets the 2000 words Howard's father owes him.

But the words got misplaced by Fifi, a college student who stays at the Sykes's house. So Fifi, Howard and Howard's little sister, Awful (who can live up to her name at times) go to find it.

Well, one thing leads to another and they soon find out that the whole town is run by 7 wizards (who are all related).

For me to give you a play by play here would take too long, but if you're thinking of reading this or just looking for a great book to read, I HIGHLY recommend this.

I'm not gonna lie to you. This book is about a Goon belonging to Archer. To be exact, it is about the repercussions of living with a Goon for an extended amount of time. I've slowly been devouring the collected works of Diana Wynne Jones and so far I haven't been disappointed by a single one of her titles. Each book is even odder and more bizarre than the last, often causing the reader to clasp his or her head from time to time and shout, "How does she think this stuff up?". "Arthur's Goon" is no exception to this rule. A brilliantly warped view of absolute power corrupting absolutely and the power plays that go on between siblings (no matter what their age), this book deserves to be remembered as one of the best children's novels out there today.

Walter comes home one day to discover a Goon sitting in his family's kitchen. Your typical hired heavy, the Goon has been sent by the mysterious Archer to collect from Walter's dad about 2000 words. It seems that for the last 13 years Walter's father (Howard) has been writing 2000 words a month and sending them off to a mysterious somebody. Now the words have become misplaced and the Goon has been sent to collect. As Howard steadfastly refuses to type any more, things start to go a little crazy. It isn't long before Walter and his family come to realize that their town is run by seven power mad sibling wizards. These wizards have been trapped in the town and each one runs a different part of it. For example, Dillian farms (that means runs) the police force while Shine farms crime. Now it's up to Walter to solve the mystery of the seven mysterious beings and to figure out who exactly is behind their entrapment within the town.

Author Jones is equally a master at engaging peculiar characters as she is creating complex multi-layered plots. You grow to love the Goon as he grows horribly lovesick for a young college student staying with Walter and his family. And who wouldn't identify with Walter when he has to deal with his appropriately nicknamed little sister Awful. I would venture to guess that she's the worst little sister character I have ever encountered in a kid's book, and that's saying a lot. Then there's the mystery to contend with. As Walter meets more and more of the seven the reader slowly is given clues to understand who's behind it all. Not since Raskin's, "The Westing Game" did I have this much fun with a mysterious kid's book. And to be honest, I never guessed the ending until I was told. The surprise twist this book carries is a doozy. If you figure out who's behind it all before they tell you then you're probably the kind of person who downs Agatha Christie novels like pop tarts.

Unfortunately, I have a bone to pick with this book. Sad to say, either I wasn't bright enough for some of the loose ends here or they were just too darn loose. The ending of this story is never fully explained and (to be frank) I don't believe we ever do find out EXACTLY how the seven brothers and sisters were trapped in the town at all. Some of these points are glossed over so beautifully that it takes a full three hours after putting the book down to realize what it is that you have missed. Now I'm 26 years of age and if I can't understand parts of this tale it's probably a fair guess that your average 10 year-old reader with have similar problems.

Still, that's my only quarrel. There's so much to love here that I feel a little dour making these kinds of comments. I mean, how can you dislike a book where a character like Awful is constantly asking the seven wizards where they come in order of birth so that she can better understand the pecking order in the family? It's a delightful tale about family fights and what it is that exactly makes up a family at all. And then of course there's the goon. Last of all I display for you the fabulous goon that starts this book rolling and, quite possibly, ends it. Here's to goons, ladies and gentlemen! May they grace the pages of more and more children's books in the future.

Percy and friends have it hard this time. Annabeth has been chosen to lead a team into the labyrinth, which they have discovered an entry in Camp Half-Blood. Grover has been given a week to fine the God, Pan, or his searcher's license will be revoked. Luke is an ever present threat, as well as Kronos. But I can't tell too much more, or I will give it all away.

This series is still good. In fact, it's so good. I devoured this book in about two sittings and now I should reread it because, wow... it's so good! I feel like Riordan is starting to go downward on his story arc, so I believe we can expect one, maybe two more books, and that is it. That said, these are quite popular, and Riordan may be compelled to pull an L. Frank Baum and just continue to write the series.

These are still one of my favorites. I like them more than Harry Potter, still, because it's Greek mythology and that has always been a favorite of mine. I will be sad to see these go. That said, we have a little while before that happens. I'm so glad that Riordan continues to write this, and I am so glad that it is snowballing in popularity. I love these books. I loved this book. I am so happy about it all.

Percy Jackson always knew he was different...turns out that he's a demi-god...that means the child of a god and a mortal - at a certain age, he gets the word to go to a camp for these kids - it's called appropriately Camp Half-Blood...
You know the Greek Gods - they were powerful and er, prolific...needless to say there are a lot of kids at the camp!
Each summer these kids go on a quest - things are happening - the Titans are trying to come back and defeat the Greek Gods - Yikes!
The kids of the camp have to enter the Labyrinth to stop the Titan revolt. They meet another child of Athena - Daedalus - remember Daedalus and his son Icarus? That's the guy -
This book continues to amaze the adventure and Rick Riordan is amazingly accurate in his knowledge in Greek Mythology - I take my Hamilton book on mythology out and learn more and more every time I read one of Riordan's books.
Love Percy Jackson - OK the series is for kids...but us big kids really love the series too.
Long live Camp Half-Blood!

You have to read this book. It's action packed, fun and just a good read. I haven't even read the book yet!










































































LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL

This is one of the best books I've read recently. It is cool because it has all the Greek Gods. It is a fast pased adventure/fantasy book with great dialog. I would recomend it to anyone.

The Battle of the Labyrinth is the fourth of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, following The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters, and The Titan's Curse. Several new gods are introduced, and the book picks up an ominous pace as it draws closer to the finale, and the determining battle between gods and Titans.

Percy Jackson has just been accepted to a new school. Again. And despite his every intention not to get kicked out of this one too, being a demigod with Poseidon as your father tends to attract trouble. And monsters, in the form of peppy-but-deadly cheerleaders. After accidentally starting a fire, Percy makes a break for it - along with a mortal girl, Rachel Elizabeth Dare, who has the unusual ability to see through the Mist, the substance that usually hides gods and monsters from mortal eyes.

When he finally makes it back to Camp Half-Blood, Percy finds that all is not well there. His friend Grover is in danger of losing his lifelong dream, his friend Annabeth is treating him oddly, and - worst of all - Nico di Angelo, the half-blood son of Hades, is still at large, trying to bring back his dead sister in exchange for another, living soul.

But all of these pale in comparison to the danger of Kronos, whose followers are growing and whose resurrection is now imminent. When Annabeth is assigned a quest through the perilous Labyrinth of Daedalus, she takes Percy along for the ride - as well as Grover and Percy's Cyclops half-brother, Tyson.

This is the most exciting and action-packed book yet, as the darkness closes in. Real losses and horrors are experienced in this one, both private and large-scale. It is clear that the final battle is drawing near, the battle in which - according to the prophecy - either Percy, or Nico di Angelo, will have a pivotal role to play in either the victory or destruction of Olympus and the gods.

Highly recommended.

Rating: Very good

I'll admit it... I'm a sucker for a Beauty and the Beast story. I've read them all. And I have to say that this one was perfect. I read it in one sitting. I loved the characters, the setting, the changes in Kyle/Adrian, the story telling voice.

I just can't say enough good things about this book. I will definitely look for more works by this author.

I was in for a surprise when I was a little bit into the book and realized this was another take on Beauty and the Beast. Slow, I know. But realizing this did not deter my opinion of and interest in the book. The characters were believable and even the rotten main character was lovable. Whether or not you like the tale of Beauty and the Beast, you'll enjoy this story!

There are several excellent retellings of the classic story of Beauty and the Beast but this is the only one with a modern aproach that gives it a entertaining twist

I love the story of Beauty and the Beast in all its forms, but this has to be my favorite. Alex Flinn has put the Beast in high school, made him a snotty prom king and cursed him by the hand of a goth-girl witch. And once the enchantment begins, this book moves from the realm of retelling into something truly powerful, fresh and new. The love story is real and believable and Flinn's considerable descriptive powers put movie scenes in your head you'll want to replay over and over. This one is bound to become a classic.

Kyle Kingsbury is rich, good-looking, has a celebrity father, and is elected the prince of popularity at school. Influenced by his neglecting father, who teaches him that the only person who will ever love him is himself, he lives his life in an arrogant, cruel manner, getting thrills out of hurting others. When he deceives a girl at school with the sole purpose of humiliating her, and the girl (who happens to be a witch) retaliates, he finds himself under a beastly curse until he can learn to love and is loved in return.

The most interesting part of the story is the great transformation of Kyle. In the beginning he is truly selfish and vile and undergoes a substantial physical change which leads to a deeper, inward change that is believable. Lindy is not as compelling a character as I would have enjoyed. She needs more wit or cleverness to make her truly something unique. He seems to fall in lust with her more than love (thinking of running his hands over her thin dress, etc).

Warning for YA readers: There are references to sex with girlfriend at the beginning of book, alcohol use, mildly offensive language, and general sensuality.

Zac and Tash are on their home planet, but they had to leav quickley because the planet was going to be blown up by the death star, a weapen created by the empire. Zac Tash and their uncle Hoole were put on a transporter to get to the nearest planet. The planet was called City of the Dead. They went to the planet to buy a star ship, but while on the planet Zac made some friends and to get into the club. He had to go into the middle of the sacreat grave yard and stab a knife into the ground in front of the mosleam but when he does a hand shoots out of the ground and grabs his foot.

IT IS A GOOD BOOK I RENTED IT FROM MY SCHOOL LIBRARY FOR ACR . I DID NOT REALLY WANT TO READ IT . BUT IM GLAD I DID. IT IS A GOOD BOOK

OMG! You have to have this book if you like this series. It's great. But I warn you...it's HIGHLY freaky and so sad....sniffle...While voyaging to the planet Necropilis Tash and Zak run into some big problems...and meet some new friends. This stroy was well written , and hautingly sad , as I went to be crying soon after....be warned chara death....but nothing seroius. So anywayz you SHOULD SHOULD SHOULD buy it.

This is the most coolest book I have ever read. Zak was In the hands of bobafett for some time . zaks friend died from DR. DEATH and nobody belived him. will zak be DR. DEATH'S next victim . If you want to know read this book It will blow you away. Buy this book today.

If you like action and fun this is a great book to read, I got it mainly because I like Boba Fett and when I read I loved it. It's a great story about Zac and Tash and their Uncle Hoole go to a planet called Necropolis and how they get pretty mixed up with Boba and get into a bit of trouble.

RATS! RATS IN THE HUNDREDS! If you like rats this is the book for you. Why, there's a whole city of the things. Oh, and one horribly powerful being of unspeakable evil that can supposedly never be destroyed.

Happy reading!

(is a kids book)

If you ever want to read a good book, you need to read the series of Deltora Quest. These books are about a prince named Lief, an old palace guard named Bardah, and a wild girl from the forests of silence named Jasmine. In the book, the Shadowlord has taken over the kingdom of Deltora, and has taken the seven gems from the Belt of Deltora and has put them in seven very dangerous places to guard the gems. Now that Lief is old enough, he, Bardah, and Jasmine will go recover the seven gems. I would reccomend that all people interested in adventures books needs to read this book.I have read lot's of books, but none of the books that I've read have been this good.I also guarantee that you will like this book just as much as I did.

1. Deltora Quest is about a boy named Leif, Jasmine, and Barda. They are looking for the third stone, THE OPAL. The opal's power is to tell the future.
2.The Deltora Quest series is good, but to me, the third book is the best.
3. The dynamic character is Leif because he changes though the series.
4. I recommend this to people whom like fantasy books.

this book is the best deltora book in the first series its a story of how friends stick together but there was no monkeys or hot chicks and no pictues but there are monsters around every cornerand i was omg omgthere were going to eaten i was like i started to run and i started to fart and they all died and i was like i saved the world. "weres my clothes?, i dont know im tring to write a review here look what u made me write o well" this book get my lowest rate ever 7 thumbs up it lost some points cause it had a great cover

THE CITY OF THE RATS is the third edition of the DELTORA QUEST series. When Iread I felt a soft tingling and realized for the third time a Emily Rodda book was drawing me in. I could feel her literary power coursing through me and I must advise young immpresionable children to stay away from this book as it will give them nightmares. Now I must make a comment relevant to the subject: because DELTORA QUEST is based on Welsh Mythology like THE LORD OF THE RINGS and THE CHRONICLES OF PRYDAIN why wasn't one of the rats a twisted little creep obssessed with the Opal, the new gem our heroes are after? I have no clue but I think Emily Rodda is trying to force us to learn from our repeating history which has included creepy rats conquering whole cities, or at least paralyzing them with fear.

I love the Outlander Series. I read Outlander for the first time back in the early 90's when it first came out, couldn't wait for the next ones as they came! I just read A Breath of Snow & Ashes and LOVED it just as much as the others in the series. NOW I'm kicking myself in the rear! I had the whole set, and got rid of them about a year ago because I'd gotten out of reading. NOW I just bought the Outlander book again, and read it, now I need the others...going to read the whole series again. I love Claire and Jamie!

I will make this simple buy the book and start reading I swear you will not want to put it down. I have my mother in law to thank for introducing me to the series. I am in love with the books and now have convinced my very macho husband to read them. The Author is very convincing and I swear it is like you are there with them through it all. I can't wait for the next one.

I have read all six of the Outlander series several times. Diana Gabaldon is an extraordinary writer, imaginative, talented, and extremely creative, and the overwhelming response to her stories is indicative of her talents in this genre. She has interwoven romance, history, and adventure into a mesmerizing tale which captures the attention of the readers, holding them spellbound and breathless as each page is turned. Her writing has inspired many, including myself, to learn more about Scotland and the people who lived/live there, their way of life, their haunting music, traditions, and history. I note that one of the reviews (2 stars) was critical of the male/female views of that era in Scottish history. Too bad that reader didn't read the entire series as she missed out on a great adventure. One should not take it personal that the values of that era included "ownership" of the wife; that ownership also included protection and security, of which many current wives do not now have. I rate the Outlander series with 5 stars.

The Outlander series is definitely on my current top 5 list, along with Earth's Children (Clan of the Cave Bear), Harry Potter, His Dark Materials (Golden Compass) and Song of the Lioness (Alanna). The writing is so vivid and well done, it really transports you to a different time. The love story between Jamie and Claire is one of the best I've ever read, but the book really is more of an adventure. Claire is an awesome heroine, second only to Ayla on my fictional heroines list. Consequently, I was sad to read the review that gave the book only 2 stars. Please don't let this affect your decision on buying this book. The author of said review did not even finish reading book 1 let alone the rest of the series!

It's been sometime since I've read all books in the Outlanders series and happened to read the person who wrote the 2star comments and just had to write a review.
As this person pointed out the time period was different and she didn't lose any of her stubborn nature but grudingly came to realize that men in the period were respected for how they managed everything they owned, including women, as they were also considered property. She forgave him for the time period's mentality, not because he enjoyed doing it.
I think this person shouldn't let one incident influence their opinion of a great series of book!

I loved this book. It was exceptional. I thought it was funny and exciting, and had everything an Animorph book should. Tobias is one of my favorite characters, and Rachel IS my favorite. Both of these characters were in it a lot, and that was another plus. I loved the chapters when they told their families what they are and what they could do. Rachel's mom reacted so stupidly it was funny. My eyes were glued to the pages without exception for the two and half hours it took me to read it. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone. A must-have addition to the Animorphs series!

This book is my FAVORITE Animorophs book and I've read most of them. The Yeerks begin to realize the "Andalite bandits" are really humans. (most of them) So with the Yeerks closing in The Animorphs and their families must evacuate to the Hork-Bajir valley. Jake parents are taken and made into Controllers and Tobias finds his long lost mother, Loren. This book is really great.

I love books about Tobais and this is his best book yet. The Yeearks are starting to realize that the so called analite bandits are humans and are collecting the animorph's blood to see if there is a family match. Guess whose match they find; Tobais's mother. Tobais's mother is blind and has amensia. Tobais morphs his mother's guide dog and gets her to safety.

I think this book is one of the best Tobias books, but it seems so abrupt when he meets his mother. It's almost like Tobias says, "Hi, I'm your son." Then it's as if his mother says, "Oh. Okay then. I knew that." I don't really like that part. Otherwise, it's pretty good. There are good Rachel and Tobias parts, an appropriate amount of action, and a great deal of emotion.

Yep,that right.The Yeerks are finally begining to think that maybe the 'Andalite Bandits' aren't Andalites at all,maybe they're human.So they have figure out how to tesst them, DNA.Because every time when the Animorphs are in battle, they lose some blood.So if the Yeerks test it they will find DNA strands of every animal the have acquired,and their actual human DNA.They will know who they are, infact the Yeerk computer has already found a match.The Animorphs try to break in and destroy the computer,but they're stopped.But before they leave they see the one match on the computer,its somebody by the name of Loren, Tobias' mother......Tobias is shocked,everyone has always told him his mother is dead,He has to see her and he wants to save her,Jake doesn't really like that idea,He thinks she could be a Yeerk.So Tobias,Marco and Ax will watch her house for 3 days,and if she doesn't go to the Yeerk pool during that time they will know if she safe,but by then so will the Yeerks....But the computer is still going,and soon the other Animorphs' family members will turn up as matches too........

This is definatley one of the best,and one of my favorites!!!!!I loved the story, its a classic Animorph book...This one,like most Animorphs,really get you into the story,you feel like your really morphing,really in the battle,and really feeling the emoitions and thinking the thoughts....I strongly recomend this book,it Incredible!!!!!!!!