Studios Books

This is a must have for anyone who likes either franchise or just loves to see the behind the scene special effects stuff.

From the moment I saw the first Alien and Predator movies I was hooked on the franchise. AvP heightened my elation even further and then I got this book. The detail of each creature, the techniques of the artists and engineers, and the overall format are beautifully done! A totally inspiring glimpse into the world of making monsters.

This calendar is a must for anyone who appreciates the birds that you see everyday and their beauty. Great photos! Very lifelike!

The pictures are very lifelike and create an appreication for the birds that you see everyday. Well worth the money!

This a great introduction to Sudoku! It was perfect for my five-year old granddaughter who does not love this sort of activity--she could do it with my direction fairly easily. My seven-year old grandson could do it on his own. I highly recommend this!

As a Sudoku enthusiast myself, I was naturally interested in exposing my 4-year-old daughter to the puzzles but, while she is good with numbers, I felt that number puzzles would be too difficult for her. When I found this book I thought I would give it a try and it's been a hit. The puzzles help her to build logic and reasoning skills. Though she's done most of them with either my help or that of my husband, she is skilled at figuring them out and usually only wants us to reassure her that she's placing the stickers in the correct squares. She likes them so much that I ordered a Sponge Bob book for her.

I continually sit and just look through this book, I love the pictures and the variety.

I am the founder of the Antique Purse Collectors Society and am so glad I found this book!

This book has so many HOT FALCON models in it -- you have to pick it up a few times ...

The name Falcon is a byword for quality photographs. Falcon Studios has produced superstars Ken Ryker, Mike Branson and Jeremy Penn - stars who are legendary. This all-color post card book is a compilation of some of the best Falcon photos. American heroes in stunning quality.

There is so little available on the subject of black artists in America. This was written in 1971 and includes many of the major artists from then and before including such greats as Fred R. Wilson , Elizabeth Catlett,Noah Purifoy, Jacob Lawrence, Reggie Gammon, John Riddle, Ruth Waddy and many others. The interesting information and photos of both the artist and their work is very helpful in doing research on this subject. Thank you for making this book available. I wish there were many more of this quality which were more contemporary.It is very difficult to find this book in bookstores around the country and it is very important that it is available to collectors and schalars.

There is so little available on the subject of black artists in America. This was written in 1971 and includes many of the major artists from then and before including such greats as Fred R. Wilson , Elizabeth Catlett,Noah Purifoy, Jacob Lawrence, Reggie Gammon, John Riddle, Ruth Waddy and many others. The interesting information and photos of both the artist and their work is very helpful in doing research on this subject. Thank you for making this book available. I wish there were many more of this quality which were more contemporary.It is very difficult to find this book in bookstores around the country and it is very important that it is available to collectors and schalars.

Fabulous illuminations;
I became fascinated with and got attached to those stunningly beautiful initials, the most amazing calligraphy I ever examined in my life. I have been also amazed by and curious about the four Symbols of the Gospel writers, since I first encountered in the Chapel of the Episcopalian Bishop of NC in Raleigh, and was informed that they were influenced by the preaching Coptic Monks to the Celts and Scots.
Only people of developed artistic orientation, could appreciate how beautiful these genuinely original decorations reach out to the overwhelmed reader. Alas that parts of the Gospel according to St. Luke are missing from the original Codex.

Religous Celtic Art:
Long before the coming of St. Augustine of Canterbury in 597, Christianity has been introduced among the Brittons, by Coptic missionaries who reached as far as the British Isles. "We do not yet know how much we in the British Isles owe to these remote Coptic hermits...Everyone knows that the handicraft of the Irish monks in the ninth and tenth centuries far excelled anything that could be found elsewhere in Europe. Their unrivaled illuminations, can be traced to the influence of Egyptian missionaries, we have more to thank the Copts for than has been imagined." Eminent historian: Stanley Lane-Poole.

Kells' mini hardcovers:
The variety of exquisite little hardcover reproduction volumes are reproductions of parts of the original illuminated manuscripts. They are magnificent, with gold-leaf detailing and sumptuous full-color illustrations, making them a perfect gift for all who cherish the rich legacy of Christian art. The original illuminated manuscript, is permanently on display, since the 19th, in the Library of Trinity College Dublin.
It is one of the most beautiful of the world's most famous manuscript. It contains 680 pages (or 340 folios). Just two of the pages are without ornament, while about thirty folios, including some major decorated pages, have been lost. Two volumes can normally be seen, one opened to display a major decorated page, and one to show two pages of script.A CD-ROM version of all 340 folios from the Book of Kells is available for purchase.


Origin of Book of Kells:
The Book of Kells, was most probably copied by hand and illuminated by monks around the year 800 A.D. Its name is derived from the Abbey of Kells, in the Irish Midlands, where it was kept from at least the 9th century to 1541, it was probably begun on the island of Iona. It is uncertainly presumed, that portions of the book were made at Kells, after Viking raids on Iona forced the monastery to retreat to the isolated location. It contains the four gospels, preceded by prefaces, summaries, and canon tables or concordances of gospel passages. It is written on vellum and contains a Latin text of the Gospels in insular majuscule script accompanied by magnificent and intricate whole pages of decoration with smaller painted decorations appearing throughout the text. The manuscript was given to Trinity College in the 17th century and since 1953 has been bound in four volumes.

Book of Columba:
This same Irish manuscript containing the Four Gospels, is known also as the "Book of Columba", probably because it was written in the monastery of Iona to honour the saint. Some small portions at the beginning and end of the manuscript have been lost, but otherwise it is in a very good state of preservation. It was apparently left unfinished, since some of the ornaments remain only in outline. It is written in part black, red, purple or yellow ink, and it has been thought that the hands of two scribes, neither of whom is known by name, are discernible in the writing and illumination of the manuscript.

Book's Beauty:
This is the most copiously illuminated manuscript of the four Gospels in existence. No words can describe the beauty and splendour of the richly coloured initial letters, which are more profuse in the "Book of Kells" than in any other manuscript. The artist possessed a wonderful knowledge of the proportion of colour and the distribution of his material -sienna, purple, lilac, red, pink, green, yellow, most often used, and the shade tinting of the letters was managed with fine taste and skill. A series of illuminated miniatures, including pictorial representations of the Evangelists and their symbols, the Blessed Virgin and the Divine Child, are worthy of notice. It is no wonder that it was believed that the "Book of Kells" could have been written only by angels (very artistic indeed!).

Composition and Loss:
The date of the composition of the book can hardly be placed earlier than the end of the seventh or beginning of the eighth century, It is likely that it is to this book that the entry in the "Annals of Ulster" under the year 1006 refers, recording that in that year the "Gospel of Columba" was stolen. According to tradition, the book is a relic from the time of St. Columba (d. 597) and even the work of his hands, but, on palaeographic grounds and judging by the character of the ornamentation, this tradition cannot be sustained. This must be the book reported at Kildare in the last quarter of the twelfth century, described in glowing terms. Later, it was located at the cathedral of Kells (Irish Cenannus) in Meath, a foundation of Columba's, where it remained for a long time, until the year 1541. Archbishop Ussher presented it to Trinity College, Dublin, In the 17th century where it is the most precious manuscript in its library and by far the choicest relic of Irish art that has been preserved.

Manuscript Ornaments& Designs: The most characteristic ornaments of the Book of Kells, as of other illuminated Irish manuscripts of the period, are the coloured representations of fanciful beings, or of men, animals, birds, horses, dogs, and grotesque, gargoyle-like human figures, twisted and hooked together in intricate detail, a system of geometrical weaving of ribbons plaited and knotted together.
The versatility and inventive genius of the illustrator surpasses all belief. Lines diverge and converge in endless succession, and the most intricate figures, in lavish abundance and with astounding variety of ornament, are combined and woven into one harmonious design. In spite of the extent of the work and its thousands of exquisite initials and terminals, there is not a single pattern or combination that can be said to be a copy of another. The artist shows a wonderful technique in designing and combining various emblems, the cross, vine, dragon, fish, and serpent. The drawing is perfection itself. It has been examined under a powerful magnifying glass for hours at a time and found to be, even in the most minute and complicated figures, without a single false or irregular line.

*Most of this review material are from Trinity web & New Advent

This is indeed the superior history of the Battle of New Orleans and is especially valuable for the analysis of the
political stakes. In short, the British had every intention of adding this city to their collection of overseas naval bases (which
eventually included Gibraltar, Capetown, Hong Kong and a failed
attempt at Toulon) and had worded the peace treaty to permit this, had they succeeded in its capture. The modern claim that the battle was meaningless because it took place in the month after the signing of the treaty, is not correct.

To win the battle, but lose the war is an apt cliche for the Americans regarding the Battle of New Orleans and the War of 1812. Despite the title, this book is about more than the Battle of New Orleans and spends significant time discussing the causes of the War of 1812, the major battles of the war and the peace negotiations. (In fact, Reilly doesn't begin to address the Battle of New Orleans until page 171 in a book of 371 pages of text.) The book does several things well. It assesses dispassionately the role of military and political leadership in crucial events and battles of the War. The essential role of generalship and statesmanship in these affairs is one of the sub-themes of the work. Reilly demonstrates well the crucial relationship between the events and strategies of the War of 1812 and the Napoleonic Wars of Europe. Unlike many military histories, this book demonstrates why particular tactics were or were not sensible. Finally, it debunks legends and sometimes conventional wisdom about the war and battle with the use of the contemporary papers, diaries and court-martial records.

This book is packed full of colorful, eye-catching illistrations along with text true to the show. Many of the monsters included can be easily recognized by any true fan. Includes ways to make your own demon characters!

"The Monster Smackdown" is a supplement for the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" roleplaying game, a counterpart to the "Slayer's Handbook" that is also available. Written by Thom Marrion, with assistance form a lot of others, this volume builds on the canon of the Buffyverse (through the show's first six seasons) and expands it to help players of the roleplaying game create new scenarios. While most of the monsters on "BtVS" were based on real world supernatural myths and legends, that is not seen as a limitation but a starting point for Directors. So while "Monster Smackdown" provides a summary of that mythology as it pertains to the darker side of the Buffyverse, it also introduces you to the rules and tools for you to expand your own neck of the "BtVS" underworld as your little (still beating) heart desires.

The book is divided into seven chapters: (1) Welcome to the Hellmouth summarizes the major points about monsters in the Buffyverse that gives you some ideas for locating Hellmouths in other places and a quick lesson on various demon dimensions; (2) Die Young, Live Forever is a detailed look at vampires, from abilities and weaknesses to notes on the soul and mortality; (3) From Hell runs down the "regular" demons who are considered lower-tier threats; (4) Everything You Ever Dreaded Under Your Bed collects all the various non-vamp, non-demon creatures that have appeared in the Buffyverse; (5) Bads, Big and Small focuses on the "name" adversaries for Buffy, from Adam and Angelus to Sweet and Mr. Trick, in what is by far the longest chapter in the book; (6) Monster Spawning provides tips for Directors creating their own adversaries and includes some cast member monsters, new creature qualities, new powers, and new archetypes; (7) The Once and Future HST is a ready-to-slay episode containing a major turning point in the on-going Djinn Season that we have been following along in these Eden Studio publications.

The book is filled with those pithy quotations that made "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" a test of your pop culture knowledge, boxes containing additional information and supplemental charts and tables, and fiction sections or cut scenes that give you a sense of what sort of scenarios you can play out in these games. These books are filled with photographs and illustrations, with gorgeous production values, so that they will appeal to fans of the series who are not necessarily interested in playing the game (which explains why they are on the shelf of my fancy bookcase next to my volumes of "BtVS" scripts).

"The Slayer's Handbook" is a supplement for the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" role playing game. The inspiration, of course, comes from the episode "What's My Line?: Part Two," where Buffy was astounded to find out that Kendra has been reading the Slayer's handbook and demanded to know why Giles had not provided her with a copy. This version has not been passed down by the Watcher's Council but is the product of game designer C. J. Carella, writers Timothy S. Brannan and David F. Chapman, assisted by some able quotemeisters.

Included in the "Slayer's Handbook" includes background on being a Slayer, tales of the Slayers, and advice for Directors on using Slayers in their games. You will also find new character creation ideas, qualities and drawbacks, equipment, and more character analysis, as well as guidelines for alternative settings in a Slayer-oriented game, including different places, times, and histories. There are also three ready-to-play mini-settings for Slayers of all shapes and sizes as well as a complete Episode continuing the plotline begun in the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Corebook." While the information is geared towards the role playing game, there is also a concerted effort to make sense out of the Buffyverse as revealed in the television series over the first six seasons. This is actually a good starting point, because the seventh season in general and the final episode in particular totally rewrites the rules for Slayers.

Be aware that these books go beyond the Buffy canon, but explicitly so. So while you get character information for the Chinese Slayer and the New York Slayer along with Kendra and Faith, but new creations such as the Reluctant Slayer, Dark Slayer, Slayer Heiress, etc. This volume also provides character type heroes (e.g., Rebel Without a Clue, Slayer Gunslinger), white hats (e.g., Wannabe Shaman), and sundry Hellworld critters (e.g., Behemoth, Flesh Rider). The back of the book contains character creation basics and updated tables for qualities and drawbacks, armor, combat maneuvers, and base damage.

Be aware that there are a couple of more supplemental volumes out there, "Monster Smackdown," that covers vampires, demons, and major villains from the show, and "The Magic Box," which explores the history of magic and supernatural in the Buffyverse. There is also a Corebook out for "Angel" as well.

At the beginning of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Core Rulebook," writer and designer C. J. Carella acknowledges that the reader of this volume could just as easily be a Buffy fanatic as a veteran of role playing games. Indeed, Carella considers it a safe assumption that anyone who gets to page 194 of this volume is a fan of the show (but he sees advantages for those who are not). Of course, I am the former, although I do remember an evening with college friends trying unsuccessfully to get me hooked on Dungeon & Dragons and my daughter and I have attempted the Buffy the Vampire CCG game a few times (I am happy just to collect the cards). Certainly, Carella has put together a gorgeous volume. On top of that, the role playing game, part of the Unisystem, might actually prove to be fun as well.

The "BtVS RPG" covers a lot of ground (by its own admission), from rules to stats to descriptions to backgrounds. There are eight chapters and an appendix: (1) "It's the Slayer's World, We Just Play Here" contains introductory sections, notes about role playing, a list of conventions, and a brief recap of Seasons One through Five of the television series (note, breakdown is by season rather than episode specific); (2) "Some Assembly Required" covers character creation and provides the game stats for the main characters as well as a gallery of Archetypes (e.g., New Slayer, Demon Hunter, and Former Vampire Groupie); (3) "Rules, Borders, and an End Zone" provides the rules of the game, teaching you how to play the game, when to use dice, detailing character development, and explaining the importance of Drama Points; (4) "Playing With Primal Forces" explains the upside and the downside of magic in the Buffyverse; (5) "Sunnydale After Dark" goes over both the favorite hotspots in and around the home of the Hell Mouth and the major Guest Stars of the show such as Joyce, Amy, Jonathan, etc.; (6) "Children of the Night" covers all of the vamps, demons, and other Big Bads from the show's first five seasons, providing such great details as character motivation (e.g., Glorificus wants to go home but Drusilla is just a "Whimsical nutjob"); (7) "Episodes, Seasons and Drama" is for the Director of the game and provides guidelines on how to create storylines and run games; and (8) "Sweeps Week" provides an actual adventure for the "BtVS RG" game, to be played with the Archetypes. Finally, the "Appendix" helps you hone your Buffyspeak and also provides useful charts and tables, a glossary, an index and conversion notes from other Unisystem games.

Christopher Golden, who has written some of the best "BtVS" novels along with the comic book and "The Watcher's Guides," writes the Foreword to this volume, which is basically a teaser for a role playing game. My son, who has considerably more experience with role playing games than I do, assures me this is fairly basic stuff and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" is a natural for this sort of fun. It is well established that "BtVS" is my favorite television show and I am fascinated by the details for the role playing game Carella has developed (e.g., the idea that guidelines are providing for "Breaking Things" tickles me). I also like the idea that playing the game can be developed in terms of Episodes and Seasons as well, providing a grand narrative structure to the fighting and biting. For those who love both "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and role playing games, this Core Rulebook as to be a treat.