Fiction Books

My daughter LOVES these books!!! Thanks for making it easy for me to get them for her!

This is either the best or the second best Redwall book. It's the direct sequel to the Original Redwall, so there will be a lot of familier characters. Complete with 3 huge battles, a cruel monster that lurks in the dark, and an evil slaver named Slager, this book is ultimate, and I highly reccomend it!

Why are the most known and far better books of the Redwall universe the first ones done? Well, they're the first ones done, and they were actually pretty good. 'Mattimeo', along with 'Mossflower', and possibly maybe even 'Salamandastron', were one of the best Redwall books. To me. I don't know if it applies to the rest of you readers, but I stick by my comment. 'Mattimeo' was a well done book. It was also one of the biggest, probably the biggest Redwall book. It's actually a quest I'd actually look forward to reading, and for once, the Redwall creatures are showing emotion that is actually true rather than just coming out strained and downright terrible like in Jacques' recent works.

'Mattimeo' takes place seasons and seasons after the 'Redwall' book, the true sequel, and it focuses on Sela's supposedly dead son, Chickenhound. He is now called Slagar the Cruel, has his band of wicked beasts that we know will probably be weasels, ferrets, rats, stoats...those guys. Slagar is noticed as one of the most intelligent, wicked, and more insane of any warlord that came before or after him. His face is horribly disfigured, cause of a snake's bite and painful venom, and he hides his deformity using a skull mask. Believing his own lies of how the Redwall creatures had betrayed him, he plans to seek revenge by stealing the children of Redwall under the Redwaller's noses and selling them to Malkariss, a warlord who dwells in the underground, building an empire, made from the paws of many slave children.

This story works well, extremely well, as Mattimeo, Matthias' son, slowly becomes a hardened warrior during the time of his capture and how he is forced to endure harsh beatings, cruel words, and many deaths as he is led to Malkariss' kingdom. And while the warriors of Redwall chase after Slagar, the Redwallers are having troubles of their own back at the abbey. General Ironbeak and his birds are set on seizing it. The techniques that Slagar uses to outsmart his pursuers are classic and clever, but for some reason I do not like Ironbeak's part in how he tries to conquer the abbey. Either he's really dumb or the Redwallers for some reason are extremely well trained to handle an aerial attack--either one or both, I just don't like how he tries to conquer it when there were dozens of simple solutions, like a total ambush. Grabbing them and flinging them from a range of thirty feet would have done it, but I'm not the writer. When there's a more awesome story going on, I don't care about the weak side story. I just love Slagar and his twisted schemes. This is truly one of my favorite Redwall books of all time.

I would recommend this book because it is full of action and intensity. When I started reading this book, I never wanted to put it down. After every page, it just got better and better. There were many surprises in this book, like if there is a battle or new enemy; it was just full of surprises. I would and have read a book by Brian Jacques, which was Redwall, the first book in the series. Now I am reading the prequel to Redwall, Mossflower. Overall, Mattimeo was a terrific book.

Tis book tells the story of Mattiemo, a young mouse who is captured by Slagar the fox in a break in at Redwall. He and all of his friends are taken to an evil land but Mattiemo's father Matthias is hot on this trail!!!!!

This is a good book for those that have read the series before (Expecially Redwall). It brings back our favorite characters, including Basil Stag Hare, Jess Squirrel, Matthias, Cornflower, Tim and Tess, plus many more.
It has a good plot, plus many emotions including sadness, romance, courage and a huge fighting spirit.

These is My Words is filled with wild west high adventure. It is fast paced and reminds me of watching an action movie. Sarah grows from not understanding what is love. How it is demonstrated etc... to a profound understanding of a healthy marriage relationship. Filled with woman's issues: child bearing & rearing, pregnancy, marriage, courage, strength, meekness, life and death. A woman's classic.

This book is great. It has everything ----- humor, sadness, romance, and just pure true grit!! Sarah and Jack are exceptional characters. I couldn't put the book down, but wanted more when it was over.

I loved this book. It was recommended to me by a friend and at first I wondered if this would be something I liked. But I have been absolutely enthralled with it, hardly wanting to put it down. This is a wonderful story about determination, ingenuity, love and loss. Definitely inspiring and endearingly moving. I am ready for the second book in the series.

This book was amazing. It was so hard to put down, I ended up reading it in a day. Very moving story of this girls life and great love. I recommend it to anyone with a love of romance and history.

This is a wonderful book ~ I recommend it to everyone who is interested in pioneer families and how it really was. The author must have done a huge amount of research and she makes it very real on every page. Great deal of humor or sadness as it must have been in those times. I have gotten the sequel and will start that soon too ~ something to look forward to!!!!

This is the ultimate Simpsons fan's book. It has all of The Simpsons seasons 1-8 in air-order, so you won't have any problem finding them. There are a lot of pictures and colors as well. There are even a list of Homer's D'ohs, Couch Gags, and Chalkboard Gags for every episode. This is well worth the money you pay for it; definitely should be bought by any simpaholic.

I bought this book when it first came out, and have re-read it often (fully, and partially) since then. It is an excellent reference for any "Simpsons" fan for the first eight seasons of the show. The pages are full of episode summaries, quotes, and trivia facts from the show. It also offers profiles of characters, and a list of who does what voice. A great source if you cannot remember what guest celebrity voiced a character or any other information like that. I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys the "Simpsons" and wants to know more about the episodes.

Almost everything you could ever think to ask about The Simpsons is in this book. What was Bart writing on the chalkboard in "that one episode"? It's in here. The plots, inside jokes, behind the scenes tales and more await in this excellent resource for fans. This book harkens from the Conan O'Brien-era prime of the series, up to about the late 90's, when the quality (sadly) slipped big time. This was the golden age of The Simpsons, back before the series "became a cartoon." (Anyone who was a fan back in the day knows just what I mean.)

The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family is probably the best book on the Simpsons that I've read. It includes, and I am taking this right from the cover, characters, episodes, and secret jokes you might have missed from seasons 1 thru 8. The book was created by Matt Groening and edited by Ray Richmond. It details each episode and even has extras: The Shorts; Homer Says, "D'oh..."; Homer Says, "Mmm..."; Couch Gags; Seen around Springfield; An Itchy & Scratchy Filmography; Who Does What Voice; and Merchandising, Thy Name Is Krusty.

The books dedication even reads:
TO THE LOVING MEMORY OF
SNOWBALL I:
WE HOPE THAT
THEY CHANGE YOUR CATBOX
IN KITTY HEAVEN MORE OFTEN
THAN WE DID DOWN HERE.

My favorite saying in the book is on p. 64, "When Flanders Failed":
"Hey, Barteleeboobely, care for a steak-a-rooney?" Homer, to Bart as he cooks on the grill that used to belong to Fladners.

I definetly reccomend purchasing this book.

I found this book so soothing. If you love the Simpsons, you will love this book. You can relive the most hilarious quotes of the series in the most convienient manner possible. No need to search through DVD's to hear Homer say, "It takes two to lie, Marge. One to lie, and one to listen." Instead, you can flip through this book and relive all your favorite moments. I read it over and over and over again. It is well worth its price.

A review from my teenage daughter:

"A Ring of Endless Light" is one of my favorite books!

I've read it five times since I first found it at the library last summer, and since then, I have also read "A Wrinkle in Time," "The Moon by Night,"and "An Acceptable Time".

What I really like about it is the characters. They are so interesting!

The movie, on the other hand, was nowhere near as good as the book. (Characters they left out: John, Leo, Grace, Binnie, Nancy Rodney, Jeb Nuttley, and probably somebody else, too...) And after I read the book, I was rather upset with the Disney Channel.

Although this is a wonderful novel, I would not recommend it to anyone under the age of thirteen because of some mature content.

Lastly, I want to include my frequent rant ( more of a whine, really) about that Zachary Gray person: I never understood why Ms. L'Engle kept putting him in her books. He never changes, and he's just as much of a jerk in "An Acceptable Time" as he was in this book. I don't know what Vicky sees in him. He kept saying that he "needed her" but she can't be his psychologist; Earth to Vicky, Earth to Vicky! Not a good reason to go out with him!

As always, Madeleine L'Engle delivers a stunning piece of fiction with `A Ring of Endless Light.' Although the main character, Vicky Austin, gives off a distinctive mary-sue air, the book (especially the guys!) are very enjoyable. Pieces of poetry found in this book are beautiful and elegant; they alone would be cause enough to read the book. `A Ring of Endless Light' also offers the reader an insight into the emotions and thoughts of a teenage girl in a fantastical setting. I would recommend this book for ages 13 and up. If you enjoyed this book, I would recommend Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume, Father Figure by Richard Peck and With You and Without You by Ann Martin as well as the rest of L'Engle's books.

Once again, Madeleine L'Engle has constructed a masterpiece. All her books are superb, but this one stands out to me as my absolute favorite. I understand its a Disney Channel movie now as well. I remember reading this book when I was about middle school aged and thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact, I took notes. There are several wonderful quotes that are worth remembering, and I think by the end I was left with some 10 pages of notes. I was a bit of a nerd as a kid, I guess. Still have all the papers filed away somewhere. Also memorized one of the poems to recite in my english class in about 7th grade. Fantastic book. I need to read it again.

In Madeline L'Enlgle's A Ring of Endless Light, 15-year old Vicky goes out to visit her sick grandfather to spend some time with him. During her stay, an old family friend, Commander Rodney, dies because he was trying to save another person from dying. On top of this, three young men are trying to get her adornment. Leo, Commander Rodney' son, is the nervous and puppy like young man who needs Vicky's attention. Although he may be nice, Vicky just wants to be his friend. Adam, a young man working at the marine biology center, confuses Vicky because he likes her, but pushes her away at the same time. Zachary, the rich, young man Commander Rodney died saving, wants Vicky back and claims that he needs her. Even though she has to deal with her love life, she has to help her grandfather, and other family members. During this vacation, she learns a lot about herself, death, life, her friends and family.

I really liked this book because it is very insightful. It gives me a lot of insight about living life. I want to live my lifelike Vicky and think like her because she lives her life to her fullest poetical and is moral, unlike me. She put phrases and lessons to heart and has a way of putting things into the right words. I liked how the author also wrote about death because I know that everyone is confused about tins subject. Some people firmly believe in one thing while other people are confused and wobbling. I remember what the Madeline L'engle writes about death whenever I come across one because her words sooth and help the soul.

I dislike the fact that the characters are a bit to perfect. The Austins are a bit like robots. There is the housewife mom that loves her husband and doesn't seem to have any arguments are all with him. The father is a strong man that supports his whole family. The oldest brother, like his father, is strong and smart. The youngest sister is beautiful and smart. The youngest brother is cute and innocent. Although Vicky seems more human than her family, she is still robotic. She always tries her hardest and it seems that everyone is drawn to her. Everyone trusts her with his or her secrets and everyone in the story has a longing to be with her. She is the person that people always want to be.

My favorite part of the book is hard to decide, but I think that my favorite part is when Vicky goes and visits the dolphins. I think that this is really interesting because Vicky learns that she can communicate with dolphins. In the beginning, she is really scared, but then she realizes that there is nothing to be afraid of. Soon, she feels comfortable with Basil. She can play with the dolphin and communicate freely. Even though people can't communicate with dolphins, Vicky can because her mind is somewhat childish, open, and free. I think that this is my favorite part because Vicky's relationship with Basil is much like my relationship with my friends. When I first made my friends, we were scared and shy, but once we knew each other, we had a lot of fun. When I am with my friends, I become childish, open and free, just like Vicky.

I loved this book and I would recommend it to girls from the ages 10 and up. This was a good story to connect to your life or the lives of the people around you. The things that happen to Vicky in A Ring of Endless Light might happen or may have happened to the reader. Therefore the plot of the story is believable. I would like to read another story by this author because I loved how thorough she was when describing Vicky's thoughts and feelings. When she was explaining how Vicky was seeing only darkness after a friend died in her arms, she painted a very vivid picture in my head. I thought that a Ring of Endless Light was truly a great book.

I purchased this series, having read it a long time ago as a young teen, and found it to be every bit as good as I remembered. My only complaint is that this boxed set version has some truly terrible CGI art on the cover. I remember the edition I read as a child was very mysterious and ancient-looking. It's too bad that that much superior artwork was not used for this edition. That's the only thing that stands between this set, and my 5th star.

I remember reading this series years ago and since then I have always thought that it would make a great movie and guess what someone else thought so as well. IMDB is reporting that this movie is in production and will be released in October 2007. I am very excited about this and I am really wishing and hoping that they translate it well to the big screen. I have since lost my books but I have just purchased this set to read all the books again and relive my youth again.

I can't even begin to describe this series and I won't try to. I'm afraid I'd only do it a disservice! Susan Cooper says SO much in so few eloquent words that her books are rather like listening to fine music. I rank this easily with the Narnia series as well as Lord of the Rings. And while I adore the Harry Potter books and think JK is a fabulous writer, I truly feel that even they cannot live up to the quiet serious intensity of these books.

Every year I read this series again. I love it more and more with each read.

Recently many illiterate folks have called these books 'boring' and 'flat'. Those same modern day readers often have to be babied through text & dazzled with fancy action scenes. It has also become a fad to bash things that have won awards or recommendations.

This is a story told with very deep and quiet emotions and if you give it a chance then I can promise you, you won't be disappointed. :)

The series as a whole is great. if you have never read them before but enjoy other great fantasy such as Harry Potter, the Forgotten Realms, or even the Lord Of The Rings these are a must read. they have been great books for the last 35 years or so and will continue to be great books 50 years from now.

This series is my son's absolute FAVORITE. He's 8 and I recently decided to introduce him to the books, and he ate them up. He said he likes how the bad people aren't always perfect, and he likes the way the Drew siblings work together in OVER SEA, UNDER STONE and again in GREENWICH and SILVER ON THE TREE. I'm pretty sure that he didn't understand all the symbolism in THE DARK IS RISING, though he liked it and made up his own belt of rings as a result.

This series is really wonderful, and I agree with other reviewers - it should be better known. It's mythical elements mix well with the action scenes. Plus, it's very well written and edited - creating really unique and interesting characters.

I'm sort of judicious with my 5 star ratings, but this one definitely deserved it. Pick them up - you won't be disappointed.

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type, written by Doreen Cronin and published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, is a humorous rendition of animal life on the farm. Understanding moo is important in this tale, where cows go on strike and chickens refuse to lay eggs, and a neutral duck delivers messages between the beleaguered farmer and his demanding farm animals. Negotiations are important in this witty story of typewriters and electric blankets, where the big, vivacious pictures grab hold of the imagination and bring the words to life. A book children can read over and over as they interact with the repeated "click, clack, moo" and learn to recognize those sight words to start the journey towards reading on their own. A little book full of great fun that should be placed within easy reach right on the nightstand.

You'll never look at a typewriter or barnyard animals the same again once you pick up "Click, Clack, Moo Cows that Type" by Doreen Cronin (Simon & Schuster, 2000). This incredibly witty and humorous tale of demanding cows on strike sends readers on a journey from one side of the picket line to the other. Kids (along with parents) will laugh hysterically as the cow's quest for electric blankets unfolds and will enjoy reciting "click, clack, moo" along with the text. This Caldecott winner exudes with beautiful watercolor characters and barnyard scenes making the book a pleasure to the eyes along with the funny bone. As soon as you put this book down, you'll pick it right back up again for another read and will soon be hearing "click, clack, moo" in your dreams.

Farmer Brown's cows are on strike: no milk till they get electric blankets for cold nights in the barn. How does Farmer Brown know? The cows typed a note on the barn typewriter. "Click, clack, moo." Farmer Brown demands milk. The cows type a response: the hens need blankets, too. The barnyard standoff escalates to the increasingly familiar beat of "Click, clack, moo." Children will cheer as the cows' quiet defiance foments an Orwellian barnyard rebellion that brings Farmer Brown to his knees.

Told in straightforward language that captures the archetypal laconic farmer, Doreen Cronin's offbeat tale grows funnier with repeated readings. Betsy Lewin washes her black drawings with warm, earthy watercolors that echo the text's simplicity. Her deft use of shading and shadows evokes the sun-up to sun-down rhythm of farm life. The fluid lines and bright colors recall Matisse, while the cows' wide eyes and thoughtful expressions suggest Gary Larson (or perhaps Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park) and bring the barnyard to life. The cows, chickens, and duck stare dolefully but invitingly out from the page, transporting the reader beside the water trough to join the revolution.

Absolutely for preschoolers. My son loved this book almost as much as I did. Everything about this book was adorable- the silliness, the electric blankets, and the diving board. He and I couldn't stop laughing. The reader (most likely the adult) will love how often the neutral party isn't neutral at all. I'm an animal lover, so this book will always have a soft spot in my heart.

Your political leanings, notwithstanding, Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin, is a wonderful book that will have children and adults laughing out loud. Farmer Brown is angered when he learns that not only does he own literate cows, but that they can type, and type they do with a daily list of demands to make their life more comfortable. Soon the cows are joined in their endeavor by the chickens, along with their demands, and more fun ensues. At first Farmer Brown refuses to deal with what he sees as recalcitrant bovine, but reconsiders when the animals enlist the aid of a duck mediator. Through a series of negotiations the cows and chickens get their demands met, but alas, the farmer learns too late, ducks also know how to type.

I don't know if this book really teaches children about mediation and cooperation as some reviews suggest, however, I do know that it will teach children how to laugh. The story is aided by wonderful watercolor illustrations by Betsy Lewin. Her very simple renderings add to the humor of the story, and the expressions on the faces of animals is worth the price of the book alone.

Quill says: This fantastic book also earned the Caldecott Honor in 2000, and is worth revisiting.

This seller changed the volume # of the book I ordered by handwriting "8" next to the "1" sending volume 18 rather than the 1st book of the series. To make matters worse, they did not respond to my email or attempt to make any effort to rectify this situation. I will never buy from them and highly advise others not to as well.

Excellent! 10 out 10! The true story of Sailor Moon! If you're into Manga and Anime, I would recommend this manga 100%. Sailor moon is full or Romance, Adventure, Drama and More. If you like sailor moon you might also like Revolutionary girl Utena another Manga written by Naoko Takeuchi.

This graphic novel is still great, even though it's old and it's not available since it's out of print. If you have the opportunity of buying it in a cheap price, then do it. The story is great and it won the an award for best graphic novel!

This was the first Sailor Moon book. There are five chapters. (I am going to write about exactly what happens in each chapter, so you might want to skip this part if you haven't read it yet.)
Chapter 1 - Bunny a.k.a. Sailor Moon - (That is the name of the chapter in the book, but I'm going to call her Usagi instead of Serena or Bunny because that is her real name.) Usagi is late for school but on the way there she finds a black cat with a bandage on its forehead. She takes the bandage off and sees a cresent moon symbol. She thinks it is a bald spot. After school Usagi and her friends go to a jewelry store. Molly's mom works there. But it's actually a monster in disguise as Molly's mom. Usagi goes home and dreams about being Sailor V, a superhero that her friends told her about. She wakes up and the black cat, Luna, comes to her house and talks to her! Luna tells Usagi that she is Sailor Moon and gives her a brooch. Usagi uses it to transform into Sailor Moon. She sees Molly being attacked by the monster that was pretending to be her mom. Usagi goes to the jewelry store and fights the monster. She uses her tiara to destroy it. Then she sees Tuxedo Mask and falls in love. The next day all Usagi's friends are talking about Sailor Moon and Usagi knows that it wasn't a dream.
Chapter Two - Amy a.k.a. Sailor Mercury - (Actually her Japanese name is Ami.) Luna tells Usagi that she thinks she found another Sailor Soldier. (In the book they are called Sailor Scouts, but that is sort of annoying and it should actually be Sailor Soldiers in the Japanese version.) Usagi sees Ami, and Luna jumps on Ami. Usagi goes and talks to Ami. Ami is really smart and Usagi actually wants help with her homework. Ami goes to the arcade with Usagi and wins a pen in the Sailor V game. Usagi kicks the machine until another pen comes out. Then Ami has to go to school but the teacher is really a monster. Ami left a disk she needs for school so Luna puts it in the computer but it is really a brainwashing program. Luna tells Usagi she can use the pen she got for disguises so Usagi turns into a doctor and goes to the school. She transforms into Sailor Moon and tries to fight the monster but the monster gets Ami. Ami uses the pen and she turns into Sailor Mercury! Usagi beats the monster and Ami is a Sailor Soldier.
Chapter Three - Raye (Rei) a.k.a. Sailor Mars - Lately people who rode a bus have been disappearing. Ami shows Usagi a priestess at a temple named Rei. Usagi tries to follow Rei but Rei thinks she is evil and attacks her. Luna thinks that Rei is the moon princess. Mamoru, a boy that Usagi keeps seeing, thinks that Usagi is Sailor Moon. Rei has a vision of a person attacking Usagi. Later she sees the same boy driving a bus. (He is really Jedite, Sailor Moon's enemy.) She gets on the bus but it goes through a portal. Usagi sees Rei on the bus and uses her disguise pen and jumps through the portal after the bus. Ami teleports to where Usagi is and they become Sailor Moon and Sailor Mercury. Usagi traps Jedite but she can't defeat him. Earlier Luna gave Ami another pen so Ami throws it to Rei and Rei becomes Sailor Mars and destroys Jedite!
Chapter Four - Masquerade - Luna tells Ami, Rei, and Usagi more about the princess and the Silver Imperium Crystal that they have to find. Melvin shows them a picture of Princess D, who is having a party that night. Usagi sees her father getting dressed up for it but he says she can't go. Usagi uses her pen to morph into a princess and Ami and Rei go with her. She sees Tuxedo Mask at the party and they dance. A woman at the party is really a monster and she possesses Princess D to steal the treasure. Tuxedo Mask saves Usagi again and Usagi transforms. She gets a new tiara and destroys the monster. Usagi falls asleep and Tuxedo Mask kisses her.
Chapter Five - Lita (Makoto) a.k.a. Sailor Jupiter - Usagi accidentally walks in front of a car and a girl with rose earrings saves her. Usagi sees the same girl at lunch and they sit together. The girl is Makoto. Makoto comes to the arcade with Usagi and Ami. Usagi sees people talking about a ghost in the bridal shop. Thatr night Andrew, the boy who works at the arcade, sees the ghost and gets possessed. He finds Makoto. Mamoru, who is really Tuxedo Mask, sees it happen and turns into Tuxedo Mask. He tells Usagi and Usagi, Ami, and Rei go to save Makoto. Makoto gets mad at the ghost and Luna gives her a pen. Makoto becomes Sailor Jupiter. She destroys the ghost and Nephrite, another one of their enemies. Luna tells Usagi that she must become the leader of the Sailor Soldiers.

Usagi, Mamoru, Ami, Rei, and Makoto are the Japanese names. This book has the American names instead: Serena, Darien, Amy, Raye, and Lita. I used the Japanese names instead because Sailor Moon's full name is Usagi Tsukino. Tsukino Usagi means "rabbit of the moon" or something like that, which is why she has that name. They messed it up when they changed her name to Usagi.
There are three Sailor Moon series:
Sailor Moon (11 books)
Sailor Moon SuperS (4 books)
Sailor Moon StarS (3 books)
Most people saw Sailor Moon on TV first. There is also a TV show with five seasons:
Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon R
Sailor Moon S
Sailor Moon SuperS
Sailor Moon Stars
Sailor Moon Stars was never shown on TV in America and there are no videos or DVDs either, unless they made them and I don't know about them. You can probably buy them in Japanese though.

Okay, what hasn't been said about sailor moon. It's wonderful and happy and gives little girls the fleeting hope that one day a magical cat will show up and tell them they're a super hero (yes, I secretly hoped this and when I finally passed my 14th year, the year sailor moon becomes sailor moon, I was noticeably dissappointed). Yes, it's pathetic. However, I'm not really here to review. See, I have owned the manga series since they first came out in the US and my first five or so have been read so much that they aren't in great shape. But #1 is by far the worst (the binding is shot), so I thought that I would get a new copy to read and cherish and protect my first copy. I did not know that it appears that it is out of print or something in the US. So I'm just writing about my incredulity at the prices it is going for now and feeling very proud of my ownership of one of the first prints in the US. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh, and yes I'm over 13, I just hate to divulge the info they want for the adult form.

This book was kind of slow but did have enough interesting characteristics to keep me reading. Not at all a bad book but just not anything that made me want to get the second in the series.

Being a fan of the Myst series since it's original launch in the early 1990's, I can say that this book lives of to the expectations that Myst/Uru fans have come to appreciate. It's easy to read, flows well, has a great underlying story. After reading, you are able to understand and appreciate the island of Myst and Riven so much more. It's an easy book to read, which makes it great for both young and old. Though the book is around 400 pages, it flies by and as always, I was sad to finish it, but there are two more sequels to entertain the Myst fan in all of us.

The Myst series was such a wonderful series, after I found out they made a book about the history of Myst, I basically thought that it would be horrible. Grave mistake. This is one of the best books I have ever read. It couldn't get any better.
The creators of Myst even helped make it, and they knew what they were making. The horrible thing is that these books were discontinued.
Even if they were discontinued, it is not a reason not to buy them. They are all wonderful books and I suggest you get all of them.

It really seems only fitting that a video game about books would have a series of books published in its name. For some reason when such books were first coming out I was sort of skeptical about their quality. I truly am glad I overcame this and decided to pick up the Myst books. I was an early enough adopter to be able to get all the hardcover texts and they are all beautifully designed. It's strange that a lot of books don't adopt this kind of method, because it really is eye catching and I'm glad the makers of Myst picked up on that. In terms of binding, it technically is rather cheaply done to support the mass market interest in this series. Rather than have a truly older styled binding, they have the typical style with embossed paper wrapped over the hard cover. The paper is of excellent quality and is embossed in sections, which adds a tinge of making it feel artificially handmade. I've had mine for many years now and there is barely any wear on it. However, when one inspects the design you can tell it is merely paper glued over the normal hardcover pressing and it is merely there for aesthetic appeal. The books in the game have a very old styled feel, which they should since they're all handmade books, but the makers wanted to keep that atmosphere alive with printing these books. Despite my inspection of the edition, I must say it was a great marketing idea and wish more publishers would do this rather than just adopt the typical dust jacket. That being said, the current editions more readily available to readers are the regular paperback and now the collected edition which was recently printed.

I wasn't sure what to really expect from this book when I first got it. I had beaten the game "Myst" and the game was pretty well written. However, the game had a lot of unknown elements in its story, and I'm sad to report that "The Book of Atrus" doesn't fill in all the gaps. It certainly fills in quite a bit, but not everything. This book acts as both a prequel to "Myst" and a bridge to "Riven". It's an interesting story in that regard because it tells about Atrus' childhood and goes into why the age of Riven is in dire need of our help!

At the end of Myst we find Atrus sitting at a desk in a deep cavern in place known as D'ni. We are transported there with him once we escape the island of Myst, but we are never told why he is there; just that he needs to make a decision concerning his sons. This is all well and good, but there are so many holes and questions, thus the novelization seeks to explain them. At one time Atrus lived with his grandmother, Ana, in a desert region. "The Book of Atrus" goes into detail about his life and learning there. It's almost an ideal childhood until one day his father, Gehn, returns and seeks to take him back to D'ni. See they are from a race of people who lived underground until they were all of a sudden destroyed. Ana, Gehn, and Atrus are the only decedents we are made aware of from this great society. So when Gehn was old enough he returned to the world of D'ni in search of its secrets, to see if he could find it and possibly rebuild it. Needless to say he sort of succeeded.

Gehn understands how to write in the books and knows the secret D'ni language to make different ages to create portal links between his world and others. However, he does not wield this power intelligently, but he doesn't want the knowledge to die with him, so he seeks out his son. He teaches Atrus everything, but Atrus has a keener mind for creating ages. Most of Gehn's worlds are unstable and if a world has inhabitants Gehn insists on be treated as a God. Needless to say Atrus' kindly nature has the better of him and he seeks to change this.

In this we get to see the bridge to Riven's story line. Riven had been an age linked to by Gehn, but the world was vastly unstable. So he and Atrus sought to fix it if they could. Gehn, being the overbearing man that he is, did not think most of Atrus' ideas were good ones. However, one thing would change Atrus' life forever when he got to Riven, he met Catherine there. Yes, the girl he references frequently in the first "Myst" game. Eventually she would bear his two sons Sirrus and Akenar, so as you can tell, I knew Atrus would succeed even during reading this, so I don't feel I am giving anything away. The book doesn't go into detail about the two sons growing up, so you never really know how everything started with them. Anyway, there is a solution to Atrus' problem, but I'll let the readers find that out for themselves. When we get to "Riven", the video game, there are further complications based around this story... I'll leave these mysteries to be discovered for yourself.

I don't feel I am spoiling very much of the book because it is riveting in itself. Most people who read this will undoubtedly have played the video games and already know the stories' outcomes before reading this. As any Myst player knows the interesting factor is in the details, I have left every part of these out. The book is a fascinating page turner and I really couldn't put it down at all. This book leaves a lot more mystery to the reader in the end and left us looking forward to the follow up text, "The Book of Ti'ana." I especially recommend this to any Myst fan who wants to delve deeper into the story line and world of Myst. I don't think many people would pick up Myst if they didn't already enjoy reading books to find out what new worlds they would be brought to. In that spirit these books are clearly written!

I read this book when I was younger and only remember great things. Looking back on it now I can tell that the writing isn't exactly scholarly, but that doens't matter, Myst is a fun adventure story that all kids and teens should enjoy. And no, I'm not a big fan of fantasy myself, but I had no trouble getting drawn in.

Some of the (relatively few) negative reviews of this series on Amazon feel that the premise--a dark elf who just happens to have human values leaves his bad, bad world behind--is too contrived. However, I don't think an attentive reading of the first book supports that view. It's oversimplifying too much and ignores important details.

First, Drizzt was NOT the first one to question the values of the drow; he was the first to LEAVE drow society because of his refusal to compromise with it. Zaknafein felt nothing but contempt for Menzoberranzan (see his monologue after the battle with House DeVir), and he channeled his contempt for drow society into a love of killing those who reveled in it. Yet Zak ultimately still contributed to the system he hated, while Drizzt chose to leave a world he couldn't fix behind and face the unknown rather than be part of something he considered evil. Pretty heroic, I think. We all could learn something from Drizzt.

Second, while many drow are definitely evil, it isn't true that all of them are or that they are evil innately. Zak clearly cared for Drizzt's welfare--for one obvious reason, but especially because he sees in Drizzt the same disrespect for drow rules as he has. Vierna, Drizzt's older sister who first raises him, has moments of sympathy and even admiration for Drizzt. Of course, her cultural conditioning kicks in and she feels guilty for such tenderness--whipping the boy for inspiring such feelings in her. Yet clearly some drow other than Drizzt were at odds with or at least ambivalent about dark elf society, and that makes Menzoberranzan a more complex place than some readers have assumed it to be.

Yes, Drizzt's values do happen to coincide with our own. But think like an author for a second: if Drizzt didn't have "human" values, would readers be able to relate to him at all? Could we cheer for Drizzt if he showed any hint of the traitorous and sneaky nature of his kindred? For Drizzt to be a hero to us humans reading the book, we have to be able to admire his actions. Sure, there may be some people out there who admire cunning, ruthless people who cut down their enemies with intrigue; but the huge following that Drizzt has seems to suggest that most of us would prefer such conniving people to be cut down with two sharp scimitars.

Here's to 20 years of Drizzt Do'Urden. Thank you, Bob Salvatore.

This book's a poser to review. First of all, the book's goals (and it's rare to find those in a work of fiction): on page 323, R.A. Salvatore says he wanted to

"...go back and tell Drizzt's story and at the same time define the dark elves in the FORGOTTEN REALMS world."

Mostly, he achieved that. "Homeland" is a prequel to the Icewind Dale trilogy that starts out just a tad before Drizzt's birth. It physically explains Drizzt's early existence and does a very good job giving a feel for the society of dark elves (drow). Unfortunately, the explanation for Drizzt, himself, is entirely implausible. For some reason, Drizzt is essentially born good from an evil race (there's no ambiguity or subtlety on this -- the drow are evil). For his first 10 years, he's raised (alone, as far as I can see) by one of his evil sisters (the least evil one, admittedly). He gets no education except in how to be a servile male. His next five or six years, he spends similarly as a servile male to the whole evil clan (again, no education). Following this, he spends five years learning to fight (and nothing else, apparently) from the family Weapons Master (his actual father -- who also appears to be good). Then, he spends the next 10 years in the Academy learning to be a true drow warrior. Yet, thoughout this, constantly exposed to and indoctrinated in his race's evil ways, he remains "good." Not only does he remain good, but he's constantly surprised when the drow around him do evil things. It's just not plausible. If he had been raised by a good society for several years, or if he had been exposed to some kind of philosopher, there might have been some basis for his goodness. But, as it is, he shouldn't even have the vocabulary to come up with the concepts that are the core of his being.

But, I still have to go back to what this book is. It's not literature for the sake of literature. It's a story to give some background to a main figure and race in the world of Dungeons & Dragons. Keeping that in mind, the writing is actually very good. It's fairly fast paced and pretty engrossing. There are still some pretty big logical inconsistencies, and the characters could certainly use more depth. But, for what it is, it's pretty good. If you're a D&D type of person, I highly recommend it. If you're looking for literature, you'll probably be disappointed. So, I rate the book at an OK three stars out of 5.

Salvatore grabbed our attention with the Icewind Dale trilogy, and one of the heroes of that unlikely group of friends was Drizzt Do'Urden, a drow (or dark elf, as they are often called). To our delight, Salvatore's next project, dubbed the Dark Elf trilogy, served as a prequel, to tell us about Drizzt's past, and to introduce us to the world of the drow.

I cannot recall another author who so brilliantly immerses a reader in a wholly foreign world. It is one thing, to describe a world similar to ours, such as Raymond E. Feist's introduction of the Tsurani, yet even that is loosely based on Asian culture. It is quite another to transport the reader into another world so radically different from our own, and do it with a style which keeps us turning the pages at an addictively fast pace.

The book begins on the night Drizzt is born, where he is to be sacriced to Lloth, the drow deity, often referred to as the Spider Queen. Yet, as is normal within this dark and twisted subterranean world, his older brother kills the eldest brother. With a Do'Urden male having been sacrificed, Lloth is appeased, and Drizzt is spared. In an interesting inversion, the world of the drow is matriarchal, and family is everything. The head of the family is female, and the holders of the seats in Council (the leadership of the drow city of Menzoberranzan) are all female. Males are, in that world, secondary to females, and are useful only as cannon fodder in times of war, and as donors in the act of reproduction.

Right from the start, Drizzt is remarked on as being very different, with lavender coloured eyes. Yet his true difference is inside, for he is posessed with morales and compassion - virtues which are practically unheard of in a drow. Fortunately, his father, Zaknafein, is mostly responsible for his weapons training from the age of 16, where Drizzt is somewhat sheltered from the true nature of the evil drow, as Zaknafein is a kindred spirit to Drizzt.

After, Drizzt is sent to the Academy, to further advance his skill at fighting. For 10 years he remains there, learning the true nature of the drow, and battling to hold on to his spirit and morals. If he fails, he risks falling prey to the lies of the Spider Queen, and turning into everything he hates.

I'll say no more, for I encourage you to read this book. I cannot recommend it highly enough. The only thing I'll warn you of, is how very difficult it is to put the book down once you've started! Salvatore does an excellent job in immersing us in the world of the drow, and in better understanding the emotional battles and sacrifices the noble character of Drizzt Do'Urden went through, to mold him into the fighter/ranger he became.

I was never much for reading because most books could not keep my attention. This book however grabbed my attention and held it. Cleverly written, entertaining, with descriptive visuals that bring the story to life, Homeland, along with the other books in this series, is non-stop action. I highly recommend this book!!! I have since read the rest of the trilogy and I am currently reading The Crystal Shard, which is the beginning of the next trilogy.

After reading the Hunter's Blade trilogy I really enjoyed the character and wanted to read more about him. This book was everything I hoped for. I definitely recommend this book for all fans of this genre. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.

This intriguing novel was recommended to me by a friend and I am so glad he did. Georgia Durante's life was full of excitement and challenges. Her strength and determination are to be admired. Her story is unique
and would be enjoyed by both men and women. It's amazing that Georgia
lived to tell this gripping story. The book is a real page turner.
Our book club read, discussed and thoroughly enjoyed this book. We are hoping for a movie version.

Georgia Durante's story of real life adventure and real life survival offers lessons for everyone who reads it. Her escape from her abusive Mobster husband teaches all abused women that they too have the power of survival within themselves. The challenges she overcame being a parent reminds all parents about their role in their children's lives. The steps Georgia Durante took to build a successful stunt driving business in what had previously been a "man's world" teaches everyone that the only limits a life has are the one's we place on ourselves. Buy The Company She Keeps for two big reasons. You get a thrilling story. You also get inspiration and motivation that will fuel your life.

The author keeps you turning pages with an incredible life, as fast as the company she keeps. I enjoyed this read, the author's no nonsense delivery, the woman's perspective, and the story told straight and true. If there are embellishments, you wouldn't know it as it's told. An excellent memoir.

I was determined to finish this book just to count the number of times Georgia Durante mentioned how beautiful she was. It was a million plus. You get the drift. This little lady couldn't get over herself. Her poor daughter Toni took the brunt of her mother's bad, bad choices and paid the price. There was claptrap galore, from her inane, juvenile musings to the stupefying way she portrayed herself as a hapless victim. And the verbatim dialog? How could anyone possibly remember exact conversations from three decades ago? Come on!!

Georgia Durante should just have named her book, "All About Me". At least it would have been an honest if not vacuous biography by just another celebretard who managed to sleep her way to the top of the heap.

Having lived in Rochester all my life, I recognized a lot of the names that Georgia wrote about, even remember her as the Kodak Summer Girl.
Excellent read