T Books

Explores the spiritual formation of King David from his earliest experiences with Goliath to his time in the desert running from Saul to the death of his son Absalom and his eventual death. Makes a great adult study in a small group or Sunday school context.

I found a copy of this book in my in-law's attic. I looked through the contents and decided to read the chapter on Friendship - David and Jonathan. Peterson is profound in this chapter. His comments on friendship as an expression of spirituality were so insightful that I am viewing my relationships with others in a new way already. I was even convicted that my friendship with my wife was not sufficient by God's standard. Wow, what a difference one chapter can make. I can hardly wait to buy this book and read the all of Peterson's reflections on the life of David. I like this "earthy spirituality." Give it a try, you might like it too.

What does it mean to be a Christian? Is the Bible passe, or is it still relevant for today? Does Christianity mean the triumphalstic life? What is the end goal of being a Christian? How can I live an authentic Christian life?

Eugene Peterson (the author of The Message) reflects on the life of David in this book and looks at what we can learn. Every chapter contains important lessons to being a Christian, and areas that we are to reflect on, and how we interact with God in our relationship with Him. The life of David becomes a platform for us to learn about our spirituality and relationship with God.

The following are some facts about David:
- The David story is the most extensively narrated single story in the Bible. We know more about David than any other person in the Bible.
- The life of David showed the humanity of this man after God's heart, and there are many themes that run through the life of David, e.g. parents, relationships, danger, murder, temptation, adultery, pride, humiliation, children, wives, rejection, sickness, justice, fear, peace, death...
- David did not perform any miracles.
- David sinned more than Saul, yet he was known as a person after God's own heart.
- David was known as a man served God's purposes in his generation (Acts 13:36).

The story of David is simultaneously earthy and godly. It shows us that we are never more alive than when we are dealing with God. David was an unfortunate parent, an unfaithful husband, and if we look at him from a purely historical perspective, he was a barbaric chieftain with a talent for poetry. But David's importance isn't in his morality or his military prowess but in his experience and witness to God. Every event in David's life was a confrontation with God.

Spirituality and humanity cannot be separated. We can't grow spiritually without understanding our humanness. We can't grow humanly without understanding our spirituality. David shows us that we can't be human without God. Understanding all this gives hope to many Christians that God looks at the heart, and it is about having a relationship with God. There are many lessons to learn, one of the most impactful to me was David's years in the wilderness.

It seems that all of God's leaders will at sometime go through a wilderness experience at least once. The wilderness experience is not something that any flesh likes, but it is an experience that can sanctify and consecrate the flesh. "Wilderness is the place of testing, the place of tempting" (pp. 75). In David's wilderness experience, he was being set apart, made holy, for God's use. The more he dealt with God, the more human he became (pp. 75). The wilderness was an attack on the flesh and a thrust towards dependence on God. In fact, David seemed most "spiritual" in his days in the wilderness.

Wilderness spirituality also includes being with the company of people we would not ordinarily choose to be with, and who would not ordinarily choose to be with us. (pp. 96). God uses others to point us to Him. If we see that the wilderness is filled with people we do not want to be with, we would have missed God. But if we see the wilderness being filled with God, we would not miss the people in it. "The wilderness taught David to see beauty everywhere. The wilderness was David's school in the preciousness of life; through wilderness testing David learned to see God in places and things he would never have thought to look previously. The wilderness immersed David in beauties so profound that a cheap revenge was unthinkable. The wilderness trained David in loyalties so binding that a broken oath was impossible. The wilderness exposed David to the presence of God in the most barren piece of rock so that no thing, and certainly no man, could ever be treated with scorn or contempt." (pp. 77-8) We cannot be naïve about the wilderness; it is a dangerous place. But we must never avoid the wilderness; for it is a wonderful place (pp. 80). "Hardship brings out the best in David. Suffering can, if we let it, make us better instead of worse" (pp. 198).

If you have ever felt discouraged by your own imperfections in your Christian walk, read this book! David is about as earthy and real as a person gets. As another reviewer wrote, the chapter on the friendship between David and Jonathan is also insightful and valuable. Eugene Petersen explores the reality of David's life situations and choices, and how his relationship with God was affected by them. In so doing, he highlights how God grows us and walks beside us throughout all of the trials of life, even those we bring upon ourselves. Ultimately, despite everything, David remained "A man after God's own heart" proving the existence and endurance of God's grace and acceptance, and that there's hope for us all!

A fantastic life-giving work in the middle of an insipid age. This book about David is a book about real and bold living. A great encouragement and a call to live the Kingdom life now... today. One of the most significant books I have ever read, this belongs alongside the Narnia Chronicles and Robinson Crusoe as a standard bearer book for living bold and free in God's realm.

I own this well informed book that gives you a motivational read to lead a healthier life. It provides some proven strategies to live by. As a cookbook author myself, I've found this book compares similar to my writing of recipes that are low in fat and high in fiber, finding some tasty and delicious recipes in this book that will add variety to anyone's diet. Recipes that are lowfat with added fiber and a section to help you cook with whole grains and where to buy them.There's even a section of muscle toning exercises to help one become a fat burner at all times. Having had health problems in the past this book has been an inspiration to pursue better health in my own life. With a bad back, I find the lower back muscle toning and stretches soothing to my aching back.

Finally, a diet book that makes sense! Low Fat Living has all the usual advice and bean recipes, but with a difference. It's about developing a skill set designed for long term success -- even we're ony adding one skill at a time. From sleeping patterns and mindset to the oils on our pantry shelves this is a book that acknowledges that readers have lives beyond what they eat. Indeed, this is a healthy food book about LIVING -- not another FAT-IS-THE-ENEMY militant diet plan that made me despair "How am I ever going to follow this?" Plus the recipes are delicious.

Book was in excellent condition and arrived ahead of predicted schedule. Would buy from this seller again.

My only complaint with this book is its title, "Low Fat Living." It goes far beyond that. This is really the "whole mind, whole body" approach to weight control and more. This book seems to be a collection of everything that the authors could find that contributes to weight loss, organized in an interesting and integrative manner. I particularly loved the study that showed that people watching television burn up fewer calories than people sitting and watching a blank screen. As a woman at age 53, I was wondering if I could ever again shed pounds. My old approaches didn't work. The one thing that I knew was that people who successfuly do lose weight and keep it off do so through making life-style changes and they tailor what they do to their own bodies. This book enabled me to have a comprehensive understanding of what those changes needed to be concerning (1) nutrition, (2) exercise (including simply increasing motion), (3) water, (4) sleep, and (5) stress management. To my surprise, stress management has actually been the most challenging-and perhaps the most rewarding. I am no longer in the "diet" mentallity. I am now concentrating on making the small changes--trying this and that until I find ways that appeal to me and that I can sustain--and these are adding up to large changes that affect not just my weight, but my general health. Through this process and over several months, I am finding that my body and mind are changing in what they want. It is like my whole system is resetting to different standards. I'm beginning to actually be drawn to vegetables and whole grains, walking the dog, and skipping TV. Who'd'a thunk?

This is a good dieting book but the two apple recipes I tried, were gag-awful.

For anyone who loves good writing, THIS IS ESSENTIAL READING. It's a well-kept secret. If you want the real low-down, get a copy now.

If you ever had hopes of becoming an author, NEVER read this book. A look into how the technical process of writing works, all this book shows the reader is the various disappointments that an author will encounter while trying to get his book published.

Although it presents what I imagine to be a realistic view of the creative process, the author presents a plethora of examples of well-known authors and their experiences. The problem? He uses the exact same examples over and over again. The language that he uses is very colloquial and the laid back tone is quite surprising, considering it is a "scholarly" work.

The biggest problem I have with the book is this. How is it possible for an author that is clearly not a best-selling author know what exactly the best-selling process is like? If not for the examples of other authors, it would be impossible for him to talk about the process.

All in all, this book was a big disappointment, and all it shows is the negative aspect to book publishing.

This is a great book and I thought I'd say so. I found an interview with the author on the internet and bought the book. I wondered why I didn't see it interviewed in any of the publications I subscribe to--especially Writer's Digest. Do we really need another Harry Potter review? Everybody loves those books--they sell themselves. Hey reviewers--We want to hear about books like this one!

This book was lent to me by a University Professor who recommended it as the most comprehensive and thought-provoking study of the publishing industry he's read in years. I couldn't agree more. As a potential author, I found The Making of a Bestseller an encouraging and thought-provoking work. It offers a clear look into the world of publishing, therefore, demystifying the process for those of us just embarking on this sometimes frustrating journey. Insightful and uplifting, one cannot fail to come away without a great deal of encouragement. I, for one, found myself wondering, if F. Scott Fitzgerald faced similar adversity and prevailed, why can't I? One thing we writers must learn: A thick skin is required in this business. This book is not for the unrealistic or faint-hearted. But neither is a career in writing.

This hand-wringing book is about bestsellers; it does not (and can not) define how bestsellers are made. This celebration of creative writing is about writers paying their dues and being discovered. Vanderbilt discusses the effects titles, advertising, author name recognition, perseverance, bestseller lists, reviews, testimonials and blind, dumb luck had on books that made it to the charts. It is a well-written, scholarly study of successful literature with references and footnotes. This book makes a couple of references to nonfiction but is almost entirely about fiction. If you like this book, you will also like Seven Strategies in Every Bestseller by Tam Mossman. I liked them both. Dan Poynter, author of 82 books (nonfiction). DanPoynter@ParaPublishing.com

This book is so crammed with info and knowledge coupled with insight into practices of the industry and courts its like attending a credited law school.With basic torts and concideration of all parts and many elemental workings of the industry.It is a must have.

This is comprehensive & each chapter was written by another expert, so you're bound to like something!

This can be a substitute to the book: "Everything You Need To Know About The Music Business" (Donald Passman)

This book was a required text in my Legal Problems of the Recording Industry class. I'm passionate about the music industry and can give a good debate, but am far from being a "legal mind." This text is great for those, like me, are not the best students in legal courses. This text breaks down real contracts/ agreements into easy to understand formats, section by section. If it wasn't for this text I wouldn't have made an A in the course. This book should be required reading for those in the music business as well as the musicians who will be facing these agreements. Plus, it's like my professor said 'remember, everything is negotiable - don't get screwed in your contract!'

People think music business is all about creation and keeping the fans happy. Well it mostly is but a young artist can become stuck in all that legal stuff. For somebody who is new that can be very difficult and people could take advantage of this and try to cheat you so this book is about all the legal involved aspects of the music business. This book will offer you a detailed explanation of everything that concerns the people in the music business. After you read it you will know what to avoid and understand the issues as they are explained in an easy and franc manner.

I bought this book to fill out my music law library. Among the many books I have read are Passman's book "Everything You Need to Know About the Music Industry", "This Business of Music", and even Moses Avalon's more gritty book "Confessions of a Record Producer." While all of these books provide a great deal helpful information to understanding the music business, they are not really books that contain samples of what the actual contracts look like.

I bought The Musician's Business and Legal Guide a while back just because of the sample contracts. After sorting through the plentiful boilerplate contracts, I found that the information prefacing the agreements, i.e. that actual chapter contents, were even more invaluable than the contracts, which in themselves are pretty thorough. While I use my own hybrid, individualized contracts for the entertainment clients I represent through my law practice, I find myself constantly flipping back to this book as a reference since it covers such a wide range of information. In addition, the annotations in the sample contracts helps to illustrate the degrees of flexibility usually available to those contracts and what the terms actually mean.

This book is definitely not, as another reviewer stated, a book that you set out to read from cover to cover like Passman's book, but it works tremendously well as a reference to go to from time to time. My copy is highlighted and marked all up (and I'm one who normally writes in books).

The value of this book seriously exceeds its cost, and I would recommend it to anyone wanting to see how the concepts discussed in other music business books play out legally.

Just be prepared to read this over and over again.
My almost 2 year old adores this book and it has been his absolute favourite for the past 3 months. Yes, I have read it almost daily as a result. But despite that, his almost 5 year old sister and I are still happy to endure another reading even if we all know the words by heart, have gorilla impressions that David Attenborough would be proud of, and can do a rendition of "O Sole Mio" that would have the Three Tenors groaning. And that cheeky face on the cover? Well, the 2 year old now pulls faces exactly like that and it makes ME laugh every time. That Anthony Browne? He's alright and I hope he's somebody's Dad.

This is a favorite of my grandson. He practically reads it by himself. We found it in the library then decided he should have his own copy. This lead to, also, getting MY MOM. These are well loved books.

This is a fantastic book, especially to give dad on Father's Day or his birthday. It is a charming tribute to the daddy who is the funniest, nicest, strongest, bravest and just plain best in the eyes of his little girl or boy. It is good humored and happy, written in a style children find very appealing.

Some things in life are best kept simple. This book does it. For any son that loves his father (uh...provided they are under the age of 10)

I love Anthony Brown books especially due to his amazing drawings.
In this short book (short of words, that is) it is again the drawings that do the work.
Each page presents the father as another animal figure dressed in Dad's pajamas, depicting all the animal' s great qualities.
The pictures are great as usual, but something is missing. It seems that there are no "further layers" as you get for example in Anthony Brown's "Gorilla", a book which I feel is a real masterpiece. In that book, every reading brings something new when the little details of the drawings offer another aspect, another small joke and all in all add to the reading of the story, which becomes a real "experience" both child and parent can enjoy. This does not really happen in "My Dad".
The only "something else" I found in "My Dad" is the fact that the father, although described by the son as a superhuman figure, is presented very humanly in each page. Always in his pajamas with his unshaven face - which makes him ever so dear and easy to identify with.
I read the book to my 2.5 year old son who enjoys the book and its simplistic message. My disappointment is not because this is not a worthy book. It is. I was just hoping for another masterpiece...

Like many of the other reviewers, I was moved by the pictures - especially the more deserted, rural-looking streetscapes. The text (except for his suggestion that downtown Detroit be turned into a national park) doesn't really add that much to the photography.

Anyone interested in the health of our older industrial cities must read this book. The photographs are truly riveting, and the text really sounds like an account of an extinct civilization. The repeat photographs of the same cityscapes over several years' time are particularly captivating, and usually saddening. Mr. Vergara's focus on Detroit is also fascinating, although I can't say that I agree with his proposed solution for downtown Detroit's woes. I'm looking forward to buying Mr. Vergara's "American Ruins," a more recent work.

Anyone interested in the health of our older industrial cities must read this book. The photographs are truly riveting, and the text really sounds like an account of an extinct civilization. The repeat photographs of the same cityscapes over several years' time are particularly captivating, and usually saddening. Mr. Vergara's focus on Detroit is also fascinating, although I can't say that I agree with his proposed solution for downtown Detroit's woes. I'm looking forward to buying Mr. Vergara's "American Ruins," a more recent work.

The photographs in this book are gripping. While the narrative is interesting regarding the sociology of the rise (and fall) of the ghetto in several American cities, what is most stunning about this book, perhaps obviously, are the photographs.

How many of us have driven by abandoned or decaying buildings and have either reminisced or have wondered about its history? I think most of us have experienced this. Vergara has captured those moments on film. Yet his interests and the style of his photographs reveal life bursting, or seeping, from behind the apparent emptiness and abandonment. Snippets of conversations or ponderings from those who live in the neighborhoods photographed and quotes from various 'experts' give a framework through which the photographs reveal what is behind the facade.

Graffiti reveals insight and inspiration. And there are various characters outside of the mainstream who find meaning and life in what those who have abandoned these buildings called 'decay'. An intinerant preacher, a modern day Noah and her ark and a whole host of other individuals reveal to us that no matter what it looks like on the outside, there is a spark in all of us that hopes and dreams and envisions a better tomorrow.

This book succeeds on many levels, a sociological level, a picturesque level, a historical level and, most important in my opinion, a human level. It's a book you can peruse over and over again and find something new with each visit.

Vergara looks at some major American industrial cities that suffered some horrible disinvestment after World War II. He takes an honest look at the people and buildings in some of America's poorest cities (Camden, Newark, Detroit) and how ugly, cheap, security-conscious and modernistic buildings to serve the ghetto's poor residents have replaced fantastic movie palaces, upscale housing and fading remnants of a wealthier, more egalitarian period in U.S. history.

Vergara's prose gets a bit preachy and predictable at times, but the real strength in this book lies in its collection of bleak photos that make you wonder why this nation abandoned its industrial past so quickly and so thoroughly. They speak more than any words can ever do on the plight of America's cities.

He shines when he looks at how buildings transform over time - some for better, most for worse. The majority of these photos were taken in the early-1990s, as the crack epidemic was at its peak and the double-digit decline in urban crime was just beginning. With crime down and the urban real estate market up, I view these decade-old photos with a mix of sadness and hope.

Vergara's later work, _American Ruins_ does an even better job of looking at how the United States has turned its collective back on its cities. If you read this book, make sure you check out _American Ruins_. They both make Vergara our best chronicler of urban decay.

In a world of relativism and unbridled inclusiveness, we need a clear understanding of God's Word. It is life changing. The Bible does not contain but is the absolute truth of God. As one studies God's Word in the original languages (in this case NT koine Greek), untold treasures are revealed concerning what the Lord has for those who believe. We get a better understanding of the mind of God, the value of life and the salvation that every soul needs through Jesus Christ. I highly recommend it.

Sou estudante de teologia no Brasil e o livro de Perschbacher tem sido fundamental nos trabalhos de exegese bíblica.

In my early years in NT Greek I found this volume quite helpful. Every so often I still refer to it, if my mind seems to be playing tricks on me.

This lexicon lists every single word found in the Greek NT. By this, I do not mean there is just a reference for agapao (love), but every form that agapao appears in the NT. So, for instance, in Ephesians 5:25, is the word agapate. Looking up this specific word, you'll find it is derived from agapao, but that it is the 2nd person, plural, present, active, subjunctive or imperative form of the word. So this book is invaluable to the person learning Greek and for studying and translating the Greek NT.

It is especially helpful as it list words found not only in the Critical Text like many lexicons but also words and word forms found only in the Textus Receptus and the Majority Text. It even indicates when a word in a particular verse is in a different form in each of these Greek texts and when a word form only occurs in one of these Greek texts.

I purchased this lexicon when I was studying Greek at Denver Seminary. And it was invaluable in learning Greek and for studying the Greek NT thereafter. When I felt God was leading me to translation my own version of the NT (Analytical-Literal Translation of the New Testament: Third Edition - ALT), I purchased the BibleWorks 7 software program. And it provides the parsing details for words in its auto-info window.

However, sometimes BibleWorks parsing does not look correct to me. So I keep this book on hand, by my computer monitor. And in such cases, I will double-check BibleWorks parsing by this book. And sometimes I still refer to this book just for the lexical information. So even with computer software, this book is still valuable.

As a student of New Testament Greek, I find this book to be an invaluable addition to my library. Every word in the Greek New Testament is listed alphabetically, with a cross reference to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, and the Greek word's definition, location, and source. The lexicon also contains charts of the definite article, the declension of nouns and adjectives, and the conjugation of verbs. It includes information on the use of tenses, moods, and cases. Contracted forms of verbs are not listed in the lexicon, but charts of these forms are provided.

This book enables Greek students to find the definitive meaning and usage of each word in the Greek New Testament, and I highly recommend it.

One of the best books ever written about World War II. I had the 1st Edition of Brendan Phipps' book and "lent" it to my Grandson who has a great interest in the war. When I finished reading "Seven Days in January", a recent acquisition, I wanted to follow up and read "The Other Side of Time" again for the umpteenth time. Rather than ask for my copy back from him I gambled and found a copy on line which is in excellent (like new) condition and also a first edition.

"The Other Side of Time" really presents the gritty side of war and does so with emotion rarely exhibited. The rememberances are those of the author from notes kept by him. The story is told so well that it leaves a lasting impression.

Forget "Saving Private Ryan"--this is the real deal, the front lines story written by a combat surgeon without any of romantic claptrap. A bracing, funny, terrifying read--a classic of the genre. Granted, there are moments when the writing is a tad florid, but the reader quickly forgives these tangents--the core of the book holds your attention like few other books. If everyone read this book, there'd be far fewer wars.

This book is no longer out of print. It has just been republished in paperback under the title OUR WAR FOR THE WORLD.

"The Other Side Of Time" by Brendan Phibbs; sub-titled: "A Combat Surgeon In World War II. Little, Brown, and Company, Boston, 1987.

The writing in this book is superb. The insight equals the writing. Dr. Brendan Phipps was training as a surgeon when the Second World War interfered with his life. Some forty years later, after the death of his wife and after his children "scattered", he sat down with a box, full of notebooks ("...one stained with long-oxidized blood) , reports, a German soldier's paybook and a "...few pages of military jargon", to write his memoirs. He did a great job.

His book covers the end of the war in Europe, when American forces were advancing into Germany and it was becoming clear that the war was over. His comments hit the highpoints of many other books: "...they (the Germans) have dumber generals than we have". (Page 91). "An elderly Irishman ... (stated) ... that Germans learned slower than pigs at their Latin." (Page 90). American Sherman tanks burn: "Bitter commentary on American engineering. American slavish addition to high-octane gasoline; diesel-fueled , heavily armored German tanks keep right on coming." (Page 152). But, throughout it all, he is able to put a human face on the horror and terror that they experienced. Because of his ability in French and German, Dr. Phibbs also brings some of the other side into his book, as when he describes how the collaborators were dealt with in the so-called Colmar Pocket in France.

This book is, perhaps, one of the best-written memoirs of World War II. His last sentence in the Preface:
"Please, young people, listen to us before we leave."

The Other Side of Time, is, along with Paul Fussell's Wartime, one of the best books ever written about World War II. Brendan Phibbs was a combat surgeon drafted into the Army in 1942 who saw service in Europe later in the war. The book is written from the diaries he kept at the time and re-read years later. Some of the passages in this book are incredibly beautiful, the first
story, about the burial of an ordinary soldier named Wally is
fantastic. The book pulls no punches, Phibbs talks about the anti-semitism of his fellow doctors, the incompetence of many US military officers, the evil of the Germans and the stupidity of our Department of State in repatriating Russian POWs and displaced persons back to Stalinist Russia after the war. These stories make it hard to read, you want to weep when you read about the indifference of American medical authorities to the suffering of death camp inmates and gnash your teeth at the incompetence of our officers who sent inferior American tanks into head to head battles with the superior German panzers, only to see them destroyed. But despite these stories the heroism of the soldiers that Phibbs served with shines through. I really wish that they would reprint this book, or that HBO would do a series based on it as they did on Stephen Ambrose's Band of Brothers.

Great book! Great way to learn about the different characters of the Bible! Francine Rivers is one of my favorite authors! I have read all her books and wish there were more!

I loved this book... I felt like I was right there with Jonathan sharing his thoughts. I found myself feeling so proud of his faithfulness to and love for God as well as his devotion to his father and to David. What a blessing!

F. Rivers always takes you into the life of her books. I love getting to know the time and life of when these things happen.

I thouroughly enjoyed this book. The writer stayed true to the person of Jonathan son of Saul and to the Scripture narrative.

Book #3 in Francine River's Sons of Encouragement series, The Prince is the retelling of the life of Jonathan, son of Saul, first king of Israel. While most church-goers are familiar with the story, Francine has taken a look at this historical character in an eye-opening new light.
Jonathan, lover of God's law, for years is torn between honoring his crazed father and supporting his cherished friendship with David, the man prophesied to take Saul's place on the throne. This beautiful friendship between brothers in spirit as well as by law is brought real throughout the pages of this short, yet captivating book.
As Saul relentlessly pursues his imagined enemy David, Jonathan remains faithful to the Lord and his people, all the while on pins and needles for his friend's safety. He begs his father to see reason, to turn to God, to be forgiven.
Continually in the difficult position of having to choose loyalties, the Prince of Israel shines to the glory of his Father, the King of all eternity. I encourage you to pick this book up for a clearer understanding of the emotional struggles that we often forget these Biblical characters faced.
However, Francine does not leave the reader with her insights alone. The "Seek and Find" segment located at the end of the book, draws you into God's word to study the portion of Scripture relating the life of Jonathan. Poignant questions force the reader to discover truths about Scripture as well as himself. "The Prince" is not only entertaining. If used as a devotional, it can be a tool to mold the reader more perfectly into God's plan.

This book was interesting and certainly kept one's attention and raised some interesting issues. The only objections I have are that the logic was inconsistent, the picture of university politics not realistic, and a very, very minor one - its "Columbia" not "Colombia" University.

I really didn't expect to like this book much based on the cover flap synopsis, but I could not have been more wrong. It grabbed me very quickly and kept me glued throughout to the last page. Even though the author was bold enough to set up overt clues early in the book about what would happen, I couldn't predict any of the twists and turns in the story. It was like being in the ring with a professional boxer, with blows landing at will from every angle. Unbelievable effort for a first novel. I am definitely looking forward to T.K. Kenyon's future work.

Rabid, by T.K. Kenyon, was released by Kunati, Inc. in Spring, 2007. It is an amazing book!
One word for this book: riveting. No, two words: riveting, compelling...actually, Rabid would take more words than I even know to use, and I'm a wordsmyth myself. I could not put it down.
T.K. Kenyon's Rabid is an amazing story. Masterfully woven plotlines and an absolute commitment to truth and utter refusal to play the complacency game left me feeling as if I had gone on an "explore" with the author. Kenyon has the gift of pulling the reader in to the world of her characters. She manages to make an untouchable character like Leila a sympathetic one.
I look forward to Kenyon's next novel. Can't wait.

I bought this book on a recommendation from a well-read friend, and after recently reading "Special Topics in Calamity Physics," "Saturday," and "Never Let Me Go," this book was exactly what I needed. At first blush, with its delightfully raunchy characters and turbo-charged pace, "Rabid" seems like a here-today, forgotten-tomorrow mass-market thriller you'd pick up in the front of an airport bookstore. However, this intelligent book has some intriguing, unusual themes stuck inside its highly digestible prose. The dialogue is, in my opinion, some of the best I've seen in any novel. The conversations amongst the characters are illuminating and entertaining without being unrealistic. Furthermore, as someone who has degrees in Biotechnology and Biomedical Engineering, I relished Kenyon's many references to laboratory culture.

Kenyon does an impressive job of juggling the four intertwined characters, and I was happy with three of the four endings. One of the character's endings just seemed abrupt and unfinished based on everything that had happened, but this didn't make me enjoy the book any less. This is an amazing and inspiring first effort. Kenyon skillfully teeters on the edge of absurdity with several of the elements in her plot; one almost expects her to take this plunge that many first-time novelists would indulge in, but she keeps the story firmly on the rails despite navigating amongst disparate settings.

If you're weary of a lot of the overwrought and unnecessarily obscure fiction that's been on the market lately and want a read that is unashamedly enjoyable yet thought-provoking, you won't go wrong picking up "Rabid."

A very good read from the first page. I liked this tremendously. Characters are well-defined and have depth and the action is unpredictable; this book is all it should be - absorbing and fascinating. Five stars.