Revelations Books

The start-up to this book was great: seemingly unconnected prologue, tight pacing, good hard SF tech, and then Reynolds inserts a conflict between characters that escalates into improbability. Some of the extremes that the two main female protagonists go to so satisfy their vendetta toward each other often descend into clichéd misogynism. Personally, I expected something a little more refined or, at least, logical thinking from people who obviously must come from a structured and disciplined background need for deep space mining.
In the end, Reynolds channels Clarke's Rama but the one thing that kept nagging at me was that in decades marooned on the alien artifact, the crew of the Rockhopper hadn't explored Janus a little more.

I must admit that I worried after the wonders of Revelation Space, Redemption Ark, and Absolution Gap that Pushing Ice would be just another novel riding off of the author's original fame. I was greatly happy to find that this was not the case.
Pushing Ice is the story of a crew sent in desperation to follow a rouge planet as far as their fuel could take them. But everything they have been told, as well as everything they may think, is wrong. Throughout the ages that pass friendships are tested, enemies made, and a future scraped out on the ice. But, more than a wonderfully realistic and enveloping space opera, Reynolds provides a human drama that propels the crew of the spaceship Rockhopper into its inevitable destiny...

In "Pushing Ice," Mr. Reynolds once again starts out with a classic sci-fi plot--a team of explorers sent on a new mission to explore a runaway moon of Saturn--and layer by layer turns it into fascinating speculation on future tech that ends with the highest possible tech--the kind that works exactly like magic.

Along the way (and maybe that way is a bit too long) there's a first-contact story (complete with strange aliens indeed), accidents aboard the ship, a mutiny, and two great characters, the mission captain, Bella Lind, and her chief engineer, Svetlana Barseghian, who have a long-lasting love-hate relationship.

Lind, the more cautious of the two, tends to be by the book, and to heed the caution signs. Barseghian, restless, claustrophic, stubborn (maybe you'll feel like you'd want to slap some sense into her if you ever met her), seems to like breaking the rules in order to right wrongs.

Reynolds is great at taking genre cliches and turning them on their head. At the start, you're likely to feel superior and to think, "oh yeah--I know what's going to happen next." But you won't.

The plot resolves itself nicely, leaving only a few loose ends for a possible sequel, should the author care to write one. But that's hardly mandatory.

Another great job by an always-fascinating author who's not afraid to challenge his readers.

Musk Dogs...Fountainheads..and a spaceship that's been on the grill to long..Two crabby women that fight for 50 freakin' years or is 18,000 years! Yes I finished the book..I know why some wanted to leave the "structure".

Granted the first part of the book is full of promise, chasing down Janus and the problems that ensue...but then the wheels fall off. Read the first 1/3 of the book then pick up something else.

For the most part I enjoy hard science fiction novels like this. But this one was hard going. A celestial object, thought to be the small moon of Saturn- Janus, suddenly takes off, leaving the solar system in a hurry. Long range scans and the the sudden acceleration reveal that the object is some type alien artifact. The crew of Rockhopper, a giant ice mining spaceship, is assigned to rendevous with the mysterious object. This assignment comes because they are the only ship that can possibly catch up with the unknown artifact.

The crew is divided as to the proper course of action. Some believe that they will expend so much fuel that they will be unable to return to earth. Tensions mount as they arrive at the point of no return. the female Captain, Bella insists that they push ahead while one her top engineers, Svetlana believes that their earth handlers are deliberately misleading them as to their chances to make a return journey home. Eventually they become stranded on this alien worldlet. And they have a long journey, many light years ahead of them. This middle portion of the book reminds me of the Garden of Rama saga as they are stranded on a huge alien space vehicle whose purpose is a total mystery.

During this long journey the large crew is divided into 2 factions, supportive of either Bella or Svetlana. In order to survive the crew must unlock the secrets of Janus. All of this is an interesting big concept sci fi stuff. The trouble is the character development is so poor I lost interest in the plight of crew. Many key elements that should lead to character building are only briefly mentioned. For instance the author only casually mentions the birth of children on Janus and only briefly mentions how and why a murder was committed. The narrative concerning the scientific study of Janus is well detailed but there is much less of the important dialog that makes the reader care about the main characters.

Book is one of the best I have read, not finished but is a very factual account of the heavenly gates. 5 Stars

The book was about what I expected. The only glitch was that it got ordered twice by accident and I didn't catch it in time. I gave the second copy to a friend.

This book touched my heart the whole time I read it. I also felt the peace in the words of Jesus. His words always emanate reassurance and warnings that we need to know and take heed. I know that the descriptions given in this book are not fit for the beauty of the Home the Lord has truly built for us. Our imagination can never perceive the beauty of Heaven.

Mary K Baxter has a heart for winning souls and advancing the Kingdom of Jesus. There is nothing she said that would fail people to come to the Lord. She encourages us to believe in Jesus Christ in order to share in the happiness that awaits us after we die. Please do not wait until it is too late to find out the Truth!

"I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying." John 11:25 NLT

This is one of the best books I've ever read about Heaven. It was truly inspiring and filled my soul with hope and joy for those who have gone on before me.

Baxter describes the setting of Heaven. It is perfection, joyful singing, fun interesting work, and enjoying the presence of the Heavenly Father with power omnipotent. Baxter shows from Heaven's view the act of a person being saved. It is quite beaurocratic and done with speed and accuracy. She describes how our giving to church with good attitudes will be rewarded. Giving to the needy and poor are also rewarded. People who save a soul get a diamond set in their homes. And yes, the gate to Heaven is a giant pearl. There are no tears, no sorrow. Baxters message is subtle but if read slowly and digested, the beauty of Heaven and God can be imagined. A good read.

There are many evidences to show that Jesus went to India and even died there...all people who go out to find these evidences eventually become convinced of it. Only people who stay home and are too lazy to study anything themselves will never ever find the truth...The truth is out there for all to grab....If only you people knew what scholars are discovering about the historical Jesus, you would realise to what extent we can have false impressions by seeing what Christianity has become today...Visit my blog to find my own research:

http://jesusofeastandwest.blogspot.com/

Unputdownable! I really thought that this book was gripping, both because of the tight plot and the facinating intrigue of fiction intertwined with history! Bold and provocative, Haigins takes the reader on a spellbinding journey through time - from the truths uttered by the first prophets to modern day cynicism around religion, politics and life. I loved the short "choppy" chapters - they kept the reader constantly guessing, while neatly tying together at just the right times.

I look forward to more from Haigins.

This is an impressive book. It weaves together multiple plots, culminating in nuclear explosion, a political assassination, and a fine finale. The book is rich in historical, geographical, technological, political, and religious detail. Be prepared to move from one plot to the next on each successive page. The author takes us across the world, beginning in Kashmir, Mecca, London, the Vatican, and Wazirstan, and going on to Japan, Russia, Israel, the United States, and elsewhere, as one cast of characters mingles with the next.
This enjoyable book packs a wealth of information and a fine narrative into a few hours of easy reading. Four to five stars. For an interested reader.

Review by Steve Oldner at http://j-kaye-book-blog.blogspot.com/.


The Rozabal Line by Shawn Haigins is a historical conspiracy thriller in the same sub-genre as Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. Haigins writes about his story, "From Jesus to Muhammad; from the Crusades to 9/11; from the Vatican to the White House; from Skull & Bones to the Illuminati; from Buddhist meditation to past-life regression; from the Virgin birth to nuclear destruction; and from Mary Magdalene to Osama-bin-Laden; The Rozabal Line has it all, and more." Add to that a surprising ending, one I had to read a second time because I didn't see it coming! I really enjoyed reading the book!

The press release states:

Bradenton, FL , Nov 21, 2007 - More than 100 years after the Russian explorer Nicolas Notovitch released his book "The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ" in which he translated some ancient Tibetan Buddhist scrolls that seemed to indicate that Jesus may have spent his lost years in India, there is a palpable sense of excitement in India once again.

The first reason is that William Sees Keenan has decided to produce a $20m movie entitled "The Aquarian Gospel" to be directed by Drew Heriot. According to the film's makers the Bible devotes just seven words to the most formative years of Jesus Christ's life simply saying "The boy grew in wisdom and stature". The Aquarian Gospel will attempt to fill that gap by following Christ's journey to the east where he encounters other traditions, and discovers the principles that are the bedrock of all the world's great religions.

The second reason for excitement in Mumbai and Delhi is that a new "Da Vinci Code" genre novel entitled "The Rozabal Line" by Shawn Haigins has taken the Jesus in India story and has supposed not only that Jesus spent his lost years in India but also that he survived the crucifixion and returned to India which was also home to one of the lost tribes of Israel. The novel has a controversial theme because it assumes that a Jesus and Mary Magdalene bloodline may exist in troubled Kashmir, along the Indo-Pakistan border, and that this bloodline could possibly be a present-day Islamic holy warrior.

Keenan's film will only be ready for release in 2009; Haigins' novel is available in the U.S. but will only be available in Indian bookstores in early 2008; but both have already created a discernible buzz in India. It will be recalled that India was one of the few places where the screening of "The Da Vinci Code" had to be temporarily suspended because of public protests and demonstrations.

The "Jesus in India" theory is not new. The German scholar, Holger Kersten, published "Jesus Lived in India" in 1994. He claimed that the tomb of a local Kashmiri saint, Yuz Asaf, located in Rozabal (Srinagar, Kashmir) was actually the tomb of Jesus. The researcher Suzanne Olsson also attempted to establish DNA evidence to link the two tomb sites at Rozabal and Murree where Jesus and Mary are supposed to have been buried. Dr. Fida Hassnain, former director of archaeology at the University of Srinagar has also written several books indicating the Yuz Asaf, Yeshua, Issa and Jesus were one and the same. The BBC has reported that the Bnei Menashe from North-Eastern India may actually be one of the lost tribes that reached India via Persia and Afghanistan.

Rozabal Line is stuffed full of historical events with a multitude of endnotes. Haigins' blog, http://shawnhaigins.blogspot.com, has actual pictures of the tomb and clips from the BBC's documentary. It's definitely worth a visit!

"The Rozabal Line" is an exciting richly detailed and tightly woven novel. It is loaded with surprises and includes hairpin turns and slow careful climbs to reach the highest peak of excitement, leaving the reader breathless, with no time to recover because the next moment of reading pleasure involves an unexpected drop into unanticipated depths. All I can say is move over Dan Brown, you have a rival author who has created a fantastic novel which interweaves four religious traditions: the hidden secrets of Christianity, the teachings of Buddhism, Islamic terrorism and the dark mysteries of Hinduism along with a secret society, called Crux Decussata Permuta, plus a beautiful but deadly Japanese female assassin. The characters are fully fleshed out with complex detail and variation of personality, making them come alive with purpose and meaning. As the plot develops and thickens within the first five pages of the novel, it hooks the reader into a game of assassination, terrorist plots, and a religious mystery.

Victor Morgan, a Catholic priest from New York has had waking dreams (or possible hallucinations or visions?) which started as a young child. As he grew into his role of parish priest his dreams or visions became more frequent and very much more clear, especially after his parents died unexpectedly. He was hospitalized due to the emotional stress associated with his loss. Victor shared the contents of his dreams with Martha, his only living relative and aunt. She suggested a clue, an explanation which was completely contrary to his religious beliefs but which after some research made sense, perhaps he was recalling past lives. He saw the past where he was Simon of Cyrene who carried the cross for Jesus when he fell on his way to be crucified. His search to understand the meaning of his visions took him to India and to Kashmir, the place where a tomb exists which is marked "Rauza-Bal" or Rozabal, "tomb of the prophet" named Yuz Asaf. Although located in a Moslem cemetery, the tomb beneath the headstone contains a sarcophagus which includes carvings of feet with distinctive puncture marks, marks which could be from only one thing, a crucifixion. Local records indicate the time in which Yuz Asaf lived coincided with when Jesus would have been alive ... if had he not been crucified to death or did he survive and possibly escape to Kashmir?

On the northern border of the Pakistani and Afghanistan border an olive skinned male Islamic leader meets with twelve followers who are willing to sacrifice their lives in the name of their great cause. The leader is plotting twelve huge terroristic events around the globe from which he believed Westerners would not ever emotionally recover.

Swakilki travels around the world ... and leaves dead bodies within her path. She was raised in a Catholic orphanage after her mother's unexpected death and was later adopted by a Japanese couple. Due to a traumatic childhood, she was cold and calculating and ripe for exploitation. She was trained in the tantric arts, along with skills to kill. The person who controls her activities and directs her actions to commit these atrocities ... remains secret. Yet he had a very important role in her past ... One of her victims was Professor Terry Acton who was searching in the archives at the Department for the Study of Religions which was part of the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. He inadvertently stumbled on some information which could throw Christianity into a panic. Oddly enough, during his early years he went to India to study under a yogi and befriended Martha Morgan, who also trekked to India to discover truths about her inner self. Many years later they again met under most unusual circumstances.

Shawn Haigins combines these tantalizing elements and fascinating characters to build a superbly enticing and intriguing story. This book will entertain and enlighten those who love a great murder mystery. It may provoke some readers who are secure in their religious beliefs to become shaken and less comfortable with themselves. A few will refuse to even consider reading the book, given its controversial contents. One must keep in mind despite the author's tremendous amount of research, and ample citing of references and acknowledgements, it is a work of fiction, created in the author's imagination. This author is very knowledgeable in various religious traditions. He has the ability to create depth and complexity from a wealth of resources to build an outstanding murder mystery. Erika Borsos [pepper flower]

A refreshingly different look at the Quran and the sounds of its recitation. Especially interesting was the included CD with recitation recordings from different parts of the world.

The material in the beginning of this book is excellent commentary by the author on the nuances of Quranic Arabic translation. The qirat (vocal recitation) in the accompanying CD is also quite good. I gave this book 4 stars because it does not contain actual quranic arabic text (either roman transliteration or Arabic text), making it difficult for most Muslims to recognize the excerpts of the Quran from their English translation alone.

The book is written by a non-muslim author, but it is obvious that he is trying very hard to explain that that fact isn't important (there is one hadith which says that the one who is trying to understand the Qur'an (one who is studying it) will never understand or accept it because he hasn't opened enough his heart - so people - OPEN YOUR HEARTS AND TRY NO TO BE NARROW MINDED).

In the introduction he is an "objective" approacher as objective he can be when talking about the word of God.

The gender explanations and other language mysteries are explained in a very understandable way. GOOD WORK!

CD might be helpful for those who had never heard the Qur'anic recitations!

Exuse me for any grammatical errors, but I'm not from USA.

On the surface, the book is an esoteric discussion of the language, poetry and mysticism of the early Suras --But I've used it in the classroom, and it is much more than that. We start with it; it's the first and only material we cover during the first week of class. It concisely, and dramatically, aids in making clear the significance of the Arabic language, the performative Qu'ran, the literary and mystical relationship with other sacred and secular texts, and, taken as far as it will go by the instructor making use of the multi-gender, multi-cultural, multi-circumstantial performances of the Qu'ran on the accompanying CD, makes the central position of the Qu'ran within a variety of Islamic societies comprehensible. This is easily taught , but not easily internalized without a book like Sells'. Much of what one covers in an Islamic Civ. course makes little sense without this level of understanding - imagine teaching Western Civ. without Homer or the Biblical tradition. Order it for your class! Your students will thank you for it.

Excellent introduction to the Qur'an and Islam. The translation is a little clunky in places, but the commentary on facing pages is absolutely priceless. I found all the appendices on sound figures difficult to slog through and not very rewarding, but the main part of the text is excellent. I think Sells does a good job of getting across how beautiful the Qur'an is, as well. It certainly reignited my own desire to learn Arabic and be able to experience the Qur'an in the same form heard by Muslims.

I'm really surprised that this was the text that inspired so much uproar when UNC assigned it to freshmen a few years ago. Sells doesn't seem to have any agenda to proselytize or cover anything up. If more Americans read this introductory text, I think there'd be far fewer people believing the lies and misdirection spread about what the Qur'an teaches. Highly recommended.

This is pure comedy. And pure satire. Cintra Wilson's writing is at once warm and cutting. Her plunge into celebrity culture is illuminating, disturbing and highly entertaining. This is great reading, and you'll want to return to it over and over again. Highly recommended.

If you have a love-hate relationship with our celebrity culture, this is a book you must read. Both grudgingly admiring and sharply critical, this book discusses our fascination with celebrities in an always hilarious and sometimes even enlightening way. Topics discussed include Michael Jackson, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, the allure of boybands, plastic surgery, eating disorders, drugs, Tina Turner, rock n roll, and Bruce Willis. Every chapter is funny and insightful. And come on, doesn't any book with the subtitle: "Celebrity Re-Examined as a Grotesque Crippling Disease" deserve your $10?

Highly recommended.

this book is not without its faults. I must admit feeling like a pervert signing it out at the local library thanks to the title and cover picture. Wilson has talent--there's no debating that. At times her prose sparkles with brilliant wit and insight, the cumulative effect being a knife-job on her deserving targets. But she never digs deep enough to get really intimate, relying more on a cursory glance and quick synopsis of a plethora of topics within our diseased societal attraction to celebrity and other issues. Perhaps she knows the topic too well and the plastic world she surveys becomes a part of the style and substance of the story she describes.

The prose in spots is unbeatable but let me express one caveat: Wilson often indulges in description ad nauseam and there are enough capitalized words here to do serious damage to the trachea of a hippopotamus. Strunk and White would probably suffer immediate apoplexy upon reading three sentences. The ending goes into a self-help rant for those needing a final kick between the eyes to really get the message home. In short, 5 stars for the spots of great writing and originality; 3 stars for the bad writing (editor needed) and aftertaste.

This is a book that sorely needed to be written. It may be several years old, but it was new to me.

With a piercing wit and a sharp tongue, Cintra Wilson cuts down to size some of Hollywood's biggest celebrities. The result is both funny and sad at the same time. Funny, because it's always entertaining to see the rich and famous make fools of themselves in the pursuit of even greater fame, power and money.

And sad, because it's pathetic to see the extent to which some of these people are willing to debase themselves in order to maintain their status once they become rich and famous, especially those that have questionable talent to begin with. Even sadder is the fact that masses of people all over the world idolize them.

With their self-indulgent behavior often disguised from the public or cloaked under a veil of piousness (i.e, Ethan Hawke, Tom Hanks) Wilson reveals how some of liberal Hollywood's biggest names are about as morally bankrupt as the staunchest right-wing conservative.

What makes this book carry even more weight with me is the fact that it was written by someone who describes herself as being "about as liberal as they come". But Wilson's commentary is far and above the type of one-sided and one-dimensional whining about Hollywood and the "media elite" one gets from the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Bill Bennett, and other purveyors of right-wing bile.

[Aside: I once saw Bill Bennett walking in downtown Washington, DC; the man's belly was the size of three pregnant women combined. I mean, it was just enormous; someone needs to tell him that gluttony is no virtue (and neither is gambling, for that matter...he he :-)].

But back to my review...

In a few cases, Wilson details specific incidents of outrageous or attention-seeking behavior on the part of certain celebrities, identifying the person by name - Barbara Streisand, Keeanu Reeves, Cher, Courtney Love, Celine Dion, Michael Jackson (Dion and Jackson receive a particularly delicious skewering).

But in other instances, she refers to "a celebrity who shall remain nameless". For example, I would love to know the name of the ogre who for no reason at all drew a gun and shot someone's watch. I wondered why some of them were named while others not. (Threat of lawsuits would be my guess).

Predictably, some of the celebrities' bad behavior involves sexual improprieties. In fact, the book is filled with accounts of people who have literally prostituted themselves for fame.

My one (and very slight) criticism of "A Massive Swelling" has to do with Wilson's writing style, which can only be described as idiosyncratic. She has a tendency to write in run-on sentences, which require several re-readings to understand. However, this is a small complaint and it in no way diminishes the value--and timeliness--of this hilariously entertaining book.

Hip and hilarious pop culture uber-critic, Cintra Wilson, traces the imagery of the last 25 years of American celebrity icons to illustrate the emotionally warping effects of the desire for fame. Wilson takes on Michael Jackson and the fading stars of the Vegas strip to show the disastrous consequences of an unbridled need for public attention and adulation. She compares the rock music of earlier generations to the fly-by-night pop stars of the last 20 years to illustrate how corporate marketing of the arts has drained them of their soul and genuine sexual potency in favor of product endorsement and marketability, however short-lived and disingenuous.

This obssession with appearances-over-content is most evident in Hollywood's current fervor for plastic surgery, now so ubiquitous it's hard to find examples of real bodies undergoing the real aging process. Naturally this affects women more than men as large-breasted supermodels are juxtaposed with petite, ever-virginal female athletic competitors and the spectre of the female form on display in beauty pageants.

However, this is not a feminist diatribe against objectification nor an intellectual's disgust with the banality of America's pop culture tastes (though Wilson is indisputably both a feminist and an intellectual). Wilson's voice serves as something of a moral prophet, condemning both the twisted values of the privileged and of their worshipful consumers. Narcissism and self-loathing (a combination Wilson epitomizes with the likes of Bruce Willis, Barbra Streisand, and Woody Allen) are the hubris of a culture in which one gets fame by being famous (i.e. marketable) rather than by having done anything noteworthy.

Wilson concludes by showing the negative influence of fame on the arts themselves. Since money now instills value and fame has become its own reason for existence, the traditional cathartic purposes of art have been lost almost completely. People seek simply to be entertained rather than to exorcise the truth of the human experience in the relative safety of artistic pursuits. The tragic result is what Wilson astutely calls an audience "now so empty and well trained and schlock-addicted that it is indeed moved by these fatty theatrical dry humps and keeps coming back".

Story:
This is a continuation of the story that was begun in revelation space and chasm city. The inhibtiors/wolfs (a machine race that removes any species that it determines has become to advanced.) were awakened by a scientist trying to determine why a advanced alien race had just vanished millions of years ago, in the course of chasing down that information the scientist activated a beacon that alerted the wolfs that a space faring species had emerged and was exploring the galaxy. After several incidents (recounted in Revelation Space)the scientist was killed/absorbed by an ancient computer/planet construct which informed his surviving comrade(through what survived of the scientist) of the incoming threat and its origin. With the intervention of of the scientist his comrade was released back in to space to do what she would with the information. Fast Forward 400 years after the events of Revelation Space and Chasm City. The predicted arrival of the wolfs has occured. Brought to the Resurgam system by the actions of the long ago scientist the wolfs have picked the system as a beach head and the first planet to die is Resurgam. The only thing between the death of 200,000 colonist's and eventually the galaxy is a coming together of the scientists old crew, a ship that holds the tortured soul of its former captin, a few dozen doomsday weapons and a 500 year old soldier that has to chose for the second time if throwing away all that he holds dear is worth saving as much of humanity as he can.
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I will say this first. This is a good book, its a great series and you really start to care what happens to the characters and why. I can't wait to read absolution gap and see what happens to clavin,khouri,the Nostalgia for Infinity, Khori and all the rest. Secondly this is a **long** book at near 700 pages its not a light read and it can get a little confusing keeping track of characters until later in the book where it narrows to down to about 3 groups. But if you like space opera/space war those 700 pages will proably fly as some of the why's of the story are answered and some of the story arcs come to a close. The book does stand on its own but I recommend reading the first two books so the backstory makes sense. Would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes scifi, space war and space opera.
m.a.c

If you're reading this review, you've probably already read Revelation Space and (perhaps) Chasm City. If not, you should look at those two first. If you've read one or both of the prequels, the best way to summarize this book is `more of the same'. This novel has the same strengths and weaknesses as these earlier works. In this story, the civilization destroying race known as the Inhibitors have now awoken from their slumber and are threatening to eradicate humanity from the little niche of the galaxy that they currently occupy. There are multiple story threads that come together as the story develops. Khouri and Triumvir Ilya Volyova, two of the heroes from Revelation Space, are still in the Resurgam system and are following the slow, steady awakening of the Inhibitors. They eventually develop a complex scheme to evacuate the residents of Resurgam before it is destroyed. In a totally separate plot thread, a 400 year old Conjoiner (biomechanically enhanced humans with a hive mentality) named Nevil Clavain has decided to betray the rest of the Conjoiners after he discovers an astonishing secret. These two major threads (and several minor threads) come together in a climactic clash around Resurgam. As several other reviewers allude to, some of the most important plot threads remain unresolved at the end of the story.

The biggest strength of this novel (and the series in general) is the level of detail in the physics that is given. As you read this book you'll learn about relativistic time dilation, gravity, gas dynamics, stellar interiors, and lots more. The Revelation Space universe is also richly developed with an intriguing and imaginative history. As I said above, the weakness of this novel are pretty much the same as the earlier ones. The novel could definitely stand to be edited, there are too many superfluous words that neither add descriptive detail nor advance the plot. Character development is not a strength either. Many of the characters are a mix of ruthless, caring, embittered visionaries. I really didn't understand the motivations of many of the characters at the end, and felt that they were all drawn from the same mold. Finally, the explanation of the purpose of the Inhibitors towards the end of this novel is, in my view, rather lame. Without giving too much away, it isn't clear to me how increased star formation would be a threat to all life in the galaxy. Bottom line -> if you like hard sci-fi with lots of technical detail set in imaginative setting, you'll like this. Be warned though that it is long on words and short of character development (in spite of all the words). Good, if not uniquely outstanding.

This is a fabulous follow-up to the Revelation Space series... after only have read the Revelation Space book. The relavence and depth of plot concerning Relevation Space continued through Redemption Ark. The deep plot had more folds than origami, which left me in submissive pleasure in the shadow of the awe-inducing greatness of it all.

High points for characters, plot (of course) and especially tech talk. There seemed to be more tech talk here than in Revelation Space. The plausible-factor of the series soared to a new high. Humans discovering technology beyond them and using that alien technology drew me in again and again.

However, I wouldn't describe Redemption Ark as "gothic" but perhaps a bit gritty... or a non-lateral mental approach to a perfect future. This future is far from utopic, but it's defininetly not "gothic."

This takes place in the same universe as Revelation Space, and it turns out to be related. Two political factions, the Demarchists, and the Conjoiners have been fighting a war, and the mind-sharing Conjoiners are winning. Then something scares them, badly.

The action here is wide-scale again, after the one man story of Chasm City.

Clavain, the reluctant Conjoiner, and Skade, one of the new breed, must try and find some amazing super weapons to give them a chane against the entities know as the Wolves that they have discovered.

The Wolves have a job, to exterminate sentient species, and they are very good at it.

This is where some information from Dan Sylveste and his new form, and the ties to Revelation Space come in.

The Ultras from Nostalgia From Infinity also have interests in these weapons.

All characters involved have to decide what to do about the planet Resurgam, which will be the first to face the destructive power of the Wolves.

A story that is not finished until the next book.

Mr. Reynolds has done quite a good job with this book: the backdrop of the Conjoiners, the history glimpses between the Earth of today and 500 years of the "future" plus a very realistic portrayal of space combat.

The last 150 pages really flies, full of action and resolution.

What I particularly enjoyed was how this book actually could stand on its own in many ways, and was not the typical "bridge" between an exciting first third of a story and the thrilling conclusion. Very well done and highly recommended.

The Urantia Book is an experience in soul growth. Although many will find it difficult to penetrate, by reading the four parts in reverse order was the way I penetrated its authenticity.

Is it possible for celestial personalities to communicate with us via this written communication called "The Urantia Book"?

After reading The Urantia Book for over 25 years, there is no doubt in my mind The Urantia Book is authored by celestial personalities, or angels if you will.

Topics of discussion range from God the Father (Papers 1-5), to the history of our world which is called "Urantia", including the Lucifer Rebellion over 200,000 years ago (Papers 53 & 67), to the entire Life and Teachings of Jesus(Papers 120 - 196).

I was especially drawn into its authenticity when I first read the account of the arrest, trail and crucifixtion of Jesus, Papers 183 - Paper 187.

It is well worth the effort and will aid all those searching for Truth.

Sincerely yours,
Paul Klaver

The Urantia Book changed my life, but The Uversa Press stole the text for this publication from the Urantia Foundation. I highly recommend spending the extra $7 and buying the original. The "pretty pictures" on the cover detract from the message, lending a preconception inconsistent with the teachings. A big thumbs down from a long time Urantia Book reader.

Have not read the entire book but read the section on the life of Jesus Christ. It gives a lot of detail about the "missing years" and his siblings which is very interesting and informative. I do not understand where all this information originated but so far have not read anything that is in direct conflict with the Bible. I plan to read the entire book in the near future.

Ever since I discovered the Urantia Book I cannot put it down. The Audio book has been incredibly helpful because the book is lengthy, and I listen to it while I'm driving to and from work. I initially started at Part I - The Central and Superuniverses, but got a little bogged down with all the new terminology, so I went straight to Part IV, The Life and Teachings of Jesus, which I just finished. I was moved to worshipful tears repeatedly. Part IV covers Jesus' life in beautiful detail, and explains how the early church got started, as well as the True Gospel of Jesus, which has gotten distorted through the ages. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand their personal relationship with God.

The Urantia Book is by far the best book I have ever read--and reread, and reread. It answers all of the "Big questions" like "Where did we come from?" "Why are we here?" and "Where are we going?" The answers bring a real sense of peace and joy and resiliance for whatever life offers. Nowhere else is all of this information available!

This is one Elvis book that I couldn't put down!! Any Elvis fan should have this one in their collection. Filled with all kinds of details...although always remember you can't believe everything that you read. It is filled with accounts from members of the Memphis Mafia and explains a lot of regular day life about Elvis.

I've finished the book and can't help but want to know more.
I cried in the last few chapters - especially for Billy Smith. I'm devastated about what I now know about Elvis - reading this book validated some of the things I'd heard and provided the details that made me feel like I was actually there.
I'm glad I have read it and I think its a must read for anyone who feels a connection to Elvis Presley. If you're like me and you want to know who this man really was and why the world still loves him, buy this book.
I will be forever changed by this book, hearing his music will never be the same again, I can't describe the emotional reaction I have had to this book. Thank you Alanna for being brave enough to put this together for all of us.

This is the most trashy unsophisticated brabble I have ever read in any genre. If you are an Elvis fan. Save your hard earned dollars and read Elvis Straight Up by Joe Esposito. I think Billy Marty and Lamar got hoodwinked by this slickster Nash. She would be better writing fairy tales along with that nut that wrote Elvis What Happened.Marty Lacker and Lamar Fike have really turned into some of the most despicable characters Elvis was ever associated with. Shame on you guys!!!

This is one of the better books on Elvis' inner circle that I have ever read, and I own alot of them. It doesnt matter if sometimes unflattering things about Elvis come up. A real fan(like me) is going to love him no matter what.This is a fantastic read(and a long one) and I recommend it to anyone that wants insider info on Elvis' private life.

Elvis and the Memphis Mafia - book
It's a fantastic book, one of the best I'm reading.
Amazon's customer's service was 100%, as usual.
Congratulatios.

I've never read anything quite like Alistair Reynolds's astonishing "Century Rain." A noir whodunnit that turns into a spy chase that turns into a space opera of epic proportions, it's set several centuries from now, where the Earth has suffered some sort of biological castrophe instigated by the law of unintended consequences. It features two competing human factions, the Threshers (essentially preservationists) and the Slashers (the techies--themselves divided into two factions) who are at odds.

At first, most of the action takes place on an alternate earth, E2 (one of the characters speculates it's a backup of our earth), preserved in quantum amber, that diverged from our earth in 1940, when Hitler's invasion of France was stopped by the French (Hitler is seen briefly as a sick wheelchair-bound aging prisoner). As a result, the technological advances instigated by WWII never happened here, where it is now a technologically stagnant 1959.

The first quarter or so of the book is told from two different points of view in alternate chapters. In one sequence, we follow Thresher Verity Auger, who's sent via wormhole transport to this E2 in order to learn what happened to one of their agents, Susan White. We know, however, that she has either fallen or been pushed off a balcony. We know this because:

The other POV is that of a local private eye named Wendell Floyd, who moonlights as a jazz musician. He takes the case after the Paris police seem uninterested in learning whether White jumped or was pushed, but her landlord-friend is, and hires Floyd to investigate. Finally, Auger and Floyd meet, the POVs merge, and the story tumbles off.

Mr. Reynolds, whose Revelation Space series speculated brilliantly on a high-tech future, this time tries to re-create a mid-20th-century space opera (maybe you'll have fun figuring out where John W. Campbell would have placed the "continued next month" break if he'd serialized this in "Analog") all the while riffing on scientific knowledge of today. The craft that goes through the wormhole, for example, features pistons and analog dials that glow red when what they measure is dangerous, and green when they're safe. And the Threshers communicate via p-mail--printed paper sent via pneumatic tubes (eventually you'll learn why).

After Auger and Floyd meet, there's much snappy noir dialogue, and various secrets are revealed during a chase sequence. (There are many chase sequences.) It's great fun; it's meant to be enjoyed, but probably not analyzed.

This is a standalone, but there are enough loose ends for a sequel, if Mr. Reynolds is so inclined.

An alternate Earth is able to be accessed via a dangerous technology, and it seems this Earth is part of an experiment, and technology is stalled at around 1950.

An explorer goes back to have a look at the situation, so we get some period piece type low key thriller as well as the SF explanations. Almost a little hard to explain.

In the real Earth there are two political forces at work, the Slashers and the Threshers, arguing over an Earth devastated by technology, the former lives on the planets, the latter in artificial habitats, and differ on how they employ technology in their bodies.

Yes, there is a Slashdot joke in this one, too.

Another solid story and set of characters from Mr. Reynolds, and well worth your time if you are a fan.

If you have not read Alastair Reynolds yet, I would recommend PUSHING ICE first and then this book; together the two will give you a good feel for the strengths...and weaknesses of his writing.

Strengths of CENTURY RAIN:
1. Story is engaging, main characters are well-developed
2. Just the right amount of technology and scientific reality
3. No deux ex machina solution
4. Fascinating settings that leave you wanting to read more about them
5. Secondary characters are interesting in their own right

Weaknesses of CENTURY RAIN:
1. Ending is a bit too neatly tied up in parts
2. The key to the mystery was fairly obvious about 3/4 of the way through

Thus, I score it a high 4, not a 5, but more than enough to keep me waiting for the next novel by Reynolds.

Early reviews on this novel convinced me to place it fairly far down on my list of new purchases. That was a mistake. Despite its flaws, I enjoyed the book thoroughly. The flaws will be familiar to Reynolds readers. Reynolds often introduces major plot elements that never pan out, and this book has lots of them. A great deal is made, for example, about the radio in Susan White's apartment, but it never amounts to anything. There are intimations of nefarious dealings by important secondary characters that are never resolved one way or the other. Reynolds characters (and corporate groupings like the Threshers and Slashers) are sometimes weak on motivation, and, as others have commented here, the motivations of the bad guys make no sense at all. It's not unusual for bad guys to have poorly developed motivations--you know, they're just evil. I can think of good reasons for the bad guys to be doing what they're doing (or at least part of what they're doing), but the reasons given in the novel don't add up. Don't let that stop you from reading the book, though. It's got enough interesting ideas, suspense, and action for most readers.

Century Rain (2004) is a standalone SF novel. Nanotechnology has invested the atmosphere of Earth, overcoming its programming, then burying the surface in ice and attacking unprotected organisms. Only those few people in space survived the Furies. The Slashers want to try to correct the condition with better nanites and recover the Earth, but the Threshers want to avoid making the situation worse.

The Slashers have discovered an abandoned alien portal that leads to a vast number of places within the galaxy and maybe beyond. The Threshers are allowed access to the hyperweb only with Slasher escorts. Naturally, the Threshers try to learn as much about the network as possible.

The Slashers are not monolithic, for the moderates are supporting the Thresher cause to some extent. Slasher moderates and extremists are engaged in a shooting war within the Solar System. Of course, a few Threshers are collateral casualties.

In this novel, Wendell Floyd and his partner Andre Custine are underemployed jazz musicians within Paris in 1959. To supplement their income, they run a detective agency. One day, Monsieur Blanchard hires them to investigate the fatal fall of a tenant, Susan White, from his apartment building. Blanchard is convinced that it is murder, but the police magistrate has declared that it is suicide or misadventure.

Verity Auger is an archaeologist excavating Paris in 2266. She works for the Antiquities Board of the United States of Near Earth, a maze of interconnected satellites around the planet. Her latest dig has led to a tragedy and political opponents are trying to destroy her career. However, she is contacted by the mythical Contingencies Board and briefed on Anomalous Large Structures. Then she is sent to Mars.

On Phobos, she travels through a hyperweb tunnel to another Earth that is younger -- circa 1959 -- but strangely different -- the German attack on France was defeated before it reached Paris -- yet with problems of its own. While the Contingencies Board believes the Slashers know nothing of the portal on Phobos, Auger finds evidence of genetically modified human weapons on Earth 2.

On E2, Auger pretends to be the sister of Susan White in order to retrieve a biscuit tin of documents. The tin includes a letter to a German metalworking firm concerning a contract to produce three aluminum spheres and a map showing circles around Berlin, Paris and Milan, with distances noted in kilometers. The tin also includes a postcard with two words underlined: Silver and Rain. There is also a ticket to Berlin for the day after her death.

This story has some of the aspects of time travel and crosstime stories, but is neither. Earth 2 is apparently a "snapshot" of Earth taken around 1940 and then preserved in the ALS. The Slasher extremists have not only infiltrated E2, but seem to be building some kind of measuring instrument there, probably to locate its position within the galaxy.

Highly recommended for Reynolds fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of private investigators, alien artifacts, and parallel cultures.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Any of this type of reading should be regarded as dangerous for the soul. Channeling=New Age=Deception=Satanic. In the last days everyone shall be deceived. These beings are the "Fallen Angels" and are here to lead you away from the truth.

If you are searching for answers, the meaning of life, or who and why you are here, this book is a must read. It is beautifully put together in a sequence of messages that when I first read I kept saying to myself, Yes, yes, yes! I constantly return to the messages for comfort and hope. Thanks to the author for putting it out there!

This book truly resonated with me. However, very much like the previous reviewer, I found their website to be a most uncomfortable fit. There is an air of spritual superiority and cosmic one-upmanship which I found quite off-putting. I was SO disappointed after being so inspired and feeling so connected to the books. It is in the spirit of not "throwing the baby out with the bathwater", I recommend this series of books but warn the reader to be very wary of their website. As always, use your own filters to accept what material is relevant and resonates with you. If after exploring, or even participating, on the website, you find yourself extremely confused and disappointed by "the messenger", please know you are not alone.

It seems that some readers have eaten sour grapes, and their "teeth are set on edge."

Being one who does not allow others to do my thinking for me, I have READ all three volumes of the Operation Terra books for mySELF and have drawn my OWN conclusions. Rather than focus on the messenger, THROUGH whom the communications have come, I CHOOSE to focus on the MESSAGES themselves.

On page 62 in volume 1, the Hosts of Heaven state that the messages "are CODED transmissions, and you will only respond favorably to them if you carry the MATCHING coding WITHIN you." (The emphasis is mine.)

I have found the transmissions to be the healing balm that I and so many others are seeking. These messages of hope and encouragement are unsurpassed in their Light, clarity and beauty. Every page radiates with a Love so powerful that it can be felt. The words of the Hosts have touched me to the depths of my soul, and they resound in me to the very core of my being.

You'll either resonate with the messages or you won't, but you will not KNOW that until you've read the books with an OPEN heart and an OPEN mind.

I found this book to be inspiring and a balm for my soul. It's value lies in it's simplicity. The author speaks with an integrity and a gentle authority which can only come from a transcendent Source, and through a humble channel. It is understandable that many may feel uncomfortable with these messages as there have always been some for whom truth has been an offense - how could it be otherwise? If you have any inclination to explore this material, don't hesitate, it is well worth a read!