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"The Fires of Merlin" was about the great adventures that Merlin had when he was a kid. This book was the third of five books in the Lost Years of Merlin series. This book deals with Merlin losing his power. He had to confront an evil dragon that his grandfather had put into a deep slumber. To add to all this, there were ancient bat-looking creatures that stole magic. They were supposedly extinct. There was an evil group on the island that wanted to destroy all magic. The evil group started to raise the bat-like creatures. The group and their bats were responsible for what happens to Merlin's powerful necklace. If you want to find out what happens to Merlin and if he finds his power read the book yourself.

"Sometimes it's easier to see someone else's dragon than your own." "The Fires of Merlin", is an exciting tale of the unforgettable Legend of Merlin. The story tells of Merlin's dangerous quests for others and confrontations to himself. He must also defeat the dragon Valdearg, who had been under a deep sleep for thousands of years, and had now suddenly awakened to cause havoc on the lands of Fincayra.
Before he can face the rampaging dragon's fire, he most face other fires, including the fires within himself. He most avoid or confront the magic-eating Kreelixes; discover the secrets of the Wheel of Wye, and take back his treasured Galator from the evil hag, Domnu. On his quest, he discovers his true magic was not in his staff but within his heart and soul. He learns this through his tragedies and the people that he meets. For example he learns that there is more magic within himself than any within his staff. To understand both sides of this problem he cannot not to judge someone for being related to one of evil doings, for even he has the blood of the once evil ruler of Fincayra, Stangmar, and Merlin's father.
This stunning work of art is an exciting fantasy about confronting yourself and discovering what you are really capable of. It shows the meaning of bravery and the meaning of the heart. The author uses descriptive words and sentences so the reader can understand and get a distinct picture in their head of a scene or speculation. In my opinion, the author really made his point to his readers and wrote from his heart. I recommend this book to all people who enjoy creative fantasies and luminous stories.

Extraordinary ride through a magical journey with unique creatures with an imagination that nevers stops!!! Very moving and speaks to the heart!!!

Make sure to read all 5 books, you'll not be disappointed!!

i loved it.........but it does not compare to seven songs of merlin in any way. the dragon of fincayra's children have been killed (except for 1). now he is on a wraging rampage. the only one who can stop him is merlin. but merlin is fighting simply to keep his magic.

Do not view these as five individual books, but as five pieces of a whole saga. To read only one would be to cheat one's self of seeing an entire picture.

The epic begins with an child with no memory being raised by a mysterious woman in a small village. Both of them are regarded as local oddities and driven to live in a convent. The boy is known as Emrys, but never feels that that is his true name. As he matures, he develops gifts and wonderous powers, along with an increasing need to know who he is. Eventually, he goes upon a quest in search of his heritage, one that will lead him to the lands his mother's stories spoke of, the Hidden World outside of time and this life. He finds himself in the midst of a battle between warring demigods, and finds a new name for his own, Merlin.

As Merlin journeys through the five books, he makes new friends and bitter enemies. This is a world filled with dragons, witches, goblins, and lost treasures. Secrets that are as powerful and painful as a two edged blade are discovered. Otherworlds are crossed, time itself bends to give the boy a glimpse of his own destiny, and choices musst be made that will affect far more than just Merlin.

***** Elements of other classics are hinted at, but applied in new ways and familiarity only serves to endear. This is a grand saga without the weightiness of other epics. Rather, it is easy to read and charming. This Merlin can stand alongside Tolkien's hobbits or Harry Potter proudly. *****

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore.

yeas the most popular book on sir winston but mistakes are in it and volume three will appear after a 20 years break .

William Manchester is a tremendous writer. A man like Churchill deserved to have his biography writted by a writer as gifted as him.
I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting, not only to learn much about the great man Churchill, but also to have their mind expanded and stretched by excellent literature like this. There are not many people writing like this today, sadly enough.
This is not an easy read, in fact most people will do well to have a dictionary near by - but it is worth it. Drink deeply and you will learn so much more than you would have thought possible about the world from the late 19th century up through WWII.
Drink it up! 6 stars.

The finest biography of Churchill (and one of the best biographies of anyone else) ever written. Manchester is unequaled in providing a balanced, thorough and readable product. Only down side is that he died before completing the third and final book on Churchill.

This is a very good analysis of Churchill, a thorough and colorfull portrait of a man I consider to be the greatest man of the 20th century. I have only two complaints, first I would have liked to have known more about his life with his wife and children. I also would have liked to have known what he thought of the Lusitania sinking. Not only does Manchester say nothing about Churchill's role in this business but the word Lusitania is not mentioned at all in nearly 2000 pages. Very strange. The letters of Churchill point out the chivalrousness and romantic nature that the public has not seen. All in all - very good and well worth a good read.

This fully lives up to its reputation as perhaps the best biography ever written. Manchester does a peerless, masterful job filling in the background colors and giving a complete picture of Churchill from a young man into his early fifties. As Manchester emphasizes, this background was essentially the decline and fall of the British Empire and the aristocracy who ran it. Manchester's main point, that Churchill was a Victorian who also lived in the twentieth century, is brilliantly made. Churchill himself is presented in all his perplexing, influriating splendor: an impetuous, charming, ambitious genius who all too often jumped out of the plane without a parachute. If you wish to know why he was rejected by the British people at the polls just after his greatest triumph (and job done) this fascinating volume of his early triumphs and memorable failures is indispensible (answer: they needed his boistrous energy in war but they didn't trust him in peace

This material about the Kingdom of God is a MUST for every believer, especially if you are deeply concerned about your potential and purpose, as you should be. This book, along with the other books in the series, will redefine your life and guaranteed to introduce you to a number of concepts that you did not know.

Wow!!! This book has impacted my faith only short of the bible itself. It clarifies, with scripture, the true purpose of Christ coming to earth to re-establish God's Kingdom, through His sacrafice. Every "why" is addressed. Why 2000 years, why did He die the way He died, why didn't God just come down and deal with satan Himself, and many many more wonderful answers that puts joyful tears in your eyes and peace in your heart. Simply awesome.

This book takes the simple and sheds light. It takes religion to complicate things - This is a good reminder that we are here for relationship not religion, and of the beauty and simplicity of the gospel! Great book, Thanks Dr. Munroe!

There are times as a Christian that we need a little more insight. This book by Myles Munroe helps you to understand more clearly some of Gods Word and plans for our life as Christians. This book will help you put some Godly plans into action.

For the first time in my life as a believer I am understanding what God intended for us. The Scriptures have been clear but my thinking was incorrect, off -track, muddled by cultural circumstances. Dr. Munroe takes you step by step into the Word of God and emphasizes what JESUS said, did and wants for us. My thinking is changed, my perspective is different. I am applying the Word of God to my life and it works. Every believer needs to read this book... with the Word. Wish I had learned about kingdom principles as a chld as my entire life would have taken a different path. From this point onward I am thinking and living Kingdom of God!!

I'm writing this as the mother of an adopted Ethiopian child- I bought this book after a random search and it has been the most valuable book of our whole adoption journey. It's loaded with helpful background info on the AIDS & Orphan crises in Ethiopia, history of Ethiopia, insight into the cultural perceptions of adoption (especially by affluent, white Westerners!) and the very moving perspectives of the orphans themselves, and their Ethiopian caretakers. The heroine of this story is very real, and her character development was deep and insightful. I laid the book down several times to have a good laugh (or cry!) but could hardly keep from turning the pages. Whether you are adopting yourself, supporting someone who is, or just interested in learning more about Ethiopia and this heroine's story, I know you will come away inspired.

Author Melissa Fay Greene, who is the adoptive mother of two Ethiopian children, relates the story of Haregewoin Teferra, an Ethiopian mother who becomes the foster mother for a multitude of AIDS orphans during the height of the pandemic. Greene truthfully tells the tale without painting Teferra as a "modern day Mother Teresa," but rather as a very real and human woman who is asked by clerics to take in one abandoned orphan after another. A grieving mother whose adult daughter died from AIDS, Teferra discovers that helping the children provides her with a means of overcoming her grief. The individual stories of these "lost children" who arrive on Teferra's doorstep are riveting, as is Greene's account of the assimilation of her adoptive children into her family. Accompanying photos show children shortly after they arrived in very bad shape at Treferra's compound and then later with adoptive American families.
Greene spares no one as she rails against the pharmaceutical companies that withheld AIDS medications from third-world countries at the height of the pandemic, causing the loss of a whole generation of parents. Despite having no drugs to help the children, hit-or-miss medical care, and scarce food for all, Teferra does her best to feed, clothe, house, and educate the orphans put in her care. Although one might think that this book is a "downer," it is a very uplifting page-turner that relates the indominable spirit of one Ethiopian woman and her many foster children.

Melissa Faye Green is an excellent writer. She is a true artist painting a vivid picture of scenes, and weaving historical, political and social aspects of the deadly HIV/AIDS epidemic. This is an incredibly powerful book. It is not easy to read due to the difficult emotional toll it can take on one, but I felt morally obligated to read it, so that I wasn't just shutting out the devastating misery suffered by so many millions. She portrays the human face of this awful disease with poignancy. It is an inspiring and human story of one woman's efforts to alleviate her own and others suffering. God bless Melissa for opening our eyes.

This was a wonderful book! Having myself been to Addis Ababa recently (July 07) with my daughter to pick up her adopted Ethiopian baby boy (4 months old), you can just imagine how this story of one woman's love for so many orphans resonated with me. The book is a quick read -- something interesting in every chapter. The author intertwined Haregewoin's up and down story with bits of Ethiopian history and the unwinding spread and theories of HIV-AIDs plus added her own experience with H. and the adoption her own Ethiopian children -- which made the reader come away with a true cultural experience. H. is truly a "Mother Theresa" figure and an inspiration to all women. Thank you, Melissa, for introducing us to her. I really enjoyed having the photos of many of the children and their adoptive families to relate to. I will be sure that my daughter reads this book and I have suggested it to my book club in Boulder, CO which will read it in the fall. -- Gayle Weiss

I like what the story is about, however the book has so much detail it is hard to get through the first chapters.

After being frustrated with myself on the golf course during the past few months I was beginning to wonder if I might stop playing.I have a handicap of 19 and was really struggling to play to it.Once I had a bad hole I would get down on myself and the whole thing would snowball.
After reading Zen Golf and putting into practice some of the techniques I have played two lots of 9 hole stableford competitions and had 23+25 points.
I have played 2 rounds of 18 holes in competition.The first round of our club championship at 85-19-66 (par is 69).In our annual men's tournament 83-19-64.During these rounds I have only had one 7 and nothing higher.
Most importantly I have actually been enjoying myself.
I am certain this booked has really helped me and I will continue to use the techniques that I have learnt.I will probably read this book over and over when I need to as there are several more things I want to try.

I am a beginner golfer and this book is helpful for the mental part of golf! I would suggest it to anyone that plays golf. I gave to a friend that throws clubs in frustration and she played a round for the first time with no broken clubs and was relaxed, she says the book is helping her too

I loved this book! I learned more about the art of the mental game of golf in this thin volume than in a half dozen longer times (.e.: The Mental Games of Golf). I would put this up there with "See It Sink It" or "Every Shot Must Have a Purpose".

A must have for any serious golfer. I dare you to read the story about the golden statue and tell me that it didn't affect you!

Finally, a book that puts the mental game into sections that make sense. Told in a down-to-earth way, the examples and insights provided by "Zen Golf" really do pertain to the game we love. Understanding that the results of a swing are not necessarily the be-all and end-all is very powerful knowledge. Learning to breathe will apply to a myriad of endeavor, both athletic and personal. Ostensibly, it is a book about golf, but one that fills many gaps in all kinds of life situations. Dr. Parent is a born teacher.

Bottom Line . It took five strokes off my handicap.
Michael A. Epstein
Member KCC

I've been married for nine years now and I found this book to be a fabulous tool to take the drudgery out of sex. It gave me a healthier, more inspired view of it and it's been great for our marriage. I just need to keep it up!

This book should be read by every married couple and couples thinking of getting married. It has a very open approach to how important a good sexual relationship is in a marriage and how by not having this how it can cause so many problems in the marriage. It gives you homework every chapter to help you achieve a oneness in a marriage that I never thought would be possible.

I highly recommend this book!

I haven't finished the book yet, but have liked what I've read so far--it has particularly changed my view of how early and how to present my children with an accurate and positive understanding of sex. O'm looking forward to reading that chapter specifically.

I heard about this book in a marriage prep class at college. The information is highly valuable and pertinent to both men and women. The book teaches that sex is ordained of god. It will remove sex inhibitions and revitalize.

Laura Brotherson touches on a subject that is much needed but avoided and shame-based in most Christian circles. I bought this book for me and for my husband, we appreciate it so much that I bought it for my daughter and her husband to read together. It is written beautifully and honestly and I feel must have been inspired. It is LDS based, but I agree with other reviewers that it would be very helpful to any woman or couple. I'm so thankful for her courage and I believe she must have been inspired to write it, especially to share her own personal pain and frustrations with false, though well-meaning, but very harmful messages of female sexuality in general but most especially in a religious context. I am an LDS incest survivor, so the book has been an essential part of my healing and in developing a healthy sexual identity. There are many ways that I have been harmed sexually, however, and one of them is without a doubt the destructive messages given to women, young and old, and the obvious avoidance of open discussion about something so important and essential to a woman's well-being, and in the LDS context; marriage and her eternal role. I would suggest this as a gift for any woman you love and care about. Equally important though, I would suggest it for any good man that wants to truly love, understand, honor, and fulfill his wife in the way I believe God intended. Unfortunately, men, young and old, are also severely misinformed, not educated, and just plain taught WRONG about female sexuality. I so appreciate Laura Brotherson's courage, effort, and truly inspired willingness to share such important truths.

Kadence, a confident woman says "I am a forty-something African-American with junk in my trunk and a chest that women go under the knife for". She has wasted eighty-three days and twelve hours, ignoring her man, now it's time to reclaim him.

Kadence arrives unannounced at the beach apartment of her longtime friend and occasional lover, Terrence, in the Caribbean. Kadence is mildly shocked when a very tanned woman answers the door, but she can handle this Barbie wannabee. To Kadence's surprise, Sheila does not want to be anything but Terrence's wife, and it seems a week from the day Kadence arrives, Terrence will marry Sheila. Kadence cannot leave soon enough, but the airport is booked for the next three weeks. With nothing else to do, she decides to enjoy the island, some of its inhabitants, and maybe tease her 'ex'.

Death of an Island Tart is a mere three chapters, but it arrests reader's attention. You know Kadence is going to get into some island mischief, she is too saucy not to. Croom's writing is captivating, humorous and well delivered. Now I want to know if 'Ms. I'm Every Woman' got what she came for.

Reviewed by aNN
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Janice, if this was the short story you read while we were in Maui, all I can say is "Wow!" It is really good. You have grown as a writer and I'm very proud of you for persevering. It warmed my heart to transport myself to that island while I was facing twenty degree weather at home. Keep writing. You have a gift...and I, too, want to see Queen Latifah as Kadence. I hope you win. You deserve it. E. Adams

"Death of an Island Tart" is a jaunty mystery narrated by Kadence MacBride, a forty-something who jets off to the Caribbean to reconcile with Terrence, a boyfriend from whom she's been estranged for 3 months. Kadence is all dolled up and ready to go, when she discovers that Terrence has found a new woman, Sheila, a pretty, young island shop-girl whom he intends to marry. Hurt but helpless to change Terrence's mind, Kadence tries to return to the US immediately but is unable to change her reservation. So she bides her time touring the island and cuts loose at the local dance club.

Kadence is a witty, lively narrator with equal parts empathy and attitude. Island exoticism, sunshine, and hedonism make this an appealing setting. The way in which the islanders interact with the tourists is interesting to observe. They possess both a desire to impress and a contempt for the affluent vacationers who fuel their economy. Issues of race mingle with those of class, as there are both black and white working class islanders as well as affluent tourists. Kadence is a lot of fun, and, though it looks like something besides her love life will go wrong, I'm confident that she'll handle it with aplomb.

I love the voice in this first person narrative. A middle aged black woman who returns to her boy friend after a breakup of some months only to find him set to marry another woman. The descriptions are very good. I like that the girl was marking they guy like a dog marks his territory. Lots of good description.

I liked the character and I would read for the setting as I like somewhat exotic places like a Carribean island. I would definitely want to read the whole story.

This is one of those books where you know after the three paragraphs that it will be one you can't put down. The third paragraph is

"In this stuff, every time I stood up, I was sticking my chest in some man's face. And when I walked, my butt swished like a Whirlpool on agitate."

This effective imagery continues as Kadence travels to a Caribbean island and tries to get her man (Terrence) back. For reasons that are not explained, Kadence left him out in the cold with no explanation and she has had a change of heart. Unfortunately, Terrence has found Sheila and plans to marry her.
From the title, it appears that one of the women introduced in the short is going to die. There is no way to tell from this introduction which one it will be, but given the quality of the first 13 pages, it will not matter. This is an instance where the conclusion will be less interesting than the journey.

Wow!! This book is so different from other books. The humor, wit, and details feel very real. There are parts that also remind me of her music so it's nice to see that connection.

Just the mention of those chocolate chip pancakes made this worthy of five stars. =:o)

I chuckled over "Do you want me to go beat her up?" Oh my Lord that whole ruined-wedding-day scenario just killed me! Just one example of an evil, conniving MIL. I was taken by the fact that the setting is only 1.5 hours south of where I live (by the way, does the novel mention Amy's Ice Cream parlor?).

"She was my wormhole to the future." - I LOVED this!

I found the family dynamics endearing, the realistic bantering filled with warmth and humor. This is the kind of premise I'm always drawn to, a family unraveled by conflict and their journey back to "normal." That Belyn though...hoo-whee! Looks like this is one family that's going to have their hands full! So I'm anxious to see how this plays out.

Very well done, Marilyn!

The thing I liked most about the selection is that it promises interesting characters & situations with plenty of humor. The characters and situations are ordinary enough that they could be from next door, yet somehow quirky and unexpected, and this combination promises plenty of twists in the upcoming story. Who doesn't have a relative or friend who, like Jimmy, is always asking too much? But Jimmy's jailbreak and the presumptuousness of leaving his daughter with Jacob and Laurel certainly is not ordinary.

The character development is good, considering the brevity of the selection. Each turn of events lets us see another facet of the personalities of the main characters. The first person point of view gives us a particularly clear window into the mother, Laurel. I enjoyed the insight into Laurel's feelings about her under-appreciated role as wife and mother.

As an Austinite, I liked the references to local places. The fitness fetishes of the father, Jacob, and the daughter, Suzanne, are common in Austin - what do you expect from the home of Whole Foods?

I can't wait to read the rest!

Happy, sad, quirky, normal, uncomfortable, loving... all the opposites and paradoxes of family life. I was surprised that, in so short a time, I could actually CARE about what was going to happen to some of these characters. If the ins and outs of relationships are labarynthine, then this excerpt hits the corridors at a full run. Very enjoyable.

François Rabelais in his irreverent and influential sixteenth-century novel Gargantua and Pantagruel writes "[t]he satirist is correct when he says that Messer Gaster--Sir Belly--is the true master of all the arts. . . . To this chivalrous monarch we are all bound to show reverence, swear obedience, and give honour" (pp. 570-571). "Discontented Season" is clearly the modern successor to that notion of food as literature. And, what of the humble pancake? This metaphor for life, that we, as unformed batter, full of potential and unknown ingredients, are heated by the crucible we call "the human experience"and turned into something greater than our sum parts, something delicious. While a French writer might have attempted to elevate the reference by using crepes,this use of the good, old American pancake is the perfect vehicle for this portait of domestic suburban lifestyles. Bravo!

American or Canadian pancakes (also known as hotcakes, griddlecakes, or flapjacks in the U.S.) contain a raising agent, usually baking powder, and contains different proportions of eggs, flour, and milk or buttermilk, which create a thick batter. Cinnamon and sugar can be added. This batter is either ladled or poured onto a hot surface, and spreads to form a circle about ¼ or inch (1 cm) thick. The raising agent causes bubbles to rise to the uncooked side of the pancake, at which point the pancake is ready to be flipped. These pancakes, very light in texture, are often served at breakfast topped with maple syrup, butter, peanut butter, jelly, jam, or fruit. Many of the characters in this novel could be served with fruit.

While I am not familiar with this promising young author and merely coincidentaly share her last name, I feel as though I know her....from her prose, her words. This work is fierce, yet tender, much like pancakes. I think I may have gone to the Original Pancake House with the author one time and although we both ordered "pancakes", hers did, in fact have chocolate chips in them, and mine did not.

"Books have led some to learning and others to madness" Petrarch. This book accomplishes both. I learned a lot and was mad that I could not read more.We can smell what Marilyn is cookin' in the kitchen, and await seconds.

The author has a keen sense of ancient history which she is able to bring forth in an interesting manner. Ruth has been characterized in a way which wants the reader to really find out what will happen to her

the promise of ruth was outstanding, captivating, keeps you on the edge of your seat.

The characters in "The Promise of Ruth" feel very real and easy to relate to. The story is historically accurate. Although, the story takes place in ancient times the emotions and feelings of every character are easy to empathize with. A very moving, must read book!

Not being an avid historical fiction reader I wasn't sure what to expect however The Story of Ruth made me want more. The author's vivid words wh describing the special bond between twin sisters and struggles within a family was so eloquent. I can't wait to read the rest of it.

I couldn't put this excerpt down. "The Promise of Ruth" vividly brings an ancient world to life by combining narrative momentum with extremely rich characters. The portrait of sisterly love and loss brought tears to my eyes.

There are so many interesting twists in this embellishment of a Biblical fable. Ruth, the daughter of a king, becomes the wild child. The description of her sympathetic immersion in her sister's death is heart wrenching. It also prepares the reader psychologically for Ruth's rejection of her natural family and for her eventual rebirth as a Jew.

Ms. Rocklin is a writer in command of her craft. I can't wait to read the rest of this moving novel.

This is one of two books I highly recommend for anyone interested in basic Buddhist principles communicated in a Western way. His kindness and sense of humor come through the pages. I don't know of a single person who has not found this book an pleasant reminder of why we are here in the first place.

A great tour through mindfulness meditation's efficacy on living well, the power of neuroplasticity, and a monk's personal struggle with anxiety.

Your thoughts are not you. That simple, that profound. Enjoy this book and enjoy your life.

I listened to The Joy of Living as an audiobook, and have re-listened to it several times. The links that the authors made with neuroscience and to everyday life put the ancient Buddhist wisdom of Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche in the context our modern world in a way that I found immensely understandable, profound, and, yes, joyful! I am deeply grateful to Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche and Eric Swanson for providing these great teachings, and sharing their insights as they relate to current science and life. The skillful narration also contributes to the integrity of the work. - It felt as though the authors were speaking directly through Jason Scott Campbell. I know I will listen to it many more times.

Having come from much personal trauma, anxiety, panic, depression, and physical ailments, but also being of a skeptical scientific mind, I began searching philosophy for something that would answer pressing issues in my life. Being depressed about that state of my health, my past and my life in general, I picked up the book without much expectation, almost sure that I would be disappointed. I was very wrong. Instead, this book, in a brilliantly simple way, changed my life profoundly, by giving me the root answers to my problems and the tools to manage these issues. Learning about the author's own anxiety was uplifting to me as I identified. I'm not fully recovered, but I am much more advanced than I have ever been. This book put me on that path.