Queen The Books

First I will preface my remarks by saying I have not played AD&D since around 1991. Although I am aware of the developments since then, I have never chosen to move to the new systems and feed the publisher's coffers.

One of Gygax's last major contributions to TSR, Oriental Adventures details the oriental adaptation of the 1st Edition AD&D rules (post Unearthed Arcana). This is a fantastic game and a fantastic system, although those of us coming to the genre anew might find it intimidating. Essentially this details some of the classic warrior archetypes in Asia (Bushi - soldiers, Kensai - weapon specialists, Samurai - honour-bound warriors) wizard archetype (Wu Jen) etc... Ninja is not an independent class, but a secondary class that some archetypes can have (similar to multi-classing).

There are four races, one which is like an Oriental version of Dwarves, one which are effectively shapechangers, and the three branches of part-human "Spirit folk", and lastly, humans.

Gygax lays out a couple more layers to the normal AD&D experience - honour system and class / caste system, and adds in martial arts for a full Oriental experience. The spell lists from the Player's Handbook are adapted to the Orient, and many stay roughly equivalent.

This book was criticised at the time for mixing different oriental cultures / archetypes into one book. In response to that - this is fantasy. There is enough interesting variants in here to give an Eastern flavor to any campaign. If you are interested in this area you can also pick up fairly cheaply some of the Rokugan books (published by L5R and easily adaptable to this rule set - although written for 3rd ed d20 system, or vice-versa).

However, this is a very good value book now available cheaply second hand. Buy it (and the other 8 or so original titles) because these books are full of imagination. Despite all the years of fixes within second, third, 3.5 and 4th editions, I still prefer these original texts. Buy them while they are still available.

The only fault in this book is that it is written in archaic 1st Edition D&D rules, which is not that easily adapted to 3.5. But this book is worth a translation, because it is far superior to its modern counterpart.

The rules for new races & classes (including ninja and kensai) are much better presented. The martial arts system is a munchkin's dream (It's pathetically easy for anyone to start doing 3d10 punches), but unlike it's 3e successor, its rich in flavor and easy to advance in a far more logical manner. The Wu Jen have never been done as well since this edition, and they have many great spells in the book. As an added bonus, they used a new setting for OA, instead of retrofitting everything to Rokugan, which severely crippled the 3e book.

A must have for any RPG collection.

This book is fantastic, and adds so much depth to the campaign. It has everything you need to run an Oriental Adventure, or make characters in an oriental setting. TSR has yet to duplicate in any other book the remarkebly well balanced rules of this book. For example, the Ninja in Oriental Adventures is more inetersting, better devolped, and more enjoyable to paly with only a few pages of coverage than anything in the 2nd edition complete book of Ninjas. IF you can find it, buy it, you will not regret it. The only drawbacks are that A) the book is out of print, and B) AD&D is moving to 3rd edition, and Oriental Adventures exists solely as a 1st edition book, so the rule converstaion may or may not proove difficult.

Here it is, the most coveted AD&D hardcover in existence - not only for its rarity, but for the excellence of its rules! Here, you get 128 pages of how to play ninjas, samurai, wu-jen, and more; the elaborate Honor system, oriental magic, and the unique monsters and treasures of Kara-Tur, all in one beautiful reference! The golden age of the 1st edition game, here in one volume.

I am impressed with The New York Review's revival of this unexpectedly non-Jamesian title. A truly unique James choice to bring back to life--it's been done so with a cover so compelling (I'm not a tradional James fan) I opened the book which I found locally in a brick and mortar as they are now called, book shop. The internet cannot do justice to the thoughtful sophistication of this book's packaging. (But I can purchase another copy here more easily!) The publisher's comments about the work were also compelling and complimentary to the cover art. The Other House is a mystery, a detective story, a love triangle with more than three angles--a true page turner--with a timelessly human plot and "modern" characters. Anyone thriller fan would be enchanted with it. And turning every page, holding the book, is a sensory thrill. Paper, writing, art--all representative of what any literary rebirth deserves. If it's worth bringing back--do it with quality, I say! They did--along with a whole marvelous collection of equally intriguing books, with well written new introductions. Good choices--the pieces themselves, the introduction authors and the book artist designers. Truly timeless in all ways!

This book is a novelization of the play by the same name. And you can see the stageplay - the characters are continually coming and going - and there's stage business - all of which I think shows some stiffness - yet about half way through the novel I was startled at how much the characters were real, rounded - I could just about see them - they ached with life - I was always aware of the stage during the novel - the story itself is rather shocking - it's a mystery novel! - it's all very well done - it's short - and it's very psychological

A trusted friend sent me a copy of this new edition of The Other House, insisting that I'd enjoy it. It looked intriguing. I felt obligated to at least give it a try. I still trust the friend! I can't believe this is what is known as a Classic. I thought they were all very boring. I couldn't wait to get back to this plot and I'd never have thought it was written in the uptight Victorian era. It's more like a movie special of the week or one of the top ten best selling novels. Read it then recommend it and impress your friends with your literary depth.

It's hard to believe that James's theatrical turn of the late 19th century ended with his audience "booing" him off the stage. This novelized play reads quickly and delightfully. I've read more than twenty of his novels, and this was the quickest of them all.

The plot is simple enough (at least for James): two houses, apparently back to back, in Wilverley, a small English village, set the scene. One contains a widow, the other a young married couple. The young wife widows the young husband, and he becomes Wilverley's "most eligible bachelor," except for the fact that he promised his dying wife that he would never marry again, at least not during the life of his child. So somebody has to kill the child, right?

Enter James's genius for character. There's Paul, the huge, infinitely imperturbable son of the wealthy Mrs. Beever; the diminutive and impetuous Dennis Vidal; Tony Bream himself, a remarkably good-natured but insensitive fool; and the powerful Mrs. Beever, whose awful determination cows every one else before her. Like James's best writing, his characters become interesting on their own; his fictions become an opportunity to satisfy curiosity. I think that's what makes this book a "page-turner"; the characters are interesting enough that I want to know what's going to happen.

In the end, I suppose, what makes this book succeed is what would have made the dramatic version fail: James's endless fascination with the workings of the human mind must have become either painfully boring or just incomprehensible to a theatrical audience. However it came about, I recommend it unequivocally.

I ordered Volumes I and II of the audiotape version of The Island Story (history of Britain from mythology through Queen Elizabeth I) and listened to it with my boys aged 10 and 12 before we went to England this spring. We all really enjoyed it. While written for children, the history and color (eg tie ins to words/expressions we use today) were fascinating for me too. The book was written in the early 1900's which makes a few of the references to Britain's current day "empire" amusing but no less interesting. I will be saving this set of tapes for my grandchildren!

I read this aloud last spring to my 3 boys, ages 10, 12, and 13. They all really enjoyed it and I enjoyed reading it.
The only (small) negative I could give it is that there are several spelling mistakes-mostly a missing letter in a word. I corrected that as we went along for the next time I read it aloud. It really wasn't a problem but I just thought I should point that out.
We are now reading the sequel about our own country (America) called "This Country of Ours" and enjoying that one as well. I can highly recommend both books, as well as "Fifty Famous Stories Retold" which is usually bought along with these two. That one is especially easy to narrate from as the stories are very short-often just 2 pages.

This is a such a fun history of England. My children love reading this book. We read a couple of chapters aloud each week. We have just started our second time through.

The chapters are relatively short. For the most part, the book is organized chronologically by King (or Queen). Each chapter (or sometimes several chapters) hits the high points of each King or Queen's reign.

Make history come alive for your children by reading this book to them.

This is a nice softcover edition. Check out the publishers other books. You can pretty much assume it is going to be interesting to your children if they have published it. I have several of their books and every one has been a hit with our family.

We have been reading about one a week for over a year. My girls love these stories! One of our rabbits ended up with the name "Boudacia" after we read her story.
At the beginning they might be more folklore than fact, but none the less they are wonderful. There are some great moral lessons to be learned from many of the stories.
After I bought the Yesterday's Classics I found an old hardback with great color pictures. It cost a bit, but what a treasure!
Highly recommend.

My child and I loved this book, It inspired her so much she wanted to make her own paper doll just like the paper princess! we did. Highly recommended!!!!

My children and I were enchanted by this book. We love the author's ability to blend imaginary elements -- talking paper dolls, toys and animals -- with real and inspiring facts from nature, namely the migration of Monarch butterflies. The passages which show the paper princess abandoned in the discarded Christmas tree, enduring the harsh winter, awakening in spring, and finally being rescued by the Monarchs "one late summer day...when the leaves are flying like tiny kites" are especially moving. This tale both feeds our imaginations and stimulates our awe for the animal kingdom. Sharing this beautiful and unique book would be a great way to introduce Monarchs in the classroom.

The Paper Princess Finds Her Way is an absolutely wonderful and inspiring book. Even though "It can be a hard world for small fragile things," the paper princess knows she must change because the world around her has changed. She boldly takes on the challenges of the hard world and finds adventure, beauty and newness. Elisa's writing is wonderfully illustrative; I could clearly imagine the cat who "smiled a sharp cat smile" or the butterflies that "travelled, a magic carpet of sunlit wings." The story made me laugh, smile and think about the beauty in life and the beauty of change. This book is not just for children. However, my eight year old was just as enthralled as I.
"Wait! I want to look at the picture," he urged, not wanting to be rushed before he read the page. The illustrations in The Paper Princess Finds Her Way are intimate and full of details that tell their own stories such as birthday parties or a child
cooking with her grandma. As with Elisa's other books, studying the pictures is much of the fun and I'd become absorbed in the small village or living room on the page. I highly recommend this book for children's libraries, home libraries and all elementary school classrooms.

AT LAST! More adventures about the brave and friendly, soulful paper princess making her way from her (now grown up) creator to the hand of another artistic child in Mexico. What a wonderful antidote to the mass consumer society we live in today. It is definitely a story to cherish and the illustrations are beyond this world! Kleven's illustrations of the Monarch butterflies in flight are mystical and left me hoping for more. Hooray for our brave princess and may her own creator, Elisa Kleven, bless us with more delightful and heartfelt stories!!

The Paper Princess loves a little girl named Lucy who is good to the princess and her dog. When they find out that there is to be a fiesta later in the day, they set out to do something nice for Lucy. As the princess and her dog fly on the wind in search of the perfect gift, they encounter many adventures and only by a stroke of good fortune are returned to their little girl. Though they weren't able to bring her much in the way of a physical gift, the princess and her dog gave Lucy what she loves best of all: their adventure story.

The Paper Princess Flies Again (with Her Dog) is a precious, whimsical story. The colorful and lively illustrations blend seamlessly with the text to produce a wonderful tale. I also enjoyed that this story is set outside of the American cultural norm. This is not the first of the Paper Princess tales, but that fact doesn't detract from the story. It only leaves me and my children hoping to pick up the other Paper Princess titles.

Armchair Interviews says: A delightful, entertaining read.

Elisa Kleven explains on the back flap of "The Paper Princess Flies Again (with her Dog!)" than when she finished reading "The Paper Princess Finds Her way" to a group of children they asked her what would happened next to the princess and her new paper dog. She wrote and illustrated this third story in the series to find out and to "inspire children to draw their own paper characters and to give those characters stories and worlds." After reading this book I have little doubt that Kleven has succeeded in her objective.

This enchanting story is set in Mexico, where a girl named Lucy loves a paper princess who is not thicker than a leaf but who is full of stories. Although the paper princess has traveled far from the girl who first drew her and the boy who gave her wings, she now has a dress like the sky and a dog. Lucy agrees he is a good dog, but since he looks a little plain she decides to paint him a colorful jacket. The dog does not think he needs a jacket given his warm brown coat, but then Lucy explains he needs it because they are going to have a fiesta that night. In appreciation for the coming party, the princess and her dog decide they should find something nice for Lucy. But when they find a red paper flag that they imagine to be a flying carpet, it whisks them up into the air and off into a new adventure.

Traveling on a kite, a tumbleweed, and a sailboat, the paper princess and her dog end up in a surprising place to make Lucy's fiesta quite memorable. Kleven's artwork consists of beautiful multi-media collages that bring alive her characters. "The Paper Princess Flies Again (with her Dog!)" represents both the desire of children to venture out and discover the world as well as the joy of returning to a warm and loving home (especially when there is a new dress and a crown or a new jacket involved). Granted, in the 21st century the idea of making a paper princess or anything else you can think of seems rather quaint, but that is probably why this book is so charming. Kleven works in so many varied textures, shapes and colors into her artwork (look at all the details in the two-page spread of the desert and the ocean) that you cannot imagine her young readers not being inspired to follow suit.

This is the latest in the adventures of the paper princess and it's as wonderful as the other two. I love the character of the dog and how the princess' cheerful and brave optimism plays against his more timid nature. It's a great book to read aloud and my kids were totally taken in by the story and cheered at the ending. We also love the two earlier books and they've become favorites that we read over and over again (my two year old now "reads" them to himself). Each of the three books has a very distinctive plot so they don't suffer from being bland imitations of each other. It's a rare author who can take a character and expand her world as successfully as Elisa Kleven does. We can't wait for the princess' next adventure!

I like all Elisa's Kleven's books. They are great stories. I really like this one because there is a dog in it.

My book was nice. The Amazon staff and shipping were very horrible. I will not be purchasing from Amazon again. The book's cover was literally taped into the OUTSIDE of the box. The customer service was polite but forced me to return the ruined book. This involved me having to give the nasty book to someone for a gift and then replacing it, packaging the damaged book back up and going to the Post Office. This was a lot of gas and work. I deeply resent having to do all of this. Other people do not want a damaged book. Why not just throw it away? It was their mistake and I had to do the work. Bad service.

Angie Sage keeps the Septimus Heap series going strong with Physik - the third book after Magyk and Flyte. In Physik we have a complex web of plot elements (no spoilers in this review) that take the narrative deep into the history and architecture of the castle and deeper into a an increasingly sophisticated magical realm. There's more about the forms and uses of magyk in this title, and less focus on the weird creatures of this place. Nothing is lost. The central trope is magnetically compelling and there is action and danger and new fabulous characters. The Septimus Heap world keeps getting deeper and weirder with each new title in the series - yet the stories remain page turning romps that don't give kids nightmares. Sage treads the line between thrilling action and stuff that's too scary for kids with brilliant sensitivity. As an adult I don't get the feeling she's condescending - yet I have no qualms giving this to my second grader. He devours these Septimus books with gusto and is well ahead of me in the series.

If you read Magyk and Flyte you'll definitely be reading this on your way to Queste - so it's not vital that I tell you that Physik rocks. It's probably the best title in the series so far.

As for paperback versus hard cover - these are pretty thick chunky books (more than 500 brief quick reading pages) - the paperback adds some much needed lightness and flexibility and saves about 35% of the price. I was the 3rd person to read our particular paperback copy (after my son and wife). It was still in fine condition (no pages falling out or smudged ink). I have no problem recommending this dirt cheap edition.

I truly enjoyed this book. My grand daughter is reading it now. The
series is terrific - hope there are more to come.

I just reread this book recently... It hasn't lost its charm. Awesome third book. I can't wait until Queste!

Nicholas Rudall's Euripides' The Trojan Women: Plays For Performance provides a new translation of a literary classic of pathos and war, capturing the classical drama in a new form designed as a play for performing to modern audiences. An outstanding literary work Euripides' The Trojan Women is highly recommended for any studying Euripides.

Diane C. Donovan Reviewer

Edith Hamilton, in The Greek Way, says that "Euripides is the saddest of the poets" and that "no poet's ear has ever been so sensitively attuned as his to the still, sad music of humanity." The Trojan Women, a heart-rending read, certainly supports these opinions.

Written in Athens in 415 B.C. in the throes of the ruinous Peloponnesian War, the play was a condemnatory response to the recent Athenian atrocities against the neutral Greek island of Melos. After taking the island, the Athenians executed all the men and enslaved the women and children. It was an end of innocence of sorts for the city that had long considered itself the world's citadel of what we now call civilization and culture. In criticizing it, Euripides reached back to the central event of the Greek epic heritage, the legendary victory over Troy, for his setting and characters.

The resulting tragedy opens in the aftermath of the slaughter of the Trojan men, with Troy in flames and the women being divvied up as slaves to the conquering Greeks. Euripides is unflinching in his depiction of the inhumanities visited upon the vanquished. King Priam's daughter, Cassandra, is raped by Agamemnon, king of the Greeks. His other daughter Polyxena is cruelly murdered. In one of the most moving scenes in all of literature, his grandson Astyanax, a young child and the only surviving heir to the Trojan throne, is taken from his mother Andromache's grieving embrace and thrown to his death from the highest wall of the city. In fact, the only pity and decency presented among the Greeks is found in the Greek messenger Talthybius, who cleans the body of Astyanax and brings it to his grandmother Hecuba after Andromache's pleading to bury him is denied as she is taken away to her fate as a Greek slave.

Many have read this work as a blanket indictment of war. I read it as a misanthropic perspective on human nature, with its glimmers of what we call humanity intersticed between the harsh reality of our cruelty, hatred and violence, a reality set free within the lawless terrain of war. Those with a rosy view of our genetic inheritance should generally be given fair warning before engaging the works of Euripides, and The Trojan Women is no different. That said, whatever one's views of our species, this is one of its finer artifacts and it deserves a wide reading despite the passage of over 2,400 years.

Having seen a staged production of this text at the Shakespeare Theater in Washington, DC, I am looking forward to reading the text in detail. In the theater, this was a powerful, painful confrontation of the effects of war on the victims -- the women and children. No heroes, no vainglorious praise of war. Just the horrors of surviving and loss. Troy becomes every war-devastated landscape. The parallels to Bosnia, Kosovo, Rwanda, etc., etc. were not to be denied.

Rudell is able to bridge the centuries and make Troy contemporary. The language is both elevated (in the style of classic tragedy) and immediate in its emotional impact.

About 416 B.C. the island of Melos refused to aid Athens in the war against Sparta. The Athenians then slaughtered the men and enslaved the women and children, an atrocity never before inflicted on one Greek city-state by another. As preparations were made for the ruinous expedition against Syracuse, Euripides wrote "The Trojan Women," as a plea for peace. Consequently there is a strong rhetorical dimension to the play, which prophesies that a Greek force would sail across the sea after violating victims and meet with disaster. However, there the play also has a strong literary consideration in that the four Trojan Women--Hecuba, Queen of Troy; Cassandra, daughter of Hecuba and Priestess of Apollo; Andromache, widow of Hector; and Helen--all appear in the final chapter of Homer's epic poem the "Iliad," mourning over the corpse of Hector, retrieved by his father Priam from the camp of the Acheans. Whenever I have use "The Trojan Women" in class I have always used at least that last chapter of Homer to set up the play.

As with his last play "Iphigenia at Aulis," which tells of the events right before the Achean army left for Troy, "The Trojan Women" reflects the cynicism of Euripides. Of all the Achean leaders we hear about in Homer, only Menelaus, husband of Helen, appears. He appears, ready to slay Helen for having abandoned him to run off to Troy with Paris, but we see his anger melt before her beauty and soothing tones. In this play the Greeks do more than enslave women: they have already slain a young girl as a sacrifice to the ghost of Achilles and they take Astyanax, the son of Hector, out of the arms of his mother so that he can be thrown from the walls of Troy. Even the herald of the Greeks, Talthybius, cannot stomach the policies of his people. The play also reminds us that Helen was a most unpopular figure amongst the ancient Greeks, and there is no satisfaction in her saving her life (Note: you might want to check out Isocrates's "Encomium on Helen," an exhibition speech in which he shows off his talent by defending the hated woman). The idea that all of these men died just so that she could be returned to the side of her husband is an utter mockery of the dead. This translation by Nicholas Rudall focuses on the performance of "The Trojan Women," but it is certainly useful for those interested in the historical or literary aspects of the play as well. Another interesting analogy is to use this play in conjunction with "Lysistrata" by Aristophanes, so that students can compare and contrast an anti-war comedy and drama.

My children love to have this book read to them at bedtime!! They love the story of the to competing brothers and the silly ending. The pictures are beautiful and very colorful. A wonderful childrens book!

Tomas Aarrestad's new book is a great bedtime story for our children. Boys and girls will love to hear this story. The illistrations follow along well with the story for little eyes to watch and wonder. Enjoy!

I read this book to my child's first grade class. The children were very enthusiastic. They very much enjoyed the illustrations and the resolution of the conflict generated by the greed of the two competing kings.

This funny little tale begins with the artistry of Giselle, a potter who lives between two kingdoms, each ruled by a larger than life brother. Competition to own the biggest pot in town places Giselle in an impossible situation, but one that she has to find a way out of. This is an easy to read simple story that shows the pointlessness of greed. Easy to read, fun illustrations, and great to generate a not-too-heavy discussion, but important view on sibling rivalry. I liked this book.

Every family should own a copy of this book. The kids loved the story, and so did the parents!! Everyone can relate to a child who doesn't want to go to sleep.

If bedtime is an issue in your house, this is the perfect bedtime story. The royal prince can't go to sleep--what are his parents to do?! After rolling out all the tricks for the prince - a wise subject comes up with the best solution.

this book is wonderful,well written, and enjoyable to read, and remind me of someone else who did'nt like to go bed,including josh, recieved my copy yesterday, and already read it to my grandson 3 times before his parents picked him up from my house, he kept saying one more time granny,the characters seem to come alive, does that tells you he likes it ???? i think so, soon he will be reading it to me.
all the best
Barbara Daniels

I actually bought this book at Pottery Barn Kids, but I came to Amazon to see what other people had purchased who had enjoyed this book...hoping to find another gem to add to our book collection! My oldest son is 2, and this is our favorite book to read at night. If my little boy is like yours, he loves his books. This one quickly became a favorite! It's written to rhyme, but it's clever & amusing...instead of forced & cliche. Like the other reviewers mentioned, we can all relate to a little one who isn't ready for bed. My son always joins in shouting "NO!" with the prince on the first page. Really, it's a delight to read, and it is one that you will not tire of reading (which is key to me, since I'm doing the reading!). This is a lesser known book, but you will not be disappointed. It's cute, charming & enjoyable read after read.

PRINCE, THE FUTURE KING: A FATHER'S EXAMPLE opens as its main character, Prince, declares to his father that one day he will be a strong king. Together, the father and son discuss what it means to be a king, what it means to lead by example and they discuss the possibility of Prince someday meeting a woman as beautiful as his mother - his queen. During their conversation, Prince and his dad complete their bedtime ritual, which includes saying prayers, a goodnight hug, and saying "I love you."

I commend Kandi Harris for writing a cute story depicting a strong, positive, African-American father figure who is intimately involved in the life of his son. The dialogue between father and son is endearing, funny and thoughtful. The illustrations are detailed and really capture the special bond between the two characters. Although the only characters are Prince and his dad, the author called the dad Alexander anytime he made a quote - clearly confusing for 4-8 year olds who probably won't realize that Alexander and daddy are the same person. In spite of this, the warmth and positivity of the story make it a worthwhile read. This book is the first in a series of Prince the Future King books and the author also plans to release a series called Princess the Future Queen.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

Many thanks to author Kandi Harris for rubbing against the grain and producing a series complementary to the relationships between men of color and their sons. Prince is a refereshing depiction of the interaction between father and sons of color that speaks to the power of open communication, faith and diversity.

Prince, The Future King is a wonderfully refreshing and accurate story for fathers, sons, and families. It not only provides an example and model for fathers, but a model for children and mothers as well. I enjoyed listening to my son read it as much as he enjoyed reading it. This has become one of our favorites. We're looking forward to seeing Prince grow into the King that he is!!

With the creation of Prince, The Future King and its series of books, Ms. Harris has set in motion a much needed emphasis on the positive interactions between black men and their sons. The Prince Series focuses on the social dynamics of the father/son relationship, and helps promote an awareness within minority communities.

This series will be a popular group of books for many years to come. I recommend it to young black fathers, and as an educational supplement within our school systems.