Shadow The Books

I originally became interested in reading this book after my friend's professor mentioned some pieces in it. So as soon as I thought about it again and had a little extra money I went ahead and ordered it, my first exposure to something more than an article of Nibley's.

I feel shallow for saying this, but my favorite aspect of this book was that it was simply fun to read. I'm sort of a geek in the way that I like learning, and this is it. Nibley writes simpler than I would expected and as many pieces in here seem to have been speeches, the style is very conversational and I would almost say rambling--which only makes me respect the man even more. There is just something nice about a scholar who likes to reveal information rather than making a stiff report.

The work is literally divided into two pieces: specifics of the temple concept, modern and ancient; and temple themes of the gospel. Some chapters are more random than others, but all are fascinating due to Nibley's thorought research and sharp mind.

Nibley is indeed a scholar, but that does not mean there isn't a healthy dose of faith in here--which probably makes this more applicable to the LDS folk. Rather than a dump of research, I would say this is more to the respect of educated observations.

All in all, a great, fascinating read.

I have loved this book for years. Hugh Nibley was not only a brilliant man, a great scholar, and a dedicated teacher; he also had the gift of being able to cut past all the endless intellectual distractions to focus on what is important. When I first read this book, frankly, I was blown away. There was so much richness about the temple that I did not know. However, more than all that are the essays and talks on what the implications of all this are for the way should live our life here with regard to what comes hereafter.

A temple is the House of the Lord and God uses it to teach, enrich, and endow the lives of his children. Brother Nibley is right that the temple is a scale model of the universe. It shows not only our place and purpose, but sets us on the correct path through teaching, covenants, and ordinances. Temples make eternity understandable and unite all ages of time in one eternal present with our Father. In this book we not only see what was restored with the Church through revelation, the author also shows us echoes (not sources) of the true teachings in ancient and pagan temples and ceremonies.

There are a wide range of essays on various aspects of the theme of the temple and the cosmos (the everything). In one of them, Brother Nibley even talks about science fiction and the gospel! It is full of interesting illustrations.

Hugh Nibley enriched my own appreciation of the temple through the essays and talks collected in this wonderful book. If you are interested in what he had to say on this important gospel topic, I recommend it to you. The author makes so many great points of so many details that are easy to miss that you will never be able to look at the temple the same way again. And opening your vision to seeing the world anew is what a great teacher does.

I'm no scholar, but I foind this book to be very readable and extremely stimulating. Nibley's thought is astounding. While a couple of his statements on science are now a tad dated, the thought itself is as sound as ever. The coverage of the essays in this volume is astounding--you name it. Nibley's thought is very helpful to all who wish to supplement faith with intellect

This book is amazing. Nibley's grasp of the subject matter is truly astounding. While it is true that Nibley is a mormon apologist, this work is not skewed like many of his other works. This is his best effort. Whether you are mormon or not this book brings up a lot of intersting similarities with almost every ancient religion and their temple type. Zoroastrian fire temples being the most notable exception. a pure joy to read.

Nibley does not go into depth concerning mormon temple ceremonies but many of the things he discuss will still be easily understood by the non-mormon reader. In addition, a large portion of the book is devoted to the actual structure of the temple as a microcosm of the universe. Also of note is his discusion of sacred vestments through the ages.

Often the scholarly become so involved in proving their thesis that they lose sight of where they are going. In other words they can't see the forest for the trees! Such is the case with Nibley's Temple and Cosmos. Although very informative and well documented, in his zeal to justify the existence of Mormon temples by showing many amazing similarities to temples and temple rituals of the past, he fails to notice that nearly all of his examples are from pagan cultures. Nibley proves well that the origin of Mormon temples is paganism. While the Mormon Church claims its origins stem from ancient Hebrew culture, any real evidence supporting such a claim is conspicuously absent from Nibley's book. ...Go figure!

Like so many things in life, such as cars, buildings or even computers, books can become a piece of art when they're beautifully designed. And this is one of the best looking books I've ever seen.

The feel of it (it's a softcover), the look of it, the typeface. It's almost perfect. I really love holding this book in my hand and feel the weight of it. And the colors and the typeface are rich and inviting. Once you see the book in front of you and hold it, you cannot NOT be interested in knowing more about it. It really attracts one's attention. That's why I give it 5 big stars. Whoever designed this book deserves an award.

As for the content of the book, the less said the better.

this has the feel of someone who is in a prison, not knowing when his life will be cut short. so in the meantime everything he's learned up to this point, and everything he believes to be true, is shared to you, dear reader.

the scope of the book is large, there were many things i read here that was new to me, which is great, because in this realm of reading, it's easy to read the same thing said differently by many authors.

most of this will be news to you, or things you haven't thought of in a certain angle.

while it's only partially sourced, we have to take his word of his credentials. and when the things you read go on a limb (like alot of the great david icke's works), you just have to go with him and judge on your own.

very informative book, needed in every revisionist's collection (conspiracy theory is a silly term, too much stuff is true)

This book is probably one of the best you can find if you want to know the TRUTH behind the history of the world, religion, true knowledge, media, extraterrestrials, mind-control, and who really controls the world. DO NOT read this book if you are not an open minded reader and/or someone seeking big picture possibilities that are not normally given through mainstream media or mainstream education (public schools, colleges, etc.). This is one of my favorite books and I highly recommend it. I also HIGHLY RECOMMEND anyone interested in this book to check out any books written by David Icke and/or check out infowars.com which is 100% documented research by activist Alex Jones. Also check out Behold A Pale Horse by William Cooper who is now dead (murdered by our government). Check out information on the web about the Bohemian Grove, Skulls and Bones, the Illuminati, the New World Order..... The list goes on and on. Take what you want, make what you want, and believe what you want, but by all means please do the research for yourself and whithout a doubt, you will see the universe completely differently. Also, if you haven't a clue as to what I'm babbling about, this stuff is probably not for you, but don't take my word for it, just check it out. Soon this knowledge might be your only chance at physical, mental and spiritual freedom. HELP RELEASE THE BLANKET THAT HAS COVERED THE EYES SOCIETY FOR CENTURIES.

I was really disturbed while coming to the realisation how much lies have we taken for the truth. This book will open your eyes, definitely recommended.

Ties together many diverse aspects of history, religion, and events into a logical and related common thread. Makes sense of seemingly unrelated happenings that are plausible based on his theories. Good book.

This book is a celebration of women and the beauty and power of their indomitable spirits. I often found myself in tears reading the interviews and looking at the art photographs. But these were not tears of sadness. Rather, they were tears that emerged from being moved and touched deeply. They sprung forth from being inspired and having my heart opened, from being sourced by women who rose above the challenge of abuse and domestic violence to find healing. In the book, 40 women-ages nineteen to ninety-five-bared all to express their triumph over trauma. In this daring approach, fine art black and white photography combines with moving interviews to portray the essence of each woman's journey from the violence of abuse to transformation and healing. This is the most hope-filled book you will ever read about abuse and recovery. Begun as a photography exhibit, Out of the Shadows, the subjects are women who have experienced every economic situation from homelessness to the champagne lifestyle; they span many ethnicities; they are the well-known to the obscure-like the "ordinary" 62-year-old farm wife who left her abusive marriage. Each woman helped create her portrait as a personal symbol of healing, often focusing on one aspect of her body she felt was most affected in the healing process. by Alissa Lukara: Author of Riding Grace: A Triumph of the Soul

Women In Shadow And Light: Journeys From Abuse To Healing by author, editor, and photographer Jan Goff-LaFontaine showcases the stories of forty women ranging in age from nineteen to ninety-five who found the courage to overcome personal trauma. Their inspiring stories are beautifully enhanced with sensitive portrait photography that offers a visual glimpse into the essence of these individual women. A unique body of work, Women In Shadow And Light is especially recommended reading for anyone struggling with verbal, physical, or emotional abuse within their own lives, as well as for those who enjoy the blending of photography and text to portray memorable examples of the human condition in our contemporary times.

The body of a woman is beautiful, perhaps more so as she lives life and overcomes the many obstacles waiting to trip her up or tear her down. But what about the body of an abused woman? Is she still beautiful? Can her body be beautiful? Photographer and author Jan Goff-LaFontaine met with forty women, aged 19 to 95, all survivors of abuse. She photographed them in the nude to celebrate their ownership of their bodies after experiencing the victory of surviving abuse.

Women in Shadow and Light is not a book for voyeurs or those seeking a thrill. Instead, it is a deeply moving tribute to womanhood, in particular, to women who have survived abuse. Each woman allowed the part of her body she most associated with her personal experience of abuse to be photographed-only now that body part is seen victoriously.

Completely shot in black and white, the images in this book are not just works of art-they are works of love, celebration, hope, triumph, and acceptance. Their beauty is enhanced as the meaning of the portrait becomes clearer, using a narrative in the subject's own words as well as notes by the author. Some portraits include a post-interview letter from the women speaking about the experience of the photo shoot.

In Jan's own words, "I wanted to make the book a celebration of the strength and beauty of women; a reclaiming of their own joy and a gift of hope to others."

Why choose nude portraiture to offer hope? Jan says, "The question haunting me was: how can we change our perception-and even influence society's concept-of what it means to be a beautiful woman? My vision was to allow each of the women to help create her own portrait in order to see her body in a new way; to see it as beautiful and precious. To see it as a work of art."

I recommend Women in Shadow and Light for all women who are recovering from abuse; for counselors and pastors to share with those seeking affirmation. It is an inspiring tribute to the power of a woman and the beauty that arises out of the ashes of a fire that once threatened to suffocate the essence of God's most stunning creation: woman.

Two quotes from participants in Women in Shadow and Light:

"It's truly a gift to be part of this, and to be able to speak up, knowing that my story of courage can inspire others. Instead of feeling small and damaged, I am brave, I have healed, and I am an example of how others can heal, too."-Cheryl

"I'd like to hold out hope to other women...to let them know they aren't alone; they aren't the only ones these things happened to, and they can survive."-Ellie

Jan Goff-LaFontaine is a photographer and writer who is dedicated to bringing awareness and healing through art. She uses a 35 mm and medium format cameras to focus attention on people, sometimes spending hours to capture a moment. Each sensitive portrait is handcrafted by Jan to offer viewers a glimpse into the essence of her subjects.

There are lots of books thar dwell on the abusive part of domestic abuse--how many women die, how many bruises they get, and how they get hurt. This is certainly important to know, as are the signs of abuse and how to get out of an abusive situation. But WOMEN IN SHADOW AND LIGHT does more than that. It presents women who have survived abuse and are in the process of healing from it. Author Jan Goff-LaFontaine interviewed many women about their lives, focusing on how they got out of their abusive situations, and how they made themselves whole again. Once she finished the interviews, Jan Goff LaFontaine photographed the women, working with her subjects to find poses that they thought best exemplified their healing. The result is a compilation of powerful words and images that hit the reader kapow--right where they should, in the spirit. It's enough to send a person soaring. WOMEN IN SHADOW AND LIGHT is worth getting to know on several levels, first as a metaphor of stepping from shadow to light, second as literal shadow and light in the photographs, and third as a tool we all can use to help each other. If we know someone who has been abused, this book is the ideal gift. If we're wallowing in self pity over some trivial thing that happened to us on the way to work, we can stop to ponder how we'd handle ourselves if we really had a problem. Or if we just want to be inspired by women who got themselves together, we can pick up WOMEN IN SHADOW AND LIGHT.

Abuse and women have gone hand in hand throughout the centuries; the battle for liberty and freedom rages on even now in our modern times. The subject matter of this book is not new, the stories told and the tears shed are not surprising, but what is, is the courage found within these women and the positive reflection their words leave with the reader.
As author Jan Goff-LaFontaine shares the heart of these women with frank interviews, she somehow shatters the wall of secrecy that has been carefully laid, and takes you to the other side of their prison wall where liberty awaits them.
At first I was surprised to see naked pictures of these women, but for them this too was a liberty, a breaking free of abuse and negative impressions of their inner-self; as they shared the parts of their body where healing began.
Abuse in any form is not a pretty picture; the degrading of another human being must never be tolerated. This work, I believe, will give hope to thousands of women to take that first step to freedom.

I just bought this book, and I absolutel LOVE it! As a fellow writer of child Pagan books and newsletters, I am always on the look-out for other material to add to my library. I look forward to the day when our child Witches have as many options available to them, in both fiction and non, as their mundane counterparts. This book is perfect for our youngest Pagans who are learning their ABC's and for their parents who wish for them to have a book that celebrates their heritage! LOVE IT!

I bought this book for my daughter when she was about six months old. She's had access to it since she was about nine months. From the beginning, it's been her favorite book. She loves looking at the pictures and enjoys having it read to her over and over.

I would highly recommend this book to any pagan parent and will purchase more in the future as gifts.

This is a beautiful book...the images in it are rich and colorful...my 2 year old daughter sees the people celebrating the old ways and as she points to images she says "mommy..daddy...ya ya...me!" She sees her own life illustrated in it. She insists I read this to her several times. I have searched and searched for other books appropriate for her age group...but none seem to exist! I hope the author writes a few more--and fast, before my daughter grows up and has trouble connecting to the magick! This is a perfect primer to start your child in a beautiful religion.

If you ever want a book that helps your child learn their ABC's the pagan way, then this is the book for you. I have 3 boys and they're always fighting over on who's going to read it next. Its the most awesome way to teach your child their ABC's.

This book has such rich and colorful illustration it will keep your child fixed on the pages. Every page has a letter and the first two rhyme then the next two, etc. (For example... "E starts out East for the element of air. F begins Fall, Mabon's Equinox affair.")

It is very easy to read and follow. The theme is general Paganism, mentioning the 8 Sabbats, God/ Goddess, karma, and things most Pagans do such as ritual.

My son is 9 months old and he loves looking at the pictures and is fully engaged when I read it! So I would suggest perhaps the recommended ages could be from infant up until about 7 or so. It's definitely worth adding to your library!

This is an excellent book. It covers the movie perfectly. It's small compared to Art 1, but then again it's only covering a movie and not an entire series. I now realize the value of the art books, and when the next movie "Shadow Rising" comes out I'll gladly by the art book for it as well.

This book is a good companion to the animation, adding lots more detail and also hinting at things to come. The art isn't as good as some other anime, so the art book isn't either, but for details on the Robotech timeline and mecha designs, this book is very nice. As always, I wanted more detail than was given, but there is a nice appendix at the back with the vital stats on all the vehicles. If your a fan, this is a must have book. If your just looking for great art, pass it by.

Totally worth it. Full color, very heavy glossy paper throughout. It has a history of Robotech, both story-internal that covers the major events in all the previous series (or failed series, counting the Sentinels) and real-world that covers all of the original series, failed starts like the Sentinels (which would have been cool) and Robotech 3000 (thank heavens it tanked), and the origin and development of the new movie. All of this is fully illustrated; there are some great screen captures from the original series and the parts of the Sentinels that were produced. All that's nice, but it's not the main course.

The main course is what you've come to expect from Robotech Art books: cool pictures of the characters, mecha, and ships. The book soars in this regard. For new ships and characters there are sketches showing how the design evolved, one or more final "key art" images, and a screencap or two. For stuff carried over from the original series, there is also some original concept art and images of the stuff as is appeared on screen back when, so you can see if and how things were updated (not much, fortunately) for the new movie.

To sum up, this is a sumptuously illustrated and produced volume in its own right, and second only to Robotech Art 1 as both an art book and a sourcebook for the history, characters, and vehicles of Robotech.

brillent movie and a great start to the next part of the robotech saga.cant wait till the rest of the new seies starts showing.this movie will be enjoyed by fans new and old.highly reccommeded.

This book about the Shadow Chronicles, the latest Robotech Saga, has a lot more than just pretty pictures. The book is divided in to 6 major sections and one minor section. Section I summarizes the Robotech story and timeline. It starts in 1999 when the SDF-1 crashes on Earth, to the battle between the Robotech Expeditionary Force (REF) and the Invid at Reflex Point in 2044. It also mentions the ill-fated Robotech 3000 series. (If you never saw Robotech 3000, don't waste your time.) Section II talks about the world in 2044. It focuses on Earth, the Invid, and the REF. It includes descriptions and drawings of major installations such as the Invid hive complex at Reflex Point, Space Station Liberty, and Moon Base ALUCE. Section III has drawings, biographical information, and motivations of all of the characters mentioned in the Shadow Chronicles. This list includes Scott Bernard, Marcus Rush, Marlene Rush, Ariel, The Regess, Maia Sterling, Vince Grant, Jean Grant, Max Romero, Doug Taylor, Gunther Reinhardt, Rick Hunter, Lisa Hunter, Louis Nichols, Janice M2, Sparks, the Haydonites, and "generic" REF shipboard personnel. Section IV presents drawings and descriptions of all the mecha from the series, and a few that were not shown in the movie. These mecha include REF veritechs, cyclones, and body armor, and Invid and Haydonite mecha. Some of the mecha have been seen in print before, but some have not. It is not surprising that after the mecha, Section V shows drawings and descriptions of the ships. This was my favorite section. There are excellent color and black and white drawings of the SDF-3, SDF-4 and all of the REF capital ships including the Ikazuchi, Shimakaze, Horizon, Tokugawa, and Ark Angel classes. This section also has the Invid and Haydonite capital ships. Some of the more familiar REF ships such as the Garfish, Ikazuchi, and Horizon have been nicely redraw with better explanations of their roles and capabilities. Section VI focuses on the production aspects of the movie. It tells the who, what, and how the Shadow chronicles came to be. The last, small section (VII), has 3 pages of reference material. Page 1 is a mecha data page. It has the vital statistics of the various mecha and ships. This information can easily be adapted to roleplaying stats. Page 2 has a glossary of terms that are bounced around the Robotech universe. It quickly defines terms such as veritech, flower of life, etc. The last page is an index. I am a huge Robotech fan that has all of the episodes and movies and play the roleplaying game. This book has a wealth of information and a little bit for everyone - nice pictures, nice descriptions, good background info, and production information. If you like Robotech, I think that you'll like this book.

John Bellairs is a master of children's horror that I'm afraid the world has forgotten in the Harry Potter rush. As much as I love all that good stuff, nothing beats Bellairs' aura on a little town in 1940's Michigan where anything spooky can happen.

The three novels in this volume ("The House with a Clock in its Walls", "The Figure in the Shadows", and "The Letter, the Witch, and the Ring") focus on a orphan boy named Lewis who has come to the town of New Zebedee to live with his eccentric uncle who just so happens to be a wizard. What proceeds is various dippings into the supernatural.

And these are not the "cute" supernatural, at least in the usual sense. Sure, Stephen King and Anne Rice would probably consider these adventures kid stuff, but they are they are perfectly creative enough for kids; honestly, I think they're more creative than most of the adult horror out there. Bellairs deals with necromancy, Biblical prophecy, possession, the whole nine yards, but all very tastefully done to be suitable to this age group.

Besides the horror, these are books about what it's like to be a kid. Bellairs gets into the heads of his characters with their thoughts and worries and hopes like few do whilst balancing another subject.

His writing is also absolutely enchanting. Without being flowery, he is a master of description with exellent pacing and a storytelling voice that just draws you in.

I know these are a couple decades old, but I adored this mans' works as a kid, and even now I can't think of many things better to do than curl up with these stories.

Good product, prompt service. John really writes for much younger readers (I'm 83) but is a comfortable read anyway.

I read these books years ago, found them creepy, and forgot about them until recently. These are aimed at a young adult reader, but they're atmospheric and well written, and definitely make enjoyable adult reading. Check out the pages on the individual books for more info, but the three books in one edition is a great deal. These are also excellent for pre-teens and older who enjoy books on the supernatural. They do deal with themes of witchcraft and magic, but otherwise, contain no objectionable content.

This volume contains:

House with a Clock in its Walls (1973)
The Figure in the Shadows (1975)
The Letter, the Witch and the Ring (1976)

I have not read all of Bellairs' novels, so I cannot say whether these three are really his the "best". But the grouping is appropriate for other reasons: These are in fact the first three of Bellair's supernatural horror novels for kids; each is a sequel to the last; and all three feature the characters Lewis Barnavelt, Jonathan Van Olden Barnavelt, Mrs. Zimmerman, and (in the last two novels) Rose-Rita Pottinger. Moreover, the collection is more-or-less complete, since these are the only ones featuring these characters that were written entirely by Bellairs and published during his lifetime. The "next" in the series, entitled "The Ghost in the Mirror" was published posthumously after being completed by Brad Strickland in 1993 (after a gap of 17 years, during which Bellairs switched to writing about Johnny Dixon and Anthony Monday). Strickland has gone on to write his own adventures in the series (with what success I cannot say).

HOUSE WITH A CLOCK IN ITS WALLS begins with the orphaned Lewis Barnavelt, aged 10, being sent to live with his crazy Uncle Jonathan, and his batty neighbor Mrs. Zimmerman. The Uncle and the neighbor both turn out to be magicians (of the benevolent sort), and the grand old house they inhabit is filled with magical artifacts and mysteries, including a strange ticking sound reputed to come from a hidden clock. Matters get serious after the insecure Lewis, in an attempt to impress a friend, ignores his uncle's warning that he should never attempt magic. Creepy, scary fun ensues.

The next two novels in the series are just as well written, and every bit as creepy and scary as the original. However, the grimness becomes a little more unrelenting, and some kids may even find it depressing. One reason for this is that Bellairs seems to have somewhat regretted sending mixed messages in his first book, by his positive portrayal of magic as practiced by Mrs. Zimmerman and Uncle Jonathan. In the course of these volumes Mrs. Zimmerman is almost completely deprived of her powers. Bellairs continues to pay lip service to the idea that they are both benevolent minor magicians, but he ceases to show them using magic to positive effect. Magic use becomes, for all practical purposes, almost entirely associated with evil, and any dabbling therein leads only to horrific consequences.

I don't think Bellairs is necessarily wrong to want to discourage kids from seeking occult powers. However, it is a possibly unintended effect of this decision that the stories become increasingly and unrelentingly horrific and depressing. While the first volume made it seem as though there were powerful forces of Good to compete with those of Evil, the two sequels start to seem a bit like reading H.P. Lovecraft, wherein Evil has all the power.

The edition contains the original Edward Gorey illustrations for the first novel. Unfortunately, other artists illustrated the two sequels. The latter illustrations do not enchance the stories, which would be better off without them.

John Bellairs is best known as the author of sixteen gothic mystery novels for young adults comprising the Lewis Barnavelt, Anthony Monday, and Johnny Dixon series. The three stories in this book are the first three in the Lewis Barnavelt series, although the last has more to do with his friend, Rose Rita. The tales collected in this book are "The House with a Clock in Its Walls," "The Figure in the Shadows," and "The Letter, the Witch, and the Ring."

So far from what I've read of this author, his characters tend to be elderly eccentrics, or ordinary children (no superkids, here). Lewis is resourceful, but with a child's fears and limitations. Most especially, he is afraid that his uncle won't like him, that the kids in his new school will make fun of him, and that he'll never have a friend. His uncle, Jonathan and neighbor, Mrs. Zimmerman are very likeable magicians. They play poker with Lewis and make him chocolate chip cookies and cocoa, and generally treat him as a small adult.

The House with a Clock in its Walls (1973) - illustrated by Edward Gorey

Lewis is a newly orphaned, plump ten-year-old, who wears "purple corduroy trousers, the kind that go `whip-whip' when you walk." The author often claimed that his imagination got stuck at ten, and here is Lewis, age ten, going to live with his Uncle Jonathan in New Zebedee, Michigan. The year is 1948, and New Zebedee bears a strong resemblance to Marshall, Michigan, where the author was born--- The Cronin House and the GAR (Grand Army of the Republic) Hall still stand in Marshall, just as their counterparts do in New Zebedee.

The only thing Uncle Jonathan is reluctant to talk about with Lewis is the ticking noise within the walls of his old mansion, recently acquired from a deceased magician.

Lewis discovers that his uncle makes midnight excursions throughout the house, stopping and restarting all of the old clocks. He slowly gets involved in the mystery of an undiscovered clock. The wizardly Izzard couple who used to live in the house are both dead, but what did they leave behind and why?

There are some genuinely frightening scenes in "The House with a Clock in its Walls"---most especially when Lewis tries to impress a new friend by stealing one of his uncle's magic books and taking it to the graveyard at midnight on Halloween---but I don't want to spoil the story for you (Hint: there's a scene straight out of "Count Magnus" by M.R. James when the lock pops off of the crypt). Let me say that this is a truly scary book, and if the author's imagination got stuck at ten, he must lived an awesomely spooky tenth year.

"The Figure in the Shadows" (1975) - illustrated by Mercer Mayer

Lewis wants desperately to believe that an old coin belonging to his Great-Great-Grampa Barnavelt has magical powers. He is being bullied at school and starts to wear the old Civil War coin around his neck for protection. Finally Lewis turns on the bully and beats him up, but he soon learns that the coin has other, even darker powers.

When Lewis begins to see a shadowy figure in a long coat and starts to get scary messages, he asks his friend, Rose Rita to take the coin and throw it away. She wrestles the coin away from him, but instead of throwing it into the storm drain, she hides it.

The bully starts in on Lewis again, and he decides he'll do anything to get the coin back again, even steal it from Rose Rita.

This story has a very spooky climax that will scare even the grown-ups who are reading it to their children.

"The Letter, the Witch, and the Ring" (1976) - illustrated by Richard Egielski

Rose Rita is mad at the world. Her friend, Lewis Barnavelt is going to Boy Scout camp for the summer, and he is the only one who appreciates her for what she is: a tomboy with a great pitching arm who has no interest in growing up into the world of proms and pretty gowns. When Mrs. Zimmerman offers to take her on a trip to see the farm she just inherited from her cousin, Oley, Rose Rita jumps at the chance.

Unfortunately when Mrs. Zimmerman and Rose Rita arrive at the farmhouse up in the woods of Northern Michigan, it has been ransacked. The ring that Oley had found and believed to be magic has been stolen.

When Mrs. Zimmerman herself disappears, it is up to Rose Rita to solve the deepening mystery.

Don't expect milksop magic or easy solutions from this author. Rose Rita has to confront both interior and exterior demons, and comes very close to death before Bellairs winds down to his usual cocoa and cookies (well, roasted marshmallows in this story) ending.

This book is unlike any other book that is based on "explaining" Christianity. It is definitly not preachy. So if that is anyone's fear, it does not apply with Brunk's book. What is rare about this book is that the Devil is the protagonist. He is looked at as the good guy. This book tells HIS story about the reasons and the happenings that started evil in the world.

This book seems like a great story I all about how a man for gets who he is and his purpose. and there seems to be romance and mistery and a little action. all of every thing but from some prospective that I would never thoutht of thats what makes so different and more of a twist.

THE REVIEW ZED ZED HAS MADE IS COMPLETELY DISILLUSIONED AND IS A DISGRACE TO ANY AUTHOR. I AM UPSET ABOUT THE COMENTS AND THE UNSURE IDEAS. IT'S NOT A REVIEW IT'S A THINKING MAN GONE AMISS AND I HOPE HE IS NOT OVER THE AGE 13. HE SEEMED TO LIKE THE BOOK BUT HAD NO IDEA ABOUT WHAT HE WAS TYPING. THE TWO OTHER REVIEWS ARE SOMEWHAT GREAT AND I WILL WRITE ONE LATER, BUT THIS IS MORE IMPORTANT FOR THE VIEWERS TO SEE. I HAVE READ THIS BOOK AND IT BRINGS ASPECTS TO LIFE ALONG WITH THE AUTHOR CAPTURING THE READERS MIND. I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANY ONE WHO LOVES TO READ ABOUT LIFE AND FAITH.

This book is by far one of the best I have ever read. I've never read a novel that has so much creativity and imagination. The writer's perspective of action, emotion drama and romance are mysterious. This story gives twist and turns every page, with normal to abnormal writing. It shows how the writer can think out of the box and then come right back in. L.L. Brunk captures the characters in the story so vivid and on point. The characters express, good and evil as they choose there fait. It is superb how the writer gives personalities to each of the characters. The emotion they portray and action they partake is very well explained. The writer describes the thoughts, actions and emotion of the nameless one. In my conclusion this story is suspenseful every chapter and keeps you on your toes. I hope for another novel very soon.

I READ THIS BOOK AND IT MADE ME WONDER HOW SOMEBODY COULD IMAGINE SUCH A GRETA TALE. PROPS TO THE AUTHOR, WORD G

I read this book in one night, and while I may have not dealt with the same issues in my life, there were many parts of the book I could relate to. The chapter entitled "Faith," was particularly inspiring to me, containing feelings and advice that anyone can take to heart, even going through some of the more simple trials and let-downs in life. This is a fantastic book for anyone facing mental illness within their family, but is also a powerful read for everyone else. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who needs inspiration to help pick up the pieces and face life's problems.

Ms. Hertler shares a frightening part of her life with those readers who've experienced similiar episodes with unstable life partners in a desire to uplift spirits and ease them through stressing hospital procedures. Her writing style is superb in that she simplifies legal, hospital, and medical issues for the ordinary reader.

This is such a wonderful book. Eventhough it's a short read it is overflowing with detail and honesty...you can't help but put yourself in Gretchen's world and understand exactly how she was feeling...I know Gretchen and she is an amazing woman...she is so sweet and loving and has one of the kindest hearts of anyone I know. It's unbelieveable what she and her daughters have been through yet through it all she remains so positive...I admire that so much about her. I highly recommend this book.

The book describes a family's journey through tough times but provides insight on how to overcome difficult obstacles, like living with someone with a mental illness. The author describes her journey in a thought provoking and inspiring manner. It is a great read.

This book let's you gain insight into the pain of a family going through a terrible bout of mental illness and how they came out on the other side. Would recommend to anyone going through personal crisis.

Having managed to read every other volume in this series except 'Dark Shadows' I can state as a fact that this is one of the most important volumes in this series about Rin, Manji, and the hunt for the Itto-Ryu who killed Rin's parents. It takes the thematic material introduced earlier and starts the process of making a series of story arcs into a narrative whole.

For the first time we discover that there are others hunting Anotsu Kagehisa and his ruffian band of super killers. Moreover, there are others just as anxious to court what they perceive is Anotsu's rising power. Some of Anotsu's motivations are clarified, and we meet Magatsu Taito in new circumstances. Magatsu will come to play an important later in the series.

The Mugai-Ryu are introduced as opposition to the Itto-Ryu. Led by Hyakurin, a woman assassin, they are little different from the 'bad guys.' In fact, they may very well be worse. However, they are anxious to recruit Manji, taking advantage of his fighting skill and his commitment to Rin's quest.

Rin, on the other hand, begins to realize that she is much more than a vengeful sword fighter, and much less as well. She came from a gentler Samurai tradition than the rough fighters that are now part of her life. Even Manji, who shares at least some basic understanding of duty and honor is a far cry from the world of her father. But Anotsu's followers and their opponents are something else entirely, and the young woman begins to question her own actions and rue the strength she lacks.

Hiroaki Samura has an easy talent for moving from extreme violence to the simply grace of a woman's play with the man she loves. And back again. It is as if to remind us that the killing that moves the story forward is only an agency, not the purpose of the story. There is a quirky justice to what befalls many of the characters in the stories to come, and the reader should not assume that blood is the only possible resolution.

The first half of this book mainly concentrates on the Itto-ryu, especially Magatsu and Anotsu, and Itto-ryu's future. The second half is about Rin and Manji meeting the ominous Shira.

This is the book that introduces us to the mysterious Akagi assassins (Mugai-ryu), a misfit group after the Itto-ryu (the sword school that killed Rin's parents) for *unknown* reasons.

Shira and the Akagi play an important part of the next volume "Heart of Darkness," probably the best, most disturbing, and most violent BotI book.

The artwork is quite amazing and disturbing, especially in the later half of the book the scenes with Rin and Shira.

I felt that this was the worst of the BOTI series to date. The plot was good, but brief, and the new cast members were fun. The problem I had was Rin. While she has always been a little slow to catch on to the real world, she seemed almost dumb to it in this book, as if she could not handle the real world. After watching her slowly wake up in the previous episodes, that was a draw back.

The pace of Blade of the Immortal doesn't let up in this sixth volume, and it doesn't let the readers down. The Itto-ryu have wiped out the other sword schools of Japan. While the previous volumes have focused on Rin, whose father was killed and mother raped and killed by the Itto-ryu, this volume presents us with a wider scope: the Itto-ryu are moving up in the political world, and they have made perhaps deadlier enemies than Rin and her immortal bodyguard, Manji.

As always, the artwork in Blade of the Immortal is superb, and the writing and characterization are as strong as the previous volumes. If there's a flaw here, it's that the focus of the story leaves Rin and Manji (with whom we've basically remained throughout the previous 5 volumes) for too long--they're in less than half of this volume. But that's a quibble, really; watching how the Itto-ryu is growing and splintering all at once, and how its enemies have begun to move is fascinating. As always, this is a violent story, but it could hardly be otherwise with the characters involved. If you've read previous volumes, you know what to expect; if you haven't you need to--both to understand what's going on, and just because you need to if you're at all interested in comics.

In 'Dark Shadows', everything changes for this multiple award-winning manga. For those new to _Blade of the Immortal_, flick over to the first of the series, 'Blood of a Thousand'. An understanding of what has gone on before is essential to fully enjoy this sixth graphic-novel installment.

Before, the story arcs of BotI fell into a comfortable pattern: Rin and Manji wandering around until they met a member of the Itto-ryu; the usual banter and posturing before blades are drawn; Manji getting carved on to lesser or greater extent; Rin struggling with and attempting to moralize what is essentially a revenge killing spree. Using this pattern, Samura explored a number of themes, such as obsession/compulsion ('Conflict'), ethics ('Cry of the Worm'), duty ('Dreamsong'), redemption ('On Silent Wings').

With 'Dark Shadows', however, Samura dramatically changes the formula, and just in time. Not that the story was getting stale--far from it--but some overall progression was needed, and here we have it: in this volume characters and situations are introduced that will effect the rest of the work as a whole (12 or so compilations worth in Japan), and Anotsu Kagehisa slowly begins to take his place as the manga's true protagonist, a man willing to do anything to save his country from what he perceives as steady stagnation. If there are casualties along the way, so be it.

Manji and Rin show up only in the last third, and there isn't much in the way of 'action' (at least in comparison to bloody epics like 'Dreamsong'). Still, one can feel a tension slowly building under the surface, a conflict-in-waiting that explodes in the next comp, 'Heart of Darkness.' And the repercussions of this volume are long-standing; in terms of plot development, this the most important volume (next to the first, of course)released so far. Not to be missed or overlooked.

An old fashioned macho detective with a new twist, he's dead and filled with cauked up holes. This book crosses several genres, and might be of particular interest to readers of vampire novels, mystery and science fiction. There are some great new ideas concerning vampire society, ghosts, imps in bottles, and your general undead. The author has done his research as well, and scenes are very detailed.

Okay, so you've got this detective who's dedicated his existence to ridding the world of evil. He's strong, sensitive, and...oh, yeah...he's dead.

"Blood and Shadows" is a new kind of detective novel; not only are the stakes much higher (the destruction of the world), but our hero isn't the virile, sexy type. Eric Baine, the Dead Detective, patches himself up with spackle after gunfights. He wears a metal plate to cover up the missing part of his head. When faced with (well, relatively speaking) mortal danger, the spirit controlling his body takes over and obliterates any threat with a blinding green light. Mike Hammer, he ain't.

Therein lies the beauty of this novel. Main spices this supernatural tale with dark humor, morals, and even romance. The relationship between Baine and Ming Li, his mysterious Chinese muse, is touching--simply because it's one of the more seemingly possible things in a universe of impossibility. Dead guys need love, too.

The fact that this is Main's first published novel is a shame--this quirky concept has fleshed out nicely and, should Main continue to offer new Baine adventures, he will have breathed new life into a dying genre. (Okay, the puns are a little much...but you get the point, right?) "Blood and Shadows" is a funny, gripping, wonderful novel.

Incredibly well-written, imaginative and above all else FUN! The characters, plot and world are all well thought through with many twists on conventional undead mythos. Anyone with a well-developed sense of humor, wit and imagination should LOVE this book. Stop reading the reviews already... go buy this book!

I laughed out loud and cannot wait for more files from the smart-assed, undead detective, Eric Baine (oh yeah... and from that Michael guy behind the keyboard too).

If you took the best of Elliot Ness, Anne Rice, and MacGyver you would get the main character, Eric Baine. He is witty, intelligent and clever. He finds himself in some unpredictable situations, but when you are a dead detective anything is possible. The author, Michael Main, does a great job relating this guys misery and struggle between the world of the living and the dead. I had a hard time putting this one down. I am looking forward to seeing more stories about Eric Baine in print.

Incredibly well-written, imaginative and above all else FUN! The characters, plot and world are all well thought through with many twists on conventional undead mythos. Anyone with a well-developed sense of humor, wit and imagination should LOVE this book. Stop reading the reviews already... go buy this book!

I laughed out loud and cannot wait for more files from the smart-assed, undead detective, Eric Baine (oh yeah... and from that Michael guy behind the keyboard too).