Clubs Books

Meet the Tiger (later retitled "The Saint meets the Tiger") published in 1928, was Leslie Charteris's first book in the Saint Saga (even though Hodder & Stoughton later pretended that "Enter the Saint" was, presumably because they weren't the publishers of the former).

Nevertheless, "Enter the Saint" is the book that introduces Simon Templar as he is in most of the books that follow, and as neither the cinema nor television has yet had the nerve to portray him: he beats people up, robs them, blackmails them, even murders them, and gets away with it. And the fact that his victims are particularly vicious thugs (Snake Ganning), dope dealers (Edgar Hayn), white slavers (Henri Chastel), war profiteers (Leo Farwill) and so forth - and that he gives a large chunk of his profits to charity - would not excuse him to a strict moralist. The success of the Saint books for seventy years must mean that strict moralists are perhaps not as common as one ought to hope.

There are three longish stories; a reference that may be presumed to be to Sir John Bittle (from "Meet The Tiger") dates the first at nine months after the end of that opus.

To enumerate plot details would probably be superfluous. Suffice it to say that Charteris was just starting to hit his stride, and that "Enter" introduces two of his best characters: the Saint's friend Roger Conway, and his perpetual adversary, Inspector Claud Eustace Teal. Patricia Holm now lives with the Saint although (daringly for 1930) they aren't married, and Orace is still the stalwart retainer.

A fine warm up to its sequel, what is possibly the best of all the Saint stories: The Last Hero (aka "The Saint Closes the Case").

For a list of -- and discussion of -- all Charteris's Saint books, see my So You'd Like To... Guide.

Meet the Tiger (later retitled "The Saint meets the Tiger") published in 1928, was Leslie Charteris's first book in the Saint Saga (even though Hodder & Stoughton later pretended that "Enter the Saint" was, presumably because they weren't the publishers of the former).

Nevertheless, "Enter the Saint" is the book that introduces Simon Templar as he is in most of the books that follow, and as neither the cinema nor television has yet had the nerve to portray him: he beats people up, robs them, blackmails them, even murders them, and gets away with it. And the fact that his victims are particularly vicious thugs (Snake Ganning), dope dealers (Edgar Hayn), white slavers (Henri Chastel), war profiteers (Leo Farwill) and so forth - and that he gives a large chunk of his profits to charity - would not excuse him to a strict moralist. The success of the Saint books for seventy years must mean that strict moralists are perhaps not as common as one ought to hope.

There are three longish stories; a reference that may be presumed to be to Sir John Bittle (from "Meet The Tiger") dates the first at nine months after the end of that opus.

To enumerate plot details would probably be superfluous. Suffice it to say that Charteris was just starting to hit his stride, and that "Enter" introduces two of his best characters: the Saint's friend Roger Conway, and his perpetual adversary, Inspector Claud Eustace Teal. Patricia Holm now lives with the Saint although (daringly for 1930) they aren't married, and Orace is still the stalwart retainer.

A fine warm up to its sequel, what is possibly the best of all the Saint stories: The Last Hero (aka "The Saint Closes the Case").

For a list of -- and discussion of -- all Charteris's Saint books, see my So You'd Like To... Guide.

Meet the Tiger (later retitled "The Saint meets the Tiger") published in 1928, was Leslie Charteris's first book in the Saint Saga (even though Hodder & Stoughton later pretended that "Enter the Saint" was, presumably because they weren't the publishers of the former).

Nevertheless, "Enter the Saint" is the book that introduces Simon Templar as he is in most of the books that follow, and as neither the cinema nor television has yet had the nerve to portray him: he beats people up, robs them, blackmails them, even murders them, and gets away with it. And the fact that his victims are particularly vicious thugs (Snake Ganning), dope dealers (Edgar Hayn), white slavers (Henri Chastel), war profiteers (Leo Farwill) and so forth - and that he gives a large chunk of his profits to charity - would not excuse him to a strict moralist. The success of the Saint books for seventy years must mean that strict moralists are perhaps not as common as one ought to hope.

There are three longish stories; a reference that may be presumed to be to Sir John Bittle (from "Meet The Tiger") dates the first at nine months after the end of that opus.

To enumerate plot details would probably be superfluous. Suffice it to say that Charteris was just starting to hit his stride, and that "Enter" introduces two of his best characters: the Saint's friend Roger Conway, and his perpetual adversary, Inspector Claud Eustace Teal. Patricia Holm now lives with the Saint although (daringly for 1930) they aren't married, and Orace is still the stalwart retainer.

A fine warm up to its sequel, what is possibly the best of all the Saint stories: The Last Hero (aka "The Saint Closes the Case").

P.S. for APRICOT of Tokyo: Roger Conway does indeed appear in later instalments, including The Last Hero, Knight Templar (aka "The Avenging Saint"), The Brighter Buccaneer and Saint Overboard.

For a list of -- and discussion of -- all Charteris's Saint books, see my So You'd Like To... Guide.

I read a Pocket Book Edition, and it contains three stories; "The Man Who Was Clever", "The Policeman With Wings", "The Lawless Lady".

This book is written after "The Last Hero", but it describes the Saint's adventures before "The Last Hero", how he makes his debut as a "Modern Robin Hood". In the foreword, Charteris states that this is the answer to the many people's question how the Saint gains the reputation that he already has in "The Last Hero".

The stories are rather simple and not so unique as later stories such as "The Saint and Mr. Teal". But I like them. Few dull parts and highly enjoyable. I particularly love the Saint of this era; youthful, gay and lively. And I also like his amiable and capable sidekick Roger Conway. It's a pity that he doesn't appear on later stories.

(The second of the Saint books, where Simon Templar really began to hit his stride. Charteris in later years didn't care for the first book, Meet the Tiger! very much.)

Consists of 2 novellas, "The Man Who Was Clever" and "The Lawless Lady". If you have The Saint: Five Complete Novels, then you already have this book as part of that one.

In "The Man Who Was Clever", the Saint takes on Edgar Hayn, a drug dealer who runs some undercover gambling operations in London. "The Lawless Lady" is more the story of Dicky Tremayne, one of the Saint's friends and another wearer of the halo, and his pursuit of Audrey Perowne.

Covers the first appearance of Inspector Teal, and the poor man's initial encounters with the Saint, when the Saint was first beginning to make his signature stick-figure drawings the terror of evildoers. In those days, the Saint operated with a team of four other Saints, and made a point of donating 10% of the take from every operation to charity (which helped rub the salt into Teal's wounds by underlining that the Saint had got away with it yet again...)

Leever has definitely arrived with 'Even In Darkness"! I couldn't put it down...if you enjoy suspense-filled novels, this one belongs in your collection!

This is a very intense read. The book grabs you and doesn't let go. I simply wasn't ready for the twist at the end, but whoa! Jay's (the main character's) a guy whose feelings I could really relate to. He's definately a man with "balls."

I really enjoyed this book. The suspense is right up there with the stuff on the bestseller list. I will read anything else this author comes out with.

For the person who doesn't read often (like me), this is the kind of book that keeps you engaged and needing to read on to the next section. The pacing is excellent, and the backdrop of the story--a university campus that takes on more and more of a menacing feeling as the book progresses--is excellently done and unsettling at the same time.

I particularly liked the character of Breeze, and what happens with Kristin near the end of the book. The scenes in the tunnel system underneath the campus with Kristin being pursued in the dark by two bloodthirsty thugs were enough to give one nightmares, but it was great suspense.

Overall, a great read.

Jeffrey Aran Leever is a publications manager for a nonprofit organization in Colorado. An English/writing major from the University of Nebraska (Kearney), he presently lives in Arvada, Colorado. He has co-authored two published non-fiction books.

Colleges often have immense power with the locals of the communities they serve...power which can be turned for dark purposes. When Jay Downing's friend Reed Manley doesn't appear for a preappointed "night on the town," and some strange girl tries to lure Jay into the University's long unused underground tunnels, Jay begins to fear for his friend's life. The police treat Jay as if he is on drugs, and when Reed's body appears outside of town, even the coroner seems to be in on the coverup. But it is the professors at Jay's school in Stratton who act the most bizarre:

"Jay looked again at his professor, and wondered what the man knew. What pieces of the truth he held. It was as if Lanum was trying to hold back something, and yet share it at the same time. As if there'd been something Jay had done that gave Lanum reason for contempt. It had to have been something independent of their never-quite-so-serious interactions in class. But what?"

The idea that a university setting could be used for nefarious purposes, and that professors (who, after all, are supposed to represent the creme de la creme) could be arch-fiends stirs up a shiver of recognition in all of us. (Who hasn't dreamt about not attending class and not knowing where their final was?)

Even In Darkness is a well written, spine-tingling, Gothic, Steven Kingish novel that grips the reader from page one. Leever's use of uncertainty in speech, action, and tone puts the reader into a nervous state from the beginning. It is an excellent tool to produce the results he wants, which is to scare us to death and keep us turning those pages. Even In Darkness is an great first effort in the genre for Leever, and presents him as a new talent to be reckoned with. It is entertaining, scary, infuriating, and deeply satisfying, all at once. A great read.

...

This book is a thriller from start to finish. Word to the wise; don't read this book before you go to bed at night, you may not be able to get to sleep.

In this novel Reginald Hill tells a more concise and tighter story than the overblown behemoths he's been churning out in recent years. Shorter is better when it comes to crime fiction. It's funny, well-written, deftly-plotted, full of eccentric, crackling good characters, insightful stuff with a good understanding of human nature. Hill is darn near at the top of his form.
In the opening pages three men in their early seventies die under unfortunate circumstances. Fat Andy Dalziel is marginalized in the investigation because he is suspected of causing the death of one of these men who's been struck down in an auto accident. Was a heavily soused Andy the driver?
Dalziel's second in command, the better educated and more politic Peter Pascoe, is the star of this enterprise with a good assist from Detective-Constable Dennis Seymour who likes the ladies and his pints.
Old people do not fare well in this story. It's almost an anti-geriatric rant as in this quote: "People live a long time these days. Trouble is they don't stay young longer. They stay old longer."
Hill has created two brilliant characters in Dalziel and Pascoe, and we see how distinctive they are in this book. Pascoe trods the straight and narrow, and fat Andy incongruously teeters on the tightrope of what seems dodgy and felonious. Read it and have a good time whether you're young or old.
Nine Lives Too Many
The Daemon in Our Dreams
The Rice Queen Spy
Clawed Back from the Dead

I read it once, and just got it in the mail today after
purchasing it from a fine Amazon bookseller. I plan to
read it again. This time, with Large Print. Great book.
I LOVE Andy Dalziel :)

The Dalziel and Pascoe series is a great series, and Reginald Hill is a smart and intelligent writer. This is the eighth or ninth book in this series, and it's probably one of the better ones in my opinion. The book starts with the death of three elderly gentlemen, and two looked like accidents, while one was definitely a murder. While Pascoe is trying to solve his murder, he begins to wonder whether or not one or both of the other deaths is related somehow. Hill's characters are wonderful, and he outdoes himself with this one with Pascoe's heart-rending search for the truth. And the end of the book is a total shock! What a wonderful story. It kept me guessing, and I was wondering about Andy all the way throug too.

EXIT LINES (Reginald Hill, 1984) is a particularly good book, even by Reginald Hill's particularly high standards. It tackles the themes of death and ageing in both a humorous and a tragic way, showing the keen intelligence and humanity of the author.

The book opens with the deaths of three old men on a November night: as Detective Inspector Pascoe remarks, decidedly "not a good night for the old". One was murdered in his bathtub, his daughter arriving just in time to hear him gasp "Charley" and die; one died of exposure on playing fields, the discoverer of the body hearing him cry "Polly"; and the third murmured "Paradise! Driver... fat bastard...pissed!"-understandably so, for Superintendent Dalziel was in the car which hit him. The dying messages serve as clues as enigmatic as death itself, reinforced by the choice of dying words as chapter headings (great fun for those quotation spotters and spouters out there!). Police work uncovers connections between the supposedly separate cases-and police corruption hovering in the air, with Dalziel going on a shooting spree (of pheasants, that is)-"grand".

Reginald Hill shows himself as a keen observer of humanity, fascinated by the human race-but not becoming bogged down in Ruth Rendell's social conscience or P.D. James' bleak pessimism, but instead remembering that the writer's first duty is to the reader, to entertain. Take, for example, Ellie Pascoe's father's senility as an example of how to handle family background problems without intrusion: it is secondary to the plot, but is there as a play on the book's theme of ageing, and also serves to provide a vital clue. Characterisation is superlative, the reader really feeling sympathy for the characters, or despising those who view the old as a burden. Hill achieves this through a remarkable mixture of humour and genuine emotion, contrasting-but never clashing-humour with grief in succeeding paragraphs. Old age is really brought home to the reader by the senile dementia of Mrs. Escott, a genuinely pathetic and well-drawn character.

The whole-detective story, novel elements-culminates in a particularly neat and moving ending in which all the loose ends tied up, with both good clues and affecting murderers. This book shows Reginald Hill at the height of his powers-without any doubt the best of the modern writers of detective stories who are still writing.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Reginald Hill's Dalziel/Pascoe stories are unique, in that they vary from very light hearted (Pictures of Perfection) to grim and haunting, and even to the paranormal! This story is on the lighter side. The unusual twist is that Pascoe himself is forced to wonder whether, by driving under the influence, Dalziel has corrupted the investigation. The story ties together the threads of 3 different deaths on the same night. A newer character, Detective-Constable Seymour, assists Pascoe and Sgt Wield in the investigation. The completely clueless and luckless Constable Hector manages to hinder most of the help Seymour is providing. The story has some very funny moments despite the tragedy of the deaths of the three elderly victims. As always it is great when Mrs. Ellie Pascoe is a part of the story. And she is "present" in this one, although she's physically away, taking care of her own elderly father. The mystery is satisfying and the reader's natural suspicion of Dalziel's motives, and maybe even his integrity, actually enhances the plot. Well done.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

(For a sampling of the haunting, deeper side of Reginald Hill's Dalziel/Pascoe stories try "On Beulah Height: or "The Wood Beyond".)

I just wanted readers to know that this writer can write excellent horror in the tradition of Poe - hard core new-gothic writing that will rock your socks off. I was especially impressed by his dark landscapes and incredible and chilling descriptions. My favorite story was "The Resurrection of James Mason." This was blood chilling to say the least as the protagonist is trapped in the tomb of an evil master of sorcery on the very night of his resurrection back into our everyday world of strange and weird encounters with spirits of evil.

Ron Dondiego's "Fables and Other Oddities of The Imagination",
is an extraordinary collection of short stories which have a
valuable teaching and message in them.
I was totally awestruck as I read each story.
He really opened my eyes and mind to a reality I'd never thought of.
Even though classified as fiction, this collection has so much truth in there.
His first story would make a wonderful children's book
and even a great show for the family.
I loved the way each was written, resembling a page in a diary.
They cover just about everything a mind can imagine;
from hauntings, to Hell, to Heaven, to love to hate,
to perfect worlds, to the everyday world.
Some bordering the apocalypse, some fantasy, while others
explore the world beyond.
Excellent book that I could not put down.
I highly recommend, "Fables and Other Oddities of The Imagination",
as a must read to all readers of sixteen and older.
Thank You so very much Ron for this intriguing look
inside your mind's eye and bringing so much forth to mine.
Exquisite!! Amazing!! Remarkable!!

Tracey L. O' Very

Ron is an author that knows how to capture the imagination and scare the reader out of their wits. The thing that makes him an amazing author for doing so is that he doesn't do it right away. The story he wrote in the style of Edgar Allan Poe is titled "The Ghost in the House" and this story for me is the one that I will say is Ron at his darkest. I've read his other collection, "The Face and Other Fantastic Tales" and this book picks up where that other one leaves off. I read more of the book on the publisher's website and making it an effort to pick up this book every chance I get. I hope Ron actually goes and does a full length novel at the level of horror he does when he writes these stories. I wished he put "The Demon In My Computer" in this collection because that one is one of his most haunting stories as some of the stories in this collection are.

This short story collection stands alone in today's market place. It transports one into another realm, the realm of the absurd, the whimsical, the improbable, and the other worldly. It defies the boundries that surround our ordinary reality, and takes us on a surreal journey through some very dark subject matter.

I definitely enjoyed reading this little offering... And would suggest it to all and sundry. Especially if you're in the market for something different, something along the lines of Kafka or perhaps H.G. Wells.

Review by Annette Gisby editor of Twisted Tales and author of Silent Screams, and Writing the Dream: Like any short story collection, there are some that you really love and some you're not so keen on and some that you find a little interesting. My favorite stories in this collection included 'The Magic Bicycle' about a young boy's yearning to escape his real life existence where his mother goes off with any man who will pay and a father who uses his fist and a raised voice to get what he wants in life. The boy dreams of a magic bicycle which will take him away from everything and when one day the bicycle magically appears, he gets taken away, but not in the way that he intended. It's very reminiscent of a fairy tale and you feel for the boy and his plight. 'The Confession' was excellent, about a man writing in his cell, convinced that he couldn't possibly have committed the crime he's been accused of and soon will die for. As his written confession goes on, you're invited into the mind of a madman, who even till the end professes his innocence. Did he do it or not? In 'The Village' a man searches for and thinks he has found paradise, but is he the one who has brought corruption to them? All in all, a good little collection of stories, tales to dip in and out of and read again.

I have read the first three books in the Sol Chronicles series by Donald D. Thompson, and the story that he is weaving is fantastic. I have been a sci-fi fan for most of my life, and the storyline that Donald is creating is fresh and unique.

I recommend this series to all of my sci-fi loving friends.

If you're looking for a sci-fi series that poses many interesting and thought provoking questions, complete with plenty of action and adventure, The Sol Chronicles is it!

Starting with the Final Solician and carrying forward to the second book in the series, The Telpin Man, Donald D. Thompson has devised a sci-fi saga that is rich in compelling characterization and plot. It isn't often that you find a series with such a complete and logical evolution -- especially one that's full of unexpected and satisfying twists and turns. Mankind's settling of our solar system unfolds over the centuries and becomes a metaphor for much of the striving, strife, and conflict of life on modern day Earth.

These tales are truly exciting and surprising. Mr. Thompson will fill you both with wonderment and a sense of what might have been, and still could be, in the continuing story of humanity.

If you've read The Final Solician, new frontiers await you in The Telpin Man. If you've only read the Telpin Man, you owe it to yourself to explore the past by reading The Final Solcian. And if you're like me, and have read the first two books in The Sol Chronicles, you just can't wait for Thena's Boy, the third novel in this wonderful series!

Donald Thompson grabs you by the lapels on the very first page and he doesn't let you go until it is over with - on the very last page. Who is this guy and where has he been? I want more!

I really enjoyed this book from the begining all the way to the end. The characters were real, the writing was griping and I can hardly wait for the next book in this series.

Donald Thompson's Characters could easily be friends of mine. He brought them to life and made them unforgettable for me. Who would have thought that a science fiction book could also be a romantic novel. I can hardly wait to see what he comes up with next.

For three days in July of 1863, war raged in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. When it was over, thousands of men on both the Union and Confederate sides of the conflict were dead or dying, and the lives of the residents of Gettysburg were changed forever. Fixin' Things, by Peggy Ullman-Bell is a tribute to those residents, especially "all the women who sacrificed their health, their lives, and their sanity to keep the [Gettysburg National Cemetery] from being a hundred times larger."

The story centers on the Loren family and their near relations. Like many people who lived close to the Mason-Dixon Line, their loyalties were mixed. The Loren women, Kathin and her younger sister Megan, secretly operated a station on the Underground Railroad. Kathin's sister-in-law, although born in Philadelphia, thoroughly adopted the slave-owning society of Maryland, where she lives with her husband Jason Mercer. Jason, a colonel in the Confederate army, is a kind and intellectual gentleman, while Kathin's husband Edwin, a captain in the Union army, is an abusive and foul-mouthed tyrant. When war comes to Gettysburg, family relationships and loyalties are strained. The Loren farm and their townhome, rented to a female blacksmith and a schoolteacher (tacitly recognized as lovers), become field hospitals and refuges for wounded soldiers on both sides.

In this well-researched novel, readers will grasp the immensity of this historic event--and recognize at once how the small community of Gettysburg was devastated. Churches and schools were desecrated and dismantled, overflowing with blood and offal and stuffed to the seams with the dead and dying. Fields and crops were trampled; wells and streams were fouled. Larders were emptied; supplies raided. And rather than fight back or protect their possessions, most residents of Gettysburg gave all they had and more than they could afford. They baked the last of their flour into bread for the hungry men, nursed the wounded in their own homes, ripped up their petticoats and linens for bandages. In turn, many of the desperate soldiers became attached to their resident saviors, who hid them and shielded them from enemy soldiers and, in some cases, from their own army which would have sent them back into action.

Even after the battle, the horror continued in Gettysburg. The wounded were legion; the town was bereft of supplies, and thousands of dead needed to be buried. (And, in a few weeks, orders arrived to dig them up and rebury them elsewhere.) In Fixin' Things, author Ullman-Bell explores the impact of this event on the fictional Loren sisters and their friends. Readers are transported back to an event of huge historical consequence in our country, viewed through the eyes of people who lived it personally, with all glamour and patriotism stripped away.

Author Peggy Bell is the worthy representative, and her book, "Fixin' Things" is the fitting memorial. This fascinating and credible story of the Civil War as seen (primarily) through the eyes and experienced through the lives of the women of the time, transports the reader into a ghastly world gone mad with the blood-letting, gut-spilling violence of insane men playing a to-the-death game of "King-of-the Hill." And through it all, the women were there; amazing women, with strength, resiliency, and fortitude. Feeding, nursing, wading through the blood and guts, bandaging mutilated men with strips torn off their petticoats, they fought through the war with unmitigated valor.

A wonderful piece of historical fiction, Bell's "Fixin' Things" has everything you could want in a good tale; a unique plot angle with twists and turns, lots of intriguing sub-plots thickening and expanding the story, remarkable characters brought to life, and scene depictions that run the full gamut from tender and lovely to terrifying and horrific. The story of the Battle of Gettysburg as told in this book was the best I have ever read. This book is an excellent tribute to the women who loved their broken country, mended it, and nursed it back to life.

Exceptionally written. Author keeps you 'in' the action. Does a super job of letting you see through words the events of the time. Paints the picture well. The author's rendition of the women of Gettysburg is enlightening, especially since we typically read only of men in times of war.

Peggy Ullman Bell's second book does NOT disappoint! This is an excellent historical fiction from the author of "Psappha, a Novel of Sappho," and will definitely be noticed! Well written, vivid, accurate historically, a fascinating and exciting read. And a most enjoyable story of a young woman's coming of age. Ms. Bell's writing in this book, as in "Psappha", takes you there and you can watch the story unfold! Hope to hear a LOT more from this Excellent author....

This is an unusual novel about the marvelous ways which women gave comfort and love during the civil war, an ode of love as responsibility in the care of others. While many books chronicle the adventures of males during this war, this is the first I have seen to get to the heart of the woman as homemaker, caregiver, and patriot. It is a book you will remember and ponder long after reading. The characters are diverse and stimulating. As fine a work of historical fiction as I have seen. It has everything from sexual abuse, to burying of body parts after surgery, to helping slaves to get north, to family conflicts. Throughout there is the heroism of women. I highly recommend it.

Having read romance novels for much of my adult life, it's hard for me to find anything that doesn't seem like the same tired old thing. Ms. Nelson's book, however, was refreshingly different, and just plain fun to read with all the elements of a good romance.

The Future Widow's Club is a must read! I loved the sassy secondary characters. As clever and engaging as the plot and premise were, it was the hero and heroine's long lost love that touched me the deepest. Don't miss this book!

Jolie Marshall is living for the moment that she can divorce her husband Chris. He is abusive, cheats on her, and has stolen money from her mother and other investors in their software company. He has the money to pay them all back, but puts in in off shore accounts instead. Jolie is slowly putting together the money to pay off the debts and compiling evidence to use in her divorce case. She married Chris on the rebound, when her boyfriend since third grade, Jake, got cold feet on the subject of commitment. Her father had just died and she wanted more from the relationship, Jake decided to concentrate of his career with the Sheriff's Office instead. Angry, Jolie went on vacation by herself and came back with Chris, to her eternal regret. A support group of sorts, The Future Widows Club, asks her to be a member. They look forward to the death of their spouses. They arrange the funeral, pick out an outfit, and most importantly, buy a hat. The meetings once a week are a godsend for these women, being the only place where they can be open about the problems in their marriages. Unfortunately, shortly after Jolie really gets into the spirit of the FWC, her husband is murdered, and his penis cut off and missing. More unfortunately, Jake is the detective assigned to the case. She never fell out of love with him and he apparently feels the same way. In spite of an ironclad alibi, she really LOOKS guilty.

I loved this book!!! The members of the FWC are very vivid and funny. The author enabled you to really get into the story. You get annoyed at Jake, hate Chris, and feel sympathy for all the future widows. I will definitely be looking to read more books by this author.

In Moon Valley, Jolie Marshal regrets marrying charming SOB Chris who embezzled money from their company leaving friends and her mother potentially in the lurch. When she can pay back her "creditors", she will divorce Chris, who she married when vulnerable following the death of her father and rejection by her boyfriend Jake, who was not ready for a wife.

The Future Widows' Club invites Jolie to join their group. Finding solace, she agrees and begins following some of the rules like taking out life insurance on her spouse. However, someone was irate when they shot Chris in the heart and cut off his penis. Could it be Sheriff Dean who has pictures of his wife with Chris? Or Police Officer Jake who is livid that this worm hit Jolie, the woman he still loves and regrets he let down? Or perhaps the grieving widow who just took out insurance on the rat?

THE FUTURE WIDOWS' CLUB is a strange dark humorous romance with police procedural elements to add excitement to the question of who killed Chris. The story line initially appears to be one of an abused spouse but switches gear once the merry widows invite Jolie to join. Rhonda Nelson writes a strong satirical dark look at society that accepts plenty of abusive "values" under the label of protecting the family.

Harriet Klausner

Jolie Marshall's husband Chris sure fooled her. He came along at just the right time when she was nursing a broken heart and conned her into her marrying him. Since then he's managed to steal most of her mother's life savings. She can't divorce him until she gets enough evidence of his adultery and other dirty dealings. Meanwhile, she's found an outlet to help her keep her sanity while she's waiting, The Future Widow's Club. The FWC is a place where she and other wives can come and plan for when they can finally be free. After all, why settle for half when you can have it all? But when Chris is murdered, her affiliation with the FWC may not be a good thing.

The detective on the case is Jake Malone, the man who broke Jolie's heart and sent her straight into Chris' arms. Jake knows he made a terrible mistake when he let Jolie go and he's suffered watching her in a horrible marriage. Now that Jolie is free again he wants a second chance. But as long as Jolie is a suspect in her husband's murder he is unable to become personally involved with her. Once she's cleared Jolie better watch out, because Jake is determined to correct his past mistakes and get Jolie back where she belongs, with him!

I couldn't stop laughing while reading The Future Widow's Club! From the moment Jake and Jolie share a scene together, the chemistry and emotion is obvious and I became thoroughly engrossed. Plus the mystery about who really killed Chris is extremely well done. I will be looking for more in future from Rhona Nelson who I foresee quickly becoming a must-read author. Humor, suspense, and a well-written love story: The Future Widow's Club has it all!

Melissa
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

My copy is a Sierra Club Book. This is beautifully illustrated and has spectacular photographs. Once you get past the coffee table fluff, There is a lot to be learned. Save this as one of the last Big Bang books that may go the way of the Piltdown Man. 'Einstein's Greatest Blunder? : The Cosmological Constant and Other Fudge Factors in the Physics of the Universe" ISBN: 0674242416

Take heart, as there are other in print books by Timothy Ferris.

Life Beyond Earth by Timothy Ferris ISBN: 0684849372. Just put the number in the search box and press go.

Life Beyond Earth

I read this book maybe 20 years ago as a little kid, and I still think about it. It really stimulated a lifelong interest in astronomy and cosmology. If you aren't schooled in astronomy I think it will open your eyes and present to you a view of the universe that will change the way you look at things forever. If I could find more copies of this book, and it were cheaper, I would hand it out like candy to the numerous people unschooled in astronomy I've met in the last 20 years, who, I am sure this book would greatly enrich.

The strength of this book is its photographs from various observatories around the world. I have not--in 20 years of looking, found a collection of astrophotographs that comes close. They are inspiring! Other manmade illustrations in the book vividly illustrate just where we are in the universe. Mr. Ferris also does an admirable job taking you by the hand and poetically explaining what is really out there when you gaze into the night sky. You will be amazed by what you don't now know.

If you can get a copy, get it, read it, enrich yourself, show it to your kids, and don't let it go.

Heaven's net casts wide.
Though its meshes are coarse, nothing slips through.
-- Lao Tzu

If ever there was a physical manifestation of poetry, the starry sky at night, the panoply of objects that populate the heavens, would come close. The character of Dr. Arroway in Carl Sagan's Contact exclaims, upon seeing the glorious objects of the universe up close during her epic flight, 'Poetry! They should have sent a poet!'

This book, Galaxies, is a book on a grand scale, as is its subject. It is a lavishly illustrated coffee-table book the size of a small coffee table, the pages measure 13 inches by 15 inches, a huge footprint of a book, with most of the photographs and diagrams sized full-page.

Timothy Ferris, at the time of this book was first published, was a professor of English at Brooklyn College CUNY. He has since gone on to fame as a science writer, particularly in the field of astronomy, and now teaches astronomy and science writing on the other coast, at UC Berkeley. Largely due to clear writing, diligent research that is thorough, and a good eye for visuals (astronomy is a visual science in many ways, and Ferris selected the photographs for this book himself) Ferris has put together a tremendous introduction to the subject of galaxies, impressing with the scale of the book the tremendous size and scale of galaxies.

Being an English professor, he of course had a wide knowledge of literature, and this is apparent from his choice of side notes, quotes and references, which populate not only the captions and taglines, but interpermeate the text on a regular basis. Here in the midst of scientific discussion one will find quotes from Shakespeare, Thornton Wilder, St. Juliana, Heraclitus, Ben Jonson, and more.

The first section deals with the basic definitions of what a galaxy is, the discovery of galaxies, and our place (and their place) in the cosmos. From here, Ferris takes us on a brief tour of the galaxy from the inside, using of course our own Milky Way galaxy, the only galaxy we can know from the inside. By looking at the constituent elements of a galaxy--stars, nebulae, star clusters, supernovae and black holes--Ferris introduces us to the life cycle of stars and some of the dynamics of galactic formation and evolution. Some of the more stunning photographs of this book are in this section, particularly the nebulae (gaseous formations that represent both the beginning and the end of life cycles of stars).

From a tour of our own galaxy, Ferris proceeds to the Local Group of Galaxies, and begins a discussion of the different kinds of galaxies. Our own, the Milky Way, is a fairly large spiral galaxy. This is not the most common type, however, nor the most rare. Our galaxy has attendant galaxies, the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds (named so because they are only visible from the Southern Hemisphere; named in honour of a European explorer who trekked down there), which are mostly blobs of stars, with no formal structure as a spiral would have. The nearest spiral is the Andromeda, part of the local pair (most spirals come in pairs). Andromeda also has smaller, blob-like satellite galaxies, with a smaller proto-spiral (M33) not far off.

In the next section, Ferris examines the types of galaxies which populate the Local Group, the Local Supergroup, and other groupings of galaxies. These include elliptical galaxies, spiral galaxies, barred spiral galaxies, and lenticular (or SO) galaxies. Ellipticals often appear as blobs, sometimes with halos, and no intricate structures. Spirals can be more of less tightly 'wound', arms around a nucleus with a bulge. Barred spirals are more intricate yet, and have a 'bar' or spindle-shaped grouping of stars that extends straight out from the central bulge and nucleus, to which the arms of the spiral seem to be attached. Lenticular galaxies are hardest yet to categorise--they might be ellipticals in a spiral mode, perhaps somehow robbed of their arms. How they evolved is a mystery. Beyond this, there are yet other irregular galaxies, which are often the results of galactic collisions and gravitational interferences.

Some galaxies seem to have violent events occurring, gaseous jets or lots of light and radio activity which speaks of harsh activity. Vast energy spikes and marred appearances give an interesting flavour to astronomical research. Often these happen from interactive galaxies, in which they are playing off each other, or indeed, as some will swallow up others.

Ferris continues his outward rush to the very limits of the universe, until we encounter quasars, the largest of large groupings of superclusters, and a brief discussion of the geometries and nature of space and time. The expansion of the universe, and possible futures (infinite expansion or ultimate collapse, or somewhere in between?) are discussed, as well as paradoxes which might arise in a collapsing universe.

Photographic plates are shown throughout in colour, in black and white, in negative, and in grid-overlays. There is a wide variety, showing the variety of ways in which astronomical objects are examined. This is a fabulous book. Rush to get it.

What we have learned
Is like a handful of earth;
What we have yet to learn
Is like the whole world.
-- Avvaiyar

This is a wonderful book if you can find it. The photographs are spectacular--for example, a two-page spread of the Hercules cluster in which every one of the hundreds of objects in the photo is a discrete galaxy.

This is a must-have for every astronomy buff. It makes a great coffee-table book as well.

. . .is what one reviewer said when this book was first published. It's a claim which is hard to dispute. The hard core scientist might not appreciate it's "coffee table" book format -- but heck, the book wasn't written for such a person in the first place!

Filled with readable and comprehendable text and citations ranging from Thorton Wilder's "Our Town" to St. Julian's "Revelations of Divine Love", this book will prompt even the most unscientific mind to gaze at the sky with new wonder.

But beyond the layout, beyond the scientific information, beyond the citations, the book is best described by its absolutely stunning deep-sky photography. It is mind-boggling to me how someone could look at the night sky and question the existence of God.

"He who made the Plei'ades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into the morning,and darkens the day into night,who calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out upon the surface of the earth, the LORD is his name" -- from the book of Amos the Prophet

I started the book about 6 p.m and finished about 1 a.m; I could not put it down. Every golfer, every Masters fan, every body in Augusta will want this. Lots of great (and courteous) insider stories about the the Club; the creek, the community power fights about the creek; about great golfers, the caddies; the role of women; the founders of the club; the author's learning golf; rubbing elbows with Washington big whigs.

I know the author personally; I never dreamed her book would be interesting; I certainly never expected to be glued to her book, but it is a gem. I've got a couple of golfing buddies in mind who will want to read this book.

The story about the golfer who would "never" play with a woman was great...he parted with a dollar of two.

The "ownership" of the caddies, the nicknames of caddies and the nicknames given by caddies to their "horses" was fascinating.

The stories about the club president show a man "bigger than life."

Perhaps some of you know what trunk bangers are...now I know.

My grandmother lived a few blocks from the club and she rented to people who attended the Masters...so the book brings back memories...

Anyone struggling with golf, all you addicts out there, who day dream about shots, greens, the rough, creeks and sandtraps will identify with the author, whether male or female.

I'm not even a golfer, but my daddy was; and after listening to him talk golf, get down with 90, high on 72, talk about lights for night golfing, discuss the game over a few drinks, I found this book a clincher. I never expected to enjoy a book so much.

I enjoyed the book, but I was eager to learn more about the men in their lives. Who were these men and how did they feel about the experiences.

I started the book about 6 p.m and finished about 1 a.m; I could not put it down. Every golfer, every Masters fan, every body in Augusta will want this. Lots of great (and courteous) insider stories about the the Club; the creek, the community power fights about the creek; about great golfers, the caddies; the role of women; the founders of the club; the author's learning golf; rubbing elbows with Washington big whigs.

I know the author personally; I never dreamed her book would be interesting; I certainly never expected to be glued to her book, but it is a gem. I've got a couple of golfing buddies in mind who will want to read this book.

The story about the golfer who would "never" play with a woman was great...he parted with a dollar of two.

The "ownership" of the caddies, the nicknames of caddies and the nicknames given by caddies to their "horses" was fascinating.

The stories about the club president show a man "bigger than life."

Perhaps some of you know what trunk bangers are...now I know.

My grandmother lived a few blocks from the club and she rented to people who attended the Masters...so the book brings back memories...

Anyone struggling with golf, all you addicts out there, who day dream about shots, greens, the rough, creeks and sandtraps will identify with the author, whether male or female.

I'm not even a golfer, but my daddy was; and after listening to him talk golf, get down with 90, high on 72, talk about lights for night golfing, discuss the game over a few drinks, I found this book a clincher. I never expected to enjoy a book so much.

This is a terrific book written by a member's wife and their daughter. I am a big golf fan and have read several books about Augusta National and the Masters in recent years, but this one has an entirely different angle--a woman's perspective, and an insider-woman at that. The authors are respectful of the club, but they also are open in offering dozens of refreshing anecdotes that are funny and border on irreverent. There are also a bunch of photos in the book depicting the golf course from a candid viewpoint.

I started the book about 6 and finished about 12. Every golfer, Masters fan, everyone in Augusta will want one of theses books.

It's full of real inside stories of the Club, its founders, the grounds, the caddies, the famous players.

I know the author personally and figured her book would be interesting but did not expected to be glued to it. The wording contained many of the unique phrases used at the National and un golfing. I could not put the book down.

I am not a golfer, but my dad was and I have heard him day dream about golf; I've seen him high on 72 and down on 90; it seems the author got to the point she day dreamed about sandtraps, the rough, the fairways, how she would handle different shots.

Stories about personal encounters with famous golfers and politicians were great. The stories about the caddies and their betting, "ownership" of golfers, their nicknames were fascinating.

The stories about how one gets into the club gives the Augusta National a sense of intrigue.

The stories about the president of the club presented a man bigger than life, who put fear into the hearts of the wealthy and powerful.

Fishing stories, access to the club during the Masters, access to the club during off season were all highly readable and clearly inside, non-public, unpublished views into a closed society.

That only a few people were there at a time off season was amazing; there is/or was a wonderful wine cellar; there were no socials unrelated to golf and no 5 somes.

This is a wonderful book of private information that every golfer will enjoy, buy 2 of (one to keep and one to give away).

Terrific. Black, sordid, entertaining and most weird. Lots of fun!

I read it an thought it brillianly funny, and highly original. Fidel Castro seemed less than enthusiastic in his review, realising that this book has the potential to undermine all that he has strived for over the past decades of social and political revolution. "I read this book and realise that it is a legitimate, well thought out critique of the workers' paradise I have strived to establish in Cuba. It's back to the drawing board for me. I wish Hughes had never left his. I am a shattered icon."

"Hughes is good. He's got the same hold over readers that Tom Sharpe, Kingsley Amis and the late Bob Shaw created so effortlessly. Okay, so he's damn good -- one of those authors who hooks you with intelligent humour and run-amok storylines. His fiction is irresistable. So why fight it?"

(Lisa DuMond: Locus Magazine/SFSite)

"The writing is literary in quality and the characters are finely detailed -- highly recommended."

(Lida E. Quillen: Scribes World)

"Curious, innovative and highly entertaining...dripping with black humour, highly irreverent, sarcastic and, quite simply, very funny!"

(Nicola Jolly: The Preston Citizen)

This is Greyminster, a smoky, post-industrial milltown tucked away in the northwest corner of England. A pleasant enough place except for one fact. Greyminster is the Spaghetti Junction of the Fortean World. Time travel, ravenous space beasts, manic old biddies and robots with a penchant for Hob Nobs. This enormous volume contains all four Greyminster novels, five Greyminster novellas, characters by the barrow load and enough good humour to blow your socks off!

First off, I think I should probably preface this review with a few important facts.

1. Brian Hughes is a close personal friend of mine.
2. I haven't (yet) actually read the book.
3. When I was a young boy, I had an extra nipple.

The Greyminster Chronicles is undoubtably the most important written work ever published since the twin tablets Moses brought down from the mountain, which as you probably are already aware, contained probably the worst practical joke ever.

The Greyminster Chronicles has the unusual property of being able to hold things down. Should you say need to force an peice of important paper to stop walking about, or to provide anistesia to a cat, or to stop your television from flying about the room, or even to prevent your fireplace from going out on dates without you. This is the book for you.

The Greyminster Chronicles is also the perfect accompanyment for J.D. Sallinger's The Catcher in the Rye. In fact, I've heard that it has been listed as mandatory reading for the Insane Wackjobs With Crackpot Assination Plots Everywhere Union. You can find more information on the IWWCAPEU from the CIA...

Everything considered, you should feel in danger of experiencing the phemomina termed spontaneous combustion, if you do not buy this book immediately. Oh... and could you please stop by my wishlist and buy one for me as well, as a cartoonist, I'm slightly poorer than dirt.

Very innovative and entertaining...loaded with black humour, irreverent, sarcastic and very, very funny. I couldn't put it down!