Short Stories Books

What a story! What a writer! I could not put this book down. Colin Channer is a talent. I cannot wait to read his next adventure.

The book was well written, great humor and very relatable for anyone who has ever been in love or would like to be. The only thing is that the cover does not give the book any justice. At first glance you would think its one of those trashy romance novels, however its about more than romance, its about true love and the romance behind it.

This novel was a soulful journey. It connects with the reality of relationships and with all of its struggles and triumph. I was drawn into the characters from the opening page. He tells this tale with a poetic spin. His words unfold beautifully and each character takes on a life of its own. I think readers will find a little bit of themselves in this book. I loved it!

This book is a beautiful experience. It is one of the most passionate and real books that I have ever read. I couldn't put it down and I wish that it was longer. The emotions of the characters are so strong that they leap off of the page. This book makes you want to go out and fall in love and hope that you experience half the passion and true love that these characters experience.

Colin Channer to me is like a modern day Picasso with a pen. His dialogue is compelling, soul-stirring and purposeful and his characters are engaging. You can almost close your eyes and imagine yourself seeing the story unfold as if you were a fly on the wall at a gallery in New York, a beach house in Jamaica, or the Streets of London. This is the mark of a truly great storyteller.

Our main character, Fire, is a "simple" man with a "complex" life. By simple I mean he wants what any sane person would want, a circle of good life-long friends, a fulfilling life, and someone emotionally and physically available to share it all with. So, when he meets Sylvia, he feels like he has found the one. What he doesn't know is that Sylvia, an engaged magazine editor, is all but disengaged from her own true desires for her life. Soon we see that complications abound, and the journey they take throughout the story takes the reader on a cross-continental journey in search of introspection, true meaning and, possibly, true love.

An interesting point is that Channer's characters are written from their souls - what drives them to do the things they do is less about their gender than their emotions and their pasts. With such a multi-faceted story, several layers of conflict, we still get a crystal clear picture and understanding as to why things unfold teh way they do. It is a believable, gripping, page turner, and Channer conveys it effortlessly.

Waiting in Vain, simply put, was one of the two best books I have read in a long time. The other was Satisfy My Soul (also by Colin Channer). As an aspiring writer, I wish my prose was as naturally beautiful as Mr. Channer's. Until it is, I will keep devouring his work in hopes that some of his literary poeticism rubs off.

I saw the recent movie, (The Count of Monte Cristo - 2002, staring - James Caviezel) and loved it so much, I ordered the book, and this is the version I choose. Unfortunately, this is the first book I've ever read that the movie is actually better! The abridged version is so limited it misses the very crucial points in this wonderful insightful story. If you're an adult I suggest reading an unabridged version in order to get the profound message this book addresses.

I bought this book for one of my children for a summer reading project. I needed a specific version and was glad I could search Amazon by ISBN. The book arrived quickly and the price was reasonable. I'm sure other family members will enjoy the book when the projcet is complete.

except for the Bible, this is the best.
It is the full and undiluted version from the first english translation.
read it, learn it,live it.
j

Although the story is well known to me, the editing of this audio book was so confusing. I absolutely could not follow it. Too much is cut out.

The book is excelent reading but please get a different version.
This version only has 580 or so pages where as other versions have over 1,300 pages. That means that this version is only half the story.
So much gets lost in translation already don't cheat yourself even more.

I don't know what it was about this book that made me want to read it over and over again. It didn't have any colosal {I don't know if I spelled that right} battles or anything. I guess it was just the amazing storyline! The adventure was fantastic, but I honestly like whats going on with the woodlanders better than Martin the warriors journy, more action happens with them. In all, this is one of the best Redwall books, complete with an awesome one on one battle at the end. Read this book!

This is about Martin the Warrior , a heroic mouse, the self-appointed Prince of Mousetheives (and best friend to Martin), Gonff, the totally evil wildcat Tsarmina, and sundry other animal characters. The plot is that (1) Martin is (after a sidetracked problem) questing for Salamandastron, (2) the woodlanders defending themselves from Tsarmina until Martin returns, and (3) what's happening in Kotir, the moldy, falling-down castle where Tsarmina and her horde of vermin (stoats, rats, foxes, weasels and so on). This is a good series because it never ends on a cliffhanger at the very end. Mr. Jacques is a wonderful author, and I've read all his books except Eulalia!, because it isn't out yet. :(

The Redwall series was recommended to me by my own readers, who recognized a similarity between the writing style, animorphism, and medieval setting of my own debut novel "The Other Side of Yore" and of Brian Jaques' famous books. As I learned more about the books, I was amazed that the books had escaped my attention for so long. Sure I had heard the name in passing, but I really didn't know what the books were about, and had probably passed them over as too child-oriented when I was a young blossoming fan of fantasy. Boy, had I been missing out!
Mossflower may be the best YA fantasy book I've read since "The Hobbit," maybe even surpassing "The Chronicles of Narnia" for imagination, superb writing skill, literary worth, and sheer reading enjoyment!
Far from being just a book for young adults, I am well over thirty and highly critical of most fiction books, and was unable to put the book down. Not only does Jaques write in an incredibly skillful and beautiful style, but his plots and subplots are nothing short of genious. The character developement of the animorphed creatures is far superior to even the average bestselling book of fiction starring realistic human characters. Jaques is a master of dialogue and dialect, and I especially enjoyed the strange coloquial mole-speech;
"Hurr, Oi be liken it moiself better'n any deeper-n'-ever pie oive et, stan' on moi hole!"
The triumphs, determinations, and gallant speeches of Martin the Warrior actually brought tears to my eyes a few times during the tale, and the antics and humorous songs and poems of Gonff made me laugh out loud more than once.
What's more, Jaques created a complex villian to be copied by fantasy authors for centuries to come in the characterization of the wicked cat Tsarmina, and painted a thoroughly believable array of personalities and attitudes in the various soldiers of her army.
Like Tolkien's work, Jaques has also done his homework thoroughly, and has created a vast history to support his tales, which I think is a trait missing from many of the more fly-by-night and commercial fantasies of today.
By the end of this novel, you will have forgotten that mice can't talk and that badgers don't wield swords, having become intimately familiar with some of the most realistic personalities ever to grace the pages of literature. I cannot recommend this book enough, and am sure that the others in the series will be equally delightful!
J. Lyon Layden
The Other Side of Yore

"Mossflower" is the epic prequel to "Redwall". Written by Brian Jacques, it is a book full of adventure and surprise.
The peaceful woodland creatures of Mossflower are forced to live under the tyrannical rule of the evil wildcat queen, Tsarmina. That is until the coming of Martin the Warrior. Martin brings hope and promise to the animals of Mossflower. With the help of a mighty weapon, the habitants of Mossflower will ban together to take back what is rightfully theirs and put an end to the evil reign of Tsarmina.
I highly recommend this book. It is full of action that draws the reader in and keeps him/her reading.

It is all you want in a good book.It has just the right amount of action,
peril,valor,and humor. If you want a book that is good for everyone, you just found one!

This was the first "romance" novel I ever read. I must have been 10 or 11 at the time. Since then I have read countless historical novels but this one is still my favorite. I just finished re-reading it and I was as enthralled now as I was years ago. If you enjoy good historical fiction (Philipa Gregory, Diana Gabaldon, Sharon Kay Penman), you will enjoy this book.

Katherine makes me want to drink ale. There is breakfast ale. There is ale as remedy for a wan complexion. Ale for lunch, dinner...good ale, poor ale, everyone drinks it! I bought Katherine on recommendation from so many reviewers here who loved it. And I agree that it is a fantastic book, transporting me back to the medieval times of Katherine Swynford, John of Gaunt and Geoffrey Chaucer. I have now become a student of medieval British history, thanks to Anya Seton's books, which contain adventure, love affairs, wars, magic, religion. I am addicted, and Katherine did not disappoint; I love Ms. Seton's writing style and attention to detail. I loved Katherine and the depiction of "a woman's lot" in these troubled times. I hurt for her when she was a teenaged bride, forced to marry a rough brute whom she could never love. Yet, unlike another reviewer who found Hugh Swynford's character unsympathetic, I did come to have compassion for him. Yes he was loathsome, yes he was selfish and abusive. Yet Ms. Seton somehow dredged a grudging sympathy for him out of me. She wouldn't allow him to be a total villain. I also understood Katherine's need for penance for her affair with the duke; I found stunning parallels to my own life experiences in this. Overall this was an entertaining, beautifully told tale of triumph over tragedy.

I first read this book about 25 years ago. Recently a friend discussed how she just loved the story, and that's what stirred me to find the book again. The choice of Dante Rosetti's painting, Veronica Veronese, for the cover image of the latest edition is wonderful.

Anya Seton was gifted at her crafting of words. Often I find myself rereading sentences that seem unusual and beautiful. It's an enjoyable way to travel back in time. Reading a history book can be interesting, but an historical novel puts a face and character to the names that usually get only a brief mention.

I am an avid avid reader, especially about English Historical Fiction. I just finished this book,,,and of all the amazing authors I have read, including Phillipa Gregory and Margaret George, Anya Seton has taken first place in quality historical fiction. Here attention to detail and her development of 3 dimensional characters is unsurpased and I was torn between rushing through the book..and yet reading it slowly to savor it like an amazing piece of cake. This was the first book of hers I've read and I intend to read all of them!!!

I read this book many times when I was young and was thrilled to find it still in print. I would recommend this for anyone who loves romance novels with historical fact mixed in.

Very moving story about the strength and weaknesses of women (not just black women). It's a story of principle, dreams and nightmares and how you find yourself at the very moment you learn to control both. These women teeter on the edge of self discovery ....all they need is a little push! And it takes inner strength and tough choices to realize sometimes you have to catch yourself.

This was worth reading. It's not full of porn or scandal but a nice read. I enjoyed that the main character was a real person and not the stereotypically ideal "beauty" queen most authors like to use.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. If you are looking for an entertaining, suspenseful, drama, this is a book for you. It was a page turner, sometimes hard to put down. Donna and Virginia, keep up the great work, and keep these type of novels coming.

Hooks the reader and keeps them captivated to the last chapter. The characters are multi-dimensional and the story is rich with detail about family, friendship and deceit. Plenty of twists and turns with a few jaw drops.
A must-read! You won't regret it.

Read this book quite sometime ago...enjoyed it a great deal, so I decided I would like to experience it again....on audiobook!

I read this story, "The Monster at the end of this book" to my daughter 25 yrs. ago, and she loved it. She recently requested I find it, and get it for her little girl. I'm sure she will love it too! The book has thick pages and a glossy finish, better than 25 yrs. ago.

My two sons (ages 5 and 4) beg me to read this book several times a week. It is one of their favorite bedtime stories.

The first time I read this book they didn't care much for it. That's because I made several mistakes that are very important to making this book fun after repeated readings. Here's the secrets:

1. Imitate Grover's voice. The mistake is to make Grover sound too deep. He's more like Yoda with a panic attack. Vibrate the back of your tongue like you're trying to gargle and let your voice climb when Grover is shouting.

2. Don't forget the sound effects. There's bricks coming down, boards being hammered into place and Grover panting and screaming on every page.

3. Let your children turn the pages while you plead to them to "don't turn the page!"

4. Replace the words. After you read this book 5-6 times, you can spice it right back up by changing the words (e.g. "The Naked Gorilla at the End of this Book.")

5. Use different Sesame Street characters. My sons ask for "The Count" most often as either a stand-in for Grover or as a companion through the story. "Three, three pages left before the end of the book, AH AH AH AH AH!"

I have forgotten all about this book until someone mentioned it in a bookclub that I belong to. She reads it to her son every night. And I remember how much fun I had reading it to my nephew 13 years ago on vacation, so I scurried online and ordered a copy of it. My sons (even though they are probably too old for it) request it every night since it arrived. They think it is a hoot and a hollar. And they beg me to keep turning the pages (I must be raising some fearless boys!) and when they get to the end, they giggle with glee.

My advice is, don't wait to buy this book. Get it now and enjoy some reading time with your children. This book is just absolutely fun and I know that it will keep my sons interested in reading. At least they'll remember mom struggling to keep the pages closed ...

7/22/08

What can I say...it's a blue furry masterpiece. I read it so much as a kid that the cover of the book came off. I'm finding more and more people that count this book among their all-time favorites. An "interactive" book by old school standards. Order this book now.

Stephanie Moulton Sarkis PhD NCC LMHC
Author, Psychotherapist, and ADHD Expert

My son is not into Sesame Street at all, but he still loves this book. I bought it for him because I remember my mother reading it to me and my sisters when we were little. It's a classic that's still great for kids of all ages. My 1 year old loves the characters and my 3 year old loves the story. It's a great addition to our night time stories! I bought 2 so I could give one as a gift because I love it so much

I was given this book as an adult during the loss of a pet when words were of small consolation. Written and illustrated in childrens' format, it is both uplifting and comforting to both children and adults. I have now given it several times over to pet owners who say the same.

This book was very appropriate for my 4 year old, colorful pictures, easy to understand ideas about what dog heaven is like. Very positive, but mentions that the dog will miss you and you will miss him, but he is having fun and will always love the child. It had me in tears and it allowed my son to be able to ask more specific questions after reading the book so he was able to understand the loss better. It helped us explain a hard to understand event in a young child's life, thank you!

As an adult a bookstore clerk offered me this book when my dog died, it helped me so much I've often given it as a gift to friends who have lost their animals.

I bought this book to help my 4.5 year old grieve for our 17 year old lab who died a couple of weeks ago. The illustrations are beautiful and the tone is soothing; but, I found myself at an uncomfortable loss to explain where the angel children came from--my daughter wanted to know if they were there because they had died too. This is was much more than I thought needed to be explained at this point. Our family is spiritual but not religious and haven't had long discussions with our daughter about God, other than to explain the existence of different religions and the need for understanding and tolerance of all beliefs. Had I known that God was going to be such a centerpiece of the story, I probably would not have purchased the book. I think for the right family, it is a wonderful story. Unfortunately, it didn't work for us.

We also read Forever Dog which was recommended by my daughter's school and it was perfect for our needs.

I keep two copies of this book on hand at all times. It is the perfect gift for any dog lover when a favorite pet dies. It is appropriate for adults and children alike.

Very nice set--I purchased it for a gift and am very pleased with it :)

Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder is a whole series of books about a girl named Laura Ingalls Wilder. The books talk about some of the hardships Laura and her family faced. These books also tell about every thing that happened in her life from Wisconsin all the way to Kansas. The story of her life starts as a young girl and talks about her getting married as a young lady. The books tell how she changed and some of the places she went and even some of the people she met.
I like these books because the way these books were written because they were written so you fell like you are actually there. I also like these books because they tell what people had to go through in the 1800's. I read all these books and I liked them. If you read them you will like them too.

"They're an inspirational source of literature that celebrates the turn of the century, the struggle of the American family and the bonds that held them together."

These books are straight garbage, a friend got them for me and they stink...I could totally pWn Pa Ingall's IRL.

Fantastic set. My daughter was very excited to receive the set and continue her reading journey. The quality of the set was very good and will last a long time.

I purchased these books for my eight year old daughter. We read all of them already. She loved them, and so did I. I was a little disappointed that there were no pictures at all. In the older version, there were some very beautiful pictures that helped bring understanding to some of the concepts of being a pioneer. Overall, this was a great purchase.

This book was fabulous! I couldn't put it down! I finished it in 2 days (stupid work! I'd have finished it in 1 day if I didn't have to go!!). I've always seen books about immortals as vampire, gross, bloody books. This one is not that way at all. It's cleverly written, everthing has an underlying meaning. While you read, keep notes on facts...you will have "aha!" moments later!!

My Soul to Keep grabs you and moves with descriptive style as if you are one of the characters. There are several stories within the story that end up intertwined later. The Jazz musician, the slave , the Ethiopian, the professor, the perfect husband and the immortal all of these characters were David also known as Dawit.There are bumps and bruises along the way with murders to cover up his "immortality", David was loved and was "Mr. Perfect" where did it all go wrong? When he fell in love and wanted to give the gift of life to his wife and child? Or when his wife stumbled on the mysterious death of his daughter Rosalie?

There were hints from "Grandpa" who's always eating a Whopper. When looking back on it I think the author used Grandpa to soften the anticipated, almost expected, blow of Kira's death. This was definitely painful to witness. I was frustrated with the speed of the unfolding. I wanted more time with Kira and to offer advice to the characters on how they could save her. Almost yelling at the book! I lost track of time reading the final chapters and couldn't put it down until I was finished.

The story leaves you hanging with several lose ends. What is Jessica doing sharing the living blood with terminal children in Africa? Was she in mourning over Kira and wanted to help as many kids as she could? Why was she so short with David when he came to visit? Will she go after him soon? I think she will. The new child seems even more powerful and superior then his immortal parents. Knowing that there is a sequel is comforting. B/c there are several more stories to be told.....

Overall it's a very good book. I would put it in the top 10 for sure. I can't wait to start the sequel.

Due is an amazing author and I can't wait to see the film adaptation of this book.

Filled with deep spiritual questions, these Tananrive Due horror novels (The Between, My Soul to Keep, and Living Blood) make my blood run cold and give me real goose bumps. It takes alot to make that happen.

I am an avid African American fiction & non-fiction reader. However, I never could get into sci-fi-type novels. My Soul to Keep changed my mind forever. I was hooked before the end of the first chapter, and read it in one night. I wanted more...and got it later. During that first read, I experienced so many different emotions: happiness, fear, anxiety, etc. That's a rare thing for me.

I think the problem with the other books that others would compare M S to K to was that the basis of the stories were unbelievable to me. Tananarive Due did an excellent job of making the story believable (at least to me) and taking me on a journey that had me addicted. I cannot wait for the third installment to come out in June!

Some of the best adventure stories are about pioneers leaving all that's known and embarking on a new life. "Electra Lucas: Crisis in Space" is that kind of story. A massive ship, the HOPE, carries passengers and crew to establish the first off-Earth colony in the Alpha Centauri system. While the colonists and crew are deep in cryo-sleep, an eight-year-old boy wakens and fends for himself on the ship for five years.

When the ship's systems arouse the captain and crew, they follow the boy's trail. There are many questions to be answered: what did the boy smuggle into his sleeping tube and why was his cryo-sleep aborted? Does he have a companion on the ship? What will he be like after five years alone? Will the welfare of the new colony be at risk? Why are the colonists leaving Earth?

This opening from author Keith Zabalaoui reads like the adventure story it clearly is. As in the best sci-fi, the technology is woven seamlessly into the story. The HOPE is a collaboration by forty-three nations and carries everything needed to establish a self-sustaining colony; I was fascinated by the eco-domes, eight complete ecosystems tended by hovering robot-drones. So much more to be learned about this future-world -- I wish I were reviewing the entire book and not just an excerpt.

However intriguing the premise and plot, this opening owes much of its success to Zabalaoui's crisp, allusive writing. All the reader's senses are engaged: "The ship's intercom trilled... " "...the colors, the smell of the loam laced with pine and dampness, and the myriad sounds of life..." Leading the way to the lost boy, "the drones ... floated like glowing breadcrumbs in the sky." The characters are well-rounded for this early stage of the story and I look forward to seeing how they deal with their predicament.

Premise, plot, characters, terrific writing -- and a fifth star because I wanted this story to go on and on.

Linda Bulger, 2008

This exciting, captivating, and intelligently narrated Science Fiction story pulled me right in just within just a few paragraphs.

I loved this story for a lot of reasons; one of them being that the story was scientifically believable. Travel faster then the speed of light, hyper space jumps, travel backwards in time, and similar "Space travel cheating" might be fun if you don't know much about Science, but can be irritating and boring if you do. Zabalaoui displays true imagination and creativity when he comes up with an interstellar space travel concept that is scientifically plausible and still tickles your imagination. This makes it possible to relax so that you can allow yourself to become absorbed in the story.

Zabalaoui describes interstellar space travel as it actually might happen a hundred or a few hundred years from now, and that was one of the reasons this excerpt was so enjoyable. The ship seems to be travelling at a speed of about 30% of light speed which indicates to me that Zabalaoui understands Astro-Physics. In my opinion the best Science Fiction is scientifically plausible. Zabalaoui also succeeds in creating a sense of awe with his entertaining and grandiose descriptions of the ship, the domes, and the systems. I found the descriptions of the gigantic space ship with all its features and controls to be mesmerising and delightful.

The other reasons I loved this story was the clever and intriguing plot which grabbed my attention instantly, and the way Zabalaoui was able to make me strongly empathise with the characters. I simply had to find out what would happen next. Once you start reading this story it is impossible to stop.

***************************SPOILER ALERT***************************
**However, the plot details divulged below are already mentioned in other reviews**

The story begins with a frightening drama when an eight year old boy awakens prematurely while in cryogenic sleep and ends up wandering the space ship totally alone for five years. Eventually the systems awaken the senior officers when an alarm is set off. They soon discover that the young boy has been alone on the ship for five years, but they don't know where he is. They begin searching for him and awaken his parents. As a parent myself, I could imagine the tremendous helplessness and worries that the parents must have experienced when they realized that their boy has had to survive on his own for five years without any contact with other humans. What has happened to their little boy and where is he?

When this story is finally published I am going to be among the first customers.

A great beginning that promises an adventurous trip. This is the type of story that would appeal to my grandchildren as much a it did to me. I would hope that it continues the line of adult/child understanding, and close relationship, as Keith implies, and am anxious to know where and what the story will reveal.

Imagine a space ship built specifically for colonization on another planet, one that could be taken apart in space and reconstructed on the planet below. A space ship so large people move about on trams, with almost all species of insects and animals from Earth on board. And people who can take on animal characteristics, such as a man with zebra stripes and fur. Where people are put to sleep in cryotubes for the duration of the trip. But what if there's an intruder on board for five years, roaming the space ship while the other human inhabitants sleep? What would happen to this lone person? How would they survive?

This is absolutely one of the best Amazon Shorts I've read to date. Zabalaoui creates his futuristic world in such a realistic fashion it is easy to imagine becoming part of it. His visual imagery and colorful descriptives enhance this thrilling plot, which leaves the reader hungry for more. Highly recommended.

Earth is taking its first steps into deep space. The Hope, the most advanced ship ever built but still called The Forlorn Hope by some pessimistic wags back on earth, is carrying Earth's first interstellar pioneers to Alpha Centauri. The scientists and their families on board, as yet deep in a cryogenically induced suspended animation, are on a one way no return trip to establish earth's first colony outside of our own solar system. As the basis for a sci-fi novel it's a simple enough idea - a cynical potential reader might even say mundane and too often repeated. But Zabaloui has opened his story with an exciting flourish that will grip a reader by the lapels and haul him head first into a superbly written and entirely gripping hard sci-fi introduction. One of the cryogenic sleep tubes has failed and young William Bonnie, only 8 years old when he entered cold sleep, awakens and finds himself alone on the ship. Five years later, the computerized systems awaken the Hope's senior officers who are shocked to discover that an eight year old boy has been wandering the ship alone for five years. The excerpt ends as Bonnie's frightened but absolutely determined mother attempts to find the boy who, now thirteen years old and possibly mentally unbalanced as a result of his long time alone on the ship, may not even recognize his family.

First time author Zabaloui seems to have already mastered the basic writing dictum of "Show, don't tell". His descriptions of the ship, the mechanical failure, the bio-domes and the environmental controls are wonderful and are bound to delight any hardcore sci-fi geek to his very toes. I was especially fond of Zabaloui's unique idea of genetically enhancing the members of an elite military unit called "The Wild Ones" - an increase in their speed, endurance, perception and toughness was engineered by the addition of certain animal genes which also, of course, altered their appearance in rather startling fashion (I could already picture what a movie director and his special effects team might do with this. It brought back very happy memories from a time long, long ago and a place far, far away. Do you remember the bar scene in the first "Star Wars" movie?)

If the purpose of an opening chapter in a novel is to hook the reader, draw him into the story and provide an overall framework for the story to come, Zabaloui has certainly succeeded. No doubt about his writing skill - he's already proven that. Now if his imagination is up to the task of providing a novel length plot that is up to the standard of the opening chapters, then Zabaloui will have a winner on his hands. I'm in and I'll certainly be in the line to buy a copy of the finished story when he's found his publisher.

Highly recommended.

(P.S. I'm just dying to ask Mr Zabaloui if the similarity in his young hero's name to the original name of Billy the Kid was intentional).

Paul Weiss