Video Books

This is not an anti-Hollywood Fundamentalist rag. It's a thoughtful compilation of essays by Christians in the film industry, each answering the question "What does Hollywood need?" In each case, the essayists insightfully turn the question back at their Christian audience and ask, "What does Hollywood need from you?" In lieu of culture wars, picket lines, and boycotts, this group of producers and screenwriters advocates engaging with the world of film on every level, from watching more good movies and TV shows, to making high quality movies of our own. As an aspiring screenwriter, I found three chapters in particular to be helpful. One titled, "So Wanna Come to Hollywood?", deals realistically with the expectations, motives and qualifications of would-be film makers. Chapters titled, "What would Jesus Write?" and "An Open Letter to Beginning Screenwriters" were both highly helpful as well.

For decades devout Christians have hunkered in their religious bunkers trying to hold off the "world" -- and occasionally tossing a flaming sanctimonious protest out of their hole, hoping to change the world so it would be "safe" for their kind. If only, while they were down there, they would read the Gospels and discover that their hero (Christ) was rarely more than an arm's reach from the kind of people Christians try to separate themselves from... and telling stories in the process. For 30 years I've encouraged Christians to "Pray for the Christians attempting to influence our society with Biblical values and ideas through their vocations in Television, Film, Art, Entertainment, Literature, Journalism, Education, Academe, Professional Sports and Politics. God has called these individuals and gifted them like Bezalel (Exodus 31, 35, 36) to be Salt and Light to our culture." And if you're so led, "Consider a career as a cultural influencer. As a Christian you can light some candles in the darkness of our society. Prepare for a career in secular media or entertainment. Then, as you excel and gain recognition, use your influence to impart Biblical Christian values to the world." I know many of the writers in this volume, and I continue to pray for them. They are doing what the rest of us should be doing en masse.

"Behind the Screen" is interesting and practical. The book offers a mix of history, theology, and advice that is particularly helpful to those wanting to enter the industry or who are just curious about the spiritual possibilities today. They know what's going on in the industry today and have experience to back up their claims.

I also highly recommend a great book Hollywood Faith: Holiness, Prosperity, and Ambition in a Los Angeles Church. From experience attending a Hollywood church, this well-written book is from a sociologist who is also a pastor. Lots of great insight on Christianity in Hollywood right up to today.

This a must-read for any Christian who is thinking of writing for the screen or TV. Each essay is a "gem of insight" both into the art and thematic substance of movie-making, especially when Christianity is concerned.

In addition to witty and thought-provoking arguments, none of the writers take a "high and mighty" posture. In fact, you don't have to "read between the lines" to find actual humililty - from successful directors, producers and writers yet! - as well as fine-tuned critical thinking.

If you're not Christian but still interested in writing for the screen, then you might want to better understand the tensions that exist between Hollywood and so much of the American Church. This book will provide many worthy angles. It's well worth your time.

This is excellent resource material for those discerning a vocation within the Hollywood entertainment industry. This book affords a clear perspective into the myths and realites of living out one's faith while working in Hollywood.

This is a good book, that covers a lot of info. It also holds up as a book, and not just a how-to. All the info in this book is good info, but it is better suited for large markets. Don't expect to be able to read this book and be able run a business right of the gates, but at the same time this will help get you on the right track. Get this book, it is a good look into how someone got into the business and was able to make it work for a long time.

A great book that gives you the important information you need to run your own production company! I don't know of another title that actually tells you how to get the work that will support your financial needs. After all, you have to have work coming in the door or else...

I am an instructor at advanced multimedia classes at a Business School close to Copenhagen, Denmark. I've been around for a while and have been working with 3D, animation, database programing and webdesign and I have also read parts of this book with great excitement and can't wait to finish it. This is a book that has been a demand for on the Danish market for several years...and now it is here. Wonderful. I particularly like the very direct and bold way it describes how the future entrepreneurs should behave on the market in order to survive. Conclusion: the absolute BEST step-by-step book ever written on the topic and a must for anyone going into the media business.

As a reader just finishing the final pages of 'Desktop Video Studio Bible', I must say I totally enjoyed it. This is an excellent guideline to starting and maintaining a business. I'll keep this as a reference for years.

My wife and I have recently started a media production business on the side as presently we both work for a large computer company. I have been in the engineering related field for over 20 years. We got started in this media business at home doing simple home movies and transferring video tape. Slowly the word spread at work and among friends and before too long we saw a nucleus for a potential business. This spring we presented a surprise 40th birthday video produced by our company at a party hosting about 80 people. It was a great success and was a rush and now we are hooked. Maybe this was a peripheral effect of the "Really Big Thing"? Read this book to find out about the "Really Big Thing".

Even though I have over 16 years experience in the video industry, this book has given me the tools, advice and motivation that I'll need to finally realize my dream of owning my own media creation business.

Not only is the book extremely informative, it has a very readable and enjoyable writing style that made me feel as if the author were speaking directly to me. If you have even the slightest interest in getting involved in digital video production and/or web production, you need this book!

I am so thankful for the insightfulness of Mr. Aronson. I have done more conceptual video work in the past when I was a graduate student in photography. I am looking a doing another educational project and wanted to brush up on my skills. The book provides me with the knowledge I can use to feel much more confident in the upcoming project as well as exploring my own fine art projects. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in digital video.

este es un libro que explica de manera didáctica ,todos los procesos que tiene una producción audiovisual.
Muy bien ilustrado, con ejemplos que ayudan al nuevo realizador audiovisual a enfrentar sus primeras producciones de una forma segura, buscando que éste no cometa errores que luego pueden demeritar su trabajo.
La única crítica que tengo para hacer de esta obra, es que los ejemplos de montaje los realizan en programa específicos , como Final Cut, algo que de alguna manera deja sin posibilidades a aquellos que manejamos plataformas de edición diferentes.

"DV Filmaking from Start to Finish" is a !!MASTERPIECE!!. It is a book I
recommend to anyone interested in Digital Video. Reading the book was like having Mr. Ian David Aronson in your room sharing with you all of his knowledge.

This book it's not a 18 chapter tutorial on learning Final Cut Pro or After Effects. It's more like traveling back in time and learning from the history of Digital Video to the present day. Aronson show's everything, from film to video, the way you should treat your camera, what you should be
prepared with; lighting, greenscreen, Hardware, white balance, DVD
authoring,
aspect ratios, you name it, including some basic tutorials on doing
edits.
He even gives you an internet address to look and confirm what he is showing
you.

If you are an advanced editor, this book is for you. This book is for to
read,
learn and keep it forever just in case you forget a detail, so you can
review it again and again. I was amazed with the things I have learned from
Mr.
Aronson. Thank you and I'll hope to read another book from him.

Jorge Raphael Valenzuela Hernández
Graphic Artist / Videographer

DV Filmmaking From Start To Finish by Ian David Aronson's will reach both amateur and professional digital video users with a basic primer on differences between digital and print mediums. Familiarity with Final Cut Pro or Adobe After Effects, the two programs used here, will aid in understanding DV applications in either PC or Mac formats, while the author's background as a teacher of digital media lends a logical progression to his tips and practical applied examples.

DV Filmmaking for Ian David Aronson gives you in 18 chapter a coverage for the production, post-production and distribution process of the digital film making.
The book starts with basic digital Cinematography principles. It covers he process stages such as composing shoots, lighting, shooting, working with cameras, audio, still images and titles.
This book doesn't give you a specific software tutorial, but if you are working learning with video production and video editing program, you should get a background about the whole film making process. However, this book gives you a strong background in this industry. I find this book useful for animators, multimedia designers and creative directors.

The two appendixes in the end of the book gives you a tips about getting your work in various media and selling your products.

this book is a great addition to this author's other work - a fact-filled compendium of documents and advice for producers and production managers that's simply the best single book about making films professionally.

this book is a bit different, dealing with the other things - personal drive, character, etc.

if you are in the business, you will find something here you didn't know!

You wouldn't know this book is a great marketing book and writers should read this one. The book focuses on the film industry but there is a wealth of information in here about marketing yourself that writers can benefit from. There are some great excercises you can use to start defining yourself and begin your publicity. Whether it is for your book, screenplay or yourself.

As a fulltime industry professional for over seven years in Los Angeles, I can highly recommend Ms. Honthaner's book. If you are moving to Los Angeles or are a resident but want to "up your game", this book is for you. Additionally, it should be a required text book for ALL university level film departments.

I just received this book today, and cannot put it down. Honthaner writes with such ease, it's almost as if she's sitting there discussing the entertainment industry with you. As a recent graduate and an intense drive to make it in Hollywood, this book suits all of my needs in seriously knowing the ins-and-outs of the business. I would definitely reccomend Hollywood Drive to anyone with a similar passion to want to know all and be in the mix of the entertainment industry.

I attended author Eve Honthaner's class at USC in 2004. Titled "Breaking In, Hanging In and Making It," the class gave me all the skills and tools necessary to make it into the film industry in Hollywood. Her encouragement and burning desire to help people succeed in following their dreams translates well from the classroom to the page. For those who don't have 6 weeks and $2,000 to spend on her enlightening course at USC, this book is a real bargain. If you are serious about pursuing a career in Hollywood, "Hollywood Drive" will teach you the importance of networking and all the other skills necessary to get your foot in the door. Using the tried and true methods of Eve Honthaner, I got my first job in Hollywood with Fox -- and many more to follow. I now recommend this book to everyone who dreams of Hollywood and has the courage to pursue that dream.

As an MFA student and beginning screenwriter, I've found Hot Property invaluable for so many reasons. First, Keane's accessible explanations of structure are key in terms of establishing instant confict and moving the story along. In addition, Keane's breakdown of genre has been very helpful in terms of conceptualizing marketing, the pitch, and how to sell a screenplay. Of all the screenwriting books I've read, Hot Property is the most straightforward and has the greatest clarity--and in a business where you only get five minutes to pitch your idea, I think that's crucial. Get this BEFORE you start your screenplay--it'll save you a lot of time and ultimately, your story will be stronger as a result.

As an Emerson College student I found this book to be the most comprehensive text on the subject of screenwriting that I have ever encountered. Keane describes the form and function of screenwriting in a way that is easily accessible to any reader and improves the writing process of a new writer or seasoned professional. I would also recommend his book, How to Write a Selling Screenplay.

I just began the book, but I already feel angered by how poorly written, and uninformative it is so far. I have read the first few chapters, and a good chuck of Keane's included original screenplay. This screenplay is utterly awful on so many levels. The formmating it outdated. Action descriptions are often written in ways you cannot show. A total no-no. The characters are shallow. The dialogue is banal, and does not flow. Most of the time, I do not even get the sense the characters are talking to each other. As for the first few chapters, lines like "Celluloid snakes through you body." Um. What? That doesn't make sense, and mixes metaphors. Cellulod and snakes? Whoah. Followed by "Your blood runs at frames per second." Silly, just silly. Finally, "Your eyeballs are projectors." Even as a metaphor, it doesn't work. Eyeballs take in information, not project out. You get the point. Don't waste your time on this drivel. Read some other books like Blake Snyder's Save the Cat!, or How NOT to Write a Screenplay.

I've found both of Chris Keane's screenwriting books (Hot Property and How to Write a Selling Screenplay) to be invaluably helpful to me. They take the reader through the entire process of starting, completing, and selling a script. It's a very encouraging and optimistic source and does a lot to motivate and educate the reader. Of the dozens of screenwriting books that I've read, these have been the most helpful for me and the most inclusive.

Being a working screenwriter, I can tell you that Chris's insights into the workings of today's movie Biz are 150% on the money! Readable, clear, and very helpful! A definite Keeper for anyone who wants to write for the movies, and for those who already do so.

This book is wonderful. Humorous and informative; my favorite combination. I am not an aspiring actress, and have only delt with Two Literary Agents in the sale of my first 4 books; however, I found Ms. Rainfords book an excellent resource. I would recomend this book to anyone who has an Agent; is thinking of getting an Agent; wants to become an Agent; or is thinking of leaving her Agent. Or anyone who is going to HOLLYWOOD to PITCH anything.

It's hard to believe Nancy Rainford hasn't written more books. Perhaps a humorous novel about her business? The book flows with the ease of a best selling novel!

5 stars to this one!

Marsha Marks

As an agent, I have a love/hate relationship with this book. On the one hand, I hate it for exposing so many of my secrets. But on the other hand, I love that it's so direct and honest. Nancy ran her own successful talent agency for many years and she obviously knows what she's talking about. So if you're my client, please don't buy this book. But if you're not, I suggest you pick this one up right away.

Could also be the name of Nancy Rainford's insightful and energetic book. How to Agent Your Agent is at once a fun breezy read and the advice every actor needs to set up for themselves a realistic philosophy and strategy creating their success in the wild business of show. To all but brandname actors the interior life of the creature called agent is a mystery. Ms. Rainford dismantles so many myths there's little choice but to draw clean slate on what you think you know about agents. Comparable to "The Art of War," the hunter must understand the nature, habits, and motivations of game sought. If you believe in the value of your craft and take your business seriously read this book not once but over and over. Take a walk in the agents shoes so the agent can walk with you.

This is a great book, I couldn't put it down. My husband and I are both actors, and we actually fought over who got to read it first (we alternated). I have already recommended this book to all of my friends who are actors. It is that valuable and should be required reading for every actor in Hollywood.

The book is not just a primer on the Hollywood protocol and pecking order, but "How to Agent Your Agent" goes into such wonderful detail so as to demystify how an actor should handle his/her agent. So many actors are constantly in a quandry of how to handle a situation with their agents, or they are downright dissatisfied with their agents. This book helps an actor to define what you have control over and what you can change. Years of experience are in this book to help keep actors from making mistakes when it comes representation.

Thank you, Ms. Rainford, for telling it like it is (and being such a great storyteller).

Only a small section of this book - a "FAQ" - is devoted to "how to agent your agent. Most of this book is a very well written insider's look at what an agent does, with lots of anecdotes from Rainford's work as an agent. Great if you don't know what agents do, but if you're a professional looking for that edge - I'm working, how to I get more out of my agent - there isn't that much you won't have figured out already.

This has got to be one of the best books regarding the business side of movie/film production that I've read in a long time. It is very candid, no punches being pulled. It is just straight up! This book really opened my eyes to the distribution side of the business, and I really appreciate the distributors list at the end. If you are serious about getting your movie out there, read this book! Then read it again!

Phil's book is a vital source for understanding the current landscape of independent distribution. I wish that I'd read this book two years ago before I'd started on my first feature. He's an excellent writer, but it's not just the writing that shines through - it's the interviews. He gets the salient questions in and avoids the starry eyed fluff that has a tendency to creep into industry interviews. I highly recommend it!

After years of watching movies and perhaps having friends, family, and acquaintances tell you that you should write a screenplay or make a movie, you've decided that that's what you want to do with some of the months or years ahead. First, don't panic. Lots of people have had this epiphany before. It's a long journey, but the rewards can be rich if you remember that it's step by step, and not javelin leap by javelin leap. It takes time and much effort, and even more patience.

You'll need a few things before you even begin to direct. Obviously, you need a camera, a screenplay, some actors if necessary, and locations where you'll be allowed to shoot. But besides all that, you'll need some books too, some guides to show you how indie filmmaking is, and what you can do to make your experience an enlightening one, perhaps even more exciting than you might have imagined. That's where Phil Hall comes in.

You pick up a copy of his book, Independent Film Distribution, and prepare to read Phil's educated, calm prose that I'm confident will get you through any worries you might have. It might not solve them all, because an indie film production still has lots to be concerned about during it, but you'll look at how Phil sees independent film and not only perhaps see even more names you might have not recognized at first, but see how to market your dream film, see what it takes to shout at the world, "See my movie!"

Phil's greatest quality in his writing is that he's aware of the filmmakers like you who might read this book. To make an indie film is hard work, but to get people to see it is even more difficult, and he makes sure you know. He does not discourage, but rather guides you through what's out there, also covering what film festivals are all about, and the pros and cons of it.

But it's not only him! No, no. You'll be fortunate enough to read interviews with various, esteemed indie filmmakers, and quotes throughout the chapters from countless others who have been entrenched in indie filmmaking and other aspects of filmmaking and film distribution for years and can speak from where you might want to be one day.

This is where you go for all you'd want to learn. And Phil, being the understanding, considerate writer that he is, he includes a list of distributors in the back, for you to see who is in the business of getting indie films out there. Believe me, there are many books you could possibly have on your shelves about indie filmmaking, lots of authors talking up the history and perhaps also the distribution, but Independent Film Distribution needs to be one you keep close at hand and heart. You'll learn more than you ever thought possible, even if you know a whole lot already.

Independent Film Distribution: How to Make a Successful End Run Around the Big Guys is all about distribution for those on a low budget - and distribution is so key to movie success that any and all film library holdings needs this as a basic reference. Chapters introduce all the basics of distribution and blend these with tips from leading marketing experts, festival programmers, film critics and more. From what should be considered for a web site promotion effort to understanding the film publicist's role, all aspects of marketing success are covered in depth in this 'must' guide for any involved in film production.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

I didn't know what to expect when starring at the front cover of this book and thumbing through its list of contents, but I hungered for knowledge on this topic and bought it with reservations.

After reading the book, it left me with a sense that I merely overheard parts of a conversation, wishing I caught all of it. Although the interviews were pretty decent and sort of acted like conversations at a festival's kick-off party, it didn't fulfill me the way I needed it to.

I can say there are a few things I did learn, which - I guess - made it worth the read, but I won't keep this book.

I don't know... I think I could have learned more by a few hours of reading articles on the Internet, but that's just me.

I give it a C minus.

Joan Blondell was the eternal wise-cracking dame in so many movies that it is almost impossible to think of her any other way.

But, thanks to Mr. Kennedy's excellent novel JOAN BLONDELL: A LIFE BETWEEN TAKES, the screen image becomes flesh and blood. And quite a nice package as well.

Recounting her story in fast strokes and forgetting about sensationalism and second hand gossip, Matthew Kennedy manages to get all the details about both Ms. Blondell's personal and professional lives into the book at a quick, entertaining pace. After reading about Joan Blondell and her struggles and spunk, you walk away admiring her.

A great book and a definite credit to both the author and his subject.

Matthew Kennedy does an excellent job in bringing to life this lovely, but now largely unsung, Hollywood star. He writes, not uncritically, but also with great affection, of her career and her life, with all its ups and downs. His research is impeccable and he makes the reader wish that he or she had had the chance to meet and know Miss Blondell.

Joan Blondell was a perfectly serviceable actress who played by the rules, obeyed the studios, had an incredibly long career and is largely forgotten today. Matthew Kennedy's new book is well written and extremely well-titled. As illustrated in the biography, Blondell lived for her work, and then lived for her family. Neither was particularly rewarding. From singing her heart out in the early '30s with the Warner Brothers musicals co-starring with Ruby Keeler, James Cagney and future husband Dick Powell, through dishing malts in Allan Carr's Grease, she was a fixture in films for more than 50 years. Yet, by never complaining and doing everything the studios threw at her - and never demanding, let alone getting, a memorable role - she did herself an enormous disservice. Television ultimately offered the actress the best roles, but unfortunately these now exist chiefly in memory. Blondell's selfless personal life was likewise marked by what could be called a loving complacency, resulting in failed marriages with selfish, self-consumed husbands. She seemed almost to be a starter wife, as Dick Powell married June Allyson and Mike Todd married Elizabeth Taylor immediately after being wed to Blondell. If the story lacks intrigue, sex and violence, well, the author is being true to the material. Kennedy is able to tell Blondell's story "between takes" by piling up fact upon anecdote of what was a truly fascinating time. This isn't the most salacious Hollywood read of recent years, obviously, but nonetheless an interesting illustration of how luck and choices contribute to, and create, a career.

Matthew Kennedy's concise biography of Joan Blondell combines first rate writing, excellent scholarship, and both compassion and insight -- traits rarely combined in one volume. His interviews with members of Blondell's family touch on intimate and painful subjects, such as abortion, which Kennedy handles with sensitivity and tact. Since Blondell's career spans decades of entertainment history, we get a tour of American show business along the way. But it all goes down easy. Kennedy knows a lot,and has quite a story to tell. Like his subject, his book is fun to be with, and never boring.

Books on movie stars, and books that aren't published by the big commercial publishers in New York, often get overlooked. JOAN BLONDELL: A LIFE BETWEEN TAKES, is prize material, and Matthew Kennedy deserves big time recognition.

A few weeks after Christmas, my car was broken into. Only hours before, I took this book out to read on my lunch break. Thank goodness it wasn't stolen; it is quite a good read!

Joan Blondell was quite a fun actress, and that goes for the end of her career as well as the beginning. Why? Part of the reason is her work ethic. It sometimes got her into trouble. Her rough childhood made money an absolute necessity, and as long as she was getting paid, she didn't mind taking on several sub-par projects. She wasn't one to complain, and that sometimes kept her from great roles and the recognition she deserved, but she always gave it her all. Her participation in movies like Gold Diggers of 1933, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and Grease landed her in the hearts of many generations.

It wasn't just her screen career that was interesting though. She was married to three important and interesting men. She had a son named Norman with cinematographer George Barnes. He was later adopted by second husband Dick Powell, who then fathered Joan's daughter Ellen. That relationship didn't work out, and her last husband was Mike Todd, a man of many faces. These marriages left different marks on Joan who swore off men in the final years of her life.

Matthew Kennedy has done a good job of researching his topic, seeing all but two of her film and television appearances (and one, Convention City, because it is a lost film). He has also done a service to the film industry by celebrating Blondell; she is a significant piece of cinema history who has been largely neglected over the years. Unfortunately, this neglect has made it difficult to dig up information, so this book is not as satisfying as one might hope, but it achieves its goal to celebrate a bright star.

Rick Reilly has a unique gift for communicating his humorous tales. Thumbs up.

Every Thursday I check the mailbox when I get home, see my Sports Illustrated, and go straight for the back page so I can read Mr. Reilly's column. There is a reason he has been named Sportswriter of the Year so many times, he is simply the best. Reilly writes about the humorous, the sad, and the ironic of sports. I laughed at why he hates the Yankees so much, and almost bawled when reading about the Columbine teacher who gave his life for his students. I do some writing myself and even in my dreams I am not half as good as Mr. Reilly is, and never will be. If you are a fan of good, solid writing, pick this book up and read it over and over again.

There are serious columns in the book. The humorous ones are what made me read the book again. The chapter on the Olympics is the funniest thing I have ever read. Anyone who thinks Reilly is boring has no sense of humor.

Nobody writes about sport like Reilly. This is a great collection of his Sports Illustrated pieces. If you are a fan of sports journalism, this is a must read for you.

I had the privilege of being interviewed several times by Rick when I was a high school track athlete and he was a young flip-flop wearing sports writer for the Boulder Daily Camera newspaper in Boulder, Colorado earning his stripes covering high school sports. Even way back then it was obvious that he enjoyed sports writing and it came as little surprise to see him eventually end up as SI's most notable writer. This collection of some of his best (but not all of his best) SI columns is a gem. Not all are "laugh out loud" humorous, but many are (a testament to his versatility as a writer). His postscript comments are also entertaining. After a thorough reading, this book is a keeper. I can't wait for Volume 2.

Austen Andrews is the master of dialogue. Really. He writes some really fantastic dialogue. His character are also extremely likeable. This was another page turner book for me. I finished it in a couple days as well.

If any of you are familiar with the Ultima games or Ultima Online then you'd know where this book comes from. This book is actually a novelization of what Ultima Online 2 was supposed to be before it was canceled. Even though I hate MMORPGs reading this book makes me wish that UO2 had seen the light of day.

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. Very nice dialogue, fantastic characters, engaging storyline.

I have just the distinct pleasure of finishing this masterfully written novel. I have been an Ultima fan for over 15 years; ever since I could understand the words on the computer screen, I could never get enough. Richard Garriott (Ultima's founder) is a true inspiration for me. Now I have found another...Austen Andrews. Like other Ultima fans, I was disappointed to hear about the disbanding of the "Ultima: Origin" design team and the cancellation of the game, but here we have the first in a trilogy of books that will turn both fans and newcomers toward the love for Ultima and keep the torch ablaze after two decades.

I cannot express through words how immersing and thought provoking this book was. Andrews has mastered the use of descriptive language and lavish descriptions to bring alive a "pre-Avatar" Sosaria. Although I could easily pick up on some of his minor errors, (Britannia Bay instead of Brittany Bay and the geographical location of the dun-geon Despise) his writing brought back a great feeling of nostalgia that "Ultima Online" simply does not bring.

When reading this tale, readers will become particularly enraptured in the char-acter development. Some of the most remarkable characters I will never forget and look forward to learning more about are the endearing, but elegant Way Master Thulann, the gruff but lovable Gabriel Montenegro, and the mysterious "Techo-Prophet," Lord Blackthorn, who in this tale seems to have made his way out of the Ethereal Void after being banished by Lord British.

This is a story of political strife, manipulation of cultural diversity, and divisive team players that turn out to be anything but. I cannot express how I loved this work. I rank Andrews among some of the classic sci-fi and fantasy writers including Heinlein, Tolkien, and Lewis. I look forward to the next installment with utter anticipation and commend Andrews for keeping the Ultima torch lit even after the authorities at Origin have faltered!

It might not be fair to review a book I haven't even finished. But I can't help but share what I think already. Andrews creates a very real world with very real characters who each in turn want something. This is cleverly weaved into a plot driven by greed, political warfare and power.

The language is beautiful. And Andrews shows great skill in presenting the story very clearly, yet, without patronizing the readers.

Though his attempts (to make references to what Ultima gamers would be familiar with) hardly qualifies it as "based on the bestselling computer game", The Technocrat War already has me looking forward to a compelling trilogy which I will read over and over again.

This book is exciting, entertaining, and suprisingly well written. I have been a science fiction/fantasy fan since I was a kid and try to support new authors. Austen Andrews was a name that I was not familiar with, so I picked up the book. What a delightful suprise: Great characters and a solid story line packed with excitement. I have placed Andrews on my list of "must read" authors, and look forward to his next offering.

Incredible read .. well written and will come to life again when the new release of Ultima online comes out in 2002 (blackthornes Revenge) . Gripping story and for those of us that played UO online was a very realistic look at what the Role playing and style of game is to feel. Well Done! look forward to more.