Markets Books

This is a new elaborate world with some of the best characters written, and some of the most unique experiences imaginable. So many twists and turns!

This is what I wrote as a review for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

After reading book one, I can defenitely see why these stories were so popular. The author does a great job of creating suspense throughout the whole book. She sets you up to believe one thing and then surprises you in the ending. She sparks your imagination with the fantasy world and life at a wizard school. But I think there are two themes that come out in this book that touched me the most:

1. The rise of the underdog. Harry Potter is raised in a family that doesn't value him; his peers in school don't value him;he is a true underdog. But he is famous in this other world of wizardry because he (as an infant) had defeated the great dark wizard. Many kids and adults can relate to Harry's circumstance of be devalued by the culture, society, world in which you live in. You do find yourself rooting for him throughout the book.

Years ago we went to a family camp and the speaker used movies throughout the weekend. One thing he said has always stuck with Acey and me. He talked about movies being the modern day parables, similar to the stories which were used in the Bible. How many times do you find yourself relating to a scene in a movie, or being brought to tears by something protrayed on the big screen. Yet these parables need to be interpreted in light of Biblical thinking. Why do these scenes, themes, shows touch us at the core?

2. In light of that, Acey asked me today when I finished the book what was the spiritual theme that needs to be redeemed in this book? As I began to think about his question it came down to the the last chapter when Harry asks the trustworthy Dumbledore for some answers to his mysterious life.

One question he asks is why the bad character in this story, Quirrell, couldn't hold on to him and was acutally burned when he tried to touch him. Dumbledore's response brought tears to my eyes: "Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort (the dark wizard who tried to kill Harry) cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love as powerful as your mother's for you leave its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign...to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul wiht Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good."

Isn't that the message of Christ. Christ died to save us. If there is one thing Satan does not understand it is love. Christ's love leaves its own mark on our lives. To have been so loved by God that He sent His only Son, Jesus into the world is what stirs our hearts that are so desperetley seeking love. This belief in what Christ has done will give us protection forever from the the enemy who desires to destroy us.

My conclusion as a Christian parent is that I would allow my children to read this first book under two conditions: (I am only concluding this about the first book so far...I haven't read the others)
1. I get to read it with them
2. They have to discuss it with me.

This allows me to talk about what is true, what is fiction. It helps me to find out what things from the story they are connecting with. And in the end it allows me another opportunity to present the gospel to my kids.

I am a 14 year old Christian girl who loves Harry Potter.
Back when I was in 4th grade I heard of it for the first time. Since I was a Christian my parents never allowed me to read it. But then Looking for God in Harry Potter by John Granger came out. I made my mom buy it and read it. After she read it and the first book she allowed me to read it. I was immediately hooked.
Now some people say that the literature is simple and easy in this book but it is the simplicity of this extraordinary book that we all love! And for those people who say this book is not good for Christians or that it is demonic (my grandmother thinks this about Harry Potter and Twilight. She refuses to let me read it in her house) then I say read Looking for God in Harry Potter by John Granger. It will hopefully change your perspective and allow you to enjoy this wonderful book and the rest of the series like I have.

There's not much to say about the Harry Potter phenomenon that hasn't already been written. Suffice it to say that, 10 years ago, I read this jewel on the airplane from London back to the States, and it seemed a fitting end to a delightful vacation abroad. I not only find the novel's characters charming, but I love the very British world that Rowling has created--simultaneously proper and quirky. I am now introducing The Sorcerer's Stone to my own daughter, who is seven and loves the world of books. I recommend the Harry Potter series to anyone who wishes to bring a little piece of childhood nostalgia back into their lives.

Belatedly I found out that this is not worth buying. Yes, I bought the book because I thought that being touted as the 10th Anniversary Edition, it would be SPECIAL. Like there would be at least a Reflection page by Scholastic or JKR since the book (and the obscure author) has been a huge success. However, the contents are basically the same. The only additional is the sketch of Snape by JKR with a small note regarding the sketch plus the colored frontis of Hagrid on the boat...yes, the dust jacket has a new art and the boards are red with golden stars...but that's about it.

If you collect the books though, as in because you want every copy of the HP book series, then what I just said won't matter. But if you're buying it because you think it offers something new, then I would say it is not worth it.

I love Prisoner of Azkaban. I think that this was the novel that really hooked me into the series. I have a hard time writing a literary review of any of the Rowling novels mainly because I do not feel like I'm reading a novel when I read these books, I feel like I'm on vacation. I'm transported into another world and forget to look at the subtext or deeply analyze anything that the writer is trying to say because it is just to much fun to just read it. This is a book to read when you are stressed out because of your real life. Try reading it when you are in a wretched mood and see if you are not instantly a little bit happier. Harry begins to evolve in this novel and the books from here begin to feel a little bit more "grown up". To me, this book is virtually the first in the series that is now so infamous. The characters are impossible to not fall in love with. Rowling seems to have her feet firmly planted in the ground at this point in the series and I knew when I finished the final pages that the series could only get better. Which of course it does.

I really enjoyed it and would have given 5 stars except for the fact that I'm a sucker for happy endings. It was sad that Harry couldn't keep his newly found friends. I did find that the writing matured as Harry did, which probably made an easier read.

This is my favorite novel of the series so far. In his second year, Harry was able to overcome an incompetent professor to thwart Voldemort yet again. But this novel was even better. I never saw the ending coming. The relationship between Snape and Lupin caught me completely by surprise. And the incredible revelations about Harry's parents death add even more depth to Harry's third year. JK Rowling has an amazing imagination and I look forward to finishing the rest of her novels.

Summary: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is the third book in the Harry Potter series. The book introduces some key characters for the later books and gives the reader more backstory on Harry's parents. The writing seems as if J. K. Rowling was debating on doing more description or keeping the book length down -- I would have gone for more descriptions and more pages.

Setting:
The world of Harry Potter continues to expand into a more interesting fantasty setting with each book. Rowling does a good job of creating the setting using existing fantasty elements with a slight tweak to keep it non-cliche (for the most part). The Marauder's Map is a fantastic idea! It will be interesting to see if it is re-used in later novels. Note: There is starting to become a bit predictable in that each book has a new magic item which is central to the story.

Characters:
Sirius Black is introduced to the setting as a murderous wizard. The Sirius Black character is developed to a certain degree but when he has some actual dialog near the end of the book, he comes across as a bit out of sorts (Understandable after being in Azkaban for 12 years). I saw the movie version before reading the book which has colored my opinion of book and the book's characterization of Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. I do prefer the movie adaptation a bit more; it could be the actors did a fantastic job.

Harry, Ron and Hermaine continue to develop a bit. Their character development is secondary to plot advancement.

Action:
The action is typical Harry Potter style where things get hairy but everyone comes out ok. The description of the mass dementor attack was weak and really should have been more developed as this is a critical scene showing what Harry can do magically and has some connection to his parent's spirits.

The relative danger level to the character is weak but appropriate for what is going on in the story.

Prose:
The prose is tight and to the point. The descriptions are not very detailed which is a bit frustrating as I keep wanting more hear with each book especially to see a difference in the movie set work (which is amazing) to see if there was something the set designers did not do for the movies. Generally, a book does a better job of describing a world than a movie -- kudos to the movie setting designers and craftsmen.

Overall: 4 stars
Setting: 5 stars
Characters: 2.5 - 3 stars
Action: 3 stars
Prose: 2.5 - 3 stars

Harry does have family! A "crazy" god-father that he is completely unaware of having until this book. A great mystery book in the series. It will have you wanting more!

Both of my sons and my husband enjoyed this book. A lot of fun to read.

Mick Foley's "Have a Nice Day" is his first and his best. It is a whimsical journey in the life of one of the greatest hardcore wrestlers ever. Foley has always had the gift of gab, and it translates very well to the written page. Hysterical, insightful, and heartwarming.

If you are interested in the behind the scenes of wrestling, here's a great place to start. Mick speaks on his rise from childhood fan to wrestling superstar. He even talks breifly about the Boiler Room Brawl and his Cleveland promos! (I wish he would have went more in-depth on these topics, though.)

See a different side of wrestling with this autobiographical book. You'll laugh your way through this brilliant work of art and ask yourself how Foley survived.

Amazing that in a few weeks, Mick Foley poured his life and soul into 760 pages of notebook paper that would make it, lightly cut and without any major edits, onto book, and earn it's New York Times #1 Bestseller's List. If only it weren't for that Oprah! (readers of the book will understand)

Starting from childhood, he makes it quick, but sweet as he tells humorous stories about his friends, and the origin of the name "Cactus Jack", and his time in college, including the inspiration for Dude Love and the start of his wrestling career.

Foley's writing is so personal and engrossing that he easily captures our attention with riveting stories ranging from lying to his parents and almost getting caught skipping a bus to college in order to catch a wrestling show (the famous Madison Square Garden match between Jimmy Snuka and Don Muraco), to gaining the respect and friendship of ex-wrestler and trainer Dominic DeNucci and being taken under his wing, knowing Foley couldn't afford classes, by reducing his fee, and then not charging altogether.

Foley's tales of his independent circuit runs are definitely a grungy, and in some cases heartwrenchingly painful experiences, which his natural humor and goodnatured attitude help liven up and spare us the angst he must have felt, but without completely sugarcoating it.

All along the way, Foley maintains a very brilliantly hidden line between kayfabe and shoot, though focusing more on the shoot aspect (for nonwrestling fans, kayfabe means the "fake" world of wrestling, including storylines and gimmicks, shoot is reality) and readily admits his talent isn't in technical or even very good wrestling, but rather in taking bumps and making the other guy and himself look good.

From hellish stories of being stalked by crazed female fans thinking his real name is "Cactus Jack Manson" to wrestling in Nigeria and almost getting robbed by the corrupt government police, to losing out on a 3,000$ paycheck in Africa after the president of the country he wrestled in (who organized the event) was assassinated and the regime overthrown within weeks of his departure, Foley's wit and charm keep the story of his life so lively, you'd think it has to be fiction.

Moving on to his time in WCW, he recounts the horrors of the backstage mechanics, from Ric Flair's awful booking and the backstage team's failure to recognize great potential talent, and hiring college TV production students to man their editing, to Foley's disillusionment as the feud between he and Vader was played down, a massive bump taken by Foley which the commentators could have brilliantly sold was sardonically mocked with a derogatory statement like "that's got to be excedrin headache #9!!", and Cactus Jack being attempted to be turned into a childishly ridiculous heel that would have ruined Foley's career.

Then came Foley's run on the independent circuit, and shows for ECW, including full transcripts of some of his best, and in my opinion some of the best ever, promos, trying to be anti-hardcore and promoting WCW and trying to get Tommy Dreamer to go to WCW and be the pretty boy wrestler again.

From the independent circuit, to stardom in the WWF, Foley is never sparse on details about stories while on the road, his many friends along the way from Mr. Haiti in Africa, to Steve Austin and Steve (William) Regal, The Undertaker, Sting, Owen Hart, Vader, and of course Terry Funk. Virtually every stop from his career, including the Japanese tours, the King of the Deathmatch, etc, and the evolution from "Mason the Mutilator" to "Mankind the Mutilator" to "Mankind" and the use of all three of his gimmicks in the WWF to eventual WWF Championship gold.

Throughout it all, Foley never loses his charm or wit, or the incessant Al Snow bashing, with plenty of pictures scattered around the text and plenty of personal stories (like the time he shared a house with a junkie, a guy who was having sex with his girlfriend's 16 year old daughter, and the 16 year old trying to flirt with Mick) and stories with friends (like "Vader" Leon White's spendthrifting with hotels, or Owen Hart's penchanse for practical jokes) that his story never gets old or repetitive and when the story finally ends, you feel like you've known Mick his entire life.

This is THE shining example of a great book about a pro wrestler's life, and I hope his other two books are just as great.

I saw both flims the original with Shirley Temple/Lon McAllister also the newer version both were great
So the the book was a must have also to learn what had happen to rest of the story(the horse/the people)

This is a wonderful book about an unbelievable champion - the kind we need today in America. A champion that reaches into the hearts of the people, unifies us and inspires us to prevail. The men who believed in Seabiscuit were not perfect, nor was Seabiscuit but they all managed to be imperfect winners. The writing itself might be a bit flourished but it is certainly well-researched and the story is entertaining told. Hillebrand has captured the ironies, truths, the agony and ecstasy of horse-racing and life itself as well. This one will make you cheer.

I'm usually concerned about purchasing items on line, especially books. I can honestly say that this experience was worth it. I would recommend this seller to anyone interested in purchasing good quality books at extremely reasonable prices.

Buy with confidence, I did!

I can't recall the number of non-fiction books that I've read. Little matter, this is the most incredible true story that I've read!!
Laura Hillenbrand has captured a time in American History. She is a true storyteller who has done impeccable research. It must have been the time she spent in Gambier, Ohio at Kenyon College that inspired her to such great in depth writing.
For those of you who have not read this book or have not seen the excellent movie, you're in for an incredible treat. Trust Me!!
If I were writing fiction, this true story would not have been told. Charles Howard, Red Pollard and Tom Smith are indeed the Holy Trinity. Remember these names, after reading this book, you will never forget them.
One little horse, so much history!!! Incredible!!!!

I have recently read Seabiscuit and watched the film and found both to be very compelling. We dont think much anymore about the dark days of the Depression but Laura Hillenbrand puts us right back in the middle of it. The important lesson was to look to the future as Charles Howard implored, the sun will come up tomorrow.

Three incredible characters intersect with this horse of unknown promise. Howard is the wealthy owner, despondent over the death of his son and unsure how to live the life of leisure; Red Pollard is a jockey not able to break into the big-time, due to his attitude, blindness, and injuries; Tom Smith is a taciturn man who belongs in the 19th century of his youth, not the modern world. Together they develop and promote Seabiscuit, a horse of incredible bloodlines, yet given up on by better trainers due to his work habits, attitude, injuries, and size.

Eventually the Biscuit wins all the stakes in the state of California and gets a shot at a match race with the great Eastern horse and Triple Crown winner, War Admiral. Both horses are descendants of the great Man'o'war, but the eastern elites dont want to give the western upstart his chance. After a few cancellations due to injuries and prickly owners, the match race goes off in Baltimore and the smaller horse brings it home.

The book is more enlighting with respect to the fuller stories of the characters, especially the relationship between the jockeys and Pollard's romance and marriage to a Boston nurse. The movie brings the times to life. Howard and Pollard were the raconteurs who made Seabiscuit the hero of the little guys during those lean years. Dont forget, tough times dont last but tough guys do.

Ms. Hillenbrand is an equally interesting story. She suffers from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and is only able to work at a fraction of the typical writer. Here she focused her energy on this story and these times. Seabiscuit has been the story many times in film and books but Ms. Hillenbrand brings it to life for us.

A tale of growing up and acceptance with a strong female lead who shows, without being ultra feminist, that girls can accomplish anything that boys can.

Admittedly a huge fan of the "women-warrior, disguised as a man" characters, I have been disappointed time and again by peoples take on them, but not this time. The take on magic, the involvement of the gods, and the world, which holds different morals, gave to a very interesting atmosphere for the books to be set in. Alanna is a character that I couldn't help cheering for, and identifying with.

Granted as others point out, this is very obviously a first novel that will kick-off a series. And while I did enjoy it, I do prefer to have series of novels have the ability to be stand-alones.

A terrific kick-off, to what I hope to be a wonderful series.

My Mom bought me the series 10 years ago when I was 13... Since then I have read them over and over and over... I find them impossible to tire of and once I start reading I don't want to put it back down... although by now I have half the books memorized.
I started reading these books when I was 13 years old and loved them... now at 23 years old- I still love to read this series.
The Immortals series is excellent as well.

I did not realize when I bought these books that they were for young adults, I still thoroughly enjoyed reading about Alanna's adventures, friends and family. Alanna proved to the men again and again that "anything you can do I can do better". A great message to put out there for young girls. And even though it took me 1 day to read each book I just couldn't stop until I was done!

Is no one bothered by the essential lack of values in this book? Getting what you want is more important than honesty or respect for others. The main character threatens others with horrible, supernatural punishment, tricks her father, lies outrightly, and that's just in the first chapter.
What about integrity, justice, truth as foundations of doing right?
Compare this heroine with Jonas in The Giver, Frodo in The Lord of the Rings, Andy in Wolf Rider, or Karana in The Island of the Blue Dolphins.

This book tells not only of a seemingly impossible, desperate love between a man and a woman but also of the endless and unconditional love that God has for each and every one of us. A really great read.

This is the 1st Christian book I have read (even though I am a Christian). I liked the begining and the end but the middle of the book was SOOO slow. I was going to quite reading half way through but friends of mine encouraged me to keep reading so I didn. It turned out to be an "ok" book but not one that I would say is a must read.

This isn't typically the type of book I read either so maybe it just wans't for me because I have heard many other people just rave about this book.

Although I am a Christian, I'd never read any Christian books until this one. Now that's all I read. This book was recommended by a young man at my church and boy, was I impressed. I've read all my life, I love it, but I'd never read a book that was as great as this one. This is a must for anyone who needs to know what it means to really have a relationship with God & what it needs to be between husbands & wives. Men should read this book also, it'll give them a new perspective on women, marriage and God. I've read 3 or 4 Francine Rivers books now & they are all really, really good, but this one has been the best so far. SERIOUSLY!!! A MUST READ for EVERYONE!!! Thank you Mrs. Rivers for putting the story of Gomer & Hosea into a story everyone could relate to.

This gripping fictional tale is loosely based on the book of Hosea. As evidenced by the hundreds of glowing reviews, it is an immensely popular book among Christian women. Unfortunately, this author has made some serious theological missteps which are not brought to light in previous reviews.
1. She allows the voice of the Spirit (in bold print -- be careful, the voice of Sarah/Angel's flesh is also in bold on occasion) to contradict the directly inspired Word of God. The whole premise of the book -- that Michael Hosea is "led" by the "Spirit of God" to marry an unregenerate woman is preposterous. God has certainly led many, many godly men and women to marry those with sordid pasts, but AFTER He has performed His redeeming work in their lives. Numerous scripture passages forbid the marriage of a believer and an unbeliever. Several other minor points and the climax of the book also violate this principle. She further pushes her charismatic agenda with dreams and visions as major plot points.
2. She seems to intimate that the relationship between a believer and Jesus Christ can be compared to a marriage relationship. That analogy is NEVER used in scripture. The marriage relationship is always protrayed between God and Israel or Christ and the church. The individual believer is pictured as Sheep/Sheperd, Master/servant, Father/child, and even Vine/branch but the marriage relationship is always reserved for the body of Christ(the church) or Israel.
3. Her Harlequin romance novel style writing is designed to titillate the flesh. I would not consider this book appropriate for unmarried young ladies as intimated in some of the previous reviews. If you are a mom considering this for a teenaged daughter, read the entire book FIRST. Even though the most graphic scenes are between a man and wife, there is far more detail than most young ladies who are desiring to keep their minds as well as their bodies pure before marriage need to know.
This book is thought provoking and has some compelling themes, but in my opinion is not worth reading. You may be able to pick a perfectly good meal out of a restaurant dumpster, but you'll have to go through a lot of disgusting trash to get it. I would highly recommend biographies of Amy Carmichael's life to see the redeeming love of Christ in action with helpless child prostitutes. A bonus: it really happened!

It is the most beautiful illustration of God's love for us. Very touching and well written.

escape via rocket, October 6, 2008
By V. N. Dvornychenko (Rockville, MD) - See all my reviews


Part "Angela's Ashes" (Frank McCourt) and part "I Aim for the Stars" (Werner von Braun), this book chronicles the efforts of a teenage boy to escape the confines of his West Virginia coal-mining milieu. Fourteen-year-old Homer/Sonny Hickam (the protagonist and author) is determined not to follow in the footsteps of his coalminer father - who is already showing signs of black-lung disease, a disease which will eventually kill him.

Homer/Sonny has an older brother, of whom he is very resentful. Among his brother's "sins" are ease with the girls, success at high school football - and most of all - favor with the parents. Normally there are only two paths for escape from Coalwood: the military, or a football scholarship.
The brother, Jim, holds a strong suit in the football option. Homer, slightly built and very nearsighted, knows he has no chance at footfall - and, so it would appear, with the girls. Then a miracle happens.

The "miracle" that provides a third avenue of escape is the launching of Sputnik by the USSR. The shockwaves produced by this event change American values almost overnight. Intellectual "nerds" suddenly become fashionable. Homer hatches a plan which he hopes will eventually land a job designing rockets for Werner von Braun. The plan is to design, build and launch model rockets. Homer collects a circle of followers - mainly other "nerds" -- and together they put the plan into action.

Besides the shockwaves produced by Sputnik, another kind of fault line runs right through the Hickam household. On one side stand Homer with his mother, on the other his father and brother. A major reason for the fault line is that the mother does not wish to see her sons follow the fate of her husband. But that is not all; it appears the mother has certain misgivings about her marriage. With her artistic bent, and something of a free-spirit, she harbors feelings that perhaps -- just perhaps -- she married beneath her station. A consequence of her frustration is that she succeeds in pulling Homer/Sonny over to her side, resulting in a more-or-less permanent rift with the father. It is also interesting to speculate what other personality traits may have resulted from Homer's closeness to his mother. Homer appears to have a penchant for being attracted to girls that give him conflicting signals - somewhat in the manner of Lucy of the famous comic strip, they entice him, only to pull the ball away at the very last second. Homer is also attracted to an "older" woman (though she is only in her early twenties), his science teacher, Freida Riley.

Although Homer appears to fear and hate everything about mining, some of the most spellbinding moments are excursions into the mine. His favorite science teacher would not, however, approve of the chemistry in the book, which contains several mistakes.

I began by characterizing "Rocket Boys" as part "Angela's Ashes" and part "I Aim for the Stars". In retrospect, is little doubt that "I Aim for the Stars" constitutes the minor component. Although much of the book details the design and building of rockets, Homer's fascination with rocketry and Werner von Braun appears to be mostly motivated by this "ticket out of Coalwood." The epilogue to the book reinforces this. After some delays, Homer Hickam does indeed go to work for NASA, and enjoys a successful career. But sadly, no speculations appear in the book regarding man's role in the cosmos - the "extraterrestrial imperative" Krafft Ehricke called it - nor did any subsequent books on astrodynamics or space theory emerge.

The author produced a sequel "Coalwood Ways." Published only two years later, it covers much the same territory, but has a very different flavor. It concentrates on interpersonal relations, and is much "sweeter" in its outlook than its precursor. It gives the appearance that the author underwent some personal event between the two books which changed his outlook. A film, titled "October Sky," was made based on "Rocket Boys." It has a different flavor yet. "Rocket Boys" is a fine book, and after all is said and done, it would appear that Homer Hickam's true calling is writer.

THE EXPERIMENTS DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK ARE VERY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED.

Loved this book. Was on the last chapter when I threw October Sky into my Netflix queue; Hoping I'd have it in hand when the book was finished. Timing was perfect. As usual, the book eclipses the movie, but both are great. Passing it onto my 10 year old son who already has aspirations of going into the sciences. Enjoy!

Was purchased due to a requirement by my childs school. He has informed me it is a good book.

... "On June 4, 1960, the Big Creek Missile Agency, fresh from its medal winning performance at the National Science Fair, is sponsoring a day of rocket launches at its Cape Coalwood range. Everyone reading these words is invited..." This quote can be found on page 356-357 of a book called Rocket Boys; this statement showed me that the success of the main characters was a result of personal hard work and teamwork.

"Rocket Boys" by Homer H. Hickam, Jr. is a nonfiction account of a group of friends from Coalwood, West Virginia in the early 1960's who have a fetish for making rockets. Homer and his friends have a dream to shoot a rocket up into the clouds. This story gives the reader a message that dreams really can come true.

Rocket Boys is one of the strongest books I have ever read. The author accomplished his goals to tell people that team work is one of the most important things to know in your life. This book is recommended for people that like space and rockets and who want a hopeful book to read. Reading Rocket Boys really gets you thinking about team work and how far you can get with it.

Homer Hickam grew up in a rural isolated mountain town but went on to win the National Science Fair.

This book is his story and how he was successful.

I bought 24 copies of this book to inspire my advanced 6th grade Reading class. They loved the book. In our discussions they mentioned never giving up. Homer and his friends kept trying until they had success.

Thank you for sharing your life with us, Mr. Hickam.

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.

Absolutely loved it! I have ordered two more books by this author and am sure it won't be the last.

Now that was a good book. Larry McMurtry is an amazing writer, so whitty. I fell in love with the characters; so much that it's been weeks since I read the book and I still can't stop thinking about them.

What a summer ride I've been on reading Lonesome Dove. I don't know where I've been the last 15 years to only now discover this absolutely amazing story. I smiled, laughed, and cried my way through it. I will surely miss the Hat Creek Cattle boys keeping me up at night. What an adventure!

Though published in 1985, this classic reached its peak in the 1990's with the film. The movie in this case did not hurt the book, as it was well done, but as is often the case did not elicit the same response as reading the novel, chapter by chapter. A richer flavor of the west is seen through the eyes of the reader, whereas the film concentrates more on the characters relationships, perhaps for broader appeal outside the genre. Anyone that enjoys the old west with a touch of humor and pathos will identify with McMurtry's rich tale.
George E. Miller, author of The Lone War Cry

If you are like me you will be depressed when you finish this book ... its absence from my life was that profound. It is a sweeping, powerful, engaging work with some of the most colorful characters ever drawn in fiction. If you have seen the CBS miniseries, do yourself a favor and relive it all again with this titan of a novel. It is more than a Western, it is the story of the human experience. The two main characters, Gus and Call, exemplify the fundamental question that besets us in this waking world: Are we here to accomplish something unique, despite the possible risk to our relationships, comfort and safety; or are we here to pursue a life lived pleasurably and with no expectations?

This is an enchanting story that once again captures the spirit of the perky princess who had no desire to be the traditional damsel-in-distress. So, what's a contemporary woman trapped by royal traditions to do? Offer herself up to the dragons in the first place.

It's a whimsical tale that gives fairytales sly winks and twists at every corner. The characters are rich, and move the story along with their quirks.

This is not just parody, either. Ms. Wrede had managed to create her own intelligent, dragon-and-knight infested tale that creates as much fairy tale as it borrows.

I enjoyed this story, and the sequels, as a young girl. Wrede creates a magical world that has a unique feel while incorporating common elements from fairytales. I've read in several times since and still enjoy it. Dealing with Dragons is very much a girl power book - almost all of the good main characters are female, Princess Cimerone rejects the staid life society thrusts upon her and charts her own course, and the King of the Dragons ends up being a female (King is just the title of the job, designating nothing about gender). It is well written, something that can certainly not be said of all fantasy novels written for this age group, and the story is fun and engaging.

An excellent book for young children that enjoy fantasy with an odd twist. Highly recommended.

I loved this series in middle school and would highly recommend it as a fun leisure read for children in that age bracket.

Princess Cimorene is tired of embroidery, etiquette, and protocol classes. She wants to take Latin, fencing, magic, and cooking lessons instead. But, that's just "not done." So to avoid a betrothal to a handsome and charming (but not particularly bright) prince, she runs away to become housekeeper for a dragon. As a dragon's princess, Cimorene gets the freedom to cook and clean and to organize libraries and treasure rooms. She also has to fend off persistent knights who come to rescue her, and investigate the actions of a couple of sneaky wizards.

Patricia C. Wrede's Dealing with Dragons is a refreshing change from some of the more recent fantasy epics aimed at teenage girls. It's light, fun, and often hilarious as it pokes fun at several fairy tales and fantasy clichés. The plot moves rapidly and the writing is clear and precise. The dialogue is particularly good.

I listened to Dealing With Dragons on audiobook. Listening Library does an excellent job recording this with a full cast of actors; I highly recommend this format. --FanLit.net