Buccaneer Books

Originally written in 1950, this 'novel' is actually six semi-interlocked tales of Earth millions of years in the future. The sun has become red and dim, the landscape is peopled with sorcerers, demons, weird nightmare creatures, and the baroque remnants of mankind. Magic and science have blended almost into one.

Vance's language is evocative and unique; his style is unmistakable. Other of his novels- far below this in quality- have won the Hugo and Nebula. Read this book and live a dream.

Any attempt to convey even a vague sense of the wonder and beauty of Jack Vance's writing in this book is doomed to failure. It takes its place alongside the works of Lord Dunsany (The King of Elf Land's Daughter), E.R. Eddison (The Worm Ourobouros), and, yes, Tolkien. Read and be enchanted.

As a true fan of good fantasy and science fiction for some 20 years now, I've always searched for books which really fulfull the promise of those genres. In a time when both genres seem to have collapsed into a state where one rarely finds work which isn't some sort of commercial advertisement for childrens toys and tv shows, Jack Vance stands out like a beacon of pure genius. The dying earth is a series of vignettes in the fantasy realm of the same name invented by Vance. Humorous and brilliantly witty, yet darker and in many ways more believable (on a human level) than his space operas, the dying earth presents characters and situations using Vance's unique and eclectic mastery of the english language which sweep the reader away into another world from which it is hard to escape. This, ultimately is what good fantasy should do, and so often fails to accomplish. Readers should also seek out "The eyes of the overworld", "Cugels saga", and "Rhialto the marvelous", which occur in the same 'world'...

this is a book of science fiction and fantasy combined.in book one of this four book sieres we,re introduced to a variety of people.turjan,creator of life.t,sais,who see's everything with evil intent.on her planet she meets her sister who sees everything with the goodness of her soul.here her sister travles to a planet called earth where the sky is blue to find love.here t,sais meets a hooded man who saves her from distruction his name is etarr(I liked him)his is a story of love for the wrong woman! there are manny other characters in this book to many for me to give a proper feel for each one. mazirian,liane,ulan dhor... JACK VANCE IS A MASTER STORRYTELLER...

I am a great fan of Jack Vance, but this is not one of my favourite works. I find the characters opaque and unlikeable. Vance's verbal pyrotechnics remain spectacular, of course. But I far prefer later Vance such as the 'Lyonnesse' series, the 'Cadwall Chronicles' ('Araminta Station' et seq.), and the 'Alastor' novels. These contain heroes who are likeable as well as dauntless, and romantic interests who are loveable as well as beautiful. For people who like 'The Dying Earth', I suggest 'Cugel's Saga', 'Eyes of the Overworld', 'Rhialto the Marvellous', and 'Showboat World'. People who find the characters of 'The Dying Earth' repellent, or the language over-elaborate, should try 'Araminta Station' (SF) or 'Lyonnesse I: Suldrun's Garden' (Fantasy) before they give up on Vance.

I think this is Allingham's best. Christie is usually brought up by way of comparison but a better one is probably Dorothy Sayers, and for those who know Sayers's work, this is best described as Allingham's version of MURDER MUST ADVERTISE.

As with Sayers, this is both a murder mystery set in a certain mileau and an acerbic commentary of that world and the kind of dirty things that go on behind it.

It's not as good as the Sayers. DS obviously loved advertising; I didn't sense Allingham felt that way about fashion. This tends to limit one's involvement in the story. Plus, Sayers's book is an absolute masterpiece of plot construction, each piece carefully fixed in place. Allingham here, well it feels like she lost faith in the thing, the final pages turn this into a very conventional sort of mystery. (It doesn't help that the murderer is pretty obvious by the halfway point.)

Still, it's good. Allingham's writing is sharp, the concentration on a mileau gives the work a kind of discipline some of her others lack (MORE WORK FOR THE UNDERTAKER), while the concentration on satire reigns in the self involvement that others suffer from (the interesting, but flawed DANCERS IN MOURNING). Her observations on what the glamour world really is feel as true today as ever.

I almost prefer the abridged audiobook, as it speeds up the action by leaving out many baroque flourishes like Val's office in a kind of Regency bird-cage and Ferdy Paul's flat at the top of an old theatre. It also hones down Georgia's character - in the real book she's much nastier. In fact she is really quite nasty, a beautiful woman who makes slaves of men and women, including her dear, dear, best friend Val whose fiance she tries to steal. What else is disturbing? Campion sneering at Lugg for trying to educate himself with a book of aphorisms (though one of them turns out to be the clue to the killer), the upper classes use of the word 'rape' to mean 'seduce', and their laughing at Africans for being impressed by a gold aeroplane. What's endearing? Campion's befriending of Georgia's son, and the way the boy, Lugg, Campion and Amanda form an ill-assorted but happy gang. Campion and Amanda's romance. Peripheral characters like Madame Papendiek, Rex and Mrs Fitch. What's funny? The banter, including the suggestion that Amanda keeps up her stockings with a couple of magnets and a dry battery. What's fascinating? A glimpse into a world that has weathered wars and socialist governments and can still be found in London's western half.

As talented and popular in the 1930s and 1940s as fellow mystery writers Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers, Margery Allingham is now, inexplicably, almost forgotten, except by mystery aficionados. Writing a series of novels featuring Albert Campion, a man of mysterious background who moves comfortably both in aristocratic circles and in the seedy underworld of thugs and criminals, Allingham sets up elaborate plots that cross class lines and entertain the reader with their cleverness. Campion, often aided by Lugg, a former burglar, manages to remain friendly with local police inspectors while operating as a private detective, often hired by the titled nobility with whom he associates.

This novel, written in 1938, opens with the discovery of the fully clothed skeleton of a man who disappeared three years before. A lawyer hoping for a judgeship, the deceased was the fiancé of Georgia Wells, a stage actress and seductress who married someone else just six months after his disappearance. Campion's sister Val, who runs a high fashion design house, is also involved in the mystery, as are the man she loves, who runs an aircraft company trying to sell planes to a foreign country, and Georgia's present husband, a self-important snob who works for the government. The mystery is unusually intricate, and when two more deaths occur, Campion must investigate questions of blackmail, secret relationships, drug shipments, an out-of-the-way restaurant, and characters who look like other characters. He must also deal with a former acquaintance, Lady Amanda Fitton, who has returned--and unexpectedly announced her engagement to him.

Highly entertaining and very fast paced, the novel is cleverly written and full of intrigue, populated with characters who have more substance than the cardboard characters one finds in most mysteries. Allingham's ability to incorporate details of time and place--and class--give this novel a lively sense of the atmosphere of prewar England and the attitudes of its population, not all of them admirable. Elitism, bigotry, and class prejudice are all given voice in this novel, and play a part in the mystery.

Far more literary in style than Agatha Christie, Allingham employs a good deal of humor and irony, though Albert Campion is more phlegmatic than Lord Peter Wimsey (Dorothy Sayer's detective) and less exaggerated than Christie's Hercule Poirot. Allingham, a fine writer, creates well developed plots and memorable characters, and one hopes that her work will be reprinted for a new audience. n Mary Whipple

The delightful tale finds Albert Campion working his way through a Chinese puzzle of fashion designers, theatrical and entertainment people trying to solve the disappearance and death of the son of a friend. Richard Portland-Smith, a successful attorney, engaged to the beautiful actress Georgia Wells, disappeared without a trace several years ago, and his remains have finally been found by Campion, apparently having committed suicide. Campion gets the help of his sister, Val, a well-known designer, in meeting the actress, hoping to unravel the reason for Richard's death.

Instead, Campion is drawn into the glittery world of high fashion and theater, where appearances are often confused with reality. When Georgia's husband Sir Raymond Ramillies dies under suspicious circumstances Val is implicated and Albert goes into high gear. He uncovers one ugly secret after another, but the pieces never seem to quite fit together. Motives such as blackmail, greed, drugs and jealousy all abound but Campion is unable to pinpoint a suspect who has both means and opportunity.

This is one of Allingham's longest novels, and certainly is the most complex. It provides glimpses into London's fashion and theatrical world as well as some shattering demonstrations of the prejudices and flaws of the Great Britain's rich and famous. Written in 1938, the book reflects the morality of the times. A sensitive reader may find some statements that are, to put it mildly, politically incorrect. These are unfortunate, and provide an insight into the thinking of the upper classes on either side of the Atlantic, but should not be permitted to detract from the overall quality of the novel.

One of the special delights of this novel is the reappearance of Amanda Fitton, heroine of the "The Gyrth Chalice Mystery." She comes to Albert, seeking help, after a hiatus of six years, and manages to become engaged to him in the space of one evening. She becomes Campion's loyal, if irreverent, assistant and very nearly steals the whole novel. Lugg also gets in his share of grumping and grousing. "The Fashion in Shrouds" is one of Allingham's best, serving up mystery, humor, suspense and social commentary in great big, heaping doses.

One of the author's most accomplished novels. At once an elegant and deftly-observed social satire in the manner of Thackeray and an ingeniously complicated detective story, the book is virtually flawless. Campion is in superb form throughout, both as detective pitting his wits against a superhuman Nemesis of a murderer, and as a lover (even going to the extent of throwing his fiancée in the lake during a quarrel); Lugg is as amusing as ever; and there is much interest in the character and methods of the villain, "who can set the murderous Machiavel to school," weaving webs of a subtlety and diabolical ingenuity matched only by his creator.

The first time I read this book I was fourteen years old-- forty-two years ago. Reading it then partly inspired me with a love of literature that led to my becoming a professor of literature and a novelist. Yerby never fails to seize the reader's imagination. Even though his works have sometimes been referred to as pulp fiction, he does essentially what is required of the writer-- he seizes the reader and takes him on a pleasurable, thrilling journey through the imagination. As a black reader, I never even guessed from his writing that Yerby was black. His writing, as in The Foxes of Harrow, is color blind-- refreshing in a world increasingly obsessed with race. This is a "must read" for those in the next generation.

In the years when my friends were sneaking peeks at "Peyton Place", I was secretly devouring "The Foxes of Harrow". This was after seeing the B-movie version starring Rex Harrison and Maureen O'Hara. To me it was every bit as good as "Gone With the Wind" and has stuck with me lo these many years. FYI, Frank Yerby had his picture on the jacket of my aunt's Book Club edition, quite interesting for that time, as other readers have pointed out.

I swiped my stepmother's copy of Vixens from 1947 when I was just a kid in the 70's and remembered almost the entire manuscript, it stuck in my mind so. Especially where Denise, Laird's real love, not his wife, on his wedding night, sadly told him, that she knew his wife was mad, then proceeded to stand in for her, with the classic line, "everyman deserves a wedding night". Laird was the hero, Hugh,the villian, Sabrina's Laird's sterotyped nuttier than a fruitcake spoiled southern belle post war, & to me, Denise is the all time REAL WOMAN IN BOOKS. Foxes of Harrow was just as mesmerizing and complicated. I just noticed something too. There is an Etienne Fox, Stephen Harrow's son in Foxes name. He too was a sick, cowardly dirty white sheeted redneck. I wonder if Yerby had Vixens in mind when he did Foxes of Harrow? [...]My father, a loyal KKK sicko, blew a fuse and humilated me in elementary school for being assigned to do a report on Dr.Martin Luther King. I was all for it, and he refused to let me do it, because of Dr. King's race. BUT HE BOUGHT MY STEPMOTHER YERBY'S BOOKS, NEVER KNOWING THAT YERBY WAS BLACK, and around 20 years ago, my school book that I was to reference for Dr. King, somehow turned up in his home. Strange things happen in the name of justice. I think Oprah should discover Mr.Yerby's outstanding history and especially as most black writers had a very hard time getting contracts back then. Foxes of Harrow, however, sold for a grand price of $3 & Vixens the same in hardcover, for a whopping 75 cents in paperback, plus, he was a book club's pick on several occasions. I think that is magnificent history that should be wider known and told that he could acheive all that in a time, when that when it just didn't happen.
Try some of his other books, like the Girl from Storyville, A Woman called Fancy, etc. You'll love them and see why he succeeded so well.

I read this book several years ago along with quite a few of his other books.I've never been disappointed.The books are written in good form and the characters have extreme depth.My grandmother has this book in her library and I am now working on completing my collection.

This is the man: Stephen Fox - born out of wedlock, banished from his homeland. He came to the New World ragged and starving, with just one possession, a thing he could not sell, his pride! His body, his mind, his soul, burned with one overriding ambition, one day he would be a gentleman! And these are the women who knew his passions: Odalie - the pearl of the South, rich and beautiful, desired by man men but won by Stephen. She loved her husband with all her heart but could not love him with her body. Desiree - the lovely, tempestuous quadroon. She was a virgin when she came to him, just sixteen years old; she was his mistress from then on. Her vibrant body was everything a man could ever long for, but her love brought death and decay. Aurore - his wife's sister. She loved Stephen from a distance, always faithful to a love she couldn't know, waiting for a chance to share his life. This is the tremendous best seller about one of the greatest plantations of the Old South - the man who built it, the women he loved, the glory and decadence of a passionate age.

I first got this book as a joke. When I read it, though, I found out that it really wasn't a joke. The book was extreamly discriptive, especially the part about the dog.....HMMMMMM I also never thought that it was possible to have that many people. You would think that all of the precautions in the world would not sop you from getting some sort of STD. I liked it.

Oddly enough, I came across this book on my grandmother's bookself. Reading the book was certainly an eye-opening experience. I particularly liked the author's candid writing style. She explicitly included all the details of her life, even if they were rather vulgar--such as the dog scene. I was also impressed by the way the author lived her life--doing what she liked without any regrets. The book is an alternative bit of literature, well ahead of its time. Frankly, I'm surprised that it was published when it was.

This is the book that made ex-New York madam Xaviera Hollander famous as The Happy Hooker. It is a classic, and typically, her best work. Of particular interest is the exposure of the corrupt politics with the New York Knapp Commission, and the U.N. - where Xaviera was propositioned regularly when she was a secretary there.

I read Xaviera Hollander books "call me madam during the 80's and it's really a turn on, am on my 40's now and i am still looking to read xaviera's book again

The second edition left out the incident with the dog. What a cheat

John Dickson Carr excelled at creating "impossible" crimes and then explaining how they occurred. To enjoy Carr's mysteries, you must like puzzles that have intricate solutions, and not mind that a few aspects may be difficult to follow. While Carr's solutions are clever, these mysteries were written in the 1930s to 1950s, so there may be an occasional clue that doesn't hold up in today's CSI era. Though some will disagree, Carr's most entertaining mysteries are those that feature Sir Henry Merrivale (written under the name Carter Dickson).

HE WHO WHISPERS, a Dr. Gideon Fell mystery, was one of Carr's favorites. How could a man be stabbed in the back at the top of a steep tower when it seems certain that he was alone? How could a woman be almost frightened to death, and why?

The solution to HWW is clear and mostly logical, although it does require rather complicated behavior by one of the victims. The identity of the murderer is a surprise, and the ending is bittersweet and powerful. One possible flaw: The murderer did not recognize someone he/she knew well, and spent some time in close proximity with, just because a room was dark. (You have to be a bit forgiving with a Carr mystery.) The beginning is slow (one character spends 15 pages describing important details about a previous crime), and Gideon Fell is less interesting and entertaining than Sir Henry Merrivale. Nevertheless, this is a puzzling and worthwhile mystery.

Their are 4 perfect Gideon Fell novels (The Three Coffins(1935), The Crooked Hinge(1938), The Case of the Constant Suicides(1941), and He Who Whispers(1946)). He Who Whispers is the last of them, and one of the best.

The year is 1946, WWII is over, and Miles Hammond is headed to the Murder Club. Their, he hears the Howard Brookes. Howard entered the old stone tower, and walked to the top room, to see his son, who goes down a few minutes later. Infront of the entrance was a family having a picnic. The next time any one would see him, fifteen minutes later, he had been stabbed. No one had enentered the tower during the fifteen minutes in which Howard had been stabbed. The blame fell to his sons then girlfriend, Fay Seton, who is belived to be able to summon vampires. This shocks Miles, as he has just hired Fay to be his book keeper.

This is one of the finest, most ingenious, and most atmospheric of the classic "locked room" mystery novels of John Dickson Carr. It is also one of his most somber and frightening books. While the author is most famous for his intricate and hard to solve murder puzzles, I think his hardcore fans like myself most enjoy the brooding atmosphere he creates, with a hint of the supernatural hanging over sometimes appalling crimes.

He Who Whispers is particularly great in its creation of this mysterious atmosphere. A man is brutally murdered under seemingly inexplicable circumstances, alone atop a remote tower. A female suspect is accused of being a soulless, bloodthirsty vampire, though to all appearances she is a modest and intelligent young woman. Oddly, as the novel wears on, this accusation seems at the same time absurd, and yet quite plausible! It is most cleverly handled, and resolved, by the author.

But what I most enjoyed about this novel, and what really makes it stand out among the author's many fine novels, is its uniquely, intensely romantic aspect. The point of view character (NOT the brilliant detective Gideon Fell, nor his stolid "Watson," Inspector Hadley) is drawn to two interesting, intelligent women, both of whom are potential suspects. One is a resourceful and determined investigative journalist, with, as it turns out, a rather murky connection to the case somewhere in her own past. The other is a lovely, sad governess who has apparently been wrongly accused of murder as well as other misdeeds....but how innocent is she really?

The mystery is ultimately sorted out--but then it really gets interesting! The resolution of the tangled romance plotline is moving and unexpected, and yet entirely logical, given the author's odd, seemingly incompatible combination of anachronistic chivalry toward women and respect for independent, uninhibited females. If this sounds a bit vague that is because I am trying not to give away any plot details, as I would never forgive myself if I spoiled the suprises of a great Carr mystery novel like this one!

John Dickson Carr was a writer in the "Golden Age" of mysteries, and he never cheated his readers. All of the clues needed to solve the mystery are presented, giving the alert reader a chance at identifying the murderer. I actually figured out who the killer was before the denouement of "He Who Whispers" even though I had no idea of how the murder was committed.

However, his scrupulosity is not my favorite characteristic of this American author. What I love are the hot-house, claustrophobic, even supernatural atmospheres that he creates in his mysteries. In "He Who Whispers" a man is murdered at the top of a medieval French tower when no one could have possibly climbed the tower's sole staircase to accomplish the deed. His son's fiancée is accused of vampirism and barely escapes war-torn France with her life. She resurfaces in England and takes a position as private librarian at Greywood Mansion in New Forest. The first night she spends in the house, another woman is nearly frightened to death.

Dr. Gideon Fell bumbles and rumbles onto the moonlit grounds of Greywood shortly before the mysterious shot is fired, and he and his French compatriot, Professor Rigaud attempt to solve the mystery of how the sister of Greywood's owner was almost frightened to death in her own bedroom. Was the beautiful new librarian really a vampire? Professor Riguad, using a rather convoluted form of Gallic logic believes she is. It is the only 'logical' explanation of how Howard Brooke was killed on top of the French tower back before the war.

However, if you've read enough Gideon Fell mysteries, you know that Carr's humongous detective always manages to find a non-supernatural explanation to the mystery, in spite of the Unspeakable Horror that always seems to lurk just around the corner, breathing its chill vapours through the text.

Though Carr was an American most of his books (especially the early ones) were set in England and France. He moved to Great Britain with his English wife in 1933 and they lived there for a number of years before moving back to the United States in 1965. Carr was awarded an Edgar in 1950 by the Mystery writers of America (MWA) for his Conan Doyle biography. He was also awarded the title of Grand Master by the MWA in 1970.

Even though I'm not particularly fond of Carr's serial detective, the lumbering, snorting, coyly hinting Dr.Gideon Fell, the mysteries he inhabits are wonderfully brooding, baffling, atmospheric tales.

I have gone off on "jags" reading Rex Stout or Agatha Christie, or others, but I always come back with a hunger for John Dickson Carr. This is not easy-- his books are very old and only Amazon provides a good source.

This is one of the very best by Carr. What draws me to Carr is the mastery of mood, tone, and atmosphere-- a brooding, semi-supernatural, atmosphere of the Gothic-- of terror, of raw fear-- of people literally frightened to death. To put it crudely, it's like "Sherlock Holmes" meets "Stephen King."

In this novel we have a fabulous beginning with an "impossible murder" that seems to have no explanation, a "femme fatale" woman, the setting of a ruined Norman tower in France, and a most sympathetic leading character, Miles. Dr. Gideon Fell is a colorful and delightful detective who usually enters the story at least a third into the book.

Frankly, the conclusions sometimes let the reader down -- or seem to -- because Carr's skill at "atmosphere" has got the poor fellow so on the edge of his chair with anxiety that no ending could totally meet the expectations.

This book-- like many Carr books -- has a neat love interest-- a totally improbable love between a convalescent British gentleman and a French "woman of the streets." The love interest alone drew me through some of the chapters.

Carr's style and descriptive skills are excellent. He will describe a setting with original turns of phrase. He will paint word-pictures that force one to reread the paragraph more than once, savoring the writer's skills. He's a highly literate man with a control of English that would have made him successful in writing more conventional novels.

This is probably the best Gideon Fell novel I have read, and one of the two or three best novels by Dickson Carr I have read. I urge you to enjoy the book, and wish you, er, "unpleasant dreams."

Gann had a special gift in his ability to capture the everyday people and events of life and carry them into an unexpected and revealing landscape. This 45 year old story is somewhat dated, but remains engaging and well crafted. I'm still looking for a signed copy.

I first read this book in the late 50s in the Readers Digest edition;I guess I would be about 12 at the time. Its one of those books that leaves a lasting impression-after 40 years I can almost remember what page things happened on, and I can recall all the names and the frontispiece drawing .It was the very first book that started a lifelong habit-reading slower and slower so as to postpone the evil moment I finish a really good book. I was so drawn to the novel that one of my main hobbies is still aircraft accident investigations, and I am by profession a forensic scientist. Recently I came to realise that the plot was closely based on true events -a series of runaway propellers on Stratocruisers over the Pacific just past the point of no return, which caused engine fires, loss of propeller, running out of fuel and tense hours before either ditching in the sea (1956)or eventually landing in Hawaii against all the odds(1957). Trouble is, the book was written several years before either of these events! Yet even the fine detail is mirrored between novel and real life.
If anyone is interested in reading about the real crashes, which also involve heroic fights against the odds and in one case a planned ditching right in the middle of the Pacific next to the only ship for 500 miles (does this sound familiar from the novel...)buy Air Disaster vol 4 (The propeller Era)by Macarthur Job. Or look up CGC Pontchartrain on the internet
At the age of 12, I guess I wasnt too bothered about the personal characterisations and sub-plots but rereading the book this year, they still dont seem too bad to me. After all, Ed McBain invented a genre with his excellent and popular police procedural novels without much depth of characterisation-perhaps we can call Mr Gann's books 'plane procedurals'?
Either way, this is a rattling good read which stands up well after 50 years and has the benefit of faultless and, as it turns out prescient, research. The film of the book is rather less clear in my mind but I remember it as being very true to the book in plot and fairly close in characterisation. It was the first 'disaster' movie or should that be non-disaster movie? Oops, gave the ending away!

I first read "The High and The Mighty" in a Reader's Digest Condensed Books version and, later, the entire book, courtesy of the Manhasset, NY, public library, followed by the movie. If you love aviation, especially the Gann descriptions which put you in the cockpit with Dan Roman as he struggles with his pilot to squeeze every drop of avgas to produce more air miles, you'll thoroughly enjoy this book. Gann's "Fate Is the Hunter" perhaps contains more aviation data, but H & M combines aviation thrills with the individual lives of the passengers and crew. The characters stick with you over the years. I haven't read the book in more than 35 years, yet the names remain...stewardess Spalding, copilot Roman, navigator Leonard, the aging Mr. Briscoe, Sally, Hobie and all the rest. Gann brings these characters home to you in a way few authors can match.//I'd like to find a hard copy edition some day, but the thought struck me tonight that a second ! best opportunity might be to contact Reader's Digest for their copy of the condensed version of "The High and The Mighty." Finally, I strongly hope that John Wayne's family gives public access to the movie version of this great story. Any suggestions on how to move this along? Please let me know. I'll be glad to help.

This book is arguably the most famous one written by noted aviator and writer, Ernie Gann. It was made into an oscar nominated movie and the theme song won the oscar that year (1955). Once you've read the book or seen the movie, you realize where all of the other aviation epics (realistic movies, spoofs or unintentional spoofs like the Airport series) got all of their ideas. Due to ownership disputes, the movie is not available anymore. If anyone out there has a homemade copy, let me know

If you flew in passenger aircraft during the piston era of the '40-50s and love airplanes, you must read this book. Readers learn what it was like to navigate by the stars, deal with cantankerous radial engines, set throttle, propeller and mixture controls while a paradoid passenger tries to vent his frustration on his wife's former boyfriend. Flying portions are gripping as co-pilot and lead character Dan Roman tries to find out what's wrong with a DC-4 before it's too late. Dan is the experienced, yet tragic, character played by John Wayne in the movie by the same name--another must for airplane buffs but, unfortunately, the Wayne trust refuses to rerelease the rights. Fast forward through the passenger dramas, however, because they lack much relevance to the 1990s, assuming they had relevance in the 1950s. All told, the book is one of Ernie Gann's finest, if not the finest. You won't regret the time it takes to find a copy.

The Book of David Evans is a wealth of atmosphere and historical and personal knowledge of the island of Roatan, gathered in more than 40ty years of personal experience. It is the first Novell of the author and to inform readers who have the same feelings like, the reviewer before me, probably have to be informed that this book is not professionelly editat from a big publisher. So it may have its weaknesses in readability and maybe also in typos. which have been topics of several emails from Dr. Evans to the Roatan Discussion Group on Yahoo, where he is an active member and always available for requests. Many people don't know that the production costs of a small number of books, can be almost equally high, compared to a high number of books. So this book has not been published to be an commercial success, but as an personal afford of the author. Therefore the number of the first edition had to be very limited, which means the production cost of the book is rather high, and absolutly higher per book than we are used to from bestsellers like Harry Potter. Such Editions are produced in such a high number, that the actual printing costs are almost zero, compared to the selling price. This is not true for a private enterprise like "the judas bird". The production cost will probably almost have eaten up the whole amount of money the author gets back from amazon.

So if you read the book interested for its spirit and content, you will like, probably love it. If you read it, comparing it with commercial bestseller you are used, too you might get the same impression as my fellow reader from Texas.

Its the point of view which makes the differnce.
And Roatan is indeed a place for modern treasure tales...

Having been to Roatan twice in the past nine months, I wanted to like this book. I really did. Unfortunately, it failed to live up to my expectations.

While the story itself is interesting, I'm not exaggerating when I say that this is the most poorly edited book I have ever read. It's about twice as long as it should be, partially because it is needlessly repetitious. The author does not give the reader credit for having a brain and spends too much time explaining things that do not need to be explained. What was particularly distracting to me were the spelling errors. While it may seem like a minor point, I'd say conservatively there was one every 4 or 5 pages. In a book of almost 1000 pages, that's a lot of mistakes, and they just distract from the story. There are also a few errors in continuity.

I found it ironic that the publisher makes it very well known that the author is professor emeritus of anthropology. Perhaps if he had some of his colleagues in the English department edit the drafts for him, it would have given us a better book.

When I spend this much money on a hard cover book, I expect it to be professionally edited prior to publication. By the end of this book, I felt like the publisher should have paid me to read it.

My name is Gordon Glass from Seattle Washington and I just wanted to share that I have just finished a wonderful book that takes place on the island of Roatan called "The Judas Bird". And without having yet been to Roatan, this book did a splendid job of taking me from the cool drizzle of the Pacific Northwest and immersing me in the warmth of this Caribbean island. The author, David Evans [a long time island resident I gather], did a really wonderful job of representing his island home through this very exciting historical novel............I feel as though I've been to Roatan and experienced vicariously the heart of the island community.

I discovered the book quite by accident while surfing the internet for information about Roatan in preparation for a trip my wife and I are planning to make to the island later this year. And frankly, I don't think I could have found a more perfect introduction to the island than "The Judas Bird". Particularly for me....... as my greatest joy is being open to sharing and learning from new cultural experiences.

I really highly recommend the book. Evans did a superb job of character development...I feel like I know these people.....much as I did the two main characters in Patrick O'Brian's, Napoleonic naval warfare Jack Aubrey series.

A marvelous time to be had: whether you are interested in pirates or anthropology or islands. And you don't have to wear your specs! I certainly hope there will be more come.

The first thought that comes to mind is that I shall be sad when The Judas Bird ends. Normally, I wait to review a book after I've completed it; however, with The Judas Bird, I am confident in writing a review as I approach page 500.

Having been privileged to visit the island of Roatan 3 times I recognize many of the 'fictional' inhabitants because the author, David Evans, has done such a fine job with character development. The people of The Judas Bird are so very much like the real-life residents of Roatan...the islanders, the ex-pats who live there because they love the culture, and, unfortunately, the hustlers who go there to make a buck at someone else's expense.

Mr. Evans obviously loves the Roatanians and that love is exemplified in his descriptions of every day island life as well as the history of those who came centuries ago and left a little of themselves. The pirates, bucaneers, Indians, Spanish, English, Scots, and slaves who melded into today's islanders are also central to The Judas Bird's plot.

I look forward to returning to Roatan every evening as I open The Judas Bird...and I shall feel a longing when I turn the final page. It is a rousing adventure story, a love story, and an historical novel all rolled into one.

The last installment of the "A History of the Plantagenents" succeeds admirably. Costain has a way of transferring is love and excitement of a subject onto his pages. It's a method that has yet to be rivaled. He gives each character a distinct personality no matter how trivial. William Caxton being a prime example. About half the book is concentrated on Richard II, which is fine because most historians either concentrate on the Black Prince or Henry V and skip over him. Here we see a sympathetic monarch who was easily bullied and who made some bad decisions early in his reign. After Richard II, he continues on through the kings until Richard III. Here he breaks protocol and gives evidence in defense of Shakespeare hunchback, citing Tudor propaganda as the catalyst. Normally, Costain is careful to present detailed accounts of both sides to an arguement, but here he takes a stance. It is quite refreshing and readers will eat it up. Highly recommended as well as the others in the series. My uncle gave me these books and I plan on returning the favor when the next generation comes my way. Treasure these.

Mr. Costain is a very good historian. His scholarship is thorough and his conclusions are always logically wrought and sometimes surprising. His sensibilities are surprisingly contemporary, although I would not term him a "revisionist," (he wrote this history in the 1950s). For example, in his defense of Richard III (in this, the final book in this four-volume history) he travails against conventional opinion to demonstrate why King Richard was, indeed, not the Richard III of Thomas More as popularized by Shakespeare and held true to this day. And in the first volume, the author dashes myth and idle folklore to side with those historians who portray Eleanor of Aquitaine as the wise and effective check on Henry II and her sons that, she no doubt was. In so doing he disperses, through well-reasoned argument, the rumors and "Entertainment-Tonight" kind of fluff (History-Lite) that many still believe. I had been told these four volumes were classics. After reading them, but without being a scholar of history, I think those critical readers might be right. Certainly, Mr. Costain opened my eyes to a different kind of history telling, one in which an historian does not hesitate to conjecture or opine openly and to honestly make his case and then leave it for a reader's judgement. From front to back, from first through fourth volumes, this is a valuable and pleasurable experience. Mr Costain, presents, argues, harangues convention and, always entertains with a use of the language that is as sharp as his reasoning and as precise as his scholarship. Mr. Costain is a very good story-teller.

Costain once again demonstrates he is a master storyteller and has a knack for infusing life into what could be a dreary story.

A decent book on the historical period which took place in England from the reign of Richard II to Richard III. Not as breathtaking as other Costain titles, this nevertheless was entertaining and very thorough in its section on Richard II. Unfortunately, this takes up half the book, and the rest of the Henries and Edward IV and Dickon are given short shrift.

English History at it's finest. You feel as if you are there with these people, living their lives. Always in good form, this is one of Costain's best.

Over the past year, I've been reading the "greatest suspense novels of all time". I decided to take a break from the list and just happened on this book. I liked the cover art and according to the back cover, this book was the basis of the Tierney movie of the same title.

After reading this novel, I highly recommend it to any fan of suspense fiction.

I think there as been at least 6 Lifetime movies, and numerous episodes of Law and Order, based on the plot points of this book.

I will not provide spoilers but I will say that there were times when the tension was too much to bear and I had momentarily put the book aside to let some of the actions of Ellen (that heiferwhorebitch) sink in.

This is the tale of the ultimate femme fatale. Meet Ellen. She is completely selfish and her only form of love is total posession. This book is the noirish tale of her marriage.

Richard Harland happens upon Ellen while riding a train and she seems just a little too perfect to be real. Ellen eventually marries him but her desperate posessiveness grows worse. She will stop and nothing, even murder, to see to it that Richard is hers alone.

The book gets into the heads of all the major characters and I was impressed at how well the author writes from the female viewpoint. While Ellen is quite insane, it is still clear what makes her tick.

This book has much to offer: romance, mysteries, drama and finally an intense courtroom scene. Highly enjoyable and has the true flavor of the 40s.

This book will draw you in from the first and will not relinquish its hold on you for a long time.

I read it while still a teenager, many years ago, and have never forgotten its story of possessive love (or obsession)and the tragedy of the tale. I, unfortunately, lost my copy and am now searching for another so that my 15 year old daughter might experience it.

The author is very adept at bringing life to the characters and the events that unfold around and because of them. I would recommend this book to anyone.

I started a book club a couple of years ago....the discussion on this book was one of the very best our group has ever had.

Leave Her to Heaven is a difficult book to categorize. It is mostly from the male character's point of view. Richard Harland is a bachelor taking a train out west. He runs into Ellen, who at first seems a relatively innocent, minor character. However, in short time, Ellen is shown to be a great manipulator, an extremely jealous, possessive woman who plots and schemes to get whatever she wants. In this case, what she wants is Richard.

Usually the book would be all about how Ellen twists and turns to get her hands on him, and how either he manages to escape from her or how together they realize they are great together and end up happy. However, this book - written in the early 1940s - will have none of that. Instead, the author allows Ellen to grab Richard pretty much immediately, and whisk him away into her self-centered world. Harland, a patient, drifting sort, does not really protest much. He allows her to control and order his life.

It's hard to review this book fully without giving away any of the spoilers. Ellen's behavior is just so outrageous that you are never quite sure what she is going to do next. Harland is very caring about his younger brother who cannot walk properly. Ellen is, of course, jealous. Is she going to be able to keep up her veneer of caring? Will she crack? How about Ellen's sweet younger (adopted) sister who is as patient and gentle as Harlan. Will she ever escape from the world she's in? Or is this book all about how nice people are doomed and how grabby people get the biggest piece of pie?

I initially picked up this book because I was reading the diary of my great-grandmother, and back in 1945 she mentioned having read this book. Those days were long before the wild twisted-relationship books of the 70s and 80s, but this book is certainly not staid and boring. You might think that this book would seem dated and "old". Really, though, many of the places they go are rustic and remote - and probably are just the way now as they were then. The descriptions of locations are lush and vivid. With a few minor changes - like telegrams turning into cell phones - the story could take place today.

Still, I found it not fun to read about such a nasty, self-centered person as a main character. I kept wanting something to happen to her to shake her out of her way of life. I understand that stories should be about all types of characters of all flavors, but if I'm going to spend a few hours immersing myself in a fictional world, I don't want it to be one of despair, cruel behavior and downtrodden people. There is enough of that in the real world, and if I'm going to put myself through that, I'd rather read of real situations and get some sense of how I might help improve things.

Erotomania is still an enigma, but I do so love books written about it. This book is lush with descriptions of all the characters and surroundings. New Mexico, Back of the Moon, Bar Harbor all become very very real.
Ellen becomes a living breathing woman, alive with passion and possesiveness. We are able to see her and hear her thoughts, Richard becomes the unwitting object of her affection and everyone else is a threat to their love.
Her evil isn't truly revealed until you think moments of true happiness have been reached, only to have it all ripped away.

I read and re-read this classic. Through Irving Stone's elaborate descriptive words, I feel, see and live what Mary Todd "Molly" did. I can smell the oranges, feel the velvet dress, and experience the political turmoil of the times prior to and during the Civil War. I don't even consider this book fiction. I am a romantic at heart, and she showed true devotion and undying love for Honest Abe. She taught me traits to look for in a man, and what to overlook. I am grateful to my father for giving me this book before he passed away.

All my life I believed that Mary Todd Lincoln was a mean-spirited woman who undermined her husband's successes and caused him unbearable grief in their marriage. Now, after having read this truly remarkable story of their rocky marriage, I realize that a lot of their problems were caused by Abraham Lincoln's moodiness and hypochondria. Mary longed for a more glamorous life which would have placed them in "high society." Her husband desired no such station in life and this novel does well in exposing their faults and virtues, as individuals and as a couple, and as the title implies, shows that both worked hard constantly to make their marriage successful. It is a great story of love, devotion, misery, grief, and its historical setting is the turbulent years leading up to, and including the Civil War.

I have not read the book in its entirety just yet I have read the first 5 sections in the book and I have found them somewhat tedious. The book is filled with diverse topics which only a few have been able to stimulate my interests.

This book provides insight into the tender moments Abraham Lincoln had with his wife Mary. Mary Lincoln does not come across as a shrew or a nag but as a loving wife that from time to time yielded to frustration and had to bear the personnal loss of two sons. Each time, Abraham seemed to know when to comfort her or when to leave matters unsaid.

I first read this book when I was in high school and I've never forgotten it. It's a realistic and sympathetic portrayal of Mary Todd Lincoln, a woman who suffered greatly through no real fault of her own.