Science Fiction Books

Paul Hawken has a wonderful gift of pattern recognition that enables him to draw from diverse sources and sew together a patchwork of information that is compelling in its message: We must work together if life on this planet as we know it today is going to survive the threats of devaluation of individual life, depleted resources, pollution and global heating. (Heating is my term. I feel that `warming' is an unacceptable euphemism!)What is most appealing to me after the excellent summary of facts and issues is Hawken's positive spin on the situation.

When asked at colleges if I am pessimistic or optimistic about the future, my answer is always the same: If you look at the science that describes what is happening on earth today and aren't pessimistic, you don't have the correct data. If you meet the people in this unnamed movement and aren't optimistic, you haven't got a heart. What I see are ordinary and some not-so-ordinary individuals willing to confront despair, power, and incalculable odds in an attempt to restore some semblance of grace, justice, and beauty to this world. (p. 4)

Healing the wounds of the earth and its people does not require saintliness or a political party, only gumption and persistence. It is not a liberal or conservative activity; it is a sacred act. (p. 5)

In total, the book is inadvertently optimistic, an odd thing in these bleak times. I didn't intend it; optimism discovered me. (p. 8)

Hawken points out that the roots of our problems lie in our concepts and attitudes about our world. For instance, production and acquisition of material goods has become the primary focus and goal of the modern world, to the point that they are more important than people. This has shaped our mentality in self-destructive ways. Mass production and distribution of products become more economical and profitable through uniformity. Living systems thrive best on diversity, which provides a gene pool that can adapt to external challenges. However, in the name of enhancing efficiency of food production, distribution and sales, our diversity has been sacrificed and the biological pool of genetic resources has been systematically whittled down to the cheapest and most marketable varieties of edibles. This mind-set is core to the struggles of our modern world between the interests of business and industry and the interests of people and the environment.

In the pursuit of industrial and economic growth that has assumed the proportions of an ideology, natural resources have been over-exploited to the point that they are depleted. Our fish, trees, land and waters have been wantonly exploited, with little if any thought to the needs of tomorrow, much less to those of future generations. Similarly with people:

Slaves, serfs, and the poor are the forests, soils, and oceans of society; each constitutes surplus value that has been exploited repeatedly by those in power, whether governments or multinational corporations. (p. 22)

Trade is not the salient issue; the critical question is, Who sets the rules and who enforces them? There can be no sustainability when institutions whose primary purpose is to create money are dictating the standards. (p. 135)

As a uniform trading system sweeps over the world, the monetary gains are called GDP, but the losses that are suffered, even in the industrialized West, much less in the Third World, are not tallied, as if one were recording sales at the cash register but ignoring thefts at the back of the warehouse. (p. 118)

The World Trade Organization (WTO) seeks to establish commerce as the basis for governing the world. It is set up without checks and balances, as a dictatorial institution that can override local populations' wishes and needs.

The purpose of the organization could not be simpler: the eliminations of constraints on the flow of trade, including how a product is made, by whom it is made, or what happens after it is made. By doing so, WTO removes individual countries; and regions; ability to set standards, to express values, or to determine what they do or do not support if those standards conflict with WTO rules. (p. 120)

In all WTO rulings one common denominator prevails, and the denominator is money. (p. 129)

The severity of the challenges has spawned both awareness and action groups. Hawken gives brief discursive summaries of several dozens of these, and many more as annotated references.

The exponential assault on resources and the production of waste, coupled with the extirpation of cultures and the exploitation of workers, is a disease as surely as hepatitis or cancer. It is sponsored by a political-economic system of which we are all a part, and any finger-pointing is inevitably directed back to ourselves. There may be no particular they there, but the system is still a disease, even if we created and contracted it. Because a lot of people know we are sick and want to treat the cause, not just the symptoms, the environmental movement can be seen as humanity's response to contagious policies killing the earth, while the social justice movement addresses economic and legislated pathogens that destroy families, bodies, cultures, and communities. (p. 145)

Action groups work at different levels to promote a saner, sustainable world:
· Watch organizations - monitor governmental institutions, corporations and geographically sensitive areas
· Keeper groups - advocate for the preservation of waters and all their users
· Networks - combine the information, knowledge and action focus of like-minded groups

For example:
· The US Green Building Council (USGBC) promotes awareness of, use, and distribution of building materials that do not deplete or harm the environment.
· "Slow Food (alimento lento) is the long overdue response to dead food, processed food, fast food, agribusiness..." (p. 155)
· Microloans help to bring hardworking people out of poverty. Kiva.org brokers loans on line.

Hawken points out that every one of us bears a responsibility to participate in addressing these problems. The two basic rules to guide us must be the Golden Rule and the Sacredness of All Life. We must aim for a `zero-waste society" or better, a restorative one.

We will either come together as one, globalized people, or we will disappear as a civilization. To come together we must know our place in a biological and cultural sense, and reclaim our role as engaged agents of our continued existence. (p. 165)

I cannot recommend this book highly enough - to anyone interested in contributing to healing our modern societal illnesses and insanities and saving our world.

This is a wonderfully documented guide about groups working for social justice and for bringing balance and restoring our planet's seriously damaged environment.

Among many issues, Paul Hawken tells us that fighting for those important objectives, ideology or partisan politics play a secondary role, because civilization survival is on the balance and people's direct involvement is vital.

Saving Earth and bringing social justice to all must have priority over short term goals, such as profit maximizing via externilizing costs to society.

The road for the largest social movement in history is long and full of powerful obstacles. That is why social and ecological education along with democratic participation are crucial. After all, real democracy is built from the bottom up and not the other way around, as the political establishment wants us to believe.

I heard about Paul Hawken few weeks ago and I decided to buy his book. I just feel that I learnt so much, the information is clear, the writing is great. Loved the image of the immune system as a comparison of the reaction of people who fight for Human Rights, Environment, Culture, Language, etc. I just want to read more now about these subjects. (sorry for the mistakes)

Some of my friends found this book really inspiring. I tend to look for things like detailed and balanced analysis of issues, in-depth descriptions of the work of political groups, and sophisticated understanding of the way in which voluntary organizations interact with elite politics and economic factors. This book is weak on all of those - but it DOES have a lot of inspirational rhetoric.

A few years ago, activist author Paul Hawken set out to create a database of every non-profit in the world categorized into a taxonomy, which is now on the web in a sort of Wikipedia community format at wiserearth (dot) org - This had never really been done before and he was surprised by the sheer number of organizations working independently to make the world a better place. He found a common thread that all were concerned about the environment and human justice. From this he concluded that there is a global "movement" (a word with many qualifiers) the likes of which have never been seen. He compares it to the "Industrial Revolution" - at the time everyone knew something different was happening, but no one had a name for it or even described it as a unique event, it was both everywhere and unrecognized. Likewise, according to Hawken, this global movement is from the ground up, with no core ideology or leadership, it's an historical mass movement that has snuck up on us and only now being recognized as a major shift.

I think Hawken's message is a powerful one and will appeal to the millions of people working in small groups in isolation against large and powerful forces. Hawken does in fact describe a new trend that has been observed by others: the recent rise, proliferation and influence of NGOs. Hawken contends top-down organizations led by ideologies are old school 20th century, the future is distributed small organic holistic, sort of like how Wikipedia is made, millions of individuals (small and large NGOs) contributing expertise on a local basis that has the net effect of global human and environmental justice.

I had some problems with the book, it is clearly a one-sided manifesto and much of it is historical anecdote of well known incidents (the Bolivian water wars, the India coke pesticide case, etc..) and presents a single side. These issues are extremely complex, it is rarely so easy to say there are good and bad guys, it is harmful IMO to present these controversial issues so one-sided and hold them up as poster children for reform. Why not look at the real undisputed success stories that everyone can get behind? He does in some cases such as Rachel Carson's fight against DDT. Overall I was touched by Hawken's passion,
vision and (ironically) his idealism.

Well, this is the final confrontation between Qui-Gon Obi-wan and Xanatos.
After escaping the previous encounter Xanatos goes to the planet Telos and our jedi's quickly follow behind. What they didn't expect was that Xanatos would be treated as a king on Telos. Anyway you'll have to read the book to find out what finaly happens.

This book ended an underlying trilogy story within this series that started in book 6. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon are reunited as Padawan and Master, which isn't really a spoiler if you have ever seen Ep 1.

The further I dive into this series, the more I like it. Each book has a better story and the characters develop more depth as well.

For a quick, easy and fun read I would recommend this entire series.

I have been a star wars fan since I was 8 and this is one of the best star wars books i ever read. I gets to the story of Qui-Gon and obi wan vs. Xanatos. Books 7 and 2 of this seires will help you understand this one better. Qui-Gon and Obi Wan go to Xanato's home planet of Telos to find him and bring him to justice. There they will try to become master and apprintice once again if Xanatos dosen't [destroy] them first. This is a page turner I read it in one day it was so good. The ending is suprising and makes you wonder for a second. Reading all the series leading up to this book will make this a must have for star wars fans. To me there are two parts two this series books 1-8 which is the begining of the master apprintice relationship part two books 9-18 watches the relationship grow overtime and introduce new allies and enemys. out of part one this is the best book. To me it is the 3rd best book in the series the only books that top it are books 15,and 16. The only flaw with this book is that it was predictable except in chapter 2 and the second to last chapter. The cover of the book front and back give away some of the best parts. Still Jude Watson managed to make a great star wars book.

I've been reading the Jedi Apprentice books to my son (Alex) off and on for the last three years, and he's loved them - and so have I. I still read them to him even though he's getting old enough to read them himself, just so I can have an excuse to read young adult books (yes they are that good).

We've followed the early adventures of Qui-Gon Jinn and young Obi-Wan Kenobi and have been enthralled with the ongoing Xanatos conflict (Xanatos is Qui-Gon's former apprentice introduced to us in the second book of the series "Star Wars Jedi Apprentice: The Dark Rival") . Over the last few book there has been a large story arc concerning Obi-Wan leaving the Jedi order that reaches its conclusion here, and we were happy to see its well thought out end (following a story that long has been a challenging task for my son). However about halfway through this well written epic adventure (as good as any published for adults), I realized that story elements that were set in motion during the very first books (the equally great "Star Wars Jedi Apprentice: The Rising Force" and the aforementioned "Dark Rival") were now coming to a head.

At first I was concerned that my son wouldn't remember all that had come before (in the last 8 books) but just as with Bruck's story in the last book ("Star Wars Jedi Apprentice: The Captive Temple") it came back to him and that speaks volumes about the quality of Jude Watson's writing - that in an age were so much is disposable and easily forgotten, these books have left a lasting impression with my boy.

We look forward to breaking the spine of the next book in the series, to see what adventures await Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, and if they are anything like what has come before - I know we're in for a treat.

This is one of my favorite books. I always like books where good guys go bad. Xanatos was Qui-Gon Jinns former padawan. He already went to the dark side. When Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan Kenobi went on a mission to Telos Xanatos' home planet. They ran into a surprise. Xanatos was waiting for them. They fell into many of Xanatos' traps yet in the end of the book the jedi manages to put Xanatos in a similar trap. This is one of the best books yet and I love it. It shows ones evil fall and anothers redemption as a jedi. Qui-gon is finally letting go of Xanatos and accepting Obi-Wan, This sets a background for the entire saga of Star Wars. I would just like to say that I have read all of the Star Wars kids books and I am the biggest fan. I know what I'm talking about. May the force be with all who read this book.

Our baby loved this book from when she was like 5 months old. It has great contrasty illustrations, not too much text, and you can test your acting abilities as you make "dinosaur fat" and "dinosaur tiny" voices.

I have two little boys, 3.5 and 1.5, and they both LOVE this book. I have read it so much that my older has it memorized and reads it to the younger one.

i bought this book for my just turned 3 year old son, because of his latest fascination with dinosaurs. he had the book memorized the day after he got it. he loves all the different dinosaurs, the colors and pictures are wonderful. he loves the rhyming and the opposites. his favorite is dinosaur fierce which he says so fiercely himself!

Vivid illustrations. Short and sweet. Hard, sturdy book. Bought it for 2 year old twin boys and they have fun telling us whether the dino is a meat eater or plant eater by looking at their teeth. If your kid loves dinosaurs I would recommend this book.

My two-year-old son likes dinosaurs, and this one is a favorite of his. The book is filled with rhyming opposites that lend themselves to a dramatic reading. (My son loves to 'roar' when the dinosaur 'roars.') I would recommend it for one- and two-year-olds.

Though it has lots of pictures of dinosaurs, the pictures are not individually labelled. (I am not sure if the dinosaurs in the book are even modelled on real dinosaurs.) Therefore, the child is not going to learn any facts about dinosaurs, other than they varied greatly.

I have read most of the series and I think it was the most flawless. The story kept me more interested than most of the other books. Jude never ceases to amaze me. All her plots are different and they all get me pumped up and make the Star Wars soundtrack play in my head. This book is fast, action filled and very, very interested.

Lovely read. This book continues where THE HIDDEN PAST left off. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan arrive at Gala, eventualy,and they discover that there is a plot to kill the Queen and also sabotage the up-coming elections.
No sploilers from me, you'll have to read the book to find out what happens. You won't be dissapointed!

The Mark of the Crown was really an extrordinary book in the Jedi Apprentice series. The same great characters are back and are on another adventure. The plot kept my attention through the entire book. For all who like the series or are new to it, this is definitely one you'll like!

Star War Jedi Apprentice: Mark of the Crown

The main characters in this book are Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi-they are Jedi Knights. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are sent to the city of Gulu on the planet of Gala to keep the peace. They
are having elections for a governor. On Gulu, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are caught between two mobs of angry citizens and must escape. This is just one of their many adventures on gala.

Qui- Gon is my favorite character because he is a master of the Force and overcomes many challenges in the book. He is always serious and doesn't give up easily. The Queen of Gala trusts him. He takes the most serious missions while Obi-Wan stays behind and keeps an eye on the Queen, who may have been poisoned. Mali, a chemist, analyses tea that has been given to the Queen and tell Obi-Wan: "Whatever it is, it doesn't belong in tea." The problem in this book is for Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan to protect the Queen.

I recommend this book for anyone who likes Star Wars or adventure books. When you read this book you will want to know what happens next all the time, such as when Obi-Wan was stuck in a giant refrigerator. You will feel a sense of adventure and will want to know how the book ends-does the Queen live or die?

Jude Watson continues to write intereszing stories about the adventures of Qui-Gon Jinn and his young Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi. He also writes about their developing relationship, with both men longing for connection and not realizing that they are coser than they think!

In this instalment the two Jedi are sent to Gala, where the dying queen is bringing democratic elections to her planet, and her son is not at all happy about it.

This is a well-written and interesting story in this continuing series.

Intelligent Design: Message from the Designers
It was really a bautiful and edicational story, I was really suprised to find it is so similar to the book Intelligent design by Rael.
It is the only logical explanation to me about love value and about our future of this beautiful blue planet we live together...

Hola lei AMI y cambio mi vida, tanto sentimental como espiritual asi que despues de cuatro años de leer estos maravilloso libros cambie por completo, para bien por supuesto, solo que tengo un pequeñito problema que estoy en una confusion que espero me puedan ayudar, ¿Existe en esta vida una MENTIRA buena? o acaso soy un mal humano por mentir osea que tengo una relacion con una persona que ella me dice que es muy feliz conmigo, que nunca conocio a alguien como yo pero yo no siento tan intenso como ella es malo no decirle, puesto que yo seria feliz y ella no... se que este espacio es para comentarios para AMI pero realmente me siento confundido pues no se que hacer claro que no me pre-ocupo demaciado pero si quisiera saber gracias y me pueden dar su opinion a MARIOS100@YUPIMAIL.COM

I think that Love is an energy that wrap everybody. Try to feel happy all the day, and see the eyes of all the persons you see and you'll realize that there is love inside all of us. Ami represents the innocence and feeling that all of us would like to be. If we were in a dreamming world, "thats is a Reality ", but we have to be love to find this place first in our heart.

This book changed the way I look at life. Its high knowledge.

Ami is one of the best guides for the spirit ever.I highly recomend it to anyone. It gives hope and truth to one's life: Love is the only way to solve our problems, and to wake up from any nightmare. Everyday is more and more the people that is awake, be brave and act just or simply love...

This book is really good, one of the best I have read. I recommend it along with reading the first two: The Thief and The Queen of Attolia first.

This is the first book of the series I have read. Despite the fact that it is the third one I had no trouble inserting myself into the plot. Megan Turner has done a fine job here. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has an appreciation for a deep plot and well thought out and believable characters.

THE KING OF ATTOLIA marks the third book that follows Megan Whalen Turner's mischievous and dangerous hero, Eugenides, who is known to his friends as Gen. While returning readers may be disappointed that this installment is not narrated by the roguish master thief (the story is primarily told by a young guard named Costis), they will appreciate the returning cast of characters. Newcomers to the series shouldn't be too confused, though everyone should probably read this book twice to get all the political intrigue.

The book picks up with the former Thief of Eddis, Gen, now the newly crowned king of Attolia, except no one is taking him seriously, not even himself. The people of Attolia are furious with "the goat foot" who stole their beloved queen, and humiliating the king has become a national pastime. Poor Eugenides has found snakes in his bed, sand in his food, and has been attacked by the palace dogs, but isn't willing to enforce his authority. His court thinks he's an oaf and a pushover, and an unwilling king is a serious detriment as Attolia faces a war with the Mede Empire.

When Costis, a young idealistic member of the Queen's Guard, makes the mistake of showing his dislike for the king, he thinks he gets a fate worse than death; Eugenides promotes him to a lieutenant and makes him his personal guard. Though being the king's scapegoat is no easy trip, Costis soon realizes the difficulties Eugenides faces as a foreign sovereign in a hostile court. All the characters are tested in THE KING OF ATTOLIA as various forces vie for political power.

This book was a joy to read. Megan Whalen Turner gives the reader rich descriptions of both the sumptuous Attolian palace and its many inhabitants. The novel seems even more plot-based than her previous two books. It twists and turns around the topics of espionage, assassination, and diplomacy. While a reader can still make sense of the story without reading THE THIEF or THE QUEEN OF ATTOLIA, this book is a special treat for returning fans. One of the surprising things for me was how the wonderfully charismatic and clever Gen is transformed into a clumsy idiot under the prejudiced eyes of Costis. Turner hints at the drawbacks of underestimating people without being moralistic. I have waited over six years to read this novel and I'm delighted that it leaves plenty of room for future stories.

Reviewed by: Natalie Tsang

This book is a modern classic to be treasured! It is fantasy, but seems almost to take place in Greece in an alternate world, which i believe is what the author intended. The characters are so rich and likable: Costis with his serious dedication to his country, Eugenides (known earlier as Gen) with his love for both making mischief and the queen, Attolia (also known as Irene) with her sharp tongue and clever hindsight, and too many others to mention. The relationships between the characters are also fascinating. In my opinion, it is the best of the three books, and while, however, it *could* stand alone, i tried reading it about three times without getting into it, but when i read The Thief and The Queen of Attolia, i immediately was absorbed into this book.

No one said marriage is easy. The one between Eugenides, the spy/thief of Eddis and his sworn enemy the queen of Attolia seemed doomed from the start, a marriage of political convenience, imposed on Attolia by its rival kingdom. For how could the thief possibly love the queen responsible for the loss of his hand?

But Eugenides is anything but predictable and has married the queen for love, even if by doing so he must leave his beloved Eddis behind.

As the third book in this excellent series starts, Eugenides is stranded in the Attolian palace. Ridiculed by the Attolian courtesans, despised by the Queen guards and his own attendants, he endures their daily pranks, pretending to be a guileless idiot while weaving a web of intrigue to gain his queen's heart and bring his enemies to their knees. If only he lives long enough.

Cleverly plotted and beautiful written, the story moves at a fast pace to a satisfying conclusion that answers many questions while posing new ones,

Is the Queen pregnant as her fainting may suggest?
Where is Sophos, the heir of Sounis? Would he marry the Queen of Eddis?
Would the political situation in a not distant future set Eugenides against his cousin, the queen of Eddis?

The only thing I know for sure is that I'm impatiently waiting for the King's return.

Partners in Necessity is the three-part Omnibus collection of Sharon Lee and Steve Miller's Liadan Universe. It contains Conflict of Honors, Agent of Change, and Carpe Diem. This isn't the beginning or end to the series; it's kind of in the middle, which is exactly where I started, and didn't mind any. I won't go over plotlines because several other people have done so-and, I've got to say, very well-plus, I am really bad at summaries, so I'll just leave my opinion.

First things first, I'll get the negative out of the way and move on. This edition has numerous editing mistakes, it talks about gods (which, I know some people don't mind, but I hate), and one character, Priscilla, who was one of the main characters in Conflict of Honors, is very nearly nude for the majority of her short appearances in Carpe Diem. What else can I say but that I am a huge, terrible prude and find her under-clothed state...unnecessary. And my last complaint: 846 pages was not enough.

Now that all that's done, here it goes.
There comes a time, about every year or so, when I look back and think of all the things I've read. Now, when I say this, I am dead serious: this book made my whole year.

From betrayal to trust and love; from escaping assassins, government brain tampering, and the threats posed by one's own self; from the cataloguing of space, telepathic bonds, and, of course, adopted family members who are giant turtle-like aliens (That somehow reminded me of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, although no similarities-other than the fact that they resembled turtles and spoke-exist, and, for some odd reason, old trees...), I had unknowingly been looking for these stories before I even found them (And if you've been reading long enough, you probably know what I mean). I was enthralled when they began and devastated when I reached the very last page. 846 pages passed by in only three days--nearly impossible for me. It isn't often that I get so caught up in a story.

I feel very deeply for the characters within these pages, and the only adequate comparison I can give is Firefly. It was a television series that ended just as brilliantly as it began, and just as I felt when watching Firefly, reading these stores was like finding old friends I'd been missing for years. Everything else is overshadowed by the amazing characterizations. I can't remember the last time I came across characters in literature who were all so different, appealing, and real. My personal favorites are Miri, with her funny braid hair-do, small stature, loyalty, and strength, and Val Con, who is musically gifted, damaged, and just about as vertically challenged as Miri; they make a good match. And the last book in the Omnibus, Carpe Diem, which is pretty much their story, deserves three awards: most memorable scenes, greatest characters, and all-time favorite.

Honestly, I did hear wonderful things, but was not expecting what I found. There is a very rare quality to the stories in which the characters share bonds that are not based entirely on graphic encounters (you know what I mean...) and yet comes across as even stronger with this element missing. This is something I greatly appreciate. If there is one thing I despise, it's having too much of a certain kind of information given, and this goes to show that one can do well enough without.

This is the kind of book I wait-and hope-to find. I consider myself lucky to have read it. For me, this was 846 pages of pure entertainment. There have been times where I felt the need to read for the sole purpose of getting to the good parts or finishing, and I never felt this way about Partners in Necessity. Now, I await the next book and hope that, whoever you are, you enjoy this as much as I did.

Sharon Lee and Steve Miller are a tremendous writing duo. Thanks to them and well done.

From one incredibly picky but very pleased reader.

I just have a moment to do this, so let me just say: for anyone who's enjoyed reading in the Liaden universe, this having your cake and eating it too! Just fabulous !!

The plot keeps things moving along, but what makes these novels great is the characters. Real conflict, real choices to make, and real growth over time as well. Quite a world, and quite a story. I particularly liked the first of the three novels collected here.

This is a story for people like me who love a good story.whatever the label. These are people like you and me, who laugh, love, care, hurt, You rejoice with their triumphs and cry with their sorrows. It will stay on my bookshelf forever

Partners in Necessity is an omnibus edition of three novels: Conflict of Honors, Agent of Change & Carpe Diem.

Conflict of Honors: Priscilla Delacroix y Mendoza left her homeplanet when she was only sixteen, convicted of blasphemy and exiled to be homeless and clanless, but she survived. Ten years later, after working her share of grunt jobs, she was the cargo master on the Daxflan, a Liaden ship captained by Sav Rid Olanek. It wasn't an easy job as Terrans were treated like second-class citizens and the second mate, Dagmar, kept trying to "charm" her into a relationship, but Priscilla could not afford to leave the ship and damage her reputation so she stayed. Then Priscilla discovered that the Captain had taken on a cargo of illegal drugs and passed them off as innocent pharmaceuticals. Priscilla tried to hide her knowledge, but she found herself knocked out and locked up on a second-class planet with no money, no job and a resume that now claimed she was a thief.

Priscilla knew that she had to get off the planet and hunt down the Daxflan, if for nothing else than to reclaim her possessions, so she turned to the only ship in orbit at the time - the Dutiful Passage captained by Shan yos'Galan. Unbelievably, the Captain hired her as a pet librarian and then proceeded to help her with pilot and leadership training. Priscilla did not know quite how to react to the friendship of those aboard the Dutiful Passage, but she slowly started to think of the ship as her home. But Dagmar and Captain Olanek were not going to let Priscilla escape and they had a score to settle against Shan yos'Galan, her beloved Captain and source of protection...

Agent of Change: Val Con yos'Phelium, Clan Korval, future Delm and Second Speaker, was just doing a routine mission on some backwater planet in the middle of the universe when his life changed. After completing his mission, he encountered a small spitfire of a woman and saved her life, for which she promptly repaid him by bashing his head in. When Val Con woke up, the spitfire dumped him, but Val Con was intrigued, so he followed her and saved her life again. Now Miri Robertson, whose life he had saved twice, was forced to deal with Val Con, honor demanded it. She was intrigued by Val Con, whom she nicknamed "Tough Guy", but definitely didn't want a partner. As a former mercenary and bodyguard, she could handle herself and, as a target for the powerful Juntavas crime ring, she couldn't trust anyone...

However, both Val Con and Miri, both of whom were used to working alone, soon found that they worked well as partners, at least they would if Miri would stop trying to ditch Val Con at every opportunity. Val Con knew that Miri was something special, she made him feel things that he hadn't felt in years, she made him feel alive again. Miri didn't know what was wrong with Val Con, but she knew it had something to do with what he called The Loop, some kind of brain implant that gave him the odds of success on every mission/action he made. As they grew closer together, both Val Con and Miri realized that the Department of the Interior, who had trained Val Con as an agent, must have some ulterior motive in plan. But in order to find out what it was, they had to stay alive...

Carpe Diem: Val Con his lifemate, Miri Robertson were ordered not to be harmed by the Juntavas syndicate. However, personal interpretation of 'not be harmed' left Val Con and Miri on a broken-down spaceship in the middle of nowhere with the enemy Yxtrang ready to kill them for the hunk of junk they were sitting in. However, Val Con and Miri managed to rig something together and 'jumped' to one of the nearest planets - a backwater world named Vandar.

Vandar had no contact with the outside universe and didn't even know that other cultures existed. With no spaceships and no radio comm that they could use, Val Con and Miri tried to resign themselves to a long stay and set about learning the culture and the language. Meanwhile, Shan yos'Galan, Val Con's brother and his lifemate, Priscilla, began searching the galaxy for him, as did Edger and Sheather, Val Con's Clutch brothers. Back on Liad, Nova yos'Galan, Val Con's sister, had translated a cryptic message from Val Con that, while ensuring the Clan of the heir's survival, told them precious little else. But she did discover that the Department of the Interior, a department that seemed shrouded in mystery and determined to conquer the planet of Liad and from there, the universe, was also looking for Val Con. The more she investigated, the more interested the Department became in Clan Korval...until Nova was forced to call Plan B - retreat strategically, trust no one, prepare for all out war....

These are books 3-5 in the Liaden series if you read them chronologically, which I recommend. As with the other books, I simply loved Lee & Miller's characters and world building. They spend time on the details and it shows that they have carefully thought out and executed another masterpiece. I really feel as if I know the Korval family and am taking a remedial course on Liaden etiquette, these books are that well written! If you enjoy any kind of science fiction or space opera then this book has something for you - great characters, lots of action, enemies on all sides, high tech battle sequences, romance, family relations, honor, and much, much more! You can read this book as a stand-alone novel, but I would recommend starting with the prequels (Local Custom & Scout's Progress, also found in omnibus Pilot's Choice), so that you are familiar with Liad and Clan Korval, but, these books were the originals for the Liaden universe and were written first. Also, you definitely should not miss out on any book in the wonderful Liaden universe - all of them are very highly recommended!

Never thought I'd find this book again. It's in wonderful condition, and a great addition to my classic book collection.

Yes, I too first saw this book in the school library! I was in the sixth grade....and the school was SO over-crowded that my class had its classroom IN the library! THE LOST QUEEN OF EGYPT is a truly magical book...from seeing the beckoning title, onwards!

The book has many illustrations....always welcome in any book, even one for adults....but especially one for teens and pre-teens, as is this book.
The colour front-plate of "Queen Anksenamon", on shiny paper, is from another book, "Great Ones of Ancient Egypt". It is a painting in the modern style, as if the queen were sitting for it today. In her ancient Egyptian robes and wig, the queen's portrait is three-dimensional, very realistic, charming, and totally regal. Yet, one can easily sense the real person beneath the royal robes. This queen has many problems, which are deliniated in this fictionalized (?) life-story.

Starting when Princess Anksenpaaten, second daughter of the fabled Pharaoh, Aknaton, is just a girl, the book tells of her childhood, her parents, her grandmother, Queen Ti, her cousin, Princess Baketaton, her 6 sisters, her cousins Samenkarah and Tutankaton, and various soldiers, (including the general Horemheb, later himself to become Pharaoh), the evil, and wily counsellor, Ay -- and Kenofer, a young artist from Crete. In delineating Ankenspaaton's story, which unfolds amidst a background of royal luxury, and a family that truly does love one another, a tale of palace intrigue and danger unfolds, filled with friendship, tragedy, terror, and suspense!

Helping the story along are the marvelously wonderful black and white line illustrations...all done in the manner of the ancient Egyptians...that is, showing people mostly in profile, and in stylized poses. But these poses are still realistic, and one is enchanted with their artistry and believability.......

All in all, this is an entrancing, involving, exciting book, filled with historic, true-to-life characters that come to life before the reader's eyes. Coming to life too is the historical setting and atmosphere. Gripping with its suspense, and breath-taking in it's tragedy and romance, this book is a true classic which, one hopes, will endure in the hearts of its readers, (and in successive printings!), for as many generations as Ancient Egypt itself did!

I can't believe there are so many of us who have read this book. I took fell in love with this book during my 6th grade year in 1987. I found it in my school library at the time and ever since I read it I have been facinated by anything Egyptian. I even wanted to be a history teacher for awhile because of it. Now with my own 11 yr old 6th grader, I too would love to get my hands on this book for her. Here's hoping I can find one...

Excellent, excellent book with the perfect amount of detail. Truly pulls you in and makes you "see" Ancient Egypt with the characters.

Loved it!

I can't believe it! There must be thousands of us who read this book as a kid and fell in love with ancient Egypt. I thought I was the only one. This book had such an impact on my life. Because of it I spent countless hours reading and researching the 18th dynasty of ancient Egypt. Most of my research papers in school were devoted to some aspect of Egyptian life of that time. I even wanted to be an archeologist when I grew up - until I realized that it involved dirt, heat, humidity and sweat! But this book started me on my love of history and ancient times. How I wish they would reissue the book so young people today could read it and so I could get a copy of it without spending $100!

I smiled as I read these reviews; I, too, searched for years for a copy of this book, and I, too, thought I was the only person smitten with this book 40 years ago. Like many before me, I was drawn to archaeology solely due to this book. Highly recommended for junior and high school girls--it truly makes history come alive!

I've heard of "gentle readers" but this author is a "gentle writer". She has taken a subject that could be horrifying for kids and made it a "spooky adventure". When I was a little girl I had a metal dollhouse with little rubber people and hard plastic furniture. To me it was a mansion with soft contours and real life. As an adult I love the giant dollhouse at the Smithsonian and reading about Tasha Tudor's dollhouse. I used to pretend that when I was watching them they were watching me and how strange that would be. I never imagined a mystery in my play - but this author did and she accomplished it in an entertaining and imaginative way. This is a wonderful book - now on my children's shelf - and recommended to all.

I read this book for the first time when I was in middle school (about 13 years ago) and I was hooked. I read it a million times throughout the next couple of years and enjoyed it each time. I was drawn in to the point that I thought I was living the book. Recently, I wanted to read this book that I loved long ago and searched for it on Amazon. I am so happy to see that many people love this book and feel the same way that I do. I just became a mom to a little baby girl, and I can't wait for her to enjoy this book as much as I did.

This is the most amazing book!!!! I don't even know how many times I've read it! It's my favorite book ever and I've read alot of books!!! Strongly recommend!!!

My book, Time Windows, by Kathryn Reiss was mysterious and full of suspense. It was so great it kept me up for hours after my bed time. The main character, Miranda, moved to an old house in the middle of nowhere from New York City. At first she doesn't like the house. Then she entered the attic and found a dollhouse that can reveal a secret about her house's past. This book made you feel like you were sitting in the attic with Miranda peering into the windows of the doll house. By Nicole

I AM ONLY ON PAGE 100 AND ALREADY I LOVE THIS BOOK. I LOVED IT FROM THE FIRST WORD THE END IS EXCITING! [I ALWAYS SPOIL IT BY READING THE END FIRST BUT I WILL NOT TELL YOU ABOUT IT!] I AM 25 AND THE GIRL IN THE BOOK IS THIRTEEN SO I COULD TELL THIS IS FOR YOUNGER PEOPLE BUT I STILL LIKE IT COME AND READ THIS BOOK... IT TAKES YOU FOR A RIDE AND A RIDE OF MYSTERY AND SUSPENSE IT IS SO IF YOU LIKE MYSTERYS AS WELL AS SUPER NATURAL STUFF LIKE I DO COME READ THIS! I JUST WANTED THE AUTHOR OF THIS BOOK TO KNOW THAT SHE DID AN AWESOME JOB!!

I enjoyed this book. It's about the Animorphs' discovery of a chat-site about Yeerks. I thought that it was an okay book, but they don't seem to mention the people in the chat-site anywhere else in the series (I'd have thought that a whole site full of Yeerk-aware people would be a major thing, but that's just my opinion), so if you are just looking for important books in the series, you can skip this one.

The book does not have enough adventure for it to be a good book. It should have fighting against the Yeeks. I think that if there was more adventure, and it had more Controllers it would be alot better.

In this book, Jake discovers a web site about Yeerks. He shows it to the others and they see the chat room. They decide to pay a visit to Web Access America (not AOL, A reader from U S A). They go to the airport because WAA is too far to fly in bird morph. There they fight over wether to morph flies on a United or Northwest plane (they choose United). Marco eats some shareholder's first class lunch and Jake (?) wonders if there will be an in-flight movie, and Marco (?) says not a movie, the flight's 1 1/2 hours long, more like an in-flight cartoon! Tobias in fly morph is funny. When there in the WAA building, Jake, in tiger morph, Rachael, in Grizzly morph, Cassie, in wolf morph, and Tobias, in his natraul form (hawk), mop the floor. An employee says there crazy, why are they mopping the carpet? Ax and Marco sneak in to the computers (everyones distracted) and find out who MegMom, Fitey777, and Gump (screen names from the chatroom) really are. It turns out Fitey777 is Joe Bob Fenistre is the CEO of WAA. Jake gets a rhino morph and They go to Joe Bob Fenistre's house. I'll leave it at that

Jake has made an amazing discovery: a web site about the Yeerks. Should the Animorphs investigate? If they do, they might walk right into a trap. And if they don't, they'll never know if they're fighting their enemies alone.

Jake and the gang go on a yeerk web page track down fenstre. the find out the the yeerk in side him is a twin of the yeerk in visser three thats why he ordered his men to shoot a the birds (rachel an Ax in bird morph) because visser three is the only controller that has the morphing abillity