Science Fiction Books

From reading the other reviews here, I can see I'm not the only person who looks at this trilogy as a "cult favorite." It seems that the Borribles definitely have a devout following!

Good news, friends! A publisher in the UK has recently re-printed all three books, in a single volume. These stories are available again at last! Click on "United Kingdom" at the bottom of your screen, and have "The Borribles Trilogy" shipped to you from Amazon.com in Great Britain.

Wow. What a great, original book. I read if for the first time in the late 70s...when I was 12 years old. It was a stunning work then, and remains such. I didn't care for the sequels that I discovered and read several years later, though. I think the story works best as a stand-alone book.

Regardless, this is an awesome book. Do yourself a favor and read it!

Don't get caught!

This book brings back a lot of memories. I read it in my teen years, and it reminds me of one of my English teachers who took the trouble to track down and buy me one of the sequels. That was an act of kindness I never forgot, and why I think teachers are such marvellous people to this day (I had excellent ones.)

The basic premise is of children who run away from home to an underworld/sub-world (yes, it's a kind of urban fantasy). The new arrivals have no name until they can prove they deserve one, and they can earn several. I don't remember the plot, but I know that the tribal/merit-based culture and the way they interacted was really interesting to me, and I'm getting ready to track down a copy for my niece who will soon be of an age to enjoy this one.

Like many here I read this book as a young man. Borribles are children that have chosen to run away from home and live on the street. As they live on the street their ears become pointed, which is why they wear hats to hide the fact from those that hunt borribles. Once you become a Borrible you will remain a kid forever...unless... Many of the cops that work the beat that Borribles can be found are on the look out for them. If a Borrible is captured, then the cops will clip his ears and he will turn back into a normal kid. People that were once Borribles become insanely jealous of those that still are Borribles and also hunt them. Couple this with extra large, intellegent sewer rats that are the sworn enemy of Borribles, and you can see that a Borribles existance is a bit dicey. As a Borrible you can't get a job, so they live by their wits, stealing their supper and defending themselves with thier trusty slingshots. They live in small tribes / street gangs throughout London scratching a rough existance from the sewers and back alleys. Forming alliances and rivalries with each other as well.
The first book of Borribles, a Borrible finds a scout Rumble (really big sewer rat) and his tribe elects to seek out the rumbles and disrupt any plans of attack they may have. Think about a tiny Delta Force unit with sling shots and a candy fixation. Gritty and Tough as the Outsiders with a little Peter Pan thrown in, a great read. I highly recommend this book.

If it weren't for their pointed ears (which you should know are always well-disguised under a woollen hat whenever they're out in public), it would be very difficult to distinguish a Borrible from a normal human child. They're generally "very skinny", "pretty tough looking", and "always scruffy". Sums up this generation perfectly, don't you think? ;-)

Anyhow, the story itself begins when an enemy Rumble is spotted on Borrible territory by two lookouts, Knocker and Lightfoot. The Borrible instantly smell trouble and in no time at all have assembled a crack team of adventurers to assassinate the Rumble High Command. Naturally of course, not all goes according to plan...

From page one, Michael de Larrabeiti's 'The Borribles' is brimming with action and adventure of epic proportions. It isn't perfect, but whether you're young or simply young at heart, there's something here to be enjoyed.

Highly recommended!

I have been reading the whole series and this one keeps up with the others. I thought it was great. Definitely one to tell otehrs about.

Our favorite Neteru duo is back with their Guardian family....intent on locating the Antichrist and stopping Armageddon. With the help of Yonnie---Carlos's brother, who is acting as a double agent on the dark side--the team is able to gain valuable intel on what is going on with Lucifer and his dark agents in the bowels of Hell. What they have discovered is that councilman Sebastian has used his talents for reanimation to bring back from the dead two of the most evil women in history to fill council seats---giving the Guardian team even more to deal with. But with the help of the Kings and Queens on high, the team is once again able to stem the tide of evil that seems determined to take over the world. Will they be able to find the Antichrist before his birth? Or will Lilith and Lucifer prevail?

This tale shows all once again that Ms. Banks is the reigning Queen of Dark Literature. This novel has been somewhat relieved from the overuse of outdated slang (although, the cliche "fair exchange is not robbery" is still repeatedly used. Why, I must ask???), giving this novel the extra shine it deserves. And I must add...if her affinity for dark tales begins to wane, Ms. Banks most assuredly has a career penning erotica. This series contains some of the hottest sex scenes that I have ever read. A must-read for fans of the series.



DYB

I am reading all of her books in the series. I really enjoy them.

THE DARKNESS, the tenth volume in the Vampire Huntress series, is a twisted, socially conscious, erotically charged, violent, and thoroughly fun rollercoaster of a novel that grabs you by the throat and never lets go. Banks' ability to craft convincing characters in a fantastic setting makes both the chills and the romance completely believable, and she writes dialogue as well as anyone in the business.

THE DARKNESS, book 10 of the 12-book Vampire Huntress Legends (VHL) series, is captivating. Unexpected character cameos and new allies kept me up all night.

With the battle at Masada behind them, the team recoups in San Diego thinking Lilith's spawn has been defeated. Chairwoman Lilith also believes this to be true and expects He Who Shall Remain Unnamed to stomp her into a puddle of oil or worse. The outcome: she is given the daylight bite and the power to make daywalkers. The anti-Christ has survived, and in order to give him time to mature, Lucifer commands her to distract the Neteru team and restore the dark realms' numbers.

Lilith wastes no time. Fallen Nuit, Sebastian, and Yonnie are given the daylight bite. Yonnie's unexpected visit provides the team with much need intell as he walks the line between the Light and the Dark. When Level Seven's most infamous resident goes to church, the guardians reassemble, gather reinforcements, gain a new friend, discover a new talent, and take the fight to the street once again. Even though Carlos and Damali have learned to lead the team, both are in need of further assistance from the Council of Kings and Queens.

The interaction between Carlos and Damali reminded me of THE HUNTED (book three of the VHL series). I stopped reading several times just to catch my breath. Sensual, touching love scenes notwithstanding, Jamal's "balm" really works, and I'm sure readers of the series already know the power of sincere prayer. Restoration is granted. Ultimately convicted by Banks' beautiful words, I eagerly await THE SHADOWS.

He's been raging for years. Star trek and outer limits episodes, the short story he claims (with much vigor.) was the basis for the terminator.
He is a man from a bygone age who writes with a passion that is not found today. Some of the best short stories to be found (I have no mouth and I must scream)flow from his pen. A man worthy of a retrospective.
think of that!Gideon's Fall: When You Dont Have a Prayer, Only a Miracle Will Do

My first introduction to Harlan Ellison was in a college course called "Alternative Political Futures" where the professor used science fiction to illustrate the concepts that underlie political science. As part of that course, we read many of the great works of science ficition, including Dune, The Left Hand of Darkness, A Canticle for Leibowitz, Ender's Game, and Childhood's End.

By far, however, the most fascinating writer in the course was Harlan Ellison, and we read two of his stories, A Boy and His Dog and Repent Harlenquin Said the Ticktockman. In just a few pages of each of his stories, Ellison creates a believeable world through the use of nimble wordplay and intriguing characters.

Essential Ellison demonstrates Ellison's development over the course of his career and provides a wealth of entertaining stories. Even more than the fiction, however, I enjoyed the autobiographical essays that are interspersed throughout the book. Ellison opens the window to his own personality, and he is character as vivid as any of his fictional creations.

The only reason that I gave four stars instead of the unabashed five star rating is because there are several stories in this 1000+ page tome that did not catch my fancy. That's to be expected, but I struggled through about 200 pages of the overall book. Don't let that deter you - find the stories that resonate with you.

When Harlan Ellison published Dangerous Visions and Again, Dangerous Visions way back in the mists of the previous century, the speculative fiction community was turned on its ear, not just once but several times. Awards and accolades were heaped upon the participants -- none more so than Harlan himself, who brought the whole thing together. When the promised final volume, The Last Dangerous Visions, failed to materialize for thirty years, accolades turned to puzzlement, accusation, invective, and anger -- almost all of it directed at Harlan, who may or may not be the proper target. I won't enter into that debate (much of it is pointless and silly, not to mention frequently absurd and childish). The only reason I bring up the whole DV mess at all is because, in rereading Essential Ellison, I find that while other writers may have produced stories worthy of inclusion in those volumes, it is Harlan himself who, for all these years, had had the truly dangerous visions. Consider the following stories, all included in this eye-opening retrospective:

* "Lonelyache" -- a dark, mysterious tale of a man at the end of his emotional rope, which wallops you like a chunk of slate;

* Punky and the Yale Men" -- wherein a man tries to relive the violent days of his youth; one of Harlan's most underrated stories;

* "A Prayer For No One's Enemy" -- one of Harlan's most controversial tales, which puts not just anti-Semitism but all racism in its proper perspective;

* "Neither Your Jenny Nor Mine" -- a harrowing story of the days of illegal abortions, absolutely riveting;

* "The Resurgence of Miss Ankle-Strap Wedgie" -- Harlan's best-ever parable about the cannibalistic world of Hollywood;

* "'Repent, Harlequin!' Said the Ticktockman" -- Harlan's delightful, delicious ode to nonconformity;

* "Jeffty Is Five" -- wistful, haunting, and scary all at once, this story (like Bradbury's "The Playground") shows that eternal youth is not all it's cracked up to be;

* "Mom" --Harlan could've talked Oedipus into leaving home;

* "Alive and Well On a Friendless Voyage" -- existential despair as only Harlan can render it;

* "A Boy and His Dog" -- I usually hate the post-apocalypse genre, but Harlan gets it right on this one;

* "The Deathbird" -- my all-time favorite Ellison story, bar none, a beautifully-constructed parable about God, the Devil, and Man's true place in the universe...

...and this list just barely scratches the surface! I haven't touched upon half of the great work in this retrospective -- such as Harlan's heartfelt, sometimes touching, oftimes scathing nonfiction and essays, or the samples of his wicked sense of humor, his brilliant screenwriting, and his absolute fearlessness and honesty in the face of every sort of mendacity and double-dealing one could imagine.

That said, there are some things missing from this book as well; my short list would include such gems as the brilliant "The Beast Who Shouted Love At the Heart of the World," the chilling "Croatoan," the hysterical "From A to Z, In the Chocolate Alphabet" and "How's the Night Life On Cissalda?" (my nominee for Harlan's funniest-ever story), the thought-provoking "Hitler Painted Roses" and "Lonely Women Are the Vessels of Time", and one of my favorites, the haunting "Demon With a Glass Hand". I understand an updated version of Essential Ellison s coming out soon (soon being relative when talking about Harlan and anthologies, natch), and that it will include some new things, like the stunning "Mefisto In Onyx". I can only hope some of the above stories are included as well -- and while they're at it, here's hoping Harlan and Terry Dowling decide to drop "The Man Who Was Heavily Into Revenge," which is my least-favorite of Harlan's works. It's full of the purple overwriting (some of it bordering on self-parody) which has marred so much of Ray Bradbury's latter-day stories. (Sorry, fellow Harlan fans, but I call 'em like I see 'em!) Harlan has said of Stephen King that King needs a good editor; reading "Revenge" makes me wonder if Unca Harlan shouldn't attend the mote in his own eye first.

That, however, is another subject for another time. (And it's a good thing Harlan eschews computers and the Internet, or I'd be getting one hell of an e-mail from him right about now!) The Essential Ellison is what I'm talking about here, and not only is it a great introduction to Harlan's immense body of classic work, it is also one of the finest collections of writing that any American author, living or dead, has ever produced. Only Mark Twain has written as well, as volubly, and on as many topics as Harlan, and only Twain was better...and I have a feeling that only Harlan will be missed as much, and celebrated as much, over the course of the next century as Twain was over the last. Enjoy him while you can, folks -- because writers like Harlan Ellison come along about once every hundred years, and their dangerous visions are not to be taken lightly.

I've had this book for going on ten years, and rarely is there a month that goes by without me picking it up. Ellison's full range is well represented, from the earliest days up through the classics like 'the Deathbird'. Some of the best Ellison non-fiction and opinion pieces are well represented also. If you've never read Ellison, be prepared to shift your outlook on pretty much everything.
This book and the "Angry Candy" collection would tide me over on a desert island pretty well.

Buy this book. Buy it now.Harlan Ellisn is the difference between writing and storytelling.....like some medieval wanderer with a heart full of magic, Harlan will leave your imagination reeling. These stories are the result of a person with a keen eye for the human soul and a style that far exceeds "expectations"....They may or may not change your life, but they are guaranteed to make your day. Buy it now, while there is still time. Your local bookstore will seem like a third-world newspaper rack when you realize that they probably don't have it, and you will be sorry.

This is the final volume in the second trilogy of what is becoming Cherryh's magnum opus -- and this is only the halfway point. Having been told by the late Senior Captain Ramirez just before his death that Reunion Station wasn't destroyed after all, only damaged, and that the autocratic, xenophobic Pilot's Guild is probably still in charge there, the starship Phoenix knows it must return, not only to rescue those left behind, but also to destroy anything that might lead "the other aliens" to the atevi world. Not only that, the aiji is sending his grandmother, the formidable Ilisidi, to represent him, as well as his six-year-old heir, and Bren Cameron, the human paidi, will accompany the atevi party on its two-year mission. And there will be a contingent of Mospheiran humans, as well. Lots of ways things could go wrong with that many disparate elements, and many of them do, but they also learn to cooperate. And Bren gets to practice his original trade as translator in dealing with the ship they find parked near the damaged station, and he does a very creditable and ingenious job, making full use of his atevi resources -- including a highly cinematic grenade-delivery via the heir's toy cars. I particularly like the way the Good Guys get around the station's control of communications by printing up full-color illustrated brochures! Line up the next few volumes and just keep going!

Bren and his Atevi bodyguards, (Atevi are a race of super tall dark-skinned aliens) travel to a distant space station to rescue some stranded humans. When they arrive they discover things at the space station aren't what they seem. Can Bren get to the bottom of the strange alien presence or will the delegation be caught inside a battle zone?

As usual, Cherryh writes an excellent sci-fi novel. Her world-building is extremely well done and each character is well articulated. I did get a bit tired of the `humans are to blame for everything' attitude that is an underlying theme in these novels. Only humans seem to make mistakes, and if there is a war or a problem it is doubtless the result of ignorant humans. Sometimes I'd like to see one catastrophe that humans WEREN'T responsible for. Also, at times the dowager is a bit of a mary-sue. I like the character, but not every book. Overall, this was a great book which had me on the edge of my seat. 5 stars.

I consider Cherryh to be the premier science fiction writer I have read and enjoyed, since starting as a sub-teenager, back in the 1950s. The entire Foreigner series, to date, as there appear to be some more on the way, is absolutely outstanding. When I read the last book in the sequence, I went an ordered the entier set to date. And have enjoyed each and every one as well as the first and latest! If you have not read them, start at the beginning and be prepared to buy, read and retain each and every one. I am posting this verbatum on the other two requested Foreigner series books I have been given the opportunity for which to review!

First of all, I started reading the Foreigner series in the library, then when I had finished the first trilogy, I went to the main branch of the library and lo and behold, were two books from a second Foreigner series. Having thoroughly enjoyed the first trilogy, I read them and learned that there was a final book in the trilogy, which I immediately ordered off of Ebay(no offense Amazon.com). It was everything the other books were, and more. An extremely well drawn alien society. With just the right mix of drama, suspense and then action.

The story is that the paidhi-aiji has finally arrived at Reunion station. However, as they thought, rescuing the stationers would not be easy...

umm, C.J. Cherryh is a WOMAN. http://www.cherryh.com/www/menu.htm

as to the book itself, i thought it was better than average but not as good as the Chanur novels or 'Downbelow Station'. an improvement on the previous foreigner books but she still mistakes dithering for decision making, a common failing in many of her novels.

I can't get enough of the Fables series. Snowfall has background stories from some of the main characters in the series. Some of them are cute, some are informative, some are heartbreaking, and all of them have great artwork in them. Regardless of whether you're a fan or not, 1001 Nights of Snowfall is a beautiful book. The re-imaginings of fairy tale characters as more in-depth people is as fantastic as the different artists' work.

This is another welcome addition to the series. I can't wait for the next one.

I bought this book just yesterday. I was captured by unusual and amazingly beautiful graphics of this book. I never heard about Bill Willingham before so this was my first encounter with his work.
By the end of this book I was rather depressed than entertained. Not because of the quality of this book but rather on the stories told by Bill Willingham are actually depict a real world/ real life human sufferings and problems.
He can bring forward those deepest fear and concern of human. The story of frog prince is the one in particular i found to be the most sad of all.
I would say this work is a must to be collected. But I would say that the stories are not suitable for those under 21 years old.

A great graphic novel, with some of the best storytelling that I have seen. Even if you have not yet read Fable, this can be a good entry into the series (which is what I did). My only complaint is that the book is a bit short, even if the production values (binding, art, glossy pages) are high.

Somehow, thumbing through this comic had never really grabbed my attention - or really turned me off, either. I finally decided to make up my mind one way or the other, and took this first of the collected monthlies home.

And darn well about time, too. Although the premise almost invites bad execution, the stories and artwork both meet very high standards. Artwork by Vess, Bolton, and Kaluta set a high tone, one that the other artists rise to. The stories pull the reader in, too. They draw on the familiar characters of childhood fairy tales, but move them forward in a world of dark forces and dire conflicts. There are no "adult" themes here, but there's still plenty to please a mature and thoughtful reader, and certainly not much for a young child.

I hung back from this title for a long time - well, I've made other mistakes, too. I enjoyed this first collection immensely, and I'm coming back for more.

-- wiredweird

In this tale of tallow candles and turning tides, Corinna Stonewall, keeps her silences, knowing the power of them. In her skin ticks the beat of a timepiece, in her belly is a familiar emptiness from saving her food to feed "the folk", a band of magical beings, all teeth and mischief. As the folk keeper, a job Corinna secured without apprenticeship but by running off the real Corin and buying what knowledge she could get through eavesdropping at the market and doing other boys' chores.

Those days are gone though. Corinna has stopped traveling from home to home and has settled at her place in the cellar when a group of nobles arrives, looking for...Corinna. Though she cuts her hair each morning (it grows two inches every night) and eats little to nothing, she cannot always hide her gender. Even more interesting is the deathbed pact one of the visitors makes with her, having her promise to be a lady of his house. Instead, Corinna secures the place of folk keeper at the new estate, a job no one can take away from her.

The northern isles reveal things Corinna never knew about herself: she his hungry, eating fish right out of the waves, she grows soft in heart, becoming friends with the young man of the house and worst of all, she cannot control the wild folk of the north, who take their strength from stone and sea.

This is an unforgettable story full of imagination, betrayal, secrets and strength. In the darkest pit, Corinna discovers her true identity and with it, her power. The reader finds her own power and place along the way too. Not to be missed.

This was a wonderfully written fantasy novel. I immediately fell in love with the main character and her world. I would highly recommend it to kids *and* adults!

Interesting read. Certainly a different writing style. Difficult to hold my interest until late in the book. It shows great imagination. It is not a casual read.

In the old Zork video games were these nasty critters called grues. If you went into the caverns without a candle you'd likely be eaten by one, but you never encountered them in the light and had no idea what they looked like. Somehow, it was a lot spookier that way.

I'm not saying that Billingsley based her Folk off the Zorkian grues, but both were likely inspired by the same old legends about ravenous teeth lurking in the unknowable darkness.

Instead of avoiding the Folk, like a video game adventurer would, fifteen-year-old Corrina Stonewall seeks them out. Armed only with her courage and a collection of dubious charms, Corrina spends long hours in the cellar "tending" the Folk--that is to say, keeping a journal of what the ravenous creatures eat and providing a bit of herself on the occasions that they're still hungry.

Corrina has to pass at being a boy in order to keep this plum of a work assignment, but at least it's better than scrubbing floors.

As we get to know Corrina through her Folk journal, we discover that this Folk Keeper's gender is not her only secret. She also has strange abilities and a secret past that she herself does not even guess at. The writing is powerful and poetic, and the ending is sure to please.

If you read this book, make sure you have a nightlight handy in your bedroom. Or else, you might be eaten by a grue.

I know there are a lot of books about girls pretending to be boys ( like the books by Tamora Pierce), but this one blows them all away, until only The Folk Keeper stands in all its glory on a podium made of gold.
Now, I did not think I would ever read a perfect fantasy book. Either the character is not fully developed or the writing style is boring/cheesy or it is bogged down with romance. After reading The Folk Keeper, I knew I had found the perfect book. Corinna is immediately a lovable character, a character you stand up for, that you know like the back of your hand. The plot is formed out of seemingly magical hands, spinning a tight web about you that you just can't break till the end. The end, I must tell you, is perfect, it is glorious, it gives you shivers on the back of your neck. And it's all because of the author's extraordinary writing style. Each word is perfectly placed, each scene completely vivid in your mind, until Corinna's world seems to be surrounding you on all sides -- until it is part of you, until you are part of it. I will say again: Do not stop with Tamora Pierce, thinking that no one could possibly write another good book about a girl disguised as a boy. Read The Folk Keeper(it is a million times better!!!). Enjoy!

Big beautiful book. There's no index, nor no page numbers.
Type face is easy to read. Style of writing is easy to comprehend.
It's highly illustrated and the ideas cleverly presented.

I was expecting the usual fae-inspired absolute in-depth fluff, but was pleasantly surprised to discover that this book instead is an interesting anthology of life of the gnomes from hat to toe. Daily life from day to day through all seasons.

There's no definite storyline, but there are many stories scattered throughout. At the end of the book, strangely, it kept eluding to the fact that there may or may not have been gnome involvement. I never figured out why the authors wanted to add that bit of sentiment unless it was to protect their reputations. It doesn't matter to me if gnomes were involved or not.

I enjoyed reading the book. They covered most any aspect that one can think of in pondering the dynamics of existence of such a tiny being. I was especially impressed that there was very little fluff or magic in the telling about the gnomes.

This book would be an interesting addition to a nature folks fancier collection because of it's presentation of ideas for possible ways of survival of nature folks in the woodlands.
:)

Excellent resource items for collectors who have just started or are ole hats at it.

I Wasn't Quite Sure..What to do when I was in the company of gnomes but this book has helped me fit in. A tremendous help!

If there is a better book suited to bridge the gap between children and adults, then I have yet to see it. In this book, all aspects of the lives of gnomes are presented, from their physical attributes to the way they interact with nature. In between you will also learn about their economy, diet, their dwellings, social and family structures, how they court, and the games their children play and even the fact that the females are bosomy but do not need to wear a brassiere.
I "learned" a great deal from this book, for example I was unaware that there are six different types of gnomes. They are:

*) Woodland gnome
*) Dun gnome
*) Garden gnome
*) Farm gnome
*) House gnome
*) Siberian gnome

Illustrations accompany most of the descriptions; they are very well done, adding a great deal of charm to the book.
If you are looking for a way to amuse your children for hours, then read this book to them. It is a fascinating fantasy, presented in such a serious manner, it will make them believe that gnomes do in fact exist.

This delightful book has been a wonderful resource to my family over the years. It has charmed all six of my children when moping in bed because of sickness, and is now loaned out to grand-children. It doesn't sit on the shelves with the other books; and visitors invariably pick it up and flip through it - then need to have it torn from their grasp to come and sit up to table.

I think the most extraordinary thing about it is that it has no age range - it really is for anyone and everyone......

Super killer return.


This is now probably in the class of really good forgotten novels.

The Paratwa were engineered to be superhuman killing machines.

There were enough of them that they could decide to band together and try and take over themselves.

Everybody else thought that was a bad idea and decided on a process of elimination.

A long time later it seems there may still be some around, and a man who just happens to have the physical abilities, if helped by a team and some appropriate fancy weapons tech is tasked to hunt them down.

A violent, but well characterized novel that is far above your run of the mill adventure story.

Well worth looking into.


4.5 out of 5

I will not bore you with details of the plot since other reviewers have already have done an excellent job at that. The big questions are: Is this a good book? Will I like it? What's it's like? Let me try to answer those.

This book is definitely in the genre of a science fiction thriller in the best sense. The action and the plot flows very quickly, very significant events happen that will determine the fate of human colonies, and conspiracies within conspiracies are plotted, revealed, thwarted, and rehatched. The pages do turn very quickly and the plot never stalls.

The only downside is that the characterization is somewhat minimal. The book is plot driven and the characters are interested but they're mostly there as standins for concepts rather than people you might be passionate about. If that doesn't bother you and if you like action oriented, plot driven stories, this is truly a great read.

On another note, there are two sequels to this book, Ash Ock and Paratwa. The two sequels combined to make one story, so if you're going to buy Ash Ock, you should definitely get Paratwa also. Ash Ock ends right in the middle of the action and Paratwa continues right where Ash Ock left off. Will you like the sequels? If you liked Liege-Killer, you'll definitely like Ash Ock and Paratwa. There's more of what makes Liege-Killer a thrilling read - more conspiracies, more revelations, more events that may decide the fate of the human colonies.

I haven't had this much fun reading science fiction for a long while. I highly recommend the entire series.

STORY: As one editorial review so nicely summariezed: "Two hundred years after Earth is devastated by nuclear war and genetically engineered Paratwa assassins, the humans of orbiting Earth colonies are at peace, until a series of murders reveal the reemergence of the Paratwa."

MY FEEDBACK:
1) SETTING - Prior to the destruction of all life on Earth, humans left for the stars. One group took off into spaceships headed for another solar system. The other group onto the colony capsule that orbits Earth. The later is where the story takes place. The colony capsule is 76 miles long, which is big enough to sustain different regions and groups. I had just come across a real-life group called the Lifeboat Foundation. Thus the setting seemed very plausible and real. It worked well for this story.

2) CHARACTERS - Our group of protagonists are likeable and plausible. Nick is my favorite character, but there is something to admire in each of them. The antagonists as gathered from the story description are a group of genetically created assassins. The Paratwa are very cool and deadly. The characters work well together in this story.

3) STORY - The only reason I gave this story a 4 star (very good read) vs. a 5 star (great read) is because of some of what I felt were long sections of exposition needed in order to explain man's history and how he go to this point in the future. Other than that, the story had plenty of intrigue, action and suspense. The author does give things away by page 122-125 out of 460+ page book. This worked for the most part because as characters came on stage there were two you kept looking for hints at to see which one was the "real" bad guy.

OVERALL: Fun read within a great sci-fi setting. It is not necessary to read the next book as this story resolved 95% of all plotlines. I've read that it the next two books are a bit of a let down anyhow. Nevertheless, get your hands on this book.

This opening novel of a space opera sets up an interesting world and is based on an interesting idea. In this world earth is destroyed in a biological and nuculear war and humanity has moved to colonies in orbit. A deadly killer has been released by earths old enemies. Killers that are superhumans enties that have two bodies controled by the same mind.

This book introduces several interesting characters. More importanly the book gets the mood and setting right. The characters move around in style and the story flows well. This book is really a modern dime novel, with the privet eye replaced by a special ops expert.

Unfortuneatly as a trilogy this story fails rather badly. The second and third books do not work nearly as well as the first two. Only the main two characters are kept through all three books and they simply don't stand up the rigor of another seven hundred pages. It is never truly awful the more of this you read the less interesting it is. I can recomend this first novel as a good quick read, but don't feel bad if you don't get around to the sequals.

My friend bought this book for me as a joke because I found the cover art to be amusing. I had read the synopsis on the back of the book, but never seriously thought about reading it until my friend bought it for me. Boy am I glad she did! The book was an genuine page-turner with twists and surprises around every bend. It follows a paratwa - an assassin that is composed of two bodies but one mind - and the paratawa's hunters and victims. In a relatively peaceful existence where everything (including the weather) is controlled by technology, the citizens are literally sheep for the taking as the paratwa reaks havoc. Two paratwa hunters are unfrozen from stasis and sent on the hunt... with technolgoy enabling anybody to alter their identity and the Ash Ock able to fill any position of power, everybody becomes a suspect!

Not only is the book a fascinating and well-crafted story, it brings the eery question to mind of how much technology is too much? And when, not if, will humanity become its own worse enemy?

I don't know why I haven't heard more about this book. I stumbled across it purely by accident but have been surprised to find it is one of the best reads I've had in this genre this year. Glad I found it.

For a very long time, this book was "Unavailable" or "Out of Print". Naturally, I found that intriguing. When this book became available to order, I wasted no time. I feel my wait was certainly rewarded.

Michael's prose is magnetic. It's as if I'm drawn to read faster and faster. These types of reads are rare, to me. Character development was effective, and the storyline is wonderful, even if controversial.

To anyone who likes Cold War books, this is a must-read. For those who want a good story to read, pick this up. I know your money will be well spent!

If you like Historic Fiction, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Spy novels, Cold War Political Intrique, or even action works (to a lesser extent) then this book is for you! It welds the aforementioned genre's together and is a perfect rainy sunday afternoon read. Hard to put down, and a fascinating scenario! I had to read it two times to be sure I didn't miss any details. Totally believable plot line and excellent characterizations, as well as interesting details on the space programs of the era from both the US and Soviet perspectives. I heartily recommend Red Moon.

So far I am about half way through the novel and it is a good read.

This book is painstakingly researched, well written, entertaining, and an all around great read. This has to be one of the best novels I've read this year. I hope there's more to come.

Like many before, I received this book from my mom when I was growing up - I went through a fantasy stage . . . anything w/princesses, fairies, etc. was read.

This is a children's book, but I have enjoyed reading it again as an adult. It has great imagination, and is well written. Nick is able to take the reader and take them into Jennifer's dream world.

The plot starts off w/Jennifer on her way to school in her school bus, stressing about her written report. This is a girl that gets good grades, but hasn't written anything because the assignment wanted her to write about a dream, but Jennifer has never experienced a dream before - until she looks out her window and realizes that she's no longer in the school bus, but in a carriage. The story takes off from there as she becomes "Princess Miranda" and finds out the kingdom is under some evil spell.

I would definitely recommend this book to any young girl. . . I just had my daughter last year, and I will be giving her my book when she's old enough to read it. :o)

WOW!!! I totally LOVE this book!!! I got it from my second cousin Brittany. I have NO IDEA why the heck she got rid of it. It's such a good book! I've read this book twice because it's so dang good! The story starts out with Jennifer (just an ordinary girl) riding to school on a bus. On the bus she falls asleep. When she wakes up she finds herself in a really fancy carrige. She knows she definitely hasn't gone crazy! After she gets out of the carrige, she sees that she's in a different world! People are calling her Princess Miranda and stuff. Later on she finds out that she is the next -and last- target for Duke Rinaldo and Swenhild, a witch. What will she do? She's just a helpless little girl. Or is she? I won't give away the ending. You'll have to read it yourself. This is a must-have book. I suggest you buy it right away. If you don't, you're missin' out!

I loved this book so much. I loved it just as much as harry potter except I read it in a day and it took a few weeks to read harry potter # 5!

Well, I am 25 now and my thoughts kept straying back to this great book I read when I was a kid about princesses, a guy named Prospero, and a girl on a school bus. I wanted to find this book again since I loved it so much!
It has a simple beginning, and a simple way to end it, but the in between stuff is so rich and you get pulled into the beautiful fantasy of it...and wish that you too could be transported somewhere else while riding in your own school bus. I definetely recommend adding it to your collection.

Jenny's a normal girl having a normal day on a normal school bus. Then she closes her eyes and wakes up in a...carriage. In a strange land. Where she is adopted by the king and named a princess.

But she isn't just any princess. She's the seventh princess of a line of five other adopted princesses who were turned into harpies by an evil witch. If she doesn't want the same thing to happen to her, she's gotta do something about it.

This was my favorite book in the fourth grade. A definite keeper, which I still remember almost a decade later. A girl can really relate to Jenny's predicament, can really believe that maybe she herself could be in Jenny's place. As for the adventure...unbelievable. The only strange part was the simpleness of the counterspell--it was a little weak for me. Still, it's all part of the fantasy.

Magic, switch from the normal world into the magical world, hapries, spells, witches, royalty, and good old fashioned school buses.

A great, great book.