Ace of Aces Books

I've tried several courses: math, science, history and language. My kids especially love the Sign Language cards! I purchased all three card sets and the CD-software. The photographs are more realistic than drawings which you mostly find in ASL products. Great for younger kids too. My daughter's using them in her Brownie troupe and my three-year-old has picked up on some of the alphabet and numbers already. My older son has some mild learning disabilities and looking at a page in a book with so much information all together makes him nervous. I put one card at a time on a cleared table. It helps him focus and that gives him more confidence. People have been making or using flash cards forever, and I think they always will be no matter how fancy computers and software gets (but the Exambusters software is good too). I've recommended them to others.

When I was in school, flash cards were the best way to learn and I always made my own. The exambusters cards cover many of my daughter's courses and I bought her several. Sometimes we work together and she and her friends study in a group too--making a trivia game. Try the software. The screensaver function is great!! In our house, we love to learn new languages. The program flashes words or phrases and then translation every few seconds. The material goes into your brain by osmosis and the constantly changing cards on the screen keep pulling you back to read more. The software is much easier to figure out than some other brands we've purchased. It's intuitive; you don't need to read a lot of confusing instructions. All in all, good investment.

In junior high, my son got a head start on high school courses and that helped him get better grades. He used both cards and CD. My son liked the software, so he studied more than he would have from a book. Learning is hard work, but the exambusters made him feel like it's not quite so bad. The software is well-laid out, colorful, and user-friendly. The messages they give when they score the tests are amusing.

I bought several courses. The cards offer basic concepts in small bites. The information was relevant to what was presented by my teacher. The cards and CD's gave good review before exams and a head start at the start of the new school year. The cards had a lot of questions; you can carry them in your pocket and learn a few each day. The software was easy to use. It is like the cards but on the screen. You can take a test or just review. Front is question, click for answer on back of card. The software can also show the cards on the screen at random, first the question, then the answer. They change every few seconds. That keeps you reading and wondering what's coming up next. It's entertaining while you're studying.

Every year I recommend them to my students. The ones who buy them seem to do a little better than they might have. The cards are numbered, so it's easy to tell them which ones they need to know, and which they can set aside based on the curriculum. It's harder to accomplish that type of culling of information with a review book you'd buy at the superstore.

I've tried several courses: math, science, history and language. My kids especially love the Sign Language cards! I purchased all three card sets and the CD-software. The photographs are more realistic than drawings which you mostly find in ASL products. Great for younger kids too. My daughter's using them in her Brownie troupe and my three-year-old has picked up on some of the alphabet and numbers already. My older son has some mild learning disabilities and looking at a page in a book with so much information all together makes him nervous. I put one card at a time on a cleared table. It helps him focus and that gives him more confidence. People have been making or using flash cards forever, and I think they always will be no matter how fancy computers and software gets (but the Exambusters software is good too). I've recommended them to others.

When I was in school, flash cards were the best way to learn and I always made my own. The exambusters cards cover many of my daughter's courses and I bought her several. Sometimes we work together and she and her friends study in a group too--making a trivia game. Try the software. The screensaver function is great!! In our house, we love to learn new languages. The program flashes words or phrases and then translation every few seconds. The material goes into your brain by osmosis and the constantly changing cards on the screen keep pulling you back to read more. The software is much easier to figure out than some other brands we've purchased. It's intuitive; you don't need to read a lot of confusing instructions. All in all, good investment.

In junior high, my son got a head start on high school courses and that helped him get better grades. He used both cards and CD. My son liked the software, so he studied more than he would have from a book. Learning is hard work, but the exambusters made him feel like it's not quite so bad. The software is well-laid out, colorful, and user-friendly. The messages they give when they score the tests are amusing.

I bought several courses. The cards offer basic concepts in small bites. The information was relevant to what was presented by my teacher. The cards and CD's gave good review before exams and a head start at the start of the new school year. The cards had a lot of questions; you can carry them in your pocket and learn a few each day. The software was easy to use. It is like the cards but on the screen. You can take a test or just review. Front is question, click for answer on back of card. The software can also show the cards on the screen at random, first the question, then the answer. They change every few seconds. That keeps you reading and wondering what's coming up next. It's entertaining while you're studying.

Every year I recommend them to my students. The ones who buy them seem to do a little better than they might have. The cards are numbered, so it's easy to tell them which ones they need to know, and which they can set aside based on the curriculum. It's harder to accomplish that type of culling of information with a review book you'd buy at the superstore.

I've tried several courses: math, science, history and language. My kids especially love the Sign Language cards! I purchased all three card sets and the CD-software. The photographs are more realistic than drawings which you mostly find in ASL products. Great for younger kids too. My daughter's using them in her Brownie troupe and my three-year-old has picked up on some of the alphabet and numbers already. My older son has some mild learning disabilities and looking at a page in a book with so much information all together makes him nervous. I put one card at a time on a cleared table. It helps him focus and that gives him more confidence. People have been making or using flash cards forever, and I think they always will be no matter how fancy computers and software gets (but the Exambusters software is good too). I've recommended them to others.

When I was in school, flash cards were the best way to learn and I always made my own. The exambusters cards cover many of my daughter's courses and I bought her several. Sometimes we work together and she and her friends study in a group too--making a trivia game. Try the software. The screensaver function is great!! In our house, we love to learn new languages. The program flashes words or phrases and then translation every few seconds. The material goes into your brain by osmosis and the constantly changing cards on the screen keep pulling you back to read more. The software is much easier to figure out than some other brands we've purchased. It's intuitive; you don't need to read a lot of confusing instructions. All in all, good investment.

In junior high, my son got a head start on high school courses and that helped him get better grades. He used both cards and CD. My son liked the software, so he studied more than he would have from a book. Learning is hard work, but the exambusters made him feel like it's not quite so bad. The software is well-laid out, colorful, and user-friendly. The messages they give when they score the tests are amusing.

I bought several courses. The cards offer basic concepts in small bites. The information was relevant to what was presented by my teacher. The cards and CD's gave good review before exams and a head start at the start of the new school year. The cards had a lot of questions; you can carry them in your pocket and learn a few each day. The software was easy to use. It is like the cards but on the screen. You can take a test or just review. Front is question, click for answer on back of card. The software can also show the cards on the screen at random, first the question, then the answer. They change every few seconds. That keeps you reading and wondering what's coming up next. It's entertaining while you're studying.

Every year I recommend them to my students. The ones who buy them seem to do a little better than they might have. The cards are numbered, so it's easy to tell them which ones they need to know, and which they can set aside based on the curriculum. It's harder to accomplish that type of culling of information with a review book you'd buy at the superstore.

I enjoy historical mysteries as well as fantasies, so this richly detailed portrayal of late Renaissance Venice, with its ancient palazzos, labyrinthine politics and committees, old noble families and a soupçon of magic, very much as the first book in this enjoyable series, is a great read for me.

Nostradamus's resourceful, witty apprentice with attitude, Alfeo Zeno is once again involved in a mystery that is intellectually and physically challenging. As his master's amanuensis, he braves kidnappers and spies and swordsmen and plots and set-ups that may lead to prosperity and renown or to prison and torture. It begins with an old and powerful family with a missing daughter who may be kidnapped or more likely has eloped, who request Nostradamus to find her. Woven into this is a mysterious spy that the Committee of Ten want found. Nostradamus and his apprentice work through ordinary means but with a dab of the supernatural--always careful not to slip into witchcraft and sorcery which could end up with burning at the stake. The supernatural elements are in accordance with the period and not high fantasy stuff, and it's more the little grey cells that are used to solve the mysteries, which are intriguing and involved. And Zeno's personality is fun, fresh and lively.

I hope this series continues, and that fantasy fans and fans of historical mysteries will find these books and enjoy them as much as I.

I love fantasies, historical novels, and humor and this book has it all. Duncan also excels at cleverly drawn characters and the ability to keep the story moving. No extraneous detail here (sorry, the huge fantasy volume I read just before this book could have used some editing so I really appreciated the flow of this story) Reading it brought me back to my childhood, reading my father's Rafael Sabatini collection - books that took place in the Italian states. If you enjoyed the first of this series or Duncan's King's Blades series, you should enjoy this one too!

Everything Dave Duncan writes is wonderful. The only problem, is that once you've caught up with ALL his books, you have to wait for months and months to get a new one. This year we get two, though!

The Alchemist's Code is great. I spent the first two nights I had it doing nothing but reading. One line (with no spoilers) was so good I had to call my husband on a business trip to share it with him.

Alfeo narrates the Alchemist books, and sometimes he talks directly to his readers, which adds a wonderful reflexivity to parts of the book.

Read the books. Duncan can say more in a sentence than I can in a page.

Maestro Nostradamus is many things; he is physician to the Venetian doge, a clairvoyant, an astrologist, and a spell weaver. His reputation is so great that he and his apprentice Alfeo Zeno live in grandeur on the top floor of the Mansion of Alvise Barbolano.

Zuanbattista Sanudo and his wife Eva Morosini come to Nostradamus to ask him to use his clairvoyance skills to locate their missing daughter Graziaa. The Maestro has a vision in his crystal ball; he tells Alfeo to go to a certain place at a certain time in order to find Grazia. He not only finds her, he sees her new husband Danese Dolfin, a gigolo who has done many unsavory things. The Council of Ten including the Doge summons Nostradamus to their meeting place. They direct him to uncover the identity of a spy who is selling secrets to a foreign government. The operative Algol has written letters that were intercepted but are in a code that no one has broken. The Maestro tries to decipher the code, but he realizes he is under magical attack which leads Alfeo to the home of Sanudo; he finds the abode under the spell of a curse. Alfeo tries to lift the curse using magic only to catch the eye of the Chief Inquisitioner whose aide accuses the maestro's apprentice of murder and practicing the black arts.

When one thinks of Dave Duncan, normally fans would think of an entertaining superior fantasist. However, his Alchemist saga (see THE ALCHEMIST'S APPRENTICE) shares the same quality of excellence, but is different with a fantasy flavoring to a historical saga. Readers join the Maestro and his apprentice in trying to figure out who the spy is, why someone the hero knew was murdered, and what object caused the curse. Told by Alfeo, the audience sees through his awed eyes how his master is a Machiavellian wizard who pulls people into his way of thinking.

Harriet Klausner

I like fantasy, I like mysteries, and I like historical novels. The series of which this is the second but not, I hope, the last, manages to combine all three genres and do it very well.

While nobody else seems to have noticed it, both books in the series have an unacknowledged co-author--the ghost of Rex Stout. Nostradamus and his apprentice are their own characters. But they are also Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin transformed to a very different setting. The author has fun slipping in bits from that world along with passing hints at other sources ranging from _The Princess Bride_ to "My Last Duchess." A lot of fun, and some of the best entertainment fiction I have read of late.

I'm not an expert on 16th century Italy, but the historical elements felt right, including a convincing picture of renaissance magical beliefs. I am giving the book four stars not because there is anything wrong with it--so far as I can tell there isn't--but only because I prefer to reserve five stars for books that are not only very good but extraordinary.

I've been reading about baseball for almost 50 years, and for some reason I didn't come across this book until recently. What a life Fred Lieb led! He reported on major league baseball for almost 70 years, most of it in New York City. He knew everybody worth knowing. This book is probably the best baseball book that hardly anyone has heard of (yet). Gehrig was Lieb's best friend from baseball. Lieb was an honorary pallbearer for Babe Ruth -- the only sportswriter so chosen by Ruth's widow. Lieb is in baseball's Hall of Fame. The book is filled with revelations, candid conversations, and reminiscences of many of baseball's greatest stars of its Golden Era. Lieb is the source of many stories that baseball biographers have drawn from. You get the feeling from reading this book that he is an impeccable source. He claims to have originated the phrase "The House That Ruth Built" in an inspired moment. I believe him.

Fred Lieb wrote a gem that will have you referring back again and again. His matter-of-fact, focused writing style is a delight. He was a sports journalist in the 20's and 30's and knew many players, managers, and owners well. He takes sports stars out of the realm of mythology and humanizes their foibles and follies. His tales of Babe Ruth and the chapter about good friend Lou Gehrig is worth the price of the book alone. This is what writing is about! You may even get a few chills when his wife's work is elaborated upon, and how premonitions sometimes come true. You will also get a huge kick out of The Babe's response to her avocation- and the stories about Damon Runyon are fascinating.

This book never gets old or out dated..........Lieb was a great writer and storyteller...........It's more fun reading this than watching some of the guys playing the game today...........Highly recommended...............

Fred Lieb knew the players he talks about personally. Anything written by Fred Lieb about baseball is coming from a true authority on the subject. Baseball has a history unlike any other sport. No other sport can touch it, and in reading about it from Fred Lieb you are getting it from a true master. Do yourself a favor. Buy the book.

Because Fred Lieb saw so many old time players and told about them in such an interesting way. I also thould he was very fair in his comparing of the players abilities.

Banquet continues the adventures of Liam and his Dragon familiar Fanuilh. It takes place a month or two after the events of Wizard's Heir. A priceless jewel is stolen under mysterious circumstances, Liam investigates, bodies start piling up.... It's everything you want in your Mystery-Fantasy crossover! "Fanuilh" and "Wizard's Heir" gave me an entertaining read and impressed me with Hood's clever concept of mixing the Fantasy genre with the Mystery genres of hard-boiled dectective (in Fanuilh) and Sherlock Holmes style (in Wizard's Heir.) In Banquet he blends Fantasy and Agatha Christie style mystery. If that was all there was it would have been good enough. But Hood throws in a shock twist ending that blew me away. A big improvement over the first two books and I LIKED the first two books!

The book was given to me by my friend, he said nothing about it being a mystery, or I wouldn't have read it. But from the first few pages I realized the author had talent, and did'nt even think about as being a mystery until after I was finished. The book was excellent. I reccomend it to any fantasy lover or mystery reader. Wait, I reccomend it to anybody.

This is the third book in Hood's series about Liam Rhenford and his dragon familiar, Faniulh. This story takes place a short two months after Wizard's Heir, just enough time for Liam to get bored. Liam's friend, the Aedile, recommends Liam to widowed Mistress Priscian as a merchant partner. Then a mage shows up at his door to hide from the Wizard's Guild and to go through Tarquin's things. The next morning, a body with his throat cut washes up on Liam's beach. Liam brings the body to the Aedile and finds that Mistress Priscian's priceless family heirloom, the Priscian Jewel, has been stolen. The story catches Liam's interest and he volunteers to investigate the mysterious theft - all of the suspects have a motive, but who did it? In short order, Liam finds himself embroiled in a duel, receiving invitations from rich, bored women, mingling with the "upper crust", hunting down thieves and beggars and trying to keep his houseguest happy!

Another thrilling adventure with Liam and Faniulh! If you love fantasy and mystery, then this is a great series for you. Once again, Daniel Hood uses superb characterization and beautiful detail to bring the land of Southwark to life. Find this book - you will not want to miss it!

I always believed few authors try to mix genres. It is not that it's impossible, or that it doesn't sell. I imagined it was because of the difficulty of writing well in the first place: one should master one genre before attempting to blaze new trails. This series has lifted the blinders from my eyes.

In this story, Liam Rhenford must troll the sewers of society and game with the glittering aristocracy to solve a murder. I've read one other author who does such a good job of combining fantasy and mystery, and that is Glen Cook, whose Garrett series combines fantasy with hard-boiled noir detective fiction. This is far more the gentleman detective, a genre that seems to be entering decline. With Daniel Hood searching out new territory, it can only get better.

Its not that I believed a legitimate honest-to-gosh whodunnit puzzler murder mystery COULDN'T be done in a full-fledged fantasy realm (after all, Randall Garrett came close with his Lord Darcy tales). I just didn't think it WOULD be done. Or at least not well. Daniel Hood has created a series of novels that are both wonderful fantasy and terrific mysteries, complete with first-rate characters. I can't overstate how impressed I am! More more more please!

I loved this book. The characters were real and raw, the plot moved smoothly, and the elegance of the writing made the love story even more touching. I felt like I was transported right into the middle of the story, and I never wanted to put the book down! I highly recommend this novel -- this is some of Wolf's best work. I cried more than once!

Book deserves every 5 star rating it receives

I have read this book 10 times for the last 30 years. Each time is fresh and new. Historically accurate and a darn good yarn. Deserves to be kept on the shelf with "The Daybreakers" by Louis L'mour and "The Bubbling Spring" by Ross Santee.

I first read this in a Reader's Digest Condensed Book. It whetted my desire to read the full length version. Every incident, every character, rings true in a coming of age classic, set in post-Civil War Texas. It is a must-read for all western fans. It is one of my all-time favorites. I always enjoy taking it off the shelf, and indulging in the pure pleasure of following Kid as he journeys from boy to man. There are many great Westerns out there, but none will give you the same feel for the West as this book. Find it, and read it. You'll be glad you did.

This book has it all. Adventure, humor, the dangers and hardships cowboys went through. Love, friendship...

The second book in a series, this space naval courtroom drama nonetheless contains sufficient explanation of what happened in the prior book that it can be read without leaving the reader lost.

Lt. JG Paul Sinclair, legal officer on the starship USS Michaelson by dint of a 2-week elective Academy course, is experiencing some ups and downs. A close friend is being promoted off of his ship, and the too-slick officer who replaces him (who happens to be a high-ranking Admiral's son) is not pulling his own weight. His relationship with his girlfriend's father gets off to a rocky start. And then there's a fatal accident onboard the ship with some questions remaining as to its cause, and Sinclair cannot in good conscience stay silent when he finds some evidence that the investigation into it missed.

There are plenty of space-naval dramas out there, David Weber's Honor Harrington being the best-known example. There are also many realistic courtroom dramas. What's rare is to find a book combining the two genres. In Burden of Proof, Hemry does an excellent job. Of course, there is nothing really requiring this book to be set in space; it could just as easily have been transposed to modern-day Earth in almost every respect, right down to replacing the "Greenspacers" who interfere in a military weapons test with modern-day Greenpeace protesters doing the same thing. But the SF elements are handled ably and well, and do not feel like window-dressing the way they could have in such a book.

The courtroom drama, though it only occurs relatively late in the book, is also handled well. By presenting it from the point of view of the inexperienced Sinclair, the reader gets to learn about elements of legal strategy as Sinclair learns, rather than simply being presented with them as in the average Matlock or Perry Mason episode. Although Sinclair insists that he does not want to become a lawyer, there are signs that his fascination with matters of law may lead him down that path despite himself.

Of all the books I read on the bus on the way to and from GenCon a couple of weeks ago, I think this is the only one for which I will actively seek out other books in the series (which currently contains four books in all). I'm glad that I bothered to pick it up in the dollar store after all.

I devoured this book and its predecessor (_A Just Determination_) in one weekend. They're both excellent.

As I said in my review of the earlier book, John G. Hemry may not have personally invented the genre 'military-SF legal drama', but there can't be too many examples of it out there. And reading these two superbly crafted novels will show you why: if you pay attention to the details, you'll see a lot of expertise lurking unobtrusively in the background. There can't be all that many authors who can write with confidence about the US Navy, the physics of space travel and spaceships, _and_ military law -- let alone keep all that stuff in the background while competently _telling an interesting story_ that doesn't bog down into technical exposition.

I'm not going to tell you a great deal about that story itself, and as with the earlier book, I strongly advise you _not_ to read the cover blurb and other book information if you haven't done so already. In each case, Ace has seen fit to promote the book by giving away things that happen well over a hundred pages in, and I would have enjoyed each of them more if I hadn't known in advance what was going to happen.

I can safely tell you that as this one opens, Paul Sinclair has just made Lieutenant Junior Grade and is still serving aboard the USS _Michaelson_. Again, the first hundred or so pages follow him through his shipboard experiences as we watch him grow and mature as a naval officer.

I can also tell you that early on, there's an extremely well thought out (and, incidentally, extremely funny) sequence involving a protest by an organization called 'Greenspace', who apparently do much the same sorts of things in space as their present-day predecessors do at sea. Hemry's portrayal of the Space Navy's personal and professional responses to these 'hippies' is both hilarious (this is where the meat of the humor is) and accurate (as a measure of Sinclair's assimilation to Navy life); his portrayal of the Greenspacers themselves is a _little_ bit of a caricature, but no one will have any trouble recognizing their real-life counterparts. One of my complaints about Heinlein's mostly-excellent _Starship Troopers_ is that Heinlein sets up and shoots down way too many straw men; Hemry doesn't make that mistake.

(Any actual hippies who read this book should read the narrative and dialogue very carefully. Hemry isn't taking sides at the authorial level; if he's making a sociopolitical point here, it's the one Commander Sykes makes: by all means question assumptions and challenge beliefs -- every society needs people who will do that -- but don't, don't, don't do foolish things that put lives in danger. And if anybody out there is still under the illusion that people in military service are 'fascists', Hemry's books should help to disabuse them of such silliness.)

Otherwise I won't give anything away. This is some of the best recent SF I've read, and I'm looking forward to reading the next Paul Sinclair book (due out in March 2005, I think).

An explosion occurs on the galactic cruiser USS Michaelson, killing Chief Petty Officer Asher and destroying much of the Forward Engineering section. While repairs are made, an inquiry into the accident occurs. The investigation team concludes that Asher violated regulations by working solo.

However, legal officer Lieutenant Junior Grade Paul Sinclair hears rumors from distraught sailors that they not only mourn the loss of a peer, but they have lost confidence in the leadership as it seems to the crew that a big cover-up happened. Everyone insists that Asher followed orders given by rising superstar Lieutenant Scott Silver the son of a very powerful Rear Admiral. Paul knows that the BURDEN OF PROOF is on him. However, all the JUST DETERMINATION in the galaxy could lead to the destruction of his own career and the end of his relationship with the woman he loves, the daughter of the head of the investigation team because if Paul succeeds it will embarrass the officer he wants as a father-in-law.

John G. Henry has pioneered a new sub-genre with his superb space ship military legal thrillers. As with the first tale (JUST DETERMINATION), BURDEN OF PROOF is more a tour of duty than an action packed tale as the plot focuses on relationships on an outer space vessel. The story line cleverly enables the audience to ride along with the crew and taste the pressure of the vastness of space inside relatively tight quarters, the seemingly endless stretches of time, and the protocol of rank. The legal aspects are brilliantly intertwined within a fantastic relationship military science fiction drama that should promote Mr. Hemry to a best selling admiral.

Harriet Klausner

This is a good legal procedural novel. It isn't a whodunnit, more a howcatchhim book. Hemry does a fine job with the naval atmosphere and setting.

The two things keeping this from a 5 star review are:
the exposition is a bit clunky in places -- the exposition doesn't flow smoothly from the characters, it is there to make sure the reader is keeping up. This can be a persistent problem both in the SF genre and in legal stories.

the antagonist seems to lack any redeeming features. It is fairly clear who the antagonist will be within pages of his appearance in the story. It would have been nice to see some redeeming features to flesh him out as a 3D person. As it is, even the people who liked him are doubting their judgment by the end.

With Burden of Proof, the follow-up novel to A Just Determination, John G. Hemry cements his position as the best writer of legalistic military science fiction working today. Drawing on his own Naval career, Hemry brings the world of the United States Space Navy of 2100 to vivid life, populating it with some of the most human, realistic, vibrant characters I've ever been introduced to. Paul Sinclair, recently promoted from Ensign to Lieutenant Junior Grade, is a remarkable hero. Committed and hard-working, he cares only about doing his job to the best of his ability and he constantly chides himself for his own small mistakes. While he struggles to live up to the expectations of some of his senior officers, he is on the best of terms with most of his fellow junior officers and the ranks of enlisted men and women, actively seeking the advice of those around him and always acting in the most thoughtful, ethical of ways.

Things are going pretty well for Paul. His relationship with Jen Shen remains strong, even though she now serves on a different ship, and he has finally witnessed a return to normalcy after his critical involvement in the court-martial trial of his previous captain. Unfortunately for Paul, that two-week legal training course he took early in his career is about to come back and bite him once again.

I love the opening of this novel, as it features the disruption of a test firing mission by protestors. In a remarkable scene, Greenspacers fly in and launch themselves in to the target zone in individual pods, forcing Sinclair's ship, the Michaelson, to pick them up one by one and take them back to port. Soon thereafter, most unexpectedly, an explosion rocks the ship and takes out most of Forward Engineering. With the chief engineer missing in action and the fire suppression system not working, Sinclair takes it upon himself to lead the dangerous fire-fighting mission in to the affected area. It soon becomes clear that Chief Asher died in the explosion, and an investigation concludes that Asher caused the disaster by working on a critical piece of equipment alone - a clear violation of Navy policy. The man in charge of that investigation just so happens to be the father of Jen Shen, a man who has already made it clear that he finds Sinclair unworthy of his daughter's affection. The official report actually blames Paul - indirectly - for the tragedy, but the most galling thing of all is the awarding of a medal to Lieutenant Silver, the new replacement for Paul's best buddy on the ship. Anyone with eyes can see that Silver gets by on his personal charm alone while foisting all of his work on his subordinates (including Sinclair), and Silver was particularly useless at the time of the explosion.

Soon, information reaches Paul's ears that casts the official report's conclusions in doubt, and Sinclair is anxious to clear the name of Chief Asher and see that justice is done. The focus of attention quickly becomes Lieutenant Silver, putting Sinclair in a tough position. If he recommends court-martial proceedings against Silver based on his growing evidence, some will question whether he is trying to make Silver the scapegoat in order to deflect the doubts cast upon his own performance. There's another tiny little matter to consider, as well - Lieutenant Silver just happens to be the son of a powerful vice admiral. Once again, Sinclair is forced to make a tough choice that could threaten his reputation and Naval career - not to mention his relationship with Jen Shen, as her father will of course be called to testify for the defense.

The case against Silver is far from a slam-dunk because virtually all of the evidence is circumstantial. Clearly, though, that evidence points to Silver's wrongdoing. As in A Just Determination, the climax of the novel plays out in a military courtroom. It is here that Hemry's incredible skills at characterization really come to the fore, as this is by no means a boring courtroom drama.

Hemry has done the impossible and actually produced a novel more exciting, more engrossing, and more impressive than A Just Determination. I'm quickly coming to the conclusion that Hemry is the best science fiction writer working today. No other author manages to hook me mind, body, and soul from the very first page, and no other author creates characters who become such an integral part of my life. The first hundred pages are quite telling, as Hemry spends all of that initial time describing Sinclair's performance on the job and his interaction with friends and fellow officers. Only when the reader is firmly grounded in Sinclair's character and the nature of life aboard a Space Navy vessel does the central action of the novel, namely the explosion, take place. It's a picture perfect approach to making this legalistic science fiction thriller such an engrossing, addictive reading experience.

Full of depth and dimension. Figuring out the game is as engaging as the plot of the novel itself. I read this as a teenager, and ten years later Ajibawr and the desert tribes Gregorian describes still intrigue and entice. Better than the first book - more complex. I haven't read the third in the series; I'm a little concerned that it will be a letdown...

THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR A COPY SINCE I WAS 14!(I AM NOW 33) THE STORY LINE PULLS YOU RIGHT ALONG AND THIS BOOK MADE ME FALL IN LOVE WITH SCI-FI/FANTASY BOOKS. ALSO TRY CHRONICLES OF NARNIA AND ANY URSULA K LEGUIN....HAPPY READING : - )

I absolutely loved this novel. I don't think I even took a full breath in between the Broken Citadel and this. They're both fantastic. Unfortunately it leaves you at such a cliffhanger, and the sequel doesn't seem to be around anywhere...

I first read Broken Citadel when I was in Jr. High. I loved it then and have since been trying to locate my own copy. I finally found copies of both The Broken Citadel and Castledown. I, too, had to read the second book right away. I couldn't put it down! Now I am seeking a copy of the third book. If you know where I can locate one, PLEASE let me know!

First of all, I am the niece of Joyce Gregorian, the book is dedicated to me, and therefore I am a biased reviewer. Years after her first trip through a broken window in The Broken Citadel, Sibby unexpectedly returns to the alternate universe she thought was only a dream. No longer an elementary school student, she views her old friends differently. And someone from her own universe has followed her this time. A more mature version of The Broken Citadel, some inrigue and romance, but still geared towards the mature younger reader. (Or the escapist adult reader.) As The Broken Citadel was structured around Tarot, Castledown is structured around a chess-like game of Joyce's imagination. The fianl book of the trilogy, The Great Wheel, is structured around the zodiac.

I am sure that in the coming months you will attend a college graduation party. Or you may know a recent college graduate. If you are agonizing over a gift for that person, look no further than Ditch The Flip-Flops: Ace Your Job Interview Fresh Out of College by Sylvia I. Landy.

I was provided a reviewers copy of this book.

Contents:
Introduction
Chapter 1: Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish
Chapter 2: Get the 411
Chapter 3: Draw Some Blood
Chapter 4: Step Outside the Box
Chapter 5: Spend More Than Chump Change
Chapter 6: Ooze "the Right Stuff"
Chapter 7: Sweat Simple Around the Clock
Chapter 8: Bring Along an Entourage
Chapter 9: Assume the Versatile Chat Position
Chapter 10: Seize the Moment
Chapter 11: Turn the Tables
Chapter 12: Up the Ante
Chapter 13: Pull Out Plan B
Chapter 14: Strike Pay Dirt!
Conclusion
Sources
Index

Sylvia Landy has created a book specifically for the recent college graduate looking for their first job. Through several businesses, Landy has always hired recent college graduates, mostly as a cost savings measure. She knows what she is talking about, and wants to provide her experiences, and those of others, to assist college graduates with the tools needed to successfully land a job. Not only does she provide the standard resume writing tips, but she also shows the reader how to answer the predictable and not-so predictable interview questions. Things that you may think are common sense, like don't go out to a party the night before an interview, clean up your Facebook and MySpace pages, and record new voice mail greetings, are included. Throughout the book she throws some humorous, and not so funny, anecdotes, that will add to her points. She also addresses those readers who did not graduate with stellar grades or many activities.

There are many books that will help with resume writing, interviewing, and job searching. This book ties it all together for the recent college graduate in a well written and very worthwhile book. Now that you have graduated, you are competing with over a million graduates. You need an "edge," and this book delivers it. I was impressed at the breadth of the topics that Landy covered, not only how to write a letter in advance of your interview, but also how to handle illegal questions (age, sexual preference, religious affiliations), videoconference interviews, what and how to order if you are meeting someone over lunch, and more. Whether you are competing for an internship or full-time employment, this book will provide you the tools necessary to stand out in the crowd and land that job.

My only problem with this book is that it wasn't available when I graduated. :-)

If you think that finding a job is comprised of simply submitting a crudely drafted resume on a company's website, you're solely mistaken. Ditch the Flip Flops is the handbook for any recent college graduate who wants to land his or her dream job. Ditch answers all the question a reader could ask about the interview process. It covers everything from how to prepare for the interview, how to answer questions and how to leave a lasting impression even after the interview is over.

I had some reservations about reading a 300 page book pertaining to the interview process, but Landy's wit and humor kept me entertained from start to finish. Passages like, "Speaking of oily ... this is not the way to get noticed in your interview" still make me laugh when I skim through the pages before I have an interview. Ditch is not only the quintessential interview handbook, but it is also an enjoyable read.

I could not believe how much information was packed into one book! I loved the questionnaires, the advice, the examples and the further reading and search engines recommended by the author. Truly a bargin for so much information!

Based on the title, I was first attracted to this book as a possible graduation gift. I didn't really see anything else out there with job interviewing fundamentals for twentysomethings. As graduation gifts, I bought a few copies and before wrapping them up, I decided to read one myself. I was really impressed.

I can see how Ditch the Flip-Flops was sorely needed for both internship and full-time employment interview tips. It's definitely geared toward college students and their unique situation in meeting recruiters for the first time. The Q & A section is right on the mark, as are the chapters outlining wardrobe malfunctions as well as interview follow-up strategies, and the management of both phone and in-person meetings (on campus, in the corporate office and other locations).

I think the material is definitely written in a straightforward manner that appeals to college students. While every reader won't tackle Ditch the Flip-Flops cover to cover it's a great resource that can be easily accessed on a chapter by chapter basis.

I continue to give this book as a graduation present because I'm always thanked for it!

Since graduating from college in May and immediately enlisting in a full-scale job hunt, I can only now fully understand the difficulty of separating yourself from the flood of other recent graduates clamoring for post-college employment. The importance lies not only in "selling yourself", but also in determining the qualities you possess which will set you apart as a unique candidate for a desired position. Ditch the Flip-Flops acknowledges this importance and effectively guides readers into determining what positive attributes they have to offer future employers.

The book goes above and beyond your typical interview handbook by dealing with the smaller yet equally important details frequently overlooked by most authors. From specific wardrobe advice, to the pre-interview morning routine, and even to what your body language reveals about you, Ditch the Flip-Flops leaves no stone unturned and acknowledges the seemingly insignificant, yet sometimes crucial particulars that often slip readers' minds in preparing for job interviews.

Author Sylvia Landy takes what could have become a dull, lackluster how-to manual and infuses it with humor and encouragement. While the book's advice is straightforward and practical, Landy provides effective, amusing (and sometimes slightly horrifying) anecdotes to illustrate her points. Readers can approach the job industry with boosted confidence as the book equips them with the tools and attitude necessary to come across as informed, qualified job candidates. The book covers every step of the job-search process from beginning to end; not simply the interview itself, but finding a job opening, building a resume, and even weighing post-interview job offers.

I have no doubt that customers who purchase Landy's book will profit from its advice and gain a new-found confidence in their abilities not only to attain jobs, but to succeed in any future career pursuits.