Authors Books

I had read another book, Alaska Twilight, written by this author. I doubted that "Midnight Sea" could be as terrific a book as the former. I was wrong! Colleen's way of telling a story couldn't be any better in keeping a reader glued to the pages. The story locale is Hawaii in the midst of the many coffee plantations. Leilani Tagama, known as Lani, is the featured girl in the book. Lani has a terrible accident that leaves her blind and prevents her memory from seeing who she had seen murder a good friend. Lani had always been a very active person and she could not imagine how she could live a decent life without her sight. In her previous years Lani had been very loose in her many romances with men. She had recently turned to God to get her life in gear and now could not understand why God allowed this blindness to occur.

Ben Mahoney had taken on training guide dogs to assist those that had lost their sight to live a much better life. At this time he was training a two-year old golden retriever and "Fisher" was doing quite well. He was almost ready to help those in need of his services. While in training, Ben and Fisher had run into Ben's former police partner, Yoshi Tagama, a cousin of Lani's. Yoshi requested the help of Ben and a guide dog for Lani. Ben wasn't sure that Fisher was ready for active work yet but finally gave in and told Yoshi he would take Fisher to Lani to see how it would work out. His hesitation was further enhanced knowing Lani's past reputation as being too free with the men but realized Lani needed help with her total blindness.

Ben's brother, Ethan and wife, Natalie, are almost always spaced out on alcohol, leaving their adorable daughter, Meg, without caring parents. A boating accident takes the lives of Ethan and Natalie but somehow Meg survived in her life vest. The accident also exposed criminal activity taking place in the area. Ben and Lani then cared for Meg.

The story continues as it brings Ben and Lani closer together through Meg and their feelings for each other even though they did not express those feelings to each other. Lani's life was at risk because the killer felt Lani had seen him before her sight was lost and would someday remember who he was. Lani and Fisher made a great team as they adjusted to life together and Lani grew so attached to him that she told Ben she could never give up Fisher even if she regained her sight, which she felt she would some day.

Yoshi stayed as close to Lani and Meg as he could but he had other police work to do and could not spend every hour protecting them. Lani had several attempts on her life and her senses had saved her along with her friends being on the alert constantly. She even got to the point where she could distinguish by feel the ripe coffee beans and helped in the picking with Meg sometimes at her side and other times with friends and family watching Meg. Meg loved gum and everyone knew that fact as she insisted loudly that she wanted some gum!

The Christian atmosphere all through the book stand out especially well as Lani sometimes wonders why God let all these thing happen but then realized that God had done so many good things for her too. Midnight Tea is a page-turner that is extremely hard to put down. The reading is easy but pleasant and certainly not boring. There are no slow sections to bog you down. I highly recommend it.

Midnight Sea transported me right away with the rich setting and tropical details. I enjoyed the tidbits about coffee production as well as the complex plot which kept me guessing. I am a mystery gal and I didn't guess the ending! Lani's relationship with Ben and Fisher the guide dog were interesting to watch as they evolved. A very enjoyable read! Dana Mentink

Colleen, you did it again. Every book in this Aloha Reef series just kept getting better and better. More mystery. More intrigue. More romance. Is this really the last book. I want to read more. Thanks for the series.

As a person who loves the Hawaiian Islands, this series of books from Colleen Coble has been a refreshing way to transport myself from the mainland to the islands by just picking up the books and begin reading. I love the fact that the places she references in the stories are real and accurate in her descriptions. I am able to actually visualize what she is speaking of through the characters. I am sad that when I finish Midnight Sea book #4 in the Aloha Reef Series that I am at the end! I hope Colleen writes a 5th book!

I enjoyed the first 3 books in this series, and this one is wonderful! The characters are people that I want to know more about, plus there is a connection to characters from the other books. Once I started reading, I had to keep going to find out what happened, so start this book when you have a good chunk of time to spend with it!

I don't know what else I can possibly say...Everyone else's reviews seem to nail it in the head. The thing I agree with most is how the characters in each story are so vivid - it really sucks you right into the book as if you were really there. I'm so glad these were short stories because I tend to have trouble putting down a really good book(as is the case here)...so I'd be up all night long trying to finish it!! These are just the right length to read a story a night (or if you're like me, several a night!!). I'm definitely looking forward to his next book!!

If you want a good read that will pull you into the story itself as if you were right there, than you have got to read Midnight Tableau. I have never been so into another book, especially to the point where I felt that I was right there, where I felt as though I was the character. It was very hard for me to put this book down because you wanted to know how the story ended or how, in some cases, didn't end, just left for suspense. It was awesome and I would definately reccommend it any one who loves to read and I have already.

What a book! What writing style! No predictable endings and the stories are short enough to enjoy in one go! I predict that Michael McCrann will go a far way and can't wait for his first novel. Others who have read the book agree. Its different and refreshing. Carry on writing MC - you have a couple of new fans here in SA and we can't wait for the novel!

I LOVED IT! I would and have recommended this book to anyone and everyone that enjoy's reading. I found the stories scary and compelling at the same time. Begging me to turn the next page. I am going to read it again and again! I am even sending a copy of it to my brother who is in iraq serving our country. Its THAT GOOD!!! You gotta buy this!

This was an excellent book. The stories were fantastic. Mr. McCrann does a fine job of taking ordinary people and situations and turning them into something extraordinary. I look forward to reading him for years to come.

I bought this book about 18 years ago. For a little while it was on the shelf after I first read the poems. Then it came down. It's been unshelved for casual reading most of the remaining years. There are witty funny silly poems here. There are deep poems. There are honest revelations of different aspects of life. There are deep penetration into the nuts and bolts of love, into the politics of men and women. There are tears and laughter. There are mirrors to see and shar eyour own life and known you aren't alone, and neither is Marge.
Hope you can get the joy, the understandingt, the laughter and the humanity I got when I bought this book so long ago!

Such lyrical, fluid, graphic poetry! Marge Piercy's work grabbed me and wouldn't put me down. I couldn't stop reading her poetry.

And not only that, but they are powerful and smelly and they MAKE MISTAKES. There is nothing more empowering than finding out that making mistakes is alright, and that was the strongest message I got from this book when I read it at the tender age of 15. It changed my life, ensuring that I would grow to tell boys "NO", and that I would tell myself "YES", and more than that, that I would be able to forgive myself for both of those answers. "Cats Like Angels" and "For Strong Women" should be required reading for all women, and everyone who LOVES women.

I like poetry with imagery that resolves into a shift in vantage point; this is something of which Marge Piercy is a master. The poems are in some aspects raw and gutsy, others are lyrical and meditative. I read "The Doughty Oaks" outloud to someone who also admired its tight imagery of a miser in rags, and the contradiction at the end of the poem. The last set of poems in the book are based on the Celtic Lunar calendar (in name only, this isn't Wicca) as a way for Piercy to celebrate the lunar calendar of the body and of the Jewish religion as well--whose festivals fall on lunar dates and account for our shifting Easter holiday. Well worth reading if you like poetry. This is one book I will be pulling off the shelf from time to time, to find new aspects of meaning.

My copy is the one dog-eared, worn volume always where I can find it on the bookshelf. Usually poetry volumes contain some winners and some losers, but I've read every poem cover to cover repeatedly, had favorites, sent copies to women who inspired me, and loved my copy in some rough times. Piercy's poems raise the bar for what women can be in poetry- hers are real- warts and all. And nevertheless, her first-person poetry makes those flaws both recognizable and even at times endearing. The tragedies are laced with revelation, the lovers are never perfect, and even Piercy's piece devoted to lost luggage evokes those little moments which become laughable and yet epic in their betrayal.

The book showed up in a timely fashion and was brand new, just like it said online.

Terrance Hayes is a name you will see again. I promise you.

An earlier edition of this book came into my hands shortly after I worked with this wonderful poet at a seminar for younger poets. A wonderful first collection. So human it hurts. Get it now that it's back in print!

I just had the pleasure of seeing and hearing Terrance Hayes read at the University of Idaho. He was nervous, I think, and the room was big and strange, but this young man can write. He can really write. The new book--HIP LOGIC--is going to be terrific, and I'll bet each book that comes after will be better yet. A really splendid new talent.

I first became familiar with Mr. Hayes' work, when i saw his poem "Blackbird" in a 1995 double issue of ObsidianII: Black Literature In Review. It appeared opposite a poem I publshed in the journal. Every poem in Muscular Music, is a snapshot about African American life, and sings a song of america: "Late," "Goliath," "Something For Marvin," "Blackbird," "The Yummy Suite," " What I am..." The Black experience is all in here... I was laughing my ass off at " I want to be fat" and I'm a big guy.Expect Terrence Hayes to be a major poet in the literary canon.

Terrance Hayes has written a book where the poems have bite. These poems are hard-hitting, honest, sincere and yet suffused with "tenderness." "Yummy Suite" is one of the most powerful sequence of poems I have read anywhere that confront what is going on in our urban neighbourhoods today. I also loved "Late," "Goliath" and too many more to name. Here is a writer well worth getting to know. If I may riff on the Reuben Jackson quote that serves as an epilogue, Terrance Hayes' Muscular Music is a book that also "reveals itself" one splendid "black note at a time." Buy this book -- read it aloud and share it with a friend!

Thomas Merton begins with man without God and ends with man in union with God. This book provides the existential basis for man's need for a relationship of faith and love with God, our Creator. The reader finishes this book with a unique understanding, perhaps for the first time, of the purpose for which each of us was created and the destiny which can be ours if only we connect with both the God within us and with the infinitely transcendent God of the universe. This book is challenging reading, but the rewards are worth the struggle.

Thomas Merton Writings:
Merton, who had a unique gift of a probing intellect, absorbed various human cultures since his early childhood in Prades. He digested a wide spectrum of knowledge during his study in Cambridge and Columbia and later when he adopted Trappist monastic vocation, delved into a very different environment. He synthesized his global cultural heritage and Cistercian piety into dozens of literary, mystical and inspiring Christian books (ca 50), articles, and lectures written from his cell at Gethsemani abbey, Kentucky.

The New Man:
This is Merton's Patristic theology debut, he approached a theological exposition of the monastic tradition and thought, so fundamentally important although it did not get the attention it deserves. The New Man shows Thomas Merton at the ripe of his spiritual powers and has as its theme the question of spiritual identity. Merton's meditative interpretation of the Bible can be met throughout his essay on the history of fall and theology of redemption. Reading such experience of the mystical transformation in which we will be perfectly conformed to the likeness of Christ, involves the kenosis / theosis way of the desert fathers. We will become 'the New Man' who is the Christ, the new Adam. Salvation, rightly understood and genuinely experienced, is to realize that we are shaped in God's image and created for fellowship with the Living and Loving Creator. This process promises not only self-discovery but also self-realization.
To reach one's 'real self' one must, in fact, be delivered by grace from the illusionary and falsely created self, corrupted by our selfish habits and self deceit.

Life, death, and identity:
What must we do to recover possession of our true selves? Merton discusses how we became strangers to our inner selves by our dependence on outward recognition and material success. Life and death are at war within us. As soon as we are born, we begin at the same time to live and die. Even though we may not be even slightly aware of it, this battle of life and death goes on in us inexorably and without mercy......, instructed by the Spirit Who alone can tell us the secret of our individual destiny, man begins to know God as he knows his own self. The night of faith has brought us into contact with the Object of all faith, not as an object but as a person Who is the center and life of our own being, at once. His own transcendent Self and the immanent source of our own identity and life. ( Opening and closing paragraphs)

Sample Quotations:
Promethean theology: The longing of the restless spirit of man, seeking to transcend itself by its own powers, is symbolized by the need to scale the impossible mountain and find there what is after all our own. ... The great error of Promethean mysticism is that it takes no account of anyone but the self.

Spirit in bondage: The image of God is brought to life in us when it brakes free from the shroud and the tomb in which our self consciousness had kept it prisoner, and loses itself in total consciousness of Him Who is holy. This is one of the main ways in which "he that would save his life will loose it." (Luke 9:24)

This book might truly change your view of life because it leads you to examine the deepest parts of your soul. In plain language that's very easy to follow, Merton describes how we can abandon our self-absorbed lives and then discover again our true selves in Jesus Christ. It is a book about the transforming power of God, and although it is deeply spiritual in tone and theme, it is highly logical and straightforward in style and structure. Merton hopes to lead us to transformation and salvation not through fear or blind hope, but by persuasion.

Apart from other theological musings, Merton develops rather profound thought, namely that "Christianity is not the religion of a law but the religion of a person." (page 181 of paperback edition).

The philosophical consequences of such move are profound, since the whole focus shifts from the logic of intellectual pursuit of knowledge to the mystical endeavour towards Truth by love.

Being an atheist, I do not quite understand how presented approach could be in any real sense satisfying to the human mind. However, Merton's analysis renders interesting feedback on assumptions, presuppostions and mechanics of the religius mind. I feel like the outcome of Merton's writing is much more than satisfaction of his artistic ambition. The author seems to be congruent about what has been written, which makes it even more interesting.

First I read Merton's "Mystics and Zen Masters" just out of curiosity--How does this Christian monk see the monastic tradition of Zen Buddhism? I found his writing on this subject so compelling that I wanted to find out more about the author himself and read "The Seven Storey Mountain". Then I was so moved by this guy's long and arduous spiritual journey that I just had to see what he had to say about his own tradition, Christianity...and so I read this book, "The New Man", and wasn't dissappointed.
In one way this book is an extended meditation on Saint Paul's idea of Christ being the New Adam, and of what this idea really means for us. Merton has an uncanny ability to take old, familiar passages from the Bible--passages that have become dull and opaque in their very familiarity--and breath new spiritual life into them; they come alive with a significance and relevance you never really thought about before, but that seem natural and unforced after the fact. And he does all of this in ways that communicate eloquently with modern, educated people in today's world without strain or condescension.
In another way this book is an extended meditation on the significance of the sacrament Baptism, and again Merton is able to take what some might see as an old, tired, silly ritual and tease out its deeper spiritual significance in compelling, convincing ways. For any adult preparing for this sacrament I would highly recommend this book for that reason alone. And in general I would highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to see the Christian tradition at its best.

As a vampire craves blood, Thomas Ligotti's readers will enjoy Noctuary. The stories are complex, at least some of them. I read one of them over the phone to a woman I know and she laughed a few times. At least at the beginning of the story. Makes me remember the line, "Be careful what you laugh at." The wonderful thing about the stories in Noctuary is that you don't have to understand them to enjoy the writing.

Ligotti shuns the spotlight. But that's okay because he certainly didn't shun the dreams and nightmares that I experienced while reading this book that I consider a masterpiece.

It's a haunting piece of work and my only warning is that Ligotti will take you to a place -- hidden in your mind -- that you don't even know exists.

Flawless. Highly recommended.

...we smile." -Autumnal, from Notebook of the Night.
Thomas Ligotti is one of the most original and unsettling horror writers of this day and age, only somewhat rivalled by his predecessors, Poe and Lovecraft. (One writer who does come very close, however, is Ramsey Campbell.) He is the epitome of the horror writer, thinking of ideas a great deal of us wouldn't even be able to think of: In Part One, we meet Lucian Dregler, an obsessive searcher for the Medusa; Samuel, the deranged postman, descending into his mind on each successive All Hallows' Eve; Arthur Emerson's encounter with a god who may realise his dreams; and Mrs. Rinaldi's ancient wooden chest, home to something infinitely pure and equally corruptable. Part Two take a darker tone. Here we meet Andrew Manning, destined to bring about the end of earthly life; a scientist turned leper messiah and his marvelous machine; a painter determined to become part of his landscapes; and a man pursued by puppet-like horrors, written in the shades of a nightmare. The final section is entirely devoted to vignettes showcasing Ligotti's talent at using very few words to pull off the same effect. The micro-narratives range on subject matter from the unreal ("New Faces in the City") to the Gothic ("Salvation by Doom") to the premundane ("Primordial Loathing"), from the eyes of demons ("The Demon-Man"), from the mouths of the the dead ("One May be Dreaming", "Autumnal"), of the sum of all days ("The Interminable Equation"), on dark, rainy nights ("The Nameless Horror"), ponderings on the mystique of things ("The Mocking Mystery") and the sardonic beauty of it ("The Order of Illusion"). These and many more can be found here. The only piece that came even close to disappointing me was "The Physic", but, thankfully, even that is worth every word.

Thomas Ligotti is a truly unusual author. He has a fascination with "weird fiction," with the unknowable, the macabre. This is paired with a knack for eloquent word-poetry, intelligence and complexity, and a sense of the chillingly unusual. When I finish reading several Ligotti stories, I find that the world looks different. The colors aren't quite right any more, or the angles, or maybe people seem a little darker, a little stranger.

I have several books of Ligotti stories and Noctuary is my favorite. I have often wondered why, and the answer I eventually came to is that most of the stories in here are shorter than those in other books. The longest one is less than 40 pages, and many are only two or three pages long. As much as I love all of Ligotti's writing, he's at his best when he writes in short chunks. Otherwise I find his writing sometimes drags a little.

Ligotti's work is not for everyone. If you don't like the weird or the macabre, you won't enjoy his work. If you prefer your stories to be normal, with a beginning, middle and end, all wrapped up in a neat little ribbon, then this is not for you. If you prefer your world to be its same, comfortable self when you close your books - don't read a word of Ligotti. Ligotti's style is definitely not for everyone. He hands us phrases that no one but he would conceive of, that almost cannot help but elicit a shudder:

"We witness the scene and, with what remains of our mouths, we smile."

But for those of us who enjoy it, it is a dread and harrowing pleasure - one that I would not give up. My only regret is that Ligotti is not a more prolific author.

To realise that for only a few dollars more I could have bought 'The Nightmare Factory' instead which contains all the stories in this book + many more! I guess I will end up owning them both. Ligotti is one of the few creditable horror writers working today and I could never get tired of his stories. They just seem to get deeper and deeper with each subsequent reading. However - if you are looking for blood/gore type horror don't bother - this is a deeply subtle writer at work ..

ligotti is the most disturbing horror writer i've ever encountered, hands down. after i finished "noctuary" i was hungry for more, but unfortunately could not find "grimscribe" anywhere, and am still fiending for a copy. the stories in this book resonate with a kind of sickly unreality (maybe best articulated in "the tsalal") and one gets the sense that while ligotti is on the one hand the impassioned horror writer trying desperately to communicate his vision to the reader, he is on the other hand the avant garde artist in the tradition of duchamp, laughing openly at our pathetic and delusory attempts to impose meaning and order on a universe that in the final equation has neither. it is almost as if he makes a point of pointing out the pointlessness. in this way, he is like his idol hp lovecraft, who constantly added subtle layers of philosophical nihilism and the most extreme forms of pessimism to his work. for those who love tasting the dark, you can't live without this

I want to go on record right now that this is one of the best Love Inspired I have ever read, and I've read a ton! Debby Giusti reeled me in on the first line, and she didn't cut me loose until days after I finished the final page. Like anyone else with a busy schedule, I read before I go to bed at night. I honestly found myself going to bed earlier so I could cuddle up with handsome security-guard hero Matt Lawson and Lydia Sloan, a heroine whose pit-bull determination to protect her son from kidnappers and murderers tapped into my maternal instincts in a big way. I usually don't read mysteries, but Debby Giusti has just changed all that with this addictive suspense read that sent me to bed early AND kept me up late! Can't wait for the next one!

I made the mistake of starting this when I only had time for the first chapter. I couldn't get it out of my mind, and it made me nuts until I could get back and find out what happened next with Lydia and her son. With Lydia, Debby Giusti truly captured a mother's sacrificial love without making her heroine cloying or unbelievable. From the first page she made me as terrified as Lydia that something horrid could easily happen to Tyler...which maintained a taut sense of suspense throughout the book. Savor this one when you have lots of time to read.

Sanctuary Island off the coast of Georgia is a perfect place for someone to hide, until Lydia Sloan sets the alarm off at the house she is supposed to be staying at. Lydia arrives on a stormy night at her husband's aunt's house with her son in tow. She has fled there in hopes of putting a distance between herself and the authorities. By setting off the alarm, Lydia has made things worse by alerting a security officer Matt Lawson.

Matt Lawson, a police officer on sabbatical, sees trouble in Lydia and her son Tyler. Why else would a woman be traveling with so few belongings unless she was running from something or someone? Being the investigator that he is, he gets swept up in the mystery surrounding the both of them--and he gets more than he bargained for.

Nowhere to Hide is a story that puts romance back into the lives of both Lydia and Matt. As the story weaves through the mystery surrounding Lydia's husband's murder and Matt's sabbatical from the police force, each character learns how to truly rely on each other and how to put their trust in God.

Armchair Interviews says: The book is fast paced and small enough to enjoy during an afternoon of free time.

Debby Giusti's debut novel Nowhere To Hide kept me turning the pages, pulling for Lydia as she battles to save her young son, Tyler. Whoever killed her husband wants her and Tyler dead. Can she trust Matt, the guilt-ridden cop turned security guard on the island they flee to? Or is he another thread in an ever tightening snare? Giusti weaves a fast-paced, intriguing story. Don't miss Nowhere To Hide.

A stunning debut novel by Ms. Guisti, Nowhere to Hide keeps you guessing who the bad guys are and if the good guys are really what they seem. Lydia Sloan is running to protect her son, from persons involved with her husband's death. Protection comes in the form of handsome security chief, Matt Lawson who is determined to keep the residents of Sanctuary Island safe. Using a curious blend of mistrust and guilt, Lydia and Matt discover they are more similar than they care to admit. As the conflict swirls to a head, Lydia and Matt are forced to make difficult choices, giving the ultimate decision to God. Nowhere To Hide kept me reading far into the night and I'm definitely looking forward to many more novels by Ms. Guisti.

Equinox Zero is another excellent entry in the Outlanders series, this time featuring a lost race of Vikings under the polar ice cap.

Lots of action and adventure in this one!

Recommended!

I know bad Outlanders novels are possible but thankfully, they're not frequent.

Equinox Zero is about as good as the series gets, fast-moving, two locales which are about as different as they can be (a tropical Pacific island to Antarctica)with several surprises along the way.

The return of the mad Zakat was a big surprise, since he was one villian I never expected to show up again. What was even more surprising was who he showed up with--not just Vikings, but a lost race of Norse warriors. They are very portrayed very dramatically and colorfully and I wanted to see more of their culture.

The heroes are in fine form, and even Philboyd (one the immigrants from the Moon colony) gets a chance to shine both as an ally of Kane's and possibly a rival for Brigid's affections.

Equinox Zero is winner on all counts.

This latest OL novel features the return of a character that has not been seen for almost five years and was presumed dead. I enjoyed this novel for a number of reasons. First and foremost is that the characters right now are in the midsts of an avalanche of emotional and phsyical changes, that are not going to be easily solved or solved in the near future, which is great. This particular novel in typical OL fashion took of like a cannon shot, on the fourth or fifth page, and didn't seem to slow down at all, until the last three or four pages when the story was wrapping itself up. With a trip to the South pole and a dino hunt that is one of the best written scenes in the entire OL series in my opinion, Equinox Zero has something for everyone. Starting off with Dino hunt that was like something out of Jurassic park only better, and ending in a climatic battle in the middle of the South Pole, this novel couldn't have been better. More of the secrets surrounding Thunder Island are revealed, as well and we learn a bit more about the Cube (the redoubt on Thunder Island.) Secondly this novel returns us to one of my favorite settings, the Artic redoubt on the South Pole which was first introduced in Hell Rising. With the discovery of an old enemy lurking in the shadows, sightings of Vikings raiding all up and down the west coast, and information that the artic ice sheet that makes up most of the south pole threatening to break away and slip into the ocean as cause a new ice age, this novel accelerates to a break neck pace that leaves the reader breathless and somehow feeling satisfied but with the nagging doubt that they missed something in all the excitement. There is bit of rehashed material in this book, but it is information that is essential to the plot, and a bit of a refresher about past novels that have an impact on this latest plot. All in all this book was a great read, which is what most of us have come to associate with Mark Ellis. This one gets a 10 out of 10 from me.

Equinox Zero is a nice filler novel, one where there really isn't anything as drastic as we had with The Dragon Kings and previous novels.

Sure the novel revolves around another world-threatening event, but it's resolved quickly and quite memorably at the end.

We need the occasional -breather- novel as we have had with this one. There is plenty of action, to be sure, but at the same time, there is even more character development, which compliments the action quite beautifully.

The novel begins with Kane and Domi hunting for a prehistoric monster on Thunder Isle, to make the violent and primordial island just a little bit safer for the Cerberus exiles, while they explore the ruins of the Operation Chronos facility.

The author gives even more depth to the outlander girl, Domi, and adds a little tension between her and Kane, as she makes it quite clear that she is interested in him, despite the relationship that has blossomed between her and Lakesh, after Grant rejected her.

Speaking of the ebony giant, he has decided to leave Cerberus, as he is tired of all the fighting and the near endless stress that he's been subjected to. He really doesn't believe that it's his fight, and he just wants to retire, to settle down with Shizuka and the Tigers of Heaven on new Edo.

Another old enemy has apparently arisen from the grave, a man we haven't seen since Iceblood. He managed to find his way to Utlima Thule, a haven of Vikings that has remained essentially untouched for thousands of years. Using his influence, he is trying to take over the isolated civilization, and to bring about another great Deluge, not quite of biblical proportions, but one that would destroy the emerging civilization, plunging the already fragile planet back into another dark age, of which it might not ever recover.

Zakat and a ship of the people from Ultima Thule raid a ship belonging to the Tigers of Heaven, all the while being witnessed by Grant and his new love. That prompts him to return to Cerberus to ask for Kane's help in tracking down the criminal and putting an end to him and his plans once and for all.

Bringing Philboyd with them, they jump to the gateway that was first discovered in Hell Rising. They find the entrance to Ultima Thule and make their way to the underground city. It is very much a lost civilization, even though the Nazi's tried to take it over nearly 250 years previously. Tried, but failed miserably, and paid for their efforts with their lives.

Here, Kane is forced to fight Zakat's lover, a Valkyrie named Sif. It is truly a memorable battle, one which Kane nearly loses his life, but as is the case, the hero triumphs, and not only defeats the woman, but spares her life. Zakat meets his end in a very appropriate manner, and the threat to the world is neatly dealt with.

Keep them coming!

I always wondered by Grigori Zakat never returned after his first appearance in Iceblood, considering the obvious effort involved in creating him.. Now the twisted Russian priest is back to bedevil the Cerberus warriors as they learn Zakat's ultimate goal is to trigger a another ice age and unite the survivors under his rule, his edicts enforced by Norse warriors from the lost land of Ultima Thule!

The set-up for Equinox Zero is terrific, featuring a Kane and Domi team-up on another "Lost World", Thunder Isle which is populated by all sorts of creatures pulled from different epochs of time. I think this element of the Outlanders saga is wonderful, offering many story springboards.

The scenes of Zakat's piracy with the Thulians are exciting. A standout sequence is a sea battle between Zakat's forces and a trading ship from New Edo, which tips off the Cerberus warriors that their old foe is back. Grant's anger directed toward Kane when he learns this is very realistic .

The exotic scenes in the timeless world of Ultima Thule are extremely well- wrought. Mark Ellis portrays the city from the days of ancient Norse mythology with colorful splendor,

There are a lot of high points in this novel: a great villain, excellent characterizations, a fast-paced plot, and incredibly exciting action sequences. Add them together and you have a superior Outlanders novel on every level. A must-read!.

Carol Cassella does a brilliant job of leading the reader through an adventure in the human condition. Oxygen is one part thriller and one part psychological drama. Her genius is her ability to wax poetic while describing a terribly compelling storyline that keeps you telling yourself to slow down and savor.

Dr. Marie Heaton takes great pride and pleasure in guiding her patients into the land of Nod so they can have their gallbladder out, their knee replaced or their baby delivered without pain and often even without awareness. She loves her job until the unbearable happens --- an eight-year-old girl under her care dies in surgery, despite all her best efforts. The crisis leads her to question not only her professional competence but also her personal relationships. And yet, even as she carefully documents each methodical step she took and each drug she administered, she is haunted by inconsistencies.

This first-person narrative works on many levels --- as a mystery, as an exposé of the sometimes brutal juncture of the medical and legal professions, as a family drama, and as a romance of sorts. Marie has never found time for a husband. "I never meant to dam myself off from those. I just knew they would require careful scheduling." In the aftermath of the child's death she feels more alone than ever. Taking a painful leave of absence from her duties while the investigation proceeds, Marie faces a different sort of challenge --- her aging father's demise, and the realization that if she is ever going to mend her relationship with him, now is the time. Meanwhile, new knowledge comes to light through the child's autopsy that seems to implicate Marie even further. The hospital begins to back away from her, and there is the specter of criminal charges being filed against her, on top of the malpractice suit.

Through this difficult time, Marie takes some comfort in the rejuvenation of a former love affair with Joe, another anesthesiologist on the hospital staff. As their relationship heats up, more clues trickle in about the real cause of the child's death. Marie must uncover and face some unpleasant truths to clear her name.

This novel is written with a clear, even hand, and the reader feels like a part of the heady world of high-stakes surgery. Carol Cassella, a practicing anesthesiologist herself, shows skill in giving us enough medical detail to understand the nuances of the case without overwhelming us. Marie's guilt and her desire for the mother's forgiveness are well-drawn without being overdone. It would have been easy to get maudlin here, and I applaud the author for not doing so. (I think she's a much better writer than Jodi Picoult, with whom she is compared on the cover flap.) There are some great lines here, such as "It is our job to rage against the dying of the light."

Marie is an appealing character --- smart but compassionate, needy but not blinded by her needs. In the end she saves herself with some timely medical sleuthing, although the answers come at a high personal price. All in all, OXYGEN is a great read with some juicy surprises.

--- Reviewed by Eileen Zimmerman Nicol

The protagonist of Carol Cassella's "Oxygen" is thirty-seven year old anesthesiologist Dr. Marie Heaton, a dedicated and conscientious physician. After introducing herself to her patients and reassuring them that they are in good hands, she administers drugs that bring about "a temporary loss of sensation, an absence of pain during ... otherwise painful procedure[s]." Marie loves her job, "its precision and focus, its balance of technical skill and judgment." For the past seven years, her excellent performance has earned her the respect of her colleagues at First Lutheran Hospital in Seattle, Washington. Although she is single and childless, Marie is too busy to dwell on her ticking biological clock and her anemic social life. She once had a fling with a fellow anesthesiologist, Joe Hillary. However, they decided to settle for a platonic friendship and are now best buddies rather than lovers.

Marie's life comes to a screeching halt when she administers anesthesia to an eight-year old girl named Jolene Jansen. For some inexplicable reason, Jolene's heart rate plummets and her blood loses its oxygen supply. Although Dr. Heaton tries every technique at her disposal to bring the child back, she fails. This devastating tragedy leads to sleepless nights during which Marie second-guesses herself, wondering what she could have done differently. She is also on tenterhooks waiting for the inevitable malpractice suit to be filed. Marie is raked over the coals by lawyers and members of the hospital board, but she is more concerned with Jolene's mother, Bobbie, who is disconsolate over her daughter's death.

This is a touching book about a courageous and compassionate woman who is nearly brought to her knees by a series of calamities. Cassella's descriptive writing is beautifully crafted and she thoughtfully explores the ways in which people either sustain or undermine one another. The events in this novel demonstrate how selfish and callous individuals bring untold misery to their friends, family, and coworkers. The author, who is an anesthesiologist, provides an insider's look into the political, legal, and human sides of modern hospital care. She also imbues the story with an added dimension by shedding light on Marie's personal life. Although she has deep affection for her younger sister, Lori, and her adolescent niece, Elsa, Marie has no idea how to cope with her seventy-nine year old father. He is a former history professor who is steadily losing his eyesight and his ability to function independently.

"Oxygen" is suspenseful and engrossing; it builds in intensity until it reaches its electrifying conclusion. Marie, the first person narrator, tells her account in the present tense with an intimacy that draws us in and keep us invested in the outcome. The title is an elegant metaphor: Just as oxygen makes physical existence possible, so do productive work and love provide the psychological and spiritual sustenance that bring meaning and fulfillment to our lives.

There is NOTHING as wonderful in the world of books as a debut novel so beautifully written that you are already looking forward to book #2!
Such is the case with Carol Cassella's Oxygen. With an impressive medical background Cassella is skillfully able to bring just enough of the medical but not too much so that the essence of the book-the story of her characters is overshadowed. What a gem!!

Robin Kall[...]

I could not put this book down! It was stunningly visual, poignant, and full of suspense, twists, and turns. Dr. Heaton experiences any physician's worst nightmare; death of a pediatric patient followed by a lawsuit. Carol Cassella's first novel takes you through Dr. Heaton's subsequent journey. All the characters are believable and by the end you have empathy for them all. This novel is a must read!

Jerome Wilson's stories are magical. They illumine a world we believe has gone but is still with us. He creates his characters in an objective, mature yet loving voice, letting them live a life of their own. Wanting to prolong the reading pleasure, I barely managed to restricted myself to one story a day.

Jerome Wilson's debut collection fulfills a promise that was apparent when the title story was published in Ploughshares over a decade ago. His skillfully woven characters, such as Sonny Buck, Jessie Leigh and Tammy Faye Lovejoy, draw the reader in, not only by the stories they tell, but through their neighbors' stories, the towns the live in and the people they encounter.

Paper Garden takes a trip down south that is sometimes funny, sometimes shocking, but always engaging. By the end of the last story, the reader has been taken on as much as an emotional ride as Sonny Buck on the ferris wheel. Paper Garden is well worth the purchase. I hope we see more from this writer in the future.

Like Chekhov and Raymond Carver before him, Jerome Wilson presses his paper against his subject, and rubs it with charcoal, shading it in, letting the texture of the object supply the texture of the work.

What emerges bursts full form in the head of the reader, producing images that begin when the story ends, that remain indelibly pressed upon you, a pressed flower in your head, and yours to keep.

I fervently hope that Jerome Wilson's anthology is but the first installment of an insightful and compelling chronicle of his South.

Paper Garden and Other Stories is a vibrant gathering of short stories that are reminiscent of William Faulkner and Eudora Welty. Wilson, however, is not a copy of these literary precursors. I like these short stories because apparently Wilson speaks of his experiences from his perspective -- a perspective covering both urban and rural settings. "The Croquet Players" frolic through a picnic in an urban park and "The Witness Tree" laments the death of a towering grandmother on a rural homeplace.

I also like this writer's terse style that reflects the fluid rhythms -- sometimes calm, sometimes strident -- through which his characters live out their lives. The dialog of Wilson's characters also trumpets reality without being burdensome.

Paper Garden by Jerome Wilson, is a collection of short stories. In each story the characters come to life as Wilson takes his readers from the household of Sony Buck, a precarious little boy, to Jessie Leigh, a sweet yet not too bright little girl, to Mr. Pruitt, a spunky old man with a sharp mind.

This book was a delightful read. Jerome Wilson has a gift for grabbing his readers and forcing them to pay close attention to what his characters have to say. Each character was well-developed with a personality all of their own. Oftentimes, I found myself strolling down memory lane while laughing out loud at some of the antics depicted on the pages of Paper Garden and Other Stories.

If you like short stories, I suggest you grab a copy of this book; you'll be glad you did.

T. RHYTHM KNIGHT
APOOO BookClub