Escape Books

This is probably the most meaningful book I have read in a LONG time! This man is very clear in his words in speaking about how God has worked and continues to work in his life. Also, it is a easy book to read and understand. I even read for our family worship a story or two from Jim's experiences that he shares. He has the most amazing experiences he has been through. His book has made me want what he has, that walk with God, trusting in HIM...and really letting God lead in my life! I am going to be reading the 'Come to the Quiet' book next, I just got it. And look forward to more information on how to get on the road I should be on, trusting more in God to lead in my life!

Read this book, you will not be sorry! And you will find yourself wanting to share it!!!

I have read this book twice, once by myself, then with my husband. Then we lent it to friends, and we recommend it to everyone, along with the Hohnberger's book "Come to the Quiet." This is the life most of us long for...simple, down to earth, a connected family, connected with our Maker. I appreciate so much Jim's heart and his love for God and his family. I have met and talked with Jim and Sally in person, and they are lovely people who take the time to speak with you and you can clearly see their heart for God. Amazing family who did what most of us only dream and talk of. Thank You, God, for this family.

Mr. Hohnberger found what all of us are still looking for. We believe that God is present all times to support us, however we hardly feel His presence among us. Our lifes are so busy that we forget the precious things. Learning how to stop and get off the train is the most interesting lesson from this book. You should take a break of your really busy schedule and read this master piece. GREAT BOOK. INSPIRED BY GOD.

This book wonderfully presents God's personal interest in every part of our lives. For whatever reason, the book may not speak the same to every individual. I found myself excited to see such a profound book written to help searchers looking for a more personal relationship with God and to aid in getting beyond several walls that certain practice of religion has built. It further illustrates the true power and freedom found within a continual and personal walk with our Creator and Redeemer that just attending church or schooling at a seminary cannot provide. I can personally testify, with many stories in my life, to the fact that God does care about the minute details of our lives.

This book has completely changed my view on knowing and following God's will for my life. At first it is easy to think that one needs to escape the life they currently lead and head for a remote location. But read on to find the real secret to "hearing God's voice".

This book is the last in its series the auther is Roland Smith and you must start the series I dont remimber the first books name but go on to Google and search Roland Smith and go on his web site it is a great book 5 stars all the way!!!

This is a very short criticism.
Nothing in the book is interesting. By the end I already knew what was going to happen.
I know I am not alone with this review because my whole class read it, and even the teacher coudn't wait to get rid of it.

Don't get me wrong though; the first book was decent.

I think that this book was one of the best books I have ever read! It all starts when Alonzo Aznar is arrested and taken to jail and then he sends his brother out to capture Jack and Joanne after she was on a TV show. Then, "snake eyes" takes them down to a bunker were they stay. That is were Jack thinks of a clever plan to lock snake eyes in the bathroom, steal her keys and then escape! But then, Alonzo's brother finds "snake eyes" and gets her out but by then, Jack and Joanne have already found a hiding spot. She comes in and finds Joanne but didn't find Jack. Then, Jack tries to get onto the roof and slips! This book is a great, action packed book. I would suggest it to anyone! If you're looking for a book that won't make you fall asleep then this is the book for you!

I rated this book wrong, it deserves ten stars! It was better than the 1st book! There is tons of action and unexpected twists in this story. Its "on the edge of your seat action" as movie critics call it. Which makes an a-w-esome book!!!!!!!!

The type of reader that would enjoy this book the most would be people who like adventure and people who like being tricked. I think that the protagonist is the type of person who doesn't mind getting into trouble. The antagonist is the type of person who doesn't care about anybody else but himself. This book has a lot of adventure. One you start reading this book you cannot put it down.

I have to admit being somewhat disappointed by "Al Qaeda's Great Escape." The fundamentals of the book are sound, as Philip Smucker and his translator Lutfullah Mashal trail Afghan tribal leaders and American soldiers through the mountains of Afghanistan, roundly condemning the American aversion to committing ground troops to the conflict and giving a jaundiced view of the members of the media covering the events, including himself.

Unfortunately, the book suffers from numerous obvious mistakes, which have persisted into the paperback edition. Some of these are gramatical or spelling mistakes (one does not "caste" suspicion or blame, as the book does on two separate occasions) and some may simply be typos (the NBC correspondent Mike Taibbi is referred to as "Mike Tiabbi" and there is no F-17 aircraft in the U.S. Air Force arsenal). However, there is at least one factual error as Smucker gets Air Force Pararescue Jumper (PJ) Jason Cunningham's name wrong, referring to him as "P.J. Cunningham" instead. The fact that SrA Cunningham was killed in action during Operation Anaconda makes this error even more upsetting. I can understand how the mistake was made, but that doesn't make it any less sloppy.

By themselves, none of these errors are serious, but there are quite a few of them, and all of them are the sort that should have been caught by a fact check or a decent editor. That so many foolish mistakes made their way into the final draft of the text forces one to wonder what other, less obvious errors slipped through. To me, these errors nearly call the credibility of the entire book into question, even if I happen to agree with many of Smucker's conclusions.

However, the book is quite a page turner and seems to get things right at least on the broad-strokes level. It's not a bad book, but I would be very wary of using it as a single source of information.

Philip Smucker's account of the Battle at Tora Bora is the culmination of much journalistic and personal bravery. Surprisingly, what happened at the battle itself (when Osama Bin Laden is said to have escaped, navigating through the mountains) is not the most intriguing part of Smucker's story. Rather, it is Smucker's commitment to seeking out the heart of the story, and delivering it in a thought-provoking, purposeful manner. All around, a very good read.

This is a journalist account of the eastern quadrant of Afghanistan during the intial operations of the invasion. Included are detailed discussions of Tora Bora and Shah-i-knot (AKA Anaconda). A couple things emerge from this account:

1) Pakistan did nothing to help the US anti-insurgent operations, and it was probably stupid to rely on them to seal their border. This permitted insurgents easy escape routes (an underground railroad) whenever operations soured, and created conditions for a revival of the insurgency (which we're facing now).

2) The chief of special forces and the top military officer on the ground in Afghanistan did not consider capturing OBL to be a top priority. His orders were to overthrow the Taliban and weaken support elements like Al Queda. Getting OBL was a secondary consideration.

3) Tactical operations had small troop formations. Anaconda was the biggest operation and used about 500 American troops, plus 700 Afghans who disappeared after being strafed in a friendly fire incident. Al Queda had about 1,000 men on the mountain. That our forces were not decimated is a testament to their skill and courage.

4) Al Queda was pervasive around Jalalabad, the author never seems to have trouble finding AQ members or sympathizers with whom to start trouble. AQ seemed to move in small units- 2 - 5 men, and could have been controlled by a strong military presence. It's hardly suprising that guerillas move in small units, but why was there no strategy for containment? The US had no option because of their small force (they had maybe two dozen men on the ground at Tora Bora, our best shot at getting OBL). The fact that the US had no such presence backs up Scheuer and his contentions about the overall competence of command.

5) The CIA seems a bit goofy. In an anecdote Smucker talks about how his guide was courted by the CIA to work undercover. The CIA backed off when they realized he worked with a journalist- a fact no one seemed to try to conceal. So the CIA basically made him an offer without doing even a preliminary check on what he was currently doing. The journalists were a huge boon to the economy of that region so basically everyone there was working for the media, a warlord, Al Queda, or some combination of the three. You'd think the CIA might want to know whose side their informer was on?

6) The Tora Bora operations were wasted from the beginning because Tommy Franks and Dick Cheney announced the operations in advance on public TV. Kind of hard to surprise anyone doing that...

Quick read to get nitty gritty on operations most people have already forgotten, but which were in retrospect our best chance to capture Bin Laden.

This book conjures up a litany of incompetencies. In the immediate aftermath of the attacks on the WTC and the Pentagon, our commander-in-chief vowed to take down the chief perpetrator "dead or alive." Despite the mild rebuke he received at the time from his wife, the President stuck with his determined sounding language. The fiasco that unfolds for us to see in "Al Qaeda's Great Escape," exposes both hubris and hypocrisy. After vowing to get bin Laden, the White House did not bother to coordinate a military plan that would have concentrated our forces -- conventional and special forces -- on the senior AQ leadership that masterminded 9/11. Mr. Smucker provides convincing evidence that AQ was goading for a major ground confrontation with US troops in Afghanistan. When, instead, we unleashed a massive aeriel campaign, the AQ leadership decided to pack it in, slip over the border into Pakistan and hope to fight another day. Ironically, the expanded Islamist insurgency -- with bin Laden still at the helm -- has found what it was after in the Iraqi theater. The argument put forth by Pentagon officials -- Rumsfeld in particular -- that a major infusion of US forces into Afghanistan risked alienating the Afghan population no longer washes. Afterall, we've now become bogged down in a country that had no dog in that attack. And since several thousand US infantry made it to the 2-mile high battle of Anaconda a few months after Tora Bora, the Pentagon/White House warning of a "logistical nightmare" that would ensue if we sent in thousands to surround the old Soviet redoubt doesn't fly either. The American public is still paying for strategic mistakes at Tora Bora to this day. Beyond that, the Admin's contention that bin Laden might not have ever been there is rendered moot with the testimony of the Green Beret commander, Col.Mulholland, within the text of this book, not to mention the massive amount of circumstantial evidence provided by eyewitness testimony of AQ and Afghans. I noticed that the other day, Pentagon lawyers actually used as "summary evidence" to hold one Gitmo prisoner his complicity in helping bin Laden escape Tora Bora. So apparently the Pentagon is now convinced enough that he was there -- despite vehemently denying it for over 3 years -- to use it as proof to detain the enemy. Given all we've learned -- and with the help of this fascinating and gritty account -- one wonders how the incompetents managed to escape a broader rebuke from the US public for their gross errors of judgement. No wonder that when pressed to express his regrets of his first term, Mr. Bush now lists the statement "dead or alive" as something he might not have said given a second chance.

A wonderful rendition of the battle at Tora Bora and our mistakes that allowed Osama bin Laden to escape, from someone who was actually there. A great story teller who weaves the personalities of the terrorists, warlords, correspondents and goverment officials into a book that is almost impossible to put down. A great read!

I loved this book. It is about a girl named Nicki who goes out on her horse, Goblin, in the mountatins. There is a storm coming and she sees poachers. She goes home to report the poachers but the telephone line is dead. She tries the radio and she hears kids asking for help. She decides to help them. Where they are there is a fire but first she conoes some of the way through a river. Then she helps the children. Then she escapes fire mountain with them.

My teacher is reading this book in school and I love it!! I strongly want you to read this book. It is the best book ever!!!

Escape from the fire mountain by Gary Paulsen is about 3 kids that ask there parents if they can go hiking. When they took the horse they got stuck in a fire. They got kidnapped by two guys in black they had guns and swords. I think that the theme is that you should never give up. Because they really never gave up escaping. One way they tried to escape was by running away from the place but then they got caught by the kidnappers. When they did escape with a four wheeler they ran out of gas. then they had to run the the oldest girls house. I really liked this book. I liked this book because Gary [the author] really gets me excited. The part that got me most excited was when they got kidnapped. I just wanted to keep reading because that part got my attention and it was exiting to read this book.

Theres little girl named Nikki that convinced her mom and dad that she could stay home alone so her parents could go see her Uncle Joe in the hospital.Now theres also these to ohter kids take their grandpas canoe and they end up at Dead Mans Drop.Nikki Heres somebody on her dads CB radio.When she gets it and goes to respond she heres theirs a fire and no one responds.So she takes her horse Goblin to ride out there.She got so far then she had to ride in the canoe that the horse drag.When she got there the to kids looked like they where hurt.Nikki carried one of the kids.Theyraninto some poachers

This was the first book I read in WORLD OF ADVENTURE. I read it during a vacation to my cousins' home! It had me hooked from start to finish. The action is good and there are several suspenseful moments as three kids try to escape a ruthless forest fire AND evil poachers at the same time. Read it!!

I love this book, i bought it when the radio station started playing Pastor Davids teaching series on this book, and i tell you, your life wont be the same again, the writing is so clear and filled with the Word of God, its a real booster to your christain life.

I got so much from this book that I ordered it for a 90 year old Christian friend. She tells me that it is the best book on prophecy that she has ever read and she keeps going back to it.

Escape the night is a book that takes some of the mystery out of the book of Revelation. It of course parallels the scripture but helps the reader understand Gods ultimate plan for the world. You should read the book of Revelation but if you are struggling, this work by Dr. David Jeremiah will be of great help!

Dr. Jeremiah in this book, as in his Turning Point television broadcast, uses anecdoctes in explaining scriptural truth, in this case the book of Revelation. Even though Jeremiah is right on theologically, his story-telling style might be frustrating for readers who want to get straight to the verses, word study, context, and just a more academic approach to understanding Revelation. On the other hand, people who enjoy Bible-based fiction or those who just don't want to strain their brain with study, might appreciate being introduced to Revelation through this book. If you like this book, I'd recommend Jeremiah's HANDWRITING ON THE WALL, which is a similar style commentary on the Old Testament book of Daniel, and which would actually be helpful to read first, since some of Revelation is based on Daniel. For those wanting a more academic approach to Revelation, I recommend Ryrie's more academic REVELATION as accessible to the beginner, and still more detailed would be the commentaries of Walvoord, Robert Thomas, or even Newell. All of these, like Jeremiah, hold to the conservative, evangelical "pre-trib, pre-mil" endtimes view that the rapture will take place before ("pre") a 7-year tribulation before a literal millial (i.e., 1000 years) reign of Messiah on Earth.

While not every word of the tape series in contained in the book, this book is nevertheless one of the best on Revelation. Until I read "Dragons, Grasshoppers, & Frogs", I thought this was the easiest commentary on the book. But "Dragons" is specifically written for teens and newbies, and is quite a bit more practical and better organized.

Jeremiah is premillennial and pretribulational. If you are not of that persuasion, you will be really disappointed--not to mention confused. I am, so I wasn't.

Highly recommended.

Enjoyable to read. Full of personal experiences from the author's life that will keep your interest while at the same time serve as a "how to" guide to enhance your life. You won't be sorry if you buy it.

A truly practical guide to experiencing the presence of God in one's life. This is a page-turner. It makes a great gift. I have given a copy to my dad and mom, my sister, my co-worker. I plan to give additional copies as Christmas presents and you should too. You might change the direction of someone's life for the better.

This book changed my life & that of my family. I was so impressed with it that I ordered 10 of them to give to other family members & friends. I long to have the relationship with my Lord & Savior that Jim & Sally found. I realize not everyone can move to the wilderness but I now know that it can be obtained where I am. I found what has been missing in my life all these years.
J Phelps

This is a very personal search beyond hypocritical religion to discovering God in a profound and life changing way. But this search is framed without trying to "put a favorable spin" on the challenging and sometimes very humorous experiences of a "city family" trying to "make-it" in the wild and harsh wilderness of Glacer National Park.

The beauty of God's character is highlighted while your own religious experience will be challenged.

There are some good points made in this book, but I disliked it for two main reasons.

The author moved to a mountain home in Montana to "escape to God". In the New Testament, the pattern for Christ's disciples is an active involvement in the world, not a retreat from it. Jesus ate with sinners and tax collectors. After their respective conversions, Paul, Barnabas, Timothy, Peter, et al. did not retreat to some mountain hideaway, thinking that they could avoid contamination by the world--they actively ministered and powerfully spread the gospel by staying in the culture in which God had placed them.

The other pattern in the book I disliked was the way the author constantly listened to voices that he heard (which he presumed to be the Holy Spirit) telling him what to do. The great eighteenth century minister and theologian John Wesley said, "Do not hastily ascribe things to God. Do not easily suppose dreams, voices, impressions, visions, or revelations to be from God. They may be from Him. They may be from nature. They may be from the devil. Therefore 'believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they be of God'." In other words, Scripture, not our impressions (which may or may not be from God), should be our guide.

The author does seem like a nice guy, but I wouldn't advise anyone, especially a new Christian, to read this book due to the fact that it seems to favor retreat from the world instead of active involvement in it and relying mainly on voices and impressions for guidance.

Have you ever wondered what was going on with the Mollusks and The Lost Boys while Peter was away having adventures in Peter and the Starcatchers, Peter and the Shadow Thieves and Peter and the Secrets of Rundoon? Well, this easy chapter book series (billed A Neverland Book) neatly fills that gap quite nicely. This story takes place in between Starcatchers and Shadow Thieves and features Little Scallop (along with others) on a madcap mini-adventure involving mermaids, pirates, a traveling carnival seeking new attractions, the infamous Black Stache (and his gang), dolphins, and of course the irascible Mr. Grin. We begin the story with Little Scallop wishing her father had more time for her as she goes off to spend some with her mermaid friends, Surf and Agua. All three are tired of being told what they can and cannot do because of their age, and as young children often do, they break all the rules to swim out to Shark Cave, forbidden to the two young mermaids AND Little Scallop (it's certainly not in the shallows where her father has told her to stay). So off they go...and no sooner than they are on their way than a raging squall comes upon them and they become lost AND what's worse, there is a ship (deathly dangerous for mermaids). Surf is captured and now it's up to Agua and Little Scallop to get help for their captured friend and in the process of doing so, they encounter a lot more adventure and danger than they bargained for...will they rescue their friend? You'll have to read to find out!

Overall, this is a cute addition to the Neverland stories, though I would wager this is most appropriate for a slightly younger age range than the longer Pan novels Barry and Ridley have written. Escape from the Carnivale comes in at 134 pages and is a nice early chapter book with large spacing and type with an entertaining and easy to follow storyline that younger fans of Peter Pan and get into easily on their own (best for ages 4-8) and it would certainly make a great read aloud story for younger readers! I give it four stars, both of my kids loved it and we all hope that there will be many more of these to come...we absolutely loved reading more about the Mollusks, the Lost Boys and The Mermaids!!!

NOTE: My appologies for the double posting, I accidently ticked the no button on the over 13 question...oops!

Have you ever wondered what was going on with the Mollusks and The Lost Boys while Peter was away having adventures in Peter and the Starcatchers, Peter and the Shadow Thieves and Peter and the Secrets of Rundoon? Well, this easy chapter book series (billed A Neverland Book) neatly fills that gap quite nicely. This story takes place in between Starcatchers and Shadow Thieves and features Little Scallop (along with others) on a madcap mini-adventure involving mermaids, pirates, a traveling carnival seeking new attractions, the infamous Black Stache (and his gang), dolphins, and of course the irascible Mr. Grin. We begin the story with Little Scallop wishing her father had more time for her as she goes off to spend some with her mermaid friends, Surf and Agua. All three are tired of being told what they can and cannot do because of their age, and as young children often do, they break all the rules to swim out to Shark Cave, forbidden to the two young mermaids AND Little Scallop (it's certainly not in the shallows where her father has told her to stay). So off they go...and no sooner than they are on their way than a raging squall comes upon them and they become lost AND what's worse, there is a ship (deathly dangerous for mermaids). Surf is captured and now it's up to Agua and Little Scallop to get help for their captured friend and in the process of doing so, they encounter a lot more adventure and danger than they bargained for...will they rescue their friend? You'll have to read to find out!

Overall, this is a cute addition to the Neverland stories, though I would wager this is most appropriate for a slightly younger age range than the longer Pan novels Barry and Ridley have written. Escape from the Carnivale comes in at 134 pages and is a nice early chapter book with large spacing and type with an entertaining and easy to follow storyline that younger fans of Peter Pan and get into easily on their own (best for ages 4-8) and it would certainly make a great read aloud story for younger readers! I give it four stars, both of my kids loved it and we all hope that there will be many more of these to come...we absolutely loved reading more about the Mollusks, the Lost Boys and The Mermaids!!!

Although this short story does not contain either of the two great main characters Peter and Molly from the masterpieces Peter and the Starcatchers or the sequel to that prequel Peter and the Shadow Thieves and its length is only a fifth at most of either of those two books, it's still a great read.

Escape from the Carnivale allows a couple of the minor characters from the other adventures to have a bit of limelight and ultimately save the day. Teacher and the other mermaids, Fighting Prawn and the mollusk tribe, the Lost Boys and Black Moustache (now known as Hook) and other island residents do make appearances but this novel's pages belong mainly to youngest daughter of the Mollusk tribe, Little Scallop and James from the Lost Boys.

The adventure begins with a bored Little Scallop, envious of her older siblings who get to go on adventures spying on Hook and the other pirates disappointed her father spends his time worried about them and not giving her attention. When mermaid friends her age decide to break the rules and swim out in the open ocean to a cave so they can get some pearls to make necklaces, Little Scallop decides to go along. It is not long before their lost and one of the mermaids (Surf) trapped in a net is hauled onboard a ship called The Carnivale and thrown in a tank with a number of other "freak" prisoner marine animals. The captain of the ship Crookshank is determined to capture more mermaids and other exotic creatures to perform in his show and sees the island as a great place to acquire new slaves. With all the Mollusk tribe up in the mountains at a Sun ceremony it is up to Little Scallop and James to come up with a plan to rescue their friend with the help of some dolphins and the other mermaids. Hook however wants the ship for himself.

Escape for the Carnivale is aimed at a younger market than the Starcatcher Peter Pan prequel books but that doesn't mean it's not as good.

Mostly more of the same from the writers of the Peter Pan Prequel books. More fun reading but mainly for kids.

My daughter says Escape from the Carnivale is very exciting. She didn't want to put it down! She recommends highly! She loved getting to know the mermaids and Little Scallop. The Lost Boys are funny! She has moved on to Cave of the Dark Wind. It sounds exciting too!

Harry Houdini's showmanship made him a standout among magicians. Author Sid Fleischman uses the same technique to stand out in the crowded field of Houdini biographies. Escape! captures readers with its flamboyant vocabulary, humor, insider understanding, wonderful photographs with excellent captions and a clearly stated theme which shapes the details of an exciting life. Fleischman organizes this rags-to-riches tale around Houdini's shameless vanity that supported his "megaphone self-promotion" of his self-made legend: sharing that Houdini doctored facts and photographs. Fleischman analyzes Houdini's family relationships, evaluates his career and lasting fame, and explains them to youngsters as part human flaw, part the need to escape anti-Semitism, and part the drive to trump all competitors and fakes. The self-taught Houdini never had a magic lesson. Loyalty to fellow magicians keeps author-magician Fleischman from revealing Houdini's methods, although his bibliography includes books that tell all.
Hungarian Jewish immigrant Ehrich Weiss, searching for a way to financially aid his poor family, finds vaudeville and his stage name, The Great Houdini. Ironically, Houdini later unmasks his youthful idol and name inspiration, Robert-Houdin. This biography dramatically recounts what Houdini got out of: handcuffs, milk cans, straight jackets, jail cells, frozen rivers and coffins. It also spotlights what he got into: airplanes and first-flight records; entertaining troops during World War I; supporting the sons of rabbis, who like himself, performed on the stage; movies; the Encyclopaedia Britannica; the Library of Congress and a crusade bashing phony spiritualists.
Fleishman's rich, intimate account is possible from two special boosts to normal biographical research. He had access to material published privately for magicians and he knew Houdini's widow, Bess, who gave him information and photographs. From the clever table of contents to the sad postmortem, this book overflows with fun facts delivered by out of the ordinary colorful language proving reading can be magic. A treat for readers age 9 - adult.

The book was an interesting read. It showed how exciting Houdini actually was. It was well written and even though it's nonfiction, it was exciting. This information was well-done enough so I could use it for a sixth grade report.

I bought this book for a Valentine's present for my husband, who has been doing magic tricks and illusions since he was a young boy. He has always been fascinated by the Great Houdini, so when I saw this book, I took a chance. We have both enjoyed this book tremendously. It is written in very nice, simple language, with large print, and wonderful never-seen before photos. I would highly recommend this little magical gem!

Biographies can be dull and plodding, but this one is just the opposite. Partly because of the nature of the subject - the fascinating magician, illusionist, and escape artist Harry Houdini - and partly because of the bright prose of the author, this biography is engaging, humorous, and a pleasure to read. It is full of colorful language like prestidigitator, bamboozler, razzmatazz, razzle-dazzle, ragamuffin, derring-do, braggadocio, boondocks, bunkum, and blunderbuss. It is also infused with the showman's Jewish side, recalling Houdini's birth as Ehrich Weiss to an impoverished but scholarly rabbi in a Budapest ghetto, his self-invention and brashness as an immigrant, the effects of anti-Semitism, and his lifelong love of learning. According to the author, Jews are significant in the history of magic. Along the way we get a history lesson in vaudeville and other popular entertainments in turn of the century America and Europe. We also see Houdini as quite the overachiever; in addition to his legendary feats, he was an author, editor, pilot, and collector of magician memorabilia. REVIEWED BY SUSAN BERSON (DENVER, CO)

This book wasn't my favorite biography, a couple of the photographs were kind of strange, like when a woman has ghost essence coming out of her ear and the "What-is-it?" monster. The story was pretty good, although I had to go back a couple of times and re-read the sentence to understand what it was really saying. I found out some interesting Houdini facts that I never had known before, such as his real name was Ehrich Weiss. He also didn't know his birth date. I might recommend this to others, although I don't really know.

Hidden in an underground laboratory the military are conducting experiments on human beings. The military desire to enhance the human's brain capacity and intelligence. Computer chips are used as implants to facilitate this experiment. Unfortunately, the military-prisoners subjects chosen for the experiment are not as carefully thought out. They escape and wreak havoc along their way to global domination. However, one of their members dies and his corpse becomes hard evidence of their evil plot.

That is as much as I should tell of the plot....I don't want to give too much away.

This novel is similar in style and feel to the "X-Files" television series and yet in many ways far superior. Most of the characters are realistic and behave as real people would and the plot is very realistic. You get the feeling that this could have happened (well...sort of) and that's what makes it fun. The whole concept of "one person against a hidden society of criminal geniuses" is always exciting and full of action.

A note on the author's style, I found Wilson to be short on description and visual cues. What you are left with is the plot, which is pretty darn good. Wilson writes this taut thriller very well and leaves it up to you to fill in the gaps. I know he couldn't have told us more about the people involved because some of them are the bad guys...Wilson wants us to figure out which side a person plays on. Overall a good story and fun to read.

I gave this book two stars for the following reasons -

As with the other reviewers, I like the idea/concept and, as you get into the novel, when you realize that the antagonists are practically omnipotent, it makes for an interesting question. How in the world is the protagonist going to win? So, for the idea, I agree that the book would probably rate 4 stars.

But the writing style is excruciatingly painful to read and rates 0 stars. Mr. Wilson writes in a manner that one might tentatively compare to Ernst Hemingway. Hemingway, among other things, was famous for his terse sentences and taut writing style. The problem is, Hemingway was celebrated for it because he was so good at it. Mr. Wilson's phrasing got on my nerves so bad it often made my skin crawl. To give an example - and this is right out of the book mind you - Mr. Wilson writes:

'She looked at the door. She wondered if there was someone there. There was no sound. She had thought she heard a sound. A sound of someone there. But there was no sound.'

I'm sorry, but that's just BAD writing. Mr. Wilson also constantly overuses his adjectives. Never does a security guard run up to them. It always has to be a tall, thin security guard. There is never just a policeman - it always has to be a short, overweight policeman or an older, graying gentleman, or a tall, ropy-muscled, deeply-tanned villain, etc. It gets old very fast.

Mr. Wilson also had a bad habit of repeating words in the next sentence. Most novelists will take great pains to avoid this but he did it thirty or forty times. He would write.

'He knew that they had to hasten out of there so not to get caught. They hastened down the hall.'

I can only believe that his editor was in spasms laughing so hard when he read this that he actually forgot to circle the second hastened and write NEW WORD above it.

My final criticism is minor but it still got on my nerves. Michael Crichton, in his excellent book Travels, stated that his father, as a newspaper reporter, taught him that you never want to use the word obviously. The logic is, if it is obvious, then why state it. Mr. Wilson uses the word obivously approximately 50 times throughout the book (I lost count after 42). It's a minor complaint, but every time I saw the word, it was like someone was running their fingernails down the chaulkboard.

In summary, a high concept novel with low-level execution.

once again charles wilson has written a suspensful technothriller. a bit of a slow starter, but once he gets going... the further i got into the book, the faster i was reading, and the more taunt wilson kept it. a good job.

The Master storyteller has done it again...As an avid C harles Wilson fan this book kept me riveted to it,s covers from start to finish.I would highly reommend this book to read. And sit back,strap-in,take the ride& enjoy.

In 1990, in a secret underground military base in Montana, five criminals serving time in Leavenworth were used for an unusual and groundbreaking experiment: they had micro computer chips implanted in their brains. But the experiment backfires when the criminals use their now-enhanced mental powers to escape and begin a gradual take over of certain areas of life, including politics and law enforcement. Ten years later, one of the original recipients of a chip dies in a freak car accident in Jackson, Mississippi, and a pathologist inadvertantly removes the chip during the autopsy. Not wanting their diabolical plan to be discovered, the "chippees" (to borrow a term used above) will do anything to recover the chip, including murder. Dr. Spence Stevens, distraught over losing his friend and mentor, is convinced that something suspicious is behind the murder, and asks his old friend Joey to look into it. Joey, an emotionally disturbed military man now turned private detective, begins to unravel a plan so intricate and cleverly-disguised that he bumps into dead ends every time he thinks that he has a new clue. Finally he asks his friend FBI agent Bob Kennedy for help. After Joey loses his life in an "accident," Spence and Kennedy realize that whoever wants them out of the picture is playing for keeps. The twists and turns in the plot will keep you spellbound, and as the plot develops, more and more people become involved until you never know whom to trust. Should Spence trust the beautiful newspaper reporter Christen, his loyal assistant Flo, or even FBI agent Bob? You won't know who is a good "chippee" and who is a bad "chippee" until the very end! Charles Wilson is a master of the complicated plot and Game Plan is one of his best scientific thrillers yet.

Unsung heroes, 10 May 2008
By KEN SCOTT author "Scotty" (Spain) - See all my reviews

I was given this book by an ex WW2 POW, 89 years of age who spent nearly five years in three prison camps in the Silesia area of Poland. I agreed to ghostwrite his book after listening to his incredible story. "Do The Birds Still Sing in Hell?" will be released by Libros International around September 2008. This book provided invaluable research and along with the first hand accounts from my 'old soldier' Horace Greasley, I began to build up a picture of the hell that these unsung heroes went through. These men were little forgotten during WW2, an unfortunate statistic compiled by various governments and occassionally supported from time to time by the Red Cross and delegates from Geneva to see that the rules to their 'convention' were being upheld. They weren't. These men were brutalised, battered, starved, near frozen to death and murdered by a brutal regime that no one must forget terrorised the whole of Europe and beyond just over fifty years ago.

The POW's witnessed their old comrades slaughtered before their very eyes and innocent villagers and refugees shot for the sole reason they couldn't keep pace with a march. Rennel and Nichol weave an unbelievable yet accurate story of the last few months of the war backed up with the harrowing scribblings of the prisoners at the time.

WW2 is depicted and dramatised in the history books and the classrooms of Europe, it tells of Pearl Harbour and the battle of Britain and Nagasaki and Hiroshima and of the glorious battles and bravery of the soldiers from all sides depending who is writing the books or telling the story. But never during my school days did I ever hear one line about these unsung heroes, who even in times of utter desperation and despair managed to cling to some small branch of hope, managed a wise crack or an injection of humour when all seemed lost. Most believed they were about to be murdered by the Germans at the end of the war. Can you imagine (we cannot) what must have went through their heads? Some of them had spent nearly five years in a living lice infested nightmare and just as it seemed that the war was won and they'd be seeing their families soon, they were sent to hell and back and used as bargaining pawns by the allied governments of the time.

The book is a must buy for anyone wanting to learn more about the raw and brutal truth about war and the futility of it all. This book is a must for all scholars of history and if I had my way it would be a compulsory read for 14 & 15 year olds accross the world. This book is disturbing but oh so accurate, it is raw and pasionate and sad. And I take my hat off to those heroes of the camps, each and every one of them and their stories must live on forever. I for one as an author will do my bit.
Ken Scott, author of JACK OF HEARTS, A MILLION WOULD BE NICE, THE SUN WILL STILL SHINE TOMORROW and coming soon, DO THE BIRDS STILL SING IN HELL?

Nichol's project here is ambitious. Arthur Durand wrote about 400 pages on Luft 3 alone. Here Nichol covers all the Stalag and Stalag Luft camps in as much detail as he can in a limited 400 page space. There is good defintion in the differences between each of the marches of Stalags that were put on the road, January,1945, in Germany's worst winter in a century, in order to prevent POWs from falling into Soviet control. A fairly limited number of interviewees are relied on for each story, however, many vets are rapidly passing now. Nichol really does a good job of getting at the politics of the Soviets gaining control of Poland, and gaining the return of their POWS and citizens (so they could further punish and execute their own people) in exchange for releasing the Allied POWs. It was a closely run thing. Nichol shows that the Soviets were capable of sending all the POWs to the Gulag. Nichol also goes into some detail on how, if the Gestapo or SS, instead of the Wehmacht and Luftwaffe, had gained control of the Stalags right at the end of the war, the survival of the Allied POWS may have been a much darker story than it was. Nichol points out Germany had signed the Geneva Convention 1929 allowing third country (US then Swiss) oversight of the camps and the delivery of Red Cross parcels to the POW camps. Without the parcels POW attrition would have been many times greater. Amidst Total War there was co-operation on repatriations of severely wounded and medical/clergy personnel. The differences in the way the British and US POWs were treated compared to Slavic "Untermenschen" POWs and Concentration Camp prisoners is extremely stark and horrible, about 30% of 750,000 fatality rates in these groups on the marches..Aryan racial theories work to the advantage of UK and US POWs is another theme touched on here, and this theme is also explored in Arieh J. Kochavi's fine work,"Confronting Captivity".

A disturbing account of a seldom brought up subject.Allied prisoners of war being forced to retreat from both the Russian & British/American,advances into the Third Reich in the winter of 44-45.A very sad & needless saga of the horrors of POW's retreating on foot to unoccupied camps/rear areas with little food,medicine or warm clothes.Driven like cattle in subfreezing conditions,disease & suffering was rampant.The author follows the trials & tribulations of different camps in detail. A hard subject to read about but an important part of WW2 to fully understand.All the needless suffering for nothing,a real shame.....It will make you pause & reflect on the brutality of war

I was already somewhat familiar with some of the material in this book. My father's uncle was a POW in Stalag Luft VI and was among those that was transfered to Stalag Luft IV on the coal barge and forced to march from there to Falingbostel in the brutal winter of 1945. This book meshed nicely with my uncle's accounts of his experiences, and filled in many of the gaps in his story. This book also provides a good overview of the overall experiences of the British and American POWs as the war approached its conclusion. The authors are British, and the book has a definite slant towards the British point-of-view, but given that there were significantly more British POWs than American POWs, this slant isn't particularly bothersome. The research for this book was clearly difficult, especially in trying to understand the numbers of prisoners involved. The authors have done a good job of distilling the story into a readable narrative, while being clear about the ambiguities in the historical record. This book is a terrific resource for anyone who wants to understand how the end of the war impacted the British and American POWs in Europe, and fills in one of the holes in the documentation of the European theater of World War II. (This review is based on an Advance Uncorrected Proof copy.)

The Last Escape
By
John Nichol and Tony Rennell

The story starts when a group of British prisoners of war are stuck in a camp named Stalag Luft IV in Germany. They are then sent on a treacherous journey through Germany. Many prisoners died and many became very sick and ill. Most prisoners became so skinny that all you could see was bone there was no meat at all.
Finally, they stopped at a camp that would end this march. The name of it was Stalag IIA. After many days the German guards decided to get up and move so they could become farther away from the Russians and have a chance of evacuation and killing for the guards. Unluckily, this march was just as hard and treacherous as the first but not as quite as long.
The name of this new camp they had reached was Stalag XIID. The Germans did not hold control of this camp for long. Russian troops quickly arrived and took the camp. Relieved were many of the starving prisoners. There was something weird about the Russians control of the camp. They would not let any of the POWs leave even though the Americans were two miles away too evacuate them. The Russians were saying they have to wait until they get permission from the government in Moscow, even though they are allies with all of the POWs countries. It seemed as though the POWs were being held as hostages under the Russians.
Then permission came fro the POWs to be released to the Americans two miles away. Therefore the POWs hoped on the cars waiting and then were shipped too an airport. Finally the POWs' destiny came they were going to be sent home by country on airplanes. Though not the Russians they stayed behind with the troops that were leading the camp. There they were shot because of surrendering to the Germans. It was thought to be frowned upon if you surrendered, that is how the Russians were.
Happy were the prisoners that were sent home.

I did not enjoy this book very much. It seemed to go on and on. There was way to much detail. It seemed like one of those stories when you wall asleep in the middle and when you wake up it is still going on. There was also no action in the story.
The people that would like this book are people who love detail and like to listen to a lot of stories. They must also have a lot of patience for the story to develop. Do Not read this book if you are not that type of person.