Characters Books

Of "our world, our wooden world," as O'Brian wrote in the Nutmeg of Consolation. As an O'Brian devotee who is compiling a quotation book for naval officers and mariners (The Literary Mariner; look for it next year), I have found this Muster Book to be more useful, in its own way, than even Dean King's excellent Sea of Words. King's work is mostly a wonderful timesaver--you needn't hunt up terms in other reference books--but Gary Brown's POB Muster Book is unique and indispensable: no where else will you find the attention paid to and the cross-referenced information on the characters, ships, and animals of the entire Aubrey-Maturin series (what one reviewer called the Aubreyiad, a term I like very much).

Once the book was in hand, for example, I was able very quickly to answer three questions that had been bothering me: was Awkward Davis and Awkward Davies the same man (yes); were the Dumanoirs mentioned separate characters (yes); and what were the names of the various cannon in Surprise.

There is a very useful and succinct summary outlining the entire series, and the lengthy essays on each of the major characters also walks through all the books from that character's perspective (warning: if you haven't read the Aubreyiad through, these will be spoilers). Gary Brown also makes good use of helpful references to biographies (Dean King's and Nikolai Tolstoy's--see my Amazon reviews) and to historical works. This is simply a stunning achievement.

As an academic, I was first introduced to O'Brian by a colleague who thought I might find it interesting to compare O'Brian's works to Jane Austen's. As I did so I became convinced that there was more than a chance connection between the authors' works, but with O'Brian's expansive Aubreyiad, trying to corroborate the simplest connection became so time consuming it was discouraging. I happened across the first edition of this book on Amazon, ordered it, and three published academic articles later, it may well be the most indispensable work in my library. So much so, that when a newer edition came out that included the last few novels O'Brian wrote, I had to have it. I haven't been disappointed. Whether you're a "fan" or an academic, Gary Brown's meticulous research is sure to add to your understanding and appreciation of the genius of Patrick O'Brian.

I must say that my recent purchase of "PO's Muster Book" is worth the investment. I wish I had bought it sooner.

I am not quite finished with all 20 and 1/2 volumes of the O'Brian 19th century odyssey, having only finished the first 18, but I became an Aubrey/Maturin junkie after reading the first two novels and watching the movie. Comprehending the wealth of people, places and events, real and imagined, combined with a liberal use of foriegn languages was difficult and intimidating. I was often confused, because I didn't readily remember names and places from one chapter to the next.

Fortunately, before I started no. 5, I discovered, through Amazon, the companion books advertized there. I purchased "Sea Of Words", "Harbors And High Seas" and "Patrick O'Brian's Navy". Problem solved. I constantly cross referenced my new literary tools several times a chapter to interpret the rich mix of story and detail woven together in O'Brian's romantic chronology. The downside is that I needed to carry a tote when I went to read at the coffee shop as well as use an extra chair to hold my not so portable library.

Recently, I have added "The Patrick O'Brian Muster Book" and I immediately liked using it. Actually, it could be a "stand alone" companion book, except that it is absent of maps, diagrams, pictures or a commentary on the life and times. I know that this type information is beyond the scope of "Muster" by nature, so, my other books are still important to me, just not needed by the night stand.

That said, I am pleased with the appearance, organization and thoroughness of "Muster". Formatted like Webster's, it is highly informational and allows quick alphabetical access to the who and the where along with the what and the when not as easily accomplished by the other companion books. I can quickly remind myself of the names and places and not lose track of the story in doing so. Additionally, it lists all O'Brian's books with a Cliff Notes style summary and along with each item is the cross reference of all mentions in the series by book and chapter. It has helpful optional references to deliniate the fact from fiction.

While I finish the series and re-read it, as I'm sure I will, "Muster" will be my favorite companion. Now, when I'm reading on the plane, I won't have as much baggage.

There are other companion books to Patrick O'Brian's world and works, but none better than this one. Being a foreigner and rather a recent fan, I really need the help of such books to attain at least the merest understanding of what's going on, so I own several others which I enjoyed enormously. However none is so complete and helpful as this one. Most recommendable.

Anthony Gary Brown's "The Patrick O'Brian Muster Book" is truly the ultimate literary companion volume for O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin nautical historical novels. Every serious fan of the series should get a copy. Every named person, animal, ship, or even cannon gets its own entry, very often exploring obscure references (and nicely cross-referencing multiple appearances throughout the series). This new edition of Brown's work covers the entire series, including the twenty-first volume left unfinished at O'Brian's death. It serves to enhance reading (and re-reading) the novels and will provide many hours of pleasant browsing for the serious fan.

It's sad to think that Chretien de Troyes introduced his most enduring invention in a work he did not live to finish. We never learn what, precisely, the Grail is--though Chretien never actually names it "Holy"--or where it came from. Almost like the Fisher King or the Grail itself, the Grail's inventor gave us a symbol and disappeared.

Perceval is the last of Chretien's five surviving romances. The Grail and the poem's naive central character proved enormously popular in medieval Europe, spawning several continuations of the unfinished story (all summarized at the end of this edition) and many imitators, from Wolfram von Eschenbach to Richard Wagner.

The story is both easy and difficult to summarize--easy because, being unfinished, it is short and fairly straighforward, and difficult because, for the same reasons, it has no ending and the reader has no way of knowing how the plot would finally interconnect and resolve. The title character begins the poem as a young man, living in the forest with his overprotective mother who, for fear of his life, has shielded him from knowledge of chivalry and even his own name. Nevertheless, Perceval shows knightly instinct and when he encounters a group of knights by chance, he determines to travel to King Arthur and become a knight.

This he does in short order, though not after a series of Quixotic adventures caused by his literal interpretation of his mother's bits of parting advice. Upon reaching Arthur's court, the acerbic Sir Kay tells Perceval that Arthur has knighted him and that the red armor of a rebellious knight is his to take. Perceval misses the joke and kills the red knight, then sets off on another series of adventures, vowing not to return to court until he has avenged Sir Kay's slapping of a girl.

The first third or so of Perceval deals exclusively with Perceval's misadventures and growth in courtesy and manliness. He fights overbearing knights and rights wrongdoings--all the trappings of the finest medieval romances. But near the middle of the tale, Sir Gawain suddenly comes to the fore in a subplot that is given as much time as the Perceval-centered plots. Indeed, almost the entire final third of the poem deals with Gawain. Chretien died before he could bring Perceval back into the story from a shadowy hermit's retreat.

But despite the lack of an ending--one can pick up von Eschenbach's Parzival for a much longer and fuller telling of the tale--Perceval remains a great read. The story is by turns touching and hilarious. Perceval's hopelessly naive exploits as a young man carefully segue to his realization, as a more mature man, that he has forgotten God and not only caused suffering for some, but prolonged it. The Gawain plot parallels Perceval's in many ways, and can be seen as the end result of the older knight's youthful adventures.

This translation by Burton Raffel is very good. While, as a non-French-speaker, I cannot speak for his accuracy or literalness, Raffel very deftly captures all the wit and energy of Chretien's narrative without succumbing to contemporary slang or cliche. A brief translator's note at the beginning summarizes Raffel's motivation and goals as translator, and the afterword by Joseph Duggan is a valuable and enjoyable read.

In the end, reading Perceval may be a disappointing experience for some--the absence of an ending, I have to admit, is frustrating--but for me, reading a master poet's story in a masterful translation is always a joy.

Highly recommended.

This unfinnished romance has inspired centuries of literature. Chretien was probably the most popular writer in the 12th century. Despite the age of the book the story is full of issues that concern us today. It is a comming of age story in which a boy becomes a man and learns of his ancestry and potential. It is also a story of spiritual discovery, and the encounter with mystery. The fact that the poem was left unfinnished makes it even more compelling. Chretien claimed that this book was rewritten from a source book given to him by Phillip of Flanders, his patron. Speculation about the nature of this source has run on for centuries. A recent analysis in _King_Arthur_ by Norma Goodrich, makes a good case that the source was real and that these Arthurian stories took place in southern Scotland. So maybe Percival is more than just one of the greatest works of fiction. I love to read direct translations of Celtic mythology, and this is amoung the best available. Easier to read than you might think, but still a challenge. One of my favorite books.

Written by Chretien de Troyes in around 1180 under the patronage of Philip of Flanders, this medieval poem can be considered as the French take on the Arthurian legend. (Remember this was a time when England was ruled by French kings, so I suppose there was a lot of cultural exchange between the two countries). It's a very peculiar work, in that it is very funny, as Perceval, the protagonist of the story, is portrayed as an almost impossible fool who through his candor achieves success as a knight. Merlin doesn't appear here, but King Arthur does (as an aging and ineffective monarch), as well as Gawain and the Fisher King (with a very intriguing subplot dealing with the Holy Grail, reportedly the first mention ever in print of this mythical cup). Summing up, this is highly reccomended (and it's highly readable). Note: French filmmaker Eric Rohmer made in 1978 a very good adaptation of the poem called Perceval le Gallois.

I thought this book would be hard to read and boring since it was written so long ago, but I was wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed it and found it a fascinating story with undertones of all sorts of things. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the real story of the Grail Legend. Read this book instead of relying on other author's interpretations and theories.

What a Classic tale of the Fool coming to age! The story (read: poem) moves along at a quick pace as we follow Perceval through his travails. The story is light and humourous but also is so much deeper at second look. It is too bad Chretin dy Troyes could not have lived to finish this piece.

I certainly qualify as an addict. For the last five years, in addition to my other reading, I have always been in the middle of one of the twenty Aubrey/Maturin novels. I'm now in my fifth (sixth?) reading of the series. These novels are so rich in period detail and characterization I can't imagine getting tired of them.

As other addicts know, part of the charm of the novels are the numerous obscure and offhand references to various "Persons, Animals, Ships and Cannon." Mr. Brown's handsome, very well written dictionary of ALL of those references is a delightful companion clarifying many nuances in in O'Brian's prose. Actually, it's a joy just browsing through the book without one of the novels at your side.

The book also includes two insightful summaries of each novel, one from Aubrey's point of view and one from Maturin's, as well as descriptions of O'Brian's rare inconsistencies and errors in plotting from novel to novel.

How on earth I ever managed to enjoy Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin novels before reading Anthony Gary Brown's wonderful dictionary is a mystery. Brown's book is a must have for all those who wish to get the most out of reading O'Brian's excellent naval stories.

This book is an astonishing piece of research, a listing and historical analysis of thousands of items--well, characters, animals, ships, and cannons--from Patrick O'Brian's series of novels. I cannot imagine how he did it, but what a delightful treat for the rest of us. This book is not just an indispensible companion to the Aubrey-Maturin novels; it's also a great pleasure just to leaf through and read. If you like the O'Brian's books you need to have this one too.

Anthony Gary Brown's "Persons, Animals, Ships and Cannon in the Aubrey-Maturin Sea Novels" is a wonderful resource for anyone who loves the nautical fiction of Patrick O'Brian. The depth and breadth of research evident in this companion volume to the Aubrey-Maturin series is truly awe-inspiring. Every "proper name" reference -- no matter how slight or obscure -- has been diligently tracked and, where ever possible the historical reality behind the fictional is revealed. Characters I had assumed to be merely creations of Patrick O'Brian's imagination are shown by Gary Brown to be based in actual persons. Whenever Stephen Maturin speaks of an obscure botanist or philosopher, Brown has explained who he or she was and what was the significance of their work. There are many, many hours of delightful browsing in this volume for any Patrick O'Brian fan.

I've been sampling this book for a couple of weeks and I can't tell you how much I've been enjoying it! For a fan of the Aubrey/Maturin books its almost as good as having a new POB come out! I think of someone I want to look up, then by the time I've read that entry I've been led to another, and then another and I keep stumbling on the most amazing facts and interesting historical stories.While just keeping track of all the names in the books is useful enough, the "enhanced" information - all the details about "real" people and ships and historical events - is the most exciting treasure for me.I can not begin to imagine the hours and hours invested in this masterpiece, though the careful attention to details and proofreading suggest it was a labor of love. All I can say is that I'm very grateful to the author for having written it. It will make reading and re-reading the Aubrey/Maturin books an even greater delight, and for me at least, it will lead deeper into the historical literature behind the series.Every bookstore in the country should stock this on the shelves next to the Aubrey/Maturin books so new converts will have it in hand right from the start.

Well, we've all seen those cute and cuddly little freaks hogging the pages of TIME, and completely obliterating the trading-card market. But even a veteran Pokemon fanatic gets tired of Pokemon's general appearance [cute and child-friendly]. Well, that's where this book comes in. The Pokemon and characters are drawn in a much more manga way, and seem either more silly, serious, or enraged! Whoever this guy is, he needs to start working for Microsoft, because their website needs more than a little work! [visually, that is]

I briefly browsed through this thing in my local Waldenbooks, but I was blown away by the strangely realistic look of Venusaur and Blastoise [in mountain-form, nonetheless!]. Hell, I expected vulgar language and nudity on every other page, that's how Manga it looks!

i'm very happy ^_^ i managed to get the book with the three characters on front, if your worried by the title and hot it says, pokemon comic series three? just ignore it. the book's the same as the other 4. it was gorgess seeing meousy and all the stuff underwater, a must have...

Although this US version is quite censored, I can recommend it to any Pokemon fan, but it is absolute must have for any Rocketshipper! It is quite Ash-bashing despite the title. And there are also the most beautiful pictures of Jessie and James! The art style is marvelous and Mr.Ono's humour is great, too!!!
I like The Electric Pikachu Boogaloo the best from all 4 manga books by Toshihiro Ono. This series is one of my most favourite mangas (beside Cardcaptor Sakura and Gunsmith Cats).
Read it and you will see why! If you are manga fan and want quality, try this Pokemon manga series. It it not childish, I'm 20 and I enjoyed it very much!

This Pokemon tradepaperback is the best Pokemon item ever made! The stories are more interesting to read especially better than the television series. Once I got the book in my hands I was amazed at Toshihiro Ono's artwork. This guy can draw! I like good american art and more so manga art. Mr. Ono's work is outstanding story and art both. If you are a lover of good art and enjoy Pokemon this is the book to get ( along with all the othe TPs from his other 3 Pokemon books). Hope this review is helpful.

There are two things I somewhat pride myself on not being: 1)The first is a Pokemon fan (Don't get me wrong, I love Nintendo, but I won't be sad when they finally stop producing Pokemon games) 2)The second is a comic book fan. I gave up comic books for many good reasons, the first of which is that I simply couldn't understand the piecemeal plots of the works. Look at it this way: Once a month, you either buy at a store or receive in the mail a small book of approximately 20 or 30 pages with decent art printed on lousy newsprint, it took you approximately 10 or so minutes to read, and then you had to wait a whole month to find out what happens next! That is why I turned to the trade paperback, and then ultimately turned to Manga. Not only did trade paperbacks keep my attention and immerse me in a fictional world for at least 10 minutes, but they usually contained whole stories. I came across Electric Pikachu Boogaloo in the book section of Target, I flipped through the pages and immediately fell in love with Toshihiro Ono's rather interesting take on the Pokemon Omniverse. What really grabbed my attention was the way in which the Pokemon were drawn; they were not quite the cute, cuddly cartoons of the orignal Nintendo games, but were something more: They looked like Animals! Real, living, breathing animals that could very well exist (cases-in-point: Meowth really looks like a cat and Gryados really looks like...well, a Gryados, but still the scariest looking Gryados I'd ever seen). What also made me fall in love with Electric Boogaloo was the story of the Clefairy's Off-world origins, and their effect on an adorable little girl and her pet Jigglypuff. The absolute best illustration in the story is presented to us when the little girl is awakened to the sounds of someone (or something) in the kitchen and creeps downstairs, heart racing. The next panel is possibly the most strangely eerie and yet amazingly alluring illustration I have ever seen: A seemingly innumerable amount of Clefairy all gathered around the refrigerator, foraging for whatever food they can find. I found myself staring at the panel for what seemed like hours as memories of times when comics were actually able to create moments of suspense and were able to pull the reader into a strangely foreign world with an all too haunting familiarity. I also found myself practically on the verge of tearing up during the little girl's monologue to the Clefairy about her long lost mother. And I couldn't help but smile when she first greeted her strange visitors ("Nice ta meetcha!"). Toshihiro Ono is an artistic genius, and of all the books in the series, this stands as the absolute best. Even if you're not a pokemon fan, and especially if you're not a comic book fan, you can find solace in the fact that this book embodies none of the things that make Pokemon or comic books so esoteric, alienating, and generally unenjoyable.

This book is a powerful testimony of how God can work through an individual's life to change so many other individuals lives. Everyone in America need to read this book, if nothing more than to know that we do not have the freedom of speech in the Kingdom of God as it relates to each other, particularly negative speech.

Sincerely,

I bought this book originally for someone I knew who had a hard time controlling her tongue.. Upon reading it first myself, I realized that everyone has a problem and can learn tons from this brief book.. It helped me and has helped my friend as well!!

Bought this for a friend who is in a verbally abusive relationship - read it myself and it is truly inspirational. It has changed the way I think about my communication with everyone, especially those closest to me.

The book serves to heighten our awareness as to the power of life and death in our words. Doesn't get too deep in any one area, and has a helpful chapter on praying in the Spirit. This is encouraging to those of us who would like to receive the gift of a prayer language.

This book presents how powerful "words" are to everything and every area in your life. Any parent or spouse will find this book to be extremely helpful in having a home that is full of love, respect, and discipline. Rev. Morris shares such straight forward renderings of his heart and adherence to the word of God, that is is entirely refreshing. It is a book that I can hardly put down, but do for a short while so that I can absorb all the wonderful "words of life" into my spirit. Be blessed.

Pin first witnesses the disappearance of a fellow member of his opera company, then is himself transported into the body of a demon. Mrs. Pa arranges the marriage of her dead daughter, mistakenly sent to Hell, and is suddenly (only days later) gifted with the daughter's living son. An aging water-dragon frees herself and swims to join the other dragons who have gradually abandoned Earth for a section of heaven. And Detective Inspector Chen, together with his demon associate, Zhu Irzh and a heavenly warrior, Qi, is sent to Hell to investigate a possible cultural exchange.

There's no question that the demons are evil--they enjoy blood, backstab one another, seem fixated on war and sex, and play power games all the time. What is less clear is what's up in Heaven. Although Hell and Heaven have long been in balance, at least some of those in Heaven wish to end the balance, eliminate Hell, and cut themselves off from Earth itself. Only in their solitary perfection, they believe, can Heaven be perfect.

In Hell, Qi is kidnapped and Chen and Zhu Irzh have to head to the Ministry of Lust to set her free. Meanwhile, far larger forces are at work--bringing to a head the long-awaited battle between Heaven and Hell.

Author Liz Williams creates an enjoyable world. Zhu Irzh, with his dysfunctional family, dangerous love life, and cynical attitude makes a perfect sidekick to the noble but crafty Chen. I found the early going, as we flipped between point of view characters to be a little distracting, but Williams integrated the story lines into a coherent whole. PRECIOUS DRAGON is an enjoyable story--I'll certainly consider looking for more in the Inspector Chen series.

If you have read the previous two Inspector Chen, this one will be enjoyed also. Plenty of action and surprises.

Precious Dragon opens slowly and somewhat confusingly, as Williams has to set three or four parallel story-trains into motion. Unlike the first two D.I. Chen books, you definitely shouldn't start here. Even readers who've read the first two book may be doing a bit of head-scratching (and toe-tapping) until she gets all her balls into the air.

But then -- wow! All the cool stuff I've loved in the first two books, and more! Viz, Chen musing on his mortality, aboard the Hell-bound train(!!): "When he died, as a devoted servant of the Goddess Kuan Yin, Most Merciful and Compassionate, he might reasonably expect to enter Heaven. Okay, he'd married a demon. His right-hand man was from Hell. On a previous, unfortunate occasion, he'd used the goddess' sacred image as a battering ram. Good thing she was Merciful and Compassionate..."

The Hell-bound Train! Can there be a more resonant image in SF&F?
Williams' iteration is spectacular: "It was bullet-shaped, black and silver... , coruscated with magnificent ornamentation. Its engine was encased in the head of a centipede: of a kueri, and the name on its side read STORM LORD.

"Wow," Chen remarked. "It's certainly baroque."

Which isn't a bad description of William's book. Plus, it made me smile a lot. Liz Williams is a Jack Vance fan, and it shows. I haven't quite decided who Zhu Irzh, "large as life and twice as unnatural," reminds me of... Not quite as finely-crafted as the first two, in my judgement, but if you've come this far, you won't want to stop now.

Happy reading--
Peter D. Tillman

In Precious Dragon, Liz Williams continues her fascinating amalgam of traditional Chinese style stories with modern detective tales. Mixing the celestial, demonic and middle world freely, her writing provides fascinating characters that strongly reflect oriental mythologies. Inspector Chen joins us again for a larger role in this book, and Precious Dragon and his grandmother are wonderful characters. We also get to see the badger-teapot demon again together with Inspector Chen's demon, but not very demonic, wife. I enjoyed her first book and this book more than Demon and the City, but all are fun and require the reader to stretch their brain (and suspend disbelief) more than just a bit.

This is the third in the Inspector Chen series by Liz Williams and certainly they get better every time. She has a marvelous way with words and weaves them together to make each paragraph and chapter a pleasure to read. As much as you may want to, this is not a book to rush through. It is a book to savor and cherish because it will probably be a while until the next one. Rushing through it could also cause the reader to miss some beautifully written and rather important parts. Based in Chinese mythology these novels paint a unique picture of a futuristic world where the worlds of heaven and hell bleed into earth and mess about with daily human routine. You honestly can't get better than this. I've read some of Liz's other stories and while they were good, none of them hold a candle to these novels. She has truly found her world here and I hope she produces many more of these brilliant and exquisitely written books.

You have to read these books! It doesn't matter if you start with the latest or the first; the Sam Jones series is so fun you wish you could move to London and have party with these folks!

Lauren Henderson takes an old trick, a switcheroo, and gives it new life and contemporary meaning. This book is a very enjoyable look at the choices women make about careers, marriage, children, and friendship.

This (so far) final book in the series really shows her growth as a sleuth, but also as an adult. Should she kiss the pretty boy (and he is) or should she move to the next level in a real relationship? Now, I'm panting for the next book!

This (so far) final book in the series really shows her growth as a sleuth, but also as an adult. Should she kiss the pretty boy (and he is) or should she move to the next level in a real relationship? Now, I'm panting for the next book!

Laura has written a book that goes back to Black Rubber Dress with its style and mystery. It took me till the last 4 pages, where she tells you who did it, to figure it out. Once I knew who did it, the whole story feel into place. But, the story kept me on my toes the whole time.

Sam has yet again stumbled into a murder. This time her best friend Tom has been accused. She spends her time in a small town outside of London debating her relationship with Hugo and trying to figure out who done it. This story is a fast mind-tickling read. I would recommend it to any mystery reader.

An early 87 that no fan of the series should miss. McBain had the touch from the very beginning.

The third book in the 87th Precinct series is a more standard entry into the police procedural genre. But at the same time, it manages to reach an emotional depth somewhat unusual for the time period.

The plot is pretty straight forward. A pair of patrolmen stumble upon a apparent junkie suicide. But sometimes things aren't as easy as they seem, and the suicide squeal quickly turns into a multiple homicide investigation that threatens to become blackmail when Lt. Byrnes son becomes linked to the drug scene. The bulls at the 87th are relegated mainly to the footwork, as most of the behind the scenes action involves Byrnes as he struggles with his son's involvement. Byrnes goes as far as to fill Carella in on the situation, a decision that almost proves to be fatal.

Apart from some of the dated aspects one would expect from a well-reserched police drama from the fifties, the bulk of the novel is your typical expose on the brutal world of the street level drug trade. But as usual, McBain delves into the emotional causes and ramifications of the Heroin users and dealers. The most revealing of these is the personal and professional termoil faced by Lt. Byrnes with the revelation that his son is a Heroin addict. Adding to the emotional doubt of where he has gone wrong with his son, and the constant battle between anger and compassion, is the dilemma of whether or not to cover up his son's possible involvement in a crime, especially when a mysterious third party with knowledge of his son's connection attempts to blackmail him for police protection.

McBain doesn't just focus on the 87th detectives. Glimpses into the lives of low key players in the drug scene shows the many facets of human frailty and desperation and prevents the broad generalizations that many crime dramas easily fall into. Even the closer look at Carella's relationship with stoolie Danny the Gimp is both touching and revealing. But to McBain's credit, none of this detailed attention to the human element detracts from the gritty realism that is typical of this series.

Published in 1956, "Pusher" by Ed McBain, one of the author's famed 87th Precinct mysteries,
may be a bit dated, but the sheer power of writing and the abilitiy of the author makes this one a
worthy read. McBain's legions of fans (most of whom have, no doubt, already read this one)
certainly found this to be a choice selection.

This time we find Steve Carella and Lieutenant Peter Byrnes again up to their precinct necks in
crime. As the title suggests, they're investigating the death of a drug dealer. The autopsy had said
suicide, but Carella and Byrnes know better.

And with the speed of some sound writing style and
excellent plot development, Mc Bain carries his readers full tilt. There's no resting; the pace is
terrific! Aided by first-class dialogue development "Pusher" is quick and easy to read. One doesn't
have to be totally dedicated to McBain to enjoy this one. Remember: it's quick and easy. And good.
(Billyjhobbs@tyler.net)

Another great book by Ed McBain. Have just started reading this series and have a long way to go, but I am really looking forward to it if they are all like this one. Steve Carella and Bert Kling are back. They make a great team. They are trying to find who killed a young man, then others are killed to cover up the first killing. I don't want to name names as would take away from the book. The ending is good. McBain can make you feel like you are there. You can nearly feel the the thoughts and actions as they take place. A fairly short book that is quick to read. A very good mystery.

Of McBain's 70 to 80 books, this is without a doubt his best. This is what storytelling is all about. Simple characters, doing simple things and making it impossible to put the book down . I'm curious to know whether Evan Hunter is still alive or just retired from writing.

This is among my top 5 audio books, out of the perhaps 50 that I've listened to over the years. The author's wry sense of humor combines with a gift for suspense to make for an excellent spy novel. But there is also a sensitivity to human emotion that is touching at points. Highly recommended.

I have been a book reader my entire life. This Author (who passed away a few years ago) shall be deeply missed. Written with intelligence and in a manner that the characters (and their souls) become alive on the paper in my hands.

It is very likely you have never heard of this author, nor his Quiller series.

Warning :) Know up front that if you order one of them, you shall (over time) order all of them.

Run do not walk and gather up many enjoyable evenings with all of the Quiller novels.

A deep thank you Elleston Trevor, aka Adam Hall for providing me with your words.

...this author did to the spy thriller--don't be put off by the number of pages, each is fast-paced and the writing style is both accessible as well as being completely original--with all the hoopla over Brosnan quitting the Bond series, Broccoli and co. could do no wrong using this character and series as a template--HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

There is a lot more info on the Quiller series at www.quiller.net, a fan site.

In New Zealand, where I live, haere ra is a Maori term meaning more than goodbye. It expresses sorrow at the departure, regret at the necessity for parting, hope for a reuniting in the future.
Adam Hall, creator of Quiller, is no more. Quiller has performed his last service with his usual stoicism, his acknowledged courage, his down-at-heel humanity.
I've enjoyed meeting with Quiller on a regular basis; I regret that he shall tell me no new tales.
However, I have his old tales to refresh my mind as to what an extraordinary character he was.
Haere ra, Quiller.

This book was recomended to me and it was an absolute easy read! It's a very short story that wakes up your inner spirit. I'm buying one for all the GRADs I know. Those who deal with the public should definately read this book, but everyone (male or female) will benefit from it. Not only will you enjoy the read....but gain a renewed sense of relationships & life! Even if you are not looking for inspiration, it's written so that you can't put it down.

I had the privlage of hearing VJ Smith speak on Marty. This simple man obviously had a dramatic affect on the people he encountered. This very quick reading book has the punch of a freight train at full throttle. If you want true success this is a must read for everyone. The simple truths from a simple man could change your business, change your life!

I worked at this Wal-mart when Marty was an employee there. He was an absolute joy to be around and the story is 100% true to form of the way this wonderful man treated his customers. Quick read and very uplifting!

My wife's employer bought the book for she and her coworkers to read. She became emotional as she read it and suggested that I would like it. I'm not into emotional books (I rarely read a book) but it's a quick read so I took it from her. Like others, I couldn't put it down and feel great for having read it.

What a great story. I cannot imagine anyone not enjoying this great little work. I have a bad habit of buying books and after the first chapter or two putting it back on the shelf. Not this one! I could not put it down until it was finished.