Montana Books

This is NOT a book I typically would have picked up. But I was sitting in a coffee shop/used book store and saw it sitting there. I picked it up, took a look at the first page, and before I knew it, it was 4 hours later and I was completely in love.

This is an incredibly amazing book. After reading the back, I was not sure I wanted to purchase the book, but decided to do so. From the moment I opened the book, I didn't want to put it down. Sheri Reynolds made this book and religious cult come to life in every page.

This is probably going to be one of my top 10 most favorite books. I loved every single part of the book. The ending was soooooo great!

I liked this book a lot. It was very easy to read, a lot of descriptions to give you a good picture in your head. The story was great.

I enjoyed this book enough to finish reading, but I just didn't find the characters believable. The book started off pretty engaging, but really sputtered about 3/4 of the way through.
The main character is a young teenager who has been endoctrinated her whole life into this "cult" however even at a young age her doubts are louder then her faith.
Grampa Hermen leads the congregation and executes punishments however even own wife doesn't care for his leadership and expecially not for the punishement he delivers, she doesn't really listen to his sermons, however she seems to be totally in love with him. huh?

If you love to read books with vivid character descriptions, character you grow to care about, leave this book on the shelf.

If you just want to escape with a quick read you might like this book.

In which the children almost save Josephine on Lake Lachrymose, but are actually fortunate enough to unmask Count Olaf just in time.

This is the final book in the series used as the basis for the movie (Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (Widescreen Edition)), which I think did a good job of capturing the characters and the feel (the movie narration especially capturing the ironic tone of the author) of the first three books in the series. The plot changes seem necessary to create a cinematic story as opposed to the written story.

Follwed by: The Miserable Mill (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 4)

I was absolutely charmed by the setting and description used in this book as the Baudelaires find themselves in yet another horrid predicament. The author continues to use some incredibly clever humor that is at the same time very serious even as it is goofy--fantastic and intelligent combination. I was also very impressed at the insertion of riddles to reveal the story's mysteries. One of the best additions to the series.

'The Wide Window' is the third book in the Lemony Snicket "Series of Unfortunate Events". The Baudelaire children are put in the care of a distant relation, "Aunt Josephine", who is a grammar freak. Shortly after their arrival, they run into their foe who this time is masquerading as Captain Sham, a renter of sailboats. Aunt Josephine is gone soon, and was forced to leave a note giving the children to Sham. This would be too predictable, but the children know who he is immediately and we are told. Mr. Poe, tho, doesn't believe the children and the excitement is on as the orphans must take one of Captain Sham's sailboats, battle a hurricane, and figure out a rescue device before their boat sinks into the huge lake, full of leeches. Fine reading that entertains and keeps one at the edge of their seat.

The book I have read is called The Series of Unfortunate Events, The Wide Window by Lemony Snicket. This book is a fantasy.

This story begins with the three Baudelaire children. Klaus, Violet, and Sunny are three of the main characters. One day, the Baudelaire children got into a cab to go to their guardian, their Aunt Josephine, who has many fears. She lives by a lake and her house is high in the air. The Baudelaire's went to the store once with their Aunt Josephine to get some food, and right then and there Violet ran into Count Olaf. For those who don't know Count Olaf is trying to kill the children because of their fortune their parents left behind when they died. No one believed the children though, because Count Olaf was in disguise as Captain Sham. Later on in the story, the Baudelaire's find out that Aunt Josephine has a library, but only full of grammar books. The children wonder why there aren't any books about the lake or anything else. Aunt Josephine told them that her husband had drowned in that lake because of the water leeches in the lake, and she ever wanted to look at another book about the lake again. So one day Aunt Josephine was eating dinner with the children when the phone rang, It was so called "Captain Sham" really Count Olaf. Violet answered the phone since Aunt Josephine was scared to. The next thing you know is the children are in there beds when all of a sudden they hear a big CRASH! It was the wide window in the library! Aunt Josephine had jumped out the window leaving a note though, it said that she had decided to leave the children in the hands of Captain Sham. The letter had many grammar errors though, that was unusual about Aunt Josephine too! The many errors it had left a message for the children saying Curled Cave. This probably meant that she was hiding there. So the children looked up about the Cured Cave, and got on a sailboat to go and get her. The children barely got in the sailboat because of one of Count Olaf's helper, but they managed. They got to Curled Cave, but Aunt Josephine would not leave. He finally left when Klaus said that realtors would come. When they were in the boat they were over the part where the leeches were located. Aunt Josephine was horrified since she had just eaten. Leeches attack people down by food! When they are getting attacked by the leeches Count Olaf comes. And the rest you will have to read to know the ending.

I liked this book very much. It just might be the best book I have ever read. I like this book because of all of its details and actions! It was a very interesting book! Something you will want to read. I think this book is suitable for a 4th , 5th, or a 6th grader.

Tim Curry does an excellent job at reading through this book. He is very dramatic, and makes the characters believable. :)

Yay! I finally read a Discworld novel. I was introduced when a friend insisted I watch Hogfather, which I did, and I was intrigued (and slightly confused). So I decided to start at the beginning.

The basic premise is that Twoflower, a tourist with perhaps the most dangerous luggage in existence, has wandered into the twin cities of Ankh and Morpork. While there, he meets and hires the failed wizard Rincewind as a guide. As a wizard, Rincewind knows only one spell, though he's not sure what spell and it could mean the end of the world if he were to say it (who knows?). Catastrophe ensues, starting with the twin cities burning down. Rincewind can't catch a break, but it seems he's destined to watch out for Twoflower, mostly because the luggage threatens to swallow him whole if he doesn't.

Okay, that's the short version. If you've read other "classic" fantasy series, or played D&D at all, you'll enjoy the pokes and prods Discworld makes in their general direction. I thought the book was slow to start, and a bit dry, but once I got settled in Discworld, I was really enjoying it.

I've got a long way to go in the series....

I have long been reading the Discworld series, and have been reading them in publication order, with this being the first book in the Discworld series, I read it quite some time ago. I purchased the audiobook for one specific reason - an 8 hour car trip with a 5 and 9 year old. Fully aware that the four of us in the car could not listen to the same music, and knowing that the portable DVD player could not be seen by both children at once, I decided to give our first audio books a shot. We listened to the first book "The Color of Magic" on the way to FL, and the second book - The Light Fantastic" on the way home. These books saved the trip!

This book is an absolute trip to read, I had never listened to an audio book before so I wasn't sure what we were in for. It turned out to be exactly what we needed. Terry Pratchett has created a brilliant fantasy world of satire and humor. To discuss the plot would be pointless, because the plot is so simple and spartan. The Discworld had it's first tourist, a man named Twoflower. Twoflower meets up with Rincewind, a failed wizard who is terrified of everything. Twoflower secures Rincewind's services as a tourguide and the two of them spend almost the entire book getting into trouble and running away from it. Twoflower never seems to be aware of the trouble he is in, and snaps picture after picture of the critters and people who are attempting to kill him.

The first couple chapters of the book (being the first CD) are perplexing and Pratchett doesn't really get into his rhythm until the crew is out of Anhk-Morpork. Once they are out of town the rollicking good time begins.

This book is perfectly fine for the little ones, there is no profanity and the tiny bit of sexuality is so deeply hidden in satire that the little ones won't pick up on it. Nigel Planer does a fantastic job of reading this story, unfortunately though, the footnotes (which are plentiful in this book) don't come across quite right and can throw you a bit if you haven't figured out the slight change in tone between the actual story and the footnotes. I would have been happier had I gotten a copy of this audiobook without the footnotes.

My two boys, aged 5 and 10 at the time, howled with laughter the entire trip through TN and GA and finally into FL. True they didn't get a lot of the humor, but they were able to understand enough that they have favorite characters and laughed until they couldn't breathe at certain parts.

FYI this book ends on a cliffhanger so bad that you HAVE to get "The Light Fantastic" to hear the rest of the story. These two books are basically part 1 and 2 of the same tale. And to parents who don't want to spend a fortune on these books, Audible.com has both of them available for download at a much cheaper rate.

These two audiobooks saved a long roadtrip... I have already purchased several others for future road trips, although the kids are so obsessed they want to listen to them NOW. I highly recommend them.

I am a high school English teacher who values the classics. I am not a book "snob," but I do get bored with predictable serialized novels. I picked this book up at a used book store because a student had mentioned the author, and I was curious. Now, I am HOOKED on Discworld! The writing, unlike many "mass market paperbacks" is clever, hysterically funny, full of literary techniques, and absolutely addictive. I have read only two other Pratchett novels so far (Hogfather and Wyrd Sisters) and I cannot wait to get more. Anyone who likes to think while reading and who loves to laugh (out loud, at times, and causing the curious stares of others) should DEFINITELY take a little trip to Discworld. I LOVE THESE BOOKS!

This is an extraordinary book, an excellent piece of work indeed, so amusing and full of details. And full of magic!! It's amazing to see from how many "near-death experiences" the two main characters get away hahahahhahahaha you can't help but laugh, it is very good. And to think that one of the main characters is a "perfectly ordinary, if somewhat large" piece of luggage hahahahhahahaha thumbs up for this book, and congratulations to the author.

I've been collecting the Discworld books in no particular order for a few years now, mostly because my father always had an affinity for them and recommended them as hilarious and entertaining at the same time. Now that I finally got to read the first in the series I can see what the fuss is all about! There is plenty of humor, dry wit and magic, extremely complex scientific and fantastic themes and myriad of characters brighter than all the rainbows and flowers in the world combined. My head was spinning after few pages but somehow I couldn't stop reading; this incredible journey that Pratchett invites the reader on takes some time to get adjusted to, but once I let my mind go and read it slow, it all melted into a fantasy like no other. I can't really imagine kids reading it unless they are prodigies at understanding language because their little brains might pop from the amount of information given; I know mine was taken for a spin a few times!

So here we are, visiting a world that exists as a flat disc with water walling over the edges, carried by four giant elephants standing on an ancient turtle, covered in meteor holes and all sorts of space debris, swimming who knows where....In one of it's cities, Ankh-Morpork , a failed wizard by the name of Rincewind comes across Twoflower, a traveling little man with magical luggage, carved out of rare sapient pear tree that follows him everywhere on its tiny feet. Yes walking luggage, with teeth too, guarding his master and providing lots of entertainment through out the story. The two men are the only ones in the whole city who speak the same language and thus their zany adventures start. Hastily hired as a guide the magician, who sucks at magic but it awfully funny and likable, gets into all sorts of troubles with trolls, dragons, islands with lunatics chased by Death itself without trying to loose poor Twoflower who thinks the whole adventure as a great sight seeing trip, they escape all sorts of scenarios that take them form the murkiest depths of underwater caves into far away galaxies in deep space.

Seems like a lot and it is, but the novel takes all sorts of turns ad twists and one never knows what awaits our heroes on the next page. When Gods play magic dice and Fate and Death are in talks of getting them, our characters have a lot at stake and loosing such charming little fellows would certainly be horrible so the reader is constantly kept on a tight leash as the beauty of the story and its intricate pattern morphs into more fantastic scenarios. I can't even clearly say what this book is about other than being simply fantastic, albeit very complex. Folklore, mythology, fairy tales, comedy and drama, it's all here exquisitely woven for those who dare.

- Kasia S.

After years of fighting the battle of the bulge (my weight was always up and down), my wife and I decided to try this "diet" back in 2000.

I put "diet" in quotations, because that word usually implies that you eat a certain way for a while, lose the weight, and then go back to the way you were eating before.

WRONG!

"Sugarbusters!" is not a "diet" per se, but it is (or should be) a lifestyle choice.

After trying many diets and weight-loss schemes, I had pretty much resigned myself to fate and genetics (my father has been obese most of his life). After buying and reading Sugarbusters, my wife and I cleaned out the pantry of all the "no-no's" and went shopping using the Sugarbusters dos and don'ts. We adhered to the rules and guidelines laid out in the book.

The weight MELTED off of us.

I was surprised at how quickly the weight came off. We didn't only lose weight, we lost inches as well (sometimes we lost either weight or inches, sometimes we lost both).

In the first 4 months, I lost a total of 50 pounds and my wife lost 60; and here's the amazing part.....

....we did it WITHOUT exercise.

I am not saying that exercise is not important, but at that particular time, we were both very active in our careers and had little time (practically none) for a workout routine. We did exercise OCCASIONALLY by walking mostly, but our dramatic weight loss resulted mainly from changing our eating habits and lifestyle.

Yes, you do have to make some sacrifices, but you can substitute things you once ate that were "forbidden" foods with something similar. For example, I loved peanut butter; sop instead of eating the "regular" kind (loaded with sugar and other additives), I eat Smucker's All-Natural peanut butter which contains only peanuts and salt (it does have a bit of fat and too much salt is not good for you, so rememeber that moderation is the key). Yes, the taste is somewhat different, but you get used to it.

I never once felt "starved" or that I was missing out on something. Sometimes I felt like I ate too much (portion size is VERY important) only to step on the scale the next day to discover that I had lost more weight. If you eat the right things in the right amounts (don't go back for seconds - wait an hour or two and have a "legal" snack) and avoid the "forbidden" foods (corn or corn-based foods, anything with any kind of starches or "enriched" ingredients, switch from regular pasta to whole wheat, from regular rice to brown rice, switch from white bread to whole wheat, eat only "natural" sugars or sugar substitutes, and stay away from potatoes (except sweet potatoes in moderation)), this "eating lifestyle" works.

READ your food labels!!!!!

Just because a loaf of bread says it's "wheat" bread, doesn't mean it's OK to eat. If the ingredients say "enriched wheat flour", DON'T EAT IT! It has been "enriched" with complex starches (sugars) that turn to fat when you digest them. Don't worry about this too much. The book teaches you how to read labels and what these "ingredients" really are.

Well, here we are 8 years later and I have kept the weight off for the most part. I have strayed somewhat form the Sugarbusters lifestyle and have gained some of the weight back, but I am nowhere near as large as I used to be.

This eating plan works, but you have to stayed focused and committed and it's something you have to stick with for the rest of your life.

It's WORTH it!!!!!

This book is fantastic! I started following this program in 2005 and I lost 84lbs without exercise. Due to health reason's I couldn't exercise. I have kept off the weight because it isn't a diet you are modifying you eating behavior and it's easy once you start. Just stay focused and take it day-by-day. I used to eat sugar like crazy and after I started this book my body stopped craving it. I eat it every now and then, but I use Splenda instead since it's made from sugar. Just remember, we are worth it to feel good! Good Luck!

This book, written by Doctors who were not happy with popular diets that patients had tried, really tells you what you can and can not have. That's it! You either accept their philosophy and embrace it totally or don't bother wasting your time reading past the first chapter. Does it work? WOW YES. Is it expensive to implement? More YES THAN NO. Is it easy? WOW YES.
Is it healthy? WITHOUT A DOUBT. Find out why you haven't lost weight..read
this book to find the answer.

I've read the book and adopted many of its principals. The key in my mind is eating truly whole-grain, high-fiber foods, lots of protein from trim meats, lots of vegetables, and fruits. Just don't get carried away: you need to eat small portions (controlling caloric intake), eat more frequently (if possible, 6 smaller meals a day), and get plenty of exercise.

I should note that I am relatively young (27). I'm probably about 15 pounds overweight but the real issue to me is body fat percentage, which is about 24%! I'm not about to delude myself into thinking I can just sit around at eat the Sugar Busters way and have a material effect on those two body stats I gave. Neither should you.

Doctors and health experts have been telling us for a very long time that moderate eating and getting plenty of exercise should be priorities for healthy living. I think eating many of the recommended foods on Sugar Busters--more importantly, illuminating many forms of sugar as recommended--combined with exercise and moderation is the most sound approach.

We will see. I've been on this plan for about 2 weeks and I've been exercising again after about 6-7 sedentary years getting a professional degree (not medicine). I monitor my body fat closely and my weight. I seem to have lost a pound or two and about .5% body fat. Is it the foods or the exercise? I don't know but I do know I was eating foods devoid of nutritional substance before and now I'm not. I'm willing to stick to the Sugar Busters diet principals just for that reason alone.

Despite some of the nay sayers out there who use big words like pseudo-science, may I say that this eating plan does work.

It is easy to understand what foods you should and shouldn't eat, although one reviewer seemed to think there was some mystery involved; the authors express, in a very clear way why it works (eating less sugar helps your body avoid insulin spikes), and they guide you through a two week menu plan to help you on your way.

I did Atkins some years back and lost 35+ pounds. But, I found Sugar Busters! much more enjoyable in its application.

Take the time to read this book, live by its principles and live better.

Low glycemic eating, as presented in Sugar Busters!, has been the most convenient, and healthiest way I have found to stay slim.

I loved the movie and I loved the book, although in differnt ways. The book has a slew of minor characters that would be too confusing for the movie. If you are a fan of Southern fiction, this book is a must. Even if you're not, check out this title.

this book is awesome. read it in like 2 hours. i loved the movie and the book surpassed my expectations!

'Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe' is the charming story of two women in 1986, one of whom, old and oracular, soothes the angst of the other, middle-aged and depressed, by telling her wonderful stories of her youth in a railway podunk. I'm sure you know all that already. I heartily recommend this novel: it's witty yet meaningful, the characters are sympathetic and easy to get attached to, and the writing is spot-on. There are quite a few typos and errors in my text; perhaps they've been rectified in further editions. Let these not distract, however, from the fact that FGTATWSC is perfect for a swift and entertaining, yet meaningful read. Fannie Flagg, I salute you!

This book is a refreshing cool mist in this southern summer heat that I am currently living in
It's a whooping 99 degrees here is Savannah Georgia but that's beside the point
Fried Green Tomatoes... is such a heart warming book, based upon friendship ,courage and the strength to just keep on living. I enjoyed the movie and watch it when it's on the t.v. but the book holds the prize the blue ribbon so to speak the best hog in the fair the best pecan pie and so on down the list of southern talk. I recommend this book 100 percent

I read this book maybe 10 years ago and saw the movie version again (not as good as the book) this evening on HBO. So I picked up the book again and remembered how I love this book and considered it as one of my favorite. I love the 4 main characters (esp. Ruth & Idgie) as well as the secondary characters, Big George & Sipsey. You could really feel the love, devotion and depth of their friendship. This is a must read. A classic!

The book was in very good condition and arrived promptly. I'm so pleased I may order additional copies.

I am going to Beruit in August and I find the book fascinating. Sandy Tracey

I now have such a better understanding of this area, geography, cultures, religions. A great read...very well written. A must read prior to travel in this part of the world.

I practically loved this book...the one I had read prior to such was "Pity the Nation" by Robert Fisk and I was honestly expecting it wouldn't have been as good...but I was wrong...

Friedman, a Jewish American and Middle East correspondent during the Lebanese civil war times, gives a full image of both Lebanese and Israeli societies, the Palestinian factor, and not only.

His social background does not influence him in any aspect and in no point can we accuse him of being partial towards one sect's or country's point of view...

Moreover, on the "Jerusalem" part; we are being induced into real aspects of the Israeli society - complex as the Lebanese one - and its attitude towards the Lebanese civil war, and this is something I was actually missing in books I have read till now referring to this region and period.

I should admit I didn't enjoy much the "advice parts" (where he is actually suggesting what should be done so as to resolve the Middle East crisis) but this is a question of personal taste...

A masterpiece I dare say, if this book does not get a 5 star review, which one does then?

I have always admired Thomas Friedman as an insightful writer of truth. Although a Jew his writing is impartial. He clearly states that he has friends both Israeli and Arab, and has been criticized by his American countrymen. I have often wondered why his opinions are not solicited by U.S. government officials, but perhaps no one wants to face the truth that on all sides of the Middle Eastern difficulties there are human beings whose opinions need to be heard and their concerns recognized.

In an spellbinding anecdotal presentation of the facts Mr. Friedman treats the reader with substance often lacking in the usual reporting that at best presents a few highlights of daily events.

Kenneth Ray Taylor author of Standup Comedian: The Secret and Beyond

Amateur investors have "numerous built-in advantages, which, if exploited, should result in outperforming the market and the experts."

Peter Lynch, America's number-one money manager of Fidelity's multibillion-dollar Magellan Fund, shows the layperson how to use what they already know to outperform the "experts" and to create investments on businesses that really matter.

Peter Lynch wrote a classic with One Up on Wall Street. Peter Lynch was lead investment manager of the Magellan Fund, which is arguably the most successful large $ mutual fund in the US. He no longer manages the fund but in his book he lets us in on some of his secrets of choosing stocks.

His approach is rather simple. Buy stock in something that you know. As a consumer and a personal investor we have the ability to know products before anyone on the street knows about them. For example he got in on the stock Yum Brands because he bought a Taco Bell burrito years ago when it first came out. He believed that their set up and approach would work and so he put some money into the company.

His suggestions like listening to things Oprah likes are great simple tips that a typical investor may not even realize we have more information on than wall street on a daily basis. His book is a read for all investor types from beginner to advanced. Enjoy!

I struggled with the 1st 74 pages or so, but after that this book is excellent. There is a section he titles Kicking the Tires, in short he goes over how to evaluate a company and to stay away from the 1-2 year fly away companies. I remember when everyone was selling Apple back in the day, Peter did the opposite and started gobbling up shares. As he somewhat states, the wheels on Apple were still good.

I was going to do some online trading and bought this book too learn more about selecting stocks. Mr. Lynchs' statement that he considered himself successful if 6 out 10 stocks he selected increased in value changed my mind. I want to thank him for waking me up. I will stick to index funds and wish all the online traders the best of luck.

I thought this book was an abreviated version of the full book, however this book is actually a miniture ~2inch micro-pocket version of the full book. Text is full size, thus it only contains a very few high-level comments. I was hoping for a boiled-down version, but got mini-me.

This book gives you tools to break destuctive behavoirs that all co dependents have . It is very freeing and unlike most books give you something to do instead of just describing the problem. I have given this book to many who were blessed as well.

This is the book that started it all. I know it is cliché but, this book has changed my life and my thinking...

I was talking to my father on the phone one day and I was explaining to him how I have no problem exercising and eating right when Otty is gone but I can't seem to keep it up when he is home. My father then asked me if I wanted to know what that was called...he told me it was called co-dependence and that I should start learning about this by reading a book called Co-dependent No More. I pretty much ran out right away and purchased the book.

Now, I have never been a big advocate for self-improvement books, but I have to say that this book was very enlightening. Co-dependency has a different definition for everyone. This book made me delve into my own retched thoughts and confront them head on.

This book made me realize that I have a voice and an opinion and both matter just as much as the next person. I realized that I can make decisions and not have to worry if my opinion is what other people may think or want. My opinion is exactly that...my opinion. It is okay to have an opinion that is different than someone else's.

I also learned that I need to detach myself from the people in my life that cause me harm...emotionally, physically, doesn't matter...

Though I may not struggle with an abusive alcoholic, I still struggle with the internal doubts and feelings of self worthlessness. I have learned that I do not need to immerse myself so deeply in someone else's life that I lose myself. I can keep my individuality while sharing my life with another. If we have conflicting views...that's alright.

When I first read this book, I figure that I would not post my feelings about it because they were too personal. However, now having some distance from the book and being able to employ the lessons I have learned, I am able to share myself with others.

I am not perfect and it is absolutely acceptable for me to let other people know this. Maybe, by sharing these thoughts, someone else might be inspired to read this book and better themselves as well.

This book was a huuge eye opener for me. If you believe you might be codependent or want to find out more on the subject- this book is for you. It contains many examples of real people; as well as a list of habits and traits a codependent generally possesses. It also offers helpful tips to break the cycle and possibly change your life. I recommend this for anyone who is, thinks they might be, or have a codependent in their life.

I haven't finished reading it yet but just by reading introduction and couple of chapters, I knew that book was what I was searching for... It is just what I need to get through difficult time...

This book is a sanity saver. There are some inspirational things to take away from reading it. Beattie injects her own life story into this self-help book. Coupled with her other books, it makes for reflective and well written advice.

I had never heard of Tess Gerritsen prior to Amazon offering a free Kindle download of "The Surgeon." It sounded interesting, so I gave it a try. I'm so glad I did!

As another reviewer stated, it was similar to the style of "Silence of the Lambs" or "Hannibal." Each of the main characters are fully fleshed out, and their individual personalities are very distinct. I found myself empathizing with Detective Moore, disliking (at least initially) Jane Rizzoli, and fearing for Dr. Cordell.

The medical terminology was over my head a few times, but it lends credence to the scenes in the ER. The author effectively places you in the midst of all the action, and you sometimes forget you're reading a book.

There aren't many books that I have difficulty putting down, but "The Surgeon" kept me up way beyond my bedtime.

Although I found the narrative generally compelling and suspenseful, I was relieved to come to the final page. At times it seemed that Dr. Gerritsen was repeating a procedure for her surgery residents; "Watch this again, students." And again.

As a newcomer to Gerritsen's books, I never realized that this was part of a Jane Rizzoli series. Although that character was nicely developed, she was far from the most engaging character. The italicized "thoughts of the creepy villain" seemed unnecessary interruptions of the flow; he was at no point sufficiently interesting to deserve all that space.

If you enjoy gruesome and scary, but don't require an exciting love angle, you may love this one. I found it somewhat unsatisfying.

This was a free download, and I was pleased that this was not a second-rate novel. Fast-paced, detailed, and suspensful.

The ending is a blatant rip-off of the climax of The Silence of the Lambs. A very well-written rip-off, but a rip-off all the same.

Otherwise, I thought this was a great book, well developed characters, good backgrounds on all of them, and avoidance of most cliches. The only thing I really didn't like was the characterization of Jane Rizzoli. She's the book's other female protagonist, someone we should be empathizing with, and to me, she just came off as a grade-A, you-know-what. Defensive about everything and uber-hostile to Catherine Cordell because she's attractive, and generally in need of a good smackdown.

I was very anxious getting my hands on this book after I had read all the reviews. The book started out very tense, and I liked the pace. However, towards the middle of the book I had this sneaking suspicion that the "killer" would be somebody the reader had never actually "met". It turned out to be a anonymous person who is always "hidden from the reader" until the very, very end. Unfortunately, that's what spoiled the book for me. I felt let down by the author who decided to drop the suspect right in front of me over the last 20-30 pages without any prior introduction.

I'm not sure how this novel escaped me when first published, but it has pushed to the front of my summer reading. Challenging but worth it.

I loved this book when I was in my very early twenties, it was "must" reading among young men that were into martial arts in the early 80s. However, perspective changes with age and the only well developed character in the story is the main character, the other characters really have no development at all and are very cartoonish. It is easy to get into if you are on vacation and want to relax on a beach.

The protagonist is an interesting, complex man. I had a great time reading about his life and his development. I recommend this book just because of that.

The over-all plot (hero vs. "Mother") is pretty poor, however. Not only are the Bad Guys(tm) made out of thin cardboard, but the flow of the plot itself is too predictable.

This is an amazing book. I read it years ago and lost my copy. When I saw it on Amazon, I had to order it. When it arrived I sat right down and rememberred why I liked this book so much. The story is exceptional, the history lesson, even in a fictional setting is excellent and Trevanian once again captures the readers attention and holds them until the very end.

I reread this book recently and really shouldn't have bothered. Still I learnt some new things.The Japanese atrocities in WW2 were OK, they did it in a very cultured and subtle way whilst playing Go.Members of Basque ETA are funny and fond of caving, very reassuring if you've just been blown up by a ETA bomb. Americans are big,stupid,smelly and sadistic.
The plot has holes in it big enough to drive a bus through and revolves around one man taking on an all powerful shadowy organisation that rules the world. But this is no ordinary man, he is an EXPERT, at everything.Give him a toothbrush, put him in a room full of ninja and they'll all be dead in seconds. Naturally he's an expert lover etc etc.
Much of the book details his youth spent amongst the misunderstood Japanese, pretty tedious. Parts of the book have our hero moralising against all things Western, and this is coming from a sociopathic professional assasin living in a French chateau - it would be nice to think this is meant to be sarcasm, sadly not.Any moral or political message in this book is hopelessly confused and would satisfy only a 16 year old conspiracy theorist. The villains are horribly two dimensional, only Japanese generals deserve the five star treatment.
So Trevanian doesn't like Americans, we get it OK !