Space Books

I thoroughly enjoyed to content of this book and I'm looking forward to the sequel.

Mostly we read of hero's strong and masculine,but for me,new to romance novels,I found in "Darkscape The Rebel Lord",a woman to reckon with.Her strength of character,her patience,sacrifice,skill and rare beauty act as the cataylst throughout this engaging story.Kimberly ever present to mighty men of warring clans enhances every physical and intellectual motivation that is the driving force in this novel.The author takes us on a journey with all the elements I look for,surprise/mystery/conflict/passion/lust/love/and anticipation. A must read,pure entertainment,waiting for the sequel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I loved this book. Warring clans in space, a dreamy hero and strong heroine. Lots of plot twists and a healthy dose of romance. A very exciting and believable tale. I look forward to a sequel!

In 3210 the solar system peace between the clans is fragile. Many pray that the upcoming peace conference will strengthen those wanting cooperation rather than war. However, one of the attendees, Commander Lin Jacob Rama leads an attack on Clan Douglas on Ceres. He takes Lachlan de Douglas, heir to the clan, prisoner.

Combat pilot Lieutenant Kimberly Kinsdale worries that madness is taking over her commander's mind. She fears the assault and abduction of Lachlan will lead to clan warfare. Her only hope to prevent what seems like Rama's deliberate sabotage of the peace conference is to rescue Lachlan, which she succeeds in doing though she is branded a traitor and deserter. As the two warriors try to expose a deadly conspiracy that has the planetary clans at war, they fall in love, but saving humanity remains the prime directive.

The premise behind the Darkscape tales is simply placing pre-Culloden Scotland in outer space; thus clan wars are all over the solar system and where they are not, hostilities are one incident away from exploding. Kimberly is a remarkable protagonist struggling between performing her duty by doing the ethically correct thing vs. loyalty to her superior officer and her clan by obeying orders. Her dilemma makes the early segment of the story line very appealing while the rest of the tale continues that strong ethical exciting start. For instance, Lachlan is terrific in the co-lead role as he must sacrifice his personal quest for vengeance for the better good of all the clans. Together they make quite a force though the enemy seems quite insurmountable. R. Garland Gray provides readers with a superior stimulating space opera.

Harriet Klausner

First off, I just finished this book and knowing the sequel will be out in June (2005), has me chomping at the bit to read it... I also have to say that this book is worth every penny if you choose to buy it in paper format.

Before the wars started, two fathers hoping to end the tension between the clans betrothed Lachlan Douglas and Kimberly Kincade. However, when a traitor to the Douglas' throws everyone into war, the marriage contract is forgotten, as clan Douglas becomes the enemy to all the other clans.

Many years later, Kimberly is a fighter pilot on the warship Shadowkeep. Because she has doubts about the sanity of her commanding officer, Rama and his reasons for attacking a Douglas stronghold on Mars she is part of a secret resistance group trying to end the war. But it isn't until she finds the first line Douglas on the Shadowkeep close to dieing from his injuries that Kimberly decides, for the sake of ending the war to rescue Lachlan.

Lachlan cannot believe that Kimberly is willing to aide him from escaping one of the men responsible for causing the war and warning his father about the up coming attacks on their other strongholds. However, when Rama tracks them down and catches them, Kimberly again tries to aide his escape. Even though it means his own death, Lachlan steps in front of a laser blast meant for her.

Grab your seat belts people and get strapped in, because R Garland Gray has written an extraordinary futuristic novel in space! There is nothing simple about this plot line and while it's riddled with scenarios that will keep your nose glued to the book; her writing style is straightforward and easy to follow.

One of my favorite things about this book is how the Celtic heritage has evolved. For me, I love Scottish historicals and I love futuristics novels, so there couldn't be a more perfect combination than this book! The keeps built on other planets are modeled after castles from Scotland on "Ancient Earth"; and while the hero doesn't run around in a kilt, he does wear armbands etched with his families' motto. And lets not forget the Scottish brogue...it was just enough to remind you that our characters actually have a heritage (so it wasn't mentioned then dropped for the duration of the story), and not overwhelming by making you sound out your sentences because of words that are hard to pronounce.

While some of the more scientific occurrences that happen in DARKSCAPE seem like they should be far-fetched, I found them all the more interesting because, for example I've just been reading about how we (earthlings) are discussing terra-forming Mars...so the technology IS here and under discussion. I really felt like Ms Gray did some research for our future living off of Earth. Don't worry though, the science isn't overwhelming and don't get mislead, DARKSCAPE is an excellent romance, with some very passionate love scenes.

R Garland Gray has done an excellent job, I think with her character development. Someone betrayed Lachlan's family, and honestly, I was surprised by who it was. Likewise, the enemy is so well written, he is someone you can easily hate, and I found myself unable to stop reading (but not the only reason) because I needed to make sure he got his comeuppance!

If you like futuristic romances written by CJ Barry, Catherine Spangler or Linnea Sinclair, I highly recommend DARKSCAPE: THE REBEL LORD.

excellent book ., a good one for all kids interested about Space ...

I cannot count the number of times I have spent an entire
evening with my 5 yr old being asked to explain this or that
catchy page with its wonderful graphics and amazing photos, only
to lose myself in its lucid explanations.

I wouldn't say the CD is spectacular, but my 5 yr old seems to
think it is better than any computer game he's played. He loves
the book and the CD so much that he just can't resist the
temptation to keep telling his cousins and friends about the
wonders of space, gravity, galaxies, supermassive black-holes
and quasars! It is a while now that I've read a story book to
him at night. This book is his staple.

...P>Bottom line -- I recommend this book.

This is a wonderful book, exploring nearly every aspect of space, from the Big Bang to black holes. The book is easy to understand and fun to read whether you're doing a project about space or if you just enjoy reading about it. It's chock-full of hundreds of beautiful photographs and realistic-looking pictures, too. The book is accurate, colorful, and up-to-date, and I enjoy looking through it and reading it in my spare time.

This book covers many, many topics in space. Some of them include the solar system, the planets, the sun, meteors, comets, asteroids, the Milky Way, how the universe started and what it will be like in the future, galaxies, stars, the Big Bang, other solar systems, black holes, and much more.

Plus, the book has an entire stargazing section, with directions to make your own simple telescope, star maps, observing the sky, binocular astronomy, and a lot more!

Overall, I highly recommend this book. Adults will enjoy reading it and they will learn a lot too, and young children will enjoy looking at the photographs and having adults explain to them the text. This is a valuable and complete reference, and nearly everyone will enjoy reading it.

this DK Space Encyclopida is a great book about space travel and astronomy. It explained everything i wanted to know about the subjecct. I also bought the Arty the Part-Time Astronaut Book with CD-ROM. this bookw was a fun way to look at space with interactive games and test.

This is not just an ordinary book about the solar system, it is rich with information about all aspects of space from observing the universe, exploring space, the solar system, stars, galaxies and practical stargazing. Like other DK encyclopedias this is a great piece of work. Though kids (ages 8-12) might find the text a bit difficult to understand, the pictures and the way the information is presented can still awaken their interest and capture their full attention.

The Daleks' MasterPlan is an exciting yet long 12 part adventure. Similar to the Keys of Marinus and the Chase, Terry Nation, who wrote most of the story, was able to create another great story where the Doctor and his companions must leave one dangerous place for another in each unfolding episode of the Daleks' MasterPlan.

I listened to this just yesterday. I spent 3 days listening to it. I listened to the Mission to the Unknown on Friday, The first half of the Daleks Master Plan on Saturday and then the other half on Sunday.

I've been skeptical for a long time of audio dramas and how they'd match-up compared with the original TV serials -- this one matches up pretty well! Peter Purves does a fine job of narrating this 12 episode epic and makes it really enjoyable.

We are taken from planet to planet and to different time zones on earth. When listening to this story, the companions get lifted to a more major role and are very critical in their fight against the daleks. In fact in the prequel, Mission to the Unknown, there is no Doctor or companion in it!

As the basic plot goes they travel through time and all over the galaxy to stop Mavic Chen (and the others on the supreme council from other planets) as well as the daleks from using the time destructor, as part of their plan, to take over the universe!

It's nice to experience the pre-Brigadier role of Nicholas Courtney (Bret Vyon.) William Hartnell at his best! He shouts so much his voice gets rather "croaky" after a while! I was terrified all the way through and in the midst of listening to it, you feel apart of the action and it seems like it's the end of everything Doctor Who! A lot of shouting in fear is heard from Steve, disagreeing with the doctor on many occasions on how to defeat the daleks and his role as a companion, who saves Tensions are stretched out you wonder if Steven is kicked out as a companion -- does he?

Things I miss from the TV Footage:

*The firey, volcanic planet the monk (from 1066) follows the doctor to; and see them shout from one side of the mountain to the other!

*It would have been brought about a good end of year, Christmas feeling to have the doctor tell his viewers at home "and incidentally a very merry Christmas to all of you at home."

*Going from scene-to-scene in the early days of cinema! This is hard to get a picture in your mind -- Maybe because it felt like I was caught up in the mayhem myself!

*The extremely dramatic ending of the epic! I won't go into details but you have a great sense of satisfaction that it's all over and of course by the fact that it's a great epic!

In retrospect, whatever film footage is lost, is kept in the magnificent cast and crew who kept the acting so real you think you were there yourself and you put aside the negatives of the missing TV episodes.

I was surprised of how difficult it is to listen to something rather than having the privilege of watching it. I took regular breaks inbetween the episodes and kept coming back for more epic style terror. I am glad there is a narrator, unlike episode 2 and 4 with the video release of The Crusade. You need a narrator to guide you through the story. Peter Purves does a wonderful part and because he was a major part of this story, it's like as if he is telling a story of his own experiences!

There are many destinations involved from planets (including a prison planet,) earth and many enemies and spaceships involved also! See Episode 10: Escape Switch in the Lost In Time DVD, which shows ancient Egypt! How remarkable is that! Now I am happy to learn that the first doctor (with his many historical stories) went to Egypt as well! Bravo!

As having the MP3 version released in 2003, I didn't get the accompanying scripts, but was happy receiving it on 1 CD; and discovering web sites which has the scripts.

Even if you are not keen on audio, to make your Doctor Who collection complete, do what I did and at least purchase 1 adventure on CD -- The Daleks' Master Plan!

The Daleks` Master Plan is a true classic. The story is absorbing and is a great addition to any Doctor Who collection. The strong narration by Peter Purves helps to bridge the gap between audio and video. Viewing any of the (now) three episodes on video would also be worthwhile for anyone who did not see the original airing back in 1966.

Master Plan borrows some ideas from the previous Dalek story "The Chase", these being the Dalek time machine, the ensuing pursuit through time and the alternative episode ("Journey into Terror" and the comic relief "Feast of Steven" respectively, for the Chase and Master Plan stories). Master Plan also sees the return of the time travelling monk. All of these ingredients work well.

Master Plan has many varied and interesting situations. Clearly, a lot of effort was put into this story. I like the idea of the lead-in episode "Mission to the Unknown", although this idea loses something without having the "Myth Makers" story that followed it. It is a pity also that the identity of the main protagonists was revealed so early on. Keeping us guessing until the end of this first episode would have made it more exciting and still served its purpose.

The Master Plan story progresses through a series of separate situations, each with their respective characters. This works well and adds interest, but the demise of so many companions along the way is a negative. As with The Chase, there is also an improbable sequence of short stays on Earth.

The worst part of the story for me is the ending. Although the climax is exciting enough all we know at the end is that the patrol of four Daleks was destroyed. It may well have been that the main Dalek force deep in the mountains survived. The story ending would have definitely benefited from a final scene depicting the fate of the Daleks in their underground control center.

The Daleks, possibly one of the most evil, vile, and dangerous creatures to ever emerge in the world of science fiction. In their first appearance one might almost laugh at their appearance, until soon realizing just how deadly they truly are. In this incredible 13 part epic story (I include Mission to the Unknown as part of the whole story) the good Doctor (William Hartnell) once more does battle against his arch-enemies the Daleks, as he is chased once more through time and space, attempting to prevent the Daleks from completing activation of the Time Destructor, a terrible device which harnesses the very forces of time itself into a weapon. Although the visuals are currently missing, with the exception of two episodes, it is still very effective as an audio drama, with linking narration by Peter Purves. the performances are top notch, including William Hartnell as the Doctor, Peter Purves as Steven Taylor, Nicholas Courtney as Bret Vyon (the future Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart) and Kevin Stoney as Mavic Chen. in addition the wonderfully joyful Christmas episode 'Feast of Steven' is definitely a nice break from the dark and impending doom of the main story plot. this is definitely a must have for any Doctor Who fan.

As you probably are already aware, this is one of the most sought after stories in Doctor Who's long history. The fact that both the teaser episode "Mission to the Unknown" and the further 12 episodes for the most part are now missing (with the exception of some wonderful clips from Eps 1-4 and Eps 5 & 10 in their entirety). Further appeal may be the added bonus that the Doctor's greatest enemies, the Daleks are on hand to again chase our hero through time and space.

I won't bore you with story details, as I'm sure you know it well. And if not, you can certainly hear all about it in other reviews. I will however instead, tell you that the real appeal of the story is not in its length, nor in it's covetted return of the Daleks yet again. But, is in the regular cast, and the guest cast. William Hartnell is superb as always as the First Doctor. And with him at the beginning of the story is Steven and Katarina.

The latter dies early on in Ep 4 to basically move the plot. I think the producers and writers really did not know what to do with the simple minded Katarina, thus her quick departure from the series here. In comes Sara Kingdom, played to perfection by the lovely Jean Marsh. This story also boasts the first appearance of Nicholas Courtney (of Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart fame) as Sara's brother Bret Vyon.

Most of the performances are good, if not spot on. But, the story is greatly weighed down by being so very long. And thus, much padding can be found within, slowing the plot way, way down at times. The best bits are early on, and then later it all picks back up when the wonderful Meddling Monk reappears to dog the Doctor's path. The Monk is again as superb as he was in "The Time Meddler" the previous year, played here again by the great, late Peter Butterworth, who, for me, absolutely steals the show!

I won't spoil any endings for anyone who hasn't yet seen, read or heard this adventure. But, unlike most Doctor Who stories, things don't necessarily turn out all rosey in the end. All and all this is a terrific story, if perhaps about 4 episodes too long. Enjoy!

This book is great for very young children wanting to learn the names and some attributes of the planets in our solar system.

My 3 and a half year old boy had this book memorized and could recite it to me after two weeks of making me read it twice a day! He loved it from the first reading.

He was already nuts about space and the planets, and was completely enthralled with the witty quirky energetic text and illustrations of these carefree colorful dogs in space helmets, zooming off to sneeze red dust on Mars, and spin sideways on the planet Uranus. A little narrating dog in the lower right corner of each page gives little cheers and comments that urge you to turn the page and see what's next. My son learned those parts first and wanted to say them after I read the main text to him. He pored over the pictures, enjoying the details.

There is nothing dry and 'educational' about this book, even though all the little facts about the planets are quite correct. One of the best new children's books I've seen.

I can't say enough about this colorful, campy, delightful book. It is one of my 2-and-a-half year-old daughter's favorites.

My daughter enjoys reading about the adventures each planet provides these spunky canines. They fly kites on windy Jupiter, wear sunglasses on Mercury and don sweaters on chilly Neptune. My daughter knows that Mars is dusty and red and that pluto is very dark--because of this book. The author and illustrator have made learning about the planets fun, interesting and entertaining.

My daughter absolutely loves the solar system maps in the front and back of the book. She can point to and name every planet, and she isn't even three years old! She talks about "jet packs" "asteroids" and Saturn's rings--concepts that the book so wonderfully depicts.

What a treasure. It is rare to find a book that is so adorable and educational. The illustrations are hilarious, as well as lively.

I highly recommend this book. Your little ones will enjoy this and you will have fun reading it to them.

Angela

What a beautifully illustrated book...Very vibrant andunusual...My daughter checked it out of her school library and shebegan to copy the drawings...I now have dogs in space all over my kitchen! It's simple but silly...It has peeked my curiosity to find out more about the author/artist...hope to see and read more of her works!

The coolest part of this book for me is when dogs in space go from Earth all the way to Mercury and when they got to Mercury it was so hot that they had to wear sunglasses. This book is an excellent good book. The pictures of this book are just magnificent. I wish to see if you like this book report. Thank you and thank you again for giving my book report a rating now goodbye.

In 360 B.C., Archytas of Tarentum made a model pigeon that flew by flowing steam out its tail. A humble beginning, perhaps, but it's the first entry in The Dream Machines, and it should give you some idea of just how comprehensive this book is. Every rocket I've ever seen or heard of is in here, fact or fiction, and for every one I knew about beforehand there are probably a hundred that I didn't know about until I found this book.

One of the best things about the book is that its contents are ordered chronologically. This lets you trace the evolution of spacecraft from pulp magazine covers to illustrations in popular and technical articles to serious design proposals to prototypes to full production. It gives you a taste of what it must have been like to watch all this happen in the middle of the 20th century, and it's fascinating to see all the designs that never made it off the drawing board. In particular, near the end of the book there are no less than 6 pages of drawings that trace the evolution of the Space Shuttle from a winged bullet launched from a jet-powered mothership to the familiar configuration that finally entered service in 1981. A similar sequence shows the development of the Apollo program spacecraft.

If all of that sounds dry instead of inspiring, you'll be pleased to know that all of those shiny silver rockets from the golden age of science fiction are in here, too. Some of them I hadn't seen since I was a 12-year-old watching old movies on Saturday afternoons, and there are many more that I had never seen at all. Radio dramas, television, movies, even prominent spacecraft from comic books and novels are covered.

The book is over 700 pages long and EVERY two-page spread has at least one illustration; most have three or four. The illustrations are in black & white and monochrome color, and there are several sections of full-color pages scattered through the book. Multiple orthogonal views are provided for many spacecraft, which will make this book a valuable reference for scale modelers. The reproduction quality of the illustrations is great, and the cover and binding are solid and of high quality. I know the book is durable because there is a well-thumbed copy at the local library that is still as sturdy as ever.

This is one of those books that you can dive into at random and not look up from for hours. If my house catches on fire, I'm going to grab this on the way out. It's spaceship heaven.

The first surprise for the new buyer of Ron Miller's "Dream Machine: An Illustrated History of the Spaceship in Art, Science and Literature" is that it was published in 1993, leaving the book strangely out-of-date despite being exactly what the spaceship romantic has desired all these years. My library is chock-full of books and magazines on the subject of spacecraft, and I admit with shame to having discarded older books which would now be collectors items because the spaceships depicted in them were "out of date". Something Miller's book emphasizes is that there is no such thing as an idea that is out of date. "Dream Machines" (beautiful title) treats Defoe (1705), Jules Verne (1865) and H.G.Wells (1901) who dreamed of space travel with the same dignity as Tsiolovsky, Goodard and von Braun, who made it a reality. This book's 714 pages are packed with the brilliant, the outlandish, the amusing, the thought-provoking and the real - and the almost real - spaceships which have graced humanity's longing to go "out there". The fan of early science-fiction has a rich field to explore, no less the student of hard-core spaceflight technology. Of special interest are details of the spacecraft which almost made it - the Boeing X-20 Dyna-Soar, the European Space Agency Hermes spaceplane, the Russian Buran, and all the developmental designs which were considered, often discarded, with these never-to-fly spaceships. The impressive hard-cover book is well laid out, with bold-type dates and crisp drawings and a few color pages. There is some confusion about which drawing goes with which text due to minimal captions, but the generous white-space give the pages a friendly tone that allows the reader to go cover-to-cover (if one is so dedicated) or to leaf through looking for technological or impossible gems. The development and discards of the Apollo Moon project are well documented, and compared with the Soviet attempt to trump the United States in the Space Race to the Moon. The discussion of starship designs leans more to the "realistic" such as the British Interplanetary Society's "Daedalus", leaving Star Trek's "Enterprise" to get just a bit more than a mention. Many designers of spacecraft which never made the grade get their names into these pages. Author Miller has really delivered a work of love here. Strangely though, the reader's final emotion is one of sadness and loss. Here is all this brilliance, designing machines that could really take us off the Earth to however far we wish to go, yet few - very few - have become a reality, and usually by the power of short-sighted politics which beggar the vast vision of so many of those whose works are described in this book. If you dream of the Solar System and the stars, you need this one on your shelf.

I can't believe how fantastic this book is! I got it for christmas and have a hard time putting it down. Considering the weight of this encyclopdiac work that's saying something. Pound for pound worth it's weight in gold or platinum! Only a few notable omissions that I would have liked to see (ie. "The Valley Forge" from Douglas Trumbull's "Silent Running" ) Probably the most amazing relvelation is that many current designs have thier genesis back in the late 40's ! Truly a must have for anyone who dreams or dreamed of interplanetary voyages!

Comment: Sensational chronological roundup of text, photos, and sketches of virtually every spacecraft and launch vehicle design every conceived but never built. A gold mine for space-struck baby boomers.

Exellent book for any rocket or sci-fi enthusiast. The illustrations and drawings bring home man's facination with the heavens. I have read numerous publications concerning rocketry, and by far this is the best book I have yet to see published to date. I was blown away by the sections, 'The Archaeology of the Spaceship', and 'The Experimenters'. All dealt with rocketry ante-WWII. There are also page after page of NASA concept vehicles that were never flown, including several pages of Apollo and Space Shuttle designs that did not make it to the lauch pad, but yet look like they are ready to just rocket from the page. This book would be a great source of information for those who scratch build model rockets. Color illustrations, 3 view diagrams, an appendix of U.S., Soviet, and international lauch vehicles; what more could one want? If I could only own one rocket book, this would be the book I would chose over all the rest! Buy this book, heck buy 2 and give one to a friend!

This is the only place to get the new-thought legend of Orion. I was pleasantly surprised at its quality. It is a romance story which usually is not "my thing". Even given that, it made for a interesting tale that drew me in. I'd say it could use a bit more editorial review if it were re-released.

I read this book cover to cover and I just loved it! The characters were well developed, the story kept up a good pace and was, in parts, extremely funny! Loved the mix of spirituality in a "Star Wars" setting - very unique. I will be looking for more books by this author. I enjoyed the simplicity of her style. The story was very well constructed. Prepare to be entertained and perhaps even enlightened. Either way, enjoy!

This book catapulted me to a level of clarity and healing I was hoping for. It was funny, sad, and exciting. But most profound is the key to healing the illusion of separation and duality. It's a treasure and a map home.Into oneness.

This story will fill you with rememberance as you are taken through the past-life history of this starry being, bringing your own anscestry to life. Your heart will remember when you had fallen far far from the starry heavens, and where you landed as you awoke to a new earthly light.

This marvellous fiction story, set in our galaxy is part star wars, good vs evil, angels and most important self-empowering. Many profound messages, wisdoms and truths can be revealed to the reader if they read between the lines. Would be an excellent movie, but very interesting and page turning book. Solara has done it again! Thank you.

This book isn't what I think of when I hear the word encyclopedia. Rather than short superficial articles, it's a collection of 47 detailed chapters covering everything I would imagine most people would want to know about the solar system. I only read two-thirds of the book, but I thoroughly enjoyed the parts I read.

This is a high level view of the parts of the book that I read. The book opens with three chapters covering the solar system as a whole. This is followed by chapters covering the Sun, each of the planets (some planets with multiple chapters), Pluto, an overview of the planetary satellites, chapters for several of the bigger satellites (the Moon, Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto, Titan and Triton), meteorites, asteroids, comets and the Kuiper belt.

Although the chapters were written by different authors, the quality was uniformly high. The text was well written and as far as I can tell very complete. There were also many informative diagrams and photos. Many of the photos were quite stunning. One example is the photos of a patch of Europa's ridged plains, the details were incredible. Another nice feature is that the book justifies how we know what we know, for instance it explains the reasons it's believed that some planetary satellites have liquid water under the surface.

This book is also fairly up-to-date. One of the main requirements I had for buying this book was that it included the information gather by Huygens on Titan. I wouldn't have minded a few more pictures from Titan's surface. Obviously in a dynamic field like this no book is completely up-to-date.

I didn't think there were any significant problems with the book. One word of caution is that there may be more details here than some potential readers might want. To fully understand all the material in the book one would have to understand basic Newtonian mechanics, some electromagnetism and a little bit of chemistry. Even without this background one could still understand the vast majority of the book. Although the chapters were written by different authors the amount of repetition is pretty small.

Just to be complete I'll outline the contents of the third of the book that I didn't read. Although these parts looked good from a quick glancing through, I didn't read them in detail (I do hope to have the time to do this later) and can't comment on them. They are solar system dust, four chapters on viewing the solar system in the non-visible spectrum (x-ray, ultraviolet, infrared and radio), ground based telescopes, planetary radar, remote chemical sensing, regular and chaotic motion in the solar system, impacts, volcanism, astrobiology, exploration missions and extrasolar planets.

In summary, I think this is an excellent book covering a huge amount of material, often in great detail, on the solar system. I would expect it covers just about everything potential readers would want to know.

This is the best work I've read on the solar system, period. The text is wonderful but I dearly wish the author had included the American measuring system along with the metric one. I'm one of those old fogies who has to cogitate in the extreme in order to convert kilometers into miles. Oh, well.

Seriously, this book is a "must-have" for astronomy aficionados and for those who merely wish to brush up on their knowledge of our solar neighborhood.

I also wish the book had a sewn binding. Otherwise, it is a really great read and a "keeper".

Don't buy this book thinking it will be an entertaining reference for your twelve-year-old nephew who enjoys astronomy. This hefty tome is more akin to a college-level textbook than an encyclopedia. If you want to get a detailed, but not overly technical, overview of modern solar system science, this is the book for you.

This review refers to the 2nd Edition. The book is comprehensive and current (as of November 2006). Pluto, for example, is classified as a dwarf planet and its two recently discovered satellites are discussed.

The only criticism is that the metric system is utilized for ALL measurements. It would be very helpful to have U.S. measurements in parentheses next to their metric counterparts, since many potential buyers of this book may not be scientists or college/grad. school science majors.

Overall, the book is outstanding in every other respect and fully worthy of five stars. James.

Following a thematic progression, ranging outward from the Sun to other planetary systems, the Encyclopedia of the Solar System details the dynamics of motions and rotations, solar wind, planetary, geologic, and atmospheric conditions, as well as other processes in the formation of planets, satellites and the smaller bodies of our planetary environment. The Encyclopedia covers the latest observations employing planetary radar, radio, infrared, and ultraviolet wavelengths.

Features convenient glossaries of technical terms, over 700 illustrations, numerous color plates, extensive cross-referencing throughout, further readings, useful appendices, and a comprehensive 4,500 entry index. Readers and web denizens like me will particularly appreciate the convenience of using the accompanying website (academicpress.com/solar) to link to related on-line resources.

Keep watching the sky!

WALTER: Hi, I'm writing this review with my 6-year old son Alden.
ALDEN: I'm writing this review with my 45-year old dad.
WALTER: We read this book together, taking turns reading a page (Alden's a very good reader for a 6-year old). As a scientific-type guy, I found The Eye Pocket to be a really fun story. I'm looking forward to reading more of Crow's books as he comes out with them. What did you like about the book, Alden?
ALDEN: I like the part where Mr Humblebeach walked in the mud in his slippers and robe because he forgot to put on his skinsuit.
WALTER: I want one of those skinsuits.
ALDEN: I want some High-V goggles.
WALTER: What else did you like?
ALDEN: The secret passageway with the green eye thing.
WALTER: Yeah, that whole book rocked.
ALDEN: Totally.
WALTER: I would recommend this book for any kid old enough to read it, and for any adults who secretly enjoy stuff like Harry Potter and Nintendo games.
ALDEN: You guys on Amazon should read this book. I LOVED it!
WALTER: OK, it's 8:33, that's 3 minutes past bedtime. Let's go, dude.
ALDEN: OK. Goodnight.
WALTER: Goodnight.

I read this book to my nine and seven year old and they loved it. At times they were drawn in by the suspense and at other times they laughed out loud at the comic relief. Best of all, they anxiously awaited bed time until I had read the whole book and always begged me to keep reading. FYI my nine year old is an extremely bright straight A 4th grader and my son is in first grade (creative type)-- not sure which one enjoyed it the most. Anyway, I think their reaction says it all, and I enjoyed the book too!

As a parent of young children, I have read many of the Magic Treehouse books, and E.J. Crow's The Eye Pocket puts those stories to shame. Crow's characters are more interesting and the premise is wonderfully original. Like J.K. Rowling, Crow has created an alternate universe that entertains both children and adults. My kids and I hope that Crow follows up The Fantastic Society of Peculiar Adventurers with another story soon.

Nine-year-old Bobby Humblebeach feels that he lives in the most boring town in America. The fact that he is the son of an unemployed adventurer, Bobby feels that his current living situation is an injustice. After all, an adventurer's son should live somewhere...adventurous! But when Bobby, along with two of his friends - Sam and Dirk - stumble upon a piece of land smack dab in the middle of the past, present, and future, known only as the Eye Pocket, he feels as if he has struck gold. Suddenly, his town doesn't seem as boring as it originally did. Now, leaving his couch, and remote control behind, Mr. Humblebeach decks himself, Bobby, Sam, and Dirk out in the finest gear for a pack of explorer's, and heads out to investigate the world they've just found. However, it is soon obvious that the mission has hit turmoil, when the four explorers dig up a mysterious gold chest, only to learn that they've disturbed its crooked owners.

I will admit that I had reservations when I first received this book, but I could not be more happy with the outcome. E.J. Crow is a new force to be reckoned with in the world of children's writers. His characters are fresh and exciting; his plot original and fast-paced; and his story absolutely spell-binding. Readers will be able to relate easily to Bobby's complaints about living in the most boring town in America; and find themselves searching for an Eye Pocket of their own. THE FANTASTIC SOCIETY OF PECULIAR ADVENTURES is an idea of a lifetime that will appeal to readers and their parents, and leave everyone grappling to become a member. A riveting tale filled with magic, technology, and a splash of mystery!

Erika Sorocco

Bobby Humblebeech's dad used to be a member of the Fantastic Society of Peculiar Adventurers. He used to go to exciting places and do and see interesting things. Then the society kicked him out. Now he just sits on the couch and watches TV. Bobby just wants to go out and have fun.

When Bobby runs into Dirk and Sam Straw, he might be in for more "fun" than he's ready for. The Straw's show him magical places that might not really exists. They only leave when they get scared away by an unidentified giant monster with tusks. The three run home to try and convince Mr. Humblebeech of what they've seen.

When Mr. Humblebeech is finally convinced, he gets so excited he actually leaves the couch! When he goes to the garage and actually lets the kids use his equipment, and wants to go see for himself, Bobby, Dirk and Sam know they're in for a real adventure.

This book is perfect for kids who grew up watching The Best of the Power Rangers - The Ultimate Rangers and similar shows. There are tons of high-tech gadgets and impressive pieces of equipment. Plus enough adventure, ghosts, and monsters to satisfy the most uninterested of children.

Reviewed by: Carrie Spellman

There's a lot to like in this book. It's comprehensive and easily the most readable 1500 page book you are ever likely to encounter.

Two substantive criticisms (i) it can be astonishingly opinionated at times. There is a pronounced pro-Bell bias and a dismissive attitude toward regulation and regulators generally. Not every reader will consider that a bad thing, but I found it shrill and annoying. (ii) The book can be very weak and frequently inaccurate when it wanders off the law and into policy analysis. I didn't sense that the authors were particularly knowledgeable about economics or technology and it showed in a poor comprehension of the reasoning behind FCC policy.

I was surprised that another reviewer recommended Benjamin's 'Telecommunications Law and Policy' as an easier introduction. Benjamin et al is an excellent casebook, but Kellogg et al is an easier read. In fact, they are excellent complements as Benjamin provides the more authoritative reference with lots of source materials. Sharon Black's book is an excellent but basic introduction to Telecom Law.

My recommendation. Read Black, then Kellogg, then Benjamin. That's not an order of preference, just the best sequence to peel away the onion of telecom law.

This is a comprehensive introduction to all sorts of telecommunications (mainly telephone regulation) issues. It's probably a bit much for the novice; something like Stuart Benjamin's Telecommunications Law and Policy is probably a better match there. But, if you want all the details, this is definitely the place to go.

This book was amazing. I could not put it down. The interesting and comprehensible writing was magnificently crafted and very thought-provoking, a real page turner.

This book gives the novice a very accessible route to the world of telecommunications and gives the expert a very comprehensive reference book. Very highly recommended. The FCC wants universal service? This book is universal in and of itself.

There isn't anything else like this on the market. It contains all the FCC and court and DOJ lore on telecom from the beginning of the century through the 1996 Act up to the present. The spicy bits apparently were written by pundit Peter Huber (who isn't identified in the listing above).

This book was in excellent condition. I gave it as a gift. Delivery was prompt.

This is an incredible book. It is thoroughly researched and has information about the composition of the lunar samples as well as everything possible about the crew and the flight plus some great photos of the moon landing and Eagle and Columbia during the TLI. A very good book and a wise choice for anyone interested in the Apollo 11 mission.

If you are new to the Apollo programme, and want a concise chronological account of the Apollo 11 mission, here's the perfect book.

The story is all here: Astronaut biographies, preparations, launch, lunar traverse, orbit, landing, ascent, and recovery. The beauty of this book is the narrative is a mixture of the authors research, NASA transcripts, and historical archives.
There is liberal use of b&w and colour photographs, and diagrams from NASA flight plans.

All this added together gives the reader the mission from the more important viewpoints, and you can imagine yourself right in the middle of all the unfolding drama.

Highly recommended.

I worked on the Apollo 11 launch at Kennedy and therefore have a more than passing interest in the subject. This is the first book I have found that is (as far as I can tell) technically perfect. I was sorry when I ran out of book. I especially enjoyed the way Harland included the on-board voice transcripts interspersed with his explanations of what was going on. Lots of good photos and explanatory diagrams. I would rate this 10 stars if it were possible.

My review is similar, in part, to the first reviewee from California. I had seen this one listed but did not purchase it immediatley. I read and collect books on the Mercury to Apollo space program but I had to weigh the price-to-new-presentation format factor of this book before deciding to aquire it.
The first review was enough to make me want to get it and add it to my collection. Some new pictures, in color, were good to see. (Also noted was the fact that there are pictures of Neil Armstrong on the moon. This seems to be mis-represented in other books. The two pictures are of him in the background and not a "tourist" style shot.)
What I liked the most was the commentary between the astronauts and Mission Control. I had not read as complete of a dialoge from lift off to splash down as I had in this book. This type of material may have been covered in other books that I have not yet discovered or read, such as the NASA Mission Report book series by Robert Goodwin.
I enjoyed the layout and informative interpretation of the material. I thought that it was another good version of an "old" story.