Media Books

As others here have said, this is a true keeper. A babysitter read it to me when I was 10, and I never forgot it. I bought and read it to my kids when they were around that age, and they wouldn't let me put them to sleep without reading at least one chapter. It's educational, beautifully illustrated, and a touching story. I may have to fight with my kids over who gets to read it first to their kids! A treasure.

Wonderful illustrations and a book that will not bore an adult. Great learning tool for young readers.

This book was recommended to me on a recent sailing trip thru the Great Lakes. I bought it for my hometown library as it was a wonderful geography lesson. Truely a dateless book and a lovely present for a child or library.

I couldn't say enough good things about this book and the series.

I read Paddle-to-the-Sea as a child (I was born in 1942), and its story, illustrations and maps have left lasting impresssions on me. It blends social studies, geography, 20th Century American history and wonderful artwork into a gentle, loving tale. It ought to be required reading for all American youths.

I LOVE all of Holling Clancy Holling's books, but I have to admit that Paddle to the Sea is my favorite. The story of a little boy who carved a little man in a wooden canoe, and the adventures encounterd by the little man just captured my imagination. I never knew the Great Lakes until after feeling as though I had been there with Paddle to the Sea. H.C. Holling books are works of art packed with wonderful facts from science and geography. Any teacher's dream curriculum because you'll have the children enrapt attention! My sons love them as much as I do, and even now, they remember reading them as great memories.

This third installment in the beloved Anne series is one of my favorites. Having just completed two years of teaching in Avonlea, Anne, along with friends Gilbert and Charlie, is ready to leave the Island and make her way to Redmond College. Her four years there offer quaint-seeming insights into college life a hundred years ago. After spending her freshman year in a boarding house, Anne and chums Priscilla, Stella, and Philippa move into a little house called Patty's Place. Even though they are committed to their studies, life is never dull. Anne has no lack of suitors, turning down no fewer than five proposals during the course of the story. And her summers are full of adventure, whether it's back in dear Avonlea or teaching as a country schoolmarm.

I've read Anne of the Island each year I've been in college, and as I finished it this time, I couldn't help but relate to Anne's excitement for the future, mingled with regretful nostalgia about the college life she was leaving behind. College is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Having attended a small Christian university, I relate to Anne's old-fashioned values and the safe, wholesome environment of Redmond.

Montgomery has such a pungent writing voice, alive to the quirks of human nature and the beauties of outdoor nature. She brings spice, optimism, and a touch of cynicism to the story and the characters. Anne's most personal experiences are recounted with poignancy, and are rooted in reality, although they may seem whimsical to modern readers. The ending is sweet and satisfying. I just love Anne, and especially this tale of her college experiences. Don't miss it.

Anne of the Island is the third installment of the smash Anne of Green Gables series. The book begins with Anne leaving for college to further her education the second time. When she arrives, she encounters a slew of minor domestic problems, a new group of friends, and Love. All of which she deals with using that famous atypical personality of a "Kindred spirit"



Although the book deals with more serious subject matter than the preceding books, as a reflection upon Anne's growing older, the book starts with the lighthearted catchy fun that made Anne famous in her prequels. Most of this fun is centered on the Anne's encounters with her roommate cats Rusty, Joseph, and Sarah-Cat. Anne's exclamations of fear at being stalked by the docile house cats is classic Anne and delicious fun.



The Book also dives into more serious matter, with Lets be friends-Lets be more than friends-Lets be friends-I hate you-Marry me! Gilbert abandoning his indecisiveness and aggressively courting Anne. Although this relation is of little interest to male readers, it is made a key plot element, most likely because it is attractive to the books target demographic, pre-teen girls. Luckily, most of the content on Anne's romance does nothing to affect other parts of the story much and as a result are harmless to skip when they become drab.



Anne of the Island is a solid installment in the Anne series. Although not equaling or surpassing Anne of Green Gables, "Of the Island" leaves little to be desired besides not having a near constant usage of the word "eh". If you an Anne fan, pick up her third book. Eh.

"Anne of the Island" is my favorite Anne book, and the last chapters of my copy are worn and torn because I have read it so many times. I loved it as a young girl, and I loved it again when I read it from my college dorm room (in fact, I think it's time for another rereading!). Plus, of course, a college education makes many of the literary references more relevant than they were at age 11.

Anne fans already know how wonderful are these chapters of Anne's life. This book outlines an important epoch in the series and answers the all important question of whether they will or they won't--a turning point on which the next five books hinge. And since you must start at "Anne of Green Gables" to appreciate any of it, this review cannot convince to you read just book three. It is just one more love letter to "Anne of the Island" added to this review panel.

The story of Anne continues with this work and the author stays true to her style, story line and character developement. This, like the other books in this series, have a rather timeless nature about them and a comforting charm. The reader, of course, must remember the time they were written and the style and syntax used at that time. From my own point of view, this is great. I enjoy this type of writing and certainly enjoy Ms. Montgomery's story telling abilities. In this work, Anne goes off to Redman College and her adventure continues. Recommend these books for readers of all ages. Wish there were more works out there like it.

this book never gets old. i've had it for so long and now i'm off to college and i still enjoy reading it cover to cover. anne is a great character, one who is easy to love and who explains herself well. the other characters are also quirky. something about this book is very universal, which i think explains why even in this century i still find myself being able to relate to Anne. the plot, while essentially a love story, is not overly sappy. and while most people would probably expect the ending, the twists and turns throughout the novel keep you entertained and engaged.

Every 'Valdemar' book I've immersed myself in has taken me to a wonderful world that I wish really existed.

Kerowyn, like her grandmother before her, is a strong woman, but still very much a woman, as her attraction to a certain Herald shows. She is also a woman not led around by her hormones (Thank goodness.)

A book that should be recommended to all teen and pre-teen girls as a role model.

One of the Valdemar series by Mercedes Lackey, this is the story of Kerowyn, why she became 'famous,' and how she became one of the Heralds of Valdemar. I am a big fan of Lackey's Valdemar stories, good versus evil with the use of a little mind magic and some very hard work. I think a teenager would like these stories if they would read long enough to get 'into' the story. I high recommend this series.

By The Sword is part of the world of Valdemar which Mercedes Lackey has fleshed out and detailed over many novels. This one is not actually a part of the series but it is connected to the series that precede it and it lays the groundwork for some of the stories that evolve after it.

In essence, this book is the story of Kerowyn and her life and development from the age of 16 until she approaches 40. Kerowyn is a very appealing character. She is a very strong woman who has significant skills that are typically not encouraged in the somewhat archaic world that she inhabits. She is the daughter of a minor noble so the world expects her to be married off to some other minor noble to breed children and act as the hostess of the manor. Unfortunately - or fortunately for this story - Kerowyn has no interest in that kind of life. Kero (as she prefers to be called) is a high spirited woman who has her own mind and logic about how things should be and seeks to be appreciated for who she is. The manor-lady role is not for her!

The story starts as Kero is running the kitchen in her father's household which is celebrating the upcoming nuptials of Kero's brother and his chosen bride. While the feast is going on, a band of bandits, led by a mage, attacks the keep, kidnaps the bride, kills her father, and disables all the males who are part of the party. Kero takes it upon herself to ride after the kidnappers and retrieve the bride. To do this she needs help and so she turns to her grandmother who is known to be a mage and was a mercenary band captain for help. We are now given the first magical item that will figure prominently in this story and several others in the future. Needless to say, Kero succeeds in her quest of saving her brother's bride.

Just like in real life though, being successful in a task that you are not even expected to attempt leads to both good and bad things. The good is that the wedding can proceed; The bad is that no one is willing to deal with this strange being (Kero) who did something that many men would have failed at! So, Kero decides to leave her life behind and moves in permanently with her grandmother and her friend who train her for the life of a mercenary.

A new complication arises here as Kero is paired up with the younger brother of the heir to the throne in her land. Darren is sent to Kero's grandmother for similar training as he will likely become that country's army commander in the future. As the two teenagers learn the basics of fighting, they also manage to explore each other's other feelings - and they also explore the meaning of lust and love. After three years together, Darren is recalled to the capital following his father's death, and Kero goes off to seek her fortune.

The next portion of the book details Kero's experiences as a mercenary and briefly chronicles her movement through the ranks and ends with her taking command of the company and running it successfully for ten years. A main feature of the early part of this portion is that Kero meets up with a Herald of Valdemar, rescues him from the Karsites, falls in love with him, and has to give him up to ensure his rescue.

In the final portion of the book, Kero takes her mercenaries to Valdemar to assist in the fight against Ancar. This portion ties all the disparate parts together as Kero gets to meet Talia - the Queen's Own Herald; Queen Selenay; and more Companions. It is no surprise that the book ends with her remaining in Valdemar but I will not divulge the various plot twists and turns so you can enjoy them yourselves!

It is easy to see that Kerowyn's story is the story of any strong-willed and capable woman who has succeeded despite the normal "conventions" of what a woman's place in the world is. Despite the thin veneer of a fantasy, sword and sorcery kind of world, Kero is determined to be judged based on her merits and accomplishments and she succeeds in her chosen career. The story details the struggles that ensue because of this and lays out how she juggles her career, her loves, and her positions with her family and others. It is a very positive story as Kero manages to get all she wants in the end, but the struggles she goes through are a fascinating read.

The story is also skillfully interwoven into the Valdemar storyline. Kero meets some characters that were featured in earlier Valdemar series' like Talia, Selenay, Dirk, and Elspeth. Kero introduces some plot points that will obviously be addressed in future tales from Valdemar like Selenay's marital status and the magical sword Need. While this is quite a good standalone story and book, it is clearly part of the Valdemar storyline and should be read as part of that sequence.

The story telling is at times fast and furious and at times slow as molasses. For the most part this was good as major personality developmental points deserve a very slow and methodical treatment. About the only complaint I have along these lines is that Lackey employs the internal dialog device far too frequently with Kero. It was not necessary, in my opinion, to constantly have her describe her internal debates and thoughts. I highly recommend this book!

One of her best, and a nice long book to boot. While she does get bogged down in some typical Lackey weaknesses (excessive internal dialogue, for one) the action keeps coming and the central character, Kerowyn, goes through a great deal of realistic personal growth.
I read this around the same time that I read the Paksenarrion series by Elizabeth Moon (also fantasy featuring a female mercenary soldier), and wondered if Lackey had been inspired by Moon. Moon does it better, thanks to her own military background, but Lackey deals inventively with her fantasy world and the ways in which magic can aid soldiers in their daily endeavors.

I have read just about every book Mercedes Lackey has written about Valdemar and the Heralds. It isn't possible for her to write too many of these tales. And the more she writes, the better the story becomes. There is such a richness of detail that you feel you are right there in the story. When you put the book down, you still wish you were there and can't wait to find out what happens next.
Kerowyn's Tale is just one more piece of the wonderful puzzle that is Valdemar and all the surrounding countries and cultures.

I saw Martha Raddatz speak at the Pritzker Military Library last week (June 2008) and bought the book there on the spot. I have read it straight through in a couple of days and wish that every American would read this book or one with a similar story. It seems that Iraq has become background noise in light of the energy crisis and the country's economic woes.

It's easy to forget that we are at war and that American servicemen are losing their lives. This book brings that reality home. It's not a fun read - it's a distinctly uncomfortable and sometimes depressing one. But reading stories like this might go some ways towards breaking through this desensitization we seem to have as a country when it comes to the war in Iraq.

I think that the portions of the book written from the view of the soldiers are solid and really brought me into the action of that awful battle. I won't ever know what it is like to be a soldier who engages in battle and is wounded or sees friends wounded or, worse, killed in action. But this book at least makes me really think about it and gives a good description of how these soldiers felt.

On the other hand, I did not think that the parts of the book written from the perspective of the families was as strong. I am not sure if this is the result of Ms. Raddatz respecting the wives of the killed soldiers and not interviewing them directly or just because her passion lies with the stories that these men have to tell more than with the stories of their families. Either way, it made the book feel a little unbalanced to me.

All that being said, I think that this book is important. The story that it tells is important not only because the battle it details was a turning point in the war but because it reminds us that our fellow countrymen are going through unspeakable things. This war remains relevant and I applaud the efforts of Ms. Raddatz and others like her for fighting to keep it in the media.

Excellent read about the war in Iraq. I bought this book after I found parts contained action my son was involved in. Found my son's name and picture of truck he was in. He was trying to save Cindy Sheenan's son Casey. He was ambushed also and was hit in his foot. They lost eight good soliders that day. I hope they make a movie someday. My son is a IV and he was shot on 4-4-4 in Sadr City Iraq. He now has PTSD and is divorced from the woman he loves. Where is Cindy Sheenan now?

This book is a must read in this election year. Put all else aside, pick up this book and struggle through the reality of what is going on and few of us bother to realize. This is not a pleasant read, this is not a feel good story. This is the truth of what happens when politicians make decisions based on their own legacy in mind. This is how those decisions affect you, me and our neighbors. These kids are in a horrible situation in Iraq. If the evidence to enter the war was real, OK, this is duty. In retrospect, this is a sin. No one should face 10 minutes of what these husbands, boyfirends, sons and daughters are going through. Martha Raddatz did an incredible job of piecing this story together. If 10 % of this is accurate, no one should be subjected to this kind of horror. I can tell you, having had a brother serve in Vietnam in the late 60s, there is nothing you hope to avoid than a taxi, your parish priest or minister, and a stranger dressed in a military uniform in the middle of the night. Soldiers,, families are all suffering, the problem is, they are in the minority. The majority of us simply bitch about high gas prices. We don't have a clue what is going on. Read this book and become informed. When you vote in November, consider what you are doing, seriously. Is this war in the middle east worth it? Is it winnable? Is there an honorable way out. Don't just assume there is, understand what these soldiers are going through and make sure the way you vote is not going to prolong this disaster.

In Iraq right now and had to read this. Wasn't as good as I thought it would be but it gives a perspective.

This was an excellent book. Well written and really made you know the soldiers involved and placed you in the action. It really made it personal. I was expecting the author to point fingers at the rediculous methods employed by the US commanders, but the author just tells the story and lets the reader come up with his or her own opinion. I am in the middle of reading another book about Iraq, "No True Glory", and appreciate this book even more. No True Glory tells the story of a much larger operation, and as a result you lose that personal feeling. You won't be dissapointed with this one.

Saint's narrative of how an invisible man survives in an urban setting is very credible because of the amount of details provided. Nick is forced to become a true survivalist because government agents are after him with the intent of making him a laboratory curiosity.
One reviewer commented that Nick appeared rather wimpy in his response to Colonel Jenkins' persecution (that is the best word for it) and this is the only aspect of the book that put me off slightly. If I'd been in Nick's place, Jenkins' life would have been much, much harder.

It takes you on a journey in your mind. You feel like you are the character. Fighting for survival. It's an amazing book. Fascinating. Awsome, What else can i say?

Edgy, nail-biting, darkly humorous, sexy, paranoid, and brilliant speculation about what life might be like for a man who is accidentally turned invisible.

This is light-years better than any of the many other recent attempts to build stories on this theme, from books and TV to films, and sadly including the distinctly average Chevy Chase comedy which was actually inspired by this book.

The narrator and central character is Nick Halliwell, a 34-year old, single, securities analyst working for a New York firm, who is completely ordinary except perhaps for an overactive sex drive. As part of his campaign to seduce a beautiful New York Times journalist called Anne Epstein, Nick invites her to a demonstration by a company called MicroMagnetics of their new type of magnetic fields.

Unfortunately Anne has cartoonishly stereotypical left-wing/liberal views. She decides that the magnetic fields must be intended for nuclear fusion containment, and tips off a buch of lunatics called "Students for a Fair society" about the event. These idiots decide to stage the other sort of demonstration, which includes cutting off power to the building.

As Nick puts it later, he should have paid more attention to what the students were about to do and what effect this might have on the process which the head of the company describes.

"I knew that someone was about to shut off power to the building ... And this man was telling me that he had some loopy subatomic process roaring away, which sustained itself but whose control system used outside power. It is important to listen to exactly what people are saying ..."

Shortly afterwards Nick is in the toilet when the building is evacuated as someone realises what the students are about to do: perversely ignoring a security guard who asks if anyone is there, he remains in the building and consequently is still inside when the control system has its power cut off, and the equipment blows up, turning everything else inside the building invisible.

Nick is knocked out by the effect. He comes to his senses a few hours later, and realises that he has been turned invisible, by which time government investigators are looking at the building. He calls out to the nearest investigator, expecting them to offer help, and is astonished when the man speaks into his radio and even as he promises medical help, Nick can see that an ambulance and some paramedics are being told to leave. Then the investigators come towards the building with a net. Nick realises that they see him more as an invaluable asset than as another human being, and falling into their hands might be a very bad idea ...

The main plot of the story is about the determined efforts which the investigators, led by the horrible Colonel Jenkins, make to capture Nick, and Nick's equally determined attempts to stay out of their custody. The sub-plot is that invisibility does not affect Nick's considerable libido, and he misses female companionship more than anything else about his situation. And as if it were not difficult enough for an invisible man to find love, any attempt Nick makes to do so is almost certain to offer new opportunities for Colonel Jenkins to catch him.

The dramatic tension in the book is sometimes unbearably strong, and there are some very exciting action sequences: there are also some moments of extreme pathos and some hysterically funny or embarrassing scenes.

Contains a lot of speculation, much of it highly plausible, about how other human beings might react to an invisible person. He is still solid, still needs food, water, sleep & shelter, and has to open doors to pass through them, so he cannot avoid leaving evidence that a person is around. Some people confronted with evidence of Nick's presence assume he's a ghost, or that a burglar has been and gone, but other people who become aware of him react in much more dangerous ways.

"Memoirs of an invisible man" is one of the best novels I have ever read. As I prepare to post this I see that the number of Amazon.com reader reviews is now up to 64 and 62 including mine are five-stars, which must be almost unprecedented. But the book really is that good.

I first read this book almost 20 years ago, and remember at the time recommending it to everyone I knew who loved books. They recently had a re-run of the dreadful film ( movie) of this great book, which prompted me to get my 15 year old daughter to read it - she loved it!

ps anyone ever find out who actually was H.F Saint?

Note: I made some immature Mormon angry because of my negative reviews of books out to prove the Book of Mormon, and that person has been slamming my reviews almost as fast as they are posted.

So your "helpful" vote is greatly appreciated. Thanks, and note that a
short review can be a good review if it prompts a person to read a good novel.

This was one of the most enjoyable stories I ever read. Set in modern times, there is an accident at a research facility, and one man becomes invisible.

The adventure starts there. It's too bad this author never wrote any other books, but this novel is a classic and a fun read. The man even finds a woman to love him.

The many dangers of being invisible were fascinating--like being accidentally hit by people or cars. And, of course, the government wouldn't let him live his life. They wanted to use him (make him a prisoner). He was too valuable. A great fantasy about a man being tracked down by the government.

I don't want to say too much and ruin the story, so just go it. Fantastic.

Also, don't miss the original "Invisible Man," by H.G. Wells.

i really loved this book if i was born around his time i would have been his friend i love how he stood up for his beliefs and went back to school in stuff even though he didn't get to gradulate, but he still lived a great in fun life it was short but he did things with it i'm young but my aunt past away with AIDS and after reading this book it really touch me i was crying because i felt so bad what ryan went though but he didn't let it get to him. He was so strong he got people believing again.

In fifth grade we were introduced to an illness called AIDS. We also learned about a boy named Ryan White. I took an interest to this story because I have an illness called diabetes and have to deal with how different people react and treat me because of it. Just like Ryan and AIDS diabetes is not contagious and there are no know ways to prevent or cure it. I have heard many different reactions when they find out that I have Diabetes. The most commom being "Did you eat too much sugar or something?" Most of the time I just laugh at this and explain that you have no control over getting Diabetes. I took an interest in school that year and by doing so I found myself a role model...Ryan White.

When I was young I remeber a copy of People magazine that my mom had lying around with Ryan White on the cover. For some reason I always took an interest to him, and his life, and all the article that I could find on him. In high school I remeber reading part of it to do an exta credit project. Finally 2 year out of high school I decided to reread the story of his life. It is amazing how people really are. It really hit home, not living too far from Kokomo, Indiana where he was from, that people in my community would treat people this way. It is also amazing how much determination he had to be who he was and not let anyone or anything get in the way. This book is great!!!! Everyone should read it and put themselves in this families shoes!!

Today is World AIDS Day and each year I remember my childhood friend, Ryan White. His sister and I were both Rollerskaters and skated in the same skating rinks. Knowing Ryan personally and having his book for years now, it is still a story that resonates with me. It is true, thoughtful, and in his own words.

I'll never forget the hatred the spewed from the city of Kokomo against him. It was such a devastating blow to his well being. Not only did he have this death sentence, but the entire town was treating him worse than what you would treat a pig going to slaughter. I am not joking. I remember seeing him at the skating rink one day, it was a time when he wasn't as sick so he was able to be a kid. I went up to him to give him a hug because I hadn't seen him in so long and he said, "You want to hug ME?" He was shocked that someone would want to touch him. That's how bad it was.

Read his book. He is the reason people with AIDS are accepted now. This friend of mine had more courage than anyone I have ever met.

I read this book upon entering seventh grade. Ryan's story was so empowering and so honest that I often feel the need just to sit down and read a chapter by random. Everytime I read it I cry. This auto- biography has inspired me to help in the relief and research for AIDS. I have done reports on the disease and Ryan and teachers often comment about how passionate I am about the subject. This book changed the way I veiw life; a treasure that should'nt be wasted. Thank you Ryan.

More of the same from Jude Watson. The series is actualy intended for younger readers but I find the stories on an adult level. This book starts off where the last book finished and concludes the Merrida/Daan story ,with a twist!
All in all a lovely short read.

I read this book a few years ago because I had just seen Episode III in theatres and I was interested in anything Star Wars. At the time I did not realize thet this book was the sixth book in the series and as soon as I finished this book, I went back and started with number 1. Anyway, I LOVED this book. It made Obi-Wan my favorite character and even the sub-charaters were great. The relationship between Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan is truly special and this book will give you chills. I can't wait to see if/when/how Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan's relationship is mended. Even though this is a short and simple read, this book is great for any age. The emotion in this book was so well described and portrayed. I recommend this whole SERIES to anyone who has the faintest interest in Star Wars or good books in general.
-Murl

I am liking this series. I read the first 5 books last year, and started again just this week. I am a nut when it comes to reading a series in order, so I wanted to start with these books to see how Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon interact together before venturing into the prequels and follow-up novels to the movies.

This series is set towards young readers, but I find the story on an adult level. A good and easy read for someone wanting a short story.

Jude Watson brings to life the choices we face everyday. It shows how Obi-Wan Kenobi had to mkae one deceision between his home and when his friends on Melida/Daan needed him most.
When his friend is murdered and all his other friends, except two who remain loyal to him, turn into his enemies. He has no where to go and his former Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn isn't availible to protecthim, Obi-Wan must learn to be on his own with no one to help him.

Overall, I've greatly enjoyed the Jedi Apprentice series. It's not Harry Potter, but it gets the job done. Defenders of the Dead was a highlight, with an ending that left this jaded, cynical adult gasping with shock.

Unfortunately, The Uncertain Path leads to too much boredom. Obi-Wan mopes and Qui-Gon sulks, while the Youth on Melida/Daan regress into the children that they are. A few things salvage the book. Yoda giving Qui-Gon a chewing out (sorry, "Yoda a chewing out giving Qui-Gon, hmmmm?"), a touching scene with Cerasi's father, and the lack of quick resolution to the Obi-Wan/Qui-Gon conflict. Hope remains high for book 7.

Helaine and Score travel to the nightmare planet of Zarathan, in search of their kidnapped friend Pixel. It's a place where a person's nightmares and fears become reality, and to fall asleep means certain death. John Peel adds some new twists into this installment in the Diadem series by adding some elements of horror with a little science fiction thrown in. Very well done.

This whole series was a hit, it kept me reading and since it abruptly ends at this book (#6) I've been reading the 6 books over and over again, hoping for a change in heart by the author and a real ending, mind you that not rushing an ending in one book would be nice. Yes it is good for us, the readers, to use our imaginations a bit, but this was a complete cliff-hanger. The imagination/creativity is breath taking, never a cheezy moment. Mainly this book takes the story more towards an fantasy/horror story plot. Pixel is in trouble and of course Score/matt and renald/heliene jump right in to save him.... there seems to be little chance for sucsess.... what will happen?

Fun reading, great characters and an interesting twist at the end! John Peel is a good writer. The next books in the series are to be published soon. (...)

i loved the whole Diadem series so much when i was 10 and i started rereading it again and i still definately adore it even though im now 15. i was so mad when i found that this book was his last book in the series. i really want him to make at least one other book i mean he has to the cover picture still isnt complete. i love these books so much.

The Diadem series has been my favorite book since I was ten years old. I am now fifteen and still remember almost every little detail. To bad he finished the series so abruptly, right?

Then again, he didn't. John Peel has written the seventh book and is still working on book eight. The only reason why the series is not sold in stores is because the publishing companies refuse to publish the new books, saying that it did not sell well enough to make more, and they discontinued the already published ones.

I found a website that has a petition that you can sign to put the books back on the market as well as the seventh and eighth. The site is:

Diadem FanZone--The Book Series Lives On

Honestly, before venturing into the jedi apprentice series not much was known to me about Jude Watson, but man does she know how to write a book.
I also like the dark side of the past few books where people are starting to be killed off. Not that I wasn't truly expecting it, but because it is intended for a younger audience...anyway another marvelous read, once again!

This book focuses alot on Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan reuniting their kinship as Padawan and Master.

The Jedi Temple is under seige and only Qui-gon and Tahl can take measures to stop the traitor stealing artifacts from the temple.

I thought this book was a nice tie-in to the 2nd book in the series, mixing in the current story of Obi-Wan rejoining the Jedi Order, and continuing on into the 8th book which I am now reading.

These young adult books are quite fascinating. The stories are short and sweet, but they are not without action and suspense. They pack more than enough interest to keep me reading.

Its definetly the best in the series, and I would have preferred it to end here. The ending seemed as though it was FORCED to hint about the sequal. I have a feeling that Jude Watson didnt want to continue writing it, and then had to. Its a great book, to bad about the ending....

I keep thinking to myself that Jude Watson is no J.K. Rowling, but now I'm beginning to think that I'm deluding myself. The Captive Temple is, as we've come to expect from Watson, a fantastic read. Most remarkable of all is the way Watson is able to depict Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon, twelve years before The Phantom Menace. What is masterful is that these both are and are not the characters we saw in the movie; they appear exactly as they must have been in their younger days. Remarkable.

The Captive Temple is also an improvement over the previous book. Obi-Wan is less mopey ("Mopey-Wan" . . . hmmm), and Qui-Gon less brooding. There are no quick fixes to their relationship, broken by Obi-Wan's betrayal of Qui-Gon in book 5, which is satisfyingly frustrating. Watson seems to have masterly paced the evolution of our Jedi heroes' relationship, giving us just enough development to keep us coming back for more.

Obi-Wan Kenobi has decided to return to the Temple after staying on Melida/Daan. But once he arrives at the Jedi Temple with his former Master Qui-Gon, he realizes that things might not go as well as he thought. The Jedi Council is harsh with him and Qui-Gon seems to ignore him. Can he ever regain the trust he had with the Council and Qui-Gon? Also, there's a threat within the Temple. Everyone is being under suspicion, everyone is in danger, and everyone is wary of others. Who could be behind these attacks? As Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan try to solve the mystery, they discover that the attacker might be someone they know, someone they've already encountered...

In this story Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan's relationships is being slowly healed though I must stress on the 'slow' part. I can't wait till their problems are resolved and they become the perfect team they become to be in Episode 1. Jude Watson has certainly done an astounding job, the plot and story of the book is so unique and interesting and I couldn't put it down!

This series explains a lot about how Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan first meet. Their beginning is far from simple and all smooth-sailings, which would be pretty monotonous if it was. Though the books are said for ages 9-12, like many other reviewers I agree that the Jedi Apprentice Series are for anybody. Extremely well-written, the emotions, thoughts, and feelings of the main characters are very well put down into words. I also like the different array of humans and aliens which are portrayed, both good and bad; Obi-Wan's friend Bant with her wise ways, Tahl with her many disadvantages of being blind and many more advantages with having the Force, and TooJay, Tahl's annoying navigational droid.

The first Jedi Apprentice book is written by Dave Wolverton while all the rest (19 more books) are written by Jude Watson and are all very highly recommended from me. The books don't really 'end' at all, the books ends in either a cliffhanger or with a little glimpse into the future. Believe me, once you start reading them, you'll want to read the next one... then the next one... I can't wait for Jude Watson's next Star Wars series, The Jedi Quest Series with Obi-Wan Kenobi as the Jedi Master and Anakin Skywalker as the Padawan Apprentice.

Another Star Wars Series I recommend and like a lot are the Young Jedi Knights series. The stories are about Jacen and Jaina Solo (twins of Han and Leia Solo), and their friends as they journey on the road to becoming Jedi Knights. More on the teenager level of reading. For adult readings, a few selections I enjoy reading are "The Thrawn Trilogy", "Rogue Planet", "The Jedi Academy Trilogy", "The Corellian Trilogy", and "The Truce at Bakura".

Enough good things have been said about the Guide and they're all true. Having said that, the technical chapters on the book may seem to you (at least they seemed to me) as a conversation between two experts on the matter. In all fairness, the book is tagged as an Intermediate, Advance one and the author does advise early on the first chapters that the book assumes the reader has some background knowledge. Well, I don't consider myself as a beginner and I have more than some background knowledge (including After Effects) and I had (and still have) a hard time understanding some topics. You see, when I buy a book (specially a book that's advertised as having all the info I need), I expect the book to open my eyes and my mind and provide me with enough information so that I can be on my way. I don't like it when I have to supplement my reading with lots of other resources to understand what the author is saying. Also, books that refer to a certain software sometimes recommend that you be able to run that software in order to gain a better understanding of the topic; this one does this. However, most books with this characteristic can be read and understood without the software. Not this one. The way I see it, this book costs around $1030.00 if you don't have the After Effects. You need it to be able to grasp about 50% of the book's information.

Also, if you're looking to understand workflow, image optimization and effective editing techniques but action is not really your cup of tea, meaning that you are driven mostly towards making visual stories without the action element, you'll feel that you're using about $15.00 of the $30.00 price tag of the book. Topics like special effects, color correction and onlining are covered with a subtle assumption that your film is about action (I guess that's the reason for the title).

In general, the book's benefits outweigh its flaws. I would say that if I go into a set of an independent movie or if I meet the director of a short film being made and I see this book among his resouces, I would think that the guy knows what he's doing. I suggest suplementing the book with the DV Rebel's Cafe (forun) and other entry level books on DV and HD workflow.

Do you have Adobe After Effects? If not, I wouldn't purchase this unless you are just an armchair filmmaker because this book's techniques are based on that program. I wish I had Adobe After Effects and this book would be useful, not just entertaining.

I have been studying film since I was a little nerdy kid, writing down the names and titles from the credits of every Happy Harmonies or Merry Melodies cartoon I watched, but in all that time (yes, a lot of time) I have never encountered a more fundamental and essential guide to just picking yourself and your idea up and making a movie, from start to finish. If you have tried in the past and gotten overwhelmed or bogged down in the mire of details involved in making a film on your own, then this book will help you out bigtime.

I have to admit, I am not into action movies, but the principles in the DV Rebel Guide are not really action-movie specific, and what's more, the truth is that if you are making a movie for audiences, it had better keep moving, which is essentially what an action movie is about. You will have literal explosions and bullet holes in your movie, or you will have artistic-symbolic explosions and bullet holes in your movie, but either way, you will have them.

The important reasons to own and read this book, if listed concisely, would be about as long as the book itself. Why? Because everything in the book is *essential information* for making your movie--especially if you're not rich (and maybe nerdy enough to not have a long list of people to call in favors from).

Do you hate wading through 500 page tomes that painstakingly sidetrack on a zillion different flavors of what you might or might not need to know about several aspects of whatever? The best book on C programming is only a half inch thick, and the best book on getting out there and actually making your idea into a film (digitally), with or without a budget, is The DV Rebel's Guide. And that's because you will be able to read it cover to cover without ever falling asleep, and you will know just what to do when you are done. From the amazingly insightful concept of the "resource list" to a nutshell run-through of the daunting field of color correction, as applied in the very accessible software, After Effects, this book will give you the answers you need long before you might have given up in frustration reading another book (or pile of books).

Great book for the beginner & advanced pro. Gives you many suggestions on how to get the shot finished with out spending a lot of money. Many movie clips included on the DVD for examples in support of the text. But what I found is that this book is just fun to read. There is a no holds bared, if you want to make a movie then just do it, "I hate green screen" attitude that encourages everyone they CAN make movies. There is technical stuff on setting up shots & After Effect is the only post software used, but you can skip over or breeze by these on your first read because you'll be using this book as a primer as you make movies of all kinds..."just do it!".

Somebody's got to be honest here -- the movie that Stu made with all of his techniques is simply godawful on nearly every level. In fact, his emphasis on "rebel" technique might very well have you redirecting your creativity in all the wrong ways. Films are about good STORIES.

That being said, for the discerning reader, there is an enormous amount of useful information in this book and it will really get you technically up to speed fast. For that the "guide" really does deserve five stars. But what we have here is also a recipe book for making the most cliche-ridden Hollywood imitations, which is the furthest thing that movies need right now. I believe you should be using your first work to explore your understanding of filmaking principles with relative minimalism.