Ball Books

Margaret Ball's DISAPPEARING ACT tells of a woman who borrows a rich stranger's identity - only to find the woman is supposed to be bionically enhanced with abilities and weapons she can't possess. Intrigue and action follow.

This is a really good action story by Margaret Ball. Those of her novels which I have previously read have been fantasy but this one is science fiction.

The central character is an young orphan called Maris who lives on a space station where the only life available to her is to work for the boss of a criminal gang. The gang boss orders her to tail a woman who has been asking too many questions. Then the woman is captured by the gang, turns out to be a government agent or "Diplomat" called Calandra Vissi with all sorts of special abilities, and walks out of an airlock to avoid being forced to tell what she's up to.

Noting some resemblance between Maris and Calandra, the gang boss decides to provide the police with a body which they could mistake for Calandra before they can take the station apart looking for her. So he has Calandra's ID gimmicked to match Maris, and plans to fake her accidental death. Realising what he's planning, Maris escapes by catching the Diplomatic shuttle which Calandra was due to take to the primitive world Kalapriya.

However, Maris's problems are only just beginning. She has no training in how to pass for a diplomat, none of the enhancements which a real diplomat would have, and she hasn't been on the planet of Kalapriya for half a day when one of the criminals who Calandra was coming to the planet to investigate tries to assassinate her.

But although she isn't a real diplomat, Maris turns out ot bemore resourceful than anyone, including herself, could possibly have expected.

Delightful story with all the humour and charm one can usually expect from Margaret Ball.

The one warning I would give to anyone thinking of buying this, is that the racket the bad guys are up to is not just evil but seriously disgusting, and parts of this novel are not for the squeamish. Apart from that I can very strongly recommend it.

Decent story about a teenage alley cat girl from a intersteller space station who is forced to masquerade as a "diplo" (sort of a far-future secret agent type), when she figures out her cohorts in crime intend to murder her and use her body in place of her virtual double, the diplo. So, using her new identity, she is able to get off the space station before she gets killed, and she is then forced to continue the masquerade on a strange planet, where she must ingage in all sorts of adventures in order to get by.

Drawbacks to the book are that there is no new SciFi technology introduced, and at times the story gets a bit too corny... especially the ending, which is almost "Disneyesque".

This is basically a very good sci-fi book. Set off-world in a distant, but familiar, future it is a story about power hungry people illegally trading bio-technology for arms. Those who accidentally unravel the organization are not necessarily motivated by good intentions. In their own way they plan to benefit from the illegal trade until the moral implications of the corruption disgust even them. Eventually, the would be good guys mend their selfish ways and overpower the bad guys for a happy ending. On the way questions are raised about the morality of colonization of new worlds, ethics of applying bio-enhancements to humans, and the acceptability of exposing advanced technology to developing societies. It had thought provoking moments even though it sometimes read like a coming of age romance. (After all, the lead character was 17 pretending to be 30.)

On the other hand, Disappearing Act was very poorly edited. The pacing was terrible. It took me 100 pages to figure out where the story was going. I could not tell if the title referred to one of the main characters, Calandra or Maris; or the political prisoners of Udara. There was too much detail, too much background on lesser characters, too many cultural observations... get on with the story already. And the names! I had a terrible time with the names of the characters and the places without a discussion of the meaning of the names. The last 100 pages was a bit of a "hurry up" ending. Details, so painstakingly included in the beginning, were suddenly skipped, and the time line became confusing. Even so, it was still a good read, a nice starting point for women reading science fiction.

This is a good one! I don't like it as much as some other ones, but it's good! I reccomend buying it. All I can really tell yu without spoiling it is that it's about when they fight the Ginyu force!

As an avid dragonball manga fan, I can safely say that this is perhaps the best dragonball [z] manga to date. The story, as anyone who read the summary will know, is when Son Goku lands on planet namek (after an intense training session in space), and then proceeds to save his friends and smack around the ginyu force. I won't go into to much detail, but the real prize of this manga is the accuracy of the dialogue. Since many American DBZ fans have only seen the pathetic, butchered, counterpart episodes on TV (Put out by our friends at FUNimation), this shows what Dragonball was intended to be. The language (while far and few between) is maintained, and all the frames are left undoctered (even a four-year old Son Gohan being smacked around by the evil Ricum).

While Dragonball fans will certainly see the beauty of this wonderful manga, non-dragonball fans will appreciate it too, with excellent fight scenes on par with Ryoichi Ikegami's (Crying Freeman, Samurai Crusader) fight scenes[as far as clarity goes].

Any manga fan should buy this. It will not dissapoint.

This book was one of the best in the series. It fetures the battle with the goofy but strong ginyu force. If you enjoy the show you will love seeing it in its original Magna(Japanese comic) formate! Also this book is the first in the series to show Goku fight after his 100times Gravity trianing It is a must buy.

The seven wish-granting Dragon Balls are in the hands of evil emperor Freeza! To stop him from becoming immortal, Gohan and Kuririn and their unlikely ally Vegeta must defeat the remaining Ginyu Force, the four greatest fighters in the galaxy. But it doesn't look good. Once again, our outmatched heroes face incredible odds in a fight for dear life and their only hope is hurtling towards them on a spaceship with an interior pressure of 100 Gs! The mysterious and strangely changed Son Goku is on his way.

I knew nothing about gardeing with grasses but wanted to try some in my backyard so I referenced this book. So far, my garden's been a huge success, thanks to Martin's advice and photos.

This book covers grasses that grow in the Ontario area, but the information given is just as valid for me in California. The photos are excellent & the descriptions of each variety are extremely useful.

Despite the title, there's scant information on using grasses in the landscape. And many of the photos are of poor quality. For the money, there are better grass books on the market. For great photos and inspiration, I much prefer Nancy Ondra's "Grasses: Versatile Partners for Uncommon Garden Design."

I must start off by saying that I love ornamental grasses. I love the way they look, especially in winter when their long stalks and inflouresences sway in the wind against a backdrop of a snowy white blanket. Martin Quinn and Catherine Macleod have put together a great book showing how to use grasses in landscapes. They discuss forms and uses before giving details about 100 different species of grass. I've found several that I want to incorporate into my landscape, and even found some design suggestions in this book. Quinn is a renowned grass breeder in Canada, so he knows his grasses and includes many that are hardy for use in northern climates.

Entertaining biography of rock and roller Jerry Lee Lewis. It details his rise from the poverty of rural Louisiana to become a rock and roll legend. Told by his wife of thirteen years, Myra Lewis, the book recounts an insider's view of those early days of rock and roll and of the rise of Jerry Lee Lewis in the annals of rock and roll.

Jerry grew up with his first cousin, Jimmy Lee Swaggart, who in his own right achieved a measure of notoriety as a prominent preacher and televangelist. Lewis, however, a music lover from early childhood, wanted nothing more than to be a piano playing musician. A backwoods good ole boy, he shocked the country with his antics, topping it all off with his marriage to his thirteen year old cousin, Myra, an act which brought him unwelcome notoriety.

Known for his high energy performances, Jerry Lee Lewis lived hard, played hard, and worked hard at his music. His was a life of which legends are made. This book is an enjoyable, no holds barred narrative of that life.

Here's a writer who did his research for years...its factual, interesting and important!

This is the best book ever written about "The Killer." It is
well researched, factual, and brilliantly composed! It is a classic.

Entertaining biography of rock and roller Jerry Lee Lewis. It details his rise from the poverty of rural Louisiana to become a rock and roll legend. Told by his wife of thirteen years, Myra Lewis, the book recounts an insider's view of those early days of rock and roll and of the rise of Jerry Lee Lewis in the annals of rock and roll.

Jerry grew up with his first cousin, Jimmy Lee Swaggart, who in his own right achieved a measure of notoriety, as a prominent preacher and televangelist. Lewis, however, a music lover from early childhood, wanted nothing more than to be a piano playing musician. A backwoods good ole boy, he shocked the country with his antics, topping it all off with his marriage to his thirteen year old cousin, Myra, an act which brought him unwelcome notoriety.

Known for his high energy performances, Jerry Lee Lewis lived hard, played hard, and worked hard at his music. His was a life of which legends are made. This book is an enjoyable, no holds barred narrative of that life.

If you recently purchased an Axim X5 and are a beginner in the axim line this is a well written and simplified book on how to use the X5.

I found this book to be extremely helpful. My Dell Axim X5 was becoming more of a bookend than a tool, and after the money I spent on it, it was a shame. With this book I learned about much more that I can do with it and now am a much more satisfied Axim customer!

The book has some very good highlights and covers the entire range of the Dell Axim. It is up to date, covering the latest pocket pc from Dell as well as the older models. However, the book is not a "how-to" reference that I thought it was. It will tell you what is available, but not how to use it. The book does not go into detail on using the Dell Axim, but refers to web sites for further information. This is not what I bought the book for. If you are looking for specific information on using the Dell Axim, this is not the place to find it.

I ordered this book in July when I got my Axim X5. It was delayed in printing and I did not receive it until December. By the time it came, I think I had pretty much given up my dream of using my Axim instead of paper. But I started reading the book,and found so much useful information in it...I feel like I have a new "toy" all over again.

I'm pretty savvy with Microsoft Office on the desktop, but there was just so much that I wouldn't have figured out without the book -- or it would have taken me a long time. I would recommend reading it like a novel, and putting it down to test what you think you understand. When I did that, I found that maybe I had skimmed the paragraph, and did not know exactly how to do it.

After spending one day engrossed with this book...I think I can put the old paper Franklin away for 2004. It inspired me to test what I read, transfer files from my desktop, scan documents to transfer to my Axim, and feel comfortable to carry my Axim with me...and know that I will have everything I need. Also, I understand why the things that are done are done, so I am less likely to do something out of ignorance that is dangerous to my system or my data.

I am no Pocket PC wizard, so I found this extremely helpful. If you are already an expert, I'm not sure it will be so enlightening, but I'd imagine you would still get useful tidbits from it. If you are a newbie...you're going to love it! Just...try not not skim, you'll miss something, and test every new thing you read. You'll be amazed at what you learn.

The book is an incredible resource for even the most knowledgeable pen expert. There is a great deal of information out there for the fountain pen collector but not much for others who prefer other writing instruments. This book does a great job of filling this glaring gap.

Good. Exelent. Amazing. Brilliant. Perfect. A++++. Great. Pens. I've never seen anything this great!! A real bargain for a good book!

As a new pen collector, I thought the pictures in this book were fantastic. I have no basis for the price references, but they seem to be fairly accurate.

An excellent reference book.

I was doing a research on the Ball Point Pen and this book was really insightful. It assembles a great deal of articles that have been written on this pen. It gives a good historical analysis from 1889 to 1960 but, on the negetative side, the history is fairly poor after the 1960s.

Furthermore, it has many photographs of old an collectible ball point pens.

I coach t-ball and little league. This book works great for even the youngsters. I pick and choose the appropriate drills, make copies for hand-outs, and do the drills for practice. They make it more interesting. Great book.

Excellent offensive drills with good illustration to back it up. A must for coaches looking to add a little variety to the same old boring routines.

Delmonico presents his drills in an easy to understand format that is right to the point. The pictures and diagrams farthur simplify the understanding of these drills. The only thing is that sometimes he does not go into enough detail and leaves elements of the drills questionable in the mind of those that still have a thing or two to learn about the game and its terminology. Overall it should prove to be a great asset and improve any coaches ability to diversify drills and practice.

Delmonico does a great job in showing numerous drills to develope the fundamentals of offensive baseball. However, Some terminology clarification needed for the readers who are not familiar with University of Tennesee baseball. Overall, a must read for coaches at the intermediate to advanced levels

Nancia is sixteen years old when she graduates from Laboratory Schools, the training facility for shell persons. That's the term for humans who require complete life support, usually from the moment of leaving the womb. Enclosed by a protective casing that supplies all their bodies require, shell persons like Nancia train for careers that let them exercise incredible power. Nancia will spend her life sealed inside a titanium column at the heart of a Courier Service "brain ship," with that ship serving as her extended body. With state-of-the-art computer processing power and computer memory banks as easy for her to use as her own human mind and human memory, she has only to choose her partner - a "brawn" who's been trained for that job. Before she has a chance to do so, though, she's given a solo first mission. One her father, a high-ranking Federation civil servant, has pulled strings to get for her because he loves Nancia every bit as much as his two "normal" children, and he thinks that transporting several Planetary Technical Assistance neophytes who are her social equals will give her an opportunity to make friends outside of the shell community. For Nancia belongs to that select and powerful group, the High Families, and so do her passengers. It should be the easiest of assignments. It's not, though, because four out of the five mistake Nancia for a mindless drone ship and treat her accordingly. Hurt and angry, Nancia lets them think that's the case. She overhears as they plot to make their fortunes by shockingly dishonest means, and as they form a pact to aid each other in doing so. She records it all - but then the brawn she chooses as her partner, Caleb from straitlaced Vega, lets her know that he considers such behavior highly inappropriate.

Nancia is young and unsure of herself. She trusts Caleb, and accepts his judgment. During the five years that follow, her first passengers carry out their plans. The day comes when Nancia must face all the harm that's resulted, as she's given the opportunity to expose and therefore stop them at last. But is that the right thing to do? What if she can only accomplish it by doing other things that Caleb can't approve? To which instincts and to which friends should she listen, and whose judgment should she trust? Surely not her own....

I read McCaffrey's initial "brain ship" stories, collected as The Ship Who Sang, many years ago. I picked up this book expecting a light read, and instead found myself immersed in an intriguing tale of a young woman's journey from adolescence into adulthood. Great stuff! One of McCaffrey's better works, and for me a good introduction to co-author Ball.

The fascinating concept of brainships is wedded with recognition of society's responsibility to maximize the potential of it's members. Nancia's growth from naive newness to flexible adulthood is accompanied by normal emotional trauma. Self awareness, recognition of self worth and valuation of others are wrapped in an entertaining reading experience. Cynical recognition of who you know rather than what you know doesn't detract from the message or the idealistic theme that good works and good will can triumph.

McCaffery does it again! I love how she winds intrigue, betrayal, and suspense into one super novel!!!

"PartnerShip" is the second book in the Brainship Series that was begun by Anne McCaffrey in the short stories that were collected under the title "The Ship That Sang." But this second book is a novel rather than a short story collection, tells the story of a new shellperson, and is co-written by McCaffrey with Margaret Ball (they also collaborated on the Acorna boks). Readers of the first book might be disappointed that this "sequel" is not about Helva, but the idea of brainships lends itself to new characters and if you have read McCaffrey's Pern and/or Talent series then you know she likes to tell new stories about new characters more than she does finding new tales for familiar (and even beloved) ones.

Nancia Perez y des Gras was an aristocrat, a member of one of the High Families, who was born with grave physical disabilities that required her human body to be encased in a massive titanium column that provided a direct link between her mind and the computer of her ship, XN-935. Nancia never would have survived without the complex life-support system the shell provided and which also allowed her to have a career as a new brainship for the Courier Service. Although she has been well trained, Nancia is not ready for dealing with the five "ordinary" human beings who are her passengers on her first voyage.

They are also members of the High Families and what her passengers have in common is that they are the proverbial black sheep of their respective families. That is why they are being sent to the forgotten far side of the galaxy. Usually the "brain" on a Courier Service ships is complemented by a "brawn," a human pilot special trained for such services, but Nancia is traveling without one on her maiden voyage. So Nancia is shocked and appalled by what she hears as her passengers plan to make their illegal fortunes and enjoy their ill-gotten gains. However, these five aristocrats do not know that they are on a brain ship and Nancia never bothers to tell them that she is listening (and recording) all of their plans.

What I like about "PartnerShip" is that Nancia bides her time before bringing the Nyota Five to justice. After all, she is fairly new to the ways of the real world and, as the title indicates, she is not going to be alone with the time comes to put her plan into motion. Consequently, in addition to the anticipation as to how Nancia is going to get these five clowns there is also a question of who is going to be the "brawn" to her "brain"? The former appeals to be a bit more simply because I like it when somebody on the inside has got the goods on the bad guys, but I was satisfied with the specific partnership that McCaffrey and Ball came up with for Nancia. Final Note: the cover art for this 1992 book is by Stephen Hickman.

I have read everyone of Mr. Hughes'Books about the Scrappers to my son...BR>He loves to read them time and again, you get caught up in the game with these kids (Scrappers) and how they become better players and become friends and real team players.
Sincerely,
Dennis Brown

The main character in this book is Robbie. Robbie is on a baseball team. At a game a friend doesn't know how to swing. Also,in the story Robbie's cousin went on vacation so Robbie's team is going to need a girl, and she is pretty good. I recommend this book for kids 10, 11, and even 12 years old. This book is pretty good and exciting.

My son, aged 9 -10, and I read all of the Scrapper books and are dying for Mr. Hughes to write more of them. They combine real kids with real personalities and problems, with exciting play by play baseball scenes. These are "feel good" books, perhaps not great literature, but in the end the children overcome their issues and contribute to the team. They are engaging reading.

What a great book for all the kids out there, boys AND girls, that like to play baseball! We coach three Little League Baseball teams right now (ages 6-7, 8, and 10) and have recommended this series to all of our teams as a great summer reading program. The books are written for ages 8-12, but younger children with a pretty good understanding of baseball will enjoy reading the book with an adult. My 6 and 7 year old boys loved this book and are eager to read the next book (they are not big reading fans, so I was happy to support the reading habit by getting the entire series for them).

This is the first book in the Scrappers Series by Dean Hughes. As a general note on the series, each of the Scrappers books covers a different position on the team with tips at the back of the book on playing the position, some advice from the coach and trivia trading cards dedicated to the learning more about the game.

Play Ball (Vol. 1) is about two players who fail to make the deadline for the summer baseball league and have only two hours to find enough players to form a new team. When Robbie only finds eleven players, not meeting the required twelve player minimum, he creates an "imaginary cousin". This lie causes problems for Robbie before they even play their first game. Another problem for Robbie is that one of the players recruited is a girl who competes with him for his shortstop position causing rivalry between team members and subsequently a loss in an important game.

By the end of the book, the players(and the readers) have learned valuable lessons in honesty, consequences, team spirit and team work, and good sportsmanship!

Again, I think this is a great book for young baseball fans! It makes for a great summer reading program and keeps the attention of the young readers. Look for Home Run Hero (Vol. #2) by Dean Hughes also available now.

I'm only giving it three stars, because soon after I received the book, I got Ubuntu, so I have not had any use for the book. I'll probably resell it.

I am not a Linux user but a simple windows user. I red the book of Bill Ball, SuSE and now I finally get IT!! I know how Linux works. I like the way he writes. My native language isn't English but I can understand it! Thanks to the writher!!! I din't like Windows, and want to use something differend than windows, finally I found it!! Many thanks to the writher and thanks for inc. the CD-ROM

I like this book!! It's really help you out to learn Linus in 24 hours!!!

After experimenting with 3 flavors of Linux, I found a home. I couldn't have done it without this book, and now SUSE is for me. I particularly liked the chapter on the navigation commands. So long Bill!