Bates Books

I am blessed with a gifted, unusual, highly talented mother who is now 77 years old. We have evolved into a good "adult" relationship. I purchased the book in hopes of finding it helpful to my sister (whose relationship is somewhat rocky). Lo and behold, I found MYSELF (mother of two) in the pages of this book (as well as my own mother). The best thing I took away from the book is that I need to let go a little more, and let my children develop into who they are instead of trying to keep them young, perfect, and unblemished forever. The book discusses "other mothers" and I had two wonderful ones, who I will be thanking as mothers this Mother's Day for the first time ever. (I have thanked them for the support while growing up, but not on Mother's Day.) I have always supported my own daughter's "other mothers" because my relationships with mine were so helpful, and I plan to share the book with them.

The author, psychoanalyst wife of actor John Cleese, has access to many celebrities, and I found that the book was entertaining for this reason more than it was enlightening as far as improving my relationship with my mother. The stories ran a wide gamut, and it was comforting to know that so many other people (including celebrities John Cleese, Lauren Hutton, Stephen Sondheim, Mike Nichols, Terry Jones, etc.) have troubled relations with their moms as well, but I didn't particularly find my mother in here. I guess she is uniquely troubled :-)

It is an interesting and quick read whether you are interested in your relationship with your mother, your mother-in-law or your children, but you should not expect this book to solve your problems. It may get a conversation going though, and that is a good start.

I was embarrassed for the author, especially considering her profession; this is the work of a person with painfully obvious self-esteem issues. It's no coincidence that many of this book's reviews point out that the author (who evidently needed some help to write it) is the wife of actor and former Monty Python member John Cleese. (One can almost hear, in the background, the author whining "Hon-ey, how come you never help MY career? I'm tired of just being a shrink!" And John anxiously responding "I'll talk to the publishers, sweetheart; don't worry, they'll love it.") While the book isn't bad, it's quite superficial, and might not have been published had the author not filled it with vaguely relevant anecdotes about her (or her husband's) B-and C-list pals and their reminiscences about their mommys. It's difficult to understand why an author of such a book would find it necessary (or even appropriate) to provide the full names of each of these folks, except to entice readers who can't get enough of any scrap of information about, say, Lauren Hutton, or who are fascinated to discover that actors have less-than-perfect relationships like everyone else. One can't help but wonder why the author, who would almost certainly never have had these clients without her husband's show-biz connections, feels the need to try to capitalize on them in this way as well. In any event, there are many books that offer much more insight and practical advice on how to resolve some of the problems that often arise out of the mother-child relationship.

Alice Faye Cleese's book is filled with fascinating case histories -- including some famous folks' relationships with their mothers(ie Mike Nichols, Stephen Sondheim, Lauren Hutton and the author's husband--the celebrated actor John Cleese. In today's world career moms don't have as much time to spend on 'der kinder' as my mom's generation, and I have heard sad stories, particularly about those young people growing up in the 'drug' age. HOW TO MANAGE YOUR MOTHER will be helpful for all problem mothers and children to open a dialogue for further understanding of their relationships It might not have been as necessary in my mother's day when fewer women had careers;most of their time was devoted to their families, so much so that when children grew up many moms didn't have enough of their own interests to fall back on. This easily read 'textbook' offers solid advice! And it encourages you to 'remember mama' .I always had a very close relationship with mine, but she has been dead over 40 years and I don't always think of her. The pleasure for me in reading How To Manage Your Mother was that it not only brought back many warm and tender memories, but also in pointing out many bad vibes between parent and child, it made me realize how lucky I was to have had a mother as beautifully giving as mine. Cornell University has now added this book to their psychologicl reading list, but it's great for the layman! I can't wait for the sequel on managing fathers--not just because I'm a dad, but what a nice gift for my sons and grandsons next Father's Day!

How to Manage Your Mother is a valuable self-help book that reads like a who-dun-it. Psychologist Alyce Faye Cleese, wife of British actor John Cleese, has created a very usable, practical approach to facing issues that inevitably arise when we deal with our mothers, and at the same time has managed to do so in captivating storytelling fashion. Spend some time looking at the Who's Who ofthe credit page; then figure out whose mother belongs to whom. By the time you reach the practical 10 step approach at the end, you'll be ready to face your own mom with a brand new perspective.

It helped me a lot! An excellent way to get SCJP! Thanks Amazon for the quick delivery!

Great preperation tool. This material is advanced, and a little hard to get through. However, it does a great job of preparing you for the SCJP exam. The sample tests and summaries at the end of each chapter are very helpful as are the full exam samples.

The book is ok. But the time I wasted waiting for it to arrive here was terrible. A friend bought the same book 2 days after me and it arrived 3 weeks earlier than mine and we chose the same delivery method. I just don't know what happened but it took from the 13th of september till the 31st of october to arrive... terrible delivering service. Take care if you need it in the estimate delivery time and specially if you live in another country.

I took the SCJP once before and failed. I had prepared only with online resources. But after reading this book thoroughly, and taking all the practice exams, I retook SCJP and passed! I found this book's questions generally harder than the real SCJP exam, but it was great preperation. My only complaint about this book is the "Two minute" chapter summaries should be a little more concise.

In addition to preparing for the SCJP exam, this is an excellent way for a rusty Java programmer who has been using other technologies to get their head wrapped around Java again. This book's content and presentation are both highly effective. The humor really lightens up the reading experience.

One strong suggestion for the authors is to include page numbers for each section of the "Two Minute" drills, providing a quick reference to that section's underlying discussion. I wasted a lot of time flipping back through the chapter trying to find/review the underlying (and often clever) example.

I found this book to have an overly verbose and repetitive writing style, reading almost like an advertisement for SharePoint. I kept thinking to myself `get to the point'. If you enjoy reading for reading's sake you might enjoy this book. However, if you are looking for tips and tricks to becoming SharePoint wizard you'll find yourself bogged down in the long-winded passages and begging for more substance.

Recommended for "Power-Users," or those people that are comfortable working in Office, etc. Not for techies, per se, and perhaps a bit much for the average user. Get it for those people that will comfortably read a 300 page book on a computer program and then actually do something with it. Don't get it for those whose permissions you wouldn't dare leave without significant restrictions.

Has been very helpful to me as someone new to SharePoint. Only 4 stars because it's a bit much for the average user that we have in our organization -- I 'm not sold that I could distribute this as a User's Guide and expect increased understanding of how it works from the typical user. Perhaps it takes this much detail to present the information, but the lack of a general "how-to" or "quick-start" section makes me think that most users will be intimidated by the size and scope of the book and never crack it open.

However, from a Power User perspective, this book is excellent. The writing is clear and well-organized. I've been able to find just about everything I've needed to understand and answered most questions that have come to mind. I like how the book presents the different choices available, without shoe-horning you into the author's preferred choice. Comparing it to explanations available online, the information it typically presented better in this book.

There are several books available for SharePoint installers and admins and designers, but there really aren't many out there for end users. This is one of the few, and it does cover most of the important subjects. It has a few shortcomings:
+ The language is not very approachable. Long sentences, tedious writing, and a bit too formal.
+ It makes assumptions about user permissions. It often says, "You can do x, y, and z," but the truth is that the user has to have the right permissions in SharePoint to do all those things.
+ The screenshots have no callouts, so you have to study them closely to find what's important.
+ The authors take the old-style documentation approach, in which they describe the program in great detail, but rarely tell you how to use the program to accomplish real world tasks. For example, they frequently mention that document workspaces allow for collaboration, but never tell you what that collaboration might look like.

Despite those shortcomings I'm giving the book a generous 4 stars because I did learn about SharePoint by reading it. If your environment also includes Office 2007, you might want to wait for the end-user book by Vanessa L. Williams in the For Dummies series (NOT "SharePoint 2007 for Dummies," which is for admins.)

I've got a bookshelf full of generic, IT-oriented Sharepoint administration books. They cover everything under the sun with respect to designing, deploying, configuring, and administering Sharepoint... if you're a network engineer. But this is the first book I've seen that I could just hand to a customer or a manager to help them start using the product as it was intended. It's full of easy-to-follow instructions and even some good ideas for scenarios on building different workspaces. I've bought this book twice. It should be part of the deliverables for any Sharepoint project.

This book is easy to use both as a learning tool and a reference tool. The many examples provided give good background on the context of the desired function, and explicit, step-by-step instructions. The book has lots of "usage" suggestions.

I wish I had read this book a long time ago. It is consise and an interesting read. Above all it has provided me with several great tips on improving presentations which I have already started to use. Unbelievably, both my audience and I have noticed the difference.

The author knows of what she speaks! A former reporter, she has seen the good, the bad, and the ugly and helps the reader be one of the good, if not the great. Useful, practical tips for anyone who wants to be more successful both professionally and personally. Well worth your time and money.

"Speak Like a CEO" is a revolutionary new book for CEOs, executives and professionals who want to be at the top of their industry. An award-winning television anchor and former news reporter, now an executive coach, Suzanne Bates gives readers proven strategies and practical advice to effectively communicate in every important situation.

"Speak Like a CEO" provides readers with the secrets, situations and strategies that every executive must face. Suzanne's unique and effective techniques have helped hundreds of leaders give better speeches, presentations, media interviews, meetings - even handle conversations and social situations. In "Speak Like a CEO," you learn how to be yourself, find your own voice, so you are both powerful and authentic with any audience.

Suzanne's book has established her reputation as a respected consultant in the field of communications. Founder and CEO of Bates Communications, Inc., she leads a team of consultants who provide communication strategy and training for executives in skills such as public speaking, presentations, business writing, media interviews, and executive presence.

During 20 years in television, Suzanne interviewed thousands of business and political leaders, experts and celebrities. Today, she brings the lessons of television to her work with top corporations. She was recognized for her achievements with an AP News Award and was part of a team that won a national Columbia DuPont Award for best news coverage. In addition to numerous articles, she has also published nationwide surveys--"Credibility, a New Era in Business" and "How Does Your Boss Communicate?"--plus an audio program "The Speak Like a CEO Toolkit."

Buy and study this book so that your career success can accelerate!

NOTE: This text was originally created for my website's "Books By Our Thoughtleaders" page. To view, visit www.thoughtleading.com

This book is about developing confidence and skills in speaking. The author encourages using coaches to develop the skills better. If you cannot get a help from a coach for some reason, you will also find useful methods and checklists how to develop your skills by practicing in front of a video recorder and then evaluating your presentations using the given checklists.

The author sets the following goals to the reader:

- keynote speaking goals: write and speak with clarity; learn to use stories to make points; develop humor and be comfortable with it; make better eye contact; appear completely comfortable and relaxed in front of the audience; use voice more effectively; speak more conversationally;
- presentation skills goals: develop confident, relaxed presentation style; present technical material so everyone understands; show relevance of solutions to audience needs; learn techniques for persuading an audience; stand in front without a podium, with confidence; use hands and gestures effectively; improve professional appearance;
- media training: develop confidence speaking to reporters; present ideas clearly and concisely; manage interviews with confidence; develop new strategies to prepare for interviews; speak in sound bites with energy and enthusiasm; deliver opinion effectively; know how to handle tough questions; show more on-camera pose for television; stay on message and deliver key points without wandering
- presentation, speech, media: speak with clarity about vision; appear comfortable and confident with board of directors; fine-tune answers to tough questions from unhappy customers; deliver strong message to media; speak conversationally to employees; motivate and inspire people to overcome a difficult solution.

There is a references and further reading section in this book . Besides the list of books that the author suggests, I can recommend "The Articulate Executive: Learn to Look, Act, and Sound Like a Leader" by Granville N. Toogood and the famous classic titles by Dale Carnegie: like "The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking" and "How to Develop Self-Confidence And Influence People By Public Speaking".

While some stories were interesting to listen to; there just wasn't enough substance to the (audio)book. I didn't finish listening to it, and unless this is your first book on leadership, I would recommend against it.

More could be gotten from a public speaking book and a few leadership books (Tom Peters is my latest read who is pretty good).

Mike

I loved this book. It was fun to read and taught me things I didn't know. It was interesting for me and I enjoyed the writer's style of writing. I am not going to run out and start composting and growing my own food tomorrow, but this book gives the reader a lot of food for thought. Albert Bates seems to be one old hippie that I would like very much. Regards, Keith Renick, Peachtree City, Ga.

Innovative, thorough and readable with clear diagrams and instructions. i had hoped the recipes would offer more low-energy input options though there are some very good lists of suitable substitutes for imported ingredients. A good book for those far-sighted enough to realise the need (at least for backup) to provide for oneself and one's own community first.

I really love this book. It approaches the end of civilization as we know it with a big, humorous, smart smile on its face. It presents such a range of ideas and facts and little-known powerful knowledge, and so much uncommon "common sense" that it manages to make me feel good about the coming mess (the "Great Change"). According to the author, Albert Bates, after the "Crude Awakening," Step 1 is to "Rebuild Civilization." By book's end, you'll reach the 12th step -- "Utopia by Morning." Lots of interesting, eclectic sidebars. Plus, the recipes are really excellent.

This book is beyond words. Finally I have found a book that I feel I have written, a person who sees the possible futures as I do. He actually states in his writing the theories set by many of how we cause our own future by merely deciding it will come. This is, of course, something I greatly believe in. HOWEVER, we must take into account that if the masses continue to act as they do with out reverence for what their actions are causing, then we are walking towards impending doom. Every action has a reaction or as many have said before me, every cause has an effect. When we walk mindlessly along the path and we do not contemplate our effects then they are free to wreak havoc as naturally drawn. If we decide our possible fates, and make an active change to steer away from a damaging future, as is one possibility described in this book, then we make a chance shot for a "happy ending" or I guess you would say in this case, no ending.

Please, PLEASE, read this book and/or any like it. Know the possible future and take action to protect yourself from it, while contemplating a better way we can live. The age of Oil is over, it's time to accept it and move towards the coming age as the dawn reaches Aquarius.

This book is great intro to all the issues relating to peak oil and our other looming crisis; water, food, transportation, economics, etc., with hints, tips, sidebars, recipes, quotes, so it's not really heavy going. In a fairly non-apocalyptic way, it covers all sorts of stuff, for example: bug out bags, various alternative fuels, lists of things to stockpile, ecovillages and community, humanure, chart of bean cooking times, a first aid guide. Nothing in a huge amount of depth - it's just one book; but mostly practical and down to earth information, and while I don't agree with everything (he's too optimistic about ethanol, and that compost tea will be anaerobic) on the whole it seems balanced and accurate.

For anyone who's just coming to learn about peak oil, especially in the early panic stages, I particularly recommend this book; there are so many books that will just scare and overwhelm you, while this book has a practical and less we're-all-doomed approach. If you're a peak oil old-timer and have been simplifying your life for a while it is probably all stuff you know already.

As a non-english major whose only acquaintance with Shakespeare was to see some or the plays a number of times and reading some of the plays in HS and college. I have to say the concept of this work attracted me and the notes, and essays were a great help to understanding this work. I like the idea of having a recreation of the first folio with all of it in one volume. The quality of the paper is fine to me and the size of the volume makes it possible to read without too much trouble. For an average reader who wants all of Shakespeare in one place with useful explanations and notes along the the historical idea of the first folio its a perfect combination. Also the price given the size and quality of the work is reasonable. The chronology notes are especially interesting as they provide details beyond when it is thought a play was written.

The RSC Complete Works is a wonderful addition to anyone's library even if you already have another version of the Complete Works. As other reviewers have pointed out this edition follows the sequence and format of the First Folio making it somewhat unique in the selection of Complete Works that are available.

The Text is easy to follow and the introductory material is first rate.

ALso the price at Amazon is really a bargain for a book of this quality.

I still have my Bevington edition, that I enjoy but this is a great second version to use as a comparitive text..

For anyone who wishes to work with Shakespeare's plays (actors, directors, students), this is the edition to own. The single column format makes it extremely easy to read. It also means there is no wrapping of iambic lines like in many two column editions.

Annotations are plentiful and more verbose than most. The generous whitespace means plenty of room to add your own notes as well. I have been shopping for an updated text to replace my old Complete Works and found this version to be a joy.

The thin paper is a downside, but necessary to maintain some usability in a book this size. It is, however, surprisingly durable.

To would-be purchasers: At the library or bookstore, see for yourself if you can really deal with all the physical drawbacks of this book, if it will really meet the demands of how you read and for what you intend to use this book. It should hold up okay for occassionaly pulling off the shelf for a point of reference. But if you need to handle it often, if you really want to get into the text, then I don't see how this book can hold up.

The 1 star is for the publisher of this edition. My complaint is to the person (or persons) who gave the go-ahead for the production specs. They are unworthy of the words of Shakespeare and the work of the editors. The production and printing are truly paltry. All the other review negatives are legit -- cumbersome size and weight; toilet paper thin paper, subject to easy tearing; ink bleeding through recto/verso pages (and in my copy, there's an ink splatter on p. 1438 and several splotches throughout); as well as the binding, which is a non-signature fake sewn binding, glued together like a softcover. As such, this book cannot endure much handling, and over time, as we know with such books, no matter how careful we are, the glue will stale, the spine will crack, and pages will dislodge like rotten teeth. This is absolutely not an edition you can hand down the generations; and depending on your use, it may or may not last even a few years. This edition purports to be a study/working edition, but the book as a physical object precludes any of that. I can't imagine a student or actor lugging it to class or the theatre and trying to recite with a nearly 5-lb 3-inch thick book cradled in his/her arm. Let alone making notes in the generous margins -- the low-grade paper causes text on each side of a page to seep through often clearly enough to be read so that would make scribbling notes difficult; and this paper could not possibly properly absorb notes in pen or highlighter (either would mark and indent right though the other side; light pencil or post-its might work though).

After purusing a few essays and notes, I give the editors 3 stars so far. The scholarship may be serious and exemplary (per other reviewers), but I've read better insights and more extensive notes elsewhere (with etymology, cross-refs, annotations). Here, the footnotes are rudimentary (for example, "fearful" is "frightened", "false" is "dishonest, disloyal", "maim" means to "wound, damage") -- perhaps the target audience starts at age 8. Stage directions of sorts are added here and there; they seem to clarify what's already rather obvious in the text proper. The "Key Facts" are easily digestible, but I can only trust that the editors got all their facts and dates correct, as I have yet to come across any sourcing or even a ref list.

But the main thing is that I simply can't get around the physical inadequacies of this book, so I'm returning my copy for a refund. Instead, I'll check out my public library's copy because I still want to know what all the introductory essays have to say.

I have all the works in various single-volume Quatro-based editions, so I thought it would be interesting to have a volume with the Folio-based text intact. Hopefully, the publisher will come to its senses and re-issue this edition based on previous Modern Library editions, that is, dividing the works into 3 or 4 volumes at a paper size and quality that can be used by human hands and read with human eyes -- even at a higher price, that I would purchase and keep. By the way, I own the two-volume 1938 "Complete Greek Drama" (also published by Random House). Those 70-year-old used books have held up far better than this 2007 new complete Shakespeare ever will. Perhaps this Shakespeare edition is a prime indication of the state of the book publishing industry today -- the bottom line served Will ill.

This is a really good book to buy if you are interested in Shakepeare. I have only read a couple of book by W.S. and I plan on reading all of them. The paper is a little thin, I'm kind of scared of it getting torn, but I am careful with my books, so it's really nothing I can't work around. The cover and binding are really good, very sturdy. I think overall it was worth the price I paid.

Although this book contains a lot of interesting information, Mary Ellen Bates makes it clear that if you don't have a degree in library science or an extensive background in research you are pretty much wasting your time. I can appreciate her experience but she doesn't give much encouragement to those of us who don't have her background and/or connections. This is not a book for those looking to build a business from the ground up.

There are a variety of approaches to starting a Research Business, and this book simply does little justice to providing business-smart content for doing just that. If you want to embark into a research business on your own, this might give you a vision but it will certainly not give you the business smarts you need to really start and manage your new business. Best to look into resources on starting a consulting business and other resources about starting any business.

Best of luck.

- Dissapointed

Mary Ellen Bates has created a very well-written, informative work that covers all of the salient aspects of starting one's own information services business - including those that someone looking into the field would never even think to ask about. Ms. Bates' writing style has a personal feel that is at the same time very professional. Her personality as a no-nonsense, savvy, and yet friendly information services professional comes across on every page.

The book really covers two important but somewhat distinct skill sets: how to start and run a successful business and how to be a successful information services professional. Ms. Bates' apt writing style weaves these two elements together quite seamlessly.

I suggest reading "Building & Running a Successful Research Business" cover to cover before spending your time reading any one of the more generic books available on the topics of how to find information online or how to conduct research. Once you have covered all of the bases with Ms. Bates' work, it would then be prudent to pick up some of these other works to dive more deeply into the areas where you need additional support.

Mary Ellen Bates is an internationally-known presenter on business information and research topics, however in this book she talks not about where to find information, but about how to build a business doing just that. The book is practical, inspiration, and actionable, but also makes it clear that the life of an information entrepreneur is not for everyone. A great resource for those considering this career path, or those already in it who need a bit of professional, albeit friendly, coaching.

So many "how to" books are filled with airy reiterations of the obvious or catchy but useless "10 Ways to..." Build and Running a Successful Research Business, on the other hand, is dense, useful, funny, insightful, honest and inspirational. A true page-turner in a genre that so rarely sees this caliber of writing or thought.

The book arrived quickly and in good condition. Just what I want from a bookseller.

This book is a bit disappointing. It reads like a horoscope and lacks substance, findings from research, stories about actual children and useful advice.

I must admit when I started reading this book I was impressed at just how accurate some of the information was. I was a bit dissappointed with a couple of chapters but overall not bad. Please keep in mind the most current reference this book has is dated 1980. Much of the language is directly out of the 1950's. Just the sentence structure and terms for wet and dirty diapers for instance. Its time for this book to be updated with newer books for parents to turn to.

I thought that I might not like this book, since my wise nutritionist (the only nutritionist I know locally who has a PhD and degrees from several top-notch universities) recommended it...a grandmother. For some reason, the age diffence bothered me. So, I purchased a used book from Amazon due to my skepticism. But, the book turned out to be time-tested afterall. The authors mentioned early on in the book that children's behavioral cycle can shift on the age time-line, but that the order of the cycles are quite stable. I'm assuming that it depends on whether a child is more or less advance than his/her peers and what environmental issues are involved (i.e. parents getting a divorce, moving to a new location, switching schools, etc...). I've found the cycles to be quite accurate so far.

I love the feeling of knowing what my kids are going through are a perfectly normal behavioral stages in their lives and that they will grow in and out of them. I feel calmer knowing rather than stressing over things that my kids do. My daughter is shy/reserved one year (i.e. won't volunteer during circle time or stand up when it's her turn for show and tell) and a major risk-taker who's outgoing the next (i.e. will run around the neighborhood ringing doorbells and phoning friends out to play). I guess God made us that way to balance us out (i.e. to prepare us to be more balanced adults. Otherwise, we'd be stuck either as super shy or as a major risk-taker if we are not allowed by our parents to try out both ends of the spectrum to get to that equilibrium.

This book is the best of its kind, and the only one that sums up the stages of development. Thanks goodness it is back in print. There are a few slightly dated bits, but most of the work by Ilg and Ames is timeless. You MUST have this book while raising your children, if only to be aware of the alternating inner and outer periods of disequilbrium and how they manifest. This book helps you keep being the grownup, because it gives you such a good overview of child development.

I have read all of Margaret Coel's books and enjoyed them all. The Girl with Braided Hair is the best! She keeps the action moving, and the cliff-hanger ending has me guessing -- and waiting for the next book in this series.

Wind River Reservation, Wyoming, 1973 -- The police have shot Brave Bird, a Lakota leader hiding out with the Arapahos after the ill-fated occupation at Wounded Knee.

Someone points a finger at Liz Plenty Horses. Ruth Yellow Bull tells her, "They're gonna put a snitch jacket on you." Panic-stricken, Liz takes her baby girl, Luna, and drives away from the rez in a desperate search for a place to hide.

Wind River Reservation, 35 years later -- "You might wanna come, Father." That's usually how it begins
for Father John O'Malley when something is amiss. This time a couple of rock hunters have found a shallow grave and an old skeleton with broken bones and a bullet hole in the back of the skull.

The news stirs up angers that have lain dormant since the American Indian Movement (AIM) of the 1970s. The moccasin telegraph buzzes with rumors and fear.

Prodded by a small group of Indians who want to give the skeleton a decent burial, and knowing that no rez Indian will talk to a white cop, Father John and attorney Vicky Holden begin asking questions of anyone known to be on the rez in the early 1970s.

Pursuing any lead however small, they hear differing opinions of AIM: ... city Indians not interested
in rez culture ... Wounded Knee was all for nothing ... no justice came out of it ... AIM people had guts ...
loved the marching and shouting ... we're Indians and proud of it ...

A sub-theme of brutality inflicted on Indian women by Indian men runs through the story. Vicky's experience
with an abusive husband fuels her determination to give the skeleton an identity and find the killer.

Coel builds suspense slowly, fitting pieces in a puzzle. As Vicky and Father John get closer to the truth,
warnings and threats begin. A silver sedan glides in and out of the story, always slipping away just ahead
of the police. Vicky awakens from troubled sleep, sensing danger, remembering Grandmother's stories
from the Old Time:

"The enemy would come at night, sneak up on the village when the warriors were asleep. But we would wake up. We'd feel the chill in the air and hear the quiet that was too quiet, and we'd know they were coming."

Coel moves the story between past and present, bringing it to a surprising climax and a poignant conclusion.

Pat Browning

As usual, Coel has written a tightly woven mystery with a good dose of history lesson included. This one also leaves those of us who have read the entire series with quite another mystery at the end. What will happen at the Mission now?

Both Vicky and Father John are always going about unmasking liars, and revealing long-buried secrets. In this latest edition in the Windy River Reservation series, they are working with over thiry years of secrets, and it is difficult to uncover the truth about a young woman who has been buried in the desert for almost thirty-five years. No one knows her name nor her story, but Vicky vows to find out everything she can about the young Arapaho woman. She enlists the aid of faithful Father John, and both of them have to be sharp in order to remain out of the killer's clutches. He has certainly not forgotten what happened and what part he played in the drama from 1973. This is a page-turner again. It is a wonderful piece of writing by a very talented author. I hate the fact that I have to wait another year to see what happens with these two wonderful amateur sleuths.

While Margaret Coel's new book is a fine mystery (as all her past books have been) her portrayal of the American Indian Movement is unfair and one-sided. It is not historically accurate in some areas and borderline slander in others. I found myself becoming more and more outraged at the negativity. I have worked with AIM. Both my father-in-law and brother-in-law participated in the Trail of Broken Treaties. Margaret Coel is a great writer but what she needs to write next is an apology to the American Indian Movement.

I love this book! How many times can we actually say that about a book? Not often, believe me, I have read my share of stinkers!!

Trinity RPG is the definitive rpg for those looking for more pizazz in their cyberpunk role-playing experience. It has all the moody cyberpunk themes, but it adds a twist: you are Earth's last hope for fighting alien invasions and former 'superhero' mutants called Abberants. Blessed with alien genetics spliced in you, you are a gifted Psion or psychic superhero who must use his superhero ablities to save the world.

The book comes with the best rules out there, Storyteller System 1.0, a rpg system from White Wolf Games. Those guys who brought us Vampire the Masquerade, remember? A narrative-driven story rpg, it's more about you the player than dice. It still hasn't been topped as a rpg engine to date!

Psions come in eight flavors: shapeshifting Norca, psychic healers called Aesculpians, computer-hacker electomagnetic psychics from the Orgotek Corporation, the Ministy from China, who can read minds. The telekinetic psions from Australia, the ESP prophets from the Moon, and lastly the teleporters from the new deep-space, extrasolar colonies.
Side note: one order, the Chibs, were wiped out due to the fact that they used quantum energy like the Abberants.
SO what's not to love? Its cyberpunk meets frickin' psychic superheroes for crying out loud! Worth all them five stars!

I've always been interested in futuristic sci-fi rpgs like Cyberpunk 2020 and Jovian Chronicles. When Mage the Ascension introduced the Technocratic Union to me I saw it as a great opportunity to run sci-fi and space dramas with the Storyteller system. Yeah I could have made up a lot of the material but it was good to have some source material to work with. Then I learned about Trinity. Trinity opened up an entirely new realm for me to explore as a storyteller. The players are not mages, but humans with psychic powers that range from mind control to controlling machines and generating lasers from fingers. This is one of the best White Wolf source books out there.

The book is divided into two sections. One is in color and focused on the setting of Trinity. The section started off with a nice piece of fiction about a latent psion and his encounters in a rough and unforgiving world. It then goes on to discuss the events that lead up to the current Trinity setting. There was a good amount of material on the Aberrants and some stuff on the Aeon Society. Both group have their own source books and game universes. Psi Orders and the state of the world in 2120 were presented without giving away too many secrets to players. The world is completely different in the future. Africa and China are now super-powers with space programs while America is in a state of ruin and has nothing but the military to keep it alive. The color section, I believe is primarily for players to flip through.

The rest of the book was in black and white and covered material for basic rules, character creation, psionic powers, gadgets, vehicles and other details that are necessary to run a game. It is all standard stuff from a core White Wolf book. Sections like this have appeared in Vampire, Werewolf, Mage, and all the other main books. There are a few subtle but significant changes in the rules but nothing White Wolf (or other) gamers can't understand quickly. The rule mechanics are very easy to grasp, thus freeing the players and storytellers from flipping through the book every few minutes for specialized rules.

The book did cover a broad range of topics. There was little room for details such as culture in the futuristic nations. The psions are only a small percentage of the populace so it would have been nice to have more information on the daily life of normal people.

Trinity is a very complete book, which covers everything you need to know to get a futuristic game rolling. Whether you're into cyberpunk, space combat and drama, encounter with aliens, wars and battles on Earth and other planets, espionage, anarchic frenzy or controlled social progress, Trinity has something for everyone.

When I first heard of this game I was not very interested, since I was busy with Vampire and the like. But a friend of mine sat me down and made me read it and now two years later, I don't know how I could have been so silly. This is a dark, suspenseful game that sucks you in. Set in the 2120's, it is a new world. Aberrants have destroyed life as we knew it and now, we set forth as Psions, humanity's last hope. This game will really take you on a wild ride. In the time I have played it I have been angry, experienced frustration unlike any before, felt despair and been moved to the point of tears.

The game system is the same as most White Wolf Games and is easy to use and understand. There is plenty of background material and if it is not enough, there are several supplements available. It is extremely well written and the illustrations are exceptional not only for the artistic merit, but for the relevence to the background material. This a game every gamer must try, if not own!

This game is one of the best RPG's ever written hands down. It is almost sad that this game is made by White Wolf, because the other World of Darkness games, tend to over shadow their other titles. Set in the year 2120, Trinity takes a look at a dark future. Where the United States of America, have been taken over by our own military. Where the Earth has nearly been destroyed by a horrible war, against what can only be called "superheros." But within this frame work, come the heros. Members of Elite Psionic Orders, who try and change the world for the better. Alright I know the concept sounds really bad, and maybe I am not explaining it right. But I like the game because they dive into the culture of 2120. Talking about fashion, what the ordinery guy does for a living, and how technology has changed the world. The aliens in the game are ALIEN. The 3 major alien races are a species of psionic 1ft long slugs, who make advanced biotechnology. A race of strangely advanced lizards who can manipulate light. And lastly a race of hive like creatures, who graft genetic material from races they find, to their own gene code. For the price of the book, you really cannot go wrong just to give it a try. So if you are in the mood for a unique science fiction setting, give Trinity a try. Or try it's prequel games "Aberrant" (Dealing with the golden age of the "superheros") and "Adventure" (Coming later in 2001, dealing with pulp heros in 1925).

Trinity is the best science-fiction role-playing game I've ever played. Built on White Wolf's familiar Storyteller system, Trinity takes the best that system has to offer and incorporates a number of elements that distinguish it not just from other White Wolf games, but from more "generic" sci-fi rpgs such as Alternity, Star Trek, Spacemaster, or Traveller. With topics ranging from psionic powers, hard tech, biotechnology, and weapons of the 22nd century, the game comes with the building blocks necessary for good sci-fi.

What really sets the game above the rest however, is the incredibly rich universe that White Wolf has created. It's possible to play just about any type of sci-fi game you want from Blade Runner film-noir, Aliens-style horror, Star Trek-quests into the unknown, to Star Wars-style space opera. The supplemental books and adventures are also top notch. If you're looking for adaptable sci-fi, Trinity is it.