Bonds Books

The book features not one but two villains, but they are so beautifully brought to life you can see their characters in the round, as it were, humans with failings just like the rest of us. One was Ian Fleming himself, who comes across in THE BATTLE FOR BOND as a pop genius like Warhol with a great invention, the James Bond character, and yet a weakness for trampling over the rights of others out of his sense of clubby privilege which is fairly sickening after a few chapters. So when he employs others to help him sketch out a screenplay that will feature his Bond character, he doesn't even think twice about novelizing their joint effort and publishing it under his own name. He had what became the modern equivalent of the old fashioned "droit du seigneur," and the others were just pawns in his game.

The second "villain who's not really a villain" was the crazy swinger Kevin McClory, technically he was used and abused by Ian Fleming but he sure wound up with his pound of flesh didn't he! Author Robert Sellers, the one man who was able to pick up and tell the whole wretched and confused saga from beginning to end, makes you eventually loathe Kevin, even though he started out as the underdog. Kevin was the type of friend than which you'd rather have an enemy, so you hold him in your embrace just so you can see what he's doing with his hands.

The hero of the book winds up to be Jack Whittingham, a venerable and talented screenwriter whom BOTH McClory and Fleming took up, then cast aside. AND his daughter, the beautiful singer and office manager Sylvan Whittingham, who kept all the papers together for forty years and then finally, with the help of a faithful lawyer, Peter Carter-Ruck, brought all the pieces together to tell a strange and disturbing story of genius gone mad. As Sellers points out, the saga of Carter-Ruck is like a Shakespearean tragedy, but the same can be said for the sad and wasted life of Kevin McClory. At the very end of the book there's a great photo of a little girl, Jack Whittingham's granddaughter, Aimi, inspecting with all the unconscious grace of a child, the neatly cared for grave of her grandad. It's in Malta, of all places, an island he loved.

I did not know a thousand facts that Sellers lets on: that Julie Christie was considered for the role of Domino; that Luciana Paluzzi considered Claudine Auger cold and calculating; that Dirk Bogarde might have been James Bond--or Rod Taylor--both of them I guess, not so bad choices. The angry figure of Sean Connery permeates the flavor of the book like a simmering stew of bad feeling that will not go away. He's great, but like everyone else in the book bar the Whittinghams, his life has been misspent chasing money and licking wounded pride.

A saga big as BLEAK HOUSE and as captivating as CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG, except for grown ups.

A brilliant, well researched indepth study of a ongoing war between two rival film companies on the greatest film hero of all time JAMES BOND and the movies THUNDERBALL and NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN. Buy it now...because in ENGLAND the book has been through the law courts and consequently has been banned from sale, it will be reprinted minus a few items that caused quite a fuss. So buy it now from amazon usa

Alot of the history of THUNDERBALL isn't new to me but Sellers writes a really entertaining and fascinating bit of history. I couldn't put it down until I had finished it -- in one seating. Great treasure of previously unseen material (Connery scouting the State of Liberty for the never made WARHEAD, production drawings, rare photos, etc). As it has been pulled off the market because litigation from the Fleming Trust (who could they be? Fleming's been dead since 1964, his wife died years ago and his only son died from a drug overdose in the early 1970's) so it is going to be harder to get. Worth the effort!

This brilliant book by Robert Sellers has finally unraveled the knots surrounding the Thunderball saga.

Concisely written with fresh and accurate information.

An important piece of the jigsaw in place.

There are many of us who do care to know the true story about Thunderball - have a look at the uk reviews! This is a landmark book and contains fresh information on this fascinating subject. Top marks to author Robert Sellers who tells an unbiased factual story about the origins of the Bond movies

Literary 007 fans are in for a real surprise with Charlie Higson's Blood Fever. A dark and intense story awaits readers and the result is thrilling and enjoyable. At first I was apprehensive about starting it. When I had obtained Higson's first novel, SilverFin, I had immediately jumped into it, excited and curious. With Blood Fever, I was worried that I would be slightly disappointed; that the success of SilverFin might have just been a one time deal. It turns out that I could not have been further wrong. Blood Fever is a fast-paced, exciting, well-crafted, and mature James Bond novel.

SilverFin started to clear up the many, many rumours that this new Young Bond series would only appeal to young readers or the Harry Potter crowd, but Blood Fever wipes the slate clean. This is a darker and tougher James Bond novel than anticipated. Where there were some decidedly cute aspects of SilverFin, such as the horse being called "Martini," Blood Fever is devoid of such moments. The maturity, both of Bond and overall, is much more pronounced in this story.

One way this new level of maturity is obtained is in the development of the characters. Many of them are standouts in this novel, starting first with the villain, Count Ugo Carnifex. Villains, both in the Bond novels and films, have to be above par to create an interesting enough challenge for Bond, and Carnifex meets the requirements. He is ruthless and cruel; Higson's characterization of this villain is full of details; and...of course, where would a good villain be without a well-designed and dangerous lair? An improvement over Lord Randolph Hellebore of the previous novel, SilverFin. The other obligatory character is the Bond girl--in this case, the determined and efficient Amy Goodenough. Again, as in the case of the villains, the improvement from SilverFin to Blood Fever is clearly evident. Amy is introduced early on in the story and Higson allows the character plenty of time to develop and become someone that readers actually care about. She is the perfect candidate to be the girl who needs rescuing. Her interaction with James is handled wonderfully and very believable for the reader.

The darkness of Blood Fever is accented by the violence, which seems to have been increased for this second novel. James Bond is much more agent 007 than Young Bond in Blood Fever. In SilverFin, he was unsure, but determined and not willing to give up. Even with those qualities, it was evident that this character was clearly no 007...yet. Blood Fever now takes James Bond on the path to 007. Even the first line, 'James Bond hated feeling trapped,' shows that this boy is restless and one that does not take the common path in life. He must know that there is an exit where ever he may be, and his real ambition is to be free. He realizes that he does not fit in with Eton, the so-called common path. This boy is different from the others. All of this essential information about the back round to this character is presented on the first page describing him alone (pg 15 UK first edition paperback).

One standout scene of Blood Fever (and one that was certainly anticipated before the release of the novel) is the torture sequence involving James Bond. The form of torture is the deadliest animal in the world: mosquitoes. As Ugo Carnifex says, 'they are a nuisance, aren't they?' The scene is written magnificently, from the lack of mutual respect between James Bond and Ugo Carnifex to the sense of hopelessness James feels after he is left alone. Blood drips from the uncountable bites on his body and the creatures are relentless and ruthless in their mass attack. Help eventually comes, but not after James experiences a world of agony and pain. In a way, this scene (which succeeds wonderfully) represents a transition from young Bond to the adult 007. Charlie Higson proves he can make a scene like this work very well. The violence is increased, but sex still remains very PG. Bond tries to resist Vendetta's uncontrollable attempts to kiss him, thinking the action to be embarrassing. He does however kiss her 'hard on the mouth' when trying to get a point across, but the idea of Amy as a girlfriend is 'nonsense' to him.

Do not resist this second Young Bond novel if you did of SilverFin because the idea seemed too childish or silly. Charlie Higson is an accomplished writer and his work on Blood Fever is definitely deserving of praise. This is the best kind of Bond novels--young or old. It grips you from the start and truly does not let go until the conclusion. The characterization is deep and rich, the settings described in detail, and the plot interesting and exciting. Equally as important, there is a point: Blood Fever continues young James Bond on the road to 007. Both James Bond and the readers are in for quite the journey.

commanderbond.net

Pretty good story, and we find out what makes Bond ticks. A must for Alex Rider fans!!!

For this old 007 fan, Charlie Higson's first Young Bond novel, SilverFin, was a mixed bag. Clearly a book written for a preteen target audience, it too often seemed to mimic a Harry Potter adventure. I'm happy to report this is NOT the case with Young Bond Book 2: Blood Fever, which takes a confident quantum leap into maturity and gives Bond fans of all ages one of the very best James Bond novels yet written.

The key difference seems to be that SilverFin was written as a children's book (which could still be enjoyed by adults), while Blood Fever appears to have been written with a more mature (even adult) readership in mind. This is a tougher, darker, much more violent book than SilverFin. It even includes a classic Bondian torture scene (but don't panic, parents, the torture is more about endurance than person-to-person sadism). But because Blood Fever chronicles the adventures of a 14 year old, it's still very much a novel young readers will find thrilling--even dangerous. This one may need to be smuggled beneath the sheets and read by flashlight--which is precisely where a James Bond book SHOULD be read. Ian Fleming would be proud.

The villain in Blood Fever, Count Ugo Carnifex, is a true Bond baddie in the most classic sense, with a lair and scheme reflecting every inch of his megalomania. This is the best drawn Bond villain, book or film, we've encountered in some time. Secondary characters are also marvelously conceived, but it's the character of young Bond who stands head and shoulders above all others. The timid, apologetic youngster of SilverFin is long gone. Here, we have a teenage James with all the skills and swagger of Ian Fleming's secret agent. He coolly defies the villain, finds kinship with bandits, and gets visceral excitement by diving off high cliffs and driving fast cars. This Bond is no Harry Potter clone. This is the boy who will become 007 and who could kick the pixy dust out of any character in the Potter universe.

One thing that is still not a part of the Young Bond universe, even in this more mature version, is sex. However, there is some simmering eroticism in how Ugo's decrepit sister leers at handsome young James, and clearly, the animalistic Vendetta has some carnal curiosity. Bond even delivers his first "hard kiss on the mouth" in Blood Fever. But that's as far as Higson takes it. Bond's resistance to his female admirers seems more rooted in chivalry than nervous preadolescence (as in SilverFin), and besides, danger is always too close for such "distractions."

Some Bond fans have resisted the Young Bond series based on concept alone. Even I admitted that SilverFin wouldn't change the minds of the most entrenched fans. However, with Blood Fever, that resistance is now foolish. Bond fans are denying themselves a better Bond adventure than most of the recent James Bond films. There has been much talk lately about bringing Bond back to basics. Well, those basics are being practiced right here in the Young Bond series.

So for you holdouts, my advice would be to take the plunge with Blood Fever. Young or old, this is James Bond at his very best!

Blood Fever is about a boy named James, that goes to the island of Sardinia on a class trip. On the island he starts to reveal a mystery about one of the most dangerous men in Europe. He will encounter many obstacles in his journey to stop him from ruling Europe.Will he stop him or not?
In my personal opinion Blood Fever was a better than the first book of this series,Silverfin. I still liked Silverfin and it was a great lead up to Blood Fever. The reason I liked Blood Fever more than Silver fin was because it had more action. The book was as I said action-packed and was also a mystery. James acts as a dare-devil and detective at the same time to solve the mystery. He will do some crazy stunts while trying to find out a "clue".of the mystery. Last of all people who loved Midnight Rider will love this book. I loved this book.

"Blood Fever" is an all-around good book. As opposed to "Silverfin."

Don't get me wrong. "Silverfin", Charlie Higson's first entry in the Young James Bond series, was a solid first entry, and showed great potential for the rest of the series. But "Blood Fever" fully capitalizes on that potential. It's more genuinely suspenseful, more clever and humorous, more well-written in general, and better in every other conceivable way. Plus it has a higher body count. However, just like "Silverfin", "Blood Fever" requires the reader's indulgence. In order to enjoy either book, you have to be interested in the exploits of James Bond at age thirteen.

"Silverfin" was entertaining, but it was filled with several cheesy moments. "Blood Fever" is much more cleverly written, especially in regard to the "prequel" moments in regard to James' future. These play tribute to Ian Fleming's original novels, and, consequentially, to the movies they inspired. While they're more plentiful in "Blood Fever" than "Silverfin", they're also much more subtle and intelligently placed. To give some examples here would ruin the fun, but I will say that Fleming's recurring motifs of the number 7 and the "octopussy" are prevalent throughout the book.

The plot of "Bloodfever" is much more complex than "Silverfin", with too many twists and turns to explain here. But basically, the book starts with the abduction of a young blonde named Amy Goodenough and the murder of her father by the pirate Zoltan. Meanwhile, the teenage James Bond is studying at Eton when he discovers the workings of a secret society on campus. The paths of James, Amy, and Zoltan, as well as a megalomaniac named Ugo Carnifex with designs on world domination, cross on a field trip to Sardinia. James encounters several grotesque baddies that could give Oddjob and Jaws a run for their money, as well as frighteningly realistic scene in which James in nearly eaten alive by a swarm of mosquitoes, so well written it will probably make you itch. This all climaxes in what's probably the coolest villain death in all of Bond history.

In my review for "Silverfin", I mentioned that James could sometimes be substituted with any other young adventure hero. Not so in "Blood Fever." This young James has all of the traits of the James Bond we know and love. He gets all of the latest technology, but in a much more realistic way. For example, it's the 1930's, and James manages to get his hands on one of the first ever scuba suits. Also, James causes not one but two women to go completely gaa-gaa over him: Amy Goodenough and a young Italian girl named Vendetta.

One of the few flaws that occurred in both Young Bond novels is that Charlie Higson introduces too many characters to give them all the amount of "screen time" they deserve. The main "Bond villain", Ugo Carnifex, and "Bond girls" in particular get too little attention, especially the character of Amy Goodenough. Since Bond's enemies and loves have always played major roles in his adventures, you expect them to be better treated her. However, the characters Charlie Higson does focus on are very well-written. The character of Zoltan the pirate is especially interesting. He walks the fine line between being an enemy and an ally to James, and he's lovable and despicable, sometimes at the same time. Also, there were a couple of twists I could see coming a mile away, but I suspect other readers, young readers especially, will be thoroughly baffled.

"Blood Fever" fully capitalizes on the potential of its subject. Now, I wait with baited breath for the U. S. release of "Double or Die", the next book in the series.

Book is great for those who want to know how bond trading really works, especially for those just starting out. Good for both salespeople and traders. However, the book is a decade old and has little on ETS and other recent developments. It also has many, many errors which are irritating, thus the 4/5. I should hope that these points are addressed in a second edition. It is otherwise well-written.

The Bond Market, by Christina Ray was one of the first books I read about fixed income securities that really explained how trading really is in the real world. I am happy to find another copy on ADC. This was used as a text in a class in Grad. school and I lost the book. Highly recommended.

There are numerous books on the bond market. Many are so dense as to be opaque. Ray's book is very straightforward and simple. It gives you what you need to know about the fixed income markets in a direct fashion. Excellent for professional and academic alike.

An extremely well written, concise and sometimes humorous explanation of how the bond market really works. I worked at the Chicago Board of Trade, and it is my opinion that Christina Ray truly understood the complexities and practicallities of the bond market in its entirety. A must read for anyone who thrives on information pertaining to getting the "edge" in an extremely competitive environment.

Ms.Ray focuses on providing a clear conceptual framework for understanding fixed income concepts. The approach is highly intuitive and reader-friendly. A must for anyone trying to get to grips with the concepts of duration, BPV, vols, forwards, etc....

I enjoyed this book immensely, but probably for the wrong reasons. The book is a bit chewy in places, but stick with it, as it's surprisingly enjoyable on it's own merits. On a more selfish, sadistic note, I had been mecilessly bludgeoned on a regulary basis by a work colleague, a second generation descendant of the Emerald Isle, with tales of Celtic martyrdom and Anglo tyranny, and none of which I felt I had the right to dispute. Then I read the book. After ten minutes of lively debate, challenging all he knew as 'fact', he has not spoken to me since. No-one had ever shut him up before. Heaven. But back to the point, I found this to be a rather good read.

Baby Cromwell, Nottingham, England

R. F. "Roy" Foster author of 'W. B. Yeats: The Apprentice Mage,' 'Charles Stewart Parnell: The Man and His Family' and 'Modern Ireland,' has written this experience and interpetation into Irish history and literature. He does a fine job of it. His bravery in massacring every sacred Irish cow as one would have fun reading it. It leaves you with a warm, passionate, giggly feeling. It's entertainingly brilliant look at the past and present Ireland. I particularly love the chapters and passages on Theme-parks & Histories (with some warning from Foster on expliotation); the chapters on Yeats; When the Newspapers Have Forgotten Me: Yeats, Obituarists and Irishness; Selling Irish Childhoods: Frank McCourt & Gerry Adams; and, Remembering 1798. They're totally smothered in clichés and lots of traditional tidbits of fond or fatal memories, known to some as the Irish experience.

Foster cleverly works moments of Ireland's past into narratives of Irish culture on myth, folklore, ghost stories and romance. The result is from a varied interpetation of opinionated and right down funny interlinking essays. In Theme-parks and Histories-Foster writes of the Irish are to remember or commemorate anything. It is worth remembering the upward curve of Irish cultural achievement-referring to W. B. Yeats, Hugh Leonard, Ezra Pound, Cashel Heritage Society and the 2,000-acre Famine Theme Park in Knockfierna Hill west of Limerick. Irish history, the most distinctive achievement for it. His suggestion to form a monument to Amnesia and forget where they put it. As a historian he would be shocked, but as an Irishman he would be attracted to the idea. Foster shows no mercy on his view of manipulating Irish history on political places and Irish poverty and oppression as a commerically packaged heritage park. His exploration of Yeats' authority of the Irish story's fitting moments as the voice of his Ireland countrymen.

Foster leaves teeth-marked criticism of Frank McCourt (Angela's Ashes) and Gerry Adams and their devil may care attittude of taking hostages for fortune. Transcending into the bestsellerdom of Irish childhoods. Simply a technique of marketing where Irish version brag and whimper about the woes of their early years' experience. I find this to be an entertaining reading. In some places a bit wordy, but good telling of Irish culture. You may hate or love it. But, if your interest is in Irish history and literature it's quite essential.

Irish people of all persuasions and in all walks of life have developed a talent for building up a national history to their liking and drawing conclusions from it. Roy Foster's essays are about some of the ways in which Ireland's history has been interpreted, embroidered, exploited and packaged. I think everyone will agree there are cogent reasons for preserving the distinction between history and "national fiction". Ultimately, poor history makes poor propaganda, and propaganda in any case is a shabby use to put something as precious as a nation's history. This book is essential reading for people with an interest in Ireland. (I also recommend strongly the same author's earlier "Modern Ireland 1600-1972".)

This book ought to be on the shelf of anyone with an interest in Irish history. Foster has done an excellent job at making his points about the various 'uses' that history in Ireland has been employed for. From downright propaganda to 'memoirs' masquerading as vague truths he unleashes the power of clear thinking and valid sources. For so long Irish history has been treated as 'story' and this book attempts and succeeds in telling the difference. It is so refreshing to see something sensible in print! It is a great source book or reference and could also be read by delving into the different subjects in the index. I would recommend this for all who are involved in getting to know the real history of Ireland and the Irish and how some Irish 'history' came to be written in the first place.

Porter's tongue-in-cheek treatment of the marketing of Ireland is refreshing after an avalanche of Irish hype came from unscrupulous little publishers.The Disneynification of Ireland ,apparently propelled by American ad agencies for the Irish Tourist Board,is treated by Porter correctly as hype to snare innocent Irish-Americans.Porter gets almost every hilarious Irish twist of recent decades in this collection of exposes, including the hilarious, almost unbelievable marketing of the potato famine in Disney-like theme parks.Unfortunately, he closed his collection of revionist chapters without pointing to the biggest Irish hype of all -the invention and collapse of " The Celtic Tiger", based on runaway inflation and a Dublin stock market bubble that aped the rise and fall of America's Nasdaq.Foster's book is a must if you wish a clearer view of the Irish .

David Bond writes in a voice that speaks of the heartland. His content varies from gritty coal mining to sensuous romance without losing the trust of the reader. After reading this collection of poems, you can't help but look at the everyday men and women around you and wonder about the poetry in their everyday lives. David Bond has a gift of making the ordinary extraordinary.

In Colors, Bond brings the reader into his private world of exploration, wonder, loss, death, love, and tragedy. Along the way, the reader learns a little about Southern Illinois and rural life, and a lot about what makes the author tick. Bond takes a fresh look at old ideas and his ability to make the text come alive should not be missed. This is a very nice read for those wishing to explore a new and upcoming author that we will surely be hearing more from.

I was really moved by this book of eloquent poetry, in particular by the poem entitled "Late 60's: I Bring My College Roomate to Church." I think this poem gives a look back in history to the views of racial seperation. Although this poem is written about the 60's it is very similar to what still goes on today. I think this poem and many others in Colors are a great resource to use in teaching History and other courses and plan on using them in my classroom! This is an excellent book to pick up for enjoyment or as a tool for teaching!

I found David's book to be both entertaining and inspiring. I find it to be entertaining to anyone who likes poetry, or even for those you don't read poetry very often, because it is very accessible to even those less avid poetry fans. It is not one of those books where you feel that you need a dictionary just to understand what he is talking about. It was inspiring to me because I know that the author is just like the rest of us. He holds an eight to five job, but he writes poetry on the side often enough to have it published in his own book. I do not know about anyone else, but I find this to be very impressive. In short, I feel that this is a great book and definately one that should be added to your personal collection.

"Colors" is a more than appropriate title for this vivid collection of poetry. With each poem, Bond brings scenes from his life alive to the reader. We are able to observe this otherwise ordinary world through the eyes of a man who appreciates all the colorful and wonderful aspects of life. Whereas other writers might choose to not write about difficult, upsetting issues, Bond uses subtle humor at points to help us understand that each of us has the ability to control our own lives, not the other way around. The complexity of his words cannot be adequately expressed by this review. Everyone should read "Colors" to experience Bond's uncommon perspective.

In a departure from the decade-spanning scope of Noah Bond's last novel, "NOMAD/Y," ninety-five percent of "Doorstep of Depravity" happens within two months. Coupled with the believability of its characters, this legal/medical thriller is a brisk read.
Graduate student Kay Claussen learns that as the main beneficiary in her just-deceased uncle's will, she could soon be a millionaire. She has sixty days to meet certain conditions of the will, or the money will go to her cousins, who have retained a powerful law firm.
To fight them, Kay is forced to hire Grace O'Higgins, a young rookie attorney. Armed with her wits, intelligence, and a wise secretary in a two-room office, Grace finds herself entwined in the most difficult case of her career with her most intriguing client. With offers, counter-offers, threats and death thrown into the mix, it is not possible to predict how this novel will end.
Within a short timeline, the author has woven a story of multiple layers. On the surface, "Doorstep of Depravity" is about a woman and her lawyer fighting to save her inheritance. This tale supports the story of the opposing law firm that has the advantage of numerous interns, paralegals and experienced partners, and how they meet their match in the form of a smart lawyer and her staff of one.
The layer below reveals the working life of a one-person law firm. It reminds us that in addition to the thrust and parry of settlement negotiations and public trials, much of an attorney's life is one of tedium dealing with daily faxes, document filing deadlines, telephone calls and more faxes-all requiring perfect attention to detail and consequences.
The next layer is the bedrock structure of laws and courts. It reminds us that the less powerful have an equal standing in court against the powerful, which usually keeps people from settling their differences with violence.
Beneath it all is that last layer, kept submerged by the strength and order of civilization above it. We are chilled by a couple of glimpses of this dark layer, until it fully surfaces, briefly, in that remaining five percent of "Doorstep of Depravity." The reader must be prepared, for its appearance is as unexpected as it is shocking.

"Doorstep to Depravity" is so exciting and fast-paced, my bi-coastal plane trip seemed to last only a few minutes! It was an entertaining adventure indeed!. Noah Bond, could you please make this into a movie?? Your fans would love it!
Judy Davis

I just finished reading "The Doorstep of Depravity, a suspense novel by Noah Bond. I highly recommend this novel to those of you who appreciate mystery, suspense and intrigue. You will not be able to put this book down. The tension begins on page one and continues until you put the book down at the very last paragraph. Be prepared for a surprise twist at the end.

I can't wait to see the movie!

This mystery is a great read with some fascinating, unexpected twists. Just when you think that you have figured things out, the plot thickens. As a woman attorney who settles estates, I think that the author, Noah Bond, does an excellent job of depicting the lengths to which greedy heirs will go to grab as much as they can.

Written with wit, humor and intelligence, this author captures your attention on the first page, and keeps it until the last one! Every time you think you've got the answer you're thrown a curve straight out of left field. The characters are likeable and believable while the original plot is possible and unpredictable. The subject matter is current and not the familiar old-school-style murder mystery. However, there is something familiar and comfortable and friendly in the author's style. A great read, and more important, a fun read!

We started reading Duncan's War by Douglas Bond together as a family sometime during the fall. We became so excited about the story that we had to put the children under strict orders not to touch the book during the day, but they had to wait until family reading hour. "No Peeking!" was the command they would hear when their hand would reach slyly for the book on the end table.

Duncan's War is followed by The King's Arrow and then finally Rebel's Keep. This series, called the Crown and Covenant, follows the lives of the M'Kethe family during 17th Century Scotland as they endured brutal persecution at the hand of King James and King Charles. Those that remained loyal to King Jesus called themselves the Scottish Covenanters. This is the story of those who must wrestle with honoring God and applying His word while living amidst a government that is trying to obliterate Christianity.

As a reader, I was particularly struck with what I would do if I were in this situation with my own family. While reading these stories, I had to grapple with the scriptures as I put myself in their shoes. As a father and a Christian, I want to honor God and obey His word above all else. And yet I desire desperately to protect my children from all outside harm. In the story, the children watch their father's actions as he attempts to obey King Jesus above all others, and while they do not fully understand them at the time, they come to appreciate them more fully later as they grow and mature. The father never compromises his integrity in the midst of war. He clearly keeps the perspective that this life on earth is not the only one we live for. There is one to come. How we live and die here will show Whom it is we honor. This is how I want to live. I want to set a strong example for my children as I live out God's word even during difficult times. While reading these stories, I was struck once again that how we live in this life has implications in the next. We are to live for the Audience of One.

Inspiring Scottish heroes, cruel English villains, a courageous uprising, and a secret tunnel will draw readers of all ages into this engaging story. We first meet an immature fourteen-year-old Duncan M'Kethe as he is, in his father Sandy's terms, "playacting" rather than watching their sheep. However, increasing oppression of Presbyterian families like Duncan's forces peace-loving Sandy M'Kethe, along with his son, into a bloody conflict that ends in disaster. Duncan must grow up quickly as he sees the price others have paid for their devotion to the Covenant and Jesus, the only true Head of the Church. And in the end he must take an extreme risk to keep his father from paying that same price. Infused with historical fact, "Duncan's War" makes us believe, for a short time, that we are truly in early Scotland. And it accurately depicts the struggles our predecessors faced to follow Christ.

When I first got Duncan's War, I had no idea about what to expect. It turned out to be a breath of fresh air from the vast inflow of objectionable fiction that is usually sold today. In less than a week I had read it from cover to cover. Along with a fast-paced, excellent plot, this book offers a very Christian worldview, shows clearly the differences between good and evil, and shows how hard it is to obey the Biblical command of loving your enemies. It makes us keenly aware that Christians in the United States today have it easy compared to the fierce persecutions the devout Scots endured and encourages all Christians to stay in the battle.

I bought this for my Scottish history enthusiast child, but after reading them myself, it turned into a must read to the whole family of eight, including Dad. Since then, we have purchsed every Douglas Bond book we can acquire. This is a time of Scotland and Scottish Covenanters that I have found few people are familiar with. It is an important addition to a study of the American Revolution in that so many Scottish Covenanters fought in that in Europe it is also referred to as the Presbyterian Rebellion. Mr. Bond also lines out for the reader at the end which characters are documented nonfiction, and which are not, what of the story is fiction, and what is clearly not, and how he changed them. A very valuable addition to our large family library, and to the education of our children. It also shares principles and values that we very much want to instill in our 6 children.

These are great books!!!!!! There's three in this series, DUNCANS WAR, KINGS ARROW, AND REBELS KEEP. I read them all in six days,and altogether there are over seven hundred pages. This one's about duncan M'Kethe who helps the covenanters fight the cruel British soldiers. When they capture the British Dragoons leader, what will they do with him? Some say shoot him... You'll have to read it yourself to find out. I highly reccomend these books, and if anyone gives them less than five stars, they surprise me a whole lot.




William Andrews

"Electron Flow in Organic Chemistry" (Scudder)- excellent for explaining reaction mechanisms in organic chemistry. It has helped me. This is the best book on this subject that I have used. Don Brink Ph.D.

This book manages to fit almost the whole of O-Chem between it's shiny covers. It is the perfect O-Chem handbook/reference guide. A novice may need an additional supplementary text, but otherwise this book is a goldmine.

Dr. Paul Scudder was my undergraduate organic chemistry teacher at New College of USF in Sarasota, FL. His book continues to sit on my shelf even now, as I am working on my Ph.D. in synthetic medicinal chemistry. We used it along with Dr. Seyhan Ege's undergraduate Organic Chemistry text, which is a traditional "white-pages" type of organic text. His class was the best class I took in my entire four years of college, and I cannot recommend his book highly enough to anyone who truly wishes to gain a fundamental understanding of organic chemistry principles. It was a tremendous help to me both in college, as well as in grad school while preparing for my qualifiers. The book is written at a level that is accessible to college underclassmen, but it is also useful for upper level undergraduate and graduate students who would like to review important organic chemistry concepts or see the concepts presented in a new, easy to assimilate, way. His 3-D reaction coordinate graphs, pathway decision cubes, and pathway classification schemes are some of the strongest points of the book. He also presents some advanced theories such as HOMO-LUMO and HSAB theories that are often not really taught to undergraduates, and these are extremely well-done and easy to follow. Dr. Scudder has great passion for his subject, and that is apparent in his book.

The few minor and petty problems with the book that I can think of are that he assumes that the reader has some previous organic background knowledge, the writing is sometimes choppy and jumps around, and the graphics are not state-of-the-art, as he did them himself. Chapter 2, on thermodynamics and kinetics, is especially difficult to follow for someone who has no knowledge about these subjects.

A superb, well-organized classification of organic chemistry for practitioners at all levels. Clear, concise, with a large number of charts and graphs, some of which are indispensable. A handbook which boils down most of what you need to know to understand a wide spectrum of organic reaction mechanisms. Reminds me of the Washington University medical manual series, which filtered all the medical knowledge of each subspecialty essential for daily use into a single pocket handbook.

Paul Scudder approaches organic chemistry from a completely different angle. While most organic books stress that a student memorize hundreds of seemingly unrelated reactions, this text is different. It teaches you the tools to classify organic reactions and solve them logically. This book and its method should be the standard for how organic chemistry is taught.

A wonderful book that showcases women's points of views of what happened to their marriages. Great conclusions. Dr. Bond does a great job of having each woman have her input and have their answers to her lengthy questionnaire shown. Highly recommended.

Anyone who knows me understands that I seldom read non-fiction. The few non-fiction books I accept for my book review site are reviewed by my other reviewers. However, the title of this one was so unexpected that I found myself giving it a second glance, then a third, and a fourth. Curiosity being a weakness of mine, I opened it. I only wanted to convince myself that, to me, it would be boring. This would put an end to all my curiosities and I could get someone else to review it. Instead, I found myself reading the first page and never putting the book down except to grab a soda.

Dr. Alma Halbert Bond seems to share my weakness. She wanted to know why one out of every two marriages ended with divorce. Did the divorced women love their husbands when they married them? Did they marry because they were "a couple" and family or friends expected them to? Did society press them into it? Did they marry someone like their parents for security instead of love? Was there a connection between an unhappy childhood and a failed marriage? Dr. Bond interviewed 71 divorced women for answers!

The book is broken down to several categories and each have sub-categories. Dr. Bond covers:

The Physical Abusers, The Verbal Abusers, The Withholders, The Need For Space, The Unfaithful, The Abandoned Ones, The Homosexuals, Married For The Wrong Reasons, The Narcissists, He Changed After We Married, The Control Freaks, and The Good Marriage.

All her findings are within these pages! Using her experience of 30 years in psychoanalytic practice, Dr. Bond created a book that people (men or women) should read if they have been divorced, considering divorce, having problems in their marriage, or about to marry!

I proudly submit this book to my viewers and consider it to be highly recommended reading!

Or What Happens to Love? What can wrench apart a seemingly destined union? Why do so many marriages fail? What can we learn from the experiences of others about our own marriages? What questions would you ask of your divorced friends to find out why they think their marriages ended.

Dr. Bond put out a Divorce Questionnaire & women in droves told their stories which she presents without comment.

In my eInterview Dr. Bond answers a number of my questions which came up as I read each woman's story. This is not an easy book to read - the voices of the women vibrate from the pages in a rainbow of emotions - fury, sorrow - wry appraisal - wise hindsight - petulance & glee!

I was praying Dr. Bond would give us some Conclusions & she does, both statistical & thoughtful with Appendixes in which she reprints the Divorce Questionnaire that started it all - it was an eyeopener to answer those questions myself!

Not for the faint-hearted or for men - they'll get so wounded & angry! It's not to hurt the men that these women spoke - rather it is to heal their own wounds!

In I Married Dr. Jekyll And Woke Up Mrs. Hyde, Alma Bond draws upon her many years as a psychoanalyst to address the issue of why one marriage out of two ends in divorce in present day America. Basing her "reader friendly" text upon seventy-one insightful interviews with divorced women, Dr. Bond reveals the sometimes quite surprising results in her search for answers to such questions as did the women love their husbands when they married, did they believe at the time that it was a permanent union, were there other lovers in the lives of the couple at the time of the divorce, is there a connection between unhappy childhoods and failed marriages, do women tend to lose their identities in marriage, did divorce fit into the pattern of these women's lives. Recommended reading for both marriage counseling professionals as well as interested non-specialist general readers, I Married Dr. Jekyll And Woke Up Mrs. Hyde interprets complex psychological issues and offers invaluable insights and engaging commentary.

Anyone who knows me understands that I seldom read non-fiction. The few non-fiction books I accept for my book review site are reviewed by my other reviewers. However, the title of this one was so unexpected that I found myself giving it a second glance, then a third, and a fourth. Curiosity being a weakness of mine, I opened it. I only wanted to convince myself that, to me, it would be boring. This would put an end to all my curiosities and I could get someone else to review it. Instead, I found myself reading the first page and never putting the book down except to grab a soda.

Dr. Alma Halbert Bond seems to share my weakness. She wanted to know why one out of every two marriages ended with divorce. Did the divorced women love their husbands when they married them? Did they marry because they were "a couple" and family or friends expected them to? Did society press them into it? Did they marry someone like their parents for security instead of love? Was there a connection between an unhappy childhood and a failed marriage? Dr. Bond interviewed 71 divorced women for answers!

The book is broken down to several categories and each have sub-categories. Dr. Bond covers:

The Physical Abusers, The Verbal Abusers, The Withholders, The Need For Space, The Unfaithful, The Abandoned Ones, The Homosexuals, Married For The Wrong Reasons, The Narcissists, He Changed After We Married, The Control Freaks, and The Good Marriage.

All her findings are within these pages! Using her experience of 30 years in psychoanalytic practice, Dr. Bond created a book that people (men or women) should read if they have been divorced, considering divorce, having problems in their marriage, or about to marry!

I proudly submit this book to my viewers and consider it to be highly recommended reading!

I am not a big fan of reading and I wasn't sure I even wanted to start a book. I loved this book. My stomach was twisting and I was ready to cry at the end. This is a great book that I would highly recommend to anyone.

This book was so romantic, funny, etc... Overall, this book gets an A++++ from me.

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

Gabriella Flannery is a junior account exec at a prominent marketing firm who just can't seem to get a break. Always overlooked for the big accounts, she gets stuck with the smaller, almost embarrassing ones. It doesn't help that she has a tendency to let clumsiness get in the way, which has caused many humiliating situations at work. When a losing battle with a potted tree does Gabriella in at a farewell party for one of the employees, she decides it is time to take control and do something about her place in the firm.

Gabriella wants the CEG account, a company selling outdoor gear, more than anything but unfortunately for her, company playboy Dell Kingston thinks the account should be his. Now they must compete in a wilderness survival weekend. Whoever wins the competition hosted by CEG will be given the account. Dell thinks it's a shoo-in that he'll win but if Gabriella has her way, no one will beat her. Until Dell starts to realize there is more to Gabriella than he ever realized and begins to think about winning the account and Gabriella. Who will win this showdown?

I've never read anything by Stephanie Bond before but Just Dare Me has me intrigued enough that I may go out seeking more books by this author. Especially if the humor found here is typical of Bond's work. This book is also much tamer than most Blaze books I read which I greatly appreciated. This left more room for humor and character development. There is one rather long involved scene, but that's pretty much it on the sex side of things. The primary focus here is the sexual tension, rather than the act itself.

I found myself chuckling to myself several times as I listened to Just Dare Me. Gabriella is so determined to win this account that she goes all out. We see her various attempts to prepare for the wilderness weekend which gives a light mood. Who can resist the techniques she employed involving her dog, a baseball cap, and a photograph? Trust me, you'll understand when you read it and will probably laugh as well.

Even more humor is abundant on the trip itself, when we see cocky Dell think he has it all in the bag, only to be shown up time and again by Gabriella's preparation and intelligence. Gabriella has what it takes to come out on top in this war and watching her and Dell battle it out is quite enjoyable. Of course, we know too, when these two finally get together, fireworks will ensue!

Take some time to experience Just Dare Me for yourself. Go ahead, I dare you. Sorry, I couldn't resist the play on words...

© Kelley A. Hartsell, February 2008. All rights reserved.

An important marketing account is up for grabs and junior marketing agent Gabby is going to go all out to snag it, even if it means competing against iron-man & resident office hottie Dell in a outdoor weekend challenge. Nevermind that she's not an outdoors type and he the king of extreme sports. Whats she lacks in experience is made up in knowledge of her gear and she may just give Dell a run for the account and his heart.

WOW! Who knew a harlequin could be so good! I generally read full length novels of the decidedly more-serious-romance type, but this was a very satisfying mini-read. Some serious sexual tension in this one with lots of sparks flying all over the place. The 'competition' part was the best and it was a hoot to read when the heroine scored points. The romance was jut right too, sort-of teased you all throughout till near the end -which was *steamy*!

Overall a fun and pleasurable read. No brain required with some good romantic fluff.

I read this book over the weekend and found it surprisingly enjoyable. It's a story of an office romance between Dell and Gabrielle, two marketing account managers who vie for the same major sporting good account. To decide who will get the account (and to make sure HR doesn't think the boss is favoring Dell), they spend a long weekend competing in a survival wilderness contest where the winner gets the account. At first it appears to be a very uneven competition that favors Dell, but Gabrielle is determined. The author really does her magic here, and it becomes a very entertaining story of wits vs. brawn. And will vs. luck. And privileged vs. unprivileged. It was a fun read, and not at all predictable. And it was sexy too. Dell and Gabby make a great couple. I much prefer romance novels where the sex scenes include passion, (instead of sex just for the sake of having sex), and this book delivers that very well. The ending could have been a bit stronger, but it really didn't take away from how much I enjoyed it. As Blaze books go, this one was great.