Brandon Books

Almost thirty quilt projects presented by seven quilters pairing some unusual designs with the interests of quilters who gain their inspiration from a variety of traditions, from Amish to Danish, in Patchwork And Quilting Book # 3. Color photos of quilts and sections accompany clear instructions, from materials needed to cutting out and assembling the blocks. A gorgeous, diverse project guide.

When I was 13 years old, my mom handed me a cloth-bound book with what I thought was the corniest title ever. After some reluctance and my mother's urging (I believe she used the words "favorite book"), I finally started reading. I could not put it down. To this day, many years later, I haven't ever come across a more readable biography. For historical accuracy, Major even throws in some text from time to time taken from the official court historian for the Tudors. The biography was so readable I thought it was fiction, and the references also fiction, just like William Goldman's "The Princess Bride." I was overjoyed when I realized it was a true story. (If you liked the book "The Princess Bride," you will probably like this book too.) Perhaps there were some flights of fancy or supposition of what was said between Mary and her brother, and Mary and her love, but you have to fill in some blanks when writing a book about people who lived several hundred years ago. This story is well-told and is absolutely romantic without being, to use my mom's word, schmaltzy.

There's a newer book out on the story of Mary Tudor by Dianne Haeger called "The Secret Bride." I did not read it, and therefore can't give a well-qualified review, but I paged through it at the library and from my brief reading of several passages, it seems much more modern and liberal in its rendition of this story. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, I'm just saying give Major a try because I personally think his version is superior in depth and romance. Not to give anything away, but if you read Haeger's version of the scene at the church near the end of the book, and compare it to Major's version, you will see what I mean.

It's a lovely book that's stayed with me for years. I highly recommend it (despite it's corny title).

When Kevin Sampsell, editor/publisher of Future Tense Books, named this book "Who the Hell is Brandon Freels?" He stole the words that I and I'm sure others had been fondling in their head. Who the Hell IS Brandon Freels, after all? I didn't know. I'd never heard of him. But out of this simple, kitschy, philosophical cliche of a question, with its subtle hint of distaste and angst, comes a self-exploratory surgery performed with a typewriter, rusty pitchfork, and spatula. With an almost sadomasochistic courage, Freels rips out fragmented, hypersexual, insane, brilliant, sometimes complex, sometimes hamfisted, hilarious, dada-truth-serum visions, plops them out on the metal tray, and it seems like he's just as fascinated and surprised by what he's found, if not moreso, than the reader. It's like he's Cain in an autoerotic mating dance from the deeply hidden room from where Kafka-surrealist revolutions begin, cursed by God to forever begat monsters, but instead shooting out words from a snow machine, inches at a time, watching them accumulate into legs and arms and a body until they slouch out into the world. An amalgamation of teenage suicide, tongue-in-cheek satanism, Republican gangsters, vampire conventions, suburbanite punishments epitomizing the Marquee de Sade meets Cantonese cuisine, that smells as sweet as a young Mark Leyner adjoined at the hip with Richard Brautigan and a more-realized, more-attuned, much-more-brilliant, underhyped Harmony Korine. And these beasts are slouching towards the next freeway exit to your town, leaving on your doorstep the afterproduct: a wonderful tribute to the Unbearables.

After reading this, instead of asking: "Who the Hell is Brandon Freels?" I find myself asking: "Where the hell was I when this book was being written?", "How the hell did I not hear the sonic booms off in the distance when this microcosm of a universe was being chiseled into existence?", and, "Why did it take so long to reach my eyes?"

My advice: Don't get caught blind, leaf off the few bucks for the book, and take along a sack lunch for the carnival side show exploration into an irreality that is all to real.

I lucked into finding a copy of A World of Color and Salt by Noreen Ayres and found it to be a real corker of a mystery. It's fast-paced, gritty (at times), sexy, funny, and a solid read. The main character, Smokey Brandon, is an ex-stripper and ex-cop turned forensic specialist, and as bizarre as that sounds...it works! I'm looking forward to tracking down the rest of the series.

This is why I read comics. Seriously. When I was just getting into comics, buying anything that looked interesting at 7-11, Toys 'R' Us was carrying story sets released by Marvel. (This was before everything was collected into trades, of course.) I got the three part Hulk story "War and Pieces" and the X-Factor crossover. And I've been getting everything by Peter David ever since.

The Hulk (with the merged personality, Bruce Banner's intelligent mind in the green Hulk's body)has hooked up with the international vigilante group the Pantheon, who are trying to liberate the middle eastern country of Trans-Sabal from the maniac despot Farnaq Dahn. Unfortunately Trans-Sabal is an ally of the US, who loan the Farnaq's army SHIELD issue mandroids, and the governement's new mutant team X-Factor.

There's some great fight scenes between the Hulk, X-Factor, the Pantheon, and the mandroids. For the time Peter David did a decent job of showing the gray areas of war, and showed that just because the country is run by an evil despot doesn't mean that people will appreciate the liberators, something that resonates in light of current events.

The Hulk issues are illustrated by Dale Keown. The award winning team of David and Keown are amazing storytellers. The Hulk has literally never looked better.

But, lest we forget, this is an X-Factor book. During the first fight between the Hulk and X-Factor Wolfesbane is tossed aside. In the crossover issue, a concerned citizen captures the fur covered demonic girl, and Wolfesbane is forced to confront a very different culture from the one she's used to. Meanwhile, while the rest of X-Factor are trying lick their wounds and regroup they get into another battle with the Pantheon.

Back home, after the war, we get two issues of X-Force baddies the Mutant Liberation Front. First they come to break the Nasty Boys (see Vol.1) out of jail. Then they go after a doctor who's developed an intrauterine test to see if an unborn baby might possibly be mutant, and X-Factor is called in to stop them.

The X-Factor issues are illustrated primarily by Larry Stroman, with some help from Tom Raney and Brandon Peterson. Stroman's designed artwork is an aquired taste, and not your usual superhero fare. I like the style, but as the series goes on there's noticeably less backgrounds which hurts the storytelling.

On top of the innovative concepts above, we get some great moments like the hulk in bunny slippers and the lackluster introduction of the X-Factor danger room, and the usual Peter David humor (the Pantheon's Hector tells Madrox he has the strength of ten men and the Multiple man says "Really? Do they know you took it? Now, I don't have the strength of ten men, but give me a minute . . .").

Overall this is a very entertaining read. While Peter David's X-Factor run was never quite as strong as his Hulk run, this volume gives you some of the best of both.

I've been a fan of Dracula since I was 6 years old. The original Stoker novel, the many film adaptations (some wonderful and memorable, some commendable attempts, and some that are outright horrendous), and the innumerable comic books/graphic novels, novels, documentaries, television shows, etc. have given me tremendous pleasure and fun. I've even played Dr. Seward in a terrific new stage production of the original story. In addition, I've studied the actual historical figure of Vlad Tepes, or The Impaler, the fifteenth century Wallachian ruler from whom Stoker drew so much of his inspiration and background material for the novel. So I'd like to think I know whereof I speak here.

This is a marvelous audio production. The acting is spot-on. No weak/fake British accents here! The primarily young cast give terrific performances as the heroes and heroines of the classic tale. Heathcote Williams is a wonderful Dracula, his deep, snarling voice dripping with menace and the tiniest bit of arrogant humor. Brian Cox, already a well-established veteran actor, does a lively and heartfelt job as Van Helsing. All in all, the cast perfectly personifies the original characters.

But it's not all dramatic readings of the novel; there are some sound effects (a few more wouldn't have hurt, nor would they have been intrusive, since the performances are the main attraction and draw the listener in nicely), and even an atmospheric background score which helps to set the mood (Naxos has provided the source materials for the music as well in its thorough liner notes).

And finally, this particular abridgement/adaptation is well done. It's edited tightly enough that the story keeps moving inexorably forward, and features some wonderfully horrific scenes in the book rarely if ever depicted on film. The only glaring omission is Mina's description of the scene wherein Dracula attacks her - one of the most harrowing and erotic of the novel. It's disappointing it is not included in this dramatization, but it does little to detract from the rest of the production.

Anyone who is a true Dracula fan and wishes to listen to a quality audio version of the original story would enjoy this well done production.

my oh my, some of the books that pass for classics! i have read compulsively for around 26 years, but this sort of book could make me give up the activity. i so deeply regret the loss of the six evenings that i wasted slogging through the pages of this ridiculous thing. the characters are annoying flat caricatures, and the plot/action is simply silly beyond belief. if this book can be considered a classic, then anything is possible. maybe in a hundred years Brittany Spears will be considered on par with Bach and Beethoven in the history of "classic" music? could happen, i guess.

Though it had been made in to multiple movies and changed into other forms of media, Dracula's characters and the evident Victorianism makes it one the greatest horror novels ever written. It does move slowly at times and the ending is anticlimactic but the good outweighs the bad in Bram Stoker's classic novel.

There are many "good-guys" in Dracula but there is never a true apparent protagonist and this does anything but detract from the story. Jonathon Harker does seem like the intended protagonist but Mina, Van Helsing, and Dr. Seward could all be put on the same level as well. In fact it is Van Helsing who makes the plans to try and destroy Dracula. The way the book was written (diary and journal entries) the reader is drawn closely to the group of heroes who pledge there lives to one another to fight an evil they all wish to destroy.

Also the elements of Victorianism are seen through out the masterpiece. Stoker is able to maintain the characteristics of the era while still writing a horror novel. Mina is able to rise above what women were expected to be able to do and "play with the big boys." She plays a vital role in the fight against Dracula proving that even with men and all their wisdom, sometimes it takes a women's mind to come up with ideas and conclusions that the men had not thought of.

Though it is a bit gruesome, slow, and anticlimactic at times, Bram Stoker's Dracula is a masterpiece for the ages.

Bram Stoker's "Dracula" was first published in 1897, and as one reads this work, it is overwhelmingly apparent that it was written during a time when morals and virtues were held in a much higher regard than they are today.

The book is comprised primarily of various journal entries from six main characters. Two of these main characters are remarkable women, possessed of lofty talent and high moral character. It is when both of these women encounter Count Dracula himself and fall under his poisonous and deathly spell that the remaining main characters in the book--all courageous and gifted and accomplished men--spring to the aid of these women.

I, for one, loved the old fashioned language, the rigid formality and courtesy, and the unyielding respect that the main characters demonstrated in their interactions with one another. Chivalry was certainly not dead in 1897, if one were to use this book as evidence. The graciousness and loyalty that the men in this book showed the women is inspiring, and the moral refinement and sensibilities of the women characters caused me to yearn for an older time, away from the immorality and crudeness apparent in today's society.

I had to smile at one point when reading the book when the two main women characters found themselves out late at night after a frightening experience. They were both in their full-length bedclothes, which apparently covered every part of their bodies but their bare feet. One of the women, not wanting to appear immodest dabbed mud on their bare feet so as not to offend anyone who might see those exposed parts.

This book is filled with suspense and plausibly thrilling episodes. It stands as a wonderful classic of good-natured fright, which proves that tension and drama and expectation may be created in a work of fiction without all of the offending elements of bloody violence, gore, vulgarity, sex, and devilishness thrown into the mix. Its ending is noble, with at least one of the main characters revealing remarkable compassion when she sees the look on Count Dracula's face during the final decisive scene in the book. This book was a pleasant surprise, as I wasn't suspecting a work of such high literary value from a "horror" novel. Thus, I highly recommend it.

While not typically driven to review, I was puzzled by the other reviews for this book. There is an overwhelming amount of, not just good but, great reviews for this book and an average rating of 4-1/2 stars. Actually, the only reason I looked at the reviews for this book at all is that I found it to be the most disappointing book I've ever read. Like a few of the other 1 star reviewers, I actually liked the first few chapters. Stoker develops a nice gothic atmosphere until the story moves west. To each their own but when I read the reviews that claim this to be the best gothic story ever written, riveting, exciting, and any other description that wouldn't apply to watching paint dry or grass grow I wonder if we read the same book at all.

One of the best fantasy books I've read! I highly recommend it and all the books in the series.

Well think what happens after the heroes in all the stories wins and defeats the evil that is covering the land?
How do you keep everyone happy? The easy answer is you don't.
In this story happily ever after is is not in the cards.
Not a story for those who like the perfect hero or text book story.
It will keep you thinking and make you ask. "If I saved the world could I do better?"

This book deserves more than a four-star rating, but not quite a five. I totally enjoyed this book, and would've given it a five-star rating if the ending had one less twist to it. I've asked my husband to get me the next book in this series for Christmas. Mr. Sanderson has created characters that are engaging and real. It's jam packed with action, but it's not overwhelming. It's a keeper.

I was drawn to Brandon Sanderson's books, as likely many of you were/are, because of his selection to finish the Wheel of Time series. I am happy to say that after reading Elantris and the first book and a half of The Mistborn Trilogy I believe Brandon is an excellent choice to conclude the series (while no one can ever replace Robert Jordan, I believe that in Mr. Sanderson we have a worthy successor). This tale of an immortal god/ruler and his empire and the people that would overthrow it is a fascinating read, pulling you in from the beginning and keeping your mind wandering back to the book whenever something manages to pull you away. His pacing is excellent, mixing just the right amount of description and characterization with action, while he delves deep into the emotions and personalities of each of the main characters the story never seems to drag and it is easy to forget that you are reading as you see the tale woven in your mind. With the passing of Mr. Jordan I have now found a worthy man to call my favorite living author.

I was very impressed with this book! I won't repeat the synopsis as so many have done a great job at that already. This was a fun and interesting read. It was unique, but if I had to compare it to others in the genre it would be something like "if Gene Wolfe wrote the Belgariad" or something vague but interesting like that. Hmmm...or maybe "a Marvel comics version of the Wheel of Time". The imagery was great and I could almost see the graphic novel version as I was reading.

Since the sequels are out for Kindle now....I'm off to pick those up too!

I admit it! I love the Harry Potter books, but felt a bit silly reading something so much below my age level. But Brandon Mull's Fablehaven is just as exciting but isn't vocabulary deficient. Harry Potter is considered a 5-7 grade level book where Fablehaven is 7-9. It won't make you keep a dictionary at your side all the time, but will make you notice a new word here in there unlike the Harry Potter books. And it still does not have the unnecessary bone-breaking detail or sexual content.

In book one, the first chapter will make you wonder if you should read the rest, but once the introductions are made, hang on for a wild ride. The other reviews give a great summary of the book, so I'll simply say two things.
1) I bought book 1 to see if I would like it and now, 2 months later, I am about to complete #3. (it is going to be hard to wait for the next book)
2) I can't wait to read Fablehaven to my kids. (only the lack of pictures will force me to wait until they are in 1st or 2nd grade)

I was unsure about buying this book because im 24 yrs old and i thought this book might be childish in some way because its aimed for a younger generation that i do not fall under. Ive come across alot of fantasy books that were really a dissapointment. Im so happy i found this book, its really one of the best books ive read in a long time.Im a huge Harry Potter fan and have read the entire series 2 times now. I have been waiting for a fantasy book that could really grab my intrest like the Harry Potter series and i have FINALLY found one. "Fablehaven" is full of surprises, has everything you would want in a fantasy book and much more. It was truly a delight to read from start to finish. I recommend "Fablehaven" to anyone whos looking for a good fantasy book to read. You really wont be sorry you bought this book. I was so happy to find out there is a 2nd and 3rd book to this series, im waiting for them to arrive and i cant wait to start reading the second one. Buy this book!!! you are missing out on something great if you pass this up. I hope this review helps. Good Luck and Happy Reading

Mixing together parts of "The Spiderwick Chronicles," "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," with just a dash of "Harry Potter," Brandon Mull has crafted an exciting, scary, and quick-paced book that is sure to hook even reluctant readers into its web. I teach 4th grade in an elementary school and can safely say that the kids in my class love this book are all eager to read the sequels after hearing this first volume read aloud.

The one flaw the book has is with the depiction of the younger brother as a headstrong fool, and doesn't really show him in any other way.

Recommended highly.

An excellent book even though it's a kids book. If you liked Harry Potter, you'll love this one too. I bought it on a whim, the cover caught my eye and have already purchased the second in this series and can't wait to read it.

This magical, adventure-filled tale is the first book in one of the best kids' fantasy series I've come across in quite a while. And it's not just for kids; grown-ups will enjoy this too.

The story begins when Kendra and Seth, a sister and brother ages 13 and 11, are taken to stay with their grandparents, Stan and Ruth Sorenson, at their estate in Connecticut while their mother and father go on a two-week Scandinavian cruise. It turns out that their grandparents are the caretakers of a hidden sanctuary for magical and mythical creatures (fairies, naiads, brownies, trolls, satyrs, golems, etc.) to save them from extinction by encroaching human civilization.

Seth and Kendra find themselves confronted with all sorts of mysteries after they arrive at the preserve. Where is their grandmother? Who is this housekeeper/cook who likes to do her gardening out in the rain? Why is there a caged hen named Goldilocks in their attic bedroom? Why is there such an abundance of oddly behaving hummingbirds, butterflies and bumblebees in the yard? Why are the kids forbidden to go into the woods or the barn? Who is the old witch who lives in an ivy-covered shack and occupies herself by chewing on knots in a rope? The answers to all these questions will unfold as we read this enchanting tale.

This is an unusually well-told story, with characters, both human and mythical, who seem real; a fast pace with lots of action and adventure; and lively dialogue, with plenty of humor, especially between Seth and Kendra.

I liked this book so much that I reread it only a few weeks after my first read, just after I finished the first sequel. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good, fun, entertaining fantasy in which good wins out over evil.

Brandon Sanderson has been chosen to complete the "Wheel of Time" series, giving him plenty of publicity. However, he wouldn't have been chosen if he hadn't written amazing novels like "Elantris" and the Mistborn trilogy. Elantris is an incredible fantasy novel: the premise is unique (gods becoming zombies) and the characters are fascinating. It is amazing how he can make the reader as excited about the politics and romance as the incredible action sequences. The climax is a bit confusing, but just take your time and you'll understand it. Sanderson couldn't have started his career off better than this incredible book. If you like fantasy, you'll love it; I promise.

I rather enjoyed this book. I gave it 5 stars becuz' I felt that it was a masterminded story with immense mystery and intrigue. I was totally curious as to why Elantris had fallen and it keep me zipping through the pages....it seemed a touch slow here and there-But also I think I felt it was slow only becuz' I seriously wanted to know what was going to happen next-not becuz' it was unnecessary. Sanderson takes his time in places for a reason...it allows the reader to really grasp the reality of the world he created and of course- it keeps one curious as to what in the world is going to happen. ..I also appreciated the character's and their struggles which made them seem human as opposed to some super hero. I also loved that the story has a little bit of romance in it which never got in the way of the main plot....(for all my hopeless romantic friends out there)
Anyways, I love it. I place it on the shelf with my favorites and will ever more be thirsty for Sanderson books.
Give it a shot...it's worth it.

Elantris is Sanderson's first published work. It is a one-volume fantasy novel. There are no sequels to date.

Elantris is the name of a once great city that collapsed 10 years ago. Elantrians used to be great beings with magical abilities. The Elantrians became sick, and their magic broke. The normal people freaked out, killed most of the Elantrians, and shut them in their city to rot.

Present day, the king's only son and heir, Raoden, wakes up and finds that he has been afflicted by the terrible disease that afflicted the Elantrians. He is sent with haste into Elantris and considered dead. That day, his would be bride, Sarene, arrives from her far away country to marry Raoden. Hrathen, the villain of the story, arrives with the task of converting the country to the true religion. He has 3 months to do this, or else the country will be destroyed.

The three characters each have different objectives that they try to accomplish. Inevitably, they are each pawns in the others' big plans. Since the magic system is broken, a major task of Raoden in the novel is figuring out how the magic system actually worked. Politics plays a major role in this novel.

The story is told from 3 points of view: Raoden, Sarene (Raoden's would be bride), and Hrathen (the villain). For most of the novel, Sanderson writes in chapter "triads" rotating through the character's view points.

At times the characters and their tasks got a little annoying. Raoden has an interesting task, Hrathen has good internal struggles, but Sarene seems like simply a tool the author uses to move things along. I thought she was rather weak (as a character), a little agenda-driven, and not very interesting. Though she portrayed a strong-willed, independent woman, her character was very static and uninteresting.

Overall, I really liked this novel. It has a satisfying plot and, for the most part, satisfying characters.

This is something different in a fantasy. I found it to be a page turner. I can see why Brandon Sanderson was chosen to write the last volume of the late Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time" series.

The best part of this novel is its premise. Within its fantasy nation, a mysterious phenomenon caused regular people to become elevated to near-gods, almost-immortal creatures with great inherent magical power. These beings used their powers to provide for all of the basic needs of their nation -- food, shelter, security. Its society was, in fact, fairly utopian.

Ten years ago, a catastrophe ended all of that. The magic stopped working, and all of the immortals suddenly transformed into zombie-like creatures: unable to die, yet not alive -- and unable to heal, cursed to eternally suffer the pain of any injury. After a period of chaos, the nation re-emerged as a feudal kingdom, in which rank was based upon income, and in which the transformed are confined to the crumbling ruin of their once-grand city.

The novel begins with Raoden, the crown prince, awakening to find himself transformed.

There are three main characters -- Raoden, Sarene (his betrothed), and Hrathen (a high priest). The novel rotates among them, devoting a chapter to each, until all of the viewpoints converge near the end. Rarely is the same time period covered twice, though, and the device generally keeps the plot moving along.

Politics plays a major role; much of the story consists of the lead characters attempting to manipulate others in order to achieve their disparate goals -- which often conflict with each other. The intrigues are handled fairly deftly, and to the author's credit they never become boring to read.

The same can't always be said for some of the other things the characters get up to. The characters often dwell at length upon the past, sometimes quite repetitiously -- Sarene's troubles in pursuing romance, in particular, are brought up many times throughout the course of the novel.

The characters themselves are fairly likable -- even Hrathen, who serves as a major antagonist, is motivated by a desire to help the people of Arelon. That said, though, they're also fairly bland. An idealistic young prince, a smart and fiery princess, and a scheming but compassionate priest -- none of these exactly breaks the archetypal mold. It doesn't help that the former two feel a bit out of place in this setting; their egalitarian attitudes, and the arguments with which they present them, feel very modern.

There's some inconsistency of plot as well -- it's generally well-executed, but there are major plot points that are never really explained. They're brought up multiple times, foreshadowed, and then forgotten -- left to the sequel, I'd normally say, except that there isn't any sequel.

For its faults, though, this is still a very enjoyable novel. (I'd call it 3 1/2 stars if I could.) The writing is clear and evocative; the world is well-realized and quite detailed; the pacing, while it stumbles occasionally, generally keeps the reader drawn into the plot. It's a competent debut and very imaginative fantasy, and it makes me want to read his later work.

This was an excellent book. Even took the book into my dreams. I highly recommend this book if you like a good thriller.

The book was delivered on time and in excellent quality.

The seller was truely helpful in the sale.

This is the first book I've read by this author and I love it. I will read his other titles.

One cliche after another, on and on and on, this book just plods along. Brandon Massey's style is more suited toward young adult readers: cardboard, one dimensional characters moving through a cookie cutter plot that is highly derivative of 'Salem's Lot. Vampires run amok on a southern plantation sounds like a rip snorting yarn and the cover is great but this is one of the worst "horror" novels I've read in years. I passed this around to my black female co-workers and even they agreed it was geared more toward readers with a junior high reading level and was padded with too much business that had nothing to do with the storyline. A complete waste of seven bucks.

This book was going along great and then you get to the end. I felt that after three quarters of the book, the author then begins to rush the ending. He ties up loose ends too quickly and I was left a little dissapointed in how this was done. Without giving the story away, I was left wondering why his father wound up doing what he did ( I thought the author could have gone deeper into the reason). It was like lighting a giant firecracker and only geeting a small pop when it finally explodes. Mr. Massey is very talented and I will definately read more from him ,so should you.