Brandon Books

I love Brandon Massey's books and look forward to other stories that he will publish. He is a very, very good author. Keep the books coming faster.

Thirteen year old Jason Brooks lives with both parents in a nice home in the northern suburbs of Chicago, yet his life is difficult. His father, Thomas, the owner of the House of Soul restaurant works day and ever day of the week. Most of Jason's time at home is spent alone in his room with his imagination in order to avoid is drunken mother Linda. On the day of the biggest blow-up ever between Jason and his mother, Jason escapes her clutches by scaling a tree for safety. While Linda tries to coax her son from the tree a torrential thunderstorm breaks out. Jason doesn't know it yet, but he those he loves and even those he hates are about to enter Thunderland.

Brandon Massey makes us feel for this young man Jason. We understand the pain and loneliness he endures and root for him to overcome all of his fears against the most adverse circumstances imaginable. Not only does Massey allow the reader access to Jason's growth process but he also shows us the struggles of a family that has been in trouble for a long time. Once all the characters enter Thunderland, they have no choice but to face their demons head on.

Brandon Massey hits his first novel out of the park. I suspect that his ability to suspend the reader in his characters and stories has only improved in his subsequent work of which I look forward to reading.

This story did not resonate with me too much. I think the reason is that it seemed that it was a story for kids, rather than adults. However, I commend Mr. Massey for writing such stories. I see a bright future for this young man. He does have a vivid imagination.

I am just now discovering Brandon Massey. I am a die-hard sci-fi reader, but I enjoy horror as well. I hate to compare but his work is right up there with Tananarive Due in terms of excellence. The characters in a story are important to me and he did a wonderful job with this aspect. The plot and premise were intriguing as well. I understand (from his bio) that this is actually Mr. Brandon Massey's first book that was written and published. In fact he started out self-publishing when he could not sell the book and acknowledges in hindsight that the original book "was a mess." It was later picked up by a publisher and revised and published under their label. I'm glad you persevered through the publishing maze Brandon so readers could ultimately enjoy this good book. I will be reading some of your other works in the future for sure!

This is a great horror novel. One of the best I have read in a while. It has all the ingredients needed to keep your heart beating just a little faster and keeping you turning the pages long past your bedtime.

The only complaint or criticism I have is the unlikely style of thinking and talking Mr. Massey has given to his young cast of characters. We are talking about 13 & 14 year old boys. Mr. Massey has them speaking with wisdom and speech patterns well beyond their years, which ends up sounding phony and silly. That is one of the things I enjoyed so much about THE FACE by Dean Koontz. His young character talked and thought the way a young boy would. Mr. Massey could learn a trick or two from Mr. Koontz's style. Does this take away from the greatness of the book? Not at all. This is a must read for anyone who likes to be scared. Buy this book, curl up on the couch with a nice cup of hot chocolate and prepare to start looking around you and jumping at every single noise, and if you notice your watch has stopped, welcome to Thunderland.

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

It's rare that a series -- and it's always trilogies in fantasy, isn't it? -- gets better after a good first volume. That, however, is exactly what Brandon Sanderson has been able to pull off with his Mistborn/Hero of the Ages series. The first book was outstanding, with a compelling, innovative magic system, interesting characters, and a refreshingly original story. The Well of Ascension, which I finished a few weeks ago, picked up right where #1 left off and improved on the story by adding new characters, fleshing out some of the secondary characters and themes from the first, and moving the story along in a direction that was both plausible, within the world Sanderson's world, and yet not at all predictable.

I'm reading the third book, Hero of the Ages, now and there has been no 'point of dimishing marginal returns' as of yet -- he's definitely sprinting through the finish line. Read this book if you read the first; read the first one if this on interests you, and work your way into Hero of the Ages.

In most series, whether they are many books long or if they are just a trilogy as this one is, the middle book is often considered the lull in the story. This is the part when the author broadens the world in which he writes. So, for the people that want a wham bam kind of plot line don't get the same kind of satisfaction.

In my opinion, Brandon Sanderson addresses this so called problem to keep those kind of readers interested. He keeps growing his characters, but at the same time keeps the events rolling at a natural pace as to not bore the masses. This is what makes this 3 book series a real good read for someone wanting to get in and out quick.

All in all, the first two books have been great, and I am anxiously awaiting the third at the end of this year.

I have not bought or read this book, but $9.99 for a Kindle version? The paperback sells new at Amazon for $7.99! When I first saw this book for sale, it was like $6 and change. Maybe like $6.79 or something. Now a jump to $9.99, even more than the retail price of a paperback version of this book? No thank you!

One of the main things I dislike about fiction is that it is fiction! In the sense that authors tend to shy away from the grim reality of life and tend to find easy solutions to problems in their works of imagination. Not so with Brandon Sanderson who is one of the few authors I have ever read to have both his feet on the ground and totally aware of the reality of the world around him. Happy will eventually turn not-so-happy. That which we consider as failure and misforture might provide beneficial assistance somewhere later in life. People are neither wholly good nor wholly bad - most are somewhere in the middle, their goodness or badness surfacing dependent on the circumstance and situation - and their own inevitable human weaknesses.

Not to ramble too much about the relativity of the world we live in - yes Sanderson is fully aware of these paradoxes and it is well reflected in his books. So the stories are much more complex, evolved and truer to life (though they be fantasy) than most works of fiction - but still very accessible.

Elantris was not too bad. The final kingdom was much better. And the Wells ... is even better. Great storytelling. Sanderson does a twist on the prophecy-hero formula which is quite in line with his realistc worldview.

I can't wait to get my hands on "Hero of the ages" now!

As I said in the title, it has a very unexpected ending. I pride myself in the fact that I can figure out endings of movies, games and books, but this one I didn't see coming whatsoever.

Overall the book is great. An enjoyable read from the first page. I highly recommend this read to anyone.

Brandon Sanderson is a very gifted writter. I must come clean about something though, I had never heard of Brandon Sanderson prior to the death of "The Wheel of Time" author, Robert Jordan. Mr Sanderson was approached to write the remainder of "Memory of Light," the final book in The Wheel of Time sega (which I am a fan of) so I had to examine his writing style for myself. I was then swept away into the great story of Mistborn.

Pick this book up.

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

I've thoroughly enjoyed this series!! This was a good book, and parts were completely engrossing, but I felt it was slower at times than the first two books were. The same thing might have been accomplished with 75 less pages in the middle. Also, the action kept switching back and forth between Urteau and Fadrex City, and each time it switched I was annoyed because I wanted to know what was going to happen next in the city I had just been reading about (that might be why it was easy to put this one down and pick it back up again - it felt like you were "picking it back up again" every chapter or so anyway). However, the complexities and twists in this beast are many and varied and awesome, and *I* certainly wouldn't have wanted the task of editing it down. There were a couple of moments that were downright CREEPY - I got chills reading it late at night in a dark house, which I hadn't experienced during the first two books. And WOW!!!! WHAT AN ENDING!!! I cried at the end (around 2am last night, thank you very much Mr. Sanderson) from sheer emotion. Best ending I've read in a long time. A little far fetched, maybe... it felt a little less "real" by the very end... but still wonderful. One of the most enjoyable things to me was trying to figure out who in the world was writing the italics at the beginning of each chapter. He drops some really delicious clues in those little blurbs, much like in the first two books.

I was amused throughout this series by Sanderson's occasional, subtle commentary on Christianity (ie Vin musing, "Why would a religion choose the object that killed their God as a symbol to represent them?"), and until the end of this book, I was having a very hard time deciding whether the series was going to give a pro-religion moral, or an anti-religion moral. It was made very clear by the end of this book. Sanderson's depth of insight into many aspects of life is really refreshing... if only he were still single... =P

Occasional slow pacing might put off some readers, and the sheer complexity of the magic system might put off some readers (seriously, it just keeps getting more and more complicated), but I think the rewards at the end are well worth it for anyone who enjoyed the first two books.

From the dust jacket summary of this book, I was not expecting much. However, this final book in the Mistborn series blew me away. Aside from some slow pacing in some chapters, the book was thrilling to read-I couldn't put it down and wound up finishing the book in three days. Sanderson answers all lingering questions from the other two books in this final book, often leaving this reader scratching his head at the sheer creative genius of his fantasy innovations. Personally, unlike some reviewers, I enjoyed the religious connotations of the book (all fantasy writers create a world, as it were, and shouldn't shy away from including such a common societal structure as religion as a basic element in their worlds). Moreover, the religious undertone is not overbearing. Rather, it is insightful, providing a thoughtful twist on the classic fantasy theme of good versus evil. Sanderson is an author with tremendous potential-I look forward to reading future books from him.

the last book of the Mistborn trilogy was, in a word- epic. awesome battles, insane plot twists, gut wrenching emotions! i have never read another author with the ability to so completely blindside the reader at the end of the story. go read Warbreaker at brandonsanderson.com and you'll see what i mean.

this book/series is rock-awesome. a must-read (especially since he is finishing the Wheel of Time)

NPR created radio dramas of the Star Wars Episodes 4 - 6 and they are now on audio CD. We had the audio cassette tapes and already knew they were well worth listening to. Each segment of the story is just under 30 minutes long, which makes it easy to use for a half-hour walk for exercise. While several of the voice performers are not the same as in the movie version, the different interpretations of some of the dialog give additional insights to the story background. The John Williams score absolutely rocks!

Ice planet panic.


Or, if you really don't know how this one goes that is possible evidence for alien life, as I am not quite sure where you have been to miss it.

The rebels are hiding out on a very cold planet when they are discovered leading to a pitched battle, evacuation, and reunion with an old friend for Han Solo, etc.

If you like the you-know-what you will probably like this too if you go in for this sort of thing.

This is a review of The Empire Stikes Back: The Radio Drama. Amazon seems to have reviews of the radio show mixed up with reviews of Empire Stikes Back books. Anyway... The success of the radio adaptation of the first Star Wars movie led to this radio drama based on the second Star Wars movie. It was presented as ten half-hour episodes. This being about two and a half times as long as the movie, additional scenes were added. The only actors from the movie to reprise their roles on radio were Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Anthony Daniels as C-3PO and Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian. This is a fun program that Star Wars fans will enjoy.

The book is pretty good. I was a lttle disappointed with the scenes pictured in the book. They were dark and I believe there were better scenes to pictorially represent the movie.

We all know the story that unfolds in The Empire Strikes Back, and many people consider it to be the best of the films. So what does an author do to make the story seem fresh to the reader? Add details? Change the story? Closely follow the film? In the case of this book, Mr. Glut has elected to follow the film. I think he made the right decision, and he describes the action very well. I was not distracted by being familiar with the story, and I think that the unique individual who has not seen the film would obtain a good grasp of the tale by reading this book. Just as in the film, it was great fun to follow our heroes from Hoth to Bespin and Dagobah. One can only wonder what happens next.

The three stars are for James Spader's sexy speaking voice. I wasn't all that fond of the story but picturing the handsome Spader reading it, and listening to him was a real pleasure! I wish he narrated other books!

This is a great thick hard cover book filled with short stories by Dean Koontz. He is entertaining & suspenseful as usual. If you don't want to have to commit yourself to a long novel, then this book is perfect! It's also great if you don't have a lot of space considering you get lots of little stories in one place. I am a huge fan of Koontz. His older works are far superior to the newer stuff of the past 10 years or so. This is a must have!

Strange highways

This is a twisted story about a man that must confront his past and gets a second chance by choosing the highway road he didn't take 20 years earlier. It will take him back to when he was 20 years old and will enter new people to help him along the way. He is able to rewind for a few minutes until he gets it right. It was a very short story. A bit too descriptive for me, I felt like the story dragged.

The Black Pumpkin

I could see this in Tales of the Crypt. You get what you give. Very good story about being good and being evil. The choice is ultimately up to you!

Miss Attila the Hun

A great story that Love does conquer all. I loved the storyline that this teacher was able to protect her children she taught and the town she loved to live in.

Down in the Darkness

What would you do if you came in contact with a door that just appeared everytime someone was being mean to you? Would you use that door to the cellar to your advantage? Would you let the "things" take what you could not stand anymore? When would it end? Loved this one! I wish I had a cellar door like this!

Snatcher

When evil encounters something even eviler than oneself. What happens? Will it survive? This is about a young man who loves to steal and to will steal at any cost. Enter a fragile old woman and her purse. What lays beneath her purse is bound to cure the thief!

Trapped

Total Sci-Fi and a bit cartoonish. What happens when the BioLab up the road finds out its inhabitants escaped. Will mankind survive or will they triumph?

Bruno

What a strange character Bruno is. He has hands with power to heal and powers that enable him to mend with ones mind. How much invasion of ones thoughts is too much? Is it worth letting yourself go and giving yourself 100 percent?

Hardshell

I really liked this. Total Sci-Fi feel. A dark creature is on the loose and only one cop - hardshell can apprehend him. What happens with Hardshell comes face to face with this thing??? Very good story!

Kittens

Very short story that goes like this - what goes around comes around. A little girl wants to know why God always takes her cats kittens. The parents respond that its Gods world and up to him. They also have twins and take a liking to them more than this little girl. She hides one night in the barn to find out what happens to the kittens. Absolutely frightening! But the little girl has the last word............

The night of the storm

What happens when man and robot come face to face. Who will be the victor. That is what this story is about. It puts us in the minds of the robots, how they feel, how they live, how they move. How mankind wants to extinguish them. Very good story.

If this book consisted only of the short story KITTENS, I would still recommend it, no matter the cost. When I reached the ending of that story, I was so frightened, I literally threw the book across the room, just like you might see in a horror movie or something. The other stories in the collection were great, but Kittens is one that showed a dark side to Koontz I had never seen before. I enjoyed that extra dark look into his soul... If you pick this book up, you simply MUST read KITTENS!

In this book, you will find a story entitled, "Chase". This is one of those rare stories that make the entire work worth purchasing. The character development is strong enough to elicit tears from the reader. You're only disappointmet is that this story was a novella, or short story, and you will mourn that it had to end. THAT is always a good sign..........enjoy!

This was a great book. I loved the mystery of it all, the fact that you can keep a secret that long is remarkable. Although i figured it out early on, i still wanted to see where they would go with the storyline. It is worth the read, and you will not put it down.
Jakie

I think the whole dysfuntional family were all victims of circumstances. This is a page turner. I now consider myself a BM fan since I now own almost all of his books. I'd recommend this one as a purchase.

This was a good book, There were a few gaps however I think the book was well written. This was the first book I've read by Massey. I am looking forward to reading more of his books.

Brandon Massey's novel "The Other Brother" was no let down. I picked up the book and read it in no time. It's a story of a lost brother looking for revenge. Brandon takes you inside of the minds of both Gabriel and Isaiah. You see how they grew up and how they ended up where they are now. This ia a great suspensful thriller that will keep you on your toes with every turn of the page.

Thanks Brandon!

I think Brandon Massey has a lot of potential as a writer. I rate this book at 3.5 because, even though it is well written, I was not too moved by the story. There are a few spots that did not sit well with me. The paranorma experiences wasn't written where I was convinced it was real. I don't know. I can't put my finger on it.

It was okay and fast paced book. Like I said. I don't hate it, nor do I love it. I am relatively indifferent, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

It was a very revealing look of the ways of the Latin Kings.I felt it was a good read.

Such a sad story. GREATLY TOLD but heartbreaking. YES THE STREETS CAN DO IT TO you! MACHO ENDURED SO MUCH, sunset park the hood. I myself am from bushwick but I went to school over in Sunset, yes it was rough there. It was either do or get done. Brandon you should have named this book THE TRUTH.

I have read Monster, Home of the Body Bags and My Bloody Life, which I feel were excellent books. I feel that this book was excellent also and very informative in depicting the gang lifestye.

They say that every book has a hidden message. This story hit it on the mark. The editing could have been better but the story was simply remarkable. King Macho fit the profile of many involved in the street life. A roller coaster ride for sure. Wonderful story and very informative of what state of mind some of the young kids of society are in. Looking for "LITTLE MACHOS REVENGE" can't find it!

This was such a heartfelt story. It really was on the money to what my kids tellme about their life and how they got where they are (I am a social worker). So sad that he died, but that is the life----Once you are in, you are in. I could not put this book down.

Every once in a while a business book comes along that is important and can make a sea change in how one views things in their work life. This is one of those books. This is a book that I wish had come along earlier in my career, but nevertheless one that has helped me a great deal even at the point I find myself at.

Written in an engaging and witty style, Brandon and Seldman's message is sensible and clear; politics happen, are a fact of corporate life and can help or hinder you depending on the way you manage yourself within a politicized environment.

There are many useful tips and strategies in this book which can be easily applied and can make a difference in the way you are viewed within an organization. I found the concepts of "savvy" and "buzz" to be interesting. I also found the self-audit tool excellent in the sense that it helps you identify where you are in a continuum of "too political" or "not political enough". More than anything it was a wake up call for me to identify my blind spots and potential blind spots in terms of managing my image and career within the political intricacies that are ubiquitous in my organization. I highly recommend this book. It will only help your effectiveness and thus your career.

This readable volume fills out useful details on how the moden corporate citizen can take stock of their devices for getting on and pick up many hints and tips that should improve their game.

None of it is really exceptional. Much of it feels very calculated and non authentic, but I did find it useful to highlight my habitual practice.

Its worth completing the questionnaire on line as a way to focus your reading.

We all shudder at the work politics and rightly so- who hasn't been threatened by unethical behaviors. This book illustrates and enlightens those of us who have been avoiding this arena.
It is straightforward and clearly states how you can be successful without compromising values. It demonstrates how ethics play a strong role in success. It places in perspective how to be savvy and true to yourself and your goals. READ IT! You will use it as part of your portfolio for a long time

I bought this book based on all the positive feedback. E.g. "Read This Book If You Work Inside Any Organization", and so on. It just goes to show how useless amazon reviews are in general (read: ignore 5 star reviews).

The basic premise of this book is dealing with company politics while maintaining a high morale ground. It goes into all the nasty political things that may or may not happen, and provides a huge amount of micro responses to specific gnarly situations.

The book paints a very bleak picture of corporate politics. This is probably necessary to support it's other thesis: you need this book to survive. I seriously got depressed reading this book when I bought it before starting my current job. It makes it sound like the corporate political landscape is nothing short of a fall on war that requires extreme social cunning and wits, regardless of your ability to do your job.

The only possible worth this book will have is if you work at a highly bureaucratic, "who you know, not what you know" type of environment. Rather than buying this book, I'd recommend looking for somewhere else to work. Successful companies will recognize people based on their ability to deliver - not who they sleep with.

Simply stated, this is an important book that tackles a taboo subject. Each chapter offers new insights and case studies, and, best of all, step-by-step tactics. I encourage all my MBA and Executive MBA students to read it, and it is encouraging to see so many positive responses.

But this book is essential reading for more than just individuals in the business world. Politics rears its head anytime two or more gather to accomplish anything. I can imagine churches and non-profits will find Brandon and Seldman's high integrity approach to organizational politics extremely useful as well.

O.K. here's the deal. Star Wars is a good story. I had to read this book for Young Adult. No problem right? So, I read it and it was alright (I remember seeing the movie a few years back); it was as I remembered the movie. In fact, after reading the book, I went back and watched the movie. Exactly the same. That's when I got mad! Oh well, we live and learn.

This is definitely a fun book, and I used to be able to do quite a bit of quoting from the material in my younger days.

The one thing that we used to wonder 'why' about, was why was Luke Red 5 in one, and Blue 5 in the other. One of the mysteries of the universe.

Definitely a good read though.

Reading and reviewing the book of A New Hope is impossible without using the film as a frame of reference. For most of us, the film was our introduction to the amazing new world of Star Wars. This is when we first met Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie, Obi-Wan, R2-D2, and C-3PO. We all know how the story goes and that is my only problem with the book. It is still great fun to read, but it is so much like the film that it is almost too familiar. It is not precisely like the film, but it is extremely close. The book was ghostwritten by Alan Dean Foster in late 1976 based on the George Lucas screenplay. Considering that Mr. Foster did not have the visual benefit of seeing what Star Wars looked like on screen, I think he did a remarkable job.

The story begins on Tatooine as Luke acquires R2 and 3PO and our favorite little droid is bound and determined to deliver a mysterious message to some one named Obi-Wan Kenobi. The adventures that follow lead us through the cantina at Mos Eisley where we meet Han and Chewie and on to Luke's destruction of the Death Star. You undoubtedly know how it goes.

If by some fluke of nature you actually have not seen the film, then you definitely should read the book. It is a rousing adventure story and leaves you wanting to read more. The edition I read was the very nice trade paperback version of the Star Wars Trilogy that was published in 2004. Having all three of the trilogy books in one volume is a good feeling.

I really like Star Wars and have read different Star Wars books including the Last Jedi and Boba Fett series. I liked this book because it is like watching the movie but you find out more about the people from the story. In the movie you see how people are acting but when you read the book it will tell you what they were thinking.

The prologue in the book tells more about what happened before the story starts than the movie does. The action starts right away and kept me interested. I have to read for school, but when I read the Star Wars books I am able to read something I like and it counts as my homework.

This novelization of the first Star Wars film is the alpha ancestor of the entire Star Wars universe. Published several months before the release of the film (which was simply titled "Star Wars" in 1977, picking up the "A New Hope" signifier in the 1979 theatrical re-release), the book was a success on a small scale but did not take off until the film became a phenomenon. George Lucas is credited with authoring this novel, but as he acknowledges in his introduction, the book was ghostwritten by Alan Dean Foster based on Lucas' screenplay. Foster went on to write two more Star Wars novels, Splinter of the Mind's Eye in the late 70's and The Approaching Storm in 2002.

Credit must be given to Foster for capturing a Star Wars "feel" in this novel without any preceding Star Wars material to work from and without knowledge of the scrutiny every scrap of Star Wars literature would eventually be subjected to. He follows the screenplay quite faithfully, and except for the inclusion of a sequence on Tatooine that was shot but cut from the film late in the editing process, his novel follows the film's sequence of scenes exactly. He does toy with the dialogue to an extent, re-writing lines throughout. To a modern-day Star Wars nut, this can sometimes be jarring, as everything about this story is so familiar. It's interesting in movie novelizations how the authors often change dialogue but nothing else: I like seeing a little more experimentation, such as that in Matthew Stover's superb novelization of Revenge of the Sith.

Foster is a descriptive writer and this story flows along briskly. One quirk that happens multiple times is he often uses comparisons rooted in our own mundane Earth to describe something, such as "like a dog padding on plastic," "like an Oriental poppy in a sea of oats, " and "like the damping rods in a nuclear reactor." Foster definitely had his work cut out for him in trying to describe such a visual universe before any visual media had been released to the public, but the dozen or so Earth allusions often shatter the otherworldly feel of the story.

As I mentioned earlier, the book contains a sequence set on Tatooine that did not make the final cut of the movie. It occurs early in the story with Luke observing the capture of the Tantive IV in orbit and rushing off to Anchorhead to tell his friends about the battle. When he arrives at Tosche Station, he has an unexpected joyful reunion with his old friend Biggs Darklighter. This segment with Biggs plants the seeds of sympathy toward the Rebellion in Luke's mind and also heightens the impact of Biggs' death during the Death Star attack at the end of the story.

The novelization of Episode IV is a serviceable rendition that does not add too much to the film. It would be interesting to see a new interpretation, either by Foster or another author, written in the modern day that could incorporate material from the prequels and the Expanded Universe material that has been released since 1977.

This is a great book containing many familiar songs arranged in a very comprehensive way. I think everyone should get this book.

This is my first recommendation for students of the classical guitar who are approximately age 9 and up. It has many photos and illustrations and moves at a swift pace.

I have personally used a lot of different beginner guitar books to get a grasp on playing the guitar. 99% of them all lack a basic understanding of certain techniques, and information on properly playing the guitar. This book hands down is the best beginner book I've used. In conjunction with a teacher, you will very quickly understand many aspects of the guitar that most other books don't ever cover. And Parkening doesn't miss a step. Highly Recommended for any teenager or adult whom wants to learn the guitar. This book will teach proper technique for all guitar players (ie, electric, acoustic, classical (of course), etc.) The techniques in this book will save you hours of frustration later when you hit a road block, or need to re-learn proper guitar technique.

I was looking for some quick motivation, and this book has provided. It has an attractive layout and is well-written and organized. It contains much good information and advice for beginners--or those of us who may have played off and on for years but still don't feel like true "intermediates".

The most valuable thing is the nice selection of compositions. Several of them are new to me, and really fine, like the "Catalonian Song" and "Simple Gifts." Chances are you'll find things in here that you really like and want to work on. The arrangements are interesting but not too difficult. Left hand fingering is provided, which certainly helps.

I'm more motivated than I've been in years. This book is a great value.

I have been playing the guitar on and off for over 10 years. I have never really gotten to a point that I can say that my skills were really great. Primarily I have taught myself to play. I have learned a few songs and played mostly cords, and tab.

I first got interested in arpeggio, or classical guitar, a couple of years ago. I have read a few lessons, from books mostly, and learned a little.
I bought this book a few weeks ago and have not stopped playing since. The key to learning the guitar, in my 10 years experience, is persistence. You have to keep practicing to build up your finger strength and the tips of your fingers. Prolonged absence of practice will weaken your finger strength slightly, but weaken your finger tips greatly.

This book brings you through some classic lessons and techniques that will help to build the use of your fingers. It also shows you the proper positioning and posture that should be used while playing. This is important because it helps you to play longer if you are comfortable.
This book also has some really great practice pieces. The songs are a mix of duets and solo pieces. The duets can be played solo just for the practice. I find myself going back to them often for two reasons. Practice is one and the other for note recognition. Some of these pieces are really very nice and sound really great.

I would recommend that anyone who wants a really challenging form of guitar playing to purchase this book. I would also like to state that I had read that this book should take a person 1 year to complete. I tend to disagree. I have made excellent progress in the book so far. I have had a few road blocks, but persistence had been its own reward. The point is, your progress will be determined by your dedication to practice. The only thing that has slowed me down, or prevented me from practice is the soreness of my fingers.

I am glad I bought both Volume 1 and Volume 2 at the same time. Before I know it I will be in the second volume.