Brandon Books

Great buy, would recommend this to anyone looking for a meaningful read, or anyone who enjoys the thoughts of a great lyricist.

From The Murks Of The Sultry Abyss, Brandon Boyd's sophomore book effort, follows exactly in the same vein as his freshmen effort. He's got a few poems. He's got a lot of stories and point of view essays. A lot of pictures. And a lot of drawings. If you've read White Fluffy Clouds you know what to expect.

I love White Fluffy Clouds which is the reason why I held out from buying this for so long. As much as I enjoy all things Incubus (especially Brandon), I didn't know if he'd be able to top White Fluffy Clouds. I'm still not sure if he did, but he did amp up the writing this time around, which is a pleasant treat. One thing that isn't as impressive (albeit mildly) is his art. I could stare at his drawings in WFC for hours wondering how exactly he did it. With FTMOTSA I haven't really found myself doing that. The pictures are excellent, but the drawings are more tame than before. However! Give and take.

All in all, From The Murks Of The Sultry Abyss is a worthy follow-up. Full of engaging reading material, curious photography, and some very good art, I'm sure it'll prove to be a book you can go back to time after time and still enjoy every glossy page.

The special edition (as pictured in the current display picture) is nice but don't feel the need to drive yourself crazy trying to find it. The box it comes in is pretty cool with a nice drawing on the cover, and the stickers are equally cool but unless you're a diehard collector there's no need. If you can find it easily though, definitely go for it.

"Car Crashes And Cow Corpses"...a must read for everyone.

This book is awesome but I don't understand why it is so expensive on amazon. It's half the price that's listed here if you buy it from Brandon's website:

www.brandonboydbooks.com

VERY GOOD READ. ENJOYED IT VERY MUCH. RECEIVED THE ITEM VERY QUICKLY. THIS IS A GREAT READ FOR GI JOE FANS.

I read the Marvel series as a kid and loved it. I didn't like what Devil's Due did with the new series, but Snake Eyes: Declassified is a wonderful exception. All the random and scattered tidbits of his history from the Marvel series have been assembled in chronological order and weaved into a wonderful story, as well as a few neat surprises that better explain motivations of certain characters. In addition to the great story, the art is also high quality. A lot of time and effort was put into this. I highly recommend this. Not just for old fans, but also for newbies and anyone who is interested in a deep, complex, and emotional narrative.

He's been the most popular, enigmatic, and certainly most mysterious member of the G.I. Joe team...well, forever. He is Snake Eyes and in Devil's Due's latest trade paperback, his story is finally revealed...mostly. This 192 page trade paperback collects the six issue Snake Eyes Declassified mini-series and is written by Brandon Jerwa, with art by Emiliano Santalucia and Robert Atkins. What Jerwa essentially does is take the pieces and fragments about his life from the near 25 year history of G.I. Joe comics written by Larry Hama and others, and weave them into a cohesive history and to lift the veil(almost) on this character. One of the best things that Devil's Due did with the book is list a source guide for each of the six issues noting where certain characters were first met and were events took place. For example, the source guide notes that Snake-Eyes' first job in a gas station was first mentioned back in G.I. Joe #10 from Marvel Comics.

We see him having his last dinner with his sister and parents before he's off to the frontlines. By this time he's already been through significant training. And we'll see him in action for the first time and the reservations that his fellow soldiers have about the man who already has earned a reputation as a soldier who gets the job done. The tragic events of his own accident, and the accident that would kill his family eventually push him into a dark life with a man who would go on to play a very important role in G.I. Joe history.

Snake-Eyes eventually finds his salvation with his friend Thomas Arashikage, of Clan Arashikage in Japan. Most of the middle of the story centers around his life and development with the clan as we see him develop into the character who would become Snake-Eyes. A lot of fabric and continuity is woven in here and I don't want to reveal too many of the details. In the introduction, long-time scribe Larry Hama says "these revelations are not what I would have done" although he doesn't make clear if he means the fact they were revealed at all, or how they were revealed. But Hama also notes that this is the point--to pick up the ball and run with it and ultimately let the fans decide.

I think Devil's Due truly gets it right with this story. They reveal much, but still keep much hidden. When Snake-Eyes visits the graves of his parents and sister, the last name is carefully covered by shadows or leaves, still maintaining some of the character's mystery.

Reviewed by Tim Janson

this book is a great book that shows the human mind and what goes on inside it. This Author has a unique style of writing and shows true feeling and heart in all the poems in this book.
this book is great for anyone who enjoys reading poetry
DfP

Poetic works that pull you in, enticing you to explore the written word, and leaving you momentarily lost in a jungle of metered beats are the sort that are perfection to me. Leave your greeting card verse at the store. A book of poetry worth sinking your mind into is "Intrinsic Desires," by Brandon Gene Petit.

In a tone that reflects an intricate mind, Brandon offers moments in time, scenes of life, and instances of fundamental feeling. His work is rich with imagery, from twilight skies to lantern lit walls, cobblestone streets and naked, wet trees, all vividly painted before your eyes. His words express fluidly a mixed bag of emotions, from sadness and longing to heartbreaking yearning, despair and desire, pride, self contentment, and love. The poems work magic on the reader, enticing to pause and go deeply into each setting, taking the time to truly understand what is being said. Brandon invites you to go Beyond Summer, breathing the freshly decaying scent of the air, hearing the rustle of leaves, and feeling the glow of warmly lit windows from the outside looking in. He dares you to examine A Dying Breed, where you can witness the tormented soul of a vampire, enduring death, tormented by ingrained desires, a man with no master, and content in his ways. With a nod to the last page, Petit shares this, "We pass the torch to our better halves and sell our souls to a nobler craft." A poet, Brandon is a gifted artist at this nobler craft.

It is a different sort of poetry book; one that quietly offers to hold your attention and that will remain in your mind until it has you completely. Intelligently offering viewpoints you might not otherwise have come across, the work is darkly compelling and decidedly fresh. Take an unforgettable, neo-gothic journey, and expand your poetic horizons.

Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (2/07)

Whenever I read a really well written piece of work, I feel intimidated about following up with writing a review. "Intrinsic Desires" is one of those books that are a tough act to follow. It is difficult to write the perfect words to convey how much this writing touched me, but I will try my best.

"Intrinsic Desires" is a collection of neo-gothic type poems written by Brandon Gene Petit. They are incredible. I love the darkness and the depth that the words carry within each poem. Sometimes I felt more like I was reading a spell and feeling the magic of the words wrap around my soul, than reading just a poem.

I would love to know where Petit takes his inspiration from. I am sure it comes from events happening in his life, but what specifically I can only imagine from his writings. In addition to some of the darker themes, he also mentions vampires, dragons, knights and ghosts. I love these kinds of themes because the fantasy aspects that they contain take away from the boringness of the mundane realities of life.

The poem that I related to most was "Whole." It begins:

"Trust has become a useless organ,
Lying limp and dead at your side,
A martyr slain in the name of knowledge,
To rest in the shadow of your pride..."

The poems seem like they were written at a different time or maybe in a different reality. I felt like the book I was reading should have been a cloth-covered hardbound edition with old, yellowing pages. In time, these pages will be old and yellowing because I plan to reread these writings over and over again.

I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy the darker fantasy novels. If you are a high school or college student that needs to write a paper about a poem or a poet, "Intrinsic Desires" is definitely the book for you.

I used this book as a student and now use it when teaching my own class in juvenile delinquency. This book gives a thorough account of juvenile history and laws. I can't recommend this book highly enough.

An excellent, balanced and well researched textbook .. with the CD-ROM component, a pleasure to use as a teaching tool! The best choice available textbook on the present state of juvenile delinquency.

Very fascinating book, it's easy to read and very interesting. There are great pictures and interesting stories which made it difficult to put down!

Brilliant, Brilliant, Brilliant! This book was a BIG surprise. I have read tons of self-help books over the years and this just may be #1. Her insights and depth are groundbreaking. And the book is concise and easy to understand.
I knew that I had some problems saying "no" to people in the past but I never had any idea how far the roots of this problem went. And I found that she is dead on, right. It is hard for me to describe this because I am not much of a writer.
The one criticism I have for this book is that I found some of her LABLES or NAMES of the situations (boundary breaking) to be harsh or just kinda weird, but I was able to look past it.
If you are even considering buying this book, I strongly encourage you to do it. I think you will be very surprised and grateful! I know I am!

For those trapped in family origin of codependence, you really need to read this book. My eyes were opened for the first time. I found that the book had to be read in segments because, I had to deal with many unresolve issues as I read the book. The author did an excellent job of presenting the information. I only wish I could order more books for my family. Hopefully the book will be republished soon. I have tried to order at least three books, have loaned mine to several people, and feel it is the most amazing book. I have been freed.

All I can say is wow!, what an incredible book. We have had problems with our 22 year old daughter for years and this book has really helped put things into perspective. Understanding family of origin has made us realize why. This is really not a book review, but a testimonial that this book has really helped our family. We wish it had been out many more years ago. However, we were hoping to get a copy for our grown daughter, but it is out of print. I can't believe that! I hope "Learning to Say No, Establishing Healthy Bounderies" will be printed again (and again and again). It is a worthwhile book that everyone should read.

The long awaited sequel to Sunset Park Latin King! Little Machos Revenge took me past the limits. From the street wars that had begun in the first novel Sunset Park Latin King, Brandon pushed the envelope to another dimension. Little Macho was the official gangsta in this part two. The best part two of all time. I didn't expect for it to end how it did. Sensational! Two thumbs up! On core! When's "MASTER OF THE GAME DUE TO BE RELEASED?

Brandon Cory has done it again! An Exciting story that I found impossible to put down. Brandon Cory deserves applause for his fabulous imagination and originality. Little Macho faced death a million times over in his search for his fathers killers. Brandon Cory put his all into this one, it was so easy to see. Excitement, hesitation, friendship, betrayal and secrets all mixed together to form one of the most scandalous hood books of all times. "LITTLE MACHOS REVENGE" was truthfully and greatfully ten times better than his first novel. All my questions I had on the first story "Sunset Park Latin King" were answered in "Little Machos Revenge". Way to go Brandon Cory! I'm drooling for "Master of the Game". When?

Wow, Tremendous improvement with the editing and wording. Outdid the first book. Little Macho was fighting an uphill battle in this one. Little Machos Revenge was a great book. I loved it. I have to read it again. Brandon Cory has stepped it up another notch. This fiction was alternately exciting and emotional. I can not wait to read .Master of the Game. Keep it coming Brandon. Wow, Little Machos Revenge, great book.

Like another reviewer I lived at the base of the mountain growing up and there were many things I wanted to know (where the caves were etc.)but never got to know and this book is answering so many of my questions. I have bought it for my 2 sisters and know that they will enjoy it. I reccommend it to anyone who has climbed this mountain and fell in love.

This book is great for everything Monadnock. I have lived in view of it for years and didn't know most of the stuff in the book. There are a few parts of the book I don't really care to read, so i just skipped over those and didn't miss out on any back story later on, which was great!

Having read and loved the 1930's Alan Chamberlain book, Annals of the Grand Monadnock, I see Brandon's book as a very welcome new chapter to the history and legend of the mountain. The Chamberlain book, while a great treasure in its own right, is more like a reference book than something you can sit down and read. This book is the best of both worlds -- a reference I will have for years to come, as well as a book that I can sit down and read cover to cover in a week or so.

Having found the Pumpelly Cave about 8 years ago (great adventure - 6 or so trips to the mountain), this book has re-kindled my desire to go explore. I am heading there this weekend to go looking for other fun and obscure places! Happy hiking.

Note: This is the first book I have felt strongly enough to take the time to write a review on. If you are a lover of Monadnock, please buy this book!

A wonderful book for all ages. Really enjoyable to return to again and again. A terrific gift idea for the young (and old) in your life.

What wonderful teaching tools. Great for homeschoolers. I have learned so much from these books as the history of the church came alive. My kids love these books, too!

I found volume one in the History Lives series to be very readable and have given several copies as gifts to friends with children. It is a great overview of early church history for adults and children. I was particularly challenged by the reminder of the sacrifice the early church made. And while there was no shirking from the martyrdom of so many earlier believers, it was recounted in such a way that children can read the accounts.

FYI, Amazon has the titles a bit mixed. It's Peril and Peace: Chronicles of the Ancient Church. Volume 2 is Monks and Mystics: Chronicles of the Medieval Church.

The word play in this book is delightful. A hammer named Mike, a pick named Tracey, and a hoe, named Don are just some of the tools in this book. In addition to the fun names, there are fun puns as well. But there is also a more serious side to the book. Mr. Slater is a teacher and has produced a book that will help children to discuss feelings of not being accepted by their peers. It would be an excellent book for elementary school children as a conversation starter on this very important topic. Joel Keelan

This book is a surefire winner for parents who read to their children for both entertainment and instruction. It is filled with delightful puns and word play for sharpening little minds or just enjoying the whimsy of English.

Nick the saw has a hard time impressing his fellow tools until he shows them how to be a hero. The story's great fun and the wordplay will be enjoyable for kids (and the adults who will read it to kids). The other tools are named after celebrities (such as Mini Screwdriver), exemplifying the wit and humor of the book. This story will have kids fixin' to smile.

Excellent continuation of the first volume. This contains fine writing and atristry. This is not, however, for children.

In 24seven, Vol. 2, Ivan Brandon has once again gathered a wondeful stable of writers and artists from the comics biz who inhabit our very real world to weave tales about a city-world where robots are its inhabitants and robot sensibilities guide their lives. As before in Vol. 1, the list of contributors reads like a who's-who of talented, soon-to-be and established comic book illuminati who've been given free reign to their imaginations and in many instances, improve on the work that was done in the first offering.

In Vol. 1, the stories often used robots to provide insight as to what it means to be human. In that book, more than a handful of stories could have been played with human characters, but in Vol. 2, we're shown what it might be like to think and live more like robots and to understand a futuristic "robot-ness". By that, I don't mean stoic, unfeeling, homogeneous and mechanical. These robots have very human qualities and foibles but their existence and abilities (and foibles) are enhanced *because* they are robots. Their robot-ness is capably exploited in these stories as we see robots age, deal with broken relationships, become victims and participate in crimes, and very likely work through malfunctioning circuits.

It's easy to relate and equate the experiences of the mechs in these stories, but moreover, we're given more of an opportunity to imagine how we, as human types, could react to the human condition as robots. Losing your memory because of old age? Plug in and reboot from a back-up file. Feeling the loss of former lovers? Bolt on bits of metallic ephemera to your robot wings. Always wanted to be a dancer instead of say, a doctor (thereby disappointing your hopeful parents)? Submit to a kind of robotic genitoplasty to be the diva you've always dreamed of becoming.

And so on.

Some stories rise above the others as with any collected works of this nature, but there is well enough to please everyone. Writing and artistic styles vary from story to story, and that's the way it should be as we are provided a broad, imaginative vision from some very gifted human types.