Brian Books

This was a fantastic resource. I have never really played video games until my wife bought me this Xbox 360. I didn't know all the ins and outs so I bought this book. It has been truly helpful in finding the many things i can do, plus it has some valuable web links for some extra stuff that really works.

I love this book -- everything is well explained. It also explains the concepts in an easy to understand style for parents who are not too game savvy.

Only problem though is that the book is too US centric -- the Xbox 360 is sold all over the world with slightly different specifications, and this book just ignores everything except the US Xbox 360.

If you want to know your Xbox 360 really well then this books for you, it covers everything about the system and the hardware that can be added later on. The book even covers Xbox Live and also some games. you will not be sorry if you purchase this book, it is a perfect addition to anyones home library.

Hi... I'm not a gamer, but I have one in my household. I can't tell you how many game consoles we've purchased over the last 20 years, but I don't think we've missed very many. I'm a bit surprised I haven't gotten the hard-sell from "da kid" on getting an Xbox 360 yet. But after reading Xbox 360 for Dummies by Brian Johnson and Duncan Mackenzie, I'm somewhat tempted to get one anyway for myself... :)

Contents:
Part 1 - Xbox 360 Out of the Box: Meet the Xbox 360; Setting Up Your Xbox 360
Part 2 - The Xbox 360 Blades: Dealing with the Dashboard; The Live Blade; The Media Blade; The System Blade; The Games Blade
Part 3 - Xbox 360 in Your Entertainment System: HDTV, EDTV, Plain Old TV; Getting the Best Audio Experience; Customizing Your Console
Part 4 - Pushing the Outer Limits: Parental Control; LAN Parties; Windows Media Center Extender
Part 5 - The Part of Tens: Ten Great Web Sites; More Than Ten Great Games; Ten Tips for Parents; Ten Ways to Make Friends; Ten Great Accessories; Original Xbox Games; Index

Xbox has definitely crossed the line from being a gaming console with extra features to being a multimedia computer that happens to play games really well. Johnson and Mackenzie do a very good job of covering and demonstrating all the features of the Xbox 360, how it all meshes together, and how to get the most out of the platform. This includes everything from, of course, playing games, to making the device the central point of a multimedia setup for your home. The Xbox 360 integrates with Windows Media Center, so you can use it to watch TV, record shows, play music, etc. In fact, it's very possible to buy an Xbox 360 and never even play a game on it. :) Add in network connectivity, and now you can reach out to others as part of Xbox Live. The capabilities are truly impressive, and this book is an excellent way to delve into those areas that you may not have yet uncovered.

Granted, most 12 year olds will probably have most of this figured out an hour after opening the box, all without reading the directions. Yes, and my DVD player still flashes 12:00. At least it's not a VCR any more. But a book like this will appeal to those of us who are interested in the latest and greatest, but want a little structure and guidance added to our exploration.

Now to keep this book out of my kid's hands...

Not a bad book, although it is more written for someone with little to know computer/gaming experience.

Chinese philosphy is so pragmatic, always useful. These book makes easy to understand many important fact present in life. Sadly, the other books of this series aren't available. I hope they got reprinted. If you can't get one copy of this book, you'll see that some things change when we leave our static point of view. Great Book.

I read out of either this or Zen Speaks: Shouts of Nothingness almost every night for my daughter...although I think I'm really reading it more for myself. One-three page cartoons of zen buddhism scriptures translated all contain great little doses of morality and keep one from taking one's self too seriously.

What a wonderful book. It is such an easy read. The illustrations are great and the stories convey profound wisdom in an entertaining fashion. The humor is gentle. One will grow in wisdom without even realizing it by reading this book. What a gem.

It's not every day you see a book on any Eastern philosophy that is easily accessible by pretty much anybody who can read. With /Zhuangzi Speaks/, Tsai Chih Chung has given us a great gift. I must admit that I initially had low expectations for a cartoon version of Chuang-Tzu's writings. After having read through it, however, I say with confidence that this is truly a wonderful book that makes the sometimes puzzling Taoist principles much easier to understand.

/Zhuangzi Speaks/ is definitely worth a read by fledgling and long-time Taoists alike, as well as their loved ones (who may not understand much about the Tao), and anyone else who is even the least bit curious about Chuang-Tzu and his ideas.

Now you can enjoy the essence, wit and wisdom of Chuangzi brought to life through cartoons. Near the edge of each page, you'll also find the story written in Chinese characters.

Through these popular and illustrated stories, you'll get a taste of "listening to the music", living spontaneously, free from social encumbrances, free from the strict rules of conduct of Confucianism - in harmony with the Tao, surrendering to the moment and enjoying whatever situation presents itself.

This lovely book presents the wisdom of Chuanzi through about 78 enlightening metaphorical stories.

Access is, of course, a database program. Unlike many of the big database programs, it is closely integrated with a quite sophisticated front end package to enable the creation of easy to use input forms and quite good looking reports to take the data stored in the database and present it to the outside world in a clear and useful format.

A database is useless unless you have a way to put data into and take it out of the database. This book mostly covers the setting up of input forms and output reports. It obviously won't be your only Access book, because you'll need something to describe how to set up a database. So this is a specialty book, that does an excellent job of covering this important aspect.

Selecting data out of the database to then present is sometimes a problem. Most beginning books just use the Access QBE to produce the data. Often this is enough, but this book goes just a bit into SQL that allows you to do so much more. While this is not a book on SQL, this is a good start to give you enough information to know if this is a direction you need to go.

All in all, this is a very useful book to enable you to get more utility ot of an Access database.

First, it is important to realize what this book is not. It is not a complete Access reference book. It will not teach you database theory and all aspects of data normalization. It does not cover advanced techniques such as VBA programming, the ADO object model or using the Windows API.

So what do you get from this book? A fantastic introduction to developing forms, reports and queries. In the tradition of the Dummies series, the author gently guides the novice towards building expertise in this narrow but all important aspect of Microsoft Access. With a conversational style, each step in creating a report, form or query is clearly explained. Also, the reasons for creating a report or form, and the differences between the two are presented. Although the title doesn't mention queries, because they are integral to producing reports and forms, several chapters deal with queries. Finally, two chapters discuss enhancing queries with SQL and troubleshooting those queries when things go wrong.

In summary, by spending a few days with the author, via this book, a beginning Access programmer can quickly become adept at designing forms and generating reports.

I bought a bunch of Access books, but this one is by far the most helpful one yet. It shows me how to do a lot of things I've wanted to do, but simply couldn't figure out on my own (or from any of those other books). You really need to add this one to your collection!

I use Access daily and thought I knew it pretty well. But this book really showed me a lot of new tricks I couldn't find anywhere else. This is by far the most useful book on Access I've found!

I have shelves filled with computer "How To" type books and in the past have stayed away from the "Dummies" series thinking them to be a bit too simplified. However, recently I needed to get up to speed with Microsoft's Access, specifically in order to prepare reports. So I bought Access Forms & Reports for Dummies by Brian Underdahl. I found this book to be a refreshing diversion from the normally dry and sometimes obtuse computer books of the past. Mr. Underdahl has a colloquial writing style which is not only entertaining but highly informative. Within a very short period of time I found myself successfully creating Forms and Reports which made my work go much smoother. I highly recommend this book to anyone who needs to understand Access and quickly create Forms and Reports.

This is the best book on Wooden I have read.

I have always respected the tremendous success of John Wooden and his Pyramid of Success. The UCLA basketball coach who won 10 NCAA Championships in twelve years demonstrated his successful system not by winning basketball games, but by inspiring and directing his players to perform at their highest level and achieve greatness by doing their best.

Brian Biro's book is based on Wooden's Pyramid of Success. In his book, Biro effectively describes and identifies each building block, starting with the key foundations of industriousness and enthusiasm. Biro then illustrates these qualities with entertaining anecdotes of his work as a swimming coach, businessperson, and "life coach."

While Biro's name does not have the prestige of Wooden, he is able to write an entertaining and informative description of Wooden's principles. Moreover, Biro provides the reader with a few useful tips and exercises to help us realize our potential.
In addition to quoting from Wooden, Biro also seems to rely on the work of Tony Robbins as well.

Most readers will appreciate this book. While nothing in here is groundbreaking or revolutionary, it encapsulates the keys to success in any endeavor. You will enjoy it.

What a great book! Brian has PASSION for helping and motivating people to success. His style is both warm and uplifting. I love the stories in this book. Brian teaches you how to find meaningful motivation. A must read!

Zev Saftlas, Author of Motivation That Works: How to Get Motivated and Stay Motivated

I've always admired John Wooden's work as a leader of men. I have his Pyramid of Success on my office wall. Mr. Biro's work has brought the building bricks of the pyramid into focus for me. This a well written work that reaches far beyond the "self help" genre. It was very well organized, inspirational and motivating.

I have always been a sceptic of the books located in the "self help" section of bookstores. But a friend bought me Brian Biro's book Beyond Success for my birthday and told me i HAD to read it. I didn't plan on it but one day i was lying in bed, and i looked over on my nightstand, and i saw the book there. I decided to give it a try. By the first chapter of this amazing book, i was hooked. Brian Biro is one of the most talented and inspirational author out there today. I HIGHLY recommend this book all people. Parents should read it to their children, teenagers should read it, everone should!!This author if not yet, will definetly become a bestselling author in the near future.

Classical, jazz, and pop singer Eileen Farrell comes across as a down-to-earth, generous, happy, and satisfied person in this book. What's not to like?

Like another reviewer I found the biography too short. Surely Miss Farrell could divulge with her writer's help more anecdotes. And SURELY Sony/CBS could re-release more of her albums, particulary the Puccini Arias. Thank God there are historical recordings available, for which, unfortunately, Miss Farrell doesn't get royalties. I would happily send her a check anytime.

Do not confuse this witty, sparkling memoir with the stilted, egocentric ("I" this and "I" that) memoirs you may have encountered. Farrell, one of the Met's most underused artists - yet one of its greatest, writes with charm and style that enthrall the reader making us wish she had easily written a book twice as long. Brava! Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys a great read and "meeting" a great lady.

Thank you, Eileen Farrell, for a wonderful career and for your candor in telling your very personal and inspiring story. I couldn't put the book down! As a professional singer myself, I found your experiences from your innocence at the first audition to your regular radio show moving and encouraging. Your book is as honest and refreshing as your performances and a must-read for even those with no interest in opera.

Eileen Farrell is one of the most gifted and celebrated American singers of the twentieth century. She is both a classically trained dramatic soprano and a talented songstress of pop songs and the blues. Can't Help Singing: The Life Of Eileen Farrell is a superbly crafted memoir in which she shares candid reminiscences about her professional career and her personal life. With humor and affection she surveys her New England childhood, her sudden success at the age of twenty starring in her own CBS radio show, dubbing for Eleanor Parker in the MGM movie "Interrupted Melody", her many guest appearances on television, and her operatic work, including an historic debut at the Metropolitan Opera in Alceste in 1960. Eileen also recollects her sometimes troubled marriage of forty years to New York police officer Robert Reagan and her frustrating tenure as a faculty member at Indiana University. In this wonderful memoir we meet the famous figures of music who were her contemporaries, fellow performers, and associates from Leonard Bernstein to Maria Callas, from Ethel Merman to Carol Burnett. Can't Help Singing is a marvelous biography that will hold great interest and appeal for her many fans and for students of 20th Century American music.

Glyer's book provides valuable insight for fans and scholars of The Inklings collective works. She has a fresh slant on material that most Tolkien and Lewis readers have seen in other formats. Her agenda, though, presents the idea of "influence" in a changing light. I think that she opens doors of critcical opportunity that will allow much more fruitful sorts of investigations of Lewis, Tolkien, and William's work.

The Company They Keep is scholarly writing at it's best. I used it with gifted high schoolers with excellent results. The students became excited about how Glyer did such extensive research and then wrote about it in such an interesting and readable way.

Glyer has put together an incredibly researched study of the relationships of "The Inklings," the social gathering that included C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien among others. "The Company They Keep" is not a casual read for the Narnia fan; it is a scholarly exposition of the influence that the Inklings had upon one another and the way that that influence appears in their works.

Using a formula for determining influence created by another scholar, Karen Lefevre, Glyer analyzes the way the Inklings served as Resonators (encouraging voices), Opponents (thoughtful critics), Editors, and Collaborators (project teammates) for one another. She then adds her own fifth category, that they were Referents who wrote about one another and promoted one another's books to publishers and the public. Ultimately, Glyer rejects what Inkling scholarship heretofore has asserted: that the Inklings by their own admission did not largely influence each other. Glyer argues that such claims were aimed at acknowledging their independent credibility, but that in fact they had significant roles in shaping one another's works.

So the book is important on two levels. It contributes notably to biographical scholarship on the Inklings. But is also makes thoughtful contributions to literary criticism, which traces and debates the nature of influence. Glyer is immersed in the field and defends her thesis well.

It's a great book; not a "fun" read, but definitely a fascinating one for the serious reader.

James W. Miller is the author of God Scent: A Devotional

The fantasy literature of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkein is so imaginative and idiosyncratic that one accepts that they wrote such lasting works somewhat obstinately and mainly privately almost as a hobby with little hope they would ever be published, much less popular. The picture of J. R. Rowling writing the beginnings of the first Harry Potter book sitting along at a table in an English shop comes to mind with this image of the earlier authors. Lewis and Tolkein are known to be good friends as well as professional colleagues at Oxford University. But as professor of English at Azusa Pacific U. in California Glyer puts forward, Lewis and Tolkein were part of a circle of academics and writers who had a large, discernible, and often documented influence on their works. From diaries, memoirs, letters, and other sources, Glyer finds that this influence is most evident with Tolkein. This circle which acquired the name "The Inklings," "modeled the behavior of poets and storytellers, provided feedback on his drafts, helped him develop his own critical faculties, recommended reading material that supported and shaped his imagination, and suggested that certain pieces be started, reworked, completed, or submitted for publication." Glyer continues, "It is no small matter that all of this early influence took place within a highly interactive group setting." What the author says with respect to Tolkein applies as well to Lewis, though not quite so overtly recognizably. In their turn, Tolkein and Lewis were active participants in the group offering the same support and suggestions to its other members. Shortly after arriving at Oxford as a student, Tolkein founded the literary society named the "Apolausticks."

In an appendix by a David Bratman, relevant background on 17 members of the Inklings besides Tolkein and Lewis is given. Most became university professors of English or medieval literature or of language studies, with most doing scholarly writings on literary criticism. This work of literary criticism and author biography is obviously timely given the current interest in these authors as evidenced by widely-popular movies made from books of theirs.

This book shows scholarly intellect, hard work, dedication, and insightful thought that I have only achieved in lofty dreams. Diana Glyer presents interesting, insiteful, and inspiring information about the Inklings that you will not find anywhere else. I have never read a book that so skillfully puts scholarship in such an accessable read. For anyone who is a fan of the Inklings, Lewis, Tolkien, Williams, or anyone remotely related to these men do yourself a favor and read this book.

I got this comic out of randomness without knowing the demographic it was aiming for, or anything really. Aside from some generally positive reviews.

Its an honest manga-esque comic book about troubled teenagers, passing through situations that are possibly somewhat relatable for any individual during that period in ones life. Some of the stories are well written, some involving super powers, and some not so great. Its a demographic meant for teens, young adults, i being 20.

You could really see the evolution Brain wood takes from his earliest stories - "NYC", to "Bad blood", which arguably any angsty fanboy could conjure up, to a slightly more sophisticated evolution to stories that offer substantial insights on the young adult mind: "what you wish for", "girl you want", and finally working towards thrilling, engaging stories, "One shot, don't miss", "Breaking up" and so on, were Wood truly comes to form. "Midnight to six" was refreshing, it seems to be the only light story in the whole collection, but really isn't that light if you think about it. Stories such as "Mixed tape" for example, are corny and overly sentimental.

People would highly disagree, but i did find alot of the stories abit angsty. And it's true, the whole book is spilled with anxiety.

Some of the more anime influenced artwork which i hadn't expected, turned me off. If that was the case, i was running on the story to take me through it. The anime artwork is strange to me, simply because it doesn't feel japanese, but it looks japanese. While the compositions and panel arrangements are quite strong, the problem to me is mainly due to the fact that traditional manga isn't as sketchy looking and as arguably Lazily drawn and constructed as DEMO's illustrations. The comparison is inevitable.

To me, it isn't a " dark, indie stripped down style" as they appear to suggest. No, its more like a - meeting deadlines and being lazy, just up the contrast and make it angsty! sort of look. Which works appropriately for some, and not so much for others. The high contrast does compensate for the artists conviction to her quick and sketchy manner of illustrating. I guess its an east meets west kinda thing, that i personally didn't click with. Americanized manga?... americanized chinese food? It really isn't that terrible, but you could really see where i'm going.

I have to say that, although i wasn't a big fan of the abrupt endings and sudden twists and even the anime-ish style, the pacing and orchestration of these stories work well with the storytelling and thats what's most important. The writing of Brian wood generally gets better with each story. The artwork is acceptable, although could be much better.

Not many books have the guts to tell it as it is like DEMO does. Its open about the not so mature things that teenagers think and do, which makes it mature in the end. Its honest, and confessional, and thats this book's main strong point. Something the masculine testosterone pumped comic books of today fail to achieve cause they're too insecure to do so. The question is, how would DEMO stand if it wasn't such a minority of its own kind?

At most, it gets four stars.

This book collects the first series of DEMO (12 short stories). In my opinion it's the best work of Brian Wood so far. Both the text and the art evolve during this book, giving birth to great stories. For those looking for comics with soul DEMO is a must read.

I wasn't sure if I'd like this, but I found it cheap. Wow. This blew me away. Like a more poignant, creative and realistic Heroes. The 12 issues collected here are each stand alone stories. The artist changes her style with each one. Such a cool, fast read. If you can dig black and white, intelligent indie book, you'll dig Demo. And catch up now, because the author announced recently that volume 2 will be coming out soon thru Vertigo.

I read these stories when they were coming out as single issues a few years back. Picking up the collection, I forgot how compelling and different each story is. The major theme linking all of the stories is people with a dilema and some "power" that pushes the story to explore themselves. Each chapter is a stand alone story, yet a common idea runs through the whole book-that no matter what gifts we have about us it's how we use them. Some stories are happy, others depressing, but all have an air of truth that most of us can relate to.
I enjoy the rough, punkesque feel that some of the tales have. It's an atmosphere of being an outsider regardless of the situation and how the individual deals with it. Becky Cloonan's art is wonderful and changes in regards as to what the situations is. It can feel like manga, independent, or stylized but never repeats any of the other chapters. She amazed me by doing so much with so few pages. Wood's writing is quick, to the point and doesn't weigh down the flow. He reminds me of what it's like to be younger, struggling with growing up, fighting the world and ourselves to become something more. Each story plays up emotions ranging from love to hate to empathy to pride and more. Imagine a story where superpowers take a backseat to the heart and that is Demo.

I read a lot of graphic novels -- actual stories, not just compiled superhero comics -- and I rarely come across anything this literary. Most of these twelve stories could easily have been published, without pictures, in a "little" magazine somewhere. The intriguing thing is how they evolve, first to last, from "NYC" and "Bad Blood," which actually are about not-necessarily-super powers with a Rod Serling twist, to "One Shot, Don't Miss" and "Breaking Up" and "Damaged," which will stay with you a long, long time. And the last panel of the last story will truly grab you by the throat. Amazing writing.

As a United Church minister both interested in biblical scholarship and church history and also very concerned with nurturing genuine Christian community today, I have found Brian Griffith's book, Different Visions of Love, to be very interesting and helpful.


Griffith pulls together information from biblical and historical research to show that the very early church understood that Jesus' teaching about love leads to partnership relationships rather than relationships of domination and subjection.
Griffith book shows not only how this understanding was undermined early on as the church became institutionalized, but also how Jesus' understanding of love remained extant among many Christians and resurfaced from time to time.


Griffith, in his book, is particularly interesting and helpful in the way he uses historical examples to make his point. I have been delighted to find examples and other materials in his books that I can use in my sermons.


I recommend his book as useful to Christian churches, particularly to women in leadership positions.

Describing how Christianity changed over time, Griffith always includes the experience and values of women. He shows the contributions of female leaders and how women have often challenged the church. This history of the religion shows how important women have been from the beginning. It shows periods of great suffering for women, but also great progress towards a real partnership of both sexes.

Many religious people think their way of understanding is the only way to get close to God. They never think people should have freedom in accepting the religion in their own way. But Griffith goes through history, and shows how some of these ideas come from traditions of various cultures rather than from prophets and saints, and these "dominator traditions" mixed with religion. In general I can say Griffith respects different approaches for understanding religion. He thinks different kinds of religious people are learning to respect each other and work together. He criticizes a lot of inhuman things in the past, but mostly the book is very hopeful.

A book of Christian history that's very helpful to Muslims as well

As a Muslim, I found this book very helpful. We have a similar struggle in our history between different versions of our faith. We have our own long record of dominator Muslims, and also Muslims who want real partnership or equality. This book shows how Christians have made choices between those different moral standards, and what resulted from those choices. These are the kinds of choices Muslims face as well, and I would like to see somebody write a book like this for Islam. ]

A must read for anyone even remotely interested in Christian history. Brian Griffith develops the ongoing struggle between the forces that try to dominate church life and those that try to unify or make peace with diverse groups within the church. And he does this over the entire time span of Christian history. But don't think of it as a stuffy history book. Rather, it a dramatic study of the people involved and the times in which they lived. Once you pick the book up, it is hard to put it down. I think that anyone who reads this book will get an expanded view of Christianity and it's interplay with the social forces in the larger world. It is a masterful presentation and should have wide appeal within other great religous traditions.

This is an absolutely beautiful book ... worth every penny, and frankly more. The illustrations are magnificent and the writing is perfect. It details the entire Easter story in a gentle, tasteful and loving way. Although the story telling is child-like, it includes ALL the details of the entire story and does so in a way that holds even the littlest one's attention, beginning to end. It is told from the donkey's perspective. My 20 month old and my 3 year old both LOVE it and I think it would work well for older children also. I highly recommend this book ... it is one that will become a keepsake and heirloon for years to come.

I was a little skeptical about buying a children's book for $20.00, but I'm glad I took the risk!

The author/illustrator explains it best when he says, "It is the world's greatest story, burning with history, passion, and tragedy. I decided that the best way of expressing this epic drama was to teat it like grand opera, to create the sets and place the characters within them, capturing the symbolism of the Crucifixion and Resurrection in color, shape, and form."

The gold-toned illustrations are absolutely breathtaking. The text is very simple and perfect for our young ones. WE ADORE THIS BOOK!

I was very impressed by the beauty and pathos of this slim volume. Although the story is of Christ's passion, resurrection, and ascension, the story is really through the eyes of the humble donkey which Christ chooses to carry him into Jerusalem. It strikes me that children will be able to connect with the donkey's innocence and faithfulness, as a reflection of the person of Jesus Christ. Of course, it all makes for very interesting theological reflection. If anything, as other readers have mentioned, read it for its simplicity and the beautiful illustrations.

My almost 6 year old son was asking a lot of questions about Easter from what he has learned in Sunday School. I was looking for an Easter book which explained Easter, and the events leading up to Easter, in a simple, yet Biblical way. The book is not too simplistic, nor too complex and wordy. Also, the illustrations are magnificent, and are worth the price of the book alone.

I originally checked this book out from the library for my son last Easter. My husband and I were so impressed we bought it this year for him as a gift. The illustrations positively glow. And, the story line is captivating and easy to follow, unlike other children's versions I've read. It's a beautiful book that my two year-old will continue to enjoy for many Easters to come.

These two authors did a great collaboration, the story fell into place through each character's eyes and I was able to understand Sheila & Malik eventhough I hadn't read S.W.A.P. Hot and exciting with a twist that will leave you talking!

I loved this book. I thought it was an easy read from cover to cover. I felt like I knew the characters of the SWAP game personally and I could not believe they would go there again. I wish I had read the book Swingers before I read Final Fling but I didn't. If you have not read both books I would recommend that. I kept wanting to know the history of the other book but I could not stop reading Final Fling and start Swingers the book was just to juicy.

I also found humor in some parts of the book that others might not have. I won't give away the story line but lets just say the trip to Hedonism was kind of funny. Also the ending threw me for a loop I saw something coming but not that. I do wish the authors would have taken a little more time at the end I wanted more and it was done.

Overall good read and it will make you think what would I do in that situation ?????

I sat speechless after reading this book !! There were so many parts that had my mouth wide open!!! I talked out loud on several occasions as if the characters in the book could hear me! This book deals with every aspect imaginable...suspense, abuse, family life, marriage, betrayal, passion, revenge and the list goes on. This book is a page turner from cover to cover and I promise you, once you finish this book, you will be on the phone with your girlfriends discussing the events that took place in this book ! I have been a huge fan of Brian Smith since his first book came out, this by far is one of my favorite books out there and Brian has become one of my favorite authors! I'm hoping there will be a sequal to this book! Cost of FINAL FLING...$$$, The events that take place in the book...PRICELESS !!!!

This is probably the best collaboration I've ever read. After reading The S.W.A.P Game and Swingers, I was wondering how these guys were going to bring the two couples together. What they have done with "Final Fling" was nothing short of amazing. And just when you think you know how it's going to end, Brian and Torrian do what they do best.
If you're looking for a good, easy reading, steamy, dramtic page-turner, then you've found it. And don't feel that you need to read the first two, to know what's going on. You don't but after reading Final Fling, you will definitely go back and read all others by both authors..
Brian, I can't wait for "Nina's Got a Secret".

Final Fling by Torrian Ferguson and Brian W. Smith is a collaboration story that brought two similar writers together to form this outstanding sequel. While Final Fling is a stand alone book, it will have you running to your local bookstore to pick up each of these guys books that set this story in motion.

Meet Greg and Rena Robbins (The Swingers); they have left their swinging lifestyle behind and the dark past that dwells in the corners of their minds, as they try to move on with their lives and realize that swinging is a dangerous game to play.

Malik and Sheila Batiste (The S.W.A.P. Game) are on the road to resolving some marital issues and what is a good way to relax is but enjoying each other on a well deserved vacation.

These two couples meet and hit it off right away when they realize they both enjoy the secret lifestyles of being swingers. While enjoying their lavish vacation on a nine-day cruise to Jamaica, they also check out each others partners and realize that lust is in the air and they would like to give swinging one more chance. But when the outcome becomes deadly and fingers are pointed who will come out on top?

This book was very entertaining to say the least, I liked the character development and how both authors included the reader every step of the way. Through delightful descriptions, steamy sex scenes, and a hint of mystery I was not disappointed.
I recommend this book to readers of all genres and people who love to live through other people.

Reviewed by: Cheryl H
APOOO BookClub