Brian Books

Ive read this book a dozen times, easily. Each time is just as magical the last. As the characters develop they sweep you into their world. Every time you think you might be catching on to the story there is another plot twist or some small tidbit that you just know is a root for something to grow from, allowing it to pop up later in the story. An incredibly imaginative and complex book. If you read one book this year, make sure it's this book....just be sure to save the next two years for the rest of this chronicle.

This book was beyond enjoyable to read. It draws you into a mystical world from the very beginning, and doesn't let you go until the book ends. That is of course until you discover that the adventure does not end there, and in fact continues on throughout two more books. I luckily bought all 3 at once, and this was very good because if I had had to wait for the other books to come in, the anticipation until they arrived would have been excrutiating. I had a hard time putting the books down even for a moment.

Brian K. Stoner is full of imagination and proves his amazing writing talent with the Dark Angel Chronicles. If you do not want to become absorbed into a world of magic and adventure, then do not pick up these books; if you do, you are in for a wild ride.

In his debut work, Sorceress, Brian K. Stoner displays a marvelous ability to create origninal and engaging characters and a detailed world to house them. What's more, Sorceress does not sacrifice action in order to provide this depth, nor is it unfailingly dreary, as bits of humor pop out in the most startling of places. I realize that this description is somewhat vague, but I certainly don't want to present any spoilers. Well, maybe a tidbit... The world of Sorceress is the product of the combined efforts of a group of godlike creator beings who embody the nine Arts: Music, Shape, Image, Word, Color, Fragrance, Dream, Flavor, Movement. Trust me, this book is the start of a great story, and the second volume in the trilogy is already in publishing.

I heard Dr. Seaward speak at his book signing in Boulder, Colorado and was very impressed. He is an expert in his field but spoke in plain English and told everyday stories to back up his work. Then I read "Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water," and knew Dr. Seaward had created a masterpiece imparting wisdom and knowledge everyone should read. Luke Seaward has created a gift for his readers. Stand is beyond well done. The writing style is conversational, friendly, informative and a pleasure to read. There is so much wisdom packed into the 300 or so pages that it will take several readings as time goes by to fully appreciate it. And I observed proof of that when several people in the line in front of me brought their First Editions of the book to be re-signed. Pages were dog-eared, margins filled with notes, and passages highlighted.
Bill Ellis

This book is perfect for the age. I reread many the pages to help ground me during difficult times. The book is the ultimate grounding and healing mechanism.

MC
Denver

This book is one of the most amazing books I have ever read in my life. I have personally met Brian Luke and heard him speak. If you ever get the chance to do either you will have been very fortunate to meet such a special person. Brian Luke's Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water will not fall from your hands if you pick it up. I read the first edition last summer and couldn't wait until the 10th Anniversay edition to come out. What a great revision to such a wonderful book. This is a book I will revisit throughout my time here on this earth because it says all the things I've thought or wondered about and serves as an inspiration to how I live my life.

Brian Andreas' work is always so amazing. His words are so simple, yet poetic, funny, and true. When I read his stories, I find myself either crying, laughing, or searching myself. I love how he can take a regular situation that many people fail to hold sacred, such as sitting with a loved one on a summer's night, and turns it into something profoundly beautiful.

The thoughts Brian Andreas captures and illustrates for us seem like they could be from anyone's life, and many struck a chord from my own. There's some sibling rivalry, parental joy towards children, the stirrings of love, the reality of the working world, and some things that defy categorization. The artwork, at first glance, looks like something a parent would stick on the fridge after pre-school, but on further viewing strikes a very grown-up sense of balance with the verses penned above, below, and around the pictures. If the prose doesn't have you laughing out loud, it might make you sigh, smile, or think back to a memory the words evoke in your own experience. Overall, this was a wonderful read I'll be recommending to friends and buying for family.

Brian Andreas' poetry was displayed on his "story people" in a local art store; I wish I had a house big enough to cover the walls with his work. His "stories" are one or two-liners that seem pulled from a delightful dream to instantly wrap around your heart. It's not always clear if they were written with the musings of an adult or the wisdom of a child, but be careful - you may catch yourself laughing aloud with a tear in your eye.

I have always been a fan of Subarus and this book is the most extensive thing I have found about its history. If you don't own a Subaru, you will after reading this book. There are many pictures showing the different models. I think there might be EVERY brochure ever released from FHI(for the impreza). Although, there is some technical info, I wouldn't rely on this book to help you take apart your car. GREAT BOOK!!!

Shortly after buying a WRX I received this book from my girlfriend. I read it all the time. Great pictures and technical information as well as Subaru's rally history with updates on standings and drivers by year. This book is a great addition if you are a Subie nut or just love to know everything possible about the Impreza series. While it's true this book won't help you take apart or assemble your Subaru it will give you a tremendous amount of detailed information about the cars roots.

What kind of ignorant redneck jackass wrote the editorial review for this book on Amazon.com? Rice rocket? Talk about a condescending ignorant rascist remark. The entire editoral review is worthless. It appears to be written by some out-of-touch 40+ who wouldn't know what to do with a Subaru if he had one, much less has any actual knowledge of them. Sorry you have nothing intelligent to say about superior Japanese engineering.

Aside from the ignorant 'rice rocket' comment in the review, everyone besides the editor knows that all Subaru's are powered by boxer engines and always have been. Also, AWD is not the same as 4WD.

The book is worth the purchase price, but the editorial review on Amazon is nothing but worthless drivel.

Imagine, if you will, the heroes and villains from French pulp fiction brought back to life for another tale. In some cases, it is merely a possible follow-up story to the original work. In other cases, friends and foes unite to do battle once again. The result is this anthology featuring fourteen rather creepy stories. As co-editor Jean-Marc Lofficier notes in the introduction these "...are the stuff myths are made of." (Page 10)

A case in point is by Win Scott Eckert entitled "The Vanishing Devil." If you haven't had the pleasure of reading the novel "City of Gold & Lepers" featuring Doc Ardan (also from this publisher) then the story will not work nearly as well for you. But, if you have had the pleasure of reading that very good book, this short tale set twenty years in the future will intrigue with the possibilities it suggests.

An adventure showcasing Arsene Lupin (one of several to mention Lupin directly or indirectly) is "The Three Jewish Horsemen" by Viviane Etrivert. Lupin does like his pranks.

Another Lupin story and equally good is "The Sainte-Genevieve Caper" by Alain le Bussy. Others beside the famous Sherlock Holmes are at work chasing Lupin and Monsieur Ganimard fully intends to be the first to catch him.

This enjoyable anthology also features stories by Matthew Baugh, Bill Cunningham, Terrence Dicks, G. L. Gick, Rick Lai, Samuel T. Payne, John Peel, Chris Roberson, Robert Sheckley, Brian Stableford, and of course, the editors Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier. Many of the contributors are well known for their work elsewhere, some are not, but all share an affinity for French pulp fiction and a talent to bring their chosen characters alive for the reader. The result is an enjoyable read from start to finish and further proof that good stuff comes from the halls of Black Coat Press.

Book Facts:


Tales Of The Shadowmen-Volume One: The Modern Babylon
Edited by J. M. and Randy Lofficier
Black Coat Press
www.blackcoatpress.com
2005
ISBN # 1-932983-36-8
Large Trade Paperback
253 Pages
$22.95 US


(...)

As a lover of pulp fiction in the truest sense (which means most of my readings are rather half-hearted now-a-days, courtesy the latest trend of worshipping the false Gods of literature, i.e high-brow stuff full of atmosphere & characters and devoid of plot), books like Shadowmen are straight-forward heavenly gifts. This book becomes more satisfying for non-Francophones like us because several of the central heroes & villains depicted in these stories are new to us. Not only are these stories great, they make us hungry for more. Jean-marc Lofficier deserves a solid toast for unleashing this anthology.

Most of us know a few of the great characters of French popular literature. Captain Nemo, the Count of Monte Cristo, and the Phantom of the Opera have made it onto the world stage and are well known in many languages. In his time the gentleman thief Arsene Lupin was nearly as popular as Sherlock Holmes, though few Americans know him today except as the grandfather of the anime character Lupin III. Alas, most of these characters are unknown to most non-French readers.

Jean-Marc Lofficier began to open up this world with SHADOWMEN, a non-fiction guide to the heroes and villains of French popular literature. Now, TALES OF THE SHADOWMEN: THE MODERN BABYLON follows this up with a wonderful collection of stories which brings these characters and some of their British, American, and other contemporaries together in a set of new stories.

"Cadavres Exquis" by Bill Cunningham is a severe and painful makeover for the obscure French proto-superhero, Fascinax. It made me think a little of DARK NIGHT RETURNS, but it is even more intense in the way that it re-imagines the character.

"When Lemmy Met Jules" by Terrance Dicks pairs the author's character, Lemmy Caution, with the famous French detective Maigret. This one is short, funny, and perfectly in character. It's a real gem.

"The Vanishing Devil" by Win Scott Eckert is an encounter every pulp fan has wanted to see. Win uses the obscure French character Francis Ardan and his archenemy Natas in a conflict that comes across as Doc Savage vs. Fu Manchu. He does great job of capturing the personalities of both main characters.

"The Three Jewish Horsemen" by Vivian Etrivert is another short but very clever story bringing together a wonderful assortment of characters, including Lupin and the Phantom of the Opera. The last line is a special treat.

"The Werewolf of Rutherford Grange" by Greg Gick is part 1 of a longer story to be concluded in Vol 2. This is an atmospheric occult-themed mystery teaming French investigatory Harry Dickson and the Sar Dubnotal. The story manages to be introspective while losing none of its fast paced excitement. I really enjoyed this and am eager to read the conclusion.

"The Last Vendetta" by Rick Lai puts together a rogues gallery of characters at an "assassins' auction." Arsene Lupin's greatest enemy, Josephine Balsamo mingles with a variety of characters from spaghetti westerns. The story is intricately plotted and packed with details that I'm still catching after several readings. Rick has a wonderfully sly sense of humor that comes through when you start peeling back the layers.

"The Sainte-Genevieve Caper" by Alain Le Bussy is short and funny. A great use of classic characters making their presence felt without actually appearing.

"Journey to the Center of Chaos" by Jean-Marc and Randy Lofficier is a great use of period and setting as Robur (from Jules Verne's MASTER OF THE WORLD) recruits a group of literary characters from a threat involving the yeti and their Tibetan stronghold. I liked the combination of characters and thought the use of Dahoor was especially good.

"Lacunal Visions" by Samuel T. Payne is a story of Poe's detective August Dupin in an unearthly mystery featuring Doctor Omega. This is a very enjoyable story and showcases Dupin's ingenuity beautifully.

"The Kind Hearted Torturer" by John Peel was one of my favorites in the collection. The combination of characters (Dupin and the Count of Monte Cristo) was inspired, and Peel captured them very well.

"Penumbra" is another unexpected and wonderful combination of characters. This was conceptually brilliant as Chris Roberson brings the French character Judex into connection with several much better known cloaked avengers of the night.

"The Paris Ganymede Clock" by Robert Sheckley is one of the late writer's final (possibly the final) story. It involves Lord Peter Wimsey and the French villain Fantomas in a futuristic mystery. I feel bad that I really didn't follow this story well. I came away confused.

"The Titan Unwrecked; or, Futility Revisited" by Brian Stableford pictures a transatlantic crossing on a luxury liner with famous characters (including a number of the great vampires of literature.) This was more pessimistic in tone than I usually like, but wildly inventive and compellingly written. I am always dazzled by Mr. Stableford's scope of knowledge and his ability to weave so much together in his stories.

All in all, this is a collection that succeeds by turns in being adventurous, eerie, chilling, and funny. It is tremendously imaginative and is more sheer fun than any collection I've read in quite awhile.

TALES OF THE SHADOWMEN: GENTLEMEN OF THE NIGHT is a terrific follow up to last year's Volume 1. It continues in the tradition of combining the pulp heroes and villains from both English and French pulp fiction. It is a fun look at some wonderful characters who most American readers don't know, but should.



"Trauma" by Bill Cunningham offers a very unexpected combination of characters that works beautifully in this flash fiction piece. Bill takes an incident from the career of Fantomas, the sadistic French master villain, and shows us the unintended consequences for a young eyewitness.



"The Eye of Oran" is the follow up to Win Eckert's "The Vanishing Devil" which appeared in vol 1. The hero (a Doc Savage type named Francis Ardan) and villain (the Fu Manchu-esque Natas) return but the action in this story centers on a pair of heroines. The ladies are original characters but are related to two of the most famous figures in mystery/thriller stories ever. The setting is taken from Camus' THE PLAGUE. This is a fast moving adventure filled with surprises and many, many wonderful references to other fictional characters.



"The Werewolf of Rutherford Grange" by Greg Gick completes this story which began in Vol 1. This is well worth waiting for! "Werewolf" succeeds as both spooky story and clever mystery. The characters are well realized and the period `feel' is great. Though it's one of the longer stories the action moves it along so briskly you don't mind a bit.



"Dr. Cerral's Patient" by Rick Lai is an intricately plotted mystery packed with details and references, every one of which is essential to the story. It's not exactly a sequel to his story from Vol 1 but the connections between the two are many and complex. I've read it three times so far and am appreciating new details each time.



Fernando Calvi contributes a number of wonderful character portraits to the volume. My personal favorites are the naive-looking Roulettabille and the sinister Judex but all of them instantly tell you a wealth about the characters.



"Mystery of the Yellow Renault" by Serge Lehman is a hilarious flash fiction story about good deductive reasoning gone bad.



"The Melons of Trafalmadore" also by Serge Lehman is an odd pairing of Dr. Omega (a French character similar to Dr. Who) and the slow-witted Hoppy Uinatz (from the Saint stories) on a planet created by Kurt Vonnegutt Jr. It's very short but packs a brutally funny finish.



"Arsene Lupin's Christmas" by Jean Marc Lofficier is another flash fiction piece that gives us a nice glimpse of the gentleman burglar's chivalrous side.



"Figaro's Children" by Jean Marc Lofficier is one of my favorite story in the collection. It is an untold tale of the Paris Opera House which captures both the terrifying and tender sides of the famous Phantom of the Opera.



"The Tarot of Fantomas" by Lofficier is a fantastic introduction to the Fantomas, the French villain known as the "Lord of Evil." This is less than a page long and still gave me the chills.



"The Star Prince" by Lofficier is one of the most unexpected combinations of characters as Doc Ardan meets Saint-Exupéry's Little Ptrince. This is my personal favorite of the flash stories. It captures just the right tone, gentle and poignant.



"Marguerite" by Jean Marc Lofficier is a nice glimpse of the most intriguing part of the Nyctalope's career. During the 1940's one story actually had the French hero allied with the Vichy government, which was a puppet for the Nazis. It manages to say a lot about the struggles in the character's soul with very few words.



"Lost and Found" by Lofficier finished the flash stories by involving the mysterious Judex in one of the greatest treasure-chase stories of all time. The combination works very well.



"Be Seeing You" by Xavier Maumejean shows us an early version of the Village (from the cult TV series "The Prisoner.") Xavier has a wonderful sense of irony and puts some familiar characters through some very unfamiliar paces to good effect. His version of the origin of the Village is funny, especially with throwaway lines like, "What a preposterous label! Why not 'Thursday?'") and the steampunk version of the rover.



"The Vanishing Diamonds" by Sylvie Miller & Philippe Ward uses several of H.G. Wells' characters to resolve a loose plot thread from THE THREE MUSKETEERS. The Time Traveler uses his machine to travel back to solve the mystery of the Queen's diamonds.



"A Jest to Pass the Time" by Jess Nevins is endlessly inventive and packed full of wonderful characters. This is a great deal of fun built on the 'what if' premise of all the great thieves of literature trying to steal the same treasure. The conclusion is especially fitting.



"Angels of Music" - I couldn't stop laughing when I realized what Kim Newman was doing. I never liked the original 'angels' nearly this much. When does the TV series come out? :-)



"The Incomplete Assassin" - A clever short mystery with a very good use of the historical setting. It uses an (undeservedly) obscure Jules Verne character named Strogoff and French detective Rouletabille.



"Annus Mirablus" by Chris Roberson is a story that explains a lot about the differences between science fiction in the golden age and today. It turns out that the laws of physics were different back then, and Chris gives us the wonderful team of Dr. Omega and Albert Einstein to find out how this can be and set things right.



"Legacies" by Jean-Louis Trudel is a fun and surprising Arsene Lupin story with some very interesting people in small roles. I'm not familiar with Lady Wyndham but am very interested after reading this. A very nicely crafted caper story!



"The Grey Men" by Brian Stableford rounds out the volume. I was wondering about getting JOHN DEVIL and this story makes up my mind. Brian Stableford was an amazing sense of place and time, and his combination of the worlds of Paul Feval and Mary Shelley is ingenious. In this story the Black Coats criminal conspiracy is complicated by some mysterious attempts to raise the dead. (Of course, if the dead are raised, who is going to stand up for their rights?) I'm eager to see the next installment.



I know it sounds like I'm gushing, but there isn't a dog in the lot. This is a wonderful collection! I notice that Arsene Lupin is used in quite a few of the stories here. I wonder why? Is it that he represents French popular culture so well? Is it because there are so many different aspects of the character to play with? Is it simply because he is a lot of fun? I don't know, but I'm not complaining. I'll enjoy seeing Lupin and his compatriots return, hopefully in many volumes to come.

Wold-Newtonry is a dangerous territory where even angels even bother to tread cautiously, lest any careless footwork results in a butterfly effect killing one or more of our beloved heroes (& villains).But this anthology is astonishing in the sense that not only did the authors preserve the consistency of the Wold-Newton universe, they also managed to convey themselves through proper pulp-fiction. I am looking forward towards the Volume III. Enjoy this book.

From start to finish, this anthology is packed with fun!
The various Authors seem to be having a blast playing around with these classic French Heroes and Anti-Heroes, and that fun moves right from the authors to the readers!
Some of the stories will make you laugh out loud and others will make the hair on the nape of your neck stand up with fear!

Fans of Philip Jose' Farmer's Wold Newton theory will drool over every story in this book!
I know I do!!!!!

Brian,

You have done another wonderful job! I just got my household good shipment from Japan and I couldn't wait to share your first book with other co-workers and even got calls from them asking for your email address.

I just finished the Tamale List and have to say that I loved it! It was great! I am so impressed by what you have done. Being from So Cal, I can almost taste those wonderful tamales. My husband is looking forward to reading it when he returns from the Gulf.

Cheers!
Marnie

I love The Tamale List!!! This was a book I could not put down. The author honestly brings to light the fears and prejudices associated with the unfamiliarity of cultures and traditions we don't understand. I remember cringing initially at some of what the characters felt and thought but enjoyed seeing their transformation throughout the course of the story. I loved the grandmother and wished she were mine as she passed down her tradition of tamale-making to the next generation. Anyone who has ever had a neighbor that didn't quite fit in or knows that feeling themselves will enjoy the 'pride and prejudice' of the story - the pride of cultural tradition and the prejudice that the unfamiliar often brings. This novel and its unexpected ending not only leave you with a warm heart, but also a craving for tamales! But don't worry - the author has even taken care of that by providing his own authentic tamale recipe so that you can make a Tamale List of your very own. Enjoy!

The book grasped my imagination and took it on a wonderful journey as a reader. I throughly enjoyed the story line and the twists and turns created by the author and taken by the characters in the novel. I Recommend this book as a quailty reading experience for all ages.

An excellent book. Really top quality information regarding a band that keeps much to its own privacy. Must have taken a lot of research and time to produce. I reccomend to everyone!

Mr. Falkers book had me in stiches. Now I can impress my friends, the Side Hill Dutchmen, with my knowledge of Dead trivia. The cover art work was also impressive.

Mr. Falker has assembled a light hearted look at the life and times of the Grateful Dead. With an amusing intoduction+ and accurate concise and humerous text.reading for deadheads and Trivphreaks alikee. The book appears to have been finished and published just prioor to the Demise of the Bands Lead Guitarist+ and so it will always be a full hlife history of this most unusual Band. Congratulations for job well done Mr.Falker. Ogri ;)

A little dated but his kind of information is timeless. Positive thinking to the max. Wonderful, simple book that sets forth basic principles for living a prosperous, healthly life.

After finishing "Think and Grow Rich" I have suddenly realized that this simple slogan is the single way of life in a capitalist society. In this book, as the only way of getting rich, the author advocates goal-directed way of life, purposefulness, constant self-perfection, courage, the skill to think and to act, and the other similar traits of character.

Many people came to a conclusion that the wealth, in some extent, depends on a level of education, motivation, self-esteem, and so on. The problem is that not all the people in equal extend incline to the education, to their self-improvement. This is because of the differences of their needs, habits, abilities, capabilities, and so on. Leo Tolstoy in his novel "Resurrection" arose a question of how to improve the level of education within a society: from inside of each individual or from outside? Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Should first the level of education of each and every individual be risen which yields a revolution (dialectic transition of quantity into quality) or the revolution should make the environment to foster the education of every individual?

The traits advocated by Napoleon Hill correspond to the first Leo Tolstoy's way of improving society. If each and every individual will improve, the society will automatically improve. The second way of Leo Tolstoy (create the environment which will foster the education of every individual) is contrary to Napoleon Hill's ideas: "if something is got for free or without big effort, it won't be appreciated, won't be handled with care or you won't trust it". Free education and medical care won't be respected properly by people, regardless how good this education and medical care are. That's why the socialist society will develop slower than capitalist. Marxists knew this and have built the concept of World revolution (to overthrow of capitalism in all countries), and a further idea by Trotsky that it was impossible to build socialism in a single country. Trotsky wrote that the socialist economy is not as efficient as capitalist and without the World revolution the USSR won't be able to overcome its economic underperformance.

Napoleon Hill praises the freedom and opportunities of the capitalist society of the U.S. in particular, which gives, according to Napoleon Hill, boundless opportunities for an individual who is able to think and grow rich.

I also recommend "The Road to Serfdom" by F. A. Hayek in addition to this book. Although "Think and Grow Rich" is a classical self-help book for a general reader while "The Road to Serfdom" is mostly academic, I think that both of them should be read.

This is the original classic personal-growth and wealth-building book that all the self-help "Guru"s have been copying and imitating. Buy this and learn from the original. Buy this and learn the classic techniques the new-age thinking was built on, and that the "New-Wage" hucksters imitate without crediting it.

Is this a user's manual for the MR2 or is it just a history book?

Well if you are a nut about MR2's like I am then you MUST own this book. Many great pictures of the development for all three generations. Also a great read about the history of the MR2.

This is a great book on all generations of the Toyota MR2. Any fan of the car will appreciate the in depth look at the evolution of the Toyota MR2. From concept cars to the different the different variations, its all covered. Includes great colored photos as well as specifications of all the cars including American, Japanese and European grades. Highly recommended.