Burke Books

I started reading this book with a basic understanding of EJB 3.0. But the book does not keep you interested in the topic. I found the reference manual more interesting. I use this as a reference book.

This book covers almost everything related to EJBs in their new reincarnation. Its author have rightfully chosen to scrap any information concerning EJB 2.1. This is the right path to take as the new 3.X standard is so radically different (read much more useful) from the earlier versions.

The book starts out with a fairly detailed introduction to JPA 1.0 persistence mappings, entity relations and inheritance. It then moves on to covering session beans, interceptors, JAX-WS/RPC, the JNDI ENC and JTA.

This is a massive amount of stuff and still the author manages to convey its primary use, pitfalls and corner cases in an engaging technical style. So from a topical point of view you get what you pay for (and then some). The book is however not without some problems. First of all it contains some annoying errors, like:

1) In the interceptor chapter, the author fails to inform you that EJB interceptors are only used on direct invocations. That is if you put a interceptor on EJB A and inject it into EJB B, then delegated method invocations on EJB A from B are not intercepted. This is annoying at best, and at worst it could be considered an enormous flaw in the EJB spec.

2) Some JPA information is just plain wrong (like the use of named parameters in native queries). Most of these errors can be traced back to the fact that the author uses Hibernate which indeed supports this non-standard functionality. While understandable, it does confuse you some when confronted with strange errors in other containers

Many other errors exists and this book badly needs a review from some of the other EJB/JPA spec members, preferably someone not involved with the JBoss container. Another and more grave problem is the fact that the book presents most technologies as separate entities, and thereby you fail to see the complete picture. I really miss a complete real life EJB applications including:

1) Security (propagation of client role to the server (i.e. getCallerPrincipal)).
2) Interceptors (for logging and security).
3) Use of EJBs from a web application.
4) Testing of EJBs (best practices for easy unit testing).
5) Packaging and compiling (these days you cannot write a JEE book without a complete Maven sample)

This might sound like allot of grief, but I still choose to give the book four stars from the simple fact that it is complete, contains allot of useful samples (like the .NET SOAP application client) and manages to make many hard topics easy to understand.

In general a well written and useful book with a heap of information, written in a pragmatic style without to much fluff.

This is a great introduction to EJBs in general, and now EJB3. (the JSR 220 standard) Just like EJBs are now easier to develop with version 3, so is it easy to read and study this book. I hold O'Reilly in a high regard, (doesn't mean I'm a fan boy though, they do have their share of bad apples) and their high standards show in the quality of writing in this book. You will be happy with your purchase.

To be brief, this is a great book, but you will almost certainly want the newest edition of it.

I recommend this book. The book cover almost topics in EJB 3.0 and you can depend it for preparing the SCBCD 5. The author explain and describe the topics in easy way.

The problem of this book have more error in code I escalation it for author. cause the book have his name not auditor name.

I will give this book three stars for losing the quality.

Set in and around New Orleans during and following destructive hurricane Katrina, the Tin Roof Blowdown is a complex piece of crime fiction. Graphic descriptions of the terror and destruction wrought by Katrina, and frequent reminders of the ineptitude of the authorities in handling the tragedy, form the backdrop as the drama unfolds. Drama involving the disappearance of a young priest, the murder of a young black rapist and an innocent black teenager with the father of the rapist's victim being accused, and somehow the involvement of organised crime.

With the NOPD overwhelmed, Detective Dave Robicheaux is called in to investigate. As he works in the company of his old friend and ex-cop Clete Purcel, Robicheaux finds his own family comes under attack form a deranged .

Soaked in atmosphere and full of detailed description, and not fearing to make political comment, this is a thoroughly involving story. Part narrated by Robicheaux, and part related in the third person, a devise which while providing the full picture of events also provides a personal view on matters, we get a clear picture of the intricacies of the plot; and such is the skill of the writer that we not only see inside Robicheaux's mind, but we can actually hear his voice when he speaks.

Amazon readers rate Burke very highly. In all honesty, I don't know why. What do they see of interest in New Orleans, anyway?

Tin Roof was my only experience with Burke's books - and it will be my last.

Between the dark subject matter and the crude narrative, I won't waste my money or my time!

Great story line and characters - James Lee Burke just gets better and better. His research is excellent and I should know as I live in SW LA.

Burke may have a moving and descriptive writing style, but this is FICTION, folks! The thought that this book gives an accurate telling of post- Katrina New Orleans is an insult to it's people and the people of the Gulf Coast who lived through the experience. I got tired of crossing out inaccuracies about the storm and the typical CNN- type interpertations of events and found myself yelling at the text.
If you are looking for some kind of insight or glimpse into the hardships of life during and after Huricane Katrina do NOT bother with this book. The Katrina story needs to be told by people who were actually on the ground, and nobody else. Nearly 100% of the population living in a 25 by 180-mile stretch of Gulf coast was affected at a life-altering level by this catastrophic storm, so you have plenty of people to go to for information.
My own town, Slidell, took the Western eye-wall of the storm, significantly damaging over 80% of our homes. Everybody we knew was either driven from their own damaged home or housing somebody who was. That was the way we all lived well into 2006 and even beyond. Our home was one of the flooded ones. We lived with some very dear friends in the interim, but our family, as well as most others, was scattered all over during these times to live and work. The work was dangerous, filthy, hard and depressing, but there was nothing for it- you just had to roll up your sleeves and dig in. And except for those who may have lost loved ones, I don't know anyone who does not feel they are living a more meaningful life because of their experiences during those months which seemed to turn into these past few years.
Oh, and here is a surprise, from time zero we ALL had the full support of our Federal, State and local governments; FEMA (yes, FEMA); President Bush; Governor Blanco and our Mayors; the National Guard; the Red Cross; countless citizens from out of State and out of Country in the forms of utility companies, Church aid, shelters, hotels who took the burden of housing thousands (aided by FEMA monies), schools across the country who enrolled our students and made them welcome; WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL friends and family from all over the globe who gave help and comfort; and the list goes ever on. To you all, THANK YOU!
Our National News Media, however, couldn't seem to get the story straight. The mis-coverage of Katrina was more devastating to the people of New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast than the storm itself. All the finger pointing that occurred in the news (which we only saw, read or heard about much later from family and friends-) was evil and is harmful to this day. In fact, the area may not fully recover in our lifetime because of all the lying and `politicking' that continues even now.

Think of it this way:
1. Try to evacuate Boston in 36 hours. You can't.
Mayor Nagan declared a mandatory evacuation and succeded in emptying our major metro area over 90% in only 36 hours. Of the few who stayed some felt they did not have the means to leave, others were just stubborn, some weren't paying much attention, some would not leave their pets, many stayed to do harm- (that is the only part of Burke's novel that rings true, that some stayed to do harm)- none expected to be trapped.

2. EVERYBODY who has lived in the New Orleans area for more than a year knows that the Superdome IS NOT AND NEVER WAS a Hurricane shelter. It is ONLY a place of LAST RESORT to ride out the storm- bring your own food, water and bedding for a couple of days. Nothing more. Again, NOBODY expected to be trapped. People actually drove their cars to the Superdome! Of course, these were flooded and all were trapped. The event was beyond human comprehension.

3. Day of the destruction, the President called our Governor to offer National Guard support. She said "not yet". The press reports how the Feds do not help- twisted lie. To give over your State to the Feds is a big decision- the Governor needed to assess the situation first. The trouble was that the catastrophe was so great people were either trapped or unable to get into areas to assess the situation- it all took time. And in that time lives were lost, there was nothing for it. That is why when you live in these areas they tell you over and over again- "If we declare a mandatory evacuation, WE CANNOT HELP YOU UNTIL THE CRISIS IS OVER." Everyone who lives there knows this fact, rich or poor.

4. And don't even bring up the levees and the Core of Engineers (who, by the way, was there to blue-roof all of our damaged homes). The levies failed because the storm was massive. If they were not as strong as they could have been, look to generations of locals who decided to divert Federal monies from levee improvements to other `more important' projects. Again- nobody ever believed a `Katrina' could actually happen.

The saddest truth of the matter is this-

The lies generated by the news media in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina did more damage to the people of New Orleans and the surrounding Gulf coast parishes than the storm surge and winds combined. James Lee Burke's novel, "The Tin Roof Blowdown" is just another vehicle for those lies. I threw it in the trash.

By the way, it didn't start raining till Sunday afternoon, that would be August 28, 2005.

(4.5 stars) James Lee Burke, whose Dave Robicheaux series epitomizes some of the cultural characteristics of New Orleans and its outlying parishes, reaches his peak in this novel set in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Robicheaux is a detective with the New Iberia Parish, outside of New Orleans, and he and his acquaintances, many of them well known to fans of Burke's novels, have been dramatically impacted by Katrina--those that are still alive, that is.

Artfully combining real stories and details of the Hurricane Katrina disaster with fictional, but seemingly accurate, details of several plot lines evolving from the anarchy of Katrina's wake, Burke creates a chilling and compelling novel which crosses boundaries and throws together people from all levels of New Orleans society--well-to-do suburbanites whose wealth may not all be from legitimate sources, hardworking people who have secrets, "rednecks" who feel entitled to their sometimes ill-gotten gains, and those who live on the fringes of society and feel lucky to be able to know where their next meal is coming from.

In this novel, several predators steal a small boat from a parish priest trying to hack through the roof of a church to save his parishioners, who are in the attic trying to escape the rising floodwaters. The priest, suffering from cancer and addicted to pain-killing drugs, is a long-time friend of Robicheaux and his alcoholic friend Clete Purcell, but the priest has vanished after his boat has been stolen. The boat, however, has been used later in a home invasion and robbery which has resulted in the shooting deaths of two of the perpetrators. The house, which belonged to a member of organized crime, was robbed of a stash of "blood diamonds," some cocaine, and a large amount of counterfeit money. Several neighbors, who may have witnessed the shootings, have seen "nothing." One of them is the father of a girl who was raped earlier by some of the perpetrators. Eventually, the criminals threaten Alafair, Robicheaux's adopted daughter, and Molly, Robicheaux's wife.

As the mystery and the relationships among the various characters become more complex, the violence and the body count increase. Some of the characters, including one of the "perps," elicit significant sympathy, even as justice--and payback--play out satisfactorily. Burke, as always, creates vibrant, carefully rendered descriptions, often devastatingly bleak, of the environment in which his characters must operate. In the process, he makes the personal aspects of Katrina's aftermath come alive. Well organized and well integrated with the real Katrina disaster, this novel may be Burke's most memorable creation. n Mary Whipple

Swan Peak: A Dave Robicheaux Novel
In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead
A Morning for Flamingos
Heaven's Prisoners
Crusader's Cross: A Dave Robicheaux Novel (Dave Robicheaux Mysteries)

I think this will be my last story by Burke. Way too much detail to plow through. I found myself skimming pages to wade through some of it. I think the plot was weak. But I guess good old Dave pulled it together in the end after a few bodies piled up. I agree with the reviewer that commented on Dave's age. I too figured he had to be 64, but sounds like he still had an exciting sex life, in the shower even. Guess he maintains his strength and stamina with excersizing and jogging.

I did enjoy the many references of New Orleans and surrounding area as I visited there pre-Katrina and enjoyed seeing some the areas mentioned.

In this intriguing mystery, heavily steeped in the flavor of the bayou of Louisiana, Detective Dave Robicheaux delves into a mystery that has haunted him since the 1950's. When he is hired to investigate the recent string of murders of young women, he sees an opportunity to investigate the mystery of his teen years. The investigation proves to be a dangerous one, one that even threatens his life and that of his wife. Dodging prostitution and drug rings, as well as others who earn their living in the world of crime, Robicheaux fights to uncover secrets, as he fights to maintain his hard-earned sobriety.

All of this ugly depiction of human frailty occurs against the uniquely beautiful backdrop of the Louisiana countryside. As the author, through Robicheaux, savors the sunsets and wildlife on the bayou, the reader can almost see the huge trees enshrouded with Spanish moss swaying in the breeze. The admiration this author has for this part of our country becomes apparent in his gently lyrical prose.

This book is highly recommended, not only for the intriguing mysteries presented, but also for the sheer beauty of the author's loving words describing the beauty of its setting.

Book was a Wonderful Novel, But the condition of the Book was misrepresented by seller.

There are a lot of good mystery writers out there and there's even a decent number of great ones, but there's only a few that are the true elite. In times past, you could include Raymond Chandler, Ross MacDonald and James MacDonald among this group. Nowadays, you have writers like Michael Connelly, Elmore Leonard, Dennis Lehane and James Ellroy. James Lee Burke is also in this select group and Crusader's Cross is yet another reason why he merits such status.

Crusader's Cross is another in Burke's series of novels featuring Dave Robicheaux, who over the years has gone from New Orleans cop to private eye to small town deputy. Along the way, he's battled many inner demons, most notably alcoholism, and been married three times (the first would end in divorce, the second with a murder, and the third by natural causes). Now Robicheaux is in his sixties and as Crusader's Cross begins, he's retired.

A man from Dave's past, however, will bring back memories of a time over four decades ago, when Dave's half-brother Jimmie fell for prostitute Ida Durbin. When Jimmie tried to rescue her from her pimp, Ida disappeared and was assumed dead. Now, a dying acquaintance of Dave's has raised doubts, and Dave, ever the crusader, will soon take the badge back to look for her. There's also a more important reason for his being allowed back on the force: there is a serial killer on the loose, and the two cases will eventually become linked in an unexpected way.

As is often the case in a Robicheaux novel, the past has a huge influence on the present, not only with Ida Durbin, but also the wealthy Chalons family who have a few skeletons in their past. In particular, the Chalons son Val will go to war with Dave, inclined to use money to ruin his adversary. For Dave, things will get really bad for him in many ways, but fortunately he has two things in his corner: his longtime friend (and darker half) Clete Purcel and a pretty nun who will charm Dave. There is also the return of Jimmie Robicheaux after an absence of ten books or so to stir the pot.

A good mystery writer will keep you turning the pages. A great one will give you two contradictory feelings: you want to see how it all turns out, but you also want to enjoy the experience as long as possible. Burke does all this, and more: he is a truly great writer whose descriptive abilities bring his world to life and whose characters are both compelling and complex. Crusader's Cross, as much as his other novels, demonstrates just how good Burke can be.

... utterly confusing and mediocre plot.

Burke has lost it as have many of the "celebrity" authors. Commercialism stifles creativity. I have moved on to newer, lesser well known authors such as Pilate by Steven Rage, Caliphate by Tom Kratzman, War against Islam, The Ezekiel Code,....

Traditionalists and readers who don't care about plot will like Burke's book, but beware of same old, same old...

You've been warned.

I think this will be my last story by Burke. Way too much detail to plow through. I found myself skimming pages to wade through some of it. I think the plot was weak. But I guess good old Dave pulled it together in the end after a few bodies piled up. I agree with the reviewer that commented on Dave's age. I too figured he had to be 64, but sounds like he still had an exciting sex life, in the shower even. Guess he maintains his strength and stamina with excersizing and jogging.

I did enjoy the many references of New Orleans and surrounding area as I visited there pre-Katrina and enjoyed seeing some the areas mentioned.

In this intriguing mystery, heavily steeped in the flavor of the bayou of Louisiana, Detective Dave Robicheaux delves into a mystery that has haunted him since the 1950's. When he is hired to investigate the recent string of murders of young women, he sees an opportunity to investigate the mystery of his teen years. The investigation proves to be a dangerous one, one that even threatens his life and that of his wife. Dodging prostitution and drug rings, as well as others who earn their living in the world of crime, Robicheaux fights to uncover secrets, as he fights to maintain his hard-earned sobriety.

All of this ugly depiction of human frailty occurs against the uniquely beautiful backdrop of the Louisiana countryside. As the author, through Robicheaux, savors the sunsets and wildlife on the bayou, the reader can almost see the huge trees enshrouded with Spanish moss swaying in the breeze. The admiration this author has for this part of our country becomes apparent in his gently lyrical prose.

This book is highly recommended, not only for the intriguing mysteries presented, but also for the sheer beauty of the author's loving words describing the beauty of its setting.

Book was a Wonderful Novel, But the condition of the Book was misrepresented by seller.

There are a lot of good mystery writers out there and there's even a decent number of great ones, but there's only a few that are the true elite. In times past, you could include Raymond Chandler, Ross MacDonald and James MacDonald among this group. Nowadays, you have writers like Michael Connelly, Elmore Leonard, Dennis Lehane and James Ellroy. James Lee Burke is also in this select group and Crusader's Cross is yet another reason why he merits such status.

Crusader's Cross is another in Burke's series of novels featuring Dave Robicheaux, who over the years has gone from New Orleans cop to private eye to small town deputy. Along the way, he's battled many inner demons, most notably alcoholism, and been married three times (the first would end in divorce, the second with a murder, and the third by natural causes). Now Robicheaux is in his sixties and as Crusader's Cross begins, he's retired.

A man from Dave's past, however, will bring back memories of a time over four decades ago, when Dave's half-brother Jimmie fell for prostitute Ida Durbin. When Jimmie tried to rescue her from her pimp, Ida disappeared and was assumed dead. Now, a dying acquaintance of Dave's has raised doubts, and Dave, ever the crusader, will soon take the badge back to look for her. There's also a more important reason for his being allowed back on the force: there is a serial killer on the loose, and the two cases will eventually become linked in an unexpected way.

As is often the case in a Robicheaux novel, the past has a huge influence on the present, not only with Ida Durbin, but also the wealthy Chalons family who have a few skeletons in their past. In particular, the Chalons son Val will go to war with Dave, inclined to use money to ruin his adversary. For Dave, things will get really bad for him in many ways, but fortunately he has two things in his corner: his longtime friend (and darker half) Clete Purcel and a pretty nun who will charm Dave. There is also the return of Jimmie Robicheaux after an absence of ten books or so to stir the pot.

A good mystery writer will keep you turning the pages. A great one will give you two contradictory feelings: you want to see how it all turns out, but you also want to enjoy the experience as long as possible. Burke does all this, and more: he is a truly great writer whose descriptive abilities bring his world to life and whose characters are both compelling and complex. Crusader's Cross, as much as his other novels, demonstrates just how good Burke can be.

... utterly confusing and mediocre plot.

Burke has lost it as have many of the "celebrity" authors. Commercialism stifles creativity. I have moved on to newer, lesser well known authors such as Pilate by Steven Rage, Caliphate by Tom Kratzman, War against Islam, The Ezekiel Code,....

Traditionalists and readers who don't care about plot will like Burke's book, but beware of same old, same old...

You've been warned.

The narrative's sanctimonious pomposity, the plot's absurdly thin veneer, the author's inability to get even simple facts (he thinks Lujan is not a Hispanic/Latino surname) correct is just the start. The main problem with this 100 i.q. book is there are no human characters in it. Just out of stubbornness i finished all 500 pages and all he could deliver were flat caricatures at best. I got the book from the library, and still felt ripped off. Yech.Pegasus Descending: A Dave Robicheaux Novel (Dave Robicheaux)Pegasus Descending : A Dave Robicheaux NovelPegasus DescendingPegasus DescendingThe Tin Roof Blowdown: A Dave Robicheaux Novel

I have been a fan of Burke for a very long time, however I have cooled to his last few novels. They have become repetitive, and more importantly he has endeavored to interject politics into the fabric of his work. This has disappointed me in a huge way.

Mr. Burke's use of language, the descriptions of his characters and settings are remarkable. And, most importantly, a joy to read.

Twenty-five years ago, deep in his cups with a keg's worth of beer and accompanying chasers under his belt, an alcoholic Dave Robicheaux witnessed the gangland execution of his friend, Dallas Klein. Swearing off the sauce and finding a good woman who accepts and loves him for what he is, Robicheaux has spent the remainder of his life in recovery attempting to live down that unforgivable inability to stand and help his friend so long ago. What most rankles Robicheaux is that he is certain of the assassin's identity - Whitey Bruxal, a mobster with a lengthy well-documented gangland jacket - but, with no proof, he is unable to act on the knowledge!

Now, out of nowhere, Dallas Klein's daughter, Trish Klein appears in town. In a set-up remarkably similar to Baldacci's Camel Club story of Annabelle Conroy's vendetta against mobster Jerry Bagger (both were published in 2006 so it's hard to say who beat whom to that plot-line punch), it looks like she's gunning for revenge against her father's murderer. Of course, as with any police procedural or psychological thriller worth its salt, James Lee Burke has expertly upped the ante with multiple plot lines that weave in and out of one another throughout the novel - a young girl's suicide after a drunken fraternity debauch and a brutal gang rape; the hit-and-run death of an aging drifter that, on the evidence of the post-mortem, has much more sinister overtones; and the complex life of the local black dope dealer.

Although this is the apparently the 14th novel in which Burke has placed Robicheaux on center stage, this is the first time I've had the pleasure of sampling Burke's craftsmanship. And what an experience that was - his depiction of both the psychological mindscape and the physical landscape of a storm torn, poverty stricken Louisiana is outstanding. Any page opened at random will reveal Burke's masterful command of the language and his ability to create the most jarring and colourful metaphors and similes:

"The recycled air was like cigarette smoke that had been trapped for days in a refrigerator full of spoiled cheese."

On dealing with his own inner demons, for example:

"But the succubus I had tried to exorcise by marrying a woman of peace still held title to my soul. I saw the room distort and the faces of the people around me turn into Grecian masks, and I heard a sound in my ears like the steel tracks of armored vehicles wending their way across an unforgiving land."

The dialogue was creative, realistic, down to earth with a full, rich vocabulary of appropriate street lingo. The depth of characterization was wonderful (even though I was stepping into Robicheaux's world 13 novels after he was first created). The only "but" for me was the tortuous, almost Byzantine complexity of the plot. Don't let your attention drift or you may not find your way back.

I'll be hunting the second hand book stores for the Robicheaux canon starting from the beginning tomorrow.

Highly recommended.

Paul Weiss

James Burke can write beautifully, but his story telling abilities have deteriorated in this series and the books all run together in both theme and violent action. 1. Really bad people blow into town where they encounter
Dave and Clete who simply must find a way to kill them lest they injure more innocent people. 2. Dave manages to act like a gentleman concerned about proprieties and southern manners while giving reign to violent tendencies that typically cause people to be put in prison. 3. Clete, his soul mate is less concerned about being a gentleman, but matches Dave's violent behavior in all ways except that he is generally in an alcoholic fog, whereas Dave is now an ex-alcoholic. 4. Most of the bad guys get killed rather than arrested.

I heard James Lee Burke talk once and say his inspiration is often the old testament. His writing in this series is about the reality of evil and the idea that it must be opposed and contained at any cost by civilized vigilantes willing to step outside the norms of human behavior.

It had been years since I had read one of these books. I had gotten bored. I won't read another unless one day I get a yen for this kind of comic book writing. More than bored I now feel repelled.

Purple Cane Road is a beautifully written, complex thriller; its pages teeming with Louisiana atmosphere.

What I like most about these novels is the moral ambiguity of the characters. Dave is essentially a good man (although that's probably debateable) who, despite his self-righteousness, rarely takes the moral high road. He contemplates murdering a man in cold blood, considers hiring a hit-man, assaults anyone who gets on his nerves, and isn't above re-staging a crime scene if necessary. He's a dark, brooding, violent man, tormented by his tour in Vietnam and a recovering alcoholic. He makes Harry Bosch look like a well-adjusted boy scout.

Strangely, these are traits I like in a leading man. I like that Burke blurs the lines between right and wrong.

Burke's other great strength is dialogue. No one else, except perhaps the great Elmore Leonard, has a better ear for dialogue, in particular the language of the street. (Not that I, as a child of the Canadian suburbs, have much first-hand knowledge of how criminals talk).

Purple Cane Road features a complex multi-layered plot that involves Dave trying to track down the people responsible for his mother's 30 year-old murder, uncover the truth behind the murder of a pedophile before the alleged killer is executed, and catch a very polite but psychotic hit man. To complicate matters, Dave's wife has a history with the dirty cop Dave's trying to bring down, his daughter has a crush on a charming young hit-man, and his best friend Clete continues to be a loose cannon in danger of losing his license, going to jail or worse. I found the strange relationship that develops between Dave and the hired killer especially intriguing.

While I enjoyed the novel, I do feel compelled to point out that there are some significant plot holes and extraordinary contrivances in this novel. Dave doesn't actually do much (if any) detecting in this novel. Characters in the novel have the information Dave is looking for, but essentially wait until the author decides it is time for them to share the info with Dave, when the plot demands it. Dave, in a matter of minutes, uncovers evidence at an eight-year old crime scene, that somehow crime scene investigators missed the first time around. And in a pimp's dying recorded statement it's never clear how the pimp knew that his killer was linked to Dave's mother's murder. The plot just requires him to know.

Despite some of the shortcomings in the plot, this is a very good novel, arguably one of the best in the series. The ending of the novel, in particular, is very strong, full of that moral ambiguity that I like.

This is my first book by Burke and I immediately realized that I was in the middle of a series. Try the 11th book in a series. Goodness. The problem is, I believe that no matter where a writer is in a series, each book should stand alone...and Purple Cane Road doesn't quite pull it off. Not that the plot hinders you, but the author takes for granted that the reader is already connected to Dave Robchieaux-and I certainly was not. By the end of the book, I still wasn't. Books like this one make me long for the days of Dennis Lehane and his little P.I. group. While there are some cute turns of phrases, I wasn't overwhelmed by the writing. Especially from a man who won a couple of Edgars. Plotting wise, nothing felt like it was running a cohesive manner. When we were dealing with Dave's mother, I'd forget about the Lebiche twins. When we were dealing with the twins, I'd forget about Remeta. And wasn't the whole Remeta thing anticlimactic? And I still didn't understand his relationship to Little Face or why he even tried to hook up with Alafair. The pages turned easily, but by the end I was far from satisfied.

I have been listening to this book for a few days on my way to work. The writing is just as others have said; almost poetic. Beautifully visual. The reading by Bill Patton is amazing. I want to send a fan letter for the first time in my life! If you travel a lot, this is the book to listen to. I would love to read the un-abridged book.

Purple Cane Road was a very satisfying book . Everyday I looked forward to reading it. Detective Robicheaux is a very complex person. The story centers around the murder of a pediphile that occured several years earlier. The execution of the covicted killer will take place in a few weeks. Robicheaux investigates the crime again. There's alot of slimey characters and a hired killer who drawn to Robicheaux. It is not a fast moving story because James Lee Burke developes the characters. It is very atmospheric. I was sorry when it ended.

I thoroughly enjoy the characters created by James lee Burke in the novel 'Purple Cane Road." These are people I'd like to know or avoid. I like stories of revenge and retribution, and this one is a winner.

I especially like the main character 'Dave Robicheaux." Without a doubt he's the most compelling character today in this genre of novels. I would recommend this novel to anyone who wants a good quick read. I don't think anyone will be disappointed.

this book was a great bargain considering it just came out for a much higher price in the chain stores. it arrived on time and in excellent condition.

The other reviewers have well detailed the plot in this umpteenth Dave Robicheaux mystery thriller. The "Bobbsey Twins" -- Iberia Parish Sheriff's Detective Dave Robicheaux and his sidekick New Orleans P.I. Clete Purcel are at it again. The commercial series that brought author James Lee Burke wide acclaim and commercial success, after a string of several very more "literary" works which failed to hit the charts, continues, if not con brio. And we continue to love to read Dave Robicheaux books, because we're hooked on Burke's inimitable page-burning style. And we're eagerly waiting the release of the movie version of one of Burke's finest Robicheauxs, "In the Electric Mist With Confederate Dead" starring Tommy Lee Jones. But lately, as good as they still are, Dave and Clete's antics all seem to blur into one basic story. Burke does do a good job with continuity in his saga, and the locale of his second home in Montana (he also has one in New Iberia) ties one of the characters in "Swan Peak", a retired college professor, to a short story in Burke's recent collection "Jesus Out to Sea", which compares with his earlier and excellent "The Convict" collection. Also, there is a nice tie-in with Burke's third Robicheaux, "A Morning for Flamingos", which used the Montana locale for Clete's retribution against New Orleans gangster Sally Dio, involving the crash of an airplane which had sand poured into its gas tanks. As is not unusual for Burke, there are careless little factual errors here that go beyond artistic license -- in "Swan Peak" he states that former New Orleans mafia don Carlos Marcello was deported to Mexico -- when in fact it was to his native Guatemala. This is forgiveable, just as his post-Hurricane Katrina op-ed for the Los Angeles Times stated that Jack Kerouac for a time lived in "Bridge City" rather than the actual locale of Algiers across the river from New Orleans, some 40 miles away. Despite my tempered enthusiasm of the coninuation of this series, I still wouldn't miss the next Robicheaux, if there is one, for the world. This was by no means a bad book, just not a great one, which can be said of the last half-dozen books in the series. Other readers may be feeling the same way. Maybe it's just due to an imminent paperback release, but yesterday I saw a stack of about 50 or so copies of "Swan Peak" remaindered at $4.98. Perhaps it's not yet time for Dave and Clete to hang up their rock and roll shoes. What I'd really like to see from Burke is the release of his pre-Robicheaux New Orleans gangster novel, written in the wake of Puzo's "Godfather", the still unpublished "Underneath These Hills", which is a source for the later Robicheaux books. Carry on, Mr. Burke -- you're still kicking, and we're still reading. Three and a half stars.

You might think that, like some writers, by the time they get to their 17th novel based on the same characters, that the quality would diminish. However, this is Burke and Robicheaux and Clete as good as ever, if not better. I really enjoyed this book! The Montana location was a nice change of pace also.

Swan Peak finds James Lee Burke playing many of the same notes that he's played before but it's done so well it's hard to mind.

The big change in this book is the setting as we leave the big easy and move to Montana where both Dave and Clete have some history going back to the book "Black Cherry Blues".

Robicheaux and company are just trying to do some fishing but the plot lands on them quickly as both Dave and Clete get mixed up with some no good rich folks and the lackeys that work for them.

The villians are familiar to anyone whose read Burke but one character, a Texas prison guard, takes a path that has more shades of gray than I expected at first.

James Lee Burke is a master at crime fiction and some of his writing is so lyrical and beautiful that I'd make the argument that it expands genere fiction into the land of literature.

If your a fan your going to buy this book and you'll be well rewarded.

I cannot say loudly enough how much I enjoy reading James Lee Burke. Every new novel seems to be better than his last, and Swan Peak is no exception. (And I'm not saying this just because I'm from Louisiana.) In this book, I particularly loved:

- his pacing
- his character development
- his use of similes
- his dialogue
- his interweaving storylines

If you've never read Burke, do yourself a favor and give him a try (especially if you're from the South).

I purchased this tarot for a friend who was interetsed in getting started in reading. I had the Hanson-Roberts and she liked the quality of the illustrations, and the Mythic Tarot seemed to have beautiful cards as well. Conversely to the Hanson-Roberts, the Mythic Tarot cards are all interconnected; there are recurring figures within a suit and recognizable characters from Greek mythology, most in keeping with the conventional interpretations of the cards, although a few deviate from anything I have learned.

All in all, it is a gorgeous deck that was very carefully constructed and which I think lends itself to deep meditation and further study. And the way the cards relate to each other could certainly be helpful for those learning by enabling them to make connections within the suits.

I purchased the plain hardcover set in 1986 and I've used it regularly ever since. For the novice it's a super set. The only bad part is the cloth that came with the set. It is very cheesy - It is pure polyester! However, the book is solid and has held up very well through many parties and good times. So have the cards, which are beautifully illustrated and quite mysterious looking. The information is easy to find and interpret in general terms so they can apply to whomever you are doing a reading. All in all it's a fun little set for giggles at parties. I've used it many times through the years as part of my Halloween costumes. It's a great purchase.

this was my first real journey tarot deck cards. I fell in love with them i learned allot from this deck. the quality is great with them the pics are nice and the book has allot of mythic info you come to expect from liz green. I now own several of her books on astrology and mythalogy also. she is wonder source of infomation. yes no christain themes here all old stories and histories truely a pagan deck. i highly recomend it and she has a color workbook that come with it if you want to meditate and learn from that perceptive also. There wonderful I love them own two decks and the workbook use them all the time. no the story of the greeks and romans by heart now. wonderful deck.

Read all the mixed reviews good and bad;however I have the second more sturdy edition(2001). I recommend this kit for the Apprentice,Journeyman, and Professional but not for the Beginner or Initiate reader. The cards are 3"x5" which may not be easy for some to shuffle. This kit is the Greek Myths-Gods,Goddesses,and all of the Olympic Players as well as serving as the Major Arcana. Suit of cups is Eros and Psyche;Suit of Wands is Jason and the Golden Fleece;Suit of Swords is Orestes and the curse of The House of Atreus full of conflict and bloodshed;Suit of Pentacles is Daedalus built the labyrinth for King Minos of Crete. The Major Arcana deals with the most powerful Greek Deities which have such "human personas and behaviorial qualities" to dominate the readings appreciatively. For the Beginner/Initiate/Apprentice/Journeyman and Professional readers I recommend this bibliographical reference: Robert Graves,The Greek Myths: 1 (ISBN 0140010262). In my Mount Olympus Spread the reading progresses well from the foothills to apex peak of Zeus to produce accuracy even for the New Age. Blessings...

This was the first tarot deck I worked with, over 18 years ago. As a student of Greek myth I found them easy to learn - every card in the major arcana relates to a figure from Greek myth, and each of the four suits follows a myth from beginning to end. Even if you are not initially familiar with the myths, learning the cards in this "story" format will likely help you remember their individual significance. The accompanying book is well-written and engaging, and serves as both a guide to this deck specifically as well as a general tarot tutorial.

I only rate this deck/book set "3 stars" because they are so poorly produced, as many other reviewers point out. My first Mythic Tarot deck was made from much thicker stock; obviously the publisher has cut corners with this new edition.

This is the eleventh novel in the Burke series--which are always written in the first person--but this is the only one in which the antagonist gets center stage. It is truly frighting when he steps into the mind of this individual, and what is even more haunting to know is that such sub-human creatures walk among us everyday. From its first pages you know this one is going to be different, and the Burke series is now starting to move in a direction that takes him out of his comfort zone.

Scary, entertaining, and always truthful. Andrew Vachss says so much with such an economy of words.

Dead and Gone is the next chapter in the Burke series, and it's one hell of a follow-up.

As a stand alone novel, it is perhaps too heavy with references to previous novels but the disturbing nature of the story is strong enough to prevent those moments from becoming too distracting. The story is actual a mystery, as Burke (the protagonist) attempts to find the killer of his girlfriend Crystal Beth and discovers that her death is actually a great deal more horrific given who the murderer may be. The plot is not only an exploration of what kind of adult a State run (specifically New York) childcare department can produce but also the seamy criminal culture of pedophiles and serial killers. Be forewarned this book is not a comfortable read. Mr. Vacchs skill is enough that a great deal of the book is read with a fair amount of dread as one damaged character appears after another, with the character Burke being the axle of which this wonder-wheel of strange and unusual individuals revolve. So what's to like about this book? It's a crime genre novel and if you enjoy that kind of book it is well done and swimming with enough criminals and insinuated violence to make your skin crawl. The dialogue reads the way people speak so there is a flow that makes you the 3rd person in the scene, but there can be a bit of a struggle as characters interrupt each other's dialogue to express their own thoughts. In regard to the cast of characters, it's hard not to appreciate the loyalty Burke and his adopted street family share, but it's an uncomfortable appreciation given the nature of many of the relationships between the characters, most of them being practicing criminals. There is enough hints in Burke's thoughts that you know he has been made by his violent childhood circumstance and as an adult he's decided that this is the life he will lead, doing crimes and occasionally killing criminals that fall into the categories he finds abhorrent. Burke seems to be two people, either he is just a criminal with a vengeance streak or he's a victim turned criminal to get close to his source of vengeance. In either case Burke can be a depressing and vengeful character in this novel, as the reader begins to realize it doesn't really matter if he is either of those two people, (vengeful criminal or victim turning to crime for vengeance. One can't help suspecting that no matter what good comes from his actions Burke doesn't have a chance in hell of ever being happy or particularly stable. What this novel did succeed in doing is galvanize me to buy past Burke novels to fill in some of the character gaps. All in all, this book kept me turning the page and wondering what Burke's next novel will be about.

.. "Choice of Evil," though full of the urban misery and blues we've come to expect, doesn't pack the same punch. Granted, it would be hard to top "Sacrifice."

Burke's women either leave or die. So, Crystal Beth dies in what seems to be a drive-by at a gay pride rally. We get Burke the Sleuth, but not the Avenging Angel. The online search for the killer teases us with the possibility of Wesley's return..

What I miss in recent Vachss is the destruction of children as a plot element; lately it's left in the background as a short-hand device for character development. True to form, there's the Next Twisted Woman - a dominatrix named Nadine. their dialogue is a departure from the usual Burke-woman banter; Burke seems downright crotchety. His impatience with female posturing is at an all-time high. Nice to see Strega again, though. She still scares Burke 'cause she's a reminder that despite his resignation, he still desires...

As Vachss moves an aging Burke further away from ground-zero vengeance, he moves into Thomas Harris-style psychological intrigue. Give me the hellish terrain of "Sacrifice" and "Hard Candy." Reempower him as the bloody-handed avenger of the Children of The Secret.

A rally in Central Park to protest against gay bashing encounters a murderous drive-by resulting in five people down and two dead. One of the dead is Crystal Beth, Burke's girlfriend. Claiming responsibility is someone calling themselves "Homo Erectus". Burke is unsurprised when the cops pull him in for questioning because he is homeless, homicidal, a man gun and unable to find the shooters who killed his last chance at love. Choice Of Evil is a novel of the twisted workings of human hearts, the dark side of the human experience, and the bleak life offered marginal men and women caught up in webs of fear, bigotry, violence, and evil.

Man oh man, Mr. Vachss!!! You just refuse to allow your protagonist, ultra anti-hero Burke, more than one novel's worth of happiness in a romantic relationship. You keep killing-off his women! At least allow them to live and love together for 2 books' worth! Imagine my chagrin to find, before page 20 in "Choice of Evil," that you had deep-sixed Burke's latest, Crystal Beth (I keep thinking crystal meth...what were you thinking???). She appeared in your previous bestseller "Safe House," a lovely lady, half Inuit, half Irish, a kind and gentle activist for abused women, determined to stand by her man...and love him no matter what. Tell me, how am I supposed to believe that in what seems to be a drive-by hate shooting at a gay pride demonstration, with 3 dead, that Crystal Beth coincidentally happens to be one of the victims??? You lost credibility with me on that one. I mean, out of hundreds, Crystal Beth manages to get hit? Otherwise, "Choice of Evil" is a terrific book, as always! For readers of this review...I really didn't spoil anything because, as I previously stated, this horrific event occurs by page 20. And... there is much more non-related action which take place before that. Are you curious? I won't tell. There's a Job-like character in the comic strip Lil Abner, "Joe Btfsplk," who walks around with a cloud over his head and jinxes everyone he comes into contact with. More and more I am reminded of Joe when I read about Burke and his romantic counterparts.

In this, Andrew Vachss' 11th Burke novel, our dark hero, who seems to grow more morose with each episode (and can you blame him?), calls vengeance the name of the game. Burke wants to "get" Crystal's killer(s). So does someone else. Enter a shadowy psychopath with Homo Erectus as his/her moniker. He...or she appears determined to wipe all gay bashers and pedophiles from the face of the earth. At first police believe Burke is the "doer." After all, his major hatred is reserved for pedophiles. And gay bashers killed his girlfriend. Gradually, the killer's MO, his signature, is that of Wesley, the ice-man who wouldn't know an emotion if it slammed him in the face. Wesley, a brilliant assassin who never missed, used to be Burke's homeboy. The two met in prison and found they are both past "Children of the Secret." But Wesley is dead. Or is he? As the body count climbs, and it climbs high, Burke is hired to track the serial killer, and of all things, to help him escape.

While not as brilliant as Mr. Vachss earlier novels, "Flood" & "Strega," "Choice of Evil" is well plotted and provides an excellent read. The usual suspects appear here: Max the Silent, a mute Mongolian version of Conan the Barbarian with creative ways of communicating; Pansy, Burke's Neapolitan mastiff, just like the kind that came over the Alps with Hannibal; the Mole, a pasty-faced genius who lives in a bunker beneath a high-tech junkyard; Michelle, a gorgeous former transvestite who recently "took the plunge;" Terry, Mole and Michelle's adopted son; the Prophet, a wise old scam artist who has logged-in too much time behind walls and was Burke's original mentor; Mama Wong, group doyenne and Chinese restaurateur, "keeps her prices high and the ambiance foul to discourage yuppies." She cares for the gang and holds Burke's stash; I should add that our hero drives a souped-up Plymouth, another important character. It usually looks like it's been painted with rust. Strega, a persona from the past, makes a guest appearance here, and former DA Wolfe, for whom Burke has a major jones, returns to tease fans into believing that maybe there's a chance for the two of them to make-it in a relationship...that is if Mr. Vachss doesn't kill Ms. Wolfe off in the next installment.

Another winner for the author, who is a lawyer and major advocate for abused children.
JANA

Written at a sub-adult level, this Get-Rich-Kwik book is a very light read. If you've ever wondered what those direct marketers are on about, have a look at this featherweight tome. The style is very persuasive, as long as you don't look too closely at the facts presented (or absence thereof). Figures for internet up-take and growth are bandied about, with little reference to sources or comparative figures. For example, "People will spend $115 billion over the internet in the US by 2006" (paraphrased). Oh really? Says who? What percentage of total retail sales will that be? What goods or services will be bought and sold in this way. A few references to Bill gates and Henry Ford are supposed to convince us that we can all become millionaires. (He conveniently ignores the fact that Ford's starting capital of $28,000 is worth considerably more in today's terms.) It's light, forgetable, and it reassures me that the direct marketeers (like creationists) are "mostly harmless". Just don't buy anything from them...

This book is a great opportunity to understand the power of the internet and the potential for everyone to make a mark. It is an easy and short read that is packed full of facts that can change life. Application of these principles has changed my life. If you are looking for an answer on where to start; read this book and email me...I will prove how Burke Hedges has put forward the perfect blend of business principles with the evolution of the internet!

An excelent book which enables the reader with information on what to look for in a business. Particularly an E BUSINESS!

Most people are looking for the perfect business to retire from, but don't know what it is they are really looking for or how to get it. This book not only tells you what to look for, but even lists company names.

If you can think outside the "employee box" then this book is for you!

READER FROM THE USA SHOULD GET HIS/HER FACTS RIGHT. FIRSTLY YOU CAN ACTUALLY BUY SHARES IN AMWAY. SECONDLY IF HE/SHE HAD GOT HALFWAY THROUGH THE BOOK AND THEN ON DISCOVERING THE WORD AMWAY NO LONGER LIKED THE BOOK THEN HE/SHE MUST HAVE A MAJOR PROBLEM. THIRDLY, LET ME GIVE THE READER A FEW MORE FACTS. AMWAY HAS MADE THE HIGHEST AMOUNT OF MILLIONARES-SELF MADE MILLIONARES THAT IS. MICROSOFT IS THE NEXT ONE BUT ONLY THROUGH SHARES. AMWAY ALSO HAS AN A1 CREDIT RATING. QUIXTAR IN IT'S FIRST YEAR PAID OUT ALMOST AS MUCH MONEY TO IT'S IBOS AS AMAZON.COM MADE IN IT'S FIRST YEAR. LASTELY I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT IF READER HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE SUCCESS AMWAY HAS BROUGHT TO MANY PEOPLE THEN HE/SHE SHOULD JUST CARRY ON WITH HOME TO WORK UNTIL THEY ARE 65 AND LEAVE THOSE OF US WHO WISH TO HAVE THE CHOICE OF FINANCIAL INDEPENDANCE ALONE.

So many skeptics, so many nay sayers. Those who have their heads in the sand, will probably end up with rocks in their heads. Isn't it time to quit trying to stop the ineveitable and lock onto THE next revolution ?? All of the great business ideas were all laughed at by those who had little vision. It isn't whether this will work, it already is, in a big, big way. Too bad those who ignore it, are the same ones who will complain about not having a 'fair' chance at a great lifestyle. Write on Burke!!!