Burton Books

The book was much better. The abridgement was too much and took too much away from the story so that you never got a sense of the characters. It was like they set out to make it a specific length and hacked away until they could just give you a plot synopsis. I gave the book ****.

The characters are so wooden and there is so much innuendo as to whose relationship is with or to whom. My first Scarpetta novel was "TRACE" so I wanted to go back and read and earlier one. A fan recommended this one. But I still found the characters not particularly likeable. I can't stand Lucy.
The plot was excellent and the forensic evidence pieces flawless. But there are so many holes and unconnected dots. And the whole plot changes from being about a killer, and who is killing these people and why to Scarpetta getting out of the accusations. I found the ending somewhat disappointing, not enough clear focus on Waddell and what exactly was going on there. All the focus was on the case against Scarpetta.

I didn't find anything wrong with it at all. It was in great shape.

Cornwell takes hold of your mind and does to let go until Scarpetta finds her solution. There is a horrible crime scene but it does produce some fingerprints. This is an easy case for Scarpetta until there is a match. It was a match to murderer that was executed before this murder. Read the book it is a good one. By Ruth Thompson author of "The Bluegrass Dream" and "Natchez Above The River"

Sins of the Fathers: A Brewster County NovelQualifying Laps: A Brewster County NovelWriting as a Small BusinessTravelersTravelersNatchez Above The River: A Family's Survival In The Civil WarThe Bluegrass Dream: A Wilderness Adventure of Early Settlers

One of Cornwell's better books & I have read them all. This is the 4th book in the Scarpetta series (it's better to read them in order). This is the first book to feature Temple Gault so should read this before you read Body Farm & From Potter's Field.

This book is a fast paced & should keep you flipping pages.

The ending was a bit of a disappointment - loose ends not resolved. However, I did like this book & it was nice that there is no love interest.

This was my first Lisa Scottoline book and I loved it! It was such a pleasant surprise. From the first page, I was hooked. The book begins with a lawyer trying to frame himself for murder. Imagine that! It makes you keep reading to find out what happens! Kuddos! This was great.

An outstanding novel by a superb writer....exciting, suspenseful, excellent
characters involved that holds you to the story....

First I love Scottoline's novels because I grew up in Jersey and worked in Philly for years. It is a real kick to read the novels and relate to the Philly and New Jersey that Scottoline writes so spot on about. The Italian family lifestyle is so very typical of the area as are the depictions of the police, the lawyers and the sights and sounds of Philly that Scottoline depicts brilliantly. But the very best is this story and all the legal thrillers that the author writes - I just love them all - they keep you guessing until the very end! Like being on a roller coaster - you never know what is around the next turn. Enjoyed this novel so much - do not miss reading it.

Jack Newlin is a successful lawyer whose home life is less than ideal. His wife Honor is obsessed with making their daughter Paige into a model and she stops at nothing to realize her dreams through her child. Paige rebels and moves into her own apartment at age 16. When Jack comes home and finds Honor dead, he feels that Paige is the murderer, so he turns himself in to the police and confesses to the killing in order to protect his daughter. He hires Mary DiNunzio to defend him because he knows that she is a novice where murder cases are concerned. What he doesn't count on is Mary's investigative skill and dogged perserverance, along with a more personal reason for her wanting Jack to be exonerated. This is one of Scottoline's usual fast-paced, female attorney tales. It lacks some suspense as some of the early pieces to the puzzle become evident fairly early in the book, but Scottoline manages to keep a few secrets until the end to keep her readers turning the pages.

Overall I enjoyed listening to this book. However, I felt as though it had a little too many twists and turns. I agree with another review that it sort of tanked at the end. But, I would still recommend it.

The book takes place in Philadelphia. Since I am originally from this city and I currently work down there is was pleasant to hear all of the references to Philly's land marks.

Also, there were a lot of Catholic references through out the book. Considering that is how I was raised, I could relate very much to the main character.

Finally one of reviews on this site mention a lot of foul language. Give me a break. That is how people talk. Especially when they are going through what all of the characters of this book are dealing with. It made the dialog more genuine. Get over it.

When John Ross dreams of a crucified man telling him the location of a rare gypsy morph, and that the loss of that magic led to the downfall of the human race - then glimpses his own face upon that crucified man - he determines to find the gypsy morph and solve the secrets of its magic no matter what. Finding it will be the first task - although he knows it will be in a cave on the Oregon coast and what town it will be near, that doesn't necessarily narrow it down. Then capturing it will be a problem. Then the hardest part will be maintaining his hold on it without it being captured by demons, who will be attracted to it like bees to honey.

He finds the cave with the help of a resident of the area who knew all the caves around. He captures the morph with a net provided by the Lady. And he keeps one step ahead of the demons by remaining constantly on the run. Discovering what the secret of the gypsy morph is, and what it wants to become, however, seems to be impossible - until it finally assumes the form of a little boy and utters the word "Nest" and nothing more.

Nest is warned of their impending arrival by a demon named Findo Gask, who shows up on her doorstep and warns her to not help John Ross or take in the gypsy morph, or she will have only herself to blame for the results. Nest is unaware of this, but Findo did not come to town alone - he brought along three more demons because he has been thwarted repeatedly in his attempts to capture John Ross and the gypsy morph over the past weeks.

To complicate matters more, Bennett Harper - whom Nest had once saved from the feeders on the cliffs overlooking the river - turns up on her doorsteps with her daughter. Bennett is an addict and is looking for help and a place to stay. Of course Nest takes her in - but the demons see Bennett as a way to get to Nest.

By the time John Ross arrives with the gypsy morph in the form of a little boy, Nest has a full house.

What happens over the course of the next few days is alternately terrifying, horrifying, heart-rending and heart-warming. It shows the depths to which people can sink, as well as the heights to which they can ascend, all the while doing their best to pull others up with them. This made a satisfying end-cap to the trilogy, while leaving enough of an open end for additional books set in this world if the mood should strike Mr. Brooks (and we all know how he is!).

I can definitely recommend this trilogy to anyone who enjoys classic themes of good vs. evil, especially those with particularly thought-provoking ideas involved. These were very good books - read them!

I am a huge Terry Brooks fan. This book does not disappoint. I have introduced my grandson to Terry Brooks, and he enjoyed this book as much as I did.

A group of demons stake out Nest's hometown waiting for John Ross to seek her out. The conclusion of 'The Word and the Void' series.

I have to admit, I enjoyed the first book in this series "Running with the Demon" the most, this third installment brings the series to a satisfactory close. The second book, "A Knight of the Word", seemed more of an interlude, but "Angel Fire East" brings the story back to its origins: the small town of Sinnissippi. Something about demons running around a small town (as opposed to a large city like Seattle, the setting in "A Knight of the Word") seems to be more frightening. Enjoyed it, but I felt the main characters made some foolish choices obviously meant to increase the suspense. Overall, however, glad I finished it.

I haven't had time to start this trilogy yet but the other Terry Brooks books I have read were very good. I,m trying to read all his books.

Angel Fire East isn't an appropriate name for this book. It should have been named something else because there's one small reference to the title which has nothing to do with the story. Whatever. However, it is a great book. Here we get a glimpse into the life of John Ross once more and Nest Freemark as well. They join forces to save the Gypsy Morph from the Void and it's demons. It's riveting through it all. I've read it once before and still couldn't put it down. I can't wait for the next book coming out in August. Highly, highly recommend this book as well as the rest of the series!!

This is an exciting book, typical of Robert Parker. The copy I received was new and it arrived in a timely manner.

Turns out I had already read this book. I read it cover to cover anyway.
As my former boss (Ted Ahlgren) always told me, "Cremin, you really only need three books." That is, if you have a memory like Ted and me.

I have long been a huge Spenser fan. I always thought that Jesse Stone and Sunny Randall were far lesser lights in Parker's galaxy. In Blue Screen they team up, professionally and personally. The combination is far better than any of their solo excursions.

Both characters are extremely likeable and working through their relationships with exes (which prompts the brief appearances of Dr. Susan Silverman) when the P.I. and the Chief of Police meet over a corpse.

The corpse is that of the sister to a talentless, yet athletic, actress who Sunny was hired to protect. She then hires Sunny to find the killer of her sister. The actress is also planning to be the first female major league baseball player, playing on the team owned by a very deliciously smarmy producer. The batting practice scenes are near hilarious.

The sisters have a past, of course, and that leads Sunny and Jesse to the west coast and back to solve the crime. Along they way they stagger into their new relationship. The plot wends and weaves and the actress is often a suspect. The ending caps a good mystery.

Like all of Parker's best, the plot is a good one with interesting characters all along the way. Also, Parker's trademark of humor and warmth between his main characters is sprinkled liberally throughout.

This is highly recommended for a good fun light read, especially for those who thought these two characters often fell short of Spenser and Hawk. It is hoped that the next iterations of these two will keep them together.

A note on the audio book. Kate Burton does a great job. Many female readers have difficulty doing men's voices it seems, but she did the several males seamlessly.

I've never read Robert B. Parker before and I settled on Blue Screen because it was available at the library on short notice, and I needed an audio book for a trip the next day. As a reader, I'm always weary of jumping into the middle of a series. Will I be lost because I haven't read the previous books? Will I care about or understand the main characters? In Blue Screen, Sunny Randall is hired by Buddy Bollen to watch over and protect Erin Flint. Buddy is a mega rich dotcom millionairre who owns the fictional Connecticut Nutmegs, a major league baseball team. Erin Flint is a beautiful woman. Every one agrees on that. She is Buddy's girlfriend and has starred in many B-movies that he's produced. Erin is also a pretty good athelete and a first class jerk to be around.

Buddy wants Sunny to protect Erin because he feels Erin may be in danger because Buddy plans on having her be the center fielder for his major league team. Okay. I need to stop right there. This is a pretty big plot point. I've read a lot of fiction and most have outrageous and unrealistc plots that the author never the less makes believable because of his writing talent. The idea of a movie star jumping in and playing in the majors is one of the most laughable, ridiculous things I've ever read in a novel. What's sad is that Parker believes it could happen. Sunny and other characters continuously ask those who supposedly know, including Jesse Stone, if Erin could make it. They all seem to say, sure, but it would be difficult. This whole plot point, a 35 year old actress suddenly playing in the majors totally ruined the novel for me. This isn't mentioned in the summary on the back of the book, or I wouldn't have even started reading it. Baseball is one sport where even the best college players have to work their way up through the minors. Most players hit their prime in their 20s. Thirty-five is over the hill. Baseball isn't a sport you can just pick up by spending a few months in a batting cage hitting against college kids.

Okay, enough of that rant. How is the rest of the book? Well, the plot is typical thriller stuff that includes pimps, murder, thugs and the mob. In fact, the plot, aside from the baseball angle, is comepletely underwhelming. There is no hook here. Nothing to compel you to turn the page. Sunny hooks up with Jesse Stone and they begin a relationship. Sunny is still attached to her ex-husband Richie and seems to think in her deluded mind that she has a chance with him although he is married and expecting a child. For such a short book, there was way too much relationship with Stone and Sunny. The dog Rosie and its biscuits drove me crazy, and the chat with the psychiatrist during the last fifth of the book about sex was absolutely pointless. Parker sets up an interesting character in Erin during the first half of the book, then seems more interested in having Stone and Sunny talk about sex for the latter half.

I probably won't read any more Parker books. The entire 35 year old actress as a major league center fielder soured me early on on the book. Then the bad parts of the rest of the novel seemed to stick out all the more and my dislike seemed to snowball. I'm sorry, but this is one series I can't recommend. Novels featuring his other characters may be different, so I may try one of those out again in the future.

This book isn't awful it just never drew me in. Both the main characters are regulars from other Parker books. After this I have no desire to try either of them again. I like Parker but these two were both too bland. I read it on a working vacation to Europe and I can't even say this was good "killing time" type reading.

Barbara Rosenblat does a SUPERB job with the reading of Lisa Scottoline's audiobook version of The Vendetta Defense. I usually cringe and am horrified by terrible accents, like Tony Shaloub's Italian mechanic on the TV Show, "Wings". (Shaloub is Lebanese, by the way....) Ms. Rosenblat was RIGHT ON and very funny as well. She had to have taken Italian lessons or lived there...

Fabulous Job from an Italian reviewer! I'll listen to her renditions again.

As an Italian American who grew up in a neighborhood in Philly, I thoroughly enjoyed the audio version of this book. Laughing out loud in the car. I know people like these characters. The reader did a superb job with the accents and of course Scottoline knows her material so well. It rang true - and funny.

I'm normally kind with my reviews of this type of literature. It's not meant to be a novel of great significance - just lite entertainment.

BUT . . . this one has just a few too many holes.

It's not awful - I did finish it after all - but there were a number of negatives. Here are the pluses and minuses, as I see them:

*1* - I was not annoyed enough to turn off the tape and stop listening.

-2- - the cast of characters tended to be a little too annoying in their "goodness" vs. "evil." Pigeon Tony was a little "too" sweet for my taste. Even under the given circumstances, he needed a little more grit.

-3- - As mentioned by another reviewer, what was with the 1st degree murder charge? Can't imagine any prosecutor worth his salt pursuing anything over manslaughter, given the circumstances.

-4- - The romance angle was a little heavy-handed.

-5- - The total inaction of the authorities when Judy's life was threatened strains credibility.

Overall, I like Scottoline. I've read several of her other novels. This one, though, just left me feeling kind of "blah-humbug". Here's to a better story next time!

Judy Carrier goes to visit her lawyer friend Mary who is recuperating from an attack she suffered during a previous case. As they are talking, Judy learns of a friend of Mary's family who has been arrested for murder. Thus we are introduced to Pigeon Tony, surely one of Scottoline's most endearing and memorable characters. He is a man who has only his grandson Frank and his pigeons because his wife and son have been killed, Tony believes, by his lifelong enemy, Angelo Coluzzi. Pigeon Tony readily admits to the murder of Coluzzi but feels that he is justified because of the ancient customs associated with the Italian vendetta in which a person can avenge serious wrongs which have been done to him. Unfortunately, when Judy agrees to defend him, she must do so in a U.S. court which does not recognize the Italian vendetta. Also she subjects herself to reprisals by the powerful Coluzzi family who are very protective of their relatives. This book also throws in some romance for Judy, which sometimes conflicts with her job as Pigeon Tony's attorney. This is one of Scottoline's better books and is recommended reading.

I've read all of Scottoline's books, including those not about the all woman law firm, but this one is the best. Judy Carrier, who at most was a snarky side kick in Scottoline's other books, turns out to be athletic, smart and wickedly funny in this story. She's always been reckless and brave, but without her conscience, Mary, around and faced with the annoying younger associate, Murphy, Judy has to keep her off the handle client from torching her case and putting them both in danger. The story is believable, and finally, we get to see what Judy is really like.

I stopped reading when a newborn baby elephant suffers a long painful death for no reason other than to provide a bad dream for yet another boring emotionally wounded main character. There's so much better out there. Read John Sanford if you want suspense.

I discovered LIsa Gardner in Aug. I saw her book and the summary sounded interesting. The Next Accident was fantastic. I had trouble putting it down. The characters are great and the action is non-stop. I must add that in the past month I have purchased and read all of her books. ALL of them. Each was as fantastic as the first. I highly recommend.

This is the fastest book I have read by Lisa Gardner so far. I found the characters to be curious and very likeable. It is sad what happens to Pierce Quincy but the twisted tale of why and who left me guessing right up to the end. And thanks to the support of Rainie along the way, Pierce is vindicated in the end.

Amazon is the best - there was a problem with my shipment but, Amazon made it right - thank you!

I loved this book. From the very first page this is a gripping thriller!! Ms. Gardner's characters are so real and very interesting! I have read 2 of her books now and I highly recommend them!! Even my husband likes them!!

Natalie "Nat" Greco is a disgruntled law professor. Although she is up for tenure, she still finds it difficult to engage her students and her dean is not enthusiastic about her sometimes unorthodox teaching methods. Her personal life is not much better - her relationship with her boyfriend Hank seems to be on cruise control.

This was the first Lisa Scottoline book that I read. I bought a lot of her books off of eBay, and after the first 150 or so pages I was concerned... the characters were likable, but the pace was plodding and the plot did not resemble the exciting-sounding description on the back of the book. Fortunately, the story picked up abruptly. The second half of the book is action-packed, and each chapter ends with a cliff hanger that compels you to read on.

The reason for the corny title of this book is also (somewhat) justified in the second half of the book - Nat is part of a large NJ family in which she is the only daughter and therefore extra special to her father. The title of this book is unfortunate - it implies that this book will deal with pervy incestuous relationships, which is not the case at all.

I would give the first half of this book a 2 out of a 5. However, the second half gets a 4.5 out of 5. Once the story gets cranking, the action sequences and the twists and turns of the plot will keep readers riveted.

Unfortunately, I can't say anything good about this vendor because I never received the book. I did contact the merchant and she responded, mostly puzzled that the book did not arrive. And it still hasn't after a month of waiting and scrambling to borrow the book for a book club discussion on it, so I'm also both puzzled and out the $3.95 shipping charge on a 2 cent purchase. I won't use this vendor again.

I had some issues with this book. First off, Scottoline chose to make the scenes featuring the main character's family nearly unbearable - Nat's brothers are over-the-top horrible to her, and the constant capitalization of one brother's dialogue throughout the entire book is incredibly annoying and pointless.

Nat, herself, is an okay character, but even she isn't entirely likable, and her inner dialogue ranges from being fun and snarky, to being hokey and unnecessary. Further, it's difficult to believe that she is capable of doing everything that she does to evade the police - including high-speed car chases and rigging explosions - while simultaneously unraveling the mystery by herself.

Yet another issue I had was with the innumerable descriptions of Angus' physical appearance - there were far too many of these, and some of them are so cheesy as to be cringe-worthy.

That said, the actual mystery is decent. It kicks off with a prison riot and a cryptic message, and evolves into a layered conspiracy. However, the climactic final scene at the prison is disappointing; there is a lot of build-up and then it's just sort of over.

The final twist is okay, but is emblematic of larger problems with the overall plot - the reader gets exposition that explains pieces of the puzzle, but the explanations aren't particularly interesting.

I think my main problems with this book are that it feels disjointed, and most of the characters aren't particularly well-developed or likable. It's not a terrible book, but it is by no means Ms. Scottoline's best.

Daddy's Girl is the story of a young sheltered woman finding her voice and growing to adulthood while solving a complex mystery. Natalie Greco has always been pampered as the scion of a very successful construction company owner. Big Daddy Greco is a self made man and a millionaire many times over and he runs his family like his successful company and so his only girl has everything she asks for and is now - at age 30 - teaching law in Philadelphia while seeing a man who works in the father's company; so do all of her brothers.

This idyllic existence is shattered when a colleague professor of hers asks her to accompany him on a jaunt to a local jail where he teaches a class in criminal justice - to the convicts! When they are in the jail, a riot breaks out and in the confusion that ensues, one of the supposedly "safe" criminals attempts to rape her and she finds herself helping a dying Corrections Officer - stabbed by a different inmate. The officer whispers to her "tell my wife it's under the floor" and then he dies. The riot is contained and Natalie and her colleague (Angus) leave the jail.

Thinking back on it, Natalie realizes that some things are wrong and she starts investigating by returning to the jail the next day. Even though only a day has passed, the room where Officer Saunders died is already torn up by construction and the local warden seems determined to have the two law professors thrown out. On their way back to Philly, they are ambushed by a car that attempts to kill them by sideswiping their car into the median of the expressway. Many other events take place in which Natalie is clearly being given the message that something much more sinister than a simple prison riot took place and that she is not to stick her nose in it. These things include multiple murder attempts, and a successful attempt to frame her in the murder of a state trooper.

With all of this going on, Natalie also manages to give the heave ho to her boyfriend of three years and get romantically involved with the law professor who introduced her to the prison. So, not only is she hunted for being a cop killer, but she ditches her boyfriend, and creates all kinds of grief in her family as well - who have a hard time understanding all that is going on.

The story resolves itself as Natalie figures out what's been going on and finds a unique and creative way of resolving it involving exploding propane tanks and a wild shootout. Overall, this story has at least seven bodies in it as well as many other violent encounters and even a few humorous ones. So, if you are not interested in lots of violence, you want to stay away from this story.

Finally, when you think all is resolved and that Natalie's life will be of the "and they lived happily ever after" kind you come to the final twist and get to see that things were not quite as they seemed. The real finish of the story is that the loud and rambunctious Greco family is truly a caring family that will take care of its own no matter what - and Natalie's acceptance that this family is what she really wants.

A good story - recommended.

Not the typical Scottline. The herion, although strong, seems conflicted. This does not take away from the plot, which in Scottline fashion has many twists and turns. Can't figure out the reason for the title. Who picked it out? Anyway it's still worth reading.

For Personal Pickup
Devil's Corner is a slow build to multiple murders and the suprising ending. The women a front an center and the dialogue crisp and accurate.

If you are from a big city, you will like her, if you are from Philly, you will LOVE her.
This book is best one I've read so far.

Scottoline steps away from Bennie Rosatto and her crew of female lawyers and takes up with a new layer - Vicki Allegretti, a 5'2" Asst. U.S. Attorney in Philadelphia. So, Scottoline remains on familiar ground with an attractve female Italian-American, young, up-and-coming attorney.

This one probably has the most potential of any of Scottoline's books of being made into a movie. Essentially, it's and odd couple female buddy book, and it works with the snappy banter back and forth between the two "buddies." The ending is a bit too saccharin, but it doesn't ruin a fun story.

A quick, fun summer read for this reviewer. I give this one a grade of "B".

I usually listen to rather than read books these days. I did enjoy this one and it kept my interest.

This has to be the DUMBEST book I've ever read - or I should say scanned. Oy - was it suppose to be a mystery? Or a bi-racial lesbian love story! Either way, it was DUMB. The heroine, Vicki was TSTL - too stupid to live! What part of "a white woman does not go into a black neighborhood to survail drug dealer do you NOT understand?" The whole plot was SO convoluted I couldn't make head or tail out of it. BUT make no mistake, Vicki thought her new friend was really, really beautiful! Hey, after the 20th time - I GOT IT! No more Scottoline for me - EVER!

I enjoyed this book even more that the first 2. Lots of action and spiritual growth lessons for any one looking for ways to be more conscious and loving. It was a fun book to read but the idea that the cycle of birth and death will end is pretty far fetched for me. I also recommend A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose by Eckhart Tolle

Wish they'd make a movie of this one, too. I watch The Celestine Prophecy movie dvd often, in various language combinations. It helps me hold the vision and soak it in deeper and deeper. SECRET OF SHAMBALA expands understanding, strengthens intention and focus, all the while giving us another exciting adventure. Check out the celestineprophecymovie website.

I was happy that this book was given to me as I would have been a little upset if i actually paid for it. For starters what makes for a good fiction is when the author is capable of setting the scene, given the story depth and just as importantly, good character development. Unfortunately this story lacks both. The scene could have taken place in Mr. Redfields living room and it would not have made much of a difference since the reader never gets a "feel" for Tibet, "Shambhala", or its suroundings. I understand that it is in James Redfields best interest to put his "insights" into fictional form, sort of a safe zone since they lack originality and are at best a naive attempt at delivering his "message". A true evangelist for the "new age". Page 225 from the Celestine Prophecy- ""But what about money?" I asked. "I can't believe that people will voluntarily reduce there incomes." Oh we wont have to Dobson said. "The Manuscript says our income will remain stable because of the people given us money for the insights we provide." Well I think this says it all.

James Redfield has a unique way of delivering prophetic truths in his works. The Celestine Prophecy is a a book every human being should read. There is more to life than the old 9-5 and materialism. Perhaps our politicians & world leaders would learn from this book!
The evolution of one's soul & mind is a terrible gift to lose!
Monique F Lis

Must read - logical sequence to Celestine Prophecy and Tenth Insight. Just helps to raise your own spiritual knowledge. Excellent!

This book is absolutely terrible! Everyone's grandmother would be ashamed to know the language they use. It seems like a rated r book. A very disgusting read, so much talk about this person named Grendel who is portrayed as a cannibal. There is so much talk about blood and bones, ugh! Save yourself the effort and bypass this so called classic. I wish I didn't have to read it. If I could I would tell my teacher he was nuts for making me read it. Acutally what idiot made this a classic? My lord! Disgusting, absolutely awful. Save yourself in the name of classic books!

Excellent poem. It transmits through words very pure feelings and attitudes of men and societies already forgotten.

While going to school in the 70s and 80s, I never had to read any classic literature. I have decided to "go back to school", so to speak, and read the classics that I never did when younger. This was my first. I enjoyed it, and would highly recommend it.

The translation is easy to follow and read. I did lose the narrative thread at points toward the end. This may not be the translator's fault. There are beautiful passages scattered throughout.

The story is about a hero who kills monsters. Beowulf is proud. He brags about himself at the drop of a hat. However, he is the strongest and best fighter in the world. His search for fame for himself and his family is his purpose in life. There are great passages here about God, the world, and man's place in it. When he fights the dragon, Beowulf knows he is too old to defeat it, but yet he tries anyway. The pursuit of fame drives him. but he knows he is the best man for the job. The poem also gives great snapshots of life at that time.

The book is a great look on how the author viewed life at that time. I enjoy other epics better: this poem definitely drags at times. However, this poem is definitely worth the read for the stirring action, the examples of bravery, the world view of the people at that time, and Beowulf, himself, is a tragic character unmatched in literature.

This wasn't the complete Beowulf that I was looking for. I read Beowulf when I was in school and I was looking for that version which was a very big book and the full, long version. Yes, it was a somewhat difficult read, but well worth it in the long run and I've been wanting to reread it for some time. Reading the reviews I had thought that this was the closest thing to it, but this isn't even close. This is a small paperback that is quite short.