Cameron Books

Great fun. I have bought all of Cameron's works. I love the pace of his books, I love the melody in the writing, the tone, the character struggles to keep it (or at least some of "it") together... This book I read last, when, I think, it was one of his first, it seems more optimistic, maybe just sillier, younger, less mature

Well, I have to say that this purchase was completely based on the cover art. I was browsing around Powell's and it was getting late so I picked something up in the contemporary fiction section and luckily it was Leap Year, the third best novel I have read in awhile. The characters were believable, but I'm just not interested in New Yorkers very much. Actually being from the NW I tend to detest them, especially Eighties, self satisfied socialites. However the writing of Cameron was good enough to convince me that maybe they aren't so bad after all. The story moved well enough and by the end I was very happy with my purchase. I would definately recommend this novel to those who are fascinated with a certain social class living in NYC, however it is still a great piece of fiction regardless and if you can get a used copy, it is a light, funny read with a couple of nice twists and turns. I recommend Prague and anything by William Gibson over this though.

Leap Year is an amusement designed to be entertaining, and it most definitely is. It is a warm, occasionally funny book. While it makes use of plot contrivances and some stock characters, its main players stay in character, and transcend the "amusement" genre to some extent.

A new (yet old) book by Peter Cameron! What a pleasant surprise. He wrote Leap Year in the 1980's for the short-lived NYC weekly "7-days." The novel reads quickly but has all the compassion and intelligence of his other works. These are characters that you will not soon forget.

I wanted to read the book a chapter at a time, the way it originally appeared, but I could not. I gulped it all down in two sittings. (It's not my fault: it's not only wise and funny but definitely a "page-turner.") Most of the characters ultimately prove to be better than they seemed. As in his later books, Cameron creates a range of interesting characters (female and male, gay and straight). That he can make New Yorkers sympathetic shows either great imagination or great skill! I even felt some sympathy for the unredeemed villainess and the two weak men she used in nefarious plots.

Like Armistead Maupin's tales of an interlinked but diverse cast of mostly young San Franciscans a decade earlier, Cameron's tales of New Yorkers in their early 30s are not sexually graphic. There are a few hints, but mostly it is relationships and love, not sex, that is his subject. Drugs are also invisible.

A lot happens to Cameron's characters and I was sorry to leave them behind when I reached the end.

If you have seen "The Blair Witch Project" movies, then you must read "The Blair Witch Files, The Prisoner". The character, Cade Merrill, has made it a mission to out as much as he can about the witch. See, Cade, he's Heather Donahue's cousin and she is the girl from the first Blair Witch movie. So in this file he encounters a cry for help, from a girl named Eliza Baynes, and what's interesting is that she is in prison. So Cade sets out to see why she has requested him to help her. It turns out that she never sent a letter. She claims to not even remember writing one. So, being interested already, Cade puts that aside and talks to her anyway. At first the girl is scared claiming Cade will get hurt if she tells him her story. She says that is how all the others died. So already intrigued, Cade makes a few visits back to the prison. Eliza tells Cade that maybe he can hear her story, from Elisa's journal. So as Cade left that day he also takes Eliza's journal. The first few entries only tell about Eliza's moving to Burkittsville, Maryland with her father. Then, things get weird, and the murders start coming up in the journal. As Cade reads more, the more things get crazier around him. Now what kind of person would I be if I told you more? Sorry, but if you want to find out more, you are going to have to read the book and find out for yourself.

Eliza Baynes is acused of a crime she didn't commit. She tries to confide in people what really happened, but everyone she tells she finds dead later. Is it the Blair Witch, Elly Kedward? Eliza is sure of it.

The Prisoner is only the second Blair Witch Files novel I'd ventured in and I must say that is fails to make me eager to read another. When I read The Witch's Daughter I was really impressed and I was very eager to read another entry in the series, but upon finishing The Prisoner I just kinda felt...empty? I don't know which word describes my post-Prisoner mood, but I just felt like I wanted more to the story. I mean it has an interesting premise of a girl, Eliza Baynes, who was convicted of a crime she didn't commit, Murder, and is desperately seeking Cade's help. Cade gets involved, reads her diary and a bunch of weird events happen which seem a little more than coincidental. But like other reviewers I wanted to know more about the Blair Witch and Eliza Baynes, some of the explanations seem a little too easy to come by, and some of the dialogue the characters used was simply laughable and seemed like something from a poorly written Teenage Soap Opera. But on a better note I will say that there were some elements of the story that were just flat out eerie, I mean the way the author describes them and the mental image that gets associated with those words is just plain eerie.

As a whole I would say that The Prisoner was mildly entertaining, there were a lot of elements that I wanted to be deeper explored and I wanted thought out explanations, not just sloppy one or two sentences to explain a few chapters worth of going-ons. The Prisoner left me wanting to desire fulfillment, it didn't leave things unexplained involving Eliza Baynes, it's just that every explanation was just so blunt and fast that it left something to be desired. I can only recommend The Prisoner if you are a true Blair Witch fan, as most non-Blair Witch fans would probably be lost and would laugh at the bland pre-adolescent dialogue. Simply put, The Prisoner only slightly provided a sense of satisfaction upon completion and I can only recommend that fans of the Blair Witch Project check into it. I hope my review will help you in your decision on The Prisoner, whether you pass or buy, thanks for reading.

This book was a very good read, in fact it only took me a day to read it.(even though it was a short book)The story is about a young girl who is convicted of murder for a crime she claims she did not commite, that in fact it was the blair witch....and anyone who she tells her story to dies...so she asks Cade Merrill for help and he ends up reading her diary (which you will be reading in the book). While the story is really good...it was also depressing caues it turnes out sad. And of course sincs it is of the Blair Witch you still dont fine any truth about anything, you just read the story. I cant wait to ready the other 7 books in The blair witch Files. You can go to the website if you want to now more about the books, there are even clues to each of the books you can read, like the e-mails of the people who wrote to Cade Merrill and other interesting stuff. ...

When Cade Merrill is contacted by a girl convicted of murder, he is determined to uncover the truth about her crimes. At sixteen Eliza Baynes tried to take her revenge on the stepbrother she hated, but her attempts at a spell ended with the death of her father. Sent to boarding school, Eliza is haunted by her past and the fact that everyone she talks to about what happened dies in mysterious circumstances.

Finally convinced she has escaped from the witch's evil, Eliza returns to Burkittsville, where it is soon apparent that history is repeating itself. Eliza was only eighteen years old when she was given the death penalty for killing her then boyfriend Jake Henderson on the evidence of his younger brother Ryan. Her sentence is later retracted and Eliza is sentenced to life imprisonment, but the memories of what took place remain and she needs Cade's help. Eliza claims that she herself is innocent and that Jake's murder was committed by a person under the control of the Blair Witch. As she warns Cade, everyone who hears her story ends up dead. Will Cade be the next victim of the Blair Witch?

"The Prisoner" is the sixth book in the Blair Witch Casefiles series. It was a fast-paced, entertaining and genuinely scary book, although it did lack the suspense of some of the previous books. I love every book in the series so far and this one did not disappoint. I recommend this to all Blair Witch fans.

Great book! Like the movie is was suspenseful, action packed, and scary. The first book wasn't as good as this one though. The best parts are the end, and the part where Ripley is trapped with the facehuggers, and without weapons!

Okay, I would first like to state that I am not a Sci-Fi freak with Leonard Nimoy-like features; If you are (and I'll bet 9 out of 10 of you who are reading this are), please go to the nearest bar (or mall if you still suffer from acne-eruptions) and try to at least TALK to a member of the opposite sex. NOW, with that said, here's my review: It's Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreat!!!!! (ala Tony the Tiger) Now get to the mall kiddos, PRONTO!!

Aliens is a fantastic movie and is one of my favorites. There is no doubt that it makes a great novel. The story is suspenseful and action-packed, and the marines are some of the best characters I have seen. The only problem would be the toning down of the language in the book.

Decent attempt to capture the brillance of James Cameron's masterpiece. ADF toned it down for young readers and in the most climatic scene in the movie (book), he has Ripley uttering to the Alien Queen, "Get away from her, you!" as opposed to "Get away from her you bitch!". What's the big deal with the b word? They use it in Prime Time TV!

Commentary

I usually am one to read relationship/unrealistic novels such as The Outsiders or Catcher in the Rye, but after falling in love with the movie "Aliens" when I was seven I thought reading the book may be fun to. I have to admit, I have read this before, but not since the third grade so picking it up again was not a problem because I had lost all memory of the tale. The thing I like about reading books based on movies is that you get a whole new idea of what each character is feeling when something happens. For instance although Sigourney Weaver is a truly talented actress, when Ripley is trying to get Newt (AKA Rebecca Johnson) to drink the hot chocolate in the movie you don't get the same essence of her emotion towards the child as you do in the novel. I appreciate Alan Dean Foster because he has a tendency to go over what is expected and dive into the depths of a character, making them more distinguishable and easier to get to know. This book is truly one of the only books that makes reading it before or after you see the movie a fun ride. Plus there's a lot of swearing, that's always a plus.

I enjoyed "Highland Christmas" - the story moves along quickly with a lot happening over the 12 days of Christmas for these newlyweds. I thought Cassandra's gift was intriguing - her insight kept her from getting too miffed at her thick-skulled bridegroom!

"Sara's Gift" was my favorite! I really felt what both the heroine and hero were experiencing. I cannot imagine giving up my child after one week of bonding, but was proud of how the author (Jill Henry) pulled off the ending!

"When All Through the Night" was slow, with only a steamy scene on a desk to it's merit - brings a whole new meaning to office work...

Enjoy! I've read and re-read all or parts of each story.

Being an avid reader of Scottish romances, I picked up Christmas Kisses in the hopes of finding a good Scottish Christmas story. Christine Cameron delivers an incredible mix of action and sensuality--I can't wait to read more by this author!

Each story in this anthology is wonderful and so full of Christmas love and cheer! I orginally bought the story to read Tracy Sumner's sequel to my favorite historical romance of 1999--Carolina Rose. But, I got two other wonderful stories, too.

This charming little novella collection combines romance with the joy of the holiday season.

English Baron Drake Bancroft is angry when King George gives him Sedgewick Castle and the Lady Cassandra MacIntyre and allows his brother to keep the family home in England. Scotland is a godforsaken place to spend Christmas, but as he will learn in Christine Cameron's A HIGHLAND CHRISTMAS, sometimes a gift we don't want can be the real prize. His adjustment to Scotland and the love he develops for Cassandra heal old wounds and bring great joy to them both.

Conditions had forced Sara to give up her child for adoption years ago. Now fate will bring her west and straight to the man who is not her daughter's father, Gabe Chapman. SARA'S GIFT is a beautiful and touching story about forgiveness, redemption and second chances. The gist of love and family presented by Jill Henry exemplifies the season.

In Tracy Sumner's WHEN ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT, newspaper reporter Tanner Barkley had ruined Katerine Peter's life with one stroke of his pen. Now a year and a half later they find themselves in the same small South Carolina town fighting like two spitting cats. A little matchmaking from old friends, some new problems and a searing passion that never died beings them back together in a sexy tale filled with great verbal repartee.

Lighten your day after shopping and cooking with CHRISTMAS KISSES. Sensual.

In Christine Cameron's A Highland Christmas, we meet Scottish lassCassandra McIntyre, who is forced to marry English Baron Drake against her wishes - and his as well. All Drake wants is to get his hands on his family home, which has been bestowed upon his brother Cedric, marry Cassandra because he must, and then abandon her as soon as he is able to. When Cassandra overhears this, she is understandably upset. Unfortunately, this was one of the extremely rare occasions when anything Cassandra does makes any sense.

To call Cassandra spirited would be a mistake - shrewish and irritating would be more like it. She slaps Drake more than once, yells and screams at him every chance she gets, disobeys him left and right, fights off clans in order to prove herself, and generally behaves like a two-year-old - she wants what she wants when she wants it. Not even her "gift" of receiving other people's feelings through touch did anything but make the scene of their wedding night thoroughly confusing. Drake was little better - they get close, he rejects her; they kiss, he rejects her; they make love, he rejects her.... A grade of D-.

Jill Henry's Sara's Gift was a sweet, heartwarming story about love healing old wounds. Sara Mercer is a widow on her way to a job and, hopefully, a new life. She can't help herself, however, and makes a stop in Moose Creek to see the child she gave up for adoption four years earlier. Her stop is lengthened by a heavy snowstorm and, with the train passengers taking every available hotel room in town, she ends up staying in the same house as Mary, her daughter, and Mary's adoptive father, Sheriff Gabe Chapman.

The attraction between Sara and Gabe is palpable from the moment he helps her off the stranded train, and so is Sara's growing guilt at knowing she is deceiving both Gabe and his sister, who quickly enfold the lonely Sara into their family routine.

My main problem with the story is that we are told that neither Sara nor Gabe has ever loved like they do each other. Considering they were both married before and considering how little they really knew each other, this seemed a little too convenient and unrealistic, and so did Gabe's acceptance of the truth of Sara's identity. I don't see why Gabe and Sara couldn't have loved their spouses and also found joy and love with each other. Mary was a little too grown-up for a four-year old, but all in all, this was a reasonably enjoyable story. A grade of C+.

Tracy Sumner's When All Through the Night was a wonderful finish to this anthology. When we meet Katherine Peters, she is absolutely through with Tanner Barkley. The cad had apparently been using her for a big undercover story for the newspaper, and when the story appeared, Katherine was left beyond humiliation at discovering that her first and only lover had been merely using her. Of course, this is not really how things really happened....

These were two likable people. Katherine is determined not to have her heart stomped on again, but her feelings toward Tanner are justified, considering that she doesn't know all the details. Tanner's efforts to gain back the love of his life are endearing and I found myself rooting for him. A grade of B, and I understand that this is the sequel to Ms. Sumner's Carolina Rose, which I definitely intend to read.

Christmas Kisses was worth reading for Tracey Sumner's story. Her story, along with Jill Henry's, went a long way toward removing the bad taste left in my mouth after reading Christine Cameron's contribution. Spending quality time with Sumner's characters will surely warm the reader and bring a little Christmas spirit.

"sadness and dissapointment are really a personal victory in disguise."

Those lines in the foreward by Crowe made me buy the book. That and just how much the movie striked my curiousity. Even though the movie had a lukewarm affect on me, its intent resonated with me. Especially after I had a chance to read some of Crowe's interviews online. He's a brave man who refuses to shade his stubborn optimism in a world where cynicism is strangely fashionable. Crowe is smart enough to know that cynicism is really just a defense mechanism for souls as vulnerable as the characters he creates. Of all his movies, Elizabethtown has the most vulnerable souls bumping into each other. They are all guarded, but their defense is more transparent.

This comes through more when you read the screenplay than seeing the actual movie. While most Hollywood movies move at the speed of light, The movie for E-Town moves at the speed of life. It takes it time to work things out, just as life really does. Appropriately, the movie tests the patience of a person who is accostomed to fast moving, quick-cut dialouge and action. In the screenplay, you are invited to peel back the layers of the characters -- especially Claire -- by disceting their dialouge and looking between and behind words. For this reason, reading this movie is actually more enjoyable than watching it.

I've met "a Claire" before, and Crowe captures her perfectly in the script. She's good at playing the hot-potato with one-liners, and you realize it's a slight of hand to throw your attention off from the "real her." In the screenplay you're perfectly cued to recognize her real self breaking through when her and Drew have their TRUE breakthrough after their romantic breakthrough, and she says "You're an artist, man. Your job is to break barriers." Suddenly the fatigue of her sometimes overwhelming energy pays off.

I actually found myself getting emotional while reading the speech made by Hollie at the funeral. The best parts are, unfortunately, edited out of the movie. One in particular is when Hollie advises her once skeptic audience to "Give your gifts to the living," even if it means being embarrassing. This scene works so much better on the page than it did on the screen. In the screenplay, it reaches beyond a self-indulgence and into her audience. You get the message: She waited until her partner died before she discovered and shared her gifts.

Crowe definitely has a writers-wisdom about life and people. Most good writers do, but they don't often make it to the big screen. I look forward to his movies because I know he's willing to share that wisdom with his audience. Apparently there is even more of it to be found in his screenplays.

The story and the music is a perfect mixing and Cameron Crowe is a great director!
Beautiful places and nostalgic..

Although i realized i've had purchased a screenplay when i recieved it i thought is was good and it is nice to see pictures and read the director's notes about making the movie, really interesting

I'm sorry but this movie was absolutely awesome. What I loved most was that there wasnt a picture perfect romance it had all the insecurity and realness that can happen between two people. I really loved it and Im a guy that istens to gangster rap. If anyone knows who sings the song "I can turn a green sky blue" like he had on his ringtone please email me at [...] I came here looking for that but decided to post a review great great movie.

Drew Baylor learns the hard way that success is the only measure of a man, at least in the corporate world. And he has just proved himself a colossal failure, his athletic shoe design, touted as revolutionary, the embarrassment of The Mercury Shoe Corporation. After eight years spent working on the design, all of the orders have been returned, the company humiliated. Drew bravely falls on his sword to protect the company from further financial distress. Leaving his job, his whole world has changed from a dream to a nightmare. Even his girlfriend, another Mercury employee, turns her back on him, opting for greener pastures and a new employee hire with more potential. Drew is devastated but resigned.

Just when he thinks things couldn't get any worse, Drew receives a phone call that his father has died and he must go to Elizabethtown, Kentucky, and bring his father home to Oregon. Befriended on the airplane by an enthusiastic stewardess, Claire Colburn, the befuddled Drew revisits a past he can barely remember. Caught up in the family melodrama, Drew has no idea that Claire offers the means of his salvation, her insouciant manner a balm to his increasingly troubled spirit. This combination of unsettling road trip into the past and Drew's damaged sense of self offer him a new perspective, a journey that will alter his direction through life.

Subtleties are apparent in the play, as Crowe gives explicit stage directions, the rhythm of the story building, a contrast between the tensions of the funeral and Drew's need for a time out from family pressures. Not yet translated into specific personalities on screen, the manuscript lends itself to the imagination. The problem is that the story doesn't have resonance, the scattered scenes of family discussions over the disposition of the body, Drew's too-intense-too-soon relationship with Claire, his lack of connection to his father or the Kentucky relatives, all are as disconnected as overheard conversations, without inciting sufficient interest to care about these people or this young man. What may have been an intensely personal experience to the author just doesn't translate into a meaningful story. One man's awakening fails to speak a universal language. Crowe includes a few pages of an on-site diary from shooting the film. How ever admirable Crowe's intentions, Elizabethtown fails to inspire. Luan Gaines/ 2005.

Favorite Norse Myths is all about stories Norse men believed. There are 14 different stories about gods, giants, and sea serpents. The book was interesting because Norse men actually believed in these stories. It was awesome the way the author told about the myths. I love the part of the nine worlds. This is the best book I ever read. I recommend other students read it.

I highly recommend this book for people of all ages.

It has a pronunciation key, (As each name sounds type), in the back of the book as one of its attributes.

The biggest joy is that the authoress takes the Norse myths, which I have always found to be a perplexing bunch of near madness, and renders it all readable. This could not have been easy. Even readable and with clear stories a person can follow there's no doubt that Norse myths are difficult to feel an affinity towards.

It is a pure positive "can do" experience. The names can be pronounced, the myths followed, and thus a person can clue in.

I am not going any further with the theme of Norse myths. I only have this book and I am sticking to this book.

The artwork by Troy Powell is great.

Mary Pope Osborne is the author of the Magic Tree House series of kids books. She tells a good story.

I learned next to nothing about Norse myths when I was a kid. My Swedish American husband checked this book out of the library to read to our 5 y.o. daughter. It was over her head then (7 y.o. is probably more appropriate), but hubby and I really enjoyed it. We've checked it out numerous times since, and probably should just buy it already! It's a fun referrence book.

As an advocate for pure mythology, I am pleased to say that this book is an excellent piece of historical literature. Many stories tend to stray away or add to the original writings of myths, but not this one. It goes without saying that the authors of this book did their homework and researched the actual tales. The art is magnificant, and really adds to the quality of the work. If you have children who are tired of the repeated Greek Classics, then I highly recommend this twist on the myths. I think they will appreaciate the change. Remember, this is not some watered down piece of work, this is as close, in chidren's books, to the true nature of Norse Myth as you will find. An excellent piece of work

This is more like Norse Myths for Dummies. It doesn't go into great detail, but it tells you enough of the myths so you know what's going on.

It is more for the youger groups or people who want to know the basics of Norse myths. If you're looking to do a report or to become a Norse guru, I wouldn't recommend this book.

This is an easy read with incredible insights into the old testament. Fr. Rich is a brilliant man and writes in a way that is fun and easy to read!

This book is not just about "finding Christ in the Old Testament", it is about finding Christ at all, today, in our technical and scientific society where God supposedly has no more room or need to exist. More than everything that life can give us today, there is the need for happiness and significance to life. Without a proper answer to those needs, that only God can provide, our life remains senseless, a puzzle with all the pieces scattered. Christ, in person, alive, today, can be found by reading this book. Don't believe ? Just read it.

Finally a book I can read in a short time that easily explains how/where/why Jesus Christ Our Savior is foreshadowed in the Old Testament, which has always been a puzzle for me. Thank you R. Veras!

I enjoyed Fr. Richard Veras's book on "Finding Christ in The Old Testament".
He writes with an emotional vigor which is refreshing. Father Veras has a keen interest in the Old Testament and shares his enthusiasm with a writing style which will keep the reader interested as well. There is no boring prose here.

My favorite part of this book is Chapter Four:'God's Covenant with Abraham and His Promise to Sarah.' This chapter alone is worth the price of the book.
The reader will truly understand God's love for his people Israel and how He is always faithful! I particularly enjoyed Chapter Eleven: 'Elijah and Elisha and The Ascension'.

This book is a very good analysis of Old Testament theology from the Catholic perspective but all Christians would certainly do well by reading this book.

My impression is Father Veras has written this book primarily as an introduction to Old Testament studies for the young but he succeeds in communicating to all age levels!

This book would be helpful to new catechumens as well.

Fr. Veras is a priest in the Archdiocese of New York who teaches high school religion. In this book, as in his classroom, he teaches Scripture by linking the Old and New Testaments as a way of acknowledging the presence of Christ "here and now in his mystical body, the Church." In Jesus of Israel, he applies this integrated approach to stories ranging from creation to the annunciation.

Addressing God's covenant with Abraham and his promise to Sarah, Veras draws our attention to the aged Sarah's laughing--to herself--when she hears that she will bear a son. God asks her why she laughed, she denies it, and God calls her on the both the lie and her doubts. "This one verse is perhaps the most important and revelatory in the Old Testament," Veras writes, signaling a God who is unlike the deity people had imagined. " Sarah's laughter is for everyone," he explains, "because Sarah has discovered that God fulfills his promise even when we are not worthy."

In Chapter 7, he reveals that the "most joyful" part of his Old Testament course is the story of Joseph (Genesis 37, 39-45) in which students are required to find parallels to the story of Jesus. Veras offers several examples, challenging readers to find their own and admitting that even though he has taught this material before, he still learns something new on his own or from his students every time. This, as the other 11 chapters, ends with reflection questions. Here they deal with people in our own lives through whom the resurrected Christ reveals himself, God's bringing good out of evil, and giving and receiving mercy.

Fr. Veras has written a book that is at once deeply spiritual, thought provoking, and fascinating.

I think this is the best Vertigo debut since Y the Last Man, and Sandman before that. I cannot recommend this book enough. Cloonan's art is beautifully married with Seagle's characterizations. Best series I've read in a long time.

Vertigo launches another series. As with most Vertigo series, it reads better in trades then issues. The debut is good but not great, solid storytelling but not exceptional.

In terms of classification, this series is remarkably difficult to put in a single genre of any kind. It doesn't really have the same kind of high concept that a lot of the new Vertigo series do.

The first issue of the series is amazing. After that, the other three issues in the arc seem to lack focus.

The main character of Adam Chamberlain is quite fascinating. It will probably come as a breath of fresh air to many Christians (note that this is coming from someone who has been an agnostic for the better part of a decade) that he doesn't come off as a judgmental bible thumping lunatic. However, in not presenting this side of the American Evangelical movement in depth enough (a passing mention from his "remarkably like Paul and Jan Crouch" parents aside), the series weakens itself at the start. As the story arc goes on, Adam ends up a much less clear person. The good side of this would be that he shows the ambiguity of every person, the bad side is that he does seem muddled at times.

Seagle's story is not exceptional. Coming from the guy who co-wrote Sandman Mystery Theatre and who wrote House of Secrets, It's a Bird and a very underrated Superman run, it is a bit disappointing.

Becky Cloonan's art steals the show. It brings out the nuance of character while not getting in to the flashiness of a lot of other comic artists. Her art is one of the shining stars of Vertigo right now

However, for ten dollars you could do a lot worse. So it gets a recommendation if you have the extra money.

You might expect a book, about a young evangelist who preaches abstinence, to just ruthless trash Christianity. And surprisingly, it doesn't do that. Instead, this book is a character study on what happens when someone's deeply held convictions get turned on their ear by circumstances well beyond his control.

It's well written, well drawn, and unless your someone who gets offended by the thought that maybe the Bible can't be the answer to everything (or lots of drawn breasts), you will enjoy.

I grew up in Church culture and still has faith in God and I have to say really liked even loved this book. It a beautiful discussion about commonly accepted dogma(s). Tho I found some of the character's behaviour a little odd like the mother's reaction to the death of here son's girlfriend even if she was that horrible of a person in the Church she wouldn't have been so blunt but way moor manipulative. That's a small point nothing to get hung up on. Especially since the art's so great.

This is a terrific and enjoyable mystery. Michael Joens has created a fun and interesting cast of characters, from the main protagonists to the various suspects and victims. I found myself caring about these characters and wanting to find out what happened next.

The main characters, detectives for the Burbank Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sherriff's Department, are likeable and interesting. The mystery itself is compelling, and the solution is not obvious. As a native southern Californian, I especially enjoyed the details about places the characters visited, since I was familiar with a number of the locales and areas.

Sandy Cameron and Tom Rigby are investigating three deaths: one looks like a probable suicide, one looks like an accident, and one is definitely a murder. What connects all three deaths is the animation industry, and in particular a specific period where ideas were being "pitched" for new animated series. Sandy and Tom decide to work together since their cases seem to be connected, and find themselves drawn toward each other personally and professionally.

This is listed as being the first in a series of books featuring Detective Sandra Cameron. The character is likeable and multi-faceted enough to continue a series, and the author's writing style keeps you involved with the story and the characters (there is a particularly gripping scene where we experience a murder over the phone.) I plan on getting a copy of the second book of the series to find out what happened to the characters next.

Great book for those who love a good mystery - kept me guessing to the end. Joens has a real talent for developing characters and making them real. He can also make your skin crawl with chilling detail. A very enjoyable read. Looking forward to the next one.

A seemingly simple suicide case turns out to be anything but. Add in two related cases - one a definite murder and the tale soon becomes one of fascinating mystery, romance and intrigue.

All of the characterizations in the book are very realistic, with a great level of depth. To discuss them in much detail would spoil certain key plot elements, but both they and the events of the story evoke strong emotions.

My favorite part is how the author seems to have a real understanding of the animation industry. After checking the cover flap, it turns out that he has worked in a number of jobs in animation. I think it brings a real authenticity to the book that makes for some very fascinating reading. The author seems to have some very strong opinions about certain aspects of the animation industry. The fictional animation company portrayed in the book has many parallels to some in the real world.

I was disappointed to learn that this is the first book in the series... but only because that means I can't run right out and read some more! I hope that there's another story soon, because this a great book that definitely deserves a followup.

Once he was considered by Hollywood as one of animation royals, but though he remains a force in the industry the virtuoso Parker Stewart is descending from the mountaintop. His descent becomes complete when he is found dead with a bullet in his head and a suicide note of sorts on his computer screen: "That's All Folks" in a house surrounded by pictures of the Looney Tune characters.

Though it looks like suicide, Burbank police detectives Tom Rigby and his partner Dan Bolt make inquiries anyway. Soon LA County Sheriff Detective Sergeant wealthy Sandy Cameron joins the team and works closely with Tom. As they begin to follow a loony trail of real life murder, Tom and Sandy are attracted to one another. However, he still struggles with his ex-wife aborting their three month old unborn and she wonders if she really wants a relationship when her lifestyle is near perfect. Of course there is a serial killer to catch before he downsizes more of the animation population.

This is not Bugs or Mickey, but more like a version of Roger Rabbit without the humor. The story line is action-packed as the two police officers work the case while desiring one another. The serial killer scenario seems absurd, but then again this is a cartoon killer. The lead duo is a delightful spunky pair who provides this tale with extra pow and zap so that the audience has a good time following their exploits in the dangerous La La Land of Hollywood.

Harriet Klausner

As identified by the previous reviewers as one of those people wanting to take my Javascript to the next level, I am finding this book just right.

Just enough code to help me along (note: Not all code is in the book, no CD, but can be downloaded), with enough explanations that leave me space to think, i.e. not all spoon fed. The style is free and easy to read, put down, and come back to later after having thought about it for a while.

I originally bought it because of the Google Maps mashup in the last chapter, but have avidly read the others too. Although some rely on information in previous chapters, most can be read as stand-alone projects.

I just received my latest book in the SitePoint collection, The Art & Science of JavaScript.

As always SitePoint has gathered some of the greatest minds in modern JavaScript to collaborate on an amazingly easy to follow book.

The Art & Science covers some great topics including Google Maps and Flickr mashups, building your own fully accessible 3D maze, draggable and sortable table columns, and much more!

SitePoint has always amazed me with the beautiful layout and design of their books. Code is easily readable in a fixed-width font with a blue background. The book also displays Tips, Notes, and Warning icons to help expand upon certain points.

This book is geared towards anyone who is familiar with JavaScript and wants to take their skills to the next level.

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I saw a bunch of things I *wanted* to criticize about this book but ended up being more positive as I began to see the educational value of the chapters. This book is not for absolute beginners by any means, however the material is presented in a smooth way as each script addition is explained separately.

Do NOT expect to come away from the book's chapters with code that can be immediately applied to a typical professional application or Web site. Things like a JavaScripted maze game can be great for learning some cool things but that is all.

Even the practical-sounding features like table column sorting and table column dragging could not be applied to a production situation without considerable modification. For instance, the column dragging scenario depends on all columns having similar width. If not, then the result is pretty messy. And we all know that data tables can be messy in the best of cases!

The index is miserable, but that is pretty much the rule for computer tech books.

The ensemble of authors is top-notch and some, like Christian Heilmann, (Beginning JavaScript with DOM Scripting and Ajax: From Novice to Professional) have written excellent books you may want to check out. You really can't go wrong with this book for a solid advance in your script education.

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This is a very interesting book for anyone who is interested in going to the 'next level' of JavaScript. It's not a book for absolute beginners, but everything is very well explained without wasting time on trivia.

The chapter on metaprogramming (self-modifying code) is my favourite. Not only because it presents some very useful ideas, but also because it finally made me understand how JavaScript does certain things under the bonnet.

James Edward's Maze game is nothing short of a-maze-ing. It's a fine example of what you can do if you have the ability to think outside the box. (Way outside, in this case!)

The only negative part is the first chapter. Not because it's not useful -- it is! -- and not because it's badly written -- it isn't. The reason is that the code samples use XHTML markup but the JavaScript code will not work if that markup is served as real XHTML. The JavaScript relies on the HTML DOM, e.g., that nodeName properties are returned in uppercase. The use of character entity references is also ill-advised for XHTML.

Unfortunately, there isn't any informtion about this in the text. Someone who isn't well-versed in the fundamental differences between HTML and XHTML would learn some harmful practices.

The sad part is that it would have been so easy to write the JavaScript in a way that would have worked in both the HTML DOM and the XML DOM.

The remainder of the book contains good code examples which don't sacrifice accessibility.

Having said that, I would definitely recommend this book for anyone who wants to learn how to use JavaScript for something other than validating form input.