Carey Books

Then read this book. It is so in depth and fills many of the holes that left me wondering.

The only thing that I irked me about this book is it seems the author didnt use the information from the previous book Labrynth of Evil. In RotS the Republic is borderline collapse when in LoE which takes place righth before the Republic have pushed the Seperatist to the Outer Rim and victory is in reach.

Stop wasting time reading reviews and read this book.

This book is by far the best of all of the novelizations of the Star Wars movies. Mathew Stover is an exceptional writer and gives the reader just what is expected from a Star Wars book. Action, suspense, drama, and a great perspective of each of the major players in the George Lucas universe. I can say with great confidence that I was sucked right into this book and had a hard time putting it down. I really got a great feel for Anakin, Obi-Wan, Mace, and all of the other characters. When Anakin falls to the dark side I really pitied him. There is also a particular scene in the end when Palpatine confronts Anakin who had been rebuilt as Darth Vader and you could feel exactly what Anakin felt. Very powerful! The whole book was just fantastic, and I'm even tempted to pick up a copy to own. The last few lines were so perfect and tied the whole saga together nicely! This is an author who knows how to show, not tell! If you like Star Wars, you should read this!

I have only read a few Star Wars books, but I'm building my collection up pretty fast, and so far, this is the best one I have read. I really love the way the author breaks away to describe a character while a scene is heating up or something big is about to happen. The book was so good, and the story ( the parts that aren't really described in detail or simply not covered in the movie), even tho I knew its outcome and how things were going to happen still drew me in. I loved the Jedi order and I found myself, while reading the book hoping that somehow things would go differently. But of course they didn't. But thats just how much it draws you in. The ONLY downside I found in this book was the death of my favorite Jedi, Mace Windu. The fight scene with Palpatine was awesome and in depth, but at the end of the fight, we all know what happens and the author only chose to describe the death of arguably the most powerful Jedi in the order in only a few words. I think that part could have been written alot better. Other than that, this author is such a good book, that I have already told everyone I know ( Star Wars fan or not ) that they should read it.

I expect that most readers of this book will have already seen the film and will be familiar with the plot, If not, I suggest you read the book first and then watch the movie to see the incredible cinematic interpretation by George Lucas. The plot picks up right where Labyrinth of Evil left off. Chancellor Palpatine has been captured by General Grievous, and our heroes Obi-Wan and Anakin are coming to the rescue. They succeed in finishing off Count Dooku and force Grievous to flee to Utapau. Obi-Wan goes to Utapau to deal with Grievous while Anakin stays in Coruscant trying to decide between a future with the Jedi or a future with Darth Sidious and the dark side. We all know how that comes out with the final result being the introduction of Darth Vader and the twins Luke and Leia.

In the book of Revenge of the Sith, Mr. Stover spends a lot of time with the internal struggle Anakin has with feeling underappreciated by the Jedi while at the same time trying to grasp the possibilities of the dark side. He is desperately attempting to learn enough about the Force to be able to keep his nightmare from coming true and to keep Padme alive. Darth Sidious is unbelievably smooth and persuasive as he continually massages Anakin's mind and ego and hastens the turn to the dark side. Rather than just telling the story of the film, the author gets us to understand the thought processes of the main characters. I think that will be invaluable as I prepare to watch the film yet again.

We are also privy to a number of conversations among the Jedi masters - Mace Windu, Yoda, and Obi-Wan. They are confused by the Clone Wars. They do not understand the Senate's agreements to give Chancellor Palpatine increasing powers. They don't know what to do with Anakin. He is the Chosen One, but he is also dangerous and unpredictable. The deterioration of the friendship between Obi-Wan and Anakin is heartbreaking, but Anakin's turn to the dark side is handled in such a way that it makes sense. All in all, Mr. Stover has done a remarkable job in helping us to understand more clearly the Clone Wars, the demise of the Jedi, and the takeover by the Sith.

Read the book and watch the movie.

Matthew Stover, author of the excellent Mace Windu novel Shatterpoint, does not disappoint with his novelization of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Movie novelizations are often inconsequential by-products of a marketing push behind a big event picture, but in Stover's case, he strongly builds upon the film plot and adds meaningful substance to what was already a great story. Rather than give his readers a simple blow-by-blow recap of the screen action, he adds many sequences not in the film and cuts others entirely (fans of Yoda's visit to Kashyyyk will need to stick with the movie).

The novel spends significant time in the opening space battle, fleshing out the action sequences and delving into the participants' motivations. At first I found Stover's technique here slightly jarring. The story is clipping along and we are suddenly sidelined by a page or two that start something like this (for example): "This is how it feels to be Obi-Wan Kenobi." We then get a summary of who Obi-Wan is, what he's feeling, and what role he has played in the saga to date. However, as we read more of these entries, Stover's chance-taking really pays off: I found myself looking forward to the next one more and more, as the insights he provides illuminate certain story points brilliantly.

I especially enjoyed the time he spent taking us into Count Dooku's head. Dooku doesn't get much screen time in the saga; some choice moments at the end of Attack of the Clones and his duel at the beginning of Revenge of the Sith are about it. Why would this respected and powerful Jedi have any interest in sublimating himself to a Dark Lord of the Sith? Stover paints a realistic portrait of what Dooku hoped to get out of their twisted relationship and muses about what Dooku believed would be his role after the end of the Clone Wars. Of course, Dooku is sorely mistaken with his perception of his relationship with Darth Sidious.

Another place Stover excels is in subtly tinkering with some of the storylines to deepen both the motivations and the payoff. For instance, in the film, Anakin's lust to be elevated to Jedi Master and granted a seat on the Council is driven by his ego and inner demons. Stover adds an ingredient to the mix: Anakin also wants access to the Jedi Archives, which is only granted to Masters. He believes the Archives will contain Sith Holocrons with the forbidden knowledge Palpatine alluded to, including how to stop a person from dying. This small change greatly aids the believability of how furious Anakin is at being denied the Master rank when he claims his seat on the Council.

Near the end of the book there is a noticeable shift toward more economic storytelling, and the final duel on Mustafar is very similar to what we see in the film. This didn't bother me, as by this point events are rushing to their bitter climax and interjecting long character analyses wouldn't really work like it did early in the novel. The pacing of the book taken as a whole is spot-on and well considered.

Revenge of the Sith is a sweeping, dark, epic conclusion to the prequel trilogy, and Matthew Stover's novelization is more than worthy of the film. Kudos to him for not just cashing in a paycheck and writing a blow-by-blow account of the screenplay. He chose to take some chances and the results are quite rewarding.

As a corporate human resources director, I am continually searching for material that will enhance our organizations team skills. Somewhat like another management book that I recommended Our Iceberg Is Melting: Changing and Succeeding Under Any Conditions, the author uses fictional tales to deliver truthful insights into our business practices. I found the book to be a very intertaining and fun read along with a ton of valuable information. The concepts within the book can be easily implemented and will result in continual improvement in your team building endeavors. The value of teamwork within the modern corporate structure is sometimes a hard sell in the real world. Managers need reference material and books that contain much needed advice if they are going to `prove' the value of teamwork to the CEO. Like communication, everyone says it is important but the rubber rarely meets the road.

The part of the book that details the "five dysfunctions" is a great reference guide and also a topic that sounds eerily familiar as all seasoned managers have been down that road. The `five' are:

1. Absence of trust,
2. Fear of conflict
3. Lack of commitment
4. Avoidance of accountability
5. Inattention to results.

Buy this book. It will be a valuable addition to your bookshelf and certainly one that will be referenced again and again through the years. Michael L. Gooch, SPHR Author of Wingtips with Spurs

just gets the mind going in some good thoughts. a great, quick read to plug some new ideas into one's head. i recommend.

I read a great number of titles on leadership, organizational development, and team building.

This book, told as a fable, is a very quick read and will seem unlike any other book of this sort you've read. As you read it, you'll feel as though the author has been following you through your life at work. It's a very eerie feeling when you realize that each of the characters already works with you at your office.

I particularly enjoyed the focus on organizational alignment, team building, and healthy conflict. These are essential ingredients to the recipe for an excellent team!

I've recommended this book to several other executives where I work and have received 5 star ratings in return.

The Five Dysfunctions of Leadership was given to me at a company leadership course. While the course itself was excellent the book is not the most technical of leadership guides. It uses for some a shallow fictional premise and story to guide readers through a corporate teams rebuilding phase. And while I agree with some of the other reviews in that this book may not provide the reader with an in-depth or technical, step by step, how-to version of effective team building methods. I think it does give the reader some insight as to the thinking process leaders encounter when faced with the prospect of strengthening and/or rebuilding and redirecting highly capable individuals. It also does a good job of addressing the compassion needed to properly nurture and shape team members. I would not depend on this book as my only avenue for learning and perfecting corporate team building. But it's not completely devoid of helpful information and since it can be read in a couple of hours, it's worth a look.

One of the strongest books in Patrick Lencioni's growing body of publications, "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team" offers a solid Model for the practice of management. Utilizing Lencioni's "fable" storytelling framework, a clear articulation of the Model underlying the fable and the uncommon approach of showing what does *not* contribute to good teamwork (as opposed to what *does* work), this is an interesting and useful book for managers.

Readers with managerial responsibilities should find the Model espoused in this book both useful and straightforward. As in other Lencioni publications, this Model is simple to understand, but difficult to implement. While challenging in that respect, the principles put forth in this book make sense and are well articulated.

I really enjoyed the book. Being a member of the law enforcement community and also a Harley rider, it was hard to put down. A good read. Buy it.

This is a story every bit as fascinating as Donnie Brasco. Should also be a movie. Living undercover as a Mongel member for two years with those dirty drunken drug users had to be an awful extistence. Or maybe it was fun. However it was, it is a great read.

as with most books i've read, there is always something i see or hear that piques my interest in a topic/subject matter creating a domino effect that leads to obsessive reading. this seems to be the case here: "gimme shelter" led to sonny barger's "hell's angel" which led to the "gangland" television series and then to searching amazon.com for books about outlaw biker clubs, starting with "under and alone".

the first chapter of this book was such an effective teaser that it actually fooled me into believing the book was ghost-written due to the author not surviving his undercover assignment ... it worked, because i couldn't put it down.

the thought of a law enforcement officer having the courage to take such an assignment is one thing ... to follow through with that assignment and actually become a full-patched member of such an organization is simply amazing. even more impressive is the fact that queen does such an excellent job of taking the reader along with him ... a true "fly on the wall" perspective throughout the book.

every chapter contains moments where you feel as if queen wouldn't survive his assignment and you almost breathe a sigh of relief when oftentimes, a random moment of good fortune is all that saves him.

what makes "under and alone" such a good read is that the action never lets up ... it is nothing but a continuous series of battles: the battle to hide his true identity from a group in which every member is a potential murderer, the battle to portray himself as outlaw biker material yet not participate in criminal activity, the battle of being a father to his kids and maintain their safety during/after the assignment, the struggle of actually developing a fraternal relationship with men who he will eventually be sending to prison and the constant battle with the expected ineptitude of the agency responsible for keeping him alive. the best battle of all, however, is the continuous grief queen endures from one particular mongol ... "red dog".

i found myself constantly flipping to the pictures in order to place a face with the name of those mongols he writes about ... even "red dog".

the book left me with a feeling of apprectiation that there are people out there willing to do such dangerous work voluntarily. my only regret is that there is understandably no "where are they now" chapter because i would really like to know how certain mongols personally felt about queen and the success of his undercover work.

Billy Queen is clearly an amazingly smart and tough guy. His tale of inflitrating the Mongrols, moving from 'Hang Around' to 'Prospect' to Treasurere and then Vice President of the local chapter is fascinating and well written. And it will quickly disabuse you of any notion that the the Mongols are OK guys have chosen their own path. While some people may have been OK when they joined, Billy makes clear the gang and its members are all to happy to hurt and kill with little or no reason.

Things the book does really well: Give a feel for day to day life in the gang, outline historical background to the Mongols/Hells Angels flue, give a sense of Billy's double life- knowing his gang friends would kill him at the drop of the hat, and that a large chunk of ATF would rather see everything he'd risked his life for throw away then chance the smallest public embarrassment.

The things I found lacking: Would have to liked to know even more about the gangs structure and the relationship between the head chapter (Mother) and the local chapters, would have liked to see more detailed sketches on even more of the members. Still, these are pretty trivials issues.

If you are interested in motorcycle gangs this book is required reading.

We hear many stories of the bad things our law enforcement personnel perpetrate against criminals. Finally a book that shows how courageous some of them are. Bill Queen is one of them, and has rightfully received many accolades. He deserves everyone of them. His sacrifice was immense. I hope he finds the comfort he so deserves.

In Clear and Present Danger, we get an insiders look at the danger of acting against national security threats outside the traditional channels of military use. We also get a sense of the danger of inaction against such dangerous targets. In this case, the danger is the war on drugs, specifically cocaine. A covert strike team is dispatched to Colombia which is still in the throes of left-wing terrorists who take kickbacks from the narcoterrorists and help protect drug dealers. The book deals with the famous John Clark, a legendary (in Clancy's books) black ops operator. Clark sets up the team which deals blows to the narcoterrorists but has repercussions for the civilians who get caught in the way. But at some point, Ritter (who set up the covert ops) has to cut them loose for deniability. Jack Ryan jumps into the fray. He won't let American troops hang out on a limb. Ryan was promoted to CIA DDI and can't let them die on the vine. He heads down to South America to rescue them with the help of John Clark. Ryan is trying to do what is both morally right and legally - not always a fine line. So the book intersects law, politics and morality. In addition, we get the continuity of the great characters that Clancyites enjoy - Admiral Greer and John Clark. This book is where Clark and Chavez meet - and become an inseparable black ops team for future books.

This is an incredible book. Mr. Clancy has managed to weave an extremely complex story of drugs, betrayal, murder, honor and ultimately justice. Woven throughout this book's pages are many great moral values, creating a truly positive reading experience.
QUICK NOTE
This book has high levels of violence (hey it's a military novel) and not a little swearing. (Comprable every two hours of reading to a rated R war film.

Drug spy morals.


Jack Ryan is promoted, and not pleased to find out about very dodgy drug operations being run in Colombia.

He and a military officer work together when revenge is taken on the CIA for interfering in the drug business to try and salvage a dangerous situation.

A pretty standard Clancy book.

Being someone that is not really into reading books, this book totally took me away. I really felt like I was living the fight with the story. Great book, highly recomend it.

This is the best Clancy book I've read. It doesnt have much of Jack ryan but it does have a bit more about the military than some of his other books. It also has Mr. Clark in some action in the end.

"Cheaper by the Dozen" is a wonderful, entertaining portrayal of life in the early part of the last century, combined with universal themes about family life that today's readers can very much relate to. As a member of a family of 10 children from New Jersey growing up in the middle of the twentieth century, this book about a large family from New Jersey in the early twentieth century particularly resonated with me. It was and still is one of my favorites. Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, were pioneers in scientific management and engineering, and this book portrays their entertaining adventures in applying these techniques to the raising of their 12 children. After not having read "Cheaper by the Dozen" in over twenty years, I recently read it again with my teenage son, and thoroughly enjoyed it - even more so than I had as a child, with the added perspective of parenthood. It is highly entertaining, and I literally had tears in my eyes I laughed so hard in certain sections.

The book is written by two of the Gilbreth "dozen". Its anecdotal style is mostly light and entertaining, and a certain amount of poetic license was taken in writing about actual events. It should not be viewed as a completely accurate historical biography of the Gilbreth's, nor was that the intent. (If you are looking for that I would recommend "Time Out for Happiness", by Frank Bunker Gilbreth, Jr., and "Making Time" by Jane Lancaster, both of which are generally available. Internet searches will also lead you to lots of additional information, pictures and even some film footage of the Gilbreths.)

Although sometimes portrayed as a book appropriate for children, I would not recommend this book for pre-teens for a number of reasons. First off, some of the language (although relatively mild by today's standards) as well as issues discussed (such as those hinted at and referenced in stories about the older daughters dating) are really not appropriate for pre-teens. Secondly, and my only real criticism of the book, is that there a few portions and references which were acceptable by the standards of 1948 when this book was published, but would now be considered less appropriate and insensitive: a small section containing a stereo-typical portrayal of a Chinese cook, a brief mention of the parents putting on a minstrel show to entertain the children (which went over my head as a teenage reader), and the referral by Mrs. Gilbreth to off-color language as "Eskimo". These are reflective of the time period, but a bit of guidance for younger readers on these issues might be useful (for my son, I used these as "teachable moments" regarding how standards have changed). I still highly recommend the book as an entertaining, fun read both for teenagers and adults.

Everyone who has a funnybone needs to listen to this story. I read it as a child and it was hysterical to me then, and now as I sit and listen to it read, with some feeling...it is only funnier. And yet it is filled with the warmth of a family that loves and tries to know and understand one another--with all its warts and foibles. It's very real. Real; funny. Do yourself, or someone who needs a good laugh, a very real favor...get hold of this original audio story of "Cheaper By the Dozen." And ENJOY.

We are a family that loves to be together. In the car sometimes we run out of things to talk about and the radio is not always the best for our 6 and 8 year old. So at the library we saw this and gave it a try. The kids books on tape make my husband and I fall asleep. So we went for this knowing nothing about it. Not big TV watching family. We loved it.We could not listen if not all four of us were not in the van or someone would get up set. It was nice. We still talk about this book on cd about the Dad and the family we have fell in love with. We got Marly and Me and that was nice but this was GREAT.

While some might consider "Cheaper by the Dozen" to be a children's book, I found it funny and interesting as well. As an only child, it was bewildering to even consider the idea of such a large family! In addition, I loved the father's motion study antics. Recommended for anyone seeking a lighthearted but worthwhile read.

When Frank and Lillian Gilbreth married, he said he wanted to have an even dozen children and Lillian was happy to oblige, having six boys and six girls. Frank and Lillian worked as efficiency experts and Frank employed efficiency techniques at home including figuring out how to shave in the quickest amount of time; how to dress as quickly as possible; having everyone in the family get their tonsils removed at the same time; and holding an Assembly Call in which he whistled and timed how long it took the family to gather together. Frank was the disciplinarian while Lillian was willing to look the other way when the children acted up. Together they had all kinds of adventures, some on land, some at sea, many of them hilarious.

Written by Frank Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey about their childhood, "Cheaper by the Dozen" is a very funny, old-fashioned read. The father stands out among all the characters, with his strict ideas about discipline and efficiency, yet having a nice sense of humor. Some of his ideas were a bit much, like having his children skip grades to get through school faster. While Frank is larger than life (literally), his wife Lillian is a more quiet character, seemingly in the background until you realize how much control she has over her husband. With twelve children, it's hard to keep them all straight, but a few of them stand out. Bill stands out most notably, with his penchant for playing practical jokes. He has some of the funniest moments in the book - like when he turns the table on his father who liked to scare them with his car horn; almost knocking the cook in the oven; or terrorizing his Aunt Anne. The other children who stand out are oldest daughters Anne and Ernestine who have the unenviable task of dealing with their father as they start to date. The book is more stream of consciousness than chronological and it can be hard to keep track of how old the children are. The book is full of humorous events including family trips in the car which always caused people to stare; family council meetings; a visit from a woman representing birth control who had no idea how large the family was; boat trips; and a visit from a psychologist. The book also has brief biographical sketches of both Frank and Lillian, although Frank's service during World War One is barely touched on. Although the book is humorous, it still touches on the difficulties of raising a large family, notably when Lillian had to travel by train from Boston to California with seven children who were sick for much of the trip. Some parts of the book made me cringe, especially when Martha had her tonsils removed after eating a heavy meal and when Lillian, tired of waiting at the hospital for her baby to be born, walked home while in labor. Still, most of the book was very funny.

"Cheaper by the Dozen" is a nice, humorous read.

There is something seriously wrong about the book, it is not "out of body" it is day dreaming, author confuse day dreaming to out of body. Pass this one. Trust me.

this was my first book on OBE's. i have a special attachment to this book because it was the first book to "get me out".
i focused mainly on the beginning and the end of this book because there was information about dimensions in the middle that i didnt get the first time through but im planning on reading it again.
when i got to the end of the book i actually fell asleep reading it one night and did have my first OBE so i must say that the things in this book readlly did sink in haha.
like i said, im going to give myself some time to explore and learn then i will read this book again and see how much more sense that middle section makes to me.

If you're interested in OBEs and astral projection, then Adventures Beyond the Body is the book to get. Adventures Beyond the Body is a comprehensive blueprint for achieving out of body experiences and exploring the astral plane of our existence. Even if you don't believe in an 'astral plane' and believe that all of this is just lucid dreaming, that's beside the point. The point is that the techniques and methods offered in William Buhlman's Adventures Beyond the Body WORKS.

I've been reading this book for the past two weeks, and in that time frame I've had two experiences. I haven't achieved an out of body state yet, but two different nights I have felt the weirdest feeling I've ever felt trying the techniques offered in this book. The first time was stronger than the second, but both times I felt as if my consciousness was shifting...as if it was about to float out of my body. I got scared and my heart started pounding. If you're not ready for the experience, it can be pretty frightening.

Hi everybody,
I figured I'd weigh in on this book.
In other reviews I had stated I was raised Catholic but had more or less given up on Christianity and other religions as a source of knowledge about the next world.
I decided to go looking for myself. Being a big fan of the movie Flatliners, I was wondering if this OBE thing could be accomplished with out actually stopping your heart.
A little internet research led me to this book and one other which I will also review.
The book really is an amazing read.
He gives great tips on how to accomplish the experience and what to expect.
Like other reviewers I found myself lucid dreaming and being able to sway and partially get in and out of my body within a few weeks. But it literally took me over a year to overcome the fear factor and actually leave my body.
I titled my review, "Be Warned".
Why?
Because the author was right, one you force the experience you can't stop it.
I would say in the last ten years I have had hundreds if not more OBE's.
I went looking for answers, I didn't find any.
OBE's are NOT NDE's (Near Death Experiences)
There is no white tunnel waiting for you to enter.
There is no garden of tranquility waiting for you.
Nor were there any flames or demons.
What did I see?
It's difficult to put into words exactly..........
The author claims to have experienced some very incredible things, and who am I to say he's lying.
Everyone I've told has told me, you were asleep or imagining it.
There really isn't anything I could do to convince them otherwise, I was as awake during the actual experience as I am during my real waking state.
What did I see?
LOL, my bedroom and the downstairs of my house. I tried an experiment by moving a lamp while out of body.
As soon as I reentered, I saw the lamp had NOT been moved.
This leads me to believe when you are out of body; you are seeing the spiritual side of the real world, a mirror image if you will.
I haven't had any contact with any otherworldly beings, positive or negative. Whatever celestial secrets are out there, the angels and demons are keeping their celestial mouths shut.
Like I said, I started this looking for answers and found none. The experience itself is VERY difficult to control. You vision is either clear as can be or extremely distorted and unfocused. I don't remember if it's the author of this book who says to "demand clear vision" while out of body and it will happen. I tried that, DIDN'T WORK!!!!.
I did look down at my arm while out of body and what I saw was beautiful. It was like an outline of an arm with millions of little blue lights inside of it. I also have looked at my bed on numerous occasions and the only thing I have ever seen was a blank bed with the indentations of a body laying on it.
I've never had any scary encounters but my experiences are really never that long, if you so much as think of your body, ZAP your right back in it. I've never been in any kind of fear of possession, I've seen the "silver cord" that is mentioned in the book and it's very real. Nothing can take your body without your permission I don't care what the fundamentalist's say. Your soul has a claim on your body, period.
I've never had an experience that has lasted long enough for me to actually venture out of the house so I can't comment further on that.
I guess I can't wait for some comments from people. Have any of your experiences been the same as mine?
I started doing this looking for answers, religion and the occult gave me none.
OBE's gave me none.
If you're bound and determined to do this, then it's at your own risk.
Like I said, once you force the experience, you CANNOT stop it from happening again.
It doesn't seem to happen at night when I go to sleep, but if I lay down to take a nap in the afternoon forget it.
I'm in and out constantly. There is however a school of thought that says a part of us leaves every time we go to sleep. I'm inclined to believe that, maybe I'm just not recalling the experiences during my nighttime slumber.
Again folks, be careful, if you aren't mentally ready for this then don't do it.
If you're bound and determined to do it, then it's at your own risk.
Whether or not you find any answers to your questions will depend on.............don't ask me, it seems the universe is content to withhold any otherworldly information from me, oh well.
Take care.
B

I wasn't entirely interested in astral projection until I happened by this book. The author's accounts of his OBE journeys had my mind racing with all the possibilities available to me. The main draw for me wasn't so much the techniques that were listed (although this book had good techniques for acheiving an OBE, there are books out there that deal more specifically with this topic) but rather the author's own experiences during his own projections. It made me want to hunker down and learn how to project so I could begin to experience all the wonderful things described.

Jacqueline Carey, Kushiel's Chosen (Tor, 2002)

Carey's second Kushiel novel may actually be better than the first, which is a welcome change from the second-novel slump one usually finds in trilogies. Phedre and Joscelin have been living happily in self-imposed exile after the events of the first novel, but a traveler comes bearing a present for Phedre-- her blood-red cape. Melisandre is the only one who could have sent it, which means she's playing games again. And the only way Phedre can stop her, and prevent the crumbling of the empire, is to go back to spying. (Needless to say, Joscelin is not at all happy about this.)

For the second time, Carey has presented the world with a well-written, fast-paced fantasy thriller that looks like a doorstop but reads like haiku. The biggest problem with the book is that carrying it may prove cumbersome; it weighs in at seven hundred pages (in hardback), but once you're enmeshed in the story, they'll fly past faster than you'd think. (It took me nine days to get through it, while working and reading four other books-- two of which were also over four hundred pages.) The characters are very well-drawn, the action is almost nonstop, and the plot is sufficiently labyrinthine to absorb both the fantasy reader and the mystery fan. Very good stuff, this, for a second time. ****

These 5 books are the best series I've read in forever! An absolute must for avid readers. JC has enthralled me with her complex characters and vivid portrayal of a ficticious realm in all it's glorious treachery and betrayal. I could not recommend this any higher than 5 stars, but this whole series is in a class by itself. I woulld give it a 7 out of 5.

Where as I can dig the intricate plotting and political intrigue this author has going on, Kushiel's Chosen was not as good for me as the first. Although the rescue of her beloved friend Hyacinthe is of vast importance to Phedra, this book really wasn't about that. Chosen is more about Phedra finding Melisande, the traitor who almost brought Terre D'Ange to war at the end of Kushiel's Dart, the first book in the series.

There is a thing as TOO much political intrigue however and, for me at least, this book had that in spades-especially for the first half of the book. Once Phedra and the boys left the courts of Elua for the city of La Serenissima in Caerdicci Unitas it picked up, thank God. (All places slightly familiar to us though given their own spin in this author's "alternate history" universe.)

Still, Chosen is bogged down with way too much information as far as I'm concerned and one has to concentrate to keep all the threads together.

Despite all the info- or perhaps because of it- I was as surprised as Phedra with where Melisandre finally turned up! It was a good twist and the fall out after made the book much more interesting.

First, let me say that I loved this series, as it did something for me that few can. It took me about a week to read this book, which is fantastic in my mind, as I can blow through a book in 4-5 hours, usually.

That being said, I loved this sequel less than I loved it's predecessor because I just wasn't as sucked into the excitement. The characters were great, but I felt some could have been a little deeper, and the action was great, but I felt it could have been a little less frenetic.

Also, I missed Joscelyn, who gets my vote for best hero ever, hands down.

5 Stars: Action, adventure, romance (eventually), and my favorite characters. The whole series is just great.

I was a fan of Kushiel's Dart and was excited to start on the sequel. Unfortunately it didn't quite live up to its predecessor although it's certainly a perfectly readable book.

Kushiel's Dart had a fair number of things going for it that this book just lacks. I thought Phedre's lack of simple friendships or familial type relationships flattened out the character somewhat. In Dart she was a daughter of sorts to Delauney, a sister to Alcuin and a friend to Hyacinthe. By Chosen she's lost all of those relationships, leaving only her stormy on again off again romance with Joscelin. It leaves her seeming more one-dimensional. And the relationships that do remain--with Joscelin and Melisande went from painful and complicated to melodramatic and overdone.

I didn't much care for Joscelin or his pain in this book. I thought his struggle between his vows and his love for her in the first book were believable and compelling. In this book, though, I mostly found him selfish. It was Delauney who bound Joscelin to Phedre, not Phedre herself. She had no choice in his being vowed to her service, so it seemed a little selfish of Joscelin for him to expect her to order her life so he could remain true to vows she had no part in making. And it wasn't like she was returning to the Service of Namaah for kicks. She was doing it in service to the Queen. She didn't choose to be an anguissette either and often hates it as much as he does. He just struck me as being hypocritical and self-righteous. Phedre certainly didn't help matters herself, true, but he did annoy me more.

The Melisande business seems like it should have been finished in Book One too. Her whole love/hate relationship with Melisande was so unique and tragic in Dart. But it felt done with when Phedre gave Melisande back her diamond. Bringing Melisande back just felt like the author trying not to give up on her favorite villain.

The plot doesn't really go anywhere new, either, and we're introduced to too many characters who never seem to much matter. While I thought the political intrigue was a strength of the first, here I just found it slow.

The book does have its good points. I continue to like Ysandre and Drustan. And Phedre herself is a likeable heroine. Despite the fact that she repetitively gets accused of being a Mary Sue, I really don't find her any more unbelievably perfect than your average male fantasy protagonist, most of whom never seem to get accused of such things. If she's a Sue, so is Joscelin at the very least.

**Light Spoilers below**

Jacqueline Carey has exploded into the fantasy genre with literature full of life and breadth. This third novel in the Phedre's story does not disappoint and makes way for the future Imriel saga.

Kushiel's Avatar points towards a mark beyond the horizon further than even our heroine could dream. The ten years of peace promised to her in Asherat's temple have passed and Phedre has not been idle. She has sought the name of God in her studies in hopes of freeing her one true friend, her safeword, the one who sacrificed himself in her place, Hyacinthe.

Though these ten years have given her love with her perfect companion, Joscelin, Phedre struggles to find the key to freeing Hyacinthe as well as wondering where the child of Terre D'Ange's greatest traitor has vanished. A dream marks the end of the decade and Phedre then is urgently beckoned by the traitoress, Melisande. Her son has gone completely missing from even her. Melisande begs Phedre to find her son and offers her a piece of the puzzle to find the name of God. The stage is set and the players named to begin an epic tale of good, evil, gods and above all thing the power of love. Can Phedre survive the will of gods? Will she come out whole if she does? Can love remain after being plunged into a world of darkness?

Carey's mix of intrigue, political maneuvering, sex, magic, and pain set against the wonders of many different backgrounds makes this a must read for any fan of the series or even those interested in a fantasy novel that reads like the finest literature(though if just beginning to fall into this series, I recommend beginning with Kushiel's Dart so you can fully enjoy the long laid mysteries falling into place after three novels!).

I loved this book. All of the Kushiels legacy stories are great, but this one, I could not put down. I don't understand why this book is out of print. Absolutely one of the best science fiction books to date!!

I bought this book years ago. Reading the whole series is the best way to go. Some of the subject matter is very graphic. Lots of rough sex. I would say not for kids. BUt for myself, I really loved the whole series. Very interesting story line and I love Carey's form of writing. Great characters.

This was a little bit of a departure from the previous two books of the series, in that it was more introspective and a lot deeper. I loved it, and loved the way it ended the series.

I felt the characters had grown, matured, and it was wonderful to read about them as they discovered more about themselves. I can't recommend this series highly enough. It's just a wonderful read, with characters you almost wish Carey would write about incessently, Gabaldon-style.

5 Stars: Great book, wonderful series. In my dreams I could write this well.

I wasn't going to do a review of this but then ... I disliked the book so much I just had to. The other two books were different and interesting even though politics and S/M are not my thing. Ms. Carey can be a great story teller as evidenced by the first two books.

However, she takes a sharp downward turn in *Kushiel's Avatar*. There were too many new lands with overblown descriptions and so much Sadism and torture I couldn't read most of it. Sex? All good if it meshes with the plot. S/M? I can read that too when it furthers the plot. Sexually torturing children and pages of unbelievable torture that should logically kill someone? And has killed many? Nope. Sorry. Skipped all that. I skipped whole paragraphs ... and then whole pages. I skipped so much I think I only read about half of the novel. And that was just because I wanted to find out if Hyacinth was going to be rescued from the island.

If there are any further *Kushiel* novels I will not read them and I would not recommend them to anyone unless they are into reading about child molestation and Sadism that could and does end in murder. Oh, and politics, intrigue, backstabbing (repeat several times). You get the idea.

I have to admit, I am disappointed. The first trilogy (Kushiel's Dart, Kushiel's Chosen, and Kushiel's Avatar) was incredible. This was not. While Imriel is an engaging character with his own flaws, weaknesses, strengths, and desires, I just don't think he can compare with Phedre. Furthermore, in this book at least, all that really happens is the set-up, a lot of whining, and some limited self-discovery. In Kushiel's Dart we had all that plus an over-arching plot, a deadly struggle, and many battles (both physical and political). Here, Imri goes to college. Hardly the same scale, is it?

Jacqueline Carey is an incredible writer and her writing style here is, as always, beautiful, eloquent, and evocative. Yet, the plot falls through. The reader finds him or herself caring more about Phedre and Joscelin (who are little more than cameos, here), Alais (whose importance declines very quickly, and just about everyone else more than Imriel.

So, on the whole, for those who really loved the first three books, this one is worth a read. However, don't get your hopes up.

J. Carey moves seemlessly from her Phaedre character to Imriel, bringing the same intense characterisations and well paced story development. Again the backdrops for the drama are intriging and rich; I would love to visit the worlds she builds in my head! As a reader I was immediately drawn into Imriel's problems, and could only watch as he made in- character descisions in awful situations. His triumphs were mine, his pain palpable.

When I heard that the new trilogy in the Kushiel's Series by Jacqueline Carey was not going to be from Phedre's view but from her foster son, Imriel's, view I was a bit worried. Would the story be the same without Phedre leading it? I shouldn't have worried this is a very good book.

As soon as I started it I gave a sigh of relief. This book is again beautifully written and does justice to the three previous books that take place in the same world. This book is entirely about Imriel, Phedre's foster son. It is basically a coming of age story and there is a lot of character development. Imriel changes a lot from the beginning of the book to the end. There is a lot of intrigue as in the previous books. Although this book is less about ordinary people doing extraordinary things and more about the importance of ordinary people doing ordinary things.

All the above being said this book could have almost been broken down into maybe two books and I think it would have been better. If the book would have ended when Imri set off on his voyage to the University, that would have been perfect. As it stands the last third of the book started to drag on for me. Once they started with the siege, I was bored and hard pressed to even finish the book. This usually isn't a problem for me as I love these books. The end of the book didn't really deal with Imri that much and I thought that most of the siege was unnecessary. I understand that the siege had both some plot development points and was supposed to drive home the fact that you don't have to be *the* hero to be important. Still, I found it boring and laborious to get through.

If it hadn't been for the slow last third of the book I would have given this book 6 stars if I could. But the last part really hurt my opinion of the book. I am still excited to read the next book, but I will need a break before I delve into that book.
[...]

I picked up this book surprised that there was another in the series. I had read the first 3 in high school and I was just looking for something to read while traveling. Little did I know that it would be such a great find. It is beautifully written as always and it is hard to put down. It will bring a tear to your eye and put a lump in your throat, but that is the skill of Carey. I bought Kushiel's Justice and I hope that Kushiel's Mercy comes to paperback soon!

Kushiel's Scion, like Jacqueline Carey's earlier work, is not for the light reader. However if you are looking for intrigue, originality, convoluted plots, and fascinating characters, this is a book for you. Even with some 700+ pages, there didn't seem time to cover all the twist and turns included in this book.

no spoilers; just synopsis

a) don't see the movie unless you read the book...something gets really lost between the two

b)Excellent, simply excellent!!! I would recommend this book to anyone who appreciates superlative writing and a quirky story. If every book were like this one, I would be in Heaven!!!! The prose is outstanding and these characters are simply so real I thought they'd float off the page.

Oscar and Lucinda is set both in England and in Australia in the 19th century. In England, Oscar Hopkins is the son of a non-Anglican, religious fundamentalist who is also a naturalist, and up until he is about 15 Oscar grows up with the reassurance that he is among the saved. Oscar's mother died; he lives with his father in a little village called Hennacombe in Devon, in an austere house with no ornamentation; even the food is plain. One Christmas one of the cooks feels sorry for the boy and makes him a Christmas pudding, complete with raisins & a cherry; the ostentatiousness of the pudding leads Theophilus (Oscar's father) to lose it and he hits Oscar, who is then forced to cough up the pudding. Later, they are out wading in the ocean, and Oscar asks that God smite his father out of anger; just then, Theophilus has an accident that cuts him on the leg. Oscar realizes that he has to leave -- and the signs point to the Anglican Church. We next find him at Oxford, at Oriel College, where he discovers gambling. One thing leads to another and Oscar sets out to become a missionary in New South Wales but he has to go by ship...a problem since Oscar has this immense water phobia. It is on this voyage that Oscar meets Lucinda Leplastrier, returning to Australia, whose parents had died & whose mother, before dying, had their land subdivided and sold and Lucinda was now an heiress living off the profits. She is also the owner of a glassworks in Australia. Lucinda is obstinate, headstrong & like Oscar, she is a gambler. The lives of these two people come together on the ship, then meet again after Oscar discovers that there is no Missionary Work to be done in New South Wales, and that he is to be assigned to a posh vicarage instead. He meets Lucinda in a Chinese gambling house ... and things take off from there. I won't say another word... you really should read it for yourself.

The writing is excellent; the story is excellent and there are so many themes that are explored without the author ever losing track. My only complaint: the end came so fast (it was a great ending but rushed) that after having savored the story for so long I felt cheated. However, the rest of the book was absolutely stunning and so rich so I can overlook this.

Please try this book...I can totally see how it won a Booker.

It's long, at times it's tedious, but it is a book that remains with you long after the last page. The characters of both Oscar and Lucinda are so well drawn and their interaction is told with such tension that it is painful but with generous splashes of humor that just sparkles. I agree with some of the reviewers who feel the ending somewhat loses steam, but that is very minor. Great writing. If you enjoy a historical love story set in a far away land involving two people who are far from ordinary, try "Oscar and Lucinda."

This has got to be in my top five books i have ever read.
Set in 19th century Australia, Lucinda is confident and assertive. In contrast, Oscar is mild mannered and nervous. Together they form a friendhip that begins with a love for gambling but develops into something much deeper.
This story is beautifully written, Carey conjures up wonderful imagery of early Australian life, both in the outback and the city. The characters
are magical.
Absolutely supurb

After reading Oscar and Lucinda, Peter Carey's Booker Prize winning novel, I tried to categorize it in some meaningful way. It's richly detailed prose might be a bit daunting at first, and even though a brief glossary is provided, it may be advisable to have a dictionary at hand to help understand some of the language of mid 18th century Australia and England. One category that comes to mind is the historical novel. Oscar and Lucinda works very well on that level, and gives us insight into the economic, cultural, and religious milieus of the period.
Another category is the psychological portrait. Carey does a splendid job exploring the minds of the 2 main characters, both fatally flawed, but passionate in what they believe. It is a novel about the interplay of obsession, compulsion, and passion, and how explosive a mixture it can become under the right and wrong conditions.
Finally, and most importantly, Oscar and Lucinda is a grand farce. This may seem to contradict the historical and psychological aspects, but it still holds true that even the most horrendous and gut wrenching circumstance is delivered with a light, humorous, at times outright hysterical touch. Anyone who fails to see the comedy in this novel is not doing it justice.
Carey should be applauded for this masterful, high wire, juggling act of a novel.

Oscar Hopkins is the red-haired, idealistic, hydrophobic, mantis-like son of a preacher from England. Lucinda Leplastrier is a beautiful, Australian feminist heiress who owns glass works. They are like two poles of opposite charge, completely different, yet attracting each other. There is only one thing they seem to have in common: the addiction to gambling.

Their meeting happens against all odds: Oscar, after running away from his father, Teophilus, is raised by an Anglican family and receives education in Oxford. While in Oxford, he studies theology, but at the same time discovers a passion for betting on horses and wins considerable sums. To avoid a scandal, he agrees to take a post of a vicar in Australia and undertakes a long sea journey to get there, despite his fear of water.

Lucinda happens to be on the same ship, coming back to her native Australia after a visit in England. She is determined to make her glass factory work and thinks about the obstacles she meets all the time, mainly because of men not used to having a female boss and (even less) to exchanging ideas with a headstrong woman (despite finding Lucinda an attractive companion). Lucinda loves all kinds of gambling and even during the journey she cannot refrain from dreams of playing cards...

When Lucinda sees Oscar aboard the ship, he makes an unforgettable impression on her. So when they meet again, another scandal is inevitable. When Oscar is totally ruined and Lucinda's reputation would ruin her too, if not for her fortune, they decide to build the glass church, which Oscar is supposed to deliver through the bush, traveling with abominable Mr. Jeffris. The ending is even more surprising than the whole story...

I do not want to reveal any of the events that Carey's imagination created. This novel delves into the unexpected, the plot is great and the small anecdotic sub-stories and digressions excellent. Every secondary character is vivid and no person or event is introduced unnecessarily, even if it seems so at the first glance.

The prose is dense, rich and evoking powerful imagery in the mind of the reader. The novel is complex and requires a great deal of concentration. For me it was a slow, but delicious read. Oscar and Lucinda are undoubtedly among the weirdest literary characters ever created, yet they are full of life. They are interesting, unique and thoroughly human, not ideal, but very likeable. All the characters are full of human flaws, many are even caricatures (Mr. Jeffris, Miriam Chadwick and others), repulsive and pathetic; some are good but weak; some are plain ridiculous; there is a whole spectrum of human natures. Peter Carey wrote a great love story, a powerful epic and a great character study- a masterpiece. He is definitely one of the top Australian writers.