Clarke Books

Sparta is a biologically enhanced woman who is on a personal mission to find her parents or the man who killed them. In order to do this she takes on a new identity, Ellen Troy, and rises to the rank of investigator in the Board of Space Control. With the help of her childhood friend, Blake Redfield, she begins to unravel the mysteries behind her biological enhancements and the group that calls themselves the Free Spirits.

In this second volume, Preuss does an excellent job of continuing the suspense and drama that made the first book so intriguing. Not only does each book hold a mystery in and of itself, but the series as a whole is a mystery in which the reader picks up clues along the way. Quite an interesting concept that I've not seen in the mystery/suspense genre. However, this technique does seem to lend itself to sci-fi where the reader is used to stories that continue past a single book.

I love that Sparta's intelligence is what we see as her "super power" along with her technological "improvements". She is not a heroine who has "super strength" but rather super character. The plot is fast paced keeps you guessing and defineltly can hold even the video gamers attention. Only complaint; the book describes Sparta with blue eyes not hazel which is on the cover and her body is described not quite as thin and "top heavey" as on the cover.

I found this book to be a really excellent story. There were many places where I did not want to put the book down, so I made time to finish the section I was reading. Several times I exclaimed, "wow" aloud while reading on the Metro. It is easy to image-in what the author was writing, so I felt as though I was right there. I am looking forward to finding and reading venus prime 1 thru 5!

At first I felt put off by two things. First, the picture of the woman on the cover, while appealing, did cause me to refrain from leaving the book lying around for my 8-year old daughter to see. This book does not need sex to sell. Second, I was put off by the fact that Arthur Clarke was not authoring it. But I gave it a shot anyway, and I must say, I was very pleasantly surprised.

Unlike the other Rama books, with the possible exeption of number 2, this was escellent. The plot, the action, the characters, and even the setting was unbelievable. This was a well-written, well thought out book. And the last line was incredible....The Ramans do everything in threes...

The story of an expedition to a giant cylindrical craft that passes through our solar system. It's long been a favourite of mine and I have read it dozens of times. Apparently someone in Hollywood is going to make a film about it soon. Can't wait.

This collection has 5 ACC stories, and among them 3 of the best science fiction stories of all-time. You will be hard-pressed to find an SF fan who will tell you that 2001: A Space Odyssey, Rendezvous With Rama, and The City & The Stars are not three of the best science fiction books ever written. And the reason, is simply because they ARE three of the best! Each one is a masterpiece in it's own right, the kind of future story that could only have come from Arthur C. Clarke. No one else could've written these books. That's not to discount the other two stories in this collection: The Deep Range (which is a good book about the sea (not space!) which a very poetic ending), and A Fall of Moondust, another ACC classic. If Amazon ever gets this book back, be sure to order it!

The book explains the factors that leads to the increasing power of patients over providers. With some examples of pioneers adopting to the changes, you can have an idea where the future lie for providers.

Personally, I think this book is especially helpful for providers. As or consumers, they will experience these changes first hand within their daily lives.

This excellent treatise on the possible future path of Managed Care is a benchmark guide for all of us who are involved in healthcare. Of particular interest are the four examples of "Scenario Planning" which are offered. The reader may challenge oneself by imagining additional, or alternative, scenarios; particularly in view of the current stock market volatility as well as a new national presidential adminstration.

This is an excellent piece of analysis that looks at where we are, how we got here and where we are likely to go. The authors have done a fantastic job of outlining seven major factors that impact the health care industry (consumerism, public policy, information technology, etc.), and the four scenarios at the end of the book provide a great framework for doing your own crystal ball gazing. This book sort of picks up where Paul Starr left off. A must read for any health care executive who plans to remain an executive in health care over the next 5 - 10 years.

In this final conclusion to the trilogy to Not With My Son and Vengeance is Mine, Chris Walker is back with the daughter conceived by him and Michelle. Chris tries hard to keep Ashley away from all the secrets and pain Michelle caused. As Ashley grows up and starts becoming a young woman she starts to seek the truth about her mother and all the drama that has been well hidden from her. Michelle still has a few tricks up her sleeve and she uses the one person she knows will always be in her corner...Ashley. Through all the drama that unfolds, Ashley finds someone to console her and that she can confide in.

Carrying Momma's Baggage was another home run to me. It is not an easy job to produce a trilogy that can definitely hold its own to the other two novels. The way she tied the three books together like she never stopped writing. It was like just picking up where I left off. The book was remarkable and the drama definitely was even better in this novel. I didn't think the plot could get any better or the drama in more intense but I was wrong. Hope C. Clarke is definitely on point with her pen game and I look forward to anything else she produces!

Reviewed by Mskiki of Real Divas of Literature

Carrying Momma's Baggage
Reviewed by: Wanda Starkes, C&B Books

TRI-RRIFIC! Hope C. Clarke, author seals her trilogies, with Carrying Momma's Baggage blasting off with excitement, passion and drama. Chris Walker's daughter, Ashley is all grown up, beautiful and a splitting image of Michelle, her mother. Curiosity and apprehension surrounding Ashley quickly gains ground causing a world wind of trouble, arousing fear in everyone inside Momma's Baggage.
Love, faith, family and friendship are challenged once determined Ashley stops at nothing to get to the bottom behind the well-hidden secrets and denials that has been in her family for far too long! Meanwhile Ashley's curiosity about love and romance leads her to an unforgettable moment!
Ashley now at a turning point in her life, suddenly finds herself in a tug-a-war being pulled in two different directions. She fights to free herself from the baggage she is carrying before lives are destroyed including her own.

OMGosh!
NOT WITH MY SON is over shadowed only by CARRYING MAMMA'S BAGGAGE. This book had me in suspense, gripped to the edge of my seat, wondering what would happen next.

CARRYING MAMMA'S BAGGAGE evokes emotions you didnt think would come out. Read it.

It's great to have the use of the internet, but having an actual book in front of you to hold and read and flip through the pages is so much more appealing to me. This is a great starter encyclopedia for children to have from age 7 and up. It's great for homeschoolers also. When they go through the book, it will give you an idea of what their interests are and what they want to learn more about. The pictures are realistic, beautiful, colorful. There are so many things in it to learn and lots of tidbits about everything from the body, science, earth, animals, sports, religions, materials, dinosaurs, and on and on. Great encyclopedia to own.

I have been homeschooling my 5 year old using the Usbourne Children's Encyclopedia. Great intro to social studies and geography. I just use one page at a time and make up a list of questions that I use afterwards to see if he remembers and if not we discuss the topic such as how are rainbows made again until he understands. Great for his attention span at this age. After this book, I plan to then use the Usborne Encycl. of Geography. We have not yet used the internet part of the book, but that also looks promising. Great value if you read the book and not just use the book as a resource.

This encyclopedia has an excellent coverage in an easy to understand language for elementary lower grades. I bought it for my son who is at second grade reading level and enjoys geography and science. This encyclopedia has the same content as its bigger edition, which costs about $21. Only that this is more handy and still has a good size print. The pictures are beautiful. Altogether, it worths more than what I paid for. What a deal!

This review covers the Flemming H. Revell Commentary on St. Paul's Epistle to The Galations. This version is based upon Luther's lectures at the University of Wittenberg in 1531 and the translation is based upon the "Middleton" edition of 1575. This is the best version to my knowledge, but it is written in King James english. On the positive side, it reads very poetic, but on the negative, it is harder to follow. I personally like this writing as it is closer to the language of the 16th Century. This book was considered by Luther to be his favorite, and history rates it highly. To summarize, it has a number of messages, (1) Galations shows that a person who is in true faith can fall away if they are negatively influenced by false teaching - a real problem in today's world. (2) That Biblical teaching must be solely based upon Bible scripture, and anyone who teaches man's doctrines using random Bible passages to support his/her sermons is most likely not a trustworthy preacher. (3) That even faith is a gift of God, and not a decision that a person makes. (4) That "Justification" is based upon "faith alone. (5) That Mose's OT law condemns mankind, and that anything a person tries to add to God's grace in the way of works or self rightiousness,denies what Jesus Christ did for mankind on the cross - Galatians 5:4. (6) That good works result from heart felt faith, and that good works do not preceed or contribute to salvation when it comes to "Justification."
The world needs this teaching to be more prevalent; however, the world does not like to hear it; therefore, it is almost lost in today's religious teachings. This work is a masterpiece with few peers if any, and is highly recommended to a person familiar with the Bible who desires to grow in their faith and understanding.

This is, just simply, the best commentary of any book of the Bible I have thus far read. Dr. Luther elequently examines Paul's epistle to the Galations with one sole question on his mind: What does this verse mean? His notes on the verses are structured to answer that very question throughout Paul's book.

I have in my ownership...one of the old editions translated into English - dated 1796. On the inside cover there is a quote from John Bunyan (the infamous writer of "Pilgrim's Progress" and "Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners") which reads as follows: "I do prefer this book of MARTIN LUTHER upon the Galatians, excepting the Holy Bible, before all books that I have ever seen." That there speaks volumes of the value of this commentary.

It is considered by many theologians to be Dr. Luther's greatest work. It is a valued book on this Protestant's bookshelf and would highly recommend it to any believer. Sola Scriptura!

This is, in my estimation, the greatest non-canonical book ever written.

Luther expounds Paul's epistle to the Galatians with an insight, power and depth of emotion which is sorely lacking in modern commentaries. He is not concerned with the various potential interpretations of "problematic passages" that fill the pages of other commentaries. From the very first page Luther cuts to the heart of the epistle-the doctrine of justification-in the way that only he can. His bold words and plain-sense interpretations result in a work filled with much of the same force and passion that characterized the epistle itself. The grace of God and the love of Jesus Christ cling to every word like the scent of a precious perfume. I cannot recommend this work highly enough.

This is the very essence of the gospel as understood by the one who "rediscovered" the doctrines of faith and grace as he teaches us from the words of the one to whom God first revealed those doctrines. If you are looking for an up-to-date critical commentary or a greek-focused exegetical work then you will not find it here, but if you would hear a plain declaration of the power and wisdom of God then you will not find a better treatise apart from the Bible.

You can spend five minutes or five hours at a sitting with this gem. Even a casual browse through a few pages will teach you something you didn't know about Vikings. A must for anybody studying Norse culture, and a valuable addition to their collections.

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A cultural atlas presents its readers with a tremendous amount of information. Even a casual browsing through this work reveals enough information to provide the seeker of knowledge with a firm grasp on the history, geography, and culture of the efficient, effective "Warriors of the North" known as Vikings or Northmen.

This atlas explains and defines the Viking Age, beginning in the 8th century and ending in the 11th century with the creation of the Scandinavian nations of Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Iceland. These tall, blonde, blue-eyed Vikings also left their mark on lands from North America, across Europe into Russia -- which was named for the Rus, a Swedish tribe -- and into the Byzantine Empire of Asia Minor and beyond. The Vikings endowed the Europeans who followed them with the Viking genes for bravery, impudence, physical beauty, and intelligence, genes which Viking warriors spread widely in the Northern Hemisphere.

The compilers of this work, edited by James Graham-Campbell, present the reader with a plethora of charts, maps, and captioned photographs illustrating and enriching cogent expository text.

Everyone on the planet, ... will recognize this book as a valuable tool in the study of a great European people.

I love this book. It has lots of maps and illustrations. Best of all it covers the entire gamut of the Viking universe. It is a wonderful resource for getting your head around the big picture of the Viking age. I have researched Viking Age history for years now and this is one of the BEST books I have ever found

I have quite a few "nature" books on my shelf, and at least 5 on plant identification. I was a tad bit leary when I ordered this book, thinking that it would just become another dust gatherer. Boy was I wrong. It is one of the easiest reads I have ever seen on this subject. You do not have to have a degree in botany to get into, and begin to use the info in this book. It has rekindled my desire to learn more about the plant-life around me. If you live, and play outdoors in California, then I would definately recomend this book, and some of the recipes listed in this book really are to die for ( and I am not talking about the chapter on poisonous plant identification ).

Clearly written guide to edible plants with recipes and well told descriptions. I enjoyed every page.

As a former graduate student in botany I have almost 100 books on botany and plant identification, and this is one of the most fun and easiest to use guides that I have. It's not a rigorous guide, but it's not meant to be, since it focuses on the edible and useful plants of California. About a hundred species are covered, if I remember right (cut me some slack here since it's been awhile since I picked it up), and the notes on their herbal or culinary use, which I don't know as much about, increased my knowledge there.

This would probably be one of the best books for an amateur to get their feet wet identifying plants because it limits itself to one topic and many of the easier species to identify. Plus you'll learn about how various plants they have been used in the past and continue to be useful today.

For example, to mention just one, ceanothus, of which there are about 40 species in California, was used both as a tea substitute and tobacco substitute by the early settlers. And it's easily identifiable by the three prominent veins on the underside of the leaf, as well as the small, pretty clusters of violet flowers. Most of the 40 odd species are low growing herbs or bushes, but the largest species can be a 40 foot tall tree.

Overall, a fine book and one that imparts a lot of fun, useful information.

It's beautiful and well researched. The photos are fantastic. Personally, I prefer a dichotomous key, but this will be very helpful for academic and lay users both, equally. This book will likely be useful to anyone interested in plants in southern California, because it covers most of the species that are typical of the entire region. The Santa Ana runs through most all of the primary biozones of the region, so the book ends up covering most all of the typical plants of the area.

It's just a little too big for the pocket, but it's small enough for the daypack. Owning most all of the lay and academic texts on plants of the region, I think this is one of the most useful, appealing, and accessible. It is easy to use without sacrificing or fudging the botanical information. I highly recommend it for most users interested in Western Riverside and Orange counties, as well as Los Angeles and western San Diego county. It will be less useful for desert region identification.

If you are are looking for a portable dichotomous key, try the flora of San Diego county. Even if you are outside San Diego county, it will only be missing a few species. Then again, if you are a botanist seeking a technical manual, you probably know this already.

If you are just interested in plants, this one is excellent, and it has enough technical information in it that it will still be useful as your knowledge grows.

This is, by far, the best book I've ever seen on botany with incredible pictures, phenominal keys, and a useful description of the plants that puts them in a perspective that helps the reader to understand how these plants fit into the rest of the planet's botany.

The authors' understanding of botany is exceptional.

The title of the book might limit its audience but botanical professionals and novices alike will find this book extremely useful and engaging.

Oscar Clarke's book on the Santa Ana River has a very special meaning for Southern California. It illustrates the surprising and beautiful results from imported water. The most dramatic demonstration is in the Santa Ana River. Superficially the Santa Ana doesn't appear to be such a great river. But that is because most of the flow is underground. And much of that water was imported. Users along the course pass the used water to the soil beneath them, and it joins the flow.

The result is a springtime display (and year-round too) of water-loving plants, and drier species on the slopes above. The magic of imported water brings back the floristic beauty that we might have supposed was lost with the "development" of Southern California. Of course we also get species that were considered alien, but many of them are beautiful too.

Oscar's easy and natural approach to evolution-based systematics is described on Page 5. He tells how to remember the series: kingdom, phylum, order, family, genus, species. For the huge Sunflower family, this series is not sufficient to bring order, and the family is divided into 14 tribes (as listed on Page 355) before dividing further into genus and species.

Oscar's description of tribes in the Sunflower family appears to be a traditional listing, similar to that in Munz, P.A. "A Manual of Southern California Botany" (1935), referenced by Oscar. But there has been some moving of particular genera to different tribes, some merging of tribes, some name updates, and the addition of two tribes from Africa, including that of the Freeway Daisy.

Getting technical for a moment, I can remark that the division into tribes is imperfect, with overlaps and uncertainties due to the contrary effects of speciation and evolutionary convergence. More recent floras such as the encyclopedic and authoritative 1993 Jepson Manual attempt to improve upon the tribes with newly constructed "groups", but I think the imperfection remains.

The book is an easy introduction to flower hunting for beginners. But those who have lists of flowers from past jaunts, and would like to recall pleasant memories, can also use it. There can be confidence that nearly every species along the Santa Ana River is included.

A Gathering of Wisdoms is probably the very best documentation I've ever come across that focuses on the "right way" of working with people, whether they are of the Original People, or if they're non-native. Sterile environments and a counselor's "power" aren't what makes the changes...it's reaching out sincerely, with respect, and the desire to understand. And, this "A Gathering of Wisdoms" is a tremendous help to those who are reaching out to help others from their hearts! Lin

This manual is a godsend -- or Spirit-send. It presents the only clear outline for counseling Native clients available. The text can be used as a manual, workbook, ...whatever. Forms included are easily adapted to your particular agency's needs. Highly recommended by a seasoned drug/alcohol counseling veteran.

This manual is a godsend -- or Spirit-send. It presents the only clear outline for counseling Native clients available. The text can be used as a manual, workbook, ...whatever. Forms included are easily adapted to your particular agency's needs. Highly recommended by a seasoned drug/alcohol counseling veteran.