James Books

Foo bar, baz!

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The Lion in Winter (Penguin Plays)


Tell us what you think. Write a review of this item and share your opinions with others. PleAmazon.com cares about children's privacy on the Internet. But we also care about freedom of expression and the exchange of ideas in a safe environment. That's why we've created this separate form for those under the age of 13. When children under 13 submit reviews for their favorite items, we won't ask for names or e-mail addresses, but we'll still enable them to share their opinions.
The Lion in Winter (Penguin Plays)


Tell us what you think. Write a review of this item and share your opinions with others. Ple

This play about the famously disfunctional family of England's Henry II is perhaps the most devestating family drama this side of "Long Day's Journey into Night".

For those who want a real epic, it can - but doesn't have to - be read as a sequel to Jean Anoilh's "Becket". Personally I found that this adds to the tragedy.

It opens during a fictional family Christmas get together that is combined with a historical meeting between Henry and France's young King Phillip. Henry's persistent humiliation of his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, through his string of mistresses has prompted her to hurt him in the only way available to her - by systematically destroying his relationships with their sons. Now Henry - although not old yet - is no longer a young man. The fact that a potentially dangerous Phillip - who has a legitimate axe to grind with Henry - is no longer a child forces them to realize that their familial intrigues have set their boys up for both internal and external disaster upon Henry's death. They make a real effort to save both their shattered marriage and their shattered children, but it may already be too late ...

The main tragedy, of course, is what Henry and Eleanor have done to their children. Richard is admirably brave but has had much of his compassion beaten out of him and replaced with brutality. Geoffrey's great sense of humor has been blasted in the bud, and his fustrated capability of love makes a weapon of an intelligence that would have been an asset to anyone who would have shown him the slightest affection in return (it's worth noting for those who don't know the family's subsequent history that given the condensed time of the play, Geoffrey would presumably have died in a fatal tournament accident soon after the action of the play - making him even more poignant). John, the youngest son of Robin Hood fame, is somewhat mishandled - his failure had much to do with Richard's prior mismanagement and lousy historical timing rather than his own faults, and the ruthless streak that doomed Geoffrey's son Arthur (who isn't in the play) as well as his general competence in many instances (he would later rescue Eleanor from a siege in a manner that would have done Richard proud) doesn't really come across - but in an otherwise excellent play Goldman can be forgiven for bowing to popular opinion in one case.

An accurate depiction of the dynamics of the Plantagenet family, "The Lion in Winter" is also a timeless study of what constitutes a healthy family.

I recently completed a production of this fine play where I played Geoffrey, Duke of Aquataine. I have done a lot of play and this without a doubt is the most well written. Goldman does not waste a single word in the play.

I just bought a new copy of this play and I am so very, very happy that I did. I dashed through it and then reread my favorite parts. I hadn't read it in many years, but my respect has really grown for the playwright's wit and imagination. What an absolutely wonderful play. Of course, I love the film, but it was great fun to see how the play moves rapidly and the dialog is so biting and bitter at times. I agree with all the reviewers. Buy this play because it is a classic play with ripping dialog.

I have to say Iam in love with this book. I know every line by heart. I saw the movie frist. Also a A+++++ movie. I don't know, something about it.It somehow just gets under your skin. Anyone who loves history. Or just just great works of writing should have this little book.

Fantastic, entertaining book!! Loaded with history and recipes -- Who could ask for more??? Highly recommend.

Fine addition to anyone's cookbook collection and a great gift for the
rail fan. Recipes are easy and they work! Don't expect to lose weight!

Great book! Wonderful back story of an era mostly gone. Recipes are particularly interesting and became the theme for a wonderful party. Research done by the author is staggering. Bravo!

Really a fun book to have for the railroader with someone who loves to cook. Tons of fine recipies from railroads all over the country. SOME EXPERIENCE REQUIRED! I tried my hand at a dish, but it didn't turn out right despite following directions to the letter. Recently, Mom and I were successful. Her years of cooking experience handed down from Grandma paid off, because she noticed a missing step. Some basic preparation steps are left out becuase by the time a cook was assigned to the diner, he didn't need to see everything on paper. Since then, Mom and I have enjoyed many more weekend cooking classes with the dining car cookbook. Although many projects have turned out well, I'll always recall our first as my personal favorite: Western Pacific Rice Cream Pie. Good times!

The book "Dining by Rail" was purchased at the urging of a ten-year old son who is a rabid railfan. The book not only has a treasure trove of the most famous recipes from all the different rail lines, but it features a marvelous history of railroads from the point of view of the customer, the cooks, and others whose job it was to provide customer service. One also learns how the menus on the trains reflected the relations with the most important commercial customers of the railroad, an aspect nostalgic railfans don't always think about.

The book is well written and carefully researched. The pictures are evocative, and the recipes very easy to follow and recreate.

Altogether, this book is providing my son and me with a interesting and tasty railroad education!

This is worth reading if the problems in Iran, Iraq and the Middle East concern you. It is a tragic tale that shows American foreign policy as the immature outgrowth of US intervention in world affairs during the 1940's. No administration is spared. The author we involved in these events while in the US State Department.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about the modern middle east, political Islam, the Iranian revolution, or the Iran hostage crisis.

After reading this book, I am amazed that James Bill is not the most sought-after Middle East commentator in America. His analysis of 20th century Iran leading up to the revolution of 1979 is a clear and concise explanation of part of the puzzle that led to the tragedies of 9/11. This is a MUST-READ for anyone who wants to become truly familiar with Iran's tumultuous history and its rocky relationship with the West. As the Bush administration continues to evolve its policy towards this area of the world, it would be wise for officials at the State Department and at the Pentagon to read and absorb the lessons contained in this crucial analysis of US-Iran relations. Again, this is a must-read.

Far and away the most balanced, well-researched, accurate and thoughtful book on US-Iran relations. Excellent psychographical backgrounds of the key players.

"The Eagle and the Lion: The Tragedy of American-Iran Relations", is an excellent book by James Bill, who explores the files of history in an effort to assess the series of events that culminated in the worsening and then breaking of U.S. -Iranian links. The author looks at the manner in which the American policy makers handled relations between the two countries. He highlights the uneasy diplomatic contacts between the two countries that date back to 1883 while searching for the causes of the artificiality of the "healthy" relationship between the two countries.

The main emphasis of Professor Bill is on the fact that American policy makers misunderstood those societal dimensions of Iran which play an important part in its foreign policy behavior. For example, the perceptions of the Iranians towards the Europeans or Americans; the sensitivity of the people of Iran towards their religion and culture and the respect that was given to the religious leadership. The writer emphasizes the modes adopted by the American foreign policy makers, especially in the context of delicate situations when ever they arose.

In order to reach a logical conclusion for the "mismanagement," the author is concerned with the deteriorating relations between the two countries, - and for that the book traces out the initial heavy contacts between the Iranians and the Americans.

One must give credit to the Professor for his understanding of Iranian society and his compassionate analysis. This study is a must for the students of U.S.-Iran relations. It is a welcome contribution, not only to the literature on the subject but also to the study of Iranian as well as American decision makers. This is the best book of its genre written by an American author.

Prof.Dr. S. Farooq Hasnat
Former Chairman,
Department of Political Science
Punjab University, Lahore
Pakistan

My first clinical supervisor recommended James Hollis, a Jungian psychologist, to me and the windows of my soul I look out through have always gleamed brighter since being turned onto this book. But don't stop with this one. Read all of his books. My other favorites are The Middle Passage, Why Good People do Bad Things, and Swamplands of the Soul. Enjoy!

How many of us have been convinced that if we could only find The Right One, The Magical Other, our lives would be complete, and we'd have guaranteed happiness for the rest of our lives? Stated so baldly, that sounds sadly impossible ... but we've all bought into it, especially in the first half of life. And we've all suffered the pain of finding out it doesn't quite work that way.

As in all his fine books, James Hollis examines the roots of our needs & desires, and opens our eyes to the buried reasons we so desperately want to believe in The Magical Other. He isn't dismissing or disparaging love, but he is asking us to look more closely at what it really is, and what it really isn't. This is absolutely necessary once we pass through the first glorious rush of lust & infatuation, and everyday life sets in. True love, a lasting & mutually nourishing relationship, requires far more than the beautiful but ephemeral illusions mass-marketed by our culture & fed to us from an early age. It requires both work & a willingness to look at ourselves honestly, something that's much harder than we might think. But the effort is certainly worth it!

Most highly recommended!

I have read this book a number of times and glean new wisdom every time. It explained every mystery of human relationship that has baffled me for 50 years. The insight I gained helps me understand other people as well as myself in both personal and professional relationships. Hollis can synthesize Jung better than any author or teacher working today, and uses literature and poetry which greatly enriches his writing. All of James Hollis books are exemplarary and I recommend them all. I have been fortunate enough to hear Hollis speak and he is even better in real life. Extremely wise and empathetic. I have also given this book as a gift to many of my friends and colleagues.

I find the previous review very interesting and reveals more to me about the author of the review than this book!!

Thank you, James Hollis, for a book filled with deep insight, humor and compassion. This book is the antidote for the Dr. Phils of the world. It does not offer a single glib panacea for the troubles we all face with our relationships- especially the relationship we have with our own psyches.

The Eden Project deals primarily with romantic relationships; how they begin, the power they hold over us, the work that must be done to create and maintain a balance between self and other. It is deep without being pedantic or opaque. Hollis' writing is concise and very readable. His model is the work of Carl Jung; the outlook and style is contemporary and practical. Where Jung can be difficult to decipher Hollis' meaning is always clear.

The best compliment I can offer is that, after reading and studying The Eden Project, I went out and purchased multiple copies for friends and family. That is not something I've ever done before.

I ever read.
It explains the Jungian premise by which we project ourselves onto others on a subconscious level, never knowing how little of what seems real is truly real, applied to the realm of romantic love, the search for the Magical Other who will complete us.
Paraphrased in a poem by Persian poet Rumi is the main learning of the book:
"The moment I heard my first love story,
I started looking for you..
..not knowing how blind I was.
Lovers don't finally meet somewhere.
They're in each other all along."
This book can help you understand YOU, it can help you learn and grow. Cause "what we do not know can and does hurt us, and others too".
Cause you have to be ONE WHOLE before you can have a true relationship with another.
An eye-opener.

Este libro extraordinario, nos ofrece más de cien caricias emocionales diferentes...No desperdicie la opportunidad, por favor, amiga.

y acertadas, las personas vamos muriendo por dentro

DE LA QUE ESTE LIBRO HACE UN ARTE,
ES EL NUTRIENYTE MÁS PODEROSO QUE EXISTE...
EL QUE NOS PUEDE CONVERTIR DE MALVADOS EN BONDADOSOS
Y DE PERDEDORES EN GANADORES
Con unas cuantas dosis al año, tienes suficiente combustible para conquistar al mundo

caresses are more important than food, water or money !

If no one strokes your heart, you wither slowly and end loosing all interest for life...

And this Book is THE ESENTIAL MANUAL OF EMOTIONAL PAMPERING !

HEART!
When you feel loves, apreciated...you are happy !
And many times, words are not enough and THE EMOTIONAL CARESS IS VITAL!
This wonderful book teaches us THE ART !!
This art will become the happiness of those you really love and respect!
You'll give them new life !

I enjoyed this book and found it filled with usefull imformation. Opened my eyes to the new world of marketing.

Winton Churchill makes this subject understandable for any type business owner. I have put his strategies to use and I have watched my business grow right in front of my eyes. I do not come from a business background and I had the traditional thinking for marketing which does not work any more. I am looking forward to the next book or maybe the next step is a coaching program.

Great book...really drills in on the complex sale issues...stays away
from jargon...easy to read and understand...a good blueprint (and usable step-by step methodology)for anybody thinking about ethical email lead generation and email marketing.

This is required reading for any B2B business owner that has to build a relationship with their prospects before they buy.

My business (and therefore practically my whole life) depends on email marketing. That's why I thought I could skip the Introduction and first three chapters, since they seemed to be written to do a sell job on how important email marketing is to growing your business.

However, I'm so glad I didn't skip them, because Mr. Churchill taught me what a complex sale is and how I needed to look at my business differently. You see, recently I had begun marketing this new higher-end (i.e. very expensive) book marketing program and I had been getting very frustrated with the results I was getting.

It works brilliantly, so I didn't know why the sales leads weren't converting. I thought perhaps the market was going dry, or my sales staff was losing their edge, or maybe the down economy was forcing people away from promoting their books and I should consider a new business.

I was so good to find out it wasn't the economy, and I don't have to hire new sales people, and there is no need to change businesses. I just needed to treat my email marketing differently.

The rest of the book was extremely valuable in putting together the right plan of action. There was no techno-babble, just straightforward, plain language guidance that I could understand and apply.

If you have a business with a complex sales cycle and it's in the slow lane, or if you want to add a higher end product or service and create success right from the start, then I highly recommend you get this book.

Winton Churchill's system will attract more prospects and kick their buying into high gear, because it teaches them how to make their decisions faster and with greater confidence. And, if you're in a situation like I was, it will reduce the wear and tear on both you and your sales team. It should be required reading for every sales manager.

DrProactive Randy Gilbert, #1 Business Adviser to Authors

Superb in all respects.
The definitive reference book on the American Civil War.
An absolute must for any serious Civil War buff.
Absolutely outstanding.

Whenever I want to do very much research on the Civil War my principle resources begin with the books of Bruce Catton. Following extremely close on their heels is this one.

I used to refer to "Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: A Political, Social, and Military History" as an arm killer even before I got it. This came from finding it in a local bookstore several years back and sitting down with it. It's a big book, over 2,730 pages long. Get the picture? This isn't the type of book you get if you have only a passing interest in the war. If you have a passing interst in the war, this is the type of book you hope your local library has in it's reference room while if you're serious about studying the war it's the type you want in your personal library.

And believe me, you'll be happy it's in your personal library because it literally is an encyclopedia on the war. As you might expect there is info in here on the major battles of the war as well as key military and political figures. Battles and individuals you've probably had to learn about since grade school. But this also goes into detail on lesser or unknown battles and individuals. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Subjects covered by this book includes music, newspapers, Union and Confederate railroads, Union and Confederate navies, Union and Confederate rations, female soldiers, the Trent Affair, the suspension of Hapeus Corpus, states themselves, the formation of the Congressional Medal of Honor, prisons, etc.

Articles are divided by alphabetically, as should be expected in an encyclopedia. On top of this, the book is also divided into the encyclopedia section, a section on documents from the war and just before, five different appendices, a chronology of the war, and a glossary. All of which, naturally, adds to why theis will become one of your principle resources

The documents cover several hundred pages of the book. The section is divided in two, a listing of the documents featured which serves as a kind of table of contents that is divided by subject matter and then the documents themselves. Subjects are each divided into the principle subject and a sub-sets of subjects. For example, the very first principle subject is "The Political Crisis" and sub-sets of this subgect include "The Harper's Ferry Raid," "The Election of 1860," and "Secession- The First Wave." Each sub-set within a subject includes at least one document. Some sub-sets may themselves be broken even further into sus-sub-sets. The "Secession- The First Wave" is such an sub-set, being broken into A-G sub-sub-sets which cover the secession documents of the first seven Confederate states to seceed before the shelling of Fort Sumter.

The appendices are pretty straight forward. The first two are for the Confederacy, one on it's officers and one it's government. The next two are the same as the first but for the Union. And the fifth is a listing of Civil War battlefields and state maps helping to locate them. On the officers appendicies, these are basically just lists of generals with the highest rank they achieved during the war. The government appedicies include the presidents (Buchanan, Lincoln and Davis), Senators, Representatives, presidential cabinet members, and Cogresses and their sessions.

Like the appendicies, the chronology and the glossary are also straightforward. The chronology offering dates and events that occured on those dates while the glossary offers definitions of terms one might not understand. An example from the chronology, maybe you want to see what might have occured on February 7, 1862. You look it up and find the book lists this as the start of the Battle of Roanoke Island, NC which you can then look up the main article on the battle in the encyclopedia. An example from the glossary, maybe you've heard the term panada in reference to the war but don't know what it is. The book's glossary specifically explains panada is a "mush consisting of corn meal, crackers, and boiling water, often flavored with seasoning and wine."

Is this book worth the price? Well, it may seem a bit steep. But in the end the book ends up paying for itself as it becomes, as has already been noted, a principle resource for studying the war.

There is so much information in this book it is ridiculous. I have found new sources just by flipping through this book. Every entry is detailed. Many different facets of the war are covered such as political, military, and socioeconomic issues. This is a true all encompassing source to the American Civil War! It is well worth the money.

This is an absolutely essential book for anyone with an interest in Civil War scholarship. The scope and breadth of this work is utterly astounding. Over 250 Civil War scholars have joined to create over 2700 pages on 1600+ entries in this massive book. As advertised, this book is a political, social and military history, as pretty much nothing is missed. Makes a phenomenal starting point for information and research on about any subject or person relating to the war that you can think of. Each entry also includes a list of recommended books and articles for further reading for each entry in the encyclopedia. Several appendicies to the book are made up by important documents realted to all aspects of the conflict, a civil war chronology of events and a state by state battlefield location map. This is a book you will constantly refer back to for information. And, at the seldom instance you are not using this book for study, you can use it in your workout program, as it is darn heavy for a book.

As a writer and public relations practitioner where the Civil War is concerned, I've found Heider's Encyclopedia of the American Civil War to be a top-notch source of information about the War Between the States. Thorough, yet concise, there is information on all aspects of the conflict ranging from pre-war issues to its ultimate consequences. Although it's impossible to cover all skirmishes and engagements, it's amazing how many are included. The Documents section is impressive and all entries contain excellent cross-referencing. I recommend this encyclopedia to anyone interested in the conflict between the North and South.

This was the first of author Born's books I read. It was excellent and spurred me to get the other two Billy Tasker novels. Great characters, great setting... lots of detail. I'm a big Born fan! If you like cop books, you love James O. Born.

This author is remarkably knowledgeable from his past on the FDLE (Florida Department of Law Enforcement) and uses this experience to really captivate the reader as Born creates so many compex but easy to follow interactions between his large cast of characters. It was a book that kept me hooked until the last in wanting to find out which of the bad guys did it. The conclusion was both riveting and satisfying.

Some people are always in the right place at the right time; others aren't. Florida lawman Bill Trasker is the latter. Just off a stressful case, he was standing in line at the bank with his 8-year-old daughter when a bank robbery ensued. To help him unwind, his boss sent him to do a review on an inmate homicide at a secluded prison. Bill's trouble magnet, however, continued working at high capacity. Murder, attempted murder (of Bill), kidnapping, and a prison break move Bill's temporary duty from simple to complex and dangerous. Those same complications make for a compelling, fast-paced thriller! James O. Born is now on my must-be-read list.

This book takes a slight departure from the norm in the life of FDLE special agent Bill Tasker when he temporarily leaves Miami to investigate a death at Manatee Correctional near Gladesville. His boss feels he needs a break from his usual high-stress life of chasing dangerous criminals, plus an investigation at the prison will quiet any board of inquiry investigation into Tasker's last high-profile case. Tasker settles into his tiny, government-issue apartment, expecting a quiet idyll, but instead finds himself the victim of violent attacks by prison inmates, a blend of apathy and animosity from the prison staff, and a major attraction to the prison's investigator, Renee Chin. Tasker's next-door neighbor, Professor Klingman, is a likeable guy on an archaeological dig, accompanied by an attractive young female assistant, Billie Towers. Manatee Correctional is run with an iron fist by Captain Sam Norton and his portly sidekick, Sergeant Henry Janzig, who enforce discipline through unorthodox ways, and who want Bill Tasker gone as quickly as possible. Too bad the tenacious agent can't take a hint. At the same time, inmate Luther Williams a/k/a Cole Hodges, who was put away because of Tasker, has managed to gain trustee status and is hatching a few plans of his own while he keeps a spotless prison library.

Tasker suspects something more than a suspicious death at the prison is afoot when he's accosted first by an inmate in the psych ward, then former inmates at a bar, and again by a group of Aryan Knights, and when Professor Klingman is murdered, the Gladesville detective seems uninterested in doing anything to solve the crime. When Luther Williams escapes and calls Tasker with a tip while he's on the run, Tasker starts to put it all together.

Though Born's third effort is as good as his first two, it is not quite as much fun. There seem to be fewer characters and a lot less going on, though he makes good use of characters from the earlier novels in a way that ties them all together and makes me anxious to get my hands on the fourth. Born keeps his stories entertaining by changing the point of view often. Even though Luther Williams is a bad guy, I inexplicably wanted him to succeed in his escape because there's something likeable about him. Even Elmore Leonard doesn't draw his villains that well.

Jim Born is the best thing to happen to crime fiction so far in the new millennium. Anyone who loves crime novels, especially those set in Florida, should be reading him.

James Born's third effort in the Bill Tasker series (see "Walking Money" and "Shock Wave") is an enjoyable read but somewhat short of earning the deification described by other reviewers here. Born has a way to go before his character is in the same room as Doc Ford, Jack Reacher, Bobby Lee Swagger, or Dave Robicheaux. That being said, Tasker, a special agent for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), is an engaging protagonist. He is smart yet misses the obvious at times. He can be explosively decisive at times yet is smart enough to seek a simpler way out. He attracts beautiful women yet is somewhat insecure around them and is still recovering from an unwanted divorce.

Born is a master of characterization and dialogue--elements that seem to go hand-in-hand in his books. His characters are fleshed out and credible; indeed. He makes you think you know them by books end. His dialogue is snappy, appropriate, and never causes you to stop and say--"nah, he wouldn't have said that". Born also is adept at describing his environment and his scenes are believable and well described.

In "Escape Clause", Tasker kills a bank robber with his young daughter watching. To help him get back to normal and escape media attention, his director sends him on what seems a easy case of discovering who killed a wealthy land developer's son while incarcerated in Manatee Correctional in Gladesville. Tasker settles in state housing near the prison, makes some friends (and enemies), and quickly finds himself attracted to two local females...the assistant to an archiver and researcher who lives next door and an enigmatic inspector at Manatee Correctional.

Quickly, Tasker is threatened both inside and outside the prison walls, several dead bodies turn up, a prison break occurs, and it becomes clear that no one wants him around. He gets little help from Captain Norton or his stooge Sgt. Janzig from inside the prison and more surprisingly, no help at all from the local Gladesville detective, Rufus Goodwin.

He finds himself falling hard for Renee Chin, the inspector at Manatee, but has trouble following through on his feelings. As the plot unfolds, Tasker finds himself questioning everyone's loyalty around him. Clearly, his biggest task is to find out who he can believe and trust. Surprisingly, it is Cole Hodges (now known as Luther Williams), an inmate who was sent to Manatee by Tasker in a previous novel, who becomes the catalyst for helping Tasker solve the multi-faceted case.

The pacing is brisk at times, yet there were also periods where things seemed to languish a bit. A particular bit of information by Born regarding where Tasker keeps his gun was reiterated enough times that even the densest reader could see it coming, a point that just seemed unnecessarily cheesy to this reader. All-in-all, "Escape Clause" is an effective addition to the Bill Tasker series.

"Exile To Hell" is the first in the superlative Outlanders series that outstripped its "James Axler" predecessor Deathlands in every way possible.

This book introduces all the great characters and concepts and fabulous action that became hallmarks of the Outlanders series. I've read this book three times, it''s just that good!

Any fan of both science fiction and action-adventure will find this book offers the best of both worlds. Axler shows his unique talent for drawing characters we can immediately relate to and care about--it's like making new friends. The pace is lightning fast, never letting up until the last page. Axler's plot is mature, with no loose ends, and loaded with suspense (i.e. the myterious barons, the history of the Outlands, etc). Axler has taken us on a wonderful, imaginative ride and the action was not only realistic, but the writing of it was tight and polished; a rare talent in action-adventure writers today. Exile to Hell goes beyond genre and into mainstream in its telling. Make no mistake, this is the first book in a series that belongs on every reader's shelf--hat's off to James Axler!

I've been reading this kind of fiction for many years...Deathlands, Endworld, Blade, Survivalist, Wingman, you name it. After a while, they all got to be the same...over-muscled male heroes who have more in common with guns than women, spouting fuzzy right-wing politics. Outlanders is a breath of fresh air to this kind of fiction. I've read all in the series so far and each one surpasses itself. Though a spin-off of the Deathlands series, it stands alone. It's a great deal more than a "Deathlands the Next Generation" type of thing. The heroes are believable, tough and rough yet they use their heads as well as their "blasters". The women characters are well-realized, too. As for plots--well, you've never seen stories like these in other men's adventure books. They can be thought-provoking, a little fantastic, but fast-moving and full of action all the same. This really isn't a review of "Exile to Hell", but just my comments on the Outlanders series. I urge readers who want something a little different to pick it up. You won't be disappointed.

EXILE TO HELL is the first in the new series by James Axler. Axler is best known for the adventures of Ryan Cawdor in his Death Lands series. His new series, Outlanders, is both similar and different and is better.

Centuries after the nuclear war that laid waste to much of the world, civilization is slowly regaining control. The Barons rule fortified cities that bring law and order to their surrounding territories. This law is enforced by the Magistrates, an elite marines-like force. Kane is one of these Magistrates but he thinks for himself a little too much.

A mission that should be routine raises countless questions in Kane's mind. Wanting to know the truth he pilfers some evidence at the scene. With the help of an archivist, Kane learns that all is not as it seems. There seems to be a ruling body above the Barons but they are shrouded in mystery. But Kane's questions don't go unnoticed. The powers that be see him as a threat and move to eliminate him, his partner and the archivist.

But Kane manages to escape along with the others and they flee into the wilds to the side of their last mission and the mysterious Gateway they found there. They manage to activate the gate just before being captured and wind up at the secret headquarters of the resistance. Here they learn the truth.

While man was still living in caves aliens arrived on Earth and they have been here ever since. Using their advanced technologies they became puppet masters behind many rulers. Their plans for a final, and complete, takeover were interrupted by the nuclear war (or did they cause it?). But now, with humanity reduced to a manageable size, the aliens are exerting their control through the hybrids that are know as the Barons. Having learned this truth, Kane and company agree to help thwart Earth's would-be masters.

Outlanders is set in the same world as Death Lands (a series still being written) but is much more science fiction oriented. Although Outlanders is still sold with those books that used to be called Men's Adventure before political correctness changed it, the series does not really read like that genre. In fact, it bears more relation to the military SF sub-genre but with less detail in weapon descriptions. Outlanders is a real surprise and one can only think that with the right marketing that it could become very popular.

OUTLANDERS # 1 - EXILE TO HELL By James Axler (Mark Ellis) Genre: Sci-Fi/Action

I've read two other Outlanders book both of which were good but this one the first in the series is absolutely fantastic and had me gripped in the story from the first page.
The Outlanders book are set in the same "Universe" as the Deathlands books but about 50 or so years on from the adventures of Ryan Cawdor and his companions. People in the USA now live massive towns run by Barons who are hybrid of humans and ET's, the villes(towns) are policed by Magistrates, two of which are Kane & Grant, As the story progresses they find out that mankind has always been secretly manipulated and covertly ruled by a group of aliens called Archons (who are the infamous greys that many people say have abducted them and experimented upon by,. The background story is brilliant and explained and written very well by Mark Ellis though it is quite complicated so I wont go into details here. There is a lot of action in the book and the character's are very interesting, Kane, Grant, Brigid & Domi the heroes are excellent and the bad guys are great to, I particularly liked Salvo and Baron Cobalt. It was interesting how Kane gradually came to see the truth and how his life had been laid out and planned for him before he uncovered the truth. An excellent read and highly recommended. This is a series that definitely has to be read in order because of the various sub-plots running through the books.

Well, if it was, then it is a fine and fitting end. Although the cliffhanger tells us that we aren't going to be seeing that much less of Rebus.

Rankin used the self imposed limitation of the last ten days of Rebus official career very well. The action is taut and well plotted and the descriptions of people, places, and things are spot-on.

By now, Rebus is like an old friend who drops in for a short visit every year or so. You are always glad to see him, you get nostalgic over the good times you have had together, you are shocked by how old they have gotten, which reminds you of how old you are getting, you get annoyed by the same things they have always done, and you are sad whenever they have to leave. In this case, there is a finality to the departure, yet you are not sure if that finality is terminal. It is somewhat confusing.

I thought the awkwardness depicted between Rebus and Clarke is well written and realistic. It is very tricky to describe the interaction between people who have known, liked, and hated each other for a long time, especially when a landmark is approaching in their relationship.

The crimes being solved in this case was interesting but I thought some of the turns were a little too pat. That didn't stop me from enjoying the book, nor does it stop me from jonesing for more Rebus and Clarke.

Say it isn't so, Ian. Has 60-year-old John Rebus come to the end of the line? The popular protagonist spends his last days in his three-decade-old career in this novel in his usual manner, solving crimes, upsetting the powers that be and dealing with his 20-year-old enemy, Big Ger Cafferty as well as setting the stage for tying up loose ends with his long-time partner, DS Siobhan Clarke.

In the mix is a delegation of Russian businessmen, Scottish politicians and a large bank and its executives all seeking to bring business to Scotland. And then a leading Russian dissident poet is found murdered, and everyone wants to sweep it under the rug as a mugging gone bad. But is it? Neither Rebus nor Clark is convinced, especially when a second murder caused by an arson fire seems to be connected to the original case. To complicate matters, Big Ger is assaulted and left in a coma, and Rebus seems to be implicated.

This novel is as good as Rankin gets in the way of a mystery novel, and he works in commentary on Scotland in general, Edinburgh, money, politics, greed and power. Where does Rebus go from here? This reader (and many others, I'm sure) hopes Rankin hasn't permanently retired him--he's too good a character to fade out of existence.

Highly recommended.

Almost exactly two decades ago Ian Rankin's first Rebus novel, Knots and Crosses, began with the sentence, "The girl screamed once, only the once." Twenty years later and Rankin has used the same sentence to begin the last, as it did the first, of the Rebus books.

DI John Rebus is retiring in November of 2006 and he and his erstwhile protégé, DS Siobhan Clarke, are working on clearing up Rebus' old cases, when a dissident Russian Poet is murdered in an apparent mugging right after he left an Edinburgh bar in which local crook and longtime Rebus nemesis Morris Gerald Cafferty had been drinking.

Meanwhile Russian dissident Alexander Litvinenko is dying in a London hospital, poisoned by person or persons unknown. Are the cases related?

The poet was murdered during a time when the Edinburgh big wigs are hosting a group of potentially very large Russian investors and the brass wants this case wrapped up as quietly and delicately as possible. Then somebody attacks `Big Ger' Cafferty and the blame lands squarely on Rebus.

Think he's gonna back off? Not a chance.

Rebus and Clarke chase down leads that eventually take them to the Scottish Parliament and we all know how much politicians like to be investigated. And if you've read or learned anything at all about John Rebus, you know he does not take too well to authority and after being told for the umpteenth time to back off, Rebus remarks to himself, "It's not the underworld you need to worry about, it's the overworld."

I have been reading Rebus right from the start and I find it hard to believe it's all over. Yes, he's retired, but Michael Connelly's brilliant character Detective Hyronamous Bosch retired, came back as a PI and we sure as all get out hope Mr. Rankin finds more for Rebus to do, because we're addicted. This book is as good as all the others and all the others have been great.

Reviewed by Vesta Irene

Ian Rankin
ISBN: 9780316057585
Little Brown and Company, 2008
Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for ReviewYourBook.com, 09/08
4 Stars
Fans will be thrilled with the return John Rebus.
Fans will be thrilled with the return of Detective Inspector John Rebus. Exit Music begins with the Inspector reluctantly preparing for his mandatory retirement. Just as he thinks his desk is clear of cases in comes a new one. Rebus once again teams up with Detective Siobhan Clarke in the investigation of a murdered dissident Russian poet. What at first glance appears to be a mugging, soon shows signs of something much deeper. Another death brings more questions.
Exit Music shows a personal side of Rebus. He dreads retirement while partner Siobhan looks toward a future where she does not work in his shadow. Ian Rankin has open doors in which Rebus may return. Fans of Rankin will rejoice in this new novel. While they will mourn Rebus' purported retirement, they will eagerly turn the pages of Exit Music.

In Ian Rankin's "Exit Music," Detective Inspector John Rebus is ten days away from retirement, a prospect that appeals to him as much as root canal. His superiors eagerly await the departure of this maverick, with "his mistrust of teamwork" and his "two-decades-plus of bets hedged, lines crossed, and rules broken." Although John gets results, he rarely does anything by the book, since he has little regard for authority or proper procedure. It is a miracle that this chain-smoking and whiskey-guzzling detective has lived long enough to turn in his warrant card. Rebus's protégée, Detective Sergeant Siobhan (Shiv) Clarke, has mixed feelings about her friend and mentor's departure. She is grateful for everything he has taught her. On the other hand, his unorthodox methods are troubling and she is impatient to get out from under Rebus's imposing shadow.

Their final case together begins as an apparent mugging that results in the death of Alexander Todorov, an émigré Russian poet living in Edinburgh. Todorov was a dissident who was vocal in his criticism, not only of his former government, but also of the new class of Russian oligarchs. He considered these multi-millionaires to be materialistic, corrupt, and greedy--selfish men who spend their ill-gotten gains on fancy clothing, high-end cars, pricey real estate, precious metals, and expensive artwork. Was Todorov bludgeoned to death to silence his scathing criticism of his countrymen? A subsequent murder adds to the mystery, and Clarke is placed in charge of a team with a challenging and time-consuming mission. They must ascertain if the two crimes are related and if so, who was behind them. Rebus is intrigued to learn that his archenemy, a gangster knows as Big Ger Cafferty, may be involved. Before he walks off into the sunset, Rebus would love to bring down this vicious thug who has been a thorn in his side for years.

"Exit Music" is an incredibly complicated and dense police procedural with a large number of characters, suplots, and red herrings. This four hundred page novel, which is sluggishly paced at times, could easily have been trimmed with no loss of coherence. On the other hand, the author gets high marks for depicting police work realistically, demonstrating the tedium of endless conversations with potential witnesses (some of whom lie or omit information), the sifting of every bit of physical evidence, and the search for a key fact that could break a case wide open. He also brings Edinburgh to life and deftly portrays the political and economic changes that may lead, one day, to Scotland's independence from Great Britain. Rebus is a delightful rogue who is content to say and do what he likes now that he is days away from packing it in. Although he is not in charge of the investigation, John blithely goes off on his own to follow his hunches wherever they may lead.

What makes this book memorable is Rankin's stunning epilogue--a tour de force of superb writing and dramatic surprises. The fact that the ending is not neat and tidy makes it a fitting coda for the checkered career of Detective Inspector John Rebus, a man who has always lived on the edge and thumbed his nose at conventional wisdom.