L Books

One of the best thrillers among my recent collection and that of a new and budding author. I was intrigued by both characters and plot. Having friends who worked in ambitious pharma companies, I can see certain paralells about how ruthless a business can get when driven by greed and the potential to earn big bucks. Apart from the fact that the reporter seems somewhat of an exhibitionist, the plot is convincing and realistic in most parts. Can't wait to read the sequel.

This is one of the kind of books you start reading in the evening, and you don't put down reading it, even if you are reading all night. Scary. Makes you seriously wonder about corporate ethics. The plot is very realistic and very detailed. It must be based on a real and possibly covered-up story. Much worse than the Enron scandal - at least Enron was only about money. If the story is real, this would be a scandal of epic proportions. Egomania and greed with a disregard for human life. If I remember right, a San Diego biotech one paid a hitman to take out a competitor. "Thin" may be another story that has not hit the newsdesks (yet). Even if it is pure fiction, "thin" is one of the best novel I have read in a very long time. I wonder who owns the movie rights to this one.

Little did I know when I ordered a random book from a new author, what was in store for me. I did not put the book down until I was finished with it. I spent a sleepless night reading, curious as to what the outcome was. The plot seems very realistic - outright scary, if you think how monetary greed can motivate the wrong people to do the wrong things. I wonder if this story is based on a real event - there are many details that sound just like it. I think Winston has created a splash - I am waiting for the sequel or at least the movie to go with this. Based on the book, I'd put the author into the leagues of the Tomm Clancy's and Michael Crichton's. A must read for anybody.

Suspenseful and gripping Thin is a great read. Excellent attention to detail and character development. It was hard to say good-bye. I look forward to further adventures from L.A. Winston.

A fast paced thriller that I had a hard time putting down. Sympathetic characters, an interesting premise, a few unexpected twists and turns, and a nice payoff at the end all make for a great read. I highly recommend this book.

Simply terrific! I read this between 1am and 4am, just taking breaks to go to toilet. Couldn't put it down until I finished it! Great writing, terrific plot with no holes in it, a wallop of an ending and best of all no sappy sex scenes to detract from the suspense. Buy it!

I've read several Hard Case Crime books now and A Touch of Death is one of the best. It starts with one hot woman soliciting a man to do a bad deed, moves on to a even hotter woman getting the man to do even worse deeds. Extortion, insurance [...], murder, mayhem, sexy men and hot women. What more could you ask for in a mystery?

The cover is very nice too and I kept wondering when we'd get that scene and we did. Whoever is putting these Hard Case books together is doing a great job.

A decade after college-football glory, Lee Scarborough has fallen on hard times. With a paltry $170 in his kick, he's sold everything but his car. When the prospect of a cool $120,000--to be picked up after he performs some shady, quick work involving modest risk--is dangled before him, he bites. And that's the setup to this ferociously entertaining 1953 thriller by the prolific Williams, whose minimalist style brings with it enough excrutiating detail to keep you in a mesmerized state located somewhere between a fever dream and the bughouse. Like his fellow Gold Medal-original author, John D. MacDonald, Williams plumbs the psychology of his protagonist with grim insight--a neat trick when the protagonist is also the book's narrator. Scarborough isn't stupid, but his imagination is limited. To him, nothing matters but the money. When things begin to break bad, and the modest risk becomes a whole catalog of enormous ones, Scarborough keeps his eye on the prize. He's plenty cognizant of the mess he's in. Trouble is, the money always seems more real than the mess. Scarborough steps off the cliff completely when he gets mixed up with un-grieving widow Madelon Butler, a babe so beautiful she can stop traffic. Circumstance glues the pair together, which wouldn't be all bad from Scarborough's point of view--except that Madelon is an uber-sociopath. She's one of the great inventions of crime fiction: alluring, funny, and horrifying. Oh, yeah, she's smart, too. Way smarter than Scarborough. Chuck Pyle's period-perfect cover painting for this Hard Case Crime reissue captures Madelon in an oddly significant moment. The painting is faintly disturbing on its own terms, but look at it again--hard--after you read the scene in context. It'll scare the hell out of you. A Touch of Death might be the best title yet from the folks at Hard Case.

Sure, the plotting of A Touch of Death by Charles Williams isn't 100% airtight. But that's easy to forgive in view of the wonderfully hardboiled dialogue and the compellingly captivating and suspense filled narrative.
It wasn't too many years ago that Lee Scarborough was a college football player of some renown. But today he's a down on his luck salesman looking for a break. When he learns that there's $120,000 in embezzled bank funds ripe for the plucking, he decides to go after it. Little does he realize he is about to cross paths with Madelon Butler, an aristocratic beauty with ice water where her blood should be.
Lee naively believes he can outsmart Madelon. Trouble is, he's playing checkers while Madelon is playing three dimensional chess. As the fast paced story unfolds, Lee's straits become more and more dire and he finds out the hard way that crime doesn't pay (at least not for him).
Charles Williams was a great writer and A Touch of Death is one of his best efforts. Highly recommended.

From the instant Lee Scarborough spotted Diana James sunning herself sans bikini top, he should have known she meant trouble. The ex-football star was trying to sell his car to pay rent money. Diana James just happened to live in the same building as a prospective buyer. And she recognizes a useful pawn when she sees one: the healthy, athletic Scarborough has all the tools she needs to pull off a caper.

Diana invites him up to her apartment, tests her mark, and then lays out what seems like a simple plan. A banker had embezzled $120K of currency and then hidden it in his estate home... just before turning up up dead. Diana knows the embezzler's wife and intends to take her on a drinking binge up the gulf coast while Scarborough enters the home and locates the dough. Scarborough and James agree to split the $120 grand after they pull off the caper.

Soon Scarborough finds himself in the dark and cavernous home, scrounging around for the bankroll. One little problem: the widow, Madelon Butler, is in the home, drunk as a skunk. And, to complicate matters, someone else is also in the house...

As the tale unfolds, you'll find yourself startled and impressed with the crafty Ms. Butler -- who plays all of the characters around her like fiddles. Charles Williams has created an elegant, captivating story of exceptional quality: built like a Swiss watch, the plot just keeps unwinding... along with Scarborough's life. This is a tremendous story and one that should be optioned into film, just like Williams' Hot Spot.

I agree completely with the other reviewers. This book is has an amazing wealth of information about VRML and will have you making some amazing worlds by the time you are finished. Many important subjects are covered, from beginning to advanced topics. I do agree that there isn't NEARLY enough information about scripting with VRML, just a brief talk of how to do it. Some more examples with this would have been a huge help, but otherwise, I'd recommend this book to anyone who uses VRML, no matter your expertise.

This book is perfect for beginners and those that already now the basics and want to advance further. It has many examples and is written in a intelligent manor. If you are advanced in VRML you may still benefit from this book however when it comes to scripting and adding Java to your 3d worlds you will need to invest in other books.

Even nearly nine years after it was first written, this book continues to be valuable for more reasons than when it was published. If you are still involved in VRML and have some need to learn this language, this book is a complete guide that starts from the beginning with the simplest concepts and shape definitions and then builds to advanced concepts such as textures, lighting, and fog. Throughout the book there are figures of the resulting images and plenty of sample VRML files for all examples. I do agree with the other reviewers that chapter 30, the one on scripting, is really the only chapter that is no longer worthwhile since so many changes have been made to the scripting part of VRML. Other than that, this is truly one of the best written and most instructive tech books I have ever bought. If you are going to study VRML, there is no longer any other book in existence but this one that is worth owning.
The second reason to own this book has only popped up over the last two or three years. Since Xj3D began to come on the scene several years ago as the XML-based open-source replacement for VRML, this book has become invaluable for evaluating that tool's ability to build virtual worlds. In fact, the Web3D consortium's "test files" for Xj3D, which continues to be a work in progress, are VRML files from this book that have been translated into Xj3D. Since the base tags are the same in Xj3D as they are in VRML, if you are able to understand VRML you should be able to understand what's going on in an Xj3D file with just a little investigation into the basic differences. This will allow you to intelligently evaluate Xj3D and determine if you can find any weaknesses or discrepancies in that tool's implementation.

Doesn't take you through the subject in the conventional manner. After the first couple of intro chapters, you can then easily delve into any other chapter for what you need. Very useful as a reference once you understand the basics. A bit weak on using scripts to control and interact with VRML worlds. Other than this minor gripe, a great book.

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I rad this book 2 years ago. I found it fascinating as I always feard heights and flying (I mean, I used to sweat driving through a bridge). And I had to fly all the time for my job.
But I didn't want to post a review since the ones there were already compelling enough.
But here's my take. I am now a Private Pilot, I fly airplanes in the cockpit and I sleep when I am in the passenger seat.
It was hard, real hard. And I started the training few weeks after I finished the book.
It is a true story, as much as the book's one is fictional.
Thank you Captain Chance.

I had received the book "Wings of Discovery" as a gift from my Mother. Only my family and close friends knew about my intense fear of flying phobia. I have tried many things to overcome my fear, but nothing seemed to do the trick. I started to read "Wings of Discovery" with a half opened mind. I set it in my head that this book would not help me, but I would at least try. I had no idea just how big of an impact this book would have on my life. Once I started to read it however, I simply could not put it down. This 130 page paperback book by Captain Stacey L. Chance fascinated me to no end. It was a non stop journey of how Mark Thomas confronts and conquers his fear of flying. It is a fictional story, however there are many questions that fearful fliers have, that are answered factually. Captain Stacey L. Chance presents us with a quite entertaining and at times humorous story that truly helps people who have this dreadful fear. When I completed the book, I stared off in the distance and actually pictured myself flying my own plane. Now that is something that I would have NEVER EVER imagined myself doing before. I will definitely recommend this book to anyone who has the same fear as me. I will read this book from time to time, but I will also read it again before I board my next flight, and take it with me on the plane. Not only was this book a gift from my Mother, but it was a gift from Captain Stacey. Thank you for giving me a gift that will last a lifetime.

Wings of Discovery, by Captain Stacey Chance is a perfect book for anyone who has any fears about flying. This book gives you reassuring facts in the form of a entertaining story. Compared to the books about flying that just give you the facts and nothing else, Wings of Discovery adds human emotion to the facts. This book is perfect for people who want to understand how airplanes can fly, airplanes and weather conditions, and so much more. Captain Chance has given people who are afraid to fly, and also people who just want to know more about aviation, a remarkable gift! It comes highly recommended from me!

from a very anxious flyer i can only recommend this book,it covers all my worries but manages to "calm" them down and made me realise its just my mind fanning my fears!!ive now flown to lanzarote and done a fear of flying course(i thought i was nervous)some people were wrecks!this also helped immensely.im even going to paris soon ,instead of taking the bus 12hrs versus 1.5hrs on plane.Buy this book and you wont be sorry.

Most of us have heard the saying, "There's nothing to fear, but fear itself." This rhetoric sounds good, but to actually put it to use is a completely different story. Fear can stop someone from experimenting with new activities, eating exotic foods, and traveling to foreign lands. But once you overcome the fear, you will most likely discover joy. This joy comes from the accomplishment of breaking the imaginary chains of thought which held you hostage.

Wings of Discovery helps to clip the chains of fear. The premise of the book is about overcoming the fear of flying. Although his father was a pilot, Mark succumbs to a horrendous phobia about flying. Then one day, he spots two ultralight planes having "fun" in the air. While the planes land, Mark tracks them in his car and introduces himself to the pilots. This marks the beginning of his adventure - pursing his passion, following his dream and conquering his fear.

Capt. Stacy L. Chance introduces the reader to a wealth of information about how the Federal Aviation Administration ensures the safety of aircraft. He also entertains by intermingling his vivid descriptions of the landscapes and scenery when his characters take flight. I felt as if I soared through the air, and watched as the coyote ran to keep up with the plane. For anyone really interested in learning to fly, I learned that airplane kits are available. I definitely recommend Wings of Discovery for anyone who wants to learn more about aviation, and to release any fears that hinder them from soaring to new dimensions.

As a manufacturing executive and California resident, it has become increasingly difficult to remain competitive in the world market place. Author Ronald Buckley has written a "how to" book for achieving or just rejuvenating your operations world-class results.

There is a saying that knowledge is power. However, implementation is just as important. Mr. Buckley has written a book that delivers both the key concepts for continuous improvement and real world examples of successful implementation. At the end of the day, we are all striving to achieve world-class results. This book delivers an ideal balance of diverse industry knowledge and hands on experience.
A key element throughout the book is the impact of cross-functional, self-directed teams on driving change and breakthroughs within organizations. Mr. Buckley provides a blue print for the formation, management, recognition and dissolution of these teams.

If it is time for breakthrough results, this is a book to be read by anyone who is interested in influencing their organization to achieve manufacturing excellence.

Mr. Buckley has written this book with an insight into reality of Manufacturing. This book provides a clear picture based on his experiences how we can turn around manufacturing companies into Lean by using "Self Directed Cross Functional Teams
Mr. Buckley's experience in defining a world class manufacturing facility is so apt for the new millennium. He shares the entire supply chain starting from Customer to factory to Parts that come from suppliers. He talks about Customer Quality out of box failures, Manufacturing velocity, first pass yield and Kanban process for parts getting from suppliers.
What I really admire and encourage about this book his the way Mr. Buckley approaches to establish the highly productive manufacturing operations, with cross functional team working while providing an insight into end to end approach.

Mr. Buckley has written this book with an insight into reality of Manufacturing. This book provides a clear picture based on his experiences how we can turn around manufacturing companies into Lean by using "Self Directed Cross Functional Teams
Mr. Buckley's experience in defining a world class manufacturing facility is so apt for the new millennium. He shares the entire supply chain starting from Customer to factory to Parts that come from suppliers. He talks about Customer Quality out of box failures, Manufacturing velocity, first pass yield and Kanban process for parts getting from suppliers.
What I really admire and encourage about this book his the way Mr. Buckley approaches to establish the highly productive manufacturing operations, with cross functional team working while providing an insight into end to end approach.

Author Ronald Buckley has written what will surely be considered the Manifesto for Manufacturing at the dawn of the Third Millenium. He clearly and concisely puts forth a methodology based, not on theory, but his own experiences in turning his factories into manufacturing powerhouses to be reckoned with.

From the factory, to quality, to cross functional self-directed work teams, Buckley shares with his readers a blueprint for "doers". Only a 30 year operations veteran could offer his readers this sage advise, " Sure, it would be nice if the resources were available for a full blown Six Sigma program; however much progress can be made using the simpler tools, such as SPC. So if you are a smaller organization, start with SPC and when you collect from the payoff of your efforts here, move on to Six Sigma, but don't think for a minute that you cannot compete without it." This may be considered heresy by the Six Sigma "bigots" but for a small or midsize company struggling to survive it's like the clouds parting and the stone tablets being handed down from on high!

If your company's back is up against a wall, your choices have been reduced to two: You can quit or you can stand and fight. If you choose to stand and fight "Winning in a Highly Competitive Manufacturing Environment" can be a tool to begin rebuilding your factory with a chance to have a future!

Mr. Buckley has captured the essence of what it takes to win in a highly competetive manufacturing environment. The most important element of any continuous improvement program is employee involvement. The author conveys an exceptional message that it is the combination of teamwork along with lean flow techniques, that can make an operation truly great.

This thought provoking book is a compilation of views and lectures of historic, prominent and free thinking women. It is highly recommended for any open-minded person searching for answers free from the dogmas of the various religions. It is worth reading, even if not agreeing with authors' philosophies.

This is a phenominal, rich text that stirs the mind & imagination & creates a whole new sense of power & self-determination. It is also useful in the sense that it validates so many women who might feel marginalized by society. I love it!

I enjoyed this book. Not only is the story of atheism (and antitheism) difficult to find info on, but the story of female humans in atheism and science is also difficult to find info in.

This is one of the only books I have found that tells the stories of women in atheism. I would enjoy seeing a video on atheism, and also female humans in atheism and science. I would enjoy seeing, hearing and reading stories of humans that spoke out against religion and promoted science.

Finding images of these female humans is also difficult to do. This book includes humans I had never heard of, but also any body that did any thing for female human equality. For example, I was very glad to see a photo and data on Matilda Joslyn Gage, a person usually left out of women's history because of her anger with religion, and perhaps because of her sexuality.

My one criticism of this book is that the people are kind of tame (although being atheist is shocking for most humans). Where are the female humans in science...? Still, for one of the only books (or videos for that matter) on free thinking women (or women without superstition and substition!) I was glad and enjoyed every story!

Stop Violence, Teach Science!
Ted Huntington

I first checked this book out of the library. I wasn't sure about it as I have had to really wade through quite a few books recently and didn't want to buy something that would put me to sleep. But I hadn't finished the introduction yet, and I knew I would be buying it. It's a fascinating book, and way overdue to be published! I wish everybody, but especially every woman, could read this book! There are so many interesting things in here, and no matter how much you think you know about feminism, freethought, etc, there is something new for you in this book. I have recommended it over and over again to my friends.

I wish I had been given the chance to study this stuff in school. I spent a long time struggling with these ideas. If only I had access to this book at an earlier age. Great book, wonderful works by highly intelligent authors. Helped me to cast off my old doubts.

I work as a nutrition counselor. Let me tell you, everything contained in Your Diet is Driving Me Crazy was right on target. The advice provided by Sass demonstrates she has years of experience working with food issues helping clients overcome them. Her expertise is useful for practitioners and for the layperson whose partner has wacky food issues. I highly recommend this book.

Finally! A book that addresses the food fights that couples experience. This book is chocked full of great advice, funny scenarios and more!

Finally! Here is a book that addresses one of the most important, but rarelly acknowledged, issues related to eating: relationships. I was thoroughly fascinated by this look at how inter-personal relationships can affect our eating habits. And I plan to give copies of this book to a number of my friends!

For anyone who has ever argued about chips v. crudite with their husband, this is the book for you. Very insightful and realistic look at how we eat and how it affects those around us, including how someone ELSE eats effects our own eating habits (anyone remember dating that guy and gaining 10 lbs. on his diet of beer and wings?). Fun little vignettes and quizzes keep the book flowing. A must read for anyone struggling with their partners' eating habits.

A practical guide for resolving food conflicts and more. This easy to read book gave us a few good tips on how to deal with our different food preferences. However, many of the conflict resolution techniques are applicable to resolving other family issues. A must read for those who want to live happier lives.

This book could also have been titled: How to Be an Effective Manager. It highlights what it takes to coach and motivate your employees. The author illustrates points by citing dumb mistakes most of us have made at the beginning of our careers.

Want a quick summary of the specific concepts it teaches? Be honest and forthright, teachable yet confident, and positive in ALL situations. When you do face difficult situations, make sure your solutions are carried out in the spirit of edification.

This book is a great reality check for people just entering this level of the workforce. It's also full of good reminders for us old cronies. It teaches that the basics of good management are good people skills.

This book was very easy to read and had a lot of very good information. I love the way Shri writes in that it sweeps you in and you can understand her points very easily. The 365 points are organized neatly and I recommend every manager get this guide and keep it handy!

For managers having a hard time with goals, people and strategic plans, the book 365 Foolish Mistakes Smart Managers Make Everyday: How and Why to Avoid Them, is a good book to read. The book focuses on what managers do "wrong" and if you've ever been in a management position, especially mid-level, many of the anecdotes in the book will remind you of how tough it is to be a manager and make decisions for the good of the whole.

The author, Shri Henkel, a former manager and marketing coordinator, lays out the most common mistakes that managers make by numbering the mistakes in headers and then, discussing them in a straight-forward fashion that even the novice manager can understand.

Overall, this book can be used in human resource training sessions and for managers. It is a bonus that Henkel worked herself up from a grass-roots position as a worker into a managerial field so she understands both sides through experience. This book is also good for small business incubator classes for people who have never owned a business and will have a need to hire employees.

Everyone needs to learn the "ropes" when she or he gets onto new ground. Just as there is no shame in admitting you don't know something about a new situation or product, there is also no shame in needing to learn more about your job as a manager. All employees have to learn the ins and outs of their jobs, regardless of whether or not they are in a position with authority.

Henkel takes the new manager through each step of the process. From the moment you walk in on your first day, to the day-by-day issues that can and will come up, this book gives you common mistakes and helps you learn to work effectively. If you read through the book and refer to it as a refresher, you will find the confidence you need to do your job well.

Henkel covers topics such as settling in, establishing authority, and gaining respect. Effective leadership, interview techniques, and ways to handle problems are also topics covered. And thorough information on what Henkel considers the "Big Three" topics--Communication, Delegation, Motivation--can be found in part five of the book.

This book doesn't leave you hanging. It tells you ways to make good decisions and how to approach your job effectively. It also tells you what mistakes you might make as you go through your job...and how best to avoid these problems.

Overall, this book is highly recommended for the new manager. Not only will you gain some valuable insight, you will also gain more self-assurance to fulfill your duties.

The book is chock full of potential pitfalls in a new manager's thought process and how to fix the old noggin' to be a better manager. This is the book for all you first time managers. I'd argue that even management veterans should read this. Ms. Henkel really gets into the head of the manager and shows why and how to avoid erroneous judgments. Excellent guide.

The Mom's Choice Awards® honors excellence in family-friendly media, products and services. An esteemed panel of judges includes education, media and other experts as well as parents, children, librarians, performing artists, producers, medical and business professionals, authors, scientists and others. A sampling of the panel members includes: Dr. Twila C. Liggett, Ten-time Emmy-winner, professor and founder of Reading Rainbow; Julie Aigner-Clark, Creator of Baby Einstein and The Safe Side Project; Jodee Blanco, New York Times Best-Selling Author; LeAnn Thieman, Motivational speaker and coauthor of seven Chicken Soup For The Soul books; Tara Paterson, Certified Parent Coach, and founder of The Just For Mom Foundation(tm) and the Mom's Choice Awards®. Parents and educators look for the Mom's Choice Awards® seal in selecting quality materials and products for children and families. This book has been honored by this distinguished award.

AmeriTales Presents Abraham Lincoln and the Forest of Little Pigeon Creek, a children's picturebook loosely based on the childhood of one of America's greatest presidents. Abraham Lincoln and the Forest of Little Pigeon Creek follows young Abraham and his turkey friend Jack (based on a pet of the real-life Lincoln's son Tad) during their journey through a forest to borrow a book from old Mr. Crawford, widely known for having purplish-blue veins on his nose. In the course of his adventure Abe learns two powerful lessons that will serve him for life: that the forest is the home of wild animals, and needs to be respected same as any other home; and that books have incredible power and wisdom stored within. The bright, cartoony color illustrations add a vibrant and cheerful touch to this delightful "one to grow on" story.

What a wonderful book that teaches both history and character. My son truly loved the book and all that Abe went through to borrow a book. The illustrations are superb and the humor is ideal in making it interesting for children. My son wants more!!! We look forward to reading others in the AmeriTales series. Ilene Patrick, Atlanta, GA

Wow, this book taught me a little lesson on history!

I'm an aunt not a mother, but I can honestly say that I enjoyed the book from the time I looked at the cover to the time I turned the last page. I know that if I can be entertained from viewing the pictures, reading each page and re-reading certain pages, then certainly a kid in this age group will also be entertained.

I thought the author expressed the historical events in an informative, creative, yet exciting way. I'm certain most kids and parents will be very satisfied when sharing the story-telling and educational experience together.

I highly recommend this book to others and I can easily envision a movie and/or other books along this same line in the future. Thanks T.D Carter for giving us a book that is educational and exciting!

As a history major in College and a parent, I know history does not have to be drab and boring. One example of a children's series that works really well is the Magic Tree House series and all of the related spin-offs. There two fictional children via a magic tree house are transported back in time to actual historic events and are able to experience them first hand. In this case, the first book in a planned series, the work is based on a fictional story built around a real historical character.

Set in 1818, Abraham Lincoln is nine and walking through the forest of Little Pigeon Creek with his best friend, Jack, who happens to be a turkey. The young Abraham Lincoln is desperately trying to convince himself that he isn't afraid despite the fact that the forest smells, has lots of scary noises and bugs, and all the rest of what one would expect in a forest. For Jack, everything is fine and as he chases a bug here and there, he can't understand why Abraham would be afraid because everything seems to be normal to him.

The only reason Abraham Lincoln is walking deep into the forest is because that is where Old Man Crawford lives in his house. He has a book that Abraham has been itching to read and probably will loan to him for a little while. The journey to his house and back as well as a follow-up journey to return the book provides the adventure and learning moments for the young Abraham Lincoln as well as readers.

The result is a charming children's book with colorful detailed illustrations and a powerful message regarding reading and the environment. Both are very important, as the book makes clear as it does the secondary theme of overcoming obstacles in life.

While marketed and aimed at four to nine year olds, the text itself may reside above their abilities despite a short glossary of terms used at the back of the book. The illustrations though, know no boundaries, and are sure to delight young and old alike. The overall result is a good children's book that parents and others can feel comfortable with young children reading and learning from. It starts the series well and one hopes that future planned editions featuring Amelia Earhart, Thomas Edison, Jackie Robinson and Sitting Bull will meet if not exceed this strong standard.

Kevin R. Tipple (copyright)2008

Part of a series, this novel is about the planet Kevarzangia Two, and its water-breathing inhabitants.

The Hsktskt slavers have been pushed out of the quadrant, so the four sentient races, who call themselves the Allied League of Worlds, meet on K-2 for a peace conference. The participants, two air-breathing races and two water-breathing races, don't particularly like each other. When an ambassador's shuttle is attacked prior to the conference, Sublieutenant Burn mu Znora stops the attack and rescues the ambassador's daughter, Liana (some younger 'Zangians, like Burn, have been surgically altered to be able to survive in the air for hours at a time). Having drawn the pleasurable duty of guarding Liana during the conference, Burn realizes that she knows a lot more than she is letting on, and that someone wants this conference to fail.

Meantime, the 'Zangians have a natural enemy called a mogshrike. Think of a creature bigger than a great white shark, with a lot more teeth and a much more nasty disposition. The mogshrikes have been moving into warmer and shallower water, where the 'Zangians live. They are defenseless against the mogshrikes, so the radical idea is considered of catching one to study. Dair, an elderly 'Zangian, is totally against the idea, but Teresa, his Terran mate, agrees to participate. The battle of wills gets to the point where Dair tells Teresa that they are no longer mated. A baby mogshrike is captured, and it is discovered that they have been doing some pretty radical evolving.

This is a fine piece of writing. It's got good world building, the characters are very well done, and it's a first-rate story. As with any series, reading previous books will help, but this does a really good job of standing on its own.

I find this second book in this series to be better written and more adult that the first book. What a pleasant surprise. I enjoyed the story greatly.

Ok, I've got to say this right from the start: I loved this book, I love this series, and I think Ms. Viehl is a fantastic writer. Ever since I picked up the first book I read from this author, Blade Dancer (Excellent!!), I've been hooked. I am always so disappointed when I finish each novel as it means there's no more to read and I have to wait for the next installment. Ms. Viehl has such a rich imagination and a fertile writing style. If you're a fan of the sci-fi, space stories, this is a wonderful series to add to your collection. Give it a try and I think you'd be hard pressed to be disappointed. Please keep them coming Ms. Viehl!

I really liked that this book tied some ends together from the StarDoc series. It also finishes out "Biorescue" by continuing that story line. I had alot of trouble putting it down.

Afterburn by S.L. Viehl continues with the same quality of her Star Doc series of books. It is set in the same universe with the same aliens and revolves around a colony on a planet where intelligent life developed in the water. Most of the 'Zangians remain in the water, but some have undergone modification to allow themselves to be in the air for a short time.

This is a busy book with several plot threads intertwining, but the main plot centers around an interplanetary conference being held to discuss the possibilities for three other alien species, the Ninrana, Skartesh and the Ylidii.

Viehl deftly weaves the differing customs and needs of the various aliens as they all jostle for position and strive to get along, in some cases, or try to disrupt things in other cases. Sometimes it is a bit tough to keep track of all the different characters-- a list at the beginning of the book would have been helpful, however, once everything was sorted out in my own mind, I very much enjoyed the book. The ending was quite satisfactory, with a hint of more to come.