Miller Books

This book was kind of slow but did have enough interesting characteristics to keep me reading. Not at all a bad book but just not anything that made me want to get the second in the series.

Being a fan of the Myst series since it's original launch in the early 1990's, I can say that this book lives of to the expectations that Myst/Uru fans have come to appreciate. It's easy to read, flows well, has a great underlying story. After reading, you are able to understand and appreciate the island of Myst and Riven so much more. It's an easy book to read, which makes it great for both young and old. Though the book is around 400 pages, it flies by and as always, I was sad to finish it, but there are two more sequels to entertain the Myst fan in all of us.

The Myst series was such a wonderful series, after I found out they made a book about the history of Myst, I basically thought that it would be horrible. Grave mistake. This is one of the best books I have ever read. It couldn't get any better.
The creators of Myst even helped make it, and they knew what they were making. The horrible thing is that these books were discontinued.
Even if they were discontinued, it is not a reason not to buy them. They are all wonderful books and I suggest you get all of them.

It really seems only fitting that a video game about books would have a series of books published in its name. For some reason when such books were first coming out I was sort of skeptical about their quality. I truly am glad I overcame this and decided to pick up the Myst books. I was an early enough adopter to be able to get all the hardcover texts and they are all beautifully designed. It's strange that a lot of books don't adopt this kind of method, because it really is eye catching and I'm glad the makers of Myst picked up on that. In terms of binding, it technically is rather cheaply done to support the mass market interest in this series. Rather than have a truly older styled binding, they have the typical style with embossed paper wrapped over the hard cover. The paper is of excellent quality and is embossed in sections, which adds a tinge of making it feel artificially handmade. I've had mine for many years now and there is barely any wear on it. However, when one inspects the design you can tell it is merely paper glued over the normal hardcover pressing and it is merely there for aesthetic appeal. The books in the game have a very old styled feel, which they should since they're all handmade books, but the makers wanted to keep that atmosphere alive with printing these books. Despite my inspection of the edition, I must say it was a great marketing idea and wish more publishers would do this rather than just adopt the typical dust jacket. That being said, the current editions more readily available to readers are the regular paperback and now the collected edition which was recently printed.

I wasn't sure what to really expect from this book when I first got it. I had beaten the game "Myst" and the game was pretty well written. However, the game had a lot of unknown elements in its story, and I'm sad to report that "The Book of Atrus" doesn't fill in all the gaps. It certainly fills in quite a bit, but not everything. This book acts as both a prequel to "Myst" and a bridge to "Riven". It's an interesting story in that regard because it tells about Atrus' childhood and goes into why the age of Riven is in dire need of our help!

At the end of Myst we find Atrus sitting at a desk in a deep cavern in place known as D'ni. We are transported there with him once we escape the island of Myst, but we are never told why he is there; just that he needs to make a decision concerning his sons. This is all well and good, but there are so many holes and questions, thus the novelization seeks to explain them. At one time Atrus lived with his grandmother, Ana, in a desert region. "The Book of Atrus" goes into detail about his life and learning there. It's almost an ideal childhood until one day his father, Gehn, returns and seeks to take him back to D'ni. See they are from a race of people who lived underground until they were all of a sudden destroyed. Ana, Gehn, and Atrus are the only decedents we are made aware of from this great society. So when Gehn was old enough he returned to the world of D'ni in search of its secrets, to see if he could find it and possibly rebuild it. Needless to say he sort of succeeded.

Gehn understands how to write in the books and knows the secret D'ni language to make different ages to create portal links between his world and others. However, he does not wield this power intelligently, but he doesn't want the knowledge to die with him, so he seeks out his son. He teaches Atrus everything, but Atrus has a keener mind for creating ages. Most of Gehn's worlds are unstable and if a world has inhabitants Gehn insists on be treated as a God. Needless to say Atrus' kindly nature has the better of him and he seeks to change this.

In this we get to see the bridge to Riven's story line. Riven had been an age linked to by Gehn, but the world was vastly unstable. So he and Atrus sought to fix it if they could. Gehn, being the overbearing man that he is, did not think most of Atrus' ideas were good ones. However, one thing would change Atrus' life forever when he got to Riven, he met Catherine there. Yes, the girl he references frequently in the first "Myst" game. Eventually she would bear his two sons Sirrus and Akenar, so as you can tell, I knew Atrus would succeed even during reading this, so I don't feel I am giving anything away. The book doesn't go into detail about the two sons growing up, so you never really know how everything started with them. Anyway, there is a solution to Atrus' problem, but I'll let the readers find that out for themselves. When we get to "Riven", the video game, there are further complications based around this story... I'll leave these mysteries to be discovered for yourself.

I don't feel I am spoiling very much of the book because it is riveting in itself. Most people who read this will undoubtedly have played the video games and already know the stories' outcomes before reading this. As any Myst player knows the interesting factor is in the details, I have left every part of these out. The book is a fascinating page turner and I really couldn't put it down at all. This book leaves a lot more mystery to the reader in the end and left us looking forward to the follow up text, "The Book of Ti'ana." I especially recommend this to any Myst fan who wants to delve deeper into the story line and world of Myst. I don't think many people would pick up Myst if they didn't already enjoy reading books to find out what new worlds they would be brought to. In that spirit these books are clearly written!

I read this book when I was younger and only remember great things. Looking back on it now I can tell that the writing isn't exactly scholarly, but that doens't matter, Myst is a fun adventure story that all kids and teens should enjoy. And no, I'm not a big fan of fantasy myself, but I had no trouble getting drawn in.

Needless to say after finishing "The Book of Atrus" I had fairly high expectations for this series going forward. At the end of "The Book of Atrus" we think the story is going to continue forward from that point, but there is a major story that has not been told yet. The fall of D'ni. This tale is frequently alluded to in the game and the prior book. In fact most of the prior book is trying to rework what was lost during the fall of the D'ni Empire.

Journey with us to a long ago time when Atrus' grandmother was a lot younger and originally known as just Ana. Unlike the other Myst stories so far, this book deals on the level of an entire society. Most areas in Myst that we've visited have been fairly desolate and uninhabited, except for one section in "Riven", but we never interacted with the native population. Well in this book you get to see the height of the D'ni Empire. This story is actually pretty epic in scope and it starts during a time when D'ni was expanding their empire. They knew they were underground and politically there were some people pushing for a way to the surface of the world they were on. You get really involved in all of this political intrigue and that's what makes the book really exciting. I must point out here that as a reader I typically don't enjoy this type of thing and I go more for the action or mystery based types of books. "The Book of Ti'ana" has the perfect blend of political intrigue and mystery as far as I'm concerned.

So the book starts off with the digging teams working their way to the surface and this is where Aitrus (Atrus' grandfather) is introduced into the story. Something happens and the political winds change and the project is put to a halt. At this point you're brought further into the D'ni culture and Aitrus' background story. The D'ni culture is so fascinating that I honestly couldn't stop reading the book. However, going in tandem to this world underground is also a surface world where Ana and her father survey the land areas that haven't been used yet. The surface culture is also on the expanse and often Ana and her father are commissioned to go and explore.

Honestly, I can see how some people would think the book is sort of dry at first because there isn't that much intrigue and it is more based on character development. Such as the introducing of Aitrus' powerful friend Viovus and so on. He becomes a very integral part of the story in the future, but at the beginning you don't know that, nor do you suspect anything... but that is the whole point! One day everything changes in the D'ni society when Ana shows up in their world. Not only that but she can learn language and the D'ni society was haughty enough to think they were the only culture on this world possible for such words and technology. Granted the D'ni technology far exceeded that of Ana's knowledge, but her ability to learn astounded them.

I don't want to give too much away, but that's just a taste for what you can expect to see in this astounding novel. Eventually the story turns into a sort of fate styled meeting for two lovers, Aitrus and Ti'ana (the "ti" was added onto her name in D'ni). They are simply destined to be together. However, this is also the tragic tale of a lost friendship which eventually leads to the fall of an entire empire. In the end it's a rather sad tale, but an incredible background story of Atrus' forefathers and why his father Gehn was so obsessed with D'ni. Let's just say, I now know why he was so captivated with that world.

I simply can't recommend these books to people enough. They're simply shocking! Of all the video game based books I have read, these are probably the best in my collection. They are superbly written and they literally bring you into another world, just like the video game series can do! They are made in the spirit of Myst with small drawings and notations about what is being described in the book, so it has a bit of a journal feel just like we get in the game! I've actually read these books twice now and that's the first time I've ever done that with a book, that's how good these novels actually are.

If your like me and LOVE Myst and the Myst storyline then you will probably love this...

However if you dont know what Myst is or don't care too much for it you will find this very boring (however I doubt you'd be looking at this if you hate Myst)

The history of the D'ni is all written in this beautiful novel. This is where the series of Myst begins. All in here.

It's tragic tale of the D'ni begins when a young lord weds a surface dweller. And everything, the lord's people, his friend, things get out of hand. But they kept their relationship strong despite what's going on around them.

This is a complete story about the D'ni as the story focuses on the beginning of a highly popular series. It pulls you in and grabs you as you are sucked into what feels like a real thing. You feel like you were really there, with the D'ni, with the surface dweller, all there... behind them, beside them, and next to them. It makes you want to do something, but cannot. To me, this is perhaps Rand's most powerfully written story he has ever done. It was such a sad story and I have broke into tears at the end. Nevertheless, it is a truly fascinating book. And owning the hardcover is an honor. Especially the map that is included with this novel, as well. I love how the map relates strongly to the story, instead of just being a bonus item that's included with the novel.

I strongly recommend this book alongside Book of Atrus. As these novels are Rand's all-time best novels he's ever written. Way to go Rand!

This book is simply beyond words. The charaters are vividly written, not a single one seeming overdone or cliched. When I first read this I had never really gotten into the games, but I had to after finishing it. You cannot help but instantly connect with the characters: wondering at that which makes them wonder, feeling joy when they are happy, sorrow when they are hurt. And another thing, you neither have to have played, nor even be familiar ith the games to fully enjoy this book. This books drips with rich words and thoughts, not one part feeling underdeveloped or pointless. It felt to me as a perfect blending of both science fiction and fantasy, a difficult thing to do.

One of the most striking things I found when reading this is the various worlds that are described and the sheer awe inspiring beauty with which they are constructed. You cannot read about them, but as you do you will be transported to them, sad for the return to our world whne you finish the book.

Overall, this book, which is first in the series chronologically, is simply one of the finest ever written and should not be MYST by anyone. Young, old, a fan of the games or not, anyone who enjoys fantasy will have that childlike wonder brought back to them as the read this book. The other books in the series, The Book of Atrus and The Book of D'ni, are no less exciting and are the only things capable of satisfying the desire to know more about this wondrous civilization.

If you have done played the computer game, you might understand the world(s) that are Myst. The books give dimension to the computer CD-ROM games that I know so well. The books tell you the stories of what happened to the worlds in the game, and it is very helpful and interesting how someone could come up with such wonderful, descriptive worlds. These books take you into a world that you can only imagine, that you can only think about in your dreams. I absolutely love these books.

I am so glad I purchased this book. It was very informative on tools, materials and the how to's for designs and projects. It is a great book for me, a beginner.

I bought this book when it was published, and three years later, I still think it is probably the best book on beginning wire work out there. It has very clear, step by step instruction on the basic wire work techniques and some alternative methods of forming. The only mystery for me is how she manages to flush cut good jump rings from 14 gauge wire. When using 14 gauge wire or even 16 gauge, I always saw cut my jump rings. The result is much better -- at least for me.

I'm just starting with wire work and found this book to be very helpful. Good pictures and instructions. I've been very pleased with this book and have made several of the projects.

I have checked this out from the library so many times and finally just decided to buy it. This book goes into more detail than all the others I have read about wire and bead jewelry. It is obvious she puts a lot of care and effort into her craft and shows you how to do the same. Even something as simple as making a spiral is refined in way to make a tighter nicer looking spiral (in my opinion). I refer to this book often.

This was an interesting book, but I am a true novice, and don't feel ready to take on making some of the items shown. It did give me good ideas however, and I doubt if anyone who is interested in wire working would regret this purchase.

I really liked this book. It was hard to put down. Robin Jones Gunn writes with such nice imagery and detail about the different locations in this book and the whole series. Since I live in California I know nearly every place she talks about in the Christy Miller series and it brings back memories when I read them. This college series starts in Europe and I found myself longing to go to Europe to see all these interesting places she talks about! I want to twirl and dance on a German hilltop just like Katie did.

I found the spiritual discussions in this book very refreshing and not trite at all. Often Christian fiction seems to add a Bible verse in here and there just to have one. RJG ties the spiritual truths and lessons into the story plot and I actually learned a lot just reading this fiction book!

For example, Christy's life direction revelation really hit me hard because I am going through a similar situation as a college student. Katie's comparison problem also really applied to my life and taught me some valuable Bible verses to remember in times of low self esteem.

Like other reviewers said, the one "weakness" (makes it hard to read anyway, not bad writing) is Christy's selfishness. I found myself feeling guilty reading about Christy's whining about camping and messing up plans since I am also very much a girly-girl who doesn't like to get dirty and I like to have everything organized and planned. But when Christy started her internal rants at Katie for just being there when she wanted to have alone time with Todd, I got angry at her. It was Katie's vacation too! Just because Christy wanted time to spend with Todd doesn't mean she had to blame it on Katie and be so cruel (at least in her thoughts). If I was Katie, I would feel really hurt if I knew what Christie was thinking about me!

Anyhow, this was a great book aside from Christy's selfishness and if you liked the Christy Miller series then I recommend it highly~! I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

Robin Gunn does a great job of speaking to young people through fiction.
The College Years wrap up all Christy and Todd have gone through and grown in age and spiritually, since they meet in high school.

Great Stories.

Donna

I remember being in high school and being addicted to trashy romance novels. It was a time before I knew Christ and I didnt have much faith in him or anything else. Now, in my mid-twenties, I happened to pick this up at a used book store and read it in one day. It is the kind of lasting romance I was looking for when I was younger and I found that even now, married and having a relationship with Christ, I was able to learn some things from the book. It quoted scripture, put it into perspective and provided me with a romance that could only be conveyed in paper. I am going to pass it on to a young woman in my church and hopefully she'll enjoy it as fully as I did.

The reason for the low rating is that Christy's whiny, infantile attitude and behavior overshadows what could have otherwise been an memorable trek around Europe. As Christy's character progresses throughout the series--my view may not be popular there--it is evident that for portraying herself as a strong Christian, her immature behavior proves otherwise. She's just not a likable young woman. Her "poor me" demeanor and overly possessive attitude of Todd is enough to try your patience! I prefer truly strong Christian role models for girls like Christy's friend Katie Weldon (who has the patience of a saint to put up with Christy's nonsense all those years) and Sierra Jensen. I'd go on a trip with Katie and Sierra any day, even one minute with Christy Miller is enough to require a sedative Another thing, prominent throughout the series is Christy's constant disregard for her parents and family; not to mention taking them for granted. If she is as strong a Christian as she claims, she's forgetting one of God's most important commandments: Honor your father and your mother.

Alright people, this is a review for the entire Christy Series..... which was a serious letdown. Christy obviously has some issues. She likes some boy who after several months of no communication sends her a coconut. I'm still trying to figure that one out. If some boy did that he'd get a swift whack across the face. Also... Every time Christy seems to grow in God, all of a sudden she starts whining again. After 3 books of this you get sick of it. Every time Todd does something with another girl she freaks out big time. (Though Todd is kind of a flirt). She needs to get a life. She's a slight spaz. Every time something happens to her that is out of the box, or her routine, she has a hernia. In Europe, Wow. Camping for her was definitely a disaster. Skip these books and read some Bad Girls of the Bible, Linda Chaikin, Liz Curtis Higgs, Linda Windsor etc.

This is not a series with stand alone books, you have to start in the beginning and progress. This book just jumps in and starts where Carpe Diem left off. We're at the start of the war in earnest between the Clan Korval and previously unknown enemies. Things start to tie together and finally Val and Miri get back into the thick of the Liaden worlds. I like this book, but it's definitely a bridge between Partners in Necessity and I Dare. I love this series, it has everything you could want from a space opera and more. Some once described it as Jane Austen in space, but I find it more deadly than that - more like Renaissance Italy in space, lots of machinations and maneuverings and with some love and laughter to leaven the plot. Highly recommended series. A keeper and frequent reread.

This is the fourth volume (out of five -- I think) in a first-rate space opera story arc, set in the Liaden Universe, that began with Conflict of Honors. It's all about Clan Korval, one of the wealthiest and most powerful trade families around, and the people in it, and their growing struggle with the Liaden Department of Interior (which has plans for running things their own narrow-minded way), and with the Juntavas (a sort of galactic Mafia), and their relations and alliances with various Terran groups and individuals. Key to the multiple plots are Val Con yos-Phelium -- who becomes a Scout and then a spy, and then goes determinedly on the lam -- and his lady-love, Miri Robertson, a talented ex-mercenary who thought she was Terran (and still mostly thinks that way) but who has discovered she's actually a lost member of Clan Erob, a smaller Liad family that is closely allied with Korval. Val Con and Miri, now lifemates, have gone to Erob to get her accepted back into the family, and things are moving along well. But what they don't know is that the attempts by Clan Korval, back home, to locate Val Con (who is supposed to take over the family's leadership, whether he wants to or not), have led to an unhealthy interest in Korval by the Department of Interior. "This means war," as they say. The current First Speaker, Nova yos'Galan, invokes "Plan B," which can be summed up in two words: "Everybody scatter!" The family's flagship is even outfitted as a battleship -- and a very powerful one, too. And then all hell suddenly breaks loose, with an attack on Erob's world by the dreaded Xytrang (a combination of Huns and Mongols, with a dash of Klingon), and Miri is suddenly pushed to the forefront, her mercenary experience in great demand. But things get even weirder when Val Con is able to recruit an Xytrang Scout-equivalent to fight on his side. There are loads of interwoven subplots here, plus interestingly developed personal relationships, and lots of classic military ground action. Don't even think about trying to read this volume first, because you will have no idea of what's going on; start at the beginning of the arc -- but keep all the volumes handy because you won't want to wait to start the next volume!

Great read. So much detail in this book; I read it over again after I finished reading it the first time and was just as entertained. I hope the saga continues! More please...

plan B opens with Miri and Val Con in space and headed to the planet Lytaxin. They've put the word out to Val Con's clan to rendezvous there. There is also an invading force of alien warriors that is converging right along with them. plan B is full of widescale destruction, ironic humor and justified paranoia. It will have you ride a wave of human emotions as you are caught up in the story.

I did not know this was book six of the Liaden universe. But if you haven't read the other books, like myself, you won't have too much trouble following the events of plan B, I may have missed some subtly points by not having a background to pull from. But I still found it a very entertaining read and could not put it down.

"A changing array of safeplaces shall be maintained at all times, in the event of immediate, catastrophic threat to the Clan. There is no shame in strategic retreat. Even Jela sometimes ran from his enemies, the better to defeat them, tomorrow.
"Keep the children safe. Honor without love is stupidity."
- This by the hand of Cantra yos'Phelium, Captain and Delm, in the Third Year after Planetfall

This book comes closest to suffering from "middle book" syndrome of all the Liaden books, but only because it's obviously in the middle of a continuing story. Plenty of interesting things occur in this volume, but their origins lie in AGENT OF CHANGE (which introduced Miri and Val Con to each other), a story which was continued in CARPE DIEM. The cliffhanger ending of PLAN B itself leads to I DARE, the next book, so I recommend having that handy before tackling this volume.

If the gentle reader insists on beginning with PLAN B in this series, don't claim that I didn't warn you against such an ill-advised idea.

Val Con yos'Phelium, sometime First-In Scout and ex-Agent of Change, is still on the run with his new lifemate, ex-mercenary Miri Robertson, from Liad's so-called "Department of the Interior", a renegade government organization dedicated to giving Liad its "true place" in the galaxy even if Liad's own culture and people must be sacrificed to that aim. As heirs to Korval's ancient contract to protect the people of Liad, Val Con and his cousins can't let the Department win, even if their own lives weren't at risk as a family heavily intermingled with Terrans.

In this round of their ongoing battles, however, the Department is a relatively minor factor.

As arranged at the end of CARPE DIEM, the cousins are about to rendezvous on Lytaxin, homeworld of Miri Robertson's distant Liaden kinfolk - also, ironically, ancient allies of Clan Korval. (*Every* senior member of Val Con's family thinks it's ironic that he chose his lifemate from the most suitable family possible, and that if he'd *known* she was suitable he'd have taken forever to look in her direction.) Unfortunately, Lytaxin - having just undergone a massive rebellion - is now being invaded by the Yxtrang 14th Conquest Corps, who successfully executed their standard opening ploy of destroying the planetary communication net.

And in accordance with the principle that no good deed goes unpunished, the Yxtrang Explorer whom Val Con once captured and trussed up like a turkey is not only attached to the Corps but has just been captured by Lytaxin's defenders. And guess which Liaden on the planet is the *only* person fluent in Yxtrang?

Various nice touches of characterization and development of the cultures involved, including our first good look at the Yxtrang as well as Miri's first adjustments to interacting with Liaden culture as a Liaden rather than a Terran. We also get a more detailed look at Miri's old mercenary unit (who quite properly ask why Miri and Val Con didn't just tag along with them in the first place, if they were going to end up on Lytaxin anyhow).

The story of Christy Miller goes from her preteen years up through college and finally to her wedding. (This book is the first in the series.) It's a coming-of-age story of a Christian young woman. Themes include purity, relationships, romance, school stress, family issues, and negative influences.

Each story in the series has a moving ending, is uplifting, entertaining, and makes you feel as though you are friends with each person in the story. Well written and enjoyable - I highly recommend.

This series was is one of my favorite teen series. The first book really got me hooked, then the next three still kept me reading. I really liked Christy because she was kind of insecure and shy, but she blossoms throughout the books. Todd was such a sweet guy, but sometimes he was a little slow when it came to Christy. I really got involved with the characters, and I felt Robin Jones Gunn did an amazing job of making the characters. They were 3 dimensional and so realistic. I recommend this series!

After many failed attempts during the past few years to find a book or series of books for her to read for pleasure, I gave this book to my 14 yr. old daughter, Amber, in June hoping she would enjoy reading it this summer...I am thrilled to say that she couldn't put it down!!! Not only have I also purchased Vols. II, III and IV for her (she is currently reading Vol. IV)...she has shared her love of the books with her friends and now they have the series and are reading them!!! This has made me so very happy...especially since these are Christian based books with valuable life lessons for our teens. What a wonderful gift to be able to give to our teenage daughters in this challenging & confusing world we live in~~~Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Robin Jones Gunn...from the bottom of my heart!!!!

The first three books in this series are great! It's really hard to put the book down once you've started reading. The three books are fresh, invigorating, very realistic and heartfelt. They really bring you closer to God. I love them!

In SUMMER PROMISE, the first book in Robin Jones Gunn's Christy Miller series, a farm girl from Wisconsin is invited by her aunt and uncle to spend the summer with them in ritzy Newport Beach, California. However, upon arrival, Christy Miller realizes that she certainly does not fit in with the glamorous crowd that inhabits the town. After rejection and embarrassment, Christy's Aunt Marti suggests that she undergo a makeover; perhaps a transformation is all she needs to make some new friends. With an expensive new wardrobe and a stylish haircut, Christy finds that she indeed captures the attention of Todd and Shawn, the classically good-looking surfer boys, as well as Alissa, a stunning older girl who has lived all over the world.

All seems to go well until Christy realizes that her new friends may have an entirely different definition of a good time. Shawn invites Christy to a party, and she soon learns that it may be unlike any party she has ever been to. After being ignored or laughed at by most of those in attendance, and uncomfortable with the presence of alcohol and drugs, Christy decides to get out. While she makes a wise choice, others do not, and the night soon ends with a tragedy that will change the rest of the summer. Afterwards, Christy begins spending more time with Todd, who opens up to her about his strong faith in God.

Although she has gone to church all her life, Todd introduces her to a new group of people who are serious about faith in a way she has never experienced before. At the same time, Aunt Marti's constant nagging and desire to "improve" Christy begin to eat away at her self-esteem. As her world seems to move faster than it ever has, will Christy be able to live up to the promise she made to her parents not to do anything she will regret? Will she finally be able to figure out how gorgeous, sensitive Todd really feels about her? And why is she being forced to suddenly return home?

SUMMER PROMISE is an excellent beginning to the Christy Miller series. Fans of TV shows such as "The OC" and "Summerland" undoubtedly will appreciate the familiar beach setting and situations. Gunn does an excellent job of filling the book with a plot that is not quite as predictable as those usually found in teen fiction, as well as keeping up with the latest pop-culture references. It tackles many issues, such as self-image and family problems, but underlying all of this is Christy's newfound ideas about God. SUMMER PROMISE is a great read, with an ending that does not resort to the contrived and surely will have readers eagerly awaiting Christy's future adventures.

--- Reviewed by Jennifer Crosby

This book is very well written and gives great insight into the motivations and commitment that that form the basis for undertaking this incredible journey.

I highly recommend this book for hikers and non-hikers alike.

I've been considering hiking the A.T. for many years now, after reading this book its a no-brainer. Insightful, funny, i felt as if i was walking up every mountain right beside Awol. This book is a must have for any reader who enjoys the outdoors and all the struggles and joys that comes along with challenging yourself and reaping every benefit.

I picked this book up both for entertainment and because I was interested in learning more about the experience of thru-hiking the AT. Satisfaction was delivered on both fronts. The author provides just enough detail that you're there with him on the trail, while not boring you with constant day to day information which could get tedious. This is not a book for planning a hike, however is still a useful read for anyone who may be toying with the idea.

I won't pretend to know what it's like to be on the trail for 6 months and 2173 miles, but at the end of the book I felt a sense of not wanting it to end. When AWOL speaks of his longing and loss in the months following his hike the reader feels a similar nostalgia. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to spark their sense of adventure.

I've read almost a dozen books on thru-hiking the AT and this is simply the best. Honest and real in his actions and thoughts- AWOL represents the best you will ever encounter on the AT.

As soon as I finished reading Awol on the AT, I wrote the following note to the author:

"Just a quick message to let you know how much I enjoyed Awol on the Appalachian Trail. I read it for the first time last week, and I can't stop telling my friends about it. I've read a lot of books about the AT, and your book is now one of my favorites -- definitely the best-written. Your insightful descriptions of the sights along the trail and the mental highs are lows are absolutely top-shelf. You are truly a gifted writer. Some of your imaginative metaphors -- such as giant rocks that look like the backs of whales diving into the soft ground -- will stick with me forever. Although I've not (yet) hiked the AT, my fever to do so is getting stronger. Thanks for the added inspiration. By the way, if you aren't currently writing for a living, you absolutely should be. Excellent work. Adventure onward!"

If you are interested in hiking the AT, this is one of THE books to read.

Christy Miller thought that returning home from an intense experience working at an orphanage in Switzerland would be relaxing. However, in AS YOU WISH, the second book in Robin Jones Gunn's Christy and Todd: The College Years trilogy, she finds that settling into life at Rancho Corona University is far more stressful than she ever could have imagined.

Christy was looking forward to finally getting to have a more active social life and spend much more time with close friends Katie and Sierra. However, with her parents telling her to get a job and her counselor suggesting she take more classes, it looks like Christy's schedule is going to be full. When long-time boyfriend Todd informs her that he has volunteered her for yet another activity, Christy reaches a breaking point.

As she tries to sort out her chaotic life, Christy soon realizes that her problems lie far beyond her weekend social calendar. With less than a year until she graduates, and a long-term relationship, Christy must finally make some bigger decisions --- decisions that will last a lifetime. She knows that Todd is in love with her, and has been for some time. In fact, she's pretty sure that he would be ready to marry her at any time. But something is still holding her back.

As Todd reveals more and more about his background and childhood, Christy feels closer to him than ever before but also realizes what different worlds they come from. When her first childhood crush from Wisconsin comes to town, Christy begins to wonder if she might be better suited to someone with a similar background, or if she's really ready to commit to anyone at all.

Confused about her romantic future, Christy must also deal with ongoing drama in her family. Her erratic Aunt Marti is threatening to leave her husband and join an "art colony"; Christy must try to stop her before it's too late. As she grows more and more sure of her feelings and intentions, Christy gets ready to make a big declaration. However, a tragic accident occurs before she can reveal her true feelings, and it may be too late. As Christy's friends and family gather at the hospital, she becomes painfully aware of just how important it is to express your feelings while you still can.

AS YOU WISH seems to be an attempt to combine the worlds of all of Robin Jones Gunn's characters into the ongoing storyline of Christy and Todd. For fans of the Christy Miller and Sierra Jensen series, this will certainly make sense. However, new readers will experience some difficulty following the many different characters and plot lines that are thrown into the mix. The story comes a long way from its predecessor --- from Christy considering breaking up with Todd, to thinking about marrying him.

Although this (presently) final series in the world of Christy Miller is not Gunn at her best, and relies on quite a bit of recycled material, it is still very readable and will undoubtedly keep fans satisfied.

--- Reviewed by Jennifer Crosby

This has become my favorite Christy Miller book!
I read the whole regular series when she was in high school when I was 13/14 and liked it then but rereading it now at college age was a little disappointing. They are similar and teenage Christy can be annoying at times. But I've enjoyed reading Robin Gunn's college series for Christy; Christy is slightly more mature and her romance with Todd is definitely more adult and less naive.

I really identify with everything Christy goes through, all her decisions she has to make and her viewpoints on aspects of college life really resonate with me since I am going through the same situations. Either Robin remembers college very well or did her research!

I also love how she incorporated Sierra, Katie and all the characters from her Sierra Jensen Series and her Christy Miller Series, even 1 primary character from her book "Departures".

I highly recommend this book to older and college age Christy Miller fans.

I loved this book to pieces. Christy struggles with saying 'I love you' to Todd, because she isn't sure of her love for him. She makes a sudden revelation that Todd is 'the one' and feels she is confident to say those three little words, until a tragic event happens, changing Todd and Christy's life forever. Christy is having a hard time finding when she can confess that to her beloved, especially when the life-altering accident occurs. Christy and Todd both grow closer to the Lord, and Todd discovers that it is his calling to work in the church. Christy helps, and discovers she is in her element as well. The very end is beautifully written, and wonderfully romantic and sweet, which is another event that changes both Todd and Christy's life forever. Grab the Kleenex box, the end will have you wiping your eyes.

I think these books are the best I've ever read! Once you pick it up, don't expect to put it down anytime soon!! I've read them over and over, and still love them. They're clean, focused on God, and have a sweet romance in them. I also recommend the Christy Miller series.

You won't want to miss these books!!!
~Hope

I was very happy with the shipping time and condition of the book. It actually arrived before the date given to me, so I was very pleased. I would definitely buy again.

The plot keeps things moving along, but what makes these novels great is the characters. Real conflict, real choices to make, and real growth over time as well. Quite a world, and quite a story. I particularly liked the first of the three novels collected here.

This is a story for people like me who love a good story.whatever the label. These are people like you and me, who laugh, love, care, hurt, You rejoice with their triumphs and cry with their sorrows. It will stay on my bookshelf forever

Partners in Necessity is an omnibus edition of three novels: Conflict of Honors, Agent of Change & Carpe Diem.

Conflict of Honors: Priscilla Delacroix y Mendoza left her homeplanet when she was only sixteen, convicted of blasphemy and exiled to be homeless and clanless, but she survived. Ten years later, after working her share of grunt jobs, she was the cargo master on the Daxflan, a Liaden ship captained by Sav Rid Olanek. It wasn't an easy job as Terrans were treated like second-class citizens and the second mate, Dagmar, kept trying to "charm" her into a relationship, but Priscilla could not afford to leave the ship and damage her reputation so she stayed. Then Priscilla discovered that the Captain had taken on a cargo of illegal drugs and passed them off as innocent pharmaceuticals. Priscilla tried to hide her knowledge, but she found herself knocked out and locked up on a second-class planet with no money, no job and a resume that now claimed she was a thief.

Priscilla knew that she had to get off the planet and hunt down the Daxflan, if for nothing else than to reclaim her possessions, so she turned to the only ship in orbit at the time - the Dutiful Passage captained by Shan yos'Galan. Unbelievably, the Captain hired her as a pet librarian and then proceeded to help her with pilot and leadership training. Priscilla did not know quite how to react to the friendship of those aboard the Dutiful Passage, but she slowly started to think of the ship as her home. But Dagmar and Captain Olanek were not going to let Priscilla escape and they had a score to settle against Shan yos'Galan, her beloved Captain and source of protection...

Agent of Change: Val Con yos'Phelium, Clan Korval, future Delm and Second Speaker, was just doing a routine mission on some backwater planet in the middle of the universe when his life changed. After completing his mission, he encountered a small spitfire of a woman and saved her life, for which she promptly repaid him by bashing his head in. When Val Con woke up, the spitfire dumped him, but Val Con was intrigued, so he followed her and saved her life again. Now Miri Robertson, whose life he had saved twice, was forced to deal with Val Con, honor demanded it. She was intrigued by Val Con, whom she nicknamed "Tough Guy", but definitely didn't want a partner. As a former mercenary and bodyguard, she could handle herself and, as a target for the powerful Juntavas crime ring, she couldn't trust anyone...

However, both Val Con and Miri, both of whom were used to working alone, soon found that they worked well as partners, at least they would if Miri would stop trying to ditch Val Con at every opportunity. Val Con knew that Miri was something special, she made him feel things that he hadn't felt in years, she made him feel alive again. Miri didn't know what was wrong with Val Con, but she knew it had something to do with what he called The Loop, some kind of brain implant that gave him the odds of success on every mission/action he made. As they grew closer together, both Val Con and Miri realized that the Department of the Interior, who had trained Val Con as an agent, must have some ulterior motive in plan. But in order to find out what it was, they had to stay alive...

Carpe Diem: Val Con his lifemate, Miri Robertson were ordered not to be harmed by the Juntavas syndicate. However, personal interpretation of 'not be harmed' left Val Con and Miri on a broken-down spaceship in the middle of nowhere with the enemy Yxtrang ready to kill them for the hunk of junk they were sitting in. However, Val Con and Miri managed to rig something together and 'jumped' to one of the nearest planets - a backwater world named Vandar.

Vandar had no contact with the outside universe and didn't even know that other cultures existed. With no spaceships and no radio comm that they could use, Val Con and Miri tried to resign themselves to a long stay and set about learning the culture and the language. Meanwhile, Shan yos'Galan, Val Con's brother and his lifemate, Priscilla, began searching the galaxy for him, as did Edger and Sheather, Val Con's Clutch brothers. Back on Liad, Nova yos'Galan, Val Con's sister, had translated a cryptic message from Val Con that, while ensuring the Clan of the heir's survival, told them precious little else. But she did discover that the Department of the Interior, a department that seemed shrouded in mystery and determined to conquer the planet of Liad and from there, the universe, was also looking for Val Con. The more she investigated, the more interested the Department became in Clan Korval...until Nova was forced to call Plan B - retreat strategically, trust no one, prepare for all out war....

These are books 3-5 in the Liaden series if you read them chronologically, which I recommend. As with the other books, I simply loved Lee & Miller's characters and world building. They spend time on the details and it shows that they have carefully thought out and executed another masterpiece. I really feel as if I know the Korval family and am taking a remedial course on Liaden etiquette, these books are that well written! If you enjoy any kind of science fiction or space opera then this book has something for you - great characters, lots of action, enemies on all sides, high tech battle sequences, romance, family relations, honor, and much, much more! You can read this book as a stand-alone novel, but I would recommend starting with the prequels (Local Custom & Scout's Progress, also found in omnibus Pilot's Choice), so that you are familiar with Liad and Clan Korval, but, these books were the originals for the Liaden universe and were written first. Also, you definitely should not miss out on any book in the wonderful Liaden universe - all of them are very highly recommended!

I bought this 3-in-1 (in hardcover), and after reading just one, Lee & Miller immediately moved to the top handful of my favorite authors, and every story I've read since has just seemed to get better than the last! Whether you like "space opera" adventure, contact/conflict-of-cultures plots, emotional (but not graphic) paranormal romance, or just plain excellent writing, the Liaden Universe stories are for you!

Liaden series notes:
This volume contains "Conflict of Honors", "Agent of Change", and "Carpe Diem", the first three tales of the "present" generation of Clan Korval, especially Val Con yos'Phelium and his foster-brother Shan yos'Galan, in plot-chronological order (the 2nd happened to be *published* first).
These are followed by the cliff-hanger "Plan B", and the [conclusion] "I Dare".
The first story ("Conflict of Honors") is all about Shan and his lifemate-to-be, Priscilla Mendoza, but then Val Con and HIS lady, Miri Robertson, take center stage for most of the subsequent volumes - though the rest of the family is far from left out.
"Pilots Choice" is a prequel 2-in-1 ("Local Custom" & "Scout's Progress") featuring Shan & Val Con's *parents* -- and by the way, read these at least before "I Dare"!
The authors' website, Korval.com, includes reference data (FAQs, pronunciation guide, etc.) and a complete bibliography for the series, including many shorter entries NOT available as standard HCs or PBs.

Trust me, if you clicked any link that landed you on this page, you can't help but enjoy these stories!

I am pretty strictly a sci-fi reader, and I am very picky about what I will buy. I "research" reviews of books before I buy them to (hopefully) weed out the crap. I was intrigued by the glowing reviews of this book, so I bought it, never having read these authors or this series before. Let me tell you how glad I was that I did...

I devoured this book and immediately got on-line to order all the other books in the series. While I was waiting for them to arrive, I re-read this book. When the others came, I devoured them, and then re-read the whole series!!! I have only re-read one other series because I couldn't bear to say goodbye to the characters, and I have never read a book three times in a row before. I even went to the author's website and bought all the companion short stories. I might seriously consider reading them again--but I ignored so many responsiblilies while reading it the last times that there are piles and piles of other things I ought to do first). There may not be any "profound" messages here, but the story comes together so beautifully, the characters are so vivid and likeable, and the universe is so consistant and interesting that I just don't want to let it go.

So, buy this book... and go ahead and get the rest of them too. You won't regret it.

This was a great book for those interested in teaching first graders how to comprehend their reading. It is full of strategies and systems that can be adapted to all grade levels. Easy, quick read.

Teaching young children to think and especially think about what they read is so important. Too often children read words with no idea about what they are reading. As a teacher I constantly use children's literature to teach comprehension. Two of my favorites are:Life's Little Lessons: An Inch-By-Inch Tale of Success and The Big Squeal: A Wild, True, and Twisted Tailwhich not only have fabulous messages but a great teaching guide. I recommend these very highly to my parents because of these guides. Start young teaching kids to understand what they read!

Debbie Miller's disarming writing style makes you feel as if you're dialoguing with her about teaching reading in an elementary setting - the book nearly vanishes and there you are, sipping a cup of coffee and listening to Miller respond (patiently!) to your myriad questions. Throughout the text she takes the reader with her, through teaching hiccups and tough lessons learned, and anticipates every question you have. It's easy to see she's a realistic idealist, someone who has high expectations but doesn't beat herself up for making mistakes. That kind of tone is too often missing in other books about education and sets this one apart from the rest.

I can't say enough wonderful things about this book. It is easy to follow, has great pictures and really shows the author's thinking process behind why she does what she does. I have read and reread this book, tabbed it to death, and bring it with me to school every day. I used all the strategies last year with very minimal tweaking and had phenomonal results in the "thinking about reading" strategies of my 2nd/3rd grade students.

This is a great book for any teacher to have. I work as a special ed teacher, so I work with one or two students at a time. The strategies described in this book are wonderful for teaching comprehension. One thing I really liked is that she explains how she does her lessons step by step. She even writes word for word what she says during each lesson. I think it's wonderful that teachers share their knowledge with others, share what has worked for them so we can all be better teachers. The book is focused on the kids enjoying reading and getting as much from every single book they read as possible. This book is geared especially toward teachers of smaller children (kindergarten, first, second) and even though my students are in 3rd, 4th and 5th grade I have found ways to adapt each lesson easily for them. It includes great pictures and some of the work her children have produced in her class. It is an absolutely valuable tool and I'm so glad I bought it.