R Books

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; Florrie Binford-Kichler, Founder of Patria Press, Inc.- an award-winning independent publisher and Member of The Children's Book Council; 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.

This series of books is absolutley wonderful and I recommend them to any parent or grandparent, especially this book!! It teaches children how to be positive, kind and loving to themselves at a very young age which is a key ingredient to creating loving, kind adults who make a huge difference in the world when they grow up.

I like to play this CD to help create a happy and healthy background environment in the car for my daughters. One thing I really liked about this CD is that it encouraged my daughters, who are 5 & 7 years-old, to talk about what was talked about in the CD.

We were first introduced to I AM a Lovable ME! shortly after our son was born. The messages are positive and uplifting, and our son really enjoys the vivid, colorful illustrations. We also recommend another book in this series...Take a deep breath...watching our little guy "take a deep breath and breathe out slowly" and seeing the calming effect on him (and us) is incredible! Thanks for this awesome series of books...we're looking forward to reading them to our next baby too!!!

I bought this book for my nephews and they absolutely love it. It is the first children's book I have seen that not only has a story, but an important message as well. It teaches children to love themselves and be happy with who they are. It really boosts self-esteem and is a valuable lesson to teach all children. I would highly recommend it. It makes a great present.

This was an incredible book. You can go to what is left of the Alamo today and try and imagine it, but this book brings it all together for anyone interested in this amazing story. Beautiful art and camera work gives it a realistic feel. Definitely a great book.

I am surely not well informed enough to comment intelligently upon the details of Mark Lemon's work, but it certainly appears he has done an extraordinarily thorough job of researching and analyzing and integrating every scrap of evidence about the Alamo's configuration at the time of the 1836 battle. Lemon has then used that research to create an intensely detailed, accurate 1:48 scale model of the complex. And in "The Illustrated Alamo 1836: A Photographic Journey" he presents us with sharp, clear photographs of the model, supplemented by the author's sketches and drawings of various details. The photographs of the model, naturally lit and inserted into natural backgrounds, create a persuasive illusion that we are looking at the real thing, that somehow Mark Lemon has taken his camera back to 1836 aboard a flying time machine.

Anyone intrigued by the story -- and the mysteries -- of the Alamo battle cannot help but being enthralled by "The Illustrated Alamo 1836". It is one of those books that really creates a "you are there" experience.

It is beautiful, you really have the feeling that somebody went back to the Alamo in march 1836 with a digital camera!

This book was recommended to me by the excellent staff at the John Wayne Alamo set in Bracketville, Texas. Mark Lemon does a FANTASTIC job of taking us back in time to give us, for the first time, a painstakingly researched, meticulously crafted, image of what the Alamo looked like at the time of the siege. A visit to the Alamo set in Bracketville along with this book are must haves/do for any Alamo history buff. Of the many books about the Alamo in my library, this is the one I will show family and friends who come to visit us in San Antonio. Just a stunning, stunning work.

This book is fantastic, as a die hard alamo fan, I have never ever seen better drawings and models of the Alamo, everything is true to detail, and the photos of the model are made outdoors with real Texas sunshine and real shadows...this is better than the real thing. Aerial views of the Alamo as it looked in 1836, detailed views of the different parts of the Alamo....if you LOVE the Alamo, you must have this book!! Seriously!!
from a guy who studied architecture and loves history!

Kevin Sheehan has simplified the great qualities of important leaders and placed them in an entertaining text. A gift which I have passed on to my dearest friends, this book is both inspirational and educational. My highest recommendation.

Poignant, powerful stories. Beautifully written with a distinctive and important design. This book's not to be missed--by you, your friends, your business colleagues. Bravo!

Within his book A Leader Becomes A Leader, Kevin Sheehan delightfully illustrates the essence of true leadership. He poignantly definies a diverse group of past and present leaders; while exploring their life events and characteristics of greatness. Encourage your friends, family and coworkers to read this motivational book!

The author does a phenomenal job of breaking the topic down into small manageable and inspiring readings; also covers a great cross-section of leaders and the characteristics that made them successful. I ordered a dozen copies as executive and motivational gifts.

J. Kevin Sheehan presents a celebration of what's possible in his biographical snapshots of great leaders. By focusing on the unique character traits of outstanding leaders the author transforms the mysteries of leadership into something very real. He answers the question "what made them great?" in an extremely concise and inspirational style. Great as a corporate gift or graduation present. My children have used it for school projects and I have found inspiration for my own business. No home or school library should be without this most valuable tool.

Chaplain George Castillo is my grand-uncle. I think the book is very inspirational. Until I read the book, I didn't know he did such great work in the prisons. He's an inspiration to not only the prisoners and their families, but an inspiration to us all.

George shared from the heart in this wonderful book about ministering to inmates as a chaplain. He also includes some of the politics that go with working within the system, We were so touched by his stories that we included his work in "Chicken Soup for the Prisoner's Soul" and "Serving Time, Serving Others: Acts of Kindness by Inmates, Prison Staff, Victims, and Volunteers."

I would love for the author of this great work to give a talk to my local civic organization. He has profound insight into the criminal justice system, and unique, yet practical, ideas on how to make it better. This book is worthy of being Oprah's Book of the month!

My recommendation of the Rev. George Ramon Castillo's book, My Life between The Cross and the Bars, grows out of a personal acquaintance with the author for nearly forty years as well as several readings of the book. The book is very well written and allows the reader to glimpse a first hand view of the circumstances and events that led George into the Christian ministry and into the Federal Prison chaplaincy. This life service offering reveals the character and integrity of the man, as well as the broader dimension of his professional service.
Of vital importance to George's life story is his account of his early years in British Honduras, now Belize, his early immigration to the United States, and his service in the U.S. Air Force, and his U.S. citizenship (October 26, 1953). Even more important was his marriage in 1957 to Muriel Jermain Seale, who has provided the moral and spiritual support for his successful career.
One does not just become a minister and a chaplain willy-nilly. The story of his religious development and educational experience tells how this came about: the early difficult years, then college and seminary.
I became acquainted with George while he was a student at Bangor Theological Seminary. He and his family eventually joined the congregation I was servicing, the First Congregational Church in Brewer, Maine. He was ordained under my ministry there, one of the high points, actually the highest, of my own ministry. When I left in September of 1967, the church called him to become their Interim Minister. After a year or so, he went on to serve churches in Detroit, Michigan, and in Ohio, and then was accepted as chaplain by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
All of this is essential to getting the most out of George's career as a Federal Prison Chaplain. The reader will share in the documentation and correspondence that became an important part of George's work within a difficult bureaucratic system. There were also unexpected difficulties with the machinations of opportunistic prisoners as well as with prisoners whose legitimate personal problems were all but insurmountable. If you want insight into an environment and setting that cannot be portrayed in a TV or movie scenario, this is the book for you.
A Federal Prison does not exist in isolation from the rest of society. George spells out the relationship of his work to the "civilian" religious community. This is part of his task in educating the rest of us to the enormity of the problem that confronts American society. Prison populations are growing fast, and the costs are skyrocketing. The solution to this problem, if we take George's perspective seriously, is more in terms of human relationships than in purely punitive or monetary terms.
But this comes only through genuine commitment, in George's case, Christian commitment, in a life of duty and service, with an equally dedicated life companion. There is much to be learned from what otherwise might be considered as one of the darker sides of life. George in his book, and in his life, has shown us the way.

Ray Wilbur

Initially, I was leery about My Life Between the Cross and the Bars for two reasons: I'm generally not a fan of autobiographies, and I don't know anyone who has been to prison. When I was only one-fourth of the way through the book I realized that it contains volumes of material to which I can relate. I highly recommend this book to individuals from all walks of life, as it has monumentous value for everyone. The author is a genuine inspiration to all people of every race and background, and his book is a great read.

One of my favorite books for the last 30 years. A wonderful set of stories about kids who use their brains to figure out problems and have adventures. Positive stories that are well written.

The Mad Scientists solve a bank robbery, get outfoxed by Harmon Muldoon, save Mammoth Falls from a drought, invade the town with a UFO, then finally get even with Harmon and his gang in a satisfying and exciting sequel to The Mad Scientists' Club. Using classic technology and, of course, their noodles, the MSC romps through 5 short stories which are more complex than the originals, yet retain their smart and fun flavor. Henry thinks, Jeff leads, Mortimer snarks, Homer climbs, Charlie narrates, Harmon interferes, and Freddy and Dinky get kidnapped...twice! This book is great for boys AND girls 9-12 (and also for 42-year old women like me!) I'm so happy I found this book again after 30 years...it was worth the wait and then some!

If you loved Bertrand R. Brinley's first collection of stories about The Mad Scientists of Mammoth Falls The Mad Scientists' Club or the two novels: The Big Kerplop!: The Original Adventure of the Mad Scientists' Club and The Big Chunk of Ice: The Last Known Adventure of the Mad Scientists' Club, then you'll also love "The New Adventures of The Mad Scientists' Club". The boys return in five new stories, again mixing simple yet sound science and a gently wicked sense of fun.

In "Big Chief Rainmaker", a story originally planned for inclusion in the first book, the boys make clever use of simple scientific principles to break a killer drought by making it rain. Unfortunately, making it STOP raining, turns out to be a good deal harder.

In "The Telltale Transmitter" while investigating a series of unexplained seismic anomalies, the boys make an unexpected discovery.

In "The Cool Cavern" the boys acquire a WWII-era midget two-man Japanese submarine and stash it in a cavern behind Mammoth Falls' namesake Mammoth Falls while restoring it to functioning. Then one night the cavern roof collapses, hopelessly trapping Harmon Muldoon's gang, who had come to spy on the submarine, behind tons of fallen rocks. Or are they?

In "The Flying Sorcerer" Dinky Poore is so obsessed about wanting to see a UFO that he quits showing up for club meetings, until his fellow club members promise to build him a UFO. Hi-jinks ensue.

In "The Great Confrontation" Harmon Muldoon's gang kidnaps Dinky Poore and Harmon's cousin, Freddy Muldoon, and offers to trade them for the submarine and the right to use the Cool Cavern. Boy, are they going to be sorry!

As a boy, while I enjoyed this book very much, I never liked it as well or reread it as often as the first one, and after rereading it as a man I think I know why. It isn't the writing, which if anything has improved; it is the story topics. If the first book could be re-titled "The Mad Scientists' Club Triumphant", this book could be re-titled "The Mad Scientists' Club Get Their Comeuppance". In "Big Chief Rainmaker" the boys go from heroes to goats, and in "The Cool Cavern" the boys get made utter fools of. "The Telltale Transmitter" turns out to be a fairly conventional crime-solving, and even the wackiest story of all, "The Flying Sorcerer", is essentially "The Strange Sea Monster of Strawberry Lake" redux, except with a less triumphal ending, and it isn't until "The Final Confrontation" that the boys finally get even with Harmon Muldoon's gang for the events of "The Cool Cavern". The result is a little more downbeat than I prefer. In addition I regret the lost story possibilities of the restored midget submarine, which Brinley never made use of.

Note: the Purple House reprint of The New Adventures of the Mad Scientists' Club is worth picking up even if you own an older edition because it includes an introduction written by Bertrand's son Sheridan and a chronological listing of the stories so you can read them in the order they were written (the order of the stories in the book was not changed). Reading them chronologically clears up some confusion over places, geographical references, and characters.

Not many books can capture your imagination like the Mad Scientists books. I read these back in the late 60s and still have my original copy. Its been reread dozens of times and by the way where is Mammoth Falls? The location was always elusive. References to Chicago, the Air Force Base nearby, and the description of Strawberry Lake was most unusual. I keep two copies of the republished books on my shelf. I rarely rate 5 stars but this one gets it because after 40 years its still one of my favorites.

When I was growing up, I really enjoyed reading the 'Mad Scientists Club' and its influence may partly explain why I ended up in engineering research. Until recently I had forgotten all about it until I was looking at books by my favorite authors as a youth, such as Stephen Meader and Jim Kjelgaard. I came across the Brinley books and I decided to re-read the original and discovered much to my delight that there was a sequel of short stories and two additional full-length books by Brinley.

I read the sequel, 'The New Adventures of the Mad Scientists' Club'and I was both ecstatic and a little dismayed. The stories are uniquely excellent melding adventurous vignettes with some science. However, I noticed that the sequel showed some changes in personalities from the first book. I was a little surprised to see that in The Flying Sorcerer' Henry was both not fully truthful with Colonel March, but even after he was told how much personal trouble he was causing him, Henry proposed that the club continue with additional flights of the flying saucer. The readers had been told in 'The Cool Cavern' that Col. March had done them a big favor in helping them acquire the plexiglass nose from an old B-17 bomber for their midget sub. I guess it did not seem in character for them to treat their friends so shabbily. I know that the Mad Scientists are supposed to represent our rebellious American youth who do not respect authority, but I thought the stunt was taken a bit too far. Moreover, I was surprised when I read that Mortimer Dalrymple stole the rotor from Col. March's Air Force car, which is not only a dirty trick, but patently illegal. I am not sure if it was the length of time between Brinley's writing of his first story in 1960 to his last in 1968, but the characters in the sequel seem to not be as 'kind and gentle' as in the first book.

Regardless, I still really enjoyed reading the sequel and I plan on reading the two re-published full-length books.

We are big Doctor Seuss fans and are attempting to get the entire collection for our daughter. Like the book, just too similar to Fox in Socks. Nothing but tongue twisters and no real story.
Great to have if your trying to collect all Dr Seuss books. If completing the collection is not important to you, I would only chose this if you don't already have Fox in Socks

Great book for my 1st grader, he loves the rhyming words throughout.

This book captures literary genius in the form of childish tongue twisters. It proves to be an excellent practice of diction and reading rhythm while providing extreme entertainment for the little listener. The love of words is the beginning of all great literary accomplishment, and this child's book is a step in the right direction.

This book was one of my husbands favorites when he was growing up, and now that we are expecting a child he wanted our son to have the same experience. He was so excited when it arrived that he read it to me as a bedtime story. The riddles start out easy, but by the end of the book your tongue is so twisted it's hard to say anything!! It's a lot of fun and we really look forward to hearing our son try to say these riddles when he learns to speak.

This is a really fun book to read. However, you REALLY have to pay attention to the words or you will mess them up. If you love tongue twisters, this is the book for you. It also is great for young readers, but they may become frustrated with some of the words. It's fun for little ones to listen to and to see how fast you can say these phrases. When you hear "faster, faster," well, you know you're encouraging reading in your child. A very fun book - I recommend it.

I never knew the Germans had such advanced submarine weaponry during WWII. It's a good thing the Walter engine Type XXI U-boats were never produced in quantity. We might have lost the war, especially if the V-2 equipped version that Dickson's novel is about had made it into combat. The technical aspects of the book alone are well worth the price, but the story is interesting and suspenseful as well. I even liked it better than Clancy's Red October, which I found to be long-winded and dragged in places. Almost like he had to make 400 pages out of 200. At least Dickson's 200 pages are honest, good and interesting prose. This book would also make a fantastic movie someday. A smart producer should pick up an option on it.

I am a veteran of the British Navy. I served aboard destroyers during the war, and participated in several U-boat chases. I must say that though I am old now, I recall those days quite clearly. Fear has a way of doing that to you.

Yes, I agree with Mr. Dickson that the U-boat crews were top-line and very dedicated. Most of them, especially the officers, were not Nazis. They were simply the best and brightest Germany had to throw against us at the time. I know as I interviewed some of them after we sunk their U-boats, and they became our prisoners.

I did not know about the Type Twenty-One U-boats Mr. Dickson discusses in the book. We were up against Type Sevens mostly, and an occasional Type Nine later in the War. However, the fact was that the Jerries were definitely on the defensive during the U-boat campaigns from early '43 onwards. As a sailor, I still respected them, enemies though they may have been at the time.

I might add that we treated them well enough on board our vessel prior to transfer ashore. I believe they would have done the same, had they the capability to pick-up survivors as we.

At any rate, the book is very well-done. I doff my old sailor's cap to Mr. Dickson!

I really enjoyed this short war novel. The author did a fantastic job researching his material, and he came up with some real gems of history: lost secret German U-boat and rocket technology, including what were apparently the world's first ballistic missile silos in France. The German army built several blockhouses in Northern France from which to fire V-2 rockets at the massed allied armies in Southern England preparing for D-day. Fortunately, allied bombers destroyed them, before they could launch. This and other interesting historical anecdotes are found throughout this interesting work. The author's style is refreshing: fast-paced and very readable. His use of short chapters leads the reader on, much like Dan Brown's works (DaVinci Code, etc.). Some other reviewer said this should be a movie. I definitely agree. It would make a great film, too.

This short WWII submarine warfare fiction novel was really cool!
It seemed to have similar elements of "Das Boot", "Red October" and "K-19, The Widowmaker". And yet it was completely original and genuine. An amazing work! I enjoyed Dickson's dry wit. The anti-Nazi U-boat commander, Wulf Brunhausen, constantly recites some excellent one-liners and double-entrendres against his hated Nazi overlords. An old-time patriot, he professionally slugs it out with his pursuer, American attack sub commander, Rick Jackson. The research was excellent, highlighting the little known Type XXI U-boats with their original hydrogen peroxide turbine engines (they didn't have to surface to recharge batteries or take on air). The U-boat crews were very dedicated. There was never a mutiny aboard one of these craft, even as they were being sent out on virtual suicide missions from late '44 onwards. Amazingly, several were still on patrol off the U.S. East Coast as late as March/April '45, as Germany itself was being invaded from both East and West. In fact when the war ended there were still a couple of Type XXIs at sea, lining up allied ships in their sights. Dramatically, they went undetected through the motions of mock attacks, before returning to their North German and Norwegian naval bases. In fact many intact U-boats were surrendered at the end of the war, especially those based out of Norway, which was never invaded by the allies. Some of these U-boat commanders were so good, they were subsequently inducted into the U.S. Navy at their former ranks and then were based out of Pearl Harbor, commanding American submarines. Their honored pictures still hang on SUBPAC Headquarters walls in Pearl Harbor.

I enjoy reading naval warfare fiction, and this little book has got to be one of the most interesting submarine warfare stories I have ever read. The research alone is worth the price of the book. Dickson capitalizes on some amazing Nazi technological breakthroughs and weaves them into an exciting story with a good dose of ethics and morality. War may be immoral, but those who fight it are often the most moral and selfless members of society. Dickson captures the professional character of both the German U-boat officers and crew, as well as their American adversaries. Two thumbs up, as they say!

"Iron men, of visage grim,
Do more than meets the viewer's eye.
You've left and left and found my tomb
And now your soul will die!"

These words struck fear into the hearts of players at Origins I. With them, they knew that they had entered the most devious of all the creations to emerge from the mind of E. Gary Gygax. As player after player lost his character to Acererak's tomb, the creator of AD&D looked on, I'm sure, with an evil grin.

Tomb of Horrors was the first module ever published by TSR. It set the bar high for all that would follow. It inspired people like Grmitooth to try to invent increasingly deadly traps. It made AD&D into a game of intellect and wits, not one of hacking and slashing. It is probably the most popular adventure of all time.

So who is the upstart, Bruce R. Cordell, who thinks he can write a sequel? Does he think he can do justice to the master, the father of all adventures, the Great Gygax? Does this sequel, Return to Tomb of Horrors, do anything more than insult the greatest of all dungeon crawls? Read on, you might be surprised.

To answer the question, we must look at Gygax's original intention. Was he trying to smite players everywhere? Was he trying to make them frightened and instill a feeling of hopelessness? Was he just being mean?

No. He had fallen into a trap many of us do. He had characters, Rob Kuntz's Robilar and Ernie Gygax's Tenser, who seemed to walk through whatever challenges he put before them. He needed something that would test them to their limits. Something that would teach them humility. He needed an adventure that not even they could defeat.

Alan Lucien gave him the idea. He locked himself in his writer's room and began to invent the deadliest adventure that ever was. This time, they'd know a challenge.

So what happened? Robilar sacrifice many orc retainers to get to the last tomb. There, he dumped the treasure into a bag of holding and amscrayed. Tenser manage to defeat Acererak himself, proving to Gygax that an ingenious player can negotiate any but the most arbitrary death traps.

Then he continued to carry it in his briefcase, pulling it out whenever a player claimed to have an unbeatable character. More often than not, they remembered things they had to do and quickly left the table as the other players looked down at their dead characters in horror.

The module then debuted at Origins I. It hit the shelves in 1978. The rest is history.

So now Cordell has written a sequel. How, you might ask yourself, can this box set pretend to be a sequel deadliest 12 pages in role playing history? Does this man actually think he can pull it off?

Let me assure you, gentle reader, he not only thinks he has, but he has.

The adventure starts years after treasure hunters spent their blood and souls in Acererak's final resting place. The place is all but forgotten by most, but as of late, and evil necromantic force has been reaching out of the Vast Swamp. The party begins examining the problem and comes across a name, "The Devourer."

This name leads them to the path of a man who sought the Devourer years before, a mage named Desatysso. As the party follows the long-cold trail of this mage, they discover that there is more to the Tomb than anyone has ever suspected.

You see, Acererak wanted to build a series of tests, to lead people toward a final great reward. Unfortunately, the knowledge of the true purpose of the Tomb was lost, and only Desatysso seems to have found it.

The test consists of three parts: a Tomb, a City and a Fortress. Evidently, crawling into the tomb and smashing Acererak's skull is not enough. He must be hunted to his conclusion and stopped in his dreaded apotheosis. Otherwise, his demonic minions will just keep rebuilding his tomb and adventurers will keep spending their souls there.

This dungeon is not for the weak of heart. It suggests that players not take their beloved characters in, and I wholeheartedly agree. The PK rate is extremely high.

I set up a party of fourteen characters, giving each player at least two. They then started the adventure. However, I couldn't see how they could have any guarantee of surviving the original Tomb (which is included in the boxed set), much less get far enough for me to produce an adequate review. I therefore began sending them dreams. Dreams of people who were not them, but they recognized as each other. They were going through this strange tomb, and they knew that all this had taken place years ago. Finally, at the end, they threw themselves against the demi-lich. The Paladin, who had died and failed his resurrection survival (a convenient accident, not a plot element), appeared and got them to vow to kill this force of evil, no matter what it took, no matter how many lives.

It was then that the players realized they were dreaming of a past life. They threw their might against Acererak and were soundly destroyed.

This plot device worked well. They had already played the Tomb by the time they got to it in present day, and were therefore able to get a full compliment of characters through it. It also gave them a sense of purpose that unified them with these characters they didn't know. It was a right proper epiphany, and feel free to use it when you buy this product yourself.

Anyway, this allowed them to progress beyond this most classic of Tombs, into a place where Orcus himself once walked, the city of Moil. This place has claimed four or five characters (though their pact is keeping Acererak from devouring their souls, so they can come back again in another 50 years, should the party fail).

I'll not give away any more of the plot. Buy this product, and you'll see.

I was not convinced I should give it this good of a review, however. You see, I have always loved the Tomb, and I was afraid I was biased. I therefore gave it to a friend who has never (in my memory) liked a TSR module. He gave this his grudging approval, unable to blow any holes in its plot.

A good product. The traps are as deadly as ever, but this adventure is surrounded by intricate plots and histories. There is so much going on here that the players will never even guess it all.

This is one of the things I love about this module. It is filled with information that the players will never know. They will never fully understand the history of the necromantic academy that has sprung up around the tomb. My players have figured out that the City of Moil worshiped Orcus, but they will never figure out that it was put to sleep because it turned to the worship of a God of Morning.

Most writers try to invent complicated and awkward ways of making sure that the players discover the core of all their intricate plans. Not Bruce R. Cordell. If he had James Bond in his clutches, when Bond asked what this was all about, he'd shrug and put a bullet in his head. It's enough that the GM knows, so that he can flush out details as needed. The players will never guess most of what's happened here.

My players have made me promise to tell all when it's done.

Anyway, this adventure tests players to their furthest. Not only have my players latched onto their characters, four of them have married now (the characters, that is), so that they can snatch some joy in the midst of all this horror. It takes a powerful setting to force people to start searching for affirmations of life.

So there it is. I'm rarely impressed with adventures anymore. I'm not forgiving enough. This module needs no forgiveness. Other than an abuse of absolutes ("nothing can save the character if happens"), I can find no criticism for this product. My players have been going through it for months now, and I have rarely had so much success.

So did they survive? I can hear the question in your minds.

The question should be "Will they survive?" The party has begun spending more time on roleplaying than problem solving. They lick their wounds and clutch each other in the night, whispering reassurances. The adventure continues at a slow, methodical pace, and has become a campaign unto itself. If they survive this, I don't think that can convince them to play other characters. I mean, when you've taken someone into the darkest of all pits, you develop a bond.

Too bad they'll all be dead by the time you read this.

Return to the Tomb of Horrors is a new boxed adventure module based on the old S1: Tomb of Horrors module from tournaments and 1st edition AD&D. The scenario is intended for four to eight characters from 13th to 16th level. Like the original Tomb by Gary Gygax, Cordell's Return is an intense deathtrap challenge even for experienced veterans of the game.

Set in Greyhawk but usable in any campaign, this adventure begins with mysterious villager disappearances and swarms of undead. Your party comes to investigate and becomes entangled in a web of deadly schemes. But what does this have to do with the original Tomb of Horrors? The one that's been dared by many, plundered by few, over the years? Well, it's still in business, and still merrily eating heroes. But if the original deathtrap dungeon was a satisfying meal, this new adventure, wrapped around the original module and set 20 years later, is a murderous banquet. This is the first dungeon adventure I've ever read where I actually felt sorry for the players, and I'm including the original Tomb in that. The new story enfolds the original dungeon crawl in a deadly blanket of new traps and additional story, creating a hideous multi-stage gauntlet for anyone seeking the final mystery at the end. Yes, you get to visit the Tomb itself again, but its significance has changed and deepened.

I have to agree with the author on the use of characters for this adventure: either the group ought to be specifically rolled up for this adventure, or, if the players' regular favorites are to be run through the scenario, tone the thing down, WAAAYYY down. There are sections in this beastly tome that can kill one character per page, and, as the party penetrates the deeper mysteries, the killer trap rate escalates to one or more per room. This makes a party of four-to-eight high-level PCs seem rather puny, and suggests a horde of henchmen, hirelings, and cannon fodder, preferably walking out in front.

Can someone familiar with the original Tomb play or enjoy this? Absolutely. In fact, I'd like to see a group of players, all either DMs who have run Tomb or players who went through it successfully, go through the Return to the Tomb of Horrors. Maybe they'd live long enough to get to the second half of the adventure. Maybe.

This boxed set is stuffed with goodies. There are nine maps and seven new monsters in a full-color maps and monsters book. The maps are very clear, with one exception: Map 3 is so darkly printed that the color-coding is very difficult to make out, but I believe that because of the restricted movement in those areas there should be little impact on play. An illustrated "module" of 160 pages, with appendices of new spells and magic items, includes many "old" spells relying on several other AD&D books (some out of print) but the author urges the DM to make appropriate substitutions when necessary. There is a facsimile of the original S1: Tomb of Horrors module, which is actually used in play. DMs will want to go through this and make detailed adjustments beforehand, since it is not written to 2nd edition AD&D standards. No problem for collectors worried about the value of your original copy: this is not an exact facsimile, as the illustration booklet is bound into the middle. A new illustration book holds scenes to be shown to the players at various points in the adventure, and because since there are two scenes on each page you might want keep a sheet of plain paper folded length-wise handy for covering the second illustration. Lastly, there are handouts for the players, consisting of an eight-page "journal" (in a very difficult font) and a double-sided color card, with special instructions for photocopying and preparation.

In playing this adventure DMs may want to keep in mind their particular players' temperament and game style: are they looking for a real, undiluted challenge, or are they going to be murderously upset by the DM making their PCs into elf flambe, dwarf kabobs, and Halfling hash in one evening? If there is serious risk of you becoming a DM pretzel, you might want to edit this severely and just integrate it into your regular campaign.

Return to the Tomb of Horrors is an excellent adventure in the old module style.

--Sharon Daugherty for Skirmisher Online Gaming Magazine

I've purchased dozens of probucts from this website, but this is the first time I've felt compelled to write a review.

Return To The Tomb of Horrors is a quality product from top to bottom. The boxed set includes many maps, illustrations, the original Tomb of Horrors, an expansion to the Tomb of Horrors story (the equivalent of 3 more adventures), and more.

I have not yet run this module, but have read all the contents, and plan to implement it as soon as possible. The story is well written, EXTREMELY original, and the many traps are truly inspiring. Despite the fact this boxed set is the equivalent of 4 normal length adventures, all of the encounters are unique and often ingenious. As I read the module, I found myself often wondering what the writers would think of next.

Note to GM's: This module is possibly the most deadly I've ever read. I would only recommend it for experienced players. Even then, expect casualties.

Although it is out of print and written for 2nd edition, i can't express enough what a high quality product this is. Even if you are running a 3rd edition campaign, this boxed set is definitely worth your picking up if you can find it. The conversion to the new rules might take a little effort on the DM's behalf, but the payoff is the most exciting, deadly, and awe-inspiring campaign ever put to paper. It wraps seamlessly around Gary Gygax's original Tomb of Horrors, and you even get the chance to go back and explore it again if you did so for the first time twenty years ago. My players have no clue what the Tomb really is, and i'm still keeping them in the dark until later. Like other reviewers have said though, be warned. The module is deadly, and about halfway through and all the way to the end, it can eat up PC's like candy. But far as quality, it has some of the best writing, the best traps, the best plot, and over sixty illustrations to mesmerize your players. Definitely try to check this one out, as its going into the history books.

Come on, people. Where do you get the crazy notion that a "killer" module is good? Are you so lame that you cannot create your own killer modules? It is pretty [dang] easy. And that is what TSR does here, it creates a killer module that makes little to no sense.

Everything starts good as a plot is well formed and progresses well for a little while. It gets even better when the party arrives at the environs of the old tomb. All right, ervything pretty [dang] cool thus far. Realistic, fun, and the players better think before they act rashly.

So you are thinking why 3 stars only? Well, the problem is it all goes downhill from there. Once the players leave the old Tomb the new area is just silly. It makes no sense that something this powerful would have ANY trouble with the PC's. Plus the traps are illogical and almost impossible to detect. By this time, roleplaying is long forgotten as players just push their characters from point to point and hope to make their saving rolls.

Still, it gets 3 stars for a good effort from TSR. But there certainly are better choices out there.

Finally, I am amazed so many D&D'ers are impressed with killer modules. Big ... deal. Give me something to excite the players' imagination. That is what role playing is supposed to be about.

This commentary on the book of Romans by T. R. Schreiner is one of the best commentaries I have ever read. Better than N. T. Wright and Everett F. Harrison. The author is faithful to the text and respects the text as the Word of God.
It is a big blessing to have this commentary in post-soviet countries (I am from Lithuania) where theology is not popular and people are lacking commentaries, books about the Bible even in the libraries.
It is worthy to get this book because the author opens the deep meanings of the text.

The two best aspecst of Dr. Schreiner's books are his conversational style of writing, and the fact that he always acknowledges other views and explains why he differs. The many references and foot notes make for slow reading, but in depth and clear understanding of the material and his interpretation. It is a learning expericence that is like a great expedition of exploration and discovery. And because it is the Word of God being explored, the discoveries are life changing. This is truly a great book.

Along with Moo, get this commentary! Schreiner is so solid and scholarly. I also have his work on 1,2Peter and Jude in the NAC. This NT scholar is so good.

His approach to scholarship reminds me of Dr. Moo. Both are really good. Schreiner does his own translation, and for me that is what makes this commentary so outstanding. If you appreciate adeptness in NT Greek, you'll appreciate this volume. But at the same time, Schreiner makes this simple enough for the person who doesn't understand NT Greek to get by.

This should be in every pastor's and anyone who's looking for the best work on Romans collection. Get this one!

This is a very good commentary on Romans. It is very well written and is clear and easy to understand. Great Reference material that can be used for years to come.

As someone who has done extensive work in Romans and is NOT a Calvinist, I have found Schreiner's volume to be the best all around commentary on Romans (not the best commentary on any book, however, as that would go to Schnackenberg's 3 volumes on John). He covers what you need to teach and to preach through the book.

While knowing Greek will certainly help one follow the author's arguments, he makes it easy enough to move past difficult material and get to the heart of the matter. Moo has a tendency to list multiple options and then pick one when it is unnecessary to list all the options due to a choice being obvious or else he does not list options at all when the choice is difficult. Schreiner avoids that problem by correctly majoring on the majors and minoring on the minors (with the exception of some issues at the end of Romans 8).

For Schreiner, this is certainly a step above his previous work and is much more readable than his book on Paul. The only Romans commentary I would rank ahead of this one is the incredible two volumes in the ICC by Cranfield, which is certainly not a series for those who do not know their languages.

~ I first read "Summons of the Trumpet" when it was published in 1978. Interestingly, in his preface, LTG Palmer states "There will be those who claim that history, true history, can't be written so soon after an event...they are correct. The definitive version of the Vietnam War will be published decades hence..." Well, a full thirty years later, it turns out this statement is the only thing he got wrong!

~ For me, this volume was and remains the definitive work on the Vietnam conflict. It is interesting, concise, understandable, and insightful. I continue to re-read it about every five years and just cracked it open again.

~ When I retired from my Army career (as an Infantry officer), I became a high school social studies teacher and I have used "Summons" as one of my main references when teaching my students about the Vietnam War, this time period, our society, and American government.

~ Russell Weigley, a noted historian who I also value, correctly called this book "by far the best synthesis of...the Vietnam War." Thank you, General Palmer, for letting the "Trumpet" sound!

As a Vietnam veteran, I am often surprised at the mythology that surrounds the Vietnam war to this day. This is "must reading" for anyone seeking fresh insight into that struggle. I found this book consistent with my own experiences and observations from my tour of duty in Vietnam (1968 to 1969). For this reason, I highly recommend it to any serious student of history.

This is one of the best books (if not the best) I have ever read on the Vietnam War. The author develops his arguments with such clarity and eloquence that the book is a real joy to read. Palmer does not describe many battles but only those which were characterized as turning points of the conflict, like Ap Bac (1963), Ia Drang (1965) and Tet (1968) but the depth of the political and military analysis is fantastic. I especially enjoyed the chapter on the military logistics of the US forces in Vietnam as well as the role of the air power in the conflict. It is astonishing to realize that the US actually defeated the insurgency in Vietnam and lost the war only because of the persistent commitment of numerous regular North Vietnamese divisions, which were also mauled badly in battle in many cases! The `Ahilles heel` of the US was the Vietnamization program which the communists didn't allow to mature. Very highly recommended!

Palmer's book was one on the first I have ever read on Vietnam, and remains one of the best. It is mostly concerned with overall strategy and campaigns; less with individual battles and operations. The book severely criticizes the Johnson Administration (with a particular venom for Robert McNamara) but is much more positive about Nixon. The author's attitude towards the South Vietnamese government and Army is critical but quite fair, and he gives the North Vietnamese their due. This is not really a book about American military performance, and does not really mention problems within the military, such as drug abuse, racial incidents, massacres, etc., but he does believe that any problems were a result of having a bankrupt political/military strategy. A few OK maps, no photographs or footnotes, but a nice bibliographical essay. All in all, a very good short introduction but certainly not a complete history of the war.

I was looking for a good overview book of the Vietnam War and this really fit the bill. The author put together a well thought out, easy to read and well-written book that does a good job of giving the reader the high points. The author was a solder in the combat and spent a number of years in the military so he has an authoritative position to speak from. He does a great job of keeping the book away from being overly laden with military jargon or the Rambo style of combat writing. The book is focused on the American effort and thus skims the pre U.S. troop entry into the war. If you are looking for a deeper history on the start of the war with the French or the overall American involvement in Asia then this book will disappoint.

The treatment he gave to the major battles was good. He presented an easy to follow account of the battle, what lead up to it and the outcome. He also touched on some of what was happening back home with the politics, but only briefly. I think the most interesting parts of the book for me was the details of the air war, more specifically how the bombing kept escalating and then the final bombing push by Nixon. My only complaint with the book is that it was an overview that was a bit too light on the facts for me. The book was only 270 pages long, and book size do not necessary determine quality, this book could have been a little bit more in-depth. It seemed to me that to get a better understanding a few more pages could have been added without the overview turning into a in depth study.