Robertson Books

Hodgson's The Night Land was a great book, marred by the very painfully awful prose that Hodgson chose to use. The concept, though, is chilling. In this book, you have the concept wonderfully explored, and the writing is much easier to access. All of the stories were at the very least good, and some were incredibly good. I loved "Mouse in the Walls of the Lesser Redoubt" and "Eater", but all were well worth reading. If you like your horror with a scifi edge, but still chilling and horrifying, please read this book. It's well worth the time, and the money. I am very eagerly awaiting Volume 2.

If I were to rate this book solely on the basis of its stories, I would give it 4 or possibly 5 stars. The long John C. Wright story is probably the outstanding entry, though a few others, including editor Andy Robertson's concluding "The Eater", are also excellent. Part of what makes these two stories so effective is that they fully convey the dread of the nightmarish Night Land which surrounds the remaining members of Humanity many millions of years in the future. A few of the earlier stories in the book aren't so effective at this.

My complaints lie in the serious production problems which mar the book. It has THE worst copy editing I have ever seen in any professional publication. Almost every page is afflicted with multiple errors, usually missing words, duplicate words, inappropriate words, misplaced words or phrases, and other mistakes that don't show up in a pass through a spell checker. These hundreds of mistakes are very distracting. If I were one of the writers in this book I would be upset about the poor presentation of my stories. Robertson's own stories are less afflicted by these errors.

A lesser irritation is the book's page headers. The left hand ones give the title of the book, and the right hand ones identify the editor, on every single page. In every other anthology on my shelf, these headers are used to identity the title and often the author of the story I'm reading. I shouldn't have to refer to the contents to remember the title and author of whatever I'm reading.

I wish I could give this book the full praise the stories deserve. I am told that any future volumes in this series will be professionally copy edited.

Do you like far future stories? Do you like Gene Wolfe and Jack Vance's time of the long shadows? Do you thrill to Smith's Zothique? Well then you've probably tried Hodgson's Nightland.
I suspect many who tried to read Hodgson's masterpiece have had the same reaction I did, "great idea, horrible execution". I never made it through the original and always wished someone would have taken his idea and cleaned up the archiac prose. Well my wish was granted! This is a spectacular collection that only makes me want to give Hodgson another go. After finishing the Robertson and Wright stories I promptly ordered everything I could find in print. John C. Wright also has a particularly moving paen to Hodgson directed to blockheads like myself who dismissed Nightland because of stylistics.

(If there are any John C. Wright fans out there, his contribution in the form of a novellete is breathtaking)

The story "Awake in the Night" by John C. Wright (alluded to in the above review) was included in the 2003 Year's Best Science Fiction edited by Gardner Dozois. It was probably my favorite piece in this 600+ page anthology. The world described in the "Night Lands" ouerve is fascinating. Based on this one work I was eager to read more and to seek out this particular book.

Well, Moik, someone did read your review! I was contemplating the purchase, but after the 3rd paragraph of your review I was spending the money.

In the fall of 4th, 5th & 6th grade, 1969-1971, I read the book, loving every page. For years, I've shared with others that it was my favorite book as a child. I've often wondered what it would be like to read it again. When it arrived, I was astonished to find that I had purchased a school book, complete with the little check-out card in the holder inside the back cover. The lines were empty - no one had checked out the book! I felt like I should sign and date it! I polished off the 1st two chapters and smiled. Yep! As good as I remembered.

It's a very easy read, made for an Elementary or Jr. High student. Pages seem to fly by. I'm glad I bought the book. I just may read it next year again!

It was probably a decade ago that my dad handed me his battered copy of The Jeep (which was the title of the 1970s reissue), telling me it was the only "real" book he'd ever read. It's been sitting on the bookshelf since then.

Last week, in a bit of free time, I picked it up. The first thing I noticed was the stamp on the inside- it wasn't his name. Apparently he'd stolen it from the middle school library.

It was written and published in the late 60s. Other than the date on the cover, you couldn't tell. Cloud's daydreams are a bit distracting, obviously aimed at a younger audience, but it's a story any kid (or adult) can relate to. You want something you can't afford, and you either don't get it or you save your money until you can.

I was a bit surprised at the trouble the characters get into, considering when it was written... I would have expected it to talk about a kid who does exactly what he's told- instead he's spinning sheds around, not telling his parents where he goes all day, and shooting fireworks. Then driving illegally.

It's worth an hour or so of your time.

I thought this book was very interesting for any car buff, or jeep fanatic. It was meant to be a book for us kids, but I think adults could enjoy it just as much. Even though it is out of print, I am still looking for a copy to add to my collection.

I seriously doubt that anybody will read this review - but here goes.

This book was one of the first "grown-up" books that I read when I was a child. I used to read and reread the Henry Reed stories by the same author - but this one was different because it didn't have any pictures, not even on the cover (the Henry Reed series had three or four pictures per volume) and the characters were older (high school age). I recall thinking it was a "big" book, but this volume I just read is only 186 pages. It's all relative.

I loved this book when I first read it as a nine or ten year old - so 25 years later I decided to reread it and see what my impressions are now. I was amazed that I actually remembered every single scene, character, and plot element. It was like I just read it.

The two main characters - Cloud and Wong - are interesting viewed from today's world. In the book Wong is 100% Cloud's sidekick. He is his Tonto! There is no evidence that Wong cares about anything except meeting Cloud's needs; and this after Cloud treats him so poorly when they first meet (unabashedly racist) and throughout the book Cloud never really does anything to benefit Wong. It makes me wonder what Wong is getting out of the relationship (besides the joy and pride of seeing Cloud get his Jeep!

Another oddity is that the character Cloud is supposed to be a teenager - but he has a vibe more like a middle aged miltary or ex-military adult. I assume that the character Cloud was based on the author as an adult and not on a teenager.

That having been said I had a blast taking a Jeep drive down memory lane. I would advise anybody who is actually reading this review to go back and reread one of the first novels they ever read. You won't be disappointed.

But you need to have a few comercial plug-ins and this means spend money, instead of this you can learn many tricks other people learn with experience and time. I really don't know if the book isn't good enoght or 3D Studio is very incomplete, filling the holes with expensive IPAS.

When I first picked this book up I was expecting it to be another book on teaching the beginner how to do simple effects. I could never have been so wrong. Starting at an advanced level, the book assumes you not only have lots of experience with 3D Studio, but some additional software tools as well. Then, it shows you, in detail, how to create certain effects, all of which can be easily adapted to your scenes. Some of the effects include overlaying your animation with video so that it 'fits' together, or extended use of 'Bones Pro' and 'MetaBall Modelers'(which are plug-ins for 3D Studio) to create organic models.

For beginners, I recommend "3D Studio Special Effects/Book and Cd Rom" while this book is more for users with a solid grip on 3D Studio.

First of all, I want to say that I'm from Sweden, so please be indulgence with my language. I've read the magnificant book of 3d Studio & Hollywood Gaming Effects. I used both 3d Studio and 3D max for the tutorials, and I was quite impressed. The book is based on examples and tutorials, made by pros'. The examples in the book are very detailed, and are understandble, even for an amateur like me. And the best thing is that, if you dont understand what they're talking about, just put in the CD-Rom (that comes with the book) find the chapter for the example, and run it. There you have it, step by step, all the exaples in the book on the CD-Rom are explained on the CD-Rom too. A book for both amateurs and proffesionals, that increase the flexibilaty you need to become a graphic artist. And even if you're using 3d Max, the examples in the book - and on the CD-Rom - works properly. Since Max and Studio are based on the same system. The examples in the books are well illustrated, and the layout makes it very easy to find and read. You learn new things every time you browse through the book. And just by watching the exapmles on the CD-Rom, you can load a project - and go through it - see for your self how it's build. And in that way learn some useful hints & tricks. A low cost educational book, that you can get useful hints & tricks from, that you cant get from anywhere else. As I said, my English is bad. I sometimes can't find a way to express my feelings in words. But it is a good book. I rated the book with a 9. Now that, is self explained. Happy rendering, Your Friend In The Jungle Of 3D.

I am so happy to have read this book. I think Rodney was clear and to the point in stating how wonderful God is to forgive us for our sins. Rodney's book should definitely be taken to prison ministries all over the world. This will be a wonderful tool to use to show convicted criminals that their lives doesn't have to end just because they are in jail. They can begin their lives and be free behind bars. No condemnations. If you make a mistake, Repent and turn away from it and begin your life anew in Jesus. Thanks for writing this book, Rodney.

I purchase this book and it is as if the author was speaking directly to me. I don't feel guilty any more and I know now that I am not the mistake I made. The book is REAL!

I know the author Rodney Robertson had to hear from God on the assignment of this book. Who else but God could address such a dilemma in the body of Christ with such LOVE! This book has helped me in so many areas of my life. We not only make those occassional BIG MISTAKES, but we most often make daily little mistakes that we know only God and ourselves know about. This book has helped me move beyond and heal from past and present mistakes. It has really helped me not to see my mistakes when I look in the mirror, but to see who God has created me to be(His word says I am fearly and wonderfully made, WOW!). After reading this book I now feel the way God did after He created me, "and He said, that's GOOD". I encourage every reader to get the book and read it, believe me you won't be able to put it down.

A very good and easily readable review on Atkinson Grimshaw with many good reproductions of his works, though I wish we had many more in color.

it has enough information and the images are good, but there is rather almost 50% in black and white, but those that there are in color they compensate by its beauty in dealing with the subject nocturnal painting, surpluses of getting late, reflections and light of moon.

This book is as informative as it is beautiful. The author has done a great job researching Grimshaw's life. He also tracked down about 100 of Grimshaw's works. It's a great compilation.

I love all the books by Debbie Bliss. Lots of patterns and Ideas. If you love her yarn you will love the books too.

I ordered this book for a friend of mine who was having trouble finding knitting books for toddlers in her area stores. When I opened it up and saw all of the elaborate styles I was impressed! If you're just beginning, you can cut down on the amount of colors used or not do all the embroidery and still come up with something pretty fantastic. The cutest baby all-in-ones and booties I've ever laid eyes on!

I was surprised to find out that this book is 15 years old. The knits are still just as cute and desirable as if they were designed yesterday. I have only knit one of the sweaters so far, but I found the instructions to be excellent. My only criticism is that you have to keep turning back to the front section to see the big color pictures. I would like to see the instructions and the photo together. Other than that, this book is a real good value.

This book is amazing. Its got stuff about movies that you never knew about. Like the longest movies names, the weirdest movie names. It does miss on some importatnt movie trivia that have appeared in other books like the Guiness book of records. However it is a great book to have on your shelf if you want to astound your friends with your trivia knowledge about movies.

This book is great for any movie or trivia buff. It's filled with all sorts of information concerning movies. Ever wonder when a certain film technique was first used? Or what the first movie theatre in the United States was? When was the first time someone appeared nude in a film? What was the yearly attendance to movie theatres in the United States? What film had the highest number of casulties? On and on and on the information flows. Over 240 pages of information and 75 photographs. Stump your friends and aggravate your enemies.

This book is the perfect book for the film fan. You can pick it up, flip through it as you would a magazine and read literally thousands of facts about movie history when you thought you knew it all. How they did research for this book is unbelievable! It is so chock full of interesting facts about film. Lots of entertaining quotes as well. Highly recommended!

I just finished this book and went online to see what else this author has written. I was shocked to see that the book has not rated a unanimous 5 stars! I thought it was superior to most of the fantasy that I have read. I love fantasy and feel that most of the time I have to put up with mediocre writing to enjoy what are otherwise good stories. (Not all the time--there are definitely some great fantasy writers out there as well). This story was beautifully written. I found myself pestering my husband to read this paragraph or that to him--just for the poetry and imagination of it. (He hates when I do this--so I am selective in my pestering--but this one was a must!). Beautiful writing and a story and characters and an attention to cultural differences that were all fascinating. I am off to find out what else this author has written...

I picked up this book from a recommendation from Realms of Fantasy magazine. I rented it from the library just in case it was less than stellar.

The book actually is pretty good. I was close to not giving it a chance from the wistful writing at the begininng. It's primarily told through the eyes of a seventeen year old girl and it was reading like a teen novel. I gave it a chance and it got more adult in nature, right down to the gratuitous sex scenes. It was nothing too vulgar or graphic, but some of the scenes read like a romance novel.

The main characters are engaging and likeable, and the story is solid. While there isn't a real concrete villian, the story is more about the journey of the main charatcers to deliver the firebird's egg. They go through enough trials to make up for the lack of a real engaging storyline and a hated villian.

I wouldn't recommend a full purchase at 30 dollars though. The story is short, and not very epic. It's worth a price at paperback or a rent from the library though.

In the North Woods lives the Bone Witch and her slave Aria who can use magic to become invisible until she moves. She never goes out at night because dark creatures roam the area including troll-bears, lycanthropes, sprites and wild animals. One day she happens upon a wounded knight Sir Roye and gets him to safety in a nearby cave. The Markovites are after him because he stole the Firebird's egg when the king was killed and his brother tried to take the throne from the young Prince Ivan.

The Bone Witch knows all about Aria and Roye's attraction for one another and the need to get the egg back to its nest on Burning Mountain in the Iron Woods, a place more frightening than the North Woods. Aria is freed from slavery and she and her knight start for Burning Mountain but they are captured by Tartars. Roye fixes it so Aria escapes and he joins the Tartars in their conquest. Aria, thinking her love is dead, finds herself rescued by Persephone and Eros when the powers that be want to take her into custody so they can find the egg. She has many adventures and so does Sir Roye before the two are finally reunited in the Kremlin where the Firebird Egg is kept. Somehow they must steal it and put it back where it belongs without getting killed by their many enemies.

This stand alone fantasy epic is one of the best quest books written in some time. The storyline takes place in a land that would be considered Russia in our world except for creatures of mythos and legend. R. Garcia Y. Robinson has written a wonderful romantic fantasy that will appeal to the fans of Mercedes Lackey and Judith Tarr.

Harriet Klausner

Robertson Davies was 82 years old when he died on 12-2-1995 from
a leaky heart and terminal pneumonia. He is one of Canada's most
famous writers of belles lettres literature having multiple nominations for the Nobel Prize.

Some of his best works are Dr. Canon's Cure, What's Bred in the Bone, Jezebel and The Merry Heart. He had 26 honorary degrees. Memorable quotations from his letters are as follows:

- " Writers are an extremely contentious group and old age
does not make them any more peaceful."

- "Sampson should have stayed away from the Barber Shop. "

- "The great leap for writers is in their 40s. They either
gain new energy or go to pot. "

- "Ye have the poor always with you. " Jesus Christ

A strength of this work is that it shows the deeply personal
side of Robertson Davies. He wrote many letters and discussed
small talk and consequential issues in most of them. The book
is well worth the price for the huge value of the letters
contained . The letters are written with considerable wit
and satire. The humor is not unlike British journalistic satire. When you've finished reading this book, it will become apparent why the author is so sorely missed.

It's startling how thoughtful, evocative and just plain funny a man can be in writing his regular correspondance. Makes you want to be a prolific letter-writer yourself. Makes you wish he were still alive so that you could respond to some of the more inflammatory things he says.

I don't think I'd realized quite how much Davies was concerned about the "place" of Canadian Literature in the world literature canon; it comes out so plainly here.

Judith Skelton Grant, who edited the letters, is mentioned repeatedly in them -- Davies apparently was amused, worried and sometimes just ticked off about the biography she was writing of him.

I enjoyed this book's organization, which was established by the various books Davies had written over the last part of his career. While not Canadian, and thereby somewhat in the dark regarding some of the letters' recipients, I found the editor's annotations brief but helpful. The main draw here is the author's distinctive voice, which emerges within the various letters.

I am not usually interested in reading compilations of letters. Here, however, I find a volume that constitutes a diversion from my other reading, a book which I can pick up from time to time and garner ideas for those brighter days when I re-read a Davies' novel. For this end, I found the collection worthwhile!

The author stated in the preface he spent nine years researching this battle and previous events. And it shows, he goes into a LOT of detail about the battle, its causes, its principal characters and the national confusion that preceeded (and followed) it.

I strongly recommend this book to keen Civil War fans (as well as history fans). It covers very meticulously what is possibly the most decisive battle of the whole war. A battle mostly fought because the confederate side dropped battleplans. Historians have speculated for years what would have happened if not for that!

I can't add much to this review that plenty of other reviewers haven't already covered. Suffice to say you will read about courage, disasters, eye-witness accounts of the fighting and army maneuveors, tactical overviews of the battle right down to names, official correspondance between generals and presidents (and foreign ambassadors), and the private memoirs and thoughts of the principal characters. Like me you will probably bury your head in your hand and groan on numerous occasions when you read of McClellan's...well, I can't think of how to phrase "stupidity" nicely.

The battle itsself is described so well and so vividly I was unable to put the book down. It felt like actually watching it!

Also - if you enjoy the history of this book, I recommend "How Few Remain" by Harry Turtledove, which is the first "prediction" novel in an 8-volume series about our world if those battleplans *hadn't* been dropped (available from Amazon).

The Gleam of Bayonets by James V. Murfin is a worthwhile read concerning the bloodiest day that the American military has ever experienced. It is not the best book I have read concerning Antietam. For that I would recommend Landscape Turned Red : The Battle of Antietam by Stephen W. Sears.

Murfin's basic premise is that Antietam was the turning point in not only the Civil War, but in American history. The Union "victory" allowed Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation and turn the war from one concerning economics and unionism to that of one to end slavery. By changing the nature of the conflict, intervention by the French and British was averted. Murfin's conclusion seems to based more on his assumptions than analysis.

Where the book shines is in the comparison of the generalship of McClellan and Lee. Murfin goes a fine job discussing the strengths and weaknesses of both. For McClellan, who history has justifiedly ridiculed his handling of the entire Maryland Campaign, Murfin rightfully gives him credit for reorganizing the Army after the debacle of the Second Battle of Bull Run. Murfin is also correct is in his conclusion that Antietam was the best chance, prior to Appomattox, that the Union had to end the War and that McClellan needlessly lost that opportunity. On the day after the battle McClellan had up to 25,000 fresh troops, combined with at least the same number of other troops which could have been used to crush half as many battle fatigued Confederates. The cautious McClellan chose not to fight, and Murfin may be correct, that the Union was then condemned to two more years of bloody conflict.

Murfin is deservedly more complimentary to Lee. Antietam may have been Lee's greatest tactical achievement. Outnumbered two to one, he was able to properly predict McClellan's moves and fight a battle that he should not have fought to a tactical stalemate. Any historical reviewer should have marveled at the ability of the Confederate Army to have survived the battle, without being routed, much less avert a Union victory. However, Murfin properly criticizes Lee's initial decision to invade Maryland and Lee's expectation that any tangible results could be achieved. The one point that Murfin misses is that the decision to stand and fight at Antietam needlessly sacrificed thousands of Confederate troops that Lee despritedly needed at future battles.

All in all, this is a good read. The book is well written and Murfin does a fine job of interspersing quotes from the participants with his narrative. As a result, one gets a good feel of the soldiers thoughts and feelings on that bloody field.

What started as an assignment for a newspaper's 100th anniversary edition of the battle of Antietam, The Gleam of Bayonetd is the result of six years of intensive research and consultation with regarded historians. Murfin, an editorialist for the Hagerstown, Maryland "Herald Mail" newspaper and a member of the Hagerstown Civil War Roundtagle, explains in the book's preface his opinionated style of writing. For Murfin, what started as a mere examination of the battle, eventually became an analysis of the controversial Union General George B. McClellan. Throughout the book, Murfin examines and analyzes McClellan's excessive strategic caution, his failure to initiate an offensive, and how his indecisiveness shpaed Lee's decisions. Murfin portrays McClellan as a cautious general, reacting to Lee's movements as if Lee would, in some way, make a tactical error. This tactical error if committed would somehow afford McClellan the opportunity to launch a successful military offensive. On the other hand he describes Lee as the more cunning general, who knew McClellan's weaknesses and exploited them with his reactions. Comparing the generalships of McClellan and Lee to that of a game, Murfin writes, "It was a game of chess with McClellan moving only on piece at a time as if the same rules applied to war. Lee proved to be the master chessman, however." Convinced of the significance of McClellan's and Lincoln's relationship, Murfin dedicates and entire chapter to this relationship entitled "McClellan-Lincoln's Dilemma." In this chapter he examines McClellan's selection as General in Chief, his lack of initiative during the Peninsula Campaign, and his relationship with the political power in Washington. Intriguing as well are the two chapters examining both armies' physical contion to fight, and the Union Army's delay in pursuing the Confederate invaders. Murfin provides a detailed and descriptive analysis of Lee's Maryland Campaign strategy, and his seven reasons for taking the war to the North. Likewise, he looks at McClellan's blundered attempt to pursue the Confederate Army, while having in his possession "The Lost Order," and outline of Lee's entire campaign plans. In the chapter "The Flower of Lee's Army," Murfin writes of Confederate General Hood's arrest for insubordination, the conflict between Generals A P Hill and Stonewall Jackson, and of Hill's eventual relief from command. Murfin describes in detailed written accounts the Confederate's shoeless feet, their ill health, lack of uniforms, lameness, and diarrhea. Murfin writes, "Its seems almost symbolic that the "big three" of the Confederacy -Lee, Longstreet, and Jackson-rode into Maryland in a fashion that would soon be used by hundreds of Confederates when they left; by means of ambulance." The Gleam of Bayonets is a well written and scholarly account of the events leading up to Antietam and the battle itself. The equal treatment of both armies, and the almost blow by blow manner in which Murfin describes the events, absorbs the reader. His accurate portrayal of General George B. McClellan provides a greater understanding of the Union's failure and McClellan's eventual relief from command by President Lincoln on 5 November 1862. Scholars and history buffs alike will enjoy and benefit from the historical facts, documents, and human focus of this book. Winner of the Fletcher Pratt Award, the Gleam of Bayonets 402 pages is worthy of further examination by all persons interested in this significant battle or the generalship of George B. McClellan. JAMES W. GROVE, JR. AMERICAN MILITARY UNIVERSITY