Simmons Books

After finishing this novel, I'm still not 100% sure what I think about it. First off, it takes place in Hawaii, a place I have never been nor do I know all that much about. There is a tremendous amount of Hawaiian mythology in this book and to be honest with you, I have no idea if Simmons made it all up or not. I'll give him credit, if he made it up, it certainly sounds plausible for Hawaiian mythology. Simmons' writing style is high quality, but there are bits and pieces that detract from the book as a whole.

The one paragraph synopsis is as follows: An enormous resort was built in Hawaii by a real schmuck of a businessman (Trumbo). He's demolished quite a bit of nature to construct the thing and now wants to unload it on a group of Japanese buyers. They all meet at the resort to seal the deal, unfortunately two of the local volcanoes begin erupting and people start disappearing and reappearing in bits at pieces. Trumbo's soon to be ex-wife, soon to be ex-girlfriend, and current fling all show up to make things worse for him. Add in a professor with a diary from her distant relative that seems to follow the same series of events from over a hundred years ago, a plump little housewife from the Midwest with a gun and a foul mouth, and an assorted cast of other guests and you have quite the mix of personalities. The lava starts flowing, business negotiations heat up, and the number of people in the resort dwindles while a select few try to solve the "mystery" by using the diary.

First, this book is billed as horror, but other than people disappearing and pieces of them reappearing at in-opportune times, it never really felt like a horror book. So if you are looking for a nail biter, look elsewhere. Second, it becomes very apparent what is going to happen about a chapter before it happens, so there are no surprises. Perhaps I've just over-read the horror genera and have developed a "sixth sense" about horror novels, but nothing in here surprised me, there were no shockers. I would have to say that my biggest complaint with the book is that the "present day" characters are almost ridiculously stereotypical. It almost started to remind me of "Scooby Doo 2" (the live action one). You have the big bad business man, his 3 stereotypical women, the blatantly obvious good guys, your standard plethora of henchmen, and the native people who want to protect their lands. The most interesting parts of the book were the Diary excerpts; unfortunately their placement in the text of the main story left a little to be desired. Not only were the breaks between the two stories at inopportune times, but the diary chapters pretty much told you exactly what would happen in the following "present day" chapter. I was fairly disappointed with that.

I know that I have pointed out a lot of negative, but have given the story 4 stars. Simmons is a brilliant writer, his words (even the profanities) flow with beauty and even if you don't like the story, or hate the characters, you can't help but to admire his prose. I don't think this was one of his better books, but I still think it was an excellent book on the whole.

**Random Note - Someone in another review stated that this was an over 500 page book, I don't know what version they were reading, but mine was 408 pages**

In Fires of Eden, the talented author of such diverse works as Carrion Comfort, Song of Kali and The Hollow Man utilizes Hawaiian mythology to great effect. Fires tells the story of Eleanor Perry, a young woman inspired to visit the resort island of Mauna Pele by the events described in the diary of her great aunt Kidder. The diary relates Kidder's adventures on the island in 1866, when she and brash newspaperman Samuel Clemens teamed up to battle a horde of evil creatures threatening the local populace. From the time Eleanor sets foot on the island, she becomes embroiled in a similar adventure. Simmons alternates between the events described in the diary and Eleanor's modern day experiences, all the while building toward a gripping and surprising finale.

Dan Simmons wanting to show he could write a standard type novel? Got this because of the setting, somewhere that we lived.

Set around the resorts, as well as some of the travel on the saddle road over the middle, a bit of a low key thriller.

With this book Simmons introduces some fantastic themes. He does this with such ease and familiarity with an alien culture, aided by Mark Twain, none the less, that despite the far fetched nature of the plot it is possible to believe in it. You are left with the impression that the book was a labour of love and according to Simmons own admission on writing, probably wrote itself through him. It is a book that will get overlooked, because it represents a highly esoteric viewpoint, and that is why I have accorded it only four stars. If, like me, you consider yourself within that viewpoint, if perhaps not on the exact same ground, then stars are an irrelevance as you already know.

Taken on a Mediocre level, some of the characters grate, but they are meant to. The parody is perhaps ironic in it's exaggeration, but maybe not to all. It works, but not if you haven't already got the joke before you read it.

Try it. It is different, if reminiscent of Koontz at his scariest or Herbert at his usual genuinely scary levels. That is not the point, this is not a horror novel, but the horror serves to highlight the real issues.

If Simmons wasn't such a darn good writer this probably could have been an absurdly silly book, all the warning signs are there. Giant talking god animals, people dropping like flies, nature rebelling against man's injustice to it, stuff like that. And yet Simmons pulls it all together and manages to make something good of it. The setting here is appropriately Hawaii at a hotel that billionaire Bryan Tumbo is trying to desperately sell to the Japanese, unfortunately for him, his few guests keep dying off, killed by some utterly sadistic and vaguely supernatural forces. Into this mess come our heroes and as things escalate (as you know they will) the puny humans trying to stay alive around the erupting volcanoes becomes a backdrop for the conflict of god versus god. And really it all works. Simmons has a knack for making even the patently silly (giant talking pigs with eight eyes) sincerely frightening and while the book probably isn't horror so much as old time adventure (it's pretty scary toward the beginning but once you know what's going on the fright factor goes away) with a bit of a feminist slant you're having too much of a grand old time to really care. Even better he intersperses the narrative with another narrative taken from someone's diary about similar events in 1866, featuring none other than Samuel Clemens (psst . . . Mark Twain) who Simmons writes so well that if he didn't talk like that, he should have. The diary also gives Simmons the opportunity to create twice the suspense by flashing back and forth between the two (though less so in the diary, she's obviously writing it after it's all over so you know she has to live to write it). Of course the story feels more suited for the old fashioned nineteenth century setting but Simmons' gift for description (especially of the contrast between the lush Hawaiian surroundings and the primal violence of the volcano) and his ability to immerse you in that setting. Events get so over the top after a while that you have no choice but to be swept away with it and his plotting is as deft as ever. And while I thought the climax lacked a bit in suspense it's still entertaining as all heck. Yeah it won't win him any awards but that's not the point here, he's just out to spin a good yarn and that's what we got...Track it down if you can to see an excellent author cutting loose and having some (admittedly well researched) fun with a story.

Wow- every time I even entertain the thought of becoming a writer I read Dan Simmons and realize I am not even CLOSE to being in his league. This is an incredible collection of novellas that will resonate within you long after you have finished reading them.

The first story "Entropy's Bed at Midnight" is a roller coaster ride in which the emotions of the protagonist ( a father and the feelings he has for his daughter) are projected onto the reader. Anyone who has been or is a parent will identify with this tale about love, loss, life and learning to let go and enjoy the ride.

The second is "Dying in Bangkok" is a slam-bang powerful tale of AIDS, casual sex, war, cultural differences and the lengths and depths a person will go to in order to achieve the ultimate revenge.

The third tale and in my opinion the weakest of the set is "Sleeping with Teeth Women". This is a raw-edged and perhaps overly angry reaction to the sugary Indian stories ala "Dances with Wolves." Although I understand his (over?) reaction to these stories and his wanting to portray his Native American ancestors in a more realistic light this story is perhaps a bit too much in the other direction. It is salvaged by a wonderful ending that wraps the tale up neatly.

The fourth tale "Flashback" is a cyberpunky tale that touches on realism with its portrayal of addicts who participate in flashback experiences and become more intertwined in their past to care about or shape their present.

The fifth tale and the showcase of the book is "The Great Lover", a visceral, gut-wrenching, incredibly well-researched tale that occurs during WWI. This story is like watching a particularly grotesque auto accident in that you can not tear yourself away from it and it will leave images in your mind that will haunt you long after you have finished reading it. Good writers can transport you to a different place. Dan Simmons will take you there, drop you head-first, immerse you, and blast you on spin cycle while he is at it. Incredibly powerful tales from a truly masterful writer.

Sometimes I think about these stories. I've actually bought a second copy when I couldn't find mine to reread. Dying in Bangkok is the most sensational and obviously sexual and sinister but The Great Lover left the strongest and most enduring impression and encouraged me to seek out the poems used in the story and I will always remember why it was so difficult for that generation to enter into a second World War. In the new Battlestar Galactica, the scenes of anguish and yearning when Gaius Balter hallucinates about his lover are strangely affecting in contrast to his self-centered ways and reminded me of The Great Lover so strongly that I immediately wondered whether the writer(s) had read THE GREAT LOVER and the character's hallucinations were a tribute.

I didn't seek out other works by the author but recently read Carrion Comfort and Song of Kali. Both books were well-written but both books made me want to throw them away after reading them. I think I wanted to process them out of me not because the books should be destroyed. Carrion Comfort is incredibly long whereas Song of Kali reads more like a novella. Both are about maintaining a moral position in the face of evil reality at great personal cost and both mention the Holocaust. There is one page near the end of Carrion Comfort that I saved for the biblical quotation because it was about how Dan Simmons understands how victims feel but I tore the rest of the book to pieces and recycled it. I wanted to do the same with Song of Kali but I haven't.

This book is touted as a "Scattershot of writing" and the reader is "Guaranteed to find at least one novella that they will love" the problem with such a scattershot approach is that with people's varying tastes, odds are that they will only "Love" one or maybe two of the stories rather than all or even most of them.

The first story in the book is "Entropy's Bed at Midnight" - 38 or so pages of a panicky father's musings on life and death as his paranoia about his daughter's safety hamper's his life. This story was extremely well written but never really went anywhere. Still I won't say that I didn't enjoy it, it was rather interesting to read about.

The Second is "Dying in Bangkok" probably the most controversial of the stories in this collection... yes what the other reviewers have said is true, this story has some extremely explicit sexual scenes that seem to go on and on and on. The story does actually go somewhere, so if you can stomach the almost pornographic level of sex described in the story, it actually turns out pretty good in the end.

"Sleeping with Teeth Women" was strange. The tale of a Native American boy who is extremely horny, wants to marry the pretty young maiden in the tribe, but ends up on a vision quest instead in the hopes that he would save all of their people. This tale had a lot of potential but wandered all over the place as if Simmons was never 100% sure where he intended to go with it. It was well written but meandered about to the point of losing the reader's interest.

"Flashback" was more of a Sci-Fi story about a drug appropriately called "Flashback" that people are addicted to. The drug allows them to relive their memories and stars causing chaos throughout society. It reminded me somewhat of "Strange Days" though not as interesting. I had a hard time getting through this story; I guess I just really can't get into Sci-Fi. Sorry.

"The Great Lover" the final and longest story in the book... more of a war story told through the journal of a great poet. Though this was the best researched and "educational" of the stories in the book, but it failed to hold my attention. I don't know why, but I just couldn't get into it.

On the whole, all of the stories are very well written they are just so different in their topics and styles that odds are very few people will either love or loath all of them. I personally enjoyed the first three and had a hard time with the last two; my friend liked the last three and hated the first two. Either way if you find a copy of this, odds are you will find something you like and something that really isn't your style. I don't find this is indicative of all of Simmons work, which I generally enjoy. His short stories really seem very hit and miss.

Almost every collection of novellas is met with a preface that says something along the lines of "Novellas are great to write but impossible to sell" which might be a good thing, because when novellas get published they are some of the best work of the particular writer.

These five novellas are some of the most intense literary experiences going. The first one is a simple father-daughter outing colored by the fact that one of his children is dead. Everything in the story is tinged with the father's fear. The second story "Dying in Bangkok" is ostensibly an AIDS story, but AIDS plays a small part of it. The demonic prostitutes could be a metaphor for the dangers of unchecked sexuality or they could just be the attraction of death itself. It's a grimy story that keeps you reading.

The Teeth WOman story proves that some of the best writing is done angry. After the requisite slam on Dances with Wolves, this story gets going with Sioux legend and mythology given its due. The gee shucks romanticism of Dances with Wolves (and several other "Indian" books) cannot compare to the oft-times disturbing tale of sex and redemption. Reading this book is like reading Singer after watching romanticized crap like Fiddler on the Roof.

"Flashback" is an interesting take on memories and reliving them, but it's too cyberpunk. Making the Japanese the villains tends to date this story as well. The depressing ending is just kind of a wash.

But "The Great Lover" really makes up for it. WWI horror told with precision and gut-wrenching detail. It makes you feel like you are there in the trenches watching people die by the thousands, waiting for the machine gun blast that will turn you into a pile of rotten meat. The best war stories leave the reader shell-shocked, and this is one of the best.

The only other book by Dan Simmons I've read was SOng of Kali and I find this one to be far superior.

Dan Simmons is no doubt a great writer... 'Hyperion', 'Carrion Comfort', and 'Song of Kali' are all great books, but this collection of novellas is a total disappointment. I think the problem lies in the fact that Simmons is moralizing here on subjects that he cares about (like the horrors of AIDS) and it's getting in the way of his usual magical style of storytelling. With the story subservient to the moral, we the readers are left to consider Simmons' ethical point of view, which in the case of "Dying in Bangkok", is downright offensive. It's not hard to understand why this book is out of print. Stick with 'Prayers To Broken Stones' if you want to experience Simmons' shorter works of fiction.

We truly take our hats off to Roy Simmons for his honesty in coming out about his addiction, sexual abuse and his life of love, lust and lies in the NFL closet. In this eye-opening Autobiography Out Of Bound, Roy Simmons, known as " The Sugar Bear", talks about his life as a football player, playing for the New York Giants, Washington Redskins and USFL Jacksonville Bulls. Roy Simmons, a man who had it all was at the top of his profession. He was making tons of money and loved by thousands of fans, fell from grace.

Though Roy had a promising career as a NFL football player, like so many others, he allowed himself to be seduced into the world of drug-addiction. He followed in the footsteps of his teammates, refused to deal with his homosexuality, and forced himself to forget an unspeakable event that involved him being raped as a child by a respectable neighbor and was in denial about his sex addictions which was the cause of his down fall. "It's amazing how he did not realize that his rape would trigger a future chain of events in his later years of countless promiscuity".

Torn between his high school sweetheart; Sheila, who later became the mother of his daughter, and Joe, the only man he ever truly loved, he manage to lose them both, by letting his selfishness and his addiction interfered.

After leaving the NFL and trying to make a life for himself, Roy goes from "Sugar to Shit". He continued to indulge heavily into drugs and alcohol and became more and more self-destructive. His life became unmanageable and spirals out of control. As the drugs and the alcohol takes over his life, he became violent, desperate and starts to prostitute himself. Eventually, Roy winds up on welfare.

As you continue to read this book, you will learn more and more about the great Roy Simmons, the Ex NFL football player. In this book, Roy shares his days of free basing, smoking crack, his time in prison and being HIV- Positive Roy even talks about dressing up in drag; yes dressing up in drag.

We found it truly remarkable for a man like Roy to encounter so many chances in life... just when you think he has hit rock-bottom, somehow he bounces back. It's amazing to discover how such a lucky man was not able to learn from his mistakes. Roy was definitely a man who had more than nine lives

So whether you're a Roy Simmons fan, a recovering addict, bi-sexual, or just plan old confused about who you are, Out Of Bounds teaches you a powerful lesson about the truth.... Remember, you can run, but you can't hide from the truth because in the end, the truth will always set you free. So we urge you to go out and get this book and delve into the un-restful soul of Mr. Roy Simmons.

If you think you are going to read a bio of an athlete, or a good gay nonfiction read, fasten your seat belt. This rollicking life story of Roy Simmons goes well beyond both of those matters to take you on a journey of sex, fame, money, and living on the wild side.

A young high school football star, Roy Simmons had no idea what lay ahead of him. Soon he was courted by colleges, pro teams, and hot men and women alike. He would be the first to admit he was gullible to all the attention, and he quickly indulged in all of it.

At the heart of this story, though, is the dark childhood secret that drove him (in both negative and positive ways), styling his future until he realized what he was doing to his body and mind. Even if you are not a sports fan, you would enjoy this incredible life story. I was shocked at the levels he'd risen to in the NFL yet for the hunger of drugs would stoop to being a male hustler for his latest fix. His breathless honesty took tremendous courage.

This is a story that is not only gripping to read, but which will take you through several layers of thought as you see this man's incredible path.

Mr. Simmons's story is a cautionary tale of lies and deception. He is delusional about the lack of recovery and involves those who love him in his "quicksand of lies and cruelty." He claims to have loved those who care for him and yet he hurts them and worst, expose them to the risk HIV/AIDS with his reckless behavior.

I had hoped to read further his story redemption and atonement for those he had hurt that he claimed to love. There is no such ending.

I enjoyed this book from the point of view of a white football fan looking in from the outside on the experiences of a black brotha coping with the challenge of being gay. But I was rather turned off by the many expletives on almost every page in the later chapters, as he described his struggles with alcohol, drugs, and the underground gay culture. I live on a Caribbean Island where I hear the same expletives every day, so I can appreciate the reality of "the life" but it was a bit off-putting for the general reader. Still I came away praying for Ray, that he will be able to stay on the wagon and not relapse from his addictions, and also hoping that he will sometime find a partner that he can rely on and relate to.

its hard to write a review without giving away juicy details but his lifestyle was of the fu_king hook to say the least! im not a football fan but i love autobio/memoirs so i gave this book a shot and im glad i did! this book was a good read! its shocking sad has hunor and will make u mad! i will stop there and say i reccomend this book to all ages races and al lifestyles there is a LESSON TO BE LEARNED!

the pages turn quickly, but helicopter raids? Joe is still tough, but maybe he needs to get away from the Mafia.

I am a big Dan Simmons fan - he is by far my favorite author and he has captivated me for many years. From 'Summer of Night' through 'Ilium', he masters genres like a pro.

The Joe Kurtz series is a wonderful idea, and I enjoyed the first 2 books in the series a lot.

However, with 'Hard as Nails', Simmons stumbles. I found quite a few plot holes and grammatical errors as I read the book, which I normally overlook, or (quite honestly) tend not to notice. However, when Simmons refers to the character Rigby King as "Ridley" at one point, I have to say I was a little concerned with my favorite author. Perhaps he rushed the book or perhaps he didn't have a good editor.

Nonetheless there were a couple of points where his narrative contradicted what happened previously. It dragged me back to reality, and spoiled the book for me.

Also, SPOILER ALERT, if you read the 2nd book in the Kurtz series, there is a very similar resolution at the end of the novel. Kurtz' ass is saved by the exact same character who saved him in book 2. Repetition of plot resolutions do not amuse me!

It felt forced, and even though it does not technically qualify, it felt like a Deus Ex Machina.

I love Simmons and will read everything he writes. I just wish this book were better. As it stands, though, a middling Simmons novel is still better than most anything else!

in keeping with Simmons' style, I refuse to proof-read my email, so let the typos fly, baby!

-newfers

Thus far, I'm a fan of Joe Kurtz's. He's the "private investigator" in this series from Dan Simmons, and this is the third book in said series. I did not realize that I'd begun the series out of order, reading Hard Freeze (A Joe Kurtz Novel) first, when I should have read Hardcase (A Joe Kurtz Novel) first. Oh, well.

If you've never read any books from this series, here's what you need to know about Kurtz: he's recently out of prison, where he served time for a crime he DID commit; he's about as cool and distant a guy as you can find; he's wickedly smart about many things, almost unbearably stupid about others; he's smart, quick, and witty (mostly keeps that wit to himself, though); he's got a sense of morality he doesn't want to own up to, but which manages to drive him nonetheless.

In this particular book, he's been given a few days to get himself off the hook with a particularly violent crime boss, Toma Gonzaga. Gonzaga is an interesting character himself, one of very few (maybe the only one) gay crime bosses in fiction, and he wants to kill Kurtz. He'll cancel the hit on Joe, however, if Joe finds out who's slaughtering Gonzaga's dealers and runners. As you can imagine, Joe then has a really strong interest in finding the party responsible. If he doesn't, it's highly likely that he'll be dead by Halloween.

Joe's also recovering from a shooting where he and his parole officer were both injured, she more seriously than he. And he's trying to solve a mystery that same parole officer tried to get his help with. And did I mention that he's also trying to help a female crime boss locate the same individual Gonzaga's charged him with finding?

Yep. Lots on his plate in this one. And he's barely walking through most of it, dealing with the effects of a concussion and further damage inflicted on him but other nefarious characters.

The Kurtz/crime boss interactions are interesting and funny. In particular, his interactions with the female crime boss made me smile and roll my eyes a bit.

Lots of violence in this one, as in the second novel. Also, the reason I'm giving this one only 3 stars is that I knew almost immediately when a particular character was introduced that he/she would end up being the primary baddie. Bummer.

Joe's not one of those protagonists who always gets things right. He screws up--a LOT--and he's often on the very cusp of getting tossed back in prison for violations.

He loves people, but he hasn't any desire to admit that or to ever mention his feelings. He may have a daughter, but he'll be damned if he'll even let anyone else raise the possibility. He may still love a childhood sweetheart, but ditto on the "no way am I admitting that" thing.

Personally, I like him as a character. He reminds me a little of Andrew Vachss' Burke, if you've read any of his stuff. They're not similar in background, necessarily, although both of them are the product of (at the very least) irregular and damaging childhoods. It's just that professed and determined cold distance that they both share.

If you like violence, humor, and a certain coolness in your protagonists, pick this one up.

This is the 3rd book in Dan Simmons' ultra-hardboiled Joe Kurtz series a private investigator series that is perfect for lovers of gritty, violent and somewhat dark thrillers. An important point before moving any further into this review, I would recommend reading the first two books in the series, HARDCASE and HARD FREEZE first. Numerous references are made to characters and events from the first two books and if you haven't read them, it could become very confused. Simmons also tends to assume that the reader is aware of Kurtz's personal history throwing in references to earlier books that explain why he has taken the actions that he did. I see this as a bit of a weakness as far as the book is concerned; it doesn't cater very well for people who are new to the series.

Things don't start well for Joe Kurtz in HARD AS NAILS although when you consider that he is shot in the head, I suppose you could say that the fact that he survived suggests he was actually lucky. Anyway, the wound he receives and the resultant headache are used time and again throughout the story to emphasize just how tough he is. Joe Kurtz is the kind of character who makes you feel tired just reading about him at the best of times, but Simmons puts him through such extreme pain that by the end I was completely exhausted.

The force driving Kurtz forward is his desire to find out who shot him and why. With almost manic determination he begins his hunt, but getting in his way is not one but two mafia dons, past adversaries Angelina Farino Ferrara and Toma Gonzaga. Both of them have had reason in the past to attempt to have Kurtz killed but this time they have sought him out to ask him to help them with a problem.

Their problem is that someone is killing their junkie customers and dealers and then phoning with the details of the location as confirmation. The mafia is then stepping in and cleaning up the killer's mess, afraid that word will get out and the customers will be scared off. They want Kurtz to identify the killer for them so they can rid themselves of this threat to their profitability. It's a highly improbable premise, as is the suggestion that the best solution that 2 mafia families can come up with is a man who has been a thorn in their sides for years.

A couple of interesting minor characters are introduced in the course of the investigation. Firstly, Joe is reunited with an old flame and now a police officer, Rigby King. She provides the first glimmer of romance in the series and also evokes the first indication of some sort of human emotion out of Kurtz. She also provides him with a partner (of sorts) during his investigation - someone he can talk to and bounce ideas off of. Up until this book, he has been the ultimate loner, living by the creed of looking out for number one at all times. Secondly, we meet the killer. Known to us as The Dodger we're made privy to a few of his executions and the thoughts going through his head before, during and after he carries them out. It is clear that he's a heartless, soulless killing machine who is frighteningly efficient at his job. We know he's working for a master, but we don't know who that is, providing us with the number 1 mystery of the book.

The story charges ahead at breakneck speed building from an action-packed opening to an outrageous battle towards the end. I got the impression that Dan Simmons tried to jam every thriller plot device he could think of into the book and, while it succeeds in providing a very entertaining thriller, I thought it lost the edgy dangerous appeal that had been built so effectively in the first two books of the series.

While Dan Simmons has moved the Joe Kurtz series away from the bleak, desperate tone that shrouded the first two books and has opted for a more high-octane thriller with HARD AS NAILS, I'm a sucker for fast-paced thrillers and this book is certainly that in my opinion. It's exciting, it's suspenseful and Kurtz is still one of the meanest, toughest guys ever to have graced the pages of a hardboiled novel.

This is the third in Simmons' hard-boiled series of Joe Kurtz books, and it's another winner. It's a little more predictable than the first two (not surprising with later series entries), but still a good read-- and we now know who Kurtz's father is (or we do if we are fans of Richard Stark).

I'm used to noir heroes getting beat up and abused: Philip Marlowe and the Continental Op and Travis McGee and every two-bit gumshoe gets pummelled into unconsciousness or winged by a gat or tortured unmercifully on every other case. But Simmons is REALLY cruel to Kurtz. In every book, he's so abused you just wanna tell him to sit down and have a beer and watch Oprah and recover a little. Hell, I thought he was pretty much dead at the end of the second book. Now, here he is, back again. Ten pages in, though, he's pretty much dead again. Simmons: Give Kurtz a break!

Simmons is always worth reading-- if you've read the first two Kurtzes, you'll want to read this one.

The Book 50 Best Crepe Recipes by Coleen Simmons was very interesting and
informative. The variety of crepe recipes is great.

This book was extremely helpfull in making the crepe maker a lot of fun with new recipes and inovative ways to use crepes. Thank you.

There are many fine crepes in this book, but the best is still my Grandmother's.

I thought this book concentrated on how to make to many different basic crepes rather that crepe recipes. I would of rather been given an assortment of crepe recipes using and assortment of ingredients.

The book was smaller in size then what I expected, but has a lot of recipes. It also has large font so it makes it easy to read. The recipes are wonderful and simple. There are a lot of basic instruction for simple crepes and different ways to make a basic crepe. Then they give you more diverse recipes to embellish on the simple styles.

Dan Simmons is known to write some very heavy books. Which makes it all the more fascinating to read this, a collection of his short works. For someone who might not be familiar with his writing, this anthology is a mostly excellent place to start, and gives you an idea of the broad style and genres this author works in.

I won't give a breakdown of all the stories. Suffice to say they compliment his novels very well, and in many cases are direct starting points for his books. Inside this collection you will find a Horror, Sci Fi and a hint of the fantastic. They don't all click (as tends to happen in collections you will enjoy some more than others), but they are all uniformly creative, and do not generally repeat themselves (Although I suppose the inclusion of 2 tales of Evangelism, although different, may qualify as a repeat to some).

I was reminded a little of Clive Barker's Books of Blood, which also shows a wide variety of imaginative scenarios, and many references to classical literature.

I would easily recommend this collection to fans of short stories, if nothing else because they are all unique and far removed from the formulaic 'twilight zone episode' stories that often constitute short stories. Simmons almost always paints on a large canvas, and his short stories are no exception. Not every story is perfect, but what is rare about this anthology is that Simmons uses the short story in so many varieties of application that you can't help but be impressed with the man's talent. Very entertaining.

After reading several of Simmons horror novels I was extremely impressed with his writing style. I promptly ordered everything I could get my hands on that had his name attached to it. I'll admit that at first I had no idea this was going to be a short story collection, but I'm usually a fan of short stories so I was eager to dig in.

The actual collection of short stories only comprises about ¾ of the book as most of the short stories have an intro written by Simmons (some are quite lengthy). Also, if you have already read most of his novels, these short stories are the basis for many of his novels, so you may find that you have already read most of this book. These stories are a mixture of Horror and SF (though not together) and one Fantasy thrown in for good measure.

I love Simmons as a horror writer, but had not read any of his SF. The horror stories were fairly good, though I have to admit that as much as I love Simmons, his skill apparently does not manifest itself fully in the short story realm. Most of the stories felt like snippets out of a larger story. Like those reading books you have back in 5th grade that have just a chapter or so from a much larger work. The SF stories were difficult for me to keep my attention on, my brain just isn't set up to digest SF as a genera.

On the whole, this was a decent enough book, though I really don't believe I would recommend it to someone who wasn't already a Simmons fan. I intend to stick with his novels in the future.

stories here are developed into longer works later, such as Carrion Comfort, and a couple that are used in some form or another in the Hyperion series.

So, a decent introduction to Simmons, with the wary story 'E-Ticket to Namland' a nice example of something a little different, and Remembering Siri an excellent slice of the Hyperion universe.

He gives an intro on how each story came to be, and Harlan Ellison describes how he discovered him in a story workshop, directly after someone that was completely and utterly incapable of writing a sentence.

Prayers to Broken Stones : The River Styx Runs Upstream - Dan Simmons
Prayers to Broken Stones : Eyes I Dare Not Meet in Dreams - Dan Simmons
Prayers to Broken Stones : Vanni Fucci is Alive and Well and Living in Hell - Dan Simmons
Prayers to Broken Stones : Vexed to Nightmare by a Rocking Cradle - Dan Simmons
Prayers to Broken Stones : Remembering Siri - Dan Simmons
Prayers to Broken Stones : Metastasis - Dan Simmons
Prayers to Broken Stones : The Offering - Dan Simmons
Prayers to Broken Stones : E-Ticket to Namland - Dan Simmons
Prayers to Broken Stones : Iversons Pits - Dan Simmons
Prayers to Broken Stones : Shave and a Haircut Two Bites - Dan Simmons
Prayers to Broken Stones : The Death of the Centaur - Dan Simmons
Prayers to Broken Stones : Two Minutes Forty-Five Seconds - Dan Simmons
Prayers to Broken Stones : Carrion Comfort [SS] - Dan Simmons


Resurrection relations.

4 out of 5


Widower mindtouch memory recreation.

4 out of 5


Bolgia's tel3vang3list transformation torment time.

3.5 out of 5


Santa vigil slaughter sacrifice.

3.5 out of 5


Hawking seduction's intermittent progress.

4.5 out of 5


Cancer monster suspicion.

3 out of 5


War tourism recreation.

4 out of 5


Officer's holey end.

3 out of 5


Bloody barber's bizarre basement bloke.

3.5 out of 5


Teaching problem.

2.5 out of 5


Space try failure fall.

3.5 out of 5


Mind vampire deathmatch.

4 out of 5

This book is a collection of short stories by Dan Simmons ("Song of Kali," "Hyperion") with a foreward by Harlan Ellison. Each story has a unique voice (although all the science fiction stories seem to take place in the same universe) and they are gem-like in their brightness - characterization, description, voice, all is exquisite, bringing you into these little worlds and opening your eyes to sometimes strange and twisted landscapes.

My only complaints are again copy editing nitpicks - for instance, if something needs oil, it creaks, it doesn't creek. When someone agrees with a statement given, particularly during a toast, they say "Hear, hear!" not "Here, here!" Those sorts of things. Also, the plural of bus is buses!!! "Busses" is "kisses." I kid you not - look it up and make fun forever more in the future when you see signs at drive-throughs and restaurants that say "busses welcome."

But that aside, this collection of short stories is amazing. I read it much more slowly than is my wont, as it must be supped and savored like a fine wine - not guzzled like a brew. Enjoy it!

One of the first things you'll notice as you read Prayers To Broken Stones, the short story collection by Dan Simmons, is that some of his novels started off in the short fiction scheme of things. "Remembering Siri" is an exerpt from Hyperion and the short "Carrion Comfort" is, you guessed it, an exerpt of Carrion Comfort. Here is Simmons first published story "The River Styx Runs Upstream" as well as the gems from Dark Visions "Vanni Fuci I Alive And Well And Living In Hell", "Metastasis" & "Iverson's Pits." "E-Ticket To 'Namland" is absolutey twisted. The introduction is by Harlan Ellison who claims to have "discovered" Simmons at a Writer's Workshop. True. Does Simmons bury Ellison. Definitely. I always thought Harlan Ellison was way overrated for his piddley achievements and that lousy episode of Star Trek he wrote. Wowzer! And that he is way too much of an a$$hohle extraordinaire. Dan Simmons seems too goo to associate with the likes of him. Anyway....buy the book. You won't regret. A great introduction to Simmons as a writing force.

Dig it!!

I sincerely enjoyed this book! I've read many books on the subject of how to build brands and businesses, but Kimora gave me exactly what I was looking for! She gave details on what it takes to brand a SUCCESSFUL company and I'm clear that successful branding starts with myself.

If you're in the entertainment industry, this book is a must read for women who need that extra FLARE!

Great novel Kimora! You're my new mentor!

thecartelpublications.com

Not much to say, but "fabulosity" is what it is! Kimora, thank you for contributing to society in many positive ways! Readers: Buy it and review it for yourself.

Kimora does a great job of explaining her point of view. Its an easy read and easy to relate to. I really enjoy her tips at the end of each chapter. I think she is Fab and so is her book! I will continue to support all that Kimora puts out!!

This book definitely reminds us of some good advices we typically tend to forget. It can in fact help you gain some confidence. It's also pleasant and easy to read.
Nevertheless, I think that it would have been much nicer in a more concise form as, right now, it's really a "girly girly" book, which rather promotes its author, more than anything else.

Well, first off, I had always been captivated by Kimora, and figured if anyone knows about being fabulous and could teach us a thing or two, it would be her. But after a couple chapters into the book, I felt that this was more about her out to clearly promote a certain image of herself, one apart from Russell, that she wants us all to have for some reason.... (grooming us for the ensuing divorce from him?).
She carefully monitored her words through this,& repeatedly pounded an image she wanted to project of having "already made it big" in her teenage years WAAAY before her marriage to Russell Simmons. Oddly, the only reference of a modeling year that she refers to several times in the book was ..."when she was 13" . She made sure to try and appear to keep it real by injecting some experiences of human vulnerablity, and gave a few small glimpses (detailed descriptions) of her monied world, but spent much time referring back and repeating about this "great and extensive European $50k-a week modeling career" she supposedly had through high school, and how she learned to: live on her own in France, smartly taking control of her finances, conduct herself in business, and handle life's lessons...all at the age of 13! Hardly believable. Then looking at the provided photos in the book, I found it very curious that there was only 1 of her (pre-Russell Simmons) modeling years, a United Colors of Benneton ad, where she looks like an average pug-nosed teenager. So I Googled about 50 pages of Images for her and still found NOTHING of any modeling photos of her in that decade before marrying him. It seemed clear that her real objective for writing the book was to convince everyone that she had "made it" way before Russell Simmons came into her life, which I dont think anyone really cares (nor believes). I'm sure she was beautiful and fabby when they met, and Russell married her and elevated her into his monied life...so what?
Now, I am interested and intrigued in the opulence of the rich & famous like anyone else, and I love to hear the anecdotes of the successsful, but Kimora just doesnt appear to really have any real depth from life's lessons to offer us, in that she went from being basically a teenager to marrying Russell. Its easier to be beautiful and fabby with lots of money, and obviously any of her hardships were always easily overcome with their money. She didnt present anything that showed real blood sweat and tears about her life, or any profundity. I would have rather have just read the truth from her and been intrigued by the power of money to solve problems, and the fun it can bring to a girl's life. Russell would probably have given us something with much more redeeming value if HE wrote the book!
With the Baby Phat business, I'm sure she certainly must have gone through the guts of up-starting a business, but once again, the obstacles hurdled and the resolutions implemented took money to get through, (which she had, and which she did successfully), and so nothing inspiring there. Basically after reading completely through the book, I got the impression that she was still rather immature and a still-self absorbed game playing girly-girl for one now in her mid 30's. There ARE some good, inspiring quotes that she includes from other celebrities, like: "The thing women have yet to learn is no one gives you power, you just take it"(Roseanne Barr). These made me want to read books by THOSE people. Overall, I came away feeling that Kimora is highly calculative and probably thinks most of her readers were pretty easy to manipulate. There was some amusing things in there, but she doesnt really give of herself genuinely. If anyone, I think this book is best suited for early 20-somethings, who want to learn how to present a certain image, and possibly maximize their potential opportunities in the business world, or if you just want to become more intrigued by Kimora's self-promotion. Not really for a more matured (not talking 'old' here)audience that is already comfortable in their own skin, but are just looking for some profundity and inspiration for an elevated "image makeover" out of the soccer-mom lifestyle.

In a world where it's becoming common to meet significant others in a variety of ways including on the internet, "Love is Blind" struck a chord or satisfying resonance with me. Of personal ads, pen pals and blind dates are nothing new, but in this crazy busy world we live in alternative dating schemes such as those introduced in the three short-stories of this anthology are now more commonplace.

In Brown's contribution, we see a lawyer who seems to "have it all" realizing that success is not as sweet without someone to share it with. She takes a chance on finding love in cyberspace, much to the chagrin of one of her dear friends who thinks such antics are only for the desperate. In Brown's charming story, we see that sometimes taking a chance pays off.

Simmon's story focuses on a long-standing practice of letter writing in "pen pal" fashion. As love blossoms through the mail for a radio-show host and her doting fan, we see her struggle with past disappointments as she struggles to trust that the affection shared through words is real.

In the final story by Watson, we see a case of mistaken identity turn to romance when a man whose purpose it is to relay that his irresponsible friend will not show up for a blind date becomes enamored with lady in waiting. The major tension arises when instead of revealing his true identity he assumes the identity of his missing-in-action friend. When the truth comes out, will his potential lady love be able to forgive him.

Although a bit whimsical in places, all in all this is a story that will appeal to the true romantics at heart. This is a great read for a lazy summer day or a rainy afternoon. It is also one I'll revisit!

This book is a little out there. Like, these situations would never happen. Not at all realistic. Somewhat entertaining, but it took me some time to get thru it. Boredom set in after a while.

This book was incredible. Each author wove a unique and enthralling tale that pulled me in from the first word. I curled up with Love is Blind and a glass of merlot, and before I knew it, I'd almost finished the entire book. The next day, I couldn't wait to get home from work so I could pick up where I'd left off. Ladies, I think you have a winner here! Can't wait for the next one!

Good book. Three short stories about finding love in the most unexpected ways. Great job ladies. Looking forward to hearing more from the two newcomers.

Who said you cannot find love over the internet, in the personals or on a blind date? Urban Books anthology, Love is Blind, showcases three authors who say you can as they write love stories based on blind dates.

In Parry "EbonySatin" Brown's story, Love is Just a Click Away for Mysti Ellington. Mysti has just made partner in the law firm she works for and is now looking for someone to share her success. She is determined to try the personals on the internet, much to the dismay of her best friend, RaMona. RaMona wants Mysti to meet men the old fashioned way and introduces Mysti to Keith. While attracted to Keith, it is Stephan who has Mysti intrigued. What happens when Mysti and Stephan finally meet?

In Pat Simmons' story, Words of Love, radio talk show host, Carmel French and sales rep, Rice Taylor, express their feelings for each other by writing love letters. It starts with one simple letter to the station from Rice and for months they correspond by mail. In their letters to each other they fall in love, sight unseen. Will the love still exist when they finally come face to face?

In The Switch by Lisa Watson, Justin Langley attempts to save Sabrina Ridgemont the embarrassment of being stood up by his best friend, Adrian. Justin means to tell her the truth of who he really is, but an ex-fiance shows up with some unkind things to say and Justin cannot reveal his true identity. When the truth is revealed, how will Sabrina react?

Love is Blind is a book for the true romantic. In each story falling in love with an unknown person is the central theme. While Love is Just a Click Away was an easy and humorous read, the other two stories were long and drawn out. The female protagonists in Words of Love and The Switch had so many issues they became frustrating and the reading laborious. I think the romance reader will like this book.

Jeanette
APOOO BookClub

Brett has always had exactly what he wants. He lived in a nice area with his parents and sister, a great house with expensive cars and a pool. He had a great stereo system and almost never thought about money, except when he wanted something and needed money to buy it. Then everything changes. His father, a stockbroker, is accused and convicted of doing some bad things, including not paying taxes. He is put in jail and the family has to sell everything in order to start paying off his debts. Even after they have sold everything, they still have no money. Brett and his mother and his sister go to live with his eccentric aunt on the bad side of town and they start to learn how it is not to be rich.

One of the first things that happens is Brett needs to get a job. He starts off working at a fast food place, but his bad attitude clashes with a boss he thinks is totally unfair and unreasonable. He doesn't last long in that job. Then he goes to work for Alfie, a pool cleaner. It's not the ideal job, but Brett grows to like Alfie a lot and sticks with him, even through such humiliations as having to clean the pools of his friends and even the pool at the house where he used to live.

Throughout the story, Brett insists he hates his father. But does he really hate him, or can he forgive his father for getting him into this mess?

I liked how nice Brett's family was, especially his sister, who should have been just as bitter as he was. Alfie was a great character, too. He was nice to Brett when Brett didn't deserve it, and he gave Brett lots of things to think about in his relationship with his father.

Brett's character was awful, though, right from beginning to end. He was self-centered, and the way he spoke about himself was obnoxious.

Brett Gerson, a fifteen year old kid who's disrespectful and extremely wealthy. All of this wealth ends when Brett's father is arrested for insider trading. He loses everything from his house all the way down to his five thousand dollar stereo. Now he has to live with his Aunt Mary who loves kissing him on the forehead. He gets a job at a place called Fast Burger, where the boss is what he thinks a big jerk. He then quits and begins to clean pools with Alfie, the seventy year old guy who use to clean his old pool. You will not want to put this book down, especially at the sad yet joyous ending. Read POOLBOY, it's a great book to make you laugh, be mad, and even emotional.

Pool Boy by Michael Simmons is way on top. This book really kept me going. This is about a boy who goes through alot and then realizes that what he lost wasn't important but his family and friends. His father pulled a stupid move and his 74 year-old friend,Alfie, went on.
I thought this book was going to end with Brett getting everything he had, back, but it was a whole other twist. On a scale from 1 to 10, i rated a 9 because it was one of the best books I ever read and it just had me telling everyone about it. If you like books about someone loosing soemtheing but instead on gaining it back, they gained something that was imporant in life back, then you well like Pool Boy by Michael Simmons.
WHAT A GREAT BOOK!!!

I picked up this book on a whim at the library, and ended up loving it. The style of writing Michael Simmon's uses for his book is different from the books I usally read becuase it is more of Brett telling the story of the summer he turns 16, after his dad goes to jail and their family looses all their money.

Brett has grown up in a wealthy family, so he's been used to having money and all of the nicest things all his life. That is, until his dad get arrested. The story of Pool Boy explains how Brett handles losing pretty much all he has and moving in with his aunt. He soon realizes he needed to get a job to help out his mom a little with their money problems, and he endes up taking a pool cleaning job from his former 70-year-old bus driver, Alfie.

Brett and Alfie end up becoming great friends, and Alfie helps Brett to deal with everything that was going on in his life this summer, from his secret love with Nicole to his hatred he felt towards his father for leaving his family with nothing and changing their lives forever.

Thanks to Alfie, Brett soon learns the value of close relationships with family and friends, and how they should not be taken for granted. He matures some, and he goes from being a nice so nice kid to being a pretty likeable guy.

I loved loved loved Pool Boy's snarky main character, Brett -- he's sharp and he's snide and despite his spoiled-brattiness I found him impossible to hate. That's probably because he's got a soft side (though he'd never admit it!), like when he calls his sister "the most kind and decent person there is." And also because we've all had selfish thoughts, it's just that HE's bold enough to share them. Shameless? Maybe. Hilarious to read? YES. Brett's journey from super-rich kid to burger flipper to pool cleaner to sensitive hero is very funny, and also truly touched me in the end (THAT was a surprise). All of Simmon's characters -- from the wise, 70-year-old pool cleaner to Brett's richie-rich friends -- completely come to life in Pool Boy's pages. I can't imagine anyone who wouldn't love this book.

I first read this book around the age of 20. My mother had purchased it.
I already believed in re-incarnation because I had two clear memories of my own,...since childhood, of a nature no child of 3 or 4 could Possibly dream or fantasize about. (yet my mother had always told me they were 'dreams' when I tried to talk to her about them)

So,...at 20-ish,...here she suddenly had this book. I was a young bride, married to an adoring husband who had proposed to me the first time he saw me,...he'd explained "Something told me to look toward the door,...so I turned away from the person I was talking with and looked to the door, you came through a moment later,...and suddenly through my mind flashed the thought 'That's the girl I'm going to marry !!'... He said he felt a flood of love rush through him as he quickly made his way to my side, to introduce himself,...he already seemed (felt he knew)'everything important about me,...but my name (now)' He proposed just as quickly as he was able to,...but had to spend the next 8 months trying to convince me it was Real love and he wasn't crazy,...(it wasn't lust,...I was a plain mouse compared to his ravishing girlfriend who he dropped without an explanation) So, two years later I was to read my mother's book, about Bridey Murphy,....AT LAST,....Something Solid to confirm my own memories,...and explain the new husband's instant recognition of me, and subsequent proposal,.....he had 'remembered' me, not with his eyes, but with his soul (and the things he felt he 'already knew about me',...ALL proved to be true,....things he had No Way of 'knowing' on mere observation,....much less a flash recognition. 4 years after (I'd read the book) he decided to tell me that if there was ANYTHING to what I believed in,....he would find out, for sure, if anything ever happened to him in his (oftimes) dangerous job. And he'd added " If there IS,...then there is a way to 'come back',......and I WILL come back,...because there Can't be Anything greater in the Universe than 'love',...and Lady, I Love you !,....so God's gonna Have to understand and let me come back to find you, again" I filed that away and thought no more of it; he was young and healthy and loved life with a passion,...as far as I was concerned, my handsome young husband with the ever twinkle in his eyes,...was invincable (!)

2 years later, he was killed on the job in an accident so bad there was not enough left for me to have to go and try to identify. My children were young, one was in grade school. That one tried to comfort me. "Mom,...Dad Said he'd come back and find us, again" I believed he'd come back,...but Find us ? no. But for the next 12 months,...he visited me regularly in my dreams,...trying to help me deal with his loss,.....I was alone with my children and had no real family support.

On Nov. 11, 1977,...the Ann. of his loss,...he came one more time,...and he told me it would be the last time,..he had 'something he needed to go do',..He hugged me one last time, and then led me a few steps further,...to someone in the shadows,...and told me simply "stay with him, he'll be good to you" I woke up and spent that first Ann, of his loss comforted, Finally,...and the day was spent doing something creative, to mark his life and my on going forward. I was to celibrate every Ann. of his loss doing something 'positive' for my future,...often involving my children, who still do that,.....until last year,.....after Spring of '07,...there has been no more reason to recognize Nov. 11.

In 2000,...I married again. I'd spent 14 years looking for that 'man-in-the-shadows' and I'd finally found him. But April '07,....the husband I'd lost so long ago,...Found, me. 100+ miles from where either of us now lived,...in the City we'd lived in as a married couple for 8 years,...just a couple of miles down the road from the small church we'd been married in. He had never been to that City before,...but he'd been guided there on the only day I would be there,...and he encountered me within 5 minutes of his arrival. That was roughly a year and a half ago.
It's been rough. I can't pretend, otherwise. He's never married. I have been re-married for 18 years now. My husband accepts him 100% as being the man I lost when I was 26. (and they are the best of friends) Amazingly,....the rest of our friends,....and even my earlier husband's Present friends and family,...have all been WONDERFULLY supportive. Of my sons,...the youngest is not ready to meet his returned Dad (who's younger than him)(but he says to give him more time to get used to the idea) and the oldest who always believed his Dad would return,...has been un-reachable to be told,...if he knew,...he would be on a plane to meet him as quickly as he could arrange it.

I know I'm not talking about the book. Others have already done so far better than I can try to speak of a book I read some 38 years ago. But if Bridey's story is questionable in Anyone else's mind,.....it is NOT so, in mine, or the two husbands who's rings I now wear. We're still working through the problems (and they're Vast) but a Christian lady friend of our's summed it up pretty good : "If God, can do 'Anything',....why not, This,...also,....as long as the 3 of you love each other,...it's no-one else's right to try and judge you, or try to tell you there's a lie to what the three of you KNOW to be Fact"

I've come here to order a copy of Bridey's book for the husband who's been by my side for the last 18 years,...we tried to find it at the library yesterday,...and there isn't a copy in the whole system. Love?
Isn't that what life is Supposed to be all about ? My present mate is happy that my earlier one loved me so much he was able to cross Heaven and Earth to find me again.....and now,...God is in His Heaven and all in right in the world,...at least,...in mine.

I read this book in 1957 and thought it was great. Bought a copy to reread. It is one of the best on simple hypnosis. Using his technique anybody can do it on right subject. NOT A PARLOR GAME. WARNING: It works!

That was a question that I often asked myself on numerous occasions when her name was mentioned in connection with various things "lost". I think it was the advent of the internet which finally made it easy for me to check out the answer to my mildly irritating query when it re-emerged one day.

This particular book, in fact, answered my question and then went much further. The entire story is conveyed by a man (the author) who became personally entangled in the story and who ultimately wrote this coherent non-fictional account.

It's not really a spoiler to tell you that Bridey Murphy MacCarthy died in 1864 -- the kicker here is that Ruth Mills Simmons, born in 1923, knew all about Bridey Murphy... because she WAS Bridey Murphy (reincarnated? for lack of a better term).

This book is for people who wonder, "What happens after you die?" There are actually a lot of good answers to that question in here as the author recounts, in addition to other facts, the so-called "Bridey Murphy hypnotic sessions".

While Bernstein was really just a guy who got himself involved in this fascinating offbeat incident, he does a great job of re-telling all of what was discovered to his readers. Highly recommended for folks interested in true mysteries and/or psychology.