White Books

Exalted Abyssals (Exalted Second Edition)

This is an amazing corebook. Period.

Has a lot of ideas, potential, cool Charms (although most are Mirrors of the Solar Charms) and good view of what the Deathlords are, their plans, metaplot, ideas, vague description of their places and all. Clean, intelligent, more stuff is revealed in this book, several new things that was not said in the first edition, plus necrotech stuff, ideas for playing with other types of Exalted and great illustrations.

It is a MUST buy for the Exalted fans!

I've been waiting for this for a while. I was depending on my 1st edition copy and the Storyteller's Companion to make my Abyssal work. This book does a great job of clearing up everything about resonance vs. limit and other aspects of the rules that are different for Abyssals. If you want to run an Exalted game with a dark tone, or just have some interesting antagonists or player characters this is a must have. The only gripe I had is that I liked the artwork for the first edition a lot better.

Everyone wants to play the villain, even if they won't admit it. Manual of Exalted Power: Abyssals, gives players of Exalted Second Edition that chance. The characters are created from warped, twisted Solar Exaltations that are possessed by the Deathlords, who rule the Underworld. While the players can do a game dealing with their character's evil, there is also the option of an Abyssal being able to redeem themselves and becoming a true Solar once more, not that this would be easy, of course. New charms, spells and Necrotech (creating weapons and such from body parts) are in here as well as details on nine of the thirteen Deathlords (the other four are for the Storyteller to create). The book is dark in scope, considering its subject matter, and deals with mature themes that might be disturbing to some (Remember, if you're easily offended, you don't have to read it).

Exalted Abyssals is a well written book with a good deal of wit. It is clear from the beginning that White Wolf wanted to make these characters more playable, so their moral ambiguity is certainly played up. The text itself is set up much like the past books in this series, giving an intro to the history and world of the Abyssal, followed by a character generation chapter and then one explaining the traits in more detail, a chapter on new Abyssal charms, a chapter on Necromancy and technology ("necrology"), and finally a Storyteller's chapter.

The general information this book yields is useful. Granted much of this is either rehashing what was already discussed in the Second Edition base book or further explanations, the Neverborn are better explained as is the Underworld. I would have liked to have seen a new map of the Underworld included in this book as it was in First Edition, or even a map of where the Deathlords' lands are. Such things exist on-line, though that is not always an acceptable option in the middle of a game.

The artwork is up to Exalted standards, and the comics have a very dark humor to them. As my friends and I pealed through the pages, we found ourselves chuckling on a regular basis at some of the more disturbed bits of evil. Make no mistake that this book is dark, and should have come from the Black Dog press at White Wolf. Brief nudity is in this book, though only a minor amount (no more than in the core book). The blackness of the book is pretty intense, which can become training on the eyes. Everything is black and dark gray, so you will occasionally have to squint to see what you are reading or to fully see what is in the picture.

If you have a gamer who tries to pull Mr Welsh style stunts in your games, do not give them access to this book. It is full of devilish ideas that, while funny, are fairly asinine. That is a major feeling one gets from this game.

Gripes about the book are pretty small. In general, the Abyssal Exalted seem pretty confining to play. When reading the Dusk caste, for example, the author all but shoves down your throat that you are an uncontrollable psychopath who must kill every living thing she sees. Exalted has usually been good about not making those kinds of comments limiting play-style, so it was a little disappointing to read. It felt like they were sucking some of the fun from the character creation process. Aside from little problems such as that, the book fits in well with the rest of the game. Again, it is not that suggestions are not good for character concepts, but telling the player they must strictly play this did not seem right.

In the end, this book is incredibly useful for both ST and player, though for most games this will likely become a book for generating NPCs rather than something characters will make a regular use of. That is, of course, you are playing a rare Abyssals game. Get the book. Read the book. It at least has pretty pictures.

I loved this book. Have many choices to your character to be. Has offensive, defensive, couter and many varieties of attacks. All them are nice.

Will make this short. Excellent book. A must have.

Now the long explanation.
Cool moves, different martial arts, the three level of power can be felt.
Even though I dislike the idea that Siderials have SUCH power in their hands and dont teach em it is a great idea. Really. Something that Solars have to ask to be taught.

Powerlevel is cool, moves sound fantastic, setting for the Martial Arts World or Society and the uses of it, how mortals can learn em, how Dragon Blooded can touch Celestial level and how Siderials rule the maximum apex of the Lotus of Perfection. Sublime!

Now this in comparison to Sorcery is way extremely powerful.
That is kinda my complaint in here. Sorcery is supposed to be the most terrific and overwhelming power to have. But the Siderial Martial Arts can undo spells and even reverse em. And many moves seem even more useful than taking actions to cast a spell and spending huge amounts of essence to achive small effects.

Martial Arts is an important part of the setting and this book raises the word when you say POWER! A must have!

This book, although not having much in the way of explaination as to what it was, is action packed with Martial Art Charms and various information for those of us who just love the idea of powerful Martial Artists.

At first I was skeptical due to no information concerning what this book contained, but I decided to get it anyway. I am glad I did. This book details various Terrestrial, Celestrial, and Siderial Forms. It will help fill out your Martial Artist. It also goes into how to be initiated into the ranks of each Tier.

This book is a MUST have for any exalted game.

The Scrolls of Esoteric Wisdom Volume I: Scroll of the Monk (Note: the cover does not mention the Esoteric Wisdom part, but the ad for the Scroll of Lesser Races [sidebar, p.2] mentions that it is the Esoteric Wisdom series) has set the bar for quality of this series within White Wolf's Exalted Second Edition line. Not only does it elaborate on the Martial Arts world within Creation (Fight clubs?) and add several pages of long-awaited weapons (I've been hearing cries for garrotes, kamas, nunchaku, and tonfas ever since I started playing Exalted two years ago), the bulk of the book contains enough supernatural Martial Arts to quench any asiophile's thirst.

The chapter on Terrestrial Martial Arts alone would have been worth the money I spent on this book. The diversity introduced, adding to the flexibility of Martial Arts (and proving that nearly anything can be a *martial* art) has caused nearly every player in a Dragon-Blooded story I'm working on create a martial artist. Yet no two characters are the same. One character was birthed in a brothel, and knows Orgiastic Fugitive Style (the learning of which requires "meditative sex"). Another is an informant for the All-Seeing Eye, and infiltrated the Fivefold Shadow-Hand Association, and learned their ninjutsu-style martial arts. A third prophesied the disappearance of the Scarlet Empress, and has learned the social kung-fu of the White Veil Society ("There is no White Veil Society. It is not cunningly concealed among the... Dragon-Blooded socialites of the Realm... No one would suggest that its members have a political agenda..."). And another is a street rat from Nexus, who learned the rough-and-rumble First Pulse Style while fighting for his life.

The Celestial Martial Arts chapter is a notch less interesting, with most styles reprinted (though updated!) from First Edition. This time around, however, they use the updated battle system, and are all in one place (as opposed to ten different book in the previous version of the game).

Sidereal Martial Arts, finally, is the first time I've seen canon Charms listed with Essence or Ability requirements above six. For example, "Meditative Battlefield Escalation" (p.118), with requirements of Martial Arts 8, Essence 8. Considering that all characters max out at Essence 10, it is apparent that the strength of these martial artists is great (Such as a lesser Charm than the above, which essentially turns the player into the Storyteller for one scene), and though it would take a long and/or high-powered game to bring such powers out, they are entertaining to read ("What if my character could do THAT! Wow...") and possibly just as much to use.

Definitely a good buy. Worth every cent I spent.

At last! Here is a scholarly and revolutionary approach to looking at white world imperialism and black political, economic, social, and psychological reactions to that imperialism. Dr. Wilson breaks new ground with an airtight analysis of the system of global white supremacy. With skill and grace, he describes how the Afrikan mind has been damaged and reassembled by the oppressors. This book is a must read for anyone interested in freeing their mind. You should watch "The Matrix" right after reading this book!

Excellent book. Besides the facts in the book, it teaches you to think objectively instead of subjectively.

This is the most absurd, ridiculous, and utterly insane book I've read in years! I hardly know where to start with this review. Let's see here.....ah yes, lets start with the notion the author offers that Europeans "caused" Africans to degenerate into imbecilic slaves. Laying pure and bile-spitting fantasy aside, its important to note that the slave trade was basically run by Arabs and Jews acted as brokers and middle men to bring the human merchandize to various Courts in Europe and to the developing holdings in the "New World".

Essentially, slave trading worked like this: The traders would enter a village and speak to the chieftain. They would offer the Chief various trade goods in exchange for people the chief wanted to get rid of. For the most part, the chief would exchange the prisoners he'd captured in wars with other African tribes. Such prisoners were slated for use in tribal entertainment and consumption ( tortured to death and then eaten - cooked or raw, depending upon mood ), but naturally the chief would conclude that the regularly slated tribal blood theatrics and barbecue could be preempted in favor of obtaining trade goods that he and the tribe could really use, but which they had no access to except via the traders.
Now, if prisoners of war were in short supply, the chief would offer individuals of his own tribe - his own people - to the traders in exchange for the goods they were offering him. These individuals of the chief's tribe were either people he personally didn't like, or the various idiots, misfits, kooks, lay-abouts, and those with abrasive hard-to-get-along-with personalities, etc. In other words, the chief would use the opportunity of obtaining unique and essential trade goods needed for improving the tribe's standard of living to get rid of the two-legged garbage in his society.
And heck, who wouldn't? It would be like members of some highly-advanced species from somewhere out in Space arriving here on earth and offering us technology that was utterly fantastic in our view in exchange for being allowed to take rapists, murderers, child molesters, drug pushers, etc. back to their planet with them! I mean, how many seconds would it take us to say "SURE! TAKE THE WHOLE LOT! AND PLEASE COME BACK SOON! WE'LL HAVE A LOT MORE FOR YOU JUST LIKE THIS BUNCH!".

What I'm saying here is, no African tribe was ever sorry to see the traders arrive. Slavery was the basis for the only real economic activity across the entire African world for centuries. No one had to go to Africa with nets and chase people through the jungle to catch them as slaves as depicted in "Roots" and other Politically Correct trash fiction of today. Hey, slavery got so popular in Africa, Blacks began selling slaves to each other! Many still do so today! Last I heard, you could purchase an adult human being in the Northern Sudan for approximately $12.00 US! Think I'm making this up? Check with ANY international "Human Rights" organization and ask them about slavery being practiced in Africa today and see what they tell you. Of course our Politically Correct media is VERY CAREFUL not to mention anything about this to the public who are constantly being trained into thinking that the planet is one big "Global Village" just filled with wonderful people and love, light, happiness, rainbows, and so on!
So, you can forget about this book's nonsense about the victimization of African populations by terrible Europeans. Its just rubbish. Africa peoples adored the institution of slavery - period! But for some ( prisoners of tibal warfare and social misfits ) slavery was bad news, but even for the prisoners slavery was better than being tortured to death for entertainment and then being eaten by their captors!
Like I said, the fact that various African tribes used slavery as a sort of social garbage disposal is nothing terrible. The tribes happily obtained goods they could use and profit by, and at the same time got rid of all the useless, stupid, lazy, criminal, and deranged individuals within their tribes. No one on earth could logically fault anyone for being happy with that sort of an arrangement!

No, this book is just brimming to overflowing with positions based on the standard "whining resenter spews out hate" perspective. The content of this book can either be taken as the most appalling example of bizarre illogic and blatant stupidity, or it can be read with a view toward humor stemming from noting just how ridiculous some authors can get. I chose to read this printed foolishness from the humorous angle, and boy did it pay off! I haven't laughed so much and so hard in a long time. Its as good as watching a slap-stick motion picture!

As for the author, its amazing why he chooses to live in a European inspired, White society? Why not return to Africa and get to work making the wonderful peoples there understand how fantastic and superior they really are? No, instead of doing that sort of noble work, this author simply gives clownish lectures which are then assembled into clownish books which hardly anyone will read and which no one in their right mind can possibly take seriously.
Ho hum.

I've read every one of his books and seen all of his dvds. Dr. Wilson is on an intellectual level by himself. I recall him saying once that there is nothing like a good theory to guide behavior. This book - and all his other works - are filled with good and necessary theories to guide the behavior of African people. In 'Falsification' he delineates step by step how Euro society has remade the Black person into an imbecilic slave. If our group is ever going to progress - which at times seems highly unlikely - we must understand this book completely. It literally is the only way to build up psych defenses in a society that is maintained on pathological normalcy. Read everything he's ever written and any dvd you can get your hands on will give you the over-standing that's indispensable.

Greg Borowski is truly one of America's great young writers. After reading "First and Long," I felt I had been in the locker room and on the practice field all season long. It's a fascinating and poignant account of two Milwaukee schools close in proximity but worlds apart as players and coaches struggle and grow and struggle some more. Borowski has an amazing eye for detail and a gift for sharing it with the reader. "First and Long" is a terrific story for anyone who loves Friday Night football or who wants insights into American cities today. Can't wait for his next book.

Featuring a Foreword by Vince Lombardi Jr., First And Long: A Black School, A White School And Their Season Of Dreams by Greg Borowski is the inherently fascinating and superbly told story of the first year of the combined Messmer High School/Shorewood High School football team. These two southern Wisconsin schools were almost exact opposites of each other with one being black, private and urban, while the other was white, public, and suburban. First And Long is a story about football, but even more, it is the story of contemporary life and the modern issues of cultural adjustment, racial harmony, and the ideals and idealism of youth as mentored by their imaginative and persevering mentors. Unique and highly recommended reading for sports enthusiasts in general, and Wisconsin highschool football fans in particular!

I really enjoyed First and Long, even though I have to say I am not a sports fan. The author is known for his attention to detail, his ability to put a story in context, and his engaging style. All of these really come through in his account of a landmark season for the country's first high school football team formed from a partnership of a central-city Catholic and a suburban public school. Although the two schools are located merely 2 miles from each other, the author shows us how far apart the schools really in so many other ways.

Clearly, countless hours of interviews and observation went into this book. The players really come to life in its pages -- First and Long allowed me to get to know them, and the coaches as well. The glimpses of their lives off the field were every bit as intriguing as the accounts of their work on the field. Intriguing because they didn't fit squarely into one's expectations formed from Hollywood stories of underdog teams facing adversity. This team displayed a different kind of courage, and by the end of the season I wanted to continue following the players beyond the book's final page.

This book reminded me a good deal of "My Losing Season" by Pat Conroy (a excellent look at the author's challenging season playing basketball for The Citadel). I heartily recommend First and Long.

"First and Long" is a must-read for everyone who loves high school football. Greg Borowski gets as close to the gridiron as George Plimpton did. But his story tells so much more: How boys not only from different schools but from such disparate backgrounds forged a team and refused to fail against seemingly insurmountable odds. What's more, this is a story told with a perceptive eye and exquisite detail. See if it doesn't inspire you, too.

Now here is a really great educational book! I wanted to give this book together with Women's Letters by Lisa Gruenwald. Buy these together and have a wonderful women's birthday or Mother's Day gift.
JQ

This made a wonderful gift that keeps "on giving."
The facts are interesting and unusual and it's good to have an insight into the women behind the men that have been in office.
Quite frankly I think most of them could have done a better job than their husbands.
Would highly recommend this to anyone for a good read and quick reference.

I am teaching an extra-curricular high school class this semester on the history of U.S. presidents and wives. This book has some very interesting information on the wives of the presidents. I have found fascinating tidbits from this book which kept my students interested even when the presidents might have proven boring! I am enjoying reading the book on a personal note too!

This huge book bollows Mr. Harris earlier book The Presidents Fact Book where he talked of the Achievements, Events, People, Triumphs, and Tragedies of Every President. Obviously in this book he is not talking about the presidents but their wives.

The first ladies have had their own share of the making of history. In recent years, Jackie Kennedy did a lot towards the creation of the Camelot image of the Kennedy years. Hillary Clinton is certainly remembered for her efforts towards creating universal health care.

These are just two small details of the lives of two first ladies. This book has over 700 pages about their lives, their interests, their activities in the white house and the way that they worked with their husbands to assist in the governance of the country.

And yes, there is a color section of pictures featuring mostly the clothes they wore.

This book is an absolute must if you'd like to avoid the terrible twos stage. I read this book as well as his other entitled "How to Raise a Happy Unspoiled Child". I followed his guidlines as best as I could and today I credit Burton White for how wonderful my five yr old turned out to be! My son went through what I call the "terrific twos" and people comment on his well-behaved and happy disposition all the time! He teaches you how to "discipline" appropriately according to age without inflicting physical pain to the child. But you must begin by ten months at the latest. Starting early is the secret. Get his books and begin now for the sake of your child's happiness and maturity. Good luck!

I had the frist edition of this book when my daughter was born in 1979 and found it tremendously helpful in understanding the stages of development. This book is based on research, so the information is factual. Since then, I have given a copy as a baby shower gift many times. That's why I ordering one today from AMAZON.COM!

This book contains outdated infomation such as using pacifiers and its effect on teeth. I found this book informative and agreed with a lot of the things he had to say such as not letting a baby "cry it out" and explaining the importance of monitoring hearing ability. What I liked about this author is that he accepts differences of opinion of other readers who may disagree with him.

The author discusses the role of the father, bonding, toilet training and gives a list of recommended books to read.

Some of the things he discusses:
Recommended Child-Rearing Practices
Language Development
Some Childrearing practices he doesn't recommend
Helping the infant develop specific skills
How to screen for mild to moderate hearing loss in children
Toys he recommends for babies and toddlers
Talks a little about the effects of restrictive devices such as playpens
Obstacles to optimal achievement in the 5 fundamental edcational processes
Nuturing the Roots of Intelligence
A chart of recommended materials for your child to play with such as pots & pans
Sibling Rivalry
Discipline
The Critical Importance of Hearing Ability which includes a parents' checklist and steps to take if hearing loss is detected
The Needs of Infants & Toddlers
Play

Thank goodness I picked this one up. My bookshelf was full of books that were too harsh (like Gary Ezzo on scheduling babies), too condescending ("What to Expect the First Year"), or relied too much on anecdotal research (like "The Baby Book" by William Sears, an otherwise wonderful book). Mr. White's goal is to help you develop your infant into a happy, "delightful" two year old who is a good companion. His methods ring true to one who is very nurturing, but has heard the folk wisdom about spoiling a baby. Do your baby a favor and read either this book or his other, shorter one called "How to Raise A Happy, Unspoiled Child."

this is a good book for paddlers both canoe and kayak and i use and loan it all the time. in fact it is loaned out now and i have to get it back. at $140 a copy (for a 100 page black and white book with exercise descriptions and pictures) it belongs in a vault.

i find the price(s) new and used to be uniformly curious. obviously some consistent thought has played a role here.

I am new to the fitness arena, but have always loved the outdoors. I've tried lots of fitness books recently, but none of them are as simple as Rocky's. I love the pictures and easy-to-understand instructions. Also, his positive attitude is a real inspiration. Don't miss this book!!

Need that extra strength in your wrists? Having trouble pulling thru the water? Wearing out when you need that final few strokes? Then FIT TO PADDLE is the book for you! Rocky Snyder once again breaks down simple, easy to use information about getting you ready to paddle with renewed vigor. The pictures and
diagrams are terrific. If you want to be one of those folks who seems to be gliding when paddling:Don't miss this book!

I am an avid sea kayaker and got this book after I injured my neck to help develop a rehabilitation program designed to gradually get me back to paddling long distances. Ideally, this book should be used to prevent injuries, especially those caused by overexertion. FIT TO PADDLE provides a sports specific conditioning program which will keep all types of paddlers in top paddling form. The book also includes sample home workout programs and a chart of the muscular system.

I highly suggest this book for all paddlers who are looking to build strength, flexibility and endurance, increase balance and coordination and help prevent overexertion injuries. The step by step instructions for the exercises are easy to follow and include photos. The exercises can be performed at home, at the gym or on the water.

This is a great resource for all recreational and/or competitive paddlers.

The author, a distinguished retired general officer, has done an excellent job of documenting the history of the use of flame in warefare. He has very accurately described both the technical aspects of flame devices and the tactical and strategic uses they were put to. In addition he has well discussed the ethical and moral issues that must be dealt with when flame weapons are employed. The only aspect of flame warefare not discussed is the use of the fougasse, a device used in Vietnam in defense of Special Forces camps. That said, this is a very complete work, and should be in the library of any serious student of military history.

It is hard to match the words of the review by Russell Proctor, or even try to say as much as the prolific review of William Schneck, but I think I can say that in the some 1,500 books of military history and weaponry I have read in my lifetime, rarely have I read a book so useful and so thoroughly researched. John Wyndham Mountcastle is a superb writer, who clearly knows his subject matter and never flinches from imparting to the reader the importance that incendiary weapons have played in so many conflicts. He also deals with the important moral questions that arise whenever anyone considers employing incendiary weapons. I would be interested in hearing at some point Mr. Mountcastle's further thoughts on the impact that these weapons had on opposing forces, if and when it became know to them that their opponents possessed such weapons and were prepared to use them. In other words, what was the "terror" effect of merely carrying these weapons in one's effecive arsenal? I never had the opportunity to use incendiary weapons during my military service, but my father told me of their effective and devastating use on Iwo Jima in 1945. If the Japanese forces could have had the opportunity to read such a terrific book as Mr. Mountcastle's, they probably never would have given us such a hard time in the sands of Iwo!

This work should be in the library of all serious students of military history and warfare. The author covers both the technical aspect of flame and flame weapons, and the strategic and tactical uses of flame from ancient times to the present. The technical descriptions of the devices and equipment are complete, accurate and easy to understand. As with all such works there are some minor shortcomings, such as little discussion on the use of the fougasse in defense of fixed fortifications against communist attacks on Special Forces camps in the Vietnam War, but these shortcomings do not detract from the great value of the total work. General Mountcastle is widely known for his leadership when Chief of Military History, and this book is a good example of the thorough way he approaches things. Readers might also note that his career included command of armed formations to brigade size. He understands combat, and brings that understanding to this book. It should be on the reading list of every military historian.

This book is a detailed, scholarly work by the former chief of military history for the U.S. Army, General John Mountcastle. Beginning with incidents in the Old Testament, the author describes the history of flame weapons. He includes information on such topics as the use of a primitive flamethrower during the siege of Delium (424 BC) and the development of "Greek Fire." However, the development of flame weapons remained episodic, until the German's modern man-packed flamethrowers made its combat debut in World War I. Richard Fiedler, an engineer in Berlin, invented the first prototype in 1901. Early in the development, the German Army recognized that the ungainly flamethrowers required trained operators and mechanics to function. The Germans mounted the first attack with flamethrowers on 26 February 1915 against French troops near Verdun. The French fled in panic. As a result, the Germans organized the Third Guard Pioneer Battalion. As the war progressed, the pioneers' flamethrowers became an integral part of German "stormtroop tactics." The flamethrower was a difficult and dangerous weapon to use. However, when combined with other technical innovations and the tactical flexibility inherent in the pioneer corps, the result was a highly effective combined arms teams at the company and battalion level. Led by their "sturmpionier," the German stormtroopers were able to restore operational maneuver to the deadlocked western front by using flexible, dismounted infantry tactics at the same time that the Allies were turning to the tank. Another item of note was the use of a specialized workshop unit to maintain and modify the equipment of the pioneers as necessary, further enhancing their flexibility and timeliness. As latecomers to the First World War, the Americans had to `play catch up" in a number of areas. In the American Expeditionary Force, the Gas Service (the predecessor of today's Chemical Corps) was the responsibility of the Corps of Engineers. The 30th Engineer Regiment (Gas and Flame) under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Amos Fries (Corps of Engineers) was formed to provide support in this new area of Chemical and incendiary warfare. The 30th Engineers (renamed the 1st Gas Regiment in August 1918) developed a close working relationship with their British counterparts, the Royal Engineers of the "Special Brigade." However, Lieutenant Colonel Fries had a strong bias against flamethrowers and preferred to focus on gas countermeasures. After the war, Congress authorized the establishment of the Chemical Warfare Service, with Fries as chief. During the inter-war period, he continued to favor the development of chemical warfare agents over flame weapons. As a result, the U.S. continued to neglect developments in this area. However, this was not the case within the resurgent German military of the 1930s. The German pioneers, as well as their British counterparts, have historically maintained a strong interest in close-combat `assault engineering.' This was well demonstrated in the stunning German victories over the west in 1940. Once again, the German attack was led by the pioneers. Indeed, a platoon of about 80 airborne pioneers made a dawn glider assault on the 700 man strong Belgian fortress of Eben Emael. This fort blocked the advance of the northern German pincer into the Netherlands and was considered to be one of the strongest forts in the world. Using flamethrowers and shaped charges, the latter were a secret weapon making their combat debut, the pioneers shocked the world by neutralizing the fort in 30 minutes. Through the insightful writings of Captain Paul Thompson (Corps of Engineers), this stunning victory served as a `wake up' to the Americans on the importance of flame weapons and close-combat assault tactics. However, the engineers lacked the doctrine and training to effectively use the new weapons, which also suffered from lack of care and proper maintenance. The development of vehicle mounted flamethrowers also suffered, due to a strong aversion to the development of special-purpose armored combat engineer vehicles on the part of the US Army. The lack of armored flamethrowers in Europe may have contributed to the difficulties the Americans had on Omaha Beach on D-Day. In fact, on several occasions, the American had to request support from the British Crocodile flamethrower tanks in order to reduce German fortifications. The Americans found that often times, just a demonstration of a flamethrower within sight of the defenders was enough to induce surrender or withdrawal. In fact, General Patton was forced to improvise flamethrower tanks in the field. He was quite pleased with the results. In the Pacific Theatre, however, the prevalence of close-combat operations against the Japanese in prepared defenses forced American units in the field to develop effective flame tactics. As a result, thoroughly trained, properly led flamethrower units were developed by the infantry and engineers of the Army and Marines. Indeed, the Marines stated that man-pack flamethrowers were responsible for breaching the Japanese defenses on Tarawa, in November 1943. When some soft-hearted Americans protested the use of flame weapons, General George C. Marshall stood-up for the lives of the American citizens serving on the line in combat and stated, "Vehement protests I am receiving against our use of flame throwers don't indicate an understanding of the meaning of our dead on...Tarawa." American armored flamethrowers (fabricated in workshops on Hawaii using Sherman tanks) made their Pacific debut on Iwo Jima, where the first eight proved their worth. By the time the attack on Okinawa was launched, the 713th Armored Flamethrower Battalion had been formed with 54 flame tanks. It was credited with 4,788 kills, with no loss to themselves. As one magazine summed up, "There are few arguments about fire; it saves U.S. lives and kills Japs." Although this review has focussed on the flamethrower, this book also provides an extensive discussion of air-dropped incendiaries and the moral issues involved in the use of flame weapons, particularly against cities like Hamburg, Dresden, Yokohoma, and Tokyo. Combat engineers should find this book to be fascinating reading. It is recommended to all who are interested in weapons and tactics.

Todd Moffett has achieved something extraordinary with his book The Flight of the White Horse--he has written a fantasy which both hearkens back to classics such as the Chronicles of Narnia, and tells a story so original that the ending cannot be predicted even by an astute reader of fantasy fiction. This book, which has appeal for adolescent through adult readers, tells the story of Prince Tomlin's quest to free a trapped princess, Vera. This story works on the level of adventure tale as well as that of metaphysical journey, with not a wasted word. This book should delight fantasy fans as well as literary conoisseurs.

Early on, the reader senses the author's emotional investment in this work. Whether involved in a tender love scene, chatting among rivals, or engaged in a life-or-death struggle, the characters' thoughts, actions, and deeds appropriately complement or contrast their detailed environmental, historical and geographical backdrops. A lot of thought and research went into this book!

The story's dream sequences best reveal the author's talent. Through these scenes, Moffett evokes a vivid sense of ephemeral helplessness, hidden desire and mystery. Great reading.

Todd Moffett's novel _The Flight of the White Horse_ is a clever, fantastic narrative built around Prince Tomlin's quest for the Lady Vera, imprisoned by the insidious Lord Harra. When he acts on faith and acknowledges the power and existence of the White Prince, Tomlin defeats the force of darkness in a climactic scene whose vivid, forceful style keeps the reader engaged and hoping for more.
Various elements in this novel appeal greatly to the imagination and draw the reader into Tomlin's vision quest. Paricularly enticing is the idea of having Harra use a necklace to entrap the Lady Vera. Another is Tomlin's encounter with the Lady Sharamar in a section that recalls Odysseus' encountter with Circe. A third is the dream sequence,preceding the climactic battle, in which Tomlin struggles to maintain his sanity. _The Flight of the White Horse_ is a well thought out, well conceived piece of writing.
There is another element that contributes greatly to this novel's effectiveness, and that is Mr. Moffett's use of descriptive detail. The descriptions are vivid and give the narrative a somewhat cinematic flavor. Consider the following passage, for instance: "The floor in front of them screamed open to reveal not a lower level of the castle but a rocky den, horrible with monsters, their gaping mouths clustered with teeth, their claws raking the air; cries and growls and the scent of terrible things eaten billowed from their mouths"(264).
_The Flight of the White Horse_ is a well written, exciting novel. In the future, I hope to see more work of this calibre from Todd Moffett.

If you want a story full of spells, evil wizards and witches, and swordplay, you have found the right book. Prince Tomlin, the young hero, faces all these dangers and more as he rescues the Lady Vera from her prison, an enchanted necklace. Mr. Moffett has given us a believable character in the young prince. He has many doubts and fears but overcomes them by finding the source of his inner strength, the White Prince, his country's mythological hero. The plot moves along briskly and keeps us entertained with Prince Tomlin's many adventures. The setting is also nicely detailed, and the author brings to life many fine minor characters such as Telec, the friendly old Forecaster, and Kanisen, the insightful scholar. The surprise in the penultimate chapter will send the reader through the action-packed climax. I look forward to more works by this new writer.

For Honor, Flag, and Family: Civil War Major General Samuel W. Crawford, 1827-1892 is a biography of General Samuel Wylie Crawford, who served in the United States Army during the Civil War from Fort Sumter through Appomattox, involved in major battles of the Eastern Theater. He was promoted to brigadier general in 1862; his brigade suffered the loss of half its strength in an engagement at Cedar Mountain; and he personally suffered a grievous wound at Antietam. A handful of black-and-white photographs illustrate this extensively researched portrait of a true fighting leader, who remained in the United States Army until his retirement in 1873. Notes, a bibliography, and an index round out this welcome addition to Civil War biography shelves.

Richard Wagner has provided a great service to the citizens of Franklin County,PA and Civil War buffs countrywide for his book on General Crawford. The local history on his family's and his residence in Fayetteville is little known and a delight to read. The Civil War history is well researched and will appeal to all readers of this era.

Major General Samuel W. Crawford, a native of Franklin County, PA, was one of two Yankee General Officers who served in every major battle in the NorthEast/Mid-Atlantic...Ft Sumter, The Shenendoah Valley Campaign of 1862, Cedar Mountain, The Wilderness, Sharpsburg, Gettysburg, Spotsylvania, Five Forks and Petersburg. The biography, written in a simple, straight forward, folksey manner, surpasses other such biographies in that the author took a military officer and included the general's cultural. sociological, religious and econonic climates to present a complete picture of the man. It was an enlightening, informative, passionate and entertaining easy to read book which deserves literary and historical appreciation from the thoughtful reader.

This is a very interesting and well written account of the life and career of General Samuel Crawford. Crawford began his career as a Surgeon in the U.S. army and evolved to an officer in the infantry. He was one of only two Officers who served from day one at Fort Sumpter through the final surrender of Lee at Appomattox.

12 years of research went into compiling this biography.

The account of the events leading up to the firing on Fort Sumpter is especially interesting. He led in action at Gettysburg, Antitem and many of the other major battles of the Civil War. A very worth while read about the Civil War. I recommend it if you enjoy history.