Windsor Books

I have never laughed so much while reading a book in my life. Some of the stories told are hilarious. I enjoyed learning about Michael Crawford's life. If you have any interest in Michael Crawford, I advise you to get and read this book. You won't be disappointed.

Item in excellent condition and arrived on time.

I have just started reading Michael Crawford's bio but must comment on the service.I ordered the book on Tuesday and was amazed to find it in my mailbox on Thursday.Never have I received such speedy service before.Thank you Ed Silver!

This book is my favorite book of all time. Michael is the best! He truly wrote a wonderful book. I love it! I loved reading about his childhood . It was so interesting. Really,the whole book is very interesting. If you are a fan of Michael's, please read this book. Michael, Thank you for writing this book. Please write another one soon!:)

Though I've not read many autobiographies, this has without a doubt been the most entertaining that I've read thus far; indeed, at times it is simply hilarious. Michael Crawford's career is meticulously chronicled from its beginnings (he started out as a child performer) through to and including the international super-stardom he achieved with his coveted role as the Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber's hit musical, The Phantom of the Opera. In the process, he tells of his short and disillusioning stint doing Hollywood movies in the late 60s/early 70s. He recounts the huge television success he had in Britain in the 70s with Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em (and the hilarious upshot--hilarious for us, that is--of being nationally recognised as and taken for a disaster-prone half-wit!). Crawford went on to forge a name for himself in the 70s and 80s as a formidable lead in musicals (the culmination of which was, of course, his role as the Phantom). Greatest of all, though, was the tremendous honour of receiving an OBE in 1987.

Crawford, who was born in 1942, is extremely candid--even quite personal at times--as he recounts his life story, and sharing the limelight with his professional life are the many recollections he shares about his personal life. There are a great many happy and humorous memories (and even some embarrassing ones), but he doesn't hold back from sharing with us the painful memories as well--like his mother's unhappy marriage to his step-father, or the death of his beloved mother and grandmother.

What really makes this autobiography stand above the others I've read are the many humorous anecdotes that infuse Crawford's recollections of both his personal and professional life. He was a practical joker and a bit of a clown as a child--traits which he continued (thankfully!) to embrace wholeheartedly as an adult. That combined with his love for daring stunts result in some absolutely hilarious experiences that are rendered all the more enjoyable for being so engagingly told.

This 329-page hardcover has 24 pages of black-and-white photos, many of which are from Crawford's own private collection. There are photos of Crawford as a baby and as a child, photos of his mom with her first husband (who sadly died in the war after only a year of marriage), photos of his grandmother with each of her two husbands, photos of his two daughters at different stages in their lives, photos of his then-wife, and photos of Crawford--shots of him with his various co-stars or shots of him in his various productions--from the many stages in his career. Though published in 1999, Crawford ends his story in 1990, following his last appearance as the Phantom in Los Angeles. It would've been nice if he'd brought things up to date, but I suppose one cannot fault him for wanting to end his story on what has been (at least to this point in time) the apex of his career.

In conclusion, I heartily recommend this delightful autobiography to all fans of Michael Crawford. His engaging style reveals a man who is a very capable story-teller, and he certainly has no shortage of entertaining stories to tell.

I love these books! Especially good for herb lovers.

This is the first Brother Cadfael mystery that I have read. In the past I have enjoyed the Brother Cadfael Mysteries on PBS and that is what prompted me to read one for myself.

The language is difficult to understand at times, (I suggest keeping a dictionary handy)but the mystery is a masterful "who done it". In this story the husband of a former love of Cadfaels suddenly dies and it is discovered that the victim was poisoned by the deadly Monk's Hood. The same tincture that Brother Cadfael himself has prepared for medicinal purposes. There is a large cast of characters that may have purpose and reason to murder Gervase Bonel but when the authorities believe the murderer to be his young stepson Brother Cadfael takes matters into his own hands to prove the youth innocent.

This is not a light read. Stick with it. You will enjoy it.

Brother Cadfael is both pleased and displeased when his old love, Richildis, arrives at the Abbey with her husband, to take up residence as a permanent lodger. In return for permanent food, shelter and all things comfortable, Richildis's husband, Gervase Bonel, proposes to deed the ownership of his manor to the Abbey, a fact which does not sit well with his stepson, Edwin, to whom was promised ownership of the manor. In old age, Gervase had grown cantankerous and had taken a spiteful pleasure in goading Edwin into a rage about reneging on his promise of passing on the ownership of the manor to him. After eating a highly spiced and sauced dish of partridge, Gervase dies, and suspicion immediately falls on Edwin. The dish was poisoned with monkshood, an oil made of which, was brewed by Cadfael to use as a liniment for the old and arthritic monks. As usual in a Cadfael story, there are several characters who have equal reason and opportunity to have committed the murder, so it's up to Cadfael to sort out the mystery. It's another fascinating story, set in the 12th century, with a wealth of detail about mediaeval life and with Brother Cadfael sorting out the clues.

Now that I've finished Monk's Hood, I have found a new appreciation for Ellis Peters' work. After one death too many, I was expecting a rather static setting that would seem to change, but in truth, it would really change from book to book. I am definitely the product of watching too many American sitcoms and am glad my expectation was not met.

The story begins with Father Abbot Heribert leaving Shrewsbury to a council being held to reassess the leadership of the Church in England. He believes is going to be replaced so he leaves any legal matters unsigned so the new Abbot could determine the course of things once appointed. In the meantime, the Bonel household was going to cede its holdings to the abbey in exchange for a quiet retirement. The contract was left unsigned by the Abbot and shortly after Gervase Bonel, the head of the household, was murdered by way of poison, a medicine called Monk's Hook made by Cadfael himself.

The book is filled with a wonderful assortment of characters. None of which are good or bad. They have their own strengths, aspirations and failings. Once of things I enjoy about the Cadfael stories is he passes very little judgment against others (Brother Jerome and Prior Robert being exceptions). We have a new assistant - Brother Mark, his former fiancé - Richaldis, the return of Hugh Beringer, not to mention a number others. Even the murderer in the end is a many Cadfael felt sympathy for and helps. Yes, there is a sense of right and wrong in these books, but the means to right are often rather unorthodox and thus enjoyable.

I would recommend this book to anyone continuing to read the stories of Cadfael. They would appeal to a mystery reader and perhaps a fantasy reader as well. Definitely someone who likes historical fiction. I know I am well hooked into the series now.

I have always believed that the BBC made the finest adaptations for radio and television, and indeed the BROTHER CADFAEL series is no exception; Bert Coules (who most recently adapted Sherlock Holmes for BBC radio) and the fine actor Philip Madoc brought Cadfael to life in three adaptations which are well worth listening to if you can: MONKS HOOD, THE VIRGIN IN THE ICE and DEAD MAN'S RANSOM. However, Sir Derek Jacobi was an excellent Cadfael for television ... even if some of the teleplays didn't quite follow the plot of the original novels. Acorn Audio did something quite extraordinary when they turned the audio tracks of the four teleplays of the first Cadfael TV series into an audio series, adding a narrator to fill in the gaps and adding some slight commentary on the action which could not be seen on an audiotape; in doing so, they tightened up the narrative to keep the stories moving at a good clip so that the listener would not lose interest, and Stephen Flynn's narration is well-read and well-written. This story brings Brother Cadfael's pre-cloistered past back to haunt him while he struggles to both solve a murder and protect the son of his former love and has enough twists and turns in the plot to keep the viewer (or listener in this case!) rivetted, and I have to say in this recording's favor that the telepay follows the book very closely, more so than many of those in the TV series. I am sorry that Acorn Audio hasn't adapted the rest of the televised Cadfael stories into this format, and the only grievance I have is that the cast of characters is not read out at the end of each story (all we get to know is that Sir Derek Jacobi plays Brother Cadfael, when there are some fine actors in each of the stories). This is something entirely new, coming somewhere in between actual radio drama and books-on-tape, and I highly recommend it for anyone interested in the Brother Cadfael series. The listener will not lose anything by not seeing the action on a TV screen, and the acting you will HEAR combined with the narration will definitely provide an ejoyable listening experience.

St.Peter's fair is held annually on the section of land outside the monastery walls in Shrewsbury, but involves the monastery itself, with its guesthouses filled with the gentry and travelling merchants. When the body of wealthy merchant, Thomas of Bristol is discovered, stabbed, stripped and robbed, his niece Emma who was accompanying him, is put into the care of Aline, the wife of the deputy sheriff, Hugh Berengar. Brother Cadfael becomes the girl's protector as she moves around the town, determined to carry on her uncle's business, as he would have wished. Another merchant is murdered and Emma's belongings are searched as if the killer is looking for something in particular. The townspeople of Shrewsbury become very alarmed as this part of the country is still very much divided in its loyalties, with factions supporting King Stephen and others favouring Empress Maud. Cadfael is convinced that Emma knows more than she's admitting, but it's only when she is openly courted by a young nobleman, who would normally be considered too far above her in station, that her life is endangered. It's another fascinating story of life and death in 12th century England, with the detective monk, Cadfaek working his way methodiaclly through clues to a satisfactory solution.

Ellis Peters' fourth Brother Cadfael mystery is set in the summer of 1139, in a Shrewsbury still recovering from the siege of town and castle by the army of King Stephen the previous summer. To speed the rebuilding of its defences, the townsfolk are eager for financial help from the abbey of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, which, being located just outside the town, came through the episode of the siege without harm. With the lucrative annual three-day St. Peter's fair fast approaching, the burghers of the town are anxious to secure a share of its profits - normally given over entirely to the abbey. The new abbot, however, is far from anxious to set a dangerous precedent by ceding away the abbey's dues.

Thus it is that merchants arriving from distant towns for the fair find themselves suddenly embroiled in a dispute between town and cloister - and embroiled rather too deeply for comfort as the town's youth escalate the situation out of hand. And so it is that Shrewsbury (and therefore Brother Cadfael, of course) suddenly finds itself with the mystery of another murder (and various other nefarious goings-on) to solve.

With her characteristic meticulous attention to period detail, Ellis Peters weaves an intricate web of deceit and intrigue into this far from obvious murder mystery. As usual, she balances the political manoeuvrings of the principal parties with the playing out of a separate romantic sub-plot. This serves to keep the reader (and, in this case, Cadfael too) guessing almost up to the very end as to the real drama running through the story and, of course, to the identity of the villain of the piece. Indeed, the reader is well into the nail-biting conclusion to the story before realising fully what has been going on.

Peters' writing style ensures that this book is as enjoyable as Brother Cadfael books ever are. Fans of the mediaeval sleuth may be somewhat disappointed to find that he actually has very little to do here beyond collating the pieces of others' findings but this does not really detract from the tale over all. If the Cadfael books are new to you, I would really recommend reading the first two volumes before any others to truly get the most from them. On the other hand, if you are not interested in reading the whole series but simply want an evocative tale of mediaeval England, then you need look no further than this.

Provost Corviser leads a delegation of Shrewsbury's best men before Abbot Radolfus demanding a bigger share of the proceeds of St. Peter's Fair, an annual event sponsored by the Abbey of St. Peter and St. Paul. The money is needed to repair the town after the ravages of the recent seige of the town by the forces of King Stephen. Abbot Radolfus demurs, saying he's bound by the ancient charters.

Philip Corviser, the Provost's son, leads a delegation of young men to request a voluntary contribution from the merchants at the fair. There he is smitten by the beauty of a merchant's niece, and also smitten by the merchant's bludgeon. A riot ensues.

When the dust settles, young Corviser is in gaol, the merchant is in the mortuary, and the neice, Emma, is in fear--but of what? Not to worry, Ivo Cobriere, a handsome young nobleman, stands ready to aid her. Misfortune continues to stalk poor Emma and another murder occurs. Deputy Sheriff Hugh Beringar and Brother Cadfael are sure that Emma knows more than she is telling.

Philip gets out of gaol, another killing occurs, Cadfael and Hugh unravel the mystery, and the saga ends in a stirring chase and rescue.

Of the chronicles of Brother Cadfael that I have thus far read, "St. Peter's Fair" is the most "mystery-like." No cut and dried solution springs to mind as the plot unfolds. This one had me guessing for some time.

All the regular ingredients of the previous stories are here: Political wrangling, personal intrigue, a love story, and of course--a murder.

Cadfael once more is a treasure trove of wisdom. Some of his lines here are classic. Cadfael is a very noble, very humane, world-weary protagonist. Ellis Peter has truly created a detective for the ages in him.

In "St. Peter's Fair" Cadfael is up against one heck of a baffling case. He and Hugh Berengar (my favorite secondary character) team up to try and solve the murder of a visiting merchant. I have no desire to give the ending away. I will only say that "St. Peter's Fair" has the added bonus of a chase scene.

"St. Peter's Fair" is a worthy entry in this series. The more I read of Ellis Peters, the greater my respect for her becomes. I recommend this book highly.

Of the chronicles of Brother Cadfael that I have thus far read, "St. Peter's Fair" is the most "mystery-like." No cut and dried solution springs to mind as the plot unfolds. This one had me guessing for some time.

All the regular ingredients of the previous stories are here: Political wrangling, personal intrigue, a love story, and of course--a murder.

Cadfael once more is a treasure trove of wisdom. Some of his lines here are classic. Cadfael is a very noble, very humane, world-weary protagonist. Ellis Peter has truly created a detective for the ages in him.

In "St. Peter's Fair" Cadfael is up against one heck of a baffling case. He and Hugh Berengar (my favorite secondary character) team up to try and solve the murder of a visiting merchant. I have no desire to give the ending away. I will only say that "St. Peter's Fair" has the added bonus of a chase scene.

"St. Peter's Fair" is a worthy entry in this series. The more I read of Ellis Peters, the greater my respect for her becomes. I recommend this book highly.

What a wonderful book. Avon Inspire impresses me once again. So far with all of their books I have read, I have loved, not just liked, but loved every single one! Previously, I have read Linda Windsor's Scottish historical series and enjoyed it, but this book is way fabulous beyond that series. I cannot wait to read the sequel "For Pete's Sake". I'm glad I own it already, but it's too bad that it's packed for the move... *sigh* Alexandera, the main character in this story undergoes a lot of stress, and a lot of real life. Through her journey with family, friends, and Christ a reader can really get pulled into looking at where their own life is with listening silently to what we are to hear. I fully enjoyed this story with the ensemble of characters, and when I thought the book couldn't get any better a bit of a mysterious twist was thrown in that was great fun as well to uncover. I really enjoyed this book, and I'd relate it to Rachel Hauck's "Sweet Caroline" and "Love Starts with Elle". It is a book that I would should just about anyone read. It's a good vacation or weekender that will make you smile and sigh with contentment.

Linda Windsor has long been a favourite author of mine, penning humourous tales of spunky women looking for love and finding mishaps and adventure along the way. Wedding Belle Blues is no exception. Alex is a heartwarming mix of independence and loyalty, the latter holding her back from stepping away from her father's domineering presence in her life. When Josh Fraser shattered her heart and their wedding vows sixteen years earlier her devoted friends, Suzie, Ellen and Jan flew in to protection mode and with Josh's sudden reappearance, her friends once again take on their guardian roles.

Wedding Belle Blues is a vibrant and fun story with plenty to love about the characters and setting. Alex learns transformation is possible and a future she thought lost may still be on the horizon, if she can get past her hurt and fear. Without a doubt, Linda has drawn me in with one story to the lives of the women of Piper Cove and it is with great anticipation I look forward to Ellen's story, a Harley riding, practical woman and absolutely no time for romance, in the 2008 release of For Pete's Sake.

It took me awhile to get into this book, for some of the same reasons as mentioned by others, the seeming "non-Christian" actions/vocubulary of some of the characters.

I decided I needed to give it another chance and am SO glad I did. About half way through, I met Linda Windsor and had a chance to chat with her. I expressed my concerns and she blushingly explained. Linda used to write non-Christian romances and has switched over to Christian fiction. She was embarrassed to admit that there were some slip-ups in her novel that she and her editor didn't catch, that shouldn't have been there. It's tough doing a cross-over novel, when you've been used to writing secular fiction. If the book goes into reprint in the future she assured me those items will be changed.

Now..for my opinion. I loved the story line. It was fresh and the two main characters fleshed out enough to feel you knew them. I enjoyed the fact that they were far from perfect and depicted some of the struggles that do go on in our personal lives. The secondary plot that centered around the heroine's father added to the depth of the story line and the last half of the book in particular grabbed my attention and kept me moving forward. If you can turn a blind eye to some of the small boo-boo's that Linda overlooked, you'll enjoy the story.

I like to read inspirational books because I don't have to worry about how clean they are, especially the language. I felt like this book pushed the envelope a bit. It had at least one actual swear word and a few abbreviations. There were a couple other things that made me uncomfortable like it was a little more sensual then was necessary. I won't be reading the rest of the series.

The first installment of The Piper Cove Chronicles from Linda Windsor shines with good writing and fun deeply layered characters.

This is the first book of Linda Windsor's that I've read, but it won't be the last. She writes with a sensitivity that allowed me, as a reader, to fully engage with the characters and see both Alex and Josh's perspectives. And there are huge hurdles in this romance. Much more than the fact that he left her with only a note 16 years ago.

While the old sparks and attraction are still there, Alex isn't willing to jump into his arms and repeat the mistakes of the past. And the characterization fully supports her reactions.

The setting is the fun Maryland Eastern Shore which Linda writes well. I could practically see the community and the real ones that surround it. There is also a full cast of supporting characters who add to the book's warmth and layering. And I have a feeling her girlfriends will find themselves in leading roles in future books.

A junior member of a law firm is invited to a slightly odd club, that initially appears to be just a group of members that like to tell stories of different sorts, but just before xmas, the story must be 'uncanny'.

He begins to suspect something strange when some of the furnishings and books in the club seem very unique.

Only Stephen King can write a novel that is so completely lucid and insane at the same time and get away with it. Having a particular affection for audio books, I recently listened to his novella, THE BREATHING METHOD.
While nowhere near as frightening or gory as some of his other works, the story does what it is meant to do, and that is wonder which turn KING will take this time.

How many times have many of us NON FAMOUS writer's of suspense and horror thought about this type of story, only to shove it in a drawer or leave it on our word processors because we thought the subject matter just too darn bizarre?
This is one such tale and told by one of the great masters of the telling.
Not having children myself, but having been an offside observer to the births and stories thereof, of many nieces, nephews, and friend's kids, I fully understand THE BREATHING METHOD and what it is supposed to do. Without spoiling it for those who have not read the novella, let's just say when a woman wants to give birth to her baby-illegitimate or not, she will, NO MATTER WHAT! Interest peaked? Well you should read this Novella and be prepared to smile with realization that King does it again.

What I particularly liked at the end of this story, Mr. King offers insight on his writing method and the deep black hole the NOVELLA GENRE falls into. He amusingly gives reminisces about writing stories that are rather too long or too short. When they are short they fall into the Novella category, and into the abyss of probably-never-to-published. He admits he was lucky at times, and also gives valuable publishing information for both horror and sci-fi authors. Most writers of his magnitude wouldn't reduce themselves to offer such help.

Now for you audiophiles. Anytime you can listen to anything read by Frank Muller, (who I believe reads a lot of King's work), by all means do it. He has that unique voice that is quick, precise and puts you right in the middle of the piece he is reading. As an audio book lover, the narrator is important to me as the story. If I don't like a narrator I make note of it, even if I loved the book.

I enjoyed this book. It is well written with good character development.

Reader Frank Muller delivers this tale with aplomb. Taken from King's superb story collection, "Different Seasons," the action takes place in a tony Big Apple men's club where there are no membership dues. Membership rises and falls with the telling of tales.

Who can tell them better than King. This time out his subject is a woman who is bound and determined to give birth no matter what.

Scary? Of course. It's King, isn't it?

I finished the audio book earlier this week. In typical Stephen King fashion, he draws you along the story, twisting several plots into it. Surprisingly, it was not the main focus of the story that gave me chills, but the last 5 minutes when certain revelations are made, or at least hinted at.

I especially loved the iconography of the statue in front of the hospital, and the often repeated quote which basically said that there was no comfort without pain. Which I guess can be considered a message of hope, or at least a message that suffering is not done in vain. But again, it's one of those details that makes this whole story just a bit askew.

Overall, it was a great read. I really enjoyed the story, it was a bit predictable, but the pace of the words draws the listener along nicely. I would recomend this book to a friend, but not to my mother.

Swapping LivesTells the story of three women, it is a little hard to follow; it's like reading three novellas in one book.

I was really into the first book by Patricia Scanlan, but not as much with this book. It's the story of three girls who apparently have a very deep friendship, but I didn't really get that. It was three individual stories about the difficult lives these three have had and there is talk about them doing things together and meeting once a week, but you never really get into much detail. Over all, I enjoyed this book, but I didn't really feel as much for the characters as I did in Francesca's Party. Also, it's said that the book is set in the 80's but it reads more like the 30's, very conservative.

I loved this book , i just couldnt put it down it had a brilliant plot and it made me feel happy and sad especielly when she had a row with luke and then made a special bond with him as they made themselves a couple instead of friends !!!!!. I would recommend this to anybody its a brilliant book .

I loved this book , i just couldnt put it down it had a brilliant plot and it made me feel happy and sad especielly when she had a row with luke and then made a special bond with him as they made themselves a couple instead of friends !!!!!. I would recommend this to anybody its a brilliant book .

I've read many books in the "girlfriends" genre, but CITY GIRL take first place as the most enjoyable, most compelling, most totally captivating. This is due mainly to Patricia Scanlan's ability to create three distinctive women, each with serious contemporary problems and each with the inner strength and tenacity to face whatever comes, especially when she has true friends to stand by her.

The resourceful Devlin, the insecure Caroline, and the fun-loving Maggie are young Dublin women who confront out-of-wedlock pregnancy, a husband who strays, men who are not what they appear to be, alcohol addiction, and even the death of a beloved child. You will be totally engrossed in their lives and the people that move through it----from the compassionate Luke to the sophisticated Richard and the fun-loving Terry as well as the secondary characters who add intrigue, romance, and a lot of Irish charm.

If you're looking for a book you won't be able to put down, one that involves you so deeply in the lives of the characters you feel as if you know them, and one rich with the flavor of London and Dublin, I highly recommend this one. As a matter of fact, I had scarcely finished it when I picked up the sequel CITY WOMAN because even after nearly 500 pages, I wasn't ready to say goodbye to these wonderful characters.

now, i'm not much for fantasy normally. but i like....greatness. and this is great. the best combat descriptions you can find. masterly developed plots. varying themes. inventive. original. perhaps there is one thing that says it all: though many has tried to copy his style, not one attempt has really succeeded. there is a darkness in these stories. foes like demons and evil wizards, but also the dark primal instincts in man, that makes howard great also in the classical sense.

The world of Conan is an amazing place. A world that takes survival of the fittest to new extremes. A world where all women are perfect bodied nudists that only the strongest man can have. And a place where the darkest of magicks and monsters of unspeakable evil dwell.

It is our planet and the time is the Hyborian Age. A time so thickly described and imagined by Robert E. Howard you almost believe it really did exist. The most appealing thing about the stories of Conan is that each one takes place in different, highly imaginative land with new wonders and secret for the great Cimmerian to uncover.

Conan is not the dunderhead seen in the Arnie movies but an extremely intelligent and cunning warrior who always rises to the top of any faction he has made himself a part of and is Captain of a million pirates, General of a thousand armies, King of Aquilonia and an fair fight for almost no one. Conan always wins because he's just simply the mightiest, strongest and most vicious fighter their is.

But he does have morals and is more human than most people he encounters no matter how many times the call him a barbarian dog. And it's easy to identify with a man who loves to travel and keep on going, never wanting to stay in the same place too long. I mean there is so much to this world (but even more to his) that staying in an office for 40 years is downright insane.

Robert E. Howard is an uncertified genius and his Conan Chronicles are an immortal testament to that fact.

It is a shame that in reprinting the seminal run of artist Barry Windsor-Smith on Marvel's "Conan the Barbarian" Dark Horse Comics has neglected to include the cover art as well. But that is the only major complaint a fan can have against "Rouges in the House & Other Stories," the second of four books in the Chronicles of Conan series. The minor complaint would be that in covering these six particular issues--which includes the two "big" comics when Marvel had its two month experiment of increasing the price from 15 cents to 25 cents while also increasing the size so that the monthly comics were suddenly the same size as an annual--Book 2 ends in the middle of the 2-part saga where Roy Thomas has Michael Moorcock's Elric show up to cross swords with Robert E. Howard's Conan. However, these trifles are outweighed by the fact that these comics are being reprinted so that I can enjoy them without taking my originals out of their sacred plastic bags and by the gorgeous job of re-coloring each comic that makes them look much better than ever before. The coloring alone makes these worth having, it is that stunning.

Included in this collection are the following issues of "Conan the Barbarian": #9 "The Garden of Fear," based on Howard's story of that name, where Conan encounters a winged demon in a tower; #10 "Beware the Wrath of Anu" where Conan joins forces with another thief in a Corithian city. When his partner is betrayed (and executed by hanging on a memorable page drawn by Windsor-Smith), Conan goes after the Red Priest himself for revenge and ends up taking on a giant bull; #11 "Rouges in the House" is also based on a Howard short story, is a 34-page epic in which Conan is betrayed by Jenna and released from prison to help with a little intrigue and ends up taking on a giant ape (notice a theme developing here?); #12 "The Dweller in Dark" is only 16-pages long and has Conan taking on a giant octopus (really); #13 "Web of the Spider-God" was plotted by John Jakes, the creator of "Brak the Barbarian," and has Conan taking on a giant spider; #14 "A Sword Called Stormbringer" was plotted by Elric of Melibone creator Michael Moorcock and James Cawthorn, and has Conan hooking up with Zukala's daughter (from issue #5) before clashing with Elric. The two band together to fight a common foe, setting up their encounter in the next issue with the Green Empress. Most of these issues are inked by Sal Buscema, although he is not listed for #12, which may or may not indicate that Windsor-Smith did the inking as well on that one.

"Rogues in the House" is indeed the best of the bunch and the overall focus is on Conan as primarily a thief at this point in his career, who keeps finding new monsters to fight each issue. But you can see why "Conan the Barbarian" was such a critical success and you can also see how Windsor-Smith's art improves with ever issue as he becomes more and more stylized. While Thomas is inviting other noted sword & sorcery writers to provide plots, he is also continuing to mine the Howard oeuvre for stories and embellishing what he finds with much more of a sense of character than in the original pulp fiction yards from the 1930s. The next two tradepaperback in this series are "Chronicles of Conan Volume 3: The Monster of the Monoliths and Other Stories," which reprints #14-#15 and #17-#21 of "Conan the Barbarian," and "Chronicles of Conan Volume 4: Red Nails and Other Stories," with issues #23-#26, and material from the second and third issues of Savage Tales, including the Thomas and Windsor-Smith masterpiece "Red Nails."

I had previously read Poul Anderson's take on Conan ('Conan the Rebel") and found it irritating - Conan is overdone and overblown in the extreme. To my disappointment, I found that the original Conan has every feature to his character that I disliked magnified by a factor of 10!

But, to be honest, what has turned me off with both books is both authors' use of language - it is as if they both sat with a thesaurus and looked for the macho words to substitute for the regular ones. That's okay for some scenes but for every single action Conan takes? The phrase that made me put the book down was when Conan "laughed gustily". I did too, and then I put this book down and picked up anything else.

Other readers may not understand that this was written in a different era. A time when a high school diploma and meant something. Since it was written before the Great Depression for a pulp fan magazine. The language and style is from the past, but the story is powerful and fully fleshed out. I will never sell my copy of this book or of any other Robert E. Howard's works that I own. He is a classic swords and sorcery writer, with the biggest hero ever. Conan

Read it as he wrote it, not as some hacks have tried to write stories of Conan. All other "Edited" or "Enhanced" versions are junk compared to how Howard wrote these stories. Don't waste your time on the other "Conan" authors. Only Robert E. Howard wrote Conan, and only his words as originally written are worth your time.

This is the first Brother Cadfael mystery i've read. It was, perhaps, not the most fortuitous choice i could have made; certainly it was rather different from my expectation. Part of the difference can, of course, be explained by the fact that i have seen some four or five of the adaptations starring Derek Jacobi, so despite my best efforts i interpreted everything i read through that filter, seeing the characters in my mind according to their development in the television shows. The murder/mystery is well plotted out, though simple not quite simplistic, and nicely both hidden and revealed. I can point to the exact paragraph, sentence even, i was reading when i suddenly knew ~ not through anything revealed in that paragraph ~ the solution; the rest was mere reading to prove myself correct and see how Peters would handle the results of the revelation. Though this was not what i expected, i shall read another Cadfael book, just to learn a little more about him, and to see if i can't erase Jacobi's excellent interpretation from my mind.

In this eleventh chronicle of Brother Cadfael of the Abbey of St.Peter and St.Paul in Shrewsbury, the ongoing war between King Stephen and Empress Maud has come to a stalemate, following the sacking and burning of the city of Winchester. With Stephen still a prisoner in Bristol, Maud had barricaded herself and her forces within the city when Stephen's queen, Matilda, attacked the city with fire arrows, destroying the monasteries and convents and causing the general flight of all who could escape. Two Benedtictine monks arrive at the Shrewsbury Abbey, begging for refuge and a new home. Humilis, the elder, is an ex crusader, like Cadfael, but had been severely wounded in battle. Fidelis, the younger monk, is mute, and is Humilis's carer, tending him with complete devotion. Cadfael realises that Humilis is close to death and tends him with loving care. At the same time, a hue and cry is set up to find the whereabouts of the former fiancee of Humilis who had wished to enter a convent after her betrothal vows were rescinded by Humilis who knew that he could never be a husband to her with his shocking wounds. Sheriff Hugh Beringar is afraid that the girl was robbed and murdered en route to the convent as she was never seen again. Wise and worldly Cadfael sees beyond outward appearences and soon becomes aware of the deceptions being carried out. With his aid, the well meant perpetrators reach a satisfactory conclusion to their trouble and the life of the Abbey goes on as smoothly as possible in these turbulent times.

"... this story was most tedious and far-fetched. I couldn't believe that this young woman would do what she did for a man she hardly knew..."

I am currently reading The Crusades by Zoe Oldenbourg. From this book and others, the type of action taken by this young woman is very believable *FOR THE TIME*. Women worshipped heroic men and marriage was not a match for love, but for property. To put it in a more modern perspective, what if a young girl was told that in 10 years time she would be the wife of Harrison Ford or Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt or Kid Rock.

Certainly, she would spend much of her growing years yearning for every scrap of information and growing into a bond with the legend of him.

This is the fourth Brother Cadfael mystery that I have read (I happened upon a random selection in a neighbor's giveaway bin) and it is definitely the best so far. The title, taken from the Book of Common Prayer ("O God, who hast consecrated the state of Matrimony to such an excellent mystery"), is more than apt.

The overall theme of this installment could be briefly summarized as "things are not what they seem". While this is true in most mystery novels it is true in spades here. A young women is mugged and murdered--or is she? A monk has a homosexual crush on another monk--or does he? Sorry, I've probably already said too much.

As usual, there are several romantic plot threads, always a nice touch in the midst of a mystery story. Brother Cadfael, in this installment, does not use his deductive powers so much to solve the mystery as to analyze it as it unfolds. This heightens the suspense because we don't get let in on the inner workings of Cadfael's mind.

Another reason why this novel rises a notch above the others is the role that the 12th century English history plays in the story. In previous installments the history, while interesting and informative, sometimes makes the book hard to get into. Here, the history plays a central role in the story, as the civil war between King Stephen and the Empress Maud provides both the impetus for several new characters to show up in Shrewsbury, as well as making it more difficult to track down the information necessary to solve the mystery.

In addition to being a good read, I think this would make a great movie. I see from another review that the series has been dramatized, presumably for British TV. It's too bad this series is not more widely circulated, perhaps if more people knew about it a movie would be more likely. Or, alternatively, maybe somebody should make a movie anyway, so that people who would not normally read the books can enjoy these excellent mysteries.

It is the late summer of 1141. The war between King Stephen and Empress Maud to decide who will rule England continues. As the fighting rages, the abbey in Winchester is destroyed and two of the displaced monks find their way to the Abbey of Saints Peter and Paul at Shrewsbury. Brother Humilis is a former crusader who is slowly dying of his wounds. He is accompanied by Brother Fidelis, a young mute who is devoted (for reasons unknown) to the care of Humilis. But their relationship is only one mystery. Another is what has happened to Julian Croce, a young woman fron a manor in the north of the shire who seems to have disappeared while on her way to join a convent near Winchester.

Peters books are a pleasure to read. She exhibits an elegant turn of phrase that. As someone else here has already remarked, she makes the "grim and gritty middle ages" sound like someplace you might actually want to live. And this is one of her better plots. I figured out what was going on about halfway through, but only because I got an unintentional hint from someone who had already read the book. Even so, it was a pleasure to watch the story unfold.

Elegant style and clever plotting aside, however, the story is a bit over-romanticized. For example, at one point Nicholas rides non-stop from Winchester to Shrewsbury, through both day and night and, finally, through a storm. He "must get his tale at once to the ears of authority" and he "dared not stop hating, or the remaining grief became more than he could stand." All this intense feeling over a girl he had only met once, three years earlier. Sorry if this makes me a chauvinist, but clearly this is a woman writing about how women wish men felt about them. This is the mystical ideal of chivalrous love. It isn't how a young man would really feel under such circumstances. This is typical of Peters and it doesn't really hurt the story, but it is a bit gushy and you can tell a woman wrote it. For a male reader, it's just a little over the top.

Peters is a charming writer. She paints a vivid, if somewhat romanticized, picture of life in the 1100's. Cadfael and the rest of her characters are congenial and her stories are light, but entertaining. The mysteries are sometimes a bit transparent, but not this one. This is one of her better ones. Cadfael fans will definitely enjoy it. Others should keep in mind that this is definitely a romantic mystery. Also, if you haven't read a Cadfael mystery before, you should consider starting at the beginning of the series. That said, I recommend "An Excellent Mystery" to those who like this type of story. It's better than most.

I love these books and have read everyone now. This one is as a good as the others. I am glad that Owen has finally returned to Wales for a time. Brother Michelo's growth is fascinating.

I agree totally with the reader who wrote that a simple list of characters would have helped. I too, thought the names were very confusing, Dafydd, Dyfrid, the dogs names so close to the men's names...ahhh. The names were also very long. I found myself having to go backwards to read to figure it all out. It was more work than enjoyment. I have read about 5 other Candance Robb books and I enjoyed this one the least. The others were very good.

How do I rate the best thus far in a series of 5-star books?!?! If there were more stars, this book would get them from me. I read it in one day, devoured it like Belgian chocolates. What can I say? I loved the journey through Wales, the pilgrimage. It was great to meet Martin the Fleming again (Jasper's old friend). Sir Robert and Michaelo were wonderful. Tangwystl, yes what a beautiful name. It was fascinating to find out Owen's feelings upon revisiting Wales, crossing the Severn, meeting up with countrymen and family. The author does a phenomenal job of characterizations. The bard Daffyd was fascinating, as were his friends Cadwall and the two dogs. Great books, all of them so far, but this is my favorite. I've been to Wales and this book captures the mystery perfectly!

Spring 1369, Owen Archer, one-time soldier and spy is out recruiting archers for the Duke of Lancaster, but he is also on a mission to find out whether the Duke's own steward is betraying him to the Welsh rebels. Trouble goes before them and a body in the Duke's livery is left at the city gates.
All of Candace Robb's novels have great appeal to those interested in the medieval period and this one is no exception. Owen Archer is a believable hero and the area of York in which he lived is not too far from my own home which lends a extra dimension to the novels from me.

I think this is my favorite so far of the Owen Archer series. It certainly gives one much to think about. Although A Gift of Sanctuary takes place in Wales and lacks the Archbishop's Spy Owen's charismatic wife, Lucy, the apothecary, it does expand on the characters of her father Sir Robert D'Arby and of the Archbishop's secretary, the mercurial Brother Michaelo. These are characters with which the reader has become familiar in earlier works. When the elderly knight and the irritating brother are thrown together as companions on pilgrimage to a sacred site in Wales and travel with Owen who is on a mission for the Duke of Lancaster, the reader has the opportunity to know them better. Both individuals grown in depth throughout the story, adding human interest to the story of murder and love betrayed. Indeeed, the story focuses as much on the development of these two people as it does on the mystery itself.

Haunting too is the tale of Owen's long separation from his family and of the many changes that are wrought by time in one's absence from home. In the years during which the action takes place, travel is a dangerous pursuit undertaken only rarely and then usually for religious or commercial reasons. Most people had not travelled more than a few miles from their home. For Owen, who left home years before to become an archer for the Duke of Lancaster, returning home to Wales is a bitter sweet experience at best.

Interesting too is the reintroduction of the poet Chauce--he appeared in an earlier story as well--and of a Welsh bard (with whose name I am unfamiliar). Both add some comic relief to the story, especially Dafydd ap Gwilym who plays a wise fool throughout. I took a class in Middle English, reading Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, when I was working on my MA in history, and although I struggled through the unfamiliar and vaguely familiar words of the poetry, I never learned much about the man himself. Robb's recreation of his personality, while it may not be perfectly accurate is probably not far from the truth.

Again the author provides an interesting summation of the history of the period, including the political climate of the Welsh-English frontier of the 14th Century.

Bloodstone Castle
Heinrich the Fowler: Father of the Ottonian Empire

In 18th century Holland, after the tulip trade boom, the Dutch people turn their interests and their hearts to artists such as Rembrandt and Franz Halls. Hendrick Visser is a student of art under Franz Hall. The sale of his paintings would earn him a comfortable living were it not for his compulsive gambling and incessant drinking. His vices continually force his family into a hand-to-mouth existence and always on the edge of devastation and financial ruin. Despite his failings, his wife Anna, and three daughters Francesca, Aletta, and Sybylla, love him and help him through his scrapes. When Hendrick's wife dies in childbirth, his three daughters become even more vulnerable to their father's vice-driven whims and desperate acts.

Francesca, Hendrick's eldest daughter is a talented artist and she has been assigned to study with Johannes Vermeer, a master artist from Delft. Francesca falls in love with Pieter van Doorne, a tulip merchant. Meanwhile, Hendrick looses heavily at gambling. Desperate to pay off his gambling debts, he secretly enters into an arrangement and ransoms Francesca off to unscrupulous man named Ludolf van Deventer who has become obsessed with her, even to the point of committing murder. Not only is Francesca terrified of the man, but she is also repulsed by him.

Aletta is fearful of leaving her future in the hands of her father so she begins to paint, selling her work secretly to a lower class of society. When Hendrick discovers her sub-standard clandestine ventures into the art world, he destroys her paintings and banishes her from his home and his life.

Sybylla seeks escape through marriage into a rich family and is highly materialistic.

The Golden Tulip is a tale about the three sisters and their struggles to overcome the turmoil in their lives caused not only by societal mores and values, but by addiction. Rosalind Laker sweeps her reader into 18th century Holland, successfully bringing to life wonderful vividness and authenticity. She knows well the customs, history, and world of artists during that time. As always, her novels have wonderful three dimensional characters and extraordinary plot twists. Rosalind Laker's novels never ever disappoint and always make for fascinating reads.

The Golden Tulip will appeal to the heart of all those who struggle to reach their dreams. The story, set in periods of Dutch history, weaves innocence and deception into a captivating tale.

You are carried back in time to notable confrontations with stunning realism. Artistic creativity of the true masters, bright and bold fields of tulips, and the dark side of unethical behavior all surface in unexpected places. Each chapter addresses the challenges of one of the character, and you are often left wondering when they will reappear. If you try to predict the next move, you best put on your detective cloak. The author skillfully uses twists and turns surprising even the best of readers.

The characters, though a bit confusing at first, grow vivid and real with each turning page. Some are intensely and intimately described and yet others are mysterious shadows. There is a wonderful variety of naivety, common sense, shocking reality and evil in its purest form. Action fills almost every page and a rollercoaster of emotional challenges soon beset the reader.

The story has many side plots which enhance the book. You will find a wide web of intrigue at its finest, romance with shocking consequences, and shameful dishonesty with scandalous results. The overall writing style flows easily. The settings and actions come alive as the author reaches not only your senses but your heart as well.

The Golden Tulip is a wonderful story for those who love to dream. It may surprise you what the human heart can endure...and still survive.

Armchair Interviews says: Everyone can relate to having dreams.

Winning the Highlander's Heart
Francesca Visser is the daughter of a Dutch painter, talented in painting as well. When her mother dies, she takes over the role of administering the family's money, which is no easy task as her father is a habitual gambler. But her mother thankfully had deceitfully "apprenticed" her daughters under her husband's teachings by forging his signature and when the father's art agent insists on using the money from the sale of a painting of Francesca to further her art education under another famous artist, her father agrees. Only she must give up her love of a tulip merchant in the bargain.

A fascinating tale of how women in Holland could actually become master paintings with the proper tutelage, how life there was during the 19th Century, how destitute artists like Rembrandt were, who died in abject poverty despite his talent, how so many of the people died young, including the two women he loved at thirty and thirty-eight years of age, and how even the tulip merchant's family had died early on due to the plague. It's a fascinating tale of an artist family's dynamics, of tears and joy, set so realistically in another time, another place, I felt I'd time-traveled there. Kudos to Ms. Laker for The Golden Tulip, a fascinating read and keeper for my historical fiction collection.

The Golden Tulip

This is my first book from this author. I did really enjoy it. Three sisters help guide their father and take care of him after their mother has passed during childbirth. One is the caretaker, one is selfish and one is in between. The father has bad gambling problems and gambles the worst thing EVER, his oldest daughter's future to one of his patron's to get out of a HUGE gambling debt. We follow Francesca's story quite a bit, but we also follow the other two sisters as well.

I did enjoy this book quite a bit, I won't give away anything in my review. It had me hooked from Chapter 1. I could just picture Holland. However, it wasn't as it said on the back cover. "Tulip mania" had already ended. It will be an unforgettable book and I will be wanting to check out more from Ms. Laker.

I first encountered the novels of Rosalind Laker back in the 1980's, and rather enjoyed her blend of romance and history. Her historical research was solid and interesting, and while sometimes the characters were a bit off the mark, there was enough in them to interest me. Then I stopped seeing her works on the shelves and I moved on to other writers. Now Three Rivers Press is bringing her backlist (previously issued books) back into print, and I scooped up The Golden Tulip on a recent excursion into a bookstore.

Set in Holland during the seventeenth century, this tells the story of the three daughters of Hendrick Visser. Hendrick is an artist painting in Amsterdam, and is a broad fellow in his desires. He adores his wife and children, and while he's very competent at what he does, money just seems to flow through his hands. His wife Anna is more than a little fed up with his behavior, but she loves him very much, and manages to keep their household together. Of their three daughters, the eldest two, Francesca and Aletta, have the most artistic talent, while the youngest Sybylla, is a cheerful butterfly of a girl, dreaming of a life of leisure when she snags a rich husband of her own.

But unexpected tragedy hits when Anna dies giving birth to s stillborn son, and Aletta suffers from a violent encounter in the street. The family is badly scarred by this -- Hendrick focuses more on gambling and drinking, Francesca takes on the chores of mothering her family, Aletta withdraws emotionally, and only Sybylla seems to remain unchanged. But as the three girls mature, we get to see them moving into the wider world of Amsterdam and Delft.

Most of the story centers around Francesca, and her growing talent as an artist. She seems to be unaware of her own beauty, and wants to excell and make a name for herself as an artist. But it seems that her father Hendrick is reluctant to see her skills improve and have her apprenticed, either to herself or someone else. When one of the rich merchants of Amsterdam, Ludolf van Deventer, sees a painting of her as the goddess Flora, he offers to help the Visser family, including seeing Francesca apprenticed to none other than Jan Vermeer in the town of Delft. Francesca faces a long separation from Pieter van Doorne, a young farmer of tulips, but she is also certain that one day she and Pieter will be together...

The other two sisters are not neglected as well. Aletta decides that to trust in having her future in anyone else's hands is too dangerous, and so she struggles to master her artistic talents by herself, and sells her own paintings secretly. When her father discovers this, he destroys her work, and banishes her from the house to fend for herself. Sybylla is the bit player in this threesome, and unfortunately doesn't get much of the story for herself.

Set against the world of art, with Jan Vermeer as one of the main characters, and with appearances by Rembrandt, this makes for a very satisfying read for me. Laker knows the world of the Dutch artists and merchants well, and manages to weave in the history of the time as well. There's all sorts of little snippets about daily life, the customs of the time, the arrangement of the guilds. For those who don't think that women could work and live on their own, I'm happy to say that Laker didn't make her story up -- women were a growing force in Holland at the time, enjoying more economic freedom than most women in Europe at the time. Her knowledge of art really glows here, and I was easily able to identify the works of art that she describes. But with freedom also comes the darker side, especially with one of the villains of the piece, Geertryd, who is one of the nastier characters that I come across in fiction of late. What finally sold the book to me as a 'keeper' was the rich depictions of the story, and the fact that Laker makes her characters very human and ordinary -- everyone has flaws here, from ego, pride, jealousy and then mixes it all in with ambition, talent, love and generosity.

The biggest problem that I have with this one is that some of the main characters are a bit flat. Sybylla, especially, isn't much more than a gadfly, even towards the end of the novel, and with her two sisters so richly fleshed out, it was a real disappointment. Another problem that I had was with the description of the Prince of Orange, who makes a brief but important appearance -- he's shown as a tall, commanding man, when in reality he was a short, pretty ugly man with a brilliant mind for generalship and a wise sense of politics. It's a minor point, but it's still annoying to find a lapse in research. Another problem was that every now and then the writer breaks off to explain something in terms of action, instead of incorporating it into the story, and it gets jarring after a while. It was these mistakes that kept the novel from being a five star work, and dropped it down to a four star read overall.