Windsor Books

MONSOON? TITLE SOUNDS GOOD, I`LL TRY IT. BUT WHO IS WILBUR SMITH? I NEVER HEARD OF HIM, NOR HAVE ANY OF MY FRIENDS. WELL, I`LL TRY THE BOOK, WHAT CAN I LOSE? I`LL TELL YOU WHAT I LOST ONCE I STARTED THE NOVEL- SLEEP!!, I JUST COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. I READ THRU THE NIGHT. WHEN FINISHED, THE FIRST THING I DID WAS GO ON AMAZON & STARTED TO ORDER AS MANY OF HIS BOOKS THAT I COULD FIND. I HAVE READ THEM ALL, & HAVE TURNED ALL MY FRIENDS ONTO WILBUR SMITH. OTHER THEN TRAVANIAN, HE`S MY FAVORITE. IF YOU LIKE EXCITING ADVENTURE, EXQUISITE WRITING, CHARACTERS (who jump out of the book & involve you in their lives, the african life as you could never have dreamed.) LOOK I COULD GO ON FOR DAYS, BUT JUST TRY MOONSOON FIRST & GO ON FROM THERE.....I PROMISE YOU`LL THANK ME. R R

Monsoon is the typically gripping Wilbur Smith epic. No matter what the subject, Smith enthralls his readers and refuses to release them, even after the novel has ended. This story, that of Hal Courtney and his four sons is an incredible story of courage, adventure and integrity. I can highly recommend this book to anyone who likes exploration, adventure, action, and the unexpected. Smith delivers on all counts. If you've never read a Wilbur Smith novel, this is a great place to start!

to hook me into the Courtney Family. I love nothing better than a sweeping family epic that spans the ages, allowing me to fllow along as one legacy brings about the next mans legacy. This book did not disappoint but then Wilbur Smith seldom disappoints.

Page 339 in the edition of Monsoon I have: The footmen set down the litter down next to the carriage and there was a moment of confusion when nobody seemed certain what to do next.

I am astonished at the reviews that Wilbur Smith is getting. Quite frankly I'm astonished Wilbur Smith has been published. The story is amateurish in its presentation and completely without direction.

The characters are without any sort of psychological depth whatsoever and it was probably two hundred pages in before I finally was able to figure out if there was even a main character. Smith jumps from shallow heroic character to shallow cliche-evil character on a whim and with total disregard for narrative restriction or structure.

Anyway a friend lent me this book hoping I would like it and I rarely leave a book unfinished once I start it, but this one is really hammering away at my patience and taste. I'm half way through this book now and I swear to God if Tom recites his vow to get poor Dorry back one more time then I vow to bury this book at sea. And by that I mean flush it down the toilet.

I swear Wilbur, I swear I will flush Monsoon down the toilet if it takes me the rest of my life, I swear it.

I had never heard of Wilbur Smith, but he was recommended to me by friends in South Africa. At the airport I looked for one of his books and found many. All about 1000 pages long with embossed covers signaling bodice rippers. With a ten hour flight ahead, I thought, what the heck, give it a try.

The first impression proved accurate. What a silly, inconceivable story which can never seem to find a focal point. The three Courtney heros are gods on earth. They speak in a matter of months whatever language they come in contact with (including Arabic and obscure African dialects), they are amazing fighters who succeed in shaking off injuries more rapidly than a professional wrestler, they have an aura of command, even at age 10 or 17 that shames the most seasoned captains, they are great lovers (of course) etc. Good Lord! What two dimensional, predictable characters. And what a complicated, never-ending collection of ridiculous epic romances.

I will leave Wilbur Smith in the future to my South African friends (he is, after all, a South African, though he now lives, I understand, on the Isle of Maurice)and to the airport book stores.

Out of curiosity, I scanned the 91 reader reviews found on the Amazon site. Only 4 of the 91 seem to share my low opinion of this lightweight attempt at a good adventure story. Which confirms that Mr. Smith knows how to write for his public. And can afford exile from his native land. Which he richly deserves!

Christopher and Dana Reeves are sadly missed by many! Their stories are inspirational and supportive to a community that needed much more awareness. Chris Reeves did this! Writing his tell all story took courage and strength which he had much of.

These two people will be forever known for what they left in this world along with their children. This book is a must read for anyone, even if you feel at your bottom. It will help show you the way.

Bless them in heaven!

Merna

Pocket of Pearls: A 30-day pocket workbook to start hearing a softer voice inside of you!

This honestly written books gave me goosebumps. The first two chapters are the most riveting.

I thought the book was very well written. It was very easy to read. It showed a lot about the courageous Reeve family and what they had to live through on a daily basis and what contributions they made to persons with disabilities.

I absolutely loved this book! I have loved Christopher Reeve since I was a small child. This book made me feel like he was writing to me personally, sharing the intimate details of his life. It made me feel close to my life-long hero and is probably the best book I have ever read. The way he described his love for his wife helped me open up my heart and let myself fall in love again. I recommend this book to anyone who's admired Mr. Reeve or is in need of inspiration.

Christopher Reeve's inspiring autobiography begins with the 1995 riding accident that left him a paraplegic when he was 42. The book then flows between the present and his past, detailing his childhood, extensive stage career, and sudden fame as Superman in 1978. In addition to being a popular leading man, Reeve was also a dedicated sportsman; the contrast between his life before and after the accident and the regimen required to not only survive but live an active and rewarding life is a fascinating story.

He credited his wife and children for sustaining him and giving him his love for life, and he found great joy and purpose in working on behalf of spinal cord research. His writing is honest and intimate. I'm glad he was surrounded by so many people who loved him to the end.

It's 1799 in India, and Sharpe is 22, a private and thinking of deserting. His arch enemy, Hakeswill, is making his life a misery, and he is bored of the army routine of "hurry up and do nothing". Provoked into striking Hakeswill, Sharpe is flogged. After only part of the sentence is carried out, he's then offered a special assignment. From then on we are taken on a fast and furious action-packed ride based around the Siege of Seringapatam, with Sharpe joining Lieutenant Lawson on a mission to infiltrate the enemy to seek information and free Lawson's uncle who has been captured by the Tippoo.

Cornwall makes no effort to gloss over the privations and unfairness of army life, particularly for the rank and file, and spares no detail of the blood and gore of the events leading up to the siege and the final battle itself. Chronologically, this is the first episode of the Sharpe saga, and is based on real-life events, and the author openly acknowledges where he has altered proceedings giving as his reason "... fictional heroes must be given suitable employment".

This is a well-written and researched book, with loads of local colour and much 19th Century cant to evoke the atmosphere of the times. Its fast paced action gets you hooked into the storyline right from the first page, and I found myself unable to put it down. Admittedly, Sharpe's attitude towards women is definitely not PC, but does reflect both his character and the prevailing attitudes of the times, and we are provided with some glimpses of his softer side.

If you're looking for a pacey adventure based on historical fact, then I recommend "Sharpe's Tiger" as a great introduction into an engrossing series. For those of you wanting more details of the history around the Sharpe series, Cornwell recommends the timeline by Brian Timmins at [...]

I have read all the Sharpe's books thru the years. I love them all. My son likes to listen to audiobooks and I think he will enjoy these books as much as I do, so even though I own the book, I bought the audio version so he could listen to it.

a throughly enjoyable read. you can read this book for the simple joy of a tightly written, well plotted work of fiction, or as a novelization of historical events or enjoy both at the same time. Cornwell has a chapter in the back of each book that tells you what part of the book is historical fact and what part he inserted his characters in. I have enjoyed the progress of his characters through his many books, Sharp rises through the ranks from privet to major, because of his daring and courage and ambition, not something that happened very often in the British army where rank was generally purchased.

When I checked this book out of the local library, my favorite librarian looked concerned. Based on her knowledge of my reading habits, she was dubious that I would like Sharpe's Tiger. Knowing her reading tastes, I soon realized that the book is far too bloody, raw, and unrestrained for her delicate sensibilities. If you like your adventure stories to be pretty antiseptic in protecting you from grisly reality, this book won't be for you. If, on the other hand, you enjoy feeling like you are there and experiencing the story, you'll adore Sharpe's Tiger.

The year is 1799. The place is Mysore in India. Richard Sharpe is a relatively untested private who is good at thinking and acting quickly. After Sergeant Bickerstaff dies, Sharpe becomes first in line to marry his beautiful widow, a half-Indian half-English woman, Mary Bickerstaff. But that's a dangerous thing to do because one of the officers and a sergeant have designs of Mrs. Bickerstaff for immoral purposes that will bring some money to them as well. Sergeant Obadiah Hakeswill sets Sharpe up to make a fatal blunder, and Sharpe falls for the plot. As a result, Sharpe is at risk of losing his life.

While this is going on, Colonel McCandless who leads the British military intelligence activities has learned a crucial secret for successfully seizing Seringapatam, the well-defended Mysore seat of the Tippoo who is the most fierce and determined enemy of the British in India. Before Colonel McCandless can pass on the secret, he is captured by the Tippoo. McCandless's only hope now is that his emergency plan to secure a rescue will work.

Sharpe is drafted for a suicide assignment to pretend to be a deserter and infiltrate Seringapatam in an attempt to free the Colonel before the siege begins. His potential reward is to earn Sergeant's stripes so that he can be free of Hakeswill's authority. The story suddenly goes from army boredom to taut suspense as Sharpe's life is continually hanging in the balance.

The story provides a wealth of details about the British and East India Company armies at the time and the life of the independent Indian leaders. You'll also learn a lot about battle strategy and tactics of the time.

Richard Sharpe is a truly extraordinary hero for being cool under fire, resourceful, and quick to gain an advantage. He also has the perspective of a general without the rank and authority to do much more than lead his own steps when no superior officers are around.

The book is filled with exciting action, intriguing challenges, and brooding evil. Naturally, you'll be rooting for Sharpe to drive out those who are doing or want to do wrong. But the good versus evil isn't that clear. The Tippoo isn't a bad ruler: He's just the enemy of Richard Sharpe.

Although the book is somewhat simplistic in its morality, I think you'll enjoy a break from all of those books written today about anti-heroes.

I especially liked the glimpses of the young Arthur Wellesley before he became the famed Duke of Wellington.

I am looking forward to reading more books in the series.

First of all, I am a big fan of the series. I have read many of them, although not in the chronological order. When I got my hands over this book I was thrilled. But then I got to the part when he made up verses of the "Koran".
This is not a real review, I have not completed the book because of that, but I felt I should at least state the mistake in it.
I pride myself for being open minded. I didn't object to the fact that the enemy were a Muslim. There were and are some incredibly stupid ones in history, it is human nature, but I could not go any further from the page where the made up verse was. I rated three, even though I suspect I would rate it more if I could complete it, I can't. It may sound silly to you, but I was offended.
I know it is fiction, but one of the things I like about Cornwell is how much research he puts in his books, I wish he made sure everything was correct in it, we muslims, do read other books too.

For his first work of fiction, Scott Turow opted for that creature of an infinite number of crime noir books - the innocent man falsely accused. But PRESUMED INNOCENT is not noir, falling instead into the more generic genre of standard mystery. Rusty Sabich, a prosecutor in a fictional Midwestern county, becomes the center of suspicion when Carolyn, a former co-worker and lover, turns up dead. That Carolyn seemed like the type of woman who would have collected a number of enemies at the point in her life when she died, many of whom might have been happy to do the ghastly deed, seems not to dampen anyone's enthusiasm about pointing at Rusty instead.

Turow takes us through several plot twists and legal maneuvers. Rusty is, of course, a lawyer and knows the system. But so is Turow, the author, and his knowledge of the field comes through. The story line flows easily enough and, if not exactly Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is at least as good as the average mystery writer. Although we do not know for sure if Rusty is the killer until the end, we kind of suspect he is not.

While none of the characters are necessarily weak or poorly drawn, none of them are really all that memorable either. Well, with one exception, and it is a detriment that the most interesting character, the coroner, is also the one that is destroyed. Rusty's wife, and his relationship with her in a faltering marriage, is concrete enough for us to connect. But again, nothing memorable.

None of this is meant in a necessarily bad way. Plenty of books stay with me - because of how bad they are. PRESUMED INNOCENT is ok, and if you like your mysteries straight up, then give it a go.

I loved this book when I first read it in paper, so I was going to buy a copy for my Kindle so I could read it again (I gave my paperback to a charity sale), but was dismayed and definitely deterred by the incredibly unresonable out of sight price of the Kindle edition.

Update July 13, 2008:
I emailed the publisher about the Kindle prices and see today that the two books with the $20+ prices are now priced at $7 for the Kindle editions! Quick response from publisher. So I put both on my Kindle.

Now hoping for equally quick response on getting the rest of Turow's works available in Kindle format.

Moral of Story: If your favorite author isn't available for Kindle, write to both the author and publisher!

This is a strong, compelling story with a page-turner drive. Though longer than average, it's easy to read and took only a couple of days of concentrated effort to finish, and it was a pleasure to do so. My impression is that the most powerful element of this book is the characters - they are well drawn, with good voices, and consistent through the arc of the story. My only criticism is that some of the strong voices are stereotypical - but, of course, stereotypes come from somewhere.

I first read PRESUMED INNOCENT when it first came out in 1987, back when I was in my mid-teens. Having recently re-read it as an adult, I wonder how much of it I actually understood as a teenager. This is a book meant for mature adults.

This book is also quite good, a finely crafted legal thriller that succeeds at multiple levels. The prose in PRESUMED INNOCENT is first rate, and the major characters are drawn with great complexity and depth. This novel starts slowly, but once the trial begins about a third of the way through, it really takes off and becomes a highly suspenseful page turner. All the courtroom scenes are also terrifically well done and brim with authenticity, which shouldn't be surprising given Turow's background as a prosecutor in Chicago.

PRESUMED INNOCENT also succeeds as psychological drama. The protagonist of this novel, prosecutor Rusty Sabich, is 39-years old and is forced to deal with numerous career and relationship struggles that many men typically face at that age. I'm still not as old as Sabich, but this time around I found him much easier to relate to as a person. He's hardly perfect (all of the major characters in this novel are severely flawed in one way or another), but I felt quite a bit empathy for him by the end.

This book was published quite some time ago, before the high-profile debuts of writers like John Grisham, Patricia Cornwell, Michael Connelly or Jonathan Kellerman. For 1987, PRESUMED INNOCENT was quite a groundbreaking effort, and it largely holds up twenty years later. This novel has a richness and complexity to it that most thrillers sorely lack these days.

While PRESUMED INNOCENT may not be as cutting edge as it was in the 1980s, it's still a great read that is well worth your time. Turow is apparently writing a long-awaited sequel to this novel, and I am eagerly looking forward to it.

One of Turow's best, if not the best. I have not seen the movie, therefore the ending was a complete surprise.
I will not repeat what the other Reviewers have written, just wanted to rate the novel as I thought it was truly a 5-Star read.

This is my favorite Pilcher novel, liked it even better than the Shell Seekers. If you love reading about English life between the wars and are a fan of "Aga-sagas" you would enjoy this book.

I got so involved with the characters I was sad when it was over. It has good character development and an interesting storyline. An all around enjoyable read. I would definietly read it again...and that's saying a lot for me.

This book is my favorite book. I read my mom's old copy last summer and just HAD to purchase a copy to keep for myself at college. Readers can live the story themselves through the main characters. An interesting description of World War Two through the eyes of a young British girl, becoming a woman. Very touching and very seemingly realistic.

Yes, it was a delightful story, I couldn't put it down I didn't want it to end. I have to say the only one thing that I wish Mrs. Pilcher would of done different is maybe to add 25 more pages and talked about Judith and Jeremy, after all she went through in the 10 years that the story takes place she well deserved and we the readers deserved to be part of her happiness. I sure hope there would be continuation to this absolutely wonderful story.

Coming Home is one of those books best described as a "sprawling saga", starring the landscapes of Cornwall England. Coming Home is the story of Judith Dunbar, beginning with her girlhood in the seaside resort of Penmarron in the years before World War 2, her young adulthood during the war, and in its aftermath. The event that changed Judith's life was meeting Loveday Carey-Lewis at a department store kitting up in preparation for St. Ursula's boarding school. Judith has been placed in the care of her aunt after her mother and her sister moved to Singapore to be with her father. Loveday, spoiled and willful, but wild and fun, has special permission to go home on weekends, and she invites Judith to Nancherrow, the family estate. Judith is immediately enfolded into Loveday's warm family life. I wanted to resent the Carey-Lewises with their upper-class advantages, but Pilcher makes it impossible. In contrast with upper-class families as typically portrayed, they are a close family with good communication, physically affectionate and emphatically not snobbish. These advantages let the family adapt well to the harsh circumstances of wartime. Judith and her family moved around a lot, so Judith never associated any one place as the fixed anchor of "home". Nancherrow becomes that place for her. After reading Coming Home, I was ready to pack up and move to Cornwall, it sounded so idyllic. Palm trees, beaches, and English country estates - what's not to like. There's love and romance too, but Coming Home is more a woman's journey to adulthood than a boy meets girl story. As Judith grows up, she can transition from becoming the receiver of kindness and generosity to being a woman who is able to give to and care for others.

If you're an Anglophile with an appetite for big books, you'll enjoy Coming Home. If you like Coming Home, you might want to check out author Mary Wesley. Wesley also draws on her own experiences to write about the wartime period in England in a similar vein.

I LOVE this book! The first 5 chapters we slightly overkill. I didn't know teenagers were so experienced?! But as I read on, it was obvious! The escape hatch was the funnest! OMG, I was so scared! It was thrilling! Also, this book taught me about Creole's as an ethnic commodity, and a Creole as a social standing- only a class of rich folks.

I read this book first. Mainly because Tarnished Gold was yet to be released! However this book had everything I could wish for! A boyfriend, who knew how to take hold of what he wanted as a domineering social snob- who I feel in love with! That part of the book was AWSOME!!!

I love this book, and I truly didn't believe that Ruby and that THANG would ever get along! I loved the fragile man, who I felt was a beautiful coward...! A real man indeed, who just wanted to end the "Clutter" IE. SA!

Smooch! For all the divas!

So far I've read the Flowers series, Dawn series, and Heaven series. I have now started on Ruby. I have to say that Flowers and Dawn are my favorite, with Heaven I lost interest, cause I love Dawn so much and was upset when Dawn died, and then Heaven died, I stopped reading for awhile and wondered if they will kill off all the main characters in the 3rd book.
With Ruby I'm taking a chance, and with Ruby so far it is not that great. I had to struggle to get through this book, as agreeing with another review, "The first half is the best." Also there is loads of controversy over whether or not Beau raped Ruby or not. I say he most definitely did force himself upon her, and she like a stupid girl gave up. There is no romance there, and he constantly refers to her as not being like Gisselle. Which would personally freak me out being compared to someone so often. Therefore Beau is a Jackass.
All in all, I think im going to stick with this series for the time being
even know the series similarities are there: Rags to Riches, Horrible school life, odd lovers, fame and fortune, and inevitable death.

I have the real Gisselle here with me as I am the 'real' Ruby. This series touched me in so many ways. Usually I don't read gooey romance novels, but this one struck home. I could relate to the pain and suffering that Ruby was forced to endure--Being 'raped' by a man that her grandfather sold her to, Losing a father, being pregnant, having a sister that ruined her life... (Sorry Gisselle,you did, sweetie!)I can commune with quite a few of these things. this book made me feel as if there were other people who were going through the same things that I did, even though these people were ficticious.
And also...Beau is extremely hot.

I love V.C. Andrews books, but Ruby and Melody were the ones that I hated the most. I hope that Giselle girl doesn't come after me, but if you do it's just my opinion. I thought that Ruby was a nice girl, but she kept on letting Giselle get her into trouble instead of fighting back like she should've. That showed that she was weak. I admired her for leaving from Paul after finding out that they were related, but I didn't even read the second book when I found out that they would get married. Bless V.C. Andrews's soul, but once she passed the ones writing her books have been ruining her name.

I have consumed VC Andrews' books since her debut with Flowers In The Attic so many years ago. That was a "scandalous" book to a seventh grader. The Dollanganger saga was the first complete series I had. I read My Sweet Audrina--yech--the Casteel series, and the Cutler series, but none really grabbed my interest like the Dollangangers had.

Enter Ruby Landry.

I absolutely LOVE these books. Next to my copy of The Stand and my Harry Potter books, these books sit in the place of honor. I have bought and rebought these books I don't know HOW many times. And I don't know why.

Probably because it takes place in Louisiana, which, even now, after Katrina, is still a favorite state, second only to my own Texas. Probably because the bulk of it concerns New Orleans, which is my favorite city to visit. It's a kick to read about the streetcar, which I've ridden, the Garden District, which I've toured, the French Quarter, you get the message. You read these books, and you can almost smell the creole / cajun food, hear the zydeco music playing and the cicadas chirping in the background. (And if you read them in the summer, it's even MORE realistic!)

But you get to genuinely like and care about Ruby. She's talented, beautiful, like all of VC Andrews' heroines..but she's a lot stronger, I think, than the others. Cathy, you almost dislike sometimes, because she knows she's beautiful and talented, that she gets arrogant from time to time. Heaven you just want to shake and yell, "GET OVER IT!!" and Dawn, you want her to PLEASE get a backbone and quit being such a whiny baby. But Ruby is gentle, humble, and strong..she'll take and take and take and then BOOM!! she'll fight back..although I was wondering at first how much of Giselle's crap she would take. She stands up and accepts her mistakes, tries to always takes the high road..but even in her moments of weakness, not for one minute does she appear weak--except maybe in All That Glitters. I mean, come on...I think God would accept a divorce from your half brother, don't you?

But I do love the Ruby books. In my opinion, they are VC Andrews best work.

What a great surprise to find this book in perfect conditon at such a great price. thank you also for your promptness

What a treat for me. I had never before read a "swashbuckling" adventure story. Despite not understanding anything about ships and sailing(lots of the language was foreign to me) I was totally engrossed and caught up in the universal themes of strong family and friendship bonds, loyalty, revenge, good vs. evil, etc. To its credit, this book just takes you away. It reads very quickly(once you skip over nautical stuff).

An exciting read that is a kind of cross between Treasure IslandTreasure Island: The Graphic Novel (Puffin Graphics) and Anthony Adverse in Africa
Anthony Adverse in Africa. It has a little too much sexual content for even an high school level
but not very exceptional for popular novels today.
Details of sea life and the hardships of prisoners is vivid
and realistic, but the compounding of gun powder in the African wilderness is very unlikely.
Some suspension of credibility is to be expected with such fiction.
That there were wars between the colonial powers:
Belgium
France
Holland ( Netherlands)
England
Germany
Portugal
Spain
in Africa is not to be doubted. That the wars were this
extensive, this early is somewhat doubtful.
The matchlocks used match the ones in the film The Seven SamuraiSeven Samurai - Criterion Collection - 3-Disc Remastered Edition
as a Dutch weapon. The English of this period actually used Flintlocks
which needed no slow match from what I have read.

I was disappointed in this one because I was expecting something as well-researched and based in history as the old Hornblower novels. Suffice to say this one ain't.
It is riddled with historical inaccuracies. There was no war between the Moghuls and the kingdom of "Prester John" at that time. And there are so many little details which a modicum of research would have revealed, such as the (Urdu speaking) Moghul Maharaja speaking Arabic, or a description of what is obviously a hummingbird (which lives only in the Americas) -- small points but when I say this sort of thing was repeated ad nauseum you get the message.
Smith even borrows an incident from "Hornblower and the Atropos" in which someone is shot in the chest but the bullet travels around the rib to the back, where it lodges and causes fever and inflammation. Forster uses the incident for character development (the wound is the result of a duel between two cantankerous individuals; the wounded man is absolutely vital to Hornblower's mission and the other duelist is the doctor who has to save him while Hornblower is all but tearing his hair out). In Smith's hands, however, the wound is simply part of a battle and the extraction of the bullet the excuse for as much gore, pus, agony, etc., as he can lay on.
Also, I HAVE to ask: is anyone out there familiar with fencing or swordfighting? I've done a little fencing, and the climactic fight in which Hal kills the evil Colonel Schreuder turns on a trick of swordfighting which simply doesn't make sense to me. It sounded odd when I read it, then I tried to visualize it, then it seemed like nonsense. I even got a couple sticks and tried it out with aanother friend of mine who's a better fencer than I. It just doesn't work.
I gave it two stars because if you like gore, sex, and fantasy in a historical cloak, this is OK.

This was my first Wilbur Smith book. I thought it was all right for an adventure genre. There is enough historical research to add color. And it certainly moves along well. Many of the events are not believable, but you can say the same for James Bond. The book jumps between history and legend easily and superficially. Boys grow into manhood overnight. Women fall deeply in love by seeing someone from afar. Crocodiles are much more aggressive than in real life. But it is easy reading for passing a few hours.

I STARTED WITH PILLARS, THEN WORLD WITHOUT END AND THIS WAS MY THIRD KEN FOLLETT BOOK AND I MUST SAY, I WAS THRILLED AGAIN!!! I LOVE HOW INVOLVED I BECOME IN HIS CHARACTERS LIVES, AND WITHOUT FAIL SEX EVERYWHERE!

I wasn't really expecting much of this book, but was pleasantly surprised. I have read two other Follett books, The Pillars of the Earth and Night Over Water. Pillars is great, aside from the dismal sex scenes, and Night Over Water is completely forgettable.

This one is a nice page-turner. On top of the surprisingly interesting setting of 19th Century merchant banking, the characters are pretty well-developed. It takes a little while to get immersed, but once you are in there, it's easy to follow and enjoyable. I found myself really rooting for the protagonists, and without being a spoiler, it's nice that while everything doesn't turn out just peachy, basically everyone gets "what they deserve." There are some surprising twists -- some a little melodramatic, but not too over the top.

Overall, I'd recommend this. Not good for reading at night in bed.... I stayed up WAY to late to finish it!

I didn't think I would like this book because I'm not typically a fan of this period of history, but Follett managed to keep my interest piqued throughout the entire book. It starts out with kids at boarding school that are part of a nasty, secret accident and then follows the boys as they grow up and how their secret haunts them. Very twisted tale!

I checked this out of the library as an audio book, and I would say this is a perfect choice for a road trip. I would not have wasted my time reading, nor would I purchase this book. The characters are unbelievable--the main character is the ethical Hugh who is crossed over and over by his purely evil Aunt Augusta, and yet he never sees it coming and keeps coming back for more. By the end of the book I could barely care about Hugh--there's innocent and then there's obtuse. The plot is pretty predictable at times, the characters are flat & mostly one dimensional, the "coincidences" are as unbelievable as those of any Gothic novel, and much of the story is hard to believe given the time setting.

However, for a long car ride, it was perfect--certainly didn't have to think too much and the story does mostly keep you engaged.

This is a quite unremarkable, moderately entertaining work of fiction set in late 19th century England. As with another of Follett's works, A Place Called Freedom, it has little to recommend it over dozens of other similar novels set in the period.

The plot revolves around the Pilasters, a wealthy and contentious banking family, whose various branches struggle for control of the family business. Subplots involving a fictitious South American country and members of the British "underclass" bring some spice into the history. However, as with A Place Called Freedom, the most striking aspect of the novel is its utter predictability. Twists in the story become strikingly obvious scores of pages in advance.

I would rate this novel slightly above the aforementioned A Place Called Freedom, but both pale in comparison to Follett's two novels Pillars of the Earth and World Without End. Readers familiar with those works will likely be disappointed with this effort.

I read Princess years ago and purchased Daughters in the airport in Oman. I found it a quick read and finished it by the time I had returned to the U.S. While I enjoyed hearing more about Princess Sultana and her family, I found this book seemed to lack the continuity and narrative flow of Princess. I have since read Princess Sultana's Circle (aka Desert Royal) and found it also possesses a stronger sense of narrative than Daughters does. Daughters felt disjointed and incomplete to me. Subsequent chapters did not necessarily have much relation to previous chapters, whereas in Princess and Circle the book felt more continuous. I found the description on the back cover innacurate as each of Sultana's daughters only receives a single chapter (and Sultana's son receives one as well, so you can hardly say the book is only about daughters.) Other chapters focus on the lives of other women in Sultana's family of of her aquaintance. I also found it frustrating that there was little follow-up as far as how Maha and Amani (Sultana's daughters) were progressing with their struggles, even in Desert Royal. But if you enjoy learning about Sultana, her family, and her life this book will give you some more information. It just isn't of the same quality as the other two in the series. For those interested in the lives of women in the Middle East, I would also recommend reading about the lives of women in some less conservative countries, such as Oman, Kuwait, and the UAE. Sasson states that she isn't interested in Arab bashing and that she met many lovely Saudis in KSA, but in the U.S. people often have a very misguided sense of what Arabs are like and it is important to remember that the Princess series depicts the extremes.

"Princess Sultana's Daughters" is the second installment of Jean Sasson's trilogy about life as a woman in Saudi Arabia, as told to the author by Princess Sultana, a member of the royal family. This true story picks up shortly after the first book in the series, "Princess," left off. Although Sultana's husband, Kareem, is much more modern-thinking as far as the role of women in the Middle East is concerned, Sultana and her female family members still suffer greatly at the hands of the abuse and restrictions placed upon them by their male relatives. Now that Sultana's three children are older, her concern shifts from her own misfortunes to those of her daughters, Maha and Amani, who react to their oppressive situations in different disturbing ways. Even Sultana's son, Abdullah, is forced to make difficult decisions as a result of women's status in the country. Despite the many horrors that the women in Sultana's country face, most of the men in Saudi Arabia don't seem to care enough to speak out in an attempt to change the status quo.

I enjoyed this book very much. Sasson is an excellent writer and storyteller who vividly brings Sultana's world to life for the reader. Unfortunately, despite Sultana's wealth and apparent life of luxury, there is nothing glamorous or envious about the lives Saudi Arabian women lead. The women of the royal family may be rich, but their money is not their own, and they live each and every day at the will of their husbands or fathers, with absolutely no personal freedom. It's a horrific thing to imagine, and unfortunately, it's all true.

I re-read this book after recently finishing a book titled 'Girls of Riyadh' that focussed on four young privileged women in Saudi society, their lives, loves and disappointments. In my opinion, Daughters of Arabia is still a better read as it gives one a more in-depth look at Saudi society, in particular the oppressed lives of its women.

For readers new to the series, I would recommend reading "Princess' first as its a more gripping account of the life on one Princess Sultana in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, whose life of untold wealth and privilege doesn't make up for the extreme strictures placed upon her and her female counterparts in the kingdom. In Daughters of Arabia, Sultana's story continues, and do do her problems - her husband Kareem decides he wnats to remarry, and in Saudi society it is hard for a woman to say no, esp with the Islamic ruling that men may have up to four wives [though Sultana does stand her ground and refuse him]. It is mostly the story about Sultana and Kareem's two daughters, Maha and Amani, who react to their strict life and oppressive customs in opposing ways - one becomes a full-blown fanatic and the other suffers a mental breakdown.

This is an insightful read for those curious to know more about the lives of women in Saudi Arabia, especially the women in the upper crust of society [though there is some coverage of the abuses suffered by the poor].

I enjoyed the first book from Jean Sasson titled 'Princess' that detailed the childhood and adulthood of Princess Sultana in Saudi Arabia. Sasson's second book 'Princess Sultana's Daughters' while still an interesting and quick read, was not as impressive but if the reader is wanting to know more about the shameful treatment of women in Islamic culture and/or enjoys reading about life in the Kingdom's royal family, then this book is for you.

The endless and inordinate wealth from oil production has led to the spoiling and pampering of the Saudi Arabian elite . To hear Sultana describe so casually the uncontrolled spending and outrageous lifestyle of her family was almost sickening (and not from a jealousy standpoint!) Imagine multiple private jets for each family; huge palaces all over the world with silly features like solid silver doorknobs and silver coated stairways. Or how about having multiple servants at your beck and call who are treated and viewed as slaves. Imagine having a million dollars cash kept in the house for "just-in-case money" and each family members room safe for all their jewels (small children included!) It is just too much to take in one sitting.
You will be amazed at the arrogant and condescending attitudes and the sense of entitlement felt by members of the royal family-people who have contributed absolutely nothing positive to society but merely born into wealth.

Alas, even with all that money, one must never forget that Saudi Arabia is home to Islam and adheres to the strict interpretation of the Koran and Shari'a Law. Human rights for women, including the royal women, are non-existent. This book explains just a few of the ways women are not treated equally, for example: women must cover entirely; never be without a male family member; cannot travel without written permission and then only with an escort; cannot drive; cannot choose their marriage partner; can not divorce (but can easily be divorced); always at the mercy of the morals police who are constantly on the lookout with red spray paint and whips in hand to punish women for not being modest enough.

Throughout the book Sultana maintains Islam is NOT the cause of all the suffering and backwardness in her country. Even as she describes her fear of one daughters obsession with and literal application of Islam; or the death of a childhood friend, locked away as a young woman without any human contact for 15 yrs for allegdedly bringing "shame" on her family she asserts Islam is NOT the reason for the cruel oppressive treatment. The author defends her religion and puts the fault on Islamic men who interpret it incorrectly. It doesn't take much to see the irony of that statement. (see all other Middle Eastern countries!)
In no other culture/religion in the world do women suffer as much as Muslim women. I cannot agree with the political correct versions of Islam as peaceful and giving of equal rights, in fact it would be laughable if it weren't so sad.
Overall this was good book and should satisfy the readers curiousity of the wealthy lifestyle in Saudi Arabia.

I have read all the books in this series and I would recommmend that they all should be read. I think that these books should be required reading for all high school students. They are an eye opener to the way that part of world thinks and their beliefs. The books are very well written and a fast read.

This book draws you in and really holds your attention. The writer picks you up and plops you down in the world of these characters. You can really identify with the main charactor and how she views the world. Eccentric characters flow through this book but are not cliche. If you enjoy good writing, Southern humor,lean a little toward the eccentric..read this. The book is very well written and one of my favorites.

I read this book several years ago. After reading "The Rapture of Canaan" by the same author, I had to get this book as soon as it was published to see if it was a fluke. It wasn't. One would hesitate at a book that takes place primarily in a cemetery, but this wonderfully written book is in a class all by itself. Beautifully different.

I very much enjoyed this book. I'm in the process of hunting down all of her books.

This is by far my favorite book and I have read tons. I so wish should write a sequel or another like it. It was like leaving a good friend when I finished it.

This book should be put on your shelf of southern writers, right between William and Flannery. It is a story of a girl who becomes a bit of a grotesque through an accident. She becomes the primary caretaker of a cemetary, and is so in tune with the deceased that she can communicate and see them. This gift makes for a fine story. The description here is achingly beautiful, especially when Reynolds discusses nature. It is strangely comforting to those who have recently lost loved ones, too.