X Books

Distant Valor takes you to Beruit International Airport 1982-83, if you were their it conjures up feelings of loss, remorse and a deep dark need for revenge. Sgt. Griffin embodies all that is the career grunt, a need to prove himself in combat and defend the honor of the Corps. Cpl. downs is the sum of all young marines, trying to leave a past behind he is constantly reminded of the girl he loved. Not wanting to soil his memories of her with all the carnage he was now being exposed to he forces her into the the dark recesses of his mind so only he can access her. The warrior must learn to trust his young apprentice and deal with his own demons. faced with politics and 'Rules of Engagement" Sgt. Griffin makes a decision that would alter the Marine mission in Beruit and possibly end his career. From all non-coms thank you Mr. Moreau, your tell of war and honor has reminded me of what I loved and hated about my Marine Corps. This book reminds me that "it is better to die in the Corps. than live anywhere else" . Semper Fidelis........

A superb book for any would-be leader. A must read for young Commissioned Officers in any branch. You must understand the conflicts an NCO experiences during your absence--the absence may be due to your missing character, your narcissism--your service academy notion that you are always indispensable. Officers are often their own impediment to effectiveness. The young NCO in "Distant Valor" is doing the best he can. The First Sergeant, who has the trust of the Officers, is out of control, and everyone looks the other way because of a few hashmarks. The Junior NCOs are left holding the bag. NO senior enlisted leadership other than a corrupt 1st sergeant and NO Officer leadership until after the fact. Ineffectual Officer Careerism is shown to be the Mortal Sin that is always is. The spit and polish of the Corps is there at long green table of a courts martial proceeding. While the Officers were busy crossing the "t's", no officer wanted the ugly job of backing down the moslem militia chieftain. Read this book and walk a mile in their boots. Put yourself in their shoes. Find out where you fit in this complex weave of characters and then re-evaluate. Where SHOULD you fit? Should your version of leadership change? What is more important? Your Men? Your Country, or your career? Find the Balance... What would Chesty do? What would one of those "potted palms" back at Division" do ?

C. X. Moreau's book is a must read for all Marines--former and active duty--enlisted and OFFICERS! It is not just a story of the Marines' experience in Beirut, but an insightful view of the inner workings of the Corps. It explores the personal relationships between officers and enlisted Marines as well as those between senior staff NCO's and all of the other ranks. It is my opinion that Moreau is making a dynamic statement about the raw courage of the Marines with whom he served as well as voicing his frustration with some of the legitimate problems he encountered. His characters are set forth in an honest manner that not only shows their personal strengths and weaknesses but also provides an insightful view into the strengths and weaknesses of the Marine Corps system itself. This book should be utilized by each Marine for an in-depth objective review of his own current or past performance. I consider Moreau to be a patriotic and loyal Marine whose honesty has been provided for the benefit of today's Marines and a tribute to those courageous Marines with whom he served. Semper Fi, Moreau, from a former Marine officer whose respect you have thoroughly earned!

Unlike many contemporary authors who have never served a day in the military and always write about officers, C.X. Moreau digs into the minds of the enlisted men serving in Beirut during the early 1980s. His description of the antics of a First Sergeant who is out of control is so real - only a former marine could truly relate. The real tragedy in the book is that the U.S. Embassy was bombed in April - why was that bombing not a huge red light for Marine Corps officers and the U.S. intelligence community? I was a little disappointed in Moreau's handling of the embassy incident. There are not just civilians in our embassies - the marine detachments and the Defense Attache Office are very much a part of most U.S. embassies. Overall, the book was excellent. Moreau was not grinding an ax, but telling it like it was. Hats off to a good read and semper fi from a former marine sgt.

I got this for my son who is currently on a Marvel kick. He really likes non-fiction books, so he reads this one like it is a biography/history book, memorizing facts and being fascinated by the back-story stuff. A lot of fun for an early reader book and plenty of info/fun.

In one very special way, I had a wonderful childhood. My parents shopped at a small grocery store that had an extensive rack of comics. The owners were very nice people who allowed me to read the comics while my parents bought groceries. Since my father also bought his mother's groceries, I had plenty of time to read (devour) them all. Therefore, I was able to read the original issues of most of the superheroes that erupted from the fertile mind of Stan Lee at Marvel Comics. When I opened this book, I recognized the cover of the first issue of the X-Men series.
The early sixties were a time of great political uncertainty and scientific advancement. Lee used both of them to great advantage in developing the idea of the mutant with great powers. By developing the character of Professor X who gathered together many mutants at his school, a crime fighting team known as the X-Men was developed. The group has changed a great deal over the years, both in appearance and in membership. This is a history of that group and young readers can also learn something about the world. For example, it is noted that the bones of the winged X-Man Angel are hollow, just like those of real birds. Other relevant science facts, such as details about water freezing in the section about Ice-Man relate the powers of the X-Men to the physical laws of the universe.
I strongly recommend this as a book for young readers. The topic is one that they will find of great interest, it is very well written at the appropriate level and they can learn something about the world. Perfect for the young mind.

This easy to read book aimed at young readers serves as a perfect introduction for those unfamiliar with the original X-Men team: Cyclops, Marvel Girl, the Beast, Iceman, and Angel all studying under the tutelage of Charles Xavier, aka Professor X. The book also talks about Magneto and the first adventure that the X-Men took part in. The classic team has taken many changes over the years, but few teams will rival the original. Great introduction to the original X-Men team.

This is a great book for any X-Men fan or someone who just became interested in them. It tells how Professor Xavier, Magneto,Cyclops (Scott Summers), Marvel Girl (Jean Grey, also known as Phoenix, Beast (Hank McCoy), Angel (Warren Worthington III, also known as Archangle) and Iceman (Bobby Drake) came to become the first X-Men. It also gives some info about other X-Men like WOlverine and some of their recent and former enimes like Juggernaut, and Quicksilver. One thing I enjoyed about this book is it had a lot of pics. from old and recent comics. Overall this is a pretty good book!

It's refreshing to be exposed to erotic material that is incredibly sensual yet somewhat innocent. If you really want to smolder at the sight of the perfect female body, then BUY this book!

This hard-cover book features nice sketches and illustrations by Serpieri, including very explicit hardcore paintings you've go to see to believe. If you love Druuna series, you must take one!

If you are a fan of Paolo Serpieri's works or just a fan of erotic art, you owe it to yourself to pick this one up. Serpieri's mastery and love of the female form is evident in the detailed sketches contained in this volume. Druuna is one of fantasy's most beautiful women and the art world owes Serpieri a debt for such a wonderful gift. The material may not be for everyone, but it is at least worth a look. Thumbs up all the way.

This book is a compilation of sexually-explicit paintings, drawings, and sketches by Italian artist, Paolo Serpieri.

While the content is definitely not for everyone, Serpieri's mastery of the human figure, and highly detailed style make for an amazing collection of erotic art.

Like other Serpieri books published by Heavy Metal, this title is a little pricey considering the number of pages. Still, fans of Serpieri and this genre will not want to miss this book.

Recommended.

This was a great book to see the signs of trouble at work and whether you should fight once fired. Especially in present times, when company loyalty is gone people need this.

I read this book in 1999 (previous edition) and while I've not read the latest edition, this book provides as much information as possible - an attempt in bridging the gap between what you should know and "employment law". This book is no guarantee that in fighting back you will win - but it does tell you what you should know when getting canned. Far too few people truly understand their rights under employment law and big business knows it and the workforce populus in general is frequently taken advantage of because of it. If you live in an "at will" state - as an employee you have very few ways to fight back.

Read, know your rights, act and react appropriately, and stand your ground. But remember, losing your job may simply be a matter of economics or politics - good companies will treat you with dignity, bad companies will trash you - and they don't care! Remember these few maxims: 1. Sometimes HR is a four-letter word! 2. Company loyalty does not exist. 3. Plan for your retirement yourself because no one else is going to do it for you. 4. Anyone who is not management doesn't share in the profits but pays for the loss in profits. 5. Management and executives will "always win" - its a sad fact of business life.

The average employee will never see a golden parachute in their lifetime - - again.

I found this book by accident while browsing at Borders. At first I thought it was only for people who had been fired. In fact, it is an invaluable set of tools for figuring out if your job is at risk and for handling any termination process so that you "win" even if losing your job. This author, whoever he is, really understands the physics of the workplace and the psychology of those on both sides of the tabel. It is a book I will re-read several times.

In this day and age, anyone can be fired. The title of this book is a bit misleading in that it suggests that it is focused on getting back at your ex-employer. In fact, though it does a very good job on that subject, it is absolutely essential to read before anything bad happens. Great sections on how to handle the termination interview and how to negotiate severance

I bought this book figuring it would teach me a few design tricks, but I did not hold out much hope for more then that. I had bought a couple other FX and Design books and that is about all they were good for. Man, was I surprised!!

This book is PACKED full of subtle but incredibly important lessons about the in's and out's of Flash, especially the in's and out's of ActionScripting.

I have been trying to learn ActionScripting for a few months. I used to be a bookkeeper but have a disability now that prevents me from sitting so I am pretty much housebound. Every mishap has it's silver lining and advanced ActionScripting is mine. The first time I looked at a script from 'Flash Math Creativity' it made me drool. I had never dreamed there could be such a thing as scripting mixed with web design mixed with math mixed with so many other parts of the brain.

I took a Javascript class a few years ago and loved it so I suppose it is not surprising I love ActionScript but I could not get my head around the basics. I am surrounded by books on ActionScripting and Javascript and HTML/DHTML, etc, Some really good ones too. It wasn't until I read the first ten pages of this book that I started understanding. I actually learned how to use databases with Flash using Arrays! In the first ten pages!

If there is that much to learn in the first ten pages, can you imagine how much there is in the rest of the book? Well, it is a lot. If you are a beginner, if you are intermediate, if you are an advanced user, if you use Flash 5 or if you use Flash MX, GET THIS BOOK!

Phew, I can't believe I got so emotional over a book. Good luck with your future and happy scripting,
Leslie

I have read several books on Web design and also read Macromedia's Flash tutorials online. However, I found this book by Bill Sanders to be the most wonderful of all, because it guides me step by step through the essential commands. I found I understand how to do tweening so much better, understand the minute but essential details on creating a motion guide for a layer, and the explanation and project (example) on masking makes me understand the various layers to get special "spot-light" beam effect.

I feel I need to write this review because this book has helped me so much. I wish to congratulate Bill Sanders and the editorial team for a great job done! Thank you.

It's fine to read through, but I'm finding it is very difficult to reference.

Here are the problems I had with it:

1) The definitions in the glossary dont give thorough enough explanations.

2) The example scripts in the glossary rarely give the results of the given example.

3) The index is not very comprehensive. I look up "loadVariables" in the index...I can't find it ...it's under "variables" but not under "load"; I wanted to find out how to use access brackets to create a pathname that included a variable...no help...only one reference to access bracket is made under the subheading "Arrays" and the page referred-to hardly makes mention of access brackets much short of demonstrating the different ways they might be used.

The Author overall spends much too much time with "Projects" that demonstrate one way of using a series of scripts (and 90% of the explanations in these projects are of very simple scripts). Not nearly enough time is spent on demonstrating each script in multiple applications...like my above example of access brackets...there is more than one way of using them....or so I've found out on my own.

I like the way this book moves through Flash. The author speaks with a quite authority and spells out what I needed to know to get Flash 5 working for me. I'm a designer; so I don't need an art lesson, and I didn't get one. Instead I learned how to use all the tools in Flash to do my kind of art and design. This is not a baby level book--plenty of those are around. It's not a "guru" talking down to me either. This guy seems to know what designers want to get out of Flash 5, and he gives it to them. I really appreciated the chapters on animation concepts. It nicely ties in traditional animation with Flash and provides several good clear examples but all of the pieces there. I finally(!) found a good clear explanation of how to move an object along a path. Also, as a nice touch for anyone in design, the author provides a color palette for all of the projects giving the RGB values to plug in. This helped me learn how to use both the details of the color tools in Flash 5. (The color section in the middle of the book helps in seeing how to create your own color palette using the Mixer and Swatches panel.)

Another area that gave me fits with Flash 4 was masking. It's not that difficult with Flash, but the author walked me through it in a way that I finally got it. It's full of those kinds of "oh now I get it" insights. The sound chapter not only shows how to bring in differnt types of sound, but where to get sound and how to coordinate sound with animated movement. I really liked the sound chapter and the "music video" example and the explanation of how to stop and start sound in Flash.

The chapter on movie editing and navigation was ok and a good review of navigation in Flash was there, but it was just a little simple. But the ActionScript chapter is the best I've ever seen. I started to learn ActionScript in Flash 4, but I'm glad I didn't. Flash 5 ActionScript is lot different and IMHO is a lot easier to learn--especially the path system. (I like the dot syntax way better than the slash syntax.) Also, the author shows how to move MCs without using Tell Target. He used the dot syntax.

I don't use QuickTime so I more or less skipped that chapter, but the last chapter was the best I've seen on using Generator 2 and external files. I wish the book had more on the different types of Generator 2 objects, but I can create pie charts like a pro (if you want a pie chart). Using external files with loadVariablesNum() and loadVariables() is very interesting, and I learned how to do it, but I need to learn a lot more about it. It gets pretty advanced in the last chapter, but it was clear enough so that I didn't feel lost.

It's a nice book to have around. The index is fine and both loadVariables() and loadVariablesNum() are indexed --I think that other reviewer got his books confused-- and so it's great for looking up different techniques. So if you want a book to see how to develop professional quality (or just really good amateur quality) Flash 5 movies, I think you'll like this a lot. I know I did.

Coming from a programer whom went design this book is excellent! This is clearly the book you want to buy if you are a designer who knows how to do the pretty stuff but you want to combine that into Flash, and want to have knowledge of the program that will allow you to carry out your very own ideas. Flash 5 practically malformed itself from Flash 4 to the point that I was totally lost for a while, and this book explains that all, and issues related with designing in the new version. This is great information for anyone that is going to undergo the time consuming effort to produce a good flash movie. The tricks and tips are truly a wonderful addition to this book that some Flash books do lack. This is an excellent choice for any Flash Design beginner!

Usually, I simply rate items based on whether I like them or not, but Florine Asch's "My Italian Sketchbook" was worth the effort of a comment. I borrowed this book from the library and have now purchased this book because I was astounded by the beauty and volume of drawings in this Sketchbook.

The sketches are absolutely superb and nowhere close to being the rigid architecturally perfect "sketches" which I have seen in other books. Now I greatly respect the talent that it takes to do those other sketches but as a fellow watercolorist, I prefer the looser quality and nature of Ms. Asch's. Hopefully she has future holidays planned and thus future sketchbooks. As a side note, I would love to see the two sketchbooks relating to France (one in Paris and another in Alsace, I believe) of hers which seem to be very difficult to get here in the U.S. Highly recommend this book. It is beautiful and gives one a strong desire to travel!

Beautiful book. The artist makes even the most mundane object interesting. Inspiring for both the armchair traveler and aspiring artist. This is one fo the best in the "My X Sketchbook" series.

I have loved Italy since I was a child, something about the people, the food, the great scenery, old, historic monuments, there is just so much to learn about and appreciate, and this wonderful gem of a sketchbook does just that. Florine Asch takes us on a Grand Tour of Italy which is brought to life by her amazing, beautiful, detailed watercolors - MIlan & the Lakes [also noteworthy are depictions of daily life like in the bustling markets], Verona, Venice, Florence, Rome [the Piazza Navona], the Bay of Naples & Sicily. It is a riot of color, a lush depiction of Italian life, and the beautiful rendering of the Italian countryside & cities. A wonderful addition to the Sketchbooks series [of which I am a collector].

Florine Asch allows us to accompany her on a Grand Tour of Italy. She takes us along, at a leisurely pace, that does recall a time when travel was more about the journey than the destination. Dominique Fernandez, who writes the Introduction to "My Italian Sketchbook," tells us that "tourist" originally meant, "one who travels, not to arrive, but aimlessly, as the servant of beauty."

Ms. Asch's attachment to Italy is palpable in her glorious sketches, all executed in watercolor. Her elegant sketches, 100 of them, depict the known sites, and the scenes that are rarely seen by the hurried tourist. She captures a sunset view of Saint Peter's in Rome, the beauty of Lake Como, a Tuscan landscape, the medieval majesty of Sienna, the Renaissance glory of Firenze, the Duomo in Milan, a studio filled with Greek plaster figures, a horse and buggy by Rome's Trevi Fountain, the carnival in Venice, street scenes in Naples, a Sicilian piazza, and marketplace.

Florine Asch uniquely portrays the ordinary and extraordinary vistas, and views, of Italy. My tourist photographs never looked like this. A wonderful book to keep as a remembrance, or to give as a gift. Anyone who loves all things Italian, will love this book. I certainly do!

I have a 2 year old daughter who loves puzzles, blocks etc. so I thought she would enjoy pattern cards and she really does. She sits at the kitchen table and completes the pictures while I am cooking. She gets very excited when she puts a piece in the right spot and is even more excited to finish a card. Yes, the shapes move around on the card, but I just showed her how to adjust it back and she can do it herself now. The cards have different difficulty levels which is nice. Since she is only 2 I have hidden the harder cards so she can focus on perfecting the first 3 and then be excited about moving onto the next level once she is ready. The activity reinforces her learning of shapes and colors and how shapes fit together. I would definitely recommend this product.

These cards are sturdy, full color cards with clear lines to delineate between the different shapes, and have several levels of cards to grow with your child. For my children, these are a great way to practice their spacial relationship skills without the limitations of a puzzle to keep them in bounds. I highly recommend these to anyone with the pattern blocks!

My 7, 5, and 2 year old all played with these at an open house at my daughters school and loved them. So the hunt was on to find blocks and cards for the least expensive price out there. We found it! (blocks are cheapest through Madison Art shop) Our kids(along with granps and dad) have played for hours with these things. You can continue to challenge them beyond with putting the reccommended twists on the play. These will last well into elemntary for most.

I love these things. I am a Kindergarten teacher and its a great Math center activity. The activities are great for all my kids!

An extensive set of ruminations on his journey from Cameroon to the United States of America. The kid from Cameroon tells all that needs to be said about love, loss and separation, about `why the tortoise's back is cracked, why snakes feel slippery, and why snakes' saliva is poisonous.'

Herman Yenwo explains the meanings of customs around the family, cultural, religious, and about the nature of goodness and simplicity. He uses the meanings of images, his experience of love and bond with his family and friends. In short, a summary of meanings of reciprocity in a relationship, and what it means to sustain bonds of trust and commitment.

He writes exactly as he talks, `extremely funny, must read it.'

Kathy Hannah, an avid reader, November 19, 2004,
An Educational Book!
Expect to read FOLK TALES on why the tortoise's back is cracked, How IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD, The differences in HOBBIES between children in so called 'THIRD WORLD' countries and those in the WEST, EDUCATIONAL Hand-Me-Downs, CULTURE as it relates to Births, Deaths and Burials.....Then proceed to Herman's ARRIVAL in Philadelphia in Fall 1987...The CULTURE SHOCK...The FIRST WINTER of a kid from the Tropics...His SUMMER Odd JOBS, DATING in the USA {One girl he dated is said to have been: 'A christian by day, and a hypocrite by night'. How this author survived 13 CARS in 10 years, will amaze you. From Africa, With Love, is both educational and entertaining.

FROM AFRICA, WITH LOVE
Herndons
US VIRGIN ISLANDS (6/23/2004) Referred by: PA Message Boards Comments: Hi Herman! "From Africa, With Love" sounds like a great--as well as enlightening--read. We wish you the best of luck! S&H

FROM AFRICA, WITH LOVE
Joan
USA (6/22/2004) Review by Joan DeMarle-Obe: "Herman: As an educator, your book - FROM AFRICA, WITH LOVE, has caught my attention. I recommend this book to any school district. -Joan."

FROM AFRICA, WITH LOVE
Cynthia Borris
U.S.A. (6/22/2004) Reviewed by Cynthia Borris (author) 6/14/2004 "Herman: Isn't it amazing how one event starts another in motion? Great success on your newest work. Cynthia Borris"

FROM AFRICA, WITH LOVE
Cynthia Borris, commenting on
U.S.A Today(6/22/2004) on How FROM AFRICA, WITH LOVE came about.
Herman writes: "One evening my wife to be, literally dragged me to attend a TOASTMASTERS meeting as a guest. She assured me that I would not be called upon to make an impromptu speech at the podium in front of the distinguished members of this elite club. Under those circumstances, I agreed to go. Little did I know that the idea to write a concise account of my life would be born in a small meeting room full of strangers. One of the distinguished gentlemen - 50'ish in age, introduced himself as a "Retired Navy", and went on to give an account of his travels through the Cape of Good Hope all the way to the horn of Africa, and on to the Mediteranean. I thought his presentation was interesting but limited as far as the depts of African culture. I suddenly realised that I was overflowing with information regarding some African miths. Thus, the idea of my book: FROM AFRICA, WITH LOVE, was born."
In Cythia's review (6-14-04) she says: "I am amazed at how one event can lead to another tantalizing event. This book is a must read"

FROM AFRICA, WITH LOVE
Rita Gerlach.
United States of America (6/18/2004)
As readers are inundated with books from romance to true crime, a story of a boy born in the African savannah to a single mother elbows its way through the ranks. Fiction gives readers a chance for escape, while Herman X's autobiography From Africa, With Love, reminds us that the human spirit truly can rise above the adversities of life. FROM AFRICA, WITH LOVE, brings readers a glimpse of how it was to grow up in Africa and then face the challenges of life in America. Rita Gerlach Author of Historical Fiction Website: http://users.starpower.net/rpkg/index.htm http://gerlach.ineedabook.net

Mr Toks Goncalves:
From Africa, with Love, takes you to the heart of Africa, through the life of Herman X. A young man born to a single mother in central Africa. He grows up poor with his grand parents. His youth experiences are facinating, informative, thrilling and exiting. After his grand father's death, he is sent abroad for further studies. Dispite some very interesting odds he excels in his education and now lives the American dream. This book is an easy and enjoyable read.

FROM AFRICA, WITH LOVE
Michelle R. Kidwell
U.S.A. (6/18/2004) From Africa With Love: From Africa with love is a book that can serve as an educational as well as an inspirational read, one of those books that you can both enjoy and get educated from, it is a wonderful autobiography that gives you a glimpse into the authors life both in Africa as well as America, and the cultural shock he experienced when he first arrived in America, and his experiences since then. Michelle R Kidwell Reflections On Life A Collection Of Memories

"From Africa, With Love", takes you straight to the heart of Africa through the true life story of Herman X. Born to a single mother in the late 50s, he grows up with his grand parents from whom he learns some very high moral character. His youth experiences are facinating, informative, thrilling and exiteting.The death of his grand father is a turning point in his life, as he is sent abroad, where dispite all odds he focuses on his education, excels, and now lives the American dream.
This book is and easy and entertaining read.

Maybe it's because I just got finished reading Camus' "Stranger", but this book seems a lot like it. It's told from the point of view of Dick and the narrative seems very existential, grounded right in the very moment, with only little concern for the future. Also, there is the 'tough-guy" style of narrative which Camus confessed to using. Very truncated sentences. Very narrowed point of view which results in a sense of isolation. It's ultra-modern because it seems to go beyond issues of ethnicity, right down to the very basic necessities of all human life. The author goes out of the way to point out things like breathable air, and water and food and shelter. It's a very short book and very difficult to put down. Disturbing, fascinating and entertaining at the same time. I don't know why I should say this but it gives me confidence that there are actually other people out there who think. Is the author coming out with anything else soon?

Having been acquainted with the author now for some years, I have the sneaking suspicion that his intention in "Fun With..." was to shock us with the zeal of an emerging agnosticism, to render modern angst through the perspective of an intelligent yet simple character. If anything, Quiray is honest. And this honesty comes through in the inescapable theme of multiculturalism. In a world of western freedoms tempered by puritanical heritage, chaotic diversity is the rule. The final truth: Dick is brown, and Dick can't possibly know what this means. In conversation Quiray has spoken often of dramatic scenarios, `writing styles' and other various artistic devices (musical, visual, gastronomical) which transcend loyalty to friends, family, ethnicity and country. I won't say that he has failed at such a burdensome task. On the contrary, I have spoken to a few mutual friends who have read the book and they candidly reported that they were somewhat repulsed by what they perceived as apparent misanthropy. A jobless, appetite-driven photographer who takes pictures of roadkill? But, I would quickly append that Quiray also does a surprisingly decent job of exposing a slew of complex philosophical, sociological and psychological modern-day dilemmas armed only with one and two-syllable words in simple declarative sentences. And I believe the greatest thing about this book is that, despite ourselves, we come to love this character although we know very little about him. Living his spartan-like, stark existence, Dick is us--without the commercial insulation each of us have erected around ourselves. And despite the lonesome weariness he shoulders in his pursuit of transcendence, it is his desire for intimate spiritual connection with his neighbor which captures our heart and preserves his dignity. Artists live by different rules, and sometimes it is justified. If we're lucky, everybody benefits.

Remembering my reading of Quiray's second novel from a distance of almost a year, I realize that "Fun With Dick and Jana" gives voice to the mutual attraction of two adult friends struggling to express their complex, and intense, affection in a dead-end world where that affection is threatened by boredom and dis-ease about the future. Their lives unravel in a small college town filled with their own barely audible disappointments and too many memories of growing through adolescence into their early 20s. Quiray's main character is a man of confused ambitions, mixed emotions and striking intelligence who works odd jobs to pay constantly truant bills while wandering into various confrontations with other nomadic souls. As these situations unravel, including a car crash, a variety of landlord avoidances, a wedding photography session, numerous thoughts on modern multi-culturalism and brushes with casual sexual contact, "FWDJ" becomes more a character study of early adult struggle than it is a love story, drama, adventure or moral tale, although it contains aspects of each. Instead "FWDJ" circles in the difficulty of maintaining a forward course in life as it is set upon by the striking need to "just grow up" and the simultaneous conflict of not knowing what growing up means. By novel's end, Quiray's lovers, and their ambiguous relationship with their small town, realize a tenuous balance between happiness and sadness that fills them with hope for a future that holds excitment and accomplishment as the carrot sticks prodding adult maturation. "FWDJ" is a story of transition and companionship, and realizing that all futures begin with first steps through who we have been into who we want to become.

Found the characters closely paralleled my own personal experiences. Somewhat of a coming of age story about Dick and friends trials with life, friends, parents, females, morals etc. Anyone who's ever been confused about life will appreciate the book and the message it offers.

When the Legion Quest storyline ended, an alternate universe was created due to the fact that Legion went back in time to kill Magneto but accidently killed Charles Xavier. Since Xavier died, there was no X-Men to stop Apocalypse from taking over America and most of the world. This alternate reality, The Age of Apocalypse, put all the regular X-books on hold for four issues and replaced them with they're AoA versions. Generation Next (Generation X) is a storyline revolving around Magneto (the X-Men's founder and leader in this alternate universe) sending husband and wife Colossus and Shadowcat on a mission to save Colossus' long thought dead sister from a human slave colony. Accompanying them is the AoA version of Generation X; consisting of Chamber, Husk, Skin, Mondo, and Vincent. The gritty art brings the emotional impact of the story out even more than it should, and the emotionally charged tragic ending really makes this TPB of Generation Next excell more than it should. All in all, a great read for older fans of the X-Men or Generation X comics.

This is a pretty good story, set in the Age of Apocalypse - where the evil immortal mutant Apocalypse rules North America. His kingdom only lives by one rule: Survivial of the fittest. Humans are regarded as the lower class and even not all mutants will be survive in this world. This all happened because Professor Charles Xavier never existed. Thus he never got to form the X-Men to appose Apocalypse.

This book is about the Generation X in that altered timeline. Chamber et al are lead by their teacher Colossus and his wife Shadowcat to find his little sister, Illyana Natalyanovna, who appears to be captured by the Sugar Man.

The characters get introduced pretty well in this one. it has great art and excellent narration by Illyana. I don't wanna tell too much - otherwise I'll spoil the story. Which is a pretty good one as a stand alone and is one of the best of the Age of Apocalypse storyline. The ending is sad, but great.

These stories won't mean much if you haven't read this AoA storyline from the start though. If you get this, I recommend you get all the other AoA TPBs too. For a complete reading list of it, see my X-Men: LegionQuest review.

Dear Evree Won,

Out of all the AGE OF APOCALYPSE stories this has to been the most emotionaly charged. It shows the hardship of this new world without Charles Xavier and that death is far from taken lightly. My favorite characters in this story are Jonathan "Chamber" Starsmore and Paige "Husk" Guthrie because their personalities are the furthest away from the "real" reality.

The least you could do is smile, PaulQ

Told in a fast paced well thought out storyline. I felt an actual emotional connection with the group. To see favorite characters changed when faced with a lifetime of death and destruction, is a triumph to the scriptwriters of this idea "Age of Apocolypse." Colossus and Shadowcat are now Peter and Kate husband and wife charged with the training of the Generation Next cast. Their bitterness exudes in every frame as they try to mold the students to be hardened and cynical fighting machines. The plight of the humans and those on the business end of Apocolypses boot seem especially tragic here. The ending still haunts me everytime I read it. If you truly enjoy the alternate reality of Age of Apocolypse this particular story is not to be missed.