Kearney Books

He is a rich man whose wife was murdered during an attempt on his life while they were skiing in Europe. She is a P.I. whose close cousin was murdered. The dead wife and cousin were one in the same. She kidnaps him just before his second wedding a while after the murder per instructions from an unknown client and whisks him off to Europe to investigate the murder.

This is a very suspenseful read and has a lot of twists and turns. It is not for the faint of heart. There is a lot of murders and attempted murders as well as the romance story. Part of it is heart-rendering and graphic.

I greatly enjoyed this book. I could not put it down for one second. It will keep you in suspense and let you enjoy romance too. I do have a copy of this hard to find book.

This book is a collection of the finest essays by principally American scholars who have sought to understand Tchaikovsky, contemporary Russian art and culture and the music. Each essay is sophisticated with lots of sources quoted and the book also has good pictures. It is a concise work and as an edition on Tchaikovsky to be treasured, for it succeeds in embellishing the composer at a critical level, without being a eulogy of him or his music.

Of greatest interest are the essays by Poznansky on Tchaikovsky himself. We are treated to the most intimate details of his sexuality (not all this material was destroyed it seems by his brother) though the treatment is unsalacious and full of objectivity if not humour. These facts emerge from previously untranslated or hitherto unreleased material and represent the latest material emerging about his life. Poznansky shows us that homosexuality at the time was not as much a problem as it is supposed to have been, and that people then were more or less as people are now - not less enlightened in any sense. Attitudes on morality may have shifted since then, but there was also that much more discretion on such matters at the time.

Poznansky unravels the mystery surrounding Tchaikovsky's death authoritatively and though conspiracy theories will still abound, I think the matter is laid to rest.

This is also a celebration of Russia and the greatest flowering of its art and culture, not to mention music under Tchaikovsky. We get treated to essays on Russian painting with some fine copies of the works described, the coronation of the Tsar and on writers like Chekov.

This book is also (along with Poznansky's essays), a psychological dissection into roles of gender in history and myth, with one especially good essay "Tchaikovsky Androgyne". There are also some good essays on musical theory.

Expertly edited, this is a study in scholarship, presentation and warm intelligence. Tchaikovsky emerges unscathed and as grand as ever to those who have sought to know him and his muse.

This is a fresh new anthology showcasing both seasoned and new writers. You might not know their names now, but they will soon be uttered in the same breath as Sedaris and Vowell. Discover them before anyone else does. Truly enjoyable and thoughtful collection regarding music - the universal language. Highly recommended.

If , in our modern world, we ask whether women are still vulnerable, we need only to turn to Meg Kearney's An Unkindness of Ravens for the answer. In "Swan Song" "She knew his boots were full of mud...She felt him watching through the dark...She could smell him now. Beer and cigarettes...She'd known [what he intended to do] by the way he'd come in the door." He had brought the "rush of rain" from the porch into their bedroom..."Making a mess of everything."
While the effect of a drunken man is strongly demonstrated in one poem, Kearney clearly gives us a more encompassing picture of female loss in "Love is a Form of Recklessness" when she relates that "My mother's love is the strength to walk and keep on walking, drive and keep driving until her daughter has learned to live without her..."
In this volume, Meg Kearney even touches on that famous "La Belle Dame" who gave and gave "until at last she'd given it all away."
This is not to say that Kearney only contemplates the causes of female depression. Many of her poems also reflect fond memories of a father lost and chances for a new love found.

Richard Kearney's philosophical approach to the question of imagination takes into account the related disciplines of history, sociology, political economy, theology, art, and art criticism. He investigates the concepts of imagination as they appear in the Hebraic and Greek traditions and as they emerged through the medieval, modern, and postmodern periods of our cultural history. This historical inquiry gives a context to his insightful articulation of the postmodern time and the concept of a creative imagination as a passing illusion of the western humanist, consumer, capitalist culture. He proposes the possibility of a postmodern imagination capable of preserving the functions of narrative identity and creativity - or what he calls the poetics of the possible.This includes a response to the postmodern dilemma with a reinterpretation of the role of imagination as a relationship between the self and other, a democratization of knowledge and culture, as ethically and poetically attuned to the lost narrative of historical meaning,and as inclusive, empathetic, versatile, open minded, and diversive. This book is a vital, intellegent analysis and guide for creativity, art, and imagination in our present postmodern culture.

Beautiful sonnets coupled with harmonic prose (Song for Colette) relaxes the reader and then suddenly Genny "bitch-slaps" the reader up side the head with harsh realities (Winter Place) that drags us kicking and screaming into a venue that we don't
want to admit exists...yet we see these things each day but lack the ability to articulate or perhaps choose to ignore. Perhaps every known emotion is found within this work...I lack the words to give this a worthy review so I won't try, I will say one thing though...
She is the poet that the rest of us want to be.

I'm glad about one thing, that I never was a gambler, and after reading this book, I know why. I enjoyed how the story innocently told the background of Richie V., and his never ending adventures with his friends from various backgrounds and lifestyles. Then as the story moved along I began to see another side of the main character, especially after he started hearing about some actual, but rare casino victories. By the time Richie V., was a young man, he had it made, a great wife, a fresh new business and a lifestyle that he finally could enjoy. Then greed set in, and as his business thrived so did his desires to gamble it away. Each time he lost, he blindly convinced himself that he can get it all back. In reality as this book displays, nothing good can last forever, not even for someone like Richie V. The story was a true depiciton of what a "wake up call," or "reality check is all about." Overall it was an easy read from start to finish, and the story always kept me guessing with each page I turned til the very end.

I bought this book thinking that maybe the author could show me how to get better "comps," but after I finished reading it, well, I guess you could say, I got the "comp" of life. I never gambled for the amount of money the main character Ricrie V. did, but I've tapped out a few credit cards in the casinos on more than one occasion. The week after I read "COMPED," I took a trip to Atlantic City. I wish I could say that I didn't gamble, but I did, and if your wondering, I broke even. And if you belive that, than you better read this book.

I'm on the fence with this one...

The gambling action is fantastic: descriptions of the highs and lows are very good, true to their volitile and destructive form, and are finally, very authentic. A very insightful and unencumbered perspective into pathological gambling is offered from a very interesting angle. Maybe it's the Atlantic City 'patois', but I wasn't too impressed with the dialog -- it was a little over-the-top, and more testosterone-driven than what I'd expected - certainly from what I've seen personally from the `regulars' of the high limit gaming areas. At times, it felt like "The Fast and the Furious" meets "The Gambler".

Atypical of your textbook pathological gambler, who is normally very reserved and diminutive in nature, the main character acts a little outside the profile of what I think is consistent with such a character. I have a slight issue with the title, but I can occasionally see the argument for it, and thus overlook it. The book improves considerably towards the end, picking up manic rhythm and interest just as the pathology is in full bloom. The last chapters are wonderful! Overall, I would offer this book as an interesting read and recommend it.

So, I guess I'm on the "buy it anyway" side of the fence. There aren't many books like it, and if you're into gambling literature, it's certainly worth its place in your collection. BUT NOTE: I didn't get my copy of the book from Amazon; however, if it's the same, be weary of the pages falling out once they're turned over. Quality of the physical publication isn't very strong.

Could not put this book down. Very well written and the story is very interesting from beginning to end. I highly recommend this book. This is a story many people can relate to.

After reading this book,you'll think twice about that. It's been a longtime sence a book really got to me! I was flying with the highs and crashing with the lows. It's a modern-day, David and Goliath story, only in this one , Dave runs out of chips. I would highly recommend this book to all those knuckleheads who write books on how to beat the casinos, and those who live in states where your politicians are pushing to legalize casino gambling.

Hawkwood's Voyage is the first volume of the acclaimed series by Paul Kearney, the "Monarchies of God." While it does not quite match the sheer exhilaration of the following books, it is a very strong beginning that will unquestionably leave a strong impression and make you desire to read the rest.

Kearney himself is an avid fan of sailing, and has studied the intricacies of the art in great detail. This becomes quite obvious in this first volume. His description and sequencing of the vessels and of actual sailing are second to none. Conversely, this is also the book's main deficiency. There are instances where he bogs down the narrative with an overabundance of detail. While I didn't find it much of a problem, newer readers or those unfamiliar with navigation will most certainly have difficulty. Fear not, however, as Kearney avoids these unnecessary minor details in the following four volumes. Thus, it will be well worth your time to get past these little nuances, as the book on a whole is excellent and the following books are even better.

His skill with prose is one of Kearney's greatest assets. Few can paint a picture with words as he can. The man is truly is a modern day great. You can almost smell the ocean salt, or the smoke billowing from the routed fortress. The tale is gritty, often dark, but wholly captivating. Kearney pulls few punches, and the sheer realism will leave you awe-struck. As this is the first volume, the author develops a world (and not a simple one, mind you) quite clearly in the readers mind. All important areas are well developed and shouldn't leave you confused or bewildered. Kearney also creates lifelike, believable characters that will lure strong emotions from the reader.

Although Hawkwood's Voyage is the slowest of the five-volume series, it is still a great read and completely sets the stage for what becomes one of the best fantasy series' I have personally ever read. I cannot recommend it enough.

I liked how Kearney wove real life historical ideas into the plot of this fantasy book. Also the world is a believable one and not bogged down by too much fantasy garble. His writing is fairly entertaining and I like his style but it did not completely trap me. I don't think books have to be so very surprising and sometimes some characters would not make sense as who they are if they were too complicated. I look forward to the next book and would suggest this book to a wide range of readers. Especially if you get sick of the length of Jordan and Martin but still want a quality book.

Paul Kearney has written an intriguing start to his Monarchies of God series with Hawkwood's Voyage. The writing and pace of the novel flows well and the characters that populate Kearney's world make for some fun reading.

Richard Hawkwood has just arrived from a long voyage at sea. He thought that he could finally rest before his next voyage, but the news out west will keep him and his crew from enjoying their stay at the port of Abrusio.

Out west, something unimaginable has happened. The Holy City of Aekir has fallen to the Merduks. Once thought impenetrable, Aekir lights the skys at night with its burning buildings. The fall of Aekir has spread terror throughout the land, allowing the Church to tighten its grip on the land by implementing some new religious laws.

Corfe was at Aekir when it fell. He joined the numerous people escaping to Ormann's Dyke, but along the way he saved an old man and his servant. The old man and the defence of Ormann's Dyke could prove to be vital to the Monarchies of God.

Abeleyn is at the center of the struggle between the Monarchies of God and the Church. He leads Hebrion, but doesn't like the power the Church has over him and his subjects. With the new laws and the new High Pontiff, will Abeleyn be able to overcome the Church's power?

Meanwhile, Hawkwood is asked, or actually forced, to take a contract to sail east. How far east, even he does not know, but there are some powerful people who do not want the voyage to arrive at its destination.

I applaud Kearney for Hawkwood's Voyage and look forward to what happens in the next book. His vivid world and enjoyable characters will entertain all readers. Enjoy!

It is a crime that this book is out of print. This series of five books were all outstanding. A beautiful mix of political theological intrigue, and plenty of good old fashioned war and adventure thrown in. A nice balance of medievil Europe and Middle Eastern kingdoms. Mr. Kearney has done some research, as both were very realistic when compared to their historic earth counterparts. I recommend finding this book along with The Heritic Kings, The Iron Wars, The Second Empire, and Ships from the West. You can go wrong.

I really enjoyed this book. The character development is satisfying, and the political strife and military campaigns in the novel are fascinating. Highly recommended!

My 1st time to read Robert Andrews and don't know what to expect, but the moment I started to read the 1st page, I just got hooked on it! I felt that I step into their world and just follow Frank and Jose as they unravel the mystery and it just get interesting as it goes...

I recommend it...!

I got to around page 100 and they still had no leads. Not a hint. I gave up because not only that but the writing and rest of the story (if you could call it that) was boring as all getout.
FLAT

OK, OK, I confess right up front! This clever boy got snookered "big time" trying to unravel the fundamental whodunit quiz in Robert Andrews' latest murder mystery "A Murder of Promise" (Putnam). It wasn't totally my fault, you see, it's just that the author has apparently perfected his craft beyond reasonable expectations. The last 50 pages accelerate the reader through the narrow historic streets of Georgetown and a rabbit's warren of falling dominos and the sweet fulfillment of a most unexpected conclusion. I was so totally consumed by the story that the Flight Attendant on the airplane I happened to be on was close to slapping me upside my head to get my attention to prepare for landing. In this case, the author won, he sucked me in and beat me, but in the end I won as well from having read this excellent book. This is a darn good yarn!

The second installment of Robert Andrews' immensely satisfying crime-novel series chronicles the exploits of two career-long D.C. detective partners struggling with the ugly reality of a serial killer in the nation's capitol. This is a story where they are murdering more in Washington than the congressional budget. Not that murder of any kind is rare in the District, but this book is rare and remarkable on a number of levels in its own right. Initially the reader is struck with the story's compelling, drag-you-along depiction of the gritty nuts and bolts business of police work. However, somewhere around the second chapter you suddenly realize what in my opinion is the true merit of this outing and that comes in the form of Mr. Andrews' decidedly rare ability to paint extraordinarily rich textures within the characters of the humans involved and the landmark environment they inhabit. As the book is written totally in dialogue, it is extremely easy for the reader to get the very real sense they are somehow personally involved. In fact, at points you almost feel like you're eavesdropping (like you'd stop, please!).

Another of my favorite aspects of this book is Andrews' almost casual, matter-of-fact, inclusion of the little discussed history of some of this town's more prominent landmarks. If you are a son of the District as I am you take great delight in his mention of such places as Jenkin's Hill (a.k.a. Capitol Hill), Gen Washington's provision for the defense of the nation's new capitol in the form of stately Fort McNair, and his striking use of the unique Hains Point sculpture, "The Awakening." I wonder if that's what the artist originally had in mind? Anyway, blend in a healthy splash of D.C.'s ubiquitous political intrigue and he satisfies even the most serious case of Potomac Fever. This story makes ALL the stops! Made this homeboy smile.

All in all Robert Andrews finds a most ingenious way to breathe life into the well-worn whodunit vehicle and adds another "absolutely, must read" to the mystery genre. Well done sir! Well done indeed!

Oh, by the way, my sincere apologies to the character that I was so resolutely convinced was in fact the most hideous, vile, and murderous scoundrel. How was I to know? Nothing personal!

As an avid reader of good mystery and police work novels, it escapes me how any reader of A Murder of Promise could find it
"boring." Instead, Robert Andrews has done it again: Written an
intelligent, interesting novel, further developing his two main
characters, whose personal and professional relationship alone
would make the book worthwhile. Andrews has supplied a mixture
of creativity and reality, mixing the Fisher King and Holy Grail
plus very wild computer virtuality with real characters, real
situations, and real knowledge of Washington, physically and
politically. Those with any knowledge of the Washington scene
will find the book particularly absorbing. His State Department
characters, father and son, are certainly credible. In sum, this
is a difficult to put down, fast paced, and intriguing mystery;
and I doubt that many readers will figure out the culprit before
the very end. Highly recommended.

The promise evoked by Robert Andrews first mystery book, good as it was, is realized even more fully in "A Murder of Promise".
As with his first book, Andrews captures the reader's interest as the book begins and never loses it. Beyond the mystery itself, which unfolds in an intriguing manner and pace, the further development of Detectives Kearney and Phelps both as investigators and as people makes the reading experience more enriching and engaging. I found the depth and breadth of Kearny's style and character not only interesting, but very valuable to the story line in explaining his thought process and actions. Hopefully in the next of this series the author will allow us to spend more time with Jose Phelps as well, getting to know him even better.
The plot is excellent and quite believable, and the sense of place this book creates is even stronger than its predecessor. It also adds depth and meaning to the story line. The dialogue is even more crisp and authentic than Andrews' previous book, which was good indeed.
This is an excellent work of fiction, which goes far beyond the standard police procedural in giving us real characters who act in ways that are human and credible to the reader. Well worth reading.