Las Vegas Books

Indicates trends, Branson has re-invented itself,doesnt want to lose to Myrtle Beach

I bought this book for my grandmother, who loves country music and who has visited Branson, for her birthday. She absolutely loved it! The pictures in the book are really colorful and fun to look at. I recommend this book for hard-to-shop-for friends and relatives, especially country music lovers.

This is a great introduction to the games that you can play in Vegas, the odds that the house has on each game. There's also good information about almost every casino in Vegas -- what's good and bad about each one.

Vinson has a nice writing style. He's humorous and informative.

Get this book if you've never been to Vegas, or if you've only been there a few times. The only strike against this book is that it's a few years old (published in 1996, I think), and things to change.

This book is great...it has Every number of every hotel in las vegas...which is great for finding out prices and attractions for the casinos at particular times, the author is a great writer...he kept my attention the whole time, and that's not easy to do! The most important thing is that he supplied the secrets and how-to info on most of the games in casinos...limiting the house edge to basically nothing, i'll be trying his methods in april and carrying his book!

A little bit of advice: if a favorite author releases a series of limited-edition hardcovers in an "author's cut" version, do not simply buy the first and tell yourself you'll pick the rest up later. I ended up spending way too much on this, once I finally found it, though not quite as much as I spent on The Cat and the Jack of Spades.

Johnny Diamond is the headliner at the Crystal Phoenix hotel & casino in Las Vegas. Think Wayne Newton, but younger. He's been receiving threatening notes, so to protect him, the Fontana brothers (nine of them, brothers of Nicky, who owns the hotel) move him to a random suite (which turns out to be 713, the sealed, never-used suite of notorious mobster Jersey Joe Jackson that figured strongly in the previous book).

But Johnny's getting bored, and the Fontanas' ideas to keep him entertained with a string of ladies-of-the-night isn't working. So they hit upon the idea of getting gambler Jill O'Rourke to teach him poker. For security's sake, they don't tell her who Johnny is, and they keep her blindfolded until she's in the suite.

Jill lives out in the desert with her grandfather and his cronies, looks like a teenager, dresses like a boy, and despite the fact that she's been hanging around with the chorus girls since she was a child, she's not at all practiced in "the feminine arts."

Johnny thinks she's just another version of the prostitutes they've brought him, but at least she looks different, so he lets her stay, but just to talk. Jill doesn't understand his reluctance to play poker, but she needs the money they're paying her to help support her grandfather, so she doesn't ask questions.

You can pretty well tell where it's going from there, right? There's still the stalker to deal with, and their hidden identities and vastly different stations in life. And of course helping with all of this is Midnight Louie, the ladies' cat and detective.

I loved this precursor to the Midnight Louie series. It has the same feel, and some of the same characters--primarily, the denizens of the Crystal Phoenix. The romance between Jill and Johnny may be predictable, but everything fits just right, and it's very sweet.

I think what made it stand out for me is that Jill may be naive at some things, but she's not weak, and she's not stupid. And she doesn't end up turning into something she's not--that is, she doesn't get a makeover from the chorus girls and discover that her appearance is now her new vocation. Too many times in this sort of plot, the heroine's previous self who's unconcerned about appearance and relationship games is tossed away, with the unspoken assumption that a woman's value lies only in her appearance and her ability to manipulate men. Jill gets dressed up, but she goes back to her jeans and boots, and she remains too honest for her own good.

This story originally appeared, in abridged format, in Crystal Nights.

Long before Midnight Louie adopted Temple Barr, or as much as this womanizing cat can settle down with anyone, he made his home at the Crystal Phoenix. Nicky Fontana and his wife Van von Rhine own the classic Vegas small hotel and casino and are making it a must go to place in Las Vegas. Inside the hotel is the Crystal Curtain Music Theatre where Gentleman Johnny Diamond sings the tunes that have made him the heartbreaker of millions of women.

Someone stalks Johnny, sending him letters threatening to kill the performer. Nicky beefs up security to the point that the crooner begins to go stir crazy and needs a taste of diversion. Professional gambler Jill O'Roarke is hired to teach Johnny how to play poker. They fall in love, but each of them conceals secrets that could tear them apart.

Superstar Midnight Louie's role in this delightful prequel from his seafood salad days is that of watcher. He studies the strange behavior of humans as if he is a social anthropologist struggling to understand an alien race. His witty, ironic observations entertain the audience as few charcaters can. Still, he also plays a pivotal role in the superbly designed romantic suspense. Louie proves why he is such a favorite of readers, as Carole Nelson Douglas leaves her audience purring for more.

Harriet Klausner

I enjoy all of the Midnight Louie mysteries. I love cats and if you do too, you will definitely like these books. Makes you wonder what our cats really do on their own time!

Petite PR pro Temple Barr is chagrined when she fails to get her annual invite to submit skits for Las Vegas' annual Gridiron show - and not much happier when she gets a grudging request from the sleazy Crawford Buchanan for some help with the finale. But she can't resist - fabulous show stopping skits are her special forte. And she comes up with a winner.

But soon after her script is submitted, strange and threatening things start happening, including a boobytrapped stair rail that sends Temple and her signature high, high heels hurtling down a flight of steps. As the new PR person for the Crystal Phoenix Hotel, in charge of transforming the place into a casino that reflects family values (a tough assignment for Vegas!) this earns her a phalanx of fabulous Fontana brothers as bodyguards, much to her chagrin. There are at least nine Fontanas, all large and given to picking up petite Temple, who is not only sensitive about her tiny stature but accustomed to operating on her own - with a big assist from Louie. But Louie is also an independent operator and rarely interferes with Temple's routine. The Fontanas - who are a united family personified - overhelm. (But entertainingly.)

Meanwhile, neighbor Matt Devine sets off in search of his stepfather, Cliff Effinger - but he gets a late start. Before the PI he hires can give him his first clue, the body of Effinger falls onto a blackjack table from the casino ceiling. Soon Matt is under suspicion by Lieutenant CR Molina - who is also unhappy that Temple and Devine have discovered her alternate identity as the sultry cafe singer, Carmen.

Biggest problem - Matt is asked to identify the body and can't. He hasn't seen Effinger since the guy deserted Matt and his mother many years before - and time and the netural changes that death wreaks have rendered him not quite recognizable.

Matt wanted the satisfaction of getting some kind of revenge on the cruel stepfather - and instead may be in trouble without having the chance to act.

Suspicions of mob activity abound, especially given the content of Temple's skit, which alludes to the former dominance of the Mafia in Vegas history. But the show must go and - and does, despite a giant heist at the casino down the street that draws any police protection away from the show's arena.

But leave it to Midnight Louie - largely absent from Temple's apartment these days since he is avoiding the petite Caviar, who claims that her true name is Midnight Louise and that she is sworn to get revenge on her dear old dad who deserted her at birth. (Shades of Matt Devine - although Louie has wisely kept his name from his alleged offspring so far.)

Louie has been hanging around the periphery of the Crystal Pheonix keeping an eye out for his dear roommate. On a tour of the dressing rooms he finds a mysterious hidden door that leads to a set of tunnels that suddenly make the dangerous doings that have surrounded the show so far quite clear. Louie manages to lure Temple to the tunnels despite the fact that her big skit is due to begin in moments - and a wild chase through the underground begins - culminating in a crowded ride in a UFO and a grand entrance onto the Gridiron stage by several assorted criminals, hoofers, actors, the fabulous Fontanas, Temple herself. Finally, to huge applause and yet more media attention - Midnight Louie, the hero of the hour steps down from the top of the UFO and into the spotlight. (He can't help it - he simple attracts those cameras.)

The plot is fast paced and filled with tension - and enough comic relief to keep things going. But all is not fluff and fur here. Underneath the entire book is the pervasive theme of family values - those that the Crystal Pheonix wants to display, those that Matt Devine was deprived of because of his stepfather's cruelty and those that Midnight Louise feels that Louie failed to show her family.

The Pheonix comes through - and Louie and Louise come to a wary truce. Only Matt Devine is left dissatisfied - except for a new and blossoming relationship with Temple - and the acquisition of Midnight Louise as a roommate of his own.

The most charming thing about these books is not the fact that Louie speaks - but what he has to say. He talks tough - but he speaks sense, and always has a message that goes surprisingly deeper than one would expect from a mystery of this sort.

This is a great book; extremely funny with great characters. You will love Jamie and her pals as they explore Las Vegas and hit the big-time. A really excellent, beach novel - if you like British "Chick-Lit" you will not be disappointed.

This is a real groovy good read; about two girls Jamie and Izzy who go to Las Vegas in search of husbands to wed.
Izzy's the wild one, getting involved with Lars (the stripper), and the elvis presly impersonator, and then finally Reed Mahoney (the tubby businessman), whom she gets married to. Jamie's the one with all the crushes, first CJ/christian, Zane, and Finn. But my favourite characters in the book definitely are Christian and Scott. Christian reminds me of the boy-next-door with gorgeous green eyes and the oh-so-preppy-but-sexy-at-the-same-time look. Jones really had me going with her vivid description of Christian and Scott (brad pitt, anyone?). I felt for Jamie as she got crushed by CJ(the young christian)and Zane. Jones keeps making the readers guess who Jamie's new beau would be, going round and round about christian, who seemingly pines for Jamie as he prepares getting married to Nadine, only for Nadine to reveal a shocking revalation towards the end of the book.
This book is typically not your average preppy romance book where there only revolves around 2 people, but every other character. Two thumbs up for Jones; keep the good books rolling in!!

"Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream" by Hunter S. Thompson

Hunter Thompson practiced total immersion journalism. This form of reporting is called gonzo journalism.

Hunter Thompson drove to Las Vegas to report on a motorcycle race and ended up writing a story about himself writing a story about a motorcycle race. If he would have written a conventional report on motorcycle racing it would have been interesting to motorcycle enthusiasts for a few days. Since he wrote a gonzo story he had a very wide canvas and he used it well to create a classic.

The reader might be turned off by the obstreperous behavior, extreme self indulgence and offensive inconsiderate language. If you can look past this offensive conduct and you will see that Hunter Thompson gave us an insight into the American character of the 1970's.

See also: Hell's Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga (Modern Library)

I completely enjoyed this book and recommend it to others.

That so many people have tried to justify, make sense of and interpret Thompson's pseudo-fiction in literal terms only indicates how many asinine, clueless people have read this magnificently absurd book. All that's required when reading HST's drug-addled interpretation of his misadventures with Acosta is to simply ingest, and to set your inhibitive sense of reality aside while doing so.

In his correspondence, literature and journalism, HST ably explains how he rode the crest, slope and break of the most exciting, disheveled period in the history of American culture. His written discourse is invaluable for obtaining a clear understanding of a muddled and dynamic era, where dysfunction of many varieties constituted the norm and both the freedom afforded by a permissive society and its' technological advances were exploited for enormous personal gain. In a time when America is descending into a sanitized quagmire of mediocrity and sedation, we could only hope for so much.

"Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream" by Hunter S. Thompson

Hunter Thompson practiced total immersion journalism. This form of reporting is called gonzo journalism.

Hunter Thompson drove to Las Vegas to report on a motorcycle race and ended up writing a story about himself writing a story about a motorcycle race. If he would have written a conventional report on motorcycle racing it would have been interesting to motorcycle enthusiasts for a few days. Since he wrote a gonzo story he had a very wide canvas and he used it well to create a classic.

The reader might be turned off by the obstreperous behavior, extreme self indulgence and offensive inconsiderate language. If you can look past this offensive conduct and you will see that Hunter Thompson gave us an insight into the American character of the 1970's.

See also: Hell's Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga (Modern Library)

I completely enjoyed this book and recommend it to others.

That so many people have tried to justify, make sense of and interpret Thompson's pseudo-fiction in literal terms only indicates how many asinine, clueless people have read this magnificently absurd book. All that's required when reading HST's drug-addled interpretation of his misadventures with Acosta is to simply ingest, and to set your inhibitive sense of reality aside while doing so.

In his correspondence, literature and journalism, HST ably explains how he rode the crest, slope and break of the most exciting, disheveled period in the history of American culture. His written discourse is invaluable for obtaining a clear understanding of a muddled and dynamic era, where dysfunction of many varieties constituted the norm and both the freedom afforded by a permissive society and its' technological advances were exploited for enormous personal gain. In a time when America is descending into a sanitized quagmire of mediocrity and sedation, we could only hope for so much.

It always amazes me that not more people know the work of John Farris and not more people feel the need to write reviews about his books. The Power and the Fury being a case in point. This rip-roaring tale of psychic avatar Eden Waring starts with a great bloody scene in church and doesn't let up until the end of the book. The characters are wonderful guides through a story that twists and turns like a serpent. It is obvious that Farris loves to tell a great story and lucky for us is that he has the talent and a sharp and very clever mind to give us more than what we can ask for for a great thriller. John Farris has been and is still one of the best horror and thriller writers since the late nineteen fifties. Sadly most of his titles are out of print, but I guess this makes finding one of his books an even more pleasure experience. This upcoming may the fourth and final installment of The Fury series will be published. I for one am looking forward to it. Thank you Mr. Farris for giving us so much scary and thrilling entertainment.

She is not ordinary woman in any sense of the world. She is a powerful psychic who can call forth her doppelganger at any time she chooses, an entity equal in power to Eden Waring. She defused a bomb by using her powers but that doesn't make her a safe or happy person. The Assassin of the Impact Sector of the FBI tried to kill her once but failed and he's back for a second shot.

That is not the worst danger she faces because, after all, the Assassin is only a mundane psychopath. She has attracted the attention of Mordant, an evil being from another plane, who has lost part of his soul. He hopes to use Eden to find it so he can plunge the world into chaos. He also wants to mate with her so that the child they will produce will be quite the fury. Eden wants no part of the evil Mordant and will fight him with her last breath before she gives him any victory over her.

THE FURY AND THE POWER is a pulse pounding work of psychological suspense and chilling horror. Eden is a young woman who must cope with her own powers and otherworldly beings without succumbing to their dark side. There are many violent scenes in this book but they are appropriate in the context of the story line. The sequel promises to be even better but readers will have to wait something that will prove a very difficult task.

Harriet Klausner

I have read many "haunting" books and would rate this book the best!! Janice Oberding is a historian and a ghost hunter and really provides the reader with a well rounded view of her experiences. A honest account of haunted and historical sites in and around Vegas. Loved it!

The beginning has many short but complete stories of several areas in Las Vegas. I love how the author has a creative way of writing. This book isn't just about hauntings, although they are well researched and some of the 'ghosts' don't show up and the author isn't afraid to admit it. The background history of Las Vegas with the locals lingo makes one feel they are part of Las Vegas. It's an easy book to read that keeps the reader entertained.

Rick Koslowski's "The King" is a unique story of an enigmatic Elvis impersonator who's making his reputation in the Vegas strip and in the world. A mystery man who hides his face behind a golden helmet, his performances are mesmerizing, so much so that his fans start believing he really is Elvis Presley. When a former tabloid journalist makes it his personal mission to find out The King's true identity and debunk this strange performer's comeback as Elvis, he runs into more than he bargained for!

Writer/Artist Rich Koslowski keeps raising the bar - and then jumping over it. Fresh from his incredible graphic novel 'Three Fingers' comes 'The King'.

The quirky humor of 'The Three Geeks' and his other early works is a bit muted here but it has been replaced with a richly matured skill at storytelling that tackles deeper topics like faith and belief in the absence (or in the face of) hard evidence.

The artwork is also worthy of note - rather than rely on garish coloring, the simple 3 tone artwork relies shading and shadow to emphasize the unfolding story.

Not just for comic book fans or Elvis junkies - this is a well crafted story that is well worth the time spent reading it. Again and Again.