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This first of the Harry Potter series is easily the best. It introduces all the characters with which we will become familiar through succeeding years, and provides a plot that will delight children while fascinating adult readers like myself who grew up on fantasy.

One problem, not of the author's making. What on earth is a sorcerer's stone? The original title of this book, and the title used in most markets, refers to a philosopher's stone. Most educated readers will recognise this reference to an age-old quest for longer life, but the reference has gone by the time the American reader reaches the bookshelf. Do American publishers really think they have to talk down to their audience? Or did some nitwit in the publishing industry really have no clue? Either way, this is a monumental stuff-up which treats the American reader as an uneducated dummy rather than going with the author's original intent.

Publishers, give your readers a little more credit. The relatively low score I give this book is a result of your error rather than the author's.

I went into this novel with some apprehension considering its massive hype. However, I was pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable it truly was. Sure, there are plenty of people that bash it, and while I will agree that it is not the most "important" novel to come out of the last twenty years, it is truly good fun. I am currently re-reading all of the Harry Potter novels because I never did get around to reading the seventh one and I am astounded at how much fun they are to read a second time. I have a really hard time looking at these novels critically, however, mainly because I don't think about the subtext or the writing style as I read it. I'm too absorbed in the world. I don't think this is a negative thing, if anything it is the opposite. This book is one hundred percent a guilty pleasure. It is on par with most people's obsessions with reality TV or my personal obssesion with the TV show Friends. I know that it is not the best thing ever produced, but I love it regardless. Rowling has written such delightful characters that I have honestly come to love, that I barely care what happens in the series as long as I get to keep reading about them. Try it reading it when you've have a horrible day and see if you can keep a smile from showing up in the corners of your mouth.

I've just recently started reading this series, and I have to admit that I have been very entertained. This book was a bit "young" I noticed in the writing, but understandably so, since the main character is only 11. Since I had seen the movie before I'd read this, I didn't have very many surprises, but all in all, it was worth the read.

I love this book, but lost it, so I had to order another one. I have the complete set now, and have to read them at least once a year or so. IT is a great start to the Harry Potter series. Thank you.

Let me start like this.. I was never into Harry Potter. Well, at least not like I am now. I was a fan of the movies but that was about it. Then I was told to read the books, I figured, what the hell. So I started with Half Blood Prince and then Deathly Hollows. Wow. If I read pretty much the last 1/4 of this series and got so sucked into it, I owed it to myself to take the whole trip through this world that cannot be described in words.

I finished The Sorcerer's Stone totally forgetting about the movie so it was like I had never seen it. The SS is the perfect stepping stone to get the series started. It introduces most of the main characters and gives you an idea of how to understand whats going on (which considering the twists and turns of the series, you'll need all the info you can get.)

From beginning to end, you're thrown into Harrys life. You feel everything he feels, his emotions, his thoughts. You feel sorry for him when he's living with his family, and you can't wait to find out what happens the next year at Hogwarts. And that is what makes this an amazing story, your connection with him and the anticipation for what is going to happen to him next. This book is a must buy for any fan of fantasy stories, don't let the fact that it's in the childrens section of a book store throw you off. The road Harry walks will get a lot darker. See this as the calm before the storm.

Without a doubt this is my favorite novel of the series so far. The action in this novel was intense and I finished the novel in a couple of days. JK Rowling always does a great job of mixing foreshadowing and mystery. With each novel, I have begun to realize that nothing is as it seems. I thought I finally figured out the plot, only to be completely surprised in the end.

The novel comes after the Prisoner of Azakaban, where we learned that Sirius did not murder Harry's parents, and that wormtail was the actual villain. Wormtail escaped at the end, though, with an oracle that he would nurse Voldemort back to health. That is where the forth book picks up, Voldemort and Wormtail have returned to the house of Voldemort's father to regain health. Additionally, armed with information from a ministry employee, they seek to destroy Harry Potter again.

An old tournament is reborn, and Harry is chosen to compete although it should have been impossible. He competes and his luck remains with him until the end. Questions will be answered in this novel. Will the Death Eaters rise again? Will a student die? Will Hogwarts stay open? Will the Ministry oppose Voldemort? The Goblet of Fire is a great read.

While I firmly believe that the Prisoner of Azkaban is the true beginning of the series that is now known as the Harry Potter series, this is the novel that truly cements its grandeur. All of the characters begin to grow in this novel and Rowling seems to be truly growing as writer. She seems to have a firm grip on where this novel is going to go and she also seems less intimated about bringing in the true darkness of the "bad" characters. It was not until this novel that I saw why some parents would not think that it is age appropriate. I do not agree with this opinion, however I do understand it. There are some genuinely creepy, moments in this book, but I truly appreciate because I think of how many children have grown up with these books and how Rowling allows the characters in the novel to grow with them. I believe this is one of the series' greatest strengths. The complexity of the characters grow intensely and I also think that this is the story that truly connects Harry to the other important characters in the novel: Dumbledore and Voldemort. Rowling is no longer writing archetypal characters; she embrasses the archetypes that she has created, but truly allows them to become characters outside of the stereotypes. I always felt that Dumbledore was a little to similar to Gandalf the Grey, but Dumbledore starts to transcend his stereotypes as well as others in the novel. Defintely worth a read, however I would begin at least with Prisoner of Azkaban before jumping into this novel.

This,In My Opinion Is The Best Book.It definitly Is Where It Goes Into a
darker genre of books.I Would Just About Recommend This Exciting,Page-
turner,to just about anyone!

Summary:
This is the 4th book in the Harry Potter series. It follows the same style, darkening tone, similar formulas as the prior three books -- new mode of transport / new magic device, new Dark Arts Teacher that is obviously a bad guy and nice convenient wrap-up of the various elements introduced. I would have given this 5 stars if there is not the huge plothole of why does Harry have to be the winner of the Triwizard tournament when undercover Death Eater could have just given Harry a Potkey at anyone point in the year.

Setting:
Rowling continues to develop a great fantasty milieu for YA (Young adults). The world is a great combination of mundane and magical. The World Cup of Quiddich is inspired and does a great job of showing the extent of the wizard world around the globe. The interface between Muggles and Wizards could use a bit of work as the method shown in the book is clearly problematic for keeping the wizard world secret.

Characters:
The main characters do advance a certain amount but still a bit on the thin side. The introduction of boy-girl relationships is an interesting element and needed given the age of the characters. Harry and Ron are clearly thick with regards to Hermiene. It is unfortunate but a needed part of a boy growing up. Hermiene is handled quite well and show an advanced maturity fitting her character (she even has some fun for a change).

Action:
The action is consistent in tone and description from the prior books. Harry is entered into the Tri-wizards tournament by someone else to get him lured into dangerous situations. Note: this is a lame plot device for getting him to Valdamort. The tests could have been a bit more difficult / interesting -- the dragon task description is a bit thin for my taste and the maze was clearly there just to get some Harry character development and move him to Valdamort. The confrontation in the graveyard was well done and helped save a poor plot device.

Prose:
The prose style is basically the same from prior three novels with a bit of expansion that is done nicely in the first part of the book. The World Cup of Quiddich is very well done.

Summary:
Overall: 3 stars
Setting: 5 stars
Characters: 2.5 stars
Action: 2.5 stars
Prose: 2.5 to 3 stars

I love all of the Harry Potter books and think that JK Rowling is a master storyteller, but whoever decided that Jim Dale would be a good narrator for this series was seriously mistaken. Aside from the fact that he makes almost all of the characters sound like they are from the East End of London and have a mouth full of bread (aside from Hermione and Ginny who he makes WHINE all of the time), he also mispronounces many of the words, which is quite annoying. He says "Voldermort" without pronouncing the "t", and "accio" as assio, just to name a few! I mean, did they actually have JK Rowling listen to his reading before they hired him to do the WHOLE series??? If it is at all possible, DON'T waste your money on this audio of Harry Potter, go on Amazon.co.uk and get the version read by Stephen Fry. He reads this series the way they are supposed to be read!!! Stephen Fry is FANTASTIC!

I saw both flims the original with Shirley Temple/Lon McAllister also the newer version both were great
So the the book was a must have also to learn what had happen to rest of the story(the horse/the people)

This is a wonderful book about an unbelievable champion - the kind we need today in America. A champion that reaches into the hearts of the people, unifies us and inspires us to prevail. The men who believed in Seabiscuit were not perfect, nor was Seabiscuit but they all managed to be imperfect winners. The writing itself might be a bit flourished but it is certainly well-researched and the story is entertaining told. Hillebrand has captured the ironies, truths, the agony and ecstasy of horse-racing and life itself as well. This one will make you cheer.

I'm usually concerned about purchasing items on line, especially books. I can honestly say that this experience was worth it. I would recommend this seller to anyone interested in purchasing good quality books at extremely reasonable prices.

Buy with confidence, I did!

I can't recall the number of non-fiction books that I've read. Little matter, this is the most incredible true story that I've read!!
Laura Hillenbrand has captured a time in American History. She is a true storyteller who has done impeccable research. It must have been the time she spent in Gambier, Ohio at Kenyon College that inspired her to such great in depth writing.
For those of you who have not read this book or have not seen the excellent movie, you're in for an incredible treat. Trust Me!!
If I were writing fiction, this true story would not have been told. Charles Howard, Red Pollard and Tom Smith are indeed the Holy Trinity. Remember these names, after reading this book, you will never forget them.
One little horse, so much history!!! Incredible!!!!

I have recently read Seabiscuit and watched the film and found both to be very compelling. We dont think much anymore about the dark days of the Depression but Laura Hillenbrand puts us right back in the middle of it. The important lesson was to look to the future as Charles Howard implored, the sun will come up tomorrow.

Three incredible characters intersect with this horse of unknown promise. Howard is the wealthy owner, despondent over the death of his son and unsure how to live the life of leisure; Red Pollard is a jockey not able to break into the big-time, due to his attitude, blindness, and injuries; Tom Smith is a taciturn man who belongs in the 19th century of his youth, not the modern world. Together they develop and promote Seabiscuit, a horse of incredible bloodlines, yet given up on by better trainers due to his work habits, attitude, injuries, and size.

Eventually the Biscuit wins all the stakes in the state of California and gets a shot at a match race with the great Eastern horse and Triple Crown winner, War Admiral. Both horses are descendants of the great Man'o'war, but the eastern elites dont want to give the western upstart his chance. After a few cancellations due to injuries and prickly owners, the match race goes off in Baltimore and the smaller horse brings it home.

The book is more enlighting with respect to the fuller stories of the characters, especially the relationship between the jockeys and Pollard's romance and marriage to a Boston nurse. The movie brings the times to life. Howard and Pollard were the raconteurs who made Seabiscuit the hero of the little guys during those lean years. Dont forget, tough times dont last but tough guys do.

Ms. Hillenbrand is an equally interesting story. She suffers from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and is only able to work at a fraction of the typical writer. Here she focused her energy on this story and these times. Seabiscuit has been the story many times in film and books but Ms. Hillenbrand brings it to life for us.

I also enjoyed this book as much as A Child Called "IT". This also made me cry as much as as the first one. I could not put it down as well.

This book among others written by Dave have left me riveted. I can't put them down. All I see is a man who has overcome the circumstances placed before him. He is such an inspiration, I only wish more people would read his books and make something out of their lives, instead of playing the victim (which is much easier to do)

The Lost Boy: A Foster Child's Search for the Love of a Family by Dave Pelzer is a sequel to the heartbreaking memoir, A Child Called "It". Pelzer explains what happened after he was taken away by his abusive mother and neglectful father. This book is really uplifting and moving. I highly recommend this fascinating story and his quest to find a foster family who will love him unconditionally. Enjoy!

This book helped open my eyes to what children go through in Foster Care. It helped me to relize that you can't judge a book by its cover. That the struggle for acceptance,love acknowledgement or to be recognized can consume & overwhelm a child...to even the point of doing something you know in you heart is wrong. This book makes me want to work hard, so I can buy a big house, Just so I can provide enough love and support and room for not only my three children, but for those children in need of a place to call home & to know that they have someone who care about them.

This is a story about a young boy who gets abused and treated unfairly. He doesn't have any clothes besides the ones he caries in a brown paper bag. He runs away from the world he hates. He has no home to go to, then he finds hope. To find out more information about this book find it and venture into it.

In my opinion this book was excellent and amazing.Why? Because it made me cry on the first page, some parts I felt like going in the book, because the suspense never ends. I would recommend it to those who love to read soppy, exciting books that are true.

I am going to make this simple. I read an old paperback copy of the original "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy". Having enjoyed reading the original, I found the "Ultimate" version in the discount section at Barnes and Noble. What a great buy for ten dollars.

Not all may like the series. For those that do, I highly recommend all additional books to the original. You will not be let down, as (the late) Mr. Adams continues to entertain again and again as things move on. Just about any science fiction fan with a sense of humor will love these books.

Great read, I didn't even know about the Zaphod short story (my own words) that was included in this book. Happy to have all of the stories all in one book and makes it easy for me to go back and reference parts from the earlier stories, especially since I enjoy noting the really good lines.

I've lost track of the number of times I've read the Guide novels over the years. This compilation of a 'trilogy in 5 parts' makes it nice and easy to read them all as one continuous story. I don't really need to elaborate on how good these stories are as those who have read them will already know. But to the uninitiated I strongly urge you to purchase a copy, prop yourself up against your towel, and eat plenty of peanuts. And most importantly, Don't Panic!

If finding out your house is about to be bulldozed to make way for a highway bypass is unnerving and life changing, imagine finding out the same is about to happen to your planet. Thus begin the adventures of human Arthur Dent in The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide by Douglas Adams.

Of course Adams is not the first writer to use science fiction to satirize the foibles of the human race and its institutions and culture (including science fiction), but he does does so with a rare combination of sophistication, style, and humor. His description of why the bypass is being built and why Arthur doesn't know about it alone starts the series off on a scathing note. In the universe of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (the book within a book), people sometimes survive government and corporate bureaucracy and personal greed and thoughtlessness, but more often destruction and waste seem to result.

Throughout his post-Earth adventures with Ford Prefect, the two-headed Zaphod Beeblebrox, fellow human Trillian (Tricia McMillan), and Marvin the perpetually downcast robot who takes lows to new highs, Arthur is the proverbial Everyman, whose struggles to make tea (and thus achieve some sense of ordinariness) in his new life result in near-destruction. At one point, he happily serves as "Sandwich Maker" on a pre-technological world that views this skill with awe.

Adams is perhaps strongest in his numerous asides in which he talks about The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the publication for which Ford Prefect researches and writes, and the Encyclopedia Galactica; the nature of improbability; the humorously and seemingly invariable and inevitable tragic histories of various planets and races; and various theories surrounding such things as time, space, and infinity, almost always with a slyly serious wink about the absurdity of it all. These digressions allow his imagination and his intellect to soar and in many cases are more interesting than the story itself. This may go back to how The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy begins--that people want to move between Points A and B very fast, and that people at Point C in between (Everyman Arthur Dent) "often wish that people would just once and for all work out where the hell they wanted to be." There seem to be no Points A and B in Arthur's new universe; there are infinite points and lines and continuums, most of them absurd in one way or another.

With the exception of Trillian, Arthur's fellow travelers are well drawn. The most amusing is, sadly, Marvin, whose programmed depression is annoying and whose perception is accurate.

There are ingenious ideas scattered throughout the six stories, including the irony of a lorry driver who hates the perpetual rain that follows him no matter where he goes because, unbeknownst to him, he is a Rain God.

The problem is that many of these ideas, like life events, crop up randomly, play themselves out, and then seem to fall flat in the end. Undoubtedly, this is part of the universe as Adams sees it; it is made up of absurdity upon absurdity, which may not have neat Point A to Point B progressions. Some of this lack of cohesion also may be the result of transforming material written for episodic radio into book form; a certain sense and continuity may have been lost as the author diverts his tale to Points E, M, and T.

The first two books, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, are the best in the series. Life, the Universe and Everything is, almost as the title promises, too contorted and meandering. So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish, which takes place on Earth, lacks an engaging focal point, which makes it seem long and tedious at times. "Young Zaphod Plays It Safe" appears to be a throwaway story reflecting the author's views. Mostly Harmless, written at what Adams admitted was a bad time in his life, lacks the élan of the earliest books; it is more downbeat in attitude than its predecessors and borders on determined and grim. Marvin is long gone as comic relief; the weakest character, Tricia/Trillian, now moves to the forefront but without further development; and even Ford Prefect has sobered up, quite out of character. It as though Adams wanted his characters, most notably Random, to reflect his anger and depression and his universe to end without possibility of resurrection--in the same way that Arthur Conan Doyle tried to kill off Sherlock Holmes.

Underneath the satire, the humor, and the bitterness, The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide is imaginative and thought provoking, revealing a rare story-telling and writing gift that is brilliant both on the surface and in the depths.

As usual the movie can't live up to the book. This is a must-read -- one of those points of cultural brilliance that will still be read three hundred years from now. Be prepared for very dry humor, British-style...

As a corporate director of HR for a fortune 500 company, I am continually searching for material I can share with the management staff. This book was an excellent fit in our learning resources center.

While achieving success is rarely accomplished with shortcuts, this guide provides what I believe are important guideposts that will keep you on the right trail. Many people fail to achieve success because they leave the trail for other pursuits.

It is really surprising in the business world at the number of people who really do not know what they are trying to achieve. Indeed, I would dare to say that most people don't have a clue as to where they are going. They are simply meandering down the path hoping for few problems and a warm place to sleep at night.

This book stresses the importance of people deciding what they really, really want to do in life. My only negative critique is that the book seems to define success in financial terms (which is par for the consumer American nation). As the wiser amoung us know, success takes many forms of which money is only a small part.

I enjoyed the book and intend to share the wisdom therein with other managerial types within my organization. I believe the advice is solid and obviously, the author is "qualified" if for no other reason that his huge publishing success.

I hope you find this review helpful. Michael L. Gooch, SPHR - Author of Wingtips with Spurs

I have never written a book review EVER. But this was the best self-help motivational book ever and I have read dozens and dozens. this is the first and last inspirational book you will ever need.

I pick this book up almost every day and read and re-read all this helpful information. The more I put it into action, the more wonderful things happen in my life. There is so much information to learn from Jack Canfield. I tell everyone I know about it especially other artists and creative people. So exciting to have a book that will help me be who I truly am in my life.
Catherine www.catherinefoster.com

If someone really USES it and really does the exercises (which I need to now that I have finished the book), this book could be life-changing. The way the processes and excercises are peppered with amazing success stories from real life, and fantastic quotes...I highlighted like crazy. But now it's time to take action!

I'd give this book ten stars if I could.

Jack Canfield has gone the extra mile to provide us with an exceptional plan. His writing style and technique ensures that we all beleive we can achieve. Page after page I've highlighted text. Page after page I've read about Jack Canfield's thoughts and ideas and those pages include individuals stories which support those ideas. This book is a handbook on personal growth and self development. Take the leap. Buy it. Read it and continue to refer to it.

These days, Kahlil Griban's "The Prophet" gets dismissed as "hippie" literature. Yet, this book had been a bestseller LONG before the 1960s. Originally published in 1925, it almost instantly became a hit and even did well through the Great Depression. Today, Gibran's claim to fame is being the third best-selling poet of our time, behind Shakespeare and Lao Tzu... and pretty much entirely based on sales of this book. When his publisher, Alfred A. Knopf was asked who the audience for the book was, he flippantly dismissed the question. "It Must be a cult," he retorted.

What's incredible is that there's absolutely no marketing hype behind the success of this book. Gibran is long gone. There is no political, religious, or commercial enterprise attached to his name bent on winning souls and/or profits. The Gibran estate has merely been churning out copies year after year in response to the demand. A demand feuled pretty much entirely by word-of-mouth and chance discovery. The fact is, the twenty-six poems in this book have a surprising and suprassing relevance, insight and compassion. Broken down into several topics ("On Love", "On Work", "On Joy and Sorrow", etc.) the book itself recounts the sermons of a fictional poet leaving behind the gift of knowledge before he leaves his homeland.

I first found Gibran through a setting of his poem "On Children" by Sweet Honey in the Rock on their album, "Breaths." At the time I was about to leave for college and eighteen years of living under my parent's roof had made me restless for autonomy. That poem eloquently expressed everything I was yearning to say to them in my hours of frustration and adolescent angst. It later proved to be a reference to turn to in times where I needed confidence to live an independent and fulfilling life, while still maintaining respect and compassion towards the parents who had raised me.

I am not exaggerating when I say that the poems in this book have kept me grounded and sane throughout some of the most troubling times in my life. Our modern lives are ever hectic, stressful and busy - wrought with drama, frustration, depression, etc. The knowledge in these poems brings me back to a "middle ground" - there is a sage wisdom and clarity in the poems that has often been helpful for me in "unwinding" and coming back to earth.

Though Gibran himself was a Christian and despite the title and conceit of the book, this is not really a religious book. The insight in this book would be applicable to your life even if you are an atheist. What's more, the poetry is mostly imagistic. Do not expect the academic poetics of Gibran's contemporaries Eliot or Pound or even Frost. They are written with the aim of being accessible and immediate to the reader.

Copies of "The Prophet" are not hard to come by. Perhaps check out the book's table of contexts either using Amazon's "Search Inside" feature or in your local bookstore and see if it addresses a problem or issue you are dealing with. That's a good a place as any to start with.

I appreciate getting the book at the great price. I'm really not complaining but the book was quite yellow and the jacket was torn in various places. It looked like it was on the shelf for quite a while........Maureen

A very profound, deeply insightful and moving experience! One of my two favorite books of all times. No matter how often you read it, you find something new, some new insight, some amazing revelation, some word of consolation, another stunning example of wordcraft. A masterpiece! Inspired! This book should not be on a book shelf in the library, office or study, but on the bedside table, and the audiobook -- on your Ipod.

One of the ten best books I have ever read. A must for any on the path to Self-awareness. A book of profound understanding of the human dance. Gibran's writing in general is in a class by itself, and The Prophet is his finest work.

I have read this book over a hundered times in the last twenty years, and have given many copies away to friends and acquaintances. If God Himself (or Herself) were to give an opinion on various aspects of a person's life, I believe that his or her words would be very close to what Kahlil Gibran wrote in "The Prophet".

As always Simon Singn takes the reader on a fantastic trip through History. Filled with entertaining stories, puzzles and heroic events, the author skillfully covers the history of secret writing. If you liked his coverage of Fermat's Enigma then you will definitely enjoy this book.

The prose is capturing, deep enough to fascinate technical readers and light enough to just entertain the casual reader. I specialized in Quantum computers while studying Mathematics and I am astonished that the author manages to explain such non-trivial subjects as quantum computers and cryptography to the degree where ordinary readers can actually understand how they work and their impact on ciphers such as RSA/DSA. In short another great read from one of the best and most entertaining technical writers who ever lived.

Simon Singh books usually hold you from the first page and till the end. "The code book" is very well written and very informative. You will see how it's started and where cryptography goes, but even more interesting part of history of cryptography - life (sometimes secret life) of people who worked and continue to work on development of cryptosystems.

Nutshell review - This is an excellent book covering the history of cryptography up to present day and into the near future. Very well written, easy to understand and worth reading by any layperson interested in the topic.

If you want to know about codes, secrets, cryptography and cryptanalysis then this is the book. Simon Singh presents the history of codes in a clear and simple way. Without the mathematics to disturb the flow of the story, you enjoy plots, conspiracies, secrets and algorithms. Excellent for general knowledge and for an introductory text in cryptanalysis. Buy it!

great book regarding the history of cryptography. The only way to truly understand anything is c the history of it's introduction

Her writing is much stronger for the historical romance novels. This is a contemporary romance, and I don't think she captured the way people really speak to each each other quite right. She is definitely a favorite though.

I don't really go for contemporary romance but this I can appreciate. I really love the new cover as well and how Meredith and Matthew finally realise they still love each other and manage to overcome all obstacles, it just warmed me to my toes! I've read all Judith McNaught's books and can't wait for more!

I have a read a lot of books, and yet Paradise is still among one of my favorites. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED this book!! It is full of so many different emotions, that you don't know whether to cry, laugh, be angry, be happy, because it is full of ALL of those!! I highly recommend this book and trust me, you will not want to put this book down!!

Deceit from outside forces pull these two young, tragic lovers apart but after 11 years, Matt & Meredith find that they were never truly divorced. Discovering the truth about what really happened and finding that they never stopped feeling for one another makes this story simply wonderful.

Matt's "proposal" to keep his wife was absolutely brilliant. McNaught does it again!

This is my first McNaught contemporary and based of all reviews here, I expected more. But this is not Paradise at all. Too long, too many details about business ... Yes, there are some typical Judith's traces just like big misunderstandings, strong tough hero, beautiful heroine, loving/brutal relatives and so on, but I felt something missed. And - sometimes I had a feeling I read about characters I've already known: Miss Stern is like Lucinda Throckmorton-Jones, Joe O'Hara like Jake, Patrick Farrell like Duncan, all from Almost heaven which I absolutely love. I think McNaught should stay at historical, but I'll give her another try with Perfect.

This book was kind of slow but did have enough interesting characteristics to keep me reading. Not at all a bad book but just not anything that made me want to get the second in the series.

Being a fan of the Myst series since it's original launch in the early 1990's, I can say that this book lives of to the expectations that Myst/Uru fans have come to appreciate. It's easy to read, flows well, has a great underlying story. After reading, you are able to understand and appreciate the island of Myst and Riven so much more. It's an easy book to read, which makes it great for both young and old. Though the book is around 400 pages, it flies by and as always, I was sad to finish it, but there are two more sequels to entertain the Myst fan in all of us.

The Myst series was such a wonderful series, after I found out they made a book about the history of Myst, I basically thought that it would be horrible. Grave mistake. This is one of the best books I have ever read. It couldn't get any better.
The creators of Myst even helped make it, and they knew what they were making. The horrible thing is that these books were discontinued.
Even if they were discontinued, it is not a reason not to buy them. They are all wonderful books and I suggest you get all of them.

It really seems only fitting that a video game about books would have a series of books published in its name. For some reason when such books were first coming out I was sort of skeptical about their quality. I truly am glad I overcame this and decided to pick up the Myst books. I was an early enough adopter to be able to get all the hardcover texts and they are all beautifully designed. It's strange that a lot of books don't adopt this kind of method, because it really is eye catching and I'm glad the makers of Myst picked up on that. In terms of binding, it technically is rather cheaply done to support the mass market interest in this series. Rather than have a truly older styled binding, they have the typical style with embossed paper wrapped over the hard cover. The paper is of excellent quality and is embossed in sections, which adds a tinge of making it feel artificially handmade. I've had mine for many years now and there is barely any wear on it. However, when one inspects the design you can tell it is merely paper glued over the normal hardcover pressing and it is merely there for aesthetic appeal. The books in the game have a very old styled feel, which they should since they're all handmade books, but the makers wanted to keep that atmosphere alive with printing these books. Despite my inspection of the edition, I must say it was a great marketing idea and wish more publishers would do this rather than just adopt the typical dust jacket. That being said, the current editions more readily available to readers are the regular paperback and now the collected edition which was recently printed.

I wasn't sure what to really expect from this book when I first got it. I had beaten the game "Myst" and the game was pretty well written. However, the game had a lot of unknown elements in its story, and I'm sad to report that "The Book of Atrus" doesn't fill in all the gaps. It certainly fills in quite a bit, but not everything. This book acts as both a prequel to "Myst" and a bridge to "Riven". It's an interesting story in that regard because it tells about Atrus' childhood and goes into why the age of Riven is in dire need of our help!

At the end of Myst we find Atrus sitting at a desk in a deep cavern in place known as D'ni. We are transported there with him once we escape the island of Myst, but we are never told why he is there; just that he needs to make a decision concerning his sons. This is all well and good, but there are so many holes and questions, thus the novelization seeks to explain them. At one time Atrus lived with his grandmother, Ana, in a desert region. "The Book of Atrus" goes into detail about his life and learning there. It's almost an ideal childhood until one day his father, Gehn, returns and seeks to take him back to D'ni. See they are from a race of people who lived underground until they were all of a sudden destroyed. Ana, Gehn, and Atrus are the only decedents we are made aware of from this great society. So when Gehn was old enough he returned to the world of D'ni in search of its secrets, to see if he could find it and possibly rebuild it. Needless to say he sort of succeeded.

Gehn understands how to write in the books and knows the secret D'ni language to make different ages to create portal links between his world and others. However, he does not wield this power intelligently, but he doesn't want the knowledge to die with him, so he seeks out his son. He teaches Atrus everything, but Atrus has a keener mind for creating ages. Most of Gehn's worlds are unstable and if a world has inhabitants Gehn insists on be treated as a God. Needless to say Atrus' kindly nature has the better of him and he seeks to change this.

In this we get to see the bridge to Riven's story line. Riven had been an age linked to by Gehn, but the world was vastly unstable. So he and Atrus sought to fix it if they could. Gehn, being the overbearing man that he is, did not think most of Atrus' ideas were good ones. However, one thing would change Atrus' life forever when he got to Riven, he met Catherine there. Yes, the girl he references frequently in the first "Myst" game. Eventually she would bear his two sons Sirrus and Akenar, so as you can tell, I knew Atrus would succeed even during reading this, so I don't feel I am giving anything away. The book doesn't go into detail about the two sons growing up, so you never really know how everything started with them. Anyway, there is a solution to Atrus' problem, but I'll let the readers find that out for themselves. When we get to "Riven", the video game, there are further complications based around this story... I'll leave these mysteries to be discovered for yourself.

I don't feel I am spoiling very much of the book because it is riveting in itself. Most people who read this will undoubtedly have played the video games and already know the stories' outcomes before reading this. As any Myst player knows the interesting factor is in the details, I have left every part of these out. The book is a fascinating page turner and I really couldn't put it down at all. This book leaves a lot more mystery to the reader in the end and left us looking forward to the follow up text, "The Book of Ti'ana." I especially recommend this to any Myst fan who wants to delve deeper into the story line and world of Myst. I don't think many people would pick up Myst if they didn't already enjoy reading books to find out what new worlds they would be brought to. In that spirit these books are clearly written!

I read this book when I was younger and only remember great things. Looking back on it now I can tell that the writing isn't exactly scholarly, but that doens't matter, Myst is a fun adventure story that all kids and teens should enjoy. And no, I'm not a big fan of fantasy myself, but I had no trouble getting drawn in.