John Darnton's Pulitzer Prize credentials and industry plaudits at the top of this page duped and misled me. No prizes for this yarn. The book fails from the classic high-concept, poor-execution syndrome. The idea of an island of clones as an organ farm for the rich and famous is the fodder of good thrillers. What would happen if one of these poor clones escaped and made his way to New York City in search of his twin? Imagine the thrills and fun a reader could have turning pages to find out if this renegade fish out of water could stay one step ahead of the bad guys and foil the whole conspiracy!

No such luck. The novel's trouble begins as soon as the hapless twin manages a convenient escape from "Clone Island." From there, he quickly teams up with the "real" Jude and his girlfriend. Then they're off on a slow-witted, cross-country trek to find out -- well, we're never quite sure what they're looking for.

Our bumbling trio of hard drinkers (immune to hangovers!) prove to be amateur sleuths when it comes to unraveling conspiracies that reach all the way to -- surprise! -- Washington D.C. They could be swept up and killed at any time. Instead, they are allowed to traipse across the country, SLOOWWWLY unearthing clues to their pasts. The trio is never clever enough to figure out the big picture or who is supposedly chasing them. I ceased having fun. By the end of the story, the mad scientists finally sit our hero down and spell out the plot to him in a few pages of rushed narrative so the reader can make sense of this plodding story. Imagination, apparently, has run dry in New York.

Darnton shows off his investigative-reporting chops by expositing the science of cloning and life extension, presented here as a series of character lectures. This is more biochemistry than I needed to make this elementary plot work for me. Bombard the reader with cool science to make up for lazy plotting -- is that the formula for best sellers today? If he had worked half as hard to develop the plot and characters, we might have had some fun here.

I expected more from Darnton. His world-class wordsmithing barely stopped me from tossing this bore aside unfinished. And Darnton's shameless name-dropping in the "acknowledgements" buys him few points -- he makes sure we all know that he personally interviewed Dolly's creator so he would understand how to make clones. I would have been more impressed had he sought the counsel of Patricia Cornwell, not for the pat-on-the-back sound bite the editors snared for the cover, but rather for showing him how to craft a tasty page-turner.

If I'd read this book when I was in Junior High or even High School, I might have found it enthralling and a nice diversion..but as an adult who expects more, I can't recommend it.

Characters are barely sketched out and then are forced to remain incredibily dumb until other characters explain all in lengthy exposition.

The book had some ideas and a few moments but never really did anything with them.

At first, "The Experiment" by John Darnton covers familiar medical-science thriller ground: a secret society of 'mad' scientists, possible cloning, medical experimentation gone horribly wrong, etc. What separates this thriller from the rest is the complexity of the leading characters (Jude, Skyler, and Tillie), who react -- mostly -- in realistic ways to fantastic plot points Darnton piles onto the story. The basic narrative deals with two men, Skyler and Jude, almost identical 'twins', whose quest for the truth leads them from New York to Arizona to the Sea Islands off the coast of Georgia (where Skyler was raised on a small island by a mysterious group). Tillie, and expert in twins studies, is Jude's lover, but also connected indirectly to Skyler, providing a different kind of romantic tension. Although the reader can guess some plot developments well before the characters, Darnton adds enough surprises to keep you guessing. In addition, it is enjoyable to see how the characters deal with the discoveries they make, and the affect these discoveries have on the emotional triangle at the heart of the novel. One major fault is the last quarter of the book, which moves very quickly; although the major answers to the reader's questions are given, there's enough ambiguity to possibly pave the way for a sequel. A cut above the average book of this genre.

I read The Physics of Immortality five years ago when it first came out and while I was studying in theological seminary. Recently observing the Amazon.com customer reviews, I was surprised at the number of poor and disfavorable critiques. Yes, it was a challenging book academically. Many people would find it daunting. And Tipler deals with topics about which people can be very sensitive. No one likes to have their sacred beliefs challenged or played around with. Especially by an authoritative and intimidating scientist. Yet for me, as a believer in God and Jesus Christ, The Physics of Immortality was illuminating and inspiring. Why? First of all, I did not expect a cosmological physicist, from his perspective, to confirm my beliefs on terms familiar to me. Second, I learned a lot about science, physics, and the way a scientific mind approaches its object of study. Third, the Omega Point theory was truly astounding. It added a whole new dimension to the way I perceive time, purpose, the universe, God as Creator, and Jesus Christ as the Alpha and Omega. Fourth, I was inspired to see that a scientist, studying the physical universe beginning from a totally scientific and atheistic point of view, was compelled to acknowledge the probability of God.

Tipler not only acknowledged the likelihood of Higher Intelligence pulling the universe together teleologically, he compiled a logical proof for God's existence and the resurrection of the dead, supported by laws of physics. I think it is notable that he had to consult other disciplines (philosophy, ethics, sociology, etc.) in order to develop such a comprehensive theory. In the process he deals with love, sex, altruism, genetics, machines, artificial intelligence, life beyond earth, and many other topics.

Tipler's conclusions and speculations are likely to perturb others' preconceptions and differing viewpoints. For instance, God is (probably) not a Trinity. Nor is He omnipotent in the traditional absolute sense, although He does possess all the powers that be. The likely existence of multiple, parallel universes. Machines are alive. Human beings (and biological entities in general) can be defined as complex computer programs. Religious visions as precocious contact with the future. Etc.

A conspicuous point is the prominence Tipler awards to information, knowledge and intelligence. But shouldn't we expect that from a non-theistically oriented scientist embroiled in the information age? Although God is a God of goodness and love, that appears to be subordinate to the fact of His being (or becoming) the aggregation of all knowledge.

Whatever its drawbacks, Tipler's vision provides much food for thought and can expand our perceptions of the unfathomable 'I AM'. His ideas offer fertile ground for various religious traditions and scientific disciplines to pursue overlapping interests. For example, the Omega Point Theory should allow physics to join serious discussion with religious sentiments of mystical unity and the omnipresence of God.

Hopefully, people of faith will embrace such scientific endeavors for the good that can come from genuine search for truth, and not blindly condemn new discoveries and new theories simply because they conflict with established world views.

God is Who He is. And He will be what He will be. The perfect example of Christ's love shines no less brilliantly because a talented man has written a startling book. But such a book can help scientists to sincerely and intelligently broach the question of God, and eventually open their hearts to His eternal message of love. Its fresh perspective for viewing the universe could allow both scientists and religious people to shed old prejudices. The myriad wonders and underlying unity of God's creation can be examined and expressed in many ways. Let's keep our minds and hearts open to all of them.

This was a mind-blowing book for me. Tipler lays out a testable hypothesis (The Omega Point Theory or OPT) about the end of the universe that shows how it would be possible for "life" to last forever in subjective time, even though the universe will end in a finite amount of "proper" time. Furthermore, based on projections of computing power available near the end of the universe, Tipler tries to show that the resurrection (via perfect emulation) of all humans who have ever lived is not only possible, but very likely.

This "Omega Point Theory" comes across as extremely controversial because of Tipler's efforts to integrate religion into his physics. The Omega Point, which is a virtual computer that will have near-infinite computing power, is predicted to have many of the abilities of what most people think of as God. A lot of the book is taken up with passages from religious texts in an attempt to show the the Omega Point corresponds closely to the God referred to in many different religions. There are also discussions of free will, hell and heaven. The section on an Omega Point-created future heaven opens Tipler to easy ridicule by skeptics, since it discusses not only why there will be sex in heaven, but how it will be possible for a man to make love to, not only the most beautiful woman who ever lived, but the most beautiful woman that can theoretically exist!

Tipler takes great pains to make sure that he is presenting a true scientific theory and not just some new age gobbledygook mixed in with particle physics and general relativity. To that end, he makes several testable predictions based on his theory, including a couple that might be resolved soon, the mass of the top quark and the Hubble constant. If recent calculations of the Hubble constant prove to be correct, the Omega Point Theory may have already been proven false.

If you can wade through the math and physics, I highly recommend reading this book. It is a fascinating speculative look at the far flung future.

I personally thought this was a wonderful book. However, many people on this review page have written that the book was fantastic and unbelievable. It should be mentioned that there is a lot of material in this book that, yes, does sound fantastic to a normal person. But the book is sound in the mathematics and physics it is based it - in other words, most people would find relativity and quantum mechanics weird, never mind a book that would attempt to assert on the basis of these two theories that the existence of an afterlife is a good possibility.

Also, it is important to recognize that this is a theory, and like any other theory, the finer points are open to debate. If you do not mind being challenged, and are open minded, you will find this book interesting and thought provoking. However, if you pick up this book assuming that it will be an easy read, you will be severely disappointed. The author, Mr. Tipler, makes full use of his knowledge of physics, and - despite constant explanations of terminology - he will lose the less tenacious of his readers.

In the end, if you're a mathematics/physics genius/savant you'll love this book. If you're a student - or at least have some background in math and physics - you'll have to work to get through the book, and may find the experience rewarding. But if you're unwilling - or unable - to try and understand the concepts Mr. Tipler puts forth you will absolutely hate this book.

The book is clearly geared toward students. You learn early on how many words-per-minute you read and then you learn some of the hand motions used to push yourself to read faster. The "practice makes perfect" philosophy is endorsed.

There's a section on how to write term papers, faster. I got my degree in the sciences a couple decades ago so this was of minimal interest to me.

Basically, I learned that if you push yourself to read faster, you'll increase your reading speed.

This still has to be one of the best offerings available on this subject. For the persistently faithful this is the book I would recommend, it has all the exercises in step by step form to set you firmly on your way to accomplishing an effectively fast rate of reading with a good level of comprehension.

I would definitely recommend this book to parents of highschoolers or students of any age as this book also outlines some very essential and excellent methods of note taking to help you prepare for and ace exams. I've managed to increase my own reading speed from 630 wpm to over 1400wpm in only the first 4weeks of trying out this system,but and I stress the following, in order to succeed with speed reading you must maintain a high degree of persistence in doing the given exercises for at least 1 month, don't question the reasons for or effectiveness of the exercises until you've gone through all the methods given in the book faithfully - if you don't feel you have the determination or persistence to reach your ultimate goal then like all else you'll try - it probably won't work for you. However this method really does work! so what are you waiting for....buy it now!

I was looking for a book to make me read fast because i was tired of taking a long time to read. When i saw this book, I knew that I wanted it. When I started reading the book I thought it would take me several days to read it. But to my amazement, i finished it in 4 hours. When I started reading, I could read at only 294 words per minute. The average reading is only 250 words per minute. By the time i read the first chapter, I had already increased my speed tod 497 words per minute. I was amazed by what I accomplished. As I was finishing the book, I was learing how to organize my note taking and write very fast. Seven days after I finished the book I was reading at 900 words per minute. I was shocked. In the book it said that I would read close to 2000 words per minute after several weeks. But it didnt stop there. I was so happy i could speed read that I was reading everything I could get my hands on. One day when I was reading in class, the words just jumped out at me and became like a motion picture. I didnt know what had happened. After that, I just continued reading. My grades in school went from c minuses to a's. This book changed my life so well, that I didnt think that you could put a price on this book.

I bought this book out of curiosity, having long ago read the author's father (Evangelical/Presbyterian/Fundamentalist/Dispensationalist Protestant minister Francis Schaeffer)'s books, and some of Franky's as well. Franky--or Frank--usually sounds bitter and sarcastic, but I did enjoy his novel Portofino. Twenty-some years ago, I was a Protestant, and was, as a youth, somewhat impressed with Francis Schaeffer's works. (I am not impressed now.) Anyway, I was interested in learning about Franky's pilgrimage to Orthodoxy, and was expecting a personal account. Instead, I find a bitter diatribe against Protestantism and Catholicism. Schaeffer's words are obviously those of a new and zealous convert. He warns us in his "Note of Acknowledgment" that he is not an historian nor a theologian, nor a scholar. Yet he proceeds to write as if he were all three. He is not convincing. He does, however, make some good points regarding Protestantism, and much of what he says concerning the Orthodox churches apply to the Catholic Church. He bitterly attacks the Papacy, having thoroughly absorbed the resentment towards the West of many Orthodox writers. (Of course I am admittedly biased, and consider "the Schismatic Church" an apt appellation for the Orthodox!)
Nevertheless, I think Shaeffer has moved in the right direction, and it is better to be "only" in schism rather than in heresy and schism. But for a good short introduction to Orthodoxy, I think Timothy Ware's The Orthodox Church is a better treatment of the subject. At least you will get the perspective of a longtime adherent, and more reliable historical information. Frank Schaeffer is much better at writing fiction (and I really do recommend Portofino, especially if you have ever been an Evangelical Protestant--it'll keep you laughing).

At first read, Frank Schaeffer's diatribe against Protestantism is unsettling. It would be simple to write off his fervor as pent-up anger if his subject was anything else. However, Mr. Schaeffer is writing of the ONE, TRUE, CHURCH , which he has come to believe is the Orthodox faith. The correct tone when instructing others in a serious matter in which they are mistaken is staunch authoritarianism, mixed well with compassion and personal relevance. Mr. Schaeffer combines these elements well, and takes the reader on a soul-wringing trip through history.

In the first section of the book, Mr. Schaeffer documents the history of Protestantism and draws connections between its strayed theology and many of society's ills. Though this section is dry if you are not a history buff, it is necessary to set up the argument for the Orthodox Church.

I grew up in a very Protestant home, and after a period of soul-searching and questioning, motivated by the desire to be "different and separate", I chose a Protestant church home. What characterizes Protestantism above all else is incessant questioning-a personal proof of faith based on what the individual chooses to believe and how they interpret scripture. I have yet to lose this knack for picking and choosing, so in my very Protestant way, let me tell you what I like about Orthodoxy as Mr. Schaeffer describes it:

1.Orthodoxy is a sure thing! If I'm right, and in the spirit of democracy, you are right, then I end up being wrong. Not so in the Orthodox Church. There: "this is right, this is what the Church has always taught."

2.I have always believed the Bible to be the infallible word of God, protected and passed down to us through the ages. The Orthodox Church didn't even have the canon of the New Testament when it began. That part of the Bible grew out of the tradition and development of the Church!

3.Who is the Orthodox Church to say they have the ONE TRUE WAY ?!? Well, they do have documentation of the succession from the apostles, and Christ gave special dispensation to those MEN to carry out the work of the church. Ok, well, who's to say that they haven't had outside influence and that their worship is just as different from the New Testament Church as Mine is?!? Ok, but the apostles to whom Christ gave those special powers and instructions to start THIS Church said, "...The gates of Hades shall not prevail against it."

I received this book as gift from my step-father (who I love, and who loves me as real as you can get!) He sent this book from Amazon.com via post while I was making wedding preparations (and almost got me in trouble for spending money on-line!) and then called two days later to see if I had read it, and what I had thought. I hadn't even touched it yet. I did get to read it in the Mojave on my Annual Training with the Texas Army National Guard. I can't say that I am converted because I have yet to do all of the research (and there isn't an Orthodox Church where I live). But it has certainly made points I can not ignore. Frank Schaeffer continues in his father's footsteps as an insightful theologian, sensitive to the evil of relativism in our society.

Frank Schaeffer's book is an excellent introduction for those interested or curious about Eastern Orthodoxy. As the son of perhaps this country's most famous Protestant theologian, Francis Schaeffer, Mr. Schaeffer's book is instructive on a number of levels. The book is part testimonial, part explanation and defense of Orthodox theology, and part cultural critique of contemporary American culture. Mr. Schaeffer sets out to explain why our individualistic, feel-good social ethic has compromised many denominations and why Orthodoxy offers an organic, living form of worship and piety that is Christianity in its completest form. Mr. Schaeffer references Church Fathers and the Ecumenical Councils in his explanation of Orthodox doctrine in his defense of Orthodoxy's claim to being the living, True Church of Christ. This may upset or surpise some who accept today's ecumenical claim that all the denominations taken together are branches of the one true Church; but, as Mr. Schaeffer points out, you cannot have a number of Churches who all claim different things that contradict the claims of each other comprising the one True Church: this is a contradiction that makes no sense. Mr. Schaeffer's book will be of particular interest to anyone interested in Orthodoxy, whether he be Orthodox, Protestant, or Catholic. This is important since Mr. Schaeffer IS NOT saying (nor does the Orthodox Church teach as much) that you can only be saved or please God if you are Orthodox; the mystery of a man's salvation is something man cannot judge and is for God alone to know. However, Mr. Schaeffer is interested in establishing the historical and theological case that establishes Orthodoxy as the one True Church of Christ that possess the fullness of Christ's Truth that other churches that split from Her do not possess. In a world where many traditional forms of worship and piety have been forgotten or dismissed, where other liturgical churches have abandoned or gutted their liturgies, taking a serious look at Orthodoxy might be of value for those disaffected with modernist denominations and parishes.

This was a mediocre book relying on the success of the other two books to boost sales. I don't think it would have gone very far on its own. The writing was much more shallow than most of Clarke's other books, and the characters were even more uninteresting.

One thing I really love about Clarke's books, especially 2001 and 2010, is the description. 2061 didn't have much of that; there was a sense that we had already seen these things before so they didn't need to be described again.

The book wasn't all bad. The redeeming feature is the premise. In the beginning Dr. Heywood Floyd (who I was glad to see again) was on a ship that landed on Halley's comet, which was an interesting twist. I've never read a SF book about landing on Halley's comet before. In the meantime, another ship is hijacked and ends up stranded on Europa, a moon of Jupiter that mankind has been forbidden to land on. The ship that Floyd is on is sent to rescue the other ship. It was an intriguing plot line and more could have been done with it. As usual the characters are uninteresting, and there seem to have been more useless characters in this book than in most of Clarke's books.

I certainly wouldn't call this a must-read for anybody. It's a fast book to read and somewhat entertaining while it's being read, but I doubt I'll remember it very long.

I think Clarke's 2061 stacks up well with the two preceding odysseys. I believe the plot was well-developed with its two separate, yet inevitably linked parts. The famous Dr. Heywood Floyd relaxes while on his way to rendezvous with Halley's Comet while his grandson sets his sights with Galaxy on his way to the forbidden landing satellite of Europa. With the beautiful twist of the force landing on the Jovian (now Luciferian) moon and the rescue mission that the Universe is then sentenced to, the suspense becomes great and the awe plentiful. Clarke's lucid description of the planets, moons, and new-found life are real, stunning, and exciting. The recurrence of the 'spirit' of Dave Bowman and the secret of the mysterious Monolith in a more subtle manner simply add to the essence of the well-formed plot. The characters come alive about their realistic struggles in the Space Age. Clarke is a remarkable author, and has proved once again his superiority with the wonders of Space in his third odyssey.

It's true that 2061 doesn't add much to the series in terms of learning about the monoliths or Bowman -- in fact, it would probably be LESS confusing to skip this book and read 3001 instead (the "Trinity" and "3001" chapters don't mesh well with what comes later). But if you truly appreciate Arthur C. Clarke's writing, you'll probably enjoy this book. Just like with 2001, 2010, 3001, and Rendezvous with Rama, Clarke takes you on a voyage into a world of his creation, giving you the chance to explore it and marvel at it. Although the voyage to Halley's comet is completely unnecessary in plot terms, it is a classic example of Clarke acting as a tour guide on a fascinating voyage through his world. Also, this book is another milestone in Clarke's progress as a character author -- a change that can be seen as you move through Clarke's 2001 saga. Don't expect any answers to questions you may have about 2001/2010, but if you enjoy Clarke touring you through the universe, it is definitely a worthy read.

The latest installment from Herbert Jr. and Anderson leaves a lot to be desired. House Atreides and House Harkonnen attempted to open the Dune universe to a larger audience with a more light-hearted style and an easier to follow plot. The entire trilogy makes an effort to fill some of the holes left in the original Dune novels, but the new books are not on the level Dune readers have come to expect.

House Corrino was not the way I expected the trilogy to conclude. The movements of the characters seem childish and less "thought-out." There is more action, yes, but it doesn't flow as well as the previous two novels, considering that this book is supposed to bridge the gap between the trilogy and the first Dune novel. Fans of the Dune universe will no doubt read this book with much anticipation, but I think the outcome they encounter will not mesh well with their expectations.

This book containted far too many irrelevant subplots, the style left much to be desired, and it didn't conclude in a fashion consistent with its place in the series.

Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson come close to wrapping up the Dune prequel series with a climactic edition in "Dune: House Corrino". This story takes place in less than a year's time, beginning after the conception of Paul Atreides, and finishing just after his birth. The book starts off a little slow; it takes the authors a while to build up the suspense, but the last 150 pages of this work are well worth the wait. The details regarding the Corrino famliy are also enjoyable.

The authors set the stage in the two previous prequel stories ("House Atreides" and "House Harkonnen") and really didn't need to build up interest over such a long novel. FYI, both previous works are musts for devoted Dune fans. However, this is the best book out of the three editions. New readers will find the style smoother and more modern than the original Frank Herbert series, but not quite as creative. These stories fill in the many gaps in Frank Herbert's background, almost as if reading historical fiction.

The final third of the book is excellent, even difficult to put down as the action reaches a crescendo. Though every fan knows what is going to happen, we have been shielded from the truth all this time. You almost feel as if the story were new. However, there is one last story to tell here. Prepare to see "Dune: Bene Gesserit" bridging the birth of Paul Atreides to the relocation of his family to Planet Arrakis.

I have read every book in both Dune series and rate this book 3.80 out of 5.00 stars, rounded up to 4.00 stars, with points for writing style and for nicely wrapping up a lot of pre-history. Still want to read about more workings behind the scenes of the Sisterhood though.

The original Dune was the 1966 Hugo Award winning novel. If it wasn't for that fact I may not have given it as much leeway when I first read it however. With a completely different language and universe, I found it hard at the beginning to get into the mind set of the book, and to associate with that world. Of course once I did, it became one of the best books I've ever read. Several other people I've known over the years had similar troubles starting the novel, and I was saddened to learn that they never completed it.

After reading the three prequals which Frank Herbert's son Brian and Kevin J. Anderson have put together, House Corrino being the last, I can't help wondering if things would have been different for these people if these novels were the first books in the series that they had read. They are all well written, enough so to keep a reader coming back for more on their own weight. They are true to the original story, enough so that they have added some great insight which you do not get from the original. Also, I believe, they are an easier read. Which may attract more readers to this wonderful series which otherwise may have been a little intimidated. These prequels set up the original perfectly. I highly recommend these books.

John Sandford's Prey Series has been becoming more and more stale with each book. Easy Prey which was released earlier this year was by far the worst book yet. That is why I was amazed to hear that Sandford was releasing another book so soon. I was expecting the worst. However, I was pleasently surprised to learn that The Devil's Code was actually the third Kidd and Luellen book. I grant you that this one was not as good as the first two(The Fool's Run and The Empress File) but it was still enjoyable. This kind of book is exactly the kind of change of pace that all authors who write a series should write. I agree with some of the other reviews that Lucas Davenport is a better character, but let's be honest have any of the recent Prey novels come even close to some of the earliest books like Rules Of Prey and Eyes of Prey? Take this book for what it is, a very good departure form a great author. The plot drags at some points but overall it is an interesting suspense story. Now let's hope Sandford breaths some life into that other series or we all be hoping for more Kidd novels instead.

I decided to give The Devil's Code a whirl because I am a big fan of John Sandford's Prey series. I'm glad I did. If you enjoy a light hearted romp through intrigue, mystery, suspense, sex and high tech complexity, you would be well advised to do the same.

Granted, The Devil's Code doesn't have the intensity of the Prey series. This is the story of a part time artist, part time criminal and part time computer hacker who gets dragged into a high level political investigation that involves the FBI, CIA and other law enforcement agencies. Although he is completely innocent of any involvement, Kidd -- the book's main character - needs to find the real criminals before the investigation leads to him. His mysterious and talented sometimes partner, LuEllen, shows up to help him and add spice to the narrative.

While the Prey books deal in realism, The Devil's Code is pure escapism. One of Kidd's hacker friends is murdered and his (the friend's) sister asks Kidd to help her find the murderer. This sets off an action-packed chain of events involving espionage, conspiracy, violence and suspense. But it's all fairly superficial. From virtually any phone booth or motel room, Kidd is able to access a complex network of computer hackers to get the information he needs. No dial-up problems, no slow network speeds, no disconnects - just instant response with the answers Kidd needs. For a heavy Internet user this seems a bit fictional, but that is what this is, fiction.

And the criminal plot that slowly unfolds before us is truly ingenious. The bad guys have devised a way to access highly sensitive government information for great monetary gain. But I won't reveal what this is because it would ruin the story. Read it, and have fun!

This was my first read of the Kidd Novels and I really enjoyed it. The author provides just enough hints of the plot to keep you guessing. The ending is satisfying and leaves you hungering for more. I will now order the other two Kidd novels and have them digested in time for the new one in November. I also have ordered all the early Prey novels. I'm looking forward to good reading.

A sorry science fiction book (not a mystery novel in my judgement) not written by Ludlum but his name is on the cover to sell books (my viewpoint). The book takes advantage of todays terrorist threats and smallpox concerns to stir the readers interests but nothing in the book reflected the writings of Ludlum. I strongly suspect that Ludlum did not even write the outline for this book and the sorriest one, "The Paris Option".

I have been a Ludlum fan for many years and have read all of his novels. I have enjoyed many of them so much that after a few years I pick them back up and reread them to get a dose of his suspense filled writing that keep me up turning pages far into the night.
However I was disappointed with Hades One and this book, his last effort I believe before his death, was equally disappointing.
His descriptions of scenes are not up to his earlier standard, his character development is shallow and he telegraphs his villians, unlike earlier works and comes up with completely impossible situations. The suspense he used to create in his books is missing. I used to stay up late reading his page turner suspense filled books, now I just couldn't wait until I was finished, hoping it would get better.
Unfortunately we have lost a great writer, but this book is not anywhere near the caliber of The Holcort Covenant, The Bourne Identity or any of his earlier works.

"The Cassandra Compact" is a very exciting and entertaining read. The plot sometimes stretches the bounds of credibility a bit much, but that is to be expected in an action-thriller like this. There are also times when Dr. Jon Smith (the protagonist) borders on becoming a superhero rather than a true character, but he is generally very likeable, if never quite realistic.

In the past I have read some of Philip Shelby's work and thought that he showed promise. I have been impressed by his skills as a wordsmith, but found his story ideas to be somewhat lacking. Combining his writing talents here with the imagination of Robert Ludlum, however, has produced a blockbuster of a novel. This is not great literature by any means, but it is an engrossing story that will definitely keep you turning the pages.

With his death earlier this year, Robert Ludlum left a huge void in the international suspense/thriller genre. Thankfully, we do have writers like Philip Shelby and Gayle Lynds who are eager to take up his mantle. If "The Cassandra Compact" never rises to the level of the best of Ludlum's work -- and it doesn't -- reading it is still a very pleasing way to pass some time.

--David Montgomery, Mystery Ink

I began reading this book with very high hopes because of Robert Stone's reputation. However, this is not a book for those who don't have a photographic memory. Unless you can remember, 200 pages later, a name or Hebrew phrase mentioned briefly, you'll be lost, as I was throughout a good deal of this book. The rest of the time I just didn't care. Perhaps it is because Stone is so buy piling up the information that he doesn't pay attention to his characterizations. His characters, particularly his women, are hollow and lifeless. Their conversation is ridiculous, as if Stone mixed up Jerusalem 1992 with some bad dream from the '60s. Having complained about all that, I must say I learned a tremendous amount from this book about the current state of our world. At one point, I was forced to find a Jerusalem travel guide to make sense of all the sites -- religious and otherwise -- that Stone visited. After a while, I realized I was reading the book not for an interesting story or characters, but for a lesson in social science and geography.

Having just finished Stone's hefty novel and read all the reviews on line, I would like to add my two cents. Yes, the story is complex, daunting, multi-layered, etc.---but every once in a while, the reader owes it to him/herself to pick up something that will really test the old brain power. (Name of the Rose comes to mind, or Incidence of the Fingerpost) Any novel that sends the reader off in search of further knowledge is a valuable addition to the library, and Damascus Gate had me checking the Encyclopedia of Religions, among other sources, in order to gain a further understanding of his plot and characters. Not a book for the beach, nor one which would welcome interruptions while reading - but one which requires constant attention to detail, and a willingness to ponder connections. The author does not spell it all out for the reader - but mental exercise isn't always a bad thing!

Even though I was enthralled by Robert Stone's engrossing tale, I couldn't help stopping in my tracks time and again in order to re-read a passage and enjoy the sheer elegance of the author's style. Few authors can match this combination of storytelling skill, this amazing erudition and this control of the english language. If such a comparison means anything, I would suggest that Mr. Stone writes somewhat like a darker version of Robertson Davies. The book requires attention, but it generously rewards the reader who takes time to ponder the events as they unfold. The characters are richly described in nuanced tones, and the dialogues sound amazingly authentic. Highly recommended to everyone who loves a complex yarn dealing with difficult issues such as faith, fate, and the human condition. Definitely NOT recommended to action/adventure afficionadoes.

I have heard talk that this is the best calculus text out there. If so, mathematics professors really need to get their publishing act together. This may be a tour-de-force of math knowledge, in which author James Stewart expounds just how much of an expert he is on the subject, but it is NOT a good book to LEARN from. I took calculus about a year ago and used this text to refresh my knowledge for an upcoming class. It took me multiple passes through the Chain Rule section (actually, quite easy stuff!) to jog my memory. The way Stewart explains things makes a prerequisite in astrophysics required for learning from the book. I will grant that it's colorful and well illustrated, which is the reason for the second star, but that probably only serves to double the price of the textbook. You'll probably have to get the solutions guide to learn from this at all- and boy do they make a killing off you in the process! There is a lot of non-essential extra information that really should be in different sections, but is instead the first thing you'll read about a fundamental concept. I was particularly irked by how Stewart demonstrates how different differential notation can be used to show formulae. This is ridiculous. He should stick with one all the way through, and put the rest in footnotes. If you instructor uses this text, you had better hope he's better at explaining things, or you'll be up the creek.

I have seen exactly three calculus textbooks in my lifetime -- one, when I was teaching myself calculus in high school, two, when I was in Cal I, and three, while I've been in Cal II. I will preface my upcoming comments with the disclaimer that I do consider myself a little bit of a math-head and like most math classes I've taken in the past, even the ones with the teachers/professors who stink. Now that I've said that, I have to say that this calculus textbook is by far the best one I've seen, and really work in helping out the student with their calculus. Unless one is a complete idiot or is not really applying themselves in the subject, one can go rather far with this textbook. It is very organized in its presentation of the methodology and examples, its problem sets are thorough and really work to get the student involved in actually learning how to do things such as derivatives and integrals, and its wide span of what it covers in the subject is impressive, starting from the beginner's level and going up to the advanced level. I was even able to teach myself how to do double and triple integration with the help of this textbook, during a period when I found myself tiring of doing trigonometric substitution. Now, the one thing I found lacking from this book that would've made this book a true wonder was a review section so that one could go over concepts previously taught (and eventually forgotten) in trigonometry, college-level algebra, and geometry. I feel that had these concepts been included in a review section either in the beginning of the text as Chapter One (which the Cal I professor could skip if they so choose) or in the appendix as Appendix A (or B or C, etc.) I feel that had such a review section been included, especially for people such as myself who haven't taken the aforementioned subjects in years, I would truly love this book. Otherwise, I like it and would still recommend it.

This book is easily the best calculus book I've ever used. In high school we used two seperate books, but they did not explain the material like Stewart's did. The only problem with this book is that the solution manual is too good, and lazy students, such as myself, use them as a crutch when complicated problems arise. This book, however, will allow a student to skip a couple lectures here and there without being completely lost. Other books fail to deliver relavent examples and useful information as well as this one.