I easily consider this one of the best stories that ran in the "Legend of the Dark Knight" series (this book reprints #11-15) up till now (this one and "Gothic"). Batman, the hunter, becomes the hunted when the major demands him arrested. Captain Gordon is to form a special squad to do so, which shall be master-planned by psycho-analist Dr. Hugo Strange. While Strange shall try to unravel the mystery 'who is Batman' by logical psychological deduction, a street squad will do the fieldwork. Only it turns out that Dr. Strange himself isn't very sane and that he plans to reach far more than just the arrest of Batman, using whatever means neccesary. Meanwhile Batman is having a hard time to keep himself thinking straight. Something that proves to be difficult during the schemes of the mad Dr. Strange.

This is really a well written Batman story that will especially appeal to those who like "The Killing Joke". The art looks a lot like the art of Brian Bolland and, even more importantly, the theme and atmosphere of the story are very much alike (the theme, not the plot). A dark psychological thriller. It's really good to see is that the things that happen during the story aren't just coincedences but happen for a reason, and are backed with arguments. A small example of that is that when Dr. Strange concludes that 'the man behind the mask must be a wealthy man' it's backed up with the argument "The man must be wealthy since he's up all night and therefore doesn't have time to work a job in the daytime, but still has so much expensive devises". Things don't come out of thin air, like what unfortunately seems to happen in too many other books. And like this little example, everything else that happens also fits and is made to look logical. What is also a good thing is that you don't know how it's exactly gonna end untill you're at the last couple of pages. Just when you think you figured Dr. Strange's next move out, the plot twists. It isn't predictable anywhere and therefore never becomes boring. If you're looking to pick up a good Batman story besides the ones who got a lot of attention already (like "Killing Joke", "Dark Knight Returns", "Long Halloween", "Year One" etc. etc.), this would certainly be a good choice.

This book collects the Prey storyline that ran in Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight. A very tense Batman book which also depicts the first meeting between Batman and the twisted Dr. Hugo Strange. In this book, Bats makes a lot of mistakes and he has let Dr. Strange get to him. Also introduces the Bat Signal and the Batmobile. It's really good to see Batman as a human being who goofs up and get ticked off by someone else. One disappointment I have with this book is Catwoman. It's as if she's just there. She didn't really contribute anything to the story.

The title of this book is a little misleading, this is a great resources for those who are still in college and maybe considering what they would like to do with their post-graduate lives. The book has a good listing of classes that students may want to take to help with a chosen career. The listing of careers is rather limited, focusing on the jobs with the greatest potential growth in the 21st century. In all this was not a very helpful book in finding a job, but worth looking at.

With its meticulous descriptions on all aspects of 281 jobs ideal for college graduates throughout a spectrum of employment fields, Michael Farr and LaVerne Ludden's Best Jobs For The 21st Century For College Graduates have created a superbly presented, invaluable, and horizon expanding jobs/career compendium that should be a standard reference for all college and university job center and employment counseling centers.

The recipes in this book are easy to use and wonderful. They cover every topic, as a basic cookbook, without going into technique. I had been hoping to have the same format as the columns had been; a complete menu idea, but that is the only disappointment in the book. It is "one more" basic cookbook for my shelf, but certainly a good o ne.

When in doubt about a particular recipe, I always turn to this book. Litterally a thousand classic recipes that always turn out to perfection. A must have.

This book is good, but...some of the stories shouldn't be in it, and others that should be in it aren't. The JMS stories, which are critically acclaimed and heralded by fans are deserving, but it should also include Amazing Spider-Man # 37-39, just to finish out the storyline. The Jenkin's story, (The Big Score), was not the best thing Jenkin's had done, and should be replaced by his Mime silent issue. And the Ultimate DD/Punisher story arc was rather stupid, and should have been replaced by Jenkin's amazing Fusion story arc. However, the Coming Home story is nice, the Kingpin story spectacular, and the Flowers for Rhino story touching. If you'd rather go with the paperback additions, get ASM: Coming Home, PPSM: One small Break, ASM: Revelations, and SM's Tangled Web vol. 1.

Here, in one loaded volume, are some of the best told stories of any kind, in the last year. Whether these stories were told in comics, film, novels or television, very few matched this level of excellence.
Seriously. The script/screenplay/text and the art/cinematography/visuals I would put up against any type of media this year, or the last.
This represents a great value, as you get quite a few issues in a handsome volume.
The now-famous "issue 36" should be mandatory reading for anyone with at least one eyeball. It could possibly be the single best artistic/creative response to September 11th seen yet. There are images in the story as haunting as any from the site itself.
This is a book you'd be proud to own. And if this happens to be your first dip into modern comics, I envy your upcoming experience.

This is my letter to the editor of the Blue Guide Series. I have just returned from a week in Provence:

I bought the Provence Blue Guide sight unseen via Amazon.com and with great excitement as I first began using Blue Guides 30 years ago knowing that virtually every rock I passed would be discussed; that helpful routes and mileage would be given; and excellent plans. I confidently ordered the guide anticipating the fun of using a blessedly comprehensive work.

What a disappointing shock to start trying to use the guide. Not only is it woefully meager but so poorly indexed. I am reminded of the wine commercial about not selling wine before its time. I wish that had been taken to heart with this guide. It is not ready for publication. For the first time I wished I had the Michelin Green Guide instead of a Blue Guide. I also must now be more cautious in unequivocally counseling my clients [I am a travel consultant] to buy Blue Guides.

There were so many places not discussed (e.g., the towns of Trigance, Organ, not to mention specific sites overlooked) and places discussed that were not indexed (e.g., St.-Remy-de- Provence and Les-Baux-de-Provence). Furthermore, the places that are indexed generally have few sites listed under them.

I hope this guide is just a quirk and I will find the other Blue Guides in their traditional depth of quality. Please take all the time you need to publish the second Provence edition in classic Blue Guide style.

The Blue Guides are a cultural treasure, and ought to be designated as one by Unesco. They allow a traveler to just pick up and go somewhere, and to experience the charms and treasures of a region that would otherwise be inaccessible without years of study and painstaking exploration. For a cultural traveler, they are as indispensable as luggage: it's almost impossible to travel comfortably without them. That being said, I have no idea who actually uses them. Personally, I know of myself and my wife, an art history teacher of mine in college twenty-five years ago who recommended them to me, and a friend of ours who occasionally conducts guided tours herself. Additionally, I once saw someone carrying one in Monte Olivietto, a sumptuous Renaissance abbey in the hills of Tuscany. Practically no one I know of has ever even heard of them. They keep getting published, and the line gets extended, but I don't know for whom. Which brings me to the point of this review and a couple of others I've written for Amazon: I want more people to become aware of this fantastic resource. The Blue Guides are such wonderful and unique travel books that if more people know of them they'll buy them and recommend them to others, and I will never be in danger of having to travel without them.

The strength of the Blue Guide is generally cultural: for the most part, artworks and architecture are the primary focus, along with succinct but fairly comprehensive historical notes on the localities and sites they cover. Although there is less implicit emphasis in the text on scenery and sightseeing, they are arranged in tours, which are pretty carefully set up to run a traveler through the most interesting, characteristic and appealing terrain in the region. If you use a Blue Guide, you'll be able to do some very serious and very rewarding sight-seeing. The Blue Guide to Provence and The Cote d'Azur is actually a little bit of an exception to the formula, in part because of the nature of Provence, which in general is not really an artistic treasure house, at least by French standards. Provence is full of ancient cities and hill towns, and rugged and striking mountainous scenery, bathed in the Provençal sunlight so beloved by artists like Van Gogh, Cezanne and Picasso. (For the most part, their depictions of the region are housed elsewhere.) There is actually more left standing from the Roman period than in most of Italy. Atypically, this Blue Guide is a little weak in the details of the churches and buildings in some of the small villages, although it is very thorough in its treatment of history and culture. On the other hand, it does get you out into those quiet, small towns and villages way away in the countryside, including ancient hamlets with fifteen souls up in the scenic and forested mountain hills, and runs you along rural routes with views that make you want to stop every few minutes just to look. Careful treatments of the details of the Roman cities like Arles, Nîmes and Orange are there, (although I found a certain surprising weakness in the coverage of Romanesque sculptural programs), as are less well known little nooks and crannies such as the old synagogues of Cavaillon. There are maps of some of the larger towns, all of which are described in detail, and a floor plan and diagram of the portal sculpture of the cathedral of St-Trophîme in Arles. Like the rest of the Blue Guides, this one is exhaustive: friends of ours who live in Avignon and love to explore weren't familiar with some of the places we most enjoyed visiting. We actually found ourselves in a couple of really lovely towns like one where there were no other tourists, just local people hanging out by the fountain in front of the old church at the end of the day, watching the baby learn how to walk, while young lovers strolled along the winding cobbled streets up to look at the view from the ruined castle, just like their parents and grandparents had before them. (The routes are very well chosen for variety and enormous scenic appeal: The Blue Guide to Provence and The Cote d'Azur will take you through every part of the region, and every interesting city, town and hamlet, with notes.) Beautiful drives, beautiful destinations, lots of background and detail: it that's what you're looking for and you want to visit Provence and the Riviera, this book is for you.

A note of advice from my own experience: use this guide to sit down and do some planning before you leave. Mark out your routes beforehand on a map (the Michelin Road Atlas is excellent and keyed to the Red Guides, which are superb), because although the directions are good, it's very hard to drive and follow them at the same time: although well marked, the roads are narrow and winding in the countryside, the towns and cities weren't built for cars and the streets are very narrow and confusing, and French drivers are fast and aggressive. Being lost can be very stressful and time-consuming, if not dangerous, and if you need directions and don't speak French, you might be out of luck. If you put in some time in advance, you'll get a lot more out of your precious vacation time (and money).

In its roughly 50 parts, all written by experienced cooks and cook book writers, HP Books' "The Book of ... Cooking" series takes you to the cuisines of various regions of the U.S. and around the world; all in easy to follow, well-explained recipes.

This installment, the Book of Hot and Spicy Foods, starts with an A to Z listing of the zesty and tangy spices used in this collection, and then presents suggestions for all major courses, from appetizers and snacks to desserts and beverages. Special chapters are dedicated to main courses, sauces, chutneys and pickles. Classics such as baklava, barbecue sauce, spareribs, satays, assorted curries, chicken tandoori, chili con carne, falafel, gado gado, guacamole, gluehwein, hot mulled cider, lassi, mulligatawny soup and nasi goring appear next to unique dishes such as berries with pepper sauce, curry cream mussels, apple chutney, mustard mozzarella pork, pears in pineapple cream, and wine and pepper cream sauce.

From anchovy spread to yogurt tomato cooler, this collection of recipes, while not all-encompassing, is a great introduction to the endless possibilities of spicing up a meal - and at a relative bargain price, to boot.

The Book of Hot & Spicy Foods is nicely illustrated with color photos, usually four per recipe.

I picked out fourteen recipes to try: Mussel & Saffron Soup, Oriental Gingered Shrimp, Creole Gumbo Pot, Mulligatawny Soup, Chili Bean Tacos, Clam & Shrimp Chowder, Nasi Goreng, Lamb & Mushroom Korma, Ceylonese Chicken Curry, Indonesian Coconut Sauce (for my Indonesian coconuts, of course) Mango Chutney (great with pork roast) Pickled Red Cabbage (serve it with the pork roast) Pickled Cabbage, Berries with Pepper Sauce (an unexpected flavor combination) and Ginger Beer.

These are pretty representative of the book and they're delicious. I wish the book had been longer.

There are no characters in this book at all! IF you have any intention to get a hold of the language, reading and writing go hand in hand. This will make much more sense when you go over and tyr to ride a bus or converse with someone.
The second problem is this doesn't focus on dialogue. Yes, it is interesting to blurt out your newest American-style Chinese Phrase but what are you going to do when your partner replies?

Anyway, thumbs down, I'm sending mine back...nice packaging though

Think your Chinese is good enough to do business in China? Well, it'll be that much better if you decide to get this great language guide. This book has plenty of phrases for doing business in China and even important high technology language to help you to communicate in the changing landscape of China's economy. It also has vocabulary on specific industries such as banking and finance and management consulting.

*Note- I'm not sure if this is a beginner's book since it doesn't go into a lot of grammar, which is important. I already have a pretty good grammar foundation, and the vocabulary adds onto that. It's pretty much like a Chinese dictionary of business phrases and vocabulary.

The CD is an extra bonus. It contains all the bolded words in the book, about 65 minutes worth of native speakers pronunciations using the much sought-after Beijing dialect. It's worth the extra five dollars.

In short, this book offers a lot of value for the price and those doing business in China should get it to expand their business vocabulary. I highly recommend it.

This is another good story that follows the Bride series that Susan Paul Spencer has written of. The hero Lord Senet Gailard has been off fighting and proving himself as an honorable knight after the shame that he had borne because of his father being condemed as a traitor (unfortunately, it was never proven in either this novel or in the Bride Thief, where Senet was first introduced. After proving himself loyal after 10 years of fighting, he is given a boon, the chance to reclaim his family estate, provided he wed Lady Katherine who now rules over Castle Lomas.

Senet arrives at Lomas with his band of knights, and Katharine pretends to accept her fate--until night falls and she flees. Senet of course,finds her and forces Katharine to return. Senet proves to be a fair Lord and they both discover their mutual attraction, but of course never mentioning to each other that it exists.

The secondary characters, provide good background and the story flows quickly. The introduction of Katherine's cousin Kiernan who she had posing as her long lost betrothed, does give some very good humorous dialog. The story is good but did end awfully quickly. Deadlines perhaps, otherwise would have rated a 5*.

This is an enjoyable story about Senet, whose father died a traitor (we never know if he was guilty or not or what he was guilty of doing). His childhood home, Lomas, is now held by Lady Katherine. Having proven his loyalty to the crown in battle, he is given Lomas back if he marries Katherine. Well, Katherine wants no part of a marriage, her father was nothing to brag about and her betrothed, Lord Hanley, hasn't been seen in years and she hated him when he was around. The marriage takes place and though there are more than enough misunderstandings, the only big obstacle to their happiness turns out to be Kieran, Katherine's rogue cousin, who shows up impersonating Hanley. The ending ended to quickly. I wish more detail would have been provided, I think I would have been able to identify with the characters better. I hope that Kieran shows up in Ms. Paul's next story.

This book should be called "College majors in the environment". I am a college graduate with a social sciences degree, and the book was not of any help to me. It does not cover the job search, and gives only a few, obvious contacts (such as the EPA). Each chapter is written for a specific degree, and what can be done with that degree, all of which are life or physical sciences. Im sure the book is very helpful if you have a degree in biology, forestry, chemistry, meteorology, etc. But for those of us with less scientifically specific degrees, this book is not too helpful unless you are willing to go back to school for four more years after reading it.

Covers all types of careers, plus includes detailed job forecast information, salary data and each section includes a summary of how to obtain addional career information as well as the education required. The book also includes extensive reference material such as professional organizations for each job.

This book is well illustrated for the cost of the volume, but it is more of a biography than a book on paintings. It is also well written in readable prose, but the pace of the narrative is broken up by the fact that the illustrations rarely correspond to the place in the text where they are discussed, requiring a fair bit of page flipping. This could have been easily remedied by the publisher. Furthermore, many of the illustrations provided are not discussed at all, or only mentioned in passing. Nevertheless, several key aspects of Cezanne's approach and influence are briefly mentioned, and the text can be enjoyably read in an afternoon. These comments refer to the hardbound edition.

This is the second book I have from the Pegasus Library and I am impressed yet again with the high quality of this book. I love art books, but finding books with high quality images and interesting text is sometimes difficult given my limited price range. This book on Cezanne comes with a commentary which I found better written and more informative than many of the essays found in the huge tomes which seem to dominate the art book world. But every art lover knows the commentary is but a distant concern compared with the quality of the images themselves. The reproductions in this book are bright and clear, crisp enough to see the details, but not unfaithful to the originals. I could go on and on, but I will stop...in short, buy this book!