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Book reviews for "Austgen,_Robert_Joseph" sorted by average review score:

Ghor, Kin-Slayer: The Saga of Genseric's Fifth-Born Son
Published in Paperback by Necronomicon Pr (August, 1997)
Authors: Robert E. Howard, Karl Edward Wagner, Joseph Payne Brennan, Richard L. Tierney, Michael Moorcock, Charles Saunders, Andrew J. Offutt, Manley Wade Wellman, Darrell Schweitzer, and A. E. Van Vogt
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Ghor, Kin-Slayer: The Saga of Genseric's Fifth-Born Son
I have been a fan of Mr Howard for nearly 12 years now, which in my opinion, makes me a bit of a connoisseur, and frankly this book was a bit of a disappointment. Undoubtedly the contributing writers are well-respected and immensely able but their writing lacked the Howardian flavour I have come to love. Ghor's sudden personality shifts are hard to follow and the various ideas in the story lack sufficient depth. This book is not the way Mr Howard would have written it. Nevertheless, this should be read because the original idea belonged to the great REH.

GHOR is the Cthulhu's Conan.
Ghor is a nice blend of Conan and the Cthulhu Mythos together. Abandoned as a child because of a deformity, Ghor is adopted by a pack of wolves. Raised by them, he adopts the ways of the wolf, yet when he meets up with humanity joins them. Constantly struggling with his wolf upbringing and his human surroundings, Ghor becomes a mighty war hero wherever he goes.

This is an excellent adventure book that takes a Conan like hero and plots him against all sorts of evil (and good), including some Cthulhu creations as well.

Originally Ghor was an unfinished story by Conan creator Robert Howard. Upon finding this unfinished story, a magazine decided to finish it. What they did was have a different chapter every month written by a different top fantasy writer. It made the reading interesting.

While most of the chapters were great. Some were excellent. Unfortunately there were a couple chapters that I just wanted to get through to reach the next writers' chapter. Overall a really good read.

EXCELLENT BOOK
I WAS VERY SUPRISED ABOUT HOW WELL THIS STORY CAME OFF. THE VARIUOS WRITERS DID AN EXCELLENT JOB IN WRITING AN EXCITING BOOK THAT FLOWED SMOOTHLY. IT DID NOT COME OFF AS A SERIES OF SHORT STORIES. THIS IS AN EXCELLENT BOOK FOR ROBERT E. HOWARD FANS, AND FANS OF FANTASY IN GENERAL.


Java Web Services Unleashed
Published in Paperback by Sams (16 April, 2002)
Authors: Robert J. Brunner, Frank Cohen, Francisco Curbera, Darren Govoni, Steven Haines, Matthias Kloppmann, Benoit Marchal, K. Scott Morrison, Arthur Ryman, and Joseph Weber
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Obsolete book
Part 1 (6 chapters) - Absolutely a waste of time, not worth a read. And the code examples are not related to JWSDP.

Part 2 (6 chapters) - Discusses on SOAP, UDDI and WSDL. The code discusses using a Older version of Apache SOAP and Apache Axis. The code needs a complete rewrite.

Part 3 - Discusses on JAXP, JAXB, JAXR, JAXM and JAXRPC. Good introductions but the JAXB chapter is based on DTD (which is obsoleted in the latest specs). JAXM and JAXRPC chapters just reproduces the Sun JWSDP tutorial...not much value addition.

Part 4 - Security, WSFL, WSIF (based on IBM Specs) currently these specs are obsolete no further releases.

It might've been a good book during 2002. The code and content needs an update to the latest specs and SOAP implementations.

A good reference book to get you started.
Just as I stated in the title, it's a great book to start you with. It's written in a clear and precise manner where you could learn the basics of Java Web Services and not be intimidated by it.

Good introduction even to some less talked about topics
It is a good introductory book to web services standards like SOAP, WSDL and UDDI but also goes further and talks about topics like WSFL, WSIF which are not covered by all books on web services but are essential to any real business processes exposed as web services where flow control and service unit(s) choreagraphy is as important as the single unit service request/response. Java specifications relating to web services are also covered like JAXM and JAX-RPC. I wish more examples and code was given, perhaps even a chapter or two, for ebXML which may not be a part of web services standards but still uses SOAP and defines industry standards for business to business collaborations especially dealing with supply chain commerce issues.
I agree with a previous reviewer (John Sfikas) that this book alone isn't exactly an eye opener for experianced professionals who have been dabbling with all the tools mentioned in this book like Apache SOAP, Axis, WSTK, Tomcat, Jetty etc. and know the challenges facing B2B collaborations on the internet quite intimately, but this book combined with "Building Web Services with Java: Making Sense of XML, SOAP, WSDL and UDDI" will give a much needed practical grounding to start making sophisticated web services in the real world. I highly recommend getting both these books but be prepared to use your brain and further what is presented in these books to deploy web services satisfying your needs. They will certainly not amount to spoon feeding you a near solution to your collaboration problems.


Pharmacotherapy : A Pathophysiologic Approach
Published in Hardcover by McGraw-Hill/Appleton & Lange (18 April, 2002)
Authors: Joseph T. Dipiro, Robert L. Talbert, Gary C. Yee, Gary R. Matzke, Barbara G. Wells, and L. Michael Posey
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Probably the Worst Pharmacology Text I've Ever Seen
Being a Ph.D.,Pharm.D., and now in medical school, I have seen a lot of texts in the realm of pharmacology. This book is really bad. The pathophysiology is weak at best and the authors apparently felt that the pharmacology (MOA's, etc.)where not worth elaborating on. They seem to have skimmed on the "pharm" part. Unfortunately this book is the textbook used at a lot of pharmacy schools... if you are a pharm student, you are much better off buying Goodman and Gillman's! It will be much more useful resource throughout your career. It will also be a better study resource for exams and seminars. If you're a med student, run for your life! This book will do nothing for you. I regret buying this book and feel it is not worth the price.

Pharmacotherapy not pharmacology
Addressing the negative comments given to this book by a Dr. Doctor who's going to become yet another doctor, if you truly have your PhD and PharmD (from a halfway decent school), you would recognize the difference between pharmacology and pharmacotherapy. It's awfully troubling if you don't. In agreement with the "triDoc", Goodman and Gillman's is the superior of the 2... in terms of PHARMACOLOGY. However, if you want a very good reference for a practical approach in the treatment options of certain disease states (i.e. PHARMACOTHERAPY), this book should be your choice. It's a wonderful and much used reference. I will agree with another reviewer in that it may be worthwhile to check into buying the hand book addition first (due to its more compact size and less cost). Pharmacotherapy versus pharmacology...Hmmmmmm.

Great Reference
As a pharmacy student, I found this to be an excellent reference - it covers an incredibly wide variety of topics in fantastic detail. However, the book is a little too wordy and detailed to get the overall grasp of a subject if you are covering it for the first time. But if you just need to look up that certain drug, side effect, condition or other similar information this is the book for you! There are great summary and comparison charts, easy to follow headings and a great index.


Casinos: The International Casino Guide
Published in Paperback by Bain-Dror International Travel, Inc. (August, 1989)
Authors: Joseph H. Bain, Robert Richards, and Eli Dror
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Excellent Idea, poorly done!
I was going to plan a gambling excursion around the world and bought this book as a reference guide. I was very excited when it came, it listed more casinos than I ever dreamed existed. As I got to reading it, I have never seen more typos in my life: wrong phone numbers, misspellings, and it continues. I am disgusted with it.

I tried to contact the publisher on the web for a refund, and found their site is down. I would not be surprised if it is a sign of things to come for the company.

Very hard to read: even just for reference. Look elsewhere!

The world's best international casino guide
Casinos - The International Casino Guide is the best researched guide ever published covering legally operating casinos, resort casinos, indian casinos, riverboat casinos and card rooms in the USA and around the world. Information is detailed including address, phone, fax numbers, size and style of casinos, games played, number of slot machines, largest jackpot paid etc. A true gold mine of information for serious gamblers and reserchers. Casinos - The International Casino Guide (6th ed.)


The Only Thing That Counts: The Ernest Hemingway/Maxwell Perkins Correspondence 1925-1947
Published in Hardcover by Scribner (December, 1996)
Authors: Ernest Hemingway, Maxwell Perkins, Matthew Joseph Bruccoli, and Robert W. Trogdon
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Two Literary Giants
The best part of this are the early letters dealing with Hemingways first novel The Sun Also Rises and second novel A Farewell to Arms(Maxwell Perkins was an expert on war fiction). The exchanges between Ernest and Max over these books are priceless and very good reading to anyone who loves these books. From arguements over curse words(Hemingway one of the first to break ground in using them in his work) to discussions of Jake's predicament, from questions of how to present a reissue of Hemingways first story collection to reactions to reviews(more good reading) the correspondence is at this point one of mutual respect and admiration, Hemingway seems to need the great presence of Max Perkins even if for nothing else than reassurance. Later when the great ones literary reputation is established the letters become less and less interesting. The friendship remains a strong one but Hemingway no longer needs or asks for any input into his literary decisions. Perhaps the most astounding thing about Maxwell Perkins in relation to Hemingway is that he was smart enough to leave talent alone. With others like Fitzgerald and Wolfe there was always much to be done but with Hemingway the talent seems to have been there whole from the beginning. Hemingway fans that want to know everything will read and enjoy every detail even the letters which are just Hemingway complaining about his finances. Bitching about money can be funny when its Hemingway bitching about money. Probably a smarter purchase would be a collection of Perkins correspondence with all the authors he worked with. That way you get only the letters which count.

Mail bonding between the great author and his editor
Hemingway was an indefatigable letter writer and as editor Bruccoli's introduction states he "wrote more words in letters than he wrote for publication, and letter writing became part of the mechanism of his literary career." This collection of correspondence between legendary Scribner's editor Max Perkins and his star author offers their personal insight into the writing and editing of Hemingway's works. Although Hemingway is now almost as famous for being a son of a bitch as he was for being a writer, he comes across here as a loyal and trusting friend-at least to Perkins. But most importantly these letters reveal him to be an artist first and foremost. The shooting, fishing, and drunken bravado that mark the Papa Hemingway persona are present but inconsequential here and what shines through is EH's complete, total, and unfaltering dedication to writing and how for him producing great literature was the only thing that counts. That insight makes this a valuable addition to Hemingway scholarship and an aficionado's delight.-Michael Rogers


MCSE Testprep: Windows 95 (Covers Exam #70-063)
Published in Paperback by New Riders Publishing (01 November, 1997)
Authors: Jay Adamson, Rebecca Bridges Altman, Curtis Colbert, Emmett Dulaney, Dale E. Holmes, Robert Magrino, Danny E. Partain, Joseph Phillips, Paul Scott, and Jason Shoults
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A good start
This book is a good starting point for the newly revised Windows 95 (70-064) exam. I just took it and scored 857 (minimum passing score is 632). The book goes into detail on topics that are heavily covered on the exam (networking with NT and NetWare, printing, system policies), and this makes it a great place to start studying. However, the 95 exam is full of nitpicky questions that are NOT covered in this book; you need additional sources to be completely prepared. In addition to buying this book, I'd recommend downloading the Win95 Resource Kit from Microsoft's Web site and spending some time going through it, especially troubleshooting. Also search the web for "70-064" to turn up helpful links. This is one of the hardest exams in the MCSE sequence, but if you use these sources you should be in good shape.

One of three references you'll need.....
.... to pass the Win95 exam. This book is like all others in this series: Each test objective is examined in a seperate section while numerous fairly difficult questions test your knowledge. In addition, there are hands on exercises to reinforce the material. There are no pretty pictures here but this obviously helps keep the price at a very reasonable $25.00. The other recommended references would be the win95 resource kit and your hands on experience. A highly recommended book.

A thoughtful and balanced treatment of Windows 95
The 70-64 Windows 95 exam is tricky, but this book provides a very good foundation for the success. It does cover much more than is actually on the exam, and as such serves as a reference for the OS. I do think you will need to supplement study with the Windows 95 resource kit, but all the objectives on the exam are covered in the book. While the sample questions are sometimes lame (and really do not mimic the exam) there is an appendix which provides GREAT last minute study tips. The section on troubleshooting is fantastic, written by a person who obviously has spent time in the field wrestling with the same kind of problems administrators see every day. All in all, it is well worth the money I spent.


Inside the Mind of Joseph Smith: Psychobiography and the Book of Mormon
Published in Paperback by Signature Books (August, 1999)
Author: Robert D. Anderson
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Put it in context
The context in which this book must be read is given in the first chapter. The author says, and I paraphrase, "This book doesn't ask the question, 'Did Joseph Smith write the Book of Mormon?' This book assumes that he did, and addresses the question, 'How did Joseph Smith write the Book of Mormon?'"
In short, don't look for a fair approach to the first question. That's not what this book is about.

Anderson has a great handle on Mormon history. The insights that he offers into how certain traumatic events in Joseph Smith's childhood could have affected his personality are often enlightening, and always interesting. i.e. The trauma associated with the near amputation of Smiths leg, and the public humiliation of being on trial for being a glass looker. Anderson does a nice job of helping us reflect on Smith's humanity. He helps us see that these events are indeed difficult for a person to go through, and that they can shape how one views the world.

That said, I thought this book also had some fundamental problems. For example, at times Anderson uses the Book of Mormon text to help determine the order or details of certain historical events in Joseph's life. Other times he seems to claim to know exactly what motivated Smith on certain occasions, because of what is written in a part of the Book of Mormon. This seemed too speculative to me. Some of this speculation is interesting theory, other portions seem specious.

Nevertheless, an interesting read. A intriguing theoretical approach.

Technical, Complete, Somewhat Extended Analysis
I wish I could give it four and a half stars. Dr. Anderson takes a fine point to the early life of Joseph Smith. With impeccable care and documentation, he leads us through the childhood of a man who would exhibit a type of genius rarely seen in charismatic leaders. Anderson wisely limits himself to the effects of Joseph's experiences in the composition and contents of the Book of Mormon. By the time the "semi-retired psychiatrist" gets to the end of the book, he barely needs to justify or explain his diagnosis since he's already done so from a variety of angles previously. My only criticism is that occasionally Dr. Anderson extends his theories and suppositions quite far, but he usually does so with qualifications.

Not for the initiate into the arcane world of LDS theology and history. Try "Mormon America" first. But for a guy like me who spent 40 years (two as a missionary) in "the Church," it's a haunting trip into the mind of a very famous, unique American religious leader.

Who says there's nothing new under the sun?
The value of the insights in this book cannot be overstated. The author makes an extremely convincing case that Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon himself, and in the process inadvertently let items from his [Smith's] own life color the narrative, providing a sort of "free association" setting during the dictation. Although the author uses these "colorings" to form a psychoanalytical profile for the Mormon prophet, the listing of parallels alone are well worth the price of the book.

The author's intent is to provide a tentative diagnosis, and he fully explains the inherent weaknesses in such an approach. Although there may be alternative diagnoses for Smith, the evidences themselves outlined by the author that Joseph Smith wrote the Book of Mormon are *not* so weak and will be much more difficult for the apologists to refute.

Much material about Mormonism, pro- and con-, has been hashed and rehashed. This book does not contain any of that. This book offers a refreshing and unique dimension to the pro- vs. con- dialogue. Often I caught myself saying, "Why didn't I think of that?"

I heartily recommend this book.


Middle English Dictionary (Volume S.8)
Published in Paperback by University of Michigan Press (July, 1988)
Authors: Robert E. Lewis, John Reidy, G.W. Abernethy, Lister M. Matheson, Joseph P. Pickett, Ann Shannon, Mary Jane Williams, and William C. Hale
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Yeah, I got snookered
I was very surprised when I ordered this book and found out that yes, indeed, it was merely a very tiny portion of what I had expected. I suppose I should have known from the price, but the description (at least at that time) did not make it clear that it wasn't the entire dictionary.

Must have more complete info before ordering...
While this may be a very thorough source for the words it covers, it should be noted in the basic information that this is ONLY 128 pages of a 15,000 page work. The description above is very misleading.

5 stars
itz a dictionary. what more can i say


The Genius of China: 3000 Years of Science, Discovery and Invention
Published in Hardcover by Prion Books Ltd (formerly Multimedia Books Ltd) (15 August, 1991)
Authors: Robert Temple and Joseph Needham
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Pretty but totally unreliable
The sole virtue of this volume lies in its attractive illustrations. It is stuffed to overflowing with errors concerning well-known facts of science, technology, and European scientific and technological history. I do not know enough about Chinese history to assess its reliability in those respects, but based on his performance in other respects, I would not trust anything this author has to say on any subject whatever, absent independent verification.

How the Chinese invented it all!
Printing, Compasses, and Gunpowder were the key inventions that enabled the renaissance. The Chinese invented these and much more. This book is a distillation of Professor Joseph Needham's massive 13 volume "Science and Civilisation in China." It is a fascinating science history.


Exploring Religious Meaning (6th Edition)
Published in Paperback by Prentice Hall (28 May, 2002)
Authors: Robert C. Monk, Walter C. Hofheinz, Kenneth T. Lawrence, Joseph D. Stamey, Bert Affleck, and Tetsunao Yamamori
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fair
While the book does present an accurate and unbiased view of world religions, the text itself is less than gripping (the writing is dry), and the book's organization is a little confusing. This may not be the best text to use if you are interested in getting a clear, overall picutre of a particular religion. It includes studies of Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.


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