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Book reviews for "Barkdoll,_Robert_S." sorted by average review score:

Pity the nation : Lebanon at war
Published in Unknown Binding by A. Deutsch ()
Author: Robert Fisk
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The only unbiased book about Lebanon's civil war
Robert Fisk's "Pity The Nation" is the most comprehensive, unbiased book ever written about the Lebanon's tragic civil war. Whereas most authors about this subject have written these books relying on newpaper clippings and rumours, and based on a very biased perspective, Fisk gets down and dirty from the beginning to the end. He has spent almost the entire period from 1975 until the war's conclusion in Lebanon, traveling from Beirut to Sidon to the Bekaa valley to the ignored villages of the south which were under occupation to Damascus, living out the war with the various militia's and the civilians, who took the brunt of the fighting. His detailed description of the rise and quick fall of the Phalangists and their leader, Bashir Gamayel America's ignorance towards what would bring peace to Lebanon, the links between the Shias' inspirational resurrection and Khomenei's revolution, Israel's bruatality, Syria's involvment and the misery of the Palestinian refugees is unparalleled in its depth and coverage. Fisk, through facing the realities of the situation, has a real understanding of the situation. The way he goes about describing the dire situation of the Lebanese and the Palestinians as well as the uncertainties he and his collegues feel about their safety in Lebanon, and the eventual kidnapping of Terry Anderson, makes this book read somewhat like a novel. Even if you know nothing about the Middle East, pick up this book.

The Authoritative Book on Modern Lebanon
Quite simply put, the best book on "modern" Lebanese history and events you will ever read. Told from first person accounts of his experiences living and reporting from Beirut from 1975 onwards, this book contains many personal details, interesting anecdotes, and an encyclopedic narrative of Lebanese politics throughout the entire period of the Lebanese civil war. If you want to learn about Lebanon, you need only read this book and Kemal Salibi's "House of Many Mansions" to obtain a fairly good grasp.

Dear Mr. Fisk
Dear Mr. Fisk I'm a Lebanese citizen, my name is Sami, I live in Beirut near Ein El Mraissy where you used to live while you were in Lebanon.Yesterday, I just finished reading your amazing book (Pity The Nation), I read it in the Arabic version. I was born in 1975, and I was a child when the Lebanese war began, I only remember from it is the Israeli occupied of Beirut in 1982, and I remember that because the Israeli soldiers try to take my brother away (My brother died later in February 6, 1984, while he's coming back from his work, he was only 19). and I also remember the street battles between Amal and Hizb Allah in 1986 or 1987, and finally the war between the Syrians and Michael Aoun in 1989. Allow me to tell you how I liked you. I liked your style of writing, I liked your insistence to still in Lebanon with all the dangerous there, and with all the hard attempts to kidnapped you from some peopel you know them very well. Believe me, I wished to be more older than I'm now just to watch all the important events that you mentioned in the book. I didn't even imagine that all these things really happened in Lebanon, my father only say to me that there was a war in Lebanon, but with no details. Maybe because of what he saw of all the sad things in his life and the death of my brother. If you still contact Mr. Terry Anderson please send him my regards, and please tell him not to change his mind about the Lebanese people. And also if you still contact G. C. your Bolivian friend and Shahrazad Faramarzi from Iran too. Have you visited Lebanon recently?There are some changes here, but still the same things in South Lebanon as you know. Sami Traboulsi Technical Engineer Beirut, Lebanon December 3, 1999


Cry of the Wolf
Published in Library Binding by Bt Bound (2001)
Authors: Rachel Roberts and Shelley Roberts
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The best so far
This book is my apsolute FAV. I love it.
If you've read the first two books you know that Adriane and Stormbringer are really close and you know that Storm thinks she's the last mistwolf. Key word: thinks. Well, Storm isn't the last of her kind. A pack of Mistwolves drop in for a visit at Ravenswood. Then they leave taking Storm with them. Adriane has to talk to her one last time. So she gets Kara to get the Dragonflies to open the portal. Instead of just talking to Storm she gets pulled into Aldenmor! Where she meets Zach a boy who never saw another human and his griffin. Zach has some secrets that just might mean saving Storm. She also meets the sorceress, sees Fairy Glen and the fairymentals who suceed in confussing her even more. and Meets a Dragon! But will that be enough to save Stormbringer?

You have so GOT to get it!!!!
Honestly, this was the best book I ever read, it's better than Harry Potter and I love Harry Potter. I love the whole series but this one's my favorite because Adriane and Storm are my favorite characters and besides, IT"S SO WAY COOL!!!!!!!!!

This is a must for fantasy lovers!
All I can say is wow.
Rachel Roberts has created a fantastic fantasy story, weaving it together from the last two books in the Avalon: Web of Magic series, Circles in the Stream and All that Glitters. each one features an exciting climax and interesting writing style that bring the charecters of this book into real personalities and real life.
Three girls, three powers, three mages, three unique talents. Emily Fletcher, Adriane Charyde, and Kara Davies are three girls who coundn't be more different- or the same.
Emily is a animal- crazy redhead, who has a fun nature and a love of pets. Her mom owns a vet clinic, and Emily likes to help out there for fun. She also gives her mom a hand in the Pet Palace, an animal hotel, and it was three dogs, Jellybean, Biscit, and I forget the third one's name, who first lead her to the Ravenswood preserve. Emily posses a special healing magic that makes her a favorite among the creatures at the Ravenswood Preserve. Emily and her mom just moved there, so Emily hasn't made any friends yet.
Adriane is a spunky, modern girl who doesn't have any friends. She never wears anything but black, and her parents are artists that travel around the world, so she lives with her grandmother, who is the caretaker of a wildlife preserve. Adriane is the first of the three to discover the animals and the secret of the magic. She is granted with the title of "warrior' and, indeed, is strong and brave. Adriane is bonded with a lone mistwolf, Stormbringer. She is really lonely on the large peice of land which is her home.
Kara Davies is spoiled, rude, and popular, a "barbie" in Adriane's words. She is the mayor's daughter, and is interested in fashion, clothes, phones, and boys. She is caught between her popular friends, and Emily, because she Adriane don't get along very well. Her title in the blazing star, and she doesnt have a power yet. Even though the magic likes her and reaches her, she still thinks she's better than Adriane and Emily. Her ideas for the preserve are good, though, and help alot.
An elf that's been transformed into a ferret, Ozzie, is sent by fairymentals from another world, Aldenmoor, to find three human mages. He helps them discover a portal, a path between the two worlds. There goal is to live in a place called Avalon, peacfully, away from the dark sorceress who will spread the black fire and kill all in Aldenmoor.
Stormbringer, Adriane's wolf, is the last of her kind. But soon she learnd there are more mistwolves in Aldenmoor, and joins them.
Adriane is heartbroken, but she can understand her friend's decision. So secretly, she follows Stormbringer through the portal to Aldenmoor, and is amazed by what she sees. She meets a young boy, Zach, and his griffen. Her adventures never end in Aldenmoor, but soon they might- her magic lets her meet up with the dark sorceress, and it may cost her her life.
Don't be suprised- this author isn't afraid to make anything happen to Adriane, anything.
Also- for those who love this series.... visit there website, its really cool!!!


Quantum Psychology: How Brain Software Programs You and Your World
Published in Paperback by New Falcon Publications (1993)
Author: Robert Anton Wilson
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Core Reading
May be the best of Wilson's book for summing up his version of how the mind works. An excellent integration of diverse sciences, complete with many experiments you can do yourself. Also try Prometheus Rising, and Coincidance.

And the definition of "is" is?
Maybe this is what Clinton was referring to in his infamous linguistic/legal moment before the Star Inquisition. All joking aside, this book is a MUST read for anyone wanting to start getting rid of the semantic spooks in their psyche. This undefinable book of wisdom that weaves a coherent thesis out of such diverse topics as semantics, psychology, physics, model agnosticism and subtle humor makes clear better than anything out there just how much our perceptions and behavior are controlled/influenced by embedded language biases. Just learning to write in e-prime (english without the word "is") makes the book a worthwhile experience. Quantum Psychology opened me to a whole new way of thinking and perceiving, and that is something I can say but very few other books. I truly had no idea the robotizing effect language has on our behavior and perceptions--its not a discovery you can be "told"--you must experience it through the exercises in this book. You owe it to yourself to check this one out.

Forever relevant
This book follows in the footsteps of Wilson's earlier work, _Prometheus Rising_, with an emphasis on language, psychology, and physics. It makes the intelligent or enlightened reader to smile in acknowledgement; it forces the average to change. How much depends on their ability to do so. Some of the material seems incomplete (with little attention to physics' Anthropic Principle), but in all fairness, one can only go so far before one has written several books, and Wilson certainly has. More careful and insightful than _Prometheus Rising_, it offers fans of Wilson his best work, and serves as a great introduction to his older and newer ideas.


The Poetry of Robert Frost
Published in Hardcover by Henry Holt & Company, Inc. (1987)
Author: Robert Frost
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Poems for the People
It was upon having a conversation at school five years ago, that a friend suggested Robert Frost to help (form the basis) of one of my assignments. When I asked how he knew of him, my friend replied; "oh.., he's often quoted on TV" and I believed him (to this day I've never heard him mentioned). So I've come to guess that my old friend uses Frost as I occasionally do. To relax.

For it was upon going through a rough time that I again borrowed the complete works of Frost and a few other poets to get me through. And so inspired I was that I began trying to write some of my own. But as Frost had initially drawn me in with his simple, eaasily understood verses, he just as quickly lost me out the other side. But why I write this review is because I admired Frost's ability to start writing so descriptively so late in life, about man, life, decisions, the enviroment and even a wall! (ha! ha!).

So if you have never read poetry before, or you just wan't some new material. Buy Frost's complete collection. Oh and buy it from Amazon.com!

No Excuse!
Okay, there's no possible excuse now people; for a relatively cheap price, you get the collected poems of quite possibly the best twentieth century American poet. As you peruse through the pages in this book, you will discover yourself looking at the world around you in a totally different way. Frost doesn't just write poetry; he paints word portraits and sculpts language into a fantastic variety of scenery. Pick a poem, any poem, from this collection, and you will not leave disappointed. It will continually brighten your day.

Simply the Best
While other poets must abide our endless questioning regarding contemporary poetry, Robert Frost stands head and shoulders above the rest--free and serene and magnificent, truly the George Washington of modern American verse. Frost was honored with the Pulitzer Prize on four occasions: in 1924 for "New Hampshire;" in 1931, for "Collected Poems;" in 1937 for "A Further Range;" and in 1943 for "A Witness Tree."

Critics love Frost. The American people love Frost. The world at large loves Frost. You will love Frost, too, if you read this book. Begin with one of his most famous--and his most beautiful, "Mending Wall,"

Something there is that doesn't love a wall,/ That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it,/ And makes gaps even two can pass abreast...

Never to be forgotten, of course, is that talk with the taciturn neighbor, owner of the pines beyond Frost's apple orchard, who stubbornly says, in typical New England fashion, "Good fences make good neighbors," until one day, Frost suddenly sees him,

Bringing a stone grasped firmly by the top/ In each hand, like an old-stone savage armed./ He moves in darkness as it seems to me,/ Not of woods only and the shade of trees./ He will not go behind his father's saying,/ And he lives having thought of it so well/ He says again, "Good fences make good neighbors."

"Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening," ends with words anyone of any age can relate to,

But I have promises to keep,/ And miles to go before I sleep./ And miles to go before I sleep.

"The Death of the Hired Man," with its poignancies as deep, no doubt, as the death of any salesman could ever be, inspired these beautiful lines,

Home is the place where, when you have to go there,/ They have to take you in./ I should have called it/ Something you somehow haven't to deserve.

The poems of Robert Frost possess a beauty so serene that we feel no need, no urge, to denigrate the work of other poets in order to expand Frost's praise. Despite the amazing diversity of talent that comes to mind when the names of MacLeish, Leonie Adams, Auden, Peter Viereck, Wallace Stephens, Robert Lowell, E.B. White, Karl Shapiro, Langston Hughes, William Carlos Williams, Arna Bontemps, Marianne Moore, e e cummings, Allen Tate and T.S. Eliot are mentioned, Frost does, indeed, tower above them all.

Frost has been eloquently compared to every rock and rill, every tree and shrub in his New England hills, and to almost every major figure in the New England past, including George Washingtion. He has won homage so completely and deservedly that it is as easy to think of him as a member of the Concord Group as it is to imagine Thoreau writing the opening paragraphs in the New Yorker's Talk of the Town.

Frost, though, could be cheerfully topical, as when writing "U.S. 1946 King's X,"

Having invented a new Holocaust/ And been the first with it to win a war,/ How they make haste to cry with fingers crossed/ King X's--no fair to use it anymore!

Frost saw much of the world after his birth in San Francisco in 1875, and he looks over the prospects of the entire universe in, "It Bids Pretty Fair,"

The play seems out for an almost infinite run./ Don't mind a little thing like the actors fighting./ The only thing I worry about is the sun./ We'll be all right if nothing goes wrong with the lighting.

Robert Frost is truly an American original and a world genius. There will never be another.


The Filmmaker's Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for the Digital Age
Published in Paperback by Plume (1999)
Authors: Steven Ascher, Edward Pincus, Carol Keller, Robert Brun, Ted Spagna, and Stephen McCarthy
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For the beginner and the proffesional, this book has it all!
As an aspiring young filmmaker, the first thing I was told to do was go out and get a copy of the Filmmaker's Handbook. Imagine my surprise when I found out that the book had been updated in March of 1999, and that now it included all kinds of information about the digital age. I have learned so much from this book. The book goes over the entire film process, and does it in a straight-forward manner. It is a great start for beginners, yet it includes a rich amount of information for the professional. Anyone who has ever thought about a career in film really needs to get a copy of this book. Written in a manner that neither patronizes nor confuses the reader, the Filmmaker's Handbook is the best book I have skimmed or read on film, and believe me, I've looked at a lot.

Fantastic Filmaking 101
I'm getting into film production but don't have time to attend a real film school. And I'm basically interested in the mechanics of filmmaking - so this book The Filmmkaer's Handbook is perfect.

It gets down to all the basics of filmmaking. If you want to know what a line producer does, how light meters work and the ratio of film stock to projection, this is the book for you.

It's thick but easy to read with nice B&W illustrations. As a novice and somebody who wants to know how a movie is made this book is perfect. I was really impressed by how simple and to the point this book was on the mechanics and made it an easy read. I will keep in hand at all times for reference as well!

Very well done and exactly what I was looking for in a filmmaking book!

Unexcelled Source Of Media Recording Editing & Production
The media has traditionally been an extremely specialized, not to mention prohibitively expensive, field. With the introduction of digital production and editing, however, the material costs and requirements for video and audio production is decreasing rapidly, with quality levels already remarkably high and increasing annually.

This book provides a superlative introduction and overview to all of the key subjects in producing a lower- to higher- budget film. Though the title makes reference to the digital age, analog equipment is discussed when pertinent as well, and compared to existing and emerging digital technologies.

The technicalities of optics for lenses is fully detailed, as are filters, microphones, stands and other equipment, recommendations for each field of what emergency supplies to have on hand, editing and previewing equipment, software, to name but a few of the countless topics covered. A truly comprehensive and detailed work.

Anyone with a serious interest in this field can learn from this book the fundamentals needed to get started in extremely high quality digital production. Given the materials and information provided, the cost of the book is truly remarkable. Any reader will complete any section feeling like an expert on the subject. One does not have to begin with experience in the digital arena, however, nor even in video production. Even as technical as this work is, it leads the reader very carefully through all which is pertinent and necessary.

A single possible minor shortcoming, is the description of the process of digitizing analog recordings or an actual/ambient environment, into a digital format. One totally unfamiliar with digital concepts may find the analogies provided a bit difficult to follow. It provides enough of a foundation, however, that an interested reader can seek out more technical and/or accurate descriptions of this process. A very small criticism to an otherwise truly excellent work.


The Price of Vigilance
Published in Hardcover by Ballantine Books (12 June, 2001)
Authors: Larry Tart and Robert Keefe
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You done good, Larry, Trish Schiesser, Chula Vista, CA
The Price of Vigilance is one of the most informative and historical books of the Cold War that I have had the pleasure to read. I have used this book for researching my own book, THESE GUYS, to come out in about 18 months. The unit 6901st in Zweibrucken (West Germany at the time of Cold War) is mentioned many times, which is difficult to find, if at all. The transcript of MIG Pilots shooting down our C-130 - tail # 60528 is hair raising. This is reality. This is military history at it's best. Writing is superb!Citations are as good as the book! Well done, Larry Tart and Bob Keefe. I salute you.

A Must Read Book
"The Price of Vigilance" by Larry Tart and Robert Keefe is noteworthy for it makes us aware of not only the need for such flights but how costly some are in human sacrifice. The recent Chinese incident is likened to many such episodes during the Cold War, although many were not so lucky and paid the supreme sacrifice; such as the crew of 17 of the C-130 turbojet shot down September 2, 1958 near the Turkish-Soviet Armenian border. My brother M/Sgt George P. Petrochilos was one of the 17 who perished that day.

The authors also in their informative way present the technology and terminology in a clear and comprehensible manner. When one reads this book they can readily understand the need for intelligence surveillance flights. I heartily recommend reading "The Price of Vigilance."

Theresa Petrochilos Durkin

Superbly Detailed, Thoroughly Resarched
Shortly after reading Curtis Peebles' "Shadow Flights," I saw "The Price of Vigilance" on the shelf at my local bookstore. Recognizing the doomed C-130A '528' on the front cover, I could not resist picking the book up.

I was concerned that the introduction of the book began by discussing the recent EP-3E incident near Hainan, PR China, fearing the book was a cheap attempt at capitalizing on recent events. I am glad to say that I thought wrong.

The book is an incredible compendium of incidents between U.S. reconaissance aircraft and Soviet fighters. Every incident is described and analyzed in exacting detail. Even the EP-3E-focused introduction is intensely researched and well thought out. I was impressed that Tart and Keefe were able to acquire internal Soviet documents detailing the incidents and the U.S. reaction, which provides fascinating and fresh viewpoints from which to view these provocative moments of the Cold War.

As mentioned, the introduction focuses almost exclusively on the April 2001 collision involving a U.S. Navy EP-3E ARIES II ELINT aircraft and a Chinese J-8II fighter. The first half of the book details most every hostile incident between U.S. recce crews and Soviet 'defenders,' a history of U.S. aerial SIGINT and COMINT since WWII, and a history of the USAF Security Service, which was responsible for much of the airborne electronic intelligence gathering along the Soviet border regions. The second half of the book details the shootdown of an USAF C-130A on 2 September, 1958 over Soviet Armenia, and its repercussions. The wayward C-130, tail number 60528, lost with all 17 aboard, became a symbol of the risky aerial ELINT game played in the 1950s and 1960s along the Soviet border regions.

Though not as friendly to the causal reader as "Blind Man's Bluff," to which it has been likened, "The Price of Vigilance" is a fascinating look at a shadowy and deadly aspect of the Cold War that is a must-read for anyone interested in the Cold War, the history of surveillance, or someone looking for a real life spy thriller.


The Sagas of Icelanders (World of the Sagas)
Published in Paperback by Penguin Books Ltd (05 April, 1901)
Authors: Leifur Ericksson, Robert Kellogg, and Jane Smiley
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The Sagas of the Icelanders
This is a great value. A wide collection of Icelandic sagas and short stories. Some of the short stories I've never heard of before.
The one about the Pagan ghosts messing with the Christian while he was using the outhouse was very funny. If you are at all interested in the sagas, buy this book. Many of the used copies go for under ten bucks. Can't bet it.

Classic Norse Literature
The Sagas of the Icelanders is an excellent collection of nordic literature in an affordable and attractive book. Heavily notated, with maps detailing the settings of some of the stories, this is an excellent way to get started in learning about the lives of the Scandanavian and Icelandic people.

The stories richly describe the heroism, psychology, strength, values and day to day life and decision making of the people within these tales. This is inspiring and entertaining literature which should grace the shelf of anyone interested in the study of history, anthropology, epic literature, or norse religion.

Fascinating Book
This is a big book, immense really, containing some 17 sagas and tales of the Icelanders. It is a selection from the even larger collection of Viking sagas called "The Complete Sagas of Icelanders." Readers interested in Medieval Literature will surely want to add this book to their collection. These are crisp, new translations that bring the stories of the Vikings to life.

Fans of the literature of the Mediterranean region a thousand years ago, works such as "Poem of the Cid" or "Song of Roland" will notice great differences here. Unlike much of the epic poetry there, the Icelandic Sagas are written in prose. Even so, many of the tales include extensive poetry, for the Vikings admired warrior-poets.

Many of these tales read like history and cover long sequences of time. They "feel" very real. For example, in "Egil's Saga" many generations pass before it is over. Egil himself doesn't make an appearance in the story until almost midway through. The sagas are often the stories of ordinary people rather than kings and knights. But be forewarned, there is much violence here. The modern reader may be bothered by the tendency toward quick violence and sudden death as characters punish with a sudden ax to the head those who have "wronged" them and are admired for such behavior. "The Sagas of Icelanders" includes extensive introductory essays and appendices to help the reader understand this fascinating period of time and these unique peoples.


Jag: The Novel
Published in Paperback by Berkley Pub Group (1998)
Author: Robert Tine
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Go Navy!!
Being a big fan of the show and former military member I looked forward to reading this book and was not dissapointed. The plot was well thought out and the continuous action kept the pace up. It read a lot like a script for the show and would probably make a good episode. I liked the idea of the Davy Jones Locker Club. However for a book I thought there could have been a little more depth to the characters,a little more of their thought processes revealed and a little more description. This would have slowed the reading some but would have fleshed-out a fairly simplistic book. Also I found the editor's proof-reading(or whoever proof-reads) could have been better. At one point early on it seems an entire sentence or two are left out and there are several misspellings throughout the novel. I think it helps to be a fan of the show when you read this book. I'm not sure I would be as enthusiastic if I didn't enjoy JAG on CBS. It was very easy reading, almost too easy.This is no Tom Clancy novel. But like I said it would be a good episode for the series.

A good representation!
Being a fan of JAG I was surprised and excited when I found out there was a TV Tie-In book for the series. I promptly ordered the book and wasn't quite sure what to expect, having read a fair amount of Tie-Ins that were nothing like the series they portrayed. Happily, I was well pleased with my choice! I feel that Robert Tine really captured the feel of an episode of JAG. The characters were well drawn and right on par with the ones I've grown to love through the show. The dialogue and thought processes of the characters were spot-on except for Harm's penchant to revert to heavy cursing -- something I felt was completely out of character for someone who is so good at expressing himself. The action was fast paced and exciting, I was kept guessing and completely immersed until the very end. This story line would certainly make a wonderful episode of JAG -- one I'd love to see. There was just enough humor thrown in -- namely Harm being shifted from one place to another -- to lighten the mood while still advancing the plot. Mr. Tine also captured the chemistry of Harm and Mac perfectly -- right down to the way they play so well off one another. And as a bonus -- Harm even gets to fly! That, in my opinion, is always a plus! There were a few disappointments such as one quite confusing place where some sentences seemed to have been left out of a pretty important scene and there were a few typos spattered throughout that could have been caught through tighter proofreading. I was sad to note the absence of a picture section toward the middle as I've seen in other TV Tie-Ins -- it would have made a nice addition to the book. All that aside, I still rate this book 5 stars because it kept my attention as well as the actual program does and the fact that I will read this book again. Mr. Tine certainly did his research, I could actually see the actors who play these parts in my head as I read. Despite the few errors and the brief slip-up on Harm's character it was a good, solid read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I'm completely looking forward to the next JAG novel by Robert Tine -- Clean Steel -- and hope that there are plans for other Tie-In novels for this spectacular television program.

A great book
I found this book to be very fun to read. I am a JAG lover and felt that Mr. Tine, expressed the characters true to how they are shown on TV. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a good read or lover of JAG.


Time Streams: Artifacts Cycle Book III
Published in Mass Market Paperback by Wizards of the Coast (1999)
Authors: Robert J. King and J. Robert King
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Pretty Good Book
This book was pretty good,... I felt that this novel was very choppy. Years would pass all of a sudden, leaving you to wonder what happened during that period of time. I'd lose interest sometimes, leaving the book to sit for weeks before picking it back up again. Despite these faults, I really liked the concept of the "Alliance" of races, and I thought the battles were well written. I'm glad Yavamaya finally got some attention as well. Hopefully Bloodlines will keep my attention better.

Book Review: Time Streams
After we were pretty discouraged from reading Planeswalker, J. Robert King knew he had to create a novel to recover the greatness of the Magic the Gathering "Artifacts Cycle" after Lynn Abbey wrote his book that barely reaches average. In Time Streams, the famous Tolaria is one of the main places were the story takes place. Tolaria is the place where Urza gathers the greatest minds in Dominaria to study at his academy (no, I didn't get this from the back cover, mind you). They include Malzra, Barrin, and the mischivous Teferi (to a huge extent he frequently calls Karn "Arty Shovelhead") . In the end of every chapter, there is a very intelegent monologue written by Barrin, Mage Master of Tolaria (it's fiction, J. Robert King wrote everything). In the prologue, it is only a monologue but it quickly addicts you to the story ( use thehandy tool on this page to look inside books and read the prologue, you'll know what I mean). Tolaria get's destroyed and many scholars killed by a Phyrexian threat, war becomes at hand. Ten years after the battle, Urza, Teferi, Karn, Barrin, Malzra, and the others return to the wreckage of former Tolaria and build a new academy called "New Tolaria". More battle comes and some may be tired out of battle, battle, battle, battle, battle, war, war, war, war, war, but I haven't read such an action-packed book since Apocalypse (Invasion Cycle, book III). Hopefully, you'll make a wise desicion and buy Time Streams. Ya'll love it.

Alex

An alliance begins....
Time Streams continues the tale of the continuing of Urza's striving goal to eliminate the Phyrexians from the world of Dominaria. Introducing the characters of Karn and Jhoira, great thinkers as well as good friends to Urza, they make an alliance with the Viashino and Goblins of Shiv, and the nature spirit Multani to bring the end of Phyrexia and later, the minions of Phyrexia hanging out in Serra's Realm. A great story for those fans of Magic and others.

If you haven't read The Brother's War (Jeff Grubb) or Planeswalker (Lynn Abbey), I encourage you to read these two books before reading Time Streams for better understanding of this book. Fans of the Artifacts Cycle series of books for Magic the Gathering should look for Bloodlines (Loren Coleman) in August, and Mercadian Masques (Lynn Abbey, Francis LeBaron) in September.


The Nitpicker's Guide for Next Generation Trekkers Part 1
Published in Hardcover by Audioscope (1995)
Authors: Phil Farrand, Denise Crosby, Robert O'Reilly, and Dwight Schultz
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Average review score:

This book is great!
If you are into nitpicking, this book is great. While reading it, I was able to remember most of the scenes that were discussed, but the best way to read this book is with the episode playing in the background. Some nits require that you freeze and rewind to catch it. Each episode review contains trivia questions, but they are hard, so dont feel bad if you get them wrong. Also, Season seven is not covered in this one. It is included in part 2. I recommend this for al Trekkers. This author has also come out with a Deep Space Nine book, and Original series book, and an X-files book, as well as a sequel to this one. It must be nice to make a living nitpicking TV episodes!

Wonderful for Trek Lovers
I have read this book hundreds of times. I love getting it out when I watch a Next Generation rerun, so that I can see the mistakes and it is hilarious! Phil Farrand has a unique sense of humor that only Trek lovers can understand. I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys watching Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Great Fun!
Though not as outrageously funny as the Nitpicker's Guide to Classic Star Trek, this volume had me, a grown man, giggling like a naughty schoolgirl (and that's quite a confession). All the inconsistencies and plot oversights are handled by a very sarcastic and wry author (Phil Farrand) who knows how to make us laugh at a great but sometimes pretentious and pompous TV show in Star Trek: The Next Generation.

I've had this book for quite sometime and I still go back and read parts of it every now and again when I need a laugh.

This book is for the serious Trekker (or Trekkie) who can take a joke.


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