I really was moved by this novel. I usually am not a reader, but when I read this book I became entwined in novels, espeacailly by Sparks. I would like to write my own books someday, and the way that Sparks writes is very moving. If he ever reads this I would just like him to know that I have read all his books. Also, that he has become my idol for many books I hope to someday publish.

A masterpiece is defined by the Websters dictionary as "a work done with extraordinary skill." Both The Notebook and Message in a Bottle exemplify this definition. A Walk to Remember, his latest publication lives up to these standards as well. Nicholas Sparks is an innovative writer, who personalizes his stories to the extent that the reader is not the same after reading. The love he portrays is something I only wish I will have the opportunity to experience!

this book walked me through my dad's last couple of years with alzheimers, i only wish he had a spouse who loved him that much. i wonder how my husband would cope in that situation, or if he even remembers how it all began and everything that has happened. it was hard to read through my tears but i could not put it down.

As a simple adventure story, featuring aliens mucking around Tombstone, Arizona, in 1881, it works. It's engaging, it's fast like a gecko going up a wall, and it gets raunchier than I thought it would for a book written by a guy married to Laura Ingalls.

The Kra'agh have noticed Earth; their ships are amassing around our planet even if we don't know it. These hideous, sadistic (they feed on pain, as well as flesh) critters from another world, with powers of mimicry and thought-absorption, have even got a few scouts down in cowboy country, interacting with Wyatt Earp, Ike Clanton, and all those boys who just can't get along. Okay, so we know there's a gunfight looming, and it seems likely that both the skulking Kra'agh, and the visitors in "white hats"--that would be some folks from the planet Shanidar, who oppose creatures like the Kra'agh, on behalf of a benevolent intergalactic league of do-gooders called The Associative--are going to get caught in the crossfire at the OK Corral. Nevertheless, if history does tell us where some of the plot is heading, it's still a hoot watching Ma'khleen and Doree, Associative agents (called Monitors, actually) conduct their own private secret war against two Kra'agh scouts named Deathstalker and Painspinner. Naturally, the fate of Earth hangs in the balance.

This is just a story; there is no hidden meaning to aliens showing up in disguise at the OK Corral...so if you also wish to be present, go for fun. This is escapist SF, wild west style, with some laughs, some sex, and lots of macho posturing, leading to tough hombres firing lead every which way, as well as disgusting aliens, who can macho-posture with the best of em, firing energy bolts at all comers.

Macklin and Doris are descendants from the lost colony of Roanoke, whose citizens were taken into space by a benevolent race. Both serve as Monitors insuring the safety of earth from malevolent aliens. As a prelude to an invasion, the Kr'agh attack the ship of the Monitors, which ultimately crashes onto the planet. Macklin suffers amnesia and wonders into Tombstone, Arizona circa 1881.

The Kr'agh trail Macklin, munching on humans along the way and absorbing their intelligence like a sponge. The Kr,agh soon disguise themselves as human and join the Clanton gang. Macklin allies himself with the Earp brothers. Doris catches up and helps Macklin regain his memory, as the OK Corral is about to occur.

At first glance, the story line of FRONTEIR EARTH seems like a zillion other novels with similar themes that for the most part failed. However, Babylon 5 star Bruce Boxleitner provides freshness to the OK Corral that will please science fiction and western fans. The plot is filled with non-stop action and actually appears plausible. The Monitors are an interesting duo and the Kr'agh make for some vile villains. Mr. Boxleitner shows a deft touch that will lead to readers wanting more novels in this universe.

Harriet Klausner

Tombstone 1881; not the slightly gritty, visually septic Hollywood version, but a real, multi-layered tapestry of frontier life, where the gap separating the lawless from the law keepers is thin and murky. This is the well-researched backdrop for a science fiction story that would give Sigourney Weaver nightmares.

From the outset, we are thrust into a cat and mouse game. The predators are creatures who do not feed simply on human flesh, but feast, indeed savor, human terror. The prey is a man without a memory. But there's far more at stake that just his life...if only he could recall why.

At times, the reader is caught up in the events leading to the most famous showdown in American western history, the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Then changing gear, the unfolding drama is seen from the alien perspectives of hunter and hunted, both of whom are confused by human motivations and self-righteous, conflicting moralities.

Cocky and self-assured, caught up in their own unfolding drama, the human players have no comprehension that the very future of Earth is at stake as they head towards their own violent climax. A climax that without alien involvement, may have seen history written very differently....

The book is punctuated with a rich patina of sensations. Not simply visual, but visceral. The brutality of the aliens is described with imagery that reaches into our primitive hindbrain and shakes it uncomfortably. Yet we also see that some humans too, feed on terror and in many ways are as unprincipled as the most horrific of aliens our imaginations can conjure.

Read this one carefully to savor the tastes and textures of a well written, first book. I look forward to a sequel.

This is the kind of book that many of us like to read during vacation or on a relaxing weekend. The plot begins with an interesting twist and then moves along quickly. Morrell has certainly developed the knack for ending a chapter with a sentence that almost forces you to start the next chapter.

While "Desperate Measures" doesn't develop the psychological depth or plot as some of his earlier books did, it does entertain.

Once again David Morrell does not disapoint. Desperate Measures is a great read by the man who brought us First Blood , Brotherhood Of The Rose, and other great novels. This is another great book that has great character development. Mat Pitman starts out wanting to end his own life but when he is given a assignment he begins to fight for his life. Part of Morrell's magic is that he can make you see what the characters are going through and always make each event in the book be significant when it comes to the end. He also shares yet another political view of McCarthyism and the Red Scare in the 1950's which is what this book's plot is all about. Mr. Morrell does it again.

I have been reading David Morrell's books since "First Blood" and have to say he is one of the greatest action writers I've read! Desperate Measures kept me glued until the end, and I thought it would be impossible for David Morrell to deliver a good ending for this one, but he did it with great finesse. This author has never disappointed me and I will always read his latest! I give this writer a standing ovation!

From 'Split Images' to 'Get Shorty', a run encompassing about ten books, Elmore Leonard could do no wrong -- every one of these titles is compelling. 'Killshot' ranks as the best (perhaps tying with 'Split Images') book of this period. The plotting is clever in that it is put at the service of the characters -- action unfolds from character, rather than being imposed on it. And the prose, especially the dialogue, is pitch-perfect. (Compare Leonard's dialogue with that of James Ellroy, and see why Leonard is still regarded as the master.) What makes Leonard's books so enjoyable, however, is the amount of arcane information he's able to put into his story without ever making it feel crammed. He's written about graphology, Mississippi rivermen, high-steel construction, and Elvis Presley conspiracies (all 'Killshot'); leprosy and embalming ('Bandits'); St Francis of Assisi ('Touch' and 'Bandits'); the overthrow of Trujillo in the Dominican Republic ('Split Images', 'Cat Chaser'); photography and the Secret Service ('LaBrava'); casino operations ('Glitz'); hippie politics ('Freaky Deaky'); and countless other subjects. His facility for making these things interesting almost defies belief. Surrender yourself to 'Killshot', especially the redoubtable Carmen Colson, and find your plams getting sweaty, your mouth dry, and your heart racing. You'll laugh a lot, too.

"Killshot" is a fast-paced, edgy and action-filled novel with strong emphasis on character, which is what one expects from Elmore Leonard. Leonard effectively paints telling portraits complete with physical details, emotions and mannerisms, and he never short-changes on plot or suspense. This book hums along. The killers are reprehensible, but Leonard makes them human, with their own particular vulnerabilities. Richie Nix is a sociopath seeing people only as objects to be used or eliminated. The Bird is somewhat more empathetic, but a cold, bloodless professional killer nonetheless. Carmen and Wayne Colson are a married couple who get caught up in a shakedown scam by mistake, and they end up having the two killers on their trail. Leonard does an outstanding job with minor characters as well giving them pivotal roles, especially Donna, the woman who becomes a lover to both killers, and the egotistical deputy sheriff. While the reader might find him or herself rooting more against the evilness of Richie or Bird, rather than for any compelling traits in the Colson's, there is more than enough tension inherent in "Killshot" to make this a very good read.

Vintage Leonard - all of the interesting texture and humor one expects, and that wonderful sinking suspense that he seems to have lost track of lately.

This collection of five stories are fascinating, but not as intriguing some of the other Forsyth novels I've read. The first story, "The Veteran" starts out with a mugging of an old man who is "special" or was once regarded as "special". The "special" aspect of him explains the outcome of the mugging as well as the final act of "justice". "The Art of Matter" was a step down for me compared to "The Veteran". I'm just not interested in Art and auctions. For those into trickery and art, I suppose it would be quite an engaging read. "The Miracle" was my next favorite story about a mysterious woman. The ending will take you by surprise and may even make you laugh. To get the full effect of the story, one must be careful and focus on the details of the dialogue. "The Citizen" was another great story involving a drug smuggling operation. By far, the best story of the book was "Whispering Wind" which is largely a romantic adventure. Anyone familiar with Custer's last stand at the battle of Little Big Horn or simply those interested in the old west will enjoy it tremendously. It's the type of story that many women would like because of the romantic element.

"The Veteran," by Frederick Forsyth, is one of five stories in a new collection written by one of the greatest suspense writers of all time. This collection is so engrossing that I read all 367 pages in one day.

"The Veteran" is a powerful tale of murder and revenge. It deals with an elderly man who is kicked to death by two thugs during a mugging in urban London. The author describes the legal process during which the thugs are picked up and prosecuted. Shockingly, one of the finest barristers in England decides to defend the muggers. Why is the honorable James Vansittart QC, a brilliant and successful barrister, defending these disreputable criminals? Forsyth brings the case to life with his superb description of London's criminal justice system. I could not put the book down until I read the dramatic and moving conclusion.

The other stories deal with such diverse themes as art scams, drug smuggling aboard an airplane, and a miracle in Siena, Italy. These three stories feature vivid characterizations, crisp and realistic dialogue, subtle humor, intricate plotting, and nail-biting suspense.

The novella in the collection is called "Whispering Wind," and it is the story of a scout named Ben Craig who survived Custer's Last Stand in 1876. Forsyth brilliantly describes the battles between the white men and the Native Americans whom they victimized without mercy. We get a picture of Custer as a clueless, arrogant, and reckless dandy who had no idea what he was up against at Little Bighorn until it was too late. Ben Craig is a sympathetic character. He is a loner who is completely at home in the frontier and he is a young man of compassion and sensitivity. Craig falls in love with and rescues a young Cheyenne girl who is about to be raped and killed by Custer's soldiers. The relationship between Craig and the Cheyenne girl takes a supernatural turn which gives the story an added dimension.

It is wonderful to see that the art of storytelling is alive and well in this marvelous collection.

Frederick Forsyth never disappoints. This is a collestion of 5 short stories where characters are developed quickly, and you keep reading to find the tales' final twist.

The Veteran deals with the justice beyond a court of law and the honor of former comrades. It is worth the price of the entire book.

The Art of the Matter covers greed, swindlers and pay back in a very satisfying manner. In fact all of the stories deal with payback in some form.

The Miracle is a great story that justs sucks you into its magic just before the door comes crashing down.

The Citizen tells you exactly what is going to happen, but you don't see the truth until the final couple of lines.

However, Whispering Wind is the finest story. It is part ghost story and part morality tale.

Highly recommended.

Douglas De Bono
Author of ROGUE STATE

At every turn in this book, Blake let the reader's imagination take over. Instead of lengthy descriptions he let dialog, actions, and situations plant the pictures in my head. I felt incredibly sad at times, mad at times, amazed and informed at times. I don't know if this was intended but that's how it read. I really enjoyed it and though I was a little miffed in the beginning that Dances With Wolves wasn't the main 'goin concern', I quickly got over that. This book delt with the tribes, their different views with white relations, and their struggle for survival.

Feeling Kicking Birds gut-wrenching realization that his way of life was forever lost was sobering. There could be no happy ending to this story and the lack of embellishment to the popular character's deaths, I think, coincided with the white mans attitude toward the Indians. (They didn't give it a second thought.)

After having ready The Holy Road, I will probably go back and read Dances with Wolves. For the most part, I enjoyed Blake's style of writing. However, I do agree with another reviewer who wrote that the passing of such leaders as Ten Bears, Wind in My Hair, Kicking Bird and Dances with Wolves was certainly not elaborated upon as much as I would have liked to have seen. I suppose after having watched the movie "Dances With Wolves" so many times, [since I own a copy of it] I have associated those actors with the names and wanted every scrape of details.
Other than that, I commend Blake for his efforts on this sad but true topic.

This is an excellent book. It actually takes you back in time. It is well written. Very descriptive.

More of the same. I'm saying that this book, follow-up to Frontier Earth, is a routine addition to a series that is obviously going to play it safe.

Overtly, the plot seems to take a different turn from the first entry; wave goodbye to the Earps, the Clantons, and all their assorted minions, and welcome the Apaches, who become involved in the little secret war playing out in the American Southwest, circa 1882. The loathsome invaders, the Kra'agh, happen to have set up a nest right at the top of a mountain which represents holy ground for the Apaches (or N'de...The People), and just possibly represents a new lode of silver for some greedy miners. It's up to the Monitors, agents of the interstellar Associative, to root out the reptilian Kra'agh and show them that Earth will not be invaded and turned into a game farm of sorts. Tough task, when both cowboys and Indians have a tendency to "rationalize" a hostile, man-eating extraterrestrial as an evil spirit or demon. Even tougher, when Macklin discovers he's really going solo, as the only Monitor around who can stay alive long enough to take the battle to the scaly plug-uglies.

The plot starts out having the taste of something new, but soon reveals itself to have the basic feel of what already got depicted in Frontier Earth. The Kra'agh use their holographic disguise abilities to blend into the various human societies, all in an effort to close in on Macklin (though they also spend a lot of time imitating rocks in this book). However, events show that the Kra'agh method of disguise barely ever works, making them start to come off as rather ineffective villains. Their odour gives them away, sunlight gives them away, their shadows give them away, and their holographic facade is imperfect. Boxleitner maybe should have picked one vulnerability, and come up with plots that don't involve the Kra'agh being detected by everyone so easily; their "scare factor" drops in this tale.

Meanwhile, instead of feuding historical figures of Tomstone, we have feuding Apaches and cowboys, so the various showdowns and uneasy negotiations are very similar to what has gone before, albeit with some freshness due to the N'de's wilderness skills (they could teach the hapless Kra'agh a thing or two about seemingly materializing from nowhere!). A few gripping scenes--Macklin almost lynched by an entire town, an Apache strung up to be burned at the stake by her own people--add tension, but if you read this, be prepared for a very familiar feel, if you have read Frontier Earth...or any trad SF with monsters, for that matter.

An easy read. Very elementary story line. Looking forward to the next book. I can't wait until his hottie girlfriend returns !

In Bruce Boxleitner's "Frontier Earth: Searcher", the story picks ups shortly after the end of the "Frontier Earth", the first book in this series. I write series, because it is my hope that this is a long running series. I found the first book Frontier Earth, and now the sequel Searcher to be very entertaining and well-written books. Strong character development and historical research combined with an "Alien" influence add a unique twist to events in the desert southwest of the late 1800s. My order arrived on a Friday afternoon, and I was finished with the book by Saturday evening. It's one of those books that you just don't want to put down until you are finished. I look forward to the next installment. (Mr. Boxleitner, please give us more!)

This book seemed to be a potential page turner in the start, but in the middle the pages turned slower. I started the book at the airport, read through on the plane and continued 'in between the flights' type of thing. Once I began to read it at leisure, I began to lose some stimulation in the read. Overall, it can be enjoyable - depending on such variables like your personality or mood. This book has a wide mix of good and bad. It was fun to read at times with a combo of old-fashioned romance, heart-warming tactics and out of the ordinary feel-good miracles. But, it was also kind of lame. Like if you don't like romantic far-fetched sap and underdog romances or unpredictable sadness in your stories. A controversial book. This book has the combination of fun, romantic, silly, disappointing all in one! I am glad that I read it, it was pretty good but I would recommend it at discretion depending on the person who is reading it. I liked it but can't say I loved it, can't say I hated it either. Definitely worth the $7 that I spent, I wonder if the movie is too?

When I read what this book was about, I just had to read it right away. The idea of a woman finding a love letter in a bottle, and becoming obsessed with finding the man who wrote it, really facinated me (OK, I'll admit, I enjoyed Sleepless in Seattle). But the characters and storyline left me feeling a bit flat. It started out good, she found the man fairly easily and they hit it off great. But I didn't think there was very much depth to her character, not that her character was bad or anything, I just felt the author didn't do her justice. Garrett started off as a good character, but it really turned me off that they went to bed the second time they met. A man who is portrayed to be as sensitive and in love with his deceased wife as Garrett was just simply would not do that! It also made me a bit angry that Theresa did not tell Garrett about the letters right away, it made me think that she was deceptive.
Another thing, to me this book seemed extremely sad, even at parts when they were happy, there was some underlying gloom. Because of this, I was able to guess quite easily how the story would end, which was not how I wanted it to end.
Overall, I would say that this was a good way to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon, but I don't think I'll read this one again.

I'd decided to give the movie a miss, thinking that it was "one of those soppy AND predictable stuff" and it never crossed my mind to read the book until I read Nicholas Sparks' The Notebook.

I already had a gist of what the story would turn out to be (thanks to a reviewer on Amazon.com who gave the story away) but decided to sit through it anyway.

Again, like The Notebook, I found it a captivating tale which made me want to continue to read and read and read. A lady giving herself another chance at love, together with a man who lost his love of a lifetime, is something that a lot of us can relate to.

Nicholas had stirred our hearts and minds by putting together very touching prose which speaks of a love so great and beautiful that it makes one wonder, just where can we find a love like that?

The plot is nothing brand new but still, the tale holds you and makes you ask for more. Theresa and Garrett are both very believable and realistic characters who are torn between very human issues. My heart went out to them, albeit I found it a little strange that they would have such dilemmas at the crossroad of their union.

A very heart-warming book but you can save those tissues. The Notebook is far more heart-wrenching.