Zephyr Spheres and the Sword of Wonders is an amazing story. At first, I was a bit unsure because the book was written by an 18 year old, but the author definitely kept my attention, and the story kept on flowing until it left me wanting more. An A-plus work.

When thunder rolls, the terror begins! WOW, what an accurate statement. The excellent depiction of thunder as being synonymous with terror was expertly done. Each chapter, every page, held a level of suspense that kept my heart in my throat. I rooted for these kids, hated the evil Mr. Magic and was constantly surprised at the events as they unfolded, riveted by the author's descriptions of the terror that seized the characters, ruining their lives. I kept wanting certain things that happened in the book to not be real, to have been a figment of Jason's imagination, that the writer (Brandon) would not allow such evil, awful things to happen but alas, he did. The powerful emotions that gripped me were true evidence that the writer of this novel, Brandon Massey, hit the mark and he hit it hard! He is a master of suspense and intrigue and I loved the pacing of the book. My only complaint is that the characters were far too young to be this mature, that realistically young boys this age are not able to handle such trauma with the kind of ease that the writer has them display. I think a little more emotion of a kid truly freaking out would have been just the touch this story needed. Additionally, I thought Jason's mother who was originally depicted as an abusive drunken mother who suddenly changes overnight was off the top, I would have liked to see more of a struggle in her pursuit of sobriety and becoming the good, attentive mother she should have been from the start. I realize, however, that her problems were only a small part of what this story was about. I did, however, like the show down between Thomas and his father, it was a realistic confrontation between father and son that was very well done. Brandon did an excellent job with his first novel.

I love Stephen King's suspense... now I will have to truly decide between purchasing a King novel or a Massey masterpiece!

I am ambivalent about this book. It was engrossing and well written, and I loved all the characters and their relationships. I adored the trio of buddies, Brains, Shorty and Jason. Jason, the central character was damn lucky to have Shorty and Brains as friends. The guys were not blood brothers, but they were there for each other.

Jason's relationship with his maternal grandfather was touching. Again, one could only hope to be that close to their grandpa.

And the marital discord between Jason's parents kept me enthusiastically turning the pages. But admittedly, I didn't care for the supernatural aspects of the story.

I repeat, I enjoyed the characters, and how they treated each other, but for all I cared, Mr. Magic could have disappeared.

But the action sequences were tense, and picturesque. I felt Jason's anxiety. His father's regret about betraying his wife.

I would love to read a book by Massey that was sans the supernatural, something exclusively about relationships.

But because I enjoyed the characters, I will read another Brandon Massey novel.

I am giving the book a 4.5 star.

Pamela Hayes, author of THE LIE

Thunderland was a book that I had heard of a few times and it was even mentioned in another book I read as a "book-to-read" so I decided to go to Brandon Massey's website and read a few pages of his book, online, before I finally decided to go ahead and order it. Well, I got the book and, once I started reading it, I found that I could NOT put this book down. I loved how the "hero", Jason, was a teenager and I also loved how the "supporting cast" were his two friends, Shorty and Brains, who were also his age. This was a very well told novel of suspense that readers of the suspense/horror genre are sure to enjoy. It's not a long book so it shouldn't take more than a few hours to go in the world of Thunderland but I'm sure, once you're there, you'll be in for a journey you won't soon forget!

First, let's dispense with the myth that Lucas wrote this himself. It was fully written by noted sci-fi/fantasy author Alan Dean Foster (who also wrote the novelizations for Alien, Aliens, Alien3, Krull, Black Hole, Alien Nation and although credited to Gene Roddenberry, he also wrote Star Trek The Motion Picture) Lucas was busy actually making the movie while ADF was writing this novel based on Lucas's working script. This accounts for some of the differences in the story.

ADF is a great writer, with a good voice and a great use of brevity to convey details. This is a quick read and a real treat for star wars fans. When this was first released it was called "Star Wars: From the adventures of Luke Skywalker" and was released before the movie even came out. ADF was already contracted to write a sequel since no one had any idea how the film would do, thus "Splinter of the Mind's Eye" makes a wonderful companion piece (the similar style between the two should be a dead giveaway that Foster wrote both).

This where it all began. If you want to read the SW books, make sure you start here.

I had planned to read this book for a while, and I was looking forward to it a lot, since the kids' one was way to short and boring even when I was ten years old. So, as you can probably guess my expectations were rather high, too high perhaps, but even so I was not disapointed. George Lucas has proved himself not only an excellent filmmaker, but also a great author as well. This book, while a bit dry at times, illustrates the movie in a spectacular fashion, and breathes new life into it, so that it seems interesting all over again. I read it one day when I was stuck in a hotel room, but this book was so interesting I litterally could not put it down. Every true Star Wars fan should read this, since it completly tells the story with a bunch of added stuff, that truly flesh out the story and that were completly missing from the movie. One thing that surprised me was the occasional small details that were changed. Such as Threepio being described as bronze instead of gold, and Luke being Blue 5 instead of Red 5. Another thing that struck me as odd was the slight differences in characters, Luke and Ben most noticably. Ben is less wise, more mischevious, and at times even funny, a previously unheard of thing! Luke also is slightly different. He seems, well, less innocent, more stupid, and even acts like somewhat of a jerk at times, and is all around more heroic and self centered, and generaly less cute. This was both interesting and annoying, since Luke was always my favorite character and to be honest I liked him better the other way. Leia is also noticably different, she being somewhat less strong, which annoyed me somewhat. Anyway, this was an excellent book, that deserved an honest four stars.

We're all familiar with the story, why read the book? That's what a lot of people ask, and I must say there's really not that many reasons to. Everything presented here is in the film, except for a few exceptions. We meet Luke a little earlier into the story, and he has a talk with his friend, Biggs Darklighter. Other than that, there's not a whole lot here that you can't see in the films.

However, as a book, it is most excellently written. The writing style is easy to get into and understand, and characters are written believably. A must-have for the Star Wars book collecter, a good choice of a library loan for anyone else.

I was hoping for freshness and originality in this novel because it features gay sorcerers whose magic depends on sex, which is a plot device I haven't come across very often. However, I found the plot to be ordinary and sparse. I felt that the characters were all the same; handsome, horny, intelligent, amiable. It was hard for me to tell them apart. Also, I felt that the language Fox used was too precious, if you know what I mean. Words and phrases like "handsome youths", "godlike", and "magnificent body", were used constantly, and everyone was always kissing tenderly, caressing gently. I felt the sex scenes could have been much more arousing, but, as I said, the characters were interchangeable and the writing was cliche; all the sex acts seemed the same. I would have liked to see different acts associated with individual spells, for example. All in all, I was disappointed with the book, although if you want a quick, easy read with lots of explicit sex, this is your book.

This novel is sexy, romantic and full of adventure - an excellent combination! The sequel's name is "Conjuring the Flesh" and it features the same appealing characters. Amazon.com has already sent me a copy, even though their catalog continues to list the book as 'not yet published.' It is, and it's fun! Here's part of the description from the back cover of Conjuring:

Initiation into a secret band of mages, randy youths whose intimate knowledge of pleasure and enchantment could open portals to a higher reality, had strained Ander's body and dazzled his senses. But mastering the ecstasy required to perform magic was only half the challenge. Fighting a tyrant's scheme to seize the vast power concealed in the magical realm had nearly cost his life.

Ander's talent as a musician and his budding prowess with sex magic are no match for an empire's legions. Even Thane, a brilliant mage of radiant beauty and fierce determination, has never faced such peril . . .

This book is incredible... at first the plot, with it's premise of sorcery based on sexual acts, may seem a bit contrived. However, the reader soon forgets about all of this as s/he is drawn into the story. The characters are really well done and extremely likable.They each have their own unique qualities and personalities that add a lot to the story. The emotional bond between them is very well-written also, and it makes their sexual adventures that much sexier. This is definitely the most arousing book I have ever read. The magical aspect of the story is really interesting, too. Great for a dark, stormy night... a real turn-on.

If your a Star Wars fan, then you would like this book because it tells about planets that are heard about in books and comics, that you would not know anything about other wise. A very good infromation book for Star Wars.

This is a fantastic effort. The latest Essential Guide covers a pretty complete listing of Planets and moons in the Star Wars Universe. The only problem with the book is it is missing a few things, but that is expected. The Star Wars Universe is too big to include every planet and moon in one book, so all the major ones are included here, and does a very nice job. For under 20 dollars, its a very nice addition to any Star Wars Fan's Book collection. The information is thorough, and is designed very well. Very well done!

This book is fantastic! You know that there is a Rebel Base on Yavin, but what about it's history? This book has the ultimate reference to planets and moons, an extremely comprehensive and detailed look at the planets and moons in the world of Star Wars.

Together with Professional C# Web Services, also from Wrox, these books will give you a solid base to really understand Web Services and Remoting. The basics are quite simple but you will also learn some useful advanced topics. I've always liked the Wrox style of writing, I think it's easy to read and follow the code examples. The only criticism is the number of authors. Some smaller parts are repeated and the style is not always consistent.

I read the book several times. I did some of the examples. The examples worked with no changes necessary. On the [web page], the book has an errata list, which is pretty small. The source code for C# and VB are on the wrox website. This book is for EXPERIENCED programmers. Don't even try to read it if you have no prior knowledge of web services.

The book has an excellent introduction to ASP.NET for web services. It probably is worth just going over the first two chapters to get a flavor of web services. Word of caution, I downloaded the VB samples, and they were a bit buggy. If you are a C# developer, the code in the book was fine. The VB code was not...

The first few chapters teach you the basics, most of which I knew already, but it is the later chapters which are really great. The chapter on SOAP security (a subject about which I confess I knew very little) taught me everything I am ever likely to need or want to know about that subject. There's also loads of great examples to get you going. To sum up - it's great!

Because this book contains many short stories I obviously have mixed feelings about it. The first short story "Strange Highways, which is closer to being a novel, was excellent. It had everything: suspense, action, and twists. I think it is one of Koontz's greatest pieces. The last story "Chase", which was also almost novel length, was excellent as well.

However, most of the stories between these two novels were horrible and downright embarrassing. Many of them where from when Koontz was just starting to write(and it shows). The story "The Black Pumpkin" reminds me of something I wrote in fifth grade for a Halloween project. "Bruno" is Koontz's attempt at writing comedy and it succeeds at being the corniest, most childish, waste of thirty-some pages. Most of the rest of the stories are very one dimensional and uninspired.

I think this book proves that Koontz should stick to writing novels and steer clear of short stories. I do think that Koontz is a wonderful writer and I have read many of his excellent books, but this isn't one of them. I would definetely recommend reading the first and last stories of this book, just nothing in between.

Koontz is far better at developing novel-length stories than short fiction. (Stephen King, by contrast, is the exact opposite.) For the revised reprint of "Chase," alone, though, it's worth the price of the book.

The title novel/novella in the book is uneven, suffering from an excess of unexplained fantasy elements, which has plagued several of the author's more recent pieces. It is, however, well-written and enjoyable.

The rest are much more of a grab-bag. Most of Koontz's short stories aren't all that memorable. There are exceptions. His first sale, "Kittens," is among its pages, and is much better than the author gives it credit for. "Down in the Darkness" is eerily atmospheric and unsettling. "Miss Attilla the Hun" displays Koontz's ability to wed humor with suspense, and is quite enjoyable, and "Bruno" is simply a comic delight.

Two of the pieces I would much have preferred to read as novels, and I'm sorry Koontz didn't develop them to that extent: "Hardshell" and "Trapped." The former is a most unusual cops-and-robbers story, the latter one of Koontz's monster-out-of-the-lab offerings.

This has got to be the best Koontz book that I've read. It is filled with all types of horror, and I love the short stories. My favorites were: Strange Highways, Chase (these are the 2 novel length stories), The Black Pumpkin, and Trapped (for those of you who enjoyed Watchers, this would be a great story for you!) There are 12 stories in all, and they are all EXCELLENT! I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves Koontz and/or short horror stories.

To say the least, this book was great. I didn't think it was as good as the novelization for Return of the Jedi, but still fairly descent. FAR better than the kids' novelization, which I was bored with very quickly. This book fleshed out the story of The Empire Strikes Back, while adding plenty of stuff that wasn't in the movie, and generaly making it a more endearing story. Even so, some of the scenes could have been better written, and it often felt rushed. Now that I've read this though, I wonder why I ever wasted my time with the fifty-three page kids' version. There is nothing in this book I could not have read and comprehended at ten years old, and I probably would have enjoyed it more even then. I wouldn't say that this as essential to all Star Wars fans as the novelizations for A New Hope and Return of the Jedi, but I would recommend it anyway, since it does shed new light on things.

Being that the Empire Strikes Back is my favourite of the Star Wars movies, I just had to read this book. It won't disappoint Star Wars fans, with all of the energy of the movie. I liked how it wasn't a complete adaption of the movie, with different things taking place on Dagobah. I would recommend this book to any science-fiction or fantasy fan.

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK against the rebel alliance! The story takes you from the icy planet of Hoth, to Dagobah, and finally to Bespin! It is a darker story and Luke begins his JEDI training with Master Yoda. This is a great book! Buy it!

Thanks to the many requests of Star Wars fans and radio enthusiasts alike, the team that brought us the radio adaptations of A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back, reunited to conclude the original saga. Made exclusively by Highbridge, Return Of The Jedi, once again uses the film's score by John Williams and sound effects by Ben Burtt, to make for a top notch production. By using the actual soundtrack from the film, it gives the audio production crediability, as opposed to being made without it.

Once again, directed by John Madden, Jedi reunites most of the actors from the previous adaptions, with a couple of notable exceptions. Mark Hamill, who reprised his role as Luke Skywalker, for the first 2 productions, is replaced by Joshua Fardon. While, Billy Dee Williams, as rogue Lando Calrissian, is replaced by Arye Gross. As hard as these gentlemen try, because of the original actors previous involvment with the other two radio dramas, its difficult to imagine anyone else in those parts. Fardon's portrayal lacks the maturity of Hamill's character in the film version, Gross comes off, not quite as smooth, in playing Lando. The rest of the main radio cast, from the other two adaptations is thankfully intact. Actors Anthony Daniels, once again as C-3PO, (who has appeard in all 3 radio dramas as well as all of the films in the series) Brock Peters as Vader, Perry King, as Han Solo, Anne Sachs as Princess Leia, all complete their character arcs in the seies with style. Actor Edward Asner as the gangster Jabba The Hutt and John Lithgow as Master Yoda, (as he did in the Empire radio drama) use vocal talent, like no others, to bring these 2 unique characters to life.

Sci-fi author, Brian Daley, once again. wrote the radioplay for Jedi. As before, there are a few additional "scenes" presented, not in the film version. The end result is very good, but thanks to its shorter length, and the casting changes, I mentioned, Jedi doesn't seem quite as epic, as the other radio dramas in the series. Sadly, Daley passed away soon after the dialogue was recorded, and the production is dedicated to his memory. His script is very faithful to the film and the added scenes remain true to the characters and story.

If you own the other two radio dramas in the series, Jedi is a must have, minor problems and all. The story has six episodes, presented on three compact discs with a total running time of nearly 3 hours. Recommended

Return of the Jedi has always been my favorite Star Wars movie, both because I like how all the characters matured, (especially Luke) and because it finally delt face to face with the dark side, possibly the best force of evil ever thought of in the realms of fiction. This book exheeded not only my expectations for the book itself (which were very high) but even surpassed the movie in some ways. The author has a deep, highly emotional writing syle which apealed to me greatly, and was so profound that all through the book I truly felt as if was there, a part of the story. Every Star Wars fan should read this at some point, especially those who didn't like Return of the Jedi because they thought it was weaker than the others. I could almost garantee this book would change their minds. Also, the author did a tremendous job on the characters. Just they way they were presented made me truly feel for them, even characters who were previously not my favorites. At times this book had me sitting on the edge of my seat actually wondering if maybe this time it would turn out differently, and the part where Anakin Skywalker dies almost had me in tears. Anyway, I don't think think this book belongs in any particular age range, though probably some of it (in fact a lot of it) would most likely go over the heads of people younger then twelve or so.

You'll never see me cite one Star Wars movie being better than all the others (at least until Episode III comes out, which I'm convinced has the potential to be the best movie of all time), but as far as the novelizations go, Return of the Jedi is by far my favorite.

If you didn't already know it, there are a handful of important details included within this book that didn't make it into the movie. These details alone are reason enough for all Star Wars fans to read this book. When Episode III finally comes around, you will be able to appreciate it much more having read this book.

However, the true strength of this book is the wonderful portrayal of the characters. So much depth was given to them that it just strengthened all of the reasons why I love Star Wars. And the reason I do love Star Wars is because of the characters. While all the sci-fi stuff is really great, it is the story of these characters that has drawn me into this universe. Reading about Luke flaunting with the Dark Side as he faces against Vader and the Emperor is gut wrenchingly incredible.

This is the third part of a three part story. I recommend reading the first two parts first respectively - the third part is a treat you won't regret.

Fans of the late Brandon Lee and of the movie "The Crow", I highly recommend this book. The book describes in detail of the events before and during the filming of "The Crow", from the creation of the comic book "The Crow" by James O' Barr... to the start of production... to the tragic shooting death of Brandon Lee... to finishing the film without Lee using computer technology and stunt doubles. It also talks about the other people involved in the movie, (i.e. actors, actresses, director, producer, stunt coordinator, etc...). This book not only describes the events that took place during the filming process, but also has a short, but informative bio on Brandon Lee before he took on the role as Eric Draven. The most gripping part of the book is when the author, Bridget Baiss, describes the events leading up the the shooting death of Brandon Lee, until his death on the operating table. It was so thoroughly described that I felt I was actually there to witness it for myself, it sent chills down my spine as I read it. For those who want to get the whole story of this amazing movie, and the tragedy that happened because of it, this is the book to read.

"This is the best role I have had the opportunity to get my hands on".

- Brandon Lee

I really enjoyed reading "The Crow -Story behind the film"...every chapter,every page,EVERY WORD was exciting to read on through this book.Perhaps because I am such a Brandon Lee fan and still 'til this day do I believe that The Crow was arguably his best work ever..and this book tells it ALL~!......from its origins as first starting out being a comic book,trying to make this gothic love story into a film,the struggles of making the movie,of course the hugest tragedy which took the life of the young star,the cause of his death and how the movie was finished without the late Brandon Lee......the best part about this book was how the author got so much information from different cast and crew members who were all once part of the film....this was the best part about the book since I was so curious to know how each and every person who was responsible in making this film felt about making it and how they reacted to that fateful nite of the shooting .....as well as how they or if they ever learned to cope with this difficult experience.I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book to every CROW/Brandon Lee fan or anyone who once saw this film and became interested in what exactly happened on the set to this promising actor who had such a promising future .......I have collected many Brandon Lee memorabilias in almost the past decade but I must say that this book is definitely the most treasured one I have since it closes the ending chapter to the person I admire so much.

I felt the author did an excellent job of educating readers about the production of the Crow, and movies in general. The book also personalized the death of Brandon Lee by providing such detailed and moving insights into the people involved with the project and with the movie's star. I felt the book started strong and kept picking up the pace and excitement as it went. I would recommend this book to any movie lovers or fans of the Crow.