As you can easily guess from the title of this seventh Mario Balzic mystery, Christmas is threatening Rocksburg, Pennsylvania and it becomes obvious fairly quickly in "Upon Some Midnights Clear" that Balzic has good reason for dreading the holidays. Ed Sitko, the chief of the city's volunteer firefighters calls to tell Balzic about Mrs. Gabin, who was mugged of...in Christmas money and demands to know what the chief of police is going to do about it. But before Balzic can get around to investigating the case Sitko has his men out collecting money for the victim and the more Balzic looks into what happened, the less he likes it. However, Balzic's life is nothing if not extremely complicated and in trying to clean up this mess he has to deal not only with the bigoted fire chief but a newspaper columnist who has little regard for the truth unless it suits her needs, an alienated Vietnam vet and his friends who are tired of being blamed for losing the war, and a small time criminal who always manages to worm his way out of trouble. When Balzic finds himself in Musconi's listening to the old crime boss give him advice, he knows that Christmas is going to be anything but merry.

"Upon Some Midnights Clear" is the Mario Balzic mystery that K.C. Constantine needed to write at this point in the series because the character had been dangerously close to wallowing in self-pity. Certainly he has been ignoring his family way too much in the last few novels, whose plot lines have threatened to consume his soul. When you have a character who able to enforce his sense of justice on those around him not just because of his personality but because of his position of power it becomes important for the reader to feel such a person is connected to the real world and not off rambling around their own little kingdom. Being nice to the wife and kids is important because of the grounding it provides Balzic.

Constantine's approach remains the same. Balzic engages in a series of conversations in order to work his way to the truth of a given situation. This time around he is haunted by more than his usual share of doubts, which compels him to several key moments of self-reflection. Maybe just writing about Christmas was enough to get Constantine to lighten up a bit with regards to both Balzic and what happens in Rocksburg, because I certainly did not have the sense of wallowing in dirt and filth like I had after some of these novels, especially the previous effort, "Always a Body to Trade." Something approaching a happy ending, even if it means justice comes in the form of a man getting away with a crime for which he is guilty being punished for one in which he is innocent, is definitely a welcome relief. Balzic will almost certainly be back in the trenches, but at least this time around he gets the most important thing right.

Vane Pursuit is in fact neither vain nor without merit for the reader. This is entertainment in the best sense of the word. It's a book from the Balaclava series of Macleod and you should read the preceding volumes, but don't have to. Several known and already loved characters are once more trapped in bizarre and surrealistic doings of just as bizarre new persons. Peter Shandy's friends of his past are in the center of one plotline, the acquaintances of Helen Shandy - namely Iduna Stott, who gets more and more whalelike...in the other. How they merge finally ist Macleods art and unique skill. And wait! Another woman appears in this book, who figures prominently in "An Owl too many" - Miss Binks. I can't tell you, how she emerges, it would be a spoiler. But believe me: you will read this book again and again, just because it works that way.. The different settings picture truly antagonistic persons in environments that seem to fit both parts. Needless to say, that the "good ones" are better adjusted, perceive the wrongdoings of the "bad ones" in due time und thus create the wonderful happy end, this time without wedding bells but with a blossoming romance hinted. Well, I enjoyed the exaggerated parts hugely. If you didn't in the books preceding this one, you might really feel, that Macleod took several things too far. To the faithful followers of the author (of whom I am one) this is one of her best.

So you like a good mystery, but McGees long gone and Spenser sounds more like a bad cliche with every passing title. Take a look at Thomas Black - Seattle's number one detective. In this, the third installment in a trilogy beginning with Yellow Dog Party and The Portland Laugher, our intrepid hero is attempting to deal with the loss of the love of his life - Kathy Birchfield. It seems Thomas killed her fiance and that put a damper on Thomas and Kathy's relationship. Imagine that. A mutual client sets up a meeting - between Thomas and Kathy unbeknownst to them and the story is off and running. Thomas is thrown into an investigation that leads him on several dangerous twists and turns as he encounters assorted unsavory characters. Emerson's gift for dialogue reminds the mystery buff of the best of Robert Parker in the early Spenser stories. The characters are well developed, and the tale zips along to an unexpected conclusion. If you haven't read any of Emerson's Thomas Black books, this may not be the best place to start. The dynamic between Thomas and Kathy has been cultivated slowly over the series. Yellow Dog Party makes more sense as a staarting point for new Black fans, but The Vanishing Smile is an excellent addition to the series. It appears Emerson has found a publisher who appreciates him and recognizes his talent. He has even been all the way to Texas for book signings, and was well received. Black is a true man of his time, and Emerson's social commentary right on. Political correctness is not Thomas's strong suit, much to the delight of the reader.

After living in the West for four years there were two things I could count on above all else. First, the issue of water in the West. It is a given that everyone, and I mean everyone, has a strong opinion on water, or more aptly, the lack thereof, and what to do about it. Second, the consistently high quality of a publication known as the High Country News which is published in Paonia, Colorado. Thus, you can imagine my delight in receiving a copy of this book dealing with Water in the West and containing articles written by contributors to High Country News over the past fifteen years. It's kind of like getting a two-for-one deal. And what a deal it is. For anyone remotely interested in the history and current status of what editor Char Miller rightly calls the West's most precious resource, water, this book is indispensable reading. The list of contributing scholars and journalist is impressive and provides the reader with insightful analysis and historical context that is rare in this age of mass-produced trivia. My favorite chapter is titled "Taming Glen Canyon Dam" and contains an article on how, in 1993, the Colorado river almost reclaimed Glen Canyon Dam and accomplished what Edward Abbey and a host of activists have struggled to do since 1963. The entire contentious issue of Glen Canyon Dam is covered in a balanced manner and worthy of the reader's time. Ah, but there is more, much more. Come go with me to visit the Northwest and read of the Salmon Crisis; the proposal to tear down eighteen dams; and a plan to unleash the Snake River. From there we will travel to Arizona and Utah to learn of the follies and successes of the Central Arizona and Central Utah Projects. These Federal water projects are your tax dollars at work. From the deserts of Arizona and Utah we will go to Denver and Las Vegas and see what the urban areas of the west have in mind for the limited amount of water available. The chapter on Native American Water Issues is refreshing in that, for once, we learn that the Indians have won some court battles that have the effect of giving them back that which was, you guessed it, taken from them in the first place. Take all of this and wrap it up with chapters on Watershed Restoration and Water Allocation and Management, plus a comprehensive introductorly overview, and you have a wonderful primer on Water in the West. This book is one tall drink of water. Oregon State University Press and High Country News are to be commended for making it available to all of those that care about this precious resource.

It is too bad that the first novel "The Hamlet" is not included (it appears in an earlier volume of this excellent series of The Library Of America) with "The Town" and "The Mansion" in this wonderful tale of growth and maturity of the outcast Snopes clan to a Snopes family of civic prominence. The three novels need to be read in their order to feel the strength of uneducated and poor individuals struggling for opportunities to better themselves, successfully, to claim the privileges of wealth that only the aristocracy of landowners enjoy. This is the new Yoknapatawpha County of automobiles and areoplanes. The old wilderness of the bear hunters was long ago paved over for speed. "The Reivers" is a long hearty laugh at innocence in a whore house. Told from a boy's viewpoint, the action is very adult and funny as adults pursue their urges for sex and gambling. The horse race is a fine piece of sustained Faulkner writing. Buy this book. It is a keeper.

When beautiful Lucia Zenteno arrives in town, no one knows how to treat her. Some people in the village thought that her hair blocked the sun. Mystery surrounded the girl. When she bathed in the river, her hair would soak up all the fish and water until she combed it out. The elders said told the people of the village to honor Lucia. They did not. People began mistreating Lucia. Lucia, however, did not return the unkindness of others. Finally, the people drove Lucia from the village. Before she left, Lucia visited the river once more. As Lucia went to comb her hair, the fish and the water stayed in her hair. She left the village without water. Realizing that they needed the river, the people tried to find Lucia to apologize. Eventually Lucia does return the water to the river but not without teaching the village people that "you must treat everyone with kindness, even those who seem different from you." This book is full of imagery! The illustrations are very beautiful. The author, Martinez, died tragically trying to help the Zapotec Indians with their water rights. This book is a great legend and is great for multi-cultural themes.

This is just a good old fashioned mystery novel that grabs the reader in the first two pages. It is truly a wonder that more people have not found Mr. Brown's books. If you have traveled to the islands and long for the Pacific, palms swaying in the breeze, beautiful sunsets and Far East intrigue, read Yellowfin.

This book is short enough to read through quickly (especially being a teacher its hard to find a little free time to do some reading besides textbooks and students work :).) I read it to my first graders and they loved it. They enjoyed seeing a fun side of being a teacher. They found this book to be funny and in their words "two thumbs up".
I can relate to some of the stories such as asking pizza places for pizza boxes and cardboard circles for projects. As a teacher my mind never stops thinking of ways to use things (shoe boxes, deli trays, milk jugs, etc) in creative ways.
This book is fun and great to read at the end of a CRAZY day :) Enjoy!

Post Bugger war, the government biogenically breeds humans to be geniuses. Ender Wiggen a government geniuse deals with a childhood of trials. Monitored for most of his life he faces trials of courage. Whether its being beaten up by his older brother Peter or usings his geniuse brain he overcomes all his challenges and passes the tests. Card takes the reader on a voyage of a boys life. With extream detail he sucks the reader into his fantastic novel. Whether its in a battle at the battle school or at the lake on Earth, Card glues the eyes of his reader to the pages of his book. He proves a kids dedication to a life of troubles. To a true Sci-Fi fan this book is a wonder. Most will read it multiple times. This book is not just for kids, adults enjoy this book too. His captivating plot requires a reader to sit and read all day. The 324 pages in Ender's Game go by quickly so readers beware. Most readers who I have talked to have read this book in about 8 hours. Ender's Game is a sure Sci-Fi classic.

Ender Wiggin is one of the children chosen by the world government of Earth. For the last three years, from age three to six, he's worn a monitor-a device designed and used to watch him day and night, so finely tuned that he'd started to believe that it could read his thoughts. Then, when he was six, the device was removed. Ender's whole world changed. Hated by his brother Peter, loved by his sister Valentine, Ender suddenly became prey for the bigger boys at his school. After an altercation in school and a display of viciousness and cold cruelty on Ender's part, he's told he made the program for the International Fleet, the first line of defense against the Buggers, an alien enemy encountered nearly fifty years ago that came short of destroying the planet. Graff, the man from I.F., tells Ender that he qualified for the Battle School program, where Ender will learn how to fight Buggers. The downside is that he won't get to see his family for ten years. And Battle School doesn't turn out exactly the way Ender had envisioned it would.

Orson Scott Card is an award-winning science fiction and fantasy writer. In addition to the Ender Wiggin series (ENDER'S GAME, SPEAKER FOR THE DEAD, XENOCIDE, CHILDREN OF THE MIND, ENDER'S SHADOW, SHADOW OF THE HEGEMON, and SHADOW PUPPETS), Card has also written the Homecoming series (THE MEMORY OF EARTH, THE CALL OF EARTH, THE SHIPS OF EARTH, EARTHFALL, and EARTHBORN) and the Tales of Alvin Maker series (SEVENTH SON, RED PROPHET, PRENTICE ALVIN, ALVIN JOURNEYMAN, and HEARTFIRE). HOMEBODY, TREASUR BOX and LOST BOYS are three of his works that heavily involve the supernatural in today's world. He's also written two novels about women from the Bible (REBEKAH and SARAH), and several stand-alone novels and other trilogies.

ENDER'S GAME is a wonderful read for old-time science fiction fans that cut his or her teeth on Robert Heinlein. The same depth of character in a young protagonist that Heinlein was noted for is present, and the world-building skills are sharp. At the same time, Card embraces the younger readers of SF by laying much of Ender's story in action and gameplay. Every young reader out there is living in an SF world when he or she plugs into a PlayStation game, and Card entices those players by showing how much fun his vision of the future is with null-gravity and gameplay. Ender comes across always as a real person with real problems. The pacing is quick, always pulling the reader into the next situation, providing tidbits of information that locks in the bigger picture by the time the reader gets there. Card's creation of words, situations, and tech-and the ease with which his characters (and the readers!) interface with it-is amazing.

This book is heartily recommended for readers already familiar with SF through Heinlein and Asimov, and to new readers who want a deeper and more immersive experience than the world presented by the latest video game. Well-written books are the closest things to virtual reality that exist at this time, and ENDER'S GAME is one of the best.

Words cannot even begin to describe this book. All I can say is Wow! I stumbled upon Ender's Game while I was looking for other books. I decided to buy it on a whim. And I'm forever grateful that I did. As someone who has read a lot of sci-fi, from masterpieces to failures, I wasn't expecting much from the book. What I found was something so icredible, it has now become one if not my most favorite book of all time.
What makes Ender's Game so wonderful is that through children and a rather silly alien race called "the buggers" no less, the author manages to address thought provoking issues about human nature and the price of survival. Morality and what is right and wrong are never simple. The novel is brilliantly able to demonstrate the complexity that is life and the lengths people are capable of and act upon. I was literally in shock when I finished the last page.
No matter what type of books you're into, you should still read this book. I can honestly say it has brought to my attention certain realizations I never wanted to think about. It gives you a perspective unlike anything, a perspective you are not likely to forget. I strobgly urge everyone to read this book. I promise it is worth every penny.

I really enjoy Orson Scott Card's fiction, especially the Ender's Game series. However, he tends to overload his lead characters with superhuman abilities. In Ender's Shadow, this process happens too fast, and we never can appreciate the development of Bean's personality. We don't get to see him learn and grow the way we did with Ender in the first book. And while, as always, the world Card creates is engrossing in the tiny details, we've seen this one before, and it's not enough to carry the story. I would recommend reading "Lost Boys" or "Saints" instead, and saving your money on "Ender's Shadow."

One thing we learn is that Bean isn't as human as the rest of us. That is bad part about his character, we can't relate enought to him. Ender was the bright child in us all, I know most of my class (I read it in 9th grade GT English) felt like they were Ender. I didn't get as Emotionally wrapped up in Bean.

Bean accomplishments felt like they were taking away from the original book. Everything he did at battle school made Ender less brilliant and, at times, even more miserable. I went back and read Ender's Game to see what my impression were from both sides of the story.

The book is written extremely well though. Card creates an interesting look into the other countries of the world. I love the Sister in her endearing efforts to save Bean. Their dialogue made the book engaging (as well as her dialogue with the Colonel). Writing from her perspective seem better that that of the rest of the ender series (Xeno, Mind, etc). I feel like I can see Card's writing improving.

The book really was well written, but there is a lack of emotional connection.

Ender's Shadow is a fabulous book.

It covers many of the same events as "Ender's Game", this time told from the perspective of Bean, a minor character in "Ender's Game". Orson Scott Card's writing style, and through it, his characterization of Bean, has strengthened dramatically since he wrote "Ender's Game". While I loved EG very much, I find ES to be superior.

Bean is an engaging character in his own right, with his own set of personal demons, in the form of his backstory, heritage, and his archnemesis, Achilles. How he deals with these demons, as well as his struggle to be accepted both by the students as a whole, and by Ender in particular, makes for engaging reading.

It would be easy to think that if you had read EG, then you don't need to read ES. This is not true. Sure, you know the eventual outcome of the war, but seriously, I'm sure we all did when we first opened the book, anyway. (Did you *really* think Earth would be destroyed?) That isn't the point of the story, however. It is a story about gifted children, discrimination, genetic engineering, acceptance, survival of the fittest, revenge, redemption, adolescence and adulthood. It doesn't matter one whit that you know how the war was won. Besides, there's a twist in the final battle that you don't know about if you read EG. Ender is the hero... but maybe it's Bean... or maybe it really is Ender. You have to decide for yourself.

Furthermore, Card allows Bean to analyze the situations around him, and explain them in much more detail than he ever wrote Ender's character. We find out much more about the war and the people who are waging it, than in Ender's Game.

This, not EG, is my favorite of the Ender's series so far. The only one I have not yet read is Shadow of the Hegemon... Peter and Bean in the same book?? I can't wait!