While I wouldn't compare this book to Harry Potter, or the Prydain Chronicles, it was a good entry into what I'm sure will be a fun new series, definitely worth the time I spent reading it. It was unpredictable enough so that, unlike most fantasy books I read I really couldn't guess how it would end after finishing the first chapter, but also not so intense so that it couldn't appeal to younger kids as well. The plot flowed along nicely in most places, though a few times it got a bit dull and difficult to move through. Rialle has been raised for most of her life on the Isle of Echorium, where children who possess magical talents are taught how to "sing" their powers. She's truly happy there; not only is she the best at what she does, but she's also lucky enough to have friends who adore her. However, she somehow knows her childhood is over when one day, the first Singer summons her to go on a dangerous mission to try to help the half-creatures, whose angiushed wailings only Rialle seems able to hear... Without giving away more of the plot, I can definitely say that this would be an excellent book for anyone ten or older.

This is a wonderfull book filled with everything there is to have in a book. I've read the most books and this is one of my favorites. Truley a glittering gem. Fantasy, adventure, this book has it all. A must read

The book Song Qest, by Katherine Roberts, is the most exciting book I've ever read. This book is a thrilling tale of magical creatures and great evil. Song Quest is a fantasizing story, extremely original and is like the next Harry Potter. The story by Katherine Roberts is about an island far away where strange and mysterious creatures live: the Singers. The Singers can hear the silent voices of magical half-creatures and can speak over great distances using only their minds. Safely away from teh mainland on the Isle of Echoes, wehre the forces of good and evil are held in harmony, they use their unearthly songs to keep peace in the world. Although the singers live in a deeply isolated island, there are still evil threats to destroy their Isle and all that is good in the world. Now only two young Singers can save the Isle on an incredible journey to defeat the forces of darkness. Sweet Rialle who stays strong, and rebellious Kherron who's longing for freedom pushes him into the arms of the enemy. There are many more characters in the book besides Rialle and Kherron: Frenn, Graia, Chissar, Singer Toharo, Cadzi, the Karchlord, Half-Creatures, First Singer, and many more. In my opinion, Frenn is my favorite character. He is rialle's boyfriend who is very loving and caring. He protects Rialle on their wild adventures and sticks up for her whne she's in trouble. These characters go through many obstacles in tryin gto find out who they are and where they belong. Frenn, Rialle, and Kherron go on a life or death journey and realize whom they really are. I could never go through what Rialle went through while away from home. she was hungrey, sick, and scared and the thought of dying on the journey made her nauseous. I have never experienced what she went through, but I have experienced similar emotions. Song Quest is my favorite book because I never could tell what would happen next and I would have never predicted what happened at the end. This wa the most suspenseful book i've ever read in my life and it never got boring. I was also thankful for the glossary in teh back of the book because there aer so many made up names that I needed to know. I recommend this book for ages 10 and older. It might be a little confusing for younger ages. If you like adventure, suspense, love, and fantasies then this is the book for you.

I started reading this book with great expectations of an intellectual stroll through history. On the whole, the essays contained in this book were disappointing, although (as one should expect) there is an uneven quality of entries.

First off, the reader should be aware that the book does not, in general, provide "alternative history;" instead, it is a compilation of important moments in world history (with weight on US history). Perhaps it should have been called (as is another, regrettably unread, book on my shelf) "Turning Points in World History." Some of the essays are excellent - inspired and thought-provoking (e.g., the first essay by W McNeill on ancient Jerusalem). Others are silly - the first such, by Lapham on Teutoburg, induced me to do a web search to discover his credentials (he hadn't appeared to have given it much thought). Some were infuriating (why did I waste my time?): for example, McPherson's essay on the "Lost Orders" in the Antietam campaign (OK, here comes the rant). Sure, this was a random, low-probability event that had a major effect on the war, and could easily had turned out otherwise. But McPherson (a highly regarded historian) goes on to speculate that, absent the discovery of the orders, the 1862 campaign would have been similar to the 1863 MD-PA campaign, with the Confederates moving north as far as Harrisburg and the Susquehanna, then concentrating (from the north and west) at Gettysburg; while the Union army, shielding Washington, moved up from the southeast (OK...). But then he supposes that the armies somehow switch positions, with the Union army attacking the Confederates from the north and west at Gettysburg!?!

Well, I know it's just for fun, but I'd like to see the authors put a little bit more into it. As it is, I can recommend this book for its entertainment value, and occasional nice essay. But, most of the time, you could probably do better yourself.

Who hasn't wondered about a decision not taken or the string of uninterrupted causation that is required for any single person to exist? Think about your own life: the chain of events which resulted in your parents meeting; how you ended up in your current job; the college you attended; you never attended college; or how you met your current significant other. We are all shaped by historical choices, both ones made by ourselves, and those made on a scale that can alter history.

"What If?" gathers some of the world's foremost military historians to offer hypothetical counterfactuals, including: What If Alexander the Great had died in battle at the age of 21, before he had built an empire? What if the American Revolution had resulted in disaster? What if certain key battles in the American Civil War had changed? This is fun reading as it is always interesting to consider alternative paths not taken or paths unavailable by happenstance.

This book contains a number of excellent examples of counterfactual speculation, with only a few medicore essays. The authors examine how individual actions can have an impact as can the whims of weather.

This is an enjoyable book and, because of the broad area of military history, invites the potential for sequels. For example: One counterfactual I've always wondered about occurred in December of 1814 here in my home town of New Orleans. A prosperous son of Creole planters was awakened by the sound of British troops landing at the back of his plantation. Young Mr. Villere jumped out the window and headed for New Orleans, dodging a shot from a British sentry. Villere arrived in New Orleans and spread the alarm. Gen. Andrew Jackson gathered his forces and launched a surprise attack on the British. The British, unsure of the forces facing them, slowed their advance to give time to consolidate their forces. This gave Jackson time to throw up some defenses on the plains of Chalmette. Within 2 weeks the British had been defeated after suffering enourmous casualties attempting to storm Jackson's fortifications.

But what if the British sentry had not missed young Mr. Villere? Had the British continued their advance it is conceivable that these veterans of the Peninsular campaign could have won the Battle of New Orleans. Today people only remember that the Battle of New Orleans was fought after a peace treaty had been signed. But the treaty had not yet been ratified. Further, in the treaty the British recognized the status of borders prior to the war. But Britain had never recognized the Louisiana purchase, as the Spainish had violated a treaty with Britain when Spain secretly sold Louisiana to France. Britain could have attempted to keep New Orleans. This would have meant a widening of the war. It also begs the following question: Would there have been sufficient British troops to win at Waterloo?

As you can see counterfactual speculation leads to a never ending string of alternative possibilities. But it is enjoyble to speculate, as is "What If?"

What if George Washington had been captured on Long Island in 1776 and summarily executed by the British?? What if Robert E. Lee and his forces had achieved a decisive victory at Gettysburg in 1862? What if the Normandy Invasion (D Day) had failed in 1944? Your guess is as good as mine but the guesses of eminent historians are much better. Specifically, David McCullough, James M. McPherson, and Stephen E. Ambrose, respectively, who ask "What if?" in reference to these key situations in military history. Others speculate on, for example, "The Immolation of Hernan Cortes" (1521), "The Repulse of the British Fireships" (1588), "How Hitler Could Have Won" (1941), and "China Without Tears" (1946). Robert Crowley has done a masterful job of editing this anthology of essays. You may disagree with many of the answers to the repeatedly asked question "What if?" but I am certain you will be entertained as well as informed while reading this splendid book. My hunch is that the eminent historians had at least as much much fun formulating their speculations as readers now have when sharing them.

This book is fairly close to the movie with the exception of the ending. in the movie, Laura herself is the Light of Zartha, not the bracelet. The daughter of Princess Lauranna, she is sent off to the planet of Zartha to fulfill her destiny and rule her people.
In this book, which, don't get me wrong, is good and hilariously funny, the bracelet is sent off to the planet of Zartha, and Laura is deneuralized and sent to her NYC home.
that's about the only discrepency that i can see. Actually, the additional info in the other parts of the books helps fill you in on other areas, (such as, when Kay and Jay depressurized MIB HQs and fly in, it explains that the security guard was fastened into his seat with a chain so he didn't budge)
Overall, I liked it, and i'd buy it again, even though it doesn't have quite the same ending.

This book is fairly close to the movie with the exception of the ending. in the movie, Laura herself is the Light of Zartha, not the bracelet. The daughter of Princess Lauranna, she is sent off to the planet of Zartha to fulfill her destiny and rule her people.
In this book, which, don't get me wrong, is good and hilariously funny, the bracelet is sent off to the planet of Zartha, and Laura is deneuralized and sent to her NYC home.
that's about the only discrepency that i can see. Actually, the additional info in the other parts of the books helps fill you in on other areas, (such as, when Kay and Jay depressurized MIB HQs and fly in, it explains that the security guard was fastened into his seat with a chain so he didn't budge)
Overall, I liked it, and i'd buy it again, even though it doesn't have quite the same ending.

What an awesome read. I am an avid reader, usually drawn to biographies and non fiction. I picked this up to pass the time. Weather you have seen Men in Black one or not, even if you saw the second installment, grab this book. Even with 249 pages, it is a quick read because you cant put it down. I really enjoyed Men in Black one, the movie, and reading this book, you totally have the images for Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, as agents Jay and Kay, respectfully. This book was written with them totally in mind. It reads just like it is coming out of Will Smiths own mouth. The action, the description, the humor, what a cool read!!

I was disappointed in this small book, written exclusively for young girls. This is not a book for parents hoping to find the right camp for their child or prepare their children for sleepaway camp. Instead, it reads like a teen magazine, full of horoscopes, hairstyles, and dating advice. "So what if the boy you've had your eye on hasn't given you the time of day? Don't dispair (unless, of course, it's the last day of camp--then you've missed the boat, girlfriend)."

There's even more unhelpful advice, such as, "Some of you may get homesick, and what better way to combat that sickness than with a little sugar-cookie scented candle?" I don't think I want my daughter at a camp that lets kids burn candles in their tents, or where getting a boyfriend is the goal. I cringed when I read advice on all the different types of cabin raids to conduct, and the emphasis on clothing and fashion is overdone.