Across the globe in Italy, The Black Rose Notebook is stolen from its private case in the Vatican Library and hand-delivered to Mossad Agent Josephine (Josey) Schulman. Josey has the ancient book special-delivered by diplomatic pouch to her father, a Professor of Theology at the Hebrew University in Israel on loan to the University of Chicago.

The forces of evil overwhelm the detectives and Mossad agent, as they are forced to accept and rely on paranormal powers and unbridle their long forgotten religious beliefs and faith to battle the Brotherhood. But can God favor telepathy, sheer determination, and love against satanic motivated PSYOPS (psychological warfare)? Can angels actually save Holy warriors from the depths of despair? Can der Golem, summoned by a Rabbi, help battle the spawn of Hell itself? Or will the world succumb to total mind control and adhere to The Brotherhood's protocols?

R. D. Weber takes the reader on a mind-boggling horror ride
in PROTOCOL-17. International intrigue and espionage, murder
investigations, occult and supernatural occurrences are blended
together in a compelling and frightening novel. Characters, human and supernatural, leap from the pages at times, via dialogue and description. Unforgettable villains and credible well-fleshed-out heroes add to this enjoyable thriller.
Readers of The DaVinci Code, Angels and Demons and cross genre King and Koontz novels will add Weber to their list of favorite suspense authors. His background as a former government agent lends realistic detail to his writing. Stunning locales and great attention to detail make Weber a refreshing new voice in the thriller genre.

Across the globe in Italy, The Black Rose Notebook is stolen from its private case in the Vatican Library and hand-delivered to Mossad Agent Josephine (Josey) Schulman. Josey has the ancient book special-delivered by diplomatic pouch to her father, a Professor of Theology at the Hebrew University in Israel on loan to the University of Chicago.

The forces of evil overwhelm the detectives and Mossad agent, as they are forced to accept and rely on paranormal powers and unbridle their long forgotten religious beliefs and faith to battle the Brotherhood. But can God favor telepathy, sheer determination, and love against satanic motivated PSYOPS (psychological warfare)? Can angels actually save Holy warriors from the depths of despair? Can der Golem, summoned by a Rabbi, help battle the spawn of Hell itself? Or will the world succumb to total mind control and adhere to The Brotherhood's protocols?

R. D. Weber takes the reader on a mind-boggling horror ride
in PROTOCOL-17. International intrigue and espionage, murder
investigations, occult and supernatural occurrences are blended
together in a compelling and frightening novel. Characters, human and supernatural, leap from the pages at times, via dialogue and description. Unforgettable villains and credible well-fleshed-out heroes add to this enjoyable thriller.
Readers of The DaVinci Code and cross genre King and Koontz novels will add Weber to their list of favorite suspense authors. His background as a former government agent lends realistic detail to his writing.

Across the globe in Italy, The Black Rose Notebook is stolen from its private case in the Vatican Library and hand-delivered to Mossad Agent Josephine (Josey) Schulman. Josey has the ancient book special-delivered by diplomatic pouch to her father, a Professor of Theology at the Hebrew University in Israel on loan to the University of Chicago.

The forces of evil overwhelm the detectives and Mossad agent, as they are forced to accept and rely on paranormal powers and unbridle their long forgotten religious beliefs and faith to battle the Brotherhood. But can God favor telepathy, sheer determination, and love against satanic motivated PSYOPS (psychological warfare)? Can angels actually save Holy warriors from the depths of despair? Can der Golem, summoned by a Rabbi, help battle the spawn of Hell itself? Or will the world succumb to total mind control and adhere to The Brotherhood's protocols?

R. D. Weber takes the reader on a mind-boggling horror ride
in PROTOCOL-17. International intrigue and espionage, murder
investigations, occult and supernatural occurrences are blended
together in a compelling and frightening novel. Characters, human and supernatural, leap from the pages at times, via dialogue and description. Unforgettable villains and credible well-fleshed-out heroes add to this enjoyable thriller.
Readers of The DaVinci Code and cross genre King and Koontz novels will add Weber to their list of favorite suspense authors. His background as a former government agent lends realistic detail to his writing.

The lyrics are the same, from book to book, but the fanciful illustrations in this one are enough to engage adults and children as they read this book together.

The perfect gift for any family whose Christmas tradition includes reading this classic!

I'm studying towards my CCNP and already have the Syngress and Cisco range of books. I regard this book both as an investment and as a core book in my ever growing networking library.

It is a compenhensive book. It talks about things in-depth. Surprisingly, It also include Internet security and Firewall Design. Although, this part does not talked in-depth, it can still give me a valuable concept about it.

The content is abundant. I am pleased that it organized in a good way. Most likely, make one chapter for each protocol. I can follow it easily.

Also, it is also good in glossary and index. I think index is quite important for you, since I can find what I want quickly.

Any, it is a good book indeed.

maggie is the oldest child having been raised in a home with no family love. she is close to her father and sister, but her mother is a different person all together. because of this lack of love from her, maggie is determined to make something of herself if only to prove her mother wrong. breaking the outer shell shes developed as a form of protection wont be easy, but rogan intends to do just that.

a lovely story with enough mystery to leave the reader hoping they have their copy of born in ice sitting nearby once they close the last page of this one ::smile

"Born In Fire" sets the whole tone for the 2 books that follow. While the relationship between temperamental glassblowing artist Maggie and upper-crust gallery owner Rogan is obviously at the forefront of this tale, the larger tale being told is that of 2 sisters and how they are coming to grips with the death of their adoring father and the reality of the long, loveless marriage he shared with their cold, bitter mother. The relationship and interplay between Maggie, her sweet-natured sister Brianna, and their shrewish mother provides some of the best dialogue in the book.

Maggie is a very well-developed character, who is so flawed and yet so wonderful that she is as human to the reader as one's own best friend might be.

I also have to wonder about the author's vast vocabulary. I love reading Charles Lamb, and O'Henry who are well known for being verbose, but they also manage to poke fun at themselves at the same time. In "The Robe," however, I got the feeling that the author likes seeing himself use big words, rather than having an explicit use for them. His prosaic style is simple, easy to read, and contrast sharply with the word choices he makes from time to time.

I found his theology to be dated, and sometimes a bit off the mark (I am an Orthodox Christian). But oftentimes, I gained insight into scriptural passages and settings from the point of view in the story. It is interesting to watch Demetrios and Marcellus learn about Christianity from the Pagan points of view.

This is a good, interesting novel. But it is not a history or a theology lesson, and I do not think it intends to be. The only reason I write this is to pare down some of the reviews I have seen to date, and to give people a more realistic expectation of what they are getting when they buy this book.

The Robe is the story of the Jesus' death and the beginning of the Early Church as seen through the eyes of the Roman soldier who presided over the Crucifixion. As Marcellus struggles to find Truth and then deal with the Truth he has found, the reader begins to understand just how radical the claims of Christianity are.

Picture yourself the wealthy, educated son of a Roman Senator. Now imagine trying to explain to your Senator father that: 1)the man whose crucifixion you oversaw came back to life, 2)you believe this though you never saw him post-humously for yourself, and 3)you are willing to give up your political ambitions to embrace his teachings and his followers!

I found this book to be touching, inspiring, and something worthy of reflection. If you are skittish about books on religious topics, PLEASE do not let the subject of this work scare you. It is not preachy in the least, and in addition to being inspirational, it is a well-constructed story.

William Manchester writes with wit and candor as he chronicles MacArthur's life from his earliest days to his death in 1964, at age 84. Manchester's portrait of his subject is balanced and objective. We see MacArthur at his finest: capable and courageous on the battlefield during World War I, rising quickly to general officer rank as a result of his abilities; between the world wars, a progressive, reform-minded superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy, and later U.S. Army Chief of Staff; during World War II, a Medal of Honor winner, and the gifted but overly vainglorious commander of all Allied forces in the South Pacific, who achieved brilliant military successes with his "island-hopping" strategy; and later, as Military Governor of Japan, displaying a surprising magnanimity toward the conquered Japanese by introducing American-style democracy and liberal reforms. We also see him at his worst: pompous and vain, always seeking personal glory, often at his subordinates' expense; vindictive toward his subordinates when they disagreed with him; and finally, during the Korean War, the Supreme Commander whose hubris led him to openly defy his commander-in-chief, resulting in his relief by President Harry Truman.

"American Caesar" clearly shows why William Manchester is one of the pre-eminent biographers at work today. The book is written with obviously meticulous scholarship, insightful analysis, and crisp, sparkling prose. It stands alongside fellow biographer D. Clayton James' three-volume "The Years of MacArthur," as one of the two best accounts of Douglas MacArthur's life available today. Highly recommended!

Douglas MacArthur was perfectly bred for military leadership and his future historical role. The son of a Civil War recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor and Military Governor of the Philippines, Douglas MacArthur surpassed even his father's amazing military and historical accomplishments. Manchester argues that MacArthur had a unique genius for military operations, from his quick promotion at age 38 to the command of the Rainbow Division in World War I, to his campaigns in the Pacific and his bold invasion at Inchon in the Korean War. MacArthur's military capabilities conceivably saved thousands of American lives. Typically his military moves were cunning and daring, bypassing enemy strongpoints and leading to victories at lower costs in terms of lives than operations undertaken by his U.S. military contemporaries.

The book's title, American Caesar, uniquely describes MacArthur's career as the liberator of the Philippines and the Military administrator of Japan. Perhaps no other American in history has held the type of power that MacArthur held in Japan as Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers. Yet his immense power was wielded with grace and an understanding of the Japanese people and their culture. MacArthur's long service in Asia uniquely suited him to this role.

MacArthur's weaknesses which ultimately led to his downfall at the hands of President Truman are explored. MacArthur learned that great military exploits are often achieved by acting against the will or explicit instructions of his superiors. Combining this trait with an immense ego, MacArthur's showdown with President Truman was almost unavoidable. This led to his firing and a lasting feud with Truman that ultimately tarnished MacArthur's reputation despite his incredible career and service.

Manchester presents MacArthur as a complex figure full of contradictions. MacArthur is shown as a warrior who exposed himself to extreme danger, but was often derisively referred to as "Dugout Doug" when he vainly surrounded himself with luxurious surroundings in his headquarters. He instituted liberal democratic reforms in Japan, then became a hard line conservative spokesman in the United States. By illuminating these contradictions inherent in MacArthur's personality, William Manchester presents General Douglas MacArthur's long and eventful life in a book which makes interesting and exciting reading.

This is simply the best book ever written. Period. You really can't top this. Douglas Adams is so incredably funny, but there really isn't a way to say how funny he is! Let's just put it this way - I currently own FIVE copies of The Ulitmate Hitchhiker's Guide, and I'm proud of it! This book is like a mini hitchhiker's library. It contains all the books in the so-called "Hitchhikers Trilogy" (Vol. 1-5) For those of you who haven't read Mr. Adams' work, I strongly encourage you to buy this book. I promise you, you will be pleased, unless, of course, you are one of those people who absolutly despise humor and despise having a great time. You, yes you, the person staring at this review, you aren't one of theses people. I can tell because you are actually reading this review :) Also, those who have read Douglas Adams' work should buy this book, it's a must-have for everyone. When are you ever going to see the five hitchhiker books for such a low price again? The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide also includes a sixth story, not found anywhere else. Also, it has the TRUE story of how the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy came to be (the Introduction, it's non-fictional :) ). Plus, it comes with a nice, shiny cover...... Very colorful. So grab your towel and your credit card, and order NOW! No, seriously, order it now, it's worth it.

I happen to love life with a passion and laugh near continually. I've never laughed as hard or as often reading than I did while reading this book. Never. Not even close. Imagine the person sitting next to you in a plane, seemingly without provocation, belly-laughs and can't stop. Then imagine it happening on a regular basis. You might wonder one of two things - when will he shut up and/or what is it that's making him laugh?

If you are at all curious why people laugh so hard so often and enjoy life so much...read this book. Please. No, really.

It's not just funny. If you can say 'just' and the type of extreme hilarity I mean in the same sentence without blasting the meaning out of the word 'just.' It's life Essential. I happen to love reading philosophy, eastern, christian, anything I can get my hands on. I'm so glad I got my hands on this collection. You finish the book and realize that you know a whole lot more than you thought you did about your world. Fortunately, a great deal of that knowledge consists of knowing you barely know anything at all. One of my favorite passages, to end...

'"Look," he said in a stern voice. But he wasn't certain how far saying "Look" in a stern voice was necessarily going to get him, and time was not on his side. What the hell, he thought, you're only young once, and threw himself out the window. That would at lesat keep the element of surpise on his side.'

...Please, for yourself and your happiness in life, read this book. If you come away and are anything but overjoyed to be alive...read it again. You must have missed something. =)

-Mike Fliss - mdf@duke.edu

In this classic story, Arthur Dent, a lovable and easily-confused Earthling gets dragged on the journey of a lifetime as Earth is destroyed by a group of Vogons to make way for a hyperspace by-pass. He is joined by a host of unforgettable characters: the easy-going researcher for the Hitchhikker's Guide to the Galaxy Ford Prefect; the hyper Two-Headed, Three-Armed President of the Galaxy Zaphod Beeblebrox; and his sexy companion former-Earth-reporter Trillian; and Marvin, the hopelessly depressed android. Together, they are off to explore the galaxy, battle with pesky mice-geniuses (no, not Pinky and the Brain), eat dinner at the end of the universe, travel through time, meet the man who designed Norway, redefine "improbability," patronize and annoy countless alien races, search for a decent cup of tea in an unforgivig universe, and continue the eternal quest to find out why 42 is so darn important.

Adams is a visionary. This is unlike any series I have ever read. Although "Mostly Harmless" was a slightly disappointing conclusion(?) to such an entertaining series, I will always consider the Hitchhikkers' "Trilogy" to be among the greats. If you do not own or have never read these books, then this compilation is a necessity for you. I recommend that you purchase it immediately, call in sick from work, school, or whatever, put up a small Somebody Else's Problem (SEP) field around you, and read it and again and again.

To put it another way, I have not met a piano salesperson or dealer who had anything really bad to say about any piece in his or her inventory. Tone quality is something you can distinguish after hearing a few good pianos, but the actual quality of the instrument and how it will hold up over time is known only by those who regulary service them in the field. This is good to know, especially with so many asian-made pianos of questionable quality floating around on the used market.

If you're looking for an entry-level practice piano or a full 9' concert grand, this book will help you cut through all the manufacturers' and dealer hype.

Fine's knowledge of the instrument is great.

To me, the most valuable part of Larry Fine's book is the information on new pianos (although he supplies lavish information on piano mechanics,used pianos, piano care, and piano shopping as well as the information on new pianos). His book is unique in its effort to describe and explain the different brands and what sets them apart from each other. While the first three editions were all packed with useful information, the fourth edition adds an informal (but enlightening) rating system that ranks the new piano brands. This new rating system represents an extraordinary effort at an unbiased review of the different new brands, and it provides an extremely useful comparison among brands.

The rating system breaks new pianos down into general categories, providing a basis for the reader to use in comparing pianos within categories as well as between categories. Within each broad category, the rating system ranks the various brands. While many of the brands end up with similar ratings, this highly useful fact in itself provides the reader with enough knowledge for an educated evaluation of claims made by dealers in rival brands. The dealers should note: as Larry Fine points out, it is poor selling technique to try to sell pianos by criticizing the competition! Larry Fine's rating system highlights the unwisdom of this critical approach.

Educated by Larry Fine, a piano shopper will have a much more enjoyable experience than he or she might otherwise have had. You may agree with what he says, or disagree with it. You may find an individual piano that transcends the category into which the average piano of that brand seems to fall, or one which does the opposite. But at least you will be in a position of greater knowledge when you shop. Moreover, the book is well written and fun to read. A truly remarkable collection of attributes!