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Book reviews for "Glynne-Jones,_William" sorted by average review score:
Little House (9 Books, Boxed Set)
Published in Paperback by HarperTrophy (1989)
Authors: Laura Ingalls Wilder and Garth Williams
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Unforgettable Reading Experience
I received my Little House box set MANY, MANY years ago for Christmas, and it sat on my shelf, a treasure waiting to be fully discovered, for the better part of 2 decades. As an English major, I've spent many hours with Shakespeare, Jane Austen, the Brontes, Edith Wharton, and scores of other wonderful writers. Then one day, my best friend told me that she was reading "Little House in the Big Woods" to her 1st grade class, and that, to a child, boys and girls alike were mezmerized during story time - she'd never seen them pay such good attention.

That was all it took. One Sunday morning, I walked up to the attic, and brought down my set. Since then, I've read straight through them, often into the wee hours of the morning. The writing is outstanding (it actually becomes more grown up right along with the characters), and of course the love story is beautiful, but this series has much more to offer its readers - young and old. For one, you get a much deeper sense of how generations before us struggled, toiled really, to make this country what it is today. And the sense of family is amazing, particularly as Laura becomes old enough to live away from home and realize just how wonderful her family is.

Every child should read them. Better yet, every family should read them aloud, together. I certainly plan to read them aloud to my kids.

Inspiring
When I was eight years old I found On the Banks of Plum Creek in my Easter basket. At the time I hated reading and promptly tossed it aside. A few weeks later I found it again and for some reason decided to give it a shot. I absolutely loved it. I ran out and read the whole series (in no particular order) and when I was done I went searching for others like it(LM Montgomery came close). The Little House books changed my life. They spurned in me love of literature which still lasts (I'm currently an English major!). I recommend buying these books for any little girl- even if they don't like reading. It just might change their minds, and if not, it's only money and the oppotunity provided is priceless.

True Classics!
One of the biggest fallacies about the Little House books is that they are "girls' books." It was that perception of the books, as well as the sappy, smaltzy "Little House on the Prairie" TV show, that kept me from reading these books until I was in my early teens. One day just out of sheer boredom, I read my sister's worn copy of "Little House in the Big Woods." What a great book! A story of a family's survival in the wilderness with tales of bears, panthers, wolves, hunting, and all sorts of neat information on how pioneer people lived. "Little House in the Big Woods" erased my conception of the Little House books as "girlie stuff" and I promptly read the rest of the series.

Yes, some elements will appeal more to girls especially Mrs. Wilder's very detailed descriptions of women's clothing. (I generally just read what color the dress was and then skip over the rest of the description.) However, her stories about Indians, wild animals, blizzards, grasshopper storms, bandits, bullies threatening to beat up teachers, unruly students, unhinged farmwives, bossy older sisters, and a whole host of other great stuff will make these books fascinating to anyone interested in pioneer life regardless of gender.

Despite my age I still consider these among my favorite books. They are truly heartwarming classics with the magnificent illustrations of Garth Williams. Laura, the main character, will appeal to almost anyone- honest, principled, courageous, industrious, but with very human elements- including envy of her older sister and holding grudges, especially against snooty Nellie Oleson and her teacher (and future sister-in-law) Eliza Jane Wilder. The books are also a tribute to her father, Charles Ingalls, who emerges as a truly great man and father. A hard-working man upon whom fortune did not always smile, but always was able to remain unbowed regardless of misfortune. He was also a strict disciplinarian, who did not believe in sparing the rod, but also a truly loving father, who would do anything for his girls. Charles Ingalls, as seen through the eyes of his daughter, is a man worthy of any reader's respect.

For those who see images of Michael Landon and Melissa Gilbert when they hear the words, "Little House," please give the books a chance. They are really nothing like the TV series. Although Laura Ingalls Wilder infused her books with a great deal of sentimentality- they never descend into the maudlin syrup that was the hallmark of the TV series. One example of how different they truly are would be how they represented how Mary, Laura's older sister, lost her eyesight. In "On the Shores of Silver Lake" Laura describes how scarlet fever robbed her sister of her sight, but also proudly describes how that tragedy never brought Mary to tears. Mary always remained "patient and brave." In contrast, the TV show has Mary wailing, moaning, and carrying on until her family ships her off to a school for the blind. (In the books, Mary does eventually go to a college for the blind, but only after years of being an important and valuable member of the family despite her disability.) Once again, the Little House series is a perfect example of the books being vastly superior to any TV or film conversion.

Last Lion : Winston Spencer Churchill Vol 1 Part II: Visions of Glory 1874-1932
Published in Audio Cassette by Blackstone Audiobooks (1990)
Author: William Manchester
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Magisterial
William Manchester's first Churchill volume is one of those books that makes you just love to read.

This clearly isn't a book for all those who are fascinated by the mediocre and skeptical of the possibilities for true greatness. This is an unreconstructed and unapologetic look at a leader whose instincts often cut against the grain of the 20th century, but who would emerge as one of the great heroes of it, just when extraordinary leadership was needed the most.

Manchester is the rare gifted writer who has mastered the biographical craft as well as the sweeping narrative needed to succinctly encapsulate the mores and habits of an entire nation at a particular moment in time. He does this brilliantly in his introduction, about one hundred pages long, which sets the stage with a lavish description of Victorian England. This is one of the best parts of the book.

Early on, it is clear that the ambitious young Winston is headed for big things. This wasn't only because he came from one of Britain's most prominent families -- his father rose to become the second most powerful man in the government, and his mother was romantically linked to the Prince of Wales. Despite this, Manchester convinces us, successfully, that Churchill was the best of his generation, that he would have risen even from less auspicious circumstances (admittedly, this interpretation has its limits, since entire social classes were excluded from Parliament at the time).

Churchill made his career as a political maverick, changing parties not once, but twice, consistently taking positions that brought him close to political death. Yet Churchill survived -- and what's more, he turned out to be one of the most enduring political presences any democracy has ever seen. What is striking about Churchill's career is that it didn't simply culminate in 1940 after a plodding journey up the political ladder. No -- Churchill had first been elected to Parliament forty years earlier, and he rose quickly within a few years of his election. But then his career plateaud for about a quarter of a century. Here you had a man who was considered a future Prime Minister at age 30, who was in a position to be considered the heir apparent in governments of two different parties at various points from World War I until the late 1920s, and yet didn't take the next step. What happened?

The Great War and its aftermath, more than anything, foreordained Churchill's postponed "rendezvous with destiny." It was here where Churchill was the most out of step with prevailing political attitudes. Churchill held close to his heart a heroic vision of Britain, and believed deeply in the nobility of a war fought for a just cause. He also believed in the Empire, and did not think that Britain should relinquish what was already hers, even in a time of relative decline vis a vis the United States. Where most saw senseless slaughter in the trenches of France, he saw selfless heroism, a nation at its best.

The nation, or at least the political classes, did not agree with this interpretation. In a time that Walter Lippman proclaimed was "tired of greatness" and where the great fear was that Britain had overextended herself, Churchill defended greatness and Empire. In his view, strength in the service of democracy, and not blind disarmament, would prevent future wars. This view, ascendant in World War II, and in many ways, ascendant again in America today, was seen as discredited at the time, and Churchill in the 1920's repeatedly butted heads with a Conservative leadership over disarmament and withdrawal from India. The trend was so strong in the other direction that Churchill was effectively cast out of his party by the end of the 20's, and looked destined to repeat the fate of his iconoclastic father, who was cast permanently out into the political wilderness for his own apostasies.

But with this son, there would always be a second act.

Unearthing Winston: Manchester Gets It Right
Churchill probably ranks as one of the most enigmatic world leaders of the century: bordering on manic-depressive, at once reckless and calculating, egotistical and completely convinced of his own place in history, Churchill seems to defy definitive analysis. But William Manchester makes the best attempt yet. His biography is readable and entertaining as well as profound in its analysis. He brings a wide range of tools, deftly handled, to the work: psychology, history, political and military sciences, and sensitive cultural understanding. With refreshing penetration, he re-examines critical successes and failures, such as the Dardanelles, the invasion of Norway, and the evacuation from Dunkirk. Manchester writes with critical compassion, and rarely excuses Winston's faults without providing evidence. The prose is, if mildly archaic like Winston's own, heroic and rolling. It is a book that will be greatly enjoyed by those who love William Shirer's "Rise and Fall of the Third Reich" and similar historical works which challenge a wide range of intellectual faculties

A larger-than-life book about a larger-than-life man...
William Manchester (1922 - ), one of the GI generation's finest writers, has written about everything from the Kennedys to acid-tongued reporter H.L. Mencken. But in this book he presents his greatest work - a superb biography about one of the twentieth century's greatest heroes - Sir Winston Churchill. This volume, which includes the first fifty years of Churchill's crowded life, is written with a Victorian style and passion for adventure that Churchill himself would have admired. (What other biography uses the word "Array", instead of "Table of Contents", to list the chapter headings)? Churchill's life does read like something out of a Hollywood script - he was the scion of one of England's most prominent families - his father was a member of Parliament and could have become Prime Minister, had he not developed syphillis, which eventually drove him mad and killed him at an early age. He was often cruel to his son Winston, harshly criticizing even his smallest mistakes. His beautiful American-born mother had extramarital affairs with many handsome men, including the King of England. Largely ignored by his wealthy and famous parents, Churchill was a "problem child" in his youth, and was expelled from several boys' schools until he made a career in the British military. He fought in a number of small but bloody wars in Britian's colonies in Africa and India, and he often was in the thick of the fighting, recklessly exposing himself to bullets and cannon fire. In the Boer War in South Africa in the late 1890's he was captured by enemy forces and placed in a prisoner-of-war camp, but made a daring escape and returned safely to his own forces. Elected to Parliament at the age of 25, he quickly moved up the political ladder, even changing political parties when it suited him. By World War One he was the head of the British Navy, but here things began to go wrong. In 1915 he proposed to invade and conquer Turkey, a German ally, thus knocking it out of the war and allowing the Allied forces to attack Austria and Germany from the south. The plan was sound, but the invasion was so bungled by incompetent British generals and admirals that it was a total failure, and Churchill was forced to take the blame and resign in disgrace. He then spent some time as a military commander in the front lines in France, and in the 1920's enjoyed something of a political comeback as the Chancellor of the Exchequer (a position similar to our Secretary of the Treasury). However, his poor handling of Britain's economic woes led him to fall out of favor, and by the end of the book in 1932 Churchill is an outsider in Parliament, with little real power or influence. Yet this book is far more than a simple biography. True to form, Manchester offers an engrossing account of the Victorian era that Churchill grew up in - the glories of the British Empire, the racist "raj" system in British-ruled India (where white Englishmen were encouraged by hotel signs "not to beat their (Indian) servants" in the hotel lobby); the terrible conditions which Britain's poor lived under; and the peculiar social mores and customs of the British upper class to which Churchill so proudly belonged. Although Manchester clearly admires Churchill (and who couldn't, after reading this book), he isn't afraid to note that in many ways Churchill was a very flawed man, and must have been difficult to live with. An open snob, Churchill had all of the prejudices of his class - he treated his servants poorly, insulted his secretaries and others who couldn't keep up with him mentally or verbally, disliked strong women and wasn't above making chauvanistic remarks about them in public, and he had a huge ego and seemed to think that the rest of the world revolved around him and his needs. And, while he expressed sympathy for the lower classes, he regarded Britain's middle class with aristocratic disdain, this despite the fact that they paid most of the nation's bills and taxes. Yet his genius, as Manchester copiously notes, was genuine - his brilliant skills as a writer and orator, his political and personal courage, his genuine committment to personal freedom and liberty, all these and more made him one of the great historical leaders of all time. Quite simply, not only is this Mr. Manchester's finest work (out of many), but it reads more like great literature than a simple biography - "The Last Lion" is a larger-than-life book about a larger-than-life man. My only regret is that due to his recent stroke Mr. Manchester will not be able to complete this series - a real tragedy for anyone who loves great biography.

The Polar Express
Published in Audio Cassette by Houghton Mifflin Audio (1990)
Authors: Chris Van Allsburg and William Hurt
Amazon base price: $6.95
Average review score:

Wonderful Story of the Miracle of Christmas
This amazingly illustrated Christmas story about a little boy who is anxiously awaiting Santa's visit on Christmas Eve. When he hears a train whistle he runs outside to meet a beautiful train which takes him to the North Pole where he is given the first Christmas present, a bell from Santa's sleigh. Sadly when he returns home he finds that the bell is missing. It had slipped through a hole in his pocket. The disappointed little boy returns to bed. On Christmas morning he opens a small box to find his sleigh bell nestled inside. The parents complement the beautiful bell. But oddly it does not make a sound. Only the little boy really knows the truth that only the people who truly believe in Santa Claus can hear the bells ring.
I love this story. I used to love having this story read to me. With the recent reading of it I remembered just how much I love the story and illustrations. The pictures are amazing, add that to the story and this book completely captures the season of Christmas. The author does a wonderful job with the miracle of Christmas. The author illustrate with word and picture the importance of the miracle of Christmas and how important it is for you to believe in that miracle. As well as all the miracles life has to offer, all it takes is a little bit of faith and imagination.

The Polar Express Review
This is a book about a Christmas memory. A little boy gets woken up on Christmas Eve by a train's whistle blowing. He finds a train waiting outside his house to take him to the North Pole. When he gets to the North Pole he sees Santa and he finds out that he has been chosen to receive the first Christmas gift. All he wants is one of Santa's bells off his sleigh. He is the happiest boy until on the way home from the North Pole he realizes that there was a hole in his pocket and he has lost his bell. This really makes him upset but he wakes up on Christmas morning to find the bell as one of his presents. The thing is only people that truly believe in Santa Clause can hear the bell when it is rung.
This is a great book. It is beautifully illustrated and it really pulls in the reader. I loved it when I was little and I still love it today. I read it every year around Christmas and love it just as much every time I read it. The pictures really draw the reader in also, and they follow the story greatly. I think through this book, the author was trying to show that you have to have faith sometime. Only the ones that truly believe can hear the bell and I think that goes for a lot of things in life. I think it is a great story for children and adults of all ages.

Santa's Gift
The Polar Express is a train that picks up children on Christmas Even and takes them the North Pole, where they can hopefully receive the first Christmas present from Santa Claus. The boy we follow wants a bell from Santa's sleigh and gets it, but loses it through the hole in his pocket. The next morning, the bell is under his tree with a note from "Mr. C." He and his sister can hear it ring, but not his parents because they do not truly believe. The pastel drawings are beautiful and very realistic. They have just the right balance of hard lines and detail with softness and subtlety.

I remember receiving this book as a gift from my father when it was new. I was just a small child and I remember how much I enjoyed the beautiful illustrations and longing to receive that special gift just like the boy in the story. Unfortunately so many years have passed that I don't think I could hear the bell either - except when I read this book. It is truly a special gift in itself.

Why 5 stars?:
The illustrations are absolutely wonderful. Clearly, one can see why this book won a Caldecott Award. The magic of Santa Claus is brought back to everyone who reads this book. A wonderful story to read to children at Christmastime - or any time of year.

Theodore Dreiser's an American Tragedy (Modern Critical Interpretations)
Published in Library Binding by Chelsea House Pub (Library) (1988)
Authors: Theodore Dreiser, Harold Bloom, and William Golding
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by Tricia Marrapodi
"Tears of Rage" is a compelling look at John Walsh's tragedy and triumph as an advocate for missing children: the legal and personal heart break he and his family had to endure after his only son, Adam,6, was kidnapped from a Florida shopping mall and murdered. The charismatic Walsh proved that one person can make a difference. As host of "America's Most Wanted" he has been a crusader for children and adults alike, making this a safer world for all of us. "Tears of Rage" will remind you just how important it is to stay close to your children and family, remind them how much you love them and always be there for them and to protect them. John Walsh is an exemplary role model and a man's man, as he has proven in keeping America safer for all of us. One man who made a difference through his own personal tragedy and has gone on to triumph.

Very, very raw
America first became aware of the plight of missing and murdered children through the TV movie "Adam", but the movie, excellent though it was, only outlined the story and didn't tell it in its entirety. In this book, John Walsh speaks frankly about his family's tragedy and their never ending, heartrending grief, but most of all, it chronicles their determination not to let Adam die in vain, and the various ways in which they have worked to achieve this, most importantly by using their son's example to save the lives of countless thousands of other children.

All violent crime damages people, and it is a marvellous testament to the resilience of the human spirit that two people who have been damaged in the worst way, can become knights and use their loss and their pain as weapons in the fight , not only for children's rights, but for the rights of all crime victims everywhere.

Besides being a long overdue story of the impact of violent crime on victims from a victim's perspective, "Tears of Rage", through the many salient messages it delivers, will undoubtedly save the lives of many more children, both now and in the future - and that would make Adam, as he looks down from heaven, extremely happy. God bless him, and God bless his parents. They all deserve it.

Every Community Needs a John Walsh
An amazing book that gives a raw, honest account of a man's struggle to solve the mystery of his son's death, and then to institute measures to facilitate others' similar searches. Walsh's narrative is painful to read, yet essential to communicate the depths of his feelings and to explain the intensity behind his search and chosen life's mission. He is driven beyond words, and has done an incredible amount of work throughout the country for missing persons and abducted children, not the least of which is the program he is know for creating (America's Most Wanted).

This book is shocking in its exposure of the police incompetence and lack of statutory law Walsh faced throughout his quest, and in its description of the lengths he had to go to in order to get assistance and, ultimately, (some) answers. A salient point is that Walsh discovered (and describes in the book) a wealth of legislation and safety measures afforded to criminals, yet an appalling lack of the same for victims and their families. Walsh took it upon himself to make things happen for the sake of victims, including helping to enact legislation regarding missing children, assisting with the creation of nationwide databases of missing persons and unidentified corpses, and instituting the dissemination of missing kids' images (like the faces seen on the back of milk cartons). Walsh continues to run himself ragged pursuing his life's work of helping missing children and their families, seemingly at the cost of everything else.

In addition to the telling of an incredible tale, Walsh is an exciting, and surprisingly witty, narrator that keeps the reader entertained amidst the recounting of tragedy. He is a true hero in every sense of the word. Simply put, without people like John Walsh, change for the better is impossible; anyone with kids should be grateful that he was able to turn his bitter tragedy into something so positive.

The Black Cauldron
Published in Paperback by Hippocrene Books (1992)
Author: William Heinesen
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A Great Sequel to "The Book of Three"
In this second volume of "The Prydain Chronicles," Alexander goes a bit darker and gives more battles and fights. The novel is the story to destroy The Black Crochan, the cauldron that Arawn uses to make the Cauldron- Born.

There is also a lot of character development in this book. We see how much Taran, Eilonwy, and Fflewddur have matured since the last book, and we see new characters grow from what they were in the beginning of the book. For example, Ellidyr grows tremendously from the first few pages to the last.

Lloyd Alexander also made this book much darker than its predecessor. He kills more and you never will know who's really evil and who's really good.

We also travel much more to the other parts of the land of Prydain. We meet new rivers, The Marshes of Morva, and more villages. We also go near Annuvin, the home of Arawn and his army of Huntsmen, Cauldron- Born, and gwythaints.

So, "The Black Cauldron" was a fabulous book indeed. We see more action, darkness, character growth, and other things among the novel. For me, the most enjoyable part of the story was the character development. This book may seem a wee bit slow at times, but just keep going. You may enjoy this book more if you have read "The Book of Three," but you can still enjoy it on its own. I can't wait to read the rest of the "Chronicles of Prydain."

Happy Reading!

One of the stronger books in the Prydain series
In this sequel to _The Book of Three_, Taran and his companions set off to find and destroy the malignant Black Cauldron. The cauldron must be destroyed because it is the source of Arawn's deathless Cauldron-born warriors. Many of Taran's friends from the first novel return, and we meet new characters as well: Adaon, the son of the chief bard of Prydain and a wise warrior in his own right, and Ellidyr, the proud prince of Pen-Llarcau.

_The Black Cauldron_ is definitely superior to its predecessor, which was a very fine book in its own right. Its superiority comes from the greater depth of characterization. Taran is no longer a callow boy; he is struggling with harder issues that will resonate with many of his readers. Other characters face similar dilemmas--again and again, Lloyd Alexander shows that the answer to "What is a hero?" is a very difficult one. The plot moves quickly; it has adventure, danger, and emotional excitement to please anyone. Alexander's writing is clean and direct, and he is able to inject his trademarkj dry humor at regular intervals. Perhaps best of all, the reader has the consolation of knowing there are three more books about Taran and Prydain after this one.

I highly recommend this book to middle readers who enjoy fantasy and adventure. Alexander excels at creating strong female characters, so this should appeal to boys and girls alike. And if you enjoyed this, finish the series. It's a classic, award-winning series for a reason. And if you're looking for something to read after it, try Alexander's Westmark trilogy.

Wonderful
It was tough deciding which of the Prydain books to review, but I decided to do The Black Cauldron because it's my favorite of the bunch (and the cover of this edition is beautiful). All of these have been around for decades, but I just read them for the first time last year, as a sophomore in college, because I avoided "classics" like the plague while growing up.

The Black Cauldron is the darkest of the Prydain Chronicles, and it tells the story of Taran and his companions as they head to Arawn Death-Lord's domain to recover the Black Cochran, which creates soldiers out of the dead. The book explores the price and sacrifice that true heroism demands. The memorable cast of characters include Adaon, a unique bard, and three interchangeable witches who are reminiscent of the Three Norns, or the Fates.

A haunting and beautiful tale that I highly recommend (along with all the Prydain Chronicles).

A Twist of Fate
Published in Hardcover by Lushena Books (2000)
Author: Robyn Williams
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Filled with twists and turns!
A Twist of Fate engages the reader and affords us the opportunity to glimpse into the lives of characters who are well drawn on paper. For those who long to play before vast audiences of people, this novel shows that doing so is a steep way to realize your dreams. Through the lives of Ashela Jordan and Sam Ross, the story shows us how mean and ruthless life is inside the risqué world of music. To achieve their goals, the characters sometimes did things by any means necessary, sometimes even betraying the friends and lovers who cared about them most. The story comprises a maze of intricate circumstances and is beset with scenes of betrayal, revenge, and self-revelation. At times, the novel came across so real that I had to keep telling myself that it was just a book. Overall, A Twist of Fate is an excellent novel. Every single woman with a dream to improve her station in life should read it.

Suspenseful, erotic and very realistic
I loved reading A Twist of Fate. What a great cast of characters Ms. Williams has dreamed up! What happens to them is so compelling, you won't be able to put the book down. The chemistry between Sam and Ashela and Arron and Kyliah is so strong that their passion leaps off the page. This book touches every nerve and fiber of your being. The story is sensual, sensitive, and poignant and I'll bet that even the most skeptic of critics will be aroused by the steamy, simmering love scenes. The sub-plots and twists make it an absorbing read while the characters are so well developed they seem to lunge from the pages to touch the reader's heart. A Twist of Fate is a richly provocative and thoroughly satisfying novel. I can't wait for the author's next release.

Romance and Fate
Robyn Williams' novel, A Twist of Fate is the first book I've read in a long time and it gave me a feeling that I have been missing out on a lot of fun reading. She deserves recognition for this literary masterpiece! It's filled with passion, wit, and a profound understanding of the inner workings and machinations of the characters herein. Williams paints a very accurate, real life picture of the way power and money tend to corrupt. Ashela Jordan is a naïve but talented individual seeking her own brand of success. She has all the odds against her, but overcomes them and succeeds. Sam Ross, on the other hand, is a man who does not lose his individuality in a crowd and one who has the courage of his convictions. Together, they provide the perfect mixture of sensuality and complexity which makes them memorable characters. I really enjoyed the ending because it was realistic and not the typical "all questions answered" type. A Twist of fate stimulates the reader's imagination and is worth buying in hardcover.

The Dragonlance Chronicles/Dragons of Autumn Twilight/Dragons of Winter Night/Dragons of Spring Dawning (Collectors Edition)
Published in Paperback by TSR Hobbies (1988)
Authors: Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, and Michael Williams
Amazon base price: $16.99
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Collectible price: $37.95
Average review score:

WEIS AND HICKMAN GO WHERE NO MAN HAS GONE BEFORE!!!
Perfect. That's how the Dragonlance Chronicles should be described. Just perfect. This series is just a collection the greatest fantasy books ever written. While reading the Dragonlance Chronicles you will mostly feel like getting pulled into the unique, imaginary Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (tm) world of Krynn. Weis & Hickman's beautiful use of words makes you "sink" in the book, and never want to leave. The Dragonlance Chronicles tell about a bunch of different characters who has the heavy weight of saving Krynn on their well built shoulders. They have to work together as a well oiled machine if they want to succeed, and for doing that they'll have to first get over their doubts of other member of the group. They have such a depth, you will think they are real and alive! The Chronicles is full of action. The Dragonlance Chronicles series is also very funny some times (Fizban and Tas are just GREAT!). With Dragonlance you will travel with Tanis, Karamon, Raistlin and others all over Krynn. With Dragonlance you will fight evil monsters and clever dragons. Drgaonlance is like a long dream... with exotic places, interesting characters, beautiful dragons and frightening zombies. With Dragonlance I had surely had the most exciting reading experience. That's why I read all the first 3 books six times (no kidding). It's a lot of fun every single time I read it. I WARMLY RECOMMEND IT! I'd score it 9.9. Why 9.9 and not 10? Because Dragonlance ends... that's the only BAD thing in it. Keep up the EXCELLENT work, Margaret and Tracy!!! BTW: I'm sorry if I made mistakes with the characters' names, I read only the HEBREW version.... :-

Loving to read again !!!
For many years I was always reading a book, generally at least one a week sometimes a couple. I loved various kinds of books mostly science fiction and fantasy but read most anything. But for some reason about 7 years ago I got out of the habit, never could find the time.

Last fall I decided that I would like to get lost in a good book and mentioned to a friend that I would like to start reading again but just couldn't find anything that appealed to me. My friend told me that these books started him on a road to many hours of enjoyment in a wonderful fantasy world.

I recall shrugging ' but he smiled and handed me his well-worn paperback copies of these three books. It took me awhile to find the time to get started but one day I shut the door of my office for lunch and just began that first book. It wasn't long before I fell in love with the characters and world of Krynn.

It is now about 6 months later, I am on my 8th book and have the next 12 waiting to start.

They are wonderful books whether you are in your teens, twenties, thirties, forties or dare I say it... even older...

This is simply the BEST!
This trilogy cannot be compared. It stands unparalled (with exception to the Legends trilogy that is!). These two authors(Weis & Hickman) have captivated my attention for the last 10 years. I hate them for it too, because every book that I have read since then pales in comparison.

I accidentally stumbled across this trilogy. Having just finished the David Eddings' Belgariad series (not that bad in its own right), I wandered the local Waldenbooks in search of a good science fiction book. Sitting on the top shelf stood this massive book(Collector's Edition) with a decent picture on the cover. Being a 7th grade twelve year-old, I didn't actually realize how much 15 dollars was, so I purchased it. Believe me, it turned out to be the best 15 dollars that I have EVER spent. This book has been purchased again since then because of the amount of times that I have studied this 'Bible'. Without doubt, this trilogy is the core of all Dragonlance books and which I refer to as The 'Bible' of DL.

In closing, I would like to encourage anyone who hasn't read it to do so. It IS the greatest escape that reading can offer. Weis & Hickman created a world where the characters(Tas, Tanis, Raist, etc.) capture a piece of us which we can never forget. I'm now 22, and I still haven't forgotten. In case you're reading, THANK YOU Margaret and Tracy.
(Now how did that fireball spell go?)

Inner Harbor (Nova Audio Books)
Published in Audio Cassette by Bookcassette Sales (1998)
Authors: Nora Roberts, Guy Lemonier, and William A. Owens
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Wow!
Once more, Nora has created magic--with an absolutely FABulous conclusion to the Quinn brothers' trilogy. All the loose ends are tied together in INNER HARBOR--in a seemingless effortless effort by Nora (which is a testament to her talents as a story-teller)--to the point where you, as the reader, will say, "But of course! This makes perfect sense!" INNER HARBOR, of course, is Phillip's story. He is the polished Quinn brother--resident of Baltimore's Inner Harbor, fancy suits, and wine connoisseur extraordinare ... When he meets Dr. Sybil Griffin, love and betrayal are the farthest things from his mind. Things change, however, rapidly. As only Nora can do. In some respects, Sybil is Nora's toughest heroinne to like. She has the best of intentions--and will attempt to achieve her goals--at seemingly any and all expense. When the tables get turned, I wondered how--even if-- Nora could redeem Sybil--especially in the eyes of Phillip and Seth. This is a story that will consume you. Once you sit down with it, you won't want to put it down. Be sure to block off plenty of time to read it--or be prepared to lose some sleep. It is a story of laughs ... of tears ... of horrors ... of hope ... of love ... of trust. But mostly--it is a story of the wonder and beauty of family. It is--simply--Nora at her best.

Superb conclusion to Nora's Cheaspeake Bay trilogy

Dr. Sybill Griffin has come to the seaport town of St. Christopher to ascertain if her sister Gloria's allegations about the Quinn family are true. Sybill hides her relationship about Gloria to the Quinns. Sybill quickly learns that as far as Phillip Quinn is concerned, Gloria lost all rights to her son Seth when she used the lad as a punching bag.

When the Quinns uncover Sybill's identity and lineage, they pound her with the truth even as she falls in love with Phillip. She desperately tries to make reparations even as she prays that she and her beloved can make a future together.

INNER HARBOR is the satisfying conclusion to Nora's "Quinn Chesapeake Bay" trilogy. This time the great Ms. Roberts tells the story from the refreshing male perspective in a very sensitive and compassionate way. The metamorphosis of the heroine is dexterously developed in a believable manner. Though this novel can stand on its own merit, fans will gain immense pleasure by reading the entire series.

Harriet Klausner

A stunning trilogy! Worth the hours to read the whole thing
Wow! Yesterday I finished this book, the last of the trilogy about the Quinn brothers. I was obsessed with getting to the end, but now I'm sad because those characters are no longer in my life. Nora did a great job of portraying what it was like to come from different realities. She did a wonderful job of dealing with the difficult subject of child abuse (physical, sexual and emotional) and how that shapes the adults that emerge from that type of life. Best of all she shows the power of love, trust and acceptance in healing battered spirits. The love stories, the development of both familial love and romantic love, were powerful. The characters were so real, and of course the men were to die for. And the thread of the father's ghost and younger brother's rehabilitation throughout the three stories is brilliant. Nora has an extraordinary gift. Thankfully she shares it with us.

The Count of Monte Cristo (Part 3)
Published in Audio Cassette by Blackstone Audiobooks (1997)
Authors: Alexandre Dumas and Fred William
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A classic novel on hope and revenge
The Count of Mote Cristo is a really exciting and fabulous story; I really enjoyed the book while reading it. The main character Edmond Dantes is about 21 years old, and for him, life is just full of success. He is a successful merchant and is about to be promoted to captain of a ship. At the same time, he is also about to marry a beautiful young girl whom he has loved for a very long time. But amidst all of these happy things, misfortune strikes, and Edomnd Dantes finds himself to be a prisoner in the Chateau D'If for life. He is a prisoner because he is betrayed by his so-called "friends" and rumored to be a servant of Napoleon Bonaparte. However, something miraculously happens, so read it to find out.

Although this novel is usually thought of as a story of revenge, it has an even deeper meaning than that. This story not only warns people who betray others, but it also promotes love, friendship, and most of all hope. When the Count of Monte Cristo comes back and seeks revenge, he also meets some friends on the way that move his heart. Some of his friends become poor and have a sad life because of his imprisonment long ago, but they still hope that he will return and they wait for him day by day. The count rewards them in a secret way, and shows how important it is to have hope in one's life even when there looks like no hope. So when you read this book, keep in mind that there is more to it than just vengeance.

This book is very pleasant and I finished it in a couple of sittings. It will definitely put you on the edge of your chair and you will hardly be able to put the book down. This book is for all kinds of people, but it is especially for people that think life is hopeless, because as this book will point out, nothing in life is ever hopeless.

The Best!
This is and will probably continue to be my favorite boook of all time. It has got everything you could possibly want in a book. It's got betrayal, love, imprisonment, vengance, action, drama, and comedy. But you can read the synopsis for yourself.

More important than the plot of the story is that the reader will learn to love Edmond Dantes, the main character. They will admire his strength, his wits, his arrogance, and the way he learnes from his mistakes.

The reader will also learn to completely hate Danglars, Villefort, and Fernand. Every single horrible thing that happens to them, the reader will truly believe is justly deserved, even when Edmond believes it's too much.

The writing is also wonderful. The reader will practically be transported to France as they read this novel. The word choice is so magnificent and the sentences flow so well that the reader will feel every emotion that the characters do, and will probably even taste the sweet Parisian air in their mouths.

I first read the Signet Classic abridged version, and I thought this novel was great, but then I picked up the unabridged Modern Library version and enjoyed it even more. This book will change your life and I would highly suggest that everyone in the world read this book. Move over Shakespeare because you have just been dethrowned.

A classic adventure -- one of the greatest books of all time
I must admit, I first picked up The Count of Monte Cristo about ten years ago because I liked the cover art (a different edition than this one). Within five minutes of reading it, I was hooked. The next 1,000 pages simply flew by and I literally could not put the book down. For someone who's never read it before, it's an enthralling tale of treachery, despair, hope, and ultimately a quest for vengeance. After finishing "The Count", I immediately sought out every book by Dumas I could get my hands on (The Three Musketeers, Ten Years After, and The Man in the Iron Mask). They were all exceptional reads, but none of them matched the brilliance of "The Count ."

Any reader who enjoys tales of adventure and has a taste for historical novels will love this book. I thought the recent movie version was excellent too, but I highly recommend reading the book first.

Magic the Gathering: Arena Vol. 1
Published in Paperback by Harper Mass Market Paperbacks (1994)
Author: William R. Forstchen
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I read and Reread this book until I had to buy a new one.
I'm a big fan of the Fighter-Mages and the Pit Fighters and this was an excellently-written novel that showed the best and worst of the Fighters. Any true fan would have to agree that this is perhaps the best of the early M:tG novels published as it has action, adventure, a little romance, a wonderful storyline, and just enough suspense to keep you reading long after you wanted to take that much-needed restroom break. I've read my copy so many times the pages are yellow and worn and the cover's creased. It's an excellent read. I've read most every book in the series save the newest and some of the older ones and I have yet to find one I liked as much. My brother feels the same and is the reason I bought my second copy and my stepfather, not even a fan of the card game, can't put the book down as it's now HIS turn to read it. Odessey gave only a fraction of the true Fighter spirit Arena delivers. Garth One-Eye would laugh in Kamahl's face and send the Barbarian back to the mountains in shame. :)

well written, touching, adventurous book
This is definitely one of the best books I have ever read. It's characters are well thought out and their interactions are so believable and intriguing! Then main character is Garth One-eye, later found to be Galin, son of the former Master of one of the fighting house of Magic, who was murdered along with the rest of his house for the greed of one man who sought great power. Garth comes to seek revenge on him, and with the help of Hammen and many others he succeeds. It is too difficult to explain all the different parts of this book because so many characters and events are involved. I almost cried about Garth's loss and was overjoyed when he defeated his enemies and banished the corruption that engulfed his world. I will bet you anything that once you read the first chapter of this book you will know I am right, that this book is one of the greatest ever written. Try it. You will read it again and again.

You don't have to like Magic :the gathering to love this boo
I first borrowed this book from a friend of mine, because I was bored and wanted something to read. I could barely put it down, and then only because I had to. The story of Garth One-Eye and his companions is an enthralling read. Once I finished my friend's copy, I tracked down the book at my favorite bookstore, and got a copy of my own. Anyone who is a fan of fantasy should read this book.

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