This book is the best book of all time!I loved reading it and it's great for boys and girls ages 7-up too.It's also full of feelings and friendship.Cara Landry is an ordinary girl whos parents had gotten divorced and then Cara thought of making The Landry News.But the problem is that she thinks that the truth is the only thing about the newspaper which is true.but she putted to much truth in it that she made some people sad because of it.And after her mother read the first edition she told Cara to show Truth and Mercy in the newspaper but not to much of it also.So after her good friend Joey helped her with the next edition 'till Dr.Barnes read one and had an argument with Mr.Larson.And when a boy named Michal Morton gave Cara his story he asked her to put it in the newspaper.But when Dr.Barnes read it in the ninth Landry News he started planing Mr.Larson's early retirement party.If you want to hear the rest you have to read the book to find out what happens.

Cara Landry is a big fan of writing editorials. But after her parents' divorce, Cara starts writing hurtful editorials about her classmates and teachers. Everything changes after she enters Mr. Larson's class. Carl Larson is a sloppy teacher who would just assign an project to the class, and sit at his desk and read newpsapers. He would never look up unless it is loud. Other teachers would complain, but Mr. Larson would just ask a student to just shut the door.

Cara thinks this is not right, so she writes her first ever editorial about Denton Elementary School. She also includes an article about Mr. Larson's poor teaching. Mr. Larson gets mad and rips up the article. Mrs. Landry was heartbroken when she finds out her daughter is on to hurting people again. She tells Cara to write an apology note, and before you know it, The Landry News is a hit at Denton Elementary School.

Everything goes well until a copy of The Landry News find its' way to Dr. Barnes's office. He reads it and tells Mr. Larson to be responsible for Cara's newspaper. Cara then decides to put a divorce story in the newspaper, and wham: Carl Larson is about to get fired. But no way that's going to happen. And that's up to Michael Morton, the kid who wrote the divorce story to solve it.

The Landry News by Andrew Clements, the author of frindle and The Janitor's Boy, was an absoleuly fabulous tale of Cara Landry and her newspaper "The Landry News." After the first edition is published she writes in it a story saying how her teacher is slacking off and she decides even though her teacher Mr. Larson saw it she would still publish it under the motto "Truth and Mercy." Her whole fifth grade class then decides to help Cara make more issues and we meet loveable charcters like Lee Ann and Joey.

Then Cara receives an article called "Lost and Found". She decides to publish it even though it isa heavy non-fiction story for elementary school students. The principal then finds a copy and decides that this story is a perfect way to get Mr. Larson fired. He calls a school board meeting and it is up to the students to save Mr. Larson's job.

This book is the third in the "Cleric Quintet" series by R.A. Salvatore. I liked this book more than the previous one in the series. Cadderly, the protagonist, starts to develop more than before. After fleeing from a battle in the previous novel, he moves to a nearby city instead of going back to the place where he has lived most of his life; the Edificant Library. It is here that Cadderly's religious struggles start to manifest themselves. Cadderly's continued struggle with violence (and a consequent trepidation with battle) slowly starts to resolve itself.

Cadderly starts to have mystical experiences with his a holy book and eventually learns how to control it. The introduction of the "Night Masks" a feared group of assassins is somewhat interesting. It is certainly a change from the constant battles against goblins, giants and the like that filled the second novel in this series. In particular, the villain of this work is original and indeed truly evil. My only criticism with the villains of this series is that they often seem to be a little flat; they are simply evil. There is little ambiguity to make the reader think.

The most original aspect to this series, which mentioned in my review of "Canticle" (the first novel of the series), is in putting a priest on center stage instead of the more traditional fighters. The inclusion of a monk and two dwarves mean that the novel still retains a traditional amount of firepower. One might even say that the heroes of the novel defeat their villains a little to easily, but that is too be expected.

In response to some of the other reviewers here, I think some are to quick to praise the series, frequently giving it a 5 star rating. I think that is too generous, while at the same time, I think it is unfair to label this work as trash. It is a reasonably good series, but I don't know if it is worth buying. If you want to read the classic fantasy novel, there is no question. The novel you want is, "The Lord of the Rings." It launched the modern fantasy genre and, for many people, remains the standard against which all other fantasy novels are too be measured.

Night Masks, Book 3 of the Cleric Quintet - R. A. Salvatore
A Review

Hmmm. I shall make my feelings on the Cleric Quintet known right now: it is a strictly mediocre fantasy series. Nothing special. Salvatore is a very good writer, though. He wrote the Demon series, (As I write this review, I am currently reading the first book in the series, The Demon Awakens, and it is exceptional. Very promising. I shall soon write a review on that book as well.), the Crimson Shadows series (I haven't read any of those books), and the Icewind Dale Trilogy and Dark Elf Trilogy of the Forgotten Realms line of role-playing fantasy books. The Cleric Quintet is also part of the Forgotten Realms. This series, however, would never have been published as a stand-alone series, though. It introduces nothing new to the reader, the characters are dull and uninspired (even immature, to some extent), and is written in the typical R. A. Salvatore format that I have grown to dislike.
About this book, though, the third novel in the series, I read this one with considerably more enjoyment that the other two. It featured an interesting, challenging villian, and a plot more unique that the other books in the series. In addition to that, the two main characters' (Cadderly and Danica) relationship blooms into maturity. (In other words, they end up "doing it!" For those rigid, unmoving readers out there, though, don't worry: no actual eroticism in this book. Or the entire series, for that matter.) Like all the other novels in the Cleric Quintet, there is no interesting or even significant character development.
I think I'll cut this review short, because my opinion on the series is (or should be, if you're reading this) obvious by now, and no one wants to read why I think this series is such a mediocre waste of time. What about Salvatore's writing style, though? There is nothing unique about that, nothing that could even be called sophisticated.
If you've read my other two reviews on the previous two books, you'll know what to expect with the series, but, despite all my determined ranting, it is still pretty good to read, with exciting battles, and unexpected occurences. That, perhaps, is why this series isn't half bad. One does not know what to expect when reading it. That, though, perhaps, might be because no one cares enough to bother anticipating what will occur next in the book. . .

I, like many others, am enamored with the writings of R.A. Salvatore, everything from the Demonwars series to the classic Drizzt Novels, but the Cadderly Series, and this book in particular, has something that none of his other books have. Maturity. The Depth of Evil that the Ghearfu is, and its master, Ghost, contains, is truly horrifying, and the new characters are fully fleshed out. In addition, Salvatore pulls no punches when it comes to main characters, he doesn't hold back when their death is needed for plot developement. The magic in this book is also descibed as it never has been before, making the arcane arts and divinity so much more impressive. However, the quality of this book that I am most impressed by was the love between Cadderly and Danica. I admit, as a semi-hopeless Romantic I'm a sucker for this sort of thing, but the way the romance and resulting actions were described was so perfect, that I was deeply moved. In short, many of Salvatore's works, while good, are easily forgettable. This book will remain with me throughout my life. I urge those of you who are on the brink of buying this book, and this whole series, to do so. It is a magnificent work of modern fiction, and the best That Salvatore has ever written.

Mr. Salvatore first won over fans with his original Demon Wars trilogy. The "bridge" book between the two trilogies, Mortalis was nothing short of spectacular. He followed that up with an excellent book in Ascendence, only to one up himself with his latest, Transcendce. Richly developed characters travel through Corona, a very well laid out and interesting world, on fantastic adventures. It's easy to become attached to his characters and find yourself trying to dodge blows in the action sequences. If you haven't read the first five books of the series, it's well worth the time to start at the beginning. Otherwise you will find yourself captivated by just one book, instead of them all. This series is unfairly lacking the recognition it deserves!

When a writer finds himself competing with himself for the top of the best-seller list, you know he has acheived a certain level of success.

R.A. Salvatore's sixth book in the world of the Demon Wars is a brilliant creation of original fantasy.

Sadly, due to the unfortunate timing of its release in the same week as the guaranteed best-seller STAR WARS Episode II, this great book may well slip unnoticed by the wayside.

Salvatore is well-known for his character development and his excellent descriptions of combat, as well as for his most famous Dark-Elf character upon whose shoulders the Forgotton Realms world rides. In more recent years he has also become well-known for his work in the Star Wars universe, but what many of his fans are missing out on is the amazing world of the Demon Wars. This original land he has developed brings to his work new levels of maturity in the depth of characterization and subtlety of plot. Twists and turns of political development, honor battling against love, true power and great tragedy fill all the books of these series so far, with many more levels of understanding than is typical of modern fantasy-fiction.

Ascendance steps away (for the moment) from the now-familiar nation of Honce The Bear, and follows the young Ranger Brynn Dharielle as she and her Touel-Alfar companion Belli mar Juraviel head south to the conquered nation of To-Gai-Ru. In an attempt to lead her native people to freedom from the oppression of the Behrenese conquerers and their immortal God-King, Brynn will find herself living a life of legends, learning what it means to be ready to die... but more importantly, what it means to be ready to live.

Any fan of fantasy - indeed, any open-minded fan of honest and deep characters - will be more than pleased with this book. On the other hand, those looking for typical Salvatore adventure and great combat sequences will not be disappointed. Overall, this book continues what is proving to be Salvatore's greatest and most powerful series, the Demon Wars sagas.

In sequel to Ascendence, of which I was not terribly impressed, I bought Transcendence out of loyalty to the author, having loved nearly all of his previous efforts. Having read the book in very short time, despite its length, I must say my loyalty was rewarded.

Following a different path than any of the previous books in the Demon Wars setting, Salvatore explores an entirely different culture than in those ealier novels. Thus we are not re-hashing any of the same old story lines as before. While there is a returning character, he holds true to his form while still managing to grow from his prior mindset. The main character appeared in the last book, but she was only a minor player. Here she is allowed to grow. The events of this book occur simultaneously with Ascendence, with each book referring to events transpiring in the other.

Having completed her Elven training, Brynn Dharielle embarks on her quest to liberate her people from their conquerors. With her is Belli-mar Juraviel, her Elven companion and mentor. Early in their journey, they become sidetracked, the circumstances of which gain them a new companion. In their effort to traverse the mountains and gain Brynn's homeland, another significant branch is added to the storyline.

In addition to the good guys mentioned above, there are also the conquerors. Some of the political machinations of these religious fanatics described by Salvatore are just delicious, while many of the resulting actions are quite disturbing. The main character from this group is the leader of the Behrenese peoples, and the architect of the conquest of Brynn's homeland. While he is supprted by religious fervor and thrives upon it, it is quite clear that he is both a heretic and a hypocrite, making him one to love to hate.

There is another new set of characters in the guise of an enclave of reclusive monks. One of the major characters in the story is a member of this monastery, and he is a great character, often proving to be a moral foil to Brynn and others with his blunt innocent statements and questions.

For character development and the new setting for the world of Corona, Salvatore has outdone himself, and far surpassed the previous book in the series. Fantasy readers will love this one.

Drizzt Do'Urden the dark elf, Bruenor the dwarf, Wulfgar the mighty young barbarian, and Catti-brie go on a trek into foreign lands to rescue their halfling friend, Regis, and to recover the statue of Gwenhyvar, which can call a magical panther from another plane of existence. Regis and the panther were stolen by Artemis Entreri, the master assassin.

There were an unusually large number of typographical errors in this book (e.g., misspellings, extra commas, missing periods). Otherwise, this is a fast-paced, rousing adventure tale populated by interesting characters. I did not get a clear picture of the setting, as I can get in most books; the emphasis is clearly on the characters and their actions.

Each section has an epilogue, which is like an essay "written" by the main character, Drizzt. Drizzt is a dark elf, whose people live underground and are known as cruel, ruthless, manipulative, deceptive, and dangerous. Drizzt is clever and dangerous, but has otherwise left his people and their ways. His essays are almost poetic in style, and are rich in morality and philosophy.

The first book of the trilogy, "The Crystal Shard", was good, light adventure. "Streams of Silver" was the best of the three. "The Halfling's Gem" was a continuation of "Streams of Silver" (whereas "The Crystal Shard" could stand alone), and provided a good end to the trilogy, although it left one very loose end - Artemis Entreri is left unaccounted for. I'm sure that was intentional.

First off, this is the conclusion of the Icewind Dale Trilogy. I would strongly recommend reading the first two novels in the series, The Crystal Shard and Streams of Silver, to truly enjoy this book. This story picks up with Artemis Entreri, running off with Regis from Mithral Hall, the halfling, to return him to Pasha Pook the leader of the largest thieves' guild in Calimport. Drizzt and friends chase after Entreri to save Regis from the almost certain death that awaits him in Calimport. The plot is pretty straight forward, but there are definitely enough complications to keep it interesting.

I really enjoyed this book and thought it was the best book in the trilogy. The Halfling's Gem regains the continuous fast paced adventure that was lost in part of Streams of Silver. I found the supporting characters in this book much better conceived and interesting. The battle scenes in the boat and at Pasha Pook's palace were at least as good as any of the battle scenes in the other two books. Also Drizzt's attempt to find himself and what he stands for really progresses in this book. This continues in the Dark Elf Trilogy, which occurred before he reached Icewind Dale, but was written after the Icewind Dale Trilogy. All in all the writing in this novel has really improved from the first two books. This same quality continues through the rest of the Drizzt series. I whole-heartedly recommend this novel for the entertaining fast paced read that it is.

I've read 6 of Salvatore's books so far, & have yet to take longer than a week to read each one. His stories are so well done that you may want to hire a driver so you don't have to stop reading to go places. This one picks up exactly where "Streams of Silver" left off, with Drizzt & Wulfgar chasing the assassin Artemis Entreri across the land of Faerun trying to save their halfling friend Regis. The edge-of-your-seat excitement continues from the previous book and doesn't let up until the end. Salvatore does a great job describing the action & does not sacrifice the element of character developement to do so. This may be the best of all of the Drizzt Do'Urden books to date.

I have read every one of Salvatores novels, except the Tarzan book, and this one by far wets the appetite for more. Character interaction has become a great joy, perhaps in place of mindless action. The whole book is mainly a setup for the next one but it moves on in such a way that you can't wait for the characters to meet each other throughout the book. Caring about the "villians" in these books is almost as important as liking the heroes and there is plenty of that here. Some fantasy and science fiction novels almost read like a history text book nowadays and get stale very quickly when you could care less about anyone. The ever 'pragmatic' Salvatore has evolved quite a bit as a writer of more mature themed characters and story lines. Sure De'Unnero resembles Entreri in a lot of ways but I guess when you make some of the best fantasy villians out there, that will happen. Overall I highly recommend this epic novel and wait for more to come !!

First off, this is the fifth book in a series despite the fact that it is book 1 of a trilogy. Though Mr Salvatore always makes his books complete stories, I highly recommend starting with The Demon Awakens.

I actually waited almost a year to read this one (I usually try to wait for the whole trilogy to be out before starting a series), but caved last month in a weak moment.

Like the rest of the series, this book was great reading. One of the fun things about RAS's writing, is that he always shows what's going on from the POV of 'good guys' and the 'bad guys'. And guess what, the bad guys aren't running around maniacally laughing and stroking their gen-Xer goatees either. They're compelling to follow and you're reminded that good and evil is all a matter of personal perception.

But, since most of the readers (we hope) are of the camp that good guys don't do dastardly things (such as murdering people and manipulating entire populations - oh wait, this counts most politicians out of our good guy category =P), we are left wondering who is going to 'save the day' in the next books. What do I mean, you ask? Guess you will have to read the series!

I really enjoyed the previous DemonWars series, and Mortalis (mainly because I could tell that the next series it was leading up to was going to be phenomenal), but Ascendance suprised me in a wonderful way! The story was excellent and the way the characters were all mixed at the beginning was enough in itself to keep you intrigued enough to continue reading and find out how they all relate.

There is much more that helps the story than just that though. It's not quite as action oriented as some of the previous books which made me wonder, and only at first, if it was going to be as good. The political intrigue and the scheming and plotting kept it much more interesting than leading into monotonous hack-n-slash scenes. The book is not predictable and is better than the previous books (which are also excellent on a different level), and it's even better than Salvatore's engaging Drizzt & Co. books for which he is most notably known for.

I recommend the story for anyone who love a great fantasy story with mystery, intrigue, great characters, and appropriately and well-written action sequences. I'm definitely looking forward to Transcendence!

For those who are a fan of Salvatore's Underdark will not be disappointed. Salvatore's chosen disciples have big shoes to fill but they seem to be doing just fine thus far. Insurrection is a good buy for a Drow junkie and an excellent follow-up to Dissolution. My only gripe with the series is the fact that, typically, shared characters have been something left to the Dragonlance series. While I'm sure it allows the publisher to pump out books at a quicker pace, it does live up to the Forgotten Realms' MO. This may seem like a minor issue that becomes virtually transparent when you simply sit down and read the books... but I noticed the differences of the characters between authors.

In her infinite wisdom concerning the benefits of chaos, Lolth, the Queen of the Demonweb, has fallen silent to the prayers of even the most devout of her followers. Such silence does not bode well for a matriarchal society whose 'stability' eternally teeters back and forth upon the chaotic whims of the noble matron mothers. Their rule is absolute for the power they wield is that which is directly channeled from Lolth. Mercy, love, sadness and friendship have no place in the dark world of the Drow. But what would happen if that overbearing power no longer existed?

Insurrection picks up where Dissolution left off, a party led by high ranking nobles of the City of Spiders, Menzoberranzan, is sent to the trade city of Ched Nasad to discover the reach of Lolth's silence. In true Drow spirit, such a monumental opportunity to drastically improve one's station is never given up. Deceit, lies, conspiracy and bloodshed is what ensues... the very lifeblood of Drow society.

May the War of the Spider Queen continue in all its chaotic glory...

Excellent book, can't wait for the next one to come out. We finally have a mage who loves to cast magic and play with fire. Anyone who has read anything about the Drow will love this series.

I really enjoyed reading the second book of this series. Even though the books are written by different authors, I felt the characters maintained the same quirks and wit from the first book to the letter. The differences between the two drow cities was a nice touch, rather than being carbon copies of each other. The political fight,as well as the physical fights, were very enjoyable. Can't wait for the next book!

This book is maybe the best I have read of R.A. Salvatore (with the possible the exception of Mortalis). To me Immortalis combines all of the best qualities of the Demonwars series into one exceptional package. The politcal intrigue of Honce-the-Bear from Ascendence, the spiritual side of the world of Corona from Mortalis, and the exotic setting of Transendence.
Because of this fitting conclusion to the amazing Demonwars series, it makes me rank this series up there with A Song Of Ice and Fire and the first few Wheel of Time books (the last 7 or so were horrible). Buy this book, though be warned: to get the full (amazing) experience, start from the beginning with The Demon Awakens and read all 7 books. It is well worth your time!

After reading the entire Demon Wars series beginning with The Demon Awakens, It was indeed hard for me to believe that Immortalis would live up to its expectations. I was wrong. The final chapter of the Demon Wars Saga is by far the best and may be one of the greatest books I have ever read.

You won't be able to stop reading as you go through the many twists and turns the novel has. Once again, Salvatore showcases his amazing battle choreography skills including some amazing swordplay skills. In Immortalis, all the protagonists from each book are united together for one epic conclusion and an ending to great for words.

Elven trained Aydrian kills his stepfather, exiles his mother Jilseponie, and declares himself king of Honce-the-Bear. With his large army King Aydrian leads an attack on the elves, who manage, through a huge sacrifice, to defeat him.

In the south, Behren is dissolving into a series of petty city-states. Brynn, elven trained, liberates her country of To-gai from invaders with the help of the dragon Agradeleous. However, she also shows the Behrenese people that their religion is based upon a lie, opening the way for Aydrian's ally Abbot Olin to fill the void.

The broken Jilseponie is stunned with what the elves have done and caused, but though she wants to nurture her long lost son, she also needs to insure the true heir, Prince Medalis, sits on the throne of Honce-the-Bear. While the elves struggle to survive from the taint they caused, Brynn and Jilseponie join forces to take down a teen they both love.

With the final act of the incredible Demon Wars Saga, R.A. Salvatore makes a case that he ranks with the best fantasy writers of the past few decades. The key to this novel and the previous tales is the world building skills of the author that makes Corona a complex believable orb with varying cultures, magics, and religions. The characters, mythological or mundane, all seem authentic with the key ones sharing a tragic stage that sends the audience empathizing with their dilemmas. This novel and series is simply great epic fantasy.

Harriet Klausner

First of all, let me say that this is not a book. This is a packaged adventure, it comes in a shrink-wrapped cardboard box, and itself contains numerous booklets and maps. There. Having said that...

The Accursed Tower is a good Advanced Dungeons and Dragons adventure set in the fantasy world of Faerun, where the Forgotten Realms setting is placed. This is a classic fantasy world in the best tradition of Tolkien. I won't spoil the fun for you by telling what the adventure is about, but it does a very good job at showing your players the basics of the campaign world. The terrain maps are wonderfully understandable, and even the cave maps detailing 3D areas can be read without too much strain. The adventure is easy to build upon, which cannot be said about a great many others. Try it.

This is a shining star for Forgotten Realms. If you don't mind playing a low level adventure, buy the accursed tower. This adventure has everything a DM could want. Good story line, overland travel allowing lots of opportunity to roleplay as well as a difficult but survivable underground crawl. It is must play for anyone who has read the Icewind Dale trilogy and wants to juice up the campaign with small parts featuring your favorite NPCs. This module is also good for younger DMs as it provides well laid out text boxes. It even has excellent subplots that can be explored after the adventure. The only thing I feel that needs to pointed out is the map. Pretty but flawed (watchout for the stairway that seemly dissappear). There are a large amount of magic items, but it is the Realms. I only hope TSR will now make some good mid level adventues.

The Accursed Tower is a great module. It has a great story, and any PC's will probably enjoy it very much. For the most part, it was very well written. There were a couple of places within that I had to stop, think about what was just written, and also maybe back track a little bit. Another problem I had with it was the dungeon map. For the most part, it was good, but figuring out where the stairs lead took a little bit of time. This module is absolutly perfect for a new group of adventurers. I started a new group of first level PC's and they enjoyed it a lot. Another thing that is a DM's dream come true is the ideas it gives at the end for continuing.

Ultimate Italian is a very comprehensive course that is contoured for the serious learner. Each of the 40 lessons has a specific goal in mind, which makes learning both fun and intuitive. This course is not for just anyone, however. If you're looking to just learn some common Italian phrases, this course is not for you. Ultimate Italian (Beginner/Intermediate) will teach you how to speak Italian the way Italians speak Italian. Native speakers on the tapes give proper, articulate pronunciation which is critical to learning any foreign language properly. It's also a great deal for what you get!

This is simply the BEST book for learning Italian. The tapes contain dialogue by native Italian speakers, and they are essential so that you get a hang on the accent.

Buy the set, then go to Italy to improve your skills!

As a language major I have taken many university classes and used numerous audio-visual home-study courses over the past 36 years, and I feel that this is quite simply the very best language set available. After going through the book and home-use set of 4 tapes once, I listened several more times to the set of review tapes for use "on-the-go". I had no problems traveling alone throughout Italy, and even received compliments on my Italian. The lessons cover nearly all the verb tenses, grammar, and syntax of the Italian language and provide a good vocabulary to start speaking, reading, and traveling. If you're serious about learning Italian, you'll find this set to be a real bargain.

"Impossible to see, the future is." Jedi Master Yoda said these words about the future of the galaxy. If he had had the book that followed the screenplay, the future of the galaxy would have been a lot easier to see. Yoda, Senator Palpatine, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Anakin Skywalker are back again in R. A. Salvatore's "Star Wars Episode Two: The Attack of the Clones" along with some other special characters from around the galaxy. The book takes the screenplay to a new level with more information leading up to the events that transpire in the future. These events are the events already known to due to the last three of the six episodes that were made before the first three. "The Attack of the Clones" will lead you to the infamous Clone Wars in a consistent step-by-step fashion. I was very surprised on how the author did not leave any moments in the movie out yet put other significant events into the book and still was able to keep the suspense alive throughout the whole book. My favorite character, Jengo Fett, was even more incredible in the book because Salvatore gave more information on Fett, as well as most of the characters. The lightsaber duel between Yoda and Count Dooku is sensational but my favorite part within the whole book is the sarcastic remarks made by the droid named C-3PO. Unfortunately for the reader, Jar Jar Binks makes is second appearance in a Star Wars novel substituting for Padme as the representative of Naboo. The love scene between Anakin and Padme still contain the cheesy lines George Lucas used in the screenplay but it seems less mellow unlike the screenplay, which I thought was great because it didn't seem to be the main focus of the book. However, this is a must read book for any Star Wars fan. If you haven't read the book and you think you are a Star Wars genius, Yoda couldn't have been more correct when he says, "Much to learn you still have".

I was hesitant to pick it up just by the look of the cover. A standard movie book for teenagers, right? Nope. I'm one of the original fans from 1977 who grew up with the Alan Dean Foster adaption of the original as well as the marvelous Splinter of the Mind's Eye. I suppose the last Star Wars book I read was Empire Strikes Back. The original A New Hope (before it was called that) was written in a flowery style with plenty of big words, but R.A. Salvatore's telling is modern, upbeat (post 90s) with punchy prose for readers who have long forgotten about high school English lit. Some of the narrator's observations are right on the mark. For example he raises the question of what "bringing balance to the Force" truly means, even though none of the Jedi really seem to know. Especially delicious are Obi-Wan's exchanges with Anakin, which are easily passed over in the movie, but the author adds another dimension to the father-son love/hate relationship. The cut scenes found on the DVD are also here, but there is a lot more, such as a fleshing out of Shmi Skywalker and the Lars family. As one of the published reviews said, this novel stands on its own and in many ways outdoes the movie. Read it and you will find yourself pleasantly surprised.

After reading the novelization for Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones by R. A. Salvatore, I must say I am impressed. Although watching the movie was fun in its own right, the book made more sense. Things I took for granted in the film were explained in the book in such a way that gave them new meaning--particularly the characters' motives. While the romance between Anakin and Padmé seemed forced (no pun intended) in the movie, it actually made sense in the book, as I could feel their struggle. In the Lars' garage, where Anakin tells Padmé that he murdered the Tusken Raiders, I could especially feel for him. Instead of looking like a whiny idiot, his pain was vividly described and I could almost pity him. It was also this way in the lightsaber battles--without the flashy ILM effects, the fights seemed so much more personal, and played out on so many different levels. This added insight is what kept the book fresh. The only scene I found vastly inferior to the movie was the fight between Obi-Wan and Jango Fett on the Slave I's Landing Platform. Somehow having every single punch described in detail didn't add much to the story, because there was no deeper meaning behind it all. The same goes for the speeder chase. Those are the types of scenes that belong on screen.
As for Salvatore's writing style, I think it worked a lot better than Terry Brooks's Episode I novelization. Salvatore kept it more intense and insightful. However, numerous times I found he would use a word or phrase, and then, a paragraph later, use the exact same wording again. Whether this was intentional or not, I found it slightly distracting. On the positive side, I thought the pacing was excellent, although there was hardly any reason to signify chapters when so many stories were being told simultaneously in each chapter anyway.
In conclusion, if you liked the movie, you should like the book just as much, if not more. If you didn't like the movie, the book should at least give you a better appreciation for and a new perspective on it.