Australian fiction is the best you will ever find (and I've read everything from King to Koontz) but 99% of books from Down Under are not released here in the United States. Why? I don't know. But I DO know what I've discovered. O'Fear by Peter Corris (a Cliff Hardy mystery) is fantastic! I've hunted down more Cliff Hardy mysteries over the internet and they're all great.

Other must reads by Australian authors are:

Any book written by Robert G. Barrett! (The Stephen King of Australia)

Jon Cleary's Scobie Malone mysteries! (As good as anything written by Nelson DeMille)
Blood Junction by Caroline Carver (As good as anything written by Dean Koontz)
Every book written by Peter Doyle! (Move over John Grisham)

My fellow Americans, fight to read the books the US publishers won't let you see! You will be glad you did.

Considering that the hard-boiled private eye novel is one of the distinctly American genres, it's perhaps surprising that one of the best current practitioners of the form is the Australian Peter Corris, with his detective, Cliff Hardy. If we forgive Hardy his affection for wine, which we'll assume is a cultural deal, and a long running relationship, which fortunately never quite achieved Susan Silvermanesque proportions, he's really quite traditional. Of course, it helps that Australia isn't all that different from America, particularly in terms of its cultural heritage. Corris has written 23 Cliff Hardy books, but they are not generally available in the U. S., which is a shame.

From what I've read of them, O'Fear is a fairly representative entry in the series, which is to say, it's quite good. Hardy is hired after an old friend dies in a car accident :

'Barnes Todd has left you some money.'

'Why?'

'To find out who murdered him.'

I sat back in the chair. Sackville unhooked his glasses and set them down gently on top of the file. He massaged the bridge of his nose and tried to look grave, but there was a flicker of amusement in his eyes. It irritated me, the way a lot of small things had lately. What's so funny? I thought. I'd been in this business for nearly fifteen years. I'd found murderers before, hadn't I? Well, stumbled across a couple. 'How much money?' I said harshly.

'Ten thousand dollars. His wife's not too happy about it.'

Hardy learns that with Todd's last breath he gasped the word : "O'Fear..." He recognizes this enigmatic phrase as the beginning of the name of a notorious, but relatively harmless, scoundrel named O'Fearna, who is currently in jail, awaiting trial. His bail just happens to be $10,000.

And he's off...sexy widows, unsavory secrets, random corpses, brutal henchmen, crooked lawyers, the whole nine yards. But what makes the book a real throwback is Hardy's vulnerability :

...I had strewn the contents of my wallet across the desk. I looked at the credit cards and the meagre amount of cash and the creased driver's licence and suddenly felt small and isolated. My only backup in the office was an answering machine; my only means of transport was the Falcon; I had an illegal Colt .45 and a properly licenced Smith & Wesson .38 for firepower. No helicopters, no armoured vans, no shotguns. Who was I kidding? This was too big for me.

If Corris does not quite have the comedic chops of a Robert B. Parker or a Robert Crais, he more than compensates by restoring the dramatic tension of a hero who is truly a lone knight, who can be hurt, even killed, and who has no one he can really trust.

This is good stuff, in a classic vein. Read him, if you can the books.

GRADE : A

Another in the long line of Clind Hardy books. Set in and around the streets of Sydney, Australia. Peter Corris does an excellent job in developing and maintaining an interesting mixture of brutalness and suspense in this story based on a whistleblower betrayed. All of Corris' novels follow the same formula, one which works, and has so for many years. If you're interested in a novel that you will not be able to put down until the end then this is it. This and others in the series are a must.

Be warned the novels themselves are quite addictive, you'll be wanting to get onto the next one straight away.

The first edition of this book appeared about thirty years ago and unfortunately wasn't very popular as a textbook because of its limited availability. This new edition makes it possible for many readers (including me) to own it at last. The book is written from the viewpoint of classical analysis and is as fresh now as it was 30 years ago despite huge progress made in this area during the last decades. Both organization and selection of material is excellent and introduces the reader to one of the most beautiful mathematical theories created in 20th century. The author took his time and wrote a very informative Supplement. It not just covers the newest developments in the theory of Hardy spaces and problems solved in last thirty years, but also gives very good idea about newest directions which grew up from this theory. This book definitely should be recommended to any student who wants to specialize in the theory Banach spaces of analytic or harmonic functions.

The story of a lonely woman caught between love and propriety, self-sacrifice and self-interest, "Two on a Tower" is one of the saddest novels I've read. I kept hoping for a description of a blissful-but-brief interlude for Viviette, but it never materialized. Instead, unhappiness dogged her to the novel's cruel end. Yes, cruel. The final event in the book was an unnecessary stroke. Also, while I usually accept a character's actions, I cannot believe that Viviette NEVER anticipated becoming pregnant. The possibility certainly haunted ME from the moment her secret marriage took place. For all of it's sadness, however, the story is engaging and provides a criticism of the unforgiving social conventions of Hardy's time.

Two on a Tower was the 11th Thomas Hardy's 14 novels that I have read. Hardy can be depended upon to paint a vivid picture of the characters' environment, and their relationships to it, but this time with a twist: One of the two characters being an astronomer, most of the environmental descriptions are of the heavens, and are wonderfully appropriate for the characters' actions and 'aspects'.
Hardy had a gift of creating characters who are fascinating in their personalities and actions, and together with the environmental descriptions, reading his novels is just one step away from watching a really good movie of the story.
Of all Hardy's varied characters, I felt the most sympathy for the two on the tower. Viviette has a great need for love and is selfless in giving it. Swithin, a somewhat naive and literate scientist, is at the same time a tender and faithful lover. Of all Hardy's stories, I hoped that this one would somehow have that "happy ending", and I suffered uncounted times for both characters.
I highly recommend this book for emotional involvement, though it may tear you apart to read it!
I would also recommend another of Hardy's lesser known novels The Woodlanders, which I understand was his own favorite story, and remains mine also.

Beautifully written, Thomas Hardy goes all out to make the reader see, hear, and smell every scene in this book. From begining to end, you never know what's going to happen next, and just when you think the story is calming down, Hardy throws a swerve your way. Great surprises, not predictable at all.

Hardy perhaps one of the better describers of setting of his time, shows once again, why books were so highly read back in his age.

Thomas once again delivered another great book of sadness, happiness, pregnancy and marriage. Although the story is mostly sad, it is still a great book, especially for those who have read previous Hardy books. A great read.

A nice collection of information but for what I was looking for the web had as much information on what was where and how much it cost. This book is not worth as much as others becuase it lacks the reader input and real experience of going and being there. Most info can be picked up from travel guides and brochures.

This is a wonderful resource with loads of candid opinions on what's great and not so great in the Alps. It is an overview and does not go into tremendous detail on any one resort, but if you are trying to pick from the overwhelming range of choices, this book will definitely help. Be aware, the book is written from a decidedly British point of view so it places much value on some criteria that American skiers may not value quite as highly (i.e. whether on-mountain dining is of a high enough quality). Also, don't rely on the section covering US resorts for anything other than a humerous glimpse at how the Brits size up places like Vail and Lake Tahoe (both criticized for "lack of non-skiing activities"). There are no photos and the mountain maps give only the broadest idea of the mountains and terrain offer, but the individual writeups are worth their weight in gold.

by far the best way to review and select resorts for your purpose. very easy to use, accurate and INDEPENDANT.
money well spent to ensure you go to the best place for you.

Young readers with short attention spans should shy away from this novel. It is a story of a love triangle set in the heaths of 19th century England. Each character has a well-developed psyche which comes out in their actions. Hardy shows the motivations that bring out the evil-appearing actions that humans do. The heath is a wonderful figure of this. Boring, ugly, and unsatisfying at times, and beautiful and artsy at others. The end, though really not a surprise comes suddenly. Younger readers should keep a dictionary at their sides while reading this. Even if one does not quite get what is happening, the language it is written in is very poetic.

Although the 19th Century prose requires a bit more effort from the reader than most 20th Century novels, the brilliant characterizations of people like Clym Yeobright and Eustacia Vye plus the lovingly detailed descriptions of the unique (and fictional) location, Egdon Heath, make this work a pleasure to read for anyone who is willing to work at it a bit. Hardy describes his characters so solidly that, although they cause one another's misfortunes for the most part, we can understand and, to at least some degree, sympathize with all of them. Their flaws and mistakes seem real and understandable - not forced by the needs of the plot.

This is not a "message novel." As far as I can tell, Hardy has nothing to say about social or moral problems of 1830s England in this book. But the place he takes you is unforgettable and the people you meet there make it worth the trip.

I laughed out loud as i read the first sentence: I had forgotten until i read it that it is quoted by Monty Python in their hilarious "Novel-Writing" sketch. But that might well be the only time i laughed during the book; this is not a humorous book but rather, like "Tess of the D'Urbervilles" ~ though less explicitly developed ~ the story of people tossed about by fate, chance, the gods, events, and the results are not pretty. Hardy writes beautifully, to be sure; not a phrase is misplaced in driving towards the effect of horror as good people are driven to extremity by events out of their control. It is hard to say that there is a hero in the book, unless perhaps the heath in Wessex on which all the action takes place. Certainly none of the main characters are completely admirable ~ though none is despicable either ~ in their actions and interactions. I have had a history of struggling with Hardy: Though i have read him before it has always felt like a chore (James is another whose novels give me that feeling); here i had no such difficulty, rather i raced (insofar as is possible) through it, hurrying toward the end, caring about each of the characters, and curious about the plot. Now my feeling is one of envy for a master of the language, one who is quoted in the OED as the authority for certain words' usage; envy, and admiration for the wonderful way he was able to put words together to make a place he obviously loved come so alive for another. I'd love to go to "Egdon Heath" sometime, to see it as it "embrowned itself moment by moment...." It might even raise a smile and shiver of horror both in me.

I'm many years out of college and thought I should start reading some more of the classics. Previous favorites of mine have been The Sound and the Fury, Jane Eyre, and Pride and Prejudice. I saw Tess of the D'Urbervilles on my sister's bookshelf and for about a year I considered reading it. Finally, I picked it up and began. Wow! I read it in about three days. I never expected I would feel so much by reading this book. I cried when she baptized Sorrow herself. Her concerns that he be buried in the churchyard and her efforts to ensure he was were touching. I wanted to help Tess Durbeyfield. I thought she was a very complex character--she was sweet and unworldly but she wasn't actually stupid. And she was strong in many ways--for example, her family relied on Tess for so many things--eventually even their support. In fact, I hated her family for not working harder and making their own sacrifices. All the burden was on poor Tess. I also wanted to shake some sense into Angel. He really did wrong by Tess--although he eventually realizes this, it comes too late. The only thing I really did not care for was the sudden inclusion of a minor character (who we met earlier)into the end of the book and the implication that she would play an important role in the future of a major character. I barely knew this minor character and NOBODY could compare to Tess of the D'Urbervilles. If you are reading this to find a good book, ignore the negative reviews by high-school students and buy this book NOW. It's unforgettable.

What a wonderful piece of literature, and quite a liberal (read: feminist) story for the time period it comes from! Not only are the characters well-drawn and utterly flawed (just like real humans) but the main plot reads as timeless.

The heroine (Tess) takes most of her life as it is thrown at her. When she finally decides to take some small measure of control of her fate, it is her very womanhood - and the lack of choice accompanying it - that is slapped back in her face.

A great love story in many respects, in the end the true love here is Tess' love of herself (and the reader's love for her), and her unwillingness to be a victim her entire life.

Thankfully, you'll find no happy endings in this book. What you will find is a story written by an early feminist, and characters that will stay with you forever.

Please ignore the immature high-school student reviews and understand that this book is a masterpiece. Hardy analyzes the relationship between human desire and society's mores to an unprecendented degree. The characters are multi-faceted and very life-like. Hardly aptly avoids the mistake of creating mere carciatures of the pure woman, idealistic intellectual, and spoiled playboy. Moreover, his use of religious allusion is excellent although this may alienate the modern, secular reader. And perhaps this is the problem with some readers. Finally, Tess is an admirable and strong woman who had difficult circumstances. How many people would act as admirably in her circumstance? Not many! The reviewers that criticize her actions should realize this and that they ignore one of Hardy's key points: Don't be so judgemental! This is one of the best books I have read and believe me, I have read a lot of the "good" books.

... but then again, not, because it is so obviously fantasy and too unbelieveable. A really excellent read, recommended to all.
A review titled "Don't buy it, don't read it, don't TOUCH IT!" should not be paid any attention whatsoever. That was written as a joke.

I don't know what book these Australian reviewers have read but The Gathering by Isobelle Carmody has been one of my favorite books since 1994. I have read the book at least eight or nine times. I am 18 years old and i still love this book. It has a wonderfully gripping story line and the characters are multidimentional and intriguing. Ofcourse it's not the best book in the whole world but it deserves nothing less than four stars. I've read everything from Anne Rice to Francesca Lia Block to Virgil and Shakespeare. And this book goes on the shelf of reread again and again. It's just a sweet story that has many deep meanings that everyone should read no matter their age.

Carmody shows her mastery of plot and theme in "The Gathering" as she writes about the sinister town of Cheshunt, where Nathanial has been drawn. He finds others like himself, called to fight the evil that grew a long time ago in Cheshunt. Just as good- the Circle has been called to fight evil, so has the Darkness been called. Nathanial, must not only face this evil, but the hostility of the "good" members of the circle, and the betrayal within the circle as he searches for the answer to unlock the key of the evil in Cheshunt, and forever purge the evil that has lain there for so long. A thoroughly superb book to be read by any age, and person, it's unputdownable!

A claustrophobic novel about a turn of the century Antarctic expedition which turns into a murder investigation when one of it's members is found dead on the ice. The bulk of the novel involves discovering the victim's past and how it interconnected with the lives of the other team members. An interesting, light-weight novel with a twist at the end. Read it on a snowy weekend.

If you've read everything you can find on Sir Ernest Shackleton's trips to Antarctica, seen the traveling exhibit with Frank Hurley's extraordinary photographs and memorabilia from the Endurance, and still crave more about Antarctic expeditions, this book will keep you interested and dreaming of such exploration for a few more hours.

Written in 1978, this is a murder mystery set near the South Pole in 1909, the same year as Shackleton's first expedition and five years before the Endurance epic. A similar crew of explorer-scientists and sailors, with the same attitudes and prejudices that one finds in the literary record of the Endurance, perform similar tasks under similar conditions, with one big exception. Captain Eugene Stewart (sharing initials with Ernest Shackleton) must also investigate his own crew as he attempts to unmask the murderer of Victor Henneker, the expedition's representative of the press, who intends to record the voyage for posterity.

With the same care for historic details and period attitudes which one sees in some of Keneally's later, prize-winning books, such as Confederates and Schindler's List, Keneally reveals Henneker to be a blackmailer who holds damaging information about almost everyone in the crew, their reputations vulnerable because they have violated the inflexible moral strictures of Edwardian England. A cuckolded husband, the secret lover of a married aristocrat, a mountain guide who may be responsible for a fatal excursion, a man tried for theft, and others "guilty" of homosexuality, Zionism, illegitimacy, and heresy reflect the pettiness and rigidity of "civilized" life in England and offer motivation both for the murder of Victor and for participating in the expedition. The book's conclusion is also consistent with the mores of the day. While this may not be the greatest mystery of all time, it is certainly one in which the author has done all his homework, well worth reading for the context it provides for other (real) expeditions of the day.

This is not really a book of Antarctic exploration. Keneally uses this ploy to show us a group of 26 men who spend many months in complete isolation during arctic darkness. The men have different backgrounds and different professional specialties. An uneven lot, if there ever was one. But, of course, they completely depend on each other. They must work as a tight community - and we await Keneally's thoughts of this "experiment". He introduces Victor Henneker, a journalist who has collected unsavory facts on people he meets, including most of the members of the expedition. Henneker gets killed, and his notes now become public knowledge. How do the explorers deal with what they now know about each other? Do they look at them now with different eyes? Most important: do they still trust each other?

Keneally gives us a fascinating portrait of people under the stress of a predicament they cannot flee. A fascinating book.

Great collection. The nice thing about Corris is he uses hisspare style with aplomb. The details are used to just the rightaffect. His series isn't much on violence either. Often he's just looking for missing persons and not tripping over corpses.

For fans of Chandler and Hammett, here is a contemporary writer who is a worthy follower. "The Dying Trade" is the first in a 20+ series featuring Sydney, Australia, private detective Cliff Hardy, who observes the wealthy and the underworld with humourous.

All of the series entries are very good; this first is excellent.

Although you can certainly love the book without knowing Sydney, those who have been will enjoy Corris' excellent sense of place. I like mysteries as, among other things, a substitute for travel, and this one will bring you down under.