As noted by other reviewers, this reading of Hegel is a post-Nietzsche, post-Marx, post-Heidegger one (meaning it incorporates or synthesizes these post-Hegel, though influenced-by-Hegel, strains of thought). It is therefore scorned by some Hegel 'purists' like Mr. Trejo below. However, having read quite a few commentaries on and interpretations of the Phenomenology I can say that this one is the most well-written, in the sense that it illuminates some very difficult Hegelian concepts (like "Spirit" itself) in a searingly direct manner. I have also never read another writer so convincing in their argument as to Hegel's essential rightness in his description of the Concept which brings closure to the riddle of Western metaphysics.

I would agree with the 'purists' in not taking this book as the 'definitive' interpretation of Hegel - it can't excuse not reading Hegel in the original, or other commentaries - but I would call it essential within the spectrum of Hegelian thought.

Interestingly, this book shows Hegel, though famously critical of Kant, to be essentially the extender of the Kantian philosophy to it's logical conclusion which is the completion of the Concept of Experience, identified as Time itself (ZeitGeist). That is, Human Time, initiated by the emergence of specifically Human Desires (i.e.; for recognition), as the Absolute Subject which constructs itself rationally via reflection on it's Object-negating or given-negating activity or creativity, not in the classical notion of a rational Time as existing somehow outside or independently of a Subject).

Kojeve's reading however, though convincing in it's demonstration of anthropologically necessary Historical development toward Hegelian 'harmony' between the Subject and it's Object, leaves out Hegel's attempt at the absolute identity of the Object itself. This can be read in two ways that Kojeve touches on. First, in the truer-to-Hegel sense that the Object is necessarily different from the Subject to ensure the ability of the Subject to realize itself as Self, as free Subject of Object-negating, creative, activity. Another way to read this is as simply Kojeve's dismissal of Hegel's Philosophy of Nature and it's more cosmic attempt at spiritualizing the notion of matter. Either way, as many Hegel commentator's have noted, one is left, though undoubtedly further enlightened regarding the nature of subjectivity, with a sense that there is still something 'out there' and unknown, ala Kant's 'thing-in-itself'. This can be understood as the Heidegger-influenced side of Kojeve's reading.

My own conclusion at the moment is that both Hegel and the existentialist school following him ala Heidegger and Kojeve can be understood as essentially philosophers of subjectivity in the Western tradition who have rationally illuminated, but also thoroughly exhausted the questioning of the Self about it's nature. As our great contemporary philosopher in the Continental tradtion Jurgen Habermas has noted, it's high time to move beyond the philosophy of monological subjectivity. For fresh thinking in this area and where to pick up the pieces after Hegel, Heidegger, Kojeve, etc. (rather than taking the nihilistic road of 'post-modernism') I highly recommend Habermas's _The Philosophical Discourse of Modernity_. Habermas as successor to this line of thought is convincingly stated in the opening chapter "Modernity's Consciousness of Time and It's Need For Self-Reassurance" and in his call for moving on to a paradigm of "Intersubjectivity" and Reason understood anew as Communicative Action.

As noted by other reviewers, this reading of Hegel is a post-Nietzsche, post-Marx, post-Heidegger one (meaning it incorporates or synthesizes these post-Hegel, though influenced-by-Hegel, strains of thought). It is therefore scorned by some Hegel 'purists' like Mr. Trejo below. However, having read quite a few commentaries on and interpretations of the Phenomenology I can say that this one is the most well-written, in the sense that it illuminates some very difficult Hegelian concepts (like "Spirit" itself) in a searingly direct manner. I have also never read another writer so convincing in their argument as to Hegel's essential rightness in his description of the Concept which brings closure to the riddle of Western metaphysics.

I would agree with the 'purists' in not taking this book as the 'definitive' interpretation of Hegel - it can't excuse not reading Hegel in the original, or other commentaries - but I would call it essential within the spectrum of Hegelian thought.

Interestingly, this book shows Hegel, though famously critical of Kant, to be essentially the extender of the Kantian philosophy to it's logical conclusion which is the completion of the Concept of Experience, identified as Time itself (ZeitGeist). That is, Human Time as the Absolute Subject constructing itself rationally via reflection on it's Object-negating activity (creativity in transforming the given or present), not in the classical notion of a rational Time as existing somehow outside or independentaly of a Subject.

Kojeve's reading however, though convincing in it's demonstration of anthropologically necessary development toward Hegelian 'harmony' between Subject and Object, leaves out Hegel's attempt at the absolute identity of the Object itself. This can be read in two ways that Kojeve touches on. First, in the truer-to-Hegel sense that the Object is necessarily different from the Subject to ensure the ability of the Subject to realize itself as Self, as free Subject of Object-negating, creative, activity. Another way to read this is as simply Kojeve's dismissal of Hegel's Philosophy of Nature and it's more cosmic attempt at spiritualizing the notion of matter. Either way, as many Hegel commentator's have noted, one is left, though certainly further enlightened as to the nature of subjectivity, with a sense that there is still something 'out there' and unknown, ala Kant's 'thing-in-itself'. This can be understood as the Heidegger-influenced side of Kojeve's reading.

My own conclusion at the moment is that both Hegel and the existentialist school following him ala Heidegger and Kojeve can be understood as essentially philosophers of subjectivity in the Western tradition who have exhausted the questioning of the Self about it's nature. As our great contemporary philosopher in the Continental tradtion Jurgen Habermas has noted, it's high time to move beyond the philosophy of the monological subject. For fresh thinking in this area and where to pick up the pieces after Hegel, Heidegger, Kojeve, etc. (rather than taking the nihilistic road of 'post-modernism') I highly recommend Habermas's _The Philosophical Discourse of Modernity_. Habermas as successor to this line of thought is convincingly stated in the opening chapter "Modernity's Consciousness of Time and It's Need For Self-Reassurance" and in his call for moving on to a paradigm of "Intersubjectivity" and Reason understood anew as Communicative Action.

As noted by other reviewers, this reading of Hegel is a post-Nietzsche, post-Marx, post-Heidegger one (meaning it incorporates or synthesizes these post-Hegel, though influenced-by-Hegel, strains of thought). It is therefore scorned by some Hegel 'purists' like Mr. Trejo below. However, having read quite a few commentaries on and interpretations of the Phenomenology I can say that this one is the most well-written, in the sense that it illuminates some very difficult Hegelian concepts (like "Spirit" or Geist itself) in a searingly direct manner. I have also never read another writer so convincing in their argument as to Hegel's essential rightness in his description of the Concept which brings closure to the riddle of Western metaphysics.

I would agree with the 'purists' in not taking this book as the 'definitive' interpretation of Hegel - it can't excuse not reading Hegel in the original, or other commentaries - but I would call it essential within the spectrum of Hegelian thought.

Interestingly, this book shows Hegel, though famously critical of Kant, to be essentially the extender of the Kantian philosophy to it's logical conclusion which is the completion of the Concept of Experience, identified as Time itself (ZeitGeist). That is, Human Time, initiated by Human Desire, as the Absolute Subject constructing itself rationally via reflection on it's Object-negating activity or creativity, not in the classical notion of a rational Time as existing somehow outside or independently of a Subject).

Kojeve's reading however, though convincing in it's demonstration of anthropologically necessary Historical development toward Hegelian 'harmony' between Subject and Object, leaves out Hegel's attempt at the absolute identity of the Object itself. This can be read in two ways that Kojeve touches on. First, in the truer-to-Hegel sense that the Object is necessarily different from the Subject to ensure the ability of the Subject to realize itself as Self, as free Subject of Object-negating, creative, activity. Another way to read this is as simply Kojeve's dismissal of Hegel's Philosophy of Nature and it's more cosmic attempt at spiritualizing the notion of matter. Either way, as many Hegel commentator's have noted, one is left, though certainly further enlightened as to the nature of subjectivity, with a sense that there is still something 'out there' and unknown, ala Kant's 'thing-in-itself'. This can be understood as the Heidegger-influenced side of Kojeve's reading.

My own conclusion at the moment is that both Hegel and the existentialist school following him ala Heidegger and Kojeve can be understood as essentially philosophers of subjectivity in the Western tradition who have rationally illuminated, but also exhausted the questioning of the Self about it's nature. As our great contemporary philosopher in the Continental tradtion Jurgen Habermas has noted, it's high time to move beyond the philosophy of monological subjectivity. For fresh thinking in this area and where to pick up the pieces after Hegel, Heidegger, Kojeve, etc. (rather than taking the nihilistic road of 'post-modernism') I highly recommend Habermas's _The Philosophical Discourse of Modernity_. Habermas as successor to this line of thought is convincingly stated in the opening chapter "Modernity's Consciousness of Time and It's Need For Self-Reassurance" and in his call for moving on to a paradigm of "Intersubjectivity" and Reason understood anew as Communicative Action.

Raymond Benson's James Bond Bedside Companion provides an excellent analysis of the entire James Bond series, including the films and the novels. This edition was originally released in 1988, and it has not been updated to the present. As a result, some of the information is quite dated. Of most notable development is the fact that Raymond Benson himself has since taken over as the author of the James Bond literary series.

Nonetheless, this is overall, an informative work. Benson provides a chapter on Ian Fleming's background. Of particular note is a chapter in which Benson pieces together the biography of the James Bond character. This is reminiscent of John Pearson's Unauthorized Biography of James Bond. Benson provides an excellent analysis of the James Bond novels. He identifies trends in Ian Fleming's writing nad points to specific examples of what he calls the "Fleming Effect." For hard core fans of the novels this section is excellent. Benson includes analysis of the works of Ian FLeming, Kingsley Amis, and John Gardner. Curiously, many of the apparent criticisms that Benson had of Gardner's work, he is guilty of committing in his own novels. The film analysis is also excellent. Benson provides detailed analysis of every film through the Living Daylights.

It should be noted that this book will probably not be of much appeal to the casual James Bond fan. Benson tries to provide an in depth analysis rather than focusing on the superficial. Of distraction to the hard core fan, are occasional factual errors that appear to be the result of sloppy editing. Additionally, the quality of the text and photos is generally poor. The formatting of the text is somewhat erratic with occasional omissions of glaringly obvious punctuation. The photos are all black & white. The photos are generally blurred. This appear to be the result of poor printing.

Overall, the quality of the author's analysis is generally educational and informative. However, the production of the actual book borders on shoddy. An excellent reference work for the hardcore fan, but if you're looking for color photos of Bond girls and gadgets, then you should look elsewhere.

If you're a fan of the movies or books but haven't ever read anything about them, this is the place to start. If you have read lots of other stuff, but not this, shame on you. You'll still learn a lot from The James Bond Bedside Companion, and you'll find that it is THE essential guide to all things Bond, books and films, all in one place. I have just about everything ever published on Bond in English (and that's a lot of books), and this is the one that I'll pull off the shelf first if I want to look things up. Every Bond fan should own it.

If you want only one book for your collection on the bond series this is it!! A masterpiece volume with great research and colorful themes by MR. Benson. My children are now reading this book and watch a Bond movie each month and refer to this book for details/information. Its great that this out of print book is available again for all to enjoy!! BOND JAMES BOND

Former Mayor of Boston and U S Ambassador to the Vatican, Raymond Flynn draws a very personal and intimate portrait of Pope John Paul II. Through the various events, incidents and celebrations narrated with meticulous detail and color, the personality of the Pope comes alive to the reader. The impact the Pope has had on the average American public is truthfully brought out. This book will be of interest to an American Catholic who would be able to identify the personalities from American politics and Catholic religion, at the same time can feel along with Flynn in his admiration for this man of God. Indeed it's a smooth and delightful reading worthy of the Pope as well as of the Ambassador.

I have read many books about His Holiness Pope John Paul II, and this is by far the BEST book I have read about the Pope. It is very easy to read. Infact, once I started to read I could not stop until I finished the book. When I was done...I could not stop crying. Former Ambassador Flynn did an outstanding job in giving his reader a rare and personal glimpse of the Pope, that other authors who have written biographies about His Holiness simply cannot convey. I especially found the stories of the mother who lost her son, and when the Pope offered Flynn money stating it was not church money, but the Pope's own money to help pay for the medical bills of Flynn's oldest son very moving and touching. For those who have never met the Pope...after reading this book you will feel as if you not only met him, but have known the Pope as an intimate friend for years.

Ray Flynn has taken from his many experiences with Pope John Paul II and put together a highly interesting read. This is not your typical biography, although each stage of the Holy Father's storied life is mentioned. This book gives you the Pope up close and personal, in both his public and private dealings. What an absolutely incredible man this Karol Wojtyla is!!

OK, we've all seen at least one of the movie versions of H.G. Well's The Time Machine, but none of them truly compare with the oringinal Sci-Fi classic. The book tells the story of the Time Traveler's journey nearly a million years into the future and the very unexpected and disturbing society he finds there. The Time Traveler formulates various theories based on what he observes of the society, which each, in turn, prove to be oh, so wrong! [Warning: mild spoiler] In the end, his realization of the future is especially terrifying considering it is the result of our current social structure (or H.G. Well's, anyway).

I especially recommend this book for those of us with short attention spans - it's only 140 pages (and that's the large print version). But don't get the wrong idea, this book still has more depth and creativity than most 500 page books i've read and is a great read, even compared with today's science fiction standards.

This book has to be considered a classic considering it spawned a whole genre of time traveling books, movies, and tv shows whcih imitated it. Get a hold of a copy and read it today!

Having recently seen the 2002 film version of "The Time Machine," I decided to pick up the book and get reacquainted with the story. As I suspected/remembered, the film departs greatly from the book (and not for the better). For those who have only seen the film, take the time to read the original story. You'll be glad you did.

That story is about the Time Traveller and his journey into the very distant future - to the year 802,701 AD. The Traveller chooses to go out of pure curiosity, hoping to see what the future had in store. What he found seemed like something out of the past.

The semi-humans he encountered lived in an era not unlike the Bronze Age, with limited communication skills and little else. These Eloi seemed content to while away their time, without a care in the world - except when it was dark. For at that time the other semi-human species, the Morlocks, emerged from below...with a taste for Eloi.

The Time Traveller struggles to understand how mankind could have degenerated into such a state of affairs. His distaste for the Morlocks and their actions (including the theft of his time machine) soon causes the Traveller to confront them, with disastrous consequences for both.

Generally accepted as one of the first Science Fiction stories, it is believed Wells was also using the story to advance his criticism of the capitalist system. Specifically, the story relates what happens when one group of people is continually subjugated by another higher, elite class. Wells' tale of the fractured relationship between the Eloi and the Morlocks is his warning of the dangers of allowing such a system to continue unabated.

All politics aside, the story remains excellent. Although written more than a century ago, it has lost none of its power or appeal. It is also a short read, at less than 150 pages, and is also very "readable" - despite its age the story does not seem at all antiquated. That Wells was able to accomplish this in the 1890s is no small feat, and is an indication of his prowess as an writer.

Five stars.

"The Time Machine," by H.G. Wells, is the story of an adventurous inventor who builds the fantastic device of the book's title. With this marvelous device he travels to the year 802,701 AD, where he discovers a vastly changed humanity.

This book is a great classic--it's a science fiction landmark written with both brains and heart. Despite its short length it really has the scope and flavor of an epic--think of it as a miniature epic. Wells achieves a flawless blend of horror, mystery, adventure, and social satire as his traveler explores this strange new world. Wells' superb descriptive language really brings this bizarre future to life.

For some stimulating companion texts, try Octavia Butler's "Kindred," David Gerrold's "The Man Who Folded Himself," and Edwin Abbott's "Flatland." "The Time Machine" is one of those great classics which remains both enjoyable and thought-provoking; it's perfect from its evocative opening sentence to its heartbreaking final sentence.

Raymond Benson has done something that no other Bond author has done. He has taken the literary James Bond into the film business. This was a bold move for Benson, seeing as some of the hardcore Bond fans might not like the idea. However, this bold move deserves the highest praise. It not only provides for a new realm that Bond has never been to. It also makes NEVER DREAM OF DYING a great read.

After a botched raid on a French film studio, James Bond is under pressure and having to deal with lots of red tape. However, an unusual breakthrough in the Union case puts Bond back to work. The mission will send him to France and Monaco where he will meet up with an assorted cast of characters. Some these characters are the lovely Tylnn Mingnonne, his long-time colleague Rene Mathis, and even his father-in-law Marc-Ange Draco. To add Draco in the storyline to close up gaps that Fleming left was another brave move on Benson's part. Yet, it worked out and was a pleasant and unpleasant part of the story. There are many elements to NEVER DREAM OF DYING which make it great. Buy the book to find out.

Raymond Benson took a chance with this fine book. It was well worth it though in my opinion. Benson has remained true to the original Bond of days of old. Most people seem to dislike this. This is merely because they are so used to the action-filled films, that they cannot appreciate Bond for the way he was created. To see Benson keep true with the Bond of Fleming's day earns him praise not only for this great book, but for being a great, bold and innovative author. NEVER DREAM OF DYING is a great book for many reasons. Bond's first outting into the film world makes NEVER DREAM OF DYING a book that you should buy.

As a long time 007 fan, I have just re-read all of Raymond Benson's Bond novels in the proper order and have some reflections on his entire series through "Never Dream of Dying." First of all, Benson is not Ian Fleming and readers should get past that expectation before beginning. He's not John Gardner, either (thank goodness!). That said, I believe Benson has come the closest to Ian Fleming of all the post-Fleming writers in that he has truly captured the essence of Bond's character and the universe in which 007 operates. It is a fantasy spy world, not based in reality, just as Fleming's was, but like Bond's creator, Benson keeps the main character very human. Benson's Bond makes mistakes, shows fear, feels pain, and is melancholy much of the time. At the same time, Benson has brought in many elements of the Bond film series (I have read an interview with him that states that he and the Ian Fleming Estate agreed that this would be the approach to take). Therefore, Benson's Bond is a mixture of the cinematic and literary Bonds, and for me, this works splendidly. I have seen some fans object to this or that but it seems to me that these fans are not getting past personal expectations. Bond is many things to many people. Benson, a long time Bond scholar and author of the excellent "James Bond Bedside Companion" knows his stuff. He has nailed the Bond character. Some have complained about his writing style. Benson is no Fleming, as stated earlier, but his style is succinct and easy to read. His books flow quickly and are highly entertaining. "ZERO MINUS TEN": Benson's first book has one of his best plots, but it suffers slightly from being a "first novel." His writing is at its weakest here, but that said, ZMT is a wonderful Bond story. It is very Fleming-esque with its Hong Kong location, characters like Guy Thackeray and T. Y. Woo and Li Xu Nan, and its descriptions of food, mahjong, and Triads. When reading ZMT, one is immediately aware that this is a harder-edged and darker Bond than perhaps what we are used to. For a first effort, it is very, very good. "THE FACTS OF DEATH": Benson's second book is more film-like, it feels like an EON Productions movie story. The plot is more "fantastic" in that it deals with a secret criminal organization called the Decada that is run by a crazy mastermind. The writing is improved, though, and in many ways this is a more entertaining book than ZMT. What is especially interesting is Benson's development of the "M" character and her relationship with Bond. "HIGH TIME TO KILL": My personal favorite of the bunch. This is a classic Bond novel in every sense of the word. The first half is fairly predictable cinematic-Bond stuff, except for a very Fleming-esque opening and 2nd chapter golf match. The second half, however, shows Benson hitting his stride and finding his own voice with a truly original departure from what is expected. As Bond and companions climb one of the highest peaks in the Himalayas, the action becomes more like an "Into Thin Air"-type story. It's authentic spy-stuff amidst an environment that is cruel and harsh. This is a thrilling, un-put-downable book. "DOUBLESHOT": Another departure from the norm, as Benson appears to be experimenting with the structure of a Bond novel with this one. The first chapter is the ending of the book told from the different perspectives of several characters. The rest of the story begins in the past and catches up to the ending, and by then we are hooked. In this story, Bond is not well, he is injured, he is not working at full capacity, and this is what is interesting. "Doubleshot" is the middle book of a loose trilogy (beginning with "High Time to Kill") and it is darker and more introspective than the others. Some fans apparently didn't get it, but in many ways, this is Benson's most courageous book. "NEVER DREAM OF DYING": Another great one, right up there with "High Time to Kill," in terms of glueing a reader to the page. It's an excellent plot, tying up the trilogy that Benson began in HTTK. In this book, one can see the blending of the cinematic and literary Bonds more than in any other entry-- a lot of the action is very movie-like, while the storyline and characterizations are more like the Fleming novels. The moods and settings are the best that Benson has done, and the love interest is perhaps his strongest. The real stroke of brilliance in the book is what the author has done with the character of Bond's father in law. A very engaging book. My five-star review is based on Benson's series as a whole. Each book may not be a 5-star book on its own, but I don't think any of them are less than 4. Benson has put his mark on the Bond literary series. Fans who don't like him tend to focus on one or two aspects of what he does-- his writing style, his dependence on the cinematic elements, whatever... I feel that they're not seeing the forest for the trees. In my humble opinion, Raymond Benson has brought new life to the series and I hope he continues the books a long, long time.

As a long time 007 fan, I have just re-read all of Raymond Benson's Bond novels in the proper order and have some reflections on his entire series through "Never Dream of Dying." First of all, Benson is not Ian Fleming and readers should get past that expectation before beginning. He's not John Gardner, either (thank goodness!). That said, I believe Benson has come the closest to Ian Fleming of all the post-Fleming writers in that he has truly captured the essence of Bond's character and the universe in which 007 operates. It is a fantasy spy world, not based in reality, just as Fleming's was, but like Bond's creator, Benson keeps the main character very human. Benson's Bond makes mistakes, shows fear, feels pain, and is melancholy much of the time. At the same time, Benson has brought in many elements of the Bond film series (I have read an interview with him that states that he and the Ian Fleming Estate agreed that this would be the approach to take). Therefore, Benson's Bond is a mixture of the cinematic and literary Bonds, and for me, this works splendidly. I have seen some fans object to this or that but it seems to me that these fans are not getting past personal expectations. Bond is many things to many people. Benson, a long time Bond scholar and author of the excellent "James Bond Bedside Companion" knows his stuff. He has nailed the Bond character. Some have complained about his writing style. Benson is no Fleming, as stated earlier, but his style is succinct and easy to read. His books flow quickly and are highly entertaining. "ZERO MINUS TEN": Benson's first book has one of his best plots, but it suffers slightly from being a "first novel." His writing is at its weakest here, but that said, ZMT is a wonderful Bond story. It is very Fleming-esque with its Hong Kong location, characters like Guy Thackeray and T. Y. Woo and Li Xu Nan, and its descriptions of food, mahjong, and Triads. When reading ZMT, one is immediately aware that this is a harder-edged and darker Bond than perhaps what we are used to. For a first effort, it is very, very good. "THE FACTS OF DEATH": Benson's second book is more film-like, it feels like an EON Productions movie story. The plot is more "fantastic" in that it deals with a secret criminal organization called the Decada that is run by a crazy mastermind. The writing is improved,though, and in many ways this is a more entertaining book than ZMT. What is especially interesting is Benson's development of the "M" character and her relationship with Bond. "HIGH TIME TO KILL": My personal favorite of the bunch. This is a classic Bond novel in every sense of the word. The first half is fairly predictable cinematic-Bond stuff, except for a very Fleming-esque opening and 2nd chapter golf match. The second half, however, shows Benson hitting his stride and finding his own voice with a truly original departure from what is expected. As Bond and companions climb one of the highest peaks in the Himalayas, the action becomes more like an "Into Thin Air"-type story. It's authentic spy-stuff amidst an environment that is cruel and harsh. This is a thrilling, un-put-downable book. "DOUBLESHOT": Another departure from the norm, as Benson appears to be experimenting with the structure of a Bond novel with this one. The first chapter is the ending of the book told from the different perspectives of several characters. The rest of the story begins in the past and catches up to the ending, and by then we are hooked. In this story, Bond is not well, he is injured, he is not working at full capacity, and this is what is interesting. "Doubleshot" is the middle book of a loose trilogy (beginning with "High Time to Kill") and it is darker and more introspective than the others. Some fans apparently didn't get it, but in many ways, this is Benson's most courageous book. "NEVER DREAM OF DYING": Another great one, right up there with "High Time to Kill," in terms of glueing a reader to the page. It's an excellent plot, tying up the trilogy that Benson began in HTTK. In this book, one can see the blending of the cinematic and literary Bonds more than in any other entry-- a lot of the action is very movie-like, while the storyline and characterizations are more like the Fleming novels. The moods and settings are the best that Benson has done, and the love interest is perhaps his strongest. The real stroke of brilliance in the book is what the author has done with the character of Bond's father in law. A very engaging book. My five-star review is based on Benson's series as a whole. Each book may not be a 5-star book on its own, but I don't think any of them are less than 4. Benson has put his mark on the Bond literary series. Fans who don't like him tend to focus on one or two aspects of what he does-- his writing style, his dependence on the cinematic elements, whatever... I feel that they're not seeing the forest for the trees. In my humble opinion, Raymond Benson has brought new life to the series and I hope he continues the books a long, long time.

Raymond Benson has done a superb job with his own Bond series,combining the modern film Bond with the classic Fleming Bond.(its a shame that it appears that he won't be doing anymore)His novels are all fast paced entertaining reads.His novelisations of the Brosnan series have almost always improved on the movies-adding alot of character moments as well as a great deal of depth and dimension to the villians.This one,however,reads like a great action movie.The pace is relentless as it is basically one giant action scene after another following a shocking beginning where we see 007 as we have never seen him before.Now as a movie this will be alot of fun to see but as a novel it seems to be over much too quickly(I finished it in a day). The character moments Benson usually puts in his own series were few and far between because of the incredible pace of the story . While this works on film you end up missing these moments on the printed page and waiting for a little break in the action.That being said,this is filled with one incredible scene after another.In fact,you end up smiling and cheering just as you would in the movies.The action sequences are all original and exciting and 007 is better than ever...coming through the most harrowing experience he has ever been through on film.If this plays out as written it will easily be Brosnans best Bond film to date.Benson captures the feelings of a "Bond movie on paper" perfectly.This may not have the depth of his original stories but it has all the fun of the movies.
If this is his last Bond novel he has gone out in style.

Raymond Benson has been a Bond fan for years. That being said, Benson took the film's script and elevated the material to a point where it at least has plausibility and some style perhaps out of respect to the memory of Ian Fleming. Also, the focus in the novel is on James Bond, not computer generated stunts (that's rather hard to do in a book any way you look at it). This is a great improvement over the various plot elements and this time out they work. I was pleased that we got something good out of this last Bond movie.

Raymond Benson returns with quite possibly some of his best writing ever! After the okay-good The Man With The Red Tattoo, he returns to write Die Another Day in a superb style of description, action and nonstop 007 adventure! Rumors are flying that he may be giving up his role as the 007 author, if it is true he leaves with a bang.

Die Another day begins with Bond in Korea to disrupt the evil Colonel Moon and his henchman Zao. They are purchasing diamonds and have a great deal of deadly machinery in his demilitarized zone. Bond infiltrates the zone to result in a explosion of diamond shrapnel scarring Zao's face and a deadly chase with Colonel Moon of hovercrafts over a minefield. Bond is captured by General Moon, (the colonel's father and is held responsible for his death. A year passes by with Bond in a tortured state being traded for freedom with Zao. M meets Bond and tells him of her dissapointment in him. Bond then searches for Zao down in Cuba and meets NSA agent Jinx. Bond discovers that Zao has been under gene therapy to alter his face in a clinic on a nearby island. Bond traces the island to a one Gustav Graves, an eccentric millionaire that owns diamonds and has a local ice palace in Iceland. Bond challenges Graves to fencing in the Blades Club, where Bond wins and meets the ultra-cool icy princess Miranda Frost, Graves personal assistant. Bond is equipped by Q and sent out to Iceland by M. While in Iceland Bond meets up with Jinx and discovers the Gustav Graves has created the ultrapowerful satellite Icarus, which canharness the Sun's power. He later confronts Graves where he makes a startling discovery that Miranda Frost(while earlier claiming to be a British agent) is now against Bond. A magnificent chase enthralls with Zao, Graves and Frost running Bond down. Jinx and Bond discover that Colonel Moon is in fact Gustav Graves the same person. Jinx and Bond find out that Graves is going to destroy his demilitarized zone with the Icarus in order for the takeover of all nearby countries to make Korea an unstoppable power. Bond kills Zao in the ice palace and rescues the stranded Jinx, where they aboard Graves plane to stop the crazy Korean. Jinx and Miranda Frost break out into a exciting thrilling fencing fight with Frost succumbing to the sword of Jinx. Bond and Graves battle on the now crashing plane, where Graves is killed by being pulled into the planes wing. Bond and Jinx escape via helicoptor aboard the plane. Meanwhile we are allowed to see thanks to the 3-D machine the ultimate fantasy of Moneypenny to love James Bond. Bond and Jinx safely land in a temple where the story ends.

Raymond Benson has truly written a masterpiece here. All bond fans will love the exciting tale of James Bond 007!

~The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a fascinating and adventurous book about a boy named Tom Sawyer. He has a major crush on a girl called Becky Thacker. In this book, Tom goes to an island with two of his friends, attends their own funeral, and look for treasure! Tom sees Injun Joe a killer with treasure. He wants it, but his only clue where Injun Joe hid it is that it has something to do with number 2. Tom is now lost in a cave all alone with Becky. Can he find his way out of the cave and~~ the way to the treasure? I agree with Mark Twain's decisions and ideas. I believe that I would be doing the same thing if I were in his position. His decisions are able to happen; yet The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is such a good book. I would recommend this book to people who like adventurous books, and likes classics. It leaves you at so many cliffhangers that you can help but read all of it at once, for the people who like cliffhangers.~

Tom Sawyer was one of the best books. It was good from the becinning to the end. It was exciting,suspenseful, and adventurous. I recomend this book to all ages. Kids, because they canrelate to the characters. Adults, because they can relive there childhood, and remember hoew they were when they were kids.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is about a 12 year old child who gets into a lot of mischief. Tom has many adventures with his comrads Huckleberry Finn, and Joe Harper. Between feeding the cat painkiller, falling in love with Becky, getting engaged, whitnessing a murder, finding burried gold, conning his friends into whitewashig a fence, running away to an island, getting into trouble, and much more Tom Sawyer is a timeless classic.
Tom Sawyer taught me a lot. At first I thought The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was going to just be about a kid whitewashig a fence, but I learned that it has meanings behind the story. One was that kids should be able to be kids, and parents should let them be kids. Also you better enjoy being a kid whial you still have the chance. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer will always be one of my favorite books.

127 years after its initial publication, Mark Twain's The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer (1876) remains the definitive account of American boyhood. Bright, sassy, dauntless, charming, and shrewd, Tom embodies the archetype of every healthy, mischievous, and extroverted American boy.

The book's plot, probably better known to most readers today via cinematic versions of the story, is uncomplicated. Tom tricks and antagonizes his beloved, easily outraged Aunt Polly, develops a frustrating crush on young schoolmate Becky Thatcher, tricks his pals into doing his chores, reinvents himself as a pirate on the Mississippi, and, with Huckleberry Finn, runs afoul of Injun Joe when they unexpectedly witness a murder in a graveyard at midnight. Like every good story with a traditional structure, the narrative offers a series of contrasts, here between the comfortable, familiar, sunlit world of St. Petersburg and the events that occur when curious Tom strips back daylight's veil and peers into the community's secret life.

Interestingly, with The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer, the clever Twain was writing about present day (1880s) America, but simultaneously already portraying that era in nostalgic, sentimental terms. Thus, today's readers may find in a double nostalgia in the novel: the first, their own, focused on a longing for America's mythological "simpler times," and the second a reflection of the homey, intimate, bumpkin - , eccentric - , and "character" - ridden American small town that Twain provided for the readers of his own era. By writing so powerfully about boyhood, Twain offers readers of all eras yet another powerful provocation towards nostalgia: that for one's own lost childhood, youthful initiations, and passages from innocence into adulthood.

The novel contains seductive, lulling passages of great poetic beauty, such as the following: "He entered a dense wood, picked his pathless way to the centre of it, and sat down on a mossy spot under a spreading oak. There was not even a zephyr stirring; the dead noonday heat had even stilled the songs of the birds; nature lay in a trance that was broken by no sound but the occasional far - off hammering of a woodpecker, and this seemed to render the pervading silence and sense of loneliness the more profound. The boy's soul was steeped in melancholy; his feelings were in happy accord with his surroundings. He sat long with his elbows on his knees and his chin in his hands, meditating. It seemed to him that life was but a trouble at best, and he more than half envied Jimmy Hodges, so lately released. It must be peaceful, he thought, to lie and slumber and dream for ever and ever, with the wind whispering through the trees and caressing the grass and the flowers of the grave, and nothing to bother and grieve about, ever any more."

However, most of the book is written in a tone of buoyant theatrical artificiality: in episode after episode, Twain carefully sets his audience up for the punch lines to follow, and does so in a fashion that unabashedly reveals his own calculation as well as his intention that the reader be able to predict exactly what is to come. Even the narrative's tragedy - leaning moments are eventually punctured by corny, charming, tongue - in - cheek humor which seems to suggest that life, when well balanced, is primarily a pleasant affair of straw hats, freckled skin, rolled - up dungarees, molasses candy, indolent summer days, fishing tackle, white picket fences, and lovely chintz wallpaper.

A defining moment in American literature, the Adventures Of Tom Sawyer is an evocative, light, and fanciful book littered with shrewd social commentary and fragments of wisdom and insight composed by an American master at the height of his powers.

This brilliantly crafted novel of epic proportions, tell of the adventures of Professor Pierre Aronnax, his servant Conseil, and Ned Land, a Canadian harpooner, as they are held captive aboard a submarine by a mysterious man who goes under the name Captain Nemo. Although they are in a sense prisoners, they are allowed to use all the facilities aboard the submarine. This submarine, powered by nuclear energy and christened the Nautilus, is one of Verne's many brilliant predictions of modern life made throughout many of his works. This like may others was correct. Through out the book, the reader gains a vast knowledge of marine life, and the lives of people in distant lands.

The book begins when Professor Pierre Aronnax, the narrator of the story, boards an American frigate commissioned to investigate a rash of attacks on international shipping by what is thought to be an amphibious monster. The supposed sea creature, which is actually the submarine Nautilus, sinks Aronnax's vessel and imprisons him along with his devoted servant Conseil and Ned Land, a temperamental harpooner. When they are returned to their senses, the find themselves inside a dark, gloomy, desolate, endless, predicament. They are locked in a cell. However they soon meet Captain Nemo who agrees to let them move about the ship freely on one condition. They must remain aboard the Nautilus. So begins a great adventure of a truly fantastic voyage from the pearl-laden waters of Ceylon to the icy dangers of the South Pole, as Captain Nemo, one of the greatest villains ever created, takes his revenge on all society.

The detail that Verne pours into this book is amazing. This is one of the few books that are capable of making the readers feel that they are actually there. His descriptions of how the Nautilus operates, how Nemo's crew harvests food and his account of hunting on Hawaii are excellent, and the plot never falters. The characters are wonderfully scripted; each one having their own unique personality, and they are weaved flawlessly into the awe filled spectacle.

This is the book that predicted that there would be submarines, and that submarines would eventually go to the South Pole. It predicted the development of the SCUBA suit; it even predicted nuclear powered ships. The technology used in this book makes it easy to understand even today. This book is widely recognized as a classic- in my view, correctly.

A scientist, his sidekick and a big strong sailor are going to have their lives changed forever when they are sent to capture a giant octopus. But, instead, they fall overboard and find out what they think is an octopus is really a giant submarine with a Captain Nimo and a crew that speaks their own language (which the trio calls "the submarine language")! In this submarine, they go on millions of adventures like: tunneling through blocks of ice in the antartic, zooming through tunnels from sea to sea, and seeing every different kind of fish you could ever imagine. The only problem is the scientist's sidekick joins with the big sailor, Ned, and together they try to escape. They have many of their own adventures too, like when they try to escape the first time and they almost get caught by cannibals. The second time they escape and write a story which you will read if you want to read it and it's called, "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea". If you're looking for an adventurous book that's exciting and funny too, then just read the book I did a review on. Lindsey (age 9)

I loved this book and I would recommend this book to anyone. I think you should read this book before you leave High School. On a scale of one to five, one being the worst and five being the best. I would give it a five. I really enjoyed this book. The characters were very realistic and had life and emotion so you could relate to the characters their fear their joy and their sadness. They are three-dimensional characters. Not some flat two-dimensional characters who not feel and just act. It's easy to see why it's a classic. The book has a lot of action and adventure and even some mystery and lots of suspense. If you love any of these things, you should read this book. I found the way Conseil talks strange. Talking always in the third person I mean. Who actually goes around calling themselves by their first name? Looking up all the different animal and plant names that appear in this story must have taken forever as well as knowing where all these places were. He amazing he can fit all this information into one book an make it interesting. From reading this book, it refreshed my memory of the places in the world. The time from they were captured until they escaped only lasted six months. It seems to see all that they did see would have taken over a year. They did travel 60,000 miles. 1 leauge = 3 miles. Over all a great book and I loved it and you will to. Its a good sized book but don't be intimidated by it once you start its hard to stop.

Benson's third Bond book takes a slightly different twist on the standard Bond adventure. Gone is the old formula and what remains is an author finding a comfortable writing style that reminds one of Fleming, while still being new and enjoyable.

Just like all the earlier Bond books, HTTK is a quick read, never really slowing pace too much. The first half of the book is a typically good Bondian adventure, but once the locale changes to Nepal, the book changes to a slower pace. Benson takes you inside Bond in a way that Gardner was never able to do. Bond's general dislike for parts of his job are felt, and his cold ruthlessnes shows why he survives.

In my opinion the only flaw to Benson's newest book is the uncomfortable discriptions from many of Bond's companions. Some seem to be little more than a recorded playing of a tourist book. Fleming could always get inside what makes a location tick, while Benson is just not there yet. Yet along side this criticism, I must say that I enjoyed the Doctor's talk about the hazzards of mountain climbing.

Although many will criticize Benson as being an amateur, his Bond books are well plotted and believeable. I look forward to the rest of the trilogy and wish Benson luck with his growth as a writer. While HTTK is an experiment in the 'Bond' style, it is much more succesful than anything Gardner tried, or Fleming's The Spy Who Loved Me.

CHris

This has lost the original Bond ways. For one thing, the book starts as a foul mouth convention and soon turns into bloody combat rather than real action scenes. Alot of it is more like adventure and has an odd plot: The Union is a criminal orginization that takes on jobs to rich. When England made the special airplane hull called Skin 17, the Union set out to get it. The microdot was put in a pacemaker to be sent to the buyers of the microdot but when the carrier's plane crashes in the Himalayas, Bond and a group of climbers head out to recover it. The climbers, though, are infested with undercover Union killers who plan to meet with another expedition so they can do the microdot business. Bond finds out and foils it but in the midst, gets hurt alot. This is even wierder than On Her Majesty's Secret Service!

In High Time To Kill, Bond is back and more saturnine and human than ever, thanks to author Raymond Benson. For those of us who first caught the Bond bug through contact with the original Fleming canon, this third outing by Benson provides all the gratification of the Ian Fleming sweep, sadism, and sex. Benson's Bonds incorporate the action and gadgetry from the films with the flair of the early literary 007. Benson also continues to pay homage to the Bond creator by craftily weaving elements from Bond's Fleming yarns.

High Time to Kill presents 007 with the task of tracking down the stolen "Skin 17" - a classified military innovation. From an assassination in Bahamas (ahem... not Fleming's home, as mentioned in the Kirkus review) to a beating in Brussels, and on to a suicidal expedition atop the Himalayas, Bond shows his toughness while discovering just what might be his limit of courage and endurance. It's all there - the women, the escapes, the allies and the introduction of Bond's newest enemy -- the arch-criminal organization, the Union.

With his first two Bond novels, Benson established his capabilities as 007's new progenitor. Now that the honeymoon's over for Mr. Benson, he's proven that his talents as a storyteller are no fluke. We can now leave the Fleming comparisons behind and continue to look forward to more Benson Bond. Keep them coming, Raymond.

ZERO MINUS TEN is Benson's first Bond novel and it's quite good. I particularly enjoyed the lengthy description of the Mahjong game, Bond's ordeal in the Australian outback, and that fact that his villain is kind of a drunk. Iove read and re-read all the Fleming and Gardner Bond books, ... Benson really knows his Bond. But if you're looking to just sample a Benson/Bond, I recommend you leap right to his third book, HIGH TIME TO KILL, which is his best so far. Then, if you get hooked, continue through his "Union Trilogy" with the next book DOUBLESHOT, then pick up the concluding chapter this summer (as far as I know it's called NEVER DREAM OF DYING, but this could change). Then come back and read ZERO MINUS TEN and THE FACTS OF DEATH which are equally good.

In "Zero Minus Ten" we finally have a post-Fleming Bond novel that almost makes you feel you are reading the real thing. Reading John Gardner's James Bond novels, I got the impression that I was reading a caricature of Ian Fleming's master spy -- almost a Bond in name only. But now we have a new Bond author -- Raymond Benson, a James Bond expert (a director of the Ian Fleming Foundation and author of "The James Bond Bedside Companion"); and in this new Bond thriller one can almost imagine Ian Fleming's hand guiding Benson in telling this timely story revolving around Britain's returning of Hong Kong to the Chinese, and a villain's attempt to keep it from happening. Benson makes Bond come alive again (finally!) -- those passages in Fleming's novels providing interesting historical information and giving Bond the opportunity to reveal his vast knowledge are back in Benson's tale, and they are as refreshing as the ample action scenes. Make no mistake: this is a modern-day 007, but he retains so many of the old James Bond's characteristics that I got the feeling Bond has "grown" rather than "changed." By the way -- the story itself is a good one, but what I enjoyed most about this novel is that I could really imagine Ian Fleming having written it. For that alone, thank you, Mr. Benson, and I hope you will continue to add to the 007 experience

Raymond Benson is no Ian Fleming, but this version of Bond is fantastic nonetheless. The plot is intriguing and plausible. Bond's character is a nice return to Fleming, instead of the implausible waste of Gardner(except Cold Fall). One thing that is a nice change from the series is that we don't know who the bad guy is at first. And I won't tell for that'll ruin the surprise. The storyline revolves around a series of increasingly violent and aggressive incidents; i.e a solicitor killed in a car bombing, a floating restraunt with executives being blown up, the murder of two Chinese politicos; that threaten the peaceful transition of Hong Kong. I love the action in the Hong Kong Bank. The characters include the British superspy James Bond; a seductive dancer Sunni; a Triad crime lord or Cho Kun, sadistic Chinese General Won; T.Y Woo, Bond's contact; and Guy Thackery, the President of a EurAsia Enterprises. The violence explodes into a plot to nuke Hong Kong. My first Bond by Benson. A must-read for any Bond or spy fan.