This is a great book for those who are grounded in and familiar with the gift of prophecy and the prophetic ministry. If the reader is unfamiliar with the fact that God still speaks today, he/she is most likely to never want to be a part of the prophetic ministry after reading this book. The book does a fair though sometimes un-biblical job of explaining when God isn't speaking through someone, but really doesn't explain positive examples of prophecy. Bevere does a wonderful job of explaining how Idolatry in the heart can taint words from God as well as other flags that prophetic people should be watching for in their lives. But over all he paints a negative picture of the ministry today, and many people will pick this book up and throw the baby out with the bath water. If you are looking for a good book on how God speaks today through his Church and through people, I would suggest that you pick up Jack Deere's Surprised By The Voice of God. It is much more scholarly and more scriptural centered. I believe that Deere is also releasing another book in early 2001 titled A Beginners Guide To Prophecy, though I haven't read this book, it will most likely have the same sound biblical context that this ex-Dallas Theological Seminary professor brings to all his books.

John Bevere is an incredible author/speaker/minister, but this isn't one of his better books. I would recommend rather his other great titles like Fear of The Lord and The Bait of Satan.

This is a wonderful work by a modern day church prophet, John Bevere. He holds nothing back in this book concerning the role of the prophet, and prophetic in the Church. A good book for the church at large and extra helpful for those who have a prophetic gifting in the Lord to keep aware of the possible deception that the false prophet might have on a congregation, and as a warning to those who are prophetic of things satan will do.

I read a friend's copy of this book and intend to buy one for myself for regular reference. The author has courageously dealt with an issue that many will rather leave untouched - false prophecies and false prophets. We all need to read it, the Bible encourages us to test all things, and that's what John Bevere tries with this book to equip us to do. And more than anything set believers free to know that they don't have to receive every 'word' that comes for fear of 'grieving' the Holy Spirit. As he rightly points out, accuracy is not enough, does the Spirit of God witness to it? Is the presence of God there? I come from a country where even the heathen and spirit worshippers give accurate predictions, but we know they are not of God. Christians must read this book, because many are living under the bondage brought upon their lives by false prophecies. It's time we woke up, and honour the gifts of the Father instead of distorting and misusing them. The responsibility lies with the believer to test what he receives and to learn to hear the voice of the Lord for himself. Thank you John Bevere for this book, it was a timely read for me as I am sure it will be for many who read it.

I have read a couple of books by Connie Mason, and usually I like most of her books, especially the older ones. This book was not very interesting, some of the love scenes were pretty good, but her trademark sensuality seems to be missing from her books now a days. I did not find anything remarkable about the novel.....though I finished reading it pretty fast.

This is the first book I have ever read by Connie Mason, and after reading this novel, it certainly won't be the last! The storyline was certainly not boring. It kept you reading. Dominic is a sexy, gallant and arrogant man. Rose is a spitfire who learns temperance through her love for the "Dragon Lord". I loved the book and reccomend it to everyone who like historical romance.

Now here's another Connie Mason book that'll definitely keep u on your toes. It's fast and absorbing. The characters were desirable even the secondary ones. Dominic and Rose are both pridefull in their own rights. They're confident, tough, spunky and arrogant. Yet both are also loving, patient and gentle. They always find themselves in the battle of wills, they clash many times but unconsciously both were looking forward to the challenge of taming each other and the process was an enjoyable read. Some of Roses antics and stubbornness were a bit off but the consequences were exciting which made this book even more compelling. There is definitely lots of challenge in their relationship, aside from the nervy political dilemma of loyalty vs. righteousness, Dominic's conniving ex-mistress, Veronica is one of my favorite parts. Her character was well done. She's the added heart wretching spice in this book. Oh, as always in all of Ms. Mason's work, the lovemaking scenes sizzles!

I also enjoyed the political conflicts of this book concerning the MAGNA CARTA & King John Lackland. He's so overbearing, false-hearted & devious. His betraying ways is so unpredictable that it scares the heck out of me! He is capable of almost anything and have the power to achieve it too. This is the added thrill to the story.

I notice a slight anachronism in terms of the dialogue but it's not excessive to distract me. I manage to by pass that flaw only because overall, this book is both sugar and spice. It's fast, funny, exciting & heart warming. One you shouldn't miss. Thank you, Ambrangel for suggesting this book to me.

Another great Flashman read, although certainly no where near as clever or funny as some of the early in the series. Some very interesting historical information as always, and Flashman is inserted into history rather well. But the scope/focus of the book is a little to narrow, and the main focus of the book really not all that interesting from a late 20th Century reader's perspective. Flashman's ideaology seems to come out rather more in this book, and its a bit of a worry from an experienced Flashman reader's point of view that he *has* one! :-) I'm looking forward to the book which details Flashy's exploits (or lack of them) in the US Civil War - I hope that will set the standad as a real Flashman classic.

As a dedicated Flashman fan since discovering the first in the series in 1974, I was disappointed. I had, of course, both to read it and have a hardback copy for my collection, but I hope Mr. Fraser isn't running out of steam or humor. Neither of the two immediately previous books (Dragon and Mountain of Light) were especially funny, but they were both fascinating and satisfying without being as contrived as this one is. I think I disliked (relatively speaking) this one for the same reason I disliked (relatively speaking) Royal Flash: it was very contrived. One great thing about the Flashman series has always been the ease and seamlessness with which Mr. Fraser has inserted our protagonist into history. Perhaps this is a preliminary to his book about Flashman in the Civil War, which I've been waiting for for what seems like forever, probably since reading Flashman's Who's Who entry in the first book. I hope Mr. Fraser writes that book next and that he does all he can to make it worth a twenty-three-year wait.

Flashman and the Angel of the Lord was my introduction to writer George Fraiser and "his" character, Harry Flashman. I was impressed and pleased. Impressed with Frasier's scholarship (the fictional Flashman's interactions with real historic persons and events is accurate, as his extensive endnotes demonstrate). Pleased with the irreverant, wholly unconventional and most certainly un-PC character of Harry Flashman.

In the Angel of the Lord, Flashman - a scandalous character "resurrected" from the 19th century novel Tom Brown's Schooldays and a self-described "bully, poltroon, cad, turncoat, lecher and toady" - finds himself aiding John Brown in his raid at Harper's Ferry. Conspiracies abound with several factions enlisting the "assistance" of Flashman to either foil the attempt or help pull it off. The misadventures of Harry Flashman as he navigates the intrigue and double-dealing combined with the Fraiser's rapier-like wit and irreverant style had me riveted to the story line while laughing out loud. I will certainly read the remainder of the "Flashman Chronicles" and I recommend this one highly.

These are the same arguments that have been around to demonize anything from the Wizard of Oz to Superman cartoon. As the argument goes, the kids can't tell the difference between kids who drive and crash flying cars and reality. So, you have to protect them from anything with that wicked imagination in it.

Given that the classical stories of Ali Baba and the Seven Thieves, Wizard of Oz, or Sinbad, or Cinderella have the exact same wonderful "what if" imaginative world of make believe principles; why not ban all children's books except those that are bible stories? Would such a sterile harsh world be happy?

As a Christian artist who enjoys reading fantasy literature, I was a bit skeptical of FANTASY AND YOUR FAMILY before I read it. I had listened to arguments against the THE LORD OF THE RINGS and HARRY POTTER and quite frankly, none of them impressed me or caused me to think. However, I was rather surprised with Richard Abanes book. The book is well researched, documented, and supported.

The book is divided into four parts. The first section examines fantasy literature in general. The second section discusses J.R.R. Tolkien and THE LORD OF THE RINGS. The third part deals with Harry Potter and the fourth section deconstructs the arguments both for and against Harry Potter.

As mentioned earlier, I was surprised at how well documented and supported this book is. Even though I have enjoyed reading the Harry Potter novels and will probably continue to do so, FANTASY AND YOUR FAMILY helped make me aware of just how large the occult has influenced the writings of J.K. Rowling. For example, I had no idea that many of the characters refered to in the Harry Potter books (not main characters, but people mentioned in history, etc.) were actual occult leaders.

This is a great book for any thinking Christian or any parent to read.

This book is an essential tool for parents and teachers who would like a better understanding of children's fantasy and see comparisons between various popular books labeled as fantasy. Despite the fact that Tolkien did not write for children and the Harry Potter books are marketed to ages 9-12, comparisons between the Harry Potter books and Tolkien's books inevitably come up. This book thoroughly reviews Harry Potter and Tolkien and shows the vast differences between them. The book also delineates the parallels between some of the occult practices Harry learns and real occultism, such as astrology, divination, numerology, and others. As a former professional astrologer and teacher of astrology who also practiced other forms of divination as well as spirit contact, I certainly have recognized in Harry Potter an endorsement of the practice of the occult and magick, even if it is presented in a make-believe context. In the back of the book, Abanes answers every objection made to the valid criticisms of the Harry Potter books and shows the flaws of the most popular defenses of the Harry Potter series, as well as responding to statements made by people such as author Connie Neal. This section reveals that arguments made against the critics of Harry Potter are usually sraw men arguments or are based on faulty reasoning and assumptions, not on the facts. This book is a great handbook for responding to the Harry Potter propaganda machine which has ignored scholarly and knowledgeable criticism of the Harry Potter books.

This is really a scientific work, but anyone with a knowlege of "Flora's" will find thier way around these books with ease. Although some of the nomenculture is outdated it is still a "Must" for the serious Cacti Species collector.

The Cactaceae by Britton & Rose is a massive, semi-technical study on cacti. It is in fact the largest collection of cactus descriptions and illustrations ever compiled. It was first published in the early 1900's and has since been an indispensible classic for anyone seriously interested in cacti. Various reprints have been made since the original publication when the four volumes have been bound into two hard cover books. The four volumes (in two books) contain 1048 pages and 1250 black and white plates and illustrations. It goes without saying if one is interested in The Cactaceae, purchasing all four volumes (two books) should be considered in order to have total coverage of the subject .. and to retain the value of the publications if you should decide to sell them at some future date. The discounted price offered here is an excellent buy in today's market on these publications.

This is a good book for preparation for mass but perhaps the best out there right now is The How-To Book of the Mass by Michael Dubruiel. It is filled with bite size nuggets about the Eucharist as well as solid notes on spiritually getting more out of every Mass you attend.

This book has become a daily devotional for me, as I am consuming it over and over again. It gives new and greater understanding of this wonderful gift, the Eucharist. It is not to be read quickly, as it is a feast to be relished. Each bite must be pondered. The author, John Kane, left a wonderful book for all of us who have need to be drawn closer to Christ through the Eucharist. When I first began reading it, I thought it too deep, and put it aside. For some reason, I came back to it, and I'm so glad I did.

While all six essays in this slender volume will prove of interest to the reader seeking more background on J.R.R. Tolkien's epic story, I found the essay by Janet Blumberg, "The Literary Background of The Lord of the Rings" especially valuable. Prof. Blumberg not only explains the influences of Anglo-Saxon literature such as "Beowulf" and High Medieval literature such as "Sir Gawain and the Green knight" on elements in LOTR, but also offers a credible explanation for one of the most remarked about elements in the books: the absence of any overt religious practice or worship. This essay alone makes this slender volume a valuable addition to the library of any Tolkien fan.

This is the central question explored by Conrad in Lord Jim. Jim is ultimately a character who inspires our sympathy due to his inability to find reconcilliation for his one tragic moment of weakness. In him we find a person of tremendous potential that remains unrealized as the tragic circumstances of his abandoning his post aboard the Patna continually haunt him and the associated guilt drives him to isolation.
Conrad successfully explores the concepts of bravery, cowardice,guilt and the alternative destinies that an individual may be driven to by these qualities.
The narrative can be a bit confusing at times as Marlowe relates the tale by recalling his encounters with Jim. The book reminded very much of Somerset Maugham's THE RAZOR"S EDGE" in style. However I believe that Maugham did a much better job of incorporating the narrator into the flow of the story. Overall LORD JIM is a wonderful classic novel that I highly recommend.

This is the fifth book I have read by Conrad, and through these readings I have come to deeply appreciate his literary power and the perfection of his stories. Conrad has the skill to border about several similar subjects, without repeating himself. "Lord Jim" is truly a Shakespearean tragedy, mainly because of the Shakespearean nature of the main character. Jim is a young naval officer with high hopes of heroism and moral superiority, but when he faces his first test of courage, he miserably fails. While 800 Muslim pilgrims are asleep aboard the ship "Patna", Jim discovers that the boat is about to sink. There are not sufficient lifeboats for everybody. Should he wake them up or not? He gets paralyzed with fear and then sudenly jumps into a boat being set up by the rest of the officers. He is taken to trial and disposessed of his working licence.

Ashamed and humiliated, Jim dedicates the rest of his life to two things: escape the memory of that fateful night, and redeem himself. This agonizing quest to recover his dignity in front of his own eyes leads him to hide in a very remote point in the Malayan peninsula, where he will become the hero, the strong man, the wise protector of underdeveloped, humble and ignorant people. Jim finds not only the love of his people, but also the love of a woman who admires him and fears the day when he might leave for good. The narrator, Captain Marlow (the same of "Heart of Darkness") talks to Jim for the last time in his remote refuge, and then Jim tells him that he has redeemed himself by becoming the people's protector. Oh, but these things are never easy and Jim will face again the specter of failure.

Conrad has achieved a great thing by transforming the "novel of adventures" into the setting for profound and interesting reflections on the moral stature of Man, on courage, guilt, responsibility, and redemption.

Just as in "Heart of Darkness" the question is what kinds of beings we are stripped of cultural, moral and religious conventions; just as in "Nostromo" the trustworthiness of a supposedly honest man is tested by temptation, in "Lord Jim" the central subject is dignity and redemption after failure.

A great book by one of the best writers.

After reading this book (along with several other of Conrad's books) I am under the impression that Joseph Conrad may very well be my favorite author. Here is another masterpiece, a deeply incisive study of character of the motivation and the ultimate failure of all high-minded ideals. Granted my own personal world view falls directly in line with this realization and therefore prejudices me towards anything the man might write, but, when considering such a lofty title as 'favorite author' one must regard other aspects of the novelist's creation. As with the others, Conrad wins by the power of his stories.

Lord Jim is my least favorite of the the four books I have read by Conrad. The story is rather scattered: a righteous young man does something wrong that he holds himself far too accountable for and the public shame the action brought him exaggerates the reality of his failure and makes him believe the rumors swirling around about his so-called cowardice. He spends the remainder of his life trying to reclaim his self-regard, mostly exaggerating his own importance in matters he hardly understands. His goal is to liberate the primitive people of the jungle paradise he inadvertantly finds himself in (due to an effort to escape every particle of the world he once inhabited) and his once high-minded ideals and regard for himself lead him to allow those people to consider him almost a God.

Jim likes being a God and considers himself a just and fair one. He treats everyone equally and gives to his people the knowledge of modern science and medicine as well as the everyday archetecture and understanding of trade that those primitive folks would otherwise be years from comprehending.

Of course everything ends in failure and misery and of course Jim's restored name will be returned to its demonic status, but the whole point of the novel seems to me that one can not escape their past. Jim, for all his courage in the line of fire has tried to avoid all memory of the once shameful act of his former life and by doing so becomes destined to repeat his mistakes.

Lord Jim is far more expansive than the story it sets out to tell, ultimately giving a warning on the nature of history and general humanity that only a writer of Conrad's statue could hope to help us understand.

If there is a flaw it is not one to be taken literally. Conrad was a master of structural experimentation and with Lord Jim he starts with a standard third person narrative to relate the background and personalities of his characters and then somehow merges this into a second person narrative of a man, years from the events he is relating, telling of the legend of Jim. It is a brilliant innovation that starts off a little awkward and might lead to confusion in spots as the story verges into its most important parts under the uncertain guidence of a narrator who, for all his insight into others, seems unwilling to relate his personal relevence to the story he is relating.

Nevertheless (with a heartfelt refrain), one of the best books I have ever read.

I enjoyed reading Frodo's Quest, and I am, in fact, re-reading it again to get a deeper appreciation of the depth of Tolkien's insight in Lord of the Rings (Lord). I have (only) read Lord three times. I first read Lord in college, next some years later and again last year before the first movie came out. At each of these times, at different stages in my life, Tolkien never failed to catch me up in the story and depth of his characters. I know that I am not alone in this, for its not unusual to meet someone who confesses that he or she has read it many more times than that. But I have often wondered why the book appealed to me so much.
Dr. Robert Ellwood who, according to his web page, is both a priest, retired college professor, and a teacher / scholar of world religions, helped me understand just why Tolkien's Lord moves its loyal readers so. Ellwood, with insightful extracts from Tolkien's other works, shows that Tolkien wove into his story the universal themes of mankind's spiritual quest. After reading Frodo's Quest, one can never again see Lord as a mere fantasy story, for Ellwood demonstrates its appeal is that, at its core, it is about our own personal spiritual search. Frodo's Quest makes use of references and quotes from psychological and religious sources to establish that Lord is a quest story in the highest spiritual meaning of that term. In this sense, Frodo's Quest will ring true to readers familiar with the works and viewpoints of Joseph Campbell or Carl Jung. The reader of Frodo's Quest, like Frodo himself, will come to realize, like we all must sooner or later, that we all live in a world that is much more than just that which can be seen or touched. More importantly, we all have a role in the eternal drama of life
But Frodo's Quest is not for everyone. It unabashedly presumes that its audience both knows the Lord books and also has a the insight / spiritual discernment to understand exactly what a universal myth is, and what it does, so it is going to put off some people of a more rigid religious outlook. But if that is the price of such insights, so be it. Frankly, I don't find the exercises at the end of chapters especially useful to most people, but they don't detract from the main message of the book. Frodo's Quest has shown us Tolkien's grand vision of mankind and revealed that Lord of the Rings' appeal is that it speaks to the Frodo within each of us, ala Campbell or Jung. Frodo's Quest is a book well worth reading over and over again.

Frodo's Quest takes the reader deep into the world of Middle Earth. It explores themes in The Lord of the Rings such as faithfulness and betrayal, hope and despair, and this world and other worlds, with great depth and provocative insight. For example, it examines the characters of Merry and Pippin, Frodo, and Bilbo as providing insight into the human stages of youth, middle-age, and old-age. Yet in so doing, it also asks the reader to compare aspects of the story with the various stages of his or her own life.
Robert Ellwood does not present an allegorical interpretation of The Lord of the Rings, but stays true to Tolkien's vision: Tolkien protested against his stories being taken strictly as allegories, but rather wanted them to be appreciated as stories in their own right. He preferred to say that they could have applicability to our lives. Ellwood guides the reader in doing just that. As a Christian, I found Frodo's Quest to be educational and inspiring, but it has been written with sensitivity to anyone on a spiritual quest, and is respectful of all faiths. Frodo's Quest is a refreshing gift for Tolkien enthusiasts, as well as anyone open to spiritual growth.

Frodo's Quest is a brilliant exposition of The Lord of the Rings myth from a spiritual and mystical point of view. The author, an Emeritus Professor of Religion from the University of Southern California and a longtime Tolkien enthusiast, is eminently qualified to interpret LOTR in a fresh new way as a universal myth that speaks to readers all over the world, regardless of their cultural background or religious convictions. Frodo's Quest is presented here as every person's quest for personal transformation and discovery. The book, stunningly illustrated, is an "application" (as Tolkien called it) of The Lord of the Rings for the open-minded reader and as a guidebook for one's own quest to destroy the Ring of dominance and sectarian limitation and to find the Undying West of peace and understanding among all peoples.

This is a simplified version of the Official Movie Guide, made especially for children. The cover is very handsome. It's a fairly small book, but it doesn't talk down to the kids. It's clearly written for a British audience but most American kids should be able to handle it. It gives a brief but good background on the movie, the characters, and the original book. Nice.

This book is apparently intended to be the equivalent for young readers of the "Lord of the Rings Official Movie Guide," which is also written by Brian Sibley (who was also the co-writer of the script for the BBC's excellent radio adaptation of "The Lord of the Rings," starring Ian Holm as Frodo). In many ways this children's version, although shorter and less detailed, is more interesting than the adult version. The "Insiders' Guide" contains some information not included in the "Movie Guide," such as the "Loom!" story mentioned by another reviewer below. Indeed, in general the emphasis of the "Insiders' Guide" seems to be a bit less on the production design of the movie, and more on the process of filming it and the experience of being on the set, than that of the "Movie Guide."

One interesting feature of Sibley's text as compared to that of the "Movie Guide" is that the chapters of the "Insiders' Guide" tend to begin with especially intriguing sentences intended to grab the reader's attention. Perhaps Sibley thinks this is more necessary when writing for children than for adults; I consider it a good technique when writing for any audience. ("Apollo 13," formerly called "Lost Moon," by James Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger, is an excellent example of the use of this technique in a non-fiction book for adults.)

Tolkien fans, and those moviegoers who have fallen in love with Peter Jackson's film, may well want to collect all four movie tie-in books: this "Insiders' Guide" and the "Photo Guide" (both intended for children) along with the "Movie Guide" and the "Visual Companion" (both intended for adults). Young readers seeking paperback books about the movie will find both the "Insiders' Guide" and the "Photo Guide" fairly good choices; the "Insiders' Guide" provides information about the movie's production and the background behind it, while the "Photo Guide" is the better bet for images from the film.

I loved it! I didn't really knew J R R Tolkiens work with his books, so I hadn't really read LOTR. That's why this book was so amazing and helped me to get to know the story behind it so I realized that wow, this was something increadible and big.