I first read this book when I was about 13 years old, and I have reread it countless times. The characters in the book are a lot like my friend were in high school and I feel I can relate to Desiree.

I read this book the first time when I was 15 - now I'm 17 and have read it about 5 times. I love it! Everytime I read I can't put it down, and I always end up crying my eyes out. It is so well-written and I would love to hear what happend to Desiree and all the other characters. I know I'll never forget the amazing story.

I first read Walk Through Cold Fire AT THE AGE OF 12. I checked it out from the local library and didn't want to give it back. For years I searched for a copy. I finally found it at a used book store when I was 18. I wasn't even looking! Now I am 25 and I have read it more times then any other book. In fact I just finished it again today. I have always been a rebel and everytime I read it I see myself as Desiree. I recommend this book for any girl from the age of 12 and up.

Don't let the dismal fact that this book is twenty-zillionth on the bestseller list discourageth you.... it is well worth orderething.

I first came to this book through the published endorsement (hence, not personal) of the great C.S. Lewis, who made his first reading of the Well in November of 1914. He read it many times thereafter.

In my ONE reading of the two volumes, I can attest to the fact that this is a beautiful story, a rich fantasy, a vibrant fairy-tale with no fairies. Among other things... a love story. Strictly speaking, as regards genre, it is a "romance". The chivalric, bardic story of Ralph of Upmeads, the least likely of the King's four sons, who devotes his life to the quest of the Well at The World's End... a fabled well which promises to reward its discoverer with perpetual youth.

If you are in love with Tolkien's The Lord of The Rings (and who isn't) you should definitely consider having an affair with The Well At The World's End. Let me defuse the daunting issue of Morris's use of archaic language. Be ye warned, in every sentence you will constantly encounter words such as forsooth, hitherward, quoth, whither, rideth, erstwhile, deem, draweth, betwixt, and I wot not else. At first I thought this would be really intolerable. But I quickly adapted to it, and even found it kind of "not vile".

Remember... Volume 2 is essential. It's NOT a sequel, it's a conclusion. Get both volumes, and escape the world of car horns and remote control for a bit.

I applaud this new re-issue of what is definitely a fantasy classic. Previously, one had to search a hundred used-book stores to find it. Now it's a click away.

And as regards it's place on the bestseller list? I am reminded of the wise words of the great Henrik Ibsen, who once suggested that "the solid majority is always wrong."

I rank this book up there with the Gormenghast series and the Lord of the Rings. A fantasy masterpiece, it is the precursor for everything that came after. Yes, the archaic medieval language is tough to get into at first, but after ten or twenty pages it becomes natural to the mind and presents no problem. One sees that the language is part of the beauty. Overall, this book is like one of those medieval detailed tapestries, with kings, adventurers, knights and noble women trotting through forests toward distant castles. This is medieval romance at its finest, and because it dates from 1898, it is happily free of the Tolkien imitativeness that has so infected a large portion of modern fantasy. Forget Terry Brooks, read The Well At the World's End.

I've been interested in the history of fantasy for a while, and I was definately intrigued when I happened upon this title. I immediately ordered it and read it. The Well at the World's End is marvelous. Every once in a while I start wanting to read a romance, and this is a good romance. The story is pretty original and was very different for its time. The story follows Ralph as he searches for the WELL AT THE WORLD'S END. He has enemies and intrigued galor to fight through. Along the way, there is also a love story, too.

The Well at the World's End is a good read even for modern readers. It is an excellent example of "romance." It is also good just as a curiosity read. Fans of Tolkien, Lewis, and Eliot should visit William Morris's writings. Personally, my favorite thing about the book was the archaic prose. For the first twenty pages I thought it would be bothersome. After that, I was used to it and the book flowed nicely. It is sad that few people read William Morris today.

It has beautiful painted rocks in it and shows just how easy it is to paint rocks. I am not a real good painter but, I do plan to give it a try. Instructions and ideas in this book are great even for a beginner like me.

I couldn't help it, it sounded so fascinating when I was invited to a "rock party". A friend held it, and all of us got together at her place. She had a bunch of field rock, (though I've heard smooth river rock is good also) and she had cleaned them all up and they sat, waiting on her front step. We took turns choosing the rock that "spoke to us" and brought it into the house for some good old fashioned gossip and a fun project with friends. Oh, yes, we had doubts! Halfway through those rocks were UGLY, and we took a few chip and salsa breaks so we could look at them from a distance (they looked better that way- Laugh!). But- amazingly enough- when we finished the last step, perfectly outlined in the book- our rocks looked GREAT!! I actually DISPLAY mine in my little rock garden, and get so many comments on their "uniqueness". What a fun idea! And takes almost no $ to get started, if you're like me, you already have the simple materials lying around from previous projects!! Great book, simple instructions, great tips and pointers- even for the novice.

Painting Pets on Rocks is a fabulous step by step instructional book. My students (1st through 7th grade) created fabulous rock paintings following these easy-to-follow instructions.

Richard Garfield is the creator of Magic The Gathering card game. This book gives the reader an in-depth look into the game and shows the beautiful illustration that each card contains. This is a must have for all players and collectors of the card game.

If you are currently collecting or playing Magic cards, I suggest buying this book if you dont have it NOW! It is filled w/ information, fully illustrated cards, interesting facts, playing tips, etc. Also, buy the Magic Encyclopedia Volume 1.

Great book of pictures of Mirage, Visions, 5th Edition, Weatherlight & Portal. Helps alot with viewing the cards for collecting.

I saw the movie on the Disney Channel and taped it because i LOVED it so much. The movie is about a 14 year old girl named Megan LArson who loves windsurfing and a boy named Cutter. Then Ariel Cola comes into the picture. She is blonde and pretty, but does not understand " this strange place called Earth". While her father, Cosmo Cola is enjoying earth life, Ariel longs to be a bubble once again, and be Sueza of Circalon, with her beloved Phinool by her side. But things go haywire and Kathy LArson and Cosmo Cola fall in love, putting Megan's and Ariel's lives into one chaotic ride. The girls soon decide that the only thing to do is to break up their parents, and when plan after plan don't work to split up the parental units, Megan and Ariel began to like each other. To complicate things even further, when the horrible Emperor from Circalon comes to freeze Cosmo, his son Phinool finds himself falling for Megan, and Cutter finds himself falling for Ariel. This is a must see movie for kids and grownups alike. Please see this if you get a chance!

At first I saw the movie, and it was... well... O.K. But then I went To the School librarry, and I saw the book! I read the summery on the back and it sounded great! Boy was I ever right, It was great! No not great EXCELLENT!!!! I read the whole thing in about 4-5 days! And let me tell you, it was way better than the movie!Imean, and they ended differently to! In the book there is this boy who realy likes Arial and she hates him! but in the movie...well...the boy that likes Arial ends up being her boy friend! And then they do a big slopy kiss... and ... well you know!

I could not put the book down becuase the movie was so exciting. They were very active and funny, especially when Zopeut blew up the other aliens!

I found this book in 1973 at age 13 after reading a TV guide profile of the show Kung Fu. It said that the show's philosophy was based on the Taoist writings of Lao Tse. I found a copy of this book in a used bookstore and it started me on a lifelong love and appreciation of this simple, natural and profound philosophy. I have found myself turning to this book at nearly all of my life's crossroads. I am now looking for a second copy because my original is so extensively highlighted and underlined, the binding's falling apart and I want to start all over again with a clean copy.
I have since read every collection and translation of Laoste and Chuangtse that I could find. They ranged from great to bad to unintentionally hilarious. This is still my dearest and most treasured one by far. Yutangs translation is direct and poetic. I love his idea of using Chuantse's parables to expand upon Lao Tse's verses. This book should still be in print.

Outstanding translation into Western idiom of Taoist concepts. This book is especially useful for linking Chuang-Tsu and Lao-Tsu allowing the reader to develop a systematic understanding of the two major thinkers of the Taoist tradition.

There are more than one hundred translations of Lao-tzu's TAO TE CHING in Western languages, and more than forty versions in English alone. Lao-tzu speaks to those searching for a more meaningful way of life in a society degraded by economic, militaristic, modern values. Robert Henricks' translation is notable in that it is one of several new translations based upon the Ma-wang-tui texts. These texts were discovered in 1973, preserved in the tomb of an official's son. That tomb has been dated to 168 B.C.

Professor Henricks is Professor of Religion at Dartmouth College, and he is a well-known scholar of the Ma-wang-tui texts. His translation is a work of impressive scholarship. He follows the classic two-part, eighty-one stanza form of the TAO TE CHING, giving us two versions of the text, the first his bare-text translation and the other delineated with his commentary and notes. His translation is more literal than Stephen Harrison's more popular poetic rendering of the TAO TE CHING, and more scholarly than Red Pine's translation. It is easy to compare Henricks' translation to Moss Roberts' more recent scholarly translation. Professor Henricks has given us a superior translation of Lao-tzu's TAO TE CHING.

G. Merritt

This is an exceptionally well written book about the curious topic of painting animals on rocks. The author generously shares her technique for painting appealing animals on rocks. She starts with a discussion of what size and shape rock to pick and then goes on to explain every step from brush stokes to color selections. The author accompanies her detailed explainations with attractive and logically sequenced photographs of the work in process. She also includes many beautiful and inspiring photographs of her completed works. Not only does this artist show you how to replicate her work, she shares with the you how to price and market your work! After reading through this book I was able to pick a rock out of my yard and paint it to realistically resemble my calico cat. I will never again be able to walk past a pile of smooth river rock without scanning for the best 'cat' or 'racoon' rock in the bunch

The Art of painting animals on rocks is a gem! Lin Wellford is brilliant to imagine such portraits on rocks. By following her selection of rocks, to picking the exact paint brushes, I have started my own business of painting peoples' own animals on rocks! I did not know I had the talent until I used photos of my mom's dog that had passed away and Lin's guidelines. My mother thought she saw her little pomeranian curled up under her desk and was so overwhelmed at the likenees. That is what this book will do for you! And the gifts you can make for others. Buy her second book, Painting More Animals on Rocks for mor detailed portraits! A MUST FOR ANIMAL ART LOVERS!

This book is awesome! I am a novice to the world of painting. I first got the book about 3 years ago, and have since painted many, many rocks. My family will often call and request that I paint a certain animal for them. The instructions are easy to follow and are written in such a way that once you have mastered one animal, you can easily see how you could adapt it to another. I am anxious now to try the sequel to this book and indeed start painting more animals on rocks.

I began reading "On the Night of the Seventh Moon" when I was 12 years old. My sister, 2 years old at the time, tore out the last few chapters of the book. I searched for 15 years before finally finding a hard cover copy in a used book store almost 8 years ago. I have kept it in a safe place ever since and have re-read it several times. Very well written, the characters come to life and evoke a wide range of emotion in the reader. The content is appropriate for young readers without seeming "adolescent" to adults. It is without a doubt the most romantic story I've ever read and one of my most cherished possesions. I'm glad to see it back in print...just in case.

I have been in love with Victoria Holt's novels since my mother introduced me to her. I have read all of her books under her all of her pseudonyms,and and find her a thoroughly wonderful author. I feel that anyone who wants to read a good book, that will keep them interested beyond the first page should read all of her books. I have read each of her books at least three times and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys to read, 13 year old from Galesburg Illinois

This is a wonderful story, told by a masterful writer. The mystery of the forest, and the question of wether you can dream up a perfect relationship, is what makes this book good. One of my favorite characters was Maximillian's old nanny! Isn't she sweet! This book takes you through the whole spectrum of human emotions. It is a must read for anyone who likes Victoria Holt!

Robert E. Howard is truely the master of fantasy. This is the first installment of the conan saga. This book has the first eight short stories of Conans life written by Robert E. Howard and edited by L. Sprague De Camp and Lin Carter. These stories are fantastic well written swords & sorcery by the man who started the craze. The battles in the book are so vivid that you can feel the blood splashing your face as Conan cuts his enemy down. His emotions are so well written that you can feel Conans despair as he faces his greatest fears. Heck by the end of the book you miss the guy. This book has it all fights, drinks, booty, women, and high adventure. Conan was fun and entertaining to read I reccomend it to all swords & sorcery fans. If you like this book or are interested in more swords & sorcery then I reccomend these titles: the whole conan series, Brakk the Barbarian by John Jakes, Flashing Swords edited by Lin Carter(short stories), Swords and Deviltry by Fritz Leiber.

What we have in this series of books (starting with Conan, and proceding through Conan The Cimmerian, Conan The Wanderer, etc.) is an attempt to put the stories in chronological sequence, filling in the gaps from the late Howard's notes. It's a valiant effort, both respectable and respectful though it's certain that whatever demons possessed Howard and allowed him to write as knowledgably (even "truthfully") about Conan as he did do not possess Carter and de Camp.

It's too easy (and fruitless) to criticize the effort for that. The series gives you a look at Conan as he grows and matures, and presents as cohesive a picture of him as any literary (or even actual) character ever documented. Aspiring fantasists would do well to read this for an idea of how to build a lasting character.

Beyond that, the stories are just plain fun. Violent, of course, with a smattering of non-graphic... (less here than in other books), and lots of good weird stuff. Because these are short stories, you don't get the kind of cliffhangers you get from a "Tarzan" book, but you do get non-stop action from one of the best. And that ain't bad.

Besides Robert E. Howard's suicide at the age of 30, the greatest tragedy of this brutally talented writer is that his work has not enjoyed the literary praise and societal acceptance that it so clearly deserves. Howard is one of the most overlooked authors of the last century, in part due to academia's refusal to seriously study the Fantasy genre. Conan, Howard's greatest character, lives, prowls, "wenches", boozes, adventures, and cajoles among the paperback pages of this first Conan book, due entirely to Howard's distinct narrative voice.

The reader feels the flexing muscle and sinew, the weathered and tanned skin, the animal reflexes, the very strength in Conan's mercenary grip when they read these short stories - beyond Howard's brilliance at character creation, the very narrative voice is written in the tune of savage ruthlessness. No matter your sex, you can't help but boil with testosterone and reel in the wicked pleasure of cleaving cut-throats with a broadsword, because the simple and powerfully persuasive narrative voice places you in Conan's world. Howard's delicate and meticulous word choice not only provide the uniqueness of his voice - a style rich with texture, details, and cinematic imagery - but it also provides the barbarian lens by which we view his world.

The stories are often dripping with blood, but the imagery is so vivid and artistic it in no way diminishes the quality of the text. The knocked out teeth and the crimson sprays seem natural, because they're natural to Conan. Few authors have ever displayed such a profound ability at placing the reader into a character's blood, brain, and hormones. Conan, after all, is not the stereotypical Hollywood action hero - he is a character designed with his own unique combination of strength and flaws. Flaws found in all humanity. He may be built and wired like a Siberian tiger, but he is plagued with a deeply embedded fear of the supernatural. His temper often gets the better of him. When times are good and the riches spill from his saddlebags, he's a boastful braggart that earns the unforeseen whack at the end of a dark alley. When times are tough, he hits the goblet. He's everything we want to be and one of us when we need him to be.

Howard's voice and style make all of this possible. This first book in the Conan series displays that voice of reluctant role model as good as any other. Finding a copy may be difficult, but for the reader that enjoys Fantasy written at the depth and quality of literary genre fiction, the search and the expenditure will yield a bountiful harvest.

My sole complaint about this book is that it's too *#(! short. In recounting their travels, the Pardys persuade us to stop armchair-sailing and just DO it. I am about a week away from setting sail for points South in my own vessel, and owe them a debt of gratitude for having given me that necessary nudge to finally get on with it and go. If you're teetering on the fencepost, get this book. An easy read, it's sure to provide the impetus you've been waiting for.

I loved the book, but always wished there were more photos. Now I have seen the new edition, in hard cover, published by the Pardey's. It is great. They have done it for the 25th anniversary of this book. Lots of color photos, a really updated discussion of cruising costs and a really nice story about what has happened to Seraffyn over the past 30 years. The pictures of the Pardey's new boat and Seraffyn sailing side by side are worth the $2l.95 price. Unfortunately, the book will not be on the American market until June. I got one from a friend who is a book reviewer. I was told you could wait till june and get it at ..., or you can go to the news letters on thier web site, ... and order one early.

The Pardeys are well known in the cruising world. They are mostly known for their efficient and economical methods (they didn't even have an engine on Serrafyn). This book gives a great background on how they got started. The original edition of this book was written in the 70s. This new edition adds a section on current (1992) costs to proceed as they did.

The book is clear and well written. Throughout the entire book you will be asking yourself, "what am I waiting for? I could be cruising NOW!" While I would agree that it is certainly possible to do as they did, it takes more than the desire to save money. It takes the kind of character many of us don't have (including me). The character of *completely* relying on just the basics. For instance, I could not imagine...for me...having a sailboat without a motor. There is certainly something pure and noble about not having one, but I still feel it is a convenience (and safety feature) I would not want to do without.

Above all else is my favorite quote from the Pardeys. When asked how much longer they were going to continue sailing they replied, "As long as it's fun."

That's the sort of inspiration we need about all things in life.