For those who will read this book and hopefully those that have proceeded it and those that will follow, I want you to know that Scott is not just my father (in-law) but my strength to carry on after my husband Joe died. Scott, my husband Joe and myself all served in VP-16, the War Eagles. Joe and I during the 80's and early 90's. We have lived through the cold war with much time spent in the air or on a rock, protecting the U.S. and her interests. We have been there and done that. When I finally do get my hands on a finished copy (I have to wait for it just like everyone else), I gobble it up in a day or two. This is a feat in its self, I have five kids 4 to 18. I can here Scott reading the story to me. His speech patterns, and having intimate knowledge of key people and his mannerisms. He brings the story to life and it is so tough to put down. I just wish a forth book was ready - I would probably be half way through it already. The excitement in his books just pours out of him in real life. He is who and what he writes about. That is what makes his books so wonderful and a joy to read. Even his dog Max makes it in the book, all 110 pounds of puppy.

Here's a recipe for a Cold War espionage thriller: Take one Naval Aviator (now a retired Admiral), another retired Admiral who specializes in covert operations, add a devout anti-communist atomic scientist and lecturer, and then mix thoroughly with a Russian scientist trying to defect to the West with alarming Soviet secrets.

Cook on medium heat while folding in an assortment of various and sundry shady characters, and a liberal body count, while passing through Scandinavia, Washington DC and Moscow. Then rise to high heat with a Learjet escaping to freedom while chased by Swedish fighter planes.

That's the recipe for "Earthbound Eagle," by Scott Lucas, former Cold War naval anti-submarine warfare flier, and author of two previous cold war international espionage thrillers, "The Not-So-Good Shepherd" and "The Zakopane Dilemma." I liked the previous two novels, but I liked this one even more. The characters are sharply defined, the dialog is realistic, the story's twists and turns are not predictable, the descriptions are vivid without being overly detailed, and the reader is treated to a tour of much of Europe for the price of the book!

Producers note: This could easily be the basis for the next James Bond movie.

This book was described as being a workbook to help plan your goals. I thought that it would be full of tips and strategies about goal-setting, and lead me through a step-by-step process. In fact, this book is nothing more than a blank journal to write goals in. It has space to write the goal, steps for achieving, and notes. There are also star-stickers in the back to put on the page when the goal has been achieved. While this book has a lovely cover, and makes for a pretty journal, it is not at all what I expected and hasn't been very useful to me.

I echo the inspirational aspects of the book given by 9/11/98 and 10/15/97 reviewers, but wanted to comment on the supurb construction of this motivational tool. It will last no matter how long it takes to set out and fulfill every goal one conjurs up.

I enjoyed the layout and simplicity of the journal. It's wonderful for children as well as adults. You're never too young to start planning your goals in life.

Comics like "Two-Fisted Science" serve nothing but a good purpose. They remind us that comics - like other art forms - can be about anything, and are not captives of the humor, fantasy and adventure genres.

A science-themed comic is especially appropriate, as the art-text combination inherent to comics would seem perfect for conveying complex/cosmic ideas. This collection features some terrific artists - notably Bernie Mireault, David Lasky, Colleen Doran and Sean Bieri - but I was a bit disappointed in the writing. Ottaviani's stories so intent on being unorthodox and different that they instead become meandering and confusing. Oftentimes I was unsure of what exactly was at stake for each story and why we should care about what was being told. And I would expect to actually learn more about SCIENCE in such a book. Also, the organization of the book into seemingly random sections, and the clumsy, unimaginative publication design diminished the effect.

I give the book high marks for effort, nice artwork, and the especially interesting portraits of Richard Feynman, but overall I'd rate "Two-Fisted Science" a noble failure.

We have given this book to various friends who have enjoyed the hard science topics in the 'comic book' format. We also have given it to nieces and nephews, who may not realize that they are being exposed to science and history. We can chat with them about it later, to see how much they have absorbed and to encourage them to reread it (comics are fun after all).

Scott Lucas has a strong military and foreign service background, and it serves him well in his first action novel, "The Not-So-Good Shepherd." Although you'd never guess it from the title, the story line's hero, Michael LAMB (is there a hidden message here in the "Shepherd" title?) is a former Navy SEAL and charter airline pilot. He and his pregnant wife, Jennifer, taking a seemingly innocent European trip, get involved in foreign intrigue, terrorism, murder, hair-raising escapes, and behind-the-scenes manipulation by powerful enemies in high places. The large cast of characters reads like a European phone book. As a former Navy fighter pilot myself, I missed any flying action, but the twists and turns in the plot, the scene shifting, the detailed descriptions of foreign people and places, the unfolding of the terrorist plot, the impending climax, and the crisp dialog throughout, kept me turning through the 310 pages long after my allotted bedtime reading. Scott Lucas, thanks -- but you owe me at least 10 hours of sleep!

Scott Lucas has done it again! His first international thriller, "The Not-So-Good Shepherd," had his hero bouncing around Europe to foil a terrorist plot. Lucas' new book, "The Zakopane Dilemma," takes place in 1982 when a new hero locks horns with "The Ax," a European industrialist manipulating a huge web of spies extending into Denmark, Finland, Poland, and Brazil. They are primarily engaged in smuggling hi-tech computers and peripherals into Communist control. Sam Abrahms teams with the military, the DEA, and the FBI to thwart the delivery of the latest and greatest, and to snag the bad guys. Following the classic plot scenario (action beginning, plot development, detail and twists, hopeless situation, action ending -- all along the way with constant scene changes), The Zakopane Dilemma also adds a few murders, a lot of snappy dialogue, and a cast of characters that could fill a small phone book. As Bette Davis supposedly said in an old movie, "Buckle up! It's going to be a rough ride!"