Some of the short stories in this collection are very good. "Soft" by F. Paul Wilson and "Metastasis" by Dan Simmons are excellent examples. Others like "The Vaults of Yoh Vombis" and "The man with a thousand legs" (sorry last reviewer) are exceedingly bad. My advice: if you find it on sale or used, pick it up and read a story or two in your spare time between novels.

Most of the stories that were chosen for this anthology were masterpieces of horror and wonder, such as "Colour Out of Space" by H.P. Lovecraft, or "Orange is For Anguish, Blue For Insanity" by David Morrell, and so I must give high praise for this terrifying collection of horror's finest. But there are also some exceptionally bad stories that were included for reasons unknown, like the preposterous "The Man With a Thousand Legs," by Frank Belknap Long, and a so-called Sci-fi story that excludes any real science called "The Vaults of Yoh-Vombis," by Clark Ashton Smith. The inclusion of these two leaves me no choice but to deduct a star from what would otherwise have been a perfect rating. Four Stars. A must read, nonetheless.

I just got done reviewing the "Sceince Fiction Hall of Fame" which I think is the first best anthology of all time. But this even though it's quite a bit newer is a close second. Don't Listen to the first reviwer "man with a thousand legs" was a great storey and "vault of Yoh Vombis" was even better. Most of the stories in this anthology are spectacular including "Hell-fire" which in my opinion is one of the best short fiction storey's I have ever ever ever read. "Nightmare Gang" was another great storey especially since I have NO respect for Koontz but with this storey credit and quite a lot is due to him, a very good piece.

Definitly a must buy!!!

Graphis has long been a showcase of commercial work in a variety of media. Graphis, via its editiors, drops off the map with this issue as mediocrity, at the very most, is established.

Graphis Nudes is surpassed by the cheesecake of the Pirelli Calendar; at least there are only twelve slices on the calendar.

Graphis has always struggled with its main invention; itself. Setting one's self up as an 'authority' usually takes a little more than Graphis currently brings to the mill.

The problem with Graphis is its appeal to 'collectors'. Advertisers have never really used, or considered, Graphis as an 'index' of talent;

As this edition affirms, there's not a lot of talent out there being shown which should be good news for anyone in art school at the moment: There's a lot of room at the top. But, do we need Graphis to demonstrate it at a cost to us? After all, isn't buying a book of 'commercial' images a validation of the lowered bar?

That leaves Graphis Nudes as a lacking, uneventful, unprovocative, sterile collection of inked images we've all seen somewhere before

Skip this edition in favor of something from Aperture's press.

This book covers a big gamma of nude photography from old to new and from b&w to color. It is not specific in it nature, except for the nudity. If your are looking for a book that cover every topic of nude photography, this is for you. If you are refined to a specific type of photography, pass on this one.

A superb selection of light sculpted nude images from some of the world's best photographers. A must for a quality collection.

This is simply the best book out there on the subject of Bible translation. It debunks the myth that we need (or should) dumb down the Bible. All you NIV addicts (as I once was) should read this.

Dr. Martin does a good job of arguing for the importance of accuracy over popularity when chosing a translation. This is the Bible we are talking about here, not which translation of Dostoyevsky capture's the essence of the author's work. The review by Trevor Jenkins below is unfair. It most certainly would not be good for Martin to endorse a translation. He picks on the NIV because it has become the de facto standard. This is the point. He is trying to steer us back to high standards when choosing a translation. The NIV doesn't cut it with the exception of "readability". But that should not be the main criteria. Accuracy should be, and Martin does a good job of supporting his argument. Should be read by all thinking Christians.

...and Martin hits the nail on the head. This' a short book but should be seriously considered by all believers.

If a translation is to be accurate, it must translate the words God used. Given that there is no perfect translation, some are better than others because of how they translate the words God used (and what manuscripts they use). In particular, on the issue of what Bible to use in churches for worship, teaching and for public readings, etc., Martin rightly points out that the more accurate the words are translated the better. Otherwise, the doctrine of inspiration is not being upheld. Still, he does not explicitly support one version over another (and even has an appendix with serious questions about the 'KJV only' stance).

On a more personal level, the issue he applies to Bible translations applies to all of us is - do we choose the Bible we like or use for some subjective reason or is it because it best fits with the doctrine of inspiration? Indeed, do we consistently apply the doctrine of inspiration to all areas of life? God has used this book to open my eyes to the necessity of doing that more than any other (apart from the Bible itself).

- Mark

I came to the anthology Miskatonic University with the expectation of finding some bad pastiche. What I found instead were some interesting stories that brought a fresh approach to Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos. Mort Castle's story, "Teachers," was a moving tribute to the late Robert Bloch. "Her Misbeggon Son" by Alan Rodgers was the more interesting of the two sequels to Lovecraft's "Dreams in the Witch House" and an interesting take on Mythos fatalism. "The Smile of a Mime" was a horrific portrait of just what sort of students might want to attend Miskatonic. All in all, a well-above-average effort for people following in Lovecraft's footsteps

I think I was drawn to this book because I wish that such a place as Miskatonic University really existed. Think of it, a place where both conventional science and the occult could be seriously studied side-by-side. Now that's an interdisciplinary approach to education....

I ordinarily do not read "theme" collections of short stories, especially when I have never heard of most of the contributors. However, in this case it works. The theme seems to have inspired the writers to do some exceptional work. It may not be Lovecraft, but for the most part it is in the spirit of the master by people who understand and appreciate his work.

There are thirteen stories (how appropriate) to this collection, plus an introduction from the President of the university. This intro in briefly describing the mission, history, and facilities of Miskatonic really sets the tone and atmosphere for the rest.
Heck, I'm tempted to mail out a transcript to Miskantoic University, Arkham, Massachusetts- if I only had the zip code....

Even though these stories were not written by H.P. Lovecraft. They are definitely worth reading. Pure fright and fun.

Whew! This is like reading four books in one as Tabio jumps between multiple storylines, spending only 2-5 pages on each before switching. One is set in present-day Mexico City and is centered on a downtrodden crime writer who gets obsessed with watching women's college basketball. Another follows a CIA operative circa 1975 as he flees Vietnam and tracks him until the present. A third is about the unionist and anarchist upheavals in Spain in the 1920s. Yet another is about Leonardo DaVinci. Most reviews I read said that it is a frustrating read at the beginning, but the end is worth it. I dispute that, as all these stories converge into what I found to be a very unsatisfying ending.

The greatest detective cracks his last case a finds out more about his past than he bargained for. Fascinating historical detail tied into a modern detective novel - buy it if you can find it

Much of the content is covered in other reviews and synopses. I found the book mesmerizing, informative, dream like. Many things I knew a little about were fleshed out in this book, such as the tragedy of Barcelona, the actual bicycle and it's a far better than average mystery too.

"Union With Christ" creates a divided reaction from the reader: The excellent research of the Finnish scholars leaves nothing to be desired. Superb, highly academic research, clearly structured, and well argued. I might not agree with all of their points, but they certainly did their homework well.

On the other hand, you have the responses of the editors, namely Braaten and Jenson. I've never seen something as incredibly void of content as this! In the words of one of my professors, this is "baloney." I always thought "responses" should contain something more than "I agree with what he said, so let me summarize it again."

Conclusion: If you don't read Finnish or German, and you want access to the breaking edge of Luther research, here's the book to buy. On the other hand, if you're looking for a decent evaluation of the Finnish position, stay away from this book -- you will be greatly disappointed.

Is this provocative work primarily a product of investigation of Luther's thought or of endeavor to ecumenical dialogue? Although the authors of this book ardently assert that in Luther the notion of 'participation' and/or 'divinization' is a central leitmotiv, it doesn't necessarily seem like that. The concept of sanctification is mentioned more frequently than that of 'participation' and/or 'divinization' in the works of Luther. And the more, while we can find incessantly remarks about sanctification from his pre-Reformation era to post-Reformation one, the proofs on which the authors rely are not seemingly so consistent a leitmotiv in Luther's thought. Of course, Luther unceasingly stressed upon the importance of the presence of God, but there is some difficulty to equate it automatically with the notion of 'participation' and/or 'divinization.' Luther seems much more interested in emphasizing 'esse-ad' aspect than 'esse-in' aspect to avoid danger of medieval scholastic ontology. His stress upon the presence of God is much more affected by his peculiar eschatological thought than concern about 'being' that has been accentuated throughout this book by the various authours. So, while we may agree there is a similarity between Luther's thought and Eastern Orthodox in 'participation' and/or 'divinization,' there is a considerable difficulty to think that it is his central leitmotiv that governs all other thought in Luther. In spite of such a defect, this is the book one must read if he want to get new insight in Luther scholarship. In my opinion, it is inevitable for any serious Luther reader. While Luther by Oberman is still remained unsurpassed and unrivalled, this work can be regarded as second only to Oberman's work in recent Luther scholarship.

I was really interested in this book for two reasons. First, it allows modern Lutherans (LCMS and LCWS) to move away from their typically myopic, one-sided christology that sees the incarnation in Anselmian terms wherein Christ is born to "pay the price" to satisfy the wrath of an angry Father who needs to punsih someone to let us off the hook for our sins both original and actual, thus pitting God's love against His justice. While there is some truth to this theory of atonement, it is far too narrow. It hardly is representative of the great tradition of the Church (or the Scriptures).

The second benefit of this book is that it sets the groundwork for productive talks between Eastern Orthodox and Lutherans. For the Orthodox, God's economic dealings with humans in Christ extend far beyond the satisfaction model of the West. Following the Scriptures and the Fathers, the Orthodox stress that God became man that man might become God. For the Orthodox, the humanity's end and purpose is theosis, or deification. Union With Christ deals explicitly with this theme in Luther, and so opens up a welcome path for dialogue.

Other books of similar interest include: Salvation in Christ: A Lutheran-Orthodox Dialogue by John Meyendorff (Editor), et al; Heaven on Earth: A Lutheran-Orthodox Odyssey by Robert Tobias; Christus Victor by Gustaf Aulen; Common Ground, by Jordan Bajis; and On the Incarnation, by Saint Athanasius.

Enjoy!

I gave the book four stars for it's uniqueness.The author was simpathetic to the subjects but still conveyed the shocking nature of thier lot in life.

People with oddities or deformities are often overlooked. This book lets the viewer learn about the kinds of people we would be afraid to look at. He treats them as special and unique. Some of the pictures were hard to believe.

This book presents B2B e-commerce through the eyes of Microsoft. It is not a technical book on the architecture to use to conduct B2B instead a business strategy book. However, it does present three case studies on B2B technical (.NET) architectures to use. In particular the servers : Windows 2000, Commerce Server , sql server and Biztalk.
The focus of the book is the business case for implementing B2B for any small or large company. The core of this is the ability of the technical (.NET) architecture to increase revenue or decrease costs. B2B and in particular procurement can lead to increased sales ( instant globalised company due to the global nature of the internet) and cheaper procurement costs through automation of buying processes.
The book is a business book that is able to justify the technical infrastructure needed for implementing a B2B solution. Most Microsoft Press books have historically been technically focused. This book breaks away from that tradition and is amost in the format of a Harvard Business School Press book. However, this is still an element of technical focus through the case studies presented.

Microsoft Press has always produced books about Microsoft's products, but rarely has a book been produced about how and WHY you should be using them. Also, it doesn't spend all of its time selling you - it actually shows great strategies and how to apply technology to them. Keep it up!

Thunderbolt! is ace pilot Major Robert S. Johnson's own account of his days with the celebrated 56th Fighter Group over Europe during World War Two. Johnson's very personable narrative takes the reader from his boyhood days in Lawton, Oklahoma, where his fascination with aviation first developed, through flying lessons, his enlistment and training with the air force, and his many missions over Germany behind the stick of a P-47 Thunderbolt.

The cockpit of the large, sturdy and power Republic P-47 is the setting for a large portion of the book. Missions flown over Germany against the deadly Luftwaffe pilots and their superb planes are covered in the first person in gripping fashion. Though his recollection of events after ten years cannot be completely accurate, the author nonetheless describes tense battles in remarkable detail, down to the combat technique of each adversary. Besides his own experiences, the author also relates hair raising stories of colleagues who ditched at sea, bailed out over enemy territory, suffered catastrophic equipment failures or were in fact killed.

Though military pilots are often categorized as arrogant and self-centred (necessary traits as the split-second demands of aerial combat require the pilot to be unhindered by self-doubt), Johnson's storytelling is uniquely free of pretense and self-adulation. In fact, using his easy and informal writing style, Johnson has included his misfortunes and blunders for the reader's amusement. It should be said however, that Johnson's descriptions of battle are a little too fond, and he sounds entertained by killing. A disappointment is that Johnson does not tell curious readers what personal qualities, habits, or techniques he thinks caused his spectacular twenty-eight vietories with zero planes lost. The book also lacks the technical content which a nostalgic reader would enjoy.

Thunderbolt! is an enjoyable autobiography of an otherwise ordinary boy who, despite failures, went on to become a very gifted pilot. Perhaps Johnson's story says what kinds of fellows a large number of Air Force youths were, and so gives a more personal description of the military pilot to supplement one's historical knowledge.

Bob Johnson describes more than the P-47, he describes the men who flew them and the things they did to get into battle. Johnson, a top scoring ace, in the league with Dick Bong and Eddie Rickenbacher failed the gunnery test at the end of fighter school with a score of 4.7 percent but was sent to battle with his unit. In his first battle he pulled off, thinking his plane had a problem because he had never fired all six of the guns on the plane at one time. He tells of how men died when the P-47 went into compressibility dives, a condition unknown before and how they met the ME-109 and FW-190 fighters, head to head and won. He tells how he came to love the fighter that could bring him back, with hundreds of bullet holes and some cannon shells imbedded in the seat armor, certain death for the pilot in most planes. But not in the heavy P-47.

The Ultimate Dinosaur is an ambitious book, one that seeks to alternate sections on the latest theories on the origin, lives, and deaths of dinosaurs as well as pterosaurs and prehistoric marine reptiles, all written by such noted experts as George Olshevsky, Sankar Chatterjee, and others, with dinosaur-themed science fiction short stories by such authors as Charles Sheffield, Gregory Benford, and Harry Turtledove. A great concept.

Unfortunately it was rather unevenly carried out. The non-fiction sections are quite good, though a few are relatively dry to read. I did learn a few things reading these sections, and alone they just about make the book worthwhile. There were some interesting discussions over the relationship of prosauropods and sauropods for instance, and there was a great article on migrating dinosaurs.

However the short stories vary alot in style and quality, some quite good, other more moderately decent, and a few frankly terrible and hard to get through. The short stories and non-fictions are paired together, and it looks like they found it difficult to find a short story to put with some of the non-fiction sections.

Though this may only apply to the hard-cover edition which I have, I feel I must point out the book was either poorly edited, which I find suprising, or poorly published. The book was replete with words that were run together, misplaced punctuation, odd gaps in sentences, and even misspelled words. They were so common at times that it was jarring and irritating. While many books have one or two such errors, there were many of them in this work. Hopefully the paperback version cleared this up.

Having said that though this was still not a bad book and a worthwhile one to get, though frankly I would not place at the top of the list of books to fill your dinosaur needs. Still, wouldn't be bad to have either.

I have always been a big dinosaur lover, and in this book, Silverberg, Dobson, and Zimmerman really bring these creatures to life. I loved every page. This is a book for both kids and the paleontologist.

big names in science and sf coupled with top paleoartists!