As usual, I enjoy Joe Dever's works. But one thing I find very annoying about this book is that there are too many errors. Most common errors are incorrect section entry to turn to which spoils the story. I usually read each section and find the one that is most consistent with the previous section then mark the correct section entry. However in this case there are too many errors and I do not have patience to do all the corrections

I read this book before I really got inot the Lone Wolf scene, but it still remains the ultimate in gaming for me. The way Dever gives you so many options is quite astounding. I have never read a Lone Wolf book like this, and I doubt I ever will again.

With the fall of Darklord Dakushna of Kagorst, his foul sorcerers, the Nadziranim, took control of the might city-fortress as well as its neighbor Akagazad. Civil war rages within these walls as the lesser reptilian Darklords, the Xaghash, fight for control of the city fortresses. It is widely believed that the legacy of the Darklands will never haunt Magnamund again... But legend holds that the reason why Dakushna's weapon, the Doomstone of Darke, disappeared, is not benign. Legend holds that a Nadziranim stole the Doomstone, the most terrible of the seven doomstones created by the evil dragon Agarash the Damned in the Age of Eternal Night, along with the Nyras Scepter, a magical stave that held the Doomstone. The vile Magnaarn, a Drakkar general, has recovered the Nyras Scepter, which reappeared in the wars, but the Doomstone is missing. Legend holds that it is imprisoned in the Temple of Antah, and that Magnaarn is dangerously close to finding it. If the Doomstone is recovered, it can force any of the dozen chaotic Darkland cities to cede to Magnaarn their forces. Refusal would result in immediate destruction, so if Magnaarn recovers the scepter, the good land of Lencia could lose the lands of Nyras and Zaldir, its rightful territory... You must journey to Western Magnamund, and thwart Magnaarn, or Lencia is doomed..

The Prisoners of Time is a book that needs to be read by any fan of Lone Wolf or Role-Playing in general. The Story is, Lone Wolf was on the brink of recovering the last three Lorestones of Nyxator when suddenly, his arch-enemy Darklord Gnaag cast him and two of the Lorestones into a Shodow Gate. Lone Wolf arrives on the Daziarn Plane, an astral world connected to Magnamund. To get back home, Lone Wolf must first find the last Lorestones and then a Shadow Gate back to Magnamund. There are many wierd creatures to react with also. The Beholder of Yanis, Serocca, Lorkon Ironheart and the evil Chaos-Master to name a few. But the climax comes at the end of the adventure when you meet your old nemesis....well..I'm not going to give it away..buy the book and find out for yourself

On the brink of obtaining the final 3 Lorestones of Nyxator, Lone Wolf is sent into the abyss by none other than Archlord Gnaag-and ends up in the Dazhiarn! Guide Lone Wolf throughout this place and through meetings with various inhabants and recover the final Lorestones! However, an old enemy is now holding them and doesn't want to give them up-especially to his imprisoner!

With the Lone Wolf series going off the rails a bit in the New Order Series, it is nice to see a real masterpiece of fantasy gaming like this which has been written by an author still in his prime. A cracking read, one that I would recommend to most young teenagers if they enjoy role playing adventure books

The Deathlord of Ixia is certainly one of the most well-written books in the Lone Wolf series. Following up Lone Wolf #16, The Legacy of Vashna, The Deathlord of Ixia takes the reader to the icy word of Ixia, where the Deathlord has been released and the entire fate of the universe you know rests on your hands. From the climactic voyage to the doomed city of Xaagon to a spiralling voyage through time and dimensions to the Plane of Darkness, the reader will be catapulted into agreeing that Book #17 of Joe Dever's immensely popular series is indeed a masterpiece

For a game book, Lone Wolf is certainly outstanding. The detailed discription, charachter options and everything makle it truly excellent. This book was no exception, and certainly one of my favourites. I especially like that you are able to finally deal with Tagazin. Just one thing though: Ixiataaga is impossible! I've tried at least fifty times, and I cannot defeat him! :-P

This is one of the excellent Role-playing books by Joe Dever. In it you must travel to a distant land because there is a disease being created that could wipe out all of Sommerlund, Durenor, and the Lastlands. Armed with the Sommerswerd, and a small vial with an antidote to the plague you must thwart the plan to destroy all of humanity.

Peace has reigned supreme in Sommerlund since the demonic Darklords of Helgedad were decisively defeated by the legendary Lone Wolf. Yet, in other parts of Magnamund, evil continues to stir. It is up to Lone Wolf - now a Kai Grandmaster - to undertake yet another quest in the hope of thwarting one such threat: the Plague Lords of Ruel are planning to unleash a lethal bacteria across the world. Armed with a choice of various weapons, and his awesome Kai Disciplines, Lone Wolf must somehow infiltrate the festering stronghold and ruin the Plague Lords once and for all! This Gamebook is indeed one of the best in the series, and a pleasant surprise to those veterans of the Novice/Magnakai predecessors. A great beginning to the next stage in Lone Wolf's adventures, complete with a fascinating storyline and new game rules. I'm now reading the fourth stage, where other fully fledged Grandmasters take up the mantle and proudly follow in Lone Wolf's footsteps. Keep them coming, JD - contrary to your publisher's hasty opinion, the gamebook genre is NOT dead!

First of all, a great title! It is enough for even the occasional fantasy reader to stop and examine. On the whole, 'The Plague Lords of Ruel' was a great sequel to the Magnakai Quest (books 6-12). For even though the Darklords are defeated, Lone Wolf soon learns that the despised Cenerese Druids are up to their evil tricks again. They plan to unleash another plague! This is an interesting premise, as Joe is describing in more detail an ancient evil responsible for nearly destroying the Elder Magi centuries ago. As ever, the odds are stacked against Lone Wolf, and he must overcome all in his attempt to infiltrate the inhospitable land of Ruel, gain entry to the city of Mogaruith, and prevent such a catastrophe from occurring. A superb gamebook, one of the best in Lone Wolf Grandmaster. The monsters stretch the imagination, while a finale leaves you breathless. New rules are added to spice the continued adventures of Lone Wolf. Memorable, and fantastic!

I had great hopes for this comic novel with the comparisons made to Hiaasen on the book jacket- unfortunately the psuedonymous Wolf doesn't quite compare. Some of the offbeat, bizarre characters are present (ie, an ANGRY kangaroo in downtown Detroit) but I felt they could have been used to a fuller effect. I liked some of the dialogue and the pace was fine (kept me reading) but it just didn't have enough laughs for me to recommend it. However, at least I now know why Hoffa is never going to be found.

... for mystery fans, tough guy fiction fans, mafia wannabes (you lookin' at me?) and anyone who enjoys a well-written novel with unique, quirky characters. The only other author who comes to mind is Elmore Leonard.

Give this book a try - I can't wait for his next effort.

I was not sure about this book but the title caught my eye.After the first three pages I was hooked.The characters are so well written,I thought they were in the room with me.When the Don's will was viewed,I laughed till my side hurt. If you are looking for one of the great works of fiction you will have to look elsewhere. But if you want a book that is light,funny and just plain fun this is the one for you!I read it in a day.

This compilation contains tradition books covering the Sons of Ether, the Virtual Adepts, and the Order of Hermes. The first three are two of my most favorite traditions so I was very excited about the overall bundle. Since this volume is essentially three books I will go over each one of them separately.

The Sons of Ether book was very entertaining to read. It was presented as a introductory issue of the Etherites' science journal 'Paradigma'. Their form of science and history was discussed in detail and served as a strong foundation for their tradition's past. Discussion on their paradigm was limited and could have been elaborated on more. In terms of actual game statistics, new rotes, and devices, there really wasn't much. I was expecting a lot more wacky procedures and neat gadgets.

The Virtual Adpets' book really showed its age. This book was written before the Internet went mainstream and before digital music was in. The VAs indulged themselves in MIDI music and BBSs. There was a strong impression that most VAs were arrogant hackers who cared too much about being elite. If that is what you are looking for than this book delivers well. Their history section was nicely done. The information was delivered as emails or chatroom logs. Much like the Etherites' book, this one only had a handful of new rotes and gadgets. Despite its age and a few flaws in terminology, it was still an entertaining and somewhat useful book.

The Order of Hermes tradition book was the best one in the bundle. Not only was history described, but detailed initiations, the Order's structure, the many Houses, and their paradigms were discussed. This book had a lot of very useful information for both players and storytellers. There was so much information that the authors had to leave out the standard 2-page templates in the back.

The overall compilation was a fun read. This book is tough to find so only search for it and acquire it if you are interested in the 3 traditions. Otherwise, stick with the other two tradition books.

This book features the out-of-print tradition books for the Sons of Ether, The Virtual Adepts, and the Order of Hermes. The first two represent my two most favorite traditions so I was very excited to acquire this book.

The Sons of Ether book is a very fun read and does a fine job in showing us that some of the Etherites are not crazy mad scientists. There paradigm was discussed but could have used more work. The list of rotes and devices was short and could have used more additions.

The Virtual Adepts book really showed its age. The book was written before the Internet became mainstream and before digital music was introduced. The book portrayed the VAs as a group of arrogant hackers who relished anarchy. It's a good book for players who want to run with the stereotype but is not quite as good for those who want to play something more varied. The list of rotes and devices was brief and could have used a few more additions.

The Order of Hermes book was the best one in the compilation. Not only was their paradigm thoroughly discussed, the internal politics and dynamics of the Order was also presented in great detail. The Order is more diverse than most players would think. They have a house that is very similar to the Syndicate and one that is like the Hollow Ones in addition to many others. Despite the diversity, they all share the Hermetic paradigm. The amount of useable player information was enormous and helpful.

This compilation was entertaining to read but could have used a few improvements in the Etherites and the Virtual Adepts' sections.

If you, for any reason, want to play either an Order of Hermes or a Virtual Adept this is the book to read. There are somany misconceptions about these two for new players, how to fit them in, what they can and can't do, the politics of variouse groups ext. that it's almost become a required for the games I play and ST. The Sons of Ether have a great section as well that explains a great deal about the group you wouldn't think about. And even if theres no interest for the traditions inculded, the book makes a good and intertaining read for those who don't want to play. I'd say it's a good buy all around.

I Have read most of Anne Perry's novels and I am a great fan. All of her books are set in England of another era. Anne Perry has two different settings and main protaganists. The first series and most popular is The Pitts(husband and wife) a detecting team in early Victorian England. Her more recent series features Inspector Monk in the late 1800's. "The Sin of the Wolf" features Inpsector Monk and with this book, Inpector Monk has finally reached a point where he is a likable character, in prior novels Monk is portrayed as a good person but not one who you could warm up to. With this novel, Miss Perry makes you like him. There is one more very fascinating aspect to Miss Perry's novels and that is the research she has put into them. When I read anyone if her books I feel like I am getting a very accurate description of not only the times and the people but the way they acted towards one another. England was a very class oriented society and these novels force you to recognize how man has treated man over the centuries. I should explain, I read mysteries constantly, 2-4 a week, I have read most popular and unpopular authors out there. What keeps me coming back to a certain author is the characters, if I like them, then I want to read all their adventures, so if you are like me, then Anne Perry is a great find

Anne Perry has done well on the bestseller lists every time her books have come out. After reading this book, I can see why. This is an incredible, breathtaking book. Hester Latterly has been accused of killing an elderly woman in her charge on a train from Edinburgh to London. Things get progressively worse for her when a private detective who is a close collegue of hers comes up with very little to prove her innocence, but a light at the end of the tunnel does eventually appear. Anne Perry brilliantly describes England and Scotland with vivid detail. She even brings the village she lives in in Scotland, Portmahomack, into it. There is a great deal of psychological detail, but keep reading. The end left me with my mouth hanging open. One of the very best historical mysteries I have read.

This is easily the best entry in the Monk series. The mystery was great, and the personal interplay between Hester, Monk and Rathbone was excellent. This was also the book where the emotion between Monk and Hester finally wins out over their reserve with each other, and the results are endearing. A must read for anyone who likes this series and these characters.

The authors have got their premise correct, but in my opinion miss the point in their conclusion. Many of the chapters (especially the one on Bangalore) do not really come to grips with the point of the argument. The title is about the triumph of "Capital" and the betrayal of "Work", a tantalizing title and a true statement in this age. They failed to expand their argument and prove their point.

This book takes economics out of abstract textbook equations and applies it to government, culture,etc.The book makes good use of statistics,for things like concentration of wealth among different income levels and the average wage increases through the years of all kinds of education levels.It is explained why cultural differences can make one country more competitive in one area than another, and other ways in which culture impacts economics and vice versa.For example, Indians are credited with drawing corporations with their close family ties:there's usually someone to watch over the kids while Mommy or Daddy takes another shift, and there's no day-care expenses or parents taking time off to be with a sick child. Finally,it's not too technical and it's a whole lot more interesting than some economic material I've digested.

A great primer on the post-coldwar economy where the balance of power has shifted dramatically in favor of capital over labor. Wolman and Colamosca contend that the mobility of capital (in contrast to labor), has lead to a shifting of the balance of power between capital and labor. The "average worker", including many of our best and brightest, will continue to see their plight worsen as the nation as a whole prospers. A very readable if not distressing account of the consequences of our world view where the market-gods reign supreme.

The second book in the Lone Wolf Grandmaster series, 'Captives of Kaag' draws our Kai hero back to the Darklands - although, this time, it is a place of civil war and destruction. With the passing of Darklord Gnaag, the remnants of Drakkarim and Giaks are fighting for control of the cities. At present, the evil Nadziranim wizards are by far the largest influence over this chaotic anarchy. As the internal struggle continues, Lone Wolf must brave the hideous terrors and perils of Kaag in order to rescue his magician friend Banedon. However, as the gamebook progresses, this bold Kai mission reveals a more sinister shock! This is one of my favourite Joe Dever gamebooks, and marvelled at the former Darklord Empire, now reduced to warring factions - and yet still poses a sinister threat to Lone Wolf. It was clever how Bandeon's abduction provided the basis for a dastardly plot to conquer the rest of Magnamund. As ever, Joe's imagination in creating a variety of ghastly monsters, a cleverly devised combat system, and a tough challenge, offers the player an exhilerating adventure. It proves he is the undisputed crowned king of gamebooks. Magnamund and Lone Wolf are certainly the best cult fantasy inventions of recent years.

Look at the cover. Does it not look nice? This book describes the development of Ragnar Blackmane (a known Warhammer 40k character) from a normal human into one of the Emperor's finest: a Space Marine! For those who love Space Marine armies of the Warhammer 40k tabletop miniature game, this book will give you an inside view of the process of becoming one of the Imperium defenders. However, do not expect epic battles and truly Space Marine missions against overwhelming odds. Chances are, that if you like the Space Marine armies in Warhammer 40k, you will love this book for its additional background information in how a Space Marine is tested and selected from normal people. Otherwise, if you want epic battles choose Into the Maelstrom, the Gaunt novel series or Dark Imperium.

Space Wolf is a introducing book to the WH40K universe. In my mind this was almost designed for the new fans of WH40K or even the outsider who doesn't know what WH40K stand for.

The story is simple and has a few twists, but it is lavishly detailed, and there is a subtle humor throughout the book, making it fun to read. But where it really shine is from the fact that a outsider of WH40K could pick this book and enjoy it as much as a hardcore fan, and that, for WH40K novels is almost impossible.

In my mind, if there would be ever movie about WH40K (I think that Exile Bloodquest is abandoned) it should be Space wolf. The character (Ragnar) from the beginning know nothing of the WH40K universe, and we tag along as he discover, and appreciate this universe.

Hardcore fan wont like the simplicity of this book, fans will like to learn the whole background to the Space wolf Chapters, and will enjoy the story.

But a outsider will learn what WH40K is about and hopefully will give a interesting taste and curiosity of the WH40K world. For this unique feature, it has to have 5 starts, Anyone looking at buying his first novel should buy this one.

THIS WOULD HAVE TO BE ONE OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS BECAUSE OF ALL THE ACTION AND SUSPENCE. IF YOU LIKE GOOD SCIFI THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU. EVEN IF YOU HAVE PLAYED WAHAMMER 40K BEFORE OR YOU HAVENT EVEN HEARD OF IT. IT WAS REALY INTERESTING HOW THEY DESCRIBED THE PROSSES OF BECOMEING A SPACE MARINE,AN HOW THEY DESCRIBED THE WOLFEN. TO FIND OUT WHAT A WOLFEN IS READ THE BOOK.