This book wasn't too bad, but it was strange. The descriptions of Sam's memoryscape were a little too wordy at times, but I did enjoy this book. I do recommend it but, if you want to read a real page-turner by F. Paul Wilson then get The Select.

Excellent idea but stretched a little too far. The basic premise, simulation of a person's psyche on computer, is tantalising. I felt the characterisations were believable but the various twists and turns were too predictable and seemed to be deliberately laboured. I reckon the book is 2 chapters too long and would have benefited from a hard-nosed editor demanding more pace, less self-indulgent self-analysis.

This is more of a sci-fi book than a medical thriller, as advertised, for which I am very grateful. If it had been labeled a sci-fi thriller, I probably wouldn't have picked it up and would have missed out on a very good story. The idea of exploring a person's memory with virtual reality is fascinating. Wilson and Costello have combined to make this a believable premise. The characterizations were wonderful and the suspense unrelenting.

QUE must have pushed this book into print. As other reviewers have noted, one has to have dogged determination and stamina to digest this book. It presents a confusing, unrelated and diverse array of "my pet way do it" by several authors. The examples on the CD are pathetic - all lumped into one directory, no readme file(s), incomplete and therefore not runnable as-is. Example: to extract the files related to Ch 9 required sifting through the entire chapter, and then register.htm and its CGI backend were conspicuously missing. However, after bludgeoning my way through most of the book, I have extracted a small number of gems that are actually useful in real-life projects. The CD contains this whole book plus two others in HTML format. A nice idea, but each one is disorganized by a totally different team of people. There is no unified 'look-n-feel' and navigation is painful in all three books. Good as a reference, shop for it 2nd hand (and pay only what it is worth).

When I bought this book, I had absolutely no serious programming background. I was pretty accomplished in HTML, but nothing advanced. At first, the book was a bit hard. But the technique that I found helpful is to re-read each section (or each topic). I haven't even looked on the CD yet, and I'm learning loads about Perl. Also, reading this book really helps one understand some more advanced Perl tutorials on the web. It doesn't get 5 stars though, because the reader has to really be committed. This isn't a light read: get in the thinking mood when you read it.

I've read at least 6 books on perl, but if you want to specifically learn perl for websites, then this book is very good. It talks about databases (DBMs and SQL). Managing sessions and validating users, and it also talks about creating a shopping cart system. There is a chapter on CGI sercurity. Although the book was written in 1996 its a very good step in the right direction of making good, reliable CGI applications. In fact, compared to other CGI books printed in 96, this book is years ahead of them.

I'm no pro, but I can say this, this book was a fun read from beginning to end! I don't often read "adventure" type novels, and had a hard time putting this one down. Who am I to argue with Clive Cussler.

Unlike many other reviewers, I knew none of the writer's and came to the book with no preconceived notions, other than a good recommendation from a friend.

I am looking forward to the next adventure!

There are certain things I demand of my summer reading. I want it to take me places I haven't been before, introduce me to characters whose adventures I want to hear more of, and, last but not least, blow stuff up real good.

Artifact does all this, and then some. Written by four excellent authors, it has the distinct feel of something that they all enjoyed writing. It's that kind of fast-paced fun, complete with a tough heroine, exotic locales, and an impromptu course in what to do if you get too close to a shark while scuba diving for pieces of an alien gizmo. (Hey, you never know)

Artifact doesn't have a traditional slam-bang ending, which might confuse folks who are looking for something a little more Spielbergian, but the ending it does have satisfies and makes more character sense than any special effects extravaganza would have. That being said, there's still plenty of room for a sequel, and I definitely wouldn't mind learning what the Daredevil's Club does next.

After reading some of the reviews here, I think we must not be reading the same book. I agree with the quote from Clive Cussler on the book's jacket, "A page-turner with enough spellbinding intrigue to last until the authors' next tale." The story was fast; the characters and settings were
fascinating. The authors hooked me and didn't let me go until the end. I don't know what more someone could look for in a thriller.

You've heard that blogging is so simple (by design) that you don't even need a book...well this is that book.

This is an excellent and thorough resource for folks just getting started with weblogs. Some reviewers have commented that the authors take blogging a little too seriously -- but I don't think so. For me, there was added value in the author's inclusion of true blogging stories, from the impact bloggers had on communicating the events of 9/11, to the fictional blog account of a young woman dying of cancer (which was published as non-fiction and later exposed as a fraud -- the author's re-telling of this story is just right, underscoring the impact a blog can have on its readership, without being too preachy). There's no denying that blogs are among the hottest things happening on the web these days -- why not take them seriously?

That said, don't mistake "serious" for boring. The text is very reader-friendly, and the all important "how-to" sections, which cover not only blog creation, but an in-depth look at some of the most popular blog tools, are extremely helpful.

If you buy only one book about blogging, you can't go wrong with this one. I bought it in addition to Biz Stone's "Blogging: Genius Strategies for Instant Web Content." Of the two, I like Stone's book a little better, which is why I give this one only 4 stars. My preference is based solely on the fact that Stone's book is a bit more concise and amusing. Still, for comparisons of the various blog tools, this book can't be beat. This is quite a compliment, considering that the authors are some of the key folks behind, or associated with, the Blogger.com technology. Their even-handed analysis of the other major tools is thus all the more credible and helpful.

The review from A reader from Champaign, IL USA is obviously someone who knows a lot about Blogs or blogging already. If you have heard about blogs in the popular media, or have happened upon other people's blogs, this book is a great way to get started doing your own.

Admittedly, the authors might take this blogging stuff a bit too seriously. But they explained how the tools work, how to get started, and how to get beyond the basics. I was able to create a new blog, get it hosted, and added a comment system. I plan to tackle templates next.

If you are looking for a short, easy, hands-on read for the nuts and bolts of blogging, this one does the trick.

This is a book with a most appealing title (at least for me): The Bard on the Brain. I've taught Shakespeare for many years, and I'm interested in what neuroscience has to say about literature.

The book was published by the Dana Foundation which does all kinds of good things in connection with the brain, nervous system, and the diseases thereof. Ordinarily their publications are very good.

What could Shakespeare say about the brain? As any Shakespearean could tell you, not much. The book consists of quotations from Shakespeare about various aspects of the mind (e.g., Lady Macbeth's sleepwalking, Falstaff on alcohol, Jaques on aging). The book then follows up with some statements about current knowledge of this or that aspect of brain function.

I have to say that I did not expect much from this approach and I got what I expected. The quotations from Shakespeare are fine, and the commentary on them inoffensive. The statements of brain function seemed tailored to someone who barely knows that there is such a thing as a brain, extremely elementary. This is really a coffee-table book.

The best thing in the book are the gorgeous full-page photographs of recent performances of Shakespeare, the basis for its coffee-table status. Unfortunately, the editors chose to reduce the brain images in size and to pretty them up with confusing backgrounds. It is very hard to see what the commentary is referring to. The scientific footnotes are lumped together in the back in a way that makes it hard to follow out any particular point.

A disappointment. And this is intended as a word to the wise.

I was really intrigued by this book -- how often do scientists and literary scholars collaborate? This is not an academic book in the purest sense--but what's wonderful about it is that is written by two academics who are not afraid to show their love of Shakespeare and who want their work and interests to be accessible to a broad audience. The result is a fun and refreshing look at art and science, which I really enjoyed. The gorgeous illustrations are enticing, as is the often illuminating and always thought provoking commentary by the two authors. Since I am not a scientist, I was particularly taken by the brain imaging and commentary by Dr. Matthews. As a drama lover, I also enjoyed the many photos from performances of the Bard's plays.

don't buy this book 'cause the 70-216 has a defective CD in it and the publisher won't replace it 'cause they haven't made a working version yet and if you lost your receipt and not send your copy to them, they won't send you the working version when it done.

also this is what i got from the support of the publisher:

"Thanks for the inquiry. We apologize for the installation problems with the E-Book programs on the Sybex Interface of the CD. This unfortunate error wasn't discovered until after the CD had been sent to the CD replicator."

I bought Sybex MCSA Core few months ago and after reading each book only once I passed all my certifications. I didn't have nay problems with defective CD's and recomend these books for anyone interested in getting certified in the Microsoft Windows 2000 operating system.

Book is well organized and provides a good summary of one man's experience. It is not however, the last word on all aspects of loading black powder cartridges. A beginning black powder loader will find helpful information on all aspects of loading black powder cartridges. The book leans heavily towards .45 caliber but the information is equally applicable to .38, .40, or .50 cals. The book recommends many specific products and provides addresses from which the reader can order. Altogether, a valuable reference that even experienced shooters will find enjoyable.

I am a fan of the outdoors and nature literature. I bought this audio book hoping it would make for interesting listening during my commute.This tape comprises some very cheesy stories that mostly revolve around stupid men shooting things (with lame sound-effects to boot). One particularly assinine adventure involves a man who is a "photographer" awed by a majestic moose. He brilliantly decides me MUST have a close up photo of the animal, no matter the cost (including the cost of the mooses' life!)The jackass sneaks up on the moose, and the moose charges at him, and then he shoots it to death.
"Ah, yes.. that was quite and adventure, and I got the most spectacular picture as the moose charged. Thankfully, I had a second to grab my rifle." the narrator reads in wise, gravely sounding voice, oblivious to the fact that he just DESTROYED the animal that captivated him. But it'll live on forever in a photo! Ya right.
Avoid this tape if you value intelligent nature stories. If corny sounds and hunting are a passion, then go for it.