No cobbled-together overview, this is an impressive, meaty book of great integrity. Care has obviously been taken to do the research & get the facts straight. "Heavy hitters" like John Mayall, Fleetwood Mac, the Butterfield Band & the Yardbirds are covered admirably in a way that is both comprehensive & concise. Lesser known artists also appear, & when reading the book one constantly encounter players who would turn up in other places, at other times. The reader feels himself in good, knowledgeable hands from the get-go. (Martin Celmin's introductory essay is worth the price of the book in & of itself.)
It's that rarest of things, a book that is both entertaining & a solid reference work as well. The A-Z approach also makes it, as my friend Chris Darrow calls it, a great "toilet book." Meaning, I hasten to clarify, a book one can dip into whenever or wherever.
It's the first in a series, & I look forward to the future volumes.

This book is fantastic! The only thing that would make it better yet, would be the addition of a few more blues artists that seem to have been left out. (The Animals, Eric Burdon, Spencer Davis,...and WHERE is Led Zeppelin!!!...the greatest Blues rock band ever??) It is still well worth owning, if you can still get one...lots of information, and things even an avid Blues Rock fan probably didn't know. The "Introduction" is one of the best parts, giving you virtually a complete history of how this great music evolved. Gives Blues Music the attention it has deserved for so long, and never got.

The "Blues-Rock Explosion" falls into the "must have" category for all serious music fans and collectors. The book features a great mix of well known and obscure bands and artists and is full of facts and details that even the most ardent fan will not be aware of.

Having been a British Blues fan/collector/writer for 30+ years it's great having detailed information on all of my favorites(Savoy Brown,Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation,etc.)in one place. Great articles,discographies, and photos highlight a book that is hard to put down.

So grab a stack of cds,the "Blues-Rock Explosion" sit back and enjoy!

This was a well written and researched account which told the true story behind the numerous missions to rescue Bat-21 Bravo and other fliers downed during subsequent missions during April 1972. Firstly I must say I was amazed to read of the neglect shown in the passage of information and/or Intelligence between the American Air Force and Army. How this could come about or allow to continue amazes me considering it had some bearing on the lives of American soldiers and airmen and also on the prosecution of the war.

I was unaware of the full details of the rescue of Lt. Col. Hambleton and the role and involvement of Navy SEALS and Sth Vietmanese troops. I had only seen the movie 'Bat 21' before and figured that it portrayed the 'true' story - how wrong can you be.

I think the authors attempt to answer a number of questions in relation to the 'worth' of one man during the 1972 Easter Offensive is well done but I would recommend that readers should take the opportunity to read 'Trial by Fire' by Dale Andrade which offers a detailed and excellent account of America's last Vietnam battle and which could also place this episode in perspective.

'The Rescue of Bat 21' is a good, quick book (164 pages) to read, the narrative flows along and the story never gets bogged down. If you want to read about man's un-selfish devotion to duty and his fellow man during a terrible war this is the book to read. Well done to the author and well done to those men who played a part in this story, especially those who did not return.

The lone survivor (Bat 21 Bravo) of a six-man crewed American warplane shot down by a surface-to-air missile parachutes near the DMZ and seeks cover to await recovery. Heavy clouds obscure visibility, but other than that the search and rescue aircraft crews have no reason to believe that this won't be anything but a moderately easy pickup.

Coast Guard Lieutenant Commander Jay Crowe commanding an Air Force rescue helicopter drops through the clouds heading for the survivor when enemy fire comes up from all directions. The dashboard begins to disintegrate. Crowe and his copilot struggle to control the helicopter and clear the area. The crew is amazed at the scene below. North Vietnamese Army trucks, tanks, guns, and soldiers are everywhere. Bat 21 is trapped between two enemy divisions barreling across the borders in a full offensive to conquer South Vietnam. Still, the rescue attempt goes on.

As the author of "Coast Guard Action in Vietnam," I am pleased to read, not only a darn good true book about the Vietnam War, but, one that brings out the fact that Coast Guardsmen were active in that long engagement. Flying combat search and rescue was only one of their numerous missions. For example, LORAN, the electronic navigation system used to keep Bat 21 pinpointed and to place ordnance on enemy positions, was installed in the theater and manned by the Coast Guard.

Do yourself a favor, get both "Bat 21" by William C. Anderson and "The Rescue of Bat 21" by Darrel D. Whitcomb. Read them in tandem. Read "Bat 21" first. It puts you with the survivor on the ground evading capture for twelve days. Then read Whitcomb's book. It pulls back the camera to take into view the entire panorama of situation, equipment, and people, that went into this remarkable rescue exploit.

When you start the reading make sure you have a block of uninterrupted time because you may not want to stop until--the end.

Unlike the Hollywood film Bat 21, Whitcomb's book provides in-depth coverage of entire rescue effort of Bat 21, from the pilots who flew the rescue sorties to the staff and intelligence officers who planned the operation behind the scenes to the Navy Seal team who worked the effort from the ground. Anyone interested in why the SAR mission expanded so greatly during the Vietnam War and why rescues are so critical to the morale and welfare of the air services must read this book. A tour de force!

John Sherwood, author of Officers in Flight Suits: The Story of American Air Force Fighter Pilots in the Korean War

I WOULD LIKE TO THANK CALLY HALL PERSONALY FOR SUCH A EXCELLENT WORK ON GEMSTONES. THE WORK CANNOT BE DESCRIBED IN WORDS. I AM A JEWELLER AS WELL AS GEMOLOGIST, GOT QUIET IMPRESSED WITH SUCH PIECE OF ART.

Where to begin? Photos, interesting facts, chemical compositions, broad range of stones!!!! The perfect reference for jewelers, libraries, hobbyists, homeschoolers- and to all you crystal/light workers, here is an awesome way to get a view of the crystals mentioned in the text-only guidebooks. See the Rocks & Minerals guide also.

A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS AND THIS BOOK HAS TERRIFIC PICTURES AND VERY CLEAR AND CONCISE DESCRIPTIONS. EVERYTHING THAT I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE SUBJECT IS ANSWERED IN THIS BOOK. THERE'S A VISUAL GUIDE TO OVER 130 GEMSTONE VARIETIES AND A COLOR KEY FOR EVERY GEMSTONE. THERE ARE SO MANY INTERESTING BITS OF INFORMATION HERE THAT THE READER GETS A COURSE IN HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, SCIENCE AND FOLKLORE. FOR INSTANCE, THE CUSTOM OF WEARING BIRTHSTONE JEWELRY STARTED IN 18TH CENTURY POLAND; THE MASK OF TUTANKHAMEN WAS MADE OF LAPIS FROM AFGHANISTAN AND THE BEAUTIFUL PINK MORGANITE WAS NAMED AFTER J.P. MORGAN. THIS IS A SUPER REFERENCE BOOK!

Hengeyokai is an expansion to Werewolf the apocalypse. Hengeyokai is two books in one, first on the ways and culture of the eastern changing breeds. (werewolves, wereravens, weresharks, weredragons, wererats, weretigers, werespiders, and weresnakes) along with new merits, flaws, gifts, auspices (oriental auspices - leaf, steel, lantern, etc..) along with how to combine a western based game into an eastern campaign... or the other way around. The second half of the book is all about the Kitsune, or werefoxes. The mystery makers of gaia. They do not cause the delerium, they have nine tails, and their gifts of paper folding are unique to them. The reason that the two books are combined in one is simple: you can play a Hengeyokai without knowing anything about Kitsune, but you can't play a Kitsune without knowing about Hengeyokai! Two books in one is an excelent deal and a wonderful suprise to those who don't know.

This supplement to Werewolf: The Apocalypse is absolutely the best book in the series, if only because the elusive Kitsune are given the full coverage of a Breed Book. The other breeds appear, with a twist making them very different from their Western relatives. It's a perfect setting for mixing shifter types what would automatically attack each other in a traditional werewolf game. Take your gaijin Garou to Tokyo, or your Japanese Kitsune to San Fransisco...

What can I say? This is a big must-have for ANY player, it has tons of nifty little fetishes (Of the item variety) and tons of other cool crap. I mean, what can beat people who turn into dragons? Huh?

I found this book while searching for manuals on how to raise my new chihuahua "baby." He came into my life not because I had lost someone to cancer like the author, but as a last-chance effort to get over a broken heart. In the end the cause of the loss didn't matter; I could totally relate to the author, her grief and the healing power of 6 pounds of atomic puppy.

My thanks to the author for a book that was an integral part of my recovery and for validating all the feelings I thought were mine alone.

This book is not for the literary snob, or high-brow reader; however, it's pure delight for anyone who thinks they'll never love again after a loss.

An entertaining narrative of Chihuahua personality and charateristics per se, as well as an astute insight into the complexities of emotions and perceptions while restructring life after the loss of a spouse. An excellent account of canine capers and especially personal renewal, spiced with humor and tears, says it all so well!

I really related to this story as I too, lost my husband two years ago with cancer. Also my chihuahuas and cats and birds have been my salvation. I really understand where this lady is coming from. She did an excellant job of relating the real feelings one experiences with a death of a loved one. My hat is off to Mary Beth as a really great writer and may she find the happiness she deserves. I too, believe there is a connection with dog and God.Carole

Having heard of Heinie Aderholt for years, I was looking forward to reading his autobiography. While the book is very informative, I was somewhat disappointed in the overall content. Maybe it's due to his age, but there were some assertions made that don't jive with the facts. He states that the Air Force misused the C-130s in Vietnam by limiting their gross weight. In reality, C-130s in Southeast Asia operated at their maximum allowable normal gross weights and payloads throughout the war - I was a C-130 loadmaster on two SEA tours and know the limitations. There is also quite a bit of personal horn-blowing, which is common with autobiographies. I found it rather ironic that Heinie's comments related to special operations are almost identical to those made by his former boss, General William Tunner, about how airlift was misused and should be a command of its own. There's also the constant refrain of "if they had left it up to us, we'd have won the war" but now that the facts are coming out, it is becoming pretty apparent that there was no way we were going to win it. Air Commando One is a good book for the military historian's bookshelf.

Sam McGowan, Vietnam Vet and author, The CAVE, a novel of the Vietnam War

During the Vietnam era, Heinie Aderholt was U.S. air force's patron saint of low-cost, bare-knuckled, unconventional warfare. He was one of two men -- the other being his longtime friend, the CIA's Bill Lair -- to put his personal stamp on the huge covert program in Laos, and had there been more Aderholts and Lairs, events might have turned out differently. As it was, Aderholt had to labor during his entire career under a military system that was not flexible enough, or responsive enough, for a man of his remarkable talents. But he did his duty, and then some. The Air Force historian Warren Trest has done Aderholt justice with this book; and there's some especially interesting material on Aderholt's loyal opposition, from within, to the way the Vietnam war was run.

Heinie is a legend but not from others tales of his exploits. Heine is leader respected for his legendary achievements; some of which yet remain classified. A leader formost who undertood his men because he always remained one of them. No matter how severe the circumstance Heinie created success by unique applications in unconventional operations.

At Nakhon Phanom for example, on the border of Laos, Heinie founded and commanded the 56th Air commando Wing into a unique force to interdict the flow of men and materials down the trails in Laos. Making the rounds nightly he remained close with his troops of all rank in a bond seldom seen where thoughts were exchanged because of mutual respect. Heinie slept less than most and almost always in his fatigues or flightsuit.

General Aderholt's life story is compelling and well written and he continues today to make a difference in Southeast Asia. In October 2002 returning to Nakhon Phanom, Heinie procured a container of medical and school supplies with the Thailand Laos Cambodia Brotherhood and to dedicate a monument being built to honor the fallen American and Thai forces in the Vietnam War.

The Legend Continues... read it.

John Sweet
56th Special Operations Wing
Tactical Units Operations Center
Nakhon Phanom
Air Commando # 2924

This third 'Harry Potter' novel from JK Rowling proves that not only does JKR know how to write a good book - she also knows how to write a great series.

The patterns that seemed to be emerging in books one and two (Harry vanquishes Voldemort in some form, and is praised as a hero by the school) don't recur here - we have some alternative 'bad' characters, and some of them are extremely surprising! Also there is less coverage of the Dursleys, which came as a relief to me. The book fleshes out the history of Harry's parents, and we learn a lot more about James Potter and his friends. Sirius Black is a great new character, as are Professors Lupin and Trelawney - and of course Snape is still around, nasty as ever!

Many new magical concepts, artefacts and creatures are introduced, broadening the scope of the Harry Potter world considerably. Also, a special mention has to go to the Dementors, AKA the prison guards of Azkaban - truly the scariest characters in a children's book for quite some time. As you'd expect from JK Rowling, 'The Prisoner of Azkaban' is expertly written, and entirely unpredictable. Definitely worth reading, for children and adults too.

You can identify with Harry Potter, an orphan raised by mean-spirited relatives. In many ways, he is a very ordinary boy, with unruly hair, glasses, and a love of sport (Quiddich, that is). He isn't as good in school (Hogwarts) as is Hermione Granger, one of his best friends, and he likes to wander around having adventures (especially at night) rather than doing his homework. Despite his notariety, he quiet and unassuming. But he's different in a way we all wish we could be: He is a wizard of immense and mysterious power. In the Prisoner of Azkaban, as in the first two books in the series, he confronts awsome forces of evil -- and prevails.

The details of the Wizard world are wonderful. There are candies that magically take many different flavors (not all of them are desirable), owls that deliver letters (including "howlers" that noisily scold the recipient), a magic bus that causes houses and trees to jump out of its way, and portraits that look and talk as though they were alive.

And the characters are wonderful, too. One of Harry's best friends is Ron Weasly, who comes from a big poor family, all of whom have flaming red hair and get lumpy sweaters from their mother for Christmas. The teasing that goes on among the Weasly children -- one of whom takes his position as prefect all too seriously -- is very funny and very true.

All three books are magical, but this one has more depth than the first two. As we learn more about Harry's parents -- their friends and the circumstances of their death -- were learn more about Harry, the evil that stalks him, and the strenght and wisdom of his supporters (especially Dumbledore, the headmaster at Hogwarts).

My wife and I have read all three book out loud to our three boys (ages 8, 11, and 13). The final 100 pages of Prisoner of Azkaban went in one sitting that lasted past midnight; we simply could not put it down. "When is the next Harry Potter book," they now ask. We are all waiting eagerly.

No doubt about it: Harry Potter is the character of the century, and the rapid-paced Sorcerer's Stone, which introduces him, is exactly the right book. While he's no handsome jock, quite the opposite really, Harry becomes the object of the reader's heart almost immediately. He is adorable. Intelligent, a bit shy and awkward at eleven years old, and still far from any sort of worldly wisdom, Harry has lost parents he never knew and has been raised in a tiny, dark, spider-full closet under the steps of his unbelievably mean aunt's and uncle's London house. And then the action begins.

Harry discovers to his amazement (and his family's horror) that he is a wizard! He's magic! As the chapters unfold the reader follows Harry with baited breath. Will nasty, sneaky Professor Snape catch him and throw Harry and his friends out of Hogwarts? Will they escape from the three-headed monster guarding the treasure? Will Harry be able to solve the mysterious and deadly riddles in time to evade Voldemort and save the day? The adventures never stop, and the pages turn themselves.

From anyone's point of view, the story is one in a million. No matter what your age (and I'm in my 50s!), you'll find yourself reading under the covers with a flashlight. From an English teacher's perspective, the book is a wonder. The grammar is near perfect (it's conversational, so the pronouns don't always agree in number); and the images the author employs are marvelous! You could teach word-ology just on the study of "muggle" alone. And where in the world did Rawlings come up with Quiditch? You'll wish you'd written it yourself, for it's the Pied Piper of all books: it will have children of all ages following it anywhere, loving to read, and begging for more...now!

Harry Potter thought he had a fairly normal life (aside from living with his aunt and uncle who hated him), but he was very wrong. On his 11th birthday he learned that he was a wizard and had been invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Suddenly, Harry is plunged into an entirely new world of magic. At Hogwarts Harry has friends for the first time in his life. Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger are his best friends at the school and they are the ones who help Harry through all of his troubles. From the very beginning though, Harry is slightly aware of something strange going on at Hogwarts. Harry pieces together the mystery slowly throughout the school year in while he isn't busy working on schoolwork or Quidditch (a magical game played on broomsticks).
My favorite part about this book was the world that J.K. Rowling created. While it would have been easy for her to just set the story in a school where the kids learn magic, she didn't. Things like Diagon Alley, which is where all of the students go to get school supplies, allow her to add so much more to the magic world just through descriptions of things Harry sees. Quidditch also makes the world seem much more real.
I originally read this book because I needed a young adult book for class, but I ended up enjoying it far more than I thought I would. I can't remember the last time I actually read much outside of school, but after reading this book I read the other three and am now anxiously awaiting the fifth book. I would recommend this book to pretty much anyone. It's obvious that it was aimed at younger readers, but I found I enjoyed it as much at 17 as my sister did at 11.

Although I realize that due to the overwhelming volume of review responses there is little chance my offering will be read, I enjoyed the book too much to be able to resist. It is an absolutely marvelous story, the best new book since who-knows-when and easily topping even the works of "adult" literature with which it shares the best-seller list.

It is a geography of the imagination, which will remain long after the ephemeral chronicles of the time have withered and blown away. Having a classic structure and classic protagonist doesn't do it any harm, either.

Harry Potter is a more-or-less archetypal sort of hero. Parents mysteriously killed, raised in menial domestic situation by aunt and uncle, possesing a strange mark and even stranger powers- that type of the hero can be picked up everywhere from early fairy tales and legends to "Star Wars". And the story's plot- the education of the remarkable young man- is equally precedented.

But the wonders J.K. Rowling works with her classic form! Her story is a perfect blend of theme, plot, and character, action, humor, drama, deeper meaning, and sheer imaginative revelry. She has combined her ingredients, and said the magic words, and has caught the reading world in the resulting enchantment.

Harry Potter has lived a dismal life with his aunt and uncle, the Dursleys. He sleeps in a closet and has never had a birthday party or Christmas presents. Even worse, he has to endure life with his horrible spoiled cousin, Dudley. Then on Harry's eleventh birthday, things change when a letter arrives, (by owl), inviting him to attend the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Suddenly Harry finds himself among friends, learning about potion-making and magic-wand waving and broomstick riding. There're chocolate frogs and Every Flavor Beans and a three-headed dog and Quidditch-a game better than soccer. Also, Hagrid, a lovable gamekeeper who befriends Harry; Hermione Granger, a witch who's read all the school books and knows all the rules; and there's Ron Weasly, Harry's best friend who has quite a legacy of his own to fill. Hogwarts treats him well, even with the abomidable Malfoy's mean tricks or Professor Snape's obvious hatred of Harry. The soon Harry finds himself in the middle of a mystery at Hogwarts, and together with his two new friends, embarks on adventures he never dreamed possible.

The book is engaging with its imagery, humor, plot twists and real-life child problems. The book doesn't only appeal to children but adults as well. She's a master on fantasy. She really can, with no difficulty at all, think herself back to 11 years old. You will love the whimsical descriptions, humorous quotes and the fun characters. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

The great strength of Rowling's works is her conscious effort to never let the messages in her stories overshadow their readability and sense of fun. All books should first and foremost tell the story, and Rowling never forgets that. That said, her latest installment, The Goblet of Fire, takes us back to Hogwarts for another year of magic, danger and intrigue. This book is the pivotal part of Harry's seven year tale, and ends on a note that many readers may find unsatisfactory, as the issue of accountability and leadership in the Ministry of Magic comes to light.
Goblet of Fire reads on many levels; younger children will delight in the fast and inventive pace of the plot and storytelling, and older readers will find themselves waiting to see how the issue of Voldemort's true return and the Ministry of Magic's reaction are resolved or expanded in book five.

This is by far the best Harry Potter book. As an adult, I've enjoyed reading these as much as any child. Filled with imagination, insight, and yes, riveting plot twists, the Harry Potter series is destined to be a classic. In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry begins to mature into adulthood and learn the true meanings of magic, friendship, and fear. In his fourth year, Harry encounters characters whose actions in the past have affected him, his friends, and his future. In this book, Rowling deepens Harry's story revealing poignant and sometimes tragic aspects of minor characters in a way that humanizes what until now have been relatively flat characters. Without spoiling the read, it is safe to say that Harry is selected to test his mettle as a wizard in a unique and challenging contest. Behind the scenes, however, lurks an all too familiar evil that is out to kill Harry and do much worse. Parents will be pleased that this book treats the horrific and tragic happenings in a way that is sensitive and thought provoking. As Rowling's child audience matures, so Harry has grown and experienced life in such a way as to fulfill one of the goals of all literature--to inform and entertain.

It is quite hard to believe just how good Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is; the first three books, all of which impressed me deeply, seem almost forgettable compared to this intense fourth entry in the series. This is as rich a reading experience as you will find, no matter what your age. The storyline as it exists at the end of this mammoth epic has more of a hold on me now, as an adult, than the Star Wars saga had on me as a kid, which is saying a great deal, I assure you. One barely knows where to start one's praises of this book; yes, it does have both dark overtones and undertones to it, yet it also boasts some of the funniest moments of the series. We learn a great deal more about the major characters and turn our attention to new attractions such as the unique new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Mad-Eye Moody. Events in magical circles outside of Hogwarts increase the landscape of Rowling's magical world many times over as we are given insight into the workings of the Ministry of Magic, are treated to the best seat in the house at the Quidditch World Cup championship, and are introduced to two wholly new magical schools in foreign locations. The pattern one might have come to expect of Harry's fourth year at Hogwarts is thrown immediately out of the window; there are no school Quidditch matches this year, nor is there even an inter-house cup competition. Instead, Professor Dumbledore makes the extraordinary announcement that the Triwizard Tournament has not only been reinstituted after many years, it will take place at Hogwarts. Only sixth- and seventh-year students are eligible to compete, seeming to leave Harry Potter quite out of the mix, which is fine by him. A Goblet of Fire decides which of the volunteers from each school will compete as its Champion, but this quite impartial judge surprises everyone by selecting a certain familiar, fourth year student for the competition. What follows is a roller coaster ride of a year, with Harry enduring more trials and troubles than ever before: his friendship with Ron threatens to end forever, he faces incredibly difficult tasks that may or may not serve as a means by which someone can kill him, a thoroughly sleazy tabloid reporter makes his and his friends' lives all but unbearable on a number of occasions, and he faces perhaps his biggest challenge of all: having to ask a girl to accompany him to the Yule Ball. Oh, a certain arch enemy also rears his ugly head once again.

This is a large book, obviously; it gets off to something of a slow start, taking 171 pages just to get Harry to Hogwarts to start the new year. Have no fear, though, because the novel then sucks you in so deeply that you may be unable to get out of it, should you even want to. The length of the book quickly becomes a comfort to you, as you will not want this book to ever end. End it shall, however, with an incredibly intense final 125 pages that will leave you gasping for breath, roiling in shock, and surging with adrenaline. Anyone unable to understand why untold millions of addicted fans have been climbing the walls for three years waiting for Book 5 have simply not read this book. Events of quite drastic proportions have been set in motion now, and the end of Harry's fourth year at Hogwarts holds little resolution to it. There are dark days ahead and a significant number of plot points appear on the horizon. Harry, Hermione, and Ron are growing up, with normal teenaged issues already beginning to manifest themselves, Hogwarts is in something of a tizzy over the culminating events of the completed school year, and the whole world of magic shows every sign of being in utter disarray. The world of Harry Potter has never been more intense, exciting, and portentous as it is at the end of this unbelievably good book.

The second book of the Harry Potter series does an excellent job of living up to the expectations set by the first book. The story in which the 12-year-old wizard, Harry Potter, faces trials and tribulations testing his supernatural abilities will undoubtedly keep you on the edge of your seat and always wondering what will happen next.

The novel begins at the Dursley's house where Harry lives with his "muggle" (non magic) aunt and uncle. Due to the differences between the two types, Harry is treated horribly by his family and looked upon with disgust. Things begin to spiral further downward when a creature named Doby shows up to warn Harry that he should not attend Hogwarts school for witchcraft and wizardy this year because "bad things are supposed to happen". However, Harry insists on going since it is the only excuse he has to leave the Dursley's home. Doby then decides to mingle with things in order to prevent Harry from going and in turn gets him into quite a bit of trouble. A few weeks later while at school, terrible accidents begin to happen to the mudbloods, the witches and wizards that come from non-wizard families. Then, a disturbing message appears on the wall stating that the chamber has been opened once again. This message provokes Harry and his two closest friends Ron and Hermione to investigate the confusing situation, providing for an interesting mystery full of twists and turns.

The theme of this book teaches a moral by denouncing the act of discriminating a group of people. By targeting the mudbloods, Rowling is showing how wrong it is to treat someone differently for an unavoidable reason. ... I think that she is teaching us all a lesson through her writing, and we should take the time to listen to the message she wishes to convey.

I loved this book for the simple fact that I felt able to escape from my world and enter the magical and enchanting Hogwarts school. While reading J.K. Rowling's novel, my imagination is given the option to run wild and I feel once again like a little child. I sincerely recommend that everyone read this book if given the opportunity. I believe that people of all ages would thoroughly enjoy reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Some say Chamber of Secrets is the weakest of the four Potter books.

Yes, the incident in it is "minor" compared to other Potter books, than say, the third or fourth. But the plot is tightly woven up. It doesn't ramble, like the third or fourth. And the first time you read it, face it, it's a lot scarier than the others. Why? Because students are being stunned --frozen in time-- left and right. Roosters are dying, GHOSTS are practically dying.

Meanwhile, excellent points are being brought up.

In the second (might have some spoilers here), Harry finds out that Voldemort transferred some his own powers when he gave Harry the scar. That means that besides speaking Parseltongue, Harry probably has some of Voldemort's strenth and "brilliancy."

Notice, too, that this is the first book where Harry truly realizes Professor Dumbledore's store of knowledge and how much Dumbledore believes in him when no one else will. Only after this book does Harry start asking for Dumbledore's help. I'd also like to note that Dumbledore was transfiguration teacher before principal, and when Dumbledore was gone, McGonagall, the current transfiguration teacher, became principal. Transfiguration teacher must be pretty powerful and high up on the hierchical ladder.

From this book on, Voldemort knows Harry's own past --his performance in school, his personality, his attitude. From this book on, Voldemort has a decided advantage over Harry.

Chamber of Secrets reveals the past --Hagrid's, Tom Riddle's, even Dumbledore's. Many people don't like this book as much because there's not as much "ambiguity" as some of the others. But I don't think it's meant to be that. I think it's meant to be a sort-of-background of the past.

In the second book of what is bound to become a world-renowned fantasy series, J.K. Rowling documents Harry Potter's return to Hogwarts school.A wide array of new characters includes Gilderoy Lockhart, the new defense against the dark arts teacher; Dobby, an adorable little house elf. Tom Riddle, the mysterious Hogwarts alumni who provides Harry with clues; not to mention the whole Weasley family, and their flying car! A new mystery awaits Harry upon his return to school, and it is up to Harry, Ron and Hermione to save the school once again, this time from the evil Heir of Slytherin, who has opened the Chamber of Secrets and unleashed a monster on the school. Only in the amazing, spine-tingling climactic scene is his/her identity revealed, and you won't believe who it is. If you liked Harry Potter and the sorceror's stone, this book is a must-read.