Fleming adds the detail and the smashing debonaire of oo7 together and comes up with the incredible novel: On Her Majestey's Secret Service. The high adventure, the beautiful Bond girls, and James Bond's "save the day" attitude make On Her Majestey's Secret Service a must read! I've written several books myself but none compare to this. I stayed up late until one in the morning reading the wonderful descriptions of the exploits of Bond, James Bond. It, along with Casino Royale, The man with the Golden Gun, Goldfinger, and You Only live Twice, are ranked high on my favorite novels list and should be yours. The head of SPECTRE and his Number Two man torment the spy but as always, Bond defeats the evil plans of Ernst Stravo Blofeld but for him to only fight another day!This book is so good it should come with popcorn!

Without a doubt, Ian Fleming's finest James Bond Novel. Mr. Fleming neatly round out the character of James Bond as the reader sees the complete person behind our favorite government operator. The book begins with Bond begining to becomed bored with his assignment and meeting the love of his life. Due to the nature of his work and the emotional scars from previous relationships, Bond is always reluctant to engage in a serious romance with a woman. However, this time, Bond is willing to take his chances to find someone to fill the void in his life. Aside from the romance, Bond also has a job to do. Reinvigorated by progress in his once moribund assignment, Bond tackles his arch enemy Ernst Stavro Blofled through Fleming's engaing narrative. References to Bond's childhood memories, past assignments, and his dreams are particularly effective. Fleming's rich imagination transports the reader from Bond's old haunts on the Northern French coast to the Swiss Alps, where 007 once again takes his licks for "Queen and Country." Hats off to Fleming for his gutsy ending, which unfortunately for Bond, underlines the fact that 007 will always belong to "Her Majesty's Secret Service."

Years ago a friend had told me that "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" was one of his favorite movies, not because he preferred George Lazenby over Sean Connery, but rather because the movie was so much like the book! I read the book and I'm inclined to agree with him.

It's the second novel by Fleming to feature arch villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld of the Special Executive for Counter Intelligence, Espionage, Revenge, Terror, and Extortion (SPECTRE). Just like "THUNDERBALL", Blofeld's got a clandestine scheme in the works that could ruin Great Britain and make him a rich, rich man. The British secret service has their best man on the case and 007 is going to have to rely on his sharp wits and resourcefulness if he's going to foil SPECTRE's plans.

Of all the James Bond novels I've read, this one ranks as the best of the best! Nobody does it better than Ian Fleming. 5 STARS!

Art & Fear is an easy book to rave about, but it is a particularly difficult book to write about. The authors have chosen their words so well, that it seems as if there ARE no other words with which to talk about this subject or this book. I'll try anyway, fully knowing that whatever I might say surely will not please me as much as what I have read in their pages. And this is part of the message of Art & Fear, one of the lessons to be learned - just do it and learn from it.

Art & Fear is an unpretentious little paperback, written by two lifelong friends who have been artists, as well as other things, for most of their lives. Both of them have their feet firmly rooted in the real world that we all live in (however high their ideas and ideals might fly), and both of them have keen insights into what enables individuals to produce good art and to continue to produce good art, and what stumbling blocks stop many individuals. These insights are of value to artists in any medium whatsoever, and are in fact likely to be of significant value to many individuals who don't think of themselves as artists at all. One doesn't need to be an artist to be struggling with goals that seem beyond your reach and a lack of appreciation from others; it's just a little more pervasive in the artmaking world.

Reading this book is like sitting down with the authors for a long and lively conversation. You'll learn something of them, and something of yourself, and good things are sure to come from it. I've actually found it too good to keep to myself - I'm on my 6th copy now, as I keep giving them away to friends!

I read ART & FEAR in one sitting; I could not resist the gentle wisdom contained on almost every page. (My trusty highlighter was nearly emptied as I found much text that I wanted to reread and remember.)

To any artist "stuck" in creative quicksand (whether it be fear, self-doubt, perfectionism -- whatever), the writers reach out a long and sturdy tree limb for you to grasp to pull yourself free and back onto solid ground. They don't just leave you standing there either, but provide you with the tools you'll need to find your own way home.

One of the many quotes from ART & FEAR that I like is: "To make art is to sing with the human voice. To do this you must first learn that the only voice you need is the voice you already have."

Other things I will say about ART & FEAR is that it is VERY thought provoking, thorough, insightful, and challenging with a few flourishes of humor. The information presented will apply to artists of all persuasions.

I will very likely read ART & FEAR again and again and will probably find new gems with each read (either previously overlooked or not yet understood).

Once read, you will want to lend ART & FEAR to your artist friends. I suggest you keep your copy and either recommend that they get their own, or, order one for them as a gift they will appreciate many times over.

Finally, because I feel that I have received much from reading ART & FEAR, I send a heartfelt "thank you" to the authors, David Bayles & Ted Orland. I very much appreciate the authors' wish to share what they have learned (and especially for bringing their wish to fruition) with anyone that is interested and that they managed to provide me, someone quite unknown to them, with a real sense of being seen and understood (without ever feeling condescended to). Quite a gift!

ART & FEAR is a book you will wish you'd known about before but you will be glad you managed to discover now. "When the student is ready the teacher will come."

As a relatively young artist with more debilitating insecurities than Franz Kafka, this book has been a revelation for me. It truly helps you look beyond the cannibalism, the critics, the dilettantes and focus on what's truly important; your work (without undermining your intelligence with the usual inspirational, substanceless talk). Self-doubt is almost essential for any artist's progress, but this helps debunk all of those irrational fears that leave you berating yourself and staring at a blank canvas for hours. Art & Fear is a simple, concise book with such a broad reach that it could never be labeled as your standard "self help" book. highly recommended for artists of any medium.

I like Vampire, but I'm no die-hard RPGer. This book can be comfortably read in an hour. Less, if one doesn't stop every few minutes to wonder why so much of the book is taken up with giant pictures which do little to add to the content or mood.

Look - it's a graphic novel. The best graphic novels have good content and excellent artwork. This novel has very little content and only good artwork. "Oh, but it has footnotes!" Look, you dork - footnotes?! In the VAMPIRE BIBLE? The footnotes are done INCREDIBLY poorly - you actually have to flip back and forth between the text on page (making up numbers here) 11 and the footnotes on page 23, and then MORE text on page 26, whose footnotes are on page 43... Yes, the footnotes are BETWEEN chapters. Brilliant.

The entire mythos presented is extremely thin - no flesh to this body - and the section describing the different clans is the most perfunctory piece of garbage I have read in quite some time - it actually feels like it was added on by an editor who thought there was too little content, but that adding more than a few sentences for each one would have somehow ruined the work.

Having read this and the Ericyes Fragments, I heartily recommend the latter - it's an excellent book. The Book of Nod has made it onto the short list of books in this genre I can't stand. Don't read this piece of tripe. Definitely don't buy it. If you feel the pressing need to read it, just go to a bookstore and read it. After all, it's only an hour long.

This is a must for every "Vampire The Masquerade" lover. You'll get more insight reading the first 3 chapters than you have got so far...

IT IS CALLED THE VAMPIRES BIBLE

And it lives up the nickname

Read it and be afraid of Lillith's curs on man.

Caine was exhiled from paradise to the land of Nod, and that is all the Holy Bible says about Caine's stay in Nod. This book goes in detail where our bible stops and TAKES US INTO THE IMAGINATIV WORLD WE LOVE TO EXPERIENCE.

Sam Chupp's The Book of Nod provides a great insight about the Father of all in the Masquerade. Nod has much information on Caine and Lilith that I would otherwise guess at if I had not found this book. This Bible for the Dark World is a must for the serious Vampire role player who is indeed into Gothic stuff.

I saw this amazing exhibit, "La Terre Vue Du Ciel", of Yann Arthus-Bertrand's in the Jardin du Luxembourg Senat when I was in Paris a few weeks ago. The exhibit included much larger-than poster-sized photos that are some of the same photos contained in the book. They were spectacular and breath-taking. Stunning really. But if you can't afford to go to Paris, or if you can't get a hold of a poster of his work, this book is a fantastic collection of awesome, thoughtful, inspiring, thought-provoking, and humanistic usually unseen images taken from above Earth, that have an incredible aesthetic beauty. I can't recommend this book more highly. I was going to purchase 3-4 of them myself for me and my family and friends. However, I waited to get back to the US before doing so since they are large and very heavy due to the high-quality paper the photos are printed on. I was sorry they would not fit in my luggage as I had wished to stare at the photos for many hours on the plane trip home. Many kudos to Yann Arthus-Bertrand for an outstanding artistic work! Bravo! I hope to see another exhibit by this talented photographer in Paris or the U.S. in the near future.

This is a book that I would have loved as a child. Don't get me wrong, I love it today but a child would bask in the wonders of the Earth for hours with these images. It's hard to believe that some of the locations in this book are on this planet. There is such beauty and awe in these pictures. At almost every turn of the page there is a "wow" coming out of my mouth. Well worth the money. The only gripe I have is the reference of the locations. You have to flip around all over the place to find out the location of the photographs. There does not seem to be any order connecting the photos to the descriptions. Don't worry though! Still get the book.

It is a book of breathtaking aerial views from all over the world. It is intended to be a photographic record of the globe's status in the millenium. This is a beautiful coffee table book (although it is pretty large and heavy). It includes map references for each of the photographs, as well as a textual account of the photograph, its location, the people in it, etc. If Photography is your passion, you will love this book!

A Tale Of Three Kings is a an awesome piece of Christian literature. If you are tired of all the "holy spirit, healing, prosperity, achieving wealth through biblical principles" type books, than Gene Edwards is your man. In this book, Gene lays out a refreshing perspective on brokeness that is not quite traditional in mainstream "Sunday school, pulpit preachings". Through his wonderful and simplistic story telling style, Gene goes into the depths of the hearts of three kings, namely King Saul, King David, and King Absolom. Not only will this book aid in your journey towards the deep things of the Lord and His ways, but it will cause us to look into our very hearts and ask the question, "which heart of these Kings do I have....." Indeed men fix things that break, but after we read this book we emerge w/ the understanding that God breaks men to fix them.

I first read this book in one night at work 10 years ago, and it continues to affect my outlook and spiritual life today. This book has affected my life more than any other I've ever read (except the Bible, of course!) Gene Edwards takes emotionally- laden issues like submission to authority and pride, and presents them in a way that forces you to look at not the situation, but your response to it. Mr Edwards offers us a unique way to measure our motivations and responses to challenges we face against a godly framework. You will want to order several more to give away after you read this. God bless!

I have owned this book for years. The other night God had me to read this book at 11:30 pm. I read the first chapter and I wanted to put it down (it made me weep). Gene Edwards said I know you didn't like that chapter and you won't like the other chapter either. He was right. It showed me of myself. When I read I heard myself saying the same words that I was reading. After each chapter, God said keep reading. This book was awesome. I never looked at David the way he was protrayed in this book. I read the whole book before going to bed. I learned alot about myself, people in church and especially leadership over me. Everyone should read this book.

These cards a amazing! The artwork is good, the companion book is very in depth, and the readings are great.

In the beginning of the book, it tells you how to use the cards to discover your very own totem animals. After you discover what animals are your totems, you flip to the page the animal is on and find out all about the animal as well as what the animal has to teach you. The book is also very good to use if you see an animal in the wild or if you have visions. Pay close attention. These animals have alot to teach you.

This is one of my favorite divination decks as well as teaching animal medicine. The deck also includes some blank cards so you can include animals that may not appear in the deck. Don't get me wrong, the companion book is not the only book that can teach you about certain types of medicine, but if you don't have any other books, it is a good start. The animals never stop teaching us.

The artwork is beautiful! The hardcover book included in the slipcase is definitely made to last. My only quibble is the fact that not all the animals assigned to the medicine wheel were included. They do include a few blank cards for you to draw your own non-included animals, but I am hopeless as a free-hand artist & the coated cardstock doesn't lend itself to many mediums.

I BOUGHT THESE CARDS AFTER PURCHING HER BOOK DANCING THE DREAM I can not tell in this short space how much these card have help me find my path of enlightment. I have been looking for different ways for peace of mind for years. Thank you Jamie for showing me the way thru "all of relations". I have to say when I got home I wonder what the cards would say. I have always been impressed with spiders. And when I did my totem reading the frist card I picked was the spider. Also I love dragon flys and that was my last card of the seven. Any one wanting to connect with nature and find your path thru nature. this is a must. Also when I got it was the last in the store so don't put off getting these cards. you will be amazed. MUST READ DANCING THE DREAM. I have read many a book on finding happieness and this was the best by far/

I initially became aware of the so-called "Man Without Fear" through several Ann Nocenti issues more than a decade ago. While I found her stories to be a bit out in left field (with DD LITERALLY going to hell!), they were often quite entertaining reads for the most part. They also drove me to seek out more issues, for I found the main character to be somewhat of a revelation (a blind attorney with superhumanly enhanced senses who also fights crime as a costumed vigilante???). My search eventually led me to the now classic Frank Miller-penned story in Born Again.

I'll say one thing for sure. Stan Lee may have been the one primarily responsible for introducing the Matt Murdock/Daredevil character to the Marvel universe, but I truly believe it was Frank Miller who ended up placing him within the proper context. While most superheroes are often busy duking it out with supervillains in otherworldly places and the like, Miller's all-too-human Daredevil was firmly rooted in the gritty, uncompromising setting of New York City's Hell's Kitchen (the lower east side of Manhattan in real life) and dealing with the worst kind of criminal scum imaginable on a frequent basis. I admit, Miller's initial take on DD was somewhat flawed with the Elektra-based stories in terms of execution despite being well-written in general. However, I believe he more than made up for it in what could possibly be THE greatest Daredevil story ever told and certainly one of the best in the entire comic book medium. It all starts out with Murdock's former girlfriend and co-worker Karen Page selling his secret identity for the mere sake of a drug fix, information which inevitably finds its way to the Kingpin of Crime himself, Wilson Fisk. What happens thereafter is nothing short of riveting, as one slowly begins to witness Murdock's world come crashing down in the Kingpin's attempt to make a painful example out of the only person who ever truly got under his skin, particularly as the infamous crimson-clad crimefighter.

I could say more about this highly acclaimed piece of comic book storytelling, but the other reviewers pretty much filled out the remaining details in one form or another. It's also good to see this character finally getting the recognition he so rightfully derserves in the quality stories currently being written of him by some of the best in the business in addition to the much anticipated film set to come out this year. Only pick up this TPB and you can see for yourself why I think Daredevil continues to remain one of Marvel's most notoriously unheralded cornerstones, despite being there from the very beginning alongside more established characters like Spider-Man, the X-Men, Hulk, the Fantastic Four, etc.

Now that the Daredevil feature film is out - and it's got some great moments, but suffers from cramming years of much comic book continuity into 90 minutes of action with a nu-metal soundtrack - it's well worth revisiting this, the greatest Daredevil story ever told.

Frank Miller's writing and David Mazzucchelli's art are career bests in this eight-issue story. Like so many great superhero stories of the modern era, this one interrogates a fundamental aspect of the comic book tradition - namely, what would happen if a hero's worst enemy discovered their secret identity?

The story is laden with Frank Miller's usual grit, but this feels integral to the story, rather than tacked on. In the hands of other comic book writers, themes such as prostitution, destitution, pornography, drug addiction and US military intervention abroad are often used to give superficial stories a faux-profundity. But in 'Born Again' these themes are served well, and not wallowed in any more than they need to be - Matt Murdock, Karen Page and Ben Urich may be sent to Hell in the story, but all three are then redeemed. The blossoming romance of Foggy Nelson and Murdock's ex Glori O'Breen is a corrective to all the misery as well.

As well as being Daredevil's finest moment, this is also the Kingpin's. No artist has made the Kingpin's bulk look more imposing than Mazzucchelli does, whether big baldie is seen on a yacht at sunset, in his trademark suit, working out with weights, or sitting in a sauna. Another beautiful artistic touch is that several issues of the story open with a page showing Matt Murdock waking up, each one a snapshot of the state of his life at that point. And in one sequence, where Ben Urich listens to a murder on the telephone surrounded by the chaos of the the Daily Bugle, his face becomes progressively less naturalistic in each panel to reflect his growing horror - eventually, he looks like a Picasso.

The godlike cameo of the Avengers towards the end of the story is a great example of the 'less is more' approach to comic books. And it's a pleasant surprise, in the last couple of issues, when Miller decides that since he's writing the best ever Daredevil story, he might as well have a crack at writing the best ever Captain America story at the same time. Cap Ap's tortured role in 'Born Again', torn between his patriotic ideals and US injustice, is exactly the same as Superman's role in the Batman story 'A Death in the Family' - but the set-up works better here.

Daredevil is taken apart and put back together in 'Born Again', which is what makes the story so good. It contains an important revelation concerning Matt Murdock's family - typically, Miller delivers this bombshell with a light, blink-and-you'll-miss-it touch. And the story's final page, which shows Matt Murdock and Karen Page walking down a sunlit street in Hell's Kitchen, is immensely satisfying - a clean slate for the character. As the accompanying text says: 'My name is Matt Murdock. I was blinded by radiation. My remaining senses function with superhuman sharpness. I live in Hell's Kitchen and do my best to keep it clean. That's all you need to know.'

Frank Miller's renowned storyline tells the tale of the destruction and rebirth of a super-hero. This is a story that has never really been seen before in comic books so Miller deserves kudos just for attempting it. The storyline is mired in realism with the protagonist facing all too human villains and all too human inner demons, which makes it far more satisyfing than the usual superhero vs. supervillain fare. Organized crime, drug addiction, rekindled love, and heavy religious imagery are all skillfully layered into this one of a kind comic book. Yes, Miller's "Dark Knight Returns" and "Batman: Year One" are superior but that may be because Batman has had a longer, richer legacy for Miller to draw from and play with than DD has had. Let's face it: Miller pretty much re-invented Daredevil, evolving the character from another Stan Lee wisecracker in a union suit, to a morally-conflicted, fully realized character who just happened to be a superhero. "Born Again" is a wonderful, adult interpretation of this rediscovered Marvel icon.

I happened upon Miss Spider about three years ago at the Denton public library. At the time my daughter was 3, I love the prose, I love the art, I love Miss Spider!

David Kirk does a wonderful job of creating an adorable "mis-fit" Miss Spider is so misunderstood! None of the other bugs want to come to tea. The story breaks your heart then shows how persistance and kindness pay off!

My daughter isn't as thrilled by the books as I am. but then again, I LOVE them. Thank God for people with such great imaginations as the author and illustrator of the Miss Spider series. I recommend Miss Spider to everyone, not just kids, the lessons are profound and the flowing prose style is wonderful. This is my very favorite book to read to children. I am a life long fan of Kirk!

~ Miss Spider's Tea Party is one of those children's books that brings delight to the adult reader as well as the child.
~ The illustrations are beautiful and vividly intricate, but not too complex for children to enjoy, the story has a very gentle wit, that adults will appreciate.
~ Poor Miss Spider invites all kinds of insects to tea, but for some reason they seem reluctant to befriend her. : - )

~ Happily, her naturally sweet charm wins her popularity in the insect kingdom over, as well as a true fan in the reader. Children really seem to love this simple tale, mostly for the beauty of the illustrations, and the sense of a happy conclusion approaching.

I highly recommend this as a book you can enjoy reading with your child. And I would definitely also recommend the sequel "Miss Spider's Wedding"!

I have loved this book since it first came out. The pictures are beautiful- very detailed and fun to look at. I have never seen such pretty flowers and colors in a children's book. Since reading this book, I am a big fan of Miss Spider and collect Miss Spider toys, books, etc. The story sends a very good message to kids. The story rhymes which makes it fun to read aloud.

Gogol's "Dead Souls" is an amazing, if incomplete, novel. I would say it is about a fellow named Chichikov, but that would not be true. The novel is about Russia. In "Dead Souls" we see that Gogol loved Russia so much, it drove him mad trying to find a way to save it. The novel is entrancing, moving seamlessly between minute particularity to epic scope, as it takes all of Russia under its gaze. At times, the tone is satirical, angry, comic, even desperate - but always with a wistful fondness that should be apparent to the observant reader.

Chichikov, the hero of Gogol's epic poem, shows the influence of Laurence Sterne's "Tristram Shandy," a novel with which Gogol was familiar. Like Shandy, we know little about Chichikov until well into the novel. This narrative indirection allows us more insight into the other characters and the conditions of Russia after the Napoleonic wars. Chichikov is a minor gentleman, who, having served in various government positions, decides to pursue the life of a land-owner. His scheme is to traverse Russia, gathering the legal rights to serfs who have died on estates since the last census. By turning an accumulated list of these 'dead souls' over to the government, he plans to make a small fortune, which he will use to buy an estate.

While Chichikov may appear to be a morally questionable swindler, like Herman Melville's "Confidence-Man," he does have noble motivations, despite his methods. Chichikov seeks what each person seeks, according to Gogol - to have a family, to do honor to one's country. Although his plan can seem to be a ludicrous, last-ditch sort of effort at establishing himself, Chichikov is, throughout, extremely level-headed about it. Chichikov knows how to speak and carry himself so that he will be accepted by everyone he meets. From the noble, efficient land-owner Kostanjoglo to the wild, hilarious liar Nozdryov - Chichikov mingles with and exposes us to "the whirligig of men."

Gogol points out throughout the novel that the written text is inadequate to convey the actual experience - the air, the sights, the smells, the people of Russia. He tries, then, to give us "a living book" - a testament to a way of life that was soon to change. Like Melville's "Confidence-Man," which was published shortly before the American Civil War, Gogol's "Dead Souls" came out only a few years before Marx's "Communist Manifesto" which would change and determine the fate of Russia in the first decades of the 20th century.

Read the lyrical "Dead Souls" - if you like his short stories, like "The Nose" or "The Overcoat," - you will find a wonderfully complex and sophisticated, and deeply involved intellect at his best.

Dead Souls is Gogol's first and only full length novel, ironically written in Rome rather than the Russian countryside it was set in. Tragically he destroyed most of the second volume shortly before his death leaving only bits and pieces of chapters leaving only volume I whole.

A story of a swindler and a social satire on life in early 19th century Russia, Dead Souls is also a comment on class and hypocricsy. Small town Russian officials and landowners strive to keep up appearances, valuing them more importantly than susbtance. Even Chichikov knows this, in fact as the main character (anti-hero) he thrives on this.

Gogol's story is comic on its surface but reading it you get a glimpse of life just twenty years before Alexander II freeded the serfs from their landowners. Dead Souls is both comedy and satire.

One note the Peaver-Volokhonsky translation while newer is a bit "choppy" and the translators make the most awkward word selections from Russian to English. It makes reading this version a bit off-putting at times (The Guerney translation was the favorite of many Russian expat's). Dead Souls is worth the read.

This novel was one of the funniest books I have read from this time period, and easily the funniest book by a 19th century Russian author. Although there are moments of dialogue in Dostoyevsky's books that are humorous, they cannot compare to the prospective serf sellers in Dead Souls. Sobakevich seeks to sell his dead souls based on their merits when they were alive. Nozdrev is a gambler, drunk and compulsive liar who even cheats at checkers. Throw in the overly affectionate Manilov and the miserly and paranoid Plewshkin and one is provided with an entertaining cast of characters. It is due to the idiosyncracies of these characters and the gossip mongering of the neighborhood that leads to a result in which a sort of justice occurs to get rid of the protagonist Chichikov. Of course, in the world created by Gogol, there does not seem to be a moral authority and as a result a sequel would definitely have been feasible. Chichikov did not learn the error of his ways (nor did the town notice amid its idle speculation) and I would have enjoyed Gogol's follow-up.

Dun's formula is a little different than the norm and that helps. It's not the same old International conspiracy nor is it a typical who-done-it. The romance is great, well developed, as is the female character Anna. Sam is an expert in corporate espionage and terrorism and works free lance. Dun does this in a convincing way that seems novel although there are some parallel ideas floating around in other books. But it is fresh when Dun does it and he makes you believe that a guy might just have a business like Sam's. When we meet Sam he suffering from old wounds and is in semi-retirement. That part isn't original but the way Sam comes out of retirement is very well done. Although I haven't read his other books I understand that Dun is the master of the chase and he certainly proves it in this very fun thriller. I give it the highest rating because the total package really entertains.

Sam Wintripp is a cool guy with an interesting way of solving high powered problems created by high flying criminals. He doesn't chase anybody but the best of the best and therefore we get the idea that he has to be the cleverest of the clever. This is a great mystery thriller although plenty wordy with lot's of action and a whole cast of bad guys who keep you guessing throughout. Dun gives the reader a myriad questions to puzzle over in this well crafted and somewhat unusual story. Dun loves the outdoor chase with man against nature and man against man and this book is no exception.

This is Dun's third book, it obviously bears his signature action sequences that are, as usual, creative and spell binding. This is his best effort to date. Unlike his first two books the story moves around the world and the plot is a bit complex. The suspense is even better and the book is very compelling. Sam is an intriguing character with a fascinating profession. A self anointed bachelor, Sam is clever, sympathetic, and dashing but seems to suffer (or revel) in a sense of adventure and detachment where women are concerned. The bad guys in this book are really well done, there is more than one, and they create a great subplot. Sort of like those fighting fish that try to eat each-other. The book is driven by suspense and great characters and is a must read.