This book had a great idea, but there was to much war talk and not enough love talk. I got lost in the details of the war and sometimes just couldn't wait for the chapter to end. I hoped the next chapter would kick in with some romance, but it fizzled. If you want details about what it would have been like to have been in World War II, and a prisoner of war, then this is a good book for you. If you are a women who wants a romantic tale, I would skip this one.

Well, it was a good idea, but...There are far too many omissions to make this book worthwhile. I can understand why genre novels made into genre films could be excluded--after all, how many people know or care that SOYLENT GREEN was based on a Harry Harrision novel titled MAKE ROOM, MAKE ROOM? Or that the movie COP was based on James Ellroy's BLOOD ON THE MOON? Or that DARK OF THE SUN was based on a Wilbur Smith novel of the same name? But at the same time, how could the authors of NOVELS INTO FILM fail to make reference to Lew Wallace's BEN-HUR? Or Howard Fast's SPARTACUS? Or Jack D. Hunter's THE BLUE MAX? Or Eugene Burdick's and Harvey Wheeler's FAIL-SAFE? Or Pierre Boulle's PLANET OF THE APES and THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI? Or Edison Marshall's THE VIKINGS? Or choose to talk about a failed Richard Matheson adaptation like WHAT DREAMS MAY COME, but leave out THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN? Or forget to include..well, never mind. The list of omissions goes on. Yet the above works were all major mainstream novels of their eras, novels that were made into much-beloved and/or critically-acclaimed movies. These novels into films should have been included--especially since the authors of this so-called "Encylopedia" saw fit to pencil in adaptations of currently-popular--but hardly literary--authors such as Stephen King and John Grisham. I bought the book sight unseen--more fool me. I was cheated. Don't get cheated yourself.

Like other reviewers, I bought this without actually looking at it and I agree that it could have been done much better. It's a very good idea which seems to have fallen down in the execution. To the list of serious omissions I would add: The Ice Storm, The Godfather (!!) Rosemary's Baby, Midnight Cowboy, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Primary Colours, Lady In The Lake, Fear & and Loathing in Las Vegas (if we are talking about Hollywood here.) National cinemas other than American are very poorly represented. The book does acknowledge that it's the 'abridged' edition, and I would not have liked to have to choose what went in and what got left out, but still. The individual essays vary a great deal in usefulness and quality, with some being really very good and others abysmal. In future editions I would like to see more attention given to non-US filmmaking.

It is interesting if you like to read. It is also interesting to see how what were once thought as interesting and new stories are old, recycled from novels that few knew existed.

For those who have read both the "Third Millinnium" and "Fourth Millinnium", you should find this to only be a re-visit of the first novel. We watch the same characters work through the exact same struggles as before, however, this time the perspective is more from the viewpoint of the angels; the Arch-Angel Michaelin particular. It would be unfair to compare the author's use of 'angels as characters' with Peretti's "Piercing the Darkness". Those who are looking to nd a similar novel will be disappointed. This is not to say the novel is poorly written, for it is not. There is a marked difference in the writer's use of angels. While Peretti's are more actively involved in his plot lines, Meier's have a stronger sense of character development; such as exploring an angel's first exposure to hatred, anger and war. Overall, an easy book to read, with occassional events that may cause the reader to stop & wonder.

This book tries, and for that alone, I'll give it an extra star. The author obviously has the best of intentions, but unfortunately, the effort doesn't translate into a novel that's readable. The characters are not recognizable human beings- they make June Cleaver seem like a complex, multi-faceted character. What's worse, there's no real theology that goes any deeper than, "God is good, you should worship Him." That's great, but when I read a book like this, I'm hoping to gain some new insight about both myself and my relationship to God. At the very least, I'm looking for a good story. There's none of that to be found here. Anyone looking for a novel about the Endtimes that succeeds where Meier's novel fails should check out We All Fall Down, by Brian Caldwell. It's insightful, enthraling, and will stick with you for months. Meier tries hard in this series, and doubtlessly has the best of intentions, but in all four of these books, his good intentions simply pave the way to a literary hell.

This, the only widely available volume on the great films of Robert Wise, is a tremendous disappointment. Each film receives its own chapter consisting of photos and a brief quotation from Wise himself. Although some chapters are informative,Wise's comments often seem distant and non-committal, as if he were hesitant to reveal his true feelings about the films he made and the people with whom he worked. Most tragically, these miniscule quotations do not enrich the experience of viewing the films themselves. Both Robert Wise and his vast body of work deserve a lengthy biography and detailed critical study. Unfortunately, this is neither.

I love husband and wife detective stories, so I eagerly picked up "The Empty coffin." However, my hopes were soon dashed. Vera Sloan is portrayed as a bored housewife who decides to help her marriage by becoming her policeman husband's detecting partner. From this unrealistic beginning, the plot proceeds. When the story centers on Sam Sloan and the police department, it's enjoyable. But Vera is such a nagging, temper-tantrum throwing shrew that I found it hard to keep in sight that she did have a point about her husband working far too much. Add a precocious child who spouts wisdom far beyond her years to the mix and I found myself gritting my teeth. I don't know how long it has been since the author has been around small children, but the dialogue wasn't at all realistic for a child.
As I said, I wanted to like this story... but I just couldn't.