5 comments about The Lord of the Rings Trilogy Gift Set.

1. It is a nice audio book. It does have it's flaws though.
   
   1. It does not offer maps or any drawings. I have searched online for some, but only find blurry copies. Considering the maps and drawings are held so highly in admiration... it kinda sucks not to have them
   
   2. the acting of the narrator is not the greatest. There were parts when the book notes "he yells" and the narrator speaks in a calm and clear character voice. It's kind of funny sometimes.
   
   3. many of the narrator's "attempted" character voices sound alike. All the elf kind sound the same, even the women sound like males. All the hobbits pretty much sound the same, except Sam who has this manly deep voice, which often sounds like Aragon. Often the narrator accidentally mergers one character voice into another by accident. So a hobbit will be speaking then all the sudden he sounds like Aragon or Gandolf.
   
   But outside of that the audio book is great. These "problems" are small. Since the un-abridged reading offers the names of who is talking and their emotions that go along with it, you can make out the story just fine. It just takes a little more imagination and you can alter their voices in your head to sound like what you want to hear. I would highly reccomend it, that is until someone figures out they can get a better actor or has the mind to hire multiple actors to fulfill the part.
   
   There is nothing funnier than hearing a deep manly voice trying to immitate a woman singing



2. It's hard to add more than other reviewers have done. Most of the comments are right-on, but I think it's nice for a potential buyer to hear a lot of people voicing their opinions. This is a long set but perfect for a devoted fan. I love listening to it while doing other things or in the car on the way to work, probably also for an airplane. Rob Inglis did a great job, and while a few of the female voices are a bit odd, you soon forget about such things when you get wrapped up in the story.
   
   He adds the right emphasis to the right parts and I think his voice is well-suited to this work. For hardcore LotR fans, it's hard to find something that meets our high expectations as this is a simply amazing work of art that will last for years - it's hard to find a voice that meets every (somewhat unreal, I think) expectation. But Rob Inglis comes extremely close.



3. I have all the parts (Fellowship of the ring, Return of the King & The Two Towers). I have loved the audiobooks.
   
   I only have 1 problem with the audiobooks and that is when I converted the discs so I could listen to them on my ipod, the names of each track varied.
   
   On some it ists the name of teh chapter and followed by a number(part of the chapter, others it names the book and the track number without the chapter title name, and on others it says the track number...
   
   They should have been consistent with the track names.



4. Great product. Robert Inglis is really top. Despite the single narrator I am enjoying it even more than the dramatized version of the Hobbit.
   
   Documentation very poor for what is supposed to be a gift set.
   
   Good price even taking into account import tax and shipment 50% of local purchase even through internet!



5. `The Hobbit' and `The Lord of the Rings Trilogy' by J.R. R. Tolkien on Audio CDs from Recorded Books. Complete and Unabridged, performed by Bob Ingles. 10 compact discs in `The Hobbit' and 46 in LOTR; more than 60 hours.
   
   I've read `The Hobbit' and LOTR several times over the years and I've seen all the movies several times (Good News! Peter Jackson and Guillermo del Toro are filming `The Hobbit' and a `prequel' to LOTR to be released in 2010 and 2011). So when I saw this was available from Recorded Books I bought it. Overall I was not disappointed; there is enough here to satisfy any LOTR geek (not do disparage geekatude, in fact I admire most geeks) but the main thing I got out of it was an increased admiration for Peter Jackson's film adaptation. Jackson was a genius at cutting out the parts that added little to the overall story and in changing places and characters to make it flow better.
   
   I could review and compare the books, the movies, and the audio CDs, however I'll just refer to the whole thing as LOTR here.
   
   The recording at times gets very heavy and hard to follow. Just like in the books, there are long passages you'd like to skip. Unlike the books, you have a hard time doing that here. Having said that I still have to give this all 5 stars as it is worth having if you are a LOTR fan like me. Bob Ingles does a masterful job of performing all the parts, not merely reading them. At times it is confusing, but then LOTR is confusing at times; all those names that are so close always got mixed up in my mind. Also Ingles at least even tries to make those doggerel `songs' of Tolkien sufferable. Thank gawd that Jackson cut them from the movies. I did think that Ingles was channeling Dwight Frye at times when he was doing the voice of Sméagol/Gollum. But overall I was very impressed and rarely confused, or at least no more than normal.
   
   I will say in listening to LOTR I noticed things which I never picked up on in the books or movies. For one thing Tolkien's rather snobbish acceptance of the `Divine Right of Kings' and aristocracy worship in general is much more evident when you are listening. Also I came to detect a more than small amount of racism on Tolkien's part; for example Sméagol/Gollum is referred to as `black' and the humans who join forces with Sauron are described with racial stereotypes. I suppose Tolkien can be excused as this was probably merely a reflection of his background and era, but it did get on my nerves at times. Also Tolkien seems to me to be even rather dismissive of the Hobbits as `little people' and in the end Gandalf abandons them to fight Saruman on their own; he is `too busy' off smoking his pipe and talking to Tom Bombadil (a character thankfully left out of Jackson's movies)to be bothered to help them.
   
   But, all things being equal which they never are, if you are a fan of LOTR you'll want to spend the US$150.00 or so for this collection and listen to it all in preparation for the Jackson movies.

5 comments about Ender's Game (Ender Quartet).

1. No matter who I've loaned this book to, the response is the same. They all have given it rave reviews. In fact, this is the book that I've purchased the most copies of. You'd think that I would have learned after not getting the first few copies back. It is such a wonderful story that I cannot help but want to share it.
   Please note that this is soft science fiction.



2. I recently picked this book up and thought it would be fun to reread a little. I quickly got hooked in and had to finish it (which only took a few hours). I had forgotten how good a piece of fiction this book is.
   
   The story is set in the future. Humans are confronted with an alien species and are training an army to defeat it. Part of the training is sending young kids to a battle school. Ender is one of the kids chosen to go to battle school. His adventures there are a great read. The sequels to this book (Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, Children of the Mind) are also great, though not as good as the original. There is also "Ender's Shadow" which tells the story of another student in the battle school at the same time as Ender (thus, it is not a prequel or sequel). Ender's Shadow also has a couple sequels that are pretty good.
   
   Orson Scott Card is a great writer and it's hard not to enjoy his books. If you have never read him, this is an excellent place to start. I have known many non-science fiction fans who have really enjoyed this book. An all-time classic.



3. 
   ...you won't regret this read. One of my top three favorites of all time.



4. I wrote "possibly" because I'm only 2/3 of the way through. The only reason I continue to read it is because I keep thinking, "Surely, based on over 2,000 5-star reviews, something MUST happen to pull this book's fat out of the fire soon." The plot is thin, the characters are cardboard, the dialog would be laughable if it weren't so terrible that even laughing at it gives it too much credit, and I don't know what drove Card to have the 6-year-old boys running around naked half the time, talking about kissing each other's butts and how many pubic hairs they have between them, but he may be eligible for sex-offender registration based soley on this book. I've read there's a scene coming up where a bunch of naked little boys beat another naked little boy to death in the shower. Is this a work of science fiction or a description of a pedophilic snuff film? Also, Ender's genius is constantly hyped, but it seems like he's only a "genius" because every other member of the military is borderline retarded. "Hey, guys, in zero gravity, the terms 'up' and 'down' are relative! I'm Isaac freakin' Newton!" Seriously? No one in the long history of space travel had figured that out before Ender? Seriously?
   
   Sheesh, this thing better have a good payoff, or I'm putting it in a paper bag full of dog feces and leaving it flaming on Card's doorstep.



5. Orson Scott Card's 'Ender's Game' is one of my favorite science-fiction novels. Reading about Ender's genius thoughts, and uncanny abilities really provokes my imagination. The ending is stellar, but the LDS religious undertones of the whole 'Speaker for the Dead' part is a bit offputting. However, the book is still awesome!

5 comments about The Two Towers (The Lord of the Rings, Book 2).

1. Greed, betrayal, infighting, and indecision have led the Fellowship of
   the Ring to break up. Gandalf has fallen, and Boromir is dead. The rest
   of the party is split in two, as Frodo sneaks off with Sam, to go to
   Mordor, and Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli pursue the Orcs that have
   abducted the other two hobbits.
   
   A lot of breaking stuff, fighting and sneaking to be found here.
   
   It ends in a cliffhanger.



2. 'The Two Towers', by JRR Tolkien, tells of the continued adventures of the Fellowship after its breaking. It traces Frodo and Sam's journey as they strive to come closer to Mordor, yet in the hard, barren lands, one must have a guide, mustn't they my precioussss?
   
   Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas trail after the Orcs who have taken Pippin and Merry captive, seeking to over take them and free the prisoners. Many leagues they travel over the fields of Rohan, finding signs that are hopeful, as well as those that fill them with dread and doubt. Yet unknown to them, Ugluk, leader of the Orc troop, has troubles in his ranks, for not only does he have fellow servants of Saruman the White with him, there are also emisaries of Sauron. What will Aragorn and his companions find if and when they overtake the Orc host, and what of the strange forest of Fangorn, feared by so many in these untrusting days. What secrets does its tangled boughs hold, and what of this mysterious white clad stanger that shows up once they are in the forest?
   
   RD Williams, author of 'The Lost Gate'



3. I didn't enjoy this as much as the first part of the trilogy, but it was still pretty good. Strangely divided, though. The events of this book take place simultaneously in two locations, and rather than skipping back and forth, Tolkien for some reason tells all of what happens in one place, then jumps to the other parallel story, occasionally giving chronological markers -- while such and such was happening in the great battle to the north, yada yada. Still, a good, and obviously crucial part of a great overall story.



4. With this book, the second installment in "The Lord of the Rings" (a single extremely long novel, not a trilogy), things start to fall into place. The Fellowship of the Ring was great, but it felt like it was basically build-up for bigger things to come. Well, by the time "The Two Towers" starts, the ball is rolling, and fast.
   
   I was weary about the decision to split the book into two halves, one half dealing with Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Merry, and Pippin, and the other half dealing with Frodo, Sam, and Gollum, because I thought it might have been a wiser decision to mix it up a bit; have one chapter deal with Aragorn and company, the next with Frodo and company, and so on. However, the way it is set up is probably for the better. Each half read very well, advancing this classic story in big ways.
   
   Again, as I mentioned in my review for "Fellowship," Tolkien's work isn't for the impatient reader. His beefy sentences demand that you comb through them, soaking in the language and appreciating the intensely thought-out sub-creation of Tolkien's Middle-earth. Thing is, that kind of writing isn't for everyone. I've read pompous reviewers insulting those who don't appreciate Tolkien's style, but the "get on with the story, Tolkien" complaints are not without merit. I thoroughly enjoyed "The Two Towers" and consider the overall arc of The Lord of the Rings to be a classic and timeless story, but the style of writing can, at times, grate against one's patience.
   
   So I'll end my review for this book by including something I said in my review for "Fellowship," which very much applies here: "Pour a cup of tea. Heck, sit it on a tea cozy. Turn off your phone, and absorb the writing. Visualize the mountains, rivers, all of the scenery. Feel what is happening, don't just read it. True, there is a lot of back story that could have been taken out, but it wasn't. So deal, and read it--most of it, if not all, is interesting."
   
   PS: The character arc of Gollum (and his dialogue!) alone is worth reading this book. We loves it, my precious!
   
   10/10 Classic.



5. This book is amazing. The story is wonder and it draws you in. It takes you to a whole other world and allows you to live in it as an observer of amazing and epic events.
   This is edition is one of the best editions. The maps in the back are excellent and it's quality is superior to a lot of other books that I have seen. It has a glossed cover and the ink is dark. Even at the price of $12 this book is WELL worth the money.

5 comments about By Schism Rent Asunder.

1. I thoroughly enjoyed "Off Armegeddon Reef," for the concept, the characters, and the battle scenes. While "By Schism..." offers no major battles, it sets the stage for the upcoming confrontations and gives us an opportunity to get to know the inhabitants a little better. I found it an enjoyable read and had a sense of loss as the book neared its end.
   
   His naming conventions are my least favorite part of this story. While I understand 800 years might bring a shift in spelling and pronounciation, skewing the spelling of character names while keeping the common pronounciation is tiring (and almost an exercise in humorless puns).
   
   I look forward to the next book.



2. Reading some other reviews, there seems to be an opinion that By Schism ... is only the 2nd of an 8 book series.
   
   Hmm. I enjoy Weber's books but the other series are science fiction. The first two in this series are barely science fiction and at the pace of the timeline there won't be much above the atmosphere until maybe book 5.
   
   I rather wonder why Weber has suddenly chosen to write historical naval fiction against a context of a religious war.
   
   He may have created a problem for himself in that his usual and large following may be expecting the occasional epic space battle and equally are prepared to spend time absorbing the specifics of the impeller drive and a capital missile design but are rather less interested in canvas sail plans and carronade design.
   
   I could guess how the next few novels develop and technolgical development will doubtless be accelerated by Merlin's presence and input but then again I don't see much space combat until Merlin has to take down the surveillance system just prior to the development of electricity/radio communication and that, at best, is several hundred years away in the series timeline.
   
   I suspect this series will develop toward the premise of Weber's 'Heirs of Empire' series with the same form of technologically capable but culturally frozen adversary race.
   
   Shame there looks to be several hundred years worth of planet bound conflict before the remnnants of humanity form an 'Empire from the Ashes' and go hunting Gbaba.
   
   It may be (just) Science Fiction, but not really as we know it, Jim.
   
   It's going to take a long time before this series is back in space.



3. I have enjoyed Mr. Weber's work for years, and own every solo book he has ever written (and most of his collaborative efforts), having read many of them several times over. "Off Armageddon Reef" was superb, and left me eagerly anticipating the next episode. Perhaps therein lies the problem.
   
   I was so excited that I didn't realize until about three-fourths of the way through "By Schism Rent Asunder" (delightfully lyrical title, btw) that nothing - nothing - was HAPPENING! The storyline's pace is positively glacial, and you would need calipers to measure the plot's progress in the first three HUNDRED pages. Instead, the reader is treated to an interminable series of meetings. Call them councils if you like, but they are MEETINGS nonetheless. The characters talk - ad nauseum - about what they're GOING to do and WHY they plan on doing it. Unfortunately, nobody ever gets around to - you know - actually doing anything. Just like meetings in the real world.
   
   Now don't get me wrong: expositive narrative is quite valuable as a literary tool, and I respect Mr. Weber's stupendous imagination, to have crafted such a detailed and finely-honed fictional universe. Nor do I have sophomoric expectations of "non-stop" action, or action for its own sake. But this book is, sadly, lacking, or perhaps lackluster. It feels ... incomplete, and I get the feeling that the next book will move the storyline forward much more rapidly. Perhaps he was rushed to a deadline? Regardless, it might have been better to restructure the plot during the editing process, or perhaps wait and release both this volume and the next simultaneously.
   
   Digression: Those similarly familiar with Mr. Weber's body of work will easily recognize the conceptual similarities between the Safehold series and the (much shorter, but highly recommended) Heirs of Empire. Does Mr. Weber anticipate tying the two together? Could Safehold be a - very - remote prequel?



4. I had high hopes for this book after reading the first book in this series. However, it has little internal plot and doesn't do much more to advance the overall storyline. Instead, it's full of banal, repetitive conversation and mind-numbing dull descriptive text that one has to endure while searching for the widely spaced portions where something actually happens.



5. This series is a good take on the (familiar) Arthurian theme.
   
   By Schism Rent Asunder has all the characteristics of a middle series book which follows nicely on from the fast paced constant action of the first book in the series, setting the stage for more action in the next installment. It is full of character development, about which I have only one criticism - its that some of the characters (particularly the baddies) are seen only from a distance. I look forward to the pace picking up again in the next installment. David Weber is easily one of my favourite authors whose books consistently impress.

5 comments about Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Star Wars (Random House Audio)).

1. [This review contains spoilers for The Clone Wars]
   
   Earlier this year, the Star Wars Lit community was abuzz with the news of a couple of things - that there was an untitled Karen Traviss novel coming, and that there was a Clone Wars movie coming out. A couple of months ago, fans learned that they were both connected, as Karen turned out to have been writing the novelization.
   The release of The Clone Wars brings about the first book released in the time frame since Traviss's last Republic Commando novel, True Colors, which was released last year, and once again shows that Traviss is one of the better writers for the Clone Wars.
   
   This novelization isn't the best work that Karen has released. The book is a very short one, and plotwise, has a bit to be desired. In a nutshell, the Seperatists have kidnapped the son of Jabba the Hutt, hoping to anger the Hutts enough to ensure that the Republic can't utilize their space lanes.
   
   The book is rife with action, which is Karen's strong point, especially when it comes to Clones. the main characters are introduced with a battle, where Karen puts her expertise gained from the Republic Commando books. What I really enjoyed was seeing an author put a level of military realism to this - the Clones talk and act like soldiers.
   
   Karen leaves a lot of nods to the 501st, helping to further explain the role of Vader's fist, the battalion seen in Revenge of the Sith, named for the 501st Legion. One of the more interesting characters in the book is Captain Rex, whom a number of Legion members are building in anticipation of the film's release. Karen pushed these guys to a particular prominence in the book, which is a great nod to the group, of which, she's an honorary member. There weren't any mentions of Republic Commandos, which surprised me a little.
   
   The plot of the book leaves more to be desired beyond the military sections. There are some interesting political ideas here, but the idea that the Republic would send two of their most highly regarded Jedi after a Huttling is somewhat ridiculous. While this is addressed somewhat at points, I found it hard to believe.
   
   More so, I found the notion that the Hutts, or more particularly, Jabba, would completely base foreign policy on a kidnapped child a ridiculous notion. Granted, this is a novelization based off of an animated movie, so expecting something on the level of Karen's other books or other Clone Wars novels such as Shatterpoint is somewhat expected.
   
   Unfortunately, the book is short, clocking in at around 250 pages, taking me a total of five or so hours to read. Fortunately, Del Rey seems to have realized this, and as a result, I only paid $12 for the book (yay for a 40% discount at Borders).
   
   Overall, this is a decent enough read, despite the fact that it is short and not as good as her other books. However, with four more books to go in the series, there's plenty of room for more improvement and Clone action.



2. If you liked the Republic Commando books you will like this book. If not avoid it. This has very similar action to the fights in Attack of the Clones and the Commando books, just not as crisp. But it does give insights into Hutt society (e.g. they are asexual and Jabba has created a son) and Lucas' continuing theme of folks disliking / hating the Jedi because the Jedi have failed to meet their expectations. Kenobi is absent for most of this novel so from a Jedi perspective, this is Anakin's novel, especially given Yoda has given Anakin a Padawan to train. But there is sparse growth / development in Anakin's character. But then we already know he is a short time away from becoming evil personified, so what could they really add. :-)
   
   A quick summer read if you are looking for one. I am looking forward to Order 66 and hope it is better. I will watch the movie the book is based on when it hits television non-premium channels.



3. I love Karen Traviss, she does an amazing job bringing clone troopers and mandalorians to life. this story wasn't as good as her other books, but i still enjoyed it. the book does contain spoilers and other material that is involved in the movie. its a great tale, and i can't wait for the movie, but this book was missing a few things. I was hoping for more conflict and more battles between the jedi and sith, that was a little lacking and not as well done. stil this novel was great, and i loved reading about the new characters like captain rex and Ahsoka.



4. While this is a decent book and will probably fill in some blanks for the movie, I found too much military prose for my liking. I know, I know it's the Clone Wars! However, I prefer Star Wars which make the military side secondary.
   The continued look at the clones as having human feelings (especially fear) is a good touch, and I hope at some point in the future we learn why the Empire decided eventually to use humans as well as clones as stormtroopers.
   Anakin's new padawan seems a little forced at times, and it'll be interesting to see how she plays out in the TV series. I'm looking forward to the movie, but I'm a bit concerned after this book.



5. "The Clone Wars" tells a story about a day in the life of Anakin. This is no rehash of the Cartoon Network's "Animated Clone Wars." Even compared to episodes II & III, many of the prominently featured characters play a much smaller role. This is okay because this story introduces an exciting new character to the Star Wars pantheon: Ahsoka. Ahsoka is Skywalker's apprentice. Along these lines, one of the central themes to "Clone Wars" is the master-apprentice relationship. While this has been done before, the theme is fresh as Anakin and Ahsoka negotiate their relationship. Having nicknames like Skyguy and Snips, their partnership is a contrast to that of Anakin and Obi-Wan. In this story, we delve deeper into the clones. We find a surprising amount of individuality and contemplation. Whether it be their physiology, politics or reproductive habits, we also learn more about the Hutts. Naturally, Count Dooku, Asajj Ventress and Darth Sidious are participants. As the title suggests, there is a good deal of action in the story. Karen Traviss has a knack for combat writing. In addition to conveying the characters' fatigue and injuries, the reader can also feel their motivation to survive and continue fighting. As with the Republic Commando books, some may find that too much page time is given to combat. Indeed, compared to the theatrical trilogies, this story is heavy on the action and light on character development. With the exception of Ahsoka, "The Clone Wars" does little to advance our understanding of Anakin or other characters. In fact, it does little to flush out significant events of the Clone Wars. Compared to the battles of Geonosis and Utapau, the fighting on Christophsis has little significance when it comes to the big scheme of things. In the end, we shouldn't over intellectualize; this story is eye candy (or is it mind candy when read from a book?). Despite having over 250 pages, this is an enjoyable story that moves quickly. Whether as an end unto itself or an appetizer for the upcoming film, "Clone Wars" is action packed fun.

5 comments about The Return of the King (The Lord of the Rings, Book 3).

1. While Tolkien's epic has its obvious flaws : the blatant racism,
   simplistic politics and superiority of Westerners he beats you over the
   head with, the wonderful setting is not to be denied.
   
   Pitched battle as decoy is not too bad a stunt either, as they try and given Sam and Frodo more time to destroy the One Ring.
   
   After this, the repercussions of this war for Middle-Earth are felt closer to home for the four fuzzy short guys.



2. I listen to a lot of books on tape. Every once in a while I come across a narrator who is perfectly suited to the work. I don't mean a narrarator who has a good voice, I mean a narrator whose voice brings the story alive. Rob Inglis is such a narrator in all three books in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Each character is clearly identifiable by his uncanny ability produce dozens of distinct voices. I've listened to other audio versions of Tolkien's works. Those narrarated by Rob Inglis are the only ones that I've found worth the purchase.



3. I won't go into what Lord of the Rings is all about. If you're looking at this book you probably already know. Instead I'll tell you about the version you are looking at. This publication has a wonderful, classic feel to it. Map in the back which provides detail of Rohan and Gondor. The cover slip is great. Wonderful artwork. I purchased this version because it doesn't have the movie art work all over it. Remember, it was a book before a movie. If you're going to read the book, leave the movie behind. The Return of the King also has the Appendices and has a quality hard binding. I would recommend this version (any of three books) to anyone who wants the real Lord of the Rings experience.



4. The third book in the Lord of the Rings trilogy (which was never meant by Tolkien to be a trilogy, but three separate books seem a lot more manageable than one 1008-page volume). I liked this one better than the second book, but not as much as the first. I thought that, like in the second book, the way Tolkien divided the narrative was weird. Rather than switching back and forth between two simultaneous stories, he tells all of one, then all of the other. Still, that's a little nit-pick for an epic of this magnitude. I'm not sure if The Lord of the Rings as a whole would make my personal top 10 list, but it definitely deserves a spot among the greatest novels ever written, if not for the writing then for the sheer imagination and ambition of the project. I've never read a book that so convincingly creates an entire world. It's no wonder this is considered to be the definitive fantasy. There were times when I wanted to live in Middle Earth and other times when I set the book down and felt like I had been in Middle Earth for a while. An incredible escape, and well worth the time it takes to read it.



5. I got the whole "Lord of the Rings" trilogy for my husband woh loved the movies. He has truly enjoyed listening to the audiobooks and so have I. The reader is excellent and provide different voices for each character. I would compare the reader to Stephen Fry of the UK version for the Harry Potter audiobooks. These books were definatly worth the money.

5 comments about Life of Pi.

1. i thoroghly enjoyed reading this book. the imagination and execution of the the author's writing style is of high quality. the cadence and movement of the plot was impeccable.
   
   my criticism, however, is in the implicit theme in the conclusion of the book that implies that epic stories and myths that come from the long lost past (and are often found in religion), if they can't be proven, must therefore not have happened. the lost city of troy was for so long considered to be a complete myth. well, we now know it existed. and almost exactly as it was described in the illiad! moreover, if we didn't have the actual specimens here to show/befuddle us, we wouldn't believe that the ancient pyramids could possibly have been constructed with an engineering ability far greater than our technologically enabled one.
   
   i agree that great meaning, both individually and collectively as a society, can come from ancient myths that have been passed down from the centuries. however, i think it is a true mistake, and a symptom of ignorance and arrogance, to discredit the possibility of events occurring in human kind's distant past that seem very implausable and remote to us in this day and age. many of the events that took place in the seminal times of the great religions quite possibly did indeed occur and weren't simply the results of a creative scribes imagination. quite honestly, much stranger things than a tiger and boy sharing a raft at sea for a year have probably happened during the course of history.



2. I read this book 3 years ago and was looking up the author on Amazon to recommend it to a friend and I couldn't believe it only has an average of 4 stars. Of course i remember the story but I can't remember every nuance that moved me and put such light in my heart. So without giving away details I will just say that there is a lot of symbolism and underlying meanings going on so even though it was fiction I felt like a better person for reading such a beautiful story. I gave it to a friend when his grandfather died and he said that was the perfect novel to have with him during that time. Hope you enjoy as much as we did.



3. The premise is interesting -- a man and a tiger aboard a small lifeboat. The novel, however, gets very tedious. And the end with the insurance adjusters (who come across as Laurel & Hardy) was unbelievable. The book was entertaining at times, but not worth finishing.



4. This book is simply incredible. It felt like I was reading "The Old Man and the Sea" all over again. Martel weaves a beautiful tale that asks the reader to suspend disbelief for a while and delivers a classic in taking that risk. This book stays with the reader long after it is placed down.



5. I don't often review books that have 1800 reviews already, but I couldn''t resist.
   Yann Martel is not only a consumate story teller but he does what a great novelist and satirist should: he make us think about our own folly and the folly of the world.
   We get suckered right in from the absurd beginning with Pi an India boy named after a French swimming pool who grows up in a zoo with a tiger named Richard Parker.We fill out how all this came to be in good time.
   Pi is a spiritually curious young boy and a practicing Hindu, Muslim, Christian all of which he practiced diligently until the religious authorities became infuriated and demanded his unwavering devotion to their one true path. This might be solely a jab at the state and absurdity of modern religion, except right now in India there is a village where the people joinly practice Islam and Hinduism and likewise the great Poobahs have decided that they could pracice religion that way.
   
   We move on and Pi and his family are on their way to Canada zoo and all when the ship sinks and Pi, an hyena and Richard Parker the tiger are stranded alone on a life boat where Pi all but abandons religions in the name of day to day survival. What follows is a thrillingly probable, improbable set of adventures.
   
   In case we miss some of the finer points, there are study question
   
   Buy this box if you like entertainment or or if you want to delve deeper into the danger abyss of challenging our own believe systems

5 comments about Acheron (Dark-Hunter, Book 12).

1. After years of reading this series and getting glimpses of the horror that Acheron went through to become who he was, and after years spent wishing for Ash's chance at happiness, the wait is finally over. And Acheron (Dark-Hunter, Book 12) is something Sherri Kenyon should be supremely proud to have written.
   
   May contain spoilers (no startling revelations revealed, but major plot points discussed...)
   
   The first book, at almost 500 pages, chronicles Ash's past. The first part is via his sister Rhyssa's journal and then from his own perspective. I don't think any Dark Hunter novel can quite prepare readers for the horror that was Ash's past in Atlantis and Didymos. Conceived by the union of Archon and Apollymi, Acheron was born as the Harbinger, the prophesied destroyer of the Atlantean pantheon and the world. Desperate to save her son, Apollymi had him placed in the womb of a pregnant queen.
   
   Born a prince, Ash was prophesied to walk the earth alone, his sorrows unparalleled. He was cursed by his own aunt to be desired by every human on earth, with no powers with which to protect himself from their lust. Sold into slavery, his body was bought and sold countlessly. Ash's sister Rhyssa was his only champion, desperately trying with any ounce of power she had (and she had very few, as a woman) to save him from the cruelty of others. But even Rhyssa could not spare Ash the cruelty of his own father, who cast him aside, believing Ash to be the illegitimate result of a union between his wife and some unknown deity. Ash's silver eyes gave him away as god borne, and only intensified the horror wrought on him.
   
   When Rhyssa leaves to become Apollo's lover and Ash is left at the mercy of his father, he meets Artemis, who he believes is his one escape from the tortures of humanity. For the first time, Ash feels genuinely wanted by someone. Naively, Ash gives his heart to Artemis, swearing never to reveal their secret relationship to anyone. But when Ash is brutally beaten in the name of Artemis, she hides in the shadows, always watching and never coming to his aid until after the fact. Ash begins to hate the woman he once considered a friend, when she uses his body and denies their relationship before the world. And when Apollo finally kills Ash while Artemis watches and Artemis revives him out of fear of Apollymi, Ash becomes forever and irrevocably tied to her through a blood bond. One that everyone believes is unbreakable...
   
   The second part of the book takes place in present day, and Ash hears that a certain archaeologist has claimed to have discovered Atlantis. When he attends the lecture and the artifacts are genuine, Ash sets out to discredit Soteria (Tory) at great length. But Tory seeks Ash's help to translate a journal she discovered at the site, which Ash recognizes as Rhyssa's. Drawn to Tory because of her seeming immunity to his aunt's curse, Ash agrees to help her. And when Tory is hunted in order to ensure Atlantis' secrets stay buried at the bottom of the Aegian, Ash agrees to become her protector. As their intimacy grows, Ash realizes that after over 11,000 years of not trusting anyone, he risks giving his heart to a single human woman.
   
   At over 700 pages, "Acheron" is an intricate and complex story, and at times, I truly felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest just reading it. There are a number of people who have reviewed and commented claiming to have either skimmed over the first book or skipped the entire thing completely--I suppose to "get to the goods" as it were, and find out who the heroine is. At the risk of sounding critical: I think it does the author and this beautifully written character a great disservice to ignore it. I know a lot of people don't want to read about the intimacy between Ash and Artemis, but there is no attempt on SK's part to soften Artemis' image via Ash's past. If anything, reading the first book has made me ultimately despise Artemis even more than I already have. It portrays the scope of her betrayal...and just what Ash was willing to endure for the mere illusion of her love and ultimately the sacrifices he makes to stay true to his word. If anything it makes Ash even more of a hero than the other Dark Hunter books have divulged, and I didn't think that was possible. SK never gave any illusion that Ash's past was anything less than truly horrifying, and to be honest, I'm glad she didn't cop out and gentle it. I've heard the first book described as, "Almost 400 pages of torture." And, yes, it was. Does that make it any less worth reading? No. If anything, the first book only made the second all the more satisfying.
   
   At the end of the first book, I had cried multiple times and was feeling just plain exhausted. Sherrilyn Kenyon did not hold back. She ripped my heart out and stomped on it and at the end of book one, I felt almost forelorn and lost and helpless--just like Ash. And book two was just the revival I needed. The romance between Tory and Ash was passionate and sweet, but at the same time there was a unique understanding between both characters. It was a bond forged through narration and description that was some of the best Sherrilyn Kenyon has ever written. The scope of emotions in both books were intense and raw and painful and happy. It is so rare for me to truly become so involved in a book that I am then tangled in the written emotions and see everything so vividly, I feel like I'm there witnessing it all unravel. I was delighted and elated and sad at times, but the full effect was the same: Sherrilyn Kenyon wrote a DAMN good book.



2. I understand that the beginning of the book had to happen. Fine. It explained a lot. Now to the present day half of the book. The Acheron I know and love is a bad a_ _, not an insecure, whiney whimp. He is the most powerful Atlantean God yet he continued to doubt himself and hope he could keep Tory safe from Artemis. It would have been really nice if Kat would have been included more in the story too. The only reason I gave it 4 stars is because it's Ash and because Talon was in the story too and who doesn't love him. During Ash and Tory's first intimate moment I kept waiting for something really big to happen like a blackout or lighting storm when Ash got to that "moment". Something to add to the hugeness of the fact that he had finally found love with a woman who found pride in being with him. All the other Dark Hunter stories had really great love scenes. Why were the love scenes so boring and undetailed in Acheron? They should have been the best out of all of them. I just kept feeling like something was missing. And, I found the many, many typos incredibly annoying too. It was a disppointment and my first and hopefully only in the Dark Hunter series.



3. I love all of Sherrilyn's books and have been waiting for this one and i wasn't disappointed. ash as alway been a powerful character and very dark. With his past reveled we see why. I wanted to jump into the pages destroy them all for what was done to him (funny isn't it?). Sherrilyn really pulled you into the story. thanks



4. This had to be the best Dark Hunter Novel Ms. Kenyon has written. The detail and depth of the characters kept me on the edge of my seat. I had pre-ordered the book and when it arrived I started reading and finished it a few hours later, unable to put it down.
   
   The brilliant descriptions made you feel like you were actually sitting and watching it all happen. The emotional aspects kept you on edge as you hoped for some happiness for the character so that the culmination just blew me away.



5. Unlike most of the other reviews, I LOVED the beginning of the book. It gave me incredible insight into the character of Acheron. I really loved her style of writing and though most of it was filled with scenes of abuse, I think it was important make the reader FEEL his suffering. The second part of the book I found to be a bit disappointing. I felt as if it was a bit rushed. I would have liked to see Tory and Ash's relationship blossom a bit more. I feel as if Artemis and even Ryssa's relationship got more page time. I would also have liked Tory's character to have been a bit stronger and more special. I don't know, I guess I had BIG expectations for the woman that would steal Ash's heart. I also felt that the writing style in the second part was too similar to an advertisement. Mentioning Heroes and Dexter wasn't a plus for me. It just seemed to add to the cheesiness. I did like the ending. I am really glad that Nick played a part in it as well.

5 comments about The Fellowship of the Ring (The Lord of the Rings, Book 1).

1. Everyone knows that the Lord of the Rings is a fantastic fantasy epic and a classic work of literature. It shows that genre writing does not have to be hack writing. Clearly if you want to get into the series you have to start with The Fellowship of the Rings. I do not think you can think of yourself as a true fantasy lover unless you have read or tired to read this book. It is not for everyone as it is very dense, but it is also just a great story with great characters.



2. I know this is going to rile the defenders of the novels, but the films were much better. I remember how the "purists" were all up in arms when Peter Jackson changed the plots around, involved characters in certain areas, completely deleated others, etc. Well, I have to say, Jackson did a better job in telling Tolkien's work than Tolkien did.
   
   Tolkien's problem I think is that he created such a complex fantasy world with so much detail that he spent his whole time telling us about every single minor character and the minute details of every scene and completely forgot to move the plot along.
   
   There were times when I was reading this series and I thought, "wait, wasn't that a part that was pretty big in the movie?" Such as the Ringwraith's attack on Weathertop or the battle of Helms Deep. These events were described with as much emotion and excitement as if Tolkien were describing his morning routine.
   
   And I ended up groaning when one of his characters would launch into a long speech about how he ended up somewhere or especially when one of the Hobbits would talk about the Shire. At one point in "The Two Towers," Gandalf actually warns Theodan NOT to bring up such topics...I wonder if Tolkien himself even figured out he was spending too much time on these pointless back stories.
   
   Don't get me wrong, I love reading books that are rich in depth but this is a bit too deep.
   
   Then there are the songs and poems which are nice but...I stopped reading them after a while and went on with the story.
   
   The entire premise of the Lord of the Rings was supposed to be a conflict of good vs. evil and trying to stop evil from obtaining the one ring. Sadly, much of the book is devoted to telling us how these Elves ended up here and what happened at these ruins and who was there...again, all stuff that probably would have been better in a companion piece rather than clumsily put into the story like a concrete roadblock.
   
   The plot itself was also odd. Now I understand that Tolkien wanted to publish his work all in one giant book but was forced to divide it up. The man obviously doesn't know about climax and plot resolution and this is where Peter Jackson came in. The end of the first book just ends...Frodo dissappears and the rest of the fellowship are looking for him. The beginning of the second book starts with Aragorn finding a mortally wounded Boromir; we don't even get to read about the heroic stand of Boromir, just that he fought well but was overpowered. For the first half of The Fellowship of the Ring, we get to learn more than we cared to know about the Shire and the journey to leave the Shire and the surrounding area is just painfully slow with little or no action at all...just a long history lesson about these woods or this hedge or that village....ughh
   
   In The Two Towers, the first half of the book is devoted to Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas while the second half is solely devoted to Sam and Frodo.
   
   I don't know, Tolkien could have worked the plotline better concerning this and made it more enjoyable. Maybe he got lost in his own world as writers sometimes do and they forgot what the reader doesn't know.
   
   As for character development...there is none. The Aragorn you meet halfway through the first book is the same Aragorn that you see crowned as king at the end of the story. Whereas in the film, he is a conflicted man, unsure about his destiny and forced to decide. The characters in the book are one dimensional and you sometimes forget they are even there.
   
   I'll say it again, the films were much better or atleast the story was told better by Jackson than by Tolkien. Had Jackson been totally true to the story, we'd still be watching the movies I write this because every single back story would have to be told and the dozens of minor characters would have to be introduced and so on and so forth. In my mind, the movies are how Tolkien would have wanted his story told. His own books are the companion piece, to give more of a history and back story on the world that he created.



3. This is one book to enjoy. Tom Bambadil is the best! Tolkien creates interesting stories with classic creatures that most people have a slight background of information to, thus not wasting time on creating a new world of different names.



4. The BBC verison is superior in almost every way than this NPR version, but this does have a few things to recommend it. Tom Bomdadil sounds just as I imagined he would. Sam's voice is childish, but for the most part endearing because of that. I imagine this is how he sounded at nine when he first met Frodo and you can easily hear how much he loves his master as this version includes my favorite scene from Book IV as Sam watches Frodo sleep and the light that is shining from within and says to himself, "I love him" and the loving reunion in the tower. Both are interesting inclusions because Americans usually shy away from the showing of same-sex affection so this was welcome in showing that beautiful, pure bond of theirs. The scene with the Barrow-wights is very well done and quite terrifying. You can very easily understand why Frodo would have been scared enough to want to run away. The narrator's voice sometimes gets really caught up in the action, dramatically describing the fell beast of the Ring-wraiths or especially Sauron's realization that he is doomed as Frodo puts on the Ring. I almost felt sorry for the Dark Lord there for a minute as he frantically sends his Nazgul to stop that little one, but then I crowed in delight, "Too late! Too late!" Unfortunately, the narrator is the only one that is enthused in this, except for Sam. Frodo is quite lackluster. Don't try to take the Ring away from him, but otherwise you have no idea that his soul is being torn apart. When he claims the Ring/is claimed by the Ring is done well though.



5. If you are a fan of The Lord of the Rings, this audio recording is must-have for your collection. I love to read and re-read the trilogy; there is something magical about these books. Sometimes I focus on the poems, sometimes the characters, sometimes I just read them because they are familiar and comforting.
   
   This unabridged audio recording brings the book to life in a new and wonderful way. The narrator's voice is a perfect match for the story. Rob Inglis gives each character an appropriate voice, and his reading of the narrative is excellent. It's wonderful to listen to the story read aloud by such a fine actor!
   
   I've purchased dramatic abridgements of the trilogy, and was disappointed. So much was left out! With an unabridged reading, I can enjoy the whole story. If a poem or passage strikes my fancy, I can listen to it again.
   
   I am very pleased with this version, and highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a good audio version.

5 comments about The Host: A Novel.

1. Great book-- i don't like this as well as the Twilight series but it's good.



2. Although some people say that it takes 100+ pages to get interested in the book, I disagree. I got interested immediately when Melanie started talking to Wanderer and showing memories of Jared.
   
   Then, when they set out on their journey for Jared, things start getting BORING as hell. She spends pages and pages just describing the desert. And once Melanie makes it to the human hideout, she spends CHAPTERS just describing Melanie walking through the caves. This is particularly frustrating because at this point because the reader really wants to know SOMETHING about what's going to happen to Melanie or the human hideout or just anything to explain what's going on. And the author responds with gratuitous description of the CAVES.
   
   Things get even worse when Jared leaves. There are multiple chapters where the tension/interest does not increase and the story just stagnates. Generally, people like it when a book goes somewhere, not just sits around waiting for something to happen. I guess during this part of the book, we are supposed to warm up to minor charcters (thus setting us up for Walter's supposed heart-wrenching death) but I never really bought it.
   
   The only character in the book who is even mildly interesting is Melanie, and she hides out for half the book. Once again, frustrating. I did enjoy the romantic quadrangle, but that was the only aspect that was enjoyable - the romance. All the action/thriller stuff didn't hook me and I ended up skimming through it.
   
   Overall, there were some things that held my interest, but I had to sift through pages and pages of filler to get to it. Don't bother with it if you don't have the time or patience to do the same.



3. I have read Meyer's Twilight series, I'm on the 4th right now, but I can honestly say that I feel that "The Host" is a superior novel. The characters are rich and the apocalyptic feel is fun to read.
   
   The book is about parasitic aliens that come to earth and take over and control our bodies. But things aren't so cut and dry, because our narrator is a host sharing a body with it's previous owner who does not want to vacate. There's action, romance, sci-fi. It's a really interesting book with no slow parts, I read it quite fast because I wanted to know what happens. I've also heard that there may be sequels which I look forward to.
   
   Meyer's Twilight series is okay but to get a better sense at her writing talents pick this book up instead, or first.



4. Not since Ender's Game have I read a SciFi novel that challenges how we define humanity and morality like this book. It was incredibly well written, amazing character development and really pressed the reader to question their own personal views and truths. I liked this book better than her other series which may be b/c I'm older than what the Twilight series is aimed for but it was also because this book had bigger questions behind it and was both challenging and stimulating. I read the Host and immediately followed it by Breaking Dawn and can't believe the same writer wrote them. Hands down the Host was a must read.
   
   In that same breadth I sincerely hope that Ms. Meyer does not write a sequel. The ending was powerful, it wasn't completely tied with a pretty bow and the questions you were left with really spoke to the beauty of the book.



5. I liked this book for the most part. A couple things confused me though. In the beginning of the book she does a good job detailing the internal struggle between Wanderer and Melanie. Closer towards the end though it seemed like she gave up on describing this dynamic in as much detail. Melanie becomes more shrew and self serving, the wanderer becomes more self sacrificing. Wasn't the problem with placing a soul in an adult host body that the soul would start to take on some more human type characteristics? I'd have liked to see more of that. Also, I initially thought the book ended with the soul giving up Melanie's body. What a great ending - until I turned the 2 blank pages and found the aftermath. People don't always get what they want. Life is more beautiful because others make sacrifices. Tying things up with a pretty bow is like living off of cake and ice cream. sounds good at first but afterwards you realize that you need more than sugar and frosting. I would have given this 4 stars if those last few pages didn't exist...