No comments about Changes Unabridged CDs (The Dresden Files).

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

1. I am not a dedicated "fantasy literature" fan, but I've been a "Lord of the Rings" fan since I was in college (er...back in the late 1970s - OK, I've dated myself). Anyway, I still remember getting to the end of "The Fellowship of the Ring" (a book assigned in a Reading Lit class), and being left hanging as the fellowship was broken. I finished that book one evening, and I couldn't wait to get to the bookstore the next day to pick up a copy of "The Two Towers"...which I then proceeded to devour.
   
   I've read this entire series several times since those heady college days, and the Lord of the Rings (trilogy) remains one of my favorite stories.
   
   What should you know about "The Two Towers" if you are thinking about picking up a copy?
   
   1) Make sure that you buy not only this book, but the other two books in the Lord of the Rings trilogy (The Fellowship of the Ring: Being the First Part of The Lord of the RingsThe Return of the King: Being the Third Part of The Lord of the Rings)
   2) Each of the books in the trilogy do not stand alone. You need to not only read all three, but you need to read them in order. Tolkien wrote the "Lord of the Rings" as one cohesive story, but because of the length of the story it was published in three volumes. The first two books end abruptly, and the story picks right up in each of the following volumes...so you'll want to have all three handy when you start reading.
   3) The writing and imagery is crisp and vivid. The world Tolkien created and the people and other creatures that live there will draw you in.
   4) I prefer to read this book in a quiet, somewhat dimly lit room...it adds to the atmosphere.
   5) There is no foul language in these books. They are a pleasure to read.
   6) These books work well for readers of many ages - I actually read all of these books to my children when they were still in their elementary school years (years before the movies were produced). They remain favorites of some of my children and got them started on their own adventures in reading.
   
   This series is certainly in my top-10 list of books, and depending on the day, almost always falls out near the top of that list.
   
   This is not a book to be missed.
   
   5 stars, no doubt and no mistake!



2. The second volume of Tolkien's epic trilogy never even wavers. If anything, it seems steadier and more controlled than "Fellowship of the Ring," as several characters become more central and the plot focus widens to envelop all of Middle Earth. It suffers from a bit of sequelitis in places, but the overall book is just as enthralling as the first.
   
   Aragorn finds that Merry and Pippin have been abducted rather than killed -- for what reason, no one knows. Frodo and Sam have left on their own. So Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli race to find the orcs and retrieve the hobbits, but are stopped by the fierce Riders of Rohan, and then by an old and dear friend: Gandalf, who has been resurrected in the new form of a White wizard. Elsewhere, Merry and Pippin must use all of their wits to escape the orcs, and then find a strange band of allies that no one could have hoped for.
   
   Meanwhile, Frodo and Sam head into Mordor -- with an eerily familiar figure, Gollum, following them. Frodo subjugates Gollum, forcing him to swear on "the precious" that he won't harm him. In return, Gollum promises to guide the two hobbits through Mordor, straight to Mount Doom. But the Ring is weighing more heavily than ever on Frodo, and is starting to reassert its old sway on Gollum...
   
   One of the most noticeable changes in this book is the shift of focus. "Fellowship" was Frodo-centric, since the narration revolved around him, as did all the events and thoughts. But with the breaking of the Fellowship, the narration falls into three categories: Frodo and Sam; Merry and Pippin; Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli. This triple style allows individuals to shine more brightly, when they are called on to do more than hike with Frodo.
   
   Tolkien also presented a wider view of Middle-Earth in general. While the slow slog through Mordor doesn't really tell or show readers much -- aside from what a hellhole Sauron is the middle of -- it's shocking to see the the effects of the orcs, Saruman and Sauron on places such as Gondor and Rohan.
   
   But where Tolkien really outdid himself is Gollum. Gollum returns, in a substantially different state. Oh, he's still addled and addicted to the Ring, but he displays a dual love/loathing for the Ring, a weird affection for Frodo (who, from his point of view, is probably the only person who has been kind to him), and displays a Ring-induced multiple-personality syndrome. Very rarely can bad guys elicit the sort of loathing and pity from the reader that Gollum does.
   
   One noticeable aspect of this book is friendship. When the Fellowship sets out from Rivendell, virtually everyone is a stranger, with the exception of the hobbits. However, in this book we get our view of how much Sam loves Frodo and wants to help him. Sam is fully aware of how much Frodo needs emotional support, and he's quite willing to be a pillar of strength for his friend. We see Gimli and Legolas's affection for Merry and Pippin; and Legolas's willingness to kill Eomer if Eomer hurts Gimli shows how far this Elf and Dwarf have come.
   
   This book is substantially darker than "Fellowship." Frodo is starting to stumble under the weight of the Ring, and other characters die or are seriously hurt. The scene where Pippin's mind is trapped by Sauron is a very disturbing one, as is a violent and saddening scene late in the book. But there is also some wry humor, like Legolas's snippy comments about pipeweed as Gimli and the hobbits smoke up a storm, and Sam's debate with Gollum about whether they should cook the rabbits.
   
   Tolkien's second "Lord of the Rings" novel is a thrilling fantasy adventure, exploring more of his invented world than "Fellowship of the Ring" did. "The Two Towers" starts heading into darker territory, and will leave readers panting for more.



3. This is, as other reviewers have said, the only unabridged BOT version of this classic book. Rob Inglis does a great job reading.
   
   But: If you plan on downloading CDs onto your MP3 player, keep reading.
   
   The book is broken into 48 CDs (all 3 books (16 CDs per book)). And each CD is broken up into 3 min tracks (about 275 tracks per disc).
   
   And no freaking consistent organization.
   
   Each CD has a completely (ugh!!!) different way of titling the tracks.
   
   So, my Ipod now has 800+ 3 minute LOTR tracks . . . in no particular order!!!
   
   There's no way I can listen to the book in chronological order. Instead my Ipod shuffles randomly between tracks, changing every 3 minutes.
   
   It's a disaster.
   
   But I love this book. So, I'm listening anyway.
   
   It's the equivalent of cutting the book into 800 pieces, throwing them in the air, and then reading them: William S. Burroughs, please meet J.R.R. Tolkien.



4. This second volume in the Lord of the Rings trilogy is faster-paced than the first and grapples more directly with the dual nature of good and evil that is at the heart of each of the three books. Each element of good has its opposite. There is the dark tower and the good tower of Gondor (hence, the "Two Towers"). There is the good hobbit Frodo and his opposite Gollum who, it is hinted, is a distortion of what was once a hobbit-like creature. There are elves and orcs. There is the good wizard Gandalf and the evil Sauron.
   
   Yet, while these pairs are opposite, they are also linked. Even Saruman was at one time a good personable fellow. Gandalf fears the ring because he can see himself becoming like Saruman and Sauron.
   
   Tolkien writes near the end of the book that the ring itself brings great power and insight, but not courage. Hence Gollum wears the ring and is sniveling; Sauron, we know, would not be so; and Frodo and Sam find courage from within. All these beings, it seems, start out as morally equivalent and should see themselves in the other. It is only after the repeated stresses of power and experience that we morph toward one pole or the other until we can barely see the resemblance. What is to account for which pole one morphs toward? I don't think it's some form of inherent virtue as much as it is chance and the cumulative force of making many good (or bad) choices that ultimately so forms our character as to overwhelm us.
   
   This book introduces the most appealing character in the work -- the ents. Whatever the metaphorical significance of these enormous, tree-like creatures (perhaps, like Tom Bombadil, they represent beings with a more perfect communion with nature than man is capable of), they are so charismatic and lovable as to steal the show.
   
   Mr. Inglis' reading is itself a work of art. He's a Shakespearean actor with the ability to give each character its distinctive voice. He interprets the text without overwhelming it. Inglis has a few peers, but there is no better reader.
   
   This is an entertaining story and great literature.



5. For I am too young to read this book, I secretly read it at my cousin's house.I understood most of the
   words.At my school I am a score of 1023,which meaning I can read the Assasination of John F. Keneddy, and
   Harry Potter Chamber of Secrets and I am 9 years old.I read the beggining and my cousin probaly read up
   to Helm's Deep (the last part of the book) but he still said it was harder than trying to read an acient
   article from 200 A.C.So I belived him for a word I do not get is Herosimiam.But it is the worlds best book.

5 comments about Torchwood: The Radio Adventures.

1. Anyone who is a fan of Torchwood on television will love this to have in the car while driving along. Done well with excitement and lots of fun. Get your chills and thrills while waiting for the traffic to ease up.



2. Very well done. Anyone who is a fan of the series will enjoy these well produced radio dramas. I often wonder why we in the US cannot embrace this type of entertainment. All of these take place before Children of the Corn I believe.



3. I received this product for Christmas. I loved the story lines & hearing John, Eve & Gareth reading the script was just as good as watching an episode on TV. Each story was seperate from the others; you can listen to them in any order you'd like. I especially liked "The Dead Line." I don't want to spoil the story line for anyone, but just know that each one is packed with action & is what you expect from Torchwood. The only thing I would like to see different - I would have loved for the story's to be longer.



4. A mysterious girl falls from the Cardiff sky, packing a gun like no one has ever seen before. A colonial mansion in Delhi, India, shelters past crimes that can come back to haunt Captain Jack and Torchwood. A phone call from an impossible number may be the only thing that can kill the man who can't die. Welcome back to Torchwood.
   
   Set sometime before Children of Earth, these adventures give us a chance to see Torchwood's three member team in action. They have a good dose of humor, and make use of the audio format to give us more varied and detailed settings than the more set-bound TV series can often offer. Though some episodes are better than others, they are a worthy addition to the Torchwood canon.
   
   Two episodes open doors which provide glimpses into Torchwood. The first, "Asylum," peeks at the good Torchwood provides the world, while the second, "Golden Age," looks back to Torchwood's past crimes and corruption. The third, "The Dead Line," has a good idea torpedoed by lame execution: the evil is created stupidly, and defeated because the writers say so. It seems written to give Ianto a chance to speak his heart to Jack.
   
   Radio drama isn't for everyone. It tells a different kind of story than TV, requiring audiences to be much more active. But these stories deepen and broaden the Torchwood experience, letting us know and love the characters more deeply before we have to say goodbye to some. Smart, funny, and gripping, these aren't mere gimmicks, these are true Torchwood episodes for true fans.



5. Each play here is about 45 minutes long and features the real actors' voices, though only Captain Jack, Gwen, and Ianto are present (so no Tosh or Owen, though some characters in supporting roles do make appearances). On the whole, I liked these--I wasn't sure how an audio play would work, but I found it was a lot like reading a novel but with sound effects--very easy to picture what was going on. I'm fortunate enough not to have commute regularly anywhere by car, but if I did, I would get these to listen to in order to make a long drive go by much faster.
   
   The first one I listened to was Asylum by Anita Sullivan. A young girl is arrested for shoplifting and PC Andy (Gwen's former partner) notices the girl is carrying a strange piece of technology that could either be a toy or an alien artifact. Torchwood is called in to investigate, and discover it's actually a type of specialized sabotage equipment capable of turning off security, communications, and other defense systems. Fearing an invasion, Torchwood takes custody of the young girl and realize she's an alien--only she claims to simply be an orphaned runaway. One of the things I liked about Asylum (apart from a few good jokes) was that it shines a bit of a spotlight on PC Andy--he comes across as far more human and far less jaded than the members of Torchwood (especially Jack), even if he, as can be expected, wigs out at the idea of having met a real-life alien.
   
   Next up was Phil Ford's The Dead Line. This one didn't do a lot for me, but it did have a strong opening: Jack, despite everything we know about him, is dying. One of Jack's old flames from the 1970s is called in to help, and the team realizes that something is transmitting deadly signals over the telephone network. Gwen and Rhys go to investigate, while Ianto stays by Jack's bedside and gives quite the confession of love. There's a few good quips about Jack's life in the 1970s, but on the whole the other two seemed better structured.
   
   Golden Age by James Goss was my favorite. Something with traces of alien residue is responsible for the disappearances of hundreds or even thousands of people in Delhi. Torchwood goes to investigate and stumble upon a building Jack recognizes--from his visit there in 1924, when he went to close down Torchwood India. Except, all of the people he met back in 1927 are still alive and as young as ever, happily enjoying their lives. This one had the most original and intriguing plot, as well as taking advantage of the fact that audio plays and novels shouldn't worry about budgetary constraints--some globe-trotting adventures are a good idea for Torchwood (not that there's anything wrong with Cardiff; just that aliens can surely get up to no good elsewhere, too).

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

1. I came to "The Fellowship of the Ring" straight after reading "The Hobbit," which is one of my favorite books of all times. (I've read it about ten times). Although "The Fellowship" picks up, in a sense, where "The Hobbit" left off, the two books are quite different, and the difference for me was a bit of a culture shock--enough in the past to prompt me to quit reading about after fifty pages. But this time I persevered, and did not regret it!
   
   The culture shock: totally different pace. "The Hobbit" flies along, wastes no time, goes into less detail, and covers huge distances of time and geography in a few pages. "The Fellowship" goes about ten times slower, poring over detail, which, once I got used to it, became rather interesting and at times welcomed. (I admit, though, at times I did some skimming, especially when I sensed that Tolkien was revving himself up to create his own Hobbitish version of Norse mythology.)
   
   That said, the book, overall, is excellent (so much so that I'm presently three-fourths of the way through "The Two Towers"). It's a true adventure story, spirited, passionate, deep, and for me inspiring. (I'm soon embarking on a major life adventure, and have found myself surprised to find comfort from Tolkien.) I heartily recommend it to everyone and anyone, especially if you like "The Hobbit."
   
   But here are my criticisms, though take them with a grain of salt, because again, I find "The Fellowship" excellent overall.
   
   1) Too many poems and songs! Boring! AAH, I started skipping them after about page fifty, with NO regrets at all. Tolkien gets a little poem-and-song happy for my taste.
   
   2) The whole scene with Tom Bombadil is pointless and boring--and too grandiose for my taste. Worth skipping over entirely, because not only does it detour from the tale, but actually detracts from it. Why did Tolkien put that in?
   
   3) Tolkien makes some silly and/or inconsistent plot decisions from the get-go. To give one of many possible examples, Strider's whole mission is to save the wandering hobbits, and yet he moronically lets them walk right into a dangerous tavern, whereas he could have introduced himself to them while he was spying on them earlier (when they were with Tom Bombadil, who knew Strider!), and prevented a near calamity.
   
   4) I felt it inconsistent that the Ringwraiths were on one hand so TOTALLY powerful and yet on the other hand so foolish and stupid. Didn't add up.
   
   But all that said, J.R.R., you ROCK!



2. As a self-professed nerd I wanted tot love this. I read The Hobbitt about 20 years ago and remember really rnjoying it. I expected more of the same here as I finally got around to Lord Of The Rings. What I got however was sadly a little boring, very tedious, and wordy to the point of confusion. Tolkien certainly has created one of the most amazingly thorough fantasy world. However, his writing style is so verbose that by the time he explains whose talking to whom you can't remeber what's being talked about. The actual novel could've been a quarter of the size and probably more enjoyable. I haven't given up on the entrire series but it'll be awhile before I feel the itch to read Two Towers. :(



3. The fellowship of the ring is the first instalment in J.R.R. Tolkien's THe Lord of the Rings (technically it is the second, it takes place after The Hobbit). I liked the book very much. I very recently have seen the 3 movies.Then I started reading the books.The book had words that I couldn't pronounce. there was stuff like tumbalemorna.Seriously. The book was alittle on the long side so only read it if you wil stick with it.It is boring in the beginning but gets awsome action.You guys should read the book it is a great read!-Alex



4. I read this way back when I was an undergraduate student at Bradley University. A friend of mine had given me the trilogy. I was an avid Bradley basketball fan and had gone to every home game up to the time that I received the three book set.
   
   Well, I got so enchanted that I missed the weekend game and finished all three books in several days. But this volume was the place setter, as we come to know Frodo and his friends and their families, Aragorn, Gandalf, and other key characters.
   
   I haven't read this in over four decades, but the enchanting power of this and the other books still resonates. . . .



5. Words cannot describe my love for this book. Lord of the Rings: the Fellowship of the Ring has a plot and storyline superior to most books that I have read. I loved reading it to the end. Tolkien set out to create something far different than what had been made up until this point: Just a regular story with little background on the characters and places. Tolkien created something a thousand times better. He did a great job introducing all of the characters and actually writes about them in such a way that makes you feel like they are real. The plot is very original, especially for the time period that it was written in, and shows the thought and time that Tolkien put into writing it. Throughout the book, the reader is able to picture some amazing things in their mind, and allowed to really create his or her own world based on what Tolkien has written. The reader can visualize the different places and people in the book, and it is fun to do so.
   
   As for the characters themselves, there are quite a few of them. They each have a mind of their own, with all of them coming together seamlessly and creating a great book. One of the characters that I think is most significant is Frodo Baggins. He is a hobbit, a normal half-ling, that gets thrown into a quest to save Middle-Earth, and I like how Tolkien didn't try to create some supernatural character for this story to accomplish this task. Frodo had many flaws and had to overcome his weaknesses.
   
   Although it is one of the best books that I have read, there are a few minor criticisms that I have for the Fellowship of the Rings. Since Tolkien spends so much time describing the story and since he needs to explain so much, the book does become slow during multiple points of the book, as some other people have mentioned. However, most books have slow points, and this really is not a true reason why anyone should not read the book. I personally think that so much description adds to the high level of praise this book deserves
   
   Another setback is that the story gets confusing due to all of the places and people of Middle-Earth, and the events that take place in the book. It makes it hard to follow and you might end up with a need to reread some of the pages to fully get a grasp on what is happening.
   
   Overall, this is an amazing book and I would recommend it to anyone that loves fantasy and adventure.

5 comments about The Time Traveler's Wife: Unabridged Edition.

1. Started reading and on day two I am already at 387 pages. CAN'T put it DOWN... I was a little confused by the time changes at the beginning and who exactly was in what time and place.I would have to go back and look at the chapter header again to see the date and the characters ages and when I thought I finally had it clear, the author threw another curve ball-can you be in two places at once?. She does explain rather quickly the particulars of what I wasn't getting though. I still have some more unanswered questions like if Henry is existing in the present while moving through time in the future will the two ever converge and the trip be over? I guess I will see........



2. While I enjoyed the idea(s) behind this book, I certainly did not appreciate reading the poor and questionable language found on many of it's pages. This book was so offensive that I stopped reading it after the first 5 chapters and threw it away. I can not imagine anyone I respect liking this book. I would NEVER recommend it.



3. I did not like this book. I have read books before where I didn't like the main character, but I found the two main characters unbearable. What kind of person sleeps with her best friend's husband and doesn't give it a second thought? A good writer would've given me something to like about these characters, some way that I could relate to them or understand their decisions. Nothing. I never felt that the characters were fully developed. It was an interesting idea, but the characters were way too flat and one-dimensional. It didn't seem realistic at all (and not even because of the time traveling aspect).



4. I don't often say that a movie is better than a book, but I will for this one. If you are a Christian and trying to protect your mind from smut then don't read this book. I read for a 1/2 hour and was offended enough times to finally decide to quit reading it. It contains smut, swearing and immorality. The book is also poorly written. Once again, I'm disappointed with modern authors. I'll stick with the classics.



5. I watched my daughter sleeping the other night. I wished I could stop time. I wished I could stay there forever.
   
   My melancholy mood has a name, and it is "The Time Traveler's Wife". Like most novels that claim to be about one thing, it is really about its opposite--here, escaping the bonds of time throws our prison bars into greater relief. The love story at its center is both mundane and profoundly moving. I can't point to any special insight, any masterful display of wordplay, but for days after I wanted to reach out, to cling to my family, to stretch each moment into eternity.
   
   Audrey Niffenegger's novel is about love, but it is also about loss. Clare, the wife in question, is married to Henry, who is sort of an epileptic with a twist--instead of seizures, his fits send his body hurtling randomly backwards or forwards in time. He takes nothing with him; he arrives naked and disoriented, and each time must first set about finding clothing, shelter and food, putting him in mortal danger. Clare must sit and wait, and hope that he will eventually return to her.
   
   The great thing about time travel is it submits docilely to whatever interpretation you care to impose. Pick your metaphor. Relationship woes or dealing with illness and disease are the obvious ones here. Fate and free will are equally plausible. The fleeting nature of time. Life's randomness and unfairness. I suspect it is this malleability of meaning that has made this such a popular book.
   
   Ms Niffenegger concentrates on the story and allows you to scribble whatever meaning you like onto her canvas. What did come through strongly for me was her belief in the power of art to transcend the limits of time. Henry is the son of a violinist and an opera singer. He bonds with teenagers over punk rock music made before they were born. Clare's mother writes poetry, her sister is cellist, she herself is a sculptor. Clare's mother, uncommunicative in life, speaks to her daughter through her poems. Henry's mother lives on in recordings of her performances. Towards the end of the novel, Clare creates a self-portrait, then "I (Clare) place my finger on her forehead, and say, "Vanish", but it is she who will stay; I am the one who is vanishing." Art, in other words, outlives its creator.
   
   It is a moving book, but not especially movingly written. The power comes from the story's conception rather than execution. Henry and Clare are almost too perfect, too pure in their love. I was reminded somewhat of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (the filmic version; I must confess to never having read the original story), in that the remarkable character at the center doesn't do anything especially remarkable with his life.
   
   The only sour note for me was the priviledged backgrounds Ms Niffenegger gives both Henry and Clare. Henry's parents are world-famous, Clare's are fabulously wealthy. While partially this is a plot point--the garden of Clare's house becomes their secret rendezvous--it somewhat blunts the pathos. Consider 23-year-old Ann in "My Life Without Me", struggling to protect her unemployed husband and two infant children from the fact that she is dying of cancer. That gets my sympathy. Being born into immense wealth, staying wealthy because your husband knows all the lottery numbers, but frustrated because he's not always around? Ho-hum.
   
   I know, I know. I'm a stone. The trick is despite the so-so love story, there's enough that lingers with you long enough to get you watching your loved ones at night.

5 comments about Echo in the Bone (The Outlander series).

1. Ugh! I feel very aggravated. I liked the book, I love the characters, and I love Diana Gabaldon. However, the ending of this book is enough to make you grit your teeth. There were just WAY too many story lines in motion when the book just abruptly ended. It makes me happy that there will obviously be another book in the series (I hope), but I really don't want to wait five years for it. Overall, I liked the book but can't help feeling disappointed by the ending. I will still be ordering the next book as soon as humanly possible though. Hurry up Diana!



2. Other reviewers have said it better than I am able, so I won't reiterate their glowing reviews of the failings of this sadly improbable - and hopefully last - installment. As with other recently popular authors, Charlaine Harris in particular, it seems as if the author was rushed to meet a deadline without really having a complete story in mind, just random meanderings on many different fronts. Where is the editor for this mess???
   
   So, sadly, this series has come to an inglorious and inadequate bunch of tripe. It is quite obvious by now that Gabaldon is only in it for the money and does not want to be sued by not fulfilling her contract(s.) The Lord John series makes this abundantly clear.
   
   BTW, has anyone noticed that Gabaldon has taken down her website???? Probably too many personal attacks on her failing ability to write cohesively.



3. Really enjoyed all the books but far too long and boring. Have to skim read to get through them as not interesting enough to read every word. Most of the time I'm thinking - who cares, what's that to do with the story. Poor old Roger - what a disappointing character and the best thing - his voice - she took away from him. Can't imagine what her editor is doing not cutting it back - half the size would be good. Written equivalent of 'the runs'. Agree with all the other comments re Lord John - boring character and certainly won't be reading those books. Jamie was too good to be true and found myself actually being irritated by him at times - strange.



4. An Echo in the Bone is the seventh book in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, which centers around Claire and Jamie Fraser. Set partly at the opening of the American Revolution and partly in Scotland in 1980, "Echo" is a sprawling tale. It has four major plot lines: Jamie and Claire (and Ian), Brianna and Roger, John, and William. All of the characters we've come to love over the years are accounted for (including Rollo the dog), and the book is overall very satisfying. It did leave me wanting more--as it's not the end of the series, there is quite obviously more story to be told. Frustratingly, I'll have to wait for several more years to read the next installment. Books this big do not get written in a month! My main quibble is that the book ends with a cliffhanger for each plot line. It seemed more like the first part of a book (despite its length) rather than a novel in its entirety. While Gabaldon expects to write additional books to wrap up the series (she has promised that "Echo" is not the last), leaving the story lines dangling made me feel like I hadn't finished. There was no denouement to satisfy the reader's need for closure at the end of the story, so I finished the book frustrated instead of content.
   
   Plot line one starts with Jamie, Claire, Ian and Rollo preparing to leave Frasier's Ridge, both to escape the danger inherent in staying and to go to Scotland to retrieve Jamie's printing press. At the end of A Breath of Snow and Ashes, the little world of the Ridge is in turmoil; the big house has burned down, two residents have been killed, and the Bugs have made off with a fortune in gold. Echo begins here. Jamie and Ian uncover the location of the treasure, but accidentally kill Mrs. Bug in the process of retrieving it. This sets Mr. Bug on a mission of revenge that will chase Ian through the rest of the book.
   
   Despite my complaints, Echo has all the elements of Gabaldon that I've come to love--the historical facts interwoven in the fictional plot line, the fully-fleshed characters (who seem like real people to me), the details of scenery, action, and day-to-day minutiae of life in the 1700s in the Colonies, and the cameos of real people (in Echo, we get to meet Ben Franklin and Benedict Arnold, among interesting folks). I did occasionally get frustrated with the multiple stories as I was reading--I would have enjoyed being able to read each plot line straight through. However, by the end of the book, it was clear why so many complicated stories were told within the covers of one book. They really do meld; you just have to be patient and get to the end. And then be patient for the next few years while she writes the next book to tie up the ends she left loose. On reflecting, the lack of denouement emphasizes the story's themes and the characters' struggles; we leave them in the midst of a time of great turmoil in the world--how else could Gabaldon leave the reader other than in turmoil at the anticipation of what's to come next in the series?
   
   All in all, An Echo in the Bone was worth reading. I did have to push myself sometimes, and it did take me a couple of weeks to read, but by the time I finished, I was glad that I had. I will clearly have to go back and reread it in a few weeks; at 800 pages, it's not a book I can digest in one reading. For those who, like me, sometimes enjoy a book as meaty as this, "Echo" is a pleasure to read. For those who, like me, are used to waiting for the next book in an exciting series (Harry Potter, anyone? Eragon?), you'll understand my impatience on reaching the end of the book. And perhaps you'll join me.
   
   Please note, Gabaldon has explicitly said that this is NOT the last book in the series, so while the cliffhanger endings are frustrating, we will have our questions answered in a few years.
   
   See all of my reviews at [...]



5. Having read the previous books, I bought this with high hopes of a continuation of the story. It did continue with about four or five different story lines. Right now I'm on page 550 and it's like pulling teeth trying to read it. The previous books only took me about five to seven days to read. I've been trying to read this one for two months. I can only stand three or four pages before I fall asleep and I've read six books in between. I'm very disappointed in the story lines. If you are a true fan and have to read this book, good luck.

5 comments about Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.

1. I didn't read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies because it seemed kind of gimmicky (not necessarily a terrible thing, but not an awesome thing in a book, either), but mostly because I loathe Jane Austen. Yes, I admit it: I am a Jane Austen loather. You can go ahead and take away my girl credentials now (I really wasn't using them, anyway). I like my husband's take on Jane Austen, "They're books where a couple of really rich people like each other, play hard to get, finally marry and own a third of Europe." Heh.
   
   Anyway, I like vampires and I like Abraham Lincoln so I figured I'd try this one out. I wish I had liked it, but I really really didn't. Not even a little bit.
   
   Firstly, I think the elements of a mashup should offer a new way to look at each other. For instance, playing The Dark Side of the Moon over the top of The Wizard of Oz is very very cool, but it also makes you look at elements of each in a new way - that's part of the coolness, I think. I'm sorry to say that being a vampire hunter doesn't bring anything useful to my view of Abraham Lincoln nor vice versa. The two things neither complement each other nor utterly destroy each other. Added to that the notion of vampires being behind slavery and the Civil War and I found the whole thing trivializing. The thing that makes slavery horrific is that it's something that people do to each other - we don't need monsters for it.
   
   I'd like to say that the author at least managed a creative play on the Doris Kearns Goodwin style of political biography, but I can't. All told, this wasn't entertaining and wasn't enlightening and mostly just sucked.



2. This just works. Seth Smith found an uncommon thread running through Lincoln's narrative and just went nuts with it. It doesn't seem that out of place. This is like fanfiction for grownups written by a pro with just the right sense of timing. This could have gotten stupid, fast. It doesn't. Instead we get this Tolkenesque epic of the never happened life of our 16th President.
   
   There's always been an element of suspended disbelief around Lincoln. He is a mythic character; Seth builds on that. Lincoln has had so very many biographies that hit on so many obscure notes that it just makes sense that there was this hidden drama going on and no one ever suspected it. Like if you are going to turn a person into a mythic hero, don't sell it short. Lincoln didn't just eliminate slavery, he saved us all from servitude to an undead evil so great no one even knew it existed. Great stuff!



3. I was a bit skeptical at first, but this book, "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter," seemed to take two of my favorite subjects to read (history and vampires) on and place them into one book. I was not disappointed. This is the first time that I can truly say that I could not put a book down. It was fun to read and even better than that; it let my imagination run wild. I am now going to have to try some of Seth Grahame-Smith other books, which I admit do not seem to "tickle my fancy" but if written in the same way with the same zeal - I will enjoy them.



4. I had high hopes for this book which turned out to be just awful. If you want to see how to combine the high charged, dynamic elements of Abe Lincoln's life and vampires and produce BORING then read this book. No attachment to the characters or their asperations. No excitement. No humor. Nothing.



5. I liked this book even better than his first book, "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Classic Regency Romance - Now with Ultraviolent Zombie Mayhem!" This one is more ambitious, darker, tells more of a story than just being self conscious about the silliness of its premise.
   
   Don't get me wrong. It's good old fashion cheese. A guilty pleasure. But the idea of equating the evil of slavery and the evil of vampires was really quite inspired and provided a core of explanation for the parts of the Lincoln mythology that I have never understood.
   
   I highly recommend it if you're the monster movie type.

No comments about Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Backlash.

1 comments about Raven's Flight (Horus Heresy).

1. Good audiobook. The narration is a bit cheesy at parts but still done well. The sound effects were definitely a nice touch for further creating appropriate atmosphere. Well written for the most part. Some small bits were a bit melodramatic and way over the top, but over all typical 40K butt kicking. Nice to see a humbling of the Primarchs and a realization of symbiotic relationship between men and Astartes. Far better depiction of a Primarch as a genetically altered super man with a heart, mind and emotions that kicks some butt rather than just a Terminator made flesh.

5 comments about UR.

1. I love to hook my cd player up to portable speakers and have it in the kitchen while I cook. Or up load to my iPod and laid down and chill.



2. As only the master himself could, Stephen King does it again and strikes fear of the everyday into our hearts. Reading this on a Kindle (and writing the review on one as well) becomes VERY disturbing as this modern retelling of the classic "The Monkey's Paw" unfolds. Another great addition for those following the ka-tet of nineteen as well.



3. This audio book was very entertaining. It was creative and very typical of King's other works. I also like the fact that it ties in with the Dark Tower.



4. It was a waste of money! I can't believe that I listened to the entire book waiting for it to get better and it didn't.



5. After Colorado Kid I swore that I'd never buy Stephen King again. Well, I gave it one more try and I'm left feeling cheated again. King must adore his Kindle and wrote this tale as a love letter. The hero, a dweeby college professsor named Wesley buys a Kindle and it comes, not from our Amazon but from an alternate universe. In that alternate existence Hemmingway didn't blow his depressive head off and wrote several more books, Poe didn't die in Baltimore, Shakespeare wrote a bunch more plays, Hilary wins, Kennedy lived, Ringo didn't become a Beatle, MLK didn't die, and the Russians decided to go for it and nuked New York.
   
   After all this, King finally gets the heart of the story. The Kindle has an news archive that has past news and FUTURE news. Wes decides to prevent a tragedy from happening and he gets too close to the Dark Tower. Yes, the Tower and the low men in yellow coats come out to play.
   
   The good part about this story is King's portrayal of side characters, Don and Robbie. I cared about both, especially the college boy, Robbie. The bad is how King can't help but let his politics intrude on the story. He bored me when he should have been entertaining me. I was left thinking, 'Okay, okay, we know how you vote. This CD's half over, when is the monster going to come out of the closet?' There's more bad. We've seen this tale before. How many times did Kirk alter the space/time continuum in Star Trek? How many times did it happen in Buffy, Outer Limits and even Fantasy Island? And for completely changing the fate of possibly whole worlds, Wesley pays a very small price. It's such a weak conclusion that it makes the whole story pointless. King has done this before in his latter years. He gives a nice build up and bails out on the ending. I'm going to have to read "It" again to remind myself that King was once capable of telling a terrifying tale and keeping it interesting from begining to end because he sure can't do that now. Don't waste your time or money.