3 comments about Terrorism and the Illuminati: A Three Thousand Year History.

1. I blame the editor, not the author...but...
   If you can get past the massive amount of typo's and grammatical errors, there are quite a few interesting ways to tie together aspects of world history. My favorite part was the exhaustive research aligning the movers and shakers of their times and getting an understanding of how world events have been staged.
   
   I'm hooked on this topic now and plan on filling my library with more on the subject.
   
   Bradley



2. Well this book as has been said before has grammer and typing mistakes but thats not very important. The content is and to be honest this book practillay links eveyything in history to secret groups and societies. I believe that there is a secret group who run the show but this is taking it to a rediculious level for example he says that Jmaludin Afghani was a British agent which is rubbish because he did a hell of alot agains the British and Ghandi even said that Jamaludin Afghani was like an inspiration becase he preached freedom from imperialists. And unbelievably he links Jamaludin Afghani with the Nazis which is rediculios. Jamaludin even went to Paris and made his own newspaper which had an anti imprialist anti British agenda and then he says that he was an secret British agent.
   Im verys surprised he didnt mention Lawerence of Arabi who actually was a British agent and was responsible for the defeat of the Ottoman empire by the British.
   There is a bibliography in the back and half of his sources are Wikipedia which any real historion would not use as it is unreliable information. I personally have found errors init when i have be serching it for other things. I know about the Rokkefelers and JP Morgan and these issues but he manages to say that the big financial and political names of today have secret knowledge which has been passed down from 3000 years ago and every king and empire has been related to them somehow.
   My advice is to believe what ever it says in the book because there are innacuracies, thank you.



3. Covering a wide array of hot-button, often polarizing subjects such as Zionism, Nazism, radical terrorists factions, and where each fits into this highly controversial picture. Livingstone has delivered an important, albeit highly subjective book that's part history, part ideology/theology and part conspiracy theory. Terrorism and the Illuminati is an in-depth view of secret societies, terrorism and present day conflicts, from the perspective that all are interconnected, related and fueling each other, thus propelling the world towards a "clash of civilizations."
   
   Terrorism and the Illuminati traces and connects individual groups such as the Holy Grail, Freemasonry, the Knights Templar and many others. Lords, legends, myths and elite bloodlines, when analyzed independently appear insignificant and are easily ignored. However, when the dots are connected, a very different picture beings to come into focus. According to like-minded individuals, keeping these connections broken and the lines blurred, has allowed these secret societies and their members to operate in the shadows of a meticulously cultivated public image.
   While many dismiss the idea of secret societies and a one world government as mere conspiracy theories run amok, many others would argue that is part of the plan. One should stop and remember the words of the commissioner regarding the catastrophic events of 9-11..."a failure of policy and a failure of imagination..." Thinking outside the box has always been a trait of forward thinking individuals and societies. Analyzing the ridiculous or outlandish has resulted in numerous discoveries and inventions that in retrospect have shaped communities, academics, governments and the world as a whole and their creator's are given the highest, most prestigious recognitions. Although the ideas presented in this book have been discussed for hundreds and hundreds of years, interest in these age-old theories is obviously still alive and well, as was demonstrated by the response to Dan Brown's book "The Da Vinci Code," as well as, the popularity of the subsequent movie, which was an international blockbuster.
   
   I recommend this book to those who enjoy reading books about the occult, secret societies, one world conspiracies and it's possible link to terrorism. Also those who simply enjoy a challenging, thought provoking read that stimulates the mind. Terrorism and the Illuminati offers a strong starting point to begin your own research into this interesting, controversial discussion. Livingstone has included (at the end of the book) an exhaustive resource list that provides readers with lots of information, from a variety of sources.
   
   (I picked up several typographical errors, however, these are not so egregious as to interrupt the flow of the dialogue to any substantial degree. The blame for such errors lands squarely with the editors and proof-readers.)

No comments about Homeland Security: A Documentary History.

5 comments about Nextwave: Agents Of H.A.T.E Volume 1: This Is What They Want TPB.

1. Warren Ellis writes a strange book, at times. This is one of those. An enormous spoof on comics on the whole, but Marvel comics in particular, Nextwave deals with a group of semi-anti-mostly heroes who had worked for H.A.T.E. - Highest Anti-Terrorism Effort, but learned that HATE was secretly run by super-terrorists. They defected, and now they're on the run from fanatical Dirk Anger (an obvious Nick Fury parody, and perhaps the best character in the book)
   
   Nextwave has a brisk, crisp pace. It hits the ground running and never slows down, and it's that manic energy that fuels the humor and action of the series. The series relentlessly pokes fun at the common superheroic traditions, and Ellis comes up with some truly glorious threats for his team to face.
   
   This book certainly won't fly to well with everyone, as people have different senses of humor. The irreverant take on these characters, many of whom have a long history at Marvel, will annoy many purists. But, if you enjoy that rare summer blockbuster that manages to balance heavy-hitting action with hilarious satire, Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. is definitely the book for you.



2. Nextwave is quite possibly as close as one will ever get to a "pure" comic book. This is what the medium was invented for: posingstreetstransformingcopgonecrazyhomicidecrabsdirkangerindragcrying and so on an so forth.
   
   Alright, in all seriousness, this book is a fantastic read! Forget those serious comics and convoluted continuities that never seem to make sense or seem remotely appealing to wade through (though they can be). This comic does away with that and simply gives us five individuals fighting weird... things... like all the time. That's as deep as it gets. And frankly, that is perfect for those who simply want to laugh at zany storytelling that is one of Warren Ellis' many strengths while being accompanied by great artwork by the inimitable Stuart Immonen.
   
   In short, get Nextwave. You'll laugh your way through the book in no time and you will remember Dirk Anger. Trust me on that.



3. Ellis invents a couple of characters, and takes a few others that had disappeared, the other Captain Marvel, Boom-Boom, and the daughter of Ulysses Bloodstone and even Machine Man. I didn't even know she existed, so that was a pretty cool find.
   
   Then, they have some humorous, robot, corporation and monster stomping to do, while yelling cross-cultural insults at each other.



4. NextWave: Agents of H.A.T.E. is all about the heroic poses and mindless violence and wonky and terse, darkly humored dialogue. It's also about a rant-happy villain who comes off like Nick Fury's bonkers evil twin. And Nextwave is about five basement-tiered superheroes who've somehow fallen into Warren Ellis's purview just when Ellis was being consumed with a rollicking f*ck-all mood. Consummate artist Stuart Immonen drops by every issue to dazzle us with his clean, fabulous artwork.
   
   For the unknowing: the Nextwave is comprised of Monica Rambeau (the ex-Captain Marvel and Photon, who tends to hearken back to when she led the Avengers), Aaron Stack (Machine Man, mechanical git who likes to call folks "fleshy ones"), Elsa Bloodstone (Brit babe and kick-arse monster slayer), Tabitha Smith (mutant formerly known as Boom-Boom and Meltdown), and the Captain (not really a captain of anything). These five were hired on by H.A.T.E. (Highest Anti-Terrorism Effort) to be its elite antiterrorist arm.
   
   But when the Nextwave members discover that H.A.T.E. is actually a branch of the terrorist cell, the Beyond Corporation, well, they go rogue in a blink. Apparently, Beyond Corp. intended for NextWave to become the test subject for their various Unusual Weapons of Mass Destruction. But Nextwave would firmly beg to differ. Next thing you know, thanks to Tabitha having pilfered the Beyond Corp.'s planning documents, NextWave is popping in at each test site and screwing it but good for the bad guys.
   
   Not much character development here. Barely a storyline. A simple premise. Lots of acronyms. An abundance of silliness (loved the tidbits of hilarious background info on our heroes, as well as the widdle, cuddly koala bears...of death!). Here's a crapload of bizarre enemy agents and weaponry (including Fin Fang Foom and his purple underpants!). And a cornucopia of rending, maiming, smashing, 'sploding, smiting with a guitar, finger shredding, and just a bit of vicious cop kickin'. As breezily written by Ellis, the characters may lack depth and internal musings, but they are a hell of a lot of fun to read about. My favorite character here happens to be the unkempt and not too smart Captain, or Captain **** (expletive unknown, although it's offensive enough that it merited a vicious beatdown from Cap'n America and soap shoved into his mouth). The Captain was specifically created by Ellis and Immonen for the Nextwave series, although he somewhat reminds me of a Kevin Matchstick gone sour.
   
   NEXTWAVE: AGENTS OF H.A.T.E. Vol. 1 (This Is What They Want) collects the first 6 issues, and it's a work of stylish brevity and outrageous, unapologetic action. These amped-up action sequences are where Stuart Immonen truly earns all his big money, his art being that wonderful. As for Ellis, his outrageous narrative style here is as if he got talked into an impromptu tale-swapping contest and he's just kickin' it and cutting loose with the blarney. So, basically, put away all the deep thoughts and notions of a convoluted plot and the search for a meaningful story. It ain't like that here, sir. This is brisk reading and will leave you craving more. Definitely, it sucks that only 12 issues were published before the series was cancelled. But, fret not, Mr. Ellis has vowed to put out more Nextwave adventures, but in a limited series format.
   
   So what makes Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. so much fun to read? In brief, to quote Monica Rambeau: "Monsters to beat up! Things to blow up! It's the best job in America! Nextwave go!"



5. Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E. is one of the most fun comic series in a long time. It captures absurdity, violence, and humor, puts it all in a paper bag, sets it on the front stoop, rings your doorbell, and lights the bag on fire. With a cast of Marvel second-stringers (if that high up on the ladder!), Nextwave offers the readers a chance to see superheroes doing what they do best: solving problems with violence, making things blow up, and posing afterwards. In the first volume alone, we see a "heart-moving" battle with the underpants-wearing dragon Fin Fang Foom, the razing of a pseudo-robotic broccoli-man breeding farm, and a city menaced by a crazed mech-armored samurai police officer.
   
   Featuring team leader and Avengers cheerleader Monica Rambeau (Captain Marvel/Photon), mutant mallrat and pocket-picker Tabitha Smith (Boom Boom/Boomer/Meltdown), fleshbag-tolerating robotic marvel Aaron Stack (Machine Man), British monster-hunter and Yankee-hater Elsa Bloodstone, and the superpowered dim bulb The Captain, Nextwave takes on all threats to freedom, life, and the world, thrown at them by H.A.T.E. commander Dirk Angery (think a maladjusted Nick Fury on suicide watch). If you miss the absolutely crazy **** that made Golden Age comics so much fun, but would like to see it in a modern setting, you need to pick up Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E.!

2 comments about When You Ride Alone You Still Ride with Bin Laden: What the Government Should Be Telling Us to Help Fight the War on Terrorism - And Still Isn't.

1. When You Ride Alone You Still Ride with Bin Laden: What the Government Should Be Telling Us to Help Fight the War on Terrorism - And Still Isn't is a parody of a World War II propaganda poster that read "When you ride ALONE you ride with Hitler !", which suggested that automobile owners carpool to conserve gasoline for the war effort. This isn't just ironic today - it is a complete epiphany for those of us who understand History really repeats itself.
   
   I must applaud HBO's host of Real Time with Bill Maher because he has the courage to speak his mind on topics most Americans staunchly are ignorant of. Like Maher points out - the United States is full of people who are wasteful when it comes to everything from oil, food, and the things we should be conserving and happy to have ready access to. FREEDOM!
   
   Maher critiques of the war in Iraq are right on. He pulls no punches and he shouldn't. Bill Maher is intelligent, funny, and has written another fine book for anyone interested in discovering real truth in real time that may change the way they view our government's practices.
   
   I am a father, a veteran, an author, and a concerned citizen. We need more people like Bill Maher, John Stewart, Stephen Colbert, and Ron Paul in this world who know what they are talking about when they choose to be serious.



2. While I remain a fan of Bill Maher, "When You Ride Alone You Still Ride with Bin Laden" disappointed me. It was hard, if not impossible at times, to distinguish Bill from a Bush-supporter vs a Bush-basher. His arguments and allegiances seemed to be all over the place in this...very easy to read...book. Definitely not his best piece of work.

5 comments about The 9/11 Report: The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States.

1. You might be wondering what this printing of the book includes versus the others, so I've decided to make up a little grocery list.
   
   1. This book isn't "authorized". That doesn't mean anything to me, but it might to you.
   2. This book is cheaper than the authorized paperback version by a few dollars (at MSRP at least).
   3. The book is physically smaller.
   4. The book includes about 70 pages of reporting and analysis by the New York Times, which the authorized version DOES NOT have.
   5. The book DOES NOT include the endnotes, whereas the authorized edition does. However, the superscript endnote references are still included in the text, and correspond to the endnotes section available on-line on the 9/11 Commission website.
   6. This version includes the Executive Summary. I am not certain whether the authorized edition includes this or not, but I believe not.
   
   You should be aware before buying either version of this report that the entire authorized edition of the text (including the executive summary and endnotes) is available for FREE on-line at the website for the 9/11 Commission. The only thing in this text that is not available on-line is the 70 pages of New York Times articles, which are (as far as I know) only available in this edition of the book.
   
   The report is generally very interesting to read. It's not as boring as you might be expecting it to be. Any American concerned at all with his government and the fate of his country would do well to read this.



2. I picked this up at a convenience store near my work (sorry Amazon). Being Canadian there may be debate about its relevence to my life. However the attacks of 9/11 impacted more than just Americans, it affected their Northern neighbours as well.
   I then showed this to my manager whom is way more political than myself and he compared it to the Warren Commision and their report without even having read it. Well much as I respect de boss man I had to read this for myself.
   
   The back summarizes and promises much, including the truth behind the events of 9/11, security measures proposed to prevent a similiar attack on American soil, and an update on the reworkings of the U.S. Intelligence community.
   
   From the beginning I learnt much I had not known being an oh so casual observer of events from my lofty perch in Canada. I was unaware the bombing of The WTC in 1993 had such close ties to the eventual attacks on 9/11. I had been ignorant of much of Bin Ladens origins and how he managed to build the al Queda as a terrorist force to inspire well terror.
   
   This book is written with a casual and effect relationship clear in mind and many findings are the results of an intense and often controversial investigation by the bi-partisan commission.
   
   The proposals are reasonable, concise and only a little extreme when taken out of context. The commission is obviously first and foremost concerned with the truth, and then about protecting the States and instituting changes so they do not happen again.
   
   Overall an educational tome even for an apolitical canuck like myself.



3. If you're going to buy an edition of the 9/11 Commission Report, this is probably the one you should get.
   
   Here's why. You can download the whole report for free, in PDF format, from either the GPO or the website of the 9/11 Commission. That means you can read the whole thing on your computer without spending one red cent.
   
   The 'official', and more expensive, editions of the book don't include any text you don't get in the PDF version. This New York Times edition does; it opens with nearly seventy pages of articles from the Grey Lady (none, I think, written by Jayson Blair) about the formation and activities of the Commission.
   
   This edition doesn't include the endnotes, but it does include the superscripts that lead to the notes so that you can check them in the PDF files if you want to. If you're like me, when you sit down to read the report, you don't particularly want to flip back and look at the notes anyway; that's for later, if there's a point for which you want to check a source. And precisely because this edition doesn't include all those additional pages, it's easier to tote around for lunchtime reading.
   
   Of course, since the report itself isn't protected by copyright in the U.S. (it's a government work), you can pretty much do what you want with the free electronic version -- including printing it out. But the paper for that job will probably cost you more than the price of this edition, and the result won't be very handy to lug around with you.
   
   As for the report itself, well, I'm not going to review the content here. Just read it and make up your own mind; that's what we do here in America.



4. I picked up a copy of _The 9/11 Report_ just before taking a flight that went halfway across our country. What I expected was dull reading that would probably put me to sleep before I managed to glean an interesting nugget of information from it. Instead I was surprised by a very readable narrative. Here is no dull government report; _The 9/11 Report_ reads more like a novel. Chapter one opens with the takeover of the planes by the terrorists. The final chapter closes with some recommendations on how to reorganize our government in order to more effectively deal with the next terrorist attack. Along the way the report reveals that there were no WMD's in Iraq at the time of the US attack, there was no working relationship between Iraq and Al Qaeda, and that "the system was blinking red" during the months just prior to 9/11.
   
   One particularly interesting item in the report is that in a meeting held on 9/11 Paul Wolfowitz, not Donald Rumsfeld argued that Iraq was the source of the attack and therefore should be attacked in return. Colin Powell later observed that Wolfowitz always saw Iraq as a problem and wanted to use the 9/11 events as a way to deal with Iraq. Since Wolfowitz also estimated the total cost of the Iraqi war at only $70 billion and that most of it could be paid for with Iraqi oil, I decided to check the footnote for this particular item.
   
   That is when I found out that due to the length of the book, all of the footnotes were excluded, but they could be found at a couple of websites including [...] Going to that website, I found all of the extensive footnotes. I also found the entire text of The 9/11 Report. So what does this book add to what is online? Primarily it adds the news coverage of the NY Times. Even the cast of characters involved in the 9/11 events and a 34 page summary of the report are available online.



5. 
   This book is a work of fiction done up for the '9/11 Coverup Commission'. Talk about 'revisionist history'! Philip Zelikow, you did yourself proud (NOT!). (Of course, now your name will probably be linked forever to this fictional fraud - with your only redemption possible by your repenting of your deeds, turning over a new leaf, and helping us find out what REALLY happened that day. Those of us who have studied the events of 9/11 know you're a liar for hire, and we are telling others...).
   
   Anyway, for a person able & willing to confront reality, and wishing to see for themselves how this so-called 'report' isn't worth the paper it's printed on, please read David Ray Griffin's "The 9/11 Commission Report - Omissions and Distortions". **There** you will see some veracity about what happened on 9/11/2001! [Nevertheless, you may wish to start with Griffin's "The New Pearl Harbor (updated edition)" ].
   
   The one star given is for the NYT pages, not the main work itself.
   
   BTW, emails from anyone honestly searching for the truth are welcome; I will respond to any emails I deem to be written in good faith.
   
   Peace and justice,
   Ray Snew
   raysnew at yahoo dot com

5 comments about Deliver Us from Evil: Defeating Terrorism, Despotism, and Liberalism.

1. Sean gives truths and facts. And liberals hate the truth. Liberals can't handle the truth,that's why they give this book bad reviews. So do us conservaties a favor and keep doing what your best at, licking the bottoms of the democrats boots. And drinking the the democrats kool-aid. And michael moore is still fat and ugly. And Sean Hannity is a GREAT AMERICAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



2. This is my first Sean Hannity book, and it is so good I could not put it down.
   
   Sean proves how the liberals have destroyed this country and made it hated across the globe. He shows how ignorant the liberals are, especially with all their universities and all.
   
   Sean shows how he is a great patriot, by detailing his amazing military service to our country.
   
   Liberals are the root of all evil, and there is no place for talk with your enemies according to Sean. He proves that diplomacy will always fail, and then shows how Karl Rove and John Bolton are his true heros.
   
   He goes on to prove that Bush won the greatest military victory in history, thus saving humanity from destruction by a madman with WMD.
   
   Like Coulter, Sean proves how liberals don't believe in God. Liberals are responsible for this whole mess. And don't believe any liberal when they say diplomacy ends wars, because it doesn't.
   
   God Bless America, George Bush, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter. They have made us safer and more friendly.
   
   P.S. FoxNews is the greatest!!



3. This book is a waste of time. Even with a ghost writer Hannity was not able to come up with anything. God it was so boring. Hannity chose to talk about a president many years ago as a way too avoid talking about the real job Bush has done. This guy is a big joke. All of these radio talking heads are clueless but at least Rush is intelligent and entertaining. Hannity is a lying clueless idiot and bum.



4. What can I say? I love a good read, and this delivered. Honestly, I haven't been so frightened since I saw Psycho for the first time way back when. The author really has a gift for crafting sprawling drama peppered with terrifying moments. After reading about the terrorists coming to get me from their swamps in the desert, I couldn't sleep without the lights on for weeks.



5. Sean Hannity outlines how liberals as a group, and Democrats as a whole have undermined our national defense since the Carter administration.. He explains brilliantly how the democrats have pushed the appeasement agenda through their stance of multilaterist beliefs and through their blaming us for terrorist acts. It's no doubt painful for liberals to hear and no doubt hannity has heard the typical anti-american liberals chants of warmonger or facist..democrats are experts on appeasement and hannity explains it plain detail that from jimmy carters cowardly and irrational though common liberal stance towards communism, to his overbearing insistence of iran to release political prisoners which led us to the Iran we have today, to democrats undermining reagan on his communism policies, all the way to bill clintons completely disgacefull and cowardly foreign policy decisions.. a really insightfull book that offers americans a good look at the treason of liberalism and the ineptness of democrats at foreign policy and our nations defense

5 comments about Red Storm Rising.

1. I've read all of the fiction books that Tom Clancy has written. Although I loved them all, this is the best in my opinion.



2. I read this book in the early 1990s. Since then I have re-read it several times. Simply the best World War III depiction of the 80s and 90s. A great read even today, even if the Cold War is long over. The introduction hardly lasts 70 pages, and then its unfettered war, war and war. Brilliant!
   
   Unfortunately, Clancy's work has deteroriated in recent years. His latest sponsored work, EndWar was a huge disappointment of an old man stuck in a Cold War past. Fortunately the pool of creativity is endless and new authors are replacing old has-beens. "War against Islam" by George P. Robertson is the Red Storm Rising of 2008. Another great book is Caliphate by Tom Kratzman...



3. The brief review: The first thing that strikes you is the length of the book which weighs in at close to 800 pages. The action picks up from the beginning and very quickly the belligerent sides tear into one another over land, sea, and air. The strengths of the book are the detailed naval and submarine warfare exploits (both shown from American perspectives only). The land warfare is surprisingly weak in comparison, along with a soppy romance story that is given unnecessary exposure. After 700 pages a sudden and unrealistic plot device allows the end of hostilities in a draw.
   
   ******SPOILERS**********
   As other reviewers have pointed out, the lack of deployment of tactical nukes is astounding. The Group of Soviet Forces Germany had close to 400,000 soldiers and 5000 tanks stationed in East Germany alone, during the time-frame of 1986 in the book. It is hard to believe that the Warsaw Pact forces streaming into West Germany from Czechoslovakia, Poland, and East Germany would proceed only as far as the Weser river after a month of fighting! Amazingly, there seems to be no hostilities anywhere else in Europe, the Middle East, or Asia.
   The action set in Iceland drags on and on and should have been cut drastically. The USSR was one of the largest producers of oil in the world and would not have started a war over that. The beginning of the book seems to be inspired by Frederick Forsyth's 'The Devil's Alternative'. There is no mention of Soviet naval activities in the Pacific. Finally, what takes the cake is the overthrow of the Soviet government and takeover of the largest country in the world with a battalion of soldiers!



4. The first thing you will notice about Red Storm rising is that it is a cold war era book. However, that does not take away from the great story telling that goes into it and describing both the main story and the numerous back stories that surround this book. The book is a great read for people who love military, Suspense or Tom Clancy novel but if you cringe at war then dont buy this book. The only reason i gave it a four was becasue of the age of the book. Had it been made in a more current time it would have gotten a five. Other than that for anyone who loves these books this is anexcellent addition to anyone's collection or Library.



5. By far, the BEST book written by Tom Clancy. I have read many of his books and this one is the best. Never any chapters or areas that drop off or put you to sleep. It is a non stop action book based on the what if scenario of WWWIII. The opening chapter starts with radical Islamist terrorism in Siberia and the action never stops. Clancy's use of military technological weapons and tactics is superb. The research used in putting this thriller together was extensive. The progress of the book is extremely realistic and is very relevant for TODAY even though the book is now eleven years old.Weapons on both sides, east and west have improved beyond the book but with the global changes brought on by the terrorist attacks of 9/11, it will always have a current place for readers, and offer a place a revelance to our times and beyond.

2 comments about Koran, Kalashnikov, and Laptop: The Neo-Taliban Insurgency in Afghanistan (Columbia/Hurst).

1. Dr. Giustozzi brings a refreshing and honest take on the situation in Afghanistan. He dispels the Western propaganda of success and reconstruction and instead offers the reader an insight into the resurgence of the Taliban and the threats that it poses.



2. Ahmed Rashid's "Taliban" is the definitive book on the Taliban pre-2001, and there is no equally well-researched and well-written account of their from power and the growing insurgency. Giustozzi's book is certainly well-researched, and very knowledgeable on many issues, but is by no means the book many have been waiting for. It's terribly written, and lacks any readability. Surprisingly, Giustozzi is light on many critical facets of the Taliban insurgency: links to the narcotics trade, operational catalysts such as the failure to disrupt the 2004 Afghan presidential election, the role of iconic individuals such as Mullah Dadullah, and an accurate account of UK and Canadian operations in 2006. Hopefully Ahmed Rashid will update his book soon. For now, Giustozzi's account is the best there is.

4 comments about The Explosionist.

1. In a world where Europe is split into two competing factions on the brink of war, the 1930s are dominated by the Enlightenment principles of science and reason. The basis of this parallel universe is that Napoleon defeated Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. Jenny Davidson skillfully incorporates elements of historical research, science-fiction, and the paranormal to create a world utterly unrecognizable to readers in the twenty-first century. With her clever plot and vivid descriptions, Davidson prevents readers from becoming confused and overwhelmed by the drastic differences of her imaginary world.
   
   Fifteen-year-old Sophie Hunter is living in Scotland, a member of the New Hanseatic League, and attending an all-girls preparatory school with hopes of a university education. However, her future hangs in jeopardy due to the threat of war between the New Hanseatic League and Europe. Terrorist attacks by the Brother of the Northern Liberties are all too common, and the mood throughout the country is tense. In the event of war, all of Scotland's young women would be called upon to serve the country in various national agencies, dashing Sophie's dreams of becoming a scientist.
   
   Sophie's already turbulent life becomes even more confusing after she attends one of her great-aunt Tabitha's seances. The medium delivers a shocking anonymous message to Sophie, insinuating that she will encounter great danger. When the medium is murdered shortly thereafter, Sophie knows that the prophecy is not to be taken lightly. She vows to uncover the mysteries behind the tangle of Scotland's political web, to save herself and her friends from a disastrous fate.
   
   As fate would have it, war might soon be upon them. Sophie plans on joining IRLYNS, serving her country as is her duty if the unthinkable should occur. Short for the Institute for the Recruitment of Young Ladies for National Security and pronounced "irons," IRLYNS aims to train intelligent young women to be personal assistants to Scotland's most powerful government officials. Great-aunt Tabitha, Sophie's guardian since the death of her parents many years ago, is actually one of the founders of IRLYNS, and Sophie expects her to be proud of her noble intentions. However, great-aunt Tabitha strongly discourages her niece from joining IRLYNS, and Sophie's curiosity is piqued. Could the secrets behind IRLYNS be in any way connected to the precarious state of the country?
   
   Although she lives in a bizarre world, readers will surely be able to relate to Sophie's idealism and youthful exuberance. A loyal friend with strong morals, readers will find Sophie very likable. Her crush on her chemistry teacher, Mr. Peterson, is reminiscent of Hermione's infatuation with Gilderoy Lockhart. Thankfully, Mr. Peterson is infinitely more worthy of admiration. Then there is Sophie's amusing relationship with Mikael, her best guy friend from Sweden. Slowly, Sophie discovers what readers will see all along, that Sophie harbors more than feelings of friendship for Mikael.
   
   Davidson skillfully tempers suspense and danger with laughter and good times, creating a magical world that defies genre stereotypes. Deeper than a typical adventure story, THE EXPLOSIONIST challenges readers with questions of ethics and the rightful boundaries of the government. Insightful readers will explore their own political beliefs, and even draw parallels from Sophie's world to current events of today. Davidson's abrupt ending will surely leave readers hoping for a sequel!
   
   Reviewed by: Amber Gibson



2. Sophie's life at her boarding school and great-aunt's home in 1938 Edinburgh is a satisfactory one. Never one for athletics or too much excitement, Sophie occupies her time studying, and plans to go to University, or become a trained assistant to the country's business leaders. But a frightening series of terrorist bombs soon disrupts her quiet life, and after a unsettling encounter with a medium at a séance, Sophie begins to unravel a deadly plot that will not only affect her future, but the fate of her schoolmates, family, Scotland, and even the rest of Europe.
   
   What would have happened if things had transpired differently? This age-old question is answered in this chilling and fast-paced novel that weaves a tale of what might have happened had one day in 1815 turned out differently. Set in a world that is at the same time technologically advanced and backward, The Explosionist is a thrilling journey full of mystery and suspense, with a careful balance of politics, science, and supernatural intrigue. Though the story starts off slightly confusing, Davidson's characters are perfectly crafted and her plot cleverly constructed, resulting in a haunting, tremendous novel that will attract readers of all ages.



3. The Explosionist is set in 1938 Edinburgh, Scotland. The main character is Sophie, a fifteen year old student at boarding school. Unlike a traditional historical fiction novel, this book is what has been deemed "alternative history" and presents the reader with a parallel universe in which 1938 Scotland has fuel cell automobile technology, an Institute that re-programs the brains of young women so they can serve high ranking officials without any emotions, and other advanced inventions.
   
   Spiritual mediums are commonly used by government, police, and private citizens to speak to the dead and receive messages. Sophie even discovers that she is a medium and uses her insights to uncover a slew of mysteries surrounding recent bombings, a murder, even what goes on behind closed doors to reprogram women as young as sixteen.
   
   Several prominent historical figures are mentioned such as Freud, Pastor, Houdini, Nobel, Kelvin, Bell, and even one mention of the 12 dancing princesses. In this book historical scientists are especially respected and powerful.
   
   Overall, I found the book to be well-written and interesting. Young readers 14-19 fascinated by science, mysteries, and history may particularly enjoy this novel. This is the first novel author Jenny Davidson has written for teens.



4. This is a fast-paced, exciting, intelligent book, highly recommended to all adult readers of fantasy literature, as well as to actual teenagers or ten-year-olds. It has certain things in common with Diana Wynne Jones (it's set in an alternate universe, in which the Battle of Waterloo went the other way; like Jones, Davidson is at times very funny); with Philip Pullman (obsession with the idea of the north, though there are no polar bears; it's a novel-of-ideas, though rather less pompous about it than Pullman); and J. K. Rowling (it is, among many other things, a classic school story, about friendship and growing up; Davidson acknowledges her debt to Muriel Spark). There is also an element of feminist dystopia about this world, a little Atwood-ish: our heroine discovers the horrible truth that girls in her city are being subjected to a procedure to eliminate their capacity to have feelings of their own, in order to make them more useful helpmeets for men in times of war. The novel is a meditation both on gender relationships, but more fundamentally, on the need for emotions, and the part played by feelings in personal identity. Despite her obvious learning and allusiveness, Davidson has succeeded brilliantly in creating a world of her own, which is convincingly like and unlike our own. Sophie is an appealingly opinionated heroine (who has strong views about, for instance, the superiority of icing to cake, as well as an excellent working knowledge of chemistry). This a very readable novel, whose characters and ideas will linger in the mind. Highly recommended. Buy it for any child/ teenager who has an interest in history, Scotland, Scandanavia, murder stories, spiritualism, science, terrorism, or ethics. But also buy a copy for yourself!

5 comments about The Ghost: A Novel.

1. Good vacation reading but not quite as rivetting as I'd expected. I was more than half way into it before the plot really began to be interesting. A good bundle of plot twists towards the end but I don't find that Robert Harris is able to hold the reader's interest as much as Lee Child, for example. I think Mr Harris should stick to the historical novel genre, where period detail helps make up for flat spots in the plot.



2. A ghostwriter, and narrator of this novel, is called on to write the memoirs of recent retired British Prime Minister, Adam Lang. However, he soon finds that the previous ghostwriter, who was in the process of writing Lang's memoirs, died in mysterious circumstances. To make matters even more complicated, while the ghostwriter is visiting the Langs in Martha's Vineyard, New England, to discuss the book, he (Lang) is accused of war crimes, by the International Court of Justice.
   
   I found this novel an enjoyable read. It is pretty obvious from the start, who Adam Lang, and his wife, Ruth are based on. This made the storyline that much more interesting, and there are few moments that nearly had me laughing out loud.
   
   There is, also, good plot to go along with the humourous bits, as the ghostwriter digs deeper into both Lang's background, and the previous ghostwriter's strange death. I found this book both thought provoking and a page turner.



3. Robert Harris' novels have always been well-written, well-researched and very exciting. But this one isn't. The story is implausible, the charcters wooden, and every scene is cliched. I have read all his other books and they have been superb, I can only hope that this one is a glitch, and that subsequent books will be back to his usual standard.



4. Having loved earlier books by Harris, I was really looking forward to this one. Alas, I should have heeded some of the reviews on this site!
   
   The plot is vague and improbable, Harris' politics and hatred of Tony Blair seem to trump everything else, and the ending was downright silly. (Think an alphabet agency everybody loves to hate.)
   
   I can only hope that he goes into a recovery program for his Blair Derangement Syndrome before he writes again.



5. After reading a string of bad "thrillers" from the likes of David Baldacci this book is looks like a masterpiece. The book is short, moves fast and certainly thought provoking.
   
   Its interesting to find out the history between the author and Tony Blair. Also, I would not put the CIA out of scope in nurturing potential prime minister candidates in Europe. It certainly would not be first time in history where the leading world power is resonsible for planting its lackeys in power in other nation states.
   
   The thought provoking piece is how in the world did someone like our current VP nominee of the GOP come one heart beat away from being the most powerful person on the planet. Now if only they can figure out a way to win the election. Something to think about....