No comments about Photo-Fabric Play: Quilt and Craft Projects Your Whole Family Will Love.

No comments about Just Right Crosswords Volume 2: The Rainy Day Collection (NEA Crosswords).

5 comments about Deities and Demigods (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.0 Fantasy Roleplaying Supplement).

1. If you wish to put Deities into a campaign that you're running, this is the best book to use to do it with.



2. this book has my favs.they inculde:
   bahamut,lolth,garl,timat,nerull,and wee jas .(I first heard bahamut can hold his breath.)



3. I had high expectations for the third edition - one would expect that with the third major release, they'd get it right. Sadly, this book is even weaker than the previous releases - it contains fewer pantheons than ever, because of all the nonessential padding given to each entry.
   
   The vast majority of the book consists of statistics for each of the gods profiled. Much space is given to the feats, spell-like abilities, and combat statistics of these ultra-powerful beings - things that will almost never be used in actual gameplay or character building.
   
   Does it matter which "feats" Hermes has? Does it matter which weapons Loki is proficient in? Does anyone care how many attacks per round Osiris has, or what Athena's Constitution score is? Unless you're playing a overpowered "munchkin" campaign, the answer is no; but more than three quarters of each deity's description consists of this sort of useless fluff.
   
   It would have been far better for Wizards to have devoted the space to content that can be used to add flavour to a campaign where these gods are worshipped. There should have been more material about various clerical orders that serve each of these beings, perhaps including rival churches of the same god with long-standing historical grudges (just as there are within Christianity or Islam). They could have given us more information on the history of these gods and the relationships between them - the story of how Odin lost his eye is far more interesting than the list of spells he can cast.
   
   I recommend against buying this book, for players or DMs. Instead, buy any book on mythology, and adapt the ideas therein to the D&D system.



4. This is a really good book if you want to know some background/details on many different D&D deities of many different pantheons. However, I only gave the book 4 stars because it is pre-version 3.5, so you will have a little work to do if you want to use any of the deities' game stats. This is only a small problem that can be fixed, and the flavor it can add to your game makes the book worth it in my opinion. Also, the section on creating deities, while not v3.5 friendly without some changes, is also very useful.



5. This is a great addition to any DM's (Dungeon Master's) collection of resource books. Heck, even the players can hang on to a copy of this valuable tome for their own use. Here is what it entails and how it can be useful for role-playing in the d20 environment.
   
   There are listings for an entire pantheon of deities created specifically for D&D (though they can be easily adapted to any d20 system). This way, the players need not be consigned to the deities already existent in our myths and legends. However, if you want to carry on in that vein, then you are also well-equipped to do so.
   
   There are entries and stats for the following pantheons: D&D (an orginial creation), Norse (Thor, Odin, etc.), Egyptian (Isis, Osiris, Horus, etc.), Greek (Zeus, Hera, Ares, etc.) and a few other random and not-so-random offerings. Also helpful is a section on creating your own deities and even one on how to battle them.
   
   What did disappoint me, though, was the lack of the Lovecraftian deities, the Elder Gods, that was actually printed in the orginial AD&D supplement years ago. I suppose that's a bit of nostalgia showing through, but I feel they could have truly given those entries a great treatment in the new environment. Also, I felt the supplementary sections could have been fleshed out just a bit more. Still, overall, this is a great addition to any d20 RPG that wants to incorporate deities, religion, avatars, demigods, and the like.

3 comments about 1000 Best Casino Gambling Secrets (1000 Best).

1. Bought this book on the recommendation of Frank Schoebete (not sure this is the correct spelling of his last name), who is a gambling authority who said in his online newsletter column that this was one of, if not the only such type book he would recommend.



2. for an absolute beginner or for a seasoned gambler, this book is easy to understand and is full of useful tips. the book is written in a numbered order 1 - 1000, with the tips broken down into chapters or sections pertaining to each facet of the gaming industry. I found myself reading this book two times over trying to remember as many tips as I could. A must for any first time casino tripper!



3. I bought this as a gift for my mother because occasionally she likes to go to the casino and play the slot machines. She really liked this book.

3 comments about Battlefield: Bad Company: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides).

1. After purchasing and loving the Shadowrun Prima guide, I was expecting the same great guide for Battlefield: Bad Company. However, I was very disappointed.
   
   The pages are not nice and glossy paperstock. They are thinner and feel more like a newspaper feels.
   
   There is way too much focus on single player. Over 100 pages are dedicated to the single player campaign. Only 10 pages about Multiplayer. There are top-down diagrams for single player maps, but none for multiplayer maps.
   
   After the in-depth treatment Prima gave to Shadowrun, I thought they would do the same for BF:BC. They did not.



2. 
   I agree with other review. Feels really cheap and quickly put together. The pictures are really small and the paper is cheap. I wanted to pick this up to get a good review of the multiplayer maps but there aren't any layouts like in the RB6 or the COD4 guide. They actually covered each map on just one page. They give you 1 by 1 inch pictures of a house or base and what can you do with it. There is not a reference point to match it to on a map. For two of the maps they had so little to say they fit both on one page.
   
   I looked at this in the store and decided to skip it.



3. This book was a disappointment and is very incomplete.
   
   Multiplayer problems:
   As stated earlier, no top views of the maps and a very limited look into the multiplayer area. Most of the info is from the videos included in the "Gold Edition" of the game.
   
   Stats:
   The weapon descriptions are the general rant with little info in how they perform in the game. The numbers do not include the handling stats and they do not have a table for easy comparison to help you choose what weapon is best. The specialist weapons have little info on how to use them correctly, especially the Snipers goggles witch I am still having problems with.
   
   Single player:
   The majority of this book is centered on the single player campaign. This is set up with short paragraphs scattered on a page to follow along the way the writers played the game. This largest disappointment with this is if you try to read and go you will miss some vital info. One example is I started a tough battle and then read I should have picked up the mortar designator two objectives previously which was not mentioned in the explanation that was two pages previously.
   
   This guide is similar to the layout of the Kameo guide. Which also blew? The problem with Prima guides is it seems to be a crap shoot. Half of the time the guides are well laid out and helpful. The other times they aren't. This is the only guide out there and it does have some info to help complete the game and find the collectables and such in the single player. It also included the point values for actions in the multiplayer.

No comments about Dots!: Super Connect-the-Dots Puzzles (Conceptis Puzzles).

3 comments about Chinese Chess: An Introduction to China's Ancient Game of Strategy.

1. The game of Chinese chess, or 'elephant chess' as it is known in Chinese, has been played for centuries. Since, naturally, most of the books heretofore published on this challenging game of strategy have been in the Chinese language, the present book by H. T. Lau renders a welcome service to another large group of game-lovers the world over. Explained with clear examples coupled with about 170 diagrams are the fundamental aspects of Chinese chess - the board, the mode of movement and values of the pieces, and the basic rules. The reader will note that there are interesting variations on the Western chess theme (although no prior knowledge of other forms of chess are necessary for an understanding of this book). Once the basics have been outlined, standard opening strategies are explicated, as are tactics for use once the game gets under way. Strategies used with various combinations of pieces commonly remaining toward the conclusion of the game are described in a chapter devoted to the end-game, which is perhaps the phase that the beginner should master first. This section shows how a player with seemingly few pieces left can win a game, and how a player in what looks like a losing situation can force a draw. Eightly mid- and end-game exercises designed to sharpen the player's skill are presented with answers at the end of the book. Finally, two appendixes are devoted to the elegantly constructed games found in two classic seventeenth-century works on Chinese chess. Here, then, is a book for both the novice and the chess fan who wants to add to his or her repertoire of fun.



2. This is a beautifully bound book, well suited for beginners and intermediate players of Chinese chess.



3. Well, it's a good book such as it is. I wanted to give it 3.5 or even 4 stars. I just didn't feel it delivered what it advertised.

   The *tons* of recorded games in the appendices are great. The total lack of annotation is terrible. Perhaps many or most people don't need annotation, but the book was advertised as a book for *beginners* and I am in fact a total beginner, and I found the lack of annotation to be extremely unhelpful. I can't understand why many of the moves are made - and there are even a few games which end in resignation in which I don't understand why the player resigned. Now, like I said, probably many people don't need this explained, but I do, and if you think you would need these kinds of things explained, then this is not the book for you.

   On the other hand the explanations of the various openings (8 openings and 8 responses are discussed) are quite good. Again, they will seem high-level to a total beginner like me. There are a lot of things it is assumed you will understand which you might not understand. But still, if you have a board in front of you and play through the moves as you go through the discussion, you will be at least somewhat edified.

   Unfortunately, the discussion doesn't really go in-depth. The openings and responses are given, and some comments like "red intends to attack the right side" or "blue is defending the central line" are given at the end of the listing, but no real discussion of the implications of the moves are given. Xianqui is a very tactical game - even more tactical than Western Chess because of the extreme importance of aggressiveness and sacrifice in the game. For that reason, I feel a more detailed discussion of the results of the various opening systems was in order.

   So, all in all a decent book but it is quite scary if you aren't ready. Not *really* a beginner's book though I think it is trying to be one.

   Here's what it is that bothers me - it reads like a textbook; as though it is assuming you have an instructor there with you to go over the text and to help explain the material. Unfortunately, of course, there is no such instructor so it's kind of like trying to learn the Chinese language by yourself out of a slightly outdated textbook with no access to native speakers to practice with or ask questions of.

   But it *is* one of only *two* books on Xianqui strategy I can find anywhere on the net, so the final judgement is: buy it, but be prepared.

5 comments about Woodturning: A Foundation Course (New Edition).

1. I enjoyed reading "Woodturning: A Foundation Course" by Keith Rowley, especially his concern for the forest. I also appreciated his emphasis on safety. His illustrations could be a bit clearer, and if he used captions by each tool instead of simply a list below the picture it would be helpful. Sometimes the differences in terminology between British English and American English is a little hard to follow.
   
   I found Taunton's Complete Ilustrated Guide to Turning by Richard Raffan to be a bit more useful. Both books would be a good edition to a beginning woodturners library.



2. This book is what it was advertised to be. I am taking a woodturning course and the book was recommended by the instructor.



3. Enough said
   I've been turning for a few years now, and still review this book to remind myself things I should be doing



4. This book is GREAT. I have been turning wood (between center) items since 2003 and from time to time, I had difficulties with techniques and tools. I stated out turning pens and I now turn game calls. I wish had found this book sooner I could have saved myself much time and effort. The most valuable item of interest in this book is the six laws of turning. This is a must read for any level of wood turner.



5. I'm a new turner and found the explanations and guides useful in becoming familiar with tools and use in becoming at east at the lather

5 comments about Bead Crochet Jewelry: Tools, Tips, and 15 Beautiful Projects.

1. Interesting book with some unique projects RECOMMENDED



2. I loved this book, I felt like I learned so much from it. The tutorials are very easy to follow and will have you making a beaded crochet rope quickly. I am an old crocheter but even I learned a few things about how to do bead crochet. If you are wanting to learn this is an excellent book to learn with.



3. I like this book. If you are interested in bead crochet ropes, I would recomment it. I especially like the bangle bracelet patterns. However, the first project for beginners is all one color beads. This is almost impossible for beginners. Mark the beginning of a round with a different colored bead, or use a sequence of colors. YOu could also use the beading sequence from the second project with the larger beads from the first project. Also, the author recommends using crochet cotton for the thread. This stuff frays and tangles. To save your sanity, go to a bead store and buy something specifically recommended for beading. There are no diagrams to go with the instructions. I could have used diagrams.



4. I've had the privilege of taking a bead crochet class from Linda Lehman, one of the co-authors, and purchased this book after taking the class. This book has some beautiful projects, is organized from easiest to hardest, and also provides fantastic tips. I still refer to this book even though I've done a number of bead crochet projects.



5. Although this book has striking designs, it is not a book for beginners who are trying to learn the technique from a book. There are excellent stringing instructions but the book needs more pictures and diagrams to show the technique. I bought Designer Beadwork by Ann Benson at the same time which has superior instructions. Once I master the technique, I look forward to trying the designs in Beach Crochet Jewelry.

No comments about Kingsburg.