No comments about Mixed-Media Self-Portraits: Inspiration & Techniques.

5 comments about Mensa Absolutely Nasty Sudoku Level 4 (Mensa).

1. Mostly very tough puzzles, that (like book #3) lived up to the books' name. We're very happy to have bought #3 and #4.
   
   Question, does Mr Longo know there are duplicate puzzles in #4?
   #69 is duplicated in 75, 82, 95, 99, 119, and 127.
   #134 is duplicated in 202.



2. These are some really, really challenging sudoku. It would be nice in the next edition if we could have some descriptions on how to solve using the more complicated techniques. It would also be nice if the answers included reference to which of the more difficult techniques were used to solve them.



3. As someone who searches for seriously difficult sudoku, I love this book. The puzzles are all very hard, but still require a variety of solving methods, some of which I find approachable, and others of which are truly painful, at least for me. I agree with another reviewer that it would be nice to have "speaking" solutions, that is, solutions that explain how the puzzle was solved, but solving methods vary so much by player that this is probably only a dream. There are truly no linear solution methods, which is what makes sudoku so attractive.
   
   Compared to the many other books that claim to offer very hard sudoku, this one stands way out as telling it like it is.
   
   I criticised the "Mensa Guide" book for its fragile binding and tiny grids, so I have to award big points for the spiral binding and large grids of this book.



4. This is the only Sudoku book I've found where I can't do over half of the puzzles without notes. So if you want to tax your brain a bit and know about Gordian Polygons then this is the sudoku book to buy. Makes the "black belt" and "ultimate ninja" books look easy by comparison. Still all logic and no guessing required.



5. I enjoy this book, but strongly suggest not buying it unless you have exhausted/outgrown the other Sudoku books. This is the hardest book I have found by far. I didn't work through levels 1 - 3 (probably should have). The next hardest book I have is "Even Higher Sudoku". The latter might be good to try before moving on to this book.

5 comments about Mensa Absolutely Nasty Sudoku Level 1 (Mensa).

1. This is the first Challenger Sudoku book I tried. I have since tried others, and this is still the best! I can't wait to work on 2, 3, and 4!



2. This is a great book if you don't want to bother with the really easy puzzles included in most books. But 90% of the puzzles in it can be solved by scanning and basic elimination techniques (pairs, triplets, quads, integration). In the other 10% you do need to use one of the more advanced techniques Gordon and Longo describe so well in their "Solving Soduko" book. But if you're looking for a real challenge, skip to a higher level in the Mensa series.



3. I am disappointed with this series. The puzzles are not as challenging as I expected and tend to be a little boring. I use them as a go to when I have absolutely nothing else available.



4. I thought I was pretty good at Sudoku when I could cruise through even the most difficult puzzles in a Will Shortz book without breaking a sweat. Then I got this book as a gift and it really put me in my place. I tried to solve a couple of puzzles and got stuck very quickly. I finally had to go get the author's Solving Sudoku book to improve my technique enough to handle these. Now I'm working these and find each one challenging but solvable, and finishing each one is gratifying. If you're feely pretty cocky about your abilities give this book a try.



5. Wonderful puzzles with enough challenge. The best binding of all books I've tried. Really comfortable, easy to mark and hold. I only wish Mensa's guides had the same binding.

2 comments about Bidding in the 21st Century: The Club Series (Acbl Bridge).

1. Audrey Grant is absolutely one of the finest writers of Bridge instruction. I have used her books for 6 years and this new revision is again improved from previous editions. The book is for beginners but I can assure you that players of many years can and will benefit from the concepts put forth in her new book.
   Dave Drewes ACBL certified teacher



2. ACBL is revising its long run four volume "Bridge Series" and the first volume about bidding features some questionable changes and is missing some very useful information.
   
   It is doubtful that novicesshould be told that only 25 points are needed for a 3NT or 4 of a major suit game contract. Beginners need extra points to make up for their lack of card playing skills.
   
   Also, they need 16-18 HCP to open 1NT but should be told that 15-17 may be enough later.
   
   More serious is the lack of strict standards for opening one of a suit. All 13 point hands don't qualify. E.g. Ax-Kxx-QJxx-QJxx should not be opened nor should QJ-QJ-QJ-Axxxxxx. Neither hand has enough quick tricks, which come from combinations of A,K and Q in the same suit. Also, unguarded honor cards should not be counted as full point value, but the author fails to mention any of these concepts stressed by Ch.Goren.
   
   The book lacks any index or indications in the glossary about where to find various consepts and ideas, but which was part of the earlier book.
   The pink summary pages was an asset in the previous book but now missing.
   
   The discussion of strong and weak two bids is too superficial.
   
   Aside from the above criticism the book is very attractive and good.

No comments about Player's Handbook 2: A 4th Edition D&D Supplement (D&D Core Rulebook).

5 comments about The Soulforge (Dragonlance: The Raistlin Chronicles, Book 1).

1. Really good to read after you've read Chronicles because you just HAVE to know more about Raistlin!



2. I am not quite sure why people are giving this 5 stars and a perfect rating. This is nowhere near classic literature, nor is is a wonderous example of english prose.
   
   All that aside, I simply found this book slow. If you are a huge Raistlin fan, then this might have something for you. Really all you do is follow his life day by day from childhood to adulthood. Really boring and drab with about 3 pages total of action.
   
   The second book in this set was much better, and I would pick up a third if it gets written. By itself, this book doesn't really stand for itself at all. I have liked many of Weis' books, but this one is down there at the bottom of the stack.



3. Wow! Raistlin fan or not this is a great book. I, of course like most of the people who read Dragonlance, like Raistlin but I am not a huge fan per say but I do find him interesting to read. A lot of my question were resolved here not all but many.
   Perhaps the best part about this book is that you get to witness the Test that Raistlin endured! You've heard about out it for a long time now and finally your in the midst of it all! WOOT!
   Three highlights ** Slight Spoilers ** (but not really) :)
   1) Meeting all the old friends Cameron, Raistlin, Tanis, Tas, Tika, Otik, Flint, Sturm, etc. and learning about them as they met. Watching them make a covenant to return to Solace to meet again...which, if I remember, brings you to the first book you read...the Dragons of Autumn Twilight. (I liked that part)
   2) Raistlin's Test
   3) Raistlin's Letter at the end which gives you the reason for the book you just finished,
   
   The Soulforge, was well written and thrill. I think this book, of all the Dragonlance books I've read to date, has answered more questions than any other novel yet.
   
   *This review is being updated and brough over from an older account.



4. "Raistlin startled to wakefulness, a sense of danger bursting like lightning on his sleep, jolting him out of terrifying dreams." Oh Boy. Hemmingway this is not.
   
   With the new Dungeons and Dragons 4th edition coming out my old dungeon master (just writing that makes me cringe) has decided to try and reunite distant (and aging) gamers using the new online gaming engine. In order to get into the spirit of things I thought I might spend some time back in the realm of D&D. When I was in high school every self respecting nerd had read the DragonLance series by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. Quite frankly my taste in literature was still developing back then but the books seemed fine and I enjoyed all three. The most memorable character, by far, was the mage Raistlin Majere. One of my friends even modeled his D&D character after Raistlin including his relentless (and irritating) pursuit of power.
   
   It's pretty clear by this books intro that Raistlin is also Margaret Weis's favorite and this is likely what doomed the book for me. As intriguing as Raistlin is I was hoping for more than to read about his elementary school years, his handling of bullies and his mildly dysfunctional family. The author also goes way overboard trying to hammer home the point that Raistlin is the dark brooding brains and his twin Caramon is the strong, good looking dolt. It's sometimes difficult for adults to write dialogue for children but this one is pretty bad. No five year old on earth has ever talked the way young Raistlin does and in trying to make little Caramon sound simple and naïve Weis basically writes him as retarded.
   
   I just didn't feel that D&D vibe reading this book. The story was so focused on Raistlin that there was barely anytime for anything else and quite frankly most of the book was rather boring and tedious which isn't helped by its 400+ page length. Raistlin still stands above the rest but mainly because Kitiara and Tasselhoff were so bloody annoying while Sturm, Tanis and Flint were less like characters and more like empty ciphers.
   
   While a bad ending can kill a good book a good ending is less likely to redeem a mediocre book but it does help and the ending in Soulforge is by far the best part. Still, rather than rekindle my interest in D&D the book ended up dampening it. If you want a good fantasy book I suggest the Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin. It's not D&D but the characters are significantly better.



5. This is the first book I read by Margaret Weis without Hickman, and I was therefore interested to see the difference. Actually, the pace of the book is slower and more introspective than the Chronocles series. I would regard this book as "canon" and part of the essential story (along with Chronocles trilogy, Lost Chronocles trilogy, Legends trilogy, Second Generation, Dragons of A Summer Flame, and the War of Souls Trilogy).
   
   FACT - Weis and Hickman are not literary geniuses. They flout several rules of good writing including their tendency to repeat ideas, recap plot points, tell you what to think (instead of showing you). However, there are few writers who can claim to have explored the depth of a character to the same extent as Weis does with Raistlin in this book. A great addition to the series.
   
   If you want to go on and read Brothers in Arms, then do so, however, I would not consider it canon or essential to the story. However, it does give some of the background to the War of the Lance from the point of view of Kitiara, and is (reasonably) consistent with the storyline in the chronocles trilogy.
   
   One point I would like to note - if you read dragons of autumn twilight straight after this, you will find that Raistlin's relationship with some of the other characters has "soured" somewhat, despite the fact the characters have supposedly not seen each other for five years. I found this a little unconvincing but this is a minor detail.

4 comments about Scales of the Serpent (Diablo: The Sin War, Book 2).

1. This book was awesome, I waited so long to find out what happened to my dear friend Uldyssian....now I have to wait again for the third book xD



2. I found out that the sin war series could have been finished in two books. The 2nd book is nothing more than an extention of the first. The plot just continues, there are no new surprises along the way. Essentially the heroes do more of their stuff in the 2nd one like destroying temples etc.
   I would say this book is a lot weaker than the first one. Lets hope the pace picks up in the 3rd book though.
   Frankly I really liked Knaak's other Diablo books especially Moon of the Spider and the Kingdom of Shadow. The sin war series seems less than a equal to the previous titles.
   Get it if you like me love Diablo.



3. This book really sets some pace into the story line, although dont bother reading if you have not read the first.
   
   I could rabbit on all day but if you enjoyed the first book you must read this as the character development continues and the war begins! And when you finish this book you will be scratching at the wood-work to find out WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!!!
   
   
   Jack.



4. I enjoyed reading it, it's very good written and not any worse than some other fantasy books.

5 comments about Folk Shawls (Folk Knitting series).

1. This book contains the absolute best collection of gorgeous shawl patterns I've ever seen in one volume. If you like making shawls, this is the book at the top of the list. I can't wait till I finish current projects and can start something from the Folk Shawls book.



2. This was the first shawl book I ever bought. I read it cover to cover a few times before ever picking up yarn and needles. The shawls are diverse, beautiful and the stories are captivating.
   
   Kristin Omdahl
   www.StyledByKristin.com



3. I am a fan of the "Folk" books and have several. The Folk Shawl book is easy to read, easy to understand, and gave me my first introduction to lace knitting. I was instantly hooked. I've knitted several of the shawls from this book and highly recommend it to anyone exploring lace knitting for the first time and as a tool to introduce newer knitters to this art. I've had great fun with Folk Shawls and have become a wearer of my shawls preferring them to sweaters.....they easily slip on and off and are a comfort in the cold weather. I even knitted a heavier version of the larger Stora shawl out of worsted weight wool and wore it as a substitute for a coat over an alpaca sweater!
   
   Thank you Cheryl Oberle for a wonderful book!



4. A friend of mine loaned me a copy of her book when she found out that I was looking for something new and different from the afghans I had been knitting with old left over yarns. After looking thru the book and trying one of the patterns, I realized that I want to try ALL of the patterns in this book. If your looking at this book and thinking about getting it, I recommend getting the book, if your new to these kinds of things, like me, you can always start using scrap yarns and then move up to the more sophisticated yarns if you are comfortable with reading the pattern. There are patterns here that are easy to do and some that are a bit more challenging but all worth the time and effort. I'm still working up the courage to try a couple of these but I will get there eventually.



5. 25 Knitting patterns and tales from around the world will educate and entertain you for years to come. The shawls here are gorgeous and inspired by traditions and designs from around the world.
   
   You will find a shawl here for every occasion and every one is spectacular. They originate from Ireland, Japan, Iceland, Victorian England, Russia, Scotland, Mexico, Norway and more. Each design will teach you more to enhance your skills and an average knitter should be able to create most of them. The instructions are both written and charted.
   
   This is an amazingly creative book for knitters or anyone who loves fashion and fashion history. For me, this would even be worth purchasing if I didn't know how to knit. The pictures are gorgeous, the designs are fabulous and the concept of this book is so wonderful it absolutely puts me over the moon!
   
   LOVE this book!

5 comments about Basic Stained Glass Making: All the Skills and Tools You Need to Get Started (Stackpole Basics).

1. I have been checking out many of the books that are available and this one gives the best directions and it has made my first project half way easy.



2. Quick, easy and lots of pictures. Binding allows all the pages to turn easily, preventing the pages from 'closing' up on you while you try to follow the instructions.



3. The title says it all. I went from never having worked with stained glass to completing the first two projects in the book - and it was fun! Now, I'm working on my first original stained glass design. This book is great for anyone new to stained glass - the step by step instructions would probably be excrutiatingly slow to someone who already has a lot of experience, but they were exactly what I needed to get started! I also really liked the explanation of all the most common tools and equipment.



4. Very detailed and organized. I am glad I bought the book. As a beginner in stained glass this met my needs.



5. Excellent layout and binding that allows you to leave it open to the page your following. Easy to follow instruction and pics for the visual learner. Love it and looking forward to the projects!

2 comments about Travia: The Ultimate Book of Travel Trivia.

1. Smart and fun, this eye-opening book has some enlightening facts and figures that surprised even this avid collector of trivia. Examples range from the amazing--e.g.,"The InterContinental Hotel Hong Kong is the only hotel to be built entirely over water. It sits on stilts over Victoria Harbour," to the bizarre: "The Sultan of Johore built Malaysia's first railway in 1869, but the rails were made of wood and were soon eaten by ants." A fast and fun read, Nadine Godwin's "Travia: The Ultimate Book of Travel Trivia" is a delightful resource to share with friends.



2. If you have any interest in travel and trivia, this book is amazing. I don't know how anyone can find that many unique facts. She must look under rocks or something. But I do find it interesting and a conversation piece. Very well done. It's obvious she knows travel and likes to write about it.