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.

5 comments about Betting on Horse Racing For Dummies (For Dummies (Sports & Hobbies)).

1. This is a great book for the absolute begginner, first time track experince. For the enthusiastic hobbyist like myself the book only gets two stars.
   
   I thought the pull out cheat sheet in the front of the book was irresponsible, suggesting a sixteen dollar play for the pick 6. I believe two dollars is okay, because it's like buying a lottery ticket, however a minuim of a 128.00 is needed. Anything else is just throwing away money. The suggested amount for the superfecta and pick 4 were off base too.
   
   The book was very hard to read, as it seemed like every chapter the author was just saying the same thing over and over again. Although the book explains to the reader the different types of handicapping methods, it does not teach you how to handicap. Remember the book title is "Betting on Horse Racing" not "Handicapping on Horse Racing".
   
   Now for what I liked about the book. Great glossary and index, something that all horse racing books that I've read lacked. I enjoyed chapter 17, which covered handicapping tournaments. This is something I've never tackled and find interesting after reading. Chapters 19 and 20 covered Harness racing and Quarter horses. I prefer throughbreds because I understand it and find it more enjoyable, but if I ever decide to bet on these types of races I will refer to these chapters. Chapter 25, the ten best race tracks to visit, was also interesting. I'm fortunate to have two of these in my back yard, and in the future I would like to visit the authors other eight picks.
   
   I bought this book after I selected another book and needed to spend more to avoid the three dollars shipping and handling. So factoring that in 10.59 was not a bad price. The amazon advertised 13.59 is'nt bad either, however I would not purchase the book for the suggested 19.99 cover price (not worth it).
   
   In all, good book to have for begginers. Also a good book to have for experinced horesplayers who have non horse playing friends that want to tag along. Much easier to let them borrow the book over night then to have them harrassing you at the track like a little kid with thier questions.
   
   The other do it yourself series KISS and Complete Idiots Guide do not have books on this subject, instead there covered in chapters of other books. KISS Guide to Gambling, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Gambling Like a Pro, respectfully.



2. With the Kentucky Derby about one week away, it will be like NCAA March Madness where even the casual of sports fans is going to have an opinion on the outcome.
   
   But maybe you will want to take that opinion one step further and place a bet at the local race track or OTB that's simulcasting the race. This book will help you learn the nomenclature associated with wagering on the races and the nuances to betting.
   
   Author Richard Eng guides the reader through the basic bets like win, place and show, but really earns high marks by delving into the exotic bets - like exactas, trifectas and superfectas - where betting the same money as you would on the traditional trio may yield much higher payouts.
   
   The book is not how to handicap races, which is the art or reading a racing form or researching with other material to select runners for your various bets. It purely focuses on understanding what bets are possibly available for the races at your local tracks or on the simulcasts.
   
   And with confidence, you'll be able to march up to the teller and state - for the record - "In race five I'd like an exacta box with with 2 and the 6," just like a pro. And through the help of Eng you will certainly understand it just as well or better than that "expert" who's next in line.



3. I gave this as a gift to my mother before several trips to the races, and after completing it, I was pleased to find she was doing basic handicapping correctly. This book doesn't get deep into hard-core handicapping, but for most people who enjoy the races as an occasional fun day out, it puts all those numbers in the program or the racing form into perspective... making for a more enjoyable experience! Well done.



4. This book has taught me alot about horse racing, and had definitely aided in my enjoyment of the sport and helped me win some money! There are some chapters that are a little boring with unnecessary info.



5. I got this book after going to the racetrack one day and poring over the racing form in confusion. I didn't even bet because I didn't know what I was looking at. I thought this book, being of the "Dummies" variety, would be a good introduction to betting. Wrong!
   
   I found this book very difficult to understand, and one almost certainly must have prior knowledge of betting to understand some of the concepts in this book. The author gives a lot of examples, but they are in such fine print that I couldn't read them! I would need a magnifying glass to see what he was talking about in many, many examples. He progresses very quickly from beginner definitions to advanced betting concepts, and it wasn't organized in a logical, straightforward fashion. This book is not geared toward the casual bettor like me, but more towards someone who already has some knowledge of betting and is looking to set up a money-making system.
   
   After getting about 3/4 of the way through this book, I threw my hands up in despair and gave up. I guess I won't be betting on the horses anytime soon, because I still don't have a clue after reading this.

5 comments about FINAL FANTASY(r) III Official Strategy Guide (Official Strategy Guides (Bradygames)) (Official Strategy Guides (Bradygames)).

1. The game is mostly self explanatory. Not too much hard side quests that makes it hard to complete the game 100% without the guide, but for those small stuff, like the forging, the guide really helps.



2. This guide is great. A must have for FF3 DS. It guides you through all the little, and sometimes very annoying if you don't have a guide, puzzles along the way.
   
   Get ready for what's next by knowing what's next in the game so you can make the smart decision on what class to choose.
   
   A MUST HAVE!



3. This is a great product that, if you play any final fantasy games you know is a MUST HAVE!!!



4. Fantastic guide with great information. I did, however, have to reference GameFAQs for a better explanation of how to best get all of the weapons from the Arcane Labyrinth. Definately worth the money.



5. I'm very satisfied with this product. If anyone remembers the original Final Fantasy game this strategy guide comes in handy for the hardest games in any video game generation.

5 comments about Dungeons & Dragons Basic Game (2006) (Dungeons & Dragons Game).

1. I recieved this as a christmas gift and I had never played D&D or an RPG before and i was very plaesed with the result!
   I opened the box and the first thing to catch your eye is all the wonderfull miniature each in its own plastic bag(i have ead a review on here about the game not coming with stat cards so you cannot play the D&D miniature warband game but you can download and print these off the D&D site.
   
   The rules:nice and strait forward i understood them very fast(Yes, these are very "dumbed" down rules for all us newbies)i played a few rounds by my self (being teh NPC's and teh PC's just to get a hang of it(with can be fun) and then a round with my older brother who thought it was ok but didnt realy get into it, but the next night i played with my sister and now we have been playing it all the time(people say this is more of a mini battle game but me and my sis had a whole game with no die rolling just good old fashioned RPG-ing)
   and now i want to advance more so I ordered the D&D players kit(the day after i got the basic game of course) wich looks great!
   one of the things i would like better would be to have seperate RPG stat cards for all teh monsters instead of having to flip through teh pages of teh DM book...but thats no biggie.
   
   So I personaly think this is a great game!



2. My son really is enjoying this game. It is a great game for introducing people to the world of Dungeons and Dragons. I would STRONGLY recommend that you have an experienced Dungeons and Dragons person to be the Dungeon Master. The adventure and rules are completely inadequate for a first timer to be the Dungeon Master in that they do not address the various scenerios that arise from the game or give enough background for the adventure. Without an experienced person being the Dungeon Master, the game could end up being a disaster.



3. This product does a very good job of introducing the player(s) to the D&D world. I would suggest it to anyone who has no experience with RPG's and wants to get involved with the granddaddy of them all. It does a nice job of walking the player(s) and the Dungeon Master(DM) through a few scenarios; and is a nice starting point to see if the game will be enjoyable without a high initial investment.



4. I recently bought this game because I wanted to get into D&D and thought this would be a good place to start. It is okay if you have never played before and want to learn alittle bit on how to play dnd but you have to use premade characters and the adventure is short and not that great. I bought the three core rulebooks last night so I could get me and a couple other people into it more and have more fun with it. All together I would recommend anyone that has never played and wants to play to pick this game up. You get some cool miniatures and almost a full set of dice.



5. Review by the purchaser's son, age 14.
   Summary: Get this for the materials (adventures, figures, etc.) Get the rulebooks for content. Roll some dice. Have fun.
   
   Dnd is a hobby that requires a lot of dedication and the purchase of at least three rulebooks at around $30 apiece. Many new players/DMs will not know if they like Dnd enough to purchase the books they need, and this product is a great jumping-on point. It clearly outlines most of the basic rules. The key word there, however, is "basic." The characters that come with this set do not follow many of the rules presented in the Player's Handbook (for example, skill ranks that are absurdly high) and as such, confusion can be caused when the standard rules are incorporated. The six adventures in this book make up a small but high-quality mini campaign, and your players (I speak as a DM) will be hooked. For the best experience:
   1. Purchase the core rulebooks (Player Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual) along with this set. Use the miniatures, adventures, and treasure/experience included in this boxed set, but use the standard rules for rolling up (creating) characters and for leveling up that are detailed in the Player Handbook.
   2. Take the time to fill out character sheets and you will be rewarded. They provides spaces, blanks, and boxes for just about every variable in Dnd, and it's very hard to stay organized without one.
   3. LEARN THE RULES. This is the absolute most important point. Yu don't need to learn about sundering weapons, grappling, bullrushing, and other advanced tactics until you're experienced, but basic rules like skill/ability checks and combat rolls are a must.
   
   Pretty good value for the money, BTW.
   
   REMEMBER: THIS IS THE 3.5 EDITION OF DND. VERSION FOUR COMES OUT IN MAY AND JUNE 2008, BUT THAT WILL NOT MAKE THIS PRODUCT ANY LESS USEFUL. THERE ARE PLENTY OF RULEBOOKS FOR DND VERSION 3.5.

4 comments about Life: The Amazing Picture Puzzle: Can You Spot the Differences? (Life (Life Books)).

1. I HAVE FOUND THESE TYPE OF BOOKS VERY SATISFYING AND CHALLANGING. THEY GIVE A PERSON A MIND SOOTHING EXPEIRANCE. I HAVE FOUND THAT WHEN I WORK ON ONE, AND I AM HAVING A BAD DAY DUE TO PRESSURES, THE BOOKS HELP A LOT TO RELIEVE THE TENTION. THANK YOU FOR ALL THESE BOOKS.....JIM



2. Many Hour's of fun and relaxation... not to mention challenging your Brain. I Will buy again and I really appreciate Amazon's Website! :)



3. I have bought all of the picture puzzle books and love giving them for gifts. There is not an age group, gender, or personality type that has not enjoyed them. Great for traveling, waiting rooms, or coffee table. I bought the whole series for my friends 5th grade class room; she "lets the kids play with them as rewards". The kids beg to play! You or the intended receiver of gift will not be disappointed. 100% guarantee A+++++



4. "Life: The Amazing Picture Puzzle" contains 90 challenging puzzles. Most of the puzzles are ones where you are given two photographs of the same thing and have to spot the differences between the two pictures. Scattered throughout the book are "cut-up puzzles" in which the editors have cut a photo into 4, 6, 12, or 16 pieces, rearranged them, and you have to figure out the correct order of the pieces to reassemble the photo. There are several different levels of puzzles including Novice, Master, Expert, and Genius as well as a section featuring photos of animals and a section with classic photos from Life Magazine. At the very end of the book is a Guinness World record photo featuring 80 changes.
   
   "Life: The Amazing Picture Puzzle" is Life's fourth picture puzzle book and is even more challenging than the first three. The book starts off slowly to give newcomers a chance to get used to the puzzles with the first puzzle having eight easy changes and becomes increasingly difficult as the book progresses. The changes in the photos range from the very obvious (and usually humorous) to very difficult to find. Many of the puzzles will have at least one change in color. Each section starts with a puzzle with a few changes and by the end of the section the puzzles all have several changes. Next to each puzzle there is a column where you can mark each change as you find it. For the most part, the editors do a good job of putting the puzzles in the appropriate section. The cut-up puzzles are my least favorite since I find them almost impossible to do without cutting up the book, which I don't want to do since I may want to reuse the book one day. While the last puzzle with 80 changes is pretty easy, it's very hard to keep track of the changes you find, even with the checklist. Finally, don't forget to check the answer section, even if you find all the changes, as the comments about each change are very funny.
   
   "Life: The Amazing Picture Puzzle" provides hours of challenging fun.

5 comments about Beginning C ++ Through Game Programming, Second Edition.

1. This book is an amazing book if you take it for what it is. It teaches the basics of C++ programming. The games you make in this book are fun and used as instructional tools, they aren't meant for you to go off and start making WoW 2. It's a great book if you want to learn the basics of C++ but in a more entertaining method than in a standard C++ book.



2. First of all you have to keep in mind that the purpose of this book is not to teach game programming, but C++ programming. With that in mind, don't expect to learn graphics, AI or anything like that (except for some extremelly basic concepts).
   
   However, in teaching C++ it succeeds. But it doesn't go much deep into anything and it is somewhat disjointed. If you can't be motivated by anything but game programming and can't stand to learn any other way, then pick this book - if you really want to learn pick another and this book to give you some (very basic) basics on game programming.



3. Seriously this book is the best I have read yet when I first started it I was a newbie programmer but the way micheal dawson explains the c++ fundamentals keeps things fun and exciting this is one of the only c++ books you can find that isnt dry or boring think of it like being in a game industry school he has you apply your new skills in projects by the end of the project you learn what you need to learn and quick you wont want to miss this book I guarantee it!



4. This book was nothing more than another poor purchase decision on my behalf. Written towards the audiance of those who ought not be reading it in the first place this book takes on an annoying simplistic tone. Reading it is like sitting through the basic trig review before taking multi var calculus, the most complex example is a cheap command line version of blackjack.
   
   If you have any computer knowledge at all and you purchase this book I can guarantee you that it will be one of the ones that just sit on the shelf and make you look smart, never to be opened.



5. (In reference to 1st Edition) As my title suggests this book is a pretty good introduction to C++ using basic games as the subject of the examples and exercises. Its main focus is on teaching the fundamental aspects of C++ for beginners and how to use the Standard Template Library (STL). Creating games is not really the focus as much as the the chosen subject of the examples and lessons. That said, what this book does, and does fairly well in my experience, is give a good overview and introduction to C++ and how it can be used to create the basic flow structure of a game program. Console text output is the focus, not windows programming. Those with more programming experience and looking for material on 2D or 3D graphics, or event scripting and control using C++, would be better served by another text as it does not address these subjects at all.
   
   I have used this book successfully to help teach teens fundamental C++ and the basics of game programming (within the limits described). It is an easy step from here to go to basic text adventures and RPGs, and a then onto adding graphics, etc. as a more advanced topic (using other texts). This is really a natural progression for someone who wants to learn programming and games, but perhaps not for someone who wants to design games from an art or interaction perspective. More advanced topics such as AI, graphics, and scripting can really only be learned after one understands basic programming (in C++ or another language) and the basic of how game programs are structured.
   
   I have found many students do not necessarily understand what it means to "program games" or how programming relates to game design and implementation. Beginning C++ Game Programming is a good text but if you are already a programmer and/or not interested in the basic code structure of games then perhaps you should find another book.
   
   Bottom Line: Good choice for a real beginner, who is really interested in learning programming because of games, but not a good choice if you are an experienced programmer or want to make your own 2D or 3D video game "right now".

5 comments about Grand Theft Childhood: The Surprising Truth About Violent Video Games and What Parents Can Do.

1. As a video game violence researcher myself, I have grown accostomed to considerable hysteria surrounding video games (as I write this GTA IV is about to come out, to much fanfare). Unfortunately, much of the hysteria and bad information comes from psychology as a discipline where poor research methods have been "given a pass" in support of outdated dogma and social engineering. Thus it is refreshing to see a book such as Grand Theft Childhood, which deftly cuts through the politics and dogma, discusses the research in a way parents can understand, and offers concrete directions for the future.
   
   Drs. Kutner and Olson do an excellent job of discussing the history of moral panics which consistently surround new media and how the recent controversy over video games fits into this historical context. Each new media, from novels, to movies, to comic books, to television, to jazz, rock and roll and rap, to Dungeons and Dragons and Harry Potter faces public hysteria, usually from "elders" unfamiliar with the new media. We look back on these past panics as just that...panics...yet somehow we never seem to learn the lesson. None of these media forms touched off a wave of violence...nor has video games. Violent crimes in the US, including among youth, have dropped to 1960s levels, even as violent video games become overwhelmingly popular. Are we worried about nothing?
   
   Drs. Kutner and Olson do an excellent job discussing the research, pointing out the significant methodological flaws, related to poor definitions of "aggression" and "violence", to the use of invalid measures of aggression, to some scholars who "cherry pick" data to support their views. This section of the book is a must-read for anyone who hears "a study found that video games cause aggression" and actually think the study had anything to do with hitting, kicking, violentce, etc. Most don't.
   
   The authors present their own research, funded through the DOJ, and largely correlational in nature. It's a nice although (as the authors admit themselves) imperfect study (I would have liked to see more measurement of family environment...in my own work controlling family violence typically negates any relationship between violent games and violent outcomes). Yet they find a complex relationship between game playing (they focus on M-rated games) and both positive and negative outcomes. Bottom line seems to be that most kids who play even M-rated games come out perfectly fine and may even see considerable benefits, whereas some kids who already have problems with violence may be best kept away from M-rated games. Their results generally question the conclusion that violent video games are setting off a wave of serious youth violence. Some kids even report using games to relax and vent aggression. This finding is likely to be controversial. Probably anti-game advocates will counter that kids don't necessarily have insight...yet as this argument is based on findings using invalid aggression measures it's simply hard to know whose right...the kids talking about themselves...or anti-game researchers who persist in using invalid measures of aggression.
   
   The book is very pleasant to read and very informative. It's also very balanced, neither taking the side of the video game industry (which is itself at fault for some of the hysteria), nor indulging in anti-game hysterics. In short this is probably the most intelligent and most balanced book I've seen written on violent video games to date and I give it my highest recommendation.
   
   Christopher J. Ferguson, Ph.D.
   Texas A&M International University



2. This book does a great disservice to families and anyone trying to make sense of the effects of violent video games. Having conducted a survey and focus groups, asking kids what they think of the effects of violent video games on themselves, the authors dismiss a wealth of scientifically valid, peer-reviewed journal articles that have shown that violent video games contribute to users' becoming more hostile, more aggressive, and, yes, at times, more violent. The argument that there's hardly any research on violent video games is false, as is the suggestion that the research is inconclusive. The book smells a lot like Jonathan Freedman's book on media violence. Freedman, a psychologist who never conducted his own research on media violence, wrote a book in which he systematically tore apart every study that had been conducted to date, without regard to the validity of the studies. Freedman gratefully acknowledged funding from the Motion Picture Association of America for his book. It's hard to figure out why someone like Kutner, who has apparently dedicated his career to helping families, would confuse his audience by throwing out valid findings, and calling the research "irrelevant" and "muddleheaded." He is simply wrong.



3. Drs. Olsen and Kutner tackle a controversial subject in a clear and thoughtful manner. In Grand Theft Childhood, they demystify the academic research that serves as the foundation for their book, making it readily accessible to parents who want -- and need -- the information. They do so while shattering myths about video game effects and providing thoughtful advice for concerned parents.
   
   Academic research and its requisite statistics can appear daunting, but Olsen and Kutner guide the uninitiated through this maze. Chapter 3, "Science, Nonsense and Common Sense" could serve as a primer for an introductory research methods course (I may use it myself!).
   
   If you're expecting a clear-cut condemnation of video games, you won't find it here. Nor will you find an unfettered endorsement. (So it's likely that neither critics nor supporters will be satisfied with this book.) What you will find: interesting and easily readable background information, some surprises, acknowledgment of the difficulties in drawing any blanket conclusions -- and of the remaining knowledge gaps, and well-reasoned suggestions for what to worry about (and what not to).
   
   As a media researcher and parent of a teen-aged gamer, I heartily recommend this book.



4. Would you too like to turn some heads and sell a lot of books in the process? Well then, all you have to do is write about something that everyone knows but make the opposite conclusions so your book can serve as a force against those who have protested ill effects. There are millions of teens are happy to see a book like this published and thousands employed in the gaming industry who, you can bet will flood the market with this book, hoping to set parents at ease regarding the damaging effects of video games.
   
   No, video games don't led to increased incidence of social dysfunction, violent behavior, and hinder normal childhood development. Just like having firearms in the home don't lead to increased homicides, both accidental and intentional. In fact, it's a great thing to play video games because it increases hand-eye coordination! Sorry, but hand-eye coordination is no longer a skill needed in America since all the factories are in Asia.
   
   Kids don't just play video games for 10 minutes a day. They play them for hours, often leading to sleep deprivation and other forms of physiological neglect. Combined with other forms of docile activity such as Internet chatting, texting, and other crap that consumes children today, we are seeing the most obese teens in the history of earth. In fact, due to childhood and teenage obesity trends, this young generation currently risks a lower life span than its parents - the first time this has happened in the modern era. Wake Up People!
   
   Playing video games is a form of mental programming and even behavioral conditioning. This is a fact. I would like to know how much money these bozos have received from the gaming industry (including Microsoft, Sony, software companies etc.) to conduct research. The irresponsible and blatant wrong assertions in this book should serve as sufficient cause to strip these clowns of their licenses.
   
   The authors confirm what most people with common sense already know - psychologists are morons who are so unintelligent that the had to learn about human behavior from books written by people who have had little interaction with society, rather than learn it through life experiences as a perceptive intellect - the best way to learn about human behavior.



5. I work in video games. There are a lot of books that purport to address the issue of whether violent video games are harmful, benign, neither, or all of the above. Grand Theft Childhood actually delivers. It contains summaries of research conducted by the authors as well as (very often) the data they compiled so you can satisfy yourself. Their positions are nuanced and a bit surprising - although they note that kids are able to distinguish between violent games and real life and that they're not induced to be violent because of them, they also note that the amount of cursing in violent games often makes kids uncomfortable because they know those are "bad words".
   
   If you're interested in the space, this is an interesting read. If you work in the space, you should own this book.

5 comments about Complete Scoundrel: A Player's Guide to Trickery and Ingenuity (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying).

1. I really found this book helpful, as the skill tricks can be used for different classes and I tend to play a more tactical based character anyway. I've had an enjoyable time experimenting with many classes using the recommendations from this book and the luck feats are rather entertaining at times.



2. I was very excited about pre-ordering this book, as it sounded like just the thing for giving sneaky, underhanded spells/feats to sneaky, underhanded characters.
   
   However, being a scoundrel has nothing to do with being sneaky or underhanded. Or clever. Or...well, anything at all. EVERYONE's a scoundrel, as illustrated by the book's "What is a scoundrel?" section. Darth Vader and Mario (yes, that Mario) are cited as examples.
   
   This book is full of very similar feats (more often than not, they're just "Choose to re-roll" affairs).
   
   I would not recommend it.



3. This book is pretty good. It is unreasonable to expect that every person is going to use every bit of this book. No one has that much time, or that many characters. Unless of course your characters are suicidal and you roll up a new one every session. To me, if you can pick up a supplement book, pluck out a few classes, feats, and some other good information out of it, chances are its a good buy. Especially considering you can bring that to your gaming group and someone else there might like something that you didn't have a use for. The prestige classes are pretty interesting in terms of class abilities, but I wasn't crazy about them. The enrichment material at the front of the book is excellent though, just like the stuff in PHB2. Solid gold for helping you role-play or just concept a character. The feats and skill tricks presented in this book are also good. In my current campaign I play a Scout (from Complete Adventurer) and I like the character a lot. The problem was, I wasn't getting the full statistical output that my character's personality supports. With the feats in this book, I was able to customize my character by multiclassing in some things without losing some of the Scout class ability progression, which let me make the character into who I felt he should be. The book also has many other feats that make it a lot more appealing to multiclass with levels in a Scoundrel-type class. The skill tricks also add a lot of flavor to your character as well as giving them some cool abilities like some feats give, but with the limitation that they can be used once per day. The book isn't all for the Rogue type, though. It has a fair amount of prestige classes and feats and skill tricks for various casters. To name a few, this book contains the Grey Guard prestige class, sort of like a Paladin with less remorse and more freedom of action. It also has a skill trick that lets anyone with 5 ranks in the Heal skill heal some damage when they stabilize. All in all, I won't use everything in this book, but I will use a good amount of it and it is likely that some of my other players will, too.



4. I have every "Complete" except CChampion. This is one of the best ones there is...great buy! If you liked C. Adventurer you will like this too. The skill tricks introduce a great new option to the game (spend skill points to get mini-feats).
   
   There is even enough stuff for spellcasters in here for it to be worth the money. If you like playing anything remotely scoundrelish (no matter what class), you will benefit from this book.



5. Really well done.This product gives the players interested in playing rogues some great options and extra uses for skills for all classes.New prestige classes and core classes,spells,and items.

3 comments about Mensa Exercise Your Mind Math & Logic Puzzles (Mensa).

1. This book is a workout for the mind. It covers many logic puzzle types, and by the time you're done with a set, you feel like you've mastered a new skill. I wish they'd put one of these out every year!



2. This puzzle book, like the blue Mensa Challenge Your Mind Math & Logic Puzzles, is a FANTASTIC collection of puzzles! You don't need any prior knowledge or skills to succeed with this collection, just brain power and a pencil. They are challenging and lots of fun! There is a wide variety of puzzles in this book - some of the same type as the ones found in the blue book, some new and different ones. These are not your standard logic puzzles; there are no words involved other than the instructions. I REALLY wish Tuller and Rios would come out with a 3rd edition of these!



3. Excellent book covering wide range of puzzles.
   
   It's much like the blue book (Mensa Challenge Your Brain Math & Logic Puzzles) - same authors, format, number of pages, etc. Only the puzzles are different :)
   
   So, you get around 75 pages of mostly well-known puzzles and 20 pages of answers.
   There are typically between 8 and 20 puzzles of each type, although there are some extremes such as End View (30 puzzles) and Kakuro (only 6).
   
   The puzzle types are:
   
   - Alternate corners
   - Battleships (classic, lighthouses variant, minesweeper variant)
   - Black and White
   - Cross Sums (Kakuro)
   - Dominoes (Domino Hunt)
   - End View (ABCD)
   - Fences (Slitherlink)
   - Half-Dominoes
   - Hex Loops
   - Lighthouses
   - Minesweeper
   - Number Place
   - Rain Clouds
   - Skyscrapers
   - Snaky Tiles
   - Spokes
   - Square Numbers
   - Square Routes
   - Tents
   - Worms

5 comments about Weighing the Odds in Sports Betting.

1. Can a book be too good? First, you must decide what is meant by "good" . . . Deep insight to some, is inscrutable for others. I've run a major sports betting website for many years, and what is undebatable is that the average fan is looking for guidelines, rather than a complicated forumla. But if you are looking to dig deeper, this book offers valuable insight.



2. This book is easily worth the 14 dollar investment. I gave this book 4 stars as I was primarily looking for handicapping ideas or methods whereas the book excels in providing "betting" advice which he has learned through the use of his extensive databases.
   
   The book is essential reading if one is new to sports gambling and has not read Stanford Wong's "Sharp Sports Betting". It is especially nice that King Yao provides the reader with information such as fair betting lines for firts half (4.5 innings) baseball lines, as well as fair first half NFL lines corresponding to a full game line.
   
   Overall, very good book and easily worth the money



3. I agree as many of the other reviews before. That's it's a good book for beginners in sports betting. The math is quite simple to understand. If you never done sports betting and want to learn more about how to calculate EV and to understand how sports betting is working, this is the book for you.



4. Really did enjoy this book and will refer to it again and again to re-inforce some of the material in here. Very sound advice and the content is easily grasped. My only criticism (and it's a minor issue) is that some of the topics aren't covered in deep enough detail (IMO) i.e. Some of the topics are written in 2-3 paragraphs when I felt they needed a little more in depth coverage on them.
   
   That aside, it's a good read and useful resource in a genre where quality is hard to come by.



5. The book gives the basics, but some are questionable. The author needs to move into the 21st century and realise that Vegas is a shadow and online books are the way to go. How many readers will interested in hearing about the heat in Nevada? He needed to tackle this from an online perspective, as this is how most people bet.
   
   There is no talk of College football or hoops, nor is the NBA regular season mentioned
   
   Also, the author does not understand efficient markets and fails to realise that the more a market is efficient, the harder it is to beat