5 comments about Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Collector's Edition (Revised): Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides).

1. La guia esta muy bien, todo lo que puedes pedir de una guia de Legend of Zelda la puedes tener, aparte de los mini regalos que vienen en las guia. PERFECTO!! Solo eso :)



2. I would like to review this product, but I can't because I don't own it yet. I ordered it almost 6 months ago from Amazon using super saver shipping. I keep getting delay notifications from Amazon stating: "We're still trying to obtain the following item[s] you ordered". But everytime I've viewed the item on the web page it states: "In Stock. Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.". Maybe if you pay for shipping you'll actually get it.



3. It looks like I will never have to look anything up on the internet for this game. as for everyone complaning there is no index they must not have looked through it good enough. if you check the very last page there is a content page with page numbers for each task, equipment, moves and abilities, characters, enemies, bosses, overworld maps, enviromental effects, weapons,dungeon and the legendary checklist. though even if it did not its nothing to cry about b/c the guides so straight forward that you should not even need any help.sure there is alot of content and going through it all is exausting but its better to be exausted then to be lost and miss something. XD



4. This guide tells you everything you need to know to beat the game and the artwork is beautiful. Best guide for this game available.



5. The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Guide Collector's Edition is a very well written and well made. This guide is very very good.

5 comments about Modern Coin Magic.

1. Although this book is not really "modern" anymore, I found it to be the most comprehensive and helpful book on coin magic that I have ever read. It gives detailed illustrations and step by step instructions (unlike some other books) and is well worth the effort. I definitely reccomend this book as a great buy, especially if you have been looking around on the internet for some coin magic that you can easily learn. There really is no website, but this is a great buy at a great price. Definitely buy this book, whether you are a novice magician or an expereienced one.



2. You find the best magic in books.
   
   To many magicians these days learn from videos and DVD's. While these are useful tools, book are where it is really at. The skill it takes to read a book and put it all together is what makes a magician great.
   
   But you have to find the right books and this is certainly one of them. Every magician worth his salt should have certain books in his library and Bobo's Coin Magic is one of them.
   
   Tim "Santiago" Converse
   Enter a World of Elegant Magic
   Santiago's Magic



3. This review will be simple and to the point. One of the best coin books you can possible find. By reading it, you won't just gain skills with coins. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE. Anyway, great book.



4. This book is great for learning good old fashioned magic. There is a ton of different coin handling techniques. Trick coins will only take you so far, "Modern Coin Magic" will help you to learn the coin skills to amaze your friends and family with any coin. Of course with lots of practice.



5. Modern Coin Magic, or the 'Bobo Book', is one of the CLASSICS of coin manipulation and deserves a prominent place in the library of any magician. Thanks to Dover we can avail of this book more than 5 decades after its first publication.
   
   Commencing with the basics of palming, sleeving, concealment, production, vanishes, etc., this book builds on with quick simple 'tricks' to ever more complex routines - including suggestions on patter & mis-direction. Never before have I seen such clarity of explication & illustration in books devoted to sleight of hand. And there is hardly any sleight of coin manipulation that has not been covered in this book. While one can come up with one's own routines based on a thorough mastery of the 'primitives of the trade', the most famous routines of its day have also been documented to the tiniest relevant detail.
   
   However, be warned that a complete mastery of coin manipulation is 'earned' only after hours & hours & hours of practice. This book is not the place to be looking for trivial 'self working' coin tricks (though they may well be in here).
   
   An excellent companion to this book is Expert Card Technique: Close-Up Table Magic which is to Cards as the Bobo book is to Coins.
   
   Overall a MUST HAVE for any budding/practising magician. Highly Recommended.

5 comments about The Complete Book of Origami: Step-by Step Instructions in Over 1000 Diagrams (Origami).

1. The author of "The Complete Book of Origami" has become notorious for producing some of the most advanced origami models in the literature and this book contains a range of models which cannot be considered anything but difficult. Most of the pieces will not be possible from ordinary paper but will require either foil or very thin bank weight paper to work well. Wet folding would also be suitable for some of the models though the diagrams for the elephant sail into a patch of fog when making its behind!
   
   Be prepared to spend some hours making each piece and you may well find yourself starting over again several times until a series of folding procedures becomes clear.
   
   That said the book contains some excellent models - I have always liked the Cuckoo Clock and the Viking Ship, and can confirm that the action pieces really do work.
   
   The diagrams are hand drawn rather than computerised which may explain the level of verbal instruction; however some of the sets of folds are very complex and the verbal instructions provide that much needed extra to understand what is going on.
   
   This is a book for the seasoned folder and most paper folders who have reached the high intermediate to advanced skill level will enjoy it.



2. I agree with several of the reviewers here. As a "purist" I object to models that don't start with a square, of which there are many here. I am also bothered by measurements that do not arise from the creases themselves (eg "fold into thirds".) Finally, Lang jumps from very easy to very advanced, with virtually nothing in-between (and uses harder folding sequences than neccessary IMO, Montroll achieves similar complexity in his finished models with far less difficulty.)
   If you are willing to look past these objections, the finished models themselves are frequently amazing.



3. this book would fit nicely on a shelf in bill gates mansion. If you're a hardcore nerd and grew up within the 80s and 70s, played with erector sets and studied quantum physics at the age of 2 then you may be able to decode the rocket science behind the drawings and instructions given in this book. nay on the origamay



4. An excellent book for beginners and continuing students of origami. Many color photo step-by-step illustrations of simple and more complicated models. Well worth buying.



5. This book has some of the most original models I've seen among origami books (including a particularly impressive clock). However, many of the instructions are vague or extremely difficult to fold as described. Some of the more advanced models will take lots of experimentation to figure out what the intended fold is.

5 comments about Monster Manual III (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying Supplement).

1. no monsters in there worth buying the book.
   Stick with the first monster manual.



2. This book covers the holes in the Monster Manual. With these two books you are set for a solid D&D game. It is heavy on the Eberron and Forgotten Realms stuff though. If you have a lot of Eberron books you will probably feel a little gypped at the reuse of material.



3. There are many imaginative creatures within the MMIII and I have enjoyed using the new Lizardfolk and Voidminded Creatures. Having more creatures for your adventures is always helpful to keep your players challenged but this book suffers from one major problem. The creatures tend to be under rated and therefore can be extremely deadly if you use the CR ratings in the book to balance your fights. Easily overcomed if you take the time to review the creatures you are using to make sure they fit what you have planned.



4. I found the Monster Manual III to be a useful tool in my D&D book collection. Many new monsters, friend and foe alike, can be found within the 224 pages. However, a great deal of the monsters that grace the material are of the outsider/demon/devil types, or are undead. There are quite a few more creepy crawlers too. Any DM who is tired of the same old encounter will find Monster Manual III to be an enjoyable reference.



5. Wizards is really scraping the barrel with this one. Wizards has obviously run out of ORIGINAL ideas. It's like a bunch of guys got together in a room, smoked allot of pot and just threw together a bunch of chracteristics from other monsters and combined them into one monster. I can't believe people pay for this **it When are people going to THINK for themselves. Wizards does not own D&D. The people who play it do. The game was finished decades ago. Every reiteration is just money for Wizards. Wizards is in it for the PROFIT. If a pile of steaming dog **it on a plate could be sold for profit they would do it. Wake up!

5 comments about Creative Whack Pack.

1. When you're stuck, this helps get you unstuck. The cards force you to change your train of thought - helpful for when you can't seem to think of anything new. I write a lot of press releases on somewhat mundane and repetitive topics, and the whack pack has inspired some new ideas and made the task less tedious.



2. This book comes with poker-like cards to remind you think different all the time. You will find that it is the small book that you will reread again and again! To me, it is just like a tool. Every one should read to break the ordinary thoughts.



3. I have two sets of the Creative Whack Pack. It is a very useful tool in helping to get unstuck when brainstorming for ideas. I used it in a "Creative Decision-Making" class in my MBA studies and it was useful in helping a group of mixed thinkers (creative and very linear thinkers) become unstuck. Our team actually came up with several creative solutions to a couple of problems.
   
   It is also a valuable tool to use on one's own - sometimes it is fun just to pick a card and then use that as a basis for one's thinking for the day. This can be used in conjunction with the Innovators Whack Pack.



4. I got this as a gift at a Christmas party. It is the worst thing in the world. Maybe it is meant for people who can't think for themselves, I don't know. If you actually have a brain and can use it, then you don't need the whack pack.



5. I ordered this hoping it would be good for idea generation. I'm an experienced entrepreneur and hoped it would prompt some helpful exercises. I found it to be 2nd rate in terms of quality of ideas and applicability to business and product innovation. I did find the perfect pack, namely the IDEO Method Cards which give fantastic ideas for product design and customer role playing.
   
   I could be helpful for someone trying to rethink their careers and life, but not a rich source of ideas or well presented.

3 comments about Pokemon Pocket Pokedex Vol.2: Prima Official Game Guide.

1. I'll make this review short and to the point, for those of you who are already familiar with the games and seeking a Pokedex to make your life easier as you play through Pokemon Diamond/Pearl. Here's a rundown of this guide, its qualities, and its shortcomings.
   
   THE GOOD:
   
   -VERY EXTENSIVE IN ITS INFORMATION. This guide doesn't just list and picture the Pokemon, you also get evolution charts, lists of the attack the Pokemon learns, stats, and even the learnable TM/HM moves. Locations of the creatures in Pearl and Diamond are also included.
   
   -DOESN'T JUST COVER THE SINNOH POKEDEX. This guide covers each region's Pokedex and the various Pokemon from each region you'll be able to get your hands on after you beat the Elite Four, both in your own game and that you're able to trade from others. There are detailed entries here for Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh Pokemon alike.
   
   -A LIST OF EVERY ATTACK IN THE GAME AND ITS FUNCTION/TYPE/EFFECT/ETC. This is very handy to have around as you progress through the game and have to make decisions regarding what attacks you choose to keep, and which ones you don't.
   
   -PICTURES FOR ALL REPRESENTED SPECIES. You get art for each Pokemon featured in the guide, as well as an in-game screenshot for both the male and female forms, if applicable.
   
   THE BAD:
   
   -NOT ALL OF THE POKEMON ARE INCLUDED HERE. The title says ALL of the Pokemon are featured here, and that's a lie. The three "event" legendaries of the Pearl/Diamond generation, Shayman, Darkrai, and Arceus, are inexplicably excluded from this guide! I'm appalled that these Pokemon were not included here, especially considering this guide is supposed to cater to the Pearl/Diamond generation.
   
   -NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION ON HOW TO GET NON-NATIVE SPECIES. For the Pokemon that you'll have to import from an older game, the guide gives NO INFORMATION on how to get these in their respective games. Instead, they simply say "import at Pal Park." That's it. No additional information. If you want to learn where to get them in their respective old games, too bad. You're going to have to dig out your old guides.
   
   -NO PICTURES PROVIDED FOR THE SHINY VARIANTS. Not a big deal, but it would have been nice to have pictures of these rarer versions of the creatures provided.
   
   THE VERDICT:
   
   If you're a big-time Pokemon gamer and you want a detailed list of species, this is a handy guide to have, but it's plagued by its shortcomings. If you can find it on sale for a good price, go for it, but don't shell out full retail for it.



2. This book is pretty straightforward. It is a pokedex... It has all the pokemon from the game. THe index in the front is handy. I can't find any fault except the print is microscopic...



3. My son loves it, he can look up all of the pokemon cards he already has

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 Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords (Prima Official Game Guide).

1. This guide was a HUGE help for me while playing the game. It provides a walkthrough with tips on how to defeat tough opponents, a guide to all items, and information on how to gain/lose influence with your party members, and what conversation choices will affect your Force alignment. I found this review to be a great help, although it's definitely not a necessity.



2. great. tells you all the tip and take advantage of all the character.



3. While this strategy guide can come in handy when you can't do the math for the computer puzzles, it fails to give an accurate description of where and what do to and see. The character guides and information is weak and often useless. If you played through the game once, the guide offers no additional use in changing your gameplay.



4. The game guide was in excellent condition, brand new even though it was no longer in print, and the poster was in brand new condition as well. It arrived quickly and the family is now enjoying it!



5. I wanted the one for the PC , but this one would have do just fine. very helpful

1 comments about Basic Roleplaying: The Chaosium d100 system (Basic Roleplaying) (Basic Roleplaying).

1. If you are familiar with BRP you can skip the next four paragraphs as it covers the basic history and basic system description.
   
   The Basic Roleplaying system (BRP) has been around for quite a while (RuneQuest 1978) and is one of the most well known roleplaying systems still in print today. Unlike many RPGs, BRP has stayed true to its core mechanics over the years. Sure each new game that used the system had its tweaks and add-ons but the core percentile system stayed pretty much the same throughout. Several games that were popular during their times have used the BRP system including RuneQuest, Worlds of Wonder Boxed Set(Super World ,Future World & Magic World), ElfQuest , Stormbringer, Ringworld, Hawkmoon and multiple European RPGs. In recent years BRP has been most notable for its use in the Call of Cthulhu 6th edition.
   
   My experience with BRP is almost solely with Call of Cthulhu where most of the subsystems included in this book are not used. That said, from what I've read on BRP it includes nearly all of the optional rules from all of the Chaosium versions of the BRP system.
   
   For those that have not played BRP it is a percentile skilled based system: to succeed at a task you simply roll under your skill percentage. The characters characteristics (STR,CON,SIZ,INT,POW,DEX,APP, and EDU) , somewhat strangely, are not expressed in a percentage but instead are based on a 3d6 roll and give a range of 3-18. These characteristics in turn are converted into their derivative stats: Damage bonus, Hit Points, Major Wounds, Power Points, Experience Bonus, and Move. All challenges that do not fall under a skill or any of the subsystems are resolved with characteristic rolls. A Characteristic roll is done using the appropriate characteristic's value, multiply it by five and the result is the percent chance of success. As normal, you need to roll under to succeed. For example strength of 15 would give you a base chance of 75%. However, some more difficult tasks may only have a multiplier of two or less as determined by the GM.
   
   Basic combat involves three phases: Statements, Actions, and Resolution. In the statement phase players, in order from highest dex to lowest dex, state their intent for the round of combat. Next players carryout the intent that they stated in the statements phase. Possible actions are move, attack, take a non-combat action, disengage, parry, dodge, fight defensively or speak. Once actions are taken then resolution occurs. Combat is pretty simple; roll against your skill with the given weapon if you succeed you may have hit the opponent. Once your attack succeeds the target gets the chance to parry (using his weapons skill) or dodge the attack. If the attack is not parried or dodged then damage equal to the weapon's damage value plus the character's damage bonus is subtracted from the target's HP.
   
   While the core rules of BRP have not changed much over the years, there have been several add-on rules and systems. The subsystems included are: Magic, Super Powers, Mutations, and Psychic Abilities. The Magic system works similar to the skill system, each spell has its own skill and a roll against the spell's skill determines success. The difference between the skill system and magic system is that spells also use Power Points. Spells in the magic system must be memorized. Mutations, mechanically, are just special abilities that a character gains as a result of some sort of exposure or genetic tampering. Some act like skills and some are static abilities. The Psychic Ability system is also skill based; each ability is its own skill. Like the Magic system Psychic Abilities use power points but the Psychic system also pits either your POW or current power points against the target's POW or power points. Sorcery uses spells that work automatically without any skill roll except in cases where the spell allows the target a resistance roll. Also Sorcery gives the character more flexibility by allowing them to change their memorized spells day to day. The Super Powers system works by giving the player many, many choices for powers and then giving them the ability to buy levels in them. So while there are many powers to choose from there are also many levels of each and it provides a lot of variation. Players buy powers using their character point budget (based on the character's highest stat) and also by taking on character failings. Most of the major comic book super powers are represented; some use power points others don't.
   
   The book, in total, offers over 35 different optional rules that the GM can cherry pick to customize the system to their game. Several of the optional rules allow you to change the character creation process which is why I didn't cover that section, there just a ton of options. Other notable options are: Skill category bonuses that give character bonuses for high characteristics, Hit locations, Minis & Maps, Allegiance and personality traits. With so many options most GMs should be able to tailor a version of BRP that would suit their game.
   
   Other nice features are a very helpful GM section, mostly stuff an experienced GM would already know but it would be a good resource for new or inexperienced GMs. The creature section gives GMs a pretty good amount of beasties for all sorts of genres. The setting section gives general advice on applying the BRP system to most genres, however, each genre is only given a short section.
   
   My overall impression of the book is that it brings BRP up to the level of GURPS & Fudge for adaptability and utility. While being generic and adaptable is an asset to this game it brings with it the usual problems like being able to do all genres but may only do one genre very well. I think this version BRP probably would be better for gritty fantasy or horror games or cross-genre mixes including either. The sanity system is great and could be included to make a nice dark fantasy game. Combat seems like it may be slow and a bit cumbersome with all the parrying and dodging going on and armor absorbing damage. However, in settings without armor, the system could be pretty deadly like it is in CoC.
   
   I like the magic subsystem and the way spells are skills and I like the way pretty well every one of the subsystems are scalable. That's the name of the game here; make it what you want it to be. The book is a huge mass of optional crunchy goodness and a DIY GM's toolbox. BRP does not show it's age, it seems as good today as it was when I first played it and that is uncommon for the older RPG systems. If you like to play several genres but want to stick with a single system that can do them all, BRP is a good choice that should suit your needs.

5 comments about Eternal Sonata Official Strategy Guide (Official Strategy Guides (Bradygames)) (Official Strategy Guides (Bradygames)).

1. Eternal Sonata isn't exactly a complex game that requires a strategy guide. There aren't that many secrets and its quite linear. If for reason you do need a guide, though, this is a good one at least.
   
   The guide is pretty thin. It waste no time talking about the battle system and getting you used to it, and it also goes into the characters where it list off all their abilities and when they learn them. It also gives a quick bio for all the non-playable characters. There's a complete list of all the scores and where to find them. It'll also tell you what page to flip to in order to find the score you're looking for.
   
   The walkthrough is another story. It's got some pretty detailed maps and tells you all you need to know while pointing out all the scores as you come across them. They also point out all the items on the map and tell you the stats of each enemy you encounter. Each section begins by also suggesting which characters to take with you and what special moves to put on them. The walkthrough is useful, but the boss strategies are useless. They're not helpful and don't really tell you much of anything. Aside from that it's your basic walkthrough. Nothing really special about it. Helpful and handy.
   
   There's finally all those list and appendices that are in just about every RPG guide. As well as a bestiary, which while good, list the enemies in the order which you encounter them, which can be annoying at times.
   
   It's a great guide overall, it's just hard to shake the simple fact that you won't need it. If you really are stuck then by all means, go with this guide, it'll help. Otherwise, the game is simple enough to conquer without it.



2. Eternal Sonata Official Strategy Guide (Official Strategy Guides (Bradygames)) (Official Strategy Guides (Bradygames)) is a nice player's guide to have for the game if you need it, but can be a bit confusing with the incorporation of the encore information in each section of the walk-through. There are things that are not explained in the guide, too, which can make a few side quests a bit daunting, but overall a nice resource.



3. A guide to follow step by step the game without left without anything and explain the plot of the game, perfect!



4. I was questioning whether to buy this Guidebook after checking out the reviews on Amazon. I almost didn't buy and man would that have been a huge mistake. How people thought this guide wasn't helpful is beyond me. What was so helpful you ask? The maps most importantly (beleive me you would be lost for hours and hours without it), the rare items you need to pick up (as there really isn't any warping device and would physically have to go back), the leveling up guide (so you can see who you want to be level up first and who heals and who they will heal), and of course the achievement guide, etc etc. Definately worth every penny!



5. This Guide offers a pretty extensive coverage of every location of the game and has a nice step-to-step walkthrough alongside with maps to help you find all the items but also get straight to the point if you only need to reach a particular place on your subsequent playthroughs.
   
   The only thing the guide lacks is tips about combat and the combat system in general, while it offers a few useful tips it lacks of some kind of "strategy guide" about how fights should usually be handled and doesn't suggest strategies exept in boss battles.
   The Score pieces are also misprinted, leading to confusion if you decide to check what piece you are supposed to play visually (the first tree pieces are identical, so you have to check the next two to find the one you are looking for and the last two are missing), though their locations are correct.
   
   In substance, it's a nice guide to have with you so you won't miss all the items in the games, and the maps for the bonus dungeon are just priceless, clear and helpful.