5 comments about Einstein in My Garden: Photos and Reflections on Bugs (Nutshell Handbook).

1. I bought this book a few years ago, and I think I have finally given up getting anything of use out of it. It has been with me through my entire Python learning experience, so you might think there would be a point at which I would have found it useful, even if that may not presently be the case. Unfortunately, I can say that this is easily the least useful Python book I own. In fact, out of the 6 or so Python books I own, it is the only one I wouldn't miss a bit.
   
   It's just that it never seems to have anything even close to relevant for me, when I'm working on something. I can remember several times where I thought to myself, "What's a good way to solve this problem in Python?", or, "Where can I get some background on why Python does things this way?". Invariably I have either found the answer in one of my other Python books, or on the web. It's not that I haven't tried to like the book, in fact each time a problem comes up, I think "well ok if the book can shed some light on this for me, I'll consider it a value", and yet after 3 years... nothing.
   
   Anyway, I don't want to be all negativity, so to anybody reading this, here are the other Python books I have gotten more value out of:
   
   The Quick Python Book by Harms/McDonald (Old, and yet, still really valuable beginning book)
   Python Essential Reference by Beazley (A great reference book)
   Python Cookbook by Martelli et al (what Programming Python seems like it wants to be, but in half the size and twice the value)
   Python Standard Library (I don't use this much, but it still has some value)
   Python in a Nutshell (I think that's the name, it's at work right now. Another decent reference)
   
   Finally, it pretty much goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway. This is just my experience. I am sure this book has been right on the money for other readers, and that's great, but for me, I think I may be donating this behemoth to my local library soon.



2. One thing I really wish O'Reilly would have made clear on the cover is the version of Python which was current at the time of publication. In this case, it's 2.4, so if you're looking for information on things like function decorators or the new generator abilities that 2.5 brought along, you're going to be as disappointed as I was.
   
   Aside from the fact that some of the information is dated, it's still a good overview of practical solutions to realistic problems which can be solved in the language. It does tend to spend way too much time developing TkInter GUIs (which I do not personally care about one bit) and overusing the usual array of extremely unfunny Monty Python references (which I personally stopped caring about around 1984). If you cut out both of these things the book would probably require about half as much paper per copy, and it'd be a good deal more digestible to boot. There's also lots of Windows-specific silliness and the author continues to operate under the assumption that OS X does not exist (every mention of the Mac platform refers to information that hasn't been accurate for nearly 10 years at this point).



3. This is not a terrible book, but I don't know what it's good for. The code examples are too long. This reminds me of the old programming tomes from the days before CD-ROMs and the Internet, where all details had to be shown in print. There is just too much code. If you find a chapter that matches exactly what you are trying to accomplish, then maybe this book is good for you. It is vastly improved in readability over the first edition, but The Python Cookbook is a much smarter purchase (even though part of that is available online).
   
   If you are just trying to learn Python, then Lutz's other book, Learning Python, is an excellent choice.



4. Whenever I try to look something up about Python with this book, I end up using Google. this book is *horrible*. Lutz must be the ultimate geek nerd.
   Instead of things in the table of contents like "strings", "regular expressions", "maps" - you have "Here's Looking at You, Kid!" or "Roses are red, violets are blue". Does this guy put flowers in his hair and dance barefoot in a park?
   Instead of short examples, he starts writing a program; you have to study it and keep reading in order to keep up. A total disrespect for one's time.
   The topics he presents are obscure, unnecessary, or have no consistent audience: What's OOP?; moving stacks to C modules; and endless discussion about GUIs.
   This book has 1 readeeming quality: FIREWOOD.



5. Very big, not always very useful. I find in this book a brevity of many things that deserve more space and too much space allocated to many things. The book has an intro section on Stepping up to OOP; looks promising but then immediately leads you down the track of adding persistence and on to using OOP for GUIs. To me, this is not a well thought out approach. Think the reader would have been better served with an overview of OOP in use in Python, expanding the concept generically to OOP and then referring to some specialized instance of where OOP either comes in real handy or is a must. Part III GUI Programming is pretty much a mess. Granted I think it is a good idea to have a basic idea of Tkinter - but there is more out there that I would rather read about. I also think a book of this size should have some inclusion of Agile Development concepts, a section on Refactoring, etc. With all the subjects, just about any framework or methodology would be a prudent interlude to help congeal the sprawl of information. I am also a little biased toward scientific programming, but think many readers would appreciate an intro to numpy, pytables, or at least a simple primer on array manipulation and how it can extend the basic functionality of python and take it to a new level. I find, more often than not, that I have reached for this book and then gone back to something that is supposedly marketed as "more basic" like Learning Python or the Python Cookbook and get more what I am looking for there. Come on, something like XML processing deserves more than 3 pages of reference and if you are decked out at over 1500 pages it just seems like the book's priorities are amiss.

5 comments about Star Ocean: The Second Story -- Prima's Official Strategy Guide.

1. I had no idea how big this game was until I got this book. This is a very good guide, easy to understand and follow. Colorful maps and detailed item location. My only problem with this is in a few part (typically the ruins) the maps were a tiny bit hard to follow. A+++



2. I used to own the game and this guide. You'll have to severely nit-pick this guide to find anything missing/incorrect. The only mistake I found was that a sword that Claude can make was omitted. I'll let you try and see if you can find out which one. You'll find better swords though, so don't worry about it. Completionists will still get it easy enough.

   With all the things you can do in Star Ocean 2, I thought this guide would be full of holes. It wasn't. Prima did a job on this guide that far surpasses any work they have done before and since this game's release. I doubt that they or their competitors will ever surpass this kind of thurough research and quality.




3. Prima unleashed probably one of the most voyeristic walkthroughs out there. Very little is held back, letting you in on almost every item, Public Action, town, major secret, boss stat, relationship factor and the most imporant one: how to pickpocket.

   Okay, I'm joking on that last one, but to be honest, this is one of the best ones I've seen despite a few not-so-obvious spelling errors and a few (minor) mistaken facts. But other than that it is jam-packed and a worthy addition to your gaming needs. Too bad that the quality is only hindered by the flimsy material they used to make it, which really holds it back from a perfect score.

   Prima, this is how every guide of yours should be.




4. The prima strategy guide is a must have for anyone who wants to pursue different endings for Star Ocean: The Second Story. I highly recommand for video gamers to play and beat the game first before they buy a strategy guide.



5. This is, by far, the best guide you can have while playing Star Ocean. This guide is full of great tips and information that will help with every aspect of the game. There are detailed information on all the characters, monsters, weapons, Private Actions and much more.
   
   If you're like me and don't like to go online looking for some help and want something that you can thumb through, this is the guide to get.

5 comments about Monte Cook Presents Iron Heroes (Iron Heroes d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying.

1. most of my d & d games are very little magic and i hate the go to that magic wal-mart games were you go to buy this and that, always trying to make your character better. this system does away with that. your character is the great fighter not you have great magic items that make your character a great fighter. a must have for anyone that is tired of the magic wal-mart magic shopping lists.



2. I thoroughly enjoyed this rule book. As several other reviewers have stated, I too am tired of the prestige classing, superpowering, magic hogging heroes that D&D now turns out with 3rd edition. Very few campaigns survive for long in the current world order unless you supply the characters with loads of magic and money, and let them destroy all opponents that they encounter. Gone are the days when you had a beefy fighter with a masterwork weapon, and good armor. Now, a beefy fighter has to have magical armor and a +5 vorpal sword in order to feel successful.
   Mike Mearls and Monty Cook change all of that. Their mechanics and saavy rulesets for characters enable characters to get by on skills and standard weaponry. Magic becomes "magical" again, and wins back all the mystery it loses in the D&D world, where everyone has a +5 Vorpal Sword and a Dragon for a familiar. Even if you do not adopt it wholesale, there are enough nuggets herein to enhance the 3rd edition rules, to bring the magic back to the game.
   Bravo Messrs Cook and Mearls!



3. While this is biulled as a DND products, its really an advancement of the rules. The main differences are thatwhereas DND is all about you +5 Vorlam singing celestial greatbastardsword of carrot slicing, and every mage exists to cast greater delayed machinegun thermonuclear lightingball of earthquake creation, and the really balanced greater diety prestige class, this is more about the skills you have as a character. Magic has a serious risk of backfiring and is generally less powerful, but needs more creativity to use and is generally more satisfying. Combat has been streamlined, and the feats system has been reworked. You can take a feat multiple times for greater effects, and every class has different core abilities you can spend "tokens" on to power, and you build up dokens in various ways. There are more classes and they can be customised a great deal.
   
   The book itself is well laid out with a useful index and some good quality black and white artwork. If you are looking for a good alternitive to the mayhem of general dnd, this is well worth a look.



4. It could be reasoned that this review is an exercise in futility as 4.0 is right around the corner. In the face of this fact, I would propose to offer an abridged assessment of Monte Cook Presents: Iron Heroes by Mike Mearls.
   
   As a finished product, the book was bound well and shares the size of other 3.5 Dungeons and Dragons core books. This book rings in at 254 pages, none of which are repetitive. The book features a gun-metal blue/grey cover, and although Black and White on the inside, the art work is well done and the font type is attractive as well.
   
   The idea of the game is simple; it's about your character, not the gear he/she carries. All the bonuses and power advancements that are figured into a character's power level in standard 3.5 D&D is factored into the heroes' abilities during level progression in Iron Heroes. The game features new mechanics that provide your character new options in combat in the form of tokens, stunts and challenges.
   
   My favorite fantasy game, in both mechanics and style is a game once published by Avalon Hill called Powers & Perils (all fantasy games featured matched leading consonants and an ampersand). It's not too far of a stretch to say that if P&P were translated into a d20 game, it would very closely match Iron Heroes. In that regard, I found the game very refreshing.
   
   Unfortunately, it feels as if magic were an afterthought in this game. Clearly magic is still an integral part of the game, but it felt as if it were relegated to the "evil sorcerer" where he/she would use the regular 3.5 magic system. PCs, on the other hand, have the Arcanist class, that pales in comparison. The real sad part of the magic system is that the developer came so close to a stroke of brilliance with building what could have been the best magic system (an open-ended magic system would have worked best - one without boundary and definition), but fell far short of the finish line.
   
   If we were to assume that 4.0 were NOT to be released, there are many great reasons to play this system, magic system problems notwithstanding. In the end (both literally and figuratively), the deal-breaker for Iron Heroes is taken from statement directly from the book: "Battles in Iron Heroes tend to last longer than in other games,..." That's not exactly what I wanted to hear. With all the options that make for a better game in Iron Heroes, they introduce fights that are wrought with tedious die rolling and options that convolute fast-paced gameplay. All the reasons that D&D (allegedly) decided to start development to bring 4.0 to the market.
   
   As a side note, I believe that this game (which in some cases I believe inspired portions of 4.0) is worthy of a 4.0 rendition. I'd buy it.



5. This book has tons of new options for any one wanting to give a new flavor to their d20 game. Magic is rare but you wont be short on options with all the new game features.
   
   The only down side is it has only a few color pictures.

1 comments about Classic Battletech: Historical Brush Wars (FPR35105) (Classic Battletech).

1. One of the best Battletech products I've had the pleasure of owning. It helps fill in the gpas from the missing years between the 4th Succession War and the Clan Invasion. I particularly appreciate the section on the Ronin Wars. It was written in a refreshingly creative manner while still presenting useful information that I can use for a campaign I've wanted to do properly even since the 20 Year Update was released.

3 comments about Rifts Conversion Book 1.

1. Dozens of monsters, racial characters, and NPC's for your campaign. Small and Large powerhouses of every shape and size. It gives you alot of decisions when creating your campaign and adds an element of unexpectedness when something suddenly pops up. Provides lots of tables for random percentage role from robot hit tables to energy rifle and pistol availability on the Black Market. Also provides conversions for every major Palladium book on the market!!



2. This book is aboslutely essential to running a successful Rifts campaign. Don't let the title throw you off. Only a few chapters of the book (less than half of the overall book) actually cover conversion rules from other Palladium systems. The rest of the book is a virtual bestiary, a Monsters Manual for Rifts! The book has a huge assortment of creatures for a GM to use against his players, and the monsters vary wildly in power, from ones perfect as first-level adversaries, to adult horned dragons! Stats are included for all of them, of course. The only reason I give this book a nine instead of a ten is because it failed to provide conversion rules from any other non-Palladium RPG. But overall, I found the book extremely valuable.



3. Now in a newly revised and expanded edition, Rifts Conversion: Book One by Kevin Siembieda is a straightforward player manual for blending source materials for role-playing games based upon the Palladium Fantasy multiverse, and which includes the rules for combining aspects of game universes such as Heroes Unlimited, Ninjas & Superspies, as well as over 100 monsters, stats for over 40 optional player races from giants to wolfen, and much, much more. Rifts Conversion: Book One is an excellent and highly recommended resource for combining role-gaming campaigns and play styles under a seamless and balanced set of rules.

No comments about Pathfinder #11 Curse Of The Crimson Throne: Skeletons Of Scarwall (Pathfinder; Adventure Path).

5 comments about Myst: The Book of D'Ni.

1. I read this book at a very young age, probably around eleven or twelve, and it has stuck with me ever since. I've probably read it about twice. The hardcover edition is amazing, with fully designed pages and everything, it really helps the enviroment of MYST sink in. Summaries of what happens in this books are in other reviews, so I wont bother with that here.

   Out of all the other MYST books, I always thought that this one was a best one... But it is unlike the other two in subject matter and basic concepts. At it's heart is a "what price will you pay for perfection? and would you throw it away if you had to?" sort of story that might be a little heavy handed... But if you enjoy the videogames a lot (and this was before Riven) then you'll love this one. Locations and things described in this book have stuck with me for the last six years.




2. Though I enjoyed reading, Myst: The Book of D'Ni, there are a number of problems with the story. The book itself is rather pretty physically, with gray parchment-like paper and embossed cover. It is well written in the general sense of being easy to read, having good dialogue, and a smooth flow throughout. The main problem with the book is that not much happens in the first two-thirds of it. Not until then does the primary crisis of the book appear. Prior to this there are a few minor challenges and even the death of a colleague. But the death is treated rather cursorily and the poor person makes his exit from the story without much memory of him afterward. When the crisis does come it isn't all that unique and Atrus, the main character, never seems to be in serious peril through most of it. The one or two points at which he, and his party, seem in danger of their lives the authors let them off the hook rather too easily. Those might not seem criticisms at all to some. David Gerrold's advice to writers in, Worlds of Wonder, is appropriate here: "[challenges/crises] require that the person at the core of the story grow teeth big enough to chew [them]." That is also how the reader grows. Atrus never really seems to have problems big enough to be interesting, or worthy of stretching his abilities to the utmost, until the end of the story. Even then the situation never really feels out-of-control - partly due to the fact that the crisis is somewhat of an overused device with the rather predictable "surprise" setbacks. I don't mean to be too harsh. The characters are likeable, and sometimes memorable. If you are interested in light reading, I could easily recommend this book.



3. Not usually a fan of video games, I was at first reluctant to read this book. However, I'm glad I did. It is a beautiful story, involving moving themes and wonderful insites into civil rights issues. Both well written and well paced, the book ranks as one of the best I've ever read, along with Tehanu (Ursula LeGuin) and The Time Traveller's Wife (Audrey Niffenger). It shows a stroke of brilliance not demonstrated in either of the other two books before it, so if you could not stomache the second (as I couldn't), still read this one.



4. Before I got down to reading this book not too long ago, it had been just sitting in my bookshelf. I've owned all three Myst novels for however long they've been out and while I read the other two years ago, I never touched this one. I think the description on the back cover threw me off. Maybe it just didn't sound interesting to me. I don't know. What I do know is that I really shouldn't have passed it off all this time because as I discovered when I finally did read it, there was an adventure lying in wait that I had been missing out on the whole time.
   
   Yes, I guess you could say the plot starts off slow (or is non-existent in the beginning). The same could be said in The Book of Ti'ana (my personal favorite of the three). But quite honestly, I never felt it. I have a great love for everything Myst, and so from the first page, I was in it for the duration, regardless of how dull it was. It really does get good, though. They return to D'ni and begin exploring the Ages within recovered books. This in itself is quite the adventure, since the possibilities are endless. And then, once they discover Terahnee.... well, let me just say it only gets better from there.
   
   This novel is an adventure, and I'd highly encourage anyone interested in reading this book to do so.



5. With the title "The Book of D'ni" and the last book, "The Book of Ti'ana", I half expected them to go even further back in D'ni's history. Maybe a story about the inception of D'ni! Which, that would be a great tale in itself. Despite this expectation, and not getting it, this still ended up being, probably, my favorite in the trilogy. "The Book of D'ni" picks up where "The Book of Atrus" leaves off and brings us into a world of struggle, rebuilding, and astonishing beauty.
   
   I will make this an uncommonly brief review because this book just grabbed me at every turn I do not want to give away much of anything. Basically Atrus has learned a great deal more about D'ni and its writings. With some natives from other ages he's seeking to, essentially, rebuild D'ni to its former glory, much like his father Gehn was trying to do, rather unsuccessfully by himself. While they were clearing away debris in one area they uncovered a sealed library that must've been there about as long as D'ni has. He had people look through them to see if any of the Ages seemed stable and decided to go visit one. I'm going to leave it there, the mystery and beauty will give away far too much of the story line.
   
   I think readers will be very pleased with this book because it is everything we love about Myst. It has the beautiful worlds, the mysterious intrigue, everything we could possibly want! At this point I could only hope that this would be a continued novel series, but as I write this in June, 2008, that doesn't seem to be the case. A "Book of Miriam" was supposed to be in the works and we got a taste of a first part in the Limited Edition version of Myst V: The End of Ages. So the series was intended to continue! Unfortunately I recently found that "The Book of Miriam" has been pulled and it will not be released. I can only relay how dismayed I am and I will still hold out hope that someone will pick it up and eventually publish the book. With the success Blizzard's video games have had in the world of novels, why can't Myst, a game about books, maintain a solid foothold for the reading public. These three books are held in very high acclaim by readers and fans, so it only seems prudent to me that one should continue with this amazing storyline. That's my piece, if you're already a Myst fan I do not think this book will disappoint in the least.

5 comments about Clanbook: Toreador (Vampire: The Masquerade).

1. This book provides more than just the flavor and attitudes of what it means to be Toreador but provides substance as well. You will find in here thier history and attidues. Beyond that you will find new merits and flaws, an excellent system for creating and critiquing art, high level disciplines. The sample characters show that there's more to a Toreador than prissy artiste and possuers with thier noses in the air.



2. Wanna see a truly useless vampire ? Wanna see someone so self-loving and blind they won't even notice when you diablerize'em ? Wanna have a good laugh ? Look at a Toreador vampire ! Useless creatures, forever lost in their pride and love for art. I can see a good picture and enjoy it - for a second or two. I won't sit in the Louvre for nights and nights looking at the same painting, eventually either masturbating on it or stealing it (and then do the former). the Marquis, vampire hunter and leech himself



3. This book is a must by for all you Vampire the Masquerade players out there who just enjoy annoying the other players with cruel comments about thier taste in clothing and such!



4. Do you know what it means to be an outstanding artist? Do you REALLY know what Vampire means?Well, take a look at this book and let their passion dance in your mind. Piece of art, I tell you. I love it. GC.



5. Sadly, too many people can't begin to imagine where the power of the Toreador clan comes from. This book is not helpful to those unable to see how this underestimated clan could grow to be one of the most powerful among all of them. Instead, it discusses the art world and invents a way to create art through dice rolls. They even forgot to include Clan Attitudes towards other clans. All in all, a sad attempt to clarify the clan, not helpful to those who already enjoy the Toreador and uninteresting to those not bright enough to appreciate them without aid.

2 comments about Handbook House Davion (Classic Battletech).

1. Very good book, a great history tool for those who are battletech fans and those who are also fans of House Davion.



2. THIS BOOK WAS NOT TO BAD. I WAITED A LONG TIME FOR IT TO COME OUT. I AM STILL WAITING FOR THE OTHER GREAT HOUSES BOOKS.

2 comments about Future Player's Companion: A Sourcebook For d20 Modern.

1. The future is a big and scary place for some of us. For others it a place with no boundraries and as many opportunities to discover new things as there oppurtunities for these discoveries to kill us. Literally hundereds of futuristic novels, short stories, movies, television programs, radio programs and cartoons have been made and dedicated to the future or at least the futuristic. In fact the future is so big no role playing game can ever hope to encompass all of it. All it can do is give us the GMs and Players some tools to forge our own stories in the worlds of tomorrow.
   
   Roleplaying is all about collective story telling. And some of the greatest stories are seen through the lens of science fiction and science fantasy. This book gives you more tools to forge those stories. You need D20 Future to get the most out of this book. Future Tech would be nice but is not required.
   
   Whereas Future was really just a basic overview that was expanded in the subsequent books in varying degrees of detail, most of that was more geared for the GM who runs things behind the scenes than for players who actually play in these universes. Future Companion is geared towards the Player almost exclusively. More ways to get the most out of the mutation rules from the original future, more occupations to give an idea as to what the heck brought the character to beginning of the story and the obligatory gear and classes.
   
   On a personal note, I have been buying D20 Modern books from Game Mechanics since they first put out Modern Players Companion and I have yet to get a bad book from them. Future Players Companion is no different. Many of the people that worked on the Future books help make this as perfect a primer for the game as their first book was. As a player, this book gives me a wealth of options for my character to be the best he or she might be in the collective story. As a Game Master this book is a wealth of information for my own NPCs and to help my players finalize their characters so the whole game runs smoother. It also helps as a spring board of new ideas, especially possibililities I would never have thought of otherwise. If you seriously want to D20 Future, your campaign will be all the poorer for not purchasing this book.



2. I GM a d20 Future game and this book just arrived on my doorstep. I spent about 10 minutes perusing the book and found at least 20 ways to spice up my campaign just from that preliminary browse. And this is supposed to be a player supplement! By no means is this book essential for your campaign, but it will save you the time and effort of making this crap up on your own (e.g., this book is full of new gear, cybernetics, occupations, feats, skill applications, prestige classes, and much, much more).
   
   If you GM a d20 Future campaign or are a player in a d20 Future campaign, I recommend that you purchase this item. You will not be sorry.