No comments about Succubus Shadows (Georgina Kincaid, Book 5).

5 comments about One Foot in the Grave (Night Huntress, Book 2).

1. I didn't think I would enjoy the second installment since she left Bones in the first. This book came out of nowhere and was finished in one day. I couldn't put it down, I think i was smiling the whole time. It was superb, sadly over before I knew it. I'm now working on the third installment of this series. This book was action packed with angry moms, family reunions, blasts from the past, action (flying, fighting, dodging bullets), and unexpected, unrelenting romance! Everything you possibly want in a paranormal suspense romance. Wonderfully written and presented!



2. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat the whole time your reading.



3. One Foot in the Grave brings us Part II of Cat & Bones. It packs a hard punch and leaves you craving more. I LOVELOVED this book. Great read- I would recommend it to ANY paranormal fan. I also absolutely love the covers of every book in this series! This is the second installment of the Night Huntress Series. Now, for the goods:
   
   The flow of this book and its plot is so smooth- the dialogue is witty and made me giggle. Frost packed this baby full of action and yummy love scenes. (Caution: These scenes are HOT! haha) There is one love scene that was very unique and EXTRA spicy- haven't read a love scene quite like this before. Yay for new ideas!! I love Jeaniene Frost.
   
   Something else that struck me as peculiar- Frost began this story FOUR YEARS after the ending to "Halfway to the Grave." That is also pretty unique in itself. I can't decide if I like that we lost 4 years of Cat & Bones being delicious or not. Either way- I love 'fresh' ideas, and I don't read many paranormal romance novels that do this. During this 4 year time lapse, Cat has spent all her time as a federal agent, training her own speciailized team of vampire killers. Is anyone else glad they didn't have to read about Cat training a bunch of men? The guys on Cat's team are great and hilarious- a wonderful addition. I hope they're a big part of the series. Now. Bones. Bones. Bones. I love anything and everything about this gorgeous man. Hopefully Cat persuades me more in the third installment that she is better for Bones than I am ;o)
   
   Now...Training and maintaining a special ops group is not all Cat has done in the past 4 years. She has spent her personal time pining and trying to adjust to a life without Bones. She has failed- she still constantly has him at the back of her mind. Finally, she is trying to conquer her feelings for Bones when she begins dating Noah- a vet. While attending her best friend's quickie wedding, she runs into one of the biggest surprises ever. An unexpected guest. She reunites with her old buddy when things heat up almost immediately. (MMMMmmm...) Not to bring the mood down (hehe), but there are then several sudden attempts on Cat's life at this point... And she is forced to trust her boss, her friends, her crew and even Bones once again. Is trust as easy as it sounds? She seems to think so- However those that surround her don't. During the search for the person (or thing?) that put $$$ on Cat's head, facts begin to pile up about her heritage that she hadn't known. Uh oh.
   
   The only thing that I missed in this book was that Cat seemed more innocent and naive in the first book. But, that just means we have had some awesome character development and Cat is growing up and seeing the world for what it is. I don't think there were quite as many funny one liners in this book, but the book still made me laugh here and there. Like I said about the first in this series- I will never trade this book in for another- it is a keeper on my bookshelf. I can't wait to read more!!



4. She is an amazing writer, she keeps your attention and you can't help yourself from reading for hours.



5. I just have to let you know that if you are faint of heart at a really really hot sex scene...you need to skip Chp 32. The things Bones does with his fangs??? OMG, I think I quit breathing at one point when I was reading this chapter....in fact I'm blushing and a little light headed right now as I'm thinking about it to write this review. The rest of the book is excellent too, I love Cat and Bones....great story....couldn't put it down.

5 comments about Animal Farm and 1984.

1. Re-reading 1984, one can't help but see similarities today. Big Brother is a metaphor for Big Government, and Big Gov't has only one goal, absolute power over the citizenry. It's a scary vision of what happens when the masses relinquish control over their lives for the crumbs of the ruling oligarchy. Orwell was a communist who saw first hand the excesses of Stalin's Russia and the cult of personality which developed around him. His views changed dramatically as he weighed the benefits of capitalism vs communism. Relevant today? You be the judge.



2. I read this book to see how it compares to what is actually going on currently in the US...very scary, but informative. Helps you to understand our current political climate.



3. These titles are classics and speak for themselves and are excellent reads. It's content is as revealing and entertaining as the reader's maturity level. It makes more sense to me now than it did 25 years ago. The real value was that the book's actual quality of binding and dust jacket made the read very comfortable. This is a very nice edition especially getting the two great titles in one cover!



4. There's nothing left to say of these two five-star literary gems. The quality of the book is great and it seems like it will have a long shelf-life (so far, about a year and so far, pristine, like new).
   
   Love Animal Farm, Love^2 1984.



5. I enjoyed this book from cover to cover. The first short story Animal Farm was almost like an introduction to 1984. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in conspiracy or just wants some good entertainment. It was a quick read and it was better and better every chapter!

5 comments about Cat's Cradle: A Novel.

1. I am glad this wasn't the first Vonnegut book I read. Had it been I probably wouldn't be enthusiastic about reading another. Fortunately, my first was Slaughterhouse-Five.
   There are plenty of reviewers here who gave great, detailed synopses of the book, so I will skip that.
   What I found good about the book was it's commentary on religion and, more specifically, the relationship between religion and political power (Papa and Bokononists/Bokonon). I also enjoyed the reactions John had to some of the absurd things people would say, especially on the plane. And the elevator scene was a riot, funny and thought provoking. Vonnegut is a master at providing us with funny and ridiculous characters, and there are some in this book (although not enough to make it a great book, but still enough to make it worth a read).
   But...the book got slow in many places, and after a while it seemed almost like a chore to read. I enjoyed the message, but not the way it was told. If this is your first Vonnegut book please don't use it against him if you find it boring, many of his other books (like Slaughterhouse-Five) are awesome.



2. I ordered this book as a Christmas gift for my sister, she gave me instructions to purchase a "used copy" because a new copy would be a waste. When the book arrived, very quickly by the way, I was pleasantly suprised. The "used" copy that I purchased
   looked like new. My sister scolded me on Christmas morning for purchasing a new copy, only I new that it was used. I definately
   recommend buying books from this seller, the shipping is reasonable and very fast, the books are of better quality than advertised. I'll be back! Thank You!!!



3. Fascinating story that puts forth some very interesting ideas on the purpose of religious belief. Highly Recommended. Quotes from the text: "All of the true things that I am about to tell you are shameless lies." "Anyone who cannot understand how useful a religion based on lies can be will not understand this book either." "Live by the harmless untruths that make you brave and kind and healthy and happy."



4. The end of the world has always been a difficult topic for discussion, probably because there is no saying when or how it will take place. In 'Cat's Cradle" by Kurt Vonnegut, it is a topic that keeps coming up. And if you are at all familiar with Vonnegut's dark humor, you would not be surprised. The cause? Religion verses science. It starts when the main character, John Hoosier (who is telling this story in the first person) is researching for a book to be called "The Day the World Ended," about Dr. Felix Hoenikker, the man behind the atomic bomb. This sparks a fascination, and leads him to contact this late scientist's children.
   This book is full or random coincidences that seem to make no sense when you are reading it, but they all come together in the end. All the characters, seeming slightly exaggerated, are not at all what you would expect. There is a radical religious figure, Bokonon, and a Minister of science, Frank, who are all thrown together with ICE-NINE, a chemical that freezes everything upon contact. The world ends when they are all on San Lorenzo, a made up island with a murderous dictator. It is very fun and also interesting.



5. Not quite my normal taste, but I enjoyed it all the same. Perhaps I will come back and reread again. A second reading might reveal more to me. Nonetheless, I do recommend this book.

5 comments about The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, Book 1 (The Inheritance Trilogy).

1. Let me just start off by saying I really enjoyed this book. I found it both an original idea and well executed. The world building was fantastic, well thought out and believable. I would have loved to have seen more of it. I would have also liked to have seen more political intrigue, more of the Gods used as WMDs and more of the Godlings interactions and powers, in short: I didn't get enough!
   
   While I definitely saw some aspects of the ending a mile away, I found the first person viewpoint rewarding at the end. The parts I didn't see coming lay the groundwork for the next book, and the inclusion of the first chapter of book 2 would have made a nice epilogue
   
   At any rate, the book is well written, polished, and the pacing is good. The characters are intriguing and well rounded. You can tell that the author is fond of her characters, and at times I found myself rooting for them.
   
   I, like another comment has suggested, thought the book seem to tie the loose ends up nicely, but find myself looking forward to the next books in the trilogy with anticipation and wondering where things might lead.



2. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms is an elegantly written novel, one of the best I've read. The prose flows beautifully and the breaks in thought in the narrative work well. The story line is engaging and the main character is well developed. The world Jemisin created is well thought out. The concept of a god-created world is a little difficult to take in the modern world, but it is fantasy so there is no reason a god-created world should be less readily accepted than the commonly written about world with magic.
   
   I especially like how Jemisin explains and describes the nature of the gods. It fits well with the descriptions of the Greek gods where they can be beautiful and terrible at the same time, something lost in their Roman iterations.
   
   My only negative is that I don't really like all the names Jemisin created for her characters. They are almost too difficult to try to figure out how to say them but it doesn't interfere with enjoying the novel.
   
   Oh, and one complaint. The length of the chapters is just at the point where you read one, and you think you have time before you need to go to sleep to read a second, and maybe a third, but after you've read that second and third chapter, you notice the time and you're up way past your bedtime. Be careful of losing track of time when reading this book!
   
   I highly recommend this book since it is thoroughly enjoyable.



3. It took me a little while to really get into the book at first, but once I finally did I could not put it down. Jemisin is an excellent writer, can't wait for the next book in the series!



4. I've been frustrated by most fantasy novels of late. There just haven't been that many that had any new ideas. I love Tolkein but I'm sick of reading variations on his themes. I was incredibly happy to hear about this book. It has an original premise, is well written and tells a great story. I'm looking forward to her second book. Highly recommended.



5. Shortly after Yeine's mother passes away, a mysterious death, Yeine is called to Sky. Sky is the elite city in the air on a single column overlooking the kingdoms in which the Arameri, people awarded by the god Bright Itempas with contol of weapons given to them, live. Yeine does not know why her grandfather, whom she has never met, has required her presence in Sky. Once in Sky Yeine is bombarded with many things; being named heir to the throne, the difference in culture, the imprisoned god Nightlord and his three children called Enefadeh, and twin cousins who will do anything to be the heir to the powerful throne. Yeine is warned of how dangerous the imprisoned god and Enefadeh are, yet she has something they need. The cousins are also named heirs to the throne and Yeine is not sure what is to happen with three named heirs.
   
   I have to say I enjoyed this book very much. I loved the creation of the gods and why they were weakened, trapped, and tortured. Along with the way a god could be kept under thumb and used for the power holders ways, needs, or just for the power possessed. I was also mesmerized by the relationship and differences between two cultures and way of life. Then there's the wondering question of who do I trust or not trust in a new world. Not only do I, as a reader, ask this question in a new book or series but Yeine the main character has to work this out herself. I started learning of the magic present in the story, and I look forward to learning more as the rest of the trilogy unfolds.
   
   The story is written from Yeine's point of view, in the first person, which gives the feeling I am seeing, experiencing and learning everything with her. There are sections at the beginning and through out the chapter in which Yeine is remembering pieces of additional information or stumbling slightly in her storytelling, but if you know these sections are there you should not be confused. I liked the insight these shared as potential tidbits to help know what is going on or why.
   
   It was a great debate novel for Nora Jemisin and an amazing start to a trilogy. I WILL be looking forward to book two, The Broken Kingdoms due out fall 2010, and book three.

5 comments about Batman: The Killing Joke.

1. Beautifully drawn. Cleverly written. A timeless classic. Brian Bolland went back and added additional figures to his panels. It would be fun to compare an earlier version of this work to see who the new people are.



2. This comic book has many, many great features. To begin, it has an excellent writer and illustrator. Moore's probing dialogue is enhanced by a dark, morally ambiguous world of illustrations. Furthermore, this story is incredibly simple. It features several usual characters posed in unique positions that criticize their more traditional mythology. The 'book' is less than 50 pages--less than an hour of reading. Reader will recognize several scenes and themes drawn from this work in the Dark Knight. This book is a great read, and it doesn't demand much of your time. Pick it up.



3. If you like Batman, if you collect comics, or you are at all intrigued by the Batman/Joker dynamic, this is a must have for your collection.
   This is a remarkable portrayal of Batman's own neurosis, and this is the Joker at his most psychotic.



4. The Killing Joke is a very famous comic. It gives us a glimpse into the Joker's origin and therefore humanizes the character a bit. In a way it also humanizes Batman, by seeing his reaction to the Joker's joke (the joke, by the way, is very funny).
   
   I was underwhelmed with this comic, as it is very famous and Tim Burton listed it as a big influence for the Batman movie. I think Alan Moore is the best comic book writer, so I was expecting this book to be out of this world. It isn't.
   
   This comic is very good and it is worth reading, but it is not worth buying for more than $5. I would suggest getting it in the trade paperback with Alan Moore's DC stories, which includes "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?".



5. Alan Moore is the greatest comic book writer of all time. His portrayal of the Joker is dark, violent, and irrational. Bolland's illustrations bring the book to life and tell a narrative of their own. Read it once and you'll want more. read it again and you'll catch all the little things you missed the first time through. But you'll still want more.

No comments about Beyond the Darkness (Guardians of Eternity, Book 6).

5 comments about Batman: The Dark Knight Returns.

1. I'm glad I'm not the only one who didn't like this story. I read the numerous 5 starred reviews at the beginning and began doubting myself, but then I perused the 2 stars and under section and felt a lot better.
   
   First off, I LIKE Batman comics, I really do. The only reason I'm not hardcore is because I'm a grad student, and let's face it, I simply just don't have the time (or money). I liked Batman: Year One, and I liked Batman: Hush, Vol. 1, along with Batman: The Man Who Laughs and Superman/Batman Vol. 1: Public Enemies, plus many more. I'm not a newbie to this world.
   
   So when I got TDKR, I figured I'd like it too, right? NOPE. I have the same problem with this comic as I did with Batman: Arkham Asylum (15th Anniversary Edition), only worse. The art is too spastic; the design is too creative; my brain just isn't able to make the leaps in logic that are apparently required to make this all into a storyline that flows in some kind of understandable manner.



2. I got this because everyone raves about it so I felt obligated as a comic fan. I was not a fan of Sin City or 300 and found Miller's Daredevil kind of slow. And its true, the story is driven by the writer not the artist so you have to read it at a different pace than modern comics but if you do you will be blown away. I was AMAZED at Miller's ability to write an action sequence. Don't expect the faster page turning of a Jeph Loeb Batman story and focus more on the writing than the art and you will find one of the most bad-ass comic stories ever.



3. I'm sure there are people who can more elegantly, or more intelligently say why this is a good comic book; people who've been reading batman since its first incarnation ever, or who can point to those comics that have followed after, and say how The Dark Knight Returns affected them and brought deeper, more serious issues into batman comics.
   But, even from the position of only a moderate comic reader (I never buy comics as 'comics'. I wait until they've been compiled and bound into more lengthy volumes and then shipped to the book stores) I still know enough to say that this is a truly great comic.
   I've heard that it revolutionized batman, and made it darker and more serious; and it certainly is serious.
   
   Set in a time after Batman has retired, following a government bill which has affected the ability of all superheroes to perform their vigilante duties, Gotham city is in the grip of crime once more, held sway beneath a terrible gang called 'The mutants'. Naturally, batman decides he's had enough, and once more begins his duties as the masked hero.
   The stories are solid, but could have been ruined in lesser hands. As it was, Frank Miller penned a dark tale with issues aplenty to study. The biggest, overlying tale is the continual war with the russians raging on in the background; a war that takes an even darker turn towards the end. The tension is always building, and the great climactic end is a pleasure to read again and again.
   
   As for the art, I've always lauded Frank Miller as one of my favorites. Nitty and gritty, Superman and Batman have never looked so tough before or since. The image of Gotham and everyone throughout it is constantly a dreary, gloomy colour, which breeds an atmosphere of just how far the city has fallen (though of course, Gotham was never exactly known for being a utopia).
   
   With great storytelling and great art, this is a must-have for anyone who ever claims to be a batman fan.



4. It's a grippingly-told, amazingly-illustrated novel. If anyone thinks that Batman comics are just for kids, this is the one that will demolish that thought. It's a book that will make you re-examine beliefs and pose questions ... would you like to have a Batman in your town? In your life? Do the means justify the end? What problems can you solve with violence? And perhaps the most important one ... why can't everyone see that Batman is way cooler than Superman?



5. Here's the book in a nutshell: Bruce Wayne, AKA Batman, is on the edge of sanity ...sleepwalking and drinking himself into oblivion because he's been in mind-numbing retirement for the last 10 years. But, Gotham gets SOOO bad that he's given his excuse to don the tights again. Bloody heads and mayhem follows.
   
   Now, be warned this Batman is aged. So much so that throughout the book he huffs,puffs and growls about getting slower. I don't know what happened to the World's Greatest Detective...it's not evident that he even is a detective in this book. Oh sure, he dons a couple of disguises, but the clever deduction we've all come to expect from the character just isn't there in this book.
   
   And the way Miller has the gang called the Mutants talking...I couldn't understand a thing that was written. Selina Kyle has picked up 30 pounds and Bruce is wickedly grey and wrinkled though he still fills out his uniform quite well. Joker by far and a reconstructed Harvey Dent, AKA Two-Face, are the best looking guys in the whole book. Commish Gordon is 70+ years and even he looks younger than our grizzled Batman!
   
   It's a sad, pathetic, angry Bats in this book. His underlying fear of crossing THE LINE is once and forever crossed (SPOILER ALERT!!!!) because he FINALLY KILLS THE JOKER (who has had it coming for how many years now?!?!.) Even while doing that he's injured almost beyond repair (can we get a witness for the dedicated and longsuffering Alfred?).
   
   That final act just didn't FEEL like the Batman. I expected more from this book. Miller's work on BATMAN YEAR ONE was impeccable!...a classic piece of LITERATURE. Yes, indeed it is.
   
   The Robin in this book feels forced. SHE saves the hide of our aging Bat 3 or 4 times. And she does battle with a slingshot of all things. This book isn't at all what I though it could have been. It's not what it should have been. I'd spend my money on YEAR ONE and leave this one alone if I had to do it all over again.

5 comments about By Heresies Distressed (Safehold).

1. I loved "Off Armageddon Reef", despite the character names. The names were a huge impediment to understanding; it was a constant chore to translate them (or should I say "trahnzlayte thayem"). I liked "By Schism Rent Asunder", but not nearly as much as the first book. I hoped "By Heresies Distressed" would get back to the people and what at first appeared to be the major theme, but it didn't. It became very impersonal. It felt as though the interactions between the major characters were thrown in at random and for inadequate reasons.
   
   Also, as other reviewers have mentioned, the story was lopsided. The good guys won too easily; the bad guys were so evil they were comic bookish. By book three, all the characters were shallow, and the story fluctuated between religious politics and mechanisms of warfare. Not that those were new themes, but there was too much "They have more muskets, but we have better rifles. They have the better ground, but we have better cover. Of course, our better cover means we have to deal with brush and vines, which hamper our longer rifles. This shape cannonball is good for reasons A,B,C, but the other shape has the advantage of X,Y,Z." This is combined with constant switching between a large number of characters with distracting names, and I found myself skipping pages because I no longer cared. I no longer knew who was on which side of the conflict, except for a small number of major players, and skipping pages didn't reduce my understanding of a thin story line that seemed to drift from theme to theme. I felt frustrated by all the dropped issues, the little threads that seemed to be introducing a subtopic, but were never mentioned again.
   
   I had such hopes for this trilogy, but I was very disappointed, and I don't think it's done. Based on the vengeful thoughts of a minor, uninformed, young character who vows to make someone pay for something he didn't do, I think the door is open for more shallow confusion and more drift from theme to theme.
   
   I've noticed problems in other books by this author. In one Honor Harrington story, the plot was interrupted by a very lengthy, boring, distracting discourse on the history of a character's family background. It did not fit in with the action of the moment, a conversation between Honor and the bad guy.
   
   I think publishers have decided that some authors are so popular that they don't dare edit them for fear they will switch to another publisher. I wish some brave soul would tell Weber that he needs to learn to define his scope, focus, and quit introducing distractions that don't add anything of such value that it's worth the sidetrack. I get the impression that he can't decide if he wants to write action or something with political/sociological/religious depth, so he tries to combine them and fails.



2. I'm hooked on the premise of the series, so I enjoyed the development of the story. There is less political intrigue than the last episode, but still too much. Instead of skipping pages, I only had to skip paragraphs. Maybe on the fourth book I'll only have to skip lines?



3. Finished reading this novel about two days ago. Had planned on writing a review about it then, but it was late at night and I was tired.
   
   This is the third novel of David Weber's Safehold series, and it was very good. Intrigue, assassination attempts, battles, politics... What's not to love?
   
   We also see Merlin - yep, one of the characters is named Merlin - finally show a bit of weakness. He finds that his body needs rest as he is stretched beyond his limits and barely catches onto an assassination attempt against the Empress. Problem, he's on the other side of the planet. Can he get there in time?
   
   Well, I'm not gonna tell ya. You'll have to read it yourself. =P
   
   If you do read it, post here and let me know what you think, but if you are new to the series, you should start with the first novel, Armageddon Reef.
   
   Actually, there is more than one assination attempt, but I'm not gonna say who. That'd just spoil if for ya.
   Overall, an interesting, intriguing, and fun story to read. I would recommend it - and the previous two novels of this series - to anyone.
   
   Until next time...



4. ---- but trying awfully hard. I could write a book about problems with this book, but Ill settle for a few random plot holes. Actually more like chasms, but why quibble.
   1) PICA: OK, with the ability to rebuild him from scratch ( Off Armageddon Reef, p345) PICAs are going to be the Model T of the robot world. The idea the technology is going to be limited because of cost is ludicrous. And the idea that people are going to let themselves be locked out of an immortal invulnerable body is beyond stupid. Further, the implied technology suggests that starships wont be crewed or built in the traditional sense but grown and self aware. Taking it a step further there is no logical reason to Terraform a planet when the people can be engineered to fit any planetary environment. Rather than sending out a colony ship filled with settlers, many thousands of self aware ships could be sent out to settle any rock with access to energy and raw materials. They could rebuild civilization with all PICAs, frozen embryos and teaching machines or any number of combinations.
   2) The fact that its so easy to educate people, replace/store memories means that Merlin/Nimue has no real idea that the alien Gbaba or even Earth exist. Additionally, Off Armageddon Reef p. 167 He was the last surviving Christian. In a sense, he was also the last surviving Muslim. The last Jew. The last Buddhist, Hindu, Shintoist. The library computer in Nimues cave was the final repository for millennia of human religious thought, of human striving for divine inspiration, and Merlin Athrawes was the only being who knew it was there.
   
   Frankly, the idea that Merlin is going to revamp and entire religion with non-existent documents and relics from a planet and civilization (also non-existent) is ludicrous.
   
   p. 167 He only hoped that when that day came, the human races ability to believe would not have been destroyed by the realization of the lie which had enslaved it for almost a thousand years.
   
   And what makes Merlin think that any of the other religions were not also a lie? Im not arguing religion one way or the other, simply pointing out that there is a lack of internal consistency in the story.
   
   3) Small irritation, but why is Merlin female to start with? Other than Weber randomly reminding the reader that Nimue was female by having Merlin get excited during a nude water polo match or admiring someones derriere its never made any difference to the story.
   
   By Heresies Distressed
   And, truth to tell, he's cute enough I don't think I'd have minded it at all
   
   He managed not to smile as he watched the brigadier swing gracefully into the saddle. Unlike too many Marine officers, Clareyk obviously felt right at home on a horse's back as he fell easily into place beside Merlin's mount.
   
   And he's got really nice buns, too, Merlin thought.
   4) Theres really no way for Merlin and friends to lose this war. Weber isnt really writing a story as much as hes playing a war game against a blind, deaf and paralyzed opponent. Clubbing baby seals, or perhaps clubbing seal embryos is more apt. One obvious attempt at wrench the plot line into shape to keep from killing the baby seals to quickly:
   
   By Schism Rent Asunder p. 261
   
   The remotes had been designed . . . with their incendiary/shaped-charge "suicide pills," and it wouldn't have been particularly difficult for him to maneuver several of them deep into the Corisandian's ear canal and use their combined charges to eliminate him while he slept.
   Unfortunately, he wouldn't be able to disguise what had happened. . . The questions that would raise. . . the Charisians must have done it using black arts provided to them by their true mistress, Shan-wei . . . scarcely bore thinking upon.
   
   A: Oh, come on . . . Merlin worries about a slightly post medieval autopsy discovering and recognizing something a 21st century autopsy might not catch? Recall that even the best modern ME can miss things.
   B: Assuming that its a realistic fear, simply replace the incendiary charge with a toxin.
   C: If you dont like A &B, then use them to blow up powder factories and magazines.
   D: Finally, who cares what the Temple thinks? Theyre already calling the Charisians heretics. But that only matters if the Charisians lose the war. IF they win the war, then obviously God was on their side all the time.
   
   5) Continuing with not being able to lose the war/deck shamelessly stacked vein. . . the entire sea battle in Off Armageddon Reef is needless. All Merlin had to do was bring his stealthed, supersonic cutter down to the enemy galleys at night, preferably during the storm, and simply sinking them all with gunfire. Actually he could do it in broad daylight. No long range communication after all, so no one would ever know what happened, only the fleet mysteriously vanished. Gods will?
   6) Invisible plane, invulnerable superstrong body (Merlin is really Superman and Wonderwomans love child) Merlin cant lose this war, its only a matter of how many novels Weber can milk from the plot. He can sink any fleet at sea, blow up any power magazine, factory or grain silo or set a fire (wait for a storm and blame it on lightening if you want to pretend it matters) and assassinate any person or group at will. He can also outlive all of his enemies . . .no matter what the outcome of this war he can try again.
   7) Too much exposition. The ONLY saving grace of these novels are the battle scenes but Weber keeps slamming the story to a stop for an infordump. And the characters, frankly, are boring. Actually the bad guys, Gang of Four, Hektor and his daughter Irys, Nahrmahn Prince of Emerald have potential. Merlin, Cayleb & Sharleyan are cardboard. Sharleyan is an obvious Mary Sue and the romantic byplay between Cayleb and Sharleyan is clumsy and irritating.
   8) Weber s naming conventions are confusing and irritating. Whats the deal with Mahkynty (McGinty?), Erayk (Eric?), etc. Weber may find it cute but its distracting. Rather like throwing in a few Mladys, Thous and Thees when writing an authentic historical novel. Also he has too many names that sound alike, Charis, Corisande & Chisholm for example. Hard to tell bad guy from good guy. Weber should check out the SFFWA page for tips on naming conventions. It should be easy to keep track of people and places, not a chore.
   
   As far as I can tell this entire series is a grossly overinflated version of the battle scenes from Heirs of Empire. A much better book over all and you dont have to wade through the exposition and funky names in this series.



5. Love the book, love the series. When is the next book in the series due out, please !!!

No comments about Dark Peril (Carpathian).