5 comments about His Dark Materials Trilogy (The Golden Compass; The Subtle Knife; The Amber Spyglass).

1. You know how there are those people who say that children's literature is meaningless? Personally, I think they all need to be forced down in a chair (perhaps as in "A Clockwork Orange") to read "His Dark Materials."
   
   Like other reviewers, when I finished reading "Harry Potter" I was still on a fantasy kick, but I was rather jaded by the titles I saw out there. They seemed boring, predictable, and fluffy. I found Pullman long after he had written "The Golden Compass" (I first read the UK edition, which is called "Northern Lights") so all three books were out and ready for me to read. This was very lucky, as I raced through them in about two weeks between classes.
   
   Honestly, Pullman deserves every comparison to Tolkien he's gotten, and then some. For me (and I LOVE J.K. Rowling), "His Dark Materials" was more engaging than "Harry Potter." Don't get me wrong, "Harry Potter" will always, always be one of my favorite series. I just like Pullman better in different ways. For one, I found myself more able to relate to Lyra than to Harry. And the symbolism. Oh, the symbolism. Not heavy, not snobby- just amazing. The last installment, "The Amber Spyglass," absolutely left me sobbing. I was upset, I was happy, I was in awe, then I was more upset. I've had few books do that to me. They make me emotional, but they certainly don't make me sob for half an hour over the fate of the characters.
   
   Not even a dead Dumbledore made me that unable to recover.
   
   "His Dark Materials" also read very similarly to Tolkien- it really reminded me of "The Hobbit," although a bit more complex. So somewhere between "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" in terms of style. If you're a Tolkien fan, I'd give Pullman a try. It isn't an exact match, but then, where would the fun be? Pullman is more wry, a little more humorous, and extremely ironic.
   
   The plots of all three books, both continuing and sub, were fast paced and creative. I know the book isn't marketed as science fiction, but it's almost more of that than a fantasy. Maybe some of you are familiar with the term steam-punk, referring to books/games where elements of the modern world, science fiction, and the Victorian (sometimes Medieval, but in Pullman's case, Victorian) age are thrown together to create a new world. This is the best example of steam-punk I've ever read. Not that, of course, you have to be familiar with the genre to enjoy "His Dark Materials" at all.
   
   I guess it could be worth mentioning that the whole trilogy loosely parallels "Paradise Lost" and if you're a literature nerd, you might find that to be a bonus. But it's definitely not necessary to know beforehand or even afterwards.
   
   It is, after all, mere "children's" literature.



2. I read this series solely because of all the anti-religious hype created by Christians surrounding the movie "The Golden Compass." I'm a Christian myself and believe that Christians are a fickle bunch of people who get excited about the littlest of things, so I thought I'd read this series for myself and decide if it was truly anti-religious or not.
   
   The conclusion I came to was: yes and no. The first two books barely touch religion at all. Sure, we mention the church and some of the weird and evil things the church is dabbling in. But the church scenes are few and far in between. The Golden Compass is more the story of Lyra traveling all over creation with a ton of different characters. Some people praise the first book as being very exciting and whatnot, but I find it absurd in many cases all the things Lyra does. I frankly don't care about her adventure or what she is doing at all. And the first three or four chapters of the book--entirely boring. Some people write that they were hooked within the first few pages--I don't see how that's possible. The first chapter was the worst chapter of the entire series. I would've put the book down right then and there but I kept reading, hoping to find what all the controversy was about.
   
   And I couldn't find much controversial in the first two books. Many people write that these books aren't for children. Perhaps you could argue that the violence is too much, or some of the weirder parts are too much (like the group of people that drill holes in their skulls. What's that all about?). But from a religious standpoint, there's nothing in these first two books that's going to derail a child's faith and make him or her into an atheist.
   
   The thing that bothered me the most about the first book (and all the books really) was the concept of daemons. What's the point of them? They serve no purpose at all! Pan rarely talks to Lyra, and when he does, he has nothing interesting to say. Why? Because he is Lyra! He's just an outward extention of her. Daemons rarely contribute anything in the fight scenes, they rarely do anything practical. They are simply there for cute purposes. In The Golden Compass, the kids think it's SO HORRIBLE that daemons are separated from their partners, but as a reader, I could care less. And that's bad that I don't care about daemons, because the Golden Compass is largely focused on them.
   
   And a note to Pullman: how many times to we need to read that Pan "hung close to Lyra's breast" or "clutched Lyra's breast," or in any other way attaches himself to her breast. She's a 12 year old for crying out loud. All this talk of her breasts and animals attaching to them makes me think Pullman is slightly attracted to the female character he's created.
   
   The second book wasn't much better than the first. Other reviewers point out Will's stoic nature and the cliched plot of sick mother, father gone left him. I must admit, though, that the subtle knife and the altheithometer are two very cool fantasy items. The amber spyglass, however, was introduced way too late in the third book and isn't that impressive at all. I could've done without it.
   
   The third book is where everybody has problems with, in a literary and religious sense. First literary. The book has too much going on at once. The angels. The intention craft. Mary's spill into another world with wheeled creatures. None of this is needed. Metatron? As somebody else said, Metatron feels more appropriate in a Japanese mecha anime.
   
   The most exciting part of the book was the land of the dead scene, which I felt was a satisfying explanation of death, but the scene was way too long. I was waiting for the church stuff to explode wide open, but it never did. Throughout the whole series we are told how bad the church is, but we never really see them taken on and attacked. Instead Pullman's church does not in any way reflect the real church of today, so it's hard to take any of his criticisms seriously.
   
   And then we get to the confrontation with the Authority. Completely anticlimatic. And it comes roughly 2/3 through the book? This is the first book I've ever read where somebody kills God, and the scene with God was only a few pages and not what I was expecting.
   
   And what happens after God dies? The story drags on and brings up unnecessary details. Daemons being separated. Will getting a daemon. Another convoluted explanation of Dust. And windows needing to be closed up. It goes on and on past the point of caring for this reader.
   
   In the end: I'm glad to have read the series, I won't sell it but I probably won't read it again. The criticism of Christianity didn't bother me because the Christianity of Pullman in no way correlates with the real Christianity of our world. If the church really was like the church in the book, then I too would become an atheist. But it's not. Parents have nothing to fear from this book. I suspect most kids will have a hard time really following the criticism of religion. In all, a substandard fantasy work that will only be remembered for being the first major fantasy work by an atheist targeted at children. I think people who praise this series are more in love with the IDEA of an atheist fantasy story than they are with the actual execution of the story.



3. His Dark Materials Trilogy boxed set by Philip Pullman
   
   If you are already a fan of this trilogy, then this is a wonderful set. Each hardcover is sturdy with thick pages. We noticed very few editing errors. And the box fits the hardcovers perfectly, unlike some other sets where the books barely fit in the box.
   
   However, if you are not already a fan of the series, I would highly suggest that you read the books from the library BEFORE purchasing this set. We read The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife and loved them both. In The Golden Compass, you meet young Lyra and her daemon Pan. She has the moral compass of a much older and wiser soul and it's easy to follow her escapades. In The Subtle Knife, Lyra meets Will, who is from our world. The two of them travel through many worlds and meet many peoples--ghosts, witches, gypsies, dragonfly-riding gnomes, and specters (who kill adults). By the third book, you're hooked on their quest to find out the origin of "dust" and to free all of the dead's souls. (Yeah, pretty deep for a kids' book.) But when you read the last book in the trilogy, The Amber Spyglass, Pullman is unable to pull off his grandiose tale's ending. Imagine the Harry Potter series ending after book 5 and you've got, tada, The Amber Spyglass. It ruined the first two books and we even re-read the last chapter again and again because we couldn't believe Pullman just left us hanging. There is no sequel and he leaves a lot of depressing loose ends. The entire last book was like a mishmash of ideas brought in and never completed. Then he rushed to tie up loose ends, killing off four main characters in one chapter alone.
   
   So, I would highly recommend this set if you're already a fan. Otherwise, don't waste your time on this trilogy. The ending is a non-ending and incredibly disappointing.



4. I greatly enjoyed this trilogy, and would definitely recommend it to other readers. It does have some complicated themes however, so I would probably lean towards 14 and up for the readers age.
   One note, the second book had two pages that were narrower then the rest, and error that obviously occurred in manufacturing, fortunately, the text on the pages is complete. Otherwise a very nice package.



5. I've read a number of one-star reviews that compel me to write a review myself. What I think is disturbing is the lack of recognition of the spirituality in Phillip Pullman's writing that reviewers seem to have. This book is not a testament of atheism. On the contrary. There is a VAST difference between spirituality and religiosity. I think Pullman attempts to make these differences more stark in his story-telling.
   
   That does not make one an atheist.
   
   Like the characters in the book we are invited to look beyond our own limited vision of our world and our concepts of what we believe God to embody. Pullman is not out to destroy God, rather he is out to destroy the reification of spirituality. Those that criticize this series on this basis are missing the point entirely. I suggest you go back and re-read with an OPEN mind.
   
   For those who have not read it, it's an enjoyable series that at times can drag a little bit in plot and have seemingly point-less diversions. The arc of the story is not limited to one book but rather all three. See it through and you will understand. Read with an open-mind...because when it comes down to it there is no other way to be.

No comments about Acheron (Dark-Hunter, Book 12).

5 comments about The Darkest Night (Lords of the Underworld, Book 1).

1. Great cover that's about the only good thing I can say. The idea is interesting but.. There was lots of whining and immaturity going on from both hero and heroine. I just didn't feel sorry for Maddox. He was supposed to be this violent, tormented warrior of the gods and ended up being a whimpering puppy. Ashlyn was annoying to say the least. It was as if Showalter read a J.R. Ward and Sherrilyn Kenyon book for research and threw this unconvincing knock off together. I wanted it to be good..



2. I personally don't think either this book or Darkest Kiss are in any way similar to J.R. Ward's books. I like both books in this series, but I do like Ward's better. The only comparison remotely the same is all the men are living together and have "other worldly" features. However, they don't even have the same "mission" or goal as the Brotherhood in J.R. Ward's books, where the Brotherhood protects humans and hunts/kills the ones hurting humans.
   
   I think this book is a pretty good start to a new series though and look forward to reading others in the series. The male characters are definitely interesting and because of the background given on Maddox I wasn't sure where this could go or end up.



3. Gena you continue to amaze me. This story was great and i do like the character's. Even the guy's to be featured in future books. I kinda can relate to Ashlyn(minus hearing the voices thing lol). I can't wait to read the next two. Do yourself a favor and pick up this book!



4. THIS PARTICULAR SERIES WAS RECOMMENDED BY MY BEST FRIEND..AND IT TOOK ME AWHILE TO GET IT.
   LET ME JUST SAY I TOTALLY ENJOYED THIS BOOK.. MADDOX AND ASHLYN MADE A CUTE COUPLE.. THEY EACH OTHERS CALM TO ONE ANOTHER..HIM WITH HIS VIOLENT DEMON AND ASHLYN WITH THE VOICES IN HER HEAD.
   I LOOK FORWARD TO PURCHASING THE NEXT 2 BOOKS..
   KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK GENA!



5. This is one of those books that makes you want to skip work to stay home and read. It's fast paced, funny, and sexy. Not to mention I spent the whole time trying to figure out how everything was going to work out for everyone. The sub characters are great and I couldn't wait to continue the series.

5 comments about Keep on the Shadowfell (Dungeons & Dragons, Adventure H1).

1. A great start to 4E. The adventure feels pretty generic - it's a straight-forward dungeon crawl. However, expect your players to keep occupied with this adventure until the next one in the series comes out. That way you can just keep 'em running on these until you reach Paragon tier and continue the story the way you like it. Good deal.



2. Very nicely packaged, lovely maps that fold out nicely (each map is folded into 8 parts). Great adventure, and the only reason I don't give it 5 stars is because it's pretty much exactly what you expect for a 1st level starting adventure. Fight some kobolds/goblins, clean out their keep, fight the big priest-like fellow at the end. It really is the perfect 1st level game that will remind everyone whose been 1st level before of the keep with kobolds and/or goblins.



3. I've not gotten to play this one yet, but from reading the books, looking at the maps, it's going to be cool. Now, to just find 4 people to play the pc's...



4. As an introductory adventure to 4th Edition, I was expecting something shorter. I was surprised at the number of fold out maps and the thickness of the adventure booklet.
   
   Reading through it, I was reminded of the Village of Hommlet adventure that leads to the Temple of Elemental Evil. The adventure has that sort of classic feel. I'm hoping that the rest of this series of adventures continues in this vein.



5. I'm using this with a group of players who have never played before and it's working great! The new lay-out of player's skills and abilities spells out exactly who can do what and the encounter tables for the monsters are easy to follow with interesting abilities and varied combat tactics. The giant fold out maps are great for helping set the scene and it is simply a very well done adventure and from the DM's perspective it gives a good framework to work from while at the same time allowing for creative work if something needs to be changed. Get this, even if you don't follow it word for word, it will provide a great backdrop for a player crafted adventure.

5 comments about The Darkest Kiss (Lords of the Underworld, Book 2).

1. I've noticed several people compare the LORDS series to Ward's Dark Brotherhood, and sometimes unfavorably, but I have to say that I think these books are not like Ward's at all. Though Ward's series is written very well technically, I really find much of them distasteful. I really am not into a hero who will willingly carve into himself to prove his love, etc. Gena's heroes are not sado-masochists. They are compelling heroes, fighting to control the demons within, and finding women that help make them more human. Don't read or not read these books because someone says they are similar to another series out there. Many books share surface similarities - paranormal men, possessed by dark powers, fiesty heroines, etc. Gena's series is fresh, with each book having a distinct flare based on the particular Lord it focuses on. And the chemisty between the H/H is HOT!



2. I have read all of Ms. Showalter's books and this one does not disappoint in this new series! I love a book that I can't put down and Ms. Showalter accomplishes this with this new series. Cursed hotties with attitudes and honor meeting women who are smart, sarcastic and witty- a quick addiction -smart dialogue and hot steamy encounters - love it like chocolate! One is never enough!!



3. THIS BY FAR WAS MY FAVORITE...I LAUGHED AT ANYA..GODDESS OF ANARCHY ALWAYS TESTING THE PATIENCE OF DEATH! I ACTUALLY FINISHED IT IN ONE DAY AND WAS UPSET BECAUSE I DIDNT WANT IT TO END..LOL
   ALTHOUGH LUCIEN WAS SCARED THAT DIDN'T TURN THE BEATIFUL GODDESS ANYA AWAY..LUCIEN ON THE OTHER HAND DINT KNOW WHAT TO MAKE OF ANYA.. HE THOUGHT SHE PITIED HIM AND THEN FINALLY HE REALIZED SHE WAS ACTUALLY ATTRACTED TO HIM AND THEY BOTH FELL IN LOVE.
   YESSSSSS...THIS WAS WAS A WONDERFUL READ!



4. Gena Showalter's Lord of the Underworld series is a really great series. It's suspenseful, fast paced and I found myself connecting with the characters. I'm excited about reading more in this series.
   
   The reason that I rated this particular book a four and a 1/2 was for the amount of silly dialogue coming from Anya, minor goddess of anarchy. There was a whole lot of baby talk and valley girl lingo that just seemed out of place. It seemed stupid to me that she would talk that way, because she comes across as a really intelligent person and a strong fighter. Pair up the valley girl talk with the demon of death and it was a little too much for me.
   
   However the closer that she gets to Lucien she sort of tones down the number of 'fuzzy wuzzies' and 'cherries on top of me's'.
   
   Anyway I would read this book again if that tells you anything and I can't wait to begin The Darkest Pleasure, which I just bought yesterday.



5. What happened? I loved the first book! I gave it 5 stars. I sped through it and was only able to wait a one day before picking this one up. I was so disappointed with this one that after the first 50 pages I almost stopped reading it. I just didn't like Anya - the main female character. She was just annoying! If it hadn't been for the fact that I was interested in finding out what was happening to the other characters from the first book and I would have stopped reading it.
   
   In the end it got a little better because there were a few side stories about the other warriors, but in a way that was annoying too because it was like reading a soap opera. You'd just get into one story and it would switch to another.
   
   I'm giving this book a 2 out of 5 stars just for the fact that the sub characters were interesting and strong enough to be carry on the series.

5 comments about Slaughterhouse-Five.

1. June 9, 2008
   
   Criticism on Slaughterhouse 5
   
   Slaughterhouse 5, by Kurt Vonnegut, describes the unpredictability of life, as well as the inability to control it. The main character of the book, Billy Pilgrim, goes on many different adventures, some at home, and some on other planets several quadrillions of miles away from earth. Many lessons are taught in the book, some which certain people may disagree with. Among these are ideas that cannot be controlled, and the future cannot be altered by your decisions. Another suggestion is that death is not a large thing to worry about, as one can remember the good parts of someone's life, not just how they are now. However, these lessons have the potential to be disregarded by people who believe otherwise, if they are not already.
   
   An interesting aspect of the book is that it is written in a format similar to the described Tralfamadorian format in the book. Several small passages make up the majority of the book, which alludes to the way the inhabitants of planet Tralfamadore format their books. Their books are meant to contain many short, happy memories that can all be viewed at once to form a single image of contentment. However, not all of the scenes in this book may be viewed as joyful. Plenty morose sections counter the good in this book.
   
   The repetition of "so it goes" (1) in this book is unique and confusing. Usually it follows a mention of death, therefore following the main theme of life being uncontrollable, but is absent at certain instances, such as the death of Russians. This may be because the author doesn't like this group of people for some reason, or it may just be one of the many cases of disrespect in this book.
   
   This novel has many inappropriate aspects as well. Wikipedia commented that "Because of its realistic and frequent depiction of swearing by American soldiers, its irreverent language (including the sentence `The gun made a ripping sound like the opening of the zipper on the fly of God Almighty,') and some sexually explicit content, Slaughterhouse-Five is among the most frequently banned works in American literature, and in some cases is still removed from school libraries and curricula." (2) This is true, as many swear words were often repeated, and coupled with pornographic content at the end of chapter nine, this book may not be recommended to some audiences. Not to mention the fact that the repetition of this content distracts from the meaning found in this novel. However, any alterations to create a censored book would drastically alter the plot, so unfortunately it is hard to avoid this content if one wishes to read the novel.
   
   In conclusion, Slaughterhouse 5 is a unique book with many hidden details that this criticism just touched the surface of, though it may not be recommended to some audiences. Vonnegut has created another novel that matches his style exactly.
   
   (1) Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut
   (2) Wikipedia Search "Slaughterhouse 5"



2. Straightforward Fantasy of Baffling Reality
   
   Billy Pilgrim has been unstuck in time, and I feel that way too. Through my English class, the whole contemporary style threw me completely off. This is not Dickens. This is not Steinbeck either. The closest I've read before is James Joyce, but I had no clue what he was saying. The similarity: half my brain cells died reading either book.
   So it goes. However, this book is not going to be like any other war book you've
   ever read-besides the usage of drugs as a plot device. This story has one of many interpretations. I am certain I have overanalyzed this book over and over again, but this is what I feel about the book.
   The first is the easiest to explain and understand. Kurt Vonnegut is crazy and disillusioned after the onset of a terrible war including the hellish bombing of Dresden during World War II. This could easily explain for the random twists, plot spins, alien abductions, etc. However, this seems too simple an explanation.
   Another explanation is an extremely deep one: the characters in the story are intended to be completely sane, and the book is not as much an antiwar novel as much as an analysis on free will. The narrator includes countless allusions to this argument, starting when Vonnegut compares stopping a war to stopping a glacier, to when the Trafamadoreans tell Billy Pilgrim that free will does not exist, to Billy getting thrown into the deep end of a pool. Billy is being taught the "sink or swim" method by his dad, but is rescued "against his free will" when they find out that he actually likes the bottom of the pool.
   At this point, I cannot say that I have made a thorough analysis. I have practically nothing good to say. Perhaps the only thing I have left to say is "poo-tee-weet?"



3. This is Kurt Vonnegut's Masterpiece. It achieves everything that good science fiction aspires to achieve. The world of Billy Pilgrim is not to be missed. This definitely has to be one of the greatest science fiction books ever written if not it is in the top 10.
   
   John



4. I have sat here for some time now pondering on what exactly to write, but with so many other reviews, which are excellent, I am left a bit uncreative. Let's just say this is a great book. SL5 was recommended to me in a lit class I took last semester, and I picked it up a few weeks ago and devoured it the next day. It was one of those books that was so original, meaningful, and funny (in a dark humorous way), that I could not put it down. I even left a spaghetti stain on a page because I was reading while eating.
   
   Anyway, all these reviews say so much about the book, that all I have to say is I agree with all the other good reviews. This is a great book, and it is hard not to like it. Check it out, I think you will be pleasantly surprised!



5. Vonnegut's novel is about life, thought process, and death set against the author's life experiences in Dresden during WWII and his fictional character, Billy, who we see through memories and partial linear plot line. In my opinion, the story, however; very important, is not the point of this novel. Vonnegut used the novel as a vehicle to show us the purpose of being human which is life, thought process, and death. In my opinion, this is why the novel is not written in the traditional way: beginning, middle, climax, end. Vonnegut shows us through the vehicle of a novel, how the brain operates and how society operates which are connected unconsciously and consciously. Vonnegut's novel should be read by everyone.

4 comments about Y: The Last Man, Volume 10: Whys and Wherefores.

1. All in all, this is an astoundingly satisfying conclusion to what may be the best comic series of all time. As Hellboy once said, "What makes a man a man?... It's the choices he makes. Not how he starts things, but how he decides to end them." Brian K. Vaughan gave us a truly great ride with the first nine volumes of "Y: The Last Man," but how he chose to conclude this series and pay-off all the plot points is truly spectacular.
   
   Vaughan's writing here reminded me of Alan Ball ("Six Feet Under") at his best, and that's saying a lot. Each page pops with references to past events, little nods to pop culture, and supremely earned character moments that we've been waiting for since the man-killing plague hit in the first issue. There are no sweeping gestures to erase the plague, no "everything is all okay" ending, just a coming together of all the plot threads that Vaughan has established in a realistic, bittersweet, and emotional ending. The care that Brian K. Vaughan took in writing this and the care that Pia Guerra took in penciling this is so obvious, as it's their goodbyes to the characters they've been on this journey with for sixty long months. It's a beautiful piece of writing, and definitely establishes "Y: The Last Man" as one of the comics to absolutely transcend its medium. Anyone can pick up this series off the shelf, knowing that it's a) accessible to anyone and b) that Vaughan stuck with this series to the end. And didn't shy away from truly ending it.
   
   Reading this book was one of the best, most emotional experiences I've had with a piece of fiction. The only instances that come equal how I felt while going into this book and the feeling of finishing it was how I felt when the final episode of ANGEL aired and when I turned onto the final page of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows." Yorick's tale was a long one, and it wasn't always as smooth as it could have been, but it all comes together in this beautifully written and illustrated book. I'll sorely miss reading this series into the late hours of the night, but the way Vaughan ended Yorick's story, I can't help but be satisfied.
   
   So bear with me as I say goodbye to these characters who I've come to know in reading this series. Goodbye Natalia. Goodbye all three Beths. Goodbye Hero. Goodbye Rose. Goodbye Alter. Goodbye Dr. Mann. Goodbye Agent 355. Goodbye Ampersand. And goodbye Yorick Brown.
   
   Alas...
   
   10/10 Classic.



2. There have been some great long series in comics, but Y: THE LAST MAN is unique in that all ten volumes making up the entire run tells a single story. The various books truly have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Other series may have a background arc that extends throughout the various books comprising their run, but Vaughan's masterpiece introduces a number of questions in the first volume that are developed in the ensuing nine volumes and answered only in the last. Will the human race survive the loss of all the males? Will Yorick be reunited with his finance? What do the Israelis tracking him have in mind? These and other stories are developed gradually over the course of the entire run.
   
   The tone of the series as a whole tends to action drama laced with pop cultural references and humor. You laugh on one page, only to have something really horrid take place on the next. But none of the shocks of the first nine volumes comes anywhere near the shocks found in the final issues comprising Volume Ten. I won't go into details, but while all the main stories are completely wrapped up, they won't please every fan. While most of the news for the human race was positive, things did not turn out all that well for most of our heroes. Indeed, some of the arcs ended in utter tragedy. Though the story as a whole focuses on Yorick's constant joking about everything, the book's final events bring even his jokes to a halt. Some things are beyond wit. One event in particular is so shocking (you'll know it when you see it) and so unforeseen that it completely changes the nature of the entire series.
   
   In a story like Y: THE LAST MAN it is absolutely essential that you end the whole thing well. This volume does precisely that. It cannot, of course, be read on its own. Anyone wanting to read the entire series needs to start with the first volume and move forward. FABLES 10 came out earlier this month. You might, with some difficulty, be able to start reading in that (wonderful) series with that volume, but Y: THE LAST MAN has to be read from beginning to end. Starting with this volume would be like beginning GREAT EXPECTATIONS with Chapter 25.
   
   I want to single one character out for praise. I've been engaged in a project lately that involves looking at the major female heroes in various popular media, from TV to graphic novels to movies. The past ten to fifteen years (Buffy seems to be the tipping point) has seen an explosion of great female heroes. But incredibly very, very few of these have been women of color. Max in DARK ANGEL is racially indistinct but seems exotic, but she is close to the exception. Agent 355 in this series is easily one of the most compelling and truly heroic black characters around. The genre -- indeed, all genres -- need more characters like her. It isn't just young black females who need to see empowered characters like 355. Just as, I believe, that both men and women have their views of women subtly altered by popular female heroes like Buffy and Xena, so I think all of us have our views of race and gender affected by a character like 355. Sadly there are very few black female characters her equal. Storm in the X-Men is an exception as well as several characters in Octavia Butler's novels (especially the protagonist in the Earthseed novels). But there shouldn't be so few examples.
   
   In a way, I'm truly saddened that this series has come to an end. For years we've been looking forward to the next issue and looking ahead to the distant future (which is now past) to find out how everything ends. I confess it didn't end like I had expected or even how I had hoped. But sometimes as readers we get the story we needed instead of wanted. In the end, it was a great read.



3. Unfortunately, the conclusion to Y the Last Man is a big letdown in more ways than one. In the need to 'wrap up' the story, the author took shortcuts in characterization that are glaring when you compare the last story arc to earlier ones. The author left gaping plot holes, and even introduced a possible 'whole new explanation' for the worldwide plague just as the storyline is wrapping up. This whole book follows two main threads- the quest to figure out and end the plague and the quest to find Yorick's love, Beth. Well, both the explanation of the plague and the 'cure' of the plague are left in confusion, so there's no satisfaction in seeing that story reach completion. Then, the conclusion to the 'Beth quest' spins off in an unhappily unsatisfying conclusion, with a final scene in the last issue that is laughable in its improbability. Yorick, who spends the whole series trying to face up to things, won't face up to the person he spent five years trying to find. Thus, neither the plague quest or the Beth quest come to any kind of real or believable conclusion. The end must be worth the journey, and this one was not.
   
   There are some breakdowns in art consistency as well in the last story arc as various characters begin to look so much like one another it is difficult to tell them apart. The blondes all look alike (save for a scar on one) and Yorick's sister and other brown haired types look the same. You must look for clues in the dialog to tell who is speaking and they are not easy to come by. This was not true in the earlier books in the series. Again, it seems the final storyline was put together in a rush to have 'an ending' to things, and sadly the result is a bit of letdown.
   
   If you have journeyed with Yorick through the whole of his adventure, you will no doubt want to read the 'finale.' Just be aware that things break down somewhat at the end, and the 'finale' will leave you hoping it was all a bad dream and a real conclusion to Yorick's adventures will be published.



4. Undoubtedly the best original ongoing series to come out of Vertigo since Garth Ennis' Preacher, Brian K. Vaughan's Y: The Last Man comes to a spectacular and bittersweet conclusion in Whys and Wherefores. As Yorick Brown, the last adult human male on the planet, finds his journey to be re-united with his lost love Beth comes to a close, everything begins to come together. Alter makes her move, we learn what Yorick saw during his suicide intervention in Safeword, and everything gets wrapped up in one of the most emotional and heartfelt conclusions that a mainstream comic book series has ever received. Vaughan's script work reaches new heights in this final volime, and Pia Guerra's artwork, while seemingly had always been lacking in overall detail, perfectly captures each emotional moment from cover to cover. All in all, if you've missed out on Y: The Last Man during it's initial run, now is the time to check the series out volume by volume. And if you've been a loyal follower of the series since the beginning, read it again and again and again.

5 comments about Blood Noir (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, Book 16).

1. I'm never disappointed by Hamilton. This was a GREAT read. Her only problem is that she doesn't write her books on "Blake" fast enough. I can't wait to see "Blake's" next adventure, but I think it's time to kill off "The Mother of All Darkness."
   
   Laurell, thanks for the wonderful entertainment!



2. I wish more authors I love would write this many books!! I reread them a lot, I get a lot out of them. They're extremely meaningful to me. This new one isn't my favorite, but I bought it, read it, and it was just as crazy as every other book in the series. I love the way the ante just keeps getting upped, and upped, and upped some more, both in the vampire and lycanthrope subcultures and in Anita's personal life. I really can't thank LKH enough for what she has done for fiction. Thank you Laurell!!! Don't stop any sooner than ya gotta. I'll be truly sad when this series finally winds down.



3. I thoroughly enjoy reading Hamilton's books. This one was very good but I wished it was longer. The subject matter always captures my interest and before I knew it I was finished reading the book. I can't wait for the next installment in the Anita Blake saga or for the next Meredith Gentry book.



4. I really enjoy these books - whereas some readers don't enjoy the direction that Anita's life has taken - it's all part and parcel of the way things are.
   
   I have to say that her life gets more and more difficult. The sexual aspect of the story is HOT - although I found it humerous that she did experience a - well - I can't go there - that would ruin it for others.
   
   Basically, I do wish that she would do a little more hunting - go back to being as dangerous as she was - Obsidian Butterfly and her story there with Edward was one of the scariest books that I've ever read. Her ties to that Vampire there are one of the reasons that her power is coveted.
   
   I like how all the books are tied together - expanding on the relationships and going deeper into the psyche of the characters as well as the lives of them all...This story focuses on Anita's relationship with Jason. Richard is still himself in this story but Anita really helps him out - again, why ruin the story.
   
   Her love, loyalty and friendships toward all her ongoing relationships continue to expand and her thoughts are further delved into. Her conflicting thoughts and her resentment towards the ardouer (spelling?) are discussed further.
   
   Again, while I wish her adventures and romps contained a bit more mayhem, her developing storyline is fascinating and I will continue to be a fan - a HUGE fan of Anita and of Laurell.



5. It would be easy to say that Laurell K. Hamilton is a bad writer, but that would be untrue. She is a good author and reading some of her earlier works in the Anita Black series you can easily see where she excelled and what propelled the series' popularity. Unfortunately, where these books now fail is in structure.
   
   Telling vs. Showing: A basic tenant for good writing is the ability tell the story through the characters actions and reactions versus an author telling the reader what's happening. After many pages of three way sex, one participant says to another (and main character), Anita Blake: "You are so uncomfortable with sex Anita..." Huh? What?? This after not just any old ménage a' trois, but one tinged with light bondage. The statement just throws the reader off because that is not what the story has said so far.
   
   Talking Heads: "Dr. Phil's approach to relationships and the supernatural." I've never read a book that devoted entire chapters to whether or not to have sex. When deciding to have a ménage a' trois or not - does one person really say to another, "And you, Anita, what's your motivations?" Ms. Hamilton usually does a nice job with her dialogues, but these type of statements are awkward and happens several times through out the book.
   
   Failed plot points: There's repeated references the Vampire Council and Anita jeopardizing Vampire master Jean-Claude's position by her not being a better "human-servant." Much conversation is dedicated to this. Toward the end of the book she and friend, Jason, are mistakenly targeted by another vampire leader and attacked. There are no real repercussions on the council level to this - especially after the leader and his own human servant are killed. Why?
   
   Anger Management: In regards to Richard tantrums: Can we please move on? Every book there is some sort of over the top emotional, angry argument with Richard and his love/hate relationship with Anita. Although for several books, we've known that this is due to the psychic link between he, Anita, and Jean-Claude; Richard has taken on some of Anita's emotions. Although I was grateful that we have some resolution here (Anita re-absorbs the rage) Richard does the same thing, but under a different guise (now Anita's "ardeur" or succubus ability is shared). Richard as an emotional slave and whipping boy is getting old.
   
   False Advertising: In the book flap of Blood Noir the description leads a potential reader to conclude that the book is about battling or dealing with Marmee Noir, the "ancient [and very scary] mother of all vampires." However when Marmee finally makes her metaphysical appearance (3/4th of the way through the book,) in context to the entire story, the action surrounding this is relatively brief.
   
   I am again disappointed by this latest in the Anita Blake series. Although I understand that the author would not want to go back to what she wrote earlier in her career, but I do think that a quick review of the first six books may remind Ms. Hamilton of what made this series so popular in the first place. I hope in the future to see (1) a real plot (beginning, middle, and end), (2) tightened dialogues, (3) try to get some middle ground between narrative portions and overly long yacking to communicate important plot points. The last few books have basically been soft porn connected by weak attempts at a story line. I continue to be hopeful for future books by Ms. Hamilton.

No comments about A Dance with Dragons (Song of Ice and Fire).

5 comments about 1984 (Signet Classics).

1. There are alot of idiots floating around out there that don't see the potential pitfalls of giving the Federal government expanded powers. If you are one of these folks, please read this book. The work is relatively short but the lesson that it gives is powerful. I believe it was Benjamin Franklin who said this but I believe it encapsulates every being of this book "people willing to trade their freedom for temporary security deserve neither and will lose both"



2. I won't summarize the story as many other reviews do that. This book was shocking to readers in 1948, but to those of us who have seen the Soviet Union and even modern day America, it is not really shocking. Oceana, in the book, has an exagerated toletarian system similar to Nazi Germany or Soviet Communism, but with the sexual attitude of the Shakers, or some other group that twists Christianity into a miserable heavy-handed religion. Obviously the author was writing based on events in his time. What is amazing is how the goals of the regime in the book have actually been accomplished, and more easily, in American democracy without the heavy handed approach. The approach in the book is unlikely as they limit human sexuality to a level never acheived by puritanism, except for groups like the Shakers, who died out. It is more effective to break down the family the way it has been done in America, through promoting sexual immorality, divorce, abolishing parental rights, and university brainwashing against parental values. Of course this breaks down society as a whole, but passifies the subjects, and the breakdown of America is necessary to establish a world wide form of democratic facism, or, "the Plan". The futuristic telescreen, would be called an interactive flatscreen TV in our day. While it has not yet come to pass, fully, the internet does much of the same, where people's movements are being tracked and recorded, largely for market purposes at the present, but aside from entrapping people seeking presently illegal forms of sex, its full potential as a law enforcement tool has not yet been utilized. Large search engines have used it to censor speech and thought in some regions, as well as rewrite the past. New speak would be hard to acheive in a democracy, but schools and the media have attempted the separation of word and thought through programs such as the failed Evonics course in California. Words have lost meaning, such as when my son calls something "bad", it can mean good or bad. When he calls something "sick", it could also mean he likes it, or he hates it...or both. Double speak is prevaelent, and the thought police exist in the spirit of "politcal correctness". An example of double-speak is when President Clinton stated, "we will re-define the immutable". Thought crimes are labled as "hate crimes" and are being enforced in order to bring harsher justice to enemies of the state. Threats of terrorism are used to convince the populace to eagerly forfeit their freedoms, though the government is doing the same things they always did, the media is publicizing it as something new to make people consciously aware of the activity in order to accept it. The US Constitution is being reinterpreted and called a "living document" in order to change it's meaning and use doublespeak. Examples are "separation of church and state", a phrase commonly believed to be in the Constitution, but not actually there. The words that are there to prevent government interferance in church affairs, have been twisted to mean the opposite, and is commonly used to erase certain forms of religion (mainly Christianity) from the public sector. The reading of founding documents is forbidden in some state schools due to the mention of God and other ideas which are conflict with the revision of history. Students are also taught that the Pilgrims came to America because they liked to travel, or they wanted gold. The former reasons of fleeing religious persecution and freedom are no longer historical fact as it would interfere with the forthcoming persecution. Another example is the supreme court ruling which supports the confiscation of land by a government body if it can be sold to a source offering higher tax revenues, something clearly forbidden by our founding fathers. In the book there was one party. In America, it is limited to 2, but they are much the same, but appear to argue over inflamatory issues to create the illusion of difference. One example is abortion, which the balance of the Supreme Court comes close to tipping to make illegal, but never quite makes it. The next presidential election is planned to ensure that, regardless of which party wins, or is planned to win. Abortion, being a symptom of a greater cause, keeps people focused on it's own battle, thus preventing them from interfering with the root of the cause which is part of the Plan. In reality, secret agendas are co-operated on by both parties, such as de-industrialization of America for personal profit and the Plan, and the formation af an American Union. Not even the media is allowed in on such negotiations, and the lawmaking procedures are bypassed. Science is allowed, but thought in the scienific community is one of the most strictly controlled, comparable perhaps to the Catholic Church during the days of the inquisition, though penalties are limited to ruining ones career, rather than martyring them. A specific scientific theory of origin, not proposed by a scientist, but a bitter son of a clergyman, is taught as fact, not theory, and increasing scientific evidence against the theory or its obvious flaws, and equally or more viable scientific theories are forbidden for discussion, and lawsuits and severe punishment awaits any state school teacher who disobeys this order. No questioning or free thinking is allowed in this area, as it is considered almost as a blasphemy towards the unofficial state religion of Humanism. This theory is also the basis for racism and ethnic cleansing, and has been the foundation for more death in the world than any other religious dogma. While racism is not tolerted in the realm of political correctness, the concept of different races despite genetic proof of only one human race is supported by all government forms asking which race you identify with. This is because there are many in power who secretly benefit from racism and cultural divisions. While Christianity is forbidden in the state schools, Islam is tolerated and often promoted. It is unclear if this is out of fear, or part of a larger plan, when that religion will replace the vacuum created by the elimination of Christian thought and freedom. An interesting perspective is the essay "Will Islam Be Our Future" by Joel Richardson. Thought crimes today also prohibit the distribution of medical literature published by organizations such as the AMA warning agianst the consequences of practicing certain unsafe or deviant sexual behaviors. In fact, such activity is being taught and encouraged to young school children, and parents can face stiff penalties for interfering with such doctrine. While most Americans once believed the government should keep out of the bedroom, the liberal proponents of these practices will themselves be eliminated after they help to usher in the next phase in the Plan, where human sexuality and the role of women are strictly controlled by the Government. This will precede the third phase where a world leader will come into absolute power. The Mhadi, caliphate, Anti-Christ, the name varies depending on the religion. The transformation of American state run achools from among the best, to among the worse in developing nations, is largely due to the emphasis taken away from acedemics in favor of social engineering this will ensure the weekening of America in order to balance power and bring about the results of the Plan. The way things are brought about in 1984 cannot happen, as human nature will not allow it. The failure of the Soviet Union is an example. It is much easier to manipulate people theough false religion. People will get tired of a political system, but will die for religon. America is unique as it was founded on true "religion", though false notions have tainted it with evils such as slavery, but true freedom can only survive with true Judeo-Christian values, history has proved, and is proving this point before our eyes today. While history may have been colored in the past, it is being changed in today's books, just like in Oceana...



3. I came to 1984 after reading a series of novels by Russian authors about life in Stalingrad during the onslaught by Hitler and then after the cruelty of Stalin. It's easy to see how Orwell extended the grim realities of the concentration camps of Germany and the labor camps of Russia into this dark prophecy. Of course, in many instances his vision has become realized. Big Brother seeks to invade our privacy at every turn via electronic media. Governments pose rhetoric immersed in "doublespeak". The Thought Police exist to bully our free expression. Power is exercised by imposing real human suffering upon multitudes. "The essential act of war is destruction, not necessarily of human lives, but of the products of human labour. War is a way of shattering to pieces, or pouring into the stratosphere, or sinking in the depths of the sea, materials which might otherwise be used to make the masses too comfortable, and hence, in the long run, too intelligent." Oil comes to mind here. And munitions. And diverse other commodities. In 1984 the war is endless. "Everywhere there is the same pyramidical structure, the same worship of a semi-divine leader, the same economy existing by and for continuous war." Sound familiar? The High, or the "priests of power" only fall when assaulted by the Middle and usually assisted by the Low classes. Then the Middle becomes the High and oppresses the Low for which change only means a new master. The protagonist, Winston, a "minority of one" questions his own sanity but ultimately defends the "spirit of man" as a force which cannot be overpowered. In the closing pages we see Orwell's true convictions about the infallible power of Big Brother and the triumph of the human spirit. This dark view has real overtones of Nietzsche and Machiavelli, who wrote with the view of realism based upon the inhumanity they witnessed in their heydays by "princes" with the "will to power". But the "spirit of man" is truly formidable and cannot be overcome, except temporarily, by totalitarian figures and corrupt democracies. The next US national election will be telling about down which road America will travel. 1984 is a cautionary, post-World War II tale but to say it's unrealistically dark and couldn't happen here and now is to overlook eons of history. And to be unconscious of the powers of orthodoxy infringing greedily and corporately upon the spirit of man in our time.



4. After getting the opportunity to finally soak in this book, I am beside myself that there are even bad reviews for it. There is just two reasons that are possible for bad reviews. One, they are on crack and two, they are jealous that they are unable to write like Orwell.



5. This is an incredible book. I was very impressed with how well it is written and amazed that someone in the mid 40's was able to come up with such futuristic ideas and almost shocked at how much of it pertains to the realities of life. I loved every word of it and was almost sad that it was over.