5 comments about The Dark Tower VII: The Dark Tower (King, Stephen).

1. I started reading the series 3 months ago, and have since not been able to put down any of the books. I read some of the reviews before every book (but not enough to spoil anything for me), and was starting to get nervous with some of the critisism I encountered. By the time I got to book 7, I was terrified it might suck. Fortunately, I was blown away with nothing but positive vibes for the ending.
   
   SPOILER ALERT!!!!!
   Part of me wishes I had never read Coda (then my ending would have been the Tower door slamming shut behind Roland-which in my opinion would have been sweet enough). But, one has to finsh what they start, and so I read on (after 4000 plus pages, I wasn't going to stop so close to the end). It's kind of what I expected. That is, a bit of a downer with a possible positive (the horn). But WTF, that's a King novel. The ending had to be dark. Remember folks, its a Dark Tower, not a White Tower.



2. In reading this entire series, I could write a 10 page essay. I will spare you all that. This book is a greating ending to the series. It will explain just about everything and even tug on your heart-strings. So be prepared for the final roller coaster that is The Dark Tower Series.



3. DT7, for all the reasons already given in the other one-star reviews, is the low-water mark of King's career.
   
   I thought he'd hit bottom with Dreamcatcher, the first King book I'd ever read with not a single character I gave a flying damn for, but DT7 is worse. It's even worse than DT6, which was worse than DT5.
   
   I've long felt that IT, for all the book's many flaws, was the high water mark. So perhaps it's no accident that any real tie in with IT is pretty much absent from the Dark Tower series, despite the turtle talk.
   
   Even though I cut the man some slack-- if I'd been shredded and pulped in a terrible accident and subjected to a year of incredibly painful rehab, I would certainly have been badly shaken and so preoccupied with my own mortality that I would have been in a rush to get the series over with too, and the pressure from his Constant Readers to finish it was obviously enormous. I've never been invested in this series the way many of King's fans are, so I didn't lose any sleep over the steady decline in quality that started to show its face after DT3.
   
   There's no way to know how it would have turned out if the accident had never happened, but personally I think he simply over reached himself with the series. Character-driven fiction will only take you so far. It was enough to carry him through IT for over a thousand pages. But not enough to carry through seven volumes, even if every volume was not a doorstop.
   
   He may not be through just yet. Dumas Key is not a great King book, but its a helluva lot better than a travesty like this.



4. * Spoilers*
   
   I had a negative first impression after reading DT7. I happened across this site and was surprised at the high number of five star reviews the book received. I saw a lot of "Brilliant Ending" and "Masterpiece" descriptions so I figured that all these people can't be wrong. Maybe I just missed some of the finer points of the book. Maybe my initial impression was off base. So I read the book again. Turns out it wasn't any better the second time. The same glaring flaws I noticed from my first reading were still there after the second. From the hastily written demise of Flagg to the numerous instances of deus ex machina, this book screams "rush job."
   
   I honestly don't see how any true fan of SK can feel anything but cheated after reading the confrontation or lack thereof between Roland and Flagg. I mean this guy is featured in a number of SK's books. The mere mention of his name has been know to cause death and insanity. The Dark Tower series even spends six books painting Flagg as Roland's arch nemesis. Based upon all this build up, one would expect an epic battle for the ages between Flagg and Roland right? Well think again. Flagg gets offed by a spider boy who is a-hungry. This is like Darth Vader getting killed by an Ewok before he can battle Luke. Then there is the Crimson King, the most powerful being in the world, one would expect that his death would be difficult right? Nope, he gets erased. How about Susan? She endures all these hardships, from physical pain to mental anguish, to reach the Dark Tower . Even the death of her lover cannot not deter her from reaching her goal. Then when she can actually see the Dark Tower she decides, " You know what its not worth it anymore, I am going home." Uh okay. I wont even go into the parts where SK writes himself into the book.
   
   Maybe I expected too much after reading the first four books. SK piqued my interest with hints here and there of a world that had moved on. A world that was linked to ours but one that was dying. I remember the first time I read about the Rose in the vacant lot and the Beams that held the Tower together and I was thinking that King would have some way of tying all this together and it would be magnificent. King even tells us that not everyone, including Roland, might make it to the Dark Tower. After, reading DT4, I was also hoping to learn why or how the world moved on and the fate of his childhood friends. Back then, the possibilities were limitless. Well, I guess the joke was on me, the constant reader. Turns out the whole series was about Roland forgeting to pick up a horn.
   
   To be fair, taken by itself DT7 is not a bad book. But when taken in the context of the series, the new ideas just don't mesh very well. Major charcters get killed by minor characters, the ka-tet jumps back and forth between different worlds and time periods, its all rushed. If you read the first four books you will notice that SK used to take his time to develop his characters and ideas. After the accident, maybe SK sucummbed to those who wanted him to hurry up and finish the book. It took him forteen some year to write the first four books and two years to write the last three. The difference in quality. I just hope he decides to rewrite the last three, at least last two, books like he did with The Stand.



5. Stephen King the author of the Dark Tower series is of course the Gunslinger: from the first volume to the seventh. In one of the most amazing symbolic epics ever written Stephen King has documented the loneliness and creative efforts of an author in his quest (the trials and tribulations) to create and finish a new novel.
   
   The Man in Black is none other then his yet undefined creative genius who sets out the plot at the end of the first volume via the Tarot Cards by prophecizing the drawing of the three. To chase the Man in Black across the desert (mind) is essential to the beginning of any creative effort. This is why the Man in Black dies at the end of the first volume because his roll is complete in defining the limits and boundries of the new creative work.
   
   Modred or should it be read 'MORE DREAD' as in the author's fear of not completing his task, which is a demon child always lurking in the background of any author's mind.
   
   Ed Dean is the addict turned gunslinger, which is Roland or should it be read 'Roll On' or 'dragon = drag on' that can not stop creating until completion come, which is addiction in exclusion to the existence of all other aspects of creation: family, friends and society at large. This is the reason that Roland twirls his fingers as if to say 'get on with it' or 'roll on'. Keep the narrative going to get the work finished.
   
   Susannah is symbolically the psyche of King, which has a one track mind: hence the wheel chair. This is why Ed Dean and Susannah fell in love with each other: two sides of the same coin (addiction and obsession).
   
   Jake represents symbolically the 'youthful spirit' of the new creative idea of the new volume to be written whether it be King's first creative effort CARRIE or the last book he ever writes. Remember that it was Jake that was first pulled into Roland's world.
   
   Oy seems to represent 'literary licence', which is the perogative of every author.
   
   The Crimson King is 'Stephen King' incarnate locked out of what goes on in the tower because the book being written, regardless of its title, is the DARK TOWER, which takes on a life of its own. The book therefore writes itself and the author is helpless to do other then to fling spite and hate (slings and arrows) at the genius, which Roland represents but to no avail. The author forever dreams of writing his book (ruling the universe) unfettered by those seemingly unnecessary appendages: Ed, Susannah, Jake and Oy but the laws of creative writing locked Stephen King out on the balcony of his own genius preventing him from inserting his input. The book has taken on a life of its own and the author is powerless to prevent its journey to completion and he can only look on as his work completes itself.
   
   As Roland: Stephen King, is snatched once again into that final room at the top of the DARK TOWER as if he is in an eternal time-loop he dreads the future of yet reliving the creative juices that flows through a writer as he journeys to the end of yet another book. Stephen King has written more then forty books and each time he had to relive this time-loop: the birth and completion of yet another book. He can not stop or retire from writing, for his mind will not allow it, for it is after all who he is: the last gunslinger.

5 comments about Breakfast of Champions.

1. this was my first vonnegut book, but it certainly won't be the last. this was a wonderful book on free will and how we choose to see the world and our ever eternal fight against cynisism. i think that an important point to keep in mind is that there is a reason and purpose behind every passage he has written, they all connect back to one of the larger points he makes. its cynical, but not a depressing cynical, a cynical that makes you take a closer look. i would highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. its one of the great reads of our time. philosiphical, satirical, and wonderful. definitely check it out



2. Breakfast Of Champions is one of the top 5 pieces of satire in American literature. He calls Thomas Jefferson a slave owner who was the country's number one expert on freedom. It's ripe with lines "The whole city was dangerous--because of chemicals and the uneven distribution of wealth and so on."
   
   If you haven't read Vonnegut this is a great place to start. He draws pictures. He satirizes anything from American politics, to the rich, to arts. And his does it his own loving way. Reading it is like listening to a crazy Uncle who has a lifetime of wisdom and undeniable warmth.
   
   Kurt recently left us, but he is one of the more important voices in literature of the last century and if you haven't read this great work do yourself a favor and pick up a copy.



3. As an avid fan of Kurt Vonnegut, I love all the novels I have ever read by him. However, Breakfast of Champions stands out above and beyond as my favorite. Complete with Vonnegut's classic, almost childish drawings and an appearance by the author himself, this book is truly amazing. Vonnegut tells it all like it is, from Thomas Jefferson to Christopher Columbus. This book truly is a rare masterpiece from beginning to end, and I would greatly recommend it for anyone who likes to have a good, honest laugh at life and all its ups and downs.



4. This is Vonnegut's famous "50th birthday present to himself", and if you ask me, he spoiled himself with it. Out of the few Vonnegut books I've read, this is the funniest, and probably the best. Basically, Kurt here dismisses the entire American nation as racist, materialist, and obsessed with sex, class, alcohol, conformity, and whatever else you could trot out. It would be considered a pessimistic, nihilistic viewpoint if it wasn't a sadly accurate look at the way America worked, and still works today. And for a little note to those who think the book is racist, keep in mind that the black characters are actually portrayed as being, in a way, a lot more intelligent and less misanthropic than the white ones.
   This isn't an easy book to describe. There's a plot, but Kurt veers away from it on several occasions, offering a wide variety of satiric tangents that make for some of the most hilarious parts of his writing. There are illustrations, crude, simple, and absolutely hilarious. Kurt even sticks himself in the book, makes himself a character, and has discussions with other characters. Choice segments include the scene at the Holiday Inn cocktail lounge, where Kurt has a discussion with himself; every discussion of Kilgore Trout's misadventures with getting his books published by his sleazy publishing house; the uproarious prologue; every illustration; every tangent; and... well, pretty much everything. It's not a book for everyone, but if you're looking for a whole ton of laughs in one place, and some of the best satire known to mankind... whoa. This is it.
   Oh yeah, the book's about what happens when car dealer Wayne Hoover decides everyone on Earth but him is a robot. But, as I said before, the plot is secondary here.



5. Breakfast Of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut *****
   
   Breakfast Of Champions is satire at it's all time best, and Breakfast of Champions is Kurt Vonnegut's all time best, the only other novel of his to even come close is Slaughterhouse-Five. Which is a must read. But as I was saying, BoC is a not so subtle comment on the social structure of America in the early 1970's, but what is so amazing, much like with Orwel's Nineteen Eighty Four, and Huxleys Brave New World, is that this is more relevant now then it was thirty-forty years ago. His take on war, racism, and politics strips them of their importance and breaks them to their core and makes you realize how much energy and time we spend on these things. He does the same with Sex, and success, and material goods as well.
   
   As for the story itself, it is a strange one, and one that is at sometimes hard to follow, or it would be at least if it weren't for the excellent drawings depicting what is currently happening in the story. Yes this has pictures but it is in no way a graphic novel in the technical since. As Killgore Trout a novelist makes his way to a arts rally across the country he finds himself face to face with a man named Dwayne who believes his storys are true and has become a psychopath because of it. It only gets weirder from there.
   
   The book is not tired or a strain to read ever, it is one of the most enjoyable reads I have ever had, and I would go so far as to say that Breakfast Of Champions is one of my top five books of all time.

5 comments about A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire).

1. Great book, great author great, series. This is one of the best high fantasy author's I have read in quite some time. I can only compare to Tolkien the work is exceptionally complete, all the sub stories wrap together with pure beauty. The kind of books you can't put down till there none left I have already ordered the pre-release on the next book.



2. Yeah George, I know; writing is really hard to do well. I mostly only review books that I liked. I LOVED the first three. I read this and was disappointed. This one really did seem to do very little to advance the story. Maybe these were set ups for later stuff. Who knows? WHEN "A Dance With Dragons" comes out, I have faith that it will be on par with, and maybe even better than the first three. But where does that leave the "Feast". Let's face it, if your read the first three and then read the fifth (WHEN it's out), you have to read the fourth, just to know what was in it. Just hold you nose and take your medicine.



3. a very dissapointing fourth installment to the series. It was a big mistake to drop half the characters. Aslo he introduces too many irrelevant and boring (as of the end of the 4th book) characters. He should have kept all the characters together for the book, made it longer if need be, and dropped the characters that add nothing to the overall storyline. hopefully they will all have been vital when the series is through, but as of now they arn't. also, who do the publishers think they are fooling by making the 4th book "1000" pages, the same length as the rest of them. The type is clearly bigger, I would venture that it's only a little over half as long as the first three. Very insulting to the readers. but i give it a 3 because the important characters (cersei, jaime) are still as interesting and as important as they were in the first three books, and I will stick with the series till the end, undoubtedly.



4. I purchased this book two years ago and I have not read it yet. I thought that the next book in the series would be coming out shortly and I wanted to read them together. Well, I am still waiting. I have read the first three books in this series and enjoyed them enough to read them twice. But this waiting is too much. Come on George, get to work on this series and let your other projects go for awhile. I hope you will finish this series during your lifetime (and mine).
   
   Look at the timeline for the hardcover release dates:
   Book 1 - Aug 1996
   Book 2 - Feb 1999
   Book 3 - Oct 2000
   Book 4 - Nov 2005
   
   It's been twelve years since the first release and we are only half way into the series. Will it take twelve more years to publish the rest? Is Book 5 coming out in 2009? ... 2010? And George, don't tell me to get a life. Without readers what kind of life would you have? You owe it to your readers to finish in a timely manner what you started. You have the potential to be remembered as a great writer - if you give us the rest of this series.



5. I do not feel as though I could ever give any less stars than three for such a brilliant author as Martin. However, I do agree with most of the reviews that this book just did not make the cut. I really loved the first three books, and had a hard time putting them down. This fourth book took me awhile to read, as I had a hard time getting into it. I am very hopeful, as are most Martin fans, that book five will probably knock our socks off. Maybe this book was just a bad dream. This book tended to go on and on and really lose sight of the point. Martin probably could have shortened this book to 500 pages, and gotten his point accross just as well. Well, lets hope book five is out sooner than later. I am sure that Martin will redeem himself with that book.

5 comments about Armageddon's Children (The Genesis of Shannara, Book 1).

1. I've read the Shannara series but never the Knights of the Word. With this series Terry has created the bridge between the two piquing my interest for the latter. In this book, the author shows the destruction of our world by humanity's decisions (although the physical destruction is aided by demons) and plays with references to contemporary acts. Although the action is sometimes slow (few of these) it makes a good point of showing despair, stagnation, delusion, "xenophobia" and other societal ills that are sprinkled with glimpses of hope to keep the heroes going. I'm looking forward to see how this Earth becomes Shannara.



2. I am one of those readers who doesn't like, or dislike, any specific genre. My only goal is to find a great story that I can get lost in, and boy did this do it for me! I love all the characters, as they are so well developed. You watch them all have ups and downs, go through good and bad, and react according to their nature (which may not be what you expect). Great read!



3. When I heard Brooks was combining Shannara with the Word & Void, I thought it was a great idea. Who wouldn't want to see how the Four Lands was created and what happened with the Great Wars? So I picked up Armageddon's Children. While I did enjoy the book, I still felt like something was missing from Brooks' writing. The storyline felt hastily written and the characters lacked real substance that could easily be found in Brooks' previous novels (Heritage namely).
   
   As stated above, the combination - in my mind - is a really intriguing idea. I just think Brooks could have executed it a little bit better with more time (and detail) invested. I am interested to see how the story pans out, but I am definitely waiting until the paperback edition of Elves of Cintra.



4. Armageddon's Children by Terry Brooks
   
   
   Gripping book!
   
   One of my favorite books of all time, The Elfstones of Shannara, was of course written by Terry Brooks. It was so exciting and had so many great characters. It kept my interest and I loved reading it, which is why I've read it three times.
   
   Armageddon's Children is that kind of book as well. I loved it. I actually didn't read it. I listened to it on audio CD during my recent book tour of the west. I had such a great time listening to the book in the car. I would arrive at my destinations and would be mad that I couldn't listen longer! I'd linger in the car for a moment and just hear a little more.
   
   What's it about, you ask? Armageddon's Children is an epic story about the end of our world. It's about the few survivors of the nuclear, chemical, and biological apocalypse that has wiped out the planet a few hundred years from now (I believe). The survivors are battling to stay alive and we see the world from several points of view. Namely, a group of street kids, led by a young man named, Hawk, and Logan Tom, a precursor to the Druids in the Shannara books.
   
   In this horrific future earth, demons have come from another dimension to wreak havoc on the world. They manipulate the once-men and use them as soldiers and seek to utterly destroy the human race. Armageddon's Children is about the end of days, when very few people are left alive. The writing is powerful, tense, and masterful.
   
   There are several great characters, especially Logan Tom and the young boy called Hawk. I loved reading about them and feel that Terry Brooks did marvelous characterization. Their stories are intense, personal, and gripping. I highly recommend this book. If you have a chance to listen to it, the reader is amazing. He's a professional actor and he reads the narration with brilliance and gives each character a distinctive voice. He made me feel the emotions and now I'm hooked on audio books when I have to be in the car for long periods of time.
   
   I haven't read Terry Brooks in a while, but I'm so glad I "read" this one. Once I finished I had to get the second one. I had a book signing at a Barnes and Noble in Las Vegas and they didn't have book two on audio CD, so I drove across town to another Barnes and Noble and bought book two, The Elves of Cintra, then immediately listened to it in the car as I drove onward.
   
   Armageddon's Children is a dark fantasy that lays the foundation for the Shannara books. You don't have to have read any of them to understand this series. If you like epic fantasy this is a book for you. As a writer of fantasy, I'm very critical of writing, and I can honestly say that this is a great book.
   
   Happy reading!
   
   Paul Genesse, Author of The Golden Cord
   Book One of the Iron Dragon Series
   [...]



5. As a reader of Terry Brooks since the original Shannara Trilogy, I was eager to read this series about the earliest origins of the Four Lands. I was a little startled when I opened the book and foun myself at the dawn of the 22nd century in a post apocolyptic Indiana! It was an enjoyable book with a compelling story. Brooks has always told a good story. For the nitpickers out there, Brooks has never really become a good writer, just a good story teller. The characters tend to be flat and the writing cliched, but the story is always compelling. I enjoyed it, as I have always enjoyed his novels.

5 comments about Mass Effect: Revelation.

1. I've played Mass Effect on the Xbox 360 twice through now and I'm a huge fan of the game, I enjoyed reading this a lot more than I think someone who was not familiar with the ME storyline would. The writing (and I agree with reviewers like MAW who claim this is very mediocre sci-fi writing) is very average (think junior high school), not very substantial (it doesn't have "teeth") and indeed does read like a cheap sci-fi novel that was written in a few days (very ordinary prose). Having trashed the book in this manner, I do have to say it was a fun and fast read. Don't read it for literary purposes, it was obviously not written with that intent. This is not Bradbury or Asimov. This is, however, a nice introduction to the ME storyline as we so far understand it to be based on the game itself and only the game. We are introduced to the characters Anderson and Saren (among others) and we learn about how it is that they arrived at the status they have by the time we've played ME (if you opted not to go through most of the extra questions in the game you'll miss a lot of background information).
   
   
   Again, a fun and fast read, recommended for fans of the game. I don't think anyone else would really enjoy this as much or find that reading it was time well spent. Fans will likely find a few flaws/inconsistencies in the details of how certain characters were eliminated but this is not a perfect book.



2. Mass Effect: Revelation by Drew Karpyshyn was really well written! I could not believe I was in a whole new universe! I was so excited for the video game and once I found out there was a book that takes place prior to the game, I told myself I would not play, until I read. So I did, and it made my love and totally engrossed me even further! I can not wait for more Mass Effect sci-fi to hit the shelves! Either in book format or gaming!
   
   This book is about a young lady... actually just read the back cover and maybe an excerpt and you will get the idea.. I suggest that you read it! Thanks D. Karpyshyn!



3. From the Prologue to the Epilogue it was mind blowing, Revelation answered a lot of questions in the Mass Effect world and then some. it even went down to how it effected the religion and economy of earth after finding a bass on Mars and a Mass Relay orbiting Pluto which they all thought was the moon Cheron. I loved how they talked about the reason behind Saren Hating humans. and it also shows how he acts when he behaves during a mission, and how he executes it as well. i was simply blown away by Revelation and cant wait to read Ascension



4. Ascension is one of a few books based on a pre-existing media that can be read by itself. Of course, the style of the writing is also the cause of this, which is the primary reason for the 5 star rating.
   
   The style of the writing is in such a manner that it lets the story itself progress without being hindered by the world building in the background. The two complement each other and are at times hard to distinguish. Information is given on Mass Effect's races, their culture, technology, history, etc. while maintaining linkage to the story. Simultaniously, events in the story act as catalysts for this information to be given.
   
   Overall, Revelations is a novel that gives a good story and a good introduction to the Mass Effect universe and can easily be read as a stand-alone. It's difficult to find fault in it.



5. Ever since playing the video game Mass Effect for the X-Box 360 i have become completely obsessed with the universe that the was created by the makers of this game. This novel does great job of expanding the Mass Effect universe by filling in some of the blanks that take place before the video game.
   
   SPOILERS FOR THE VIDEO GAME BELOW
   This novel tells the story of how the the Spectre Saren acquired his flag ship Sovereign, which we all know by now is a Reaper. I wont give away any of the books details but if you are a fan of the game you owe it to your self to give this book a chance. You wont be disappointed. This is how a true Renegade Spectre acts. Very good writing

5 comments about Star Wars(r) Jedi Twilight Coruscant Nights I (Star Wars).

1. As should be evident from the cover artwork, JEDI TWILIGHT is being marketed as a hardboiled detective story, with former Jedi Jax Pavan as a sort of latter-day Philip Marlowe. The prototypical hardboiled detective is a man who, although a good egg (yep) and a smart guy, has been toughened up by encounters with corrupt institutions (like the police and politicians) on one hand, and the seedy underbelly of society, on the other hand. He is a flawed hero whose past fall from grace both limits and drives him. A Jedi like Pavan, who was a respected knight before the overthrow of the Republic, and who is now forced to live in the margins of society, might plausibly make a hardboiled detective.
   
   But he's not; he's too young, he's not really a detective, there's nary a femme fatale in sight, and, in any event, this novel is not really his story--rather, it is a story Pavan shares in equal measure with an underworld assassin, an aide to Darth Vader, and an ex-reporter and his droid companion. Aside from reveling in the seediness and decay of the lower levels of Coruscant -- you didn't think that the glitz at the top of the skyscrapers was all there was to the capital planet, did you? -- this isn't much like a hardboiled detective story, either. On the surface there are some resemblances to THE MALTESE FALCON, with an elusive droid playing the part of the MacGuffin (an object whose main purpose is to drive the plot), but that's just on the surface. Like THE MALTESE FALCON, there are many subplots going on, but, alas, unlike in the MALTESE FALCON, none of them are very interesting. At the core, this is a Star Wars novel that serves as a vehicle for Star Warsy characters to do Star Warsy things like tricking a battle droid into colliding with a repulsor field in order to give a Jedi a chance to ram his light saber into something-or-other and make the droid explode.
   
   One of the book's strong points is its exploration of the underside of life on Coruscant. In Reeves' reading, Coruscant is like a cross between Asimov's Trantor (from the Foundation Trilogy -- that's something to read before you pick up this book!), Ridley Scott's Los Angeles (from "Blade Runner"), and the stereotypical inner city you see on TV cop shows every day. It's a neglected world of 24-hour (26-hour?) twilight, where a Hutt and his gang or a horde of schizoid droids might be hiding around any given corner.
   
   Another point of interest is the Reeves' treatment of droids. We know that Obi-Wan famously said "If droids could think, there'd be none of us here, would there?" in "Attack of the Clones," and I'm still not sure whether this was intended to show that Obi-Wan had a blind spot or was meant as a Lucasfilm policy statement on the issue of droid sentience. In any event, we are given every reason to think of R2D2 and C3PO as sentient beings. If they are sentient beings and they are owned by others, then they are slaves and the citizens of the Republic are slaveholders. Lucas et al. don't want to touch this, because they want droids to be both controllable pets and smart beings capable of independent thought. Reeves suggests that it is only rare droids that, like his I-5YQ, have somehow achieved self-awareness, but even the disposable, centrally controlled foot-soldier battledroids seem to have some self-awareness ("Uh-oh!"). I don't find I-5YQ particularly interesting as a character, but it will still be interesting to see how the Star Wars powers that be allow Reeves to develop the character and what he is allowed to say about droids in general.
   
   In sum, while marketed as stylish sci-fi noir, this novel is pretty standard Star Wars fare. It's not great and it's not terrible, and if you're at the airport and need something to help pass the time, you could do worse.



2. The aptly-named Jedi Twilight, the first book of the Coruscant Nights trilogy by Michael Reaves, is an adventurous, fast-paced romp of a tale that skillfully weaves in many characters and story elements of the larger Expanded Universe. The setting is the largely untapped Dark Times, the eighteen years between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. The Jedi have been decimated by the infamous Order 66, Emperor Palpatine is consolidating his grasp on the galaxy and building his new Empire, and Darth Vader is growing comfortable in his position at his master's side.
   
   Reaves brings a very intriguing cast of characters to this story. Referencing his own earlier works, the main character is Jax Pavan, son of Lorn Pavan who had the limelight in Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter. Happily, Lorn's sarcastic and self-aware droid sidekick I-5YQ returns, bringing along his closest friend, Sullustan reporter Den Dhur. Den was first featured in another Reaves work, the Medstar duology, as was rising Black Sun vigo Kaird, also returning here. More surprisingly, Reaves also grabs Prince Xizor of Steve Perry's Shadows of the Empire fame and tosses in Nick Rostu from the superb Shatterpoint by Matthew Stover. It's definitely an interesting brew of characters.
   
   The storyline primarily focuses on weaving relationships between these disparate people, using a chase for a missing protocol droid named 10-4TO as its focal point. Reaves deftly depicts the grittiness and peril of the less desirable reaches of Coruscant, creating a vaguely film noir atmosphere with what really is a detective story at its core. The inclusion of Prince Xizor and the insights into his ascension up Black Sun's ladder are particularly compelling reading. The sections featuring Vader are brief, and some of his dialogue doesn't seem quite right tonally. Arguably, since this is so early into Anakin's career as Vader, he may indeed have spoken differently from the familiar dialogue we heard in the Original Trilogy. His actions, however, are very much in keeping with his characterization from the films.
   
   Events weave into a gripping climax set in Coruscant's downtrodden Factory District. There is an illuminating foreshadowing of Xizor's humaniform creation Guri in his hidden facility, and Reaves brings an extremely entertaining new concept to the Star Wars universe in the form of feral droids. These regressed droids are the result of programming gone haywire and act as a thematic counterpoint to the heightened self-awareness of I-5.
   
   Jedi Twilight is a fun, entertaining kickoff to a promising trilogy. Reaves does a good job with managing an unusual cast and setting up future books while simultaneously creating a reasonably self-contained story. The book doesn't end with a particular cliffhanger, but through its strong character focus it creates excitement for the second volume in the series, Street of Shadows.



3. Interesting storyline based on characters known and unknown in the Star Wars Universe. It expands the universe with characters you can care about, yet only gives you the one book to wrap up the tale in. Am looking foreward to more in this new series.



4. I was a little bit disappointed by the title of the book compared to the actual story, but the story was effective at sucking me in, and keeping me wanting more.
   
   With a title like "Jedi Twilight," I was hoping that the book would focus more on Darth Vader's efforts to remove the last of the Jedi from the galaxy, but instead, this book is focused on a period where the Jedi are really not much of a threat to the Dark Side.
   
   With all of that being said, it is easy for the reader to find an attachment to the main character Jax Pavan. It will be interesting to see where Michael Reaves takes the rest of the story. Jax will clearly have to confront (or be confronted by) Vader. He obviously dies before Episode IV begins, but I'm very intrigued to see how this turns out.



5. First of all, the blurb on the back of the book (and repeated in the official synopsis) is incorrect. Jax Pavan is not eking out a living as a private investigator, at least not in book one of this series. The blurb probably is trying to evoke a sense of film noir, which on the other hand is correct. This series definately seems to be an attempt at Star Wars cyberpunk (or at least Jedi noir).
   
   Following the virtual extinction of the Jedi with Order 66, Jax Pavan is one of the survivors, dwelling in the slum levels of the capital planet-city Coruscant. He is slowly joined by a motley collection of allies, including another Jedi, an unusual droid and a former investigative reporter. Driving them together is Darth Vader's unexplained desire to capture or kill Pavan, who like virtually everyone else, has no idea Vader is Jax's old friend Anakin Skywalker.
   
   Vader is the only primary Star Wars character in the first book of this new trilogy. But there's also the significant presence of a character from the Star Wars book universe, Prince Xizor, on his path to taking over the Black Sun criminal organization. Everyone else is a new character, and one of the book's strengths is that their adventures are fascinating enough to make you look forward to the next volume.
   
   There's also a passing reference to a couple of droids who can only be C-3P0 and R2-D2, which is kind of cute.

5 comments about Left Behind: A Novel of the Earth's Last Days (Left Behind No. 1).

1. I have no idea why this book has been acclaimed by so many people-- even by many Christians-- as a great work of literature. The plot is weak and chock-full of bland, superfluous details. Buck's part of the story is particularly uninteresting. There are just too many things going on all at once. His part of the story gives us the specifics of how he plugged in his computer to an outlet and how his subconscious waking system didn't work one day when he wanted to get up at 8 and instead woke up 45 minutes later.
   
   I also believe that the end-times view this book supports has no biblical backing, though this is not the reason why I gave this book only one star. I hold to the Postmillenialist viewpoint and would love to have a discussion if you have any questions/arguments about this particular viewpoint or end-times in general. (In the comment section, I have posted a short paper about end times.)



2. The Rapture and biblical prophecy are fascinating subjects that could be the basis for a roller coaster modern story. Unfortunately the authors dilute the potential with long, boring, inconsequential text. I trudged through the first 2 books, then finally threw in the towel on the 3rd after reading a *chapter* describing a traffic jam! The best of this series could be distilled to just a few books but, keeping with the theme, it's already too late...



3. If you want soap opera-style melodrama with a "Christian" twist, then maybe this series is for you. If you want the truth, then keep right on walking. I have studied Bible prophecy for the past 40 years, and though I do lean toward a belief in a "catching away" of believers (rapture) and a seven year tribulation on earth, this book is about 10 percent truth and 90 percent total balderdash. There is no reason to get so wrapped up in something that will not happen the way the authors describe. What we as Christian believers are to do is to live our lives loving the Lord and our fellow man and leave the rest to Him. I'm sorry I read this book, it was a waste of my precious time that could have been spent doing something productive.



4. I love this book. I had to force myself to but it down so I don't read though it all at once. I find that the characters are very real, and other than the initial event (the Rapture) all of the following events sound realistically possible (in a novel). I have read many negative reviews from Christians denouncing that it doesn't exactly follow the Bible. And from others saying that it's nothing but religious evangelicalism. To all of those I say "It's a novel". It's fiction. It doesn't have to follow other sources and the writers can say what they want.
   To me it is a perfect mix, not too far out there and not too much preaching.
   I would recommend it to anyone interested. If you don't like the first book then don't read the rest.



5. I really, really wanted to like this as I love religious fiction and those titles dealing with end times in particular though. There is no getting around it, however - this is one of the most poorly written books to have ever been published, period.

No comments about Stargate Atlantis: Mirror, Mirror (Stargate Atlantis).

5 comments about Sins of the Night (Dark-Hunter, Book 8).

1. While all of the DH books are fantasy, this one was the 'most out-there' of all of them so far. Kenyon just doesn't develop Zarek and Danger enough to make it believable that a Shade and a soulless dark hunter could suddenly develop emotions and feelings. It just didn't tie in that well with the rest of the series, and it left me wondering if the rest of the series is like this, then I don't know if I want to spend any more money on the books.



2. I did not care about anyone in this story. This book is not in the same caliber as her other DH books and to me was not important to the series. It was this book and book # 9 that made me stop buying her series - two not even good read in a row is all I give an author. Maybe if they would quit turning out so many books a year the story/style would still be the same.
   
   Your over doing it SK with the DH, Dream series and the one under Kinley MacGregor.



3. I have to start this review by saying I have had a love-hate relationship with these DH books. I would love one, then would hate the next. I have struggled with the quality of the writing, which I found simplistic and at times cheesy. But with this installment I am now officially hooked-the story lines are so good and the characters so interesting that I'm over it- I don't care about the quality of the writing or the cheesy lines. I love this series!
   While I have had a negative review or two for SK's books in the past, I really don't understand the negative reviews for this one. I think overall the plot, writing, and character development have never been better. You find out some very interesting things about Ash which advances the story line. Alexion and Danger are awesome characters and the chemistry between them jumps off the page. There are no slow points in my opinion.



4. So how many stories can Sherrilyn Kenyon tell about the Dark-Hunters and not repeat herself? Seems to be an infinate number. Each book holds clues to the overall picture of the Greek Gods yet each is such a completely different story with surprises at each turn. HERE HERE with a HIP-HIP-HOORAH for creativity slathered in wit and wisdom.
   
   More Please!



5. I am a devoted fan to the DH series but was getting a little worried after the last novel. I was NOT disappointed in this one. LOVED Alexion and Danger. Could not put it down. Loved the small bits of information on Ash and the difference in the storyline. Can't wait to read the next one!

4 comments about Marsbound.

1. Carmen Dula could just as easily be growing up on earth with her teen angst. She avoids her parents like they are the plague or when she feels kind towards them she treats them like they are just stupid; and her younger pain in the butt sibling drives her to want to run away. However, as a lottery pick family sent to live on the first human colony on Mars she knows there are not a lot places for a runaway to go to especially with the great dictator colony manager Dargo Solingen looking over everyone's shoulder.
   
   During one of her forays away from her family, Carmen finds previously undetected Martians living in an underground city in the bleak "wilderness". She tries unsuccessfully to convince Solingen what she found, but he writes her off as teenage mutant with no brains inside her head. When she and her friends learn what the Martians plan for the colonists, Carmen and company know not to waste any time with the manager; they make the effort to save the earthlings.
   
   This is an engaging coming of age Martian thriller due to Carmen who tells the story with a combination of young adult intelligence and teenage impatient angst at the stupidity of adults. The story line is action-packed though told mostly by Carmen as she learns first hand personal agendas as she deals with officious oppressors (parents and government are included), the enemy who wants her dead, and her guardian angel who she does not what Mr. Potatohead wants from her.
   
   Harriet Klausner



2. I've always loved the subtle style Joe Haldeman incorporates into his works. The references to other sci-fi literature and the subtle humor every few pages kept my as amused as the story, which unfolded at a nice pace.
   From a quadriped who expresses concern about humans standing on two "unsteady" legs to an administrative character as hated to me as Malfoy in Harry Potter, every moment was richly developed into a very plausible and interesting view of the future.
   What makes Haldeman's works so interesting is that they are told so matter of factly--referring to future events that the reader does not know about as if we do (but with the understanding that the consequences of historic events play themselves out over time and that is universal)--and in a way told so that the near future is just that. There could possibly be a space elevator at some point, and if not a Hilton in orbit, what other hotel chain would beat them out? (hopefully not something like the "super 8").
   A good, strong read if you're looking for a nice escape and a vivid story about the first colonists on Mars, and the inane tendencies of human interaction.



3. Certainly, none of us suspected that there was a 19-year old woman living inside Joe Haldeman, but one has emerged in his latest novel. Perhaps given his contact with college students at MIT, he has chosen to write his latest novel from the perspective of a 19-year old woman. Surprisingly, or not so surprisingly given Mr. Haldeman's talent, he does a pretty good job of it. The current novel is classic science fiction and feels a bit retro in flavor hearkening back to earlier decades, but incorporating modern sensibilities.
   
   Marsbound is an engaging novel told entirely as a first-person narrative. It is not a long novel (the one constant in ALL Haldeman novels is his compact writing style), but it is complete and will leave the reader satisfied. As with most of his novels, Marsbound is a writing exercise. Haldeman constantly tries new things in his writing and is not formulaic. You never know what to expect when you open one of his books. Some of his experiments in writing work better than others, but the journey is always fascinating. I enjoyed the current novel and highly recommend it.



4. THE GOOD: "Marsbound" is a relatively short, easy read and moves along at a pretty brisk pace. The portrayal of space exploration some 40-50 years hence (including space elevators, space tourism, Mars colonies, and the hazards that go along with them) is believable. Except for a few sexually explicit episodes, I would probably characterize this as juvenile science fiction, and reminiscent of Robert Heinlein's "Red Planet," as many reviewers have noted. The book is divided into three parts: (1) "Leavetaking," (2) "First Contact," and (3) "Second Contact." The first two parts are quite good. Unfortunately ...
   
   THE NOT-SO-GOOD: The third and final part of the book is where it starts falling apart just a bit. The narrative becomes rather frenetic, and the science fiction becomes highly speculative. As mentioned above, this is a book that seems geared toward a younger audience, which made me wonder whatever became of the author who wrote "The Forever War," one of the greatest sci-fi novels of all time.
   
   Overall, a mixed bag. The novel's protagonist, Carmen Dula, is likable enough, though not nearly as well-drawn as Cassandra Majumdar in Greg Bear's "Moving Mars." Haldeman has certainly left plenty of room for a sequel, and if one is written I'll be sure to read it. But coming from someone with the stature of Joe Haldeman, "Marsbound" feels a bit phoned-in.