5 comments about The Wheel of Time (Boxed Set #1).

1. OK I have read The Sword Of truth series. It was Great So I decided To try the Wheel of Time. I truly belive that Robert Jordan And Terry Goodkind are the same. There series are so simaler and so different at first i was a littole disapointed, after I started The Wheel Of time I am glad I stuck with. Great Great Series



2. I love the books, I read them about a year and a half ago, and now am purchasing them to read again, and to keep. The box sets are good quality, although more easily roughed up than I would expect. They come in a very thin box, so the actual box isn't anything you would expect to keep around, either. Otherwise, definitely a good buy.



3. The first three books of the Wheel of Time saga are exceptional modern fantasy. There is a lot of originality, lots of action, and a powerful sense of both doom and mystery.
   
   If you're looking at buying these books, you've undoubtedly come across the criticism of the series length and the quality of the later books. And its true, the series does falter rather badly beginning around book 6 or 7, and there is a steady deterioration from there. The sense of mystery and doom dissipate, the action and plot advancement cease and the characters all devolve into indistinguishable buffoons.
   
   HOWEVER, the first half of the series, and in particular these first 3 books, really are great, and highly recommended. I'd say just keep reading the series until you feel you found the point where it doesn't work for you anymore, then skip to the end once Book 12 comes out.



4. I haven't finished it yet but that's due to a lack of available time rather than desire. The novel is well written and elaborates on a world of mystical creatures and lore that every reader can be fond of.



5. I have really enjoyed where Robert Jordan is going with these novels. I cannot wait to read the following books. If you like the genre and haven't read these books (like myself) do yourself the favor and pick them up!

4 comments about Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

1. You should read this book because it has a lot of action. I liked how the assasin could put her light sabers together in this story. Great book for ages 8-12 year olds.



2. The teen novelization of the latest Star Wars film, the Clone Wars, is a short but delightful read. Granted, I'm not in the target demographic for this book, but it took me only a couple hours to run through this book and I enjoyed every minute of it.
   
   So as not to spoil anything for anyone, I'll quote the back of the book instead of rambling about the plot of the book: "Was has spread chaos across the galaxy, and the Jedi Generals Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker find themselves leading a massive clone army into battle with Count Dooku and his Separatist Alliance. On the planet Tatooine, deep in the Outer Rim of the galaxy, crime lord Jabba the Hutt's son has been kidnapped. To gain the Hutt's allegiance, an advantage over Dooku, the Jedi have agreed to find and rescue Jabba's son."
   
   Tracey West does a fine job at taking the reader through the events in the Clone Wars movie, almost scene by scene. Very little was added or omitted in this version of the story, unlike Karen Travis' novel which expanded on a great deal of scenes and characterization. But, that's an entirely different target audience.
   
   West's book is easy to read and will no doubt be a delight for the young reader in your home. If your child is a Star Wars fan or if you're trying to convert them, get this book for them. Heck, you might like it too.



3. My son's 7 and we bought this as a read-aloud chapter book. I'd say it's better suited for a 9 year old age range. But well written and a relatively quick read.



4. I like Star Wars, the Clone Wars because it has action. This book has 4 characters: Anikan, Ahsoka, Obi Wan Kenobi, Clone Commander Rex. This book has lots of armies and battles. I recommend this book to people that like action and space wars and people that like the future. This book is by Tracy west. There are lots of aliens that speak different languages. This book has lots of future weapons. This book has lots of weird ships and planets like Tatoine and armies like republic. There are people called Jedi and they have a weapon called a lightsaber there are bad people called sith lords they have lots of power they use the same weapon as a jedi. If you read this book and you like it they have a movie of it. I think this is a good book.
   
   Review by S.F. (and no, that doesn't stand for Science Fiction!)

5 comments about Single White Vampire (Argeneau Vampires, Book 3).

1. This is the most side spliting humor and good vamp series I have ever read. Do not Miss The Argeneau Vampires @ friends. I sometimes wonder If I am disturbing my neighbors with my late at night Laughter that seems to come from Nowhere... A Must Read as are all of Lindsay Sands books.



2. of course, love lynsay sands, this book was very good. love the humor and romance.



3. Single White Vampire is yet another mindblowing Lynsay Sands book. Lucern is being annoyed but his new editor to do some publicity but can hardly do TV when he needs blood, avoids sunlight and of course doesn't age. How long can he keep his new publisher and her co-workers in the dark? And how long can he deny his attraction to her a thirst he hasn't felt for centuries.
   
   Lynsay Sands does it again.



4. Lucern Argeneau just wants to be left alone. After 600 years he's bored with life and living and is just muddling through. He's a successful author, but even that doesn't bring him any real joy -- just helps pass the time.
   Then enters his editor, Kate, who thrusts herself into his life when he refuses to help market his books. Kate is recently promoted and wants to maintain her position, but to do that, she needs to get her most popular author to sign up for some publicity engagements. Just one book signing would make her happy. But Lucern is known as a recluse and when he refuses to answer written requests with more than one word (No) or give her his phone number, she has no choice but to show up on his doorstep.
   From that point on begins a series of hilarious events as Lucern tries to fight his attraction to his new editor and keep secret the fact that he is a vampire and the vampire romances he's been penning are more fact than fiction.
   This is the first book published in the Argeneau Vampire series, but chronologically, comes third. Of the 8 books out so far, this is my favorite. Lucern's brooding, serious nature was irresistible to me and I loved watching his personality come alive with Kate's influence.
   I highly recommend this book, as well as the rest of the series.



5. This book for the record, was not as good as A Quick Bite, but better than Love Bites. I struggled with the notion of giving this book a three star but rejected it, based on the fact that I have given many better books than this a three star. Still this isn't quite as bad as the other books I have given a two star...so 2 1/2 stars, really. Here, we once again re-visit the Argeneau vampire series. This time, grumpy Lucern gets his turn to to find a human chick who can't read his mind to fall in love with and then turn into a vampire. Predictabiltiy bites. Kate is everything a man would want in an eternity mate. She is fiesty, indespendant, and sexy... She is good natured even when dealing with tempermental Lucern. Kate is an editor for the romance novels Luc writes. But really they aren't novels, the are historical novels because they tell what has really happened in his family. Kate is a little dense at times and it takes her WAY too long to figure out that Luc is a vamp. This book is more comedic than Love Bites and there are very funny, well played scenes here. However, in between those funny, well played scenes are a lot of boring filler pages. We never truly grasp what is so special about Kate that in four hundred plus years, she stands out as THE ONE. And we never truly understand why Kate falls for grumpy nosed Lucern. Still, I like this family. I like the comic portions of these books. The sex scenes are pretty boring, and there are tons of repetitive things that happen in each of the first three books. Still, one could pass the time in many worse ways than to read this book. I know that this is a lighthearted series but it could benefit from some more depth to the characters, and some variances in plot elements. Other than that, Ms Sands can write some stellar moments into a book and there are little snippets of this story I probably won't forget easily.

4 comments about Spectrum 15: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art (Spectrum (Underwood Books)).

1. What can you say at this point? These annuals are an inspiration, a resource, and an accurate read on where the bar is in fantasy, sci-fi, and concept art. A total feast, once again.



2. Every year, I pre-order the Spectrum annual, and every year I enjoy it from cover to cover. Some of the most mind blowing artists work is presented in this book every single year. You will not be disappointed.



3. This series gets better every year. My favorite artists always appear in each issue, and new artists make the cut, too. As an artist myself interested in fantasy art I find this annual absolutely essential. The color quality of the entries is top notch. SPECTRUM is always inspiring! It makes me work harder!



4. "The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art". No it isn't. It's little more than DIGITAL Art. Gone is the adequate representation of artists who use pigment and a handheld applicator. Digital art is an art form in its own right. However, it DOESN'T have the right to be considered exclusive against the brilliant works of traditional artists. Those of us who paint with a brush deserve an equal standing against the very youth-driven, convenience of computer product art. I returned my copy of Spectrum-15 and will not consider any future purchase of the product without first being able to open the book and look inside. How many Oils? How many Acrylics? If Spectrum continues to disrespect traditional art by exclusion, I refuse to own it. There are many other reputable books who give equal time to traditional art. I regret Spectrum has selected to become a digital coloring book for teens. Some of the digital art is simply vulgar and child-like. Spectrum 1 through 11, YES! But, it's been going down hill since 11. Maybe it's me. Maybe the series is only for those 17 and under. If so, I apologize and have learned my lesson.

5 comments about The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

1. I realize I'm probably one of the last people on the planet to discover this wonderful book, but I got to sing its praises, too. One of the best books I've read in a long time, and fitting as I am also suddenly into Doctor Who, which is quite similar. The Earth is destroyed one horrible Thursday in order to build a hyperspatial express route, and Arthur Dent and his friend Ford (who was stranded on Earth for fifteen years) start hitchhiking around the galaxy. Never have I read a book so clever and imaginative (dealing with the meaning of life pondered by mice, nuclear bombs turning into sperm whales, depressed robots and hyper-friendly computers) with such a clever and hilarious style (pokes great fun at our little species). Grade: A+



2. This book is the ultimate litmus test as to whether the reader is ready to be happy and have joy in his life, or whether he wants to keep crying in his beer.
   
   If this book does not have you falling down on the floor laughing, then chuck it in.



3. i really enjoyed the movie, and had always wanted to read the book, so i finally purchased a copy to read.of course many think you should read the book before seeing the movie version, but i become interested in the book until i'd seen the movie. i'm glad i finally purchased one, much more info, and behind the scenes. i'm still reading it, but am very impressed soo far. i'd recommend this book to anyone.lots of fun.



4. Life the Universe and everything it is. This book will change your life for ever on many levels. Well written social comedy. It's too bad Douglas Adams is no longer on this earth, truly one of the great writers of all time.



5. "Well you see, five million years ago the Galactic economy collapsed, and seeing that custom-made planets are something of a luxury commodity you see ..."
   
   He paused and looked at Arthur.
   
   "You know we built planets do you?" he asked solemnly.
   
   "Well yes," said Arthur, "I'd sort of gathered ..."
   
   "Fascinating trade," said the old man, and a wistful look came into his eyes, "doing the coastlines was always my favourite. Used to have endless fun doing the little bits in fjords ... so anyway," he said trying to find his thread again, "the recession came and we decided it would save us a lot of bother if we just slept through it. So we programmed the computers to revive us when it was all over."
   
   -Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
   This is one of my favorite parts of the book. The comparison to the current mortgage crises is tough to miss out. Bernanke actually gave a serious thought to the option of sleeping through this but ruled it out in favour of a 700 billion bailout.
   
   I don't really know how I managed to stay away from this book so long. It finally found me, at Duke University bookstore when I was there on a recruiting trip recently. And thanks to a review I read recently it managed to grab my attention and the alumni discount made it affordable. Now I'm trying to spread the goodwill and reduce the number of people who managed to stay away from this book.
   
   It is always easier to review crappy works, 'cos you have the liberty to get creative in making fun of them. Not so much fun when you endorse something. But I'll try.
   
   The first couple of pages are slow like the roller coaster going up the slope but once the plot opens up, you take that big plunge down and have the adrenalin rush. Chapter after chapter of wild twists, meaningless jargon (I love the Infinite Improbability Drive) and some of the finest British humour. The satire, subtle pun, irony, sarcasm and random nonsense make it an absolute fun to read. The random nonsense is my favorite chracteristic. It makes it impossible to predict whats coming at you . Just surrender to the author and enjoy the pleasant surprises which extend your imagination beyond the nuiances of the day to day world. You wouldn't look at the mouse the same way after you read this book.
   
   The comical science fiction is complete fun. I have always loved Wodehouse and I find lots of similarities ( and some differences) between him and Douglas Adams. Both have the wit typical of British authors which makes it a thoroughly enjoyable read. Douglas Adams is a lot more wild and unpredictable. And thats probably because even he did not know what was coming in chapter 23 when he was writing chapter 20. Wodehouse would have got the larger plot first and then add his wit to make up funny situations. Douglas Adams has a fertile imagination which can go into more dimensions than you can imagine and in the process sometimes contradict what he said earlier. Do not expect him to be consistent. It is a small price to pay for the wild imaginative ride. Also give him the liberty to break a law or two of physics in the greater interest of the galaxy.
   
   I can't wait to get to the second book in the series. Douglas Adams passed away but the good news is that the publishers are coming out with the 6th book in the series next october to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the first one.
   
   Go grab the first book and get on it now.
   
   So long and thanks for all the fish.

5 comments about Coraline Graphic Novel.

1. I'm just an adult child at heart and love graphic novels. This one moves to the head of the class. Meet Coraline who has just about anything a child could want but is bored. She discovers a hidden world just next door. Tis similar to her world and yet vastly different and she learns a bit about life. Come join Coraline on her adventure. Perchance you may learn a bit about your life.



2. The CD was an excellent addition to my classroom library. I was reading the novel with a group of my struggling readers, so to have the audio (read by the author with his English accent!) was a great bonus. It really helped my students get inside the book and the characters. The enjoyed hearing the voices of the rats, the mice and other interesting characters in the novel.



3. The story was very interesting but I was shocked to find out this was a comic strip book. I think I would of enjoyed this book more after I read the novel. I felt this book lacked the details in the story. After reading the normal novel, then get this book - you'd enjoy it more.



4. My daughter and I had a long car trip this summer in which we listened to a library audio copy of Coraline (charmingly illustrated by Neil Gaiman himself) and absolutely LOVED the story. So, for Christmas, I had decided to give her a beautiful hardbound copy of the book to read together.
   
   UNFORTUNATELY: this graphic hardbound novel is like a comic strip version of the novel. DO NOT BUY THIS UNLESS YOU DON'T WANT TO READ THE BOOK PROPERLY. It would be more suitable as a keepsake or extra copy, but the regular text novel is too good to miss. The description here on Amazon was confusing enough to make ME think that this would just be an extra snazzy version of the novel with SOME illustrations thrown in. NO. It's ALL comic strips all the time.
   
   Sorry, but I'm a little miffed at Amazon, NOT the book. A little more information would be nice on these kind of top sellers (at the very least, we could expect that kind of service). As a very loyal amazon user, I am highly displeased at times with the lack of description on some items, and this is the worst thus far.



5. 1. This is not the novel. This is a comic book adaptation of the novel. That said, it's very well done, but you need to know what you're getting.
   
   2. I have some issues with it. It's mentioned several pages in, that it's a very cold summer and that Coraline has to bundle up, but she's drawn wearing T-shirts and short shorts and flip flops.
   
   3. Second issue. Coraline also takes "the key" with her to the other side, but the Other Mother sends a rat to get "the key" from Coraline's apartment. Then the Other Mother locks the door. It's mentioned that there is only one key. That confused me. Plus, Coraline eventually uses her own key to escape. I'm not sure if this discrepancy is in the original novel or just in this comic book version.

5 comments about Y: The Last Man, Vol. 10: Whys and Wherefores.

1. I find to disagree with the majority of critical voices here. Thinking of it, I find it hard to define what "a pushed ending" really is, but if it's like this last volume, I want to see more of it. There is no real traditional storybook ending here, no riding into sunsets arm-in-arm, or an Orwellian dark endnote. Instead, Y: Last Man wraps it up in a very lyrical, and most of all, incredibly sad way. It's to mr. Vaughan and mrs. Guerra's honour that they can pull of this (to me, anyway) satisfying action-and-romance-ending to the global "roadmovie" Y has been, while still managing to tie up all knots beautifully without opting for the predictable spectacular last twist which it seems almost everybody in the audience is expecting these days. Personally, I found # 9 to be the only vaguely disappointing volume, with the revelation of the cause of the dying men - which mr. Vaughan in all his controlled and incredibly smart writing even comments on in this volume (Pointing his finger at me smiling: "What did you expect, really? Aliens?").
   
   The artwork of mrs Guerra is like it's been for the entire run - beautiful and relatively simple, without the over-the-top colourings and digitalized shadows that I personally feel "drowns" so much of comic art today. Her drawing hand has been a perfect companion to mr. Vaughan's subtle pen, all the way.
   
   Here's one humble reader hoping mr. Vaughan keeps spending just some of his future bright writing career doing some comics. Because this is a milestone and easily one of the best titles of the decade. Y: Last Man always had more brains than most, but with this last volume, it also showed to have the biggest, aching heart. At least, it almost made me cry, which I rarely can say about any book, comic, film or TV series nowadays.



2. I used to think that Brian Vaughan was possibly one of the best comic book writers ever.
   Now I know he IS the best.
   Y has been an incredible ride, but often great journeys can make for disappointing endings. Not here. Everything that had been building in the previous 9 volumes pays off here. It's beautiful, sad, human, joyous and completely satisfying.
   Pia Guerra's art never looked better. It started off very good and grew in beauty and subtly. She interacts with Mr. Vaughan's writing so flawlessly that words are often not necessary.
   I love this series and I love this book. This is why I still read comics.



3. Brian K. Vaughan, Y: The Last Man: Whys and Wherefores (Vertigo, 2008)
   
   The end of Brian K. Vaughan's celebrated Y: The Last Man came all too early, and all too abruptly. Still, despite a resolution that reeks of "how can we tie up all these threads in the amount of time we have left?", Vaughan does a creditable job of it. It's going to be tough to say goodbye to this bunch. ****



4. i read the last trade with a bit of trepidation. i knew it's the last issues left to read and i was afraid all the journey will end badly and i will feel ripped off.
   actually i knew it wont happen. i was just sad the journey was over for me with these characters.
   and the ending? i really liked it.
   the series definitely had its highs and lows but all in all, it was great.
   it was EXCELLENT.
   if you hadn't read it yet - you should start.



5. I've read a lot of comics and graphic novels, but there have only been a few that were so good that the emotional response was almost physical. The Y: The Last Man series is one of those books (Maus is one of the other books as is the 9/11 commemorative issue of Amazing Spider-Man). The story never took a clichéd turn and explored the man/woman/life dynamic in so many ways and on so many levels. I remember reading another person's comments that the series shouldn't end while I was one-third to midway through, and thinking "Yeah, I don't want to get to the end." Now that I've finished the story, I have to disagree (although I would certainly welcome a short re-visit a la Grendel Tales or the Sandman spin-offs). I think the story met an appropriate conclusion, but no Hollywood ending here. Get it. Read it.

No comments about Coyote's Mate (Coyote Breeds, Book 2).

5 comments about Kiss of Midnight (The Midnight Breed, Book 1).

1. I enjoyed this book. Yeah, it is a knock off of the Brotherhood series, but if you have to copy, copy well. I'm hooked!



2. I found these books to be some of the most fun I have had while reading. The stories are fantastic and the romance was phenomenal. If you like great looking vampires who melt your heart....try these!



3. It's been said before - JR Ward did it better, much better. I really couldn't care too much for the characters and found the main relationship a bit unreal - from mad desire, to total rejection to undying love after just a handful of interactions? Nope, didn't work for me. I also found some of the heroine's leaps of logic a bit much, whatever, I'm sure I would have enjoyed it more had I not read the Black Dagger Brotherhood books.



4. Loved this book!
   Very exciting and nerve-raking, you'll be bitting you nails through many pages.
   Can't wait to start the next!



5. Lucan Thorne deals in death. Born of The Ancients, he is a first generation vampire warrior sworn to protect his kind and the lives of the innocent humans who live within his domain. Rogue vampires drunk with bloodlust are organizing to wage a war that threatens to destroy their quiet existence. As the Rogues stalk human prey becoming more violent and bloodthirsty, Lucan and his fellow Breed warriors battle to keep the world from slipping into chaos. Committed to the Breed and filled with an appetite for destruction, Lucan never considered taking a Breedmate...that was until he met Gabrielle.
   
   Gabrielle Maxwell views the world through the lens of a camera. As a photographer, she has always been drawn to desolate places. Some of her work could be described as menacing, but nothing could compare to the gruesome images of the fanged monsters she captured on her cell phone while out one night celebrating with her friends. The gory scene sent her fleeing into the night with evidence that would land her right in the middle of a blood war. Dismissed by the police and scared out of her mind, Gabrielle tried to get past her ordeal. She had no idea that someone had followed her home. And how could she have known that her life would forever be changed the night the very handsome "Detective" Lucan Thorne decided to pay her a visit?
   
   Lucan arrived at Gabrielle's door with the intention of getting those valuable pictures, but he discovered much more. Gabrielle bore the mark of a Breedmate; A human female possessing the genetic ability to carry a vampire child. Resistant to the mental persuasion of the vampire breed, Gabrielle has an innate ability to locate structures occupied by vampires as evidenced in her photographs. All these things add up to danger for Gabrielle and the more time Lucan spends with her, the more he hungers to protect and claim her as his mate. But a warrior is not husband material and Lucan is barely holding back his own demons. Can Gabrielle break through the walls that Lucan has erected around his heart or will Lucan turn out to be more dangerous to Gabrielle than any of the Rogues lurking in the night?
   
   Lara Adrian's KISS OF MIDNIGHT is brimming with all the things we love about vampire romance. Lucan's dark brooding dominance is tempered by Gabrielle's gentle but stubborn disposition. Together they experience passionate highs and heartbreaking lows, but always seem to find a way back to each other. Readers will note many similarities to other popular vampire romance series, but The Midnight Breed will become a favorite for those who love their vampires to be sexy, lethal, and 100% alpha.
   
   ~* Courtesy of ParaNormal Romance Reviews *~

5 comments about Dungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook: Roleplaying Game Core Rules, 4th Edition.

1. Overall better than 3.5. It plays like a different game because you aren't spending as much time on mundane tasks.



2. First off, I feel that I must make a disclaimer as to my RPG experience. I was born in 1984, so I really didn't have a chance to play the original D&D, but from the time I was about 10 years old to the time I wrote that review of the 4th edition PHB Dungeons and Dragons has been a huge part of my life. I have participated both as a player and a Dungeon Master under the 2, AD&D, 3, 3.5, and 4 rule sets. I tell you this so maybe it will seem that I know what I'm talking about.
   The 4.0 rules are great. Nowhere in the book does it say "...and you are now forbidden to play under any of the old rule sets!" This is important in light of the number of complaints coming from gamers who went out to buy the book and were surprised that the game had changed...
   
   new book = new game
   
   If you are a gamer who is happy with the rules that you play under and would not like to see them completely overhauled, then don't buy it. If you are a gamer that would like to see a fresh and innovative approach to a much beloved game, then by all means, GET THIS BOOK!
   
   The new rules are perfect for people that are new to gamer culture, or perhaps people that are used to things like board or card games and would like to see what D&D is all about. The 4th edition strips away a lot of the micromanagement that was largely responsible in the earlier versions for keeping the game mechanics out of reach to all but the most devoted fans. By taking away these clumsy specifics, not only does the 4th edition become available to new audiences, it encourages players to use their imagination and ingenuity rather than their knowledge of book supplements and arcane rules.
   
   All in all, an excellent book and a fascinating re-working of a superb game. My only gripe is mentioned in another review, and that is the VERY lacking glossary, which makes it almost necessary to use a bunch of self-labled sticky notes for easy reference.



3. As someone who was very skeptical about the 4th edition I can say confidently that it is better than 3.5 edition. It turns out, it is incredibly fun to play and the way everything functions is actually very fluid. For one, I can make a character in roughly 10 minutes(if I don't worry about creating a backstory). One thing that is the cause of this drastic reduction in time over the other systems is that they combined many different skills into a broader category. Also one huge bonus for me is that all of your skills increase as you level, which makes more sense really. 1/2 you level is added onto all skill checks. This means that your adventurer improves in general with experience, not just in specific ways that you choose arbitrarily. You still do pick skills to train but it is a lot simplier and intuitive.
   A few other great things are At will, encounter, daily, and utility powers. Rather than just doing the same basic attack over and over with martial characters, you constantly are given a choice. The same goes with all other characters. For one thing, wizards never run out of spells, which is a vast improvement, I mean wizards are such a cool class but when they ran out of spells they used to be useless, now they still have spells they can use at will ones as much as they want.
   As for the way this system works while actually playing it, it is great and immersive. When as a fighter you can fight and push an enemy into a trap using certain maneuvers, it becomes a bit more fun to be one. Or as an ranger-archer style when you can fire 2 arrows at once, or cripple an attacker by attacking their feet. In short the game becomes more strategic and fun as you are given more options.
   Races are a lot more important in this system. Each race has bonuses and skills that can completely change the way your character plays. For instance the dragonborn characters can breath fire, the eladrin can magically teleport, elves can reroll an attack every encounter, and Halflings can force an enemy to reroll an attack that hits, or for instance a critical hit. These differences can dramatically change the way your character plays.
   Anyway from my experience with the game, the game becomes a lot simpler in a very good way. It is fun, dynamic, strategic, and you always feel you are playing a vital role with every character. Anyway the system is an improvement if you give it an honest chance and you are sure to enjoy this book as it provides you nearly every thing you need to play the game(if you have a DM, who has the dungeons masters guide)



4. I don't have much to add to what everyone else has to say: I was weaned on second edition, recently made the switch to 3.5 after a college hiatus, then looked to fourth edition after listening to WOTC's incredibly misleading podcasts. They actually make you think that people are excited about this game - HA! - maybe if you didn't make it past elementary school or enjoy playing shallow, bland characters. This is corporate marketing at its worst (or finest)...the production quality is poor, the art is usually substandard, and the language is incredibly condescending. As a lover of wizards, I find the complete emasculation of that class revolting, to say the least! Also, I wonder why WOTC revamped the alignment system - the old nine-point system provided incredible diversity while the new build stifles moral and ethical possibilites for your characters - if you're good, you either like law/order or you don't; if you're evil, you either work with others and manipulate the system or lose yourself in the throes of chaos; or, you're just plain neutral and look out for your interests...boring. The content in ALL of the 4th edition books is minimalist, but even Miles Davis would be ashamed...less is NOT more in D&D Core Books - 3.5 books abound with information while 4th edition throws detail by the wayside and creates a system of homogenous characters and easy adventures. It will be interesting to see if WOTC's stock slowly declines as players reject this new edition...



5. This is a huge step backwards from D&D 3.5. The classes all work the same way mechanically, giving the game a big homogenized feel. It's just too dumbed down. D&D evolved from tactical wargaming, and anything that doesn't reflect that background doesn't feel like D&D. Sure, combat can be quicker if you have a party that knows what they're doing, but that doesn't necessarily make the game better. It's just too geared towards powergaming, as opposed to roleplaying. A shame, since there's a lot of great fluff in the DMG, but the system doesn't lend itself to roleplaying.
   
   As far as technical aspects, Wizards messed up by binding these books very poorly, and leaving lots of things out of the first printing.