5 comments about The Ghost in Love: A Novel.

1. Prepare to give up any connection with Real Life rules and associations as you open this surreal tale that weaves a slapstick interpretation of the afterlife with a heartfelt love story. The book opens with a ghost yearning for an unattainable object of adoration, a woman named German Landis. Luckily, the ghost, while spending lots of time cooking meals for German (that she will never eat or even see), has a dog named Pilot to chat with about this unrequited love.
   
   German has recently broken up with her lover, Ben Gould. Although she left him because he had begun acting strangely, she still longs for him. The beginning of their relationship was magically passionate and intense. Back then, Ben found an elderly dog named Methuselah at the animal shelter as a surprise for his new love. On the walk to present the dog to German, though, Ben took a serious fall. He not only could have died --- he should have died. Instead, he awakens, goes into the hospital and eventually recovers.
   
   That near-miss death has bizarre supernatural repercussions. Ben's ghost lurked about him in confusion immediately after the accident. The Angel of Death shows up in a diner to discuss the situation with the ghost. The Angel appears incognito, as the leftovers of a customer's bacon and eggs, while Ben's ghost is manifested as a big black fly buzzing in and around the egg yolk. The Angel's theory is that something similar to a computer virus has infected the heaven's equivalent of a computer system. He suggests it may be the fellows in Hell who have glitched up the works. The Angel suggests that Ben's ghost should hang around with Ben since the ghost is stuck on earth anyway and must wait until the virus problem is fixed. Maybe, the Angel suggests, the ghost can somehow guide Ben to be a better person.
   
   When Ben gets home from the hospital, though, he acts so strangely that German regretfully leaves him. The two share custody of Methuselah, now named Pilot. Although both German and Ben long for each other, they constantly misfire instead of connect whenever they're together. Meanwhile, the Angel of Death again consults with Ben's ghost (whose name, we learn, is Ling) in a movie theater. Today, the Angel is a middle-aged balding man who chomps on popcorn and loves Hitchcock. Afterward, the two go for pizza.
   
   In the pizzeria, they see a couple of familiar people: Ben and German, who are back in the past when their relationship was glorious. German recommends the pizza known as the Titanic to the newcomers. When an odorous homeless man enters the restaurant, Ben gives him pizza and the Angel of Death addresses the stranger by name, resulting in an act of violence. And then the plot gets really strange, as characters and times loop around and through each other in a dizzying manner.
   
   There's no doubt that readers must suspend all disbelief when entering a Jonathan Carroll zone. The wondrous thing is that, thanks to Carroll's matter-of-fact, understated writing, his bizarre characters and plots somehow weave together into a mostly plausible (if you don't think too hard about it), entertaining, hilarious and sometimes oddly touching whole.
   
   --- Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon (terryms2001@yahoo.com)



2. I was hesitant about reading The Ghost in Love. I loved Outside the Dog Museum, but The Marriage of Sticks bored me. Unfortunately, The Ghost In Love failed to thrill me.
   
   The novel contains a lot of elements that will be familiar to Carroll's readers--sentient dogs, ghosts, unbelievable coincidences. The first third or so of the book sets up some interesting scenarios that I won't spoil, and which eventually merge. However, by the end of the novel, Carroll has turned it into a quasi self-help style novel that I found unbearably syrupy.



3. Toward the end of anything I am notorious for needing a second wind. During the last week or two of school, all I could do to get through one of the hardest semesters of my life, academically speaking, was to look forward reading a book of my choosing. My last final coincided with my birthday, and when I ripped up the carefully crafted wrapping on a gift given to me by my parents, I was happy to discover that I now owned the ghost in love.
   
   I really enjoyed this book. Was it my favorite by Mr. Carroll? No. Sometimes when I read a book, I read a passage that I feel as though was the author's secret nod to me. A passage that makes me stop reading and re-read it again with wonder....wonder if this author saw me at some impasse in life, and instinctively knew not just what I felt, but what might take me years to figure out about a single moment. This book really didn't have that either. So what did I like then?
   
   One scene in particular at the end of the book was truly beautiful. Without delving too deep into the plot, at one point the main character Ben is surrounded by many versions of himself. He doesn't recognize any of them. Some appear young, old, beautiful, ugly, Asian, black, female, nerdy, thuggish, etc.. He doesn't understand why his girlfriend (named German) is so quick to embrace these people that he is not familiar with. One of these mysterious characters comes up to Ben, and they have the following exchange:
   
   "I'm sorry, but do we know eachother?"
   
   "We do. I'm you." Spilke pointed to each of the other passengers. "And he's you and she's you and, well, all of us are you."
   
   "You're me?"
   
   "We are. We're the parts of Ben Gould that German loves. You're just seeing us today through her perception rather than your own. It's as if instead of using a mirror, you closed your eyes and asked German to describe what you look like. How she sees you is different from the wasy you see yourself."
   
   "So basically I'm talking to myself here?"
   
   "Spilke said, "Basically, yes."
   
   "And who are you?"
   
   "I said it before: we're parts of Benjamin Gould that German Landis loves. The difference is that today you're seeing them from her perspective rather than your own.
   
   "Why do people love us, Ben? We're always trying to figure that out, but only by using our own point of view. That's so limited. Sometimes they love us for things we don't even know about ourselves. For example, they love our hands. My hands? Why would anyone love my hands? But they've got their reasons. You must accept that and realize the Ben they know is different from the Ben you know.
   
   "You don't remember it, but German once called you Mr. Spilke. That's me; I was her teacher in school. The reason she called you by my name was that something about you reminded her of me. Something special about me that she loved and saw in you too. That's true about every one of us in the car: all of us were in German's life at one time or another. There was something unique about each of us that she loved. She saw those same qualities in you too."
   
   ----
   
   I'm not exactly what it is about this passage that screams out at me. I like the idea of being loved for something that no one has any control over. Sometimes we play up the qualities we think another person likes, or mute those qualities we believe to be more of a liability than an asset. To know that someone could love you...me, due to something so simple and silly as a handshake, or the noise we make right before a sneeze is so... romantic. Weird.



4. What a delight to find a new author. What's even better is finding out he's been writing for years and there are all of these undiscovered countries to explore. I dislike too much information in reviews and on book jackets. (And besides, you can find out as much as, or more than you want, from other reviews.) So let me just say that if you enjoy traveling with the likes of Kurt Vonnegut(Breakfast of Champions Tom Robbins(on his mellow days, something like Jitterbug Perfume) or even Richard Bach (Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah) you may LOVE Jonathan Carroll. I think at the very least you will enjoy traveling with him in the world of THE GHOST IN LOVE.



5. I just finished "The Ghost in Love" by Jonathan Carroll and I am looking
   for the next "Carroll" novel. "Ghost in Love"
   really had me going over memories, which ones I might like to revisit, and
   which are better left as just that---memories.
   The concept that Carroll has the reader grasp is a tough one, but enthralling, to say the least. To truly be in control of our destiny.
   Also,to be given the chance to make right in our lives what we have so
   brilliantly screwed-up! I think that all of us wish for that, this book
   helped me to feel that it might just be a possibility.
   You have to get your mind around some of the oddities, but when you do I
   believe you may feel enlighted. Happy Reading

5 comments about Wild Space (Star Wars: The Clone Wars).

1. The Republic is in turmoil and the ever elusive General Grievous is causing havoc in the battle against the Separatists. Senator Bail Organa has been in constant communication with an unknown source that has warned of an imminent Sith attack. Reluctantly the Jedi Counsel sends Obi-Wan Kenobi and Bail on a top secret mission to meet with his source and determine the nature of the threat. Their dangerous journey will lead them into the unchartered Wild Space territories and ultimately to the dark Sith world of Zigoola. Obi-Wan has faced a life time of trials and turmoil, but nothing can prepare him for the darkness that awaits in Wild Space.
   
   This is Karen Miller's first foray into the Star Wars universe, but it certainly won't be her last. Wild Space is an engaging tale that gives us a new and refreshing glimpse behind the scenes of the Clone Wars. Miller effectively incorporates a few action packed sequences, but the novel's strength lies in the exploration of the relationship between Bail Organa and Obi-Wan Kenobi. The dynamic between these two revered characters is fun and eye-opening at every turn, bringing yet even more depth to the Star Wars universe we love so much.
   
   Wild Space was a pleasant surprise for me and Karen Miller has proven that every Star Wars novel doesn't have to be full of epic battles, dueling light sabers, and droid decapitation. Miller reminds us of the one thing that makes Star Wars so iconic: the characters. This is a different style of Star Wars storytelling, and one that is a welcome addition to the exciting Clone Wars novels.



2. Finishing it was a struggle for me, Miller is just not the type of writing that does it for me. If you like the character interaction, then it may be for you.
   I must first admit that I enjoy the epic battles and saber action. I like the Clone Wars and brought the book on sight. The cover had Captain Rex and the army behind him. Unfortunately that was just a cool cover from stock art work and had nothing to do with the story. Based on Jake's review, you can expect that I found it boring. One part I found clever was a tie-in with a Clone Wars Cartoon Network episode titled "Downfall of a Droid." If you have seen it, then you know Anakin is off on a different mission, but Miller could not pass up a few chapters dedicated to babble dealing with his love for Padme before he dashed off - like I did not know. I think it was there because she could. Maybe I am missing a soft spot for that. I read a different review based on the audio version that pegged my feelings concerning characters being off. In that review, which I concur with, Bail is out of character by being confrontational with Obi-wan, amoung many other observations. There is plenty of time dealing with the Obi/Bail interaction while in hyperspace for days - to a point of boredom because it seemed like days in reading it.
   I suspect Miller is good at character details, politics, and current events, she spends most of the book doing that. Perhaps that is why she deals with characters that do nothing for the story, just so she can dabble in their character. I feel like I know more about the author better than the characters.



3. A great Star Wars book that really delves into the characters and makes them come alive. This is really a Kenobi story and it rocks.



4. "This book may as well have been called; Clone Wars: The Gay Tension between Bail and Obi-Wan. This was one of the most annoying Star Wars books I've ever read in my life. The writing is horrible, and the story is lame.
   
   The ongoing back and forth power struggle between Bail and Obi-Wan resembles nothing more than two people with way too much sexual tension between the two of them. As the story progressed I found myself wishing that they would just knock boots with each other and get over it so that the story could move on to something else. Since this never happened, page after page was nothing more than these two going back and forth. Boring!
   
   For Karen Miller's first Star Wars book, I wish it would be her last. She shows that she knows little to nothing about the Star Wars universe as she fails to utilize all the well established characters in this vast world, and focuses on two for the entire story.
   
   If I had one positive thing to say about this book, I like how the story crosses with one of the Clone Wars episodes. In specific, the one where R2-D2 is lost by Anakin. However, this is a handful of paragraphs in a couple hundred page book.
   
   This book was a major disappointment.



5. I love it when authors try something new with Star Wars books, and as such, I was a big fan of Wild Space. Sure the story seemed to go on forever, but the dynamic between Bail Organa and Obi-Wan Kenobi never got old, so the lengthy story was a plus, in my opinion.
   
   I really enjoyed the "two guys stuck in a small ship" aspect of this book, and I loved the concept of Obi-Wan suffering from mental attacks the closer they got to their destination. It was a refreshing switch from the high fantasy swashbuckling we've been getting in recent Star Wars novel. I enjoy the swashbuckling as much as the next guy, but I love seeing NEW things.
   
   Another aspect I really enjoyed about the book was the intercutting it had with the TV episode "Downfall of a Droid". Its nice to see that things are happening at the same time in this vast universe, and that the Clone War was not a sequential series of conflicts in which the entire army packed up and picked a new planet to fight on each week. The breif glimpses into Anakin and Ahsoka's dynamic that we saw during these "crossover" moments were very nice, and offered a mature viewpoint into the sometimes kiddy television show.
   
   This was not a perfect book, but it was a darn good one, that I thoroughly enjoyed reading, and will certainly pick back up again in a few months and re-read.

5 comments about Proven Guilty (The Dresden Files, Book 8).

1. Book 8 in the Dresden File series; another fine addition to Jim Butcher's ongoing series featuring wizard/detective Harry Dresden.
   
   Something unusual is happening at a local horror film festival and Harry is asked to check it out. From there Harry, Murph, Bob (everyone's favorite, well OK mine at least, libidinous skull), Thomas and Mouse (his dog) go from bystanders to main combatants as they delve into the ever expanding 'Horror' situation.
   
   This is my 4th Dresden novel and it continues to use the same simplistic format that has worked well with the rest of the entire series. The outline of this story is identical to the previous books; Harry gets involved with an unusual occurrence, Harry discovers an underlying sinister plot, Harry faces astronomical odds against survival, and finally Harry saves the day. But instead of a rather boring rehash, each new work brings something fresh to the table that provides an unexpected, pleasant revelation of sorts.
   
   Conclusion:
   Basically, I like Harry and the host of other characters that Jim Butcher has produced in this entertaining series. The story is fun, fast paced and keeps those pages turning. And for light read, who could ask for more than that.
   
   Ray Nicholson



2. Another great Dresden novel! It was no "Dead Beat" or "Summer Knight" but great none the less. Can't wait to get my hands on the next one.



3. Rougly a year after his escapes in Dead Beat, Harry Dresden is back. We open in the middle of a warehouse, Harry and several other Wardens tight in a circle, all staring down at a young man, a wizard who used his magic for darker purposes. Found guilty, he is beheaded, as is the direction of the White Council. If a wizard is proven guilty of breaking one of the seven laws of the White Council, if sentenced to death, it is carried out immediately. And this seriously disturbs Harry. To Harry, the young man was no more than a child in wizard age, and was never taught right from wrong. But a soulgaze on the young man proved there was no helping him and it had to be done. Still, it doesn't sit well with Harry.
   
   As he is leaving, he is handed a note from the Gatekeeper. Black magic is afoot in Chicago, and as the regional Warden, it is his duty to find out the who, why and stop them. And just when Harry is about to start his investigation with a new and powerful `toy', Molly, the daughter of Michael, an longtime friend of Harry's, calls, begging for help. And true to Harry's form, he can't pass up a `damsel in distress' and, against his own judgement, runs to her aid. However, she isn't the one in trouble. Her boyfriend, Nelson, is. Seems he was arrested for beating up an older gentlemen, simply because he was the only one in the room. No blood on his clothes, no break in the skin of his knuckles... Something is very strange, and Harry's determined to find out what's going on.
   
   The first of many areas, Harry glimpses around the bathroom of a conference centre in a hotel, using his Sight. What's disturbing is the residual reflection he sees - and doesn't like it one bit. The hotel is very busy, what with the SPLATTERCON!!! horror convention going on, and while talking with Rawlins outside the bathroom, something else goes down, and Harry runs to find out what.
   
   With more questions and answers, the attacks are made by phonophages, made to look like the `bad guys' fron the horror movies. Phonophages are sprirtual entities that feed on fear and are being either pulled or pushed from the Nevernever. The higher the fear, the more powerful they become. Harry needs to do two things. Stop the phonophages from attacking and find out who's sending them.
   
   The deeper we get into the story, the more complicated it gets. Just when Harry thinks he's got it beat, a twist slaps him back - Molly has been kidnapped by more phonophages and is now being held in Winter's Queen Mab's `headquarters', Arctis Tor, and with the help of Molly's mother Charity, Murphy and Thomas, Summer Lady Lily and Summer Knight Fix, they go in and get Molly back. Once they've retreated and hare back with Father Forthill, Molly is given a choice, one that she has to make up herself. Can Harry handle what the Council might do to her?
   
   Oh, how I love this series! Nothing is ever as it seems, and Harry is constantly battling others as well as himself. He relies heavily on his instincts and does the best he can with what he's got. Considerate as he is, he'll do whatever is necessary and deal with the consequences later.
   
   Non-stop action, the plot not only keeps Harry on his toes, but the reader as well. No one can predict how the story is going to turn. Add in horror movie characters, add in magic and control of that magic and it makes for one heck of a story. What I truly like is how his personal life is entertwined with all that action, between Harry and Murphy, Harry and Molly and her family, Harry and Thomas, and Harry and his feelings of the Wardens and the White Council, Harry and Ebenezer, you not only get a real sense of what Harry's dealing with, but you truly understand what it is about him; why he is the way he is, why he thinks the way he thinks. As a bookaholic who loves many different genres, Harry is one of the top characters where a reader truly gets the `inside look' at the main character.
   
   I can't ask for better. I can only ask that Mr. Butcher keeps Harry coming. Serve me up more, please!



4. Spoilers aside you could not ask for a better addition to the already brilliant "Dresden Files" series. Jim Butcher has a unique way of blending dark fantasy, with the mystery detective genre rather seamlessly. While each book does well enough on it's own you really should begin with "Storm Front" to get a complete background on the characters and storyline.



5. Proven Guilty is the 8th book in the Dresden Files series and starts off with Harry attending the execution of a warlock who used his somewhat unknown magical powers to control the mind of someone, thus breaking one of the 7 laws of magic. Based on that and the title alone you should see where this book is going to head. Eventually Harry is given unoffical orders from the Gateskeeper (a secretive member of the senior white council) to watch out for and esstially investigate the usage of black magic thats going to be heading for Chicago. Shortly after, the daughter of one of Harrys friends comes to him for help to bail her friend out of jail which eventually leads him to a horror movie convention which ends up being more than just a convention.
   
   The story is somewhat subpar compared to the other main storylines of the other books. While interesting, I found myself somewhat confused after around the halfway mark of the book, especially when they seemingly threw 2 antagonists into the mix for almost no apprant reason and they instantly become one of the main bad guys for a few chapters. The real main antagonists are explained well but its not really clearly said where they came from and how many there were. At first there were around 3 or so and later on more show up, have different names, and are more powerful than the regular ones who also seeminly just disappear.
   
   The character development for the most part was fairly decent but even then we really only see partial development between Harry and Thomas and a "sub-plot" is gone into more depth and partially resolved between Harry and Murphy. One of the dissapointing parts was how Thomas and sometimes even Murphy somewhat seemed to just be Harrys muscle, especially towards the end. Michaels family hasnt really changed at all with the only exception being Molly who essentially just grows up between the books and becomes the epitome of what most people might see this generation teenagers as being and Charity(Michaels wife) is just annoying now. For the entire series her entire personality has boiled down to: "I hate you Harry Dresden, i dont trust you with anything, you put my husband in danger, you might hurt my children one day, blah blah blah", its nice to know a little bit as to why she doesnt like him as much but come on already, hes saved the entire family multiple times and yet she still has not changed at all.
   
   In the end, was this book good? Yes. Was it bad? No, however it does go down there in the bottom 3 of the series (the other 2 being Fool Moon and Blood Rites) but the thing I say about the Dresden Files is that there is no bad book in the series because every book is good, its just that I would rather read the other ones compared to this one and the other 2 listed above. If your already a fan of the series, than of course youll read it and enjoy it, if havent read the Dresden Files yet, than start with the first book, Storm Front because the series is excellent.

5 comments about Dark Mission: The Secret History of NASA.

1. I waited months for the release of this book and was excited when it arrived. However, as I began wading through the pages and pages of technical information, with blurry pictures, and a poorly organized presentation; I finally gave up about half way through the book. While I am extremely open-minded and have no problem accepting some of the concepts (glass structures above the moon), I wish the authors would have hired a good editor to present the information in such a way that a non-scientific person could understand it. Maybe a revised edition could accomplish that.



2. When I saw the title of the book, I was hoping that it would be a more overall history of NASA covering up any UFO information, sightings by astronauts during their flights, etc. While it does very briefly touch on these subjects, most of the contents deals exclusively with the "Face" on Mars, and the so called "City of Cydonia",and crystal structures on the moon, which were supposedly "revealed" in the book by absolutely worthless photos that showed nothing..................
   
   Vast sections of the book are too technical for most readers, who will become restless and skip over whole chapters as I did.
   
   
   I'm not ruling out the existence of alien structures on Mars or elsewhere, and there eventually might be something to this subject, but this book didn't have it.



3. It never ceases to amaze me how throughout time, no matter what the subject, no matter what the evidence, there are those who have a mental block to anything other than what our government has told us. I chuckle sometimes, but then realize just how powerful we could be, and how we could eliminate all pain and suffering if we could open our minds to different possibilities. All one has to do, is look at our past, and see how there has always been groups controlling other groups, and while not so in the open today, power still remains the ultimate goal for some. It's at work all around us, so to deny that it exists is to be blind. I could care less about calculations that don't match up...Hoagland's pieces of information fit well into the puzzle of information from other sources. The information that we don't understand today, will become very understandable and clear in the very near future. I hope people will find a way to be more open-minded soon, because those are the people that will hold us back when we will need to join together for the greater good of all.



4. This is a ZERO star book, but Amazon doesn't give that option. DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK. Better to get a latte and relax with News of the World or some other tabloid. It's not even as believable that the trash at the supermarket checkout!
   
   As a scientist (geologist, geochemist, etc.), I was sent an advance copy of Dark Mission to review for a prestigious national publication. Even though it cost me the fee I would have received for writing the review, I convinced the publication's editor that the book was worthless and not deserving of any review.
   
   I have never received any funding of any kind from NASA.
   
   ALL of Hoagland and Bara's claims about crystalline structures on the moon are spurious. First and foremost, the structures they describe could not survive the continuous impacts of micrometeorites on the lunar surface. There is no atmosphere around the Moon which can protect the surface from the high-speed impacts of space debris, and supposedly abandoned "crystalline towers" which Hoagland and Bara claim are visible in the photos they published in their book would be rapidly pulverized.
   
   The multitude of geochemical analyses which have been conducted on lunar materials by scientists located in laboratories all over the world show that silica (the material that makes glass) is deficient in lunar rocks. If large amounts of manufactured glass had been found on the moon's surface, it would have shown up in the numerous published geochemical analyses of the lunar regolith. Thousands of researchers around the world received and analyzed lunar samples, and if such an anomalous amount of non-natural silica found, the results would have been published and debated in the independent scientific literature.
   
   The irregular pyramidal forms that the authors claim are artificial pyramids in fact are undoubtedly of natural occurence, representing on the Moon remnant impact features (most probably central uplift features) and on the Mars possible glacial features (cirques and similar kinds of structures that one can see in the Alps, in Arctic and Antarctic mountains, and even on Mt. Rainier).
   
   Again, the morphology of geological features is an arcane subject, unfamiliar to the general public. The features of impact structures both on the Moon (where there is no atmosphere or ocean) and on Earth (where both atmosphere and ocean influence the remnant structures of impact features) have been studied intensively. Studies have included laboratory simulations of bullets hitting targets, rocks dropped on sand, and many other experimental models. These studies clearly show that the range of impact features is dependent on the direction of impact (straight up versus at an angle), on the size of the impactor, on the velocity of the impactor, and on the composition (a rocky meteorite vs. a comet, for example).
   
   Anyone who wishes to learn more about this research (which has been conducted over the past 40-50 years) can type "impact structures" into their internet search engine and find more than enough information, including hundreds of references in scholarly journals which are entirely independent of NASA.
   
   Similarly, anyone who wishes to know how the lunar surface has changed over time can type "lunar regolith" into their search engine and be rewarded with dozens of websites and journal titles. Regolith is the "soil" that results from the continuous impact of micrometeorites which reduces the surface matter of a planetary body to a fine-grained sediment.
   
   AT BEST, the material presented in this book can only be called PSUEDOSCIENCE. The features which Hoagland and Bara claim to see in their Mars photos are entirely spurious and frankly rather irrational. In photos of the Martian surface, they claim to see geometrical relationships among these supposed "pyramids" that they claim are proof that the geometry is intentional -- that is, that the structures they connect were built by constructive beings. In fact, the connections they claim to show are meaningless. When one removes all those lines, a sensible geologists sees natural glaciated and/or remnant impact peaks and rims blanketed or partially buried in regolith. That is all they are. The photos do NOT show "buried ancient cities". Only the most desperately deluded can imagine that.
   
   As an independent scientist, I have read dozens of NASA histories and there is much about NASA that can and should be criticized. It is an agency in dire need of fundamental reform. However, there is no secret Nazi hierarchy within NASA that has driven the agency's programs. Nor is there a conspiracy related to Orion or any other distant star assemblage. The lengths to which Hoagland and Bara stretch to make their links between this photo and that photo are in the end hilarious to the scientifically informed reader. The book was, in my opinion, so ridiculous, with so much that is false, inaccurate, and utterly mythological, citing "proofs" that are so fantastic and so unsupported by real data, that no one could or should take it seriously. It is not worth spending money on, and it is certainly not worth the paper and ink required to produce it.
   
   For those whose desire for conspiracies needs factual support, I recommend (highly) two recent books on NASA history:
   The Man Who Ran the Moon: James E. Webb, NASA, and the Secret History of Project Apollo
   Challenger Revealed: An Insider's Account of How the Reagan Administration Caused the Greatest Tragedy of the Space Age
   Both of these books provide MORE than enough factual scandal to keep NASA reformers productively busy for years to come.
   
   There is a strange community of people who desperately want to believe that space aliens have visited the Solar System and Earth in the past. This belief is related to their own psychological needs and is not supported by any scientific facts.
   
   My evaluation of Dark Mission is based on being forced to read it after being assigned to review it. It was very hard not to gag. My professional critical conclusion was that it was so false that it was not worthy of a review in a serious publication. It is bunk -- bunkity bunk bunk -- of the worst sort.



5. This is the first book I've ever returned. I bought it for my husband for Christmas, thinking it was a factual account of some of NASA's history. I didn't read the reviews posted before, which was a mistake. The book turned out the be a conspiracy theory book, something he found out by reading the table of contents.
   
   The book is something my husband will never read, so I'm returning it.

5 comments about Before They Are Hanged (The First Law: Book Two).

1. Mature, fantasy readers must read this. If you haven't read The First Law trilogy, go buy it. Now. Abercrombie has an amazing style, characters and plot development, and more importantly...the entire series doesn't have a single character or word more than it needs. Absolutely the best I've read, in any genre, for a long time.



2. Before They Are hanged (lower case "h" mistake on cover) continues the story of 6 rag tag individuals traveling to the end of the world. Great fight scenes continue, Joe Abercrombie describing the landscape like a Cormac McCarthy novel and the same humor we've come to expect. No substantial new characters. What this trilogy really needs is a map.
   "A good cook was almost as good as a fighter. Not Here. Bayaz could just about get his tea boiled, Quai could get a biscuit out of a box on a good day. Logen doubted Jezal would have known which way the pot went up and he reckoned Ferro was used to eating her food raw. Perhaps while it was still alive".
   The reason Bayaz assembled this group is explained somewhat during their journey (all except one) and the fight scenes in Aulcus are like a scene in the video game Gears of War.
   West is still frustrated about the group he's with and protecting the clueless Prince. Lord Marshall Burr and whole whole indigestion thing does get as tiring as Grim always saying nothing more than, "Uh".
   Quai is Bayaz' apprentice, but has less lines than the Navigator.
   Logen asks if anyone knows any stories while they're all together around the campfire and Quai tells a brutally depressing tale about feuding brothers and sommoning magic from the other side which is forbidden and ultimately destroys an entire civilization then asking Logen if he liked the story. "I'd been hoping for something with a few more laughs, but I'll take what's offered". Not much of the first book is *re-explained* so reading the first book is a must and for those who liked The Blade Itself, you won't be diappointed.



3. Well sadly I think it's all downhill from here. I love the writing and the characters are great, but I think the plot kind of sucks. There are a couple places that scream for a climax or action or an event of some magnitude and then nothing happens. It's like the Simpson's episode that is a satire of Lord of the Flies where the episode is ended with the narrator saying "And then they were all saved by... let's say, Moe". The book is full of great characters that don't reach their potential because of the story they are in.
   
   Also, the author has lifted scenes from movies like Excalibur and plopped them right down into the book. The parts with Logen are littered with dialogue out of Unforgiven. I am irritated now that I spent $40 on a trio of books (friggin tradepaperback format) where the author can't even come up with his own ideas.



4. Similar to the Fire and Ice series by George R R Martin (but on a far smaller scale) this series focuses on about 6 to 8 people fighting, scheming, torturing and killing their way through a fantastic sword and sorcery landscape. There are some humorous moments, but this is NOT a funny book. It is well written and totally engrossing and well worth the money if you enjoy fantasy novels. This second book sets up the climax and is as good as the first.



5. If you were like me and loved the first book then you will continue to be impressed with this second installment. What's awesome about these books is that they were churned out so quickly, written and released. The book enriches a few more characters in this one but gives it's base characters ample shine. This is one of the better fantasy series that I have read in a while. It has a classic approach but it does not bore, because the draw of this series is the characters themselves. They are well developed and involved in very compelling intertwining stories. My only beef with this series is the magic itself, the "demon" aspect. It's the one area where I wish Abercrombie has been, well a little more 'classic', or 'ambiguous' with. It's still a five star series all the way through, and this, the second may even better then the first.

No comments about Just Another Judgement Day (Nightside, Book 9).

5 comments about Shadowrealm: The Twilight War Book III.

1. There are so many aspects of this book I didn't like that it was hard for me to finish it. I read the book in one day just so I could finally finish the series. I will not be buying another Kemp book in the future. Anyone who thinks Kemp has dethroned Salvatore must be smoking Salvia. My complaints are below:
   
   1. The book is confusing. Similar to the first reviewer, I had to slow down and re-read parts of the book just so I could understand it. So many plots and sub-plots to remember. So many characters to remember. I had to go back and re-read the last 100 pages of book 2 just so I could understand book 3.
   
   2. The regular people (those who don't have MAJOR magic powers) are way too powerless (this includes Riven, who I expand upon below). They die by the thousands and I felt this was overdone. Regular folk hardly stand a chance in this book. A guy with a sword might as well have a toothpick in his hand.
   
   3. The book is depressing. Near the end of the book, I wanted to kill Mags myself. Anyone looking for any humor in this book will be sorely disappointed.
   
   4. Riven. Why does Erevis bring him along? This guy is so powerless he became annoying. Erevis always has to save him. He is worst than Robin (of Batman and Robin fame :) I felt from the beginning when Riven beacame the second to Cale's first that he was weak. The only credit I give him is his bravery (or stupidity). He constantly challenges stonger opponents only to get his bu_t kicked time and time again.
   
   5. Too Many Ghosts. This book even had ghosts fighting other ghosts. How does that work?



2. It does not get much better than this trilogy. Paul Kemp has become one of the best Forgotten Realms writers in the business and The Twilight War trilogy cements Cale as one of the top characters in the Realms.
   Great Book and is highly recommended.



3. Shadowrealm - the third and final book of the Twilight War Trilogy - is without a doubt, Paul S. Kemp's finest novel yet. Leaving off from the huge cliffhanger in Shadowstorm, which gave me an ear-to-ear grin, Kemp sets the stage for an epic and final struggle between the forces of light and shadow. Or, in Cale's case, the final struggle between black and gray.
   
   After another quick look into Magadon's slowly deteriorating mental state, we find Cale where we last left him: transporting himself, Riven and Abelar back from the charred skeleton of Fairhaven, Abelar's home. Villagers that had fled from Saerb and some of the smaller settlements surrounding Saerb think Cale and Riven enemies, but once Abelar vouches for them, the villagers shout their thanks and blessings.
   
   It is then that Cale sees his purpose. Even though he is surrounded by shadow, he can still be a light to others. Although his often dark and pessimistic thoughts war with this realization (and it wouldn't be a Kemp novel if he didn't), some part of him still holds firm. And that was an aspect of Cale's character that I loved.
   
   There are many stories that have been told throughout the trilogy, and a fair share of them end with this book, but I would say that none is more interesting than the relationship between Cale and his god, Mask. Cale has been the only Chosen that I have read about to so openly rebel against their gods. But I suppose Mask clears that up, "That's one of the reasons I chose you." He goes from devoted to cursing his god and then forming an uneasy truce for the sake of both their needs.
   
   Something that I love about Kemp's books is that he gives every character meaning. When reading he makes you feel what they do and, depending on the character, encourages you to root for them and see them through. Every word has an impact, every line of dialogue carries depth and purpose. By the time you're done reading you don't feel like you've just finished a book; you feel like you've finished an adventure.
   
   His story is filled with both drama and action in equal measures. The characters that he creates seem to take on a life of their own and walk out on the page to greet you. When reading you realize that these are characters you want to read about forever. But, unfortunately, this book is a resolution, and boy does it deliver.
   
   The ending, in all of its spectacular glory, is sad. Not a sad that makes you dread ever leaving you're house, but a sad that makes you wish it could've ended differently, but at the same time waving you off in the perfect way. I won't be ashamed to say that there were two instances that brought tears to my eyes and that in itself is a great feat. The ending moves you in a way that you never thought a book could before, but it does, and I'm all the more thankful for it.
   
   Now, if I had more than two thumbs I'd be pointing them all up, but since I don't I'll raise the two I have and reach for the sky.
   
   Completely and unequivocally recommended.



4. I cannot explain how amazing this Novel was. It is rare to read such a book these days--one you cannot put down. The way Paul Kemp weaves the story is perfect. Even Shar herself couldn't do better.
   
   There are Toril Shattering revelations in this Novel as well--a few. And I won't spoil anything except to say, the end of the book brings us to the current new date of 1479 in Faerun.
   
   I have read probably all 140-ish Forgotten Realms Novels, and can easily say it is one of my top 3 favorites of all time. Paul, I really hope to see more trilogies from you in the future, as we know a secret..
   
   No Bitterness for Shar here! Joy! All Joy!



5. This book and the entire series was well worth the time and effort to read it. If you love Forgotton Realm books or just a good dark fantasy novel then this is for you. Some parts made me want to sleep with the lights on. ;)

5 comments about Star Trek: Destiny: Mere Mortals.

1. "Mere Mortals" is the second book in the 'epic' Trek mini-series, 'Destiny'. As a reader, I felt slightly let down by the first book due to the varied plots which prevents the focus being put on the topic at hand - The Borg. This installment continues the many plots introduced in the first novel, as well as previous books that lead up to this novel event. In all, not bad, but some minor critiques:
   
   The Bad: With four different crews or situations competing for space and attention, yet again the Borg situation isn't really given its time to develop and be fleshed out as a plot element. The main focus is not so much on the Borg but the race introduced in book one, the Caeliar and their dealings with the Columbia NX-02 crew. The actual Borg plot, the much hyped plot and (from what you're lead to believe) is the focus of this series, barely moves. The least interesting plot is that surrounding Picard and crew. The main showdown/Borg conflict really doesn't happen until the last twenty pages of the novel, leaving me as a reader feeling a bit jilted and tired. Apparently after two books, we're left to wait for the Borg conflict to be handled at great length in the final book.
   
   The Good: There were some good things to rave about. The Columbia NX-02/Caeliar plot was great, in my opinion. It definitely was the focus of the first two books and this plot has more of an emotional impact than the Borg situation. Hernandez really shines as a character who is complex and being able to see/read of the NX-02's lifetime was intriguing and compelling (and yes, even some subtle hints as to what's happening in the 'Enterprise' timeline). I enjoyed seeing Troi being more on the side of the patient rather than the cool-headed character she usually is. I felt the cameos really worked and added to the scope of the series; we get a glimpse of Elizabeth Shelby (New Frontier), Chakotay and Voyager (Voyager) and name drops of many other Trek characters.
   
   While I felt this was a bit of an average novel, the Columbia/Caeliar plot deserves a star by itself because this was truly the most original race and situation to appear in a Trek novel in a long time. I found myself more invested in Hernandez's struggles than with the Borg plot that really doesn't turn tense until the last twenty pages. While I hope the final book does justice to the Borg (since this is probably the last we will see of them for a while after this novel), I wish more of the focus and attention of this novel had been given to the Enterprise/Aventine plots. The last 'action' sequence of the novel felt awkward and random, wasting time on something rather fan-fic in feel rather than giving due attention to the matter at hand. In all, an okay novel for you to check out.



2. There are several good ST authors, but I think David Mack is the best. This book starts off with the Enterprise battling three Borg cubes in a real page-turning style.
   
   I would recommend getting all three books BEFORE you start reading. Gods of night (book 1), Mere Mortals (book 2), and Lost Souls (book 3). The problem with David Mack books is that, if you don't read them congruently it's hard to keep up with the names/facts/storyline.
   
   You're going to want to read these one right after another.
   
   A great read.



3. This is the third in a series of three and it is really well written. It tells the story of the ongoing battle with the Borg. The series is tied in with a few other books from Star Trek world.



4. I've been buying and reading Star Trek novels since the 1970's. I still have the complete set of Alan Dean Foster's Star Trek Log series (an example: (Star Trek Logs One and Two (Star Trek the Animated Series)). These were the "novelizations" of the animated Trek episodes. Ah, the memories...
   
   Well, we've come a long way, baby! Or babies, in this case, where both Deanna Troy and Beverly "Mrs. Capt. Picard" Crusher are expecting. This new "Destiny" trilogy continues a trend of aiming at a more adult audience. I enjoyed seeing the characters in the book acting and thinking like adults would.
   
   Mere Mortals continues the epic story started in Gods of Night. This old Trekker enjoyed seeing a galaxy-spanning array of characters: Picard, Riker, Dax, Worf, the crew of the USS Columbia, and even Seven of Nine.
   
   I recommend this trilogy. It is a lot of fun. You'll need to read Gods of Night first. You won't regret it.



5. The Destiny trilogy is the pinnacle of ST novels, combining a suspenful storyline including a REAL Federation-wide threat(for the first time ever in ST literature, no character is safe!) with fantastic characterization for established and new characters.
   
   Ever since the Star Trek novel line re-alligned in 2000-2001, the novels have kept a consistant continuity (which still allows readers to "jump in" in jus about every novel, without confusion), and the Destiny trilogy is the culmination of those last few years of stories. Don't be alarmed, though. You don't need to read every Trek novel out there to understand it all - far from it: These books provide ALL the information you'd need.
   
   In closing, the entire trilogy is a top-notch work from Star Trek's greatest novelist today!

5 comments about The Deathly Hallows Lectures: The Hogwarts Professor Explains the Final Harry Potter Adventure.

1. I rarely take the time to write a review on Amazon.com pages, but I must recommend John Granger's excellent work. John has written, by far, the most in-depth and cogent work on the Harry Potter books, and Deathly Hallows Lectures unlocks the doors to Rowling's brilliant artistry better than any volume to date.
   
   If you love Harry Potter, you will not regret this purchase and the time invested in reading. It will cause you to love and appreciate Harry Potter all the more.
   
   It's truly eye-opening.



2. Kudos once again to the Hogwarts Professor for using the Potter books, especially the last installment, for teaching us all more about literature and opening our eyes to connections and hidden meanings in the books the rest of us so easily miss. Reading Granger's work is always a delight, for it's consistently a treasure trove of insights by someone who knows and loves both his Potter and his literature. Another delightful book by a terrific writer!



3. I have had the great pleasure of being present at a number of Mr. Granger's lectures, and the infectious enthusiasm with which he speaks is mirrored in his books. His literary insight into the Potter novels is enhanced and deepened by the specifically Christian spiritual dimension he lends to the text. One of the most profound and moving passages in 'The Deathly Hallows Lectures' comes from the chapter 'Dante and Deathly Hallows' (which, on its own, is worth the price of the entire book): "Dante's love for Beatrice was a beginning love that grew into a spiritual vision of Love Himself... Severus' childhood love for Lily, a marker of which lives in the eyes of her son, has grown, through courageous self-sacrifice and love for his enemy, to become his encounter with Christ in the figure of Harry and in Lily's eyes, at his death." Highly recommended.
   
   ~Logospilgrim, author of 'Bring forth the best robes: a spiritual understanding of Severus Snape'



4. If you're a potter fan, you'll love this book, and you'll want to reread the books!



5. A scholarly work investigating the profound literary themes and spiritual insights in J.K. Rowling's finale: "The Deathly Hallows". John Granger was the first writer that I know of to explore the "hidden" Christian symbols and meanings in the Harry Potter books as well as to point out how these books refer to and, perhaps, even have a place among the great writings of Western Civilization! This book continues with fascinating insights and inspirations to further thinking and reading. Highly recommended!

5 comments about Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch.

1. It is in England, eleven years before the Apocalypse, when the demon Crowley's worst fear is realized. He receives a summons from Hell to pick up the Anti-Christ and deliver the infant to a human family. The only problem is, Crowley likes the world and doesn't want it destroyed. And so, he enlists the help of his long-time rival, the angel Aziraphale, and the two set off to save humankind. Pratchett and Gaiman deliver an exquisitely crafted novel, and a hilarious and poignant examination of the most complex character of all--human nature. Consider yourself warned--this book will have you laughing to yourself in the middle of the night and when you've turned the last page--leave you thinking.



2. I first read this book in college. I'd drive my poor roommate nuts because I would stay up late reading and laughing really hard.
   LOVE this book!



3. A book about Angels, Demons, An 11 year old Anti-Christ, Armageddon and the end of the world. It's sacrilegious & hilarious, with startling moments of insight about human nature and, through no fault of their own, theological truth. (Oh, not about the end of the world, but most definitely about the ineffable ways of God.)
   
   Did I mention it's hilarious? I too literally laughed out loud while reading this book!
   
   The story starts out at the very beginning when an Angel and a Demon hold a conversation about the ousting of Man and Woman from the Garden of Eden. It then jumps ahead thousands of years to present day.
   
   The Angel Aziraphale is still around, awaiting the final days as a part time antique book collector. The Demon- once known as Crawly because of his part in the fall of Man- has changed his name to a more palatable Crowley and is doing his part to irritate the sons of man by screwing with traffic and tying up phone lines. Crowley has just been notified that its time. The Anti-Christ- that much prophesied Son of Satan- is about to be born and it's time for Crowley to step up and make sure the spawn of the devil is sent to the right home.
   
   Only Crowley isn't so much interested in ending the world. He likes it here. And so does the Angel Aziraphale. But they go about their business anyway, because after all, that's what they were created to do, setting things into motion that will bring about the final battle of good and evil. Yeah, Crowley messes it up, but somehow, like much of the things that happen in this book- and in life, really- it was all part of the Grand Scheme, anyway.
   
   I loved this book! My favorite bit was how these authors bring the notorious characters from Revelations into the 21st century- the four horseman in particular! (I.E. Famine invented starving yourself to be fashionable, nouvelle cuisine, & fast food chains. Very Clever!)
   
   This book came to me as recommendation, - so I'm passing it along to you! If you haven't read it yet, you MUST!



4. The end of the world is at hand, and the forces of Heaven and Hell are preparing for the final battle of Good vs. Evil. Unfortunately, the representatives of both Heaven and Hell have grown rather fond of Earth in general, and humans in particular, and decide that they would prefer not to have it all end. Unfortunately, the Antichrist was misplaced at birth, causing confusion among the gathering forces. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse ride forth on their motorcycles and the end of creation seems at hand.
   
   Written with an ineffable sense of humor, this book manages to make the end of the world fun, a farce that will leave the reader giggling, if not laughing out loud. Very entertaining.



5. Good Omens, co-authored by the powerful duo of Terry Pratchet and Neil Gaimen, is a unique and hilarious look at the subject many of us avoid most of our lives: our pending doom, the apocolypse.
   Many characters are introduced quickly (aided by a list of characters) in this novel lead by Azariphale, the angel of light, and Crowley , the angel of dark, two rivaling buddies who are waiting to do their respective employers bidding. Their bidding you ask? To see to the inevitable doom of the earth catapulted by a war of good and evil. This would be bought into fruition by a young, impish child in the London subarbs named Adam Young, the antichrist.
   Good Omens is a cleverly written novel that, after the first 70 pages, will keep you turning pages like you're desperately trying to find a crucial answer in an open-book exam. Drawback in this novel (at least to me personally) is those first 70 pages, they definately drag and pulled me in enough directions to force me to reread a couple of chapters over again. I always look at this as a definate strike against writing a clear, easily-understood story. Also, the introduction to so many characters so quickly is a turn-off (again, to me personally), practically requires a cast of characters.
   Bottom line: definately recommended. Hilarious novel. Pokes a little fun at God and religion and the whole deal, so if that would offend you then staying away might be a good idea. Despite minor setbacks, 4 stars easy.