Editorial Review

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Reviews

DO NOT BUY THIS EDITION!!!!!!
This "enriched classics" is a bowdlerized version of Mary Shelley's original text. It eliminates passages, changes the diction, abridges the chapters, and changes the entire structure of the novel. Our school bought this edition thinking that the additional notes would be helpful to students studying the text, but there was no indication at all on Amazon's website that this version had been substantially altered by the editors. The book is so bowdlerized that our school bought an entire new set of texts for the students at a considerable finanacial loss for the school. WHATEVER YOU DO, BUY SOME OTHER VERSION OF FRANKENSTEIN. THIS ONE IS A MONSTER CREATED BY SOMEONE WHO HAS NO RESPECT FOR THE AUTHOR. BANTAM, PUFFIN, OXFORD -- THEY ARE ALL FINE. Irene Nicastro, English teacher, The American School of The Hague.

A moving, disturbing, depressing, but also touching tale
Much like Bram Stoker's "Dracula", Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" is a story we all think we know, but really don't. Very few films have consciously attempted to follow the novel too closely (which shouldn't detract from the excellent James Whale/Boris Karloff film, or its masterpiece-sequel, "The Bride of Frankenstein). Thus, everything popular culture "knows" about "Frankenstein" does not originate from literature, but from films. This is a shame, in a way, because the novel itself is, if not the progenitor, an early vessel of so many archetypes found science fiction and horror.

The basic plot remained intact when transferred to other media. Swiss medical student Victor Frankenstein discovers the secret of life (which he never reveals, lest someone repeat the mistake). He then puts together a body, essentially a man, from various corpses. He then becomes horrified by the creature he has built, and abandons. The creature, suffering a great deal of neglect and abuse, still manages to get a thorough education, and learns of his lineage. After murdering Victor's younger brother, and framing the family maid, the creature tells his (admittedly) sad tale to his "father", and then demands a mate. Victor, in a panic, agrees, then thinks better of it at the last moment, destroying the new bride. In retaliation, the creature murders all of Victor's loved ones (including his wife), and leads Victor on a merry chase across the world.

Most probably know that Mary Shelley wrote this book in response to a challenge issued by Lord Byron, during a vacation at Lake Geneva. (Along with this story came John Polidori's "The Vampyre", the first English vampire novel.) Most probably also know that Shelley went on to write other works of imaginative gothic fiction. Still, her modern reputation rests with this book, understandably.

As stated, numerous archetypes (themes, plot lines, characters) are present here. The basic fear of what evil technology may bring along with the good is a central theme, as is the warning against playing God. So is the implicit admonition to be responsible in all things, be it during innovation or being a parent. The creature is, for all intents and purposes, an android-everyone from Gort to C-3PO owe their existence to the Frankenstein monster. And the monster that slays all but one protagonist is a staple of horror, be it traditional monster movies, like "Alien", or more realistic slasher movies like "Halloween".

But, as I noted at the beginning of this review, certain of these elements have been lost in most interpretations. The creature is actually intelligent, and well-spoken, quite different from the inarticulate grunts or slow, half-sentences of the movies (again, no disrespect to Karloff). Further, while the films have made lightening a staple of the creatures creation, Shelley never really explains the process (probably knowing that she might interfere with the plausibility of her work). Finally, one of the staples of the films is the explanation for the creatures "evil" nature. Often, the problem lies with the brain used, which almost invariably is a criminal brain, or is damaged before implantation. In the book, the creature is really a child that's horribly neglected, but with the strength and intelligence to strike back: id without superego, and without restraints.

Thus, "Frankenstein" will be a new experience for readers who have never experienced it. Unlike "Dracula", there aren't any moments where a reader might look up and suddenly realize how quiet it is in the house, or how dark it's gotten outside. In that regard, "Frankenstein" has not aged particularly well. Throughout, however, it is a moving, disturbing, depressing, but also a touching and beautiful tale. Those qualities have withstood the test of time. While it is not always a rollicking adventure, it is a rewarding read.

More Relevant Today Than When First Written
Modern readers must jump through a number of hoops to enjoy this legendary novel. Written between 1816 and 1818, this is very much a novel of its era, and both language and ideas about plot are quite different from those of today. That aside, and unlike such contemporaries as Jane Austen, author Mary Shelly has never been greatly admired for her literary style, which is often awkward. But perhaps the biggest hurdle is that of our own expectations: while it certainly sent icy chills down the spines of 19th Century readers, FRANKENSTEIN is not a horror novel per se.

While Mary Shelly might have been stylistically weak, her story was not. Nothing like it had been written before, and the concept of a student endowing life upon a humanoid creature cobbled together from charnel house parts was unexpectedly shocking to the reading public. But even more shocking were the ideas that Shelly brought to the story. Having created this thing in his own image, what--if anything--does the creator owe it? And in posing this question, Shelly very deliberately raises her novel to an even more complex level: this is not merely the conflict of man and his creation, but also a questioning of God and his responsibility toward his creation.

In some respects, the book is written like the famous philosophical "dialogues" of the ancient world: a counterpoint of questions and arguments that do battle for the reader's acceptance. More than anything else, FRANKENSTEIN is a novel of ethics and of ideas about ideas, with Mary Shelly's themes arrayed in multiple layers throughout: God, self, society, science; responsibility to self, to society, to the things we bring to society, to the truth; life, integrity, and death--these are the ideas and issues that predominate the book, and any one expecting a horror novel pure and simple is out of luck.

Mary Shelly is a rare example of a writer whose ideas clearly outstrip her literary skill--but whose ideas are so powerful that they transcend her literary limitations and continue to resonate today. And indeed, as science continues to advance, it could not be otherwise so. Mary Shelly could not see into the future of DNA research, laboratory-grown tissues, test-tube babies and the like--but between 1816 and 1818 she wrote a book about the ethical dilemmas that swirl around them. And for all its flaws, FRANKENSTEIN is perhaps even more relevant today than it was over a hundred and fifty years ago.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

underestimated classic
The 19th Century bequeathed us four immediately recognizable, vibrant & enduring fictional icons: Shelley's Frankenstein; Stoker's Dracula; Melville's Moby Dick (& Ahab); and Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. Each of them has, I fear, suffered a horrible fate: they are so familiar to us, in their many modern incarnations & imitations, that too few people return to the original texts. This may be particularly true of Frankenstein, whose portrayals have been so frivolous and distorted. In fact, in addition to being written in luxuriant gothic prose, the original novel is one of the most profound meditations on Man and his purpose and relation to God that has exists in our literature.

Victor Frankenstein is a young man of Geneva who is fascinated by the sciences and the secrets of life and death:

My temper was sometimes violent, and my passions vehement; but by some law in my temperature they were turned not towards childish pursuits but to an eager desire to learn, and not to learn all things indiscriminately. I confess that neither the structure of languages, nor the code of governments, nor the politics of various states possessed attractions for me. It was the secrets of heaven and earth that I desired to learn; and whether it was the outward substance of things or the inner spirit of nature and the mysterious soul of man that occupied me, still my inquiries were directed to the metaphysical, or in its highest sense, the physical secrets of the world.

While at University in Ingolstadt, his life course is set when he hears a professor lecture on modern chemistry:

'The ancient teachers of this science,'said he, 'promised impossibilities and performed nothing. The modern masters promise very little; they know that metals cannot be transmuted and that the elixir of life is a chimera. But these philosophers, whose hands seem only made to dabble in dirt, and their eyes to pore over the microscope or crucible, have indeed performed miracles. They penetrate into the recesses of nature and show how she works in her hiding-places. They ascend into the heavens; they have discovered how the blood circulates, and the nature of the air we breathe. They have acquired new and almost unlimited powers; they can command the thunders of heavens, mimic the earthquake, and even mock the invisible world with its own shadows.'

Such were the professor's words--rather let me say such were the words of the fate--enounced to destroy me.

Victor goes on to discover, through the study of chemistry, the secret of bringing dead flesh to life. Inevitably he tests his discovery and of viewing his creation cries:

How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavored to form? His limbs were in proportion, and I had selected his features as beautiful. Beautiful! Great God! His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was of a lustrous black, and flowing; his teeth of a pearly whiteness; but these luxuriances only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same colour as the dun-white sockets in which they were set, his shrivelled complexion and straight black lips.

And so, repelled by the mere appearance, the inevitable imperfection, of his work, Frankenstein rejects the creature utterly. However, unlike the mute stupid monster of the movies, Shelley's monster is articulate and sensitive and longs for companionship, but all of humankind reacts to him with horror. And so he demands that Frankenstein build him a mate. When Frankenstein refuses to provide him with a companion, the creature resolves to destroy those who Frankenstein loves.

Finally, Frankenstein determines that he must destroy the creature and pursues him into the frozen wastes of the North.

It all makes for a rousing adventure, but there is much more here. Frankenstein, through his work, has attempted to become a god, but his creation is a horrible disappointment & so, is banished from him. Meanwhile, his flawed creation, filled with ineffable longing and confusion, wanders in exile seeking the meaning of his existence. And what is the impulse that he settles upon, but another act of creation; a mate must be created for him. The Biblical parallels are obvious, but they work on us subtly as we read the novel. In the end, the uncontrollable urge to create, to imitate God, stands revealed as Man's driving force. And the inevitable disappointment of the creator in his creation, is revealed as the serpent in the garden.

If you've never read this book, read it now. If you've read it before, read it again.

GRADE: A+

Gothic at its best
Mary Shelley was the daughter of the famous feminist and author, Mary Wollstonecraft, who is best known for her work The Vindication of the Rights of Women. In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, a young university student, Victor Frankenstein, obsesses with wanting to know the secret to life. He studies chemistry and natural philosophy with the goal of being able to create a human out of spare body parts. After months of constant work in his laboratory, Frankenstein attains his goal and brings his creation to life. Frankenstein is immediately overwrought by fear and remorse at the sight of his creation, a "monster." The next morning, he decides to destroy his creation but finds that the monster has escaped. The monster, unlike other humans, has no social preparation or education; thus, it is unequipped to take care of itself either physically or emotionally. The monster lives in the forest like an animal without knowledge of "self" or understanding of its surroundings. The monster happens upon a hut inhabited by a poor family and is able to find shelter in a shed adjacent to the hut. For several months, the monster starts to gain knowledge of human life by observing the daily life of the hut's inhabitants through a crack in the wall. The monster's education of language and letters begins when he listens to one of them learning the French language. During this period, the monster also learns of human society and comes to the realization that he is grotesque and alone in the world. Armed with his newfound ability to read, he reads three books that he found in a leather satchel in the woods. Goethe's Sorrows of Young Werther, Milton's Paradise Lost, and a volume of Plutarch's Lives. The monster, not knowing any better, read these books thinking them to be facts about human history. From Plutarch's works, he learns of humankind's virtues. However, it is Paradise Lost that has a most interesting effect on the monster's understanding of self. The monster at first identifies with Adam, "I was apparently united by no link to any other being in existence." The monster, armed only with his limited education, thought that he would introduce himself to the cottagers and depend on their virtue and benevolence; traits he believed from his readings that all humans possessed. However, soon after his first encounter with the cottagers, he is beaten and chased off because his ugliness frightens people. The monster is overwrought by a feeling of perplexity by this reaction, since he thought he would gain their trust and love, which he observed them generously give to each other on so many occasions. He receives further confirmation of how his ugliness repels people when, sometime later, he saves a young girl from drowning and the girl's father shoots at him because he is frightful to look at. The monster quickly realizes that the books really lied to him. He found no benevolence or virtue among humans, even from his creator. At every turn in his life, humans are judging him solely based on his looks. The monster soon realizes that it is not Adam, the perfect being enjoying the world, which he is most alike. Instead, he comes to realize that he most represents Satan. The monster is jealous of the happiness he sees humans enjoy that he has never attained for himself. The monster tells Frankenstein that he found his lab journal in his coat pocket and read it with increasing hate and despair as he came to understand what Frankenstein's intent was in creating him. The monster curses Frankenstein for making a creature so hideous that even his creator turned from him in disgust.

Shelley's intent here is plain to see. "The fate of the monster suggests that proficiency in `the art of language' as he calls it, may not ensure one's position as a member of the `human kingdom." In a sense, she is showing that both her parents were mistaken when they advocated greater education reform for people. They thought education would make people better, which in turn would improve society for all. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein contradicts this belief.

Starting with the full title of Mary Shelley's book, Frankenstein: or The Modern Prometheus one can instantly see that mythology was integral to her book. Lord Byron, poet and friend of the Shelley's was writing a poem entitled Prometheus, and Mary was reading the Prometheus legend in Aeschylus' works when she had a dream, which was the impetus for her book. The Greek god Prometheus, is known for two important tasks that he performed, he created man from clay, and he stole fire from the gods and gave it to man. The stealing of fire really angered Zeus because the giving of fire began an era of enlightenment for humankind. Zeus punished Prometheus by having him carried to a mountain, where an eagle would pick at his liver; it would grow back each day and the eagle would eat it again.

The presence of fire and light in this gothic story helps to point to the similarities to Prometheus and Victor Frankenstein, the creator of the monster, in Shelley's book. The book uses light as a symbol of discovery, knowledge, and enlightenment. The natural world is full of hidden passages, and dark unknown scientific secrets; Victor's goal as a scientist is to grasp towards the light. Light is a by-product of fire that the monster learned quickly when he is living on his own. The monster experienced fires' duality when he first encountered it in an unattended fire in the woods. He is mesmerized by the fact that fire produces light in the darkness in the woods, but is shocked at the sensation of pain it gives him when he touches it. Victor is defiant of god in the same way that Prometheus was defiant of Zeus. Victor steals the secret of life from god and creates a human out of spare body parts. He does this out of an altruistic wish to spare humankind from the pain and suffering of death. Thus, Victor Frankenstein embodies both aspects of the Promethean myth creation and fire. Victor in a sense has the same experience with the fire of enlightenment similar to his monster; he is "burned" by the fire of enlightenment. Victor also suffers from the classic Greek tragic condition of hubris for his transgression against god and nature.

The book also adopts two other great mythic legends. One is Adam from the Bible. Victor Frankenstein bears striking resemblance to Adam and his fall from grace for eating the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. The other is Satan, a mythic figure that Shelley admired from her readings in Milton's book Paradise Lost. In an interesting juxtaposition of booth myths, she expands on the motif of the fall from grace in her book when she portrays the monster comparing himself to Adam; after he read, Milton's book Paradise Lost. The monster tells Victor, that he at first identifies with Adam God's first creation. "I was apparently united by no link to any other being in existence." However, after several incidents of mistreatment that he suffered from the humans he encountered in his travels; the monster soon realized that it is not Adam, the perfect being enjoying the world, which he was most alike. Instead, he came to realize that he most represented Satan. The monster's feelings of hatred and despair stem from the fact that humans found him grotesque to look at and would not accept him as a member of human society. The monster cursed Victor for making a creature so hideous that even his creator turned from him in disgust. Thus, it is obvious for all to see that Shelley's Frankenstein is replete with mythological references and they are central to the plot.

This was required reading for a graduate course in the Humanities. Recommended reading for anyone interested in history, psychology, philosophy, and literature.

A complex, poignant examination of human nature
Those who know Frankenstein only from movies and television may well be surprised to read the original book by Mary Shelley. Indeed, one may well look back to the cover to see if the book is in fact Frankenstein because the first pages consist of messages from an R. Walton to his sister concerning his expedition to the northern polar regions. Victor Frankenstein appears as a wretched creature stranded on an ice floe beside the ship. After he is rescued and recovers somewhat, he tells his incredible story to Walton, who in turn preserves the story in writing. Frankenstein reminisces about his happy childhood, particularly the close relationship between himself and his "cousin" Elizabeth, and then explains how his interest in discredited natural philosophy led him to create a living man of his own design. The creature is a hideous, misshapen, giant of a man who so disgusted Frankenstein upon his awakening that he fled his laboratory and residence. The creation process, it should be noted, in no way involved an elaborate machine powered by lightning such as is portrayed in the movies; in fact, beyond the fact that chemicals are involved, we are told nothing of the process. For two years, Frankenstein goes about life with a clinging sense of guilt and nervousness, hoping the creature has perished. When his little brother is murdered, though, he returns home and soon discovers that it was the monster who committed the deed. In an isolated mountainous area, the monster appears before him and explains his actions. Although the creature does nothing more than grunt in the movies, the original Frankenstein was possessed of great eloquence and intelligence, and he tells a moving story about his attempts to make a connection with a society that is revolted at the sight of him. He describes living in a small hovel at the back of a small house for many months, watching the interaction of the family inside, learning how to speak their language and eventually even learning how to read. When he eventually tries to interact with the family, he is assaulted and runs away, and it is at this point that his virtuous and peaceful nature begins to become inflamed into a torrent of hatred for mankind. When he rescues a girl from drowning, he is rewarded with a bullet in his shoulder. Each time he performs a good deed, mankind runs from him in disgust or attempts to harm him. Living in total isolation and loneliness, his one purpose in life eventually becomes tormenting his creator, and many terrible misfortunes ensue for Frankenstein, who himself eventually becomes dedicated to the sole purpose of destroying his tormentor.

Both Frankenstein and his monster are tragic figures. The complete alienation of the creature makes him a very sympathetic character in many respects, and he does perform many kind deeds for humans early on. Frankenstein is an utterly pitiable character utterly destroyed by his mad decision to create the monster; he burdens his soul with responsibility for every crime the monster commits, and his inability to tell anyone his secret for so long destroys him in body, mind, and soul; everyone and everything he cares for is taken from him by his horrible creation. His tendency to bemoan his fate at every turn of the narrative can get rather tiresome, but one cannot question the depth of his turmoil. Both creator and created seem to be mirror images of each other in important ways, their fates clearly tied to one another, each soul deserving both blame and pity. There is much about human nature, both good and bad, revealed in the monster's life as well as Frankenstein's; the novel is a far cry from horror for the sake of horror. This is actually a very complex, compelling story full of human pathos; it is unfortunate that modern media have turned Frankenstein's creature into a simple, heartless, mentally deficient monster for the sake of scares and laughs.

Gothic at its best
Mary Shelley was the daughter of the famous feminist and author, Mary Wollstonecraft, who is best known for her work The Vindication of the Rights of Women. In Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, a young university student, Victor Frankenstein, obsesses with wanting to know the secret to life. He studies chemistry and natural philosophy with the goal of being able to create a human out of spare body parts. After months of constant work in his laboratory, Frankenstein attains his goal and brings his creation to life. Frankenstein is immediately overwrought by fear and remorse at the sight of his creation, a "monster." The next morning, he decides to destroy his creation but finds that the monster has escaped. The monster, unlike other humans, has no social preparation or education; thus, it is unequipped to take care of itself either physically or emotionally. The monster lives in the forest like an animal without knowledge of "self" or understanding of its surroundings. The monster happens upon a hut inhabited by a poor family and is able to find shelter in a shed adjacent to the hut. For several months, the monster starts to gain knowledge of human life by observing the daily life of the hut's inhabitants through a crack in the wall. The monster's education of language and letters begins when he listens to one of them learning the French language. During this period, the monster also learns of human society and comes to the realization that he is grotesque and alone in the world. Armed with his newfound ability to read, he reads three books that he found in a leather satchel in the woods. Goethe's Sorrows of Young Werther, Milton's Paradise Lost, and a volume of Plutarch's Lives. The monster, not knowing any better, read these books thinking them to be facts about human history. From Plutarch's works, he learns of humankind's virtues. However, it is Paradise Lost that has a most interesting effect on the monster's understanding of self. The monster at first identifies with Adam, "I was apparently united by no link to any other being in existence." The monster, armed only with his limited education, thought that he would introduce himself to the cottagers and depend on their virtue and benevolence; traits he believed from his readings that all humans possessed. However, soon after his first encounter with the cottagers, he is beaten and chased off because his ugliness frightens people. The monster is overwrought by a feeling of perplexity by this reaction, since he thought he would gain their trust and love, which he observed them generously give to each other on so many occasions. He receives further confirmation of how his ugliness repels people when, sometime later, he saves a young girl from drowning and the girl's father shoots at him because he is frightful to look at. The monster quickly realizes that the books really lied to him. He found no benevolence or virtue among humans, even from his creator. At every turn in his life, humans are judging him solely based on his looks. The monster soon realizes that it is not Adam, the perfect being enjoying the world, which he is most alike. Instead, he comes to realize that he most represents Satan. The monster is jealous of the happiness he sees humans enjoy that he has never attained for himself. The monster tells Frankenstein that he found his lab journal in his coat pocket and read it with increasing hate and despair as he came to understand what Frankenstein's intent was in creating him. The monster curses Frankenstein for making a creature so hideous that even his creator turned from him in disgust.

Shelley's intent here is plain to see. "The fate of the monster suggests that proficiency in `the art of language' as he calls it, may not ensure one's position as a member of the `human kingdom." In a sense, she is showing that both her parents were mistaken when they advocated greater education reform for people. They thought education would make people better, which in turn would improve society for all. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein contradicts this belief.

Starting with the full title of Mary Shelley's book, Frankenstein: or The Modern Prometheus one can instantly see that mythology was integral to her book. Lord Byron, poet and friend of the Shelley's was writing a poem entitled Prometheus, and Mary was reading the Prometheus legend in Aeschylus' works when she had a dream, which was the impetus for her book. The Greek god Prometheus, is known for two important tasks that he performed, he created man from clay, and he stole fire from the gods and gave it to man. The stealing of fire really angered Zeus because the giving of fire began an era of enlightenment for humankind. Zeus punished Prometheus by having him carried to a mountain, where an eagle would pick at his liver; it would grow back each day and the eagle would eat it again.

The presence of fire and light in this gothic story helps to point to the similarities to Prometheus and Victor Frankenstein, the creator of the monster, in Shelley's book. The book uses light as a symbol of discovery, knowledge, and enlightenment. The natural world is full of hidden passages, and dark unknown scientific secrets; Victor's goal as a scientist is to grasp towards the light. Light is a by-product of fire that the monster learned quickly when he is living on his own. The monster experienced fires' duality when he first encountered it in an unattended fire in the woods. He is mesmerized by the fact that fire produces light in the darkness in the woods, but is shocked at the sensation of pain it gives him when he touches it. Victor is defiant of god in the same way that Prometheus was defiant of Zeus. Victor steals the secret of life from god and creates a human out of spare body parts. He does this out of an altruistic wish to spare humankind from the pain and suffering of death. Thus, Victor Frankenstein embodies both aspects of the Promethean myth creation and fire. Victor in a sense has the same experience with the fire of enlightenment similar to his monster; he is "burned" by the fire of enlightenment. Victor also suffers from the classic Greek tragic condition of hubris for his transgression against god and nature.

The book also adopts two other great mythic legends. One is Adam from the Bible. Victor Frankenstein bears striking resemblance to Adam and his fall from grace for eating the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. The other is Satan, a mythic figure that Shelley admired from her readings in Milton's book Paradise Lost. In an interesting juxtaposition of booth myths, she expands on the motif of the fall from grace in her book when she portrays the monster comparing himself to Adam; after he read, Milton's book Paradise Lost. The monster tells Victor, that he at first identifies with Adam God's first creation. "I was apparently united by no link to any other being in existence." However, after several incidents of mistreatment that he suffered from the humans he encountered in his travels; the monster soon realized that it is not Adam, the perfect being enjoying the world, which he was most alike. Instead, he came to realize that he most represented Satan. The monster's feelings of hatred and despair stem from the fact that humans found him grotesque to look at and would not accept him as a member of human society. The monster cursed Victor for making a creature so hideous that even his creator turned from him in disgust. Thus, it is obvious for all to see that Shelley's Frankenstein is replete with mythological references and they are central to the plot.

This was required reading for a graduate course in the Humanities. Recommended reading for anyone interested in history, psychology, philosophy, and literature.

Very thorough look at Mary Shelley's original work.
This Norton Critical Edition makes an excellent value in literature. If you are a student of literature, this volume will help you gain a thorough knowledge of Mary Shelley's original text (lots of context and critical essays included), as well as editions that followed. It contains her original preface (supposedly much influenced by Percy) as well as her 1830 preface. If you do not know, Mary's monster is not the monster one finds in the movies, nor is Dr. Frankenstein. Further, if you have not read an edition other than the first, you don't know about the incest issue that is in the first edition, but not later editions. As you will find in reviews below, this is not a flawless novel, but it is a must read for any well-read person. What is rarely discussed is the influence of John Locke, whose Essay Concerning Human Understanding Mary Shelley read closely just prior to writing the novel. The influence of his work on hers is substantial. Read in the light of Romanticism's reaction to the Enlightenment and Locke et al gives one a completely different perspective for understanding the work. I think you'll find Mary's philosophy appropriately and interestingly feminine, without being feminist; another surprise, considering her lineage. Definitely a good read!

Frankenstein plus writings contemporaneous of the novel
Mary Wollenstonecraft Shelley's "Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus" is a major novel in Western Civilization. I always think of it as representing the paradigm shift from religion to science, embodied in the contrast with the myth of Faust with the story of Victor Frankenstein. The crucial question in this novel is simply which is Frankenstein's createst sin, bringing the creature to life or abandoning it once he had done so. However, this review is not really about Shelley's novel, because if you are a teacher you have already decided whether or not you want to use the novel in your class. The question here is what value this Longman Cultural Edition would have over a regular edition of "Frankenstein."

This Longman Critical Edition includes Shelley's introduction to the 1831 edition and a revision of the section of the novel dealing with the adoption of Elizabeth. There are three main sections to the Contexts part of this volume. First, Monsters, Visionaries, and Mary Shelley puts the novel in the context of what her contemporaries were writing and talking about. Consequently there are other writings of Shelley along with Edmund Burke, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Lord Byron, among others. There are also some descriptions from Richard Brinsley Peake's dramatic adaptation of the novel and even Dr. Spock's chapter "Enjoy Your Baby" from his famous book (interesting choice, you must admit). Second, Milton's Satan and Romantic Imaginations looks at both Milton and the Bible, as well as additional writings from Byron, Shelley, and Keats. Third, What the Reviews Said all dealing with commentaries written between 1818 and 1832.

What this should make quite clear to you is that this Longman Cultural Edition relies mainly on what I would consider primary documents the vast majority of which are contemporarneous with the writing of Shelley's novel. This is a synchronic rather than a diachronic perspective, which is of more value to a class that is considering "Frankenstein" in the context of the time and place in which it was written (i.e., 19th century gothic novels rather than horror literature through the ages). Susan J. Wolfson has edited a volume that will help readers understand the world in which Shelley wrote her classic novel. If doing so is important to your class, or is a perspective you enjoy exploring, this edition of "Frankenstein" will certainly fit your needs. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The mighty Sith dynasty founded on the planet Kesh by the survivors of the shipwrecked Omen has endured for a thousand years—and so has the merciless Sith code, which prizes power above all else. Lady Orielle Kitai enjoys power as the scion of a noble family and member of the elite Sith Sabers. But Lillia Venn, as reigning Grand Lord of the Sith, possesses absolute power . . . and is determined to keep it.When a failed regicide sparks a political—and literal—bloodbath and suspicion falls on Orielle, she is swiftly condemned to slavery by the ruthless Grand Lord Venn. But seeing the cunning power play for what it is, Orielle vows to strike back. And at the ramshackle home of a poor dirt farmer with an astounding secret, she discovers the means to make her vengeance a devastating reality. ... Read more

Reviews

Impossibly Good, December 10, 2010
After reading the first four, and speaking with the writer himself via Amazon comments. I must say that I was a little taken back by the time-warp between the fourth installment and Purgatory. I did not believe I would enjoy reading further until the story began to unfold. No spoilers here! But I take it as a priveledge to be the first to review such a work, and I continue to hold my breath waiting on the final three pieces to this emaculate puzzle. Well done sir. I stick to what I said in a different post, if all of the works are ever combined into a single novel, consider the first e-copy sold.

An enjoyable slice of Star Wars fiction., December 21, 2010
With Purgatory, the fifth installment of Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith, John Jackson Miller finally gives us a slice of Star Wars heaven. I make no pretense of being a fan of this series. I'm a die hard Star Wars fan who has grown sour at the deluge of mediocre dross heaped upon unwary readers by far too many Expanded Universe authors. This series got off to a bad start and has been trying to catch up ever since. However, I am happy to say that Purgatory does a wonderful job at making amends for the lackluster books that precede this one.

One area in which this book improves on the others is the careful attention to the characters that dominate this tale. By shrinking the number of players in this offering, Miller is able to give us more insight into his characters. It isn't nearly as confusing for the reader to identify the players or their role in the story when there are only a few characters to focus upon. I found Orielle Kitai and Jelph to be intriguing characters. I enjoyed the chemistry between them and thought their budding romance to be quite convincing. Though there isn't a whole lot of time devoted to the other characters, thankfully, there is enough information presented to understand their motivations.

This book isn't without flaws, however. One thing that troubled me from the start of this series is the depiction of Sith Lords. I am not particularly fond of the humanized Sith Lords that Miller creates for his story. Despite his attempts to show them at their deadliest, his version of Sith Lords aren't nearly vindictive or menacing enough to wear the title. The Sith Lords in this series are contradictory in nature to the ones featured in the films. Lucas gives us stereotypically evil (and admittedly one-dimensional Sith Lords) in his stories. But this only makes them seem even more evil.

I also find it very difficult to say where this story is headed other than to serve as the back story for the full-length novels introduced at the end of the books. Traditional stories have a through line (story arc) where a reader can loosely predict future events. Five books into this series and I haven't a clue what is supposed to happen.

To its credit, Purgatory is an entertaining read and it's great to see the series start to capture more of the spirit of Star Wars. I can honestly say for the first time, I am looking forward to reading the next chapter.

3 3/4 Stars

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Editorial Review

Don’t miss STAR WARS: LOST TRIBE OF THE SITH: PRECIPICE a FREE original e-book short story, the first in a series that tell the untold story of the FATE OF THE JEDI's forgotten Sith castaways, their battle to survive, and their quest to re-conquer the galaxy!PRECIPICE includes an exclusive excerpt from STAR WARS: FATE OF THE JEDI: OMEN (Del Rey Hardcover, available June 23rd) and offers a unique look into the backstory of events that will begin to unfold in OMEN. SURVIVAL—NOT SURRENDER For the ruthless Sith Order, failure is not an option. It is an offense punishable by death—and a fate to which Commander Yaru Korsin will not succumb. But on a crucial run to deliver troops and precious crystals to a combat hotspot in the Sith’s war against the Republic, Korsin and the crew of the mining ship Omen are ambushed by a Jedi starfighter. And when the Sith craft crash-lands, torn and crippled, on a desolate alien planet, the hard-bitten captain finds himself at odds with desperate survivors on the brink of mutiny—and his own vengeful half brother, who’s bent on seizing command. No matter the cost, Korsin vows that it will not be his blood and bones left behind on this unknown world. For the way of the Sith leaves little room for compromise—and none for mercy. ... Read more

Reviews

Exciting preview of the next Star Wars storyline, June 2, 2009
It's been a long time since I've read a Star Wars novel, although I am a big fan of the franchise in general. I haven't read any of the books that tell the stories following the time period of the movies, although I've certainly read about those books and thought they sounded interesting. After reading "Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith #1: Precipice", which takes inside the people of the Sith and gives fascinating insight into things from their perspective, I'm now eager to read more.

The author does an excellent job of taking the reader inside the Sith mind, and with a very short tale he manages to weave an extremely compelling tale about the beginnings of the Lost Tribe of the Sith. It's clear that the sole purpose of this freebie is to stir up interest and demand for the upcoming book, "Omen (Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi, Book 2)". For me at least, it worked. Although short, this is a story definitely worth checking out.

Rooting for the "Good" Badguys, June 1, 2009
As a pr move to get people excited about omen, this wins. As a stand alone short story in the star wars universe, this wins.

It's also a rare opportunity to engage the sith as actual characters with depth and dynamic development. John Jackson Miller has matured as an author and left us with something deserving 5 stars.

At times the storytelling is briefly muddled but at it's core this is a great story, definitely worth checking out and I already find myself looking forward to lost tribe #2

A waste, May 22, 2010
This is the worst Star Wars book I have read (out of around 20 or so). It is short, pointless, and forgettable. As other reviewers have stated, it is just a generic story with some elements of the force/light sabers thrown in. I will not read the next installment since I don't care about any of the characters.

The only reason I gave it 2 stars (instead of 1) is because its free.

Books assumes knowledge and descriptions of actions leave something to be desired, June 12, 2009
I was somewhat let down by this brief story. I enjoy all 6 Star Wars movies, though this would be my first entrance to the Star Wars universe outside of those movies. Perhaps because of that, I was a bit lost at times.

I understand that the book is a short story, but I felt that it assumed a greater than average knowledge of the SW universe. It needed more of a description of the characters than was present. Telling me that a character is a Houk, but not telling me more than that is not helpful. Had I known what a Houk was, perhaps it would make sense. Same thing with the Massassi (sp?).

I am in the process of reading several series of books which involve reuse of the the same characters, fictional races, and fictional planets. A core feature of these which I felt was lacking here is some backstory of the plot element being discussed. There is an art to bringing a new reader up-to-speed without boring those familiar with the subject matter. Perhaps the author here dispensed with the back-story in the interests of space, but to the detriment of the story.

In addition, the author is not as descriptive as necessary at times. At one point in the story, two characters appear to be talking alone (Yaru and Devore), until a third character is addressed (Seelah), however there was no mention of the character entering the room. In another area, Yaru utilizes the Force to affect a mechanism on the outside of the ship after Devore comments that going out there would be dangerous. I would guess that Devore would realize that using the Force was a possibility. Also, I felt that the author was not descriptive enough the the Force was actually being applied. Lastly, the scene between Yaru and Devore felt disjointed.

With a setting as rich as the Star Wars universe, I felt that more attention should have been paid to the back-story of the Sith, races, etc... with less of a play-by-play feel to the story.

Add on, June 11, 2009
Was a good book for free. Would have liked to see what happened in between the 2 years that were skipped though.

not bad for a free book, June 10, 2010
These e-books are good for free books, but something about the way they are written I find them hard to follow at times. Overall though, if you're reading the current Fate of the Jedi story line it's a good tie in that fills in some of the back story of the Sith.

Not quite what I had expected., November 2, 2009
This is the first Star Wars novel I've read since the wonderfully adapted novelization of Revenge of the Sith by Matthew Stover. Sadly, Lost Tribe of the Sith: Precipice does not inspire me to continue reading expanded universe novels. While many readers find fault with the brief length of this novel, I found it to be the book's only saving grace (other than its price). Surprisingly, the characters in this novel are quite lackluster and are a far cry from the variety of Sith Lords we're accustomed to. Whereas the Sith Lords of the Star Wars films and previous EU books tend to be frightening figures, the 'humanized' Sith Lords in "Precipice" are poor ambassadors of the Dark Side of the Force.

Perhaps this series will improve with successive books. But Precipice fails to deliver the kind of intriguing space opera that I love about Star Wars. Fortunately, Fate of the Jedi: Omen of which Precipice is only a prequel, appears to be a far more interesting read. As much as it pains me to say it, I would have a very difficult time recommending this book to anyone except the most die-hard Star Wars fan. Maybe John Jackson Miller will deliver the goods on the next go.

Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith: Precipice, April 18, 2010
Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith: Precipice, by John Jackson Miller

As I've said before, normally I don't care for short stories. But I make exceptions sometimes, and how could I pass up a Star Wars short story?

"Precipice" is an accompaniment to the new Star Wars series Fate of the Jedi, and tells how the missing Sith tribe landed on Kesh. The short story series also provides a few clues for Paul S. Kemp's "Star Wars: Crosscurrent."

Omen, a Sith ship full of Lignan crystals crashes onto the planet Kesh. The survivors of the crash are stranded on the planet, with no way to contact their Sith masters or fly off Kesh.

"Precipice" has a Star Wars feel, and I liked the main character, Yaru Korsin. He's a captain in the vein of Han Solo: cocky, sarcastic, self-assured. But he also has the ability to use the Force. And while a Sith, he is disgusted when some of the survivors start fighting amongst themselves, as the dark Force users are wont to do.

And that's about where "Precipice" finishes. It's a pretty good story, and I'm looking forward to reading the others in the series.

3/5.

Serious Lacking, December 21, 2009
This short story took me about 15 minutes to finish and left me wishing i had those 15 minutes back. The Sith are the dark side of the force but there was nothing dark about this story, it is hinted that the characters do have the force but do not indicate why they may be considered the bad guys. It also has a cliff hanger and than starts up again 2 years later without filling in any of the blanks. I am sure this was meant to be a teaser and the complete book will go into greater detail but even for a free kindle book i felt like i was ripped off.

Great Inside Look at Star Wars Bad Guys, November 20, 2010
I read this book (and the whole series) with my nine-year-old son after finishing my own sci-fi eBook and we had a hard time putting it down. When good writing appeals to a wide range of ages, then it's often viewed as great writing. This book delivers just that.

Lost Tribe of the Sith as a four-part series for Kindle is an excellent character study on the lifestyles of the Sith and their immersion into a foreign world. Moreover, it's filled with adventure and intrigue as you might expect from a Star Wars novel. What I really like about the novel is that, while there is a focus on the bad guys (the Sith), the plot doesn't get overly dark. The treatment of the series from book 1 to 4 is clever and balanced. By the end of the story, there are even Sith characters that I frequently mistake for guys guys because they are so likable.

Note that there is also a fifth part out to this series, and it is equally good with gripping new plot elements. However, I see part five as starting a new story arc 1000 years later. So I digest parts 1-4 as a complete story, and part 5 as a related, yet compelling new story being introduced, with a cliffhanger ending.
Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith #1: Precipice
Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith #2: Skyborn
Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith #3: Paragon
Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith #4: Savior
Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith #5: Purgatory

As a sci-fi fan, sci-fi dad, and sci-fi author, I was thoroughly impressed and entertained.
Star Chosen: A Science Fiction Space Opera for the Whole Family ... Read more

Editorial Review

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Reviews

Perhaps Wells' Finest Novel, February 5, 2004
Although it is less often read than such Wells novels as THE WAR OF THE WORLDS, the basic story of THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU is very well known through several extremely loose film adaptations. Pendrick, a British scientist, is shipwrecked--and by chance finds himself on an isolated island where Dr. Moreau and his assistant Montgomery are engaged in a series of experiments. They are attempting to transform animals into manlike beings.

Wells, a social reformer, was a very didactic writer, and his novels reflect his thoughts and theories about humanity. Much of Wells writing concerns (either directly or covertly) social class, but while this exists in MOREAU it is less the basic theme than an undercurrent. At core, the novel concerns the then-newly advanced theory of natural selection--and then works to relate how that theory impacts man's concept of God. Wells often touched upon this, and in several novels he broaches the thought that if mankind evolved "up" it might just as easily evolve "down," but nowhere in his work is this line of thought more clearly and specifically seen than here.

At times Wells' determination to teach his reader can overwhelm; at times it can become so subtle that it is nothing short of absolutely obscure. But in THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU, Wells achieves a perfect balance of the two extremes, even going so far as to balance the characters in such a way that not even the narrator emerges as entirely sympathetic. It is a remarkable achievement, and in this sense I consider MOREAU possibly the best of Wells work: the novel is as interesting for the story it tells as it is for still very relevant themes it considers.

It is also something of an oddity among Wells work, for while Wells often included elements of horror and savagery in his novels, MOREAU is not so much horrific as it is disturbingly gruesome and occasionally deliberately distasteful. This is not really a book than you can read and then put away: it lingers in your mind in a most unsettling way. Strongly recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

Once again, do NOT WATCH THE MOVIE FIRST!!, April 30, 2001
This book is less known than Wells' other works like The War of the Worlds and The Time Machine, but in many ways it exceeds these other, more popular works. This novel is a story essentially about the nature of humanity. What is it that makes us people? What, exactly, separates man from the beasts? Wells' insidious Dr. Moreau is the perfect character to explore these questions as he has no conscience. As you read this book you find yourself identifying more with the "beasts" than with the Dr. or his assistant; and you find yourself wondering whether or not the noble beasts are in fact more human than the human characters. This work is decades before its' time; as today genetic research and animal rights are garnering more attention and headlines. I believe Wells was somehow able to see these issues decades ago when he wrote this story; and it remains one of the most salient writings on the topic to date. I heartily endorse this book for any fan of science fiction. Enjoy!

Cheap reprint from public domain, August 27, 2007
Filiquarian Publishing, LLC published this book under the idea that it is in "public domain status." Meaning, it is not any better than you would find online. The book is readable, but emphasis (bold or italics) are done by an underscore before and after the word(s). Example: "_His_ is the lightning flash, we sang. _His_ is the deep, salt sea." (page 82) To me, it is annoying to read it this way. You occasionally find extra quotation marks and a double dash (--) in the place of an ellipsis (...). On page 41, you get all of the above.

The binding is right up there with self-published titles. The cover is as basic as it gets, and has no text on the spine (see picture.) The back cover has merely a UPC barcode. On my copy, the glue they used for the spine was pressed out and made a rather strange bind. By strange, I mean cheap-looking.

Anyway, if you are looking for an inexpensive copy of this book and don't care about the bindery or text issues, then this book is for you.

A Catastrophe, February 11, 2008
I have recently become a fan of Wells' writing for the unique voice with which he tells a story in addition to his unique tales. References to "The Island of Dr. Moreau" seem to surface frequently in pop culture, so I felt compelled to read this book. Some might go so far as to argue that this is Wells' best book. I may not disagree.

While the book was written before the advent of genetic engineering as we know in the 21st Century, it could be applied. Wells seems to have intended the book as a commentary on the theories of Darwin and evolution. When Edward Prendick finds himself on a remote island, he recalls rumors of Dr. Moreau. But only when he sees his handy work does the horror begin. Using manipulative techniques that include primitive grafting, Moreau made the animals more human. Yet the ultimate question of the book is whether Moreau could make the animals into human, removing any trace of animal from them.

This is certainly a case of the book being better than the movie as the book makes Wells true intent evident. Like many of Wells' works, it is also a powerful social commentary that makes great reading.

Far-reaching work quite relevant today, September 1, 2001
This is certainly an interesting work, though not nearly as exciting or gripping as The Time Machine or War of the Worlds. For some reason, I had the notion in mind that this short novel was a "most dangerous game" type of story where the protagonist is hunted, but this is of course not true. Dr. Moreau is a scientist--a quite mad one, actually--whose life's work involves vivisection; in essence, he takes a plethora of animals and, through surgery and mental indoctrination of some sort, attempts--with varying success---to endow them with humanity. The result is a twisted menagerie of beasts who share both human and animal traits of myriad sorts. They can understand human speech, in fact, which has allowed the doctor to indoctrinate them into a worldview wherein he is the god whose laws must be obeyed. While the story of the protagonist, Prendrick, is interesting, from his initial shipwreck to his "rescue" and eventual escape, his main purpose in the story is to describe the inhabitants of this macabre island. As one may imagine, this isolated, fragile society eventually breaks down and the beasts regress more and more into their animal instincts, to the great detriment of the "god" Moreau and his rather pitiful assistant Montgomery.

Metaphors and broad, deep-reaching themes abound in this tale. While one can certainly make out an obvious theme concerning man's desire to play God and the negative consequences of such efforts by science, there are deeper and more mysterious conclusions one can draw about Wells' view of humanity itself. While this is certainly not a racist novel, one can conceivably see it as a warning against racial mixing, particularly in terms of the notion that the lower and more "bestial" traits will eventually win out over any "higher" traits imbued into a mixed creation, a common idea at that time. However, I tend to see the strange human-animal creations of Dr. Moreau as a microcosm of mankind itself. There is evil (or bestiality) present in all men which has the danger of erupting to the surface at any time; no set of external factors can make a truly good man. Society will always have a minority who are bestial in nature and who cannot be redeemed despite the best efforts of that society's members to form a perfect world. The tale is a rather unusual one for Wells, it would seem, particularly in terms of this seemingly negative interpretation of society itself. There are no good guys in this tale; every character is a victim; the experimentation (social as well as physiological) of Dr. Moreau is an unadulterated failure. Perhaps the conclusions I have drawn from reading this story are my own alone. The Island of Dr. Moreau, however, clearly shows the depths of Wells' thinking and his deep interest in society and its ills, and it challenges the reader to think about the negative consequences of genetic and social engineering. As always, H.G. Wells shows himself to be a far-reaching thinker and a man truly before his own time.

A true classic of the genre., February 8, 2002
This book is one of a relatively small number of stories that could all be considered prototypes of the "mad scientist" subgenre of the science fiction genre. (Some of the others are "Frankenstein", by Mary Shelley, "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea", by Jules Verne, and "Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde", by Robert Louis Stevenson.) As such, there are many elements of the story that to a modern reader may seem trite and overused; what is necessary for the reader to understand is that these concepts were NOT trite and overused at the time; this is one of the writers who CREATED these concepts, which are so powerful that they've been copied by later writers until they seem downright hackneyed. If a modern writer had written this story, I'd rate it two or three stars for a fairly competent style, by no higher because it adds nothing new to the genre. But as it is, it's one of the originals, and is worth reading if for no other purpose than to be able to see the references back to it in later novels, such as "Jurassic Park", by Michael Crichton.

If you're bored with the "mad scientist" subgenre, you probably needn't read this book. But if you're at all curious to see one of the books that originated the concept, this is an excellent early example of the idea. And if you are a fan of the genre, this book is definitely a must-read.

An H.G. Wells classic, October 28, 2006
H.G. Wells may be best known for The Time Machine and the War of the Worlds, but don't overlook The Island of Dr. Moreau. This short novel, 160 pages, isn't so much a fast read as it is a good one. The titular Dr. Moreau is the quintessential "mad" scientist whose life's work involves vivisection. He takes animals and through surgery and brain manipulation attempts to give them humanity. The result is a twisted menagerie of beasts who share both human and animal traits. His experimentation has allowed them to understand human speech, and his brainwashing makes them believe he is a god whose laws must be obeyed.

The protagonist of the story is Prendrick who gets shipwrecked on the island and then "rescued" by you know who. Prendrick's main purpose in the story is to be the outsiders who sees the island and the macabre goings on through discriminating eyes. He is also the trigger that helps the fragile society break down with the beasts regressing more and more into their animal instinct, which causes the grim downfall of Moreau.

This is a story full of metaphors and deep-reaching themes. The obvious theme concerns man's desire to play God and the negative consequences of such efforts, but also the deeper conclusions one can draw about Wells' view of humanity itself.

Overall The Island of Dr. Moreau, clearly shows the depths of Wells' thinking and his deep interest in society and its ills. The story challenges one to think about the negative consequences of genetic and social engineering. It also shows that H.G. Wells was a far-reaching thinker and a man truly before his own time.

Quick and Interesting, June 28, 2001
This novella is interesting as a piece of science fiction, the genre of which H.G. Wells is sometimes called the father. It was written a few decades after Darwin presented his theory of evolution. The concept of evolution produced a lot of anxiety among intellectuals of the time, including Wells, who looks at the implications of the theory here. He puts the narrator, Prendick, on a secret island populated by Moreau's man-beast creations. The events which follow continually blur the line between man and animal, just as evolution forces man to see itself in the context of other species. Oh yeah, the novella, like any good sci-fi book, is suspenseful, and a little scary. And it's not very long, so you'll have plenty of time to read all your other books too.

Classic H.G. Wells, December 21, 2010
The two movies that I have seen on The Island of Doctor Moreau over the years served as an introduction to the storyline. When I eventually got around to reading it, I was really glad I made the decision to do it rather than rest on the movie interpretations. It is a short novel. You will like it. Read it. It is Classic H.G. Wells. You will be glad afterwards that you did.

Yesterday's horror meets today's science lab, March 22, 2010
I got this on Kindle simply because it looked interesting and was $0.00. Once I began to preview the book to determine whether or not I was going to keep in on my Kindle or delete it...I couldn't put it down! The language is somewhat dated however, it adds to the story line and keeps the events back in the time they should be rather than allowing them to creep into today's timeframe. It is so interesting to read something that was written that long ago and let your imagination decide how it may pertain to today's life in the form of genetic, hybrid and biological engineering. The fictional events on The Island of Dr. Moreau seem as though they could be going on in the local university biology research lab and hidden from the public eye. Typically I'm not into science fiction reads but this may be a turning point for me. I enjoyed this book a great deal and have recommended it to several friends to read. Enjoy! ... Read more

Editorial Review

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Reviews

Mysterious Island Is Fantastic, May 18, 2009
I have not had a chance to talk about any of the books that I have read recently, but I decided that today I would. Recently upon getting my Kindle 2 I downloaded for free a copy of Jules Verne's The Mysterious Island. One of the great things about owning a Kindle is that the second you own it you can download many classics for free and you already have a well stocked library full of classic novels that triumph over some of today's commercial attempts.

I really recommend reading this book. It starts off slowly, and there were times in the middle of the book that I began to get overwhelmed by the complex descriptions that Verne offers about how this band of Civil War escapees manage their life on a strange island. Verne goes into such depth that the reader can actually tell that Verne probably spent many hours in his own contemplation about what he would do if he were stranded on an island. And let me be the first to say that if I were stranded on an island I would want Jules Verne right beside me. His knowledge of the subject went further than you would expect it to and considering that the book was written in the 1870's. The type of information that was possessed by the characters given by Verne surpasses what most people would know today. It wasn't too far after being stranded that the band of men were making pottery, iron and planning to make guns. At one point they even knew to take small whale bones and hunt with them. These are things that are lost in today's world of luxury.

I think the beauty of the story lies in its ability to transport you to this other place and time. As I read the book I felt as if I was back in the 1800's trying to survive and thinking as I read, "what would I do?" It is an excellent book that could be read by young and old alike.

This is a review with very little extra to add to the first review, June 11, 2009
I am trying to be the cheapest person who owns a Kindle. So I am searching out classics to read on the Kindle that cost $0. Came across Mysterious Island and I have been captivated by it. Very good read. Intelligent with adventure. After reading the book, I wondered about any movies made about this book. I saw one listed on Netflix that had giant sea monsters fighting the island inhabitants. The movie also had women on the island with the men. I guess whomever tried to sell the idea of the book to Hollywood was afraid of just presenting the book as is. No sea monsters and no women. I think the movie version would be "a little" like Castaway.
To sum up. The book is free and easy to read, and enjoyable. Thanks for your time.

The best book I ever read, July 3, 2009
I first read this book in the early 1960s. It was then the best book I ever read. 45 years later it is still the best book I ever read. Jules Verne was
absolutely one of the greatest writers ever. The group of men who landed on
this island didn't only survive they survived well. The engineering that went on and the knowledge of Jules Verne is unbelievable. Verne did his homework. If you like survivor stories read this book. Verne puts Robinson Crusoe to shame.

Very enjoyable read, October 7, 2010
The best part about classic books is that they are written so well. I have a pretty good vocabulary but referred to the dictionary on many occasions, which by the way is a feature of the Kindle I really like. If nothing else it will grow your knowledge of English and Science.

The creation of a small settlement by castaways out of just the resources they find around them is quite intriguing. I found it rewarding to try and figure out where they had been castaway to, and did at least get close. Some elements of the story are a little far fetched. The dog Top is outrageously talented to the point of being silly.

I found elements of both 'Journey to the center of the earth' and '20,000 leagues under the sea' weaved into this tale. If you have read and liked either of those titles you should enjoy this also.

The mystery of the island is explained at the end, somehow I wonder if it would have been better left unresolved, for the reader to ponder.

The Best of Jules Verne!, December 11, 2009
Jules Verne is one of my favorite authors, and the Mysterious Island is the best of the great Jules Verne. This book is a must have for all Kindle owners. It has everything. The classic theme of survival, connections to the well known Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and In Search of Castaways, flavored with humor, sprinkled with science, mystery, a castaway gone crazy, and a volcanic eruption thrown in for spice. Do you like the sound of it? Good, now go order it and start reading.

Fascinating, August 30, 2010
Jules Verne's Guide to Survival. I enjoyed the adventure. This is one classic you don't want to miss. Not only is it fun to read, but you might learn something as well. The next time I read it, and I fully intend to read this book again, I'm going to keep my laptop at my elbow so I can find pictures of some of the animals and plants mentioned. I'd especially like to know if their "horses" are real or make-believe.

Survival Manual, June 22, 2010
A good and interesting story well told. Actually, the book is a tour-de-force of survival techniques. It is a proverbial field manual for survival on a semi-tropical island encapsulated within the framework of a novel, providing that one had the ability to recognize and identify all the plants and minerals found within its pages and had the ability to transform these into those uses identified by the author.

Verne's version of Robinson Crusoe, June 11, 2010
This is Jules Verne's attempt at writing a Robinson Crusoe / Swiss Family Robinson castaway story, with the twist that the five castaways crash-land a balloon and thus come to the island with almost nothing -- unlike Crusoe or the Swiss Family, the castaways here don't have a boat-full of resources, tools, etc., to fall back on, and have to make *everything* themselves, from the ground up, armed only with their knowledge of science and engineering. Since it always seemed to me that Crusoe and the Swiss Family cheated a bit by bringing so many tools and so forth along with themselves, I really enjoyed the more scientific focus, and this has now replaced Swiss Family as my answer to the "what one book would you want with you on a desert island?" question.

Parts of the novel drag a bit, but it's a Jules Verne novel so there's a good story here -- the Island has a mysterious unseen inhabitant, also, there are pirates, which is always awesome.

The main flaw is that this is based on the 1875 Kingston translation, which makes a fair number of edits on Verne's original -- for example, it changes some of the protagonists's names and removes some of Captain Nemo's anti-imperialist, anti-british rhetoric. There's a more accurate translation available for free in the Kindle store, so I'd recommend grabbing the accurate version instead (look for the edition where the engineer is named Cyrus Smith, rather than Cyrus Harding; Kingston reportedly felt "Smith" was a "gypsy name" and hence unsuitable for a heroic character. You can find that version in the kindle store here:The Mysterious Island)

Oh, yeah, Captain Nemo. This book is in some ways a sequel to Verne's _Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Seas_, as well as to his _In Search of the Castaways_. The sequence isn't direct -- really more a case of cameo characters than a direct plot sequel to either book -- but you might want to read those two books first before picking this one up.

A great tale of friendship and surviving, March 7, 2010
This was my first tread into Jules Verne. I was rewarded with a good read. The only complaint was that there was a lot of detail put into all the different mechanisms they had to make. However, it was still interesting to learn such things from the way to build many things from raw resources to how to create makeshift items to help with survival.
The story begins with 5 prisoners; an engineer, a sailor, a reporter, a servant, and a young man along with a very bright dog; traveling in a hot air balloon to escape imprisonment during the Civil War. They are thrown onto an island that isn't listed on any maps and well out of the way for any ships in the Pacific to go by. They even go on a short trip to a close but un-useful island to help a castaway. For four long years these escapees have to start from nothing to make themselves a civilized dwelling. They create everything from a house in granite rock and a garden and an animal farm to any mechanism they might need to create something to survive with. They spend their days working and building and creating all the necessities as well as some wants. They build two ships and at the last second when they fear death, they are saved. There are references to 20,000 leagues under the seas and captain Nemo as well as historical things.
The story is long but with all the details you learn not only to feel like you know the islanders but also enough to see their surroundings and feel their anxieties. There is adventure, camaraderie, pirates, survival, and many other things all wrapped up in this amazing classic. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Don't miss Star Wars: Lost Tribe of The Sith: Skyborn a FREE original e-book short story, the second in a series that tell the untold story of the Fate of the Jedi's forgotten Sith castaways, their battle to survive, and their quest to re-conquer the galaxy! Skyborn includes an exclusive excerpt from Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Abyss (Del Rey Hardcover, available August 18th) and offers a unique look into the backstory of events that have begun to unfold in the Fate of the Jedi series. DECEIVE AND CONQUERA Jedi ambush leaves the Sith ship Omen marooned on a remote alien world, its survivors at the mercy of their desolate surroundings and facing almost certain death. But Sith will no more bow before the whims of fate than they will yield to the weapons of their enemies. And Omen’s cunning commander Yaru Korsin, will let nothing keep him and his crew from returning to the stars and rejoining the Sith order’s conquest of the galaxy. Murdering his own brother has proven Korsin’s ruthless resolve—but now an entire race stands in his way.The primitive, superstitious Keshiri worship unseen gods called the Skyborn, shun science, and punish unbelievers with death. Branded a heretic the widowed young geologist Adari Vaal is running for her life. Among the mysterious Sith castaways she finds powerful sanctuary—and her saviors find the means of survival. With Adari as their willing pawn, the Skyborn as their Trojan horse, and the awesome power of the dark side of the Force at their command, the lost tribe of the Omen set out to subjugate a planet and its people—and lay the foundation for a merciless new Sith nation. ... Read more

Reviews

Another Incomplete Plotline, August 5, 2009
Similar to the first novel in this series this felt incomplete. It did progress the story further but the author would be better off including this and the previous book in one novel with still more storyline. Based off the exerpt in the last book (almost as long as the novel in the last book), it seems like this series is trying to build a background story for an upcoming novel rather than standing alone as a series.

Again approximately half the download was a preview for another novel, which appeared to be more interesting than the initial story. Unlike last time this upcoming story appeared to be unrelated to the Lost Tribe Of Sith plotline.

Better. But not there yet., February 19, 2010
I found myself enjoying 'Skyborn' just a hairline more than the first offering 'Precipice'. Sadly, there isn't enough going on in the story to grab me and I found myself just going through the motions waiting to reach the end. With that said, I am hopeful that this series will improve with each new addition and that John Jackson Miller will give readers the kind of quality storytelling that will make Star Wars fans lose their minds. Having previously heard Miller say that he has something special up his sleeve, I'll continue to follow the series with some optimism. But I will be doing so with my fingers crossed.

A whole different Sith world!, September 26, 2009
After reading the entire Star Wars:Legacy of the Force series I decided that I would commit to the next one, the Fate of the Jedi. In the second book in the series (Omen)we are introduced to a new Sith culture, one that has been accidentally seperated from the rest of the galaxy for the last 5000 years. This is very different from the "There can only be Two" Sith culture, which makes sense since they missed the whole rise of Darth Bane, the Sith Lord that founded the rule of two.

This short story, The Lost Tribe of the Sith: Skyborn, continues in telling the back story on how the Sith not only ended up on the planet Kesh but managed to rule it and it's inhabitants. Set 5000 years before time of The Fate of the Jedi we are introduced to a galaxy full of Sith. If you plan of reading TFOTJ series this will give you insight into some of the most interesting and complex villians to inhabit the Star Wars expanded universe in some time. I am guessing there will be several short books in this series, each timed to gather interest in the Fate of the Jedi stories. Far from being just a publicity vehicle I found the story intriging and engaging. It adds to the legend of some of the baddest guys in the galaxy, the Sith. I look forward to the next stories in this clever series.

Lost Tribe of the Sith, July 30, 2009
Good book but really should be called a short story. Not long enough to be called a novel.

Nice addition to the SW Universe, July 31, 2009
This is an excellent short story! I was intrigued with 'Omen' and have to say that this addition is building into a very interesting storyline.

One appealing plot line is how the Sith are being portrayed as somewhat "normal" humans with Force abilities, not the diabolical, evil cult we've always heard about. There are obvious undertones of an ulterior motive - allowing the natives to believe they are 'gods'; trying to explain away cold blooded murder, etc - but there is also a notion of civility. You might even say there is a hint of compassion in there.

I hope this storyline continues throughout the 'Fate of the Jedi' series... it will be interesting to see how things play out. ... Read more

Editorial Review

“The end was near.” —Voices from the Zombie War

The Zombie War came unthinkably close to eradicating humanity. Max Brooks, driven by the urgency of preserving the acid-etched first-hand experiences of the survivors from those apocalyptic years, traveled across the United States of America and throughout the world, from decimated cities that once teemed with upwards of thirty million souls to the most remote and inhospitable areas of the planet. He recorded the testimony of men, women, and sometimes children who came face-to-face with the living, or at least the undead, hell of that dreadful time. World War Z is the result. Never before have we had access to a document that so powerfully conveys the depth of fear and horror, and also the ineradicable spirit of resistance, that gripped human society through the plague years.

Ranging from the now infamous village of New Dachang in the United Federation of China, where the epidemiological trail began with the twelve-year-old Patient Zero, to the unnamed northern forests where untold numbers sought a terrible and temporary refuge in the cold, to the United States of Southern Africa, where the Redeker Plan provided hope for humanity at an unspeakable price, to the west-of-the-Rockies redoubt where the North American tide finally started to turn, this invaluable chronicle reflects the full scope and duration of the Zombie War.

Most of all, the book captures with haunting immediacy the human dimension of this epochal event. Facing the often raw and vivid nature of these personal accounts requires a degree of courage on the part of the reader, but the effort is invaluable because, as Mr. Brooks says in his introduction, “By excluding the human factor, aren’t we risking the kind of personal detachment from history that may, heaven forbid, lead us one day to repeat it? And in the end, isn’t the human factor the only true difference between us and the enemy we now refer to as ‘the living dead’?”

Note: Some of the numerical and factual material contained in this edition was previously published under the auspices of the United Nations Postwar Commission.


Eyewitness reports from the first truly global war

“I found ‘Patient Zero’ behind the locked door of an abandoned apartment across town. . . . His wrists and feet were bound with plastic packing twine. Although he’d rubbed off the skin around his bonds, there was no blood. There was also no blood on his other wounds. . . . He was writhing like an animal; a gag muffled his growls. At first the villagers tried to hold me back. They warned me not to touch him, that he was ‘cursed.’ I shrugged them off and reached for my mask and gloves. The boy’s skin was . . . cold and gray . . . I could find neither his heartbeat nor his pulse.” —Dr. Kwang Jingshu, Greater Chongqing, United Federation of China


“‘Shock and Awe’? Perfect name. . . . But what if the enemy can’t be shocked and awed? Not just won’t, but biologically can’t! That’s what happened that day outside New York City, that’s the failure that almost lost us the whole damn war. The fact that we couldn’t shock and awe Zack boomeranged right back in our faces and actually allowed Zack to shock and awe us! They’re not afraid! No matter what we do, no matter how many we kill, they will never, ever be afraid!” —Todd Wainio, former U.S. Army infantryman and veteran of the Battle of Yonkers


“Two hundred million zombies. Who can even visualize that type of number, let alone combat it? . . . For the first time in history, we faced an enemy that was actively waging total war. They had no limits of endurance. They would never negotiate, never surrender. They would fight until the very end because, unlike us, every single one of them, every second of every day, was devoted to consuming all life on Earth.” —General Travis D’Ambrosia, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Reviews

A classic piece of horror and apocalyptic writing, September 12, 2006
I was one of many who heard about Max Brooks' satirical guide book The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead. Being a huge fan of George A. Romero's Dead series of films and just the zombie subgenre in general, I was intrigued by the release of this guidebook. From the first page to the last I was impressed, entertained, and hooked on Brooks' serio-comic take on how to survive a zombie outbreak. One section of the book which really caught my interest and has remained a favorite to reread over and over was the final one which details the so-called "historical" instances of past zombie outbreaks throughout history. From as far back as Ancient Egypt and Rome up to the late 1990's. My only gripe about that section of the book was that it was all-too-brief. I felt that it could've been made longer and even would've made for a fine book on its own. Maybe I wasn't the only one to have wished for such a thing to happen for it seems that Brooks himself might have thought the same thing. His latest book in his trip through the zombie genre is titled World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War and it takes the final chapter of his previous book and expands on it. But instead of using past "historical events" to tell his story Brooks goes into the near future to describe what would happen if the zombies ever did bring the human race to the brink of extinction and how humans finally learned how to fight back and take back the world.

World War Z is a fictional account of a worldwide outbreak of the living dead in the near future and judging from some of the descriptions of places and events in the beginning of the book it won't be too far in the future. WWZ is done in an interview-style format with each chapter consisting of first-person interviews of individuals who lived through the Zombie War from its initial outbreak to it's final battles and mop-up operations. The sampling of survivors interviewed range from soldiers who fought the losing battles in the early going of the war when lack of information, outdated tactics, and illogical reactions to the zombie outbreak contributed to humanity almost losing the war. These soldier survivors explain how humanity became its own worst enemy when it came to protecting its own and combatting the growing ranks of the zombies. Some of the mistakes were unavailable as information on how to combat the zombies were far and few and even then most were unreliable. Some mistakes on the other hand many today would consider as unconscionable as war-profiteers and those willing to put keep a hold on their own power would sacrifice their own people to keep it so.

There's also regular people who survived the war and who made great contributions during the dark days when humanity were pushed into isolated and fortified pockets of resistance as everywhere around them the zombie army grew exponentially. Some of these people were just children when the outbreak first began as rumors and unsubstantiated news reports. It's the words of those children now adults that show how war and conflict really takes the biggest toll on the smallest and helpless. One could substitute the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, The Balkans and even Africa in lieu of Brooks zombie war and this book would still resonate. There's a particular entry of how children left to their own devices to try and survive alone in the wild with zombies all around have turned feral to the point that their capacity to learn and develop into adulthood has become stunted or even halted permanently.

Brooks' novel also puts in little veiled references to the events occurring now in the real world. There's mention of the unpopular war in the Persian Gulf as having a detrimental effect on the morale of troops once they returned home and how this helped make the initial fight to stem the tide of the zombies a losing proposition from the outset. There's also mention of Iran as having acquired a nuclear arsenal and how this leads to an incident early in the Great Panic of the zombie outbreak that speaks volume of what could happen if unstable states acquire weapons of mass destruction. Brooks' also gives a prescient look into a near future where the US and Europe stop being the economic superpowers of the world and step aside for the economic juggernaut that is China and India. All these inferences of today's geopolitical and economical events mirrors what might just come into fruition.

The interview format really gives the book a sense of realism despite the outrageous and fantastical nature of the book. As I read the book I was reminded of Stephen A. Ambrose's books on the men and women who fought during World War 2. Ambrose also used interviews and personal accounts to make up the bulk of his books like in Citizen Soldiers and Band of Brothers. Having a personal take on the events gave his books more emotional impact and really brought the emotions of the conflict to those who never experienced it. The same could be said about Max Brooks' World War Z. Even though it's fictional thru and thru it still made the reader think of how such an event, if it ever came to pass, could be so tragic, disheartening but in the end uplifting as it once again shows that humanity could still pull itself together through all its petty misunderstandings to survive. On a more stylistic point, Brooks' novel shares some similarities to Theodore Judson's sci-fi epic Fitzpatrick's War. Judson's book also tries to chronicle a future war which was shaped by religious and ideological forces. Where Judson goes way into the future of an alternate Earth, Brooks smartly stays to a more forseeable future that readers of his book would most likely see happen; hopefully a much brighter and less-zombified one.

Brooks' decision to forgo the usual linear and narrative style for this book also allowed him a certain bit of freedom to introduce one-shot characters in addition to those who appear regularly. In a more traditional novel such one-shot characters would seem useless and even unnecessary, but in this interview format it makes more sense since it's really just a collection of personalities trying to describe their own take of the Zombie War they lived through. Some people I know who have read advance reader's copies of the book (I was lucky enough to procure an ARC copy myself months in advance) have said that there's little or no talk of love and relationships in World War Z. I for one was glad that Brooks didn't try to force certain "interviews" where it talks of survivors finding love and relationships during the outbreak, through the war and all the way to the mop-up. This book chronicles tales of survival and horror. As much as a tale of love would've been a change of pace to all the death and horror in the interviews it would've been too drastic a change of pace. I would think that the last thing that most people would have in their minds when trying to survive day-to-day, if not hour-to-hour would be to stop for a moment and have sex, cuddle or other less-than survival behaviors.

All in all, Max Brooks' World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War takes a serious look at a fictional and fantastical premise and event with a serious eye. The book manages to be tragic and terrifyingly sot-on about how the world governments today could fail when confronted by such a horror of tremendous proportions. Unlike his funnier first book on the zombie subject, World War Z shows the flaws and failings of humanity and how it almost led to its extinction, but it also shows humanity's stubbornness in the face of total annihilation and how it could come together in cooperation to not just survive but take back the world. In times of extreme adversity man can be brought to his knees but also show his resilience. A great novel and one that deserves reading from not just fans of the horror and zombie subgenre, but those who enjoy taking a peek into what could be, no matter how outrageous.

"Dawn of the Dead" meets "An Inconvenient Truth", September 30, 2006
Other reviewers are correct that Brooks approaches the problem posed by a zombie issue as a problem to be solved within the structure of modern global politics. In my opinion, the approach of focusing on the response to the zombie plague is more sophisticated and more timely than making an allegory of the zombies themselves.

It was Romero who took the voodoo myth of the reanimated corpse and popularized an idea of the zombie as a vessel for a communicable plague. He identified a fundamental anxiety and created new monster in response to modern anxieties. However, his use of the zombies as a critique of consumer culture isn't as fresh an observation as it might have been in the 70s, which is the most pertinent criticism of the recent "Dawn of the Dead" remake.

To the modern audience, the idea of zombies carries undercurrents of AIDS, biological warfare, and terrorism, and Brooks is one of the first to recognize and tap into that in an intelligent way. He's taken a specialized, genre subject and elevated it here to something that is literary. And while there will certainly be some who will be disappointed not to find the pages filled with endless descriptions of severed limbs and smashed brains, Brooks lays on enough of the biological details to keep the subject from becoming abstract, while keeping his focus aimed on something more significant.

As Brooks envisions it, the zombie plague encompasses the threat of terrorism and global war, natural catastrophes like Hurricane Katrina or the devastating tsunami, and global disease scares like avian flu and SARS.

There are two outcomes of a story about a zombie plague; either it consumes and annihilates humanity, or it is contained by the organized action of something like a government. As a domestic political parable, Brooks doesn't throw any hard punches. He envisions America triumphing over the zombies under a national unity government of both parties, with Colin Powell and Howard Dean as president and vice president respectively.

Powell and Dean are not named but are clearly identified, with Dean providing a narrative, in which he is identified as a "whacko" retired to Burlington, Vermont. He makes allusion to his rising political star and subsequent "meltdown," and mentions the president's military training and Jamaican relatives.

I also think some readers may have misinterpreted the narratives about Israel. As I understood Brooks's narrative, in his "near future" Israel had unilaterally withdrawn from the West Bank behind a security barrier and the Palestinians had declared statehood in the territories. Brooks sees Israel as being the first nation to directly address the zombie outbreak by declaring a national quarantine, effectively made possible by the much-criticized barriers. Certainly Brooks's imagining of these events has a political undercurrent, but I'd see it as a center-right

While early in the book, a showy exertion of American military technology proves useless against the inexorable tide of the undead, but later on, it is the American military that adapts and develops the techniques to defeat the zombies.

Some may find it politically offensive that Brooks approaches the zombies as a problem simultaneously emerging globally, and paints the response to the problem from the perspective of people from various countries. However, the approach to emerging problems like communicable disease, terrorism and climate change as global has been broadly accepted by all but the most polar extremes of the politcal spectrum.

Several of the ideas are legitimately controversial. Brooks envisions Russia organizing as a sort of neo-Tsarist theocracy, and China pushing back the zombie tide only after a civil war which removes its establishment. Nuclear exchange occurs between Iran and Pakistan, emerging from a dispute over refugees from the plague, and Brooks explains this from the perspective of an Iranian diplomat who wryly suggests that traditional enemies have the diplomatic mechanisms necessary to prevent nuclear war, while traditional allies would not be able to communicate in a dispute growing from a crisis.

The policy, implemented globally, which saves humanity is also disturbing, and Brooks treats it as such. Formulated by a calculating, almost sociopathic former policy-maker from apartheid South Africa, the plan calls for the abandonment of large swaths of the uninfected population to serve as bait to distract the zombies, while the military establishment and necessary personnel retreated to and secured defensible "safe zones."

Perhaps Brooks's most radical position is the notion that the trappings of modern society must be abandoned in this kind of crisis. Professionals from the modern American service economy are re-trained by their former plumbers and housekeepers to perform the kind of tasks necessary in the wake of the zombie induced economic crash.

The military abandons its high-tech weaponry and communications mechanisms in favor of single-shot rifles, revolutionary-era firing formations, highly trained dogs, and multipurpose shovels called Lobotomizers that can be used like axes to decapitate zombies. In Europe, refugees ride out the zombie plague by holing up in old castles and fighting off the undead with medieval weapons pilfered from museums. A brilliant Indian general fights off the zombies by positioning his soldiers in a square formation reminiscent of the ancient Greek phalanx.

Ultimately, Brooks, whose previous book explored a similar theme and managed to achieve humor by taking the hypothetical problem extremely seriously, invites audiences to really treat the idea of zombies seriously by approaching them realistically, both as a military problem and a political crisis.

What an amazing book!, September 13, 2006
Like several other reviewers, I read and enjoyed Max Brooks' 'Zombie Survival Guide', but I was skeptical as to whether he could strike gold twice in a row. Much to my satisfaction, the answer was yes.

World War Z isn't so much a novel as it is a collection of very personal recollections of people who have lived through - literally - hell on earth. In a way, it reminded me of news footage of these walls you see where, during a civil war, or natural disaster, people go and leave notes for loved ones, hoping someone, anyone, will see them. Every time I see something like that, it strikes me as hopeless and desperate, but at the same time noble and uplifting. In short, what makes us human. This book gave me the same reaction. I preordered it from Amazon, received it this morning, and finished it about an hour ago. I wish I'd rationed it out a bit, because I didn't want that feeling to end - the feeling of reading the accounts of some of the bravest souls who (n)ever walked the earth.

The only other book I've read that comes close to this in 'feel' is Warday, by Whitley Strieber and James Kunetka. But even that is too one-sided; the authors' own opinions and views are clearly dominant. In World War Z, each individual vignette is unique and special; from Tibetan smugglers to dirigible pilots to ex-politicians, each 'interview' has its own distinct voice.

In closing, I'd just like to say that while George Romero may be the father of the 'zombie genre', Max Brooks may well exceed him. Blasphemy? Nope. Just my opinion. One that is hopefully shared by millions of others.

PS: Here's hoping they don't butcher it when they make the movie! :D

Like a good Romero zombie movie, but better!, January 16, 2007
*** SPOILERS BELOW!!! ***

If you love zombie lit but are getting bored with viscera and nihilism, this is a great antidote. Brooks has taken his ironically deadpan "Zombie Survival Guide" and made a whole world out of it. Pretending to be an oral history of humanity's struggle against Romero style zombie hordes, this book has a cast of dozens, most of whom speak for only a few pages before yielding to other voices. As a result, we get a truly international view of the great crisis, and the situation and responses faced by people in a variety of settings.

Generally, this works and works well. Zombie fans will be delighted by the variety and unique sets of questions Brooks addresses - what would an armored company do to fight zombies? What happens to zombies in cold weather? What would happen in Korea and Cuba? Traditionalists will be happy at the slow mindless zombies, but they may perhaps miss all the visceral gore common to the genre, as Brooks does not get too messy. This is a fine choice, as if you want messy there are many, many zombie novels available that are based on anatomy texts, but few that manage to be this creative and panoramic.

Some have commented on Brooks' "leftist" politics. This complaint to me is a non-issue. Some US characters do state that disillusionment over Iraq left the US civilians and military incapable and sluggish to respond to the initial zombie plague, but this is not harped upon and the US military and populace do indeed bounce back soon enough. He also does have an Israel / Palestine solution result from the plague, but we see only very little of the end result, and the rockiness of the path towards a two nation solution is portrayed clearly (complete with an Israeli civil war). Brooks also has a clear Howard Dean stand-in become US President, but unless you are a Dittohead, this will probably be only a minor irritant.

More seriously, Brooks has been accused of an anti-military viewpoint and some Amazon reviewers accuse him of only showing "politically correct" characters in a heroic light, with white male soldiers and other authority figures being shown as inept or malevolent. This is an utter calumny, and some of the only narrators with multiple speaking roles are white male US Army soldiers. The Army's initial response was bumbled as shown, but the reasons for the tactical and strategic failures are clear and realistic and the military soon comes up with effective new strategies, which the soldiers heroically and intelligently implement. Many of the most heroic protagonists in these pages are soldiers of different nations, and the hard choices, psychological and physical suffering, and heroism of these characters comes through clearly and fairly.

The occasional statements about right wing militias seizing control of parts of the US and then not freely handing them back to the government are minor plot points and again are not inconceivable. Left wing citizens do not have the firepower or fortified compounds that some extreme right wing folks have, and the same guys that have bunkers and assault rifles stockpiled also are not very friendly to Big Government. Hardly an unrealistic scenario! And along the same lines, Brooks' solution to the zombie plague is very Big Government with centralized micro-management of resources, citizens, and strategy. This strikes me as again being not overly ideological, and also logical and realistic as many real world crises of large scale and complexity (especially in the 20th Century) were solved in the same way.

Finally to address another review complaint, the UN does take over the eventual wrap-up campaign against the zombies, but this is only after most nations have cleared their countries using their own troops under national sovereign command. The UN is only conducting campaigns in those parts of the world that have been too devastated to conduct their own campaigns or are too isolated or large for nation state operations. Again, not leftist so much as it is pragmatic and realistic.

Sorry to go into the "politics" of zombie wars so much here, but the unifying theme of most criticism of Brooks is that he is too left-wing. As I hope I've shown, I disagree with that assessment and most importantly these politics such as they are have no main bearing on the plot of quality of the book.

Finally, the best things about "World War Z" to me are the quality writing, the surprises of the plot and scenarios, and also the poignancy of the emotional impact. As stated above, the experiences of the combat soldiers are deep and moving, and other sections like the struggle of a pilot trapped behind "enemy lines" and best of all, the K-9 handler's tale are brilliantly done and add both pathos and innovation to portrayal of human experience during the Zombie Plague.

The only poorly done section of the book struck me as the Japan part, with a computer nerd hero who is literally glued to his PC until zombies break down the door. He fumbles his way to escape, discovers a katana, and becomes a samurai ginsu machine, slicing and dicing his way through undead hordes. Finally he meets a wise old sensei who also happens to be blind and an impressive master of zombie fu in his own right. The wise old guy helps the ex-nerd become a warrior monk and the two found an order of swordsmen to save Nippon... Other than a guest appearance by Godzilla and / or giant robots, there is little that could be added to this section to make it seem more cartoonish and cliched, perhaps a sign that Mr. Brooks is capable of wedging his tongue a bit too firmly into his cheek, to the point where his story-telling is impaired. But this is maybe 10 pages out of 400, and the good stuff far outweighs the bad.

All in all, I think this book is brilliant and highly recommend it. The innovation of Brooks's plotting is pared to an optimistic pragmatism that stands in stark contrast to the bleak nihilism of most zombie books. Human society and its components, humans, are ultimately shown to be resilient, intelligent, and even noble. The usual zombie books (c.f. Brian Keene's gore encrusted potboilers) usually show humans being as bad or worse than their ghoulish opponents, with human institutions like governments and armies collapsing into non-existence or brutal predation of ordinary civilians. Brooks dares to think differently and his book is a breath of fresh air.

Brooks gets the details right, tells a fine story, and makes the Zombie War seem very real. Zombie fans need to read this, and non-genre fans with some familiarity with the zombie plague concept will also probably enjoy this. No significant flaws, many many virtues!

A surprisingly good follow-up to the survival guide., September 13, 2006
The thing that made Max Brooks' first book, the Zombie Survival Guide, work well was that it took itself so deadly seriously. After just completing World War Z, I have to say that Brooks has a real potential to turn the whole zombie genre on its ear by incorporating the same type of dead serious dialogue about the completely unimaginable (masses of hungry, reanimated dead) into the kind of conversational tone you would have with friends and family after struggling through something horrific.

I won't dwell on the the horror aspects, and neither does the book really. Sure there's gore and truly gut-churning images throughout, but it's more about how individuals adapt and survive chaos than zombies chomping on innards. This survival is framed in a world that's very real sounding, and contains so many parallels to how one would imagine current governments, corporations, and societies would respond in the face of complete annihilation. Brooks demonstrates more of an understanding of this than many genre writers would ever be capable of. Certainly the best zombie book I've read and one of the better horror books I've read in years, it's also an exciting work of fiction in and of itself.

And yes, it could make an incredible movie too.

Unstoppable, September 13, 2006
I bought World War Z yesterday morning (I'm on vacation) and couldn't put it down until I turned the final page last night. It inspired me to write this, my first Amazon review.

I've always like apocalyptic fiction: "Dies the Fire," "The Stand," "The Postman," "Alas, Babylon," "Lucifer's Hammer," etc. This book moves to the top of the list. The utter serious tone of Brook's writing, coupled with his innovative narrative structure makes this book read like a legitimate history. Further, he deftly inserts real world characters and events into his plot, while never specifically naming them, which, for me, heightened the work's realism.

And the action is gripping.

Another reviewer mentioned that the work lacked some of the drama usually associated with these types of works, ie relationships and sex. That is true, sexual relationships are totally left out of this book. But human drama is not. Whether it's the reformed South African military planner, the Chinese submarine captain, the Canadian artic survivor, Brooks convincingly captures the emotions and mentality of people surviving a major crisis.

My one complaint is that everyone interview are "the good guys." I would have loved to have read accounts of survivors of some of the "rebel areas" or of war lords...or even survivors of the isolated pockets.

It will be fascinating to see what type of movie emerges from this

Starts promisingly, then degenerates into a procedural, May 5, 2007
The world is quickly getting overrun with zombies. They bite living humans; those humans eventually die and are reanimated at zombies themselves. The only way to kill them is to separate their brains from their bodies. Cutting off all their limbs or disemboweling them won't do it; they'll keep dragging their bodies along, in their continual quest for warm bodies to snack on.

This is the basic problem in World War Z. Which brings up the first point of anatomical puzzlement (one of very few): if the brain is vital to keeping the zombies going, then wouldn't severing their spine also do the trick? The book makes it a point to note that a human body is just a bunch of meat with a command-and-control unit attached, and once that c-and-c unit is gone the body is, too. But command-and-control isn't much good without a way to get messages from the general to his troops, so to speak.

Getting hung up on that kind of detail, though, would doom this book. And in any case, Brooks is very good at tying up the loose ends. The zombifying virus changes the bodies' chemistry somehow, so that they also don't need food or water. For that matter they don't need oxygen, leading to what I found one of the most effectively terrifying images throughout the book: swarms of zombies lying on the ocean floor, their undead hands glancing off nearby swimmers, or pulling unlucky ones down. By the time of the book's writing (it's a look back at the Zombie War, after humanity has started to win against the zombies), there are millions of zombies lurking beneath the waves, and the next generation's children have long since learned to stay away from the water.

What are the consequences of a zombie takeover? Brooks takes us around the world to answer that question. Borders are hastily closed off to outsiders, leading to a few missile exchanges and eventually all-out nuclear war between a couple of the combatants. People get in their cars and head out into the hinterlands, quickly running out of gas and abandoning their vehicles on the side of the road. (This leads, coincidentally, to one of my moments of disbelief: as it turns out, the zombies do not have the complicated motor skills to open car doors. Hence if they die in their cars, they cannot get out. As far as I can tell, Brooks invents this constraint to motivate one particular, highly effective, scene midway through the book. But again, we set aside our disbelief and move on.) They head for the sea and take any boats they can...but the zombie virus has already infected some of them, and of course there are those murderous zombies waiting below the sea in shallow water to drag the boaters down.

Others head for the north, where the zombies freeze motionless during the winter. They're trained to expect that someone will come and save them, so they act like the German army invading Russia and don't plan for the winter; they expect the zombie problem will be licked by then. Consequently many of them freeze, and [follow your Jack London imagination].

Brooks is mostly great at visualizing where the story should go. As my friend Chris (who encouraged me in the strongest terms to read World War Z) says, Brooks could probably write a 600-page book in place of this smaller one. The longer story would expand on places where Brooks had to rush: he was forced to pack an entire world's worth of zombie stories, spread over 10-odd years of fighting, into 340 pages. So I don't fault him a certain economy of style, with any clunkiness that that caused.

WWZ starts as Lord of the Flies on a global scale, with governments and individuals all huddled around the same campfire. "Fighting the last war" fails: all the high-tech weapons the U.S. military has stockpiled with zest count for naught, and we have to return to shooting bad guys between the eyes with pistols or lopping off their heads at close range. Our sedentary American lifestyle fails, and those who build things with their hands for the rest of us are suddenly our superiors. Had Brooks kept this arc going throughout World War Z, it would have been perfect.

As it is, I'm afraid it degenerates into what Chris calls a "war procedural" -- though Chris's claim is that WWZ never reaches this point, whereas I claim that it does. The last half of the book is "grunts" talking about the details of which particular bit of ordnance they threw at the bad guys, and how their tactics changed, and oh my god the military acronyms. So many acronyms. Brooks has read too much Tom Clancy; I have as well, which is where the nausea of recognition came from. Had he made the single decision to not interview a single soldier in the final half of the book, the book would have been saved from disappointment. As it is, I left it feeling let down: not upset at having read it, but also not inspired to reread it.

Good follow up to The Zombie Survival Guide, September 18, 2006
This book is a must for any fan of zombie fiction, it was interesting to see how the situation unfolded worldwide, from different perspectives. That being said, the reason I didn't give this book five stars is because, as some others have mentioned, just as a survivor's account was becoming exciting, it was over. I wanted more, if Max Brooks writes another zombie novel, I would like him follow one group of people from start to finish of the zombie plague.

Some reviewers have mentioned the politics in the book, I think they are blowing it out of proportion. Are there some veiled jabs at the Bush administration? Sure, here and there, but Bush and his adminstration is never mentioned, and I took it more as Brooks jabbing government in general.

As far as some saying the idea of someone producing a useless drug they know doesn't help, as far fetched, I guess they haven't seen the Dateline story where they filled a capsule with Nestle Quick and see if they could get an infomercial made. They told everyone at the production company it didn't really work, but they were told how to word everything to get around that, and even found a doctor that would endorse it for the right price, sight unseen. And the government letting the public think the zombie remedy is effective? The government used to tell the public that ducking under a flimsy wooden desk would save them from an atomic explosion, so this part of the book doesn't seem so far fetched to me.

Howard Zinn Meets Zombies, September 12, 2006
I wasn't sure what to think with a follow up to the Zomibe Survival Guide. The first few pages were slow, but after that I couldn' t stop with it. It is in a very serious tone and acts like a real history book would in cataloging events by chronological order but through the words of people who survived. It's like if Howard Zinn's People's History of the United States were mixed with a zombie outbreak. It's more interesting than scary, yet holds the reader til the end wanting to know the outcome. Although fictional, Brooks portrays the characters with distinct voices and perspectives that would convince anyone they were real. The people range from victims to heroes and all feel essential to the story. He never strays toward the absurd or gore effect that occurs with some horror tales. If one didn't know better they would have believed it had happened. Unlike most zombie books and movies, this one will be ranked as the best due to the humanity and realism of what a zombie epidemic would force mankind to endure and win.
The only part of the story that dragged was about the dogs role in the war near the end. It felt overdone and drawn out and could've been shortened to a page or two at most.
Overall this is the best zombie book I ever read and would recommened it to any zombie lovers in an undead heartbeat.

Where Were You When the Zombies Attacked?, May 15, 2008
I understand why so many people loved this book, but it didn't entirely work for me. The central conceit - that the book is a series of interviews with key survivors of the Zombie Wars - is good, but it makes for a very episodic read.

In it's effect, the book is more like a collection of short stories than a single coherent narrative. Yes, all the interviews are telling the same "story," but the characters and settings never overlap - you get scores of unrelated narrators sharing their own tales of horror.

Thus, there's no build up of suspense or tension over the three-hundred plus pages of this book. Each "short story" has its own dramatic arc. Some work better than others. But, with rare exception, you could delete any one of the chapters in this book without affecting the others, or, conversely, you could add twenty more chapters without changing the outcome. A lot if it is interesting, but it all feels kind of arbitrary.

Lastly, without continuing characters, there's really no one to root for or against. You never get emotionally connected to anyone - the stories can involve you, but they almost never move or inspire or touch you. Compare this with a book like Stephen King's The Stand - which also told dozens of apocalyptic stories, but linked them together in one coherent narrative with consistent characters, and you'll see how much less emotionally involving Brook's book is.

Still, this is a good, gory read. If you like horror, a lot of these stories are morbidly fun with nightmarishly memorable moments. Just keep your expectations low-to-moderate. Max Brooks definitely has talent, and I look forward to reading what he does next.

... Read more

Editorial Review

Twenty-five years ago the survivors of the marooned Sith ship Omen bloodlessly conquered the native population of the remote planet Kesh, installing themselves as overlords and transforming the primitive Keshiri civilization into a new Sith society. Letting nothing stand in his way—including his own brother’s life—Omen commander-turned-Grand Lord Yaru Korsin has ruled unopposed ever since. But now his days, and those of the ruthless Sith order on Kesh, may be numbered.Revolt—and revenge—have been brewing in the hearts of the two women closest to Korsin. One is Adari Vaal, the once-outcast Keshiri who rescued the stranded Sith, aided their domination of Kesh, and now leads the secret resistance against them. The other is Seelah, wife of Korsin, widow of his murdered brother, and mastermind of the plot to assassinate the Grand Lord and seize power. But have the comforts of a king and his own arrogance blunted Korsin’s cunning Sith instincts? Or is he ready to deal swiftly and mercilessly with treachery from any quarter? Enemies themselves, Adari and Seelah are unaware of each other’s destiny-altering gambits. They only know that there can be no turning back—and no escaping the consequences if they fail. ... Read more

Reviews

Short, but suspenseful, October 21, 2010
I downloaded this book for my husband on our Kindle and decided to read it. While my husband loves everything Star Wars, I must admit he has been bringing over to the force. This is the first Star Wars book I have ever read and found that it was very short, but easy to read. I was able to guess what happened in the first few books in this series, so I did not need the constant backfill that you get with so many other books. In the end, I found that I was intrigued by this mystery character that showed her true self at the very end of the novella. I am now waiting for the next novella and hope that it brings the same suspense as this book. I would recommend this book as a change of pace from your normal reading habits...unless you currently read Star Wars and then I say read on!

Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith #4: Savior, September 6, 2010
An excellent read for Star Wars fans, of which I am. I hope that one day all four of these will be available grouped together in hardcover format as well as those Star Wars books that are only currently available in an E-book format. But outstanding and enjoyed it from start to finish!!!

Just wish installments were longer, August 29, 2010
Well written. Continues the story. Recommend reading first three installments before starting #4.

This seems as though it was written with an impending deadline looming, April 30, 2010
I have been enjoying this series of short stories "Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith", for several months now. They have given us the back-story to the latest series of Star Wars novels, "The Fate of the Jedi". My enjoyment ended with this book. My main complaint is that I found this short story to be TOO short. I also feel that it was poorly planned and hastily constructed. It introduces a new (and important) character without fleshing her out as well as the other main characters have been. Because of that the climatic ending seems less than believable and, ultimately, disappointing. Even the series-changing final battle scene which involves some of the Lost Tribe's most important characters comes across as sketchy at best.

I have been waiting over a month for the latest installment of this interesting (up to now) story and even though it was free I feel as though I over-paid (at least with my anticipation). If we are treated to any more stories in this series I hope that they are better thought out than "Savior" was.

not bad for a free book, June 10, 2010
These e-books are good for free books, but something about the way they are written I find them hard to follow at times. Overall though, if you're reading the current Fate of the Jedi story line it's a good tie in that fills in some of the back story of the Sith.

A frustratingly slow, but (hopefully) improving series., June 10, 2010
After three mediocre attempts, Jackson finally delivers a decent story in this ongoing series. Savior is the first of the 4 Lost Tribe of the Sith short stories that engaged me as a reader. For the first time since I started this series, I actually want to know where it is going. It's clear Jackson does indeed have a story to tell, even though I still question if I care enough to wait for that story to be told. I am hopeful and optimistic that the rest of the series will live up to the initial hype and take us to that galaxy far, far away. Not great by any stretch of the imagination. But finally a start. 3 stars.

Good but not like others, April 28, 2010
It is as well written as the other Tribe of the Sith books, but it was way to short. I know the other three are not long ebooks but this one seemed hurried a bit.
This book focuses on a Sith power play, and the natives trying to get there land/lives back form the Sith. The story abruptly ends as soon as the power plays finish, I would have liked to read more about the after math a bit. Also there is no story included in this about "modern" day sith like the first three had.
I would get this book if you are a fan of the Tribe of the Sith books, though I would wait for it to be free, 80 cents is a bit much for so little.

Star Wars Marathon Part 5, July 28, 2010
I recently resolved to read the entire Star Wars novel line in order and decided to include e-book novellas as their story-lines are interrelated and the authors are often the same. I'm going to be reviewing all of the books as I read them. I am not going to bother with plot summaries as they are already provided in the back cover description.

I disliked Savior for the following reasons:

Style: The style of writing was vague and at times difficult to follow.

Lightsaber Battles: There was a lightsaber battle which wasn't even described. We were merely informed of the results.

Jedi/Sith Philosophy: NA

Characters:
Korsin: Once again, for a sith he doesn't have much of a personality. It's clear that he is manipulative and unscrupulous but doesn't evoke much color while demonstrating these traits.
Seelah: This character has become far more interesting and less of an irritant. She is shown to be an impressively ruthless villain. Due to the stlye, however, the character is not all that believable.
Adari: Quite dull and doesn't have much personality.
Jariad: Reminds me of Devore from Precipice (his father) and is thus a source of irritation

Savior earned two stars because the plot of the novella series is fully under way by this issue and is highly entertaining with a dramatic premise.

Music: I suggest "The Earliest Songbook in England" by Gothic Voices as accompanied listening.

I would not recommend this series even for Star Wars fans unless they are fans specifically of the novels. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Don't miss Star Wars: Lost Tribe of The Sith: Paragon a FREE original e-book short story, the third in a series that reveals the untold story of the Fate of the Jedi's forgotten Sith castaways, their battle to survive, and their quest to re-conquer the galaxy! Paragon includes an exclusive excerpt from Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Backlash (Del Rey Hardcover, available March 9th) and offers a unique look into the backstory of events that have begun to unfold in the Fate of the Jedi series. Darkness VisibleThe ruthless cunning of the Sith Order has served the shipwrecked crew of the Omen well on the alien planet Kesh. Subjugating the superstitious Keshiri race by posing as its fabled overlords has ensured the Sith's survival—while they struggle in secret to return to the stars. But after fifteen years on their adopted world, some among the lost tribe have grown restless and fearful that assimilation will consume their Sith heritage. Now, as rival factions begin to appear, a shocking disaster throws into doubt the Sith's future on Kesh. In the distant city of Tetsubal, the entire native populace is suddenly wiped out by a grisly plague of unknown origin. With terrifying speed, more cities succumb to the mysterious contagion. Only the Sith remain unharmed—so far. And as Sith commander Yaru Korsin grapples with the looming loss of the paradise he rules and the race his people have come to depend upon, he must confront the dark possibility that the catastrophe may not be cruel fate but insidious sabotage. ... Read more

Reviews

Another Fun Installment, February 10, 2010
Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith #3: Paragon is the third short story installment of the Lost Tribe series by John Jackson Miller. The series follows a group of Sith in the time of Naga Sadow who crash-landed on the planet of Kesh.

Miller's strength has always been in his characters, whose attitudes and beliefs are seamlessly woven throughout the narration--beliefs that the reader may take to be fact. The result is a wonderful installment-ending twist that will leave you wanting for more.

A must-read for any Star Wars fan.

Things are not as they appear on the planet Kesh, February 15, 2010
In the latest Star War series, Fate of the Jedi, Luke Skywalker and team battle a whole civilization of Sith whose ancestors were marooned on the planet Kesh 5000 years earlier. Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith tells the back-story of those who became separated from the rest of the Sith before the time of Darth Bane (the Sith Lord that instituted the "Rule of the Two").

This installment, Paragon, takes place 15 years after the a Sith ship crashes onto the planet Kesh. It's local inhabitants embrace the Sith as deity and the Sith take control of the planet. This short story ends with a surprising twist that gives us some clues that it's not going be be as easy as it seems to keep that control.

I find the characters well fleshed-out and the idea of an entire Sith culture fascinating. Each story in the Lost Tribe of the Sith precedes a new installment in the "Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi" series and ends with a preview of the next book, this time it is "Backlash" by Aaron Allston due to come out next month. I have to say that although I have been following both series I am enjoying Lost Tribe more than the full Fate of the Jedi stories. It could be because the characters are new to me and the concept is unique, or it could be that they are better written and more creative (and, let's be honest, free). Either way I'm really looking forward to the next one!

Star Wars, August 27, 2010
My husband read these but wouldn't read more. EZ reading but doesn't hold up to the originals

Excellence, February 25, 2010
Great read, better then the first two. In most of the Star Wars books the sith are just glanced over (if talked about at all), I like getting to know them better. Kind of like getting to know the stormtroopers better in the Star Wars Republic Commando books.

Is there hope for this series?, February 19, 2010
I'm a bit torn about my feelings about this series. On one hand, I relish the thought of reading new adventures set in the Star Wars universe. However, I really don't find any of the characters interesting and find that the humanized version of the Sith are paltry replacements for the likes of Darth Maul, Darth Bane, Darth Sidious, and their ilk. Truth be told, I like my Sith Lords wicked, ruthless, and downright EVIL!

Although it's kind of clever to create a cast of Sith Lords who are more like everyday people than the the vicious, kill-or-be-killed style of villains Lucas created for his mythology, it also makes for unnecessarily overly psycho-analytical, annoyingly pretentious, and ultimately unengaging storytelling. So far, The Lost Tribe of the Sith falls prey to the same trap that ruined the prequel films. There's just too much political intrigue and faux-philosophical storytelling to actually get excited over this series. With the material Jackson has to work with, this should be a slam dunk for an exciting story about Sith Lords. Instead, reading Miller's books are a chore because it seems less like Star Wars and more like badly written fan fiction. Give me show-stealing lightsaber battles and heated dogfights in space! Get rid of all of this socio-political fluff and return to the kind of space opera that made fans fall in love with Star Wars in the first place.

To be honest, if it weren't for the last page of 'Paragon', I'd probably give up on this series right now. My hope is that Miller is about to give us the goods on the next round. If not, I'll be happily moving on to watching reruns of The Empire Strikes Back on my DVD player and putting to rest any thought of reading more books in this series. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Kay Kenyon, noted for her science fiction world-building, has in this new series created her most vivid and compelling society, the Universe Entire. In a land-locked galaxy that tunnels through our own, the Entire is a bizarre and seductive mix of long-lived quasi-human and alien beings gathered under a sky of fire, called the bright. A land of wonders, the Entire is sustained by monumental storm walls and an exotic, never-ending river. Over all, the elegant and cruel Tarig rule supreme.

Into this rich milieu is thrust Titus Quinn, former star pilot, bereft of his beloved wife and daughter who are assumed dead by everyone on earth except Quinn. Believing them trapped in a parallel universe--one where he himself may have been imprisoned--he returns to the Entire without resources, language, or his memories of that former life. He is assisted by Anzi, a woman of the Chalin people, a Chinese culture copied from our own universe and transformed by the kingdom of the bright. Learning of his daughter's dreadful slavery, Quinn swears to free her. To do so, he must cross the unimaginable distances of the Entire in disguise, for the Tarig are lying in wait for him. As Quinn's memories return, he discovers why. Quinn's goal is to penetrate the exotic culture of the Entire--to the heart of Tarig power, the fabulous city of the Ascendancy, to steal the key to his family's redemption.But will his daughter and wife welcome rescue? Ten years of brutality have forced compromises on everyone. What Quinn will learn to his dismay is what his own choices were, long ago, in the Universe Entire. He will also discover why a fearful multiverse destiny is converging on him and what he must sacrifice to oppose the coming storm. This is high-concept SF written on the scale of Philip Jose Farmer's Riverworld, Roger Zelazny's Amber Chronicles, and Dan Dimmons's Hyperion. ... Read more

Reviews

Please don't avoid this book because of HK review!, June 18, 2007
This is a brilliant piece of SF/F writing and does not deserve to suffer simply because HK reviewed it in "her" usual, incoherent style. The two professional reviews give a good summary of the plot, so I'll just comment on why I enjoyed the book so much:

Kenyon's characters are so vivid that I found myself attached to even minor characters, wondering what happens to them after they leave the stage. There are only a handful of writers whose characters I've actually had dreams about, writing further adventures for them in my head, after I finish a book. Kenyon is one of those writers, and I can't wait to read the subsequent installments in the series.

The characters are the stars for me here, but I must mention how fascinating the world is that Kenyon has created. The two parallel worlds are revealed gradually to the reader throughout the course of the book, but even from the first scenes they feel solidly real. They make sense because Kenyon adds the kind of telling details that bring them alive most subtly and completely for me. Both worlds come complete with nuanced social and political stresses: corporate greed and executive dogfights, difficult family dynamics, political power struggles, clashes between cultures, xenophobia, and lots more. It sounds like a lot for one book, but the strands are so skillfully built and intertwined that the reader's knowledge builds in an apparently natural way. From the first, wrenching scene in the Rose (future Earth) universe--where we encounter an entire ship at the mercy of technology so complex that only one person on board is capable of fully understanding, much less controlling it--to the first scenes in the Entire universe--where we witness a summary execution by one of the powerful and terrifying Tarig--Kenyon sets up fascinating and illuminating parallels between the two parallel worlds.

The plot is complex and surprising also. The pace is never dull, yet events are allowed the proper time to build believably and achieve resonance for the reader. Kenyon doesn't pull any punches, and the consequences of the characters' decisions are sometimes brutal, adding increasing depth to the plot and characterization as the book progresses.

Entirely enjoyable. Highly recommended for those who enjoy both SF and Fantasy worldbuilding and want something complex and engrossing.

Kenyon's Best to Date, April 26, 2007
I have followed Kenyon's writing career closely and have read every one of her novels. There's no question that Bright of the Sky is her very best work yet. It is everything that you expect from her work (beautifully crafted characters that you really care about, a plot and story that holds you attention from the first page to the last and last, but certainly not least, a milieu and "world" that is utterly believable even in its most fantastical aspects) and it is everything that you expect from any science fiction/fantasy story. This truly is one case in which the blubs on Bright's cover can be believed -- there isn't anyone on the science fiction scene these days who does it as good as Kenyon.

One of the structural aspects of this book that I found particularly interesting was the seamless interweaving of traditional "hard" science fiction with a fascinating fantasy overlay. I don't often see this done well (or at all), but Kenyon has managed to do it in a way that makes perfect sense in the context of the story line.

Bright is a grand adventure undertaken by people whose reality seems to leap off the pages. The off-earth forays of Titus Quinn take place in an almost magical and mysterious world, but one whose structure and purpose (when you find out what that is) make perfect sense. This world (the "Entire") is populated with some of the most interesting and intriguing characters (recognizable humans whose lives are patterned from glimpses of an ancient Chinese cultrure) and critters (you'll have to read Bright yourself) that I have come across in my reading. The world-building is just delightful.

Bright is apparently the first book in a 4-book series so there are some story elements that remain loose at the end of this first book. But the story of Bright, itself, is complete and concluded in this first book. I was left with the usual reaction at the end of a 1st book -- "What happens next?" In addition to that anticipation, though, I also got a nice sense of satisfaction that many of the important questions raised and conflicts posed in Bright were resolved (even though that resolution set the stage for what must come next in Volume 2 and subequest books).

All in all, this was a delightful read and, as I noted above, the best work that Kenyon has done to date. This is one that is worth the hardcover price -- you're probably going to hear people talking about this one and I think you're going to want to read it.

Space opera at its best, April 26, 2007
It's so nice to have fun reading science fiction again! Kenyon's story is big and sprawling and colorful, and yet the story is so accessible, with memorable characters and good, but not esoteric, science. I love this adventure/romance/thriller of a book, to say nothing of the fact that the cover itself is worth the price. Kay Kenyon and Stephan Martiniere (the cover artist) make a great pair, and bode well for the future of this kind of sf.

Fantastic Worldbuilding + Flawed Writing, March 16, 2010
30 Words or Less: An undeniable triumph of world building, Kay Kenyon's The Entire and The Rose is a science fantasy tale of two worlds worth exploring despite the gradual pace dictated by occasional prose problems.

Bright of the Sky: 3/5

The Good: Absolutely unique world-building that combines science fiction and fantasy elements and continues to grow throughtout the entire series; Carefully plotted narrative that spans and evolves over four volumes; The world is exceptionally well integrated into the narrative rather than being adjacent to it.

The Bad: Early volumes have problems with jarring perspective changes; Worldbuilding often uses infodumping rather than in-narrative elements; The story isn't well segmented into individual novels, leaving readers with an all-or-none decision.

The Review: Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." Rarely is this truer than in Kay Kenyon's science fiction/fantasy hybrid quadrilogy. An undeniable triumph of world building split into four books, The Entire and the Rose is 1700 pages of complex characters and intricate narrative. The events of the series revolve around Titus Quinn, the first denizen of the Rose (our universe) to cross through into The Entire, a complex infinite world constructed by the harsh, alien Tarig and inhabited by a number of races of their creation. Several years before the series begins, Quinn and his wife and daughter were pulled into the Entire when the ship he was piloting broke apart mid-wormhole jump. Quinn returns months later in our time with no family and little recollection of what happened despite living in the Entire for over a decade. When science proves that his ravings about a second reality may in fact be true, Quinn returns to the Entire in search of his missing wife and daughter and to explore what, if any, benefit The Entire may offer Earth. As Quinn quickly becomes embroiled in the politics of the world he left behind, it becomes obvious that much more is at stake than the fate of his family. The plot only gets more complex from there, the majority of which takes place in the profoundly strange world of the Entire, although the story does take place in both universes.

To provide any more detail than that would ruin the game-changing revelations that occur frequently throughout the series, shifting plots and loyalties in unexpected but exciting ways. There are several power players on both sides of the divide and rarely is there any way of knowing who is playing who. If the Earth universe is referred to as the Rose, the other universe labeled as the Entire might be better known as the Onion. From the start of the series to the final pages, Kenyon slowly peels back layer after layer of world building, unveiling an amazingly concocted world. Religion, politics, cultural divides, a forever war, teenage cults, complex transit systems: the facets of the Entire go on and on. Kenyon details aspect after aspect of her created universe and she does an unbelievable job of unobtrusively bringing the elements she has previously cultivated back into the main plot.

It's a rare occurence but if anything there is almost too much world building. The Entire is inhabited by a number of races and species all of which are fairly unique when compared to the genre standards. However, a few of these races are almost superfluous, with not a single primary or secondary character coming from their ranks. Kenyon could have either edited them out or integrated them into the story as well as she did the primary species of Humans, Chalin, Tarig, Inyx, Hirrin, and Paion. The cultural depth of these imagined races is continually capitalized upon by Kenyon and as a result the few species that don't get starring roles ultimately fall to the wayside.

While the extraneous elements could have been handled better, the world of the Entire and the thoroughly constructed characters that inhabit it are the main attractions of the series. Kenyon's writing, on the other hand, leaves a little bit to be desired especially in the early volumes. Kenyon writes from an extremely tight third person perspective and she has an unfortunate tendency to jump perspectives mid-scene without warning, generating confusion and necessitating rereading just to confirm which character was thinking what. Kenyon gets better at this as the books go on but early on these jarring transitions occur disappointingly often especially considering a small change symbol (which is often used to switch perspectives between scenes) could have easily been used to remedy this problem. As the books progress, Kenyon does manage to reduce the frequency with which these occur. The third and fourth volumes are much stronger than the first in this regard.

Kenyon also has a propensity to take a "tell not show" approach to her worldbuilding and while the world is interesting enough, there is no in-narrative reason for the characters to lecture the way they do. Consequently, the books of The Entire and The Rose read somewhat slowly. While not a bad thing in and of itself, these are not necessarily beach reads and due to the complex nature of the world and plot, it should be read in its entirety for full effect, commanding a significant time investment on the part of the reader.

Additionally, it is important to bear in mind that this epic series would be best described as science fantasy. While Kenyon maintains the premise that all of the places and structures of her world are science-based, the science satisfies Clarke's axiom and is indistinguishable from magic. Anyone who goes into this series expecting to understand the physics underpinning the world will be sorely disappointed. Despite the trappings of science that frame the Entire, at its core it's a fantasy world; it exists and behaves the way it does because the story dictates the way it does. But it works and it works well.

Here is a review of the individual volume.

Bright of the Sky: Arguably the weakest book in the series, Kenyon's series debut suffers from exposition overload. Kenyon essentially sets up the story three times; first in the future Earth universe, than in the future Entire world, and then revealing Quinn's backstory and what occurred during his first trip to the Entire. With three full histories to explain in additional to all of the characters she introduces, it doesn't feel like a whole lot happens. The last fifty or so pages feel rushed when compared to the whole and while the end of the book comes at a natural stopping point it doesn't really resolve any of the threads introduced. With such a To-Be-Continued ending, it produces contradictory emotions - on one hand there was too little payoff after the slower prose associated with complex world building; on the other hand, A World Too Near beckoned from the shelf immediately. Bright of the Sky is also the book that suffers the most from those aforementioned perspective shifts.

Ultimately, The Entire and The Rose is more than a sum of its composite volumes, so much so that it was too difficult to reach a conclusion on one book before reading the others. The story flows through the pages like one of the arms of the Nigh (a river of exotic matter from the story), bearing strongly motivated characters through alternating periods of slow progress and torrential action. The narrative twists and turns unexpectedly, creating new letters to place between points A and B. At the core of Kenyon's series is her imagined Entire, rivaling any fantasy world for its complexity and surpassing the vast majority for sheer inventiveness. Despite some missteps in presentation, Kay Kenyon's The Entire and The Rose has created a unique science fantasy series that is worth reading, well, in its entirety.

Great Premise, Poor Execution, August 26, 2010
Something about a book really has to stand out, for good or ill, to make me actually write a review about it. The catalyst, for this novel, is the fact that the concept is great - a really interesting story - but the execution is miserable. I started to put the book down several times, out of irritation, but ending up actually finishing it just for the sake of the story.

The problem is that it really is poorly written:

-- Awful, jarring switches between character and perspective - errors of style and flow that are taught in freshman composition.
-- A hero who is really a jerk, but every horrible decision and character flaw is forgiven because the poor, angsty man has just suffered SO MUCH...sob. He treats everyone around him like crap - but feels completely justified in his own distrust and anger at others.
-- The human villains are cartoonishly evil - making unsubtle threats that make no sense for someone with their supposed power and influence and position to make. And the attempts to humanize them are laughable, as well.

Again, the story isn't bad! I'd love to know how the it ends...just not enough to sit through another book (or, rather, three more books) of the author's atrocious writing!

Tremendous world-building and adventure from one of SF's best writers, April 30, 2007
This book is as big and bold as science fiction gets. You travel with Titus Quinn, the main character, through the universe and into another world on a great wave of narrative energy, and encounter a scary and fabulously detailed alien environment (the storm walls are especially cool). Yet the terrific world-building is balanced by the alien creatures and the many intriguing human and almost-human characters, my favorite being Quinn's daughter, who - well, I wouldn't want to spoil it. Anyway, Kay Kenyon is one of those writers that is so good you wonder why everybody doesn't know about her . . . I can only hope this novel gives her the breakthrough she deserves. Once you read Bright of the Sky and want to read one of her other books while you wait for Book Two of The Entire and The Rose, check out Tropic of Creation. Until this came out, it was my favorite Kenyon novel.

This book is beautiful and a great starter to an original series that blends Sci-Fi and Fantasy, July 30, 2007
When Titus Quinn, a top pilot for Minerva Corporation vanishes with his ship in a disaster it is hardly surprising in itself. However, when he turns up a year later raving about an alternative universe that his family is stranded in he is quietly mothballed by his employers - that is until they unexpectedly find proof that maybe he wasn't raving and that Titus may be their best resource to uncover an alternative method of interstellar travel.

The Entire and the Rose is a strange title for a book, but it quickly makes sense once you start reading the story. Titus is a driven and tortured character. He's a man who's past means much more than even he realises and he may turn out to be fulcrum on which the future of the universe depends.

I enjoyed this novel. It's well written with an original and beautifully described alternate universe. In many ways this book sets up the basics of the characters of this series, some of the stakes involved and gives the reader a good understanding of two worlds. It's certainly enough to make me buy book 2 of the series in hardcover when it becomes available - which looks to be 4 books long if the authors introduction is anything to go by.

A Five Star Book., July 20, 2007
I thought this book was great. I generally tend towards the shoot em up side of science fiction, but I have to say I got completely lost in this book. It was really mesmerizing. And, to top it off, I've read some of Kenyons other stuff with mixed feelings. I've read two other books from her (Braided World and Seeds of Time) and I'd give them only a 3.5 and 2 star rating. But this book was great!

The characters were likable, hatable, lovable,... they were very good characters. As the story progresses the characters progress and change as they develop relationships with the people they interact with. I don't think I've read another book that's done better with its characters.

The plot is solid and interesting; however, it can seem a little whimsical and the science of it seems a little stretched, but, other then that, it's got an excellent plot.

One thing I enjoyed was that this book was not very predictable. One page you think there character is going to do this and the next you think something completely different. I love that in a book. Well done!

Murder, She Wrote, August 18, 2010
The middling rating is due to one huge flaw. The writing is good. Compelling minor characters populate the fully imagined alternative universe. Sure, you can poke holes in "The Entire" concept, but basically it's well-done. I also think the writing is good and direct with plenty of transitive verbs. You will keep reading. There are a few slow points, but suspense about what happens keeps you going. So you may think I was on track to rate this book 4 1/2 or 5 stars, and you'd be right. However, to set up the final chase section the author writes a plot device that is so offensive to me, and so repugnant to me, that I would have rated 1 star if I had not enjoyed the book so much until then. Quinn the protagonist turns into a brutal, murdering monster for no good reason. It's a total break with his character throughout the book (and the author's attempts to remind us of some earlier erratic behavior don't do it). I don't read much scifi or fantasy and maybe aliens aren't considered people, but that attitude's not true to this work. Also, it's violently inconsistent with Quinn's close associations with the aliens, and his former wife's associations as well. It's totally unnecessary to the plot of this book also, since a simple alarm would have served as well. The author forgets what Raymond Chandler taught us - the hero walks through a dark world, and he may be a cynical anti-hero, but he cannot be the darkness. Here, through some sort of moral blindness in the author, a very enjoyable work is betrayed, and the hero is turned into the darkest shadow of all. It's a plot device that rings false. Moreover, it betrays the sympathies of the reader, and Quinn's supporters in the book itself, utterly. This book left a bad taste in my mouth. As Agatha Christie had a character say in "Murder On The Orient Express," harming a child cannot be forgiven.

The betrayal of the Quinn character was extra dissapointing because otherwise the book was good. It's crucial for a protagonist to make morally justifiable decisions at decision points. Two books worth reading that stay true to their protagonists are "Scent of Shadows" and "The Wounded Man." "Scent of Shadows" is an urban fanstasy and "The Wounded Man" is a hardboiled mystery. In these two fine examples, protagonists walk through a dark landscape, and deal plenty of violence, but they remain better than their surroundings. It's crucial to retaining the sympathies of the reader that the anti-hero remain noble at the core. All I can say about "Bright" is - wow, what a mistake to turn the hero into a brutal monster.

Jaw Dropping "Wow"!, November 16, 2010
I read this book in two days, and had a difficult time putting it down for any reason. Those who took three weeks to read it, or thought it too slow, surely were reading a different book. The publisher's review is sufficient for the plot, so I will just touch on the highlights for me, personally.

World building is superb, and even the book's detractors gave points for it. I was easily able to immerse myself in the universe of the Entire, and accept it fully. The parts that compose the whole mesh well together. The only point that is jarring to me is that the Entire was able to access the Rose Universe (ours) and dial in on Earth as its focal point. If they were able to access other points in the Rose where they found sentient beings, that is ignored. I need a reason for the terracentric treatment of the Rose.

A number of the reviews said that the protagonist, Titus Quinn, is unlikable. I will agree that he is a flawed hero, but as I have read Book 1 only, he seems to be evolving. Character growth sometimes takes one step backward for two steps forward. To me, Titus is slowly, painfully learning from his past mistakes. That he is struggling forward and growing makes him human, and for me (as for some of those he meets along his journey) a quite likable (sometimes irritating) character.

I finished the book eager to continue the adventure -- I nearly wrote "my" adventure -- and as soon as I finish this review, I am purchasing Book 2 and diving back in. I am glad Book 1 was offered as a freebie, because I now have a new author who I think is a great Sci-Fi writer, and after finish The Entire and The Rose series, I will also start turning the pages of her other novels. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Fanner Marsten is a man whose greed and lust for power drives him through a blistering desert to the legendary city of Parva, where a secret awaits which will give him absolute control over all the universe. Also includes: Space Can, The Beast and The Slaver. ... Read more

Reviews

Mix of good sci-fi shorts, March 3, 2010
This is a few short stories bundled together, each independent. The first story was my favorite, with a great last sentence (won't spoil it for you). A man seeks the "great secret" of a old, advanced civilization in an abandoned city that will bring him riches. Which of course, is not quite what he expects.
Any one of these short stories would win a modern sci fi contest, no problem. Amazingly timeless. Recommended.

A fun adventure, July 2, 2010
This collection of 3 short stories is just simply fun. Each one takes the reader on an adventure far away from the "daily grind". I look forward to listneing to these books on CD in my commute to work every day - L.Ron Hubbard makes the tedius drive a new, fun adventure.

I LOVED IT! And it was FREE, December 1, 2010
I read four GREAT stories "Space Can", "The Beast", "The Slaver" and "The Great Secret". I tell you L. Ron Hubbard can really tell a story!!! Really well written for a short story because they go straight into the action. I bet you Predator came from the story "The Beast" because The Beast is much older (written in the 30s).

Bruce Boxleitner as Humphrey Bogart type ?, February 12, 2010


Starring the voices of : Bruce Boxleitner,Jim Meskimen.
Going back to listening to audiobooks,Has got to be a must with all this commuting to jobs in the big cities.
Personally,I love dvds and webisodes...But,My brother reminded me that Galaxy Press had done wonderful tapes back in the day.
With these CD releases,Galaxy Press and Jim Meskimen are doing wonders to bring your ears back to be entertained .
"Great Secret" as told by Bruce Boxleitner,is very much like `Treasure Of Sierra Madre' and others that make you want the elusive `Great Secret'.
Found myself wanting to be patient and help search for `the Great Secret' along with main character .

" Space Can",R.F. Daley explains the battles and tribulations of a old space ship ,That has one last battle for itself and its crew.
Pure SCIFI in texture and brings the battle scenes to outerspace.

"The Beast",Im sorry but ...Kept getting a visual of AVATAR while listening to this entry,Lots about death and killing and what it does to your thoughts.

Four average and dated stories, December 6, 2010
I was curious about this collection, because I liked Battlefield Earth quite a bit, despite the slow patch in the middle. I was a bit dissappointed. Battlefield Earth is epic in scope -- by contrast these stories have a dated & familiar feel. They are not bad -- they just lack anything your likely to remember next month, much less over the long term.

If you want powerful and memorable science fiction short stories, check out Robert Silverberg's collection of the best sci-fi stories from the 20's to the 60's. Not free, although some of the stories can now be found for free on the web.

Unexpected ending, October 25, 2008
This story took me by surprise. From the moment I started to read it, I knew something was up and this propelled me through the story. You will not forget this sci-fi pulp classic. ... Read more

Editorial Review

17-year-old Alex Detail has been kidnapped and sent off to fight in ahopeless war against The Harvesters, an alien force that is trying toextinguish Earth's Sun. Unfortunately for Alex's kidnappers (and the world)he has lost the mega-IQ that allowed him to win the last war with TheHarvesters ten years ago when he was just 7 years old. But now the House of Nations is out of options. The end of life is imminent.Alex must survive the war long enough to make it to Pluto, where, underneaththe planet's frozen surface lies the only force in the solar system that canstop The Harvesters. ... Read more

Reviews

Fun & Fast with Universal Appeal, October 27, 2009
This is a serious and smart adventure that delivers the goods -- a riveting sci-fi plot -- along with a lively cast of characters who exude a warmth and quirkiness that is all-too rare in the genre.

Without giving away spoilers, I'd say I was impressed by how the author balanced the deeper philosophical questions with a story that didn't slow down.

And although it's set in space and dishes all the geektastic goods you could want (aliens! space/time quandaries! computers!) it is, at its heart, a Hollywood thriller in the best sense. Chock full of cliff hangers and big personalities, this book won't leave non-nerds feeling lost in space, making it accessible and enjoyable for all.

I'm hooked -- would love to know the next move for humanity and the Harvesters -- so I hope there's a sequel.

Alex Detail's Revolution Video Promo, October 1, 2009
I've primarily worked in unscripted television (LOL! As unscripted television is remarkably scripted); however, I was so excited to have been given the privilege to read "Alex Detail's Revolution" a few years ago and I was committed that if I were ever in the position to publish, I would do everything in my power to do so. The book is trippy and mind-bending. You think it's just sci-fi and then it's a quantum leap. Even though it's 'entertainment', I couldn't be touched by the deeper meaning and the revealing behind the twists and turns of the story. All from a man who programs reality television (Oh, sorry Darren - that would be 'Actuality Television' at your network ;)) All I can say is 'Harry Potter' move over - and I'm not the only one to say so by the quotes of some of your endorsers!

Provoking, October 21, 2009
Darren Campo's novel 'Alex Detail's Revolution' has such a futuristic ring of probability to it - that the story makes the 'Matrix' look like history.

Action-packed, with brains, November 3, 2009
I was really impressed with this book. Darren Campo manages to write an exciting adventure story that also gets at larger themes, like creation and destiny.

Alex Detail as a character is unique - a teenager who is brilliant, but who already knows his best days are past. Both cocky and self-doubting, he gets us identifying with him - and rooting for him to save the world (again).

I was really impressed with Campo's world building - Alex Details's future Earth is alive with details that makes you feel as if everything surrounding this story could be real. Someday.

I look forward to see what comes next for both Mr. Campo and Mr. Detail.

Genius., October 5, 2009
This is without a doubt one of the best books I have ever read, and I am an avid reader. It has shades of Joseph Campbell, Stephen Donaldson and Isaac Asimov. It is thrilling and a page turner, has humor and also is deeply thought provoking. There are multi- layered symbolisms, like Russian Dolls, nesting in each other, and you uncover more and more mysteries as the book unfolds. Everything is more than what is seems, and you will find yourself thinking about this book over and over again, finding new connections and new meanings each time.

Alex Detail's Revolution Video Promo, September 21, 2009
I've primarily worked in unscripted television (LOL! As unscripted television is remarkably scripted); however, I was so excited to have been given the privilege to read "Alex Detail's Revolution" a few years ago and I was committed that if I were ever in the position to publish, I would do everything in my power to do so. The book is trippy and mind-bending. You think it's just sci-fi and then it's a quantum leap. Even though it's 'entertainment', I couldn't be touched by the deeper meaning and the revealing behind the twists and turns of the story. All from a man who programs reality television (Oh, sorry Darren - that would be 'Actuality Television' at your network ;)) All I can say is 'Harry Potter' move over - and I'm not the only one to say so by the quotes of some of your endorsers! ... Read more

Editorial Review

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Reviews

Decent English Fairy Tales, January 20, 2010
These stories were written in a rough tone and have an unpolished feel to them. This is not necessarily a detraction, and some tales were better than other, but it was occasionally wearying to read them in the poor grammar of colloquial speech. Hence, four stars. Also, it lacks an interactive table of contents.

Tales included are;

Tom Tit Tot
The Three Sillies
The Rose-Tree
The Old Woman and Her Pig
How Jack Went to Seek His Fortune
Mr. Vinegar
Nix Nought Nothing
Jack Hannaford
Binnorie
Mouse and Mouser
Cap o'Rushes
Teeny-Tiny
Jack and the Beanstalk
The Story of the Three Little Pigs
The Master and His Pupil
Titty Mouse and Tatty Mouse
Jack and his Golden Snuff-Box
The Story of the Three Bears
Jack the Giant-Killer
Henny-Penny
Childe Rowland
Molly Whuppie
The Red Ettin
The Golden Arm
THe History of Tom Thumb
Mr. Fox
Lazy Jack
Johnny-Cake
Earl Mar's Daughter
Mr. Miacca
Whittington and his Cat
The Strange Visitor
The Laidly Worm of Spindleston Heugh
The Cat and the Mouse
The Fish and the Ring
The Magpie's Nest
Kate Crackernuts
The Cauld Lad of Hilton
The Ass, the Table and the Stick
Fairy Ointment
The Well of the World's End
Master of All Masters
The Three Heads of the Well

Collected by Joseph Jacobs, February 6, 2010
This is, in fact, the collection of stories that Joseph Jacobs collected in the late 19th or early 20th century, inspired by the work of the Brothers Grimm. Jacobs traveled throughout the countryside of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and he wrote the stories down as much as possible in the language in which they were told to him -- old fashioned folklore collection. These collections used to be available in Dover Editions, although I don't know if they are still. (Do Dover books ever go out of print???) The table of contents is not navigable, which could be a nuisance, but free is a good price. You could try constructing your own "table of contents" using bookmarks or highlights....

The stories are enjoyable, and fun to read aloud to kids. I'd give it 5 stars if the table of contents were navigable, take off 2 for the nuisance factor, add one because it's free. Four seems fair.

""English Fairy Tales" - a Kindle e-book freebie from Amazon.com, July 21, 2010
THESE ARE A COLLECTION OF SOME OF THE VERY BEST FAIRY TALES EVER WRITTEN. THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY FOLK TALES IN THAT THOUGH THEY ARE MADE UP, THEY CANNOT AVOID REFLECTING THE LIFE OF LONG AGO. THE OLD LOCAL DIALECT HAS BEEN RETAINED THROUGHOUT IN THESE STORIES, INVESTING THEM WITH AUTHENTICITY, COLOR, INCIDENT, AND VITALITY. IMMENSELY READABLE AND ENJOYABLE FOR ALL AGES! REGINA CLARK

A Great Collection of Fairy Tales, December 9, 2010
Fairy tales are usually thought of as children's literature, and in terms of how much children in particular are fascinated with them this categorization is not without a merit. However, most good fairy tales tap into some social or personal tension, a fact of life, or a natural phenomenon. They often take rather ordinary situations and push them to the limit of what our imagination considers plausible. Fairy tales are thus a form of reductio ad absurdum of common sense, and they often help us see various life situations in terms of their most basic principles. This is why fairy tales have had, and continue to have, a lot of fascination with adults as well.

Most of us have grown up with fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen or Brothers Grimm. There is a sort of cannon of western fairy tales that have become part of the common patrimony of the entire world - Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, Rapunzel, and many others. However, these fairy tales are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the European fairy tales, and there are many other folk tales that are not as familiar as these and yet are equally beautiful and imaginative.

This collection of the English fairy tales is as great of a collection of fairy tales as they come. It is rather fascinating to see that even thought many fairy tales reflect certain English cultural norms, the basic structure and the motifs are surprisingly familiar. We have villains and heroes charged with an unusual and demanding task, monsters and unusual magical objects are everywhere, there are damsels-in-distress aplenty, and most tales take place "once upon a time." All of the tales are very well written and the language is crisp and contemporary. The dialogues, however, are replete with colloquial English expressions and turns of phrase, and these characteristics give the fairy tales a very folksy feel. This collection will be a great source of enjoyment for children and adults alike. ... Read more

Editorial Review

One of Serenity's greatest mysteries is finally revealed in The Shepherd's Tale, filling in the life of one of the show's most beloved characters - Shepherd Book! Who was Book before meeting Mal and the rest of the Serenity crew, how did he become one of their most trusted allies, and how did he find God in a bowl of soup? Answers to these and more questions about Book's past are uncovered in this original hardcover graphic novel by rising stars Zack Whedon (Dr. Horrible, Terminator, Fringe) and Chris Samnee (Blackest Night: Tales of the Corps, Daredevil). A pivotal chapter in the ongoing Serenity saga, The Shepherd's Tale is also a rollicking, action-packed epic in its own right. ... Read more

Reviews

Really disappointing, November 10, 2010
Those who watched Firefly and Serenity are aware of Book's implied rich past. As the series was unfortunately canceled, we find out very little and all sorts of questions remain open. When I first saw this novel available for sale, I expected it to provide some relief for my curiosity.

To put it bluntly, I am very disappointed. The biggest problem is the extremely short length. You could easily fit all the text on a single page and I could tell you the whole story in 60 seconds. One would expect a book published with the purpose of filling in the gaps of a story to do the thing properly. This doesn't even come close. Furthermore, there are a number of inconsistencies, and we arguably end up with more questions than before.

/* SLIGHT SPOILER */
We know that Book had ties to the Alliance (from that Firefly episode where they heal his wounds), but we find out that there was a "falling out" and they (quite literally) threw him out. Why they would treat him as a VIP, save his life and then let them go (as was done in Firefly) is a complete mystery and we're, once again, left hanging.
/* END SPOILER */

Basically, this is a bad fanfic. Save your money and pretend it doesn't exist.

Interesting narrative, but something seems off., November 10, 2010
I have huge respect for anyone other than Joss Whedon, even if its his brother, trying to write something on Serenity and make people happy. However this story was off to me for two reasons. The first will be far more relevant to most people.

The number one reason why the story seemed a little off to me is that it was simply FAR to short. You get a brief overview of events without any real detail and then all of the sudden you are back another six years further into the past of Shepherd Book. Although what was in the book was enjoyable I was inevitably disappointed by the lack of material. It was like being able to only look at pictures from someones past when you know there is a movie about it somewhere, it was insufficient.

On the same point, the chronology seems strange. This is not to say it is right, it is just hard to put into context when all that has been written about the universe is confined to a small time period. This is the end of what normally constitutes a review for a book so you can stop here with me saying a nice read but overall somewhat disappointing knowing the amount of depth of the character that could have been explored and the cost of the book.

Now to my second complaint.Please if you are going to read this part read to the end so you understand why I am saying what I am saying, besides my desire to discuss the issue.

The way the book handles race is atrocious. No where do you meet people any people who are not white except when it fits into a modern stereotype. The story is set 500 years into the future, and manages to show women in equal or at least somewhat more equal status, yet it fails to show race progressing past the stereotypical surface point that it now occupies. It is hard to continue to talk about this without giving anything away, but all it takes

************ (MINI SPOILERS POSSIBLY) ***********
is a look at the scene of Book's childhood or his companion during his teen years to see that race in the comic book, set five hundred years in the future is so stereotypically portrayed. In truth it was just a huge disappointment to me to see these caricatures be the portrayal of Book though the second half of the comic. I could go on and talk about how it seems stupid that, in a world that is supposed to be equally founded by the Chinese, you see no one who is Chinese etc. But in truth most people do not see why I am saying this so I might as well stop.

The fact that this comic came up so short in the creation of this rich world artistically, meaning the background is shown in a complex way with people acting different than now, where minor characters are from all races and sexes for that matter, and the characters are not shown in a dynamic non stigmatized manner is disappointing because to me the inclusion of these, what may seem to some details would make the world come alive with a richer quality. One one of my favorite things about the show was the way they would switch to Chinese to cuss or the way the world especially in the pilot episode was formed visually, that is part of the sadly missing aspect of this book that makes it seem strange.

A must have for the Serentiy Fan, November 8, 2010
If you are a Serenity/Firefly fan, I shouldn't have to tell you The Shepherd's Tale by Joss and Zack Whedon is a must have. There is no more mysterious character in the Firefly storyline than Shepherd Book. He's a preacher who knows how to fight, a renegade who carries legitimate Alliance ID papers. He is a man made entirely of secrets, and this is your chance to learn them.


Shepherd's Tale starts off right before the movie Serenity starts. Haven is under attack, and Shepherd quite literally sees his life pass before his eyes, in reverse order. Once upon a time, we met Shepherd on the pilot episode of Firefly, when Kaylee asked him where he was headed, and he said he didn't know. One box of strawberries later, and Shepherd has bought passage on Serenity, to wherever it happens to be going. How could we have known he had just, that morning, left the monastery?

And what led him to join a monastery, to pledge his life to God, in the first place? What does a man go through to realize his only hope is start over? I won't spoil anything for you, just to say that Zack Whedon did the character justice. More than once I said "no way!" out loud while reading. Who he was, what he went through, the things he did, Serenity truly is the place for him.

Graphic novels aren't cheap, and this one'll cost ya about fifteen bucks. If you're a Serenity fan, I say go for it. The hardback covers are a nice surprise as well. It's not the longest graphic novel you're ever going to read, but I gotta say, when I got to the last page, I felt it was the right place for the story to end.

The only downside of Shepherd's Tale is the artwork, and that's the only reason it didn't get five stars. I don't know if it was a stylistic choice, to draw everyone who wasn't Shepherd Book in a rotoscoped/impressionist style, but let's just say it's a good thing I already know who all these people are. The artwork is pretty blah, but if you are an obsessive browncoat (and what browncoat isn't?) you'll want to add The Shepherd's Tale to your collection.

Meh., November 10, 2010
When I first heard they were telling the story of Shepherd Book I was sooo excited. I've been a fan of Firefly/Serenity for a long time and Book was one of my favorite characters and this story promised answers about his past. Unfortunately we got the short, boring version of Book's past. No depth, no reasons for why Book is who he is, just fluff. This book was, in a word, unnecessary. Save your money.

$14.99 for 56 pages?! Do not endorse this..., November 11, 2010
It's $15 for 56 pages. Please stop and consider that for a moment. I know it's Serenity. I know it's hard bound. This is a great property and a great publisher, but this is an obvious attempt to overcharge a fan base. Other licensed titles in hardcover format do not cost this much. I will not buy this book as I don't want to see more of this. Eventually it will be collected in a trade or an omnibus. I can wait. I read it in the store yesterday, which I am not a fan of, but in this case I felt obligated.

As someone else pointed out, the big question from the tv show, namely why is Book given a warm reception on the alliance ship, isn't even answered. It actually seems to contradict the show. It isn't worth $14.99 or even $8.49 with the Amazon discount. There is no reason this couldn't have been a $5.99 double issue, other than to exploit die-hard fans. If you have tons of cash, you're already gonna order this, but if you are a Serenity/Firefly fan on a budget, you are gonna feel ripped off. Please just browse this in a store and see for yourself.

Don't waste your money., November 10, 2010
I'm a huge Firefly/Serenity fan. Lost count of how many times I've watched the series. Got the movie on DVD and Blu-Ray. I was really looking forward to this graphic novel.

Alas, this book is a huge disappointment. All the descriptions on the cover call it an in-depth look at the Book's past, but there's no depth to it whatsoever. I can sum up the plot line in three or four sentences without losing any depth. (I won't, out of respect for the people who will inevitably disagree with me and don't want it spoiled.) On top of all of that, there's a nagging and dissatisfying inconsistency with the series.

Had I known what I was buying, I would have saved my money, and I recommend you do the same.

Answers? Yes. Anything else? No., November 11, 2010
When Joss Whedon created Firefly and later Serenity, he created a rich and full cast of characters. One was Shepherd Book, a religious man with a past that defies expectations. Fans of the show have been curious and speculative about his history for years. Now we have those answers. Unfortunately, that's all we have.

Writer Zack Whedon's epilogue states that he wrote it in spurts over an embarrassingly long time, and it shows in the finished product. We receive glimpses of Shepherd's past, which do indeed provide answers to the major questions (including some questions raised here) but that is all we get. I hesitate to call this the character's backstory, because it doesn't even feel like a story. It feels like all of the character reveals Joss Whedon had planned to dole out to viewers in pieces over years, as portions of other stories, but cobbled together in a rather arbitrary way. There is no single, coherent plot that binds these scenes together. Arranging these moments in reverse chronological order would have worked in the course of a multiple year series; each time we learn of an event in Shepherd's past, our opinions and beliefs about his past and loyalties are questioned. However, this reverse chronological order defies the causality of the narrative. The trick worked wonders for "Memento" due to the nature of that hero. Here, it falls flat. Had this been a biography of the character instead, leading the character from his teenage years to the moments before his last scene in "Serenity," it might have had enough weight to feel like a self-contained product.

Ultimately, this provides the answers to Shepherd's past that fans have been waiting for, but the execution is lacking enough that I wouldn't recommend picking it up if it can instead be borrowed from a friend or library. The content is worth knowing, but it should be viewed as the character's chapter of the show's writers bible moreso than a stand-alone package.

It's a great outline for the story I want to read. Not the story., December 4, 2010
I'm a great fan of Firefly, and have made an effort to read most of the follow-ons to the TV show and the movie Serenity. Like everyone else, I've been drawn to the mystery of Shepherd Book's past, since he was an intriguing mix of warrior-monk. So I was particularly anxious to read this graphic novel to tell me, as promised, the Shepherd's Tale.

It doesn't suck. But it wasn't nearly as good as I had hoped.

The story is told in flashbacks: vignettes that begin with Shepherd Book in Haven, and which step backward in time. At the end, I knew who Book is-and-was, but I was disappointed. We learn more about events than about his character, and in the show it's Book's character that is so compelling. This graphic novel is much more of an outline for the novel I *want* to read than it is a standalone story.

But the "how Book found God in a bowl of soup" scene was really, really good.

I won't tell you not to get this book. If you're a Firefly fan, you probably do want to read this (even though it'll take only an hour or so; I doubt it's 50 pages long). But set your expectations on the low side.

This isn't the backstory we waited so long for, November 12, 2010
Ok, first the pros: The art's not bad (not great either). The story isn't horrible.

Now the minor cons: Way too short. Does not provide an in-depth look at Book's background so much as a cursory glance.

Now the biggest problem I had: Just about every Firefly fan I know was anxious to find out what in Book's past caused him to be treated like a VIP by the Alliance when he was wounded. This book answers that...in a completely nonsensical way. (Without giving away the plot, halfway through the story you'll say to yourself "Ah, it makes sense now" and then 5 pages later you'll say "Well, now it doesn't make a lick of sense, I'm surprised they didn't kick him in the ribs and hurl him into the vacuum") Were it not for that major drawback, I probably would have rated this 3 or maybe even 4 stars.

Die-hard fans of the 'verse will want this for their collection. That being said, many of those same fans will probably hate it and choose to ignore it as canon.

Serenity: A Shepard's Tale (Abridged), November 12, 2010
I could just mark this as 5 stars because I'm a Firefly fan-boy, or I could mark it 5 stars because it's about Shepherd Book, but I can't.

The graphic-novel/comic-book thing was good, but I was left wanting more; a lot more. While I got many answers to Shepard Book and his past, it could have been expanded on a lot more. This wasn't really a story at all, only glimpses and peeks into Book's past. While everything adds up and it is structured well enough, each glimpse was too fleeting; Just as I would get interested in a memory, I was ripped out and thrust into another.

By my counting (which is always questionable) there are 10 or so sections; each dealing with a different time period. At least 7 of these could be and maybe should be turned into a longer "episode." While this may be the end, I'm hopeful it may spawn a more complete telling of his life and times, allowing the story to come full circle. Just like a bowl of soup.

Overall, it answered the questioned I had before reading it, and left me with even more that I'd like answered after reading it. It was also disappointing that it was so short. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Top-Secret Los Alamos, New Mexico.In 1945 its scientists unlocked the secrets of the atomic bomb.Now the quiet scientific community spawned by the Manhattan Project comes face to face with a technological breakthrough for which the world is completely unprepared. As a special team of operatives struggles to stop the project codenamed Rho while containment is still possible, what it means to be human is about to change -- forever.

About The Author
Born in Roswell, New Mexico in 1956, Richard Phillips graduated from West Point in 1979, trained as an Army Ranger and served for several years as an officer in the United States Army.In 1989, he graduated from the Naval Post Graduate School with a Master of Science degree in Nuclear Physics, completing his thesis work at Los Alamos National Laboratory.He then spent several years as a military researcher at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, before completing his tour of duty as an Army Officer.Since 1996, Richard Phillips has been a lead developer of mlitrary robotic and satellite control systems.He now lives in Phoenix with his lovely wife, Carol. ... Read more

Reviews

Not another Roswell Book!!!, February 12, 2007
I'm a Sci-Fi fan, but I am SOOOoooo tired of the Roswell Alien story. I put the book down the second I found out it was ANOTHER Roswell story. However a friend couldn't stop raving about the book so I reluctantly gave it a read. I was pleasantly surprised. The book doesn't try to point out some overlooked detail and then try and convince the reader that maybe the whole thing was real. Instead it was a fast paced, first class piece of sci-fi work. The characters are interesting and have some depth. The technology described comes across not only as way cool but maybe even kind of possible. The main characters are teens but it's not a Harry Potter kind of book. It's an easy read but the writing is top quality. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because "Book 2" is a must and if I don't get it I'm going to feel cheated.

Intelligently written!, August 24, 2009
I really appreciated this book. I love science fiction/thriller type books, but sometimes they are lacking in plot and believability. I have to say that this was one of the most INTELLIGENT books in this genre I have read.

I read the author's bio on the back of the book and noticed that he has the background to write this book. And it definitely shows.
The book centers on a space ship known as the Rho ship hidden by the government, three teens who find a second ship (hence the title of the book), and various mercenaries and government plots involved with the technology of the ships. The teens have started exploring the Second ship, learning about it, letting it learn them, and wisely keeping it a bit of a secret. I love the fact that Mr. Phillips didn't dumb down the teens. I'm not TOO far from that age group, myself, and I've often despaired of the fact that teens are treated as if they don't have a brain and can't make mature decisions.

Unfortunately there is one person aware of the second ship. A person who sees it as a sort of God-given gift to him. He's more or less inconsequential, but he IS a lesson.
The Rho ship that the government has found, and is releasing technology bit by bit to the public is a pawn used by various people. People blinded by science, and so, willing to lay aside the morality of their decisions. People after something greater, but in a gray way we're not privy to yet. And of course people who want what it yields for the perceived power of controlling the world.

The technology in this book is great. Computers on the Second ship are mind controlled. The ship computer enhances the abilities of the human mind from the 10% we use now to full capacity. The technology of both ships can be used for good. Or for, not exactly evil, but selfish reasons. For delusions of grandeur, for power, for manipulation. All the things that make us so very human.
The Second Ship explores who we are, what we are, and what we could be if given the chance. But is that "chance" for the best?

A Fun and Exciting Read., March 11, 2008
This book is great. Action packed and told at a pace that kept me turning the pages and left me wanting more. Secret government programs spinning out of control with mind bending consequences. Special Operations teams struggling to keep the lid on a situation which threatens to change what it means to be human. High tech thrills so real you feel like you've seen them yourself. In a note from the author he says the next book is under final edit so I'm anxious to get my hands on that. I'm just glad the series will continue.

Don't read this book if you have something to do!!!, December 26, 2009
You won't be able to put it down. You will also have to buy the next in the trilogy, "Immune".
I never considered my self a sci-fi reader, until I read Richard Phillis. I heard him on the radio talking about "Second Ship". It sounded intriguing so I bought it from Amazon, and oh boy, I just couldn't put it down.
The plot is clever and the characters have depth. It is a fast read, captivating tale interwoven with futuristic technologies that made believe to be totally realistic. BUT the most fascinating I found was the change and transformation that takes place in the main characters. The pace of the transformation and the scale of influence that was the result, will continuously blow your mind!
I have a science degree in neurology, so I was particularly interested in the technologies described in "Second Ship" and "Immune" and can say that at the current exponential pace of growth in technology and science, it is likely to see much what described to become real and accessible.
This understanding made the book much more relevant to our times and will stay with you long after you finished it.

Decent, some issues, November 29, 2010
First, be aware that the third book of this series is not out yet. Second, if torture/rape is a non-starter for you, look elsewhere. That stuff is not overly graphic and doesnt take up big pages, but its there. Ok, assuming your ok with these two things, lets get to the review.

I'll go over the plot a bit first. I'll provide the level of info sometimes found on a back cover, most of which is revealed in the first 10 pages. Its "safe" to read, but if you prefer to take 0 risk of the slightest spoiler, just skip the next paragraph.

Two ships fight high in the atmosphere in 1945 near Roswell and crash. Only one is discovered, and studied for 60 years. The deputy director of the project researching the ship has discovered some surprising things about it, and has his own, apparently evil, agenda. The second ship is discovered by three teens, and, for no reason other than that its necessary for the plot to move forward, they put the circlets they find inside the ship onto their heads at exactly the same time, a ship-mind connection is formed, and they learn that their ship was the good guys and the other ship is some sort of harbringer of destruction. From this beginning, we are off to the races, and treated to a mix of alien technologies, evil plots, secret agents, assassins, with some rape, torture and murder thrown in.

The book moves along fairly nicely, and is a breezy and easy read. Lots of action and the heroes are fairly likeable. A few issues knocked it down to 3 stars for me though. First, the three protagonists are teens, and there are teen romances, high school hazing and revenge. These parts of the book almost feel a little like a young adult novel -- but with the rape, torture and killings in the book, its clear that isnt the intent. Leaving aside the fact that teens + rape, torture and killing is, to say the least, an odd mix, the teen-focus comes with a level of predictability. The three protagonists are girl/boy twins and their bff, a female. You can predict several plot developments/twists from this alone.

As a 41 year old, I no longer relate that well to (mostly) goody two-shoes teens. Even though the fate of the world may be at stake, the teens would never dream of doing anything like skipping class or being late for something their parents want them to do. For example, in one scene (no spoiler, dont worry), a teacher confiscates something with potentially nightmarish consequences. Rather than just refusing to hand it over and walking out of class, the teen hands it over and (admittedly funny) hijinx are necessary to prevent total disaster. Are any teens really that slavishly bound to the rules? Maybe so, but I couldnt relate.

Another issue for me was the technology. I am *not* a hard science buff, and I didnt mind the relatively quick descriptions of the alien techs. Frankly, I usually skim that stuff anyway, so it never bothers me in books unless its excessive or totally out there. BUT when a sci-fi book jumps off from present times and describes things like the internet, cryptology and computer viruses, I apply a *somewhat* higher standard, and get annoyed if an author totally makes up his own version of these things. Cyber-punk is one thing, but that is set in the future. Here, we are apparently set in the present, but cryptology, the interet and computer viruses are not described with any realism whatsoever. I suppose this is a minor issue that may not bother everyone. However, there is one incredibly painful sequence where the teens decide they have to send an untraceable message, and come up with the most convoluted, illogical and technologically non-sensical plan of how to do it, involving a silly mix of cryptology and computer viruses.

Finally, I guess I'm a little jaded to books jumping off from modern times that feature kids discovering alien techs, secret government agencies and massive conspiracies. Its just a little harder for this type of book to grab me, because, as a well-read adult, it all feels so familiar.

The book seems popular and highly rated here on amazon, and I dont regret buying it for .99 or reading it. I did enjoy it, and it moved reasonably well. I dont think anyone is odd for giving it 4 or 5 stars. I enjoyed it to a modest degree -- I just, personally, found it a bit forgettable.

Good story, November 20, 2010
I laughingly told a friend, wow, this book has everything. Spies, guns, politicians, good guys, bad guys, spaceships,aliens, hot sexy babes. You know what, its just a really good story told well. Read it and then get the next book and hope there will be more.

Unexpectedly Good!!, October 26, 2010
Was expecting something pretty ordinary (particularly given the price). But was pleasantly surprised. This is a well-done piece of Science Fiction. In some ways it is an amalgum of other stories (remember the TV show Roswell), but much better.

There seem to be a range of characters, both good and evil, across a spectrum of ages. So whilst I am a 40-year old, I was not completely put off by the 3 heros being teenagers in high-school. The older heroes and villains were still characters that I could identify with.

But what sets this series apart is the real thought and intelligence that has gone into some of the "science" of the story. Checking the authors website shows why he was so good at creating altogether intelligent and plausible science to back up the fiction. Some interesting theories are raised, which to a layman like me were so well articulated that I could just about believe them to be true.

This is a good read, which I could not put down. I also moved straight into the sequel, which was just as good, if not faster. I am thoroughly looking forward to the 3rd book on its way.

Great New Author and Series, January 25, 2010
I got the Kindle for Christmas and decided to try The Second Ship as one of my first downloads. I was very pleasantly surprised, the book really kept me going with lots of bad guys and conspiracies. I hated the ending, it ended almost mid-conversation. I'm not talking about a cliff hanger, it was more like they decided it was one book they should make into 2 books, (O.K. make a few page breaks and we'll end the first book right.....here!), or he just stopped typing and sent it for publication that moment. So I was glad that the second book Immune was already available so I didn't have to wait 2 years or so to get more of the story. I've been reading Scifi for about 40 years now, so it seems like I already own or have read all the good books. I have to keep waiting for new writers to come on the scene or the oldies but goodies to write more stuff. So I delight in finding a new author with a worthwhile story. Definitely a buy, but get the second book Immune at the same time so you can keep reading when you get to the end.

The Second Ship, January 4, 2010
"The Second Ship", the first novel of the Rho Agenda series, was one of the best science fiction adventures that I've read in a very long time. Richard Phillips has created a clever conspiracy based story-line, which he skillfully develops in both his characters and their circumstances. The exciting science and technology concepts introduced in The Second Ship" are solidly based on the principles of modern physics. "The Second Ship" is a well-written novel; a real thriller; well worth your readership. Pick up a copy, from the first page to the last, the plot unfolds through twists and turns, which are as convoluted as modern politics. An excellent read!

THE RHO AGENDA BOOK 1, November 21, 2010
I decent twist to the many Roswell tales. This one works. An excellent read with characters that are well developed and you can care for them. Looking forward to the second book in the Richard Phillips series. RECOMMENDED. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Reviews

not what it says, June 21, 2010
I just ordered this book on my kindle and it is NOT a book of celtic tales... It is a book of western campfire stories. Since this is not at all what i wanted to get I'm not thrilled.

too dry and badly edited to even get through, February 25, 2010
simply horrid. any kind of editing would have been a boost. it is badly written, badly typset, making reading a painful chore, and the dry writing is simply terrible. skip it.

Sad tales not fit for children, October 15, 2010
There are three tales in this short volume, none really fit for children, for all are sad stories, as the author himself recognizes. The number three occurs in each of the tales frequently. Each is filled with magic. Each has some resemblance to biblical tales. Each has a woman who is wise or very decisive, who precipitates the events. Each concerns a woman who focuses foolishly on who she loves. Each ends with the death of the tale's hero.

In the first legend, The Star-eyed Deirdre, a wise man predicts to the king that a female child will be born who would be more beautiful than any other girl, but she would bring ruin the his kingdom. The king is unafraid. When the child is born, he orders that she be raised in a hut far from other people, especially men, because, he says, he intends to marry the beauty. But Deirdre, for such is her name, hears about a very handsome man, desires him, and finds a way to marry him. The king is outraged and is determined to get Deirdre for himself.

The second tale The Four White Swans concerns a step-mother who feels that her husband is neglecting her because of his love for his four children. She transforms her husband's children into swans and curses them to live three cycles of three hundred years, the last two in terrible conditions. They will only be delivered when certain events occur at the end of the nine hundred years.

The third story Dermat and Grania is about a king's daughter who rejects all suitors. But one day messengers bring her a marriage proposal from another king. She accepts the messenger's suit without thinking, as if she spoke in her sleep. When the king comes to claim her, she realizes her mistake and falls in love with one of his heroes. The two race together from the palace, and the king is determined to get her back.

Good Book, December 2, 2009
Good book, but I got it because it is free, and am not qualified to give a review. ... Read more

Editorial Review

His eyes were open now, watching the path of the tiny flame. If you continue your path, little spark, you will cause great harm.I must burn! I must live!There are places where your glow and heat are welcome. Find them, do not destroy the dwellings or take the lives of my people!For a second, he seemed to wink out of existence but then blazed back with renewed vigor.Thrall knew what he had to do. He lifted his hand. Forgive me, Brother Flame. But I must protect my people from the harm you would cause them. I have requested, I have begged, now I warn.The spark seemed to spasm, and yet he continued on his lethal course.Thrall, grim-faced, clenched his hand hard. The spark flared defiantly, then dwindled, finally settling down to nothing more than the faintest of glowing embers. For now, he would no longer do anyone harm.The threat had ended, but Thrall was reeling. This was not the way of the shaman with the elements. It was a relationship of mutual respect, not of threats and control and, in the end, destruction. Oh, the Spirit of Fire could never be extinguished. It was far greater than anything any shaman, or even group of shaman, could ever attempt to do to him. He was eternal, as all the spirits of the elements were. But this part of him, this elemental manifestation, had been defiant, uncooperative. And he had not been alone. He was part of a disturbing trend of elements that were sullen and rebellious rather than cooperative. And in the end, Thrall had had to completely dominate him. Other shaman were now calling rain to soak the city in case there was another aberrant spark that persisted in its course of devastation.Thrall stood in the rain, letting it soak him, pour off his massive green shoulders, and drip down his arms. What in the name of the ancestors was happening?New York Times bestselling and award-winning author Christie Golden has written thirty-five novels and several short stories in the fields of science fiction, fantasy and horror. Among her many projects are over a dozen Star Trek novels and several original fantasy novels. An avid player of World of Warcraft, she has written two manga short stories and several novels in that world (Lord of the Clans, Rise of the Horde, Arthas: Rise of the Lich King, and The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm) with more in the works. She has also written the StarCraft Dark Templar Trilogy, Firstborn, Shadow Hunters, and Twilight. Forthcoming is Devils’ Due, a StarCraft II novel focusing on the unlikely friendship between Jim Raynor and Tychus Findlay. Golden is also currently writing three books in the major nine-book Star Wars series Fate of the Jedi, in collaboration with Aaron Allston and Troy Denning. Her first two books in that series, Omen and Allies, are on shelves now. Golden currently lives in Colorado. She welcomes visitors to her website, www.christiegolden.com.***Thrall, wise shaman and the warchief of the Horde, has sensed a disturbing change . . . Long ago, Azeroth’s destructive native elementals raged across the world until the benevolent titans imprisoned them within the Elemental Plane. Despite the titans’ intervention, many elementals have ended up back on Azeroth. Over the ages, shaman like Thrall have communed with these spirits and, through patience and dedication, learned to soothe roaring infernos, bring rain to sun-scorched lands, and otherwise temper the elementals’ ruinous influence on the world of Azeroth.Now Thrall has discovered that the elementals no longer heed the shaman’s call. The link shared with these spirits has grown thin and frayed, as if Azeroth itself were under great duress. While Thrall seeks answers to what ails the confused elements, he also wrestles with the orcs’ precarious future as his people face dwindling supplies and growing hostility with their night elf neighbors.Meanwhile, King Varian Wrynn of Stormwind is considering violent action in response to mounting tensions between the Alliance and the Horde, a hard-line approach that threatens to alienate those closest to him, including his son, Anduin. The conflicted young prince has set out to find his own path, but in doing so, he risks becoming entangled in political instability that is setting the world on edge.The fate of Azeroth’s great races is shrouded in a fog of uncertainty, and the erratic behavior of the elemental spirits, troubling though it is, may only be the first ominous warning sign of the cataclysm to come. ... Read more

Reviews

The Shattering was a great read for a Warcraft lore geek like me., October 20, 2010
Once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down until I finished it, same with my wife when she started reading it.

I have been playing the Warcraft games since they first came out and have been buying all the books as soon as they are published. I am a lore geek, and this book answered ALOT of questions I had about changes coming in the Cataclysm expansion. I was lucky enough to get into the beta, and a few of the changes confused me since I had no backstory to understand WHY these changes were made. The Shattering answered every single question I had made, and even gave me a newfound respect for Garrosh Hellscream, a character that I had previously loathed.

I can't recommend this book highly enough, buy it, borrow it, whatever, and read it!

Anyone who likes Warcraft needs to read this book, it clears up many things in the transition to the new World of Warcraft expansion, Cataclysm, and it is also an amazing read, like Golden's other Warcraft work.

10/10 no contest!

GOLDEN AGE FOR BLIZZARD BOOKS, October 19, 2010
This may be the most epic warcraft book ever written!!!!! I am still wowed, speechless, and enthralled by what i just put down. I've never been this excited to play a game expansion in my life. I don't want to spoil the experience for anyone, so i will not hit on the plot scenarios of the book. So much happens. I got to understand characters i've seen in game for years so much more. Golden did her masterwork with this one. Also, is it just me or has blizzard's books just been kicking ass these last few years? Golden has been doing an amazing job, but even the other lesser talked about books like the manga and more have all been really good.

This is a must read. I just pre-ordered the game after reading the end. can't wait.

Before the End of the World, October 26, 2010
**Warning: There are minor spoilers in this review.

Christie Golden's appropriately titled, The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm, covers the earthshaking events leading up to latest World of Warcraft expansion being released this winter.

The Shattering contains story arcs for both the Horde and the Alliance, with a few intertwining scenes to tie them altogether. Two of the major arcs are parallel to each other, but are set within the context of one of the two factions.

Golden navigates the reader through these plotlines masterfully. Alliance and Horde politics are entertainingly explained, and Golden performs her magic of fleshing out characters that most Warcraft fans vaguely have seen in other media or not at all; specifically, Anduin Wrynn and Baine Bloodhoof, whose storylines are the focus in this novel.

However, considering the length of the novel and its' purpose, the multiple story arcs does contain a few tangles. Some plot-lines are rather rushed, specifically Thrall's visit to Nagrand.

Thrall's journey involves a romance that came off rushed and unconvincing due to the limited screentime the two characters had. The romantic interest IS interesting as a character, but the way their relationship developed could've been better off developed later versus all at once in The Shattering.

Additionally, considering it's a novel containing both factions, there's a lot of names and locales exclusive to those factions that a casual fan wouldn't recognize. Golden tries to mitigate this by providing a brief background or title on anything notable, but it still can come off as a tangled net of pronouns.

At best, The Shattering will satiate your desire to know under what circumstances the Horde and Alliance go into the Cataclysm that will change Azeroth forever.

At worst, The Shattering might have have been better off as a collection of short stories.

Nevertheless, the narrative is gripping and as cliche as it sounds, it'll keep you going through the wee hours of the morning just to see how things resolve.

Great lore piece, disappointed reader, December 5, 2010
Let me preface this hopefully succinct review and say I'm rating this not solely as a book on Warcraft lore, but by the standards of any book. Most game-based lore type books would barely rate one star in my opinion, and I consider them more "guilty reads", so I mean three stars as a compliment.

The good:

Christie Golden does a great job of giving you a sense of the lore figures, even if you only have a cursory familiarity with Warcraft lore. In fact, I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to gain a quick, synopsis of not only those-present lore character's history, but demeanor.

Often when an author is challenged with multiple view points, a reader can feel disappointed "just as s/he is getting comfortable" with a POV and being taken away at an interesting point. Golden does a solid job of keeping the various threads of her tale engaging, and the bulk of my disappointment arose elsewhere (read further).

The bad:

I primarily bought this book for lore I felt was lacking in the game, and really, in most Warcraft lore books, specifically: Voljin, Sylvanas, Lor'themar Theron, and Prophet Velen. Curiously the only leader absent that I didn't care about was Mekkatorque. As a lore reader, I was sorely disappointed to see them absent amidst such critical moments in the game's canon. As a general sci-fi fantasy reader, I was thoroughly disappointed in the, as what other reviewers here have labeled rushed (and in my opinion, lazy), writing. Having to juggle so many "players" in a game's history can be a challenge, but anyone who has read the likes of Steven Erikson or George R.R. Martin are familiar with how a five star author handles such a challenge. Leaving them out so completely was despite their obvious symbiotic relations to the present-characters and activities was just amazing and, as I try to reason the "why", lazy. Thus, three stars.

As others have pointed out here, I also felt many scenes were rushed or resolved not through an evolution of character, but through necessity to move the story. Writing like this is why "plot driven" carries such a negative connotation in today's literature. Again, I understand the author's constraints, but am judging her through the world of sci-fi, and not solely game-based lore. For the latter, she did not disappoint anymore than another author. By the former, she was a three star author, at best.

Finally, the price was just too high. I learned nothing new that I wasn't formerly aware of through information on Blizzard's official website, or through the in game activities. Truly, at $6 this would have been a bargain on my Kindle. Instead, I feel strangely bitter that I purchased it, and would not recommend it to a friend.

Summary:
Not shockingly, the book is for fan boys and lore hounds of the Warcraft canon. I'm not sure how anyone could buy this book expecting otherwise. If you've been absent from Azeroth for some months (or years) and want to quickly (and I mean quickly, it's a short read) catch up on where your old friends and are before this exciting new expansion released, I would recommend this book. If you've been relatively active in game, and take any time to read the official site for new information, I would save your money until the price on this book comes down to a value that represents what it has to offer.

The absolute BEST story EVER!!!!, October 26, 2010
This is one of those rare books that compels you to finish it as quickly as possible. The story is so good that it continues to move forward and the only time it pauses for you to catch your breath is only when you stop reading it to turn the page.
First off... If you're playing World Of Warcraft, then this book is a MUST read! If you're not playing the game... know that the events that happen in this book are also happening in the game world, which makes the story even more important to read!!

This book's story is so good that you feel like you are actually watching a movie and see the characters within the pages. I think what helps is the fact that if you've played the game, you already know what everyone looks like. When the author mentions a place or location within the World Of Warcraft realm, you can already understand what that looks like, because you've been there in the game.

The book is easy to read, brings GREATLY NEEDED DEPTH to the characters of World Of Warcraft and make you thirst for more of the same. Blizzard truly has an amazing cast of people as resources to expand its World of Warcraft universe. Christie Golden has just put herself into the top tier and had set the bar for all others to follow!!!

3 words... GET THIS BOOK!

Wacraft at its best, October 21, 2010
I have just finished reading the shattering and let me tell you that I could not put down the book during the time it took me to read it. I have played every Warcraft game since the series started and when Blizzard came out with the first book about the series I was ecstatic since even though I am a gamer, first and foremost I am reader. All the Warcraft books are fantasy/fiction goldmines but "The Shattering" is by far the best of the bunch, you cannot even imagine how Golden has taken the best of the Warcraft universe as a canvas and created an excellent storyline worthy to have the blizzard stamp of approval. Unlike other Warcraft novels which seem to be the novelizations of the games, Shattering has new and old characters that help the story progress through a maze of politics, coups, honor duels and natural disasters that will keep you glued to your seat/bed/sofa. I do not want to go into the story since this is a book worth reading but let me tell you that be you Alliance, Horde or don't know what the heck I am talking about you will not be disappointed in investing your time with reading this masterpiece.

For the Horde!

Amazing, October 22, 2010
This book is amazing, I couldn't put it down till I was done. Explains a lot that happens between WOTLK and Cata expansions. A must read for all Warcraft fans. I recommend 100%

This World is Shattered, November 12, 2010
Though not without its flaws, "The Shattering" is a great read for those who are interested in the Warcraft lore. The story, though sometimes slow and melodramatic, is all together fascinating and intricately woven; however, Golden's nuanced and thoughtful writing make reading even the most difficult sections of the novel an absolute pleasure. Her true power as a writer is shown in the novel's tense, dramatic, and action-packed moments. The characters are wonderfully represented in this story and it is an absolute must-read for those who are interested in how Azeroth will change in light of the events leading up to Cataclysm.

PHENOMENAL read!, October 31, 2010
This book arrived when I had about 5 chapters left of another book I'd been reading. I quickly finished off the other book, and once I picked up The Shattering, it was oh so very tempting to play hooky from work just so I could finish the book more quickly. It draws you in nearly instantly and the character development and fleshing out of characters seen in-game for years now are simply amazingly written.

It makes my anticipation for Cataclysm all the greater.

Many, MANY kudos to Christie Golden for writing yet another gripping lore-filled World of Warcraft novel!

Amazing, October 30, 2010
This book was amazing. Once again I love Thrall, and Anduin Wrynn was well done as well. The development of Garrosh as a hotheaded leader of the Horde is perfect for keeping cross faction player hostilities going even after the peace treaty. Amazing introduction to Cataclysm! ... Read more

Editorial Review

In this lavish thirtieth-anniversary tribute to the blockbuster film Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back, New York Times bestselling author J. W. Rinzler draws back the curtain to reveal the intense drama and magnificent wizardry behind the hit movie—arguably the fan favorite of the Star Wars Saga.
 
Following his The Making of Star Wars, the author has once again made use of his unlimited access to the Lucasfilm Archives and its hidden treasures of previously unpublished interviews, photos, artwork, and production mementos. The result is a comprehensive behind-the-scenes, up-close-and-personal look at the trials and triumphs, risks and close calls, inspiration, perspiration, and imagination that went into every facet of this cinematic masterpiece. Here’s the inside scoop on:
 
• the evolution of the script, from story conference and treatment to fifth draft, as conceived, written, and rewritten by George Lucas, famed science-fiction author Leigh Brackett, and screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan

• the development of new key characters, including roguish hero Lando Calrissian, sinister bounty hunter Boba Fett, and iconic Jedi Master Yoda

• the challenges of shooting the epic ice planet battle in the frozen reaches of Norway and of conjuring up convincing creatures and craft—from tauntauns and snowspeeders to Imperial walkers

• the construction of a life-sized Millennium Falcon and the swamp planet Dagobah inside a specially built soundstage in Elstree Studios

• the technique behind master Muppeteer Frank Oz’s breathing life into the breakthrough character Yoda

• the creation of the new, improved Industrial Light & Magic visual effects facility and the founding of the now-legendary Skywalker Ranch
 
In addition, of course, are rare on-the-scene interviews with all the major players: actors Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and David Prowse; director Irvin Kershner; producer Gary Kurtz; effects specialists Richard Edlund, Dennis Muren, Ken Ralston, and Phil Tippett; composer John Williams; and many others. Punctuating the epic account is a bounty of drawings, storyboards, and paintings by Ralph McQuarrie, Joe Johnston, and Ivor Beddoes, along with classic and rare production photos. An added bonus is a Foreword by acclaimed director Ridley Scott.
 
The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back is a fittingly glorious celebration of an undisputed space-fantasy movie milestone. Search your feelings, you know it to be true. ... Read more

Reviews

Amazing, October 12, 2010
This book is finally out after being postponed for a few times. It's actually 362 pages, slightly thicker than the previous book, The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film, which is already a massive book. It seems that no paperback edition is available yet at the launch.

Once again, I'm marveled by the amount of information packed into the book by author J.W. Rinzler. I can't even begin to imagine the amount of research and effort is needed to put everything together, after the movie was screened 30 years ago.

The book details the arduous journey in the making of the film from the first story conference up to screening, and to the film awards won after that. The writing is excellent, filled with all sorts of stories and quotes. You get to read about the technical aspect of creating the movie, the little tricks used to create something believable on screen - see how they use fiber optics for lighting spaceships, painting the backgrounds, fixing up Yoda, and much more including production diaries of how they shoot.

The pages are also loaded with concept art, sketches, storyboards, memos, film stills and photos. All well reproduced, very detailed. There are lots of fun stuff happening behind the scenes captured on camera.

While the book is pricey, yes, it's well worth the money. With so much material, it will take more than one sitting to go through them.

Definitely a "must have" for Star Wars fans.

-

Note that in the previous book, they took out some content from the paperback edition. Not sure if it's going to happen here again.

Another Amazing "Making of" by Rinzler, October 13, 2010
Having purchased the Making of Star Wars book when it was first released, my expectations were high for this Empire Strikes Back edition. But Jonathan Rinzler has again delivered an account of the making of the film that is way, way beyond anything that has been done before. The book contains literally hundreds of photos I've never seen before, facts I have never heard, and behind-the scenes insights that are priceless. All this is new to me even though I already have just about every Empire Strikes Back book ever published.

This book focuses less on the evolution of the Star Wars universe and characters, as this was well covered in the Star Wars book, so there is more room for what I find most compelling - the story of the actual artwork creation, production and post-production. I think this book is a little stronger in that respect than the previous one. I found the sketches of Darth Vader's castle (yes) particularly fascinating. Beautifully printed, well laid out and expertly researched, this is a must-own for the serious Star Wars fan or those interested in the business and process of filmmaking in general. The cover price of $85 is admittedly very steep, but the Amazon price (as of this writing) is more like $50, making it well worth it.

In short a massive undertaking and a beautiful book. A Making of Return of the Jedi book of similar quality is hopefully in development, and I eagerly await the results.

Fantastic Book!, November 4, 2010
I picked up this book at the local book store...started reading it and couldn't put it down. There's lots of great art, matte paintings, and model shots that I've never seen before. There's also quite a few photos of the actors and crew on set which were a lot of fun to look at. I think one of my favorite things about this book however, is the honest portrayal (and sometimes word for word transcripts) of the conversations between the Director Irvin Kershner and his cast...Hamill, Fisher and Ford. There's several pages devoted to the filming of the carbon freezing scene which is an absolutely terrific read. You really get a good understanding of the actors' personalities while seeing the struggles that the Director and Producers went through to bring this masterpiece to the screen.

The book is a very good quality and seems well bound. The artwork and pictures are printed very well with good color and resolution. All in all, this is definitely a must have for Empire fans. Enjoy it.

Star Wars Gold, November 18, 2010
Simply brilliant photos and nice insights from the making of episode V.
I'm tempted to say it's a must have for any true Star Wars fan :)

There's a lot to get through but I haven't been able to find fault yet.

Fantastic inside look at the making of a classic -- RIP Irvin Kershner, November 29, 2010
Let me start off by saying that The Empire Strikes Back is one of my favorite movies of all time. As I am writing this review I am about halfway through the book, but I feel somewhat compelled to write a review due to the recent passing of the director, Irvin Kershner.

One of the included quotations from Kershner regarding his approach to the making of "Empire" illustrates why this movie is so well-loved by Star Wars fans, and in my opinion reflects what exactly was so frustrating to many fans about the Prequels:

"The thing that you learn in directing is that when you're on the floor, no matter how complex the shooting is...you have to remain absolutely sensitive to every nuance of the behavior of the people around you. Because, ultimately, if you don't keep in mind the overall humanity, then the machine takes over and suddenly all you have are technically fine shots, technically good performances. The story's being told, but something's lacking, something mysterious, indefinable." --Irvin Kershner


"Empire" had this "indefinable humanity" in spades, and the book really shows how the director was able to craft such a tale. Kershner really played with the tensions between Lucas and Vader, and between Leia and Han. He (along with Frank Oz and Mark Hamill) made us all believe there is a soul underneath that puppet (Yoda). The lack of this "indefinable humanity" in the Prequels is what made me so sad about how the those movies ultimately came out (but perhaps this should better be saved for another review).


Back to the book: I highly highly recommend this. From the inclusion of amazing archival behind-the-scenes photos, gorgeous concept art and sketches (most notably by Ralph McQuarrie), to in-depth first-hand accounts by most of the important cast and crew, it really brings you so close to what everyone went through in the making of the movie.

... Read more

Editorial Review

In a stunning turn of events, Luke Skywalker and his son, Ben, joined forces with members of the Sith armada sent to kill them—and turned their combined might against the monstrous being Abeloth. But with one menace dealt with, a new and even more insidious threat looms.

Now Luke and Ben must go on the run, taking along the inscrutable—and ever dangerous—Sith apprentice Vestara Khai. With a host of Sith warriors in hot pursuit, the Skywalkers soon find themselves trapped on the moon Pydyr, caught between their former allies and a mob of angry Fallanassi. A new truce may be their only hope. But can a Sith ever be trusted?

With the Jedi’s most famous father-and-son team outnumbered and outgunned, the countdown to galactic disaster has begun—and time is running out. ... Read more

Reviews

Feeling FOTJ Fatigue despite a fair entry, December 20, 2010
Vortex has a lot of action And Denning does know action. He does a commendable job not only juggling all of the various soap opera story-lines in FOTJ but he does so while giving us the feeling that things are really finally moving. Not happy with the Jedi Council lately? Denning remedies that. Thought Ben and Vestara were too cutesy in Allies? He tweaks that relationship too. So there was a feeling of resolution of several ongoing plots. Whether I agree with all of them is debatable.

Abeloth is more confusing and relentless than in Abyss. Why she's after Luke's old flames I don't know but I hope that goes somewhere. I really loved Denning's Luke. I haven't always in the past but Luke is as wise, powerful and understated as we want him to be. Denning creates with Abeloth something pretty un-Star Warsy. It's new. It's a Force driven David Lynch realm. But I mostly approve of the risks Denning takes by making the Force cringeworthy.

I won't call this a page turner as I didn't tear through it. I did however notice that it's more what the fans have been clamoring for in this series. There are definite consequences in Vortex. A fine entry in a fairly thin series.

In the middle..., December 15, 2010
Wow, there seems to be a lot of controversy over this book series. I think the characters have been watered down a bit, but the storyline is in keeping with the general trend of the universe though. I know people put a lot of stock in these characters, but remember that under the watchful eye of the wisest jedi in 1000 years(yoda) the whole republic was torn asunder.
Luke Skywalker is VERY powerful and is wiser than most humans, but he is just human. The jedi in general should be given a lot more credit and solve problems with less dramitic wrists on foreheads. They have turn the counsel into some granny like hand-ringers.
Now, the problem with the Mandos should also be handled in a more direct manner. The jedi should confront Boba directly and put the word out that taking anti-jedi contracts will lead to horrible outcomes. While these are jedis, the ones from before the emperor had NO problem with handing out some ass kicking and these more modern jedi should intimidate evildoers just the same.
All in all i give the character treament a 7/10, the storyline 7/10, and the overall path the universe is taking a 6/10. I will continue to buy these books as long as they keep the ranges above 5/10 (jumping the shark levels). Troy Denning is a fantastic writer and writing group leader.

best of the series so far, December 8, 2010
Vortex is by far the strongest book in the Fate of the Jedi series. I will avoid major spoilers in this review, however there may be minor ones.

The tension between the Jedi and the Galactic Alliance is growing, and despite some shaky deals, there is no trust between the two factions. Even within the Jedi, unrest is growing. Acting Grandmaster Kenth Hammer is up against the whole Jedi Council, which disagrees with nearly every move he makes.

Elsewhere, Luke and Ben have to retrieve Abeloth's body from the Sith for examination. When they are finally able to distract the Sith they discover (minor spoiler) that Abeloth is not actually dead, but can inhabit many bodies. Now Luke not only has to find Abeloth but fight the Sith.

The writing in this book is strong. The tension grows steadily. There may be some controversy regarding the death of a certain character but I felt that it serves the story well.

My main complain was a new plot point introduced at the end of the book. I'm a bit nervous about where it will go, and it seemed rather random. But I'll let you decide that for yourself.

Star Wars FotJ: Vortex spoiler free review, December 3, 2010
Having finished this terrific novel a few days ago, I highly recommend it to fans of the Expanded Universe. Troy Denning has crafted perhaps the most entertaining entry into the Fate of the Jedi series so far.

There is a lot going on in this novel. So if you have not read this series from the beginning you might start to go barvy just trying to keep up.
The main plot of this book is the Jedi/Sith alliance featuring Luke, Ben, and Vestara.
Luke and Ben's father and son relationship has been the most charming storyline of the entire series, and is a major highlight of this book as well.
Ben and Vestara's budding romance continues to blossom as they play a game of tug-of-war at attempting to turn the other to their cause.
The tenuous alliance between Luke and the Sith turns ugly as they investigate the evil entity known as Abeloth.

An explosive turn of events occurs in the Daala vs. the Jedi council plotline. Kenth Hamner is starting to crack under the pressure of leading the Jedi as acting Grand Master.
At one point even Corran Horn runs out of patience with Hamner's indecisiveness and bluntly speaks his mind. Horn recites the new Jedi Order Code precept: There is no tomorrow. Only what we do or fail to do today.

The slavery sub-plot with roving reporter Madhi Vaandt, and the murder trial of troubled former Jedi Tahiri Velia are given some page time, but are left unresolved.

All of our favorite characters get their moments to shine in Denning's novel. Including a hilarious "Don't touch my junk!" scene involving a certain corellian getting frisked. Han & Leia Solo, along with C-3PO and R2-D2, lead a strike team of Jedi Knights, including Zekk and his Hapen girlfriend, on a risky covert operation. Jaina Solo and her snarky astromech droid single-handedly take on a couple of Sith warships. Lando Calrissian hosts a celebrity Sabacc tournament aboard the Errant Venture. And Saba Sebantyne goes absolutely "barabel" in one of the most crazy and shocking lightsaber duels ever.

Conclusion: Denning continues to prove why he belongs on the high council of Star Wars fiction writers.

Vortex Jedi, December 23, 2010
Very good book. A vey fast read. You never lose interest as it keeps you riveted to the book with fast action and content.

A legitimate good one, December 6, 2010
Aaron Allston got me back into reading Star Wars books (after decades) with his wonderful Betrayal to start off the Legacy of the Force. I read a few more then had to stop and read ALL of The New Jedi Order because I had missed too much back story. And I've kept up since then.

I can tell you, after reading about 40 Star Wars books in two years, I really know the characters and the settings.

Not all of the books since the NJO were very good, some sucked. Some, like Traitor, are amazing, haunting works.

With Vortex, Troy Denning has written one of the books that go into the good pile. It can't be easy for these writers to keep the long story lines fresh and engaging over a ten-book series, but I found Vortex to be a very enjoyable read. He keeps the story leaning forward and the action is fun and dangerous. The biggest cliff hanger in this series yet.

I didn't give it 5 stars because it didn't quite meet the impact Betrayal and Traitor had on me, but it's a damn fine book.

I considered marking it down a star because of the typos and rare grammatical errors, but that's the responsibility of the editor(s) at Del Rey. The editor/proofreader also missed duplicate sentences left from an apparent rewrite.

Fate of the Jedi's best, December 1, 2010
Well, first things first. Easily the best Star Wars book I've read in a long, long time. Anything that can almost bring me to tears (a 22-year old college student) I consider good stuff. Two scenes in particular (don't want to spoil it) made the book worth it. They were heavily emotionally written and worked extremely well.

Denning has shown that again he knows Star Wars. I realize that many people are upset about the direction Star Wars has gone, so if you view the book with those tinted-glasses, then you might be disappointed. But I feel that if you read it with an open mind, then you will enjoy it as I did.

One of the big complaints about the recent books is the lack of continuity between authors. I believe this has been fixed a great deal. Whether the authors are learning from mistakes or if the bigger gaps between books has to do with it I don't know, but you can definitely see the difference. Subplots from the previous book (slavery, the trial) are carried over and are written very similarly.

Speaking of the trial, that way of story-telling, along with the news reporting, are two things that help keep Star Wars fresh for me. It's not been done outside this series and I really like the way it is done.

Also, there is a lot that happened in this book. If you've been thinking that this series has just been meandering around without really having a point, then you'll really like this one. Allies was a lot of fighting, but in this one the Jedi actually "do" something after just sitting around for five books. So that definitely is a plus.

Overall, I highly recommend it. The Sith are well done, the Fallanassi are creepy as always, and the Jedi are just awesome.

One more thing: Wynn Dorvan = my new favorite character. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Jedi Path, Fully Illustrated, with Removable Features and a Mechanical Vault

With the push of a button, the doors of the vault open in a wash of light and Star Wars sound effects. The inner platform rises, revealing this exclusive edition of The Jedi Path.

This ancient training manual, crafted by early Jedi Masters, has educated and enlightened generations of Jedi. It explains the history and hierarchy of the Jedi Order, and what Jedi must know to take their place as defenders of the peace in the galaxy—from mastery of the Force to the nuances of lightsaber combat.

Passed down from Master to Padawan, the pages of this venerable text have been annotated by those who have held it, studied it, and lived its secrets. From Yoda and Luke Skywalker to Count Dooku and Darth Sidious, they have shaped the content of the book by leaving mementos tucked within the pages, tearing out pages, and adding their personal experiences as tangible reminders of the lessons they’ve learned.

Through wars and rebellion, only a single copy of this manual has survived. It is now passed on to you.

The ancient Masters who wrote the text: Fae Coven, Grand Master and head of the Jedi Council; Crix Sunburris, Jedi Ace starfighter pilot; Restelly Quist, Jedi Chief Librarian; Skarch Vaunk, Jedi Battlemaster and lightsaber expert; Bowspritz, Jedi Biologist and expert on the Living Force; Sabla-Mandibu, Jedi Seer and Holocron expert; Morrit Ch’gally, Jedi Recruiter; Gal-Stod Slagistrough, Jedi leader of the Agricultural Corps.

Jedi who added personal commentary: Yoda, Thame Cerulian, Count Dooku, Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, Ahsoka Tano, Darth Sidious, and Luke Skywalker.

Removable features: A letter tracing the book’s history, a severed Padawan braid, a metal Jedi Credit medallion, a Jedi starfighter patch, a burned poster of the Jedi Code, a map of the Jedi Temple, a lightsaber diagram sketched on the back of a napkin from Dex’s Diner, and a note on the missing pages torn from the book by a Sith.

Created in collaboration with Lucasfilm—along with an acclaimed Star Wars author and revered Star Wars illustrators—this volume provides new insights into the history and lore of the Jedi Order while introducing never-before-seen ships, creatures, characters, and details about how one trains to become a Jedi.

The Jedi Path is for adults, and is intended for ages 14 and up. ... Read more

Reviews

Better than I expected., September 28, 2010
Just received my Jedi Path Vault package and opened it up. I'll start out by saying that even the exterior packaging is very high quality. It came in a nice black cardboard box within another box, and within that had a wrapper that held the doors shut (which was hard to remove without damaging). Very simple setup - remove a plastic tab that's on the battery compartment and it's ready to go. Pushing down on the button does exactly as described. The vault doors slowly open, and the door rises to some nice sound effects and blue LED backlighting. The cover of the book is a nice leather (probably faux leather) bound jacket, and the pages all have the appearance of being hand cut. Inside the book, there was a coin, a used napkin, and an iron-on patch as per the description. Overall, I'm glad I spent the money on this, it seems like it's a great collector's piece, well worth the steep price.

A "lost" treasure from "a galaxy far, far away", October 2, 2010
I had the happy opportunity to attend the 2010 Star Wars Celebration V in Orlando, Florida, which is a joyful event for any lover of the Star Wars Saga. While blessfully browsing through the huge dealer's room on the first day, I came across a particular display table surrounded by fellow Star Wars fans uttering exclamations of "Oh, that is cool!" and "Wow! That's sweet!" Making my way through the gathering of people, I reached the table to find two lovely young ladies presenting a unique item to an enraptured audience. Before me on their display table was a rectagular metal box embossed on its top with an artistic rendering of two hands gripping a light saber. One young lady smiled and directed me to press the button beneath the artwork. I did, and with the sound of air being released, the top of the box divided into two sections and opened. Within the box, a whinning sound could be heard as a small blue/gray leather-bound book was slowly elevated above the two open metal casings, iluminated with tiny blue lights. On the book's cover were the words, "The Jedi Path," along with the elegant wings and light saber symbol of the Jedi Order, surrounded by an ornate art nouveau-like design. My immeadiate response was, "Oh, that is cool!"

That afternoon, I attended a panel called "The Making of the Jedi Path," where some of the book's creators described the process of making this special Star Wars book. Unfortunately the book's author, Daniel Wallace, was unable to attend due to plane trouble. I had read about the planned release of the book earlier this year and was intrigued by the idea, but my con experience had me really excited about its publication. At the end of the panel, all the panel's attendees were gracious enough to autograph a flyer promoting the book for me. At the end of my first fun day at the Celebration, the first thing I did when I returned to my hotel was ask my friend, who was sharing the con experience with me, could I borrow her lap top computer so I could pre order this "cool, sweet" work of Star Wars merchandise!!

While the "Vault" is the most immediate selling point of this collectible, the book it holds, "The Jedi Path: A Manual for Students of the Force," reveals itself to be an enchanting journey into the history of the Star Wars galaxy and its remarkable guardians, the Jedi Knights. It is a book that Star Wars fans will find a fascinating and fun experience. "The Jedi Path" is more than just a how to manual in Jedi training. It also delves into the ancient origins of the spiritual order's long history, the foundations of its philosophy, their bond with the mysterious energy field the Force, their relationship with the galaxy they protect, and also the continuing conflict the Jedi had with the temptations of the Dark Side of the Force and their ancient enemies the Sith.

The most fun aspect of "The Jedi Path" is the design idea of it being a tome handed down through generations of Star Wars characters, some of whom left not only their individual written impressions in the book but also actual physical items as well; captions and keepsakes from such characters as Yoda, Thame Cerulian (who left a "Jedcred" coin), Count Dooku, Qui-Gon Jinn (whose Padawan braid can be found within the book), Obi-Wan Kenobi (who sketched a light saber design on a napkin from Dex's Diner seen in Star Wars Episode II), his complex apprentice, Anakin Skywalker (who left behind a Jedi Starfighter patch), Ahsoka Tano (featured in the Clone Wars animated series), Luke Skywalker (who provides a historical preface for the book), along with other tantalizing inserts. Even Emperor Palaptine, the tyrannical ruler of the Star Wars Galaxy during the Original Trilogy of films, marks passages in the book, gleefully gloating over his murderous defeat of the Jedi Order in "Revenge of the Sith."

"The Jedi Path" is also richly illustrated by a number of gifted artists, displaying various elements of Jedi lore and legends. They include Paul Allan Ballard, Jeff Carlisle, and Tommy Lee Edwards. But I feel very special mention should go to the book's designer, Rosanna Brockley. She has created a beautiful addition to the ever expanding Star Wars library of books, and this particular Star Wars fan was very impressed with her work.

"The Jedi Path" was a joy to discover, a joy to read and is a Star Wars book I will sincerely treasure. It comes very highly recommended.

A fun collector piece, October 9, 2010
I pre-ordered this as a treat to myself. It is a fun collector's edition. The one thing is the price, but you get what you paid for- at about $65, not $100 as listed on the box.! The vault works smoothly and the effect is evocative. The sound is a bit overdone, but by removing the battery, it works without the lights and sound. The inserted extras are clever, especially Qui Gon's padawan braid, and put you in the Star Wars universe.

The book itself is well written. the illustrations are beautiful and colorful. The comments by the previous 'owners' are clever and fun. Makes me want to read more about the Force.

A perfect gift for a Jedi fan or collector.

Cool, but over-all disappointing, November 2, 2010
For those of us who find the "Clone Wars" series to be an atrocity this book is a grim reminder of what Star Wars has become. The packaging and presentation of "The Jedi Path" is fantastic, and it is an honor to display it because of this fact alone. The content, however, leaves much to be desired. The comments in the margins are a little elementary for my tastes. One reviewer stated that the comments capture the characters personalities very well, and I suppose that is the problem. The personalities in the "new" Star Wars are so simplified that these comments do capture them perfectly. The fact that Asokha Tano's words are right along side those of Masters Yoda and Kenobi is a bit off putting to me. When I saw her refer to Anakin as "Sky-guy" in the text I had to put the book down and do something else for a while. Anakin's words, of course, come off as petulant and whiney, and further undermine the "Legend" of Anakin Skywalker that I grew up wanting to see and read about.

I don't regret this purchase at all, but I do wish that "The Jedi Path" was a bit more serious in tone and the margin scrawling had been left out or at least limited.

Sweet!, September 28, 2010
After months of waiting it's finally arrived and I'm happy to announce it was worth the wait.

Coming in a glossy black cardboard box, The Jedi Path [Vault Edition] is pretty much amazing. The books cover features a pressed design and the pages look close to archaic. Opening it up it comes with a host of additional "accessories" surely to guide any Padawan in the ways of the Force.

On a serious note, the people who put this together clearly invested both time and effort. The overall design is really well done and illustrations are superb. I've yet to read the content, but I'm sure it's of exquisite quality as well.

A must have for any Star Wars fan. I almost want to buy two just to keep one in the packaging :)

Kick Ass!, December 12, 2010
I bought this for my boyfriend for his birthday. I was a little skeptical at first because of the price. Seeing the look on his face when he pushed the button and the music started playing....PRICELESS! Definitely something to get for any Star War fan you know

WOW, absolutely amazing, September 30, 2010
This is a must have for any collector, or just an everyday star wars fan. Everything from the box it came it to the second to last page was amazing. The only reason i say second to last is because when i watched the interview with the author he said there wasn't any copyright or publishing information in the book like you could find on the opening page of a book, but there sadly is, on the last page though so its not too bad. Its not even a big deal enough to deduct a star from the rating. I would give i a 4.99 if i could. But this will be your favorite star wars colletable i promise you that.

-May the fore be with you-

A great insight into a mysterious Star Wars culture, November 1, 2010
This book is by far the most interesting piece of Star Wars memorabilia I've ever encountered. The book itself is superbly designed and it's look and feel really show the thought and time that LucasArts put into it.

Let's start with the packaging. This book could not have been presented better. After removing the 'vault' case from the beautiful black outer box, you are greeted with the sleek silver doors. On these doors are engraved an image of two hands gripping the hilt of a lit lightsaber, which will automatically get those Jedi juices flowing.

The very next thing your eyes will be drawn to is the black button that activates the whole thing. Press the button, and you'll be treated to a wonderful buffet of sounds from the Star Wars universe as the book itself is lifted on it's platform and the doors sweep out to each side. No star wars fan could ask for a better presentation of this book, and it's that presentation experience that adds to the cost (and fun factor!) of the book.

Now for the book itself (NO SPOILERS!). The cover is soft teal leather embossed with the symbol of the Jedi Order and is of very good quality. Inside, the book is gorgeously illustrated and is a very good for reading or just browsing through. The text of the book written very well and is very much a 'love letter', of sorts, to Star Wars fans (the author himself is an avid Star Wars fan). Suffice it to say that the value of this book is the insights each fan will get into the culture of the Jedi before the rise of the Empire. Much is known about the few individual Jedi seen in the movies, but here, we see a tantalizing glimpse of the culture that they grew up with and lived in.

The thing that puts this puts this book over the top (and what makes it more of an 'experience' than anything else!) is the 'extras' folded into the book's pages by it's various owners. There are quotes from each owner on each section of the book that really let you get inside their heads, and a few owners (I won't say which) left behind some 'relics' in between the pages. Each relic is unique and adds a very personal flavor to the 'experience' that is this book.

Overall, I have to say that this book is an absolute must-have for casual fans and collectors alike. It's fun factor is just off the charts, and there is simply no down side to it. Some may say that sixty plus dollars is way too much for a book, but trust me, you'll get a whole lot of bang your your buck! Hope this helps!!!!

Pure awesomeness incarnate!, October 19, 2010
Imagine the coolest thing you have ever seen, now multiply it by two! This is pretty much the greatest invention since the Egg McMuffin. Right after I opened the container I could feel the Force flowing through me. After reading the first chapter I'm already proficient with a lightsaber and several chicks wearing Princess Leia's slave outfit have asked me out. I threw out all my remotes because I can change channels now with only minimal meditation. If you buy this your car turns into an AT-AT Walker! And the size of the box is misleading compared to the picture. The whole thing is the size of a very large family bible.

everything I hoped for, October 2, 2010
I received my copy earlier today and it was everything I hoped for. The packaging is wonderful but the book is the true joy. Finally someone has written about aspects of the Jedi Order that have always been left to conjecture such as the Jedi Trials. It was nice to find that a lot of work went into the writing and not just the packaging. ... Read more