Book Description
First, I had to lie to my boss. (Sort of.) Then my parents had a fight. (They never fight.) The pint-sized lapdog that is treated better than I am has thrown up. (Twice.) This vacation hasn't even started...and I'm ready to go home.
No one in her right mind would actually choose to spend a week at the beach with a steel-Magnolia drama queen, a tragically disappointed diva-in-training, and a yapping, hurling, supremely annoying little canine princess. But I love Seaside, so I came. Then I ran into the gorgeous, exasperating Joshua North...and watched my good sense slide rapidly south. Which goes to show that even with a tan and (maybe) a new man in my life--I'm still the same old Savannah...from Savannah.
Customer Reviews:
Woohoo She's Back!!.......2007-02-05
Having enjoyed Savannah From Savannah and been disappointed by Savannah Comes Undone I was intrigued to see if Denise Hildreth could return to the flare and spark that she showed in the first book... well she didn't... she got even better!!
Savannah by the Sea takes us from her beloved Savannah and into Seaside on a 'working vacation' with Savannah's family, Phoebe and of course what would a Savannah book be without Amber? Then of course, as in all chick lit, there always has to be the love interest...
This book is brilliant - it is laugh out loud funny, it is real, it is well written and it has made me desperate for another Savannah sequel to find out what happens next!
Each character seems to come into their own in this book - Victoria, Phoebe, Jake and even Amber all step into their own and become more realistic. The only character who seems to remain slightly one dimensional is Thomas.
Book Three also seems to be able to stand alone much more completely than Book Two did. Though it does help if you've managed to soldier your way through Book Two it isn't entirely necessary to have done so.
From a girl who hardly ever gives a book five stars - this is a fanstastic book and when it comes to Christian Chick Lit is up there with my other all time favourites - Consider Lily and Dreaming in Black and White/Technicolour.
LOVED IT!!!.......2006-10-12
Once again Denise Hildreth gives us a laugh out loud, can't put it down, moving book. I love how she always has to mention her real-life hubby, Jonathan Pierce, in her books. In this book, she actually makes an appearance herself. My one and only complaint with the Savannah books is that they are fiction and not real-life----I want Savannah as my buddy, I want her daddy, I want her best-frined, I DON'T want her mother-but I do want the wardrobe she gets her--LOL!!
Highly recommended series for all the Christian book addicts out there!
Three's the Charm. .......2006-08-02
Considering that Denise Hildreth had never written a book and published it since this series, I have basically watched her grow. As her main character, Savannah, develops, I see Hildreth develop as well. Her writing has definitely changed since the first sentence of "Savannah From Savannah". I am so amazed at the effort and laugh-out-loud scenes that Hildreth brings to the table that I am writing this review with every single recommendation. That is extremely rare for a young woman who usually stays with known Christian authors or series. But, here it is.
In the third grand adventure of Savannah Philips, it occurs at a place far different then her tourist town. Placed in Seaside, FLA (where my family has vacationed since I was a child!!), the only place in the world you really feel at home, Savannah encounters the one thing that hasn't been chained to a monument or bought a lapdog. As the first two books really focused on Savannah and Victoria, this one zooms in one a new topic: TRUE LOVE. Now, I'm not going to spill the beans, but let's just say these scenes where Savannah is faced with a passion for the opposite sex are incredible. If anyone has objections, you should read something more, slow. Savannah by the Sea is a fast paced installment to a quirky, easy-going series.
Definitely what I would proudly call a 'must-read' or a 'summer read'. Buy it before the beach blankets find their way to the closet again and the bikinis officially go off the racks!!
Awesome and hilarious.......2006-07-20
The book was everything I hoped it to be. It was funny and poignant. I loved every minute while reading it. You will enjoy it too!
She did it again!!!!!.......2006-07-16
Well, I just closed the back cover and sighed. Once again, Denise Hildreth took me to a place I want to visit, let me linger with people I don't want to leave, and made me wish for just another chapter. All while causing me to scratch my head and ponder what I might need to look at in my own life. I read all kinds of fiction. But few authors take me to places inside myself. Thank you again for giving us, your readers a satisfying way of having spent both our money and our time. We will tell our friends. It's the least we can do!
Average customer rating:
- This is a beautiful book, both for the eye and soul.
|
Southern Shores
Roger Bansemer
Manufacturer: Cruising Guide Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General | Oceans & Seas | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Florida | States | United States | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0944428436 |
Customer Reviews:
This is a beautiful book, both for the eye and soul........1999-08-26
Mr. Bansemer's drawings of the southern shores of the US and the activities that take place there are unsurpasssed. In addition to paintings, each is described in prose that sometimes makes you want to cry and sometimes makes you want to laugh. An excellent coffee table book to browse through again and again.
Book Description
With more than 750 illustrations, including 300 color photographs, this guide covers more than 1,000 species, such as shoreside plants, clams, shrimps, crabs, corals, seaweeds, sponges, and sea urchins, as well as all of the common seashore communities found from Cape Hatteras to the Gulf Coast, Florida, and the Caribbean.
Customer Reviews:
Good.......2003-08-26
This book arrived in a timely manner and was in good condition.
Trying to Hard.......2001-08-16
Where Kaplan's "Coral Reefs" manages to take a difficult field guide topic and conquer it, "Southeastern and Caribbean Seashores" Takes an impossible task and muddles it. I don't know what the people at Peterson's Field Guides was thinking! The topic is far to broad to include in one book, and Kaplan seems to try and make it broader. He includes coral reefs and things distinctly NOT on the shore as well as including topics already in other field guides. I do NOT want to belittle Kaplan (whom I enjoy) or Peterson's (who I think makes the best mass consumption field guides available) but unless you really need it, I would stay away from this book. It does win points for itýs illustrations and Kaplanýs knowledge and writing style.
Don't Leave Home Without It!.......2001-08-07
I have taken Kaplan's field guide to seashores to Florida Keys, the Bahamas, the USVI, The BVI, Bonaire, Puerto Rico, Jamaica and Curacao, and have found the book to be indispensible. No matter which island, each seashore seemed familiar, and with a little judicious reading beforehand,I understood whatever natural phenomena I saw, from snorkelling in the shallows to walking the rocky shore to crawling around the red mangrove roots. I would no sooner leave this field guide home when I go to the Carribbean or Florida, than leave home my Michelin Guide to Europe when I go there. I recommend the Field Guide to Seashores to all nature lovers and snorkelers who want to make the best of their trip to the the Caribbean or Florida.
Book Description
Turning Turk looks at contact between the English and other cultures inthe early modern Mediterranean, and analyzes the representation of thatexperience on the London stage. Vitkus's book demonstrates that theEnglish encounter with exotic alterity, and the theatrical representationsinspired by that encounter, helped to form the emergent identity of an English nation that was eagerly fantasizing about having an empire but was still in the preliminary phase of its colonizing drive. Vitkus' research shows how plays about the multi-cultural Mediterranean participated in this process of identity formation, and how anxieties about religious conversion, foreign trade and miscegenation were crucial factors in the formation of that identity.
Book Description
Nigel Foster leads kayakers on 40 trips, with many additional route alternatives, in the wildlife-rich marine habitats of southern Florida. Features thorough descriptions of the routes, including prominent landmarks and points of special interest; detailed maps; and overviews of southern Florida's weather, tide, and current patterns.
Customer Reviews:
Great for planning your eco-trip.......2002-12-17
Thank you Nigel Foster for such a complete and wonderful guide! I have been to a few areas in Florida, and can not wait to go this February and "try" out a few more of the recommended trips. A friend and I are going to go to Ding Darling Refuge and the Black Island (Lover's Key) trip at the very least. The trip descriptions have me longing for my vacation to get here. Very good maps, and I appreciate the section on places to stay and camp!
Keys section very good.......2002-12-04
Very good advice in the Keys section. Did several of the trips recently. Always "as advertised" in the book.
Worth the $$$.
Lots of trips to keep one busy kayaking South Florida.......2000-08-02
Nigel Foster has finally turned his excellent writing skills to South Florida. Having kayaked in South Florida for the past 6 years, I have personally done most of the trips described in the book. Mr. Foster's descriptions are brief, but his attention to detail, and excellent on-water guides make the book very useful. Short accounts of the history of some areas (i.e., "The Watson Mystery") enliven the book. It is written in the style of a travel guide - a bit unusual for a guide to kayak touring, but it lends itself to the area. His "Caution" tips, e.g., "Watch out for racoons at your picnic site." are well-chosen. Trip ratings are very reasoned and appropriate, e.g., "Paddling the outer coast is committing, with exposure to the Gulf...Waves across Whitewater Bay generally produce a short chop...No one lives in this area, and there's no way out of it except at the camping sites...." A concisely written book. Well done!
Book Description
In this epic tale of sea-kayaking adventure, award-winning author Chris Duff places readers in the cockpit of his 18-foot kayak and lets them experience the full power and beauty of the South Pacific Ocean and the wild energy of the Tasman Sea as it thunders onto New Zealand's uninhabited west coast. Not just an account of human physical endurance and determination to attempt what had only been accomplished once before, this exquisitely written narrative reveals the philosophical and psychological life of a man who has chosen the sea as the master to sit before and to learn from. The intense and often terrifying sea journey is balanced by serendipitous meetings along the way with friendly New Zealanders and with the diverse wildlife of this tiny and remote island country. Southern Exposure is a force of writing that will captivate the armchair adventurer as well as the seasoned ocean traveler.
Customer Reviews:
A remarkable journey, well-told .......2007-03-05
Chris Duff's humility is one of the many striking attributes of a finely-written account of an often nerve-wracking and dangerous journey around New Zealand's South Island by sea kayak. Duff reminds us of the power and beauty of nature that so many of us have forgotten, lulled by the comforts of city life, and introduces the characters living around the coast whose goodness and moral support helped him get through the ordeal.
You don't have to be a kayaker to enjoy this book, but if you are, then you can empathise much more with the many challenges he faced. I was out there on the water with him, edging into the waves, fearing the surf, dwarfed by the Fiordland's cliffs. Well done, and thanks for sharing the experience!
Enjoyable.......2007-01-10
I took this book with me on a trip to New Zealand, and enjoyed reading it as I learned first hand the island's crazy seas, and the many interesting facts about the country. At times the author can be a little long winded, but I thought it was well written for a trip that inherently has so much repetition. If you like sea kayaking, nature, and adventure stories, I would recommend this book. If you get to a slightly boring part about being with one with the boat and sea, just keep reading, and more adventure is sure to follow.
somewhat engaging but flawed.......2006-01-07
Unfortunately, I do not quite share the enthusiasm expressed by the other reviewers. Although Duff is an excellent descriptive writer, the numerous descriptions and philosophical musings in this book tend to go on and on needlessly; I do not need to read three pages about what it was like to find two apples in the ocean and eat them, or read description after description of the joys and epiphanies one experiences while paddling in a remote area. A little of that goes a long way.
I guess the upshot is that I was looking for an exciting adventure story, and what I got was perhaps the most thorough description of the New Zealand South Island's coastline, coastal waters, and weather patterns ever written. If you are looking for an "Into Thin Air"-type battle against the odds, keep looking. Although the journey required considerable paddling skills and Duff faced a few close calls, overall the book records little actual adversity aside from large waves and days of waiting out storms -- often in homes of hospitable New Zealanders rather than on his own.
I also agree with other reviewers that the photos are mediocre and certainly are not "stunning," as the back of the book claims.
Absolutely fantastic........2005-07-06
A couple of years ago I saw Chris Duff speak at Canoecopia - a worldwide paddling expo held in Madison WI. One of his talks was about his solo circumnavigation of New Zealand's south island - the same topic as this book.
I, and I think the rest of the audience, was mesmerized as he told his tale. Even though he probably has talked about his trip many times it felt as if he was reliving it for the first time. His ecitement was contagious. The audience could almost feel the ocean swells and smell the salty air.
Chris Duff is as good of a writer as he is a public speaker. He vividly describes the scenery of his voyage, the people he encounters and his own personal thoughts. While, his adventures are WAY beyond my personal abilities I could actually feel what it would be like in his shoes (or in this case fast drying sandals) due to his excellent writing ability.
Wow, Voyager!.......2004-12-04
By Bill Marsano. Chris Duff's photos, which are bundled together and whacked a little perfunctorily into the middle of this book, limp under the heading of 'snaps.' Duff belongs to the old school of kayakin' shutterbugs: compose any old how, so long as the bow of the boat is in the frame; shoot in any old light; and shoot, sometimes, any old subject. There's a darn nice snap of a Hooker seal here but what I really wanted was more pix of the damage (and later repairs) to his boat from the surf landing that nearly killed him. I'm just saying. (And the maps are even worse--clear, but seldom helpful.)
Never mind: This is a book of writing. Duff seems to have had no specific reason to try a 1700-mile circumnavigation of New Zealand's South Island (it's not even a first) but he is no virgin. He's looped the British Isles and then Ireland; he's paddled 8000 miles along the east coast of Canada and the U.S.; even now he may be paddling round Iceland.
He, too, gets into a little gauzy mysticism about the Eternal Why and his place in the universe, but most of the time he's a little too busy for that stuff. South Island's coast is a place that goes from bad to worse, and it's instructive to listen in as Duff relates his tactics and strategies for dealing with bad weather and dangerous, even life-threatening situations: You can learn from this stuff as well as be staggered by it. And just for lagniappe there are those occasional moments of perfect weather and following seas that surf him along in solitary joy. These usually come along just after the notoriously perverse Tasman Sea has, as they say south of here, "prit-near" beaten him to a pulp.
A particular pleasure of this book is the human aspect. Despite the solitary aspect of his circumnavigations, Duff is a sociable man who enjoys and appreciates the people he meets--and appears to bring out the best in them. Add that to the fact that Kiwis are notably kind and generous anyway and you are not surprised that Duff makes friends everywhere he goes and they bend over backwards to help him in every way they can.
Judging from the indications in the text, it's clear that Duff prepared extremely well for this voyage, and readers should pay close attention as they go along, because--probably because this stuff is bred into his bones by now--Duff spends very little time discussing equipment at the end. In fact, he's done with the subject in a single page.
There's one incident in this book that commands my admiration and will yours. I don't want to give anything away but at one point Duff receives some help of a rather expensive kind, and his response is to pull out his credit card. "No worries, mate," he's told, officialdom is budgeted for that. All very well, but Duff insists on paying his own way. He is well aware of the fact that a well-behaved guest doesn't batten on his hosts.--Bill Marsano is an award-winning editor and writer whose own kayaking voyages fill only pages, not books.
Book Description
The Salton Sea is a man-made catastrophe, redolent with the smell of algae and decomposing fish. Nevertheless, the lake's vast, placid expanses continue to attract birdwatchers, tourists and artists. In Greetings from the Salton Sea, photographer Kim Stringfellow explores the history of California's largest lake from its disastrous beginnings—the "sea" was formed when Colorado River levees broke and spilled into a depression 280 feet below sea level—to its heyday as a desert paradise in the 1950s and its current state as an environmental battleground. Like the 400-plus species of birds that use the lake as a halfway point in their annual migration, developers flocked to the water too: they planted palm trees, built golf courses, and hired showstoppers such as the Beach Boys to perform at area resorts. These days, politicians seek to redirect the lake's only source of replenishment—agricultural runoff from surrounding farms—to water golf courses and green lawns elsewhere. Greetings from the Salton Sea's photographs capture the war among policymakers, environmentalists, developers, and the individuals still living along the lake's shores. As Stringfellow aptly documents, it is a war for water and, ultimately, for existence.
Customer Reviews:
Saline drip.......2006-09-04
The Salton Sea seems to be California's dirty little secret but with the help of Kim Stringfellow's excellent book and growing interest from environmentalists and others this fascinating water and desert area is slowly getting the corrective attention it deserves. In the past this eerie area has had plenty of attention, especially from land developers.
At the start of the photo section of the book there is promotional map from the Holly Corporation showing their early sixties Salton City development. A marina or two, schools, a main street and plenty of landscaped roads are shown, in fact if you look up the City on Google Earth you'll see every road has a name and even the single runway airstrip (naturally called Salton City Airport) is surrounded by curving roads with aeronautical names. You'll also see that very few dwellings were actually built and like so much development around the lake they became victims of the various environmental and flooding problems not too mention the incredible salt content of the water.
A by-product of the failed commercial developments around the shore means that there is plenty of abandoned buildings and just plain man-made rubbish everywhere, this clearly acts as a magnet for landscape photographers it seems. I first found out about Salton from Troy Paiva's book 'Lost America' (ISBN 076031490X) which includes about twenty dramatic photos of the area, Kim Stringfellow visited some of the same sites. The forty-five photos in her book are more of a precise visual record of abandonment, either man-made or natural. In the first twenty-nine pages she writes a very succinct history of the Sea and I was pleased to see in the back a couple of very informative web sites listed.
As this is a photo book there is the usual nonsense of not having the captions with the photos, they are in the back with thumbnails of each image so readers have to constantly keep turning pages to find a simple bit of information. Needless to say the captions could have easily been included with photos if the book's designer was more professional.
Apart from the caption aspect (so four stars) I thought this was a fascinating book about a slightly known area of the Golden State.
***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.
Customer Reviews:
Great, satirical detective story of post Franco Barcelona.......2003-07-13
Highly recommended hard-boiled detective novel that looks at the cultural malaise of Spain in general and Barcelona in particular coming out of thirty years of Fascist dictatorship. Every character in this book has a serious political past and agenda, and they recite their political evolution and handily give the details of which party they recently voted for and why in the same fashion that Law & Order interviewees cynically give the details of their professional pitfalls. The hero Pepe Carvalho is so wacked out he burns books (but why is the question,) and he seems to be an overweight balding alcoholic with gourmand tendencies, but he's still a hit with the ladies. And the story is excellently written, and at once amusing and sad.
PEPE CARVALHO'S FINEST.......2000-02-08
Once again Montalban hypnotizes us with his great story-telling ability, his poetry, his stunning metaphores and unforgettable characters. Detective literature never aimed this high. Winner of many prestigious awards including "The Raymond Chandler Award", Southern Seas introduces us to the figure of Pepe Carvalho, detective, gourmet, wine-expert, philosopher, lover, former member of the Communist Party and the CIA. The setting is Barcelona, Spain, in the post-Franco era. Images of rare beauty and impressive power alternate in this atypical "who done it?" story. Montalban succeeds in elevating the genre to a higher level and, perhaps, creates a genre on its own. More Montalban, please!
Average customer rating:
- Very thorough.
- A Worthwhile Voyage
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The Phoenicians and the West: Politics, Colonies and Trade
Maria Eugenia Aubet
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books
Lebanon | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books
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Ciencia | Libros en español | Formats | Books | Astronomía | Ciencia de la Tierra | Ciencias Agriculturales | Ciencias Biológicas | Ciencias de la Conducta Humana | Educación | Ensayos y Comentario | Evolución | Experimentos, Instrumentos y Medidas | Física | General | Historia y Filosofía | Matemáticas | Naturaleza y Ecología | Química | Referencia | Tecnología
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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:
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The Phoenicians in History and Legend
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Phoenicia: History of a Civilization
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Phoenicians (Peoples of the Past)
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Phoenicians: Lebanon's Epic Heritage
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The Ancient Mariners
ASIN: 0521795435 |
Book Description
This updated version of Maria Eugenia Aubet's highly praised book (1993) incorporates the most recent research findings on the ancient civilization of Phoenicia and includes an updated bibliography. The Phoenicians established the first trading system in the Mediterranean basin between the eighth and sixth centuries B.C. Continuous archaeological research over the past decades has transformed our understanding of Phoenicia, its colonies and their relationship to local communities. First Edition Hb (1993): 0-521-41141-6 First Edition Pb (1996): 0-521-56598-7
Customer Reviews:
Very thorough........2001-06-10
This is an interesting book which describes the Phoenician expansion into the Western Mediterranean from the eighth to sixth centuries B.C. The focus is the Iberian Phoenician settlements on either side of the Pillars of Hercules with Gadir (Cadiz) as the main attraction. As the written record of the Phoenicians themselves did not survive, this work relies primarily on archaeological information and the small body of sources written by the Phoenicians' neighboring cultures (the Greek Homer's epic poetry, the Jewish Old Testament, etc.).
There is much discussion about the social, political, and economic reasons for the Phoenician expansion westward. In addition, the form which this expansion took - from informal trade to outright colonization is explored. A large part of the book is devoted to the competing historical theories regarding this expansion in which the author is obviously well-grounded.
Who engaged in the trade and expansion- the palace, the temple, or independent merchants? How was it organized? What were the ships like? What were the commodities traded? How were Phoenician relations with the indigenous peoples handled? All these questions are answered.
There is obviously comparison between the original Phoenician settlements in the West and those of her daughter colony Carthage which succeeded them. The emphasis in this work is on the Phoenician period rather than the following Punic period of settlement. This is done to give the Phoenicians' initial accomplishments in the West due credit rather than have them overshadowed by Carthage.
With the book's emphasis on the Iberian peninsula, the Phoenician enclaves in the central Mediterranean such as on Malta, Sicily, and Sardinia do not get much attention. I would have enjoyed more comparison between the Phoenician settlements and the subsequent Greek colonies in the West as well.
An interesting read on a little-known but highly-influential ancient people. And don't forget to thank them for this alphabet while you're at it.
A Worthwhile Voyage.......2000-12-19
In their day the Phoenicians were the quintessential mariners and explorers, planting colonies throughout the Mediterranean, the Red Sea, and more controversially elsewhere along Africa's coasts and probably in the Far East along the monsoon trade route.
This survey work of what is known today about the Phoenicians is the first one in years I believe. Like many maritime peoples, the Phoenicians were often conquered and, given their extensive use of papyrus, their archives have not survived. Since ancient times and to the present day various historians with axes to grind have badmouthed these people.
This isn't the most riveting text I've ever read.
See also Lionel Casson's "The Ancient Mariners", "Travel In The Ancient World", and "Everyday life in ancient Rome", Michael Grant's "The Etruscans" (out of print), and Barry Fell's "America B.C.", as well as websites that show up in a search for the phrase "The Periplus".
Average customer rating:
- The Return of Tom & Dorian Courtney
- Blue Horizon Audio Tape
- FUN!
- Fun 'n Fluff with a 'kick'
- Wilbur Smith has "sold out" to the World & Lost my respect....
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Blue Horizon
Wilbur Smith
Manufacturer: Thomas Dunne Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Action & Adventure | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Sea Adventures | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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Monsoon
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Birds of Prey (A Courtney Family Adventure)
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The Triumph of the Sun
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When the Lion Feeds
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The Sound of Thunder
ASIN: 0312278241
Release Date: 2003-05-13 |
Book Description
The New York Times bestselling author and one of the greatest adventure writers of our time returns with a pulse-pounding tale of danger, courage, and suspense.
Tom Courtney and his brother Dorian battled both vicious enemies and nature itself on the high seas, finally reaching the Cape of Good Hope to start life afresh. Now, half a generation later, they are successful and contented: merchants and family men, prospering on the very edge of an immense and beautiful continent, Africa. In the tradition of Wilbur Smith’s earlier bestseller, Monsoon, this spellbinding new novel introduces the next generation of Courtneys. They are out to stake their claim in Southern Africa, traveling along the infamous “Robbers’ Road.”
It is a journey both exciting and hazardous---one that takes them through the untouched wilderness of a beautiful land filled with warring tribes and wild animals. But the most dangerous predators of all are other Europeans, crazed by greed, jealousy, and lust, and determined to destroy utterly all members of the Courtney clan. This quest for vengeance results in a desperate chase---both on land and sea---that is one of the most extraordinary in modern literature.
Blue Horizon is a truly great adventure story, told by a master novelist at the height of his powers.
Customer Reviews:
The Return of Tom & Dorian Courtney.......2007-03-28
Twenty years have passed since Tom and Dorian Courtney escaped the clutches of their enemies and settled at the Cape of Good Hope. Each had married the woman he loved, who bore each of them a son. Tom and Sarah Courtney's son Jim is a brash young man who irrevocably alters their destinies when he falls in love with a lovely young woman on a prison ship moored in the harbor. His plans to help her escape become a little more public than he intended when he has to rescue her from a sinking ship and spirit her away into the wilderness. Jim and Louisa suddenly have a number of enemies when a Dutch colonel sends a party after them. They have lots of harrowing adventures with both wild animals and the natives as a small band of Dutchmen trails them across the veld. Meanwhile, back in Cape Town, Colonel Keyser's men have provided him with evidence implicating the entire Courtney clan in Louisa's escape, and the Courtneys must band together even tighter when they learn that some of Dorian's old enemies from his years in the Arab world are on his trail, as well. With old enemies popping out of the woodwork and new ones appearing over the horizon, it's nonstop action for the whole Courtney family, no matter where they go.
Compared to most books I've read, this one is nonstop action and excitement from start to finish. Held next to its predecessor, Monsoon, however, this book pales. It couldn't reach the heights of excitement or match the nail-biting intrigue found in the last Courtney adventure, and often the violence in this book seems superfluous to the story. Life has become more comfortable, and thus, less intense for the Courtney clan, but compared to anything else out there, this book delivers top-notch adventure. Though it doesn't quite measure up to the high level of quality I have come to expect from this author, it's still a very good swashbuckling adventure.
Blue Horizon Audio Tape.......2007-03-22
I love a good "book" while travelling alone in my car, thus I purchase the audio books on a regular basis. And one can never go wrong with Wilbur Smith. Blue Horizon was particularly good and held my interest for several days during my commute.
FUN!.......2006-11-11
Take a voyage: this book is full of action, adventure & exploration. Let yourself get wrapped up in the pages & you'll have a ball!
Fun 'n Fluff with a 'kick'.......2006-08-27
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Fluff or not? Mostly highly enjoyable fluff
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---- Comments ----
Much like Smith's more recently works this is non-stop action; the story is filled with gore, war, elephant hunts, love, treachery, evil twins, mercy, and family all set in the backdrop of Smith's fantastic Africa.
---- What I liked ----
Africa is a great backdrop, there were no dull sections, great descriptions, and just plain easy, fun reading. Every once in a while that's what I need.
---- What I didn't ----
It's fluff. If you're looking for an historical treatise on anything serious this is not for you. Also, not for children as there is lots of gore and more than a little sex.
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Wilbur Smith has "sold out" to the World & Lost my respect...........2006-01-23
I have read almost all of Wilbur Smith's Books, starting with "Gold Mine" , which led to the movie, "Gold", about the South African Gold mining industry. In Blue Horizon, and Monsoon, he seems to have become too pre-occupied with sex and torture, attempting to meet the cravings of lustful man at his lowest points, rather than artfully depicting events with great literary expertise that once caught my eye. Read the preface to "Gold Mine" , where he describes the volcanic beginnings of the African Continent in vivid detail. This was the Wilbur Smith's writings that I learned to love. His more recent works are filled with violence and sadism that I, for one, prefer to avoid. None of these recent books are worth reading, buying, nor recommending to young readers. Even if you are over age 13, I highly recommend that you avoid Wilbur Smith's recent writing!
Books:
- Something Wicked This Way Comes
- Supreme Conflict: The Inside Story of the Struggle for Control of the United States Supreme Court
- Textbook of Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Management
- The Anatomy of Motive : The FBI's Legendary Mindhunter Explores the Key to Understanding and Catching Violent Criminals
- The Babes in the Wood
- The Clinton Crack-Up: The Boy President's Life After the White House
- The Creation of Feminist Consciousness: From the Middle Ages to Eighteen-seventy (Women & History)
- The Day Before Midnight
- The Dead Beat: Lost Souls, Lucky Stiffs, and the Perverse Pleasures of Obituaries (P.S.)
- The New Eating Right for a Bad Gut : The Complete Nutritional Guide to Ileitis, Colitis, Crohn's Disease, and Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Leap Days: Chronicles of a Midlife Move
- Buddhism for Mothers: A Calm Approach to Caring for Yourself and Your Children
- Stress, Stress Hormones and the Immune System
- Semigroups of Linear Operators and Applications to Partial Differential Equations
- Visions Beyond the Veil: Visions of Heaven, Angels, Satan, Hell and the End of the Age
- California Civil Litigation
- 101 Longeing and Longlining Exercises
- The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters
- "Symbolic Essence" and Other Writings on Modern Architecture and American Culture
- The genus Carduus L. in Nebraska
Savannah Comes Undone (Savannah)
Savannah from Savannah
Flies on the Butter
The Cubicle Next Door
Split Ends: Sometimes the End is Really the Beginning
