The Soul Catcher: A Maggie O'Dell Novel

Amazon.com

When a senator's daughter is murdered at a religious revival in Washington, FBI Special Agent Maggie O'Dell, a criminal profiler, and R.J. Tully, her partner, suspect that it's the work of a serial killer. They soon discover that the girl's murder is connected to the suicides of five young men during a Waco-like standoff in a rural Massachusetts cabin--even if they're not sure how. But then Maggie learns that the minister who seems to have turned her alcoholic mother's life around and Revered Joseph Everett, the charismatic sect leader whose followers died in the standoff, are the same person, and he may have drawn her into his deadly web to get at Maggie herself. Is the serial killer one of Everett's acolytes--and will Tully's daughter and Maggie be his next victims? Kava's third thriller (after Split Second and A Perfect Evil) showcases her gifts of pacing, plotting, and characterization; Maggie O'Dell is a smart, likable protagonist. She and Tully deserve a return engagement. --Jane Adams

Book Description

In a secluded cabin in rural Massachusetts, six young men stage a deadly standoff with FBI and ATF agents. When dust from the flying bullets finally settles, three agents are wounded, one fatally, and five suspects are dead.

In a wooded area near the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C., the body of a senator's daughter is discovered. Dead by strangulation, the young woman is left artfully posed, her clothes folded neatly beside her.

For FBI Special Agent Maggie O'Dell, there is nothing routine about being called in to work these two cases. As an expert criminal profiler, Maggie provides psychological insight on cases that involve suspected serial killers. She can't understand, then, why her boss, Assistant Director Cunningham, has assigned her to these two seemingly unrelated crimes.

But as Maggie and her partner, Special Agent R.J. Tully, delve deeper into the two cases, they learn that there is a connection between the crimes: Reverend Joseph Everett. The charismatic leader of a high-profile religious sect, Everett has cultivated a devoted following that is growing in numbers daily. The young men holed up in the cabin were members of Everett's church, and the murder of the young woman took place following a religious rally Everett held in the capital.

The key to unraveling the significance of these two crimes is Everett himself. But he is untouchable, living on a heavily guarded compound the police are unable to penetrate. Maggie realizes, however, that she may have found a way to get to Everett: by using her own mother, a member of his church.

Is Everett a psychotic madman who uses his position of power to perform heinous crimes? Or is he merely a scapegoat for a killer more cunning, more disciplined than he? Maggie realizes too late that there is more going on here than the FBI ever imagined . . . and her own mother may be about to pay the price.

Customer Reviews:

What a bad book.......2006-03-05

I have never taken the time to post a bad review about a book and I do read quite a bit. That said, I don't recall EVER having read a book that was as simple and lacking of cliffhanging than this book. I would suggest reading this book if YOU are considering writing a book because the only value in reading this book comes from the realization that, apparently, anything can sell in today's world.

Great Book Series.......2005-12-23

I really enjoyed reading the O'Dell series by Alex Kava. I can't wait until A Necessary Evil comes out. This is a great book, all of them are great reads. If you do read them make sure you read them in order: A Perfect Evil, Split Second, Soul Catcher, At The Stroke of Madness, and coming in February 2006 A Necessary Evil. These are page turning books that you just can't get tired of reading. They were so good, I read all four within a month!

This is a Sleeper until the Last!.......2005-12-15

SOUL CATCHER continues the saga of FBI Special Agent Maggie O'Dell. This time she and her partner, R.J. Tully are assigned a case where a serial killer's latest victim is a senator's daughter. The daughter just happened to be at a religious gathering in Washington D.C. so the investigation has to tread lightly when the cult closes ranks. When a few bits of evidence don't add up, so begins the journey of O'Dell and Tully as they blunder through more killings.

Alex Kava had the makings of a great mystery but it was clouded with glimpses into the personal lives of Maggie O'Dell and her relationship with her mother. Also tossed in is the tumultuous relationship of Tully with his daughter and ex-wife. Another subplot is the Reverend Joseph Everett and his band of followers who are reminiscent of other cults in the near past, e.g. Waco, Jim Jones, Ruby Ridge, etc. It was a bit too much to have that many correlations in one group - Kava should have chosen one of two, not a slew of them to immulate. All of these subplots took focus off of the murders and left me feeling confused as who what direction this book was going.

Between bouncing between all of the subplots, a lot of the meat is lost and the book is tedious until about two-thirds of the way through. That's when Kava picks up the action and the tale becomes entertaining. Even though it was entertaining in the last few chapters, it was very predictable and calling it a mystery is a stretch.

Character development was at times very well done and at other times lacking. There were so many of Everett's followers that I became confused as to which young person was who. Maggie's mother continues to be described as an alcoholic who's self destructive behavior could finally do her in. Descriptions of her and scenes in this book left me shaking my head and wondering how Maggie could become so successful being raised by someone like Katherine. Tully's ex-wife on the other hand needs a dose of reality. When she runs into him at a revival, and he's one the job, her tantrum about how he's following her and trying to ruin her life was just too much. Someone slap her out of her hysteria, please! The other characters are numerous and none really grabbed my attention. It was almost as if Kava threw them all in to confuse the reader. Didn't work with me - I knew the killer's identity almost from the beginning.

And Maggie's love interest - the drop dead gorgeous hunk from Nebraska was merely mentioned in this book... when will we see more of him? I think Maggie needs to have some personality brought forth and no personal life in this book makes for a very dull Maggie O'Dell!

I thoroughly enjoyed Split Second and A Perfect Evil (the first two books in this series) and am hoping Alex Kava returns to that kind of performance. This one was mediocre at best.

Good writing but it's time for Maggie to retire.......2005-11-21

I wasn't impressed by her last book, but I liked the preview of 'Soulcatcher' so when I saw a copy in a charity shop the next day needless to say I snapped it up. This was a big improvement, especially since it dropped the tired old 'serial killer who is obsessed with female FBI agent' plot in favour of a much more original story about a dangerous cult run by a charismatic priest. I even sat up late to finish it and found the end quite satisfactory, though maybe it didn't quite live up to the exciting opening chapter.

However, as others have said, Maggie is a major drag - always obsessing about her father's death, her mother's alcoholism (though she seems to be heading that way herself), about some or other victim she could have saved - whatever ... I have to agree with her soon-to-be ex-husband and her mother than she should leave the FBI. She is psychologically unsuited to the job as she appears unable to compartmentalise her experiences and she appears to ignore procedure and makes some very elementary mistakes - including one during her inevitable confrontation with the killer - which costs the life of yet another innocent victim. Alex is much better when she is writing about virtually any other character - perhaps she would be best to drop Maggie and start writing some more original stuff which I'm sure she's capable of. Not that this is likely to happen though when she's created such a marketable franchise ...

Awesome!.......2005-07-24

This was the first Alex Kava book I read. I loved it so much that I bought every book she has written to date regarding the Maggie O'Dell series. I can't wait for the next book to come out. Great reading and keeps you holding on to the end. Awesome book!

Soul Catcher: A Journal to Help You Become Who You Really Are

Average customer rating:

Beautifully done
Soul Catcher
Beautiful Journal
Really Get to Know Yourself
The destination is the journey...

Soul Catcher: A Journal to Help You Become Who You Really Are
Kathy Eldon , and Amy Eldon
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0811821943

Book Description

Soul Catcher takes you on a self-guided journey along a spiritual path forged from the realization of your own dreams and wishes, and the utilization of the wisdom of your own inner voice. This beautiful journal will help you find ways to break through the barriers that stand in your way and offer support as you shape and define your true values and goals so you can live life to its fullest.

Customer Reviews:

Beautifully done.......2007-03-08

Beautiful book to work in. Thought-provoking topics, questions and messages keep you working in a positive manner.

Soul Catcher.......2007-01-09

I love this book! It has been very helpful in getting in touch with my feelings. I highly recommend it to anyone. It's set up nicely with nice pictures and helpful inspirational writing.

Beautiful Journal.......2006-08-20

This was a gift for a friend who needed to pause and do some self-reflection. She loved it!

Really Get to Know Yourself.......2006-05-31

This is a remarkably beautiful guided journal that everyone needs to have a copy of. The journal is organized by sections and gives you writing prompts that relate to all feelings and emotions including fears, anger, dreams, love, goals, passions, etc. Fill out a little bit each time you feel the need to get something out and it takes the weight off. What an incredible feeling to let loose in this beautiful book. It's almost like a portable therapist asking you things like "How did this situation make me feel?", "What can I do to fix this situation?", "What can I do better next time?", "What do I wish I could say to this person?" etc. This journal is a must have for everyone. You will absolutely love it.

The destination is the journey..........2005-08-09

This journal was given to me by my boyfriend on my birthday. That was a year ago, and I take time out to write in it whenever I find it or feel I need a prompt to give my writing a kick-start. In MY journal, I have cut and pasted images from magazines to make a collage on some of the pages, and added my own favorites to the quotes the authors have on the bottoms of selected pages. I have crossed out and changed some of the questions to make them my own. This is a book that encourages you to customize it, and that's just what I did.

Average customer rating:

I Am Keeping This Book...
eh
An atypical Herbert novel-- interesting read
Soul Catcher: Herbert at his best
Haunting

The Soul Catcher
Frank Herbert
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0441776906

Customer Reviews:

I Am Keeping This Book..........2006-04-20

I started reading this book not knowing who the author was and what he had created.....a real plus for any serious Reader....who just loves words put together engineering Thoughts....for this novel has become one of "those" that I shall remember.....to find out it was done by the author of "Dune" at journeys end was Amazing...for I DID NOT read it for the pleasure of his genius but rather for the disturbance of it.....

eh.......2005-03-12

First off, Dune is my favorite scifi novel, and Frank Herbert is one of my favorite authors. I won't go into the plot details of this book because there really isn't anything too complex going on. The book had a good balance of action/dialogue/monologue and of course Frank's descriptions of the wilderness and everything were great and vivid, like always. I gave it 3 stars because I don't feel it was totally developed. I would have loved if Frank had inferred a bit more background information on this whole "spirit world" thing, and the "characters" of Bee and Raven. Throughout the whole book I felt like I should feel that what Katsuk was doing was somehow profound, but to me it just looked like he was pissed off at white people and gonna kill a white kid. I mean honestly, I'm sure there were plenty of native Americans who did that hundreds of years ago. Maybe I didn't pay close enough attention to the story, but I just couldn't infer from the vague "spirit world" sequences what was actually going on.

An atypical Herbert novel-- interesting read.......2004-12-29

This small mid-career novel is an interesting read for long-time Herbert fans or for people interested in treatments of Native American mythology in science-fiction/fantasy.

Like many Herbert novels, it features a young central protagonist (David Marshall) who is both threatened and taught by a mentor figure. In this case, his mentor is also his kidnapper-- Charles Hobuhet, a disturbed young Native American who becomes Katsuk (the avenger) after his sister is brutally raped by loggers.

While written with Herbert's usual sensitive feel for character and motivation, Soul Catcher lacks much of the complexity found in other Herbert titles. While in some places the simplicity feels intentional and fable-like, in other places it seems as though the novel were essentially unfinished. Certain aspects of Katsuk and the Marshall family are hinted at and never developed. Herbert's typical trope of scattering external viewpoints (newspaper clippings, past writings of the characters) throughout the book is present, but erratically employed and nearly fades out completely by the end.

The very simplicity of the book may make it as appealing for some readers as it may disappoint fans of Herbert's more political offerings (Dune or The White Plague). I would not recommend it as an introduction to his novels. However, it is an interesting digression in his career and contains many of the elements that make his overall body of work so impressive.

Soul Catcher: Herbert at his best.......2004-04-21

HOQUAT - something that floated out far out on the water, something unfamiliar and mysterious.

They came from across the sea, fell in love with the land and took it by all means necessary. From the People, and yet they called themselves people too.

Now in a hoquat state and hoquat society, where but a few of the People remain true to the old ways, a man raises. Charles Hobuhet, imitation white man. But the spirit world knew him as Katsuk, the avenger, balancer of heaven and earth, the center of the universe. He had set out to teach the world a lesson, a one that wouldn't soon be forgotten. All he needed was an Innocent, one David Marshall, his 13 year old hoquat captive.

Deep, masterfully portrayed characters with the ease only the great ones possess. Intriguing, well paced, immersing a reader in a dark, eery, eye opening glimpses of human soul, spirit and character. Enthralling read, leaving you without the need to understand it all, as you feel it, giving you a chance to surpass the hoquat flaw, of thinking about it with words.

Not a sci-fi book as such, but never the less a great one that reminds if not teaches that: " Science doesn't liberate from the terror of gods."

Haunting.......2003-09-09

This is one of those books that will stay with you a long time. When I finished it I just lay there in bed thinking about it. I loved it..... I hated it.... I loved it... it's just one of those books. It was easy to see why the copy I loaned from the library still had a big sticker across the front labeling it a "BANNED BOOK".

Amazon.com

This is hardly the first book that promises to answer the question of how digital technologies are changing the nature of human reality. What's surprising is its answer: not much. In The Evolution of Wired Life: From the Alphabet to the Soul-Catcher Chip--How Information Technologies Change Our World, Charles Jonscher argues lucidly against the oft-heard proposition that computers are here to revolutionize, or even replace, the workings of our minds and societies. Drawing partly on the long prehistory of today's information technologies--reaching back all the way to the invention of alphabetic writing in the ancient Middle East--he makes a strong case for the contrary view: that human thoughts and interactions have always had, and always will have, more importance than the tools used to convey them.

Jonscher's no Luddite, though. A London investment banker and information-policy expert, he began his career as a programmer in the '70s, and he has retained an admiration for and deep understanding of computers. In fact, anyone looking for an inspired and intelligent introduction to the nature of digital technology--how it works, how it came to be, how it both resembles and differs from such intimately human mechanisms as the brain and the genome--need look no further. Jonscher doesn't dispute that computers are a fascinating philosophical conundrum, or that the question of "who we are in the digital age," as he puts it, isn't an interesting one. What he resists, compellingly, "is the claim that by deciding we're computers, we've cracked the mystery of human life." --Julian Dibbell

Book Description

"Thoughtful and erudite... Intelligent and readable...Will appeal to people who enjoyed Longitude by Dava Sobel or Fermat's Enigma by Simon Singh." -The San Diego Union Tribune

"Most engaging."-The Boston Globe

"An optimistic and reassuring assertion that no matter what wonders we invent, human beings . . . remain infinitely more complex and interesting."-The Economist

A lively, informative examination of the computer revolution-and why the top-performing information-processing device is still the human brain

If we believe the forecasts of many computer enthusiasts, a wave of amazing devices will soon fundamentally change our lives, and the "thinking machine" is just around the corner. In this authoritative and entertaining book, critically acclaimed author Charles Jonscher presents the other side of the argument: while communication developments have changed society, they also have their limits. He shows us that in order to understand the true transformative powers of the new technologies, we must know about the long history of their development-and why no calculating machine can match the creative power of the human mind. Rich in insights from literature, philosophy, and history, The Evolution of Wired Life offers a fascinating look at the development of the digital era, from the invention of the first alphabetic language to the printing press to the World Wide Web.

Customer Reviews:

Human Brain's Upper Hand.......2000-09-25

With his argument that humans, rather than technology, will always have the upper hand, Jonscher begins a fascinating unravelling of where the "digital age" has sprung from, with all its limitations and possibilities. While lauding the technology which could now record every moment of a human life by means of a tiny bit of silicon implanted in the brain - the apocryphal "soul-catcher" chip - he points out that the human brain has 20 billion neurons, and that: "the intelligence of a single-celled organism less evolved than a neuron, such as a paramecium, is such that it can navigate towards food and negotiate obstacles, recognise danger and retreat from it. How does your PC compare?" After a delve through the scientific theories lying behind the evolution of IT, he goes on to trace its development, with its impact on and creation of multimedia and the Internet, economic progress and the technologies of tomorrow. For anyone who has ever asked what the IT revolution is all about, and how it will affect them, this readable and authoritative account, with its occasional dashes of dry humour, will fill some of the gaps.

Plato, Cyberspace and the Human Spirit.......2000-08-10

Jonscher's book is about the impact of IT on our work and lives. Unfortunately, like so many other popular science writers, he spends most of his pages laboriously recounting for beginners the history of technology, from the origins of writing to genetic engineering and the millennium bug. We get the umpteenth elementary explanations of, amongst others: bits, bytes and Turing machines; semiconductors and integrated circuits; electromagnetism and telecommunications technology. Jonscher writes mostly about the physical infrastructure that makes IT work. Oddly, he has almost nothing to say about software and how it is created.

Humanoids

Running almost in parallel with this potted history, is Jonscher's semi-philosophical analysis of our present and future relationship with the digital world. He is clearly worried that computers are a threat to what he calls central value systems of western civilisation:

"Lurking behind predictive scenarios of computer-driven society is an emaciated view of what it is to be human: a model of the person as an entity whose objectives we have understood and can deliver by programming machines - who is responding to images and sounds and not to the hearts and minds of those behind the images". (p. 249)

The origins of Jonscher's worries lie in the long tradition of rationalism in western science and philosophy, in the belief that logic and the scientific method together define what we can and cannot know about the world. Add to the rationalism the positivist belief that we know what is good for us, and you get the "emaciated view of what it is to be human". William Blake's famous line about "dark satanic mills" (which Jonscher does not quote) is often misunderstood as a reference to the cotton mills of the industrial revolution in Britain. In reality, Blake was writing before that period and referring to the rationalist philosophy of Bacon, Newton and Locke, which he saw as an attack on the spiritual and poetic side of life.

Artificial Intelligence

Jonscher's distaste for this "emaciated view" was no doubt partly formed by his exposure to the Artificial Intelligence (AI) community in Cambridge Mass during its heyday in the 1970s and 1980s. At the time, the idea that the brain was essentially equivalent to a computer was taken very seriously by both AI researchers and their philosophical supporters.

Jonscher devotes a considerable amount of space to showing that the brain has almost nothing in common with a computer. He points out that a single neuron is more complex than any conceivable microprocessor based machine (it contains about 100,000 different proteins), and that same neuron is connected to as many as 80,000 other neurons. There doesn't seem to be any evidence that the brain uses simple digital signals or that it could be construed as running "software".

Plato and Cyberspace

Another source of concern for Jonscher -- and not just for him -- is the immaterial nature of information in cyberspace. He points out there is a kind of law of the conservation of information which states that information, like energy, is neither created nor destroyed during processing. The same digital image can be filtered and processed endlessly without any loss of information and, for most purposes, without any cost. This is a weird and disturbing idea: when we think about about a digital image, we are thinking of the persistent, immaterial pattern of bits. It is a pure form quite independent of its physical instatiation on paper or in silicon. This is because we actually conceive of information as non material.

In the "Republic", Plato suggests that the essence of the world is made of ideal pure forms to which we have no access. Our actual experience is realized as an imperfect and unstable projection of these ideal forms. Jonscher is afraid that we will confuse inhuman cyberspace with this Platonic ideal world and replace physical and sensual reality with digital substitutes. This would lead to the erosion of human values in favour of software substitutes. He provides several hints that his concern has a religous motivation, citing with approval the ideas of Catholic philosopher Teilhard de Chardin. Whatever his motivation, Jonscher is making an important point. Today digital images are becoming the point of reference in many areas, perhaps the most striking is the fashion business. The supermodel craze is due in no small measure to the fact that most of us only ever see these women via print or television, where cosmetics and skillful photography lend them an unreal beauty. Who will be the "real" Claudia Schiffer as her physical body diverges from her idealized digital form?

Computers & Productivity

Jonscher's most interesting contribution is his analysis of the real impact of computers on economic growth and productivity. He is able to cite a series of studies (by Strassmann, Landauer, Brynjolfsson and others) showing that the widespread introduction of IT into business has had almost no impact on productivity. He shows that while the number of workers using IT has grown to more than 50%, these workers actually spend most of their time in offline activities. Futhermore, when these workers do make heavy use of IT the value-added in very low. In other words, the impact of IT directly is simply to automate basic mechanical tasks and free workers to move up a skill level.

But this movement up the knowledge scale results in even lower contribution of IT to productivity. He also argues, fairly convincingly, that IT makes only a minor contribution to the world of engineering and manufacturing. At the same time, the many claims that AI and other advances in software would empower knowledge work have failed to delivered. Last but not least, IT technology itself is heading for maturity and slowing growth.

These negative results encourage Jonscher to a very reductive view of the future contribution of IT to the real economy. His belief that computers are incapable of higher level processing sharply limits their potential impact on the real economy. He also points out that the consumer digital economy itself has serious problems of growth and productivity. Since the reproduction and distribution of knowledge and other digital goods (music, books, films, e-mail etc.) is essentially costless, while re-distribution is extremely difficult to control, the resulting value-added is low. Worse still, digital goods have a serious problem of over-supply.

Excellent Material.......2000-02-09

Even though digitalisation may seem able to unfold the very secret of life - or is at least presented that way - this book provides the counter-argument. Jonscher, obviously 'knowing his stuff', argues that there is no such thing as a computer that will fully replace a human. He starts his arguments in the microscopical level and builds his way up to the informational characteristics of today's society. Respecting the essentials in life - such as the added value of interpersonal communication in real life as opposed to that in virtual life - he creates a well though-out case in favor of mankind in the debat between human vs. computer. Giving insights into some of the secrets of sillicon valley, philosophical guidance on the Real (Plato's cave) and a factual economic description of what computers mean to professional activity, make this book a fresh breeze into the - perhaps already stagnated - discourse on what the computer and computernetworks have in stall for the (western) world. Written in a non-patronizing style - which cannot be said about a lot of authors on this topic, who perhaps by doing so admit the weakness of their arguments, you decide - Jonscher delivers one of the books that judge after the facts and not a priori. Needless to say I recommend it.

ALL ABOUT OUR THINKING BIOLOGY AND ITS DIGITAL OFFSPRING!.......2000-01-12

This is an enormously engrossing study of the nature and evolution of the brain and of today's digital technology revolution. In examining the brain and its silicon creations, the workings, potential and uniqueness of BOTH are explored in detail, along with the challenge that computers can reach mind-like thinking with artificial intelligence, neural computing and fuzzy logic.

With clarity and brilliant insights, Jonscher shows the limits of technology's reach toward mind-like thinking, making a compelling argument that no machine can ever rival the complexities and subtleties of the brain; that no digital device will ever answer a question that lies outside of the 'computable' category. Thinking is not purely mechanical, the author concludes, and the brain is something which cannot be fully understood, let alone replicated, by applying its own capacities.

But this book does more than take on the Big Question -will computers ever think like people?; it opens the reader's mind to the realities of THINKING, within the dynamic context of four billion years of evolution and our evolving Knowledge Society. This is an enlightening, entertaining, and very accessible work. A powerful book that deftly handles ideas and issues of mind-challenging proportions. Very highly recommended. Reviewed by Gerry Stern and Yvette Borcia, editors of Stern's Management Review, founders, Stern & Associates and the HR Knowledge Network, authors of Stern's Sourcefinder: The Master Directory to HR and Business Management Information & Resources, Stern's CyberSpace SourceFinder, and Stern's Compensation and Benefits SourceFinder.

From carbon to silicon... humans and digital technology.......1999-10-30

This is a great read for Lawyers and other "fuzzy" information-economy thinkers! Better yet, it's a great read for IT professionals, who are introducing technological solutions into human situations! This book will keep you grounded in reality.

Charles Jonscher, through an entertaining examination of centuries accumlation of philosophy... science and technology, shows the disconnects between the they way humans interact, and the way digital technology works.

In short, being digital ain't the same as being human. It ain't warm, fuzzy -- and more importantly ain't ANALOG.

The beauty of ANALOG is the key to Jonscher's book. Analog thinking is by nature, superior to digital. Using mathematics and physics vis-a-vis bio-chemistry and psychology, Jonscher reveals that the human brain is analog. On the other hand, computers are digital, and hence 'inferior'.

For example, Jonscher talks about Deep Blue, the computer that beat the pants off the best Chess player in the world.

While the media hailed this as a significant step towards the evolution of 'computer intellegence' Jonscher puts this (off the wall) assertion into perspective. He argues that if a fire broke out during the chess match, even a lowly bumble bee would have enough "common sense" to leave the building, whereas Deep Blue would continue to play the game and burn to crisp in the flames.

By tracing the path of natural evolution, Jonscher shows readers that all things natural use "analog" senses produced and guided by complex chemical reactions. While digital uses logic and mathmatics. Grounding his argument in such scientific breakthroughs as Quantum Physics, that shows that there is chaos in logic, mathmatics physics ... and (GASP) nature ... Jonscher explodes the myth of Computer Intelligence at its roots.

In simple terms, Jonscher shows readers with concrete evidence that it is physically and scientifically impossible to use digital technologies to create intelligence.

Computers will only be able to assist humans in matters of logic -- they cannot help your wife to decide on whether to have a hot mochachino or Orange Crush ... or tell you your neighbour is really upset that your dog just did a do-do on their front-lawn. Only human interaction via analog senses of sight, taste, smell, hearing, touch, can detect these nuances of interaction.

Average customer rating:
Money Counters and Soul Catchers
Susan M. Hooper
Manufacturer: AuthorHouse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1425977197

Book Description

Retired from his job at Maple Grove Savings and Loan Company, Carson Wright no longer counts money on a daily basis, but he still counts souls--and there are a growing number in town that drive him crazy. Two factors kept him from fussing too much when the first gay couple moved into town--his realtor niece needed the commission, and the 'fruity pair', as he shamefully called them, lived far enough away to be ignored--but when the 'other pair' bought a house across the street, he affected signs of distress. He also never ignored them, when he could harass them just as easily. The arrival of a third gay couple in Maple Grove Junction sends Wright into a seeming frenzy, and after managing to involve himself in altercations with both the new couple and the 'other pair' on the same day, he manages to disappear!

Average customer rating:

awesome and revealing!

Soul Catcher
Katia Spiegelman
Manufacturer: Marion Boyars Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Customer Reviews:

awesome and revealing!.......1999-12-22

this story was very intriguing. i am too young to have lived through the 70's where drugs were the "thing". but i got a great opinion of a girl who was a "good" girl and she learned to cope with people that were very different. i felt her sorrow and joy. this is the 2st book by katia spiegelman that i have read, but this first impression really did give me that extra push!

Four Complete Novels, Whipping Star, The Dosadi Experiment, Teh Santaroga Barrier, Soul Catcher

Average customer rating:

Four Complete Novels, Whipping Star, The Dosadi Experiment, Teh Santaroga Barrier, Soul Catcher
Frank Herbert
Manufacturer: Avenel Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000H57CHM

Average customer rating:

0 stars
Strong writing, powerful message

Red Eagle and the Soul Catcher
Life Ministries Indian
Manufacturer: Indian Life Ministries
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0920379109

Book Description

It was Friday night and the community hall was rocking' when Dan Red Eagle came by to find his cousin. As this 32-page full-color comic opens, Dan's cousin, Johnny, arrives and wants a drink. Dan takes Johnny home. I wanted to make it in the white man's world...but I guess I'm just a loser after all. Dan leaves Johnny. Later that night, Johnny commits suicide. Johnny's sister, Dawn, discovered her brother's body. In total shock, she struggles to deal with her grief. She boards a bus that takes her to the Pacific Northwest where she catches the 'Ocean Brave' fishing boat. Dan Red Eagle arrives at the docks and catches another boat to chase after her. After a violent storm, they rescue her and bring her back into port where they take her to the Tilkcum Native Centre where she hears how her sorrow can be turned into joy.

Customer Reviews:

0 stars.......2002-04-24

Using Native Indians like this is just another form of murder - cultural murder. What is it with these people who get it into their [bad] brains to convert the people from their ways? Have they not done enough harm. Native people must resist being used like this. It is a disgrace.

Strong writing, powerful message.......2000-04-19

Dan Red Eagle has not only proven effective at reaching its original target audience of Native peoples in North America but is a great comic book in any case, regardless of race. Opops'kan leads his intended readers toward faith in Jesus Christ using their own style of language and familiar symbolism.

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Soul Catcher
Robert Gutsell
Manufacturer: Exposure Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 184685122X

Book Description

In an instant Peter's best friend's life is cruelly stolen from him, leaving him confused and curious. Then, from that point on, his life takes on a macabre twist as his friend's death takes over his life. Where will his curiosity end?

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This debut novel is a grisly tale of a boy's life and his search to find the truth. Peter is a fun loving boy from a loving family. His friends are his life. Then on a cold November evening Peter's world is turned upside-down. In an instant Peter's best friend's life is cruelly stolen from him, leaving him confused and curious. Then, from that point on, his life takes on a macabre twist as his friend's death takes over his life. Where will his curiosity end?

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Soul Catcher
Frank Herbert
Manufacturer: Berkley Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000SMKKFA

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