The Blood Books, Vol. 2 (Blood Lines / Blood Pact)

Book Description

Vicki Nelson is an ex-homicide cop turned private detective. Mike Celluci, Vicki's former partner, is still on the force. Henry Fitzroy is an author of bodice rippers-and a vampire. Together, the trio are caught up in mysteries with a supernatural slant-from demons to werewolves and every otherworldly creature in between.

Customer Reviews:

speculative-fiction buffet.......2007-10-06

Tanya Huff's Blood Lines series covers a lot of ground. It's horror, romance, and mystery. I am not a fan of any of these genres, so why did I pick up this book? First of all, my daughter recommended it and we tend to like the same books. Secondly, Ms Huff started her professional career working in a science fiction bookstore in Toronto that I liked to visit whenever I was in that city. The question is can she pull off such a mix of genres? The answer is a resounding yes. I would describe her books as a speculative-fiction buffet. While as a mystery she gives away the "who-dunnit" relatively early in the book, she still holds your attention because the reader has no idea as to how the perpetrator (not necessarily human) will be brought to justice. As a romance, the love interests antagonize each other, making the romance more horrifying than the horror. But Huff tells a great story, the pace is rapid, and the people very realistic and very flawed like all of us. Her creatures are very human and sympathetic and her writing is laced with humor. There is much more I would like to say about the books but I can't tell you everything I would like to without giving away surprises, plot lines, etc. I will say that the books were well worth the time invested.

THE BLOOD BOOKS VOL 1,2&3.......2007-06-27

BOUGHT AND READ ALL 3 VERY GOOD BOOKS AND REALLY
GLAD THEY ARE ON LIFTIME AS A SERIES.

Disappointed.......2007-06-27

I was really disappointed when I read the Blood books. Based on other reviews, I was expecting something better, something more like the Harry Dresden books which are so much fun to read. The Blood books seem to drag on, and the characterization is paper thin. I really wish I could get my money back. I feel cheated.

Blood book vol II.......2007-05-13

One of Tanay Huff's best yet! There was a change in her style for this book and added mystery. A real page turner. I love her chacters and how they interact with each other. A must read for any vampire lover.

The Blood Books, Volume II.......2007-03-21

Wonderful read! Again, Tanya Huff delivers a great story from her series The Blood Books. Very orginal storylines, and memorable characters. If you love reading stories with vampires, zombies, etc., this is one to add to your list!

Average customer rating:

Good Book
Disappointed
Awful
Doesn't Live Up To Potential
Can NOT put this one down!

The Pact: A Love Story
Jodi Picoult
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0061150142
Release Date: 2006-08-29

Book Description

Until the phone calls came at three o'clock on a November morning, the Golds and their neighbors, the Hartes, had been inseparable. It was no surprise to anyone when their teenage children, Chris and Emily, began showing signs that their relationship was moving beyond that of lifelong friends. But now seventeen-year-old Emily is dead—shot with a gun her beloved and devoted Chris pilfered from his father's cabinet as part of an apparent suicide pact—leaving two devastated families stranded in the dark and dense predawn, desperate for answers about an unthinkable act and the children they never really knew.

From New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult—one of the most powerful writers in contemporary fiction—comes a riveting, timely, heartbreaking, and terrifying novel of families in anguish and friendships ripped apart by inconceivable violence.

Customer Reviews:

Good Book.......2007-08-30

Jodi Picoult is and excellent author. I enjoy her books. This book could have used a bit more development of Emily's character. I felt like I wanted to know Emily better through out the book.

Disappointed.......2007-08-17

I agree with other reviewers who were disappointed with this book. Although it was beautifully written, I felt cheated, ripped off, and let down at the end. The plot was not sufficiently developed through to the end. There were too many blanks to be filled in, too many loose ends, too much left unsaid and undone. There was far too much drama and not enough substance. I think it's fine to leave a few things in an ambiguous state at the end of a novel, to leave something to the reader's imagination, but c'mon, Picoult, FINISH THIS BOOK! Also, the storyline and dialogue during the trial got tedious and ridiculous. Was I, as the reader, supposed to feel any sympathy for Chris? I surely did not.

Awful.......2007-08-14

I am so disappointed after finishing this book. None of my questions were answered and not in the good way where it's left to your imagination. The characters are superficial. We never get beneath the surface with any of them and least of all Emily. I feel I knew Emily the least and that is the character I really wanted, and felt I should, know deep down. So many aspects are hard to believe. I really wanted to like this book and thought I did while I was reading it but for it to be so heart wrenching and then come out with nothing is really frustrating!

Doesn't Live Up To Potential.......2007-08-13

I'm a Jodi Picoult fan, and I've enjoyed all her books. The Pact is my least favorite.

It is captivating, as the others are. I read this book in two days, waiting for a fuller development and conclusion. I like the Then/Now format Ms. Picoult used. Overall, though, this story never came up to my expectations.

I know a great deal about Chris, but Emily's character wasn't developed fully enough. I want to know exactly what her motivations were. I kept expecting to see other secrets revealed about her family. They weren't there.

The ending disappointed me. It felt unrealistic and contrived.

Can NOT put this one down!.......2007-07-12

Picoult writes an amazing story of two childhood friends who become romantically involved as teenagers. A pact links the two even after one of them commits suicide.

Although it is written to perfection, it is painfully hard to read as a mother. The reality of not knowing your children as well as you think you do is upsetting but eye opening. This is another one of Jodi Picoult's must reads.

Average customer rating:

thought I would never get through this book.
hard to put down!
The last of Picoult's books for me
Character flaws taint "love story"
Disturbing, Compelling, Couldn't Put it Down...

The Pact: A Love Story (P.S.)
Jodi Picoult
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 006085880X
Release Date: 2006-02-21

Book Description

From Jodi Picoult, one of the most powerful writers in contemporary fiction, comes a riveting, timely, heartbreaking, and terrifying novel of families in anguish -- and friendships ripped apart by inconceivable violence. Until the phone calls came at 3:00 A.M. on a November morning, the Golds and their neighbors, the Hartes, had been inseparable. It was no surprise to anyone when their teenage children, Chris and Emily, began showing signs that their relationship was moving beyond that of lifelong friends. But now seventeen-year-old Emily has been shot to death by her beloved and devoted Chris as part of an apparent suicide pact -- leaving two devastated families stranded in the dark and dense predawn, desperate for answers about an unthinkable act and the children they never really knew.

Customer Reviews:

thought I would never get through this book........2007-10-06

This was my first Jodi Picoult book, and may be my last. I felt like I was climbing up a steep hill, never to reach the top. The book starts out with a murder ?, suicide ?, and goes downhill from there. Tedious trial, and many unanswered questions. Why was this teenage girl so miserable and unhappy? Some hints of abuse, but nothing is clear or validated. Her parents were clueless. Depressing story, with really no answers, not a romantic love story.

hard to put down!.......2007-09-28

This was the first Jodi Picoult book that I had read and I was overall very pleased. It is the type of book, that is extemely hard to put down. The book's set up makes the reader feel as if he or she is a detective, trying to gather clues to figure out the case. The characters in the book are the type people, one would run into on a daily basis, making the book easy to relate to. Although, I did enjoy reading the book, I was extremely dissappointed by the ending. I felt as though Picoult left the reader hanging with more questions and I wanted more answers. Overall, I would suggest this book to anyone who is looking for a book that keeps one's attention, and likes the aspect of trying to figure out a crime.

The last of Picoult's books for me.......2007-09-25

This is the fourth book by this author that I have read and I must say it will be the last. They all have been disappointing

Jody Picoult's books follow a formula: the controversial/shocking theme; the lawyers; the jail/prison (she dwells too much on this area) and the twisty, contrived endings.

Enough.

Character flaws taint "love story".......2007-09-16

The Golds and Hartes are neighbors, good friends, and absolutely thrilled when their children Emily and Chris fall in love. The teens are inseparable, but when Emily is found dead of a gunshot wound to the head, Chris is charged with her murder. He says it was a suicide pact that he was unable to complete. His trial and the disintegration of the Golds and Hartes' friendship ensue.

The rest of this review deals with characters' actions, so it's a bit spoiler-ish and you may not want to read this review if you only know the basics of what this book is about. (I don't spoil the ending below, though).

This was my first Jodi Picoult book, and I got wrapped up in the story right away. When I finished it, though, there were many things about the main characters that bother me and kind of make it hard for me to give this book a 4 or 5-star rating.

It frankly is just very hard to swallow that Chris would not only fail to tell anyone about Emily's suicidal thoughts, but also that he would assist her and bring the gun to the carousel, all the time hoping that he would be able to "stop" her. That, even though he had been unable to convince her for the weeks or months to drop this plan, maybe in the last moment he might be able to say a magic word that would all of a sudden change her mind. Though I absolutely love her writing, the thing with some of Jodi Picoult's characters is that they have to do absolutely stupid things to get into the situations they get into, and it is hard to sympathize with the protagonist when they've just behaved with no wisdom or reason. It is hard to buy the story when the character's actions are plot-driven and not character-driven. As others have said, Chris seems to be reasonable and responsible in most other ways.

It is also hard to sympathize with Chris when he is pressuring a hesitant Emily to have sex with him. I am just not feeling the love of this "love story," as the book is sub-titled, when the boy pressures the girl to sleep with him, the girl sees the boy as more of a brother or cousin than a lover, and the boy does nothing to help the girl when she's suicidal except eventually contribute to her actually succeeding in the suicide. I do not see that as romantic or something that involves actual love. Ultimately, maybe Emily felt she was better off dead, but the disaster she left behind showed that she selfishly had little care for what her suicide would do to anyone else, least of all Chris.

That being said, Picoult is such a good writer, and she definitely deserves kudos for the topics she tackles. I think she did a good job of showing different sides to teen suicide. Chris was just a protagonist I found hard to sympathize with.

Disturbing, Compelling, Couldn't Put it Down..........2007-09-13

This is the fourth book I have read by Jodi Picoult. So far, they have all been heart wrenching, insightful, thought provoking and compelling reads. Ms. Picoult has a way of getting inside the mind of her characters, especially the teenagers. I think one reason some people have problems with her plots or the actions of her characters (as some have said in this book) is that you really have to forget all of your adult feelings and go back to being a teenager. You have to go back to that time when acceptance was everything and you lived in the moment and each of those moments was so profound in your mind. As Emily states in this book, she sees herself now and she sees herself in ten years, but can't see how she can get from point A to point B.

This book takes on the issue of teen suicide. Parts of it are excruciating to read. Emily's thought processes seem illogical at times when filtered through the mind of an adult. At times I wanted to scream at her and tell her that wasn't the way to do it. This book makes us also wonder just how well we really do know our kids and reminds us that no matter how close we are to them, they do in fact have a life that is separate from us.

All in all, though parts are difficult to read, I highly recommend it, especially for parents of teenagers, and for teens themselves.

Average customer rating:

The Pact
INSPIRATIONAL PACT (token787)
A Review by Lacy Peters
Inspiring account
The Pact

The Pact
Sampson Davis , George Jenkins , Rameck Hunt , and Lisa Frazier Page
Manufacturer: Riverhead Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 157322989X
Release Date: 2003-05-06

Amazon.com

As teenagers from a rough part of Newark, New Jersey, Sampson Davis, Rameck Hunt, and George Jenkins had nothing special going for them except loving mothers (one of whom was a drug user) and above-average intelligence. Their first stroke of luck was testing into University High, one of Newark's three magnet high schools, and their second was finding each other. They were busy staying out of trouble (most of the time), and discovering the usual ways to skip class and do as little schoolwork as possible, when a recruitment presentation on Seton Hall University reignited George's childhood dream of becoming a dentist. The college was offering a tempting assistance package for minorities in its Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental Plus Program. George convinced his two friends to go to college with him. They would help each other through. None of them would be allowed to drop out and be reabsorbed by the Newark streets.

Although this inspiring and easy-to-read book would be enjoyed by any teenager or educator, it seems perfect for minority youth, especially young men of junior high and high school age, who may lack more immediate role models. If the ordinary boys who made this pact could survive college and medical school by sticking together, then so can others. --Regina Marler

Book Description

They grew up on the streets of Newark, facing city life's temptations, pitfalls, even jail. But one day these three young men made a pact. They promised each other they would all become doctors, and stick it out together through the long, difficult journey to attain that dream. Sampson Davis, George Jenkins, and Rameck Hunt are not only friends to this day-they are all doctors.

This is a story about the power of friendship. Of joining forces and beating the odds. A story about changing your life, and the lives of those you love most...together.

Customer Reviews:

The Pact.......2007-09-15

This is a great book to read. Being originally raised in Jersey City and Newark at the same time the writers were; it just proves that if young people put their mind to it, they can accomplish great things!

INSPIRATIONAL PACT (token787).......2007-08-08

I give these young men 10 stars if I could. This story is for the young as well as the old. Everyone has a story and this story needed to be told, it doesn't matter what happened or where u have been, it's what your doing now and where u r going. It's an inspirational story and I am proud of them. For the reviewers that's being negative (get a life) maybe in today's world this story will inspire more children to go to college instead of being on the streets. I'm glad this story was written and told and they r an inspiration to all.

A Review by Lacy Peters.......2007-04-27

The Pact is about three young men who lived in the projects around drugs and peer pressure from old friends who did not want anything out of life. So George and Sam and Rameck made a pact to go to college. The young men had positive people in their lives, like a teacher, a friend's father, and a dentist. I would recommend this book to other people because the book tells how three young men made a pact with one another not to let peer presure rule their lives. They went to college and gave back to the neighborhood. They are all doctors and a dentist. They had some disappointments in their lives, but they made it. This is a true story.

Inspiring account.......2007-01-10

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It reads very well and the perspective that each of the three men gives is very interesting. I highly recommend it for any young person who wants to do something with their life.

The Pact.......2007-01-04

The audio version of this compelling inspirational memoir is excellent. The authors speak in their own voices and my high school students are enjoying every minute of it. We are all waiting for the movie!!!

Tome of Magic: Pact, Shadow, and TrueName Magic (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying Supplement)

Average customer rating:

Limited Use but does it well
New Ideas, New Problems
Inspiring
Three New Dynamic Magic Systems
Pretty good game supplement, if I do say so myself.

Tome of Magic: Pact, Shadow, and TrueName Magic (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying Supplement)
Matthew Sernett , Dave Noonan , Ari Marmell , and Robert J. Schwalb
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0786939095
Release Date: 2006-03-14

Book Description

Unlock the Magical Power of
Vestiges, Shadows, and Syllables

Tome of Magic presents three new kinds of magic that you can integrate easily into any Dungeons & Dragons® campaign. These magic “subsystems” function alongside the existing D&D® magic system and offer new game mechanics, character options, and adventure possibilities. Within this tome you’ll find three new standard classes–one for each new kind of magic–as well as new spells, feats, prestige classes, monsters, and magic items tied thematically to each.

Pact Magic

Powerful entities known as vestiges exist beyond the boundaries of life, death, and undeath. The binder uses pact magic–a combination of symbols and secret rituals–to summon these entities, strike bargains with them, and gain their formidable and sometimes bizarre supernatural powers.

Shadow Magic

The Plane of Shadow is a dark, twisted reflection of the real world. The shadowcaster, by understanding the fundamental properties of the plane and unlocking its magical mysteries, learns to harness and channel its umbral gloom, shaping the darkness to serve her whim.

Truename Magic

Every creature has a truename–the word of its creation. The truenamer knows the primal language of the universe–the language of Truespeech–and learns the truenames of creatures and objects to gain control over them, transform them, or destroy them.

For use with these Dungeons & Dragons® core books
Player’s Handbook™ Dungeon Master’s Guide™ Monster Manual™

Customer Reviews:

Limited Use but does it well.......2007-01-12

I really like wizards and magic users so I really wanted to love this book. If you want something off the beaten track of magic, this provides some ideas. As an aid to most games, though, it doesn't provide much. It's a niche product for those looking for variants in magic.

New Ideas, New Problems.......2006-11-07

This is one D&D supplement that isn't riddled with dead pages. The book is interesting cover to cover, which at the very least makes it a good value in terms of the ammount of the product you are likely to use.

All three of the book's concepts are interesting and somewhat unique.

However, all three have mechanical issues that are left completely up to you, the user, to resolve.

If you are the type of person who wants a product to "works" out of the book, this is a bad product. Shadow Magic has its perks, but due to its design has massive spikes an lulls in power throughout your leveling. It is depressing how bad Shadowcasters are at levels 6 and 12, yet amazing at levels 7 and 13. This uneven growth can be very unsatisfying, leaving one to wonder "Why aren't I a wizard?" The binder has a very similiar problem, though somewhat less extreme.

Truenaming carries similiar baggage as the number of skill raising abilities erraticly varies from campaign to campaign, the class's power fluxates wildly from campaign to campaign.

Personally, I like the stuff in here, but its not very "plug in and play."

Inspiring.......2006-09-28

The first time someone brought this book to the table, I'll admit that I wasn't immediately impressed by it. However, I thought I saw some potential, so I borrowed it from a friend at work to read over the weekend. I read the whole thing, cover to cover, twice, before Monday.

This book has finally reminded me what it was I loved about D&D when I started playing second edition over a decade ago. Unlike most every other third edition book (and even more so with 3.5), Tome of Magic isn't just a gotta-catch-em-all collection of new feats, spells, magic items, and prestige classes. It is stuffed with truly new, fresh ideas. I had thought that the rules in the Expanded Psionics Handbook were a novel approach to spellcasting in D&D, but the alternate magic systems in Tome of Magic are worlds beyond psionics in scope and style. This book could easily serve as the basis of at least one, if not three or four, whole new campaign settings. Truly different, truly spectacular.

And a special aside for Truename Magic. This system is the way spellcasting in a fantasy setting should be. Lets face it. Spells per day? Choosing spells in the morning when you wake up? Transparently artificial, rediculous, and illogical concepts. Truename magic fixes this and fixes it right, while still being a viable and fun system to use.

Three New Dynamic Magic Systems.......2006-08-11

Tome of Magic offers you three new styles of magic to incorperate into your game.

The first, Pact Magic, bears a slight resembelence to the "summons" system from Final Fantasy VIII. They don't attack, as such, but instead provide you with interesting abilities. The only major draw back to Pact Magic is the fact that the book seems to set up the Pact users as almost inherently evil. The beings you have to make deals with are not nice in the least, and the complicated system of "I've used this one, so I can't use this one," will be tedious to a beginning player.

The second, Shadow Magic, could easily take the place of the Shadow Weave in a Forgotten Realms setting or be incorperated into basic games as an alternate style to normal magic. Of the three new styles, this one is the most traditional, combining a blend of "domain-like" styles and specalized magics. In addition, their powers eventually become spell-like abilitites. The only real downside of the system is the sheer lack of volume of spells. Even bards get more. What they lack in versatility, though, they more than make up for in power.

Finally, True Name magic feels incredibly similar to the Earth Sea book series, in that you discover more powers and abilitites with more names. The fact that this one is actually based off of a skill, the True Speak ability, makes it even more interesting. The Difficulty Classes on the skill's use are also very well done, ranging from 10 at lower levels, up into the 50's at higher levels. Best of all, the progression into Epic Abilities, though not really spoken of much, could be easily done by simply raising the DCs of things.

A fairly good book, but not for everyone. Each of the new magics is interesting and dynamic, but this book is not for everyone. If you like playing wizards and sorcerers (or maybe even clerics), then this book is for you; however, if hacking and slashing or sneaking and stabbing is your style, let your D.M. pick this one up.

Pretty good game supplement, if I do say so myself........2006-07-16

Not to insult other popular pencil-and-paper role-playing games of our time, but there's a reason why Dungeons and Dragons is the world's most renowned RPG of them all: Because the men and women who are responsible for its design are practically without peer in terms of sheer creative genius. Sure, I love the traditional themes of arcane and divine magic that almost all fantasy RPGs provide, and psionic powers are nothing to sneeze at, either. However, by delving deep into the esoteric aspects of world history and ideology and coming up with the three new types of magic for gamers and Dungeon Masters alike to add to their most cherished gaming campaigns, Wizards of the Coast has made sure that D&D Version 3.5 is everything they'd planned it'd be: dark, mysterious, inventive, and downright appealing.

Divided into three chapters, the Tome of Magic supplement explains how DMs can incorporate the likes of Pact, Shadow, and Truename Magic into the mythical gaming worlds where their players' characters dwell in search of adventure. Players, too, can get an idea of what these more-or-less new forms of ancient power have in store for them and their allies as they sally forth into the depths of their alter egos' home realm. For instance, the chapter on Pact Magic introduces the Binder PC class and explains how participants in this occult and hence widely despised profession share their souls with a wide variety of Vestiges--beings whose existences in the world ended so tragically that their names have forever been carved into the stone tablet of history as their spirits transcended all reality into utter nothingness. Successful bondage to a Vestige grants a Binder that Vestige's powers and a physical trait that symbolizes the Binder's pact with his/her new patron. A failed pact grants the Binder the Vestige's powers as well as a successful one does, but the latter persona manifests himself/herself so heavily upon the former being that the Binder's behavior is warped by the spirit's own mentality, making the mortal perform eccentrically and--more times than not--downright irrationally.

Similarly, Shadow Casters, who participate in Shadow Magic, draw their powers form the Plane of Shadow--a literally dark and spooky reflection of the campaign's real world. It is by unlocking the mysteries of this twisted alternate reality and harnessing its nearly limitless gloom that these mages learn not only how to utilize this most umbral of all elements as the base of their spells, but also how to merge their own mortal existences with the Plane of Shadow to perform feats that no other being of their realm can, such as surviving for days without food or sleep and resisting the effects of poison and disease.

Finally, the Truenamer PC class is a student of the true universal language of all creation (called Truespeech) and as such learns the fundamentals of the third form of ages-lost mysticism, Truename Magic. By studying the fundamentals of this ancient tongue, a Truenamer can harness control over various objects and subjects, forcing them unto his/her will at the mere mentioning of their "true names"--namely, the names of their creation. To tell you the truth, the Truenamer PC class is a pretty fun one to play in a standard D&D gaming session--even more fun, in my opinion, than the standard Wizard or Sorcerer.

Oh, and before I forget to mention it, Tome of Magic has quite a few adventures in store for Dungeon Masters to put to use in their next gaming sessions--not to mention fifteen total Prestige Classes for PCs and DMs alike to try our (five for each of the three basic Character Classes presented in this book). The monsters are pretty impressive, too, and not just because they're illustrated so well by the most talented artists in the gaming industry, either. Then again, players who are satisfied with playing one of the more established Character Classes from previous releases of the D&D 3rd Edition and Version 3.5 gaming manuals and supplements will still want to check out the new spells and feats presented in ToM, if for nothing else other than to add even more variety to their PCs.

All in all, Tome of Magic is no disappointment in its quest to bring something new to the gaming table. I was definitely impressed, and I believe other Dungeons and Dragons fans will feel the same way I do. If you can find it in your local hobby shop or bookstore, then by all means, snag it! It's a definite keeper.

Not a Suicide Pact: The Constitution in a Time of National Emergency (Inalienable Rights)

Average customer rating:

A book of Habeaus Corpus
The Title Tells You Posner's Analysis is Rubbish
National Safety Must Trump Civil Rights
Interesting introduction to the subject
Judge Posner on the War on Terrorism and the Law

Not a Suicide Pact: The Constitution in a Time of National Emergency (Inalienable Rights)
Richard A. Posner
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0195304276

Book Description

Eavesdropping on the phone calls of U.S. citizens; demands by the FBI for records of library borrowings; establishment of military tribunals to try suspected terrorists, including U.S. citizens--many of the measures taken by the Bush administration since 9/11 have sparked heated protests. In Not a Suicide Pact, Judge Richard A. Posner offers a cogent and elegant response to these protests, arguing that personal liberty must be balanced with public safety in the face of grave national danger. Critical of civil libertarians who balk at any curtailment of their rights, even in the face of an unprecedented terrorist threat in an era of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, Posner takes a fresh look at the most important constitutional issues that have arisen since 9/11. These issues include the constitutional rights of terrorist suspects (whether American citizens or not) to habeas corpus and due process, and their rights against brutal interrogation (including torture) and searches based on less than probable cause. Posner argues that terrorist activity is sui generis--it is neither "war" nor "crime"--and it demands a tailored response, one that gives terror suspects fewer constitutional rights than persons suspected of ordinary criminal activity. Constitutional law must remain fluid, protean, and responsive to the pressure of contemporary events. Posner stresses the limits of law in regulating national security measures and underscores the paradoxical need to recognize a category of government conduct that is at once illegal and morally obligatory. One of America's top legal thinkers, Posner does not pull punches. He offers readers a short, sharp book with a strong point of view that is certain to generate much debate. OXFORD'S NEW INALIENABLE RIGHTS SERIES This is inaugural volume in Oxford's new fourteen-book Inalienable Rights Series. Each book will be a short, analytically sharp exploration of a particular right--to bear arms, to religious freedom, to free speech--clarifying the issues swirling around these rights and challenging us to rethink our most cherished freedoms.

Customer Reviews:

A book of Habeaus Corpus.......2007-09-04

This is an intellectual approach towards whether or not we allow civilian rights to be infringed upon in times of crisis and what that allows, leading towards an almost totalitarian state by goverment. Agree or disagree, the arguments are presented well here.

The Title Tells You Posner's Analysis is Rubbish.......2007-08-12

The bottom line is Posner's analysis lacks any historical basis or credibility. The "founding fathers" lived during an era much more perilous than "post 9/11" life in the United States (despite all of the fear-mongering by Bush, the echo-chamber mainstream media, and Posner, etc.). Civil liberties have been dangerously and erroneously abridged many times in American history, yet we always seem to not learn the crucial lesson. History has shown that every one of these episodes: Sedition Act (1798) by John Adams, suspension of habeas corpus by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War, another Sedition Act by Woodrow Wilson during WW I, and Japanese-American internment by Franklin Roosevelt during WW II was wrong, unnecessary, and repudiated by courts and historians after the fact. Massive violations of civil liberties did not enhance U.S. national security.

To paraphrase Benjamin Franklin, those who would surrender a little liberty for a little security deserve neither liberty nor security.

We do not need new laws like the Patriot Acts or any tampering with the Constitution (especially habeas corpus). We should not EVER torture ANYONE. Here's what every American citizen should demand of every elected official or candidate seeking office:

* Prohibit military commissions whose verdicts are suspect except in places of active hostilities where a battlefield tribunal is necessary to obtain fresh testimony or to prevent anarchy;
* Prohibit the use of secret evidence or evidence obtained by torture or coercion in military or civilian tribunals;
* Prohibit the detention of American citizens as unlawful enemy combatants without proof of criminal activity on the President's say-so;
* Restore habeas corpus for alleged alien enemy combatants, i.e., non-citizens who have allegedly participated in active hostilities against the United States, to protect the innocent;
* Prohibit the National Security Agency from intercepting phone conversations or emails or breaking and entering homes on the President's say-so in violation of federal law;
* Empower the House of Representatives and the Senate collectively to challenge in the Supreme Court the constitutionality of signing statements that declare the intent of the President to disregard duly enacted provisions of bills he has signed into law because he maintains they are unconstitutional;
* Prohibit the executive from invoking the state secrets privilege to deny justice to victims of constitutional violations perpetrated by government officers or agents; and, establish legislative-executive committees in the House and Senate to adjudicate the withholding of information from Congress based on executive privilege that obstructs oversight and government in the sunshine;
* Prohibit the President from kidnapping, detaining, and torturing persons abroad in collaboration with foreign governments;
* Amend the Espionage Act to permit journalists to report on classified national security matters without fear of prosecution; and;
* Prohibit the listing of individuals or organizations with a presence in the United States as global terrorists or global terrorist organizations based on secret evidence.

(from the American Freedom Agenda)

National Safety Must Trump Civil Rights.......2007-02-11

The clash between individual civil rights and collective national security has never been far removed from American law and history. In NOT A SUICIDE PACT, judge Richard A. Posner considers a number of hot button issues that rang even in President Lincoln's day when he suspended habeas corpus to deal with what he saw as a threat to the very existence of the Union. Today, when the ACLU demands that terrorist prisoners in foreign jails like Guantanamo be accorded the same rights as any other criminal defendant, Posner places in historical perspective why Lincoln did what he did and why President Bush does what he does.

Posner's very title of his book suggests that civil rights are not absolutes, an idea that he admits is anathema to civil libertarians who have been trained to see the constitution as just such an absolute even if they somehow feel uneasy at admitting that it is indeed a suicide pact. At this, Posner says no, it is not. In fact, when the Founders wrote the constitution, they knew that they could not have foreseen how the twists and turns of future events might tint the lens of future courts who seek to interpret contemporary events under the wording of long established precedent. Posner suggests that one very important reason that the United States has survived and thrived is that the Founders deliberately wrote the constitution in such a manner as to provide guidance rather than straight-jacket binding. Those issues that bedevil us today, ranging from illegal arrest and detention to torture to free speech and to the limits of privacy, were all issues well-known to them. The brilliance of the Founders is that Posner argues that they knew that these issues would continue to vex future generations in manners that future technology would only exacerbate the difficulty in drawing a line in the constitutional sand between individual rights as citizens and collective rights as a people. Posner relentlessly urges the reader to view this ever shifting line under the lens of security of the one versus security of the many. When he writes that the President of the United States is the primary arbiter of such disputes, then he acknowledges that forceful presidents like Lincoln and Bush could be balked by a hostile press and a recalcitrant House/Senate duo. Lincoln proved to be up to the task of going about his business of saving the Union. Bush may very well prove himself to be similarly up to much the same task. In NOT A SUICIDE PACT, judge Posner cogently sets forth the case that in the words of Star Trek's Mr. Spock, the needs of the many must outweigh the needs of the one.

Interesting introduction to the subject.......2007-01-04

I am an interested lay-person, but not a lawyer or constitutional scholar. Posner does a good job of walking the reader through his arguments for (and against) particular interpretations of the constitution with respect to the treatment of (suspected) terrorists. I had no trouble following his reasoning, although I was not convinced in all cases. In particular, I was troubled by the suggestion that government officials should practice 'civil disobedience' where circumstances warrant. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the constitutional aspects of the GWOT.

Judge Posner on the War on Terrorism and the Law.......2006-11-23

Judge Richard Posner (who has served on the 7th Circuit since 1981, as well as having a long career at the University of Chicago Law School) remains one of our most incisive and prolific legal commentators. Posner originally wrote in the areas of legal theory, Justice Holmes, legal education, and law and literature, while on the side helping give birth to the influential law and economics movement centered at Chicago. His more recent work has focused on national security issues, including the U.S. intelligence system, preventing surprise attacks and the concept of catastrophe.

His newest book is subtitled "The Constitution in a Time of National Emergency." While as I shall discuss I find his approach not particularly persuasive, and involving clever distinctions and word manipulation, this book is probably the best way to get into the whole issue of the current "war on terror" and how the legal system should adjust (if it should adjust at all). Posner's main thesis is that what he terms "marginal adjustments" in rights are clearly mandated by the severity of the "enemy" threat. True to his law and economics background, the Judge wants to apply a rather straightforward cost/benefit form of analysis, which results in a balancing of rights against national "safety and liberty." I seem to recall that this approach was fairly well discredited when the Supreme Court applied it in the 1950's and 60's to issues of free speech, but no matter. Posner feels that what he terms "generalist judges" don't have the necessary background to deal with these issues, while "national security judges" (including presumable himself) do have the special insights that are necessary. In fact the Judge suggests that the courts ought to stay out of the issue pretty much, and let Congress and the President handle it. After all, most rights are mere creations of the courts and therefore we should not flinch if they are curtailed.

In short, as with any form of balancing, when on the one side of the scale reside national security and the survival of the American nation, it is quite difficult to offset that weight on the scale with mere legal rights arguments. Posner takes numerous shots at shortsighted "civil libertarians" whom he rightly identifies as opponents of his approach. Surprisingly, for a federal judge, Posner thinks the role of precedent (such as the post Civil War Milligan decision) should not play a substantial role here. In any regard, the Judge assures us that any denting in our rights will be only a "minor" adjustment that will be rolled back when the present emergency has passed. One wonders, however, if the executive branch will ever announce that the emergency is over. Individual chapters address such topics as detention (ok for "unlawful combatants"), brutal interrogation, and free speech and profiling. Posner pretty much writes the right to privacy out of the constitution, arguing that as long as computers do the initial review of phone taps and letters, any privacy concerns should be minimal.

I believe the best way to approach this book is to read the introduction and the conclusion before turning to the remaining contents. Such an approach indicates "what is afoot" in Posner's analysis. While admittedly I am somewhat underwhelmed with the Judge's approach, this remains an extremely valuable book on this topic. Posner makes many of the administration's arguments but with a skill and perspective hardly likely to be matched by the administration's own defenders, including John Yoo. These are difficult issues and Posner is an extremely capable person to put forward this particular viewpoint. Even if you cringe at points, give the Judge a fair hearing because he really puts a number of these issues into a meaningful perspective.

A Pact with the Devil: Washington's Bid for World Supremacy and the Betrayal of the American Promise

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Nice Cover
nonpartisan perspective on US empire-building

A Pact with the Devil: Washington's Bid for World Supremacy and the Betrayal of the American Promise
Tony Smith
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 041595245X

Book Description

Despite the overwhelming opposition on the left to the war in Iraq, many prominent liberals supported the war on humanitarian grounds. They argued that the war would rid the world of a brutal dictator and liberate the Iraqi people from totalitarian oppression, paving the way for a democratic transformation of the country.

In A Pact with the Devil Tony Smith deftly traces this undeniable drift in mainstream liberal thinking toward a more militant posture in world affairs with respect to human rights and democracy promotion. Beginning with the Wilsonian quest to `make the world safe for democracy' right up to the present day liberal support for regime change, Smith isolates leading strands of liberal internationalist thinking in order to see how the `liberal hawks' constructed them into a case for American and liberal imperialism in the Middle East. The result is a reflection on an important aspect of the intellectual history of American foreign policy; establishing how a sophisticated group of thinkers came to fashion their recommendations to Washington and working to see what role liberalism may still play in deliberations in the country on its role in world events now that the failure of these ambitions in Iraq seems clear.

Customer Reviews:

Nice Cover.......2007-08-05

For me this book was practically unreadable. Very technical and quite hard to get interested in. I gave it 2 stars only because the cover was catchy. I was asleep at chapter 2. It's one thing to have a lot of information in a book, which is good, but it takes talent to keep it interesting. It just doesn't have to be this hard to read. There's no reason for it.

nonpartisan perspective on US empire-building.......2007-07-15

I read this book after seeing Prof. Smith's op-ed in the Washington Post in Spring 2007 in which he showed how both "neoliberal" Democrats of the Democratic Leadership Council ilk (such as the Clintons) and "neoconservative" Republicans of the Project for a New American Century ilk (such as the Bush team) are more-or-less coming from the same roots and share a common vision of the US role in the world.

The book fleshes out the points made necessarily briefly in an op-ed. Smith shows clearly yet with much passion how "the Bush Doctrine" is a radical extension of its Wilsonian roots and also how the "new Democrats" support it, but for slightly different reasons. Whereas the "neocons" fear American enemies and want to preemptively defeat them, the "neolibs" seek to "gift" the world with democratic capitalism. On the ground, it looks too sadly similar.

In places, I was eager for Prof. Smith to move along with his case and in others, it seemed redundant. But overall, he has shown clearly how little choice there is among the mainstream voices in our political world, both among candidates and in the media. In an election year, anyone interested in seeing true change in this country would benefit from reading and reflecting on Prof. Smith's arguments.

We Beat the Street: How a Friendship Pact Led to Success

Average customer rating:

Following in People's Footsteps
Read Aloud to students
Extremly Good
Beat the Street
ew.

We Beat the Street: How a Friendship Pact Led to Success
Sampson Davis , George Jenkins , Rameck Hunt , and Sharon Draper
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0142406279

Book Description

Growing up on the rough streets of Newark, New Jersey, Rameck, George, and Sampson could easily have followed their childhood friends into drug dealing, gangs, and prison. But when a presentation at their school made the three boys aware of the opportunities available to them in the medical and dental professions, they made a pact among themselves that they would become doctors. It took a lot of determination—and a lot of support from one another—but despite all the hardships along the way, the three succeeded. Retold with the help of an award-winning author, this younger adaptation of the adult hit novel The Pact is a hard-hitting, powerful, and inspirational book that will speak to young readers everywhere.

Customer Reviews:

Following in People's Footsteps.......2007-06-15

We Beat the Streets by three doctors, Sampson, George, and Rameck, is a nonfiction book. This story is about three friends that go to a medical school and they wanted to be different doctors. I learned that people should hang out with the people who want to bring you higher to a higher grade. I like this book becouse it has a lot of adventure and mystery.Other will like it because it has magnificent stories that will make you want to read more. -by Kevon Pierrot

Read Aloud to students.......2007-03-10

This book is an excellent read aloud book for teachers of young African American males. It encourages and helps them realize that no matter how badly one's life begins, it doesn't have to stay that way. It's a great discussion starter to help young people voice their concerns in a format that normally would not be available to them.

Extremly Good.......2006-12-06

Chris Cummings

We Beat the Streets

This book "We Beat the Streets" can show people, it doesn't matter were you come from. You can always become something even if you live in the ghetto.

This Book is about three doctors, George Jenkins, Sampson Davis and Rameck Hunt, and all three of them come from a New Jersey city, Newark. All three of them fulfill there dream and go to college. In the book there are incidents from the lives of all three doctors about them living in the bad areas of Newark when they were kids. They did some bad things at first in there lives but then they realized later on in there life that the street life won't pay off in the end. As the reader reads this book they will follow Sampson, Rameck and George as there journey from first grade through medical school. See them achieve there goals. In this book "We Beat the Streets" it shows tragedy of street life and how still living in bad communities you can always achieve your goals.

The content of "We Beat the Street" was edited really good for such young readers, making it a want to read book for this age level. The style of this book was simple but also attractive which will catch reader's eyes. Also the message was to the reader is excellent. It puts a warning to readers and also it's a inspiration, and encourages higher education, especially for those who doubt their ability to achieve there education goals. "We Beat The Streets" was one of the best books I have ever read on a subject like this. I extremely recommend this book to readers.

Beat the Street.......2006-10-16

In this work three African American doctors tell the story of how they used their brains, loyalty, and few good chances to escape their tough urban neighborhood, go to college and medical school, and become doctors. The book is targeted for an adolescent audience, although there is an adult version, called "The Pact" available. At the end of each chapter, the doctors give some advice to young people who want to achieve more than those around them expect.

Quote: "Young people need positive role models and guidance in their lives. There is no underestimating a positive figure in a child's life."

I picked this book up because it is the only one recommended by more than one of my ninth graders. I enjoyed the anecdotes about the childhood and teenage years of the young men, but mostly I appreciated their frank discussion of the challenges their lives presented, the choices they needed to make, and the belief of many in their neighborhood that they would never get out. I think young people would enjoy the work even more than I did, since the authors were careful to target students.

ew........2006-08-20

I, for one, am not a fan of inspirational stories. I honestly thought that this is one of the most stupid books I ever read. I had to read this for summer reading and I really did not enjoy it. At all. Yay, so three boys from the ghetto became doctors. Incredible. Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn. Don't waste your time. It's stupid.

The Transfer Agreement: The Dramatic Story of the Pact Between the Third Reich and Jewish Palestine

Average customer rating:

Astonishing and powerful read about the realities of Zionism during the Third Reich
.....tragic history revisited....
Simply one of the most incredible history books I've read!
Devasting; THE most jaw-dropping book I've ever read
Devasting; THE most jaw-dropping book I've ever read

The Transfer Agreement: The Dramatic Story of the Pact Between the Third Reich and Jewish Palestine
Edwin Black
Manufacturer: Carroll & Graf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0786708417

Book Description

First published to international acclaim in 1984, The Transfer Agreement stunned readers worldwide with its revelations of a pact between Zionist leaders and Hitler's Third Reich. Concluded in 1933, this controversial pact transferred 55,000 Jews and $100 million to Palestine on the condition that Zionist organizations call a halt to their economic boycott of Nazi Germany -- a potent tactic that was threatening to topple Hitler's government, then only in its first year in power. The debate over this controversial deal virtually tore apart the Jewish world in the pre-World War II era, and it remains unresolved today. Whereas the transfer agreement indeed ultimately saved lives, rescued assets, and helped lay the foundation for what would become the Jewish state in 1948, it also -- arguably -- allowed the Nazi regime to survive its first year and, over the next twelve, to plumb the depths of ethnic intolerance and implement massive genocide. With the world today confronting such morally complex issues as the compensation for slave labor during the Holocaust and the refusal of Swiss banks to return Jewish assets to their rightful heirs, the transfer agreement and the boycott that preceded it stand out even more startlingly as early examples of Jewish initiatives against Nazi terror. However ambiguous the choices made by the Jewish leaders in the turbulent prewar 1930s, they stand in a new and different light today. The Transfer Agreement is a remarkable and revelatory book that has now found its time.

Customer Reviews:

Astonishing and powerful read about the realities of Zionism during the Third Reich.......2007-10-09

This was an area of World History that I had no clue about prior to reading this book. This is indeed a tragic story of the plight of Jews in Europe during Hitler's regime. This book was so suspenseful I simply could not put it down. Black does an excellent job of engaging the reader and does not reveal the details of unfolding events until the last moment. Simply WOW!

As person who is not Jewish I think it is important for everybody to learn the lessons of the Third Reich and the Holocaust. However, equally important is that there were greedy and ideology zealots that contributed to the growth of the Third Reich via the Transfer Agreement, i.e., Sam Cohen and even Hoffien and Landauer. The Transfer Agreement was just that a business arrangement to transfer German Jews to Palestine in return German exports would be bought through Zionist entities to ensure the economic growth and wealth of Palestine. Moreover, what was incredibly stunning was the ability of the 18th Zionist Congress to go against the international boycott movement by suppressing the Revisionists- strong arming them into abandoning their ideology.

This makes me wonder what would have happened if the boycott prevailed and the Third Reich "cracked"? Would there still be a Germany today? Would we even have had the Holocaust? I know it may sound harsh and I am sure I will be labeled an anti-Semite because of this, but the reality is according to Black, the Zionists contributed significantly to the rise of the economic and military might of the Third Reich.

This book is simply a phenomenon in and of itself. It completely forces one to reshape how they view events during that time period. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to learn about a different dimension of relationships between the Third Reich, German Jews, and Zionists. This will definitely throw you off and have you thinking for days. Definitely one of my top 10 books of all time.

.....tragic history revisited...........2006-10-25

Researchers have recently unearthed `directives' sent from Heinrich Himmler to Dachau, and Mauthausen concentration camps to the effect that all inmates were to be bathed in showers providing insecticides, their heads cleared of hair, their heavy garments that bore Wool Collars were to be burned outright. The reason for such directives was to prevent lice, and leprosy from spreading among all other inmate prisoners.

Gypsies, Polish, Slavs, Soviets (Christians and Jews) who had been incarcerated during the war and routed into the five main Concentration Camps, {which had been established throughout the years 1933 to 1939}, were in their majority suffering lice parasite, notably on youngsters. Himmler ruled "they should be showered in insecticides twice per week in order to remove the nits attached to their hair - difficult to remove without specialized products."

Many inmates were homosexuals' prisoners of war, suffering from venereal diseases - transmissible. This parasite was widely spreading at the time Germany was lacking enough doctors to take care of the prevention process or even to guard against casual means of transmission.

Most doctors were preoccupied with war related engagements; on their priority list was first and foremost to take care of injuries from battles, research, and the last was to worry about concentration camps per se, unless in absolute emergencies like `fear that certain virus might not be contained and would be causing widespread damage'.

In very few pages of this book did the author speak of Concentration Camps - dispersed on ten pages? Even there he did it casually in the context that ""workers were rushed to construct a mysterious political concentration camp at a pastoral village called Dachau...."" """Every train entering Denmark was crowded with German Jewish refugees..""" indicative that the `Transfer' from Germany to Palestine (in transit through neutral Europe - France had fallen by then) gives credence to this book.

Perhaps written books on the `Pogrom' will soon be revisited and be traced back with more up to date material on these most fateful human tragedies of WWII.

Simply one of the most incredible history books I've read!.......2004-07-19

I cannot praise the author, his research, his explanations and his writing enough for this singular tome. Like other reviewers have said, the reader goes into this book, whether Jewish or not, with their mouth open at the incredibility of this occurence. It's easy enough in hindsight to make judgement calls about what the the leaders of the Jewish community world-wide should have done about Hitler's rise to power. However, given the economic situation of the time and the Reich's strategems to place all blame for Germany's economic hardships on the Jews throughout Europe, it's hard to determine that even had the massive boycotts been organized and on schedule, would they have work? And even more important, if Hitler was ousted due to the economic stranglehold on Germany,who or what would have taken his place? And would that have been any less devastating for the Jews in Europe.

There are few obvious heros and anti-heros in this book, except for the Nazis as being the ultimate in villains. One man paid dearly for his attempts to save European Jewry...with his life. It was not conclusive as to whome the assassins were and who put out the price on his head. It's all too easy to blame the reactionary groups, but there are obvious questions about whether his death was one of convenience so that blame could be placed by the leading group of Mapai at the door of the reactionary Jewish groups.

Sam Cohen was a businessman through and through. His reasoning to press The Transfer agreement was purely motivated by money, and not the need to either save European Jewry or to establish Israel as a separate state. It is this 'selling' of the agreement by so many that is so mind-boggling. So many were willing to take the wealth of German Jewry (and later the funds that were supposed to be used to save the lives of Jews who had no homes or businesses to return to) and use it to set up a home in Palestine...it's beyond my ability to pass judgement on these men as to their motivation, yet I am not certain I could possibly decide to shake the hands of these men. The fact that there was a need to set up a Jewish state, and that there was all this money to fund its establishment is beside the fact. At no other time, was any other method even considered to rescue the millions of Jews trapped, even the children...this is so reprehensible as to curdle anyone's blood.

And though this happened, our countries, including the U.S. and Britain were equally at fault for closing immigration quotas, even though they knew what was going on in Germany. It was easier to merely close their eyes and ignore The Holocaust, until it became obvious that no one was safe from Hilter and his cronies.

This story is just so incredible that I wish there was some way to make it into a movie that does the story justice. I don't suppose that is a possibility. But it is a tremendous story that needs to be included in European history, as it's impact was great. Edwin Black did a fantastic job. (...)

Devasting; THE most jaw-dropping book I've ever read.......2003-01-01

Readers of this book must be going out of their way to avoid its nightmarish implications; even the author sidesteps them. Indeed, the book is mis-titled. It should properly have been called 'The Great Boycott and its Tragic Abandonment.' The transfer agreement was simply the rationale for the staggering historic blunder whereby Jewish organizations in the diaspora allowed themselves to be persuaded by Zionist forces to puncture the spontaneous and swelling worldwide Jewish boycott of German goods taking place in 1933, a movement with enormous and growing non-Jewish support as well, which, had it been supported rather than undercut by major Jewish organizations, could very well have toppled Hitler from power by the spring of 1934. Not only would this have spared 5-6 million Jewish lives, it would have spared another 45 million or so non-Jewish lives lost in the Nazi holocaust. I once believed like many that the Holocaust led to the fulfillment of Zionism; this book shows rather that it was the fulfillment of Zionism which led to the Holocaust. And it was all for nought. Israel would still have come into being and moreover would have had several million extra potential immigrants to draw from. This book is all about a simply horrific wordwide catastrophe that resulted from an incredibly BAD choice based on ethnic nationalism, and it is made instead to appear as merely a somewhat sordid chapter re. a road to nationhood that featured a few nasty bumps along the way. Mind-boggling!

Devasting; THE most jaw-dropping book I've ever read.......2003-01-01

Average customer rating:

cool premise, "blah" book
Great Idea...Flawed Execution
Ultimately this Book is Very Predictable
Great premise ... a bit far fetched ...
Shades of 2001 Space Odyssey

Death Match: A Novel (Child, Lincoln)
Lincoln Child
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0385506708
Release Date: 2004-05-04

Book Description

Lewis and Lindsay Thorpe were the perfect couple: young, attractive, and ideally matched. But the veil of perfection can mask many blemishes. When the Thorpes are found dead in their tasteful Flagstaff living room (having committed double suicide), alarms go off in the towering Manhattan offices of Eden Incorporated, the high-tech matchmaking company whose spectacular success, and legendary secrecy, has inspired awe around the world. The Thorpes, few people knew, were more than the quintessential happy couple – they were Eden’s first perfect match.

A short time later, Christopher Lash, a gifted former FBI forensic psychologist, receives an urgent plea from Eden to perform a quick – and quiet – investigation into the deaths. Lash’s psychological autopsy reveals nothing suspicious, but inadvertently dredges up the memories of a searing personal tragedy he has kept at bay for years.

The situation changes suddenly when a second Eden couple is found dead -- by all appearances, another double suicide. Now Eden – particularly Richard Silver, the company’s brilliant and reclusive founder – has no choice but to grant Lash unprecedented access to its most guarded secrets if he is to have any chance of determining what is going wrong. The hidden world he discovers is a stunning labyrinth of artificial intelligence, creative genius, and a melding of technology that does indeed, to Lash’s surprise, deliver on Eden’s promise to its clients: the guarantee of a perfect, lifelong mate. But Lash’s involvement in the investigation becomes more personal and dangerous than he could have imagined, nearly as soon as it begins.

With tremendous imagination and skill, master thriller-writer Lincoln Child renders a setting too frighteningly believable not to be real. Infused with relentless suspense and a riveting pace, DEATH MATCH is Child at his best.

Download Description

A short time later, Christopher Lash, a gifted former FBI forensic psychologist, receives an urgent plea from Eden to perform a quick—and quiet—investigation into the deaths. Lash's psychological autopsy reveals nothing suspicious, but inadvertently dredges up the memories of a searing personal tragedy he has kept at bay for years.

The situation changes suddenly when a second Eden couple is found dead—by all appearances, another double suicide. Now Eden—particularly Richard Silver, the company's brilliant and reclusive founder—has no choice but to grant Lash unprecedented access to its most guarded secrets if he is to have any chance of determining what is going wrong.

The hidden world he discovers is a stunning labyrinth of artificial intelligence, creative genius, and a melding of technology that does indeed, to Lash's surprise, deliver on Eden's promise to its clients: the guarantee of a perfect, lifelong mate. But Lash's involvement in the investigation becomes more personal and dangerous than he could have imagined, nearly as soon as it begins.

With tremendous imagination and skill, master thriller-writer Lincoln Child renders a setting too frighteningly believable not to be real. Infused with relentless suspense and a riveting pace, Death Match is Child at his best.

Customer Reviews:

cool premise, "blah" book.......2007-08-25

Now that I've read both Preston and Child as singular authors and coauthors, I now know Preston seems to be the backbone to Preston/Child's collaborative works. With "Death Match", Child developed an intriguing premise but failed to execute the story. Despite the promising premise, the story was actually BORING. It was slow-moving, the characters were "eh", and the end was predictable. It's unfortunate Child didn't have the insight to insert more conspiracy and intrigue, for the "long-awaited" answer to the deaths ended up being disappointingly simple and obvious. Hopefully Child's "Utopia" proves to be a more interesting read.

Great Idea...Flawed Execution.......2007-05-26

Lincoln Child starts with an intriguing premise for what could have easily been a 5 star novel.

The book starts of strong and is very gripping -- until the technology that was supposedly used to match the couples is revealed. It starts out pushing the reader's ability to suspend disbelief and things go down hill from there.

The ending is obvious very early on and the book continues on longer after the "secret" is revealed.

I checked it out the library and I would recommend the same for any Lincoln Child fan. It's worth a read, but not a purchase.

Ultimately this Book is Very Predictable.......2006-12-20

I read a lot of genre fiction, and I can say without hesitation that Lincoln Child has real talent. Unfortunately, DEATH MATCH turns out to be a minor effort from a writer with tremendous potential.

DEATH MATCH is a very well written book. The quality and intelligence of the writing is first rate, much higher than average. I also thought the premise of the book was highly inventive: the idea of a highly sophisticated matchmaking service that can create "perfect" couples. Indeed, the first two hundred pages of this novel are genuinely great, as Child explores in depth the inner workings of how such a matchmaking organization would work. Clearly, Child has done a great deal of research into personality psychology, which I found quite fascinating.

Unfortunately, this novel goes off the rails about mid-way through. Child abandons the matchmaking premise and instead turns his attention to a supercomputer with artificial intelligence. The reader is forced to wade through a lot of technical computer jargon and a completely unrealistic chase scene through an office building. Even worse, there is an ending that is supposed to be a big surprise, but I found completely predictable and cliched. This book ends with a whimper.

I liked DEATH MATCH enough to read more work by this author. However, this book was ultimately kind of a disappointment, since I was hoping for so much better. Still, if Lincoln Child can fine-tune his plotting, he can turn into the next Michael Crichton in my opinion.

Great premise ... a bit far fetched ..........2006-08-11

** Possible spoilers **

Child obviously has done his homework regarding computers and AI. The premise is an interesting one, the storyline is very well developed and proceeds at an exciting pace. The ending is somewhat far fatched though; the computer Liza being the culprit and all. I mean, if it is capable of tracking Lash's activites and realizing that he is a threat, how come it cannot figure out the plan by our hero and his friends in the end that results in its termination?

Also there are a few loose ends that seem to be storylines in themselves - the stalker, Lash's past life, the enigmatic employees of Eden who seem to be hiding secrets etc. Were they added just to distract and keep you guessing? If so, they were not brought to a satisfactory conclusion.

This book is certainly better than Child's other solo effort - Utopia, a monumental bore despite the lofty title. I am still waiting for the next Douglas/Child joint effort, sans Pendergast, of course. I think we have had enough of the Holmes/Mycroft alter egos.

Shades of 2001 Space Odyssey.......2006-07-09

This is a very entertaining novel which held my interest. Some of the high tech jargon was over my head and could have been eliminated. It is a good mystery. I liked the characters. At the end of the story two of the characters seemed to have a chance at love while one was doomed to search for it.

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