Customer Reviews:
It is a novel but a beautiful novel and explicitly spiritual in it's aims and goals........2007-08-16
Now, I didn't see the movie but from what I have heard Scorcese missed the boat as to what this novel was all about. (Just for the record, I think Scorcese is over rated!!)
This was a beautiful book. It is not blasphemous in any way shape or form. If one reads it to the end you will understand what I mean.
Are there are few uncomfortable moments? Yes! But that is the point of the book. The title of the book explains everything and is ITSELF explained on the last page.
If you are a Christian don't be afraid of this book or what others might say about the film. Go to a bookstore and check out the author's forward, and you just might find yourself buying the book.
A Riveting Classic.......2007-05-15
I picked this up not expecting too much. I thought that this would just be another safe retelling of a Bible story. Boy was I wrong! The Jesus depicted in this book is very human. He struggles with temptations and unpleasant situations. This book challenged me, made me think, and failed all my predictions. I like that this book is unpredictable but satisfying. This book really made me stay up late at nights until I finished it. I was in a book rut until I picked up this one. A riveting story. Oh and it will not bore you to tears, it's one of "those" classics!
It's a love letter.......2007-01-31
One cannot review this book as a work of literature, although it certainly is that. Kazantzakis wrote it as a love-letter to Christ and a meditation on the nature of the man. In that sense, he succeeded wildly, ecstatically, anachronisms and misplaced Greek characterizations and all. "Gunpowder", even - it's all part of Nikos Kazantzakis, and it all serves to drive us deep into the heart of his Jesus, and himself.
That said . . . I have to take issue with Kazantzakis (of course. Else why write a review?)
I was mystified at the ease with which The Baptist turned Jesus from his Gospel of "Love, Love" to that of "the Axe is laid at the root of the tree." Jesus seems to get the better of John in their discussions, arguing most persuasively why his message must differ from John's - and then he goes out sounding like John redux. Did his sojourn in the desert cause this change in direction? It seemed a little too facile for me.
And the ending (I'm perpetually disapointed by endings - seems to be a thing with me). . . why did he have to die? That was very disappointing.
Just kidding - what disappointed about the ending is that Jesus did not really prevail over the final temptation as he had in the desert. He was drawn in to his fantasy life, luxuriated in it even, and then was surprised to find himself once again upon the cross (hope I'm not giving anything away here). I suppose this is Kazantzakis' final identification with the humanity of Jesus, but it seemed an odd perspective on the final moment of Jesus' life as a man - surprised relief rather than victory.
It's too much to expect of a writer, that his inner-most meditation on the meaning of Jesus should provide any "answers" to a reader looking for illumination (I've given up on "Truth"). For all that I've failed in each of my three readings of this book over the last twenty years to fully grasp Kazantzakis' Jesus in all his dimensions, the journey has been well worth the cost in time and frustration. Kazantzakis was a natural writer as well as a Natural writer, and his Jesus is more human (with all that it entails) than any other treatment has dared allow him to be.
Used By Mel Gibson, It is All Fiction........2006-09-20
This narrative novel was written by Nikos Kazantzakis, author of 'Zorba the Greek' (also made into a movie) and 'The Odyssey: A Modern Sequel." It was written originally 45 years ago in Greek and some facts distorted in translation to English. The movie interpretation led people in the wrong direction and disrupted the Christian community as to the significance of such distortion. If you've read the New Testament, you read about the agony on the cross when Jesus called out, "Father, why has thou forsaken me." Nowhere in the Bible (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John, even Paul), is there any evidence that he attempted the life of a mortal man with Mary Magdelene. That is the devil's work, through Mr. Gibson, the director.
Christ was on this earth with a mission to help the downtrodden. Mary M. was a woman of ill repute and he came to her aid by demanding of the crowd," You without sin, cast the first stone." He did seem to enjoy visiting the other Mary and her sister, Martha; who was he partiala to: Mary who cooked for him or Martha who washed his feet?
The movie inferred that he may have avoided the cross and lived a family life with Mary M. some other hiding place, and produced an assortment of offspring. "Man without God was born as he is unarmed, and would have been obliterated by hunger, fear and cold..." Why did his mother, Mary, weep and pray for his soul at the crucifixion -- if Christ was not on the middle cross, then who was! Who appeared before his disciples after the ressurection?
The book was written as a novel by someone with aspirations to write about great happenings with his own twist. Gibson's movie blasphemed Jesus and his Jewish heritage, and the Christian Bible version in the New Testament. Isaiah in the Old Testament prophesized the coming of the son of God and his sacrifice so that we can be free to worship him in the denomination of our choice. His was the ultimate sacrifice for mankind. This book is fictional account of his life and does not claim to be true. Much of the content came from the author's imagination. He wrote modern history before there was such a thing, a precursor of today's historians.
"Everything Has Begun!" ~ Reconciling God With Man.......2006-07-17
I read Nikos Kazantzakis' `The Last Temptation of Christ' back in '75. It was assigned as required reading for a college course I was enrolled in called, "Radical Christianity". Actually I faked my way through the assignment, who wants to read another book on the life of Christ? I certainly didn't. It wasn't until the end of the semester and summer was upon me that I actually opened the book for the first time and begin to read. Once I began I couldn't put it down.
Kazantzakis is a brilliant writer who looks at the world and perceives the intangibles around us like no other author I've ever read. His narrative is surreal, hallucinogenic and disturbingly earthy all at the same time. His ability to look into the human psyche and translate its intensely personal contents into concrete terminology is truly amazing. At times his writing seems more akin to poetry than composition.
This life of Christ is unlike anything you've ever come across before, which explains why there was so much turmoil and Christian backlash over the release of the movie adaptation by Scorsese in '88. They still haven't learned that a closed mind can never be a truly spiritual mind. Don't pass on reading the book because you saw the film. The difference between the two is the difference between night and day.
One of my Top Ten Books of All-Time! My Highest Recommendation.
Book Description
Coming to terms over her breakup with criminal profiler Dr. Tony Hill, Chief Inspector Carol Jordan plunges into a risky undercover sting: track down a European drug trafficker and gain his confidence. But she's being tracked as well-by a serial killer whose psychosexual madness is born out of the darkest corners of history. In quiet isolation, Tony Hill is laying to rest the scars of his past-until he's recruited back into business on a case he can't ignore. An evil is striking uncomfortably close to home, and casting a killer shadow over the life of his long-time colleague and sometimes lover. As the danger closes in, and as Tony and Carol cross paths to navigate the terrain of a shattered human mind, they have no one left to trust but themselves-and fear that there's no place left to run as a killer promises to fulfill his most twisted dreams.
Customer Reviews:
The Weakest of the Dr. Tony Hill/Carol Jordan series.......2007-08-18
With apologies to anyone who is reading this as a duplicative review, I am going to review all four of Val McDermid's Dr. Tony Hill/Carol Jordan novels in one place and copy the reviews individually.
I've now read seven of McDermid's books. She's not a great writer but she's a fabulous storyteller and her Tony Hill/Carol Jordan mysteries are the best of the bunch. The first two books aren't written terribly well, but the writing gets better as the series goes on. You may know these characters from the BBC series "Wire in the Blood" starring Robson Green. As an aside, while I generally find film and television adaptations to be far less satisfying than the source material on which they are based, the BBC series is really an exception. While the books have some detail that doesn't make it to the t.v. series, the television program really brings the characters to life and improves on the writing while staying true to the novels, although only the fourth book's plot actually made it to the screen.
As noted by some other reviewers, these books are not for the squeamish. McDermid doesn't pull any punches in writing about vicious psychopaths who commit sex crimes and the books may well be disturbing to many. The second book in particular (more below) actually gave me nightmares. McDermid, however, really gets into the heads of her twisted antagonists and she seems to have done a tremendous amount of research. Most importantly, both Dr. Hill, a clinical psychologist who consults with the police as a profiler, and Carol Jordan, the police officer with whom he works most closely, always feel like real people with investigative abilities and compassion that are easy to admire and foibles that are easy to relate to. They have serious difficulties in forging personal relationships which makes their relationship all the more poignant. Each book focuses on two stories -- a main investigation involving a psychopath and a secondary case that is generally no less compelling, while also following the relationship that develops between the two protagonists. If you've never read any of the books in this series, I would recommend taking them in order. The fourth book is the best, the third the worst, but it's worth reading them in order for the character development (although you could easily skip the third). If you really think you only want to read one, or aren't sure and don't care about spolers, just go straight to the last one. Some people who have read the entire series have found the fourth book repetitive, but it's the one that really works on all levels. Overall, the series gets 4 stars, but here are my individual assessments:
SPOILER FREE REVIEWS
1. The Mermaids Singing - 4 stars
The first of the series is really the only one that delves in any great detail into the personal lives of Tony Hill and Carol Jordan, who come together to investigate the brutal torture and slayings of four men in northern England. McDermid's Tony Hill/Carol Jordan books all deal with issues of sexual identity, but this one does is particularly focused on that as the police suspect a gay man of killing heterosexual men. McDermid shares the thoughts of the killer as well as those of Dr. Hill, who relates all too well to the motivations of the subjects he is asked to profile. The writing in this book is kind of clunky, but the insights of the author into how and why someone sets out to cause maximum pain and humiliation still make it a riveting, if disturbing, read.
2. The Wire in the Blood -- 4 stars
In this second book in the series, teenaged girls are being abducted and brutally raped and tortured to death. We are introduced to an extremely smooth and charismatic character, Jacko Vance, a television celebrity and former star athlete, that Dr. Hill and Carol Jordan called upon to investigate. This is the hardest of the series to read, probably because the killer's victims are all extremely young, naive and female, with no chance whatsoever of fighting back. This book deals with charisma and celebrity as well as sexual deviance and although the writing is still somewhat awkward, it's generally a more compelling novel than the Mermaids Singing.
3. The Last Temptation -- 3 stars
This is the weakest book in the series. On the plus side, McDermid decides to branch out from northern England and take the reader into continental Europe, particularly Germany, where Carol Jordan has gone as an undercover operative to investigate a drug dealer/slave trader. Tony Hill is also in Europe, helping the police solve a series of murders in which psychologists are the victims. McDermid brings to light some of the darker deeds of the Nazis that are generally not known and discussed and for this she should be commended. The writing also starts to improve with this book and the secondary protagonists, two female, European police officers who develop a long-term relationship with each other, are the best of any of the books. There are some serious problems with the novel, however, that make it the weakest of the bunch. First of all, in the other books McDermid is writing about the North of England, which she clearly knows like the back of her hand. The locale in the other books is really the third character after Tony Hill and Carol Jordan. The European locations never quite come to life in the same way. But the biggest problem with The Last Temptation is that McDermid tries too hard to force a particular ending. In order to get where she wants to go, she has to have Carol Jordan do something completely out of character and, frankly, she doesn't do a good job of convincing us of the reason. The whole book feels a bit contrived. Kudos to McDermid for trying something different instead of just writing variations on a theme, but the theme is one she does really well and this effort is a bit disappointing.
4. The Torment of Others -- 5 stars
There's a reason this is the only story that got used in the BBC series. By this point, McDermid had started to write really well, and she'd really gotten the hang of tying the two story lines together. In the main story, someone is killing prostitutes with the m.o. used by a man currently in an insane asylum. How does the killer know exactly what the prior murderer did? The mystery is more satisfying than that of the prior novels and the sub-plot, involving kidnapped boys, also intrigues. There's not much to learn at this point about Dr. Hill, but while the third book didn't entirely work, the aftereffects of that novel's events on Carol Jordan are all too real and bring the characters' relationship to a new level.
If books on criminal profiling and psychological forensics are your thing, you'll probably really enjoy McDermid's work. If someone has recommended her writing to you and the Dr. Hill/Carol Jordan mysteries sound like they are too gruesome, check out the Grave Tattoo, which is a neat, little literary mystery.
Hard to resist this 'Temptation'!.......2007-07-30
Val McDermid continues her 'Hill and Jordan' series with an entertaining story that combines a dangerous undercover assignment with an investigation of a serial killer, each of which leaves Tony and Carol on the verge of death!
McDermid does a pretty good job of integrating the two subplots, and her use of German and Dutch settings makes for a change from her usual 'real English locations with fictional names' approach.
The two policewomen, Petra and Marijke, are among the most interesting characters, and their personal and professional relationship adds some color to the story.
As for the 'bad guys', the smuggler Tadeusz and his crony Krazic, are suitably creepy, although the scenes featuring just the two of them are a bit slow. 'Tadzio' has more chemistry with Carol.
The 'serial killer' subplot is not quite as riveting as it might have been, relying on the coincidence of Tony knowing one of the victims.
McDermid relies a bit too much on coincidental/convenient plot developments late in the book; as other reviewers have mentioned, the bad guys find out what Tony and Carol are really up to purely by chance, due to a careless mistake that neither Tony or Carol would otherwise make. Likewise, when both Tony and Carol are captured separately, both are left tied up, but only one is gagged, and that omision serves purely to advance the plot from a seemingly impossible situation).
The ending is satisfying for the most part, although it would have been nice to have a final scene with Petra and Marijke, since it's not likely McDermid will use them again.
Despite the amount of 'suspension of disbelief' required in the final chapters, this is still a worthwhile entry in the series.
Far-fetched. . ........2006-08-14
The book had a far-fetched premise, but once I was able to move past that detail, the book was readable, albeit unrealistic.
Without giving away anything significant, I can tell you that a major portion of the book was centered around a police officer assuming an alias. Unfortunately, I was a little surprised, and very disappointed in the way the author chose to "reveal" the main undercover operation to the criminal. The unraveling of the cover was brought about by a mistake that I found completely innane. I could not believe that a rookie, much less a seasoned officer would slip up as the author has Carol (and Tony) slip up. This disbelief is compounded by the lengths that are taken initially to insure that the operation is not comprimised.
I was disappointed enough in the book to move along to another author, as opposed to reading the rest of the Carol Jordan/Tony Hill saga. I thought the writing skills of the author were good, but the storytelling skills were not.
Great Book.......2005-09-12
Very enjoyable. Depth of story keeps you interested all the way to the end.
Fully developed characters are in danger of extinction..........2005-03-30
This is my 3rd McDermid novel, I previously read 'Mermaids Singing' and 'Wire in the Blood.' McDermid writes good prose but in this 3rd novel I see dangerous repetitions in character types which, if repeated in the next Tony Hill/Carol Jordan book will make that one my last purchase. Generally McDermid paints female police officers as brighter, more diligent and more intuitive than their male counterparts, as well as more often homosexual. The men, with the exception of leading man Tony Hill, are mostly all egotistical, back-stabbing, power-hungry morons of the lowest order, while Hill is rendered impotent -- a redundant bit of emasculation since all the other males are castrated of their moral fiber. The slow mating dance between Hill and Jordan gets a lot of buildup and little payoff. And in this book, the serial killer and the surrounding hunt for him are as limply portrayed as Dr. Hill. The emotional connection between Hill and the killers in the two previous books is missing here, making the entire killer plot read like an afterthought. And the real villain -- not the serial killer but a drug-pushing / illegal-immigrant smuggler loses character focus as the reader is given reason to sympathize with him as well as with the killer. The climactic scenes involving the capture of one villain and the death of another are without any sense of thrill or danger. I was extremely disappointed with this book.
Average customer rating:
- Alice Cooper, comic star and writer
- first reading of neil gaiman
- Mediocre for Gaiman
- A Decent Tale
- This book is hot!
|
The Last Temptation
Neil Gaiman , and
Michael Zulli
Manufacturer: Dark Horse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 159307414X |
Book Description
Steven is afraid. Afraid of ghost stories, afraid of growing up... just afraid. That is, until he meets the mysterious Showman and his Theatre of the Real. Steven takes a ticket and watches the show on a dare, but getting out of the performance will be harder than he ever imagined. And then Steven learns what it is to be truly afraid. Neil Gaiman, internationally acclaimed and bestselling writer of both prose fiction (Neverwhere, Stardust) and graphic novels (The Sandman, Signal to Noise) teams with veteran artist Michael Zulli (The Sandman, Creatures of the Night) to create this dark and brooding morality tale. The Last Temptation is the latest addition to Dark Horse's proud and growing library of Neil Gaiman hardcovers. Originally published as part of the short-lived Marvel Music line of the early '90s, Zulli's lush and beautiful duoshade artwork is now showcased in a new format for this stunning second edition.
Customer Reviews:
Alice Cooper, comic star and writer.......2007-06-22
Yes, that Alice Cooper.
It's about a disaffected teenaged boy, Steve, at that age too old for kids' stuff but nowhere near adult. He's a stranger to everyone - his friends (such as they are), his parents, and even himself. So, when The Showman makes an offer that will cost nothing and everything, he has nothing to lose. Or so he thinks/
It's audience participation all the way, even after Steve has left the theater, the existence of which is iffy at best. The Showman appears again and again, on all of the wrong people's faces. The Showman presses his Faustian deal - whatever it is, we never quite see - endlessly. In the end ...
... Well, see for yourself. It's a growing-up story, but with a final insight that whispers rather than shouting. Readers expecting a bigger finish may find it indecisive, largely because decisions is an internal and invisible process. If you expect macabre madman Alice Cooper, you'll get a bit of that, but probably not as much as you expected. Instead, you'll get something more satisfying.
-- wiredweird
first reading of neil gaiman.......2006-12-04
i had heard about neil gaiman so i decided to read this book, and it was pretty good in a showy way. i'm not an alice cooper fan, and before reading this i had no idea how much time he put in developing concepts for his albums. the poetic dialogue was enchanting, and i think this tale would strike a nerve with actors or those involved with theatre. it is a straightforward, fantastical tale about the choice between life and death.
Mediocre for Gaiman.......2006-05-14
At one point in Neil Gaiman's The Last Temptation, the macabre master of ceremonies (a perfect 2-D rendition of Alice Cooper, as drawn by Zulli) makes a most tempting final offer to the young protagonist, Steven. There's only one thing he wants in return, and it's so small that the boy will barely notice it's gone. He doesn't need it, won't even miss it.
Let me guess, Steven says, at his age already worldly to horror cliches. My soul?
"Oh, no!" replies the master of ceremonies. "Your potential."
This little exchange is typical of Neil Gaiman - always refreshing, he never falls back on cliches. It is difficult to read much nowadays without guessing motives and endings, because so many authors get so lazy. But Gaiman manages to elevate the most frequent scene in literature - that of evil tempting innocence and offering fantasies come true, all in exchange for the poor sap's soul - into something quite unique.
Gaiman has therefore, understandably, been a favorite author of mine for years. From his graphic novels (Sandman, Books of Magic, 1602) to his welcome foray into mainstream literature(American Gods, Good Omens, Anansi Boys) and film (Mirrormask), he continually impresses with his talent. Like his Sandman protagonist, the king of dreams, Gaiman creates whole ficticious worlds and actually makes you believe that maybe it's all real. And he makes you care about what his characters go through.
Unfortunately, regarding The Last Temptation, that's the end of the pluses for me. I really didn't care what happens to Steven; I never got a sense of his personality, any feeling that he was real or realistic. As a lead character, he's a bit dull. The plot itself doesn't offer much. I found myself skimming bits of it just to get to the end. I always thought it impossible for Gaiman to write something mediocre, so I'm surprised.
The artwork is fun. As I said above, Zulli is spot-on with his depiction of Alice Cooper. And who else but Alice is perfect in a role as the ultimate showman (who really does turn out to be evil incarnate)? My only beef is the choice for black-and-white, which often makes the comic difficult to read. I hear there's a color version, which I've yet to find, but doing so may make it easier to follow the action.
In the end, it's a simple, straightforward little horror tale with not much to offer. Gaiman's admitted it's not his best work, just a cheap little thrill, not unlike a trip to the carnival or eating cotton candy when we can't find gelatto.
A Decent Tale.......2006-04-05
I picked the book up on a whimsy. I like Gaiman, and this book looked different from the rest.
The introduction was among the most interesting parts for me, the prose that allowed Gaiman to tell how Last Temptation came about. Helping write a concept album for Alice Cooper sounded exciting and neat, and I imagine it is an opportunity that happens too often. Within the context of the album, the resulting graphic novel take form.
The tale is of Steven, a boy pressed with many fears and threats in his life, nothing amazing though, more on the level of a meek Joe Average. He is offered a place in the Theater of the Real by the Showman in exchange for his Potential. The Showman is very much the serpent, playing to Steven through the mouths of those around him, trying to tempt him to accept.
The story is pretty straight and simple. I believe it is the result of the collaboration. The story is a bit simpler in plot and character than I would ordinarily expect, but it is to the point and well told. The art is evocative and well done, bringing out the eeriness of the theme.
I would mostly recommend this to Gaiman and Cooper fans. There are definitely better books out there on this theme.
This book is hot!.......2005-01-17
I loved the book "The Last Temptation"! It was very interesting, but a little freaky. I would recommend this book to boys from 12-16 because some of the content is written for teenage boys. Even if you are a girl you will like this book. I'm a girl and I thought it was great!
Average customer rating:
- Hot Scenes, Solid Story
- Smoke or Fire
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The Last Temptation
Gerald Malcom
Manufacturer: Urban Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Product Description
The Last Temptation is a multi-layered joy ride through explorations of relationships with Traci Johnson leading the way. She has found the new man of her dreams, the handsome and charming Jordan Styles, and they are anxious to move their relationship to the next level. But unbeknownst to Jordan, someone else is planning Traci's next move -- her irresistible ex-boyfriend, Solomon Jackson, who thugged his way back into her heart. Traci must find a way to complete her journey out of her first and only failed relationship before she can fully proceed with her next. Gerald Malcom, known for his uncanny male insight, now travels into the female mind and captures it brilliantly. Strap on your seat belt as he delivers a page-turning ride that was well worth the wait! From within the literary field as rich and diverse as past artistic renaissances, Gerald Malcom delivers a refreshing, confident voice and style. In The Last Temptation, he explores the issue of closure in relationships. As always, he skillfully presents men and women in honest, raw polar opposite roles, and allows his characters to live out their truths.
Customer Reviews:
Hot Scenes, Solid Story.......2005-11-18
I really enjoyed reading The Last Temptation. It was an erotic story but it wasn't just about sex. It takes a good look at relationships and the difficulty we sometimes have with severing ties. I really liked the way the story showed conflicts, personal struggles and ways to fight without actually "coming to blows". A touch of comedy is always a plus and there were parts in TLT that did make me laugh.
Smoke or Fire.......2005-11-09
Can an unnerving temptation from her past undo almost two years of rebuilding?
With a new man in her life, Traci Johnson is in a mild state of euphoria. Jordan gives Traci the attention, tenderness and sex a woman looks for in a man, but trouble is lurking near; Jordan's secretary is a little too familiar with him for Traci's likes, and out of nowhere Traci's past interrupts her happiness.
Traci was head-over-heels in love with Solomon and the fact that he was a major playa did not nullify Traci's feelings. But after six years, and at an emotional cross-road in her life, Solomon disappeared without even a goodbye. Now Solomon is back, with an unsolicited explanation and an errant proposal. Traci says she is no longer in love with Solomon, that she just needs closure. But will her attempt at closure with Solomon close the door on her relationship with Jordan? Caught between a rock and a hard place Traci, who loves one man and is in love with another, is having a hard time separating the two feelings.
Gerald Malcolm skillfully shares the male perspective on relationship rules and, surprisingly, a very believable take on the woman's point of view. The testosterone is high as Malcolm presents analogies with a realism that holds reader's interest, and enough heat to singe several sets of sheets. THE LAST TEMPATION is an intense but candid look at truth, trust, commitment and closure. Malcolm delivers in a confident voice and allows his characters to speak honestly. This story literally does not end until the very last page.
Reviewed by aNN
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers
Book Description
Captain Hornblower, after two hard years on blockade at Brest, has relinquished the helm of the Hotspur. He has no ship, only the promise of one. Meanwhile there are battles to be fought.
This reading of HORNBLOWER DURING THE CRISIS includes two other stories, "Hornblower's Temptation" and "The Last Encounter," all published after C.S. Forester's death in 1966.
"Because Forester died before completing this novel, the reader is left with a summary sketch and his own imagination for final details of the plot. For Forester devotees, this will not detract from the essential verve and dash of Hornblower's last chase." (The Christian Science Monitor)
Customer Reviews:
A Wonderful Friendship .......2006-09-09
This is the next Hornblower chronologically, it was not the next one written. Now that the series is completed it makes sense to read it as Hornblower's career progresses in the Royal Navy.
The whole series is a pleasure to read full of action and adventure; with enough time for a little romance.
Get acquainted with one of the most popular characters in modern literature.
After reading this you will be back for more. And that is a wonderful thing.
Would've been a good novel but the best part wasn't written........2004-03-01
This novel picks up with Hornblower relinquishing command of the Hotspur and returning to London for a new command. As typical in a Forester novel, nothing ever goes as planned and action follows Hornblower on his way home from a supply ship. There are only about 150 pages of text in this story and what was missing in the story were what Hornblower did that lead to the eventual decisive Battle of Trafalgar. It was nice to see what Forester wrote anyway only because I like the genre and I like Forester's details and descriptions of being in the Service and living during that time. But this book wouldn't be good on its own.
Cleaning up Forester's Desk.......2004-02-27
Hornblower During the Crisis is apparently a couple of pieces of left over script that Forester hadn't finished when he died, and was later published. The first half deals with Hornblower's trip home to England as a passenger on a water hoy (a supply ship that brings water to ships of the line). The water how is such a dog that after several days of beating back and forth they are still where they began. When they finally do get a fair wind they are chased by a larger French brig and only by some of Hornblower's usual trickery and bravado do they turn the tables and escape. The battle is a little too unbelievable for me; it relies too much no surprise and a sleeping French crew, which I found beyond the realm of possible. Nevertheless our hero returns safely to England.
The second part of the book is another short story about how Hornblower was assigned to be some kind of spy in Spain to deliver fake messages ordering the Spanish fleet out to sea. It's more plausible, but a short story.
Despite its shortcomings, the detail of ships and sailing in the early 19th century make the Hornblower series must reading for any man who loves the sea.
good, but unfinished leaves you wanting more.......2004-02-06
like most of the reviews the book is unfinished, which I thought was unfortunate. i really love reading about HH. i find his thoughts and thought process intriguing and his outlook on others who are involved in his life. CS Forester really gives you a feel for this charactor and puts you in his mind.
"Hornblower During the Crisis" is only 117 pages. i enjoyed it and have read all of the novels up threw "Crisis". im reading in chronological order. so i was dissapointed for it to end so quick. it is your typical HH novel, he starts out sailing and then the frogs show up, HH comes up with an idea and ofcoures it works out for the better. ends up in england with some important papers from boney. he gets promoted to captain only if he goes on a spy mission he came up with, that is where the book ends. a shame, i really wanted to see HH as a spy.
"Hornblowers Temptation" - is the first short story. it comes after "Midshipmen Hornblower" although one review said it came after "Lieutentant Hornblower", the reason is because Mr.Bush is not on board and captian sawyer is still alive. good short story, i agree with some reviews that the character is not like the HH we know. he does things for his own conscious , and not for king, for county. also this mentions that they have gone to the west indies, but in "Lieutentaunt HH", he remarks to Bush how he has never seen some sort of fish which are only in the west indies. good short story, if u like HH series then you will like this, although we are not use to this softer side of Horry.
"The Last Encounter" - this makes no sense with the HH books. his wifes is named Barbara, who he loves and can't keep his eyes off of, his only child is named Richard and he likes wine or "port" as they call it. never the less is was an ok read. i think forester wrote this just for fun. the story is about a man who comes to the door and says he someone famous and dead. HH is like whatever, but helps him anyway. not bad, i didn't really like it because it didn't hold true to Maria and his 2 kids.
this is a decent book, i wish it was finished, it really leaves you dangling. the only regret is the price $15, which are the prices for completed books. we should pay half this since we are getting half a story.
The last book in the series..........2004-01-06
Or is it? The incomplete story, 'Hornblower During The Crisis' seems to be set just after 'Hornblower And The Hotspur'. The story was never finished and the ONE page of notes at the end DO tell you how the story turns out but doesn't have much in the way of details. It would of been nice to see a dozen pages or so of the author's notes.
The next two stories, 'Hornblower's Temptation'(which seems to be set after 'Lieutenant Hornblower') and 'The Last Encounter', which is the very last tale about him, are both short but complete. They show us a very interesting view of Hornblower's inner thought process when he was young and when he gets old.
So in a way it does end the series, but also shows him during earlier periods of his life.
Book Description
From the back cover:
She could resist anything but Temptation…
Cat Sheehan is the wild child of the Sheehan family. But when her family bar closes, she decides it's time to straighten up. She's going to reform—and she's going to start by hooking up with a nice guy. But her resolution goes down the drain when bad boy musician Dylan Spencer walks in. Because he's a temptation no woman could resist….
Dylan has a secret. Not only is he not a bad boy…he's not a stranger, either. Though Cat doesn't recognize him, Dylan's been in love with her since high school. And for a chance to have Cat where he wants her- in his life, in his bed—he's willing to be whatever kind of man she wants...
"Leslie Kelly's books are the perfect blend of sass and class. Her cheeky style makes her one of the strongest voices in romance today." New York Times Best-selling author Vicki Lewis Thompson
Customer Reviews:
terrific ending to a terrific line.......2005-06-02
Cat Sheehan is stunned that Temptations, the bar owned by her family is closing. She wants to save the place, but feels helpless knowing she has no options. At the same time, Cat ponders cleaning up her act by finding a nice guy rather than the bad boys she always has dated.
Her resolve ends when musician Dylan Spencer enters Temptations as he has bad boy and temptation written all. Dylan and Cat begin seeing one another in what is a heated affair. However, Dylan fears the relationship will end once he reveals the truth about himself. Dylan is a nerdy software engineer who has loved Cat since high school, but she never knew he existed back then as he was too clean and straight for her to enter his circle and she does not know him today as she knows the bad boy musician.
This is a fitting title to the last novel in what has been a two decade terrific imprint. HER LAST TEMPTATION is a fine heated contemporary romance that fans will appreciate due to two delightful lead characters with a fabulous premise of wild girl seeks good boy, but falls in love with bad boy who is actually a good boy in disguise. Leslie Kelly insures that the Temptation line goes out with quite a bang as the audience will treasure the final act.
Harriet Klausner
Awesome Final Entry for the Temptation line.......2005-05-22
Wild child bartender, Cat Sheehan is about to have a life altering change when the bar she's part owner in, Temptation, must close down for good. In moving forward from this sad moment she's decided to reform herself, starting with her choices in men. Nice Guys only from now on.
Dylan Spencer, a sinfully gorgeous bad boy musician enters Temptation and Cat's best intentions go by the way side in favor of one last fling. She just can't resist him.
No woman could.
But Dylan has a secret, not the least of which is what the G in his band's name the Four G's stands for. Dylan is not a bad boy nor is he a stranger to Cat Sheehan.
HER LAST TEMPTATION is a very sexy, very funny, and alas final entry in the Harlequin Temptation line. It is also a huge Must Read by Leslie Kelly.
HER LAST TEMPTATION is a Collector's Edition and one of the best Leslie Kelly books I've ever read...and I've read them all.
Don't miss HER LAST TEMPTATION.
Average customer rating:
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Scandalizing Jesus?: Kazantzakis's The Last Temptation of Christ Fifty Years on
Manufacturer: Continuum International Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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