History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Lord of the Silent Kingdom (Instrumentalities of the Night)

Average customer rating:

The Godslayer Strikes Again
Thoroughly Pleasing
Eh, Whatever.
Hard edged and realistic.
Enjoyable addition to this series....

Lord of the Silent Kingdom (Instrumentalities of the Night)
Glen Cook
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0765306859
Release Date: 2007-02-20

Book Description

Its cold. The wells of power are weakening, and the forces of Night are strong. The gods are real, and they still have some power, mostly to do harm. The Instrumentalities of the Night are the worst of these. Piper Hecht, born Else Tage, survived a battle with the Instrumentalities. Now hes captain-general of the armies fighting a crusade for Patriarch Sublime V. Intrigues swirl around the throne of the Grail Empire, as the imperial familys enemy Anne of Menand raises money to help the perpetually indebted Patriarch finance his crusades. Now Piper Hecht learns that the legendary sorcerer Cloven Februaren, referred to as the Ninth Unknown, is still alive, more than one hundred years old, and on his side. As the dynastic politics of the Empire become even more convoluted, its clear that while the old gods may be fading, theyre determined to do everything they can to bend the doings of men to their own advantage. Sieges, explosions, betrayals, Anti-Patriarchs, and suspicious deaths will ensue as the great chess game plays itself out, with Piper Hecht at the center of it all. Dark, exciting, gritty, and sometimes bleakly funny, this is Glen Cook in his Black Company mode, writing military fantasy of compelling intensity.

Customer Reviews:

The Godslayer Strikes Again.......2007-09-13

Lord of the Silent Kingdom (2007) is the second epic fantasy novel of The Instrumentalities of the Night, following The Tyranny of the Night. In the previous volume, Svavar absorbs the souls of several gods through the spear and then flees back to the northlands. The Deves use their firearms to destroy Gray Walker and then save Pinkus Ghort -- and Princess Helspeth -- from the Hero revenants.

Prince Lothar is snatched from the hospital tent and later reappears among the Imperials. The dying Grade Drocker selects Piper Hecht to command the Patriarchal forces after his death and later the Patriarch concurs. As the senior Brother of War, Sergeant Bechter conducts the service for Drocker.

In this novel, Patriarch Sublime V -- formerly Honario Benedocto -- of the Bothan Episcopal Church has a dire need for funds. He has too many outstanding loans. Some date back to vote buying in the Patriarchal election and the rest had paid for funding of the Calziran Crusade. Unhappily, the Crusade had been a military win, but an economic loss.

Now Sublime is trying to conquer the Maysean heretics in the End of the Connec by issuing letters of marque to Grolsacher mercenaries. The plunder has not been that great. Rumors say that sooner or later he will be sending in Church forces to seize this land.

Brother Candle is a Maysean Perfect, a leader of the Seekers After Light. When the Grolsacher mercenaries besiege Caron ande Lette, Brother Candle is sent out the back way to save his life. Church mercenaries would love to capture a Perfect.

Piper Hecht - formerly Else Tage -- is Captain-General of the Bothan Episcopal Church forces. One of his duties is to ensure that his forces are ready to follow the orders of the Patriarch. Of course, he has good subordinates, so he spends most of his time with Anna Mozilla, his lover.

Pinkus Ghort is Commander of the Bothan City Regiment. He has been a friend and campaigning companion of Hecht for years. When he comes to fetch Hecht, Piper goes with him without complaint. On the way to the Closed Ground, Hecht, Ghort and their escort encounter three bowmen and a sorcerer who try to assassinate Piper.

The Collegium -- the Princes of the Church -- includes the official sorcerers of the Bothan Episcopal Church. In the West, almost all mages are either part of the Collegium or dead. A committee of these Princes is waiting when Hecht finally arrives for his meeting.

Upon hearing about the assassination attempt, Principate Muniero Delari leaves the room in a rush to question the prisoners. The rest of the committee question Hecht closely about the ambush. When Delari returns, he has little information, but has learned the rendezvous point for the assassins.

After the meeting, Delari takes Hecht to the baths for further discussion. Hecht leaves early to check on Polo, who had been injured in the ambush, and to meet with Ghort to discuss the two men from the City Regiment who had betrayed them into the ambush. Then Hecht leaves for his overdue staff meeting.

Hecht meets his senior staff at the Castella dollas Pontellas, a Brotherhood of War facility. One of his senior staff is Clej Sedlakova, observer for the Brotherhood. Others included Colonel Buhle Smolens, his second in command, the Krogusian Hagan Brokke, his planning officer, Titus Consent, his intelligence chief, and Tabill Talab, his senior quartermaster. These latter two are Devedians.

In this story, Hecht briefs his staff on the Clearenza situation and is briefed in turn on current efforts. He arranges to have a few days off and then has a private meeting with his intelligence chief. Consent wants to convert to the Chaldarean faith and asks Hecht to be the godfather for his soon-to-be-born child.

Later, Hecht and Ghort take ship up the Sawn to Sonsa. There they pick a young urchin as a guide and deliver a courier packet to a Brotherhood agent at the Ten Galleons, a local cathouse. They have to leave the cathouse in disguise as a family group and then one young girl refuses to return to the house. She claims to be an adducted child from a good family. All four flee town before their enemies can organize a pursuit.

The four walk through Alicea to the Knight of Wands inn and wait for the deserters to arrive. When the two men from the City Regiment appear, Hecht and Ghort confront them and their paymasters outside the inn and learn that Immaculate, the Anti-Patriarch, was apparently behind the ambush. The attempt had been set up by Rudenes Schneidel through intermediaries.

After this operation, Hecht and Ghort return to Bothe with the children. Hecht leaves the boy Pella and the girl Vali with Anna and she soon has them dressed and behaving as good Bothan children. Hecht goes off to ask Delari about Rudenes Schneidel.

This story continues the adventures of Else Tage -- former Captain of the Sha-lug slave-soldiers of far Dreanger -- in the lands of his enemies. But are they really his enemies? He is beginning to have too many friends among the Bothans for his peace of mind.

Highly recommended for Cook fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of swords and cannons, Things of the Night, and international intrigue.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Thoroughly Pleasing.......2007-07-16

Thankfully Cook's publishers have allowed him to step away from his proven intellectual properties of the Black Company and Garrett. I thoroughly enjoy those series, but it is amazing to see how witty and how imaginative this man is. I agree with an earlier reviewer that a few "out of time" dialogs exit, but they should not detract from the brilliantly woven story.

Cook's character development is as good as anyone writing. His pacing and style create a fast-paced imagery and identifiable characters. I read this book craving the next page, while dreading that it was brining me closer to the end.

Eh, Whatever........2007-07-03

I have read quite a lot of Glen Cook's stuff earlier output so I know he can write good creative stuff when he is of a mind to. Sadly, this series is not up to that standard. There is nothing at all inventive about the world in which this tale is set, It is a very thinly veneered Europe of the Late Middle Ages, complete with Moors (Pramen), Cathars (Seekers) and Holy Roman Emperors and Avignon Anti-Popes. For all that it is neither Historical Fiction or Alternative History Fiction. The Fantasy aspects of the story are even thinner yet. The Instrumentalities of the Night seem to be afraid of their own shadows and turn into Easter eggs if one just yells "Boo" in a loud enough voice. As for the Sorcerers - Well, lets just say that so far not a one of them could whup even Hagrid from Hogwarts on their best day. Any good tale requires that the hearer/ reader/ viewer can attain some degree of Suspension of Disbelief. It also helps if you can come to care about the main character I just want the "lifeguards' to kick Piper's smug butt up between his ears. So, all in all, the story here barely works in either regard. To save the series, the third book will have to be a humdinger

Hard edged and realistic........2007-06-27

As with all of Glen Cook's novels, Instrumentalites of the Night is a departure from standard fantasy fare. There are few, if any, ultra-good, or ultra-evil characters. There are no "you hold the only key" characters who must rise from obscurity to defeat an all-powerful enemy. Cook's stories are filled with very real characters who must deal with their very real lives. Living in a world where very few people are as bad, or as good, as they may seem. Lord of the Silent Kingdom seems almost a retelling of actual history, rather than a work of fiction. His honest portrayal of individuals makes them that much more believable. He has created a world, and let his characters walk it. Great Fiction.

Enjoyable addition to this series...........2007-05-25

First, I have read every single thing Glen Cook has published aside from his last 3 garrett novels, and have reviews for many of them on this site. He is one of my very favorite authors.

This story picks up the 3 storylines of Else Tag/Piper Hecht, Brother Candle, and Helspeth. Much of the story is devoted to Hecht's storyline as Captain-General of the Patriarchal armies. When other viewpoints come in, often months pass between with some description of ongoing military and political events in the interim. Considerably greater background on Hecht is given during the story as well, some of it bearing on the plot.

As in the prior novel, the abundance of place-names referring to places that may have existed in 12th century europe (or even today) but altered beyond recognition has made matters far too complicated. We know the map is of europe with substantially lower mediterranean (and black) sea levels and extensive glaciation in the north, so why not give us that map? At least he keeps the name of the person Gibraltar was named for in the name of that landmark, but....I guess i can brag about figuring out Corsica and Sardinia (I think).

This story, in style of writing, resembles Dread Empire more than anything else of his I have read. The eventually connection between Hecht and Helspeth is once again teased at the end of this novel, but knowing Cook, he might just kill her instead. (I keep thinking of O'Shing when I consider this) He does tend to kill off much of his cast in major battles at the end of a series, so presumably most of the players will be around a bit longer.

Time is spend on politics in the Grail Empire, usually through Helspeth but Ferris Renfrow is treated in more detail. Presumably we will learn a lot more about him later in the series.

Brother Candle is mainly used to give a first-hand view of events in the Connec, including resurgence of Night instrumentalities, a couple of invasions/sieges, and a glimpse of the inside of politics within that faction.

Cook also introduces a figure, the man in brown, who becomes almost a deux ex machina for resolving a number of events and incidents differently than they already would have turned out. It reached the point that everytime Hecht had trouble, you could count on the man in brown showing up.

I enjoyed this book a lot, despite inconsistent patterns of grammar usage in exposition/descriptions, which was distracting early in the book. That said, I recently reread the original dread empire trilogy, and it is by far more enjoyable that this while being substantially shorter.

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A Book To Remember
The undisputed champ after 52 years
A Minute-by-Minute Account of the Sinking of the Titanic
A great book to read
The 'definitive' version?

A Night to Remember
Walter Lord
Manufacturer: Holt Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0805077642
Release Date: 2004-12-23

Amazon.com

James Cameron's 1997 Titanic movie is a smash hit, but Walter Lord's 1955 classic remains in some ways unsurpassed. Lord interviewed scores of Titanic passengers, fashioning a gripping you-are-there account of the ship's sinking that you can read in half the time it takes to see the film. The book boasts many perfect movie moments not found in Cameron's film. When the ship hits the berg, passengers see "tiny splinters of ice in the air, fine as dust, that give off myriads of bright colors whenever caught in the glow of the deck lights." Survivors saw dawn reflected off other icebergs in a rainbow of shades, depending on their angle toward the sun: pink, mauve, white, deep blue--a landscape so eerie, a little boy tells his mom, "Oh, Muddie, look at the beautiful North Pole with no Santa Claus on it."

A Titanic funnel falls, almost hitting a lifeboat--and consequently washing it 30 yards away from the wreck, saving all lives aboard. One man calmly rides the vertical boat down as it sinks, steps into the sea, and doesn't even get his head wet while waiting to be successfully rescued. On one side of the boat, almost no males are permitted in the lifeboats; on the other, even a male Pekingese dog gets a seat. Lord includes a crucial, tragically ironic drama Cameron couldn't fit into the film: the failure of the nearby ship Californian to save all those aboard the sinking vessel because distress lights were misread as random flickering and the telegraph was an early wind-up model that no one wound.

Lord's account is also smarter about the horrifying class structure of the disaster, which Cameron reduces to hollow Hollywood formula. No children died in the First and Second Class decks; 53 out of 76 children in steerage died. According to the press, which regarded the lower-class passengers as a small loss to society, "The night was a magnificent confirmation of women and children first, yet somehow the loss rate was higher for Third Class children than First Class men." As the ship sank, writes Lord, "the poop deck, normally Third Class space ... was suddenly becoming attractive to all kinds of people." Lord's logic is as cold as the Atlantic, and his bitter wit is quite dry.

Book Description

The classic minute-by-minute account of the sinking of the Titanic, in a 50th anniversary edition with a new introduction by Nathaniel Philbrick First published in 1955, A Night to Remember remains a completely riveting account of the Titanic's fatal collision and the behavior of the passengers and crew, both noble and ignominious. Some sacrificed their lives, while others fought like animals for their own survival. Wives beseeched husbands to join them in lifeboats; gentlemen went taut-lipped to their deaths in full evening dress; and hundreds of steerage passengers, trapped below decks, sought help in vain. Available for the first time in trade paperback and with a new introduction for the 50th anniversary edition by Nathaniel Phil-brick, author of In the Heart of the Sea and Sea of Glory, Walter Lord's classic minute-by-minute re-creation is as vivid now as it was upon first publication fifty years ago. From the initial distress flares to the struggles of those left adrift for hours in freezing waters, this semicentennial edition brings that moonlit night in 1912 to life for a new generation of readers.

Customer Reviews:

A Book To Remember.......2007-10-09

Walter Lord did his homework on the Titanic's fateful night in this unforgettable and memorable book. He did not need to create fiction or suggest anything to the contrary. In fact, he writes about it from the survivor's perspectives. Despite the horrors, what shocked me was the situation in the lifeboats in the aftermath of shell-shocked people who have watched their loved ones, mostly their husbands, go down with the ship. I don't know why California didn't seek to assist them or inquire about the distress signals. We'll never know what makes people ignore others in time of great distress. When the Carpathia arrived to pick up the survivors, they are shocked by the news that Titanic is gone and they are the only ones to tell a shocking story of so many people's last moments on earth. Forget James Cameron's movie, this book is real and faithful to those fifteen hundred men, women, and children who perished as it is to the survivors who never recovered fully. Because of the Titanic disaster, every ship since was required by international shipping law to have enough lifeboats for everybody on ship and supplies during the worst of disasters. The last pages of the book are the names of those who died and survived. Where they embarked for their final destination to New York City but most of them would never make it there. I remember survivor Eva Hart who lost her father in the disaster that it was all about arrogance. The ship had to be fast, unsinkable, and yet the disaster was unthinkable. She said her mother, Miriam Hart, lashed back with a comment that has stuck with me for years that when saying the ship is unsinkable is like tempting fate to occur. Mrs. Hart, Eva's Mother, spent her nights awak and days asleep as if a premonition of this ship never making New York City. This story was not included in this book but Walter Lord does his best and it's remarkable that he prefers facts to rumors or gossip. It has taken me years to read this book maybe because of all those who perished still resonate with the Titanic's ultimate fate. The Titanic was the ultimate ship and none has ever come close in the ship's genius, magnificience, style, and sophistication. The third class passengers never enjoyed it. The second and first class passengers must have felt like they were in heaven with first class service catered to their needs and fancies. Rest in Peace, Titanic, and all those who have sailed with you on that fateful trip. You will always be in my heart as the ship of dreams and destiny.

The undisputed champ after 52 years.......2007-08-01

Two things set A Night to Remember apart from every other book and film on the subject of the Titanic:

First, with the exception of the ship breaking up as it sank (and the official record, with its conflicting testimony, shows it could have been written either way in 1955) and the use of the first SOS (which Lord corrected in later editions), there is not a single fact in the book that has ever been proven wrong. And, oh, how supporters of Capt. Lord of the Californian have tried.

Second, this is not a book about the sinking of the Titanic so much as it is a book about the PEOPLE involved in the event of the sinking. Take just the first sentence of the first chapter: "High in the crow's-nest of the new White Star Liner Titanic, Lookout Frederick Fleet peered into the dazzling night." Remember back to your English grammar classes and you will note that the subject of this sentence is a person, not a ship. So it is throughout the rest of the book. As readers, are we not more compelled by people rather than objects? Of course we are.

And as Walter Lord reminds us from the first that this is a story about people, so does he employ the expertise of a reporter and the flair of a novelist. The reporter . . . Who? Frederick Fleet. What? He peered. When? Night. Where? The Titanic's crow's-nest. Why? He was a Lookout. But by dressing up these facts with a few choice words and phrases ("High up", "new", "dazzling"), Lord draws us in dramatically.

Over the years, science and technology have given us greater insight into the building, operation, and physical break-up of the Titanic. But no one has ever come close to Walter Lord in recreating and relating the events of the night of April 14 - 15, 1912.

A Minute-by-Minute Account of the Sinking of the Titanic.......2007-01-26

At 11:40 p.m. on the night of April 14, 1912, the White Star liner Titanic, on its maiden voyage to New York, struck an iceberg in the north Atlantic. Less than three hours later, the ship known to the world as "unsinkable" was on her way to the bottom of the sea.

The unexpectedness of the event, along with the shocking number of lives lost (more than 1500 by most estimates) and the many stories of carelessness and incompetence contributing to the disaster, cemented the Titanic into the collective consciousness of Western culture. Countless articles, exhibits, books, and movies (the most famous, released in 1997, grossed over $1.8 billion in worldwide revenue) have documented and fictionalized various aspects of the tragedy. Even nearly a hundred years later, it would be difficult to find someone who had never heard of the Titanic.

In 1955, while many of the survivors of the Titanic's first and only voyage were still alive--and before the journalistic novel became fashionable as a genre--Walter Lord researched and wrote a minute-by-minute account of what happened during the ship's final night. Called A Night to Remember, Lord's account provides an interesting blend of minute details and broad sweeping overviews in its description of what happened onboard the ship.

The book is easy to read and goes very quickly. Lord gives his prose a very journalistic feel, with short sentences and easy language. Entertaining is hardly the right word to use for a description of an event that claimed so many lives, but compelling describes the account pretty well. Lord puts readers right on the deck of the doomed ship, and then right into the lifeboats and, later, into the courtrooms and newspaper editors' offices during the aftermath of the sinking.

Chapters are entitled with snippets of the dialog that occurs within each. Examples include "There's Talk of an Iceberg, Ma'am," "God Himself Could Not Sink This Ship," "There Is Your Beautiful Nightdress Gone," and, perhaps most poignant, "Go Away--We Have Just Seen Our Husbands Drown."

The book's primary weakness is that in trying to include glimpses of so many people's experiences, Lord was mostly unable to go into much depth with any of the individual characters. Unlike later books in this genre--such as Blackhawk Down or The Perfect Storm, both of which describe in detail the experiences of a relatively small number of people during catastrophic events--A Night to Remember has to catalogue the experiences of over 2,000 individuals. Lord manages to include a lot of names, but without any background or detail, they quickly become meaningless.

Though the scope of the book (probably necessarily) minimizes the amount of emotion connected with the tragedy, there are a few emotive moments when the reader realizes along with a child or a wife that a beloved husband or father will not be coming on a lifeboat. Depictions of the wireless operator sleeping onboard the nearby Californian, panicky passengers in lifeboats violently refusing to assist drowning swimmers, and determined high-society men donning formal evening dress to "go down like gentlemen" evoke flashes of emotion as well.

Overall, the book is worth reading for its historically accurate picture of what actually happened on that cold April night. Though it's no literary masterpiece, it is informative and interesting, particularly for anyone who has seen James Cameron's movie or read Clive Cussler's book and would like to know the real story. The book contains nothing objectionable (except for the event itself), and is suitable for any reader. I recommend it without reservation.

A great book to read.......2007-01-10

This is a great book. The descriptions and detail of the ship are brought to life through the writing of Walter Lord. Let you imagination go as you read this book before watching any of the movies if at all possible.

The 'definitive' version?.......2006-10-02

I've wanted this book for ages, and have both the book and the criterion collection DVD on my wishlist. The DVD is virtually impossible to get, unless I want to part with some serious money, so for now, it's a wish to have.

I thought the book might be quite appropriate to read when I took a boat to Belgium - instead it gave me nightmares. But I was ever so slightly disappointed with the book. I've been what has been called "obsessed" with the Titanic for many years now, and have got every book that I've been able to get my hands on, but this is in no way the definitive version. It has been since 1955, and it's said that Walter Lord interviewed the survivors, to get a first hand account, but there's nothing new that hasn't been written in other books before and better. There's also a definitive passenger list at the back - there's been many quibbles over the Titanic passenger list for many years now, and there's always different versions in each book. There was even a J Dawson found in the Titanic cemetery (a place I would love to visit) after the film came out, which no one knew about, or remembered on the boat.

I hope the movie will be better, however I will still keep this book. It may not be as good as I would have hoped, but it's still about the Titanic after all.

Gaudy Night: A Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane Mystery (Mystery Masters)

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Superlative all the way!
A Dithering Mess
The pleasure of the English language
Sayers at her best! And Ian Carmichael!
An Oxford reunion and ghostly murder

Gaudy Night: A Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane Mystery (Mystery Masters)
Dorothy L. Sayers
Manufacturer: The Audio Partners, Mystery Masters
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 1572704993

Book Description

When Harriet Vane attends her Oxford reunion, known as the Gaudy, the prim academic setting is haunted by a rash of bizarre pranks: scrawled obscenities, burnt effigies, and poison-pen letters, including one that says, Ask your boyfriend with the title if he likes arsenic in his soup. Some of the notes threaten murder — and all are dreadful concoctions of a sick mind — yet in spite of their deplorable, criminal nature, the letters are perfectly worded. Soon, Harriet finds herself ensnared in a nightmare of romance and terror, with only the tiniest shreds of clues to challenge her powers of detection, and those of her paramour, Lord Peter Wimsey.

Customer Reviews:

Superlative all the way!.......2007-09-17

Lord Peter Wimsey is the urbane, civilized, gourmand, bon vivant sleuth created by Dorothy L. Sayers in the 30s. Yet the Gaudy is not totally about him. It is more Harriet Vane's book. Peter comes in later and as they say saves the day.
What a stupendous achievement! Twice the length of most detective stories of its day, this book boasts of no murder and keeps the interest in the book unflagging till the end. How did Ms. Sayers manage it? Simply by her wonderful writing skill, her command of the English language (next to none-puts Christie to shame)and her characters. Long before the women's lib movement, this spunky character braved public opinion, police scrutiny and nearly the hangman's noose, without losing her inflappable belief in herself. True, it reflected the author's own life but a character that Gloria Steinem would have revered.
Oxford, Shrewsbury College, Sayers' own alma mater, come to life like no one city and institution in the entire history of mystery fiction. Yes, Harriet is the heroine but Oxford is the crown prince. That is what distinguishes this book. It is more realized as a novel not just a detective story. Sadly, though the quality of writing remains the same, the next and last Wimsey novel with Harriet: Busman's Honeymoon, is overwritten and meandering. But that shows that Ms. Sayers was human, too.
The narration is typically British which adds to the enjoyment of this wonderful book.

A Dithering Mess.......2007-09-10

If you have enjoyed other Peter Winsey mysteries, you will be disappointed. The "crime" is a poison pen writer at (Harriet's alma mater, as if she is not competent to investigate anything more serious)

Manners and language of another age form an intrusive barrier to following the germ of plot through many vagaries - a most unsatisfying foray, yet testament to the waning influence of the English upper class system, despite the author's clear snobbery regarding lower class persons and tiresome pontificating about the 'role of women' . Having enjoyed other Sayers works, this one is a big null set.

The pleasure of the English language.......2007-05-08

It seems slow at first (compared with modern mysteries that seem start with a theft, murder or other violent action), but the use of the English language was so refreshing from today's norm that I continue to listen...and very glad that I did. Today's readers will probable find the character traits and social situations unrealistic -- no one argues so politely or maintains the same level of social manners in modern settings. If written by a more recent author it would probable be a psychological thriller with a romantic interest between the two main characters. As it is, the story line is lighter, the mystery is engaging and kept me guessing (all the clues are not provided until the end), yes there is a romantic interest between the two characters. I gave it 4 stars to be conservative but I'll revisit this story again, so it has my personal 5 star - it has my long term keeper rating.

Sayers at her best! And Ian Carmichael!.......2007-01-05

Gaudy Night is Sayers at her academic best. The more you read it, the more you get from it. The characters are delightful, and there is romance as well as detection. All this is brought to life by the expert narration of Ian Carmicheal. A treasure!

An Oxford reunion and ghostly murder.......2006-04-19

Dorothy L. Sayers' GAUDY NIGHT benefits from Ian Carmichael's pointed production: his BBC background lending accent and tension to the story of an Oxford reunion which involves mystery writer Harriet in a case of ghostly murder. Tension evolves quickly as murder turns to mayhem in this thriller.

Average customer rating:

Reunion and Union
A wonderful journey back to the Oxford of 1935.
A perfect love story, comedy of manners, and almost perfect mystery
No Lord Peter here
Not A British Tea Cozy

Gaudy Night (Lord Peter Wimsey Mystery)
Dorothy L. Sayers
Manufacturer: HarperTorch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0061043494

Book Description

When Harriet Vane attends her Oxford reunion, known as the "Gaudy," the prim academic setting is haunted by a rash of bizarre pranks: scrawled obsentities, burnt effigies and poison-pen letters -- including one that says, "Ask your boyfriend with the title if he likes arsenic in his soup." Some of the notes threaten murder; all are perfectly ghastly; yet in spite of their scurrilous nature, all are perfectly worded. And Harriet finds herself ensnared in a nightmare of romance and terror, with only the tiniest shreds of clues to challenge her powers of detection, and those of her paramour, Lord Peter Wimsey.

Customer Reviews:

Reunion and Union.......2007-09-21

Dorothy L. Sayers created perhaps one of the most whimsical and enigmatic detectives when she created Lord Peter Whimsy. While many of her tales may seem a little archaic nowadays, her writing is extremely intelligent, full of allusions and quotations that demonstrate the depth of her knowledge. "Gaudy Night" while definitely light in the appearances of Peter Whimsy, is a standout in Sayers' novels, well worth its length and wandering plot.

The story centers around Harriet Vane, the infamous detective writer who was accused of killing her lover, only to be cleared by Lord Peter. For the five years after that case, Lord Peter has been pursuing Harriet only to have her spurn him at every turn, yet they remainin companions. Harriet is invited to her Oxford reunion, and returns uncertain of what to expect. But once she is reunited with her old college, her desire for the days of old is magnified, especially when a disturbing mystery begins to unfold within the college. Harriet moves in, under the pretense of doing research, to investigate the person responsible for poison-pen letters and embarassing pranks. When the prankster proves too much for her, she asks for Peter's assistance, certain that he will uncover the culprit before anything fatal happens.

"Gaudy Night" is a lengthy meandering story for a mystery, but that is most likely due to the fact that the mystery is the subplot to the story. For this novel truly is focused on Harriet Vane and the discovery she must go through in order to understand who she is and what she wants out of life. Sayers is a gifted writer who can make even the most stuffiest characters come to life. Truth be told, the solution to the mystery is nothing fantastic, but the journey that Harriet embarks upon comes full circle to a sweet and fitting conclusion.

A wonderful journey back to the Oxford of 1935........2007-09-09

About her book "Gaudy Night," Dorothy L. Sayers had this to say:

"It would be idle to deny that the city and University of Oxford (in aeternum floreant) do actually exist...." But, "Shrewsbury College, with its dons, students and scouts, is entirely imaginary; nor are the distressing events described as taking place within its wall founded upon any events that have ever occurred anywhere. Detective-story writers are obliged by their disagreeable profession to invent startling and unpleasant incidents and people, and are (I presume) at liberty to imagine what might happen if such incidents and people were to intrude upon the life of an innocent and well-ordered community.... Certain apologies are, however, due from me: first to the University of Oxford, for having presented it ... with a college of 150 women students, in excess of the limit ordained by statute. Next, and with deep humility, to Balliol College--not only for having saddled it with so wayward an alumnus as Peter Wimsey, but also for my monstrous impertinence in having erected Shrewsbury College upon its spacious and sacred cricket-ground."

That passage will give you a feeling for Sayers' rather grand, even lofty (by detective story standards, anyway) prose style, as well as the tongue-in-cheek, in-your-eye amusement that lurks behind her formal persona.

When I first encountered Sayers and fell into a binge of reading her works, I was a teenager. With the breezy assurance of that age, I confidently ranked "Gaudy Night" as her feeblest work and "The Nine Tailors"--or maybe "Murder Must Advertise" as her best. If anyone at the time had asked me why I had done so, I would have pointed out that the mystery element was only a strand among many in "Gaudy Night," and far from the most important one. Moreover, I'd have said, it's a Lord Peter Wimsey novel and Wimsey doesn't even turn up until Chapter IV, after which he promptly disappears for a couple of hundred pages.

And yet, over the years when, for whatever reason, one of these books came to mind, I might think, "Murder Must Advertise," yes, very clever, Lord Peter writing ad copy and all that, or "The Nine Tailors," yes, very clever, those bells and all that. But for "Gaudy Night," my thoughts would more likely take this sort of turn: that Harriet Vane has some very odd ideas and notions. We certainly are beyond that sort of thing today--but I know some people who share most or all of those very some ideas and notions. They are walking anachronisms and yet, here they are, unquestionably my contemporaries. On some days, I even find myself agreeing with her and concluding that the lunatics have taken over our Twenty-first Century asylum.

Or consider Harriet Vane as a fictional character--amusing, humorless, witty, ponderous, brilliant, too often plodding Harriet. She is, of course, Dorothy L. Sayers (in every aspect that Sayers, herself, would regard as significant), pinned on the pages of the book like some strange sort of moth, a speciment preserved and displayed for the examination of the ages.

I recently encountered a 1944, wartime edition of "Gaudy Night" in a bookshop window. On its copyright page, it proudly bore the motto, "Books are weapons in the war of ideas." The book was published in an era of tight paper rationing and extreme austerity, but what a wonderfully sensuous volume it was with its thick, creamy paper, exquisite printing, wide margins and excellent commercial binding in dark blue book cloth. I snapped it up (how could I not?), and read it that evening. It was, I suppose, my fifth or sixth journey through the book.

I am no longer a teenager (alas), and I no longer consider "Gaudy Night" to be Sayers' feeblest work. It might very well be her best: better than "Murder Must Advertise," better than "The Nine Tailors" and certainly much better than the workmanlike (but no more) translation of Dante for which she abandoned her true literary vocation in her final years.

Some mystery fans downgrade "Gaudy Night" because it is a weak mystery novel. A couple of such fans are to be found right here among the Amazon reviewers of the book. They are quite right. It is a weak mystery novel. It is, in fact, just a novel, but a very good one.

The true peers of "Gaudy Night" are not such classic mysteries as Christie's "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" or Marsh's "A Man Lay Dying," but English academic novels, the likes of Amis' "Lucky Jim" or Snow's "The Masters." If the literary arena is widened to include plays, then "Gaudy Night" shares space with "The Browning Version" and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"

Here is Dorothy L. Sayers again, this time as Sayers the novelist:

"Harriet Vane sat at her writing-table and stared out into Mecklenburg Square.... A letter lay open on the blotting-pad before her, but its image had faded from her mind to make way for another picture. She saw a stone quadrangle, built by a modern architect in a style neither new or old, stretching out reconciling hands to past and present. Folded within its walls lay a trim grass plot, with flower-beds splashed at the angles, and surrounded by a stone plinth. Behind the level roofs of Cotswold slate rose the brick chimneys of an older and less formal pile of buildings--a quadrangle also of a kind, but still keeping a domestic remembrance of the original Victorian dwelling-houses that had sheltered the first shy students of Shrewsbury College....

"Memory peopled the quad with moving figures. Students sauntering in pairs. Students dashing to lectures, their gowns hitched hurriedly over light summer frocks, the wind jerking their flat caps into the absurd likeness of so many jesters' coxcombs. Bicycles stacked in the porters' lodge, their carriers piled with books and gowns twisted about their handle-bars. A grizzled woman don crossing the turf with vague eyes.... Tall spikes of delphiniums against the grey, quiveringly blue like flames. The college cat, preoccupied and remote, stalking with tail erect in the direction of the buttery."

Five stars (with flower-beds splashed at the angles, of course.)

A perfect love story, comedy of manners, and almost perfect mystery.......2007-06-12

This is simply the best book written by Dorothy Sayers, and in my opinion, one of the best books I have ever read (and I read well over a hundred books a year). I read it periodically when I need to cleanse my palate after some of the pap being published today; when I am sad or need something comforting and lovely to cheer me; when I am trolling my shelves for an oldie but goodie. Sadly, the setting and language have made some of my friends reject it. But for anyone who loves British literature or wants to read the thoughts of a university educated feminist of 80 years ago, this is the book. Peter and Harriet's love story is all about finding love and equality, respect, and intelligence.

I admit, the mystery itself is not perfectly plotted, but is handled well, and is, besides, only the framework for this lovely comedy of manners. It might help to read Strong Poison first- then you get the opening and closing of the courtship.

No Lord Peter here.......2007-06-03

For a recent trip to England, I decided to stock up on books by English authors and read them during the trip. I saw that Gaudy Night was set in Oxford and since I was staying there for a few nights it seemed particularly appropriate. The glowing reviews for Dorothy Sayers in general and this book in particular made me hopeful I would like it even though I had never tried her work before.

Despite being part of the Lord Peter Wimsey series, this book really isn't about him. The story follows Harriet Vane as she attempts to uncover the identity of a person writing mean-spirited letters to faculty and students at the fiction Shrewsbury College at Oxford University. For a while, I expected a murder but the story meanders along with nothing more menacing than a little vandalism for virtually all of its 500 pages. The only real tension in the story comes from the bickering of the female professors with each other as they debate topics that may have been interesting 50 years ago but are wholly irrelevant today (e.g. educated women are traitors to their gender if they get married and stop working). These debates and dissertations tend to be quite lengthy and do nothing to advance the story.

My biggest problem with Gaudy Night is that it is really not a mystery story at all. Murder mysteries are a well-established genre but here we have nothing more than a "poison pen mystery" and after reading it I know why that genre has definitely not established itself as a force in literature. There is no real tension, nothing at stake except the possibility of a scandal for the school and after listening to these people bicker forever and a day I found that I really didn't care if they had to endure a scandal or not. Harriet spends a lot of time chasing shadows at night but does very little real investigating and figures out virtually nothing on her own. Lord Peter comes into the story in a meaningful way only toward the end and delivers the solution on a silver platter in a deus-ex-machina ending that is wholly unsatisfying.

It is obvious judging from the rapturous reviews that this book is a big hit with fans of Dorothy Sayers. I can only say that as a first time reader, I would strongly recommend other newcomers to try another of her novels as an entry point. My favorite parts of this book were those where Lord Peter was actually in the scene and her other books would almost certainly feature him far more prominently. I would recommend this book only for true fans of Sayers and Lord Peter.

Not A British Tea Cozy.......2006-11-10

Dorothy Sayers is no more "just a mystery writer" than is Josephine Tey or P.D. James. Gaudy Night is brilliant in its portrayal of the insidiousness that suspicion has in a closed community. Each reading brings a new insight, as any good piece of literature should.

Average customer rating:

readable
Good, engaging story, empty romance
It was just okay
This book is likely to keep YOU up for a thousand nights.
Medieval passion and politics

Lord of a Thousand Nights
Madeline Hunter
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0553583557
Release Date: 2002-01-02

Book Description

No woman alive could resist his tantalizing seduction....

Celebrated as “one of the brightest new writers in the genre” (Publishers Weekly), Madeline Hunter has won the hearts of readers with the poignant passion of her love stories and the brilliance of her writing. Now this nationally bestselling, award-winning author delivers her freshest, most tantalizing romance yet...

Lord of a Thousand Nights

Called the Lord of a Thousand Nights, Ian of Guilford was famed as much for his feats in the bedroom as on the battlefield. But Lady Reyna Graham had no idea of this when, disguised as a courtesan, she passed behind enemy lines with a desperate plan to save her people.

Now, sitting in the tent of the dizzyingly handsome warrior who commanded the army outside her gates, the beautiful widow suddenly realized that she had underestimated her foe.

For she found herself in the company of a man whose charms were said to be impossible to resist...and who would show no mercy in laying siege to her heart — and body — with every sensual weapon in his arsenal.

For the sake of her people, she must not give in ... and she must somehow turn this legendary lover who never lost his heart into a man who would exchange all his thousand nights for one with her....

Customer Reviews:

readable.......2007-08-18

I really enjoyed Hunter's Rules of Seduction and thought I'd give more of her books a try. I can't say the experience of reading this particular book turned me against this author, but I would definitely read the back cover blurb more attentively next time.

This is a clear case of NEVER JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER. Lord of a thousand nights... with the crescent moon, the oriental window, the starry night, and the sword led me to believe it was an Arabian Nights story - and I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into it. How stupid was I! This was a very done-to-death story of an English knight besieging a Scottish castle and its lady. The lady tries to get rid of her enemy, then fails and falls madly in love with her conqueror (who of course is more honorable than her clansmen), and accepts his domination with open arms.
If all the lasses of Scotland surrendered their castles to sexy English knights, no wonder Scotland became a part of England.LOL.

Don't get me wrong. This was not an awful read (unlike more recent Scottish knights' stories I got tricked into buying by dishonest reviews... I don't want to name names but I stopped reading reviews by professional reviewers since and only read what REAL readers are saying)

So ultimately, I finished the book - which says a lot (sometimes I don't even bother finishing a book that is so uninteresting it borders on torture) - because it was not that bad. I will try another Hunter's book before forming a conclusive opinion.

Good, engaging story, empty romance.......2007-07-18

LORD OF A THOUSAND NIGHTS somewhat exceeded my low expectations for it, and I enjoyed many parts of it. Still, I'd rank it a slight cut below other 3-star Madeline Hunter novels such as BY DESIGN (***) and THE PROTECTOR (***). I never did like Ian of Guilford from THE PROTECTOR, and seeing him as a formidable warrior here in LORD OF A THOUSANDS NIGHTS didn't seem to follow from his role as a courtier/consort in the English court from THE PROTECTOR. Now, the Lord of a Thousand Nights title, seducer of a thousand women, that definitely followed. I thought the love between Ian and Reyna was more about Ian's capable talents and past experience with many other women than really about Ian & Reyna. Unlike so many other romance novels, Reyna hurling many expletives Ian's way was handled in a fun way here, actually adding to the romantic tension instead of squeezing the life out of the love and romance.

Possible SPOILERS ahead.

Fortunately, I also thought Madeline Hunter weaved some interesting mystery plots with this romance, and I found myself pleasantly engaged. The mystery involves plenty of backstory on both Ian & Reyna, and once again, each characterization is fleshed out superbly. The only thing I found a bit ridiculous was the way Ian found Robert's treasure at the end. The way he found it was way too easy, treasure map? Okie doke!

The backdrop of LORD OF A THOUSAND NIGHTS continues Morvan Fitzwaryn's strife to recapture his father's seat at Harclow. You'll recall from THE PROTECTOR that Morvan delayed this dream for Harclow to spend time with his love and wife, Anna de Leon. Also from THE PROTECTOR, you'll recall a younger Ian forced himself on Anna only to have Anna punch him. Now, 8 years later, while Morvan and the bulk of his army lays siege to Harclow, Ian of Guilford leads a company of Morvan's men to capture Black Lyne Keep, a keep overseeing strategic land on the border with Scotland. Lord of Clivedale, Maccus Armstrong, is a Scot who captured Harclow from Morvan's father so long ago.

The story begins with the recently-widowed Reyna Graham, Lady of Black Lyne Keep, conspiring to kill the besieging company's leader, Ian. Reyna was married to the honorable Robert of Kelso (more than hrice her age) in order to divert a family feud between the Grahams and Armstrongs, neighbors on the English-Scottish border. Since Morvan is laying siege to the Armstrongs at Harclow, he's secured a promise from Duncan Graham not to attack in exchange for Reyna's safety when Black Lyne Keep falls. Upon seeing the incredibly handsome Lord of a Thousand Nights, Ian, Reyna falters in her assassination attempt and ends up prisoner instead.

Using Reyna, Ian swiftly captures Black Lyne Keep and things between our our capable seducer and beguiling enchantress progress from there as Ian secures Black Lyne Keep for Morvan. There's some interesting plots having to do with the mystery behind Reyna's late husband's (Robert's) history and the circumstances surrounding Robert's sudden death (Templar, poisoning). Towards the very end after Harclow finally falls, we also learn more about Reyna's parentage and Ian's past sins. Meanwhile, we see BY ARRANGEMENT's David & Christiana and THE PROTECTOR's Morvan & Anna in some very fun and enjoyable subplots in the middle. I thought the negotiations for marriage here between Ian and Reyna weren't nearly as fun as those between Morvan and Anna from THE PROTECTOR or Hayden and Alexia from THE RULES OF SEDUCTION.

Oh and I have to say:

Anna de Leon (from THE PROTECTOR) totally steals the show! I swear I cheered and laughed with her every appearance and reference. I was dying for more Anna in this book! Like "...and that big one (Anna), well, show me the man who wants to try telling her what to do...and the big one, well, when they left she practically threatened me, just stared at me dangerous-like and felt her dagger hilt and told me to obey their orders and all would be well." Or Ian saying, "Are you suggesting that Reyna forced Anna into leaving? Hell's teeth, Morvan, your wife could pick [Reyna] up with one arm." Or Anna talking: "[Ian] has a weakness below the right ribs if you need to hit him." Or Anna & Morvan's reunion after 5 months in front of everyone at Black Lyne Keep. Or even: "[Ian] tried his most charming smile [on Anna]. It had no effect whatsoever." Now I want to read THE PROTECTOR all over again!

The Lord of a Thousand Nights' chartered and deliberate first joining with Reyna after their marriage reads more like a detached science than a mutual passion. A touch here, a kiss there, a graze, the right position, the right kiss, Ian's calculated restraint. Since it was Reyna's first time, she was in obvious pain for some of it, and for someone like the Lord of a Thousand Nights, he's clearly had more pleasure than the incredible patience, restraint and servicing he showers Reyna with during their first real joining. All of the seduction including the first joining was more about Ian and other women than Ian & Reyna. Even in the very last chapter, Reyna is complimenting Ian's talents with other women: "You have a talent for making philosophy the last thing on a woman's mind." A woman, general. The very last paragraph of the book, when Reyna looks up to Ian, she sees the Lord who's seduced a thousand other women, not her Ian. Maybe women like that, I don't know, but the resulting love didn't resonate quite like the loves from THE RULES OF SEDUCTION, BY POSSESSION, and BY DESIGN.

I thought the THE RULES OF SEDUCTION's story, characters and passion rises above the stereotypes prevalent in historical romances: handsome, experienced guy pleasuring, seducing and igniting the passion of the average-looking, stubborn and resilient virgin. However, these stereotypes mire LORD OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS' love and romance. In fact the central love is the stereotype here.

It was just okay.......2006-09-07

I thought this book was just...okay. Whenever I encounter a book with a storyline similar to that of The Wolf and the Dove by Kathleen Woodiwiss, it's very difficult not to compare. Lord of a Thousand Nights portrays a hardly believable heroine who is very shrewish and mouthy, especially one whose home has been conquered by the hero of the story. Ian portrays a very good hero but his fault is, as I mentioned earlier, is that he's far too accommodating of Reyna even to the point that he seems more like a suitor than a conqueror and new lord of Reyna's home.

Despite that, I still recommend this book. Read it and decide for yourself.

This book is likely to keep YOU up for a thousand nights........2005-12-01

WOW! When I found this book on amazon I thought 'must buy' and so I bought it. Simply because it looked hot, and because I adored By Arrangement. When I read LoaTN, I discovered that the book was even hotter than I'd dared hope for. Ian was, to be blunt, all man. And I'm talking MAN! He was sexy, proud, sexy, strong, sexy, tender, sexy, filled with a gorgeous and admirable love for Reyna and, yep, sexy. He possessed all qualities a great hero should have, and then some. And he played his part from the second Reyna looked at him.
Reyna was also incredible. I hate it when the heroine is too stupid to take a breath and walk at the same time. Thank God, and Madeline Hunter, that Reyna was not like Barbie, even if she was blond, thin and very much like the first breath of dawn. Reyna was smart and she had guts! I absolutely loved reading about how she teased Ian, and then froze (or melted ;) )when he tried to seduce her. Yet she tried to stick to what she wanted, and while reading the book I almost cheered 'Go Reyna, go Reyna!'But, don't get me wrong. I cheered 'Go Ian' more than a few times. I loved every scene with him in it, but SPOILER when he rescues her from Reginald, I just felt this surge of devotion and sweet love for him.
Ian and Reyna were made for each other. That's something we all knew from the start. I mean: it was never likely that Reginald or perhaps Elizabeth would ever interfere with the action.
I loved reading how they got to really know each other (and not just physically :P )and how they both changed for the other.
There are so much I liked about this book. Reading about Christiana, David, Morvan and Anna again was GREAT, and all the characters were so convincing. And also, Madeline Hunter has done some great historical research. From warfare down to the thinnest shift. I think, or, all right, I know, that what I liked a lot was Ian's personality. I enjoyed that he was a bit arrogant and full of himself. That's what made him pursue Reyna with such vigor. He was so certain of his own sexuality (I mean, just look at the title), that he had no trouble helping Reyna with hers.
Okey,I'll stop talking about Ian now. I just want you, yes YOU, to buy this book. It's only a couple of dollars and that's like nothing when you think of the experience that awaits you when you read it.
I just know that I loved, oh LOVED, this book and I find myself opening it at a random page to read about l'amour when I want to read something good.
You know, this book actually kept me up for one night, which isn't so cool when you're a student, but- Why are you still reading? Buy it!

Medieval passion and politics.......2005-08-31

Accused of a terrible crime, Lady Reyna Graham only wanted to escape to Edinburgh so she could continue her studies. Unfortunately, there was a siege going on outside the walls of her keep. In a bold plan to save her people and secure her own freedom, Reyna disguised herself as a courtesan and set out to seduce and kill the leader of the invading army. Instead, Reyna is almost taken by Ian of Guilford, a notorious mercenary skilled in battle and even more skilled with women. Barely escaping with her virtue, she unwittingly gives Ian the knowledge to take the keep. Now Reyna finds herself a pawn with her very life in the balance.

Was she a grieving widow or a cold-blooded murderer? Ian of Guilford is fascinated and most definitely attracted to the lady of Black Lyne Keep. Spirited yet haunted, the studious Reyna is unlike the ladies of the court that Ian had known before. When Ian is offered Black Lyne Keep and Reyna's hand in marriage, he leaves her little choice but to accept. Now he will stop at nothing to uncover all his bride's secrets.

Madeline Hunter has won droves of accolades and fans with her distinctive stories. While LORD OF A THOUSAND NIGHTS may not be as strong as her other work, it still provides an engrossing trip to a period in history when women were often caught in the middle of the politics of men. Ian and Reyna are made all the more interesting by their very human flaws and the twists and turns of the plot keep the action moving along at a brisk pace. The final verdict? If you've read the rest of Ms. Hunter's work, LORD OF A THOUSAND NIGHTS is definitely worth reading. However, if this is your first Madeline Hunter book, be warned. Given the presence of characters -- some of whom are pivotal to the plot -- from previous books, it would help to read the other stories in this medieval series.

TheSchemer

The Darkest Night (Lords of the Underworld)

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The Darkest Night (Lords of the Underworld)
Gena Showalter
Manufacturer: HQN Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0373772467

Book Description

His powers -- Inhuman
His passion -- Beyond immortal . . .

All her life, Ashlyn Darrow has been tormented by voices from the past. To end the nightmare, she has come to Budapest seeking help from men rumored to have supernatural abilities, not knowing she'll be swept into the arms of Maddox, their most dangerous member -- a man trapped in a hell of his own.

Neither can resist the instant hunger than calms their torments . . . and ignites an irresistible passion. But every heated touch and burning kiss will edge them closer to destruction -- and a soul-shattering test of love . . .

Though they carry an eternal curse, the Lords of the Underworld are irresistibly seductive -- and unimaginably powerful . . . Don't miss this incredible new paranormal series from Gena Showalter!

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Simply Excellent

Lord of the Night

Zso Sahaal's experince

Lord of the Night (Warhammer 40,000)

Dark and mysterious
Lord of the Night (Warhammer 40,000)
Simon Spurrier
Manufacturer: Games Workshop
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Grey Knights (Warhammer 40,000 Novels)

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ASIN: 1844161579

Book Description

Trapped on one of the huge megacities of the Imperial, a rogue Chaos Space Marine must evade his pursuers and navigate unseen while paving the way for invasion.

Customer Reviews:

Simply Excellent.......2007-08-24

I bought this book a month ago, more or less, and when I received it, I found the best backgroung history of 40K books I've ever read.

Just buy it.

Lord of the Night.......2007-03-27

In all truth this was an amazing book in all respects but one. The beginning was a tad slow, but the rest was intensely satisfying. Vivid language, tons of gore, and a dramatic plot line add up to make a wonderful book. I recommend this book to anyone.

Zso Sahaal's experince .......2007-03-01

kill a million men and they will queue to your face. But kill a single man and they will see monsters and devils in every shadow. Kill a dozen men and they shall scream and wail in the night, and they shall feel not hatred, but fear. Lord of the Night is about a traitor space marine by the name of Zso Sahaal the leader of the Night Lord Legion. The story starts of with Zso's mark of his lordship being stolen from him. He goes after the man who had planned this raid and finds out a even bigger plot behind the heist. Zso goes through many experinces and people to reach his treasured prize.....

Lord of the Night (Warhammer 40,000).......2006-07-07

Love the Warhammer 40,000 book series, it reflects how are world seems to going thru the similar problems in our day and age. The characters are well thought out and the storys keep you wanting to read more.

Dark and mysterious.......2005-12-01

Spurrier has talent. This is a really nicely written book about the (even) darker side of WH40K (as though it wasn't dark enough already). It's great to see the workings of an evil mind ... There's some great character development here, and I found it engrossing. It's not the best of the bunch (I think Abnett and Goto are better), but Spurrier is getting there. I'm looking forward to whatever he does next.

Lord of the Night (Love Spell Historical Romance)

Average customer rating:

4 1/2 Stars
This was a magnificent book
Nothing to be desired
Very enjoyable read
Lord Of The Night does not disappoint

Lord of the Night (Love Spell Historical Romance)
Connie Mason
Manufacturer: Love Spell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0505522543

Customer Reviews:

4 1/2 Stars.......2007-08-15

This was a good midevil book.

Jaime, AKA Lord of Darkness, was a smuggler. LOL

Aleta, his betrothed since age 5, was about to marry someone else since she hadn't heard from Jaime for YEARS.

Jaime's father was wrongly accused of treason. Is hung, then cut-up (yuk). All his father's possessions are given to those who accused him.

Jaime is on a crusade to avenge and right the wrong. He lives in his mother's--falling apart--castle because it wasn't considered part of "the estate" when all possessions were given away.

If you like Connie Mason books, you will surely like this one. I did.

This was a magnificent book.......2007-07-16

Great characterization, good plot, sensational love scenes.This book kept
me turning the pages for more. I enjoy reading every page. This was my first Connie Mason book and this will not be my last. Keep them coming Connie!

Nothing to be desired.......2006-10-23

It was a tale of disappoint. Jamie is very dull and underdeveloped. In the beginning he seeks revenege and believes nothing until reasured by his father figure. He comes off as very stupid and never learns from his countless mistakes. His enemies seems far smarter than he and his methods to victory are not in sync with his character. The book is dragged out and the scenes reoccur countless times. The ending was the best part. The book was over. The book is shallow and so are the heroine and hero.

Very enjoyable read.......2006-02-13

Very Enjoyable!
I like most of Connie Mason's books I have read - including this one. I would recommend it.

I thought it had action, romance and all around ok read, if you are a Connie Mason fan you will know what to expect in her books....

Lord Of The Night does not disappoint.......2002-01-21

This is the fourth book by Connie Mason that i've read and it was sooooo intense. I have enjoyed every book by her and her love scenes are so vivid, it leaves you breathless. I would recommend this book.

Average customer rating:

The Princess and the Lord of the Night

The Princess and the Lord of Night
Emma Bull
Manufacturer: Harcourt
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: School & Library Binding

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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Territory

ASIN: 0152635432

Customer Reviews:

The Princess and the Lord of the Night.......2000-06-04

This is a wonderful new fairy tale, great for all ages especially anyone who loves fairy tales, but wants them to have a modern flair. This story really makes us all wonder what is it that we truly desire? What would it take for us to get it? Is it as far away a goal as it may first seem, or is it really quite simple? This is a great book for all ages.

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