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.

Princes of Darkness: The Saudi Assault on the West

Average customer rating:

Author Isn't an Expert in the Field
A Possible Scenario from the Author's 2002 Premise
A courageous book
A convincing rant
A Factual, if passionately biased, analysis of Saudi Arabia

Princes of Darkness: The Saudi Assault on the West
Laurent Murawiec
Manufacturer: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0742542785

Book Description

Princes of Darkness is a highly critical expose of Saudi Arabia and attacks the elite inside that country as enemies of the western world. By extension this is also a criticism of the U.S. foreign policy that has supported the royal family. It should be noted that the genesis of this book comes from the author's intensely controversial and subsequently leaked Defense Department briefing in July 2002, while serving as a senior international policy analyst at RAND.

Customer Reviews:

Author Isn't an Expert in the Field.......2007-10-01

As Patrick Claswon observed, Murawiec gave a 2002 briefing to the Defense Science Board that carried the provocative title "Taking Saudi out of Arabia," in which he advocated extremely tough pressure on the Saudi government concerning the involvement of Saudis in terrorism. When it leaked to the press, the uproar was so loud that President George W. Bush personally called Saudi crown prince Abdullah to emphasize that he rejected the content of the briefing--a remarkable reaction to a think-tank study. Secretary of State Colin Powell and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld also weighed in with denunciations. Murawiec was promptly fired by Rand.

With credentials like that, one would hope for much from Murawiec, and he does make some telling points. He nicely captures the Saudi ambition to dominate world Islam, including the depth of the rivalry between the Saudi Wahhabi clerics and Egypt's venerable Al-Azhar University.

But, alas, he is no expert on Saudi Arabia. For example, while many complaints can be made about the Saudi government's encouragement of radical Islam, it is hardly the case that Saudi charitable organizations are under the same degree of government control that the Soviet Union exercised over its pet peace movements, as the author contends. There are many extremely rich Saudis who feel a religious obligation to fund Islamic causes and, while they certainly listen to government guidance, they are acting independently and out of conviction--which was hardly the way that Soviet peace groups worked.

Another problem: Murawiec gets carried away in places, undermining the credibility of his account. It is quite a stretch to say that Saudi Arabia "has modernized nothing." Besides the vast improvement in material living standards, the kingdom has extended education to women and has built a media empire, ignoring objections by obscurantists. And Princes of Darkness suffers from peculiar organization. After 145 pages about contemporary Saudi support for terror groups, we are suddenly transported back 200 years for a history lesson lasting eighty pages. Both the earlier part on support for terror and the later part on history also contain within them abrupt jumps from one topic to another.

After the publicity coup from his Rand firing, Murawiec would have been the logical person to write a definitive book about Saudi connections to terrorism. Sadly, this is not that book.

A Possible Scenario from the Author's 2002 Premise.......2007-05-04

Mr. Murawiec's defense-department briefing on Saudi Arabia in 2002 helped inform the premise of a newly released novel set in this influentional, Middle Eastern Kingdom: "Saudi Match Point". The book examines in one of its plotlines what might happen if the U.S. were to seize Saudi oil fields.

The novel is available at www.blacksmithbooks.com for ten dollars, which includes the cost of international shipping. It's a quick and enjoyable read.

A courageous book.......2006-05-27

"If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it must be a duck" - In a world too much dominated by the force of the petro-dollars, Laurent Murawiec brings us a very courageous and straight-forward reminder about the difference between democracy and totalitarism. Ethics in World politics may be seen as naive, but the history (Munich agreements) also shows us differently.
This book is a warning to all Democracy's lovers. A must to all students of Politics and International Relations. It is also the reflection of our dirty collaboration with a powerful enemy, hopefully soon neutralised by the scientific advance in the field of alternative energies.

A convincing rant.......2006-04-05

The author lays out a great deal of densely-detailed information about the intertwining of extreme fundamentalist Islam, Saudi royal culture and arrogance, oil, politics, and influence-buying. He makes an effective, infuriating case for the incestuous relationship the House of Saud has with leaders -- male leaders -- of US government and corporations. Murawiec convincingly points out how badly that is going to bite us in our vulnerable national rump very soon, and that leading politicians from both parties have no investment in doing anything about the looming mess. (They have invested elsewhere, using money generously donated by the Sauds.)

It is not 'balanced' or 'even-handed,' but frankly, I haven't seen a single book about Saudi-US relations, or Saudi royal leadership, which has anything positive to say. There may just be a very good reason for that. (After I read this I happened to pick up Jean Sasson's "Princess" about the appallingly restrictive lifestyle of even royal Saudi women -- hard to imagine two more different books with the same essential message and impact: at times both had me so angry I was nauseous.

The style is choppy and occasionally hard to follow, probably due to the translation from French. I also got the feeling he had to work to make the book a little broader than his usual think-tank analysis, and as a result he has an odd mix of solid sources and rather lighter-weight sources. Bottom line, definitely worth reading.

A Factual, if passionately biased, analysis of Saudi Arabia.......2006-02-20

Mr. Murawiec's book is a detailed account of Saudi practices and policies. He names names; provides dates; and gives a blow by blow analysis of why the House of Saud, the ruling oligarchy of Saudi Arabia is an avowed enemy of the West and of the United States of America.
One can sense the frustration that Mr.Murawiec feels at the duplicity and outright evil machinations of the Saudis. This often comes out in a rather sneering tone in this book, which undermines the passionately real data that he gives over. It is one thing to castigate the al-Saud regime for financing and manipulating the terrorism of radical Islam all over the world, it is another thing to add the figurative "And I spit on you," that Mr. Murawiec often implies.
Nonetheless, this book is a complete and detailed list of the House of Saud's damning sins and manipulations. I would suggest that these other equally resourceful books should accompany any reader's analysis of Saudi Arabian history; goals; and political policies:
Hatred's Kingdom : How Saudi Arabia Supports the New Global Terrorism - by Dore Gold
The Age of Sacred Terror : Radical Islam's War Against America - by Daniel Benjamin and Steven Simon
And (really - it's a decent, factual book that pulls no punches yet does not villify Saudi Arabia),
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Saudi Arabia by Colin Wells

Sihanouk: Prince of Light, Prince of Darkness

Average customer rating:

Neither Light nor Darkness!
Neither Light nor Darkness!
illuminative; Sihanouk as self-enamored patriarch and more..

Sihanouk: Prince of Light, Prince of Darkness
Milton, PhD Osborne
Manufacturer: University of Hawaii Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Cambodia | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

Southeast Asia | Asia | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0824816390

Customer Reviews:

Neither Light nor Darkness!.......2000-02-26

Having read most, if not all, of Milton Osborne's previous books on Cambodia and S.E. Asia, I found this book a big disappointment. The author seems to have re-written chapters from a previous book and added a few new ones but did not undertake new research for this book about Prince (now King) Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia. I served as Private Secretary to King Sihanouk from 1981-1991 and I believe that the Cambodian monarch is a much misunderstood monarch. Certainly not a perfect human being but neither a "prince of darkness". It is a great pity that Osborne does not pay much attention to Sihanouk's leading role in bringing a certain peace to Cambodia and the special role he has played in protecting and nurturing the newly acquired democratic rights of all Cambodians.

Neither Light nor Darkness!.......2000-02-26

illuminative; Sihanouk as self-enamored patriarch and more.........1997-08-30

the author's description of the subject's adept manuevering between larger powers in a time of considerable instability is enlightening; Sihanouk is portrayed not only as monarchist, but politically keen and not above his own level of terroristic manipulation of events (as depicted in the Sumlaut rebellion)

Rulers of the Darkness (The World at War, Book 4)

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Episode 4 of a fantasy World War II
Who rules the darkness now?
Magic, Destruction, War!
Hell Like a Roiling Stream
The Saga Continues....

Rulers of the Darkness (The World at War, Book 4)
Harry Turtledove
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0765300362

Book Description

Beginning with Into the Darkness, Darkness Descending, and Through the Darkness, bestselling author Harry Turtledove ("The master of alternative history"Publishers Weekly) has been telling an epic tale: the story of a world war, comparable to the terrible world wars of our own 20th century, in a world where magic works.Imagine the drama and terror of the Second World War-only the bullets are beams of magical fire, the tanks are great lumbering beasts, and fighters and bombers are dragons raining fire upon their targets. Welcome to the world of the Derlavaian War, a world that is slowly but surely being conquered, mile by bloody mile, by the forces of the Algarvian empire . . . forces whose most terrible battle magics are powered by the slaughter of innocent people, the Kaunians, whom Algarve-like much of the world-holds in disdain. In this, the fourth volume of the series which began with Into the Darkness, the war for the continent of Derlavai builds toward its crescendo as the mages of Kuusamo, aided by their former rivals from Lagoas, work desperately to create a newer form of magic that will change the course of the war. But this is really a story of ordinary people-on all sides of the conflict-forced by fate to rise to their heroic limits . . . or sink to the level of their darker natures.

Customer Reviews:

Episode 4 of a fantasy World War II.......2007-03-06

The fourth volume of Turtledove's six-part parallel history of the second world war in a world where technology uses magic instead of engineering.

Most of the books of the series covers about a year of the war's history: in terms of equivalent time this one is the shortest, corresponding roughly to late Spring, Summer and Autumn 1943. It starts immediately after the Algarvian surrender at Sulingen (e.g. the German sixth army's surrender at Stalingrad) and the main thrust of the book describes the attack on the Durrwangen (Kursk) salient.

This series of novels all have "Darkness" in the title but they are sometimes referred to as the "Derlavi" series, that being the name given in the stories to the huge continent which is historically equivalent to Eurasia. I have also seen it described as the "World at War" series.

The full series is:

Into the Darkness
Darkness Descending
Through the Darkness
Rulers of the Darkness
Jaws of Darkness
Out of the Darkness

Most alternative history books are "what if" stories which begin with a situation exactly as in our real history, change one detail, and depict how things might have gone on from there. Turtledove's "Darkness" series, and a similar series he wrote about the American Civil war, beginning with "Sentry Peak" are quite different.

These novels describe how real events in our own world might have seemed to the people taking part in them. However, by mixing up details like North and South, skin colour, hair colour, etc, the author makes it easier for the reader to put aside the strong opinions which everyone holds about events like World War II. This helps you to identify with all the characters sufficiently, not to approve of what they did, but enough to begin to understand why they might have acted that way. As one person says in the following book, nobody is a villain in his own story.

Sometimes the parallels between the fantasy world of these book are impishly amusing, for instance that the role taken in our world by Finland is played by an hot equatorial country whose inhabitants are more like Zulus than Finns. The North African desert becomes the "Land of the Ice People". Sometimes the irony is a lot more biting - for instance the "Kaunians" corresponding to the Jews are tall, fair skinned, and blonde.

Both the strategic outline of the war and many local details of the books have been inspired by actual events. There are no major surprises in the main historical sequence of the story, although in a few places it has been simplified, and one or two of the countries and events in the story do not have a single precise analogue.

"Sibiu", for instance, is an island nation in roughly the equivalent geographic location to Britain. However, in terms of the events of the war the country in these stories whose history corresponds most closely to Britain is not Sibiu but "Lagoas". For the first three books, the history of Sibiu, which was conquered by the Algarvians early in the war, matched most closely what happened in the real world to Holland and Norway. Comments in this book about wars between Lagoas and Sibiu two or three hundred years earlier match the Anglo Dutch wars of the 17th and 18th centuries so precisely as to suggest that Sibiu is Holland.

However, from this book onward Sibiu has no precise real world analogue, though the events which happen to characters from Sibiu bear some similarity to real events in many parts of occupied europe as the Nazis were driven back.

The main exitement in the books come from the uncertainty about what will happen to the large cast of "viewpoint characters," the vast majority of whom are fictional, but who seem real enough to make you care about what happens to them and thereby make the books compulsive reading.

Turtledove is firm enough to allow the occasional sympathetic character to get killed so that the reader cannot take anything for granted. For example, one of the principal heroes of the series up to now who had survived great dangers is killed in tragically ironic circumstances in this book.

These novels may also inspire the reader to pick up a work of real history and find out which of these stories are based on fact. If you read Anthony Beevor's "Stalingrad" and "Berlin" or Simon Jenkins' "Armageddon" after reading the "Darkness" series you will find that many of them are, to such an extent that Turtledove is really writing a novelised parallel history rather than out-and-out fiction.

Highly Recommended.

Who rules the darkness now?.......2004-10-22

Harry Turtledove's fantasy adaptation of World War II reaches a pinnacle with Rulers of the Darkness. As two massive forces collide, fallout from the chaos affects everyone involved.

Algarve (Germany) fails at its third attempt against Unkerlant (Russia), and stubbornly refuses to give up what it gained. But its influence is slowly slipping, as they are pushed from the Duchy of Grelz, an allegorical Ukraine. And with the aid of a new secret weapon, the Lagoan/ Kuusamon (British/ American) alliance throws Algarve from the island nation of Sibiu (Denmark.) Meanwhile in Forthweg (Poland), more trouble is brewing for Algarve.

Ealstan discovers a secret about his new boss, Istvan is struggling to keep his own. Sidroc discovers he likes soldering, as long as he's winning and there's plenty to rape and pillage. Talsu is released from prison to play a dangerous cloak and dagger game.

The characters make the story more interesting than the action. I feel strongly for Vanai and Ealstan, I respect Hajjaj, great pity for Cornelu, and watch with interest in what Pekka and Fearno are up to. I want to watch Krasta to see what stupid thing she'll do next. I am a little bored with Garivald and Skranu though.

Was it my imagination, or is Turtledove letting up on his reduntant character descriptions? If so, that's good!

The story is still going strong. Looking forward to reading Jaws of Darkness.

Magic, Destruction, War!.......2003-10-03

Rulers of the Darkness is the book for you if you like fantasy and/or action books. The setting takes place in Derlavi and its bordering islands. This book contains many character's points of view so it is your opinion whether certain people are evil or certain people are good. There are way too many characters in this book, so I can't really tell you them all. Instead, I will tell you two of my four favorites. Pekka is a Kuusamin mage helping on a project to make a very powerful magic to turn the tides of the war. Fernau is working with Pekka and he likes her a lot but Pekka is married.

I think this is an awesome book. Harry Turtledove is my favorite writer and I have only read one of his books! I recommend this book to good readers and people who like fantasy and/or action books.

Hell Like a Roiling Stream.......2003-06-13

Rulers of Darkness (2002) is the fourth novel in the World At War fantasy series, following Through the Darkness. In the previous volume, the Unkerlant trap the Argarvians within Suligen and cut off an escaping column. Major Spinello is flown out of Suligen with a chest wound. Outside Suligen, Leudast saves a man in the penal battalion and shares food with him. Within Suligen, a behemoth drops an egg on Transone.

In Kuusamo, Pekka, Ilmarinen, Siuntio, and Fernao blow a great hole in the ground with the new sorcery and produce a clump of green grass amidst the snow. In far western Unkerlant, Istvan and his men scavenge felt boots off Unkerlanter corpses. In Zuwayza, Hajjaj learns about the new magic development from the Algarvian ambassador. In Forthweg, Vanai goes to the public bathhouse and finds Algarvians enjoying the public nudity. In Lagoas, Cornelu gets a new uniform coat, but finds Balio's cafe burnt to the ground.

In this novel, Leudast's unit leaves retaken Suligen and heads north to the next hot spot. There, near Durrwangen, Sidroc and the Plegmund's Brigade are trying to hold back the Unkerlanter assault and are rescued by counterattacking Algarvians. In Trapani, Major Spinello is released from the hospital and assigned a regiment in Eoforwic. In Unkerlant, Marshall Rathar, despite his words of caution, is ordered to attack and keep attacking.

In Valmiera, Skarnu has escaped to Ventspils but the red heads are close on his trail. In Kuusamo, Pekka and Fernao speculate that they are producing energy by twisting time with the new sorcery. In Jelgava, Talsu is interrogated by local constables who want names, but don't care whose they are. In Forthweg, many walls are beginning to bear the word "Suligen". Elsewhere in Forthweg, Bembo and his partner arrest Vanai's grandfather. In Grelz, Sadoc tries to hide footprints in the snow and makes them luminescent instead. In Valmiera, Krasta is beginning to think about the Algarvians loosing the war and not liking her thoughts.

This series is an allegory of the World Wars. However, many of the details are deliberately scrambled. For example, the names for these nation states seem to have been taken from cities in various parts of the world: Kaunas, Valmiera and Jelgava are Latvian cities, Siaulia is Lithuanian, Algarve is Portuguese, Bari is Italian, Yanina is Greek, Gyongyos is Hungarian, Kuusamo is Finnish, Sibiu is Romanian, and Zuwayza is Jordanian. Lagoas means lakes in Portuguese and there are several towns and cities in Brazil and elsewhere that include Lagoas in their name.

The geography in this series includes only a small number of nation states as compared to the real world. Everybody agrees that these states represent one or more of the real world countries as constituted after WWI: Algarve represents Germany, Unkerlant is the core states of the Soviet Union, Gyongyos is Japan, Zuwayza is Finland, Forthweg is Poland, Lagoas is England, Yanina is Italy, Kuusamo is the USA, Ortah is Switzerland, and the Land of the Ice People is North Africa. Less certainly, the Duchy of Bari is Austria (and probably the Sudeten and Czechoslovakia), the Duchy of Grelz is the Ukraine (including Galicia), and Obuda Island is the Philippines. Jelgava and Valmiera would seem to be France and Greece, but not necessarily in that order. Others have asserted that Sibiu is Norway, although the Low Lands -- Belgium and Holland -- seem to be a better fit. Siaulia is a complete mystery to me.

Regardless of the correctness of these associations, several important countries are missing. These seems to be no equivalent of Spain and its Civil War, which was a significant training and testing ground for the Nazis. Moreover, the Balkans and the successor states to the Ottoman Empire are never mentioned and China and other Asian mainland countries are conspicuous by their absence. Once again, the background has been simplified to remove distractions.

Recommended for Turtledove fans and anyone else who enjoys speculative fiction with a strong historical and moral component.

-Arthur W. Jordin

The Saga Continues...........2003-05-17

This is book four of Harry Turtledove's series of having World War Two fought in a fantasy setting. Guns, bombs, planes and tanks are replaced by sticks, eggs, dragons and beheamoths, while events roughly parallel those in our own world. This book begins with the "German" defeat at "Stalingrad" and continues through the events of 1942 into 1943.

Usually by the fourth book in a series, especially one as long and complex as this one, the author begins to loose some of his momentum that made the first few books so good (i.e. - Robert Jordan), however, Turtledove does a very good job of keeping his narrative thread and throwing in enough twists to keep things exciting. While readers with any knowledge of World War Two will certainly know the outcome of some battles long before Turtledove writes them (and maybe become bored in the process)it is intesting to see who survives and who doesn't. This book also sees the introduction of iceberg aircraft carriers and finally some results with the "Manhattan Project."

The same problems remain from the first few books. Some characters lack depth and always seem to be doing the same thing every time we read about them (i.e. - Krasta going shopping). The author's sex scenes are overwhelmed with dirty cliches and should have been skipped. The author also does not explain certain things that would have been an integral part of the war - yes, there are guns, but what about machine guns? or what about the strategic bombing campaigns launched by the "allies", are they using different types of dragons for that? In my mind, these kinds of inconsistances would have only served to make the book better. The devil is in the details, as they say.

Since this is the fourth book in the series, do not read this one before you read the first three - you will be lost. But if you read the first three and enjoyed them, you will not be disappointed by this book.

Average customer rating:

An amazing piece of historical fiction!

a superlative novel about attila the hun
The Darkness and the Dawn
Thomas B. Costain
Manufacturer: Doubleday Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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The Black Rose

The Silver Chalice (Loyola Classic)

The Conquering Family

ASIN: 0385054548

Customer Reviews:

An amazing piece of historical fiction!.......2006-06-13

Costain has a real talent for putting a little bit of everything into his books... The Darkness and the Dawn is a prime example of this. It has daring escapes, battles, romance, horse races, and a court scene. This book also has a tyrant, an emperor, a princess, and a royal family. It's a book that should be counted among the classics...even though the author is far above them.
I encourage you to give this, and other Costain books a try. I think you'll be very surprised.

a superlative novel about attila the hun.......2000-06-15

the magic of this book does not depend on the plot but on the crisp dialogue , the tense succession of episodes , the kaleidoscopic change of scenes ! costain at his best - setting his scene with high competence and keeps his plot at the bubbling point to the end...

Average customer rating:

Utter Garbage
A Superb Vampire Story
Story Telling at it's BEST
Masterly Written
Zane is my hero!

Rulers of Darkness
Steven Spruill
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Customer Reviews:

Utter Garbage.......2005-01-14

An almost painful read book, chock to the brim with dimensionless characters, flimsy plotlines, cliches and writing that is just plain bad. The villain is the only character with any complexity. The protagonist is such a sickly sweet hero that he is almost instantly hatable. I found myself rooting for the bad guy. Other cliched characters abound, the smart beautiful love interest who gets menaced by the antagonist, the kindly and self-sacrificing side-kick, not to mention the virtual plethora of pitiful children who are, I suppose, expected to tug at our heartstrings but manage only annoy. The premise is shabby. The ending is both gruesomely satisfactory and irritatingly sentimental at the same time. If you're a fan of shallow formulaic tripe, buy this book.

A Superb Vampire Story.......2001-11-04

Just when you thought vampires were cliche' and couldn't be given a new spin, Spruill proves you wrong. "Ruler of Darkness" is really unique. It grounds vampirism in reality and explains many attributes of vampires through the use of science. I found this book and it's sequel, "Daughter of Darkness," to be one of the best vampire treatments ever written.

Story Telling at it's BEST.......2001-07-15

This book was one of the best told books that I have ever read. The medical-murder-mystery-love story is most complelling. The way Spruill told the story and descibed all the events and characters was amazing. It felt as if I was sitting right there with the charachters watching everything happen. Merrick, Katie, and Zane were described so well it was as if I personally knew them. Being a PREVIOUS non - reading type of person Spruill change my outlook completely on reading and now I would rather read than watch a movie. This is without a doubt an author that should be recognized for all his work becase it is absoulutly amazing. I am looking forward to reading Daughters of Darkness (the follow up) and I have read Painkiller which was also a GREAT book! And I plan on reading all or most of Spruill's other books! ~Sheila

Masterly Written.......2001-07-13

I picked this book up at the library barley reading the discription and just picking it up for something to read. When I got home and started to read I couldn't put it down. It's compelling in it's mysterious mixture of a scientifical, medical, murder mystery love story. The way Spruill describes all the characters and situations, you can paint the most vivid discription in your mind that's better than watching a movie. If your not a book person (as I was not) this book will quickly change your views and you won't put it down untill the end! You will IMEDIATELY fall in love with this author and want to read more of his works.

Zane is my hero!.......2000-08-10

I was never a big fan of vampire stories, but this is more than a vampire story. This was one of two books (the other being Daughter of Darkness) that actually made me feel, it made me actually feel what the characters are going through. A beautiful story that portrays the relationship between Father and Son, Father and Daughter, and the love between two people from different worlds and their loyalty toward one another. It's a wonderful book.

Average customer rating:

A Wonderful New Take on an Ancient Tale
4 1/2 stars
Could not put the book down!
Good start (4), poor finish (2)
WOW!

Sword of Darkness
Kinley MacGregor
Manufacturer: Thorndike Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0786288876

Download Description

The new king of Camelot wears no shining armor: Arthur and his knights have fallen and a new king rules.

In the darkest forest...

A scared, forsaken youth has become the most powerful -- and feared -- man in the world. Ruthless and unrestrained, Kerrigan has long ceased to be human.

In the heart of London...

A spirited peasant mired in drudgery, Seren dreams of becoming her own woman, but never expects that by fleeing her fate, she will meet her destiny.

Their worlds are forever changed...

Kerrigan's goal is simple: barter or kill Seren to claim Arthur's Round Table. Yet she is the one person who holds no fear of him. More than that, her nobility sparks something foreign inside him. In his nether realm, kindness is weakness and a king who harbors any sort of compassion loses his throne.

For countless centuries, Kerrigan has lived alone in the shadows. Now Seren's courage has forced him into the light that will bring either salvation to both of them...or death.

Customer Reviews:

A Wonderful New Take on an Ancient Tale.......2007-10-06

A huge fan of Camelot, Merlin, Arther, Knights and anything to do with Scotland, I ordered this book as a treat to myself. I was not disappointed! Kinley Macgregor is a superb author with witty, well-rounded characters and well-paced plot. I look very forward to reading the next book in the series.

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

This was Kerrigan and Seren's story.

Kerrigan was black hearted and...the bad guy.

This was a nice read. It's been recapped enough, so don't need to reinvent the wheel in this review.

Could not put the book down!.......2007-08-13

This was my first read by Ms. Macgregor .. and I loved it. I could not put it down. I loved the anti-heroine "little mouse", who believes in good and who believes there is good within everyone if you treat them with kindness and gentleness. Kerrigan was a great tortured hero, in whom our heroine saw a different person than he viewed himself.

I'm off to find Book #2 in the series now.

Good start (4), poor finish (2).......2007-08-12

I really enjoyed the beginning of this book. The leading man was dark and dangerous and the lady smart and strong. I found the time travel to modern day and the references to modern technology and the use of modern slang to be extremely annoying and completely unnecessary. The story is set in a fantasy world, why travel to the 21st century? Then there's the ending. The story completely wimped out. Poof, invoke a magical solution and they lived happily every after. It killed the whole book for me.

WOW!.......2007-08-10

She is refreshingly real - not an awesome beauty (that every man wants to sleep with) but a plain "under nourished" peasant who will be the mother of the next Merlin. He is dark, brooding and cold and hasn't ever felt love until she comes along. His love for her changes their lives. Beautiful story. Fantastic creatures. A love affair that started right away and not 3/4 through the book. I absolutely love this book!

Darkness and Devils: Exorcism and King Lear

Average customer rating:

Darkness and Devils: Exorcism and King Lear
John L. Murphy
Manufacturer: Ohio University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Average customer rating:

Rulers of the Darkness
Dan Betzer
Manufacturer: Revivaltime Media
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Pamphlet
ASIN: B000K3SXQA

Average customer rating:

Rulers of the Darkness
Michael Ohan
Manufacturer: Trafford Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1553957989
Release Date: 2006-07-06

Book Description

Rulers of the Darkness is a story about a despotic and iron-fisted king who will go to any length to crush the only man who dares to challenge his misrule, including manipulating him into prison. However, a turn-around of events earns the prisoner a state pardon and consequently, his kingdom errupts into a state of anarchy with a heart-tearing climax.

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