Land of the Firebird: The Beauty of Old Russia

Customer Reviews:

epic and intimate.......2007-06-17

A comprehensive pursuit of pre-Revolutionary Russian history, well crafted and beautifully written. In my view, this is one of two distinctly outstanding single-volume histories of early Russia available. The other is Orlando Figes' "Natasha's Dance". The first six chapters proceed up to the first Romanovs, granting Ivan the Terrible a captivating revealing that is clearly informed by good scholarship. Chapter 10, "Catherine: A Mind Infinitely More Masculine", delivers a riveting, provocative look at Catherine and her Russia, with probably the finest chapter in the book. The VERY best thing about Land of the Firebird is the profusion of illustrations, all meticulously chosen. Photographs are plentiful (including an amazing snow-covered Church of the Transfiguration of the Saviour), but three ample sections of color plates pour out a stunning array of Russian paintings, which, if not unrivaled by other comparable single-volume efforts, is remarkable for an exquisite discretion. Land of the Firebird is a knowing work with respect to Russian art history. Here are Ryabushkins' "Russian Women of the Seventeenth Century in Church", Repin's "Ivan the Terrible at the Death of His Son", Serov ("Peter II and Princess Elizabeth Riding to Hounds"), Levitsky, Argunov, Kiprensky, Shibanov's "Celebration of a Marriage Agreement" (beautifully reproduced), Briullov, Venestianov, Chernetsov, and Sadovnikov (the darkly beautiful "View of the Winter Palace at Night"). Indeed, there are multiple paintings by Repin, F. de Haenen (five paintings c.1912, including the exuberant "Ice Slide"), Serov, Larionov, Malevich and Kustodiev (1916), including his bewitching "Moscow Tavern". The final plate is Serov's heartbreaking "Nicholas II". I mention these artists' names (and more are included) for those familiar with art history, to say to them this is a very worthwhile book. But the magic of pre-Revolutionary Russian art is unreservedly here for us all in a masterfully drawn Russian history primer. Useful bibliography in appendix. Absolutely recommended.

The Right Stuff.......2007-02-24

This is a very detailed book on Russian History by Suzanne Massie and I greatly admire it. It is certainly a must have for those who are interested in Kievan Rus, the Mongol Invasion, Ivan the Terrible, or any of the Russian composers like Glinka and Stravinsky and the Mighty Handful. Just don't expect any Soviet history. This is all about the times before the Revolution.

A+

All time favorite.......2004-09-05

I've had this book for years and it's one of my all time favorites- a must read, insightful. Beautiful- exquisite illustrations.

Well worth the price.......2001-07-19

I first read this magnificent tome on Russian history and culture in 1997. As it was part of a history class in college, the first read was a bit of a drag...page after page of description concerning the minutia of Russian life: clothes, churches, meals, religious & superstitious rituals, architecture, commerce, political strife, and so on. Really, with the whirl of the Social Circus of that college year, trudging through all this obscure information brought me no end of grief and silent lamentation! To think of all that time I could have been out with friends looking to score whatever cheap release was on hand or burning inside...spent instead sludging through *detailed history*!

Cut to four years later...

I'm going to Russia. In two weeks. Like so many other unplanned affairs that seem to formulate out of nowhere and take one by the lapels, shoving one screaming into the storm of life, this reviewer took it in stride and decided to find some quick-but-informative text on the destination in mind--especially one with such contradictory reports as Mother Russia. Thus, I dug this out of my library and began anew, stifling a faint unpleasant feeling no doubt inspired by those long sleepless college nights. There had to be some merit here, yes?

Oh yes.

'Land of the Firebird' is a WONDERFUL and ENGAGING in-depth look of Russian history from 987-1917, spanning the ascension of Vlad and the Orthodox Church to right before the Revolution. With colorful prose Suzanne Massie details the variety of Russian existence--tsars and serfs and merchant-princes and babushkas--no stone is left uncovered as she cross-references nearly a thousands years, writing with equal consideration of art, poetry, country-life, court-life, politics and its myriad games, myths and legends, influence "outside the sphere." It would be impossible to truly set down the full range of Russia experience for this time in the 450 pages allotted the reader, but the author does an admirable job in covering the major shakers and movers and events while sparing a considerable amount of print for the minor peoples and patterns that set the foundation of this ancient, troubled country. It certainly put an interesting light on what I saw come the spring of '01.

Indispensable for the casual student of Russia.

Priceless.......2000-06-21

I bought this book in the early 80's and absolutely loved it. I recommended it to friends who were going to spend a year in Russia. They took it with them and shared it with their Russian friends, who copied whole chapters by hand -- all the while bemoaning the loss of so much of their rich, pre-revolutionary culture.

Average customer rating:

NOT her best
Not one of DWJ's best
Fascinating Fantasy for young readers
Great story.
Too short

The Game (Firebird)
Diana Wynne Jones
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0142407186
Release Date: 2007-03-01

Book Description

Hayley's parents disappeared when she was a baby. Since then, she has been raised and homeschooled by her grandparents. Grandad is overworked and travels a lot; Grandma is much too strict and never lets her meet any children her own age. When Hayley does something wrong—she is not quite sure what—they pack her off to her aunts in Ireland. To Hayley's shock, her family is much bigger than she thought; to her delight, the children all play what they call “the game,” where they visit a place called “the mythosphere.” And while she plays the game, Hayley learns more about her own place in the world than she had ever expected. This original novella by Diana Wynne Jones is sharply funny, fast-paced, and surprising until its very end—like all of this acclaimed author's work.

Customer Reviews:

NOT her best.......2007-08-13

Diana Wynne Jones is one of my favorite authors (Howl's Moving Castle is my personal favorite) but this book seemed like an idea for a story. The characters, while well researched, were not developed at all. I couldn't connect with any of them, not even the main character. Jones came up with some interesting ideas like the mythosphere, but that's all they were- ideas. After I finished the last page, I felt like I had missed a chapter somewhere. Over all, I was rather disappointed.

Not one of DWJ's best.......2007-07-20

I am a fan of Diana Wynne Jones, so when I saw that she'd written a new novel, I was excited. Unfortunately, this book fell far short of my expectations.

I think one of the main problems was that I couldn't identify with the character. We're not told very much about Hayley (presumably because Jones was trying to keep the true identities of the characters a secret until later in the book). I couldn't figure out how old she was, or anything about her that really mattered. I assumed, though, that she was about 10. The problem with that assumption, however, was that she then went and followed strange adult men into bushes, without really questioning the situation or her own safety. A similar theme appeared in "Fire and Hemlock", but that was written decades ago when child predators weren't as much in the news as they are today (and the main character in that novel eventually grew up, rendering her friendship with a man twice her age somewhat more acceptable).

I do appreciate Jones's creation of the "mythosphere", and I thought it was an interesting idea. However, I would have liked to see more of it. So many books for children today seem to suffer from a lack of editing. If anything, this book seemed to suffer from over-editing! It seemed as if large chunks were missing. Certain things were badly or barely explained. How could a wedding photograph of Hayley's parents even exist if they were as old as they were supposed to be? Why did Hayley have no memories of the world changing around her? Surely she would have noticed that computers, cars, and airplanes were relatively new inventions. How did she pin Jupiter to the sky when the planet was already there?

There also didn't seem to be much peril. Aside from the rather gory scene with the Maenads, the characters didn't seem to be in much mortal danger. And how could they be? Half of them were immortal!

Jones has been through this territory before in "Eight Days of Luke" (though with Norse mythology, while "The Game" is Greek mythology). However, there seems to be an awful lot of metaphor and symbolism here for kids to absorb. And while I enjoyed the unique "mythosphere" aspect, I really wanted to see all parts of the story more fleshed out.

Fascinating Fantasy for young readers.......2007-06-05

It is hard to imagine a more creative or prolific author of young adult books. Diane Wynne Jones is the author of the Dalemark Quartet, The Chrestomanci Books, and about 40 others. This novella--longer than a short story, shorter than a novel--is part of Penguin's Firebird series.

Orphaned Hayley is thrust from the only home she knew, living with her grandparents on the outskirts of London. She is thrown into a maelstrom of activity with aunts and cousins she never knew she had in a large castle in Ireland. Her life in London was very lonely, with her only companions various maids and servants. Her strict grandmother thrust her out when she became angry with Hayley's "imagination," calling cousin Mercer to come and take her away.

Hayley discovers her many cousins also have vivid imaginations, and play a game where they travel the strands of the mythosphere on various quests. Hayley had first seen the mythosphere in her kindly but distracted grandfather's study. She accidentally runs into her father on one of her quests, in addition to Flute and Fiddle, two street musician acquaintances from her lonely London days. The villain of the story is angry Uncle Jolyon, wealthy and powerful, and responsible for making Hayley an orphan, due to a prophecy.

Will Uncle Jolyon track down the errant Hayley? Will Troy and Harmony, two cousins who try to save her, succeed? And who on earth are Flute and Fiddle?

Armchair Interviews says: This fascinating fantasy will engage young readers immediately with its vivid images and appealing heroine.

Great story........2007-05-15

I have come to expect excellence from Jones, and this work is no exception. It is tightly written, exciting, and fun. I think it might help a little if one had, as I did, a classical education, since the story assumes certain characters from ancient mythology, but it probably would still be enjoyed by teens of today just as well as other adults.

Too short.......2007-04-19

I liked this story, but it wasn't among my favorite Diana Wynne Jones books. I think that's because it was so short - a lot of things are left pretty vague, and while the concept is imaginative and creative with the best of them, I wished that there was more detail, to make this world more real. I guess I would call this story more "clever" than "immersive," if that makes sense. So, 4 stars for an interesting story, anyway :)

Crown Duel (Originally Published as the Two Books Crown Duel and Court Duel) (Firebird)

Average customer rating:

She gets caught...then she gets saved over and over...
Good book for teens
Huyen
Staggeringly Unsatisfying
Courtly Intrigue - Bookwyrm Chrysalis Review

Crown Duel (Originally Published as the Two Books Crown Duel and Court Duel) (Firebird)
Sherwood Smith
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0142301515

Book Description

Young Countess Meliara swears to her dying father that she and her brother will defend their people from the growing greed of the king. That promise leads them into a war for which they are ill-prepared, which threatens the very people they are trying to protect. But war is simple compared to what follows, in peacetime. Meliara is summoned to live at the royal palace, where friends and enemies look alike, and intrigue fills the dance halls and the drawing rooms. If she is to survive, Meliara must learn a whole new way of fighting-with wits and words and secret alliances.

In war, at least, she knew in whom she could trust. Now she can trust no one.

The Firebird edition of Crown Duel combines the hardcover editions of Crown Duel and Court Duel-and features a never-before-published story by Sherwood Smith!

"A fantasy world fit for the most discriminating medieval partisan." (Publishers Weekly)

Customer Reviews:

She gets caught...then she gets saved over and over..........2007-09-28

I will admit to you that I have not read this entire book. Infact I've only made it to the very beginning of Part 2 and I am disappointed. Sherwood Smith has always been interesting to me. I am now reading the book: Inda and I think that it is very enjoyable...
But on the cover of this book is a girl, scratched and bruised with a sword in hand. Now when I pick up a book with a cover like this and reviews that are four stars or higher I expect to find some action - this is no action in this book. Nor is there any suspence.
Now please I know that I haven't read part 2 and that Part 2 may be the climax of the story so no offense to anyone that enjoyed this book.
I thought that it had potential but the only thing I read was Mel (the main character) getting captured, sleeping for days on end and then waking up to somebody saying, "Drink this, my lady." or something of that sort.
Try some books by Sherwood Smith but I don't suggest you reading this book...

Sorry for the low stars but I just expected better.

Happy Reading!

Good book for teens.......2007-09-24

Crown Duel is a pretty clean read - wih no sex, scenes of intense violence or other material usually featured in fantasy novels. The story commences well, with an underlying, slowly developing romance. There are a lot of silly parts. The main character, "Mel," is developing into a woman. And it really doesn't happen overnight. She is gaining alot of emotional maturity (as time goes by) but suffers many emotions I certainly felt myself as a teenager, and that take time to grow out of. From an adult perspective, I enjoyed Mel's character and the things she learns, but didn't identify with her as much as my younger self would of.
Alot of the storyline is summarized instead of artfully written - creating a flatter, less intense story. I read and kept reading because it was interesting, and because there was a lot of action to keep me turning the page - but the writing style needs a lot of polishing.
Part 1 and Part 2 really are like two very seperate books, as the description says they were originally published as. Not really sure why they were combined into one, except that part 1 had a pretty unsatisfactory ending.
The little short story at the end is pretty silly, but honestly very realistic: having been pregnant, that is pretty much how it feels (crying, happy, sad, all at once). It's too short even for a short story - just a few thin pages - maybe to give the book more of a "happy ending" feel?
Mel might be a better character to read about from third person-a little space can go a long way.

Huyen.......2007-09-17

This book is awsome. I love it. I thought the details she wrote in this book were amazing. You read through the book and you can picture what the scenes are going to be like. I love all the characters and the action. The action in this book is awsome! I would definately recommend this book to anyone who likes court tricks, swords, duels, king/queen/prince and so on. Its fast and fun/easy to read. Grasps your attention right away. I love it. ESPECIALLY the second part/Court Duel. I LOVE IT!

Staggeringly Unsatisfying.......2007-08-15

I found CROWN DUEL to be a long series of anti-climaxes. Again and again, our heroine is backed up into a corner, only to be rescued at the last moment. No matter how much circumstances change through the novel - as Meliara transforms from a barefoot countess to a noble with fearsome allies and power of her own - the pattern stays the same. Things get so bad that the protagonists find themselves helpless, hamstrung, and unable to act - and then some third party steps in at the crisis and poof, everything's ok again.

I was also disappointed with the character of Meliara - she is supposed to be, I believe, one of those strong-woman-warrior types, a female leader, a heroine. At first, I thought that we were witnessing her growing pains - the frequently idiotic behavior of a courageous girl on her way to becoming a battle-tested and truly admirable woman. Except she never grew up, and I had to abandon that notion. I don't think it's a coincidence that at the end of it all, Meliara's major success is throwing a fine party. Which is nice and all, but not really heroine-caliber.

The romance was similarly botched. Meliara gets a secret admirer, who courts her indirectly. This develops well enough. But the secret admirer is a real person, and his face-to-face relationship with Meliara remains so static that when the final reveal finally came along I didn't really buy it. Once again, it's too easy - Meliara recognizes her admirer in the flesh, all other troubles are swept aside, and poof, happy ending.

My favorite part of a good story is reading about the ingenious way that a protagonist solves some knotty problem or other - political, magical, romantic. I like the imagination, the strategy, the hard choices involved. I felt like I was consistently denied that payoff here, and I was really disappointed.

Courtly Intrigue - Bookwyrm Chrysalis Review.......2007-08-12

Well-worn. Dog-eared. Falling apart at the binding. These are all ways to describe my poor copy of Crown Duel. Once published as two books, Crown Duel and Court Duel, Firebird Fantasy reprinted them in 2002 as one, a very wise decision as the two stories are only halves on their own. Together the two books create a heroic tale of Mel as she leads a rebellion as a bare-foot countess, to her attempts to survive the deceptions of royal court life. I must admit, though, to loving the second book the most, and have often been tempted to just reread Court Duel, but in the end, I always want the full tale, and begin at the beginning, as any great journey should.

The first book chronicles Mel, as she and her brother, Bran, fight off an invading army sent by their greedy king. Leading a group of hastily-trained villagers, Mel employs sneaky tactics (such as harassing all night or flooding the enemy camp) to hold off the invading army. When Mel ends up injured and captured by the enemy, she is taken by the Marquis Shevraeth to the king, and sentenced to die if she doesn't surrender. Escaping, she leads them on a cross-country chase, is rescued by the Marquis, and forced to realize that while her ideas might be noble, her methods are less than successful. Feeling defeated, she retreats back home after the king dies, convinced she lost the battle.

Into the second book we go, as Mel is dragged off to court by her brother, still feeling defeated for not keeping her promise of making the kingdom a better place. At court, she finds a new kind of battle, navigating the graces and deceits of those who have been schooled as courtiers all their life. As the former king's sister and family make trouble and Mel deals with her `enemy' the Marquis being decided as the new king, Mel still manages to save the kingdom and realize love in a place she was afraid to look.

Sherwood Smith has created a world full of tiny details that form a living world. From the unique hour keeping, using colors and candles to keep time, to the detailed language of fans that the courtiers use to display their true words while trapped in the court of a corrupt king, the reader will find themselves in a vivid setting, experiencing Mel's journey with her.

I'm rather indifferent towards the cover of Crown Duel. In some senses I like it, but I also feel that it isn't all that interesting. It certainly wasn't the main element that led me to read the book.

Here's a quick lesson in cover design. Look at the books that you own, note how many have people on the cover. Now note how many of those people are looking straight at the reader. That's a way to get an instant connection with the potential book buyer while at the store. Take a look at the books facing out next time you go. I have also noticed that many YA male/non-gender books feature symbols or abstract covers, while ones aimed at girls more often use a female looking to the reader.

The Firebird Book: A Reference for Database Developers

Average customer rating:

Highly recommended for folks who are seriously considering moving to Open Source DB such as Firebird
Can't review, the book never arrived!!
Well-Written, Comprehensive, the Reason I Now Use Firebird RDBMS
Absolutely amazing!
Excellent book but...

The Firebird Book: A Reference for Database Developers
Helen Borrie
Manufacturer: Apress
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Databases | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

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Accessories:

ASIN: 1590592794

Book Description

The Firebird Book: A Guide for Database Developers is a comprehensive, practical guide for developing client/server FirebirdSQL database applications for small and large networks of users. FirebirdSQL is an open source database, and while not as popular as MySQL or PostgreSQL, it has a dedicated following, and has far more advanced features.

Download Description

This is the first official book on Firebird, the free, independent, open source relational database server that sprang forth when Borland's InterBase 6 sources were opened in 2000. Written from within the Firebird Project itself, the book provides newcomers and experienced hands alike with the best of everything they need to know about Firebird database development, from technical details like installation and configuration on a variety of platforms to SQL language, techniques, interfaces and maintenance.

The Firebird Database Developer's Guide is a comprehensive, practical guide to building highly stable, scalable relational database back-ends for small and large client/server networks. It is liberally sprinkled with tips, code examples that work and explanations that make sense. Coverage focuses on release 1.5 with its plethora of new language, security and optimization features, without neglecting the needs of Firebird 1.0 users.

Although less widely publicized than some other open source database management systems, Firebird has accrued a following of dedicated and demanding professional users numbering well into the hundreds of thousands world wide in its three-year history in open source.

Customer Reviews:

Highly recommended for folks who are seriously considering moving to Open Source DB such as Firebird.......2006-12-07

Initially I was afraid that the book would simply be a printed version of the various Firebird PDFs available out there, fortunately I was wrong.

The book is well written enough such that it doesn't assume that the reader knows firebird at all. Coming from a SQL Server and Oracle background this was a good help for me. Plus, I didn't feel that aggressiveness most authors would normally expose when comparing their beloved database with those of the rest of the world.

One thing though, everything written on this book is readily available on the net for free. So please don't assume that this book has any magical tips and tricks.

But event so, I personally prefer to have something handy specially when you are in the zone and you can't be bothered to search the net.

Overall for hobbyists and professionals who are looking for that solid/realiable alternative DB look no further, with this book you'll be able to see that Firebird clearly is the top choice.

Can't review, the book never arrived!!.......2006-03-20

I'm still waiting for the book to get to my house. I bought it on February 17th. It's passed more than a month and the book hasn't arrived yet. It makes me mad.

I've wasted one month waiting. I don't trust Amazon anymore.

Well-Written, Comprehensive, the Reason I Now Use Firebird RDBMS.......2005-11-01

This book is very well crafted. It is organized and thorough. With this book, the Interbase 6.0 manuals (available free on-line in PDF) and the Firebird software, you can create and maintain high performance, industrial software for use in production in environments of any size. I can not reccommend this book highly enough. If you need a database for your next project, you owe it to yourself to try out Firebird SQL. Use Ms. Borrie's book as a guide.

Absolutely amazing!.......2005-01-19

When I was buying this book, I was afraid if it will be only a printed version of PDF docs. But the book is much more, then simple documentation. Helen Borrie is a professional, and an experienced developer, so she often writes about programmer's bad habits or the reasons why databases are so poorly designed.
Some parts of this book may however seem as a typical printed PDF, but lots of notes, comments or warnings make it a really interesting reading. The good thing is, that this book offers also an opportunity to gain some basis of database designing, and database theory.
Why you should buy it? Because it is much better and (unless you own a good laser printer) much cheaper than using downloaded PDF's. You cannot also get Borrie's comments that make this book really rich.
A must-have for all database developers, not only Firebird developers.

Excellent book but..........2004-11-29

This book is excellent for understanding what Firebird can do and how you can do it by hand (not with IBExpert or any other database administration tool). It doesn't show how you can use it with Delphi, Builder or any other programming languaje. It doesn't have step by step instructions, either a lot of screen illustrations (it has about 5). Well my Delphi friends, with this book now we have half the way to heaven :-) but what about the other half? :-(

Albert
jad_systems@yahoo.com.mx

GENERAL MOTORS Firebird, 1982-92 (Chilton's Total Car Care Repair Manual)

Average customer rating:

Very Handy
Very Handy

GENERAL MOTORS Firebird, 1982-92 (Chilton's Total Car Care Repair Manual)
The Nichols/Chilton Editors
Manufacturer: Haynes Manuals, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Trucks & Vans | Automotive | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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Haynes Pontiac Firebird (82 - 92) Manual

ASIN: 0801991005

Book Description

The Total Car Care series continues to lead all other do-it-yourself automotive repair manuals. This series offers do-it-yourselfers of all levels TOTAL maintenance, service and repair information in an easy-to-use format. Each manual covers all makes format. Each manual covers all makes and models, unless otherwise indicated. :Based on actual teardowns :Simple step-by-step procedures for engine overhaul, chassis electrical drive train, suspension, steering and more :Trouble codes :Electronic engine controls

Customer Reviews:

Very Handy.......2002-05-10

If you've ever had a Chilton repair book before, then you know that they are very handy and accurate. I own a 1986 firebird, and this book has helped me fix all of my little problems that I have had with it.
examples: Fuel Pump, Alternator, Brakes, Oil, Radio Wiring, etc. If you need to know how to repair your firebird (any of the five engines, 2.4 2.8 3.1 5.0 5.7 and even the 3.8 turbo) then you'll find it in here, it even has the little tiny things included in it as well, such as fixing the convertible tops, taking apart the interior trim, and others as well.

The only few bad things are that sometimes the book confuses some of the trim parts with the trim parts on the camaro, and sometimes the diagrams are a little hard to follow.

However this book is still worth getting if you are into fixing your firebird yourself.

Very Handy.......2002-05-10

The only few bad things are that sometimes the book confuses some of the trim parts with the trim parts on the camaro, and sometimes the diagrams are a little hard to follow.

Book Description

Total Car Care is the most complete, step-by-step automotive repair manual you'll ever use. All repair procedures are supported by detailed specifications, exploded views, and photographs. From the simplest repair procedure to the most complex, trust Chilton's Total Car Care to give you everything you need to do the job. Save time and money by doing it yourself, with the confidence only a Chilton Repair Manual can provide.

Average customer rating:

Beautiful and charming and a little superficial
A GLOWING FIREBIRD

The Tale of The Firebird

Manufacturer: Philomel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0399235841

Book Description

In all the world there is said to be nothing more beautiful than the Firebird. When Ivan-Tsarevitch, youngest son of the Tsar, goes on a quest for the amazing bird, he finds himself flying over mountains and woods on a talking wolf, confronting a wicked Baba Yaga, and rescuing an enchanted princess from Koshchei the Immortal. But when he returns from his magical journey, he brings home the most precious treasure of all.

Gennady Spirin brings this original version of the Firebird tale from his native Russia and has illustrated it in his trademark rich, luminous style. This retelling of a classic is sure to become the new standard.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful and charming and a little superficial.......2007-08-25

The artwork is fantastic, evocative, and gorgeous, combining a gold palette and northern winter-evening moonlit scenes, and featuring intricate folk art border illustrations. The tale is in some ways charming, including a sympathetic wolf, though there is no emotional or character development (It's more of a quick, amalgamated introduction to Russian fairytales), and it offers no lessons you'd want to impart to a child, other than: Go have adventures with a magical wolf at your back! (Also lurking in the story may be the mystification of how people gain riches and status--not just that they're born into it, but also that they're merciful to wolflings that one time last year.) Plot synopsis: A magical, powerful wolf takes a few days out of his or her life to really help the youngest prince undertake successive adventures, culminating in the prince gaining all sorts of booty: a lovely mate, a golden-maned horse, a magical sword, half a kingdom, and a spectacular peacock in a golden cage.

A GLOWING FIREBIRD.......2007-01-01

I am a big fan of Gennady Spirin's artwork. His FIREBIRD epitomizes classic Russian-style painting with it's ornate touches. He is a genius.

Firebirds Rising: An Original Anthology of Science Fiction and Fantasy

Average customer rating:

Original sci-fi stories
A Few Gems That Sparkle Among the Coal
oh, the angst!
That didn't taste like I thought it would...
Appealing collection of YA SF and Fantasy

Firebirds Rising: An Original Anthology of Science Fiction and Fantasy

Manufacturer: Firebird
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Short Story Collections | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0142405493

Book Description

Charles de Lint. Alan Dean Foster. Diana Wynne Jones. Kelly Link. Patricia A. McKillip. Tamora Pierce. These are just a few of the acclaimed and bestselling authors who have contributed original stories to Firebirds Rising, the eagerly anticipated follow-up to the award-winning anthology Firebirds.

This collection takes readers from deep space to Faerie to just around the corner. It is full of magic, humor, adventure, and—best of all—the unexpected. The one thing readers can count on is marvelous writing. Firebirds Rising proves once again that Firebird is more than an imprint—it is a gathering place for writers and readers of speculative fiction from teenage to adult, from the United States to Europe, Asia, and beyond.

Customer Reviews:

Original sci-fi stories.......2007-08-04

Written by a number of well known writers of science fiction and fantasy, these are sories that are well-written and very interesting. It's a good book to have handy when you have only a short time to read and want something you can finish quickly. I recommend it.

A Few Gems That Sparkle Among the Coal.......2007-06-23

This anthology follows in the footsteps of the original 'Firebirds' collection: A few brilliant stories among the padding of watered down sub-fare from famous names. In all honesty many of these stories would never have seen print without the famous name of the author being used on the cover to promote the book. A shame, since the premise of the anthology delights me.

I *am* very glad I read this book, though, especially for the sake of two stories I very much enjoyed:

'In the House of the Seven Librarians' by Ellen Klages is my favorite story, and worth the price of the book alone! This story is about a young girl named Dinsy who is raised by seven 'feral librarians' in an old library building. This book is a paean to old libraries and classics of literature. Any lover of books and reading will thrill to this book. For those of us who remember the old-style libraries with card catalogs, it is a veritable love song. For all book lovers, it's a treasure to love and cherish.

'Hives' by Kara Dalkey is a science fiction story about a future where technology can telepathically link minds, and teen girls use this to keep themselves in constant contact with their groups of friends, or 'hives'. But what happens when the girls get 'cut' from the network of their hive? Why does the sudden silence in their minds cause them to kill themselves? This story takes a science fiction approach to the importance of female friendships, and how necessary and addictive they can become. As Peter S. Beagle said in his novel 'Tamsin', "When you're 14 years old you're not yourself, you are your friends. You forget that when you grow up."

There were two other stories that I did enjoy reading. 'The Real Thing' by Alison Goodman was another sci-fi story exploring a future where genetic enhancement is prevalent, and the prejudice between those who are 'comp' made and those whose parents let nature take its course. The story is taken from a novel by the author, so it does feel a bit like a chapter out of a larger novel. That said, I really enjoyed this story and plan to track down the source novel it came from. An interesting story that made me think, as all good sci-fi does (I loathe the modern sci-fi movie cliche that sci-fi is only good for loud explosions).

'The House on the Planet' by Tanith Lee explores three young women living in the same house over 100 years' time on a colonized alien planet in the future. The subtle beauty of this story, of the alien landscape and how its birds and creatures speak to and inspire these women over many generations was inspiring. The end is a surprise, but indeed says a lot about the nature of 'humanity'. A beautiful story I'm glad I read.

Of the other stories, many were sub-par efforts on behalf of famous writers. Many were out-takes from other books or story universes, which really didn't work for anyone unfamiliar with the source material. Regardless, many of the stories felt like watered-down pap, very 'expurgated for children.' I always hated reading this kind of stuff as a teen.

On the other side, there were several stories that had a chilling amount of violence that I wouldn't feel comfortable with in an adult novel not sold in a horror section. I suppose it is a sad indictment of our culture, that violence is seen as perfectly natural for children and teens to view. There's a vengeful goddess hunting down and killing a pack of teens for trying to kill one of her followers ('Huntress' by Tamora Pierce). For the life of me I'm not sure what the point of that one was other than to be shocked by the violence. In 'I'll Give You My Word' by Diana Wynne Jones a group of female domestics turn out to be witches out to kill the mother of a family and take it over. There's so many misogynistic stereotypes here I don't know where to start. I'm sick of all this 'Hand That Rocks The Cradle' excrement that female domestics are all psychopaths. And all witches are evil murderers - how very Brothers Grimm. Can we get away from these stereotypes in the 21st century, please? Is that too much to ask? But the worst by far was 'Quill' by Carol Emshwiller. I don't know about you, but stories where teen girls are abducted by their fathers so they can rape and impregnate them just sicken me. This is a young adult story? It's like Stephen King at his goriest. *shudder*

Under the 'violence' heading are 'Perception' by Alan Dean Foster and 'What Used To Be Good Still Is' by Emma Bull, both stories where saintly females sacrifice their lives for the sakes of the unknowing and unappreciative. The 'virgin saint' stereotype of Victorian times. Can girls have heroines in their books who are not victims or self-sacrificing martyrs? Is that too much to ask?

That said, I am glad I read this book for the four stories I enjoyed. They made the book worth it. I just wish the collection was a little more even in quality. Alas, that's usually the case with multi-author story collections.

oh, the angst!.......2007-06-06

The jacket blurbs and the reviews fail to indicate an important fact: every story in this book is about a disaffected teenager. Every single one of them. Disaffected six-inch-tall teenagers. Disaffected genetically modified teenagers. Disaffected Victorian teenagers. Disaffected teenagers raised by feral librarians. Magical or mundane, ten or eighteen, they're all disaffected, and they all learn pithy lessons about finding acceptance while staying true to themselves.

The individual stories aren't bad at all; Kelly Link and Ellen Klages make particularly solid contributions. If I were still a disaffected teenager, however, I'd throw this heavy-handed, preachy anthology right out the window.

That didn't taste like I thought it would..........2007-03-14

I wanted to read some fantasy, some high IQ stuff, some thought-provoking short stories I could read on the DART getting to work. Well, after reading all of these stories, I'm convinced that writers do not submit their prize stories for anthologies. They submit their scraps. That's craps with an extra S. I'm dissapointed. Maybe my expectations were too high. Perhaps if I lower my expectations to what one might expect if judging a suburban high school writing contest...hmmm...no, I'm still dissappointed. The people who put this together owe me $10 just for reading through it. If you read this then you should demand compensation. I am not better off after reading this book. Maybe I didn't do enough shrooms before reading it. :-(

Appealing collection of YA SF and Fantasy.......2007-02-12

Firebirds Rising is an engaging mix of SF and Fantasy stories aimed at a young adult audience, though quite enjoyable for adults as well.

Two of my favorites are Science Fiction: Carol Emshwiller's "Quill", an oddly old-fashioned, charming yet sad, story of an isolated family and their curious secret; and Kara Dalkey's "Hives", an uncompromising story of teen-aged girls and cliques, exacerbated by near-telepathic phone connections.

Naturally one of the stories I most looked forward to was Kelly Link's "The Wizards of Perfil", and this is indeed a very enjoyable piece, though not as good as her best work. A boy named Onion and his disagreeable cousin Halsa, as well as Halsa's mother and brothers, are fleeing a war that has already their other parents' lives. Money is short, so when a reprensative of the reclusive Wizards of Perfil offers to buy a child, one of them must go. Onion, who may be telepathic, seems a natural candidate to sell to the representative of the reclusive wizards, but somehow Halsa is sold instead. As we expect with Link, the story goes in unexpected directions, telling of both Onion and Halsa and the very reclusive wizards - though I must say the resolution was exactly what I expected. (Which is not necessarily a bad thing.)

I was also delighted to see a story by Emma Bull, with the intriguing title "What Used to Be Good Still Is" (a title actually credited to Elise Matthesen). This is a moving story of a young man in a mining town in Arizona in the 1930s, and his love for a Mexican-American girl, who loves him but loves something else even more.

Patricia A. McKillip contributes another of her stories about a group of painters resembling the Pre-Raphaelites. "Jack O'Lantern" is about a girl struggling with her parents' conventional views of the role of women, particularly upper class women, as her older sister prepares to be married. During the painting of a wedding party portrait she meets a curious local lad, and hears a story about the Jack O'Lantern. Diana Wynne Jones's "I'll Give You My Word" is as clever as we expect from her, about a boy whose younger brother speaks in phrases like "sententious purple coriander". The story concerns the younger boy's trouble at school, and the problems the whole family encounters when the mother takes a book promotion trip. Ellen Klages's "In the House of the Seven Librarians" is purely charming, about a child growing up in a shuttered old-fashioned library.

And there are plenty further fine stories here, from names I expected to see like Charles de Lint and Tamora Pierce, and from perhaps surprising names like Alan Dean Foster. I enjoyed the anthology throughout. If I had a complaint, it would be that perhaps a few too many stories seem to play things just a bit safe. (With exceptions, such as Dalkey's "Hives" and Francesca Lia Block's "Blood Roses".) I would attribute that to the YA nature of the book - I suspect I should, indeed - but we certainly have plenty of examples of YA fiction that doesn't play safe. That said, this is a fine book, and it does a fine job of presenting interesting new stories, both SF and Fantasy, that will appeal to all readers.

Average customer rating:

great characters, too weird of a plot for me
The Blue Girl
Fantastic
Has some setbacks, but is still cool
The Blue Girl

The Blue Girl (Firebird)
Charles de Lint
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0142405450

Amazon.com

Imogene Yeck, former gang member and current fairy butt-kicker, is the cool "blue girl" at the center of Charles de Lint's latest urban fantasy novel. Seventeen-year-old Imogene jumps at the chance to lose her bad girl reputation when her family moves to a new town. She purposely lays low at Redding High, only making friends with Maxine, a shy, studious girl who is Imogene's opposite in every way. Despite a few run-ins with the ruling football jock and his cheerleader girlfriend, Imogene keeps her temper in check and even lends some of her bravado to Maxine, who begins to come out of her straight-A shell. Things are going well for the new friends--until the day Imogene meets Adrian, the benign ghost of a boy who died in the school's parking lot. Adrian and Imogene's unusual connection attracts the unwelcome attention of Redding High's resident Little People, or fairies. Affronted by streetwise Imogene's lack of belief in them, the fairies set into motion a malevolent prank that will not only turn Imogene completely blue from head to toe, but pit her, Adrian and Maxine against some of the most frightening beings of the Otherworld--the soul-sucking Anamithims. de Lint's Blue Girl reads like a really well-executed episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer--smart and thought provoking, without taking itself too seriously. Although the action builds slowly, the final scene, involving a bucket of blue paint, a knife fight, and green monster blood, is absolutely worth it. Buffy fans who enjoy meeting Imogene and Co. will also want to check out Holly Black's dark fairy tale, Tithe, and Nina Kiriki Hoffman's modern ghost story, A Stir of Bones --Jennifer Hubert

Book Description

Seventeen-year-old Imogene's rebellious nature has caused her more harm than good—so when her family moves to Newford, she decides to reinvent herself. She won't lose her punk/thrift-shop look, but she'll try to avoid the gangs, work a little harder at school, and maybe even stay out of trouble for a change. But trouble shows up anyway. Imogene quickly catches the eye of Redding High's bullies, as well as the school's resident teenage ghost. Then she gets on the wrong side of a gang of malicious fairies. When her old imaginary childhood friend, Pelly, actually manifests, Imogene realizes that the impossible is all too real. And it's dangerous. If she wants to survive high school—not to mention stay alive—she has to fall back on the skills she picked up in her hometown, running with a gang. Even with her new friend Maxine and some unexpected allies by her side, will she be able to make it?

Customer Reviews:

great characters, too weird of a plot for me.......2007-09-23

Ok, firstly, I'm so into the gang related activities concerning the main character and love the layout for Imogene and everything about the plot, All except the totally queer use of "fantasy" in the plot. I know de Lint is a fantasy writer and all, but it'd have made the book a perfection if he only made one exception. Not wanting to come across as a silly little girl, but the truth is the fantasy part was just a bit lame. I guess the author could have made it come out better if he used something different, but this was just a junky science fictitious work, if I say so on the fantasy part. Besides that little complaint, twas one *fantastic* read.

The Blue Girl.......2007-09-14

"I have been enjoying some of the books I missed when I was a young adult, as they had not been written yet. This is a great one. I would recommend it to anyone old or young. The only difference is the amount of certain sorts of behavior they will or won't allow in Young Adult books. They don't affect the story line at all. A great read!"

Fantastic.......2007-08-20

Being the huge fan of de Lint as I am, I came into this book fully expecting to be wowed. Disappointed I was not. Although stunningly original and awe-inspiringly creative, I find a touch of humanity in his work, which comes out particuluarly well in Blue Girl. Such skill is to be commended, and applauded. So here's my standing ovation to Mr. de Lint and his yet again, outstanding work.

Has some setbacks, but is still cool.......2007-05-22

Anyone who has ever seen a John Hughes movie will instantly recognize many of the cliched characters in this book: There's Imogene, the tattooed, vintage clothing clad, tough-as-nails main character who is shunned by the popular kids (and likes it that way) and her new best friend Maxine, the shy, mousy intellectual who is constantly getting picked on (not only by the other kids, but also by her tyrannical mother, who still picks out her clothes for her). As soon as these two hook up, they are instantly targetted by the snobby, bleach blond captain of the cheerleading squad and her musclebound, meathead star quarterback boyfriend (the typical nemesis from pretty much every teen movie/book ever made) for no other reason than simply being different.

*yawn*

Sounds pretty boring, right? Well, that is where the similarity between this book and your typical teen fare ends. With the reemergence of Imogene's formerly imaginary friend Pelly, the discovery of a nerdy ghost and a group of feral, school-dwelling brownies with a seriously nasty streak, and the unwanted attention of some soul-sucking spirits as old as time, this story turns the entire teen genre on its head and proves itself to be a truly hypnotic read.

I do however, have a couple of complaints. First and foremost: The dialogue. Alot of the language wasn't very realistic coming from teenage mouths. I mean, teenagers in this day and age don't make paltry threats such as, "I'll squash you like the weird little bug that you are." If this were a real teenager, he or she would be turning the air blue with obscenities. Secondly: The final showdown against the anamithin was a bit, how shall I put this? Simplistic. Without giving too much away, the method with which Imogene used to dispatch this menace seemed a rather obvious tactic. So obvious in fact, it amazes me that these creatures were so feared for so long, and that noone managed to figure out how to stop them before. So yeah, the climax was a bit underwhelming.

Other than that though, this was a really good read, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves urban fantasy/elfpunk as much as I do.

The Blue Girl.......2007-03-11

I thoroughly enjoyed this. I know it's marketed as teen fiction, but the characters are rich enough to engage adults as well. It has creepy moments, magical moments, and mundane moments, each in just the right proportion. Wonderful read.

Chevrolet Camaro and Firebird, 1993-98 (Chilton's Total Car Care Repair Manual)

Average customer rating:

Absolutely the WORST service manual ever!!!!! DO NOT BUY!!!
Missing Information / Incorrect Information
Chilton's Camaro 1993-98 Repair Book has a Major Miss

Chevrolet Camaro and Firebird, 1993-98 (Chilton's Total Car Care Repair Manual)
Chilton
Manufacturer: Thomson Delmar Learning
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Trucks & Vans | Automotive | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0801988144

Book Description

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely the WORST service manual ever!!!!! DO NOT BUY!!!.......2005-04-21

There should be a Zero star selection for this book. I thought Chilton's was a reputable and trustworthly name in service manuals until I bought this book. Missing electrical schematics, missing and partial chapters, chapters printed twice. This book is JUNK. Amazon and every other business that sells this book should take it off their shelves.

Missing Information / Incorrect Information.......2002-04-18

I own a 96 Trans AM w/ the RAM air option. I purchased this book to help me troubleshoot some electrical and engine problems. Unfortunately much of the information did not match the build of my car, especially information pertaining to wiring. After 8 individual instances of incorrect information I was hesitant to use the book further. I can't speak for other models, but if you own a 96 TA with Ram Air stay away from this book.

Chilton's Camaro 1993-98 Repair Book has a Major Miss.......2000-03-08

I had been looking forward to puting the Chilton's General Motors : Camaro/Firebird 1993-98 Repair Manual to good use. I recently acquired diagnostic software for testing my 1998 Camaro Z28 SS, with the Corvette LS1 engine. My wifes' cousin gave me their old Toshiba laptop computer (which had been sitting in their closet for more than 3 years). I was ready to go to work, new laptop, diagnostic software and a brand new repair manual. I sat in my favorite easy chair and carefully opened the manual. I fliped through the pages to become familiar with the order of the chapters. That's odd, I thought. I didn't see a picture of the 1998 LS1 engine. In fact, under the picture of the 1993-1997 LT1 engine, I noticed the caption stated "1993-1998". Wait a minute, my 1998 SS has the new Corvette all alumimun block 320 HP LS1. My previous 1997 Z28 had the 285 HP LT1 engine. I looked further into the chapters. The air filter section shows how to remove/replace (r/r) the air filter for the 1993-1998. Hay, that's not my air filter! Lets look some more. Check the throttle body (TB) section. The caption states "1993-1998". They show the 48 mm double barrel TB. Gee, mine has a large single barrel TB. The list of errors goes on. If you have a 1998, forget this book.

Needless to say, I am very disappointed with Chilton for approving a shop manual with such blatant miss-information. I am still looking for a manual for my 1998 LS1 Camaro SS.

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