Customer Reviews:
The Titan's Curse.......2007-10-10
This book is a my daughter's favorite! My nine year old daughter loved this whole series and wouldn't leave me alone until I got her the 2nd (and ultimately the 3rd) book. She loved the hidden twists and turns to the story. She thought the book was quite exciting. She likes the mix of ancient mythology and action. She reads one to two 100+ books a week and this is her Favorite series, by far, of all the books she has read.
Simply Outstanding!.......2007-09-23
I think The Titan's Curse is an oustanding book. It will enchant readers so that they will never put the book down! I'd say it is as good as any Harry Potter book. This book is a must have for kids around 10 years old. The Titan's Curse is about the gods and the titans. Kronos' forces are putting him back together piece by piece! Artemis chases an important monster and she is caught by Luke and Atlas. Annabeth is also trapped. 5 campers from Camp Half Blood are sent on a quest to free Artemis. There is a prophecy that says when one specific half blood turns 16 he or she will save the gods or destroy the gods. It could be Percy Jackson or Thalia. This thrilling story will get people hooked immediately!
A Titan of a Tale.......2007-09-01
This book thoroughly lives up to the quality of adventure and plot seen in the first two. It still has the savvy wit, and yet the characters are still visibly growing. I'm excitedly looking forward to the next book, because I absolutely have to know what happens next. :)
Can't get enough!.......2007-08-26
Although I was a little concerned at the new angle taken on this book, it was still a wonderful read. Percy is now growing into the role he was destined for and understands the struggle for power in the mortal and Olympian worlds. This series is a must read for Harry Potter fans! Adults will love this series as much as young adults!
Riordan Roars!.......2007-08-23
After the second book came out and disappointed, I wasn't sure that this series was going to last, but I'm happy to report that this entry might be the best of them all. The plot zips along, and the heroes engagement in lively battles, dialogue, and interpersonal relationships ring with some of the best written work in memory for a novel of this genre.
An excellent adventure filled with action, humor, and humanity. Not to mention the cutest sea monster in history.
Book Description
"Let China sleep, for when she wakes, she will shake the world." Napoleon's words seem eerily prescient today, as the shock waves from China's awakening reverberate across the globe. In China Shakes the World, the former China bureau chief of the Financial Times, James Kynge, traces these tremors from Beijing to Europe to the Midwest as China's ravenous hunger for jobs, raw materials, energy, and food -- and its export of goods, workers, and investments -- drastically reshape world trade and politics.
Delving beyond mere recitation of by-now-familiar statistics, Kynge's on-the-ground reporting provides alternative explanations for China's explosive transformation, revealing many of the usual reasons given for its growth to be myths. Most important for the future, he details China's deep, systemic weaknesses -- rampant fraud, crippling environmental crises, a corrupt banking system, faltering government institutions, a rapidly aging population -- that threaten even greater global disruptions. And he demonstrates the profound consequences of those weaknesses for American manufacturers, oil companies, banks, and ordinary consumers.
Through dramatic stories of entrepreneurs and visionaries, factory workers and store clerks at the heart of this global phenomenon, China Shakes the World explains how China's breakneck rise occurred, the extraordinary problems the country now faces, and the consequences of both for the twenty-first century.
Customer Reviews:
An enormous shift in geopolitical power.......2007-10-08
James Kynge analyzes and illustrates brilliantly the emergence of China as a major geopolitical power. He shows that the drastic shift in economic policies under Deng came from rural farmers who used creatively the concept `collective' to found private capitalist companies. The result is now a schizophrenic one party communist State wit a capitalist economy. Its social stability can only be maintained with fast economic growth and job creation for its enormous population created by Mao's demographic policy.
The actual industrialization process causes massive population and gender shifts (urbanization resulting in a higher status for women), colossal energy demands (one Italy every year) and huge environmental problems (water, air). In a one party State, corruption and nepotism (with stolen identities) cannot be eradicated and provoke a declining trust in government.
Economically, corporations are mainly concerned with market share, not profits. They continue to (over) produce for the next surge in demand after every dip. They are also beginning to build consumer loyalty by branding their own products.
Internationally, the Chinese voracity created energy and commodities price surges worldwide. The end is not in sight. On the other hand, the bulk of the profits made with China's low cost factory army (no welfare) goes into the pockets of Western retail giants and their shareholders, leaving only 10 to 15 % for their Chinese counterparts. In the meantime, the deindustrialization of the Western world continues with massive job losses in the textile, car, computer and even the service industry.
Overall, however, China's economic development continues to benefit enormously world trade, notwithstanding the regularly surfacing accusations of protectionism, currency manipulation and rampant piracy. Politically, the problem of Taiwan is still not solved.
Mencius''ren' (benevolence) is not a basic ingredient of Chinese foreign policy, but the author believes that ultimately pragmatism and flexibility will have the upper hand.
This book is a must read for all those who want to understand the world we live in.
MBA Mom.......2007-07-15
I am full time Mom and just recently visited Beijing with my 2 young children and husband. As a result of our travels, all the news in the media regarding China, and my own personal experience with respect to my shopping purchase power and selection in the last many year, I was very interested in the "China story." This book is an easy read, and provides a good big picture. It reminds me of the center column in the Wall Street Journal... Too boot, well written, and excellent use of vocabulary.
Mom
Well written, informative book.......2007-06-01
This book is money and time well spent if you're interested in a contemporary survey of China.
Kynge really does an outstanding job with a complex topic. He has a journalist's nose for a story, is well connected in China, and the length of time he lived in the country allows him to really portray his observations in a sophisticated cultural and historical context. He nicely weaves in statistics and facts throughout the book without distracting from the narrative.
A Journalist's Eye.......2007-05-24
I've loved the lyrical quality of this book. It looks at the many problems facing China from the ground up and individual journalist's eyes. For a big picture view that is based more on economic analysis, see my own book: The Coming China Wars: Where They Will Be Fought and How They Can Be Won
All Shook Up.......2007-05-12
The incredible economic momentum in China necessitated by the rush of the population to the cities is creating economic tidal waves throughout the world. However, their economic surge is not without problems, such as widespread pollution. An excellent and informative read.
Amazon.com
Ron Chernow, whose previous books have taken on the Morgan and Warburg financial empires, now turns his attention to the patriarch of the Rockefeller dynasty. John D. was history's first recorded billionaire and one of the most controversial public figures in America at the turn of the 20th century. Standard Oil--which he always referred to as the result of financial "cooperation," never as a "cartel" or a "monopoly"--controlled at its peak nearly 90 percent of the United States oil industry. Rockefeller drew sharp criticism, as well as the attention of federal probes, for business practices like underpricing his competitors out of the market and bribing politicians to secure his dominant market share.
While Chernow amply catalogs Rockefeller's misdeeds, he also presents the tycoon's human side. Making use of voluminous business correspondence, as well as rare transcripts of interviews conducted when Rockefeller was in his late 70s and early 80s, Chernow is able to present his subject's perspective on his own past, re-creating a figure who has come down to us as cold and unfeeling as a shrewd, dryly humorous man who had no inner misgivings about reconciling his devout religious convictions with his fiscal acquisitiveness. The story of John D. Rockefeller Sr. is, in many ways, the story of America between the Civil War and the First World War, and Chernow has told that story in magnificently fascinating depth and style.
Book Description
John D. Rockefeller, Sr.--history's first billionaire and the patriarch of America's most famous dynasty--is an icon whose true nature has eluded three generations of historians. Now Ron Chernow, the National Book Award-winning biographer of the Morgan and Warburg banking families, gives us a history of the mogul "etched with uncommon objectivity and literary grace . . . as detailed, balanced, and psychologically insightful a portrait of the tycoon as we may ever have" (Kirkus Reviews). Titan is the first full-length biography based on unrestricted access to Rockefeller's exceptionally rich trove of papers. A landmark publication full of startling revelations, the book will indelibly alter our image of this most enigmatic capitalist.
Born the son of a flamboyant, bigamous snake-oil salesman and a pious, straitlaced mother, Rockefeller rose from rustic origins to become the world's richest man by creating America's most powerful and feared monopoly, Standard Oil. Branded "the Octopus" by legions of muckrakers, the trust refined and marketed nearly 90 percent of the oil produced in America.
Rockefeller was likely the most controversial businessman in our nation's history. Critics charged that his empire was built on unscrupulous tactics: grand-scale collusion with the railroads, predatory pricing, industrial espionage, and wholesale bribery of political officials. The titan spent more than thirty years dodging investigations until Teddy Roosevelt and his trustbusters embarked on a marathon crusade to bring Standard Oil to bay.
While providing abundant new evidence of Rockefeller's misdeeds, Chernow discards the stereotype of the cold-blooded monster to sketch an unforgettably human portrait of a quirky, eccentric original. A devout Baptist and temperance advocate, Rockefeller gave money more generously--his chosen philanthropies included the Rockefeller Foundation, the University of Chicago, and what is today Rockefeller University--than anyone before him. Titan presents a finely nuanced portrait of a fascinating, complex man, synthesizing his public and private lives and disclosing numerous family scandals, tragedies, and misfortunes that have never before come to light.
John D. Rockefeller's story captures a pivotal moment in American history, documenting the dramatic post-Civil War shift from small business to the rise of giant corporations that irrevocably transformed the nation. With cameos by Joseph Pulitzer, William Randolph Hearst, Jay Gould, William Vanderbilt, Ida Tarbell, Andrew Carnegie, Carl Jung, J. Pierpont Morgan, William James, Henry Clay Frick, Mark Twain, and Will Rogers, Titan turns Rockefeller's life into a vivid tapestry of American society in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It is Ron Chernow's signal triumph that he narrates this monumental saga with all the sweep, drama, and insight that this giant subject deserves.
Customer Reviews:
Bigger than life personalities?.......2006-03-01
Rockefeller is reported to have searched endlessly for golf balls lost in an attempt to recover them, yet could nearly buy the world - why?
Objective biographies are important to show that it is rarely money or greed that inspires the mind of man; it is the pursuit of the solution to the particular problem that he has defined worthy of solution. Both great inventions and great works of art have been formed as a result of the tiny seeds of construction or of destruction that engage the human spirit.
Without it, are we not all merely reduced to automated machine status, the robots of today for the future of tomorrow?
Is the mind of man made for the pursuit of money, or for the pursuit of satisfaction of what he perceives is worthy of addressing, focusing his attention upon the manner and the object of his passion?
What makes people tick is a source of inspiration often overlooked in the attempt to idolize or endow humanity, and far too often, misconstrued by mistaken others who aim to profit from that misinterpretation.
Molded soles, like molded fingerprints, rarely sit anyone else. Why then do we not concentrate upon the perspective of what men aim for, and why, rather than what they accomplish, and its yield?
Lessons from a Self Made Billionaire.......2006-01-01
This book is the best biography I've read thus far.
Ron Chernow has a deep understanding of
economics and history. He uses this understanding to
paint an accurate, balanced and complete picture of
the Rockerfeller dynasty with J.D. Rockerfeller as the
center of their powerful universe.
To emphasise just how well this book was written,
consider the fact that I spent my whole
Christmas weekend reading it! I couldn't move from my
library or sleep until it was done. Though the book
weighs in at approximately seven hundred pages, it is
reads like a novel, a trait which makes it both
palatable and pithy.
Synopsis
Rockerfeller has all the traits of a classic self made hero. His
antecedents are not amazing. He grew up in a poor
family featuring a bigamist foot-lose father who was
hardly ever around. His father taught John painful
lessons in business and human behaviour. John's father
would regularly tell John to jump from his high chair
into his father's arms. Once, in order to teach John
never to trust anyone, he told John to jump. He then
walked away, leaving John to slam painfully into the ground.
John's mother was the backbone of the family; quiet,
anassuming and hardworking. He assumed the role of
surrogate father and dedicated his life to ensuring his
mother and the rest of his family were safe, secure
and happy.
When Rockerfeller got into the business world, he
began as a book keeper. It was from these early
beginnings that he showed the traits that would be the
core of his success. He was meticulous and diligent
when keeping financial records and accounts. He would
manage his own funds as well as the company's money down to the
decimal point! Like Warren Buffet after him,
J.D. Rockerfeller would emphasis that "numbers are
everything."
J.D also proved that discipline is more important than
intelligence. In school, he wasn't the sharpest blade
in the set but his slow, diligent, determined and
disciplined approach to study ensured his success. He
emphasised this in his business dealings as well. With
this method, he created the jaggernaut monopoly of
Standard Oil. He began by consolidating the mass of oil
refineries and wells in Cleveland under his umbrella.
Later, after recruiting his alter ego, Henry Flagler,
they would proceed to dominate the oil industry
thoughout the world.
Rockerfeller also exemplified a reticence that would
inspire respect and fear in his enemies while planting
admiration and loyalty in his friends. At board
meetings, he was often known to lie back in a settee
with his eyes closed as he let his leiutenants debate.
Later, he would discuss these issues in great detail,
as though he had absorbed and understood everything
without skipping a beat. Within his company, he was a
ghost. Employees would never see him arrive or watch
him leave. However, they were made acutely aware of
his presence when he popped up at some underlings desk
and discussed their jobs and records in great detail. He
knew everything and everyone.
Later on, Standard Oil would become the focus of the
anti-trust movement. The Spellman Act was passed in
order to curb its power. In later years,
Rockerfeller's juggernaut would be split up with
unforseen results. Instead of destroying his wealth,
as his detractors and politicians had hoped, his
wealth and that of his shareholders trippled!
Rockerfeller's success was enduring and could not be
stopped or limited.
Rockerfeller dedicated the first half his life to becoming the
richest man on the planet. He then dedicated the
remaining half to becoming the greatest philanthropist
in the planet. His medical foundations brought
back the disciplined approach he applied to business to
the medical field that had erstwhile been dominated by
quacks and homeopaths. Were it not for Rockerfeller's
contributions to medicine, modern health might not be
as advanced as it is now.
After living to the ripe old age of ninety eight,
Rockerfeller had achieved more than most people achive in a
hundred lifetimes. He was one of those individuals so
powerful that he forever changed the destiny of
humanity forever.
Something in the nature of J.D. Rockerfeller had to
occur in America, and it is all to the good of the
world that he was tight-lipped, consistent and
amazingly free from vulgar vanity, sensuality and
quarrelsomeness. His cold prsistence and ruthlessness
may arouse something like horror, but for all that he
was a forward-moving force, a constructive power.
--H. G. Wells. The Work, Wealth and Happiness of Mankind.
Conclusion
This book is mandatory reading for all students of
success. It teaches the nature of the monopolist, the
spirit of the leader, the hunger of the rich, the
ambition of the visionary, the structure of a dynasty
and the soul of the innovator.
I've idolized Rockerfeller my whole life. Reading this
biography gave me an understanding of both his faults
and his virtues. It humanised him. The fact that
Rockerfeller is so much like a next door neighbour
leads the reader to a very important conclusion:
success is not about nature, it's about nurture. It
is not about intelligence but of intent. It is not
about destiny but of decision. It is not about magic,
it is about method.
Each of us can make the decision to be successful. All
we have to do is practice the method by mimicking that
of the giants who have come before us. That is the
Billionaire Way.
Good Stuff In This One!.......2005-12-18
We do want to know what made John D tick, and about his family as well. Are we surprised to know it was mostly do-ray-me with some Calvinism thrown in? Perhaps not. At least we are glad to know that he could spare those dimes... And that he enjoyed his twilight years gofing in sunny Ormond Beach!
If we are from Southwestern Pennsylvania, we have heard the unsavory stories of how he consolidated his power and even if we aren't we have Miss Tarbell's journalism to fall back on.*
Chernow relates this part of the tale well. Would that there were a bit more about the surreptitious doings of Mr. R's agents and underlings. Ah well, the good people of Oil City and Titusville remember...
If we want to know what happens to the children of the rich and famous, Chernow has that too, and there is nothing quite like this book's sad account of John D's daughter's ill-treatment in the hands of a rather well-known psychoanalyst. The train, the Rolls and the waving handkerchief will remain long in the reader's memory.
*The History of the Standard Oil Company : Briefer Version by Ida M. Tarbell, David M. Chalmers (Editor) (Paperback)
Book Great, Quality Good, .......2005-09-01
The seller was on time and very quick. The book is exactly what I wanted, but it said "like new". The book was from a public library with all of the stamps and codes and stuff on it. Not a big deal, I just wish I had known that before. Otherwise the transaction went great.
Very Impressive.......2005-04-05
It is Ron Chernow's writing style and skill that impressed me the most; next was the level of detail offered about John D. That said, John D.'s life in itself, as pesented by Ron, offers an invaluable lesson or two.
Book Description
John D. Rockefeller, Sr.--history's first billionaire and the patriarch of America's most famous dynasty--is an icon whose true nature has eluded three generations of historians. Now Ron Chernow, the National Book Award-winning biographer of the Morgan and Warburg banking families, gives us a history of the mogul "etched with uncommon objectivity and literary grace . . . as detailed, balanced, and psychologically insightful a portrait of the tycoon as we may ever have" (Kirkus Reviews). Titan is the first full-length biography based on unrestricted access to Rockefeller's exceptionally rich trove of papers. A landmark publication full of startling revelations, the book will indelibly alter our image of this most enigmatic capitalist.
Born the son of a flamboyant, bigamous snake-oil salesman and a pious, straitlaced mother, Rockefeller rose from rustic origins to become the world's richest man by creating America's most powerful and feared monopoly, Standard Oil. Branded "the Octopus" by legions of muckrakers, the trust refined and marketed nearly 90 percent of the oil produced in America.
Rockefeller was likely the most controversial businessman in our nation's history. Critics charged that his empire was built on unscrupulous tactics: grand-scale collusion with the railroads, predatory pricing, industrial espionage, and wholesale bribery of political officials. The titan spent more than thirty years dodging investigations until Teddy Roosevelt and his trustbusters embarked on a marathon crusade to bring Standard Oil to bay.
While providing abundant new evidence of Rockefeller's misdeeds, Chernow discards the stereotype of the cold-blooded monster to sketch an unforgettably human portrait of a quirky, eccentric original. A devout Baptist and temperance advocate, Rockefeller gave money more generously--his chosen philanthropies included the Rockefeller Foundation, the University of Chicago, and what is today Rockefeller University--than anyone before him. Titan presents a finely nuanced portrait of a fascinating, complex man, synthesizing his public and private lives and disclosing numerous family scandals, tragedies, and misfortunes that have never before come to light.
John D. Rockefeller's story captures a pivotal moment in American history, documenting the dramatic post-Civil War shift from small business to the rise of giant corporations that irrevocably transformed the nation. With cameos by Joseph Pulitzer, William Randolph Hearst, Jay Gould, William Vanderbilt, Ida Tarbell, Andrew Carnegie, Carl Jung, J. Pierpont Morgan, William James, Henry Clay Frick, Mark Twain, and Will Rogers, Titan turns Rockefeller's life into a vivid tapestry of American society in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It is Ron Chernow's signal triumph that he narrates this monumental saga with all the sweep, drama, and insight that this giant subject deserves.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
One of the best books I've every read!.......2007-10-08
This book by Chernow is quite possibly one of the best books I've ever read. It tells a great American story of Rockefeller and his very humble beginings and how anyone willing to take chances, risk everything and in some instances do anything can succeed beyond belief. The book is quite long but in reality you seem to fly through it gaining the full impact of the robber baron days in America. You will see that while today's business greed may seem enormous they have nothing on the robber barons of the past. This book will also give you a great deal of insight into why we have all of those laws on the books involving monopolies, free trade, kick backs, labor and more. Whether you like biographies or just business this is a definite must read.
American Medici.......2007-09-02
We are taught in school to hate the rich, scorn the so-called robber barons, sneer at great achievement as some sort of easy ride. Rockefeller had his faults and no doubt running Standard Oil didn't come easily, but when we see what this remarkable man accomplished, we must tip our hats collectively and recognize him as one of the greatest men in American history. The philanthropy is easily sentimentalized as "giving" rather than understood as "making" and "doing." After all, this titan didn't just write checks - he conceived some of the greatest institutions in America, among them the University of Chicago. When one considers that Rockefeller set up and funded this grand institution, a university which in a mere 100 years can be compared to the finest universities in the world, it has to be recognized that we are dealing with an achievement of an unprecedented scale. Rockefeller we come to recognize belongs to that most rarefied circle of American greats, including the Founding Fathers, Lincoln, FDR, and Martin Luther King. Of course it doesn't end with the founding of U of C. Rockefeller and his son are responsible, along with their equally dedicated spouses, for turning New York City into a world capital. Think about it: Rockefeller Center, the UN, MOMA, the Cloisters. Consider the City without them. New York City became the capital of the world in the 20th century and the Rockefellers are largely responsible for this. Without them, the city would hardly be the jewel it is today; it would be another Sao Paulo, Singapore, or Calcutta. He's earned national praise. He deserves deification.
Entertaining.......2007-08-21
I love this book and I am equally impressed with all the precise information. It is presented in a detailed storyline that is chronological. I seriously could not put this book down. Every open minute I could find was spent reading it. It basically takes you back into John D. Rockefeller's childhood and moves into how he became wealthy in his time. It talks about how his dad would leave the family for months at a time, travelling and selling fake potions, and illustrated the instability John faced growing up, both not having a father around and having the financial stress put on the family. His mother stressed the importance of donating to the church and getting involved to raise money for the church. This background influenced his life, as he learned to write down every penny and keep keen book-keeping skills. He also felt a need to gain wealth to give it away. He donated to educate black women, donated funds for a medical facility and other philanthropic endeavors. There are some funny parts as well. One example would be when John himself had children and would make his son wear his sister's clothing for many years or make the children share one tricycle between the three kids, even after he became filthy rich. I laughed at this, while others I mentioned this to thought he was terrible. His kids were also not allowed to have friends over, according to the book. It is a quirky read that draws you into the life of one of the world's wealthiest people to enable understanding of why he was the way he was. It does not take long to read if you are really interested in it. It is entertaining and packed full of historical information.
Titan: the Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr........2007-06-27
I have been a readaholic for about 50 years, and this is one of the best ever. This guy was a truly fascinating individual, made tremoundous contributions (both good and bad) to American life as we know it. The author does an excellent job of covering his life, the book reads as easily as a novel. I ordered this for my brother-in-law, as I felt anyone with an interest in business and history has to read this.
Loved this one.......2007-06-08
I believe this book was as good a business book as it was a biography. I was loned it by a friend and probably given 5 copies out to friends over the last couple of years.
Average customer rating:
- One Year Later, It's Still Good
- Keeping the great tradition of good Titans books
- Classic Titans in a whole new way
- A fine return to form
- Teen Titans Continues to Impress
|
Teen Titans, Vol. 6: Titans Around the World
Geoff Johns
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Teens | Subjects | Books | Authors, A-Z | Biographies & Memoirs | Health, Mind & Body | History & Historical Fiction | Horror | Literature & Fiction | Manga | Mysteries | Reference | Religion & Spirituality | School & Sports | Science & Technology | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Series | Social Issues
General | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
Superheroes | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
DC Comics | Publishers | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
Superheroes | Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery & Horror | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Teen Titans | TV | Series | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
-
Teen Titans Vol. 5: Life and Death
-
Outsiders: The Good Fight (Outsiders Volume 5)
-
Teen Titans Vol. 4: The Future is Now
-
52, Vol. 1
-
Teen Titans Vol. 3: Beast Boys and Girls
ASIN: 1401212174 |
Book Description
In the wake of INFINITE CRISIS, a new year of excitingadventures begins as Robin and Wonder Girl meet the "new"Teen Titans. Also, the formation of the mysterious and secretiveTitans East gets underway!Then, the Doom Patrol joins the Teen Titans in their battle againstthe Brotherhood of Evil. Why will a former Titan refuse to rejoin the team?
Customer Reviews:
One Year Later, It's Still Good.......2007-04-26
Unlike most of DC's books, Teen Titans survives the jump ahead one year with the same writer, and the same quality. While we miss some of the original members, Johns and Tony Daniel give us a good new mix of classic teen heroes and new arrivals. Rose Wilson works despite far too much baggage, the guest appearance by the Doom Patrol is intriguing, and seeing the team find its footing again is interesting. At some points, it follows the same patterns that Titans comcis have for years - how many times has the team collapsed and started over? But the characters are likeable, the art strong, and the pacing great. If only the rest of DC were till enjoyable.
Keeping the great tradition of good Titans books.......2007-04-10
This book starts things up after the Infinite Crisis and introduces alot of new characters. Tony Daniel's art is wonderful. The story restarts the Titans as a Family.
Classic Titans in a whole new way.......2007-04-03
The Teen Titans mythology is definitely preserved and brought to new light under the wing of Geoff Johns and Tony Daniel. "Titans Around The World" begins One Year Later after the Infinite Crisis. The team is at a dark time and in disarray. Superboy is dead, Starfire is missing, Raven is gone, Gar is on a new team, Cyborg is broken, and Bart is the new Flash. There are new team members and new characters who really feel like they're part of the gang when Johns brings the past and the present together to make excellent storytelling as always. Conflict arises between teammates and the Titans must find out which past member was a traitor so they go around the world searching.
This is the first time we see Robin in his new Post Infinite Crisis outfit as well. Robin's overall character has taken a step in Batman's shadows, as he grew after the Crisis. A fallen team member from the past returns and Deathstroke ends us with an amazing glimpse into the next arc of Teen Titans. Many things are different and this story explains what happened over the lost year and we get to see first hand the repercussion of that. Johns dives deeper in the mythology of the characters and expands on the whole team to bring us somewhere new at the end with an expansion of characters that we love like the classic Titan characters now.
A fine return to form.......2007-03-28
After a few shaky issues, Geoff Johns returns his relaunch of the Teen Titans to the great form that readers have come to expect from Johns' run. Around the World picks up after the cataclysmic events of Infinite Crisis, with the team in shambles. Superboy is dead, Kid Flash is all grown up and now the new Flash, Beast Boy and Raven are gone, and Starfire is likely dead as well. Robin, Wonder Girl, and Cyborg are still around though, and are joined by new members, including Ravager; better known as Rose, the daughter of Titans master villain Deathstroke. The Doom Patrol, or what's left of it anyway, are here as well, and Johns pens a more than solid super powered story which plants seeds for future events, including an interesting turn for Robin and Wonder Girl. Tony Daniels provides a majority of the artwork throughout this TPB, and his work is quite good. All in all, Around the World is a fine return to form for Johns' run on the Teen Titans, and here's hoping that the busiest writer at DC still has some tricks left up his sleeve.
Teen Titans Continues to Impress.......2007-03-21
Geoff Johns continues to impress with this next volume in the Teen Titans series. It is one year after the events of Infinite Crisis and the Teen Titans have gone through many different members one of whom is a traitor. Robin returns as does Wonder Girl both profoundly changed by the death of Superboy. Cyborg who was out of action after his time in space comes back, Ravager once an enemy is now an ally, Beast Boy and Raven are both MIA. Johns does a great job with his characters, keeping them constant but at the same time making sure they have evolved to keep the story sharp. Tony Daniels art is excellent and the only disappointing moment when Daniels is not the artist. It was nice to see Doom Patrol back in action. This collection was fun and overall excellent.
Book Description
Titans of Chaos completes John Wrights The Chronicles of Chaos. Launched in Orphans of Chaosa Nebula Award Nominee for Best Novel in 2006, and a Locus Years Best Novel pick for 2005and continued in Fugitives of Chaos, the trilogy is about five orphans raised in a strict British boarding school who discovered that they are not human. The five have made incredible discoveries about themselves. Amelia is apparently a fourth-dimensional being; Victor is a synthetic man who can control the molecular arrangement of matter; Vanity can find secret passageways through solid walls; Colin is a psychic; Quentin is a warlock. Each power comes from a different paradigm or view of the universe. They have learned to control their strange abilities and have escaped into our world; now their true battle for survival begins. The Chronicles of Chaos is situated in the literary territory of J. K. Rowlings Harry Potter books and Neil Gaimans American Gods, with some of the flash and dazzle of superhero comics.
Customer Reviews:
Slow finish.......2007-09-13
Not as good as the first two books. Most of the important resolutions happen near the beginning of this book. It takes a long, long time to wind down. Still, it was pretty good. The conclusion was satisfying, and the problems were well resolved w/o resorting to mass shifting.
A weak finale for a promising series........2007-09-03
This, the last book of the "Chaos" trilogy, takes what should have been the final 4 chapters of the previous installment and spreads them unbearably thin. Rather than a swift and powerful conclusion you get a shockingly long morass of increasingly obscure nonsense. Unless you enjoy trying to juggle 30 or 40 mythological bit-part characters (who often have multiple names, yay!) while the internal logic of the story is taken beyond the breaking point, give this book a pass and make up whatever ending you'd like for Amelia and crew.
If you liked the first two, you're going to buy it anyway..........2007-05-21
Reviewing the third book in a trilogy is a bit of an exercise in futility, but here goes...
The first half of this book is plotless wandering through what are known in the Role-playing game world as "Mini-quests", but it picked up my interest again about halfway through, just in time to lose it again on a climactic battle that is a study in the definition of the word "Overblown".
But,if you read the first two, then you just GOTTA know what happens to Amelia and her friends, so go ahead and get it, you don't really have a choice.
Grand and sweeping.......2007-04-30
Like everything John C. Wright writes "Titans of Chaos" the conclusion of the Chaos trilogy is grand and sweeping. A mixture of science fiction and fantasy the action and characters in this book really unique. Titans of Chaos is also the best book in the series. The first two books while also excellent brought the plot and the characters along, "Titans.." gives us the five orphans with a fuller realization of the powers of the various paradigms as they fight to find out what factions among the Pagan gods are working to kill them.
John C. Wright imagination is is full bloom in the ways that their various paradigms are used together and the myriad ways in which they are used. I found myself rushing through the story to get to the end and at the same time dreading finishing this unique trilogy. As you read you get totally swept along in his imagination and his ability as a master storyteller.
All Powers Have Their Limits?.......2007-04-29
It is my considered opinion that Mr. Wright could use a touch more discipline in his writing. His early works, particularly the Golden Age trilogy, were incredible--absolute must reads. He has virtually created a new genre--modern mythology. If it weren't for Google, I'd have been lost in the dazzling, non-stop introduction of characters, themes, and ideas grabbed from history and polished up for a new era.
"Titans of Chaos" is the conclusion of the Chaos trilogy of which, the first volume, "Orphans of Chaos," seizes the reader from the beginning with a complex web of characters new and familiar. Five children are coming of age and realizing that they are not British subjects but rather the descendants of gods from various dimensions and realms, each of whom has particular powers that are neutralized in some fashion by a mysterious cabal that wishes to contain the powers these children represent. Though hinting at an epic confrontation of powers, the first volume came to the abrupt end all too common these days as publishers seem to be unwilling to publish one book when they can publish three.
So, in the second volume, "Fugitives of Chaos," Mr. Wright has his five protagonists make a break for freedom, which is somewhat complicated by the fact that his characters don't know who they are running from nor where they might run to. The book didn't seem to follow the same path as had been mapped out in the first volume and suffered from certain excesses not relevant here.
Yet based upon the strength of prior works, I signed up to get my copy of "Titans of Chaos" hot off the press. It is a much better work than the second volume but seems as though the author tossed off a chapter at a time without any sense of when or how things would wrap up. "Titans" is almost a stream-of-consciousness version of storytelling. Thus, the Chaos trilogy is completely unlike the Golden Age trilogy in which the ending was foreshadowed by a conversation that takes place in the very first chapter of the first book. Much of the power of the Golden Age trilogy was found in the fact that Mr. Wright knew where he was going and it was quite a ride.
In "Titans," the development of several of the characters ends as the narrative focuses much more closely on Amelia Windrose. Clues and hints to Amelia's background and purpose never quite pan out and the ultimate battle involved an entirely new character who had not even been hinted at in the first volume--it was also strangely anti-climactic. And why, after the reader has invested so much in these characters, must the author present as the ultimate ending of a story involving the interplay of gods, powers, principalities, etc.--good and evil incarnate--going to end in a tawdry, though (thankfully) implied rather than explicit, episode of adolescent fornication?
I am and remain a huge fan of Mr. Wright; however, his gifts as a writer evidence that he is capable of much, much more. Another reviewer has likened the Chaos trilogy to a Harry Potter for adults--yet what is fascinating about the Potter books is that each book adds to the prior, that the author gave out just enough hints in earlier works to make the journey endlessly inventive and interesting; they have a destination. The destination of Chaos promised to be a confrontation between powers that predated the Earth itself, or possibly a discourse on the Promethian gift that so defines humanity. It promised to be more than what it was and that has left this reviewer terribly disappointed.
Nevertheless, I recommend this work as head and shoulders above most other offerings of the genre and will eagerly await Mr. Wright's next effort.
Amazon.com
Forget Regis Philbin's Who Wants to be a Millionaire. Martin Fridson's How to Be a Billionaire sets its sights much higher, and therefore seems an even more appropriate (if somewhat less realistic) goal for today's tycoon wannabes. There are some 200 individuals in the U.S. alone who now breathe this rarefied air, writes Merrill Lynch managing director Fridson, and no reason why those who adopt their philosophies cannot join them. To that end, he studied more than a dozen of the self-made super-rich, including Sam Walton, Bill Gates, Wayne Huizenga, and Warren Buffett. He then synthesized their techniques for success into nine strategies: take monumental risks, do business in new ways, dominate your market, consolidate an industry, buy low, thrive on deals, outmanage the competition, invest in political influence, and resist unions. Dividing profiles of these high fliers into chapters focused on their prevailing principles, he shows how each played a critical role in the growth of an empire. Walton didn't invent discounting, for example; he tweaked existing practices for the late-20th-century marketplace. Likewise, Huizenga didn't start individual companies but integrated existing competitors into powerhouse organizations. While Billionaire may not be a true self-help manual, it does offer a fascinating glimpse at tactics used by those who've played the game and won. --Howard Rothman
Book Description
"A truly enlightening work filled with fundamental strategies that have worked for others.Martin Fridson documents the essential principles inherent in every billionaire's success."
-Gordon Bethune
Chairman of the Board and CEO
Continental Airlines
Self-made billionaires all have one thing in common: they excel at making money. But hard work, thrift, and focus are only part of the story-you hold the rest of it in your hands. How to Be a Billionaire is the first comprehensive picture of the real strategies and tactics that built the great business fortunes of modern times. Packed with engaging accounts of titans like Ross Perot, Richard Branson, Phil Anschutz, John D. Rockefeller, Wayne Huizenga, Bill Gates, J. Paul Getty, and Kirk Kerkorian, How to Be a Billionaire will show you principles that can increase your wealth and business acumen to the mogul level.
How to Be a Billionaire looks at the careers, the methods, and the minds of self-made billionaires to distill the common keys to titanic accumulations of wealth. Each chapter explores a specific strategy and brings it to life through extended profiles of past and present masters of the art of making money.
Do you think innovation is the best way to prosper in business? Sam Walton, founder of the Wal-Mart retail chain, would tell you otherwise. The key to Walton's success was supreme devotion to copying the methods of other successful discounters.
What could be less complicated than buying low and selling high? But the ascent of
Warren Buffett, John Kluge, and Laurence Tisch to billionaire status depended on much more than an eye for good bargains. And if you're looking to thrive by outmanaging the competition, look no further than Richard Branson. When the founder of Virgin Atlantic needed to reduce his staff by 400 people, 600 volunteered to take off a few months on sabbatical.
How to Be a Billionaire identifies the methods, beliefs, and behaviors every businessperson must understand and emulate to reach the pinnacle of riches. A manual for success that can benefit every aspiring tycoon, it is a fascinating read for anyone intrigued by wealth and how it's gotten.
Praise for HOW TO BE A BILLIONAIRE
"How to Be a Billionaire offers fascinating insight into the subject of building wealth. As a result of his exhaustive research, Martin Fridson is able to explain the wealth-creation process from a unique perspective. As the reader will discover, there is no single formula for success, but there are certain categories into which these concepts can be placed. My personal advice is to remember the words of Winston Churchill who said, 'Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.'"
-Ross Perot
"Martin Fridson has created the ultimate roadmap to the American Dream. He comes as close to extracting a formula for the acquisition of wealth as any book I have ever read."
-Jeff Sagansky
CEO, Paxson Communications
"Martin Fridson's book has a number of very insightful and thoughtful analyses, something you don't pick up in many business schools."
-Philip F. Anschutz
Chairman and CEO, The Anschutz Corporation
"How to Be a Billionaire is a powerful arsenal of dead-on strategies for increasing your personal wealth and business acumen. Marty Fridson details the tactics of self-made billionaires with great intelligence and insight. I wish this book had been available when I was starting my career."
-Spencer Hays
Founder, Tom James Company
Executive Chairman, Southwestern/Great American, Inc.
Chairman, Athlon Publications
Customer Reviews:
Not for everyone..........2007-01-28
I was quite amused how some locals bought the book hoping the author's would enlight them with something realistic. The book is not for the general public and most of the solutions are basic financial management. I didn't bother buying the book since it was available at my local library. For those wanting inspiration to make a business, go for it and read this book.
Exceptional addition to any business library..........2006-12-07
I came across this book at my local library and after reading it, brought a copy and been re-reading it for the last year. With Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich, it is my blueprint to my personal goals of amassing one billions dollars.
Though much of the information is pretty tough to understand at first, with much persistence and open-mindedness, this book has motivated me more than ever with every page I turn.
What can I say? Get the book and see for yourself.
Definitely worth more than its flashy gold cover.
That's Right - Shoot for Billion with a "B".......2006-05-11
This book, more than any other book on creating wealth, spells it out. If you want a get rich quick plan - sorry - this book is about the slow and steady! Can you say Tortoise and the Hare? Just like everyone else, I was taught to get a good education, get a job and live happily ever after until reaching retirement - get my gold watch and the company will take care of me. Hah! The truth is, the old ways don't work. The people who are profiled in this book were all successful in their own way.
I believe that if you model yourself after a successful person you will be successful. That's not new. What's new is to follow in the footsteps of one of these giants and success will be yours!
Great read - well worth your time!.......2006-04-16
This is a terrific book & I highly recommend it to aspiring business moguls of all ages. Though the title and the cover are a tad "over the top," the substance delivers. This is a thorough analysis of some of the more common strategies used in achieving great riches. Throughout the book, the author introduces us to a dozen or so most accomplished businessmen in history. Specifically, we learn of what is it that they actually did that helped them achieve great success in - arguably - the most competitive field of human endeavors - accumulating great wealth. The book is well balanced as business strategy descriptions seamlessly intertwine with historical and biographical insights. Martin Frdson, a terrific writer, is one of the very few people who could pull it off. A bit of context here is in order: Martin Fridson is a very accomplished guy. With an undergrad in history and an MBA (both from Harvard), he gives the reader a unique vantage point on combining both history and business strategy. Specifically, Mr. Fridson is one of the biggest authorities in the field of high-yield bonds (a.k.a. junk bonds) - and has been for a long time. High-yield world is often a treacherous mine-field dominated by marginal companies with weak balance sheets. Stories of great deals and disastrous failures are abound. Mr Fridson has seen many fortunes both created and lost and he brings this balanced perspective to the readers of this great book.
The bedside book for every moneymaker and aspiring billionaire!.......2006-03-09
This book is the ultimate guide to moneymaking! If you wanna be a huge player, this book is for you! The author, mister Fridson was doing a wonderful job by exposing the strategies employed by the best teachers you can have, the billionaires themselves. Their way of life, their way of thinking, the way they make deal. The hard way!
How to be a billionaire is the perfect tool if you want to emulates the titans of wealth. As you can see in my others reviews. I'm a self-taugh business student and a fan of those "How to be rich" book. And I've never seen a book as valuable as this book. And I never heard of something as useful and inspirational for any accumulator of wealth.
Some passages of this book are long and boring, but nothing is pointless. Every single line of this book are of worthy academic value in your quest of being superrich.
Before receiving this book, being billionaire was somewhat out of reach. But now, I'm fully loaded and inspirated by the strategies from the titans of wealth. I love to go to the extreme and I know everything is possible if you really want it.
So how bad do you want it?
The higher you aim, the bigger your gains!
Book Description
BradyGames’ Titan Quest Official Strategy Guide includes the following:
-
A comprehensive walkthrough of the entire game.
-
Detailed area maps pinpointing key locations.
-
In-depth item and equipment listings.
-
Extensive bestiary.
-
Unbeatable tactics for each mode of gameplay.
-
Coverage of the game editor.
Platform: PC
Genre: Role-Playing Game
This product is available for sale worldwide.
Customer Reviews:
Diablo For Adults.......2006-11-03
If you played the old 8 bit Nintendo "Battle of Olympus" or any of the Diablos and enjoyed them you will love this one. Beautiful to look at, fun and challenging to play. Aside from the rather abrupt ending which seems to be endemic with RPG games it is a very satisfying journey. The great thing is that the complexities and variations of the characters is huge so you can play it over and over and never get the same result. Also, you can create your own game though I wouldn't suggest it til you've played a few times. If you really enjoy RPG you will have a great time with this game!
No Maps.......2006-08-27
This guide gives a good walkthrough of the game. Gives very good info on all the ability paths and even gives a couple of example characters. BUT IT HAS NO MAPS. Could get as good walkthrough with maps online!
Solid but not quite complete.......2006-08-25
The Titan Quest Official Strategy Guide is a solid if unspectacular product. Most of the basics are well covered. More than 50 pages are devoted to the various masteries and skills in the game with decent advice on how to build a character. They could have done more to suggest combinations of masteries that work well together but the section is certainly useful.
The next major section of the book provides walk-throughs of both the main quest and the many side quests. This information is just barely enough to get you through if you have a problem but as others have mentioned there is only one map of a single dungeon and that's it. Most of the time, that really isn't a problem. The game is very linear with a straight path. Keep moving forward and kill what gets in your way and you'll do fine. But occasionally, I did struggle to find things and the guide was not as helpful as it could have been.
There are also full sections on the items available in game and the beasties you will encounter. In all honesty, I didn't use these at all. The info is there is you want it, though. Don't want to play the game alone? There is some basic information on multiplayer games to help start you on that that path as well. And, finally, the guide also offers tips on building your own maps to share with friends or post online.
All in all, there is a wealth of material in the guide and I was happy I bought it. Most of the value for me was realized in the sections on masteries and quests but your mileage will vary depending on what you're looking for. It could use some maps and a little more detail but it is well worth buying if you want to play Titan Quest DVD-Rom.
No Maps!.......2006-08-11
The book description lists "Detailed area maps pinpointing key locations". There is only one map in the book, of the labryinth in Greece, and it's not exactly detailed. Maps of any kind, even if they aren't "detailed" would be very useful, especially where you are trying to find a specific person/foe. It's easy to get 'lost' in some of the underground caves/crypts/etc and miss areas.
Colour screenshots would have been nice, or at least better detail on the ones that are in the book. As it stands, the screenshots are not useful, they just fill in page space.
Other than that, it's not a bad book, the information on the Masteries and the item data is quite useful.
Very Good Book.......2006-08-11
Pros:
This book has good item stats and walkthrough. The mastery/skills chapter also has a lot of detail and tells you wheather the skill is good and if that skill has good modifiers
Cons:
I would have liked some colour in the book especially in the screenshot in the walkthrough.
Overall this was a good book and i was pleased with my purchase
Average customer rating:
- Decent Star Trek Fiction, But......
- too many nongay characters
- I really want to like this series.
- Improving Series
- The Red King Through The Looking Glass
|
Titan, Book Two: The Red King (Star Trek, the Next Generation)
Michael A. Martin , and
Andy Mangels
Manufacturer: Star Trek
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Adventure | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Space Opera | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Star Trek | Media | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Next Generation | Star Trek | Media | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Star Trek | Media | Science Fiction & Fantasy | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Next Generation | Star Trek | Media | Science Fiction & Fantasy | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Adventure | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:
-
Titan, Book Three: Orion's Hounds (Star Trek, the Next Generation)
-
Titan, Book One: Taking Wing (Star Trek, the Next Generation)
-
Star Trek: The Next Generation: Death in Winter (Star Trek, the Next Generation)
-
String Theory, Book 2: Fusion (Star Trek, Voyager)
-
String Theory, Book 3: Evolution (Star Trek, Voyager)
ASIN: 0743496280 |
Book Description
Investigating the disappearance of a secret Romulan fleet, the U.S.S. Titan, commanded by Captain William Riker, is unexpectedly propelled more than 200,000 light-years into the Small Magellanic Cloud. One of the Milky Way's satellite galaxies, the Cloud is also home to the Neyel, the long-sundered offshoots of Terran humanity, with whom the Federation has had no contact in over eighty years.
Nearby, Riker's uncertain ally, Commander Donatra of the Romulan Warbird Valdore, rescues a young Neyel, the survivor of a mysterious cosmic upheaval that seems at times to be both unraveling and reweaving the very fabric of space...the fulfillment of an apocalyptic vision that has already claimed millions of lives. Titan's science team soon finds evidence that the ravaging of Neyel space is the work of a vast and powerful intelligence: the stirrings of a dormant consciousness that is maintaining the existence of the Small Magellanic Cloud -- and all life within it -- from one moment to the next. And if it should awaken, the consequences are unimaginable.
As Riker considers his options, his new crew struggles with the scientific and philosophical implications of what they've discovered...while the young Neyel in their midst forges a bond with the captain, conjuring old ghosts Riker has yet to lay to rest.
Customer Reviews:
Decent Star Trek Fiction, But.............2007-07-02
"Titan, Book Two: The Red King (Star Trek, the Next Generation)" has a most intriguing premise; the crew of the USS Titan, under the command of Captain William T. Riker, rescue altered humans, the Neyel, and other sapient species from one of the Magellanic Clouds, thanks to some timely, if reluctant, intervention by Romulan Commander Donatra and a fleet of Romulan warbirds. But is this great "Star Trek" literature of the kind I've come to expect from Diane Duane at her best? The short answer is unfortunately no, though this "Star Trek" novel has more fleshed-out characters than one I had read recently about the crew of Jonathan Archer's Enterprise, which was also written by these two authors. However, I suspect that diehard fans of "Star Trek" will find this a credible sequel to the film "Star Trek: Nemesis"; for this reason alone it deserves a marginal recommendation from me.
too many nongay characters.......2007-05-31
Why do Troi and Riker have to be so obviously straight? I'm sick of having heterosexuality rammed down my throat. And those knowing looks they give each other.....
I really want to like this series........2007-02-07
Riker, Troi and Tuvok on The Titan. I'm sold. I love the idea. Riker and Troi were always my favorite on The Next Generation. I always thought Riker would make and intense, cowboy-like captain. Throw in a little Voyager by adding Tuvok. I think it's great. Now, on to the title of this review... I really want to like this series. I wasn't that impressed with the debut novel, Taking Wing, but I figured given some time this could prove to be a good series. I think The Red King is a step in the right direction. My main problem with this series is the focus on the authors' original characters and the ridiculous amount of diversity within the crew. Now before I'm sued, let me just say that I'm all for diversity. This book just takes it to an almost comical level. To name a few examples, we have the dude who can seperate his body and make each segment act individually. The doctor recently escaped from Jurassic Park, and don't even get me started on the lady who can only breath water... I mean she wears a special water suit on the bridge! A water suit. It's too much. I'm fine with the Klingons, Ferengi, Cardassians, Bajorans, etc. I just think Dino Doctor, Water Lady and their wacky friends are a bit over the top. The vast majority of the people who read these books are doing it for Riker, Troi and Tuvok. Some of the original characters are very intersting, but most are very forgettable yet have equal page time with the heavy hitters. It's unbalanced and a little disappointing. All in all, I'd say this book is worth a read. Still, I am anxious to read book three; it is written by a different writer and I look forward to getting a new perspective on this promising series.
Improving Series.......2007-02-06
Titan The Red King by Andy Mangels and Michael A. Martin is an improvement over the first book in the series, but it still has a ways to go. This book is the continuing story of Captain Riker's ship, the Titan. He spends a lot of time in this book, as in the last, trying to determine exactly what his role is as captain and how to mold his crew into a cohesive group. I find the Riker character as written to be very tentative and unsure of himself, which is a far cry from the Commander Riker from the television series who was always self assured and always knew exactly what he was doing. The authors still have not figured out what to do with Counselor Troi-- she is supposed to be the Diplomatic Officer, but Riker does most of the diplomatic stuff and Deanna's contribution continues, once again, to be her continued exclamations of "Pain! I feel pain!" shades of the first season of Next Generation! They also don't seem to know what to do with First Officer Christine Vale--she just seems to be there but does not seem to have a real reason for being.
There are so many directions for this series to go-- its premise of exploration brings back the original flavor of Classic Trek, and its multi-species crew is similar to the New Frontier series, although the authors continue to pat themselves on the back about it. Hey! We're diverse! We've got lots of different species and we all get along! The message is constantly thrown at us until it gets tiresome.
Still, there is potential here, and I hope that once this series gets over its self congratulatory newness, it will become a solid series in its own right. The characters and situation are there-- they just need to improve the execution-- and for goodness sake, figure out a use for both Commander Troi and First Officer Christine Vale.
The Red King Through The Looking Glass.......2006-11-11
I enjoyed this installment of the new Tital series very much, even with having to deal with the whole gay influence being an underlying theme of the story that could have easily been done without.
Now, the main story itself, I really enjoyed. I thought it was just as good as the first book, if not just a little better. I am excited to see where this series will evolve to and what will happen in the 3rd installment that I am reading now, or the 4th one, slated to be released some time in 2007.
Average customer rating:
- Wow
- Smorgasbord
- Fate, Chance, and the Meaning of Life
- I fell in love with this book...
- Just can't recommend it.
|
The Sirens of Titan
Kurt Vonnegut
Manufacturer: The Dial Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Vonnegut Jr., Kurt | ( V ) | Authors, A-Z | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Vonnegut, Kurt | ( V ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
-
Cat's Cradle
-
Breakfast of Champions
-
Mother Night
-
Slaughterhouse-Five
-
Welcome to the Monkey House
ASIN: 0385333498
Release Date: 1998-09-08 |
Book Description
The richest and most depraved man on Earth takes a wild space journey to distant worlds, learning about the purpose of human life along the way.
Download Description
In Vonnegut's tale of the near future, a cold and malevolent universe is all that humanity can ever know.
Customer Reviews:
Wow.......2007-09-10
Before purchasing this piece of art, I already agreed with most of the philosophy behind it that I was to indulge. By the time I finished the last line however, I had no idea it would strike my nerve ending the way it did. When I finished, I leaned back, and starting laughing out loud from extacy.
What amazed me most about this book was not its astounding realization of life, or the amazing context Vonnegut portrays it in, but the manner of which the book seems to take you on a journey much longer than the 300 pages seem they should. When I concluded this work of art, I felt as though I had been by Malachi Constant's side throughout all those years of 'accidents'.
In a punctual manner of speaking, this book is amazing. If you haven't read it, read it. If you've read it and are looking for support from my review, read it again. You owe it to yourself to enjoy such fantastic prose.
Smorgasbord.......2007-08-15
As any fan of Kurt Vonnegut's novels knows, there are certain common themes to his work. "The Sirens of Titan", more than any other of Vonnegut's books that I've read so far (eight and counting), seems to pack all of his favorite subjects into one story. The subjects of science fiction, religion, war, political satire, time, fame, family, fortune and fate all come together to form a highly entertaining and thought-provoking story. Despite the smorgasbord of familiar Vonnegut subjects, the one theme that seems to stand out and rise above the others is the theme of fate. The characters in the novel all start out believing that they control their own destinies, and yet, time and again, find themselves simply pawns in the games of more powerful forces; often completely without their knowledge. Vonnegut seems to be ridiculing again and again mankind's delusion that he is somehow in control. To paraphrase a character in the book, "It's obvious that some being much more intelligent than I is in charge. Why shouldn't I just be friendly and try to have a nice time?" Who knew you could get such home-spun common sense wisdom from the planet Mercury?
Fate, Chance, and the Meaning of Life.......2007-08-06
After the somewhat clunkier Player Piano (Vonnegut's first novel), his style and voice take a big leap forward here with The Sirens of Titan. The concise sentences, the short paragraphs, the short chapters, the subtle insights, the satire, the humor - everything that makes Vonnegut so compulsively readable is accounted for here. As far as the actual story, there are a lot of important twists that I don't want to give away, but in short, Sirens is a wonderfully inventive exploration of fate, chance, and the meaning of life in this solar system. While I personally prefer a couple of Vonnegut's later books to this one, I'd say that Sirens is a must read for Vonnegut fans and a great introduction for anyone who likes to save the best for last.
I fell in love with this book..........2007-08-02
It is the first Vonnegut book I had the pleasure of reading and within a month I have read 4 more. It a fantastic book that manages to mix sci-fi with philosophy and religion. It's a captivating story, and I think one of the best Vonnegut books out there.
Just can't recommend it........2007-07-22
This was my first Kurt Vonnegut book and I struggled to like it because this book and its author came so highley recommended, but alas, I just can't.
Perhaps in 1959 it was a breakthrough for being so nihilist towards its plot and characters, but with the retrospect that living in the 21st century provides, Vonnegut's novel comes across as surprissingly dated and bennal, as if it broke ground for people to come along later and truly execute with some vision what Vonnegut perhaps set out to do.
First and foremost the novel never delivers on the promises layed out in the first 20 pages. The sense of wonderment established in the beginning, and its connection to an undercurrent of meaning in all our lives, was never explored. It was monotonously explained away as if Vonnegut couldn't be troubled since life is all supossed to just be random and meaningless anyways.
The characters don't grow or evolve, they are unlikeable and render unimaginable and utterly illogical decisions. Perhaps he was attempting to make their synapsis as unpredictable as the occurences around them, but I don't buy that... it comes off as lackluster storytelling.
Overall I was left a tad confounded, not that the message or meaning was too complex, but that someone would actually set out to create such elaborate language around what amounted to nothing. Of all the books I've read I think about this one the least.
Fortunately it only took me about 5 hours to read (otherwise a lazy afternoon) so if you're truly curious you can give it a go.
Books:
- This Old Boat
- Troubled Waters: A Novel (Hearts of the Children, 2)
- Turning Angel: A Novel
- Twilight Zone Radio Dramas, Vol. 1 (10 CD Set) (Twilight Zone Radio Dramas)
- Unearthing Seeds of Fire: The Idea of Highlander
- Unhallowed (Dungeons & Dragons Miniatures Booster Pack)
- Unto the Breach (Paladin of Shadows, Book 4)
- Valley of Silence (The Circle Trilogy, Book 3)
- Walk Yourself Well: Eliminate Back, Neck, Shoulder, Knee, Hip, and Other Structural Pain Forever - Without Surgury or Drugs
- When the Bough Breaks (Alex Delaware)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- This Time, This Place: My Life in War, the White House, and Hollywood
- Kingdom Come: The Final Victory: The Final Victory
- Flashman and the Tiger
- Hate Crime: A Novel of Suspense
- History: Fiction or Science
- Microscale Organic Laboratory: with Multistep and Multiscale Syntheses
- Margot Fonteyn: A Life
- Dessins d'Ingres: Catalogue raisonne des dessins du Musee de Montauban
- Elephant Slaves and Pampered Parrots: Exotic Animals in Eighteenth-Century Paris
- Edward Everett : The Intellectual in the Turmoil of Politics
The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 2)
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book 1)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)
Physik (Septimus Heap, Book 3)
The Pilgrims of Rayne (Pendragon)
