Book Description
Hinds' Feet on High Places is one of Hannah Hurnard's best known and best loved books. This book is a beautiful allegory dramatizing the yearning of God's children to be led to new heights of love, joy, and victory. Follow Much-Afraid on her spiritual journey through difficult places with her two companions, Sorrow and Suffering. Learn how Much-Afraid overcomes her tormenting fears as she passes through many dangers and mounts at last to the High Places. There she gains a new name and returns to her valley of service, transformed by her union with the loving Shepherd.
Download Description
This illustrated version of the timeless classic was arranged by Dian Layton and beautifully illustrated by JoAnn Edington. It tells the story of Much Afraid and her journey to the High Places with the Shepherd. Filled with exciting adventure and a triumphant conclusion, this story will teach your child the importance of following the Shepherd.
Customer Reviews:
Hinds Feet in High Places.......2007-08-11
I know this to be an excellant book. However, I received the package in the mail on 8/11/07 and it was empty. There was no tape on the ends of the cardboard and the book must have slid out in shipping. Would you please send me another copy.This is a packaging issue and not a postal problem. I believe all the responsibility lies with your company.
John Petruska
11137 Lakeland Circle
Ft. Myers, Fl 33913
239-851-2283
A Must Read.......2007-07-05
This book was one of the most meaningful books I have ever read ! It is a book which will give you a real perspective on life and the roads we travel along the way.It makes a lot of things very clear and helps one to understand the simple ways God works in our lives. I loved it! I bought five copies to share with friends and family.
Hinds' Feet on High Places - Delightfully Illustrated and Arranged for Children.......2007-07-04
Although this publication is arranged for children, those of us in our "mature years" can benefit from these timeless truths. Through analogy, Hannah Hurnard explains pain, sorrow, and difficulties as a necessary part of the Shepherd/King's plan for enabling us to leap through the high places with Him while love is blossoming in our hearts. Sharing this book with those important younger ones in our lives will guide them in accepting with joy and bearing with love while being transformed from a cripple to one with hind's (deer) feet. Much-Afraid becomes Grace and Glory.
Hind's Feet on High Places.......2007-07-03
This book was outstanding to me! I could not put it down. Personaly my life was filled with so much fear, that I could really relate to the main charachter's battle in trying to overcome it. The results of her adventure is so true, her whole world changes, she begins to see life with new eyes. I highly recommend this book.
Get Ya Through A Rough Time.......2007-05-13
This is one of my favorite books of all times. This book was given to me about 14 years ago when I was going through my divorce and I was about as low as I could get-I felt like I was worthless and nobody loved me. It really helped me get through a rough time, pick myself up and realize I was not alone. I realized what a wonderful person I was, always was and always will be. Since then I have passed the book along to probably a dozen or more people and they all have said the same for this little book. When I am down, I pick it up and read it again (parts or all of it). It is really an inspirational book for anyone. Highly recommend this book!
Customer Reviews:
crime in venice.......2007-01-21
Commissario Brunetti gets a visit by a young civil servant to talk to him about his apartment. A couple of days later Brunetti gets an urgent phone call from the same man, who is very nervous and wants to talk to the commissario. Brunetti doesn't get the chance, because a couple of hours later, the young man is found ... dead. Then, a young man and a girl are murdered at the same location as the civil servant. Brunetti starts his investigation.
This silver dagger award winner is another exciting crime story from Donna Leon. As always, the characters come from all regions of the Venetian society. Some of the themes, like drug abuse and bribery, and the interesting writing style make this book into another page turner.
Commissario Brunetti takes on the Foundations of Venice........2006-06-10
In Italy, Buildings or Apartments should always be listed - officially, and should always have two sets of records for buildings with any reconstruction plans that have happened or happening - officially. When purchasing a property, the new owner retains one copy from the pervious owner - officially. The other would be retained by the Ufficio Catasto - officially. These plans are stored and used by the Ufficio Catasto to show that building permit's were issued and planning permission was given to improve upon such historical buildings and that the building does actually exist. This would be the official process, unofficially certain plans or records become misplaced.
Franco Rossi from the Ufficio Catasto pays a visit to Guido Brunetti's top floor apartment, to inform him that although his building plans exist, his apartment is not listed on the plans therefore he also believes that his apartment should not exist, not only does this amaze Brunetti as they are quite clearly sitting in his apartment, but the awkward situation would be Brunetti cannot produced any plans either. Franco Rossi informs Brunetti that his apartment is under investigation. Brunetti decides to start his own investigation using his friends to get this matter sorted out, unfortunately before this can happen the real investigation starts a few months later when Franco Rossi is found dead at another building site after falling from scaffolding, accident or foul play? Commissario Brunetti unofficially investigates.
This Story weaves itself into different directions giving Brunetti lots to deal with in the heart of his city, drug dealers, petty thugs, money lenders and day to day corruption ranging from the crook on the street to people in power, where does it all end.
Once again Leon gives to us life in Venice very vividly written; you can almost see it and smell it. The fictional comical characterisations come thorough again in this book as it does in pervious ones. My two favourites the wonderful Sicilian Vice-Questore Giuseppe Patta (Brunetti Boss), who's always up to his old tricks of power playing and Signorina Elettra (Brunetti hidden source), sharp as a razor mind, who's day to day outfits couldn't get any saucier their about to send Brunetti into a midlife crisis. This book also makes reference to, Through A Glass, Darkly which became the name of Donna Leon's 15th book in the whole Brunetti series.
Brunetti could do know wrong in the flow of corruption. This book shows Power Playing at all levels.
Like being in Venice.........2002-02-15
Having read all of Helen MacInness and Sherlock Holmes (after midnight) as a grad student I couldn't stand reading anything less and so gave up mysteries for over 35 years. Looking for something to read on the train, I bought my first Donna Leon book (A Noble Radiance) in the station in Stuttgart and have read nine of her novels so far. Commisario Brunetti and his sharp-tongued wife (who, like Leon, accidentally teaches English in Venice) are never boring. So far, I've not guessed the plot before it developed, and the description of Venice and Italian life is fantastic. A wonder that she's not been run out of town tarred and feathered, if not be the city fathers or the patrici, then by The Church. Enjoy, when you need something entertaining and intelligently written, with attention to geographic and cultural detail.
Leon's book is 'stellar' indeed!.......2001-11-17
Without a doubt, "Friends in High Places" is Donna Leon's best book in her mesmerizing Commissario Brunetti series. "Friends" is the ninth in this outstanding series and Leon has not failed her fans with this latest edition, which, for some unfathomable reason, is not yet published in the States!
The author is able to capture what very few writers in the mystery genre do-- she creates such memorable characters that the reader actually feels he really knows--and even possibly understands--her creations. Certainly, Leon does to Venice what few other writers do to their settings. It is unbelievable that she is able to understand fully the mechanizations of the modern Venetian. She has weaved her plots so intricately--and plausibly--in her series, which seems short of a miracle for some "outsider"--she's an American!--to be able to grasp the bureaucracies of that system, be it religious, political, social, even the illicit "trade" bureaucracies.
With her unforgettable Brunetti and his family, Leon's themes run throughout her novels: among them the "moral path" which is at odds with what Venetians have come to expect and to accept, it seems. If one has a problem, the solution is to utilize his "friends in high places"--a favor for a favor--to solve it. The corruption seems to permeate all aspects of their lives.
But, of course, first, this is a murder mystery, and here, again, Leon is in top form. How exquisitely she leads the reader through this valley of temptation and evil! Yet, despite the impossible task of ever "cleaning up Venice," Brunetti plods on. He alone, it seems at times, knows right from wrong. He takes refuge and solace from his wife Paola; he loves his two children, and his greatest fear is that something evil might harm them.
He senses something is very wrong when a local bureaucrat is found dead; it is labeled an accident, but Brunetti has his suspicions, especially after this bureaucrat had previously contacted him to tell him that he had vital information that he must reveal to him, and to him alone. Before this revelation can occur, he is found dead. Brunetti doesn't believe in coincidences, especially when an attorney who is involved in a corruption investigation is found murdered by a sniper--an attorney whose telephone number Brunetti had found in the bureaucrat's wallet.
From this point on, Leon and Brunetti move cautiously--and sensibly--through this tangled, deceitful web.
The author is quite astute in her observations and realist she is, the endings of her books are not always the "happy ever after" type. Frequently, Brunetti has to con- cede to powers greater than his; he alone cannot stem the flow of corruption--and the Brunetti world, as seen through the series, seems to have no boundaries on corruption, be it from illegal dumping of toxic wastes to the illegal sex trade with local travel companies to the smuggling of drugs from Eastern Europe. Leon leaves no holds barred and the reader is often left to wonder if there really are truly decent folk anymore. Leon does not imply that the corruption is only in Venice, that Pearl of the Adriatic, but leads us to assume that such corruption--especially with today's big bucks, can be anywhere. The average reader knows this all too well, anyway.
For Leon fans, reading this book is not just an inclination, it is a must, naturally;
for new readers, it's also a great read, after reading this one, they will want to go back to the eight previous ones. Indeed, it's a "aventura felice della lettura"! (...)
Venice again.......2001-10-01
Another entry in the long line about nefarious things going on in this wonderful city. If you liked Leon's other books, you will not want to miss this one. She writes with her usual craftsmanship and knowledge of the city.
Average customer rating:
- A Book Review From a Spiritridge Third Grader
- Buy this book
- MY BOY LOVES READING
- Please reconsider
- Great fun and educational
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High Tide in Hawaii (Magic Tree House 28)
Mary Pope Osborne
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0375806164
Release Date: 2003-03-25 |
Book Description
When the Magic Tree House whisks Jack and Annie off to Hawaii it’s for more than a vacation–they’re in search of a fourth kind of magic for Morgan! On the way they help an island community survive a tidal wave and, of course, take some time out to surf! Ultimately, they discover that the magic that they have found in this set of four books are everyday magics: the magic of the arts, the magic of the natural world, the magic of community; and the magic of fun.
Customer Reviews:
A Book Review From a Spiritridge Third Grader.......2007-03-22
I read a story that will take you to Hawaii! If you want to go to Hawaii, Magic Tree House book #28, High Tide in Hawaii is waiting for you.
Jack and Annie are solving rhymes and this book is the last rhyme. Jack and Annie will learn how to surf and dance.
The rhyme from Morgan le Fay (the long ago Librarian) is to "build a special kind of ship that rides the waves, both high and low, on every kind of trip".
There is trouble by tsunami, but you have to find out in this book!
I love this book because it makes me laugh. Just like this, Jack was trying to stand and surf but he kept fell down. Hawaiian friends ( Kumu and Boka) will help him stand.
I recommend this book to people who love Magic Tree House series and people who have been to Hawaii before. Go ahead and check this book out!
Buy this book.......2007-01-21
My children have several books in this series (Magic Tree House). I bought this one for my 9 year old. This one is about going back in time and learning about friendship. It's a nice story.
The only part I didn't like was the peer pressure for one character to surf (a child who was afraid to surf) with no lessons or safety info. At least they did show some danger in doing so later on in the story. (I don't think you should stop kids from learning new sports but there should be parental supervision, "how to" lessons and safety instructions.)
Overall, I feel this is a great book.
MY BOY LOVES READING.......2007-01-07
My 1st grader hates to put it down, he would rather read Magic Tree House books, than play video games. He even reads them to his class and explains the story for show and tell. In his kindergarten class the teacher would also let him read the Magic Tree House books out loud, not to give her a break, but to promote reading out loud. Great books!
Please reconsider.......2005-04-29
While I appreciate that this is a popular series, as an elementary educator from Hawai'i I would like Amazon customers to consider not buying this particular installment of the Tree House books. It perpetuates the most ridiculous stereotypes of Hawai'i and Hawaiians. It makes Native Hawaiians out to be ignorant and indebted to a boy for his superior knowledge -- this is simply a repetition of the old story that Pacific Islanders needed to be saved by the West. At the risk of being cynical, how about a book that explains how the kids did not save Native Hawaiians from the near genocide that followed contact with the West? There are many good books for kids set in Hawai'i, written by people who know the Islands, its history and traditions. Please look for books like these -- The Fish and Its Gifts/Na Makana a Na I'a, Bon Dance in Hawai'i, To Find the Way, or Mr. Miyataki's Wonderful Machine.
Great fun and educational.......2004-06-02
My seven year old loves reading these books over and over again. While she is enjoying the books, she is learning about different places and times in history. She's learned about the Amazon, the wild west, hawaii, the civil and revolutionary wars, the middle ages, ocean mammals, and so much more. I highly recommend the whole series.
Customer Reviews:
SECRETS AND FRIENDS: THE BECHTEL ADVANTAGES!!.......2005-12-17
Laton McCartney has torn the cover off of the Bechtel Group and given us insight into one of the most successful, most influential, and most controversial mega-businesses in the history of the planet earth. A giant octopus with tentacles everywhere imaginable, plunking down projects, and sucking up billions of private and public funds, all over the world. We hear lots about Halliburton and it's foibles, but when was the last time you heard a peep from the Bechtel Group? Bechtel is a "private" corporation with no stockholders and no messy SEC investigations to endure. These guys, as the book tells us, know how to operate out of sight. Even their internal power struggles and disappointments are out of public sight. The book describes Stephen Bechtel, Jr as operating his personal life in a way that would make an experienced undercover spy proud. And then there is "The Grove", the real "friends in high places". There are things in this book you should know, but don't believe everything. A dollop of good sense will guide you through what is on the edge of truth and what isn't. Just be careful not to believe everything.
This is one of the most interesting reads of non-fiction that one will ever make, because it informs us of what has been going on behind our backs, out of reach of the "evening news" or "headline news", Time, or Newsweek, or the New York Times, for that matter. You can thank publishers Simon and Schuster for bringing this to the light of day.
The definitive Halliburton book has not been written yet because so much 'flotsam and jetsam' has yet to be retrieved and examined in the wake of the Iraqi War(s) and disasters like Hurricane Katrina. To be sure, Bechtel was and is involved in both wars AND Katrina, on a parallel track with Halliburton. So knowing Bechtel, gives general strategic insight into Halliburton and vice versa. In addition, when one finishes this book, you must immediately 'google' the word 'Bechtel' to see what they are currently 'up to'. Clues are everywhere on the web, but they are still secretive and still very active, making money 'hand over fist', but not without making their own strategic mistakes. Guess who is responsible for rebuilding the Baghdad electrical grid and water/sewage systems? Well, well! The fact that they have made it through the rough patches attests to their internal strengths as detailed in the book. And yes, there is Reagan, Bush I, George Pratt Schultz, (and probably Bush II involvement, since Riley Bechtel is a presidential advisor on middle eastern trade). Well, well, indeed! The book folds nicely into current events. While Halliburton is getting nothing but grief over Iraq, Bechtel is all but invisible and bullet-proof, just as our author suggests in earlier times.
Some of this is appalling, almost immoral, but it always seems to be quite legal. Like giving a Saudi a 10 percent share in Arabian Bechtel in order to secure the initiation of a project. Sounds like a bribe to me, but it was ruled otherwise and everything proceeded on. Whew! So don't look for Bechtel to be in any courtrooms in the near future. If you 'google' "Bechtel Lawsuit", there is precious little there, since 20 years ago, except for Bechtel suing Bolivia, South America's poorest nation, for $25 Million. Read the book, take some of it with a huge grain of salt, and keep the rest in your storehouse of knowledge. At about 240 pages in a Hardcover, with 30 pages of 'notes' & 'index', it's a brisk, but penetrating read into this corporation, how it operates, and how it affects us all. Ante up! Five PENETRATING Stars!!
Corruption = Bechtel.......2004-04-24
This book shows the public the real Bechtel.
A shadowy Corporation, with slimey leadership from the beginning.
Money is all that matters regardless of international affairs or U.S. patriotism or U.S. policies.
Bechtel has helped out so many of America's enemies.
Bechtel would have built a sarin factory for Saddam if Bechtel thought they could make money and get away with it!
Yellow Journalism at its Worst.......2001-01-19
This book would make even William Randolf Hearst blush. McCartney uses innuendo, falsehood, and fabrication to create a highly skewed view of the well-known engineering construction company. While seemingly a "well-documented" work, he in fact uses "off the record" quotes and otherwise unattributed sources to paint a extremely unflattering picture of the company and its founders, owners and officers. Despite the apparent effort spent in researching his subject, he demonstrates a consistent ignorance of the industry he writes about including its practices and terminology. He casts a wide net of aspersions on the individuals who built the company by quoting unnamed sources and reiterating disproved allegations. He has a positive gift for making any legitimate business activity seem highly suspect, and alludes to "rumored" charges of impropriety without providing any documentation of such. The reader should view this work in the same manner as the depiction of an industry dinner in Washington D.C. recounted in the book's closing pages. The event described did in fact take place, but Mr. McCartney's insertion of Steven Bechtel Jr. into it is a complete fabrication.
Engineered the World : And Made a Lot of Money At It Too........2000-01-18
An excellent book that provides an interesting insider's view into one of the largest engineering and construction firms of modern times. From the Hoover Dam to the Middle East to the United States Government, this book shows how the Bechtel Corporation did what it wanted to, when it wanted to, and used whom it wanted to as long as it made the few controlling members of it's management very rich. And all this was training for the government deals to come. This book offers a historical detailing of this company's ethical and social violations as well as the building of an empire. Read it.
Average customer rating:
- One mother's opinion
- Fantastic!!!
- Painfully Wonderful
- Christian's Review
- My daughter liked it
|
Darkness Before Dawn
Sharon M. Draper
Manufacturer: Simon Pulse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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ASIN: 0689851340 |
Book Description
Has Keisha found happiness at last?
In her senior year, things are finally looking a little brighter for Keisha. Still haunted by the suicide of her ex-boyfriend, Andy, she finds comfort in the attentions of the new track coach, twenty-three-year-old Jonathan Hathaway, the principal's son. How can Keisha not be swept off her feet by a tall, dark, handsome "lemon drop wrapped in licorice" who treats her like a woman, not a girl?
But suddenly this intoxicating relationship takes a frightening turn, and Keisha is once again plunged into the darkness she's fought so hard to escape. Will Keisha ever be able to find her way back into the light?
Customer Reviews:
One mother's opinion.......2007-08-27
My teenager and I just finished reading this book as a summer reading requirement for school. We both agreed that it was one of the worst books we had ever read. The conversations were silly, the word "dude" was said at least 3 dozen times (who says "dude" anymore anyway?) and the situations were melodramatic to say the least. We both agree there are much better options out there for high school students and our hope is that the English teacher who chose this for class won't require any more from this author.
Fantastic!!!.......2006-05-29
This book is continuation of Tears of a Tiger. Keisha was Andy's girlfriend and now left with rest of her friends Ronda, Tyrone, BJ, Gerald, and Leon to survive without out their two friends Andy and Rob, who both died. Now in her senior year Keisha is selected class president and is having the best year. The principal's 23-year-old son is the new track coach and he has his eye on Keisha. Slowly Keisha begins to find comfort in 23-year-old Jonathan and starts going out with him. Soon the relationship takes a wrong turns when Jonathan takes Keisha to his apartment and tries to rape and kill her with his jack knife.
Sharon M. Draper is the greatest well-known writer that I know. I love his style of writing and how she brings her characters to live. Every book she ever made is great and I can't wait til she makes more.
Painfully Wonderful.......2006-02-25
There is pain in this book that you hope no one goes through. It follows Keisha after the death of her boyfriend, which is one thing she could've done without and then the near-rape she encounters. (Read TEARS OF A TIGER first.)
This book makes you wonder about the amount of suffering in the modern black community; does Draper portray it as harsher than it really is, or do more people than we want to think live these kind of lives?
This book is more than fiction. It is an epic.
Christian's Review.......2006-01-18
In the book a girl named Keisha has just lost her boyfriend. Andy killed himself because he and his best friends Rob, Tyrone, and B.J were in a car accident. Rob was the only one that didn't make it out of the car and he burned to death. Andy felt that it was his fault so he walked around with all this on his shoulders until he killed himself. Keisha had just broken up with Andy because of all his problems. That summer Keisha took Andy's little brother with her to the cookout. The cookout was something that the high school does every year and the students come and bring their little brothers and sisters. This summer, Keisha saw a guy that she thought was hot, so the summer passed and the new school year came. When she saw him, she acted as if she hadn't noticed him, but she did and she really liked him. At the same time, Leon liked her but she really had not paid any attion to that until one day she gave him a ride home and his dad started to say all this embracing stuff. So the conflict is she has to choose a boy (Leon) or a man (Jonathan).
I chose this book because I read the first book and I liked it, so I just continued to read them. No one recommended it to me but when I first started everyone would say that's a good book. I chose the book because I read the back. I like the author cause she knows how to express her feelings.
I would recommend this book to any one in high school and middle school. This book is really good but at first it is boring but it gets good in the middle I feel as though it gets good and you can relate to the emotion. It was easy to read cause she is just out in the open. She doesn't make things that are simple so confusing. The end was good. I was satisfied with the resolution.
My daughter liked it.......2005-12-15
My teenage daughter liked the book. Some of the dialogue was a little difficult to follow in certain places, but all in all she said she could really identify with the setting and situations. She liked it so much she wanted to read other books by her - so we ordered "Julio and Romiette". She really loved that one and shared it with her girlfriends who are still passing it around!
Book Description
Kick Keswick, once a jewel thief living an exciting double life, has now retired in simple luxury to the south of France. But when an old enemy resurfaces, threatening to expose the countless fake jewels Kick had carefully substituted during her years of secret theft, she is ready to act.
Back in London, Kick finds herself with more employment than she bargained for at a company whose status is much more precarious than she’d thought. Her enemy, in disguise, circles ever closer. And a young nun comes to Kick with a mysterious jewel-encrusted figurine, and a story of greed and murder.
To balance on this high wire, Kick must sneak into an upper-crust wedding in the Italian Alps, break into an ancient castle owned by a very modern murderer, and do it all with her customary panache, style, and grace. Can she keep one step ahead of the most seductively ruthless foe she’s ever encountered?
Customer Reviews:
Best of the series.......2007-07-31
Now keep in mind that I'm a huge Lily Bennett series fan and live in the hope that the author will write another book in that series soon, I have to say that this is my favorite of the Kick books. It was a wonderful read. The secondary characters are the best developed of the series and the references to food, jewels and clothes are just right. If another Kick book comes along before the author writes the long overdue Lily Bennett book- please have more interaction between Kick and her wonderful husband.
My whole family loved this book!.......2007-05-15
My whole family read this book, waiting impatiently for their turns because we all so enjoyed the prior books. Everyone loved it. I read it twice, beginning again as soon as I finished it the first time. It is a delightful, funny, well-plotted mystery that transports you into the lifestyles of the rich and famous. The jewels! The clothes! The gourmet food! The super-luxury hotels and fabulous homes! I would love a book of recipes from the Kick Keswick books. I would love to live her life. This is a such a fun romp! The only problem is having to wait for the next book in the series.
Another good story..........2007-05-14
I thoroughly enjoyed this latest in the Kick Keswick series. These stories are always entertaining - great fun to see the methods Kick uses to be in the right place at the right time for her own purposes. I very much hope this series will continue!
mystery, decadent chocolate, champagne and fabulous jewelry!.......2007-04-02
Kick Keswick has retired from her vocation at Ballentine's (and from her avocation as the Shamrock Burglar) although she finds she is a bit bored with living the quiet life that she planned for herself. Overhearing at a party that her former employer is in trouble (and hoping that trouble does not lead back to her) Kick decides to return to Ballentines to find out the truth. When her husband Thomas gets called back to Scotland Yard to help with a case, Kick travels back to London, and soon finds things as complicated as she had suspected, with her old nemesis behind the potential collapse of the auction house. Through a twist of fate, Kick finds herself running the organization and is approached by a young nun with an intriguing jeweled statue to sell, and an even more incredible story of the history of the statue and the others that are missing. Kick hatches a meticulous plan to not only restore the jeweled statues to their rightful owner, but to replace an intricate piece of jewelry that she herself had stolen years before (because, after all, self-preservation has been Kick's goal since she was a child).
This is the fourth book in this series, but Ms. Kellogg does such a wonderful job in drawing out and explaining the intracacies of each character that it is not necessary to have read the others to understand the background (although all of the rest are also fabulous fun). This one is my favorite, because we finally understand the details in Kick's past that led to her life of larceny. She also develops friends for the first time in her life; one who may turn out to be her daughter. Kick is so likeable that you tend to overlook the fact that she lies, steals, and changes identities so well that she can fool just about everyone (except the lovable Thomas, of course). But she has such a wonderful heart, and justifies her behavior by only stealing from the people who deserve it! Kick takes the art of revenge to a whole new level!
Friends in High Places is an entertaining read, and it is obvious that Ms. Kellogg enjoys writing about Kick. Let's hope there will be many more books in the future about Kick's mis-adventures!
charming superb suspense thriller.......2007-03-24
Former jewel thief Kick Keswick retired to Provence with her husband former Inspector Thomas Curtis. However when Thomas is called back by Scotland Yard to work a high profile case and Kick learns her former place of employment is in financial trouble, they both return to work. At Ballantine & Company Auctioneers, an appraiser made a mistake that led to a loss of millions and a firing. Also a person returning jewels substituted false stones causing the current fiscal crisis.
Kick knows that her former fiancé owner Owen Brace is the on who returned the phony gems, but she has no proof. Sister Immaculata wants to sell a jeweled Madonna so that the proceeds can be used to restore her order to health. She knows where the purloined jeweled Madonnas are but cannot get to
them because the possessor of them is extremely powerful. When Constance Flynn comes in to sell all her jewels including one of which a fake which resides in Kick's safety deposit box, she is forced to attend the wedding of the woman's son in order to substitute the fake jewels for the real ones. Constance's beau turns out to be Owen while another woman who Kick likes is married to the killer who possesses the jeweled Madonna's. Kick wants to steal them and get them to Sister Immaculata whom she thinks might be her daughter.
Marne Davis Kellogg has a hit series because of her heroine, a jewel thief with a heart of gold streaked with larceny. There is plenty of action as the support cast turns the storyline into a special cozy as they play major roles along side the kick butt heroine in the jeweled purloining "Olympics". Friends in High Places is a charming superb suspense thriller.
Harriet Klausner
Customer Reviews:
A delicious series that will definitely give you something to talk about!.......2007-09-29
The Upper East Side used to be overrun with plastic surgery happy society women, and spoiled tots torturing their high-priced nannies. But times have changed. While these people still occupy a small portion of the sidewalks, they have been pushed aside for a new generation of beautiful people. Teenagers brought up in the lap of luxury, who spend their days buying overpriced La Perla undergarments at Barney's, and indulging in frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity. But spending money isn't all that's on their mind. There's always...gossip.
GOSSIP GIRL: Ever since the flawless Serena van der Woodsen departed from New York City to take up residence at a boarding school in Connecticut, sixteen-year-old Blair Waldorf has ruled Constance Billard School for Girls. As the daughter of a prominent lawyer turned gay, Blair has always gotten her way. And, with Serena out of the picture, was able to snag the gorgeous, green-eyed Nate Archibald for herself. Unfortunately, as much as Blair would like to deny it, Nate has always had a thing for Serena. A secret passion for the blonde-haired, blue-eyed beauty. And now with Serena back in the picture, Blair doesn't know where their relationship will stand. So she has to take drastic measures...hand Nate her V card and he'll be hers forever. The only problem is that Nate is a stoner who has a very short attention span, and even sacrificing herself to Nate won't let him forget the passion he feels for Serena.
But he's not the only one. Dan Humphrey isn't your typical rich kid. For one, while he attends school with some of New York City's most privileged, he actually resides in an apartment on the Upper West Side with his chesty younger sister, Jenny, and his eccentric writer father, Rufus. Dan is a dark, brooding poet, whose penchant for cigarettes and Folgers coffee crystals leave much to be desired. But, like Nate, Dan is infatuated with Serena. The only difference is that he has never so much as spoken to her before, and she doesn't know he exists. Now that Serena's off the A-List, and treading outcast waters, however, the only thing he can hope is that she'll find her way to him and they can live happily ever after. In his dreams, of course. 5 stars.
YOU KNOW YOU LOVE ME: Everyone is in the midst of applying to Ivy League Colleges, but Blair Waldorf is planning a little something extra...her seventeenth birthday. Unfortunately, her mother has sprung a big announcement - she's getting married to Cyrus Rose, and the wedding will take place on Blair's birthday. So much for special days. Then there's Serena, who is being constantly pursued by Dan, a disturbed poet with intense affections. Sure, Serena is used to being pursued by guys of all ages, but Dan is slightly creepy with his morbid poetry. Of course, Serena is a girl, and what girl doesn't love having poems being written about her.
Although these teens are rich, obviously money can't buy you everything. At least it can't buy Blair Waldorf everything. For Blair's seventeenth birthday bash is coming up, and she knows that the only thing that she can possibly wish for is Nate Archibald, her troubled, yet gorgeous, boyfriend, of course. But little does she know that while she's sending out college applications, Nate is fooling around with Jenny Humphrey, a ninth-grader! Looks like Blair's birthday is destined to be a blowout of epic proportions. 5 stars.
ALL I WANT IS EVERYTHING:
Blair Waldorf is having the worst time of her life. She has just completely flubbed her Yale interview, even going so far as to kiss her interviewer; she must contend with a dreadlock-bearing new stepbrother named Aaron, who seems to have some ulterior motives up his sleeve; her mother is marrying a loser whom she has known for hardly no time at all; and, to top it all off, Nate has ditched her for a chesty ten-year-old - well, she looks ten. Luckily, she and Serena van der Woodsen are back on speaking terms, and living it up as BFF's once more. But who knows how long that will last.
The holidays are just around the corner, and with the Upper East Side absolutely freezing, everyone who's loaded is planning on ditching their Marc Jacobs coats, and slipping into their Missoni string bikinis for a Christmas in a tropical place. With Nate Archibald having called it quits with Blair in order to take up a romance with freshman Jenny Humphrey, Blair is anything but ready to say goodbye to the city, and head off to St. Bart's with Serena, where they can sunbathe topless, and, perhaps, have a winter fling. Unfortunately, Serena is being stalked by Flow, the hottest rock star on the planet - at least at the moment - and can't seem to shake him off, and Blair, armed with her iBook plans on holing up in the hotel room writing the essay for her Yale application. Looks like this vacation won't be as sizzling as originally planned. But with Blair's new stepbrother, Aaron, and his pal Miles in tow, you never know when the sparks will fly.
Back in the city, Nate and Jenny are having the time of their life. But with Blair's sudden appearances at every turn, Nate finds himself more and more drawn to the girl he has known and loved for so many years. But then there's Jenny. Sweet, innocent, voluptuous Jenny. Maybe if Nate spent less time being baked, and more time being straight, he'd be able to decide who he's truly lusting over.
Then there's Jenny's older brother, Dan. Since admitting their passion for one another, Dan and Vanessa have been having a whirlwind romance - albeit a dark one - filled with foreign films, cigarettes, strong instant coffee, and lots and lots of black. But since falling in love, Dan finds himself at a standstill regarding his poetry. Suddenly, he's experiencing writer's block firsthand, and it's not a pretty picture. But when Vanessa supposedly does something that betrays both him and Jenny, he wonders if this is the push he needs to get his writing back on track - and to get even. 5 stars.
Let's put it bluntly, Cecily von Ziegesar is a genius. She has taken the simple subject of rich, spoiled, troublemaking teens, and managed to produce a series that is both irresistible and infuriating. Each of the characters bring a sense of upper class to the table, along with a bit of scandal, and, dare I say it, trashiness. They have created a virtual playground of the Upper East Side, and dominate every hotel, club, or bar from Manhattan to Williamsburg. But they're oh so delicious. Serena is carefree and easygoing, however, she possesses a selfless and tragic air that makes her irresistible. Blair, on the other hand, is stuck-up and pretentious, but she knows how to let her hair down. Unfortunately, she usually lets her hair down at approximately the same time that her claws come out. Nate is a bad boy in good boy's clothing. His gorgeous looks make up for the fact that he has little between the ears due to how much of his time he spends high. Jenny and her older brother, Dan, on the other hand, are artistes who add a sweet touch to the series; and Vanessa manages to turn heads by brandishing her bald one. Each character converges together to weave an amazing story that leaves you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. A delicious series that will definitely give you something to talk about!
Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer
Great Read........2007-09-14
One of the best series of books I've read since i was a kid. There's always something pulling you in making you want more. Fast and easy read.
Love These Books.......2007-03-30
I absolutely love this collection of books! After reading the first book, I went ahead and ordered the second and third collection. I just finished reading my third book and I can't wait to get the rest of the books I ordered in the mail. I have to say that the books are addicting and once you start, you don't want to stop. I am 25 years old and I find great leisure and entertainment from these books. I recommend this collection of books to girls who like to gossip and to gilrs who are from New York!!
gossip girl series.......2006-08-29
I have read all of the gossip girl books up to "your the one that i want,"in the past week. I cannot keep myslef out of those books.I just bought the next one "nobody does it better" yesterday and already almost done with it.When is the series going to end? I have already read the it girl,notorius,and reckless,they were very good books as well.
alexis n.
i'm addicted to these books!.......2006-06-29
The books are great. I read through them really fast because they were so good i just couldn't put them down. I had to find out what was gonna happen next. I would highly suggest reading them. There however is some swearing and talk about sex, drugs, and alcohol though but i cant imagine what the books would be like without it.
Amazon.com
David Breashears has climbed Mt. Everest four times. For this, he is known as a world-class mountaineer. A lengthy career in documentary filmmaking--including the Imax film, Everest--has earned him wide acclaim and four Emmy awards. For this, he is known as one of the elite cinematographers in his field. But his new autobiography, High Exposure: An Enduring Passion for Everest and Other High Places, proves he is more than a climber and a filmmaker; he is also an able writer.
Breashears has no lack of good material. We follow him through the stunning backdrops of Yosemite, Europe, Nepal, and Tibet, brushing up against triumphs and tragedies along the way. And while the nuts and bolts of his adventures are entertainment enough, his knack for building suspense and employing understated drama makes his autobiography read like a novel: "The morning was sunny and calm, and Rob looked as though he'd lain down on his side and fallen asleep. Around him the undisturbed snow sparkled in the sun. I stared at his bare left hand ... I wondered what a mountaineer with Rob's experience was doing without a glove."
Breashears also likes to remind his audience of humble beginnings surmounted: his early climbing days when he was known as "the kid," and a winter he spent sleeping under a sheet of plywood during the Wyoming oil boom when he was called "the worm." But mostly he documents his filmmaking career and climbing passion, both of which he approaches with an obsessive fervor. Readers interested in either pursuit will find High Exposure a fascinating traverse across the spine of the world. --Ben Tiffany
Book Description
For generations of resolute adventurers, from George Mallory to Sir Edmund Hillary, Tenzing Norgay to Jon Krakauer, Mount Everest and the world's greatest peaks have provided the ultimate testing ground. As the world's fascination with mountaineering reaches a fever pitch, the question remains: Why climb? In High Exposure, elite mountaineer and acclaimed filmmaker David Breashears answers with an intimate and captivating look at his life. Breashears's passion for climbing began on the cliffs of Boulder, Colorado -- and nearly ended on the south side of Everest in 1996.
From childhood, Breashears felt irresistibly drawn to the Himalayas' promise of adventure and unforgiving demands on body, mind, and soul. Readers learn of his turbulent early years and his training on the rock before he was dubbed the Kloberdanz Kid. While most American teens were reveling in the recklessness of the seventies, Breashears indulged in a potent mixture of discipline, passion, and drive to pioneer the improbable Perilous Journey in Colorado, ascend Half Dome in Yosemite, and attempt Everest's unclimbed Kangshung Face in Tibet. Along the way, the intense young man apprenticed on film shoots and gradually took to the camera himself, relishing its physical and artistic demands. He was soon consumed with capturing on film the unsurpassed beauty and profound human experience he witnessed as a climber. That he would someday film at the top of the world with a forty-two-pound camera during the Everest IMAX Filming Expedition surprised no one who knew him: He was always looking to the next challenge, his eyes on the highest horizons.
For David Breashears, climbing has never been a question of bravery: Rather, it is the pursuit of excellence and a quest for self-knowledge. Danger comes, he argues, when ambition blinds reason. The stories this world-class climber and great adventurer tells will surprise you. From discussions of egotism and competitiveness on the heights -- despite the brotherhood of the rope -- to a frank description of mistakes made during the 1996 Everest tragedy, this personal history goes beyond Mallory's famous quip "Because it's there" to find meaning and hope at the top of the world.
Customer Reviews:
3 1/2 stars.......2007-07-03
I've read several mountain climbing/Everest books lately and this is in the top half of that list. That having been said, as one reviewer noted, it was more interesting than gripping, and for all the ability to give a auto-biographical look at a world class climber, it didn't really capture the drama of the climb. Since reading about it is about as close as I'm ever going to get to doing it, I need something that makes me feel the cold and the wind and the struggle for air. This was more of a narrative retelling, and emotion is overly removed from the story.
Everest is almost as much of a protagonist as Breashears himself, and it was indeed very interesting to read about the history, about the other expeditions, and about the call on the author that brought him to climbing as a life. It was enough, and I recommend the book without reservation, but I would say read "Into Thin Air" if you are looking for a more powerful and exciting retelling of an Everest climb.
Great war stories with some autobiography thrown in.......2007-06-12
This book lies somewhere between an autobiography and a collection of essays reminiscing about a life half-finished. Breashears is a mountaineer and high-altitude cinematographer. It's a great read, written in a lively style - - a must-read for mountaineers and wannabes, and enjoyable for anyone else who likes reading about the outdoors.
The book mostly concerns Breashears' personal exploits, and the story of how he went from rock climbing as a teen in Colorado to alpine expeditions and film. Along the way he touches on a variety of personal issues, such as his childhood and emotionally abusive father. He's honest about how his compulsion to climb led to the failure of his marriage - - a marriage to a woman whom he met in the Himalayas, so it's saying quite a bit that climbing could have broken it up.
Lingering there and elsewhere in the book is the classic question always asked of climbers: "Why?" Breashears doesn't really have an answer, but reveals enough of his own life that you can make some educated guesses.
Those autobiographical notes aside, it's really a book about climbing. Like Krakauer, he was on Everest during the 1996 tragedy, and he has another take on those events. Well worth reading.
Everest Adventures.......2007-05-29
Purchased with Touching the Void and found this book very informative about Everest an many of the climbers that Joe Simpson mentions in his book. A good companion read to Touching the Void.
Fascinating, and highly readable........2007-01-25
David Breashears has summited Mount Everest four times by the South Col route, and has twice attempted (each) both the North Col route and the Kangshung Face. He's among the few late 20th Century Western climbers to make a career, a successful one, out of his enduring passion for the Himalayas and other such unforgiving places. Although his book uses the 1996 Everest disaster as its framework, it's actually the author's autobiography.
What creates in a human being the hunger for challenges of the sort that extreme climbing involves? According to David Breashears, who ought to know, mountaineering is about self-discovery. It's also about independence, and ultimate self-reliance. As he tells the story of his boyhood, the reader comes to understand what shaped this particular man to value those things so highly. He's honest about himself, at times almost brutally so; and therefore, what he has to say about the events of 1996 (which he witnessed, and participated in during the rescue phase) rings with total authenticity.
Interesting, But Not Gripping.......2006-07-12
I must agree witht he reviewer who commented about the book being written by committee. The narrative is choppy and lacking not only key details, but also historical background. Because it's an autobiography, I don't necessarily think that it's fair to damn the book for being self-centered; it IS about him. I do feel, however, that the book needs better editing and a bit more self-examination.
It's an okay addition to one's list of books about Everest expeditions - which I must admit, I've developed a morbid fascination with after recently re-reading "Into Thin Air". I wouldn't, however, use it as my primary source for information or impressions.
Book Description
A devotional for women, this book includes the entire text of the classic allegory as well as tender devotions written by Darien B. Cooper. The spiritually rich allegory that has positively influenced so many lives is now even better with an added devotional for women.
Customer Reviews:
The Perfect Allegory.......2007-09-06
"Hind's Feet" was everything and more than I'd hoped it would be. Yes, it was an adventure of the heart but it took my spirit to both depths and heighths that were unexpected. The way the story unfolded combined with the devotionals enabled me to build a deeper understanding of who we are in Christ and how He has designed us to fit into His kingdom for His sake and His glory. These are both lost features in many spiritual relationship and discipleship building instructional-type classess and training seminars.
I love to build upon my personal relationship with the Lord and allow the Him to challenge me; which often entails a great deal of searching, valley walking, rock climbing and gut wrenching spiritual exercises but those are the little pearls of wisdom as I call them, the "rocks" that "Much Afraid" referred to as she gathered them. What brilliant alters we find that we have to offer our Lord as we learn under His guidance and loving care all through our lives.
I plan on giving this book to all of my Small Group members and sisters as gifts and prayerfully hoping that their lives are touched in similar ways mine was and will continuously to be as I use the book as a daily devotional. I teach middle school with extremely needy students and this book will certainly begin each of my days for years to come. How can I ever get tired of being reminded that "Hind's Feet" are gradually grown as we walk the way of the Lord for His glory experiencing His love and teachings all along the mighty climb upwards towards His heavenly home.
Great Edification.......2007-08-09
This allegory is an alltime favorite of mine as it really gives you a picture of the essence of a relationship with the Lord and the difference that it makes in your everyday life. It is both challenging and encouraging .... very insightful. This particular edition even moreso as you have the extra devotional aspect. The other thing about this particular edition is that it is in a much "easier-to-read" format with larger print than any other edition of "Hinds Feet..." that I have found. It makes for a great gift edition for individuals, also.
much afraid no more.......2007-07-20
This beautiful book was reccommended at the funeral of a very spiritual man. It was his gift to us all, and the way he lived his life. The tale is a reminder that we are never alone in our trials. You won't want to put it down and I guarantee you will read it over and over.
Timely Reading.......2007-07-16
I read this book for the first time when I was on vacation a few weeks ago. I ordered it some time ago and finally pulled it off of the shelf. How timely and encouraging. This so wonderfully written. In each chapter I can so easily see myself and God's promise to see me through. This book is easy and delightful reading. The devotions add another level of reflection and exhortation. I would recommend this book to anyone who is seeking to find and stick to God's plan for their lives and His promises.Renew, Refocus and Recover!
High Places gets High Rating.......2007-06-02
This is an outstanding book. Do as the author advises -- read the allegory first (it's on the left pages). The allegory itself is worth the price of the book. Then go back to the beginning. Each day read one page of the allegory followed by the devotion on the opposite page. Do it slowly and prayerfully. This has been very effective, even life changing, for me. I must admit that some days I read two pages of the allegory followed by their respective devotions. I would especially recommend this book to those people who tend to be fearful or who struggle in their trust of the Lord. After all, the name of the heroine is Much-Afraid. However, I also believe that this is a book for all people.
Amazon.com
War threatens the Four Lands, and Shannara's only hope lies in Penderrin Ohmsford, but it's a dreadfully slim hope. To save his world, Pen must restore his aunt, the former Ilse Witch, to her rightful position as High Druid of Shannara. But first Pen must free his aunt Grianne from the Forbidding: the world of the demons. To have the slightest chance of freeing her, he must find the mystical tree called the Tanequil, and somehow craft a talisman from its wood. But Shadea a'Ru, the treacherous usurper of his aunt's position, will do anything to stop Pen--and she has already captured Pen's parents and forced them to reveal their son's whereabouts. Sen Dunsidan, the monstrous Prime Minister of the Federation, has armed his greatest airship with a horrible new weapon. And Pen is just a boy, accompanied on his dangerous quest by only a Dwarf, a young Elf, and a blind Rover girl.
Filled with action, treachery, and sacrifice, Tanequil will enthrall Terry Brooks's millions of fans as it roars to a shocking conclusion. However, newcomers to the Shannara series should not begin with Tanequil. It's the middle book of the High Druid of Shannara trilogy, and the thirteenth novel of a complicated high-fantasy series with numerous characters and sentient races. Newcomers should start with Jarka Ruus, the first book of the High Druid trilogy--or, better yet, with The Sword of Shannara, the first book of the series. --Cynthia Ward
Book Description
Events that began in Jarka Ruus, Book One of High Druid of Shannara, come swiftly to a head in this second thrilling volume. Alliances are made, trusts are betrayed, and prices are paid. Through it all, Terry Brooks orchestrates the action with the flawless hand of a master mythmaker– fashioning another exquisite link in his chain of bestselling epics.
Loyal to none but herself and lethal even to those closest to her, Shadea a’Ru now holds sway as High Druid of Paranor–her ascension to power all but unchallenged in the wake of Grianne Ohmsford’s sudden, mysterious vanishing. Only Shadea and her catspaw–the treacherous Prime Minister Sen Dunsidan–know the secret fate of the true Ard Rhys . . . for it was they who engineered it, by means of dark magic. And now Grianne languishes in the fearsome and inescapable netherworld called the Forbidding.
Their bloodless coup a success, the corrupt pair, and their confederates within the Druid Council, seeks to make their dominion over the Four Lands absolute–with the aid of a devastating new weapon. But it could all be undone if Grianne’s young nephew, Penderrin, succeeds in his frantic quest to rescue her. Shadea’s airship-borne minions and the relentless assassin under her command continue their fierce pursuit of Pen and his comrades.
Eluding death is only half the battle for Pen. To breach the Forbidding and bring Grianne back to the natural world means finding the fabled Tanequil . . . and the talisman it alone can provide. That means journeying into the Inkrim–a dreaded region thick with shadows and haunted by harrowing legends. It also means striking a bargain more dire than Pen could ever imagine. But there can be no turning back. For in her unearthly prison, the Ard Rhys faces a demonic plight too hideous to countenance. . . .
Download Description
One
Sen Dunsidan, Prime Minister of the Federation, paused to look back over his shoulder as he reached his sleeping chambers.
There was no one there who shouldn¿t be. His personal guard at the bedroom doorway, the sentries on watch at both ends of the hallway¿no one else. There never was. But that didn¿t stop him from checking every night. His eyes scanned the torchlit corridor carefully. It didn¿t hurt to make certain. It only made sense to be careful. He entered and closed the door softly behind him. The warm glow and sweet candle smells that greeted him were reassuring. He was the most powerful man in the Southland, but not the most popular. That hadn¿t bothered him before the coming of the Ilse Witch, but it hadn¿t stopped bothering him since. Even though she was finally gone, banished to a realm of dark madness and bloodlust from which no one had ever escaped, he did not feel safe.
He stood for a moment and regarded his reflection in the full-length mirror that was backed against the wall opposite his bed. The mirror had been placed there for other reasons: for a witnessing of satisfactions and indulgences that might as well have happened in another lifetime, so distant did they seem to him now. He could have them still, of course, but he knew they would give him no pleasure. Hardly anything pleasured him these days. His life had become an exercise conducted with equal measures of grim determination and iron will. Political practicalities and expediencies motivated everything he did. Every act, every word had ramifications that reached beyond the immediate. There was no time or place for anything else. In truth, there was no need.
His reflection stared back at him, and he was mildly shocked to see how old he had become. When had that happened? He was in the prime of his life, sound of mind and body, at the apex of his career, arguably the most important man in the Four Lands. Yet look what he had become. His hair had gon
Customer Reviews:
Supersize paperback book?? C'mon!!.......2006-12-07
Ok, to others, it may be known as the "Trade Paperback."
To me, it's the paperback book that would look out of place with my regularly-sized paperback books on the shelf.
Del Rey, listen up!!! I REFUSE to buy this until it comes out in a regular paperback edition! End of story! I will not settle for this monstrous volume that might feel small in some NBA player's hands.
Does that mean I won't get to see how the story progresses?? OH WELL!!! I'm NOT going to compromise just so you can pocket another $5-$6 on material that cost you far less.
no title.......2006-11-10
I bought this for my grandson. He has read all of the series, and really enjoyed them. He is 21 yrs old. He also has dyslexia, and has never liked to read. So this was special to both of us that, He said he got so into the book that he forgot where he was.
Middle novel of a Terry Brooks story.......2006-07-31
Terry Brooks has made a career out of a complicated fantasy world where magic rules as well as politics and inter-racial warfare keeps the balance of good versus evil in a constant state of flux. In all of his books there are several steady components: The Ohmsford family through all of its generations is imbued with a strong strain of magic that they are regularly called upon to exercise even if they do not wish to do so.
In this installment, we are reading about the adventures of a 14 years boy named Pen Ohmsford, his parents whom we were introduced to in the previous trilogy, his aunt who was a major character in the previous trilogy and the new situation where the Federation is still fighting the Freeborn, there is much conflict amongst the Druids, and the Demons are making their plans to come back from the Forbidding to which they were banished thousands of years ago.
If all this seems too convoluted for a single book of about 350 pages in length, you are correct! Terry Brooks writes complex stories and to help resolve the plots, he actually needs about 1000 pages and so the story gets cut up into three volumes. This leads always to a silly device in which at the end of each volume, there is a cliffhanging plot development (this volume is no different). As a longtime reader of this series, I find this little affectation rather annoying, but I suppose the author and the publishers want to ensure that you do not hesitate to purchase the next volume.
Anyway, this book is the middle volume which means that none of the plot lines gets resolved but instead, the world seems headed for the dumpster. As is standard in Terry Brooks stories, this is the time in which things are at their darkest and most splintered. In this one, Grianne Ohsmford is struggling to understand why she is in the Forbidding and what are the plans that the Demon Lord has for her; Penn Ohmsford manages to fulfill the first part of his quest and loses much of what is dear to him in the process; Rue and Bek find out about the plot and try to save Penn only to be caught in the Druid machinations and are imprisoned in Paranor Keep; The Federation discovers a new weapon and uses it to defeat the Elf army while killing its king and causing them to retreat; as well as other smaller sub-plots that are too numerous to detail here.
Suffice it to say, that I trust Terry Brooks to bring all the threads together in the final volume and resolve the situation for this generation.
If you are new to Shannara and Terry Brooks DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK! you MUST have the background provided by Jarka Ruus and the previous series' to make any sense out of this and understand the flow of what is going on. If you are a fan of Terry's and have read Jarka Ruus, then you MUST buy this book to be prepared for Straken.
The only improvement I would wish for would be for these three volumes to be combined into one book that contains the complete story. One thousand page fantasy books are out there and would contain the complete story from start to finish which would be an improvement. But perhaps that is too much to ask for?
series in decline.......2006-07-10
Although I loved the first Shannara series, something of the magic has departed the more recent books. Picking up where Book I left off, Tanequil tells the stories of what has happened to the world since Griane Ohmsford's betrayal. As her enemies work to solidify their rule, her family tries to find her. Spurred by the words of the King of the Silver River, her nephew, Pen, searches for the Tanequil, a magical tree, somewhat like the Ellcrys, to craft a dark wand so he can journey into the Forbidding to rescue her, but he did not count to cost before setting out, and it is dear. Meanwhile, Griane's plight is more desperate than she can imagine. Now the prisoner of the Straken Lord, she is forced to call upon her own evil to survive, risking losing herself in the process.
Though a good story, too much of it revolves around politics. Had the focus remained on the Ohmsfords, it would have been more engaging. Still, Terry Brooks is a safe bet to read.
A great story with some re-used ideas.......2006-07-03
I'm definitely an avid Brooks fan, and this book is not a disappointment. There are some very similar elements between Tanequil and the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara series (
a girl with special sight who sacrifices herself for her airship companions, e.g. ). Even so, it kept me up at night, wanting to finish. I can't wait start Straken!
Books:
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Books Index
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