Hell's Gate (Multiverse, Book 1)

Hell's Gate (Multiverse, Book 1)
Average customer rating:

understandably slow.

Great Concept, Slow Development

Lordy, this is awful!

Ok as long as there's more coming.

Clash of two very different human cultures

Hell's Gate (Multiverse, Book 1)
David Weber , and Linda Evans
Manufacturer: Baen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Evans, Linda | ( E ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Weber, David | ( W ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Adventure | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1416509399

Book Description

The Union of Arcana has expanded through the portals linking parallel universes for over a century and a half. In that time, its soldiers and sorcerers have laid claim to one uninhabited planet after another¿all of them Earth, and in the process, the Union has become the most powerful, most wealthy civilization in all of human history. But all of that is about to come to a screeching halt, for the Union¿s scouts have just discovered a new portal, and on its far side lies a shattering revelation. Arcana is not alone, after all. There is another human society, Sharona, which has also been exploring the Multiverse, and the first contact between them did not go well. Arcana is horrified by the alien weapons of its sudden opponents, weapons its sorcerers cannot explain or duplicate. Weapons based upon something called . . . science. But Sharona is equally horrified by Arcana¿s ¿magical¿ weapons. Neither side expected the confrontation. Both sides think the other fired first, and no one on either side understands the ¿technology¿ of the other. But as the initial disastrous contact snowballs into all-out warfare, both sides can agree on one thing. The portal which brought them together is Hell¿s Gate itself!

Customer Reviews:

understandably slow........2007-10-04

This book does seem to drag along for quite a while. It never quite gets "boring" but then, it's never quite edge of your seat exciting either. This book is cramed with world building which is some times tedious, but things REALLY pick up in book to. I reccomend you get this, even if only to understand the later books in the series.

Great Concept, Slow Development.......2007-10-02

While I have only read a handful of the works by David Weber I was in an airport bookstore and saw this and thought to myself, why not? Unfortunately at times I found myself wondering, why did I?

As many people have already commented the book is a bit how do you say...slow on the get go. Honestly it was really really boring and there was so much character development and back story that you sometimes forgot what happened at "Fallen Timbers" or to Sir Olderhan and his Shardoni throughout the book.

While admittidly it was slow in the beginning, after having now read the second book in the series I understand why things were done they way they were in this first book. The character development is some of the deepest I have ever come across in a book and you really begin to feel some pretty deep connections with the main characters by the end of this story.

However while following main characters is one thing, they have gone and personified the civilizations of Andara and Sharona in of themselves. It's difficult to pick which side you really want to win because of all the similarities to human history and fantasy.

Ironically though some of the deepest aspects of this novel have everything to do with the development of the readers link with each civilization and the political, and human response to such a meeting. In the end I would have to say that this really was a great read!

Lordy, this is awful!.......2007-10-02

I like David Weber. A lot. But this, this is just terrible. Page after page of people peering into one another's eyes. All of the female characters bursting into tears at the drop of a hat....again and again, and again. Heroic male characters who the average trooper wouldn't follow to the local waste water treatment plant, let alone into battle. Spend your hard earned money elsewhere.

Ok as long as there's more coming........2007-08-08

Now despite being billed as "A War between Science and Magic," it would behoove the reader to know that the last battle between these two cultures occurs on page 350 thereabouts. The problem is, its an 800 page book, and the only thing that happens for the rest of the 450 pages is a severe amount of preparation in character backstory and motivation for the rest of the series. Knowing Weber, this is to be expected for him to plant seeds here that wont pay off for several books down the line, as he does that unceasingly annoyingly in his Honor Harrington novels, making the reader wait YEARS to see where things are heading (while pumping out about 5 OTHER books between each Harrington novel). For this book, as a reader, I was constantly thinking, "Thats Ok and all that, but where's the war?" Then we get to the horrible disappointment of the ending, to find out that there ISNT one, and we have to wait for Book 2 to see anything interesting.

GOOD NEWS IS, that Book 2 will hit you like a thunderclap, with the big showdown between the dragons and the howitzers that we were promised in Book 1 finally arriving in a huge flying monster vs industrial war machine free-for-all. This should have been the ending to Book 1, and judging by the size of Book 2, only HALF the size of this one, it very well likely may have been, becoming a 2nd book in the editing process.

Just keep 'em coming at a quick clip. I can handle these waits as long as we get a steady stream of sequels. Book 2 had better have been short for a darned good reason, such as Book 3 being 800 pages or more... Dont keep us hanging for hangings sake.

Clash of two very different human cultures.......2007-05-28

Start with the very standard idea that a multiverse exists in which the universe has repeatedly separated into different alternates in which the same event has different outcomes. Now add a much rarer twist - contact is possible between universes with common history tens of thousands or more years in the past, but not with more recent ones. Gone are the "Nazis won WW II" or "Roman Empire still lives" contacts. Instead, humanity finds a chain of Earths in which there are no humans, but which are in an "Age of Mammals" which is pretty much as on our Earth.
Such a scenario allows for contact between (and clashes between) two human cultures which have developed in vastly differing manners - one discoverted technology and the other magic. Each approach blinded its adherents to even the possibility of the other way of life.
Further, to make things more even, the technology people have not yet achieved flight or radio communication, but do have railroads, steamships and late 19th century artillery and machine guns. Further, they have some psi "Talents", which may eventually balance the "Gifts" of the magical adepts.
Both civilizations have been actively spreading through the chain of alternate Earths, without meeting other humans, until they meet in a world newly discovered by both and far from the home world of either. A clash ensues, started by accident, but fed by paranoia, incompetence and egotism.
A interesting twist is the existence in the technology world of a pseudo-British Empire (headquartered in Ireland, so not quite British) whose past resembles Rome and its Byzantine avatar (including a clone of Constantinople as its past capital) - they even have "joint" sovereignty over pseudo-Gibraltar - and a psuedo-Ottoman Empire ("Othmaliz") whose Constantinople-clone capital is the site of the world conference called to address the crisis resulting from the clash of cultures. Why create a history very different from ours and then copy details of our history into the new history? Since that is what happens, I suggest the reader label a blank world map with the local names from the story to keep track of what's happening on "technology Earth" ("Sharona" - incidentally, Weber's wife's name is "Sharon").
The early section of the book, is, as other reviewers have mentioned, disjointed and hard to read. I almost gave up. After the first 50 or so pages, the story becomes much more interesting and is hard to put down.
The scenario has potential for a long series of high quality stories.

HELL'S GATE: The Battle of the Cherkassy Pocket January to February 1944

Average customer rating:

Hell's Gate
Outstanding History
The Telling of a Desperate Struggle
Fascinating Account Of A Little Known Battle
Great history

HELL'S GATE: The Battle of the Cherkassy Pocket January to February 1944
Douglas Nash
Manufacturer: RZM Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Ukraine | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Russia | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0965758435

Book Description

Virtually unknown in the English-speaking world, the Battle of Cherkassy (also known as the Korsun Pocket) still stirs controversy in both the former Soviet Union and in Germany. It was at Cherkassy where the last German offensive strength in the Ukraine was drained away. Hell's Gate is a riveting hour by hour and day by day account of this desperate struggle analyzed on a tactical level through maps and military transcripts, as well as on a personal level, through the words of the enlisted men and officers were there.

Customer Reviews:

Hell's Gate.......2007-02-12

Expert writing on a relatively little-known albeit vital battle on the Eastern Front in 1944. Military History does not get any better than Mr. Nash's account of the battle of the Cherkassy pocket!

Outstanding History.......2007-01-30

Excellent book, with loads of anecdotes and personal accounts, at least for the German side. The book would have been even better if the author could have managed to obtain more Soviet first hand accounts as well, but even without them he does a good job of describing and assessing the Soviet side of the battle as well.

The Telling of a Desperate Struggle .......2007-01-27

"Hell's Gate" is a meticulously researched volume of a little known brutal winter battle on the Eastern Front during World War II. The writing is clear and unambiguous; the text is supplemented with many photographs, including previously unpublished photos made available to the author by participants of this battle.
There are some irritating production shortcomings, such as the occasional line dropping off at the bottom of a page and the seemingly inevitable misspellings throughout.
In all, I readily recommend this book.

Fascinating Account Of A Little Known Battle.......2007-01-27

If you want to know what war on the Eastern Front was like, there is not a better book available. The Battle of the Cherkassy Pocket takes place in early 1944 as the tide of war is turning against the German Army.

The author vividly details the progress of the battle. We get insight into the personalities of the military leaders on both sides. Liberal use of first hand experiences literally put the reader on the battlefield itself. The book also includes many striking photos taken during the battle.

The key story line is that of a surrounded German Army force. Having learned the hard lessons of Stalingrad, the Luftwaffe puts forth an incredible effort to try to keep the entrapped force resupplied until a breakout can be attempted. During the course of the battle, the author details the typical mistakes and miscommunications that so often take place during war. The Germans are suprised by the entrapment of their forces in the Cherkassy area having underestimated Soviet forces opposite them. Likewise, the Soviets find that even at this late point in the war, the German Army can still strike back effectively.

This book is highly recommended for anyone who wants to get a feel for the intensity of the war on the Eastern Front.

Great history .......2006-12-06

The book is well researched backed by the author's visit to the battlefield site. He interviews numeorus survivors(mostly German) of the battle. It is a pity that the Russians are not more forthcoming in allowing researchers access to their archives.
The only negative and I may be the only that thinks in this respect, is that I hate coffee table sized books.

24 Declassified: Operation Hell Gate (24 Declassified)

Average customer rating:

Not as exciting as the show
Could have used a continuity editor...
Need a "24" Fix Between Episodes?
Operation Hell Gate.
Top Notch

24 Declassified: Operation Hell Gate (24 Declassified)
Marc Cerasini
Manufacturer: HarperEntertainment
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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24

ASIN: 0060842245
Release Date: 2005-09-27

Book Description

Within twenty-four hours a nightmare will be unleashed that could cause the death of untold millions and devastate a great nation. It's a plot being carried out by the unlikeliest of allies. A powerful mole within the deepest reaches of U.S. Intelligence has secretly conscripted the very criminals he's been charged with investigating -- former IRA terrorists, Latino and Asian gang members, Middle Eastern assassins and others -- creating one of the most insidious terrorist networks law enforcement has yet to take down.

One man stands between the destroyers and the death tide: Jack Bauer, lone wolf operative for America's brand-new elite Counter Terrorist Unit. But he's three thousand miles from the CTU command center without backup in a strange city, New York. He's been artfully set up and is being hunted by the FBI for the murder of two of its agents. And time's almost up . . .

Customer Reviews:

Not as exciting as the show.......2007-08-01

I am a big fan of the TV show so thought I'd give the first book a shot and was somewhat disappointed for various reasons:
1. The personalities of the characters do not come out in the book. Jack comes across as a "nice guy" always saying "please" and "thank you". Not the gritty, take-charge Jack of the show. Most of the other CTU characters only have one liners and their characters are not developed at all in the story.
2. The plane flight from Atlanta to LaGuardia is a key part of the entire story and lasts for several hours in the book compared to only 2 hours in real life.
3. Some chapters were action packed, but others were dull and boring to get through.

I don't think this book comes anywhere close to the thrill of the TV show.

Could have used a continuity editor..........2007-06-19

This book offers up many things that I think have been missing from the TV show in the past few seasons, including a coherent plot that runs through the entire 24-hour period and a lot of "in-the-field" thrills without getting bogged down in inane presidential politics and battles over the 25th Amendment. But, while I'm not a military expert, so I can't comment on the technical blunders in the book (although I believe that they are blunders), the fact remains the continuity editing is truly horrible.

Without ruining the plot, lets just say that a plane takes off from Atlanta at 1:30 in the morning but does not arrive in New York City until 8:45 a.m. Were it the Wright Brothers plane I might buy it, but the plane is a 727! The plane takes two and a half hours just to get from Trenton, NJ to NYC!

All told, while the plot concept is not bad, the book itself is drivel written by a lazy writer with virtually no editing. If you love the show and need a fix, buy the book and read it in a couple of hours on the beach. Otherwise, it just isn't worth it.

Need a "24" Fix Between Episodes?.......2007-04-29

Jack Bauer and the rest of the Counter-Terrorism Unit have 24 hours to stop a plot that would devastate the citizens of Los Angeles and the entire nation. However, no one is entirely sure what kind of threat is forthcoming. Is it a plan to shoot down dozens of domestic airliners...or something even more terrifying? The hunt for answers will take Jack Bauer to New York City where as Jack scours the city for leads, each hour has the potential of leading him and an entire city closer to death...

As a fan of the TV show, I had fun reading about characters that are not on the show presently for various reasons. I would definitely recommend this book for someone who is a fan of the show or has never seen it. The story has plenty of action, drama, and suspense to go around. However, if you have never seen the show, I would also recommend renting the first season DVD. Between the books and the TV show, you will be a 24 convert in no time.

Operation Hell Gate........2007-01-19

Brilliant!!! "All Hail the Power of Bauer". If you love the TV series, you will love the read.

Top Notch.......2007-01-15

Thrilling and intriguing. Keeps the reader on edge. Excellent story line and plot.

The Gates of Hell: All Roads Lead to Rome

Average customer rating:

Kathleen Does it Again!

The Gates of Hell: All Roads Lead to Rome
Kathleen Keating
Manufacturer: Counting Coup Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Customer Reviews:

Kathleen Does it Again!.......2002-01-30

Kathleen Keating gets us inside what's really going on in the latest about where our world is headed. The Gates of Hell: All Roads Lead to Rome is another fine work.

The book updates us on the latest attempts by the "powers that be" to launch our world into utter chaos and bring about the rise of the Anti-Christ. I suggest everyone read it. Some of you might not want to believe what's happening but Kathleen makes it hard to argue...since she gives proof of the sinister plans now going on around us.

Book Description

In this raw and moving memoir, Claude Thomas describes his service in Vietnam, his subsequent emotional collapse, and his remarkable journey toward healing. At Hell's Gate is not only a gripping coming-of-age story but a spiritual travelogue from the horrors of combat to the discovery of inner peaceâa journey that inspired Thomas to become a Zen monk and peace activist who travels to war-scarred regions around the world. "Everyone has their Vietnam," Thomas writes. "Everyone has their own experience of violence, calamity, or trauma." With simplicity and power, this book offers timeless teachings on how we can all find healing, and it presents practical guidance on how mindfulness and compassion can transform our lives. This expanded paperback edition features: Discussion questions for reading groups A new afterword by the author reflecting on how the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are affecting soldiersâand offering advice on how to help returning soldiers to cope with their combat experiences

Customer Reviews:

A Gateway Out of Hell.......2007-08-30

As a fellow Vietnam Veteran of combat and casualty calls, Thomas' book brings relief through mindfulness.
Finally, someone explains how focusing on breathing can calm the mind, quell the rage, and convert the destructive energy of anger into an active and productive purpose such as "engaged Buddhism."

"At Hell's Gate" actually opens the gates of hell, my mental home for forty years, and shows me the clear path to peace. I'm gonna walk it and recommend that all victims of trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder join me and follow Claude Anshin Thomas' leadership.

Thank you, Rev. Thomas, for showing me the way.

Understanding the nature of war.......2007-07-16

I first read about Claude Thomas on the internet a few years ago. I found his story so strong and powerful. I was glad to finally be able to read this book. This is a very powerful story about the power to heal and transform.

Thomas's experience is proof that even people who have endured the most horrific experiences can come to peace. He is so honest about the horrific experiences in the Vietnam War, his substance abuse and other problems in his life. Through his journey he has learnt how to live with these wounds.

He writes:

"...suffering is not our enemy. It is only through a relationship with my pain, my sadness, that I can reach the other side, that I can truly know and touch the opposite, which is my pleasure, my joy, and my happiness. "

I greatly admire the path that Thomas has walked. He has truly embraced the spirit of Buddhism and the meaning of being a monk, going forth into homelessness. He studied first with Thich Nhat Hanh and then with Roshi Bernie Glassman. The pilgrimages and street retreats that Thomas has done, to me represent one of the finest expressions of engaged Buddhism.

I highly recommend this book as a spiritual biography and a guide to Buddhist practice.

All War Vets Should Read.......2007-06-08

The book was read by me as I traveled through Viet Nam recently. As I observed and reminisced, the story had an incredible impact on helping me understand my war experience. It helped heal scars that I had not been aware of for nearly 40 years.

The book was given to me by another veteran. I in turn ordered a fresh copy from Amazon to give to a veteran friend.

This story is not for Viet Nam vets only. It will help in the healing of anyone traumatized by war.

A must read .......2007-02-09

This is an extremely important work for our time. In it the author shares a very personal story of how he (we) learn to live in a culture of violence, and how a realization of that fact is the only way to end it.
He reveals the paradox of how his very enemy became the hand that helped him find healing (Thich Nhat Hahn). As he states - Everyone has their Viet Nam - and I agree there is a message in this work for everyone.

Must read in this day and age of conflict and war.......2006-02-17

If you're a veteran of any war, and everyone is whether they participated or not, this is a most important book. It gives clear and concise answers if we are going to change what we're doing to this planet and each other. As a Viet Nam veteran, this book speaks to me on every level, and says so articulately what I have felt for over 30 years. Gassho, Claude Anshin Thomas

Average customer rating:

A flawed but important book
A Compelling Account of Personal Transformation
A peddle in the ocean
From There To Here
A powerful spiritual autobiography

At Hell's Gate: A Soldier's Journey
Claude Anshin Thomas
Manufacturer: Shambhala
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 159030134X
Release Date: 2004-09-14

Book Description

In this raw and moving memoir, Claude Thomas tells the dramatic story of his service in Vietnam, his subsequent emotional collapse, and how he was ultimately able to find healing and peace. Thomas went to Vietnam at the age of eighteen, where he served as a crew chief on assault helicopters. By the end of his tour, he had been awarded numerous medals, including the Purple Heart. He had also killed many people, witnessed horrifying cruelty, and narrowly escaped death on a number of occasions. When Thomas returned home he found that he continued to live in a state of war. He was overwhelmed by feelings of guilt, fear, anger, and despair, all of which were intensified by the rejection he experienced as a Vietnam veteran. For years, Thomas struggled with post-traumatic stress, drug and alcohol addiction, isolation, and even homelessness. A turning point came when he attended a meditation retreat for Vietnam veterans led by the renowned Zen monk Thich Nhat Hanh. Here he encountered the Buddhist teachings on meditation and mindfulness, which helped him to stop running from his past and instead confront the pain of his war experiences directly and compassionately. Thomas was eventually ordained as a Zen monk and teacher, and he began making pilgrimages to promote peace and nonviolence in war-scarred places around the world including Bosnia, Auschwitz, Afghanistan, Vietnam, and the Middle East. At Hell's Gate is Thomas's dramatic coming-of-age story and a spiritual travelogue from the horrors of combat to discovering a spiritual approach to healing violence and ending war from the inside out. In simple and direct language, Thomas shares timeless teachings on healing emotional suffering and offers us practical guidance in using mindfulness and compassion to transform our lives.

Customer Reviews:

A flawed but important book.......2006-09-27

It took me two attempts to finish this book and I am glad I did.

The book is somewhat disorganized and muddled. I gave up on it the first time because it was a little too preachy and the initial description of the author's suffering and frequent crying was a little surpising since he just told us Vietnam finally gave his life a purpose.

But then I gave it a second try. After learning later in the book more of his experience in vietnam, I had a better understanding of his pain. I realized what I'd been reading was a vivid account of his post traumatic stress disorder. This book is important and powerful because it shows a way the author found after 20 years of pure misery to alleviate his pain and suffering . Anyone who's troubled or depressed or plain just stressed out can benefit from his messages.

A Compelling Account of Personal Transformation.......2006-05-17

Claude Thomas' inspiring account of his hellish journey and his eventual path to personal growth is one of the most profound stories I've read. From a life that many would just as soon end, he found a tiny crease of light led him to take all that had transpired in his life and draw upon it as a basis for learning and growth. Truly admirable, with insights and practices well worth emulating.

A peddle in the ocean.......2006-01-30

I bought 13 copies of this book from Amazon and gave the same gift to everyone this last christmas, and intend to do the same next year and from here on out. They sent me 4 of the 13 as autographed copies which was a nice surprise.

I am going to deliver the last one tonight to a friend who is having a difficult time right now.

This book has brought me a clearer understanding of myself, not by the cleverness of the author but through his simple bare humanity which he shares freely here. Sending this book out into this world can only make it a better place, creating small ripples that could affect and change a great many things over time.

From There To Here.......2005-06-07

Once a highly decorated war hero, Claude Thomas had been sexually abused as a child and carried the scars of this abuse to VietNam, where he commanded an elite helicopter unit for fourteen months at the height of the American incursion there. He wound up with a chestful of medals (27) and a burnt-out shell of a man, returning to the US, a girl spat on him. One thing led to another and Thomas began questioning his own claims to his life. It wasn't until he met the famous Vietnamese sage, Thich Nhat Hanh, that he began to get a clue as to his spiritual path. Through mindfulness he became aware that he was a victim of Vietnam just as we all were, and just as generations unborn during the war continue to suffer from its political and cultural fallout. Today he is a Zen priest and has written an interesting memoir.

Like Claude AnShin Thomas, when we saw Thich Nhat Hanh we burst into tears on the spot. And not because of any identification with his pain. I think I was just feeling emotional that day. Thomas has an amazing story to tell, but it is not all that well written, and has many Buddhist cliches that spoil the thrust of the tale for me.

And could they have picked a scarier looking portrait of Claude AnShin Thomas for the cover? I've seen him in person, he isn't that bad looking, he has sort of the look of Nelson Rockefeller, you know, not a matinee idol, but not a face from Creature Features either. I think Shambhala was definitelyu trying to go for the macho market here, making Thomas look like he was a serial killer come out of the shadows to slit your throat then creep away. We know that Buddhism can sometimes be a dangerous practice, for you're standing in the middle of the fire trying to confront the real, but enough is enough, and this is a kind of visual crime if you ask me.

A powerful spiritual autobiography.......2005-05-25

"At Hell's Gate: A Soldier's Journey from War to Peace," by Claude Anshin Thomas, is the memoir of a combat veteran of the Vietnam War who suffered great personal torment after returning from war. He ultimately found healing and hope in Buddhism and became a monk. This book recounts his spiritual, geographic, and emotional journeys.

Thomas writes about his military basic training, his combat time in Vietnam, and the serious personal problems he had afterwards. He writes how his life changed dramatically after he met Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk. Thomas tells how he came to be ordained as a Buddhist monk. He also writes of his global travels, of a remarkable walking pilgrimage he took across the United States, and of his relationship with his son.

Along the way Thomas discusses teachings and practices that helped transform his life: meditation, the importance of community, the key concept of "mindfulness." He also discusses his commitment to nonviolence. Thomas' writing style is simple and clear, and often quite eloquent and moving. He notes, "Everyone has their Vietnam"--some source of great pain. The book contains some fascinating scenes from the author's journeys; I found the vignettes from his walk across the U.S. to be particularly resonant. This is a thought-provoking book, and a valuable addition to the canon of spiritual autobiographies.

Hell's Gate: Terror at Bobby Mackey's Music World

Average customer rating:

GOOD STORY...BAD WRITING
talentless hack
Someone is slamming this book for unjust cause
Folklorists will love this one.
True or False?

Hell's Gate: Terror at Bobby Mackey's Music World
Douglas Hensley
Manufacturer: Outskirts Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

At 44 Licking Pike in Wilder, Kentucky, just across the river from Cincinnati, Ohio...lies, what has been called "the most haunted place in America." Bobby Mackey's Music World, a country/western bar and nightclub, is well known for its mechanical bull. It is better known for more violent encounters with spirits than anywhere else in the US. Visitors and staff members report everything from poltergeist-like phenomena, to disembodied voices and laughter, to actual physical attacks by unseen forces. There are, on record, 29 sworn affidavits of sightings, several from police and clergy. Paranormal Investigator Doug Hensley was called in to determine the causes for the strange occurrences. Mr. Hensley made some startling discoveries. This book has been the subject of National TV Shows such as Geraldo, Sightings, Encounters, Sally Jessee Rapheal, A Current Affair, Real Ghosts, The Other Side and many more. Read America's Most Documented Haunting, Hell's Gate.

Customer Reviews:

GOOD STORY...BAD WRITING.......2007-09-23

The story is a fairly good one if you're interested in supernatural phenomenon. Parts of the book are truly scary in spite of Mr. Hensley's inability to write. Mr. Hensley's writing skills are abysmal at best. The fact that I actually finished the book is testament to the fact that the book can be chilling at times. It's unfortunate that the book wasn't authored by an actual writer...that might have made for a really good book. It doesn't appear that the book was proof read for errors. There are repetitions and word errors. The book is definitely not worth the listed purchase price but if you can pick up a second hand copy for less you'll probably get some thrills and not regret your purchase.

talentless hack.......2006-11-14

this guy either has a bunch of freinds juking his reveiws or he has carved a very specific niche in writing for auto salesmen who are also horror fans the same people who have doubled their sales also have read every horror book by this hack and gave them raving reveiws. you people should be ashamed of yourselves this man dose not belong in the same sentence as Stephen King. spend your money on real writers and not this hick. you maybe able to fool your hillbillie neighbors but not everyone. p.s. my xbox360 broke yesterday and yes i do have time to research and did and you guys are juking your stats anyone else interested it takes 2 seconds to see.

Someone is slamming this book for unjust cause.......2006-08-16

I just read a bunch of bad reviews on this book. I find it funny that all of a sudden this book has gotten bad reviews after receiving hundreds of top reviews. Someone is slamming this book and having others help do the same for some unknown reason. This is absolutely one of the most terrifying books on paranormal activity that has ever been written. If the book is so bad why has it been the topic of TV shows such as Geraldo, Sally Jessee Rapheal, Sightings, Encounters, Real Ghosts, Discovery TV, National Geographic, The Other Side, A Current Affair and many many more? Sounds like someone either has a grudge against the author or Bobby Mackey. If you want to be scared read this book alone at night and then you be the judge- Amityville would take a back seat to this book becasue this story is true.

Folklorists will love this one........2006-08-07

The author begins with the true story of the murder of Pearl Bryan of Greencastle, Indiana (Scott Jackson and Alonzo Walling were hanged in 1897 for that crime) and amasses an interesting folklore collection surrounding the tragedy. The epicenter of these ghastly goings-on is a country-western bar and nightclub in Wilder, Kentucky called "Bobby Mackey's Music World." As Douglas Hensley boldly claims, this is the site of "America's most documented haunting."

I promised that folklorists would savor this book, or portions therein. Here is but one passage that teases the palate like a single shrimp. Carl, an employee, is cursed with a case of hemorrhoids (dare I say of biblical proportions?) as a punishment from Satan for bringing in a minister to perform an exorcism. The plot (among other things) thickens as Carl's bathwater turns to blood and the ghost of Alonzo Walling appears to him and commands him to "Tell that preacher to p*** off!" Carl cries "God help me!" but Alonzo's ghost proceeds to hold Carl's head under the bloody bathwater. Submerged, Carl hears another command from Alonzo: "Bow to Satan or die now!" Poor Carl, wedged between a violent ghost and his throbbing hemorrhoids, says "I bow!" Then, "As suddenly as it had begun, the attack ended" writes Hensley.

As if the traditional legends were not enough, Hensely collects and reports connections to a Satanic cult and the Mafia. There's even a runaway Chevy Nova anecdote connected to one who dared to disbelieve. And you thought cautionary tales were waning, didn't you? Anyway, this is an amusing collection for anyone interested in supernatural folklore, Indiana or Kentucky folklore, or just plain entertainment.

True or False?.......2006-07-13

Is this for real?
Parts of this book seemed to have been made up.
I first saw this story on TV on a show about ghost so I was really looking forward to reading the book. And the book starts off really good and parts I think are true but the more you read it just seems as if people are adding on to the story and it starts to make you wonder if these things really happaned as these people say.
Things fly across the room'ghost talk to people'
Not a bad read for someone who wants to read a ghost story.
But is it true or false you be the judge.

Average customer rating:

re-read the book
Not very good
Surprising well written and entertaining
Profoundly awful - bad bad bad
I Admit It, I Like Space Pirates

Gates of Hell
Susan Sizemore
Manufacturer: Speculation Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Space Opera | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0967197929

Book Description

Sagouran plague is burning its way across the galaxy. No cure exists; the only treatment is an illegal drug called Rust. Pyr, captain of a rogue pirate ship, may be able to find a better solution, but he is dying of a slow poison. It would take a miracle for him to survive long enough to find a cure for the plague.

The miracle is Roxanne Shirah Merkrates, a medical officer in United Systems Military Service. Roxy is a koltiri Physician, one of a race of legendary telempathic healers. Sent on a mercy mission to one of the stricken planets, she is captured by slavers. Her knowledge and abilities could halt the spread of the disease and save Pyr's life, but Roxanne has plans of her own, and they don't include saving a rogue pirate captain's life.

In the end, though, pirate and physician risk betraying everything they believe in, for the sake of a bond deeper than any they ever dreamed of.

Customer Reviews:

re-read the book.......2007-07-28

I have read this author before and ordered it based on her name.
The first time I read it I was not happy with the book. If an author is going to make a universe, somewhere along the way you have to give enough information to tie everything together. The plot seemed disjointed and there were too many unanswered questions.

For example: our heroine, who spends an inordinate time passed out, keeps asking how much time has passed since she arrived on planet: weeks, months, years, but we never get an answer. Also, her husband who was very possessive in the beginning of the book, was just cut out of the plot like a piece of bruised apple. What happened to him and the ship?

I think part of my dislike was the physical makeup of the book itself. The book is kind of a cross between a normal paperback and a comic book. NOT that there are sketches/drawings in it, and it is much thicker than a comic book, but length x width, it is the same. The paper is crude and the cover not my cup of tea.

And to top off all of the above, the weekend I read it, I had the flu, which could have colored my perceptions. So trying to be completely fair, a couple weeks later, I re-read it.

I liked it better the 2nd time (of course I had the advantage this time of knowing where it was going). While I still didn't like the format of the book - it didn't suck. I think with a little judicious editing it could have been better and the storyline is one you won't come across often. That alone makes it worth the price.

Well fellow reader, give it a go and see what you think. If nothing else it will help support a good author.

Not very good.......2005-03-29

Review title says it all. Save your money. Buy something else.

Surprising well written and entertaining.......2003-08-18

I am a fan of Susan's vampire books and picked this book up on a whim one day. And I have to say I was pleasantly surprised! Some people say it starts slow and awkward, I don't think so, and in fact, I had to read the first chapter again after I finished the book because silly me -- breezed though it and missed a few key points.

Susan did an excellent job of laying out the plot of this book and then executing it. And her characteration was very well done.

I hope she writes more in this genre/venue.

Profoundly awful - bad bad bad.......2003-01-07

Based on reviews above I bought this book and tried to get into it. But it was so dumbfounding bad - in writing, plot, tone and sheer yuckiness - that I had to stop about 1/3 of the way through. And although normally I donate all my discards to my local library book sale, in this case I just threw it out because I couldn't donate something so dreadful.

I Admit It, I Like Space Pirates.......2002-04-08

I admit it. I like space pirates. I like rogue psychics. I love derring-do in space,spaceships flashing across galaxies to save the Federation, or whatever-- United Systems in this case. And I had thought a long time ago, when I first read a book by Susan Sizemore (I think it was her first, a time travel story with sf background) that she could probably write decent space opera. So I was inclined to be pleased with this book when I finally got around to ordering it. And it provides a satifying amount of what I really like in escapist fiction.

Roxanne is content enough in her marriage to a ship's captain. The war with the Trin has ended in an uneasy peace and things ought to be a bit easier on an empath with psychic healing skills working on a battle cruiser. Anyone else looking on can see that her husband is a manipulative jerk and she is clearly destined for bigger and better things. In fact, she's due to be pulled out of her comfortable berth and tossed into the middle of trying to halt a plague with political implications.

Pyr is the captain of a ship heavily indebted to the Pirate League. His crew is mutinous. They are all infected with Sag, a plague that is wreaking havoc on many inhabited worlds and, in an effort to control the plague, addicted to the drug Rust. Plague suffers who don't take Rust die. Rust is controlled by the drug lords. On top of that, Pyr has also been given a slow acting poison for which there is no cure. Is there anyone else in the universe who needs a healer more?

The pirates are ruthless. The United Systems Military are ruthless. The space drug dealers are ruthless. There's a lot of violence in this book--be warned. Also it probably could have used a stronger editorial hand when dealing with the psychic cavorting, but there's some real moments of mischievous humor in this book. I also have to admit, my favorite character was Martin Braithwaite, who got more than he bargained for out of his healing.

Customer Reviews:

Exceptional Book & Awesome Maps, Details.......2007-01-11

I love this book. As I big civil war history buff, especially with special interest in the Civil War battles around or in Charleston, I love this book and recommended to anyone who wants more information (or I should say who wants specific information). This is a must!

Must have book.......2006-02-11

If you are a student of history, or a Civil War buff or have an interest in Charleston, then this is the book you have been waiting for.
Very precise and detailed, Dr. Wise writes with a style that makes one believe they are reading a novel rather than a historical account. He brings life to the participants and explains the struggles from both sides.
Too often writers of CW histories either interject their own predjuces or romantasize the events all out of porportion. In this book the author does neither.
The ability to clearly explain the often chaotic events in an easy to understand manner is worth the price of the book alone. I would rate this with the best of works on the CW.

A Look at the Campaign for Charleston, SC...1863.......1998-04-16

Gate of Hell is a decent study of the Union's Campaign for Charleston, SC in 1863. Stephen R. Wise's history adequately describes the many attacks the Union attempted that summer to capture the cradle of the Confederacy. It is a broad overview of the campaign, focusing on the relationships between the army and the navy of the United States as they try to cooperate in reducing one of the most important ports of the Confederacy. Wise does a good job describing the attacks on Morris Island, with special emphasis on the 54th Massachusetts assault on the works of Battery Wagner. However, he seems to spend too much time telling us what type of artillery was used on both sides in all of these assaults, instead of focusing on the soldiers who attacked and who defended. While this book is a good outline for what happened on the sun drenched beaches of South Carolina in the summer of 1863...for the Civil War student, as I am, you are left wanting more. I'm still waiting for a definitive study on the attack led by the 54th, and although Wise's book attempts to describe the action, unfortunately he falls short. Overall a good book if you are only interested in an overview of the campaign.

The Egyptian Heaven and Hell: Volume 1. The Book Am-Tuat

Average customer rating:

The Egyptian Heaven and Hell: Volume 1. The Book Am-Tuat
Ernest Alfred Wallis Budge
Manufacturer: Adamant Media Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Egyptian Heaven and Hell: Volume 2. The Short Form of the Book Am-Tuat and The Book of Gates
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ASIN: 1402194978
Release Date: 2001-10-03

Book Description

This Elibron Classics book is a facsimile reprint of a 1905 edition by Kegan Paul, Trench, TrŸbner & Co., London.

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