Shadow Hunter (Star Wars: Darth Maul)

Amazon.com

Here's another Star Wars spinoff novel, a brisk and extremely uncomplicated action-adventure romp set on planet Coruscant immediately before the events of The Phantom Menace. After a few setting-up exercises, it's essentially a prolonged chase sequence whose implacable pursuer is Darth Maul--the almost absurdly villainous-looking Sith Lord with the biggest lightsaber and worst makeup job in the entire saga to date.

The plot? Insidiously evil Darth Sidious is poised to launch the Naboo trade blockade featured in The Phantom Menace. But one of his alien henchmen has sneaked away to betray this scheme and must die. So must the traitor's contacts, smalltime crook Lorn Pavan and his uppity droid, I-Five. Likewise Darsha Assant, the female Jedi Knight apprentice who gets entangled with Pavan through either mind-boggling coincidence or the mysterious ways of the Force.

Michael Reaves makes a reasonably slick job of all this nonsense and is not afraid of clichés. Plenty of characters have wooden lines like "I've got a bad feeling about this," and "Too many questions, and not enough answers." Meanwhile in the Jedi council, Yoda makes characteristic remarks: "A good choice he would be... No accident this was."

Unfortunately, the well-known story line of The Phantom Menace defuses suspense in Shadow Hunter. That trade blockade has to happen despite the good folks' doomed heroics, and horrible Darth Maul (already far more powerful and deadly than the puny opposition he faces here) is fated to win out. This novel is for dedicated fans only. --David Langford

Book Description

For the infamous, power-hungry Sith,
beholden to the dark side,
the time has come to rise again . . .

After years of waiting in the shadows, Darth Sidious is taking the first step in his master plan to bring the Republic to its knees. Key to his scheme are the Neimoidians of the Trade Federation. Then one of his Neimoidian contacts disappears, and Sidious does not need his Force-honed instincts to suspect betrayal. He orders his apprentice, Darth Maul, to hunt the traitor down.

But he is too late. The secret has already passed into the hands of information broker Lorn Pavan, which places him right on the top of Darth Maul's hit list. Then, in the labyrinthine alleyways and sewers of Coruscant, capital city of the Republic, Lorn crosses paths with Darsha Assant, a Jedi Padawan on a mission to earn her Knighthood. Now the future of the Republic depends on Darsha and Lorn. But how can an untried Jedi and an ordinary man, stranger to the powerful ways of the Force, hope to triumph over one of the deadliest killers in the galaxy?

SPECIAL BONUS INSIDE--the exclusive story, "Star Wars(R) Darth Maul: Saboteur" by James Luceno, previously available in e-book format only!

Customer Reviews:

Pleasantly Surprised.......2007-07-23

I wasn't expecting much from this book quite honestly. Being that The Phantom Menace was really such a let down, mostly because of the lack of darth maul, a very promising villain, I started this book with some skepticism. Couple that with the fact that it's a prequel to TPM, the ending is more or less 'spoiled'.

But I was quite wrong. This is a VERY good star wars read that fleshes out the criminally under-utilized Darth Maul character much better than the Episode 1 film did.

I really enjoyed the new characters in the book, namely Lorn Pavan and I 5, his droid counterpart. Lorn reminded me a bit of Han Solo. Maybe not as big a scoundrel with a smaller part to play, he was still the reluctant hero which Han has always embodied so well. Add to that the comic releif added by the quick witted I Five droid and there some very good dialogue between the two.

I also enjoyed the Jedi Padawan, Darsha Assant (as it turns out she's also in Cloak of Deception as a cameo of sorts, but I'm reading that after the fact, but it still doesn't take anything away from the Darth Maul book), whom is young and naive, yet brave and very fun to read.

Darth Maul is just what I'd expect him to be: Cold, calculating, ruthless, but not without his honor.

Even though we know how this book has to end ultimately being that it precedes the Phantom Menace, I still like how Reaves tied everything up.

Very good star wars read.

"Shadow Hunter" pretty much says it all!.......2007-04-17

Fans of Episode I were also fascinated by the mysterious Darth Maul, the first Sith apprentice shown since Darth Vader in the classic trilogy. But don't assume like I first did that this is a story with a villain protagonist. While we are shown some of the thoughts and motivations of the title character, this story has two original main protagonists: Darsha Assant (Jedi padawan), and Lorn Pavan (underworld information broker). Following initiatives provided by his Sith Master, Darth Maul is the driving force behind the plot of this novel, a vile killer hunting the protagonists through the undercity of Coruscant. By the time I realized that the heroes must be doomed to failure (to maintain continuity with the movie), I couldn't put this thriller down anyway. Just like the prequels with respect to the original films, it's not how this story ends but the journey there that makes this novel so good. This action-packed tragedy also contains interesting dispositions of Sith and Jedi philosophies. The story takes place soon after Cloak of Deception and ends with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan preparing to leave for Naboo (leading to the opening of Episode I).

The paperback edition also contains an bonus short story by James Luceno entitled "Darth Maul: Saboteur" which takes place before Cloak of Deception. "Saboteur" sets up some elements of that novel, introducing Tarkin. The end of "Saboteur" along with the beginning of Shadow Hunter explain Maul's absence from the story of Cloak of Deception, which remotely ties in with the novel Shadows of the Empire (below). If you plan on reading both Cloak of Deception and Shadow Hunter, my suggestion is to read the "Saboteur" short story first, then the Deception novel, then Shadow Hunter to maintain chronological order.

I highly recommend the following 5-star novels that are extremely relevant to the film series:

Cloak of Deception (Star Wars)
Labyrinth of Evil (Star Wars, Episode III Prequel Novel)
Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (Star Wars)
Shadows of the Empire (Star Wars)

Shadown Hunter.......2007-03-29

Great read. Filled with action, good length. Only regret is that Darth Maul didn't meet anyone that really challenging skill set.

Read the E-book in the rear of the book first, it precedes shadow hunter.

Unecessary and frivolous, but still fun. .......2007-01-26

This book is not integral to the plot of Star Wars in any way. Don't feel obliged to read it. In fact, the whole plot concerns covering up information. Information that anyone who saw TPM already knows, so nothing important actually happens.

If you're into Darth Maul, and I know that there are plenty of people who are, you'll like this piece of Maul action and insight. You really get to see him on the job, and get some nice looks into his psyche. Although fanboys may be as frustrated as he is at how often he seems to be eluded yet again for the sake of continuing the story.

Otherwise, the book is just an exciting game of cat and mouse, a wild chase through the dangerous and mysterious depths of Coruscant.

One thing I'll say is that the author tends to go overboard with adding new things. The back of the book will tell you that there are exciting new creature never before seen, and it's true. They're also never see again. I think the author got too excited about making up new things to add to Star Wars, and the end result is something like a fan-fic, when they should have just tied the book to the sage through existing source material.

Overall, it's a fun read. Interesting, exciting, and Maul-a-rific. It's not very well written, and it's extremely unimportant and insignificant, but still, a fun, easy read.

Darth Maul: Great Character - Not so Great Story.......2007-01-06

As much as I loved the new characters in the book, I would have liked to have seen more of Darth Maul. There are often large gaps between his appearances. However, I realize it could be difficult to have him around all the time and keep it interesting. Maul can be a rather flat character if not used sparingly.

I also would have liked to have seen more background on Maul. Why does he hate the Jedi so much? How did he hook up with Sidious? What was his training like? Some is given on this, but not a lot. Most of that was told in the Darth Maul Journal, something many fans will probably not read. It should have been saved for this.

The timing of this book is also confusing. It takes place days, if not hours, before the Naboo blockade. The whole point of the novel is that the Sith don't want the Jedi to know about their existence or the blockade. However, just a couple of days later, they completely reveal themselves to the Jedi and their plans. If the events were so close to happening that they were almost unstoppable, why did they care if some little information broker tried to sell the info? If it had been months before, their concern would have been more understandable. The closeness in chronology kind of takes away from the urgency of the events in the book.

Final Thoughts: Only read this book if you are a Darth Maul junkie. If you read this book for any other reason, you will be let down. Reading this book is not necessary to stay abreast of the Star Wars galaxy.

Average customer rating:

SHORT ON PLOT BUT HEAVY ON ACTION
Star Wars: Darth Maul
Darth Maul: A Sith Birth
Excellent art, but the story is lacking
Lackluster, but fun

Star Wars: Darth Maul (Star Wars)
Ron Marz , Jan Duursema , Rick Magyar , and Drew Struza
Manufacturer: Dark Horse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Star Wars - Jedi Council: Acts of War
Shadow Hunter (Star Wars: Darth Maul)
The Stark Hyperspace War (Star Wars)
Rite of Passage (Star Wars)
Victories and Sacrifices (Star Wars: Clone Wars, Vol. 2)

ASIN: 1569715424

Book Description

In hiding for generations, the evil Sith have waited for the precise moment to reveal themselves and take vengeance upon the Jedi Order. But in the final days before the Trade Federation blockade of the planet Naboo sets into motion the Sith plan for the overthrow of the Republic, the scheming Sith Lord Darth Sidious becomes concerned about the potential interference by the criminal syndicate Black Sun, a vast and powerful organization feared throughout the galaxy. Sidious cannot allow anything or anyone to hinder his purpose, and so he unleashes his merciless apprentice, the death-dealing destroyer, Darth Maul, to eradicate his adversaries -- as only a master of the dark side can! Star Wars: Darth Maul is the first-ever graphic-novel adventure of the ultimate Sith enforcer, an explosive tale of intrigue, mystery, and blistering action. Collecting the action-packed four-issue comic series.

Customer Reviews:

SHORT ON PLOT BUT HEAVY ON ACTION.......2007-06-13

This trade paperback is a prequel of sorts to Star Wars Episode I, The Phantom Menace. It takes place roughly a year before the events in the film and feature about the only thing that made Phantom Menace watchable, the Sith apprentice, Darth Maul. This book isn't just entitled Darth Maul but it's virtually a one-man show.

Maul is just near the completion of his training when his Master, Darth Sidious, summons him. Maul wonders if it is time for the Sith to finally reveal themselves and destroy the Jedi but he is cautioned that the time for that is still to come. Instead, Sidious sees that there may be one organization that can interfere with his plans to blockade Naboo, the galactic crime syndicate known as the Black Sun. The Black Sun has its hands in everything that goes on in the galaxy and they are a threat that must be eliminated. Sidious wants maul to strike at the heart of Black Sun, not destroying it, but rather seriously crippling it by killing its leaders. That is the very basic plot to the story.

Maul relishes the opportunity to finally use his skills to their fullest, one-by-one, assassinating the various under bosses of Black Sun, and throwing the organization into total disarray. There's not a lot of subtlety to the story written by veteran comic scribe, Ron Marz. Maul mows down legions of the syndicates finest fighters and assassins as if they were mere practice dummies. It is an artful display of carnage which, if I had to try and compare it to anything, would be the restaurant battle scene from Kill Bill part 1. Maul is a whirlwind of death and even Mighella, a Dathomiri Witch, proved little match for him.

What the book lacks in terms of plotting and the usual Star Wars intrigue, it more than makes up for in action. There isn't a lot of dialog in the book, and not much background is shared about the Sith. This story is action from cover-to-cover. I would say if there was one weakness, it could be that Marz portrayed Maul as being too powerful. Were he quite this powerful, one wonders if a young Obi-Wan would have truly stood a chance against him in their duel in The Phantom Menace.

The art by Jan Duursema and Rick Magyar is exceptional and it is their battle scenes which make the book rate higher than perhaps the story should allow. The power and grace of Darth Maul in battle is rendered magnificently. Maul looks like a demon spewed forth from the bowels of hell!

Some fans may moan about the lack of much of a story or characterization, but that's not what the book was intended to be. The book was intended to spotlight just how fearsome the Sith can be and it does so extremely well.

Star Wars: Darth Maul.......2006-11-10

A quality item for any fan of Darth Maul or the Sith. Excellent back story and art work showing the relationship between Maul and his master.Great story, art and again a quality item!

Darth Maul: A Sith Birth.......2006-08-16

I first read Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter book and I was captivated at the fast-motion thrilling novel I was reading. It was intense and take you in the plot that helps you understand the Jedi Fallen and Why the Sith succeded, but for me Darth Maul was a fascinating character of the Star Wars universe whose origins were unknown and I was eager to understand the complexity and origins of this character, so I Bought Darth Maul paperback to have the full perspective of him.

If Darth Maul Paperback lacks of course of the never-ending action of Shadow Hunter, it's a must read comic-style novel to any star wars fan interested in understand the whereabouts of that devious increible smart and complex mind of Darth Maul, aside of an incredible art work which make an enjoyable reading for everybody.

Excellent art, but the story is lacking.......2006-01-07

A great graphic novel by Ron Marz and illustrated by Jan Duursema. The main idea was Black Sun threatens Sidious' plans for a Naboo Blockade. Darth Maul is sent to weaken their criminal network. In this TPB, writer Ron Marz is, well, Ron Marz. That means little dialogue, weak storyline, and not much character development. An example of weak dialogue was when Sidious and Maul were talking, and were restating each others questions as they answered. this was:

Maul: I will not fail you, my master.
Sidious: Yes apprentice, I know you will not fail me.

Another downside to the dialogue was the lack of it. Not one word was said until page 8. The final bad side to the Darth Maul TPB is the length. Only 96 pages! I can't be the only one who thought this short and wants a sequel, or even a prequel, showing Maul's transformation into a Sith apprentice.

Now, the good. SUPERB ART! I've never seen better, with the exception of Star Wars Darkness, and Clone Wars volume 4 (but then again, all are drawn by Jan Duursema). This TPB was mainly to show how strong Darth Maul is, and it does that well. Several HUGE fight scenes showing Maul killing Black Sun. Including, an opening scene of 7 and a half pages showing Darth Maul train. Another scene in the beginning with Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan was very interesting, as they were "feeling" Maul's presence on Coruscant. It almost seemed as if Qui-Gon knew he'd die at the hands of Darth Maul.

Overall, Darth Maul was still an excellent graphic novel. Buy it for the art, not for the story. Still, Maul fans would love to see him in action again, so this is where it can be done. I'm still giving this a 5 because of the outstanding art, and it's just cool to see Maul do what he does best.

Lackluster, but fun.......2005-04-17

I'm a confessed Maulaholic. What can I say? He's cool. But this comic was a serious let-down for me. While the art was very nice, the story was boring. Basically--Maul is told to kill some people. Maul kills said people. The end. No depth. No character studies. Nothing. Just. Killing things.

Of course, if that's your cuppa tea, you'll enjoy this comic, certainly. But if you had any hope of maybe learning a bit more about Maul as a character instead of a plot device (ie: Unstoppable unfeeling bad guy), then you'll be dissapointed. There's just something lacking.

Average customer rating:

Get Real: a spiritual journey for men
Derek Maul
Manufacturer: Upper Room Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 083589911X

Star Wars Journals: Episode 1 #03: Darth Maul (Star Wars, Journals)

Average customer rating:

m review
darth who?
darth who?
Respect for the dark side
The Inside Story of Darth Maul

Star Wars Journals: Episode 1 #03: Darth Maul (Star Wars, Journals)
Jude Watson
Manufacturer: Scholastic Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Queen Amidala (Star Wars: Episode I Journal)
Anakin Skywalker (Star Wars Episode I: Journal Series)
The Fight for Justice (Star Wars Journal)
Hero for Hire, by Han Solo (Star Wars Journal)
Star Wars: Darth Maul (Star Wars)

ASIN: 0439139414

Book Description

Where does Darth Maul come from? Why does he fight? What are his thoughts? This is the book that Star Wars fans have been waiting for - the exclusive story of Darth Maul, the mysterious Sith Lord who takes on the Jedi in Episode I.

Customer Reviews:

m review.......2005-10-21

this book was pretty good but i thoght it could be better.
IT WAS ABOUT DARTH MAUL OUTSIDE THE STORY AND IN AS WELL ONE DAY DARTH MAUL WAS ON HI WAY TO A PLANET CALLED TATOOINE TO KILL A JEDI BUT WAS AMBUSHED BY PIRATES BUT HE SLAUGHTERED THEM ALL THEN HE CONTINED ON TO TATOOINE THEN HE FOUND THE JEDI BUT THE JEDI ESCAPED TO FIND OUT MORE READ THIS BOOK...

darth who?.......2002-04-16

excellent work in detailing mauls training and mindset when it comes to fighting. the flashbacks were well written, but the story would have been more haunting as an unfinished work. (in light of episode one) i wanted more personality, and got just the opposite! journals should solve mysteries, not make more. its almost as if EVERY writer that handles maul is afraid to make him any more but a robot. the whole reason i bought the journal was to get more of WHO and less of WHAT. also, i was disappointed that this book failed to give an explanation for maul's hate of the jedi. it takes more than just conditioning for someone to hate so completely - in order for a grudge to last, its got to be personal! it is impossible to thirst for revenge without first believing you've been wronged! what did the jedi ever do to maul? what did sidious tell him to make this fight his fight? what does maul blame the jedi for?

i encourage older readers to cheak out all sw journals for a fresh perspective to an old story. its a pity that there isnt a journal for young obi wan or lando or qui-gon! my word to parents, this is not rated G!!!!so ignore the fact that you find this book in the kids section. for more on darth maul read shadow hunter(a novel) and the comicbook[graphic violence] named after him. the paperback edition of the novel includes a maul short story. i gave two stars because i'm comparing this to other journals written by the same author - what can i say? i just expected something more of something different. well written report, yet a poorly written journal. who knows? maybe if fans make enough noise we'll get more journals(i would love to see vader or moff tarkin, or even old ben's point of view!)

i recommend this for anyone who wants to know what it takes to be a sith!

darth who?.......2002-04-12

over all i was disappointed with this star wars journal
even though i enjoy the concept - i highly recommend the others
on han, leia, luke, anakin, and amidala; its a shame that they did not do one for young obi-wan or qui-gon!

i echo concerns of anyone who has young kids, because by nature
maul is a dark character... i didnt like using any stars because i'm not really sure how to rate this. it difficult to tell what age group they're trying to write for here. it had strong detail on mauls training but was very weak on who maul was -

i realize his role as warrior(soldier?)is a big part of his life
but that doesnt tell me anything about his personality, every villian, no matter how strict, has one. i think the writer spent too much time keeping him mysterious.

a journal or diary does just the opposite, its where a person
reveals secrets - i guess i just feel the writer had a chance to do alot more with who maul was instead of dazzling us with his abilities...

Respect for the dark side.......2001-12-10

Even thought the book was small in size it gave me a whole new insite to the dark side and not only Darth Maul but Lord Sidious as well. My room mate and I have both read the book and have gained a high level of respect for Maul. The passion he presents, and the level of skill he posseses is to cool for words. I hope they decide to do a seriouse about Darth Maul in the future. I would kill to learn more about him and his past. After reading this I'm now more upset that he was killed by Obi-Wan then I am about him killing Qui-Gon. [Not that I want Qui-Gon dead. I just respect the bad guy]

The Inside Story of Darth Maul.......2001-11-18

When I bought this book, i was really looking forward to jumping into it, being a big Darth Maul fan. It answers a lot of questions for those who are wondering about his past and what are training examples of the Sith, some of the material might disturb some of the younger readers, but it's well worth it. Everything that happened to Maul personally in the movie, and flashbacks of his past are in this book. An excellent piece of writing and a definite must-have for all Darth Maul fans, young and old.

Darth Maul's Revenge (Step into Reading, Step 3, paper)

Average customer rating:

"This is so cool!"

Darth Maul's Revenge (Step into Reading, Step 3, paper)
Eric Arnold
Manufacturer: LucasBooks for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0375804323
Release Date: 2000-11-14

Book Description

In this colorful, fully-illustrated beginning reader, Darth Maul has been given a mission. The time has come for him to put his Sith skills to the test. He must track down a Jedi Master and his apprentice. Maul lives nothing better than a good chase. Except revenge.

Customer Reviews:

"This is so cool!".......2001-12-18

This book is a Step into Reading book, and is a Step 3 book (for grades 2-3). Did you see Star Wars Episode 1? Did you see Darth Maul sent out after the Jedi, and his subsequent attack on Qui-Gon Jinn on Tatooine? Well, this book tells the story from Darth Maul's perspective. It covers his conversation on Coruscant with Darth Sidious, his trip to Tatooine, and his adventures on that planet.

Customer Reviews:

Speculating Testimony.......2005-05-14

A fan of P.D. James' mysteries, I was pleasantly surprised to discover this true crime book she had written with the historian T.A. Critchley. "The Maul and the Pear Tree" tells the tale of some sinister and disturbing murders that horrified and shocked the London docks in 1811. Through recreating the time period, studying testimony and accounts of the day, both author and historian have crafted an interesting read about not only murder but also about the restrictions of a rudimentary police system in trying to apprehend an otherwise unheard of serial killer.

In December of 1811, seven people were brutally slain. The first victims were the Marr family; a husband, wife, their infant son, and the boy who worked in their shop. All were found beaten to death with their throats cut to the neckbone, including the newborn son. The second victims were the Williamsons, the proprietors of a pub, who were slain in almost exactly the same manner as the Marrs.

The search that had begun with the Marr's murders, continued when the killer struck a second time. The clues were few, but included the murder weapon alluded to in the book's title. The testimony (both real and speculative) was plentiful, and the community was filled with terror and suspicion. The magistrates had an incredible task before them - to capture a killer before he, or they, since the evidence surely represented more than one killer, could strike again.

In 1811, the different policing agencies did not work together, and very rarely shared the information they received with another branch. This combined with sketchy details, suspicious neighbors, and the number of superfluous informants who came forward with information made a virtual circus of the trial process. Arrested and jailed on circumstantial evidence, a man by the name of John Williams was assumed to be the ghastly murderer that everyone had been searching for. Yet before he could be convicted of any crime, he was found hanged in his jail cell, apparently a self-murder. Yet the evidence shows that more than one person was involved in the murders of these two families. James and Critchley lay the groundwork for who the accomplices, or even who the mastermind behind these murders, might be. The author and historian even call into question whether or not Williams was set up and murdered by the real killer in order to guarantee his own escape. The truth shall never be known about the killer's identity, but "The Maul and the Pear Tree" is a highly informative, entertaining speculation about the Radcliffe Highway Murders.

Regency Era Murder Sensation.......2005-02-03

The Ratcliffe Highway murders of 1811 were an incredible sensation in their time. The authors do a very good job of portraying a realistic look at life at the time of the killings. Whether or not the person who actually had the murders pinned on him was guilty is a question that can lead to long discussions with friends of like reading tastes. One thing I found surprising was how late people stayed up on the street in this era when street lighting was in its infancy.

I read a first edition of this book so I don't know if it has been updated to reflect some of the newer information that law enforcement has about home invasion murders as well as sadistic killers. That is the only thing I would possibly add to this very interesting history.

Brilliant!.......2000-02-25

Absolutely brilliant! At first, I wouldn't have believed so. I love true crime stories, but I thought it was a little bit presumptuous to try to solve a series of crime committed in the 1810's. But I read anyway, and it was a wonderful surprise.

First, the local color. The authors portray beautifully (and gloomily...) the city of London and the life of its inhabitants. It's also very informative - one comes to know how the English police force was first arranged, and what existed prior to that.

The characters, as we well know, are long dead, but through a series of educated guesses, psychological insight and factual information, the authors convey what was going through their minds.

P. D. James doesn't give us a final answer to the question of whom killed all those people, but she points a suspect, and by detailing her suspicions the reader is able to form his idea. Her theory is very plausible, to say the least.

In short, it's a book filled with suspense and humorous insights on the ideas and beliefs of the victorians. If you're interested in English history, famous true crime stories and whodunnits, do not miss this one.

Antiques Maul: A Trash 'n' Treasures Mystery (Trash N Treasures Mysteries)
Average customer rating:

Well worth your reading time

delightfully charming cozy

Antiques Maul: A Trash 'n' Treasures Mystery (Trash N Treasures Mysteries)
Barbara Allan
Manufacturer: Kensington
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0758211937

Book Description

As autumn splashes color across the small Mississippi River town of Serenity, newly divorced Brandy Borne is on the brink of going crazy after her ever-impossible mother quits the local theater group. She comes up with a brilliant idea for preserving her sanity and keeping Mother busy: open their own booth at the new antiques mall in town. But they are about to cross paths with a killer...

Brandy, along with Sushi, her spoiled Shih Tzu, pays a visit to the town's Chief of Police to ask about federal auctions of confiscated goods, a little-known source of great antiques and collectibles. Her buys at her first auction in Rockford, Illinois turn out to be a success. On the other hand, her first visit from ten-year-old son Jake, who has been living with his father, turns out to be a challenge.

While Halloween looms large on the horizon, things turn grim when a body is found at the antiques mall. To the cops, the case seems pretty clear cut: the victim's dog, the normally good-natured Brad Pit Bull, mauled its owner to death. But Brandy knows her canines, and this dog has definitely been framed.

Brandy and Mother are soon snooping into nooks, crannies, and cubbyholes while stepping on assorted toes. As All Hallow's Eve shenanigans grow increasingly frightening, true terror unmasks itself when Jacob goes missing. Is his disappearance just a childish prank? Or are sinister forces bubble-bubble-toiling trouble in Serenity?

Now Brandy and her over-the-top mom are on the hunt to find Jake before a devious killer mauls again...

Customer Reviews:

Well worth your reading time.......2007-09-06

Second in this new series by authors Max Allan and Barbara Collins, this funny and informative cozy mystery has many surprises in store for you. Not only are there Trash `n' Treasure tips at the end of each chapter, a few recipes are also thrown in!

Max and Barbara have created some fantastic characters in Brandy and Vivian Borne. Brandy has returned home to a small Midwestern town on the Mississippi to live with her mother after a messy divorce. She has custody of the old blind Shih Tzu, Sushi, while her husband has custody of ten-year-old Jake back in Chicago.

Vivian has been a fixture at the Community Theatre Playhouse, and is dismayed when her archrival Bernice, a recent arrival in town, gets the position of Director. Vivian quits the theatre and Brandy comes up with an idea to keep her mother busy and out of her hair: she gets a booth at the new antiques mall in town.

They travel to a federal auction of confiscated goods, buy enough to fill the booth, and pick up Jake for a short visit. Shortly after they set up their booth early one morning, they discover the owner of the mall, Mrs. Norton, on the floor, covered in blood with her timid pit bull standing over her! Was she mauled by her dog?

And, who has been following Brandy? Why is the man from the federal antiques auction after the rolltop desk Brandy bought? Did he follow her to Serenity and try and track it down? Who is the young man Brandy sees arguing with Bernice? Son Jake comes to visit and helps out at the Antiques Mall, and finds a secret compartment in the wooden cigar store Indian. He claims all that was in there was the cigar.

The authors have a unique voice and a quirky conversational style. This amusing trek through the world of antiques will keep you giggling. My favorite chapter was when Vivian takes over and does some sleuthing on her own.

Armchair Interviews says: Treasures exist throughout this book.

delightfully charming cozy .......2007-09-04

Small town living in Serenity, Iowa is anything but dull for divorcee Brandy Bonne. After her marriage breaks up, she went home to live with her quirky and eccentric mother Vivian and her dog Sushi who she got custody of in the settlement. Her husband has custody of their son Jake who rightly blames her for the divorce. Both Brandy and her mother are seeing psychiatrists to get the murders that kept them on edge out of their systems and to deal with their other problems.

After solving one homicide, Brandy doesn't want to play amateur sleuth again but her mother wouldn't mind being in the middle of such a situation again. When her mother's good friend gets the director's position in the community theater that Vivian wanted, Brandy persuades her mother to open up a stall in the antiques mall. When they arrive there one day, they find the woman in charge dead and the victim's pet bull covered in blood; it looks like the dog killed her, but Vivian is positive she was murdered by a human. Brandy is afraid mom will try to prove her theory.

The second Trash `n Treasure mystery is a delightfully charming cozy that keeps readers interested in the storyline because of the protagonists, Brandy and Vivian. Their witty repartee and Brady's attempt to keep her mother under control will have the audience laughing out loud. There aren't any viable suspects in ANTIQUES MAUL so readers will wonder if the dog actually did the deed. Barbara Allen is a terrific storyteller who knows how to grab and keep reader interest.

Harriet Klausner

Emotional Value: Creating Strong Bonds with Your Customers

Average customer rating:

perfect
Highly Recommended!
Making Sense Out of Emotional Intelligence for Businesses
A powerful eye-opener
intelligent, truthful book

Emotional Value: Creating Strong Bonds with Your Customers
Janelle Barlow , and Dianna Maul
Manufacturer: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1576750795

Amazon.com

Anyone who's ever worked any sort of service job, from the minimum-wage McDonald's cashier to the high-paid account exec, knows that the old store-policy standby "the customer is always right" is a load of bunk. But in our increasingly service-oriented economy, how can companies get their front-line service employees to keep a smile on their face (or in their voice) when dealing with customers from hell? Or even just from Long Island?

By teaching them how to say to customers "I feel your pain"--and even sort of (gulp) mean it. That's the message at the heart of this book from Janelle Barlow and Dianna Maul of consulting heavyweight TMI USA. "Customers are not always right.... But customers are always emotional," they write. "They always have feelings, sometimes intense, other times barely perceptible, when they make purchases or engage in ... transactions." That's why businesses must construct cultures that promote positive emotional states for both customers and employees. Unhappy employees out of touch with their own feelings, they warn, cannot provide "emotional value" for customers. The bulk of the book lays out practices for bringing EV to one's customers, including teaching employees emotional competence, maximizing customer experiences with empathy, and using emotional connections to increase customer loyalty.

If all this sounds a little too touchy-feely to evoke more than lip service from bottom-line-minded suits--or outright jeers from the dumped-on, underpaid, overworked people they employ--Barlow and Maul's slightly New Age-y language actually masks a smart and practical premise: companies that give their service workers a structured support system for putting themselves in their customers' shoes promote genuine well-being on both sides of the service line, leading to profits. This is also one of those rare business books where everything--such as the hundreds of daily, street-level service anecdotes (many of which had this writer laughing aloud in recognition)--speaks to the possibilities and limitations of the marketplace we all actually shop and work in, where rudeness, frustration, and apathy mingle with decency, competence, and compassion every day. You won't find a step-by-step, one-size-fits-all kit for customer compassion here, but there are ample explanations, snapshot examples, key-point breakdowns, and end-of-chapter self-questions to help get the process going for any manager or exec with half a brain. Or is that half a heart? --Timothy Murphy

Book Description

Society is rapidly moving from a service economy to an experience economy. As a result, today's more sophisticated consumers not only demand services and products that are of the highest quality; they also want positive, emotionally satisfying experiences. The companies and institutions that learn how to add emotional value to their customers' experiences will leave their competitors behind.

This book details a practice for adding emotional value to customers' experiences and to those of staff. The practices show that by understanding the critical role emotions play in creating customer experiences, organizations can take their service to new levels.

Customer Reviews:

perfect.......2003-01-23

Perfect, this book is a perfect tool for all the managers in a mid positions, it helps to understand emotion and their value in a business. Should be read not only by the customer service people, but also by the all rests

Highly Recommended!.......2001-03-20

Janelle Barlow and Dianna Maul go a step beyond most consultants (those who write business books to drum up customers). Instead, they offer a wealth of scholarly research and sources in their in-depth, colorfully written book, which successfully tackles the enormous role that emotions play in business and customer behavior. They explain and document it, and provide practical applications. We at getAbstract recommend this important book to all business people, whether they offer a product or a service, from CEOs through every level of staff.

Making Sense Out of Emotional Intelligence for Businesses.......2000-09-07

Since Howard Gardner first popularized the idea of multiple intelligences, thinkers and authors have been noticing that there is a vast difference in the "emotional intelligence" that people have for noticing others and responding appropriately to them. Daniel Goleman wrote a wonderful book developing that theme. He argues that emotional intelligence can be learned. In Emotional Value, Janelle Barlow and Dianna Maul take that one step further and identify what needs to be learned and how it should be learned.

Their point is simple and profound. "Both staff and customers tend to stay with organizations that enable them to experience positive, meaningful, and personally important feelings, even if the organizations cannot always provide everything they want or solve all their problems." Few will disagree. The conclusion builds on the work of Jeffrey Pfeffer in The Human Equation.

There are many important consequences to that observation. First, it costs a lot of money to get customers. It's much more profitable to keep the ones you have than to get new ones (see The Loyalty Effect). Second, if you can deal with the same customers and employees, the results usually are better. Third, with lower staff turnover, costs of hiring and training are lower . . . and operating costs are lower, too. Fourth, bonding can be created among customers and employees that will allow them to derive more value from being involved with the company. Fifth, these improvements are critical in many industries. Most people shift from one supplier to another because dissatisfaction with service, not price or produce offerings. (See The Customer-Driven Company). Sixth, in this stock-market-driven economy, the economic advantages will translate into a higher stock price which can be used to add more and lower-cost resources for the company.

Basically, improving emotional value can be the start of creating a virtuous cycle of self-reinforcing improvement for an enterprise.

I would be remiss if I did not point out that those who emphasize the importance of values and corporate culture are dealing with some facets of emotional value. What is brilliant about this work is that it transcends this earlier excellent work to take it to a higher plane. You can have great values and a wonderful corporate culture, and still have an emotionally damaging work environment for many of your people and customers.

The authors identify five key elements for making this virtuous cycle a reality:

(1) Build an Emotion-Friendly Service Culture

(2) Choose to Develop Emotional Competence

(3) Maximize Customer Experience (see The Experience Economy -- "positive, emotional, and memorable impact") and Empathy

(4) View Complaints as Emotional Opportunities

(5) Use Emotional Communications to Increase Customer Loyalty

As you can tell from my references to many other works, this book builds on excellent studies done by others. Yet, the synthesis here is new and improved. Essentially the book is "a call for civility, empathy, and authenticity in dealing with customers." That goes well beyond the familiar concept of "The customer is always right." That concept usually is applied to mean that the employee who works with the customer must be downtrodden and suffer. Burnout is a major problem among frontline service employees, as a result.

Ms. Barlow and Ms. Maul see beyond that current stalemate. They realize that the interaction between company and customer can be uplifting for both. Mother Teresa drew great pleasure from helping poor people die with dignity. Doing our work with civility, empathy, and authenticity can add a similar sense of worth to our labors, as well as providing a wonderful, emotionally-rewarding experience for customers.

I especially liked the call to action: "It is the service providers' responsibility to manage the emotions in service exhanges." How many CEOs, executives, and managers are thinking about that? Wow! Before you leave that point, consider that 80 percent of all U.S. jobs are expected to soon be service jobs.

The appendices and notes are unusually good in this book. Be sure to take time to review them.

The primary weakness of the book is that the sections that allow you to assess where your company or organization is today could be more detailed and specific.

When you have finished the book, take some time to imagine the ideal emotional exchanges that could be occurring in your business and organization every day. Then start to design them and teach others how to make them easy, authentic, memorable, and enjoyable to provide. Have a ball!

A powerful eye-opener.......2000-08-24

Reading "Emotional value" has been an excellent experience and an eye opener in many ways. The book pinpoints and explores one of the key criteria of working competitively in the "experience economy" - having a workforce that is skilled in emotional competencies.

I particularly enjoyed the debate "emotional labour" vs. "emotional competence". It is a real live debate in many service organizations with management trying to control the customer experience by stipulating that service-providers should be able to smile pleasantly (i.e. grin and bear) through all customer encounters. And yet grin & bear by the rulebook is often not what the customer wants, but rather genuine empathy and emotional competence on behalf of the service provider. It takes much more than "grin and bear" and "the customer is always right" rhetoric to satisfy today's eclectic customer.

"Emotional Value" has reminded me of personal examples where service providers have competently turned my dissatisfaction, anger or frustration into a positive feeling of gratitude. And in doing so they have won me over as a loyal customer. However creating loyal customers by adding emotional value cannot be left to chance. Here the book proves to be a gold mine of practical applications and exercises that can be used to develop emotional awareness and competencies throughout the organization.

Thus the book is a valuable blend of inspiring concepts and very practical techniques. I have recommended the book to several friends and colleagues.

intelligent, truthful book.......2000-08-14

I wore out my highlighter while reading Emotion Value. Every chapter was filled with profound wisdom. As a teacher and speaker in the field of customer service I was grateful to Janelle and Diana for presenting such a truthful, intelligent book backed up with research and statistics. While my classes have always focused on the front line, I longed for a way to reach the management. Emotional Value is written with the CEO in mind. I hope they sit up and take notice, after 20 years of service training, service has gotten worse. This book explains why!

Average customer rating:

Intriguing, Often Fascinating, If Not Perfect, Feminist Cyberpunk Thriller
Not perfect, but ferociously interesting

Maul
Tricia Sullivan
Manufacturer: Night Shade Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1597800376

Book Description

In a mall like any other, two gangs of teenaged girls are about to embark on an orgy of shopping and designer violence. In the battleground of cool, they'll fight for their lives to prove that "image is everything." And in another place, within a sealed room, a lone man fights an equally desperate war against a new virus and the scientists who have developed it. If anyone gets out alive, it will be a small miracle.

Customer Reviews:

Intriguing, Often Fascinating, If Not Perfect, Feminist Cyberpunk Thriller.......2006-12-30

Neal Stephenson faces off with John Shirley and Pat Cadigan in this intriguing, often fascinating, feminist cyberpunk thriller from Tricia Sullivan. Imagine if you will, the nonchalant, often hilarious prose from Stephenson's "Snow Crash", mixed vigorously with vivid, descriptive, and often lyrical, prose from Shirley's "Eclipse" trilogy, and Pat Cadigan's memorable female anti-heroes from her short fiction and novels, adding up to a memorable, if not perfect, novel from this young Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning author. Tricia Sullivan has conjured a bizarre, near future world of suburban malls inhabited by homicidal teenage girls running amok, armed with semiautomatic pistols and rifles, and acting as if they are inhabiting a cyberpunk computer game, without realizing the deadly consequences of their real-life actions. She deftly weaves this memorable saga featuring 16 year-old Sun Katz and her friend Suk Hee Kim, with another, equally compelling, tale of down-and-out loser Snake Carrera, who is imprisoned with Meniscus, the experimental "Typhoid Mary" of a deadly male plague, as part of a deadly medical experiment that will have unforseen consequences for both men, and the female team of researchers overseeing their welfare. Although both tales do not mingle, they do set the stage for a memorable conclusion about individuality and the future of humanity. Without question, with the publication of this novel, Tricia Sullivan has emerged, as one of our most interesting young writers of science fiction, and especially, as one of its most intriguing literary stylists.

Not perfect, but ferociously interesting.......2006-08-06

Maul is not just a sharply-written book, it's an experience. From the shocking opener to the shattering finish, it's a thrill ride -- for some of the characters, literally.

Sullivan tells two stories here, which never quite converge but influence each other in ways that become apparent. First, the story of Sun and her friends, who head to the "maul" to face off with a rival girl gang at Lord & Taylor's. What starts out as a game of insults escalates when Sun's friend Suk-Hee jumps onto the cosmetics counter and opens fire (all the girls, it seems, are packing.) Sun spends the rest of her story alternately trying to talk and terrorize her way out of increasing danger.

The other storyline involves clone/lab experiment Meniscus, a man in a world where most men die of a gene-linked disease, and scientist Maddy, who is running the experiment. When a disreputable tough named Snake Carerra gets stuck with Meniscus in hopes that he will catch the disease and die, the experiment and the women running it spin out of control.

There's a lot going on here, and not all of it makes sense, even by the story's own crazy logic. And for all that this book is not excessively long, it still drags a bit in the middle. But by the time you get to the men's contest to see who gets to breed, you're off and running.

I found Sun's story to be much more compelling, (in spite of itself) because while Snake comes off as the true hero of his storyline, I found his macho-ness off-putting. I've met this character before, and he's just not that interesting.

But if you're looking for something different and just a little twisted (not to mention palpably well-written) Maul might just be your thing.

Average customer rating:

The Maul of Murgleys
Scott C. Ristau
Manufacturer: PublishAmerica
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1413776019
Release Date: 2006-08-07

Book Description

Quinn is a middle-aged man living a simple life on his farm with his loving wife and their five children. But Quinn is a man with a secret, one that has come back to haunt him and threaten what he loves most in life. Twenty years ago Quinn helped his friend, Torrin Murgleys, conquer the kingdom of Gairloch. But Torrin proved to be unworthy both as friend and king. So Quinn and Midori, an elvin woman pregnant with Torrin's child, fled from Gairloch and in their flight fell in love. Now the unexpected arrival of Aragon, a powerful wizard and Torrin's brother, once again disrupts their peace. Aragon is searching for Keenan, the son Torrin sired and Quinn reared as his own. Over their protests, Aragon persuades Keenan and Quinn to help him steal an axe of cursed magic in order to reduce the expanding menace of Torrin's evil empire.

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