Starlight Surprise (My Secret Unicorn)

Book Description

Lauren has a secret: When she whispers the magic words, her pony turns into a beautiful snow-white unicorn. Lauren doesn't believe in ghosts, but there is definitely something spooky going on down by the creek. Then one night, as Lauren and Twilight fly over the woods near the scary tree house, they make a surprising discovery.

Average customer rating:

Completely hooked my reluctant reader!
What a nice book!
Perfect for my 4 yr old horse crazy daughter!

Starlight (Breyer Stablemates)
Kristin Earhart
Manufacturer: CARTWHEEL BOOKS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0439722373

Book Description

In A Foal for Haley, Haley has her hands full with Starlight, her mischievous, disobedient foal. But one scary night, Starlight gets lost in the woods, and Haley makes a special wish--to find her beloved foal. Her wish comes true, and from then on they're friends forever. For years, Breyer has been known for making high-quality collectible horses. Stablemates are low-priced, durable horses created especially for children.

Customer Reviews:

Completely hooked my reluctant reader!.......2007-05-16

My 7 1/2 year old has always been a hesitant reader. She knows her phonics rules, but reads very slowly and lacks fluency. At this point she needs to practice reading, but most books are either too easy, or too difficult and frustrating. We stumbled upon this Stablemates book at a Scholastic book fair, and she was immediately hooked - it helps that she's a horse nut. She started reading it on the way home in the car, and couldn't put it down. Now I'm here ordering more of the Stablemates titles! I like that the language is just challenging enough to push her a little, but repetitive enough with word families throughout (midnight/starlight/bright; good/took/stood) that it reinforces her skills. Plus it's a "chapter" book, so she's feeling pretty proud of herself, too!

What a nice book!.......2007-04-15

My daughter loved this book so much I used Amazon.com to purchase 3 more Stablemates books. Anything that helps her enjoy reading is great in my book! It was a nice story and we enjoy it very much.

Perfect for my 4 yr old horse crazy daughter!.......2006-04-20

I was SO happy when I saw these adorable, well priced books at the store! Picked them both up--these are great books for younger children! We have Pony Pals books but those are larger chapter books geared towared older children (8-10rys). These Stablemates books have beautiful, full color illustrations that cover every page with large,easy to read print. These do have chapters, but they are short--these are perfect for reading to your little pre-schooler and perfect for the beginner readers! My daughter and I LOVE these books and can't wait for more editions to be released! We will definitely be purchasing more!

Starlight and Time: Solving the Puzzle of Distant Starlight in a Young Universe

Average customer rating:

Great Book
Excellent Science, and very worthy of review
Spaced Out About Starlight and Time
A depressing act of desperation
Starlight and Time

Starlight and Time: Solving the Puzzle of Distant Starlight in a Young Universe
D. Russell Humphreys
Manufacturer: Master Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0890512027

Customer Reviews:

Great Book.......2007-05-12

It's a very interesting read, with good arguments. Whether you believe his scenario or not, he shows there are still alternative theories than what we are taught. Highly recommended.

Excellent Science, and very worthy of review.......2007-04-19

Many now realize that Darwinian macroevolution is in direct violation of many known scientific laws (such as entropy, biogenesis, mass action, and energy conservation--just to name a few), it is also quite at odds with the fossil record. Even Charles Darwin conceded that geological evidence (including the fossil record) of his day (the late 1800's) contradicted his theory. How much more do the discoveries of the last hundred years or so expose his error? Considering that every supposed time epoch of the earth now has authenticated human artifacts in those strata (proven to not have been introduced at a later time), Darwin's theory is way beyond capability for resuscitation.

What most Evolutionists fail to admit is the fact that much of their "science" has been built upon completely unverifiable assumptions (like the "complete suspension of physical laws" during some distant past epoch in order for the universe to form in accordance to their theory). Moreover, their results are often "bent" to fit their core belief systems (i.e. there "is no God," or rather, their actual deifying of the material universe itself) while some often hypocritically accuse Creationists of doing the same. Even their dating systems are circular with regard to the fossil record (i.e. they date the rock by the fossil and the fossil by the same rock). All of this, while still claiming that their "science" is true, and often that the Creationists are a bunch of pseudo-intellectuals with both bad theology and implausible postulates. The reality is: both evolutionary and creationism theories are dependent in-part on assumptions. The only difference is that Creationists derive theirs from Scripture and find true science often confirms their assumptions, while the Evolutionist essentially invent their assumptions in an attempt to support an already disproven theory.

Moreover, Darwin himself also conceded that if ever man could delve into microbiological structures and discover that irreducible complexity existed (i.e. that the whole could not survive without all of its parts), then his theory would be "absolutely broken down." In modern science, "Darwin's Black Box" (a phrase used also as a book title regarding this issue) has done exactly what the troubled theorist feared--confirmed the absolute absurdity of his theory...and then some. The irreducible complexity of an individual cell has been absolutely proven. Moreover, the marvelous complexity of microbiological structures (such as flagellum) has turned many now-former evolutionists away from the fatally flawed theory--even when some of those same scientists have yet to concede to a Creationist model (although many have). Still more, continued study of DNA has so obliterated evolutionary precepts with their discoveries that it has become increasingly obvious to many that Darwinian Evolution is, in fact, a religion in and of itself, for its defenders show a "religious fervor" in their continuous adherence to an easily debunked theory. Even Humanism (recognized in a 1961 US Supreme Court decision to be a religion) requires its adherents to "believe" in Darwinian evolution.

I would suggest several things to all who might read this review/commentary: One, buy this book Starlight & Time. I HAVE read the book. Therein, every point that others have accused the author, Dr. Russell Humphries, of failing to address is actually covered in remarkable detail. (And quite frankly, I would be surprised if the DVD, which is much later that the book, actually does not answer MORE than the original book. However, I have not yet viewed the DVD.)

Herein, Dr. Humphries does a fine job in detailing his logic and review of relevant facts regarding a young earth creation model, while faithfully utilizing Einstein's General Relativity (GR) theory to support his postulate. He points out (very respectfully, I might add) that Big Bang theorists derive their data from the same sources and process it via the same GR theory he does, but simply add the variable of their preferred Darwinian worldview instead of a biblical paradigm. The GR theory equally processes what is put into it as a "food processor" might, and the only difference that produces varying conclusions in his theory apart from Big Bang theorists is the worldview assumptions that are also fed into the "hopper." His book also contains his actual position papers as appendixes with full data and mathematical calculations in one, and his theology basis in the other.

Second, obtain a copy of "Why Do Men Believe Evolution Against All Odds" by Dr. Carl E. Baugh, and consider the facts. Pay special attention to the final chapter entitled, "Why Good Men Believe Bad Science." Therein, the author (a former Evolutionist himself) describes not only their failed "science" and its impossibility, but also the mental processes and states that allow seemingly educated people to adhere to such a ludicrous belief system (which, even some Evolutionists concede, has hindered true science more than helped it).

Spaced Out About Starlight and Time.......2007-03-22

The absurdities necessary to sustain a Young Earth Creationist (YEC) worldview are literally cosmological in scope as "Starlight and Time" painfully attests. Forcibly mating biblically induced fundamentalist dogma and magical thinking with General Relativity and Cosmology is an act of intellectual and scientific rape - but contemporary YECs never have let their sense of morals prevent them from doing what is 'right.'

"Starlight and Time" purports to show how light could travel billions of light years from distant astronomical objects during the passage of only a few thousand years of Earth time. Even YECs admit that the universe is vast - beyond any biblical cosmology however burlesque their exegetical exertions - but dogmatically refuse to cede that the earth is old - a paradox of their own making, a single snowflake in the blizzard of ignorance that typifies so-called 'creation science.'

The author, Dr. D. Russell Humphreys, posits an alternative cosmology to solve the light travel time problem and assuage febrile creationist sensibilities. Although Humphreys is a physicist, he is untrained in General Relativity or Cosmology, and it shows. His white hole cosmology has been reviewed and found universally wanting by the reality-based scientific community and old earth creationists! Even YEC stalwarts, who routinely swallow shallow sacro-scientific swill, entertain substantial doubts, although leading purveyors of misinformation such as Answers in Genesis (AiG) and the Institute for Creation Research (ICR) continue to disingenuously pimp "Starlight and Time" - even while they subtly admit that it is ultimately flawed.

The core of Humphreys' model is the abandonment of the cosmological principle. Instead, he proposes that the universe is not uniform, but rather has the shape of a sphere with a finite radius. In the model, the universe originated from a single point in the center of the sphere. In effect, Humphreys' model brings to life many of the common misconceptions about what the Big Bang actually says about the origin of the universe.

Humphreys tries to apply General Relativity to the resulting matter distribution, claiming that gravitational time dilation will cause time to pass faster the more distant one is from the center. If one postulates that the earth is very near the center of the universe, Humphreys claims that this resolves a central problem for Young Earth Creationists - how to resolve the evidence for an ancient universe with their demand that the earth was created anywhere from 6,000 to 12,000 years ago.

"Starlight and Time" models the center of the universe as a white hole, the opposite of a black hole (instead of matter only flowing inwards, a white hole constantly emits matter and energy). Humphreys fails to explain why that white hole does not appear to exist anymore - we would notice the extremely strong X-ray flux, if nothing else - but that is far from the only problem with the model. In particular, Humphreys badly mangles the standard General Relativity treatment for gravitational time dilation - in order for time to pass more rapidly far away from the earth, we would need to be near a black hole, not a white hole. Humphreys tried to salvage his model by later claiming a time dilation within the white hole, but this was equally unworkable. It goes without saying that his model fails to explain a vast array of cosmological observations, including the existence of the cosmic microwave background radiation and its anisotropy, supernovae time dilation, light element abundance and so forth.

Humphreys' findings are, to borrow a phrase from the Nobel Prize winning physicist Wolfgang Pauli, "not even wrong." Humphreys later publication "New Vistas of Spacetime Rebut the Critics" orphans his original arguments by inventing fresh fallacies to replace his former fantasies - an unfortunate pattern that permeates all of his work.

Ultimately Humphreys is wrestling with a preposterous hypothesis. His failure is spectacular and totally expected. Any YEC universe consistent with General Relativity must display extraordinarily rapid decreases in the observed redshifts of distant galaxies and cannot contain visible objects which are more than a few thousand light years away!

The redshift anomalies predicted are not observed and objects billions and billions of light years away are routinely surveyed and cataloged. General Relativity and the Big Bang as utilized by reality-based mainstream science trumps the hermit hermeneutics endemic to the 'genesis is an incontrovertible history of the universe' claque of credulous YECs.

If you enjoy convoluted and elastic reasoning as an art form, or wish to build a library of classic YEC calumnies and conceits by all means purchase "Starlight and Time" - it is a tendentious treasure. By any other metrics the demon haunted universe is brain dead and so is this book.

For a reality-based look at the cosmos try The First Three Minutes: A Modern View of the Origin of the Universe by Steven Weinberg or Many Worlds in One: The Search for Other Universes by Alex Vilenkin.

A depressing act of desperation.......2007-03-21

My pastor (a great guy) gave this to me when I expressed my skepticism about literal creationism because of the starlight problem. I found this to be a depressing act of desperation. If this is the best that the creationists can come up with - bad science, muddled thinking, and outrageous science fantasy scenarios that can never be tested, it is a very sad commentary on creationists. As far as intellectual integrity goes, this book is disgusting.

Starlight and Time.......2007-02-19

This is a religious book not a science book. If you are a religious believer save your money you don't need this book. If you are looking for science information look for a different book.

Pony-Crazed Princess: Princess Ellie's Starlight Adventure - Book #4 (Pony-Crazed Princess)

Average customer rating:

Great Books!!
Great series for pony-crazed girls

Pony-Crazed Princess: Princess Ellie's Starlight Adventure - Book #4 (Pony-Crazed Princess)
Diana Kimpton
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0786848731

Customer Reviews:

Great Books!!.......2007-08-09

My 7 year old daughter found this series while we were in London this June. Naturally they were a hit since horses and princesses are two of her favorite things. It also helps that there is a little mystery thrown in. She reads them from cover to cover in one sitting. And she often re-reads them when she is finished. The stories are appropriate and interesting and the characters are loveable.

Great series for pony-crazed girls.......2006-11-11

My 7 year old daughter discovered Princess Ellie books this past summer. She is always anxious to hear the next chapter every evening to see how Princess Ellie will solve her lastest problem revolving around ponies (hers or ones that show up in the books). We found this book fun because Princess Ellie is given instuctions how to deal with the press; and she has to figure out how to solve a mystery without breaking too many of her how-princesses-should-act rules.

The Starlight Princess and Other Princess Stories

Average customer rating:

make room in your fairytale collection
Exquisite Fantasy Embroidery
A beautiful tapestry of stories

The Starlight Princess and Other Princess Stories
DK Publishing
Manufacturer: DK CHILDREN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0789426323

Book Description

Rich embroideries decorate this collection of well-loved princess stories. This beautiful book takes its inspiration from rich tales reflecting different historical periods and cultures. The Starlight Princess presents some of the best loved princess stories, brought to life with illustrations embroidered in a variety of fabrics and threads to create an enchanting collection that children will love and adults will love to read to them. A range of princesses are represented, from a medieval Princess and the Pea to a Russian Frog Princess.

Customer Reviews:

make room in your fairytale collection.......2002-02-15

the starlight princess combines magical embroidered
pictures with extremely well adapted tales- mostly well-known stories, but with the odd variation which makes
them more suited to modern readers. For example, in
' the princess and the pea ', the prince doesn't just marry
the princess, he finds out first whether she likes him too.
My five-year-old and I are thoroughly enjoying it -great to read aloud.

Exquisite Fantasy Embroidery.......2001-10-25

As a young child, one of my teachers taught us the basics of embroidery. I still have the tiny apron I made as a child and ended up framing it because I wanted to keep it safe. You will want to read this book and then keep it in a safe place too!

In "The Starlight Princess" the story is illustrated completely with embroidery. Belinda Downes is a world-renowned embroidery artist and you will want to also find "A Stitch in Rhyme" and "Every Little Angel's Handbook." She has always loved history and costume design and was very excited to illustrate this book and uses luxuriant fabrics and different threads and stitches. This is not cross stitch! The pages look like calico fabric.

To say I am impressed with this book is an understatement. I am fascinated with the embroidery, all the delicate details woven through the pages, framing the story with exquisite detail.

As a little girl I dreamed of being a princess. One time, I had my brother help me put two mattresses up on my bed and we put a pea under the bed to see if I could feel it. Since I couldn't, we declared that I must be a princess indeed. lol

Well, that story is actually in this collection of eight fairy tales and is the first story. The Frog Princess, King Grizzlebeard, The Starlight Princess, The Sleeping Beauty, The Twelve Dancing Princesses, The Egg Prince and White-Bear-King Valemon are included in this collection.

Annie Dalton's storytelling brings meaning to the embroidery. She also brings such humor to some of the stories.

"There was once a princess so beautiful that any prince who saw her portrait instantly became desperate to marry her. Unfortunately, as soon as they actually met her these princes quickly changed their minds."

The story of the Egg Prince was completely new to me and is about Princess Lebou who can run faster than any warrior. She lives in Africa and helps to break a spell and release the prince from the egg. But as Annie says: "But in case things don't work out, she sensibly hangs on to those egg shells."

I highly recommend this work of art! Simply one of the most
beautiful books you will ever see if you love embroidery.

A review cannot do this book justice. You must see it to believe it! This deserves at least 100 Stars!

~The Rebecca Review

A beautiful tapestry of stories.......1999-11-17

I bought this book for my 5 yr old. She loved the stories as much as the lovely pictures. We have read it many times over. I recommend this as a gift for it is a good collection of stories along with beautiful pictures. It has a beautiful tapestry of stories, highlighted by the many wonderful embroidered images on the page. The pages reflect the linen fabic and add to the stories richness. The stories themselves are a terrific grouping of multicultural tales. Each with a vivid depiction of it's princess heroine. I loved the descriptive stories of many countries and yet they were in many ways noncultural in that princesses are by nature fairly universal the world around. If you wonder if it's as pretty on the inside as the jacket - it is!

Starlight, Star Bright (The Starlight Books, 3) (Starlight)

Average customer rating:

Exciting ending
Third book in a series.
Excellent series!
Starlight, Star Bright

Starlight, Star Bright (The Starlight Books, 3) (Starlight)
Janet Muirhead Hill
Manufacturer: Raven Pub.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0971416125

Book Description

The third book in the award-winning Starlight Series continues the adventures that form a bond of love between Miranda and Starlight. Mr. Cassius Taylor, owner of Shady Hills Horse Ranch and Starlight allows Miranda to come to his ranch as often as she can and tend to Starlight's needs. Miranda secretly works with Starlight, teaches him tricks and manners, and even rides him. Unaware of this, Mr. Taylor hires a trainer who uses rough methods to subdue the horse. Miranda feels compelled to come to Starlight's rescue any time she sees an adult mistreating him. Readers will keep turning the pages as they share Miranda's many escapades; close calls, joyous adventures, developing friendships, heartaches, and triumphs that are found in this must-read volume.

Customer Reviews:

Exciting ending.......2006-05-23

Reviewed by April Sullivan for Reader Views (5/06)
"Starlight, Star Bright" is the third book in the exciting Starlight Series. Miranda Stevens is in love with a horse named Starlight and wants to make him her own.

When her friends Laurie and Elliot both get horses for their birthdays, she is the only one in her group of friends not to have one. So as we have come to expect from Miranda, she takes matters into her own hands.

Miranda takes advantage of any chance she can get to be with Starlight when no adults are around. She becomes more and more daring by letting him out of his stall, putting a saddle on him, and eventually racing him around the track. Even though her friends think this disregarding of the rules is a bad idea, she continues to press her luck, going as far as being a bad influence to Mr. Taylor's grandson Elliot, when she is supposed to be babysitting him.

Miranda's dreams of someday owning Starlight are looking more and more unlikely as Adam begins training him for racing. Adam was Chris' riding instructor and turned out to be an old friend of Miranda's deceased father. He has become hired on at the ranch to prepare the horses for racing. But if Starlight wins a race, Mr. Taylor will never consider selling him to Miranda. Adam and Miranda's relationship was strained to begin with, but becomes more volatile as Miranda disagrees with Adam's training style with Starlight. And things get even worse when she finds out he has proposed to her Mom!

Janet Muirhead Hill's writing style continues to be consistent from book to book in this series. Beyond the main plot of Miranda and Starlight, we have several sub-plots catching our interest. Miranda enjoys living with her grandparents on their farm, but is having feelings of jealousy when she hears her mother is enjoying the company of other children working as a nanny and helping to raise her fiancé's daughter. There are also the struggles of the Langley's as they overcome the prejudices of the town toward their mixed race family.
The book is not only rich in plot, it is also rich in setting. The opening sequence includes a vividly described trail ride through the mountains. And the illustrations by Pat Lehmkuhl add that extra touch.

This third book in the Starlight Series ends with the exciting news that Miranda will be a partner in the ownership of Starlight. Questions that propel us into the fourth book include: Could Chris' horse Queen be pregnant due to Miranda's irresponsibility with Starlight? Is Miranda going to be able to accept Adam as her stepfather? Will the Langley's finally be accepted in this small Montana town?

Third book in a series........2003-03-14

This is the third book in a series about young Miranda Stevens and Starlight. Starlight is a two or three year old black stallion that has recently healed from serious leg wounds. Miranda wants nothing more than to own Starlight. It would ensure that the current owner, Mr. Taylor, would not someday part her from the beloved horse. Unfortunately, Starlight is so well recovered that Mr. Taylor is sure the horse can race. He has Adam, his trainer, begin training Starlight. However, Adam is mean to the horse so Starlight keeps bucking him off. Adam believes Miranda is spoiling the horse and keeps taking his anger out, verbally, on her. He refuses to believe Miranda could tell him anything that would aid him in training Starlight.

Unknown to most, Miranda had been working with Starlight already. The horse was fully trained and ready to race. But Starlight's heart belonged to young Miranda, who seems to have a natural talent when it comes to handling horses.

Very little is mentioned about school or classmates in the book this time. The author focuses more on dealing with the problems of racism. Racism is a very sensitive issue in the world today and Janet Muirhead Hill does an excellent job in showing that skin color does not matter. In fact, the author the shows how petty it makes many adults seem. As in the previous book, Adam and Miranda continue to clash. I believe the author is foreshadowing the next book with this situation.

The book is perfect for anyone age eight or up who loves horses. It is clearly written out in a way young readers can easily understand and relate to. This is one exceptional series!

Excellent series!.......2003-03-06

***** Very little is mentioned about school or classmates in the book this time. The author focuses more on dealing with the problems of racism. Racism is a very sensitive issue in the world today and Janet Muirhead Hill does an excellent job in showing that skin color does not matter. In fact, the author the shows how petty it makes many adults seem. As in the previous book, Adam and Miranda continue to clash. I believe the author is foreshadowing the next book with this situation.

The book is perfect for anyone age eight or up who loves horses. It is clearly written out in a way young readers can easily understand and relate to. This is one exceptional series! *****

Starlight, Star Bright.......2003-02-22

After reading the first two books in the Starlight series to my young children("Miranda and Starlight" and "Starlight's Courage," respectively), I was hooked on this series of horse adventures for middle-grade children, for my own enjoyment! "Starlight, Star Bright" is an endearing addition filled with adventure in a Rocky Mountain setting. Miranda is a young heroine whom has plenty of courage to handle the most difficult of real-life situations. We laughed and cried at her misadventures. All I can tell you is that the ending is one that you will love! It is difficult to find books for my children that teach them values, as well as make them ask for more as they begin to read- this series has both elements. We will definately be anxiously awaiting the previews of each new title that becomes available.

Average customer rating:

Filling a Niche
Not what I expected
Not my cup of Tea
Another solid entry in a fine anthology series
Outstanding Anthology!

Starlight 3 (Starlight)

Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0312867794

Book Description

Since its debut in 1996, Starlight has been recognized as the preeminent original anthology of science fiction and fantasy. Its stories have won the Nebula Award, the Sturgeon Award, and the Tiptree Award. Starlight 1 won the World Fantasy Award for Best Anthology. Starlight 3 offers a new serving of powerful, original stories. Some are playful, some rigorous, or exuberant, or melancholy; some are set in the world of today, and some amidst the farthest stars or in worlds that never were.

Customer Reviews:

Filling a Niche.......2005-03-18

Original anthologies of SF stories have become a rare thing these days. The Startlight series of anthologies is, therefore, more important than it would have been otherwise.

The 3rd volume in this series features an introduction, 16 stories and authors' bios. Most of the 16 stories are by famous names: Ted Chiang, Stephen Baxter, Terry Bisson, Geoffrey Landis, Jane Yolen, Cory Doctorow, D.G. Comptom, Colin Greenland.

Onward to the stories: The book starts off with Ted Chiang's "Hell is the Absence of God". Ted Chiang recently burst on the SF horizon. He has written only a handful of stories and novellas but almost every one of them has either won an award or has been nominated for one. His "Story of Your Life" is one of my favorites. The present story has an intriguing name and an intriguing premise. It depicts a world where the natural and supernatural go hand in hand. Heavenly visitations and miracles are taken for granted. The story is interesting up to the very end where it falls flat on its face leaving a bad taste in the mouth. Sorry, this is not a Chiang story that I like.

Out of the other stories, I liked (not exactly in the same order) "Sun Cloud" (Stephen Baxter), "Wolves Till the World Goes Down" (Greg van Eekhout), "La Vie en Ronde" (Madeleine E. Robins), "Power Punctuation" (Cory Doctorow), and "The Sea Wind Offers Little Relief" (Alex Irvine). Terry Bisson's story is good but it is neither SF nor fantasy. But the best among the lot is also the shortest: "The Secret Egg of the Clouds" by Geoffrey A. Landis. In less than 2000 words, Landis has delivered a tale full of the proverbial "sensawunda" as well as social significance. It is poetic and meaningful. It is beautiful. If I had the power to do so, I would have definitely nominated this gem for Hugo, Nebula and all other SF awards around.

It is a good anthology, much better than some of the "Year's Best" anthologies around. It has a good mixture of SF and fantasy. What it lacked was humor - and some new blood.

Ahmed A. Khan
http://ahmedakhan.journalspace.com

Not what I expected.......2004-05-14

The first story (Hell...) completely soured my enjoyment of the book. It was preachy and not at all science fiction. From then on I was looking for the religious underpinnings/sermon in the rest of the stories and finding quite a bit of it. Wings might as well have been Touched by an Angel's attempt at a Roswell episode.

Not my cup of Tea.......2002-04-10

I guess I'm old fashioned or maybe just addicted to "hard" SF but when I see a title like "Starlight 3" I'm expecting some space stories or at least some interesting short hard science fiction - NOT!

This stuff leans much more toward fantasy than SF. I guess the lines have been blurred. Oh well, I got it at the library so I'm not out any cash. If you're looking for some fantasy style short fiction then this may be for you. If you're looking for some hard SF, stay away.

Another solid entry in a fine anthology series.......2001-09-09

The newest edition of Patrick Nielsen Hayden's original anthology series _Starlight_ is a pretty solid book, certainly not hurting the reputation of this series as one to rival _Orbit_ or _New Dimensions_ or _Universe_ in quality and consistency, but it's vaguely disappointing: I guess because while there are a whole lot of really good stories, there are no superb stories, nothing like say "Story of Your Life" from the second issue.

I'll mention some highlights. Ted Chiang is back, with "Hell is the Absence of God", a rather intriguing and deadpan look at a world much like our own in which the existence of Heaven and Hell are objectively proven: indeed, the souls in Hell can be seen, and in which angels occasionally come to Earth, typically causing a mixture of miraculous events and capricious disasters. The story focuses on an unpious man whose beloved wife is killed and ascends to Heaven in one such angelic visitation, and who tries to find a way to love God and thus reach Heaven to rejoin her, against all his instincts. My favorite piece might have been Maureen McHugh's "Interview: On Any Given Day", about a teenaged girl who becomes infected with a potentially cancerous agent after an odd affair with a rejuvenated older man -- the story not only describes a near future teenage milieu quite well, but it's particularly good at what it's really about, in kind of a sideways fashion: the affect of this rejuvenation technology on people, particularly the sad older man who has the affair with the main character. This was a very real-seeming story -- McHugh at close to her best. Susan Palwick's "Gestella" takes a very simple (even silly) gimmick: what if werewolves share the 7/1 lifespan ratio with humans that real canids are said to have, and extrapolates it to a very scary conclusion in telling of the relationship of the title werewolf with a shallow professor. And it's a great example of effective, and, it seems to me, narratively essential, use of the second person. I'm a great fan of Susanna Clarke's stories, few as they have been. "Tom Brightwind, or, How the Fairy Bridge was Built at Thoresby" is a witty piece about Tom Brightwind, a fairy, and his human friend, the Jewish doctor David Montefiore, and said bridge, and the means and results of its building. Light-hearted, clever, fun stuff. Madeleine E. Robins' "La Vie en Ronde" is one of the more original stories I've read recently -- I can't say much more about it, but I found it intriguing if a bit hard to figure out. Alex Irvine's "The Sea Wind Offers Little Relief" is also intriguing, and hints at being a really special story, but didn't quite come together for me. Still, it was different: about a future in which the Assimilation has occurred: electronic communications and direct mind-computer uplinks have become so common that any communication that can be concealed, such as reading plain text, is illegal. After nearly 150 years of imprisonment for forbidden reading, a man is released in order to read and explain a poem. The poem encapsulates another mystery. I've had similar feelings about a couple of Irvine's stories: that there are really neat ideas behind them, and that I'm just barely missing some great point -- so they seem not successful, really, but very promising. (In a different way, this story reminded me of a story from _Starlight 1_: John Ford's "Erase/Record/Play".) The last story in the book is Terry Bisson in his most openly satirical mode, and pretty effective at it: a rapist and murderer becomes converted to Christianity, and some unsavory sorts decide to stage a crucifixion by convincing him that his conversion experience means that his death penalty must mimic Christ's. Bisson aims at a lot of targets in the story, which makes it seem a bit scattershot at times, but it's still pretty solid satire.

Outstanding Anthology!.......2001-09-02

Patrick Nielsen Hayden turns out another outstanding Starlight anthology. If only they could come out on a more regular basis. The Starlight series is the only significant original fiction anthology series on the market.

Starlight 3 follows up the first two Starlights admirably. The quality of fiction in the book is consistently high, occasionally achieving excellence.

The high point of the anthology for me was 'Senator Bilbo' by Andy Duncan. Duncan stumbled across a reference to an old Southern senator named Bilbo and turned it into a story about an old right-wing hobbit senator who wants to maintain the 'purity' of the Shire. Duncan does a great job of portraying a changing Middle Earth without comprising Tolkien's vision.

Other highlights include 'Wolves till the World Goes Down' by Greg van Eekhout, 'Hell Is the Absence of God' by Ted Chiang, 'Gestella' by Susan Palwick, and 'Power Punctuation!' by Cory Doctorow. This is not to say that the other stories in the collection are not fine stories as well. Every story in this collection is well-written and worth reading.

Many of the stories have a deeper goal beyond entertainment. Chiang's story ponders spirituality and ethics. Palwick's 'Gestella' is a sad love story between a human and a werewolf who ages at a rapid pace. Colin Greenland's 'Wings' is set in a world where angels are commonplace and humanity must reconcile itself to new truths.

Truly an excellent anthology. I look forward to a Starlight 4 and hope it's published in a timely manner!

Average customer rating:

Accurate, historical fiction on the origins of Mormons

Morning Star (The Starlight Trilogy, Book 3)
Marian Wells
Manufacturer: Bethany House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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Star Light, Star Bright (The Starlight Trilogy, Book 2)

The Wishing Star (The Starlight Trilogy, Book 1)

ASIN: 0871236516

Book Description

The sequel to STAR LIGHT, STAR BRIGHT and the completion of Jenny's search for truth.

Out of her dark childhood memories, her fascination with the spirit world and her conversion to Mormonism, Jenny has been slowly but surely groping toward spiritual light and truth. Her young husband Mark has gone through his own sometimes painful spiritual journey and has discovered the true way of faith. His consistent witness brings Jenny to the ultimate choice: spiritual bondage or bowing her knee at the feet of the only true "Morning Star."

Historical fiction in the best sense accurate setting, powerful characters and compelling truth.

Customer Reviews:

Accurate, historical fiction on the origins of Mormons.......2007-07-05

If you want to get an eye opening look at the origins of the Mormons, then this book is for you. It seems fair and balanced, and sometimes I mentally asked the author, "Whose side are you on, anyways?!" It isn't exactly riveting material, but I did keep going back to it till I was done; however, the quality of research shows on every page. It's worth the read.

The Wishing Star/Star Light, Star Bright/Morning Star (The Starlight Trilogy 1-3)

Average customer rating:

The Starlight Trilogy

The Wishing Star/Star Light, Star Bright/Morning Star (The Starlight Trilogy 1-3)
Marian Wells
Manufacturer: Inspirational Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0884862380

Customer Reviews:

The Starlight Trilogy.......2005-10-20

Excellent book. It opened my eyes. I don't just listen to the members of a church. Now, I read books about the religion and how it started.

Windwalker (Forgotten Realms: Starlight and Shadows, Book 3)

Average customer rating:

Beyond bad
Main characters not in it as much...
Disappointing, to say the least
Finally, Book 3!
Fitting conclusion to Starligth & Shadows

Windwalker (Forgotten Realms: Starlight and Shadows, Book 3)
Elaine Cunningham
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0786929685
Release Date: 2003-04-01

Book Description

Crossing the wide realms of Faerûn in search of adventure, the dark elf princess Liriel Baenre and her companion Fyodor find themselves in the barbarian’s homeland of Rashemen. In a land ruled by witches, Liriel must disguise herself lest she spark the people’s hatred of dark elves.

Yet from the deep tunnels of the Underdark, glittering eyes and a mind twisted by malice are watching her every move, preparing for vengeance.

The release of Windwalker brings to a close a series first begun by New York Times bestselling author Elaine Cunningham more than eight years ago. Following the recovers of Daughter of the Drow and Tangled Webs, the first two titles in the series, this all-new novel features cover art by award-winning fantasy artist Todd Lockwood and is the first hardcover release from Cunningham in five years.

Customer Reviews:

Beyond bad.......2007-04-01

This is the least satisfying conclusion of a trilogy I have ever read. Poorly written with a jumbled plot that was impossible to follow. New characters randomly introduced far too often and not enough development of the characters that I cared about. Many of the plot developments were completely unnecessary and very unsatisfying. I wish I hadn't read this book so that I could have imagined a more satisfying conclusion to the tale.

Main characters not in it as much..........2006-09-10

About 3/4 of the way through this book, I realized that the two main characters had barely been in it! Some new faces and old foes (plus a link to the War of the Spider Queen series) almost take the main stage. While it didn't feel like the stories of the secondary characters were tacked on, if the book had just featured Liriel and Fyodor it would have been much, much shorter. It wasn't bad, but as far as it being the last book in a trilogy, I would've expect more.

Disappointing, to say the least.......2006-09-08

I wasn't overly disappointed in the plot or the characters, despite their inconsistency. It was the writing. This book reads like it was written in about a week. It was rushed, jumbled, and had no depth.

The main story really could have been told in about 150-200 pages. The rest seemed like it was just unnecessary, uninteresting filler. Too many pages were devoted to secondary characters doing nothing that advanced the story, or even helped develop the character or plot. It's as if it was all written on the fly with no forethought or, even worse, afterthought. It reads like it went right from rough draft to release. I really expected more from Elaine Cunningham.

This is a 3 of 3 book so people will naturally buy it, but don't expect to see the effort put forth you saw in book 1.

If you're a big Liriel fan go get it and get your fix. If you're looking for the layers and intrigue of a good drow book, move on. You're going to be sorely disappointed.

Finally, Book 3!.......2006-07-20

Not as strong as the first two books, but if you already bought the first two, might as well complete the series and buy book 3! Don't get me wrong, it isn't terrible!! But do know that if you don't get it, you'll miss out on the surprise ending that you never saw coming, or at least I didn't see it coming!! You won't be disappointed.

Fitting conclusion to Starligth & Shadows.......2006-03-23

When I read the other reviews about this book, I realize that the ratings cover the whole range from one to five stars. I also realize why this is the case... But starting at the beginning:
I liked Windwalker very much. It took me some time to get my hands on the paperback version, so my reading of the first two parts was a few years back and I started out rereading Tangled Webs to get into the story again. And Mrs Cunningham picked up exactly where she left off, with fast paced action and the characters I've so grown to like, adding two more characters (Sharlarra and Thorn) who might merit novels of their own.
I also enjoyed the part of the story spent on examining the relationship between Liriel and her former patron godess Lolth. I think no other realms author has so far gone into this much detail about a priestess forsaking her godess.
The far reaching effects Liriel's carving of the rune had on all the drow were an interesting twist, though I'd have liked it even better if there had been some explanation as to why the change was so far reaching. Also I'd expect such a change to be taken up in other novels as well, though so far I haven't noticed anything in other novels (I haven't read the War of the Spider Queen series yet, though...)
I can see why some might be put off by the book though:
The ending is a bit unusual, both in the swiftness of the final battle and in the death of a main character. For my part, I found it refreshing to read a final battle where there isn't a Phyrrus victory at the end, but a clear and decisive one. Many FR authors seem to go on the basis, that if there haven't been dozens (or hundreds - depending on the scope of the novel) deaths, the enemies were not threatening enough. Also the death of Fyodor, though sad, was somehow fitting and a good conclusion to the series. Having recently read Hand of Fire - one of the worst FR-novels in my opinion - Windwalker was a breath of fresh air.
I didn't miss the final showdown between Liriel and Shakti. The way it went added a surprising twist to Shakti's character and anyway, a spellbattle would have been ridiculous considering that moments before Liriel had no spells left to fling at Gorlist.
All that said, I still have some peeves about this book. For one, the book could have done without some of the cameos Qilué, Laeral, Sylune and Khelben were part of the story, but putting in Dove, Alustriel and the other seven was in no way related to the story.
Even Danilo - much as I like him and enjoyed Sahrlarra's fight with his sword - didn't add much to the story.
Someone mentioned the misspellings of some canon names before (Laerel instead of Laeral). Suchlike simply should not happen!
Finally I think the death of Quilué's lover is a bit of a retcon, as I think he was alive at the end of DotD.
I'm looking forward to the next novel by Mrs Cunningham, though I strongly suspect it won't be about Liriel...

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