Book Description
On dry land, most organisms are confined to the surface, or at most to altitudes of a hundred meters—the height of the tallest trees. In the oceans, though, living space has both vertical and horizontal dimensions: with an average depth of 3800 meters, the oceans offer 99% of the space on Earth where life can develop. And the deep sea, which has been immersed in total darkness since the dawn of time, occupies 85% of ocean space, forming the planet’s largest habitat. Yet these depths abound with mystery. The deep sea is mostly uncharted—only about 5 percent of the seafloor has been mapped with any reasonable degree of detail—and we know very little about the creatures that call it home. Current estimates about the number of species yet to be found vary between ten and thirty million. The deep sea no longer has anything to prove; it is without doubt Earth’s largest reservoir of life.
Combining the latest scientific discoveries with astonishing color imagery, The Deep takes readers on a voyage into the darkest realms of the ocean. Revealing nature’s oddest and most mesmerizing creatures in crystalline detail, The Deep features more than two hundred color photographs of terrifying sea monsters, living fossils, and ethereal bioluminescent creatures, some photographed here for the very first time. Accompanying these breathtaking photographs are contributions from some of the world’s most respected researchers that examine the biology of deep-sea organisms, the ecology of deep-sea habitats, and the history of deep-sea exploration.
An unforgettable visual and scientific tour of the teeming abyss, The Deep celebrates the incredible diversity of life on Earth and will captivate anyone intrigued by the unseen—and unimaginable—creatures of the deep sea.
Customer Reviews:
Magnificent Book.......2007-10-03
An incredible journey to the under sea world of mysterious aquatic life.
Fascinating photos of extraordinary creatures and their habitat. We purchased the book as a gift for our son, a recent art school graduate who specializes in creating concept art. He absolutely loved the book, and will be a valuable tool and reference work for his library.
buy it!.......2007-09-30
This is one of the best coffee table books I have! The pictures are amazing and numerous guests have used it as a conversation starter in our living room. For anyone who loved marine biology as a kid (and who DIDNT?!) this book is stellar.
FASCINATING!.......2007-09-23
This is the most amazing book that I have seen in a long time! Extraordinarily beautiful fotos of equally stunning and fascinating creatures! The beauty and creativity of nature takes your breath away! A must to have!
AMAZING!!!.......2007-09-23
Beautiful, depending upon what your definition of "beauty" is.
The animals in this book could very well be the inhabitants of YOUR nightmare, but not mine.
The incredible creatures, which we are privileged to view are breathtaking.
And yet another example of the world we have not seen...and are probably destroying.
The most beautiful book in the world.......2007-09-10
This is the most beautiful book I've ever see. It is loaded with photos of sealife never seen before , varied and facinating. Every picture is one you'd want to touch , or frame , or say to a friend , hey , look at this. There's a world going on we know nothing about , and it's a complex as our world.
Book Description
Raw Chaos and Pure Evil
Out of the maelstrom of chaos the demons came–a primordial horde of perverse souls consumed by hatred. They are as ancient and infinite as the multiverse itself. Even the bottomless Abyss could not contain their malice, and so they spread out across the planes, corrupting and destroying everything in their path. No living soul is beyond their reach, and with each conquered soul their numbers grow. What can stand against such a terrifying onslaught?
This supplement for the
D&D® game presents the definitive treatise on demons and their unspeakable home plane. Along with information about the physiology, psychology, society, and schemes of demonkind, you’ll find feats, spells, items, and tactics commonly employed by demons and those who oppose them. This book also provides detailed information on various demons, demon lords, and Abyssal layers.
For use with these
Dungeons & Dragons® core books
Player’s Handbook™ Dungeon Master’s Guide™ Monster Manual™
Customer Reviews:
Good start........2007-05-13
This book is very useful. Anyone facing the forces of chaos and evil (Or running them) will find this useful. Also, finally there are good stats for yocholols for 3.5e.
Demonawesome.......2007-05-07
If you are a DM of higher level games and need some seriously nasty beasties to toss at your adventuring crew, then this book will foot the bill.
Okay.......2007-01-12
Demons just aren't that complex. Lots of stuff here if you like demons. If you're not going to run a campaign centered around them, skip this. If you're going to run a game centered around them, there are new demons here, updates to old ones, history, etc.
The cover on mine was upside down.
loved it.......2006-11-11
i dont do reviews but this book has plenty of 411 for player and dm
alike
First Party Fluff?.......2006-11-07
Outside of the campaign setting books, their hasn't been much quality descriptive material from WotC. Generally, have stuck to mechanics and this has worked well from them. Honestly, when I heard of this book I assumed it was going to be another hodgepodge of feats, spells and PrCs glued together by some "generic to the point of being antiseptic" fluff. It, for better or worse, is not.
What this book gives you is a short primer on Demons and what they are about, some demon related mechanics, some setting information on the Abyss and some new monsters. This would all be good except there is so little of each that the book really doesn't get the job done. We sort of get the reverse of what was expected, a hodgepodge of description glued together by random mechanics. This is not to say the book is without charm. Some of the monsters of interesting and some of the description is inspiring, but it is extremely lean on content in an already thin book.
Book Description
BradyGames’ Tales of the Abyss Official Strategy Guide includes the following:
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A complete walkthrough of the entire game.
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Extensive area maps pinpointing locations of critical items.
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Detailed listing of available items and equipment.
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Expert boss strategies to defeat even the toughest foe.
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In-depth bestiary.
Platform: PlayStation 2
Genre: Role-Playing Game
This product is available for sale in North America only.
Customer Reviews:
Rent It First.......2007-06-12
This is an incredibly boring game, and I would
suggest you rent it first to see if this game suits
your style of play. It contains extremely long,
dull conversations and the player is sent to the
same towns/locations over and over again.
Good Show.......2007-06-08
This was a great purchase for me. I completed the game the first time through and then decided to buy this product. It was good because it didn't really give any spoilers so I could have gotten it any way. It's just a straight hint guide and walkthrough that gives you all the secrets and gives you references to the pages that it will link to later. I highly recommend this if you don't want to look all over the secrets that lie within.
Extremely Helpful.......2007-05-17
So far (half way through my second play) everything has been accurate.
This includes details on character artes, weapons, food, items, everything in the game, really. I really like how it has sections devoted to sub events outside the regular storyline (Such as, Daath is next for the plot, but it will have a section before that outlining newly available events). It contains some boss strategies, but I didn't bother to use them.
I do wish it contained some type of "upcoming sub event warning" for items that are absolutely necessary, so I don't have to run around like a crazy person looking for them, and can have time to obtain them during regular events.
It's not bad to navigate, but the pages are crammed with info. Sections often start right at the bottom and continue to the next page, or awkwardly flow in columns. This is just a minor issue and not detremental to enjoyment.
Great product!.......2007-01-11
A great help after finish the whole game for first time, now thanks o this I could get everything on my second gameplay without losing a special item or something. Indeed a great product!.
Conquer the Abyss.......2006-10-29
Tales of the Abyss is a pretty big game. There are plenty of little secrets and events that happen in literally every area. To keep yourself from pulling your hair out, Bradygames has constructed a nice easy to use guide. It's not perfect, but it's got what you need, and there isn't too much trouble navigating it either.
The guide begins with a standard introduction and a game basics section. The game basics section entitled "Training" will definitely help you get adjusted to the games battle gimmicks. Although, if you're a Tales veteran, it probably isn't all that neccessary. Still, it works, and there are some tips here that even veterans of the Tales series can appreciate. Also, in this section you'll find plenty on the AD Skills, item trading and Mieu actions. So this isn't just getting you used to the basics, it's getting you used to some of the essentials of the game. In the training section you'll also find a world map that shows you the search points and all the additional search points located throughout the game.
There's plenty more as well. Everything you need to know about item trading is listed here. In the trading porition everything is listed into it's own sub-categories. All the weapons or armor that can be obtained, as well as the rankings and required extras for it. It saves a lot of time in some instances.
There's also a table full of everything you need to know concerning the Capacity Cores. For the Capacity Cores the guide lists all the stats it increases, as well as how to get them. Then the Training section will give you the rundown on Fonic Artes, and again, if you're a Tales veteran you probably don't need some of this. Although, it does touch very deeply on the new mechanics introduced in Tales of the Abyss. Finally, the guide gives you a breakdown on Grade in a neat little chart.
After the exhaustive, yet helpful training section, we get into the characters section. Every character is given a small bio, Attack Advice, Combo examples and a compelte listing of their Artes. Each character is also given a list of titles and some F.S. Chamber advice as well. There's a lot of it here, and some of it looks a little scattered, but at least it's there, and it's useful information. They tell you when and how you'll learn these Fonic Artes.
After the characters section we come to the walkthrough simply called, "The Journey Through the Abyss." The walkthrough is very simple to use. For each area there is a run down of the objectives. Then they point out each and every sub-event you can do while you're there. Not everything is given an in depth explanation, but that's hardly needed. The maps are more than detailed to help you out. Why must a walkthrough waste time so say, "Make sure you grab the Apple Gel," when the map can easily point it out for us? In other words, the walkthrough won't tell you to get anything unless it's vital to the story (in which case you can't miss it anyway). This makes the walkthrough seem particularly short, but it's easier to use, and the maps are very detailed and helpful in finding items. A walkthrough should never have to "Tell" you how to get to items anyway, it should always be able to show you on the maps, and this guide does that perfectly. Although, in towns, the guide provides no maps at all. There are only maps provided for the dungeons, and this doesn't bother me one bit.
Most of the boss strategies could use some work, however. While many of them do give off some helpful tips, most of them spend their time saying things such as how you need to run around to lend a combo. Stuff that goes without saying. Luckily it does provide all the stats and weakness of a boss in a table. So while the boss strategies aren't really too detailed, they do at least provide you with the stats. Other than that, you're better off going against bosses in your own way.
Also, in the walkthrough your basic enemy stats aren't listed. This forces you to flip to the bestiary with every new enemy you see. I have no problem with this, but there are plenty of consumers out there who absolutely hate page flipping. The shortcut would've been nice, especially in the heat of battle.
The sub events are perhaps some of the most helpful advice the walkthrough gives you. The walkthrough provides the order they can be completed in as well as when you can complete them and the rewards for doing so. In order to see everything Tales of the Abyss has to offer, you'll have to complete all 134 sub events, and it's nice that the guide won't get you lost in completing them.
After the walkthrough we get into the sidequests. Which the guide prepares you for very well. They'll often refer to sub events you'll have to complete, but luckily, all the sub events are listed throughout the walkthrough with their assigned number and title. So if you do find yourself having to do a sub event, it's easy to find. All the optional bosses and optional dungeons are seen in tact. The optional quests section provides you with everything you need from the battle coliseum to the optional dungeon that can only be accessed the second time through the game (albeit, the optional boss gets a mundane boss strategy). It's pretty detailed stuff.
Afterwards we get into the weapons, items, etc. All this stuff is pretty standard stuff for an RPG guide. Also, it talks about the cooking and tells you the ingredients of each dish as well as what it restores and how much.
The bestiary, perhaps one of the more important aspects of an RPG guide, is huge. All the stats are listed, and so are the items dropped, and where you can find them. Also, while it isn't big, some enemies don't have a weakness listed (which actually might lead one to assume they have no weakness) or elemental absorbtion. The bosses have their own separate bestiary, but it's all the same stuff you saw in the walkthrough.
Finally we get to the extras chapter, which probably should've just been combined with the sidequests section. It only talks about the New Game+, and second play through extras. It's all on one page, and it's helpful, but it probably should've been placed right after the walkthrough. The fact that's it only a page suggests it probably should've also been placed within the sidequests section. It just looks awkward being all by itself after all the appendics.
There are a couple of other small things about the guide that do urk me just a bit. The screenshots, while plentiful in supply, are blurry and hard to decipher what's going on in them. Also, there's a world map provided for search points, but they don't point out towns or dungeons. Finally, all the shop data is listed after the walkthrough and not in the walkthrough itself. Again, I've no problem with it, but it causes a lot of page flipping that just didn't need to happen.
It's a fantastic guide to be sure. It has everything you need to complete Tales of the Abyss. Some of the information is all over the place, but the important part is that it's there. Tales of the Abyss is a large game. It's a good thing we've got a large guide for it. It's not perfect, but it'll do for any gamer wanting to conquer the game.
The Good
+Exhaustive Training section
+Everything you need to know about your characters
+Detailed walkthrough
+Great maps
+The walkthrough waste no time, it's not sluggish at all
The Bad
-Boss strategies need work
-There are no maps for towns
-Blurry screenshots
-World map doesn't show off location of towns or dungeons
-There's a lot of page flipping that's just unneccesary--such as shop data all being listed in the back of the guide, and not in the walkthrough itself
Product Description
The second book from Brandon Boyd which follows up the successful White Fluffy Clouds, From the Murks of the Sultry Abyss comes in a special outer box, a limited edition #d sheet of stickers of artwork from Boyd, and the book itself comes sealed.
Customer Reviews:
***important***.......2007-07-14
This book is awesome but I don't understand why it is so expensive on amazon. It's half the price that's listed here if you buy it from Brandon's website:
www.brandonboydbooks.com
Can you hear it? A deafening, quiet noise.......2007-07-14
From The Murks Of The Sultry Abyss, Brandon Boyd's sophomore book effort, follows exactly in the same vein as his freshmen effort. He's got a few poems. He's got a lot of stories and point of view essays. A lot of pictures. And a lot of drawings. If you've read White Fluffy Clouds you know what to expect.
I love White Fluffy Clouds which is the reason why I held out from buying this for so long. As much as I enjoy all things Incubus (especially Brandon), I didn't know if he'd be able to top White Fluffy Clouds. I'm still not sure if he did, but he did amp up the writing this time around, which is a pleasant treat. One thing that isn't as impressive (albeit mildly) is his art. I could stare at his drawings in WFC for hours wondering how exactly he did it. With FTMOTSA I haven't really found myself doing that. The pictures are excellent, but the drawings are more tame than before. However! Give and take.
All in all, From The Murks Of The Sultry Abyss is a worthy follow-up. Full of engaging reading material, curious photography, and some very good art, I'm sure it'll prove to be a book you can go back to time after time and still enjoy every glossy page.
The special edition (as pictured in the current display picture) is nice but don't feel the need to drive yourself crazy trying to find it. The box it comes in is pretty cool with a nice drawing on the cover, and the stickers are equally cool but unless you're a diehard collector there's no need. If you can find it easily though, definitely go for it.
"Car Crashes And Cow Corpses"...a must read for everyone.
Book Description
The story of Noah's flood is one of the best-loved and most often retold biblical tales, the inspiration for numerous children's books and toys, novels, and even films. Whether as allusion, archetype, or literal presence--the American landscape is peppered with "recreations" of the ark--the story of Noah's animals and the ark resonates throughout American culture and the world. While most think of Noah's ark as a dramatic myth, others are consumed by the quest for geological and archeological proof that the flood really occurred. Persistent rumors of a large vessel on the mountain of Ararat in Turkey, for instance, have led many pilgrims and explorers over the centuries to visit that fabled peak. Recent finds suggest that there may have been a catastrophic flood on the shores of the Black Sea some 7,600 years ago. Is this then the reality behind the ancient tale of Noah? More to the point, why does it matter? What does the story of the Flood mean to us and why does it so stir the collective imagination? When the Great Abyss Opened examines the history of our attempts to understand the Flood, from medieval Jewish and Christian speculation about the physical details of the ark to contemporary efforts to link it to scientific findings. Unraveling the mythical dimensions of the parallel Mesopotamian flood stories and their deeper social and psychological significance, J. David Pleins also considers the story's positive uses in theology and moral instruction. Noah's tale, however, has also been invoked as a means of justifying exclusion, racism, and anti-homosexual views. Pro-slavery advocates, for example, used the story of Noah's Curse on Ham's son Canaan to rationalize the enslavement of Africans. Throughout this expansive and lively book, Pleins sheds new light on our continuing attempts to understand this ancient primal myth. Noah's Flood, he contends, offers a unique case study that illuminates the timeless and timely question of how fact and faith relate.
Average customer rating:
- Brilliant addition to two series
- A mix of darkness and hope...like DS9 itself
- Excellent Trek Read!
- More Insights into Bashir, Ezri, Vaughn and the rest.
- action, intrigue and a well written story
|
Section 31: Abyss (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)
Jeffrey Lang , and
David Weddle
Manufacturer: Star Trek
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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Similar Items:
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Section 31: Cloak (Star Trek)
-
Section 31: Shadow (Star Trek Voyager)
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Demons of Air and Darkness (Star Trek Deep Space Nine: Gateways, Book 4)
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Section 31: Rogue (Star Trek The Next Generation)
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This Gray Spirit (Star Trek Deep Space Nine: Mission Gamma, Book 2)
ASIN: 0671774832
Release Date: 2001-06-26 |
Book Description
SECTION 31™
They are the self-appointed protectors of the Federation. Amoral, shrouded in secrecy, answerable to no one, Section 31 is the mysterious covert operations division of Starfleet, a rogue shadow group commited to safeguarding the Federation at any cost.
Mere days after the startling events of AVATAR, Dr. Julian Bashir faces his darkest nightmare when Section 31 compels him to undertake amission to stop one of their own. But this renegade is no ordinary agent. Like Bashir, Dr. Ethan Locken is genetically enhanced, a human superior in body and mind. But Locken dreams of remaking the galaxy in his own image -- and creating a new human empire based on the example of the infamous Khan Noonien Singh.
And as he begins to understand the terrifying truth about his opposite number, Bashir will learn more about himself than he ever wanted.
NO LAW.
NO CONSCIENCE.
NO STOPPING THEM.
Customer Reviews:
Brilliant addition to two series.......2007-02-12
I usually enjoy Star Trek miniseries--this was no exception. The entire premise of Section 31, in addition to the effective storylines of eugenics and Jem'Hadar, makes one fantastic novel. Be sure to read the rest of them as well, you won't regret it!
A mix of darkness and hope...like DS9 itself.......2005-05-12
This book epitomizes why DS9, currently being relegated to reruns on Spike TV--DVR them, people, they're still magnificent--survives whereas "Enterprise" died.
I read a review of "Hollow Men" that teased me with the notion Luther Sloan of Section 31 popped up, as he does in the Voyager S31 book and even gets a mention in the TNG S31 book. All of the books did S31 justice, but this one more so of course. And I am categorically stating this now: Sloan is one of my favorite Star Trek characters, picking up where Elim Garak left off. Garak gets discussed in "Abyss" when Ezri tells Julian he's attracted to mystery...like Garak. Julian responds, "I always thought of Garak as charming, not mysterious." Ezri replies, "He was both," and then suggests that Julian is inexplicably drawn to charm and mystery. In this case, she speaks of his new nemesis, Ethan Locken, a genetically enhanced Khan Noonien Singh wannabe. Unlike Syndrome of "The Incredibles" (another tale about people with superhuman abilities wearing masks), Locken wants himself and himself alone to be "super." And Julian has to stop him thanks to our favorite covert ops agency. Section 31 knows his worst fears and his weaknesses...however, as we saw in the series, they can clearly underestimate him.
Cole, the new Section 31 agent who sends Julian Bashir on a mission the eve of his trip to Earth with Ezri (to visit Julian's parents no less, "Then it must be love," Cole says), remarks on Julian's past dealings with Section 31: "Courteous, but direct. Sloan noted that in his profile...Anyone who could outthink Sloan wouldn't have a problem with a tyro like Locken."
Cole is intelligent, ruthless, smooth, and less compelling than Sloan, who had tremendous Garak-like appeal as a sexy spy villain who saw himself as a "good guy" of sorts (the complexity and sexiness was in large part thanks to the casting and performance of William Sadler), with better lines than Cole and more personality, thanks to the unique onscreen chemistry between Julian and Sloan. Change one letter in Cole's name and, appropriately, you get "cold." Although there's an intelligent and dynamic analysis of the Federation's enemies as well as some mentions of the genetically enhanced "Jack Pack" (savants Julian interacted with in the series), and a subtle reference to "In The Pale Moonlight" in a discussion between Cole and Julian, Section 31 is clearly the despised enemy as they always have been. Julian hates Section 31 but, as he did in the series, is forced to employ their tactics to defeat them, just as Sisko had to compromise his morality in "In The Pale Moonlight." Dancing with the devil and staring into the abyss...and yet Julian isn't lost to intrigue.
When Julian faced Sloan in the series, he had Miles O'Brien to pull him back from the brink. This time, he has the still-confused Ezri Dax, whose relationship with Julian grows and becomes deeper than the soap-opera of "Avatar." Ezri has her own baggage to deal with, especially since in the series her previous host Jadzia Dax failed in a mission because of the personal relationship between Jadzia and Commander Worf. But Ezri isn't hostage to her hosts' pasts any more than Julian is hostage to his genetic engineering or his love of espionage. But will this fledgling relationship between two people be enough to stand against evil and the abyss? Will Cole die just as Sloan did, and what does he think of his predecessor in the efforts to recruit/manipulate Julian? And what will happen to Ethan Locken?
There's some meat here, but also lovely moments and character development of the ensemble cast. Kira Nerys struggles with being Attainted, or excommunicated from Bajor because once again--surprise--she tried to fight religious corruption. And yet her faith stands. Ro Laren matures further in her new role. There's a delightful conversation between Ro and Ezri where Ro discusses Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his "great cologne" as well as his wine snobbery. Ezri reciprocates with her affection for Ben Sisko, who is still with the Prophets, which Kasidy Sisko, Joseph Sisko, and Jake Sisko try to deal with...although more heartache may be ahead for the Sisko family.
Taran'atar helps out Ro, discusses Dominion divinity with Julian, and conveys some of Odo's best lines.
Shar Ch'Thane doesn't get as much to do as, say, Commander Elias Vaughn and the mysterious, bitter Prynn Tenmei, especially since Vaughn has some experience with Section 31 himself.
All in all, a good read that makes us happy DS9 survives, at least in print.
Excellent Trek Read!.......2004-11-29
I would recommend reading this book 3rd, following the sequence of Trek series--Cloak (TOS), Rogue (TNG) and now Abyss. The book is not only an excellent read, but it dives into character development, using the hints from DS9 to truly explore Bashir, Ezri, and a few others. I think Bashir's character was enormously expanded in this book alone. I couldn't put it down. The entire Section 31 series has been outstanding--the best series of Trek books I've read. In each book of the series, the organization Section 31 evolves. This book is no different, and perhaps shows 31's evolution even more. I highly recommend this book to any Trek fan.
More Insights into Bashir, Ezri, Vaughn and the rest........2004-02-04
Do not let the cover fool you, this book is not only about Bashir, though it does center on him. I found myself puzzled at how Bashir had been relegated to the relationship character in Avatar Book 1, but surprisingly Bashir's relationship with Ezri has really grown on me. Both of them are going through changes in their lives and are reflecting on what that means. Bashir, the genetically enhanced human who has been and still continues to wear a mask in public (and private!) is starting to tear away at his mask. Ezri is coming to terms with what it means to be a joined Trill. This is magnificent stuff people!
The excerpt page of this book (at the front) is a warning from Vaughn to Bashir about Section 31 that had me intrigued to read the book ASAP. I'm quite glad where Vaughn and Bashir's relationship with Section 31 ended (or started), and I look forward to another 31 book in the future. I find 31 to be a very refreshing Trek idea, so I hope it isn't dismantled for some time to come (if ever!).
"Abyss" continues where Avatar left off (or actually after the events in the SCE book "Miracle Workers"), and it's good to see that it doesn't bother reintroducing everyone, but assumes you've read Avatar and know the deal. If you haven't, it is not entirely essential to read them, though I do recommend doing so as it feels like all the DS9 Relaunch novels are really just episodes of an untelevised Season 8. Avatar was the two part season premier, and Abyss is the 3rd (or 4th) episode. One thing I really enjoy is how easily these books read like episodes. The continuity between authors and plotlines is amazing! It is so well done, and the characterization is so spot on that it is impossible not to visualize these novels as Season 8 of DS9!
I like learning more about Ro's past; some of it comes out here.
I love Taran'atar. Whenever I'm expecting some comment from him, he always comes up with a different perspective, which incidentally Kira herself reflects on! Kudos to the writers! The continued reflection on their gods between Nerys and Taran'atar is fascinating. And seeing Kira becoming more familiar with command and actually acting like a leader is awesome. I was quite suspect in Avatar of Kira in charge, but I must say the authors have really fleshed her character out the most. Also cannot wait to see what happens with her "Attainment".
Seeing Taran'atar in action versus other Jem'Hadar was brilliant, and even more so was his unseen (yet obvious) diplomacy with Locken's First.
Locken, the bad guy, another enhanced person, is a great character. The authors do a good job making him seem sane to Bashir. It made me question first impressions and how people wear their masks. It is interesting to uncover the truth behind Locken through other (non-Bashir) characters. Great stuff.
Bashir's conversation with Ezri about his mask and about genetically enhanced people was my favorite in this book. It (alongside with Khan and the Eugenics Wars) makes me wonder how soon all this will be applicable to our non-Star Trek ideals and soon-to-be-doomed world.
You learn more about Ensign ch'Thane and his dilemma, and about Prynn Tenmei and a bit to why she's angry with Vaughn. All this stuff is very well developed in subsequent novels, which once again makes me wonder if all the DS9 Relaunch authors had a huge plan when they set out to write these fantastic novels!
Reading the book there were questions that ran through my head, such as why Section 31 didn't infiltrate Locken themselves but choose instead to use one man. But thankfully, all my questions were answered in the end (and throughout) as if the authors knew how their readers would think!
The only weird part about the novel is the Ingavi (an odd warp-capable species), but hey this IS Star Trek!
I definitely recommend reading this novel as either a Trek fan, definitely a DS9 fan (and more so as part of the Relaunch), as a stand-alone Section 31 fan, and definitely as a Bashir fan! However, this book reads like an episode and is not as in-depth or thought-provocative as Garak's "A Stitch in Time" or the Reeves-Stevenses' "Millennium" trilogy, both of which I highly recommend.
Look for my next review of Demons of Air and Darkness, or Episode 5 of Season 8 of the DS9 Relaunch.
action, intrigue and a well written story.......2004-01-18
This book in my opinion is one of the best of the DS9 books in the relaunch series. The action couldn't be better, the machinations of Section 31 have fascinated me since I first heard of them on the TV series and the plots which are not only action driven but character driven are put together very well. I sincerely hope that more Section 31 based DS9 books will come out in the future.
As we know from the television series, Sloan is dead so another mysterious character known as Cole fills his spot. Cole mysteriously appears in Dr. Bashir's room asking him questions and in a round and about way gets him to go on a dangerous covert mission for Section 31. This mission will challenge and test Dr. Bashir in ways he has never experienced before. Dr. Bashir must match wits with another genetically enhanced individual called Dr. Ethan who used to work for Section 31 but betrayed them. Dr. Ethan is a eugenicist who took over a planet where he breeds Jimhadar soldiers loyal to him and conducts genetic experiments making clones and designing weapons to destroy others who are deemed inferior. Ezri, Ro Lauren and Taran'atar all go with him to the planet Sindorin to assist in bringing Dr. Ethan to justice, but he also would like to crush Section 31. Sindorin is where most of the story takes place. There are quite a few good firefights and suspence as well as some very good dialogue.
The book also advances other plots from previous books as well. By the way, Jake is still lost and Cassidy still didn't have the baby yet.
Book Description
Into the Abyss: The Last Years of the Waffen-SS, A Photographic History presents a comprehensive record of the elite Waffen-SS divisions that fought both on the Eastern and Western Fronts during the last two years of the war. Drawing on previously unpublished photographs, many of which have come from the albums of SS veterans, it presents a unique visual account of these formations, some elite and some thrown together from barely-trained conscripts. With an accurate in-depth descriptive caption every photograph brings to life the tactics and components that made up a fully-fledged Waffen-SS division. / With over 180 unpublished photographs accompanied by detailed captions and text, Into the Abyss presents a captivating glimpse of one of the most well-known and notorious military organizations of the Second World War, focusing on the final 18 months of the conflict.
Customer Reviews:
Not bad, but not great........2007-03-19
This book is a slim (144 pages) oversized volume. It contains many new and interesting photos of the Waffen-SS in the last years of the war on many different battlefronts. Several photos do appear to show soldiers in Wehrmacht, not SS, uniforms. Other photos are so blurred it is hard to tell. Each photo includes a brief, 1-3 sentence, description.
As noted, the problems with many of the photos (perhaps 10%) are that they are not of the best quality, often appearing grainy, blurry, or washed out. Others look crisp and clear. These photos were retrieved primarily from private collections in Germany and elsewhere. (The high price for the book may be due to commissions having to be paid to so many people, otherwise, as explained further below, the high price would not be warranted.)
A good feature about the book, at least for me, is that many of the photos include men and equipment in winter camoflauge (including all-white tanks) and fighting in winter conditions (including a defensive position being built out of blocks of snow -- good luck), something often overlooked in other generalized photo collections.
What is appalling about the book is that the introductory essays for each battlefront are terrible. This is just a guess, but it appears that the essays were originally written in German (many of the source materials used for the essays are German) and then horribly translated into English. (This problem does not occur with the photo captions which for the most part are fairly clear.)
One blunder that comes to mind with one of the captions, however, is the book's stating that the unit symbol, a skeleton key, for the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler derived from the unit's leader, Joseph "Sepp" Dietrich, because, in German, "Sepp" means key. Not true. "Sepp" is a nickname for Joseph. The unit's key symbol comes from "Dietrich," a German word for a type of key. Basic errors like this undermine the credibility of the whole book.
In addition, the photo captions do not list the names of any of the persons depicted, although it appears that some of the photos are of well-known SS members (e.g., the unnamed "commanding officer of the Prinz Eugen Division" on page 94) and should have been identified.
The book does contain about 7 maps of different battlefronts, which are somewhat helpful. Unfortunately, no scale is provided (either in miles or kilometers) for any of the maps.
The book also contains several appendices. Some are interesting, including one for the Orders of Battle for each Division of the Waffen-SS for 1943-1945 that lists the names of the commanding officers and their dates of command as well as areas and dates of operation for each division.
Overall, there are approximately 180 photos on about 80 pages, the rest of the book being taken up by introductions, maps, appendices, usw. The book is not bad but is a disappointment given its high price and author, which creates higher expectations of quality that were not met.
Decepcionante.......2007-01-22
Muy incompleto, algunas fotos interesantes, algún error en los pies de fotos, alguna fotos mal localizadas cronológicamente, y un texto que se limita a las generalidades de siempre. Los apéndices son también decepcionantes, en especial la página de uniformes, solo texto y de nuevo generalidades que no aportan nada. Uno espera algo parecido a SS ARMOR ON THE EASTERN FRONT, de Fedorowich, pero no tiene nada que ver. La portada engaña, parece ofrecer mas de lo que hay.
Excellent overview with many new photographs.......2006-12-26
If you are looking for a good basic overview containing many photographs showing the Waffen SS in action during the final two years of the war then this book is for you.
It is incorrect to say that many of the photographs are early war images that have been recycled. The uniforms and equipment in use clearly indicate a late war setting. In addition, despite the very many books published on this subject, this title managed to come up with a number of images I have not seen before anywhere else.
Considering the price you can pick this up for on Amazon, it's well worth adding to your collection, is sturdily bound and nicely printed on glossy paper.
Full of errors.......2006-12-24
As with other reviewers, the captions are full of errors, many of the photos are early mid war, there is even soldiers clearly weraing army uniforms, titled as Waffen SS. A real dissapointment.
Not that good........2006-12-23
Large collection of photos that are good however with the large number of errors I found in the photo captions I returned the book to Amazon. Misidentified vehicles and weapons were the most numerous. I am a long time researcher of the Waffen SS on the Eastern front and I would not recommend this book until corrections are made to the text information.
Book Description
In contemporary feminist theory, the problem of feminine subjectivity persistently appears and reappears as the site that grounds all discussion of feminism. In Feminism and the Abyss of Freedom, Linda M. G. Zerilli argues that the persistence of this subject-centered frame severely limits feminists' capacity to think imaginatively about the central problem of feminist theory and practice: a politics concerned with freedom.
Offering both a discussion of feminism in its postmodern context and a critique of contemporary theory, Zerilli here challenges feminists to move away from a theory-based approach, which focuses on securing or contesting "women" as an analytic category of feminism, to one rooted in political action and judgment. She revisits the democratic problem of exclusion from participation in common affairs and elaborates a freedom-centered feminism as the political practice of beginning anew, world-building, and judging.
In a series of case studies, Zerilli draws on the political thought of Hannah Arendt to articulate a nonsovereign conception of political freedom and to explore a variety of feminist understandings of freedom in the twentieth century, including ones proposed by Judith Butler, Monique Wittig, and the Milan Women's Bookstore Collective. In so doing, Zerilli hopes to retrieve what Arendt called feminism's lost treasure: the original and radical claim to political freedom.
Customer Reviews:
Serviceable Accounting of a Tragedy.......2006-08-27
Very few people are likely to have heard of the loss of the American merchant ship Badger State at Christmas of 1969. She was carrying a load of bombs to resupply the Air Force in Vietnam, and a chain of unfortunate events--poor stowage of the explosives, carrying an insufficient amount of cargo so that the ship rode high, bad weather--combined to lead almost inevitably to tragedy.
Benedetto, in very simple and unadorned prose that is not bogged down by a great deal of nautical jargon, provides a workmanlike rendition of the last days of the ship and crew. He draws heavily upon the documented testimony of survivors before a Board of Inquiry and received very significant input from Charles Wilson, the captain of the late vessel.
He also throws in a great deal of material (which at times verges on simple padding) about the tragic experiences of many other ships of the U.S. Merchant Marine over the last two hundred years, particularly about their destruction by, or, in some cases, escape from, Axis forces in WWII.
A small number of black and white photos are included. The diagrams of the ship and of the bomb pallets would have been better placed at the beginning of the book for easier reference.
This is not a lyrical and haunting masterpiece of man's struggle against the hostility of nature, but it's a serviceable enough rendering of an otherwise forgotten disaster and a nice primer about the sacrifices of the merchant marine.
True Life.......2006-05-31
I recently sailed with a person who was a crewmember on the S.S. Badger State when this tragic incident occurred. Your book brought the story full circle, thanks for writing such an illuminating account.
Paul J. Gunis
Sailing into the Abyss.......2006-05-14
Mr. Benedetto has brought history alive with his accounting of the horrific journey of the S.S Badger State. One feels the struggle and dispair of the Captain and crew as the drama unfolds. Sailing into the Abyss is a compelling real life story that would rival any fictional tale.
Review of Sailing into the Abyss.......2006-05-01
As a historian, I am always interested in learning new things about past events. Mr. Benedetto's book, "Sailing into the Abyss," has been one of the most interesting books I have read in a long time. Not having previously read anything about the saga of the S.S. Badger State, I was glued to the pages from beginning to end. The book is a great reminder of how things at sea can go terribly wrong very quickly and serves as a great tribute to the men whose story this represents. Fascinating reading.
Ray Charlton
Here's the Reason they are Called the "High Seas".......2006-04-29
A wonderful read. I have recommended it to several nautical friends and all agree. Thrilling from start to finish.
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