History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

Turtledove is a genius!
Great further development of the series
Great Introduction To Turtledove
An excellent transition between the two great wars.
Unreadable

American Empire: Blood & Iron
Harry Turtledove
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0345405668
Release Date: 2002-06-25

Book Description

AMERICAN EMPIRE: BOOK ONE

Twice in the last century, brutal war erupted between the United States and the Confederacy. Then, after a generation of relative peace, The Great War exploded worldwide. As the conflict engulfed Europe, the C.S.A. backed the Allies, while the U.S. found its own ally in Imperial Germany. The Confederate States, France, and England all fell. Russia self-destructed, and the Japanese, seeing that the cause was lost, retired to fight another day.

The Great War has ended, and an uneasy peace reigns around most of the world. But nowhere is the peace more fragile than on the continent of North America, where bitter enemies share a single landmass and two long, bloody borders.

In the North, proud Canadian nationalists try to resist the colonial power of the United States. In the South, the once-mighty Confederate States have been pounded into poverty and merciless inflation. U.S. President Teddy Roosevelt refuses to return to pre-war borders. The scars of the past will not soon be healed. The time is right for madmen, demagogues, and terrorists.

At this crucial moment in history, with Socialists rising to power in the U.S. under the leadership of presidential candidate Upton Sinclair, a dangerous fanatic is on the rise in the Confederacy, preaching a message of hate. And in Canada another man--a simple farmer--has a nefarious plan: to assassinate the greatest U.S. war hero, General George Armstrong Custer.

With tension on the seas high, and an army of Marxist Negroes lurking in the swamplands of the Deep South, more than enough people are eager to return the world to war. Harry Turtledove sends his sprawling cast of men and women--wielding their own faiths, persuasions, and private demons--into the troubled times between the wars.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

Turtledove is a genius!.......2007-07-20

I had never really paid much attention to the world of Alternate Histories, but when I first began readying Harry Turtledoves work, I became hooked. This story, showing the lives of those of the the north and south, all affected by the Great War, goes in debt into what America and its people would have been like had things gone a little different during the Civil War. I recommend it to anyone with a taste for the what if!

Great further development of the series.......2005-11-12

This is the first book in Turtledove's American Empire series that continues the alternate history began in his book How Few Remain and continued in the Great War trilogy.

Unlike the previous books, this one doesn't surround an actual war. World War I has just ended as this book begins. If you're looking for a story that has lots of action this book isn't for you. However, Turtledove does succeed in further developing his characters from the previous books very well, and introducing a few more that I'm sure will appear in future books as the older characters "die". In contrast to the other books in this mega series, I'd recommend that a reader not begin their reading of this series with this book. There's a lot of references about past events that occured in the other books which new readers won't get, even though Turtledove does try to initiate new readers with the first chapter.
Also, new readers of this series looking for true "alternate history" which takes certain historical events and departs from them at a specific point will have a very hard time locating anything specific that will endear them to Turtledove's style of alternate history. A major portion of this book deals with the CSA's problems after the Great War with inflation and the complete worthlessness of the Confederate currancy. These problems give rise to a militant Freedom Party in the CSA. This obviously doesn't have any historical basis because the CSA never existed beyond 1865. Turtledeove in this book forces the reader to have a knowledge of the events in Germany in the 1920s and early 1930s and thus know that these events DID occur in Germany and result in the Nazi party winning seats in the German Reichstag and Adolf Hitler being given power.

One other nice aspect of this book is that I think Turtledove does a great job of detailing in a fictionalized way what living after the Great War must have been like for veterans and also those who'd lost a loved one. One of his characters in particular has lost his leg and in the book we see how he's forced to get along with a wooden leg after the war, and the bitterness this event still has in him. Another character has bitterness towards the USA because he got shot and captured so he was forced to spend weeks in a USA hospital.

I didn't really say "that can't happen" at all in this book, which is the mark of a very good alternate history writer. He doesn't go out on many limbs, especially if the reader has the background from the previous books. The only thing I would have liked more of is use of actual historical characters. Once Teddy Roosevelt and George Armstrong Custer leave the pages of the book, all we're left with are Turtledove's fictionalized characters, with US "President" Upton Sinclair getting an occasional reference. Because of the lack of real people used in the book, I occasionally had to try to remember exactly what year in the book it was. A reference to somebody who did live and hold political office or was an athlete in 1919-1926 would have been helpful to put a good hold on the timeline.

Overall a very solid work for Turtledove in this great continuation of the series. The only other nit I would pick is that my paperback copy had a few obvious typos which the editors should have caught long before the paperback version went to press.

Great Introduction To Turtledove.......2005-10-29

This was my first experience with Harry Turtledove and I am without question hooked! Turtledove crafts a realistic alternative to our modern history, showing how easily events could of been drastically different. The author's characters and plotlines are very believable and draw the reader in.

The growing pains and struggles that both American countries endure are fascinating. The U.S.A. is undergoing a wave of socialism right after a war won by Democrat Teddy Roosevelt. Upton Sinclair and Flora Hamburger's rise remind how left politics leaned in those days. Cinnatus Driver and his family's travels to Iowa mirror the first settler's travels to the great plains, with obvious added differences.

In the C.S.A inflation is gorging the once proud South. The scourge of paper money weakens their economy immensely (sound familar) and politically they are without direction. Jake Featherston and his Freedom Party give intense conflict in this book and makes you want to read the next installment. The desperateness of Roger Kimball magnifies the strife the South endured after their loss in Great War, which maybe mirrors how the Confederacy felt after losing the Civil War.

For me, the most intriguing parts involved Canada and their United States occupation. Arthur McGregor is a chilling character who resembles many famous and infamous characters in history. The result of his showdown with Gen. Custer is surprising and shocking.

The characters in this book are multi-dimensional and genuine. All emotions are explored and presented. The book itself stands on it's own, but makes you want more from the "American Empire" saga.

The only beef I have with this work is that some of the dialogue sequences go on too much and just seem like filler. Still, this is one of the better fiction books I've read in awhile.

An excellent transition between the two great wars........2005-10-07

I am going to review the American Empire series: Blood and Iron, The Center Cannot Hold and The Victorious Opposition in one review. It is pointless to read the books individually, as they are really one novel broken up into three parts for convenience. The American Empire series covers the period betwen the Great War (the WWI parallel between the North and South) and the Second World War. While not as exciting as the other parts of the overall alternative history series, mainly due to the absence of any major combat, the series does an admirable job of further developing the characters from the Great War series as they struggle through the Great Depression. In American Empire, Turtledove brings us much closer to each of the families involved in his history and their individual successes and tragedies. Paralleling the Weimar Republic in 1930s Germany, the Confederate States suffer through crushing economic failure and finally turn to the Freedom Party for new leadership. Jake Featherson, leader of the Freedom Party emerges as the Hitler character with his complete takeover of the Confederate government and insane designs on its citizens that oppose him. This subplot is the most compelling part of the series. Whereas in 2005 we have to wonder how a man like Hitler could become chancellor of Germany and twist his citizens to his radical designs, Turtledove shows how it can be done easily as long as you have the support of the police and enough backers willing to do violence on the opposition. Meanwhile, the United States are under the governance of the Socialists, who are loathe to take the threat from the South seriously. Of course, this leads to the Second Great War, which is launched just as the series ends.

Unreadable.......2005-08-05

I've read a minimum of several hundred books in my lifetime and I'm sure I could count on one hand the ones I couldn't finish. This book was one of those few. It's not a story so much as a seemingly endless series of 'scenes' in what appears to be a chronology of sorts. The problem is that there is absolutely no continuity or narrative thread. Nothing tying the characters or plot together (at least not in the approximately one-third of the book I slogged through). My other major objection is Mr. Turtledove's copious use of a particular racial epithet commonly called "the 'N' word." I don't generally object to the use of such language if it advances plot or character development, but Mr. Turtledove sprinkles this word around with such abandon that I have to wonder if he has some underlying motive. This book might make the bestseller list in the Hillbilly Weekly Standard but I found it to be a pointless bore.

Blood and Iron: From Bismarck to Hitler the Von Moltke Family's Impact on German History

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Count Helmuth James Von Moltke the Martyr
Germany's interesting history as told through one family
From Bismarck to Hitler the Von Moltke Family's Impact on German History
The field marshal, the 'nervous nephew,' and the martyr
The Good, the Relatively Good and the Mediocre

Blood and Iron: From Bismarck to Hitler the Von Moltke Family's Impact on German History
Otto Friedrich
Manufacturer: Harpercollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0060168668

Book Description

In the turbulent history of modern Germany the name of Moltke has stood for military power and also enduring moral strength. In the Franco-Prussian War and then World Wars I and II, in each a Moltke was a key figure, culminating in the arrest and execution for conspiracy by the Gestapo of Count Helmuth James von Moltke, the great-great-nephew of Field Marshal von Moltke, who had defeated the Austrians, then besieged and conquered Paris in 1871, and made Germany the dominant power in Europe. The Field Marshal's nephew, Helmuth Johannes Ludwig von Moltke, was Chief of Staff of the German armies in 1914. With his armies on the Maine only twenty miles from Paris, he suffered a nervous breakdown and was removed from command. And Helmuth James, working for Admiral Wilhelm Canaris in German intelligence and leader of the underground resistance to Hitler, was arrested by the Gestapo and tried and executed for treason in the last months of the war. At every major crisis in more than a century of German history the von Moltke family has played a critical role. The history of the family is thus a way of perceiving and assessing the history of modem Germany. For the Germany of the von Moltkes was also the Germany of Bismarck and Hitler, Wagner and Strauss, Nietzsche, Mann, and Brecht. Friedrich's vivid and knowledgeable style makes this an absorbing historical chronicle full of characters and events on a broad canvas along with personal histories, anecdotes, and gossip within and without the corndors of power.

Customer Reviews:

Count Helmuth James Von Moltke the Martyr.......2007-02-07

This was an excellent book, easy to read but full of very good detail. The Franco-Prussian war was well done, and would make a good survey to move onto Michael Howard's book should one wish. The only flaw I noticed was that the Count seemed rather two dimensional. His early life was not described that well, and it was hard for me to get a handle on how he arrived at his opposition to the regime. But, highly recommended none the less!

Germany's interesting history as told through one family.......2005-09-06

It's a fascinating book that looks at one family's enormous impact on the history and psyche of Germany from the late 1800s through the WW II. Looking at three men from three generations of German (Prussian) nobles, you can trace the ascendency of Germany in the 1800s, its near domination of Europe during WW I, and then the seeds of its downfall during WW II.

I bought the book because I was moving to Germany and wanted to know more than the basic history known by most Americans. I found this book at Powells and read it with great enjoyment. The author, former Time's editor I believe, did an excellent job balancing details with the flow of the writing.

From Bismarck to Hitler the Von Moltke Family's Impact on German History.......2005-09-04

Book in wonderful condition, very rapid delivery

The field marshal, the 'nervous nephew,' and the martyr.......2002-03-01

In the relatively brief history of Germany as a unitary state (131 years old this year), few non-royal families have played as important a role as the von Moltke family. In a time when the 'sweeping family saga' is a popular fiction genre, the fact that this story isn't only true, but also extremely well written, should commend it to any reader with an interest in European history.

Of course, the von Moltke family's impact actually reaches back before the Reich into the history of Prussia. The first of three men Otto Friedrich focuses on, Field Marshal Helmuth von Moltke (1800-1891), was Prussia's key military strategist during the Franco-Prussian War, and possibly Germany's greatest strategist ever, surpassing even his friend and mentor, Clausewitz. His nephew and namesake, General Helmuth von Moltke (1848-1916), on the other hand, was nervous, indecisive, and largely unable to deal with the responsibilities of command that came to him in part due to his famous name. The third Helmuth, Count Helmuth James von Moltke (1907-1945), was one of nature's noblemen. A liberal (in the European sense), he was actively involved in the opposition to Hitler and Nazism -- a fact that led to his execution shortly before the Reich's own collapse. The letters Helmuth James wrote from prison, to his wife most notably, but to others as well, are deeply moving, and filled with a Christian spirit that reminded me of St Paul's own epistles from prison.

Otto Friedrich is a tremendously skilled historian, and also an excellent writer. 'Blood and Iron' is well documented, logically presented, and also very readable. Plus, he's not afraid to share his opinions and interpretations, most particularly in 'A Note on Sources' following the close of the narrative. His insights there on other documents and histories are well worth reading. As, indeed, is this entire book. I recommend it very highly.

The Good, the Relatively Good and the Mediocre.......2001-09-25

A recurrent feature of Hollywood war movies of the sixties and seventies was the "good German" - the anti-hero (often played by a Max Schell type, though James Mason as Rommel was another attempt) who, despite his allegiance, was essentially humane. Subsequent literature (e.g. Hitler's Willing Executioners) has largely exploded the myth that the Reich was riddled with conscientious objectors. Nevertheless, some Germans truly were on the side of the angels, and among them Helmuth James von Molke, who met his end in the aftermath of the briefcase bombing, was especially heroic. The last third of this book is devoted to his underground campaign to overthrow Hitler and establish a peaceful model for the future. The first subject of the book is his great-uncle, Helmuth von Molke of the Prussian General Staff, who masterminded Prussia's triumph over Denmark and then victory in the Austro-Prussian and Franco-Prussian wars of the 1860s and 1870s. Despite his association with Prussian militarism, old von Moltke was driven by a firm sense of personal ethics, and for all the pain associated with his wars, at least they were brief. The same cannot be said for his nephew, the hapless Helmuth Johannes von Moltke, appointed Chief of the German General Staff in the lead up to World War One. Faced with the challenge of updating the already-flawed Schlieffen Plan, he actually managed to make it worse, dooming Germany, France, Belgium and Britain to four years of trench warfare. The von Moltkes are modern Prussia's most remarkable clan, and in the concluding chapter we are treated to a "Where Are They Now" of its surviving members.

Blood and Iron: A Novel of the Promethean Age

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You'll love it or hate it.
Stolen by Faeries!!!
Grim Faerie Tales of War and Sacrifice
Tam Lin revisited
Dark and confusing, but still worth the read

Blood and Iron: A Novel of the Promethean Age
Elizabeth Bear
Manufacturer: Roc Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451460928

Book Description

Spellbound by the Faerie Queen, the woman known as Seeker has abducted human children for her mistress's pleasure for nearly an eternity, unable to free herself from her servitude and reclaim her own humanity.

Seeker's latest prey is a Merlin. Named after the legendary wizard of Camelot, Merlins are not simply those who wield magic, they are magic. Now, with rival mages also vying for the favor of this being of limitless magic to tip the balance of power, Seeker must persuade the Merlin to join her cause-or else risk losing something even more precious to her than the fate of humankind.

Customer Reviews:

You'll love it or hate it........2007-09-21

Elizabeth Bear, Blood and Iron (Roc, 2006)

Oh, Bear, you've done it again. And once again, I came along helpless for the ride.

I talk a lot about how, at times, a whole lot of wrong things come together and make something wonderfully right. My classic example of this is the band Better than Ezra, whose stuff contains everything one can possibly do wrong in crafting a pop song, and yet "One More Murder" and "In the Blood" and "A Lifetime" and a host of others are perfect little pieces of popcraft. I get that same feeling a lot when I read Elizabeth Bear's stuff. There are rules to this writing gig, you know. (If I'm letting out trade secrets, stuff it; I was never a novelist anyway.) There are about as many books of little silly things as there are volumes in the... erm, wherever they keep lawbooks about this stuff... about the importation of lettuce. (For those of you outside the U.S. who want a good laugh, the last time I stumbled across that statistic, there were 13,500 pages of laws relating to the importation of lettuce. That was a few years ago, so the number has likely doubled by now.) But then there's that holy, scroll-like document that all novelists must bow and pray to five times a day that has a title like STUFF YOU ARE NEVER, NEVER, EVER SUPPOSED TO DO IN A NOVEL, FOR EDITORS, PUBLISHERS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC WILL LAUGH AT YOU UNTIL THEIR SIDES BLEED. And, you know, I think in every single piece of Bear's writing I've read, she takes a rugbeater and whacks that document hard enough that one of those strictures falls to the ground, stunned just long enough for her to crush it with a (very fashionable, mind you) boot.

Now, after all that buildup, I'm not going to tell you which one she beats the tar out of in this book, because you will encounter it yourself if you read this book (on page 275 in the Roc trade paper edition), and you will either love it or you will hate it. I talked to Bear about this briefly, and I got the feeling that most people hate it. Well, bub, I am not most people. I am all for rule-breaking, as long as you provide ample evidence elsewhere in your body of work that you know the rule exists, so we readers have evidence that you are breaking the rule because you're conscious of it and you're saying "stuff it" to the rules. (Because, unlike me, you ARE a novelist.) Suffice to say I have never seen this rule broken in this particular way, in this particular place, in a professionally-published novel before. So there's a bit of culture shock involved. But if you ken what the Bear is cookin', you may end up getting as much of a kick out of it as I did.

Not that there's anything really conventional about Blood and Iron, which posits a world in which modern-day human society and Faerie live side by side in alternate planes of existence. There are paths between the two, but most humans have long forgotten that Faerie exists. Those who haven't, in general, want to make sure that Faerie and Earth never come into constant contact again. They're called the Prometheus Club, and while we don't get too much information on the higher-ups, we get the feeling that they are not terribly nice individuals. We do get to know one very well, though. His name is Matthew Szczgielniak (and forgive me, Bear, for mangling the spelling). He and his brethren (and sistren) aren't fond or Faerie because, in this world, all the stuff you've heard is true, including that whole baby-changeling thing.

Which brings us to our main character, Seeker, formerly known as Elaine Andraste, formerly human, now a hunter in the court of Faerie. Her quarry, in this book, is a Merlin-- a human, for all intents and purposes, made of magic (for you Forgotten Realms geeks, think "capable of altering the weave"). Both the Seelie and Unseelie courts of Faerie, as well as the Prometheans, are very interested in swaying the Merlin to their side of the uneasy truce that exists between all three, for the presence of a Merlin can disrupt the balance that has existed between the sides for centuries.

All of this is just scratching the surface of this deep, rich novel, which abounds in subplots, trickery, strategizing, bloodshed, mayhem, historical and mythical figures, and all the other things that make a fantasy novel with a military flavor such a good read. Oh, and there's a dragon, for there must always be a dragon. But there's not usually a battle in Times Square.

Wonderful book, this. If you like your fantasy novels with a twist, Blood and Iron is definitely one to check out. ****

Stolen by Faeries!!!.......2007-05-27

Drawing on centuries of folklore and ballads about the cruel and inhuman Sidhe, Elizabeth Bear puts it all on the table: The Ballad of Tam Lin, about a woman rescuing her true love from the clutches of the Faerie Queen; Arthurian Legend, where Arthur is taken off to Avalon and his sister, Morgan Le Fay is the Queen of Air and Darkness, Ancient Dragons that lie at the root of the world (so to speak), Water sprites that exist to lure the unwitting into death by drowning-- Plus Urban Fantasy, with Man against Nature, the dangers of the dark alleys--as hazardous as the intrigues of the Sidhe and the Unseelie Court, Madness, Revenge... and back to Arthur with a mortal Merlin. And even a dash of the Eternal Hero and the sacrifice of Kings. Oh, and werewolves.

Somehow Bear manages to juggle it all and add suspense and action, with a huge cast of characters, well-drawn and never quite two-dimensional, despite the limited attention paid to each. The tale is wound around Elaine Adraste, who has been stolen away by the diminishing race of Faeries due to her heritage of Faerie blood, and is bound to the Queen as her Seeker--the one who steals away human children. Not only spells and geas bind her, but also her own child, also kept by the Queen. And the theme extends to Elaine's mother, powerful leader of the ancient Prometheus Club, who will do anything to destroy Faerie, including sacrifice her own child.

Few people can adequately capture the cruel and alien beauty of the Faery Court in a manner that compels as well as repels, but Elizabeth Bear is one. This is a complex, epic tale that is sure to appeal to anyone remotely interested in any of the many elements involved.

Grim Faerie Tales of War and Sacrifice.......2007-05-22

For whatever reason, New York city tends to to be a favored backdrop for those writing urban fantasies involving faerie in some form. That's what originally drew me to this tale, since I have a penchant for collecting fantasy that takes place in my home setting. And I have a soft spot for contemporary fantasy with fae characters in general. Elizabeth Bear has gone about creating an epic tale that is out of legend and myth of old, from the tales of Camelot to the ballad of Tam Linn.

The Seeker was once a mortal woman, now bound to serve the Queen of Faerie and charged bringing her the half-blood children from the human world. Seeker chafes against the bonds that hold her, but has no choice when the Queen lays a new geas upon her: to seek out the new Merlin--a being who is magic-- and seduce him into service for the realm of Faerie. But Seeker will have competition in her race to win the prize. Set against Faerie are the human mages of the Prometheus club. If they can convince the Merlin to join their side against the Fae, all of Faerie may be doomed. On the brink of war, this epic story's protagonists and antagonists must make their choices and ultimately watch the story play itself out.

The premise of this story is an interesting one, certainly this is a grand scale sort of epic fantasy, rather than the more intimate urban fantasy I'm used to. I was originally going to rate this only three stars, but to be fair it likely deserves at least three and half to four stars. I've not read Ms. Bear's work prior to this book, so I can't say if this story is indicative of her usual style, but I tend to like books that are more directly about character and less grand epic. I won't hold preference against a book, so I'll rate it four stars on the grounds that I do think there is some good writing and an intriguing story here--it just wasn't quite my cup of tea. This is an especially tragic and grim story with many bittersweet, dramatic and poignant moments. The story takes itself very seriously and explores themes of sacrifice and the prices paid for victory. I found that the lack of humor in this story made it bleaker than I particularly enjoyed, although given the storyline, it may be what the author intended. I prefer more humor--and humanity--in my reading as a rule, and I think it may have helped bring out the characters a bit more.

The main characters of this story felt too much like set pieces in the game--it was hard to like any of them or really identify with any of them. Even Matthew, the human mage, seems to keep a textual distance from the readers. I kept wanting to know more about these protagonists and their lives. Most of the novel is bound up in describing events and the patterns of myth that color those events. But I kept wishing to care more about the Seeker and her struggle to choose her path. And while the POV shift from third to first person for Seeker was clearly done to accentuate the transformation of the character, the abrupt shift was hard to adjust to at first.

Only some of this epic story takes place in New York City, but the story is a fascinating revisit of the tale of Tam Linn, weaving in Arthurian legends to create something that profoundly echoes the old myths in a modern setting. There is a lot of blood and violence in this tale, but the author never uses it gratuitously--one of the points of this book is that Faerie tales are full of blood and violence, the sanitized versions for children to day are a pale imitation of those originals. It's a challenging plot line, as the author is crafting a book where no one side is in the right and all sides are fighting for survival. It's more than a little bleak, and there are enough characters and twists for the story to become confusing.

Nevertheless, this was a decent read--kept me reading straight through to the end without wanting to put it down. If you're a reader who likes contemporary fantasy with an epic feel and a sober storyline this might be just the story for you. If you prefer something light hearted or more character driven, you might find this a bit weighty and dark for your tastes. If you're looking for more urban fae fantasy to read, you might try War for the Oaks by Emma Bull or try Son of Darkness by Josepha Sherman.

Happy Reading! ^_^ Shanshad

Tam Lin revisited.......2007-04-12

Another work drawing on the myths of Faerie and on the ballad of Tam Lin, this book is chock-full of texts and subtexts on everything from love and betrayal, to the nature of subservience and pain (and let's not forget revenge!). I liked the writing style, more descriptive than in Bear's Jenny Casey books, but very fitting for such a work. I love the way so many different legends and mythologies are drawn in -- the Arthurian cycle, the Welsh mythos, werewolves, both pre-Christian and post-Christian Faerie legends, and numerous ballads.
This is not a light and happy book, and one of the themes seems to be that everything valuable in life requires a sacrifice, and therefore there are no unequivocally happy endings. I had some difficulties with differentiating some of the characters at first, but I think this may be attributable to the fact that I wasn't able to read in big gulps, but only in little bits and pieces here and there. The character development was, for the most part, excellent, although the main character's motivation was unclear to me in several places. As the book progressed, her actions and feelings (and sometimes lack of such!) became more understandable, but I still didn't always quite get it. I understood Matthew and his overseer's motivation much better. And although I understood the need for the POV shift, it was exceptionally jarring at first.
All in all, a very enjoyable read, and I look forward to the next ones!

Dark and confusing, but still worth the read.......2007-01-22

If you like strong dark urban fantasy in the same vein as Neil Gaiman's work, give this book a read. Bear's writing is strongly compelling for the most part, although this book can occasionally be a slog.

Elaine Andraste is the Seeker for the Daone Sidhe Court and it's Queen, Medb. Her mission is to go to the Iron World and procure children for Her Majesty's amusement. Her own son, Ian, is the current plaything and no doubt insurance for his Mother's best behavior.

Her next assignment---a Merlin, and the first female one to occur. But, Dr. Caren Bierce is no plaything. She's got competing offers with the Prometheus Society, a group of mages wanting to stop Faery in its track as well as the other Faery Court.

The characters are well-realized and the story is interesting. I genuinely empathize with Elaine for the most part. The pacing is somewhat slow and the plot is somewhat convoluted, but still all and all I would recommend it if urban fantasy is your thing.

Iron and Blood: Civil Wars in Sixteenth-Century France

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Iron and Blood: Civil Wars in Sixteenth-Century France
Henry Heller
Manufacturer: McGill-Queen's University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Social History | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0773508163

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A Great Book!

With Blood and Iron
Douglas Reeman
Manufacturer: Arrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

War | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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The Iron Pirate

ASIN: 0099062704

Customer Reviews:

A Great Book!.......2007-01-09

Very enjoyable. Reeman places you on the U-Boat so that you feel you are actually there.

Blood and Iron: The German Conquest of Sevastopol

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An extremely disappointing book
great book very informative
There's another book that covers this topic! Get it as well!
good and bad news
A great general history of the W2 battle for Sevastopol

Blood and Iron: The German Conquest of Sevastopol
C. G. Sweeting
Manufacturer: Potomac Books Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Japan | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

Ukraine | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1574887963

Book Description

Blood and Iron tells the story of one of the most dramatic campaigns of World War II, the German conquest of the Crimean Peninsula and the port of Sevastopol in 1941â€“42. Sevastopol was the worldâ€™s most strongly fortified city and home of the Soviet Black Sea fleet. As German forces penetrated deeper and deeper into Soviet Russia, their supply lines became vulnerable to attack from this Soviet stronghold on the Crimea. To remove the threat, Hitler sent one of his best field commanders, Col. Gen. Erich von Manstein, to lead the offensive. German forces, aided by Axis allies, fought a series of daring and bloody battles that nearly resulted in defeat. Manstein eventually outfoxed his Soviet opponents, and the campaign culminated in the epic siege of Sevastopol. To break Sevastopolâ€™s formidable defenses, the Germans used massive siege guns, including the incredible 80cm â€œDora,â€ the largest artillery piece ever constructed. With the fall of Sevastopol in July 1942, Hitlerâ€™s forces appeared to be well-positioned to deal the Soviets a knockout blow, but the warâ€™s momentum would radically shift a few months later at Stalingrad.

C. G. Sweetingâ€™s account of this important but little-known campaign contains more than one hundred rare photographs and other illustrations, and his narrative brings to life the experiences of the soldiers who fought the battles. World War II buffs will appreciate his in-depth descriptions of German and Soviet weapons and equipment. This fast-paced, gripping history is essential reading for anyone interested in the war on the Eastern Front.

Customer Reviews:

An extremely disappointing book.......2007-09-09

The Crimean Campaign culminating in the siege of Sevastopol, is a fascinating one but you are not going to learn much about it from this book. This is a superficial and inadequately reseached book. Much of the very few pages of text is either general or largely irrelevant. The appendicies are mostly worthless. This book is a waste of time and money.

great book very informative.......2007-01-10

Sweeting provides an excellent account of the great german victory at sevastopol. He also give's a good account of the stuborn russian defenders, who put up a good fight, and the madness of the self destructing red comissars in massive suicide attacks. But nonetheless the wehrmacht's iron will and excellent leadership,under by many considered to be one of the most talented commanders of the 20th century, Erich von Manstein. He also gives a detailed description of the weaponry deployed by both side's wich was very to my liking. good book, i reccomend it to evryone interested in the eastern front 1941-45

There's another book that covers this topic! Get it as well!.......2005-07-25

It is Dr Joel Hayward's critically praised book called "Stopped at Stalingrad". As a reviewer below notes, Hayward's book has almost 90 pages that analyse the German assault and the Soviet defence of Sevastapol at length, utilising a commendable array of previously unknown primary sources and providing a thorough and insightful analysis. Hayward's book deals with air, sea and land operations in and around Sevastopol, and is almost faultless. It is a very strong book, not like this far weaker work.

good and bad news.......2005-02-23

The good news (for me) was that I read a friend's copy of this book and so did not waste my own money.

The bad news (for everyone) is that this book is terrible - very short, superficial, incomplete, one sided, padded out with irrelevant appendices and lacking even the most rudimentary historical analysis of the subject.

Be like me, don't waste your money.

A great general history of the W2 battle for Sevastopol .......2005-02-15

I thoroughly enjoyed Sweeting's new book Blood and Iron. Sweeting hit his target presenting this general review of the little known WW2 battle for Sevastopol. It is packed with unpublished photos as well as data on uniforms, weapons and other useful information appealing to the collector as well as novice historian. Not for the self styled military tactician or those suffering from a gaming fetish, I highly recommended this work for someone who is looking for a layman's look at a little known WW2 theater of operation.

Blood on the Forge (Voices of Resistance)

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A note from his grandson
Among the Very Best "Unknown" American Novels

Blood on the Forge (Voices of Resistance)
William Attaway
Manufacturer: Monthly Review Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0853457220

Book Description

This brutally gripping novel about the African-American Great Migration follows the three Moss brothers, who flee the rural South to work in industries up North. Delivered by day into the searing inferno of the steel mills, by night they encounter a world of surreal devastation, crowded with dogfighters, whores, cripples, strikers, and scabs. Keenly sensitive to character, prophetic in its depiction of environmental degradation and globalized labor, Attaway's novel is an unprecedneted confrontation with the realities of American life, offering an apocalyptic vision of the melting pot not as an icon of hope but as an instrument of destruction.

Blood on the Forge was first published in 1941, when it attracted the admiring attention of Richard Wright and Ralph Ellison. It is an indispensable account of a major turning point in black history, as well as a triumph of individual style, charged with the concentrated power and poignance of the blues.

Customer Reviews:

A note from his grandson.......2004-06-04

I have not read my grandfather's books, but i am planning on doing so this summer. I love to write as my grandfather did, i am currently writing a science fiction book,the subject matter is very different to his books, but when i write it remineds my father of his father when his father would write. I never met my grandfather but i feel he is always with me.

Among the Very Best "Unknown" American Novels.......2000-03-22

William Attaway's BLOOD ON THE FORGE powerfully depicts both the Black migration to the industrial north after WWI and the startling hell-like environment of the vast iron & steel works of the era. No other writer--novelist, sociologist, historian--has ever captured so well the compelling, visceral experience of the humans working these sacrificial jobs. As Attaway walks us through the vast furnace & forge areas of the works, our own skin scorches along with that of his worker-protagonists. We become party to the daily struggle to survive the most appalling working conditions.

This novel deserves a place on the highest level of our American esteem. It's tragic Attaway was unable to produce more work, since both his vision of the American experience and his fictive language were intense, revelatory and precious to anyone wishing to know and acknowledge this nation's true industrial and racial history.

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With Blood and Iron

Manufacturer: Arrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000G8I7N8

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3 Titles By Harry Turtledove American Empire Series (1-3) : 1. Blood and Iron 2. The Center Cannot Hold 3. Victorious Opposition
Harry Turtledove
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000WCNEV8

Product Description

multiple books ship as one item. save on shipping/handling charges.

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