The Dark Is Rising Sequence: Silver on the Tree; The Grey King; Greenwitch; The Dark Is Rising; and Over Sea, Under Stone

Amazon.com

Joined by destiny, the lives of the Drew children, Will Stanton, and a boy named Bran weave together in an exquisite, sometimes terrifying tapestry of mystery and quests. In the five-title series of novels known as The Dark Is Rising Sequence, these children pit the power of good against the evil forces of Dark in a timeless and dangerous battle that includes crystal swords, golden grails, and a silver-eyed dog that can see the wind. Susan Cooper's highly acclaimed fantasy novels, steeped in Celtic and Welsh legends, have won numerous awards, including the Newbery Medal and the Newbery Honor. Now all five paperback volumes have been collected in one smart boxed set. These classic fantasies, complex and multifaceted, should not be missed, by child or adult. The set includes Over Sea, Under Stone, The Dark Is Rising, Greenwitch, The Grey King, and Silver on the Tree. (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter

Customer Reviews:

One of the best series ever written..........2007-08-10

I can't even begin to describe this series and I won't try to. I'm afraid I'd only do it a disservice! Susan Cooper says SO much in so few eloquent words that her books are rather like listening to fine music. I rank this easily with the Narnia series as well as Lord of the Rings. And while I adore the Harry Potter books and think JK is a fabulous writer, I truly feel that even they cannot live up to the quiet serious intensity of these books.

Every year I read this series again. I love it more and more with each read.

Recently many illiterate folks have called these books 'boring' and 'flat'. Those same modern day readers often have to be babied through text & dazzled with fancy action scenes. It has also become a fad to bash things that have won awards or recommendations.

This is a story told with very deep and quiet emotions and if you give it a chance then I can promise you, you won't be disappointed. :)

new movie.......2007-05-18

I remember reading this series years ago and since then I have always thought that it would make a great movie and guess what someone else thought so as well. IMDB is reporting that this movie is in production and will be released in October 2007. I am very excited about this and I am really wishing and hoping that they translate it well to the big screen. I have since lost my books but I have just purchased this set to read all the books again and relive my youth again.

Light Is Rising.......2007-05-12

The series as a whole is great. if you have never read them before but enjoy other great fantasy such as Harry Potter, the Forgotten Realms, or even the Lord Of The Rings these are a must read. they have been great books for the last 35 years or so and will continue to be great books 50 years from now.

Wonderful, wonderful series.......2007-05-06

This series is my son's absolute FAVORITE. He's 8 and I recently decided to introduce him to the books, and he ate them up. He said he likes how the bad people aren't always perfect, and he likes the way the Drew siblings work together in OVER SEA, UNDER STONE and again in GREENWICH and SILVER ON THE TREE. I'm pretty sure that he didn't understand all the symbolism in THE DARK IS RISING, though he liked it and made up his own belt of rings as a result.

This series is really wonderful, and I agree with other reviewers - it should be better known. It's mythical elements mix well with the action scenes. Plus, it's very well written and edited - creating really unique and interesting characters.

I'm sort of judicious with my 5 star ratings, but this one definitely deserved it. Pick them up - you won't be disappointed.

DiRS: Box Set.......2007-03-04

I love these books, and I was glad to see that they were now available in a box set!

Average customer rating:

Just Not For Me
The Book of the Art I
Ooooookkkkkaaaaayyyy
Disappointed
The Triology - the rest of the books

The Great and Secret Show
Clive Barker
Manufacturer: Harper Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 006093316X

Book Description

In the little town of Palomo Grove, two great armies are amassing; forces shaped from the hearts and souls of America. In this New York Times bestseller, Barker unveils one of the most ambitious imaginative landscapes in modern fiction, creating a new vocabulary for the age-old battle between good and evil. Carrying its readers from the first stirring of consciousness to a vision of the end of the world, The Great and Secret Show is a breathtaking journey in the company of a master storyteller.

Customer Reviews:

Just Not For Me.......2007-06-17

Public Reviews Written by You
Reviewer Rank: 35 Page: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11-20
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The Great and Secret Show: the First Book of Art by Clive Barker
Edition: Unknown Binding
Availability: This item is currently unavailable.

Not Really For Me, 17 Jun 2007

Clive Barker was born in 1952 and he is the best-selling author of a large number of books, including his first book for children, The Thief of Always. He is also an acclaimed artist, film producer, and director. For four years Mr, Barker has been working on a vast array of paintings to illuminate the text of The Books Of Abarat, over one hundred of which can be found within this first volume.

Mr. Barker lives in California with his partner, the photographer David Armstrong, and their daughter, Nicole. They share their house with four dogs, five goldfish, a parrot and a large number of other pets of all shapes and sizes.

This book is a fantasy novel and describes a race against time to try to find the secret of "The Art" - a state of being or consciousness which allows its owner to transcend their humanity and enter into a heightened spiritual state - between Fletcher and the evil-intentioned Jaffe.

I had heard such good things about this author that I felt I really ought to get round to reading one of his books. I can understand the attraction of the book, but it was not really my kind of thing. That is not to say that someone interested in this type of book would not find it a page turner and I am certainly not going to start to criticise the book until I have read other offerings from the author. Suffice to say it just did not do it for me.

The Book of the Art I.......2007-03-24

In the late '60s Randolph Jaffe and Richard Fletcher find a secret metaphysical world, the dream sea called Quiddity, with limitless powers. Jaffe sees using these powers to become a tyrannical god like being. Fletcher wants little do do with it, but sees it as his moral responsibility to stop him. They wage a magical war across the country until they finally decide the next generation should continue the fight, so they mystically impregnate four young California women. Years later the children of that mystical pregnancy are targeted by their fathers and meet more people in the long, magical war, and this is just the tip of the iceberg.

To say that Clive Barker's "Books of the Art" books are epic is an understatement. Like his novels before this book has a lot of graphic violence and sex, but it never feels gratuitous. The plot is huge and so are the themes; the book deals with religion, faith, multiple worlds, good, evil, and how they all intertwined. The characters are pretty interesting. Tesla was pretty interesting as a lady who is enlisted to gather help for the forces of good, and her discovery is ours, she is the one that the story is reveled to. Her feelings are ours, and so I was able to identify with her more than anyone else. Jaffe was a megalomaniac who learns too late that the power he wishes to master is too unwieldy to control. Fletcher is a '60s radical who (unlike most of his generation) found something to believe in, even if it is at the expense of his sanity. The brother Tommy-Ray and sister Jo-Beth are a weird couple. There are also a cast of odd balls who are by no means normal, and will be memorable long after the book is finished.

Ooooookkkkkaaaaayyyy.......2006-12-22

Without a doubt the weirdest book I have ever read. I loathed it and loved it. It entertained and revolted me. Full of originality yet swarming with cliche.

My dream-life has been somewhat more complicated since reading this book. The waters of Quiddity must be getting choppy.

Disappointed.......2006-11-22

I actually bought this book because of the great reviews. I was hoping for a gem. I had to actually force myself to continue to read it. I just couldn't find myself attached to any of the characters. I had absolutely no bond with the characters. Clive Barker is an excellent, beautiful writer. He is definitely gifted. I loved the concept of the book, but I just wish that the story was more developed. Mostly about what EXACTLY is the Art. I needed to know more about Quiddity, it's history, the Shoal, Kissoon. What exactly did Jaffe read in those letters to drive his ambition. Why did he believe those letters? I tried to get attached to the characters. Even the Good Man Fletcher. But something was missing from the characters. They lacked depth. Death boy was overboard. It's as if Barker is writing specifically for a movie. A "B" horror flick at that.

The Triology - the rest of the books.......2006-03-18

I love Clive Barker and I am getting ready to go pick up his second book Everville. However, I wanted everyone to know that this is a Trilogy but this book does stand on its own. If it had just ended without a second book I would have been a little bit unsatisfied because it leaves unanswered questions, but ones that you can wait on for the next book to answer - not a cliff hanger. Also, it does tend to resolve all of the big outstanding issues.

Luckily, I have been continuing to read all of his books just recently, so I won't have to wait for the second book (Everville). However it appears the third book is not out yet and will not neccessarily be out any time soon. Please see the following link for his reasoning for this http://www.clivebarker.dial.pipex.com/newbooksb.html

In a nutshell he says that the last book will be a monster and that it takes time to prepare to write this type of book. It also says that he has other series going on as well that take time. Too many ideas running through his head and that he needs to clone himself. Anyway - take a look at the link if you are interested but he says that he promises it will be out before the end of this century.....

Happy reading!

The Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic--And How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World

Average customer rating:

A Solid History of Science Book
Thinking outside the box
Fascinating topic, redundant writing style, too little about the map
A rare find
Wonderful storyteller but with a broken crystal ball perhaps

The Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic--And How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World

Manufacturer: Tantor Media
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

19th Century | World | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

History | Special Topics | Medicine | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1400102987

Book Description

This thrilling historical account of the worst cholera outbreak in Victorian London is a brilliant exploration of how Dr. John Snow's solution revolutionized the way we think about disease, cities, science, and the modern world. Unabridged. 8 CDs.

Customer Reviews:

A Solid History of Science Book.......2007-09-07

This is the story of Dr. John Snow and the development of modern epidemiology and germ theory. As a history of science read, this book is very good. It has lots of drama and reads like a mystery. I did learn about Snows research into anesthesia, something I didn't know about. Most of the book centers around the cholera outbreak in London and Snow's work to counter the generally accepted miasma theory. This is a great book for young researchers to see how prevailing paradigms can be completely wrong, yet generally accepted and even unquestioned.

Thinking outside the box.......2007-09-06

This is a very interesting book on several levels. It is a fairly detailed case study of a cholera outbreak in London in 1854 and of the attempts of two dedicated men, one an esteemed physician and the other a neighborhood Anglican priest, to determine the cause, which turned out to be contaminated water. Once they do determine the cause, they run headlong into the established scientific orthodoxies of the day, which center around the "miasma" theory, a vague notion that such epidemics are caused by the overall environment in which they occur, sometimes the air, sometimes living conditions, and even, in a classic case of blaming the victims, by the characters of the victims. Eventually the scientific establishment is won over to the waterborne theory, but not after long hard fights, and not until after many more deaths could have been prevented.

The central points that I got out of this book are these:

1) Pre-scientific modes of thinking prevailed in the scientific establishment until well into the 19th century, or 1854 as we see here. The idea of empirically testing hypotheses seems not to have occurred to many scientists of the day.

2) The importance of "thinking outside the box," of not accepting conventional or established ideas just because they are established.

3) Revolutions in scientific thinking, or paradigm shifts, as Thomas Kuhn called them, rarely occur easily. Often the revolutionary idea is ignored, then ridiculed, then fought against, then eventually accepted, often by a later generation which had not been schooled in the conventional ways of thinking.

All told an interesting book, well recommended. I did not give it 5 stars because the author can at times move away from the immediate narrative to more abstract matters that can often be tedious. The book can be redundant as well. But altogether a good read.

Fascinating topic, redundant writing style, too little about the map.......2007-07-28

I will omit a synopsis of the book. This book has been assigned as incoming Freshman reading for my local university, thus my specific purpose in reading it. The general idea of an "historical medical mystery" presented in non-fiction form was a very reasonable one for a book. The quest for the origin of the Cholera epidemic in 1854 London by Whitehead and Snow was presented in a an exciting captivating way. The writing style was painful for me. Quite a bit of the material was repeated over and over in subsequent chapters. When I put the book down and picked it up again, I would wonder if I had lost my place (ie, a deja vu-type of experience) as I was certain I had read the material previously. Although there is some info on the making of the map, it was a small part of the book's focus. Truly, my greatest objection is the way the editor allowed the author to roam wildly. I believe this book will be viewed as a painful reading experience for 18 yo college students, not one that would offer stimulation for future reading of medical mysteries nor historical fiction. In general, I could not recommend this book to the general public; those interested in medicine/epidemics/certain mysteries, might enjoy it.

A rare find.......2007-07-24

This book was one of those rare finds tht do not come along very often. I read it in 2 days - I simply could not put it down. In the beginning of the book, when he was describing London in the early 19th century, I was reading along while crinkling my nose and whispering "oh my gosh" the whole time. I was simply entranced.

Johnson did start to pontificate a bit at the end - this could easily have been left out, and frankly I finally gave up reading all of his views at the end of the book. But, that is certainly no reason to miss this fantastic read ... and gritty and real historical view of what 19th century cities were TRULY like.

Overall a fantastic book!

Wonderful storyteller but with a broken crystal ball perhaps.......2007-07-09

This was a very well written book about a subject that could cause stomaches to turn. The way the author told the story kept it interesting in spite of the sordid details of the disease and it's ravages on the human body.

Several have commented about the ending of the book where the author takes out his crystal ball and sort of predicts the future of the urban environment, but even that I found fascinating, if not a bit hopeful.

He did touch on the use of fossil fuels, but he seems to think that term only means gasoline ( his mention of New York City being the greenest city on the planet since it's citizens have a low gasoline consumption ) when in fact fossil fuels include, but are not limited to; fuel oil, natural gas, coal, gasoline, diesel and turbine fuels. All of which New Yorkers are huge consumers.

If the cost of energy becomes as expensive as some pessimists suggest, then I think the huge cities will once again become dark, dirty places which will lose huge numbers of citizens.

This book also makes me wonder if 200 years from now algore will be today's Dr. John Snow or Edwin Chadwick in regards to Gullible Warming. My belief is that he and the other Gullible Warming fanatics will be no different than those who subscribed to the "miasma theory of disease" as detailed in this book.

A great read, highly recommended!!

Ghosts Don't Eat Potato Chips (The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids, #5)

Average customer rating:

Spooky Ghosts
Ghosts
Ghosts don't eat potato chips By Debbie Dadey
Stevi's Review
Do Ghosts Eat Potato Chips?

Ghosts Don't Eat Potato Chips (The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids, #5)
Debbie Dadey , and Marcia T. Jones
Manufacturer: Scholastic Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 059045854X

Customer Reviews:

Spooky Ghosts.......2005-11-30

Ghosts Don't Eat Potato Chips by Debbie Dade is a mystery book. This is a great kids book that is about four kids in one of the kid's grandmas house. There is a noise in the house that scares the children. The kids try to solve the haunting mystery. I like the book Ghosts Don't Eat Potato Chips because, it's adventurous and fun. But I like mystery book's and if you do you need to read this book.

-By Emily in Corning, AR

Ghosts.......2005-04-19

There are some weird grownups in Bailey City. But could Aunt Mathilda really be haunted by a hungry ghost? The Bailey School Are going To Find out!

Ghosts don't eat potato chips By Debbie Dadey.......2005-01-29

This book is about Eddie and his friends who have the chore of taking Eddie's great aunt Matilda her meals. They see, and hear many signs that some one other than Matilda is in the house. Is it a thief, a murderer, or a ghost?

I did not enjoy the book at all. It was to obvious too me what was going on. But I am sure other younger kids would like it.

Stevi's Review.......2004-02-13

Ghosts Don't Eat Potato Chips is a very good book! It is about a mean old lady who lives in an old run down house in the present. Her nephew's name is Eddie, and Howie his best friend. His grandfather died in his attic. When Eddie was walking to his grandmother's house, he was walking past Howie's house. Howie came out and said, "Can I come?" "Yes Howie," I said. When they got there, the house looked so creepy they did not want to go in. Will they ever stop being so selfish? Howie spilt his chips on accident. When he went to pick them up, they spelled A-T-T-I-C and when he looked in the attic window, there was a man. He turned around to tell Eddie. They looked and he was gone. This is a very good book, and I would recommend that you read it.It is mysterious.

Do Ghosts Eat Potato Chips?.......2001-10-30

This book is about a boy named Eddie and his friends Howie, Lisa

and Melody who have to help take care of his great aunt

Malthida. They do not want to do it because they think she is

mean. She is sick and Eddie's Grandma wants him to help her out.

The first day they got to her house they bring her some food

to eat that Eddie's Grandma had made for her. On that day that

they went, Howie who likes to eat potato chips saw a ghost in

the window of Aunt Mathilda's house. Eddie told his friend that

there is no such thing as ghosts.

The next day all the kids went back to Aunt Mathilda's house

to bring her some more lunch to eat. It was cold so they had to

warm it up for her. While lunch was heating up Aunt Mathilda and

the kids played poker. She played really good. They played to

long that lunch burned. Since lunch had burned they got her some

fast food for lunch. Some potato chips came with her lunch and

while they sat at the table eating and talking the potato chips

disappeared. When they got back to her house they gave her the

lunch and she said she liked it. While the kids were there she

got sick and had to go to the hospital.

While Aunt Mathilda was in the hospital the kids went to the

house to prove that there is no such thing as ghosts. The

electricity went out because of a storm so they couldn't see

very well in the attic. They saw a big trunk that looked like a

coffin. The kids all opened it at the same time and found Uncle

Jasper's hat and what else do you think they found? You will

have to read this book to find out what they find.

I really did like this book because I like Bailey School Kids

Book Description

Lars Olafson moves with his parents to the old family farm near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, to live with his aged aunt Cass. Lars is miserable--until he meets Geordie, a ghost whose stories of the Revolutionary War are as exciting as those of an eyewitness. When Aunt Cass dies suddenly, Lars is faced with a mystery linked to the Revolutionary War--and Geordi’s ghostly stories are his only chance of solving it.

Customer Reviews:

The Riddle of Penncroft Farm.......2007-05-13

We coyuld not find this book at any of the large book stores, with out a 2-3 week order. We needed it in 3 days, which we got from Amazon. Thanks to you our daughter was reading and writing her review two weeks before anyone else could get us the book.

The Riddle of Penncroft Farm.......2004-05-30

This is a very entertaining book and I recommend it to everyone. The author uses a fictional family on a fictional farm to weave a story that has a solid plot and believable characters. Her purpose is to make history come alive and be interesting.

The main character, Lars, is a typical twelve year old boy with a natural laziness and disdain for history until he meets up with a spirit from the local area's past. This ghost ("shade") relates a story of survival and the importance of making decisions which ultimately connects past and present.

This book is well-researched and well-written. It is somewhat predeictable but is engrossing nevertheless. If more authors would attempt to teach history through books like this, libraries could be filled with eager readers awaiting to learn of their own and their nation's past. The book really has no "villain" as Eddie, the antagonist, is dealt with in a way that shows how family legends can become blurred over the years. The fact that neither he nor his father were humiliated only adds to the charm of the book.

Pretty good, yet to easy to solve the riddles.......2003-06-30

I liked this book but the riddles in it seemed to easy to solve to me yet I would still probably recomened it to others.

This was the greatest book I have EVER READ!!!!!!!!!!!.......2002-04-09

I got it from the school library and I absolutely HATED having to stop reading it. It was that great!!! If I could've rated it above five stars it would've gotten a 100!! It was very realistic
and exciting. It was the best book. Everyone should read it! I'm going to buy it and I'm going to read it over and over! You have to get this book. It was so well written I felt like I was there. Mostly when I'm reading books It feels like I'm looking in, but not right there. I even wished I could meet them. In some parts it made me cry, which happens rarely. It was SUPERB!!!
You just have to get this book! You won't regret it! I SWEAR!!!
Dorthea Jensen is a great author! I'm so glad she wrote this book!!!

Great Book.......2000-12-22

This was a really good book, and I have read it several times. The author makes the characters very real, and uses familiar events and friendship to tell a story about our country's history. Vocabulary and flow of words make this book very hard to put down!

Average customer rating:

Read it if you dare!
Not so good...
"His Eyes Have Turned..."
You won't want to put this book down!
The Haunting Of Alaizibel Cray

Haunting Of Alaizabel Cray
Chris Wooding
Manufacturer: Point
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Historical Fiction | History & Historical Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0439598516

Book Description

Thaniel, just seventeen, is a wych-hunter. Together, he and Cathaline--his friend and mentor--track down the fearful creatures that lurk in the Old Quarter of London. It is on one of these hunts that he first encounters Alaizabel Cray. Alaizabel is half-crazed, lovely, and possessed.Whatever dreadful entity has entered her soul has turned her into a strange and unearthly magnet--attracting evil and drawing horrors from every dark corner. Cathaline and Thaniel must discover its cause--and defend humanity at all costs.

Customer Reviews:

Read it if you dare!.......2007-04-18

The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray
Wooding, Chris
Summary:
Thaniel Fox, son of Jedriah Fox, London's great wych hunter, is a seventeen-year-old boy who also is a wych hunter. With his friend and mentor, Cathaline, Thaniel tracks down the horrifying creatures that lurk in the Old Quarter of London. This is where Thaniel, while on the hunt, finds a scared girl his age named Alaizabel Cray.
Alaizabel is beautiful but an evil spirit that a secret brotherhood wants to free possesses her. Ms. Cray is a magnet that pulls evil to her and if the brotherhood has its way darkness will fall upon the entire world. Cathaline and Thaniel must discover the cause and drive back the foul creatures.
This book is not for the faint hearted for it is full of dark suspense and a Gothic feel that is set in Victorian England with a chill that will steal away your heart and make you want to read more. It is not a bedtime story.
Recommendation:
I think the people who will like this book are mystery and horror lovers as well as teenagers.

Not so good..........2007-04-10

I just didn't like this book very much. While it may have been a case of personal taste this book didn't seem very engaging or interesting. It was an interesting idea to begin with but the book seemed to drag on and on. It could have been a lot better than it was. I wouldn't recomend it.

"His Eyes Have Turned...".......2006-11-01

If you enjoy the atmosphere and imagination of Philip Pullman, Garth Nix or Philip Reeve, then you're sure to like Chris Wooding; one of the handful of fantasy-authors who (by some miracle) does not feel the need to fill their fantasy worlds with elves, dwarfs, wizards, dragons and every other fantasy cliché that's been done to death since Tolkien published "The Lord of the Rings". As a lover of fantasy myself, I find the sheer lack of originality of many fantasy-authors and the resignation of readers to go on reading these books anyway a constant source of depression. The flimsy excuse of both authors and readers seems to be: "all fantasy is like that."

Reader, it is not.

Some authors are willing to explore new territory, and Wooding is one of these. "The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray' is set in an indefinable time-period of London: it appears to be mid-19th century, but events are occurring that bear no resemblance whatsoever to our historical knowledge of the period. The city is haunted by creatures known as `wych-kin', a variety of monstrous and grotesque creatures that prey on the city's inhabitants. The only defence against such mysterious and deadly beings are the `wych-hunters', such as Thaniel Fox and his mentor Cathaline Bennett. They live turbulent, dangerous and (more often than not) *short* lives as they hunt down and destroy the wyches, driven by a desire to rid their city of the supernatural infection that is slowly eradicating the world.

Thaniel is a seventeen year old wych-hunter, partnered to Cathaline since his father's death (who was also a hunter). Together the two scout London, finding new methods to destroy the wych-kin and keep the citizens safe, whilst remaining on the outskirts of society. It is on one such patrol of the city that Thaniel discovers an incoherent and dishevelled girl wandering about in her nightgown. Feverish and with no memory of how she came to be wandering the night-time streets, Thaniel takes her home in order to untangle the mystery. Who is this mysterious girl? What does the tattoo on her back signify? And does she have anything to do with the influx of wych-kin roaming the city? The intrigue and action doesn't let up for a single page as Wooding unravels the mystery, sustaining interest and excitement till the very last page.

His best effort is in the creation of a detailed and intoxicating atmosphere, a fully-realised world filled with asylums, secret cults, upperclass neighbourhoods, beggar's communities, prostitutes, churches and parliament houses. London isn't just haunted by wych-kin, there are wolves that stalk the back-streets and the enigmatic psychopath Stitch-face who is yet to be captured by the authorities. The dark and dense atmosphere of the story will remain long after the book is finished. As dangerous and unwelcoming as it is, you can't help but be sucked into it. This alternative-London is just as much a character as Thaniel and Alaizabel themselves, and Chapter Twenty in particular is a remarkable example of how strong Wooding's creation is: for this one chapter the main protagonists are completely absent, and instead Wooding centres on the inhabitants of London and their terrifying ordeals against the wych-kin. It's creepy, imaginative and (most importantly) *original* stuff.

Thaniel, Cathaline and Alaizabel are all likeable characters, though we never really get inside their heads. Though sympathetic, they are more like action-figures than three-dimension characters. However, if Wooding is short on characterisation, he more than makes up for it in action and ideas; setting, plot, pacing and atmosphere - it's all wonderfully *new* as opposed to another fantasy-rehash. Though not for the faint of heart (as it can get a little gruesome at times) "The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray" is a great read.

You won't want to put this book down!.......2006-10-11

The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray

A young witch-hunter, Thaniel Fox, is searching for witch kin that lurks in the depths of London that are over-throwing, and taking lives. So Thaniel and his mentor/friend, Cathline Bennet are on a journey to find out about and destroy the witch kin that have being terrorizing the people of London for 20 years since the bombing of the Prussians. When they find a girl, Alaizabel Cray, who is being possessed by a powerful, and dangerous spirit, their search is more intensified by her, and they find out maybe more than they need to know.
I really liked this book; it had plenty of mystery, and things that keep you wondering. I think it is a book for all ages and a story that you won't want to put down because of all of the action around every corner. I don't think that girls can't read it because I read it, and I think girls will love the action and the bit of romance in this "ghost-busting" novel by Chris Wooding.

The Haunting Of Alaizibel Cray.......2006-10-11

This book starts out kind of slow, but then progressively gets better and more intense. This has been one of the best book's i've read in a long time, im excitied to see if they come out with a sequel.

SUMMARY.

In the book, Haunting of Alaizibel Cray there are many twists and turns that take place. The book starts in `The Old Quarter',which is a place in London where many beasts and wych-kin are known to dwell. Wych-kin hunt humans and kill them with out thinking twice about it. Thaniel, a
seventeen year old boy, is one of the few who have mastered the art of being a Wych-Hunter, and keeping London citizens safe and alive. Thaniel's father was the one who taught him everything there is to know
of wych hunting, but he died when Thaniel was 13. Now Thaniel's main mentor and partner is his father's old partner, Cathaline. On a night when Thaniel is hunting he finds a girl not far from his own age. Her name is Alaizibel Cray, and her past is a hole of nothing that she can remember. As Thaniel and Alaizibel start discovering things from
her past, they find out an even bigger secret that London has been trying to keep hidden for too long. Its up to Thaniel, Cathaline, and Alaizibel to keep London and the people safe, by fighting one of the worst evil's even to be known.

This book keeps your wanting to see what happens next. This book is definatley for you if your a fan of suspense, mystery, action, and fantasy.

Rikki B.
hr.5

Average customer rating:

Dracula (Great Illustrated Classics)
Bram Stoker , and Jack Kelly
Manufacturer: Abdo Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 159679240X

The Literary Ghost: Great Contemporary Ghost Stories

Average customer rating:

Excellent introduction to the literary ghost story genre

The Literary Ghost: Great Contemporary Ghost Stories

Manufacturer: Atlantic Monthly Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0871134837

Amazon.com

"It takes a certain amount of daring for a literary writer to employ a device as powerful and obvious as a ghost, and a great deal of talent and self-assurance to pull it off. The fact that these stories are so different from one another and that no two ghosts in them are alike is a testament to the power of the individual imagination to appropriate established myths without assuming the associated clichés." So writes Larry Dark in the introduction to this anthology of expertly crafted ghost stories by such luminaries as Donald Barthelme, Paul Bowles, A. S. Byatt, Robertson Davies, M. F. K. Fisher, John Gardner, Nadine Gordimer, Graham Greene, Patrick McGrath, R. K. Narayan, Tim O'Brien, V. S. Pritchett, Anne Sexton, Isaac Bashevis Singer, and Fay Weldon.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent introduction to the literary ghost story genre.......2002-07-19

By "literary" I mean stories that are original instead of anecdotal. These stories are not campfire tales--not that there's anything wrong with that!--but readers who are used to "told-for-true" stories ought to explore the literary ghost story as a complement to the other type, not because it's good for you like oatmeal, but because it takes you to a whole new level of fun. And ghost stories ought always to be--in one way or another--fun. Think of the stories of Sheridan Le Fanu and M.R. James, those of the Victorian women writers like Cynthia Asquith, Amelia Edwards. THE GHOST STORIES OF EDITH WHARTON are among my personal favorites. Novella and novel-length stories such as Henry James' THE TURN OF THE SCREW, Shirley Jackson's THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE, and Peter Straub's GHOST STORY, fall into the category, "literary," although nothing beats the short ghost story for a quick trip into the Twilight Zone, which may be why collections of short ghost stories are becoming collectors items. Beyond being just plain fun to read, literary ghost stories are often character driven, and contain some psychological depth. They might make powerful feminist statements, as Kay Weldon does in "Angel, All Innocence," in this collection. Literary ghost stories can explore spiritual issues as does Isaac B. Singer's "A Crown of Feathers." Other great stories in THE LITERARY GHOST are Joyce Carol Oates' "The Others," Muriel Spark's classic and often-anthologized "The Portobello Road," and Graham Greene's creepy "A Little Place Off the Edgware Road." In the introduction to THE LITERARY GHOST, editor Larry Dark concludes that this kind of story, "at its best, ...can be immensely satisfying to our mortal souls and their yearning for completion."

Zack Files 01: My Great-grandpa's in the Litter Box (Zack Files)

Average customer rating:

Hilariously Funny
This opening book hooked my 7 year old on the series!
Zack Files Great-Grandpa's in the Litter Box
Get 'em reading right now
For ages 9-12? How about 4-90?

Zack Files 01: My Great-grandpa's in the Litter Box (Zack Files)
Dan Greenburg , and Jack E. Davis
Manufacturer: Grosset & Dunlap
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0448412608

Customer Reviews:

Hilariously Funny.......2007-10-08

I came across this book when I was tutoring a third grader in reading in the Cleveland Public Schools during 2004. I thought this book was hilarious and immediately wanted to read the whole book. The whole concept of finding a talking cat at the animal shelter was very appealing to me because I like cats. This has to be the funniest book I ever read and recommend it for adults who want a laugh as well as for kids of all ages. I took it as being a sort of satire on reincarnation. I am thankful to the third grader who introduced me to the Zack File series. I eagerly read other ones since, but this one is the BEST of All that I read.

This opening book hooked my 7 year old on the series!.......2005-06-17

I've been looking for a while for a nice long series of books that my 7 year old really liked. I wanted to read to him each night, and perhaps even tempt him to read to himself when I made myself too busy! He has an interest as many kids do in the supernatural, but I didn't want anything too extreme in this direction. The Zack Files are perfect! To start with, they are hilarious, especially for kids, but somewhat to me also. They are clearly written, fast moving, not lots of description, and have great plots. This first entry is about Zack adopting a cat that turns out to be a reincarnated relative of his. My son especially loved the fact that characters, including the cat, show up over and over in later books. You could probably jump into this series at any point, but I would start here---it's one of the strongest titles and a lot of fun to read!

Zack Files Great-Grandpa's in the Litter Box .......2005-04-14

The Zack Files:
Great Grandpa Julius Is in The Litter Box
A review by: Lauren Richardson age, 8

This book is about a boy named Zack. Zack goes to the shelter for a cat. He comes back with a talking cat that say's he's Zack's great-grandpa Julius. Great Grandpa Julius the talking cat told cat lies can Zack trust him?

If you like books that have people in their fictional lives, Zack Files are good books for you! I liked this book because I really like fiction.

I like the T.V. show too on HBO. I give it 10 stars

This is the first book and the greatest in the Zack Files series. My favorite part was the shelter. It was funny and easy to read.

I recommend this book to 2nd graders and up.

Get 'em reading right now.......2004-11-09

For three years, I've tried to interest my now eight-year-old in reading. This series is the first he has wanted to read. He finishes one Zack Files story and immediately wants the next book. The children in his class at school are asking my son to donate the books so that they can read the series too. The titles are catchy -- pulling the children into reading!

In this story, Zack starts out to adopt a kitten and ends up with a very, very old cat. The author introduces the word reincarnation and repeats it throughout the story, so that the child can learn a new concept and understand it. New words are cleverly defined. Ah! A talking cat, imagine that, but read to find out what the cat has at the bank... This story includes the words cigar and schnapps, which may be for the adult reader and ignored by children.

These books are perfect for book reports because the action is fast, funny and happens in each chapter. The books are illustrated, short (50-60 pages) and complicated enough so that they hold adult interest. Read them too, so you can talk with your child after they read them silently. Dan Greenburg has a wonderful imagination, so you never know what Zack will do next. Also, the author doesn't use a lot of extra words, so the books are true page turners.

Zack's parents are divorced. It isn't discussed, but presented as a fact. You don't have to read these books in order, but you should encourage it because after your child works their way through these stories they will have read 26+ books. What an accomplishment! Our local elementary school rates this series 2.2 - 3.0 grade reading level.

For ages 9-12? How about 4-90?.......2004-07-13

I have a little trouble with the idea that the reading level is 9-12. I really enjoy it still and I'm 50. I read it aloud to my dad and he's over 80...

Book Description

Most of us love a good ghost story, but for the staff of Britain's National Trust, the job is sometimes a matter of balancing the normal with the paranormal!

The houses and castles of Britain's National Trust are teeming with ghost stories—eyewitness accounts of the spirits of former owners, staff, even pets haunting their former homes. Elizabeth, Duchess of Lauderdale is said to wander solemnly through Ham House in Surrey, sometimes accompanied by the ghost of her beloved spaniel. Anne Boleyn is reported to travel to Norfolk's Blickling Hall in a coach driven by a headless horseman—and carrying her own head in her lap. The ruins of many historic houses and castles are similarly alive with ghoulish tales. In Ghosts, cultural historian Siân Evans interviews those who work and live in these National Trust houses. She also traces the origins of the myths and legends long associated with these haunted homes—comparing them with contemporary accounts to yield! some very chilling results.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful book.......2007-01-24

This is a great book to read on stormy nights. The pics are wonderful, and the stories are interesting. I gave it 4 out of 5 as I wish it had even more!

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