Raising The Past

Book Description

FROM THE ICE. . . A mammoth, flash frozen in solid ice 10,000 years ago is brought to the surface by a team of scientists. An act of sabotage frees the giant from its icy tomb and reveals the secret held inside. OUT OF THE MAMMOTH. . . The body of an ancient woman, cloaked in furs, slides out of the mammoth's belly. But it is not the woman that holds the team's attention...it is the object she is clutching...a device created by an advanced civilization. THE HUNT IS ON. . . The device is accidentally activated, summoning forces who seek its destruction. It is the key to mankind's salvation and freedom from the men behind the curtain, pulling the strings and leading humanity towards destruction.

Customer Reviews:

I had such high hopes ..........2007-10-10

I love the authors who recommended this book, so I was so excited when I got it, but I have to agree with some of the other reviewers: the grammar was so awful, it was distracting. The book itself could have used a strong hand in editing it. The plot was thin, the dialogue was unrealistic and stilted, and the characters were flat. I was intrigued by the thought of the mammoth and the excavation, but that was hardly a part of the book. For those looking for fascinating creatures and ancient or scientific discoveries, try Steve Alten or James Rollins. This books reads like a high schooler's screenplay, light on the plot and without realistic dialogue. I saw this author has another book out, and I love the cover, but after recalling this one, I can't in good faith make the purchase.

Nice idea, writing improvement needed.......2007-09-23

While I liked the core idea of this book, that two extra-galactic civilizations are opposing one another to destroy/save worlds, some of the details are inconsistent. Also the writing doesn't do a great job of making the characters realistic and wanders off into "B" movie kind of dialogue, plus they also overreact, one moment they are lucid and even giving orders and then next they are whimpering in fear somewhere, then they snap back to reality. An easy, okay read for the beach for sci-fi fans but not for my "best books" list.

Addicted to Arctic Adventures! Especially this one........2007-08-21

Raising the Past....This book is fantastic! I recommend it to anyone. A fun read with finely tuned details of the arctic and it's conditions. I didn't want the suspence that was killing me to end. Each one of the characters has a vitality all their own. This is a story that makes you think, and crave for a sequel. And hopefully there's a movie in the making! I'm glad I found this book. With the wonderful endorsements made by author James Rollins saying how great this book is...and he's right!
Can't wait for my copy of Antarktos Rising to arrive in the mail. I've found another favorite author!

What Happen's Next.......2007-08-20

Great read. I feel as if I have made a trip to the Artic, even though it has been 90 degrees in my geographical location. I can't believe how authors can come up with such diverse plots and situations. Raising the Past was so good that I couldn't put it down. Thank heavens I have a DVR cause I didn't even turn on the television until I finished it.

Some may complain about grammar and words that were misspelled. But it didn't detract from me being in the Artic, waiting for the next shoe to fall. Write another book, Mr. Robinson. I like your style !!

Mammoth Adventure!.......2007-07-07

The story begins ten thousand years ago, when a canny cavewoman is visited by strangers from another world. She accepts the object they give her, yet at the end of her life she fails to use it as they instructed. Next thing you know, her frozen remains are unwittingly discovered by a modern-day excavation team in search of the woolly mammoth. Tried and tested archaeologists are rocketed into a fight for their lives and ultimately for the whole planet.

Twists and turns of truly "mammoth" proportions follow. The action rarely eases, and new dangers heap up around every corner. The reader is fleeing along with the team, and learns the truth step by shocking step until finally the entirety of the deception is revealed. Nothing is as it seems to be. What if the idea of angels and demons really did come from opposing alien factions, warring for control of the Earth - one race said to be evil and another claiming to be good?

This is a good exercise in mind-expansion, for sure. It's mainstream fiction, although you will also find spiritual aspects - chiefly the significance of free will in the value of human society. Vast quantities of blood and gore, fights to the death, and impossible chase scenes with larger-than-life alien species make this a nail-biting thriller from beginning to end - though not necessarily to be recommended for a weak constitution. It reminded me vaguely of Jurassic Park at times, in a different setting and with different monsters.

"Raising the Past" makes a terrific cross-over effort, in two directions at once. It's ideal to draw an average reader into the science fiction scene, and may also serve as an effective introduction for someone unfamiliar with spiritual genres. It's this mix that brings you to the unique conclusion, amazingly managing to leave the world unshattered at the end. I view it as a considerable bridge-building contribution and an enrichment to the genre scene.

Average customer rating:

Great Story Of Batman In His Early Career
Not bad, but not the best
Action packed character study. The best of both worlds
Forgettable Retro Batman Story
Trite, pointless Batman - Wagner can do better

Batman and the Monster Men
Matt Wagner
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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

Horror | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Superheroes | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Batman | Characters | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

DC Comics | Publishers | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Batman | Media | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Batman and the Mad Monk
Batman: Face the Face
Batman: Detective
Infinite Crisis (DC Comics)
Batman: Snow

ASIN: 1401210910

Customer Reviews:

Great Story Of Batman In His Early Career.......2007-05-02

I loved it. It was a great story which reflected my ideal depiction of Batman, not only as one who is dedicated to fighting human crime and battling his infamous Rogue's Gallery of Supervillians, but a detective who ends up tangling with supernatural or preternatural forces as well. It harkens back to the Batman comic's early days, where he dealt with such villians as the Monster Men and others regularly. I have always been a fan of the stories in which Batman battles the Supernatural, as much as the tales in which he fights so called "normal" criminals, as these tales fully realize the Gothic atmoshpere of the entire series. These stories force Batman, who despite his fearsome costume (which he chose to induce terror in superstitious criminals),and by nature who is a man of logic and science, to confront and accept the reality of things that are beyond his realm of understanding.

BluesDruid

Not bad, but not the best.......2007-01-04

"Batman and the Monster Men" isn't bad. In fact, it's probably pretty good if you enjoy seeing the Dark Knight going against super-powerful adversaries. Personally, I prefer to have him go up against clever but non-super foes such as Joker, Penguin or a criminal scientist, or even a villain with offbeat and somewhat limited powers such as Bane or Matt Hagen's version of Clayface. I'm a longtime Batman fan, so I can enjoy just about anything featuring him; but I've read better, and probably won't re-read this one too often.

Action packed character study. The best of both worlds.......2006-12-29

Batman and the Monster Men takes place roughly one year into Batman's career. It's a retro story placing an older storyline into current continuity and has Batman dealing with the mafia as usual, but for the first time faces a much greater challenge he's never dealt with before.

At this point in his career, Batman believes he is on the brink of putting an end to organized crime in Gotham once he puts an end to the much talked about, but never seen, Carmine Falcone's operations. In addition to the Dark Knight, our main cast of characters includes Professor Hugo Strange, Sal Maroni, Jim Gordon, Julie Madison (Bruce Wayne's love interest), and her father Norman Madison.

What initially brought this novel to my attention was Matt Wagner. I had read Trinity and enjoyed his thoughtful insights on the characters as well as his beautiful artwork. Some have criticized Wagner's illustrations as being too simple, but he captures the characters' facial expressions and mood so vividly, you don't even need to read the text to know what they're thinking about. And speaking of dialogue, the characters have some great lines in addition to solid character development through their inner thoughts. Typically, I'm used to just reading stories told from one character's perspective, but in Monster Men, we get to know each of the previous characters listed personally through their thoughts, which was a unique way of narrating. There were a few times in Trinity where I wasn't sure if Wagner quite had Batman's character down, but here he nails his personality exactly how he should be portrayed. Dark, moody, secretive and most importantly, determined.

I won't give away too much of the main plot, but basically going into this, expect things to get mysterious and action packed about halfway through. Once the action starts, it doesn't slow down. I must say, this is one of the more violent Batman stories I've read in a while, up there with DKR. Let's just say the monster men have a taste for human flesh. It was also nice to be able to see Sal Maroni in a starring villain role, considering he is later notorious for creating Two-Face, but I never really knew much about his past up until now.

If this novel has any faults they're minor. Bruce's girlfriend, Julie, wasn't the most fascinating love interest he's ever had. At times she seemed like she wasn't very necessary to the overall plot and was only used when it was convenient. She often would talk playfully in legal terms just to remind us she was a going through law school and that got a bit irritating after awhile, but I wouldn't have necessarily written her out. Her father Norman plays a more important role and goes through the most character development out of any other. I would have liked to see Gordon used a little bit more, but this wasn't his story, and the times he is focused on are well written. I always enjoy reading stories of Batman and Gordon early in their careers and their controversial "partnership" taking form.

Wagner also remembers the little details, such as the creation of the bat-mobile and Alfred's suggestion to put fins on it to make it more bat-like. Putting Vicky Vale's name on the newspaper article featuring the Red Hood on the first page. Setting up Maroni's vendetta against Harvey Dent. The line after Gordon asks "Are you joking?" to which Batman responds, "I'm no joker". It's the small stuff that makes it feel that much more like a Batman novel and not just a generic story you could stick any other random DC hero in and have it feel the same. It's always a pleasure reading something like this when you can sense the author truly gets it and makes it his own. Don't pass this one up.

Forgettable Retro Batman Story.......2006-10-24

If you haven't checked out Batman Chronicles do yourself a favor and pick it up. It's the first dozen or so Batman stories and it's quite an eye opener for Batman fans. `The' Batman, as he was originally called, fought villains who were much more fantasy and supernatural than his later rouges gallery of gangsters and psychopaths. The stories also contained a darker, more gothic feel to them including Batman's church spire bat ears. It was from these early stories that Matt Wagner drew inspiration. The first story he borrowed from was a July 1939 tale featuring a one appearance villain named Doctor Death. He didn't use the Doctor but he did pinch his Indian henchmen, Jabah. The other was a story from spring 1940 entitled `Professor Hugo Strange and the Monsters'. In that story Strange would inject normal men with a serum that would transform them, after a time, into massive, brutish monsters. Professor Strange manages to inject Batman in the original story forcing him to come up with a cure before becoming a Monster Man himself. Finally, the story is inspired by The Long Halloween which featured the decline of the traditional gangster in Gotham City as the supervillains took over. In Batman and the Monster Men it's Hugo Strange vs. Sal Maroni.

I generally enjoy the Batman retro stories but this one didn't do much for me. The art is a bit primitive but appropriate for this kind of story. There just wasn't anything particularly memorable. The two main threads of the story included a romance for Bruce Wayne (for the millionth time) and the war between Professor Strange and the mob. Between this story and The Long Halloween it would seem that there couldn't possibly be any gangsters left alive in Gotham City. In fact both stories are conspicuous in that the gang leaders seem shockingly calm as there ranks are cut down like wheat. Since this story precedes The Long Halloween chronologically Sal Maroni has yet to toss acid into the face of DA Harvey Dent and certainly before Calendar put a bullet in his head so we know that Hugo Strange can't possibly kill Maroni. In the end Batman and the Monster Men is much better in concept than it is in execution. In a few months I'll probably forget I even read it. If you want Batman retro go with Batman Year One or better yet grab the Batman Chronicles and get the real deal.

Trite, pointless Batman - Wagner can do better.......2006-10-18

Make no mistake, I am a huge Batman fan and a Matt Wagner fan to boot. Wagner did great work on Grendel, Mage, and even did great work with Batman in Faces, Trinity and Batman/Grendel I & II. But, this is trite. The story has Batman doing the typical heroic stuff we've seen in countless stories by now, hiding his identity from his current flame, having Alfred cover for him, fighting the bad guys and coming up with an impossible escape.

The story is basic, the bad guy is predicitable, to the point of using Batman's DNA as a template for creation of the super-monster as well.

While others may disagree, there is nothing here that is new, inventive or truly original. When compared to other great Batman stories (Arkham, Dark Knight, Year One, etc.) this story is mediocre.

Wagner has proved he can do better, read any of the stories I listed above instead.

The Men Who Made the Monsters (Twayne's Filmmakers Series)

Average customer rating:

Excellent for Special Effects/Hammer Fans
Great Book on Special Effects Pioneers

The Men Who Made the Monsters (Twayne's Filmmakers Series)
Paul M. Jensen
Manufacturer: Twayne Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Direction & Production | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

History & Criticism | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Genre Films | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Mario Bava Collection, Volume 1 (Black Sunday / Black Sabbath / The Girl Who Knew Too Much / Kill Baby Kill / Knives of the Avenger)

ASIN: 0805793380

Customer Reviews:

Excellent for Special Effects/Hammer Fans.......2006-06-12

This book is well written and researched. It covers five horror film creators: James Whale, Willis O'Brien, Ray Harryhausen, Terrence Fisher and Freddie Francis.

The Whale section is good but covers ground that is equally covered from other sources.

The O'Brien and Harryhausen chapters are possibly the best available sources on the two greatest SPX artists.

The Fisher and Francis sections provide good coverage of these Britsh horror directors. The Freddie Francis chapter is the best source I've read for his wildly uneven career and his IMHO greatly superior to the Wheeler Dixon book on Francis.

Great Book on Special Effects Pioneers.......1998-12-08

There is no better biography of Willis O'Brien the man who brought dinosaurs to life and of his protege Ray Harryhausen who made more dinos move and was largely responsible for the original Mighty Joe Young. In addition, there are fine pieces on James Whale, Terence Fisher, and Freddie Francis who invented and re-invented the modern gothic horror film.

Three Men Seeking Monsters: Six Weeks in Pursuit of Werewolves, Lake Monsters, Giant Cats, Ghostly Devil Dogs, and Ape-Men

Average customer rating:

You cannot say it's not entertaining
Scooby Doo-ish activities
A fun book
A Rollicking Good Time For All
Great read for adolescents... not so good for adults...

Three Men Seeking Monsters: Six Weeks in Pursuit of Werewolves, Lake Monsters, Giant Cats, Ghostly Devil Dogs, and Ape-Men
Nick Redfern
Manufacturer: Paraview Pocket Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Curiosities & Wonders | Fun Facts | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Occultism | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Supernatural | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Unexplained Mysteries | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Exploring the Darker Side of America... Strange Highways: A guidebook to American mysteries & The Unexplained
The Beast of Bray Road: Tailing Wisconsin's Werewolf
Hunting the American Werewolf
Mothman and Other Curious Encounters
Strange Secrets: Real Government Files on the Unknown

ASIN: 0743482549

Book Description

They sought out the strange.
They investigated the inexplicable.

They had one hell of a hangover.

On an odyssey of oddities that would take them all to the very limits of their imagination (and inebriation), bestselling author Nick Redfern teamed up with professional monster-hunters Jonathan Downes and Richard Freeman. For six weeks in the summer of 2001, the intrepid-yet-hard-partying trio rampaged across the remote wilds of Great Britain in hot pursuit of werewolves, lake monsters, giant cats, ghostly devil dogs, and ape-men. Their adventures led them deep into ancient forests, into the dark corridors of a mansion hiding a wild man, and to the shores of the legendary Loch Ness -- along the way encountering all manner of curious characters, including witches, government agents, and eyewitnesses who claim to have seen monsters firsthand. And only at journey's end did the hard questions posed at the start of their quest begin to reveal some mind-bending answers. That monsters truly do exist in our world. And that we are responsible for their existence!

Whether you're seeking a glimpse into the bizarre reaches of reality, or just looking for a good time, Three Men Seeking Monsters is a uniquely gonzo trek with a trio of adventurers who pushed themselves to the edge -- and went right over it.

Download Description

"They sought out the strange. They investigated the inexplicable. They had one hell of a hangover. On an odyssey of oddities that would take them all to the very limits of their imagination (and inebriation), bestselling author Nick Redfern teamed up with professional monster-hunters Jonathan Downes and Richard Freeman. For six weeks in the summer of 2001, the intrepid-yet-hard-partying trio rampaged across the remote wilds of Great Britain in hot pursuit of werewolves, lake monsters, giant cats, ghostly devil dogs, and ape-men. Their adventures led them deep into ancient forests, into the dark corridors of a mansion hiding a wild man, and to the shores of the legendary Loch Ness -- along the way encountering all manner of curious characters, including witches, government agents, and eyewitnesses who claim to have seen monsters firsthand. And only at journey's end did the hard questions posed at the start of their quest begin to reveal some mind-bending answers. That monsters truly do exist in our world. And that we are responsible for their existence! Whether you're seeking a glimpse into the bizarre reaches of reality, or just looking for a good time, Three Men Seeking Monsters is a uniquely gonzo trek with a trio of adventurers who pushed themselves to the edge -- and went right over it. "

Customer Reviews:

You cannot say it's not entertaining.......2006-10-14

During the summer of 2001, Nick Redfern, a British ufologist and author, went on a six-week adventure together with his two friends Jonathan Downes and Richard Freeman from The Centre for Fortean Zoology, a British cryptozoological organization. Redfern was in the middle of moving to America, but his friends weren't going to allow him to leave without a last great adventure together. Initially they "only" planned on investigating a creature known as The Man Monkey of Ranton, but it soon became apparent that the British Isles hade many more mysteries for the adventurous trio. Accompanied by various punk rock and enormous quantities of beer the three companions traveled the countryside in a car they named The Mystery Machine and interviewed all sorts of people, ending up in one bizarre situation after the other.

After having had a strange encounter with a witch, spent a night in a mysterious mansion, searched for werewolves, monkey men, the Loch Ness monster, devil dogs, giant cats, and so on, something becomes clear to them. Is it possible that some, perhaps all, of those strange beings that are seen from time to time all over world have some sort of paranormal origin? Instead of being "normal" physical beings, is it possible that they're in fact psychic manifestations, who feed on emotional reactions of human beings and come from an alternative or parallel dimension? Perhaps. Perhaps not.

Hmm... does this sound a little too out there for you? Well, don't worry. This book is highly entertaining, nonetheless.

Because, even though the trio end up in bizarre situations and discuss freaky ideas, the level of discussion still remains both sober (except for the beer...) and reasonable. Each chapter begins with lyrics from a song by the Ramones and the dialogue is filled with great humor. It might not be the most scholarly book in the world, but it sure is entertaining.

So I'm really glad I got the chance to read it.

Scooby Doo-ish activities.......2005-10-27

This book is like sneaking into a graveyard at night, you find that, yes it is spooky, but nothing much exciting really occurs. I found the book to lack any revelation other than some tall tales I hadn't heard before, which Redfern seems to leave with the reader as the reward for buying his book. It's a light read and more about his two buddies hanging out with him drinking than any serious adventure. This would of been the type of adventure you probably would of liked to have had in college, so it's not unentertaining...but I would not see this as a must buy unless you feel Nick needs the donation.

A fun book.......2005-05-02

Whether you believe in monsters or not this is a very enjoyable book to read. I happen to like the Hunter S.Thompson school of writing and this book was a little gem.

A Rollicking Good Time For All.......2004-09-27

Mr. Redfern and his merrie band of British fortean eccentrics takes us on a journey the likes of which we have not seen since the days of Dr. Johnson sojourning to the north or the askew tales of Laurence Sterne. These blokes are the kind that you'd like to know for serious drinking and tale telling round a fireplace. Yet their historical research is sound, students of local fortean folklore will note. I find the tulpa theory neither "tired" nor overworked in throwing light on incidents of the unexplained. What Mr. Redfern & company do is synthesize the "passport to magonia' ideas of Jacque Vallee with the trickster/metamind theories of John Keel along with their own experiences while on this madcap road trip. The tulpa idea has merit and is worthy of further exploration. The cast of characters encountered in this work range from the frighteningly memorable to the freakish and pathetic. On the whole this is not a scholarly exploration of the paranormal, but if you're as weary as I am of anal retentive pontification or blind belief as with most paranormal books today, this is refreshing & fun.

Great read for adolescents... not so good for adults..........2004-08-01

A childhood friend bought this book for me purely out of nostalgia and I grudgingly read it over the course of a weekend.
As a kid, I really enjoyed reading monster and UFO books. Tales of Bigfoot and Yeti fascinated me. As I got older these sorts of books fell out of style with me, mainly because by the time I entered High School I had gained a fairly good grasp on the scientific process and skepticism.

Looking back I realize that my youthful fascination with this type of literature had more to do with an over all fascination with Science Fiction and Fantasy. I consider these books to be ?reality fantasy? ? completely unverifiable, yet spooky stories best to be read for the fun of it and not to be taken seriously.

The book puts forth the tired Tupla theory, which is that strange creatures and UFOs are not physical but rather are thought projections. As the book tells it, there is a realm of immaterial sprits all around us who somehow feed off our emotions by visual manifesting themselves as Aliens, Werewolves and Wild Men. It?s very contrived to say the least and ultimately causes the book to fail. Not once throughout the book does the author mention mental illness, hallucinogenic drugs or other more down to earth causes for some of the phenomena he recounts, although he does mention that some eye witnesses may have been influenced by works of fiction and over obsessive imaginations. Still, the author cannot escape painting himself into a corner of discredit due to a simple lack of believability.

What I enjoyed most about this book were the exact things I enjoyed about other Fortean style literature as a child: the chilling second hand accounts of strange sightings and events. Sadly, this book is only partly about historical accounts of Wild Men and Unexplained Big Cats. The majority of the book is an amateurish attempt at recounting drunken (and possibly drug induced) misadventures of a trio of English misfits.

At times, the book is very bloated as the author meanders off subject to relate a nightmare or other experience he or someone he knew had. Overall, the book could probably be cut to half the size and made infinitely more readable. I?ve personally read better self published works before and I?m led to wonder if the editor was asleep at the wheel on this one, or perhaps thought the readership wouldn?t be expecting too much anyway.

I give the book two stars instead of one because I think that young readers ? perhaps middle school age ? would enjoy it. Over all, the book isn?t too poorly written, although the author?s habit of starting each chapter off with a lyric from a Ramones song grew old quickly and flags him as having poor style.

Monsters of Death Row: America's Dead Men and Women Walking (True Crime Series)

Average customer rating:

Monsters of Death Row

Monsters of Death Row: America's Dead Men and Women Walking (True Crime Series)
Christopher Berry-Dee , and Tony Brown
Manufacturer: Virgin True Crime
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Criminology | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Penology | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Murder & Mayhem | True Accounts | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

True Crime | True Accounts | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Witch: The True Story of Las Vegas' Most Notorious Female Killer (Berkley True Crime)
Such Good Boys: The True Story of a Mother, Two Sons and a Horrifying Murder
Suffer The Little Children (True Crime)
Waiting to Die: Life on Death Row
Welcome to Hell: Letters & Writings from Death Row (Criminal Justice)

ASIN: 0753507226

Book Description

From the cells of Death Row come the chilling, true-life accounts of the most heinous, cruel and depraved killers of modern times. At the time of writing, there are 3,702 inmates on Death Row across the USA, many of who have caused their victims to consciously suffer agonising physical pain and tortuous mental anguish before death. These are not normal human beings; they have carried out serial murder, mass-murder, spree killing, necrophilia, and dismemberment of bodies - both dead and alive. In these pages are to be found fiends who have stabbed, hacked, set fire to, and even filleted their victims. So meet the ‘dead men and women walking’ in the most terrifying true crime read ever.

Customer Reviews:

Monsters of Death Row.......2007-01-03

it was okay but very monotonous. The author said the same thing over and over again just filled in different names each chapter

Average customer rating:

The Maryland Bigfoot Digest
Mark Opsasnick
Manufacturer: Xlibris Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Curiosities & Wonders | Fun Facts | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Monsters | Obsessions | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Bigfoot Casebook updated: Sightings And Encounters from 1818 to 2004

ASIN: 1413467768

Book Description

THE MARYLAND BIGFOOT DIGEST is a comprehensive survey of creature sightings in the Free State. In this offering of extensive research, author Mark Opsasnick describes his indoctrination into the world of monsters, offers detailed coverage of such legendary beasts as the Sykesville Monster, the Harewood Park Monster, and the Harford County Bigfoot, and rounds out his work with an impressive roster of 300 alleged sightings of Bigfoot-type creatures in his home state of Maryland. Whether you

Of Men and Monsters: Jeffrey Dahmer and the Construction of the Serial Killer

Average customer rating:

Consistently Brilliant
Reading Maps is Easier!
Complete nonsense

Of Men and Monsters: Jeffrey Dahmer and the Construction of the Serial Killer
Richard Tithecott
Manufacturer: University of Wisconsin Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Criminology | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

The Jeffrey Dahmer Story: An American Nightmare (St. Martin's True Crime Library)
Massacre in Milwaukee: The Macabre Case of Jeffrey Dahmer
A Father's Story
Step into My Parlor: The Chilling Story of Serial Killer Jeffrey Dahmer
Serial Killers: Death and Life in America's Wound Culture

ASIN: 0299156842

Amazon.com

"This is a book, not about what makes the serial killer tick, but about those of us--all of us--who have wound the clock and need to keep it running." These words by historian James Kincaid, in the foreword to Of Men and Monsters, introduce the idea, explored in depth by author Richard Tithecott, that we construct the phenomenon of serial killing. We also construct ourselves, he says, as audience to that spectacle. The killer himself responds to that audience, in a classic loop of the observer affecting the observed. It is a postmodern view, of course, to say that society, and its designated representatives such as FBI serial-killer experts, actually collude in the actions of a "monster" like Jeffrey Dahmer. Tithecott draws on the ideas of French philosopher Michel Foucault to explain and illustrate this view, using prose that is heavy going in places, but still quite readable.

Another important contribution to the cultural study of violence is Mark Seltzer's Serial Killers: Death and Life in America's Wound Culture.

Book Description

Cultural Studies / American Studies "Tithecott takes aim at the unsettling disparity of attention between murderer and murdered."-Chris Bull, Washington Post

Of Men and Monsters examines the serial killer as an American cultural icon, one that both attracts and repels. Richard Tithecott suggests that the stories we tell and the images we conjure of serial killers-real and fictional-reveal as much about mainstream culture and its values, desires, and anxieties as they do about the killers themselves.

"In this post-modern reading, Jeffrey Dahmer is not a page in the history of true crime but a Monster who serves many rhetorical and cultural functions."- Philip Jenkins, Penn State University, author of Using Murder: The Social Construction of Serial Homicide

"Brilliantly compelling. Tithecott challenges us to investigate our simultaneous distancing from and fascination with serial murder."-Maria Tatar, Harvard University, author of Lustmord: Sexual Murder in Weimar Germany

Of Men and Monsters explores the serial killer as an American cultural icon. Looking at how Jeffrey Dahmer's story was told-on Geraldo Rivera's talk show, in People Weekly pictorials and CNN specials, in Washington Post editorials-and at other examples of serial killers, real and fictional, Jeffrey Tithecott argues that the serial killer we construct for ourselves is a figure both repulsive and attractive who fulfills dreams of masculinity, purity, and violence.

Customer Reviews:

Consistently Brilliant.......2001-03-10

This is the finest book on the subject, addressing not what serial killers ARE but why we make them the way they are, how they function for us, and why we need them. The prose is witty, direct, and precise; the argument is more chilling than any horror story.

Reading Maps is Easier!.......2000-05-07

I found this to be a good book, given the relatively difficult topic, very informative (another person's (Richard's in this case) is always usefully anyhow; however, this is the most hardest of reading material that I have ever come across. ADVICE: One Korean Gingseng and no alcohol before opening Richard's Book.

Complete nonsense.......1999-09-22

Typical of postmodern "theory," the writing is needlessly complex, which, also typical of postmodernists, hides the fact that the author is substantively ignorant of the topic and has no insight to offer. If you can sort through the jargon, this book basically argues that serial murders would not happen if we just ignored the killers, because they are part of a "discursive" loop, in which the killers are a sort of performer who kill to please their audience, which is the public. The author is oblivious to work done in psychology, criminology, sociology, and FBI investigations. Overall, the book is a flight from reality, which would be humorous if the topic were not so serious.

Men, Makeup & Monsters: Hollywood's Masters of Illusion and FX

Average customer rating:

This is a great history of makeup effects.

Men, Makeup & Monsters: Hollywood's Masters of Illusion and FX
Anthony Timpone
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Cinematography | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Special Effects Make-Up
Making Faces, Playing God: Identity and the Art of Transformational Makeup
Special Make-Up Effects
The Monster Makers Mask Makers Handbook
Stage Makeup: The Actor's Complete Guide to Today's Techniques and Materials

ASIN: 0312146787

Amazon.com

For as long as they've been in existence, horror and sci-fi movies have relied on special effects and makeup to make the unreal seem real. In Men, Makeup, and Monsters: Hollywood's Masters of Illusion and FX, Fangoria editor Anthony Timpone presents profiles a dozen of today's most brilliant practitioners of the art and science of effects. Artists such as Stan Winston, Rick Baker, and Dick Smith have made everything from aliens to dinosaurs to zombies come alive on the screen, employing a staggering variety of techniques. In their conversations with Timpone, Winston and company explain how they accomplished dozens of their most notable effects, which involve the use of makeup, appliances, puppetry, robotics, CGI, animatronics, and more. Abundant photos (including a color section) show both finished products and works in progress.

Men, Makeup, and Monsters is aimed not just at curious movie fans, but also at prospective practitioners of the trade. Timpone's introduction includes straightforward explanations of basic industry terminology and procedures, and gives a realistic picture of what it takes to break into this increasingly competitive business. Appendices include a glossary and a directory of makeup schools.

Movie fans who routinely leave the theater asking, "How did they do that?" will find this detailed look behind the illusions absorbing, and will come away with as much admiration for the artists as for the effects they create. --Mary V. Burke

Book Description

Cinema is illusion, and in this book you'll find profiles of twelve masters of screen magic, the best you can find in Hollywood, including:Dick Smith, a living legend whose work has graced The Godfather, The Hunger, and many other filmsStan Winston, the man behind Terminator 2 and AliensTom Savini, whose work for George A. Romero's "Living Dead" movies made him a leader in the milieu of splatter effectsRick Baker, whose apes have conquered the screen in Greystoke, Congo, and Gorillas in the MistThese masters and eight other specialists-including today's hottest talents, such as Bob (Hellraiser), Keen, Kevin (Child's Play) Yagher, and Tony (Addams Family Values) Gardner-offer details looks at the art and craft of movie makeup.From foam latex to complicated puppetry, it's all here in this essential handbook. With many rare and illuminating photos-including eight pages in color-this book is invaluable for anyone interested in learning the craft of movie makeup and fascinating reading for anyone who ever wondered, How did they do that?

Customer Reviews:

This is a great history of makeup effects........1996-10-25

This book gives a history of makeup effects through biographies of the biggest contributors to the field. Whether you are looking for a career in the industry, or just want to know how movie effects are created, this is a great resource

Average customer rating:

Compared to JAWS but similar to THE DEEP
What's not to like
Almost A Great Read...
Adolescent Fantasy
The perfect adventure book!

Dark Gold
David Angsten
Manufacturer: Thomas Dunne Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Men's Adventure | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Action & Adventure | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Warrener's Beastie: A Novel of the Deep
NATURAL SELECTION
The Ruins
The Terror: A Novel
Deep Storm: A Novel

ASIN: 0312343736
Release Date: 2006-06-27

Book Description

Jack Duran embarks on a mission to Mexico in search of his incommunicado brother, Danwith his college buddies Rock and Duff in tow. Following a trail of shady dealings, they soon discover that Dan was searching for an ancient shipwreck laden with goldand the race to recover the treasure begins. Blinded by the prospect of ancient gold, they begin diving towards the shipwreck. Only, one by one, the divers begin to disappear. Tension mounts when Jack witnesses a mysterious, and ghastly, sea creature who seems to be guarding the wreckel Diablo Blancoa deadly local legend of mythic proportion. A fast-paced, high adventure thriller reminiscent of The Deep and The Beach, Dark Gold is an exciting tale of ancient gold, a deadly local legend, and a mythic creature who threatens everyones survival.

Customer Reviews:

Compared to JAWS but similar to THE DEEP.......2007-09-09

One of two manta ray thrillers this summer (NATURAL SELECTION by Freedman is the other). A wandering son disappears for a while and the mother sends her other son to find him. The trail leads to Mexico as the second son and two friends spend their time getting drunk and stoned while asking around for the target of their search. The search for the brother becomes a search for the treasure he had been looking for.

The book becomes a treasure hunt that resembles THE DEEP (just replace the barracuda with an eel). Strange religions, pirates, drug dealers, bathing beauties, the lure of gold, and the manta ray from the cover combine into a strange story that travels a lot without really getting anywhere.

Jack Duran, our main character is unbelievable at best. His narrative vocabulary rivals an English professor's and bears no resemblance to his speaking vocabulary. Jack is also always pursuing "the bright side of things" through alcohol and drugs. Jack is also injured constantly; taking more damage than a cartoon coyote. Bleeding profusely in shark-infested waters never brings a shark. The later part of the book seems to pick up as new threads are revealed but they never go anywhere (what's the deal with the watch?). There were some interesting parts to the book but overall it was very slow to get started and never went very fast. If you are looking for a good thriller, you will have to look elsewhere.

What's not to like.......2007-08-11

A giant killer sea creature, sex, cool action, hidden treasure- what's not to like. A killer read, well written, can't wait for the next one.

Almost A Great Read..........2007-02-17

You know, superficially the plot of Dark God rather had the same feel and flavor of a book I read last year...The Ruins...the main difference being that Dark Gold takes place mainly on a boat/in the ocean and not on land. It's got buddies out just out of college (Jack, Duff, and Rock), initially looking for a good time, but when Jack Duran's wayward brother appears to be missing while traveling through South America, these buddies pleasure trip turns into a search and rescue mission. Along the way, they hook up with Bellocheque, a Bahamian business man (and owner of the Obi-Man, a wonderfully luxurious yacht) and his two hottie sidekicks, Eva and Candy. What initially starts out as an adventure to find the missing brother (decided on the toss of a coin) turns into a hunt for missing gold, complete with sea monster and Lovecraftian creepy, xenophobic, isolated village. Dark Gold offers up a lot of plot twists, backstabbing, treachery, deception, and even some traditional Mexican bad guys out to steal the treasure...lets face it this is a summer beach read wanna-be that mixes equal parts historical mystery, horror novel and travelogue, then throws in a dash of romance and just a tiny smidge of thriller and mixes well with the murky water of the deep and ALMOST makes it to a memorable page turner.

Overall there was a LOT of build up for not a lot of pay off in this largely predictable novel. I give it three stars, it's entertaining, but not as "page-turning," on the edge of your seat thrilling as I think the author was striving for...it never got up to sizzle for me, it was just too slow moving with the attempts to build suspense and terror and it never quite got there. Additionally the characters were never really developed to their full potential, Rock and Duff were pretty much interchangeable, as were Candy and Eva, there wasn't a whole lot to distinguish and with the female characters, next to NO detail was given about them and other than being competent help (serving food, cleaning up, and doing Bellocheque's bidding) and eye candy, they weren't compelling or sympathetic. There wasn't a character I identified with or felt really deserved to make it through at the end of the book. Jack, Dan (the missing brother) and Bellocheque where the only characters given any decent amount of background...but the attempts to draw out suspense and mystery for Bellocheque ultimately made him a stereotype, cookie cutter character like the rest. In the end, it was an ok read, but I'm glad I got this from the library as I'd be upset if I'd paid hardback prices for a novel that was mildly entertaining at best, there was a lot of potential with all of the elements Angsten laid out, unfortunately when it was all said and done, none of it was terribly compelling or fleshed out enough to merit higher praise for this book. Great bones, mediocre story.

Adolescent Fantasy.......2007-02-03

I really wanted to like this book, but I found it trite and obvious and annoyingly adolescent. Unfortunately, I could see a Hollywood movie made out of it, a movie I'd not want to see. I'm all for a good thriller, but the language was overblown and there was no underlying subtext to keep it interesting. I give it two stars only because I was actually able to finish it, hoping it would get better.

The perfect adventure book!.......2006-10-23

The story has all aspects of great adventure in it, suspense, action, sex, violence and love. I really enjoyed David Angsten's use of words. His vocabulary and writing is creative and humorous. The story is a page turner.

Gods, Men and Monsters from the Greek Myths

Average customer rating:

My Favorite Mythology Book
Great, Magical and Momentous
Gods, Men, and Monsters

Gods, Men and Monsters from the Greek Myths

Manufacturer: Schocken Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Religions | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Spirits, Heroes & Hunters from North American Indian Mythology (World Mythology Series)
Angels, Prophets, Rabbis & Kings from the Stories of the Jewish People (World Mythology Series)
Warriors, Gods and Spirits from Central and South American Mythology (The World Mythology Series)
Warriors, Gods & Spirits from Central & South American Mythology (World Mythologies Series)
Kings, Gods & Spirits from African Mythology (The World Mythology)

ASIN: 0805237933

Customer Reviews:

My Favorite Mythology Book.......2003-03-19

I got this when I was a kid from the Museam of Fine Art in Boston. But I still re-read it even today, for reference and fun. The life of the gods and the epic adventures of ancient greece are summed up nicely without being dumbed down. The illustrations are increadible too. A lot of thought was put into this book and it is just as well written. Highly recommended.

Great, Magical and Momentous.......2001-06-18

I first read this book 25 years ago as a child. I still remember the larger-than-life illustrations and the intriguing stories. This is a wonderful introduction to the Greek myths and to mythology as a whole. Children will love the pictures and the characters; parents will love the keepsake quality of the volume.

Gods, Men, and Monsters.......2000-07-08

Gods, Men, and Monsters presents an anthology of the Myths ofAncient Greece. Though geared towards elementary and middle schoolstudents, it is written well enough to appeal to any age level, with descriptions of the myths that are at once entertaining and informative. It provides the reader with a general knowledge of Greek mythology, in addition to a fairly deep understanding of the Ancient Greek gods and their pantheon.

By far the most stunning feature of the book, however, is the artwork. It contains 18 magnificent full-color illustrations, in addition to drawings and sketches at the beginning of each chapter and throughout the book. It is the artwork that sets it apart from other similar anthologies.

Overall, Gods, Men and Monsters is the ideal book to introduce children to Ancient Greece, partly because it appeals very much to the adult reader as well. It provides decent knowledge, understanding, and most importantly an interest in learning more. With relatively short but complete chapters and an extremely engaging text, it is really a very excellent choice both for bedtime reading and for studying. It is very useful as an introduction to Ancient Greek culture, as well, as the myths are presented in a way that implies aspects of the culture to a young adult reader.

It is also one of a series of books (The World Mythology Series) that maintains stellar standards in presenting the mythologies of various cultures. A truly excellent buy.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books