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.

The Darkness That Comes Before (The Prince of Nothing, Book 1)

Average customer rating:

A good idea but....
Good writing; too filled with atrocities for me
Loved it!
A struggle to get through
The Darkness is revealed!

The Darkness That Comes Before (The Prince of Nothing, Book 1)
R. Scott Bakker
Manufacturer: Overlook Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1585675598

Amazon.com

Many centuries ago, the world was nearly destroyed by the dark wizards of the Consult, and the High King's family was wiped out--or so it seemed. Then from the wild, uncharted north comes a mysterious and extraordinarily powerful philosopher-warrior, Anasurimbor Kellhus, descendant of the ancient High Kings. But the return of the king's bloodline is little cause for rejoicing. For Kellhus's appearance may signal the overthrow of empires, the destruction of the sorcerous schools, the return of the Consult demons--and the end of the world.

The Darkness that Comes Before is a strong, impressive, deeply imagined debut novel. However, this first book of an epic fantasy series is not accessible; it reads like a later volume of a complicated ongoing series. Author R. Scott Bakker has created a world that is very different from J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth, yet in depth of development comes closer than most high-fantasy worlds. In addition to providing five appendices, Bakker attempts to make his complex world clear to readers by filling the prologue and opening chapters with the names of characters, gods, cities, tribes, nations, religions, factions, and sorcerous schools. For many readers, this approach will have the opposite effect of clarity. It's like demonstrating snowflake structure with a blizzard. --Cynthia Ward

Book Description

Strikingly original in its conception, ambitious in scope, with characters engrossingly and vividly drawn, the first book in R. Scott Bakker's Prince of Nothing series creates a remarkable world from whole cloth-its language and classes of people, its cities, religions, mysteries, taboos, and rituals-the kind of all-embracing universe Tolkien and Herbert created unforgettably in the epic fantasies The Lord of the Rings and Dune. It's a world scarred by an apocalyptic past, evoking a time both two thousand years past and two thousand years into the future, as untold thousands gather for a crusade. Among them, two men and two women are ensnared by a mysterious traveler, Anasûrimbor Kellhus-part warrior, part philosopher, part sorcerous, charismatic presence-from lands long thought dead. The Darkness That Comes Before is a history of this great holy war, and like all histories, the survivors write its conclusion.

Customer Reviews:

A good idea but...........2007-09-18

The idea of a holy war and setting a war machine in motion to accomplish a quest is a nice idea, contemporary as well.
Unfortunately the writing leaves something to be desired. After I finished the book, and there were plenty of times I wanted to stop but decided to give it the benefit of the doubt, I thought this seemed more like an advanced draft rather than a well executed novel.
Some scenes are well written, others are just simply flat and vague.
Characters expressed great concern of matters that seemed to be trivial and the logic behind the plot at times struck me as "so what, what's the big deal."
Also the characters themselves seemed oddly written. All of a sudden some characters were described in terms that contradicted with how they were set up. For example, Maithenet first appears to be strong, powerful, but all of a sudden he's described as insecure and unsure. With no inbetween explanation. Great characters are often multilayered but the author has to provide an adequate set up so that we believe the character's internal emotional logic. This is missing in this novel. The author makes pronouncements about certain characters as if to say, well he just is that way. This is known as a cheap trick in fiction writing and does not make a character compelling. Instead they appear flat, more like figures in a story that ultimately does not engage me to want to read the sequel.
That's too bad because the idea of the novel is interesting. Too bad its execution left me disappointed.

Good writing; too filled with atrocities for me.......2007-08-06

I read the first two books in the trilogy; will not read the third. After awhile it palls to read a never-ending series of rapes, murders, and wholesale slaughters, including children thrown onto swordpoints or gang-raped to death in front of their parents. To be fair to the writer, I suspect he is using real-life descriptions from the crusades -- but in the end it was simply too sickening to me. Also: Every major character but one or possibly two (Achamian, maybe Esmenet) is a monster of one sort or another. In particular, the Prince-of-Nothing title character is technically human, but he is as vicious, manipulative, and alien as the "Consult" portrayed as the hidden enemy of humanity.

Loved it!.......2007-07-30

In a genre inundated with Tolkien imitators,Bakker demonstrates the art of epic story telling, minus the hobbit analogs.

Great story, well-crafted world and excellent character development! Looking forward to the rest of the series.

A struggle to get through.......2007-06-04

Pros: the author has some skill as a word-smith, no dispute there. The world he has created is interesting and unlike anything I've come across before. The writing is nuanced and mature for the genre.

Cons: the story drags terribly. I think the author is a philosophy grad student and it shows. The philosophical digressions get rather old and drag down the story.

I agree that it is confusing, with all the unfamilliar names, etc. but Tolkien is confusing too, until you spend some time with him, so I'm not sure how fair of a criticism that is (NOT that I'm comparing this guy to Tolkien--it's not even close...) It would have been better if there would have been more backstory, more explination and background for this elaborate setting.

In the end, however, it all comes back to the story: SLOW and DULL. This book is a struggle to get through, which is too bad because the author has definate talent.

The Darkness is revealed!.......2007-04-17

As Steven Erikson says: "Something remarkable has begun".

This is not just great epic fantasy, it is so much more. This is literature at its best. It delves into the inner workings of the human mind and opens up your own beliefs and makes you start asking questions.
The prose is beautiful and to the point. The characters are carefully and tenderly drawn. The story is not a new one but the orchestration of it is simply astounding. Sometimes it feels more like I am listening to a beautiful masterpiece of music than reading a book.
This book demands its readers attention, it is not for lazy reading. But give the book (and its siblings) your full attention and you will be stuck in this beautiful but dangerous world and the minds of its inhabitants...

Mr. Bakker, I can do nothing but bow to you!

The Darkness That Comes Before: The Prince of Nothing Book I

Average customer rating:

Mature Fantasy, bristling with grit...
Smart philosophy and fantasy
Good Book..
Not a beach read, but worth it
Original, Grand, and Some Elitism

The Darkness That Comes Before: The Prince of Nothing Book I
R. Scott Bakker
Manufacturer: Overlook TP
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000LMPL92

Customer Reviews:

Mature Fantasy, bristling with grit..........2007-08-14

As far as contemporary fantasy goes, there are few books that get better than this one. With the debut volume of this series, Bakker firmly establishes his writing ability in the great company of such writers as Keyes, Martin, and Erikson.

Much like Martin, Bakker doesn't pull any punches and the resulting story flows with a gritty realism that is not often found in other books of this genre. While reading about rape or the particularly detailed evisceration of a character may not be the stuff of warm and fuzzy stories, they are unfortunate realities of life (particularly in the time periods most often set in fantasy novels) and their unabashed inclusion into more intense books of fantasy helps to set a very mature and hard-edged tone. You will never mistake these titles for children's literature.

The characters are engaging and easy to identify with but not necessarily good or evil. Bakker does a good job of establishing the fact that the enemy is the other side's hero, and largely leaves you to choose which is which.

If I were to have one criticism, it is that the prose itself can seem riddled with forced cliche' and pretentiousness at times when the author tries too hard to inject "philosophy" into the story line. This seems to fade in and out and is easily overlooked and forgiven, in my opinion, when you begin to get the feel for the whole story and realize just how good it truly is.

With the pretentiousness included, you will find in The Darkness That Comes Before a novel that stands above 99% of others in the same genre and flatly shames such long-time favorites as Jordan and Lackey by comparison. With pretentiousness aside, this title could actually give Martin a run for his money.

Smart philosophy and fantasy.......2007-08-12

I can honestly not comprehend why there are so many negative reviews of this book; or this series for that matter. Amid all of the platnium pressed fantasy novel "epics" out there, this trilogy is as promising as anything we've seen from George R.R. Martin, if not more so.

With so many plagiarized Tolkien knock-offs in the fantasy genre, it's incredible to see how many people do not appreciate how original and innovative this story is. Is it about a holy crusade? Yes. Is that a bad thing? Absolutely not. How many other fantasy novels out there capture the same kind of darkness and disparity as the actual Holy Crusades? It does read like a history, which is precisely why this novel is so good. I would like to commend Bakker for creating a work of what must have been a completely arduous and daunting task. One could even assume that the negative reviews came from how complex and daunting the story and ideas actually are.

Can we honestly say that we need another fantasy story about a young farm hand who dreams of far-away places and daring-do who eventually becomes the only person in the world to save everyone from the evil sorcerer who wants to destroy the world for no reason at all? These kinds of arbitrary plot-lines are exactly the reason of why I took a very long hiatus from fantasy.

From the minute I'd learned that Kellhus was on a journey, not to save the world from the evil guy, but to kill his father, I was hooked. We have a historical reference to a world-consuming apocalypse that may happen again. A lowly whore searching for a better way, instead of a lovely princess in need. A blood-thirsty, almost clinically insane barbarian, instead of a gallant knight in shining armor. A concise story-line of how the apocolypse affected the people's society, religion, and philosophy. Normals see sorcerers as heretics instead of funny, eccentric old men with beards. And by far the best part about this series was the idea of not having the "Good guy, bad guy" dilemma. I hate when books state who the bad guy is and who the good guy is. That's like saying Christians are the good guys while Muslims are the bad guys; you can't say it rationally. Realistically, all of the characters feel hate and love. Heros can be completely indifferent and unsympathetic, while the villians cradle their dead brothers.

There are so many incredible aspects about this series that I really don't have time to list them all. The best part about it is that by the last book, Bakker creates the overall meaning of the series into something completely analogous of our world today. Don't look for another Tolkien; look for something of a polar opposite but comparably great in it's own right.

Good Book.........2007-07-24

I try to go by reviews before I buy something. I look at the bad ones first, because it's nice to know what problems people had with the book. I bought this book before reading any reviews, and maybe I wouldn't have bought the book if I had. The funny thing is, they're wrong. However, it is their opinion. They think the book is bad, I think the book is good. You can find arguments like this all around Amazon, but the point is, this book is awesome. It's excellently written, Bakker leaves out enough information to keep you wanting more, but still provides you with the essentials. You're introduced to a very wide variety of characters, each given a soul of their own. This is only the beginning, and you should get this book, along with the others, to experience a great fantasy experience.

Not a beach read, but worth it.......2007-07-20

OK, you'll probably find yourself having to flip back in the first book to remind yourself who's who--Bakker maintains separate plot lines before significant characters meet up--but this bewilderment ends and your persistence will pay off. I didn't find this trilogy "pretentious" but ambitious, and it lives up to its ambitions. It's more political and military than I usually enjoy, but the characters, the world drew me in. These books are something different, and something very, very well done. If, like me, you are tired of Tolkien clones, try out this first book and see what *you* think!

Original, Grand, and Some Elitism.......2007-06-21

While few give fantasy a real place inside literature, recent authors have made a claim to change that. Martin's grand works are still the pinnacle of what fantasy can do, but Bakker's addition is also exciting.

This is a story very much influenced by postmodern ideas regarding good/evil and yes, Nietzche's ideas regarding power (for those of you who hate the philosophy then do avoid this book). The underlying point is that our hero, Kellhus, is powerful precisely because he does not feel - he has a will to power. Those characters around him are quite like modern composites inside society - sympathetic, pathetic, and heroic souls who cannot compete in the larger game going on precisely because they concern themselves with other matters than the game of power.

What I particularly liked about Bakker's works is that I found it connected to Eco's Name of the Rose (of course, it does not match it as a piece of literature). He should be commended for seeking to ask much larger questions - specifically the question of how we know what good or evil is?

Average customer rating:

John's man
disappointing
a good mystery read
Historical tour de force
A+ Mystery!

Prince of Darkness (A Medieval Mystery)
Sharon Kay Penman
Manufacturer: Berkley Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Historical | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

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

ASIN: 0425207811

Book Description

Justin de Quincy hastens to Paris at the request of his former lover only to discover that she was acting on behalf of his nemesis, Prince John. The prince has been implicated in a plot to kill his brother, King Richard, and wants Justin to prove the incriminating document false.

Realizing that John's suspected treachery may also risk the welfare of the woman he serves, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Justin reluctantly agrees to help. But his investigation unravels a sinister conspiracy that might change the course of English history.

Customer Reviews:

John's man.......2007-04-03

In this, the fourth mystery by Penman, Justin de Quincy answers the call of his former lover, Claudine, only to find that she was acting on behalf of Prince John. A document has surfaced implicating John in a scheme to kill his brother, King Richard I, still imprisoned by Henry VI, King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor.

In a surprising twist, de Quincy finds himself not only working as "John's man", but also partnered with his nemesis, Durand. The two must work together to prove that the document is a forgery, and must look past their hatred and disdain for each other to do so.

The book started slow, and I was worried that Penman had become bored with her mysteries. But it picks up quickly, and becomes, perhaps, her most intricate mystery to date. She challenged herself in this book, as there were more plot threads than we have seen in previous efforts, and indeed it read more like a mystery. Also, a flower that bloomed in this book found its seed planted in the previous book, Dragon's Lair

As always, Penman weaves history and fiction together to create an altogether enjoyable read.

disappointing.......2007-02-24

As a fan of Margaret Frazer's medieval mysteries, I was hoping for something similar in this, the first of Sharon Kay Penman's that I've read. However, Penman's book struck me as deeply anachronistic in its rendering of her characters, their dialogue, and their motivations--more like a Hollywood costume drama than a convincing representation of medieval life.

a good mystery read.......2007-01-06

Penman show her knowledge of the time period in this installment of her series I really enjoyed it as it made John lackland a more real person to me.

Historical tour de force.......2006-11-25

As an historian, I find Penman to be flawless. I enjoyed her historical detail through 12th century England and France tremendously. I am not sure Justin De Quincy is my favorite character but he is growing on me. His problem is that his father is a Bishop. This bishop does seem to have feelings for him and Penman can sure develop this relationship more in future novels. justin is also a father in this one and we see a nurturing side that I am not convinced added anything to the plot of this novel nor to his character.
On the other hand, King John is certainly complex and gave a view of his personality that, while lacking in some historical proof, is certainly plausible given his experiences as the younger child of that incredible pair of monarchs as Henry II and eleanor of Aquitaine.
My favorite character, though, was Durand and here Penman may want to start something in his direction. As John's man, the character was interesting bu the development of his personality in the novel is the richest part of this adventure. Truly a medieval man.
All in all, a good read.

A+ Mystery!.......2006-07-31

Anyone who loves Medieval History will love Sharon Kay Penman's Prince of Darkness. It is a mystery during the time of King Richard's imprisonment and based on Prince John and Dowager Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine

All of Penman's books are fiction based on fact and are first rate!

Princes of Darkness: The Saudi Assault on the West

Average customer rating:

Author Isn't an Expert in the Field
A Possible Scenario from the Author's 2002 Premise
A courageous book
A convincing rant
A Factual, if passionately biased, analysis of Saudi Arabia

Princes of Darkness: The Saudi Assault on the West
Laurent Murawiec
Manufacturer: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

General | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

Saudi Arabia | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Terrorism | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0742542785

Book Description

Princes of Darkness is a highly critical expose of Saudi Arabia and attacks the elite inside that country as enemies of the western world. By extension this is also a criticism of the U.S. foreign policy that has supported the royal family. It should be noted that the genesis of this book comes from the author's intensely controversial and subsequently leaked Defense Department briefing in July 2002, while serving as a senior international policy analyst at RAND.

Customer Reviews:

Author Isn't an Expert in the Field.......2007-10-01

As Patrick Claswon observed, Murawiec gave a 2002 briefing to the Defense Science Board that carried the provocative title "Taking Saudi out of Arabia," in which he advocated extremely tough pressure on the Saudi government concerning the involvement of Saudis in terrorism. When it leaked to the press, the uproar was so loud that President George W. Bush personally called Saudi crown prince Abdullah to emphasize that he rejected the content of the briefing--a remarkable reaction to a think-tank study. Secretary of State Colin Powell and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld also weighed in with denunciations. Murawiec was promptly fired by Rand.

With credentials like that, one would hope for much from Murawiec, and he does make some telling points. He nicely captures the Saudi ambition to dominate world Islam, including the depth of the rivalry between the Saudi Wahhabi clerics and Egypt's venerable Al-Azhar University.

But, alas, he is no expert on Saudi Arabia. For example, while many complaints can be made about the Saudi government's encouragement of radical Islam, it is hardly the case that Saudi charitable organizations are under the same degree of government control that the Soviet Union exercised over its pet peace movements, as the author contends. There are many extremely rich Saudis who feel a religious obligation to fund Islamic causes and, while they certainly listen to government guidance, they are acting independently and out of conviction--which was hardly the way that Soviet peace groups worked.

Another problem: Murawiec gets carried away in places, undermining the credibility of his account. It is quite a stretch to say that Saudi Arabia "has modernized nothing." Besides the vast improvement in material living standards, the kingdom has extended education to women and has built a media empire, ignoring objections by obscurantists. And Princes of Darkness suffers from peculiar organization. After 145 pages about contemporary Saudi support for terror groups, we are suddenly transported back 200 years for a history lesson lasting eighty pages. Both the earlier part on support for terror and the later part on history also contain within them abrupt jumps from one topic to another.

After the publicity coup from his Rand firing, Murawiec would have been the logical person to write a definitive book about Saudi connections to terrorism. Sadly, this is not that book.

A Possible Scenario from the Author's 2002 Premise.......2007-05-04

Mr. Murawiec's defense-department briefing on Saudi Arabia in 2002 helped inform the premise of a newly released novel set in this influentional, Middle Eastern Kingdom: "Saudi Match Point". The book examines in one of its plotlines what might happen if the U.S. were to seize Saudi oil fields.

The novel is available at www.blacksmithbooks.com for ten dollars, which includes the cost of international shipping. It's a quick and enjoyable read.

A courageous book.......2006-05-27

"If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it must be a duck" - In a world too much dominated by the force of the petro-dollars, Laurent Murawiec brings us a very courageous and straight-forward reminder about the difference between democracy and totalitarism. Ethics in World politics may be seen as naive, but the history (Munich agreements) also shows us differently.
This book is a warning to all Democracy's lovers. A must to all students of Politics and International Relations. It is also the reflection of our dirty collaboration with a powerful enemy, hopefully soon neutralised by the scientific advance in the field of alternative energies.

A convincing rant.......2006-04-05

The author lays out a great deal of densely-detailed information about the intertwining of extreme fundamentalist Islam, Saudi royal culture and arrogance, oil, politics, and influence-buying. He makes an effective, infuriating case for the incestuous relationship the House of Saud has with leaders -- male leaders -- of US government and corporations. Murawiec convincingly points out how badly that is going to bite us in our vulnerable national rump very soon, and that leading politicians from both parties have no investment in doing anything about the looming mess. (They have invested elsewhere, using money generously donated by the Sauds.)

It is not 'balanced' or 'even-handed,' but frankly, I haven't seen a single book about Saudi-US relations, or Saudi royal leadership, which has anything positive to say. There may just be a very good reason for that. (After I read this I happened to pick up Jean Sasson's "Princess" about the appallingly restrictive lifestyle of even royal Saudi women -- hard to imagine two more different books with the same essential message and impact: at times both had me so angry I was nauseous.

The style is choppy and occasionally hard to follow, probably due to the translation from French. I also got the feeling he had to work to make the book a little broader than his usual think-tank analysis, and as a result he has an odd mix of solid sources and rather lighter-weight sources. Bottom line, definitely worth reading.

A Factual, if passionately biased, analysis of Saudi Arabia.......2006-02-20

Mr. Murawiec's book is a detailed account of Saudi practices and policies. He names names; provides dates; and gives a blow by blow analysis of why the House of Saud, the ruling oligarchy of Saudi Arabia is an avowed enemy of the West and of the United States of America.
One can sense the frustration that Mr.Murawiec feels at the duplicity and outright evil machinations of the Saudis. This often comes out in a rather sneering tone in this book, which undermines the passionately real data that he gives over. It is one thing to castigate the al-Saud regime for financing and manipulating the terrorism of radical Islam all over the world, it is another thing to add the figurative "And I spit on you," that Mr. Murawiec often implies.
Nonetheless, this book is a complete and detailed list of the House of Saud's damning sins and manipulations. I would suggest that these other equally resourceful books should accompany any reader's analysis of Saudi Arabian history; goals; and political policies:
Hatred's Kingdom : How Saudi Arabia Supports the New Global Terrorism - by Dore Gold
The Age of Sacred Terror : Radical Islam's War Against America - by Daniel Benjamin and Steven Simon
And (really - it's a decent, factual book that pulls no punches yet does not villify Saudi Arabia),
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Saudi Arabia by Colin Wells

Average customer rating:

Another solid JSA collection!
Epic..all there is to say, oh and it;s great.

JSA: Princes of Darkness (Book 7)
Geoff Johns , and David S. Goyer
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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

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

ASIN: 1401204694

Customer Reviews:

Another solid JSA collection!.......2005-10-08

"Princes of Darkness" is an excellent collection, though not necessarily the best JSA trade. It is, however, the volume that most defines what the JSA is all about. That makes it one of my favorites. Of course, you really can't go wrong with any JSA collection on the market!

The story centers around two sets of villains who are only tangentially connected through the JSA. There is Kobra, the DCU's resident international terrorist and leader of the cult of Naga-Naga, who escapes custody at the beginning of his trial. Because of the cult's previous history with the JSA, the team is split on how to handle a villain whom jails have proven incapable of holding.

Then, there's the so-called "princes of darkness" referred to in the title. Mordru, the old Legion of Super-Heroes villain who has become a regular pain for the JSA in recent years, returns allied with Green Lantern's darkness-controlled son Todd (the fallen hero and former Infinity Inc/JLA-member Obsidian). Using Todd's darkness power, Mordru conspires to again release Eclipso onto the world.

The emotional center of the story is in two characters. Al Rothstein, Atom Smasher, has been struggling with how to be a hero in such a violent, ugly world. The idealism of his golden-age inspiration is challenged by stark realism in the form of Kobra and his cult of religious fanatics (basically the DCU's politically-correct stand-in for Islamic fundamentalists).

On the other front, Alan Scott, the original Green Lantern, was never there for his son Todd. When his son became possessed by darkness, he confronted and defeated Todd, but he bore the guilt of his own failures as a father. At last, he gets the opportunity to stand up and make things right. We get to see why Green Lantern is a great hero, in a way that we rarely get to see.

The JSA has always been about family and legacy, one generation dealing with the other. Atom Smasher and Green Lantern both deal with this theme in their own ways.

At the end, there are two stand-alone "holiday" stories that fit perfectly in with the generational theme. They serve as an excellent epilogue to the main story. In the first one, the Justice Society shares Thanksgiving with the Justice League, the second-generation team they helped inspire. Besides the obvious cool factor of seeing the JLA "big guns" as guest-stars, it's great to see the team finally get to unwind after the big showdown with Mordru. The second stand-alone is even more special, as it features the tear-jerking return of a long-forgotten JSA member who was in the team's very first story in 1941. I'm talking about the original Red Tornado, "Ma" Hunkel. Ma is something of a "Rosie the Riveter" type who became a comic-relief hero in early comics. In this story, it's revealed that she has lived for decades in witness protection, but now the JSA comes to take her home. The affection the characters share for one another comes through very well. It was a great way to end the book!

Recommended!

Epic..all there is to say, oh and it;s great........2005-03-21

johns, can he ever do wrong? here we have so many characters, enemies, and yet he juggles it along with goyer like it was nothign at all, each character stands out, you get caught up in their struggles.

the story is this, in JSA 45-51 you get the darkness story, the terrorist cobra is on trial but a breakout happens, his people are on the move, the methods needed to stop him spktis up the team, just then the son of green lantern alan scott shows up, he has went insane, and teamed with the evil wizard mordru, they cast the world into darkness, this allows eclipso free run, they are now the prince's of darkness, a battle with be waged, father against son, team mate against team mate, chaos against order.

johns tells that very well, but we get more issues 52,53 tell the story of the new crimson avenger, a woman who has guns who control her, those with sins must die, and the JSA wildcat is the next victim, what can one ever do to find forgivness? how far is too far? johns explores all of this and really makes you wish you could see more of this new crimson avenger.

54 is a holiday special, in the first we see a nice low key issue the JLA and JSA meeting for thanksgiving dinner, see hawkman and green arrow fight over a turkey leg, see batman almost go nuts due to lack of action, it's all heartwarming, fun and funny.

then 55 is a christmas special, a very special one, the old guys go see a long forgotten member, it's a tale of christmas cheer and what a real hero is, what a real hero does to save those they care about.

if you like this then picks up the rest, they are all as good
JSA : Returns (mini series)
JSA: All-Stars (a mini series)
JSA vol 1: justice be done
JSA vol 2: darkness falls
JSA vol 3: Hawkman returns
JSA vol 4: Fair Play
JSA vol 5: Stealing thunder
JSA vol 6: Savage time

Prince of Darkness: Antichrist And New World Order

Average customer rating:

But....
A Worthwhile Read.
one of the better..
The Truth of Our Future Revealed
A great Novel!!!!!!

Prince of Darkness: Antichrist And New World Order
Grant R. Jeffrey
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

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

ASIN: 0553562231
Release Date: 1995-05-01

Book Description

Grant is internationally recognized as an outstanding prophecy teacher. More than a million readers enjoyed his four best-selling prophecy books inspiring them to look for the soon return of Christ.

The best-selling author of:
Armageddon
Messiah
Heaven
Apocalypse

Do you understand world events in light of prophecy? Explore the astonishing prophecies about the mysterious Antichrist who will dominate the earth during the last days. Grant shares his incredible research into the secret groups moving America toward world government. Written in layman’s terms, Prince of Darkness will open up the Bible’s fascinating prophecies about these vital topics:

·The New World Order Global Agenda
·America and the Council on Foreign Relations
·Surviving the coming economic crisis
·The rush to world government
·The PLO–Isreali Agreement–prelude to war
·Zhirinovsky–the KGB and Russion Imperialism
·The surveillance society–an assault on freedom
·The technology of the 666 mark of the beast
·Satan’s prince of darkness in the Temple
·Thirty-eight astonishing prophecies announce the Messiah
·Armageddon–Christ’s ultimate victory

From the Trade Paperback edition.

Customer Reviews:

But...........2007-09-30

This is a good book and it's right on the money as far as current events and the globalization thing. However, the author still suffers from satan syndrome. Basically blaming everything on the devil. the antichrists I see are all around us, the corrupt politicians, greedy businessmen and the doctors who will overmedicate you every chance they get. Wake up people.

A Worthwhile Read........2004-09-02

This is a well thought out book - a very Long read though however. I could see that a lot of thought and research went into this book. It was a little hard to follow, and it's helpful to be informed on the goings on in the world to understand some of this book. Some of the information in the book wasn't more fully explained so that a general reader could understand. It's almost like two books were stuffed into one with the amount of information presented in Mr. Jeffrey's book. (I would have liked to see more information explaining certain things in more detail so I wouldn't have minded if this were presented as two books.) This is an important latter day book, and I would definitely recommend having this book in any religious study library.

one of the better.........2004-09-01

ive read many outlines in this vien. this is one of the better but an overemphasis on russia in bible prophecy.

The Truth of Our Future Revealed.......2003-09-10

If you never read prophecy teacher Grant R. Jeffrey's 'Messiah,' 'Apocalypse,' 'Prince of Darkness' and Armageddon,' you got to read 'Prince of Darkness' first. It's the most important book you'll ever read in this present day. It contains everything you need to know of the biblical prophecies that reveal the secret globalist conspiracy and the current events surrounding it. From the beginning struggle of Planet Earth. Satan has attempted to rule earth as a "god" and destroy what is good and the Holy people of God. Since the time of his fall, Satan's diabolical plan is to destroy the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ from the time of the Great Flood to Christ's crucifixion. That's why it's impossible to fully appreciate or understand Western culture and history without a tremendous role played by the Holy Scriptures.

Amazingly, 'Prince of Darkness' was published in 1994 before some present day events happened. Since then most things mentioned in this book has already come to past! If you need to find answers about what's wrong with the world today-this is a must. Jeffrey explains about the ancient writings about the prince of darkness and his plot to destroy mankind. Jeffrey explains the meaning of the prophecies from Revelation, Daniel, Ezekiel, Zechariah and Isaiah and how they relate to our present time scenerio. Thirty-eight astonishing prophecies fullfilled sinced 1948 point to the imminent return of the Messiah-Jesus Christ. Research that reveals in depth and detail from bible prophecy to shocking truth behind today's headlines:

* The rise of the Roman Empire is already implemented in the "1992 Plan" of the European Union another deception of the globalist plans to enslave people in the one world government. This is headed by the Tri-Lateral Commission.
* The Council of Foreign Relations and the Tri-Lateral Commission key players in the move towards abandonment of national sovereignty that will lead to the AntiChrist and one world government. Along with this will come the economic and stock market crash ushered in by financial conspiracies.
* Implementation in technological electronic surveillance where phone calls are monitored, and plans for a world currency is produced in the United States of America.
* The rising threat of big government putting assaults on our privacy and personal freedom in ways you could never imagine by using every means possible in their sophisticated art of deception.
* Rise of Anti-Semitism and Christian presecution. Propaganda forged by Russian secret police with an attempt of an Inquisition against Christian and Jews.
* The rise of Russian imperialism and their deception to the world to disarmament fraud, and the secret agenda behind the PLO-Israeli peace agreement and Arab control and elimination of Israel.
* Illegal Arab boycott of Israel since 1948 still being operated today in an effort to gain access to Arab oil. The unneccessary dependency of North America on cheap Middle East oil sparked the rise of Arab terrorism, hatred of Israel, Desert Storm and the present Iraqi War. All due to the wrong deliberate choices the governments made. (*also revealed in Jeffrey's 'War on Terror: Unfolding Bible Prophecy' on video).
All of this and more was predicted before our present day. Most of the prophecies mentioned in this book have already come to past! This is an astounding book. If you need to find answers about the coming events of current issues this will help in your search for truth.

A great Novel!!!!!!.......2003-01-01

I don't care what the other reviews have to say, this is perhaps the most in-depth and great novel depicted that of the End Times. It's great, and although the novel is almost 10 years old, almost all the events that were predicted came true over the last decade. This book is not full of crap, it's well written, and it's very ture. For Christains who are policitally motivated this is a great book, perhaps the best I read in years.

Average customer rating:

Exposing the Prince of Darkness
Michael Green
Manufacturer: Servant Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Angels | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Average customer rating:

Deceptive trifle
A fun read (just ignore the cheesy title)
My Favorite Barbara Michaels' Book
My first Barbara Michaels and still one of my favorites
Not in the least DARK

Prince of Darkness
Barbara Michaels
Manufacturer: HarperTorch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

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

ASIN: 0060745096
Release Date: 2005-04-26

Book Description

A stranger has come to Middleburg, Maryland, a visitor from abroad with a mysterious purpose. But this quaint, affluent community has dark secrets of its own. And when the interloper, Peter Stewart, becomes involved with the bewitching, seductive ward of noted local author Kate More, the townfolk fear the chilling past they are hiding will no longer be safe. For Middleburg has a colonial history of malevolent sorceries and obscene sacrifice. And when the terrible pot is stirred, murder may be the least of the evils to emerge from the unholy brew.

Download Description

Customer Reviews:

Deceptive trifle.......2005-05-31

I picked this one up for free at a library giveaway and read it on vacation when all of my other books were exhausted; time that would have been better spent in virtually any other pursuit. I have not read anything else by this author, so perhaps this is her style, but I thought this was one of the most poorly-written novels I've ever read. I say that because every bit of suspense in the novel is generated by deception.

My usual review scores:

Plot: 3
Concept: 6
Writing Quality/Flow: 2/5
Characters: 3
Horror: 2
Humor: NA
Fun Factor: 2
Page Turner: 3
Re-readability: 3
Overall: 2

The book opens with a man being hired to do a job, and the events are presented in such as way that we think he's going to kill an innocent woman, or at least drive her insane in some sort of plot to get her money. The book is from his POV for the first 2/5 or so, and then just as his plan is going well he makes a huge discovery that changes his entire outlook on things -- at which point the book's POV changes to that of the woman who he was trying to drive crazy with cheap ghostly parlor tricks. The novel then proceeds from her POV, while the initial male character starts behaving completely differently than he was when he was the narrator, with no explanation given. We get the thoughts of the female lead from then on, but never enough to answer the basic mysteries of the tale. The author simply had to switch to her POV since if we'd stayed with the man's we would have learned what was going on, instead of having it drawn out for another 100 pages.

This book is not a mystery, since there aren't any clues given that would let you figure things out in advance. Rather, it's cheaply-deceptive because the suspense is generated entirely by the author withholding information from the reader and switching the POV around to keep us on the outside. On top of that, the final reveal is melodramatic and cheesy to the extreme; think of every bad twist you'd see in a soap opera, and you'll see it in this novel. Dead characters coming back to life, secret identities, hidden relationships between characters, and so on.

Great writing and characters might have redeemed this, at least partly, but there is none to be found. The main male lead is just some English guy with no particular distinguishing traits, the woman is skittish and uninteresting, and when basically every other character in the novel suddenly turns out to be a murderous demon, it's not believable and is just silly. We didn't care about the other people, nor the main characters, so why should we care when the ridiculous events of the climax begin to take place? The book also cheats on every bit of potential gore, sex, confrontation, etc. Just as something passionate is about to happen, the narrative skips to another POV, or forward in time until after the events have already taken place.

I was hoping for a good suspenseful tale with some horror, occult, or even romance, and I was disappointed to find nothing but cheap thrills and obfuscation by a mediocre novelist. I can't recommend this one at all.

A fun read (just ignore the cheesy title).......2001-01-25

I'm not too familiar with the gothic romance genre, which is pretty much looked down upon by snooty readers, but if they are all written like Barbara Michaels I'm all for them. This book worked for me. It is witty, well-paced, has a clever plot, and most importantly, is believable notwithstanding its batty premise of a modern-day witches' coven deep in Upper Middle-Class America. A reader looking for "horror" is bound to be disappointed, because Ms Michaels is not out to terrorise her readers or scare them silly. Which is fine with me, because I prefer stories which are moved by real human agents who face up to challenges and grasp their destinies, rather than tales popoulated by terrified pawns of the supernatural. An easy and thoroughly enjoyable read. Not too much stress on the little grey cells, but neither are we required to suspend our disbelief.

My Favorite Barbara Michaels' Book.......2000-08-06

Style-wise, this is perhaps her most creative book. It is split into 3 parts: the 1st is 3rd-person omniscient, the 2nd is told through the male main-character's POV, and the 3rd is told through the female main-character's POV. The events unfold much like a movie in that the reader isn't just told what is going to happen... rather, we "see" it as it happens. It makes for a very exciting read! The characters are wonderfully 3-dimensional, and as always with this author, the conversation is witty & smart!

My first Barbara Michaels and still one of my favorites.......1999-10-23

Made me a believer that whether witchcraft is real or not, the people who believe in it can be pretty scary. It's one book I've reread several times.

Not in the least DARK.......1998-10-12

When I first read the synopsis at the back, I thought it was gonna be truly dark, mysterious & suspenseful.But little did I know that it just made use of the title to attract unsuspecting readers like myself!!!!!Really not worth a read....you feel that you have been led round by the nose in a merry-go-round!!All it contains is petty tricks played by small town occultists!

Sihanouk: Prince of Light, Prince of Darkness

Average customer rating:

Neither Light nor Darkness!
Neither Light nor Darkness!
illuminative; Sihanouk as self-enamored patriarch and more..

Sihanouk: Prince of Light, Prince of Darkness
Milton, PhD Osborne
Manufacturer: University of Hawaii Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Cambodia | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

Southeast Asia | Asia | History | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0824816390

Customer Reviews:

Neither Light nor Darkness!.......2000-02-26

Having read most, if not all, of Milton Osborne's previous books on Cambodia and S.E. Asia, I found this book a big disappointment. The author seems to have re-written chapters from a previous book and added a few new ones but did not undertake new research for this book about Prince (now King) Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia. I served as Private Secretary to King Sihanouk from 1981-1991 and I believe that the Cambodian monarch is a much misunderstood monarch. Certainly not a perfect human being but neither a "prince of darkness". It is a great pity that Osborne does not pay much attention to Sihanouk's leading role in bringing a certain peace to Cambodia and the special role he has played in protecting and nurturing the newly acquired democratic rights of all Cambodians.

Neither Light nor Darkness!.......2000-02-26

illuminative; Sihanouk as self-enamored patriarch and more.........1997-08-30

the author's description of the subject's adept manuevering between larger powers in a time of considerable instability is enlightening; Sihanouk is portrayed not only as monarchist, but politically keen and not above his own level of terroristic manipulation of events (as depicted in the Sumlaut rebellion)

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books