Cormyr: The Tearing of the Weave (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms Supplement)

Cormyr: The Tearing of the Weave (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms Supplement)
Average customer rating:

Mediocre at best

A good product from wizards of the coast

Not a true Supplement

Play before you rip...

All it's cracked up to be!

Cormyr: The Tearing of the Weave (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms Supplement)
Rich Baker , Bruce R. Cordell , and David Noonan
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Role Playing & Fantasy | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Shadowdale: The Scouring Of The Land (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms Adventure)

Magic Item Compendium (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)

Expedition to the Demonweb Pits (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)

Expedition to Undermountain (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Adventure)

Drow of the Underdark (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)

ASIN: 0786941197
Release Date: 2007-03-20

Customer Reviews:

Mediocre at best.......2007-09-05

I was very disappointed with this book. It has little to do with Cormyr. Even if you're focused on setting a game in Cormyr you can skip purchasing this book. You'll get nothing in the way of useful source material. The adventure has one or two interesting parts, but you can definitely do better by writing your own. This book also seems to focus on a new style that comes off as focusing more on the fights than the story. I found important information scattered about the book and it was often difficult to make it fit together.

A good product from wizards of the coast.......2007-07-13

Wizards of the Coast has been known to drown the public with crappy products just in the hopes of us buying it before we realize its crap, but this was far better then could have been expected. It is well layed out and easy to follow. The story actually makes sense and grabs the players. If you like Dungeons and Dragons and play in the forgotten Realms then I highly recommend this product. Even if you don't it provides some great ideas for any home run campaigns.

Not a true Supplement.......2007-07-13

I was dissapointed when I first read throught this book to find that it is mislabeled as a Supplement when it is in fact an Adventure Module. I am running a campaign in the Cormyr region so I was desperate to find the fine detailed facts that only a true supplement can provide. The adventure looks fun but I am a little afraid to run it because my players read it.

It does have some supplemental information about one city in Corymr. Just not enough of what I was looking for. I ended up turning to a Volo's guide.

Play before you rip..........2007-07-02

I have now played through this entire adventure as the DM. The reason I bought it in the first place is that I love the Forgotten Realms and am a college student, so no time to write my own. I have heard many people say that it is underwhelming or not enough new material. Let me say this...So what. It is beautifully written by 5 amazing authors who all contributed to the design of the story. If you constantly follow the Forgotten Realms story, this adventure and the 2 follow-ups will fit in nice between the events of certain novels. Also, the encounters are challenging, very customizable, and quite suitable for any play group.

As I said before, I have finished this adventure with 1 play group and am halfway with another. If you want new stuff, write it yourself or add any of the hundreds of items and classes other FR books add. I personally went and rewrote many of the major NPCs stat blocks using Champions of Ruin and Lost Empires.

Finally, remember that the story in the adventure is incomplete. To the players, they will feel like they have survived (or not survived...3 or 4 times in my party's case) something huge. My players absolutly clammored for more and the second book in the series releases later this month.

If you like the F.R. and need a precon adventure, look no further.

All it's cracked up to be!.......2007-05-30

Good product. As always with WotC, retail price is steep but this one is worth it - especially if you are a fan of Faerun.
Well done, deep plot, good illustrations - all in all, nice installment in this super campaign.

Road of the Patriarch (Forgotten Realms: The Sellswords, Book 3)

Average customer rating:

With all due respect...
wasn't his best
Excellent Book
A little deeper into the past of Artemis...
best one of new trilogy

Road of the Patriarch (Forgotten Realms: The Sellswords, Book 3)
R.A. Salvatore
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

Promise of the Witch-King (Forgotten Realms: The Sellswords, Book 2)
Servant of the Shard (Forgotten Realms: The Sellswords, Book 1)
The Orc King (Forgotten Realms: Transitions, Book 1)
Swords of Eveningstar (Forgotten Realms: The Knights of Myth Drannor, Book 1)
Sacrifice of the Widow (Forgotten Realms: The Lady Penitent, Book 1)

ASIN: 0786940751
Release Date: 2006-10-24

Book Description

To her, to her dying breath, you were the untouchable one, the one whose flesh her dagger could not penetrate.

THE ASSASSIN

A cold and emotionless killer for whom every soul has a price, even his own, embarks on a path to find out just how high that price can be.

THE MERCENARY

A dark elf of limitless guile dares to challenge a king, and carve for himself a place in the inhospitable World Above.

ILNEZHARA and TAZMIKELLA are ancient dragons of great power, accustomed to easily manipulating the humans around them. But not all humans are so easily led. When they pushed Entreri and Jarlaxle into the heart of the Bloodstone Lands, not even they could have imagined the strength of the human assassin’s resolve, or the limitless expanse of the drow mercenary’s ambition.

Customer Reviews:

With all due respect..........2007-09-22

First of all, I would like to state clearly that RA Salvatore is not only one of the main fantasy genre-defining writers of our time but also my favorite fantasy author. This makes it even more disappointing when he concludes such an original, exciting, and entertaining trilogy as "The Sellswords" with what can best be described as a dull thud.

In the first two books of the series we encounter the unlikely duet of Jarlaxle and Artemis Entreri who embark upon exciting, suspenseful, and often humorous adventures. There is the appealing dynamic of two lone mercenary souls who slowly come to terms with their need to find something greater than themselves. RA Salvatore weaves kindness and compassion into their dark hearts like only he can.

Jarlaxle and Entreri journey to better themselves in their own unique way. For Jarlaxle, he must pit his insurmountable desire to build his own empire against the safety of his companions and the good of the surface realm. Entreri's personal journey leads him to discover that we all need friends despite our past dark deeds and solitude.

The success of this literary formula is the contrast of each protagonist's dark past with their increasingly compassionate nature. They are often presented with the difficult choices of selfish versus selfless opportunity, to be gained in solitude or companionship.

While it was difficult to wait six months for this final book's release, I would have happily waited an extra year for Salvatore to find the right ingredients to conclude the "Sellswords" trilogy. Unfortunately, he chose to create a simple and typical fantasy scenario that invoked little of the narrative or character subtlety and finesse that he is so renowned for. Too many times, he simply overlayed the more established character of Drizzt on the quite different characters of Jarlaxle and Artemis, portraying them as do-gooders escaping unkind forces and struggling to help others, rather than the more accurate portrayal of selfish and ruthless mercenaries who grow weary of their own ways and seek something different and novel i.e. compassion and good (which in my mind drove the success of the first two "Sellswords" books)

My Verdict: Forget this book and make up your own ending for the fun pair of Jarlaxle and Artemis. Salvatore rushes it and disappoints with his half-hearted attempt to conclude a really good series with mediocre characterization and adventure.

Three stars only because it's Salvatore. Even when disappointing, he's still better than most fantasy authors.

TMW

wasn't his best.......2007-09-20

I found that this book wasn't as good and lacked something as his other books. It seemed kinda of rushed with no real point. I have read pretty much everything Salvatore has written and have liked everyone so far except this one..good thing it was the third book instead of the first.

Excellent Book.......2007-08-08

This is what Salvatore excels at - portraying the inner journey. This book completes the journey Artemis & Jarlaxle began with Servant of the Shard, and really picks up speed with the Promise of the Witch-King, where a certain magical item really becomes the lynchpin for Artemis doing some in-depth soul searching.

I enjoyed this book immensely. It picks up right where Promise of the Witch-King left off, with them in the Bloodstone Lands. Without giving away spoilers, this storyline ends and takes another turn, but this time it's one of Artemis' choosing... at the end we learn about Artemis' past and how/why he became the man he is.

There was a strong cliff-hanger in this book, which was resolved, and a couple of the subplots were very strong. This book has intrigue, character development, some action, but what it lacks in raw fight scenes (which get repetitive after awhile) it makes up for in other areas.

Highly recommended.

A little deeper into the past of Artemis..........2007-07-21

Here in the third book of the Sellsword's Trilogy, we finally get a glimspe of what made Artemis Entreri turn into such a cold killer. However, I was a little dissapointed, as things seemed to happen without any reason or consequence, and the ending was a little disapointing to me, for reasons I cannot name unless I give away the ending, but the hints of things to come make up a little for the letdown this book brings. The two previous books were much better.

Still, Salvatore is a great writer, and newcomers to his writings would want to start with the Icewind Dale series in order to understand everything better(although the Icewind Dale Series isn't as good as my personal favorite:The Legacy of the Drow).

best one of new trilogy.......2007-05-30

i find myself enjoying this one most of all out of his latest efforts this is an exceptional read it makes me want to read more thoe so sadly i have to wait but great book highly suggest it to any salvatore fans

Listening: The Forgotten Skill: A Self-Teaching Guide (Wiley Self-Teaching Guides)

Average customer rating:

Mumble mumble through the audio
Good Content but horrible voice and quality!
Good Teaching Tool
listening behavior
No-nonsense guide to listening for business

Listening: The Forgotten Skill: A Self-Teaching Guide (Wiley Self-Teaching Guides)
Madelyn Burley-Allen
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Communications | Skills | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Running Meetings & Presentations | Skills | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Motivational | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Cognitive | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

All Amazon Upgrade | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Business & Investing | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Health, Mind & Body | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The 7 Powers of Questions: Secrets to Successful Communication in Life and at Work
Are You Really Listening?: Keys to Successful Communication
Effective Listening Skills
The Lost Art of Listening: How Learning to Listen Can Improve Relationships
The Art of Talking So That People Will Listen: Getting Through to Family, Friends & Business Associates

ASIN: 0471015873

Book Description

A proven program for turning effective listening into a powerful business tool Managers and other employees spend more than 40 percent of their time listening to other people but often do it so poorly that the result is misunderstood instructions, misdirected projects, and erroneous actions—millions of dollars' worth of mistakes just because most people don't know how to listen. In this new edition of her classic guide to the art of effective listening, Madelyn Burley-Allen shows you how to acquire active, productive listening skills and put them to work for you—professionally, socially, and personally. With her time-tested techniques, you'll learn how to:

Eliminate distractions and improve your concentration on what is being said
Locate key words, phrases, and ideas while listening
Cut through your own listening biases
Interpret body language clues
Ask constructive, nonthreatening questions that elicit real information
Get others to listen to you
Master a whole range of listening skills that you can use on the job and in your personal life

Listening: The Forgotten Skill uses an interactive learning approach with work-sheets, charts, graphs, and self-tests that help you pace and monitor your own progress.

Customer Reviews:

Mumble mumble through the audio.......2007-09-25

This review is for the audiobook - although the content is good, the author should have gotten a professional speaker to do the narration. It is so ironic to be unable to LISTEN to a book about listening because the author munches her words, chokes off a few, stops and starts here and there, and flips her pages over so loudly that it is distracting.

I find myself focusing on her bad delivery as opposed to her good content. If you're going to get this book, make it a printed one!

Good Content but horrible voice and quality!.......2007-09-13

The book that this audio adaptation is based on is very popular however this CD package is garbage. All the posts are about the book but not the 6 CD set. First off some people are NOT meant to be recorded and Madelyn Allen is one of them. They should have gotten a professional speaker to read her book. Sometimes you can't make out her words and also you can hear her moving or shuffling papers as she reviews her notes as she goes along. Very unprofessional and low quality. I ended up giving this to my mother to listen too!

Good Teaching Tool.......2007-01-11

I used this book as the basis for an in-service training for nurses and social workers. It presents useful information in a convincing manner.

listening behavior.......2006-08-11

Classic guide to understand and improve your listening behavior.
My highest recomemndation.

No-nonsense guide to listening for business.......2006-05-25

No academic cloudy language. Madelyn writes with perfect clarity, organizes her material usefully, and knows what she is talking about. The exercises are excellent. I use this book in my seminars and workshops on listening for business and government people. I give it my highest recommendation, and have no ties whatsoever to the author or publisher. Enjoy!

The Hunter's Blades Trilogy Collector's Edition (Forgotten Realms)

Average customer rating:

Weakest of the Drizzt Series
Salvatore at his best
Three books in one
wow
DRIZZT!!!!!!!

The Hunter's Blades Trilogy Collector's Edition (Forgotten Realms)
R. A. Salvatore
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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

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

Paths of Darkness, Collector's Edition (Forgotten Realms)
Legacy of the Drow Collector's Edition (Forgotten Realms: Legacy of the Drow)
The Cleric Quintet Collector's Edition
The Icewind Dale Trilogy Collector's Edition (A Forgotten Realms(r) Omnibus)
The Dark Elf Trilogy, Collector's Edition (Homeland, Exile, Sojourn)

ASIN: 0786943157
Release Date: 2007-01-09

Customer Reviews:

Weakest of the Drizzt Series.......2007-09-04

This series was perhaps the weakest of all R.A. Savatore's Drizzt adventures. I was excited to see a return to the Trilogy format that appeared to be centered around a common theme. Unfortunately the 3 books turned out to be a long and boring tale that did not evolve well over the series and ultimately did not resolve with the conclusion of the 3rd book. R.A. Salvatore's new book due out this Sept. could very well be book 4 of this series and not warrant a "Transitions" title as it appears to continue right where the previous book left off with no major advancements in the characters or story line. I also feel as if R.A. Salvatore's heart is elsewhere since the passion for his most famous character seems to have faded into an ongoing marketing push for Wizards than any real progression in story line.

If you take a look at the first two trilogies you can feel the danger and excitement of inventive and out of this world dangers that the heroes get exposed to. They have fought much more dangerous enemies than a bunch of orcs and yet it seems that they get their butts handed to them in this book so many times it makes you feel like they have lost their edge. Its almost as if the heroes are in their senior years and the challenges they face are watered down and boring.

Its time for Drizzt to evolve beyond Ice Wind Dale and the team that tags along with him from book to book. Its time for this hero to really shine and reach his full potential. Stop the re-hashing of old story lines and love affairs gone wrong between Wulfgar and Drizzt. Its almost teenish in its description.

Get darker. Get richer. Get more imaginative with these characters.

Salvatore at his best .......2007-07-13

Okay i have brought all the seperate book sets, wanting to have every book of the series seperatly, but when I received this series its was the one collectors book. i was mad didnt want but i read it anyway, and i must tell you that I'm glad that I did get the coolectors book. This series IS the best ever. You have so much going on with the fighting and such but you still feel every hit, you smell every smell, you see the fine detail of Drizzt's weapons through the detail in which these books were written, If you claim to be a fan you must buy this series NOW.

Three books in one.......2007-07-04

The Hunter's Blades Collector's Edition consist of all three books of this series, Thousand Orcs, Lone Drow and Two Swords. I enjoyed the series quite a bit although I was bit surprised by the end of the third book. This series contained the best and worst of R.A. Salvatore's writing and they are kind of mixed up from book to book, chapter to chapter and story line to story line.

The main characters are the stars here and even although they all have near death experiences, that is close to the end they get. However, Salvatore killed off secondary characters like the wave of black plague or something as everyone who is anyone likable in the series died off. That I thought was his weaker side where he wiped out hordes of under deveoped secondary characters. On the positive side, his writing is still smooth, the story flowed well and his books are never boring to read. It could be possible that his main characters are so well entrenched that the author find it impossible to kill any of them off.

The series ends with more questions then answers. The final solution is not yet available and even after three books, this may only be the first of several series regarding Forgotten Realms.

wow.......2007-05-29

I am thourghly impressed by Mr. Salvatores work I just hope this isn't the end of Drizzt and co. Its a series that grows on you and i would recommend it to anyone who is interested in the forgotten realms.

DRIZZT!!!!!!!.......2007-05-19

In this book Drizzt finds he can't escape the "hunter" inside, in fact, it is good that it's there at times. He also gets involved with another woman, an elf, and it makes him a LOT more "human". There are more than the usual share of bad guys, a few surprises and some parts where you want to scream at him that his friends AREN'T dead!!! There should be more, to continue the thread at the end of the book, and I can hardly wait!

The Forgotten Ways: Reactivating the Missional Church

Average customer rating:

The Forgotten Ways--rated top new release in missiology!
Great Seminary Text
Rare missiological "gem"
Thought-provoking!
Alan Hirsch: The Forgotten Ways

The Forgotten Ways: Reactivating the Missional Church
Alan Hirsch
Manufacturer: Brazos Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Exiles: Living Missionally in a Post-Christian Culture
The Shaping of Things to Come: Innovation and Mission for the 21 Century Church
They Like Jesus but Not the Church: Insights from Emerging Generations
Organic Church: Growing Faith Where Life Happens
The Missional Leader: Equipping Your Church to Reach a Changing World (J-B Leadership Network Series)

ASIN: 1587431645
Release Date: 2007-01-01

Book Description

Alan Hirsch is convinced that the inherited formulas for growing the Body of Christ do not work anymore. And rather than relying on slightly revised solutions from the past, he sees a vision of the future growth of the church coming about by harnessing the power of the early church, which grew from as few as 25,000 adherents in AD 100 to up to 20 million in AD 310. Such incredible growth is also being experienced today in the church in China and other parts of the world. How do they do it? The Forgotten Ways explores the concept of Apostolic Genius as a way to understand what caused the church to expand at various times in history, interpreting it for use in our own time and place. From the theological underpinnings to the practical application, Hirsch takes the reader through this dynamic mixture of passion, prayer, and incarnational practice to rediscover the dormant potential of the modern church in the West.

Customer Reviews:

The Forgotten Ways--rated top new release in missiology!.......2007-10-04

The Forgotten Ways by Australian church planter and founder of Forge Mission Training Network, Alan Hirsch, is his second book calling for a complete reorientation of the mission of the church. This books probes to the core of the underlying DNA issues.

Throughout The Forgotten Ways, the author gives us a vocabulary and vision that can help defrag Christianity¡¦s clogged hard drive and restore the church¡¦s Apostolic Genius. The heart of what Hirsch calls ¡§Apostolic Genius¡¨ is the net result of the convergence of the six organic elements of mDNA (m = missional).

Hirsch makes his case in two phases: Section One, The Making of a Missionary, sets the scene by honestly sharing his own frustrations in church planting, and tracks the seminal ideas and experiences that have guided his thinking and fired his imagination. His concern is to take the reader through a ¡§missional reading of the situation of the church in the West¡¨ (23). His distillation of their exploration and experience into five ¡§key biblical functions of the church¡¨ (46-48) is masterful. Chapter 2 is the macro view, exploring the missional situation in which we find ourselves at a strategic and translocal level.

In Section Two, A Journey to the Heart of Apostolic Genius, traces Hirsch¡¦s research which led him to discover what he calls ¡§Apostolic Genius¡¨¡Xthe built-in life force and guiding mechanism of God¡¦s people, and the living components that make it up, which he tags ¡§missional DNA¡¨ (m = missional) (18). He provides expansive chapters unpacking each of the six interrelating ¡§absolutely irreducible components¡¨ (24):
X The Heart of it all: Jesus is Lord, posits that the very simple biblical, first century confession is central to every significant Jesus movement in history. (chapter 3)
X Disciple Making, recenters the ¡§irreplaceable core task of the church which needs to be restructured into every church¡¦s basic formula¡¨ (24) on a global-local scale. (chapter 4)
X Missional-Incarnational Impulse, ¡§explores the twin impulses of remarkable missional movements, namely, the dynamic outward thrust and the related deepening impulse¡¨ (25).(chapter 5)
X Apostolic Environment, describes why and how apostolic influence is responsible for shaping and nurturing the fertile environment that initiates and maintains the phenomenal movements of God. He explains clearly how ethos or environment relates to the type of leadership and ministry required to sustain metabolic growth and impact. (chapter 6)
X Organic Systems, examines the next element in mDNA, the idea of appropriate structures for metabolic growth. Here Hirsch finds ¡§that remarkable Jesus movements have the feel of a movement, have the structure of a network, and spread like viruses¡¨ (25). Hirsch is equally adept at linking the scriptural pattern with church renewal writers such as Howard Snyder and William Easum, as he is synthesizing the movement dynamics described by David Bosch and David Garrison, or distilling the essence of current leadership authors such as Dee Hock, Malcolm Gladwell and Margaret Wheatley. (chapter 7)
X Communitas, not Community, unveils how ¡§the most vigorous forms of community are those that come together in the context of a shared ordeal or those that define themselves as a group with a mission that lies beyond themselves¡Xthus initiating a risky journey¡¨ (25). Missionaries will relate their experience in church planting to Hirsch¡¦s explanation of the biblical basis of communitas. (chapter 8)

The global missions community is indebted to Hirsch for this seminal book. It is packed with solid exegesis and theological reflection, provides a fresh reading of contemporary Christian authors, and careful synthesis and evaluation of paradigm-shifting authors from the leadership field. There is rich insight in each chapter for field practitioners and a fresh synthesis of the essentials of biblical missiology that we have not seen David Bosch 15 years ago.

Great Seminary Text.......2007-06-15

If I were still teaching my seminary courses "Revitalization of the Local Church" and "The Gospel in Western Culture," which I'm not ("My Calvin Seminary Story"), I would assign this book as a primary text for the former and at least as a secondary text for the latter. Every seminary (and Bible college) student should read this before going into ministry. I certainly don't agree with everything Hirsch writes, but he raises issues in a cogent way that no other book matches. He's telling preachers that the local church must become smaller before it grows, and "church growth" as it's been dished up is just plain unbiblical. For those looking for corporate management models, this is not the book for them. In many ways I see it as a companion to my own book Left Behind in a Megachurch World: How God Works through Ordinary Churches. I look for this book to become a pivotal text for training ministers------and for guiding those in the congregation who are seeking a pastor. Here in America we're soon celebrating the grand holiday of patriotic American Christendom----the 4th of July. Give FORGOTTEN WAYS as a holiday gift to your pastor or elder or head deacon, or buy it for yourself and pass it around.

Rare missiological "gem".......2007-05-13

If you prefer to read books by dead guys and are wondering if there are a couple of modern missiological thinkers out there who really "get it," I believe this book is for you. Rather than throwing out overused church growth principles or spending the majority of time bashing the institutional church (and I do love Frost's "Exiles", despite this), Hirsch really nails a couple of key points that could actually make a difference with respect to cultural engagement and the mission of the church. I think the emphasis on defining liminality and "communitas" are key concepts in the book, that pastors need to understand, just as the emphasis on dualistic thinking was introduced in "The Shaping of Things To Come." Buy this book.

Thought-provoking!.......2007-05-07

Alan Hirsch takes us to a new level of ability to see our inherited paradigms. Parts of our thinking that are so inherent that we almost act instinctively out of them, are laid open to examination. This book will rock your world.

Alan Hirsch: The Forgotten Ways.......2007-04-30

Review: Alan Hirsch, 'The Forgotten Ways: Reactivating the Missional Church'. Michigan: Brazos Press, 2006.

Ivan Illich was asked what he thought was the most radical way to change society; was it through violent revolution or gradual reform? He gave a careful answer. Neither. Rather, he suggested that if one wanted to change society, then one must tell an alternative story.

And for Christians the alternative story has to do with the evils of institutionalism and clericalism. A quote from sociologist Robert Merton jumped out of a Masters' degree I once did at the University of Sydney: `The evil in institutions is greater than the sum of the evil of the individuals within them.'

Martin Buber warns that `centralization and codification, undertaken in the interests of religion, are a danger to the core of religion.' This is inevitably the case he says, unless there is a very vigorous life of faith embodied in the whole community, one that exerts an unrelenting pressure for renewal on the institution. C.S. Lewis observed that `there exists in every church something that sooner or later works against the very purpose for which it came into existence. So we must strive very hard, by the grace of God to keep the church focused on the mission that Christ originally gave to it.'

In this exciting, readable and provocative book, `emerging church' missiologist Alan Hirsch tells an alternative story by unlocking the secrets of the primal `pre-Christendom' apostolic church - and the church in modern China. Why were/are they so dynamic, whereas mainline churches over time suffer from what sociologists call `the routinisation of charisma'?

Historians have often accepted the claim that the conversion of Emperor Constantine (ca 285-337) resulted in the triumph of Christianity. To the contrary, he destroyed its most attractive and dynamic aspects, turning a high-intensity, grassroots movement into an arrogant institution controlled by an elite who often managed to be brutal and lax.

Hirsch suggests that the prevailing expression of church (Christendom) has become a major stumbling block to the spread of Christianity in the West. The `Christendom paradigm' doesn't work very well any more.

On the other hand the Chinese churches grew in spite of the following:

1. They were an illegal religion.
2. They didn't have church buildings.
3. They didn't have scriptures (the Chinese had underground, partial copies).
4. They didn't have any central institutions or professional forms of leadership.
5. They didn't have seeker-sensitive services, youth groups, worship bands, seminaries, or commentaries.
6. They made it hard to join the church.

One commentator has said that in this book Alan has challenged our thinking, our vocabulary, and `hopefully our way of doing church in this century' - particularly with the `Jesus yes, Church no' generations. Thus we have the phenomenon again where more people are coming to faith in small informal groups but don't want the organized part of the religion to be part of the deal.

Alan has several things going for him. He's read and digested the thinking of great missiologists like David Bosch. He was a missionary pastor - of an `alternative' church: the `South Melbourne Resoration Community'. I've spoken at this church (`church?'), and spent a weekend away with them. It was truly one of the rare communities of faith and hope which I could recommend to those on the `margins'.

He was also, later, a `denominational officer' who tried to plant these ideas into the thinking and praxis of established churches, with, he says, mixed success. And he is now the founding director of the Forge Mission Training Network.

How do we discover our missional DNA (mDNA)? What caused the early churches to grow from 25,000 to 20 million in 200 years? How did the Chinese underground church grow from 2 million to over 100 million in sixty years despite considerable opposition, and without professional leaders, training facilities, or buildings?

Hirsch identifies six elements of Missional DNA:

· Jesus is Lord

· Disciple Making

· Missional-Incarnational Impulse

· Apostolic Environment

· Organic Systems

. Communitas

Wonderful principles, which are very hard to apply in practice. Why? My contention would be that the radicalization of family-units which imbibe a Western consumer culture with their muesli every day is a very challenging and difficult task. Parents want a `safe place' for their children - in `church', as everywhere else. They want peer-reinforcement of Christian faith and values for their teenagers. They look to the weekly gatherings of the Christian community to provide spiritual food for the journey, which in terms of work-stress or family-stresses may be a real battle. So they bring expectations `to church' as they do to every other facet of their privileged lives.

Christian communities come in four varieties (as do commercial retail enterprises) - megachurches (= shopping malls), boutiques, franchises, and `parish churches' (= corner stores). Many `emerging church' folks I meet despise the megachurch model, but they shop at supermarkets, for convenience and to save time. They're at home with technology - they have lots of powerpoint presentations, and audio-visual effects - but are (healthily) wary of multiplying committees and programs. Above all, they know that re-jigging the `ministry mix' won't bring life and health and peace to their community-of-faith. But on the other hand, they too can easily form `clubs-for-people-like-us' and forget their missional mandate.

Alan Hirsch writes: `We cannot consume our way to discipleship.'. (On this see also Ron Sider's `The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience' and Robert Webber `Ancient Future Evangelism'). The alternative? A covenantal approach to discipleship.

We have in Alan Hirsch an idealist, who is also a pragmatist. There are many diagrams, and excellent footnotes for further study.

Alan Hirsch is coauthor, with Michael Frost, of The Shaping of Things to Come: Innovation and Mission for the 21st-Century Church. Another good read.

Rowland Croucher

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

Average customer rating:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Chinese | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Irish | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Japanese | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Women | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Doctors & Medicine | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Lawyers & Criminals | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Love, Sex & Marriage | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Assyria, Babylonia & Sumer | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

Early Civilization | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

General | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

Historiography | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

French | Erotica | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Victorian | Erotica | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Epic | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

German | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Russian | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Chinese | Classics | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Conspiracy Theories | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

War on Drugs | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

English (All) | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

Science | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

Online Research | Genealogy | Reference | Subjects | Books

Native American | Earth-Based Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books

History of Science | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books

Magic & Wizards | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Sailor Moon | Popular Characters | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Pilates | Exercise & Fitness | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

History | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
History: Fiction or Science? Astronomical methods as applied to chronology. Ptolemy's Almagest. Chronology III
Discovering the Mysteries of Ancient America: Lost History And Legends, Unearthed And Explored
Before the Pharaohs: Egypt's Mysterious Prehistory
They Cast No Shadows: A Collection of Essays on the Illuminati, Revisionist History, and Suppressed Technologies

ASIN: 2913621058

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.

Paths of Darkness, Collector's Edition (Forgotten Realms)

Average customer rating:

The conclusion to the 'Legend of Drizzt' (finally)
Salvatore rolls a critical hit again!
Doesn't get much better.
Great Story
quick but sloppy

Paths of Darkness, Collector's Edition (Forgotten Realms)
R. A. Salvatore
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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

Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books

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

Legacy of the Drow Collector's Edition (Forgotten Realms: Legacy of the Drow)
The Icewind Dale Trilogy Collector's Edition (A Forgotten Realms(r) Omnibus)
The Hunter's Blades Trilogy Collector's Edition (Forgotten Realms)
The Cleric Quintet Collector's Edition
The Dark Elf Trilogy, Collector's Edition (Homeland, Exile, Sojourn)

ASIN: 0786939958
Release Date: 2005-08-11

Book Description

A collection of four best-selling R.A. Salvatore novels available in paperback for the first time.
This collection of four New York Times best-selling novels from premiere fantasy author R.A. Salvatore includes The Silent Blade, The Spine of the World, Servant of the Shard, and Sea of Swords. These titles continue the tale of Salvatore’s signature character Drizzt Do’Urden™, one of the most well known figures in the Forgotten Realms setting.

Customer Reviews:

The conclusion to the 'Legend of Drizzt' (finally).......2007-07-17

The Paths of Darkness compendium includes R.A. Salvatore's Forgotten Realms novels published from 1998 to 2001. The principle storyline for this series is the return of Wulfgar from imprisonment by the demon Erttu, and his stuggle to come to grips with his new life. Three of the books included in this one make up the final part of the 'Legend of Drizzt'. One book, Servant of the Shard, seems to have been included in this volume only because of publication order. It is actually the first book of the separate 'Sellswords' trilogy and doesn't really have anything to do with Drizzt and Co.

In The Silent Blade (Forgotten Realms: Paths of Darkness, Book 1), a fresh new adventure for the Companions of the Hall is began. As Drizzt and Co. head out to Spirit Soaring to have Cadderly destroy the (same old) Crystal Shard, monsters hound them at every turn. Wulfgar struggles with inner demons until he finds a place as a bouncer for a rough tavern in Luskan, where he has a great time bashing heads and drinking booze. Artemis Entreri travels back to his roots in Calimport to begin reestablishing his name and fortune. Jarlaxle has ventured out of Menzoberanzan in the search for power and wealth and coaxes Entreri to join his plans. Character development is the primary thing that stands out in this book. Wulfgar, Entreri, and Jarlaxle especially grow as characters. [4-star rating].

The Spine of the World (Forgotten Realms: Paths of Darkness, Book 2) is completely devoted to the continuing struggle of Wulfgar, who cannot seem to overcome his inner demons and allows himself to fall into a rather shameful existence. The story consists of two separate plot-lines that briefly come together near the end of the book. Wulfgar and Morik (who develops nicely here) fight, are framed, get beat, leave Luskan, fight, are framed, get beat, and so on. The other story was actually the more intriguing to me. It involves characters that we've never met before and their emotional wrangling. A hi-bred lord courts a lowly peasant (Meralda), who goes along with it for her family's sake but makes a big mistake in getting knocked up by another man. The two stories come together in an unpredictable way that results in a hugely surprising and satisfying ending. [3-star rating]

The third book in the Paths of Darkness, Servant of the Shard (Forgotten Realms: Paths of Darkness, Book 3), probably shouldn't have been included in this collection. It is really somewhat of a duplicate book, released two different times with different looking covers, the second time as book one of The Sellswords. It is also one of the most enjoyable Salvatore books to date. The Sellswords series follows the adventures of Artemis Enreri and Jarlaxle. This perfect couple is extremely well-developed and are fun to read about. In book 1, the Crystal Shard occupies center stage as the story began in The Silent Blade is continued. The annoyingly pious Cadderly plays a part in the latter parts of the book, but doesn't do too much harm to the story. Excellent fighting scenes and plenty of action make for a fun and exciting read. [5-star rating].

In Sea of Swords (Forgotten Realms: Paths of Darkness), the story of Wulfgar is rejoined for the final book of the Legend of Drizzt. As the Companions of the Hall set out to retrieve Aegis-Fang from the pirate Sheila Kree, it seems nothing could stand in their way. Wulfgar finally comes to terms with his new place in life, and is reunited with his old friends before the final battle. A mysterious elf from Drizzt's past has plotted to slay Drizzt for years and the two meet in an epic clash. Overall, this was a bit disappointing for a Drizzt novel, particularly because of its being the last in the series. [3-star rating].

Overall, these books really start to lose interest as the reader becomes inundated with Drizzt and his friends. The heroes (except Wulfgar ironically) become practically invincible and the stories become predictable. I'm just glad that I'm finally through the Legend of Drizzt (although I probably will read The Hunter's Blades trilogy).

Salvatore rolls a critical hit again!.......2007-06-09

First and foremost, there are four books in the series and unless you have an idea what these books are, like this particular genre, like what they deal with or play D&D then you probably should start at the beginning. It made several references to the old books and although it didn't annoy me since I read them, another reader might not like it. For the most part, this storyline speaks mostly about Wulfgar, his life and redemption after he returned from Errtu's grasp.

In any case, the four books are listed and summarized below:

The Silent Blade
The Spine of the World
Sea of Swords
Servant of the Shard

The first one dealt with Drizzt and an old grudge a thief named Artemis had with him. The thief was apparently an assassin for Pasha Pook who was the Guildmaster Regis stole his magical gem from. The book was great and although there was some mature content, it wasn't anything near what a teenager sees online at a porn site or on the movie 300 in terms of explicitness of gore. Besides, I believe if you can read then you're entitled to some juicy bits of writing. If you're a DM much like me and play D&D then this might give you an idea or two or a theme. It could even give you several comical or devious characters and scenarios to copy into your own campaign.
The Spine of the World was great. At first it threw me off by introducing the story of some prissy Lord of a no-name town in the backwaters of Faerun but as the book progressed, the author meshed the two distinct storylines together into an intricate web which of course featured Wulfgar. This book is primarily about Wulfgar and his redemption. A daring rescue and a few lies later and Wulfgar found his life changed. I don't want to ruin the book or the ending but it's a strong read in my opinion! There was more drama and storyline than action in this book. There weren't many battles and the few that were in the book were obviously one-sided. There were some good plots there if you are a DM and I strongly encourage you read about how shoddy the fiefdom of Auckney really is. At times DM's make small hamlets too powerful and often their best fighter can take out the heroes in one or two hits. A perfect example is the gnome fighter who claims to be the best fighter in all of Auckney.
The next book is off to a promising read with a couple of guys tracking down Drizzt and they are enlisting magical aid. Apparently from what I gathered in the first few pages I've read Bruenor is going to look for Wulfgar's hammer and the King of Mithral Hall is dying of old age. There is much to read as I am only a few pages shy of the fourth chapter. All his books thus far from the previous series have done his name and his claim justice. Read them all if you wish, but be forewarned, make sure you've got nothing to do as time will fly by!

Doesn't get much better........2007-05-07

If you're a fan of Salvatore- this is a must.
If you're a fan of fantasy- this is a must.
If you are a fan of reading- this is... a nice read.

I love the character development in Salvatore's books- and this series easily has the most of that compared to any of his others.

A good place to pick up if you've never read any of Salvatore's Forgotten Realms books- or if you already love the series, as I do.

Great Story.......2007-03-21

This collection continues the excellent tradition of Dnd based Fantasy writing established by R.A. Salvatore, Gary Gygax, and many others!

This collection continues an epic saga focused on R.A. Salvatore's most popular characters: Drizz't, Cattie-Brie, etc. It reads fine stand-alone, but I would highly recommend reading the other collector's editions from the beginning just to get the full character backgrounds and history.

In many cases, series that run so long based on the same characters get stale, but surprisingly, each new series of books in this series is as fresh as the first!

Can't wait to read the next one!

*Laugh* Just read the fine print on reviews. THIS PRODUCT IS UNSAFE! YOU WILL LOSE SLEEP AFTER PURCHASING IT!

quick but sloppy.......2006-08-06

the book arrived promptly and the price was fair. I was fairly dissapointed though at the fact that i purchased a brand new book and it arrived with scratches on the cover and a bent corner.

Found: The Best Lost, Tossed, and Forgotten Items from Around the World

Average customer rating:

Cannot Put it Down
Fabulous Finds!
Treasures That Touch Your Heart
Found was found! {: >
I'm glad I FOUND this

Found: The Best Lost, Tossed, and Forgotten Items from Around the World
Davy Rothbart
Manufacturer: Fireside
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

PostSecret: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives
Found II: More of the Best Lost, Tossed, and Forgotten Items from Around the World
My Secret: A PostSecret Book (Postsecret)
The Secret Lives of Men and Women: A PostSecret Book
Fuck This Book

ASIN: 0743251148

Book Description

Discarded valentines. Ransom notes. To-do lists. Diaries. Homework assignments. A break-up letter written on the back of an airsickness bag. Whether they are found on buses, at stores, in restaurants, waiting rooms, parking lots, or even prison yards, these items give readers an uncensored, poignant, and often hilarious peek into other people's lives. By collecting them in his hit magazine, Found (and its companion website, www.foundmagazine.com), Davy Rothbart has bewitched the nation with a surprising window into its heart and soul and turned his many readers into an army of sharp-eyed finders.

Found is chock-full of the latest and greatest of these finds, arranged in the style of the magazine, laying bare the tantalizing tales to be discovered in the trash we toss. By turns heartbreaking and hysterically funny, Found is a mesmerizing tribute to everyday life and our eternal curiosity about our fellow human beings.

Customer Reviews:

Cannot Put it Down.......2007-10-03

Addicting book full of humor and sadness. Great look into people's lives sometimes understanding the story sometimes not.

Fabulous Finds!.......2007-09-22

This book of "found" writings just fires my imagination. It's like getting the middle of the story without the beginning or the end. It's addictive. Now I'm looking down all the time for my own finds.

Treasures That Touch Your Heart.......2007-08-30

I think that this book is such a wonderful way of respecting those things and people that deserve dignity. I am certainly glad that I 'FOUND' it.

Found was found! {: >.......2007-07-24

This book was suggested to me by the program as a possible gift for my 30-something son, based on items already on his Wish List. I got it for him for his last birthday and he loves it! He and his wife have been poring over it, coming up with lots of interesting nuggets. Thanks for the suggestion!

I'm glad I FOUND this.......2007-06-10

I'm nosy - not in a malicious way, but others' yearnings, secrets, and day-to-day lives fascinate me. The items documented in "Found" range from hilarious to heartbreaking, and it is a fascinating glimpse into human nature. It's a great bathroom read. It's also reassuring to know other people like reading crumpled notes they found on the library floor or gazing at pictures pressed between the pages of an old book.

Average customer rating:

Should have been better
Hard to put down this story
The Forgotten Man
A big disappointment
good, easy reading

The Forgotten Man (Elvis Cole Novels)
Robert Crais
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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

Hard-Boiled | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Series | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

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

The Last Detective
Sunset Express: An Elvis Cole Novel (Elvis Cole Novels)
Indigo Slam: An Elvis Cole Novel
Two Minute Rule, The
L.A. Requiem (Elvis Cole Novels)

ASIN: 0345451910
Release Date: 2006-01-31

Book Description

Elvis Cole is back...

With his acclaimed bestsellers, Hostage (a New York Times Notable Book) and Demolition Angel, Robert Crais drew raves for his unstoppable pacing, edgy characterizations, and cinematic prose. Now, in The Last Detective, Crais returns to his signature character, Los Angeles private investigator Elvis Cole, in a masterful page-turner that probes the meaning of family and the burdens of the past.

Elvis Cole's relationship with attorney Lucy Chenier is strained. When she moved from Louisiana to join Elvis in Los Angeles, she never dreamed that violence would so easily touch her life -- but then the unthinkable happens. While Lucy is away on business and her ten-year-old son, Ben, is staying with Elvis, Ben disappears without a trace. Desperate to believe that the boy has run away, evidence soon mounts to suggest a much darker scenario.

Joining forces with his enigmatic partner, Joe Pike, Elvis frantically searches for Ben with the help of LAPD Detective Carol Starkey, as Lucy's wealthy, oil-industry ex-husband attempts to wrest control of the investigation. Amid the maelstrom of personal conflicts, Elvis and Joe are forced to consider a more troubling lead -- one indicating that Ben's disappearance is connected to a terrible, long-held secret from Elvis Cole's past.

Venturing deep inside a complex psyche, Crais explores Elvis's need for family - the military that embraced him during a troubled adolescence, his rock-solid partnership with Pike, and his floundering relationship with Lucy - as they race the clock in their search for Ben. The Last Detective is Robert Crais' richest, most intense tale of suspense yet.

From the Hardcover edition.

Download Description

In his major New York Times bestseller, THE LAST DETECTIVE, Robert Crais returned to his signature characters, private investigator Elvis Cole and his enigmatic partner, Joe Pike. Now Crais delivers a stunning, edge-of-your-seat suspense novel that leads Elvis to the very thing he’s always searched for—the dark secrets of his own life…as well as a brutal killer determined to stop him.

Los Angeles, 3:58 a.m.: Elvis Cole receives the phone call he’s been waiting for since childhood. Responding to a gunshot, the LAPD has found an injured man in an alleyway. He has told the officer on the scene that he is looking for his son, Elvis Cole. Minutes later, the man is dead.

Haunted throughout his life by a lack of knowledge about his father, Elvis turns to the one person who can help him navigate the minefield of his past— his longtime partner and confidant, Joe Pike. Together with hard-edged LAPD detective, Carol Starkey, they launch a feverish search for the dead man’s identity—even as Elvis struggles between wanting to believe he’s found his father at last and allowing his suspicions to hold him back. With each long-buried clue they unearth, a frightening picture begins to emerge about who the dead man might have been and the terrible secret he’s been guarding.

At the same time, Elvis has no way of knowing he has awakened a sleeping monster. The further he goes in his investigation, the closer he draws to a merciless killer who is violently connected to the unidentified man’s past. This psychopath believes Cole is hunting him, and he goes on the attack to find Elvis before Elvis can find him.

Summoning all the powerful elements that have made Robert Crais one of the preeminent crime writers today, THE FORGOTTEN MAN is a spectacular tour-de-force of suspense and intrigue.

Customer Reviews:

Should have been better.......2007-09-27

I've read all the Elvis Cole novels and I found this one to be lacking cohesion.There was just too much going on and the basic premise of the story turned out to be unfulfilling.I'm not going to get into re-telling the story because that has been done by other reviewers. I would have liked to have had Joe Pike more involved in the story.I feel he is a much more interesting character than Elvis Cole.The pointless inclusion of the ex-girlfriend and Detective Starkey's pathetic pining for Cole was a waste of paper.I gave it 3 stars because even though it was not up to Robert Crais usual standards, it was alright.

Hard to put down this story.......2007-09-11

This is my second Robert Crais novel, and if I'm right I have somewhere between 7 or 8 books to go. With that said I have some excellent books to look forward to. I thought that "The Forgotten Man" was well written, and the story flowed evenly from one chapter to the next. By midway in the story I found it hard to put the book down, but I did and picked it up the very next day. There was plenty of action surrounding the turbulent life of the private detective, Elvis Cole. I highly recommend this book.

The Forgotten Man.......2007-08-06

At the scene of a crime, a gunshot victim tells an officer that he is looking for his son, Elvis Cole. By the time Elvis is notified and reaches the man, he has passed away. Elvis isn't sure whether he is related to the dead man or not. While growing up, his mother never divulged the identity of his real father, and Elvis has been searching all his life for this mysterious person.

Elvis and his partner, Joe Pike, along with LAPD detective Carol Starkey, begin an intense search to identify the dead man. What they unearth reveals a man with a secret past linked to murder. Unknown to Elvis, he has been targeted by a killer who is intent on keeping the secret intact.

The plot was easy to follow and the mystery fairly easy to resolve. This is a well-written novel, especially pertaining to Elvis's feelings about his childhood and his unknown father. The Elvis Cole series continues to strengthen with each outing and reveal, layer by layer, what makes Elvis Cole tick.

A big disappointment.......2007-06-12

"The Forgotten Man" is a far cry from "The Last Detective." It wanders for 356 pages to a ridiculous ending. Overwritten and not at all helped by the whining Carol Starkey and her fantasies about Elvis Cole.

good, easy reading.......2007-06-11

Robert Crais novels are like Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels. It is easy reading, good, and funny (with a dose of adventure and mystery)

Promise of the Witch-King (Forgotten Realms: The Sellswords, Book 2)

Average customer rating:

A Promising Continuation
Amazing
Wonderful characters!
Surprisingly Engaging
A tragic Waste!

Promise of the Witch-King (Forgotten Realms: The Sellswords, Book 2)
R.A. Salvatore
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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

Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books

Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books

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

Road of the Patriarch (Forgotten Realms: The Sellswords, Book 3)
Servant of the Shard (Forgotten Realms: The Sellswords, Book 1)
The Two Swords (The Hunter's Blades Trilogy, Book 3)
Resurrection (Forgotten Realms: R.A. Salvatore's War of the Spider Queen, Book 6)
The Thousand Orcs (Forgotten Realms: The Hunter's Blades Trilogy, Book 1)

ASIN: 0786940735
Release Date: 2006-09-12

Book Description

The book was hidden well.

It’s pages promised the power of the Witch-King himself.

And now that it’s been found, even the fact that it kills anyone foolish enough to crack its cover won’t stop people from fighting over it.

Welcome to the Bloodstone Lands!

Human assassin Artemis Entreri and his dark elf companion Jarlaxle have come to the demon-haunted wastelands of the frozen north at the request of their dragon patron. It doesn’t take long for them to find themselves caught in the middle of a struggle between powerful forces that would like nothing more than to see them both dead . . . or worse.

But Entreri and Jarlaxle aren’t just any wandering sellswords, and the ancient evils and bitter blood-feuds of the wild Bloodstone Lands may have finally met their match.

Customer Reviews:

A Promising Continuation.......2007-08-10

R.A. Salvatore's Promise of the Witch-King is a continuation of the Sellswords saga which began with Servant of the Shard. Originally part of the Paths of Darkness series, Servant of the Shard branched away from focusing on Drizzt Do'Urden and instead featured his nemesis Artemis Entreri and the rouge drow Jarlaxle. The story starts off at a good pace and only slows in spots. It offers a good bit of insight into the relationship between the assassin and the drow, focusing not on their past, but the growth of both characters. Ever humorous, suspenseful, and action-paced, Promise of the Witch-King is a great follow-up to Servant of the Shard and a good build up to the next book in the series, Road of the Patriarch. Hopefully, there will be much more to come.

Amazing.......2007-05-08

Being an avid FR reader, I never saw this coming. And when i say this I mean the coupling of Entreri and Jalraxle in a series of their own. Salvatore has created a full, detailed and personal background of both characters, which, in addition to his amazing combat illustration and, to my total joy, the side achingly funny comments that both characters spit out at each other; renders this whole series as some of his best work till date.

ps. totaly lost hope of Entreri hooking up with anyone, the ending caught me by surprise!!

Wonderful characters!.......2007-02-21

I have to agree with eggs maledict; I believe Jarlaxle and Entreri have now outstripped Drizzt! Reading Servant of the Shard had me wanting more, and when this book came out I devoured it! Sure there were small parts I didn't like too much, but overall this book was one of Salvatore's best. Taking a break from Mithril Hall did him some good!

I love Salvatore's writing style in that he can engage me emotionally. I've read passages that had me sighing and thinking to myself "Yes! That's exactly how I feel, sometimes!". And I get so engaged with his main characters. I didn't give a flip about Ellery, and Calihay - or however her name is spelled - really annoyed me most of the time, but I deeply cared about what was going through Entreri's mind, and yet he didn't go soft on me at all! He's still one cold blooded killer, and I don't see him changing that part any time soon.

And how can I describe my love for Jarlaxle? Yes, he was a tad silly, but that just made him more real to me. He's an opportunistic jackle who's own enthusiasm for EVERYTHING sometimes causes him to slip up. I can't help but smile when he's talking his talk and working that charm, because even though you know he's being dishonest and exasperating, you love him!! Or I do.

All in all, I LOVED this book and series!

Surprisingly Engaging.......2007-02-01

Salvatore developed the character of Artemis very nicely in this book and made it possible for him to be the focus of a series of books. Also there were many new characters added into the book that were never heard about before and Salvatore did a good job of giving each of them their own identity and role in the story development. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the story and plan on getting the third book in the series.

A tragic Waste!.......2007-01-31

Ok, that may be overstating my point a bit much, but I think we've all come to expect more that a dungeon crawl from Mr. Salvatore. There was a little substance to this one, but so many lengthy battle scenes. Jarlaxle and Entreri have a fascinating dynamic, but that was definitely underemployed in this novel.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books