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.

Glass Houses (The Morganville Vampires, Book 1)

Average customer rating:

This is fab stuff.
Not For Me
Five-star entertainment!
4.5 stars. Do not read without book two ready. Cliff hanger ending.
Weather Warden Fan Finds Favor

Glass Houses (The Morganville Vampires, Book 1)
Rachel Caine
Manufacturer: Signet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451219945

Book Description

From the author of the popular Weather Warden series. Welcome to Morganville, Texas.

Just don't stay out after dark.

College freshman Claire Danvers has had enough of her nightmarish dorm situation, where the popular girls never let her forget just where she ranks in the school's social scene: somewhere less than zero.

When Claire heads off-campus, the imposing old house where she finds a room may not be much better. Her new roommates don't show many signs of life. But they'll have Claire's back when the town's deepest secrets come crawling out, hungry for fresh blood.

Customer Reviews:

This is fab stuff........2007-09-11

It's the usual storyline where the new quiet student manages to inadvertently antagonize the richest, most popular and feared girl at school and opens the gates to a flood of potentially homicidal behavior directed towards her.
This time there's a twist though, and Claire Danvers soon realises that there is more to Morganville than spoilt princesses and a university. Say, hmm a town run by vampires where humans fall into two basic categories: servants or prey. Claire has no intention of being either, and so, fleeing the college dorms in fear of her life she stumbles upon the one house where she just might be able to see out her education. But then again, just how much does she really know about her new roommates? There's David, the landlord who never seems to be around during the day, Eve, the girl who hates everything and Shane who makes her wish she wasn't quite so young. And after years of reading we all know that the hotter you find a guy, the more secrets he's likely to be keeping.
This is fab stuff, tense and chilling and you'll find yourself hunched over, heart pounding, eagerly scanning ahead on more than one occasion.

Not For Me.......2007-07-11

I was very excited to get this book, because, though I state otherwise, I love vampires books, and I love young adult novels. Perhaps I'm learning that I should not mix the two, however. The main character was an idiotic "smart-girl". Her incessent need to go to college in the face of death made me dislike her and wish her all the trouble she got.

There were some highlights to the book such as the characters of Eve and Shane, but other aspects of the book detract too much from these characters to make it worth it. I didn't find Claire's parents to be believable characters, nor did I find theirs or her actions reasonable. The romance in the book felt forced and silly. I think I would have thought more of the book as a whole without the romantic angle.

The worst part of it all was that there was some climactic resolution, but no end. It was clearly set up to go to the next book. When I buy a book, I'm not buying a plot hook for the second book. I'm buying it for the story in the first.

Overall, I give this a borrow from the library recommendation if you really want to read it.

Five-star entertainment!.......2007-06-15

I'm 51 years old and I LOVED this book! Sure, the main characters act a little immature now and then, but THEY'RE KIDS.

This is my first book by this author and I could only put it down with difficulty (as opposed to the second book in the series, which I absolutely could not put down at all). The background of the town and vamps has been intricately built, with fascinating characters on all sides. Claire, the lead, is especially interesting and multi-dimensional (and I hope someone points her towards birth control real soon because she's gonna need it).

There is a real fear factor in the scary parts, real humor in the funny parts, and the guys are hilarious when they're being guys. The pace is get-up-and-go (2nd book even more so). All in all, tremendously entertaining.

The only sore spot was the sudden cliffhanger at the end, which (disregard the "look ahead" excerpt at the end of the book) is speedily dealt with in ch. 1 of Part 2. It almost made me NOT buy volume 2 after I'd determined that I wanted more of this author, but I bought it and am darned glad I did. Beware: volume 2 also has its own cliffhanger as well as numerous plot threads that need to be resolved fairly quickly. But that's what series are all about, right?

Buy this book! I don't like many vampire books, but this one is a winner.

4.5 stars. Do not read without book two ready. Cliff hanger ending........2007-05-22

Claire Danvers thinks studying and learning are fun. It is no wonder she ends up going to college early. She is only sixteen, so her parents do not want her to live in a dorm too far away for them to drive to. Therefore, Claire ends up at Texas Prairie University (TPU). Claire plans to remain at TPU until she is eighteen and then transfer to a much bigger and better college. Since Claire is sixteen, she expects that the other students would treat her a bit harsh. After all, Claire is much younger than anyone else and prefers to study instead of party. However, she never expects to find out that she is the ONLY normal or sane student in town. It does not take long for Claire to honestly believe that she is the only sane person in TOWN!

Monica Morrell is the most popular girl. She is also the biggest bully. When Claire, accidently, makes Monica look stupid, she becomes Monica's personal punching bag. Worse, after being given a black eye and shoved down some steep stairs, Claire knows that Monica wants nothing less than to see her dead. Claire's only real choice is to find some sort of cheap housing off campus...TODAY!

Claire ends up at Glass House. It a blend of Tara from "Gone with the Wind" and the home of "The Munsters". Within twenty-four more hours, Claire learns why the town is odd. Vampires run the town! Humans who are under Protection from a vampire always wear their bracelets identifying them as such. These humans swear their entire lives to their Protector. They live, serve, and die at their Protector's whim. And anyone without a bracelet, such as Clair, is meat!

Claire now has three house mates. Eve works at the local coffee shop named Common Grounds. It is the only neutral territory around. Shane can only cook one thing, chili. He hates Monica even more than Claire does. (Monica returns his hateful feelings.) But the strangest is David. The house belongs to David. But David is never seen during the day, only at night. He is not a vampire though. He is one big mystery. The trio may seem almost as strange as the Morganville, but when the town's deepest secrets come crawling out at night for fresh blood, these three have Claire's back.

***** The only thing that I do not like about this novel is that it ends in the middle of a murder involving one of Claire's three house mates. Talk about a frustrating cliff hanger! So do NOT begin this novel until you purchase book two (The Dead Girls' Dance). If this book had ended three pages earlier, I would have given it the full five stars. Otherwise, this book is stellar! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

Weather Warden Fan Finds Favor.......2007-05-14

I first found Rachel Caine through an introduction by Jim Butcher Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1). Loved Rachel's Weather Warden books Ill Wind (Weather Warden, Book 1) so I decided to give this a try as I was Jonezing for more books to read. Low and behold I came upon this series and thought "I'll try it." Boy am I glad I did. Not just your regular vampire book. You can really kin to this girl who is not the most popular girl in school, just a nobody like the rest of us were. (I was afraid I was not going to relate being an older person and not real in touch with my old school days ya know? No problamo here)I can relate to all the characters and even feel good when some of them get whatz coming to um and even that happens in an unexpected way. OK I am jazzed about picking up this new series and Man I realy love Rachel Caine, nice to see she is versatile and can separate her stories. This does not feel like a Warden book, it stands on it own and I bet you can't put it down! Thanks MS Caine for the ride, I am ready for the next one please.

Average customer rating:

An Insider's Look at "Glass Houses"
AVERAGE

Glass Houses
Rizzoli
Manufacturer: Rizzoli
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0847809064
Release Date: 1988-05-15

Customer Reviews:

An Insider's Look at "Glass Houses".......2000-03-12

As a young entrepreneur in the late 80's, I was directed to May Woods' book as a source for researching my newest endeavor - designing and fabricating conservatories for the North American market. A builder, by trade, I was looking for a new venue in the construction arena. Until reading Ms Woods' book, I was only interested in the structural aspect and marketability of these beautiful glass facilities. I was so impressed by the historical background, personal insight and the obvious love of conservatories presented by Ms. Woods through her print media, that I took steps to arrange a meeting with her during a planned trip to London. Through a fellow conservatory design, who was a personal friend of Ms Woods', I was able to meet with the authoress. Her background in the "inner workings" of conservatories and her experiences as a conservatory owner in London helped me discover the most important aspect of conservatory designing - the ambiance of conservatory living. "Glass Houses" is the first book I recommend to my clients when they have questions regarding their desire to own a conservatory and what to do with it once they have it. More than just pictures, structural drawings and technical garble, it can serve as a terrific research tool when you are considering conservatory ownership.

AVERAGE.......1999-10-29

NEEDES MORE MATERIAL TO BE PUBLISED ON THE TECHIENCAL,STRUCTURE AND ENVIREMINTAL CONCEPT

Glass Houses: A Gregor Demarkian Novel (Gregor Demarkian Novels)

Average customer rating:

Jane Haddam: Glass Houses
A consistent theme among the characters
Typical Gregor Demarkian mystery, but that's not bad
A good Demarkian mystery, if a bit frazzled
Demarkian goes private

Glass Houses: A Gregor Demarkian Novel (Gregor Demarkian Novels)
Jane Haddam
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Minotaur
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0312343078
Release Date: 2007-04-17

Book Description

Philadelphia has been gripped by a serial killer dubbed by the media as the Plate Glass Killer. Henry Tyder, an alcoholic, often homeless, and member of a socially prominent family on Philadelphias Main Line, has been arrested at the site of the most recent murder after being found covered in the victims blood. Although Tyder has apparently confessed to the crime, his attorney believes him incapable of actually committing the crimes and asks Gregor Demarkian, retired head of the FBIs Behavioral Sciences Unit and fellow-Cavanaugh Street resident, to look into the case. But what could have driven Tyder to confess to crimes he was seemingly incapable of committing? And more importantly, if not him, then who really is the Plate Glass Killer?

Customer Reviews:

Jane Haddam: Glass Houses.......2007-09-29

Jane Haddam does her usual remarkable job of mixing an excellent murder mystery with relevant social commentary (but without preaching). Well worth a read, as are all her books.

A consistent theme among the characters.......2007-09-09

In many of the books in this series, Haddam has a particular theme that in one way or another, all of the characters are either thinking about or demonstrating by their actions. In this volume, that theme is "cognitive dissonance" although she never uses that exact term. More about that in a moment.

First, a few quick things I have to pick on. As other reviewers have said, the situation with the two detectives on the case is a little unbelievable in terms of actual police procedures - but it does certainly fit in with the cognitive dissonance theme! Second, Bennis comes back, rather improbably without a very good explanation, and equally improbably, Gregor accepts that lack of an explanation. Frankly, I did not like this development; in my mind, Bennis is a little too quirky, and not particularly good for Gregor, and I had liked in the previous book that she disappears and Gregor starts dating someone else. Oh well. I suppose there were many fans of this relationship, and in terms of the overall story arc across volumes, it's not totally unexpected.

Next, a few quick things I particularly liked: the recurrance of minor characters from previous books, now playing bigger parts - Edmund "Chickie" George, Alexander Mark, some of the nuns. Some new bit characters I wouldn't mind seeing more of - Tyrell Moss, the shopkeeper, and the teenager he is trying to convince to live in the real world rather than a fantasy thug world. Like the characters in the book, I don't ever want to see Phillipa Lydgate, the English reporter, ever again - but the portrayal of her, and of our regular characters' reactions to her, is certainly funny!

Now. Back to that cognitive dissonance stuff. As I was reading the book it occurred to me that was the theme; by an odd coincidence, unplanned, the next book I picked up after this one was "Mistakes Were Made" (Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts) which is by a couple of sociologists explaining how many of us use self-justification to hold contrary beliefs at the same time, and what effect that has on our overall thinking about politics, about our own marriages and childhoods, and about crime, among other things. The page before the title of contents of "Mistakes Were Made" includes the following quote:
"We are all capable of believing things which we know to be untrue, and then, when we are finally proved wrong, impudently twisting the facts so as to show that we were right. Intellectually, it is possible to carry on this process for an indefinite time; the only check on it is that sooner or later a false belief bumps up against solid reality, usually on a battlefield." -- George Orwell (1946)
This is a really good quote to have in mind as one reads "Glass Houses" - watch it apply to Phillipa, to Charles - and, in ways bigger or smaller, to everyone in the book. From Phillipa's knee-jerk atheism (hey, *I'm* an atheist and I didn't like her attitude or the way she treated other people's beliefs), to Alexander's ability to be a sincere practicing Catholic while being gay; from Margaret's ability to remember her childhood as golden to Elizabeth, her sister and not that far from her in age, remembers the same years and the same parents rather negatively; from Dennis's managing to convince himself that his perversions are actually better than normal, to Marty Gale and Cord Leehan managing to hate the stereotypes of each other that they see without ever even noticing each other as real individuals. Perhaps the only characters who are open-minded enough not to indulge in more self-justification than is needed (they do give some, but they really are justified!) are the evidence clerks Betty and Martha.

In short, in this book, psychology and sociology play so big a part that they might almost be considered characters in their own right. It's fascinating reading, and for me, interesting enough to more than make up for what I perceived to be weaknesses in how the regular characters behaved. And I think that now that I've also read the above-mentioned book about cognitive dissonance, I'm going to go re-read "Glass Houses" so that I can play I Spy the various forms of self-delusion and self-justification. I would hope that many other readers would find the same amusement.

Typical Gregor Demarkian mystery, but that's not bad.......2007-08-12

Gregor Demarkian, known as the Armenian Hercule Poirot, is asked by one of his neighbors, Russ Donahue, to look into a case. Russ is the attorney for Henry Tyder, a semi-homeless alcoholic, who has confessed to being the Plate Glass killer - a serial killer in Philadelphia who has been murdering middle-aged women. Russ doesn't believe he's guilty and Gregor agrees to investigate.

This is a typical Jane Haddam book, whereby the characters are introduced in the first section of the novel. You get to read each character's thoughts and point of view about the mystery and about life. Some it is interesting, some of it just seems wordy and long. Yes, the author seems to interject her point of view on issues, but most of the time, it's not over the top and adds to the character. There is a brief mention of the Catholic Church, though, thankfully, not as much as in her other novels. Cavanaugh Street (the street where Gregor lives) and the Armenian culture are here too, but it seems brief - there's only a brief mention of Father Tibor and the rest of Gregor's neighbors. This book brings back the whole Bennis/Gregor relationship (which I've had enough of - that story line seems to have been dragged out forever.)

Overall, this is a pretty good Gregor Demarkian book, but not a great one. Yes, it seems a tad wordy. And I found the problem with the detectives in the case rather unbelievable (would any city with a serial killer allow that situation to continue?). But if you're a fan of Gregor Demarkian, you'll like this book. If you've never read a Gregor Demarkian/Jane Haddam book, I wouldn't recommend that you start with this one - there are many characters mentioned in this book that were first introduced in Hardscrabble Road. If you can find them, read one of her earlier books (the very early books - in the holiday theme, for example, Bleeding Hearts for Valentine's Day - are great books to start the series).

A good Demarkian mystery, if a bit frazzled.......2007-04-25

In this latest installment of the Gregor Demarkian mysteries, the retired head of the FBI's Behavioral Sciences unit is asked, first by the attorney of the suspected serial killer, and then by the prosecution, to look into a series of crimes because no one feels sure that they have the right man. The crimes involve the non-sexual deaths of middle-aged women whose faces are then mutilated, causing the press to dub them all the work of the "Plate Glass Killer." But just as Demarkian gets into the case, his live-in girlfriend, Bennis Hannaford, returns from her unexplained and uncommunicative absence of almost a year. Then another body is discovered, and the stories of the various men who have been picked up on suspicion in the case but released are intertwined with the Demarkian's sleep-deprived and frustrating reunion with Bennis.

Papazoglou inserts a lot of politics into her books, but the characters remain generally open-minded and not terribly strident about them, so I tend not to mind too much. The characters DO talk A LOT, much of it seemingly inconsequential to plot development. In general, I think this gives a great feel for the Armenian culture that provides the basis for Demarkian and his neighborhood. For a terrific contrast, read one of these books and then one of J.A. Jance's Joanna Brady novels, where the dialogue is so stilted as to fall over and no one says anything that isn't absolutely required; Texans may be terse, but I bet they still talk sometimes, other than to impart actual data. However, in this book, the "chattiness" also sometimes spills over to the non-neighborhood charactes, such as the D.A. and the Police Chief, and then it doesn't work. For example, I can't believe that the D.A. would be moaning about how he's getting a migraine and he doesn't get migraines when execrable police work is being exposed. When things are that bad, people who have succeeded in The System don't even think about saying things that might sound flippant. They tend to talk less, getting very analytical and showing less emotion.

The execrable police work is rather beaten to death, also. It seems that everyone in law enforcement knows the two detectives on the case can't work together and are therefore doing an absolutely inadequate job, but those in charge feel that their hands are tied because of in-house legal wrangling and politics. I don't buy that -- once Demarkian forces the issue, the two are quickly enough off the case, so why bother with any of it?

Lastly, Demarkian is an older guy, and he and most of the other characters don't get much sleep in this book, and it is hard on everyone, including the reader.

So, not the best of the Demarkian books, but not the worst. Demarkian's work, itself, always seems very true to form and is fascinating. And there are parts of the book that provide tremendous character insight and thus deveopment in only a brief sentence or so, which makes the whole thing so much more involving and thought-provoking than the run-of-the-mill mystery novel.

Demarkian goes private.......2007-04-21

In Philadelphia, the media calls this serial killer, the Plate Glass Killer as carves up the faces of his middle-aged female victims. His count has surpassed ten as he holds the city in fear. However, the police make an arrest as they have caught alcoholic Henry Tyder by the latest crime scene alley with blood all over him that came from the victim. He also confesses to the crimes though his blue blood family and their lawyer says he is harmless and could not murder anyone.

The defense team hires retired former chief of the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit Gregor Demarkian to help prove their client is innocent. With assistance from his long time lover Bennis, Hannaford, Gregor ponders why Henry confessed and if his lawyers and loved ones are right about his inability to kill. If this is so then the Plate Glass Killer still roams the back alleys of the city seeking prey. As he develops a profile of the killer over the jealous objections of the lead PPD detectives, Gregor concludes that the predator remains loose with middle age women at risk.

Fans of the series will enjoy the latest Demarkian investigative thriller as the now retired civil servant takes his skills and experience into the private sector. His convoluted relationship with Bennis is handling deftly so that long time readers will appreciate their caring nurturing of one another while newcomers will understand the tender rapport between them. Though the ending is twisted more than a Philadelphia pretzel with mustard making it feel implausible even to this gullible reviewer, the audience still will enjoy the deepness on several levels of GLASS HOUSES.

Harriet Klausner

Faux Surfaces in Polymer Clay: 30 Techniques & Projects That Imitate Precious Stones, Metals, Wood & More

Average customer rating:

Simplest of Instructions.
Easy to follow, even for a newbie
Great faux techniques in clay
Very good
Great Recipe book for Polymer Clay

Faux Surfaces in Polymer Clay: 30 Techniques & Projects That Imitate Precious Stones, Metals, Wood & More
Irene Semanchuk Dean
Manufacturer: Lark Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1579904084

Book Description

The colors, textures, and versatility of polymer clay make it a perfect medium for creating faux surfaces. These 30 recipes for special finishing, shaping, baking, and molding techniques will magically transform polymer's appearance. Craft gorgeous faux gemstones, including tiger eye, jade, or malachite. Fool the eye with imitation metals: pewter, Balinese silver, verdigris copper, even rusted steel. The must-have naturals are here, from bone to leather. Or make simulated agate, slate, or marble. You'll find information on all the types of polymer clay, from translucent ones to some with mica powder, and see how to use paints, inks, wax compounds, and confetti to enhance the surface. Among the unusual projects:: a handsome makeup set, lapis lazuli drawer pulls, Opal Earrings, and more.

Customer Reviews:

Simplest of Instructions. .......2007-07-26

Very Easy to Follow Directions for Making Faux Stones!!! Why Pay Big Bucks to use Turquoise, Tiger Eye, Marble, etc., in your Jewelry Making when you can make it?

Easy to follow, even for a newbie.......2007-06-06

I'm brand-new to the wonders of polymer clay and I found this book to be really easy to follow. I've spent a lot of time looking at projects and ideas online, and I was happy to discover that this book covered a lot of things I haven't seen already. I made the agate slices from this book and they turned out amazingly realistic looking! VERY cool stuff in here, and every project has great instructions that anybody should be able to follow and get great results. (You will need a pasta roller for most of the projects.)

Great faux techniques in clay.......2007-05-16

A great book for ilustrations of different faux techniques to be obtained with polymer clay. I appreciated the full color photographs and instructions. If you've gotten hooked on polymer clay, and exploring the possibilities, this is one book to have.

Very good.......2007-05-09

This book gives you simple instructions to follow. I highly recommend this book for those wanting to learn how to make faux stone.

Great Recipe book for Polymer Clay.......2007-04-13

This book was even better than expected. Great step by step "recipes" on how to do the faux applications and make polymer clay look like other things such as Onyx and other semi precious stones. There are many to chose from and they explain both the technique and the project shown clearly. Great photo's and easy to follow directions. What more could you ask for? :) A good buy for the money.

Flora Segunda: Being the Magickal Mishaps of a Girl of Spirit, Her Glass-Gazing Sidekick, Two Ominous Butlers (One Blue), a House with Eleven Thousand Rooms, and a Red Dog

Average customer rating:

once of the best of 2007 so far!
Is the world ready for Wilce?
Waiting for Number 2
Original, spirited, and funny
Cliché Free, Fresh Fantasy

Flora Segunda: Being the Magickal Mishaps of a Girl of Spirit, Her Glass-Gazing Sidekick, Two Ominous Butlers (One Blue), a House with Eleven Thousand Rooms, and a Red Dog
Ysabeau S. Wilce
Manufacturer: Harcourt Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Horror | Teens | Subjects | Books

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

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

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ASIN: 0152054332

Book Description

Flora knows better than to take shortcuts in her family home, Crackpot Hall--the house has eleven thousand rooms, and ever since her mother banished the magickal butler, those rooms move around at random. But Flora is late for school, so she takes the unpredictable elevator anyway. Huge mistake. Lost in her own house, she stumbles upon the long-banished butler--and into a mind-blowing muddle of intrigue and betrayal that changes her world forever.

Full of wildly clever plot twists, this extraordinary first novel establishes Ysabeau Wilce as a compelling new voice in teen fantasy.

Customer Reviews:

once of the best of 2007 so far!.......2007-08-18

Well, after that title, there isn't much more to say except that Flora is a
wonderfully loveable girl and I think you'll enjoy getting to know her!
Oh, all right, I do have more to say:) Flora's father is mad, her mother is a general and the best line in a book I've ever read is in chapter 2. This is a strange and beautifully unique tale. This might be a hard sell for some of the teens I know, but it won't stop me from recommending it to everyone.

Is the world ready for Wilce?.......2007-07-14

Here's a fact: Ysabeau S. Wilce is profoundly original. If you read all the customer reviews here, you'll get the sense that this is not your formula fantasy. But let's make that point more clearly--you will never read another story like this one (unless, possibly, it's her next one, which we all eagerly anticipate).

This is the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of what could, and certainly should, be the next story franchise that graduates from cult status to mainstream blockbuster. Wilce doesn't sugar coat the risks of adolescence: she dips them in ice cream, lights them on fire, and serves the reader a flaming torch of strange wonder.

Laughter and thrilling excitement are delightful companions all through this romp. The subtitle gives a sense of the former, but don't underestimate Wilce's storytelling: great characters in real trouble make for great reading, and Flora is a heroine who speaks equally to the reality as well as the ambitions of young people.

Oh yes, and while this is not specifically a unique observation, I'd also like to note that it is always refreshing to find a fantasy that does not take place in something that could pass for Northern Europe.

Waiting for Number 2.......2007-07-11

I'm not sure yet how I feel about this book. I like it but then again I don't. What I like about it is the originality of the story. The world and its characters are fully developed and very interesting, especially Flora. What I really like about Flora is that she is not your average cookie-cutter, in-your-face, outspoken heroine who saves herself by swinging a sword. Flora on the other hand has self-confidence issues, often doubts her own abilities and has the same faults as any other regular teenager, which make her character more genuine. What I don't like about this novel is that the story itself seems to move rather unsteadily. It slows down then speeds up then slows down again. I also had a little trouble understanding some of the magic or "Current" lingo. A short glossary could have helped that. There are also a lot of cliffhangers that hopefully will turn up in the next book. All in all this book was good but not great, hopefully the second will be better.

Original, spirited, and funny.......2007-06-04

Ysabeau Wilce has created a truly original imaginary world refreshingly free of the cliches of the fantasy genre. What's more, she's provided the perfect tour guide to this world: Flora Fyrdraaca, an irreverent, eager, believably adolescent narrator scheming to escape the expectations of her family and become a Ranger--a magic-using secret agent--instead of following family tradition into the army, madness, and doom. Assigned to write a speech in praise of her noble House, Flora narrowly rejects openings like "Crackpot Hall has 11,000 rooms but only one potty." Indeed, the ancestral pile has seen better days, partly for reasons bound up in the power plays of Flora's illustrious mother, a famous general who tolerates no insubordination and has disabled the magical Butler that should keep the house in order. Motivated partly by sympathy and partly by the desire to have someone else muck out the stable, Flora sets herself a quest to restore the Butler to his rightful place, but she soon discovers that the price of a little help with the housework can be, almost literally, her soul. Flora's quirky comic voice always keeps the danger of her predicament and the dysfunctionality of her family from weighing down the story, which bounces lightly along to its conclusion--or rather, temporary conclusion, because this is the first volume of a trilogy. I'm no Young Adult, and this is a Young Adult book, but I can hardly wait for Volume 2.

Cliché Free, Fresh Fantasy.......2007-06-03

I purchased this book for my daughter after reading Charles de Lint's favorable review in Fantasy & Science Fiction Magazine (he's rarely steered me wrong) and after growing impatient waiting for her to begin it, I picked it up to skim the first few pages for myself. There was no skimming; I was immediately absorbed and read the book in one sitting. There was no tired "hero's journey" cliché where the orphan, unaware of his great heritage, begins on a lowly farm. There were innovative and captivating devices, smooth wordsmithing, and the kind of intelligent, brave female protagonist I like my daughter to spend time with. Be sure to check out the author's website and blog.

Adventures In Mosaics: Creating Pique Assiette Mosaics from Broken China, Glass, Pottery and Found Treasures

Average customer rating:

Very dissapointed
A great "how-to" book, great gallery

Adventures In Mosaics: Creating Pique Assiette Mosaics from Broken China, Glass, Pottery and Found Treasures
Meera Lester , and Marsha Janda-Rosenberg
Manufacturer: Quarry Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Decorating | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Pottery & Ceramics | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1564969991

Book Description

All the rage in the 1920s, the art of pique assiette is back in vogue all over the world. Literally translated in French as "broken plate," pique assiette uses bits and pieces of a variety of materials from broken china to stones and shells to create mosaic-like works of art.

Pique Assiette is the only book artists and crafters of all ability levels will need to master this fun and exciting technique. The first section of the book walks readers step-by-step through choosing and collecting materials, creating designs and patterns, perfecting bonding and grouting techniques, and polishing and displaying finished pieces. Part two features beautiful pique assiette pieces from the simply made to the more elaborate, and lists the techniques and materials used for each along with full-color, step-by-step instructional photos.

From furniture pieces to accessories and gifts to murals and art, these pique assiette pieces will be admired by high-end collectors and flea-market aficionados alike.

Customer Reviews:

Very dissapointed.......2005-05-02

I bought this book because I was interested in Pique Assiette and the only other review said it was very good. Now after buying it I see that every single project has exactly the same instructions! Basically you are reading the same text over and over again and all thats changing is the photos. Take my word, save your money and buy something else.

A great "how-to" book, great gallery.......2003-11-05

This book does a really great job of teaching you how to create really fun projects. Simple, easy to follow instructions. The gallery section is very cool, with all kinds of great art that will spark new ideas for stuff you can create for your house and garden.

Loved it!

Average customer rating:
A Glass Act
Ron Morgan
Manufacturer: Source Book Publishing, Half Full Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Flowers | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Decorating | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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In the Company of Flowers

The Center of Attention

Expressions: Modern Flower Arrangement

Paula Pryke's Flower School: Mastering the Art of Floral Design

The Judith Blacklock Encyclopedia of Flower Design

ASIN: 0971955255

Book Description

Ron Morgan is well known as an innovative floral designer. Here, he demonstrates the beauty and versatility of clear glass vessels in home decorating. Whether filling glassware with flowers, shells, vegetables, nuts, fruits, or unusual plant materials, the end result is fun, casual, easy, and affordable. Morgan provides templates from his original designs, which can be easily followed at home to create dazzling centerpieces or colorful, contemporary accents throughout the home.

Creative Stained Glass: Modern Designs & Simple Techniques

Average customer rating:

Chock full of useful techniques

Creative Stained Glass: Modern Designs & Simple Techniques
Christine Stevenson
Manufacturer: Lark Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Glass & Glassware | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1600591329

Book Description

From in-a-weekend pieces to intricate designs that take more time, these 27 stained-glass projects shine with light, color, and texture, thanks to the great new glasses on the market today. More than 70 color photos present the techniques, all worked with easy-to-acquire, modern, and efficient tools. Try two methods of cutting, with or without making a pattern. Use overlays, plating, and patinas to color the finish, creatively combine different techniques, and see how to work with brass and copper came. Beginners can start on small glass panels and build the skills to make a flat fan lamp, a mirror suitable for the wall or in a window, and more.

Customer Reviews:

Chock full of useful techniques.......2005-11-03

After I began taking a stained glass class, I ran to the library and the bookstore. My instructor is good, but he's only one opinion. I must have looked at a dozen books, but this is one of the two that I brought home. I'm certainly glad I did.

Like many such books, there are three sections: basic techiques, projects, and a gallery that shows what you can do (but offers no instruction -- just an ooh-ahh opportunity).

The techniques section is among the best I've encountered. In a sense, the info that beginners need is all about the same: the supplies you need, the types of glass available, etc. However, Creative Stained Glass always seems to have just a little more info that do the other books... maybe it's just four paragraphs about the kinds of solder instead of two, but at this point you need all the info you can get.

That first section is 40 pages, which is more than most books devote to the basics. The writing is friendly, too.

In addition, the projects are pretty! I've seen far too many stained glass books in which half the projects are, well, lame. The glass equivalent of a crying clown painted on velvet. The projects are more likely to be leaded rather than to use copper foil; most beginner books seem to choose copper. Each project has about three pages of instruction, plus the patter; my one quibble is that it often doesn't tell you by how much to enlarge the pattern.

I'm not positive I could have learned stained glass wholly from this or any book (this is one area in which a hands-on class makes all the difference), but this one would have given me the most confidence.

Overall, I've gotten the best advice from this book. I'm glad it's in my library. You should probably grab a copy, too.

Creative Window Treatments : Curtains, Shades, Top Treatments & No-Sew Styles

Average customer rating:

Creative Window Treatments : Curtains, Shades, Top Treatments & No-Sew Styles
The Editors of Creative Publishing international
Manufacturer: Creative Publishing international
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Decorating | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Glass & Glassware | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Windows | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0865733449

Book Description

-Ideas to create professional-quality window treatments.

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