New X-Men Omnibus

Book Description

Sixteen million mutants dead... and that was just the beginning! In one bold stroke, writer Grant Morrison (The Invisibles, JLA, Fantastic Four: 1234) propelled the X-Men into the 21st century - masterminding a challenging new direction for Marvel's mutant heroes that began with the destruction of Genosha and never let up. Regarded as the most innovative thinker of the current comic-book renaissance, Morrison proceeded to turn the mutant-hero genre on its ear. Gone were the gaudy spandex costumes - replaced by slick, black leather and an attitude to match. Now, his entire Eisner Award-nominated run on New X-Men is collected in one deluxe hardcover! Collects New X-Men #114-154 and Annual 2001

Customer Reviews:

Perfect X-Men Introduction.......2007-08-20

I've been reading comics books since I was 10 but have never really gotten in to X-Men. I've never been a fan of "team" books and tend to read solo titles. But, having heard all the hype about Grant Morrison's revamping of the X-Men and looking to try something new, I decided to pick up the New X-Men Omnibus and give it a whirl. It was exactly what I was looking for. The story was engaging, with Morrison and Quietly weaving an intriguing and suspenseful yarn that really explores who the X-Men are. Aside from the main storylines, I found the de-evolution of Beast to be interesting and would like to hear more of what happens with that. Also, the further evolution of Iceman was a plot device that was introduced but not really expanded upon.

The physical book itself is stunning. Presented in an oversized, coffee-table format allows the comics to be reprinted larger than their originals. The enlargement really allows the reader to concentrate on Frank Quietly's distinctive illustrations and lends itself as a superb guide for aspiring artists.

Overall, Marvel has done an excellent job with their Omnibus books, and this one is no exception. If you can find it for under $100 and are in the market for an excellent read, this is the book for you.

The best X-Men run in at least two decades.......2007-07-10

Remember when Uncanny X-Men was a cutting edge comic? When I started reading the X-Men titles in 1990, they had this mystique surrounding them. X-Men was the dangerous superhero team that the "cool" comic geeks followed. Looking back it seems a bit ridiculous. A lot of that mystique came from a single character (Wolverine), dynamic artwork by Jim Lee, Marc Silvestri, etc. and continuity so baffling that only the truly obsessive could keep track. Unfortunately the X-Men titles began to slide into mediocrity shortly after I started reading them. Just when I was ready to stop reading them altogether, Marvel decided to really shake things up.

They brought in Grant Morrison. By placing more emphasis on character development and sharper dialogue than on spandex slug-fests, Morrison, along with writers like Brian Michael Bendis, Mark Millar, Warren Ellis, and Garth Ennis, are responsible for what has to be the best wave of comics since Frank Miller and Alan Moore started deconstructing the genre back in the mid 80's.

It says a lot that of the two X-Men Omnibus volumes released so far, one contains Chris Claremont's initial run on Uncanny X-Men and the other is Grant Morrison's entire New X-Men run. Both runs revolutionized their respective titles, smashing the status quo and challenging traditions. Morrison's run introduced a major new villain, unleashed a new wave of Sentinels, destroyed Genosha, killing 16 million mutants, and made Emma Frost an A-list character...and that's just the first four issues! Throughout the run we're treated to a Scott/Jean/Emma love triangle, revelations about the Weapon Plus program that created Wolverine, Xorn, the U-Men, the destruction of the Shi'ar Empire, a riot at Xavier's School, a completely unhinged Magneto, a disturbing vision of the future, and an unforgettable night on the town with Wolverine and Cyclops. Morrison smashes through the X-Men Universe with punk rock-like abandon and uses the shards to put together something new and exciting that would, for a while, make the X-Men an edgy, must-read comic once again. And his movie-inspired uniforms were a huge improvement over the old costumes.

The artwork sadly, is not as consistent as the writing. Nobody managed to stay on the book for more than four consecutive issues, but at least the artwork was (mostly) high quality. I've come to absolutely love Frank Quitely's quirky style, so his issues are my favorites. Ethan Van Sciver (Green Lantern) also shines here, as does Chris Bachalo, who's drawn pretty much every X-book by now. The occasional issue by Leniel Yu, Phil Jiminez, and John Paul Leon are well done, but Igor Kordey's artwork is the low point of the book. His style is just not suited to this kind of title. The final issues were drawn by former X-Men artist (and current Witchblade/Darkness hotshot) Marc Silvestri, who definitely helps end things with a bang.

This is a shining example of what comics in the 21st century can be, and will go down in history as one of the three most important X-Men runs ever. The fact that you can get all of the issues in one mammoth hardcover volume is just the icing on the cake.

An imaginative, daring run for an established series.......2007-05-27

First off, the presentation of all of Morrison's issues here in this hardcover edition is very well-crafted. Marvel has provided quite a bit of bonus material including scripts, unused art, the "Morrison Manifesto" and an introduction by Mike Carey. As for the stories themselves, the arc consists of about 42 issues, and is as well-executed and thought provoking as any X-men run in recent memory. (I hesitate to say "EVER" because comics were quite a different animal in the late 70s/early 80s when Claremont & Byrne were doing their thing.)
The one drawback or advantage, depending on your personal taste, is that the artwork varies over the course of the book; the product of different artists being utilized throughout. I personally did not find this detrimental; it was nice to see characters/situations presented in different styles while retaining the narrative voice. This collection is a breath of fresh air from one of comics' most distinct talents helming one of comics' premier series.

Dark, edgy, and utterly brilliant.......2007-04-16

In the world of the New X-Men, the oppressed are not ennobled, but embittered. A sainted martyr is nothing more than a failed tyrant. The heroes are simultaneously corroded from within by their own human failings and assailed from without by the forces of evil.

The Nihilistic setting and gruesome plot are not lightened with comic relief, but instead barbed with sardonic humor. Nothing is sacred. Morrison goes so far as to viciously satirize comic book fans in the context of a school shooting. Those of us who have cheered Magneto while dreaming of mutant powers will grimace and chuckle in uneasy self-deprecation. Far from the lighthearted banter seen in other X-Men works, the humor is as twisted as a supervillian's soul.

The stories have the feel of thrillers rather than action movies. The villians are as original as they are disturbing. The empathetic reader is more likely to shudder in revulsion than bristle in righteous outrage. The result is much more emotionally engaging than the usual over-dramatic rush by the "good guys" to defeat the "bad guys" in a flurry of oversized onomatopoeia and droll one-liners.

The characterization is stark and unforgiving. Along with the usual great, tragic flaws, the characters are presented with all cutting edges exposed. Emma Frost particularly shines as a jumble of weakness and strength, selfishness and altruism. With Logan's utilitarian ethics, Jean Grey's telepathy, and Henry McCoy's dry wit, she adds a much-needed "edge" to the X-Men team.

The most brilliant aspect of the New X-Men is also the most subtle. Forgoing the trite and pompous narration employed by most comic authors, Morrison lets the characters' dialogue and actions speak for themselves. With the vividly realistic artwork and seamless, linear layout narration would be an irritating redundancy.

After finishing the New X-Men Omnibus, I had the feeling of waking from a dream, suddenly aware of my physical surrounding for the first time in hours. Only when I emerged from Morrison's world did I realize how thoroughly it had absorbed me.

THE PUNK ROCKER OF COMICS IS IN FULL FORM! .......2007-02-27

The manifesto by the author in the extra features explains it all: Grant Morrison set out to jumpstart the X-Universe in a way that has rarely been seen before. He succeeds in leaps and bounds. Here, he has all the epic grandeur spawning from the teams 40+ year history. But instead of getting bogged down by all that past, he uses it as "window dressing" for great stories about enormous characters.

HAVING THE WHOLE RUN IN ONE COLLECTION IS A DREAM COME TRUE! The oversized, glossy pages are gorgeous, and this is definitely worth the price tag.

And finally, the thing I like best about Morrison, is he made it suck to be a mutant again. For too long, Mutants were mostly beautiful people filling out sexy spandex that were "cursed" by their gifts. Wah. Characters like beak (a scrawny chicken-boy) and Three-Faced John make it easy to see why mutants are outcast, and that's what makes them so interesting.

p.s. I took off a star cause i'm not the biggest Frank Quietly fan.

Average customer rating:

Jack be nimble, Jack be quick
A bit of let down
"Not bad" isn't something I should be saying about Wilson
Let It Bleed
Excellant

Bloodline (Repairman Jack Novels)
F. Paul Wilson
Manufacturer: Gauntlet Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1887368930

Customer Reviews:

Jack be nimble, Jack be quick.......2007-10-10

I suppose when you write 10 now 11 Repairman Jack Novels you have a
tendency to forget why everyone liked Jack. I liked him best when he was
helping to repair problems, I mean not the stuff relating to
powers that seems to go beyond natural laws. No, the everyday problems
that some ordinary person was confronted with and didn't know how to
handle it. Enter "Jack". Sooo, if Mr. Wilson continues to go the
supernatural route, then "Hasta la Vista Baby", I won't be back.

A bit of let down.......2007-10-05

Though still a pretty good read for the most part, I was somewhat dissapointed overall and, for the first time ever, I regret having spent the money for this particular issue. To me, this is not the Repairman Jack of past stories; it was kind of boring in places and drawn out. Jack is definitely NOT taking names and kicking butt as in previous issues. The main storyline and whole premise just wasn't that exciting/interesting and a real page turner as in Mr. Wilson's past work. Also, now that I think bit further on it, I wish I could get my money back.

Dan
Barrington, NH. PS. Was kind of nice though (for a change of pace) having a little less Gia & Vicky in this one.

"Not bad" isn't something I should be saying about Wilson.......2007-10-04

This book was O.K.
It does progress the Jack storyline somewhat and is a quick, decent enough read but it's got some definite problems.
First of all, two of the storylines have been done in Jack books before, in All the Rage and Crisscross and done much better there. Also, the whole thing feels a little too much like Legacies, the book that wasn't even supposed to be a Jack book to begin with. Nothing much feels new.
One reviewer mentioned that removing Gia and Vicky from much of the book helped things, I think it seriously hurt them. Also, the supernatural element is almost nonexistent. If I want a plain detective story there's a whole boring genre full of them thank you.
Please Mr. Wilson, put some more thought into the next one. Don't write it so fast, and do something a little different.
The Tomb, All the Rage, Conspiracies, Hosts and Gateways remain my favorites but I've liked them all. It's just that Legacies and this one aren't really that great. They're just "not bad."

Let It Bleed.......2007-09-26

F. Paul Wilson's Repairman Jack series is one of the most well-written and enjoyable of its type out there. For anyone who isn't familiar with it - though it is likely someone reading a review of the eleventh book in the series is - think Dashiell Hammet meets HP Lovecraft, with a lighter tone than either. (In this novel he even playfully includes a hack scifi writer named P. Frank Winslow as a minor character.) Wilson maintains his usual readable standards in Bloodline, with the basis for the next sequel, also as usual, laid out in the last chapter.

Jack, an urban mercenary of sorts, but one who is selective about his clients and methods, takes on an apparently simple case; once again, and not as a coincidence, it blows up into something involving unseen forces - not quite supernatural in the usual sense, but otherworldly nonetheless.

All in all, this is a solid addition to the series. However, though I have no wish to deprive Mr. Wilson of a future downpayment on a beach house on the Jersey shore (and Jack is his creation to do with as he likes), as a reader I am at the point similar to an hour into a monster movie when, as viewer, I am getting impatient for the big lizard to rise out of the sea and trash Tokyo already. A storm has been building in the last few Repairman Jack novels. I await the author's unleashing of it, even though that probably means wrapping up the series.

Excellant.......2007-09-26

I enjoyed this latest Repairman Jack novel more than the last few probably because Gia and Vicky play only minor roles. This gives Jack a chance to get back to business.

But if incest bothers you, you may want to think twice before reading this one.

I took off a star because of the P. Frank Winslow story arc. Was that a "wink-wink" to the fans or a conceit of the author? I could have lived without it.

Average customer rating:

Will Auster ever recover his greatness?
Intrigued
In a room full of ideas
Our very own prison!
The Artist As an Old Man

Travels in the Scriptorium: A Novel
Paul Auster
Manufacturer: Henry Holt and Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0805081453
Release Date: 2007-01-23

Book Description

An old man sits in a room, with a single door and window, a bed, a desk and a chair. Each day he awakes with no memory, unsure of whether or not he is locked into the room. Attached to the few objects around him are one-word, hand-written, labels and on the desk is a series of vaguely familiar black-and-white photographs and four piles of paper. Then a middle-aged woman called Anna enters and talks of pills and treatment, but also of love and promises. Who is this Mr Blank, and what is his fate? What does Anna represent from his past - and will he have enough time to ever make sense of the clues that arise? After the huge success of The Brooklyn Follies, Travels in the Scriptorium sees Auster return to more metaphysical territory. A dark puzzle, and a game that implicates both reader and writer alike, it is an ingenious exploration of language, responsibility and the passage of time.

Customer Reviews:

Will Auster ever recover his greatness?.......2007-09-17

It's hard to be ungrateful as a reader. I have no idea how hard it is to write and continue to write good books. But it's also hard to continue to ignore diminishing qualities of Auster's writings, in directly opposite proportion to his fame. What happened to the writer who wrote Invention of Solitude, New York Trilogy and Moon Palace? He's turned into someone else. But that person is not Auster. It's almost as if Auster has turned into a lesser character in his novels. A writer publishing materials written by other writers? What is going on?

Intrigued.......2007-07-22

I've never written a "review" before, but after reading my first Paul Auster novel, I felt somewhat compelled to do so. Having never read any of his work, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but I certainly anticipated an earth shattering conclusion with a bit more of a WOW factor. I initially thought it may end up being a morality tale of some description, then I began to wonder if he was simply an old man suffering from severe memory loss and that the pictures and words were visual aids to help him make it through his days. Of course, having never been a fan of Auster's I didn't realize that his characters were recycled from his other works (Brilliant, actually!) But this morning I woke with a start! I believe Auster was reminding his readers (and a few others) on the powerlessness one feels when growing older---a reminder that so many of us in our youth obsessed culture desperately need. Mr. Blank filled in a lot of blanks for me. Every single thing he did in a day was a struggle..and his memory was agonizingly blurry. So, I considered the political morality tale, I considered several other possibilities, but this morning I awoke and smiled. I think Paul Auster is Mr. Blank. I think that the "obscure tormentor" represents Paul's publisher or manager..Or somebody who is making demands on him that he's struggling to meet. Typically, in most novels, a paragraph is dedicated to the many people who have "helped" the author complete each novel--whether it be through research, or emotional support etc. As mentioned, this may not be a habit of Auster's in his earlier work, I don't know, but there were certainly no thanks to anyone for their "help" with this novel. I think the point of the ending of "Travels in the Scriptorium" was for Paul Auster to remind his readers AND his publisher that although he may be seemingly losing control in other areas of his life, he, and he alone, is in control of his stories. Perhaps this is an oversimplified idea...I don't know. But it seemed as if he left everyone hanging deliberately--to remind us that Mr. Blank had more control than others gave him credit for and to remind everyone that he won't be pressured and that he controls his work. Shot in the dark, but that's what I'm walking away with...I'll definitely read his other work.

In a room full of ideas.......2007-06-24

It doesn't take a lot of things for Paul Auster build up a narrative. And so he proves in his latest novel "Travels in the Scriptorium", where an old man in locked in a room with not so many things, and from time to time he is visited by strangers, who seem to know him - although he has a slightest idea who some of them can be. With only a couple of elements, Auster develops a short novel, a novella, actually. But that doesn't mean his work is satisfying this time.

During the past few years, Auster's books have looked more like a work in progress rather than a finished novel. Sometimes it works better than other times. In his 2004's "Oracle Night" that was useful, and effective in the end. But here then finished narrative seems to lack stamina and elements to call it an actual narrative.

As the protagonist, we know as Mr Blank, the readers don't have much clues of what is going on. This can be an useful device sometimes, to build tension and increase the interest in the narrative. However, here this strategy is kind of annoying since we expect something that never happens to happen.

The people who comes to Mr Blank's room are always giving him and us tips of who he is but they never seem to mean much. Like the protagonist, we never know who to believe in. Experienced Auster readers will identify that all the visitors are characters from his previous books. Locking the whole story in a single room makes the novel claustrophobic, and the obsession that the protagonist has with writing and blanc pages, makes the whole room become a potential notebook.

In "Travels in the Scriptorium", Auster returns to his literary obsessions - he took a break in his previous "The Brooklyn Follies" - but here he is not at the top of his game, as we was in previous novels.

Our very own prison!.......2007-06-21

Paul Auster is a brilliant writer! This book continues to prove just that.
I think if david Lynch would be a writer he'd be Paul Auster. Actually, David Lynch should consider directing a film taken from one of Auster's books especially this one! I could so see something like that happening.
There isn't much of an explanation given in this story as to why Mr Blank is in the situation he's in. There's only a hint that can be interpreted in so many ways. Is he in jail? Is he in some private insane asylum?! Is it all just simply a dream???
A great read!

The Artist As an Old Man.......2007-06-15

I doubt that Paul Auster is trying to make us believe that his strange-loop narrative technique (twisting full circle and from inside to out) is original, and thus I don't find "Travels in the Scriptorium" to be self-indulgent or overly writerly. Surely he just finds this particular technique, made up as it is of elements now well-worn enough to qualify as classical, to be a congenial way to express his ideas and get the necessary images out of his head and into ours. He does a fine job of it, even if his sentences are a little leaner and less marbled than what I usually have a taste for.

I also don't see the book as a political allegory. Believing it to be a critique of current U.S. politics would require believing that Mr. Auster is slightly more paranoid than--I dunno--Gore Vidal, and I for one am reluctant to believe that Mr. Auster is insane. If the book is a more general allegory, then the author seems to put a smiling face on authoritarianism at the end of the book, which is a plausible but deeply improbable reading. That would be akin to taking Nabokov's comment about his characters' being "galley slaves" as an endorsement of actual galley slavery.

What is "Travels in the Scriptorium" about then? In part, it's about growing old, about the ache and embarrassment of it, and about how aging makes one both cling to memory and curse memory's imperfections. The book is a meditation on imagination, especially as imagination is realized in art, especially when art is understood as a species of eternity, a kind of antidote to disintegration; but I don't get the sense that Auster is making some fatuous postmodern point about life being no more consequential than inky wriggles on paper. Far from suggesting the real isn't real, much of the matter of the book itself reminds us that the art in the book comes from the real mind of a real person who lives a real life in the real world. And we can safely surmise that this person, like Mr. Blank, eats and drinks and excretes and feels pain and loss and lust and genuine affection. Sound like anyone you know?

Average customer rating:

Bad Bad Bad
What's Kafka got to do with dolls?
Great subtext--if you get it...
Slow to start but persevere
Bo-ring

The Brooklyn Follies: A Novel
Paul Auster
Manufacturer: Picador
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0312426232
Release Date: 2006-10-17

Book Description

Nathan Glass has come to Brooklyn to die. Divorced, retired, estranged from his only daughter, the former life insurance salesman seeks only solitude and anonymity. Then Glass encounters his long-lost nephew, Tom Wood, who is working in a local bookstore--a far cry from the brilliant academic career Tom had begun when Nathan saw him last. Tom's boss is the colorful and charismatic Harry Brightman--a.k.a. Harry Dunkel--once the owner of a Chicago art gallery, whom fate has also brought to the "ancient kingdom of Brooklyn, New York." Through Tom and Harry, Nathan's world gradually broadens to include a new circle of acquaintances. He soon finds himself drawn into a scam involving a forged page of The Scarlet Letter, and begins to undertake his own literary venture, The Book of Human Folly, an account of "every blunder, every pratfall, every embarrassment, every idiocy, every foible, and every inane act I have committed during my long and checkered career as a man."

The Brooklyn Follies is Paul Auster's warmest, most exuberant novel, a moving, unforgettable hymn to the glories and mysteries of ordinary human life.

Customer Reviews:

Bad Bad Bad.......2007-09-26

I love Auster, I was turned onto him when his New York Trilogy was first coming out, thanks to a bookseller on Westwood Blvd, in LA. I'm pleased to have hardbacks of the first three books that make up the Trilogy. Since then I give him a lot of latitude, and he's often hit or miss. The last good one was "Book of Illusions." This book plus the following "In the Scriptorium" have realy put me off him. Maybe he's got too many other plates spinning to make time for his fiction... Who knows, just hate to see a great writer lose it.

What's Kafka got to do with dolls?.......2007-09-26

There are a few bad things I could say about this book, a bit too vulgar at times, a bit too descriptive others, but those are my personal preferences. Overall, its brilliant moments far outweigh any flaws I may have perceived.
I enjoyed the symbolism, the intellectual discussions between Tom and Nathan, the strong intertextuality, and the constant shifting in the narrative.
I particularly loved the story about Kafka and the doll. It's easy to picture that as the inspiration behind the entire book. And the Hotel Existence, so resemblant of Borges' writing!

Great subtext--if you get it..........2007-08-16

This is a novel in which the subtext is by far more interesting than the narration appearing on the page. And Auster seems to have worked hard to weave this subtext.

The retired, recently divorced Nat becomes reacquainted with his nephew, Tom, formerly an English professor who's failed to complete his Ph.D. Tom says, "Poe was artifice and the gloom of midnight chambers. Thoreau was simplicity and the radiance of the outdoors." In these words Auster captures the two main characters: Tom, the erudite yet bewildered and lost literary expert, who, like Poe, epitomizes disappointment and gloom, and Uncle Nat, the uncomplicated man who watches life on the sidelines and who is more interested in rehabilitating the lives of others than his own.

From that point on, the novel is peppered with borrowed literary concepts, starting with Rousseau ("As long as man had the courage to reject what society told him to do, he could live life on his own terms.") to Voltaire, in the form of the colorful, yet tragic, figure of Harry.

But that is also where the problem of this novel lies: A reader must work very hard at getting to the bottom of every scene--if not of every paragraph--in order to make the story come to life. The surface story is merely a mild plot that lacks either momentum or tension. When events finally move at the end, they are narrated succinctly, as an afterthought, a summary of what should have been allowed to bloom on the page in real time and to reach a climatic crescendo. If the reader has developed any attachment to the characters, she would be disappointed at the lack of emotions when these characters finally seem to resolve their problems. The summarizing tone, like an epilogue, must have been written on one leg at a Brooklyn phone booth rather than toiled at at the author's desk.

I could not help but compare the lackluster narrator of "Brooklyn Follies," Nat, to Auster's engaging narrator in "The Book of Illusions," David Zimmer. And when I thought of the unforgettable brilliant depiction of the comedian Hector Mann and compared it to the flat persona of Tom in "Brooklyn Follies," I wished that Auster would do better next time.

Slow to start but persevere.......2007-07-17

At the beginning of the book I decided that I really wasn't going to like the main character. But it turns out that at the beginning of the book, the main character doesn't like himself. As the book progressed we both changed our opinions.

This story was touching, funny and I found the narrative style clever and absorbing. The main character is writing a collection of his own 'follies'. Little snapshots of silly things he has done in his life. He doesn't share many of these with the reader but he does share the bigger follies of the people around him. In engrossing but sympathetic details.

This book gives you plenty of sub plots, excellent characterisation and manges to tie it all into an uplifting story of humanity, it's flaws and it's beauties.

Bo-ring.......2007-06-11

After reading the first 50 pages of this book, I'm calling it quits. It's hard for me to do, as I'm all for giving books a chance and I know sometimes books with slow beginnings can end up being great by the end. But, I feel this book is a waste of my time. I've never read an Auster book before and chose this one after reading some reviews of it. Life is to shore to spend it reading books that are boring. I'm moving on to another.

Average customer rating:

Paul Dini strikes Gold!
a decent collection
A BIT UNEVEN BUT OVERALL VERY GOOD
A solid Batman collection
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm

Batman: Detective
Paul Dini , and Royal McGraw
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1401212395

Book Description

Paul Dini, the Emmy Award-winning writer and producer ofBatman: The Animated Series, Superman: The Animated Series and JusticeLeague, joins with J.H. Williams III, the acclaimed artist of the EisnerAward-winning series PROMETHEA, and others for this all-new collection ofmystery stories that will test the skills of the World's GreatestDetective!The Dark Knight must face the Riddler, the Penguin and Poison Ivy as wellas brand-new villains while trying to solve crimes. Prepare for twists,turns and betrayals every step of the way as Batman is even forced to forgealliances with his enemies to crack these cases.

Customer Reviews:

Paul Dini strikes Gold!.......2007-08-07

Despite not having long story arcs (think mini stories within a tradepaper back), it harkens back to the charm and great story telling of Dini's (and Timm's) old Batman animated series. My favorite story would be Riddler's, and his little partnership with Batman. Honestly, it's cute in a manly way without being too cheesey. Only Dini can pull that off and for that, I applaud him.

a decent collection.......2007-07-06

I liked the stories but I didnt care much for the art. If you need a Batman fix pick this up.

A BIT UNEVEN BUT OVERALL VERY GOOD.......2007-05-02

Batman: Detective isn't your usual trade paperback. The six issues of Detective Comics collected here don't represent a single story arc but rather, it presents six stand-alone stories that call upon Batman to use the skills that have made him the world's greatest detective. In another twist, the stories feature some of Batman's greatest foes including The Riddler, The Penguin, Poison Ivy, and the Joker, but rather than battling these arch foes, Batman actually has to aid them...with one notable exception we'll get to in a moment.

In the opening tale, members of Gotham's high-society are falling victim to crime by a gang masquerading as blue bloods themselves. A new villain named Façade is in town and Batman needs to track him down before he can commit further crimes. This was the weakest story in the book. A new, uninteresting villain barely caused Batman to break a sweat.

"E. Nigma, Counseling Detective" finds the Riddler going straight by opening his own detective agency. In his first case, he helps to prove that Bruce Wayne did not commit the murder of former girlfriend Karrie Bishop. Just when the Riddler thinks he's nailed the case, Batman ups the ante with his own detective skills.

In "Stalked" Poison Ivy is attacked in her Arkham Asylum cell by a monstrous form of plant, which she cannot control. Batman takes her to the Batcave for safe-keeping but in searching her former hideout, finds a DVD which repulses he and Robin. Ivy developed a new form of carnivorous plant that slowly dissolves its victims. But somehow this plant maintained the souls of its victims and they've come looking for revenge on Ivy and anyone trying to help her. Solid story although it involved little detective work by Batman in keeping with the overall theme of the book.

The Penguin is also attempting to go straight in "Night of the Penguin" but his new venture may be short-lived as he's endanger of being wiped out in a high-stakes poker game. Batman suspects that Mr. Zzz is cheating and enlists the aid of Zatanna to find out how. A light story, filled with a lot of humor...particularly from Bruce Wayne's date for the evening at the Grand Opening of Penguin's new lounge. Lets just say she bears more than a slight resemblance to Paris Hilton...particularly in the dumb blonde department.

The best story in the book is actually the odd story out in terms of the detective motif and Batman barely makes an appearance. In "Slayride" Robin is being pursued by gun-toting thugs and gets a ride from a passing motorist...The Joker! Robin awakes bound and gagged with the Joker at the wheel of a Soccer mom's van (mom and dad are dead in the back seat!). During this maddening ride to Hell, Robin watches helplessly as the Joker runs down innocent pedestrians and shoots a fast food restaurant Manager when they can't get his order right. Can't say as I blame him for that one...

The stories were written by Paul Dini and Royal McGraw, with art by Don Kramer, J.H. Williams III, Joe Benitez, and Marcos Marz. The book is a little uneven and some stories, particularly the Joker story is an odd fit. One gets the sense that it was included only to round the book out with six stories.

REVIEWED BY TIM JANSON

A solid Batman collection.......2007-04-10

This collection of Batman stories suprised me by how much strength is in each chapter/issue. Mr. Dini carries over his excellent writing style from the animated series and excels at not dragging out a story too long. The only running storyline deals with the Riddler and it doesn't hasten the self contained shorts. Also the art plays well by having each artist's style compliment the story accordingly. This would be a great gift for a fair weather Batman fan or a newcomer to the genre, easily accessible and fun.

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm.......2006-11-17

The book is a bit short but a nice item for collectors and Batman fans.The story takes place in Gothan,when a masked figure starts to murder each of the retired gangsters in town. The murderer is taken to be Batman because of the great resemblance between both, and Batman starts being hunted by the police while he tries to solve the case so he can clean his name.And all of this is spiced a litle more by the visit of one of Bruce's old love affairs... Filled with great descriptions and action parts this is for sure something you will be curious to read.

Average customer rating:

Garbage....
A Treasure!
The World's Greatest Super-Heroes
Not bad, but could have been better...
the "ultimate" edition for superheroes.

The World's Greatest Super-Heroes
Paul Dini , and Alex Ross
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1401202543

Book Description

This oversized hardcover edition collects six stories by Paul Dini, the Emmy Award-winning producer of Batman Beyond and The New Batman/Superman Adventures, and superstar illustrator Alex Ross. These classic works feature Superman, Batman, Captain Marvel and Wonder Woman in a unique storytelling format that combines aspects of both comics and picture books. Plus, the entire Justice League, which includes those four iconic heroes plus others like Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman and Hawkman, is featured in a full-length story created in a traditional comics format. Also included are several pages of promotional art, sketches, art done for DC Direct product, and much more!

Customer Reviews:

Garbage...........2007-10-01

Forget about these reviews, This book is trash. High price for no story and over-made paintings. It's hard to justify when the characters are little more then cheap cartoon drawings.

A Treasure!.......2007-07-01

From beginning to end, this book is gorgeous. This hardcover slipcased edition is a tactile wonder. Everything from the cover to every single page has a pleasant, glossy sheen not found even in other DC Absolutes. Now in previous absolute editions, I have lamented the inclusion of both a slipcase AND a dust jacket, (hello, redundant!) I am pleased that this book features both, because it's just more canvas to feature the Ross's to-die-for art.
Now if you're expecting to see a lot of the Justice League together, you'll be disappointed because 2/3 of this book is Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel in their own stories. However, the 80 page LIBERTY AND JUSTICE story that concludes the book is the cream of the crop. If you need a bigger JLA fix, then look to Ross's series JUSCICE.

In short, this should be on the shelf of any DC comics fan, and considering that the BATMAN and WONDER WOMAN paperbacks are selling for more than this collected edition, it's a friggin' steal at 32.99.

The World's Greatest Super-Heroes.......2007-05-14

EXCELLENT! Astonishing artwork and vivid stories that do justice for these classic DC heroes. NUFF SAID!

Not bad, but could have been better..........2007-03-12

I find Alex Ross to be the best artist in the comic book industry, period. Some people say that a comic shouldn't be painted, but they're just being closed minded. It's about time anyway, especially with some of the work out there being done today. Some comic book artists need a lesson in proportion and figure study, that's all I'm saying. (And for some inkers, a class about understanding the role of light and shadow wouldn't be too bad a thing to take either.)

Anyway, like I've probably hinted, I bought this book because of the art. And considering Dini's past experience, I'd expected the writing to be pretty good as well. Unfortunately, it's not all that great. Most of the stories don't use word bubbles (excluding the Justice League story,) in what I'm guessing to be a sort of different take on the standard comic book. I have nothing against that move, but what came out of it was rather flat. A narrative, I believe, doesn't conjure as much interest as dialogue (which would be word bubbles.) Not that there isn't any sort of dialogue in these stories, there are, but more room is taken up by the thoughts of the narrator, which would be the lead super hero in each story. Of course, to read the inner workings of Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman sounds like great fun, but it just comes out rather bland and uninteresting.

Two stories that I think worked the best were the Batman and Captain Marvel stories. The two that I think were the least engaging were the Superman and Wonder Woman ones. Others may think differently, but we all have different opinions, so it's up the person. All of the stories in the book deal with humanity issues, which is a nice change. And the Justice League comic isn't bad. And Alex Ross is doing his Alex Ross thing. So overall, if you want the art, just buy it, considering the savings you get with Amazon. If you're more the person that wants an interesting and engaging storyline, you might want to look elsewhere.

the "ultimate" edition for superheroes........2006-11-10

I own the single books from Dini/Ross teamup. Great books. They capture the essence of each character to build upon it a very meaningful and clever tale. Nothing to add about the art: Ross is well known and always getting better and better, with panels as evocative as the prose. The hardcover edition is the perfect way to enjoy these masterpieces (even if a bit heavy to handle.....). But if you are looking for extra material (as the new edition of Mythology) you could be disappointed.

Average customer rating:

love this series
Awesome story telling
Anyone hear that crunching sound?
great sequel!
Captivates fantasy lovers!

DragonQuest: A Novel
Donita K. Paul
Manufacturer: WaterBrook Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1400071291
Release Date: 2005-06-07

Book Description

A New Quest Begins

A dragonkeeper of Paladin, Kale is summoned from the Hall to The Bogs by the Wizard Fenworth to serve as his apprentice and tend his newly hatched meech dragon, Regidor. But Kale isn’t going alone. The Hall is sending a student to monitor her performance and report back to the scholars. Worst of all, it’s Bardon–an older boy Kale finds irritating, but who at least can hold his own in a sword fight.

New Friendships Are Forged

Meanwhile, the Wizard Risto has seized another meech dragon, bringing him dangerously close to gaining the power he seeks. So with only a motley band of companions, Kale sets out on a desperate quest to rescue the second meech, to free those dragons already enslaved, and to thwart Risto’s devious plans. It’s up to Kale to lead the search and to embrace the role that’s rightfully hers. But will her efforts be enough to save the land of Amara from the dark future that awaits at Risto’s hands?

Customer Reviews:

love this series.......2007-09-09

this was another good read by donita k. paul. i've enjoyed this series immensely!

Awesome story telling.......2007-07-23

This book is a great read, shares truthful insights. Grat to read with the kids.

Anyone hear that crunching sound?.......2007-03-11

The sound of words being eaten, eaten away.

Confession time: I made several negative comments in my review of DragonSpell (which I still agree with). But I also made several predictions, negative ones, and I have to say I was completely wrong.

I could tell by the first page of this book that Ms. Paul's writing style had improved. I could tell about twenty pages in that her characterization had improved. And I could tell about fifty pages in that this book had a really, really compelling plot. Best of all, the "moral dilemma" I had so begged for had come, too, with Kale's mother number 1 and mother number 2.

Did I mention there was a lot more humor, too, which is always nice with Christian fiction?

Dar is better, funny and loyal. Kale is better, smart and interesting. Two new dragons are introduced. The meech egg from Book 1 is back, almost fully grown, and there's another meech dragon too, a female in bondage to the evil guy, Risto. And the protagonists being who they are, they must rescue her.

And -- wait for it -- this book actually has a BATTLE at the end! A real one! Involving real danger!

Quite exciting. I was hoping DragonQuest would be better, I really was, because the premise of the series had so much potential, and I'm always up for reading Christian fiction as long as it isn't too preachy. The preachiness died in this book. Granted, it's obvious that it IS Christian fiction. But the characters aren't robots who spew Paladin's teachings all over the place (or, in non-fantasy Christian fiction, robots who become Christians and a week later know fifty Bible verses by heart). They're real, flawed, funny people.

Why, then, did I give it only four stars?

Well, there are little annoying details such as some awkward dialogue, confusing scenes, and just an edge of predictability. (Though, in all fairness, I was surprised when it was discovered that the dragons really hadn't deserted after all.)

So, of course it wasn't perfect -- but what is? It was compelling, and MUCH better than the first, so I'll be borrowing DragonKnight as soon as I can.

Rating: Very Good

great sequel!.......2006-05-18

I've always loved anything that has to do with dragons, so when i saw DragonSpell i wanted to read it, when i finished it, i was sad that i had. you know that feeling when you're coming to the end of the book and your happy your gonna finish it, but your sad that you are gonna finish it? yeah, thats how i felt. when i finished it, i looked into the author, and learn a little more about, to find out she already wrote two more! i was so happy, and imediatelly ordered DragonQuest. It is a great story, but if you haven't read the first one, you're going to be clueless. lol I can't wait to read what happens to Bardon and Kale in the next one, DragonKnight! BYE

Captivates fantasy lovers!.......2006-03-29

Kale and her friends return in this mesmerizing sequel to DragonSpell. Two weeks into her training at the Hall, Kale, a dragonkeeper for Paladin, is summoned to help the aging Wizard Fenworth with the meech dragon she quickened. Two minor dragons and a furry young street urchin are already under her care, but there's also an irksome someone to report on her and train her to defend herself - Bardon, a structured older boy called the Snitch behind his back.

Facing danger even to get to Fenworth's, the group soon finds that their journey is only beginning. The evil Wizard Risto has seized another meech to further his plans of taking over Amara. As they travel to free dragons already enslaved by Risto's influence, the mystery surrounding the mother Kale never knew begins to be hampered by more questions.

Rich in adventure, deep in insight, and filled with the intriguing creative touches that fantasy readers love, this book is a must-read for all ages. Seven high races and seven evil races people Amara, portrayed in detail and kept distinct. Multi-dimensional characters become friends you wish you could meet. Dragons permeate the story like a flock of tropical birds, with vivid coloring and varied personalities. The author also adds mind-speaking abilities, wizardry, gateways to travel long distances instantly, and a cloak with pockets that don't bulge, but these elements are only frosting to deeper issues like trust and discipline. A twisting and suspenseful plot finishes the novel on a high note but leaves room for sequels to come. The Dragonkeeper Chronicles are books sure to captivate every lover of fantasy. - Katie Hart, Christian Book Previews.com

Average customer rating:

Love finds a way
The Real Story
Finding Noel
Finding Noel
Very sad narrative

Finding Noel: A Novel
Richard Paul Evans
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0743287037

Book Description

When I wrote my first novel, The Christmas Box, I never imagined it would become an international bestseller. It was a story for my two (then) little girls. But as I wrote, I realized that it was also for my mother -- to ease her pain over losing a child.

My mother was my staunchest supporter and my biggest fan. A receptionist at a doctor's office, she would sell my book (sometimes by the case!) to patients in the waiting room. When The Christmas Box hit #1 on the New York Times bestseller list, no one, including me, was more excited than my mother.

I lost my mother on Valentine's Day of 2006. After weeks of struggling with my grief, I decided I would write a story for her. As she loved Christmas, I chose to write a Christmas novel, my first since The Christmas Box.

Finding Noel is about how people come into our lives for a reason. It is a love story about Macy and Mark, two young people from different worlds.

I'm sorry that this Christmas, for the first time since I became a writer, I won't be able to present my mother with a copy of my book. I think she would have enjoyed reading it. But, then again, I'm not certain that she hasn't.

As you read Finding Noel, I hope that you enjoy the journey and feel the same powerful emotions I felt as the story came to me.

Fondly,

Richard Evans

Customer Reviews:

Love finds a way.......2007-08-25

This is a story about what the adoption/foster care system can do and does to children. BUT it is also a story about the resilience of children and how they cope as they grow up.

Mark Smart is at the lowest point in his life when car failure and a snowy night bring him into a diner and Macy Woods into his life. Macy changes Mark's depression into a willingness to go on and the two begin a relationship.

Mark discovers that Macy is known as Mary at the diner where she works. He wonders why and discovers that her life was not all roses as a child. A Christmas ornament with Noel is all Macy has left of her birth family. She was adopted by parents that didn't really want her, she was separated from her sister who was sent to another set of adoptive parents and when she tries to find her now that she is an adult, discovers that the adoption is sealed. Macy is now living with a woman who is loving and kind but has a secret of her own.

Mark's own life has had its own turmoil. He was in college in Utah but had to drop out for lack of money. He started to work to put money aside so he could return but during this time his mother died and his family in Alabama wasn't able to find him until 2 days after the funeral. Mark and his father didn't get along very well and he doesn't want to have any contact with him.

Mark and Macy each help the other to come to terms with their pasts so they can move forward with the present. It is a story that you will want to read from beginning to end without stopping.

The Real Story.......2007-08-18

The irony of fictional writing is that it works best when it comes from a real place. According to author Richard Evans, the background story of his novel "Finding Noel," is drawn from the real-life story of Celeste Edmunds, a woman with whom he used to work.

As with his previous books, this is a personal work for Evans; he uses family names, origins, religion, illness and little slice-of-life things like recipes, traditions and tips to give a homey feel to his characters and story.

His writing, though, has a stilted, rookie feel to it which is surprising given that this is his 10th or so published work and was edited and published by Simon and Schuster. Evans uses lots of adverb modifiers in his dialogue when a simple "said" would work. That redundancy (Ex: ` "That's real genius," I said sarcastically.' The character's tone already communicates the sarcasm), slows down the pace and dumbs down the scene.

That awkwardness, plus the common voice between the characters, gives this story a generic feel.

What Evans does extremely well is to tell an unusual story about finding love in unexpected places. "Finding Noel" is also the first book of fiction that features a character living with and dying from eye cancer. Through his character Joette, Evans exposes millions of readers to this rare disease - only 2,000 adults are diagnosed each year - in a way that mainstream media and inaccessible medical literature have not. For that alone, Richard Evans and his fictional work are the real deal.

Finding Noel.......2007-07-21

All of Richard Paul Evans books are good. I have all of his books.

Finding Noel.......2007-05-14

Finding Noel: A NovelMy wife believes Richard Paul Evans "walks on water" and gives this book 10 stars. Her daughter also rates it a "10". Any book by Mr. Evans is an easy, quick read and thoughly enjoyable. Kick back, relax and enjoy a good read. Buy several copies---the book makes a great gift and you will be loved for giving such a great gift.

Very sad narrative.......2007-04-11

Well written, a story more people should know about.
It does make you sad though.
Gives insight into adoption and the agency's that handle them.

Average customer rating:

This is the series that started it all...
great time traveling experience
Return of The Justice Society (Spoilers!)
Classic Tales of the World's First Superhero Team
Woo-hoo, more Earth-2!

Justice Society, Vol. 2
Paul Levitz
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1401211941

Customer Reviews:

This is the series that started it all..........2007-06-28

Not to long ago Geoff Johns wrote the majority of the first of two Justice Society series for DC Comics (he's writing the second one as you read this...) but this book and the first one are the genesis of the modern day series. These books are hard to come by, if not impossible due to limited print runs on the series, if you do find them you're probably paying an arm and a leg for them. If you're a fan of the Justice Society of America I strongly urge you to get not only this book, but the first volume and it's companion Huntress: Daughter of the Dark Knight as you're missing out on a true treat and some classic comics.

great time traveling experience.......2007-03-18

It was a lot of to read stories that ushered in the first 'personality' conflicts in the JSA...I still miss Earth II..I grew up on those guys...(of course some people say I still haven't grown up) It started up some great story lines...(Robin and Huntresses relationship, coming out of retirement, Star Sangled Kid confusion over finding 'his place', etc..)
Great memories...Wish they'd print more Comic Calvalcade..and a complete World's Finest in the archive form

Return of The Justice Society (Spoilers!).......2007-03-13

A follow up to the Justice Society TP Vol. 1, this compilation completes the run of the reprinted All-Star Comics reboot of the 70's. Wisely marketed by DC to cash in on their Infinite Crisis mini-series (and by association, Earth-2) Justice Society: Volume 2 includes editor's notes that originally referered readers to companion series of the time which featured Powergirl and company, but have been updated to refer readers to recently released companion TP compilations. Though possibly considered above average artwork and writing for DC Comics of that bygone era, the page/panel compositions at times seem crowded and character anatomies seem contorted into awkward poses. The scripts, especially the captions, seem dated. Still, this book, along with Justice Society: Volume 1, The Huntress and Powergirl TPs, are pure nostalgia and must-haves for any Earth-2 completist's collection. Included are the final story arcs which originally appeared in Adventure Comics #s 461 to 466 after All-Star Comics was cancelled and feature the first appearance of the Huntress, the death of Bruce Wayne and the Gotham Twin Towers nearly tumbled by a super villain!

Classic Tales of the World's First Superhero Team.......2007-03-09

The second volume of JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA reprints the JSA's last few adventures in ALL-STAR COMICS (67-74) and their brief run in the pages of ADVENTURE COMICS (461-466). These stories of heroism, tragedy, and the family dynamic inherent in a multi-generational superhero team are still very readable and thoughtful, with excellent dialogue and wonderful art by Joe Staton, the "Earth-Two" artist for DC in the late 70s. Of particular interest is the JSA vs. JSA story from #69, which introduced the Huntress, and the story from ADVENTURE #462, which features the death of the Golden Age Batman. Highly recommended for everyone, but particularly those fans who have rediscovered the JSA in the pages of the current comics.

Woo-hoo, more Earth-2!.......2007-02-18

THE JUSTIC SOCIETY VOLUME 2 collects more of the adventures of the original Earth-2 super-team. These are DC's Golden Age heroes and villains, written as if they had aged somewhat consistently into the `70s. Clark Kent is now editor of the Daily Star, Bruce Wayne is police commissioner of Gotham City, and new heroes such as Power Girl and the Huntress join other still-active members of the Justice Society. These fun stories are written by Paul Levitz, with art by Joe Staton. Unfortunately, there are no inks from Wally Wood this time around. Rest in peace, Wally.

Collected here are All-Star Comics #68 - 74 and Adventure Comics #461 - 466, featuring battles with the classic villains Psycho-Pirate, Thorn, the first Huntress, Sportsmaster, Fredric Vaux, and others. Also featured is the death of the Earth-2 Bruce Wayne. Now don't yell at me for ruining the surprise - it's actually essential that you know this ahead of time. The reason is that the stories are not printed in narrative order, so there are a couple of stories where the Huntress is mourning Wayne, her father, even though he was just fine in the previous story. His death is not featured until much later. Did it ruin the book for me? Nah, but it would have kept me from constantly going back to see if I'd missed something. Anyway, this is a great book to have if you are curious about the DC Universe before the Crisis on Infinite Earths. I must admit, it was a fun place!

Average customer rating:

Healing Broken Hearts
Like a Gift
Precious Sunflowers
eh...
Sweet story....

The Sunflower: A Novel
Richard Paul Evans
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0743287010
Release Date: 2005-10-04

Book Description

"Seek not your destiny, for it is seeking you."

Just a week before their marriage, Christine's fiance calls off the wedding, leaving her heartbroken. With hopes of helping her through a difficult time, Christine's best friend Jessica enrolls them both on a humanitarian mission in Peru, to work at an orphanage called El Girasol -- The Sunflower.

It is while working at the orphanage that Christine meets Paul Cook, a successful and charismatic American doctor who has fled the States after one fatal day took away his career, his faith, and the woman he loved.

Unplanned events lead Paul and Christine into the jungle of the Amazon, where Christine must confront her deepest fears, and she, and Paul, must both learn to trust and love again.

Download Description

"""Seek not your destiny, for it is seeking you."" Just a week before their marriage, Christine's fiance calls off the wedding, leaving her heartbroken. With hopes of helping her through a difficult time, Christine's best friend Jessica enrolls them both on a humanitarian mission in Peru, to work at an orphanage called El Girasol -- The Sunflower. It is while working at the orphanage that Christine meets Paul Cook, a successful and charismatic American doctor who has fled the States after one fatal day took away his career, his faith, and the woman he loved. Unplanned events lead Paul and Christine into the jungle of the Amazon, where Christine must confront her deepest fears, and she, and Paul, must both learn to trust and love again. "

Customer Reviews:

Healing Broken Hearts.......2007-09-29

I am never disappointed when I read a book by Richard Paul Evans. I try to read all of his books.

The Sunflower is the story of a young doctor, working in a major US hospital, who inspite of all his best efforts can not save the life of a young boy. The doctor leaves his practice and travels to the jungles of South America. When the Doctor arrives at an orphanage in Peru, he finally finds his calling. The ophanage is very run down and simple, yet it fulfils the purpose of taking the young children off the streets and giving them an education.

After the breakup of a six year realationship, Christine, a fussy girl who has to have everything just right and even owns a carpet rake, finds herself on two week, working trip to Peru.

Christine and Paul,(the doctor) hit it off and begin an unlikely romance. They know that such romances will never work, and Christine needs to return to her life in America. Somehow, in two weeks, she has fallen in love with a man, a country and the orpan children.

Will Chritine leave her comfortable life in the US behind, to live with poisous creatures and dirty conditions? Will the doctor who has found himself in a jungle village, leave behind the life he has forged and the orphan children he loves, for a woman he has only known for two weeks?

You will love the tale of the Sunflower, woven into a love story, by master storyteller, Richard Paul Evans.

Jill Vanderwood,
Children's Author: Through the Rug & Through the Rug 2: Follow That Dog

Like a Gift.......2007-09-26

I have no idea what caused me to pull this title off the shelf and buy it because it certainly was unlike anything else I'd read in recent years. I half-expected more action and adventure, especially because the book's blurb said that the events take place in Peru, but in the end I found myself slaphappy in the middle of a compelling love story.

The author has managed to avoid graphic sexual content and utilizes only the thinnest amount of sensual dialogue, relying more on the actions and unspoken sentiments of the characters involved to move the reader. And you will be moved. He also leverages some excellent attention-getting devices, such as the way the story is told through a third party's eyes, the short philosophical quotes that begin each chapter, and the book's dead-on relevance to the tests we face in overcoming loss and pain.

I suppose the battle between love and geography has been told before, and perhaps love does not normally fare well in those struggles. But if nothing else, this book is, on so many levels, about hope and the selflessly giving people that our society should never take for granted. There's also a global humanitarian slant to the book that suits me as well, especially as it concerns children and the environment. Unless you've got a heart made of stone, you won't be disappointed.

Precious Sunflowers.......2007-09-19

I was thoroughly involved in this story of the Sunflower Orphanage and the details of the country of Peru. I did check out the website for the orphanage which was encourage at the end of the book. The factual aspects of this book and the needs of these children will touch your heart. My son had an extremely similar missionary visit to Mexico where he helped at an orphanage. How and why the children arrive at such an orphanage are identical in nature. It is amazing that our world cannot put an end to such devastation of young lives. The fictional parts of the book were equally engaging. There's nothing like a love story to envigorate a woman's heart.

eh..........2007-08-26

I usually love RPE, and this was an enjoyable book to read, however, the charactors lacked the depth in both personality and story line to be believable. I like to feel like I know the charactors and can relate to their broken hearts, or whatever central crisis always seems to be neccessary to write about a romance. But I never got warm fuzzies. This was supposed to be a love story and I can't find the falling in love part. I didn't feel these two people were meant for each other the way "a great love story" would.

That being said, Paul Cooks diary is really what I would like to read. I feel like the glimpses are more telling than the filling. I won't quit reading RPE and I still recommend his books but I hope in his next book the story is more important than the message.

Sweet story...........2007-07-18

It is kinda condensed but because of the length it almost had to be. It isn't really a "love" story but a romantic story. Two people who connect after being tossed around by life. You never know where your heart is going to take you or who will be your life partner. Excellent heart entertainment.

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