Phantom: Chainfire Trilogy, Part 2 (Sword of Truth, Book 10)

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Book Description

On the day she awoke remembering nothing but her name, Kahlan Amnell became the most dangerous woman alive. For everyone else, that was the day that the world began to end. As her husband, Richard, desperately searches for his beloved, whom only he remembers, he knows that if she doesnt soon discover who she really is, she will unwittingly become the instrument that will unleash annihilation. But Kahlan learns that if she ever were to unlock the truth of her lost identity, then evil itself would finally possess her, body, and soul. If she is to survive in a murky world of deception and betrayal, where life is not only cheap but fleeting, Kahlan must find out why she is such a central figure in the war-torn world swirling around her. What she uncovers are secrets darker than she could ever have imagined.

Customer Reviews:

Only Terry.......2007-09-26

Terry seems to have Richard loose that woman more then anything in the world but over all he makes him losign her interesting each time....if you're looking at this you read all the others most likely so you know the deal

Disappointing ovreall with sparks of quality here and there.......2007-09-20

I am about ready to give up on this series, but I think I can make it one more book. This one was again disappointing. It rambled on and on over the exact same tired ground covered in other books. Then there would be a bit of action that was interesting and might have a good twist. Then it would ramble some more. I skipped whole paragraphs and pages and missed none of the plot. If you have stuck it out this long with the series, sure, so ahead. Otherwise don't bother.

Merely average.......2007-09-15

Phantom by Terry Godkind is the second book in the Chainfire trilogy, but also the tenth book in the Sword of Truth saga. For people not familiar with Mr. Goodkind, it may sound odd that a book is part of a trilogy and a saga at the same time, but that is the case with this book. The Chainfire trilogy is merely the final three books in the saga. By all accounts, the final book in the Chainfire trilogy, will in fact be the last book in the Sword of Truth saga. The saga that was started back in 1994 with Wizard's First Rule (Sword of Truth, Book 1) is due to close with the next book. There have been a mix of gems and duds among the books, but over all it's proven to be a solid series.

The overall plot of this book is almost identical to the plot of the previous book, Chainfire: Chainfire Trilogy, Part 1 (Sword of Truth, Book 9). In that Richard is still searching for Kahlan. The only difference is that in Chainfire, Richard had convinced those closest to him (Zed, Cara, Nicci etc) that Kahlan does exists. Sadly, nothing much changes in terms of that plot line. It almost seems as though Mr. Goodkind wants to milk that piece of plot for all it's worth. There are a few other subplots sprinkled in for good measure as well. Such as the Boxes of Orden and just what they can do. I particularly like this subplot because it ties up events from book one and is obviously bringing things together. There is also, as with previous books, a great deal of discussion of prophecy. This subplot seems to make the book become sluggish and redundant due to the fact the characters seem as though they are constantly repeating themselves. There is also the additional subplot of the First Grand Wizard, Baraccus, and the events he started way back when. Certainly, an interesting addition to the story.

The characters are largely the same characters that were present in the previous book, and the entire saga. There is not much character development at all for the main heroes. In fact, the character that seems to develop the most is Emperor Jagang. Jagang's development mostly centers on readers just leaning more about him. There is no real growth for the characters. At times, this novel felt as though the characters were secondary and they were being dragged along by the story. This is the second book in a row where Mr. Goodkind has offered very little in the way of character development. I was disappointed, especially being that this is the second to last book in the entire series to have flat characters, after readers have invested so much time following the story. I sincerely hope, with the last book, Mr. Goodkind adds a great deal of character development.

I have a few criticisms about this novel.

One being that at times the dialog drags on, and on... and on. The characters say the same thing over and over again. It is almost as though Mr. Goodkind is saying to the reader "I want you to get this point." And then proceeds to beat the reader over the head with the point.

Secondly, there are several times in this novel where the characters are struggling when suddenly one of the characters has an `ah ha!' moment and suddenly figures out a very vexing problem and has all the answers. This is very frustrating as a reader to see things `given' to the characters so easily. This happens no less than three times in this story.

Also, as I talked about above, the simple lack of character development. Sure, the story as a whole is advanced, but in terms of character development there is very little to be found.

Overall this is a slightly disappointing book. As a reader, I don't feel like a whole lot was accomplished in the broad scope of things. Fans of the series will certainly need to read this book, after all there is only one more left to complete the tale. People considering reading this novel, without prior knowledge of the series, need to really go back and start from the beginning. There are events and characters in this book that are discussed, or mentioned that would make no sense without reading the previous books. I would most likely recommend this series as a whole to more adult fantasy readers, yet in the same breath I think there are better fantasy series out there right now with less philosophical discussion based on the author's views and beliefs. This is simply an average fantasy book at best.

Phantom.......2007-09-08

As always Terry Goodkind keeps writing the books that you can not put down. The Phantom is deep into the series of Wizards first rule books (book 10) and it seems sometimes the "catching up" is a little tiresome but I just skip over these parts and truley love all the books that I have read by Terry Goodkind.

The continuation.......2007-09-01

TG in his SFT series has always felt the need to repeat himself hundreds of times so that a full third of the book rehashes the series up to the current point. However up till now the story had continued to advance enough that by the end of whatever book I had read it seemed worth reading. Phantom was a complete disappointment in that it did not. As slow paced as his books are I somehow doubt he'll be able to masterfully end what still stands in my mind as a good series in one final novel. Those who have the time I still would recommend the series, this book one just has to suffer through and in all honesty may not even be that bad if the reader can quickly move to the next one due in Nov 07'.

Star Wars Complete Cross-Sections: The Spacecraft and Vehicles of the Entire Star Wars Saga

Average customer rating:

OUTSTANDING REFERENCE TOOL
5 stars for COMPLETE Cross-sections!!
My 5 year old loves it!
Not What I Expected But Great Nontheless
Star wars

Star Wars Complete Cross-Sections: The Spacecraft and Vehicles of the Entire Star Wars Saga
David Reynolds , and Curtis Saxton
Manufacturer: DK CHILDREN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

This amazing title unites all four Incredible Cross-Sections books in one volume, enlarged and updated with brand-new illustrations-including the TIE bomber, Imperial shuttle, A-wing, and B-wing-along with revised technical introductions, behind-the-scenes pages, glossary, and index. (c) 2006 Lucasfilm Ltd. and TM AUTHOR BIO: Hans Jenssen Hans Jenssen has spent the last nine years in a galaxy far, far away, co-illustrating a total of ten Star Wars books with Richard Chasemore, with whom he has developed a close friendship. They have traveled across three continents, sampled exotic beverages with Boba Fett, and partied with R2-D2. He now lives a quiet life in Devon, England, with his partner and young son. RICHARD CHASEMORE Richard Chasemore has worked as an illustrator and 3-D computer artist in the United States and Europe, most notably on DK's Star Wars: Incredible Cross-Sections and, Inside the Worlds of the Star Wars series. Lately he has written educational books for budding digital artists. He lives on the south coast of England, where he enjoys sports involving boards and high speeds!

Customer Reviews:

OUTSTANDING REFERENCE TOOL.......2007-09-14

Previously, DK Books has release four volumes in their Star Wars cross-sections series, covering the various Star Wars films. In celebration of the 30th anniversary of Star Wars, they've now combines all four of those volumes, along with new illustrations into the massive Star Wars: The Complete Cross Sections. This coffee table-sized hardcover book packs information on every ship and vehicle used in the six films into 152 full-color pages. John Knoll, the Visual Effects Supervisor for episodes I - III, provides the foreword to the book.

The book is basically an encyclopedia for Star Wars ships and vehicles. The items are shown in a cutaway art, allowing the reader to not only see the outside, but also see the interiors as well. This gives fans a unique viewpoint as you generally didn't get a chance to see inside many of these ships and vehicles in the films themselves. Most of these are given a full two-page spread which include data files about each one. The data files provide information such as design and manufacture, wingspan, speed, crew capacity, armament, dimensions, ship or vehicle type, and other special features.

The book begins with Episode I, The Phantom Menace with each of the first three episodes getting their own chapter while the original three films are combined into the last chapter. In addition to the data files, a host of other information is provided on each vehicle as well. Text keys with map lines are drawn to each, pointing out important features of each vehicle. These are about the next best thing to the actual ships blueprints. The detail is simply amazing! On the Naboo Cruiser for example we see where the fuel tanks and fuel lines are located, along with coolant ducts, deflector shield projectors, sensor arrays and even mundane things such as the crew lounge and locker areas. These allow the reader to get inside these massive vehicles and ships and almost take a virtual tour through them.

Get up close and personal with Jango Boba Fett's heavily armed Slave I ship with its blaster cannons, laser cannons, missile launchers, and mine layers. Other ships included from the episodes I to III include Padme's Starship, ARC -170 Fighter, General Grievous's Wheel Bike, Pod Racers, and Palpatine's Shuttle.

The final chapter dealing with the three original films has certainly the most popular ships for fans including the Millennium Falcon, AT-AT Walker, Jabba's Barge, and Darth Vader's Tie Fighter. Several of the major ships and vehicles get fold out sections that provide four full pages worth of data. Chief among these is the first Death Star. The Slave I makes a second appearance here that includes the modifications made by Jango Fett's son, Boba.

Hats off to DK Books for also profiling the two artists whose brilliant work is on display here, Hans Jenssen and Richard Chasemore. The detail and effort that went into these drawings is truly phenomenal. This is one of those items that is tailor-made for the hardcore Star Wars fan, a reference tool that can be consulted over and over again.

REVIEWED BY TIM JANSON

5 stars for COMPLETE Cross-sections!!.......2007-08-23

People should get Star Wars Complete Cross-Sections.
Here are three reasons why anyone who likes Star Wars should get this book.

1. Star Wars Complete Cross-Sections includes information about ALL six episodes in one book. It's great to have it all in one volume instead of four separate books (Episodes I, II, III, and the Trilogy).

2. Star Wars Complete Cross-Sections has extra content not included in the separate volumes. The Imperial Shuttle, the RZ-1 A-Wing, and the B-Wing Star Fighter are new material in the combined book.

3. Star Wars Complete Cross-Sections is jam-packed with large full color illustrations and tons of fascinating facts. The pages are crowded, but the information is great.

The Star Wars Complete Cross-Sections book rules the galaxy and any Star Wars fan would just love to have a copy. I checked it out of the library, but now it's on my Christmas wish list!!

My 5 year old loves it!.......2007-08-11

I purchased this for my 5 year old because he loves Star Wars. We have a couple of other Star Wars guides. He loves the cross section book because "it shows all the ships and details and that's cool". He loves finding something small that I would have missed. Great book for all ages.

Not What I Expected But Great Nontheless.......2007-07-05

Don't know why but I was expecting technical drawings of the Star Wars vehicles. Instead I get beautiful drawings of the vehicles and some of the characters which was an unexpected plus. Especially for scale comparison with some of the bigger vehicles. The reason this item dose not get five stars from me is because when reading the book things can get somewhat confusing there is so much info on each page it practically spills out from the sides. I would recommend it to anybody who wants more information on their favorite Star Wars vehicles!

Star wars.......2007-06-09

My son has not put this book away since we bought it. It goes on every car ride with us, and even to school for free time reading. The pictures are beautiful. He absolutely loves it.

Phantom in the Night (Bureau of American Defense - B.A.D., Book 6)

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Phantom in the Night (Bureau of American Defense - B.A.D., Book 6)
Sherrilyn Kenyon
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Phantoms in the Brain: Probing the Mysteries of the Human Mind

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Brilliant insight into the human mind
Terrific and gripping explanations of the most complex system
Fascinating Read
incredible read
Phantoms in the Brain: Probing the Mysteries of the Human Mind

Phantoms in the Brain: Probing the Mysteries of the Human Mind
V. S. Ramachandran , and Sandra Blakeslee
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0688172172

Amazon.com

What would you say about a woman who, despite stroke-induced paralysis crippling the entire left side of her body, insists that she is whole and strong--who even sees her left hand reach out to grasp objects? Freud called it "denial"; neurologists call it "anosognosia." However it may be labeled, this phenomenon and others like it allow us peeks into other mental worlds and afford us considerable insight into our own.

The writings of Oliver Sacks and others have shown us that we can learn much about ourselves by looking closely at the deficits shown by people with neurological problems. V.S. Ramachandran has seen countless patients suffering from anosognosia, phantom limb pain, blindsight, and other disorders, and he brings a remarkable mixture of clinical intuition and research savvy to bear on their problems. He is one of the few scientists who are able and willing to explore the personal, subjective ramifications of his work; he rehumanizes an often too-sterile field and captures the spirit of wonder so essential for true discovery. Phantoms in the Brain is equal parts medical mystery, scientific adventure, and philosophical speculation; Ramachandran's writing is smart, caring, and very, very funny.

Whether you're curious about the workings of the brain, interested in alternatives to expensive, high-tech science (much of Ramachandran's research is done with materials found around the home), or simply want a fresh perspective on the nature of human consciousness, you'll find satisfaction with Phantoms in the Brain. --Rob Lightner

Book Description

Neuroscientist V.S. Ramachandran is internationally renowned for uncovering answers to the deep and quirky questions of human nature that few scientists have dared to address. His bold insights about the brain are matched only by the stunning simplicity of his experiments -- using such low-tech tools as cotton swabs, glasses of water and dime-store mirrors. In Phantoms in the Brain, Dr. Ramachandran recounts how his work with patients who have bizarre neurological disorders has shed new light on the deep architecture of the brain, and what these findings tell us about who we are, how we construct our body image, why we laugh or become depressed, why we may believe in God, how we make decisions, deceive ourselves and dream, perhaps even why we're so clever at philosophy, music and art. Some of his most notable cases:

A woman paralyzed on the left side of her body who believes she is lifting a tray of drinks with both hands offers a unique opportunity to test Freud's theory of denial.
A man who insists he is talking with God challenges us to ask: Could we be "wired" for religious experience?
A woman who hallucinates cartoon characters illustrates how, in a sense, we are all hallucinating, all the time.

Dr. Ramachandran's inspired medical detective work pushes the boundaries of medicine's last great frontier -- the human mind -- yielding new and provocative insights into the "big questions" about consciousness and the self.

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant insight into the human mind.......2007-08-27

I absolutely love this book. It's constantly fascinating, very well written and by revealing how much our behaviour is at the mercy of brain function it's made me far more forgiving of people whose behaviour is unexpected or irrational. I recommend this book to everyone who's even vaguely interested in what makes people tick.

Terrific and gripping explanations of the most complex system.......2007-08-11

This book deals with every aspect of human mind and thinking. I read his
Reith lectures before this. While "The Emerging Mind" has also great essays
on different aspects, "Phantoms in the brain", is more leisurely, replete with
those terrific, speculative yet simple, experiments. Like Dr. Ramachandran
himself characterises the universal quality of the most creative insight
with a "why didn't *I* think of that!", these experiments are so creative, that
you tend to make this rhetorical remark after he designs his experiments following
the case-study description. And told with such humour!

He builds up the knowledge on the subject with these experiments on troubled
people ending up speculating on subjects such as genius' qualities, savants
and God. Overall an inspiring and awesome read.

(Hearing him speak is a treat too! One can sense the passion behind his inquisitive
mind)

Fascinating Read.......2007-04-14

This is one of the best science books I've read in a long time. Far from being dry and boring, the stories of his patients are truly amazing and the prose flows so well that it reads like a novel.

Yes, there is some wild speculation here but Ramachadran clearly points out when he is doing so, and personally I thought it made the book more interesting than just laying down the facts.

incredible read.......2007-02-06

Dr Ramachandran's ability to clearly illustrate the workings of our complex mind is nothing short of incredible. The case studies presented are intriguing and the whole book in general kept me turning pages.

Phantoms in the Brain: Probing the Mysteries of the Human Mind.......2007-01-19

Excellent service from vender: well packaged, fast delivery!

Average customer rating:

Make your kids smarter...give them this book
Excellent book for kids & adults of all ages!
Just read to my son.
The Phantom Tollbooth
Awaiting my own Tollbooth to the Lands Beyond

The Phantom Tollbooth
Norton Juster
Manufacturer: Yearling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Release Date: 1988-10-12

Amazon.com

"It seems to me that almost everything is a waste of time," Milo laments. "[T]here's nothing for me to do, nowhere I'd care to go, and hardly anything worth seeing." This bored, bored young protagonist who can't see the point to anything is knocked out of his glum humdrum by the sudden and curious appearance of a tollbooth in his bedroom. Since Milo has absolutely nothing better to do, he dusts off his toy car, pays the toll, and drives through. What ensues is a journey of mythic proportions, during which Milo encounters countless odd characters who are anything but dull.

Norton Juster received (and continues to receive) enormous praise for this original, witty, and oftentimes hilarious novel, first published in 1961. In an introductory "Appreciation" written by Maurice Sendak for the 35th anniversary edition, he states, "The Phantom Tollbooth leaps, soars, and abounds in right notes all over the place, as any proper masterpiece must." Indeed.

As Milo heads toward Dictionopolis he meets with the Whether Man ("for after all it's more important to know whether there will be weather than what the weather will be"), passes through The Doldrums (populated by Lethargarians), and picks up a watchdog named Tock (who has a giant alarm clock for a body). The brilliant satire and double entendre intensifies in the Word Market, where after a brief scuffle with Officer Short Shrift, Milo and Tock set off toward the Mountains of Ignorance to rescue the twin Princesses, Rhyme and Reason. Anyone with an appreciation for language, irony, or Alice in Wonderland-style adventure will adore this book for years on end. (Ages 8 and up)

Book Description

Illustrated in black-and-white. This ingenious fantasy centers around Milo, a bored ten-year-old who comes home to find a large toy tollbooth sitting in his room. Joining forces with a watchdog named Tock, Milo drives through the tollbooth's gates and begins a memorable journey. He meets such characters as the foolish, yet lovable Humbug, the Mathemagician, and the not-so-wicked "Which," Faintly Macabre, who gives Milo the "impossible" mission of returning two princesses to the Kingdom of Wisdom.

Customer Reviews:

Make your kids smarter...give them this book.......2007-09-15

Many very fond memories of being 8 and reading and rereading this book and marvelling at the crazy punning and oblique plotline and marvelous Feiffer illustrations. Along with The 21 Balloons, Alice In Wonderland, Tom Sawyer, The Hobbitt, Roald Dahl's books, Dr. Seuss, Wind In The Willows and a few others, this book showed my young mind what imagination and whimsy are all about.
I owe my happiness to my state of mind, and I owe that largely to learning what life and thinking about life are about from books like this.

Excellent book for kids & adults of all ages!.......2007-09-09

My father gave this book to me when I was a little girl, and I immediately fell in love with it. I was inspired and amazed by Milo and his adventures. Now in my early thirties, I recently re-discovered this book and find it more enchanting than ever. The Phantom Tollbooth manages to illustrate life's important truths without being preachy or one-sided. We can all relate to Milo and the other characters, and their journeys and transitions. My husband and I are planning to have children soon, and I will definitely share this book with them. I highly recommend this book to anyone.

Just read to my son........2007-09-01

My mother read this book to me when I was little and it was one of my favorites. I just read it to my son for the first time. The vocabulary was beyond his level, but the lessons were not. He loved the story, he identfied with the little boy, and he learned right along with Milo. And as I read the book to him, I realized I enjoyed it just as much now as I did when I was young.

Norton Juster has an amazing skill for writing a story that is very entertaining and captivating, while managing to educate. Milo is a character who is over-all nice but has flaws and he is very easy to relate to. I loved that Juster not only covered the importance of education, but behavior, and common sense as well.

A wonderful book for any child to encourage creativity, interest in learning, and to help the child identify their own bad habits.

The Phantom Tollbooth.......2007-08-22

Easy reading with a freshing use of the English language. Humor and great language passages. Perfect book to use to enrich Language Arts lessons.

Awaiting my own Tollbooth to the Lands Beyond.......2007-08-09

Here I am touring through my own muddled, middle-aging Lands beyond Youth, decrying the fact that I missed Milo's adventures "before," wishing I was under the age of 13 (next criterion on the review form), yet immensely enjoying this classic that eluded me. What a delight! Yes, I continue to be an ignoramus but am experiencing a renewed youthful exuberance over the power and fun of language.

Phantom Soldier: The Enemy's Answer to U.S. Firepower

Average customer rating:

Outstanding Explanation of Effective Small Unit Tactis
Great Wisdom Simplified
Excellent Analysis on the Eastern Warfighter
DANGER, DANGER, WILL ROBINSON
Inside Out

Phantom Soldier: The Enemy's Answer to U.S. Firepower
H. John Poole
Manufacturer: Posterity Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0963869558

Book Description

Phantom Soldier: The Enemy's Answer to U.S. Firepower may be the best treatise on Oriental warfare ever produced in the West. Well researched and illustrated, it sheds new light on what an Eastern infantry unit can do in combat: (1) alternate between guerrilla, mobile, and positional warfare; (2) use “ordinary forces” to engage and “extraordinary forces” to beat an opponent; and then (3) run away when fighting holds no more strategic import. While what occurred in history does not change, one's perception of it does — as he comes to better understand his former adversary. Well versed in the Asian arts of deception and delay, the author explains in detail what really occurred at Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima, the Chosin Reservoir, Hue City, and other Vietnam battlefields. It would seem that former adversaries have used strategic retreat and tactical withdrawal not only to save their soldiers, but also to undermine U.S. resolve. By revealing how Eastern soldiers could hold their own without resupply, tanks, or air support, Phantom Soldier shows what U.S. infantrymen must do to survive the more lethal weaponry of the 21st century. This is must reading for any combat leader or concerned citizen.

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding Explanation of Effective Small Unit Tactis.......2007-10-01

Excellent book, but I am not sure the distinction is between Western and Oriental tactics. I suspect that American Indians, frontier scouts, the British SAS, U.S. Special Operations community, etc...would be very familiar with, and skilled at, these tactics.

A classic dilemma that resurfaces every time we go to war. Militaries, at least in the West, prepare to fight the last war and not the next one. As a free society, the public tends to forget the hard lessons learned and shuns warriors during times of peace. The end result is that we constantly are reinventing the wheel after every war/generation.

Victor Davis Hanson, in a recent editorial in the City Journal called Why Study War, gave a perfect example from the Post-Vietnam era; "The public perception in the Carter years was that America had lost a war that for moral and practical reasons it should never have fought--a catastrophe, for many in the universities, that it must never repeat. The necessary corrective wasn't to learn how such wars started, went forward, and were lost. Better to ignore anything that had to do with such odious business in the first place"...."A wartime public illiterate about the conflicts of the past can easily find itself paralyzed in the acrimony of the present. Without standards of historical comparison, it will prove ill equipped to make informed judgments."

A well-written and important book that provides an in-depth analysis of small unit tactics.

Great Wisdom Simplified .......2007-08-21

A sure test of talent and knowledge is the challenge of taking a very complex subject, explaining it in understandable terms and then offering solutions along with the understanding. My very brief stint in the Army ended long before Vietnam called the younger brothers of my generation. From the news reports it appeared that we suffered so many casualties only because the enemy was "sneaky" and prepared to die. How could the US lose to people who could not afford shoes?

Poole does a great job of bridging the gap from Sun Tzu to the muddy jungles of Vietnam and the significance of the lessons to our maneuver warfare. It is no accident that Boyd associate Willian Lind wrote the preface.

Poole finished the book just before 9/11. Our experience in Iraq and the Israeli experience during the past year show that we have much to learn. After 50 plus years of victories over various armies, the Israelis lost to what most consider a rag-tag army. Other than their heritage, they are as unlikely to defeat the Israelis as the sandal clod Vietnamese.

Poole's book is a gift to the small unit soldier and perhaps a greater gift to those in higher command who will order soldiers to assault targets with little understanding of what they may be facing. It may be at a distant command post or in the case of Somalia the commander flying overhead at 2,000 feet but unable to understand the river of lead flying down the street as he instructs troops to consolidate their positions.

This is a great aid to understanding current events and history from the comfort of your easy chair while balancing a martini on the arm. However, my sense is that it is far more valuable as a gift to a young trooper. In addition it should be mandatory reading ( along with Sun Tzu and Boyd's briefing slides) for every reporter who covers wars and "low intensity" conflicts.

Reading the book makes you appreciate Poole but feel uncomfortable with the contents. A great contribution.

Excellent Analysis on the Eastern Warfighter.......2006-11-24

As with all of Poole's works, we are treated here to an excellent analysis of the tactical sphere of war. This time, from the eastern fighter's perspective. Written, I believe, pre-9/11, the work itself is a thorough offering of actual techniques and wartime practices used by small units against western forces, but it is most remarkable in that it outlines in a concise and friendly manner what most analysts still fumble over on MSNBC.

In the world of tactical operations and small unit tactics, we can not ask for a better teacher than John Poole. Keep a close eye out for any and all of his works, for they have a lot to say about how and what western forces will fight for the next fifty years.

NOTE: This work makes a perfect companion to the author's "The Tiger Way," which outlines the ideal western method for combating such tactics.

DANGER, DANGER, WILL ROBINSON.......2006-01-22

Danger, danger, is very much the message put forth in this book and it should be heeded before it is too late. Some reviewers have mentioned Sun Tzu and his rules of warfare. Sun Tzu puts forth a very reasoned and systematic set of rules that define a nations path to victory or defeat. By definition, our present leadership has us solidly on the path of defeat. Our people in the field have to both fight our Eastern enemies as well as carry a great weight of poor leadership at the highest levels. This book is very informative and is for the most part, completely accurate and frightening.

The idea that hardware superiority alone can replace common sense is ludicrous and this book digs deeply into this. I remember seeing news footage of our troops in Afganistan heading up into steep mountainous terrain encumbered with huge heavy packs and body armor. They could barely move. They should have had only their clothes, rifles, ammunition and food and water and some good lightweight footwear. If you are going to fight an Apache you have to be an Apache. It seems at times to me that our soldiers are forced simply to carry as much weight in useless (and expensive) contractor equipment as a mule. Small unit combat and the tactics that win in this arena will be the deciding factor. Something also needs to be done about our so called free press. This game is for blood not for profitable commercial air time and these people should be subjected to the sort of censorship that our country used in WWII and the sooner the better.

I feel also that some of the opinions voiced on China are a bit over the top. The Chinese wish to better themselves and are not necessarily motivated by a desire to hurt us per se. It is very possible that in future that the Chinese could help us. They should not be blindly antagonized. They think and plan in a fashion that is very, very, long term. Our own leadership is cripplingly shortsighted in strategic planning.

I have lived and worked in the Mid East for a number of years and my personal opinion of the Iraq war can be summed up as follows:

1. The US leaves Iraq now and the country will dissolve into a bloody civil war.

2. The US leaves later and Iraq dissolves into a bloody civil war.

This book documents many of the reasons why this is so. Anyone who cares about the future of our country and indeed the world (China included) should read this book.

Inside Out.......2006-01-17

I read all these reviews and in the main agree with them. However, the real "way of western combat" is exemplified right here: we -- AT THE BOTTOM LEVEL -- are discussing all this and implementing it as we go. And as another reviewer mentioned, our soldiers are getting at it and learning from this NOW. Here's the clincher: does the oriental soldier or citizen do this. No way. It's not in their culture. Hasn't been for thousands of years. Unlikely to be unless huge changes occur in their citizenry. West = democracy / more free / BOTTOM-UP APPROACH. East = tyrrany / less free / TOP-DOWN APPROACH.

SUMMARY: I'd much rather be in the West facing the Eastern way of war rather than be in the East facing the Western way of war. Let's be data-driven: what is the kill ratio of WW2, Korea, and Vietnam? 40-1? 10-1? And yet, Poole's talk about Japan in WW2 making "infantry the most valued weapon". What?! Americans (and all European armies before them all the way back to Alexander) don't line up rows of infantry and charge across open fields to be mowed down. Doubt it? Guadacanal. Korea. etc. That's the "cultural" difference highlighted here: we value life, even a single soldiers.

Further reading: Carnage & Culture, by Victor Davis Hanson.

The Visual Dictionary of Star Wars, Episode I - The Phantom Menace

Average customer rating:

Star Wars! Nothing but Star Wars!
Love It!
Great answers for "Mommy, what's that called?"
Good information, excellent photos, flimsy binding.
Also a good book

The Visual Dictionary of Star Wars, Episode I - The Phantom Menace
David Reynolds
Manufacturer: DK CHILDREN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Visual Dictionary of Star Wars, Episode II - Attack of the Clones
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Incredible Cross-Sections of Star Wars, Episodes IV, V & VI: The Ultimate Guide to Star Wars Vehicles and Spacecraft
Incredible Cross-sections of Star Wars, Episode I - The Phantom Menace: The Definitive Guide to the Craft

ASIN: 0789447010
Release Date: 1999-05-26

Amazon.com

No matter what you thought of Phantom Menace, you just have to love its visual effects and props. Episode I was absolutely radiant with special effects, making use of some 2,000 of them, dwarfing that of previous Star Wars installments and even the CGI-happy Titanic with its now-paltry 500. And the low-tech effects, the physical props of Star Wars, have always been unbelievably detailed, from Luke's scuffed-up speeder to Vader's slightly dinged-up helmet (don't pretend you didn't notice). Phantom Menace continues this tradition proudly, whether it's with Amidala's baroque headgear or the intricately machined (and deadly) armament on a droideka.

A page-turning droolfest, Episode I: The Visual Dictionary stops the film and zooms in on all this eye candy. As he did with the first trilogy in Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary, author-archaeologist David West Reynolds once again elucidates and itemizes with glee, combining witty, pseudo-scholarly prose with clear movie stills and excellent closeup photos of actual props and characters. Every personality and group of note gets its due in this well-labeled, picture-packed book, from the Jedi High Council to the podrace crowd to the sea monsters of Naboo. Craving a closer look at Maul's double lightsaber? Wish you could tell a Neimoidian's rank by the hat on its head? Need some ideas for filling out your podracer toolkit? This is the book for you. --Paul Hughes

Book Description

The Visual Dictionary is an essential guide to Episode One of the continuing Star Wars saga. DK's renowned Eyewitness style brings the characters, costumes, droids, and gadgetry of the Star Wars universe to life in astonishing visual detail. Highly defined, annotated photography shows and explains the culture, background, and technology of this unfolding epic struggle between good and evil. See the terrifying anatomy of Naboo sea monster, a wild podrace on Tatooine, Battle Droids in combat. Discover the finery of Queen Amidala's court, the Jedi's sacred beliefs, the Nemoidians' bizarre customs and technology. Explore the secrets of the Wheel Droids, the underwater world of Jar Jar, the Byzantine intrigue of Coruscant, and much, much more! Together with the Star Wars Episode I Incredible Cross Sections, these books create a definitive Star Wars Episode I reference library. Exciting photography and exhaustive research reveal all the Star Wars: Episode 1 characters, creatures, droids, and equipment. See the new, digitally created cut-away views of C-3P0's photoreceptor eye, the inner workings of a battle droid's head, and Yoda's lightsaber. Explore the extensive Jedi and Sith weaponry, the Podracers, Pit droids, viewscreens, and Gungan battle equipment. Then delve into the secrets of Anakin's hovel and Watto's junkshop and every detail of the Destroyer Droid weaponry and equipment! Author David West Reynolds was given extensive access to the famed Lucasfilm archives at Skywalker Ranch in California. Key objects from the movies have been re-photographed and even re-created by expert consultants from Industrial Light and Magic, George Lucas's award-winning special-effects production company. The result is a unique and fascinating reference work that reveals the characters and creatures of the new adventure as they appear nowhere else!

Customer Reviews:

Star Wars! Nothing but Star Wars!.......2006-07-07

This book was interesting. It told of a lot of elements in the Phantom Menace movie like biographies of Anakin, Padme, and Darth Maul. It also went way beyond the movie and talked about things not mentioned in the movie. From shortened biographies on the Jedi Council members to looking inside a battle droid's head, this book has everything any Star Wars fan would ever want. The photography is great and the pictures are labeled showing a lot of the parts of machines and lightsabers. This book is the bomb.

Love It!.......2005-06-23

The Star Wars Episode I- The Visual Dictionary is great. It has amazing facts about Star Wars episode I such as all of the members of the Jedi High Council (which I was amazed to find out that there is another one of Yoda's species on it, and her name is Yaddle, and she is young at 477), the species, name, and personalaty of the Trade Fedration leaders, every last detail of a Battle Droid and Droideka, Queen Amidala's dresses and makeup and the reasons she wears them, the sea monsters of Naboo, Gungan warfare, why Jar Jar was banished, Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Mace, and Yoda's lightsabers, the Queen's handmaidens, Darth Maul's double-bladed lightsaber and speeder, and much more!

This is a great book and will provide hours of fun for any Star Wars fan (at least, it did (and still does) for me).

Great answers for "Mommy, what's that called?".......2005-05-16

We have a 4 1/2 year old daughter obsessed with the Star Wars girls (Shaak Ti in particular) and this is good because it tells all about the different charachters, places, vehicles and robots of the movie in easy to understand, yet complete language.

Very good for the little Star Wars fan or anyone who would like to go a little deeper, but not THAT deep.

Good information, excellent photos, flimsy binding........2004-12-06

Bought this book along with Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, also by David Reynolds. The pages are falling out of both books. I've had this problem with a few DK books, even the children's books. The older DK books are more sturdy. I give this item only 3 stars, and only because of the content. A book with missing pages doesn't get 5 stars.

Also a good book.......2003-12-25

This book likewise its similar for the classic Trilogy, is a good buy for a Star Wars Fan. Depicts everything that appears in the movie, except the starships, the only thing I missed, but it is not a major problem.

Average customer rating:

Unexpected Turns
A breath of fresh air.
Phantom Waltz C Rating from the Lenster
Phantom Waltz
Suburp...

Phantom Waltz
Catherine Anderson
Manufacturer: Signet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Sweet Nothings
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ASIN: 0451220684

Book Description

A long-ago accident has left lovely Bethany Coulter confined to a wheelchair-and vulnerable to betrayal and heartbreak. She's vowed never to open her heart to a man again. But there's something about Ryan McKendrick, the handsome rancher who's so sweetly courting her. Something that makes her believe she can overcome every obstacle-and rediscover lifelong, lasting love...

A MAJOR VOICE IN THE ROMANCE GENRE. (Publishers Weekly)

AN EXTRAORDINARY STORYTELLER. (Romantic Times)

Extraordinary praise for the nine-time winner of Romantic Times' KISS Award...

CATHERINE ANDERSON is one of the best romance writers today. (Affaire de Coeur)CATHERINE ANDERSON delivers. (Susan North)CATHERINE ANDERSON's love stories are tender and earthy, passionate and poignant-and always unusual. (Elizabeth Lowell)

CATHERINE ANDERSON gives all her readers hope that, through love, they can conquer anything. (Harriet Klausner)

CATHERINE ANDERSON...is all that romance should be. (Catherine Hart)

CATHERINE ANDERSON is truly one of the great writers. (Painted Rock Reviews)

Customer Reviews:

Unexpected Turns.......2007-06-27

I enjoyed this book a great deal. There were numerous twists that kept me reading. I had trouble putting it down. If you enjoy romance with the unexpected, this is a must read for you.

A breath of fresh air........2007-05-16

This book is so very different from any other book I have read from Catherine Anderson. Bethany is the only heroine to have such a life-changing physical handicap. Also, there's no murder case to solve, which makes it different, but not worse.

Bethany and Ryan fall in love immediately. However, Bethany thinks Ryan is just humoring her, and Ryan is confused of why Bethany avoids him. Bethany eventually convinces Ryan to agree for them to be just friends.

But for a month straight, Ryan sets to the task of thoroughly seducing her. Meanwhile, working on his ranch, to make it the perfect home for the future Mrs. Ryan Kendrick.

He does everything he could possibly do to make Bethany happy, but when he shows it to her, she gets furious. He's forced to admit that friendship was never on his mind, and he convinces her to stay. They set off on a wonderful relationship, in the end are forced to overcome the biggest bump in their relationship, and end with a happy ending.

This sounds cliché, I'm aware, but I love this book to bits, and I hope you do too.

I most definitely recommend this one.

Phantom Waltz C Rating from the Lenster.......2007-05-12

I did like that one of the main characters was a paraplegic and that the story emphasizes her attractiveness, courage, and capability. It is great to have a story in which a handicapped person is shown as having a full, happy life despite a tragic accident. However, the story was so sugary sweet, that the author lost me about half way through. I was creeped out by the dwelling on orgasms and overdone descriptions of intercourse. It was also highly unrealistic, suggesting that all or most paraplegics can have lives with no limitations whatsoever. It is insulting to those paraplegics who cannot void, who canot climax or bear children, by suggesting that a person needs those things to be fulfilled or happy. I also didn't like that the man in the story was perfect in every way. This book is not one of her best, but overall, Catherine Anderson is a good writer and I enjoy her unconventional relationship books.

Phantom Waltz.......2007-01-18

One of my favorites! Catherine's stories can touch your heart and leave you with a feeling of warmth. I enjoy every one of her stories and can never wait for the next one! I highly recommend anything she writes!!!

Suburp..........2006-11-10

"Phantom Waltz" is a wonderful, tender, poignant, moving, original, and beautiful love story. A beautiful, memorable read. I loved it. Highly recommended!

Star Wars, Episode I - The Phantom Menace

Average customer rating:

Great quality book, but....
Some good things but it still doesn't compare to watching the movie!
Doesn't add much to the film.
Meet Jar Jar Binks
Better than the movie!

Star Wars, Episode I - The Phantom Menace
Terry Brooks
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0345434110

Amazon.com

When casting about for an author to novelize the script for The Phantom Menace--the first in a series of three prequels to the eternally popular Star Wars saga--it's no surprise that creator George Lucas called on Terry Brooks to novelize the biggest science fiction movie of all time. After all, Brooks is a perennially bestselling epic fantasy author whose Sword of Shannara is a classic adventure story, not far removed from the swashbuckling exploits of our favorite Star Wars heroes.

Brooks handles the job of modern mythmaker well. He deftly juggles a hodgepodge of characters: a young stately queen (Amidala) and her handmaidens; a pair of Jedi knights (Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn); a bumbling amphibious sidekick (Jar Jar Binks); two Sith Lords (Darths Maul and Sidious) who add more than enough menace to the mix; a couple of familiar robots (C-3P0 and R2-D2); a teeming host of Senators, Chancellors, diplomats, warrior droids, and spies; and one young slave boy who aspires to be a Jedi knight (Anakin Skywalker). With cinematic prose, Brooks brings to life a number of epic battles, skirmishes, and dogfights in space--all the elements that we've come to expect from a rousing Star Wars installment. The Phantom Menace doesn't stray far from those expectations: there is a clear division between the good guys and the bad; good things come in small (and surprising) packages; and heroes lose battles only to emerge victorious on another day. But Phantom does illuminate in ways the other installments didn't. For the first time, we get a glimpse at the whys and wherefores behind the curtain; at times the book reads almost like a sociopolitical thriller as the emerging Federation shuffles for power with the waning democracy of the Republic. The Force is also further illuminated. Turns out it has something to do with "midi-chlorians"--microscopic life forms that live in the cells of all creatures.

The Phantom Menace is a fun read, sure to satisfy Star Wars junkies young and old. And don't forget: turn your light saber off before you enter the swamp or you'll fry your energy pack. --Tod Nelson

Amazon.com Audiobook Review

Alexander Adams, the actor who reads this full-length novelization of Star Wars, Episode I: The Phantom Menace, actually manages to do Jar Jar better than Jar Jar himself. Although he does sound a bit like a well-meaning dad doing an impression of the gangly amphibian for his kids, that added bit of restraint and unaffected goofiness actually works. Likewise, Adams's voice--all earnest and NPR-smooth--does good service to the rest of the cast, especially with Jedi teacher Qui-Gon Jinn and (surprisingly) Queen Amidala. (Only Anakin proves a little hard on the ears at first, perhaps a little too nasal.) The book's narrative receives the same competent treatment as the dialogue, with the added oomph of both John Williams's stirring score--woven in unobtrusively--and short suites of Lucasfilm sound effects that accompany every spike in the action, whether it's R2's beeping or the metallic bang of blaster fire.

Modern marketing has made movie novelizations a necessary evil and hence suspect, but Terry Brooks proves a deft embellisher of Lucas's well-loved epic, skillfully splicing in scenes and dialogue to fill out the breakneck, foreshadowing-filled story line of Phantom Menace. But that shouldn't be surprising: Brooks has long been the equal or better of Lucas when it comes to storytelling, most notably in his long-lived Shannara series, which began with The Sword of Shannara back in 1977, the same year Star Wars hit theaters. (Running time: 9.5 hours over eight discs) --Paul Hughes

Book Description

In barren desert lands and seedy spaceports . . . in vast underwater cities and in the blackest depths of space . . . unfolds a tale of good and evil, of myth and magic, of innocence and power. Based on the screenplay by George Lucas, this novel by master storyteller Terry Brooks probes the depths of one of the greatest tales of our time, providing rich detail and insight into the minds and motives of the characters--and shedding bold new light on Lucas' brilliant creation.

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, an evil legacy long believed dead is stirring. Now the dark side of the Force threatens to overwhelm the light, and only an ancient Jedi prophecy stands between hope and doom for the entire galaxy.

The Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice, young Obi-Wan Kenobi, are charged with the protection of Amidala, the young Queen of Naboo, as she seeks to end the siege of her planet by Trade Federation warships. This quest brings Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and one of the Queen's young handmaidens to the sand-swept streets of Tatooine and the shop where the slave boy Anakin Skywalker toils and dreams of finding a way to win freedom from enslavement for himself and his beloved mother. His only hope lies in his extraordinary instincts and his strange gift for understanding the "rightness" of things. It is this unexpected meeting that marks the beginning of the drama that will become legend . . .

Customer Reviews:

Great quality book, but...........2007-08-31

The look of the book is great. The writing is poor. It's rather simple and bland. The word-choice is kiddish. Boring.

Some good things but it still doesn't compare to watching the movie!.......2007-05-20

Reading any Star Wars book can't beat the experience of seeing a Star Wars movie. Star Wars was meant to be cinema; all the books are just extra. This is especially true about a movie novelization. So if you've seen the movie, what is the point of reading the book that is based on the movie? I want to read the stuff that happens behind the scenes and the parts of the story that are based on scenes that were cut from the film. The novelization is the opportunity to add a lot of background not in the film. It is the chance to get inside the characters' heads. Ideally, the novelization will enhance our appreciation of the film.

In `99, I saw this movie in the theater six times and absolutely loved it. It totally lives up to the classic trilogy in my mind (and the lightsaber dueling in TPM surpassed the classic duels). On an action-adventure level, this movie is awesome. And I'll admit right here that I even like the character of Jar Jar. He's funny!

Even though the movie is completely enjoyable as it is, it did raise questions in my mind. What was a Trade Federation? What were the details of the political happenings of the Senate? Why did the Supreme Chancellor have to dispatch two Jedi Knights to the Naboo trade blockade "secretly"? And what is the young queen's background. Where is her family?

Over the course of the movie's run in the theater, I decided to read the novel (mostly based on The Phantom Menace screenplay), with the previously mentioned purpose of enhancing my movie experience the next time I saw it. I was a little nervous as I remembered not liking the classic trilogy novelizations because too much was different from the movies.

Well, the good news is, I don't remember this novel changing much from the movie. And there was even an extra part that Lucas himself demanded be added to the novel. Lucas wanted a few chapter's to show Anakin before the other characters met him. Show that he is a little boy with a lot of compassion, Lucas directed Brooks. So there are a few chapters that portray the events leading up to the fateful encounter in Watto's junk shop that we see in the movie. And Lucas also gave the author a little bit about why the Sith have been thought to "have been extinct for a millenium."

But the bad news is, exactly none of my questions had been answered! So I was overall disappointed with this book. Cloak of Deception has the answers to my questions about this movie (except about Padme's family and backgroud - The Attack of the Clones novel and DVD deleted scenes help out there). I give this book 2.5-stars.

If you want to know a little more about Anakin Skywalker, the one who will bring balance to The Force, my recommendation is to read Chapters 1, 2 and 6 of this novilization and then just watch Episode I again!

I highly recommend the following 5-star novels that are extremely relevant to the film series:

Cloak of Deception (Star Wars)
Shadow Hunter (Star Wars: Darth Maul)
Labyrinth of Evil (Star Wars, Episode III Prequel Novel)
Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (Star Wars)
Shadows of the Empire (Star Wars)

Doesn't add much to the film........2006-08-24

Being tapped to write a novelization of a film as massively successful as a Star Wars movie has got to feel like a bit of a thankless job, artistically speaking. Sure, the exposure and potential earnings would probably excite many a potential author, but it has to be rather limiting to any lofty literary aspirations a writer might have. I can also imagine that Lucasfilm is likely quite restrictive of writers taking liberties with the adaptations of the Star Wars films, especially when the book in question is of the first Star Wars film to be made in sixteen years.

So how does Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace stack up as a novel? Unfortunately, I wasn't terribly impressed. I don't think it makes sense to evaluate a movie novelization on its story, as the story was already dreamed up and written in script form before Terry Brooks was brought on board. What I look for in a good movie novelization is an expansion of the story presented in the film, an in-depth exploration into characters and their motivations, and tasty tidbits that either didn't make it onto the screen due to running time or simply because they were better left to prose.

The book starts off well with several chapters devoted to young Anakin on Tatooine. Anakin races Sebulba in a Podrace briefly alluded to in the film, he meets with his buddies Kitster and Wald and rambles around Mos Espa, and has an exciting encounter with a wounded Tusken Raider out in the desert, whom Anakin nurses back to health. Surely Terry Brooks couldn't have known about Anakin's eventual slaughter of the Tusken Raider tribe that kidnapped his mother in Attack of the Clones, but it plays out like he did. Young Anakin's unthinking care for the Tusken adds pathos and a tinge of irony to the bloodbath he unleashes on the desert tribe in Clones.

However, after this opening, the book quickly settles into essentially being a blow-by-blow account of the events of the film. It uses many Star Wars terms freely without much description and also uses some that don't seem to be quite "Star Wars" at all.

I find Terry Brooks' writing style workmanlike - he tells a story in a very straightforward and easy-to-follow way but rarely illuminates a particular page with anything that leaps out and grabs you by the proverbial throat. The book does a lot of telling you what characters are feeling without actually showing you what they feel - there's not much subtlety in simply stating a character is sad, angry, or happy.

I believe the two-star rating may be a shade harsh, but I hoped to get more out of this novelization than a flat retelling of the film. Books can go places films cannot, and I didn't feel this book tried very hard to do that. I did enjoy the movie The Phantom Menace and find it an entertaining story, but reading the book didn't add much to my run through reading the entire Expanded Universe.

Meet Jar Jar Binks.......2006-08-24

The disadvantage of reading The Phantom Menace is that we have all seen the movie. We know what happens. Given that caveat and with some reservations, I still feel that Terry Brooks did a workmanlike job in continuing the story of Darth Sidious' machinations with the help of his apprentice Darth Maul. More importantly, we are introduced in the story to Anakin Skywalker and, less importantly to some, to Jar Jar Binks. Admittedly, my review is unavoidably influenced by my love of the movie. The book could do so much more.

The book differs from the movie in its approach. We begin the story with young Anakin on Tatooine instead of with the Jedi visiting the Trade Federation ship to discuss the blockade of Naboo. We also have a great early chapter with Anakin experiencing Tusken Raiders firsthand, nicely setting the stage for future developments in the saga as Anakin reaches maturity. Watto is treated in the book, as in the movie, as one of the most memorable Star Wars characters. The pod race, the vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum, the battle on Naboo with the help of the Gungans - all of these are described by Mr. Brooks in fine fashion.

However, most of the book admittedly is a rehash of the movie. The opportunity existed to flesh out the story presented in the movie, but very little of that happens. I found myself wishing that the book was about twice as long and packed with background information on events and characters. Tell us more. Always tell us more.

A particular recommendation. After you finish the book, watch the film again. I found that I enjoyed the film even more with the book still in my head.

Better than the movie!.......2006-07-28

I am a BIG Star Wars fan. Of all the books available based on the actual movies, this was the only one I was lacking. After reading it, I felt compelled to watch Episode 1 again on DVD. The book is well-written, and very descriptive. The development of all the characters was exactly what the movie version was lacking, unfortunately. Nevertheless, after you read this book, you will truly understand MORE than you thought you understood of the story for Episode 1.

The Phantom of the Opera - piano vocal Selections

Average customer rating:

Amazing!!
I Love it!
happy piano student
Great Book!!!
Good edition

The Phantom of the Opera - piano vocal Selections

Manufacturer: Hal Leonard Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Songbooks | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

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The Phantom of the Opera (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

ASIN: 0634099094

Book Description

12 selections from the movie adaptation of this Broadway classic: Think of Me * Angel of Music * The Phantom of the Opera * The Music of the Night * Prima Donna * All I Ask of You * Masquerade * The Fairground * Journey to the Cemetery * Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again * The Point of No Return * Learn to Be Lonely. Includes biography and 8 pages of color photos from the film.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing!!.......2007-07-30

Wow...if you love this type of music...and love the piano...than this is definitely the book for you... Not only is the music strikingly beautiful...but the arrangements are modern enough to be really fun to play... A must buy for anyone who just enjoys playing the piano just to play...

I Love it!.......2007-05-04

I'm a big Phantom fan and haven't been as committed as I should have with my piano playing before I bought the book. Afterward, I have improved my sight reading and have bought other books to challenge myself. I have found that if I really want to learn a piece I will rise to the occassion even if the music is slightly more difficult than what I am accustomed to. I truly recommend this book to anyone!!

happy piano student.......2007-03-12

I teach piano, and I have a student who is obsessed with Phantom, so I purchased this for her, and I can't get her to stop practicing she loves it so much. The arrangements are challeging and have pushed her sightreading, but I still think it was a great choice. I enjoyed the pictures as well.

Great Book!!!.......2007-01-05

This is not the "simple" version, though with practice, it's not too difficult. I would not recommend this book for a beginner; but for an occasional player, the music is easy enough to call up on occasion. The songs don't have that 'empty' sound like many songs transposed from orchestra to piano and, in my opinion, you could play them for an audience and receive applause.

Good edition.......2007-01-04

I hate The Phantom of the Opera and Andrew Lloyd Webber's music in general, but my voice students love it, especially "Think of Me." Unlike some editions I've seen, this edition has the cadenza from the recording. It's also beautifully bound and presented. If I have to have Lloyd Webber music in my library, at least it's a good edition.

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