Twilight of the Superheroes: Stories

Book Description

Deborah Eisenberg is nearly unmatched in her mastery of the short-story form. Now, in her newest collection, she demonstrates once again her virtuosic abilities in precisely distilled, perfectly shaped studies of human connection and disconnection. From a group of friends whose luck in acquiring a luxurious Manhattan sublet turns to disaster as their balcony becomes a front-row seat to the catastrophe of 9/11; to the Roman holiday of a schoolteacher running away from the news of her ex-husband's life-threatening illness, and her unlikely guide, a titled art scout in desperate revolt against his circumstances and aging; to the too painful love of a brother for his schizophrenic sister, whose tragic life embitters him to the very idea of family, Eisenberg evokes "intense, abundant human lives" in which "everything that happens is out there waiting for you to come to it."

Customer Reviews:

much ado about....?.......2007-04-04

I stopped reading after the first two stories. Intriguing ideas for a short story collection, and great cover, but poorly executed. The writing is not engaging - at times convoluded and cofusing - and no real connection with the characaters or their plights. The dialogue seemed contrived, and I found myself thinking that people don't really speak the way characters did in this book. Granted, I only made it through 88 pages, but I was comfortable in using that as a prediction for the rest. I'm with a lot of other reviewers here - I don't quite understand all the praise/awards for this work.

Now, for much more engaging and genius short story writing, check out KELLY LINK. Especially MAGIC FOR BEGINNERS. Nearly perfect. Also, MOTHERS AND OTHER MONSTERS, by Maureen F. McHugh. What short stories should be.

I'll be selling Twilight back to my bookseller. I wonder if the author would be more engaging with essay writing?

Wouldn't be on my Best of 2006 list.......2007-02-15

I borrowed this from the library after a reviewer in The Boston Globe said it was one of the best books of 2006. I read the first story and didn't like it, but I tried to soldier on. Halfway through the second story, I gave up, completely bored. Don't judge this book by its cover, as the cover is brilliant, and the inside quickly disappoints.

Post-9/11ist stories about lostness and aloneness.......2007-01-22

With "Twighlight of the Superheroes," Deborah Eisenburg is throwing another log onto the early but incipient literary bonfire of "Post-9/11ism." Indeed, these stories are a testament to Post-9/11ism's leading attributes: expectation of imminent doom, the globe as a child that has lost its innocence, the theory that, contrary to the trend prevalent throughout most of history, the teenagers, 20- and 30-somethings of today will be the first generation to live less happily than their parents, as well as the feeling that our world, through its fast-paced ambition and utter forwardness, has made tragic mistakes for which our children and grandchildren will pay.

The title story, of course, says this the best. And as a 17-year-old who expects to reside one day in no place other than a city like New York, I finished it with tears in my eyes. Not because the story was dark, or polemic-sounding, which it was, but because, counter to those strides, there is empathy for the characters, and an underlying, godless faith that we as people will survive, continue to wake up in the morning and live the lives we make for ourselves. The world in which this story was written is not the world that existed ten years ago. This is a time of monumental change, and I welcome the recent movement of Post-9/11ism with open arms.

Random, hard to follow.......2007-01-04

This book was not easy to read. In fact I only read the first 36 pages trying to follow the story. It was like reading random thoughts of mumbo jumbo. The cover was cute and the author sounded interesting. I just didn't get it....

Eisenberg: a short-story superhero........2006-12-16

Deborah Eisenberg lives in New York City and teaches at the University of Virginia. It is not surprising that she is the winner of the Rea Award for the Short Story. The half dozen stories collected in the TWILIGHT OF THE SUPERHEROES (Eisenberg's seventh collection) demonstrate her remarkable talent for creating unpredictable narratives and characters that are complicated, difficult, and dysfunctional. The title story, for instance, involves a group of twentysomething friends, whose luck in acquiring a Manhattan loft turns to sudden disaster as their balcony becomes a front-row seat to the catastrophe of 9/11; "Some Other, Better Otto," reveals the painful love of an irascible lawyer for his mentally ill sister, Sharon; in "The Flaw in the Design," a diplomat's wife frets over her son's increasingly bizarre political rants, as she falls into an affair hoping to discover "a music box life." Eisenberg's memorable stories resonate with intelligence, humor, and angst.

G. Merritt

Three Complete Novels (The Servants of Twilight / Darkfall / Phantoms)

Average customer rating:

Excellent Book!
Three Complete Novels
Beautiful Combo
Three terrific books
Three confrontations with the forces of evil

Three Complete Novels (The Servants of Twilight / Darkfall / Phantoms)
Dean R. Koontz
Manufacturer: Wings
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

ASIN: 0517064871
Release Date: 1991-07-27

Amazon.com

Be prepared for spine-tingling overload, as three of Dean R. Koontz's scariest stories are combined into one terrifying edition. Complete and unabridged, the three novels incorporate the essential elements of a Koontz classic: ordinary people living uneventful lives suddenly flung into a supernatural web of ghoulish horror. The Servants of Twilight pits a devoted mother against a bizarre cult intent on harming her son. Who will triumph in this tale of good versus evil? Don't be tempted to turn to the final page of this delightful yet horrific story! Darkfall plays with a fundamental human fear--that of being watched and stalked by an unknown force. This is pure, unadulterated, heart-stopping terror--nothing subtle about it. "Part of him wanted to see it, had to see it, needed to know what in God's name it was. But another part of him, sensing the extreme monstrousness of it, was grateful for darkness." Read at your peril. Koontz's third novel in the collection is Phantoms, which places the reader in a small California town, a place of swollen corpses and missing persons. Here people die "in the middle of a scream." But how they died, and why so many more are missing is just the beginning of this morbid mystery. Dean R. Koontz: Three Complete Novels is not for the faint of heart! --Naomi Gesinger

Book Description

For the first time ever, three bestselling Dean Koontz novels—The Servants of Twilight, Darkfall, Phantoms—are available in hardcover and complete in this single volume. Koontz's novels are spine-chilling and terrifying stories about ordinary people caught in nightmarish situations. Although Dean Koontz writes about the "dark side," the endings to his fast-paced, stay-up-all-night reads always show the forces of good prevailing. But it's what happens between the covers of the book and in the imaginations of the readers that has earned Dean Koontz his position at the top of bestseller lists across the country. When you begin a Dean Koontz novel, you're never sure where he's going to take you...
The Servants of Twilight
A mother and son are approached by an old lady in a southern California parking lot. It's a chance encounter that erupts into a nightmare of terror as a mother strives to protect her only child when he is threatened again and again...
Darkfall
In a city, paralyzed by a blizzard, something watches, something stalks, and the clock is ticking...A fast-paced twisting story with one of the most frightening chase scenes ever.
Phantom
The found the town silent, apparently abandoned. Then they found the first body strangely swollen and still warm. One hundred fifty were dead, three hundred fifty missing. But the terror had only begun in a tiny mountain town of Snowfield, California.

These three masterful novels of suspense are guaranteed to keep you reading until you turn the last page. There's no going back once you begin a Dean Koontz novel...

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Book!.......2007-09-24

This book was awesome. It kept me engaged for several weeks, which is saying alot for a huge reader like I am.

Usually I find a book, a good 300 pages, at least, and I clobber it. It it is any good (I give it 100 pages to be good, or I am done) I will devour it, in a couple of days time. It is is *fairly* good but not too good, it might take me a couple of weeks as I will be doing something other than reading it when I have my late night reading time. For a really good book, though, it might take me a couple of nights to read it. For this book, since it contained 3 novels, it took me a couple of weeks. Honestly I was glad, because that was a couple of weeks where I didn't have to think about my next reading fix!!!!

Buy it... you will not be disappointed!

Three Complete Novels.......2007-03-10

This made a wonderful gift and it was given to a true fan of Dean Koontz...

Beautiful Combo.......2005-12-03

This book is probably one of the best I ever had because the novels compiled are all very thrilling and fun to read. I have read it twice and there is nothing else to do than to admire the way Dean R. Koontz writes. If you want to read something out of the ordinary, a bit on the supernatural side, along with a lot of action and twists, this is the one you need.

Three terrific books.......2005-09-08

Wow, Phantoms, Darkfall, and The Servants Of Twilight all in one! I've read 23 Dean Koontz book so far and I can tell you that these are all five star books.

PHANTOMS is about a deserted town in the mountains where a woman and her teenage sister arrive to find most of the residents either missing or brutally murdered-even in locked rooms.

DARKFALL is about a man named Baba Lavelle out for revenge who is using voodoo to terrorize a man named Jack Dawson by sending goblin-like creatures after his two children. It's pretty intense with the things crawling through the air ducts and chasing after the family relentlessly.

THE SERVANTS OF TWILIGHT is about a cult lead by a crazy old woman named Grace Spivey who is convinced that a six year old boy named Joey is the anti-christ. The family and the private eye struggling to protect them are terrorized and sent on the run, and their lives will never be the same. But wherever they go, Grave and her followers always find them....

You really can't go wrong with this set. I suggest you buy this collection, and then read:

Intensity
Watchers
Whispers
Hideaway
False Memory
Twilight Eyes

Three confrontations with the forces of evil.......2005-04-28

This omnibus edition contains nothing apart from the text of the three books; no foreword, no afterword - not even the individual afterwords that Koontz has taken to including with re-issued editions of his older books.

This is a pity, because DARKFALL and SERVANTS were both written under pseudonyms, and Koontz' revised editions often include the story of the original author's tragic end. (There are at least five versions of the fate of "Leigh Nichols", including a tragic limbo accident.)

The individual books in this omnibus share a few characteristics apart from being written around the same time. All three with what might be termed the forces of Satan, though the situation is (of course) more complicated than that at times. Once the action gets rolling, each story occupies a very short timeframe: about 25 hours for DARKFALL, a few days for most of PHANTOMS, and similarly for THE SERVANTS OF TWILIGHT. Each has a kind of epilogue after the main event to give a little closure (although in DARKFALL's case it's quite short, not even a separate chapter).

THE SERVANTS OF TWILIGHT was first published in somewhat different form as TWILIGHT under the byline "Leigh Nichols" in 1984. The title role is a well-meaning religious sect, determined to destroy the anti-Christ. But "the anti-Christ", in this case, is a six-year-old boy, a sweet kid being brought up by his single-parent mom. Joey at first seems to be a random selection on the part of the Servants' leader.

When the Servants begin stalking Christine and her son, she hires a private investigator, Charlie Harrison, since everyone has to sleep sometime. Most of the remainder of the book is an extended chase scene, although the object is to flee rather than to catch anyone. Several of Koontz' other books have this kind of structure; SERVANTS falls into the earlier versions' simpler pattern, in which relatively isolated bad guys (rather than vast conspiracies) are chasing the good guys. Like many of Koontz' protagonists, the leads (Charlie and Christine) have troubled family backgrounds like that of the author. The main villain is schizophrenic.

--

DARKFALL was first published under the byline "Owen West" in 1984, prior to THE SERVANTS OF TWILIGHT. Like several of Koontz' earlier works, DARKFALL wasn't published under Koontz' preferred title (DARKNESS COMES, in this instance, although the story has also been known as THE PIT, which lent itself to some unfortunate jokes at the author's expense).

As in THE SERVANTS OF TWILIGHT, one of the protagonists of DARKFALL is a single parent, in this case Jack, a straight-arrow cop who is just beginning to take an interest in romance again after losing his wife to cancer. There are some similarities to the dynamic in DRAGON TEARS; Jack's partner is a very tough woman who had a rough childhood, and she's the "bad cop" of their good cop/bad cop act. (Unfortunately, it's *not* a deliberate act by the characters; like Connie in DRAGON TEARS, Rebecca really *does* lack political savvy in dealing with people.)

As in DRAGON TEARS, the partners have run into some odd phenomena on the day the story takes place, which can't be explained by any normal events. In DARKFALL, the partners are investigating a series of brutal murders in which the victims are all involved in organized crime, but the weird phenomena don't tally with a normal gang war or even a revenge killing. But the head of the family arranged for the murder of an investigative reporter some time back, whose brother turns out to be a voodoo priest from the islands...

Of the three stories in this omnibus, organized religion comes off best in DARKFALL. It happens to be the light side of voodoo that gets star treatment, though - does that matter? :) Jack and Rebecca get professional help, as it were, from a local voodoo practitioner; he comes up with an interesting philosophical defence of his religion.

--

PHANTOMS, the last story in the book, was actually published first, in 1983. Although Koontz had written several books in the interim, this was the first book under his own name since WHISPERS, and he was trying deliberately to write a very different book.

PHANTOMS was meant to be an over-the-top horror story, with a full-blown monster *but* with a scientific explanation for everything that takes place. Small town? Check. Everybody missing except a handful of main characters? Check. Gory? You bet. If you read this one alone on a dark night, don't come crying to me if you can't sleep. You've been warned.

--

For more detailed discussion of the contents of this book, I recommend consulting reviews for the three individual books.

Content warnings: Like a number of Koontz' books, these contain a few explicit sex scenes and quite a lot of violence. Organized religion gets somewhat unusual treatment.

But these are Koontz books. Bad things happen, some people are rotten, and organizations may fail to protect people properly, but individual good guys can manage to come through horrific episodes without being turned into monsters, even if they may suffer greatly in the process.

Comfort books. The first two rate about 4 stars, but PHANTOMS brings down the average.

Dragonlance - Chronicles Volume 1: Dragons Of Autumn Twilight (Dragonlance Chronicles)

Average customer rating:

Dragonlance without the sudden need for insulin
Crazy Awesome!!!
Good, but not great visuals
It's no substitute, but it is a worthy supplement
my favorite series of all-time

Dragonlance - Chronicles Volume 1: Dragons Of Autumn Twilight (Dragonlance Chronicles)
Margaret Weis , Tracy Hickman , Andrew Dabb , Steve Kurth , and Stefano Raffaele
Manufacturer: Devil's Due Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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

Fantasy | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Movie Tie-Ins | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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

ASIN: 1932796703

Book Description

Adapting the first book in the legendary Dragonlance Chronicles Trilogy! The world of Krynn is on the precipice of a dark age. As a massive army led by the evil Verminaard prepares its final onslaught, paranoia and fear grips the populace. Only a small band of companions can save Krynn. But with even former friends ready to betray them, salvation may be impossible. Friendships will be tested. Lovers will be separated. And sacrifices will be demanded...

Customer Reviews:

Dragonlance without the sudden need for insulin.......2007-03-19

Dragonlance has always suffered from excessive cuteness and funny. The authors never really seemed able to render their story with the kind of dark and brooding ambiance that the story seemed to beg for.

This graphic novel gives people a chance to fall in love with the story as it was meant to be experienced. It's good, dark stuff, awesomely drawn and lovingly colored in the rich dark colors of well stained wood. It's lovely.

Being one who has never really much cared for Dragonlance, it means a lot for me to find a take on the story I can really get behind and enjoy. Congratulation to the creators, you've got a convert!

Crazy Awesome!!!.......2007-02-15

In the comic book world it is mostly superpowered characters in tights fighting the forces of evil, but now DDP gives us a breath of fresh air with Dragonlance Chronicles being adapted to comic book form. I really felt attached to the characters, and found it hard to put down. If you like fantasy, you'll like this book.

Good, but not great visuals.......2007-01-21

For the first time we get a glimpse of what the world of Draglance looks like visually. My big fantasy is that one day they make the Chronicles series into a movie series which could be successful considering how well LOTR did. As for this graphic novel, it is a good condensed version of the actual book. It lacks a little bit of the emotion of the book because of this but i still enjoyed it. I didn't really care for how Caramon and a few of the other characters looked since i had a different vision of them, but part of this is due to the artwork lacking consistency at points. At any rate, i look forward to the completion of Dragons of Winter Night!

It's no substitute, but it is a worthy supplement.......2006-09-27

I share the opinion with many others that the Chronicles Trilogy is the defining fantasy event of the 1980's, and as such, I set about to read Devil's Due Publishing's new comic adaptation with more than a little anxiety. Does it live up to Weis and Hickman's original? Could it possibly?

Thankfully, as I sat down to read it I was able to convince myself that it couldn't possibly live up to the novel, simply due to format. A 192 page graphic novel cannot possibly contain the depth of the 400-some-odd page book. It is an impossibility. There simply isn't enough space for the trade to cover everything adequately. This realization led me to understand that I needed to approach the comic as something else entirely, as an alternate presentation of the same story rather than the exact same story. This should be your mindset as you sit down to read the comic adaptation, as the story will be enriched because of it.

Does it live up to Weis and Hickman's novel? In depth of character, no. In depth of story, no. But (I think) most importantly, does it live up to it in spirit? Absolutely.

I was thrilled to see that the spirit of the novels, the heart of the tale and the characters, remained intact. While neither the story or the characters contain the depth of the original, the adventure is still there, as is the wit, the camaraderie, and most importantly, the excitement. Chronicles was the fantasy event of the 80's, not because of stellar penmanship (although it was good), but because it is one of the most engaging reads in modern fantasy. Chronicles is a blast to experience, and so is this comic. It was fun to see all of my old favorites on the page together. I smiled as Flint dives into the water while running from the goblin horde outside Solace, I laughed when Fizban blasts their cage open with a fireball, was touched when Riverwind was brought into the temple a charred and dying mess, and was exhilarated with every word that escaped Raistlin's lips. The spirit of the tale can be felt on each and every page, and that's why it's worthy of your money.

As for the art, my only complaint is lack of consistency. Some panels look beautiful while others look rushed. I was simultaneously in awe of Raistlin's haggard appearance, and equally disgusted by the fact that he looked 100 years old in some frames. Admittedly, this actually makes a little sense considering his character, as the characters in the novels are at the same time in awe of and disgusted by him, but the inconsistencies can be said about the other characters as well. Don't get me wrong, more often than not they are painted beautifully, but there are times when certain characters look a little off. A small complaint, at best.

All in all, the adaptation is about as good as one could expect. Novel-to-comic transfers usually never work as well as one would like, but DDP did an admirable job with this, much better than their Dark Elf Trilogy. If you were a fan of Chronicles, I highly recommend this trade. It's a quick read, one that will have you turning the pages as quickly as you did with the novel. I don't think it's a worthy substitute for the books, but as a supplement, it's wonderful.

my favorite series of all-time.......2006-07-11

I read the Dragonlance Chronicles and Legends as they came out many moons ago. Since then, I have reread them 3 or 4 times. Each time I read them I enjoy them more than the prior times. There is just something about them that makes you really understand and love the characters. I've never felt this attached to characters including the characters of The Fellowship of the Ring. While I do not think the writing is as good as Tolkien, it isn't as bad as some claim. I strongly recommend these books to any fantasy fan.

Average customer rating:

Twilight Imperium 3rd Edition
Fantasy Flight Games
Manufacturer: Fantasy Flight Games
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Game

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Book Description

An age of twilight shall once more spread across the galaxy. A broken empire shall once more be re-forged. Hidden powers from dark space shall come forth to make an ancient claim. War shall rage across space. Secret treaties, political whispers, and devious plots shall again echo through the halls of the imperial city on Mecatol Rex. TI3 is an epic empire-building game of interstellar conflict, trade, and struggle for power. Players take the roles of ancient galactic civilizations, each seeking to seize the imperial throne via warfare, diplomacy, and technological progression. With new oversize geomorphic board tiles, finely detailed plastic miniatures, hundreds of cards, and a massive plurality of options, TI3 will ship in a massive, epic-size box, with more than 200 masterfully sculpted oversize plastic miniatures - the typical TI units (Ground Forces, Cruisers, Dreadnaughts, Carriers, Fighters, PDS, and Space Docks) as well as two new units (the massive War Sun, and the Destroyer). TI3 contains new oversize board tiles, more than 400 cards, every known civilization of the Twilight Imperium universe, almost every expansion rule and component ever published for TI, a gorgeous graphical overhaul, and an impressive full color rules set. The TI gameplay has been refined and redone by original designer Christian T. Petersen. The new design features faster gameplay, and involves players in a far more active game experience with much less down-time. In addition, TI3 will include the new Race Cards, as well a dramatic new approach to the structure of the gameplay itself using the new Command system. Are you ready for another age of Twilight?

Average customer rating:

Very Good
a great start to the story of Quinlan Vos
Sort of ho-hum
The cream of the cake
48 HOURS MEETS STAR WARS

Twilight (Star Wars: Ongoing, Volume 4)
John Ostrander , Jan Duursema , and Rick Magyar
Manufacturer: Dark Horse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Popular Culture | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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

Science Fiction | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Dark Horse | Publishers | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Star Wars | Characters | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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

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

ASIN: 1569715580

Book Description

Jedi Knight Quinlan Vos has lost his memory. Not only must he fight to rediscover his past, he must also track down his Padawan, Aayla Secura, who has mysteriously disappeared. With only his lightsaber and a scheming Devaronian named Villie to help him, Quin must face off against deadly gamblers, false Jedi, corrupt officials, and the pull of the dark side if he is to survive! Twilight collects issues 19-22 of the ongoing Star Wars comics series and is Jedi Quinlan Vos' introduction to the Star Wars comics.

Customer Reviews:

Very Good .......2006-06-12

I think Star Wars Twilight is one of the best comics I have ever read. It introduces for the first time two very popular Jedi, Quinlan Vos and Aayla Secura. Quinlan Vos lost his memory and with a Devaronian named Villie he must find his padawan Aayla Secura. I really enjoyed Twilight and if you want to know more read Darkness also by John Ostrander.

a great start to the story of Quinlan Vos.......2005-12-27

Another excellent graphic novel by John Ostrander. Twilight introduces the Jedi Quinlan Vos, his Padawan Aayla Secura, and Villie the Devaronian. (fans of Villie might want to read The Devaronian Version, or Star Wars #40 and 41) Twilight begins with Quinlan Vos on Nar Shaddaa. He finds that he has no idea who he is and what he's doing there. He then meets Villie and goes on to his homeworld, Kiffu, I think it's called. From there, he goes looking for answers about what happend to him and his Padawan, Aayla Secura. A great story with lots of twists and turns along the way. Of course, the end is slightly outdated what with Mace Windu's lightsaber being blue, but it dosen't detract from the plots value at all. Another good side to Twilight is Villie and his rather dark humor. The first bad thing about this book is the binding, but I'm not sure if all are this way. After reading it once (gently), it showed some wear. Also, the art was above-average. Vos looked like he does in Clone Wars vol. 4 (I use this as a reference due to its fantastic artwork, of not just Vos, but everybody). And at times, Mace Windu looks a lot taller than he really was in the films. Still, a very good start to the story of Quinlan Vos. Hopefully upcoming graphic novels about him will be this good.

Sort of ho-hum.......2004-04-15

Definitely do read this volume if you are a fiend for Star Wars comics or can manage to come across a copy for cheap. Otherwise, I think for most readers you could easily do without this book. Yes, the artwork is slightly above average and certainly easy on the eyes but aside from introducing the Jedi - Quinlan Vos to the series, the story is average at best and offers little in terms of further fleshing out the Star Wars universe.

The cream of the cake.......2003-10-21

Twilight is simply one of the best Star Wars comics out there, and for damn good reason. Which is what you'd better have for passing over this.

The quality of art is not just excellent, it's outstanding. This is as close to three-dimensional material as there was at the time it came out---and there's more comics by the artistry team that's just as comparable. Colours are sharp, tone vibrant, texture and shadowing detailed. Illustrator Duursema shows what comics are supposed to one, and it's the cynical frog who decides to hop past her future SW works.

Dialogue is slick, Villie the Devaronian slicker still. The shifty dealer's quixotic manner of speech takes some getting used to, about as long as why he never stops grinning. Ostrander is quite adept at scripting his work and ensuring readers have just enough info; the short bio when visiting the Kiffu and Ryloth systems are particularly helpful for those unfamiliar with such locales or just to refresh memories.

Quinlin Vos takes the spotlight, a Jedi that cameos briefly in the previous comic Emissaries to Malastare. And waking up inside a burning room on the lawless environs of Nar Shardda with goons gunning for your hide, you know you have the premise of a hand-slap plot that's just too good to put down. Vos must regain his memory while partnering with a two-timing Devaronian that can be trusted as far as his sorry carcass can be thrown. The search to work out what in tarnation happened to him is only the beginning, a quest that will lead him to a sinister narcotic operation, corrupt politicians and his own apprentice, that blue-skinned Twi'lek you saw in AOTC Aayla Secura.

The very characters are creative and nothing generic. Vos looks North American native Indian, a unique appearance previously unseen in SW comics; inspired from the brief snapshot you see of him in Phantom Menace, when Selbulba threatens Binks. His Guardian heritege lets him pull psychic images off objects, quite handy for detective use. Villie is not your typical rogue either, though he gets a bit indignant when you question his loyalty. "Of course you can trust Villie. Is money involved, isn't it?"

Read those energy spiders in the Jedi Search novel? Well, see them here, as long with guest star appearances from Bib Fortuna, Mace Windu and of course Sidious himself. You also get an assortment of aliens unseen before along with the familiar.

All comics from the Ostrander-Duursema team are aptly titled: Twilight's double meaning reflects Vos's skirting the dark side as he attempts to reeducate his understanding of the Force, and the illicit business conducted on Ryloth's narrow twilight surface, where night and day exist together from a world's slow rotation.

Overall, Twilight is one of the best you can get, with better yet still to come from this pair.

48 HOURS MEETS STAR WARS.......2003-07-02

Villie does it for the money! Jedi knight Quinlan Vos (his introduction) and Villie are teamed in a story that features them and their search to find Quinlans Padawan Aayla Secura. Question is, should Quinlan trust Villie, a notorious Devaronian. This story reminds me a little of the teaming of nick nolte and eddie murphy in the movie 48 hours... and i mean that is the most complimentary way.

I have been critical of dark horse for the short cuts it has taken in the past. But here they have a solid winner. This is my current favorite comic. It was a blast to read it with my 6 year son. We have read through it 3 times. The next comic in the series is DARKNESS which also features Quinlan and Villie.

I love the star wars novels, even the child oriented ones. I started buying the comics mostly because my ADHD son needs the pictures and the action presented in the medium of a comic. This made it possible for me to share and read with him. I don't want to get sappy, but these two TPB's starring Quinlan and Villie are just what I hoped that i would find. We have enjoyed others together, but these are the best. Thankyou!!!

Word of caution about the bindings. The new production procedures that are creating such great looking comics, are also making for comics that fall apart much more easily than they used to. So... either handle with great care or never touch or read them.

2 thumbs up for the comic story and artwork. 2 thumbs down for the binding.

Average customer rating:

Not Free SF Reader

Completely boring

very much LKH

Like watching paint dry

ho hum

A Caress of Twilight: A Novel
Laurell K. Hamilton
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Hamilton, Laurell K. | ( H ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Seduced by Moonlight (Meredith Gentry)

A Kiss of Shadows

Stroke of Midnight, A (Meredith Gentry)

Mistral's Kiss (Meredith Gentry, Book 5)

Cerulean Sins (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter: Book 11)

ASIN: 0345478169
Release Date: 2005-03-15

Amazon.com

Faerie princess and private detective Meredith Gentry juggles love, sex, intrigue, magic, and more in this witty and sensual novel from Laurell K. Hamilton. Merry has her hands full: she's desperate to conceive a child and thereby claim the Unseelie throne; she's the target of intrigue from both the Seelie and Unseelie Courts; her newest client is an exiled goddess with a secret that could get them all killed; and a hideous fey force that alarms even her formidable lover-warriors is loose in Los Angeles.

A Caress of Twilight is infused with Hamilton's characteristic appealing blend of sex, magic, wit, and romantic dilemma. The mystery takes a back seat to the concerns of Faerie power and politics, making the book less balanced, but Merry's growth in leadership and power, along with a bang-up ending, won't leave fans disappointed. Readers new to Hamilton might be advised to start with A Kiss of Shadows or the extremely popular Anita Blake series. --Roz Genessee

Book Description

“I am Princess Meredith, heir to a throne—if I can stay alive long enough to claim it.”

After eluding relentless assassination attempts by Prince Cel, her cousin and rival for the Faerie crown, Meredith Gentry, Los Angeles private eye, has a whole new set of problems. To become queen, she must bear a child before Cel can father one of his own. But havoc lies on the horizon: people are dying in mysterious, frightening ways, and suddenly the very existence of the place known as Faerie is at grave risk. So now, while she enjoys the greatest pleasures of her life attempting to conceive a baby with the warriors of her royal guard, she must fend off an ancient evil that could destroy the very fabric of reality. And that’s just her day job. . . .

From the Paperback edition.

Download Description

From the darkling throng to the glittering court, this is a world of magic and delights, greed and grotesque ambitions. Laurell K. Hamilton has created a mythos of extreme power and pure beauty that is a delight to behold.

Princess Meredith will inherit the throne -- if she can stay alive long enough to claim it. Her cousin, Prince Cel, is determined to see that she doesn't. As long as they both live, they will be in a race for the crown. Whichever of them reproduces first... gets the throne. The men of Meredith's royal guard -- warriors skilled with blade, spell, and gun -- protect her from assassination attempts, and hope to become her lover, auditioning with pleasure for the role of future king and father of her child.

All the royal back-stabbing makes it very difficult for Meredith to pursue her living as a private investigator in Los Angeles -- especially since the media makes sure the whole world knows the Faerie princess is alive and well in sunny California.

The people of Los Angeles are dying in mysterious, frightening ways. What the human police don't realize is that the killer is hunting the fey as well. Havoc lies on the horizon: the very existence of the place known as Faerie is at grave risk. Meredith enjoys the pleasures of her life with her guardians even as she fends off an ancient evil that could destroy the very fabric of reality.

And that's just her day job.

Customer Reviews:

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

A large part of the whole Sidhe political conflict is the issue of succession. This means that whoever of the next generation that can produce a child is likely to get to be the boss, or at least, stay alive.

It doesn't really look too good for Meredith, because she has copious amounts of faerie meat in her bed, but none of them knock her up. Pretty likely, the problem is hers.

We get to see a few Sidhe powers and other information as the Grey agency helps out an actress who is really Sidhe.

Completely boring.......2007-04-19

Probably one of the most boring books I have wasted time on in recent times. No plot: casual sex that is justified in a puritanical way (we are only being naughty you see, because I want to get pregnant) is no substitute for a story. Endless repetitions of lengthy description - who is wearing what - or not (equally boring). Meetings of several factions without interesting dialogue. The monster and the solution at the end smack of jack hopping out from the box since a built up plot is missing. No excitement, nothing to hold my attention.

Conclusion: One star because the system does not allow to give none. Don't waste your money.

very much LKH.......2007-04-07

After reading all the Anita Blake novels, I decided to follow along with the Merry books. I have almost an addiction to Ms. Hamilton's novels, regardless if I have become somewhat disenchanted with her Anita Blake series after about the eighth book.

I found Merry to at least start out relatively page-turning and read "A Caress of twilight" in two days.The imagination LKH has is great, but the overabundance of sex can be a little overboard. I find myself sometimes skimming over pages to get past lines like "He rolled his eyes up at me while(something NOT G rated!)". At least I've found this series to have more plot than the last of the Anita series.

Bottom line is if you are a fan of Anita Blake, then you will like Meredith Gentry, but these books are borderline soft porn and not for the fan of Harlequin Romances...

Like watching paint dry.......2007-03-23

I enjoyed the first Meredith Gentry book, so I decided I would continue with the series and see what LKH had up her sleeve. The answer is, plainly, nothing much.

This book reads like I imagine the first book in the series should have. Meredith spends so many time trying to explain the rules and regulations between the fey and the sidhe, the Seelie and the Unseelie, goblins, ghosts, demi-fey, and every other type of creature that it's more like reading an instruction manual to world building than reading a story with actual plot and substance. I understood it the first time it was mentioned that when a noble deliberately neglects to use another's title he's doing the other a grave insult. I get it. But yet every time someone calls Meredith "Meredith" instead of "Princess Meredith" we're reminded of the insult. We also learned in the first novel that it's considered un-PC to use magic against another fey or to not offer a compliment when they are deliberately trying to be attractive. Again, we get it. Yet it's reiterated so many times over the course of the novel, I wonder if LKH had any other intention than to make this story merely an etiquette lesson. I don't appreciate having my time wasted and this was, without a doubt, a waste of time.

This book doesn't allow the Meredith Gentry plot to move forward in any way. It is about Merry's different sexual conquests with her guards (got enough of that in book 1, thank you), her realization that her men don't respect her since she treats them as equals and not as a future queen should (it's about time), and at the last possible moment a subplot with very little bearing on the rest of the book is developed and resolved quicker than you can snap your fingers. As a whole, this book offers nothing to the series and I have to wonder what the point was.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Sunny's Monere series, and many of the comments indicated that those stories are based on the Meredith Gentry novels. I can see the comparison and, at times, the downright plagiarism employed by Sunny, but if nothing else her books are well-written, entertaining, and once things are said once there's no need to reiterate the point 1000 times. I might just have to stick with those books since LKH so obviously runs hot and cold.

ho hum.......2006-12-12

Ok, I admit it--I am getting really disappointed with LKH. The first books she wrote had plots, wonderful characters, good writing and yes, let's admit it, sexy, sexy, S*E*X*Y males. But the last few books she's written have been almost nothing but sex. You almost need note cards to try to keep track of who is sleeping with whom and why. The plot is disappearing, the writing is getting ho hum and the characters are turning into pretty Barbie and Ken's and not real people. With Anita Blake I actually CARED about her, and her choices--at least at first. But the last 3 books I haven't been able to do more than get a couple dozen pages into before I put them aside for something with more exciting in a plot line (like the New York Phone Book.) I did like the first Merry book--it had a GREAT premise and could have been the start of a new dynasty for LKH. But this one just didn't do it. Ok, I liked the idea of trying to figure "which" of the Hollywood sex goddesses of the last 30 or so years could have been the inspiration for that character, but really, other than that--nothing.

I have decided to not bother buying any more of LKH's books and just content myself with checking them out of the library. That way I won't be disappointed and feel I've wasted my money if she doesn't get her writing act back together and start WRITING again instead of rehashing tired old porn.

Green Lantern: Emerald Twilight & A New Dawn

Average customer rating:

Darth Jordan
Half and half
this is a half good, half bad book
Bold Step... But Should Have Been Longer!
Why all the outrage people?

Green Lantern: Emerald Twilight & A New Dawn
Ron Marz
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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

Superheroes | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 156389999X

Customer Reviews:

Darth Jordan.......2007-02-04

I highly recomend this book to any Green Lantern fan who's wondered what happened when Hal Jordan became Parralax. It's one of the most gripping things I've ever seen in a trade paperback.

Half and half.......2006-08-03

Back in the early 90's, DC was on a rampage. In an effort to become "edgier" and get new readers, DC went on a hero killing spree. Superman was killed by Doomsday (and later resurrected), Batman would be crippled by Bane, and this storyline, which surprisingly coaxed more groans out of fanboys than the previous two put together, found silver age Green Lantern Hal Jordan going crazy, killing his fellow Lanterns, stealing their powers, and becoming an omnipotent super villain called Paralax. Eventually, in the Zero Hour and Final Night arcs, Hal would come to his senses and sacrifice himself to save the world, but Emerald Twilight showcases the hero's fall from grace as his hometown of Coast City and everyone in it are wiped off the map, and he attempts to use the power of the Lanterns to bring it all back, even if he has to kill everyone in his way. As A New Dawn opens up, slacker artist Kyle Rayner becomes the new GL, and goes toe to toe with Major Force. Now here's the thing, writer Ron Marz was given the task of replacing Hal with a new, younger and hipper hero to take on the GL mantle, and for the most part, he does a good job illustrating Hal's fall. It's his characterization of Rayner which hurts this TPB (personally, I wouldn't be cracking jokes moments after I find my girlfriend dead in the fridge) as he is too immature for his own good. Fans hated Rayner through the years, but as the years went on, he became a very well written character, even better than GL's John Stewart and Guy Gardner. Though this TPB has no real conclusion (you'll have to check out Zero Hour and the Final Night to see how it all ends), Hal would be resurrected and become the Green Lantern once again when fan favorite writer Geoff Johns launched the Green Lantern: Rebirth mini-series, which made everything happening here more sensical, and one of the finest resurrections in all of comicdom.

this is a half good, half bad book.......2005-03-21

the first Half is not very good and really to be honest is very bad, we have a hero who has been around since the silver age of comics turned into a killer who makes the joker look sane, all done in the space of 3 issues in a rushed editoral mandated story line, there is no reason for Hal to go nuts even, all his cloest friends and even his girlfriend was not even in the city when it blew.

but on the plus side you have Kyle, he gets more room, he's the new guy DC wanted, it's kind of like spider-man in a lot of ways for the DC universe, he gets this power, has no idea what to do, makes mistakes aned people he loves will pay for it, but it's good, problem is it's also short, just as he starts to really get going it ends, his rookie years would continue for another 100 issues or so.

there are many betetr green lantern trades to check out, but if you need to see jordons fall or kyles start then get it.

Bold Step... But Should Have Been Longer!.......2004-02-15

"Emerald Twilight/New Dawn". This book reads like a weird nightmare. Everything is so crazy that it's almost unreal - like something in the back of your mind telling you that this just can't be happening!

DC Comics took one real bold step with Hal Jordan in the early 1990s. They made him crazy and evil. Ever since the 1985-6 "Crisis on Infinite Earths", they have been killing off the Silver Age heroes and replacing them with new versions. Barry Allen was replaced by Wally West, Oliver Queen was replaced by Connor Hawke, Superman was (temporarily) replaced by FOUR new versions of the character (don't ask!), Batman was (also temporarily) replaced by Azrael and later Dick Grayson and finally Hal Jordan was replaced by Kyle Rayner (of which the tale is told in this volume).

The most controversial of all the "replacements" and "revamps" was the Hal Jordan-Kyle Rayner thing. You see, all the other replacement were either temporary (Supes, Bats and even Green Arrow is now back) or the original died heroically (as in the case of Barry Allen). With Green Lantern, sales was so low that they needed a really HUGE event to shake things up - so they had Hal Jordan go crazy, slaughter all the other GLs, the Guardians, destroyed Oa and become a super-powerful cosmic villain called Parallax. Ron Marz, the original scripter of these tales (he's not the one really responsible for the whole thing - it was an editorial decision!), have been receiving death threats and insults from fans (mostly unreasonable) ever since. My reaction is like that of the other reviewer - WHY THE EXTREME REACTION?

Granted, I like Hal Jordan a whole lot! Look, I even created an Amazon List on everything Hal! And after reading the recent Mark Waid penned "The Brave and the Bold" TPB, I too wished that Hal Jordan is still Green Lantern. But then, I like the evolution of the character even more. And I like the idea of Hal Jordan as Parallax (and now as the new Spectre). In short, I like change. And finally, I'm beginning to like the new GL, Kyle Rayner, a whole lot too.

Now to the stories in this volume. They were previously collected in TWO separate volumes - "Emerald Twilight" and "A New Dawn". DC recently rereleased the two stories in one volume along with the "Emerald Dawn" and "The Road Back" volumes to form a series with a similar cover-design. Therefore, this current volume consist of issues 48 to 55 of the Green Lantern comics and includes an Afterword by Ron Marz. I rather enjoy the reading the story in one sitting (although I'd recommend reading "The Return of Superman" TPB before this one to understand the background behind Hal's descent into madness). My only complain is that they should have made the "Emerald Twilight" story longer. It was a major milestone in a character's life and he only had THREE ISSUES? Then you have FIVE ISSUES of melodrama and soap opera with Kyle Rayner discovering his new powers as the new GL? The whole collection feels rather uneven because of this. The pacing for the first part is too fast and too crammed and the later part is too loose.

Ron Marz's writing is passable and Kyle Rayner is still largely undeveloped in this volume. Get "Baptism of Fire" (the next volume) to see how Marz develops this new GL. The artwork is overall very good - especially the chapters by Darryl Banks and Bill Willingham. Finally, it's always great seeing another appearance by Alan Scott, the original Golden Age GL, giving some pointers to the new GL! This is an important milestone in the history of Green Lantern (possibly the most important in recent decades) and I'd recommend it seriously for everyone interested in the evolution of the GL mythos.

Why all the outrage people?.......2003-10-24

Lets face it, as progressive as comic books may be, there is no fan base on this planet more adverse to change then comic book fans. Trust me, I know, I'm one of them. Hal Jordan was my favorite hero when I was growing up. As a young child, the Green Lantern action figure was my favorite, and the few comic books I had of that day included several of his. Years passed and my comic book focus was lost for several years. The death and rebirth of Superman managed to drag me back in. A related event to Superman's rebirth was the destruction of Coast City, Hal Jordan's home. This was the moment that I had to get back in to the Green Lantern series. I had to see how my childhood hero would react to such a loss. The writers at DC took him in an unexpected and incredibly bold direction....Insanity. Hal Jordan lost his place, and in his rage and misery managed to destroy all that he held dear to him. He turned his back on heroics and spent the next few years as a villian, taking the name Parallax.
Well, most people out there cryed out and screamed and wailed and said "If Hal isn't going to be Green Lantern anymore I'm not going to read this book anymore". Well that's just petty. Like the passing of the role of James Bond, the passing of the Green Lantern ring to Kyle Rayner was a bold and innovative choice. We got to watch someone else grow into the role, someone who, in my mind, has managed to tell as grand a tale as any Hal could write up. I stand by DC's decision and they're story making ablities. Emerald Twilight is one of the greatest comics I have ever read. Hands down.

Average customer rating:

Another Well Drawn Manga
Mystery plot
Before or After
Awsome, simply wonderful!!!
.hack jr.

.Hack: //Legend of the Twilight, Vol. 2
Rei Idumi , and Tatsuya Hamazaki
Manufacturer: TokyoPop
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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

Fantasy | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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

Fantasy | Manga | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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

Computers | Science & Technology | Teens | Subjects | Books

General | Graphic Design | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

Graphic Design | Computers & Internet | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

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

ASIN: 159182415X

Book Description

*.hack is a highly successfull franchise that has spawned numerous manga, video games and anime features! *100% Authentic Manga Format. *Anime Also available. As seen on Cartoon Network. *Story by TATSUYA HAMAZAKI.

Shugo and crew continue their journey and encounter the mysterious Aura. Although Aura gets in trouble with Kamui's Knights in Never Mont. Through Kamui and Barmunk give Shugo and Rena a little background about the dangers in The World. As Shugo begins to understand how The World works, he learns that not even players like Kamui are harmless.

Customer Reviews:

Another Well Drawn Manga.......2006-12-14

.Hack: //Legend of the Twilight, Vol. 2
By: Tatsuya Hamazaki

Shugo and Rena continue their adventures through the MMPORPG known as "The World". As far as the story thus far goes, if you haven't read Volume 1, why are you reading Volume 2? Anyway, this manga contains Logins 7-12. And below is a brief summary of each of the Logins without ruining the whole story (hopefully).

Login 7: A Passing Shower: Shugo and the gang are out catching rays on the beach when Ouka arrives with information about a secret event in a haunted mansion. As the gang works to clear the mansion, they travel back to Mac Anu for the fireworks show, when a familiar looking face turns up in the middle of the celebration.

Login 8: A New Resolve: With the appearance of Zefie, Aura's "daughter" so appears a group called the Cobalt Knight Brigade, a band of warriors dedicated to keeping peace in The World no matter the cost. Shugo is now determined to see Zefie back to Aura although the Knight's have other plans for her.

Login 9: On/Off Coin: A new root town appears and the gang takes this opportunity to travel there and question other players about the possible whereabouts of Aura. They also learn about a strange event that occured 4 years ago that has been hidden by the CC Corporation.

Login 10: The Players are Thinking: As the quest to find Aura rages on, Rena grows ever more jealous of Zefie. Shugo is also being watched by someone up the ladder of CC Corporation.

Login 11: 4 Years Ago: The gang starts to learn about the events of 4 years ago and the connection to Aura and Zefie. Balmung receives punishment for disobeying orders as the Cobalt Knight Brigade tracks Shugo, a now branded cheater in The World.

Login 12: Cheating: Shugo and his friends are arrested for cheating in The World and are thrown in prison. Now with the possibility that all of their characters will be deleted, will they be found innocent...will they break out of jail...what's gonna happen? Well, just read and find out for yourself.

I love this manga, it's as well drawn as the first one which is exceptionally well. And the opening pin-up drawings are very nice as well. You'll definetly enjoy this one if you enjoyed Volume 1. Hopefully I haven't ruined the story for you.

Mystery plot.......2005-06-30

So what is this mystery plot anyway?The gang finds a girl name Zeftie,Aura's child. Wiseman is in this one!Oh,what is this?Shugo is accused of cheating and might have to actually fight?Too bad it is in the next volume...

Before or After.......2004-07-19

What really interested me was that the manga (book) was actually made before the anime and games in Japan.

Awsome, simply wonderful!!!.......2004-01-03

I read the first one the same day that I bought it and couldn't even put it down until I was finished. I then bought the second one and can't wait until the next one is released in Canada. I started playing the PS2 games and was instantly hooked as well. This lead to me buying the .hack//sign series and there I was instanly entranced, the anime is simply beautiful and amazing. I personaly loved all of it and although these are series that not every one would enjoy I still recommend watching/reading/playing and you never know, you might become hooked just like me.

.hack jr........2004-01-03

Volume two of the manga series picks up two themes that appear in other .hacl media, with a twist, of course. Shugo finds his own aura look-alike - Zefie. Unlike Aura, Zefie has a strong personality that makes several members of the team, particularly Reina, uncomfortable around her. Vagrant AI like Zefie are rare, and their behavior is unpredictable. She turns out to have some surprising powers.

The presence of Zefie and Shugo's bracelet cause a stir back in the management of The World. Sure enough, a new version of the Crimson Knights, now the Cobalt Knights appear on the scene, led by Kamui Shibayama. They are corporate, not volunteer, and carry out a policy of "if you can't control it - delete it." In no time at all they are at odds with Shugo and Reina.

Of all the .hack genre, I find the manga the most disappointing so far. The story is pitched at a much younger audience than the 13+ that it is marked. It is a replay of several of the original .hack themes set several years after the other storys are completed. So while this series is a pleasant read, it doesn't live up to the almost introspective approach that even the game uses. Nor does it reflect any more light on the series as a whole.

Book Description

Old-fashioned role-playing games experience a renaissance on the World Wide Web. Twins Rena and Shugo are two middle school students who enter "The World" as level one game characters. When Shugo's character dies he is transported to another level where he is entrusted to bear the Twilight Bracelet by the mysterious Aura. Shugo must find out who Aura is and why she gave him this powerful weapon to protect his sister from the peculiar characters in "The World."

Customer Reviews:

Sweet Manga.......2006-12-06

.Hack://Legned of the Twilight Volume 1
By: Tatsuya Hamazaki

This manga is the story of Shugo and Rena, a brother and a sister who win a contest to receive the character avatars of two legendary fighters. This manga (like the anime and games) take place in an online game called "The World". Though, the characters they are playing as were notoriously strong fighters in their time, Shugo and Rena have to start as Level 1 players. Now, together, they are off to explore the mysteries, monsters, and friends that the world has to offer.

This book is broken up into a series of logins instead of chapters.

Login 0: Prologue. This Login gives a quick preview of a couple of the characters and goings on in the rest of the story.

Login 1: The Legendary .Hackers. This login goes into greater details about the contest that Shugo and Rena win. It also introduces some of the basics of "The World" such as the root town, the chaos gate as well as a couple of monsters including one extremely strong one.

Login 2: Kite's Bracelet. After Kite is defeated in battle, he encounters a mysterious girl and recives an ultra cool item to help him in his journies. It also introduces some new friends for Shugo and Rena, a "stalker" of sorts, and a mysterious savior

Login 3: Midnight in the Garden. Rena and Shugo are joined by the Wavemaster Mireille as they learn about a special event taking place in a special garden. In this garden, they search for clues to win rare prizes for their collection, well, Mireille's collection at least.

Login 4: Cherry Blossom Mayhem. The trio head off on another adventure for rare prizes (though Mireille seems the most interested). They also encounter a new, furry friend as well as some wicked, evil monsters.

Login 5: Get Well Grunty. Shugo travels with new friend Hotaru who's visiting from the American server in order to try and heal a sick little Grunty. However, in order to save the little thing, they must travel to an extremely dangerous area to retrieve a rare healing item.

Login 6: Starlight Special. Shugo, Rena, Mireille, Ouka, and Hotaru travel to another special event in search of even more rare treasures. This is a special event where the winner gets a kiss from a special lady as well as a granted wish.

If you've seen the anime, you'll pretty much recognize these Logins for the episodes they are.

This is probably one of the funniest mangas I've ever read. I also love the slight sexual tones that are in these books. They are a great and exciting read, especially since this has a more elaborate story than in the anime. The pinup drawings at the beginning of this book is very well done, all of the drawnings in this books is well done. I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves these kinds of manga books, you won't be sorry.

.Hack is back.......2006-03-07

.HACK//LEGEND OF THE TWILIGHT
Tokyo Pop

As part of the triple-pronged hit of the anime TV series and video games, this .Hack chapter was actually the first one to be released in Japan, or at least as part of a monthly manga publication magazine. Legend Of The Twilight is in fact a sequal to .Hack//Sign, the RPG, and the underhyped OVA, Liminality, taking place four years after the apparant threat to the virtual world of "The World" has passed.

Here, Shugo and his twin sister Rena have won the character avatars of original .hackers Kite and Black Rose, meaning that their online selves resemble those of the playable characters from the RPG, accept slightly younger looking. Once online, Shugo dies during a quest, but is brought back thanks to Aura, who is an AI that exists within The World's mainframe. She grants Shugo a bracelet which has the same abilities that Kite's did, accept this one can actually be seen as a real wearable item. This attracts the attention of a young rare item
hunter named Mirielle, who is really the 4-year old daughter of Mirelle who was one of the original .hackers too. They also befriend an American player named Hotaru, and Ouka, a female werewolf who fights barehanded. Shugo also attracts the attention of Balmung, who was a key player in the video games, but now is a system administrator for CC Corp who runs The World.

Shugo later runs into Zefie, a young AI who turns out Aura's "daughter". Shugo and the others then set out to find a way of reuniting Zefie with her mother, despite that fact that Zefie is selfish, pushy, and clings to Shugo like a monkey. However, the Cobalt Knight Brigade, who are an official group of player thugs for CC Corp, like a Nazi version of the Crimson Knights, learn of Zefie's existance and plan to wipe her out. After capturing Shugo and his party, they lock them up. But Zefie's abilbity to manipulate the world Neo-style allows them
to escape and seek out Aura.

The manga follows a different approach than the anime based on it. In the .Hack//Legend TV series, Zefie isn't in it at all, and Shugo's party has to take on a sort of anit-Aura and her group of hacking followers from destroying The World. The manga goes on for two regular-sized volumes, and then one double-sized
third volume complete with bonus chapters. Rei Izumi's artwork is great though and really brings the story to life, "offline". A for real fans who've played all four video games, and seen both prior anime series. It might be a little hard for others to integrate themselves in the .Hackverse though.

.hack rules.......2006-01-18

Manga just doesn't get any better than this. If I just left it at that, it would be all I need to say. But, heck, I'll go on.

Japanese manga artists Rei Izuki and Tatsuya Hamazaki have created a series that, albeit short, has drawn me in (as I am sure they have for the millions of other fans across the world) and hasn't let go yet. Book 1 is an excellent beginning and a very promising manga.

Admittedly, this is one manga that probably shouldn't be read by anime's younger fans. It contains a good bit of language and sexual innuendo, so parents should probably refrain from letting their younger anime fanatics read this.

Still, it's an awesome manga chronicling the lives of two players in a manga MMORPG called The World. The two main characters, Shugo (a perverted dumbass) and his common-sense sister Rena, are tasked with finding out why a ghost named Aura won't leave them alone. Also, Shugo needs to find out why Aura gave him an apparently extremely-powerful artifact known as the Twilight Bracelet.

This is a manga that I will never sell. Why? Because it rocks!! Happy manga-ing (yes, I realize that it isn't a word).

its ok........2005-11-11

I got no. 1,2,3 from the library.And on the front it says national best seller now yould you say that this manga dosent deserve that title.i mean like in every 30 pages they have a picture of rien or raien or how ever you spell her name!!naked with like a sword or hands covering her(>>>) O_O.and if its not her its some other girl.its a good fantasy and has good art though.
if you like hack try zatch bell or naruto!!!! ^_^

Not too deep. Not too mature. Not too long........2005-08-20

I bought all three books for this manga. I read them as they came out, meaning I would read the first one and wait for the second to be released. I just recently finally got the third book and read it. The funny thing is, the whole time I was reading the third book and was almost finished with it, I did not realize that it was the last book in the series until I bothered to read the back.

Honestly, this manga is not good. It's for younger kids. At too many points in the manga (especially the third book) they get way way way way waaaaaaaaaaay too mushy for me. "Oh yay! I love this game and all the friends I've made! Lets go adventure and be friends and frolic and" oh spare me!!!!

I just don't understand why this manga was made. It was a waste. The story sounds interesting. It's similar to the other .hack stories you are familiar with. The thing that interested me was that this takes place after the main .hack storyline. Here you are revisiting the world years later and you get to see characters from the original story and how they have developed over the years.

However, when it comes down to it, the story just ends way too quickly. By the end of the third book you think the story is finally about to reach its climax but then you find out that there is nothing beyond the third book and you realize that what you just thought was the rising action is now the resolution. The story was just not well told and very uninteresting. It had potential.

This is NOT a must have, even for .hack fans. This story introduces nothing new to .hack. Younger fans may like it. That's the only thing I can recommend it for. Also be warned that there is some slight perversion, such as Reina being naked and covering herself with a large sword. There's no nudity and there is some cussing, but overall it's not a horrible manga for the younger audience.

Overall, I'm displeased and pissed that I bought all three not realizing it ended at three. If I had known the story was going to end so abrubtly, I would have completely passed over this manga.

Average customer rating:

The Holocaust as Madness
The Twilight of Madness
In search of the Savior
Insanity or Love?
Not as Perplexing as kex86 found it!

Twilight: A Novel
Elie Wiesel
Manufacturer: Schocken
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

French | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 080521058X
Release Date: 1995-11-07

Customer Reviews:

The Holocaust as Madness.......2006-02-19

This novel moves along slowly for the first three-quarters. But it picks up very quickly and becomes a very compelling read as Wiesel begins to introduce the character of Pedro, the novel's idealized hero who is present from the beginning but never escapes the memory of the protagonist, Raphael, to take the page as a living character. Pedro, who was known as Pinhas in Poland, earned his name in the Spanish Civil War, where he had gone to fight in the years before the Holocaust. After the war, he becomes a kind of secret agent for devastated Jewry, working with others to bring the survivors together and set them on their new life.
Painted in the tradition of the near messianic hero, familiar to readers of Mordecai Richler's "Solomon Gursky Was Here" and perhaps to a lesser degree Saul Bellow's "Humboltd's Gift," Pedro is instantly admirable and the reader shares Raphael's feeling for him. Wiesel uses Pedro as a character of unbridled potential who is never allowed to reach it, and is banished to the realm of Raphael's memory. In a novel about the Holocaust, that works to great effect because clearly there were many real "Pedros" who were either killed in the concentration camps or could not survive in the aftermath of the Holocaust.
This is a novel about memory and madness; the memory of those who died in the Holocaust and the madness of the hate that caused their deaths.
Along the way, we meet a character who stares at the sky trying to find the lost six million in the clouds and the stars, and there are some other excellent character portraits. But Wiesel also introduces a host of mad inmates of an insane asylum who think they are biblical figures. That last part is what the novel could have done without. These crazy want-to-be biblical figures are very unbelievable, especially compared to the more sane characters of Raphael, his wife Tiara and Pedro.
Instead, we get the sense that Wiesel is using these characters as a way to weave Midrash, or biblical legends, into a modern novel. Although it is an ambitious experiment, it falls flat for lack of believability.
Ultimately, the novel does well to explore the Holocaust as a kind of all-encompassing madness. It at times can be an engrossing read. And the pages that challenge God on how He could have allowed the Holocaust to happen are worth anyone's read. But it would have been a better book without much of the material set in the insane asylum.
The novel does finish well and leaves you with a glimpse of light beyond the Holocaust. And a good use of naming gives the reader the impression that even Pedro, nee Pinhas, could come back. According to some Jewish legends, Pinhas is in fact Elijah, the great prophet who never died.
When he followed up the novel "Night" with the sequel "Dawn," Wiesel explored how life can go on after the Holocaust without turning one's back on the horror of that worst period in human history. "Twilight" continues that theme but makes it more accessible to the average reader by setting the survivor in everyday life, instead of in the life and death struggles of nascent Israel.

The Twilight of Madness.......2004-07-24

Elie Wiesel is a man apparently haunted by his past. A survivor of the concentration camps and the Holocaust, Wiesel has turned his experiences into some of the most profound modern literature. "Twilight" is no exception to that rule, a novel that searches for the truth of humanity lost during the Holocaust.

"Twilight" tells the story of Raphael Lipkin, a lost and lonely man. He finds himself drawn to a sanitorium in upstate New York, which specializes in the madness of patients who believe themselves to be characters from the Bible. He is there to hopefully his friend Pedro, the man who saved him during the Holocaust and then disappeared from his life. As he studies these patients, who range from Abraham and Cain to Jesus and God himself, Raphael is torn between madness and sanity. He questions all that he knows to be true and all that he has experienced in his life.

Wiesel is a master storyteller, weaving complicated stories into a wonderous picture. "Twilight" fluctuates between the present time, to Raphael's memories, to his family's persecution during the Holocaust. The reader is shown the true horrors that Jews experienced, and how families are torn apart. Raphael never recovers from his experiences, and this becomes apparent in his questioning. His search doesn't necessarily bring answers; these are tough questions that might not be answerable. How can one see through the madness of the Holocaust when it is an event that the entire world still struggles to understand? Wiesel's purpose isn't to make one understand these tragedies or to give simple answers to questions of faith; rather, he wants the reader to think and question, and be content to know that not everything is for us to know.

In search of the Savior.......2002-01-04

This was a difficult book to rate. It is, to begin with, a fairly short novel; just over 200 pages. I felt one of the problems with this book was that the author moved us around too much in time, place and character. The brevity of the book made this confusing. We're one place then another before we got settled in with the former. The basic plot of the book is challenging but worth the effort to try and follow. A doctor (Raphael)who was a youthful survivor of the Holocaust is trying to come to understand his experiences. Through him we meet a wide array of characters of whom the most important is a man nicknamed Pedro. Raphael is in a search for Pedro and for meaning to the horrors that are beyond meaning. There is an irony in the duality of his search. On one level Raphael searches for a real savior that he has lost. On the other level, he searches for the savior that was never there. In the end he encounters both. We are left unfulfilled. Having gone this far with him, we expect more. We want a clear answer, a happy ending. We get neither and, in this ambiguity, we get a sense of Holocaust reality; there is no meaning, there is no happy ending. Night represents evil, day represents good. In the twilight lies the madness.

Insanity or Love?.......2001-07-24

Twilight seeks to explore the relationship between God and his creation in the context of a mental assylum whereby the accusation of God's insanity in the wake of the Holocaust is juxta-opposed against God's care. The book is filled with wonderful characters in the assylum who 'double' in their insanity as characters from Hebrew Scripture - Adam, Joseph, Cain, Abraham, the Messiah and God. The book is somewhat complicated in that the deepest questions concerning the nature of God and humanity are explored while historic 'flash backs' break up the intensity to tell the real struggle of the main character and his family under the Nazi regime. The book is written with an intense passion and stimulates emotions and arguments and insights concerning God's relationship to humanity in the light of the holocaust from all angles. God is seen as omni-present but veiled, simultaneously imminant and transcendent. Many times the question WHY? is thrown at God and options of God's insanity, cruelty, indifference and usury are expressed. Finally, the accusation of God's insanity in relation to the hohlocaust is defended through the patient who beleives himself to be God - 'When exactly was I suppose to stop it? Go on, tell me'

The novel evokes sympathy for God as a concluding note and in the face of anger and accusation because of the holocaust we are left with an unveiled God in tears and pain through the accusation 'you could have stopped it - you should have stopped it'.

This is a short novel the weaves a masterful tapestry of emotions, history, theology, accusation and theodicy. It's setting in a clinic is unique, the patients are loveable, understandable. Wiesel leads the reader to be on everyone's side, in everyone's shoes. A stunning novel - well worth coming to terms with and reading over and over again.

Not as Perplexing as kex86 found it!.......1998-12-08

This was my 1st Wiesel work and I did not find it to be "perplexing" or "weird". Actually, I found it to be a quite sane story depicting one of the 20th centuries' most perplexing events.

For readers who have thought previously about the various shades of madness and those who find themselves afflicted (Robert Persig's 'Lila' as an example) and for readers who have spent any time reflecting on the inexcapable impact of the Holocaust on survivors and their next generation...then 'Twilight' is a mystical and brutally real novel depicting the terror of just one family out of the countless thousands.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books