Angels in America: Millennium Approaches (Angels in America)

Customer Reviews:

Like Plays of Old.......2007-05-21

This play is very accessible to the reader accustomed to reading prose. Contemporary situations are embellished to make this play a work of art.

A Piece of Garbage.......2007-04-17

This book was assigned to me as college reading and all I can say is that I am offended with the language and feel verbally abused by the content. The author is abusing the audience. I have friends whom are gay and they never talk like the trash that represnt them in this book, they hold themselves to a higher level and have class. The author creates gay hatred instead of encouraging people to embrace the gay culture. This book makes you think gays have no sense and that they are wierd instead of just average people. I believe the author has hurt the gay community more then he has helped.

The 'Angels' have come!.......2004-12-17

This remarkable play writen by the best playwrite since Shakespeare has achived not only rocking your mind with it's beautiful prose, language, and story, but also has gained the title of the most wonderufl play in modern liturature (counting plays). Its star-stricken plot will not make you put it down! It is truly wonderful.

The 'Angels' have come!.......2004-12-17

I love this book!.......2004-04-16

I'm a college student majoring in Theater Design. I had to read this play for one of my classes my freshman year. So I sat down expecting to plod through a story that I'd never read again. Boy was I shocked! I loved it! I couldn't put it down until I'd read the last page, and then I got right online and ordered the sequel. Honestly, I'm not as big a fan of the second book. I haven't read it in a while, but from what I remember it's more offensive, and honestly, a little more like smut. There's an angel with 7 vaginas and it has sex with one of the characters...one of the gay characters..go figure. The second book also seems to take more pot shots at God, which I didn't appreciate as a Christian. Anyway. This is a review of the first book, not the second. (just reminding myself!) I have 7 big bookcases of books at my parents' house, plus my dad is a librarian, so I do a LOT of reading. This book is ALWAYS one of the few "Chosen" books that I take to college with me to keep in my dorm. And just as a side note, I'm not gay, so this book is NOT just for gay people like some of the people whom I've talked to seem to think. BUY IT! You'll be enlightened and inspired to think.

The New Destroyer: Guardian Angel (New Destroyer)

Average customer rating:

This is the OLD Destroyer!!!!
Remo, we missed you!
Nothing new here.
DESTROYER IS A FUN SUMMER READ!
Guardian Angel (new destroyer series)

The New Destroyer: Guardian Angel (New Destroyer)
Warren Murphy , and James Mullaney
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0765357593

Book Description

THE DESTROYER NEVER DIES . . . .

VIVA LA REVOLUCION!

When a dozen border patrol volunteers are murdered in New Mexico, apparent victims of Mexican nationals, Dr. Harold W. Smith of the super-secret agency CURE worries the first salvo in a new border dispute has been fired. His worst fears are realized with the appearance of the charismatic Santa Ana, a uniformed, would-be despot with a silver tongue and a thirst for bloody revolution.

General Santa Anna has redrawn the border between the U.S. and Mexico to fit his own twisted version of reality, and thousands of illegal aliens are drawn to his message of liberation. The Southwest is on fire, and as the revolution explodes the entire nation is at risk. It seems the brazen general has planned for every eventuality. Except one...

Mostly MIA for the past four years, Remo Williams, CURE's one man enforcement arm, has returned to the U.S. just in time to prevent Armageddon. With his Korean mentor Chiun, the Master of Sinanju, at his side, America just might live to see mañana.

But it turns out Santa Anna is not the only threat to The Destroyer. Remo not only must save the United States from civil war, he must square off against the only woman who ever killed him...

Customer Reviews:

This is the OLD Destroyer!!!!.......2007-08-09

Wooo! He's back - they're ALL back. Remo, Chiun and Smith have returned to the world they were born in - and it's a GREAT world indeed! The characterizations are right, the dialogue is right, the relationships are right. This is the way it's supposed to be.

(I've got ALL the books, read each of them more than once (well... okay, there were a few that I could barely get through once!) and I KNOW when something's right - and when something jumps the track.)

I hope that the series has taken out the "revolving door" of authors for the next several years - or at least find authors that have bothered to read the old books before thinking that their "skills" and "worldly understanding" will get them through!

Great job - keep 'em coming!

Remo, we missed you!.......2007-07-31

Ahhh, it sure feels good to find The Destroyer is back to it's roots. Remo is taking care of business as only he can. Chiun continues to be the most dangerous Korean who has ever lived but still has the childlike qualities that have always made us love him. Smitty is still the proud American bound and determined to save the US from itself and will continue to work at it until his dying day.

In this book you will also find useless self-serving politicians (yes, Virginia, they do exist). You will find out what really happened at the battles of the Alamo and San Jacinto. You will also get the return of one of Remo's most dangerous enemies. You get all of this wrapped up in a very funny, very exciting adventure the likes of which we haven't seen in a Destroyer book in several years.

Do yourself a favor, buy this book. If you are an old fan of the series you will enjoy the return of Warren Murphy and Jim Mullaney to the books. If you have never read a Destroyer before, then this is a great place to start your obsession.

Nothing new here........2007-07-29

I was a reader of The Destroyer from the first novel until the early 80's. I didn't know the series had continued on. Apparently, it was a good thing I didn't keep up with the series.
Well, from my point of veiw, there's nothing new about this 'New' Destroyer. Remo is the Master of Sinanju by title only. Chuin is still there, even though this book makes reference that the two of them met during the Kennedy administration and it is now 2007. I figure this would put Remo somewhere near 70 years old, and Chuin well into his 120's.
Chuin has devolved into a spoiled child. Where he used to insult Remo, he now only plays with toys. He actually _likes_ other assassins, rather than consider them pretenders to the art of killing.
Smith seems about ready to retire though. He's old and arthritic. He works fewer hours, and has delegated some of his responsibility to an assistant.

I was disappointed in the book. One of the things I liked reading the series for was the growth of Remo. Now that there are two Masters of Sinanju, the book is nothing more than graphic descriptions of how the Whop-Fu took effect. There is one scene where Remo casually rips the door off a Panic Room. He's already able to dodge bullets, and in several instances, he took the full brunt of a missile, or TNT and walked out without a scratch. So, essentially, the two heroes are all powerful and invincible.

I was hoping that Chuin was gone, or retiring, and that Remo had taken on a student to replace him. That would have breathed new life into the series for sure.

Don't get a copy.

DESTROYER IS A FUN SUMMER READ!.......2007-07-16

My first exposure to The Destroyer was in the 1980's with the movie Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins. While not a good movie I was very entertained by the characters of Remo and Chuin and their camaraderie. That said I read several Destroyer novels throughout my teens and then life moved on.

On a whim at a bookstore this summer I saw New Destroyer: Guardian Angel and decided to give it a read. I'm glad I did. The characters are firmly intact and creator Warren Murphy and new scribe James Mullaney do a fantastic job of reinvigorating the series.

For anyone new to the series, it's easy to jump on. Remo and his mentor Chuin are master assassins in the art of Sinanju. They work for CURE a secret branch of the government that deals with impending perils to our country. In this novel the dangers come from a militant group that want to create new borders and countries between the US and Mexico. Remo and Chuin are called on to defend the Alamo, stop a ruthless female killer, prevent illegal aliens from causing lots of trouble, and so much more.

For summer time reading it's a blast. If you're familiar with the characters give it a read because you'll find in doubly enjoyable!

Guardian Angel (new destroyer series).......2007-07-13

The author has gone back to the original "Destroyer" series style and it was a pleasure to read this book, by Warren Murphy.

Average customer rating:

A Meditation on Motherhood
Reader from Illinois
a deeply satisfying novel of family relationships
Reviewing Support!
Mary Gordon at her very best

Men and Angels
Mary Gordon
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0345329252
Release Date: 1986-03-12

Book Description

Anne Foster's husband is in France. She has stayed behind in their small college town with her two young children -- whom she loves with an intensity that awes her -- to finish writing the catalogue for a major exhibition of the work of American Impressionist painter Caroline Watson. As she delves into Caroline's life, Anne sees a side of "mother love" she'd never fathomed. Meanwhile, Anne's live-in babysitter, Laura Post, is obsessed with a different kind of love. She sees herself as one of God's chosen and believes she has been sent to "save" Anne and her children, whether they want it or not . . .

Customer Reviews:

A Meditation on Motherhood.......2006-07-09

Anne Foster, a faculty wife who has put her own career on hold, has recently returned to work and is compiling the catalog for an upcoming exhibition of painter Caroline Watson. Her job entails several days of travel each week so she must find someone to watch her two young children. With some misgivings, she hires Laura Post, a disturbed young woman with a troubled past.

This is a complex book that explores the balance of meaningful work and motherhood in women's lives. As Anne researches the life of Caroline Watson, she discovers striking parallels with her own life. Most of the major characters in the book work from choice rather than necessity. Some, such as Watson, driven by genius, easily put the work first. Others, like Anne's neighbor, devote themselves to their children. Anne uneasily tries to balance the two.

Mary Gordon has a great eye for character. She has sympathy for those on the margin of society, such as Laura and Helene, one of the professors at the University. Her characters are not at all simplistic but a mix of good, bad, and sometimes downright irritating qualities.

If you want a challenging, thought-provoking novel, which is beautifully written, I recommend this book.

Reader from Illinois.......2004-03-12

The novel is about a couple who hired a babysitter without an interview first.The lady keeps complaining to her husband about being busy, and not having the time to take care of other things.
The couple keeps moving from one place of location to another, and they will move with the babysitter too.
The couple have arguments with the babysitter on how to raise their children. The babysitter thinks she has been sent by God so she has to raise the children in a religious way, which leads the novel to be interesting and intriguing to the reader.

a deeply satisfying novel of family relationships.......2000-04-17

I'm in the midst of this book, and am savoring it. Mary Gordon's use of the language makes me able to read Men and Angels at a more measured pace than what I usually have == her phrasing is so precise and her scenes and characters are jarringly familiar.

She describes the intensity of mother love so well, how all consuming it is when your children are small, how there's no question that you treasure them above life itself -- of course they're more important than anything.

I love also the way she looks at the mystery of how someone can be a good parent to one child but not another. How bereft a child in such a situation feels, and how angry the parent -- for not living up to such a basic requirement and instinct -- loving one's own child well enough. I also love the way she paints Laura, the young babysitter whose mother hated her, who believes herself to be beloved by God, who despises every adult except Anne, the book's central figure, and who is clearly going to do something awful. Laura is so despicable and so pitious at the same time that you don't know what to do with her.

It's interesting that psychology has in recent years verified Gordon's view, with the experts saying that yes, the personalities of parents and children sometimes don't mesh, and can get in the way of a good enough relationship. It's something that people took for granted in earlier centuries, but in the past 100 years or so, of course it's unforgivable to not love your children equally.

This is a wonderful book about love and the human condition, and I'd be still reading it now except that I read for the past hours on a Sunday afternoon, read until I'm seeing everything double, and squinting to see the print.

Reviewing Support!.......1999-12-15

I can't understand why no one has reviewed this book either so I thought that I'd lend you some support by posting a couple of words.

I think this is Mary Gordon's best book but what makes if good is also what makes it different from her other novels - the babysitter narrative gives this book a darker thriller aspect which balances Gordon's usual narrative. The result is a book you can't put down and a must read if you have't picked it up yet.

Mary Gordon at her very best.......1999-09-01

I can hardly believe I'm the only person to review this book. I often check this page simply because I am so curious to hear other people's views on a novel that has stayed with me for over nine years. It is an intense and thoughtful study of women, art, religon, and motherhood...unsettling and disturbing at times, but richly wriiten and full of intriguing characters. I would urge anyone who has found Ms. Gordon's later work somewhat unsatsifying to look into this provocative novel.

Of Men and of Angels (Galway Chronicles, 2)

Average customer rating:

bookworm
Slow Start Redeemed by Second Half
Good historical read
Magnificent read.....
Magnificent in at least four ways.

Of Men and of Angels (Galway Chronicles, 2)
Bodie Thoene , and Brock Thoene
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0785269290

Amazon.com

Bodie and Brock Thoene have produced a novel of historical relevance and literary charm in Of Men and Angels. This sequel to Gold Medallion winner Only the River Runs Free, opens the door once again to enchanting Irish villages and folk of the 1840s in their dream of freedom from England's rule.

The story follows the hopes of these Irish country dwellers through betrayal, brokenheartedness, awakening love, and despair. Supporting the Repeal Movement, a nonviolent approach embraced by Irish Catholics and Protestants alike, Joseph Connor Burke and his countrymen and -women prepare to stand firmly against England's power. Their goal is self-rule, and they want to attain it without bloodshed. The reader is further drawn into this world by a story of romance in the face of heartbreaking realities. No home's hearth fire burns more brightly than that of Kate Donovan. But will Joseph's work for the Repeal Movement cost him his chance to put the past to rights with her? Are all of his dreams ill-fated?

Of Men and Angels is a story of a united Ireland, a people rising in hope that their dreams can be realized. Readers will find their hearts joining in the cause as well. --Ann Weinheimer

Book Description

Joseph Connor Burke has reclaimed his ancestral acres and the manor he was born to rule. But in a turbulent time, as England struggles under an unjust English oppressor, Joseph's dreams of a peaceable kingdom are shattered by violence and betrayal. Soon the village of Ballynockanor will be swept into storms of political strife that will eventually spread to the entire Emerald isle.

Previous editions: 0-7852-8068-5, and 0-7852-6929-0. This is the second volume of the Galway Chronicles.

Customer Reviews:

bookworm.......2007-01-05

THE THOMES ALWAYS GIVE YOU A GOOD READ. THIS IS PART OF A SERIES AND YOU WILL WANT ALL OF THEM. THE WRITING AND RESERCH IS EXCELENT. THE CHARACTERS COME ALIVE AND BLEND INTO THE WELL RESERCHED HISTORY. YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS!! FIND A GOOD COMFORTABLE PLACE AND GET READY TO ENJOY!!!
EMILY SIMPSON

Slow Start Redeemed by Second Half.......2003-05-29

1843 finds the people of Ireland rallying to free themselves from the rule of their neighbor England. The small community of Ballynockanor is getting caught up in everything as well. Joseph Burke, newly restored to his rightful inheritance, agrees to help his friend Daniel O'Connell with the cause. Little do they know that they not only have to face trouble from England, but also traitors within their own ranks. Meanwhile, Kate Donovan has reacted in anger and bitterness to the events of the last few months, trying her best to shut Joseph out of her life. Will he be able to win her back? And just who is this Tinker that has moved to the area? Can he be trusted?

I must admit I was a little disappointed with this book. The relationship between Kate and Joseph took on a soap operatic quality, the first half was very slow, and I saw the last page coming from the prologue, especially since they'd used that exact same plot device before in a previous book. However, as I got past the first half, the pace really started to pick up. The political struggle became very interesting to me, and I couldn't wait to see what would happen next.

While not their best book, it's certainly worth reading. I'm looking forward to picking up the next book and continuing the story.

Good historical read.......2003-01-16

This second book in the series took me a little longer to get into than the first, perhaps because some time had elapsed between reading them and I had to get reacquainted with all the characters in the village of Ballynockanor.
Written as a religious fiction, it doesn't come off as over moralizing, though the delightful village priest isn't above calling a spade a spade when the main characters act out of jealousy or self-pity.
Because it was a time period I am expecially interested in, the book held my interest even though at times the characters were mildly irrating. Not a great fan of O'Connell, I was left with a sense of wonder of what he almost pulled off in 1843 before traitors and spies were his undoing.

Magnificent read............2003-01-16

This book took longer to become involved in than the first book in The Galway Chronicles, but once involved could not put the book down. A wonderful historical fiction read, especially if you have any interest in the pre famine Ireland.

From the intrigue of British spies, to murder, to spreading of smallpox, to amnesia, you will not be able to put this book down.

You have to love Mad Molly Fahey. What a neat character to portray if this series would ever be made into a film.

The characters remain basically the same as in the first book with a few notable additions. The most interesting being the Tinker.

The ending of this book will quickly compell you to begin reading the next book in the series.

Magnificent in at least four ways........2001-11-26

The second entry into Bodie and Brock Thoene's "The Galway Chronicles" nearly matches the magnificence of the award winning first volume, "Only the River Runs Free." The cast of characters remains relatively unchanged, as the changing political winds of Ireland in the 1840s create new conflicts. The novel is rooted in history: the British "Act of Union" in 1800 stripped Ireland of self-government, and led to opposition to the ruling British on two fronts: the violent rebellion movement by the Ribbonmen, and the peaceful Repeal movement seeking lawful abolition of the Act of Union. The intensity of this struggle is the catalyst for most of the struggles in "Of Men and Angels", and forms the nucleus of the novel, giving it much more of a political flavour than its prequel. Joseph Connor Burke is conscripted by the leader of the Repeal Movement, Daniel O'Connell, and finds that his political allegiances place him at the mercy of the British oppressors, many of whom are willing to go to any lengths to squash Joseph's support for the Repeal movement. With political enemies bent on nothing less than total destruction of Repeal, a terrible outbreak of small pox in the village of Ballynockanor is the last thing needed. But it is hardly the last adversity that Joseph must face. Accidents and arson result in a fast paced plot, and a gripping story-line that is hard to put down. There's even a touch of romance, as the possibility of Joseph hooking up with the widow Kate Donovan becomes a more and more pressing and realistic question.

My only criticisms would be that the evil characters are occasionally rather one-dimensional and flat. Moreover, the authors downplay the fundamental divide between Protestants and Catholics. Although it is true that much of the divide can be attributed to politics rather than religion, yet one must be cautious not to express too much optimism about unity between Catholics and evangelicals. Unless they come to agreement on the fundamentals of the Christian faith such a vision will always remain a dream. Any theologian who digs beneath the surface will have to affirm that Catholics and Protestants today remain sharply divided on key points of doctrine. But those weaknesses aside, the Thoenes deserve high commendation for this excellent work in at least four respects.

Firstly, they have created a successful and suspenseful story-line. Unlike many Christian writers, they are not guilty of creating sub-standard fiction. This is fiction of the highest calibre, with a skilfully portrayed setting, realistic characters, and captivating plot.

Secondly, the novel is not marked by an overly optimistic view of life which characterizes much popular Christian fiction. Many writers plunge their characters through a multitude of dangers, but leave them unscathed and alive at the end. Such novels may be enjoyable, but they can not avoid the criticism that they are escapist. The Thoenes, however, are not afraid to portray life as it really is, even though it is often a harsh reality. They are not afraid to let their protagonists be afflicted by diseases, or even to have them die. Let's face it, that's real life. This realism may be harsh, but by facing up to reality, the Thoenes make it possible to convey important truths about how to endure the harsh realities of real life and impart important lessons for today's readers.

Thirdly, the historical context is not merely incidental, but is thoroughly at the heart of the novel. It is a completely convincing fabric on which the Thoenes paint the events of "Of Men and Angels". It enables readers to gain an awareness and appreciation for the struggles underlying Irish history, struggles that still leave their unmistakable mark on present day Irish politics.

Finally, this series conveys important and enduring truths about living the Christian faith in today's world. The Thoenes make it clear how God helps his people even in the face of horrendous evil. Only in fairy tales do people live happily ever after, but the Galway Chronicles make it clear that even where people don't live happily ever after, God uses pain and adversity as a refining fire to make them stronger in their faith. The authors also make no bones about drawing connections to contemporary politics. Their condemnation of the evil methods employed by the Ribbonmen has an unmistakable relevance for today: using violence for a good cause cannot be justified. The lesson for the struggle in Ireland today, and the condemnation of typical IRA methods does not miss the mark. The contemporary struggle in Ireland has its roots in the history that the Thoenes describe, and their endorsement of a lawful repeal movement as an alternative to revolutionary rebellion is as applicable today as it was then.

Customer Reviews:

It's Readable, but not much else.......1998-11-26

Well Onslaught will perhaps forever be Marvel's most controversial storyline. I only gave this chapter three stars because it focuses on the Hulk's side of the war with the mad mutant. Peter David tried as much as he could, to make the Hulk chapter of the Onslaught war, interesting and he mostly succeeds. The Hulk takes part in the battle, but he somewhat regards this whole affair as a waste of his time. I wonder if that's how Peter thought of it too?

Tongues of Angels, Tongues of Men: A Book of Sermons

Average customer rating:

Inspiration for every day of the year!!
Keep this book with your Bible

Tongues of Angels, Tongues of Men: A Book of Sermons
John F. Thornton , and Katharine Washburn
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0385488920
Release Date: 1999-09-14

Amazon.com

Phillips Brooks, the Episcopal bishop of Boston near the end of the 19th century, defined preaching as "the communication of truth by man to men. It has two essential elements, truth and personality ... preaching is the bringing of truth through personality." This definition, cited by John F. Thorton in the introduction to Tongues of Angels, Tongues of Men: A Book of Sermons, gives a clear sense of what this book delivers.

Tongues of Angels, Tongues of Men gathers many of the most vibrant public expressions of Christian and Jewish truths ever made by some of the most compelling personalities in the history of these religions. From Jesus' Sermon on the Mount to John Donne's "Death's Duel" to Martin Luther King's "The Dimensions of a Complete Life," Tongues of Angels, Tongues of Men dazzles readers with timeless wisdom, shaped by its speakers' distinct voices. More than 80 sermons by Christians and Jews, each preceded by a brief biographical sketch of the preacher, are gathered in an elegant volume that will serve as a devotional for laypeople, an inspirational resource for pastors, and a historical reference for any reader interested in the development of Jewish and Christian communication since the time of Jesus. A useful (if somewhat humid) introduction gives a basic sense of the development of the sermon genre from the early church through the Middle Ages, the Reformation, and beyond. Most readers will skip straight to the sermons themselves, however, because life is short, and this book is a reminder to concentrate only on the most excellent things. --Michael Joseph Gross

Book Description

Tongues of Angels, Tongues of Men: A Book of Sermons is a one-volume collection of the world's great sermons from the Judeo-Christian tradition. Resonant with promise, here are the speeches that have echoed down the centuries. From the Sermon on the Mount to Savonarola's attack on Renaissance Florence's excesses, from the anti-Nazi preaching of Bonhoeffer to Merton's awareness of the everyday in spiritual life, there is no issue or dilemma the pulpit has not addressed.

This engaging collection combines a myriad of topics, individuals, eras, and controversies to achieve a balance of the human, the moral, and the theological. Jewish readers will be moved by the Hasidic exhortation to faith and joy, and Christian readers will appreciate the pulpits use as a forum for debate.

Edited, annotated, and abridged by two experts, here are nearly one hundred famed sermons from preachers as diverse as Paul, Augustine, Benedict, Curé d'Ars, John Donne, Hildegard of Bingen, Girolamo Savonarola, Martin Luther, Meister Eckhart, John Henry Newman, Cotton Mather, Thomas Crammer, Henry Ward Beecher, Desmond Tutu, Martin Niemöller, John Calvin, Rabbi Akiba, John Wesley, Billy Sunday, Bernard of Clairvaux, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Billy Graham, Martin Luther King, Jr., and many, many more. A full thematic index, an alphabetical list of preachers, and a comprehensive index complete this book filled with timeless riches.

Customer Reviews:

Inspiration for every day of the year!!.......2004-02-15

I could not put this book down there was so much wisdom packed in it's pages! Every famous writer or preacher who ever lived seems to show up in this handy book. Sermons from Martin Luther, C.S. Lewis, Jonathon Edwards, and many, many more! The subjects are broad and interesting, and the collective knowledge of these saints is useful in our own turbulent times. A fabulous reference book for pastors, teachers, and laymen!

Keep this book with your Bible.......1999-12-01

I am giving copies of this wonderful guide to reflection and private devotion to several friends and family members. A beautifully published collection of almost 90 great sermons -- some familiar, others not so -- it ranges from the Sermon on the Mount to words of John Paul II, Desmond Tutu, Billy Graham, and Peter Gomes. Extremely helpful are the excellent introductions by the editors and the thorough index, which allows finding readings for special seasons and occasions like Advent, Lent, and marriage.

Average customer rating:

Deeply Moving & Haunting
Leave it on the bookstore shelf
I couldn't finish this book.

In Memory of Angel Clare
Christopher Bram
Manufacturer: Plume
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0452264340

Customer Reviews:

Deeply Moving & Haunting.......2000-01-26

Having loved Mr. Bram's "Father of Frankenstein", I picked this book up and was immediately enchanted. The characters are deep and involving. The emotions are raw. The lingering and potent effect of grief hangs over this novel like the fragrance of a garden of blooming flowers. Mr. Bram is a writer of concise and stirring prose. I recommend this book highly.

Leave it on the bookstore shelf.......1999-03-13

"In memory of Angel Clare" tries to deal with such vital issues as love, AIDS and the struggle of finding a personal space for living under all sorts of pressures and circumstances. It is unfortunate that the book eventually becomes an emtpy account of uninteresting events that happen to uninteresting and unsympathetic characters. Reading the book becomes very soon a tedious an uncomfortable experience. There is also another feature in this book that conveys an uneasy feeling to the reader, and it is the obsession of the protagonists (and the narrator) with age. It seems that in the narrator's (or the writer's) view, age is a sharp step function, its edge being somewhere around 30. Enough with this, please.

I couldn't finish this book........1997-06-15

I'm an avid reader and tend to finish all books that I've started, be they mediocre, but this was just too much. It severely lacked continuity and substance

Average customer rating:

Far exceeded expectations
Jake is one Strait Up Read!!

Avenging Angel (Jake Strait)
Frank Rich
Manufacturer: Gold Eagle
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Men's Adventure | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0373632614

Customer Reviews:

Far exceeded expectations.......2007-03-18

I'll be quite honest, when I picked this book up I wasn't expecting much. I had an hour to kill before the bank opened, and I grabbed it at K Mart, which is not where I usually think I will find many decent books.

And I was pleasantly surprised. The book originally published in 93 is a "not-too-distant-future" ala Shadowrun (but without the magic and that sort of thing).

The protagonist, Jake Strait, is a "Private Enforcer" (also known as a Bogeyman), which is essentially an independent contractor providing servies as a hitman on subjects wanted by the government. Sort of a bounty hunter meets private detective, in a post-apocolyptic setting under a single world government. He is tough and witty, and has some excellent dialogue. It is as if someone melted Robert Crais's Elvis Cole and Joe Pike into a single character, and is done quite efficiently.

The setting of the story, with the single political party, and the class systems in place, are that of fantasy, but are not unbeliveable. The world Rich has put together is part Blade Runner, part Soylent Green, part cyberpunk, and part Mad Max style, and is quite interesting.

The thing that really caught my eye was the fact that the author, is actually a good writer. The way Frank Rich describes things from fist fights, to passionate lovemaking with such profound understanding of the human psyche and poetic style, really took me by surprise. He is so skilled that I am genuinely surprised he has not written more.

I seriously recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Neo-Noir, Cyberpunk, Hard-Boiled detectives, or just sci-fi in general.

Jake is one Strait Up Read!!.......2007-01-25

Frank Rich's debut novel of this resusitated series is much more than what me and my wife thought it would be. Much more.

I don't know why we didn't catch this back in it's debut year, (sometime in the early 90's), the new revision is richer in cover design, something along the lines of Punisher-meets-Deathlands. Or Punisher-meets-Micky Spillane-in postholocaust world. It is truly unique and original.

Frank Rich's prose sometimes was humorous, dark and gritty, but lyrical at times that would take these readers aback with surprise. Never dull with rich characterization and high-octane action/adventure, Jake Strait is a colorful character that grows as the novel progresses.

Book #1 here starts out in the year 2031 where America has been taken over by a new regime called - The Party. This dark new world order is covert, attempting to shape the states to their own dark designs. Jake Stait is something between a detective and a mercenary, and much more. The kids are scared of him and call his kind bogeymen. He takes on eveything except for political jobs. But in this novel, Jake slowly becomes embroiled within a plot that twists and turns until the very end - and Jake unwittingly finds himself becoming a leader of a resistance group.

If you like your novels filled with action and intrigue, mixed with various rich characters and a dark mystery, then this fantastic newly-arisen series is for you. My wife and I are new fans of this wonderful author, and look very much forward to Book #2: The Devil Knocks coming in April.

The New Destroyer: Choke Hold (New Destroyer)

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The New Destroyer: Choke Hold (New Destroyer)
Warren Murphy , and James Mullaney
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0765357607
Release Date: 2007-10-30

Book Description

Pity poor tobacco tycoon Edgar Rawly. Thanks to lawsuits, government meddling and the inexplicable deaths of many of his best customers, his megabucks industry is gasping its last breath. That is, until the introduction of the Cheyenne Smooths, Rawly's latest product. Not quite tobacco, not quite legal, more addictive than crystal meth. Suddenly customers are once more beating a path to his door. That's when the bodies start piling up. Seems people are not only dying to taste the flavor of a Cheyenne Smooth, they're killing for it.

Enter Remo Williams, the Destroyer, and Chiun, the deadly Master of Sinanju. They've been sent to kick some butt, but wind up in danger of being snuffed out themselves.

Turns out Edgar Rawly is not the only shady character to recognize the value of the Cheyenne Smooths, and things really start to heat up when Remo bumps into a cult of ancient Chinese assassins, an Asian crime lord, and a worldwide addiction that just might send civilization up in smoke...and dump the Destroyer on the ash heap of history.

Uncanny X-Men Volume 5: She Lies With Angels TPB (X-Men)

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Chuck Austen's third worst story
Much better than I expected
fabulous
Too dramatic for it's own good

Uncanny X-Men Volume 5: She Lies With Angels TPB (X-Men)
Chuck Austen
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

X-Men | Characters | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0785111964

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Chuck Austen's third worst story.......2004-09-19

Chuck Austen is incapable of writing a halfway decent story. Even so, it seemed like he was just going to copy the story directly from "Romeo and Juliet," and while that's hardly novel, it'd have been better. And anyway, Salvador Larroca was illustrating, and his pencils are definitely beautiful.

Either way, Chuck Austen did not do that. In this story, Josh Guthrie sees some girl, Julia, that he used to play with when he was a little kid. He suddenly realizes that he can't possibly live without her, despite not having spoken to her, or even noticed her in years.

The two of them spend the whole arc speaking to eachother in bizarre speech that is clearly meant to be seen as beautiful. But it comes off as very awkward. It sounds like they're reciting poems written by children.

Meanwhile (and some of this might be considered minor "spoliers," but this story isn't worth reading anyway--I'm hard;y ruining it for you), Archangel randomly dumps Paige Guthrie (Husk), and then the two get back together and, up in the air, have sex--in front of Paige's mom, no less.

And then it drops to an ever lower level, when Julia's family goes after them with GIANT ROBOTS. This is up there with the exploding communion wafers.

In the end, they both sink to the bottom of a lake (really, they just drop) and drown together. Only then Josh's healing blood takes effect. Yes, he has that too, now.

The final pages show Josh singing a song, "She lies with Angels," that is enough to make any moderately educated person cringe.

It's like watching "Full House" live, only every role is acted out by one of the "Golden Girls."

This is an abomination. Don't touch it. Run.

Much better than I expected.......2004-07-19

Yes, I'm guilty of buying into all of the Austen-hate that seems to pervade the comic-reading world. Much of it is valid given Austen's propensity for confusing story-telling. I found the exception here though. This was a very well done bit of storytelling. Using the tried-and-true Romeo and Juliet story as a basis for his tale, Austen abley weaves together a story that's at times heart-wrenching. It's not by any means an original tale, and doesn't really feel like an X-Men story, but well done overall. And though I've never been a huge fan of Larocca, he really provids some beautiful work here. A worthwhile read.

fabulous.......2004-06-24

Somewhat soapopera-ish, she lies with angels is still a very good read, one of the best in the series.

Too dramatic for it's own good.......2004-06-04

Chuck Austen, arguably the most criticized writer in comics today, continues his Uncanny X-Men run with this five issue arc. The story revolves around Husk, who along with fellow X-Man Archangel pay her family a visit when her younger brother is injured. Soon enough a family war stirs up between Husk's Guthrie family and the Cabot family; all the while Husk's other brother Josh (who has angel type wings, hence the title of the book) and Julia Cabot declare their love for each other with Romeo & Juliet-esque results. Wolverine, Nightcrawler, and Polaris are called in as well; all of which are sadly underused in this arc. Austen's writing, especially the dialogue between Josh and Julia, is mellowdramatic lovey-dovey fare that doesn't seem realistic one bit, while the action itself is just one big drag. She Lies With Angels' only saving grace is the art by X-Treme X-Men artist Salvador Larroca which is absolutely gorgeous. All in all, this is still worth reading, but those who love to criticize Austen will find plenty to nitpick here.

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