The Ultimate Gift (The Ultimate Series #1)

Book Description

What would you do to inherit a million dollars? Would you be willing to change your life? Jason Stevens is about to find out in Jim Stovall's The Ultimate Gift. Red Stevens has died, and the older members of his family receive their millions with greedy anticipation. But a different fate awaits young Jason, whom Stevens, his great-uncle, believes may be the last vestige of hope in the family. "Although to date your life seems to be a sorry excuse for anything I would call promising, there does seem to be a spark of something in you that I hope we can fan into a flame. For that reason, I am not making you an instant millionaire." What Stevens does give Jason leads to The Ultimate Gift. Young and old will take this timeless tale to heart.

Customer Reviews:

life enhancing experience.......2007-10-10

A close friend gave me the book and the minute I opened it I knew I would not be able to put it down. It is a very fast read and it is packed full of valuable insights. As soon as I finished it I went on line and ordered a copy for each of my adolescent grandchildren. I believe there is something to be gained from each chapter. The book held my interest to the end.

Read the book, watch the movie - both will inspire!.......2007-10-01

I received this book as a gift shortly after watching the movie by the same name - I was greatly impressed with the movie and anxious to read the book (since everyone knows that the book is always better than the movie). This book is no exception to that rule - an outstanding read and it was as easy to read as the movie was to watch. This is a novel, a work of fiction that drives home some real life points! The premise of the book is about what's really important in life - is it what we build with our hands or the money and worldly success we achieve, or is it something more than that, something that isn't tangible and can't be bought or sold for any amount of money? In his final will, a dying wealthy man tries to communicate from the grave the true meaning of life to a family member who up until this point hasn't got a clue!

I would think that this book could probably be read to children in upper elementary school and could be read by 7th or 8th graders on their own. The book should be read by parents first so that they can engage their children in conversation along the way. While the book isn't overtly Christian, you'll find that the lessons taught in this novel are very similar to the wisdom shared in the Book of Proverbs and throughout Scripture. Stovall isn't preaching, but he sure can drive a point home with this story; and these twelve "gifts" passed from one generation to the next are essential for each and every one of us to learn as well.

While some say that the movie isn't as good as the book, I say that they are a pretty good compliment of each other. The movie takes various liberties with the book to get this message on screen, but you won't be disappointed with either. The book is written to provoke thought and discussion and families should use them as tools to teach valuable life lessons to their children - Red Stevens would have wanted it that way!

The Ultimate Gift DVD.......2007-09-27

The Ultimate Gift you sent me was a total disaster. I ordered the movie edition and you sent me a book and a promotional DVD. I did not receive the movie edition of the Ultimate Gift. Unfortunately I had ordered it to take on a bus trip that I was directing and I had not taken the time to watch what you sent me, thinking it was the movie edition. When I put it in the DVD player with everyone on the bus eager to watch the movie there was only the promotional disc. Needless to say I was embarrassed and not too happy. Fortunately along the way I was able to purchase the DVD that I thought I was buying from Amazon at a much higher price. I have ordered from Amazon before and have been very pleased but not this time.

A Timely Gift.......2007-09-24

Several copies of The Ultimate Gift were placed on a table at my workplace. A handwritten note read, "Take one and pass it on." The title was intriguing and never one to pass up something free or an opportunity to read, I took one.

Having gained knowledge of most of these gifts through the ups and downs of life, I enjoyed the validations, while unfortunately identifying with Uncle Red's mistakes. I am grateful to the person who made it possible to have a copy of the book.

I titled this review 'a timely gift' because I received in time read it and mail it to my son as a gift for his 26th birthday. Like Uncle Red, wishing to provide, I robbed my children of many of the gifts. I am hoping the book will make a difference in my son's life as he is not a happy person even though he has many blessings. When and if I am in touch with my prodigal daughter, I will share The Ultimate Gift with her, also. It is my goal to share copies of The Ultimate Gift with many, many young persons.

Good , but not terrific.......2007-09-19

The reviews I read promised an inspiring book. It was not to be. It was an interesting premise and story. But the lack of detailed story left me disappointed. Reading the story from the lawyer's view did not give us an opportunity to really travel the road to enlightenment. I felt I was reading the summary, not the story.

A movie of the book is coming out soon. I dare say, I see an immense opprtunity for the movie to outshine the book.

Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey

Average customer rating:

A Compelling Tale of Grandeur, Betrayal, and Innocence
Queen Jane 'the Nine Days Queen': a pawn in the hands of others,
Unlucky Lady
Weir should stick to nonfiction
Disappointed

Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey
Alison Weir
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0345494857
Release Date: 2007-02-27

Book Description

I am now a condemned traitor . . . I am to die when I have hardly begun to live.

Historical expertise marries page-turning fiction in Alison Weir’s enthralling debut novel, breathing new life into one of the most significant and tumultuous periods of the English monarchy. It is the story of Lady Jane Grey–“the Nine Days’ Queen”–a fifteen-year-old girl who unwittingly finds herself at the center of the religious and civil unrest that nearly toppled the fabled House of Tudor during the sixteenth century.

The child of a scheming father and a ruthless mother, for whom she is merely a pawn in a dynastic game with the highest stakes, Jane Grey was born during the harrowingly turbulent period between Anne Boleyn’s beheading and the demise of Jane’s infamous great-uncle, King Henry VIII. With the premature passing of Jane’s adolescent cousin, and Henry’s successor, King Edward VI, comes a struggle for supremacy fueled by political machinations and lethal religious fervor.

Unabashedly honest and exceptionally intelligent, Jane possesses a sound strength of character beyond her years that equips her to weather the vicious storm. And though she has no ambitions to rule, preferring to immerse herself in books and religious studies, she is forced to accept the crown, and by so doing sets off a firestorm of intrigue, betrayal, and tragedy.

Alison Weir uses her unmatched skills as a historian to enliven the many dynamic characters of this majestic drama. Along with Lady Jane Grey, Weir vividly renders her devious parents; her much-loved nanny; the benevolent Queen Katherine Parr; Jane’s ambitious cousins; the Catholic “Bloody” Mary, who will stop at nothing to seize the throne; and the protestant and future queen Elizabeth. Readers venture inside royal drawing rooms and bedchambers to witness the power-grabbing that swirls around Lady Jane Grey from the day of her birth to her unbearably poignant death. Innocent Traitor paints a complete and compelling portrait of this captivating young woman, a faithful servant of God whose short reign and brief life would make her a legend.

“An impressive debut. Weir shows skill at plotting and maintaining tension, and she is clearly going to be a major player in the . . . historical fiction game.”
–The Independent

“Alison Weir is one of our greatest popular historians. In her first work of fiction . . . Weir manages her heroine’s voice brilliantly, respecting the past’s distance while conjuring a dignified and fiercely modern spirit.”
–London Daily Mail

Customer Reviews:

A Compelling Tale of Grandeur, Betrayal, and Innocence.......2007-10-04

The story of Lady Jane Grey, the tragic Nine Days Queen, is well known to most people familiar with the Tudor period. Nevertheless, she exerts a powerful attraction because she was kin to Henry VIII's children and became a pawn through no fault of her own, coming to the fore during a crisis in the Tudor succession following the death of Edward VI.

"Innocent Traitor" - acclaimed historian Alison Weir's entry into the historical fiction arena - brings Jane Grey to life in a unique and vibrant way. Through a medley of voices, including Jane's own, that of her mother Eleanor of Suffolk, her devoted nursemaid, and even Jane's royal cousin Mary Tudor, we experience the maneuverings and intrigues of life at court through various perspectives and opinions. We also come to know Jane as an emotionally abused child of gifted intelligence; as a young woman of staunch faith and honor; and as a reluctant queen whose pure reformist vision cannot overcome the depredations of her father-in-law and his ruthless associates. Helpless to stem the forces moving against her, Jane records her fate with stoic dignity and a keen eye.

It's to be expected that any book by Ms. Weir will be full of intimate details about life in the era; nevertheless, she does not overwhelm the narrative but rather expertly seasons it with facts that display her painstaking commitment to authenticity. In addition, she imbues even such unpleasant characters as Jane's parents with foibles and vulnerabilities of their own, giving them flesh-and-blood dimension. Jane's mother in particular dominates with her leonine pride in her royal blood, her rapacious ambition and her lusty marriage to a man who is her intellectual inferior. A true survivor of her time, she does not concede defeat, bending to obstacles when she cannot mold them to her will.

Readers of historical fiction should not miss this compelling debut by one of England's foremost authorities on the Tudors - a tale of grandeur, betrayal and innocence, framed by one woman's journey from throne to scaffold.

Queen Jane 'the Nine Days Queen': a pawn in the hands of others,.......2007-09-19

Alison Weir writes a wonderful novel about Lady Jane Grey.

While the novel is sympathetic to Jane Grey, it is not sentimental about her fate. As the pawn of ambitious parents and those who held power while Edward VI reigned, her uncrowned reign was both opportunistic and, I believe, unlawful.

This was not her doing, though, and it is hard to not to feel considerable sympathy for an intelligent young woman who was only 17 when she was beheaded.

Mary I really had no choice, but it is difficult to see that she took any great joy in executing her 'misguided' cousin. The 'real' villains are Lady Jane's parents and the Duke of Northumberland.

Highly recommended to those who would like some insight into the tragically short life of Lady Jane.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

Unlucky Lady.......2007-09-19

"A beautiful daughter, my lady," announces the midwife uncertainly. "Healthy and vigorous." I should be joyful, thanking God for the safe arrival of a lusty child. Instead, my spirits plummet. All this-for nothing.

So begins the story of Lady Jane Grey. Historian and gifted author Alison Weir, in her first foray into the realm of fiction, has brought the world of Tudor England vividly alive in her version of the events that took place after the death of Henry VIII. Through first person narratives by Jane herself and a number of the other central characters, Jane's brief, tragic life unfolds. Known today as the Nine Days Queen, this maltreated girl was the innocent, unwilling pawn of her parents' political ambitions and victim of the vicious religious conflict that tore England apart during the 16th century. All the pageantry, plotting, and maneuvering of the royal court swirls around Jane as she grows, until the age of 15 when she is horrified to find that she has been declared Queen of England in place of the rightful heir, the Catholic (soon to be "Bloody") Mary. Vibrant characters, a plot that's hard to believe but true, and accurate period detail make this first novel an enthralling page-turner.

If Jane had been the hoped-for son , would her fate have been different? Would her brother's? Somehow, with the the Marquess and Marchioness of Dorset as parents, that's doubtful. The dearth of male heirs was a plague on the house of Tudor.

Weir should stick to nonfiction.......2007-09-13

Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Gray, is the story of Lady Jane Gray. Raised alternately by her overbearing and ambitious parents, who wanted her to marry King Edward VI, and by Katherine Parr and Thomas Seymour, she became Queen of England after her cousin's death, only to be executed nine days later. The narrative is told through the eyes of Jane, her mother, Katherine Parr (Henry VIII's sixth wife), John Dudley, and others.

I read her book on Mary, Queen of Scots and thought that that book was well done--great research and writing. But sadly, even though Innocent Traitor is well-researched, it felt as though I was reading nonfiction as told through a first-person narrator--it was simply a recitation of dry facts. I had a problem with the narrative being told in the present tense, and I also thought it was a good idea that the reader was reminded constantly of how old Jane was, otherwise I would have thought that the story was being told by an adult. For example, I found it hard to believe that a ten-year-old Jane would fully grasp the significance of the political and sexual intrigue of the time, her intelligence notwithstanding. Also, I was glad of the headings that told us who was talking, otherwise I would have thought that the story was all told by one and the same person.

I agree with the previous reviewer, who said that historical fiction of this caliber is best left to writers such as Philippa Gregory--at least Gregory brings her characters to life in ways that Weir wasn't able to in this novel.

Disappointed.......2007-09-07

Let me begin by saying that I love Alison Weir. I've read most of her non-fiction historial works and found them to be well-written, engrossing, and instructive. However, I think that in order to tell Lady Jane Grey's story, she should have stuck to her forte--dealing in facts.

It was a good idea to indicate which character was speaking at the beginning of their respective narratives, because there were no defining characteristics between each of the players. Each one had the same voice, the same level of self-awareness, and the same manner of speaking. Perhaps the novel would have been stronger if narrated by a third person.

Ms. Weir is a great historian, but the historical novels are best left to Philippa Gregory or Sharon Kay Penman.

The Virtues of War: A Novel of Alexander the Great

Average customer rating:

Hard to read, easy to put down
There's a *reason* Alexander is still remembered
Mediocrity at its best
4 stars for the battles, 2 stars for the story
History as a Novel

The Virtues of War: A Novel of Alexander the Great
Steven Pressfield
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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General | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0553382055
Release Date: 2005-09-27

Book Description

I have always been a soldier. I have known no other life. So begins Alexander’s extraordinary confession on the eve of his greatest crisis of leadership. By turns heroic and calculating, compassionate and utterly merciless, Alexander recounts with a warrior’s unflinching eye for detail the blood, the terror, and the tactics of his greatest battlefield victories. Whether surviving his father’s brutal assassination, presiding over a massacre, or weeping at the death of a beloved comrade-in-arms, Alexander never denies the hard realities of the code by which he lives: the virtues of war. But as much as he was feared by his enemies, he was loved and revered by his friends, his generals, and the men who followed him into battle. Often outnumbered, never outfought, Alexander conquered every enemy the world stood against him–but the one he never saw coming. . . .

Download Description

Alexander the Great (356—323 B.C.) ascended to the throne of Macedon at the age of twenty. He fought his greatest battles—including the conquest of the mighty Persian Empire—before he was twenty-five and died at the age of thirty-three, still undefeated by any enemy. His reputation as a supreme warrior and leader of men is unsurpassed in the annals of history.

In the brilliantly imagined first-person voice of Alexander the Great, acclaimed novelist Steven Pressfield brings to life his epic battles, his unerring command of his forces, and the passions and ambitions that drove him. A full-blooded, multidimensional portrait, THE VIRTUES OF WAR captures Alexander’s complex character. Alexander was a fearless commander who moved with such daring and speed that no army could withstand him; a driven leader whose ambitions knew no limits; and a man with boundless compassion for his troops, deep friendships with his generals, and profound respect for his enemies. Yet in the end, his noble qualities were subsumed by his insatiable lust for glory.

No one writes about battles as brilliantly as Pressfield, and in THE VIRTUES OF WAR he vividly describes the seminal conflicts of Alexander’s career, revealing the tactics behind them and capturing the blood, heat, and terror of the battlefield. He follows Alexander’s forces as they faced and defeated armies that far outnumbered them; delivers a thrilling frontline report from Gaugamela, the scene of Alexander’s greatest victory; and, in a memorable vignette, shows the great conqueror finally halted, not by an enemy but by the refusal of his worn-out troops to march any farther.

Epic in scope and magisterial in tone, THE VIRTUES OF WAR is sure to take its place among the classics of historical fiction.

Customer Reviews:

Hard to read, easy to put down.......2007-10-07

I guess I was spoiled by Mary Renaults Alexander Trilogy. In Pressfields book Alexander as a person just does not resonate. The admixture of modern military terminology and somewhat of a modern outlook does not gell with the historical setting and mindset as it does in Renaults novels. That said, the strength of this book is its battle scenes, and those are very well done indeed. Researchers have found it hard to recreate the actual battles that Alexander fought from the historical accounts - read Arrian for example to see what I mean - and Pressfield has done a great job of creating descriptions of the battles which ring true.

That said, battles do not make up the whole book and the remainder I personally found unsatisfying and not ringing true. Again, I suspect reading Renaults Alexander trilogy many years previously set expectations which its hard for other authors to live up to. It is very hard to get an idea of Alexander as a person from this novel. Seems very stilted overall. I did read the book through but by the end it was more of a struggle than anything else. If you enjoyed this book, take a look at Renaults trilogy, they will fill in a lot of gaps and present a good alternative view - and a far more sympathetic one for that matter.

There's a *reason* Alexander is still remembered.......2007-08-20

This superior historical novel really ought to be read before his latest one, _The Afghan Campaign,_ which enlarges on one of Alexander's later campaigns, and from a different perspective -- but they're really two separate narratives, so no harm done if (like me) you read them in reverse order. The narrative is Alexander himself, outlining the history of his conquest of Asia for the benefit of one of the cadets who study military science in the king's tent while on campaign. He begins with his early life and his succession to the throne after the assassination of his father, Philip, himself something of a military genius. But Alexander is a prodigy, being everything his father was and far more, with the ability to look at the ground and foresee the battle that will take place there and to foresee the enemy's battle plan. He also possesses an extreme degree of charisma; his troops adore him, even when (as later in the conquest) they fear his altered personality. By the time the Macedonians have passed through Persia proper and have completely changed their approach to warfare to suit the guerilla action in Afghanistan (the king's doing again), and have reached the frontier of India, they're tired to the soul and want only to return home. But Alexander dreams of standing on the shore of the Eastern Ocean, which he's sure can't be far beyond the Ganges. This is the story of Alexander's mental evolution, from semi-barbarian king holding sway in the remote north of the Greek-speaking lands to Eastern potentate who has acquired a taste for all things Persian. But Pressfield also describes the major battles along the way, especially Gaugamela, in fascinating detail. You can see the action, really see it, and understand why each side does what it does, and why the results are what they are. In that regard, this is almost a classical military science textbook. An excellent piece of work.

Mediocrity at its best.......2007-07-26

I don't know if the author is trying to make ancient history more understandable for the modern reader, but he turns me off. He talks about lieutenants and captains and regiments and corps as if Alexander's army were a modern one. It wasn't. To compare, try Colleen McCullough's infinitely superior 6-volume historical novel on the Roman Republic of Caesar's time. She uses the right terminology and gives the reader the feeling that both she, and now the reader, really understood how the Roman cities, army, and government were organized and what life was like then. You just don't get that with Pressfield. I assume he did research, but it's just not evident.

4 stars for the battles, 2 stars for the story.......2007-07-03

Steven Pressfield's novel is listed as historical fiction, and I suppose that it is. However, there is virtually no plot. The whole story is fight after fight- which to some may seem interesting, but I found it boring. Don't get me wrong, the descriptions are incredible, and it seems as if we are actually at the scene of the battle. Steven Pressfield is obviously a talented writer. I enjoy reading about battles, just not an entire book about them. But I didn't feel any emotions. I wasn't excited at the victory, and found myself skimming pages just to see if there would be anything of interest later on in the chapters.

Alexander the Great is undeniably one of the greatest generals who ever lived, and obviously war was a large part of his life. But this story- didn't make me go "Wow". If you're only interested in battles, then you'll probably like this book. But if you're like me, and you want a plot along with the battles, look elsewhere.

I'd recommend Mary Renault's Alexander trilogy: Fire from Heaven, The Persian Boy, and Funeral Games; or A Choice of Destinies by Melissa Scott; or Lord of the Two Lands by Judith Tarr; or even A Murder in Macedon by Anna Apostolou aka P.C. Doherty. All of these books are historical fiction about Alexander the Great. They all have battles, but they also are about his life, his companions (friends/enemies), and his emotions.

History as a Novel.......2007-05-27

After all the celluloid versions of the story of Alexander the Great, its great to read a book that gives a more realistic version, and a more human version, of the iconic Alexander.

Heart of Oak: The Bolitho Novels #27 (The Bolitho Novels)

Average customer rating:

Great book
Should have stopped at #26
Slow read,
Reeman does it again

Heart of Oak: The Bolitho Novels #27 (The Bolitho Novels)
Alexander Kent
Manufacturer: McBooks Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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Action & Adventure | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1590131371

Book Description

The newest Bolitho novel focuses on Adam Bolitho who commands a new frigate. Adam and his men must learn to work together with their former enemies, the French, but old hatreds resurface.

Customer Reviews:

Great book.......2007-07-18

Another great book by Alexander Kent. Thanks for sending it in a timely manner. Arrived in great condition.

Should have stopped at #26.......2007-05-14

I have read the entire Bolitho series and have greatly enjoyed most of them. This one, however, I wish I had never bought. It seems as if Kent was trying for more drama instead of a good sea tale. Way too much angst and not enough swashbuckling action. Mr. Kent, quit mucking with the formula and get backing to writing the stories we love!

Slow read,.......2007-04-11

I beleive Heart of Oak falls short of any of the previous Bolitho Novels.

The few ship battle actions are poorly described. Most of the previous novels detail the ship's manuvering, gun actions, and hand to hand combat to leave a feeling of being involved. Also, many of the previous books details shipboard life and the skills needed to sail a man-of-war. This one is poorly done.

Too much print mooning over Adam'love life. I have read all 26 Bolitho Novels, some of them two or three times and the majority are real page turners. This one was not.

Reeman does it again.......2007-04-06

I first started reading the Richard Bolitho books in Boston back in the late 60's as a young Sailor and have been ever addicted since. This latest novel upholds Douglas Reeman's (Alexander Kent's) fine tradition of Nepolianic War era British wooden sailing ships and iron men. Unlike the late Patrick O'Brien's books that tend to ramble on (I have never been able to hold interest in one of his novels), these books are readable and you understand the workings of a man-o-war at sea and in time of battle. His characters are human, you get to know them as old friends, you understand their fallacies and strong points, you share their good times and grieve for the departed. Excellent book Mr. Reeman!

Average customer rating:

Historical Fiction as it Should be Written
Platoon, 2300 years gone
War never changes, not really
Pressfield is a historical fiction master
OK, but...

The Afghan Campaign: A novel
Steven Pressfield
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 038551641X
Release Date: 2006-07-18

Book Description

In words that might have been ripped from today’s combat dispatches, Steven Pressfield, the bestselling novelist of ancient warfare, returns with a riveting historical novel that re-creates Alexander the Great’s invasion of the Afghan kingdoms in 330 B.C., a campaign that eerily foreshadows the tactics, terrors, and frustrations of contemporary conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Narrated by Matthias, a young infantryman in Alexander’s army, The Afghan Campaign explores the challenges, both military and moral, that Alexander and his soldiers face as they embark on a new type of war and are forced to adapt to the methods of a ruthless foe that employs terror and insurgent tactics, conceals itself among the civilian populace, and recruits women and boys as combatants. Matthias joins Alexander’s army after it has conquered the Persian empire and is advancing east into Afghanistan on its way to the riches of India. Part of a unit that includes recruits his own age as well as veterans, Matthias chronicles his rapid coming-of-age as a soldier as he enacts Alexander’s scorch-and-burn strategies, experiences the joys and sorrows of a romance with an Afghan girl, and faces the barbarism of the Afghans, his fellow soldiers, and ultimately himself. As Matthias relates the brutal day-to-day encounters between the two sides, he exposes the human cost borne by a company of men whose code is humanist and secular when they seek to impose their will on a people of deep religiosity, insularity, unbending pride, and a passionate readiness to die for their cause.

An edge-of-your-seat adventure that brings to life the confrontation between an invading Western army and fierce Eastern warriors determined at all costs to defend their homeland, The Afghan Campaign once again demonstrates Steven Pressfield’s profound understanding of the hopes and desperation of men in battle and of the historical realities that continue to influence our world.

Customer Reviews:

Historical Fiction as it Should be Written.......2007-08-27

Steven Pressfield was born in 1943. He is an American novelist and author of screenplays, principally of military historical fiction set in classical antiquity. His historical fiction is well-researched, but for the sake of dramatic flow, Pressfield may alter some details, like the sequence of events, or make use of jarring contemporary terms and place names, his stated aim being an attempt to capture the spirit of the times.

I must admit I don't find Steven Pressfield's books easy to read. That is not to say that they are not worth reading, in fact the opposite applies. The problem for me lies in the fact that they are so full of detail and have such an extensive character list, that I am forever checking back for something that I may have missed, or for a name that I can put to a character. But there can be no doubting the quality of the author's writing and this is a small price to pay,.

Steven Pressfield, the best selling novelist of ancient warfare, returns with a riveting historical novel that re-creates the invasion of the Afghan kingdoms in 330 BC by Alexander the Great.

Platoon, 2300 years gone.......2007-08-24

I took this book on a cross country flight and read it twice before being able to put it down. I simply can't get enough of this guy Pressfield.

I couldn't help thinking of Matthias, his buddies, and commanders as ancient versions of Chris Taylor, Gardner, Elias, and Barnes in "Platoon." Pressfield, of course, is leagues ahead of the petulant Oliver Stone as a storyteller, and the story here is much more richly detailed and militarily accurate, historically significant, gory, tragic, epic, and heroic. Everyone who's ever dreamed of being a soldier or a hero can empathize with Matthias:

We feel his reticence for war through his mother: '...you are my bulwark and the bulwark of this farm. We shall never see your brothers again. Lust for glory will be their finish; they will leave great names and nothing more.'

But also what motivates him: 'My father and brothers... All three are warriors and heroes. I would sooner die than prove unworthy of them.' And the reverence the army has for Alexander himself: 'The men are in love with Alexander, this is no overstatement. The troops are aware of his movements, moment by moment, as pack dogs are of the stud wolf. The corps gravitates to his apparition and feeds up on sight of him, as the lover on that of his darling."

We feel his disgust at slaughtering POWs through his best friend Lucas: 'God what a stench when a man's guts are opened to the air. That doesn't go into your dispatches, does it? We read nothing about the sound the 'follow-on' makes, going down the line of throat-slit men with a club, bashing skulls like walnuts, while the still living men pray without voices or curse us in gurgling blood or plead for their lives."

Like Pressfield does over and over again, he makes his characters, and the times they live in, accessible by how they relate to each other and how they react to their environments, and it's spectacular, stirring, invigorating reading. What a ride!

War never changes, not really.......2007-08-16

I hadn't read anything by Pressfield since Gates of Fire, but this one looked interesting and I have a long-time interest in Alexander, so I picked it up at the library. I was put off at first at the appearance in the first few pages of fake soldierly slang -- how likely is it that the Macedonian infantry referred to themselves as "Macks"? -- but I stuck with it and quickly became absorbed in the author's detailed depiction of the Greek attempt to conquer a country extremely unlike theirs. It's pretty obvious Pressfield wants you to draw comparisons between Alexander's attempted conquest and the American attempt 2,300 years later, and he makes it clear that not much has changed in terms of the Afghan psyche. Not even with the adoption of Islam has made that much fundamental difference; the Afghans were the way they are many centuries before that. The character of young Matthias, a glory-seeking recruit, is similar to that of young soldiers today, especially regarding the shock of his first kill, his admiration of the enemy coupled with his profound lack of understanding of them, and his adhesion to his mates, for whom he would readily die. Shinar, the local girl with whom he becomes tragically involved, is also carefully and very sympathetically drawn, as are the portraits of Lucas, his best friend from home, and Flag, the veteran sergeant for whom he develops a close regard.

Pressfield is a historical fiction master .......2007-08-01

Pressfield approaches Renault in his ability to put the reader in the era and culture. This piece really shows how interesting history can be, even fictionalized, when applied by a powerful pen such as Pressfield's. Perhaps he could have done more with the marriage of Alexander to Roxanne, Spitamenes or the disaffection of Alexander's commanders at this point in his campaign. But his point of view was not in the king's strategies and court, but in the field tent or out in the wilderness of Afganistan. There was a realism of conflict that came through that was not the glorious conquest so many writers attempt to display. An excellent portrayal of human struggle that could have been applied to any number of historical events. Great book with a different feel than many fictional accounts.

OK, but..........2007-07-16

I really liked Gates of Fire. Not quite as big a fan of this one. It had strong moments, and I learned a lot about Afghan history- fun fact- the name Kandahar derives from Iskander, a Central Asian "hossum jossum" for Alexander himself.

Pressfield is the king of landscape. You'll understand the battlespace in Afghanistan. The Pushtunwali, Tora Bora, Bagram air base, Mazar-i-sharif, the Panjshir Valley- if these words caught your imagination over the past few years, then you'll find lots of very good plums in a somewhat dissatisfying pudding. Why dissatisfying? Lots of moral relativism focussed around the pseudo-Bin-Laden character Spiramentes, and in plenty of Matthias' ruminations on religion, culture, warfare, etc. I understand that we need to connect with a modern audience, but he thinks so much like the legions of 21st century post-modern, I-don't-believe-in-anything writers and pundits that its hard sustaining the disbelief to stay in the past. The attempts to draw past-present parallels were unpleasant and tendentious at times. Its hard to do Alexander justice in this sort of grunt's-eye-view narrative, but I felt like I knew no more about him having read the book. Strange omission considering the title. The author manfully tries to create a real-feeling military patois, but it jarred at times. In interviews, Pressfield has said he prefers to write about pre-Western, pre-Christian settings, but the whiff of good old 21st century left-liberalism kept jolting me out of the pages, like an Oldsmobile accidentally parked in the background during a scene in "Gladiator" or something. (The irony is that left-liberalism is a uniquely Western, Christian heresy- or rather a perverted, cannibalistic form of these unique cultural strains) In sum, too much effort trying to connect past and present in fashionable ways left him stuck between two stools at times.

Actually, this is the same flaw that seems endemic in our chattering classes- it put me off Phillipa Gregory, amongst others. Fashionable views sucker you in as a sort of status symbol. All who desire entrance to the "club" must wear them, or at least mouth them, like a sort of badge. Maybe this happens when writers get successful- too much to lose?

Taking his works as a whole, though, the man can write.

Average customer rating:

Easy Breezy Read, 3.5 stars
Perfect Royal Read
THE PERFECT ROYAL MISTRESS
Passion from England
Love it!

The Perfect Royal Mistress: A Novel
Diane Haeger
Manufacturer: Three Rivers Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0307237516
Release Date: 2007-02-27

Book Description

Born into poverty and raised in a brothel, Nell Gwynne sells oranges in the pit at London’s King’s Theater, newly reopened after the plague and the Great Fire devastated the city. Soon, her quick sense of humor and natural charm get her noticed by those who have the means to make her life easier. But the street-smart Nell knows a woman doesn’t get ahead by selling her body. Through talent, charm, intelligence, and sheer determination—as well as a keen understanding of how the world operates—Nell works her way out of the pit and onto the stage to become the leading comedic actress of the day. Her skills and beauty quickly win the attention of all of London—eventually even catching the eye of King Charles II. Their attraction is as real as it is unlikely, and the scrappy orange girl with the pretty face and the quick wit soon finds herself plunged into the confusing and dangerous world of the court, where she learns there are few she can trust—and many whom she cannot turn her back on.

From the gritty streets of seventeenth-century London, to the backstage glamour of its theaters, to the glittering court of Charles II, The Perfect Royal Mistress is a love story for the ages, the rags-to-riches tale of a truly remarkable heroine.

Customer Reviews:

Easy Breezy Read, 3.5 stars.......2007-09-06

This is the rags to riches story of Nell Gwynne, a one time orange girl and then actress of The King's Theatre who captured the heart of Charles II, The Merry Monarch. Since two other reviewers have done such a fine job of recapping the story, I needn't rehash it again.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the story, I felt the characters could have been better defined. Maybe it's because I've read Forever Amber and Dark Angels and I kept wishing for more like that. The author did a nice job of defining the Reformation society and the court, but it just wasn't enough for me. Buckingham's intrigues came off as too lighthearted, Queen Catherine a non-existent sap, and Louise a whiny immature child. I could never figure out how Lord Bockhurst started out as a worthless hellion that Nell dumped to being one of her greatest friends and supporters, along with Buckingham. Like another reviewer, I found the "h" dropping didn't quite do the dialect justice and I found at least one instance where Nell "forgot" to drop the "h".

All in all an enjoyable entertaining read, just not something to write home and friends about, one of those books that will go right back to the library and probably soon forgotten. 3.5 stars.

Perfect Royal Read.......2007-08-05

I read THE RUBY RING when it came out and wasn't that impressed with the depth of the characters or even the plot of Hager's first novel. However, I thought I'd give her books another try and I'm really glad I did. The Perfect Royal Mistress is a huge step above her previous work, and the story of King Charles II and his mistress Nell reads like some of the best historical fiction around. The pair of them drive this tale of jealousy, love and politics, and anyone who's a fan of English history will enjoy this romp through Charles's life, complete with affairs, mistresses, and illegitimate children!

THE PERFECT ROYAL MISTRESS.......2007-07-17

I had heard of Nell Gwynne in reading history, but I knew little about her except that she was an actress who became a King's mistress. This book really brought her to life. I couldn't put it down. The author Diane Haegar really brought Nell and the other people who surrounded her to life. I love historical novels, historical romances and anything that is historical. I shall continue to read other books by Diane Haegar, and I recommand this book to anyone who enjoys historical novels as much as I do.

Passion from England.......2007-06-28

This book brought front and center the traggic existance of a woman loving a king. This woman showed spirit and a true appreciation for her position. This novel very closely followed historical notes on the romance between Nell Gwynne and the king of England. It was a pleasure to read, written by a great author.

Love it!.......2007-06-28

This was my first Diane Haeger novel and I must say I can't wait to read more from her. I thought it was wonderfully written and an intriguing look into a woman's life in England in a time where nothing was certain.

The Great Gatsby (Penguin Critical Studies Guide)

Average customer rating:

dreams
Falls Flat
the best i read
Gatsby will hit you when you are least expecting
3 and a half stars actually

The Great Gatsby (Penguin Critical Studies Guide)
Kathleen Parkinson
Manufacturer: Penguin Global
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Great Gatsby
Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby (Cliffs Notes)
Literature Guide: The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby: A Literary Reference
The Great Gatsby

ASIN: 0140771972

Book Description

Kathleen Parkinson places this brilliant and bitter satire on the moral failure of the Jazz Age firmly in the context of Scott Fitzgerald's life and times. She explores the intricate patterns of the novel, its chronology, locations, imagery and use of colour, and how these contribute to a seamless interplay of social comedy and symbolic landscape. She devotes a perceptive chapter to Fitzgerald's controversial portrayal of women and goes on to discuss how the central characters, Gatsby and Nick Carraway, embody and confront the dualism inherent in the American dream.

Customer Reviews:

dreams.......2002-05-29

This book is about knowing that some dreams are too far from reach, yet we still always try to attain them. Like Gatsby, we are taunted by how close we can come to that dream, but in the end, we realize that our efforts are fruitless. Each of us have our own "Daisy" -- each person did during the 20's, each person does now, each person will in the future -- The Great Gatsby is a classic. Fitzgerald does a fantastic job depicting a timeless theme that people of all time periods have experienced.

Falls Flat.......2002-05-18

I don't know if its just me, but I did not like this book too much. It feels empty- missing something almost. Perhaps it is Nick. He seems to be without a personality. He's just there. The story might as well be told in third person for crying out loud. I like protagonists with personality. Also, the author is quite sexist and racist and that is unacceptable.

I did give it two stars becuase to the author's credit, it was a tidy little book and not a sprawing mess. But then, it was too tidy and neat. After finishing it, I thought, "so what?" It did not particularly dazzle me and enlighten me, and I was not entertained. It is, all in all, a hollow book.

the best i read.......2002-05-03

i know i probabnly didnt read alot but i was assgiened this book. its complexity is so thrilling. i truly recommmend it!
its something that each of us has to ponder about ourselves becuz truly...
we are what we crate ourselves.
if u read this book ull know what im talking about.

Gatsby will hit you when you are least expecting.......2002-03-26

deep and insightful, full of intellegent analogies and representations. i read Gatsby the begining of my junior year in high school and-didnt really like it. i wrote papers on it, and dissected the ...poor novel. now-months later-it finally hits me: Gatsby is a book to be read and enjoyed! not dissected and torn appart. all the quotes and passages that i liked so much came rushing back to me... i understood what fitz may have been writing about! i though and though and thought about Gatsby and realized that i did not just Like the book-i [really] LOVED IT!

3 and a half stars actually.......2002-03-23

The novel is beautiful written. I have one problem is with the theme: money doesn't buy. I don't disagree with that statement, it is just king of obvious. I mean it is not exactly an epiphaney.

Average customer rating:

Fascinating postmodern exploration into the triviality of violence
Zero is a 9.
An Ambitious Post 9/11 Novel
devastating, profound, brilliant!
ODD & Great at the same time

The Zero: A Novel
Jess Walter
Manufacturer: Harper
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0060898658
Release Date: 2006-08-29

Book Description

The Zero is a groundbreaking novel, a darkly comic snapshot of our times that is already being compared to the works of Franz Kafka and Joseph Heller.

From its opening pages—when hero cop Brian Remy wakes up to find he's shot himself in the head—novelist Jess Walter takes us on a harrowing tour of a city and a country shuddering through the aftershocks of a devastating terrorist attack. As the smoke slowly clears, Remy finds that his memory is skipping, lurching between moments of lucidity and days when he doesn't seem to be living his own life at all. The landscape around him is at once fractured and oddly familiar: a world dominated by a Machiavellian mayor known as "The Boss," and peopled by gawking celebrities, anguished policemen peddling First Responder cereal, and pink real estate divas hyping the spoils of tragedy. Remy himself has a new girlfriend he doesn't know, a son who pretends he's dead, and an unsettling new job chasing a trail of paper scraps for a shadowy intelligence agency known as the Department of Documentation. Whether that trail will lead Remy to an elusive terror cell—or send him circling back to himself—is only one of the questions posed by this provocative yet deeply human novel.

From a novelist of astounding talent, The Zero is an extraordinary story of how our trials become our transgressions, of how we forgive ourselves and whether or not we should.

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating postmodern exploration into the triviality of violence.......2007-10-03

The Zero begins after the suicide bombings of 9/11/2002 with a police officer who has shot himself in the head.
The novel commits historical sacrilege, doing what news accounts could not: question official responses, including commercialization of a post-terrorist situation, and through an American policeman, satirize a national response.
Walter uses the site of the former Twin Towers to speak of competition, technology, humanity, and the soul.

"The machines tested the edges of the pile, nosing their way in, sampling the surrounding buildings, yanking twisted I beams like horses grazing at deep-rooted grass. Eventually, the smokers and cops and hard hats would have to give way to the machines-- they all knew this--and the order would be forever reversed,
people pushed to the edge, snacking at the corners while the machines ate to their fill from the center." (17)

Mr. Walter will be fortunate to find a sophisticated enough readership who is familiar with Kafka's The Castle, which I believe is imperative in understanding this work.

I did an academic review of modern canonicity, including this novel, for a literary conference at NDSU and discussed this book in part. I posted a portion of it on YouTube under Deike-Sims Zero.

Zero is a 9........2007-09-21

Well written account of 9/11 in a very interesting style and approach to the events that
created Ground Zero. I also liked the comments in the back of the book of the author's
approach in writing this excellent novel.

An Ambitious Post 9/11 Novel.......2007-09-17

Jess Walter is an extremely talented writer from Spokane of whom I really enjoyed reading his previous novel Citizen Vince Citizen Vince: A Novel immensely. The Zero was a finalist for the National Book Award, so I was eager to read it when it came out in paperback. I think Walter has made a big leap in style, content, and exposition. The Zero is more ambitious in its scope. It is the story of a ground zero cop who has memory gaps ala "Memento" and finds himself in a Kafkaesque for an unknown government agency, DD (Department of Documentation), search for a women who may have escaped the terrorist attack. It a sort of post 9/11 novel as it deals with the physical and psychological fallout caused by the attacks and how it has changed the way people view the world. The novel jumps around mimicking the way that Brian Remy feels disoriented by his condition finding himself dealing with things he can't remember doing. Meanwhile, his vision damaged from his rescue work on 9/11 continues to deteriorate and serves as a kind of metaphor. It is a challenging novel and reflects the ambition of the author to document the malaise that America faced after 9/11. My only complaint is about how the novel ends , which I won't give away here, but it seems a bit like a cop out to me.

Oh, one more note I really like these PS editions that have author interviews and other additional features like book suggestions and other writing examples from other sources.

devastating, profound, brilliant!.......2007-08-25

In this lyrical noir, National Book Award finalist Jess Walter weaves a seamless tale of fractured existence and confusion in the glamour-driven aftermath of American trauma. People, consumerism, and the machine of Neolithic government compress the anti-hero to a point of ultimate fragmentation, and Walter's deft prose dances and dazzles with irony, humor, and loss. The Zero, a novel written just after his Edgar Award winning Citizen Vince, establishes Walter as one of the contemporary master's of American dark satire, lacing his shattering conclusions with an underlying sense of the human desire for truth.

ODD & Great at the same time.......2007-06-28

I have not finished it yet. Decided better to review before finishing as the end does not always justify the whole of the work. Think Dragnet & The Twilight Zone rolled into a stand up comedy routine. Funny, dark and somewhat like an improv Dewey Redman jazz show.

It is a book I can put down, but I still want to pick it up and keep on reading!

Average customer rating:

An enjoyable Piece of Fiction
Disappointed from the first sentence to the last sentence
"Fictionalized" is an understatement
Enjoyable fiction
An enjoyable read

The Last Wife of Henry VIII: A Novel
Carolly Erickson
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0312352182
Release Date: 2006-10-03

Customer Reviews:

An enjoyable Piece of Fiction.......2007-08-27

I read this book in about 2 days, I enjoyed reading it and couldn't book the book down. It was my first time reading the author and found the novel very entertaining and interesting and highly recommend it to people who enjoy reading FICTION.

Disappointed from the first sentence to the last sentence.......2007-08-16

This book started very weak and ended even weaker. It was a very slow read and never seemed to pick up. I kept hoping page after page that the book would take a turn for the better but it never did. I feel like the story got lost amongst all the long winded descriptions of pointless details. The story jumped around alot and often made little sense. The ending was a huge disappointment. The author never wrapped up her story, she just ended it as abruptly as it began.

"Fictionalized" is an understatement .......2007-08-06

I've been reading Tudor history (including Dr. Erickson's historical biographies)and historical fiction for 35 years, and I would have to call this one of the worst novels about Henry VIII or his wives I've ever read. Katherine Parr's life was dramatic and remarkable in fact, and changing significant details of it did not improve her story. In fact, it cheapens it. I nearly quit reading because of the horrific inaccuracies--or rather deliberate departures from historical fact--but I didn't. Yes, I realize that this is fiction, but please. The only source I can find that Katherine married the younger Edward Borough is Lady Antonia Fraser via Susan E. James. Is it really likely that nearly all historians and genealogists have gotten this wrong for almost five hundred years? I was willing to suspend disbelief and go with that interpretation, but the book just goes downhill from there. The ending was shocking, but not in a good way. Tom Seymour obviously didn't die in a completely fictional attempt to usurp the throne prior to Katherine's death. Again, his life was dramatic enough not to need that kind of fictionalizing. When Katherine's brother Will tells her, "Cat, Tom's gone," I thought "where did he go?" until I realized that she had completely distorted the facts of Tom Seymour's death. It's an easy read, but it's barely historical. Please don't read this novel and think it bears any resemblance to actual Tudor history.

Enjoyable fiction.......2007-07-16

I wonder if the insatiable desire of her readership for all-things-Tudor led Ms. Erickson to coming up with this breezily written albeit entertaining bit of historical fiction (heavy on the "fiction," methinks). It's an easy, contemporary take on the life of Queen Kat Parr that was perfect for keeping me company on a transatlantic flight.

While it may not be her best literary accomplishment, the author's knack for storytelling is evident and put to good use.

An enjoyable read.......2007-05-16

This book was enjoyable. I'd like to give it 3 1/2 stars.

What I liked: This is told from the view of someone who was there for the reign of Henry VIII from start to finish(at least from near the end of the marriage to Catherine of Aragon to the king's death). Katherine Parr emerges as a savvy and observant person throughout. We know this was not the epic, tempestuous romance of Anne Boleyn and Henry Tudor. Katherine Parr seemed more of a helpmeet to Henry VIII than anything else. Her observations are what is entertaining to the reader.

What I didn't like: Some will say this echoes real life, but, she seemed oblivious to the machinations of Thomas Seymour. Buying weapons and recruiting massive armies would raise suspicions not only from Tudor intelligence spies, but anyone. The author portrayed Katherine Parr as innocent to this. I found this hard to believe.

Average customer rating:

Don't Read The Forward!
novel
An excellent book
Vivid Historical Novel
The Title is Subtly Misleading. . .

Avalon: A Novel
Anya Seton
Manufacturer: Chicago Review Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Dragonwyck
The Winthrop Woman: A Novel
Green Darkness
Katherine
Devil Water

ASIN: 1556526008

Book Description

This saga of yearning and mystery travels across oceans and continents to Iceland, Greenland, and North America during the time in history when Anglo-Saxons battled Vikings and the Norsemen discovered America. The marked contrasts between powerful royalty, landless peasants, Viking warriors and noble knights are expertly brought to life in this gripping tale of the French prince named Rumon. Shipwrecked off the Cornish coast on his quest to find King Arthur's legendary Avalon, Rumon meets a lonely girl named Merewyn and their lives soon become intertwined. Rumon brings Merewyn to England, but once there he is so dazzled by Queen Alrida's beauty that it makes him a virtual prisoner to her will. In this riveting romance, Anya Seton once again proves her mastery of historical detail and ability to craft a compelling tale that includes real and colorful personalities such as St. Dunstan and Eric the Red.

Customer Reviews:

Don't Read The Forward!.......2007-10-11

This a beautiful tale of two people who love each other but whose lives steer them away from each other. This story captured my attention quickly and kept it. There are several awesomely written reviews so I don't have much more to add except to advise potential readers to ignore the forward. Even more tragic that the star crossed lovers is the fact that such a beautiful novel was republished with such an awful condescending forward. This is truly an excellent novel and a writer of Seyton's caliber deserves much better! Read the book, ignore the foreword. You won't be sorry!

novel.......2007-09-09

ordered for my daughter (19), she loved it. shipping was very quick, and, condition of book was very good. just as described.

An excellent book.......2007-08-24

I read "Avalon" when I was in my late teens or early 20's, now at 53, re-reading it, and happy to have found it in the bookstore again, I am not disappointed. It is an excellent historical novel.

The title, "Avalon" refers to Rumon's quest, and there are other quests as well that tie in nicely with the title.

The writing flows, the language is written to sound realistic for the time period yet not hard to follow, it's as easy to read as anything set in the present day.

I was very disappointed in the publisher that allowed the terrible Foreward by Philippa Gregory. A book that has stood the test of time and been brought back into publication deserves a Foreward that is nothing but complimentary. Ms. Gregory wrote of "Avalon" what she feels is wrong with the book, to quote: "But as a novel, it is too episodic, and unstructured." She also wrote: "...it is hard to feel empathy that a good novel usually delivers."

What does "too episodic" mean? And the second quote I offer plainly shows that Ms. Gregory doesn't really believe "Avalon" is a good novel.

Reading "Avalon," I felt empathy for every character, even the nasty Alfrida. Perhaps Ms. Gregory is comparing "Avalon" to the books she has written, that I'm sure she considers "good novels." I work in a bookstore and to Ms. Gregory's credit, she has brought a lot of joy to people who buy and love her books, and I am tempted regularly to keep giving Ms. Gregory's books one more try, but I can't ever get beyond the first page in any of Ms. Gregory's books. So in reviewing Anya Seton's "Avalon," (and it is a low blow to criticize so negatively a book by a woman who has passed away), Ms. Gregory was unable to suppress her conceit in her own work along with her overwhelming ego because of her success with her books, (books that, at least to me, fall into the pulp Romance Novel category, although Ms. Gregory managed to get her books categorized as to be shelved in the Fiction bays). If I could, I would like to remind Ms. Gregory that these days, the publishing/bookstore business is very different than it was when "Avalon" first came out. If, in 47 years ANY of Philippa Gregory's books are republished, I will be surprised. But by then I'll be 100, and probably won't care, every minute will count at that age and I won't waste it trying once again to read any of Ms. Gregory's books.

The Foreward to "Avalon" is a good reason NOT to read Forewards.

The book "Avalon" is excellent. Characters that are very identifiable emotionally, good history, good dialogue, subtle and well-written. The scenes set in the Norselands are so realistic you can almost feel the climate.

Please read it and enjoy. Then read the actual history of the times; you will then be even more impressed with Anya Seton's work.

If you do read the Foreward, take the good, then take a black marker and block out the negative. Then read "Avalon" and enjoy it. It's wonderful.

Vivid Historical Novel.......2007-05-29

I almost didn't give this novel a chance. After reading Phillippa Gregory's introduction I was ready to write this off as a dry rehashing of historical facts along with some story thrown in. Gregory implies that narritive elements are thrown in and then dismissed and that the story itself provides little satisfaction.

Well do yourself a favor and don't read the intro. Ignore it. The story itself is quickly absorbing. Our hero, Rumon, is a young prince from Avignon encounters young Merewyn by chance after being shipwrecked of the coast of Cornwall. Merewyn cares for her mother, a woman suffering physically and mentally after a Viking attack before Merewyn was born. Merewyn also has royal claims: her mother tells Rumon that her father was a direct descendant of King Arthur. Knowing she is near death she makes Rumon promise to bring Merewyn to her aunt after she dies. Rumon keeps his promise, tying his destiny to Merewyn's for the rest of his life.

Is this a love story? Yes but it's not a romance. Don't read it looking for love scenes and a happily ever after. Is it an adventure? Yes but don't read it for any action scenes. Seton is a historian and incorperates several real life figures into her narrative, as well as some imaginary ones. They interact seamlessly. For me the ultimate test of whether or not a story is good is if I get involved with it. Do I feel bad for the characters and get angry at them? Yes. At times I did want more resolution than Seton provides but sometimes intersting things come from the lack of resolution here.

The Title is Subtly Misleading. . ........2007-05-15

Unless I dive into a scholarly interpretation of the title and decide that Avalon is somehow meant to be symbolic of the youthful and innocent part of ourselves we allow to be free enough to love, I have to say that the title and its relationship to the pale Arthurian thread is somewhat misleading. Even the small blurb about the what to expect in Avalon is a bit off, as I dove into this expecting a truly heart-wrenching love affair between Rumon and Merewyn, but wound up disappointed. This is not to say that Seton's flare for period writing is not at its best. I found myself wrapped up in her descriptions of life in the Viking settlements, and her court-life accuracy never fails to impress, but I truly feel that she focused so much on trying to develop a relatable Dark-Ages experience through what little history exists from that time, that she failed to create relatable and human characters. There is very little time to feel close to either Merewyn or Rumon as characters. There is hardly any lead into Rumon's sudden "awakening" in his love for Merewyn, and I truly believe that this evident lacking is a direct result of her not fleshing out the characters as well as could be. I dove into this expecting to have my breath taken away, much as I did while reading Katherine, and it just didn't happen. That is not to say it isn't a fine example of historical imagination. It just isn't the best Anya Seton book I've ever read.

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