No Humans Involved (Women of the Otherworld, Book 7)

Book Description

In her acclaimed Women of the Otherworld series, bestselling author Kelley Armstrong creates a present day in which humans unwittingly coexist with werewolves, witches, and other supernatural beings. Now, in this spellbinding new novel, a beautiful necromancer who can see ghosts must come to terms with her power—and with an evil she never thought possible.

NO HUMANS INVOLVED
It’s the most anticipated reality television event of the season: three spiritualists gathered together in one house to raise the ghost of Marilyn Monroe. For celebrity medium Jaime Vegas, it is to be her swan song—one last publicity blast for a celebrity on the wrong side of forty. But unlike her colleagues, who are more show than substance, Jaime is the real thing.

Reluctant to upstage her fellow spiritualists, Jaime tries to suppress her talents, as she has done her entire life. But there is something lurking in the maze of gardens behind the house: a spirit without a voice. And it won’t let go until somehow Jaime hears its terrible story. For the first time in her life, Jaime Vegas understands what humans mean when they say they are haunted. Distraught, Jaime looks to fellow supernatural Jeremy Danvers for help.

As the touches and whispers from the garden grow more frantic, Jaime and Jeremy embark on an investigation into a Los Angeles underworld of black magic and ritual sacrifice. When events culminate in a psychic showdown, Jaime must use the darkest power she has to defeat a shocking enemy—one whose malicious force comes from the last realm she expected. . . .

In a world whose surface resembles our own, Kelley Armstrong delivers a stunning alternate reality, one where beings of the imagination live, love, and fight a never-ending battle between good and evil.

Customer Reviews:

Four and a Half Stars.......2007-10-10

Jaime Vegas (necromancer) hopes taking part in a television programme which intends to raise the ghost of Marilyn Monroe will lead to her being offered a show of her own. However, before that can happen she finds out the gardens of the house she is staying in hold a far nastier secret. Jaime calls on her fellow supernaturals for help - Jeremy Danvers the alpha werewolf and Eve Levine her contact on the other side. It quickly becomes apparent that something evil is at work and Jaime may need to push herself and her powers farther than she's dared to before.

I freely admit I am a huge Kelley Armstrong fan and this book doesn't disappoint. Jaime is perhaps one of my favourite characters, maybe because with her insecurities she is the most human of the supernaturals we have met in the Otherworld.

Her relationship with Jeremy is touching and believable and takes a big step forward here. He, the alpha werewolf who gives no outward signs of his feelings and Jaime who almost seems to overflow with emotion at times. I have been looking forward to them appearing in a book together ever since it became apparent how she felt about him and I think the relationship works beautifully.

Kelley Armstrong's characters are always a delight to read, every one an individual with their own motivations, quirks, fears and desires. As a bonus they also talk like real people - not just like characters in a book. (My favourite one-liner being Eve's sock puppet reference towards the end of the story.) We also get a sneak peek at how Marsten and Hope's relationship has been developing, which makes me look forward even more to the next book.

Some readers may question the presence of Lucas and Paige as they do seem slightly superfluous to the storyline. However, Savannah is necessary to the plot and without her adoptive parents it would be harder to explain why she suddenly appeared. So I can understand why they are included, though they don't appear to contribute much to the story.

If you've not read the previous six books this is a pretty accessible entry in the series. Though there are references to characters and events from previous books the main plotline is pretty much standalone. Bitten remains my favourite Otherworld book, but No Humans Involved definitely makes my top three. And I'm already looking forward to Book 8.

women of the otherworld.......2007-09-07

Great book, Great series, Have read all her books and have enjoyed her writing style and characters.

Great come-back after last book.......2007-08-13

I may have been disappointed in the previous book in this series, but this one more than made up for it.

When Jaime Vegas comes to Brentwood to film a TV special with two other spiritualists, it quickly becomes apparent to her that there is something not right in the garden out behind the house. There are spirits there that whisper to her and touch her, but otherwise cannot communicate. When she starts to investigate more fully, she begins to hear rumors of a group of humans who are becoming successful in using some forms of magic - are they using human sacrifice to gain power? With the help of Hope - a half-chaos demon - Eve - the ghost of a half-demon witch, who is now an angel and also Jaime's contact in the spirit world - and Jeremy Danvers - the werewolf Pack Alpha - Jaime must find the group of people practicing magic and find out what has happened to the ghosts on the garden.

Combining a great necromantic mystery with a minor romance sub-plot when Jeremy Danvers joins Jaime in LA, this novel has everything that makes the Women of the Otherworld series great - a strong heroine, a good storyline and a strong plot that keeps you guessing. Don't miss this one!

it was good.......2007-07-31

I have read other of Armstrongs books, I found this one very good as well. It enlightened the characters from the others books,women of the other world. A good insight into the past and feelings of characters that took a minor role in bitten,stolen, and broken. If you enjoy the supernatural, you will enjoy this book.

Another Winner!.......2007-07-12

This was a great book! I enjoy reading all of Kelly Armstrong's stories. I like how she takes a minor character from one story and does a pretty much stand-alone book (for new readers) with Jaime and blends in previous characters which I like to read about (werewolves). If you don't start at the beginning of the series, this book will make you want to go back and purchase all of her others! What a great read!

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Average customer rating:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Chinese | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Irish | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Japanese | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Women | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Doctors & Medicine | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Lawyers & Criminals | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Love, Sex & Marriage | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Assyria, Babylonia & Sumer | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

Early Civilization | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

General | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

Historiography | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

French | Erotica | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Victorian | Erotica | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Epic | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

German | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Russian | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Chinese | Classics | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Conspiracy Theories | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

War on Drugs | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

English (All) | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

Science | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

Online Research | Genealogy | Reference | Subjects | Books

Native American | Earth-Based Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books

History of Science | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books

Magic & Wizards | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Sailor Moon | Popular Characters | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Pilates | Exercise & Fitness | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

History | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Reference Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Religion & Spirituality Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Romance Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Science Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Science Fiction & Fantasy Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Play Money: Or, How I Quit My Day Job and Made Millions Trading Virtual Loot

Average customer rating:

Playing Video Games for MONEY -- REEL FUN!
Serious Play
Pseudo-intellectual stuff ruins this book
Dibble Gets it Right - Both Play AND Money
A Great Economic Study for Gamers

Play Money: Or, How I Quit My Day Job and Made Millions Trading Virtual Loot
Julian Dibbell
Manufacturer: Basic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Business | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Video & Electronic Games | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Video Games | Games & Strategy Guides | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Computer Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0465015352

Book Description

From the writer acclaimed as "our hot link to the intricacies of cyberspace"--a wild ride to the outer limits of the virtual world, where real money meets fantasy gaming (Kit Reed, author of Weird Women, Wired Women)
Play Money explores a remarkable new phenomenon that's just beginning to enter public consciousness: MMORPGs, or Massively MultiPlayer Online Role-Playing Games, in which hundreds of thousands of players operate fantasy characters in virtual environments the size of continents. With city-sized populations of nearly full-time players, these games generate their own cultures, governments, and social systems and, inevitably, their own economies, which spill over into the real world.
The desire for virtual goods--magic swords, enchanted breastplates, and special, hard-to-get elixirs--has spawned a cottage industry of "virtual loot farmers": People who play the games just to obtain fantasy goods that they can sell in the real world. The best loot farmers can make between six figures a year and six figures a month.
Play Money is an extended walk on the weird side: a vivid snapshot of a subculture whose denizens were once the stuff of mere sociological spectacle but now--with computer gaming poised to eclipse all other entertainments in dollar volume, and with the lines between play and work, virtual and real increasingly blurred--look more and more like the future.

Customer Reviews:

Playing Video Games for MONEY -- REEL FUN!.......2007-04-24

What if you could spend your day playing video games and still make a fortune? Wll, now it's possible for the best of what is called the 'gold farmers' to play games and buy and sell fantasy goods in the virtual world and make between 6 and 7 figures a year! Yes, and this author Julian Dibbell did just that -- quit his day job as a writer and became a virtual mogul. Along the way in 12 chapters he looks at the virtual marketplace for virtual loot and the growing economy online in multiplayer online role playing gams MORPGS and Virtual worlds like SecondLife.com to buy and sell virtual real estate, avatars, islands, services and even real life objects in virtual stores. From Ultima Online to paying the IRS -- it's an amazing new world online and whether it's reel or real is still to be determined by the players in the newest game in town.

Serious Play.......2007-03-05

I read this book because I had begun to hear about the world it describes and wanted to learn more. I was REALLY happy with my purchase! Dibbell combines personal experience, interesting interviews, and a broad intellectual reach to make comprehensible the "brave" "new" world of massive multi-user gaming and the way it is making us rethink a variety of taken for granted forms of common sense.

The result is a lot of fun to read and highly educational at the same time.

Pseudo-intellectual stuff ruins this book.......2007-03-04

I had high hopes for this book to be informative and fun but it turned out to be a disappointment. I am not sure if the author had to justify the scholastic grant he received for writing about the topic so he felt he had to interject the fun topic with a lot of pseudo-intellectual analogies/comparisons or personal reflections. Who cares if this game reminds anyone of the Turing Test, or if this is work or play? Everything is work to someone but play to another. His relentless (but failed) attempt to attach significance to this work just makes the book boring and haphazard. Whenever he writes about the intellectual meanings of this "phenomenon", his writing style changes -- a bunch of words that don't really mean anything...just string them together so they sound smart.

Dibble Gets it Right - Both Play AND Money.......2007-01-25

My career is computing, and much of my free time and hobbies are taken up by the subject. So, perhaps predictably, I tend to enjoy reading literature about the topic. Computer gaming is a particular favorite of mine, and Julian Dibble's "Play Money" is a great exploration of how gaming is integrating into our society, and the impact they have on each other.

As other reviews have noted, Dibble tends to get a bit scholastic and philosophical in his treatment of the subject. And while I'm not opposed to adding a little intellectual depth to the coverage of the subject, I think he perhaps goes further than absolutely necessary - sometimes to the detriment of the readability of the text. However, readers who are able to slog through some of the slower bits towards the beginning of the book will find a thoughtful and personal (intimate, even) narrative. I found myself cheering Julian on, and empathizing with him - even identifying with him.

While not the best book of this genre (can this be called a genre?) that I've ever read, it was a competent discussion of the subject, and a quick, enjoyable read. It takes some real effort, and a labor of love to treat the topic of computer gaming with the seriousness it deserves, but not losing track of the joy that makes it what it is. Julian Dibble succeeds at it, and so I can easily recommend this book.

A Great Economic Study for Gamers.......2007-01-10

I don't play video games but I do work in finance and I couldn't put the book down. For young people into gaming, it effectively explains supply and demand. For those of us outside of the gaming world, it's a fascinating glimpse into it. Dibbell also illustrates and discloses the affects on his personal life.

Average customer rating:

Not Living Up To Expectations
Awesome!
THE BEST
revealing
Pendragon: A Journey through Time and Space

The Reality Bug (Pendragon Series #4)
D. J. MacHale
Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Adventure & Thrillers | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

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

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

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

ASIN: 0743437349

Amazon.com

Fifteen-year-old Bobby Pendragon has visited the alternate dimension of Denduron (The Merchant of Death), explored the endangered underworld territory of Cloral (The Lost City of Faar), and traveled back in time on his own planet Earth to uncover the evil plot of the fiendish Saint Dane--the evil force behind all these interworld exploits (The Never War). Now he "flumes" (a kind of time/space travel) into the territory of Veelox expecting to wage another battle against evil... only to find all is peaceful. He quickly discovers the peace is due to the fact that most of the citizens of Veelox have become addicted to Lifelight, a virtual reality lifestyle. Unfortunately, what once seemed so safe and enjoyable has taken a frightening twist, and Bobby must rely on a Veelox Traveler named Aja to help him find a solution--and save the territory. His antagonistic relationship with the brilliant Aja grates on his nerves as she spits out cryptic words of wisdom: "Salvation here can be found in only one place: the imagination. If you can't understand that, you might as well flume out right now."

Fans of D.J. MacHale's Pendragon series will enjoy this latest entry, and look forward to the forthcoming fifth title. The attraction of the series is not so much great writing or character development as fast-paced action and edge-of-seat danger. (Ages 9 to 12) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

VIRTUAL REALITY?

The territory of Veelox has achieved perfect harmony. Fifteen-year-old Bobby Pendragon arrives on this territory in pursuit of the evil Saint Dane, but all is peaceful on Veelox -- because it's deserted. The inhabitants have discovered a way to enter their own personal dream worlds, where they can be whoever they want, wherever they want. Their bodies lie in stasis while their minds escape to this dream realm.

Fresh from his battle with Saint Dane in 1937 Earth, Bobby is confident that they can defeat whatever Saint Dane has planned for this world. But once Bobby enters the virtual world will he be able to resist the lure of the ultimate in escapism?

Customer Reviews:

Not Living Up To Expectations.......2007-02-27

This book was pretty good especially the amazing detail of all of the crazy things such as lifelight. However, thats just as always (especially the things on Cloral.) Although it was detailed I really wasnt as " i cant wait to read this book whn i get home" as i was with the others. Its definatley worthy of a 4 star but nothing more because it kind of lagged in certain spots like with lifelight the same thing keeps happening. But as i said earlier, its worthy of a 4 star but nothing compared to the others; I hope book is going to be good and all the rest (especially book 8.)

Awesome!.......2007-01-29

This book seemed just a tad bit dreary as far as the world goes but nonetheless it was a totally great read!

THE BEST.......2006-08-23

in my opinion, this is the best installment in the pendragon series. i read it all in a few days. thats amazing becuz i'm one of the slowest readers in my class. :P this is an amazing book with the imagery, amusing metaphors and such. i won't say much for i fear i will ruin the ending, but i can say that this will be an excellent collection to your books. PENDRAGON RULES!

revealing.......2006-07-15

The fourth book in the series has the same idea as the first three but has a wicked, sudden ending. It gets you ready to begin the fifth book as soon as you've finished.

But what makes this book better is that a lot more is revealed in this book than in the others. It kinda refreshes the series to keep as in depth as it has been. Satisfying fantasy read.

Pendragon: A Journey through Time and Space.......2006-04-17

The Pendragon series is a group of journals written by Bobby Pendragon. Bobby sends his journals back home through a special ring that he wears. Bobby's friends, Courtney and Mark safeguard his journals at home. Bobby used to consider himself as normal, but not anymore. Ever since Bobby's uncle told Bobby that he had a special ability to travel through time and space, Bobby hasn't known what to think. The special ability he has lets him travel to different territories, which are like different dimensions or worlds. There are ten territories, and each one is different. When the ten travelers reach a territory, they find that it is at a turning point. The territory could either fall into chaos or advance on. There is only one traveler from each territory, and all of them must work together to save all the territories. The travelers want to save every place from absolute destruction. The only traveler who wants chaos for the territories is the villain, Saint Dane. He can wants to control them all.

This book takes place in a territory called Veelox. Veelox is a very advanced civilization. There are no wars on Veelox, because almost everyone is living in their own virtual reality, which is a lot like a very long, perfect, dream. They call these times they spend in the chambers 'jumps'. Pendragon was told by Veelox's traveler, Aja, that everything was fine. As it turned out, Aja wanted the challenge for herself. Pendragon soon found that Velox was in trouble and wondered what he could do to help. The entire territory would be doomed if people choose to keep living in virtual reality, because the food supply was almost gone. Aja showed him a disc containing a virus, her life's work, that would make people's jumps less than perfect. This would make things more like reality, which would cause people to exit their jumps and return to reality. The virus worked as planned, that is, until the virus became too powerful. The jumps soon turned into nightmares. The injuries and death sustained during the jump, became reality. As it turns out Saint Dane manipulated Aja into making the virus with it's flaws. Once again it's up to Pendragon to save the entire universe, and the only way he can do it is to go into the virtual reality chamber. This book would be enjoyed by lovers of science fiction, but I do suggest that you read the previous books in the series so you can better understand the special traveler terms.

Average customer rating:

Chic lit with thought provocation
Great summer read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The man of your dreams vs. your dream job...why choose if you don't have to?
Wishing on a Star
Nice come back!

Me vs. Me
Sarah Mlynowski
Manufacturer: Red Dress Ink
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Romance | Subjects | Books

General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Romance Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Science Fiction & Fantasy Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0373895887

Book Description

Gabby Wolf has pretty much, almost definitely (this close!) come to a decision: She's trading in Phoenix (nice but uneventful life with boyfriend) for Manhattan (dream job as producer for highly successful news show). Then Cam swoops in and gives her a sparkling engagement ring, making her decision even more impossible. Husband vs. career. Vera Wang wedding dress vs. sexy first-date outfits. Planting roots in Phoenix vs. playing the field in Manhattan… She wishes she didn't have to decide, that she could have it all.

She never expects her wish to come true.

Suddenly Gabby's living two lives. Whenever she falls asleep in one, she wakes up in the other. She's got the best of both worlds -- what more could a girl ask for? Right?

This fantastic (and fantastical) new novel from bestselling author Sarah Mlynowski will have you flipping pages as quickly as Gabby flips lives to find out which Gabby reigns supreme in the battle of Me vs. Me.

Customer Reviews:

Chic lit with thought provocation.......2007-10-19

At first, I was having trouble keeping track of what was happening in this story, but I caught on quickly. In our lives, we all have choices. In this book, the heroine gets to see the consequences of taking two paths. Very interesting writing. Very interesting concept. Very enjoyable.

Great summer read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2007-09-24

This book was so funny and intriguing that I could not put it down! The author has a witty sense of humor that is sure to please......

The man of your dreams vs. your dream job...why choose if you don't have to?.......2007-06-04

Gabby is thrilled when she lands her dream job as a TV news producer for one of the Nation's top anchors. The only glitch is that the job is New York, the city that she always dreamed of living in, however, she didn't plan on meeting the love of her life in her Arizona home town. Now on the eve of her move to NYC her boyfriend Cam decided to pop the question and ask Gabby to marry him! This is problem No.1, Cam is not willing to move to New York and give up his law practice or leave his overbearing family (problem No.2) just so Gabby can pursue her dream. So when Gabby inadvertently says yes to Cam's proposal she immediately has second thoughts and wishes upon a star that she didn't have to choose and could live both lives. Who would have expected Gabby's wish would ever come true? But sure enough Gabby finds herself living each day twice once in Arizona planning the not-so-perfect wedding and once as a single woman in New York with her dream job and the roommate from hell.

This is the third book by Sarah Mylnowski that I have read and I definitely enjoy her work. `Me vs. Me' is a very unique book about realizing that the grass isn't always greener and that sometimes you have to just follow your heart and see where it leads. The great thing about this book is that Mylnowski provides no clear cut answers for Gabby, there are good and bad to both situations and no easy resolutions leaving the reader to guess which path she will ultimately choose. This is a great summer read that will surely not disappoint!

Wishing on a Star.......2007-05-10

Gabby Wolf lives in Phoenix with a roomate/best friend a good job and a great boyfriend. The only problem is that she has always wanted to go to NYC to be a Producer for a big time show. Several Nights before she is set to go to NYC she and her boyfriend Cameron proposes to her during a meteor shower and she makes a wish that she could have both lives-live in Phoenix with her fience AND live in NYC experiencing the single life. Then she gets her wish and it is not what she expected.

Life One:
Living with her fience, trying to plan a wedding with her future mother in law who wants her own way on almost everything while trying to find a job at the same time

Life Two:
Living the single life in NYC with her crazy roomate and a very demanding job.

When she falls asleep in one she wakes up in the other until she figures out which life she wants.

Very interesting read!

Nice come back!.......2007-03-30

I absolutely LOVED this book and I'm so happy to see that Sarah Mlynowski is back on her A-Game. I have to admit that I wasn't thrilled with "Monkey Business", so it took me a while to brave another of her novels. However, it seems like her experiences with writing some novels for the tween set has refreshed her totally and this book reminded me so much of the style that I originally fell in love with when reading "Fishbowl" and "Milkrun"! I can't wait to see more!

Average customer rating:

Didn't care for it
Entertaining.
Courtesy of Teens Read Too
Oklahoma Setting
Good Book

Oh My Goth
Gena Showalter
Manufacturer: MTV
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

School | Issues | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Horror | Teens | Subjects | Books

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

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

General | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

Horror | Teens | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

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

ASIN: 1416524746

Book Description

A fiercely individualist Goth girl wakes up to discover that the whole world has gone Goth and she's actually -- gag -- popular.

Jade Leigh is a nonconformist who values individuality above all else. She has a small group of like-minded Goth friends who wear black, dabble in the dark arts, and thrive outside the norm. They're considered the "freaks" of their high school. But when Jade's smart mouth lands her in trouble -- again -- her principal decides to teach her a lesson she'll never forget.

Taken to a remote location where she is strapped down and sedated, Jade wakes up in an alternate universe where she rules the school. But her best friends won't talk to her, and the people she used to hate are all Goth. Only Clarik, the mysterious new boy in town, operates outside all the cliques. And only Mercedes, the Barbie clone Jade loathes, believes that Jade's stuck in a virtual reality game -- because she's stuck there, too, now living the life of a "freak." Together, they realize they might never get back to reality...and that even if they do, things might never be the same.

Customer Reviews:

Didn't care for it.......2007-09-12

Isn't this what youth is suppose to be preventing? I can't stand these cliques and these stereotypes.. and yet Mtv(not surprised by them really) has set out a line of books completing to that. Why are you supporting something that you are fighting at the same time? You can't be on both sides expecting a pass. You all are such hypocrites because you usually have the attitude of, "Don't label us! We're people just like you! We have our own style!". Ha! You are not fooling anyone with this book. When I picked this off the shelf I had not expected such a farfetched standard for the plot. Critisize me on that all you want since I believe it was a waste of my time as well. The concept it creative, yes, but everything that comes with that is such the typical view of a close minded person. And I believe the author has a very fast paced and detailed way of words, making it a better read. Nonetheless, my opinion stands.

Well good job, Mtv. Well done. Now I'll just have even more people questioning why I do the things I do and wear the things I wear.
Oh no, couldn't be Weatherly now could I? Now I have to be known as something riduculous like a "cemetary goth" or "punk goth" and the like.

Entertaining........2007-07-20

I thought the book was cute. The plot was interesting. However, while reading the book I got a sense that the author did not quite understand the Goth subculture. To me it felt like she just went on Google and searched the word "Goth" and used whatever she found as a reference. An example of this would be how Jade kept referring to other Goths as cemetary Goth, asian Goth, and etcetera. In real life most Goths are not that easy to pin point. Most are rather varied in their interests and would fall under many different categories. I was also annoyed at how cheesy and cliche some of the Goths in the virtual world were. For instance, one girl walks up to Jade and says "Darkness rules!". Being a Goth myself I know for a fact that in real life a Goth would not say that to another Goth unless they were joking. I was also annoyed when one girl asked Jade to start a black magic club. Oh come on! Now, if she would've wanted a Peter Murphy or Siouxsie Sioux fan club then that would've been better. It would've been cool if the author could have slipped a few references to bands like Bauhaus, The Sisters of Mercy, The Mission UK, and Sex Gang Children in the book. Also, I think it would've been entertaining to see some new classes added to the virtual high school. Classes like Goth Rock Music History, DIY 101, and Proper Make up Application. Overall this is a very cute book. I would recommend renting it from your local library if you are bored and need something to do.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2007-06-23

Jade is a Goth-girl who is a total nonconformist and is a "freak" at her school.

Mercedes is a "Barbie" -- blonde, super-popular, and a total conformist, who is also Jade's mortal enemy.

Clarik is a new mysterious boy that has come to their high school, who Jade quickly realizes she has a crush on.

The girls' principal is sick of these two girls causing problems so she decides to teach them a lesson they will never forget.

After getting the parents' consent, the girls are taken to an old rundown building, strapped down, and sedated. Mercedes and Jade have no idea what is going on, until they wake up at home. They go to school only to realize that everyone has turned Goth and the "Barbies" are the "freaks" now.

The girls don't like their new environment at all and are determined to find out how to get back to reality. Clarik is in the game with them and he and Jade become very close. Can he help get them back? Will they ever get back to the reality they knew? When they get home, will things be the same way they were before, or will the girls have to change?

This is a super-fun, fast-paced novel that even someone who would be called a "Barbie" can like! The characters are all lovable, and I really enjoyed this book!

Reviewed by: Taylor Rector

Oklahoma Setting.......2007-03-07

One of the reason I bought this book was because the setting was in Oklahoma. The story is good and I felt for the characters.

Good Book .......2006-10-02

I like the book, maybe it hasent been my favorite book, but it has some meaning in it, for example: culture discrimination, how tenns see the world today, so on and so fort. You can actually understand a subculture by reading this book, and also it helps you understand the outside world.

Average customer rating:

one LARGE problem
Excellent, Entertaining, Believable
Groundhog day meets Tough Guide to Fantasyland
YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK
Great book for boys!

Heir Apparent
Vivian Vande Velde
Manufacturer: Magic Carpet Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Children's Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Science Fiction & Fantasy Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Teen Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

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

ASIN: 0152051252

Book Description

In the virtual reality game Heir Apparent, there are way too many ways to get killed--and Giannine seems to be finding them all. Which is a darn shame, because unless she can get the magic ring, locate the stolen treasure, answer the dwarf's dumb riddles, impress the head-chopping statue, charm the army of ghosts, fend off the barbarians, and defeat the man-eating dragon, she'll never win.

And she has to, because losing means she'll die--for real this time.

Customer Reviews:

one LARGE problem.......2007-09-18

It sounds like a manga story, which is why I was drawn to it. Unfortunately...even though the storyline is intersting enough, the few problems it has are rather BIG ones.

I was surprised to find that this author was so experienced. Most writers know that character's have to be likeable (or at least somewhat have a desireable quality) and that they must have CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. There is NONE in this book, which made me feel cheated.

Otherwise, it would have been great. It was interesting enough, but the ending blew it. I read because I wanted to see the main chara CHANGE from this adventure.

A chara needs to solve a problem in a story. Getting out of the video game is one, but we need an emotional problem. Saying...I dunno? Becoming less angry, becoming more kind, or maybe more open minded? She was none of these things...ever. She was angry and narrow minded in the beginning and angry and narrow minded in the end. I dont feel like I gained anything from this book but wasted time.

It feels like the author was on a deadline and didn't have time to somehow show us that 1, the creator of the game would fall in love with the main chara therefore making her less angry!!-_-;;, and 2, by her dad showing up he suddenly would start to care...

Too much action, too little character info. We only get cardboard chara's.
Want chara development and action? Watch the Yugioh RPG arc.

Excellent, Entertaining, Believable.......2007-08-21

Well-written to book. Humor in all the right spots, and she actually pulls off the repetition thing well. Now that's talent for you. I'll admit there are some strands in the RW portions of the book that are weak at best, but the fantasy part is nicely done.

You can believe in the character and believe the mistakes she makes gaming, esp if you are a gamer.

Groundhog day meets Tough Guide to Fantasyland.......2007-07-18

Giannine is pretty much your typical Vande Velde heroine - a young teen girl whose life isn't going very well in general and suddenly gets magically worse. Like the others, she is sort of bitchy, but a little less bitchy than most of them. (I'm not complaining. The bitchiness is always cute.)

I agree that the many start overs got sort of tiresome. But the story held my interest well. The many computer-generated characters are amusing, satirical takes on fantasy stereotypes.

YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK.......2007-05-31

HEIR APPARENT
BY VIVAIN VANDE VELD
RATING: *****
It is Giannine Bellisario's 14th birthday, and her dad gets her a gift certificate for Rassmussem Gaming Center, a virtual reality game arcade. After browsing through the games, she chooses Heir Apparent, a game set in the middle ages, where the king has died, and the player becomes the Heir. Things are bad enough when the royal family hates her, but when the CPOC (Citizens to Protect Our Children) sabotages the center, it's a whole new story. Literally.
Giannine is of to a good start, except she can't get past the first half-hour of the game; Prince Abas almost chopped off her head, and she can't find the stupid magic ring. But then Nigel Rassmussem (or is he?), comes from the sky, and tells Giannine that damage has been done to her brain by the CPOC sabotage, and that she must beat the game in about an hour of real time (one hour of real time could be three days of time in the game), before she dies... for real.
This story is about how Giannine overcomes the game, using her wits (sometimes not) to beat the game before she loses her life.
This book is set in the future for the non game part of the book, where busses are automated, and people have mini dragons as pets. The rest of the book, the game part, takes place around the 1400's (late middle ages).
Vande Velde writes very descriptive, intriguing passages, and often ends chapters with much suspense: " `Poor Princess Janine,' he said with a feral grin. `A shame her gallant band of rescuers didn't arrive in time to keep the barbarians from slitting her throat.' I felt the fizziness start even before the knife touched my skin."
I recommend this book for ages 10 and up, and for people who like action and suspense, and comedy.
Evan

Great book for boys!.......2007-05-14

I teach Grade 6 and used this book for my boy's-only book club meeting. It was a big hit! The boys loved the game aspect, the fighting, and the amazing characters.

The Mammoth Book of King Arthur: Reality and Legend, the Beginning and the End--The Most Complete Arthurian Sourcebook Ever

Average customer rating:

Title says it all
Not as useful as the author claims
A Whole Lot Of Camelot

The Mammoth Book of King Arthur: Reality and Legend, the Beginning and the End--The Most Complete Arthurian Sourcebook Ever

Manufacturer: Carroll & Graf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Medieval | World | History | Subjects | Books

Arthurian | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Anthologies | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Folklore & Mythology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Science Fiction & Fantasy Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0786715669

Book Description

In this truly mammoth guide, Mike Ashley analyzes and explicates the line between the real Arthurian world and the legends that surround it. Ashley gives us a firm identity not only for King Arthur, but also for Merlin, Guinevere, Lancelot, and the Knights of the Round Table—as well as identifying all the major Arthurian sites. He traces the development of each of the legends and shows how they were related to events happening at the time, bringing a new dimension of realism to the magical Arthurian world. Ashley also offers new and little known information on Arthur—including a fascinating link to the present royal family and the likelihood that Arthurian legends arose from the exploits of not just one man but at least four. With over 700 pages, this is the most complete single-volume guide to Arthurian legend and history.

Customer Reviews:

Title says it all.......2007-06-23

A perfect sourcebook for Arthurian lore, ranging from Welsh histories to modern movies and novels. Jammed packed with information, but certainly not boring to read. This book is awesome!

Not as useful as the author claims.......2005-10-17

This huge book spans the length of Arthuriana and is an interesting read. However, I was left questioning way too much. I was constantly asking myself, "from where does Mike Ashley get his information?" I'm not saying it isn't authentic, but he rarely names sources. For instance, though I've read the geneologies available to me, I've never come across certain names or connections Mike Ashley gives. He always says "the geneologies state," without saying which one. As a reader, and Arthurian scholar, I want to be able to authenticate any information given to me.

Also, his "accepted" criteria for a generation (25-30 years) is way too calculated. With women having children at early ages and men fathering children even into old age (which wasn't that old in the Dark Ages), only a few generations could completely throw Ashley's time-scale way off. Just three generations of people having children at age 20 could throw the scale off by up to 30 years!

Finally, the book is written as if definitive, though precious little known about King Arthur and his time period is definitive. In some places, Ashley gives information like it is historically accurate even though such information directly contradicts most Arthurian scholars. For instance, under the entry for "Anna," Ashley says that the "name Morgause is almost certainly derived from Gwyar." Under the entry for Morgause he implies that this name derives from Morcades or Orcades. This later explanation is the one generally accepted by Arthurian scholars, from what I've read. In fact, many of his supposed historic explanations for Arthurian characters contradict the majority of Arthurian scholars.

This might seem small, but compounded over the length of 670 pages, you have a book full of contradictions and theory presented as fact. If only I knew his resources, I might be able to give this book more than 2 stars. As is, I found it almost entirely unuseful.

A Whole Lot Of Camelot.......2005-07-17

I've had spotty luck with the Mammoth series before; some are quite decent, some are obvious hack jobs, and one or two are just loony (the Mammoth Book of Jack the Ripper pops to mind). This one is divided into three rough sections, of unequal size and value.

The first attempts to break down the "historical Arthur," who Ashley defines first as "the war-leader of the Britons at Badon Hill" and only second as "the guy who Geoffrey of Monmouth was talking about." This results in a pretty thorough chase through obscure Breton king-lists, Nennius, the Ten Battles (fifty pages on them alone), the Welsh Triads, and so forth until he gets to a list of twenty, count-em, suspects. These range from Lucius Artorius Castus (the only Roman commander named 'Artorius' known to have served in Britain) to Arthwys ap Meurig (the king, perhaps, of Gwent in the seventh century, unless he wasn't). Ashley quietly plumps for an Arthur based in Gwent or Powys, but argues that Geoffrey's "Arthur" is a composite of five or six British leaders with mythic elements from Alfred and Aethelstan, and constructs a perhaps over-delicate genealogical lattice-work with which to argue that the victory at Badon was a coalition victory under a king of Dyfed named Agricola or Aircol, with one Vortipor/Gwerthefyr as the primary commander and possible "dux bellorum." This is about as good as things get without getting into Deep History. If this section has a flaw, it's probably best highlighted by Ashley's nervous-making habit of citing Laurence Gardner's Bloodline of the Holy Grail without using the words "barking mad." I'm certainly not an expert in post-Roman British chronicles, so for all I know, Gardner's research into the political-military complexities of the Saxon frontier is actually a model of meticulous restraint -- but I doubt it. Ashley does do a good job of highlighting when some fruity speculation is Gardner's and Gardner's alone -- the first time it appears. By contrast, he is politely dismissive of Geoffrey Ashe's various enthusiasms, and wisely so.

That takes us to page 306, where we begin about 200 pages of primer on the Arthurian Cycle, beginning with some potted history of the twelfth century and then into the various versions of the Tristan, Lancelot, Perceval, Galahad, Merlin, and other sub-cycles through the 14th century. This is excellent stuff, well presented; the Grail section is remarkably free of utter crazitude, although again it's no substitute for a specialist work on the topic like Richard Barber's The Holy Grail (the best single book on the topic). Then a short chapter on Malory, and another brings us up to Tennyson and the Pre-Raphaelites. This is all clear and relatively straightforward; it's also stuff I probably could have assembled myself from my bookshelves -- but not in only $13.50 worth of my time. We close up with sixty pages of Arthurian novels, narrowly defined (no That Hideous Strength or Drawing of the Dark), and ten pages of Arthurian movies -- this is all pretty disposable stuff. Its lack of attention to poetry means only tangential discussion of Eliot and (what's worse) none at all of Charles Williams.

Finally, we have about ninety pages of decent Arthurian Cycle "Who's Who" and gazetteer, more historically minded than Phyllis Ann Karr's wonderful (but primarily literary) Arthurian Companion and therefore of some good utility despite its relative brevity. A solid index in microscopic type concludes our program.

Ashley has read, and widely, all across the topic; for example, he cites John Hughes' far from seminal work Arthurian Myths and Alchemy in passing while discussing Malory and the court of Edward IV. Ashley cites Littleton and Malcor fairly, although space (and his inherent charity, perhaps) prevents full attention to their "Sarmatian thesis." He cites both Keys and Baillie on the Catastrophe of 535, and links it (too sketchily) to the discussion of the Waste Land. He even notes the possible ties between Amlawdd Wledig (from "Culhwch and Olwen") and Hamlet, although he (probably rightly) dismisses them. He misses one or two Arthurs from the fringe of the fringe -- there's no discussion, for example, of W.A. Cummins' dotty theory that King Arthur was actually a Bronze Age Wessex Culture monarch who built Stonehenge. (I'm hesitant to consider that particular absence a flaw.) Out there on the edge he does misstep occasionally; his brief discussion of St. Brendan badly confuses Brendan with Bran, both of whose immrama are relevant to the Arthurian mythos.

But on the whole, minor notches in the Sword of Strange Straps aside, this is an excellent one-volume compendium of Res Arthuria. The movie list is by far the weakest section; the various side-by-side comparisons of the various Cycles is probably the strongest, with the Gildas-to-Geoffrey section on "historical Arthurs" a close second. If you're more interested in post-Malory Arthuriana, try Norris Lacy instead. But if you need one good book on King Arthur, with a strong concentration on the pre-Galfridian material and the relevant historical background, this is probably the one to get -- you certainly won't beat the price.

Average customer rating:

Dragons of the Soul
Tammy Yourzek
Manufacturer: Blue Imp Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
ASIN: 1563153823

Product Description

It's just a game. Isn't it? Kate Martin, 16, is facing the saddest time of her life: Her brother Ty was just killed in a traffic accident. The only thing that can distract her is the new virtual reality game her younger brother, Alex, gives her. It's cool getting lost in a world of dragons, evil forces and creepy hideouts. There's just one hitch: The game is alive! Katie explores the game with Alex and her friend Jessie, convinced that, if they can unlock the game's secrets, they can make contact with Ty on the other side. Can she? Or will she become lost in the game forever?

Average customer rating:

Uncover the bizarre truth of world-changing events in REALITY LEAK.
Fabulous fun
A wild and crazy ride!
Acme Sans Coyotes

Reality Leak
Joni Sensel
Manufacturer: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Children's Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All Deals | Blowout Books | Stores | Books

Children's Books | Blowout Books | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0805081259
Release Date: 2007-04-03

Book Description

Come follow this trail of riddles lined with popcorn and drawn in invisible ink!Pants that walk by themselves . . . Secret messages that pop up in the toaster . . . A mysterious factory that plants already-popped corn and makes invisible ink . . . or is it inc?What is going on in South Wiggot? It all started when Mr. Keen arrived in the dusty little farm town-in a wooden crate. Strange things have been happening ever since, and Bryan Zilcher is determined to find out why, before things can go from strange to sinister.This compelling adventure is like nothing else you've ever read. Part Saturday morning cartoon, part secret agent mystery-and all zany fun!

Customer Reviews:

Uncover the bizarre truth of world-changing events in REALITY LEAK........2007-09-06

When Mr. Keen arrives in a small farm town with a wooden crate, strange things are observed, from pants that walk by themselves to a invisible ink factory. Bryan is determined to find out the secrets behind these strange occurrences, and with the aid of a girl sleuth the two set out to uncover the bizarre truth of world-changing events in REALITY LEAK.

Fabulous fun.......2007-06-06

Almost every day Bryan Zilcher sits by the roadside, trying to sell his invented beverage, LemonMoo, so he can save up enough money to buy a computer. A semi whizzes by, and out tumbles a box. But what climbs out of the box is even stranger: a man named Mr. Keen, who seems more than a little weird to Bryan. When Mr. Keen moves his business into an empty factory in town, Bryan's suspicions get higher and higher. Trouble with a capital T is invading the town . . . can Bryan find a way to stop it?

This book was zany, crazy fun. It's got great characters like Tripper and Spot, with plenty of action and excitement. Full of bizarre things like flying money, popcorn planting, and possible vampires, Reality Leak was a blast to read. Perfect for middle grade readers who enjoy a good dose of oddball humor.

A wild and crazy ride!.......2007-04-21

This is a very, very fun book to read. From the opening page, the reader is taken on a wild and crazy ride in the company of quirky, likeable and, ultimately, very human characters. It's a mystery story and an adventure story, as well as being very funny. I haven't laughed out loud like this while reading a "middle grade" book since discovering Sid Fleischman. Every time you think you know where the story is going it takes another twist and the reader is left to marvel at Ms. Sensel's imagination and the ease with which she presents both scenes of humor and poignancy. I read portions of the book aloud to some of the "underachieving" seventh- and eighth-grade students I work with - reluctant readers, to say the least. They insisted I start back at the beginning, and soon we were passing the book around so we could each take turns at reading it aloud to the group. What more could you want from a novel?

Acme Sans Coyotes.......2007-04-09

Dangers abound in the world of children's literature. The wary author, ear cocked to the wind, nose sniffing about for trouble, must be vigilant every step of the way. And when an author attempts their very first middle grade novel for children, the dangers are likely to increase tenfold. So ran my line of reasoning as I idly picked up and perused Joni Sensel's, "Reality Leak". The book, let us face it, has a charming cover design but how fares the material inside? I was prepared to be disappointed. I was, instead, truly delighted. Living up to its illustrations (and then some) Ms. Sensel brings child readers a book that wants nothing more than to entertain and be entertaining in the process. Mission, as you will see, most certainly accomplished.

It was a summer day like any other for eleven-year-old Bryan Zilcher. He was just sitting on the side of the highway in an attempt to sell some LemonMoo (lemon flavored milk of his own invention) when out of the back of a semi flies a wooden crate bearing the label, "WARNING: DO NOT LICK." From this box emerges none other than Archibald Keen, a white-suited stick of a man who describes himself as the president of Acme, Inc. Without further ado Mr. Keen is off, purchasing the local defunct factory and hiring all the residents as employees without going into such dull details as what it is they're actually going to MAKE when working for him. Bryan's suspicious, and with good reason. It seems that strange things are happening all the time now. Notes appear out of toasters. Little girls blow bubbles in the shapes of letters. Trains appear to be running in a town where there are no tracks. Now it's up to Bryan and his friend Spot (a girl who thinks she's a canine) to investigate the real story behind Acme, Inc. and find out whether or not Mr. Keen's intentions are noble or nefarious.

I referred vaguely to dangers associated with first time middle grade authors, and for a second there I was desperately afraid that "Reality Leak" would fall prey to one of the biggest mistakes a writer can make. When an author starts haphazardly throwing all the cool stuff they can think of into a story so as to make it kid friendly, they usually end up creating a gawdawful mess instead. Warily I scanned the pages of "Reality Leak" for any hint of undeserved goofiness and at first, to my chagrin, it looked like Sensel was doing just that. For a chapter or two it seemed that she'd given in to her worst whims and created ridiculous stuff without rhyme or reason. Really, the girl that thinks that she's a dog seemed a clear indication of out-of-the-blue nuttiness. Then I read a little further and everything began to fall neatly into place. If there's no rhyme or reason that's because the book demands a complete and utter lack of it. Keep reading and everything begins to even out. The story's plot has a well-thought out beginning, middle, and end and the arc of the tale melds beautifully. Even Mr. Keen (a worthy successor to Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka if ever there was one) with his quirks and potentially malevolent actions makes sense within the context of the writing. Just as you feel Sensel might plunge you off the deep end of cohesive storytelling never to return, she reels you back in so skillfully that you begin to wonder if she wasn't playing with you intentionally all along.

The author seemingly draws her nutty occurrences from a host of different sources. At one point our heroes draw a black hole on the wall only to find a train is approaching them from inside that space they just drew. This reminded me of an old Sesame Street episode with some guys putting two sides of a picture of a hole together and then facing the train that approaches from within the finished image. Sensel also looks to old Warner Brothers cartoons as well as adding in some subtle flourishes that are entirely her own. Black and white rainbows, winking waffles, teabags that turn into mice, etc.

Now Sensel does attempt to bring in some serious family matter into this otherwise silly tale, and in a way I felt that this was unnecessary. In the story, Bryan's mother left the family a couple years ago and since that time his dad has taken up with Tripper, the smart woman who runs the Post Office. And while Bryan doesn't seriously mind Tripper, he begins to chafe when she starts setting understandable limits for him when his dad fails to. The problem is that this storyline doesn't gel as nicely as it might. References to Bryan's mother keep cropping up in spite of the fact that she doesn't have any bearing on the story at hand and the boy seemingly doesn't think of her all that often anyway. It's not an intrusive element to the book, but it did come off as a little unnecessary at times, and that's too bad.

Now it is a fact of nature that authors are not always given the illustrators they so richly deserve. First time authors of novels in particular tend to get the scrapings off the bottom of the barrel time and time again, so it's just a pure pleasure to see Ms. Sensel place her baby in the competent hands of illustrator Christian Slade. Mr. Slade, a former Disney animator, has yet to make a permanent mark in the world of children's literature. "Reality Leak" offers him, then, a remarkable start. Slade knows how to balance the cartoonish elements of this story with just the right amount of reality. I was particularly impressed with his characterization of the mysterious Archibald Keen. Here we have a fellow who is either good or bad, and it's impossible to say whether he falls too far one way or another for most of the book. When he smiles the story says that, "That grin had too many teeth. It made the stranger look a bit like a jack-o'-lantern." Later in the book Slade shows you what the author meant, but at the same time he has to be careful and make it impossible to say if the guy is malevolent or simply weird. The smile does indeed have too many teeth, but the eyes are almost sympathetic in spite of the bushy eyebrows above them. There aren't an overwhelming amount of pen-and-ink illustrations in this book, but their occasional appearances in this story do complement the plot rather magnificently, and for this I am glad.

Kids who may enjoy this book include those youngsters in love with Blue Balliett's, Chasing Vermeer series. I've never been entirely comfortable with Balliett as an author, personally. Her books always have characters idly walking along as clues go out of their way to trip them up. Sensel's book, in contrast, has some lively child heroes who find peculiar clues and secret messages after a great deal of hard work. Bryan and Spot are active protagonists. He, for example, keeps a double-cased pillow full of files on his bed in lieu of a computer. When something weird happens he's sure to write it down pronto rather than let actions just happen to him. But if you can lead kids into reading this story by comparing it to Ms. Balliett's work, all power to you.

I was a little disappointed to find that there have been blurbs of this book that give away the mystery Bryan and Spot are trying so desperately to uncover. Hopefully this will lessen as the book gains in popularity. As it stands, I wouldn't hesitate to place this in the grubby hands of any grubby reader that happens to waltz into my library looking for a book that is fun and funny to boot. In spite of the record number of children's book publications that climb with every fiscal year, few of the titles out there have as clear a sense of lighthearted glee as Joni Sensel's, "Reality Leak". Never disappointing and always surprising.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books