Book Description
Never before has the incendiary mix of action, politics, and intrigue that has become Timothy Zahn’s trademark, been mmore evident that in this new Star Wars epic. On the heels of the stunning events chronicled in Star Wars: A New Hope, the newly minted heroes of the Rebellion–fledgling Jedi Luke Skywalker, smuggler turned reluctant freedom-fighter Han Solo, and Princess Leia Organa, a bold leader with a world to avenge–must face the harsh realities of the cataclysmic conflict into which they have so bravely plunged. From this point forward, legends will grow, treachery will abound, and lives will be irrevocably altered, in the long, hard fight to counter the fist of tyranny and restore hope to a galaxy too long in darkness.
The destruction of the Death Star by the Rebel Alliance was a decisive blow against the Empire, but Palpatine and his monstrous enforcer, Darth Vader, are no less of a threat. The brutal extermination of Alderaan not only demonstrated the magnitude of their murderous power, but served as a chilling testament to their resolve to crush the Rebel uprising. Standing against them, Skywalker, Solo, and the Princess remain uncertain opponents. Luke is gifted and brave, but unschooled in the power he possesses. Han has doubts about waging someone else’s war–and his contentiousness is one more burden for Leia to bear as she struggles to help keep the Rebellion alive. The three have been sent to mediate a dispute between Rebel Alliance factions in Shelsha Sector–agitating matters by forcing Han to deal not only with pirates, but with his more dreaded enemy, politics. At the same time, Mara Jade–all of eighteen and years away from her fateful meeting with Luke–is serving her evil master, Palpatine, well in her role as the Emperor’s Hand: tracking suspected treachery in the Empire to what may be high places–while trying to stay out of Darth Vader’s way.
But the Rebels will prove to be only one of the Empire’s concerns. For Imperial Stormtrooper Daric LaRone, his faith in the Empire shaken by the wanton destruction of Alderaan, will commit a sudden and violent act of defiance, and take four other enforcers with him, in a desperate bid to elude their masters’ wrath.
Each of these fateful actions, whether sanctioned, secret, or scandalous, will expose brutality and corruption, spur upheavals destined to shake the Empire to its core, and shape momentous events yet to come.
Customer Reviews:
Timothy Zahn fills the gap.......2007-08-31
Timothy Zahn is my absolute favorite author so when I saw this book about Mara Jade in the Empire era I jumped.
Plot:
There are three plots that intertwine towards the end. LaRone, a stormtrooper, accidentally kills an ISB agent. He and four other stormtroopers desert and run to the nearest planet where they begin an investigation into pirate activities.
Mara Jade was sent to investigate a Moff's possible embezzlement. This leads to a pirate consortium.
Han, Luke, and Leia are originally sent to investigate a possible way to win the war. With pirates threatening supply lines, Han and Luke (along with Chewie) are diverted to investigate and Leia is sent to accomplish the diplomatic mission by herself.
Good:
Timothy Zahn does amazing things with the characters. Han Solo in his books is Han Solo from the movie: cocky, independent, and self-absorbed. Luke Skywalker is the apprentice Jedi, experimenting with his talents, naive, and unsure of who he is. Leia Organa is absolutely perfect: the independent woman who is able to mediate between differing factions.
The stormtroopers reminded me of one of the best portrayers of them--or at least their clone compatriots, Karen Traviss. The stormtroopers are real men who face real consequences. It is refreshing to see plain men who only want to do what is right instead of officers who only want power and money (as you see in so many Bantam Star Wars novels).
And Mara Jade...it's nice to finally see her at work in a novel. I felt that, for the most part (see below), she was the perfect agent--naive about the Empire and not overly practiced in every agent technique, but knowledgeable enough to be convincing for this mission.
Lastly, although this is petty, it was fun to see Leia work as a waitress. This practical, pedestrian job is often overlooked or delegated to dispensible characters but it was so nice to see the Star Wars universe in a normal light (ie having the main characters eat, bathe, etc.).
The action is superb. I love the confrontation between Darth Vader and Mara, the battle of the AT-ST, and much, much more.
Bad:
I don't know what it is with Timothy Zahn, but recently, all his books seem to be mysteries (not bad) about one of the characters being duplicitous. Night Train to Rigel: the main character was working both sides. Outbound Flight: Doriana. The Green and the Gray had the boys that fought against them. This is a little boring after awhile.
And the plot was so convoluted that I had trouble following it. Who was Disra serving: the Empire, himself, pirates, or the governor? How did Mara conclude all the things she did about the pirates? What about Han and Luke? What did Caaldra want? And so on. All three (Mara, stormtroopers, Han/Luke) make some pretty hefty assumptions that turn out pretty conveniently right.
Also, although Zahn portrays Mara as a young woman fairly well, I still have trouble believing that an 18 year-old knows this much about espionage, spying, weapons, and the like. What was she, brainwashed as a child?
Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
Only dialogue is in the form of made up Star Wars references. Mara wears form fitting dresses and a man oggles her. Violence is typical Star Wars fare.
Overall:
A good book, but not the best that Timothy Zahn has ever delivered. I was rather disappointed, not only because it didn't have as much Mara as I thought, but also because the story was so hard to follow. I had to just forget who wanted what and who worked for who and just enjoy the action sequences and the characters. I hope that Timothy Zahn continues to write more about Mara's adventures, but not make his plots so confusing.
Constrained and Unexceptional - Zahn's worst Star Wars Novel.......2007-07-26
Timothy Zahn here writes an entirely predictable adventure tale with three branching paths: one about a stormtrooper squadron who deserts the Empire, another about Mara Jade doing odd jobs for the Emperor, and the third about Han, Luke, and Leia on a diplomatic mission. The tales converge in a fashion only possible in novels and wrap up with no bearing on the movies.
The problem with this novel is that it is entirely predictable. The stormtrooper squad deserts the Empire quickly in an unlikely fashion. I knew a few pages after this had happened that they would doubtlessly join Han, Luke, and Leia by novel's end in Zahn's attempt to provide some entertainment for the readers. I flipped ahead to the end of the book at that time and my prediction turned out to be right.
Mara Jade's branch is exceptionally boring for the majority of the novel, as she chases after nameless thugs just to get some pricey statues back to her Emperor. She's written as an unbelievably mature and confident 18-year-old, and actually tells the Emperor what she is going to do instead of being ordered around. Zahn also writes Lord Vader as being childish toward her, while at the same time inserting a silly scene where Vader Googles for Luke.
Han, Luke, and Leia's branch is unremarkable. The characters act toward each other much like they did in Episode IV. However, Luke takes a back seat and isn't very confident about himself.
Timothy Zahn writes this novel in a very constrained space, which forces him to create new characters and just as quickly kill them or shuffle them away. Obviously in love with his own character of Mara Jade, he portrays her as overly powerful. The stormtrooper deserters were a good idea, but Zahn doesn't do enough to distinguish them effectively as memorable individual characters. For such a task, Aaron Allston would've been better. Han, Luke, and Leia's story is unremarkable. This novel is passably written and will provide some brief entertainment for literature fans, but is an awful choice for newbies to the novels.
(Reviewer's note: I've read all of the Star Wars novels of the 1990s and most of the ones from 2000-2003 that weren't prequel novels. Seeing that this was not a prequel novel, the influx of which put me off reading Star Wars novels a few years ago, I picked it up, remembering Timothy Zahn's earlier excellent work in the Star Wars universe. I was disappointed.)
More Adventures in the Star Wars Universe.......2007-07-11
Acclaimed Science Fiction author Timothy Zahn has written an exciting new novel that is worthy of inclusion with other novels of the Star Wars series.
The main story centers around five imperial stormtroopers; Macross, Brightwather, LaRone, Quiller, and Grave. They were ordered by their superior officers to execute harmless civilians during an attack. Despite carrying out these orders, the troopers felt that the killings were not necessary. Back aboard ship, an argument breaks out between the stormtroopers and one of the officers. During the argument, the officer is shot. Now, the stormtroopers realize that the only way for them to survive is to flee. They have now become fugitives..
Meanwhile, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca, and the rest of the Rebel Alliance is deciding on its next move. The Death Star has been destroyed, but the Empire, led by Emperor Palpatine and his enforcer Darth Vader, remain powerful adversaries. Skywalker is still untrained in many areas of the Force, Leia is still devastated by the destruction of her home planet of Alderran, and Han is unsure about fully joining the rebellion. Despite these drawbacks, the three allies have been sent to mediate a dispute between rebel factions in the Shelsha sector.
On the side of the Empire, a new tool of the Emperor is about to be revealed. Her name is Mara Jade; better known as the Emperor's Hand. She serves Palpatine by maintaining order and tracking suspected wrong-doers throughout the galaxy.
During the course of the story, all of these characters will interact with one another in a most exciting and thrilling manner.
This is a very good book. I've read several books in the Star Wars series, and I found this story to be both compelling and exciting. The story is something not normally expected, namely, Stormtroopers deserting and actually doing good deeds. But, Timothy Zahn's characterization of the Stormtroopers as actual caring people with feelings is refreshing. I especially enjoyed the character of Mara Jade. Her development throughout the book as a swash-buckling fighter who's loyal to her Emperor is definitely a high point of the book. She also has no fear of Darth Vader, either. It would have been interesting to see an actual movie character like her in the films.
I recommend this book very highly. Although I found the story to be slow and drag at some points, overall, the it is exciting and loaded with action. If you've seen the Star Wars movies or have read other books in the series, then be sure to read this one.
I give this one a solid 3.5.......2007-07-09
Of course you can't give half scores so I rated it a four. Anyway, there were things I really liked about this book and things I was luke warm to (no pun intended). I really liked the rogue stormtrooper aspect. While they were deserters, they're living by the spirit of what got them to join the Empire in the first place: to protect the empire AND it's CITIZENS. These were some of my favorite parts of the book; where they were involved doing good deeds shall we say.
The other part of the book I enjoyed alot was Mara Jade. From what I gather this is her 'first' mission in a star wars book, starwars timeline speaking of course. I know she's Luke's wife in continuity, and this isn't her first published appearance. I liked the character. Powerful, yet naive towards the true nature of Palpatine and the empire as a whole.
Now, one thing I'm not really sure that needed to be in the book were Luke, Leiah, Chewie and Han. I guess Zahn included them to root this book into place firmly after A New Hope. Just to me, the parts that they played in the book really didn't further the story much and they, quite frankly, seemed to be thrown in there. Don't get me wrong, I love these core characters. But it seemed like they were forced into the book. Their presence didn't take anything away from the story of course, but they didn't add much to the whole of the book either. Except maybe to further the subplot of luke getting used to his jedi abilities some more and of course, han and leiah's relationship.
Overall a good solid read with some fine action. I think it kind of skips around a bit too much for my liking, but it's not confusing. Any star wars fan should check this one out.
A Refreshing Idea.......2007-06-21
When reading any of the Star Wars (SW) novels, one must never compare it to the SW movies, because there is always new material in the novels. If you're expecting SW novels to have the exact feel and make of the movies, then it's best that you don't read the novels at all.
That said, Allegiance was a refreshing change. We finally get to see how the Emperor's Hand works. Well, other than the comic series that Zahn wrote with Darkhorse titled Mara Jade: By The Empeor's Hand. However, the comic was written post Battle of Endor, after Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine are dead. Allegiance is written just after the events of A New Hope, where the Emperor and Vader are very much alive. So it was interesting to see how he handled their characters here and he did it very well!
I do enjoy reading Zahn's novels because he makes his characters very human, and doesn't go over the top, unlike other authors who make their characters infallible and completely resistant to injury, jumping through obstacles and performing unbelieveable Jedi tricks. At the same time, Mara has a certain amount of compassion, which makes her character all the more human and likeable.
The Hand of Judgement was an interesting idea, yes, why indeed don't we have stormtroopers who continue to uphold what they believe it. In our world, that's called going rogue, in the SW world, it's deserters from the Empire. Whichever way you call it, it's treason, but isn't that what you call fighting for what you believe in?
I do wished, however, that Zahn wrote more battle scenes into his novels, as he's always able to describe and choreograph battles so vividly that you don't need to much imagination to enjoy it thoroughly - a trademark feature in all his SW novels.
Zahn's characters are smart and believeable and his style manages to capture the essence of the characters from the SW movies, what Han Solo says to Princess Leia, the snap-hiss of the lightsaber, these are the little things that triggers your memory of those loveable moments and makes for a well-written SW novel worth reading.
I highly recommend reading all of Timothy Zahn's SW novel, starting with the Thrawn Trilogy: Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising and The Last Command. I guarantee that you'll enjoy them immensely.
Book Description
What does it mean to be "patriotic" in the United States after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001? And how have the prevailing notions of patriotism-loudly trumpeted in American media-affected education in American schools? In this wide-ranging and spirited book, renowned educational leaders, classroom practitioners, as well political activists answer these questions with insights, opinions, and hard facts. Contributors focus on critical issues related to patriotism and democracy in education including the social studies curriculum, military recruitment in schools, and student dissent. They investigate the ways our schools have changed since 9/11 and examine the efforts of educators who refuse to toe the new "patriotic" line. This timely volume provide a provocative yet grounded exploration of how schools are mediating national patriotic sentiments.
Customer Reviews:
Pledge of Allegiance: Politics of Patriotism in Government schools.......2007-05-20
Pledge of Allegiance issues are examined in this book about the flag and related topics. The book could use some updating with more historical information about the topic addressed. For example, the Pledge was the origin of the stiff-arm salute that was adopted later by the National Socialist German Workers Party. The early salute for the Pledge of Allegiance was the straight-arm salute. Francis Bellamy was the author of the Pledge (1892) and cousin to Edward Bellamy, author of an international bestseller that launched the nationalism movement. Edward's book was translated into every major language, including German. Francis and Edward were both self-proclaimed socialists in the Nationalism movement and they promoted military socialism. They wanted government to take over all schools and impose robotic chanting to flags. When the government granted their wish, government schools imposed segregation by law and taught racism as official policy. That behavior even outlasted German National Socialism. The Pledge's early right-arm salute was not an ancient Roman salute, and the 'ancient Roman salute' myth came from the Pledge. In addition to the notorious salute, American socialists (e.g. Edward Bellamy teamed with the Theosophical Society) also bear some blame for the notorious symbol usd by the National Socialist German Workers Party on its flag. While Edward and the Theosophical Society worked together, the same symbol was used by the Society. It was used as alphabetical symbolism for socialism, and adopted later by German socialists as their flag symbol. Although an ancient symbol, it was altered for use as overlapping S-letters for 'socialism.' It was deliberately turned 45 degrees counter clockwise and always oriented in the S-direction. Similar alphabetic symbolism is still visible as Volkswagen logos. People were persecuted for refusing to perform robotic chanting to the national flag at the same time in the USA and Germany (to the American flag, and to the German symbol flag). All of the above are modern discoveries (do a web search for "stop the pledge") by a different writer, America's leading authority on the Pledge of Allegiance (the author of "Pledge of Allegiance Secrets"). On the other hand, the author Joel Westheimer completely evades the topic of the Pledge's early gesture, and he seems to be unaware of the recent historical discoveries. It is hard to believe that he did not think about the topic, and one can only imagine that he decided to evade it, though it is unclear why.
Book Description
For generations, influential thinkers--often citing the tragic polarization that took place during Germany's Great Depression--have suspected that people's loyalty to democratic institutions erodes under pressure and that citizens gravitate toward antidemocratic extremes in times of political and economic crisis. But do people really defect from democracy when times get tough? Do ordinary people play a leading role in the collapse of popular government?
Based on extensive research, this book overturns the common wisdom. It shows that the German experience was exceptional, that people's affinity for particular political positions are surprisingly stable, and that what is often labeled polarization is the result not of vote switching but of such factors as expansion of the franchise, elite defections, and the mobilization of new voters. Democratic collapses are caused less by changes in popular preferences than by the actions of political elites who polarize themselves and mistake the actions of a few for the preferences of the many. These conclusions are drawn from the study of twenty cases, including every democracy that collapsed in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution in interwar Europe, every South American democracy that fell to the Right after the Cuban Revolution, and three democracies that avoided breakdown despite serious economic and political challenges.
Unique in its historical and regional scope, this book offers unsettling but important lessons about civil society and regime change--and about the paths to democratic consolidation today.
Amazon.com
The George W. Bush White House, as described by former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill, is a world out of kilter. Policy decisions are determined not by careful weighing of an issue's complexities; rather, they're dictated by a cabal of ideologues and political advisors operating outside the view of top cabinet officials. The President is not a fully engaged administrator but an enigma who is, at best, guarded and poker-faced but at worst, uncurious, unintelligent, and a puppet of larger forces. O'Neill provided extensive documentation to journalist and author Suskind, including schedules with 7,630 entries and a set of 19,000 documents that featured memoranda to the President, thank-you notes, meeting minutes, and voluminous reports. The result, The Price of Loyalty, is a gripping look inside the meeting rooms, the in-boxes, and the minds of a famously guarded administration. Much of the book, as one might expect from the story of a Treasury Secretary, revolves around economics, but even those not normally enthused by tax code intricacies will be fascinated by the rapid-fire intellects of O'Neill and Fed chairman Alan Greenspan as they gather for regular power breakfasts. A good deal of the book is about the things that O'Neill never figures out. He knows there's something creepy going on with the administration's power structure, but he's never inside enough to know quite what it is. But while those sections are intriguing, other passages are simply revelatory: O'Neill asserts that Saddam Hussein was targeted for removal not in the 9/11 aftermath but soon after Bush took office. Paul O'Neill makes for an interesting protagonist. A vaunted economist from the days of Nixon and Ford, he returns to a Washington that's immeasurably more cutthroat. And while he appears almost naïvely academic initially, he emerges as someone determined to speak his mind even when it becomes apparent that such an approach spells his political doom. --John Moe
Book Description
Updated with a new afterword and including a selection of key documents, this is the explosive account of how the Bush administration makes policy on war, taxes, and politics -- its true agenda exposed by a member of the Bush cabinet.
This vivid, unfolding narrative is like no other book that has been written about the Bush presidency. At its core are the candid assessments of former Secretary of the Treasury Paul O'Neill, the only member of Bush's cabinet to leave and speak frankly about how and why the administration has come to its core policies and decisions -- from cutting taxes for the rich to conducting preemptive war.
O'Neill's account is supported by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ron Suskind's interviews with numerous participants in the administration, by transcripts of meetings, and by voluminous documents. The result is a disclosure of breadth and depth unparalleled for an ongoing presidency. As readers are taken to the very epicenter of government, Suskind presents an astonishing picture of a president so carefully managed in his public posture that he is a mystery to most Americans. Now, he is revealed.
Download Description
"A Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter's explosive account of the inner workings of the George W. Bush administration, the most secretive White House of modern times. This vivid, unfolding narrative is like no other book that has been written about the Bush presidency -- or any that is likely to be written soon. At its core are the candid assessments of former U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill, for two years the administration's top economic official, a principal of the National Security Council, and a tutor to the new President. He is the only member of Bush's innermost circle to leave and then to agree to speak frankly about what has really been happening inside the White House. O'Neill's account is supported by Suskind's interviews with many participants in the administration, by transcripts of meetings, and by voluminous documents that cover most areas of domestic and foreign policy. The result is a disclosure of breadth and depth unparalleled for an ongoing presidency. As readers are taken to the very epicenter of government, this news-making volume offers a definitive view of the characters and conduct of Bush and his closest advisers as they manage crucial domestic policies and global strategies at a time of life-and-death crises. Dick Cheney, Karl Rove, Donald Rumsfeld, Condoleezza Rice, Colin Powell, Christine Todd Whitman, and many of their aides are seen in an intimate, ""unmanaged"" way -- as is Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan, O'Neill's close friend and ally. Along the way, the central conflicts of this administration's governance -- between politics and policy, ideology and analysis -- are starkly visible through the lens of recent events and the revelation of the often unseen intentions that underlie actions. In this book Suskind draws on unique access to present an astonishing account of a President so carefully managed in his public posture that he is unknown to most Americans. Now, he will be known."
Customer Reviews:
The Hobo Philosopher.......2007-09-14
This is another one of those books that obviously doesn't need another review, but I read it also so ...
After reading the book I saw O'Neil being interviewed on some TV program. The interviewer asked him if he wasn't afraid of "reprisals" from those in power. O'Neil said that he has been financially prudent in his life and that he was wealthy and had an established reputation so "they" couldn't hurt him. He really didn't care what they had to say about him.
All that I could think in hearing both that question and the answer was: "Where the Hell am I?"
Is this Communist Russia under Stalin or China during the "Cultural Revolution"?
What is going on here?
Mr. O'Neil pulls no punches. I can not figure why this book didn't rock the socks off this nation but I guess that I am missing something. Maybe we never have been a democracy and privy to the truth and I have been living under a propagandized misconception.
And as far as I know O'Neil is a Conservative and not a Liberal - for whatever that means.
This is really getting somewhat frightening. Remember 01.20.09
Breathtaking insight into a world of ideology.......2007-08-19
Suskind's book takes the reader through a stunning journey in the inner workings of the first "Bush 43" term, touching to many different themes and topics. Fair, balanced and most certainly unafraid to depict events with the same level of rigor and precision that he tried to put in his own work as Treasury Secretary, this book is a chilling dive in a world where incredibly far-reaching decisions where taken very superficially. One can disagree with the political views expressed in the book, but it remains a well documented case that ideology - not due diligence - has guided the most important decisions of this administration.
Will help you better understand the better workings of the White House.......2007-07-14
How you like THE PRICE OF LOYALTY by Ron Suskind may
well be determined by your opinion of President George W.
Bush, which is a shame . . . it would be better if you read
it and then came to your own conclusion, though I suspect
that many people won't bother doing that.
Suskind's book, subtitled GEORGE W. BUSH, THE WHITE
HOUSE AND THE EDUCATION OF PAUL O'NEILL, is
about how O'Neill came to Washington to become
Treasury Secretary . . . unfortunately, he lasted just two years as
the administration's top economic official before being
forced out of office.
He tried to do the right thing . . . also, he tried to tell the
truth . . . his goal was to have issues looked at--from all sides--then
have decisions made after careful analysis . . . that rarely
happened; rather, a few officials (Cheney and Rove, to name
just two) seem to have gotten Bush's ear and influenced him to
make policy decisions that were often not based on fact.
I enjoyed a taped version of THE PRICE OF LOYALTY because it helped
me learn more about the inner workings of the White House, as well as
enabled me to find out more about such others as Rumsfeld, Rice, Powell,
Whitman, and Greenspan . . . as I read it, I kept in mind the fact
that O'Neill was and is a Republican, so it gave the book a
greater perspective; i.e., it did not contain material from a guy
who had an axe to grind.
Edward Hermann's find job of narration added to my enjoyment
of Suskind's book.
A full length fog-bank .......2007-04-21
It 's nice reading about the Bush Administration. Ron Suskind wrote the story of Paul O'Neill, former Treasure Secretary in the Bush Administration and if I may so, a remarkable good one. Paul O'Neill occupied an important office in the Cabinet but never seemed to be in the inner circle of decision making. That's what this book is about. Not about the policy decisions themselves, but the way decisions are being taken. You could describe it as a full length fog-bank (lyrics Hunter S. Thompson). O'Neill was dangerous to the Bush Administration due to his non ideological positions. The book by Suskind about O'Neill describes in harassing length the struggles in the Bush administration. The idea of pragmatic governance against the Bush counterclaim of ideology and political mobilization. Paul O'Neill was focused on assessing the real consequencies of an action, not on the underlying political design. O'Neill had doubts about the preemptive strike agains Iraq. He felt it necessitated absolutely to be right in your claims about the posssession of weapons of mass destruction by Iraq. The book is about the direction an ideological government takes in an era of uncertainties.Paul O'Neill did provide sensible and pragmatic answers but it didn't help.
Luuk Oost
About The price of Loyalty.......2007-01-24
This book delivers a wide and profound insight on Paul O'Neill's challenges as Treasury Secretary. The contention that Bush sought to invade Iraq almost from the get - go of his presidency has also been documented by Bob Woodward, an idea that is also presented in this book. Colin Powell is seen advocating harsh actions against Iraq. The book, however, focuses mainly on Bush's policies in the economic realm and how these have hurt more than helped the US and - to a larger extent- the free market world. It is a riveting tale and a very well delivered take on the facts. All in all, a book worth reading and studying.
Average customer rating:
- Generally surperior sword & sorcery
- Amazing tale of Paks continues!
- Conversion or coercion?
- The Paladin Refined
- Much Better Than Book 1
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Divided Allegiance (The Deed of Paksenarrion, Book 2)
Elizabeth Moon
Manufacturer: Baen
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ASIN: 0671697862 |
Customer Reviews:
Generally surperior sword & sorcery.......2007-07-04
The middle, "bridge" volume of a trilogy is often its weakest point (the original Dune trilogy is the classic example of that), but it's not the case here. In fact, this epic reads like a single 1,500-page novel that was broken into three parts only for convenience in marketing. This section is rather more episodic, though. Having become a valued soldier in Duke Phelan's mercenary company, Paks finds it necessary to leave shortly after the great victory over the forces of Evil, because the Duke's necessary alliances included behavior on behalf of a budding tyrant that she couldn't approve of. So she goes off with a vague idea of re-crossing the northern mountains and perhaps visiting her family home, works her way as a caravan guard, takes up with a not entirely trustworthy half-elf (rather less than half, actually), defeats another evil force in an underground sequence that reads almost like a D&D script, becomes acquainted with the Girdsmen (with whom her Duke has had a longstanding quarrel) and with other clerics, and undergoes training at Fin Panir with the idea that she might become a knight in a few years. But (naturally) her destiny holds far more than that, and this volume ends at the lowest point in Paks's young life. The plot continues to build -- not always in ways that are obvious until later -- and even the author's slight preachiness regarding Good and Evil aren't too annoying. This is meant to be Heroic Fantasy, after all. This is obviously Moon's masterwork. (It certainly deserves less amateurish cover art, though.)
Amazing tale of Paks continues!.......2007-04-19
Divided Allegiance is the second book in the "The Deed of Paksenarrion" trilogy. I thought this one was even better than the first book. Intense in surprising ways as well. I would caution that if you read this book, be ready with the third book, Oath of Gold, for when you finish it. There's a cliffhanger ending.
Paks decides to leave the Duke's army. She's put off by his alignment with a former pirate in helping him regain lands the man believes he is owed. The Duke helps him as gratitude for his help in their recent war against Siniava. It's the former pirate's tactics for regaining his land that cause Paks' stomach to sour.
The Duke grants her release, as well as the open ended right to return if she chooses so. And there...a new adventure begins for her. She doesn't know where she will end up, and only has the idea in her head to drop of a message for Halveric and perhaps stop in to see her own family.
Her journey brings us face to face with more classical fantasy elements (elves, dwarves, etc.) than the first book did. It's fun to see her reactions to them and her manners of trying to deal with them. There are also orcs and you'll not forget the webmistress' minions in this one. *shiver*
We also get to watch the makings of a paladin as she faces trials and tests, feeling an occasional calling to do certain things and having no idea why, let alone the understanding of what she's just done. I found this fascinating because it's almost like going blindly, yet completely yielding to that feeling of trust in the guidance of the higher powers, and those she considers more experienced in life in general. Things are often black and white for her and when things that are shades of gray present themselves to her, she is confused.
Throughout this story, we see Paks face and rise above new challenges, and sometimes fall back down hard as well. This character's inner strength is amazing and that coupled with her honest, good-hearted, naïve traits make those falls all the more heart wrenching to read about.
Yep, I'm pretty attached to this character, can you tell?
This is an amazing trilogy and that's that!
Conversion or coercion?.......2007-03-15
I found this book to be a great let down after the first book. I think what really got me was the scene in which Paksenarrrion is forced to convert to Gird-worship before the order will heal her of a life-threatening injury. This really offended me. In the first place, the idea of a religious order that only heals its own members and yet considers itself more rightous than everyone else is bad enough. Secondly the idea that they would use this opportunity to force Paks to convert and she doesn't find anything wrong with that coercion is horrendous.
I lost interest after that.
The Paladin Refined.......2006-11-02
Divided Allegiance (1988) is the second fantasy novel in the Deed of Paksenarrion series, following Sheepfarmer's Daughter. In the previous volume, Paks, Canna and Saben escaped crosscountry from Count Siniava's troops besieging Dwarfwatch, but Canna was wounded in the shoulder. Knowing that Canna was a Girdist, Paks placed her Saint Gird medallion against the wound and prayed for healing. Canna felt a sharp pain in her shoulder and the wound was soon healed.
Later, they were suddenly attacked by brigands and only Paks avoided capture to reach the Duke. With the information Paks carried, Duke Phelan ambushed the Count's relief column and then broke the siege at Dwarfwatch. The militia found the brigands holding Saben and Canna, but the enemy tried to kill off their prisoners. Saben was killed outright, but Canna remained alive for a short while and asked that her medallion be given to Paks.
When Duke Phelan finally cornered the Count in a deserted fort, he set an ambush party, led by Paks, outside the escape tunnel. As expected, the Count tried to flee the siege, but used the cover of a sleep spell. Paks, however, was awakened by a sharp pain on her chest from Canna's medallion and awoke the others to catch the fleeing Count. The Honeycat was executed on the spot at the Duke's order.
In this novel, Paks becomes increasingly upset with the political alliances of Duke Phelan. The former pirate Alured had turned his coat and helped in the destruction of Count Siniava. In return, he requires the Duke and other allies to assist in his effort to become the Duke of Immer. Unfortunately, the Duke's forces are used to drive the citizens of each town into the city square, where Alured captures, tortures and kills those whom he accuses as Siniava's agents.
The Duke releases Paks from his service, with rights of return, so she can try to seek further military skills. She also carries a message from Aliam Halveric to his wife. She works as a caravan guard to the Silver Pass and then accompanies Mancenion, a mage with elven blood, through the pass toward Ladyforest.
Mancenion irritates Paks with his superiors ways and his tendency to withhold information. Mancenion does discover that her Dwarfwatch honors ring has magical influence over animals. Later, he uses her power over this ring to hold a snow cat helpless while he kills it. Paks has tried to talk him out of hurting the cat, but is told that either she or the cat must die. Later he mentions that she should have thought of making the cat run away if she objected so strongly to the killing. Paks is very upset over that unfair comment; he should have told her before the cat was killed.
On the other side of the pass, Mancenion points out the ruins of an Elven city and suggests that they explore it. He has heard about the place from his elders and knows that there is still treasure somewhere inside. Sleeping among the ruins, both Paks and Mancenion have the same dream. Someone or something has been captured by an evil being and needs rescue.
In the underground passages of the Elven city, Paks and Mancenion hear someone coming toward them and Paks pulls Mancenion into a nearby room. When three Orcs pass by their room, Mancenion rushes out and attacks them. Of course, Paks also attacks the Orcs to rescue Mancenion. Then other Orcs appear.
Paks and Mancenion kill all the Orcs, for none will flee from the intruders. Searching further, they reach a large chamber. Paks checks for guards inside the door and then enters the room, but Mancenion remains outside. Within the chamber are motionless figures against the wall and a full-blooded high ranking Elf, who has been possessed by an evil spirit. He subtly bespells Paks and holds her helpless.
When Mancenion finally enters the chamber, the Elf turns his attentions to him. During the ensuing battle, Paks regains her senses and attacks the Elf. Although the Elf is an excellent swordsman, Paks manages to overcome him, but cannot kill the possessing spirit. After some study, Mancenion finds a spell that destroys the body and drives away the possessing spirit. Then the Orcs attack once more and Mancenion is killed.
This story tells of the various trials and tribulations, not to mention the joys, of Paks in her relationships with friends, enemies and Saint Gird. She gains her dreams only to lose them. Her greatest flaw is her unquestioning trust of those she views as her superiors. For Paks obeys orders and absorbs everything shown to her, but decisions about new things are difficult; yet Gird wants her to start thinking for herself.
Highly recommended for Moon fans and for anyone who enjoys tales of military training and combat, personal trials, and perseverance.
-Arthur W. Jordin
Much Better Than Book 1.......2006-08-24
Liked this book much better than book one. In book one, our hero Paks marched, camped, fought, marched, camped, fought...etc. In this book, Paks actually gets into a few scrapes that the author doesn't fix. Not everything is going right for our warrior which is refreshing and the supporting charactors are not killed off after each chapter so you can actually start to see some relationships building. After book one, I seriously doubted that I'd enjoy book two, but now I will march on to book three. Only 3 stars as I had hoped that the author would explain more of the terms used to describe the elder races and all of the gods in Paks world. Great cliff hanging ending!
Average customer rating:
- Great!
- The Pledge of Allegiance by Scholastic Inc
- Helpful book!
- The Pledge of Allegiance
- A picture book with great photos and interesting historical
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Pledge Of Allegiance 2001
Scholastic Inc.
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ASIN: 0439399629 |
Book Description
The text of the Pledge of Allegiance is illustrated with stunning photographs of American landscapes, monuments, and flags. The meaning of the pledge, its history, and information about the flag are included.
Customer Reviews:
Great!.......2004-03-01
This bright and colorful book is a great way to introduce your young American reader to the Pledge of Allegiance. The clauses of the Pledge are presented one to each two pages - printed large and accompanied by several large and highly entertaining pictures that accompany the thought behind the words. Great!
After the Pledge, there are pages explaining it line-by-line, and then some great information on the American flag. This is a very nice book, one that you will be proud to share with your young reader. My family highly recommends it to yours!
The Pledge of Allegiance by Scholastic Inc.......2004-02-07
Very well-written book. It could use more historical information about the topic addressed. For example, the early Pledge of Allegiance was the origin of the stiff-arm salute. The Pledge was written (1892) by Francis Bellamy, cousin to an infamous author of the time, Edward Bellamy, and they were both self-proclaimed socialists in the Nationalism movement and promoted military socialism. They wanted government to take over all schools and impose robotic chanting to flags. The Pledge was the origin of the salute of the National Socialist German Workers Party. American socialists (Edward Bellamy teamed with the Theosophical Society) also bear some blame for German socialism's notorious flag symbol, which evolved into overlapping S-letters for socialism under the National Socialist German Workers Party. The Pledge's early salute was not an ancient Roman salute, and the 'ancient Roman salute' myth came from the Pledge Of Allegiance. It is amazing that books don't examine the issue of whether the pledge should be dropped entirely, especially for young children in government schools. The socialist dogma led to the socialist Wholecost: 60 million dead under the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; 50 million under the Peoples' Republic of China; 20 million under the National Socialist German Workers Party. It might be the most tragic part of world history.
Helpful book!.......2002-01-03
My students are immigrants or children of immigrants learning English. They have to say the pledge every day but may get the words wrong and certainly don't comprehend it. This book takes out some of the guess work and helps them understand what is going on and what people are saying. It brings them comfort and relief.
The Pledge of Allegiance.......2001-12-21
This book is beautifully illustrated with photographs that are sure to spark discussion. The text (the Pledge of Allegiance) is broken into meaningful phrases that make the reader reflect on the words that we sometimes rush through or take for granted. I highly recommend purchasing the big book version for lower grade classroom use. A gem!
A picture book with great photos and interesting historical.......2001-12-06
This picture book has very colorful photos of our country and our fellow citizens. The pages are spread by the breaks in text that we know from reciting the pledge orally at school. Children are from different races. Scenes from all over America and even an astronaut on the moon holding the American flag are depicted.
In the back there are small photos that were depicted in the book with explanations about where they are and other factual information to explain the contents of the photographs. The entire pledge is rewritten in the back pages and an explanation of who wrote it, why, and when. The meaning of why we recite the pledge is given. Facts about the American flag's changes over the years and facts about the proper way to display a flag, and on what days, are included.
A beautiful book with great information that every child should be exposed to.
Average customer rating:
- It already has 50 stars
- I Pledge Allegiance by Bill Martin Jr
- Noble try.
- What Our Pledge Really Means.....
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I Pledge Allegiance
Bill Jr Martin , and
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ASIN: 0763625272
Release Date: 2004-06-03 |
Amazon.com
Whether kids want to recite the Pledge of Allegiance or respectfully decline, this straightforward and playfully illustrated guide clears up what the pledge really means--word by word, and line by line.
Two pledge-loving literacy experts (Michael Sampson and Bill Martin, Jr.) and one polite pledge-abstainer (Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator Chris Raschka) have come together to explicate America's time-honored oath in plain, kid-friendly language: "I pledge (A pledge is a promise) allegiance to (Allegiance is loyalty) the flag (A flag is a symbol that stands for a place, a thing, or an idea. Making a promise to a flag usually means the same thing as making a promise to whatever the flag stands for.)." Sampson and Martin's annotations adequately convey the essential meaning behind the words, although understandably less so in the thornier sections: "under God (Many people believe that a democracy is a reflection of how God thinks--every single person is important.)"
I Pledge Allegiance also covers some of the history behind the pledge and the flag, but what kids will probably remember best--aside from the pledge itself--is Raschka's clever, winning collage work, which somehow manages to sum up ideas like liberty, justice, and God with a few quick strokes and scraps. (An 18-by-24-inch flag poster is included with the book.) (Ages 4 to 8) --Paul Hughes
Book Description
"Finally, here's a picture book that helps young children move beyond rote recitation of the Pledge to find meaning in its language. This is the book parents and teachers have been waiting for." — BOOKLIST (starred review)
"I led a pigeon to the flag" . . . "and to the wee puppet" . . . "one
nation, and a vegetable" . . . What was that again? Children in the United States have been reciting the Pledge of Allegiance since 1892 — and for about that long, they've found its big words confusing. Now, beloved children's book author Bill Martin Jr (BROWN BEAR, BROWN BEAR, WHAT DO YOU SEE?), fellow literacy expert Michael Sampson, and Caldecott Honor-winning artist Chris Raschka give America's children a hand, and explain this patriotic poem once and for all. A new paperback edition offers notes and suggested activities to help parents and teachers make this book even more interesting to and fun for children.
Customer Reviews:
It already has 50 stars.......2005-04-12
I think this is a nice book to teach a child the pledge of allegiance and to explain to them what the pledge means. This book breaks down the meaning of each word and explains them in a way that children can understand. It gives the history of the pledge, a little about the flag, what to do while saying the pledge and touches on what this great country is all about. From other reviews I have read, it appears that Francis Bellamy, who authored the pledge, did not include the line "...under God". Nonetheless, it was included in this book and is the version of the pledge that I recited every morning during my school years...and it is the version I will teach my daughter.
I Pledge Allegiance by Bill Martin Jr.......2004-02-07
Very well-written book. It could use more historical information about the topic addressed. For example, the early Pledge of Allegiance was the origin of the stiff-arm salute. The Pledge was written (1892) by Francis Bellamy, cousin to an infamous author of the time, Edward Bellamy, and they were both self-proclaimed socialists in the Nationalism movement and promoted military socialism. They wanted government to take over all schools and impose robotic chanting to flags. The Pledge was the origin of the salute of the National Socialist German Workers Party. American socialists (Edward Bellamy teamed with the Theosophical Society) also bear some blame for German socialism's notorious flag symbol, which evolved into overlapping S-letters for socialism under the National Socialist German Workers Party. The Pledge's early salute was not an ancient Roman salute, and the 'ancient Roman salute' myth came from the Pledge Of Allegiance. It is amazing that books don't examine the issue of whether the pledge should be dropped entirely, especially for young children in government schools. The socialist dogma led to the socialist Wholecost: 60 million dead under the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; 50 million under the Peoples' Republic of China; 20 million under the National Socialist German Workers Party. It might be the most tragic part of world history.
Noble try........2003-01-12
The goal--nicely attempted--of breaking down each line of this too-difficult-for-the-kids-who-have-to-say-it speech falls short.
While they explain the large words in kid-friendly phrases and credit Francis Bellamy, they make the significant omission of the fact that Bellamy DID NOT write the phrase "under God," and that it was added without his permission. The text says, "Many people believe that a democracyis a reflection of how God thinks..." without mentioning that the pledge, in its current form, misquotes its author.
A book that is designed to clear things up should be more accurate. Nonetheless, the illustrations are eye-catching and the language accessible to kids. It's a good idea to give them a better understanding than their often-quoted, "I led the pigeons to the flag..."
What Our Pledge Really Means............2002-10-05
Every morning millions of children stand and face the flag, place their hands over their hearts, and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. But what do these 31 words really mean? Bill Martin Jr. and Michael Sampson have taken the pledge apart, and explained each word (pledge: A pledge is a promise), or phrase (one nation: Our states and territories have bonded together to form one nation. One nation means one country), in simple, kid-friendly language. Add to that some history, fun facts, witty asides, and the clever artwork of award winning illustrator, Chris Raschka, and you have the makings of an engaging, entertaining, and informative book. Perfect for youngsters 6 and older, I Pledge Allegiance is a creative and straightforward look at the meaning behind America's most often recited words, and works well with Syl Sobel's Our Pledge Of Allegiance.
Amazon.com
In this "meditation on law, religion, and morality," originally delivered as part of Harvard's annual Massey Lectures series, which has attracted speakers from Richard Rorty to Toni Morrison, Stephen L. Carter dwells on themes from his larger books, including The Culture of Disbelief, with particular attention to allegiance (and its opposite, disallegiance) to religion and state.
Working from the text of the Declaration of Independence, Carter proposes that the true measure of a democracy can be found in its treatment of those citizens who dissent with its stated values. This has been especially important in the consideration of those who disagree with the local or federal government on moral grounds rooted in religious belief; in this century alone, that has been a factor in issues ranging from pacifist activism against World War I, the nonviolent civil rights movement of the 1960s, and the continuing debate over abortion rights. It is also relevant today with regard to such issues as the provision of government funds for private (usually religious) schools. Carter reminds us that the purpose of democracy is not to impose one set of values on a diverse citizenry, but to create a space for dialogue among people of varying value systems, each of which is accorded respect and dignity.
Book Description
Between loyalty and disobedience; between recognition of the law's authority and realization that the law is not always right: In America, this conflict is historic, with results as glorious as the mass protests of the civil rights movement and as inglorious as the armed violence of the militia movement. In an impassioned defense of dissent, Stephen L. Carter argues for the dialogue that negotiates this conflict and keeps democracy alive. His book portrays an America dying from a refusal to engage in such a dialogue, a polity where everybody speaks, but nobody listens.
The Dissent of the Governedis an eloquent diagnosis of what ails the American body politic--the unwillingness of people in power to hear disagreement unless forced to--and a prescription for a new process of response. Carter examines the divided American political character on dissent, with special reference to religion, identifying it in unexpected places, with an eye toward amending it before it destroys our democracy.
At the heart of this work is a rereading of the Declaration of Independence that puts dissent, not consent, at the center of the question of the legitimacy of democratic government. Carter warns that our liberal constitutional ethos--the tendency to assume that the nation must everywhere be morally the same--pressures citizens to be other than themselves when being themselves would lead to disobedience. This tendency, he argues, is particularly hard on religious citizens, whose notion of community may be quite different from that of the sovereign majority of citizens. His book makes a powerful case for the autonomy of communities--especially but not exclusively religious--into which democratic citizens organize themselves as a condition for dissent, dialogue, and independence. With reference to a number of cases, Carter shows how disobedience is sometimes necessary to the heartbeat of our democracy--and how the distinction between challenging accepted norms and challenging the sovereign itself, a distinction crucial to the Declaration of Independence, must be kept alive if Americans are to progress and prosper as a nation.
Customer Reviews:
Three Meditations on Law, Religion and Loyalty.......2003-11-07
This erudite writer is one of my favorites. Having enjoyed his previous writings, this one is no exception.
He argues a salient point that the Declaration of Independence might certainly be more about government by the dissent rather than by consent. In this regard, he cites the section of the Declaration which speaks of repeated replies to dissent by continued injuries and disinterest.
He then relates this thesis through the three lenses of: Allegiance, Disobedience, Interpretation.
Making good points along the way, he concludes: If instead we celebrate, always, results over people, bureaucracy over democracy, and centralization over community, then, we are saying after all that we have no interest in the "repeated Petitions" of which the Declaration speaks, that we will, as our revolutionary forebears charged against George III, meet the petitions only with ""repeated injury." If that is what constitutionalism has wrought, it is but one more sign that our celebration of the Declaration of Independence--indeed, our claim to democracy itself--is a sham."
Only wish is that his theology in places were more Biblical, i.e. that he saw the import of Romans 13 and the true Soverign's role in placing authorities, followed by understanding the two kingdom's functioning.
Account for Diversity.......2002-01-04
I did not find the book helpful with providing clarity on very difficult issues about the relationship between church and state in regard to religion.
In particular, Carter focuses on prayer in schools as being hindered by government. In regard to religion in schools, Mr. Carter argues that the interests of the state, as interpreted by the Constitution, should not undermine the interests of religious organizations.
Carter discusses school prayer as ýa different way of life...that...is denied by an uncaring authority.ý This statement shows a disregard for the fact that government must be careful to not favor one religion over another. The First Amendment of the Constitution forbids laws ýrespecting an establishment of religioný as well as ýprohibiting the free exercise thereof.ý As the population in the U.S. becomes more diverse, there are many schools where it would be necessary for the leader of a prayer to probe the beliefs of the students.
When referring to religion, Carter mostly refers to groups whose beliefs are derived from the Judea-Christian tradition: Evangelists, Roman Catholics, Christian Coalition, Southern Baptists. There is no mention of religions whose beliefs are based on non-Christian theology. Many people in the U.S. subscribe to a belief system not derived from the Judea-Christian tradition. Carterýs emphasis on Christianity makes many of his arguments flawed, and his failure to mention other faiths indicates a lack of appreciation for the complexity of government involvement with religion.
What is to happen to students who are atheist, agnostic, or of a different faith from the majority? Will they have to sit mute through prayer sessions? Or, will they be asked to leave the room? In either situation, if the students who choose not to worship are in the minority, there exists a high probability of harassment. The intent of the Second Amendment that prohibits state support of religion is to avoid this inevitable result of prayer in schools.
Ironically, in support of his argument for school prayer, Mr. Carter cited one such instance where violence erupted. It involved Bible readings in the Philadelphia school system in 1844. In those Bible readings, according to Mr. Carter, Catholic children were required to use Protestant Bibles. This situation was the catalyst of Protestants rioting and ýburning houses and churches and killing a number of people.ý
In consideration of the foregoing, I found Mr. Carterýs argument regarding the oppression of religion in the United States to be fallacious and flawed.
GRASPING THE OBVIOUS.......2001-10-17
The Dissent of the Governed edits and expands three lectures which Carter presented at Harvard University in 1995. They found print in 1998, though the book came into general sales only last year. Having followed Carter since The Culture of Disbelief, appreciating him, arguing with him, sometimes disagreeing with him, I opened Dissent with expectation and some trepidation. Would ideas dating from six years ago speak to the America of the twenty-first century? The answer is yes.
Carter takes his title from the line in the Declaration of Independence which declares that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. Carter argues, persuasively I believe, that a test of whether or not a government is authentic and just is how it handles the dissent of its citizens. The verdict for the United States is mostly negative. The "liberal project" of the twentieth century, symbolized by the New Deal and the Great Society, and given additional energy by the Civil Rights Movement, assumed that a legitimate role of government is to enforce a common set of values in the nation. The preferred method of enforcement is through societal structures, such as the school and the house of worship. Failing that, the government is justified in using law to enforce that common set of values. Carter argues that the project might have derailed, were it not for the Second Civil War (his name for the Civil Rights Movement), which relied on the courts for legitimation. Thus the judiciary became politicized. I read Dissent immediately after the Supreme Court intervened in the 2000 election, and I was amazed at Carter's prescience. That intervention, impossible to conceive were the judiciary truly independent of politics, could indeed have been predicted by the track record of the courts. The Right is correct: The courts do indeed make law. The courts are indeed political entities, part of what Carter calls the Sovereign, or ruling power in the land. The courts have become dangerous, though, precisely because they DENY the very role which they obviously play in the life of the nation.
With an argument like this, Carter could play into the hands of the most Right of those on the Right, those who advocate not only resistance to the Sovereign but active efforts to overcome that Sovereign. Carter avoids the trap. Instead, he focuses on the power of what he calls "communities of meaning" both to preserve themselves against the power of the Sovereign and to redeem the life of the nation. Carter means religious communities, all the way from the Jewish town of Kiryas Joel to religion-based schools in otherwise secular municipalities. Active dissent to the power of the Sovereign is the responsibility of such communities of meaning because it is the right of parents to provide for the transmission of their values to their children. Such provision includes dissent from a public education system which not only excludes religious expression but is often actively hostile toward that expression. With decisions like that upholding the right of the state to proscribe the use of peyote in religious rituals, the judiciary has made public policy regarding matters that belong in the hands of communities of meaning. In an age when the weight of history moves America toward diversity, the judiciary assumes a unanimity that can never exist, and probably should not exist.
As a Christian pastor in a mainline denomination, Dissent caused me to rethink my attitudes about those institutions that usually call themselves "Christian schools." Having served for nine years in an Indiana town dominated by a conservative denomination, miniscule outside its headquarters town, I had grown weary of the almost "in-your-face" attitude of folks associated with such schools. In a new town, where the Christian school is small and sometimes struggles, I realize that I was experiencing what Christian school supporters feel almost everywhere: Active disdain, and sometimes outright hostility, from the established sovereign. Having returned from a Holy Land trip more convinced than ever of the legitimacy of Christian claims to primacy among the world's religions, I now care whether or not it is "safe" for believers to speak of the things of faith. Naturally, those who believe differently must be protected from a tyranny of either the majority or the minority. Right now, no one is protected, and no one benefits, save the Sovereign. My wife just began teaching part time at our local Christian school. I thought and spoke of Carter's book often as I visited with folks at a recent open house. Read him. Think. Inspiring thought is what Stephen Carter does best, and he thinks about things that need thinking about.
Book Description
"Rebels from West Point" tells the story of the 306 officers who, after receiving a West Point education and swearing to uphold the values of the Union, defected to serve the Confederacy. The author examines this fascinating group of officers, describing the heart-wrenching choice they made and how, even after they "went South," they remained connected to the brotherhood of their former West Point cadets. Among the more famous personalities included in this group are Gen. Robert E. Lee, Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, Gen. J. E. B. Stuart, Gen. A. P. Hill, Gen. James Longstreet, and Gen. John B. Hood.
Customer Reviews:
Small volume without much detail.......2007-07-30
Apparently the author spent as much time thinking up a catchy title as writing the book which is very narrow and provides only tiny summaries of many of the commanders. It holds some interest as a reference.
Nice addition to any Civil War library.......2006-06-02
Any Civil War buff would want to add this book to their collection. Patterson mainly follows the West Point grads who served with Lee in the Army of Northern Virginia. In doing so, that kind of makes the title misleading since this only covers less than half of the 306. At any rate, though, the book is valuable in discussing the rifts that grew up between the West Point grads and the non-professinal soldiers. Further, it discusses how pre-war friendships and animosities carried over into the war years. Possibly the most interesting chapter, though, is the final chapter about the fighting amongst each other that occurred, espeically over the Gettysburg Campaign, and how non-professional soldiers actually fared better socially and economically after the war than the West Pointers. Another interesting facet of the final chapter is how some non-professional soldiers blamed the West Pointers for the Confederacy's loss, saying that the professional soldiers were too interested in their image and not the cause. Most Civil War buffs probably won't learn a whole lot of new stuff because of the book being so short, but a fast paced, interesting, well written read just the same.
Politics, war and friendships.......2003-08-16
In Rebels from West Point, Gerard A. Patterson has compiled information on some of the more intersting figures, as well as careers, in the War Between the States. Some mention has been made in larger works, including the movie Gettysburg, about the relationships between men from both sides of the conflict, but this work covers them all, albeit in small bits sometimes.
In this work, however, the conflict between West Pointers and non-professional officers is more clearly covered. From the beginning, the "newcomers" felt looked down upon by their more rigorously trained compatriots. Here, we find this attitude contributing to one of the least known aspects of the war: the professional competition among officers in both armies, and in all grades. Sometimes these attitudes took precedence over conducting the war in a professional manner.
There is also some coverage of the conflicts that rose up after the war -- and particularly after the death of R.E. Lee -- over who was to blame for losing the war. James Longstreet was particularly vilified over his conduct at Gettysburg and later over his friendship with U.S. Grant and membership in the Republican Party. Such things provided fuel for men who were still trying to promote themselves, sometimes beyond their capabilities.
This book is a nice addition to any collection on the Civil War and would be particularly complementary to the biographies and autobiographies which are available in abundance.
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