The Pastry Queen: Royally Good Recipes from the Texas Hill Country's Rather Sweet Bakery & Cafe

Average customer rating:

FRIENDLY WARNING!!!!

This is a nice cookbook with beautiful photographs

Calling All Dessert Cookbook Collectors

The Pastry Queen

"a mighty fine book, lil' lady!!"

The Pastry Queen: Royally Good Recipes from the Texas Hill Country's Rather Sweet Bakery & Cafe
Rebecca Rather , and Alison Oresman
Manufacturer: Ten Speed Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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The Pastry Queen Christmas: Big-hearted Holiday Entertaining, Texas Style

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ASIN: 1580085628

Book Description

Texas accent and all-American flavor, even pitching in to help her put a fresh coat of paint on the porch of her Main Street shop. Rather takes the best of the Lone Star State—pecans, peaches, pralines, chiles, dulce de leche, German sausage—and turns out treats that taste like home, only better than anything homemade ever tasted before. There are the Bacon-Cheddar Scones, the Texas High Hairs Tarts (the only big hair Rather has ever had!), Fourth-of-July's Fried Pies, Turbo-Charged Brownies with Praline Topping, pillowy Kolaches (yeasted buns with savory fillings), dulce de leche, German sausage—and turns out treats that taste like home, only better than anything homemade ever tasted before. Self-taught, Rather's 150 utterly original recipes reflect her made-with-love-from-scratch philosophy and are guaranteed to get everyone fixin' to bake.

Customer Reviews:

FRIENDLY WARNING!!!!.......2007-09-01

Please don't mistake this book for another one of those cute, novelty regional cookbooks and miss out on a true gem to add to your collection. The recipes are simply AWESOME and it's not the same ol' stuff you find in every other baking cookbook. This one strikes a perfect balance...ALL of the recipes are unique enough to peak your interest yet familiar enough to try. You will reach for this book time and time again. A cookbook well done! I love it!!!

This is a nice cookbook with beautiful photographs.......2007-08-29

I just received this book last weekend. I have paged through it several times to decide which recipe to try first. Some of the recipes are unique, some are pure Texas homecooking, but they all sound delicious. The photographs are beautiful. The book contains mostly dessert recipes, but also entrees, drinks, etc. I recommend it to anyone who wants to try a new dessert or add a new book to their collection.

Calling All Dessert Cookbook Collectors.......2007-08-23

I read about Rebecca's bakery and cookbook in a magazine article. I looked it up the cookbook on Amazon so I could read the reviews and decided to order it. I'm so glad I did because I LOVE this cookbook. I've only made the Tropical Carrot Cake so far and it was delicious. Everyone that tasted it at my church raved about it. I look forward to trying the other recipes too. Besides desserts, there a section on lunches and light dinners too. Most of the recipes sound simple, but are very unique. You won't find these recipes in other cookbooks (i.e. Creme Brulee French Toast, Dulce de Leche Macaroons, Peanut Buttercups with Peanut-Penuche Icing, Almond Bliss German Chocolate Cake). Also, another good thing, a lot of these recipes have been tried and proven great with her bakery/cafe customers. The book itself is a beautiful book. The pages are glossy and the color pictures are beautiful. I love looking through the book even if I'm not planning on cooking.

The Pastry Queen.......2007-06-27

The Pastry Queen cookbook has delicious desserts. The Tuxedo cake is our favorite. The recipes are easy to follow, and have great ingredients. I have recommended this book to all my friends. I hope the author will put out another book soon.

"a mighty fine book, lil' lady!!".......2007-06-23

Yahoo!! A Texas-size book with Texas-size desserts, all on account of one powerhouse lady. Reading her story in the Introduction of the book was as sweet as the recipes that she shares with you. A surprise and humble beginning in the baking world turned into a top rate career for Ms. Rather, and you feel the joy along with her, as you delve further into the sweet-laden pages.

You begin to think that you could just pick up and move on over to Fredericks, Texas and feel like you've been there all along. The casual and comfortable style of writing of both Rebecca Rather, and writer, Alison Oresman, as well as the incredibly delicious recipes, make you want to get started on any page in this heavy, welcoming, and beautifully photographed cookbook. At the same time, Ms. Rather encourages you to play with and modify anything that would suit your tastebuds. There is nothing pretentious or difficult to accomplish in her directions; she pretty much makes you feel at ease, and more importantly, that she is next to you, sharing her knowledge.

There are 8 sections in this tome of Southern baking and each chapter introduction has a little insight as to how everything was chosen for the section:

BREAKFAST EATS, MUFFINS, and SCONES:
Jailhouse Potato-Cinnamon Rolls (great little story to these)
Fresh Ginger-Pear Quick Bread
Eddie's Autumn Pumpkin Bread w/ Pecan Streusel Topping
Jonnie's Breakfast Granola
Kolaches
Mother's Day Pancakes (and her mom seemed to be a great lady too)
Individual Baked Omelets
Creme Brulee French Toast
Banana Bran Muffins
Peach Jam Scones
Chocolate Chip Scones
Apple-Smoked Bacon and Cheddar Scones
Essence of Orange Muffins
Whole Lemon Muffins

PIES and TARTS:
Texas Big Hairs Lemon-Lime Meringue Tarts (the name and recipe is great!)
Texas Big Hairs Chocolate-Hazelnut Meringue Tarts
Bourbon Pumpkin Tart with Struesel Topping
Fredericksburg Peach Cream Cheese tart
Frangelico-Hazelnut Fruit Tart
Black and White Cranberry Tarts
Buttermilk Pecan Pie
Fourth of July Fried Pies
Aunt Mollie's Coconut Cream Pie
Chef M:ark's Southern Comfort Apple Pie
Silken Chocolate-Walnut Tart
Grasshopper Pie

EVERYDAY DESSERTS and CANDIES:
Emergency Fruit Crostatas
Petite Pavlovas with Lemon Cream and Fresh Fruit
Hill Country Peach Cobbler
Individual Pear-Maple Cobblers
Mexican Chocolate Fudge-Pecan Cake
Mahogony Cake
Orange-Date Bundt Cake
Totally Rummy Pound Cake
Glazed Lemon-Cranberry Leaf Cake
Oatmeal Crisps
Cappuccino Cheesecakes
Mrs. Chisholm's Divinity
Coconut Cream Flan
Texas Pralines

DESSERTS for SPECIAL OCCASIONS and HOLIDAYS:
American Beauty Cake
Tuxedo Cake
Larger-Than-Life Praline Cheesecake
Bananas Foster Shortcakes
Strawberry Ricotta Cake
Peach Queen Cake with Dulce de Leche Buttercream Frosting
Cream-Filled Pumpkin Roll
Mini Apple-Cinnamon Loaves with Calvados Glaze
Espresso Creme Burlee
Toffee Bar Brownie Torte
Tiramisu with Homemade Ladyfingers
Dulce de Leche-Arborio Rice Pudding
Muchas Leches Cake with Sugared Almonds
Almond Bliss German Chocolate Cake
7th Heaven Chocolate Truffle Cake
White Chocolate-Snickers Mousse
White on White Buttermilk Cake w/ Jack Daniel's Buttercream
Tropical Carrot Cake with Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting

COOKIES, BROWNIES, and BARS
My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies
Triple Threat Chocolate Chip Cookies
Sugar Saucers
Chock Full of Nuts Cookies
Cafe Chocoalte Cherry Bites
Caramel Filled Brownies
Turbo Charged Brownies with Praline Topping
Double Ginger Chews
Ruby Flecked Florentines
Dulce de Leche Macaroons
Snow Tipped Sand Tarts
Texas Pecan Pie Bars
Blackberry Pie Bars
Lemon Champagne Bars with Strawberry Brulee Topping
Bunches of Biscotti

LUNCHES and LIGHT DINNERS:
Beer Bread
Rocket Rolls
Nuevo Texas Waldorf Salad
Rather Rich Corn Muffins
Apple Almond Chicken Salad with Homemade Mayonnaise
Field Greens w/ Spiced Beans, Goat Cheese, and Balsamic Vinaigrette
Chicken Satay with Yogurt Cucumber Dipping Sauce
Caesar Salad Pizzas
Wild Rice and Chickpea Salad
Wild Mushroom Soup
Curried Butternut Squash Soup
Texas Tortilla Soup
Gulf Coast Shrimp Quesadillas
Brie and Brisket Quesadillas
Rather Sweet Bread and Cheese Board
Green Chile Crab Caes with Tomatillo Slasa
All Sold Out Chicken Pot Pie
Prosciutto Tostadas with Shrimp and parsley
King Ranch Casserole
Ground Beef Gorditas
Savory Crab and Shrimp Cheesecake

TREATS KIDS LOVE:
Sticky Fingers Bars
Ginger People
Franny's Fave Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie with Hot Fudge Sauce
Peanut Buttercups with Peanut Penuche Icing
PB&J Cookies with Honey Roasted Peanuts
Mars Pies
Pretty in Pin Shortbread Pigs
Maple Glazed Oatmeal Cookies
Jubilation Granola Chews
Pumpkin Yumkins

DRINKS:
Watermelon Lemonade
Frothy Vanilla Milk
Tommye Wood's Milk "Sure Packs a Punch" Punch
Rather Sweet Sagria
Hill Country Guanabana argarita's
No Bull Bloody Marys

INDEX

My only criticism would be in the Introduction portion, where she talks about some of the recipes. It seems that the pages she gives, in which the recipes are supposedly located, are wrong. But since those errors are only in the intro, yet correctly paged in the index, I don't know how much that might matter.

The Pastry Queen Cookbook is one of those volumes of baking and cooking that celebrates the charm and warmth of the South. They are, respectfully speaking, very simple for anyone to make, yet fancy enough to serve at even the most "proper" events. Thanks Rebecca!! Much obliged.

Average customer rating:

A Place in History
Politically Correct Equals "Boring"
A Masterful Historical Novel
Berengaria Bares All ~ or ~ I'll Navarre Go Hungry Again
This book will surprise you!

Queen Without A Country
Rachel Bard
Manufacturer: Literary Network
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0971033382

Book Description

As 25 year old Berengaria of Navarre journeys on a ship bound for Sicily, little does she know what adventures and trials lie before her. She must face an indifferent husband, a domineering mother-in-law and the turbulent political climate of twelfth-century Europe. Will she find happiness amid such tribulations?

Customer Reviews:

A Place in History.......2007-03-15

I really enjoyed this book. I was curious about someone whom I may have heard mention about, but knew nothing except that she had been Richard I's wife. I knew a lot about him so I was interested. What I like about this book, compared to so many other historical fiction novels, is the lack of rediculous, embarrasing sexual descriptions. Also, the main character is not a super-woman, but someone who seems very real and good. She was someone I could relate to as opposed to a sexual goddess type that you usually find in these sorts of books. The historical information is extremely well-researched and presented in an interesting way. The characters are well-developed and likeable.

Politically Correct Equals "Boring".......2006-12-05

I love the story of Berengaria but have had a hard time finding out about her life after Richard. Therefore, I was very happy to find this book.

Unfortunately, the author is so preoccupied with not writing about any scandal that the book just becomes boring. For example,

Richard is portrayed as a man who likes men and women equally. But for some reason, he finds it very difficult to bed his wife.

His first betrothed Alice is mentioned in passing -- no mention of her affair with his father.

There is no explanation of the animosity between Philip the King of France and Richard. Nothing about their relationship.

Not only those scandals/rumors are missing but also some of the most exciting parts of the crusade! No mention is made of Richard's massacre of the Saracens! The crusade comes off as a very boring war.

I can't comment on the second half of the book about Berengaria after Richard since I know so little about her. But, if the first half is any indication, I will need to read a different book to get an idea of what kind of woman she really was.

A Masterful Historical Novel.......2006-11-09

Richard I of England's charisma reaches out and grabs us 800 years later. He is the epitome of the chivalrous medieval knight. But Richard's behavior toward his wife, Queen Berengaria, reveals a cold, callus aspect of his personality.

From casual reading I have noticed that many accounts of Richard's life mention that he married Berengaria, daughter of King Sancho VI of Navarre on May 12, 1191 in Cyprus. However, some biographers do not mention the marriage at all! Many state that the marriage was never consummated. Aside from the marriage, Berengaria is rarely mentioned in connection with Richard.

With this meager knowledge, I was eager to read Queen Without a County. Who was this woman? Why did she have such a weird name? What became of her after her marriage?

Rachel Bard has done a masterful job with this difficult subject. Facts are scarce. But she sticks to those at her disposal. There is a love interest Bard admits may not have occurred. But she believes the little evidence available indicates that it might have happened.

Because of the lack of information, to do justice to the subject, Bard was compelled to write a novel, not a history. Using her imagination in conjunction with the facts, she creates a warm, injured, patient woman who overcomes incredible obstacles. Bard's Berengaria is not a 21st century woman wearing long dresses and strange headgear. Berengaria is woman of the Middle Ages. She has medieval interests: doing embroidery; copying manuscripts from Arabic into Latin; building a monastery. Berengaria has medieval morals (e.g., she worries about when to cover her hair) and a medieval concept of herself as a woman.

A 21st century woman would not put up with kind of abuse to which Berengaria was subjected. Berengaria patiently put up with it for years and blamed herself as much as Richard.

Most historians seem to agree that Richard was at fault for Berengaria's problems. Some believe Richard was a womanizer and that no single woman could hold his interest. Most writers, however, seem to believe that Richard was gay. He was simply not sexually interested in his beautiful wife. Because Richard was not interested in her, it seems that the rest of his world scarcely gave her a glance. Because of that, history is not interested in her. The different perspective on Richard Lionheart will intrigue those interested in this period.

Berengaria Bares All ~ or ~ I'll Navarre Go Hungry Again.......2002-12-26

The author Bard (aptly named!) has crafted an ingenious combination of historic fact and valid conjecture into a novel that tells the story of an important and practically forgotten Basque woman. Thanks to Bard's efforts, Berengaria has escaped being a figure lost in history, and has risen out of the mists of obsolescence into the light of historic fiction.

Berengaria deserves this study. Her husband, Richard the Lionhearted, is certainly well known. Yet virtually nothing is known about his wife, nor the country she came from. How many of us can say they feel well-informed about Navarre and/or the Basques? And of those of you that have raised your hand, how many of you can say you know anything about Berengaria? If your hand isn't still up, buy and read this book. Even if your hand is up, do the same.

Well done, bard Bard! What's next? I can't wait!

This book will surprise you!.......2002-12-19

I can only honestly judge a book once I've finished it. And this one is a winner. There are no unfinished storylines nor unresolved issues in this story. Bard did her research well, and managed to bring history alive. The author was apt at weaving a particularly intriguing story among a myriad of historical facts. Most important of all, the writing is clean, her words very well chosen. For me, the topper was the sense of humor in the writing.Example:"Fortunately the city looked calm. No arrows were flying over the walls." Hmmm, READ THIS BOOK YOU'LL LOVE IT!

Mary, Queen of Scots: Queen Without a Country, France, 1553 (The Royal Diaries)

Average customer rating:

Good FICTION book
Queen of Scotland, lived in France
Mary, Queen of Scots
some history about this book . . .
She is not Bloody Mary

Mary, Queen of Scots: Queen Without a Country, France, 1553 (The Royal Diaries)
Kathryn Lasky
Manufacturer: Scholastic Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0439194040

Amazon.com

Sent from her native Scotland to live in the court of her future father-in-law, King Henry II of France, young Mary, Queen of Scots, spends her time attending balls, hunting and hawking, learning Latin and fractions and music, and playing with her future husband, Francis. In Kathryn Lasky's fictionalized diary of the 11-year-old queen, readers will get a piquant taste of 16th-century life in Europe. Mary is quite aware of her role as the betrothed to France's royal family. Playing chess together one day, Francis comments to Mary, "Did it ever strike you, Mary, that we are not so much children and sons and daughters of parents as we are pieces on a gigantic chessboard called Europe? You are given to me to help checkmate England." As with the other titles in the Royal Diaries series (Elizabeth I: Red Rose of the House of Tudor, etc.), a fact-packed historical note, epilogue, paintings, and family tree provide just enough additional information to whet the appetites of readers for more about the ill-fated queen of Scotland and France. (Ages 9 to 14) --Emilie Coulter

Book Description

Mary is only nine months old when she is crowned Queen of Scotland succeeding her father King James V. Because of political conflicts, she is forced to be separated from her mother and her country from the age of five. For the benefit of forging an alliance with France, the youngster is betrothed to Francis, the son of King Henry ll of France and his wife, the vicious and jealous Queen Catherine de Medici. Mary is sent to France to live in their care until she is old enough for the marriage to take place. It is at their home, the beautiful Chateau St. Germaine, that we first meet the irresistibly charming Mary at 11 years old. Keenly intelligent, she excels academically, and shows a talent for dance, music and poetry. She's an expert horsewoman, skilled at archery and hawking.

Customer Reviews:

Good FICTION book.......2006-10-19

THis book is a good read. I've found though that many books in this series are incomplete. They fail to metion any parts of their deaths. I for one don't like this. In History Mary Queen of Scots was killed by her cousin Elizabeth I of England. I also noticed that in the last grand duchess, they again failed to show why she ended up as the last grand duchess. I enjoyed reading this book. In reality, the book isn't a history lesson and shouldn't be read as such. Finally, it is an incomplete account based on a certain author's view.

Queen of Scotland, lived in France.......2005-11-07

I'm a big fan of the Royal Diaries series and own this book, which i think is very interesting. It tells you alot about the life of Mary Queen Of Scots, where she lived, ect. I acually didn't know she had lived in France before i read this book. Historicly corrrct, interesting and fun to read; this book also mentions Elizabeth I, whom a diary in this series has also been written after. I definetly recomend this book.

Mary, Queen of Scots.......2005-10-28

Alright, here is some information about the history of this family. This is not completly about this book, but scince so many people are getting their history wrong, i chose to write a review just for that reason.

Mary is the cousin of Elizabeth I of England. Mary became Queen of Scotland before she was even 2 years old, (rather odd!) but was raised in France.

Mary was a betrayer, and did not appriciate Elizabeth's kindness at all, and was plotting against her with the Spanish. Elizabeth warned Mary but she chose not to listen. Elizabeth ordered for Mary to be executed, and so it was done on February 8, 1587. She was executed.

Mary is the great - grand daughter of Henry VII. Here are some of the people she is related to:

- King Henry VIII (Son of Henry VII, Father of Elizabeth I and Mary I, married to Anne Boleyn, her Great - Uncle)

Second Cousins , Mary I, Elizabeth I, King Edward VI , Lady Jane Grey (i think), ect.

Margaret Tudor (Daughter of Henry VII, Sister of Henry VIII, her great - aunt)
************************************************************

That is just a small percent of the history of Mary. Thank you.

some history about this book . . . .......2005-10-27

Mary, Queen of Scotts (Mary Stuart) is the Great- Grand daughter of English King Henry VII. She is the second - cousin of Elizabeth Tudor, Daughter of King Henry VIII. She was Queen of Scotland, and was exiled from Scotland for many years, and lived in England at the palaces of her Cousin, Elizabeth. Mary betrayed Elizabeth greatly, and planned to kill the Queen. She talked behind Elizabeth's back, and even though Elizabeth was kind to her, Mary acted very ignorantly towards Elizabeth! Because she planned to kill to Queen, she was ordered to be be-headed by Elizabeth. THANK YOU!

She is not Bloody Mary.......2005-10-05

The book was very intresting like all the Royal Diaries I have read so far. [...] SHE IS NOT BLOODY MARY that in fact was Elizabeth I's half sister Mary TUDOR not Mary STUART( who is the man character in this story)

chiao!

Queen & Country, Vol. 7: Operation Saddlebag

Average customer rating:

Another Q&C success!

Queen & Country, Vol. 7: Operation Saddlebag
Greg Rucka , and Mike Norton
Manufacturer: Oni Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1932664149

Book Description

Still recovering from the death of her co-worker and lover, Tara Chace is granted a brief reprieve from London's rain and MI6's bureaucracy. This emotionally charged vacation takes Chace to the slopes of Switzerland for a visit with old friends and family. But being an agent for Her Majesty's Secret Intelligence Service leaves little time for rest. A junior minister with close ties to the Prime Minister appears to be selling state secrets to the Russians, and the Minders are assigned to quietly investigate. Tara is forced to walk a tight rope between the violent dangers inherent in the field of espionage and the discretion inherent in the bureaucracy of the government, all the while assuming the new position of Minder One and field-testing a new agent. Operation: Saltlick takes the Special Section from the safety and comfort of Great Britain to the St. Petersburg underworld.

Customer Reviews:

Another Q&C success!.......2005-05-15

Could this simply be the finest work in the Q&C ouevre? The drama is tight, the action is hot, you want to beat the crap out of the wanker "C", and you want to fall in love with Tara Chace (forget that she's just ink on paper). The vulnerability of the female character is exceptionally rendered visually and intellectually. The prologue should help explain some of Chace's behavior as she encounters her overbearing, sexually loose mother. It doesn't completely, and at first I found it off-putting this was included in the overall arc, but the full story overcame this small shortfall. Rucka continues to portray Chace's female character with sensitivity that most secret agents do not get as they are, usually, beyond pain, grief, and failure. Could a male character fill Chace's boots? I don't care and hope Rucka never attempts to find out.

Guenevere, Queen of the Summer Country (Guenevere Novels)

Average customer rating:

Enjoyed the book immensely
Not worth reading
A Great Read
Incredible read
Not your mother's King Arthur

Guenevere, Queen of the Summer Country (Guenevere Novels)
Rosalind Miles
Manufacturer: Three Rivers Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0609806505
Release Date: 2000-07-11

Amazon.com

This is the first part of a trilogy chronicling the life of Queen Guenevere. Beginning with the young King Arthur who is preparing for the war that will unite Britain, the book recounts the marriage of Guenevere and Arthur, the growth of Arthur's court, and Guenevere's adulterous affair with Lancelot.

Although told mainly from Guenevere's point of view, this is a truly epic narrative, encompassing pageantry, political intrigue, war, and the conflict between the old pagan religion and Christianity. At times earthy, sensual, and violent, it is a powerful romantic drama firmly rooted in historical Britain, a modern yet traditional retelling of the stories given definitive form in the first four books of Thomas Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur.

The characters are grippingly evoked as realistic, living, and breathing human beings rather than simple archetypes, yet the writing is effortlessly lyrical, with the elegant flow of folktale. In emotional depth, Guenevere is comparable to Parke Godwin's fine Arthurian romance, Firelord.

This title is Rosalind Miles's 17th book. She is the author of the highly praised I, Elizabeth and The Women's History of the World. In 1990, she won the Network Award for outstanding achievement in the field of writing, and the same year she was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. --Gary S. Dalkin, Amazon.co.uk

Book Description

Last in a line of proud queens elected to rule the fertile lands of the West, true owner of the legendary Round Table, guardian of the Great Goddess herself . . . a woman whose story has never been told -- until now.

Raised in the tranquil beauty of the Summer Country, Princess Guenevere has led a charmed and contented life -- until the sudden, violent death of her mother, Queen Maire, leaves the Summer Country teetering on the brink of anarchy. Only the miraculous arrival of Arthur, heir to the Pendragon dynasty, allows Guenevere to claim her mother's throne. Smitten by the bold, sensuous princess, Arthur offers to marry her and unite their territories, allowing her to continue to reign in her own right. Their love match creates the largest and most powerful kingdom in the Isles. Yet even the glories of Camelot are not safe from the shadows of evil and revenge. Arthur is reunited with his long-lost half-sisters, Morgause and Morgan, princesses torn from their mother and their ancestral right by Arthur's father, the brutal and unscrupulous King Uther. Both daughters will avenge their suffering, but it is Morgan who strikes the deadliest blows, using her enchantments to destroy all Guenevere holds dear and to force Arthur to betray his Queen.

In the chaos that follows, Arthur dispatches a new knight to Guenevere, the young French prince Lancelot, never knowing that Lancelot's passion for the Queen, and hers for him, may be the love that spells ruin for Camelot.

Customer Reviews:

Enjoyed the book immensely.......2007-09-13

I enjoy historical fiction. I also enjoy different takes on the same stories one has always heard - Gregory Maguire's books are a good example. This book provides a different look at the traditional King Arthur story. While not quite the Mists of Avalon, what I enjoyed was the way the trilogy was written. Three different books looking at three different parts of the story was far more preferable than one really long book (Mists of Avalon). I would recommend the book to anyone looking for a strong heroine, historical fiction or just a different take on the story of King Arthur.

Not worth reading.......2007-02-26

I'd been wanting to read this book for a while. Finally picked it up yesterday, made it through almost 200 pages on the plane, and gave up. Maybe I've just been spoiled by The Mists of Avalon, which is one of the best books of fantasy I've ever read. Or maybe I was too fresh off reading one of the greatest books in all literature, The Grapes of Wrath, which I'd finished just a day before starting Guenevere. I just found this book immensely difficult to get through. I can't remember the last book I read where I had to force myself to turn the page to get on with the story. Arthur comes off as a silly little lovestruck frat-boy incapable of making up his own mind, and Guenevere is a simpering, ineffectual idiot. In general, the description of their evolution of their relationship is not believable. I didn't make it far enough along in the book to be able to relate more about other main characters, but from what I've read from other reviews, it doesn't look good for their portrayals either.

The prose is also, for the most part, insufferable. I found the descriptions of the characters' actions obvious, trite, and repetitive. It was also jarring to veer between rather graphic descriptions of Merlin's lustful thoughts to Guenevere's constant, Harlequin-y "Oh Arthur! My love, love, I love you." Gag.

In short, not recommended, unless you really have nothing else better to do.

A Great Read.......2006-10-04

This book was really entertaining. I got really engrossed in the storyline and cannot wait to read the sequel. I highly recommend it.

Incredible read.......2006-06-30

This book, even though fiction, accurately protrays the history of that time. The determined spread of Christians, by any means, and the undying love between a woman and her country. Everybody focuses on Arthur and his knights, no one bothers to look into or knows Gueneveres life, other than she's an adulterer. But Ms. Miles sheds her life into a new light, and while she can be whiny, this book protrays her as Arthurs and then Lancelots strength.

Not your mother's King Arthur.......2006-06-19

If you're looking for a radically realistic take on the King Arthur legend from the woman's perspective, I highly recommend this (and any) novel by Rosalind Miles. Her research is great and the books are never dry...they never get bogged down in minutiae. It is Camelot for the Sophisticated, and the story has a realistic view of sex and love in the Middle Ages. Miles is a scholar and an artist. Add this to your canon of "hip" Medieval literature along with "Mists of Avalon" and additional books by Kalgoridis and Maxwell.

A Gentleman's Game: A Queen & Country Novel

Average customer rating:

Move over James Bond and make room for Tara Chase!!!
Vivid action scenes with subtle, well-done characterization
Excellent
A Promising New Series from Rucka
Could turn into a "favorite author"...

A Gentleman's Game: A Queen & Country Novel
Greg Rucka
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0553584928
Release Date: 2005-07-26

Book Description

Tara Chace may be the most dangerous woman alive. She can seduce you into believing she’s the woman of your dreams—or kill you with the icy efficiency of an executioner. As the new head of Special Operations for British Intelligence, she no longer has to court death in the field—she wants to.

Throw away the old rules, the old school, the old-boy network. The world of international espionage is about to learn the hard way that spying is no longer merely…
A Gentleman's Game
Greg Rucka’s electrifying thrillers have pushed the boundaries of suspense fiction to where few have dared to go. Now, in A Gentleman’s Game, one of the genre’s most fearless writers brings readers of international espionage his most
fearless heroine yet: a no-holds-barred woman who’s as lethal as an assassin’s bullet.

When an unthinkable act of terror devastates London, nothing will stop Tara Chace from hunting down those responsible. Her job is simple: stop the terrorists before they strike a second time. To succeed, she’ll do anything and everything it takes. She’ll have to kill again.

Only this time the personal stakes will be higher than ever before. For the terrorist counterstrike will require that Tara allow herself to be used as bait by the government she serves. This time she’s turning her very life into a weapon that can be used only once. But as she and her former mentor race toward destiny at a remote terrorist training camp in Saudi Arabia, Tara begins to question just who’s pulling the trigger—and who’s the real enemy. In this new kind of war, betrayal can take any form...including one’s duty to queen and country.

Based on the graphic novel series that won the coveted Eisner Award, A Gentleman’s Game is an electrifyingly realistic, headline-stealing thriller with an unforgettable protagonist—one who redefines every rule she doesn’t shatter.

Download Description

Greg Rucka's electrifying thrillers have pushed the boundaries of suspense fiction to where few have dared to go. Now, in A Gentleman's Game, one of the genre's most fearless writers brings readers of international espionage his most fearless heroine yet: a no-holds-barred woman who's as lethal as an assassin's bullet.

When an unthinkable act of terror devastates London, nothing will stop Tara Chace from hunting down those responsible. Her job is simple: stop the terrorists before they strike a second time. To succeed, she'll do anything and everything it takes. She'll have to kill again.

Only this time the personal stakes will be higher than ever before. For the terrorist counterstrike will require that Tara allow herself to be used as bait by the government she serves. This time she's turning her very life into a weapon that can be used only once. But as she and her former mentor race toward destiny at a remote terrorist training camp in Saudi Arabia, Tara begins to question just who's pulling the trigger—and who's the real enemy. In this new kind of war, betrayal can take any form…including one's duty to queen and country.

Based on the graphic novel series that won the coveted Eisner Award, A Gentleman's Game is an electrifyingly realistic, headline-stealing thriller with an unforgettable protagonist-one who redefines every rule she doesn't shatter.

Customer Reviews:

Move over James Bond and make room for Tara Chase!!!.......2007-05-25

Better known for his "Atticus Kodiak" novels, Greg Rucka has started a new series about Tara Chase, a female British Secret Service agent, known as a "Minder" in the trade world of spy craft. Chase is just as tough and sexual as James Bond, but much more realistic with flaws that show up under extreme stress, not mention backstabbing by the British bureaucrats.

The first book in this new series is A Gentleman's Game and has Tara Chase still recovering from lost of an old friend and lover. When a terrorist attack on the London underground train system results in the deaths of over three hundred people, the British government decides to strike back in retaliation at the Moslems who planned this death and destruction. Chase is sent in to Yemen to assassinate the spiritual leader (Dr. Faud) of the Moslem terrorist group who instigated the attack. Faud's meeting with one of the main terrorist leaders, plus a Saudi prince, who funds many of the terrorist attacks. Chase is also working with the Israeli Mossad as a favor and has agreed to take out the two main people, if the opportunity presents itself. The mission proves to be a success from the British point of view, but to complete it, Chase had to kill Dr. Faud and the Saudi prince when they were praying in a Moslem mosque. The outrage from Saudi Arabia is intense and turns into a political embarrassment for the British government. To appease the Saudis, the British agree to turn over Chase to them so that she can be tried and executed. Chase's boss, Paul Crocker, has a bloody fit at what his government is doing and decides to save Chase by ordering her run. This leads her to Israel and the chance to win back the favor of the British government by killing the Moslem terrorist who escaped during the first mission and by taking out a camp of eighty Moslem terrorists. Chase turns to the first person she trusts, Tom Wallace, and together they attempt to do the impossible.

Though I sometimes got confused with all the long Moslem names, A Gentleman's Game had razor-sharp suspense and crackling action that held me to the end with utter fascination. When Chase is thrown to the wolves by her own government, you feel her hurt and sense of betrayal, and then you loudly clap your hands with glee when her boss and the other agents in her department assist her in getting out of London. Tara Chase also proves to be a most interesting character that instantly demands your complete attention. She loves to drink, to have sex, and to be on the high wire of a mission. She reminded me somewhat of Adam Hall's British secret agent, Quiller. I liked her and was rooting for her throughout the book In fact, I enjoyed the novel so much that I immediately started its sequel, Private Wars, right after I finished it and read another hundred pages in just a few short hours. This is a very compelling series that is sure to bring its author, Greg Rucka, more of the fame he so richly deserves. It would also make a great movie with Kate Beckingsale as Tara Chase. For those of you who are "Atticus Kodiak" fans, prepare yourselves for the newest novel in the series, Patriot Acts, which comes out in August. All in all, a splendid read that had me wanting more!

Vivid action scenes with subtle, well-done characterization.......2007-05-17

I've read a couple of "Queen & Country" graphic novels, and I thought the art let them down. That problem's not an issue here. Rucka writes vivid action scenes and peppers the book with subtle, well-done characterization. He knows how to make pages of conversation interesting and does a great job of disguising infodumps so the reader doesn't have to suffer through encyclopedic exposition. He manages to condense the first "Queen & Country" graphic novel into just a few pages. And there are some great plot twists. In all, an excellent read.

I should mention that Rucka's written some excellent comics over the years (particularly White Out). I'll be reevaluating the "Queen & Country" series as well as checking out some of his other work soon.

Excellent.......2007-02-13

Rucka is approaching the quality of the top political/espionage thriller writers like LeCarre, Ambler and Ross Thomas with this novel, which I prefer to his follow-up novel. His view of modern politics and espionage is more realistic than anything Ian Fleming wrote, even though Fleming's writing is way better than the Bond movies (except for the most current one). While still a bit "politically correct"/ moralistic in the underlying sentiment, the novel is showing a very possible reality of modern politics and politicians with excellent knowledge of technical aspects and weaponry as well - without the author boring the reader with too many technical details about weapons.

A Promising New Series from Rucka.......2006-03-06

A Gentleman's Game is the first in what bids to be a successful series of books from Greg Rucka, already well known for his strong Atticus Kodiak series. If you haven't read those, do so soon. It is important to read them in order. Shooting at Midnight is the best of the lot, but the whole lot is pretty compelling.

Anyway, back to A Gentleman's Game. All the blurbs keep drawing parallels to the TV series Alias. A few of the prior reviewers have also noted the similarities between an attack in the book on London's mass transit system and the tragic events of the summer of 2005. It is worth noting that there is a more useful parallal between A Gentleman's Game and another book, Mark Burnell's The Rhytym Section which also features a female assassin working for an ultra-secret British intelligence outfit where the enemy is just as likely to be a co-worker as it is a terorrist.

A Gentleman's Game compares quite favorably to The Rhytym Section, which has gone on to be the foundation of a strong series for Burnell. Rucka's ancillary characters are more finely drawn and deeper nuanced. He gets much further into the psyche of the terrorists than does Burnell, both in terms of their politics and in terms of their emotions.

There is also far more serious discussion of politics and differing threads of thought and belief in modern Islam. Islam is at least as diverse as modern Christianity is, although one would seldom think so to read most of the media in the West. How ironic to encounter a thoughtful discussion of why radical Islam believes there is a "Sixth Pillar of Wisdom" and that it is jihad in a thriler novel! Even more ironic is that an author who has spent time in the comic book genre has a lot to say about Wahhabism and why the House of Saud is at least as dangerous to the West as it is friendly.

As I mentioned earlier, Burnell has made his debut novel about a female assassin into the foundation of a series which has gotten better over time and now garners strong reviews from newspapers like The Economist. Let's hope Rucka does the same with his Tara Chace character.

Could turn into a "favorite author"..........2006-01-30

A blog reader recommended an author to me that he thought I might like. It's Greg Rucka, and I decided to start out with his first Queen & Country novel, A Gentleman's Game. While it wasn't quite a "can't put it down", I do plan on checking out the next installment...

Tara Chace works as a "minder" for the British government. Basically, she's a paid assassin who is employed to "clean up" situations that require the removal of particular individuals. She's very good at what she does, and she's the head minder of the elite group of three. She's sent to the Middle East to eliminate a terrorist figure who is responsible for a series of attacks on British soil. The goal is accomplished, but another person is also taken out as collateral damage. This incidental death enrages the Saudi government, and the only way out for a number of secret spy agencies is to turn over Chace as a sacrificial lamb. Knowing she'd be tried and executed, she goes on the run and attempts to accomplish the impossible... the destruction of an entire terrorist camp with only her and her former lover as the attacking force. If she wins, she lives. If she doesn't, she dies either way...

Overall, A Gentleman's Game is a nice read. Seeing a woman as a paid killer is something you don't normally encounter in a novel, so it made for an interesting premise. The story seemed to move a bit slow in places, but not so much that I wanted to go into skim mode to get to the end. Private Wars is his follow-up novel, and I've already decided that it'll be my next recreational read. I'm hoping that the series is headed in the right direction, because I could end up liking it a lot...

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The Magic Nesting Doll
Wonderful Book
Best children's book ever
Illustrations filled with magic
brilliant illustrations, wonderful retelling

The Magic Nesting Doll
Jacqueline K. Ogburn
Manufacturer: Puffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0142500658

Book Description

A wicked spell has changed the Tsarevitch, a handsome young prince, into ice. Now only a poor peasant girl named Katya can save him, using ingenuity and her grandmother's magic nesting doll. But the Grand Vizier, the cruel wizard who cast the spell, has no intention of letting Katya destroy his handiwork, and he will fight her every step of the way. Is Katya strong enough to prevail and set the Tsarevitch free?

Illustrated by Laurel Long.

Customer Reviews:

The Magic Nesting Doll.......2007-10-18

I was looking for an uncommon story for my granddaughter and this book delivered. Lovely graphics and story.

Wonderful Book.......2007-07-15

I am delighted with this book, as I have just been to Russia on a cruise and the nesting dolls are what I brought back for everyone! Thank you for making this little book available! Malissa Baugh

Best children's book ever.......2006-11-18

This is the most exquisitely illustrated and delightfully magical book for children I have ever read. My daughter just gazes at the pictures, and she'll never let me read "just a few pages". We always have to read the entire book, and each and every time she is as enchanted as the first time we read it together. This is the kind of story I wish my mother could have read to me as a child. And I'm hoping someday I'll be able to read it to my grandchildren. I intend to keep this book forever. I cannot say enough about the beautiful illustrations...they are more exquisite than any real place on earth could ever be. As a result, they're sure to capture your child's heart and imagination. The facial expressions are haunting and I find myself wishing we could just leap into the page and spend a little time in this world. I am only wondering if Laurel Long has prints available? I would so love to hang one on my daughter's wall in her bedroom. Please read this book. It's just fabulous.

Illustrations filled with magic.......2006-08-04

I love the illustrations in this, they are sure to fascinate many detail oriented children, they are very much like the art that is painted onto the little nesting dolls. The story is a wonderful sort of reverse Sleeping Beauty, but told from the rescuer's point of view, Katya is a sweet but strong and determined heroine who rides a wolf, a bear and a firebird to save her sleeping prince.

A great gift for a child (or inner child) who loves fairytales.

brilliant illustrations, wonderful retelling.......2005-08-10

The illustrations in this book are reminiscent of the lacquered boxes that come from Russia - textured, detailed, and layered. A gorgeous book retelling a classic Russian tale - a wonderful addition to any child's library, but particularly children adopted from Russia.

Hampton Court Palace: The Official Illustrated History (Architecture New Titles)

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Hampton Court Palace: The Official Illustrated History (Architecture New Titles)
Lucy Worsley , and David Souden
Manufacturer: Merrell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1858942829

Book Description

Tells the compelling story of one of the finest palaces in Europe, situated on the banks of the River Thames south-west of London and a centre of court life in England from 1529 to 1737. Celebrates one of the most visited and intriguing architectural ensembles in Britain, including the palace's original sixteenth-century buildings of Henry VIII's reign to the late seventeenth-century Baroque additions by Sir Christopher Wren. Includes full coverage of Hampton Court's famous and ever-popular formal gardens, a precious survival of gardening three hundred years ago. Reveals the lifestyles of monarchs, mistresses and courtiers as well as life `below stairs'. In the same series as Merrell's highly popular official illustrated histories of the Tower of London and Kensington Palace

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Queen of a Rainy Country: Poems
Linda Pastan
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0393062473

Book Description

A new collection from "one of the real treasures in poetry of our time" (Washington Post).

Linda Pastan writes, "the art that mattered / was the life led fully / stanza by swollen stanza." That life is portrayed here, from memories of the poet's earliest childhood and the ambiguities of marriage and love to the surprises that come with age, always with a consciousness of what is happening in the larger world.

Queen and Country: The Fifty-Year Reign of Elizabeth II

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A fluff piecs about the Queen.
The Fig Tree
Simply Brilliant!
Shattering the Myth of Monarchy
A Clear, Thorough Bio

Queen and Country: The Fifty-Year Reign of Elizabeth II
William Shawcross
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0743226763

Amazon.com

Watching Queen Elizabeth place flowers at a makeshift memorial to Diana in 1997, journalist (and renowned Nixon-basher) William Shawcross sympathized with the often misunderstood monarch: "I thought how lonely she must feel, and how perplexed she must be by the vast changes through which Britain has passed in the decades since her accession."

The U.K. is now not quite so united, not quite so British, not nearly so powerful as it was in the time of her father, George VI. Elizabeth has struck many observers as a lonely, aloof soul, struggling valiantly to hold a difficult family together while assuring her nation that the constitutional monarchy remains relevant in the modern world.

Over half a century of rule, Shawcross suggests, the queen has risen to every occasion and capably led both the British Commonwealth and the royal family, even if both have given her plenty of troubles in the bargain. This well-written and nicely illustrated portrait does a fine job of showing the many ways she has earned the affections, respect, and consent of her people. --Gregory McNamee

Book Description

The year 2002 marks the fiftieth anniversary of Elizabeth II's accession to the British throne. To celebrate this occasion, William Shawcross, an award-winning writer and journalist, has written an intimate and revealing portrait of the Queen and an absorbing narrative of how the faces of the monarchy, Britain, and the world have changed over the past fifty years. Britain today bears little resemblance to the country the Queen inherited in 1952. There is more criticism than deference; the institution of the monarchy is no longer accepted unquestioningly. Yet, as Shawcross describes here, Elizabeth's long and valiant, sometimes difficult, always challenging reign shows us a monarch who has risen admirably to the occasion and has held the country and the commonwealth together.

Drawn from the BBC's landmark four-part television series, Queen and Country combines personal recollections, classic archive film, and contemporary footage, as it examines how the Queen has adapted and succeeded. Exploring several aspects of her public role -- including her relationships with successive prime ministers -- Shawcross shows how she has remained a fixed point in the storm, a reassuring bedrock of stability, calm, and good sense, who has earned the respect and affection of the world.

With more than one hundred photographs, this volume focuses on four parts of the Queen's life. The first explores the central relationship between the Queen and her subjects. Her private life is the subject of the second part as Shawcross describes how she enjoys horse racing, her dogs, shooting, and family life. He also discusses the turbulence of her children's marriages and lives. Part III focuses on the Queen's political role as head of state and explores how close she is to the center of decision making. The final part follows Elizabeth II as she travels the globe and strengthens the ties of the commonwealth.

Written with the cooperation of the Queen's family, friends, and her trusted aides, this unique portrait accompanies the celebration of her golden jubilee that will be one of the most televised and written-about events of 2002. Queen and Country is the most authoritative account of Elizabeth's reign that will appear during this year-long celebration.

Customer Reviews:

A fluff piecs about the Queen........2007-10-08

I am going to disagree with my fellow reviewers. This was a fluff piece about Elizabeth II by a well respected author. Shawcross is the author of Sideshow, a definitive book about the the American campaign in Cambodia. This was a hard hitting book that asked some tough questions about the Nixon's administration spread of the war into Cambodia. I would have thought Shawcross would have done the same with the British royal family. This was not the case.

Shawcross details the long reign of Elizabeth II. She has been a success not only in her relations with the British political process, but also Commonwealth relations. To say otherwise would be to go against her solid reputation. However, her sister Margaret, and her children Anne, Charles, and Andrew have had disasterous marriages, and have generally not been successful in representing the British royal family. Shawcross defends these members, but is not critical enough of them in his history of the British monarchy.

Shawcross shows his views about the monarchy in this writing. A more critical viewpoint perhaps would have shown the true nature of this British institution.

The Fig Tree.......2005-03-18

"There was something magical about this Queen's accession to the throne. She is the only woman known to have gone up a tree a Princess and come down a Queen." William Shawcross is referring to the circumstances of Her Majesty's accession which happened automatically once her father, King George VI died. She and her husband were in Kenya at the time with a small company of courtiers and servants on a trip on behalf of her government since her father was stricken with cancer. At a place called Treetops, which was a hut built within an enormous and old fig tree, the small royal entourage watched all sorts of wildlife gather at a salt lick, and it might have been when they were there that her father passed away. I loved this story told by Lieutenant Michael Parker, the Prince's Private Secretary: "Parker remembered ever after that as they sat there a large white eagle circled and swooped low above their heads. He was concerned that it might even dive on them. Later he realized that the appearance of the eagle had almost coincided with the moment when the King died."

Shawcross wrote this book to coincide with Her Majesty's golden jubilee. As a protestant American, I've always scoffed at all of the pageantry which the British subject themselves to. You must understand my religion is a no frills religion, my government, a no frills government. A monarchy of any kind seems outdated. What purpose could it possibly serve? And so too today, there are some in Great Britain who feel the same way. At one of my workplaces, a British couple would talk about such things like the Trooping of the Color as if it were some grand event not to be missed. What is the Trooping of the Color, I thought? Who cares, was another? I'm slowly beginning to understand why.

I wish I had read this book before Ben Pimlott's. It is infinitely easier to read, not as detailed. Shawcross's chapter on "Constitutional Monarch" is infinitely easier to comprehend than others I've tried to read. He has clearly written this book for the lay reader. I'm finally beginning to understand vaguely the workings of the British system of government. And most importantly why people love this particular monarch so much the world over and why the Brits are so fond of the monarchy. It somehow doesn't seem so strange to me anymore. Shawcross succeeds in revealing Queen Elizabeth II's character traits which account for her popularity the world over, even if she has some fierce critics in her own country. In her relationships with the many prime ministers who have come her way, she has never forced her opinions on anyone, always advising, and listening to their concerns about issues and crises. She is somehow above the fray, making it easy to accomodate a new prime minister, whether they be Conservative or Labour leaders. Many prominent statesmen make some of the same comments about her that she has had a stabilizing influence in so many crises around the world. Reading this book you'll understand too how Great Britain has evolved, changed so much since the beginning of her reign. Shawcross states in his closing chapter that "In all the turmoil and change, only the Queen has remained the same-a still small voice of calm at the vortex of the storm."

Her role of peacemaker stems from her character, her religious beliefs, her sense of duty, undoubtably instilled within her from her symbolic anointing with oil during her coronation ceremony in 1953. I loved Pimlott's detailed description of the ceremony. Shawcross also quotes Pimlott quite often. I share with you a quote I loved by Lord Tweedsmuir/John Buchan in his Pilgrim's Way about King George V, Queen Elizabeth II's grandfather: "He had one key of access to all hearts, his sincere love of his fellows....His simplicity, honesty, and warm human sympathy made themselves felt not only in the Empire but throughout the globe, so that millions who owed him no allegiance seemed to know and love him. He was a pillar of all that was stable and honourable and of good report in a distracted world."

There are many photos in this small book, my favorite being the Corgis descending the steps of a Royal airplane. They're so cute!

Simply Brilliant!.......2003-07-19

I read the book in one sitting, and while it covers all a book can given the enormity of its subject, I was left wanting more. Give the author credit for capturing a remarkable monarch.

Shattering the Myth of Monarchy.......2002-06-30

Those who believe that the institution of monarchy is archaic and serves no purpose in the modern nation-state might find Mr. Shawcross's book somewhat suprising. Employing a succinct writing style, Mr. Shawcross provides his reader with a fascinating glimpse into the woman who, by accident of birth and unforseen dynastic events, has occupied the throne of Great Britain for half a century and who, in a quiet, unassuming way, has exacted considerable influence over the politics of the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth, and world. This book shows the error in characterizing the Queen as a mere figurehead. Indeed, her role as confidant to prime ministers, the political knowledge and wisdom she has acquired through her lengthy tenure as sovereign, her ability to lead by example, and her steadfast willingness to dedicate her life to the service of her nation and the Commonwealth, combine to produce a portrait of a woman who is anything but a token head of state.

This book successfully argues the case for monarchy. Politicians, scandals, and events come and go, but there, above it all, remains the Queen.

A Clear, Thorough Bio.......2002-04-18

I found this book very interesting. I suggest all Britons campaigning for a republic read this book. It proves how influential and important the monarchy really is. It also proves what a brilliant woman Elizabeth II is and how she has come to embody the ideal constitutional monarch. What I found most interesting is her actual involvement in British (and many Commonwealth) affairs. Most Americans think of her as a mere figurehead who opens up hospitals here and there. This is far from the truth. As she is probably the most experienced diplomat in Britain, her sage counsel to Prime Ministers has proven invaluable. I urge those who pass off Elizabeth as dispensable to read this book and see how indispensable she really is.

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