Copepoda: Developments in Ecology, Biology and Systematics (Developments in Hydrobiology)

Book Description

This book includes articles presented at the Seventh International Conference on Copepoda, held in Curitiba, Brazil, during July 1999, under the sponsorship of the Federal University of Paraná and the World Association of Copepodologists. During the conference, 228 investigators from 37 countries discussed the current status of research in the vast field of copepod biology. As a follow-up, this volume is comprehensive in coverage, focusing on aspects of the ecology, biology, and systematics of copepods from marine, freshwater, and semiterrestrial environments. Those interested in aquatic and semiaquatic communities will find an up-to-date overview of present understanding of these nearly ubiquitous microcrustaceans. This book provides high-quality research material for graduate students and professional biologists interested in the aquatic sciences.

Book Description

Psychophysics is by definition mappings between events inthe environment and levels of human sensory responses. In this textthe methods of nonlinear dynamics, employing trajectories developedfor simpler sensory modelling, are extended to classes of problemswhich lie at the interface between sensation and perception. Adiversity of topics for which extensive empirical evidence exists arereformulated by writing their dynamics in terms of complextrajectories put into coupled lattices and into cascades of suchlattices. Fundamental relationships between core processes ofpsychophysics in time and space, and recurrent quantitative ortopological distortions of the physical world which arise inperception, are given a treatment which contrasts fundamentally withtraditional linear equations in use since the 19th century.

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An entertaining story

A great idea, perfectly executed

Half good, half bad

Neat idea, slow story

Wickedly clever, imaginative, and loads of fun

Anonymous Rex
Eric Garcia
Manufacturer: Berkley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Casual Rex: A Novel

Hot and Sweaty Rex (Dinosaur Mafia Mysteries)

Hot and Sweaty Rex: A Dinosaur Mafia Mystery (Dinosaur Mafia Mysteries)

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Gun, with Occasional Music (Harvest Book)

ASIN: 0425188884
Release Date: 2003-02-04

Amazon.com

For Los Angeles private eye Vincent Rubio, the idea of having a tail means a lot more than being followed. Vincent is a velociraptor, one of those little dinosaurs who caused so much panic in Jurassic Park. He keeps his tail tightly strapped up in the special latex costume that he wears to make himself look human.

In Eric Garcia's wild but winning first mystery, dinosaurs never did get wiped out--they evolved secretly and now make up about 5 percent of the world's population. There are dinosaur doctors, lawyers, even detectives like Rubio--although he's hit a low point in his own career because of the suspicious death of his beloved partner. Now the distraught Vincent sucks up so much basil that he can't do his job. But when a human who knows the dinosaurs' secret is killed during an arson fire at a popular dino disco called the Evolution Club, Rubio's luck begins to change. He starts to snoop, following the trail of a lovely human female to the office of Dr. Emil Vallardo, where bizarre experiments are being done on interspecies breeding between humans and dinosaurs. It's all great comic book fun, full of nice little inside jokes, served up deadpan and with full respect for the private eye genre it enlivens. --Dick Adler

Book Description

He's a P.I. with a tail, a gumshoe with claws. He's the first dinosaur detective-and he just might make all other crime-solvers extinct.

Customer Reviews:

An entertaining story.......2007-01-14

This book is the first book in the Dinosaur Mafia series, in terms of publication date, but the 2nd one if you take the events of the books chronologically. The truly amazing thing about these books - in which the dinosaurs have NOT gone extinct, at least not all of them, but have evolved to a smaller size and live side-by-side with humans - with the help of a lot of latex, glue and straps to disguise them - is that while you are reading them you just go with it, because it is written so convincingly. This story is mostly about Vincent Rubio, a detective and the main character of all the Dinosaur Mafia books. Rubio's partner and mentor Watson has been killed - supposedly in a hit-and-run by a taxi in New York while taking part in a mysterious investigation. Rubio has gone on a serious bender with the basil (dinosaurs can't get drunk by drinking alcohol - their recreation of choice is with herbs, which get them "high") and is refusing to buy the story about what happened with Watson and as a result has just about burned all his bridges and lost most of his business. Things are looking really bleak when he gets thrown a bone by one of the big companies in town - which seems to lead right back to the case that Watson was investigating when he was killed. Although this story is a bit dark, it provides quite a number of laugh-out-loud moments as well. At its base, this story is a well crafted detective yarn. See Anonymous Rex/Casual Rex omnibus for my review of both books.

A great idea, perfectly executed.......2006-10-01

I read this book some time ago, but I am backfilling some of my reviews.

Some books I buy based on the dust cover notes. This was one of those books. I am normally not much of a reader of detective novels unless they are very good. But the idea of a detective who was actually a dinosaur living disguised as a human was too intriguing to put down.

I ended up loving it. Garcia gets it just right. He captures the tone of classic detective novels perfectly, but with tongue-in-cheek. Very few books make me laugh out loud, but this one did. He creates an intricate backstory of the secret world of dinosaurs that you really want to believe in. But it is more than just a gimmick. Garcia also has a suspenseful detective story woven in. I highly recommend this book to anyone whether they like the detective genre or not. I believe Eric Garcia will go on to great things beyond the dinosaurs.

Half good, half bad.......2006-01-05

The Good:

*The central 'conceit' was written well and incorporated into the novel succesfully (I didn't question anything about it once)

The Bad:

*The supporting characters were terribly written. If they weren't completely personality-less and flat, they were extremely annoying to read. Glenda, in particular, was really irritating...especially her dialogue. Which brings me to my next point:

*The dialogue-there's really not much else to say about it other than it wasn't very good.

*A lot of times I found myself wincing at the forced humor or cliched turn-of-phrases.

*As the central mystery unraveled, I found myself caring less and less. For such a short book, the case developed way too slow and resolved itself way too quickly. Garcia spent a disproportionate amount of time describing the dino life than the case (which was way more interesting, anyways) so the plot suffers.

DESPITE the negative points, I'd read another dino novel by Garcia simply because the conceit of the book is so clever and well-executed.

Neat idea, slow story.......2005-06-21

I wanted to like this book more because it has a lot going for it. It's a nice concept (completely ridiculous, but so what?), and the writing is good. Unfortunately, it just didn't keep me hooked all the way through.

I think my problem was the dinos are so thoroughly integrated into human society that there's very little conflict. That's not a big deal, but the story itself just didn't catch me either. There were definitely some cool parts, and the end of it is pretty solid. But the fantasy elements don't seem as essential as they should be. This could almost be a conventional mystery, which isn't bad, but I caught myself wondering why we were even bothering with dinos, except near the very end of the story.

I also think Garcia's writing is a little too "Jokey". He is funny, but it often seems forced. As if the writer is directing the plot toward a funny "bit" rather than a satisfying scene. Often the jokes, cute at first, go on way too long.

I can't really fault this book much. I liked it more than I hated it. But, overall, didn't do much for me.

Wickedly clever, imaginative, and loads of fun.......2005-05-27

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You gotta read it to believe it!
Brilliantly clever, strikingly imaginative - two claws up all the way
How well do you really know your Neighbors?

Anonymous Rex/Casual Rex Omnibus
Eric Garcia
Manufacturer: Ace Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0441012752
Release Date: 2004-11-02

Book Description

It's "Dashiell-Hammett-gone-goofy"* twice over in this single-volume edition of the first two novels in Eric Garcia's "genre-bending, species-bending, gender-bending romp of a mystery"** series hailed as "irresistible... outrageous...brilliant...funny, poignant, dramatic, satiric, brutal and tender."*** Whew. And now the novels are a Sci-Fi Channel movie event.

Customer Reviews:

You gotta read it to believe it!.......2006-04-09

Eric Garcia has created a world that, bar none, is one of the most novel I have had the fortune to step into during all the years I have been reading. The premise of his noir-ish detective stories, told - of course - first-person by Vincent Rubio, is that all dinosaurs did NOT become extinct 65 million years ago; in fact, 16 species survived, mutated and now live among us, disguised as humans (apparently with the use of lots of high-stress girdles, buckles and epoxy). Garcia presents this so matter-of-factly that while reading, you just go with it - maybe once you have put the book down and are thinking about it, you might go "hey, waitaminute," but while reading the book he makes it seem eminently plausible.

This omnibus presents the first two books in the series in chronological order, rather than publication date so "Casual Rex" is actually first up. Rubio's partner Watson's ex-wife comes to them for help - her brother is part of a strange cult and she wants them to get him out. So, they go out and infiltrate the cult, with equal measures of comic and horrific results. I won't go into any more details as to what happens here, or to any of the other events of the story so as to avoid ruining it for you, but this story is actually quite humorous in many places while having a darker core as well. "Anonymous Rex" is a slightly different matter - from what I could piece together, it takes place about 9 months after the end of the previous book (I believe the case referenced is the case that Watson was leaving to investigate at the end of that book); Watson has been killed - supposedly in a hit-and-run by a taxi in New York. Rubio has gone on a serious bender with the basil and is refusing to buy the story about what happened with Watson and as a result has just about burned all his bridges and lost most of his business. Things are looking really bleak when he gets thrown a bone by one of the big companies in town - which seems to lead right back to the case that Watson was investigating when he was killed. Although this story is a bit darker, it provides quite a number of laugh-out-loud moments as well, and both of the stories are also well-crafted mysteries at their base.

Take this trip inside the mind of a truly creative writer. You will NOT regret it!

Brilliantly clever, strikingly imaginative - two claws up all the way.......2005-09-17

Forget everything you know about dinosaurs. Not only did they not become extinct 65 million years ago, they currently make up about 5% of the "human" population. Rather than stomp all of us humans out of existence eons ago, they decided just to live in our world secretly (they have much smaller bodies than their ancestors), donning complex human guises involving lots of straps, buckles, and epoxy. You'd be amazed at just how many celebrities and power brokers are actually dinosaurs in disguise. All they want is to keep their secret, find the time and opportunity to really be themselves every now and again, and maybe get a good buzz on with basil or certain other herbs if and when the urge strikes. They live by two golden rules: never let a human learn their secret (and kill any who do) and never, ever, ever engage in interspecies relations with a human.

With Anonymous Rex, author Eric Garcia first brought this strange new world to life, garnering critical acclaim and a cult following for his efforts. He is a brilliantly wicked author, packing loads of comedy into noir-ish tales of dinosaur private investigator Vincent Rubio. Poor Vince has had a rough nine months. It all started when his partner Ernie was run over by a taxi in New York. Vince went a little nuts after that, broke a lot of rules and at least one nose during his investigation of the accident, and got himself declared dinosaur non grata in both New York and back home in Los Angeles. He is in an emotional and financial tailspin, nursing a major basil addiction and basically trying to find a reason to keep on keeping on. With little left to his name, he finally gets a case thrown his way, an insurance job investigating a fire at a local dino club. As luck would have it, the club owner had important contacts in New York, and before you can say Velociraptor, Vince is back in the Big Apple conducting interviews for a case that may well have some relation to his partner's death.

This thing gets pretty involved, as a simple case of possible arson soon leads Vince into a conspiracy of dinosaur-sized proportions involving human-dinosaur genetic experimentation. Slowly but surely, Vince starts assembling the pieces of the puzzle, but progress doesn't come without setbacks - a couple of attempts on his life, some inconvenient deaths of informants and friends, a serious lack of funds, and even a dangerous relationship with a singularly appealing human female. Danger is Vince's middle name, however, and in time he breaks out of his emotional funk, manages to stay away from basil long enough to clear his head, and relentlessly pursues a solution to a surprisingly complex mystery.

The book is written in first person, in the classic style of ye olde detective mysteries from the golden age of Dashiell Hammett and Sam Spade. And make no mistake - aside from the unique dinosaur angle and the constant showcase of sarcastic wit and genuinely funny writing, Garcia knows how to construct and tell a good mystery. Anonymous Rex is a thoroughly engaging read from start to finish. There's an edge to this story, a fair share of surprises along the way, and all sorts of social commentary you can ponder or simply ignore. If you've been yearning for something different, Vincent Rubio, P.I., is on the case, and the game's afoot.

Casual Rex is Garcia's second "Rex" novel, but it is actually a prequel to Anonymous Rex. Victor and his partner Ernie are your basic PI's - snooping on roving spouses, hunting down petty thieves, etc. Their humdrum state of existence changes when Ernie's ex-wife asks them to find her brother and bring him home (forcibly, if necessary). It seems the poor kid has gotten all caught up in a dino cult called the Progressives. Most dinosaurs have accepted the fact that they have to go to great pains to pass themselves off as humans, but some yearn for the old lifestyle of complete dino freedom. Vic and Ernie infiltrate the cult and get their man - but that's just the beginning of the story. There's something really sinister going on here, and our detective heroes are determined to find out just what the Progressives are up to. Their mission eventually leads them to a back-to-nature retreat in the islands of Hawaii, where they learn even more than they bargained for about the cult.

The fact that Casual Rex wasn't quite as funny as I expected it to be is certainly not a bad thing. It does, after all, deal with such serious issues as drug abuse (ah, sweet basil), cults, murder, and your proverbial world domination and genocide - as well as friendship, honor, and humanity (or whatever the dinosaur equivalent of that would be). Garcia's writing style remains delightfully quirky, the absurdist setting is effectively presented (with explanations of dinosaur culture over the millennia enriched by rich and numerous off-the-cuff remarks), the action is well-paced, the tragedies that take place over the course of the novel are surprisingly poignant, and a rising level of suspense (not to mention curiosity) definitely draws the reader in and carries him/her all the way to the end.

This Anonymous Rex/Casual Rex omnibus places Casual Rex in front of Anonymous Rex, which is fine if you want to read the prequel first. If you'd rather read the two books in the order of publication, though, be sure to start with Anonymous Rex.

How well do you really know your Neighbors?.......2005-02-06

When I first saw this book on the shelves I was skeptical. This is because after having read many science fiction books over the years I have seen many a good concept turned in to utter garbage and also have fallen victim more than once to a clever title that masked a used ream of toilet tissue. Needless to say I had discovered that clever titles equal bad books. So originally I shied away from this one; at first. The last week I decided to pick it up and read it. Imagine my shock that such a puny title could mask such a gem. The hallmark of good science fiction is an original twist on reality in some remotely plausible way and Garcia pulls this off.

The premise is that not all dinosaurs went extinct because of the great fire showers. Some of them survived and evolved to smaller forms in order to live in the new world. They also discovered a bunch of ground dwelling apes that were barely sentient but did have one solid trait; they believed in helping other species go extinct. So the surviving dinos learn to dress up like humans and blend end. Now fast forward a million decades or so and you got the P.I. firm of Watson and Rubio. Ernie Watson and Vincent Rubio are dinos. From here there is an investigation of a dino naturalist cult in the first book, Casual rex which is actually the second book but a prequel so it comes first in this omnibus. In the second book but first book, Anonymous Rex, Vincent is dealing with a drug habit and Ernie's death which leads him to discover some nefarious experimenting and clandestine humans. The rest I suggest you read for your self.

These books were engrossing and I really couldn't put them down. Garcia's writing style is a humorous twist on film noir. All of the characters are fully developed with the exception of a few compys but then they are compys. Garcia is able to make it all seem feasible, realistic and more importantly he is able to draw you into the story. You really start to feel for Vincent and the others.

Read this omnibus or the books individually. You will not regret it.

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Anonymous Rex

ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0676795234

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Anonymous Rex
Eric Garcia
Manufacturer: Villard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GLJS0Q

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Anonymous Rex : Reader's Edition
Eric Garcia
Manufacturer: Random House, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 037575508X

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Anonymous Rex-Bookmarks
Eric Garcia
Manufacturer: Modern Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: 0676592112

BOY'S OWN PAPER - Volume 85, number 8 - May 1963: Bad Spirits; Buffalo Fever; Arafura Incident; Camping in Comfort; The Goalkeeper Who Ate Cats; Motoring on Two Wheels; West Indians Enjoy Their Sport; Fly Tying; International Jazz Festival in Manchester

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BOY'S OWN PAPER - Volume 85, number 8 - May 1963: Bad Spirits; Buffalo Fever; Arafura Incident; Camping in Comfort; The Goalkeeper Who Ate Cats; Motoring on Two Wheels; West Indians Enjoy Their Sport; Fly Tying; International Jazz Festival in Manchester
Anonymous (editor) (H. P. Watts; Ford Whitaker; Charles Pittock; Jack Cox; Brian Glanville; Ian Balderstone; Clive Taylor; George Clifford; Rex Harris)
Manufacturer: Purnell and Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

SPICY WESTERN STORIES - Volume 3, number 2 - December Dec 1937: Satan Sits In; Too Many Cooks; The Woolly Way; Polly of the Plains; Six Gun Stampede; Mexican Mercy; Cactus Killer; The Grubline Rider; Bloody Dinero

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SPICY WESTERN STORIES - Volume 3, number 2 - December Dec 1937: Satan Sits In; Too Many Cooks; The Woolly Way; Polly of the Plains; Six Gun Stampede; Mexican Mercy; Cactus Killer; The Grubline Rider; Bloody Dinero
Anonymous. (editor) (James A. lawson; E. Hoffmann Price; Rex Morman; Joseph Sokoli; Lawton Jameson; King Saxon; Ken Cooper; Allan K. Echols; Tom B. Stone)
Manufacturer: Girasol Collectables
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GW48LY

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Anonymous Rex
Eric Garcia
Manufacturer: New Media German Language
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N7BEKK

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Anonymous Rex
Eric Garcia
Manufacturer: Villard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K1DQ32

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