Handbook of Coatings Additives, Second Edition

Book Description

This volume compiles a wealth of information on the composition, properties, utilization, and performance of major classes of additives while alerting formulators to potentially damaging interactions and challenges in the selection and testing of these materials. Completely revised and updated, the Handbook of Coatings Additives, Second Edition offers practical knowledge on the industry's most widely used compounds to accelerate and refine laboratory procedures, meet regulatory standards, and avoid hazards in the formulation of coatings additives. It is an ideal guide to making informed decisions in the development and design of effective coatings systems.

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Performance Enhancement in Coatings
Edward W. Orr
Manufacturer: Hanser Gardner Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Reference | Engineering | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1569902631

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Handbook of Coatings Additives (Vol 2)

Manufacturer: Marcel Dekker
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General & Reference | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0824787102

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Additives for Coatings

Manufacturer: Wiley-VCH
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General & Reference | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 3527297855

Book Description

No doubt: A perfect coating has to look brilliant! But other properties of coatings are also most important. Coatings have to be durable, tough and easily applicable. Additives are the key to success in achieving these characteristics, even though the amounts used in coating formulations are small.

It is not trivial at all to select the best additives. In practice, many series of tests are often necessary, and the results do not explain, why a certain additive improves the quality of a coating and another one impairs the coating.

This book is dedicated to developers and applicants of coatings working in research or production, and it is aimed at providing a manual for their daily work. It will answer the following questions: How do the most important groups of additives act? Which effects can be be achieved by their addition?

Scientific theories are linked to practical applications. Emphasis is put on the optical aspects that are most important for the applications in practice.

This book is a milestone in quality assurance in the complete field of coatings!

Additives for Water-Based Coatings: The Proceedings of a Symposium Organised by the North West Region of the Industrial Division of the Royal Societ (Special ... Society of Chemistry (Great Britain)))

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Additives for Water-Based Coatings: The Proceedings of a Symposium Organised by the North West Region of the Industrial Division of the Royal Societ (Special ... Society of Chemistry (Great Britain)))

Manufacturer: Science and Behavior Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General & Reference | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books

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Additives in Water-Borne Coatings (Royal Society of Chemistry Special Publication)

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Additives in Water-Borne Coatings (Royal Society of Chemistry Special Publication)

Manufacturer: Royal Society of Chemistry
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General & Reference | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books

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Food Additives | Nutrition | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0854046135

Book Description

Additives in Water-borne Coatings covers both current technology and the future prognosis for the key additives used in water-borne coatings today. It brings together international expertise to provide a comprehensive, practical overview of the field, its direction, and selection of key additives currently employed for in-depth treatment of their use, behaviour and scope by expert practitioners in those additives. This timely publication includes two excellent plenary chapters reviewing the developments together with the regulatory and legislative scene in the overall field. It also contains seven in-depth chapters devoted to key additive types, specifically; rheology modifiers, matting agents, surface active agents, dispersants, defoamers, and biocides. In addition, the book provides: ·a systematic approach to additive selection - additive rules - for the development of a coating ·a good understanding of the biocidal degradation effects and the key biocide strengths and weaknesses in addressing them ·the reader with a thorough understanding of silica-based matting agents and their mode of action ·useful overviews of water borne dispersants, silicone surface active agents and cellulosic and associative thickener rheology modifiers This key book amalgamates some of the latest developments in this field and provides an authoritative source of information for the research community and those in the industry, as well as providing invaluable information to graduate and postgraduate students.

Advances in Additives for Water-Based Coatings (Special Publications)

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Advances in Additives for Water-Based Coatings (Special Publications)

Manufacturer: Royal Society of Chemistry
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General & Reference | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books

Polymers & Macromolecules | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0854047549

Book Description

As the coatings industry continues to be influenced by sustained environmental pressures, the market for water-based coatings has shown significant signs of growth. The move away from solvent to water-based coatings has been facilitated by the active development of appropriate performance enhancing additives. Ideal for industrial and post- graduate researchers in this area, Advances in Additives for Water- Based Coatings presents recent innovative developments in each of the major additive fields, covering organic and inorganic thickeners, defoamers, coalescing solvents, biocides and dispersants. As new and more stringent environmental legislation emerges, it serves to highlight the ways in which manufacturers will need to respond, if they are to remain competitive and cost-effective.

Compounding Materials for the Polymer Industries: A Concise Guide to Polymers, Rubbers, Adhesives, and Coatings

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Compounding Materials for the Polymer Industries: A Concise Guide to Polymers, Rubbers, Adhesives, and Coatings
John S. Dick
Manufacturer: Noyes Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

DSC on Polymeric Materials. A Collection of DSC applications of thermoplastics, thermosets, paints, coatings, elastomers and additives (NETZSCH Annual for Science and Industry, Volume 1)

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DSC on Polymeric Materials. A Collection of DSC applications of thermoplastics, thermosets, paints, coatings, elastomers and additives (NETZSCH Annual for Science and Industry, Volume 1)

Manufacturer: NETZSCH-Geratebau
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Ring-bound
ASIN: B000H2W26G

Handbook of Coatings Additives Volume 1.

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Handbook of Coatings Additives Volume 1.
Leonard J. , editor Calbo
Manufacturer: Marcel Dekker, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000RL0VK6

Book Description

This unique book is a guide for students and graduates of mathematics, statistics, economics, finance, and other number-based disciplines contemplating a career in actuarial science. Given the comprehensive range of the cases that are analyzed in the book, the Actuaries' Survival Guide can serve as a companion to existing study material for all courses designed to prepare students for actuarial examinations.

* Based on the curricula and examinations of the Society of Actuaries (SOA) and the Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS)
* Presents an overview of career options and details on employment in different industries
* Provides a link between theory and practice; helps readers gain the qualitative and quantitative skills and knowledge required to succeed in actuarial exams
* Includes insights from over 50 actuaries and actuarial students
* Written by Fred Szabo, who has directed the actuarial co-op program at Concordia University for over ten years

Customer Reviews:

I haven't read the book, but.............2007-06-26

Sorry to mislead. I haven't read the book, but having recently left the actuarial profession after 15 years, I can probably save you buying the book and tell you how to succeed in the profession:

Pass Exams!

No one cares about your personality, leadership skills, or anything else, when it comes down to it. It doesn't matter how good you are at your work related activities. In this profession, he/she who has the credentials is king/queen, and will get all opportunities for advancement. If you don't have the credentials, you can be the greatest business person and personality on earth, and you will not be recognized for it (not in this profession, anyway). I speak from 15 years experience. If you are getting in this profession, don't let anything get in the way of exam progress. You should know, to succeed, you should be willing to sacrifice possibly a decade of your life sitting in a dark corner studying advanced mathematics. I kid you not. I left the profession, because in my opinion, the payoff was not worth the sacrifice. That is, there are people making more money, that didn't have to go through the exam hell actuaries go through.

Only worth buying if you dont have web access.......2006-02-25

This is a compilation of mainly everything you can read at the CAS and SOA websites. It's a colletions for FAQs that actuaries in the industry answered and some of the questions weren't answered well. The second half of the book discusses the examinations which is a little helpful but again you can go to the websites for that. This book was not worth the price I paid.

Strong in a few areas, but some serious gaps..........2006-02-04

As someone interested in making a possible career change into the actuarial profession, I purchased this book hoping to get a feel for the day-to-day job experience of an actuary, as well as get some basic information about career paths and professional organizations. A large portion of the book consists of responses a survey the author undertook; daily tasks, salaries, opportunities and such. These are very useful and are presented without "analysis" by the author, leaving the reader to draw their own conclusions. However, the book really has very little background information - differences (textbook at least) between different business areas actuaries are employed, or information about what distinquishes an associate from a fellow, etc.
Upon further research I also discovered that some of the information has become out of date, as the professional organizations have recently added some additional requirements for advancement.
Overall I did find this book of some use in understanding more about the "daily life" of an actuary, but with the lack of background info and some information becoming outdated I cannot recommend it at the $40 price tag it currently carries.

This is wonderful book!.......2004-09-14

I have been searching with my students for a good book explaining challenges of the actuaries' job and the way to it. I could not find anything that would guide my students and help them in making an informed decision. Finally, I got Actuaries ' Survival Guide by Fred Szabo. I wish to share some of my thoughts with potential readers.

The book should be considered as good guide for people who want to pursue their career as actuaries. It shows step by step challenges as well as opportunities of this job. Most of my students after reading this book were able to say if this is really the job they want or not. For all of them it was quite clear what are the demands and if they are able to fulfill them.
Let me comment on the selection of topics. The content of the book is organized in a very logical way. It is as complete as it could be possible. We learn what is the actuarial job, what skills we need for it, types of accreditation, what education we must go through, how to start and continue an actuarial professional career.

It would be important to mention the style of the book. At first sight it is very unusual. Large parts of the book are written in Q&A style. I have been thinking a while why Fred Szabo decided to choose just this style instead of something more conventional. Finally, I understood that this book written in traditional style of narration could be very difficult to read. Writing it in the form of questions and answers Fred is taking away this difficulty and forces his readers to concentrate on one topic at a time. There is another advantage to this approach. I guess, some of my students could never even think about problems that are mentioned in Fred's questions. For most of them reading these questions was quite a good lesson.
Finally, we should look into answers. Who replied to these questions and how? It is evident that most of the answers were given by experienced actuaries. This book is not the knowledge of a single person; it is the wisdom of many top level professionals. As a scientist and author I admire the amount of work done in researching and writing this book. I admire the professionalism of Fred Szabo.

In conclusion I would like to say that this is a wonderful book written in a professional way for the people who wish to be professionals in one of the most difficult professions.

Best Author, Great Book!.......2004-09-06

Contrary to the last reviewer, I found Fred Szabo to be a very good author. Starting with the structure of the book and ending with the chosen style, I rate it as an A plus written book. I strongly believe Fred Szabo to be very skillful in giving both a clear and concise presentation of new and complex material. Immediately from the table of contents one can follow the logical consequence of problems and questions a person would encounter if he or she wanted to become an actuary. Short and full answers can be easily found in this well organized text.

Recently, actuarial jobs have become more and more popular. Good salaries, promising careers attract a lot of youngsters. Not to waste your time and dedicate yourself to a wrong career is very important in everybody's life. This book opens the door to what an actuarial career looks like, answers all standard questions, starting with typical responsibilities and ending with attainable salaries; it also guides the reader towards the right educational choice and explains what makes one a successful actuary. To spend time reading this book is a privileged shortcut to making the right career choice.

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Superb Romantic Fiction

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He was born with the gift of laughter ...

Good read. Melodramatic in places.

Good but not great

Scaramouche A Romance of the French Revolution
Rafael Sabatini
Manufacturer: Echo Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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Captain Blood (Penguin Classics)

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Black Swan

ASIN: 1406804746

Book Description

Sometimes spelt Raphael in error?

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With swordfights and romance, adventure and treachery set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, this is the book that made Sabatini famous. André-Louis Moreau has good prospects as a young lawyer, but an unfair duel with the ruthlessly cruel Count de La Tour d'Azyr leaves André-Louis's best friend dead and André-Louis himself a fugitive from the King's justice. While incognito he becomes both a wildly popular actor and a firebrand of the Revolution. His vow to avenge his friend's murder leads him deeper into the political intrigues that surround the Revolution, and to a position of power. But there are secrets to be revealed that will stun all of Paris. One of the best historical romances of all time. "He was born with a gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad."

Customer Reviews:

Superb Romantic Fiction .......2007-09-26

There was a time when the word "romance" when applied to fiction meant "exciting adventure," not, "lonely girl lusts after bare-chested hunk." Classic authors of the genre would include Robert Louis Stevenson, Alexandre Dumas and Arthur Conan Doyle. Among these giants one would have to include Rafael Sabatini, and of his many works, Scaramouche is probably his greatest.

It is the story of Andre-Louis Moreau and takes place during the turbulent years of the French Revolution. Moreau is a splendid creation and a classic hero of romantic literature. A man of thought and introspection, Moreau becomes a man of action when his close friend Vilmorin is unjustly provoked into a duel and murdered by a noble with whom he can't possibly hope to compete. Moreau, initially dismissive and cynical about the movement for liberty in which his friend was so passionately involved, vows to take up his cause.

He does so, and quickly becomes such an effective speaker that he is forced into hiding, which in his case means taking up residence in a traveling theatre group. This group practices the improvisational technique known as commedia delle-arte, and over time Moreau becomes one of the stock characters: "scaramouche," the boastful, deceptive captain. But after enjoying much success, this venture comes to an end, when, seeing his bitter enemy in the theatre one evening, Moreau uses the stage to scathingly attack the unjust actions of the nobility and provokes a riot.

His next adventure finds him as the apprentice in a fencing academy where he becomes expert with this weapon, a skill he uses with ever-increasing frequency as he re-enters society as a member of the newly-formed parliament, and finds he must defend himself against those upper-class rogues who would provoke him into a deadly duel.

It is an absolutely splendid tale and works on every level. Clearly, from the above, you could hardly ask for more in the way of adventure. But there is so much more than this. The characters, for example are all richly portrayed and nuanced. Even his enemy, the terrible Marquis de la Tour d'Azyr, is fully-fleshed out well beyond the one-dimensional evil-doers so often found in the genre.

The historical and political aspects are well-illustrated as well. One comes away from the novel with a clear understanding of the way French society operated in 1787, and more importantly, one gains this understanding through the thoughts, actions and discussions of the novel's major and minor characters. That political change was coming to France was known to everyone, and everyone had an opinion to share on the subject.

Beyond all of this though is the simple, exciting pleasure in the reading of it. More than anything else, this novel is fun! Winding in and out of the plot and the historical context there is treachery, double-dealings, surprising revelations of identity, and yes, romance of the boy-girl type, made all the more delightful by Moreau's cool, detached, wry and often hilarious reactions to these events. He is the indefatigable Moreau, the man of justice, the man of fairness, the man of action . . . and the man of reason, in the age that was defined by that phrase.

It is a splendid performance by one of the truly great authors of the historical romance.

Free SF Reader.......2007-09-25

Across the backdrop of the French Revolution, a man falls foul of the authorities because of his politics. Going on the run, he encounters some actors, leading him to take up the role of Scaramouche, a clown type rogue character.

Eventually, he settles in at a fencing academy, working for a master. Taking over after his death he puts his sword skills to good use.

He was born with the gift of laughter ..........2007-04-10

This is my first Sabatini novel (just finished it last night), but it won't be my last - I found Scaramouche excellent.

Scaramouche is set during the years leading up to and including the French Revolution, and follows the exploits of one Andre Louis Moreau, a lawyer, a bastard, and a Frenchman with close connections to the ruling class. Moreau begins the story without an inkling of support for the Republican cause, but this changes early in the novel when Moreau's best friend, an outspoken Republican with a "dangerous gift of eloquence", is wrongly and permanently silenced. With that event, Sabatini not only changed the course of Moreau's life forever, he also had me hooked less than 30 pages into Scaramouche - an impressive accomplishment given my attention span, or lack thereof.

Moreau, or Scaramouche as he's eventually known, is a complex and unique character. Moreau's motives are often contradictory and hard to understand yet, at least to me, remain believable. He devotes his life to a cause he (at least initially) doesn't believe in. He seems to have little care for those around him, and is even called heartless by his friends and peers numerous times, yet he possesses loyalty worthy of admiration. An admitted hypocrite, he despises the emotion of hatred whilst himself dedicating a good portion of his life to vengeance. I found this unique character memorable and also worth liking and rooting for.

If there is one negative worth pointing out, it's that Scaramouche (the novel, not the character) is, at times, highly predictable. In particular, there is a revelation relating to Moreau's linage revealed at the end of the story that I saw coming from a mile away - and I'm pretty dense, there's generally a lot I don't see coming from a mile away that many other readers would. The story also is peppered with a number of fairly unlikely coincidences - but I think it's reasonable to consider these not coincidence, but Providence, or fate, and their prevalence is common to other works that I'd consider within the same category as Scaramouche, including everything I've ever read by Dumas or Hugo.

However, aside from what I'd consider a good to very good story, any negatives I can point out are, in my opinion, more than offset by Sabatini's excellent writing. This is clearly a matter of opinion, but I like his writing style better than just about anything I've read in the recent past, and I've read works by some pretty well regarded authors in the recent past. And in my opinion it's much more than a good vocabulary, the entire 350 pages are dotted with more great one-liners than I could possibly count or keep track of (beginning with the opening line of the novel, but this is far from the only memorable line). I was laughing out loud multiple times while reading this, moved to laughter by the overweight Pantaloon's "ponderous yet curiously noiseless gait" and, crap, countless other lines that make me wish I'd read with a highlighter nearby so I could quote more than one of them in this review and elsewhere - I never do that (read w/ a highlighter next to me) but do wish I had in this case and will when I read future works by Sabatini. The comical nature of the book is also bolstered by Moreau's cynical, dry humor that I find appealing.

As for my highest praise for this piece, I can offer two examples. The first is that I will read more works by Sabatini (in fact I just received a copy of Captain Blood today). The second is, if asked by a random friend to recommend a single book I've read over, say, the last six months as an easy, entertaining (yet nonetheless thought provoking) read, my answer would come easily and immediately: Scaramouche.

Good read. Melodramatic in places........2007-01-20

Well worth the effort. In parts a romantic melodrama, but finely balanced with the revenge/coming-of-age portion.

Good but not great.......2006-04-10

Notwithstanding my fellow readers' rave reviews, I thought this standard in historical fiction was just average, and despite the author's incredible vocabulary, I did not find the writing itself to be particularly fine. It was hard to actually much like or root for the protaganist, which, in itself, is not a requirement for enjoying a book. However, I never felt as if the provocation for pursuing his relentless vendetta rang true or was supported by what I understood of his basically cynical and dispassionate character. Supposedly, he vows revenge for the murder of his dear friend in a one-sided duel, which underlies the ensuing plot line. But I never saw indications in our hero's character that he cared much about anything or anyone in particular, and certainly not to the extent of single-mindedly pursuing his enemy as he does. His feelings for his lady loves were likewise lukewarm and unconvincing, and I saw the startling revelation as to his ancestry coming a mile away. Sabatini's editorializing about politics, government and human nature were likewise tepid to my mind. Nor was his depiction of pre-Revolutionary France particularly evocative. Overall, I found myself reading this book to finish it and out of moderate interest in how the plot line would resolve. But I never particularly cared one way or the other, and a disinterested reader is not a good sign that the novel has succeeded. Literate, deemed a classic, but pretty humdrum overall.

Not Quite Scaramouche: A Guardians of the Flame Novel

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Yes and Yes
Searching for Mister Good Baron
Not Really the Guardians Anymore
Not Quite What I Had In Mind
A great read

Not Quite Scaramouche: A Guardians of the Flame Novel
Joel Rosenberg
Manufacturer: Tor Fantasy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0812574702

Book Description

Several of them, in fact. He's the heir to an empire-but he doesn't want to be. And nobody believes that he could or would walk away, and give the job of ruling the kingdom to someone else. In this roller coaster of a sequel to Not Exactly the Three Musketeers, it looks like the stage is set for a major shake-up in the kingdom. Jason's help in keeping everything from blowing up are the self-appointed soldiers of the errant Jason, sent by that wily off-worlder Walter Slovotsky to keep Jason in one piece . . . more or less.There's Kethol, the long and lanky redhead with an easy smile, who's quick with a quip and quicker with a sword; Pirojil, the ugly one, whose looks deceive and whose might and loyalty are worth a kingdom; and the fledgling wizard Erenor, a man who tries to stay two steps ahead of his enemies--as well as one step ahead of his friends. They're all part of the Cullinane retinue, sworn to protect the Cullinane manse and the sometimes-heroic Jason Cullinane and they have their hands full. Because no one likes a vacuum--or one too many contenders for power, Jason's soldiers are going to have to do some fast adventuring to make it all turn out all right. Next in Joel Rosenberg's bestselling Guardians of the Flame series, Not Quite Scaramouche continues the adventures of the journeyman soldiers of Castle Cullinane (and their sometimes ill-fated leader) in all their raucous glory.

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Set in Joel Rosenberg's bestselling Guardians of the Flame series, Not Quite Scaramouche continues the adventures of the journeyman soldiers of Castle Culliane: Kethol, the long and lanky redhead with an easy smile, who's quick with a quip and quicker with a sword; Pirojil, the ugly one, whose looks deceive and whose might and loyalty are worth a kindgom; and the fledgling wizard Erenor, a man who tries to stay two steps ahead of his enemies as well as one step ahead of his friends. They're all part of the Cullinane retinue, sworn to protect the Cullinane manse and the sometimes-heroic Jason Cullinane, who (some say foolishly) chose to renounce his family's right to the throne. Jason is still not Emperor and the plots haven't gotten any clearer . . . or less deadly. And it looks like this time the stage is set for a major shake-up in the kingdom. Kethol and company are going to have to do some fast adventuring to make it turn out right. And even the grand old man, Walter Slovotsky, might not be able to pull the rabbit--or, in his case, dragon--out of the hat in time.

Customer Reviews:

Yes and Yes.......2005-08-13

Both the compliments and criticisms of this book are desreved. Rosenberg continues to give us compelling characters that draw us in. Further, he continues to develope his world in unexpected ways. This book was truly a fun read.

That said. The series has lost its original feel. At this point we are rather disconnected from the original characters and the original idea of the series. Also, there are plot lines from earlier in the series that have been dropped or at least not fully handled. I wait patiently to see if those ideas are brought up again only because the characters now are compelling in their own way but I long for that connection that Rosenberg's fictional world once had to our own.

Searching for Mister Good Baron.......2004-05-08

Not Quite Scaramouche (2001) is the ninth fantasy novel in the Guardians of the Flame series, following Not Exactly the Three Musketeers. In the previous volume, Baroness Elanee instigated a plot to lure Ellegon into a trap, but Pirojil, Kethol, Durine and Erenor foiled the setup. However, Durine and a medium sized brown dragon were killed and Erenor required a healing draught for his slit throat. Although her treasonous plot misfired, Elanee herself survived until Ellegon and Pirojil executed the death warrant on her. Her son Miron disappeared in the confusion.

In this novel, Emperor Thomen calls Parliament into session and Jason Cullinane is late. In addition, Henrad the wizard is beginning to feel the presence of another wizard in the castle. Walter Slovotsky, the new Imperial Proctor, decides to kill two birds with one stone and sends Pirojil, Kethol and Erenor to Barony Cullinane.

Jason delays to the last minute before leaving for Parliament and then finds himself delayed by assassins. Kethol first detects something scaring the wildlife and he, Pirojil and Ahira Bandylegs go into the woods to check out the situation. They find an assassin with two crossbows, one of which gets Ahira in the thigh and the other scrapes Kethol's ear.

Pirojil takes the party off the Royal road and occupies a nearby farmhouse. That evening, Kethol and Ahira take a shortcut through the woods to Dernal's Ford and Pirojil and Erenor head off through the rain on the Royal road to Belneten's Spring. Pirojil and Erenor find more assassins waiting for them, but the other party find Imperial troopers guarding a landing zone for Ellegon. The next day, Jason and his close associates ride to Parliament in style, way above any possible assassins on the ground.

In this story, Miron returns to Biemestren through the sponsorship of Baron Tyrnael. General Treseen recommends that Miron be installed as the new baron and Parliament tends to agree. Walter delays the decision, hoping for an alternative. Leria provides a means of searching for the long gone Forinel, heir presumptive to the barony, and Pirojil, Kethol, Erenor and Leria fly off of Ellegon to search for the heir.

This story twists and turns like a snake with its head cut off. Some things remain the same, of course, such as Kethol dashing heroically after the assassin and Jason standing up on Ellegon as they fly along. Naturally, the barons are always plotting something and the Imperial governors in the Holt baronies are playing their own game.

Recommended for Rosenberg fans and for anyone who enjoys tales of high adventure and intrigue with more than a touch of cynicism.

-Arthur W. Jordin

Not Really the Guardians Anymore.......2003-09-17

While still witty and entertaining, this installment fails to capture the spirit and flavor of the original three. Gone is the wonder of people from a mundane, technological world trapped in a world of dragons, miracles, and arcane magic. Also, gone is the righteousness of Karl Cullinane & Crew's original goals.
Not only have these elements been completely left out in favor of a plot involving the characters in a convoluted political morass, Rosenberg has left several loose ends untied.

For instance, what happened with the conflict with the wizard that originally brought them to this place? And the sword destined for Jason Cullinane?.Maybe it's been so long since the original trilogy, even the author has forgotten what was happening.

Not Quite What I Had In Mind.......2002-12-15

For many years Mr. Rosenberg has entertained his readers with fantastic adventure and delights from his mythic land. Anyone who has ever "thrown some dice" from the comfort of their den or basement was instantly and (like me) permanently drawn into the idea of awakening in the "game realm." I loved the earliest works for this very detail. However, as the series progressed, the plot line (which originally drew me so close) regressed into an average fantasy tale. By this book publication, I hardly recognize the thrill from the original four (or so) books. Mr. Rosenberg has within him the creative fire to return his characters (and us, the audience) to the world we first met in "The Sleeping Dragon;" but it is completely up to him to rejuvinate the characters and myriad plot-lines to their once captivating and imaginative status. In short, bring restore the "guardians" to their original and best task, the task we all long to see and do - adventuring!

Sincerely,

Marc Harmon

A great read.......2002-06-25

In Not Quite Scaramouche, Kethol, Pirojil, and the mildly competent and untrustworthy wizard, Erenor, are charged first with bodyguarding characters that readers of previous Guardians of the Flame books will remember fondly, and new readers will surely enjoy. Naturally, things don't go as planned as our heroes end up having to flee into the countryside to attempt to recover a missing heir. This is a great read and very entertaining.

Another GREAT READ !! The Price of Immortality by C.M. Whitlock

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Scaramouche, a Romance of the French Revolution.
Rafael. Sabatini
Manufacturer: Grosset & Dunlap
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000L1PNP0

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Examining "The great mystery beyond the door of Night."

Butcher delivers "an obscene and enchanting spectacle"

Scaramouche Jones: Or the Seven White Masks (Methuen Drama)
Justin Butcher
Manufacturer: A&C Black
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

United States | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Drama | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Theater | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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Customer Reviews:

Examining "The great mystery beyond the door of Night.".......2005-05-29

First performed in 2001 in Dublin, Justin Butcher's Scaramouche Jones is a fascinating one-man "play" in which a clown, Scaramouche Jones, relives his life and contemplates his death at the age of one hundred. Born at midnight on December 31, 1899, Scaramouche will die as the Millenium begins, having witnessed major events of the twentieth century, which he brings to life and explores, not just as a clown who has acquired seven masks during his lifetime, but as an everyman, giving breadth and universality to this drama.

The son of an "Ethiop" gypsy mother living in Trinidad and a British father, long gone, his masks include, among other things, his pale skin, the salt he acquires on a sailing dhow, and the white goat's milk paste used to keep away evil spirits in northern Africa. Gradually, he acquires additional masks, each one associated with a life-changing experience, including one from a Nazi death camp.

At every stage of Scaramouche's story, the author compares Scaramouche's life as an outsider, a man who is denied life's "blessings" and who often lives in Third World societies, to what is happening in mainstream European history, bringing the contrasts to life. Butcher creates vivid word pictures and elicits extraordinary sympathy for Scaramouche, at the same time that he gives Scaramouche strength, a sense of honor, and, ultimately, heroic stature. His stories are vivid, the characters he meets are often fascinating, the mood varies from humor to sadness, and the ironies are palpable. It is a testament to Butcher's ear for conversational language that Scaramouche's speech sounds so real.

This edition incorporates a number of photographs from the production by the Bristol Old Vic in 2002, with Pete Postlethwaite as Scaramouche. His ability to establish and sustain moods is vividly demonstrated in the photographs. An outstanding twenty-first century drama by a playwright who is still in his thirties, Scaramouche suggests a long and successful career for this writer. Mary Whipple

Butcher delivers "an obscene and enchanting spectacle".......2004-05-12

"Scaramouche Jones; or, The Seven White Masks," by Justin Butcher, is a one-act play for one actor. The title character--a clown about to mark his 100th birthday--tells the audience the story of his life, which spans the 20th century. The monologue begins with his beginnings as the child of a Gypsy prostitute in Trinidad and proceeds as his adventures take him across various countries.

Early in the play the clown promises "an obscene and enchanting spectacle that will thrill you and revolt you." The entire text of the play only fills 32 pages, but into this concise space Butcher created a work with global vision and an epic sweep. Scaramouche's story is tragic, comic, and richly ironic; his monologue is full of fascinating characters and compelling situations.

This Methuen edition contains an 11-page long, unpaginated prefatory section with information about the play's production history. The play was first performed at the Samuel Beckett Theatre for the Dublin Theatre Festival 2001, and received its first UK performance in 2002. Also noted is that playwright Butcher studied at Oxford and trained at Drama Studio London.

Butcher's language pulses and crackles with life. In Scaramouche's words he weaves a pungent yet elegant poetry that is spiced with multilingual flourishes and multicultural references. Although I have never seen it performed, I can say that the play succeeds brilliantly as a reader's text. Scaramouche is an amazing character. Ultimately this play is a moving meditation on loss, lust, and power, as well as on history, justice, and national identity.

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Scaramouche the King Maker

It ain't Scaramouche, but it's good.

A sequel worth reading, but...

Classic swordfighting adventure

Scaramouche the Kingmaker
Rafael Sabatini
Manufacturer: Amereon Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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Customer Reviews:

Scaramouche the King Maker.......2004-10-13

Poor. Doesn't hold a candle to the original. Characters seem wooden and puposeless. Especially Aline. In the original she had personality and an edge. In this one she seems bland and banal.

Bill Oakey

It ain't Scaramouche, but it's good........1999-01-19

Scaramouche the Kingmaker was written a decade after Scaramouche, and is a sequel that never quite reaches its predecessor's brilliance, but is quite satisfying to the Sabatini completist. The story continues where the original novel left off, with Andre-Louis Moreau now embracing the royalist cause to hasten his marriage to Aline. It's a good, rousing, adventure story, but it's no Scaramouche.

A sequel worth reading, but..........1998-01-06

This book was worth the two-decade-long search it took me to find it, but more for completeness's sake than for the book itself. The story picks up where Scaramouche left off: Andre-Louis Moreau and Aline de Kercadiou have escaped from the Terror, and Moreau has renounced his revolutionary ways. Even more, his love for Aline has made him espouse the royalist cause, and he goes back into danger and adventure to help it. But will he be betrayed by the less-than-worthy nobles he seeks to help? The story is pure Sabatini, but doesn't come near the brilliance of the original _Scaramouche_. But you find out what happens.

Classic swordfighting adventure.......1996-07-15

Scaramouche an overlooked classic. The story is better than The Three Musketeers! Get a copy and read it to your kids.

Scaramouche: A Romance of the French Revolution

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Scaramouche: A Romance of the French Revolution
Rafael Sabatini
Manufacturer: Grosset & Dunlap
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MQK9CG

The clown;: An adaptation of Sabatini's Scaramouche

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The clown;: An adaptation of Sabatini's Scaramouche
Oda Ethel Anderson
Manufacturer: Distributors: Vroman's California School Book Depository
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Public Speaking | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0007G4C1A

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DAS WAR SCARAMOUCHE
J. F. WITTKOP
Manufacturer: FISCHER
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000SCSQ42

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Not Quite Scaramouche
Joel Rosenberg
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTN7RU

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SCARAMOUCHE
Rafael Sabatini
Manufacturer: 1921 Grosset & Dunlap
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NYPSGE

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