Tooth and Nail (An Inspector Rebus Novel)

Book Description

Sent to London to help catch a vicious serial killer, Inspector John Rebus teams up with a beautiful psychologist to piece together a portrait of a depraved psychopath bent on painting the town red-with blood...

Customer Reviews:

Rebus: Ambition AND ability.......2007-01-24

Tooth and Nail finds Rebus helping out the London police hunt down the serial killer, Wolfman. The novel is filled with a lot of local London color, including a car chase down St. Martin's Lane and around Nelson's Column. I enjoyed this book immensely until the last 40 pages, where killer is caught based on an unsubstantiated "hunch".

Being from NYC I found Rebus's take on fast London city life very amusing. Several pages are devoted to Rebus contemplating the utter inhumanity of the Tube! In fact, the only positive comments come from Rebus's would-be partner, George Flight, although Rebus mocks his attitude: "London is bigger, better, rougher, tougher and more important than anywhere else." It's funny that we would want other people to think our city is rough and tough, because that implies that we are as well, when we are actually victims. Fortunately, from the novel I learned a new way to cope: just chant FYTP.

Rankin is a master at capturing the reader's attention. Clues and red herrings fly like nobody's business. Just keep in mind that this is crime fiction not mystery, that is, don't expect the clues to pan out. The dialog is amazingly realistic, witty, and edgy. Ultimately, Rebus's humanity (he describes himself as having "more ambition than talent") and musings on the human condition are the reason why I find this novel, and Rankin's others, so compelling.

An excellent read.......2006-03-30

This is Rankin at his best. Buy it, enjoy the thriller and then buy the next one. It seems that once you've started reading Rebus, you just can't get enough!

Rebus Versus The Wolfman.......2005-04-15

I'm baaaaaack!

After reading the first Rebus novel (Knots and Crosses), I knew I'd continue to read the rest of Ian Rankin's excellent crime fiction stories.

This is actually the third novel in the Inspector Rebus series, and author Ian Rankin's prose continues to astound me. He masterfully weaves a tapestry of plot, character, and location throughout nearly every page (Example from the prologue: `She drives home the knife. The moment, she knows from past experience, is a very intimate one. Her hand is gripped around the knife's cool handle and the thrust takes the blade into the throat up to the hilt until her hand meets the throat itself. Flesh upon flesh. Jacket first, or woollen jersey, cotton shirt or T-shirt, then flesh. Now rent. The knife is writhing, like an animal sniffing. Warm blood covering hilt and hand. (The other hand covers the mouth, stifling screams.) The moment is complete. A meeting. Touching. The body hot, gaping, warm with blood. Seething inside, as insides become outsides. Boiling. The moment is coming to an end all too soon.')

But this time we're no longer in Edinburgh. No? No. Inspector Rebus is sent to London (Oh the pain!) to try and help catch a serial killer whom the local coppers can't pin down. They've nick-named the murderer "The Wolfman", because he bites the victims on the stomach after he kills them. But why send Rebus? Well, in Knots and Crosses, he helped find another serial killer in Edinburgh, and so George Flight (a local London CID guy) requested Scotland's "expert". Rebus sees himself as anything BUT an expert on such things, but reluctantly goes to England's capital to do what he can.

Come to find out, he can do quite a bit; including getting into lots of trouble. He falls for a beautiful psychologist named Liza Frazer (who might have connections with the killer!), disappears for hours or days on end, drinks like a fish, and goes on television and announces that they've caught the killer (even when he knows they haven't). But Rebus' mind works a bit differently than most folks. He can worm his way into a killer's mind as the case unfolds. And we again see how Rebus' past comes to the forefront and aids him in capturing the villain.

The great thing about Rebus is that he's so f#$%ed up that the reader can identify with all of his vices and character flaws. He's no superhuman, and he knows it. But what he does have is a nose for killers, and this bodes poorly for them. Because once Rebus is on your trail, you'll never get away.

Now, it's on to the next in the series!

Wolfman........2005-02-06

He had wanted to update Robert Louis Stevenson's "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" for modern times, Ian Rankin writes about his first Inspector Rebus novel, "Knots and Crosses" in the introduction to the British compilation "Rebus: The Early Years" (unfortunately, not available in the U.S.), which contains the first three installments of the series. Oblivious to the mere existence of such a thing as the mystery genre - or so Rankin says - he was stunned to soon hear his book described first and foremost as a crime novel. But eventually this characterization prompted him to have a closer look at the work of other mystery writers, and he found that the form suited his purposes just fine; that in fact he "could say everything [he] wanted to say about the world, and still give readers a pacy, gripping narrative."

Bearing in mind the original duality of Jekyll and Hyde, however, Rankin's tales are not dominated by a contrast painted in black and white. While the villains Inspector Rebus faces are certainly every bit as evil as Stevenson's Mr. Hyde, Rebus himself is far from a clean-slated "good guy:" Divorced, cynical, hard-drinking and a former member of the SAS, he is a brother in spirit to every noir detective from Dashiell Hammett's Sam Spade and Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe to Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch, James Ellroy's squad of crooked cops and Peter Robinson's Alan Banks. Nor is Rebus's Edinburgh the touristy town of Calton Hill, castle and Summer Festival (although the series has meanwhile sparked real-life guided tours to its most famous locations, too) - as befitting a true detective of his ilk, Rankin's antihero moves primarily in the city's dark and dirty underbelly, which is populated by society's losers and where those who have "made it," those with money in their pockets, only show up if they have shady deals to conduct as well.

"Tooth and Nail" (originally titled "Wolfman," for the alias that police have given the subject of their hunt) takes Rebus to London, where - due an earlier case of his own reluctantly deemed an "expert" on serial murderers - he is to assist metro CID with the case of a killer named for the bite marks he leaves on his victims' bodies. Not overly enthusiastic about any aspect of his mission to the capital (and thus mirroring once more the feelings of Rankin himself, who did not much like living there, either, and "brought Rebus to London so he could suffer, too"), Rebus soon alienates his metro counterpart by his constant unwillingness to follow protocol, although the two men get along reasonably well on a personal level. Eventually, Rebus so seriously jeopardizes his and - by extension - Edinburgh CID's reputation with the Met that he is about to be recalled home, when he finally makes the crucial connection that unmasks the killer, just in time to save the young psychologist who has offered her help with the case and who is his latest love interest. (As befits a good noir detective, Rebus has a new flame in every book, not without incurring fresh scars from each separation, however.)

While this series had a terrific start already in its first three novels, published between 1987 and 1992, Rebus's character - and Rankin's writing - has evolved significantly over time. Thus, it is probably wise to read it in the order of publication. Contrary to his nonseries novels, however, which he views much more critically in hindsight, Ian Rankin overall still seems to be happy with his early Rebus books, commenting almost nostalgically: "I can't read them without thinking back to my own early years, my apprenticeship as a crime writer. Read and enjoy." I have nothing to add to that ...

Pretty solid, until the final act.......2005-01-24

This was the first Rebus novel I've read, and it probably won't be the last. The story concerns the "Wolfman" a serial killer on the lose in London who has a habit of killing and mutilating a variety of women in a unique way. Detective John Rebus is called down from Edinburgh to assist on the case.

Rankin's writing put me in mind of the Hannibal Lector books by Thomas Harris. There is a similarly bleak but humanistic writing style to both authors. Rankin's worldview is undeniably grim, but there is enough humor in the book to keep it from being completely depressing.

"Tooth and Nail" is a quick read, but when I think about it not all that much happens in the book. There are no real ingenious plot twists, and the way the killer is eventually caught is pretty inane. The book sags especially towards the end, with a chase scene that seems lifted out of a bad Hollywood movie. And the killer's motivations when they are finally revealed are frankly not convincing, at least not as portrayed here.

Having said that, I should probably give the book fewer stars, but I will give it four stars on the strength of Rankin's writing and characters. Hopefully his other books have stronger plots.

Tooth and Nail: A Novel Approach to the New SAT

Average customer rating:

Better than a sharp stick in the eye..... maybe
A Complete Waste of Time
Good for the clueless....
A good idea, but it has its hits and misses....
Learning words in context is the best approach

Tooth and Nail: A Novel Approach to the New SAT
Charles Harrington Elster , and Joseph Elliot
Manufacturer: Harvest Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0156013827

Amazon.com

Abate, abhor, abject, abridge, abstemious ... still awake? Good, because now there's a better way to learn all those words than plowing through those never-ending vocabulary lists devised by torture experts. Tooth and Nail: A Novel Approach to the New SAT is just what it says it is: a guide to the big, bad SAT words in the form of a mystery novel. Follow Caitlin and Phil's exploits as they wend their way through their first year of college and find intrigue behind the curtain of academia. As you do, you'll find a few words in boldface, each of which is defined and compared with other words in a glossary in the back of the book. Seeing the word in its context and immediately finding a definition is a much more satisfying way to learn than just to read word after unconnected word--you might as well read the dictionary! A preface explains in greater detail how best to use the book, and there are helpful SAT-style exercises in antonyms, analogies, and comprehension, so this makes a great all-around verbal package for the serious test-taker. If you must take the test, you might as well have a little fun doing it, and by the time you've finished Tooth and Nail, you'll be glad it doesn't end as a list: "...wizened, wreak, writhe, zeal, zealous." --Rob Lightner

Book Description

An SAT vocabulary-building program in the lively form of a mystery novel. Now students who take the Scholastic Assessment Test can learn more than 1,200 SAT words, improve reading comprehension, and enjoy a good story all at the same time. Includes exercises, glossary with page references.

Customer Reviews:

Better than a sharp stick in the eye..... maybe.......2005-08-22

Better than a sharp stick in the eye....maybe

Although the concept seems like a good idea, in reality due to the lack of any real plot the only thing this "novel" managed to do was drone on and on and on while going absolutely nowhere. The cramming of three to four words in a single sentence was just annoying. The chapter on the radio talk show was so mind numbingly boring that I considered just blowing the assignment off and going to the beach. For example, "...I would like to ask our listeners to abandon for a moment the tedious insistence on objective fact and impartial analysis that tyrannizes so much scholarship and to indulge instead there powers of speculation." Seriously, is all that needed to get the thought across? Or are they just using a lot of words to fill up space (like most kids on their English essays). However because it was assigned reading and I will be graded on it I persevered.

Most of the words I am already familiar with. The ones I was not were not driven home, as it were, by this style of study. I think my time will be better spent in an SAT Prep class, and using practice tests. Certainly more time consuming but far less painful.

Really, reading a dictionary cover to cover would have been a better use of time. It probably would have also been a better read.

Again, the concept could have been a good one if the authors had given more thought to the audience that they were writing for. One sure way to impede the education process for my age group is to bore us to tears.

The question remains would I recommend this book. To the student that has grown up in an inarticulate environment with no real grasp of the English language well, yeah, maybe. For the rest of the overstressed, pre SAT crowd who have been exposed to the world at large, save your money.

A Complete Waste of Time.......2004-07-05

I read this book for an english summer homework assignment. Although the back description and introduction allude to an interesting and valuable read, do not expect much. This book is a sore disappointment for anyone who possesses a genuine love of reading. The plot is unbelievably simplistic and unoriginal and it was difficult for me to believe that two well educated scholars wrote it. I was bored to tears after the opening paragraph of the "story" and have had a tough time finishing it. If it weren't for the fact that I will be tested on this, I would have gladly exchanged it for a more engaging read. In terms of SAT prep, it was not entirely helpful there either. Many times throughout the book, it seemed as though the authors exchanged simpler words for complex, lesser known SAT words. The problem was that the SAT words did not fit the context and were spoken by characters that would not have had any clue about the word. The characters were dull and 2-D without ever developing or being explored. The dialogue was unreal and forced.
All in all, this was a horrible book that did not teach me any new words. It was torture to read. Like a previous reviewer said, for SAT prep words read some classic novels where you will be entertained as well as educated. For a REAL mystery, try "The Da Vinci Code" by Dan Brown.

Good for the clueless...........2004-01-02

When I first saw this book, I was excited with this "novel" approach. My friend said it was good, so I started reading.
What I found, however, was that 95% of the words I already knew. I'm studying for my SATs, so I know a sizable amount of words. I was hoping to learn new and challenging words.
Some of the words are absurd. Words like biased, indifferent, spontaneous, captivating, articulate, tentative, convey, intiated, diverse (i just happened to flip to a random page (p.25) and am listing some bold-faced words) appear a billion times on the pages. Some of the words were new to me, like masquerade (which I doubt I will find on the SAT). Most of the words however were elementary and definately did not improve my vocabulary.

When I first read all those 3 star reviews I didn't want to believe them, so I tried the book anyway. Needless to say I am disapointed.
Aside from other problems that I won't mention (but other customers have, such as the lack of a plot or the flipping to the back, which you wont need to be doing very often if you're studying for the SATs), this book's vocabulary is very limited.

To sum it up, if you're looking to study for an examination and want to learn challenging words, try another book (personally I've been trying to memorize word lists and have ordered Kaplan's Ring of McAllister, another novel). If you don't know anything, don't want to study word lists, don't want to try other SAT vocabulary novels, or just want to review some basic vocabulary words such as adjacent, complex, nuture, diversity, bizarre, dominant............, well then this book is for you.

A good idea, but it has its hits and misses...........2003-05-24

I was required to read Tooth and Nail for my etymology class. The whole purpose of this class is to learn vocabulary for the SAT. While my verbal score did increase, it wasn't because of reading the book. The idea is a good one: using words in context is one of the best ways to learn words, in my opinion. But, as many reviews have already stated, it was extremely tedious having to flip through the back of the book just to see what the word means. I noticed that the longer I read, the less I flipped through the back.

The authors call Tooth & Nail a mystery novel, yet the "mystery" part only compromises the last 40% or so of the book. The preceding stuff is just garbage -- extremely slow exposition. There is even a chapter (the "radio chat" for those of you that have read this book) that serves ABSOLUTELY no purpose, other than to cram in words. That's fine and dandy, except one thing: the less interesting a book gets, the less likely you'll finish it. You can tell that the authors haven't visited a college campus for a while (yet, I think they put forth valiant effort trying to make it seem real.)

Indeed, I augmented my lexicon from taking etymology, but most of it was from a wordlist book. Contrary to what many people say, word-books are a good way to learn lists of words, so long as they provide exercises---this is what I recommend instead of (or at LEAST in addition to) this book.

Learning words in context is the best approach.......2003-04-08

Learning words in context is a great idea. It's the only method that works. This book was released in 1994 and for several years was the only one of its kind. But there are three new additions in this format--from Barrons, Kaplan, and A. J. Cornell Publications. Some people have complained that with this book it's problematic to have all the words at the back, in a glossary--because you have to keep stopping to find them back there. I agree with that. At least one of the above-mentioned books--The Wizard of Oz Vocabulary Builder--places the definitions on the same page as the words, and it seems to work well. Perhaps the next edition of this book can be reformatted that way.

Tooth and Nail Records Presents The Book of Rock

Average customer rating:

Tooth and Nail Records Presents The Book of Rock

Manufacturer: Hal Leonard Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Songbooks | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Book Description

13 hard-rockin' Contemporary Christian hits featuring authentic guitar transcriptions in notes and tab, plus a CD with the original recordings. Includes: A Boy Brushed Red * Studying Politics * Top of the World * Paperthin Hymn * Chick Magnet * and more.

Make your own monstrosities with tooth and nail

Average customer rating:

Make your own monstrosities with tooth and nail
George Emery Daniels
Manufacturer: Simon and Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Satire, General | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0007DENYO

2 Novels : Portrait In Smoke The Tooth And Nail

Average customer rating:

2 Novels : Portrait In Smoke The Tooth And Nail
Ballinger
Manufacturer: HarperPaperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000JFBONS

Architectural Follies in America or Hammer, Saw-Tooth & Nail

Average customer rating:

Architectural Follies in America or Hammer, Saw-Tooth & Nail
Clay Lancaster
Manufacturer: Charles E. Tuttle
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 1111164436

Product Description

The architectural folly of America has a venerable tradition, and it is documented here, fully illustrated. Castles, towers, floating palaces, the Winchester House, barrel houses, oriental villas, an aeroplane house, and numerous other fine examples of the tradition are depicted.

Dokken Selections From Two Albums Under Lock and Key/ Tooth and Nail (Piano / Vocal / Guitar)

Average customer rating:

Dokken Selections From Two Albums Under Lock and Key/ Tooth and Nail (Piano / Vocal / Guitar)
Dokken
Manufacturer: Warner Brother Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000J1KQMC

Murder Makes an Entrance / Poison in the Pen / The Tooth and the Nail

Average customer rating:

Murder Makes an Entrance / Poison in the Pen / The Tooth and the Nail

Manufacturer: Walter J. Black
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HWU4IE

Portrait in Smoke/the Tooth and the Nail/2 Mysteries in 1 Book

Average customer rating:

Okay, but Gimmicky

Portrait in Smoke/the Tooth and the Nail/2 Mysteries in 1 Book
Bill S. Ballinger
Manufacturer: Harpercollins (Mm)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0061042552

Customer Reviews:

Okay, but Gimmicky.......1999-06-12

Both novels revolve around a single gimmick -- that one character is not what another character perceives him or her to be. In Portrait, the girl of the protagonist's dreams is a hard, irredeemable type looking out for number one. I don't want to give anything away, but in Tooth, again, the plot hinges on mistaken identity. Ballinger was competent, and the odd structure of Portrait (it's told on two different tracks, and as we watch the protagonist search we slowly learn what exactly he's searching for) manages to drum up some suspense, but both books, in the end, seem rather slick and contrived. In the best hard-boiled work one has the feeling, anyway, that one has encountered the truth, that one has learned something. That definitely isn't the case here. So this isn't a must-buy.

Tarzan No. 15,tooth and Nail No. 15 One of Two

Average customer rating:

Tarzan No. 15,tooth and Nail No. 15 One of Two
lovern kindzierski
Manufacturer: dark horse comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic

General | Comic Strips | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Dark Horse | Publishers | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000N76CO8

Amazon.com

This sexy, funny novel, first published as an electronic book, proves there's still room in the Florida caper genre for a newcomer. Jane Ellen Ashley is a gorgeous blue-eyed oyster shucker who's on the run because she believes she caused the accidental drowning of a prominent Senator's slightly inebriated son. And Happy Harry Harper is a down-on-his-luck English professor who's also fleeing a Caribbean island because he thinks he's wanted for a murder he may or may not have committed. When two seasick mobsters offer him money to sail their boat back to Miami and transport a coffin they swear holds the body of a Honduran national hero whose family wants to bury him in their adopted land, it looks like the answer to Harry's prayers. How Jane Ellen and Harry manage to evade their pursuers, find each other, and save the pristine fishing grounds of her beloved Apalichola Bay makes for one of the wittiest romps through territory previously claimed by plenty of other writers from Carl Hiaasen to Dave Barry. Oyster Blues is a side-splitting debut from a writer to watch. --Jane Adams

Book Description

"Happy" Harry Harper is anything but. He has to get off a Caribbean island quick before someone nails him for a murder that may or may not be his doing. Desperate, he takes a job from two mob goons to sail their boat to Miami with a coffin -- the contents of which are dubious at best.

Then he meets Jane Ellen Ashley, a blazing blue-eyed oyster shucker (who also might have accidentally killed somebody), and the trouble really rolls in. They've just stumbled onto a big-money scam involving some very dangerous people -- which puts them on the endangered species list.

Now, they're both on the run from...well, pretty much everyone. And while Harry wants to make Jane his catch of the day, Jane wants to save her beloved Apalachicola Bay -- and both of them want to avoid a fatal case of the...Oyster Blues

Customer Reviews:

Because there is no zero.......2005-06-23

Comparing this book to Hiaasen, Leonard, Dorsey, or Barry is like comparing Shakespeare to comic books. It's a sacrilege. I was suckered into buying it because of all the hype about what a funny Florida crime romp it was. What a terrible disappointment I suffered. While the story sounds promising, the writer has a tendency to go off on tangents that are just plain boring. I really didn't care enough about a chicken carcass being thrown overboard and sinking to the bottom of the ocean to read about it for three pages. Every situation is explained to absolute death, and I found myself yawning endlessly until I finally, joyously, reached the end. I recoiled in horror when I saw a new book by the same author in bookstores. Reading this one was enough to put me off this writer forever, and warn everyone I can reach! I am absolutely stunned that people liked it. Whoever compared this drivel to Hiaasen, Leonard, Dorsey, or Barry should be sued for libel.

Comedy with a plot.......2005-05-30

The Florida crazy novel moves from the Keys, up the coast to the big bend. I am not sure if the panhandle can sustain the required level of craziness found in Key West, but after all there are enough islands in the area and with Talahassee and Gainsville nearby a big enough supply of characters to render up rogues and clowns. There is a strong whiff of Dorsey here, but with a bit more plot and maybe not as much bitterness. I guess this style of novel will be around until all of Florida is walled, like Key West in the last fifteen years, by seasonal condos for the rich and beautiful. While the main plot is the ecological disaster of a foreign species in the Bay (see Hall and White) the ultimate goal is real estate speculation. Not so far from reality when one considers the half million run up in asking price for fish shacks on Cedar Key or St George over ten years and the exile of locals up the rivers.

Some of the language games are a lot of fun. "Quiet " Quinones who cannot shut up except when El Jeffe commands "Quiet!" or the supposed murder victim: "Champion Rooster." The Cuban coffee shops, the Miami street scenes and mangrove vets all give a picture of the multi cultural Florida that has to stimulate wit. Not a serious book, but fit for an afternoon or two on a beach chair.

A Riotous Romp.......2004-07-22

Reading a book this funny, this slyly plotted, this salty and satiric, this madcap and quirky, this irreverent, this outrageously uplifting -- well, hell, if it ain't a crime, then it sure ought to be required reading for anyone suffering the blues, "the oyster blues," that is (smile).

Since others have summarized so well here, I'll simply say I finished the book and then started reading it again. It's that good and that much fun. You'll relish that the a***oles get their due, that the guy gets the girl, that a treasure of a bay along the forgotten coast of Florida is preserved, that sometimes life works out just fine.

Give yourself a treat. Read this book. It goes down as easy as cotton candy with the taste of finely broiled shrimp. Move over Dorsey, Leonard, and Hiaasen. If you don't, McClelland will simply elbow his way in (which I think he's already done).

Another Trip to the Sunshine State.......2004-03-29

So I'm a sucker for this Florida stuff. It seems every month or so I run into another author taking on the wild and wacky turf of the Sunshine State. The latest find was Michael McClelland's Oyster Blues. This is a tale of near murders, dirty politics, not so bright mobsters and of course a couple of clueless lovesick bookworms who stumble onto a conspiracy. Nothing groundbreaking here, but a lot of wacky, off the wall charm. McClelland creates some fun and memorable, though utterly unbelievable, characters and puts them in a clever and enjoyable plot to make a fun read. My only qualm is I think at points McClelland may have tried too hard to insert some wackiness in his book. At one point Jane, the female lead, comes off as way to naive when answering some basic medical questions for a girl as well read as herself, yet later in the book figures out the entire conspiracy based on an obscure reference to a specific fish.

The inevitable comparisons will come so, no this book is not up to par with Hiaasen at his best, or even Tim Dorsey, but the potential is absolutely there. For a first time novelist, this was a first rate entry into an ever growing genre.

oyster blues should be a movie!.......2004-03-04

a friend traded this with me for the last juror.i couldn't put it down! delightful, different, and touching.

Average customer rating:

A Decent Work

just a guy

my favorite Wizard book so far!

The Rogue Wizard Finds True Love?

A Wizard in Midguard,but why?

A Wizard in Midgard
Christopher Stasheff
Manufacturer: Tom Doherty Assoc Llc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Stasheff, Christopher | ( S ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Magic & Wizards | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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A Wizard In Chaos: The Fifth Chronicle of the Rogue Wizard (Chronicles of the Rogue Wizard)

A Wizard and a Warlord (Stasheff, Christopher. Rogue Wizard.)

A Wizard In The Way (Chronicles of the Rogue Wizard)

A Wizard In A Feud (Chronicles of the Rogue Wizard)

A Wizard In War: The Third Chronicle of the Magnus D'Armand, Rogue Wizard (Chronicles of the Rogue Wizard)

ASIN: 0812549279

Book Description

Under the nom de guerre of Gar Pike, renegade psychic wizard Magnus D'Armand travels the stars fighting injustice and oppression like his father, Rod Gallowglass, the Warlock in Spite of Himself.

Now the Rogue Wizard wanders the galaxy alone, having lost his best friend and partner in liberation to the lure of love. He finds himself on the distant planet Siegfried, which is beleaguered by racism and prejudice--a tough nut to crack, even for an experienced psychic liberator. Can Gar teach the peoples of Siegfried to live with and love one another? And, most importantly, can he teach a lonely girl to live with and--dare he hope--love him?

Customer Reviews:

A Decent Work.......2002-07-04

I don't agree that Midgard was a bad story. I think it was even better than the predecessor, Chaos. After all, weren't the people of the hollow hills a kind of "magic" last-minute solution, too? The giants and dwarves were among the best races Stasheff ever wrote about. While it is true that Magnus cheats a bit with his powers to win, the stakes are high. Alea appears to be a welcome addition to the characters. Though many of these books are beginning to get a little formulaic (it is hard for them not to be with so many), I still think this one is an improvement over the last - but there is still much room for further improvment.

just a guy.......2000-04-09

Christopher Stasheef is an excellent writer and has taught me alot. However this book demonstrates that even the best have an off day. The Wizard undertakes to reform a slave society, A laudable idea. What really happens is that the author pulls from his hat a solution that doesn't quite fit. It resembles a mystery where the sluth withholds evidense from the reader and suddenly the suspect is revealed. I won't ruin this book for you, but it is far from this great mans best effort.

my favorite Wizard book so far!.......2000-02-15

This was a great book! I had been wondering how Stasheff could solve Magnus' girl problem. In this book, Magnus meets the woman who is his true love. She has been hurt as badly as he has and distrusts men. She recognizes his problem, too. At the end of the book, she leaves with Magnus. They will have a platonic relationship at first, but I know that eventually they will heal each other. I was pleased to see that Stasheff did not solve Magnus' problem in one book. The adventure part is one of the best ever. The world is based on Norse mythology. Inbreeding has created three races: dwarves, giants, and "regular" humans, who oppress the other two groups. Magnus, as a half giant, is enslaved at one point. Alea, his new friend, is also a half-giant (she is six foot five) who is an escaped slave. She and Magnus travel to the strongholds of the giants and dwarves to encourage them to rebel against the Midgarders(normals). They also meet a snotty band of half-giants who mistreat their wives and children. I liked the end of the book. Magnus starts a rebellion that will take more than twenty years to complete. Magnus used myths and stories to inspire the people- I loved that touch. Magnus is my favorite Stasheff character, and he has matured a lot since A Wizard in Absentia.

The Rogue Wizard Finds True Love?.......1999-12-30

The newest installment of the Rogue Wizard finds our hero on the brink of romance and perhaps true love. This is the book I've been waiting for, a possible love interest for Magnus, yes! As far as the plot goes, typical Stasheff, which means it is a nice read. To me, this is one of the better Rogue Wizard novels, a series that has been a bit uneven. I'm a sucker for Stasheff's more romantic work (I loved M'Lady Witch) and this one delivers.

A Wizard in Midguard,but why?.......1999-12-16

A wizard in Midguard was a great disappointment to me, as a regular Stasheff reader. Having finished Quicksilver's Knight immediately beforehand, I was ready for some of the expected Stasheff magic with this story, especially since the last two Wizard books had left me rather lukewarm. I wasn't surprised to see the theme of Norse Mythology, as there are various references to it in his other work, and I had fully expected a novel dealing with it in detail. To my disappointment, our dear author expected the reader to have a much greater background on the subject than the average person, and did not use his best descriptive techniques to pull the reader head over heels into the story. To me, the book read more like an outline, and after the great lengths taken in Quicksilver's Knight to make the love interest a very three dimentional heroine, Alia seemed more like a plot device to move Magnus through the story. It will be interesting to see if Stasheff rounds out the character of Alia, in the forthcoming book, A Wizard and a Warlord, and attempts to make her Magnus love interest, which totally violates the premise of locking Magnus' heart away in the magic casket, as logically, the 'right' woman would come equipped with a key from the start (no fair finding one conveniently!), or uses her as a vehicle to further alienate him from the rest of the universe. Either way, A Wizard in Midguard is a must for those who wish to continue the saga of Magnus Gallowglass, Rogue Wizard, but alas, the book does not get my vote as an interesting read for its own sake.

4 Titles By Christopher Stasheff Rogue Wizard Series : A Wizard in Chaos A Wizard in Midgard A Wizard and a Warlord A Wizard in a Feud

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4 Titles By Christopher Stasheff Rogue Wizard Series : A Wizard in Chaos A Wizard in Midgard A Wizard and a Warlord A Wizard in a Feud
Christopher Stasheff
Manufacturer: TOR
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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

Magic & Wizards | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000RSJ8PI

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WIZARD IN MIDGARD (6TH CHRONICLE OF THE ROGUE WIZARD)

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WIZARD IN MIDGARD (6TH CHRONICLE OF THE ROGUE WIZARD)
Christopher Stasheff
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTPK7A

Book Description

Clinical psychologist Margo Maine has been successfully helping adult women overcome eating disorders and body image problems for over twenty years. In The Body Myth, she explains the toll these problems can take on women’s lives and provides healing insights and proven techniques for reclaiming readers’ lives from the debilitating belief that a woman’s self-worth and her worth to others are derived from how she looks, how much she weighs, and what she eats–the Body Myth. Using poignant real-life stories, Dr. Maine explores the complex emotional, social, and cultural forces that perpetuate the Body Myth. A unique and invaluable source of information and inspiration, this breakthrough guide equips readers with the knowledge and tools to escape the clutches of the Body Myth and live a more balanced, fulfilling life.

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A groundbreaking look at adult women who struggle with eating disorders and other body issues In the relatively short history of eating disorders treatment, the overwhelming majority of patients and clients have been teenage girls and young women. But now, clinical psychologists like Margo Maine are treating increasing numbers of women in their mid-thirties and beyond suffering from disordered eating or the preoccupation with achieving a perfect body. This unique guide helps women and their loved ones understand eating disorders and the obsession with perfection, exploring the challenge of identifying the problem, the different eating disorder triggers adult women experience, and the various treatments available.

Customer Reviews:

Geared heavily toward eating disorders and weight issues.......2006-08-19

If you or a loved one have an eating disorder or weight issue, this is the book for you. If you don't, but you suffer from Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) or another form of crushing insecurity about your appearance which is unrelated to weight, you may wish to look at some of the other titles on the subject. While Ms. Maine does a nice job of describing the root causes (media, culture, etc.) of women loathing their own bodies, and makes an excellent case for a pro-women revolt of some sort, the classic title on that subject, "the Beauty Myth," by Naomi Wolf, goes into much greater depth on the subject. Either one, however, would be a great book to share with any unsympathetic men in your life, but the Beauty Myth is much more comprehensive.

As far as the practical suggestions in the Body Myth, again, if you have eating or weight issues, I think this book may help you. But if your concerns are on specific body parts, aging, or anything unrelated to weight and eating, keep shopping.

Society's Problem...Made Worse by Men... Just as Bad Over 50.......2005-11-24

Thank you for writing this book! I have struggled with compulsive eating (although I would not call it that, this book does) for most of my life.

In the 1980s, feminist Robin Morgan called the power and provenance derived from men, and based on the ability to attract men/smaller body size, "abstract power" -- as opposed to "real power", the power derived from a woman's being physically strong and able to provide for herself.

While there are flaws to that theory, I see it in practice. Every single day, even at my job. And I work in the medical public relations field. A field where those guys could and should know better!

Yes, big news!?! This sexist, size-ist garbage does not diminish with advancing age. I spent, off and on, only a tiny fraction of my life at a normative size (including now, this time for the longest stretch ever). By virtue of large bone structure, I am a size 12 (spent part of my young adulthood in a size 44 dress). I practice moderate calorie restriction and exercise vigorously about five times a week to maintain this size. I haven't yet internalized anything long enough to be able to comport myself wisely and supremely unselfconciously at a buffet in Atlantic City, for instance.

Thank you, Dr. Maine and Mr. Kelly. You have the spirit of Everest-scaling mountaineers as I have never before seen in such authors on this topic!! As a result of reading your book, I feel that I have only twenty minutes' worth of Knowledge. And not the kind of "knowledge" you get from a Weight Watchers meeting (or any other bunch of self-righteous diet dweebs who think they alone have the right answer).

I am 51 years old. I am looking forward to your sequel and to seeing this book become a best-seller especially among us baby boomers.

The Body Myth.......2005-08-20

This book very clearly and concisely explains why women in society are increasingly pressurised by the media to conform to a very narrow definition of feminine beauty. It is well-written and has excellent advice on how to counter the messages a woman is not considered a woman unless she is white, heterosexual and middle-class. The book does not blame women for feeling insecure but holds the media and society responsible. The authors argue that women are in fact diverse and they all come in different shapes, sizes and ethnicities. It is positive and includes some cases studies. This book is different in that it focuses on adult and mature women. Highly recommended and well worth the purchase price.

Excellent book.......2005-08-13

This is one of the best books on eating disorders/body issues I have ever read. It is one of the few books that really "understands" what it's like for women to struggle with body/eating issues.

What makes this book especially unique is that it is geared towards adults. Most books on this topic focus on teenagers and at the oldest, college students. This book addresses the unique experiences and perspectives of adult women and their struggles. The book is more then just information - it offers a great deal of food for thought and thinking/writing activities to help women overcome their issues.

The book not only expresses a true understanding about eating disorders, but it offers the reader much opportunity for insight, change and hope through the words and exercises.

This book is at the top of my recommendation book for anyone dealing with eating/body issues and those that want to understand why women struggle.

Help for Adult Women Obsessed with Body Image.......2005-07-27

"The Body Myth" written by clinical psychologist Margo Maine and Joe Kelly is a ground-breaking must-read for today's woman struggling to comply with the perfectionistic one-size-fits-all body image currently in vogue. Challenging that image as unrealistic and damaging, the authors provide information and inspiration along with exercises at the end of each chapter which serve as powerful tools to help free women from the dangerous addiction to striving for thinness. Jane Pailas-Kimball, Ph.D., psychotherapist

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