The Cat Who Moved a Mountain (Cat Who...)

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"Qwill's on top of the world when he rents a house on Big Potato Mountain. The owner, J.J. Hawkinfield, brought real estate development to the once-peaceful Potatoes. But Hawkinfield paid a steep price for his enterprise: He was pushed off a cliff by an angry mountain dweller. Qwilleran, however, suspects the man is innocent--and Koko's antics have him convinced something's wrong. He may be making a mountain out of a molehill...but he's determined to find the truth. Even if it means jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire! "

Customer Reviews:

The Cat Who Moved a Mountain.......2006-07-07

In "'The Cat Who Moved a Mountain', Jim Qwilleran took a vacation to the Potato Mountains to have a much-needed rest away from it all. It was here he found he had rented a hotel that had been the site of a year old murder. The locals tell him that the man is now in jail. But Qwill finds out that they have the wrong guy! Then, with the help of Koko, he finds the real murderer and lures him into addmitting it was him. Then Qwill has a near-fatal run-in with the murderer. What will happen? I'll let you see for yourself! Enjoy the book!

The Cat Who Moved A Mountain.......2005-08-30

This is a great book about a man and his to crime finding clue cat Koko and YumYum. There is a mystery on potatoe mountain on a death of a local well known man. Was the wrong person framed. This book is fantastic except kind of has a dissapointing end. But i loved it anyway. I hope you enjoy this book and look for my other reviews

The Mountain Adventures of a City Slicker.......2005-07-03

In an earlier book in this series Jim Qwilleran inherited a pot full of money but there was a stipulation. He had to live in Moose County for five years or he forfeited his windfall. As this book begins, Qwilleran has just completed his five years and is contemplating his future. He has come to love Moose County and it's quirky residents but he was born and raised a city boy and sometimes he longs for more action. The former reporter decides that he needs some time in a quiet atmosphere to think through his options and one of his friends suggests that he spend some time in the Potato Mountains.

In order to find a summer retreat that will accept pets, Qwilleran has to rent a huge former mountain inn that sets on the peak of Big Potato Mountain. It turns out that the last owner of the home was murdered and as normal, Koko immediately begins to exhibit strange behavior. Yum Yum on the other hand starts to tear out bits of her own fur, a behavior that has Qwilleran very upset until the veterinarian tells him that this is not unusual in a spayed female. It is a trait that I have witnessed in my own spayed female cat and this little sidebar makes it very clear that Mrs. Braun most assuredly knows her cats.

Qwilleran for his part has all kinds of trouble in the unfamiliar mountain setting. He has learned some things about rural life during his sojourn in Moose County but the mountains provide an entirely different set of challenges. He gets lost on the mountain roads, almost falls over a waterfall, gets lost while hiking in the woods and gets trapped on the mountain after a dam break. What's a poor city slicker to do?

Despite all of his trials, Qwilleran still manages to get involved in local politics. More specifically he gets involved in a fight between the Spuds (people who live in town and support development) and the Taters (mountain people who oppose development) and he finds that a serious injustice has been done to one of the Tater families. With the help of Koko, Qwilleran wades through the evidence (and a mudslide) and discovers the truth, which once again puts his life in danger and requires a cat to save the day.

The mystery itself, as is often the case in this series, plays a decidedly secondary role in a plot that is laced with humor and oddball characters, including an old mountain man who builds Qwilleran a gazebo that has no door. This book is also a warm fuzzy mystery with a conscience as Mrs. Braun goes to great lengths to point out what happens when humans try to bend mother nature to their own ends. As usual, the writing style is engaging, fun and entertaining. This author's characters are always unpredictable and unforgettable and the cats are fascinating. Mrs. Braun even throws a few witches into this book, just to keep things interesting. This is one of the best books in the series so far and it was a real pleasure to read.

THE BEST BOOK SERRIES EVER.......2005-02-18

The Cat Who is the best serries ever full of humor wit and complexity,
James Macentosh Qwilerin is a off beat repoter/Billion air with his 2 cats Koko and Yumyum who are no shorter than extra ordinary.
This is the best book serries I have ever read and would recomend it to any one over 10.
[...]

The Cat Who Moved A Mountain.......2004-05-11

I just finished with a book called the Cat Who Moved a Mountain and it just swept me off my feet. It involves the lovable Yum Yum, the Siamese cat who lives to be loved and loves exreporter Jim Qwilleren. Qwilleren is an exreporter who used to work in the crime department of a newspaper and hasn't lost his love for crime. He has the right head for it, or shall I say moustache, That's right, I said moustache. When ever Qwill is on the right trail, he gets a tingling sensation in his moustache, but he wouldn't get his clues if it weren't for the brilliant acts of Ko Ko, an odd Siamese cat that always tracks down the clues and leaves Qwill to add them up.

I've already read 5 or 6 of Lillian Jackson Braun's other "Cat Who", books before, and have a taste and craving for them that can't be put out, because Lillian writes with such a colorful array of words, that once you get done you can't tell if you read a book or watched a movie due to all the wonderful, beautiful, and vivid pictures she paints with words. Just like the others she's written she hasn't failed to stump me with her false leads and clue's. Luckily for the characters of the book, Qwill isn't fooled as easily as I was by all the misleading clues Lillian leaves for us, because if he was, then a man would have been locked up for life for a crime he didn't commit. I also liked it because of the plot. It was wonderfully and quite attracting to anyone with an eye for murder, false clues, and a set up to frame someone else and that's just what I like. Another thing that attracts me to book after book written by Lillian is that it leaves you wanting more, Once the book ends, I wished it hadn't ended, luckily for me it's a series with 20 or more books so I still have a lot to read. Over all on a scale of 1 to 20 Id have to give it a 100 because its just that good and Id recommend it to anyone who likes murder, mystery, and misleads, but beware readers, once you read one you might find yourself, like me, addicted.

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The Cat Who Moved a Mountain

Manufacturer: Recorded Books LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
ASIN: 1402513046

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Seeing Red with KoKo & Yum Yum

The Cat Who Knew a Cardinal

Henry VIII does Moose County

bird and cleric watching with Qwill and the kitties

One of the lesser books in the series.

The Cat Who Knew a Cardinal/the Cat Who Moved a Mountain/the Cat Who Wasn't There

ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

General | Cats | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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The Cat Who Lived High (Cat Who...)

The Cat Who Moved a Mountain (Cat Who...)

The Cat Who Went into the Closet (Cat Who...)

The Cat Who Wasn't There (Cat Who...)

The Cat Who Talked to Ghosts (The Cat Who...)

ASIN: 1558007822

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"All the world's a stage--and now Jim Qwilleran's apple orchard hsa become the stage--for a real-life murder scene. The much-disliked director of the Pickax Theatre Club's Shakespeare production, Hilary van Brook, is found dead after the closing-night cast party...and with the help of his super-smart siamese, Qwill must cast a suspicious eye on all the players--especially the ones pussyfooting around behind the scenes... "

Customer Reviews:

Seeing Red with KoKo & Yum Yum.......2006-06-23

In the 12th book in The Cat Who...mystery series with KoKo and Yum Yum, James Qwilleran and his two Siamese cats move into their newly converted apple barn, and are celebrating the successful first run production by the Pickax Theatre Club. When the entire cast (except for one) shows up at Qwilleran's new home for a wrap-party and informal housewarming, he is happy to entertain many of his close friends. The party lasts well into the early morning hours, and when the last guest drives away, KoKo starts his impressive "death howl". Walking outdoors, Qwilleran learns there has been a shooting on his property, and the controversial high school principle has been murdered. Qwilleran and his amazing cats begin to investigate, and quickly dig into some truths buried in the nearby town of Lockmaster. And when Polly returns a day late from a wedding she attended in the town, Qwilleran starts to get suspicious about what is happening in Lockmaster. In between bird watching with KoKo, a cat pageant to find a look-alike for Tippy's beloved mascot, and a steeplechase, Qwilleran puts the pieces together on another murder in sleepy Moose County.

This is my favorite cozy mystery series! I had read all of the books in the past, and wanted to read them again for a second time. This time around, I have chosen to listen to them on CD, as I love the voice of George Guidall. The stories are charming, and I have fallen in love with Moose County and all of its residents. The mysteries themselves are not always very difficult to figure out...but that is not the allure of the series for many. The characters are endearing, and as you read the books in the series, you will feel like you know each one. The books are also a great read for pre-teens or those that have read and enjoyed the Nancy Drew series. I feel this series is the benchmark for many cozy mysteries today, and hope to enjoy this series for years to come. I highly recommend any (and all) of the books in this series.

The 1st book in the series is called "The Cat Who Could Read Backwards". Enjoy!

The Cat Who Knew a Cardinal.......2006-06-22

Another enjoyable quick reading mystery story by Lilian Jackson Braun featuring Qwilleran and his two Siamese cats Koko and Yum-Yum. In this episode, Hilary VanBrook, the disliked Principle of PickAx is found murdered in Qwilleran's orchard the morning after a cast party is thrown. Koko was the one to find the body and Qwilleran begins to piece together the clues. A cardinal singing outside the window holds the key to the suspect.

Henry VIII does Moose County.......2005-06-18

The 12th book of this series starts with Qwilleran settled into his new home, an old apple barn that has been restored and turned into living quarters. The upper beams are about forty feet above the ground and the cats are in seventh heaven. Qwilleran's other project, building a community theater, has also been completed and a successful run of "Henry VIII" has just finished. When the director, school principal Hilary VanBrook had proposed this play nobody thought it would fly, but the unpopular director had pulled it off in high fashion.

Following the final performance the cast and crew descended on Qwilleran's barn for the cast party. As was normal, the much-maligned VanBrook kept pretty much to himself but for some reason Koko found him very interesting. Once the party guests had all departed, Koko called Qwilleran's attention to a single car that was still outside. Going out to investigate, Qwilleran found a body with a very fresh gunshot wound inside the abandoned car. Determined to mind his own business this time the former reporter called the police and tried to stay out of the investigation. Koko however would have none of that and started leaving clues.

Despite Koko's clues however, Qwilleran continued his hands off approach except for sniffing around the victim's house looking for an old book. Finally though, Qwilleran gave in and started to sniff around because a friend of his was being falsely accused of the crime. This time our amateur sleuth solves the mystery on his own, not picking up on Koko's clues until it was all over. Yum Yum actually provides the most important clue, although completely by accident and once again the cats rush in to save the day when Qwilleran gets into deep trouble.

Along the road to solving this murder Qwilleran runs into several sub-plots that add a great deal to the story. There is a suicide that may or may not be connected to the murder, a cat beauty pageant that turns into a riot and a horse race down in Lockmaster. On top of everything else, Qwilleran and Polly seem to be on the outs and Qwilleran is sure that the librarian has a new love interest.

Like the previous books in this series, this book is filled with quirky and fun characters and features the wonderful backdrop of Moose County. The interaction between the characters is cleaver and imaginative and the cats are superbly portrayed. I am also happy to report that the mystery, while not always the center of the plot, is interesting and it is solvable. The clues are all there and if the reader pays close attention he/she can solve the mystery before Qwilleran.

On the negative side, there are some questions involving the victim that are never answered. Maybe however, these questions will be answered in a future book because Qwilleran is thinking about doing a biography of the deceased. Given what he has already found out he just might have a best seller on his hands.

bird and cleric watching with Qwill and the kitties.......2004-01-15

Jim Qwilleran, the star of this series, is the heir to the vast Klingenschoen fortune. He lives with his two Siamese cats, Koko and Yum Yum in Moose County, 400 miles north of everywhere.

The action opens with the Qwill and the cats settling in to their latest residence, the newly remodeled apple barn. The peace is shattered as the Theater Club drops by for a house (barn) warming party. When the last of the party goers leave Qwill discovers that one is unable to go on his own power, he has been murdered just outside Qwill's door! The story then focuses on the deceased, Hilary VanBrook, principal of Pickax High School and director of the latest Theater Club production. When a fellow actor disappears he becomes the chief suspect. Qwill, of course, believes that the answer lies elsewhere and, aided by the cats, begins to investigate.

His attention is divided however, his latest lady friend, Polly Duncan, is acting strangely - perhaps he has a rival for her affections. Koko and Yum Yum are similiarly distracted by a new activity - bird watching, especially cardinals. The trio presses on, even traveling out of Moose County looking for answers. In the end the mysteries are solved and life in Moose County continues.

I found this one of the less satisfying books in the series. The action begins nearly a year after the end of the previous book. The character of the second victim, Dennis Hough, who was Iris Cobb's son - introduced in The Cat Who Talked to Ghosts - has changed character slightly, and earned Qwill's trust and respect since we first met him. The motive for his death is weak and there is no real explanation given for the breakup of his family.

Qwill's relationship with Polly is one of the themes of this story and though it is given quite a bit of attention I felt that it was more of a tease. Also, as with the previous novel, I felt that the ending had been rushed with some of the threads left a bit loose.

If you are a devotee of the series you will want to read this one, especially for the Polly and Qwill story. If you are new to series perhaps starting elsewhere would be better, but if you a just looking for a good mystery this may not be your best choice.

One of the lesser books in the series........2003-08-26

In a series that for many years was one of my very favorites this is one title I never cared for. The reason is simple, Quill comes off as such a total jerk. If the main character comes off as unlikeable it's hard to much care about what happens. I will give one example of what I am talking about. In this book there is a sucicide. This man just walks out on his wife and child to live in Pickaxe for no reason what so ever. { All this is set up in The Cat Who.. Talked to Ghosts} When his wife lets him know she will not take him back he kills himself and Quill makes the wife into a heel as if this mans own actions had nothing to do with the situation. It was at that point I stopped reading. For some I am sure this would be perfectly fine but it stuck in my craw. But of the first 14 books in the series this is the only one I would not recomend.

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The Cat Who Moved a Mountain
Lilian Jackson Braun
Manufacturer: Putnam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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The Cat Who Moved a Mountain & The Flight of the Swan (Large-type Reader; Selections from Reader's Digest Condensed Books)

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The Cat Who Moved a Mountain & The Flight of the Swan (Large-type Reader; Selections from Reader's Digest Condensed Books)
Lilian Jackson Braun & Elizabeth Webster
Manufacturer: Reader's Digest Publications
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THE CAT WHO MOVED AT MOUNTAIN

Manufacturer: Jove Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HZZHJ2

The Cat Who Knew a Cardinal/the Cat Who Moved a Mountain/the Cat Who Wasn't There

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The Cat Who Knew a Cardinal/the Cat Who Moved a Mountain/the Cat Who Wasn't There
Theodore Bikel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
ASIN: B000RSPLG8

Product Description

By Lillian Jackson Braun. 6 abridged cassettes.

Make No Bones: Just Cause: ; the Cat Who Moved Mountains: ; Hope Against Hope

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Make No Bones: Just Cause: ; the Cat Who Moved Mountains: ; Hope Against Hope

Manufacturer: Reader's Digest
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HCDGPW

Set #3: Books 13-18 in the Cat Who Mystery Series: The Cat Who - (1) Moved A Mountain; (2) Wasn't There; (3) Went Into the Closet; (4) Came to Breakfast; (5) Blew the Whistle; (6) Said Cheese

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Set #3: Books 13-18 in the Cat Who Mystery Series: The Cat Who - (1) Moved A Mountain; (2) Wasn't There; (3) Went Into the Closet; (4) Came to Breakfast; (5) Blew the Whistle; (6) Said Cheese
Lilian Jackson Braun
Manufacturer: Jove
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000VHY7JM

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Set #3: Books 13-18 in the Cat Who Mystery Series: The Cat Who - (1) Moved A Mountain; (2) Wasn't There; (3) Went Into the Closet; (4) Came to Breakfast; (5) Blew the Whistle; (6) Said Cheese (Cat Who Mysteries (Set of 6))
Lilian Jackson Braun
Manufacturer: Jove
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000VHSNAQ

Amazon.com

Linda Howard's romantic suspense Kill and Tell supplies readers with plenty of thrills and chills. As a nurse, Karen Whitlaw has seen more than the average person, but even she isn't prepared to identify the body of the father she hasn't seen since she was 13. The local detective on the case, Marc Chastain, informs Karen that her father, who was homeless, has been murdered. Still grief stricken over the recent death of her mother, Karen isn't prepared to examine her feelings about her father and his absence from her life. She is willing to accept that he was the victim of street crime until her home is burglarized and she becomes the target for some frightening "accidents." Whoever killed her father is after her, and the only hope she has for discovering why must lie in the notebook that Karen's father mailed to her mother shortly before his death.

Book Description

Some secrets need to be told...

Still reeling from her mother's recent death, Karen Whitlaw is stunned when she receives a package containing a mysterious notebook from her estranged father, whom she has barely seen since his return from the Vietnam War decades ago. Then, a shocking phone call: Karen's father has been murdered on the gritty streets of New Orleans.

Even if they lead to murder....

For homicide detective Marc Chastain, something about the case of a murdered homeless man just doesn't add up -- especially after he meets the victim's daughter. Far from the cold woman he expected, Karen Whitlaw is warm and passionate. She is also in serious danger. A string of "accidents" have shaken Karen to the core, and forced her into the protective embrace of the charming detective she vowed to resist. Together they unravel a disturbing story of politics, power, and murder -- and face a killer who will stop at nothing to get his hands on her father's secrets.

Customer Reviews:

It's not SUPPOSED to be reality, folks.......2007-01-20

Great story; hot hero. Don't know why so many "reviewers" are gripin' about how unrealistic this romance is. Many romances are not like our actual lives, okay? I mean, the cops I've been ticketed by were in no way similar to our favorite Chief of Police in "Open Season." More's the pity.
And I CAN believe that Karen fell for Marc Chastain so quickly. With her mother's recent death, then having to travel to New Orleans to deal with identifying her estranged father's body, and THIS MOUTHWATERING SOUTHERNER takes charge to assist her with making Dad's funeral arrangements? Heck, I'm not under any of that stress and Marc hasn't given me a shoulder to cry on and I'm already in love with the guy.
I had a friend in college who met and married her husband within a week. They were in their late 20s/early 30s and had two kids when she went back to University to get her degree and I almost had to wear a flame-retardant suit whenever I was in the same room with 'em. No icky PDA, but just that much chemistry between them. So yes, you and I may not have experienced what Karen and Marc do but it DOES happen.
Someone reviewing another author said that some of these reviewers need to get a real life instead of getting off on having their reviews posted on Amazon. That about sums up the way I feel about a lot of folks who really slam a writer's work.
We can agree to disagree; different strokes for different folks. But, people, as a newspaper editor I know how difficult it is to fill up a page with words and there are very few instances that I'll slam someone who's giving it the good old college try.
Linda Howard works her [...] off and it shows in every one of her books. If you don't like it, don't buy her stuff. But don't feel as if you're performing some Mother Teresa act of charity here by posting your catty remarks here.

Kill and Tell: A Novel.......2006-11-03

Linda Howard does it again. I could not put this book down because I wanted to hurry up and finish it. I would highly recommend.

Where's the plot?.......2006-09-14

In this book you'll read about a love story. Pathetic but at least a love story. You'll read about New Orleans, a nurses's life, a hit man that blunders once and again. But what about the main plot? Why everybody was interested in Karen's life? Why, you'd read about that at the last 50 pages or so. So if you only read the last pages you'll save a lot of time.

I think LH can write better than this.

One of my absolute favorites.......2006-06-29

When friends are looking for a recommendation for a romantic-suspense novel, I always ask them if they've read "Kill and Tell" and "All the Queen's Men". These are two of Howard's best, and when I first read this (pre-Katrina) it made me want to a)visit New Orleans, and b) find myself a Southern gentleman. There seems to be a lot of indignation out there over the first love scene between Karen and Marc; personally, I award points to any author who even bothers to mention that a condom was used, and to any hero who takes the responsibility to procure a condom and put one on. If you have no problems with that, like the idea of slow-dancing in the New Orleans rain, and are looking for good romantic suspense - this one's for you.

An enjoyable blend of romance, politics and murder.......2006-06-18

For most of her life, Karen Whitlaw has only had her mother for family. Thus, when her mother passes away, her whole life was shattered, leaving her alone with nobody except for a few friends at work. Then out of the blue, a package arrives from her estranged father whom she hasn't seen for more than a decade. Remembering how heartbroken her mother was when he walked out on them, she puts the package away without opening it. Then six months later, she receives a shocking phone call from a New Orleans' detective telling her that her father has been murdered.

Homicide detective Marc Chastain is one of NOPD's best; a hard-nosed cop who never misses a beat. And something definitely doesn't add up with this murder. But regardless of the oddities of his death, he knows better than to waste his time investigating the death of some homeless man. Then he meets the victim's daughter.

The moment she walks into his office, Marc thought Karen cold and unemotional. But it doesn't take long for him to see the vulnerability that Karen tries so hard to hide under a layer of toughness, a characteristic that thugs at his hear. For reasons inexplicable to him, he feels the urge to take care of her, realizing that she had spent her life taking care of others. And while he has always been protective of women, something about Karen brings out an urge fiercer than usual to shield her from everything. And God have mercy on anyone who dares harm her...

KILL AND TELL is a fast-paced blend of romance, thriller and murder. As Karen's life becomes endangered, and the CIA becomes involved in solving the murder, we are taken to the dirty world of politics and power, where one man will stop at nothing to prevent Karen's father's secrets from coming out. Along the way, we see the main characters drawn together by a strong attraction that goes beyond the physical. Karen's never had anyone offer her support and protection apart from her mother; that's why Marc's protective nature melted her heart.

This is a good blend of romance and suspense. This also introduces us to another very interesting character, John Medina, whose story is told in ALL THE QUEEN'S MEN. Despite a rather brief appearance towards the end, I was very intrigued by him and cannot wait to read his story.

Book Description

After thousands of years of expansion and conquest, the human Imperium is at its height. His dream for humanity accomplished, the Emperor hands over the reins of power to his Warmaster, Horus, and heads back to Terra. But is Horus strong enough to control his fellow commanders and continue the Emperor's grand design, or will such incredible power corrupt him?

Customer Reviews:

Only average.......2007-09-30

As an avid reader of military SF, I found this book to barely be able to hold my attention. I will try the next book in the series with the hope of some improvement.

Excellent Sci-Fi.......2007-08-30

I was not familiar with the Warhammer or Warmhammer 40000 Universe when I picked this book up. I got it when I stopped over in London, because it was signed by the author and it looked interesting.

That has not kept me from thoroughly enjoying this book! It is very well written and well paced. Judging from the other reviews everyone seems to know how this story is supposed to go. I suppose it's as if I am that person who didn't know that Anakin becomes Darth Vader. The characters seem to have a well known destiny, but that was not a problem for me. The character development is very nice. Abnett somehow manages to infuse the Astartes - a genetic creation of mankind bred for war - with layers of depth which are belied by their introduction.

If you like gritty-military sci-fi with an Ancient Rome twist, get this book.

Wow! A great surprise for a non-gamer!.......2007-08-28

Wow! What an awesome book! But first, my background: I am such a devout SF reader, that I have an Excel spreadsheet where I log my SF books in alpha order, and I grade each one after I read it. I have so many still unread in my garage, that I rarely buy new ones unless something catches my fancy.

One day two weeks ago, I was trawling through the Amazon SF books, reading about some other book, and down below it said that I might enjoy "Horus Rising". So I linked to it, and saw it was part of a games group known as Warhammer 40,000, and part of a sub-group called the Horus Heresy. Not being a game-player, I had never heard of either. Still, I read the reviews, and thought the book sounded interesting -- but probably doubtful -- since I was not a big space opera fan, and particularly not in the war genre.

Nevertheless I ordered it. Twenty pages into it I liked it so well that I ordered the rest of the (currently) five-book series the same day!

I came away from "Horus Rising" with these impressions: First, that the author Dan Abnett has a great gift of drawing the reader into the novel, giving the characters distinctive identities with enough depth that you care about them - and writing real dialogue that is in keeping with the respective personalities. Second, I expected about 70-80% blood, war, and gore, but was pleasantly surprised to discover that there are enough undercurrents and side-issues going on -- often handled using flash-backs and flash-forwards -- that the blood, war, and gore-meter only came up to a reasonable 25-30%. Third, it's hard for an author to come up with new ideas, words, and concepts that I haven't come across in my SF reading, but there are some intriguing ones here which add fascination and mystery to the reading process.
Fourth, another word about the characters: no pun intended, the characters are larger than life, and they need to be, because the dangers they face in the universe of 30,200 A.D. are very great. I'm glad the good guys are on my team. Although it becomes a little less clear as time goes on exactly who the good guys are...

Finally, even though I read the reviews of all five books so far in print -- and thus I know basically how it all turns out -- still, it didn't dampen my interest at all about book one. In a sense, it added intrigue to it by my wondering how everything was going to get resolved by the end of the series. So in this sense, the series is not only an "action adventure", but also a "mystery".

Hat's off to Dan Abnett, and soon I expect to say that for the authors of the other four books. (A different writer writes each successive book -- like a handoff from quarterback to halfback)

Oh. About that grade that I give each book after I read it. I rate the books from 0.0 to 10.0 in 0.5 step increments. The highest grade I had given to date, were three books at 9.0: Frank Herbert's "Dune", Jack McDevitt's "Chindi", and Alastair Reynolds' "Revelation Space". But now (ta da!) they are matched by the new "Horus Rising" rating of 9.0 on my spreadsheet.

Finally, the Heresy as it was meant to be told........2007-08-14

While the story of the Horus Heresy has always been eluded to in snippets throughout Warhammer 40,000 publications, the full story has never actually been told. Dan Abnet does a great service to the tale with his detailed description of the favoured son Horus and the rise of his legion. This is an excellent beginning to what I can only hope will be a long & successful series. My only criticism to offer is the conspicuous absence of some of the more prevelant primarchs & their legions in the opeining novel. I am optimistic that will change though.

M.

Pick this up!.......2007-02-26

Amazingly written and perfectly executed! Good job Dan Abnett!

If you are new to sci-fi and would like to read an excellent starting point on the WH40K universe this is the place to start. I have been dabbling with 40k since '89 and had always wanted to know what made the Warmaster turn against humanity. Now this book doesn't let you know why but it certain begins the history of how and why it all happened.

Now there are other better written reviews and by the time you get to this review you should already be convinced to pick up this book and the other 2 in the first part of the trilogy.

I have finished all 3 books and have even considered getting back into the table-top game just to become more familiar with the entire 40k universe. For all of you hardcore 40k fans its time to stop rolling the dice for a least a weekend and pick up this series and see why Horus really became a spawn of the Chaos Lords of the Warp!

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Horus Rising
Dan Abnett
Manufacturer: GAMES WORKSHOP (ABS)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000JZBU4Q

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Excellent and insightful

Excellent book, but take it with a grain of salt

required reading for the religious

Blood on our Hands

Five Warning Signs of Religion Becoming Corrupted

When Religion Becomes Evil: Five Warning Signs
Charles Kimball
Manufacturer: HarperOne
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0060556102
Release Date: 2003-09-02

Book Description

Top Religion Book of 2002--Publishers Weekly

The Five Warning Signs of Corruption in Religion

Absolute Truth Claims
Blind Obedience
Establishing the "Ideal" Time
The End Justifies Any Means
Declaring Holy War

Customer Reviews:

Excellent and insightful.......2007-03-12

This book was written about religion generally. It goes through the signs of an oppressive or bad belief system. These are belief systems that can influence members to do things which are harmful to society as a whole. In general these groups are the fundamentalist religions. The five items are:
1) Claims of Absolute truth
2) Blind obedience
3) Establish an ideal time (millennium, great cleansing, Armageddon)
4) The end justifies the means
5) Willingness to wage a "holy war"

As a former Mormon I read the book with real interest and found that Mormonism is 5 for 5.

Excellent book, but take it with a grain of salt.......2007-01-20

The author is a professor of religion, author of books on it, and has worked with the good and the bad elements of religions around the world. He's been involved in the process of negotiating with religious extremists that have taken hostages and the like, too. That is, the guy has had practical experiences to draw upon, and he shares them in some detail.

He also does a good job of documenting good and evil acts in all the major religions and many offshoots and cults. Even the People's Temple of Jim Jones was shown to have many admirable characteristics. The book also breaks down "we" and "they," giving a complex view of various religious groups, especially Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. (The author makes a case that these 3 are really the same religion.) To a lesser extent, he goes into other religions (and cults based on them), particularly Buddhism and Hinduism. He doesn't just deal with the various religions as monolithic wholes, but breaks them down even further into different traditions. Another thing he explores is how each of these religions has been interpreted in about an infinite amount of ways. People just can't really come up with anything new about these scriptures that someone else hasn't already done before. And the views can be incredibly different.

Overall, he tries to maintain an objective stance. His view comes out, but he tries to show how other views come out and seem valid to others. One thing I noticed is that he also ignores certain verses. For example, he listed 2 Koranic verses that command a tolerance of Christians and Jews and even others. I went to the library and looked 'em up in the Koran. Sure enough, the verses say that. BUT when I kept on reading, there were conditions put on it, and it basically meant that they were to be tolerated as long as they lived in submission to Islamic law, however that was interpreted. There were many other verses that promoted violence against unbelievers and those who did not live by the Koran, too.

He also goes on how Islam is a "religion of peace" and mentions the traditional, "Peace be unto you," while not exploring that "peace" and "submission" pretty much mean the very same thing in the langauge it was originally done in. That is, it's also saying, "Slavery onto you that will bring you peace."

He does seem to think that no theocracy can maintain itself or be good. And while he lists himself as a Baptist, he sounded like a Unitarian Universalist to me.

He also ended the book with a chapter on how to avoid becoming evil through religion. While it was like a nice editorial, it was based on what people SHOULD do. But if people did what they SHOULD do, then the problem wouldn't exist in the first place. But most people don't, and I don't see any reason why they'd start. For changing one's self, great, and I think this book can help understand the various religions and political forces involved with them (in America, the Taliban, in history, etc) a lot better with this book. But while the historical and contemporary manifestations of religious belief were just as hopeful as they are terrifying, I can't say his final chapter made me particularly hopeful. And I'd say it can be summed up real easy with "Join a Unitarian Universalist church." (not that he mentioned the UUs.) Then all else he promoted would fall into place. (Technically, one can be Christian or Hindu or even agnostic and still go to a UU church. I should also point out that I'm NOT UU, btw, so I'm not hawking my religion here.)

But I do highly recommend the book because I think it does a really good job of explaining the complex forces involved and the good and bad about religion, as well as the danger signs of religion becoming evil. But despite that, I think he has his own rose-colored glasses on, so take it with a grain of salt.

required reading for the religious.......2007-01-18

Religion has done much good in many times and places, but it has also been the source and cause of horrible evils. As I write, the world just commemorated the tenth anniversary of the Rwandan genocide where Christian Hutus killed almost a million fellow Christian Tutsis. If you read your papers carefully enough you'll also know of the unfolding genocide in the Darfur region of western Sudan where government backed Muslims are killing fellow Muslims. In 1487 the Aztecs sacrificed 20,000 people in four days at the consecration of a temple. Widow burning, caste systems, female genital mutilation, witch hunts, ritual abuse, ethnic cleansing, suicide bombers, apartheid, murdering abortion doctors---all these evils and more have enlisted religion for its cause.

A few years ago Mark Juergensmeyer published an important book entitled Terror in the Mind of God; The Global Rise of Religious Violence (2000). In it he devoted successive chapters to violence by Christians, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, and Buddhists. Kimball revisits the same, disturbing and disheartening theme but takes a thematic approach. Alarms should go off when religion exhibits any of the five characteristics he identifies: fanatical claims of absolute truth, blind obedience to totalitarian, charismatic or authoritarian leaders, actively trying to usher in the end times, justifying religious ends by any means, and any and all forms of dehumanization. We might also add pressure tactics of coercion, deception and false advertisement, alienation and isolation from one's family or community, and any and all forms of exploitation (time, money, sex, etc.).

Anne Lamott recounts how her therapist advised her that when God hates all the same people that you hate, then you can be confident that you have created Him in your own image. God give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to love our neighbor as ourselves, for as Jesus said, this is the ultimate barometer of my love for the God I claim to follow

Blood on our Hands.......2007-01-10

Since I finished reading it, I have been recommending this book to everyone I know who is a reader, interested in politics, or concerned about the state of the world today. It is written humbly, accessibly, engagingly, without attacking anyone's belief, but showing that representatives of all the world's religions have allowed cultural hatred to lead to bloodshed, in the name of religious faith. I especially commend it to anyone who fears Islam, thinking it an evil, violent faith. Kimball, an ordained Baptist minister with a Th.D. from Harvard University, specialized in Islamic studies, has been involved in high level conversations in the Mid-East. As he points out, "whether or not one is personally religious, it is imperative that we all try to understand and address . . . behavior in religion that threatens everyone." His five warning signs are right on the mark, and will raise your awareness that we have a responsibility to speak out against evil, especially when under the guise of religious belief.

Five Warning Signs of Religion Becoming Corrupted.......2006-06-26

Dr. Kimball is a committed Christian; an ordained Baptist minister who teaches in a Divinity school. Part of what he is committed to is the notion that religion should always be a force for good. In this book, Dr. Kimball discusses five recognizable symptoms of immanent or established corruption of religion, which can transform what was good into a force for evil. When one or more of these symptoms appear, corruption is very likely to follow. By recognizing these symptoms, people of good will may be able to take corrective action in time to prevent their religious institutions from turning bad, or, failing that, to turn them back around.

The five symptoms are:

1. Absolute Truth Claims. Especially dangerous are claims to be the "Only True Religion," non-members of which are to be consigned to Hell, and the multiplicity of such claims makes it a certainty that most or all of them are false. Dr. Kimball has "always been puzzled and saddened by people who make clear that they couldn't be very happy in heaven unless hell was full to overflowing with people who disagree with their particular theology." (p. 208). The notion that 'we' have a monopoly on the truth tends to lead to (in 'our' minds) dehumanizing 'them,' which becomes a (fallacious) justification for mistreating 'them.' (e.g. the systematic raping of Islamic women in Yugoslavia by 'Christian' men, 'in the name of Jesus,' clearly a gross distortion of Jesus' teachings, which Jesus would have most emphatically denounced.

2. Blind Obedience. It is much easier for a religious leader to control the flock if no questions are raised. As my late friend John Metras said to one such, "If God didn't want me to think, why did He give me a brain?"

3. Establishing the "Ideal" Time. This is virtually always a time far enough in the past that no living person has actually observed it first hand, so claims of its ideal nature will not be subject to eyewitness refutation.

4. The End Justifies Any Means. Example: "At times, protecting the so-called honor of females and their families becomes truly absurd. Such was the case on March 11, 2002, when fire broke out at a school for girls in Mecca. Male firefighters and paramedics arrived on the scene, only to be prevented from entering the building by religious police [because] some of the girls inside were not wearing clothing deemed appropriate in public. Fifteen girls perished in the fire." (p. 141)

5. Declaring Holy War. Those who claim a war to be a holy cause "distort the very heart of the religion they claim to be defending." (p. 156) Christians call Jesus the Prince of Peace. Muslims justifiably make a similar claim for Muhammad, and Buddhists could reasonably make such a claim for Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha). "Healthy religion speaks not of war but the promise of peace with justice" (p. 183) Who would [Baha'ullah/Buddha/Jesus/Muhammad] bomb? No matter which prophet's name you choose from the list in [brackets], the truthful answer is the same: "Nobody."

Dr. Kimball has devoted much of his life to promoting peace, especially in the Middle East. This book is a significant contribution to that effort.

When Religion Becomes Evil: Five Warning Signs

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When Religion Becomes Evil: Five Warning Signs
Charles Kimball
Manufacturer: HarperSanFrancisco
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OEP052

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