The Last Great Dance on Earth
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Superb Finale
  • Excellent
  • Well Done Sandra Gulland--An Outstanding Conclusion!!!
  • Don't forget the rest of the trilogy
  • A Standing Ovation
The Last Great Dance on Earth
Sandra Gulland
Manufacturer: Scribner Paperback Fiction
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0684856085

Book Description

The Last Great Dance on Earth is the triumphant final volume of Sandra Gulland's beloved trilogy based on the life of Josephine Bonaparte. When the novel opens, Josephine and Napoleon have been married for four tumultuous years. Napoleon is Josephine's great love, and she his. But their passionate union is troubled from within, as Josephine is unable to produce an heir, and from without, as England makes war against France and Napoleon's Corsican clan makes war against his wife. Through Josephine's heartfelt diary entries, we witness the personal betrayals and political intrigues that will finally drive them apart, culminating in Josephine's greatest tragedy: her divorce from Napoleon and his exile to Elba. The Last Great Dance on Earth is historical fiction on a grand scale and the stirring conclusion to an unforgettable love story.

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The only novelist invited to appear among a group of noted scholars and experts for a four-hour PBS documentary on Napoleon, Gulland knows her characters so well she inhabits their world, and her novels enable readers to do the same. The Last Great Dance on Earth brings to life Napoleon's grand empire, its rise and fall, and Josephine's greatest tragedy: her divorce from Napoleon and his exile to Elba. Written in a spare but compelling style with finely nuanced characters and vivid setting. The Last Great Dance on Earth is a brilliant feat of historical fiction that is difficult to put down and impossible to forget.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Superb Finale.......2007-02-11

I don't need to repeat what eveyone else seems to be stating in their reviews of this book and the entire Josephine trilogy; the story flows from start to finish.

I very highly recommend this book!

5 out of 5 stars Excellent.......2006-07-11

A perfect ending to a wonderful trilogy. Gulland has clearly done her research and France comes alive through the eyes of Josephine Bonaparte. Compassionate, kind and well-loved in France, Josephine also gives us a very intimate and sympathetic insight to Napoleon Bonaparte. I enjoyed this whole series and would heartily recommend it to anyone interested in the French Revolution, the French Republic and the rise of Napoleon. It is engrossing, humorous and heart-rending. Highly recommended.

5 out of 5 stars Well Done Sandra Gulland--An Outstanding Conclusion!!!.......2006-06-22

I can't express how much I loved this wonderful novel. The most accurate adjective I can think of would be 'interesting'. This book was soooo interesting. Gulland's attention to detail is absolutely meticulous. She used over 400 sources in the writing of this trilogy. I learned so much--not only about Napoleon and Josephine, but also of other historical figures of that time. I also found the daily life of the aristocracy not only fascinating but also exhausting.

Napoleon Bonaparte and Josephine Beauharnais are some of the most intriguing characters in history. Their story is so compelling and Gulland does a wonderful job of presenting it. Her 'Josephine' trilogy tells the story of Marie-Josephe-Rose Tascher (Beauharnais Bonaparte) who was born on the French Caribbean island of Martinique in 1763. She died, as she was still known, as the Empress Josephine at her beloved Malmaison in Paris in 1814. THE LAST GREAT DANCE ON EARTH begins in March 1800 at the Tuileries Palace in Paris and ends at her death. But, Gulland has a special treat for her readers. She ties up all the loose ends by telling us what happens to all the characters in her novel. I loved that! In fact, I was taking a tour a couple of weeks ago in St. Augustine, Florida and the guide told us that this is where Napoleon Bonaparte's brother came to....I now know that it was Jerome. The author also has a chronology with detailed accounts and dates of events in the last fourteen years of Josephine's life. Gulland also used actual letters of the pair in this book. And again, the pages are peppered with footnotes that add credence to this story.

In book three we're treated to more of the deep and abiding friendship of Josephine and Napoleon. The love they had for each other is legendary. Napoleon was a wonderful father to Hortense and Eugene and they also adored him. But Josephine had to put up with her horrid in-laws, their jealousy and constant designs of destroying her marriage, their lies and the constant undermining--geesh, she was more patient than I could have been. They eventually succeeded. Despite going through horrible and archaic treatments for infertility, Josephine could not conceive. As we all know, Napoleon divorced her in order to gain an heir. Even then, they continued their friendship and love.

I have been mesmerized with Napoleon and Josephine since visiting the Lourve for the first time as a college freshman and falling in love with David's "The Coronation of Napoleon." Then, after visiting the famous, albeit headless statue of the former Empress at her birthplace in Martinique, my curiosity became insatiable. We learned that Josephine's head was cut off because she influenced her husband to reinstate slavery. I was hoping to read an explanation in these novels but it was never mentioned (although Martinico is mentioned quite often). Which comes to another point: Gulland mentions that researching the lives of Napoleon and Josephine is addictive; I've already bought two more books, maybe I'll find the answer to my question!

5 out of 5 stars Don't forget the rest of the trilogy.......2003-06-15

While this book stands out on it's own merits, you would be doing yourself a huge disservice if you didn't read the first two books in the trilogy first ('The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B.' and 'Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe'). This is probably my favorite group of books and everyone I have let borrow them feels the same. All are well-written and easy reading (as well as interesting history). I am only sorry that Sandra Gulland hasn't written any other books...yet. I keep hoping.

5 out of 5 stars A Standing Ovation.......2003-02-11

Bravo, Bravo, Bravo!! Oh, how I hated to come to the end of this series. A caution to would-be readers: Do NOT shortchange yourself and skip either of the first two books (Many Lives/Secret Sorrows, and Tales of Passion) - they all flow together seamlessly and offer an indescribable wealth of passion and intellect. Wonderfully written, deeply researched - this trilogy by Ms. Gulland is truly a treasure.
The Josephine Bonaparte Collection: The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B., Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe, and  The Last Great Dance on Earth
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • praise for Sandra Gulland
  • So beautiful.....
  • Superb
  • Great historical fiction; readable without insulting your intelligence!
  • Smooth and feminine
The Josephine Bonaparte Collection: The Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B., Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe, and The Last Great Dance on Earth
Sandra Gulland
Manufacturer: Touchstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0743246217

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars praise for Sandra Gulland.......2007-07-20

These three books held me spellbound. I'm usually disappointed with series books, as I think most of the concentration is in the first volume--not so with this set. Ms. Gulland is an accomplished story teller. She has an imaginative way with words. I can hardly wait for her next series--hopefully there will be one soon.

5 out of 5 stars So beautiful............2006-09-09

I just finished the third book in the trilogy and I am literally choking back tears because I hate it that there is no more left to read!

Sandra Gulland has brought Josephine and Napoleon's romance to life through these incredible books. You feel like you know them personally and you care about their lives. I learned more about France in that time period than I ever did in a world history class! And it was done in an exciting way. There were no boring "skim over" areas in these books!

She has done a first class job with this trilogy and she truly does justice to these famous historical icons.

5 out of 5 stars Superb.......2006-02-21

This is a captivating and tactile series. Ms. Gulland obviously put an enormous amount of research into the books, and they are a great primer for the events surrounding the French revolution. The history, however, is a subtle bonus; the facts and historical figures are woven effortlessly into a rich narrative as told from Josephine's point of view.

A friend passed this gem on to me, and everyone I know who has read it since ended up reading late into the night, entranced by the story. I can't wait to see what this author comes up with next.

5 out of 5 stars Great historical fiction; readable without insulting your intelligence!.......2006-01-27

I expected very little from these books except a good beach read and I was SO pleasantly surprised at how well-written, readable and informative they were. I knew very little about this time in history and now want to know more (plus, I want to read more by Sandra Gulland!). These were SO GOOD! I went through the trilogy within a month's time and was so happy that I had #2 and #3 ready to read once I finished the previous books! I highly recommend these books.

5 out of 5 stars Smooth and feminine .......2005-10-17

The Trilogy was a very sympathetic account of Josephine's life written in a very smooth and readable style. The thee books read like one book. The style had a very feminine feel as it emphasized the emotions of the events that took place. I enjoyed the books tremendously.
The Last Great Dance on Earth
Average customer rating: Not rated
    The Last Great Dance on Earth
    Sandra Gulland
    Manufacturer: Headline Book Publishing
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback
    ASIN: B000OHC4TE
    The Last Great Dance on Earth Mixed Carton
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      The Last Great Dance on Earth Mixed Carton
      Sandra Gulland
      Manufacturer: Touchstone Books
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

      HistoricalHistorical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
      ASIN: 0684011913

      Daniel'S Bride
      Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
      • Jolie is Great, but Daniel is undeserving of her
      • Engrossing, Original, Unexpected
      • Just okay...nothing special...
      • Not so Much
      • Scorching!
      Daniel'S Bride
      Linda Lael Miller
      Manufacturer: Pocket
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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      Miller, Linda LaelMiller, Linda Lael | ( M ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
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      5. Lily and the Major Lily and the Major

      ASIN: 0671731661

      Book Description

      When a woman has to choose between death and marriage to a total stranger, she must be in a dire predicament....

      And for Jolie McKibben, about to pay by hanging for a terrible crime she didn't commit, salvation by marriage couldn't come a moment too soon. Housekeeping for Daniel Beckham, a widower who invoked the town's wedding ordinance to rescue Jolie from the gallows, is better than the alternative...but understanding the silent stranger who is now her husband might just about kill her.

      Daniel doesn't believe in Jolie's innocence. And despite his willingness to marry the pretty, defiant "outlaw" on the spot, the prosperous farmer had little to say to her after "I do." But for Jolie, their arrangement of convenience soon deepens into a rich and vibrant attraction that sets her trembling with desire in Daniel's presence. Somehow, she would win his love, body and soul. Unless the desperados on her trail shatter the fragile, trusting bond of husband and wife....

      Linda Lael Miller's beloved novel of the American West shimmers with the unbridled passion of two adventurous hearts!

      Customer Reviews:

      3 out of 5 stars Jolie is Great, but Daniel is undeserving of her.......2007-06-01

      I liked Jolie's character, and the story for the most part. The story would have been much better if Daniel wasn't such a tortured man. He was really such a jerk most of the time, even though his character was quite sexy. I just wanted to shake him!

      5 out of 5 stars Engrossing, Original, Unexpected.......2004-05-22

      This was my first Linda Lael Miller and I found it , wonderfully romantic, spicy, and highly enoyable. How often do you read a historical romance that surprises you with its plot developments? There are a couple of stock characters--the "bad guys"--but all in all, nicely rounded and unique characterizations, a plot that advances well, good attention to detail, and a good dose of realism without sacrificing the romantic mood add up to a page-turner. A keeper. And by the way, for the reader who objected to it, a cousin of mine who lived in the South called her husband "Mr." their entire married life (1906-1957). It was a very different time.

      2 out of 5 stars Just okay...nothing special..........2004-03-20

      Jolie McKibben had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. While in the company of Blake and Rowdy, the two desperados robbed a bank and killed a man in the process. Once they high-tailed it out of there, Jolie was left to suffer the consequences. Standing in the hot sun with a noose around her neck, her sentence was death by hanging. Daniel Beckman, a local farmer, happened on the scene. The town had an ordinance that could save Jolie, but someone would need to marry her, and quickly. Surprisingly, Daniel consents, and takes his bride home in silence. Daniel still mourns his deceased wife, but could use help on the farm with cooking and cleaning. It isn't long, though, before Jolie is performing other wifely duties for her aloof new husband. Between Daniel's new wife, and two orphaned children who end up living with them, Daniel begins to have difficulty protecting his heart. But there's more strife ahead, for the two desperados are on Jolie's trail.

      This was my second and last read by Ms. Miller. First of all, I `m not a big fan of western romance, but there are some out there that appeal to me. This book was just okay for me - nothing special. My main problems with it were the overall depressing mood of the story, Jolie and Daniel were okay characters but not very memorable, and some of the plot elements were over the top. Jolie's friend, Nan, ends up marrying the evil Ira January, and subsequently Jolie ends up in danger from Blake, Rowdy and Ira. The plot lost a lot of its reality base for me, because it just seemed the author was trying to cram too much in it. As for a recommendation, if you're a fan of Ms. Miller and/or Western romance, this book is probably for you. Otherwise, I'd skip it.

      2 out of 5 stars Not so Much.......2004-01-20

      I am a fan of Linda Lael Miller but I found this book to be a bit monotonous. The way Jolie kept refering to Daniel as "Mr. Beckham" and he to her as "Mrs. Beckham" drove me crazy. I found myself skipping pages and skimming through chapters. I knew the ending far before I got to it. I did finish the book and I liked the story. I just didn't like the way it way expressed.

      5 out of 5 stars Scorching!.......2003-06-29

      I've read many romance novels where sex is all two people in a marriage of convenience have in common, but this book is special. LLM instills a level of tenderness in this relationship that is missing from so many novels, and makes the reader ache for both the hero who still mourns his dead wife and the heroine who is trying her best to connect with him. The conflict of wanting someone and yet not really trusting them is so sharp in this story, yet the reader always has a sense of hope for this special couple and it is very realistic when the walls finally come down. This book is a keeper for LLM fans or those new to her work.
      Daniel's Bride
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Daniel's Bride

        Manufacturer: Book Club
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Hardcover
        ASIN: B000II368W
        4 Titles in MacGregor series - The MacGregor Brides - MacGregor Grooms - MacGregors Alan Grant - MacGregors Daniel Ian
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          4 Titles in MacGregor series - The MacGregor Brides - MacGregor Grooms - MacGregors Alan Grant - MacGregors Daniel Ian
          Nora Roberts
          Manufacturer: various
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Mass Market Paperback

          GeneralGeneral | Romance | Subjects | Books
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          PaperbackPaperback | Roberts, Nora | ( R ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
          ASIN: B000MODG1E

          Product Description

          4 massmarket paperback Titles in MacGregor series - The MacGregor Brides - MacGregor Grooms - MacGregors Alan Grant - MacGregors Daniel Ian
          The Bride: Images of the Church
          Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
          • Beautiful
          • Beautiful
          The Bride: Images of the Church
          Daniel Berrigan
          Manufacturer: Orbis Books
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Paperback

          ReligiousReligious | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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          United StatesUnited States | Single Authors | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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          InspirationalInspirational | Catholicism | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
          SaintsSaints | Catholicism | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
          GeneralGeneral | Christian Living | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
          PoetryPoetry | Literature & Fiction | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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          ASIN: 1570753059

          Customer Reviews:

          5 out of 5 stars Beautiful.......2001-02-15

          Fr. Daniel Berrigan,poet, Jesuit priest,witness and confessor,has used his considerable poetic gifts in union with Fr. William Hart McNicholas,a renonwned iconagraper.There subjects are varied,to say the least:Padre Pio, Maura O'Halloran,{a Irish American Zen monk Saint},Adreine von speyer,a mystic {closely associated with the former jesuit and theologian du jour, Hans urs von Balthazar},a new Russian Martyr,St. Benedict Joseph Labre and others. What beautiful Icons!Lovely prose-poems accompany each icon,making it quite a useful meditative tool.

          5 out of 5 stars Beautiful.......2000-07-25

          Dan Berrigan and william Mcnichols have combined thier gifts to bring about this gift . Fr. Mcnichols is a renowned writer of Icons, Fr Daniel Berrigan, poet, prophet priest{though that sounds too easy}. With this eclectic choice of icons{a Zen nun from ireland, a female physician mystic from Europe}, and the poetic text of Fr. Berrigan, this is an excellent meditative tool,lovely to look at,pleasant to hold.Well done by the publisher as well.Another book of awe from one of the sanest men of the 20th century
          American Bride
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            American Bride
            Megan Daniel
            Manufacturer: Signet
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Paperback

            ContemporaryContemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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            ASIN: 0451124812
            THE BRIDE ESSAYS IN THE CHURCH
            Average customer rating: Not rated
              THE BRIDE ESSAYS IN THE CHURCH
              Daniel, S.J. Berrigan
              Manufacturer: Macmillan First Edition
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Hardcover
              ASIN: B000NSFSRY
              Bride Essays in the Church 1ST Edition
              Average customer rating: Not rated
                Bride Essays in the Church 1ST Edition
                Daniel Berrigan
                Manufacturer: MACMILLAN
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Hardcover
                ASIN: B000Q3SV8Y
                The Bride: Essays in the Church
                Average customer rating: Not rated
                  The Bride: Essays in the Church
                  Daniel Berrigan SJ
                  Manufacturer: The Macmillan Company
                  ProductGroup: Book
                  Binding: Hardcover
                  ASIN: B000P7M9NY
                  The Bride: Essays in the Church
                  Average customer rating: Not rated
                    The Bride: Essays in the Church
                    Daniel Berrigan
                    Manufacturer: Macmillan
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Hardcover
                    ASIN: B000I5JUGW
                    The Bride: Essays in the Church
                    Average customer rating: Not rated
                      The Bride: Essays in the Church
                      Daniel S.J. Berrigan
                      Manufacturer: MacMillan, New York
                      ProductGroup: Book
                      Binding: Paperback
                      ASIN: B000OVAE6A

                      The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-First Annual Collection (Year's Best Science Fiction)
                      Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
                      • Sci-Fi short stories at their best
                      • Not up to standard
                      • An excellent collection, as always.
                      • Adequate
                      • Agh
                      The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-First Annual Collection (Year's Best Science Fiction)

                      Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
                      ProductGroup: Book
                      Binding: Paperback

                      GeneralGeneral | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | Classics | Comic | Contemporary | Literary
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                      ASIN: 0312324790

                      Book Description

                      Widely regarded as the one essential book for every science fiction fan, The Year's Best Science Fiction (Winner of the 2003 Locus Award for Best Anthology) continues to uphold its standard of excellence with more than two dozen stories representing the previous year's best science fiction writing. This year's volume includes Nancy Kress, Walter Jon Williams, Michael Swanwick, Charles Stross, Gregory Benford, Vernor Vinge, Robert Reed, Octavia E. Butler, Stephen Baxler, Alex Irvine, and many other talented authors of science fiction, as well as thorough summations of the year and a recommended reading list.

                      Customer Reviews:

                      5 out of 5 stars Sci-Fi short stories at their best.......2005-08-19

                      This series sets a high standard for science fiction short story writing and this collection is no exception. You will find a variety of styles and approaches in these stories and I find them a great way to discover writers I have never heard of.

                      2 out of 5 stars Not up to standard.......2005-06-28

                      This volume is not up to the standards set by previous collections in the series. It contains far too many stories that are mediocre or worse. If 2003 just wasn't a very good year for S-F, Dozois made a mistake in including "more than 300,000 words of fantastic fiction."

                      5 out of 5 stars An excellent collection, as always........2005-03-31

                      I'm not sure I would classify every story in this collection as "the best" of the year, but that's in no way intended as a slight against what is contained in this collection. The book contains a large and varied collection of science fiction stories, each unique and varied in both scope and style. There were no stories in this perennially excellent book, but there were some particular standouts for me.

                      Ironically, the very first story was my favorite of all of them. "Off On A Starship" by William Barton, despite the undertones of an adolescent boy coming of age sexually during his wild and fascinating adventures in space, Barton's tone and style reminded me very much of the classic juvenile adventures of Robert Heinlein. This story is far more mature than Heinlein's YA books, but it's definitely got the same sense of wonder, the captures the youthful imagination that all of us have, regardless of our age. For me, this was by far the most enjoyable story in the book.

                      Other highlights for me include the absurdly funny "Rogue Farm" by Charles Stross, where he takes the future notion of "evolution" to a wildly funny extreme; "The Ice" by Stephen Popkes, which is an intriguing, moving, and hauntingly realistic take on one possible way that the issue of cloning might manifest itself in the not too distant future; and the gut-wrenchingly sad tale, "The Fluted Girl" by Paolo Bacigalupi, in which a child is enslaved by a cruel woman who has turned her into a sick and twisted for of "art."

                      As a lifetime science fiction reader and having recently become a writer, I love reading stories that touch upon something within me, and/or open my eyes up to an issue that we either face today or will likely face in the coming years. This collection has stories that do all of those things. It's a book with a little something for everybody.

                      - Gregory Bernard Banks, author of "Phoenix Tales: Stories of Death & Life"

                      3 out of 5 stars Adequate.......2004-12-31

                      All of these stories are well-written, in the English-major sense. Rather fewer of them are of much interest as science fiction. I found myself reading dutifully but without excessive enjoyment; the "wow!" factor is largely absent.

                      Further, most of the stories are remorselessly downbeat. I don't claim that we need to return to 100% naive technological "Ralph 124C41"-style optimism, but this much gloom and doom smacks of Conventional Wisdom at work.

                      Most of the stories made little or no impression on me, for better or worse. A few of the exceptions:

                      William Barton's "Off on a Starship," the first story, has an interesting setup but a truly pointless ending. It's perhaps unfortunate as a tone-setter in that it mentions quite a lot of classic SF works, most of which very noticably outshine both this story and the rest of the collection.

                      Not one but two of these stories deal with time travelers cutting deals with 20th-century media figures: Orson Wells in _It's All True_, William Randolph Hearst in "Welcome to Olympus, Mr. Hearst." The first has some point but is not very original. The second is witty and amusing; however, it's weakened by the sense that (reading between the lines) the events of the story are predestined to happen.

                      Nancy Kress's "Ej-Es" is well-written, needlessly depressing, and a bit too predictable. A little more work could have made it into a stunner, but you'll probably guess what's going to happen as soon as the situation is made clear. Good idea, indifferent execution.

                      "June Sixteenth at Anna's," by Kristine Kathryn Rusch. Boring, boring, boring. Mainstream fiction dressed up with SF sauce.

                      "The Green Leopard Plague," by Walter Jon Williams, was a Hugo nominee last year. Why? I don't know. There's no there there.

                      "King Dragon," is what I think of as typical Michael Swanwick fantasy: very well written, a fascinating setup, and so remarkably unpleasant that I'd rather stick my head in a toilet bowl than re-read it. Your mileage will vary, depending on how much style and originality count for you.

                      Last year Vernor Vinge's "The Cookie Monster" won a Hugo award. It's good enough computer-oriented SF, but it's far from his best work. It is, however, one of the few pieces in the book that could be described as "classical SF."

                      John C. Wright follows his "Golden Oecumene" novels with "Awake in the Night," one of the few real standouts of this collection. Harks back to Poe, Dunsany, Lovecraft, Jack Vance, and maybe a few others, with original touches as well. A creepy and absorbing far-future fantasy that raises interesting questions about free will.

                      A welcome light-hearted exception to the general tone of the collection is Geoffrey Landis's "The Eyes of America." It's early-twentieth-century alt-hist techno-futurism with some clever extrapolation and nice comic characters. Not a heavyweight story, perhaps, but genuinely fun to read.

                      The remaining stories mostly roused me to a fever pitch of apathy. Possibly my reading tastes are fossiliferous, but I can't help feeling that most of these stories are going to be forgotten awfully quickly. Someone needs to phone Ted Chiang--see his fabulous collection _Stories of Your Life and Others_--and tell him to write more.

                      2 out of 5 stars Agh.......2004-11-07

                      Its hard to believe these are the best science fiction stories of the year. Where's the sense of wonder? I don't know, call me old-fashioned, but many of these stories are chosen, I think, for political reasons by editors who were chosen for political reasons.
                      The Year's Best Science Fiction Twenty First Annual Collection (Year's Best Science Fiction)
                      Average customer rating: Not rated
                        The Year's Best Science Fiction Twenty First Annual Collection (Year's Best Science Fiction)
                        Gardner Dozois
                        Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
                        ProductGroup: Book
                        Binding: Paperback
                        ASIN: B000OTGDQM

                        Handling The Word Of Truth: Law And Gospel In The Church Today
                        Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
                        • keeping the right tension between the Law and Gospel
                        • The Best Introduction to Law and Gospel
                        • Valuable Christian Resource
                        Handling The Word Of Truth: Law And Gospel In The Church Today
                        John T. Pless
                        Manufacturer: Concordia Publishing House
                        ProductGroup: Book
                        Binding: Paperback

                        GeneralGeneral | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                        EcclesiologyEcclesiology | Theology | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                        EthicsEthics | Theology | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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                        ASIN: 0758600208

                        Customer Reviews:

                        5 out of 5 stars keeping the right tension between the Law and Gospel.......2006-10-18

                        It is a slim paperback, doesn't look very imposing, but it is heavy stuff.

                        I have done a lot of different studies, and read a lot of books, and with most of them about every other page has a few thought-provoking sentences, which is disapointing. It does read a bit like a research paper (referencing some older books regularly), not the nice conversational tone of a good Anglican theologian (eg, Lewis or Packer). It is written by a Lutheran minister and DMin, so take it with that grain of salt--I grew up with Lutheran doctrine and a Lutheran attitude, so it is very familiar to me, but it can seem very supercilious and exclusive, which can be offensive if taken the wrong way.

                        The topic--defining, understanding, and rightly applying the 2 separate concepts of Law and Gospel--is essential and timely. I think of all denominations, Lutheranism does not mince doctrine or let things get fuzzy, and this is one area that should not be fuzzy. A former pastor of mine (Lutheran) said that Lutheran doctrine was German-engineered doctrine--not everyone wants German engineering, but you have to admire it when you see it. I think that is a true statement, if rather self-depricating-ly put. This book has encouraged me to go back to explore more the doctrinal heritage of the Lutheran church, which is very detailed, organized and uncompromising.

                        The questions at the end of each chapter are engaging, relevant and thought provoking. I used them for my own personal Bible study, and it was very worthwhile.

                        For an educated layperson, this is an excellent discussion of the Law versus the Gospel, and the importance of keeping them separate yet in constant polar tension--both personally, and in the "profession" of church ministry and evangelism. Without this proper distinction, both Law and Gospel lose their power--which is what I am afraid is happening in many churches today--leaving people hopeless and confused.

                        5 out of 5 stars The Best Introduction to Law and Gospel .......2005-11-17

                        Handling the Word of Truth is an excellent place to begin learning about Lutheran hermeneutics, theology, and law the and gospel. John Pless, a conservative confessional Lutheran and professor at Concordia Theological Seminary and part of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, wrote it.

                        Pless writes his book for the theologian, pastor, or interested layman in terms that they will understand. The focus of the book is how to divide law and gospel. This book would be an excellent choice for personal study, adult Sunday school, or a home Bible study. Each chapter ends with questions for reflection and discussion. One neat feature of the book is the appendix, it has a reproduction of a sermon of Martin Luther on the distinction between the law and the gospel.

                        If you are looking for a scholarly text on the subject, I recommend C. F. W. Walther's classic book, Law and Gospel. However, it is an extensive book (over 400 pages) and can be cumbersome and difficult to understand because of the Lutheran terminology.

                        5 out of 5 stars Valuable Christian Resource.......2005-03-17

                        Truly this is a most valuable publication updating the classic work on discerning Law and Gospel in the Bible from C.F.W. Walther.

                        Pless does a truly fine job of writing in modern terms and examples. He is quite the prolific wordsmith, so he makes what could be dull, academic discussion fun and enlightening. This is coupled with discussion questions after each of the 13 chapters. This makes it an excellent candidate for group and individual study. Also appendiced is Luther's Sermon on distinguishing between Law and Gospel.

                        Let me give several examples of this fine writing: "When the Law is not preached in such a way as to uncover unbelief, it will create Pharisees." "Doctrinal error left untreated can lead to spiritual death." "The human heart prefers its own enthusiasms rather than God's Word."

                        A significant, timely and well done resource for the Body of Christ. Urge all Christians to carefully and prayerfully work through this. The church will be blessed.

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