Average customer rating:
- Not Vachss' best effort...but OK haiku!!
- One of His Best
- Vachss's best suspense novel yet.
- A worthy addition to the series starring Burke.
|
Footsteps of the Hawk
Andrew Vachss
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Literary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Hard-Boiled
| Mystery
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Vachss, Andrew
| ( V )
| Authors, A-Z
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Paperback
| Vachss, Andrew
| ( V )
| Authors, A-Z
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
False Allegations: A Burke Novel
-
Down in the Zero
-
Safe House: A Burke Novel
-
Choice of Evil: A Burke Novel
-
Sacrifice
ASIN: 0679766634
Release Date: 1996-10-29 |
Book Description
A pulse-quickening new crime novel featuring Burke--scam artist, private investigator, sometime killer--whose sole passion is defending children who fall victim to New York City's darker appetites, Footsteps of the Hawk finds Burke the pawn in a conspiracy involving two rogue cops and a grisly string of sex crimes.
Download Description
Hard on the heels of his national bestseller Down in the Zero, Vachss puts Burke, a New York City cop, back into motion. In Footsteps of the Hawk, two rogue cops are stalking each other, and Burke is caught in the cross fire. He has to figure out what the cops' connection is before its too late.
Customer Reviews:
Not Vachss' best effort...but OK haiku!!.......2006-07-04
As a huge Andrew Vachss fan who would love to adopt his main man, Burke (and "make his pain go away" - I'll take Pansy too!), I never thought I would see the day when I would give one of this author's novels a below average rating. But, hey...we all have off days/months/years. "Footsteps of the Hawk" is the eighth consecutive Burke book I have read and the only one I am not enthused about - not the usual 5 Star read, in other words. I will continue on, however, gobbling-up the series in order until there is no more...and then will wait until Mr. Vachss is kind enough to supply a new novel for those of us who need a fix.
"Footsteps of the Hawk" features two rogue cops with individual agendas. They both dedicate too much of their valuable time searching for Burke. With these folks, five minutes would be too much time! They actually know where to find him...occasionally, and won't get off his back. Detective Belinda Roberts, who can be extemely seductive when she wants to be, (Burke sees right through her, of course), wants our man to arrange a jail break to free a guy accused of a series of grisley murder/rapes. She swears to the con's innocence. Don't they all? Detective Jorge Morales comes accross as a major psycho who has a jones for Burke....one that makes him want to eliminate Burke permanently. He is fixated, one might say. He is also ugly and out of control...beneath an obsessively controlled facade. Ready to explode. Could Morales have "done" the women?
The novel is set in early 1990s NYC, just after Mayor Guiliani came to office with the intent to clean up the City's mean streets. (Hah!) For those who have not met Burke before - and here is definiterly not the place to make his acquaintance - he is a hard-boiled, in-your-face, ex-con detective, who still isn't sure on which side of the law he prefers to operate. Abandoned at birth, father and mother unknown, Burke has no real first name. "Baby boy" is the name on his birth certificate. He is a survivor. He's also a standup guy....a righteous man.
P. I. Burke, as always, is the narrator. And the narrative, at times, goes off on a tangent, like Burke's thought processes. This occasional stream of consciousness has always been extremely effective and enhances the detective's persona. However, here Vachss wanders off way too much and his usual tight writing style suffers for it. The storyline is much too convoluted, and even Vachss' usually strong cast of characters cannot shore-up this piece of fiction enough to make it more enjoyable.
Actually, there is one scene that is excellent, featuring Mama Wong and her granddaughter Flower. Mama is group doyenne and mother, of sorts, to Burke's "real family" - a Chinese Jewish mother and restaurateur. She "keeps her prices high and the ambiance foul to discourage yuppies," cares for the gang and holds Burke's stash. She is teaching calligraphy to the little girl who is copying an ancient haiku:
"the ferret hunting
eyes on the ground, never hears
footsteps of the hawk."
Best part of the novel.
JANA
One of His Best.......1997-11-21
Vachss started out as one hell of a crime writer ("Strega", "Blue Belle"). But by "Down in the Zero", he looked as played out as the Rolling Stones. "Footsteps" showed he's still capable of writing brilliantly.
What makes this novel great is that it shows Burke has changed considerably from the person he once was (no longer carying a gun, keeping his temper in check), yet the change is completely plausable because, at his core, he's the same person (tough and cynical). Vachss's humor is as sharp as ever. So is his prose.
Vachss's best suspense novel yet........1997-01-01
Burke, ex-con- not ex-cop- finds himself hired by a police-
woman who insists that a recently arrested serial killer is
innocent, and wants him to find proof. Burke's old nemesis,
Officer Morales, is her prime suspect, and is also hot on
Burke's tail. A gripping page-turner, one of Vachss's best.
A worthy addition to the series starring Burke........1996-07-01
Burke is the anti-hero of the nineties. If you are ready to move on from the Robert Parker series than you areready for this new, extremely neurotic individualist. There is a zen quality to Burke -- things seem to happen around him and he has limited chances to influence his situation. He does have a team of equally colorful cohorts, who are perfect role players to Burke's Michael Jordan. Once you get used to this character its hard to stop liking him.
Average customer rating:
|
Footsteps of the Hawk
Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: 1417650230 |
Product Description
A Trail Guide To Monuments, Museums and Battlefields of the Black Hawk War Of 1932. 100 Pages.
Average customer rating:
- I found myheart's desire in My Heart's Desire...
- A Wonderful Story
- A Wonderful Story
- my hearts desire
- The Best I've ever read!!
|
My Heart's Desire
Andrea Kane
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Kane, Andrea | ( K ) | Authors, A-Z | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Historical | Romance | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
-
Wishes in the Wind
-
Samantha
-
The Last Duke
-
Echoes in the Mist
-
The Black Diamond
ASIN: 0671735845 |
Book Description
Never were there two more unlikely people to fall in love...
Lady Alexandria Cassel scorned London's frivolous social whirl, seeking adventure as a stowaway aboard a merchant ship. Drake Barrett was the vessel's powerful captain -- and a cynical duke who disdained a noble's shallow life. At sea he revealed neither his origins nor his wealth, and to Alexandria he was simply a man who made her cool reserve fly with the winds...whose desire for her was as wild as the ocean they sailed.
Caught in the crossfire of war, they were shipwrecked on an idyllic island, where they tasted perfect passion...and tenderness. But Drake dreaded the day of their rescue -- when his love would discover that the virile man she adored was at the pinnacle of the aristocracy she despised. Hardly did they suspect the base treachery that would soon threaten them...and the dangers each would brave to join forever their hearts and lives!
Customer Reviews:
I found myheart's desire in My Heart's Desire..........2002-08-10
I am an avid Romance reader, and i especially enjoy regency romances. This is the first novel i have read by Andrea Kane, and i enjoyed it so much that i plan to purchase all her novels and read them as well. In My heart's desire, Kane is not afaraid in letting the couple go through experiences together, feel adventure, travel. Many regency romances are the same, with the hero and heroine staying in London. This book was a breath of fresh air. The love scenes are also exceptional.
A Wonderful Story.......2002-04-21
Alexandria and Drakes story is great. Alex stows away on Drakes ship so she can escape the trials of the Season and to go visit her father. Drake is a strong willed man and is shocked to find her on board his ship. In the end he takes her to Canada and to her father the govenor there. He is less then please with his daughter and forces her to marry Drake.
This story has it all. Romance, Suspense, and the magic that you can find in between the pages of an Andrea Kane book. Take the time to read this story you won't be disappointed.
A Wonderful Story.......2000-03-11
I have never been so completely enveloped into a story! Andrea Kane's writing is phenomenal. I fell in love with both characters. I would recommend this book to every historical romance lover!
my hearts desire.......2000-02-08
This is just as great as all of Andrea Kanes' books. Great characters with personalities that fit that time in history; wonderful romance. Anyone should read all Ms.Kanes books. I have.
The Best I've ever read!!.......1999-08-31
Wonderful Charaters with a delightful plot. A great adventure with lots of romance.
Book Description
Experience deeper intimacy with God by adopting a "lifestyle of worship."
Customer Reviews:
still a favorite.......2007-04-26
I have owned 3 or 4 copies of My Heart's desire, and given away as many over the past few years.
David Jeremiah is one of my favorite teachers, and we have read a lot of his books, but this one, IMO, is his BEST. (This is Spring 2007). At least, as far as the impact it had on me.
I have read it twice, and listened to the audio series of it, and each time, was broken, and wept, while at the same time some of the most precious worship I have ever experienced.
This book enabled me to allow the Holy Spirit to "catapult" the way I worship My Creator and Savior.
Don't borrow this from the library...this is one to keep.
Probably on my all time Top 10 list.
Excellent book.......2002-12-23
Although I purchased this book for myself, I haven't had the opportunity to read it yet. My former pastor borrowed it. He has read it three times, and wept every time he read it. I'm getting ready to order him his own copy so I can have mine back. He says it's a wonderful book.
A Wonder of a Book.......2002-09-24
The first three chapters are worth the price of this book: contrary to the PW review, Dr. J offers fresh insights into the day-by-day, moment-by-moment experience of God in our daily lives. He is very practical - and biblical. Its not the corporate experience that in the end gets us through the day...its the daily grind slammed against a God who can take it all and help us live through it. This is a great book - from an experienced communicator of the Gospel. A wonder of a book for everyone serious about his/her walk with God.
Book Description
Blythe hungered for his caresses, knowing only time and sweet seduction would win the hardened heart of Roger Debrett, Earl of Eden, the man she'd married--to save him from hanging for the murder of his first wife. She knew with her druid's instinct that they'd loved each other forever and that they were meant to be together, even when Roger vowed to annul their marriage once he found the real killer. Roger's blazing eyes devoured her, even as he spoke words that hurt. His touch burned even as he denied its power. Now Blythe prepared to conquer her husband--body and soul...
Roger Debrett owed her his life. He tried to see her as the sweet child he remembered from long ago, but reality struck--with ebony hair, violet eyes, and a body he was driven to possess. He couldn't afford to love. Yet even as a killer stalked his every move, he was consumed by Blythe, the innocent temptress who stood in harm's way...
Customer Reviews:
I enjoyed this book.......2004-03-30
I picked this book up on a whim having never heard anything about the author. I really enjoyed this romance. The characters were rich and had depth. The story and dialogue were both interesting. A thoroughly entertaining romance. I will look to other Grasso works in the future.
Script lifted verbatim from Love In A Mist.......1999-08-02
Grasso writes with great style but should give her readers more respect. I was disappointed to read a lot of the same script I just had read in Love In A Mist. I would have given more stars for originality. (D. Bowen
A Must-Read.......1999-04-21
This is such a sweet story, with strong charcters and a touch of fantasy. I especially loved the daughter Miranda and her antics. You must read this if you a fan of Virginia Henley and Judith McNaught.
Book Description
Is it harder to be a wife or work at McDonalds?
Single women who want to be married are learning it's easier said than done. With over half of marriages ending in divorce, groups of single women are gathering together to discover what it means to be a wife. "The average new fast food employee gets a one week orientation," says Michelle Boasten, founder of My Heart in His Hands Ministries. "What's harder, being a wife or a burger flipper? If the burger flipper gets a week of training, should a woman who wants to be a wife get at least a week of orientation?"
The My Heart in His Hands Movement began with Boasten interviewing scores of women who shared their single and married experiences. She had one goal in mind: save your marriage before it starts. As she interacted with other single women they also wanted to learn the keys to a good marriage.
Single women are frustrated with meeting men who don't want a committed relationship. Recognizing this, Boasten turned to the married women and men who revealed many secrets about spotting the needle in the haystack. Single women who desire to be married want results. They want to meet a good man and they want a good marriage.
Groups can start with just one single woman who wants to gain wisdom, insight and knowledge about finding a good man and having a good marriage. If you cannot find a group in your area all you need to get started is one girlfriend who shares the same goal. Boasten provides a free group facilitator guide on-line with instructions on how to start your own group.
Mrs. Robin Freeman of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio started a home group. She currently has five women who meet once a week for eight weeks. When asked "Does it work?" Freeman enthusiastically responds, "Yes!"
Customer Reviews:
Above all things get W I S D O M!.......2002-07-23
This book is fantastic!!! Never before have I read a book with such powerful insight and conviction. The book is not an easy, instant gratification type of read. It is a focused read. I found myself reading and placing it down just so I could process the areas of application in my life. I got angry reading this book -- because it was revealing areas in my life that I NEEDED CORRECTION in. The book is not for the meek at heart nor the disobedient. This is a book that calls you to accountability of God's word. It is the litmus test for life. A put up or shut up type of book. Are you FINALLY going to do as God says?? OR are you going to do what your will wants to do and ignore God altogether??
You have to answer that for yourself! My Church is now doing a women's seminar with the book and accompanying workbook. It doesn't matter if you are 8 to 80, blind, crippled or crazy. Married or Single. This book is a MUST READ!!
The perfect book if you are believing God for a husband!.......2002-05-10
The Introduction
Explains an all too familiar story of a couple. The Bill & Jill story is one most of us can relate to. Also explains this book is for Saved Single Sisters, but the brothers should read it too.
Chapter 1 - Hope Deferred
The pain of singleness is not removed by marriage. Many married women are in shock when they discover more pain in marriage than the pain in singleness. The root of the pain in singleness is the same root of the pain in marriage. How true!
Chapter 2 - Break It Down
Most women don't enter a marriage with the hope of disappointment. Learning about relationships is the first step to enjoying your singleness and your marriage. The first of the 7 relationship concepts is taught in this chapter, the relationship characters.
Chapter 3 - Build It Up
This chapter explains the other six concepts. If you master these concepts you will never ever be confused about men, dating, mating and relating. They are the relationship rings, the double play, the governing rules, intimacy and acceptance, motivation and intent and the relationship fix-it tool.
Chapter Four - The Breakdown
Relationships fail due to the breakdown of one or more of the 7 relationship concepts. Each broken relationship concept has consequences. The single reader has the blessed opportunity to gain wisdom and insight about the cause and consequence of relationship breakdown before you enter your marriage.
Chapter Five - The Gift?
Christian singles may have heard of "the gift of singleness." Is this an oxymoron? Aren't gifts supposed to be good? The gift of singleness is often misunderstood. As a result many singles are not free to enjoy the real gift of singleness because it is often wrongly taught as the gift of celibacy. Celibacy is not a gift, sex is the gift... of marriage. The gift of singleness is freedom from spousal responsibility, accountability and liability.
Chapter Six - The Marriage Hoax
Every aspect from your thinking about marriage through to the marriage itself is discussed. The marriage hoax, the meeting hoax, the dating hoax, the mating hoax, the wedding hoax, the wife hoax and the mother hoax.
Chapter Seven - The Marriage Hope
God has designed marriage for many wonderful purposes. When you submit to God's way you set the stage for God to work in and through yourself, your spouse, your marriage and your children.
Chapter Eight - Hope Fulfilled
Get ready to meet your mate! You are just one prayer away from having your hopes fulfilled. When you put your heart in God's hands you have taken the first step to getting every hope fulfilled. God wants to bless his obedient daughters! The condition is your obedience, not based on rules, but on your relationship with God.
Can somebody say WISDOM.......2002-05-09
This book teaches wisdom (backed up in scripture) about men, mating, dating, relating and marriage. Nothing is left uncovered. I am not the same and I have been changed for the better as a result of reading this book. If you are single, married, divorced or separated, READ THIS BOOK! It will change your life for the better!!!!!!!!
Product Description
3 Book Set By Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni; Arranged Marriage; the Vine of Desire; Sister of My Heart.
Product Description
Four separate paperbacks by Signet.
Product Description
Multiple books shipped as one item. Save on Shipping/Handling charges.
Customer Reviews:
Synopsis.......2007-04-27
FROM FATHER TO SON
Steve Hagen had come to claim his son. The knowledge sent Brina's senses reeling. She had left him five years before and moved to California, pregnant and devastated, sure that her love had been betrayed. He had come for his son's sake, but the electricity between Steve and Brina still crackled. His touch brought back a rush of tender memories. But the pair faced the same problems that had driven them apart once before: Their fathers were still bitter enemies. How could they become a family when pressures forced them apart? In a tangle of loyalties from father to son, could they find their way to love again?
Average customer rating:
|
Desire of My Heart
C. C. Duzan
Manufacturer: Tate Publishing & Enterprises
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1598866176 |
Average customer rating:
- Not Free SF Reader
- WOW! Hey, Bujold is the greatest!
- One thumb down for Miles, one up for Ivan
- Beauty, brains, pranks, and danger ...
- Cetaganda: Light-Hearted but Missing Something
|
Cetaganda (Bujold, Lois Mcmaster. Vorkosigan Adventure.)
Lois McMaster Bujold
Manufacturer: Baen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Fantasy
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
| Alternate History
| Anthologies
| Arthurian
| Contemporary
| Epic
| General
| Historical
| History & Criticism
| Magic & Wizards
| Series
General
| Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Bujold, Lois McMaster
| ( B )
| Authors, A-Z
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
Paperback
| Bujold, Lois McMaster
| ( B )
| Authors, A-Z
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Memory (Miles Vorkosigan Adventures)
-
Komarr (Miles Vorkosigan Adventures)
-
A Civil Campaign
-
The Vor Game
-
Ethan of Athos
ASIN: 0671877445 |
Amazon.com
Miles is stuck visiting Cetaganda with his doltish cousin Ivan, representing Barrayaran nobility at an Imperial funeral. Miles must have suspected that it wasn't going to be dull after the bogus docking instructions and the odd man who launched himself into their ship and started to pull a weapon on them. Three attacks and a mysterious murder later, Miles is juggling two emperors, two secret services, and a half-dozen traitors--nd that's not even counting the women.
Product Description
When the Cetagandan empress dies, Miles Vorkosigan and his cousin Ivan are sent to Cetaganda for her funeral as diplomatic representatives of Barrayar. Upon arrival, the two men are inexplicably attacked by a servant of the late empress. When the same servant turns up dead the next day, Miles and Ivan find themselves in the middle of a mystery.
Miles tries to play detective in a strange, complicated, and deceptively alien culture, while lascivious Ivan manages to get himself involved with several noble females at the same time, a diplomatic no-no of the first order. As the plot thickens, it becomes clear that itÂ’s up to Miles to save the empire.
With her usual skill, Bujold addresses timeless issues of human identity through the personal dramas of her characters.
Download Description
[A Vorkosigan Adventure] Cetaganda is another installment in the Hugo-award winning adventures of Miles Vorkosigan, in which Miles and Cousin Ivan go to Cetaganda to play the part of sprigs of the nobility doing their diplomatic duty by good old Barrayar. The idea is that they will gain diplomatic polish on this simple mission, but when the Cetagandan empress dies naturally and her lifelong attendant dies unnaturally--apparently a suicide, but there are rumors--Miles and Ivan find themselves in the thick of it. Miles tries to play detective in a strange, complicated, and deceptively alien culture. Meanwhile, handsome and lascivious Ivan manages to get himself involved with several women at the same time--all of whom are TROUBLE from the word go. Miles had always wanted to save the Empire--it was just that the Cetagandan wasn't exactly the empire he'd had in mind... [HOMer Award Nominee, Locus Poll Award Nominee, Seiun Award Nominee]
Customer Reviews:
Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03
Dead Empress divestiture.
Miles gets sent to the boring duty of going to an Imperial funeral. Some people would also be happy if he didn't come back, of course, given he has been sent to Cetaganda. Miles of course manages to get involved with a mystery into the bargain, helping out one of the local military, and eve gets a medal for his trouble. A medal from this bunch doesn't really endear him to the locals much, either.
WOW! Hey, Bujold is the greatest!.......2006-08-01
The narrator is really good, but the book is truly superb; I only yearn for more MP3's with Bujold's name on the title page--where are the newer audio books about "Miles"...DGL
One thumb down for Miles, one up for Ivan.......2006-06-04
One misstep - not in style, but in subject.
Miles gets an official mission, one he should accomplish as his own self, the Lord Vorkosigan. He has the help of his cousin Ivan and the blessing of both Illyan and the Emperor. All he has to do is atend a state funeral, make a ritual offer and return home.
But the first thing that happens when they get to Cetaganda is a ba servant crashing into them and "losing" one piece of equipment that turns out to be the only Key to the Imperial Haut Gene Banks - the only thing in the Cetagandan Empire everybody worships... as the Key is exposed as fraud and Miles gets his first mad crush on the acting Haut Empress, the only way out for the Barrayaran Envoys is finding the real Key, returning it to the rightful owner, and discovering the culprits...
This would've been another exceptional hit but for the strained love tale (that doesn't impede on Miles' capacity of acting as a detective) and for Ivan's over-affirmed shortage on brainpower. I actually like Ivan - he'll turn out to have a great heart in all other Vorkosigan novels. There is a highly attractive Ghem Colonel - Benin - and a hint of Terran C's whereabouts ( he's also known as Terrence Cee to those who care he's human - not his Cetagandan creators) that will eventually put Ellie Quinn on his tail in "Ethan of Athos".
As it is - Miles undoes the knots, makes his official appearence at the state funeral and gets awarded a Cetagandan medal (which on formerly conquered Barrayar equals treason) and retires unconsolated...
Liked it, but it's not the very best Vorkosigan adventure.
This whole series is for keeps, though!
Beauty, brains, pranks, and danger ..........2005-10-05
Miles and Ivan are the Barrayarian envoys to the funeral of the Cetagandian Empress. They barely reach the transfer station above Cetaganda when they are boarded and attacked...or are they. From this minor incident, Miles finds himself in the middle of intrigue that could kill him, cause Barrayar to be plunged into war, and destabilize the Cetagandan Empire. Moreover, Miles also learns that Barrayar's intelligence network is not always seeing the world as it is as he learns that the haut women of Cetaganda are more than merely decorative beauties in a bubble.
There's non-stop action as the tensions build and the plot thickens. We learn more about Ivan and Miles and their interactions with others. It's the usual Bujold book filled with action, adventure, well-drawn characters, and told with wit and humor.
Cetaganda: Light-Hearted but Missing Something.......2005-01-24
Bujold's Miles Vorkosigan series has always employed a formula of two parts high adventure to one part light-hearted humor. In "Cetaganda", however, the balance swings to the humor side. Miles and his not-exactly-genius cousin Ivan are in the Cetagandan capital as envoys at a funeral for the Emperor's mother. Their banter is generally plenty witty, no doubt about that. The problem, rather, is that we get to much of it. Indeed, one could be forgiven for suspecting that Bujold wrote one major subplot just so that the two Vor lordlings would have a chance to toss yet more zingers at each other. By contrast, scenes of genuine suspense are toned down compared to earlier books in the series.
Cetagandan society itself is one of Bujold's imaginative triumphs. The ruling 'haut' class have genetically engineered themselves, not to mentioned their pets and decorative plants, almost to perfection. However, they spend most of their time hidden behind various social and physical barriers while a 'ghem' class controls the military and does most of the actual governing. With a few tantalizing and well-scripted scenes, Bujold shows us how the ghems are decaying and hints of societal breakdown are appearing throughout Cetaganda's structure. For that part, at least, she earns an A+.
In plot coherence, however, "Cetaganda" comes across as sloppy and poorly planned compared to her other books. While the villain is finally unmasked with much fanfare at the end, no sensible wrap-up of his evil plan is ever offered. In retrospect it looks like he was going out of his way to get caught. The other characters also don't pan out too well. For instance, on several occasions a group of haut women discuss their top-secret plans for the future of the empire while Miles, who is still ostensibly an enemy, is present and listening in on their conversation.
Average customer rating:
|
Cetaganda
Manufacturer: Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GSDLZW |
Average customer rating:
|
Cetaganda (First Edition/First Printing)
Lois McMaster Bujold
Manufacturer: Baen Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Action & Adventure
| Anthologies
| Fairy Tales
| Family Saga
| Gay & Lesbian
| Historical
| Horror
| Medical
| Men's Adventure
| Metaphysical
| Movie Tie-Ins
| Political
| Religious & Inspirational
| Sea Adventures
| Sports
| War
| Westerns
ASIN: B000PAQJ64 |
Product Description
The power to engineer a civilization's genetic destiny fosters new variations on old struggles for political power in this entertaining space-operatic entry in Bujold's long-running Vorkosigan saga. Miles Vorkosigan, hero of Mirror Dance (winner of the 1995 Hugo Award for Best Novel), is on a diplomatic mission to represent his home planet at the funeral of the dowager empress of the Cetaganda empire when an encounter with an assailant leaves him with a piece of computer software. This proves to be a bogus duplicate of a key to the Cetagandan genome, which each new empress manipulates to produce offspring. With the help of a member of Cetaganda's matriarchal ruling haut, Miles and his cousin Ivan dodge inventive assassination attempts to determine which of the empire's eight governors has tried to pin this "theft" on them in the hope of usurping control of the genome. With her usual skill, Bujold addresses timeless issues of human identity through the personal dramas of her characters, most notably Miles, a deformed mutant whose insecurities afford him insight but sometimes obstruct his investigations. Set in a vividly realized world where Machiavellian intrigues are played out behind a facade of aristocratic discretion, this novel, like its predecessors, blends high adventure with wry commentary on the seemingly unbridgeable gulf between human ideals and political realities.
Book Description
Buddhist Thought guides the reader toward an understanding and appreciation of the central concepts of classical Indian Buddhist thought, tracing their development from the time of Buddha to the latest scholarly perspectives and controversies. Of particular interest here is the accessible and up-to-date survey of Buddhist Tantra in India.
A detailed bibliography completes a comprehensive, authoritative and engaging introduction to one of the world's great philosophies.
Customer Reviews:
Caveat Lector.......2007-04-19
The reader should be aware of the fact that the author of this book was in the process of converting from Buddhism to Catholicism when he wrote it. In fact he then went on and wrote a book specifically about THAT - it is titled "The Unexpected Way: On Converting from Buddhism to Catholicism". In my opinion Williams goes out of his way (and at times quite obviously) to promote the view that Buddhism is inherently nihilistic. Rupert Gethin's "The Foundations of Buddhism" is vastly superior, as are the books by Kogen Mizuno: "Essentials of Buddhism" and "Basic Buddhist Concepts".
Excellent Overview of Indian Buddhist History.......2005-09-10
I found this book to be an excellent overview of Indian Buddhist history. The writing style is engaging and absorbing, and the book offers thoughtful explorations of a number of issues that are a matter of contention among scholars. I found that the book was able to answer a number of questions for me that I had not found addressed in other overviews of Buddhist history. I was particularly taken with the discussions of 1) the coexistence and relative influence of various Mahayana and non-Mahayana schools of thought in ancient India, 2)the different meanings of emptiness in the madhyamaka and yogacara schools, 3) the discussion of Buddha fields and Pure Lands and the cults of various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, 4)the author's understanding of Mahayana thought as a continuation of the Abhidharma project rather than simply a rebellion against it, and 5) the explanation of the relationship of Indian tantra in general to Buddhist tantra, and the way to understand the relationship between and differentiation of terms such as "tantra" and "vajrayana." This is not necessarily the best book to read as one's very first book on Buddhist history, but it fills a great void between books that are intended for beginners and books that are intended for readers who are already accomplished scholars.
Not that great.......2005-03-11
This is not a great book - pure and simple. The author is chaotic in his exposition of the subject and time after time tries to come up with his own reinterpretation of the key concepts of Buddhism - apparently, in an attempt to look original. Not recommended.
Great Content, Dreary Style.......2003-12-04
This book has many strengths and a notable weakness. On the positive side, both authors are extremely knowledgeable and guide the reader through some extremely difficult ideas. Indian Buddhism is not a straightforward topic. There are many academic debates raging on extremely fundamental questions, and there has been quite a bit of revisionism in recent years. Williams (who wrote all of the book except for the last chapter) is clearly in command of this complex material, including recent scholarship. And he has very well-considered opinions on major topics. His insights can enrich just about anyone¡¦s views of the development of Buddhism.
This book is not for everyone. It is definitely not an introduction to Buddhism ¡V Williams assumes that the reader has a little bit of background. Nor is this for traditional Buddhists who like their myths intact. Williams takes a historical approach that leads him to poke holes in many common beliefs. I consider this a plus - it's intriguing to watch Williams demolishing so many tired stereotypes.
Unfortunately, this book has a major flaw. Williams may be quite knowledgeable about Indian Buddhism, but he isn¡¦t a very talented stylist. His prose is dull, and sometimes this lackluster writing makes it difficult to understand what he¡¦s getting at. This is a shame, because the content is so good. The pace picks up considerably toward the end; Anthony Tribe writes with much more vigor, and he gives an extremely lucid introduction to Indian Buddhist tantra. I fault the publisher ¡V Routledge should definitely have subjected this book to some major editing to punch up the dreary style.
Despite this drawback, I would still strongly recommend this book. For anyone who knows about the basics of Buddhism and wants to learn more, this is an excellent choice.
Also, the bibliography of sutras and secondary scholarship is superb. This alone is worth the price of the book. The bibliography is an excellent guide to further reading.
Contains the best brief overview of tantric Buddhism.......2002-11-26
I've only read chapter seven of Williams' "Buddhist Thought," which was actually written by Anthony Tribe. However, on the strength of this one chapter alone, I feel moved to recommend this book. Put simply, chapter seven is the single best brief introductory overview of tantric Buddhism that I have ever encountered. I was stunned by the amount of useful, intelligent, accurate information that was provided in such a short space, especially since this is one of the most misunderstood topics in all of Buddhist Studies. Bravo to Tribe; this chapter alone is probably worth the price of the book, and if the rest of the book is up to this standard, this is a volume of rare excellence indeed.
Books:
- For Us, The Living: A Comedy of Customs
- From the Bottom Up: One Man's Crusade to Clean America's Rivers
- Galatea 2.2: A Novel
- Georg Jensen: A Tradition of Splendid Silver (Schiffer Book for Collectors)
- Getting Mother's Body: A Novel
- Girls' Poker Night: A Novel of High Stakes
- God Bless You, Dr. Kevorkian
- Goodnight Nobody: A Novel
- Heavenly Date and Other Flirtations
- I Married a Communist
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- In the Land of Israel
- Don't You Dare Get Married Until You Read This! The Book of Questions for Couples
- The Story of My Typewriter
- Vanilla Beans & Brodo: Real Life in the Hills of Tuscany
- 1,000 Unforgettable Senior Moments: Of Which We Could Remember Only 246
- Digital Image Processing
- Birds and Light
- A Wee Guide to Mary, Queen of Scots
- Transfer Pricing Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and Tax Administrations: Travel Version 20
- Jump Start Your Business Brain: Win More, Lose Less, and Make More Money
