Average customer rating:
- Florida Native's point of view.
- Poor, start to finish
- Fictional Malaise
- Raucous, bawdy, Tom McGuane - yes, and I'll take 2 more... at least!
- Postmodern rifs
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Ninety-two in the Shade
Thomas Mcguane
Manufacturer: Vintage
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Binding: Paperback
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Gallatin Canyon: Stories
ASIN: 0679752897
Release Date: 1995-05-30 |
Customer Reviews:
Florida Native's point of view........2007-10-04
I was intrigued by this novel because some of my counter parts in the fishing world love it. Being born and raised in Florida, having spent a great deal of my childhood down in the Keys, and being an avid fisherman (almost charter captain); I thought for sure I would love this story. But I didn't.
McGuane shows he is a craftsman of metaphors and prose. But I found the story itself kind of flat and the characters lacking emotion. Everything was just it will be what it will be. The story often goes off on tangents and I'm not sure if this done for affect, but it makes following the story somewhat difficult at times.
The story does give you a glimpse into old Florida and the characters that make it unique and for that is worth the read, but don't expect to be on the edge of your seat.
James A. Forrest - Eye of the Storm
Poor, start to finish.......2006-11-28
Other reviewers gave this book a very positive review. I found it to be poor on all dimensions. I would have put this book in the trash after the first chapter, if I had not been on a day long airline trip with nothing else to read. While the author offers some interesting desriptions, most are poor at best. As far as plot, suspense, etc... I found none. If the author is trying to convey some point, I did not see it. Books such as this push me back to reading classics and contemporary works by well known authors.
Fictional Malaise.......2006-08-18
"The dream of simultaneous orgasm is just a herring dying on a mirror." - 92 in the Shade
For those readers seeking the arch, the cynical glib and metafictional malaise, look no further: this author has street cred.
If, on the other hand, you expect a read with a plot point there and here, step aside.
Raucous, bawdy, Tom McGuane - yes, and I'll take 2 more... at least! .......2006-08-17
I've been reading Tom McGuane's books over and over since first reading, The Longest Silence. I've been hooked ever since. For me, understanding Tom McGuane, the author, took place when I began to understand him through the element he most often places himself and his work into: the environment of a fly rod.
His books are as varied as the waters a fly-fisherman plys in search of his piscatorial treasure. The nuances of texture, the variables of nature, the agony of whim ... all of these are met in each watery course and are likewise found in each page of McGuane's writing.
Ninety-two In the Shade is a story based in one of the most surreal areas left in our country. A society awash in what seems hell-bent on becoming as amorphous as the aisles in a Wal-Mart Super Center.
Sure it's dated ... and why not ... so much the more for us to see clearly what we have lost in our own uniqueness. And how, in our rush to become all-accepting, we are loosing what made us so American.
So, instead of looking at McGuane's work as some sort of 'stuck in a time warp literary irrelevance' ... why not look at it as a warning mirror - showing us the fading last glimpses of what we have lost... and are about to loose forever.
"Thomas Skelton, whose aim had been to be a practicing Christian, was now a little gone in the faith. But, he thought, no matter; and took some comfort to remember the Gospel according to St. Matthew: Whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell-fire. Upon occasion, a man had to manufacture his on hell-fire, either for himself or others: as one kind of home brew for the spirit's extremer voyages." Ninety-two In The Shade, Thomas McGuane, 1973; p56.
Yes, Tom .. thank you for showing us the need for clear vision - both backward and forward. Maybe we'll miss burning in someone else's own self-manufactured hell-fire. Maybe ....
Postmodern rifs.......2003-02-11
While this novel portrays exotic behavior and Key West fish guiding (talk about redundancy), murder, crime, it is not really a comic novel, a crime novel or even that elusive genre - the "Keys Novel." Maybe it can be classified as an "Old Hippie" novel; certainly there is a touch of that, but there is also a touch of the "Old Florida" novel with eccentric, elderly relatives with cash and the political fix. The tale progresses in a halucinatory mix of events. Simply stated young conch wants to get into the guide business, faces dual problems of not enough room for more guides and cost of boat, from which conflict flows. There are some nice scenes of excess in passion and alcohol. There is also the desperate, ends of the earth, behavior of island inhabitants: in this case people do what they say they will do, which can be a very bad thing. What plot there is can best be described as ecclectic. Read it and remember the eighties.
Average customer rating:
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Ninety-two in the Shade
Thomas McGuane
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0002215713 |
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Ninety-two in the Shade
Manufacturer: Bantam Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: 0553084216 |
Average customer rating:
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NINETY-TWO IN THE SHADE
Manufacturer: Bantam Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000EX1ZK2 |
Product Description
3 Titles By Thomas McGuane : The Bushwhacked Piano Ninety-Two in the Shade Panama. three mmpb.
Book Description
Ravishing and desperate Lysette Kersaint flees an impending marriage to a man she hates to seek sanctuary with a man she fears. For rumors abound throughout New Orleans concerning her handsome, brooding protector, Maximilien Vallerand--whispers of his cruelty, his rages, his dark, mysterious past. Forces by circumstance, Lysette consents to wed the dangerous rake, becoming the unwitting instrument of his sworn vengeance. But the flame-haired beauty's innocent heart will awaken within him a soul of passion and poetry. . .and spawn a love magnificent, wild, and true.Ravishing and desperate Lysette Kersaint flees an impending marriage to a man she hates to seek sanctuary with a man she fears. For rumors abound throughout New Orleans concerning her handsome, brooding protector, Maximilien Vallerand--whispers of his cruelty, his rages, his dark, mysterious past. Forces by circumstance, Lysette consents to wed the dangerous rake, becoming the unwitting instrument of his sworn vengeance. But the flame-haired beauty's innocent heart will awaken within him a soul of passion and poetry. . .and spawn a love magnificent, wild, and true.
Customer Reviews:
My favourite Lisa Kleypas so far........2006-05-05
Okay, so here goes my first review online...
After reading a Lisa Kleypas interview, I realise that she was not completely happy with this novel - and obviously it was rewritten as "When Strangers Marry" - BUT, I think it is the most fantastic historical that I have read in a very long time, and it's also my favourite in her collection thus far.
I am fast becoming a huge fan, having read seven Kleypas novels to date, but "Only in Your Arms" is still a standout for me. Just COULD NOT put it down. It's true, I haven't yet read the revised version - but I feel the original needs no improving whatsoever!
Steamy Locale........2004-02-06
This novel's location is creative, romantic, and virtually swirling in a mysterious mist. Using great skill, Ms. Kleypas maneuvers her reader into the exotic district of New Orleans in 1805. The writer's uncanny ability toward detail and her grand use of delicate French phrases are stimulating.
Maximilien Vallerand married a jezebel. Corrine Vallerand can destroy men. Beautiful beyond words, this woman manipulates the men around her. She grows to hate her popular husband and tentatively sets out to destroy an already tense relationship with his childhood friend. Even from the grave, Corrine continues to strike out, managing to crush the fragile love between Maximilien and his brother.
Yet what is so pleasing with this story. The author doesn't lend a heavy hand to Corrine's malice -- the evil remains on the outside fringe. In true Kleypas fashion, the writer has written a romance novel.
A solid story, a page turner, unfortunately it is commonplace. Lisa Kleypas has gone on to write some absolutely phenomenal books. This was only satisfactory.
Note: I understand Lisa Kleypas rewrote this book and gave it a new title, "When Strangers Marry". I have found a copy of this revised story, and I am anticipating the read -- to compare.
Grace Atkinson, Ontario - Canada.
A Disappointing Read From Lisa Kleypas!.......2003-07-08
Let me first state that Ms. Klaypas is one of my favorite authors, and one of the best writers in the Romance genre. I don't think I have read any of her books that I would rate below 4 stars - until now. "Only In Your Arms," however, is only a 3 star novel. The storyline is very simplistic; the mystery too obvious; the characters are predictable and lack the usual complexity; and there is little of Ms. Kleypas' humor here. As always, however, the chemistry between the two main characters is electric and the sex is steamy.
A young Creole woman, Lysette Kersaint, flees an arranged marriage to a man who revolts her, only to fall under the protection of a man she fears, Maximilien Vallerand. Mr. Vallerand, who rumor has it, murdered his first wife, just happens to be the mortal enemy of Lisette's betrothed - his first wife's lover. Maximilien weds Lysette, for revenge against his enemy, and because he is attracted to her innocence, lack of guile...and her beauty. He is smitten. The story unwinds with the development of the newlyweds' relationship, and the unsolved mystery of the first wife's violent murder hanging over them. The most complex character in the novel is Justin, Max's son by his first wife. Since Justin plays only a small, but important role, in this novel, hopefully, he will get a book of his own in the future.
I am certainly not panning this book. It's not bad. I know I am in the minority here, but I would suggest that readers try some of Lisa Kleypas' really great novels first, like: "Give Me Tonight," Dreaming Of You," "Then Came You," and "Someone To Watch Over Me." Here you will find the author at her best!
The most beautiful story I have yet to read!.......2001-10-18
I am a very strong fan of such authors as Virginia Henley and Judith McNaught and many others. I've been reading many novels over the last year and find some romance stories lacking love, emotional deepness and well...lacking in making you like the characters. By Far Lisa has to be one of the best writers! Her work isn't rushed, each character, their past and their emotions you can tell Lisa spent a lot of work figuring them out, molding them into real people which you enjoy and love. This story doesn't drag either after the lovers get together. You can't put this book down! I usualy read a book within a 1-2 month time period but I finished this one in ONE NIGHT! @_@ Believe me, the story meshes so well with the characters, the plot and the romance is stunning! The sexual scenes don't wear you down and become repetative! She wrote each one making you feel breathless. My favorite character is Justin which I am happy to say is the main character in her sequel book, "Only with your love" which I finished 75 pages within a 2 hour time frame this morning, right after finishing the previous story! I am happy with excitment to see what happens! I love the play with French words and names giving the book a mystical erotic tone to the story which blew me away right from reading it. The writing is smooth and the words don't make you feel lost. Each scene is timed well, each character's reaction to events is real and well, touching as well. Some books lack romance and love, but this book has it to a point it seems and feels real and you begin to root for the lovers. I love the characters especially Justin who is a riot! You'll love him too! He had me crying and laughing all through the book! My all time favorite character ever! Don't miss this chance to read a perfect romantic story.
Couldn't Put It Down.......2001-08-28
I have never been a romance reader but love history or historical fiction -- particularly Regency England. This summer I read my first romance which was a Kleypas novel working up to this fifth book. When I saw it was New Orleans and not England I almost put it down. But then the first chapter's intrigue surrounding Max kept me going. Now I have to say it is the best I have read of Kleypas or this category because of the way the murder mystery and the Burr conspiracy was worked in as well as all the characters' development. I did not like Max at first but eventually softened to him, as did Lysette. The story provides a believable psychology for his nature. I read the sequel solely to meet up with Max, Lysette and New Orleans again. I'd love to see a third sequel with Max and Lysette's grown daughters coming of age in it. I'd like to see how Max acts in that regard. That'd be really exciting.
Average customer rating:
- What a memorable , hot and sexy love story!
- Exciting and romantic!
- A lot of promise in this somewhat flawed effort
- Only In Your Arms
- No Matter What Genre, Tracy does it right!
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Only In Your Arms (Zebra Splendor Historical Romances)
Tracy Cozzens
Manufacturer: Zebra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Historical | Romance | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0821765302 |
Book Description
Winner of the prestigious Golden Heart Award for 1998 from Romance Writers of America.
A commoners desire... A noblewomans longing... An impossible love against insurmountable odds
On behalf of his aristocratic friend, daring Shakespearean actor Marcus Sinclair rescues Lady Judith Ashton from a loveless betrothal, only to find himself hopelessly entranced by her. Determined to honor her family, Judith fights her feelings for the low-born actor and resigns herself to the upcoming nuptials. Until one passionate midsummer night changes their lives forever.
In the tradition of Shakespeare in Love, Only In Your Arms brings to life Shakespeare's theater in Elizabethan England, but comes with a happy ending. The story features two pairs of mixed-up lovers in the tradition of the Bard. Murder, deception and betrayal spice the plot.
Customer Reviews:
What a memorable , hot and sexy love story!.......2001-10-19
This romance novel came highly recommended to me but I kept putting off reading it. The reviews that claimed historical accuracy and references to Shakespeare were more of a turn off for me. I prefer completely fictional romances where I don't have to worry about comparing it to 17th century history or anything that would half-way resemble a scholastic study. I read romances for pure pleasure and not to expand my already cramped, looking for escape, college-grad, mind.
Therefore, I was VERY VERY pleasantly surprised when I got an entertaining love story after all! I am now in awe of Ms. Cozzens. Her ability to draw such fascinating and endearing characters is amazing and everyone who enjoys love stories will feel the same after reading this romance.
I could care less if a girl in the 1600's wouldn't be allowed some of the freedoms that Judith was allowed. (again, historical accuracy and blah, blah) What I care about is reading an outstanding and captivating love story and that is exactly what I got. As I was reading about Judith and Marcus, Judith did everything that I wanted her to do. There was nothing that would stand in her way of seeing Marcus if that is what she had to do. How did Ms. Cozzens do that? More to the point, how did she draw her characters so that I would not be disappointed in any of them?(even her father!) Whereas I've read other romances where the characters would fall short of my expectations and disappoint. The characters in ONLY IN YOUR ARMS were not all good and all bad. Ms. Cozzens really excelled at making her characters three-dimensional and not one character was less than interesting. Be ready for an emotional roller coaster ride. I cried like a baby at the end so be warned. (Nothing too ugly or sinister in this book to make me cry, they were the welcoming kind of tears that come from having gotten caught up in and enjoying a wonderful fantasy)
The hero is Marcus and he's a low-born actor. Judith's father doesn't trust him but he's the most pure of them all. (and he's sexy to boot!) And spunky and beautiful LADY Judith has eyes for noone else as soon as their eyes meet. And she doesn't try to hide her dreamy eyes from her diapproving father or either of her titled fiances! Had this story been told by a romance author from the 80's, there could have been so many misunderstandings, one after another BUT THERE WAS NOT! Instead of taking that well traveled easier road, she paved her own way. She took the high road and she had the talent to go that route. Because of that, we get to delight in a unique tale of courageous and self-sacraficing love.
Into that mix is another wonderful couple that Ms. Cozzens describes just as well. But this is not your ordinary secondary couple. They shined just as well as Judith and Marcus. I relished both couples and the wonderful tapestry that is ONLY IN YOUR ARMS.
p.s. did I mention the very sensual love scenes? This book deserves another star for letting us enjoy the passion these two couples can generate.
Exciting and romantic!.......2000-08-07
Tracy Cozzens brings you into a story and doesn't let you go till the last page is turned! Only in Your Arms was no exception. As a fan of the late Victoria Holt, Tracy has been able to again take me back in time to that romantic era of old England. A must read for every romantic out there!
A lot of promise in this somewhat flawed effort.......2000-06-28
Ms. Cozzens has obviously put a great deal of heart and soul -- and very hard work -- into ONLY IN YOUR ARMS. For the most part, she's put her extensive research on Elizabethan England to good use -- most of the details are right on, and one certainly gets a nice feel for the period. The story moves along at a good clip, and the climax is a real page-turner, even for an old, jaded reader like me. The story is a good one, well worth reading, and it's lovely to see disproven the theory that a character in the theatre -- the hero is a Shakepearean actor -- is somehow unappealing. However, I had problems with certain aspects of the book which kept me from giving it a full five stars.
While I understood why she chose the basic premise for both the primary and secondary lovestories -- overcoming class barriers in order to find true love -- I frankly had a little trouble suspending disbelief enough to fully "buy" the resolutions. Or the seventeen-year-old heroine's seeming ability to slip away on her own as much as this one did. But this is fantasy, heaven knows, not a documentary, so I doubt this aspect would bother a lot of readers. I had a bit more trouble with the lovers' overly-affectionate dialogue at times, a few anachronisms that jarred me right out of the story, and the constantly shifting viewpoints -- on occasion, the POV shifted within the same paragraph, which was very disconcerting. And the hero's repeated attempts to push the heroine away from her own sake seemed a little forced to me after a while. More than that, however, the storytelling was more "typical" than I was hoping to find. All in all, a nicely enough done historical romance, but not enough to set it apart from dozens of others for this reader's admittedly picky tastes.
Even so, ONLY IN YOUR ARMS has a lot of good things going for it -- and Ms. Cozzens a tremendous potential I'm sure she hasn't even begun to realize.
Only In Your Arms.......2000-03-31
Actor Marcus Sinclair's mission is to save the woman that his friend Richard loves. He never expects to fall for her himself. But he and Judith Ashton feel a connection immediately. She is betrothed, however, to a perfect monster. Judith's feelings for Marcus become obvious, and once again, Judith must be rescued from an uncomfortable situation. High Shakespearean drama, a charming secondary love story, and smoldering passion make this 4½ star read an irresistible read from a rising star in the romance galaxy.
No Matter What Genre, Tracy does it right!.......2000-03-24
Another fabulous book by Tracy Cozzens. Tracy proves that writers aren't stuck in one "time period." Tracy's now just about done them all, and done them so well they belong on your keeper shelf. Buy "Only in Your Arms" today. You won't regret it.
Average customer rating:
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Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, Moonraker, Diamonds Are Forever, From Russia With Love, Doctor No, Goldfinger, For Your Eyes Only, Thunderball, Spy Who Loved Me, You Only Live Twice, Octopussy, Man With The Golden Arm, On Her Majestys Secret Service (JAMES BOND CLASSICS, 14 Volume Matched Set)
Ian Fleming
Manufacturer: Easton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Leather Bound
Doctor Who | Media | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000U2QWN2 |
Book Description
In 1981, three years before the publication of Neuromancer, Vernor Vinges critically acclaimed novella True Names invented the concept of cyberspace, introducing fictionally the idea of a global network of computers. In forums as diverse as Wired, The Whole Earth Catalog, Artificial Intelligence conferences, and Omni, Vinges concept of cyberspace has been the subject of articles and debate. This book is the first forum to explore, in original articles and never-reprinted magazine pieces, the frontier of the Internet and all its subsets.
Customer Reviews:
Who Are You, Really?.......2003-07-11
Try to remember back to the days when computers were giant things located inside even larger buildings, when access to them was jealously guarded by a high priesthood of computer scientists, and the results you got from them, after many days of painstaking labor, was as likely to be absolute rubbish as it was to be useful answers. This was the way the world was when Vinge wrote this remarkably prescient novella, a story of a world dominated by computer access to information, commonly available to everyone, where virtual reality and your avatar are more 'real' than your physical body. In fact, the story was so far ahead of its time that several of the ideas presented in it became the blueprint for how to continue to develop the way computers work and how people interface with them.
It's a fairly good story in pure fictional terms, also. Vinge does not stint on developing his characters while letting us wander in his (at the time he wrote it) fairyland. The conflicts and problems his protagonist faces are very real problems, and Vinge's resolution of the story rings as true as his title.
The title is significant: in today's world when many wander the net known only by a self-chosen moniker, and jealously guard access to any information about their real selves, but have, never-the-less, a large amount of information held in many databases about their real selves (driver's license, social security number, credit reports), obtaining their 'true names' would be equivalent to forcing them to stand naked on a stage. It is this aspect of today's information dominated society that is the subject of several of the essays that accompany this story, many of which advocate methods for maintaining absolute secrecy of communications on the web. This is a large subject rife with many opinions pro and con, especially after the events of 9/11 and the Patriot Act. Several of the essays are well written, although they do seem to come prepared with an axe already ground, and are well worth reading.
But like most collections of essays, the quality is very uneven. Safely skippable are 'Intelligent Software', 'True Magic', and 'A Time of Transition'. Those deserving of a close read are 'Eventful History: Version 1.0x', 'Cryptography and the Politics of True Names', and most especially the original afterword to True Names written by Marvin Minsky, which is not only an excellent essay about the role of computers in society, it is also a very insightful look at all the various things that are going on inside Vinge's story that may not be readily apparent to the casual reader.
Some of the impact of Vinge's story may have been lost in the intervening years since its writing, as many of his imagined items have become reality, but it would be very hard to find a science fiction story that has predicted the future as well as this one.
--- Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)
A cyberspace primer.......2003-01-09
Vinge's novella would have been worth reprinting on its own, but this package offers a bit more than just a good story. "Truenames", like several other stories mentioned in the introduction of this book (and in the other reviews here), presented an eerily insightful prediction of the cyber-world we have today. Perhaps due to Vinge's familiarity with the technology, however, he was able to pinpoint a number of important issues and sticky points quite specifically, and well ahead of his time. The essays included were well-selected and each serves to highlight these areas and their importance to us today- and these essays comprise the bulk of this volume. Because they cover such diverse topics, and because they are fairly approachable even for a novice, they can provide a beginner with a fairly well-rounded introduction to some of the fundamental issues and challenges of the information superhighway. Timothy May's essay, in particular, is outstanding.
Unfortunately this book stands on somewhat awkward ground. The readers it is going to attract are unlikely to be completely new to the subject - they're probably going to know a bit about one aspect or another. As a result, they're going to be bored by at least some (or many) of the essays in the book. Some of the essays are quite dated as well, though the editor made sure that none were actually irrelevant.
All in all it was quite satisfactory. It's worth rating at 4 stars for a reader who is interested in but unfamiliar with this material.
Excellent in parts, mediocre in others.......2002-09-08
This collections of essays and stories is rather uneven. Some of the essays are rather monotonous and superflous, especially since the long essay by Tim May touches on many of the issues discussed in other essays. The longest portions of the collection - Tim May's essay on Crypto Anarchy, Chip Morningstar and F. Randall Farmer's reports on Habitat, and the eponymous novella by Vernor Vinge - are all excellent and together are worth the price of this volume.
The Habitat reports are probably the most amazing portion of this book, since they are based on a real implementation of some of the concepts discussed in other essays in the book. Habitat was a mid 1980s graphical massively-multiplayer game produced by Lucasfilms. Amazingly, the frontend ran on the Commodore 64 and the connection was over a 300 baud modem. The three essays presented in the book are available online, along with a couple of other pieces on Habitat (including one about the happenings on the Japanese version, which is wonderfully interesting).
"True Names" itself is a good novella and it reads like it could have been written in the past few years. Whether or not this was the first presentation of "cyberspace" is irrelevant to the quality of the story.
Thought-provoking, but not as far-reaching as I'd hoped.......2002-06-25
The emphasis of this collection built around Vinge's 1981 story is exploring how the Internet has evolved in the 20 years since, and how it might change in the future, as well as its impact on society. The deepest essays in the book concern cryptography, which seems appropriate since the hero of "True Names" gets into trouble because the government finds out who he is (in the first three pages!). Still, four or five essays on cryptography, how we can use it to free ourselves from government control, and how governments and corporations want to use it (or ban it) to control us makes the book feel like a one trick pony after a little while. Tim May's article on cryptography says most of what needs to be said on the subject in this context.
The essays otherwise are short on exploring how the net has changed our lives in other ways: Social contact, economic infrastructure, the boost to (and fall in) the economy due to the sheer volume of hardware and software needed to support the net's growth, and so forth. The article on the virtual reality "Habitat" fills some of this void, but it seems woefully outdated considering that MUDs, Instant Messaging and the like have all been popularized since Habitat's heyday.
As for Vinge's story itself, it still holds up well today as an enjoyable read, although the things that bothered me about it ten years ago (the handwaving about how the human mind interprets the net as a fantasy world, the ineptitude of the police to deal with problems in an off-net manner) are still problematic today. But it's certainly a rousing adventure, and touches on several points which are entirely worthwhile today (privacy, secrecy, the value of increased computing power, the Turing Test, how peoples' on-line personas can be entirely different from their true selves). Admittedly, I've always found virtual reality-based stories hard to swallow, so I'm a hard sell in this regard.
Hard-core Vinge fans (such as myself) should certainly pick this up, as "True Names" is an essential developmental story in Vinge's writing career. Those interested in cryptography or some case studies of the history of the Internet should also find it interesting. But all-in-all I think I'd have preferred to see "True Names" included in The Collected Stories of Vernor Vinge and found some other place to present the essays.
Interesting Story and Related Articles.......2002-05-19
Having read Vernor Vinge's "A Fire upon the deep", I was very eager to read something else of his. I've heard about "True Names" a few years ago and was really intrigued, however, I could not find this book anywhere. Therefore, I was delighted to see that it's out again - I didn't check what else is on the
book, however, it would probably not have made a difference.
"True Names" is basically a medium sized story which was (apparently) groundbreaking at the time it was written (1981). In addition to this story, the book contains many articles by known figures in related areas.
So what is "True Names" about ? Roger Pollack, aka Mr. Slippery, is what is called a warlock. However, he's not the type of warlock of fantasy worlds, he is a warlock of "The Other Plane" (the name Vinge uses for Cyberspace.. simply because Cyberspace has not been coined at the time the book was written). There are a lot of similarities between the two types of warlocks, Mr. Slippery has special powers because of his great knowledge of The Other Plane. Mr. Slippery also is a member of a coven of warlocks, the greatest one in The Other Plane. These people are generally good natured, but are known to cause mischief every now on then. Roger's world crumbles around him when the FBI finds his true name (they discover his secret identity). The offer him a chance to get a reduced sentence by exposing his coven, or more specifically, expose a specific member, The Mailman, whom they believe is trying to take over the world. But the FBI does not know how much they are right, and how much the situation is more dangerous than they think.. only Mr. Slippery and Erythrina, another witch from his coven, have any chance of stopping this danger before it is too late.
I'm sure this story sounds great to you - well it is! I really enjoyed reading it, and it was interesting to see how many of Vinge's predictions have come true.
In addition, there are many articles in the book: among them
* Tim May's LONG article about Cryptography. Very interesting article, however, its relevance to the story is fairly small, and it is way too long.
* Pattie Maes' article about the future of intelligent software. Short article, yet very interesting
* Richard Stallman's very short story and commentary about free reading and software. Very interesting article.
* Chip Morningstar and Randall Farmer's article about Habitat, the first online multi-user game. Fascinatting! So interesting to see the great ancestor of EverQuest and Muds. Also very relevant to "True Names". and there were more..
To summarize: while the articles were interesting, they were not interesting enough to buy without the actual story, and some were simply just barely related to "True Names" which was frustrating, because it made me think this was just an excuse to fill up pages. Nonetheless, the entire book is worth it because "True Names" is an excellent story, and the articles are still interesting. Just don't be embarrased to skip something if it bores you, because there are quite a lot of articles and a fairly short story in between...
Customer Reviews:
Awesome.......2006-08-30
Jesus is wonderful and the Bible, the Catechism and the Compendium are always with me. I read the catechism, then the compendium together. The footnotes are all there and all match number for number so it's easy to jump around the catechism and follow along in the compendium. It's an awesome resource and saves a lot of time. Plus, when you find something like Lumen Gentium, that you like in part in the compendium, then you have your sample of the text and can go to other resources to read more of the doc. All footnotes and scriputure quotes are there. A must have for the serious Catholic or serious study of Catholicism. It's the bomb! Peace be with you.
More than priceless!.......2006-04-15
The full text of all the citations in the Catechism (except those in the Bible and those quoted in full) for *all* the footnotes in the Catechism in one volume is a remarkable achievement.
Another reviewer felt that one shortcoming was that sources quoted in full in the Catechism were not repeated here. Well, yes, that might be a problem for some, but then this book is not intended to be used alone. This is a straight footnote lookup from the Catechism.
Here you have a chance to trace the thoughts of those who wrote the Catechism. It is more than merely helpful or even enlightening. It opens the door to many wonderful works, including some which are hard to find in English.
The paper used is quite heavy for a book this size (980 pages) making it quite thick. The binding, even though it is paperback, is first-rate. This book is made to be used and to last.
In addition to this book and, of course the Catechism, please take a look at "Introduction to the Catechism" by Cardinal Ratzinger (Now Pope Benedict XVI). The new "Compendium of the Catechism" released in April 2006 by the USCCB, is a superb work as well.
If you are serious about your Catholic faith and want to learn more, this will certainly help.
Great Resource.......2006-03-14
The Companion to the Catechism of the Catholic Church is a wonderful resource for the inquiring mind or the serious academic. It is a treasure of all of the quote sources from the Catechism of the Catholic Church and allows you to go much deeper in your study without having to carry a giant reference library with you, or to have a stack or 10 or 20 books beside your desk.
A Promising Resource with One Serious Shortcoming.......2002-07-09
The idea behind this Companion is wonderful: collect into one book the texts that are referred to in the footnotes of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. This would allow readers ready access to the church documents, biblical passages, and spiritual writings related to the material in the Catechism. BUT, this Companion includes only texts which appear as indirect references, that is, those indicated by "Cf." in a footnote. If a source is actually quoted in the Catechism -- even if only a few words are quoted -- that text is not included in the Companion. This is a serious shortcoming for someone interested in studying the background sources.
The book's Preface explains that it includes the texts of "indirect references," but I do not think that the title of the book makes this clear. The Reader should be aware of what is lacking.
Great for your Tool Box.......2002-06-08
This is a great resource book for use with the Catechism of the Catholic Church. When I am doing research using the Catechism, this companion guide saves time and trouble by giving you the MANY references right at your fingertips.
Average customer rating:
- A Promising Resource with One Serious Shortcoming
- A Wealth of Solid Information
- An important companion for any student of the catechism
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The Companion to the Catechism of the Catholic Church : A Compendium of Texts Referred to in the Catechism of the Catholic Church
Ignatius Press
Manufacturer: Ignatius Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
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Catechisms
| Theology
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Catholic
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ASIN: 0898704502 |
Customer Reviews:
A Promising Resource with One Serious Shortcoming.......2002-07-24
The idea behind this Companion is wonderful: collect into one book the texts that are referred to in the footnotes of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. This would allow readers ready access to the church documents, biblical passages, and spiritual writings related to the material in the Catechism. BUT, this Companion includes only texts which appear as indirect references, that is, those indicated by "Cf." in a footnote. It does not contain texts that are quoted by the catechism -- even if only a few words are quoted. This is a serious shortcoming for someone interested in studying the background sources.
The book's Preface explains that it includes the texts of "indirect references," but I do not think the title of the book makes this clear. The Reader should be aware of what is lacking.
A Wealth of Solid Information.......2002-02-07
The Catechism of the Catholic Church was written to clarify what the Church believes and teaches in these modern times, when there are so many distortions and errors being spread about the Catholic faith. This Companion book provides the foundational writings for what is presented in the Catechism. It is an invaluable tool for those who wish to understand the roots of the Catholic faith as they extend back to the time of Christ's apostles and their immediate successors. With all these references collected in one text, one does not need to be a scholar to more thoroughly understand the Catholic faith. This book is wonderful!
An important companion for any student of the catechism.......2000-06-18
This is an amazing book. It does not try to interpret The Catechism of the Catholic Church, but it provides all the text for the many references in the footnotes. While some of this information would be easy to find (scripture references), other references to passages in the Church Fathers or church documents are much more difficult to find for ready reference. Even having the scripture references written out makes it easier to look at all of them. The Catechism is a very important book for our times, showing exactly what the church believes. This companion volume, published by Ignatius Press (an excellent publishing house, BTW), is a great resource for everyone who reads and studies the Catechism.
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