Book Description
Set in an old Connecticut mill town in 1979, The Wasp Eater is William Lychack's freshly original, heart-rending debut novel about a boy's quest to reunite his estranged parents. Daniel's father is forbidden to visit, but the man returns frequently to his son's window at night, where they secretly maintain their relationship. Their contact encourages ten-year-old Daniel, an only child, to attempt an extraordinary act in a desperate bid to mend his family. Gentle, lyrical, and deeply felt, The Wasp Eater presents the reader with a dreamlike world, where haunting images and telling details hint at raw emotional undercurrents. Published to great acclaim, this tender journey into the world of a child will have certain appeal for fans of Dan Chaon and Kent Haruf.
Customer Reviews:
A special book!.......2007-08-24
Although they were different in many ways, The Wasp Eater reminded me a little of The Secret Life of Bees. If you liked that one, give this one a try. This is a wonderfully told story by a writer who knows how to describe certain the details of something in such a way you already perceive them but didn't realize you did until you read his description! Such talent! I hope to see future work from Mr. Lychack.
A great read........2007-01-23
This is a thoughtful well-written book that explores many facets of family relationships. Although it is fiction it is likely to strike a familiar chord with anyone who has had a less than perfect relationship with their father.
READ THIS ONE - TRUST ME!.......2004-10-09
Beyond a doubt, this is one of the best bits of writing I have come across in several years. I would hate to classify it as a novel, per se, as it is more akin to a short story, or short narrative. The author's use of language is wonderful, lyrical yet rather shocking. The author touches on so many emotions and does it so well, that this one is bound to stay with you for some time. Very highly recommend this one, and I promise you will not be sorry after reading it. Hope we get more of the same from Mr. Lychack.
The Wasp Eater.......2004-09-21
I thought it was an ephemeral novelette with several thoughtful descriptions of characters. Very good read.
An Awesome Read.......2004-09-01
The Wasp Eater is one of the best novels I've read this year. The author's expertise with language and story is so complete that he draws you in from the start, and doesn't let go. It's a slender book; you'll read it quickly, and then you'll want to take your time when you read it again.
Customer Reviews:
I hate wasps now!!!!!.......2002-09-09
The Doctor, Anji and Fitz land in the English village of Marpling in the 1930's. here they discover strange deaths occurring due to wasp attacks. Alongside this is the crack commando team from the future plus the man who houses the wasps in his body.
Characterisation of all characters is excellent, especially Anji, who is finally coming to terms with who the Doctor is, what he does and the ever present danger everywhere he goes. Plus a mention for the characterisation of Mr. Rigby (the wasp eater) is superb, with the gradual take-over of his body as well as mind portayed wonderfully.
The sleepy village setting is perfect for the story and I find has always worked well with Doctor Who, especially with the town gossip that everyone can relate to, Mrs Havers. Trevor Baxendale must have a thing for `creepy crawlies' as this is the third Dr Who novel featuring them - the first two being Giant Spiders then giant slugs, now killer wasps. - cant wait for the next bug. Also a hint maybe of the outcome of what is happening in the universe following the destruction of Gallifrey and the Time Lords.
Overall, an excellently pace, high action Doctor Who monster story to enjoy. RECOMMENDED!!!
Reviewing Eater of Wasps.......2002-09-02
Eater of Wasps is another EDA co-starring Fitz and Anji Kapoor. The novel takes place in 1930s Europe where a weapon from Earth's future ends up in this time and indirectly transforms an innocent victim into a bloodsucking abomination. Not only does the Doctor have to stop this creature but worry about a temporal hit squad that wants him to stay out of the picture.
This is Baxendale's third novel, and like Coldheart, he heavily utilizes dialogue and gets right into the story without any boring prologues. I enjoyed the idea of the Doctor having to solve two problems at once. There is a part in the novel where Anji and Fitz question whether the Doctor's has become a cold-blooded realist (during his second exile on Earth) when he attempts to snap the neck of the dying Hilary Pink after he was attacked by the wasps.
The title is very original and snags the attention of the reader. High marks for this novel : )
A book that deserves great BUZZ.......2001-12-24
This is one of the worst book covers I've ever seen. What are we looking at? The wasps are easily identifiable, but just what are they flying on? It doesn't look anything like a mouth, although I gather that's what it's supposed to be. Would you want to buy this based on the cover alone?
However, the story itself is a real treat, "Doctor Who"'s trademark horror in pastoral setting. It's England, late summer 1933, one of those parochial villages where spinsters on bicycles terrorize local libertines, where vicars stroll around giving poor advice, a single mother bears a terrible secret, and a loutish American (charmingly described as having an "American" accent) dies early on. The village, in short, is full of White Anglo-Saxon Protestants, and these WASPS don't fare very well when Terror flies down the garden path.
An alien device lands in a dentist's toolshed and almost immediately a nest of garden wasps is transformed into something more than insect. The dentist is stung and slowly, painfully transformed into something neither WASP nor wasp. The Doctor tracks him, loses him, tracks him, loses him, until the stakes are real and everyone is in mortal terror.
"Eater" becomes a true page-turner with some stunningly good moments, such as the dentist's final thoughts before the wasp infection consumes him completely. In the mix is a pair of human time travellers on a secret mission to destroy the alien artifact. Quite thankfully we don't find out where they come from or, indeed, just what that object was. This poses a mystery that will reportedly be addressed in later books.
The Doctor here is as perfectly Tom Baker as we've seen since the mid-1970s. The Eighth Doctor was never very effective in the early books and it's good to see that his personality has been consumed by the larger-than-life humor and horror of his most popular predecessor. Companion Anji is not impressed by his occasionally cavalier attitude, and this too is a conflict I'd love to see resolved further on.
"Eater of Wasps" is a deftly-told tale and a great read, and if it had come with a better cover I'd recommend it to my non-DW-fan friends. It also plants interesting seeds for future 8th Doctor novels and I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment.
Reader of Wasps.......2001-12-15
To be honest, I had not received much enjoyment from either of Trevor Baxendale's previous efforts. COLDHEART was an overly simplistic tale that, while being faintly enjoyable, was stretched far too thin for its page count. THE JANUS CONJUNCTION was almost painful for me to read - bad science, a horrible plot, and shallow characterizations. Those two stories played far too safe for my liking. While I don't expect every book to be groundbreaking in every conceivable department, I quickly become bored with those stories that seem content never to be anything more than just simple rehashes of Doctor Who serials from decades ago. That said, however, EATER OF WASPS manages to be entertaining by taking several stock Doctor Who elements and weaving a new story around them.
The plot flows along fairly nicely here. There are some interesting twists that pop up and manage to raise some genuine surprise in the reader. But the greatest advantage that this story has over Baxendale's previous two is that he has finally managed to do the horror aspect correctly. The previous two stories attempted to frighten by describing numerous scenes of pure disgusting material: flesh dissolving, skin falling off and mucus, mucus, mucus as far as the eye can see. These elements were all far more gross than frightening, but the importance is that weren't really memorable; they didn't stick in the reader's mind for more than a page. However, in EATER OF WASPS, Baxendale got it right. Tiny bugs and insects aren't terribly frightening by themselves, but the various descriptions of wasps are legitimately unsettling and are quite good at crawling under the reader's skin (no pun intended). While the fear factor doesn't completely manage to sustain itself throughout the entire book, the sections at the beginning and middle are excellent. However, at some point you just become immune to the wasp eater sequences, creepy though they may be.
The prose is workmanlike. There are no real fancy turns of phrase here, and there is very little that you'll be quoting to your friends (provided you're a secure enough person who would ordinarily go around quoting from Doctor Who). This makes the book quite readable, though there are a few spots here and there where the reader may wish that Baxendale was slightly better at turning out a sentence. Character motivations are often spelt out in painstaking detail, making the book seem far less polished than it could have been.
The companions, Fitz and Anji, are given almost nothing important to do here other than to carry objects around from place to place. The secondary characters are the ones who receive most of the attention, and they do come across quite well. While most of them don't escape from the stereotypes that we expect from a Doctor Who story set in a 1930s sleepy English village (nosy old lady; dithering, uncertain old priest; no-nonsense police officer; etc.), there are occasionally moments scattered here and there where they do come alive, if only for a brief paragraph.
Overall, this is an enjoyable tale. It's not the best thing ever written in the line, but it makes for an entertaining read on a quiet weekend afternoon. The story is solid, (for the most part) fast-moving, and straightforward without being overly simplistic. Trevor Baxendale's novels have been steadily improving since his dubious debut. If his next novel continues this trend, then it should definitely be a wonderful book.
Gruesome, but effective.......2001-08-23
Interesting cover (not that you can see it on Amazon, but you probably can on its UK site).
I have not been a fan of Baxendale's previous works. The Janus Conjunction was rather dull and Coldheart was just plain bad.
Eater of Wasps, however, was *very* good. I do not like wasps, and thus this book really creeped me out. Baxendale's descriptions of wasp attacks were well done. Every time he did it, I had to suppress a shudder. The supporting characters, while cliched, were interesting personalities. There were a couple of surprises in them, as well. There are secrets amongst the populace: some of them obvious, but one that is very well hidden until near the end.
The regulars are well characterized also. The growing distrust between Anji and the Doctor should lead to an interesting conclusion sometime further along in the series. Anji's still new at all this, and the Doctor is not acting like the Doctor we all know. He's erratic (more so than usual), sometimes violent (which is *very* unusual) and sometimes very dismissive of humans (who are his favourite species). For Fitz, this is just something to endure while hoping he can help snap the Doctor out of it. For Anji, this is all she knows, and she doesn't like it. She can't understand Fitz's apparent blind trust in the Doctor. Sometimes, he doesn't appear to be deserving of it.
This is a book that should satisfy both traditional fans, and fans of "New Who" that want a little more from their Who books. It's a traditional story that's set in a radical setting.
I hope Trevor can keep this up for his next book.
Average customer rating:
- very entertaining
- All I can say at this end of this book is, "What?"!!
- Can I have a Ragnor??? Please????
- Shannon Drake, Pseudonym of Author Heather Graham
- I Loved it But.....
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Deep Midnight
Shannon Drake
Manufacturer: Zebra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer
ASIN: 0821768379 |
Customer Reviews:
very entertaining.......2007-08-31
liked the story very much, lots of suspense with just enough romance to keep the story spicy. many twists kept you wanting to read on.
All I can say at this end of this book is, "What?"!!.......2007-07-09
I've enjoyed reading other books by Shannon Drake, but this one was very disappointing. I admit that it was a page turner (I finished the book in one sitting) but there were many confusing editing problems, chapters out of sequence, too many characters introduced late in the story and the ending was so abrupt I was sure Drake must have a continuation in the next book in the series "Realm of Shadows." Unfortunately any questions that you might have had about the Jordan - Ragnor storyline are not answered in the next book. I wish I'd read the first two of this series before starting Deep Midnight; I certainly have no intention of continuing to read this Vampire Series.
Can I have a Ragnor??? Please????.......2007-04-28
As Drake did in here novel before this one "When Darkness Falls" she has created a really lusty, winning, to die for hero. Really loved Ragnor. I did have some problems liking his heroine....and again I was rather disappointed to find the romance so limited--and written in such away that I didn't feel that these two had any chemistry--which is crazy because hot Ragnor should burn up the pages with his heroine--instead he burned up the pages and I skipped pages helping him.
Shannon Drake, Pseudonym of Author Heather Graham.......2006-01-15
Having often visited Venice during Carnival time, and having often been interested in vampires floating down the canals in tall gondolas, I read DEEP MIDNIGHT quickly, hoping to recapture some of the sensual excitement I first felt when I first crossed the Piazza San Marco to meet a lover dressed in a carnival mask. I was going as Groucho Marx! I remember the night well for it was the first time I began thinking, if there were vampires here in Venice, it would be even more spooky than it actually is. Here young Jordan Riley, a tiny American book reviewer, flees from an unfortunate series of events back home in Carolina, and here her aristocratic cousin and hisa uppity wife offer to take her in, only to change their minds reluctantly when they take Jordan to a party thrown by a Contessa, and Jordan *to them* makes up a wild story about having been attacked by beasts.
We, the readers know, it was no story, it was thr truth! But what cousin Jared doesn't know is that this part of Venice has attracted the creme de la creme of vampire society, and the contessa he so much admires is actually Nari, an ubervamp from Norway or Sweden--Scandinavian lands in the time of the Vikings, whers she first encountered the great love of her life, Ragnor. Snubbed, Jordan walks across the beautiful, historic Bridge of Sighs, where prisoners used to sigh once they realized that they were targeted as victims of vampires or the Inquisition under the Medicis, the Doge of Venice. Midnight shadows call out to Jordan, and before long she realizes that she, like Kim Hunter in the 1943 movie THE SEVENTH VICTIM, has become the target to a sinister vampire cult and her only protector, antique maven Ragnor, is actually a vampire enforcer, which I was afraid was worse than it is. He's sort of a police officer among the vampires; though long ago Nari, now the Countess, made him a vamp, he has a code of honor and wants to protect the lovely young book reviewer.
Anyone who has ever been in love, or felt the pangs of lust, in Venice, or indeed anywhere else in the world, will understand Jordan's reactions when she first encounters the mysterious, wolf-mask-wearing Ragnor. Amid the dark Italians, like say Vittorio Gassman, the blonde, angelic Ragnor really stands out.
I Loved it But............2005-07-03
Why is this book or any other in this series considered romance? There is very little if any romance in it. I have seen more action in the romance department in straight up horror books!
Anyway a good read. it was a bit long in description but never did I lose interest.
Average customer rating:
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Deep Midnight
Manufacturer: Zebra Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0739419498 |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly: What are vampires? According to Drake's fun, fanciful read, they're just another group of emotionally challenged creatures in need of a good 12-step program. In the third volume of her vampire series, Drake (Seize the Dawn) introduces Ragnor Wulfson, a 1,000-year-old vampire, formerly a Viking, who is now an antiques dealer and a vampire enforcer. When Ragnor learns that his former lover Nari, the Contessa della Trieste and a naughty vampire, is throwing a masquerade ball during Venice's Carnevale festival, he travels to the city to find out what fiendish diversions she's planned. At the party, Nari and her minions feast upon the guests, but only Jordan Riley, a well-known book critic from the States, witnesses the carnage. Despite Nari's assurances that the macabre scene was part of the evening's dramatics, Jordan is convinced that what she saw was real, but the only person who believes her is Ragnor, a mysterious hulk of a man who believes she's in danger. While the two hunt down the ancient evil that appears to be stalking Jordan, they explore their mutual passion for each other. Drake's descriptions of Venice are lush, and her colorful cast of characters will engage. Those who can overlook the novel's far-fetched plot and sensational finish will be heartily entertained by this outrageous comic book romp. (Sept.)Forecast: Print advertising in USA Today and Fangoria will entice fans of TV's favorite Vampire Slayer to check out the newest installment in Drake's series.
Average customer rating:
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Goosebumps Boxed Set, Books 17 - 20: Why I'm Afraid of Bees, Monster Blood II, Deep Trouble, and The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight
R. L. Stine
Manufacturer: Scholastic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0590507141 |
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Midnight Zone (Exploring the Oceans)
John Woodward
Manufacturer: Heinemann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding
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ASIN: 1403451257 |
Customer Reviews:
great pictures.......2006-06-15
I teach 8th and 9th grade science and my students love the books in this series because of the wonderful pictures. I like them because they show the different ocean environments. The fact that they are in separate books emphasizes that they are indeed different.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Library Bookwatch, published by Thomson Gale on February 1, 2006. The length of the article is 521 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Brilliance Audio.(Deep Black: Payback)(The Darwin Conspiracy)(Midnight in Death)(Sherbrooke Bride)(Texas Fury)(Blue Smoke)(Spook)(Beyond the Blonde)(Forgiven)(Audiobook Review)
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication:
Library Bookwatch (Newsletter)
Date: February 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Page: NA
Article Type: Audiobook Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Alaska Business Monthly, published by Alaska Business Publishing Company, Inc. on June 1, 2003. The length of the article is 692 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Tote's M.V. Midnight Sun Arrives!(Totem Ocean Trailer Express' new motor vessel)
Author: Vern C. McCorkle
Publication:
Alaska Business Monthly (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 1, 2003
Publisher: Alaska Business Publishing Company, Inc.
Volume: 19
Issue: 6
Page: 42(1)
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Product Description
The Edge Chronicle Series Volume 1-7 by Paul Stewart & Chris Riddell.
Average customer rating:
- More childishness
- An Uprising on Coyote
- Doesn't quite cut it
- Well-Crafted and Believable
- Interstellar Rebellion
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Coyote Rising
Allen Steele
Manufacturer: Ace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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ASIN: 0441012515 |
Book Description
The continuing epic of Earth's first space colonists--and their fight against a repressive government to reclaim their world in the name of freedom.
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"Hugo Award-winning author Allen Steele's critically acclaimed Coyote was a dramatic new departure-""a terrific, break-out book"" (Robert J. Sawyer) of ""classic science-fiction"" (Orlando Sentinel). But if Coyote was a grand novel of interstellar exploration, then Coyote Rising is the bold next step-a novel of interstellar revolution. The crew of the hijacked starship Alabama fled their colony on Coyote after more colonists arrived-along with a new, repressive government and all of Earth's social ills. Now, the iron-fisted colonial governor is building a bridge to exploit the virgin territory where the Alabama's crew are believed to have resettled. But a movement is underway to reclaim Coyote for those who truly love freedom-a full-scale rebellion in which the men and women on both sides of the fight will learn the true price of liberty."
Customer Reviews:
More childishness.......2007-10-09
The first book in this series, Coyote is atrocious for reasons I discussed in its review.
The second book is merely horrendous. Allen Steele has cut down on the science, thankfully. The book is still full of scientific blunders but they occur less frequently. That said, staid and ridiculous economic, political and religious ideas take their place.
Allen Steele would have us believe that in the 23rd, the cyborg supermarxists rulers of America, despatch colonists into space with less planning than 16th century European monarchies. I find that hard to believe. I also find it hard to believe that a colony of a couple of thousand lazy no-gooders (as described in the book) could build a two mile long bridge with stone and wood. Oh, I forgot to mention that the cyborg rulers prefer to send people who live in smelly tents instead of robots and heavy equipment, to colonize a planet. That despite their having a regular ferry service of space ships travelling to and from planets. I guess space, in the future is just like the Atlantic.
The first colonists on the planet are a rabid lot of xenopaths. All one hundred of them believe that the whole planet is theirs, because they were there first. This rather greedy point of view is portrayed as valid by the author.
The characters are still one-dimensional and the writing dull.
This is science fiction written for those who don't read science fiction.
Oh, did I mention the vampiric batman and his cult? I'm not joking about the batman.
An Uprising on Coyote.......2007-10-08
Some time has passed since we were last on Coyote, in the constellation 47 Ursae Majoris, with the original colonists who were suddenly descended upon by thousands of immigrants from a new and oppressive government on Earth. The original colonists fled their settlement of Liberty on the New Florida continent to cross the Great Equatorial River to another continent called Midland, where they started a hidden new settlement named Defiance. Meanwhile, Liberty has been taken over by the newly-arrived government spouting the empty promises of social collectivism, headed by the heartless Matriarch Luisa Hernandez. Under the Matriarch's iron fist, Liberty remains a pleasant frontier town, while on the outskirts, near the shuttle landing field, a tent slum named Shuttlefield springs up.
Shuttlefield is where the story, which is actually a series of short stories, begins. Recent arrival Allegra DiSilvio just wants to find a speck of land to park her secondhand tent and winds up making new friends and reawakening her talent. Ben, a man who's been content to drift along doing odd jobs, finds himself in a nightmare when he agrees to guide a religious cult from Shuttlefield to Midland. During these stories, the original colonists seem mostly like a myth, a dream of freedom removed from the squalor of Shuttlefield, with their own Robin Hood-type character in the form of Rigil Kent, a shadowy figure who conducts raids on the government in Liberty and Shuttlefield. When Ben finally manages to reach the original colonists, the story then opens up to include adventures with the first settlers of Coyote. Underlying it all is the foreboding presence of Matriarch Luisa Hernandez, who ruthlessly uses her political power to build a bridge from New Florida to Midland in an effort to exploit its resources, and to oust the original colonists from their freedom and return them to social collectivism, an ugly blend of imperialism and communism. She does not count on the resourcefulness of those who oppose her, or on the forces of nature, and it isn't long before Coyote faces full-scale war.
Allen Steele's best writing has been on his Coyote novels, proving he earned those Hugos. He manages to smoothly interconnect a series of stories from different points of view into one cohesive story with rich texture. We have small personal dramas playing out against a backdrop of an entire foundling society's biggest dilemma that affects them all. Though not as tense and gripping as the first "Coyote," this book is an excellent follow-up that put me right back on that planet so many light years away. I don't read a lot of sci fi, but I will always read Allen Steele.
Doesn't quite cut it.......2007-03-03
"Coyote" was an impulse buy, and the "steal a starship" set-up was so contrived and preposterous that I almost gave up on the book - Amazon reviewers suggested I hold on for the Coyote part, which WAS a lot better, and I finally enjoyed the book enough to try this sequel.
Although these stories are well crafted and generally connected to the rebellion plot in a "life on the hard frontier" context, they often felt more like writing exercises to me, especially the one about a bio-engineered bat/man vampire dude who arrives on Coyote leading his religious cult (as if someone said "I challenge you to write a Coyote story involving a vampire" - this is hard SF?!?). This book seems more like a Wild West story set on another planet, with rugged freedom-loving rebels fighting the oppressive, power-hungry socialist overlords. But there are weird animals and plants, and some strangely selective advanced technology thrown in for good measure. And a vampire. Oy.
Well-Crafted and Believable.......2006-12-15
Now THAT was a good read! I haven't given a book five stars in a long time, but if you're a fan of stories about interstellar colonization (and who isn't?), then Coyote Rising is a true gem.
The book continues the story Steele began in "Coyote." The series (now three volumes) tracks the early history of Earth's first interstellar colony, located on a moon of a gas giant in 27 Ursae Majoris. In the first book, a handful of settlers from late-21st century America make the 230 year trip in biostasis, and set about building a frontier society. Now, the original pioneers are joined by thousands of 23rd century colonists from the "Western Hemispheric Union." Due to improvements in starship design, the newcomers arrive only a few years after the first group. Politics, language and culture have changed considerably during the intervening centuries, leading to a rift between the groups and eventual revolution.
Steele does a masterful job of world-building. The geography, characters, and social arrangements are effortlessly convincing - you feel like you are there, on a real world among real people. To me, that's about the highest compliment one can give a science fiction writer, that he or she made the speculative seem real.
The book originated as a series of short stories, and reads that way. The stories tie together well enough, though, to give a cohesive flow to the book. It helps to know the backstory, so you'll probably want to read "Coyote" first to orient yourself.
My one complaint about "Coyote" was that it lacked depth. I didn't think Steele fully explored his world or characters. Coyote Rising fills in the blank spaces nicely. It's not wildly inventive, but it is well-crafted and believable. Together, the books present one of the most satisfying story arcs in years.
Enjoy!
Interstellar Rebellion.......2006-11-15
Coyote Rising (2004) is the second SF novel in the Coyote trilogy, following Coyote itself. In the previous volume, five years after the arrival of the URSS Alabama, the WHSS Seeking Glorious Destiny Among the Stars for the Greater Good of Social Collectivism arrived in the 47 Ursae Majoris system carrying colonists and Matriarch Luisa Hernandez. After Mayor Lee met with the Matriarch on her ship, the Alabama colonists fled New Florida, leaving the town of Liberty stripped and deserted, and disappeared into the wilds of Midland.
The Western Hemisphere Union has sent five colony ships to 47 Ursae Majoris. The Glorious Destiny brought a thousand colonists and Union Guard to Coyote, as did New Frontiers, Long Journey, Magnificent Voyage and Spirit. Coyote has not become overcrowded, but Liberty definitely becomes overpopulated and many colonists were forced to camp in the Shuttlefield slums.
In this novel, Allegra DiSilvio arrives on Coyote in the Long Voyage. She is a composer who has been blocked from her creativity and has come to this distant planet looking for new sources of inspiration. After a long and futile search for a place to pitch her tent, she finally sets up near a swamp. Her neighbor is Cecelia -- Sissy -- Levin, mother of the Chief Proctor. Allegra gains Sissy's trust, makes a flute for her, and is soon teaching Sissy to play the instrument.
Benjamin Harlan is intrigued by a religious cult that comes to Coyote on the Magnificent Voyage. The cult leader, Reverend Zoltan Shirow, claims to be a prophet of the Universal Transformation. He looks like a bat, with wings and an animalistic face. However, Ben has his eyes mostly on Greer, a very good looking woman who seems to like him.
James Alonzo Garcia was a famous architect prior to his conscription for the Coyote Colony. He arrives on Magnificent Voyage and is quickly put to work designing a township for Shuttlefield. After the Matriarch approves his plans, Garcia is given the task of designing a bridge over the East Channel connecting New Florida to Midland.
Clark Thompson is a former colonel in the Union Guard. After arriving on Coyote, he soon leaves Shuttlefield and founds the hamlet of Thompson's Ferry. When Allegra, Sissy and other members of the Coyote Wood Ensemble arrive at his village after fleeing from the Matriarch, Thompson sends them across the ferry to Midland. Then he prepares his militia for the Union Guard troopers that are following the musicians.
Captain Fernando Baptiste is commanding officer of the Spirit of Social Collectivism Carried to the Stars. When the revolution begins, his ship is the only Union vessel in orbit around Coyote. Since Captain Baptiste is the senior officer present, he commands all military forces in the system.
This story is about the revolution of the Alabama colonist against the Matriarch and the WHU. The Union Guard outnumber the rebels and have heavier equipment. The satellite communications system aboard the URSS Alabama, has been disabled. The only advantages the rebels have are a better knowledge of the terrain and the planet itself.
This novel is based on eight short stories published in Asimov's SF Magazine between May 2003 and December 2004. These stories are arranged in chronological order, with each depicting a scenario in the evolution of the Coyote Federation. The next volume in this trilogy is Coyote Frontier.
Highly recommended for Steele fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of space colonization and the fight for independence.
-Arthur W. Jordin
Book Description
Retired bank president, golfer, husband, and father doesn't fit the stereotype of an Indian guru—which may account for Ramesh Balsekar's enormous popularity. His background and education, combined with his profound spiritual studies, make him an ideal bridge between East and West, the spiritual and the material. Regarded as the world's greatest living sage, Balsekar is the primary exponent of the teaching of Advaita, which holds that everything is one, that all humanity is an intrinsic part of the universe rather than split from it: in short, that nonduality is the all-encompassing truth. This anthology comprises thematic extracts from all the master’s written works to date. Approved by Balsekar, as well as by his leading disciple, Wayne Liquorman, it is powerful, accessible, witty, and always to the point.
Customer Reviews:
THE WISDOM OF BALSEKAR.......2005-09-03
This is an excellent book for both newcomers to Advaita and those already familiar with the subject. The book is superbly edited together by Alan Jacobs, who has arranged it into alphabetical subjects, such as 'Enlightenment', 'Free Will', 'Happiness', etc. This makes it the perfect book for dipping into for inspiration. As a direct student of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj, one of the most influential of modern Advaitists, Ramesh Balsekar must surely be essential reading for anyone interested in Advaita/Non-Duality. His knowledge of the traditional Advaita approach and his modern outlook combine to present the Advaita philosophy in a practical, liveable way for the modern reader. Highly recommended!
(Roy Whenary - author of 'The Texture Of Being')
Timeless Wisdom.......2004-10-31
In the manner of Shankara, who codified the Upanishads, and in more recent times, David Godman, who has anthologised the teachings of Ramana Maharshi, Alan Jacobs has produced an essential guide to the principal teachings of Ramesh Balsekar, one of the world's leading exponents of Advaita.
In recent decades, the spread of nondualist philosophy - the belief that all of the manifest world stems from an underlying unified reality - has prevailed in the West. But this concept is not new. Since the Vedas, the earliest recorded scripture known to man, the pundits and sages have been pointing to this absolute truth. Nevertheless, the rise of the New Age has interpreted Advaita as a form of `be here now' hedonism; Jacobs' book rightfully reasserts its philosophical and sacred heritage.
`The Wisdom of Balsekar' is arranged alphabetically, divided into sections ranging between `Effort' and `Surrender', `Ignorance' and `Understanding', `Bondage' and `Enlightenment'. With extracts taken from Balsekar's vast corpus of work, Jacobs has managed to distil the essence of his profound wisdom and teachings. This makes not only for an excellent compendium but a text which can be dipped into as and when the need arises, such as the following quotation on `Acceptance':
At any moment, whatever is manifest is perfect. If it is deeply understood, every moment is welcomed and whatever that moment brings - `good' or `not good' - is accepted without any judgement, without expectation or anxiety. It is this attitude of acceptance which is the real freedom, freedom from expectation and desire, freedom from fear and anxiety. When this is deeply understood, you do not bother about what happens, what thoughts occur or what actions take place, or what emotions arise - they are all witnessed.
`The Wisdom of Balsekar' is one of many books published by Alan Jacobs on the themes of mysticism and nondualist teachings, including the recently published, `The Spiritual Wisdom of Marcus Aurelius', O Books, 2004.
Books:
- The Woman Chaser
- The Worst Journey in the World
- The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis
- Three Weddings and a Giggle: Fine Print/Sweet Chariot/Bride on the Run (Palisades Pure Romance Anthology)
- Unless: A Novel
- Up the Down Staircase
- We Should Never Meet: Stories
- Who Does She Think She Is?: A Novel
- Willa Cather : Later Novels : A Lost Lady / The Professor's House / Death Comes for the Archbishop / Shadows on the Rock / Lucy Gayheart / Sapphira and the Slave Girl (The Library of America)
- Your Blues Ain't Like Mine: A Novel
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