Book Description
In an unnamed European village, in the middle of a civil war, one man digs while another watches over him. Slowly, they begin to talk. Over the course of the afternoon, as the snow falls and truckloads of villagers are corralled in the next field, we discover why they are there--not just who they are but also how sinister events in the country have led them to be separated by a deepening grave, and why the history of civilization is inseparable from the history of mass violence. Beautifully written, with a poet's eye for detail coupled with a chilling and compelling narrative drive, Schopenhauer's Telescope is current in the best sense--no thin allegory of today's conflicts, but a remarkable attempt to make art out of the brutality of life.
Customer Reviews:
"...the enemy never quite goes away".......2006-12-08
First of all, I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Donovan at an Irish Studies conference five weeks ago. He explained that the novel tackles the question of betrayal and loyalty when faced suddenly with life or death. What would you do, he wondered, if a brutal army invaded your town and, in the course of a few hours, took control? If they offered you the chance to survive if you collaborated, and pointed out your neighbors to the enemy, would you do it? The novel that explores this conflict had just been optioned for a screenplay. I told him that this very novel happened to be on my list of novels "to read next." He asked me, when I read it, to think about how it could be transferred from print to screen. My observations, therefore, issue from a different vantage point than the previous ten reviews posted here.
Samples of the prose, a précis of the plot, and reactions to the philosophically ruminative and historically enriched dialogue between the Baker and the Schoolteacher are all noted by fellow reviews. How inert, or how lively, is this snowy afternoon's exchange of ideas, emotions, and tension? Donovan's book reminds me-- as with stories from many modern and contemporary Irish writers-- more of Central European than, say British or American, fiction. (I have also reviewed on Amazon a novel that I read immediately prior: Donovan's newest novel, "Julius Winsor," that shares with "Schopenhauer's Telescope" a wintry climate, flinty characters, and a reduction of emotion and ideas to a life-and-death struggle as grief battles with revenge.) Donovan delves on intellectual pursuits, existential meditations, and spiritual longing. The wishes of the protagonist and antagonist-- and without revealing the end of the narrative's arc it can still be admitted that these positions fluctuate-- may not be fulfilled over the space of this November 25th. In this, realism provides a bleak slab of a frozen foundation, a terrible fate in flight from which aspirations roam and towards which horrors are impelled to return. So, how dramatically promising is this novel of ideas?
Potentially, the digressions into the Baker's playful defense of his goods from the assaults of Mrs. Policeman, the re-creation of the Shoemaker's testimony, and the mock screenplay and acting-out of the "You Are There" scenarios of the Mongol invasions by Genghis Khan seem, if digressive from the core plot on the page, most theatrically adaptable. The chilling fairy tale of Mathilde and Torson, the discourse on the epistemology of "holes," or the re-telling of the battle at Wounded Knee, however, may simply remain distractions. The brutal rendering of the WW2 bombing of Dresden graphically darkens earlier chapters of this intentionally somewhat disjointed and fragmented narrative. "The people prayed to God and the Devil answered." The torments of thousands of Germans serve as an epitaph for this novel's own pawns caught up in a war between neighbors and nationalities that individuals cannot resist-- at least if they wish to remain alive.
Their testimonies, as victims educated from their own readings of accounts from centuries of barbarity, may work better for a monologue, as that which perhaps the author himself (as he notes in closing) had heard from a survivor of the German firestorm, but within a cinematic dramatization I assume fewer of such raw memories will be included.
The book shifts in its illustration of the nightmare of history which traps those who cannot awaken. But, such intelligent speculation rarely lasts long within a conventional film that rejects documentary for at least the appearance of drama. "My Dinner with Andre," "Decalogue" (the original!) "Mindwalk," "Swept Away": few movies succeed and few viewers prefer those that dare to enter the realm of the mind, or reenact the verbal (as opposed to the military or diplomatic or superhero) showdown of opposing ideologies. Contrary to some of the blurbs on the jacket, I find little of the despairing wit of Flann O'Brien here, but I do agree that Kafkaesque shadows loom. Sun Tzu, David Hume, Matthew Paris, John Locke, and King Leopold's minions provide credited context. Beckett, Bernhard, Danilo Kis, Klima, Camus offer subtler comparisons: after these formidable line-ups, Donovan follows with his ambitious tale. In his novel, there is nearly no action, rather a staged set-piece: digger and interrogator, the captive and the coerced, in the hole and on its rim.
There are two brief chapters that, each in two pages, forcefully present evidence that the author's three books of poetry that preceded Donovan's debut novel endured in the language he uses. His fiction and his verse distill varied and arcane learning. While this penchant in Donovan's novels allows him arguably too much room at times for his expositions, amid the frequent digressions, he creates here a couple of passages of a couple of paragraphs each that merit particular acclaim. One reduces all that Molly Bloom articulated in the long closing of "Ulysses" to a powerful expression of what women really want but what men cannot give. The other passage, and this perhaps may entice Hollywood's special effects, sums up neatly and messily what would be the final thoughts and demands from we earthlings if an asteroid was about to pulverize our planet. The compression in these sections I think works better than what in other chapters takes many digressive (albeit often informative and lively for the kind of reader who will choose ST) pages to reveal about the frailty and the boasts of humans trapped within impassive forces.
Ultimately, perhaps better to ponder here such long evocations of pedagogical futility and personal fidelity, and the challenges that survival vs. friendship present those faced with sudden necessity to choose their life over their loyalties, their self-preservation rather than their presumed patriotism or assumed allegiance. As with "Julius Winsor," the core of Donovan's tale could have generated a longish short story rather than a short novel. For both his novels, this formal distinction is crucial. Some readers will welcome the extended forays into reenactments and recollections. Others will impatiently await a return to the central conflict. On screen, perhaps more bombs, more guns, more noise, more shenanigans, more playfulness in the self-consciously awkward "characters" that the two interlocutors take on. This role-playing aspect, in the novel, works sporadically. It may, however, succeed better if fleshed out by competent actors!
The two main characters deepen and their interior selves emerge as the novel progresses over the course of the afternoon, but it remains difficult for me, as a reader, to fully believe in their frequent lapses into dutiful student and hectoring teacher, eager lecturer and skeptical matriculator. Donovan's tone shifts about, and while this uneasiness may be versimilitude for the disturbance both characters feel-- as the reader learns may be for different reasons than were earlier suggested-- it does jar the placement of weighty ultimatums and recurring dangers that, as the novel ponders, threaten our fragile bodies and deluded souls. It appears as if the comic element, in the existentialist tradition of many of his influences, grapples uncertainly-- given the latitude offered a novelist rather than an essayist-- with the conventionally saturnine ideologues who inform Donovan's speculations. Again, this narrative displacement may be pro forma for serious European-inspired fiction, but in transferring this to characters that tumble, leap, and hiss rather than dig, chat, and shiver, the screenplay may have to sacrifice the depth that Donovan strives to excavate as he digs into the shattered European past.
It would be a shame if "Schopenhauer's Telescope" is retracted on screen into distortion of Donovan's grave intentions-- or ground down for a shallower, more superficial in both senses of the word, presentation. I applaud the potential exposure of ST by a film and trust that it will do justice to its source. This novel, while it remains ultimately and perhaps intentionally unstable, deserves attention for the erudition, energy, and emotion it extracts from a cold, isolated, and bitter scenario.
Wonderful, yet different.......2005-11-27
I bought this book over a year ago and didn't get around to reading it until this Thanksgiving. I'm glad I did! What a great novel! Donovan draws you in from the first page and doesn't let go. The story is so much more than a tale of a war-stricken country. It dives deep into the complex nature of humans. The concept of Schopenhauer's Telescope is new to me (you dont' find out what Schopenhauer's Telescope is until 2/3 into the book), but is something that will not escape me anytime soon. This book will make you think about, reflect upon, and thoughtfullly consider many topics that don't come up in day to day conversation. The book itself is like a diary, with the author revealing a dark secret every few pages. Highly recommended to all.
Read this now........2004-12-30
When I first read this book in autumn of 2003, I was struck by how relevant it seemed to the issues of the time. As months and finally a year passed, its passages came back to me again and again, with greater force each time. It was as though the real world outside this novel was warping to meet the dark setting of the fiction.
Read this book, and go back and read again the accounts of torture at Abu Ghraib. Read this book, and seek out the stories of those who lived through the torments of Saddam's Iraq. Or just turn on CNN (better yet, Fox News), mute the sound, and read this book. This novel could be the critical comment to any real-time story of power and cruelty. There is no shortage of such stories now.
I gave this book only four out of five stars because I've shared it with friends who are less interested in poetry than I am, and they have found it a fairly slow read. That was not my experience, but it might be yours.
Above its obvious parallels to a world at war, this book's more lasting value is its presentation of two characters who are at odds with each other, and at each other's mercy. I didn't see a protagonist and an antagonist in this story: I saw two central characters (and a surrounding world) with nothing left to win. When our differences are the only things that define us, all that was once of value is lost to us. The battle against one another is all we have left, and even that is worthless.
Read this book, red staters and blue staters, and try to figure out which side of the ditch you're on. Try to figure out who's right and who's wrong, and about what, and why any of it matters. I won't guarantee that you'll see yourself or anyone you know in these pages; chances are that you won't. But there may be a time when a scene from this book will come back to you, throwing its odd light on a world that few of us have looked at clearly in a long time.
Happy New Year to Amazonians everywhere. Let's be kinder to each other in 2005.
Evil in history from both ends of the telescope.......2004-05-23
Gerard Donovan's debut novel "Schopenhauer's Telescope (ST)" is an impressive literary work of fiction that was longlisted for the Booker Prize. Set somewhere unidentified in Eastern Europe, the smell of death, destruction and ethnic cleansing permeates the air from its opening pages. You know something evil is about to happen and shortly - the chapters are structured by the hours of a day - but you don't know why and to whom. Donovan keeps you guessing till the very end.
The novel pans out as a stagy two man dialogue about the history of evil in world civilisation. Throughout the ages, evil has been perpetrated and justified in the name of religion, trade, even progress, but what remains are the ashes of human suffering and destruction that gets lost in the annals of recorded history. The telescope of the book's title, a metaphor of great power and resonance, peered into from back to front gives a totally different view of the living truth of history.
The baker and the schoolteacher. One commands the other to dig a trench in the icy winds out in the wintry open. Who's doing what to whom. We can only guess. The baker's knowledge of life is defined and circumscribed by his craft and his instinct to survive . He has no soul. The schoolteacher is a learned man but he has experienced love and suffers for it. As the hours lapse and time inevitably runs out, something does happen and we will know why.
ST is an incredibly moving piece of work of surprising depth and maturity. It is a thinking man's novel that raises many thought provoking issues about evil, life and love. One of best new novels I have read this year.
Great prose, horrible dialogue.......2004-05-03
Donovan is a poet, and his great skill is evident in the novel's prose. The narrator's descriptions of the landscape, its people, etc. are almost physically pleasant to read, and the words flow easily off the page.
The dialogue, however, sounds almost like a child's story, and is quite overdone. It is a shame because of the quite real strenghts of the novel, but one's reading is best spent on other books.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from The Review of Contemporary Fiction, published by Review of Contemporary Fiction on September 22, 2003. The length of the article is 307 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: Gerard Donovan. Schopenhauer's Telescope.(Book Review)(Brief Review)
Author: Mark Tursi
Publication:
The Review of Contemporary Fiction (Refereed)
Date: September 22, 2003
Publisher: Review of Contemporary Fiction
Volume: 23
Issue: 3
Page: 136(2)
Article Type: Book Review, Brief Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
A true master of Western romance, Joan Johnston has lassoed readers with her delightful Hawk's Way series. Now three best-loved favorites from the popular family saga -- The Unforgiving Bride, The Headstrong Bride and The Disobedient Bride -- are available in this limited edition hardcover.
She's unforgiving, headstrong and disobedient . . . she's a Whitelaw bride!
These three ladies of Hawk's Way are about to come face-to-face with something as rare as a friendly armadillo: three Texan men who are their equals! Watch the sparks fly -- and love unite -- at these unforgettable Whitelaw weddings!
Falcon Whitelaw offered his services -- as husband and stand-in father to a damsel in distress and her darling daughter.
The Unforgiving Bride was skittish about love, but this Whitelaw man could be very convincing . . .
Callen Whitelaw had one surefire way to soften up a rugged rancher out for revenge against her beloved clan.
The Headstrong Bride would marry him!
Zach Whitelaw chose his convenient wife for one reason only -- to provide him with a brood of little Whitelaws. But no matter how many long, lazy days they spent in their marriage bed,
The Disobedient Bride refused to get pregnant!
Customer Reviews:
Hawk's Way "Whitelaw Brats"...The Next Generation...#'s 6,7, and 8 In The series.......2007-02-06
If you've been following the romantic/modern day westerns in the Hawk's Way series by Joan Johnston, these three novellas are #'s 6, 7, and 8 in the series. "The Unforgiving Bride", "The Headstrong Bride", and "The Disobedient Bride" follow the stories of Garth and Candy Whitelaw's children, known as 'The Whitelaw Brats", now all in their 30's. Although, the stories all seem to follow a theme; marrying for the wrong reasons, and are somewhat formulized, Johnston manages to keep each story enjoyable, fresh, and the characters unique from the others. Also, these stories stand on their own from the last generation of Whitelaws in the first 5 books, but it is nice to know the background(which we get a little of in these stories as well). The first 5 if you are interested in all the Hawk's Way stories(they are all a pretty nice way to get lost for a while) are:"Honey and the Hired Hand","The Rancher and The Runaway Bride",""the Cowboy and the Princess","The Wrangler and The Rich Girl"(this one is the story of the parents of the Hawk's way Brides trio), and 'The Cowboy Takes a Wife".
So here are the next generation of Whitelaw love stories:
"The Unforgiving Bride"...This is middle sibling Falcon's story. Falcon runs into an old high school chum, Grant Ainsworth, on the street. Grant has with him, the most beautiful woman Falcon has ever laid his eyes on,Mara, his wife. He has thoughts about this woman that he shouldn't have about his friend's wife, but she has an effect on him, no other woman has ever had. They also have with them their little daughter Susannah. They are the picture of the perfect family. But all is not as it seems. Grant is a bit of a playboy and also an alcoholic., When the two friends meet for a drink, Falcon leaves Grant who wants to drink on his own. When tragedy strikes, Mara blames Falcon. She has as deep hatred for him. But in a twist of fate, when Susannah is diagnosed with a potentially fatal disease, she must turn to Falcon for help. His money can help the child. Falcon feeling guilty about the circumstances agrees reluctantly to help. But of course, the tension between the two turns to passion, and letting go of the past is not an easy thing to do. Their marriage may be doomed, and Susannah's life is what matters most.
"The Headstrong Bride"...Youngest sister Callen Whitelaw has been engaged twice. Both times to men her father disapproved of. Each time, she was determined to marry despite her father's disapproval, but both times, she came around and saw the men for who they really were and broke it off. But this third time, really has Garth, and her older brother Zach protesting. She is about to marry her father's enemy, Sam Longstreet. Sam is the most caring man she has ever met and is determined to make her life with him, despite her family's possible estrangement. Sam Whitelaw, may not be the man she thinks he is either, and has ulterior motives for his new bride..revenge on the Whitelaws! The passion between them is great, but Sam can never say 'I love You", knowing that when his mission is accomplished he will dump her. Can Callen tame this lone stallion, and will the Whitelaws and Longstreets be able to live in peace?
"The Disobedient Bride"...Although I think the term "disobedient bride", does not quite fit the story of oldest brother Zach's marriage to the wife he actually advertised for(she is more of a woman with her own mind), it was my favorite of the three. Zach has some deep rooted emotional problems when it comes to love. His first love died in an airplane crash two days before they were to be married. But that was 7 years earlier, and there is more to that story that Zach lets on. He just can't seem to get past it. But he wants heirs to his ranch "Hawk's Pride", land given to him by his father. When Rebecca Littlewolf sees the ad, she knows it was meant to be. After all, she lived on the ranch as a child while her father worked for Zach, and has been in love with him to this day. But Zach makes it clear right from the get-go that he only wants a mother for his children, and Rebecca lets him know that all she wants from him in return is to open a camp for children in remission of Cancer.Their passion heats up the pages while trying for a child, but Zach has given Rebecca 1 year to get pregnant. Can he keep from getting emotionally involved with this woman who heart is opened to everybody that needs a helping hand? Their story is a good one to get totally involved in.
These stories are also sold individually, and almost all the novellas are also sold in 2 in 1, or 3 in one books. some of them include 'Hawk's Way Grooms', and "Hawk's Way Rogues". Some of the books have a family tree in the beginning, so you can keep up with the family and also see the order of the books. Johnston has several other series to get involved with. One of my favorites was the 'Sisters of the Lone Star" series. Full length novels of romance and adventure in the old west, with a bit of history in each one. They are 'Frontier Woman", "Comanche Woman", and "Texas Woman". All great adventures, and sizzling romances.
Get lost in a romance for a while and enjoy the read....Laurie
Hawk's Way Series #'s 6, 7, and 8...The Next Generation.......2007-02-06
If you've been following the romantic/modern day westerns in the Hawk's Way series by Joan Johnston, these three novellas are #'s 6, 7, and 8 in the series. "The Unforgiving Bride", "The Headstrong Bride", and "The Disobedient Bride" follow the stories of Garth and Candy Whitelaw's children, known as 'The Whitelaw Brats", now all in their 30's. Although, the stories all seem to follow a theme; marrying for the wrong reasons, and are somewhat formulized, Johnston manages to keep each story enjoyable, fresh, and the characters unique from the others. Also, these stories stand on their own from the last generation of Whitelaws in the first 5 books, but it is nice to know the background(which we get a little of in these stories as well). The first 5 if you are interested in all the Hawk's Way stories(they are all a pretty nice way to get lost for a while) are:"Honey and the Hired Hand","The Rancher and The Runaway Bride",""the Cowboy and the Princess","The Wrangler and The Rich Girl"(this one is the story of the parents of the Hawk's way Brides trio), and 'The Cowboy Takes a Wife".
So here are the next generation of Whitelaw love stories:
"The Unforgiving Bride"...This is middle sibling Falcon's story. Falcon runs into an old high school chum, Grant Ainsworth, on the street. Grant has with him, the most beautiful woman Falcon has ever laid his eyes on,Mara, his wife. He has thoughts about this woman that he shouldn't have about his friend's wife, but she has an effect on him, no other woman has ever had. They also have with them their little daughter Susannah. They are the picture of the perfect family. But all is not as it seems. Grant is a bit of a playboy and also an alcoholic., When the two friends meet for a drink, Falcon leaves Grant who wants to drink on his own. When tragedy strikes, Mara blames Falcon. She has as deep hatred for him. But in a twist of fate, when Susannah is diagnosed with a potentially fatal disease, she must turn to Falcon for help. His money can help the child. Falcon feeling guilty about the circumstances agrees reluctantly to help. But of course, the tension between the two turns to passion, and letting go of the past is not an easy thing to do. Their marriage may be doomed, and Susannah's life is what matters most.
"The Headstrong Bride"...Youngest sister Callen Whitelaw has been engaged twice. Both times to men her father disapproved of. Each time, she was determined to marry despite her father's disapproval, but both times, she came around and saw the men for who they really were and broke it off. But this third time, really has Garth, and her older brother Zach protesting. She is about to marry her father's enemy, Sam Longstreet. Sam is the most caring man she has ever met and is determined to make her life with him, despite her family's possible estrangement. Sam Whitelaw, may not be the man she thinks he is either, and has ulterior motives for his new bride..revenge on the Whitelaws! The passion between them is great, but Sam can never say 'I love You", knowing that when his mission is accomplished he will dump her. Can Callen tame this lone stallion, and will the Whitelaws and Longstreets be able to live in peace?
"The Disobedient Bride"...Although I think the term "disobedient bride", does not quite fit the story of oldest brother Zach's marriage to the wife he actually advertised for(she is more of a woman with her own mind), it was my favorite of the three. Zach has some deep rooted emotional problems when it comes to love. His first love died in an airplane crash two days before they were to be married. But that was 7 years earlier, and there is more to that story that Zach lets on. He just can't seem to get past it. But he wants heirs to his ranch "Hawk's Pride", land given to him by his father. When Rebecca Littlewolf sees the ad, she knows it was meant to be. After all, she lived on the ranch as a child while her father worked for Zach, and has been in love with him to this day. But Zach makes it clear right from the get-go that he only wants a mother for his children, and Rebecca lets him know that all she wants from him in return is to open a camp for children in remission of Cancer.Their passion heats up the pages while trying for a child, but Zach has given Rebecca 1 year to get pregnant. Can he keep from getting emotionally involved with this woman who heart is opened to everybody that needs a helping hand? Their story is a good one to get totally involved in.
These stories are also sold individually, and almost all the novellas are also sold in 2 in 1, or 3 in one books. some of them include 'Hawk's Way Grooms', and "Hawk's Way Rogues". The books usually have a family tree in the beginning, so you can keep up with the family and also see the order of the books. Johnston has several other series to get involved with. One of my favorites was the 'Sisters of the Lone Star" series. Full length novels of romance and adventure in the old west, with a bit of history in each one. They are 'Frontier Woman", "Comanche Woman", and "Texas Woman". All great adventures, and sizzling romances.
Get lost in a romance for a while and enjoy the read....Laurie
More like 2 1/2 stars. Weak when compared to her full-length novels.......2006-09-01
From the back cover:
She's unforgiving, headstrong and disobedient...she's a Whitelaw bride!
These three ladies of Hawk's Way are about to come face-to-face with something as rare as a friendly armadillo: three Texan men who are their equals! Each of these arrogant, opinionated, incredibly sexy ranchers is just itching to tangle with a passionate little spitfire in a lady's Stetson...and these women are all too happy to kick and scratch--and kiss--right back. Watch sparks fly--and love unite--at these unforgettable Whitelaw weddings!
Marriage...Whitelaw style...
Falcon Whitelaw offered his services--as husband and stand-in father--to a damsel in distress and her darling daughter. THE UNFORGIVING BRIDE was skittish about love, but this Whitelaw man could be very convincing...
Callen Whitelaw had one surefire way to soften up a rugged rancher out for revenge against her beloved father...THE HEADSTRONG BRIDE would marry him!
Zach Whitelaw chose his "convenient" wife for one reason only--to provice him with a brook of little Whitelaws. But no matter how many long, lazy days they spent in the marriage bed, THE DISOBEDIENT BRIDE refused to get pregnant...
And my review:
I've read and enjoyed almost every one of Joan Johnston's books. But this collection falls short of what this author is capable of. Of course, given the very short format of these catagory romances, that is to be expected, but it is still a bit of a let-down. I found that at least one character in each of these stories was either abrasive, or had very unbelievable reasons for making the decisions that they did.
In THE UNFORGIVING BRIDE, Mara, the heroine, blames Falcon, the hero, for her first husband's (Grant) death. But I didn't see how she could possibly blame him. Grant died because he drove while drunk, after he had met in a bar with Falcon. Only, Falcon left after the first drink, and had no idea that his friend would do something so irresponsible. It was just so stupid. He wasn't there. He didn't see his drunk friend get into a car and not try to stop him. Then it would have been his fault. I was left wondering why Mara didn't blame the bartender for serving Grant drinks, or the car manufacturers for not making a better airbag. It took her too long to admit that the only person responsible for Grant's death was...Grant! This was very annoying and detracted from my enjoyment of the story.
What did save THE UNFORGIVING BRIDE was the daughter, Susannah, who was fighting leukemia. She was so adorable that I would dare any reader not to love her. My heart would break for her suffering.
In THE HEADSTRONG BRIDE, it was the hero who was the annoying one. Again, he blamed someone for his father's death who had nothing to do with it. His claim was that this father had made some bad investments (supposedly on the advice of the heroine's father, Garth) that had been scams. When he had lost all his money, he had killed himself. The hero never even bothered to find out the facts (he was totally mistaken), just went down a twisted path of vengence where he decides to steal Garth's daughter from him back making her fall in love with him and then forcing her to choose. How twisted and sick. I wanted to shove his head into a pile of horse manure. (Well, that might have been difficult to do considering that his head was jammed way up his...well...a certain lower body orifice.) I felt that the heroine was waaaaay too good for him, and he didn't grovel nearly enough to satisfy me.
THE DISOBEDIENT BRIDE was a story that I didn't even finish. This time, it was the heroine who bothered me. I really hated the way she kept selling herself short. She marries Zach, knowing that he will never love her, even though she is secretly in love with him. I thought that to go into such a lopsided and unfair situation knowingly was idiotic. Plus, considering that the hero is 13 years older than her made it rather icky, especially when he kept calling her "kid" all the time. It was creepy instead of being cute.
So far, I haven't found any of the stories in the Hawk's Way series to be very satisfying, with perhaps the exception of THE COWBOY TAKES A WIFE, found in the Hawk's Way Rogues collection. If you want to read something good by Joan Johnston, I recommend THE INHERITANCE, THE COWBOY, THE TEXAN, the sisters trilogy (which includes TEXAS WOMAN, COMANCHE WOMAN and FRONTIER WOMAN) or THE CHRISTMAS BABY, a novella found in the A CHRISTMAS TOGETHER collection from Avon books. I wouldn't bother with HAWK'S WAY BRIDES unless you can find it in the library.
Hawk's Way Brides.......2002-03-20
If the book is by Joan Johnston they are all good . Just hope she don't go Modern. All the good writers change from what they are good at. The Western History Romance are the best...If You haven't read the 3 sisters books (some of her first) you are missing out . JOAN JOHNSTON IS SUPER ALWAYS.
Par for the course.......2002-02-28
Not up to Johnstons usual standards. In each story there did not seem to be any depth to the relationship then BAM, they're in love. I found myself skipping pages and moving on to the story. The book was ok, nothing great.
Customer Reviews:
Why buy an erotic novel that fades to black during sex scenes?.......2005-08-10
I picked up this expecting to read a kinky erotic romance novel set in another world(s). Sadly, that is not what this book is. I found the set up of the book to be frustrating. The heroine, Terril, is sent as a diplomat to one of those planets ruled by domly muscled warriors. First the domly warrior visits her technological culture and hilarty ensues. Then he drags her off to the domly warrior planet and makes her his sex slave/diplomat. I was willing to accept the cliched set up, but what aggravated the heck out of me was that all the kinky scenes essentially faded to black. We would have a build up to a bout of rough sex, the section ends, and the story picks up with her being satiated and bruised. It was very frustrating to read, especially since the meat of the story was not interesting enough to make up for the lack of sex. I read half the book before giving up on it. Despite the positive hype, this book was not worth reading. Warrior's Woman by Johanna Lindsey has the chick from a technological society meeting with the big bad warrior guy trope, but does a much better job of it. Also, Jaid Black has several books with the same general feel and does not skimp on the sex.
Long time fan of Sharon Green.......2005-05-16
I remember combing used book stores for copies of her work; I'm thrilled to see it reprinted. Sharon Green's work is not for everyone, that much is obvious. However, she has developed a huge fan base over the years, and not without good reason.
Her newer books, while certainly more PC, just don't have that same thrill for me that her older books, this series in particular, has for me. I've seen the complaints and arguements about how her books are sexist and how her female characters are abused...I don't agree with them. Yes the men are very strong and they get what they want, but this is not exactly a case of raping and beating the poor defensless woman.
The lead female character in this novel, Terri, is very powerful and had numerous chances to overcome her oppressor and escape; she didn't. Her reactions to his sexual advances were not fakes; those are not the reactions of a woman being raped. I speak from experience.
I've also seen the comments that her books are like John Norman's...I also don't agree with those. The only similarities the series' share is that the women are, usually, submissive. That puts them in the same genre together- but barely. Sharon's characters are full of life; her settings are incredibly vivid, and her books are well-written. They don't fall flat like the Gor books. (Search the Houseplants of Gor on the web for a very funny parody of Gor)
When all is said and done the Terrilian series is a wonderful body of work. It is second only to the Diana Santee series, which was picked up by mainstream publishers for only the first two books, and has since been published by Cf Publications. It's up to about 10 novels now. If you like these books look for them on the web!
Enjoyed this Book.......2004-12-28
I think I'd class this as a "dark romance", which is to say a romance which doesn't fit the Madison Avenue mold. It is a SF & F book, but the focus is on the characters rather than the backdrop of the book. I must say I enjoy Planet D/s more as erotic science fiction, but I like this book (and this author) much much better than Norman.
Not exactly like Norman's Gor series.......2004-07-30
Sharon Green has been compared to John Norman but her numerous books are not all female submissive and male dominant. While the Terrilian series leans toward the Mf style of relationship the female characters are strong and, at least in this book, keep fighting for dignity and freedom. I wish more time had been spent on the mindset and emotions of Tammad the barbarian who takes Terrilian as his diplomatic gift from Earth.
Were it possible to give this book a 4.5, I would........2004-04-13
Firstly, this novel should not be under the "Erotica" genre, because while the subject matter can be distinctly erotic for some, it won't be for the majority. What I mean to state is that "erotica" is too vague a description to describe this novel; like John Norman's Gor series, this novel should be filed under "Erotica: BDSM and/or D/s." Also, lovers of sci-fi should be forewarned: the sci-fi setting acts as a backdrop to the overall theme of the story.
This book is in the same league as John Norman's Gor series...except, it's better. John Norman's vast, yet beautiful description can be lost in repetition...Sharon Green lacks this trait, and as such, is able to focus on description. Also, the Gor series tend to focus on sci-fi stuff..life on Gor...Gorean men, the hunt. This book is more D/s oriented and it's interesting to read about it from a woman's point of view.
Overall, I'd give this book a 4.5...It's not quite a 5 because the ending was too unresolved for me.
Book Description
For thousands of years, archetypal labyrinth patterns have been used as a powerful tool for resolving problems, access to inner peace, and spiritual alignment. A simple, yet highly effective practice, walking or tracing a labyrinth quiets the mind and takes you to a place where you can hear your own wisdom with clarity and calmness.
Author Lauren Artress, founder of Veriditas, the Worldwide Labyrinth Project and a renowned expert on the subject, offers a lovely labyrinth kit, to be used anywhere, anytime—on tabletops, desktops, beds or laps. Included in The Sand Labyrinth are a 10" square sandbox and a double-sided labyrinth (flip over to change the pattern and create a different meditative effect), which is covered by a layer of fine white sand for finger tracing. The accompanying book contains five sections devoted to using the labyrinth for healing, creativity, discovering your soul assignment, awakening self-knowledge, and honoring your experience. You'll also find words of wisdom from sages of all traditions and ages, plus testimonials from ordinary people who have found extraordinary results from the soothing, mesmerizing power of the labyrinth—to help deepen your meditation experience.
Customer Reviews:
Multi-sensory Approach to Small Space Labyrinths.......2005-09-26
I purchased this for my office. The labyrinth itself is inviting and has a decorative quality when not in use.
I find that this has a visual and tactile quality that makes it a lovely alternative to the larger (impractical in most settings)labyrinths. While one can bring it to a retreat setting for individuals to use, the sand makes it not as portable as some that seem to be designed to pop into a purse or briefcase.
This is a lovely addition to an office, home, or any area that you would like to make a sacred space. Whether you are new to the spirituality of labyrinth meditation or have experienced the potential for intense moments with God through labyrinth "walking", the book and the labyrinth can enhance your spiritual journey.
Great Tool.......2001-05-15
I received this as a Mother's Day gift and I love it. I walk an outdoor and indoor eleven circuit labyrinth and I also have a wooden lap labyrinth. I love them all, but I found this to be a new experience. The texture of the sand and the sound it makes as you trace the path add a new dimension to the labyrinth experience. I found I kept tracing and tracing and tracing.
The Sand Labyrinth: an Effective Meditation Tool.......2001-02-20
The Sand Labyrinth is fun! It is also an effective tool for spiritual development and meditation. Finally, Dr. Lauren Artress, THE authority on labyrinths, has provided an inexpensive, effective finger labyrinth for general use. Although everyone does not have a walking labyrinth readily accessible, the finger labyrinth is definitely a viable alternative whose use is not dependent on location or weather. Of particular note is that you really get two labyrinths for the price of one: a seven-circuit Cretan Labyrinth and an eleven-circuit Chartres Labyrinth, each of which provides a slightly different meditation experience. The fine sand provides an interesting tactile experience and a little "resistance" for the finger as one traces the labyrinth. The accompanying book by Dr. Artress is well written and very accessible to a labyrinth novice, while the several sections of quotes provide food for contemplation for more advanced users.
For me, it was helpful that I had previously read other labyrinth material by Dr. Artress and had walked labyrinths on several occasions before using the finger labyrinth. On a slightly negative note, the width of the paths on the eleven-circuit Chartres labyrinth is too narrow for an adult male with "average" sized fingers to trace with ease. A larger size - even 12" x 12" would have been more helpful. However, this is only a slight detraction to an excellent addition to the growing number of labyrinth-related items.
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