Book Description
...Some of the parchment pages were the color of cream, thick and substantial, made to last many, many lifetimes. Other pages were thin and desiccated, positively yellow from age, and crackled alarmingly as Van Richten turned them over. There were no ornate illuminations, no fussy borders, only lines of plain text in hard black ink. The flowing handwriting was a bit difficult to follow at first; the writer's style of calligraphy had not been in common use for three hundred years. No table of contents, but from the dates it looked to be some kind of history.
He turned to the first page and read:
I, Strahd, Lord of Barovia, well aware certain events of my reign have been desperately misunderstood by those who are better at garbling history than recording it, hereby set down an exact record of those events, that the truth may at last be known . . . .
He caught his breath. By all the good gods, a personal journal?
Customer Reviews:
Good Fluff. Not zomg! best book evar!!.......2007-05-10
I liked I, Strahd for what it was. A solid piece of fiction based on a D&D adventure. The book was what my mother used to call a "beach read" - a book you can take anywhere and read, because it requires no thought. Calling it one of the best pieces of fiction is an insult to beach reads everywhere. This was an excelent, short little book, and great for putting you into the mindset of the Vampire Lord for your next Ravenloft game. But it is hardly a new take on Dracula. One might even call this a prequal to Dracula (as The Historian, an infinately better book, could be it's sequal). Anyone with half a whit of sense in their head knows that the character Strahd is a direct theft of Brahm Stoker's classic vampire lord.
Go ahead and rent the book from your local library, or buy it if you feel the need to collect Ravenloft books. It was worth my time to read it, I just felt that the book doesnt deserve all these 5-star reviews.
Ravenloft at it's best - fantastic read........2007-01-02
I Strahd: The Memoirs of a Vampire by P.N. Elrod is the third book in the recently re-released Ravenloft series. Wizards of the Coast is calling this the Ravenloft Covenant and going back and re-releasing the books that many of us loved. The Ravenloft line was discontinued several years ago, but with the rise in Dark Fantasy novels WotC appears to be giving it another shot, and I for one, am very glad they are. The two books to be released prior to this one are; Death of a Darklord and Vampire of the Mist.
This book is written in somewhat of a first person perspective and follows Strahd Von Zarovich as he begins his rule over Barovia. Ms. Elrod does a very good job of allowing the reader to begin to understand Strahd. No longer is he the heartless, evil, devil that we read about in Vampire of the Mist (and other Ravenloft books). Now, he has substance and meaning behind some of the choices he made in his life. It all culminates with a pact he makes, for better or worse, and how that pact changes his life forever. In some fantasy books, character development takes a back seat to hack-n-slash kill the monster type scenes. Yet, in this book Ms. Elrod devotes a great deal of time to Strahd the character and how he became who he is.
The plot of this book is wonderfully constructed. If you have read Vampire of the Mist you know how this book will end. Yet, that does nothing to diminish the journey of this book. The Pact with Death that Strahd makes is the pinnacle of this book, but by no means is it the only event of importance within the pages. Elrod does a wonderful job of allowing the reader to not only see inside the life of Strahd before his pact, but to allow the reader to, at times, root for Strahd. This book is basically comprised of events in Strahd's life that made him who he is. He is a very calculating person, but the pact he made was impulsive and made for love and beauty. I don't want to say too much and spoiler this for anyone, if you have even a remote interest in this book, do yourself a favor and read it. You won't be disappointed.
This is a very easy book to read, and goes by insanely fast. It quickly became hard for me to put down. Ms. Elrod has a knack for telling you just enough information that you can make your own conclusions about some events. Later in the book she allows you to really feel the angst that Strahd is going through. I would without a doubt recommend this book to many many people. If you are a fan of fantasy books and have yet to read any Ravenloft this book and Vampire of the Mist should be read right away. If you are not a fan of fantasy, but are considering reading this vampire book, give it a shot. It is a very fun and enjoyable read.
Let me tell you..........2004-11-29
When I was in 9th grade, I got to pick a book out of our "school library" to read for an entire 3 weeks in my english class (just to give the jocks time to catch up). I picked this one and wound up reading it twice in that 3 week period. I don't read books twice besides Treasure Island and that's my favorite so me reading this one twice SPEAKS VOLUMES. Get this book. Thanks be to Amazon for pooling all the used copies to make the price sometimes as low as a dollar.
an unfortunate disapointment.......2003-10-08
after all the hearings from the readers around me, I got the book and read. But from the beginning I was out of the world of the book, and the way the story was told confused me totally... The characters are not really established and they were like being observed by total strangers...
it could be written better.. something is missing..
Amazing book. A *must* read........2002-12-07
Strahd, you got to love him. He was the "bad guy" in the first Ravenloft book, "Vampire of the Mists", but comes accross in a much different light this time around. I absolutely recommend this book. I've read 10 Ravenloft books so far and this is easily one of the very best, if not thee best. If you read "Vampire of the Mists" or "Knight of the Black Rose" and liked either of those, you will love this one as much or more.
Customer Reviews:
From Back Cover.......2006-09-23
SHE WANTED SOME POINTERS...
Catherine Harris can't think of a time she wasn't in love with Luke Van Buren. Unfortunatly, he's too stubborn to see it. He treats her like a kid sister and clearly doesn't see her as a woman. Cat tells Luke she wants to meet Mr. Right - with his help!
HE WAS THE PERFECT TEACHER...
Luke can't believe his bad luck. He's watched out for Cat for years. Now she's older and gorgeous, the feelings he has sure aren't brotherly! So when she asks him to teach her the art of seduction...well, he's more than a little reluctant.
But when could he ever say no to Cat?
Five Stars.......2004-06-20
Seducing Mr. Right is the story of Catherine and Luke. Catherine has been in love with Luke since she was a teenager and has always wanted things to happen with him. Things got a little complicated when her mother married his father they become step-siblings and then Luke promised his dying father that he'd take care of Catherine and make sure nothing happened to her. How could Catherine get Luke to notice that she's no longer a child?
She devises a ploy to get Luke to notice her by seeking his assistance in the art of seduction and in finding "Mr. Right." Luke is surprised by the request, but realizes he wouldn't want anyone else helping her out in this way, so he agrees.
Catherine knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go after it. You'll have to read to see how Luke responds, but I will say that he was a very sexy leading man!
Sizzling Romance!!.......2003-03-25
Catherine Harris has loved Luke Van Buren since she was six years old, when her mother married his father, and he became her stepbrother. She's been in love with him since she was sixteen. But Luke knows how hurt Cat was by him when they were kids, and he's resolved to make it up to her, and put his desires on hold. But Cat has other ideas, and sets out to seduce him within an inch of her life. Little does she know that Luke doesn't need to be seduced, that he's been in love with her forever. However, a little persuasion can't hurt!
This book had me laughing out loud at some of Cat's antics. The beginning was hilarious. It's also a VERY sexy read. I'd recommend it to anyone!
ROMANCE AT ITS BEST!!!!!!!!!!!.......2002-02-14
I thought Luke was an absolute sweetheart when it came to Cat. This is what I would call one of those sweet, romantic love stories, where girl gets boy. What I like about it the most is the fact that the romance was the main focus and there wasen't alot of other "stuff" getting in the way. Highly recommend!!
Seducing Mr. Right.......2002-01-15
Falling in love with each other can be hard especially if one is fighting their attraction. Read how one attracts another in this book. This is a great read.
Product Description
**** ($3.99 USA POSTAGE FOR ALL 6 BOOKS, WHICH WILL BE MAILED AT THE MEDIA - BOOK RATE WHICH IS SLOW SURFACE MAIL AND FREQUENTLY HAS A SLOW DELIVERY TIME BY THE USA POST OFFICE).
Book Description
After witnessing the death of his parents as a child, Batmanbegan a mission of vengeance and justice. Vowing to defend those who couldnot protect themselves, Batman was soon joined by the acrobatic Robin infulfillment of this selfless task. Through the years, this dynamic duo hasfought side by side against organized crime, alien invaders, worldconquerors, mad scientists, super-powered villains and maniacs. BATMANARCHIVES VOL. 4 reprints some of the craziest and most entertainingadventures from the 1940s as Batman and Robin square off against suchoutrageous characters as the Joker and the Penguin.
Customer Reviews:
Vintage Treasure.......2006-03-28
By 1944, although the credits still said "Bob Kane" for contractual reasons, Dick Sprang was firmly entrenched as THE Batman artist on "Detective Comics". In volume four, covering "Detective Comics" #s 87-102, published from mid-1944 through mid-1945, Sprang brought a dynamic and distinctive cartoony style to the Dynamic Duo. The numerous Batman writers seemingly realized just how unique Sprang's style was, and started writing to those strengths. The result was a series of fun, light, and imaginative tales that were a far cry from the early and decidedly grim stories.
Even though Batman had a solid rogues gallery by this point, there are still only two Joker and two Penguin stories. The Penguin stories are both interesting, as the show that, once upon a time, the creators knew how to make the character appear a legitimate threat. The second story, "The Temporary Murders!", is the better story, as the Penguin kidnaps several people, freezes them, and refuses to thaw them unless he receives a hefty ransom. Needless to say, Batman and Robin soon find themselves under threat of a deep freeze.
While the Penguin was a threat, the Joker had noticeably softened since his first appearance in "Batman" #1. In his two stories, the Joker seems far more interested in pulling big stunts, including the theft of a building in "The House that was Held for Ransom." While the Joker does his best to kill Batman and Robin, he isn't the bloodthirsty monster he was in his early stories (and was a prince compared to the character as he is written now.)
One villain, the Cavalier, makes another appearance in these pages. A couple of things make this character interesting. First, there seems to have been some intent to make this character Batman's opposite number, as we learn that the Cavalier is a sort of bored, rich playboy who turned to crime to enhance his personal collection of mementoes. However, this character seems to have pretty much vanished at some point. I can think of one Batman story from the 1980s wherein the Cavalier among other villains, tackled Batman, and another from the 1990s with a different character under the same name. Otherwise, he seems to have simply fizzled out.
Aside from these villains, most of the stories found in this volume feature Batman tackling gangsters, smugglers, and other mundane thugs. However, they still make for entertaining stories, as Batman brings justice to some pretty rotten characters, and helps out plenty of sympathetic folk. Strangely, Batman and Robin didn't beat up on too many Axis agents in this volume. That's true of Batman generally; while there are one or two memorable stories where he fought Nazi sabateurs, Batman stayed clear of current events.
The big flaw of this volume is intrinsic to golden age comics: it is extremely formulaic. Batman and Robin discover evil, they attack the vile henchmen, the henchmen somehow get the upper hand, capture our heroes, and place them in some sort of clever-but-escapable trap. Thus, it's very easy to read these stories and develop a sense of deja vu. That's not per se bad, but it is something that one should remember, and take in stride. Don't let repetition ruin this vintage treasure.
Book Description
The latest hardcover collection of Batman's Golden Ageadventures! Collecting BATMAN #13-16 from 1942-1943, featuring the veryfirst appearance of Bruce Wayne's faithful butler Alfred! The Batman andhis trusty sidekick Robin once again face off against the Joker, Catwoman,and the Penguin!
Customer Reviews:
Complete Title: BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT ARCHIVES VOLUME 4.......2003-09-16
Just to clarify, this is indeed "BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT ARCHIVES VOLUME 4" reprinting Batman #13 (Oct.1942), Batman #14 (Dec.1942), Batman #15 (Feb.1943), and Batman #16 (April,1943). Classic Golden-Age Batman&Robin reprinted beautifully.
Customer Reviews:
Calvin's Other Calvinism.......2000-12-24
Here's the myth: Roman Catholicism invents the idea that the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper actually conveys grace. This eventually becomes the superstition of Transubstantiation. Then Luther and Calvin rise up and liberate the masses from such belief in magic. Luther never quite liberates himself, but Calvin gives us Luther's justification by faith undergirded by nothing more than hard-core predestinarianism. The sacraments are simply symbols, pictures, and/or dramatizations of a spiritual truth designed to bring it into the participant's remembrance.
Nevin's _The Mystical Presence: A Vindication of the Reformed or Calvinistic Doctrine of the Holy Eucharist_ was a reality check for American Evangelicalism. He demonstrated that the assumption of American "puritans" that their heritage came from sixteenth-century Geneva was purely a delusion. Calvin believed and taught repeatedly and emphatically that believers truly partook of Christ's flesh and blood in the Lord's Supper. The idea that the Eucharist was merely a symbol was a complete abomination in Calvin's eyes.
Nevin's makes his case masterfully. He quotes copiously from Calvin to show that His view of the real presence of Christ in the rite was not an obsure part of his teaching but an essential componant of his theology. He also explains how Calvin's view of the Eucharist was essential to his soteriology. For Calvin, a person is not saved from the wrath of God simply because God imputes "in a merely outward way" Christ's righteousness to him. A person is saved because he is incorporated into Christ's human body so that he is more intimately bound to Christ than a branch to a tree, a member of a body to his head, or a human to Adam. Only those united to Christ in this way by the power of the Holy Spirit can benefit from Christ's righteousness, having it imputed to them as His glorified human life is imparted to them.
The Lord's Supper, says Nevin, according to Calvin and the other sixteenth-century Reformers, renews and strengthens this union. We are truly given Christ's human body by the Holy Spirit when we partake of the Sacrament. Anything less would not be sufficient for our salvation and sanctification.
Nevin carefully distinguishes Calvin's view not only from the socinians and other rationalists, but from that of traditional Lutherans and Roman Catholics. Regarding the former, Nevin must have made his contemporary Evangelical readers wince when he pointed out that their view was identical to that of unitarians and other liberals of the day. On the other hand, unlike tran- and consubstantiation, Calvin's view did not allow for actual material particles to be locally present in the elements or to pass into the bodies of partakers.
Probably one of the most difficult aspects of Calvin's view was his insistence on a real participation in Christ's flesh and blood without any matter being transported into the participant. Thus, Nevin's attempt to formulate and improve on Calvin's explanation is perhaps one of the most valuable aspects of the book. Nevin make the rather obvious but head-aching comment that a physical organism does not consist in particular physical particles! Living human beings pass out and ingest new particles all the time. Our human body is actually a "law" or "force" which must have matter to exist but is not identical with it. An acorn is considered identical to the oak tree which grows from it, but the oak tree is exponentially more massive and probably does not possess one material particle in common with the acorn from which it originated. By these analogies Nevin clears away the conceptual difficulties which make Calvin's view hard to believe. It would do no good if mere dead particles from Christ's flesh were transported into us. What we need is Christ's life. By the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ's resurrected, glorified, human life is given to us so that we become sharers in it.
There is much else of value in Nevin's work, more than I can recite from memory as I punch out this brief review. Perhaps the most questionable portion of Nevin's work is his exegesis. There he makes statements about the incarnation which are hard to makes sense of. On the other hand, the texts he uses are very similar to those used by Richard Gaffin in _Resurrection & Redemption: A Study in Pauline Soteriology_. In other words, Nevin was a century ahead of the cutting edge of conservative Reformed scholarship. The difference is that Gaffin concentrates on the Resurrected humanity of Christ, instead of the "theanthropic person" which concerns Nevin almost exclusively and in my opinion leads to some difficulties.
Anyone claiming to be Evangelical and/or Reformed needs to read this book. There is simply nothing else like it. You will never be the same again. --Mark
Customer Reviews:
Peace and Power is Found in Abiding with Christ!.......2004-08-19
I loved compiling and editing this book, and also making every effort to practice it's teachings! All five of my Andrew Murray "Believer's Secret" books are out of print, however.
Charles Finney and Andrew Murray wrote the best books on the Holy Spirit, Prayer, Revival, and Holiness that I have ever read. You cannot go wrong buying any Finney or Murray books published by Whitaker House! So I say again, thank God for Whitaker House!
I believe those of you who enjoy Finney and Murray will also enjoy "Prayer Steps to Serenity," which teaches truths that I learned from studying Finney and Murray The book follows a 12 Steps and Serenity Prayer format. It is available through Amazon, with ISBN 0595313043. If you know of anyone who is looking for a 12 Step devotional that will help them walk in the power of the Holy Spirit according to the scriptures, you can heartily recommend this book to them. "Prayer Steps to Serenity" was not published by Whitaker House, and it is a larger than a trade paperback (a 9 inch by 6 inch paperback) that includes devotional readings, prayers to encourage you to keep on praying as the Holy Spirit leads, a personal Journey Guide (or workbook), and a Group Journey Guide for prayer and support groups. "Prayer Steps to Serenity" is also supported by two websites that offer a lot of free guides and resources for those seeking more information about Christian recovery and starting Serenity Groups. Go to PrayerSteps.org or SerenityGroups.org for more information.
Thank you for reading!
L.G. Parkhurst, Jr.
Average customer rating:
|
Presence,
Charles Henry Brent
Manufacturer: Longmans, Green and Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0008C9B1O |
Customer Reviews:
This is the other part of Calvin's Calvinism........1997-08-13
Here's the myth: Roman Catholicism invents the idea that the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper actually conveys grace. This eventually becomes the superstition of Transubstantiation. Then Luther and Calvin rise up and liberate the masses from such belief in magic. Luther never quite liberates himself, but Calvin gives us Luther's justification by faith undergirded by nothing more than hard-core predestinarianism. The sacraments are simply symbols, pictures, and/or dramatizations of a spiritual truth designed to bring it into the participant's remembrance.
Nevin's _The Mystical Presence: A Vindication of the Reformed or Calvinistic Doctrine of the Holy Eucharist_ was a reality check for American Evangelicalism. He demonstrated that the assumption of American "puritans" that their heritage came from sixteenth-century Geneva was purely a delusion. Calvin believed and taught repeatedly and emphatically that believers truly partook of Christ's flesh and blood in the Lord's Supper. The idea that the Eucharist was merely a symbol was a complete abomination in Calvin's eyes.
Nevin's makes his case masterfully. He quotes copiously from Calvin to show that His view of the real presence of Christ in the rite was not an obsure part of his teaching but an essential componant of his theology. He also explains how Calvin's view of the Eucharist was essential to his soteriology. For Calvin, a person is not saved from the wrath of God simply because God imputes "in a merely outward way" Christ's righteousness to him. A person is saved because he is incorporated into Christ's human body so that he is more intimately bound to Christ than a branch to a tree, a member of a body to his head, or a human to Adam. Only those united to Christ in this way by the power of the Holy Spirit can benefit from Christ's righteousness, having it imputed to them as His glorified human life is imparted to them.
The Lord's Supper, says Nevin, according to Calvin and the other sixteenth-century Reformers, renews and strengthens this union. We are truly given Christ's human body by the Holy Spirit when we partake of the Sacrament. Anything less would not be sufficient for our salvation and sanctification.
Nevin carefully distinguishes Calvin's view not only from the socinians and other rationalists, but from that of traditional Lutherans and Roman Catholics. Regarding the former, Nevin must have made his contemporary Evangelical readers wince when he pointed out that their view was identical to that of unitarians and other liberals of the day. On the other hand, unlike tran- and consubstantiation, Calvin's view did not allow for actual material particles to be locally present in the elements or to pass into the bodies of partakers.
Probably one of the most difficult aspects of Calvin's view was his insistence on a real participation in Christ's flesh and blood without any matter being transported into the participant. Thus, Nevin's attempt to formulate and improve on Calvin's explanation is perhaps one of the most valuable aspects of the book. Nevin make the rather obvious but head-aching comment that a physical organism does not consist in particular physical particles! Living human beings pass out and ingest new particles all the time. Our human body is actually a "law" or "force" which must have matter to exist but is not identical with it. An acorn is considered identical to the oak tree which grows from it, but the oak tree is exponentially more massive and probably does not possess one material particle in common with the acorn from which it originated. By these analogies Nevin clears away the conceptual difficulties which make Calvin's view hard to believe. It would do no good if mere dead particles from Christ's flesh were transported into us. What we need is Christ's life. By the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ's resurrected, glorified, human life is given to us so that we become sharers in it.
There is much else of value in Nevin's work, more than I can recite from memory as I punch out this brief review. Perhaps the most questionable portion of Nevin's work is his exegesis. There he makes statements about the incarnation which are hard to makes sense of. On the other hand, the texts he uses are very similar to those used by Richard Gaffin in _Resurrection & Redemption: A Study in Pauline Soteriology_. In other words, Nevin was a century ahead of the cutting edge of conservative Reformed scholarship. The difference is that Gaffin concentrates on the Resurrected humanity of Christ, instead of the "theanthropic person" which concerns Nevin almost exclusively and in my opinion leads to some difficulties.
Anyone claiming to be Evangelical and/or Reformed needs to read this book. There is simply nothing else like it. You will never be the same again.
Mark Horne
Books:
- I Wish I Had a Red Dress
- Intimate Companions: A Triography of George Platt Lynes, Paul Cadmus, Lincoln Kirstein, and Their Circle
- Leaving Cecil Street: A Novel (P.S.)
- Mal de amores
- Mefisto
- Memoirs of a Mangy Lover
- Mississippi Flyway
- Nowhere Else on Earth
- Observatory Mansions: A Novel
- Olivia
Books Index
Books Home
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- KAPLAN SUCCESS WITH BUSINESS WORDS: THE ENGLISH VOCABULARY GUIDE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AND PROF
Elrod, P. N.
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Vampire of the Mists: The Ravenloft Covenant
To Sleep with Evil (The Ravenloft Covenant)
Knight of the Black Rose (Ravenloft Terror of Lord Soth, Vol. 1)
Tapestry Of Dark Souls: Ravenloft: The Covenant (Ravenloft: the Covenant)
Death of a Darklord (The Ravenloft Covenant)
