The Doomsday Brunette

Book Description

The hilarious sequel to The plutonium Blonde.

In the year 2057, the last freelance private investigator, partnered with an experimental A.I. named Harv, solves cases involving androids, future tech wizards, and all sorts of mayhem...

Customer Reviews:

Really, really, really funny.......2007-09-21

I happened on this series by sheer luck. John Zakour is a master of the noir fantasy. Taking place in the 2060 time frame, we finally have antigravity cars, but he's old school with a Ford Mustang and an attitude, and a hot girlfriend. What more does a shamus need? Oh, yeah, a cybernetic connection to the worlds greatest computer. I enjoyed the book a lot, and went out and bought the rest of the series. My only gripe is that the next book was due out August 17, but they changed it to Christmas.

Super Reader.......2007-09-01

I didn't find this book as much fun as the first one.

Zachary Nixion Johnson has problems in quadruplicate, in the form of four super powered sisters. One of them going the crazed evil super villain route.

He has a bit of a computer issue, as well.

All this means that his enhancer bracelets and other gadgets get a fair bit more of a workout in this book.

Interesting sci-fi twist on WhoDunIt? .......2007-07-24

Zachary Nixon Johnson is the last private eye on Earth - and he wouldn't have it any other way. When he receives a call at 3 am from Ona Thompson - the richest being on the planet - he really has no option but to do as she directs and come to her complex. There he finds her in the company of her siblings - Twoa, Threa and Fora. Of course, there is a problem - Fora is dead. This is made even more problematic because the Quads (as they are called) are nigh-invulnerable, having been genetically created by their genius father to be beautiful, intelligent and superior in every way. This resulted in their skin being slightly purple, but that only enhances their charm.

Zach has to discover who killed Fora, and how it was accomplished. This is easier said than done, since it appears that almost everyone had not only the desire to murder her, but also means and opportunity.

The book is filled with terrific characters - most notably the Quads themselves. Ona inherited her father's wealth, so she is a super-model and play-girl. Twoa is a super-hero - seriously - cape and everything. Threa is a fairy queen - she even has nymphs to follow her around. Fora was (to Zach) the most normal as an anarcho-goth who preached the dangers of materialism in New Vegas.

HARV - Zach's computerized personal assistant - develops a keep interest in detecting in this novel and begins to change his appearance as a result, with often quite amusing results.

Then there is W, the ancient butler who specializes in table setting; Opie, the silver-back mountain gorilla who has been genetically altered to have human intelligence and is a fan of practical jokes; the Pfauhans, who are identical "twin" cousins named Sturm and Drang who look like Teutonic power houses but have a shocking secret . . . as well as the return of Randy, Carol, Electra Gevada and Tony Rickey. There is also an amusing character in the person of the coroner, whose name has slipped my mind at the nano - he refuses to call anyone by name, as he feels that would personalize people and keep him from doing his job properly. Zakour has a true genius when it comes to creating memorable and interesting characters!

These books are wonderful works of cross-genre fiction, mixing science fiction with PI noir in a delightful concoction that is sure to please fans of both types of books, as well as fans of a well-concocted bit of word play. Zakour has a lot of fun with language and it shows in his writing. This book is a definite "don't miss" from me!

Very good SF/detective story.......2005-02-03

Set in the middle of the 21st century, the Thompson Quads (short for quadruplets) are genetically engineered to be stronger, smarter, more beautiful and alluring, more everything than the average person. Ona, Twoa, Threa and Foraa (seriously) are supposed to be the pinnacle of humanity, but their personalities never caught up with their bodies. During a private dinner at Ona's private compound, attempting to patch up disagreements between them (which have grown to the size of the Grand Canyon), Foraa falls to the floor, dead, and apparently poisoned.

Enter Zachary Nixon Johnson, the world's last freelance private investigator. The wine Foraa was drinking when she collapsed tests negative for all known poisons. An autopsy on Foraa is impossible because her skin, like that of her sisters, is impregnable to outside objects, including scalpels, saws, and even lasers used on asteroids. Johnson, who is assisted in his investigation by HARV, the world's most sophisticated supercomputer hardwired into his brain, doesn't lack for suspects.

Perhaps the killer was aiming for Ona (she inherited all of Daddy's money when he died, and has become an arrogant, overbearing you-know-what) and miscalculated. After much investigation, and narrowly surviving an attack by a cybernetic suit of armor, Johnson feels the case is solved. During what is supposed to be the climatic scene, where the hardboiled PI calls together all the suspects in order to reveal the murderer, Johnson gets a call from the morgue. Foraa has woken up, gotten off the autopsy table and left. The final battle of the book takes place in a New Vegas casino that happens to be built on top of a real doomsday device, built by Daddy before he died.

Fans of hardboiled detective novels will enjoy this story; science fiction fans will also enjoy it. The authors do a fine job throughout and this is well worth reading.

not your average SF& Hard Boiled Detective novel.......2004-10-11

I was first caught by the title, then by the wonderful cover art which does a fine job of capturing the quintessential look of a period Pulp Fiction magazine. The content is no less entertaining. Not many authors have been able to carry off a classic Hard Boiled Detective novel (or even less a Detective/Mystery novel) in the Science Fiction vein. It was an easy and entertaining read. I occasionally thumbed a few pages back to re-read a particulary amusing or well-written scene.....My only regret is that this was the *first* one I read and that I haven't read the first book. Even though I'm reading out of order hasn't diminished my enjoyment a Nano!

Book Description

Come here to the magical America that might have been, and marvel as the tale of Alvin Maker unfolds. The seventh son of a seventh son is a boy of mysterious powers, and he is waking to the mysteries of the land and its own chosen people.

Customer Reviews:

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

Dull, mormon wish fulfillment just fantasy. Card may have come up with some clever and complex science fiction, but he has also accomplished some terribly turgid fantasy. A suggestion and loaned from a friend, the stinking rotter. :)

The Seventh Son gets darker.......2007-08-26

More of a continuation of Seventh Son than a sequel it actually begins some time before the first book ended. The story starts at a meeting between Andrew Jackson and William
Henry Harris, talking about the removal of Red (or Indians) from newly acquired lands in the West. From there the story follows two Red brothers; one is Lolla-Wossiky, who starts out as a nearly insane and eventually becomes a great spiritual leader advocating peaceful co-existence with white settlers. The other is strong warrior Ta-Kumsaw who wants to lead the Reds in revolt against the expanding white men with the help of the French and Napoleon Bonapart. In the middle is young Alvin Miller, the Maker. Alvin is still learning how to use his magic for good, and has a bad feeling about helping Ta-Kumsaw in rising against his own, but helps none the less because he knows the Reds cause is right, if not the means.

I must be honest I didn't like this book as well as I did "Seventh Son". First it was a lot bigger in scope, which I understand was the idea, but I liked the last books focus on Alvin and his private war with The Unmaker. Also I didn't like the attitude Scott had against white people spoiling everything they touch. I know this was a prevalent attitude that the Native Americans had (and some still do), but I thought that the sentiment was taken too far, and made me uncomfortable while reading "Red Prophet". Also the battle scenes are barely described in any detail; not the massacre at Prophetown or the battle at Detroit.

I did like the characterizations of the people involved though. They all rang true, especially Ta-Kumsaw. Alvin is a sweet young kid with powers he doesn't understand, and that seemed real as well.

All in all, I just didn't care for this book. I hope you'll enjoy it more than I did.

Greatly expands the scope of the story........2007-08-06

The scope of the Tales of Alvin Maker series greatly expands with this book. New characters and places, as well as much deeper insights into the political landscape of the [imaginary] time make this story so much more than the telling of a special child growing up in Vigor Church. Characters familiar to us from our own world history play a much larger role in this book, with William Henry Harisson and Napoleon having the most impact. As with 'Seventh Son', Card relies heavily on vernacular from "Ol-timey America" to emphasize and bring to life his characters. This also influences the naming of geographical features like rivers and mountains (with the Big Muddy being referred to as the Mizzipy). Some reviewers have complained about this, saying they get tripped up over the vocab, but IMHO it works great and adds life to the story.

One very noticeable difference between this book and the previous one is the escalation in the amount of and the explicit nature of violence. OSC has a gift of being able to portray feelings and emotion in a powerful way, as well as being able to paint extremely vivid pictures with his words. A couple of scenes in this book (especially revolving around Mike Fink and Measure) are very graphic and brutal. Some of this material may not be appropriate for young or sensitive readers. This book is definitely more mature and darker than any other OSC books I've read (Ender and Homecoming series). Just a warning.

'Red Prophet' opens up by telling the story of the Shining Man that appears in 'Seventh Son', who is known in this book as Lolla-Wossiky, Tenskwa-Tawa, or simply The Prophet. In fact, the first quarter of this book has an overlapping timeline with the first book, telling of broader events occurring while the more personal events of Alvin growing up are happening. The story eventually catches up to where 'Seventh Son' ends, with Alvin setting of to apprentice as a blacksmith. Instead of that, he and his brother Measure find themselves captives of some pretty evil Reds hired by the even more evil William Henry Harisson. The majority of the book follows Alvin as he learns more about his abilities and about Red-magic from a powerful new character named Ta-Kumsaw. Meanwhile, grand events are taking shape that will lead to a major confrontation between the Reds and the Whites that could shatter hope for a peaceful future.

All in all, this book does a great deal to progress the overall theme of the series, with Alvin undergoing much maturing, and the world around him being shaped by many powerful forces. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.

American Fantasy.......2007-04-05

I love the concept of an alternate American History that the author uses. The story is amazing and I can't wait to see how it unfolds.

Fantastic tale and shining star of Tales of Alvin Maker Series.......2006-06-21

Red Prophet picks up where Seventh Son left off and shouldn't be read without previously reading the latter. Set in fictional colonial America, this is the land of alternate history where Americans have "knacks" or ability to do specific and limited magical acts.

There are various sub-plots throughout Red Prophet that include Napoleon, Andrew Jackson, and the infamous William Henry Harrison. Most of the story continues the story of Alvin, a seventh son of a seventh son who has peculiar powers and is befriended by the famous Indian leader, Tecumseh.

I felt this was the strongest book of the series and really separated itself from the rest of the pack. There are lots of elements going on and they all work. It's an exciting page-turner with a brisk pace and lots of action. It's a coming of age story where Alvin is learning to find himself and his abilities. It intelligently looks at American Indian's oppression by white colonial Americans. It has political intrigue elements wrapped up and brought together in the WHH and Napoleon sub plots. It also intelligently uses alternative history in a clever and satisfying way and at times is very dark and heartbreaking.

The sequels are worth reading (well at least the next two) but unfortunately don't achieve the same level as Red Prophet. It's a shame that you must read Seventh Son (although not a bad read at all) to really understand this properly because this book could of reached a much larger audience if it was a stand-alone.

This book was nominated for a Hugo and a Nebula award in 89'. It didn't win either, losing to Cyteen by C.J. Cherryh in the Hugo and Falling Free by Bujold (also nominated for a Hugo) in the Nebula. I haven't read Cyteen but this book was far superior to Falling Free in my opinion in what was an overall below average year for the awards.

Also I noticed a new reissue of the paperback coming to Amazon in August. Of course they jacked up the price to RIDICULUOS 14.95 list price, and seem to be discontinuing the mass-market version (only 5 left as of this review). Almost as appalling is the new cover art which is not only ugly, but is inappropriate for the mood of this book (compare it to the old version) and really is aimed at the "young adult" crowd which is limiting for a book like this.

Bottom Line: Card at his best here in what I believe is his 3rd best book after Ender's Game and Speaker For The Dead. Worth reading at least the first 3 of this series.

Red Prophet (Tales of Alvin Maker) (Tales of Alvin Maker)

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Red Prophet (Tales of Alvin Maker) (Tales of Alvin Maker)
Orson Scott Card
Manufacturer: Blackstone Audiobooks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: MP3 CD

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Science Fiction & Fantasy | MP3 CD | Audiobooks | Formats | Books

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ASIN: 1433201399

Red Prophet: The Tales Of Alvin Maker Volume 1 Premiere HC (Tales of Alvin Maker)

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Beautiful Visual of Orson Scott Card's Alvin and Ender

Red Prophet: The Tales Of Alvin Maker Volume 1 Premiere HC (Tales of Alvin Maker)
Orson Scott Card , Roland Bernard Brown , Renalto Arlem , and Miguel Montenegro
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0785127216

Book Description

Things are not always what they seem in an alternate American history where folk magic actually works, and there is certainly more than meets the eye to Lolla-Wossiky, a perpetually drunk Shaw-Nee who cannot seem to shake his addiction to whiskey. But as Lolla-Wossiky ventures north in search of his dream beast, he also is on a quest to cure the ceaseless presence of the "black noise" - a shroud of darkness inside his head created by the violent death of his father that he can only push back when he is drinking. But along the voyage, an experience in Wobbish territory will change Lolla-Wossiky's life forever, and change him from a drunken Red Man into the wise and powerful Red Prophet. Also includes a special Ender's story.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful Visual of Orson Scott Card's Alvin and Ender.......2007-08-30

You have to get this if you love Alvin and/or Ender. This graphic novel is a great blend of alternate past and future. It is also the first time I have seen such a beautiful rendition of native americans for just a comic book.

Alvin's story is more amusing to see it from another perspective. You need this perspective to appreciate how simple, yet full of foreshadow, the first two Alvin books were. The story shows great care where racial lines are between the whites and reds, yet somehow Alvin trusts.

Ender's story is also an outsider's view of the Ender's universe with the first colony. There is a great potential story line of discovering more about the "bugs" that Ender is so intimate with.

Louis 'David' Riel: Prophet of the New World

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Louis 'David' Riel: Prophet of the New World
Thomas Flanagan
Manufacturer: University of Toronto Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Canadian | Historical | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Prairie Provinces | Regional Canada | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0802071848

Book Description

Louis Riel believed that on 8 December 1875 he received a divine commission authorizing him to save the mTtis and reform the Catholic Church. He was a prophet, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and the mTtis were the new chosen people. A new branch of the Catholic Church would be founded in North America, with its first Holy See in Montreal, and its second in Riel's birthplace of St. Vital.

When Riel expressed these views in 1876, he was committed to a lunatic asylum. After his release, he suppressed his ideas for several years, only to reveal them again to his mTtis followers during the North-West Rebellion. The Rebellion thus became as much a religious as a political movement; Riel believed himself a prophet to the end of his life, and he went to his death thinking that he, like Christ, would be resurrected on the third day.

Earlier writers about Louis Riel have noted his religious beliefs but have not taken them seriously. They have usually dismissed Riel's attempt to found a new religion as the symptom of a deranged mind. Thomas Flanagan takes Riel's religion seriously and analyses it using categories developed in the literature about millenarian movements. He shows that Riel's religion, far from being simply individual madness, is typical of the nativistic and millenarian movements described by one author as the 'religions of the oppressed.'

This is also a biography, tracing Riel's thinking on religious subjects from his childhood to the end of his life and paying particular attention to events in his life that influenced his thinking. This developmental approach is necessary because Riel's ideas changed frequently; he never arrived at a fixed 'system.'

The research is based on primary sources throughout. Much new documentation has become available over the past thirty years and in the sixteen years since this volume was initially published. In particular, new information is presented about Riel's youth in Montreal, his time in insane asylums, his years in Montana, and the North-West Rebellion. Flanagan also re-interprets well-known documents. While this revised edition does not alter the fundamentals of his interpretation, it improves the historical backdrop against which it is presented through use of a wealth of new primary sources. Flanagan has updated his citings of Riel's manuscripts to current sources.

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Red Prophet
Orson Scott Card
Manufacturer: Tor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PHS870

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Red Prophet
Pete Macias
Manufacturer: AuthorHouse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1418480746

Book Description

Red Prophet while a book in itself is also a variant continuation of the previously released Boyson. Written with all the passion of a revelation it is both intriguing and victorious in its detailed plethora of emotion. To be unafraid of what there is to live in the short span we call a life, is the trial within these pages. Red Prophet shows you a glimpse into the possible, maybe into the present or perhaps into the past. The one thing that it does show you is the ever-present dedication between the gift that the creator has bestowed upon us, our ever-living spirit which will live on beyond the myriad trials and tribulations that is life. Evil can never suppress the power that is our soul, and within these pages you will live to love.

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Red Prophet
Orson Scott Card
Manufacturer: Legend
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000M66YL6

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Red Prophet
Orsen Scott Card
Manufacturer: Tom Doherty Associates
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTNJ5U

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Red Prophet 1ST Edition
Orson Scott Card
Manufacturer: TOR BOOKS ST MARTINS MASS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PVC3T0

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Red Prophet :Alvin Maker 02
Orson Scott Card
Manufacturer: ST MARTINS PRESS *
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000Q31XH0

Customer Reviews:

The Positronic Man.......2007-05-14

The Positronic Man
By: Isaac Asimov and Robert Silverberg

Andrew Martin, the first free robot, is now looking for a little more. He already is the only robot with an almost human figure, a body with almost real skin. He is the only robot that can eat, and he is planning more for himself. He made the first prosthetic heart, lung, kidney, and pancreas, and now he wants to make himself more human than he already is he wants the rights that humans have, like voting and the other things they can do. He thought that the reason that people didn't want him to have human rights was because he was immortal. So he had an operation to make him mortal. He had about a year to live. Then a few months before he was due to die, he finally got human rights. A little while later he died, the first robot to die, the first free, `human', robot to die.

This book was so-so. I liked it because it was interesting how Andrew became almost human and did all the things he did. Like go to the moon and make prosthetic hearts and things. How he lived for two-hundred years and watched three generations grow up. How he became the first free robot and wore clothes. Then he got an almost human body.

I don't like this book because at some points it is very slow moving and made it hard to stay interested. Like when he is all alone and talking to himself about random things. Or when he is having another upgrade, it is also very hard to read. Also, I didn't like it because I'm not very interested in science fiction books. That is one reason why it was hard to read.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys science fiction books, or reading about things like this. It was a good book just parts of it were uninteresting to me. Next time I read a science fiction book I will be ready for what it is going to be like.

~j.stadt

An inspiring novel that truly makes you think.......2003-07-10

Beyond the fantastic tale Asimov and Silverberg wove, there are deep underlying philosophical issues addressed in this book, but not in a boring way. The story just causes you to think after you set it down.

A great read!

A tale of ambition and societal backlash.......2001-08-14

The story of a mechanical creature who wishes to become human is an old one, appearing in many forms over the centuries. In this superb story, a robot, named Andrew by the children who adore it, begins to exhibit human characteristics, due to the unpredictability of its' positronic memory circuits. Slowly, through a series of step-wise modifications, Andrew is altered so that his functions become more human. Throughout the tale, Andrew exhibits many of the characteristics of being human, although his human society is currently exhibiting a backlash against robots doing anything to appear as anything other than robots.
This is also a tale about human politics, emotions and insecurities. Some of the prejudices exhibited against robots are strikingly similar to those humans have against other humans not of the appropriate type. Asimov and Heinlein are masters at describing the consequences of technology and in this book, they are at their best. I have always considered Asimov's robot stories to be the best of all his science fiction works. They deal with limits placed on technology, through the hard-wired laws of robotics to the social restrictions placed on robots so that they do not appear too human. And yet, he also presses the envelope, in that he has humans becoming intimate with robots, even to the point of suggested sexual contact.
I consider this to be one of the two best science fiction books that Isaac Asimov wrote, with the other being Nightfall. It is an old tale, but told with emotional entanglements, such as having Andrew being treated not as a monster but as a member of a human family as he pursues his quest to be declared legally human.

Required Reading.......2000-04-30

After seeing the movie "Bicentennial Man", I ran straight to the library to pick up "The Positronic Man." (I was surprised to find the book 'out of print', especially with the recent release of the movie.) This is the first Sci-Fi book I have ever read, and first review I have offered. I have not been in high school in some time, but this book should be required reading! I'm sure it would bring some hefty discussions on the issues of humanity, morality and mortality. A very thought-provoking, fascinating book and a joy to read.

My favorite by Asimov.......2000-03-25

I'm a huge fan of Isaac Asimov and I've read his classic Foundation trilogy countless times, but this was my favorite. This book has things to say not just about hard SF but about the human condition as well.

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