The Story of My Typewriter

Book Description

This is the story of Paul Auster's typewriter. The typewriter is a manual Olympia, more than 25 years old, and has been the agent of transmission for the novels, stories, collaborations, and other writings Auster has produced since the 1970s, a body of work that stands as one of the most varied, creative, and critcally acclaimed in recent American letters. It is also the story of a relationship. A relationship between Auster, his typewriter, and the artist Sam Messer, who, as Auster writes, "has turned an inanimate object into a being with a personality and a presence in the world." This is also a collaboration: Auster's story of his typewriter, and of Messer's welcome, though somewhat unsettling, intervention into that story, illustrated with Messer's muscular, obsessive drawings and paintings of both author and machine. This is, finally, a beautiful object; one that will be irresistible to lovers of Auster's writing, Messer's painting, and fine books in general.

Customer Reviews:

An affair with a typewriter.......2006-05-20

This lovely little artistically-crafted volume should be on everyone's shelf who loves to use or who owns a manual typewriter. There are a lot of us out there who use computers for certain activities of daily living, including work, email, you know what I mean. But when one wants to compose, really compose -- fiction, poetry, memoir -- one heads for the typewriter. They're handy for all those lists you compose in the kitchen as well. Auster's memoir of his typewriter is both beautiful and touching. He really gets it. Anyone who owns one will understand. Anyone who doesn't will probably wish he did.

Paul, Sam and the Typewriter........2005-08-31

Paul's story: It all began in 1974 when he came back in the United States. He tells how he got the typewriter, why - later on - he didn't buy an electric typewriter nor a computer like everybody else nowadays. Finally we learn how Sam Messer met the typewriter and how a relationship grew between these two.

Sam's story: The illustrations of Sam Messer are the most attractive part of this book. They are not really illustrations but tell a second story of their own.The story of an old and hard working typewriter, battered by the fingers of Paul Auster. A typewriter that suffers pain, hardship and gets angry once in a while.

To be honest: this book is a book of art and almost all the credits go to Sam Messer. A must !

The best book I have ever bought!.......2003-01-27

Anyone who enjoys a good Paul Auster story or the briliant paintings of Sam Messer will love this book. I am an artist myself and I recomend this to anyone who is at all interested in Messers work. The typewriters are beautiful. I want to buy this book for everyone I know.

A Good Coffeetable Book.......2002-11-09

If you are a typewriter fetishist or a Paul Auster devotee, then you will find a justification for buying this book. That said, I must say that the book is a bit too thin, both in volume and content, to justify a purchase for most people. This book is mostly about Sam Messer, an artist friend of Auster, who became infatuated with Auster's Olympia portable typewriter (those who are curious about the specific model name/number, it looks to be a SM 9). Over the period of twenty years or so, he painted the typewriter. The paintings are intimate and beautifully done; the best ones feature Auster in the composition. These are perhaps the loveliest depictions of a typewriter you'll find out there, and if you are a typewriter aficionado, you will love this book. Paul Auster provides a perfunctory anecdotal history of his typewriter, and at reaching the end of the book, I empathized with him (and many other writers like him) who attach illogical but mysterious significance to a writing instrument. The book is handsome, and a breezy read; you can read the whole thing in fifteen minutes - perfect for your houseguests.

Amusing Coffeetable Book, Not Much More.......2002-11-06

If you're a typewriter fetishist or Paul Auster devotee, this book is definitely worth it. I am a bit of both, so the book is quite an endearing eyecandy for me. This slim volume is really the work of Sam Messer, an artist who became enamored with Auster's Olympia portable (I think SM 8 or 9) and decided to paint it everytime he visited. The paintings are quite good, as a matter of fact. Auster provides a quick, anecdotal history of his typewriter, and if you are a writer, you will empathize how he or anyone can grow so enamored with a writing tool.

Is this a book worth adding to your collection with paid money? Yes, if you are into Auster and you believe in the superstitious mythical powers that all rational and intelligent writers place in their writing machines. In my personal opinion, this piece belonged in a nice art magazine.

If you want to get a book that Auster's work intersects with art, check out "Double Game", a collaborative effort by Sophie Calle and Paul Auster. There is no finer blending of fact/fiction, art/literature in contemporary literature.

Amazon.com

Antrax is the second book in the Voyage of Jerle Shannara trilogy, part of an epic started by famed fantasy writer Terry Brooks more than two decades ago with The Sword of Shannara. In this installment, we join the Druid Walker Boh and his companions in the search for Antrax--a powerful and malevolent technological guardian. Walker believes Antrax's magic is potent enough to help restore the Druid council to the Four lands, a struggle that has consumed his life. But while the unlikely heroes journey in the Jerle Shannara across the Blue Divide to the city of Castledown, the Druid's archnemesis--the Ilse Witch--and her band of Mwellrets closely follow in an airship of their own. The race is on, and the prize is the power of Antrax. Meanwhile, Bek Rowe discovers that his destiny is inextricably linked with the Ilse Witch herself.

Mixing several subplots into the main story, Brooks cooks up a satisfying stew of fantasy with just a taste of science fiction. Brooks quickly reels the reader in with nonstop action, and, in classic style, leaves the reader yearning for the third and final installment, Morgawr. --Robert Leavengood

Book Description

A new novel by Terry Brooks is always a cause for celebration. For more than twenty years, the New York Times bestselling author of the classic Shannara epic has proven himself one of the modern masters of fantasy, winning the hearts and minds of devoted readers around the world. In his last acclaimed novel, Ilse Witch, a brave company of explorers led by the last Druid, Walker Boh, traveled across unknown seas in search of an elusive magic. Yet perhaps Boh and his team were lured there for sinister, unforeseen purposes . . .

Now in Antrax, as the crew aboard the airship Jerle Shannara is attacked by evil forces, the Druid’s protégé Bek Rowe and his companions are pursued by the mysterious Ilse Witch. Meanwhile, Boh is alone, caught in a dark maze beneath the ruined city of Castledown, stalked by a hungry, unseen enemy.

For there is something alive in Castledown. Something not human. Something old beyond reckoning that covets the magic of Druids, elves, even the Ilse Witch. Something that hunts men for its own designs: Antrax. It is a spirit that commands ancient technologies and mechanical monsters, feeds off enchantment, and traps the souls of men.

With the Jerle Shannara under siege and Antrax threatening the bold and unwary, the Ilse Witch finds herself face-to-face with a boy who claims to be the brother she last saw as an infant. Now a young man, Bek wields the magic of the wishsong and carries the Sword of Shannara upon his back. Unsure whether to trust Bek or to slay him, the Ilse Witch takes him prisoner. One has come pursuing truth, the other revenge. Yet both seek Walker Boh–with the fate of the Four Lands hanging in the balance.

Return to the world of beloved novelist Terry Brooks, where creatures drift up from the earth like mist, a hypnotic song can kill, a sword can cut through a veil of lies–and one man, the true heir of an ancient magic, must choose between betrayal and redemption.

From the Hardcover edition.

Download Description

Now in Antrax, as the crew aboard the airship Jerle Shannara isattacked by evil forces, the Druid's protégé Bek Rowe andhis companions are pursued by the mysterious Ilse Witch. Meanwhile, Bohis alone, caught in a dark maze beneath the ruined city of Castledown,stalked by a hungry, unseen enemy.

For there is something alive in Castledown. Something not human.Something old beyond reckoning that covets the magic of Druids, elves,even the Ilse Witch. Something that hunts men for its own designs:Antrax. It is a spirit that commands ancient technologies and mechanicalmonsters, feeds off enchantment, and traps the souls of men.

With the Jerle Shannara under siege and Antrax threatening the bold andunwary, the Ilse Witch finds herself face-to-face with a boy who claimsto be the brother she last saw as an infant. Now a young man, Bek wieldsthe magic of the wishsong and carries the Sword of Shannara upon hisback. Unsure whether to trust Bek or to slay him, the Ilse Witch takeshim prisoner. One has come pursuing truth, the other revenge. Yet bothseek Walker Boh -- with the fate of the Four Lands hanging in the balance.

Return to the world of beloved novelist Terry Brooks, where creaturesdrift up from the earth like mist, a hypnotic song can kill, a sword cancut through a veil of lies -- and one man, the true heir of an ancientmagic, must choose between betrayal and redemption.

Customer Reviews:

The trap is sprung!.......2006-09-21

Walker Boh, the 'Dark Uncle,' is the most powerful magic wielder in the Four Lands, but when he's pitted against Antrax, the 'old world' artificial intelligence, it seems he's finally met his match. Below the ruins of Castledown, they engage in a battle of wills that will see one of them destroyed.
On the surface above, the Ilse Witch has taken Walker's companions prisoner and seized his airship, leaving Walker no escape should he survive.
But Walker has set a trap of his own for the Ilse Witch. A trap which seeks not to destroy, but free her.
This book and trilogy are exciting and entertaining. The ever changing world of the Four Lands is as amazing and fantastic as ever. Brooks' ability to create well rounded four dimensional characters with personal conflicts that people can relate to is something that is sorely lacking other fantasy/science fiction novels.
If you are new to Terry Brooks, or new to the `Shannara' novels I would recommend this book (and trilogy) as an excellent place to start. If you are familiar with the Shannara novels you might want to check out my full review of the trilogy under "Morgawr (Voyage of the Jerle Shannara 3)."

Fantastic!.......2006-08-27

If you are looking to relax and get away from it all, reading the adventures in Terry Brooks novels will certainly help. This book is no exception, I could hardly put this book down there is nearly non-stop action from beginning to end.

More Hints At Post-apocalypse.......2005-04-26

Antrax, the title character is a sentient machine, that controls the city of Castledown. It is very smart and has lured the voyagers to it's awaiting maw. It needs magic to stay alive. After waking years after technology crumbled Antrax found a new power source: magic. It was built as the perfect weapon and ultimate protector. Maybe too perfect. It has outlived its masters but must still follow its orders. Protect Castledown at all costs.

It is this machine that Walker knows that the strongest magic is held. But there is no way of extruding it. So he is seduced by the sentient being. Meanwhile, the Ilse Witch, now revealed as Grianne Ohmsford has captured Bek who claims to be her dead brother. He knows that the only way to save her is by using the Sword of Shannara. His only way of escaping is Truls Rohk a strange but undaunting protector. It all culminates with a conflict between the Ilse Witch and Walker Boh. But a new enemy is on his way the Morgawr.

"Death Steals Away All Our Chances...".......2004-09-16

"Antrax" (not to be confused with Anthrax, the nasty white powder) is the second book in the "Voyage of the Jerle Shannara" trilogy, dealing with the second great foe that the intrepid crew of the "Jerle Shannara" face. It's also possibly the best of the three books, though as usual suffers from several fantasy cliches, dull characters and predictable situations. Within this trilogy, it seems to me that with the exception of Walker, the antagonists are the main characters - each book is named after one of them, and are certainly a lot less bland than the good guys who spend most of this book on adventures that have little purpose in the overall context of the book, or running around like headless chickens. The archaic super-computer that has long-planned the "Jerle Shannara's" capture and defeat is certainly the star of this book.

In the previous novel "Ilse Witch" the Druid Walker brought together a crew on board a flying airship and set off to discover a treasure of knowledge on a faraway island that is said to belong to the Old World. The way was chartered on a map found on a half-dead elf prince, but it is half way to the island that Walker begins to suspect that their entire voyage has been a carefully plotted trap planned out by the great evil awaiting them. To add to the danger, the crew is being pursued by the dreaded Ilse Witch and her untrustworthy ally the Morgawr, who are also out to seize the treasure and destroy the ship.

After reaching the keep of Castledown, the crew is suddenly and violently separated after the Antrax activates its first weapon - threads of scorching fire. With the Antrax attempting to capture those that have magic, and destroy those that are of no use to it, the company is soon scattered -

Our hero Bek Ohmsford and his protector Truks Rohk are attempting to convince the Ilse Witch that she is in fact Grianne Ohmsford, and that Bek is her brother, whilst simultaneously moving through a strange and unwelcoming land. Walker has gone into the depths of Castledown to find the sought-for books of knowledge that come out of the Old World, whilst the seer Ryer Ord Star and elfin Prince Ahren Elessedil follow; she to rescue Walker, and he to retrieve the lost Elfstones.

Quentin Leah and an elfin tracker named Tamis (she has no last name, so you can tell she's a goner) come up against the robot-zombie figure of their former comrade Ard Patrinell (yes, you read that right, I said robot-zombie). Meanwhile, back on the ship Redder Alt Mer, his sister Rue Meridian and the Wing Rider Hunter Predd attempt to take back the invaded "Jerle Shannara" and then go after the Ilse Witch's own vessel "Black Moclips".

I mentioned these two story plots together simply because they are utterly unimportant to the continuation and completion of the overall story - they come across as padding to make the book a bit thicker. Rue's story in particular has no real meaning - she single-handedly takes "Black Moclips," neither learns nor gains anything of value, and then abandons ship once it heads into a storm. What was the point?! Likewise, the Ilse Witch creates a wolf-like magical creature which had no real purpose, and I'm still wondering why Panax the dwarf decided to come on the trip - he hasn't done anything yet!

There are long-winded paragraphs on the island's locals, the character's internal struggles (they're conflicted, we get it) and Brooks is the master at speeches that become so lengthy that they're funny. Consider this: "Your face is not who you are. You might appear a monster, but you're not. You're my friend. You saved my life. But you wouldn't trust me with the truth about yourself. You hid that truth because you deceived yourself into thinking that it was something else. I would rather know you this way, terrible though it is, than have the truth hidden." People just *do not* talk like this, and every time a character launches into one of these declarations, it is a cause for laughter - and that's not a good thing.

Ultimately the very purpose of the voyage is made null and void, with the discovery that the books of knowledge cannot be accessed - they belong on technological disks that Walker cannot understand. Despite this, I wondered at the possibility of him drawing them out mentally/magically, and then passing them on to the Ilse Witch...but no. When he says that Grianne is the new purpose of the mission it's not because she now carries the ancient knowledge, it's because...actually, we have to read Brook's *next* trilogy "The High Druid" to find out what. Sigh - aren't you glad Brooks has grasped the basics of milking a story for all it's worth?

The Antrax is probably the most interesting part of the book, though your liking of it will depend on whether or not you appreciate the presence of technological remnants in an otherwise entirely fantasy-oriented world. I found that I didn't mind it too much, and although Brooks is frustratingly hazy on what the original purpose of the Antrax *was*, pitting his characters against an incorporeal and virtually unstoppable machine is rather compelling.

I'm being *very* kind when I give this book three stars, especially since the final book in the trilogy "Morgawr" is quite awful. As it stands though, Brooks deserves credit for finally drawing away from writing Tolkien-clones (though he's still copying from his own previous work), and for adding a few splashes of good ideas and originality into this particular book.

Fantasy by Numbers.......2004-07-07

First of all, this installment from Terry Brooks does have a few unique features, such as a sentient city-sized computer built by a lost civilization, horrifying half-human cyborg killing machines, and somewhat intriguing themes on technology and knowledge. But otherwise, you have to wonder if Brooks keeps cranking out new volumes simply by following a manual called "How to Write a Fantasy Novel." He may have even written that manual himself, as he's deservedly a popular and famous master of the genre. But once again there is little new or unexpected here. Consider the following rules of thumb from the typical fantasy writer's manual.

Build the story around a journey or quest to find some enchanted items like magic stones. Speaking of magic, throw that word around often but don't worry about describing it in too much detail. Add some other magic items, such as swords, that give power to those who know how to use them, but peril to others without that special inner strength. Give the people and places vaguely Celtic or Gothic names like Quentin Leah or Ryer Ord Star or Castledown. Add a bunch of elves and dwarves, and maybe a druid for good measure. Have the characters converse copiously about honor and courage and loyalty, preferably right in the middle of dangerous chases or battles. Show the good guys wracked with fear and indecision, only to dramatically realize their potential heroism in inspirational ways. Make your bad guys unquestionably evil monsters of alien races. And finally, write in the trilogy format, so instead of one large but focused book, you can crank out three inconclusive medium-sized books.

Product Description

This is a Spanish translation of the Bioterrorism Anthrax CD. Eligible for national nursing and EMS credits. Eligible para creditos nacionales de enfermeria y EMS en los Estados Unidos.

The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara (Antrax)

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The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara (Antrax)
Terry Brooks
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
ASIN: B000VTEBGE

The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara, all 3 books: Morgawr + Antrax + Ilse Witch

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The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara, all 3 books: Morgawr + Antrax + Ilse Witch
Terry Brooks
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara: Morgawr/Antrax/Ilse Witch

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The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara: Morgawr/Antrax/Ilse Witch
Terry Brooks
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Antrax, poderoso enemigo.(terrorismo biologico)(TT: Anthrax, powerful enemy.)(TA: bioterrorism): An article from: Siempre!

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Antrax, poderoso enemigo.(terrorismo biologico)(TT: Anthrax, powerful enemy.)(TA: bioterrorism): An article from: Siempre!
Gabriel Jiménez
Manufacturer: Edicional Siempre
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B0008IOHK8
Release Date: 2005-07-28

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Siempre!, published by Edicional Siempre on October 17, 2001. The length of the article is 1855 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: Antrax, poderoso enemigo.(terrorismo biologico)(TT: Anthrax, powerful enemy.)(TA: bioterrorism)
Author: Gabriel Jiménez
Publication: Siempre! (Refereed)
Date: October 17, 2001
Publisher: Edicional Siempre
Volume: 48 Issue: 2522 Page: 10

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

Sisma, the beggar whose mind held the ancient legacy of the Forerunners, had escaped her claw-and-fang life in the Burrows, with the off-planet Rangers. But the Rangers wanted her in captivity for study by historians.

So Sisma and Zass, her winged hunting zorsal, escaped again, taking a stolen lifeboat to an unknown world. A desert where shapeshifting creatures lurked beneath the sand, where Zass and Sisma's hunting skills, psychic powers, and strange link to the Elder One in Sisma's mind were their only survival weapons.

Then Thom, the Ranger who saved--and perhaps betrayed--Sisma, crashed on the planet. Together, they realized that a mysterious, mind-threatening and possibly monstrous power had found them...

And only the Elder One could help.

Customer Reviews:

Sequel to "Forerunner" relating Simsa's further adventures.......2004-02-07

Andre Norton has written many SF novels using the theme of the Forerunners, an ancient race of space farers that disappeared (except for their artifacts) well before humanity took to the stars. Other books employing this theme are "Sargasso of Space" (1955), "Exiles of the Stars" (1971), "Forerunner Foray" (1973), "Forerunner (1981), and "Moon Called" (1982).

In most of these novels, Norton describes the ancient Forerunner ruins as vast, underground high technology installations where ordinary human beings can be driven crazy just by the odd angles of the walls, the mazes and tunnels where they're always getting lost, or by the harmful emanations from the ancient and only partly understood machines.

However in "Forerunner" (1981) and "Forerunner: the Second Venture" (1985), Norton's Forerunners have gone beyond technology and into the realm of what we would call supernatural powers.

"Forerunner: the Second Venture" is a sequel to "Forerunner," and continues the story of Simsa, once a runner and fetcher for an old Burrow-dweller in the ancient port of Kuxortal, and now a reincarnated Forerunner with superhuman talents, including telepathy, the ability to channel killing forces through her sun-and-moon scepter, and the ability to tamper with other peoples' minds.

In "Forerunner," Simsa teamed up with the off-worlder Thom who came to Kuxortal in search of his missing brother. She and Thom survived many harrowing adventures together, and they seemed like good friends at the end of the book, but in this sequel Simsa suspects Thom of abandoning her to his fellow scientists. No one has ever met a living Forerunner, and Simsa finds herself an 'honored guest,' i.e. prisoner, on a starship where at least one of the scientists would like to have a go at dissecting her. She escapes from the starship, via its life boat which will automatically search out a planet where humans can, at the very least, breathe the atmosphere.

And that's exactly what the lifeboat finds: a planet where Simsa can breathe the air, but which otherwise seems inimical to life. She and her zorsal (think 'bat' with four feet and cute fern-like antennae) almost perish in a searing, rocky wasteland where the only thing that moves is an eerie river of sand.

Norton has invented some interesting aliens in 'The Second Venture.' There are the bad-smelling, octopus-like blobs that live in the rivers of sand, but there are also intelligent creatures in one secluded valley where Simsa finally stumbles upon food and water. Simsa must persuade the furry lobster-things that she too is intelligent and worthy of their respect. She must also do battle with the Forerunner who is co-inhabiting her body, and last but not least, find Thom who has crash-landed into one of the rivers of sand while searching for Simsa.

Norton's heroine is by turn sour, prickly, brave, and fiercely independent. She's hard to like, but it is easy to admire her, especially in her fight almost-to-the-death to gain control of her body and mind from the ancient and powerful Forerunner.

This book is primarily an adventure story that wanders from one alien wonder to another, without really tying everything together into a neat, tidy plot. There is quite a bit of character development as Simsa struggles to somehow share her mind and body with the Forerunner. There is also a nice sub-theme of friendship as Simsa drags Thom out of one dilemma after another, even though she thinks she despises him.

But it's really hard to love a surly heroine with superhuman powers. These two Forerunner books will never be my favorite Nortons.

Andre Norton's Forerunner series..........2001-01-30

is an excellent read. With this book she continues the story begun in her other book titled: Forerunner. Engaging, and a very good read, Andre Norton keeps the pace up and the reader riveted until the last page. If you like Andre Norton's other works, I suggest purchasing this one too.

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Forerunner the Second Venture
Andre Norton
Manufacturer: ST MARTINS PRESS *
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000Q2YB98

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Forerunner The Second Venture -
Andre Norton -
Manufacturer: Tom Doherty Publishing -
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PRTFYK

Forerunner: The Second Venture (Forerunner/Shann Lantee, Bk. 5)

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Simsa searches for her true origin
search for a missing archeologist on a Guild-dominated world
Good old Andre Norton...

Forerunner: The Second Venture (Forerunner/Shann Lantee, Bk. 5)
Andre Norton
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0812547470

Customer Reviews:

Simsa searches for her true origin.......2004-01-29

Other Andre Norton books which include her Forerunner theme are "Sargasso of Space" (1955), "Exiles of the Stars" (1971), "Forerunner Foray" (1973), "Moon Called" (1982), and "Forerunner: The Second Venture" (1985). In most of these SF novels, Norton describes the ancient Forerunner ruins as vast, underground high technology installations where ordinary human beings can be driven crazy just by the odd angles to the walls, the mazes and tunnels where they're always getting lost, or by the harmful emanations from the ancient and only partly understood machines.

In "Forerunner" (1981) and its sequel, "Forerunner: The Second Venture" (1985), author Norton veers off the super technology highway and onto the mythical road of nature/nurture goddesses. All of a sudden, Forerunners (at least one of them) bear a strong resemblance to Ceres, Persephone, and (if you follow the Witch World novels) Gunnora. In Andre Norton's universe, there was more than one race that preceded humans into space. I just wish that she had differentiated between the technology-based Forerunner civilizations, and the Forerunner civilization that is explicated in this novel, which seems very anti-technology.

"Forerunner" begins in the ancient port of Kuxortal, which has built and rebuilt itself upon the ruins of ancient and decayed civilizations. The lowly Burrow-dwellers sometimes discover artifacts from the past as they tunnel beneath the current city's towers.

Simsa had been a runner and fetcher for an old Burrow-dweller, "until the mists of the riverside burrow bit so far into Old One's crippled bones that her body at last gave up..." She buries her mentor, who had probably rescued Simsa off of a garbage heap as an infant. The old cripple never revealed Simsa's origin to her, but it was obvious that the girl was different from any of the other Burrow-dwellers. Simsa tries to hide her differences--her platinum hair combined with blue-black skin, but she must flee from her only known home when scavengers attempt to loot the treasures that Simsa's ancient mentor had purportedly hidden there. The scavengers also consider Simsa part of the loot, but she fights her way free with the assistance of her retractable claws and her pet zorsal.

Zorsals are one of the best features of this book. They are cute, bat-like creatures with four paws and feathery antennae. Simsa is able to communicate with them on a very primitive thought-band, and they play an integral role in her adventure.

Now that Simsa has been driven from Ferwar's burrow, she attempts to sell her mentor's treasured artifacts to an off-world man who has come to Kuxortal in search of his missing brother. He in turn persuades her to accompany him to the deadly Hard Hills where his historian-brother was last seen.

After a long, difficult journey through the desert, where Simsa and her zorsals almost perish, she and Thom, the outworlder reach the Hard Hills and discover an ancient, alien city. It is here that Simsa learns of her true origin.

There are nice Norton touches in "Forerunner:" the zorsals; the underground healing pool; Simsa's hard and dangerous life in the Burrows; her difficult journey through the desert with Thom. However, the plot is muddied up with too many villains--greedy Guild Lords and skyjackers ('jacks' in Norton's terminology), and too many variations on the nature of the Forerunners.

I also preferred the Simsa at the book's beginning to the Simsa at the end.

However, the zorsals were wonderful throughout.

Note: "Forerunner: the Defender" has the same publication date (1981) as this novel, and I'm betting it's the same story under two different titles.

search for a missing archeologist on a Guild-dominated world.......2002-03-23

Don't confuse this book with _Forerunner Foray_ (public libraries sometimes mix them up). They're not part of the same series, in that they don't deal with the same characters or locales - just the same universe.

"Forerunner", in this setting, is a term used to refer to ancient artifacts of extinct species ('ancient' can be millions, or billions, of years). Forerunner artifacts may be gemstones, tumbled ruins - or massive automated installations, no telling, since there's no one 'Forerunner' civilization; it's just a catch-all term indicating both great age and alien culture. In this universe, archeologists compete not only with legitimate government agencies over custody of their finds, but with the Guild, that shadowy, loose organization of the Galaxy's criminals.

On the backwater, low-tech world where this story begins (if one can speak of real beginnings where roots run so deep), Kuxortal, favored by its location, draws not only on the sea trade and the trade of the continent drained by the river Kux, but the ships of the offworlders. While Kuxortal doesn't offer goods to attract the great combines who take the cream of interstellar trade, that in itself appeals to other elements - ships run by men who want a port where they can warehouse and exchange goods without awkward formalities like customs inspectors (as long as they pay due respect, and other proper dues, to the Guild Lords who run the city).

But the Guild Lords' palaces in the high reaches of Kuxortal are not the whole city - a city so old that its origins are lost in time, where any space vacated by the collapse or destruction of a building is speedily filled again, gradually raising the city ever higher above the river and the shore. In the depths, lie the Burrows - the basements, tunnels, and so on left by long built-over ruins, occupied by the lowest rung of the city's social ladder, scavengers who can only trade their pickings at the humblest of markets, who compete fiercely for any hope of a better life.

Odd things turn up in the burrows: lore that would surprise the lords, artifacts, and people - people sometimes resulting from such a mix of races that it seems that new species might almost be born from this cauldron - or even old ones from embers of an age long past. One such oddity is the foundling Simsa, of unknown parentage - whose startling silver-white hair is usually covered or darkened to match her blue-black skin, with weapons never seen until it's too late. (The edition illustrated by Barbi Johnson captures her appearance quite faithfully.)

So it is that after the death of her mentor Ferwar - the old crone who was both respected and feared as one who dealt in cures and old artifacts, with a fearsome command of curses - Simsa acts not just defend her place among the Burrowers, but to try to finagle her way into the upper city (or at least into a better grade of slum). The choicest of the artifacts left by Ferwar may, if traded to some offworlder, finance the venture.
Unfortunately, the man who stops to bargain with her isn't an ordinary crewman, but a scholar seeking not only Forerunner traces, but his brother, who vanished here seeking the same thing. Simsa, like everyone else, remembers the mad outlander who spat in the face of luck by venturing out into the desert.

Alas, even streetwise Simsa can't distance herself from Thom fast enough to escape the attention of the Guild Lords - those canny men who either wouldn't believe such a tall tale (and thus use 'interrogation' to find the real story) or who would seize any treasure for themselves and remove the witnesses. Like it or not, joining Thom in his search looks like the only way out...

Good old Andre Norton..........2000-05-29

I first read this book when I was in my early teens and would read virtually anything with a "sci-fi" or "fantasy" prefix. I became far pickier now :) Forerunner is set in one of two main worlds of Norton's, the same one where the Solar Queen traces the sky and It (or EEt, not sure of english spelling :) ) roams the uncharted stars. Like most of Andre's stories, this one is character driven, other things being secondary, while still masterfully executed. It is not too exciting, but I will recommend it to any Sci Fi or Norton fan, along woth many of her earlier books.

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FORERUNNER: THE SECOND VENTURE

Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HQIVQM

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Forerunner: The Second Venture
Andre Norton
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTQMCC

Average customer rating:

Forerunner: The Second Venture

Manufacturer: Tor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HZ2NGC

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FORERUNNER: The Second Venture.
Andre. Norton
Manufacturer: Tom Doherty,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NYBMQO

Product Description

An inspirational encounter with the world of Christ, this book is an uplifting study of the man, his times and his teaching. This volume reveals how the true meaning of Jesus teachings, as found in the canonical gospels and many of the ancient apocryphal and other early Christian texts, is that of the ageless, eternal and mystic path to God. Exhaustively researched -- from Old and New Testament writings, the Dead Sea Scrolls, the writings of the Greek mystics, the Gnostics, the Mandaeans, the Manichaeans and other mystics of Jesus era -- The Gospel of Jesus reflects the yearning of all Christians and seekers throughout the centuries to penetrate the unresolved mysteries of their faith and attain a direct, personal mystic experience of God.

Customer Reviews:

Exceptional research.......2007-08-14

John Davidson has not only written an exceptional book about the Gospel of Jesus, but he has put it in an historical context. Having met him in India, he was one of the people who inspired me to publish my book of poems, Dera Poetry.

Typical Libeal Lies.......2006-03-28

I found Davidson's book to be inept as well as full of historical errors. But this is to be expected as he has no knowledge of the orginal languages, textual criticism, theology, philosophy, or why the so-called Gnostic gospels where frauds. E. Goodspeed at the Uni. of Chicago demonstrated why the psuedo-gospels were not written by the people whose name they bear, not written during the time they claim, etc. Davidson does not seem aware of such scholarship. His work is an example of "wish fulfilment" in that he already had his liberal mystical beliefs before he wrote his book. He attempts to twist the material to support his liberal nonsense. The book is a waste of time and does NOT give any new insights as promised.

Remarkable Scholarship and Insight.......2001-12-10

In this book a professional scientist writes about religion, specifically, about Jesus. It is a spectacular accomplishment, totally honest in its outlook and impressively comprehensive in its scholarship.

I must admit that I am only halfway through its thousand pages. I am not reading it rapidly, but am annotating the margins of each page, in ink! It may take me the rest of my life to finish it (I am 77 and I read it only on Sundays for an hour or two), but already I know that I will never find a more scholarly and insightful work which honestly seeks to discern the true character of Jesus.

Perhaps because I share the same scientific temperament as the author, we have a common bond that unconsciously brings us together. Davidson has studied and written exactly as I would like to, provided I could commit myself to devoting the immense amount of time and energy to meticulous scholarship, as he had done.

In this book the character of Jesus is incomparably broadened and sharpened by bringing in many sources that were ignored by the political and administrative forces that finally determined the content of the New Testament. There are hundreds of lengthy quotations about Jesus from over three hundred sources that were written in the first five centuries after his death. Furthermore, each quotation is rephrased by the author for further clarification.

Here is an example: "Jesus said, 'If the flesh came into being because of the spirit, it is a wonder. But if spirit came into being because of the body, it is a wonder of wonders. Indeed, I am amazed at how this great wealth has made its home in this poverty.'" This is quoted by Davidson from the Gospel of Thomas which is rejected by fathers of the Christian Church, for it suggests that the soul may have derived and evolved from its life in the body, rather than vice versa. I find that "twist" fascinating!

Frankly, I find it difficult to believe that the historical Jesus actually spoke this thought, but somehow it does not matter. The Bible is a collection of many noble, and some not so noble, thoughts of human beings, but it has been edited for "proper" content by many biased editors with tunnel vision.

In this book many insights are given that point toward the existence and the character of the divine in human life. And I find them inspiring! Nowhere else have I found any writing on religion that approaches the dedication and illumination of this book. Page after page I am enthralled by my introduction to many obscure and unknown writers who, in their admiration for Jesus, have put their inspired words into his mouth in much the same way as the New Testament writers have done.

It is clear that I cannot praise this book enough. However, it is written for the seeker, not for the believer.

Jesus True Teachings Revealed by a Mystic.......2001-04-18

John Davidson has written a masterpiece on the esoteric meanings and mystical teachings of Jesus in the Gospels of the New Testament. Only a fellow soul on the spiritual path could reveal and convey the real meaning of the Gospel of Jesus as it was truly intended. Mr. Davidson illuminates not only the New Testament but other important spiritual and mystical writings and mystic teachers throughout the ages (Mandatory reading for everyone, not just Christians, scholars/historians of the Bible, and mystics). ...
When the inner esoteric meaning of the Gospel of Jesus is revealed to the reader by Mr Davidson (a mystic), profound revelation will be the result. Most books on the Gospels/Jesus are written by scholars with little spiritual awakening and acumen, and hence scholarly and sectarian dogma results with little understanding of true spirituality.
The only two caveats of Mr. Davidson when reading this book are, that he is an avid vegetarian and proponent of Gurus/teachers to help guide us (no doubt from eastern teachers influences on him). Further study of true mysticism without sectarianism for readers on the spiritual path is the Rosicrucian organisation AMORC, which is whole-heartedly recommended.

The Lost Words of Jesus.......2000-05-23

I found this book to be an amazing collection of the words of Jesus. It helped me to hear these words again. It validates my own mystical experiences. Ever since I was a small child, I had this feeling that something was missing in my religious teaching. When I read books like this, I have this feeling that I've known this before. The only problem I had with this book was the second to the last chapter in which the author tried to make a case for vegetarianism by insisting that Jesus was a vegetarian. I had a hard time swallowing the "evidence" for this. My question is, what difference does it make? John Davidson spends 900 pages showing us how the "kingdom is not of this world," and reveals a mystical and spiritual message. Then in the last hundred pages, he tells us that mystics shouldn't eat meat. Well, how spiritual is that? If reality is spiritual, then it shouldn't make a whole lot of difference whether we eat meat or not. If this book is ever revised for re-publication, I would strongly suggest that the chapter on vegetarianism be removed. It is not only out of place, but it detracts from the whole spiritual message. There might be a place for a discussion about vegetarianism in the Old and New Testaments. I know I wouldn't buy it, because I'm interested in the mystical and spiritual, not people's diet preferences. I think that readers of this book would also find *A Course in Miracles* inspiring and mind-changing.

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