Book Description
The appearance of this novel in 1988 stirred deep feelings, and this second edition will no doubt do the same. Maynard, a native of Crum (Wayne County), West Virginia, spins a shocking, often outrageous, always irreverent tale of a young man's rebellion against the people and the place which have surrounded his life. Part Huckleberry Finn and part The Red and the Black, the story is ultimately not about the town of Crum, but about the need to reject the comfort and familiarity of home and find a place in the larger world. At the same time, Crum is a touching and humorous look at small-town life, and at the peculiar rituals of male adolescence. Since its highly successful first publication, this novel has become something of an underground classic, with used copies now scarce and costly. Maynard adds a brief epilogue to this new edition, and West Virginia writer Meredith Sue Willis provides an introduction.
Customer Reviews:
Close to home.......2006-11-13
I grew up in Kermit, W.Va. - just up river from Crum about 8 miles. I finished the book today, 2006, and have felt moved and enriched all day from the reading experience. Just like the main character in the book Crum, I lived and breathed just to escape Kermit. I identified with many events, attitudes and feelings conveyed in the book and as a result found it a wonderful read - and I'm female. By the way, I did "get out" and now live in New Mexico. I return to the area regularly to visit the wonderful people of the area, but like the main character in the book know that I never in the past belonged there and still don't.
Get Over It .......2005-08-25
Lee Maynard's Crum is one of those rare, can't put it down treats that American literature rarely affords the addicted reader. After two chapters I was hooked and try as I might I could not save it for later. There are so few really readable books that it behooves one to save a few back to read when the pickings get particularly slim. Alas this one would not be saved!
I defy any perceptive reader to experience the swinging on vines description and not get 'thrill bump' reactions. It is only one of a book full of the taste, sound, reaction and emotion only the truly fortunate enjoy in their adolescence. Maynard's ear is definitely to the ground - the language rings true - there is no gratituous expletive for effect. Believe it or not that is the way boys (and girls) explore their language.
I am so glad I missed this book the first time around. What a treat - laughter, tears, heart beat of a connection to shared time and place.
K. Bruce Florence
An Honest, Funny Portrayal, Not a Betrayal.......2004-05-20
I found CRUM while skimming through the Appalachian Lit section in the Trans Allegheny Bookstore in Parkersburg, West Virginia and picked it up.
I grew up in southern Ohio and northern West Virginia and was looking for some regional story that wasn't filled with incest, black lung, and all the other despair that seems to find its way into print. None of that had been my experience (thank God!). In fact, I thought it was very cool place to grow up.
While CRUM touches on the stifling air and dreadful boredom of that little town (what kid wouldn't feel that way about where they were from?), it also brings to life some of the interesting characters there and provides some laughs about growing up.
I've read some of the reviews here that complain about the PORKY's-style humor, but I believed it was part of the narrator's honesty, not gratuitous gross-out pandering.
As far as some reviewers' outrage that anyone would compare Maynard to Twain: is there anything in CRUM more unbelievable than Huck Finn passing himself off as a woman and getting away with it? Try to leave literary snobbery out of this.
I've passed copies of the book around to friends of mine, mostly outdoorsmen, campers, hunters, etc. It spoke to them and they loved it.
One friend always quotes his favorite line from the first page: "Across the river lie Kentucky, mysterious land of pig...."
Well, I'll let you finish the rest.
You MUST Read This Book!!!.......2003-12-07
I first heard of Lee Maynard while listening to his interview with Terry Gross on NPR. I grew up in Chattaroy, not far from Crum - so, I was compelled to read the book. Even though I grew up there in the 1970s and 1980s, little had changed from the time in which the book was set. We were more mobile, but fundamentally, the same time and place. We did the same things and had as much fun, as many fights and forged enough friendships and memories to last a lifetime. It was a walk down memory lane and a fantastic journey for anyone. Read the book!!!
I've ordered Cannibals - now that I've finished Crum - I can't wait for it to arrive. I'll check back in with a proper review later.
A special thanks to Lee Maynard for pulling those memories back into my present.
A disappointment.......2003-07-09
"Crum," the story of a teenager growing up in Crum, WV in the 1950s, is a disappointment. The book reminded me more of the movie "Porkies" than it did of any well-respected coming-of-age author's work (some compared Maynard to Twain!). The original reviewer was correct in his statement that it will appeal mostly to adolescents or adults with the adolescent's sense of humor. I was not offended by the descriptions of this area of WV or the language, violence, or sex, but neither did I find any humor (one grin throughout the book)in the boys' antics or sympathy for the main character. In fact, I found I did not like any of the characters in the book. My mother and her siblings grew up in an area of WV similar to Crum in the 1950s (where Crum survived by the coal mines, my mother's family survived by farming), and the situations these boys found themselves in seemed a little over the top compared to the stories I have heard. The best part of the book is the final chapter Maynard added in the reissue entitled "Looking for Benny." In this chapter Maynard, speaking as himself, tells of his return to Crum as an adult. I found this chapter to be touching, and I could relate to his feelings of seeing monuments of childhood gone (the football field is now a parking lot). I think I saw the true Maynard here, and based upon this chapter, he would have done himself and his readers a big favor if he had written a straight-forward memoir of his life in Crum instead of the often-ridiculous portrait he offers the reader in his novel.
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Crum Bums
Brian Ralph
Manufacturer: Top Shelf Productions
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ASIN: 1603090029 |
Book Description
A time traveling Monkey finds himself marooned in the future. With little hope of repairing his time machine, he wanders the barren post-apocalyptic landscape alone. When he meets a curious group of future punks it seems as though the future might not be as inhospitable as he thought!
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Tolkien's Mighty Pen
C.N. Crum
Manufacturer: AuthorHouse
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ASIN: 1420855867 |
Book Description
JRR Tolkien is seen by many as the greatest fiction writer in history. His work resonates through generation after generation as it tackles the great questions of life. This work is an attempt to portray the decidedly Christian nature of Tolkien's writing. The first part of the book examines the great theme of Tolkien's work, death and mortality. The second deals with the theology of Tolkien, a superb explanation of the great truths of Christianity. The third and fourth parts deal with Tolkien's incredible examination of human nature and life on this Earth. The rich cast of characters that make up Middle Earth are examined, as are Tolkien's literary skills. The reader is taken along on a fascinating journey through the most creative imagination ever and will find a deeper understanding of the mysteries of existence, and perhaps, as Tolkien himself intended, become a better person.
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- "Snake in the hole!"
- A fair start to a promising trilogy
- Fair
- Not bad for game fiction...
- pretty good
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Venom's Taste (Forgotten Realms: House of Serpents, Book 1)
Lisa Smedman
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
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Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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Similar Items:
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Viper's Kiss: House of Serpents, Book II (Forgotten Realms: House of Serpents)
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Vanity's Brood: House of Serpents, Book III (House of Serpents)
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The Ruin (Forgotten Realms: Year of Rogue Dragons, Book 3)
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Final Gate (Forgotten Realms: The Last Mythal, Book 3)
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The Rite (Forgotten Realms: The Year of the Rogue Dragons, Book 2)
ASIN: 0786931663
Release Date: 2004-03-02 |
Book Description
The first in a new trilogy from R.A. Salvatore's War of the Spider Queen author Lisa Smedman.
Venom's Taste is the first title in a new trilogy exploring the political intrigues of the yuan-ti race, the details of which have been little explored in previous
Forgotten Realms products. Lisa Smedman will be penning the entire trilogy, which will affect many other storylines in the
Forgotten Realms setting.
Customer Reviews:
"Snake in the hole!" .......2007-08-05
Venom's Taste deals with a neglected part of the Realms: the Vilhon Reach and specifically the city of Hlondeth (located southwest of the Sea of Fallen Stars).
The book sheds light on Arvin, a rogue/psion, and his efforts at preventing the enslavement of the city's human population who are being used as pawns in the ruling yuan-ti political schemes. In the process he will realize that saving himself might be more than he can handle let alone saving the general population...
The book starts off incredibly well, immediately catching the reader's interest and attention. The plot as a whole is excellent! The book is so incredibly well written and presented that the reader feels that they have been transported to another plane of existence and are actually present among the characters, seeing what they see, feeling what they feel, sensing what they sense.
Lisa Smedman has done a FANTASTIC job of acquiring and presenting, efficiently and successfully, essential knowledge relevant to Faerun, including customs, religion and the history of the peoples of Toril. Her solid grasp of factual detail makes her capable of providing the necessary background needed to carry out the difficult task of writing Forgotten Realms novels, which is something often missing from the work of many Fantasy authors. Consequently, from the moment you pick up the book you have trouble putting it down and if that is not a clear sign of a fantastic writer/author, I don't know what is!
Relations between Hlondeth's yuan-ti and humans are described very well and in great detail throughout the book so that the reader truly feels what it's like to be under the thumb of the yuan-ti.
In addition, this is the first time I've seen members of a Thieves' Guild really making extensive use of Thieves' Cant.
Moreover, beginning on page 92 and up until the end, the author provides valuable information regarding psions and their powers.
Lisa Smedman also does a fantastic job of presenting the sheer evil of the cult of Talona early on in the book (pages 14-20).
Furthermore, on pages 232-233, the author provides one more exceptional portrayal that helps teleport the reader to Faerun, with the description of Hlondeth's infamous execution Pits.
Finally, I was pleasantly surprised when halfway through (pages 154-155) a priest of Assuran (Hoar) makes his appearance (Assuran happens to be my all time favorite of the Faerunian gods!).
On the negative side, the author repeatedly presents Arvin's experience at Ilmater's priesthood-run orphanage as something resembling Oliver Twist or some Catholic school from the past e.g. on page 303, "Arvin's body tensed. No. He wouldn't. That was sewage down there, foul-smelling, filthy-chocked water laden with disease. The stench of it brought back all of Arvin's worst memories of the orphanage and the cruel punishments Ilmater's priests had inflicted on him. Of being wrapped in magical stink that wouldn't wash off, that made him the subject of other children's taunts and jeers..." I tend to disagree with this approach. Ilmater's clerics would hardly be running a workhouse using child labor or be carrying out cruel punishments on children.
Moreover, on page 120 what appears to be a Frostbrand blade breaks during the battle, which is highly unlikely to say the least!
Nevertheless, these are minor issues compared to the overall story, the dialogues, and the small details that are all wonderful and create a strong sense of mystery and anticipation.
I was pleased that the setting for this book was the city of Hlondeth. I wish more novels would be set in never or little-before covered areas of Faerun, namely Hillsfar, Zhentil Keep, Thay, Chessenta, Threskel, Unther, and Mulhorand to name a few, as opposed to the usual, Waterdeep/Sword Coast or Western Heartlands locations.
If you love the Vilhon Reach, try and get your hands on a copy of the Vilhon Reach Accessory and the Powers & Pantheons Campaign Expansion (they are both Second Edition AD&D, out of print and it will take a bit of searching, but it's well worth it), and the Third Edition Serpent Kingdoms Campaign Supplement.
In conclusion, Venom's Taste is a book highly recommended to all Fantasy and especially Forgotten Realms fans. Those with a soft spot for the Vilhon Reach and Hlondeth in particular will have a ball.
Looking forward to reading the sequel, Viper's Kiss.
A fair start to a promising trilogy.......2005-08-09
I wish there was .5 options for the ratings as this book would have gotten a 3.5.
I really do ejoy Ms. Smedman's work, yet this book at times seemed a little slow to me. I attribute this to a couple things - 1) She is setting up pretty much a new race and needs to fully explain the nuiances of the race. 2) Not many books have been written about the 'powers' used in this book - so again more explanation is needed. 3) Just a new part of the Realms, so again more explanation.
Once you get through all the description and explanation there is actually a good plot/story in this book. The characters seemed a little forced at times, but overall they are well written.
Well this certainly isn't the best book I have read written in the Realms, it's not the worst either. I enjoyed the second book much more than the first. Read my review there to find out why. ;-)
Fair.......2005-05-04
I've read a lot worse--this kept me pretty entertained, all in all. Smedman's work is something I have not usually liked, so this is an improvement.
Not bad for game fiction..........2005-03-11
Yes, it was a blatant marketing trick. Yes, you could occasionally see the die rolls. But that describes most game fiction.
At least it was well-written...and it went into lots of intriguing detail on the wonderfully creepy yuan-ti. A pity the second book in the trilogy nowhere near lives up to such promise.
pretty good.......2004-10-07
I didn't think was an excellent book, but it is different from the usual faire of Forgotten Realms, which is known for unstoppable juggernaughts. This story felt a lot more real, and it got into the insidious Yuan-ti. The humanoid snakes that treat people as slaves and second class life forms.
The exploration of the psionics was a good idea. it is something that hasn't been explored much in any novel that I am aware of. It also got into a new evil race, one that is out in the open. The cold and poisonous Yuan-ti, which I found most enjoyable. They touched on their society and lifestyle, as well as their interaction with humans. Always managing to show them as having humanlike appetites at times, but not human emotions. The main characters toy with people in a detached manner, or with mild amusement. They don't try to redeam them with the half bloods, or showing they have their good points. They aren't human, and don't make any effort to be so.
The main problems that I had with the book is that it touched on a lot of good subjects, but didn't explore them to any great degree. I would have liked to have know more about the society of reptiles, more than what they like to drink. I want to know what type of ruling body they have, or how they interact with one another, their religion, etc.... The characters also suffer from lack of attention. I don't even remember the main characters name, just that he was special, and made magical devices and ropes.
Decent book, and good direction, but I hope it is fleshed out more in future novels.
Book Description
Long recovered from the ravages of the Riftwar, the land and people of the kingdom of the Isles thrive. Nicholas, the youngest son of Prince Arutha, is intelligent and gifted but vastly inexperienced. In hopes of hardening him, his father sends him and his irreverent squire, Harry, to live at Rustic Castle Crydee to learn of life beyond the halls of privilege. But within weeks of Nicholas and Harry's arrival, Crydee is viciously attacked by unknown assailants, resulting in murder, massive destruction, and the abduction of two young noblewomen. The raiders have come from a pirate haven and are no ordinary foe ... but an enemy connected to dark magical forces that threaten the lands Nicholas will someday rule -- if he survives.
Customer Reviews:
The making of a royal pirate? :).......2007-09-19
This book revolves around Arutha conDoin's youngest son, Nicholas, who stands third in line for the throne of the Kingdom of the Isles, on Midkemia.
Nicholas has always been sheltered, mostly because of a lame foot that he had been born with. He is sent to Crydee, along with Nakor and Ghuda (if you read the prior book in the series, Prince Of The Blood, you would recognize those two characters) to squire for Duke Martin, in part to get him out of the sheltered court, and to give him space to grow. He is also joined by Harry, his own Squire. While there, the town is viciously attacked, virtually every building is burned down, and only those handful mistaken for dead as surviving. There are reports that the attackers had taken many captives, including Margaret, Duke Martin's daughter, and her companion Abigail. So it is that Nicholas sets off on Amos Trask's ship in hot pursuit with a small group of men to rescue the captives, believing that they have been taken to the Sunset Islands.
Instead, they find themselves travelling across the Endless Sea to Novindus, a continent unknown and unexplored by those of the Kingdom. Stranded in this strange land after their ship sinks, Nicholas and his small band of men set out to free the captives, and discover that they have stumbled on an intricate plot by the Pantathian serpent priests, a death cult, to plunge the Kingdom into chaos, and seize the Lifestone (a relic which we are introduced to in A Darkness At Sethanon, as capable of destroying all life on the planet).
Feist does an excellent job of expanding his world once more, bringing us a colorful description of the exotic Novindus, a continent with a broad mix of cultures, with each area controlled by local militias.
The heart of the novel is the growth of Nicholas. With magic, his foot is healed physically, yet whenever he is faced with a challenge, his foot hurts - excrutiatingly at first, then less with each instance, till the pain is gone. This is all a psychological metaphor, for Nicholas - facing all his fears, and throwing away the psychological crutch he had been leaning on all his life, using his lame foot as an excuse for failure or to grant him excuse for exception.
As usual, it is the characters that are Feist's strong suit. Each character comes to life, and you feel saddened at the end of the book when you have to leave them behind.
I highly recommend this book.
one of the best books I've read!.......2006-06-30
I was hesitant to start reading Feist because I didn't want to get involved in such a long series, but I am so glad I did. This book in particular is my favorite from the Riftwar Saga. The changes you see in young Prince Nicholas from beginning to end are a joy to read. He matures from a young rogue of a boy to a battle hardened man, seeing things in his young life that most men never see. With his companion Harry by his side he learns what it means to be a leader and also about the perils of war and death and most of all the perils of young love. The most poingnent moment to me is his return home, the changes in him and the reaction of his father Prince Arutha. A definite must read!!!!!!
A good story with major flaws........2006-04-24
The underlying plot is good. Mr Feist brings likeable characters that develop over time in credible ways. If this were a stand-alone book in another setting it would be better.
This story fails when it starts foreshadowing the upcoming serpentwar. The biggest flaws are Pug and Tomas, the major characters from the prior series. Both are incredibly powerful. Both have very strong ties to characters in this story. Both inexplicably do not involve themselves in the events of this story. Of course we know why. They are far too powerful and would trivialize the entire "adventure". But it is ludicrous that either Pug or Tomas would allow events to unfold without interfering directly. Pug's adopted family is involved. Tomas's parents are involved. Their birthplace is involved. The excuses that are given are paper-thin. The idea that neither of them keeps an eye on the town in question stretches credulity past breaking.
If this story were consistent with the prior series, it would be 3 pages long. There would be the attack by the bad guys foiled by Pug and Tomas, followed by a thorough retaliation by Pug and Tomas on dragonback. The end. Obviously not a good story, but when you have god-like characters, you have to explain their absence, especially if you start blowing up their home town and killing their family.
Feist changes pace.......2006-01-03
When you look forward to action as in the previous novels and I actually read the Serpentwar before this one so I got to see what happened to him later on, I was a little disappointed in this one. Not enough to drop below a 4 star though, it still had enough to keep me going. I just wish he'd've stayed with the old formula, i much more enjoyed that.
If you enjoyed Feist, you may like The Unsuspecting Mage by Brian S. Pratt, a new but good up and coming author.
Good continuation to the story.......2005-11-18
The King's Buccaneer by Raymond Feist is the sixth book set in the world of Midkemia. This book follows one of the kids of the characters in the Rift-War saga. Nicky, son of Arutha.
The story itself is rather daring. It would have been very easy for Feist to get lost in the details of pieces of the story, but he tells just enough to keep the reader informed without dragging the progress of the book down. There are several sub-plots within this book, as usual Feist pulls the strings of all the plots to keep the reader guessing what is going to come next. He does a masterful job of juggling all the plot lines before bringing them all together at the end. The pacing of this book is a little different than the Rift-war books in that it is more intrigue than action. Yet, that is not a bad thing. Not all books need battle scenes of thousands of people. In this one Feist does a good job of allowing the reader to feel what is going on. A couple time I found myself rooting for a character, which is rare for me to do.
The character development in this book is again right on par with what you would expect with Feist. He makes you believe that even the minor characters are meaningful and worth notice. The development of Nicky is by far the most substantial and worth the read itself. I read one review asking where the `interesting' characters were, ala Pug, Thomas etc. I found the characters in this book just as interesting, if not more, than the previously established characters. I enjoy that Feist allows his characters to be abused and to face situations where they get hurt and have doubts. They are not all powerful like some characters in fantasy novels now days. Feist also has the vision to understand that his characters need to die and should not dominate a story simply because fans like them. He introduces new characters for a reason and should be applauded for that.
This story certainly sets up the next saga called the Serpent war saga. Some things are resolved in this book, but many things are left wide open for the reader to consider until the next book is read.
With all that said, this is not the best Feist book I have read, but I think this is still an enjoyable read. If you are a fan of Feist and have read te other books before this, most notably the Rift-War saga, then you will like this book and I recommend others to read the Rift-war saga and jump head first into the land of Feist. You will not be disappointed.
Book Description
This is the swashbuckling biography of the naval officer known as the Sword of England, the Welshman Henry Morgan. Over the years, Morgan came to be portrayed as a black-hearted, fierce pirate. This error in terms and in the assessment of Morgan's character led to the filing of the first libel lawsuit, brought in protest to a book published in 1684 claiming he had been an indentured servant, was a pirate, and was responsible for atrocities. In fact, Morgan was commissioned to aid the British navy in fighting enemies of the crown and was a superb military tactician who led a dozen victorious campaigns against massive odds. In 1655, Spain was the greatest naval and military power on earth, and controlled the sea lanes of Central America and the Caribbean. Henry Morgan's career as a buccaneer officially began when, at age twenty, he landed in Barbados as part of a force deployed to capture Cuba or Hispaniola (Puerto Rico) for the British. The deployment failed, but the forces did capture Jamaica, which would become Morgan's adopted home base for the rest of his life. From there, Morgan planned the attacks that would enrich the British throne and usher in the era of British supremacy on the high seas. For his leadership in battle and as lieutenant governor of Jamaica, Admiral Sir Henry Morgan deserves to take his place alongside Sir Francis Drake and the Duke of Wellington in the panoply of history's greatest heroes.
Customer Reviews:
A full account of Morgan's myths and realities .......2005-05-09
Welshman Henry Morgan began as a naval officer, but made his reputation as a fierce pirate - a reputation challenged in the first libel lawsuit brought into protect a book about him published in 1684 claiming he was a terror of the high seas. In fact, he'd been commissioned to help the British navy fighting enemies of the crown and proved his worth as a military strategist on the high seas, and Welsh history expert Terry Breverton provides this full account of Morgan's myths and realities in his lively biography ADMIRAL SIR HENRY MORGAN: KING OF THE BUCCANEERS. Chapters review his leadership, his heroic struggles, and his ability to plan attacks which would ensure British supremacy abroad. An unusual, lively read.
Customer Reviews:
Morgan - much more than Yo ho ho and a Bottle of Rum.......2006-09-22
Sir Henry Morgan left behind a huge legend, but not much else - no artifacts of his life remain, no heir carried on his name - even his grave was lost when Port Royal was obliterated by earthquake and swallowed by the sea shortly after his death. Today, most know him better as myth than history, or worse, as nothing more than a cartoon caricature used to sell rum. In `The Buccaneer King', (also published as `Harry Morgan's Way'), navel historian and novelist Dudley Pope cuts through the myths and reconstructs for us the history of this bold and fascinating man.
It would be impossible to understand Morgan without some basic knowledge of the history of European conquest and conflict in the West Indies, the pivotal part that Jamaica played in that conflict, or the history and significance of the buccaneers to that conflict. Pope realized this; `The Buccaneer King' is as much an early history of Jamaica and the West Indies buccaneers as it is a biography of Morgan. Henry Morgan doesn't even enter the action of the book until chapter seven. Pope used his initial chapters to explain how Spain came to be in conflict with the English, Dutch, and French in the West Indies, and to tell the fascinating story of how the unique buccaneer culture developed. We learn that buccaneer has a very specific meaning, and is not an interchangeable synonym for pirate, and discover the fine legal and ethical points that separated privateers from pirates as well. All of this is absolutely necessary background to understanding a man who was not only the undisputed leader of the buccaneers of the West Indies, but was knighted by his king and made lieutenant governor of Jamaica.
Morgan was a bold man of action, equal to the great Sir Francis Drake in stature, and a history of his exploits makes for fascinating reading. Pope is at his best when describing Morgan's major raids (for he was more soldier than sailor, ships being little more than the transport that moved his troops for land battles) against Granada, Portobelo, Maracaibo, and Panama. Much of his life was spent in the intrigue and battles of Jamaican politics as well, and though these can be interesting, Pope does not show the same deft touch when writing of them, and sometimes my interest waned under the brunt of their detail. Still, all told `The Buccaneer King' is a riveting read - exciting, informative, well written, and recommended.
Theo Logos
Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica, Scourge of Panama.......2004-06-14
Captain Henry Morgan is famous amongst Spanish historians as being a "pirate" whose band of theives traipsed across the Panamanian Isthmus and sacked old Panama City. He is famous among English naval circles as a supposedly "legitimate" English colonist whose acts were immortalized in Captain Charles Johnson's General History of the Pyrates. He is even more famous among Americans for his heavily stylized image on labels of Captain Morgan's Rum.
In fact, Morgan deserves to be treated - as here in Pope's magnificently reserached biography - as a hero of early Jamaican development; a man who devoted himself to the defense of the island and its satellites against the encroachments of Spain, and who tirelessly strove to take the war to the Spanish themselves. Hence the dazzling attacks not only on Panama City but also such ports as Colon and Cartagena. His supposedly "piratical" acts were almost always sanctioned by the Crown or ratified after-the-fact (he was lieutenant-governor of Jamaica); indeed his main goal at all times was to secure enough local currency to finance Jamaica's defenses, a pressing necessity given the lack of ready cash at the court of Charles II. Pope also paints a vivid picture of colonial Port Royal, which was destroyed in an earthquake soon after Morgan's death.
Captmorgan1670.......2001-11-27
Outstanding account of this period in history. Mr. Morgan's reputation of a conniving thug are dispelled. This is a fun and informative book.
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King's Buccaneer
Raymond E. Feist
Manufacturer: Harpercollins Publis
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ASIN: 0246133295 |
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful tale of a French Pirate in the 17th century (true or not).......2006-07-31
This is very posibly a fake memour, but true enough to the facts of the time. It follows the adventures of a Frenchman, Le Golif (the author), from his problems starting in France (basicly results of his womanizing), to his times with a Buccan trader, to being a pirate crewman, and then captian. There are amorous adventures, pirate raids, and prison escapes. It is well written and exciting, and a must for fans of historical adventure.
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Book Description
Here is a complete translation of all the published cuneiform tablets of the various Babylonian creation stories, of both the Semitic Babylonian and the Sumerian material. Each creation account is preceded by a brief introduction dealing with the age and provenance of the tablets, the aim and purpose of the story, etc. Also included is a translation and discussion of two Babylonian creation versions written in Greek. The final chapter presents a detailed examination of the Babylonian creation accounts in their relation to our Old Testament literature.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent translations marred by apologetics in the commentary.......2005-12-29
On the one hand, this book contains readable, scholarly translations of various Mesopotamian myths- "Enuma Elish", "Adapa and the South Wind", "The Slaying of the Lion", and several others. While I don't know Akkadian, the translations appear to be very thorough. In places where the text is missing, this is indicated by a gap, rather than simply ignored or even "filled in" as it is in many of the more popular (read: for the layman) translations of these myths.
On the other hand, as the author himself writes in his introduction, the purpose of this book is not primarily for those interested in Assyriology, but for the use of "the Old Testament scholar and the Christian minister." This dissapointed me, as this is not mentioned at all on the back cover, and I was expecting a book that would be accessible to an amateur Assyriology enthusiast like myself; what I got was essentially a translation followed by a Christian apologetic. As someone who also happens to be interested in the Near Eastern background of Hebrew thought, I was well aware of the biblical myth of the Leviathan and its connection to the Marduk-Tiamat combat motif found throughout Ancient Near Eastern literature. In his commentary to the Enuma Elish however, the author often goes to ridiculous lengths in order to remove this story from the Bible- the various biblical passages that refer to Yahweh slaying the Leviathan in the context of Creation are not to be taken at face value, he says; rather, they are mere metaphors for the story of the crossing of the Red Sea. The evidence used to support this point is typical apologetic wordplay and hocus-pocus: the author posits that because Egypt is identified poetically with the Leviathan in one instance, we should extend this poetic interpretation to ALL mentions of the Leviathan. In the instances where the Leviathan's status as a large animal cannot be denied even by the most acrobatic apologetics (as in Job 41), the author claims that it is a description of a crocodile, apparently interpreting the reference to it breathing fire as another "metaphor." The author refers to the opening chapters of Genesis as "free from all mythological references", and takes theological statements from the New Testament and retroactively assumes that the authors of the Old Testament shared the same theology. Sympathetic references to the doctrine of Biblical Inerrancy are found throughout the commentary, and the Babylonians' "crude" polytheism is constantly contrasted with the Bible's "philosophical" monotheism. In one instance where the author dares to suggest that the Bible is referencing a common superstition of the time (Job 3), he is quick to point out that this is Job (a non-Israelite) talking, not the Bible. He is apparently unable to entertain the idea that the Bible is a product of the world it was written in. Maybe this was considered a respectable academic position in the '40s, but not now.
Good overview for the uninitiated........1999-07-21
The book is not intended for students of Akkadian as there is no cuneiform or transcripted Akkadian. Everything is in translation. The book centers around the Enuma Elish (the biggest creation account), but has many other smaller creation legends. There is a synopsis of the Elish as well as various theories about its dating, composition, etc. There is also a lengthy (58 page) article showing parallels to the Old Testament creation account. The author does a good job of being objective, but leans toward showing the uniqueness of the Genesis account and contrasts it quite a bit against the remaining semitic literature.
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