The Collected Jack London: Thirty-Six Stories/Four Complete Novels/a Memoir

Book Description

Once the legendary knights of the Gabala defended the nine duchies. Their hearts were beautiful; their armor was beyond compare. They were greater than princes, more than men.
But they were gone, disappeared through a demon-haunted gateway between worlds. Only one held back -- Manannan, whose every instinct told him to stay. Now he was the coward knight, and in torment.
Murder and black magic beset the land. Rumors circulated that the king was enchanted, changed, that his soul was dead . . . and that a reign of terror was about to begin.
Now Manannan realized he would have to face his darkest fears: he had no choice but to ride through that dreaded gate and seek out his vanished companions.
And the secret he would learn there would tear his soul apart . . . .
"A sharp, distinctive medieval fantasy. Dramatic, colorful, taut." -- Locus

Customer Reviews:

Super Reader.......2007-08-26

A tale interwoven with some elements and figures from Celtic mythology. Manannan is a man, and a former knight, who could not face travelling to another world with his former comrades in arms. This is somewhat understandable, but he sees it as a failure.

He is forced to overcome his fears and is horrified to learn of what they have become. When he does, he must become a knight again and lead the resistance to these not-men who have suborned the leadership and are doing lots of evil. That is what vampires do, after all.

Knights in not-so-shiny armour..........2006-08-03

A vampire novel by David Gemmell, could it be true? Well, yes and no. Sure, there are vampires, not the soppy "woe is me" Anne Rice variety, or the creepy "lock up your daughters" variety of Bram Stoker. These vampires are the "I am going to cut off your head with ease" variety you would expect from David Gemmell.
So, in a way, the fact that the bad guys are vampires is fairly immaterial. The whole "vampire" thing seems to be a physical expression of the spiritual concern of goodness being corrupted by lust and power.
To be expected, there are characters whose mission it is to stop the spread of evil. The great difference is that nearly all of these characters engage in opposition to the evil due to situational circumstances, rather than actual real choice. They are the direct opposite of those they face. The "good guys" are once-evil guys who have come back to the light.
Oh man, I really loved this book this second time I read it!
It has a huge cast, and like in a George R R Martin novel, don't expect all the main characters to be there at the end. I actually think this novel could have benefitted from being longer, say 100,000 more words or so, so that the characters could be more "fleshed out" and our attachment to them greater. Don't take that as a criticism. It is merely an observation on how "large" the story is packed into a small book. Some of the concepts are quite detailed, and different to other Gemmell books. The "colours" for example. Other elements will be familiar enough for any die-hard Gemmell fan to like.
I love the extension of the anti-hero concept that is prevalent in this book. Read it if you like David Gemmell, if you liked the movie "13th warrior", if you are "into" vampires, if you like Robin Hood stories (you willknow what I mean when you read about Llaw Gyffes). Best character: Groundsel (who also has one of the most heroic scenes, but I don't want to ruin it for you if you haven't read it).

Another Excellent Fantasy Experience.......2006-01-01

I'm a huge David Gemmell fan, having read nearly everything he's published. This story is another classic Gemmell construct. In the war between good and evil the heroes are faulty, sometimes fallen people. The villains can be Machiavellian ambitious with a strong sense of chivalric honor. Gemmell does another excellent job of breathing life into the multiple protagonists.

A king implements genocide for supernatural purposes. With the disappearance of the lawful knights of Gaballa to a different dimension, the king's red knights seem unstoppable.

A group of men and women join together to become heroic as they fight back. Many of these heroes are told of their death if they fight, and that if they flee in exile they will have long lives. This is a common motif in Gemmells characters. Confronted with the knowledge of life and death, what path would you choose? Gemmell's heroes choose the path of death, and believe that even along that future they control their fate. Sometimes, rarely, they succeed.

You will not be disappointed in this book. Its high adventure filled with warriors, wizards, and magical beasts. The world is gritty with hard honorable men and women. The characters are recognizable. Some brood while others cheerily face death. Their stories are intriguing--
And greatly satisfying.

Doesn't get the notice.......2005-11-22

I think this is a hidden gem. David Gemmell is known more for his Drenai world and his Stones of Power and Rigante series. This novel is a stand alone tale. It is typical Gemmell with tight writing and lots of action, but enough little twists here and there to make it differant from his other work. It is a story of redemption. This is one you should pick up.

Pretty good stand alone title........2005-11-10

I'm a fan of Gemmell's Drenai series. I like his writing, although I recognize that it's formulaic, I think he has a great turn of phrase, characters with multifaceted motivations, and a talent for battle prose. His ability to transfer humor, annoyance, and comraderie is stellar. But that's enough about Mr. David Gemmell. This book is pretty good.

Pretty interesting take on a centuries old mythos, and probably truer to the originations of that story than other modern tales. The "colors" were a bit hard to get into, and I felt they left me with the idea that every "magic system" had been done and there was a stretch here to find something a bit creative. Came off in some ways, but not completely.

The story moves right along and for the most part you come to care about those you started out hating, a tried and true Gemmell formula for sure. But I felt that the timeline jumped about a little too much and in the end I wanted some of the subplots more fleshed out. The word I'm looking for is "abrupt". This book has that quality.

It's really a 3.5, but I'm rounding up for David since I like the way his mind works and it's a decent novel that stands on it's own. You are unlikely to be let down by this one. In many ways, I sense a similarity to the Drenai series and wonder if this wasn't a storyline he wanted to pursue in that world, but felt that he couldn't make it work. But I haven't read any of his other "worlds" yet, so maybe that's a common theme with him.

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The Knights of Dark Renown

Manufacturer: Ballantine
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0345021045

Product Description

Mass market paperback by Ballantine, 1971. Cover art by Gino D'Achille. He was Reynald of Chatillion. He had killed more than 70 Moslems, men, women,and children. Known to his friends as Prince Reynald, he was known to the Saracens as the Red Wolf of the Desert, the most dangerous man in Palestine. Historical ficion set in the time of the Crusades. 305 pp

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KNIGHTS OF DARK RENOWN
GRAHAM SHELBY
Manufacturer: FONTANA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000S3766A

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The Knights of Dark Renown
Shelby Graham
Manufacturer: Ballantine
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000W2U9RU

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The Knights of Dark Renown
Graham Selby
Manufacturer: Weybright and Talley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PHTDOM

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Knights of Dark Renown
David Gemmell
Manufacturer: Legend
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000M67WEO

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Knights of Dark Renown
David Gemmell
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OR50NQ

Average customer rating:

Good treatment of an rarely explored topic

The knights of dark renown
Graham Shelby
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: 0002214113

Customer Reviews:

Good treatment of an rarely explored topic.......2005-06-14

This book follows the lives and actions of Europeans living and ruling in Palestine after the second crusade. The book centers on the conflict between the Christian leaders and the Saracans led by Saladin. There is much conflict between those who want to continue the peace with the Moslems, notably the leper King Baldwin and his supporters, led by the noble Lord Balian and those who scorn peace and want to wipe out the Moslems, led by the despicable Lord Reynald, known for his cruel acts of violence. Along with political intrigue the book features the romance between Humphrey, the stepson of the dreaded Reynald, and Isabella, the stepdaughter of Balian.

This book offers a clear look into the trials and tribulations of life in Palestine during the Middle ages. It has it all: intrigue, battles, love, romance - and it delivers all of these components in solid fashion. Shelby takes dry historical facts and breathes life into them, filling in the gaps with characteristic insight and detail, resulting in a wonderful story that transports the reader into the time and place of the Crusades. By the time of the fateful final battle with Saladin and his forces, the reader wishes to be transported into the leaders' tents to bash some sense into them. This book is more than a good read: it is an educational experience of a time and place most of us know very little of. This book is hard to find, but it is worth the look.

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Knights of Dark Renown, The
Graham Shelby
Manufacturer: Fontana Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000NB02HM

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Knights of Dark Renown
David Gemmell
Manufacturer: Random House of Canada, Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000LNHTDM

Book Description

WEDDINGS, a combination reference and coffee table book with photographs and drawings, covers the love philosophy and weddings of many religions and the past and present marriage customs and weddings from most world countries, including tribal and ethnic cultures. The reader may start reading anywhere in the book and be entertained, amused, and overwhelmed by a beautiful ceremony. It even contains familiar and unfamiliar news breaking information. The final chapter features Twentieth Century European, African, and Asian royal weddings and how the couples met.

Product Description

Envision a First Date. Infuse a Relationship. Plan a Wedding. Live the French Life. French romance: the history and mythology, the poetry, blessings, food and drinks. A book for everyone looking to embrace all things French in the ways of love. Start with courtship, then create the perfect wedding, and keep the fire alive with everyday French living.

Customer Reviews:

L'amour, toujour - the French know romance!.......2007-01-26

The French have always been known for being true romantics. Lisa's book on French romance and weddings gives those of us who weren't born there the chance to revel in the history, culture and traditions of that culture. It comes complete with ideas for proposals, engagements, and weddings, as well as recipes to bring the glory of France to your table.

From the history of famous French lovers, through courting and dating traditions, reading the book is like steeping yourself in the fragrance of the lavender hillsides of Provence, the taste of champagne, and the passion induced by a close embrace and the whisper of "l'amour".

I've only been to Paris once, with an old friend. As we were strolling through the Montmartre area, an artist approached us and asked if he could sketch a portrait of my friend's petite soeur (little sister). It took a moment to realize he meant me. Nowhere but Paris could I be half so lovely as he drew me, half so beautiful and carefree, half so open to new possibilities. This book is a recipe for romance. Read it an enjoy.

Average customer rating:

just your typical nothing special book
Love, Irish Style

Weddings and Courtships - Ireland
Lisa Shea
Manufacturer: Windstorm Creative
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Weddings | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Planning | Weddings | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1590921003
Release Date: 2007-01-01

Product Description

Envision a rirst date. Infuse a relationship. Plan a wedding. Live the Irish Life. Irish romance: the history and mythology, the poetry, blessings, food and drinks. A book for everyone looking to embrace all things Irish in the ways of love. Start with courtship, then create the perfect wedding, and keep the fire alive with everyday Irish living.

Customer Reviews:

just your typical nothing special book.......2007-06-18

There were no special courtship and marriage rituals in this book except one that is not used in America and other cultures. It was a dissapointment to us both as we were looking forward to a bit more exciting things to learn for our dating period and for our wedding, instead we simply turned to a friend who knows much more about the real ways of Ireland and between us and our studies of the old ways and the Christian ways we had a lovely courtship and wedding despite the books lack of information. The author needs a little less generalism and a little more resaearch and soaking in the cultures. All her books are too similar.I am sorry to say.

Love, Irish Style.......2007-01-24

Lisa Shea has finally penned the end of a long-held Irish myth...that the Irish are a bit backward in the romance department. Finally! The record has been set straight: the Irish do believe in romance. Many Irish children grew up never suspecting that the parents might be in the least interested in one another---the Irish were definitely circumspect in the last century---yet there were babies appearing every year like clockwork...and sometimes even "Irish twins." Irish twins describes a year with two little brothers, sisters, or one of each (even, as in the case of some cousins, Irish triplets, a brother born in January and twin sisters in November.) Now, if that prospect hasn't brought about a reconsideration of any romantic inclinations, read on...

In Weddings & Courtship in Ireland, Lisa Shea reveals the true romantic Irish soul. Irish folklore is full of stories of the mating game, and there are traditions to guide us on every step of the process. Whether it has to do with divining the intentions of the fellow, the wording of the proposal, or the reason behind the Irish way of doing things...generally practical as well as romantic, the author has added it to her charming collection of Irish love lore.

While the parents may have been shy, we all figured out eventually that there was something pretty special going on between them. Indeed. Stories of Irish lovers of old, like Conor and Ethne, Queen Maeve and Aillil, CuChulain and Emer are powerful and passionate. In the early days, the Irish used trial marriages to test their commitment, women were the social equals of men, and there were seasons and reasons for every human endeavor. These traditions have come down to us through the ages, sometimes disguised to suit the political climate, but as Lisa has no trouble convincing us, love always wins out in the end.

With St. Valentine's Day fast approaching, the launch of Lisa's Weddings and Courtship series, which includes volumes on Italy and France as well, is perfectly timed. Reading Weddings & Courtship in Ireland you'll find songs, toasts, poems, quotes, and tales for lovers young and old. And since we're on the subject, I'll throw in the little poem that Auntie Mary taught me one lonesome Sunday afternoon: "Oh blessed Saint Ann, send me a man, as fast as you can." And then, there he was, he was right behind me. Smiling.

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That's amore'!

Weddings and Courtships - Italy
Lisa Shea
Manufacturer: Windstorm Creative
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Marriage | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Weddings | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Planning | Weddings | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1590921011

Product Description

Envision a First Date. Infuse a Relationship. Plan a Wedding. Live the Italian Life. Italian romance: the history and mythology, the poetry, blessings, food and drinks. A book for everyone looking to embrace all things Italian in the ways of love. Start with courtship, then create the perfect wedding, and keep the fire alive with everyday Italian living.

Customer Reviews:

That's amore'!.......2007-01-26

Someday, I'll go to Italy. I'll drift down the canals of Venice, stand at the foot of the Coliseum, wonder at the Tower of Pisa. Until then, though, this book will help me enjoy the best of Italian culture and romance and bring it into my home. I married an Italian gentleman, and know that there is nothing like the riveting magnetism of the unadorned gaze of an Italian in love. If you want to sweep someone off their feet Italian style, the recipe is in this book.

Steeped in history and tradition, Italy has been described as a piece of heaven on earth. From the history of famous Italian loves, to recipes for some of the finest food and drink found anywhere, to the traditions of courting, proposing, and marrying, this book touches on all things Amore'.

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Enchanted Maidens
James M. Taggart
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Folklore & Mythology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0691028524

Book Description

Spanish villagers tell many folktales that describe in metaphorical language the struggles of young men and women as they emerge from their parental families and join in love. In this book James Taggart presents dozens of orally transmitted tales, including "Snow White," "Cinderella," "Beauty and the Beast," "Blancaflor," and dragonslayer stories, collected from seven villages in the region of CNBceres, and analyzes the differences in male and female approaches to telling them. His study shows how men and women use the tales to grapple with some of the contradictions found in gender relations in their culture, which conditions men to be sexually assertive and to marry virgins and which teaches women to fear the men who court them. Taggart interprets the male-female dialogue voiced through storytelling by linking the content of specific tales to the life experiences and gender of the storyteller. Men and women, he finds, carry out an exchange of ideas by retelling the same stories and altering the plots and characters to express their respective views of courtship. This indirect narrative dialogue conveys an understanding of the opposite sex and establishes a common model of marriage that permits men and women to overcome their fear of each other and bond in heterosexual love.

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The first concept of CSI
Makes me long for the sequel or the movie
Fascinating Read - A totally different worldview
Not nearly as good as I had hoped
The Marriage of Six

Courtship Rite
Donald Kingsbury
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 067145224X

Customer Reviews:

The first concept of CSI.......2006-11-30

Anyone else remember the investigators who hit the hotel room and took samples of hair, semen, skin, fingerprints and all the things you see in the CSI and modern cop shows?

Talk about ahead of their time.

Makes me long for the sequel or the movie.......2003-01-06

Courtship Rite is one of those books that I have long kept on my bookshelf to re read to remind me that genius is seldom what we think it should be. This thought applies not only to the splended telling of the story of the family maran-Kaiel, but also to the story itself. Once you throw away the cultural taboos of our society, (plural mariage, canabilism, ect)and dig into the ethics presented, it makes for incredible reading. Written in the early 1980's, the parable deals with bioethics, war, famine, individual choice, weapons of mass distruction, and the ethical question "do the needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few or the one?" Insightful, enthralling, entertaining, and worthy of thought beyond one casual read.It is timely, and I wish that it would be taken out of mothballs and re released as our world dallies with many of these same issues
Like "Lord of the Rings" which could only become a movie with the digital animation available now, this is another book that could be synthesized into a compelling film. I wait for the day.

Fascinating Read - A totally different worldview.......2002-01-11

Not for the faint of heart, as you learn within the first 100 words of the book that Geta is a harsh world with no source of food during a famine other than it's only source of meat -- other human beings. Though this idea is initially repulsive to our way of thinking, you soon discover an incredible morality of the people in this book that far surpasses our own. They cannot imagine a war where they could not eat those they fought. Wars such as we fight today are beyond horrific to them, the most vile form of evil. Makes you really think about our values, and about how easily we tend to accept war. A great read, if you can stomach it. One of my favorite all-time books.

Not nearly as good as I had hoped.......2001-07-20

I came into this book with the best of intentions. First, I read the other reviews for this book, which are effusive in their praise. Second, I've read "To Bring In the Steel," which is one of the absolute finest pieces of romantic science fiction ever written. But I can't prostitute my opinion for anybody, even Kingsbury.

First, I thought the world Kingsbury created was illogical. Common sense, based on human experience, says that complicated genetic and mechanical manipulations are capable only at the highest levels of human interaction, efficiency and wealth. They certainly wouldn't come in a world where peoples' main preoccupations were humping and eating each other, with only 200 million people and subject to constant famine.

Second, I'm tired of the pseudo-philosophical commentary found at the beginning of each chapter. We've seen enough of that, as someone pointed out, in Dune and other books. Mr. Kingsbury, don't tell us -- show us!

Third, a pet peeve of mine is America-bashing in any context where's it's undeserved. It certainly was in this case. Really, to compare the U.S. *withdrawal* of forces from Vietnam to the starvation and executions of millions in the Leninist and Stalinist purges is so completely ridiculous only a historical simpleton or rabid America-basher could make such an analogy.

I don't know, maybe I'm expecting too much. Maybe I'm pining away for a full-length book written by Kingsbury that's as good as "To Bring In the Steel." One thing's for sure: I haven't found it yet.

The Marriage of Six.......2000-05-10

Published first as "Geta", later as "Courtship Rite"--I think neither title does justice to this fine novel. It ought to be called "The Marriage of Six". Almost two books in one, the first part is a masterful piece of world-building. It introduces characters that shine with complex humanity and weaves their lives together in an engrossing adventure that builds to a harrowing climax. Other novels would end there, but this one, like life itself, moves on. "Who says beginnings are more interesting than middles or endings?" asks one character--and the author shows us that they aren't. Just as an old friend occasionally reveals a new bit of their past, shifting your perception of their entire history, the author saves some of the strangest and most fundamental revelations about his characters for the story's end. The last chapters are a beautiful and reflective coda to the first part of the book; they're a meditation on the many faces of love, the limits of loyalty, and the meaning of marriage. The people of Geta practice a unique form of polygamy, but this novel's emotional center--the quest of the central characters to form a marriage of six, the finest and most balanced team in their society--will ring true to anyone who has ever fallen in love and tried to create a family.

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Skimpy on substance
Very Informative

Native American Courtship & Marriage
Leslie Gourse
Manufacturer: Native Voices
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Marriage | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

The Book of Ceremonies: A Native Way of Living and Honoring the Sacred

ASIN: 1570671702

Book Description

Here is a helpful guide for adapting and incorporating traditional Native American marriage customs into today's modern weddings. Descriptions of weddings of the Hopi, Lakota, Iroquois, Oglala, and others provide a historic sense of Native traditions. Includes helpful hints on how to weave Native customs, clothing, jewelry, and crafts into today's ceremonies, as well as recipes for traditional dishes to serve at receptions.

Customer Reviews:

Skimpy on substance.......2006-02-24

I returned this book because it seemed rather disorganized and fluffy. I wanted some suggestions for things to include in a ceremony, but most of these suggestions seemed impractical or irrelevant, or incompletely explained.

Very Informative.......2003-04-14

This very informative book has many explanations of Native American marriage traditions along with helpful hints on how to incorporate those traditions into contemporary weddings and life. The author has included poems, folklore, recipes, jewelry tips, a great index, and a helpful bibliography.

ANALOG - Science Fiction Science Fact - Volume 102, number 4 - March Mar 1982: New Communications Techonolgies and the Developing World; Virgy; Pawn's Gambit; Courtship Rite; Schrondinger's Plague; Shake It All the Time

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ANALOG - Science Fiction Science Fact - Volume 102, number 4 - March Mar 1982: New Communications Techonolgies and the Developing World; Virgy; Pawn's Gambit; Courtship Rite; Schrondinger's Plague; Shake It All the Time
Stanley (editor) (Arthur C. Clarke; Edward A. Byers; Timothy Zahn; Donald Kingsbury; Greg Bear; Sam Nicholson; Ray Brown) Schmidt
Manufacturer: Davis Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Mars | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000J5R33S

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Mars | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000NRVA3Q

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Makes you Smile

The Bride
Barbara Tober
Manufacturer: Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Customs & Traditions | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Customer Reviews:

Makes you Smile.......2007-05-17

This book is a delight to read. It's a wonderful book just to have on your coffee table after you're engaged and while planning a wedding. I would take the dust cover off and display the beautiful hardcover book underneath - it's a shiny white book with the title in gold etchings. Lots of B&W and color pictures throughout, this book features the wonderful things about the weddings of yesterday (from the 1930's) to today. Full of fascinating stories and interesting facts and illustrations, reading this book just made me smile. This would be a great engagement gift.

Book Description

Originally published as The Magic of Ritual.In Liberating Rites, Tom Driver illuminates the role of ritual by removing it from its liturgical wrappings and presenting it as something raw, basic, and central to all living beings. He then examines the varied ways humans use ritual to give order to their lives, to provide a sense of security and control, especially in the face of extreme danger. From there, Driver looks closely at how ritual creativity and performance are central to enacting religious beliefs and how rituals serve to transform individuals into members of communities.

Customer Reviews:

Essential Book.......2003-01-17

While I feel uncertain about the necessity for renaming the book, I unhesitatingly recommend it to everyone with any interest in or connecting to Christianity (or any monotheistic expression of relationship to the Divine), ritual, ceremony, religious anthropology, or desiring a scholarly but readable source to develop work in postmodernism relative to shifting our understanding of what is essential to religious sensibility and the more mysterious portions of human condition.

In short. I dug it. It's also an excellent entry to an applied understanding of Liberation Theology.

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