Daughter of My People: A Novel

Book Description

From the threads of actual events, acclaimed essayist James Kilgo weaves a richly textured debut novel set in rural South Carolina in the early 20th century. It is the story of two brothers and their cousin, a mixed-race woman whom one brother loves--and the other dishonors...

"[A] stunning debut...Kilgo treats his tale of interracial love with an insight that is uncannily delicate and fierce."-- Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"Luminous....Nobody, not even William Faulkner, could have done it better."-- Charleston Post and Courier

Daughter of My People was a finalist for three awards, the Book-of-the-Month Club's Stephen Crane Award for First Fiction; the inaugural SEBA Book Awards; and the 30th anniversary Lillian Smith Book Awards

Customer Reviews:

Unraviling Passion.......2003-06-19

James Kilgro's electifing southern antique story, of a house
maid's intensifing relatioship with her white cousin in 1918.
It tells us that they suffered socially as well as privately
in the quest to explore love and intimacy in a era when it
was forbidden. Moving away to escape the discust and terroism
of the community only to find that when she returns married,
the affair would only emerge to confront them both and their
families of both races. It's hard to put down!

Kilgo turns a sad story into a wonderfully moving tale.......1999-01-27

Jim Kilgo did well with his poetry, but this novel surpasses all that he has done before. The vividly descriptive prose brings the story to life and evokes images that only someone totally familiar with the landscape and the people could manage. Readers are transported to that distant time when the memories of a brutal war were still fresh on the minds of many Southerners. A time when all the roads were filled with chokeing dust in dry weather, and life sucking mud in wet weather. The intense conflict between whites and blacks is eloquently portrayed by Kilgo, and the reader is forced to feel the anguish of a man torn between his duty to kith an kin, and the feelings of his heart. Bravo to Kilgo for tackling this difficult subject, but even more accolades are deserved for the eloquent way that it was done.

a heart stabbing love story, perfectly told.......1999-01-20

This is a gorgeously told story about possibly real people - simple people whose only complexity is their love, which defies properness. Kilgo's setting is so rich (and dear to me because it is my home and the home of "my people") I can actually see the shabbiness of the postwar southern landscape, and feel the invincible pride of the otherwise defeated southerners. Call me a sap, but I swooned over Hart's "poor man's Shakespeare" description of Jennie on page 159, and clutched my heart (and my Kleenex) when he said it was an honor to die for the woman he loved. This is a simple sweet tale, and was a complete joy to read. I suspect this book will be a great hit with southern women - we don't see many heroes like Hart Bonner around here anymore.

Average customer rating:

Outstanding characterization
- I would definitely take a chance on this book..
Turgid Prose
Struggles of a Second Marriage and Blended Family
The Bad Seed Part 2

This Is My Daughter: A Novel
Roxana Robinson
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0679439013
Release Date: 1998-06-01

Amazon.com

If divorce rips a family apart, can a second marriage mend the tear, piecing the remnants together into one big Brady Bunch quilt? Of course not. In This Is My Daughter, New Yorkers Peter Chatfield and Emma Kirkland learn this the hard way. Roxana Robinson--whose dissection of WASP mores in Asking for Love and Summer Light earned her comparisons to such white-shoe masters as John Cheever, Edith Wharton, and Henry James--is on familiar ground here, placing Peter and Emma within the gilded cocoon of Manhattan's Upper East Side. Recently divorced, socially superior, and smarting from subhuman ex-spouses, the two have much in common, not least the desire to marry again. Emma's daughter, Tess, warms to the idea immediately. But for Peter's sullen seven-year-old, this union signals a disaster rather than a fresh start: "Amanda could not be happy that her father was marrying Emma.... She was already, at seven, in mourning for her life, for her past and happy life, that other world."

Over the next eight years, Amanda's inability to deal with her father's remarriage, which the adults dismiss as mere adolescent angst, becomes a sizable thorn in the family's side. Despite all of Peter and Emma's best-laid plans--private schools, a picture-perfect summer home in New England, tennis clinics, invites to exclusive parties--Amanda grows increasingly alienated, and with one desperate act she forces the family to peel back their moneyed exterior and examine the heart of the matter. In This Is My Daughter, Robinson has created a skillful and sensitive portrayal of divorce and its post-nuclear-family fallout.

Book Description

When Peter and Emma, both refugees from failed first marriages, decide to create a new life together, they do so with an optimistic commitment to creating a union -- and forging a new family from two existing ones -- bonded by love and trust. Their young daughters, however, are not partners in this new venture, but helpless participants. Like all children of divorce, the girls feel sorrow, loss, and a longing for their earlier lives. As the tensions and complexities grow steadily more powerful, This Is My Daughter moves inexorably to a stunning and emotional climax. Roxana Robinson, who has established a reputation as a perceptive chronicler of WASP family life, delivers a beautifully moving and compassionate account of a marriage in peril, proving once more that class and privilege provide no protection from the passion of opposing desires.

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding characterization.......2005-04-23

It's really necessary to read this book more than once. The author has created great depth of character, and every personality is well-developed. It's true that the characters are not "nice" or particularly likable, but they are endlessly interesting and realistic. I can't believe this whole story came out of the author's imagination; she must have known some of these people. Roxana Robinson is really a phenomenal talent and I agree with one of the other reviewers that this would be a good book for a discussion group.

Amanda isn't spoiled. Her parents are indifferent, not indulgent. Amanda does whatever she wants because no one bothers to find out what she's doing. Peter leaves the marriage and his daughter for purely selfish reasons, resulting in a drastic lifestyle change for Amanda and her mother, which he doesn't seem to notice. He wants Amanda's presence every weekend, but he spends no time getting to know her, finding out what she likes, what she thinks, how she feels about the divorce or anything else. He lets Emma have all the responsibility for her. Caroline was dealt a bad hand, but she proceeds to drown in self-pity and pays no attention to her daughter. It's easy to see she is thinking only of herself when she brings men home for one-night stands in the bedroom next to Amanda's. Caroline does nothing to help herself or her daughter to move forward.

It is Tess who is the child from hell, who is really spoiled. At the age of three she is already a master of manipulation. If she remotely senses things may not go exactly the way she wants them to she has spectacular tantrums, sometimes several within the hour, crying, screaming, throwing herself on the floor, banging her head on the furniture. She ends up having Emma apologize to her! If she isn't the center of attention, she interrupts adults and shouts over other people's words. At one point she yells at her nanny for not looking at her when she wants to say something. She doesn't outgrow this, either. At the age of twelve she crawls into bed for the night with her mother and stepfather because she has a nightmare or is afraid of the dark. This is really inappropriate behavior, as Peter says to Emma. Emma refuses to listen to him. She always behaves as though Tess can do no wrong.

Emma is trying to be the perfect mother, but she doesn't succeed. Several characters tell her she is rigid and intolerant, and it's true. She has rules for the kids that border on the ridiculous. They aren't allowed to chew gum. Amanda, at 15, isn't allowed to have a cup of coffee. The kids are never allowed to watch any television. It would be reasonable to set a limit on the time they spend watching, or to say they couldn't watch certain programs, but Emma takes it to an unbelievable extreme. Meanwhile, Amanda is doing drugs all summer and Emma doesn't have a clue. Emma really has trouble getting along with everyone, including her parents, her sister, her co-worker, her ex-husband, and even Peter.

Although the book does end on a hopeful note, here are my predictions for five years later:

1. Emma and Peter get a divorce.
2. Amanda goes off to college, has little or nothing more to do with Caroline, and less to do with Peter than he would like. I think he is going to realize it's too late.
3. Caroline continues her downward spiral unless she is able to leave New York and move back to where her family is.
4. Tess may grow up and grow away from her mother. Emma may try to live vicariously through Tess.

I could go on and on, but dont want to give the story away. It's one of the best books I've read, period. I'll want to see more of this author's work.

- I would definitely take a chance on this book.........2001-12-19

I waited a couple of weeks after reading this book to write the review. My opinion was changing daily and I decided that I needed to fully digest it before I could discuss it. In some ways, this book is so different from my own life and in some ways mirrors it too closely.

The book follows the journey of a couple, Peter and Emma, as they try to make a "family" when no one else seems to want it. The exes are hostile to say the least. Reading passages about how Peter's ex-wife acted reminded me of posts on the second wives club website. In addition, his daughter was truly PAS'd and harbored enough anger and resentment for three children. Though Emma's ex-husband was also difficult, he faded in and out of the picture, like many ex-husbands do.

I realized partially through the book that this couple really doesn't communicate, doesn't understand each other, and really isn't happy. When a tragedy threatens the relationship, I had a hard time understanding how they had stayed together as long as they did. Then I realized something very important...the entire book could be excerpts from the website. I am so blessed to be in a great relationship with a wonderful stepson. My big issue is the ex-wife. Many of those who are second wives are not nearly as lucky. Many have problems with almost every facet of their lives. The feeling must be overwhelming, like it was to Peter and Emma.

Though I couldn't directly relate to the book, I couldn't put it down (just like I can't log off sometimes). It was the "can't stop looking at the car accident" syndrome. If nothing else, it might make second wives feel like they are not alone. They can see how these fictional characters made choices, good or bad, and then had to live with them.

I would definitely take a chance on this book. It's a quick read and you can probably finish it in a few sessions. The only thing I really didn't like was the detail that the author would sometimes inject in the middle of an important part of the book. I could not care less what the trees and buildings looked like, I wanted to see what happened in the relationship. Luckily, she didn't do that too often and I could go back to watching Peter and Emma struggle through their days.

MommyQ - SWC.COM Member

Turgid Prose.......2001-10-04

I received this book as a gift from a friend after my wife and I divorced. At the time, I was grateful for a book that addressed issues of family trauma but after reading the novel, I can't imagine a more thoughtless present.

The author has no ear for language. Overall, the prose is flat and lifeless. The characters are heartless and entirely unsympathetic-- to the point of charicature. There is a ridiculously long description of a nanny brushing a child's hair that went on longer than my marriage. It's unclear to me what the publisher saw in this book. I was truly disappointed.

Struggles of a Second Marriage and Blended Family.......2000-12-11

A promising story that fails miserably.

Where do loyalties lie when a man and woman bring children to a new marriage? According to this story, the woman loves her daughter and expects her new husband to do the same. But she also expects him to keep his life with his daughter seperate from theirs.

Peter's daughter, Amanda, is deeply affected by her parents' divorce. She despises both her mother and father and resents her new step-mother, Emma. But resentment barely describes her feelings for Emma's daughter, Tess, who now lives full-time with Amanda's father.

For her part, Emma makes attempts to bring Amanda in to the family circle, but they are attempts on her terms. For example, she decorates a room for Amanda, but it's decorated to Emma's tastes.

The main failing of this book is the weak characters. I know nothing of what brought Peter and Emma together. Why did they feel a second marriage could work? Why did they feel their children would adjust and they could build a happy life together?

I also found the writing weak. Each time a character was introduced, it was a programmed description of height, hair, clothes, etc. "Emma's mother, Aline, was also tall, but slightly stooped...Her eyes were blue, her cheeks full and pink. She had a small bow-shaped mouth and fine light straying hair. They [Emma's parents] were in their mid-sixties; both wore khaki pants, blue sneakers, sweaters." Boring!

The Bad Seed Part 2.......2000-09-04

The star of this terribly boring book is a young spoiled child named Amanda. Or shoud I call her the Bad Seed? The child is so disturbed and so miserable she made me miserable too. How anyone can find this book to be anything near wonderful is beyond me. Sorry to sound so negative but it was a painful read.

Book Description

We See England, We See Xanth, We See Mels's Underpanth

In fact, Gwenny Goblin, Che Centaur and Jenny Elf are just about the only creatures on Xanth who have been spared the sight of Mela Merwoman's undergarment -- preoccupied as they are with helping Gwenny beat out her awful half-brother Gobble for chiefship of the goblin horde. But first they must master space and thyme . . . and find the fabulous egg that sits between the Roc and the hard place. While Mela -- who would gladly relinquish her oft-viewed undies for a new husband -- joins the Adult Conspiracy . . . and quickly discovers the power of a perfect pair of panties!

Customer Reviews:

Up in a Heaval (Xanth Series).......2007-08-03

Very entertaining. I love the Xanth series.Up In a Heaval: A Xanth Novel (Xanth)

More trashy Anthony.......2005-11-26

Any fantasy fan with half an ounce of sense has known to steer clear of Antony for a long time, but no book has made the reason why as blatently clear as this one.

Anthony's creepy panty fetish is very blatent to anyone who has ever read a Xanth book, but not until now has he made an ENTIRE masturbatory work dedicated to it.

Not even the most rabid pun will be able to derive the slightest enjoyment from this. It's a whumsical romp through Anthony's perverted mind that will disgust you at best and fill you with revulsion at worst.

Although, really, the title and cover could have told you everything I just told you. I don't even know why I picked this one up.

Anthony should have left it alone.......2003-02-06

I have been enthusiatic about the Xanth series for about five years now. I really enjoyed all the earlier books, but this one is just not good. The puns are front loaded into the book and not nearly as funny as usual and I don't care for the preteen girl characters much either. In one part he has them trying on panties forever. It's somewhere between boring, bizarre, and perverted.

Another great Xanth book!.......2001-10-25

Filled with ludicrous puns, an exinting double-storyline, six featured characters, and a full-out battle for a goblin cheifship, The Color of Her Panties is a great book for ages 12+

2 stories in one.......2000-07-03

This book contains multple quest in two story line. Very easy to follow. All the quest are solved and questions answered by everyone pulling together to help Gwenny. A very happy ending.

Average customer rating:

The Color Of Her Panties
Piers Anthony
Manufacturer: Avon Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000S9OIO2

5 Titles in the Xanth Series - 15-19 - The Color of Her Panties - Demons Don't Dream - Harpy Thyme - Geis of the Gargoyles - Roc and a Hard Place

Average customer rating:

5 Titles in the Xanth Series - 15-19 - The Color of Her Panties - Demons Don't Dream - Harpy Thyme - Geis of the Gargoyles - Roc and a Hard Place
Piers Anthony
Manufacturer: various
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000PU5T9W

Product Description

5 Mass Market Paperback Titles in the Xanth Series - 15-19 - The Color of Her Panties - Demons Don't Dream - Harpy Thyme - Geis of the Gargoyles - Roc and a Hard Place

Average customer rating:

The Color of Her Panties

Manufacturer: William Morrow and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HKHDUS

Average customer rating:

The Color Of Her Panties
Piers ANTHONY
Manufacturer: Avon Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000J0LUEG

Question Quest & The Color of Her Panties (Xanth, 14, 15)

Average customer rating:

Question Quest & The Color of Her Panties (Xanth, 14, 15)
Piers Anthony
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Product Description

Books 14 & 15 in the XANTH series.Question Quest (1991) Xanth Book 14Being grown up is a drag... or so thinks Lacuna, one of the mischievous Castle Zombie twins. So she makes the Good Magician Grey an offer he can't refuse. Thirsty for a taste of the Elixir of Youth, she'll help him outwit the evil Com-Pewter if he'll send her to Hell (in a handbasket, no less) to find Humfrey, the missing sorcerer. And while there, she'll learn the True History of Xanth (simplified) and help rescue a blushing Rose from the demon X(A/N)th... with the help of a gorgon or two.The Color of Her Panties (1992)Xanth Book 15Gwenny Goblin, Che Centaur and Jenny Elf are just about the only creatures on Xanth who have been spared the sight of Mela Merwoman's undergarmentpreoccupied as they are with helping Gwenny beat out her awful half-brother Gobble for chiefship of the goblin horde. But first they must master space and thyme... and find the fabulous egg that sits between the Roc and the hard place. While Melawho would gladly relinquish her oft-viewed undies for a new husbandjoins the Adult Conspiracy... and quickly discovers the power of a perfect pair of panties!

Amazon.com

After you've seen the Star Wars movies enough times, certain unmistakable sounds get hardwired into your brain: the warbly snicker-snack of dueling lightsabers; the signature fwoosh of hatches opening and closing (which Star Trek never did as well); the sharp, metallic bangs of blaster fire; even Han's trademark "yee-haw!" as he and Chewie lay into Imperial ships with the Falcon. If any advantage sets audio CDs apart as the format for telling dramatized Star Wars stories, this is it. In the Star Wars: Dark Forces Collector's Trilogy, all these audio tropes get employed to their full effect--along with John Williams's stirring score, of course--to convincingly transport you to that galaxy far, far away.

A CD drama based on a graphic novel series, based on a video game, and based on ... well, Star Wars, may sound a little suspect, but even derivative work can excel when the original source is strong (Lucas), the writing skills proficient (long-time sci-fi author William Dietz), and the voice talent able (dozens of workman actors, with credits ranging from The Fugitive to Shine to Fargo).

The story arc of the set's three Dark Forces stories (Soldier for the Empire, Rebel Agent, Jedi Knight) spans roughly the same time period as New Hope-Empire-Jedi, following Kyle Katarn, a young Imperial officer turned Rebel operative turned (nearly) Jedi Knight. Old favorites like Han, Lando, Luke, and even Chewie pass in and out of the story, a classic Star Wars tale of honor, love, loyalty, and revenge, which sets Kyle against the evil Imperial pretender Lord Jerec. Good fun, well done. (Running time: six hours over six discs; two discs per title.) --Paul Hughes

Book Description

Kyle Katarn has joined the ranks of legendary Star Wars heroes such as Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. A timeless adventure of revenge and honor, the trilogy is set in a shimmering universe of sound that only CD technology can fully capture. In Soldier for the Empire, Kyle Katarn, having just graduated from the Imperial Military Academy, learns of his father's murder. On his way home, he meets a Rebel agent, learns the ugly truth about the way in which his father died, and swears revenge. In Rebel Agent, Kyle learns more about what his father found in the Valley of the Jedi that ultimately led to his death. Kyle finally earns his Knighthood as a Jedi, and the stage is set for him to avenge his father's death and stop the Dark Jedi from taking control of the source of energy that lies underneath the Valley. Jedi Knight, the exciting conclusion to the series. In Jedi Knight Jerec, the Dark Jedi, brings his forces to Ruusan in the final part of his search for the Valley of the Jedi. Destroying anything that gets in his way, Jerec reaches the Valley just ahead of Kyle Katarn and Jan Ors. With the help fo the indigenous inhabitants of the planet, Kyle and Jan confront Jerec's Jedi and prepare for a final showdown with Jerec. If Jerec defeats Kyle, the unlimited power contained in the Valley will enable him to rule the galaxy. Are Kyle's untrained Jedi powers enough to defeat Jerec?

Customer Reviews:

Star Wars, Dark Forces Collector's Trilogy book cd's.......2007-03-19

Very well made, interesting and easy to follow. Very good sound effects in the back ground to go along with the story telling. If you played any of the games in relation, you will enjoy it even more. I'm glad I bought this and I already went through it twice.

Barely worth it.......2006-02-01

A good idea crushed by weak radio style acting. If the stories were simply narated and not played as though they were old time radio broadcasts, the stories themselves are interesting. Painfull to listen to in the car driving b/c of poor volume in recording. Get some othe Star Wars audio book.

Really not THAT bad.......2004-09-01

It's a well-done audio play. It has all the sound effects of the original radio dramas, used to wonderful effect. Like most Star Wars works, it re-uses the music from the movies but that isn't a bad thing. Each piece is used exactly where you'd expect to hear it. The story is of a young imperial officer discovering that the Empire isn't on the side of the angels and that he shares with Luke Sykwalker a claim to the legacy of the Jedi.

The ONLY complaint that I'd have about this is that it strays from the books it's adapted from and the games the books are based on. In other words, some of the most dramatic aspects of the story are left out. Example: Instead of the old Jedi Knight Rahn holding his own against all the Dark Jedi in his final battle, Jerec (chief baddie) just kills him without a fight. There are a few other examples of incredibly anti-climatic re-tellings of certain aspects of the story... but overall it really isn't that bad. I bought it, and if you've played the games (and you should since Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II features live actors in movie cut scenes that all together could be considered Episode VII) then it's a fun way to revisit a great story. "A Self-taught Jedi" indeed. Kudos.

Dark Forces audio dramatization.......2003-01-22

I've always been a huge fan of Star Wars and own quite a few audio books and dramatizations including the wonderful Star Wars trilogy dramatized radio broadcast, the Approaching Storm, Darth Maul, Episode 1, Episode 2, Rogue Planet, etc.

Judging from reviews I read, I was expecting this to be at least a reasonable facsimile of the original trilogy radio dramatization but it definitely is not that. I felt the writing, acting and even the story concept poor. If you're anxious for something good to listen to and haven't tried the other Star Wars books on audio cd yet, give those a shot first and see if you can pick this up used. This can be mildly entertaining at times but it's certainly not worth full price.

Among all of my Star Wars audio books and/or dramatizations, this one comes in dead last... I'd recommend venturing into non-Star Wars audio books like Frank Herbert's Dune before dropping any money on this selection.

Excellent! same style & quality of the original radio drama.......2000-05-07

These CDs were absolutely wonderful. for those of you who have listened to the original Star Wars radio drama and wished you could have more star wars stories in the same fashion. HERE IT IS! . for those of you new to the star wars universe....or have not heard the original radio drama, this is a full cast audio production with sound effects. This is well written and acted. the story is excellent. a must have for any star wars fan. great for tips on the road in the car.

Average customer rating:

Good story, muted art work
A Series You Just Can't Afford To Miss!
Storyline for the Computer Game

Star Wars - Dark Forces: Rebel Agent
William C. Dietz , and Ezra Tucker
Manufacturer: Dark Horse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Dark Horse | Publishers | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Star Wars | Characters | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1569711569

Book Description

Following Dark Forces -- Soldier for the Empire, part two of this graphic-story-album trilogy chronicles the adventures of Kyle Katarn as he learns of the mysterious Valley of the Jedi, discovered by his father years ago. Trapped in the Valley is an enormous reservoir of energy, waiting to be released. Who will reach the Valley -- and its power -- first, Kyle, or the Dark Jedi known as Jerec?

Customer Reviews:

Good story, muted art work.......2004-04-28

The is the second of the Dark forces trilogy, telling us the story of Kyle Katarn. Kyle is both an action figure and the guy who captured the death star plans. This was originally a game but you shouldn't hold that against this book. I didn't like the style of the art work, as it was done in a muted washed out looking style. This trilogy should be part of your collection

A Series You Just Can't Afford To Miss!.......2002-08-12

I bought this graphic novel on a whim! I'm an avid Star Wars fan and am willing to read anything Star Wars. However, graphic novels tend to be expensive, so I usually just satisfy my Star Wars cravings with a regualr novel. I saw my opportunity to check out this portion of the Dark Forces trilogy, based upon the Dark Forces video game, when it was marked down as a special deal in a local store. I figured that if I didn't like the novel, I didn't pay much for it, and I can sell it off. Well, I can say with confidence that there is no way I'm going to sell this graphic novel!...
...Not only will you find the story entertaining, but the artwork is amazing. The novel has 25 lithograph-style pictures beautifully done by Ezra Tucker. The story is full of action and you'll find yourself rooting for Kyle and his partner Jan. I find myself wanting to get a hold of the rest of the series! Definitely a trilogy worth checking out!

Storyline for the Computer Game.......2002-06-05

I kept putting off purchasing the Dark Forces graphic novel series, but I finally gave in. I was pleased with what I found. This is the first volume of the trilogy and I enjoyed it immensely. Good artwork complemented a description of the Kyle Katarn's beginnings as an Imperial cadet. We see Kyle struggling with his morals as he becomes increasingly against Imperial rule and, once he finds out the Imperials killed his father, joins the Rebel Alliance. The story weaves into the first level of the Dark Forces PC game and concludes with the Rebels obtaining the schematics of the first Death Star. I recommend the whole Dark Forces series. It was very fun to see Kyle Katarn outside of a PC.

Star wars: dark force, rebel agent (Star Wars: Dark Forces)

Average customer rating:

Great Audio Book!
Reads like a bullet, and leaves nothing out.
D2 Differenceý
Out Of Step
The best of the Trilogy

Star wars: dark force, rebel agent (Star Wars: Dark Forces)
William C. Dietz
Manufacturer: Putnam Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0399143963

Amazon.com

A Knight shall come, a battle will be fought, and the prisoners go free."

Like The Empire Strikes Back, Rebel Agent is the middle story in an epic Star Wars trilogy (in this case, the illustrated Dark Forces trilogy that begins with Soldier for the Empire and ends with Jedi Knight). As a middle story, it is written with the expectation that you already know that the hero, Kyle Katarn, is an ex-storm trooper who defected to the Rebellion after his father was brutally murdered by the Empire. But Rebel Agent actually begins with a flashback to the years before the action of the trilogy. Kyle's father, Morgan, stumbles onto the legendary Valley of the Jedi while fleeing an Imperial crackdown on Sulon. The Valley is a resting place for thousands of ancient Jedi souls, and its potential power as a tool for good or evil will remind readers of the ark of the covenant in Raiders of the Lost Ark. After making a map, Morgan hides his discovery since he knows that the ascendant Empire is likely to make use of it long before the struggling rebels can.

The story then shifts to the days after Kyle's first successful rebel mission (detailed in Soldier for the Empire). From a scheming droid named 8t88--and through communications with a ghostly Jedi named Rahn--Kyle learns of the Valley and is drafted by Luke Skywalker and Mon Mothma to find his father's map at all costs. The action intensifies as Kyle--now a Jedi-in-training--races with Jerec and his band of Dark Jedi to uncover the coordinates of the Valley.

One of the best parts of Dark Forces is Dietz's characterization of the Empire, and in this volume it is the power-hungry droid, 8t88, who steals the show with lines like: "The malfunction is in your skull, a difficult place to make repairs.... A CPU makes more sense." In the end, though, the book is not as strong as the first and third volumes. One wonders, for example, why the budding romance between Kyle and Jan is interrupted by their long separations. Also, while Ezra Tucker's paintings perfectly capture the tattooed, lined face of Jerec, they are often cartoonish in comparison to Dean Williams's hyperrealism in the first volume. And the ending finds almost nothing resolved: you'll want Jedi Knight in hand right away when you turn the last page of Rebel Agent. --Patrick O'Kelley

Book Description

The phenomenal success of the 1997 release of the Star Wars Trilogy Special Edition proved beyond a doubt the timeless power of the much-loved story about the struggle between good and evil. Original enthusiasts of the films rushed to the theaters to see them again, joined by a whole new generation--young people discovering the wonder of George Lucas's vision for the first time. For those Star Wars fans--old and new--Rebel Agent, the second of the Dark Forces trilogy, adds a fascinating sidebar to the story told in the films. Kyle Katarn, former Imperial trainee, has put his past behind him. Now partnered with Jan Ors, the woman who recruited him, he is a valued member of the Rebel Alliance. Yet Katarn has one piece of unfinished business more important to him than his next assignment: tracking down the Dark Jedi Jerec, the man who killed his father. But in his search for Jerec, he finds instead what the Dark Jedi himself is after--the location of the fabled Valley of the Jedi. The power that waits there is beyond measure, and Jerec will stop at nothing to be the first to reach it. It is written, Luke Skywalker said, that a Knight will come, a battle will be fought, and the prisoners go free. In Rebel Agent, Kyle Katarn will discover that he is that Knight.

Customer Reviews:

Great Audio Book!.......2005-05-12

This review covers the audio cassette book (2 tapes, 2.5+ hours). The music score was great, the sound effects terrific, and the acting very good. The plot...well that could take some time finding, but remember episdoe IV! Anyway, I really enjoyed this story. It takes place at about the same time as Ep. IV, and covers things more from the perspective of the Empire. Well worth the purchase price. I will have to see about getting the next two in the series. I want to see what happens!

Reads like a bullet, and leaves nothing out........2002-05-09

I had this book for a year before I actually read it. Since I primarily bought it for the great, poster quality, painted, full page illustrations it didn't matter. Besides I was under the impression that it was a "juvenile", a kid's book. Yeah, right, this is about as much a juvenile as is Heilein's _Starship Troopers_. There are some very gritty combat scenes here- and very well developed characters of depth. This is amazing in a novella of less than 120 pages (after you subtract the illustration pages.) There are hack writers out there that would have told this same story in 300 or 400, or more, pages, but Dietz does it in less than 120 without ommitting any detail, atmosphere, or continuity. That's the mark of a very skilled writer. Combined with the cover quality illustrations this book is practically a cinema quality experience all by itself. Moreover, I had not read the first two books of the trilogy, nor played the games, yet the book held together on its own.
Another thing, for a book that is so good on the combat and technical atmosphere, the metaphysics are also very satisfying. The tale of Lord Hoth and the Army of Light is truly worthy of the best of the Star Wars mythos. Indeed, it could almost be a grand finale in itself.
As a measure of how "in" to this I got, I finally ordered that universal remote shaped like a light saber for the TV. Hey, I needed a new remote anyway....

D2 Differenceý.......2000-12-14

In this final installment of the trilogy, just as the contributors changed from the first to the second book, a change was again made, and this makes the final installment the superior of the 3. Artist David Dorman was selected to illustrate this book; since he is a fixture in the Star Wars Realm he brings more credibility to the work. Mr. Dorman, or one of the other long-term illustrators should have been involved in this project from beginning to end.

The other basic change was the involvement of core characters from Star Wars that everybody who is a fan is familiar with. The role-playing games and the video games are widely played and very popular. However the audience is smaller, and as this series found out, it is not large enough to support a stand-alone series of novellas, which are overpriced, and repetitive.

The problem with this series is there is just too much of a gap between the Star Wars Universe as we know it as moviegoers and book readers, and these adaptations from the role-playing and video experiences. There is a way to greatly improve the readability of this series if you want to make it part of your collection.

"Mastadge" has a great list of some of the illustrated soft cover books that cover the background and the ancient portions of the Jedi and Sith Histories. They cover material you will find nowhere else, and they will add a new dimension to your library, and to your understanding of this ongoing epic.

Some of the titles to check out are, "Knights Of The Old Republic", "Dark Lords Of The Sith", and "The Sith War". They are all available through Amazon, and while I have enjoyed many of them, I have never reviewed the works. But as I said, Mastadge has reviewed almost all the varieties of Star Wars writing, and the list he has put together is well done.

Out Of Step.......2000-11-30

It has been years since I originally read this series, this particular episode, "Rebel Agent", is the second in a three-part cycle. This trilogy is based upon the role-playing games and I believe some of the video experiences. However they are out of synch with the rest of "Star Wars", and this is an issue.

Previously I have commented on how seamlessly the books that now approach 200 in number have fit together, how all were worth the reading time, for bits and pieces of history were to be gleaned from their review. This particular cycle offered full-page paintings by a noted artist of the Science Fiction Genre, and while some readers would have preferred their mind's eye, I think they are good, if inconsistent. Specifically the image that is supposed to portray Princess Leia looks like her less than attractive sister. There is no sister, and there should not have been this image.

At 128 pages in length, backtracking the story as if the reader decided to start in the middle is simply wrong. Star Wars readers tend to read everything, and if the story is weak, or too brief, then perhaps there should be a different story.

Characters like Boba Fett have developed their personalities over the decades, and the version of Fett in this book reads as though the writer never read a word about this character before. Fett sounds like a bad lounge act. Fett actually sounds like someone else dressed in the Mandalorian Armor. This caricature speaks more in this book, than in a dozen other novels, and trite is being kind as to the dialogue.

If someone were to start with this series after viewing the movies, they would be correct in feeling lost. These books populate the galaxy with Dark Side Jedi at every turn. They must have been hiding in the movies.

There is one interesting bit as to Yoda's history, and it may sound strange to some, but if you are as addicted to this world of George Lucas as I am, it nearly justifies the balance.

The best of the Trilogy.......2000-03-29

This book continues the adventures of Kyle Katarn, a young man who is training to become a Jedi. It is by far the best of the trilogy, which began with Soldier for the Empire. The novella is generally pretty good, connecting chapters (levels in the game) pretty well, and developing on Jan and Kyle properly. The plot is not too bad, and the illustrations are great. The drawings alone make this the best of the series, but the plot thickens as a bonus. Still, the novella fails to improve on some of the other books failings. The long and drawn out lightsaber battles in the movies and the game are shortened to just a few paragraphs in length, if that. Maw's duel with the young Kyle lasted no more than three sentences, and Selonia somehow manages to lose a battle she clearly has the upper hand in. While not quite as dissappointing (or as humorous) as Gorc's demise in Rebel Agent, the battles are still far too short for their own good, and a character who ends up dying early is developed almost as fully as Jan and Kyle are. Still, this is probably the best of the series, and a fine ending the trilogy. If you don't have the other two, buy this one first to see if this is the kind of book you want. It won't be very hard to catch on to what happened in the others, and the money you save if you don't like it will be worth it.

Average customer rating:

Star Wars Dark Forces: Rebel Agent
William C. Dietz
Manufacturer: Dark Horse Comics & Boulevard/Putnam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OPDIG4

Average customer rating:

Life changing

Good, but caution...

a pomo must read

Be challenged by The Seeker's Way

The Seeker's Way is really helping me on my own path.

The Seeker's Way: Cultivating the Longings of a Spiritual Life
Dave Fleming
Manufacturer: Jossey-Bass
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Christian Living | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0787970999

Book Description

The Seeker’s Way brings hope to all who are longing for deeper considerations of what it means to connect with the divine. It serves as a guide to those who want to open themselves more fully to meaning, authenticity, and wholeness. In this book, author, leadership coach, and spiritual seeker Dave Fleming explores six central longings: From reliance on answers to the opening of experience; From activity to meaning; From control to compost; From Shadwo and Illusion to substance and reality; From performance to expression and freedom; From segregation to community

The Seeker’s Way explains the practices that will help satisfy each of these very human longings and explores what it means to take a spiritual journey. Using the individual stories of prominent contemporary figures the book provides models of the seeker’s way. Their life stories and ideas about the spiritual journey illuminate the many ways that these central longings can be addressed.

Customer Reviews:

Life changing.......2006-06-19

Having heard Mr Fleming speak in a church I was eager to read more. I was pleased to see that there is someone who seems ready to lead the church into a time when we realize that all religions come from the same great mysterious place. It is liberating to see that there is a christian thinker in the tradition of Teasdale or Borg (both used in this book) who would even take the first steps into leading the church to a place where they can be as influenced by the teachings of the Buddha, and Bhagavad Gita, Dalai Lhama and other great spiritual leaders as well as they can learn from jesus. Hopefully, as people use this text to help them on their seeker's way, they will discover that "salvation" is not exclusive to those who look to jesus as their spiritual leader. Well done, can't wait to see what is next.

Good, but caution..........2006-04-29

This book could have been titled something like "Zen Christianity," as it is essentially an eastern mystic approach to spirituality. While I think Christians do need to be more aware of God's presence all around us, and to humbly realize that learning of God is a continuous growth in His wonder, awe, and mystery, this is not what truth is all about.

God gave us his revelation, which is the Bible, so that we can know certain things certainly. One of these certain things is as Jesus Christ said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Only through Jesus Christ do we really come to know God. Jesus Christ is himself God, the Son.

Our faith must be rooted first in God's Word, and from there develop spiritual disciplines and practices. I get the impression that Dave Fleming may not agree with this, especially since he refers to spiritual mentors in his book that do not. I gave 3 stars because it is well written, and I appreciate his contribution. But I do humbly offer my warning as stated above.

a pomo must read.......2005-07-25

Dave Flemming's The Seeker's Way is a postmodern book about the faith journey. Not catering only to the Christian faith tradition, although he embraces it, Flemming's words are for seekers of all faith traditions.
Former Pastor, Now Spiritual Advisor and Leadership Coach, Dave Flemming holds an earned doctorate in organizational leadership from the University of Phoenix. Flemming encourages readers to embrace uncertainty, chaos, and questions. His words are inspiring to those who find themselves on the path of a learner.
Drawing allusions and references from Buddist monks, Hindus, and Muslims, as well as Christian luminaries such as Brother Lawrence and St. Augustine, Flemming encourages believers to get into relationship with others from different faith traditions. Establishing a seeker's group is one way, and to that end, Flemming includes an epilogue on starting a seeker's group.
Those who embrace emergent voices and are not afraid of other faith traditions will find this book salve to the soul. Jesus in the lotus position will not encourage staunch traditionalists. It will, however, reveal much to those who can endure the discomfort of facing other faith traditions. I highly recommend this book for seekers of all faiths and those longing to embrace the emergent voice. It is an excellent read, one I can't wait to read again.
Written for [...] by Suzanne Rae Deshchidn

Be challenged by The Seeker's Way.......2005-04-23

The Seeker's Way is a must read for anyone who wants to take the next step forward in their spiritual journey. The book is intellectually stimulating, humerous, thought provoking and challenging. It is a refreshing and honest accounting of Dave Fleming's own journey and his interviews with spiritual authors who have influenced him in his quest. This book has certainly caused me to reflect on my own journey and has challenged me to move towards unexpected paths where one embraces the differences of others and celebrates our own uniqueness. I highly recommend it to everyone.

The Seeker's Way is really helping me on my own path........2005-03-30

This book is honestly one of the most important that I have read. In my own life spirituality has become a journey of confusion, hope, doubt, and faith. I have read many books about spiritual life in order to find meaning and make my journey real and personal. Most books speak of spirituality and seeking in terms that are cold and impersonally religious. The Seeker's Way is a beautiful story that gives me permission to have courage and even pride in my journey. I feel encouraged to embrace these longings, not through systematic formulas, but through a lifestyle that brings hope to my own seeker's way. I would strongly recommend this book to everyone, those whom are currently spiritually seeking and those who don't know they are yet. Peace, jared

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