Pocketful of Pearls (Elect Trilogy #2)

Pocketful of Pearls (Elect Trilogy #2)
Average customer rating:

A beautiful "gem" of a book!

A believable, uplifting story of a Christian cult that you don't want to miss!

This story is priceless...and the title is SO perfect and symbolic

A Priceless Pearl of a Novel

Pocketful of Pearls

Pocketful of Pearls (Elect Trilogy #2)
Shelley Bates
Manufacturer: FaithWords
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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Bette (Women of Ivy Manor Series #2)

ASIN: 0446694916

Book Description

Award-winning author Shelley Bates delivers a powerful story about one woman's struggle to escape an abusive cult and make a new life for herself. Young Diana Traynell is trapped in a life that is not her own. Raised in a cult run by a sociopathic leader, she is forced to surrender mentally and physically to his every demand. And though she dreams of escape, this is the only world she's ever known.... until Dr. Matthew Nicholas arrives at the family farm. Instantly drawn to Diana, he is torn between wanting to help and the fear of getting too involved. But when a young baby is unexpectedly dropped into their lives, they must learn to open up to one another and trust-if they ever hope to taste freedom.

Customer Reviews:

A beautiful "gem" of a book!.......2006-08-19

Pocketful of Pearls is the first Shelley Bates book that I have read, so I didn't know what to expect - I was elated to find it to be an intelligently-written, deep, and engaging Christian novel! That is quite a feat, considering that most "Christian" novels consist of nothing more than fluff parading as depth; there is no fluff to be found in "Pocketful of Pearls"!

Though in the beginning of the novel I had some minor discrepancies with character development and subtext, I quickly got over it as I became wholly engrossed in the plot as it unfolded. The characters are not perfect, but are perfectly loveable, and while they may be a bit dramatic or exaggerated, they are still very realistic given the setting. I was intrigued from the start by the idea of the main character growing up in a "toxic church", and continued to be fascinated with the social structure and practices of the church as I learned more about them. I look forward to reading Bates' other novels which are also set in the same church.

I highly recommend Pocketful of Pearls to anyone over the age of 16, due to some of the sensitive material covered. The story of Dinah Traynell may be shocking or grotesque to some, but Bates handles it in such a tactful way, and artfully uses her character's situation to show the power of God's love and redemption, so as long as the reader has a measure of maturity, it is a novel that I know you will learn from and love!

Grade: A-

A believable, uplifting story of a Christian cult that you don't want to miss!.......2006-06-27

Shelley Bates has a fantastic way of getting deep into the sludge of apostate and deceptive Christianity (Cults) and addressing the hard-core issues in a non-offensive way that can also be extremely uplifting. Without going into the details of the story, from the very first page, I found myself connected in a deep way to the heroine, Dinah, as she battles a life-long indoctrination in a toxic church and begins to see sparks of light and truth dawn on the darkness. Her relationship with the hero, Matthew is believable and handled with care under the circumstances of the abuse Dinah has had to endure. The ending is satisfying and encouraging. This is definitely a page-turner that will give you a great understanding of the true love and grace of God.

This story is priceless...and the title is SO perfect and symbolic.......2005-09-26

I don't like to tip off the reader by telling the entire story in advance, or there is no point in reading the book. But I will say this... Be prepared for a page turner when you pick up this novel. It isn't a warm-and-fuzzy feel-good read, but it is powerful and will make your heart swell to unbelievable proportions as you rejoice and cry with the heroine. (Can you tell I write fiction, LOL!) Also, the author's ability to lure the reader into the mind of someone raised in a cult is SO on target. I've worked with abused women for nearly 18 years and I can tell you for certain that she has the internal thoughts and struggles of the victim down to a science. What can I say? I REALLY loved this story. Unlike most novels dealing with the harsh subject of childhood abuse, Pocketful of Pearls offers the reader grit, but served with a whole lot of bravery and hope. The characters are realistic and not super-human, yet strong in their own ways. This is a must read for people who want to get sucked into a novel and experience emotion by traveling the journey with the hero and heroine. Great plotting, too. I can't say enough wonderful things about this story. Again, I won't destroy it by sharing too many details, but rather than being a depressing story, Pocketful of Pearls is a healing one.

A Priceless Pearl of a Novel.......2005-09-21

Very few Christian authors would take on the subject of a "toxic church" and its affects. In her first novel, Grounds to Believe, Shelley Bates lays the groundwork for this, letting the reader interface as outsiders into this strange world of the Elect. In her second novel, A Pocketful of Pearls, the reader feels each sharp pain of the heroine, Dinah, as if they themselves were enmeshed in the tight web of the Elect. This is a gripping novel which is difficult to put down; have kleenex ready as you cheer on the heroine's brave attempts to right her world. And look forward to A Sounding Brass, the last novel in the trilogy. Absolutely tightly written prose, emotional and fulfilling, so don't miss any book in this series!

Pocketful of Pearls.......2005-08-24

xtending Christian charity to a drifting vagabond goes against the teachings of her strict "church", yet Dinah does so, never guessing that one act will change her life forever. Matthew's entry into her life is the seeming catalyst to a chain of events that will turn her world on its ear. Even before he arrived, the pangs of upheaval had begun with her father's death. Now, she dares to want more than what the Elect will allow her. Her sister's sudden return from exile, just long enough to drop off her baby into Dinah's care, exacerbates things, especially when she learns that the baby is the child of the man who raped all the women in her family. Unable to stand the spiritual and physical abuse anymore, Dinah realizes that her life has nothing to do with God, and everything to do with a sick and twisted charlatan. Though she risks losing everything she has ever known, Dinah is forced to make a stand for truth.

**** Seldom does one find a hard hitting Christian novel; the norm for the genre is sweetness and light. Yet, this book defies the standard to deliver a compelling story that shines a light on cultic activity that diverts just a shade off of true faith. This is a wonderful book that illuminates II Peter chapter two. ****

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore, Freelance Reviewer.

Descent into the Depths of the Earth (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Module D1-2)
Average customer rating:
Descent into the Depths of the Earth (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Module D1-2)
Gary Gygax
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast, UK
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Similar Items:

G123 Against the Giants

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Player's Handbook (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, 1st edition revised)

ASIN: 0935696601

Descent into the Depths of the Earth (Greyhawk Novels: Greyhawk Classics)
Average customer rating:

Da Bomb

If you've ever gamed...

Really funny

Excellent fantasy/adventure story!

DOA for the first ~100 pages, then gets better
Descent into the Depths of the Earth (Greyhawk Novels: Greyhawk Classics)
Paul Kidd
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Series | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Greyhawk | Dungeons & Dragons | Gaming | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Action & Adventure | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

White Plume Mountain (Greyhawk Novels: Greyhawk Classics)

Queen of the Demonweb Pits (Greyhawk Classics)

The Tomb of Horrors (Greyhawk Classics)

The Temple of Elemental Evil (Greyhawk Classics)

Against the Giants (Greyhawk Classics)

ASIN: 0786916354
Release Date: 2000-06-01

Book Description

The ranger and the faerie are back!

Fresh from their encounter at White Plume Mountain, the Justicar and Escalla are on the way to Hommlet. But life around a pixie is never exactly . . . stable. Escalla is drawn into the intrigues of the faerie court. Before he knows it, to save her life the Justicar is on his way into the depts of the earth to fight hobgoblins, drow, and the queen of the demonweb pits.

For an adventurer, it's all in a day's work.

Customer Reviews:

Da Bomb.......2006-06-05

This was a great book. It gets away from the sappy over-done story lines of a typical fantasy book such as any Forgotten Realms book. The charters are someone you can relate too easily and the humor is wonderful. It is great to read a lighter side of the fantasy world. I do not understand the whining about this book not following the game rules....that is why it is called "fiction". Every fantasy book does not have to be some dark menacing mellow-drama. Good humor and action is hard to find and Paul Kidd is a master of it.

If you've ever gamed..........2004-10-16

... then read this book. A tale of a classic role-playing adventure, filled with humor, mystery, magic, sword-fighting, monsters, death, destruction, and yes, love.

If you've ever gamed until the wee hours of the morning, ever sat around a table with others drinking soda and rolling D20's, you'll want this book. Boy, talk about taking a stroll down memory lane! An adventure every gamer wished to experience, that their characters would survive and surmount such challenges.

Get the book - you'll love it!

Really funny.......2003-11-25

I thought the dialogue and characters were hilarious. The murder mystery unfolding, clever magical fights and obsession with Escalla's clothing was great too.
Escally, Jus Pol and Enid are very appealing characters.

Excellent fantasy/adventure story!.......2002-10-11

This is book 2 out of 3 (so far). Out of the 3, i loved this one by far the best. I give all 3 books a 5 for sure, but this one was my favorite. The adventuring group gets a little larger. The Justicar and the pixie really start to form a bond. The story really flows well, and you just don't want to put it down. It is very exciting, and fast action-packed page after page. Full of humor to the end, as well.
If you've played Dungeons & Dragons and/or played this module, that's even more of a plus. But this book is all out awesome even if you haven't, and just love a good fantasy/adventure book. I definitely recommend reading all 3 books in order though. Check out White Plume Mountain first. :>

DOA for the first ~100 pages, then gets better.......2002-01-21

Descent into the Depths of the Earth is the second book in a series following the adventures of the Justicar (a ranger/magic user), Escalla, a powerful fairie, and five side characters: 2 interesting (Cinders the hell hound pelt, Henry the young fighter); 2 annoying (Benelux the sword, Polk the teamster); 1 plain boring who gets jettisoned half-way through (Enid the sphinx).

The good: very imaginative use of spells and monsters familiar to players of Dungeons and Dragons; doesn't try to explain everything that happened in the previous book; dialogue and situations are sometimes funny.

The bad: spends ~100 pages creating a...'plot of intrigue' that you'll try to forget as soon as they hit the dungeons; cutsy romance budding between the ranger and the fairie becomes annoying and diminishes the the character of the ranger; slapstick resolutions to major encounters feel like cop-outs; repetitive punchlines age rapidly.

In White Plume Mountain I liked the ranger because he was a haunted, lone killing machine of blind justice. The author softens the character in this book and the next one (Queen of the Demonweb Pits) and we end up following the exploits of a comic book superhero.

Descent into the Depths of the Earth : Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, Module D1-2
Average customer rating:

Mixed bag
Descent into the Depths of the Earth : Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, Module D1-2
Gary Gygax
Manufacturer: Random House (Merchandising)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Similar Items:

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Player's Handbook (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, 1st edition revised)

ASIN: 0394521862

Customer Reviews:

Mixed bag.......1999-12-23

In the "D" series (which followed the very-similar "G," or Giants, series of adventures), the player characters (who have to be very powerful to have any chance of surviving) spend months in a vast land of caves tens of miles wide, fighting the Drow (a race of evil elves) and their various minions--troglodytes, bugbears, and the like. D2 introduces another evil nemesis, the fishlike kuo-toa. These adventures are fascinating for their relative complexity (a D&D group could meet once a week for three hours and still be working on these modules after six months on that schedule) and for the flexibility that they give the DM to flesh out the situations. The main negative is that not enough creativity was put into the problems facing the players--the modules seem to encourage the combat/heal/combat/heal pointlessness that D&D can become at its worst. (Contrast this with a module like C2, the Shrine of Tamoachan, which seems to require a decision of some kind in virtually every room!) My suggestion for the DM would be to buy the module and then add his or her creativity to it in order to give the players a chance to use their cleverness and skills, instead of just using their battle axes.

Descent Into the Depths of the Earth: Dungeon Module D1 (First of 3 Modules) (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons)

Average customer rating:

Descent Into the Depths of the Earth: Dungeon Module D1 (First of 3 Modules) (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons)

Manufacturer: TSR Games
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Similar Items:

Steading of the hill giant chief (Dungeons & dragons dungeon module)

ASIN: 0935696059

Descent into the Depths of the Earth: Module D-1

Average customer rating:

Intense dungeon crawl in the netherworlds of Greyhawk

Descent into the Depths of the Earth: Module D-1
Gary Gygax
Manufacturer: Random House Trade Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0394511808

Customer Reviews:

Intense dungeon crawl in the netherworlds of Greyhawk.......2000-04-30

This is one of the pride pieces of my collection. In this, our first intriguing glimpse of the Underdark, we are introduced to the bleak, gothic netherworld of the Drow - your veteran heroes (levels 8 to 12) will battle through endless hordes of their minions, as well as the Illithids, as they confront the dreaded lich Asberdes, and plunge deeper into the depths in search of the Vault of the Drow! A true classic, highest recommendation; the next chapter in the Against the Giants saga.

Dungeon Module D1-2 Descent into the Depths of the Earth Advanced dungeons and Dragons - an Adventure for Characters Levels 9 - 14

Average customer rating:

Dungeon Module D1-2 Descent into the Depths of the Earth Advanced dungeons and Dragons - an Adventure for Characters Levels 9 - 14

Manufacturer: TSR
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000H9O6YA

Wolfwalker
Average customer rating:

Tara is the Greatest

A hard, grippping novel!

This book will leave you breathless!

Begining the adventure

A Wonderful Adventure!

Wolfwalker
Tara K. Harper
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Harper, Tara K. | ( H ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0345482336
Release Date: 1995-01-03

Book Description

Dion was a healer and a wolfwalker, and the unique telepathic bond that she shared with the wolf Gray Hishn sometimes seemed to amplify her sensitivity to her patients. But she never guessed how strong that bond could be, or what kind of power it could wield, until she found herself lost in the wilderness, with angry slavers at her heels and war on the horizon. Suddenly she and her fellow travelers were fighting for their lives in the snowy winter wastes, where the wolves were their only guides, the greatest secret of the ancients their only salvation...and Dion their only hope to survive.

From the Paperback edition.

Customer Reviews:

Tara is the Greatest.......2005-05-24

My name is Otis D. Ritch. (...)I think Tara K Harper is the greatest. I love all her books. Being an author myself, Where Eagles Soar--"a spiritual adventure," I know how hard it is to write a great book--all of hers are great.
She will become known as the all time greatest in her field.

A hard, grippping novel!.......2003-12-03

This book is by far the best Sci-fi books out there! Well, if you like wolves and the fast paced action!
This book actually grips you and won't let go. I read plenty of Sci-fi books that are just so boring that what was the point in finishing it, but not this one. The book will make you re-read,e ven if you don't like the idea of female Wolfwalkers ruling the series. I honestly wish for A Male Wolfwalker to star the show.
But that isn't what makes this book the best! The action is so descripive, it makes you feel that you are a wolfwalker yourself and that you can actually feel the environment with the character.
I recomend this book if your reading this review right now. Its too damn good to say more in words!

This book will leave you breathless!.......2002-04-04

My wife recommended that I pick up the Wolfwalker series after I had finished reading the Wheel of Time series - and maybe that was why I gave this novel 4 stars instead of 5. Tara Harper has created a vibrant character in Dion and the beginnings of a wonderful story line that plays out over the next 5 books in the series. I found that as the series progresses, I became more and more engrossed in the story.

My only minor gripe is that in this novel more than any other of the Wolfwalker series, her pacing of the action is relentless. The world that Tara Harper has created is such a harsh and violent environment that both Dion and the reader never are given the chance to take 'a breather' and unwind. In many fantasy stories, I feel drawn to the world itself - yet on the Wolfwalker world, I think its the last past I'd ever want to live!

Overall, add this to your list of must read fantasy series...

Begining the adventure.......2000-10-27

This is the first book in Harper's first series. I read this book after 'Cat Scratch Fever' and 'Cataract' were finished. I was hungry for more writing by the artist, and so I searched high and low to find all three books in the series.

In this first book, we are introduced to Dion, a very unusual woman. One day I hope the author writes a prequel, that details some of what the girl's growing up years must have been like. Suffice it to say, she is warrior trained, a healer by choice dedicated to saving lives, and a wolfwalker. Wolfwalkers are introduced to the reader in this series. They are humans who are drawn to wolves, and capable of working/communicating the wolves.

In this story, Dion begins a tale that will last 5 books and three generations of children. Dion begins the road to becoming a legend. It's interesting how a few twists in circumstances can completely change the road you walk. She faces a few very important decisions: the large sense of responsibility she has for those around her, because she has knowledge and skill that others don't have, and how far that responsibility should extend; the decision to save lives, following her healer-rank oaths; the responsibility to take lives while protecting herself, her loved ones, and those that are defenceless. It is the conflict between these three that sucks in the reader and refuses to let go.

I highly suggest this book to anyone who likes action, adventure, tough decisions, great fighting scenes, and personal relationships. This book was quite an eye opener, and a great introduction to the amazing worlds out there waiting for us to visit. (Or maybe not waiting.. maybe dreading..)

A Wonderful Adventure!.......2000-05-23

With "Wolfwalker", Tara Harper has succeeded in creating a rich and detailed environment filled with interesting characters and an exciting story. Dion, the main character, is delightful as a woman who is strong and compelling while not defying credibility. (Based on her biography at the back of the book, one gets the impression that Dion is very much like Ms. Harper herself.) She's a terrific female lead, one of the best I've seen in Sci-Fi and Fantasy stories.

I recommend this story to anyone who loves fantasy, science fiction, wolves, or all of the above -- and while you're at it, pick up the other books in the series, too! You won't regret it.

Storm Runner (Tales of the Wolves, Book 3)
Average customer rating:
Storm Runner (Tales of the Wolves, Book 3)
Tara K. Harper
Manufacturer: Books on Tape
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
ASIN: 0736683305

Product Description

Dion, the healer and Wolfwalker, is back home with her friends, and they are preparing for war against Longear. There's trouble with the wolves in the enemy counties. Many of them are fleeing in droves. The rest appear to have broken their generations-long pact with the humans, and are hunting down refugees for the enemy. Dion can no longer communicate with their packsong, and must find out why they have fled and turned. But that means her venturing into dangerous enemy territory without the help of Gray Hishn. The only possible hope is her learning and mastering an ancient ceremony: The Calling of the Wolves. As with Tara Harper's other Tales of the Wolves books, there is a whirlwind of combat and survival from page one.

Average customer rating:

Wolfwalker 1. Die Herrin der Wölfe.
Tara K. Harper , and Cornelia Köhler
Manufacturer: Goldmann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 3442247721

Average customer rating:

Wolfwalker 2. Die Fürstin der Nacht.
Tara K. Harper
Manufacturer: Goldmann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 3442247705

Average customer rating:

Wolfwalker 3. Die Hüterin der Zeit.
Tara K. Harper
Manufacturer: Goldmann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 3442247691

Average customer rating:

Wolfwalker 4. Das Erbe der Wölfe.
Tara K. Harper
Manufacturer: Goldmann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 3442247713

Average customer rating:

Wolfwalker 5. Der Fluch der Wölfe.
Tara K. Harper
Manufacturer: Goldmann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 3442248817

Grayheart: Tales of the Wolves, Book 6 (Unabridged)

Average customer rating:

It truely is gray in places
I just Loved it
It's BOOK #5! If you read it out of order, too bad!
Wonderfully Descriptive
Tara Harper is wonderful!

Grayheart: Tales of the Wolves, Book 6 (Unabridged)
Tara K. Harper
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
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Shadow Leader (Tales of the Wolves)
Wolfwalker

ASIN: B000776J2Y

Book Description

THE TIES THAT BIND
Rezsia was a city girl, unequipped to face the dangers of the wilderness. Although she was a wolfwalker, her telepathic link with the wolves was too new to give her the strength and experience she needed to survive in the forest. Then the elders asked her to investigate a series of strange deaths, and what started out as a straightforward task became a desperate struggle between a hidden evil and the fledgling bond between one wolf cub and a woman.
The odd, older wolfwalker, Coale, could teach Rezsia to join in the packsong and run with the wolves. The scouts assigned to escort her could instruct her in forest survival skills. But when even the packsong held secrets, there was no one she dared trust fully. If she hoped to survive, she would ultimately have to search her soul, sift through the memories of the wolves, and bet her life on an inner strength she had never tested . . .

Customer Reviews:

It truely is gray in places.......2007-08-31

'Grayheart' really wasn't what I expected. What I thought was a chilling, murder-crime that needed to be solved by a Wolfwalker-in-training, and this odd, Wolfwalver Coale. What I got, instead, was a slow read that told nothing, gave no real suspense, and failed to really give me something new.

Rezsia really IS a city girl, and for the whole book she is taken with other scouts and the Wolfwalker Coale to learn how to survive in the wild. Among her brothers, she is the only one with violet eyes and the only one linked to the wolves. Please. I am tired of seeing Super Hero Heroine with Violet Eyes (obviously, we've found the Wolfwalker). And because she's the grand daughter of Dione, the Master Healer, does not help much to me actually liking Rezsia. When I got through the chunk of her being trained to the part where she actually uses Ovosibas (the ultimate healing power) to save her Grandmother Dione, who was Coale all along, as well as the rest of the scouts, that was an automatic turn-off. Rezs does that so-called 'inner power she held within her' all along, and she's not even a healer! Umh, do I smell a Mary Sue? Why can't this book really supply this 'something new' I wanted, instead of another Dion clone? It doesn't help that Dion had only one daughter who ended up being the Wolfwalker, and here comes her granddaughter who also eventually becomes one.

I really like how technology in this book is becoming more apparent, how the world was actually shaping, how there's greedy folk around the corner, but it could have been better if it wasn't bogged with so many tedious dialogue and action we've already know about. The characters, all of them, are so pessimistic and even the slowly learning Rezs has nothing much to bring to the table, that after a while, you get tired of their constant whining. You learn with Rezs how to survive in the forest, but when it gets to 'you have to do this or you die' over and over and over, you don't really learn anything. You don't feel with these characters, and you really don't care if they live or die, because they're static characters, too perfect and too much in your head. The only character I really enjoyed was Vlen. He was better than Gray Rishte (from 'Wolf in Night') simply because he was different. He was barely a year old, but unlike Rishte, he was clumsy, silly, showed a lot of personality that really needs to be afflicted on in other wolves of the series.

And the love interest between Ukiah and Rezs was a total anticlimax. We knew this Ukiah was Grayheart from the beginning, and how they kissed at the very beginning was a pretty much 'wtf' moment. Also, Ukiah getting all mushy-mushy for Rezs, saying 'I've lost so many people, I don't want to loose another' was a little laughable, considering his personality changed a complete 360 degrees.

Granted, I gave this book four stars because it's such a nice story, but when it comes to something new, and characters that we can actually attach ourselves to, it fails. At least the wolf was interesting.

I just Loved it.......2000-01-30

It was a great story that holds a exitement at berable levels, after a long day of work. It you want fast pace stories this isn't for you, but if your willing to read past the first three chapters, it will be will worth the wait.

It's BOOK #5! If you read it out of order, too bad!.......1999-12-11

Many years after Dion has recovered from the death of her younger son (and almost her own death for the 500th time!), her granddaughter by her remaining birth son undertakes her own adventure.

It was very difficult to bring this later world into alignment with the one we got used to in the first books. It spends a lot of time talking about bio-this and bio-that and how everything on the planet is basically "grown" and not built. Kind'a hokey.

It also has a publication date that is before the fourth book's (Wolf's Bane) publication date. This is too bad. Because, by reading this book before Wolf's Bane, it damaged what would, otherwise, have been a very good story in that 4th book.

This book is ok, but it *was* hard to put myself into this new "future" when I'd become so used to Dion and Aranur's world.

Wonderfully Descriptive.......1999-09-11

I found this book to be my favorite. I like Star Wars novels usually, but the stories in the Wolfwalker series are truly my love. I have read Grayheart numerous times. The mixture of music is what truly makes it my favorite of the series. Grayheart is a wonderful character and the connection of family thought lost and then found is a wonderful resolution to old conflicts. It's a must read, one to read slowly to savor the flavor.

Tara Harper is wonderful!.......1998-08-30

Rezsia knew nothing of the dangers in the woods. But she needed by the elders to investigate a series of strange deaths. Rezsia had only been bonded with the wolf, Gray Vlen, for a short time. Everything was still new to Rezsia. But she had no choice but to do as the elders bid. There was no one else available.

In the woods Rezsia met an odd, older wolfwalker, Coale, who could teach her to join in the packsong and run with the wolves. Then they join with a party of scouts who were assigned to escort Rezsia to her destination safely and to instruct her in forest survival skills.

If she hoped to survive, Rezsia could trust no one. She would have to sift through the memories of the wolves, and trust her life to skills she had never tested.

***Anne McCaffrey is quoted as saying, "Tara K. Harper's Wolfwalker novels are particular favorites of mine." I understand why.***

Shadow Leader: Tales of the Wolves, Book 2 (Unabridged)
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Shadow Leader: Tales of the Wolves, Book 2 (Unabridged)
Tara K. Harper
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
ASIN: B0006LBX9U

Silver Moons, Black Steel: Tales of the Wolves, Book 5 (Unabridged)
Average customer rating:
Silver Moons, Black Steel: Tales of the Wolves, Book 5 (Unabridged)
Tara K Harper
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
ASIN: B000F6INVC

Map is not Territory: Studies in the History of Religions
Average customer rating:

A classic!

A classic in the history of religions

Cargo Cult Cosmos

Map is not Territory: Studies in the History of Religions
Jonathan Z. Smith
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0226763579

Book Description

In Map Is Not Territory, Jonathan Z. Smith engages previous interpretations of religious texts from late antiquity, critically evaluates the notion of sacred space and time as it is represented in the works of Mircea Eliade, and tackles important problems of methodology.

Customer Reviews:

A classic!.......2001-06-12

This book is insightful, stimulating and truly well written. JZS injects excitement, and even humor, into what many would consider a 'dry' topic.

I first read it in college over a decade ago, and I still have the original hardcover copy sitting right next to me on the shelf, even though my current studies would *appear* to have little in common :) I can only say this once: this book gets the #1 place in my list of essential reads.

A classic in the history of religions.......2000-06-21

This book is one of the classic texts for methodology in the history of religions. A must read for those interested in serious scholarship on the study of religion.

Cargo Cult Cosmos.......2000-02-16

"The Map Is Not The Territory" expresses Alfred Korzybski's second principle of general semantics: namely, Non-All-ness. By this Korzybski meant that no word ever says "all" about anything and no map ever represents "all" of any territory. We can profitably use words and maps, Korzybski said, as long as we constantly submit them to rigorous examination so that we may keep them accurate and up-to-date. This helps us avoid constructing maps of territories that do not, in fact, exist.

The author of this book, Jonathan Z. Smith, has plainly taken Korzybski's words for his title, dropping only the definite article "the" from before the words "map" and "territory." Yet he makes no mention of Korzybski in the book's index and waits until the last line of the last essay (page 309) to insert the following line:

"For the dictum of Alfred Korzybski is inescapable: 'Map is not territory'--but maps are all we possess."

This faint and belated acknowledgement represents both a misappropriation and a misinterpretation of Korzybski's words. Korzybski would say that we not only have maps but that we also have compasses, sextants, chronometers, global-positioning satellites, and any number of other means by which we assure ourselves of their accuracy. Smith, for his part, uses the word "map" in vague and ill-defined ways. When he refers to a "cosmos," we must assume that he refers to an astrologer's hallucination rather than the careful catalogue of an astronomer.

Korzybski first enunciated his system of general semantics in 1933 with the publication of his major work, "Science and Sanity." Since then, numerous distinguished authors such as S.I. Hayakawa, Wendell Johnson, Irving J. Lee, and Anatol Rapoport--to name just a few--have developed and expanded Korzybski's principles of general semantics. They have all written clearly, forcefully, and at great length of how delusional words and maps lead people to wrap themselves in verbal cocoons from which, in Wendell Johnson's words, "they seldom hatch." Had Smith carefully studied this literature and then applied general semantics to his own efforts, he might have cleared up much of his own confused thinking. Instead, he has associated his rather nebulous conceptions of human symbol-making with a methodology, discipline, and philosophy that he does not clearly understand.

This book has nothing whatsoever to do with general semantics, Alfred Korzybski's life work, and the author's disingenuous attempt to associate himself with that work needs repudiating in the strongest terms.

Ironically, the author speaks of Melanesian "cargo cults" while apparently unaware of Richard Feynman's 1974 commencement address at Caltech, published in his autobiography, "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!" in which the late physicist spoke of "Cargo Cult Science." In professor Feynman's words:

"In the South Seas there is a cargo cult of people. During the war they saw airplanes with lots of good materials, and they want the same thing to happen now. So they've arranged to make things like runways, to put fires along the sides of the runways, to make a wooden hut for a man to sit in, with two wooden pieces on his head to simulate earphones and bars of bamboo sticking out like antennas--he's the controller--and they wait for the planes to land. They're doing it all right. The form is perfect. It looks exactly the way it looked before. But it doesn't work. No airplanes land. So I call these things cargo cult science, because they follow all the apparent precepts and forms of scientific investigation, but they're missing something essential, because the planes don't land."

Given Jonathan Smith's preference for such sweeping generalizations as, "The historian's task is to complicate not to clarify" and "The historian's manner of speech is often halting and provisional" and "The historian provides us with hints that remain too fragile" (all on page 290), I have to wonder what historians he has in mind, since he doesn't say. The book may contain useful footnotes of interest to scholars of this sort of thing, but--in my humble opinion--Richard Feynman's cargo cult synopsis serves well for the last word here:

"The planes don't land."

Map Is Not Territory: Studies in the History of Religions (Studies in Judaism in Late Antiquity ; V. 23)
Average customer rating:
Map Is Not Territory: Studies in the History of Religions (Studies in Judaism in Late Antiquity ; V. 23)
Jonathan Z. Smith
Manufacturer: Brill Academic Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Comparative Religion | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 9004054928

Map Is Not Territory: Studies in the History of Religions
Average customer rating:
Map Is Not Territory: Studies in the History of Religions
Jonathan Z. Smith
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OPXMKG

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