Scavenger's Son (Tottiyute Makan)

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Scavenger's Son (Tottiyute Makan)
Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai
Manufacturer: Heinemann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Criticism & Theory | History & Criticism | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0435950827

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Great source for adventure hooks and setting detail

An in-depth look at the lands surrounding the Blessed Isle

Not bad at all...

Scavenger Sons (Exalted)
Justin Achilli , John Snead , and Scott Taylor
Manufacturer: White Wolf Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Role Playing & Fantasy | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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Games of Divinity: A Compendium of the Divine (EXALTED Roleplaying, WW8823)

Manacle and Coin (Exalted)

Exalted Storyteller's Companion (Exalted)

Caste Book: Twilight

Exalted the Outcaste (Exalted)

ASIN: 1588466523

Customer Reviews:

Great source for adventure hooks and setting detail.......2005-08-02

A must-have if you want to run games in the setting used in the Exalted books. Though the Core book gives some basic setting information, Scavenger Sons actually gives you enough detail to provide starting points for adventures and campaigns, as well as interesting backstories for characters, for any area of the world (not just the Scavenger Lands, as the name implies). If you play like I do, having more setting detail is extremely helpful. Overall, the book is well-written, though be warned that there isn't a whole lot in the way of new rules - if you buy books only for the crunch and could care less about setting detail, you might want to save the money for a new fatsplat instead. However, keep in mind that when the new edition comes out, this book won't become obsolete like many of the others might.

An in-depth look at the lands surrounding the Blessed Isle.......2003-12-26

This sourcebook is meant for the Exalted role-playing game and details the lands surrounding the Blessed Isle (known as the Threshold), including the Scavenger Lands to the East. Overall the book is very well done, providing interesting adventure hooks and details to bring the people, customs, and cities in the Threshold to life. The chapter on Nexus is especially well done with lots of adventure ideas and will be useful for GMs who plan to take their games there.

The only con is that there are no maps provided (except one for the Scavenger lands in Chapter 5) and you will have to rely on the maps that came with the main Exalted rulebook.

The chapters are:

Ch1: The North.
Descrbes the frozen lands north of the Blessed Isle and its people, customs and cities. Includes details of the Haslanti League (a loose confederation of city-states on the shores of the White Sea), iceships and airboats.

Ch2: The East
Describes the lands to the East of the Blessed Isle, but deals mostly with the areas outside of the Scavenger Lands proper which has its own chapter. There is a detailed section on the Sijan the city of the dead, and sections on the people, customs and creatures of the forest lands.

Ch3: The South.
Describes the cities and inhabitants of Gem, Chiaroscuro, the Varang City-States, Harborhead, and the surrounding lands. Nexus is described in a separate chapter. There are notes on Firedust and weapons (e.g. Firewands) using this unique substance.

Ch4: The West
Details the islands of the West, including Wavecrest, Coral , Skullstone, and the dreaded Lintha pirate family.

Ch5: The Scavenger Lands
Describes the so-called Scavenger Lands and includes a detailed history of the River Province. The cities of Lookshy, Great Forks, Sijan, Greyfalls, and Denandsor are described in some detail. A separate section deals with the unique creatures of Mount Metagalapa (hawkriders,birdmen, and great rocs).

Ch6: Nexus
An in-depth description of the teeming megapolis of Nexus which includes descriptions of the surrounding lands, laws, the council, the guild, and the various districts and neighborhoods. A separate section details the First Age Tombs of the Exalted in Nexus, complete with their deadly traps.

Appendix1: Groups and Organisations
Describes the various power factions in the Threshold including the Guild and the Children of the Wyld in greater detail.

Appendix2: The Fair Folk
A thorough discussion on the Fair Folk. This chapter covers the varieties of Fair Folk and their unique powers (Glamour) done in much greater detail than the sections in the main Exalted rulebook.

Not bad at all..........2001-11-21

This is a very deep and thurough look at the scavenger lands. The only bad part of it is that it often leave certain things without stats, as in these tombs of former exalted that annhilate their would be thieves...eh,jsut pet piev though. But all in all, if you are interested in this part of the game world, buy it.

Scavenger's Son.: An article from: World Literature Today

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Scavenger's Son.: An article from: World Literature Today
E.V. Ramakrishnan
Manufacturer: University of Oklahoma
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from World Literature Today, published by University of Oklahoma on September 22, 1994. The length of the article is 681 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Scavenger's Son.
Author: E.V. Ramakrishnan
Publication: World Literature Today (Refereed)
Date: September 22, 1994
Publisher: University of Oklahoma
Volume: v68 Issue: n4 Page: p886(2)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Scavenger's son (UNESCO collection of representative works)

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Scavenger's son (UNESCO collection of representative works)
Takali Sivasankarapilla
Manufacturer: Orient Paperbacks : distributed by Hind Pocket Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0006CNNKQ

Book Description

The time has come.

Every powerful wizard and fighter on the continent of Otaria wants one thing: power. One artifact can give them--undeniably--that which they seek, and nothing will stop any of them from possessing it.

But in the end, only one can have it, and his actions will determine the fate of the world.

The day of judgment has arrived.

Customer Reviews:

Good Book.......2004-09-09

This was a good read and a good conclusion to the Odyssey Block.

The book picks up right where Torment left off - Chainer is dead and Cabal City is in ruins. Kamahl has finally come to wield the Mirari, however his designs for it are not necesarily good ones. He disguises his designs for power by deluding himself into believing that he is the one to unite his people, since he wields the Mirari. As the book progresses however, it becomes clear that Kamahl has been driven practically insane by the power of the artifact and his desire for control. Will he return to his senses? You will have to read to find out! Meanwhile, Laquatus, foiled again by Empress Llawan in his attempts to get the Mirari for his own personal benefit, remains stuck in his portal prison. That is, until one day, when he discovers one of the infamous sub-continent tunnels which leads to his escape. With Laquatus up to his old tricks again, the continent is once again in for a vicious cycle of lies, false alliances and deception.

While the book is good and the plot intriguing, it does have its dull and confusing moments. Therefore, I have to rate it only four stars. However this was an excellent conclusion to the Odyssey Block and, as always, leaves us wondering, "What next?"

Great book.......2002-09-29

I enjoyed this book alot it set everything up very well for the final confrentation between Laquatus and Kamhal, and how the Order and the Cabal interact with each other, and dealing with the power of the Mirari. Good wrap up book that made you wonder what could happen in Onslaught.

Not as interesting as Chainer's Torment.......2002-09-21

The book gives and ending to the Odyssey Cycle. It does its job dutifully, and brings the whole story to full circle. However, it doesn't impress me particularly with the story nor the writing. This is not to say that it is bad, but it is not excellent either (hence the 3 stars). The ending is again kind of sloopy (like Chainer's Torment), and doesn't really explain what happens next for Kahmahl or Jeska. I guess it will have to continue in Onslaught.

Great Book, Some Flaws.......2002-07-29

When reading this book your attentiveness to it will weaver a lot. Like most Magic books,many events are happening at once, and unfortunantly there all not that interesting. And in many of the events that do occur, their constant aperance or relevence to each other make the story seem repetitve. Plus the author doesn't seem to hold true to rules he sets for his characters. By "rules" I mean personality and phisical abilites. One moment a character will have no trouble takeing out an oppenent and the next he'll be nearly killed when taking on someone who is supposed to be "weaker." Enough with all these negitive comments, you would think I would give this only 1 star. This book, through all of its troubles does have some good features. The sudden character changes will surprise you and the plot twists will have you on the edge of your seat. The descriptions are of nothing short of excelence. The greatest aspect of this book though is that you don't have to read the first two books ahead of this one. As Judgment's storyline progress it explains everything that has happened in the cycle and I mean everything. Overall this book is a great conclustion to the cycle and once again leaves you with the question "Whats next?".

Book Description

Bears Discover Fire is the first short story collection by the most acclaimed science fiction author of the decade, author of such brilliant novels as Talking Man and Voyage to the Red Planet. It brings together nineteen of Bisson's finest works for the first time in one volume, among them the darkly comic title story, which garnered the field's highest honors, including the Hugo, Nebula, Theodore Sturgeon, and Locus awards.

Download Description

From the gentle fantasies that include the wry title story, winner of both the Hugo and Nebula Awards, to ecological allegories; a horrific novelette about experimental excursions into the realm of death; and a first-contact mini-epic, this anthology showcases the wide range of Bisson's powerful talent. In every piece, Bisson's characters are just as absurd as their fantastic landscape, yet thoroughly ordinary, recognizable, and authentic. His pack of scientists, artists, rednecks, insurance salesmen, astronauts, truck drivers, owlish British gentlemen, and others will stay with you like your best friends and quirkiest relations.

Customer Reviews:

Weird and Wonderful.......2001-08-25

Terry Bisson is a master of the short form, and these are some of his best stories. His sense of place and his gift for dialogue make him one of the most important writers working today. The simple beauty of the title story alone, a multiple award winner, is worth the price of admission. If you have an imagination and an appreciation for the absurd, buy this book.

Some very good stories.......2001-07-21

I'm surprised there are so few reviews here. This book deserves to be wider read.

I first read a Bisson story ten years ago in Omni -- "They're Made of Meat." I loved it. Very short, all dialogue, a great ending line... It's still one of my favorites of all time.

To be honest, all of these stories are not fantastic. Some kind of leave you rubbing your head, like "The Coon Suit." What the heck was that?! But there are about ten very good stories in here that are worth the price of the book. Bisson writes in a way that is easy to read, even if the ideas don't always grab you. His snappier, dialogue-heavy stories are my favorite.

Give this one a try.

Very diverse reading.......2000-06-29

Bears Discover Fire is the classic SF story, using SF/Fantasy themes perfectly to truly explore human emotional struggles. It's my favorite SF story right now, replacing "I have no mouth but I must scream", by Ellison.

Bisson writes with a quirkiness that's quite endearing, and his characters always seem quite real(except on those short short short stories where 2-D characters suffice for getting his 'punchline' across). In short, this is a great book.

Discover this book!.......2000-03-31

This is a collection of short (often very) stories. Many, like the title story are based on a single conceit -- everything else is the same, except, well, bears discover fire. And instead of hibernating, they're camping out in the medians of interstates. Or in "England Underway," England starts moving around Ireland, swings past Bermuda and comes to rest off the East Coast of the U.S. The best comparison I can make is to Steven Wright jokes. "Press Ann" can't really be described here, but is now one of my all-time favorites. Bisson admits he sometimes writes "odd mainstream works" that get passed of as fantasy and SF. While only a handful of his works "count" as true fantasy or SF, they are no less enjoyable.

Truly Great Writer.......1999-12-17

Terry Bisson's genius has only been partially recognized.

Bear's Discovered Fire (his second best work and consisting of short stories) is a must read for any literary student or book lover.

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Bears Discover Fire and Other Stories
Terry Bisson
Manufacturer: Orb Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTI9V4

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Bears Discover Fire and Other Stories
Terry Bisson
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTM05K

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Bears Discover Fire and Other Stories
Terry Bisson
Manufacturer: Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KP8MPK

Book Description

This book takes a bold new look at ways of exploring the nature, origins, and potentials of consciousness within the context of science and religion. Alan Wallace draws careful distinctions between four elements of the scientific tradition: science itself, scientific realism, scientific materialism, and scientism. Arguing that the metaphysical doctrine of scientific materialism has taken on the role of ersatz-religion for its adherents, he traces its development from its Greek and Judeo-Christian origins, focusing on the interrelation between the Protestant Reformation and the Scientific Revolution. He looks at scientists' long term resistance to the firsthand study of consciousness and details the ways in which subjectivity has been deemed taboo within the scientific community. In conclusion, Wallace draws on William James's idea for a "science of religion" that would study the nature of religious and, in particular, contemplative experience. In exploring the nature of consciousness, this groundbreaking study will help to bridge the chasm between religious belief and scientific knowledge. It is essential reading for philosophers and historians of science, scholars of religion, and anyone interested in the relationship between science and religion.

Customer Reviews:

Seminal Work that Lays the Groundwork for a New Science of Consicousness.......2007-02-12

"The Taboo of Subjectivity" is a seminal work that lays the groundwork for a new science of consciousness. In this book, B. Alan Wallace examines the four aspects of the scientific tradition: science, scientific realism, scientific materialism, and scientism. In specific, the author demonstrates that scientific materialism is often conflated with scientific knowledge, not only by the general public at large, but also by the scientific community in particular. Wallace avers that the "shackles" of the metaphysical principles of scientific materialism is the major impediment preventing science from expanding its knowledge-base in the study of consciousness.

The author argues that the scientific study of mental phenomena will require introspective as well as extraspective techniques. In order to accomplish this, Wallace suggests employing the methods and techniques used by the various contemplative traditions throughout the world. The author champions the idea of "religious empiricism." Wallace believes the establishment of empirical religious methods will help to alleviate the tension that exists between science and religion by complementing the discipline of cognitive science with a new "contemplative science."

I highly recommend this book for those who are interested in the science and religion dialogue. This book outshines similar works because it discusses the religious methodologies of meditation and contemplation which are critical in establishing a "science of religion."

a brillant synthesis.......2001-04-08

B. Alan Wallace's new book, The Taboo of Subjectivity: Toward a New Science of Consciousness, makes the provocative claim that science has become, in many ways, a modern cult, which promotes certain ways of knowing and metaphysical beliefs to the exclusion of others. Subjectivity, an integral aspect of our experience, has been neglected to the point that its existence is in doubt.

Since the book is aimed at people familiar with the common view of scientific materialism, it focuses upon the weaknesses in the scientific materialist view, and how taking contemplative practice and experience seriously can allow us to see that this scientific view is lacking an awareness and understanding of subjectivity. This exclusion is related to assumptions which may have been necessary to get science off the ground (objectivism, monism, universalism, reductionism, the closure principle, and physicalism). However, these assumptions have become ensconced, and now play a role often attributed to religious doctrines: they go unquestioned, lead us to believe stories regarding our origins and nature which are not empirically grounded, and blind us to aspects of common, everyday experience. He traces the roots of these metaphysical beliefs to ancient Greek philosophy and to early and Medieval Christian theology to point out that these are beliefs, and are not empirically proven. The scientific materialist view has many weaknesses, among them: it gives a highly problematic account of the origin and nature of consciousness, and of the relation of mind and body, based more on faith and dogma than on scientific findings; it has no method for systematically exploring consciousness firsthand; scientific knowledge is inadequate for dealing with either global problems, such as environmental pollution (which it has helped to create), or personal problems, such as mental well-being. He points out that "from a contemplative perspective, scientific materialism arrests human development in a state of spiritual infancy; and when a society of such spiritual infants is put in control of the awesome powers of science and technology, global catastrophe seems virtually inevitable." Since "a thoroughly materialistic view of the universe based on science suggests a [certain] set of values and ideals, with profound implications for dealing with the personal, societal, and environmental problems that beset us today," it is imperative to examine this view in depth, and compare it with other world views, in the light of our current situation.

The two main arguments that have been leveled against the subjective from the scientific side are that: 1. subjective influences taint experiments (of implicitly objective phenomena), 2. subjective phenomena aren't scientifically analyzable, which has developed into the extreme position that such phenomena aren't real, but are merely epiphenonema.

Introspection has traditionally been used to investigate consciousness, but many scientists ignore introspection, claim that it cannot tell us anything important, or argue against the possibility of there even being such an activity. Wallace reviews these claims, showing that many of the objections to the use or possibility of introspection could be equally applied to scientific knowledge and techniques; and yet, science works. Therefore it seems that it is primarily the metaphysical beliefs of scientists which prevent them from admitting, and engaging in, ways of knowing such as those based on introspective, contemplative practice. Wallace supports a pragmatic approach to knowledge: "the only guide for methodology is the universal one, namely, to use anything that works."

But we cannot just tack another viewpoint, such as "the spiritual worldview", onto our accounts from science; there are real conflicts here, especially with respect to consciousness, and its origins and nature. For example, as he points out in another article, "Buddhist inquiry into the natural world proceeds from a radically different point of departure than western science, and its methods differ correspondingly.... Buddhism begins with the premise that the mind is the primary source of human joy and misery and is central to understanding the natural world as a whole." He reviews several kinds of divisions commonly made (subjective/objective, private/public, sacred/profane, fact/value) which might permit some kind of clean compartmentalization, and rejects them all. Instead, he calls for a dialogue between different ways of knowing. In order to open the way for a new science of consciousness, we must radically reevaluate the metaphysical stances of the scientific worldview, and of the relations between science and religion. For example, he argues that contemplative practice is in many ways in the spirit of science: it involves rigorous training to prepare the contemplative to inquire, through experience and reasoning, into the nature of things.

However, for people who are reluctant to admit that there can be nondelusional spiritual experiences, this contemplative perspective is going to seem like a belief, and probably won't shake whatever faith they have in the scientific worldview. This is one reason why Wallace constantly emphasizes that the claims of contemplatives are claims to be evaluated (both experientially and through reason), rather than established facts (which usually assumes some kind of general agreement within a community of which the reader and author are part). It is also probably why he emphasizes how contemplative practice could inform a new science of consciousness, rather than simply claiming that these practices have value on their own, as he does in some of his other books, aimed at different audiences.

Perhaps realizing the limitations of our current sciences of the mind will open us to new methods and new views, to explore the knowledge of other societies, and recover ways of knowing that may have been lost within our own traditions. It is hard to know where a truly open-minded, open-hearted dialogue between science and religion could lead, but it is exciting that this seems to be a genuine possibility today, probably more so than any time in the past. Thus, the central question of book is: "does a way exist to integrate the power of religion and of science for the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of humanity?"

The Taboo...........2001-01-23

I cannot add much to what the above author has offered, other than expressing my deep respect for B. Alan Wallace as my professor. I am enrolled in a course he is teaching at UC Santa Barbara titled "Religion, Science and Consciousness" and I am quite lucky to hear him pontificate and elaborate upon the ideas set forth in his book, amongst many other topics. Mr. Wallace brings light to the ongoing, seemingly inflexible attitude among scientific materialists toward religious ideas concerning the nature of the mind and consciousness. He, in his clear and unique writing style, enlightens the reader regarding the boundaries of the compatibility of religion and science....After all, in the most colloquial of terms- if religion is defined as the way in which we question and know why the hell we exist and science does the same, who is to say they are not compatible, in some way... Religion is not all about hell-fire, brimstone and heresy, as many scientific materialists would have one think! It is time to look to contemplatives in both our culture and others for assistence in the quest for knowledge (The Buddha is quite knowledgable about such things!)

The Taboo of Subjectivity.......2000-12-11

Normally the word science conjures up images of the new technologies in communications, medicine and manufacturing that are the hallmark of modern life. But science's influence extends beyond matter to the mind. Its main impact there has been to question, if not invalidate, everything from religion to the commonplace components of our inner lives - our thoughts and emotions, values and ideals. Such subjective phenomena are not to be found on science's objective map.

The Taboo of Subjectivity takes on both science and religion in an attempt not to reconcile the two, but to reveal their common connection in consciousness itself. To accomplish this, Alan Wallace, whose academic background includes both physics and religion, sets out to show that science and religion have each embraced "fundamentalist" attitudes that distort their essential natures.

Science, he suggests, has fallen under the spell of scientific materialism, a philosophical interpretation of science, based on Newton's mechanical model of the universe: if something can't be measured objectively, it doesn't exist. This view maintains a hold on both the public and many scientists despite its having been debunked over 100 years ago. The quantum physics pioneered by Max Planck reintroduced subjective human consciousness into nature, emphasizing the importance of the observer and questioning the existence of a universe made up of solid particles unconnected to human perception.

Religion, according to Wallace, has largely abandoned its roots in contemplation, which the author views as a science of consciousness. Religious fundamentalism denies direct human contact with the divine - the aim of contemplation - in favor of unquestioned belief. Science similarly denies validity to consciousness - the realm of free will, the soul, and the possibility of life after death - by reducing all mental phenomena to mere electro-chemical patterns in the brain. Thus there is double taboo against our subjective selves.

How effective are Wallace's arguments? Sound critiques of scientific materialism have already been crafted by philosophers of science, Paul Feyerabend and Bas C. van Fraassen among them. Contributions from the humanistic tradition have come from William James, Aldous Huxley, Alan Watts, and, more recently, Ken Wilber. Wallace synthesizes these strands into a scathing, three-pronged attack claiming that: 1) Scientific materialism is antiquated in its refusal to accept the conclusions of quantum physics. 2) It inflates the conclusions of valid experimental science - especially where neuroscience reduces consciousness to brain processes, for which there is no compelling scientific evidence. 3) The requirement of scientific objectivity ignores the bias of science's own assumptions, which include mathematics and the inculturation process of scientific training.

But most fascinating and compelling are Wallace's chapters on the subjective exploration of the mind - contemplation. The author's contention is that the meditational practices of many Eastern religions are no less reliable and "objective" in their own sphere - the mind - than is experimental science in the realm of the material. It's not all voodoo and hocus-pocus.

Wallace, a religious studies professor at the University of California at Santa Barbara, has expertise in this area. He spent 14 years as a Buddhist monk, teaches meditation, and is a student of and translator for the Dalai Lama. A variety of approaches to contemplation are explained in some detail, showing that the techniques are extremely exacting. As with proofs in experimental science, similar outcomes can be obtained by the meditator using different practices. Results can be repeated and then confirmed by meditational experts.

These arguments cannot be shunted aside as easily as Ken Wilber's more poetic approach in The Marriage of Sense and Soul (1998, Broadway Books). Whereas Wilber speaks in general terms and relies on a grand theory all his own, Wallace is more specific, demonstrating a firm grasp of physics and the history of science. He cements his case with logical arguments that opponents may find challenging to refute.

A response is called for, especially from the neurosciences, because the implications of Wallace's book are sweeping. The incorporation of subjective, contemplative methods within a scientific framework for the exploration of the mind could lend credence to many subjective aspects of human mental life and effect a repositioning of science - as a brother discipline to the arts and humanities rather than as their unforgiving father.

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The Taboo Of Subjectivity: Toward A New Science Of Consciousness
B. Alan Wallace
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKEGLA

Average customer rating:
The Taboo of Subjectivity: Towards a New Science of Consciousness
B. Alan Wallace
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKLHKI

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