Amazon.com
One could argue that the war novel is an essentially timeless genre. Weapons are subject to long and increasingly lethal refinement--but from Homer's day to our own, the fear, fury, remorse, and anguish experienced on the battlefield have hardly changed a whit. Still, the stories told by Vietnam-generation novelists may differ in the telling. A writer like Alfredo Vea draws on a myriad of cultural and literary traditions to evoke the peculiar terrors of Vietnam--while invariably reflecting the outsider status of the soldiers who fought in the conflict. And for both of these reasons, his third novel, Gods Go Begging, is a remarkable work.
Vea begins his story in present-day San Francisco. The protagonist, Jesse Pasadoble, is a former Army sergeant who's now made a name for himself as a criminal defense attorney. Haunted by wartime memories, Pasadoble has found a way to channel his anguish: his impoverished clients remind him of his suffering comrades, and he seeks a compensatory justice for what he and his platoon lost.
Jesse hated death. He did not fear it, but he hated it with all of his heart and soul. A year and a half of incredible fear in the highlands of Vietnam had been transformed into an almost anguished love the living, intact moment, the moment that can never be possessed. Like many of the men who have witnessed the best and worst in themselves, who have been given a glimpse of the end of their lives at a very young age, he had lost the power to be lonely. The power had been replaced by something else: a soul sickness; a hunger for beauty, but only at a distance. Though he could not love his own life and the things within it, Jesse hated death.
His newest client is a 12-year-old boy, a child of the projects who's been charged with the brutal murder of two women. As the case unfolds, the barriers between past and present, America and Vietnam, erode and finally disappear. Meanwhile, Vea expertly marries the magical realism of Gabriel García Márquez to his visceral accounts of battle. Indeed, whether we measure by the breadth of his imagination, the strength of his characters, or the hallucinatory power of his prose, there seems to be no novelistic terrain that Vea can't conquer. A chronicle of defeat and suffering, Gods Go Begging represents a paradoxical victory for the author--and, of course, for the reader. --Ted Leventhal
Book Description
Named one of the Best Books of 1999 by the Los Angeles Times and Winner of the 1999 Bay Area Book Reviewers' Award for Fiction
For Vietnam veteran Jesse Pasadoble, now a defense attorney living in San Francisco, the battle still rages: in his memories; in the gang wars erupting on Potrero Hill; and in the recent slaying of two women-one black, one Vietnamese. In seeking justice for the young man accused of the brutal double murder, Jesse must walk with the men who died on another hill . . . men who were his comrades and friends in a war that crossed racial divides. Finding the truth means confronting the ghosts of Vietnam-and the possibility of his own redemption.
A novel that makes mesmerizing leaps of imagination as it moves seamlessly between past and present, Gods Go Begging tells an unforgettable story of war and peace, guilt and innocence, suffering and love.
"Va is a true artist . . . his rendering of the Vietnam War is thoroughly original."--Los Angeles Times
Customer Reviews:
Major Disappointment.......2006-05-23
After a recomendation to read this book, I purchased it and quickly read it. I found this book to have been a major disappointment. The plot is too convuluted to be realistic is my major complaint. How all of the main characters are enabled to meet in San Francisco, at the end of the novel, is so incredible, it boggles the mind. I am very surprised that a major publisher saw fit to print it; I am also surprised that it won a minor book prize. This book was to unrealistic to be enjoyed. It failed as a Viet Nam war novel and failed as a mystery. This was one terrible read.
Magical Realism -- you gotta love it to read it........2005-08-05
This novel was my first of Vea's to read. I enjoy the magical realism of Eco, Garcia, Robbins, etc. and thought that this story fit in very well with the genre. There are some graphic moments described in a Vietnam battle sequence that may put some readers off their oats momentarily and return to their thoughts after reading the book. The premise is very believable which makes the ultimate realization of the book's surrealistic theme believable.
My Greatest Novel?.......2004-11-28
Not My meaning "mine," of course; just My meaning "My Choice for..."
...Hard to say...Was my favorite novel when I read it, but then so was It. I'm a bit removed from Vea's words now, though I can say its a damn shame that the last review of this book is from 2003...not enough folks breathing this air. This story is air, and air is essential, right?
Greatest or no, I will never forget the ultimate revelation of Gods Go Begging - the most beautiful experience I have ever had with literature. True love was never more pure, more real.
Even my memories breed tears.
Gods Go Begging.......2003-01-10
Alfrodo Vea shows the way that war realy efects people not only on the battle field but also the people that the soldiers leave behind when they die. The story is of two battles one fought in Vvietnam and another fought on the streets of San francisco. As the book progresses the reader finds out more and more about the story up until the shocking This is a great book chock full of Vea's twisted humor and many interestring facts and I would recomend it for anyone who enjoys a good truthful novel about the vietnam war.
Definitely Intriguing.......2003-01-10
The style used to write the book is amazing. I love most how it continually jumps back and forth through different times and memories of the main character, Jesse Pasadoble. By doing this, it only lets the audience find out little portions of the story at a time. By the end of the novel, everything comes together and makes for a beautiful plot line. Alfredo Vea also forces you to fall in love with several of his characters by making them so charismatic. The reader, shortly through the book, begins loving to read every single line about any one of the amazingly created characters. If you read it, you will love it.
Amazon.com
Many Americans know "mojo" is Southern slang for powerful magic. But few Americans know the word originated in West Africa and referred to a small cloth bag containing protective magicks. The origin of mojo is as obscure to Americans as the religious, spiritual, and magical beliefs of Africa, which are far less familiar than the religions and myths of Europe and Asia. Acclaimed author/editor Nalo Hopkinson addresses this imbalance with her anthology Mojo: Conjure Stories, which collects 19 original stories of magic and gods and mortals, set in locales that range from a pre-Civil War plantation to modern Oakland, from Nineteenth-Century England to underground New York City.
Contributors range from big names like Steven Barnes, Neil Gaiman, and Barbara Hambly to exciting new authors (however, editor Hopkinson unfortunately does not contribute a story). The anthology avoids such inaccurate, offensive Hollywood stereotypes as the pin-stuck "voodoo doll," and the overall quality is very high, with a few weak tales offset by the far more numerous excellent stories. Among the best works are Sheree Renee Thomas's poetic myth "How Sukie Cross De Big Wata"; Marcia Douglas's lyrical "Notes from a Writer's Book of Cures and Spells," the best story about the writing process since Jaime Hernandez's "How to Kill A" (Love & Rockets); and "The Tawny Bitch," Nisi Shawl's classically gothic tale of a wealthy, quadroon British heiress held captive by a greedy, lustful relative.
The anthology opens with a brief but informative editor's note from Nalo Hopkinson and an evocative introduction by Luisah Teish, priestess of the Ifa/Orisha tradition and author of several books, including the spiritual classic Jambalaya: The Natural Woman's Book of Personal Charms and Practical Rituals. --Cynthia Ward
Book Description
Many Americans know "mojo" is Southern slang for powerful magic. But few Americans know the word originated in West Africa and referred to a small cloth bag containing protective magicks. The origin of mojo is as obscure to Americans as the religious, spiritual, and magical beliefs of Africa, which are far less familiar than the religions and myths of Europe and Asia. Acclaimed author/editor Nalo Hopkinson addresses this imbalance with her anthology Mojo: Conjure Stories, which collects 19 original stories of magic and gods and mortals, set in locales that range from a pre-Civil War plantation to modern Oakland, from Nineteenth-Century England to underground New York City.Contributors range from big names like Steven Barnes, Neil Gaiman, and Barbara Hambly to exciting new authors (however, editor Hopkinson unfortunately does not contribute a story). The anthology avoids such inaccurate, offensive Hollywood stereotypes as the pin-stuck "voodoo doll," and the overall quality is very high, with a few weak tales offset by the far more numerous excellent stories. Among the best works are Sheree Renee Thomas's poetic myth "How Sukie Cross De Big Wata"; Marcia Douglas's lyrical "Notes from a Writer's Book of Cures and Spells," the best story about the writing process since Jaime Hernandez's "How to Kill A" (Love Rockets); and "The Tawny Bitch," Nisi Shawl's classically gothic tale of a wealthy, quadroon British heiress held captive by a greedy, lustful relative.The anthology opens with a brief but informative editor's note from Nalo Hopkinson and an evocative introduction by Luisah Teish, priestess of the Ifa/Orisha tradition and author of several books, including the spiritual classic Jambalaya: The Natural Woman's Book of Personal Charms and Practical Rituals. --Cynthia Ward
Customer Reviews:
They are out there. Waiting. Soon, soon..........2004-08-16
Canadian science fiction is hot, and Nalo Hopkinson is one of the hottest names. Here she has collected a number of tales dealing with voodoo, all the way from its African roots to modern day. Slavery and racism are all too obvious in these stories, but also resistance and hope. However brilliant they are as horror stories, and many of them are, they are also highly political. Behind the fictional horrors of duppies and plateyes lurks the very real horrors of slavery, poverty, ignorance, bigotry, and racism.
Another book that succeeds in combining fiction and fact.
Chills, Thrills and Goose Flesh.......2004-02-09
I wanted to devour this anthology in one sitting and at the same time savor it. There are 19 stories with African magic at their roots, yet all the stories are different. 19 different authors each with her/his own style and voice. All are fabulous. Some tales are contemporary and some are historical. Some are set in Africa, some in the Caribbean, and some in the Americas. Some are rather funny and some are too sobering. Little chills will run down your skin giving you goose flesh. Every story is wonderful beyond words. I can't tell you which story or which author I liked the most. Read the book and choose your own. This anthology is edited by Nalo Hopkinson and includes authors, in order of appearance: Andy Duncan, Kinni Iburi Salaam, Barth Anderson, Steven Barnes, Gregory Frost, Jenise Aminoff, Tananarive Due, Jarla Tangh, Tobias S. Buckell, Nnedima Okorafor, Barbara Hambly, Gerard Houarner, A. M. Dellamonica, Eliot Fintushel, Nisi Shawl, Neil Gaiman, devorah major, Marcia Douglas, and Sheree Renee Thomas. There is an introduction by Luisah Teish.
Mojo: Conjure Stories is off da chain!.......2003-06-26
I read Nalo Hopkinson's first novel, Brown in the Ring a while ago and have been a fan ever since. I like the way she reinvents Afro-Caribbean rhythms and traditions to her storytelling, especially in her short stories, but her anthology is good, too. There are wild stories in here that made me rethink my stance on 'mojo' and conjure. There are too many good stories to name, and I'm still reading, but I really like the Neil Gaiman story, the "Fate" story by Jenise Aminoff, Nisi Shawl's "Tawny B---," Marcia Douglas, and Sheree Renee Thomas. The only thing missing so far is a story from Nalo herself. Maybe next time!
Tasteful Tales of Terror.......2003-06-02
Hopkins tastefully begins this consortium of tales by defining and distinguishing between religion and magic. She explains that "religion is an institutionalized system of spiritual beliefs...magic is the practice of altering the fated progression of events to suit one's desires." She then reminds us that magic is dangerous, and the ensuing stories support her statement.
From the Plateye, mischievous ghost who roam the earth changing shape and identity for deadly self-serving purposes, to the mysterious Udu pots that preserve, and don't forget Uncle Monday who steals souls...or Anansi, a trickster god disguised as an eight legged, wrinkled face spider, these conjured anomalies float through the pages of Mojo to form exquisite stories of characters performing self-serving magic. This anthology mixes modern fantasy with magic folklore and voodoo curses, the result being eerie and mysterious tales that spread your imagination and prickle the back of your neck.
Hopkins assembled an impressive reticulation of great writers. Steven Barnes, Tananarive Due, Barbara Hambly, and Marcia Douglas are just a few of the talented contributors. Barth Anderson's "Lark Till Dawn Princess" was the most intriguing to me. It was more mystery than mojo, and told of singing & performances in the alternative drag queen world. You'll love the point of view. Gregory Frost's "The Prowl" was among the cleverest because it is an explosive snatch of black history spun on vengeance. Denise Aminoff had the most daring and disturbing story. It reminded me of an early episode of the X-files.
If you enjoy the unknown, the far-reaching, and don't mind stretching beyond the familiar parameters of belief, you'll enjoy these conjure stories.
Reviewed by KaTrina Love (MissLove)
The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers
Reader, Be Aware!.......2003-05-07
The introduction of Mojo: Conjure Stories warns the reader to beware, to adorn their protective beads, to pocket their jujubags and sets the stage for the mystical anthology contained therein. The novel, edited by Nalo Hopkinson, is comprised of nineteen short stories from noteworthy authors such as Steven Barnes, Tananarive Due, and Barbara Hambly. All tales are colorful, creative, and rooted in "mojo" - a tricky, powerful, and dangerous magic with a West African flavor.
This is a diverse collection in that it traverses time to provide stories from the slave ships, the antebellum South, the Jim Crow era, the 1960's and even present day. Some stories are rooted in folklore, e.g. Andy Duncan's "Daddy Mention and the Monday Skull", while others address moral and societal issues such as incest, revenge, love, lust, and greed. One of my favorites is Barbara Hambly's "The Horsemen and The Morning Star" in which plantation slaves garner strength and call upon their ancestor's gods to ride their weary backs to fight the master's resurrection of the devil to save one of their own. Jarla Tangh's "The Skinned" references the recent Rowandan tragedy and delivers a powerful message against the backdrop of the modern American inner city. Another noteworthy mention is Jenise Aminoff's "Fate" in which a mother with the gift of sight tries desperately to alter her son's destiny and pays a high price in the end.
This reviewer found some stories a bit more challenging to follow than others, but believes there is enough variety in subject matter and writing style to satisfy even the most critical reader. This book covered multiple dimensions of conjuring: from using black magic to control spirits, outwitting the tricksters, initiating curses, belief in shape-shifting to the making and manipulation of zombies. It was an engaging and interesting read about a mystical and magical heritage. One can surely gain hours of reading pleasure with this book.
Phyllis
APOOO BookClub
Customer Reviews:
Super Reader.......2007-08-30
An Omnibus edition that includes three books.
Elric of Melnibone
Elric is the emperor of a declining civilisation. It is threated from without, by the 'lesser' races of humanity.
He also has to deal with the power plays and ambitions of his relatives, and has his own illnesses to bear, as well.
However, he has a plan. He doesn't realise what and who it will cost him to carry it out, as he makes a deal with Chaos.
5 out of 5
The Sailor On the Seas of Fate
There are three parts to this book. Sailing to the Future includes the crossover where Elric meets, Erekose, Hawkmoon and Corum aboard the Dark Ship of the Captain.
Then there is Sailing to the Present, and Sailing to the Past. The latter is a reworked version of the Jade God's Eyes.
5 out of 5
and
The Weird of the White Wolf
The Weird of the White Wolf also is a book that contains several smaller pieces of work, namely :
The Dream of Earl Aubec
The Dreaming City
While the Gods Laugh
The Singing Citadel
The first is a quick Eternal Champion interlude.
In the Dreaming City Elric returns to the Dragon Isle to attack his cousin, who is holding his lover captive.
While the Gods Laugh show Elric journeying with Moonglum, his version of the Companion to Champions, to find the Dead Gods Book.
The Singing Citadel is a building with the properties of a siren, basically. Elric and Moonglum investigate.
4.5 out of 5
Sword and Sorcery with Art and Intelligence.......2007-01-30
Moorcock is an excellent writer. His most obvious talent, to me, is his ability to drive both his story and his character's development via the same dark and despairing prose. Even when he writes the brightest, most gorgeous days, in the Elric saga, they are undercut by a real feeling of weight, depression, despair, and fatalism. This contrast can be shocking, especially if you have not previously read anything else by Moorcock.
Moorcock's ability to build a character, and his methods, fall somwhere between Tolkien's action based and Gene Wolfe's sometimes explanatory styles. His prose is as dark as that of Mervyn Peake, though Moorcock is less poetic, and is much more focused on action. This collection of the first three books of the Elric portion of his even larger "Eternal Champion" multiverse, holds, in my opinion, some of the best fantasy available on the market. The story is less predictable an more engaging, more 'different' than I have been accustomed too by years of McCaffrey, Terry Brooks, Salvatore, etc. dominating the fantasy fields. Moorcock brings back the strangeness that, almost twenty years ago, enticed me into the genre of fantasy, via Tolkien's books.
I do not wish to equate Moorcock to Tolkien. Moorcock is a very, VERY different writer, with a style that is very, VERY much his own. It is a good, strong style. It is even a, dare I say it, UNIQUE style, in a literary genre that is consistently derided for the lack of new works with original writing styles. I highly recommend the purchase of both this collection and its sequel collection, 'The Elric Saga, Part II'. They offer an engaging and enjoyable reading experience.
A rare achievement.......2005-06-17
I'm truly sorry for having taken so long in discovering Michael Moorcock. The element of the supernatural in his stories is as uncanny and unearthly as in vintage Robert E. Howard and H.P. Lovecraft. Definately the most addictive fantasy I've picked up in some time: the prose runs on adrenaline, every chapter ending on a hook that makes the book nearly impossible to put down. But it is the Elric character that bestows upon this series its deserved immortality. An albino, a weak offspring who should've died and yet lived on to become the most powerful sorcerer of his age...Elric is the archetype of all visionaries throughout the ages - those who felt the burden of existence too intensely to bear it. Those whom the rest of humanity both requires and scorns.
Moorcock Delivers!.......2004-04-14
Next to Tolkein, The Elric Saga is likely the best fantasy ever produced. Moorcock's portrayal of his characters is both vivid and wonderfully done. The power of his prose is flawless, and the books simply grab the reader and hurl them into a land where Chaos and Order strive for the souls of men. Elric is one of the best fantasy characters of all time. If you love fantasy and long for something akin to Tolkein quality, this is the series for you. Moorcock is a master storyteller.
Customer Reviews:
Super Reader.......2007-08-30
The Weird of the White Wolf also is a book that contains several smaller pieces of work, namely :
The Dream of Earl Aubec
The Dreaming City
While the Gods Laugh
The Singing Citadel
The first is a quick Eternal Champion interlude.
In the Dreaming City Elric returns to the Dragon Isle to attack his cousin, who is holding his lover captive.
While the Gods Laugh show Elric journeying with Moonglum, his version of the Companion to Champions, to find the Dead Gods Book.
The Singing Citadel is a building with the properties of a siren, basically. Elric and Moonglum investigate.
In response to the "Spotlight Reviews".......2005-12-29
In defense of one of the greatest and most original sagas in the annals of heroic fantasy, I would like to address some of the negative comments (and misconceptions) of the Spotlight Reviews.
First and foremost, the Elric Saga is a tragedy. None of the stories have a particularly happy ending, and the final book, "Stormbringer", ends along the same lines; sad, but dramatically fulfilling. One should consider that when Moorcock first started writing these, tragedy was virtually unheard of in Sword and Sorcery Fiction. This is not Tolkien. The hero does not get the girl and ride off into the sunset. If that's what you're looking for, you should avoid Moorcock and seek satisfaction elsewhere.
Secondly, the story that everyone has the most problem with, "The Dreaming City", is actually the FIRST Elric story that Moorcock ever wrote. He did not write these chronologically. As it stands, "The Dreaming City" is the most pivotal, and arguably, the most important story in the entire Elric Saga. It's the story that defines the character and his subsequent actions throughout the rest of the series. One person noted that Elric's actions (in leaving S. Baldhead to die in order to save himself) was uncharacteristic. Well, its supposed to be uncharacteristic, BECAUSE THE CHARACTER UNDERGOES A PROFOUND CHANGE IN THIS STORY. The character of Elric at the end of "The Dreaming City" is not the same character at the beginning of the saga. In the first two novels, he is idealistic as well as naive (especially in trusting Yrkoon a second time). But after his actions bring ruin to everyone he cares about, he becomes embittered and vengeful, all the way up until midway through "The Bane of the Black Sword", where the character changes once again. As for the complaints that some of his actions are inexplicable and inconsistent, I must remind the readers that Elric is a drug addict. His sword, Stormbringer, is his addiction. Anyone who has ever dealt with addiction in the real world, either directly or as an observer, can tell you that an addict's actions are often illogical and inconsistent.
The idea that Elric never really cared about Cymoril is ludacrous. Anyone who gained that from reading the stories must not have been paying very close attention. While I don't like to give away spoilers (unlike some people, who are content to ruin it for everyone just because they personally didn't like it), I will say that the tragic events of "The Dreaming City" haunt Elric throughout the rest of the saga.
In closing, I would suggest not to prejudge the series based on this one book. Reserve your judgement until you've completed the entire saga.
Five stars. Highly recommended.
A Long Journey.......2003-11-05
A Review by Joe
The Book follows an Albino emperor, named Elric who has given up his ruling of his land. Elric has done this in order to find out why he is on earth, why he exists. The book takes the reader along on all of Elric's journeys to find the meaning of life. Elric goes to many lands and fights off many mystical creatures to find this out. He will meet many new friends along the way, and the reader will lose some friends too, as you go along on his journeys.
I like how the book always kept me wanting more. The stories in the book are just as exciting as the next. It makes the reader feel like you are right next to Elric. The book is so descriptive. It almost makes the reader think that the monsters are real. I really like this description of Elric and his new found friend Shaarilla mounting their horses. "They mounted there swift, black horses and spurred them with abandoned savagery down the hillside towards the marsh, their clocks whipping behind them lashing them high into the air." In the book the vocabulary was easy enough, but I could not understand some of the names. I kept wanting to call Elric, Eric. I really thought that the cities were hard to pronounce like Jharokor, Imrryr, and Melnibone.
I recommend this book to readers who like adventure, fantasy books. This book has all of those great genres jammed packed into on whole book.
a repetitive and hugely unfulfilling disappointment.......2003-02-21
In all honesty, I find WEIRD OF THE WHITE WOLF to be a frustrating disappointment. Like SAILOR ON THE SEAS OF FATE, this third installment of the Elric Saga is essentially a collection of three, disjointed tales pitting Elric against only slightly varying opponents and obstacles. WOLF, to it's credit, is slightly more coherent than SAILOR, but it's repetitive and terribly unfulfilling.
The Elric Saga is great fun out of the gate, with ELRIC OF MELNIBONE telling an original, complete tale of love, war, and betrayal...and with a compelling open end, to boot. But nothing is done with it. Elric drifts near-aimlessly through the second volume, and here, in volume three, Elric's much-awaited return...along with the Dreaming City's destruction, is glossed over in a mere 60 pages(!), only to return Elric to his tired, pointless wandering where he spends his time largely bemoaning his existence.
Once again, there're quicksand-like marshes, organic tunnels which take the belly of the whale metaphor a bit too literally, seemingly abandoned building's which give birth to ghastly monsters within, and stray companions who are easily disposable. It's all just more of the same, with a poorly relayed love interest haphazardly thrown in.
To reiterate, Elric's much-anticipated return to Melnibone is a shameful bust. We off-handedly find out that Elric is once again dethroned by his cousin, that his betrothed has once again been put to sleep by a spell, and that Elric is once again considered an outcast. No time is spent exploring his relationship with his hateful cousin Yyrkoon, Cymoril is a total non-entity as she sleeps right up until her unfortunate death, and Elric's other established friends and supporters from the first volume are completely ignored. I can't emphasize how much of a let-down all of this is. Elric secretly visits the Dreaming City days before its destruction...if he had but one conversation with a coherent Cymoril, or a brief, friendly encounter with his friend and supporter Dyvim Tvar (who isn't even mentioned!), this could have been infinitely better, allowing the reader to at least momentarily empathize with Elric. But alas, all the potential energy is fruitlesslly discarded.
I feel as if Moorcock became completely disinterested in the Dreaming City and wanted to be done with it as soon as possible, deferring, instead, to the enveloping (and boring) relationship of Elric and his symbiotic sword.
In my opinion, it's just a huge, wasted opportunity. Perhaps, if I were 14 years old again, none of this would matter and I'd be content with all the soul-sucking and incantations. But as an installment in a series with such a strong first part, WEIRD OF THE WHITE WOLF has extinguished any desire of mine to continue with the Saga.
Moorcock, you lost me.
3 of 6: Back to Melnibone.......2003-01-28
Michael Moorcock, The Weird of the White Wolf (DAW, 1977)
The third book in the Elric series introduces the reader to Moonglum, Elric's longtime companion (and, thanks to AD&D's Deities and Demigods book, the companion most readers can't imagine him without). Much of the second novel moved away from the events of the first, and concentrated Elric's character on other adventures. The Weird of the White Wolf brings Elric back to Melnibonë along with Moonglum, their friend Smiorgan Baldhead, and an army of raiders bent on overthrowing Yyrkoon, who stole the throne when Elric left Melnibonë for a year to travel the world. For those wondering, whether you've read the book or not: the "weird" of the title is an archaic definition of the term, given by Merriam Webster as "One's assigned lot or fortune, especially when evil." And when he finds it, he's not all that happy about it. But that's to be expected when one's antihero has a crisis of conscience, I guess.
Certainly not a slow book by any means, nor a weak one in the context of the series. And it's definitely a necessity as a prelude to what comes after it. But I still felt there was something missing here; some pieces of description left out, a few places where things could have been filled in better. All of the Elric novels are short, to say the least (Stormbringer, the last and longest of them, clocks in a 217pp.), and feel as if they could use some fleshing out; this one, however, gives that feeling the most. One wonders if the brevity of them was not the insistence of the publisher, and what Moorcock would do with them, given the opportunity (a la King's unexpurgated edition of The Stand). Loads of fun, and highly recommended for fantasy and non-fantasy readers alike, as is the whole series. ****
Average customer rating:
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The Weird of the White Wolf
Manufacturer: Harpercollins Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000HTP8RO |
Book Description
Cupcakes have always been crowd-pleasers at school birthday parties and neighborhood bake sales. But today they are also among the hottest culinary trends for sophisticated adults. Cupcakes Year-Round offers a platter full of delicious, grown-up recipes-Black Forest Cherry Cupcakes, Hot Buttered Rum Cakes, Carrot and Zucchini Cakes, and many more-along with kid-friendly PB & J's, Snowballs, and Spelling Bee Alphabet Cakes.
In addition to 50 tasty recipes, organized by season (Easter Egg Nests for spring, Reindeer Snacks for winter), the book includes helpful information on the basics of making cupcakes, from mixing to icing, as well as instructions for piping techniques and tips on customizing cupcakes with syrups, fillings, and decorations. Mix-and-match batter and icing combinations give the baker more than 100 delectable cupcake options. With its unique easel format and retro design, this book proves that cupcakes are just as much fun to make as they are to eat. AUTHOR BIO: Sara Neumeier, a former food editor at Martha Stewart Living, is a recipe developer, food stylist, and writer whose work has appeared in Gourmet, Food & Wine, and Real Simple, along with Martha Stewart Living. This is her first book. Jonelle Weaver is a professional photographer whose work has appeared in such publications as Food & Wine, Condé Nast Traveler, and Gourmet.
Customer Reviews:
Great recipes, but design of book could be more useful.......2007-06-01
I've made 3 of the recipes myself for the one bowl vanilla, sour cream chocolate, and the jam cupcakes, and my mother has made the hummingbird cupcakes. The recipes so far have been great, and who ever said the book was worth the price for the one bowl vanilla cupcakes was dead on. Those cupcakes were legendary in my book. I still crave them. However, I have to agree with everybody else about how the book was made. It's nearly impossible to find the recipe you want... I usually have to search thru the book page by page twice to find what Im looking for... luckily it's a slim book. The problem is the whole flipping the book around and reading from back to front for the 2nd part after you've read it front to back on way.... It's habitual for most of us to turn the page and read the back of the page to get the next recipe or get the next set of directions, and here the back side of the page is a different recipe... when you're in the middle of a recipe it can be confusing and disorienting, but like i said, those vanilla cupcakes were worth it.
Kind of a rip-off.......2007-05-17
The recipes are very good, but also very limited. Saying that there are "50 recipes" on the cover is stretching the truth-- by oh, say, about 35. Brushing the tops with a syrup really doesn't qualify as a different recipe. Pretty deceptive. Also, whomever came up with the style of that double-paged-fold-back-whatever never tried to use it in their own kitchen. Very awkward. It's not that the results are bad, it's just that this is a complete waste of money given that there are so many cupcake books out now with so much more to them.
Great recipes and pictures!.......2007-01-21
This is my favorite cupcake book ever. The recipes are great. Each one has a color picture. I'm not sure what buyer "whoru" is talking about by saying no pictures. The flip design is a LITTLE difficult sometimes but its nothing that would make me regret getting this book. I would recommend this book to anyone likes cupcakes.
Best cupcake book.......2007-01-12
If you're looking for a cupcake-specific book, this is the one for you. I originally purchased it for myself and used it to make cupcakes for coworkers' birthdays and holidays and have gotten nothing but rave reviews, and have since given it as a much applauded gift to a few coworkers. This book is very easy to use, has pictures for almost every recipe- which is great for getting decorating tips, has recipes for every time of year and gives great suggestions for making "new cupcakes" out of some of the different recipes. All of that said, it's a great buy!
Awesome Recipes!.......2007-01-08
I bought a few cupcake books when I got my new Kitchenaid mixer. I've definitely tested out numerous recipes from each, and BY FAR this book has the best recipes. They always come out delicious. My favorite so far, is the red velvet recipe--the best red velvet I've ever had!
I highly recommend this book.
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- Incidents in the Rue Laugier
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