El Sueno de la Razon

Customer Reviews:

Fairly good.......2005-11-24

Overall, I enjoyed this novel. Innowen and Razkili (Razkili, especially, as I'm a sucker for devotion and he has it in spades) are very likable characters and the world created here is dark and interesting. I'll admit it did take me a little bit to get into the book--the initial hook doesn't carry well beyond the first chapter--and I even put it aside for a while, unsure if I'd give it another go. But, I did pick it back up and before long was sucked in--in a way the first several chapters hadn't grab me.

Admittedly, the plot is a bit weak--it's more of a personal quest on the part of Innowen than a true plot--but it still makes the novel work, nonetheless. And the point in which Innowen breaks away and seeks his quest alone--finding the witch who both blessed and cursed him with the ability to walk--the novel slows down considerably. The 3 or 4 chapters that deal with his travel, encounters and seeking the witch could have been handled in about a half of chapter far more potently and effectively. As it was, very little happens during these chapters and it's a long drawn out phase of the book. That said, it is worth getting through for the exciting push towards the end.

I would have liked to see a more definitive declaration between Innowen and Razkili. While you never doubt the love that exists between them, there's very little emotional payoff for all the underlying sexual tension that exists earlier in the book. However, for a quality relationship between two men that does develop into more (if lacking in any clear, 'yes, they did it'), Innowen and Razkili (called Rascal (did I mention how much I liked him?)) have it.

From a writing standpoint, there are some vivid and beautiful descriptions, complicated and compelling relationships, and a fair amount of political push and pull that is clearly done (as political conflicts in novels are too often fuzzy). All threads are tied up in the end, and not in annoying and perfect ways either, which is nice. If I do have to say something outright negative, it's that the book isn't exactly gripping, but I couldn't really put my finger on why. It may have just been due to the weakness of the plot, but you're pulled through by the characters. It's a good read, certainly, but I couldn't call it a compelling one, which is why I gave it 4 stars.

grim mycenaean fantasy.......2005-07-16

Mixed are my impressions on this most peculiar book: the five stars is homage to the writer's skill and originality.

Set in a world clearly going back to a pre-historical Greece, a fact supported also by the choice of garments, warfares and proper names, this book stands out of the several novelizations of past history because of the supernatural touch in it.

The plot itself is not particularly interesting: the quest of the main character, a crippled boy healed by a mysterious witch, for his past and for his true self. As another reviewer pointed out the plot twists are such as to shame any soap opera writer and this flaw taints the novel so much as to make it very slow at times.

On the other hand we are faced with a most talented writer: his descriptions are minute, detailed to the point of being fastidious. His use of the language is simply beautiful: night and shadow are a constant background but every description he conceives is lyrical at least. Mr Bailey pays much attention to all everyday aspects of life but in a way he manages to sublimate them into poetical images.

His treatment of characters is a subtle one: in a most dark, ambiguous, grim atmosphere which stifles even the most gruesome deaths (and there is a lot of violence in this book, only muted) Innowen and the others slide silently as if afraid to stir the wrath of the rarely mentioned but omnipresent gods of their land.
Only in time we are explicitly told that the deep attachment of Innowen and Razkili is love: though we understand this love to be an extremely passionate one, we watch it on tip toe, fearful of disturbing the hero while he discovers he does not love the witch as he believed before and he slowly comes to admit he cares for his friend and companion of five years. By the way here is a major contradiction: in this world homosexuality is no issue for anyone and still Innowen seems ashamed to love his companion: I guess Mr Bailey wanted this to be a fear to love in general but he omitted any explanation and it looks like he fears his love of men.
Luckily enough he does not forget anything else and though sex between the two is never graphic, well it is never mentioned as such, actually, we look with pleasure at the growing intimacy of their touching.

An original, interesting read suited for anyone (gay or straight) who is at least 16 y.o. provided s/he has some superficial knowledge of history and a love for beautiful writing.

Dancing through the night............2003-01-11

Shadowdance was my first introduction to the world of SciFi & Fantasy. Few books I've read have brought both tears and joy to my eyes. I loved Robin's poetic words to describe ordinary objects and the way the author took me to the dark side of sex and mankind. Robin's character development and use of gay overtones added a beautiful dimension to the fantasy. The love between Innowen and Razkilli gave me, a gay reader, an emotional feeling I could identify with.

Dark Fantasy Taken to a Whole New Level.......2002-06-17

I just found and read this book, and I'm completely in awe. It's dark and grim, and yet ultimately uplifting. Bailey's prose is tight and lush. His scenes are visual and intense, and he sustains a level of poetry throughout the entire book that few writers achieve. The magic is subtle and beautiful. No lightning bolts shooting from fingertips here, no fireballs or flashy stuff. In fact, one of the things I like best about this book is that it completely avoids all the cliches of most fantasy. I really like the bronze-age setting, and Bailey's research really shows. But most of all, I like the intensity of the building relationship between Innowen and Razkili. Like everything else about this book, the characters are subtle. They develop and grow as the story progresses. This book is definitely one to keep and reread again and again, and I'm delighted to have discovered this author.

Dive into the dance.......2001-02-12

Delightful mind morsel. Innowen and Razkili are very lovable main characters, the plot is thrilling, the beauty of it will leave you floating in a cloud of euphoria for days. My only gripe is, after I finished the book, I lusted for more about the lovers. Dangit, they never did the deed...

Average customer rating:

Shadowdance
Robin Bailey
Manufacturer: White Wolf Publishing, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HMPL6O

Average customer rating:

Shadowdance
Robin Wayne Bailey
Manufacturer: White Wolf Publishing, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000STN1QI

Average customer rating:

Shadowdance (Womansleuth Mystery)
Agnes Bushell
Manufacturer: Crossing Press,U.S.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0895943468

Shadowdance: A Womansleuth Mystery (WomanSleuth mystery)

Average customer rating:

Shadowdance: A Womansleuth Mystery (WomanSleuth mystery)
Agnes Bushell
Manufacturer: Crossing Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0895943476

Book Description

Kidnapped in Space?

Peter Thompson has had some pretty weird teachers in his time. By the time he discovers that his newest teacher glows in the dark, he's flying away from Earth in a spaceship full of aliens, and there's no one he can call. How do you report an alien to the FBI anyway?

Before Peter can do anything, he's taken on the strangest field trip of his life! His friends, his father, his school -- all are suddenly a million miles away!

Customer Reviews:

My Teacher Glows In The Dark.......2005-03-02

I think it was a awsome book.Its about a kid named peter.He meats a alien on earth and asks to come with him to a spaceship named New Jersy.He takes peter thire.He finds out that a alien council is going to blow up earth.To find out why the council wants to blow up earth you will have to read the book.
I liked this book because every chapter leaves you hanging.A lot of things hapen on New Jersey.He meats a lot of diffrent aliens.The book had very good descriptions of the aliens.Thats why I liked the book.

If you like funny ones .......2004-11-10

The book I read is called My Teacher Glows in the Dark. It was a really good book. The book was about a boy named Peter. He went into space with an alien named Broxholm. Peter spent five months with Broxholm. Peter decided to go with Broxholm into space. Peter had a change of mind; he wanted to go back to earth but it was too late. Peter and his friends Susan and Duncan suspected something wierd about their teacher. They went to his house when they looked into the window and saw something wierd. Their teacher glows in the dark they couldn't believe what they were seeing. Peter's teacher dies in the ship and Peter and Broxholm can't help him to get better. If you what to see what happens at the end of the book, go to your nearest library and check it out. Remember My Teacher Glows in the Dark.
By Lance King

Coville takes the My Teacher series to a whole new level.......2003-12-12

My Teacher Glows in the Dark is the third book in Bruce Coville's My Teacher series. While these books are written primarily for a 4th-6th grade audience, I as an adult have had a lot of fun reading them. I especially love Coville's way of presenting each story in the series. The series revolves around three pretty normal kids on Earth - the smart and brave Susan Simmons, nerdy dreamer Peter Thompson, and bully turned nice guy with newly-acquired brain-fried intelligence Duncan Dougal. Susan narrated the first book in the series, My Teacher is an Alien, wherein she discovers that her new teacher is an alien and joins up with Peter to stop him from kidnapping five students. Duncan narrated the second book, My Teacher Fried My Brains, in which we see inside his unhappy life, come to understand why he lashes out at people the way he does, and admire his effort to turn over a new leaf in life with the help of an artificially-advanced intelligence. Now, in My Teacher Glows in the Dark, it is Peter's turn to tell a part of the story.

While this is book three of the series, it actually fills in the gap separating books one and two. Peter left with the alien Broxholm at the end of book one and showed up back on earth at the end of book two, and now we get to hear what he has been doing up in space over the course of the earth's summer. I found this to be the most enjoyable book of the series so far; instead of dealing with an alien among humans, we now have a human among aliens, and this makes for a decidedly entertaining read. We meet all kinds of aliens, learn a few things about a few of their cultures, and get to see all kinds of alien technology in use. In addition to this, the human side of the story takes on much more significance. As luck would have it, the Interplanetary Council is debating whether or not to destroy Earth, and Peter finds himself smack dab in the middle of trying to save the world he left behind. Peter's friendships with several aliens on board the ship are really quite touching, as is his passion for doing whatever he, a boy of about twelve, can do to save his home planet.

With the action taking place in space, there is a much stronger science fiction element to this book than its predecessors, leading me to believe that many a young reader would simply eat this book up. With new and increasingly unusual aliens waiting around every corner, futuristic machines doing amazing things all over the place, and Earth's future hanging precariously in the balance, My Teacher Glows in the Dark sets the stage for a most promising climax in the fourth and final book of the series, My Teacher Flunked the Planet.

Great sci-fi intro.......2002-03-20

This is a great series to introduce a pre-teen to sci-fi! I would start out with the first book (My Teacher is an Alien.) I think this book would come next -- when I was a pre-teen, this was my favorite book of the series. "My Teacher Fried my Brains" would be another great book for someone who liked this one, becuase it describes what happened to the other characters during this time period. "My Teacher Flunked the Planet" (the last book) is okay, but the constant social commentary can grow tiresome. Highly recommended.

Another Coville success!.......1999-03-29

I recommend this book if you like stories with aliens. My book had some adventure and fantasy elements. For instance, one alien lives under the water with other aliens. If you like other books in this series, you will enjoy this one. I would recommend reading My Teacher is an Alien before this book.

Average customer rating:

My Teacher Glows in the Dark
Bruce Coville
Manufacturer: Minstrel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HKX35M

3 Titles By Bruce Coville My Teacher Is an Alien Series (1-3) : 1. My Teacher Is an Alien 2. My Teacher Fried My Brains 3. My Teacher Glows in the Dark

Average customer rating:

3 Titles By Bruce Coville My Teacher Is an Alien Series (1-3) : 1. My Teacher Is an Alien 2. My Teacher Fried My Brains 3. My Teacher Glows in the Dark
Bruce Coville
Manufacturer: Minstral Book
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000O7D3CG

Product Description

three mmpb books. 3 Titles By Bruce Coville My Teacher Is an Alien Series (1-3) : 1. My Teacher Is an Alien 2. My Teacher Fried My Brains 3. My Teacher Glows in the Dark

My Teacher Glows In The Dark (A Minstrel Book)

Average customer rating:

My Teacher Glows In The Dark (A Minstrel Book)

Manufacturer: Pocket Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000FFH3HS

Average customer rating:

Blue Willow Inn Bible of Southern Cooking Review

"The Blue Willow Inn Bible of Southern Cooking..."

Not for me

Not so traditional southern cooking

Blue Willow Inn Bible of Southern Cooking

The Blue Willow Inn Bible of Southern Cooking: More than 600 Essential Recipes Southerners have Enjoyed for Generations
Louis and Billie Van Dyke
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
South | U.S. Regional | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Blue Willow Inn Cookbook: Discover Why the Best Small-Town Restaurant in the South is in Social Circle, Georgia

Southern Country Cooking from the Loveless Cafe: Fried Chicken, Hams, and Jams from Nashville's Favorite Cafe

Church Suppers: 722 Favorite Recipes From Our Church Communities

Mama Dip's Family Cookbook

Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House Cookbook: A Celebration of Traditional Southern Dishes that Made Miss Mary Bobo's--An American Legend

ASIN: 1401602274

Book Description

Containing more than 500 recipes in every imaginable category, The Blue Willow Inn Bible of Southern Cooking is a staple in kitchens of everyone who appreciates classic Southern cooking.

Customer Reviews:

Blue Willow Inn Bible of Southern Cooking Review.......2007-07-21

This cookbook is a wonderful example of what southern cooking is all about. It has basic recipes which are simple, traditional and flavorful. I have searched for some of these recipes for years and finally found them in this wonderful cookbook. Best cookbook I own!

"The Blue Willow Inn Bible of Southern Cooking...".......2007-01-10

This cook book was an excellent choice! It is very informative, plus offers GREAT recipes.

Not for me.......2007-01-09

I should have listened to L. Ross' Review. The subtitle should have been Bible of 1950's Southern Cooking. Recipies heavy on the use of prepared foods and packet seasonings.
The book claims to contain over 600 Essential Recipies Southerners have enjoyed for Generations. Only a few are the traditional ones my Grandmother cooked at the turn of the last century (1900). This is a book I will pass on rather than keep.

Not so traditional southern cooking.......2006-11-15

When I think of southern cooking, I think of my grandmother and our family gatherings. She would go all out. Fried eggs, grits and buscuits for breakfast. Fried chicken, rolls, beans, greens and potatoes for dinner. I loved her cooking and her she has always been the baseline I use for good southern cooking.

After reading through a few of the reviews for the Blue Willow Inn Bible of Southern Cooking, I felt comfortable with my purchase. However, the moment I cracked open the book, I felt let down. Most of the dishes include canned vegitables over fresh. Processed foods over basics. Not the way I remembered things and certainly not the way I prefer to cook today.

However, it was the biscuit recipe that drove me to return the book. The recipe uses self-rising flour over baking powder or cream of tartar. I don't know of a single southern grandmother that didn't use baking powder when I was growing up.

I realized that the book is the actual recipes for the Blue Willow Inn and that when cooking in mass quantities, they appear to take shortcuts to save time and energy. Understandable if you are cooking for dozens of families a day perhaps. But again, not the way I cook.

If you are looking for quick and easy recipes, this book is for you. But I don't think that this could be considered true southern cooking from the past.

Blue Willow Inn Bible of Southern Cooking.......2006-11-04

A great American cookbook with lots of truly southern recipes that will appeal to all Americans. I found several recipes that I had been looking for for many years and many delicious new ones. A wonderful addition to my recipe collection.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books